Cat in a Flat: Cat Sitting / Babá de Gatos

Posted on 23/02/2016 by Tariana Pestana

EN/ Cat Sitting

I recently signed up for Cat in a Flat Website and had my first clients.
Here I will explain how it works to be a cat sitter.

What is it?
A website for searching cat sitters.

How is it?
The pet owner searches according to location (neighbourhood), using distance to filter where the sitter intends to travel to, value and experience. Shows the sitters’ profiles with description and information.

Everyone can register?
Yes, but it is preferable to have experience with cats. In your profile you can put how many years of experience you have, if you can handle medication, if you have or had cats. It is also possible to maintain a “customer” gallery with pictures of cats that you sitted. It is important to ask for references pros cat owners after each service, this reference will be made public on your profile, which will help to get more customers.

How it works?

1- After the search, the pet owner gets in touch with you to make sure you’re available dates he needs the service. They can hire and pay for one visit per day, or 2 visits a day with value stipulated by the sitter. I have stipulated a value that covers 2 bus tickets, although only work in the neighbourhood, sometimes it is necessary.

2. A meeting is scheduled to discuss other details and know the cat. At this meeting I already show the owner the contract sheet as well as other documents: information form on nutrition and cat schedules, emergency contact etc; vet form if you need to, and permission to get the key. In this first meeting is now only to review and explain it all, a meeting before the service (usually a pet owner’s trip) is that everything is written down and signed, as well as the delivery of the key is made.

3- At the second meeting you see where is the food, the quantity and frequency of feeding. Also gets to see where is the litter box, bags, and will need to replace the sand and when. We agreed about giving snacks, going out or not and sending pictures.

As it is with the cat?

Each is different but the first day I just take the food, clean pots and clean the litter box, try not to pet them and just let they smell me if they want. That’s because the cat saw me no more than 2 times, it doesn’t trusts me yet and if I anticipate myself they may not like to approach. I took care of 3, and only one of them up to now did show much affection, these other two were affectionate, I ended up staying longer there as they sat on my lap for about 10 minutes. Kira cat only drinks running water from the tap, then as soon as I arrived and before I left I would open the tap to let her drink it, despite always leaving an clean little pot with water. From the 3, Smokey was more difficult to feed, I would fill the pot for him when I would arrive and he would eat it all in minutes, what made me put food again before leaving and was often the time for me to get my stuff and he would have eaten all over again.

At the end…
At the end is a matter of returning the key as agreed (in person or by putting in the mail box inside the house) and asking for references to your profile on the site. It is always good to add that cat in your gallery as well.

Check here my profile on Cat in a Flat: https://catinaflat.com/pet_sitter/2038

PT/ Babá de Gatos

Eu recentemente me inscrevi em um site de buscas de pet sitter/cuidadora/babá e tive as minhas primeiras clientes. Aqui vou explicar como ele funciona para ser uma babá de gatos.

O que é?
Um site de busca de cuidadores de gatos.

Como é?
O dono do pet busca de acordo com a localidade (bairro), usando filtro de distância que a babá está e pretende percorrer, valor e experiência. Aparecem perfis das babás com descrição e suas informações.

Todos podem se registrar?
Sim, mas é preferível ter experiência com gatos. No seu perfil você pode colocar quantos anos de experiencia você tem, se você sabe dar remédio, se tem ou teve gatos. Também é possivel manter uma galeria de “clientes” com fotos dos gatos que você cuidou. É importante pedir referencias pros donos dos gatos após cada serviço, essa referencia ficará pública no seu perfil, o que ajudará a conseguir mais clientes.

Como funciona?

1- Após a pesquisa, o dono do pet entra em contato com você pra verificar se você está disponivel as datas que ele precisa do seviço. Eles podem contratar e pagar por 1 visita por dia, ou 2 visitas ao dia com valor estipulado pelo cuidador. Eu estipulei um valor que cubra 2 passagens de ônibus, apesar de só trabalhar no bairro, as vezes é necessario.

