Love and Friendship a poem by Emily Bronte

Love is like the wild rose-briar,
Friendship like the holly-tree
The holly is dark when the rose-briar blooms
But which will bloom most constantly?

The wild-rose briar is sweet in the spring,
Its summer blossoms scent the air;
Yet wait till winter comes again
And who will call the wild-briar fair?

Then scorn the silly rose-wreath now
And deck thee with the holly's sheen,
That when December blights thy brow
He may still leave thy garland green.

i found a very good source for funny cartoons, they're separated by topics mostly about the business world, it's worth it, they're hilarious!

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.glasbergen.com/images/business_cartoons.gif&imgrefurl=http://www.glasbergen.com/cat.html&usg=__cOyM9f5IvQ7wMoLQUPKX9n0U4Bs=&h=360&w=437&sz=15&hl=en&start=18&sig2=dMpGRgDoVoeYPKzYtaXWPw&um=1&tbnid=3v7Jb64ILv2WZM:&tbnh=104&tbnw=126&ei=-KYuSeOuOY3O-QbGoYmhAw&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dcartoons%26ndsp%3D20%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN

1st photography contest of Nova

Hi! Some days ago I received an e-mail from the faculty AE, spreading the first photography contest of Nova. I found it very interesting and I wanted to share with you. All the information is on this site:

http://sas.unl.pt/fotografia/

Hope you enjoy it!

Hey there. The other I ran into a advertisement of the movie ANGELS & DEMONS. If you loved THE DaVINCI CODE, then you don't want to miss this one. It will be released in May 2009. Here it is some information about the movie:

Angels & Demons is an upcoming film adaptation of Dan Brown's novel of the same name, due for release on May 15, 2009. The film stars Tom Hanks as Robert Langdon, a role he played in The Da Vinci Code, another Brown film adaptation. The Da Vinci Code director Ron Howard and screenwriter Akiva Goldsman also return. Filming took place in Rome and the Sony Pictures Studios in Los Angeles.

Robert Langdon is summoned by CERN to investigate a murder victim, branded with the Illuminati ambigram, leading him to discover the secret society's scheme to murder four cardinals and destroy St. Peter's Basilica during a papal conclave using antimatter.

In 2003, Sony acquired the film rights to Angels & Demons along with The Da Vinci Code in a deal with author Dan Brown. In May 2006, following the film release of the film adaptation oh The Da Vinci Code, Sony hired screenwriter Akiva Goldsman, who wrote the film adaptation of The Da Vinci Code, to adapt Angels and Demons. Producer Brian Grazer said they were too reverential when adapting The Da Vinci Code, which resulted in it being a little long and stagey. This time, Langdon doesn't stop and give a speech. When he speaks, he's in motion. David Koepp rewrote the script before shooting began.

Filming was originally to begin in February 2008 for a December 2008 release, but because of the 2007-2008 Writers Guild of America strike, production was pushed back for a May 15, 2009 release. Shooting began on June 4, 2008 in Rome under the fake working title Obelisk. The filmmakers scheduled three weeks of exterior location filming because of a predicted 2008 Screen Actors Guild strike on June 30. The rest of the film would be shot at Sony Pictures Studios in Los Angeles, California, to allow for this halt. Additionally, Roman Catholic Church officials found The Da Vinci Code offensive, so the filmmakers were unable to shoot inside the churches Santa Maria del Popolo and Santa Maria della Vittoria. The Caserta Place doubled for the inside of the Vatican, and the Biblioteca Angelica was used for the Vatican Library. A full scale replica was also built at Sony.

CBS News interviewed a priest working in Santa Susanna, who stated the Church did not also want their churches to be associated with scenes of murder. A tour guide also stated most priests do not object to tourists who visit out of interest after reading the book, a trend which will continue after people see the film. I think they are aware that it's, you know, a work of fiction and that it's bringing people into their churches. Grazer deemed it odd that although The Da Vinci Code was a more controversial novel, they had more freedom shooting its film adaptation in London and France. Italian authorities hoped the filmmakers corrected the location errors in the novel, to limit the amount of explaining they will have to do for confused tourists.

