small loose, detached and disconnected notes

1 – Local elections are approaching, and it will be interesting to analyze the programs. Will they be—as usual—a disjointed patchwork of proposals and promises upon promises? And does this constitute a discredit to, or a discredit to, politics (and democracy)?

2 – Next year, the presidential elections are the culmination of a period of intense (always immediate) media bombardment, with endless promises; analysis upon analysis; and more conjecture upon conjecture. Will we have the patience for this?

3 – We wait to see (and welcome) whether the candidates in Guarda surprise us with an attitude of elevation that focuses on the common good of our people (?!). Much hope, or even faith?

4 – And Vila Mendo, always here and always beyond; and always short of what we would wish for it?

5 – The heat is here, and even before the inclemency of the fires becomes a reality, televisions are already “massacring” us with their possibilities… and we are almost set on fire.

6 – Wars have followed their inexorable course since the beginning of humanity until today (probably until the future). Various thinkers have seen virtues in them, or at least justifications, with the aim of transforming the lethargy to which many (individually and collectively) were condemned into joyful realities, with the aim of exporting to other peoples the virtues of their own, or those they considered… We, however, wanted them to end, yesterday. In any case, as a country, we must be prepared for anything.

7 – A break from sport , which is to say from football, is always good to regroup for the euphoria and disappointment, the joys and sorrows, the celebrations and excesses that await us in the next season… A good alternative is the Tour de France with the ineffable Tadej Pogacar.

8 – Pauses. So necessary for us to think about ourselves and others. To think about ourselves with others.

9 – These notes are not worth mentioning, but we are almost at the holidays and the Portuguese (like the people of Guarda) enter a relaxed and expectant mode; then they get tired during the break, because their ideals rarely come to fruition; they recover when they return to work; they ruminate on the misfortune of their monotonous, poorly paid tasks and their complex and complicated lives; they become exasperated by everything and its nothingness, and by the length of the next break; and… then the same old thing… We are like this and we don't know if we could be any other way.

10- There aren't any. But there could be. And many. Small, loose, disconnected notes; or not.

Luis Filipe Soares