2- Um encontro é marcado pra discutir outros detalhes e conhecer o gato. Nesse encontro eu levo já o contrato pro dono ler assim como outros documentos: formulário de informação sobre a alimentação e horários do gato, contato de emergencia etc; formulário do veterinário para caso precise, e autorização para pegar a chave. Nesse primeiro encontro é momento só de revisar e explicar isso tudo, um encontro antes do serviço (geralmente uma viagem do dono do pet), é que tudo é anotado e assinado, assim como a entrega da chave é feita.

3- No segundo encontro você vê onde fica a comida, as quantidades e frequencia da alimentação. Também tem que ver onde fica a caixa de areia, saquinhos, e se vai precisar trocar a areia e quando. Combinamos sobre dar petiscos, sair ou não e o envio de fotos.

Como é com o gato?
Cada um é de um jeito, no primeiro dia eu só dou a comida, limpos potinhos e limpo a caixa de areia, não tento fazer carinho e só deixo ele me cheirar se ele quiser. Isso porque o gato me viu no máximo 2 vezes, ainda não me conhece de verdade e se eu me adiantar ele pode não gostar de aproximação. Cuidei de 3, e só 1 deles até agora não quis carinho nenhum, esses outros dois por serem carinhosos, eu acabava ficando mais tempo na visita já que eles sentavam no meu colo por uns 10min. A gata Kira só bebe água corrente da torneira, então assim que eu chegava e antes de ir embora eu abria a torneira pra ela beber, apesar de deixar um potinho sempre limpo com água. Dos 3 o Smokey era mais difícil pra alimentar, eu enchia o pote dele quando chegava e ele comia tudo direto, o que fazia eu ter que dar comida de novo antes de sair e muitas vezes era o tempo de eu pegar minhas coisas e ele já havia comido tudo de novo. Já a Kira e a Zooey, eu dava ração e no outro dia ainda tinha ração no pote.

E por fim…
No final é questão de devolver a chave conforme foi combinado, (pessoalmente ou pondo na caixinha de correio pra dentro da casa) e pedir a sua referencia pra o seu perfil no site. É sempre bom adicionar aquele gato na sua galeria também.

Olhem aqui o meu perfil no Cat in a Flat:https://catinaflat.com/pet_sitter/2038

Above the clouds/ À cima das nuvens

Posted on 06/02/2016 by Tariana Pestana

EN/ Above the clouds

With time and the number of flights that I took on trips , I matured a thought. I took off in a variety of weather conditions, but always in times of rain and wind is when I think about the most.

Can be day or night, here on the surface of the Earth we suffer the climate variations, which sometimes disrupt our routine and others affect our emotional. The rain gives boredom, cold sadness, when it is cloudy gives discouragement and heat, laziness.

Sometimes this causes real obstacles to complete our commitments, discouraging us . The same happens when we have real problems, contretemps that prevent us from continuing a project, organising a trip, to exercise or study .

But watching the plane taking altitude on rainy and cloudy days, I noticed that there is a cloud layer in this part of the atmosphere , which in the first 20 minutes of flight you have to throughout. That’s after the crossing that the plane gets stability, by starting tilted up, and then straightening up. Going through this layer means feeling some more swings and sometimes turbulence.

It’s amazing to see that we go through clouds, rain and wind and to gain stability and altitude, to get the view of the carpet of clouds below. That’s when I feel really calm and a relief at this point when I can see that it’s sunny and the sky is clear.

With the frequency of flights, every time I have this experience and with it came this metaphor for life. We all go through a layer of clouds, a probationary period and setbacks that teach us and lead us to our goals eventually.

The Sun, (or the Moon ) , have always been there , illuminating and making their role in the universe. It has always been there , and would again be seen as soon as the clouds passed and we were ready to enjoy them, when the setbacks are overcome.

PT/ À cima das nuvens

Com o tempo e o número de vôos que peguei em viagens, vim amadurecendo um pensamento. Já decolei em variadas condições meteorologicas, mas sempre em tempo de chuva e vento é quando mais penso nisso.
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Exhibition: “Memento” at Open Arts Café

Posted on 29/01/2016 by Tariana Pestana

EN/ Exhibition: “Memento” at Open Arts Café

Described on their own website, Open Arts Café is “a monthly themed arts evening giving artists from all mediums a chance to present new and original work at various stages of development. It was established in 2008 by Maya Levy with Tyne Rafaeli to give artists a chance to present their work in developmental and/or performance stage in a non-pressurised, dynamic and constructive atmosphere.”

http://www.openartscafe.com/

When I got to know January’s theme, “Memento”, I crossed my fingers that they would still have space for someone to exhibit, and thought straight way of my “Melancholia” project from May 2014. To get to know about the project, click here!