The secont unit took photographs of the Large Hadron Collider for visual effects shots of the facility. The Moving Picture Company would combine these into footage of actors shot against bluescreen in Los Angeles. Ron Howard also met with CERN to make the film more scientifically accurate. Filming also took place at the University of California, Los Angeles in July 2008.

Diana**

MIAKI Live

On the 13th November, FCSH is going to receive an event: MIAKI Live. I signed in their website and it is quite nice.

The event is at Auditório 2, at 15h. I hope you'll see it. Check the website:

http://miaki.eu/

Diana

Hello

The first assessment task has been handed in. Overall you did well and commented on each others' drafts.

No one commented on yours Bernardo as the deadline for it was the 13th Oct.

Mafalda, there was a deadline for handing in your essay, the 27th. You emailed it to me yesterday with no explanation as to the reason for delivering it late.

http://www.quotationspage.com/subjects/ quotations in english by subject, a very interesting way to learn new words, and also to get inspired by some of them..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NcUzII462xA
a very funny video

To find inspiration in a person.

My greatest friend Joanna is in everyway an inspiration to me, i feel fortunate to have known her, and that our paths have crossed in life.
She’s the kind of person that’s impossible for you not to admire, she hasn’t had a very easy life in every aspect possible, and she’s always faced all adversities with a smile on her face, trough all that is truly difficult and challenging in life that comes our way, she has always been able to keep a positive uptake on life accompanied by a commendable uplifting attitude.
My friend hasn’t got neither her father nor her mother financial help, and most of the times emotional support, her father is totally absent in her life and has always been so, in regards to her mother the situation is a bit different, she is a very young mother that had her at only 20 years old, so she is the kind of person that didn’t enjoy her life and youth when she had the chance to do so, and while others that surrounded here were enjoying it.
So it is noticeable that she has some kind of resentment towards her daughter for depriving her of those years, even though in my opinion totally misplaced and absurd resentment…
But well, anyway…
My point is that her mother doesn’t really act like a mother to my friend, she is irresponsible, reckless in many cases, and what happens is that my friend ends up having to be the mature one, worry about her and solve her problems, because truth be told, she doesn’t care about much, unfortunately for Joanna.
The way she handles this relationship with her mother, and the emotional strength, cool head, strong character, maturity and positivity she shows along the way are the very things I admire her for.
Other department of her life in witch she maintains her true positive nature is in her academic and at the same time professional life. On top of every other issue she has to deal with in her life, she cant afford to be still and reflect on things or problems, or fall into depressive states, she has to support herself and earn enough money to make the rent, pay the utilities and food, as well as her university tuitions she also takes care of, this naturally among many other unforeseen expenses any household has, and any person isn’t clairvoyant to be able to predict but nonetheless as to find money to pay..
She is an extraordinarily capable and hard working person that in the middle of a demanding job, and even more demanding college degree, is always on time, up-to-date and efficient, never missing a class or a day’s work, and never losing her faith in her abilities, always confident in herself.
She’s a happy person by nature, funny and always in a good mood, and in spite of her own problems she always finds the time and patience to help you with yours, always of course showing her understanding spirit and compassionate heart.
I would definitely like to be more like her, see life as she does, and I think everyone would benefit to have an attitude similar to Joanna’s.

Love you ju.

My grandfather, my hero!

In my life there was a person who striked me in a way I'll never forget. My grandfather.
His name was Luís and he passed away when I was around twelve. It was the first time in my life I had lost someone so dear to me.
My grandfather Luís became the greatest influence on me since a young age. This happened because of his strong and overwhelming personality that left no one indiferent. He was both a lawyer in Lisbon and the owner of a quite large farm in Douro. He was a man with an enourmous heart and sense of justice. I'ts funny the I remember him. A short but strong man, roughened by studying and working all his life. I still remember him saying to me how all that was his one day would be mine and how he would be proud to see me get into University and get a degree. He loved the way I had grown up, always in touch with nature, and he would do the crazyiest things that I found funny and some people just found that choking. Like the time we were in a family picnic and suddenly a bunch of wasps came to join our meal. While everyone was quite frightened and afraid of going on sharing the food with these wasps, my grandfather stayed calmly sitting down and as soon as a wasp landed on a slice of bread he simply putted another slice on top and ate the all thing. From that day on, he was definitely my heroe. And he never changed his funny attitude and charismatic ways since the day I first remember him to the last.
And I could go on for days talking about him and all the things he taught me when I was just a little boy, how he looked, how well he wrote( he was also a writer) and painted. His paintings are beautifull despite not being considered masterpieces they have their own priceless value in my heart.

