The A-Z's of Ali la Loca

Here are my responses to the A-Z meme, passed on to me by Telfair.

accent: In Portuguese I have a carioca accent that I picked up when I lived in Rio in college. Thankfully I don't have even the slightest trace of an American accent when I speak Portuguese, although sometimes people think I'm from southern Brasil.

In English I have an American accent, devoid of any regional twang since I grew up in relatively accent-less central New Mexico. I now speak "CNN English," a very proper, clear, internationally friendly form of language reminiscent of the way the correspondents on CNN present their news. My English is really ridiculous these days. I find myself overcompensating to ensure that I am understood by colleagues and clients that are not totally fluent in English, and as I result I end up speaking this strange language-school-instructor-gone-wrong version of my native toungue. I find myself back-translating from Portuguese, incorporating phrases from British or South African English, and even involuntarily making up words!

booze: I love Mexican beer with lime (especially Pacifico), cold Chardonnay with seafood, spicy red Zinfandel for sipping at home and feeling intellectual, margaritas in New Mexico, gin and tonic in African bars, tequila shots chased with orange slices coated in cinnamon for those wild nights I don't seem to have anymore, cooking with Kahlua, and Amarula on the rocks when I feel like a treat.

chore i hate: easy - washing dishes by hand.

dogs/cats: I love cats. Ricardo and I just adopted 2 abandoned kittens here in Maputo, Pria and Parceiro. In the US I shared my home with Azul, a beautiful lilac tortie Burmese that I got at the pound and who is now living it up in California with my mom, her husband, and 2 Australian Shepherds.

essential electronics: laptop, iPod and portable speakers that double as our stereo in the flat, iTrip for road trips, Canon Powershot SD200 digital camera, cell phone.

favorite perfume: I am picky about perfume and have a phobia of most floral and oriental scents. I am sensitive to strong smells, but I think this particular aversion can be traced back to my mom and her glorious romps through the fragrance departments at Duty Free shops, department stores, and just about any place that had sample bottles out on display. My mom would literally cover every available inch of skin from her elbows to her fingertips with strong scents like Obsession by Calvin Klein, or whatever the new perfume by Christian Dior was that year.

In reaction, perhaps, I tend to like perfumes that are fresh, clean, citrus-y, green, fruity, or marine-inspired. Many times I like men's perfume more than I like women's because it is not at all floral or powdery. Past scents I've used include Ralph by Ralph Lauren, pure tangerine oil applied at the wrists and neck, and Hugo Boss Woman. I recently branched out and actually found a floral scent I like - Very Irresistible by Givenchy, but only because it smells like pure roses.

My favorite scent ever is not actually a perfume but a creme - A Perfect World by Origins, an intoxicating blend of white tea and apricots.

gold/silver: Silver for everyday jewelry, gold for special occasions. I think my wedding band will have to be dual-tone because I love them both.

hometown: Albuquerque, New Mexico. My heart-town is Rio de Janeiro. My current home is Maputo, Mozambique.

insomnia: Sometimes, especially if I drink caffeine too late in the afternoon/evening. I also have trouble sleeping when I get hit with a wave of creativity. If I'm inspired to write or draw or create, I can easily forget about sleep and stay up into the wee hours of the morning.

job title: On my business card it reads Funding Manager. In reality what I do is consult with companies and project promoters to help develop successful business strategies. And then I write - business plans, memoranda of investment, feasibility studies, marketing plans, strategic plans, grant proposals - with the ultimate objective of raising money for these companies or projects. The main idea behind our work is that the local private sector holds the key to sustainable economic development and associated poverty alleviation in emerging markets.

kids: not yet.

living arrangements: With boyfriend/work partner and 2 kittens in a flat in the heart of Maputo. We will likely be here for another 5 years or so, after which our main residence will likely be the Casa Rosa in Santa Teresa, Rio de Janeiro.

most admired trait: I asked Ricardo about this one last night and he gave me three traits, all related, and incidentally ones that I agree with:

- transparente. I am transparent. I show my emotions on my face both physically and through my expressions. When I get stressed out or upset, my under-eye circles darken noticeably and I get really pale. I also make no attempt to hide what I feel. If I'm upset, it's obvious. If I'm happy, every one knows. And I have no problem whatsoever talking about what I feel if someone should ask, "What's wrong?"

- sincera. I am sincere and honest. I tell it like I feel it.

- direta. I am direct and precise with my thoughts, actions and words. If I am upset with someone, I usually approach them to say what is on my mind. If I am stressed, I talk or write about what is bothering me. If I am in love, I make my declarations with no hesitation.

number of sexual partners: right...

overnight hospital stays: Technically one, when I got a mad intestinal infection in Brazil, but they didn't actually book me in or give me a bed. I just sat in a chair in the waiting room all night with an iv in my arm, making frequent trips to the toilet accompanied by a nurse to hold up the bag of iv drip solution while I did my business.

phobia: snakes, strong waves and ocean currents, surgery, having somebody I love die in my arms after an accident without being able to do anything to help, being in a plane crash, losing my mind.

quote: "Music opens paths that only the wise know how to walk, and which, along with dance, builds bridges which bring you close to a world which cannot even be dreamt." - Subcomandate Marcos

religion: none.

siblings: I am an only child, but have had varying numbers of step-siblings throughout my life. The current situation is 1 step-sister and 1 step-brother on my dad's side, and 2 step-brothers on my mom's side, although I have never lived with any of them.

time i usually wake up: Depends. I go through phases. Sometimes I love to wake up early, around 6:30. Other times I like nothing more than to sleep until 10am. Regardless of how tired I am, I feel immensely gulity if I sleep past noon.

unusual talent: I also asked Ricardo about this one. His first answer was writing. I said that all of my blogging friends are unusually talented writers, so that didn't count. Then he said something racy, and I said that answer wouldn't work either because both of our mothers read this blog. His final answer was cooking. I'll take it. I am a damn good cook and I love to invent in the kitchen.

vegetable i refuse to eat: none. I've learned tricks for cooking okra (put in some lime, lemon or vinegar when you cook it to get rid of the slime) and jiló (a bitter Brazilian vegetable made delicious when battered and fried), so there are no vegetables at this point that I won't eat.

worst habit: I also asked Ricardo about this one, and he said my worst habit is one that I am very conscious of already. In his words, "é quando você resolve ser filha da puta com alguma coisa, e o faz de propósito." Basically, when I decide to be bitchy or difficult with something or someone on purpose. I definitely catch myself doing this, I definitely think it's one of my worst habits, and I definitely am trying to change...not because I don't want to be labeled a bitch, but because constantly lashing out with negative energy takes a toll on me that is simply not worth it.

x-rays: Regularly at the dentist's, and once on my foot when I hurt my big toe playing capoeira.

yummy foods i make: lasagne, green chile stew, passion fruit mousse, yogurt spice pound cake, omelettes, lentil curry with bacon... everything I make is yummy!

zodiac sign: Libra.

I would like to tag Safiya and Ladybird for this meme, if they feel so inclined.