Maya Levy organised the night brilliantly at the West London Synagogue in which supports the seasonal events. As artists, we had all support of technical materials to be able to exhibit/perform, following a schedule which gave each artist time with the audience.

To get to know more about the artists that included: Poetry, Drama, Dance, Comedy, Music, Painting and Photography (me), check the event’s page on Art Rabbit here, and find their links.

It was the first time that I participate in a collaborative exhibition that engages artists from different mediums, putting together their projects around the same theme. Certainly a very important chance to show my work, to be within artists and their enriching ideas.

Now check some photos of the exhibition and the show:

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PT/ Exposição: “Momento” na Open Arts Café

Descrito em seu próprio site, Open Arts Café é “uma noite de artes mensal e temática dando artistas de todos os meios a oportunidade de apresentar trabalho novo e original em vários estágios de desenvolvimento. Foi criada em 2008 por Maya Levy com Tyne Rafaeli para dar aos artistas uma oportunidade de apresentar o seu trabalho em fase de desenvolvimento e / ou desempenho em um ambiente não-pressurizado, dinâmica e construtiva “.

http://www.openartscafe.com/

Quando soube do tema de janeiro, “Memento”, eu cruzei meus dedos para que eles ainda tivessem espaço para alguém para expor, e logo lembrei do meu projeto “Melancholia” de Maio de 2014. Para conhecer sobre o projeto, clique aqui!

Maya Levy organizou a noite de forma brilhante na sinagoga West London Synagogue, que apoia os eventos sazonais. Como artistas, nós tivemos todo o apoio de materiais técnicos para poder exibir / executar performance, seguindo um cronograma que deu a cada artista seu momento com o público.

Para conhecer mais sobre os artistas que incluíram: Poesia, Teatro, Dança, Comédia, Música, Pintura e Fotografia (eu), consulte a página do evento no Art Rabbit aqui, e encontrar os seus links.

Foi a primeira vez que eu pude participar de uma exposição colaborativa que envolve artistas de diferentes mídias, reunindo seus projetos em torno do mesmo tema. Certamente uma oportunidade muita importância para mostrar o meu trabalho, além de estar entre de artistas e suas idéias enriquecedoras.

Agora veja algumas fotos da exposição e da noite à cima! 😉

Telegraph Internship/ Estágio no Telegraph

Posted on 04/12/2015 by Tariana Pestana

EN/ Telegraph Internship

Screen Shot 2015-12-04 at 22.34.44

This internship came across to me via my university’s career department, and grabbed my attention in many ways. Firstly because it is to work in a Picture Desk, and not any Picture Desk, it is for Saturday Magazine and Stella Magazine, both part of The Telegraph Media Group. Other thing that grabbed my attention is the unique chance this can represent to me, a paid internship in the Photography area I want to get into, in such renowned company.
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Necrotourism/Necroturismo

Posted on 17/11/2015 by Tariana Pestana

EN/ Necrotourism

PT/ Necroturismo

Glasnevin, Dublin

The term “Necrotourism” refers to getting to know cemeteries, tombs, mausoleums and etc, abroad in new cities you visit. You might gave this interest due to their architecture, Art, sculptures, or even because there are iconic figures of history, literature, music and so on.

Would you be interested in doing that?
Would you be able to walk normally around graves?

When I first got into this, I wasn’t even aware it was a practice. When I travelled to Venice in March 2011, I got to know there is an island called San Michele which is taken entirely by a cemetery. I took a ferry there and went exploring, and what a peaceful place away from tourists and Carnival celebrations.

PT/ O termo “Necrotourism” refere-se a conhecer cemitérios, túmulos, mausoléus e etc, no estrangeiro, em novas cidades a visitar. Você pode ter esse interesse devido a sua arquitetura, arte, esculturas, ou mesmo porque há figuras icônicas da história, literatura, música e assim por diante.