Hello

Now please start commenting on each others' 1st drafts.

Bernardo-where is your 1st draft?

Forever

Apart from my family, there was a person that was and still is very important in my life. His name was Pedro. And it all started six years ago when I joined the Scout group of Algés. I always wanted to be a scout, but I never decided to join, until that October day. It was the best decision of my life. I met friends that will last for life, and this friendship is a very good example. Despite of hardly knowing each other, he accepted to be my godfather. This was just the beginning. We found out that we had many things in common and a few months later we were best friends. We talked everyday on the internet or by text messages, there were no secrets between us, we talked about everything.

Every Saturday, before Scouts, we met to have a nice cup of coffee and to tell the news about the week that passed. And one, two years went by. The summer came and we spent it together. He lived in Sintra and came to Algés to meet me and decide where to go that day. We went everywhere, to the beach, to the pool, to Baixa, Colombo and many other places. I was 15 years old and he influenced my character in many ways. He was a very kind person that thought about the others in first place. He had some health problems – he was diabetic – and when he broke his leg, he had to be operated, but any of this could make him sad, he was always smiling and thanking God for all his opportunities in life. And I was always complaining about this or that, wasting my time thinking about the bad things and not valuing more the good things, like him. I was in a ‘dark’ phases of my life and he was always trying to make me feel better and appreciate life. He had always something friendly and nice to say or to recommend. How I miss and need his advices now! When I’m feeling down, I visit him and ask him for some signs or something that can somehow help me. It might sound weird, but most of the times, the help came.

It’s very hard to lose someone dear, we all know that, one way or another, but loosing a friend is very, very hard too. He had his all life to live and so may things to do. The lesson I learned, in the hard way, was that life is unfair. The example of life that I follow is his example. Every night I thank him for all he taught me. I know he is guarding me until we meet again, in the eternal camp.

Nonno Nando

The person that has been significant in my life is my grandfather. He was a really special person and i have always thought it this way altough in a period of my adolescence i could not stand him.

My parents separeted when i was still a baby and for that my grandfather thought it could be a good idea if he would help my mom taking care of me when she went to work. That's why he has been so important to me: he has practically embodied the figure of a father for years.
He was a beautiful man. Tall, slender and wide-shouldered with the years he only gained that weight that would give him a genuine look. He had strong big hands but they were also soft and warm that always remind me the bread he used to make on Sundays.
Have you ever looked in somebody else's eyes and felt that the person could actually see inside you? My grandfather had this power: his piercing, deep eyes would make you feel extremely vulnerable and ready to listen to what he had to say.
Like most children, i as well, liked to go to the park. But everytime there was my grandfather with me things were so different! He would let me lay down on the grass, get dirty in the mud, all things my mother would not be so happy about! He also tried to teach me that i should not be afraid of insects:" they are just like us, they hurt you only if they feel frithened...and look how big you are compared to them, do you really think you should be so afraid?". If i don't run screaming "help!" everytime i see an insect is because of him, although he only got this far with me: i'm still afraid of insects.

As i grew older my relationship with my grandfather started to be a little more complicated. He would impose me to dress up in a certain way, not to wear make up, and to the woman it was coming out of me this caused a lot of pain. I could not understand his rules and therefore i started to rebel against him. I didn't want to call him, didn't want to visit him, but there was no way because when my mother didn't know what to do with my behaviour she would just drop me to his house and let him deal with me. Well, i said he was a very special person. Are you wondering what made me change my mind? He surprised me. I had done something that made my mother really upset and as usual she called my grandfather to deal with it. I was scared. If she was so upset what would he say? He stood up for me. He understood why i acted in that certain way, he gave his opinion, his advice and the told me something i will always remember :" you are getting older and things cannot be imposed to you by anyone anymore. A moment will come in which you will have to count on yourself because i won't be here to warn you. The perfect way to live your life at the best and out of trouble is listening to your heart, always".
From that moment on i saw in him a new person. I learned that he was also very wise and a great friend to talk with.

