Journalled on Wednesday, 10th of May 2023 | Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro: 23 degrees, cool, overcast and rainy.
Wednesday is the middle point of the week and my fourth day living in Flamengo, and cracks are beginning to show, not in Flamengo but in my abode.
As usual, I got up early, left home to exercise in the local park, and quickly returned for my first early class at 7 a.m. I arrived as Yasmin and Nalva were leaving; I didn’t have enough time to shower before class. As I had classes at seven, eight, and nine, I could only shower at 10 a.m.
When I could shower, the water wasn’t heated. Electric showers can be problematic, which is one reason they aren’t considered as good as gas showers. For two years, I was used to a gas boiler shower in Copacabana, and now I am back to the poverty line again with a broken electric shower.
I dismantled the shower head to see the filament and tried to find another in local shops in Flamengo. None of the shops had this filament type, so I tried to use the old filament and repair it.
Then, when I tried to put the shower head back on, etc., to see if it worked, the shower arm supporting the shower on the wall broke because of a weak thread in the joint. I called Nalva to see if she knew somebody locally who could fix it, and she told me about a porter, an odd-job man who works in the building.
I tracked down Junior in the building’s reception. Within two hours, he came to have a look and concluded that we needed to break part of the wall to change a joint and a pipe. He didn’t have all the necessary tools and materials, but he promised to return the next day to start repairing the wall.
So I had to take a cold shower, and everyone else had to do the same for the next couple of days until it was fixed.
The funny thing is that I recently watched a YouTube video from the famous neuroscientist Andrew Huberman, discussing and justifying the medicinal benefits of cold showers. A cold shower boosts your mood and makes you feel better and happier by triggering dopamine in the brain.
I think it worked; even though it was not pleasant when I took it, I felt really good for the rest of the day. I also felt cleaner than after a regular hot shower, but that is just me. It was also interesting that, in this shower-breaking experience, my ex-wife did not complain, nor did she throw it in my face as a form of disappointment.
I just arrived, and things are already starting to break down, but it is still early. I also noticed I didn’t despair over the problem. The truth is, shit happens every day, and when it does, we have to face it and resolve it. So I took a short, cold, torturous shower that left me feeling good and enthusiastic for the rest of the day and for giving classes.
I always strive to improve and organise things to enhance the quality of life for my daughter and ex-wife, with whom I currently live. I do this whenever I am alone and have the time.
I am delegating housework to Yasmin because it is important for her. When she was with me in Copacabana, I would do this, and she always did what I asked, but it was only temporary. Now that it is full-time, I want to increase her responsibilities to prepare her for her future as an adult.
Even though things aren’t 100%, all is well because life is like this. We must see the beauty or the positivity in the smallest things. My ex-wife arrived home at about 7 p.m., tired but not complaining.
In bed by 9.30 p.m.
Thank you very much.
Thanks for reading my blog. Check out my other posts and share your thoughts in the comments.
Richard