Você se interessaria em fazer isso?
Conseguiria andar normalmente entre túmulos?
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Taking an Attitude/ Tomando Atitude

Posted on 14/11/2015 by Tariana Pestana

EN/ Taking an Atitude

Where I live is a group of flats on top of high street shops, we are 3 house numbers and share the same entrance. For this reason, a lot letters and all type of correspondence gets to our common entrance hall. There is a shelf where the correspondences can be organised and stored, but recently it has been a total mess.

London is a city that is always changing, people move in and out very frequently and not always update their addresses. This is the case here, we receive letters of people who moved out (of the country even) and this contributes to the mess of correspondence combined with lazy residents who never pick up their letters downstairs.

No one seems to care about it here, the number of flyers, letters, magazines, etc, is increasing and I find difficulty to find my correspondence there. Tired of this I decided to take an attitude to change that. On this video I show the quantity of letters, and separate them in relation to the flat’s numbers and left the pack of correspondence at people’s doors.

I hope that this way, they are somehow forced to see how many letters they left behind, and do something about them, either if it is theirs or of previous residents.

Can you believe that one of my neighbours opens his letter to see the content and leaves it open on the shelf downstairs?

I found around 5 letters for us lost in that mess.

PT/ Tomando Atitude

Eu moro em um pequeno conjunto de apartamentos a cima de lojas e restaurantes de rua, aqui somos 3 números de residência que compartilham a mesma entrada. Por isso, muitas cartas e correspondências de todos os tipos se acumulam no nosso hall de entrada. Tem uma estante onde as correspondências podem ser colocadas e organizadas, mas recentemente se tornou uma zona total.
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Nuclear Family/Família Nuclear

Posted on 10/11/2015 by Tariana Pestana

EN/ Nuclear Family

The idea that a structured family seems perfect, conflicts of other families that aren’t in this group stipulated by society, how they differ and crossover came to my solo mental discussions. This made me choose “The Nuclear Family and its Conflicts” as my project’s theme in May 2013.

Having this theme in mind, I wanted then to use my creativity and an appropriated process to make a visual work based on my comments, analysis and critiques.Through this work, I wanted to show how we are led to stereotype certain types of families, what activities are linked to family members either nuclear or not, the good and bad all with some kind of sense of humour.

To be able to make thoughts visual with more facility to manipulate details, I imagined that using Image Appropriation would match perfectly with my work, not only because I can mix varied imagery and materials, but also because I have experimented it by making collages previously to communicate my ideas in an artistic way.

When making collages, the process of gathering imagery and materials is very important, so I used all the magazines and leaflets I had as source. Other materials like, cardboard, sugar paper, chocolate papers/package and unwanted prints were used to certain details and support on my compositions. It was very important to have an idea in mind, it prevented from getting stuck when choosing images. Having it, I started looking only at relevant things linked to family relationships and activities, related objects and text to support. The decision to make collages gave me the flexibility to play, move and change images and their meanings, juxtaposition, cover and hide, all in a very detailed way to express my critiques on the theme.

See the project on my Flickr album.

Seven collages were produced for this portfolio as an outcome, and each one has its individualities, details and messages to the viewer:

Collage 1, I tried to illustrate what society determines a “Real Life” or “Real Family” should look like, by referring to family admission tickets formed of 2 adults and 3 children. Visually, I mainly used a family photo in a frame, a museum’s leaflet cutout of the family pack price and “Real Life” text.

Collage 2, is inspired on a magazine’s article about domestic violence against women, telling that scalding coffee was splat on her by husband. Visually, I used their photos, and played around with word cross, coffee mug and biscuits as scenario for the violence, “Coffee Break” as text.

Collage 3, is about a family together having fun, showing that differently to Collage 1 real family, there are other families and structures. Visually, I used golden bars as pillars under iron structures where the family is playing, which signifies that they depend on the structure to keep harmony and economical comfort.

Collage 4, shows an other side, represented by a single/divorced mum, who needs to take care of kids, home, work and her own all by herself. Visually, I added her many arms holding different objects each signifies different activities, a halo made by an architectural image was positioned behind her head, referring her as the ideal mum, even under disadvantaged conditions, as “Madonna and Child” painting, a Saint or super mum.