He died when i was sixteen. I had never saw death so close to me before that moment. It hit me like a storm in a peaceful and sunny day of July. The last time i saw him i was about to leave his house when he told me :" wait, don't you tell me that you love me? You never know what can happen!". Thank God he said that. Thank God i told him that i loved him.

Also with his death he thought me something. Nobody is going to be with you forever: make sure the person knows what you feel inside.

For being a grandfather, a father, a friend...thank you nonno.

Hello everyone. Here is my text from our assessment. Give some feedback and correct my mistakes, please =)

I think my mother is the most important person in my life. She helps me growing up by answering my questions, by talking with me about no matter what and teaching me lessons that I am going to use for the rest of my life.
I love almost everything in my mum. And I say “almost” because there are some things about her that really annoy me. She is really stubborn and she spends too much time thinking about those things like “what if” and “what about” and she talks and talks until we say “Enough, mum!”. Only after that she seems to relax and let us relax.
What I really love about my mother is that she is very positive and does not let any of the house go down. She has a disease and sometimes I can see how sad and down she is, but she tries to smile and pass the idea that everything is fine. Even the woman from the stationery store says she is always smiling. I am not that positive, but since I noticed that facet of her’s I have been trying to be more positive also. I also have long conversations with her so that she can tell me her worries and let out things she has inside of her that no one wants to listen.
Of course my dad supports her, but like the man he is, he does not really care about feelings and emotions. So, I try to be there for her as she is always there for me.
My mother is only 39 years old, but she has passed through some bad things and she suffered a lot. And she will continue to suffer because of her disease that consumes her everyday. I love my mum and I always will. If I could, I would do anything to keep her away from that suffering, because I love her forever.

I love you mum =)

Diana

Introduction to poetry by Billy Collins and commentary

I ask them to take a poem
and hold it up to the light
like a coler slide
or press an ear against its hive.
I say drop a mouse into a poem
and watch him probe his way out,
or walk inside the poem’s room
and feel the walls for a light switch.
I want them to waterski
across the surface of a poem
waving at the author’s name on the shore.
But all they want to do is tie the poem to a chair with rope
and torture a confession out of it.
They begin beating it with a hose
to find out what it really means.

I decided to put the poem here because i found it really interesting. Infact it gives us a good hint on how we should act in front of a poem.
The reaction i had, once i read the poem, was that of surprise beacuse while i was reading it the first thought that came to my mind was: what does this poem mean? And a smile came to my face when i saw that all the author wanted from me was exactly the opposite thing. I should have had an open mind, but most of all an open heart..if we think about it a poem is pretty much like a picture or a painting: with just few words, or few elements, it has to create an emotion inside you, but this is possible only if you let it.

This was my commentary. Now i would like to post also something that i found on the net: a commentary of the same poem of a 12 year old girl. I was astonished. If she did it all by herself she has a future ahead!

by Lily Chambers

Hey im 12 and my class had to write a critisism paragraph on this toshow what we think it means. this is mine: The author wants you tocarefully examine his poem but not to strangle it. By holding thecolored slide to the light means to see the brightest colors andstrongest meanings. He wants you to listen to the poems secrets likeyou `listen to a hive’. He wants you to put your thoughts insidethe poem and let them scurry around like a mouse inside of a maze. `Feelthe wall for a light switch,’ he wants you to gently feel the poem forand answer or idea. He has complete control over you when you read thepoem like the poem is the skies and the author is the boat. You waveto congratulate him and that’s all he needs and wants for you to do,to understand and thank him. But you shall not harm the poem or jumpto conclusions by tying it to a chair and hearing only what you want.Listen to the poem don’t destroy it.I got an A- on this one



I bet she did!!!

Hari

Welcome!

Hi everyone! Welcome to our Blog!
We are the good stuff and we would like you to read and comment our texts, so we can have some feedback.
Looking forward to see your blogs.


Bernardo
Catarina
Diana
Hari
Mafalda