Collage 5, is based on the idea that well structured families are more likely to offer more comfort and extra activities to their kids. Visually, I created a hyperactive girl with ballet shoes, ballet tutu made with chocolate paper and swimming glasses, in a bedroom.

Collage 6, is inspired on what I noticed with people I know with more stability, for this reason they spend more time and money to get involved with decorating their rooms as a nest that will last for a long while. Visually, I collected different coloured stripes put together, as well as classic textured wallpaper, lace and decorative flags. Traditional frames were put over them to show that they are on a wall; the collage is on a wall.

Collage 7, is a reflection to Collage 6, which was my view on other people’s rooms. Now looking at what I think about my room and life, the feeling that I am always about to move elsewhere once again, I never decorate my room, which makes it look very plain. Visually, I made a frame of spray paint to show how little my room is personalised; it also gives a clue that it refers to a room as it has 4 sides. Spray tins on the side to show that I have the will to be able to put more of myself on the walls. Binoculars looking at stars stuck on them, to signify my dreamy and creative personality that is not always materialised as decoration, but kept in my mind.

Working on this project helped me to translate my thoughts, analysis that I don’t share too often into a visual work, being selective with relevant images that could work with my theme, practicing composition in a tactile way, make my own decisions to manipulate how I wanted the final image to be, adapt not so obvious materials to be part of the context. Overall this project taught me to express myself in a different medium, using different tools and materials to communicate what I have to say.

PT/ Família Nuclear

A idéia de que uma família estruturada parece perfeita, os conflitos de outras famílias que não estão neste grupo estipulado pela sociedade, como eles diferem e contrastam veio em minhas discussões mentais. Isso me fez escolher “A Família Nuclear e seus conflitos”, como tema de meu projeto em Maio de 2013.
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Folding Bags/Dobrando Sacolas

Posted on 05/11/2015 by Tariana Pestana

EN/ Folding Bags

There is a post here in the blog in which I wrote about Plastic Bags Use and the new rules in UK of not providing free plastic bags in the shops. So here is a video on how to fold the recycled ones in order to carry in your bag when you go shopping. Video in Portuguese only.

PT/ Dobrando Sacolas

Tem um post aqui no blog em que eu escrevi sobre o Uso de Sacolas Plásticas e as novas regras aqui em UK de não disponibilizar sacolas plásticas de graça em lojas e mercados. Então aqui está um vídeo sobre como dobrar as sacolas recicladas para poder levá-las na bolsa quando você for fazer compras. 😉

Peculiar Eyeliner/ Delineado Peculiar

Posted on 02/11/2015 by Tariana Pestana

EN/ Peculiar Eyeliner

One of the reasons why I am writing this blog is at the same time I express myself, I can share thoughts and ideas with people around the world, specially my loved ones back home. The Internet is today the most important communication tool, and for me (as well as to other people living abroad), it enables to feel closer and still part of the life of people who are really, really far away.

My best friends encouraged me a lot to blog, gave me suggestions and everything. One of the suggestions was to include videos of myself talking about whatever the theme the post is, but the other day they send me a peculiar suggestion. They wanted me to record a “Cat Eyeliner Tutorial”. I am not a makeup artist, and I don’t have much knowledge with moving image, specially recording myself, but I decided to give it a try for the fun of it and to feel closer to those friends, and them close to me. So here it is, in Portuguese only. I may try to include subtitles one day.

https://youtu.be/yePI6JGBgk8

PT/ Delineado Peculiar

Uma das razões pelas quais eu estou escrevendo este blog é, ao mesmo tempo eu me expresso, eu posso compartilhar pensamentos e idéias com pessoas de todo o mundo, especialmente os mais queridos na terra natal. A Internet é hoje a ferramenta de comunicação mais importante, e para mim (bem como a outras pessoas que vivem no estrangeiro), permite a sentir-se mais perto e ainda parte da vida das pessoas que estão muito, muito longe.

Meus melhores amigos me incentivaram muito com o blog, me deram sugestões e tudo. Uma das sugestões era para incluir vídeos de mim falando sobre qualquer que seja o tema do post, mas outro dia elas me enviar uma sugestão peculiar. Elas queriam que eu gravasse um “Tutorial Delineado de Gatinho”. Eu não sou maquiadora, e eu não tenho muito conhecimento de vídeo, especialmente gravar mim mesmo, mas eu decidi fazer uma tentativa por divertimento e me sentir mais próxima dessas amigas, e elas de mim. Então aqui está, em apenas Português. Um dia vou tentar incluir legendas.

Is Facebook your friend? / O Facebook é seu amigo?

Posted on 28/10/2015 by Tariana Pestana

Pinhole photo of a computer / Foto de um computador tirada com uma pinhole

EN/ Is Facebook your friend?

This year I questioned myself about the way we collect friends on Facebook, and what are the real importance of keeping them. From long time ago, I’ve always been the type that deletes people who I added because I met through a friend or colleague, but did not remain in my life. But now I took it to another level.

I began to question myself why I still had those classmates, I barely spoke at school, and had acquaintances who only saw twice in his life and all of them I never really cared (and neither them) to stay in touch. So I started to “clean up” my friend’s list, passing through filters that I created, such as:

– Have I talked with this person over the past 5 years?
– Have I met that person in the last 3 years?
– How many times I met that person after we first met?
– Was s/he part of some important moment of my life / my childhood?
– Do we have common interests or am I against the ways that person thinks and acts?
– Do we maintain some kind of virtual contact (likes, comments), even if we do not talk a lot?

According to the answers I delete or keep the person on my list, it seems very simple but sometimes by external influences I can’t get rid of a few. These are either someone present in my best friends, partner or family’s life. I realised that would be “rude” if I delete that person.

Something that bothers me a lot is to know that many people keeps me in friends list for imagining that one day, they may need me for something. Well, if you keep someone in your Facebook friends list thinking this way, you need to rethink what friendship really means.

If by reason of work contact, opportunities of whatever the purpose, for this they invented LinkdIn! People, make a profile on LinkedIn, the idea is to have there people whom you only have professional interests and that are not part of their circle of friends and neither are part of your personal life.

Especially for me Facebook has always been a very important tool to keep in touch with people who are far away. It’s the easiest way to group friends and family, share photos, ideas, events and messages in a way that everyone can see it. So I consider it something very intimate, and over time I’ve been noticing my selectivity about the content I share there. There were moments that I stopped myself from sharing for worrying about what people would think.

But hey, shouldn’t I have just people who knows me and won’t judge me? I noticed that I did not want to share my life with certain people, and so I started to use that filter.

Another measure that I’ve taken was to get some people I didn’t want to see their 10 selfies a day, 15 religious messages, and other stuff like that in my news feed, in a filter Facebook created called “Acquaintances”. When you put them there, you do not see their posts so often. And by contrast, I gathered my best friends in the list called “Best Friends” as Facebook prioritises posts from this list in my feed. There are a few more other tricks I use, but it would make another post here. If you are interested to know them, comment here and I’ll do another post.

I have also noticed my friends expressing the same questions by commenting:

“Honestly, for me I would delete all, would leave only 50 Facebook friends, I don’t like so many people seeing everything I post.”

“I need to do a clean up, a lot of unnecessary people”

“I have X person on Facebook just to laugh at what X posts, very ridiculous”

“Would rather not post this, not to cause discord”

We have control of selecting who we have, who sees what you post, etc. It’s all about using Facebook and tools to make it a healthy and positive experience, not a vain and futile circus exhibitionism, or a timid and neutral presence that makes the idea of being in a social network lose its meaning.

Tell me what you think about it, if you have been through the same situations.
Do you use these filters and tools?
How has your experience on Facebook been?

PT/ O Facebook é seu amigo?

Este ano eu comecei um sério questionamento sobre a forma que colecionamos amigos no Facebook, e qual a verdadeira importância de mantê-los. De tempos há tempos eu sempre fui do tipo que deletava as pessoas que havia adicionado por ter conhecido através de um amigo, ou colega, mas que não permaneceram na minha vida. Só que agora eu levei isso a um outro nível.

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