English – Isidora Works

Apr 5, 2019Apr 9, 2019 M Best Of, English, My Pen

The Infinite Monkey Cage

Once upon a time, when the world was younger, a new plant sprouted that began releasing a strange new gas. It was poisonous and it started killing everything around it. That new, deadly gas was oxygen. This was, give or take, one of the stories my dad would tell me when I was a child, … Continue reading The Infinite Monkey Cage

Mar 22, 2019Mar 22, 2019 M English, My Pen, Verse

flowers growing in unusual places

It started with a grain first fed then contained Fear kept it lovingly in its domain I was always brave when the time came. Breathe in rip it out like a band aid Now I harbour winds that rage like hurricanes but hardly whisper outside the brain I used to be brave when the time … Continue reading flowers growing in unusual places

Mar 20, 2019Mar 20, 2019 M English, Lady of the Sea, My Pen

‘Lady of the Sea’ – The Escape

(For the previous chapters, visit the Lady of the Sea's main page) Peafowl had never met a pirate before – not one that was not hanging from the gallows, anyway – and he was beginning to feel a bit more cheerful about his verbose dungeon neighbour. Not that he cared for him at all, as … Continue reading ‘Lady of the Sea’ – The Escape

Jan 23, 2019Apr 3, 2019 M Best Of, English, My Pen

Book Review: Cloud Atlas

Summary: Souls crossing ages like clouds cross skies. And Robert Frobisher wins my heart. Some book-to-movie adaptions work so well that you'll flutter towards the source material. Others are not as fortunate but, if the story is good, some will pick up the book to see what it's all about. For me, Cloud Atlas, the … Continue reading Book Review: Cloud Atlas

Jan 10, 2019 M English, My Pen

On why literary snobbery is meadow muffins

Once upon a time, I ran into a work colleague who had his nose stuck in a book. If there is one thing book-lovers have in common (other than the love of reading), is our cat-like curiosity about the books someone else is currently having an affair with. So I asked him what he was … Continue reading On why literary snobbery is meadow muffins

Dec 28, 2018Dec 28, 2018 M English, Lady of the Sea, My Pen, Pen

‘Lady of the Sea’ – The Tale of the Devil’s Passage

(For the previous chapters, visit the Lady of the Sea's main page) Supper is always a pirate's favourite time. After a hard day's labour and maybe some plundering and canon-blowing, the men are finally able to rest their legs - be they wooden or otherwise - and gather around food and drink skillfully prepared by … Continue reading ‘Lady of the Sea’ – The Tale of the Devil’s Passage

Nov 25, 2018Jan 10, 2019 M English, Film, My Pen

rewind the film

If you know anyone who loves to take photos the old school way, they'll tell you how cool it is to use an expired film once in a while - the colours get all funky and you'll end up with strong greens or oranges, no filters needed. What about a film that was perfectly fine … Continue reading rewind the film

Nov 23, 2018Nov 23, 2018 M English, My Pen

Brain on Cocaine

If you go through my music collection today, you'll find heaps of alternative everything, Canadian indie, progressive metal and jazz oldies. But, as a teen, I was all about pop and radio-friendly songs, and no one struck a chord with 14-year-old me like Take That. I fiercely began writing my own songs (spoiler alert: they … Continue reading Brain on Cocaine

Nov 9, 2018Nov 12, 2018 M Best Of, English, My Pen, Pen

Margaret Atwood’s MyThologies

What do you do when Margaret Atwood comes to your country for a talk, but she's doing it more than 300kms away from your city and on a school night? You ask for the Friday off work and travel 300kms, of course. Every year since 2014, the city of Porto hosts the wonderful Fórum do … Continue reading Margaret Atwood’s MyThologies

Oct 31, 2018Apr 3, 2019 M Blurb, English

Horror stories

Started reading The Plot Against America because of the current political scenario all over the Western world. Had to put it down after the result of the Brazilian elections, because of the current political scenario all over the Western world. Picked up David Mitchell's Slade House instead. Because reality is scarier than horror fiction and, … Continue reading Horror stories

Oct 20, 2018Sep 22, 2019 M Digital, English, My Eye, My Pen

Spiritual Front plays The Smiths – and themselves

"Don't think of this as a Spiritual Front concert. Think of it as a party", frontman Simone Salvatore told us. And how right he was. Last night's Spiritual Front show in Lisbon's Sabotage Rock Club almost felt like those times when you hang out with that friend of yours who plays the guitar and serenades … Continue reading Spiritual Front plays The Smiths – and themselves

Aug 17, 2018Aug 17, 2018 M English, My Pen, My Pencil

Some are Born to sweet delight

Some are Born to Endless Night. - William Blake, 'Auguries of Innocence' I bought this album over 10 years ago, on my birthday. It was terribly overpriced - probably with the excuse of being an indie import from a faraway country - but I felt so happy to see a Hawksley Workman record in a … Continue reading Some are Born to sweet delight

Jul 19, 2018Mar 19, 2019 M Blurb, English

Orphans

As an orphan one learns to be self-sufficient and one learns the tricks of the trades which go with that. One becomes a freelance. (...) I propose a conspiracy of orphans. We exchange winks. We reject hierarchies. All hierarchies. We take the shit of the world for granted and we exchange stories about how we … Continue reading Orphans

Jul 13, 2018Mar 22, 2019 M English, My Pen, Verse

I blame Tom

I blame Tom for fingers that want to dance along the skin for the fire emerging from sailing within.

May 30, 2018Oct 29, 2018 M Blurb, English, Português

World MS Day / Dia Mundial da EM

May 29, 2018May 29, 2018 M English, My Pen, The Playlist Project

The Playlist Project: The Endless

Hi, my name is Marta and I have a playlist addiction. Songs about family, songs with a colour in the title, songs that reference mythology or scientific concepts. Songs in 3/4 time signature - I have one for them all. It's an entertaining way of releasing obsessive tendencies while discovering new music. Each playlist ends … Continue reading The Playlist Project: The Endless

May 7, 2018 M English, My Pencil

The Endless Panel

Aside from the amazing depth and wonderful story, one of the reasons why I love The Endless is how great their are for art practice. From Dream to Delirum's hair, which I have been trying to get right for aeons, to the fabric in Destiny's cloak, Desire's androgyny and Despair's Buddha-from-the-underworld appearance. They're all wonderful … Continue reading The Endless Panel

May 4, 2018 M Blurb, English, My Eye

Feminism: you’re doing it wrong

It's chicks like you that give women a bad name.

Apr 26, 2018Feb 12, 2019 M English, Film, My Eye

Kodak Pocket Instamatic

We had a Kodak Instamatic 110 camera when I was kid, which was eventually replaced by something more modern - by 1989's standards. Being a lover of film and wanting something a bit more handy than a 1kg camera, I decided to search the interweb for a working sister of my old Instamatic. It cost … Continue reading Kodak Pocket Instamatic

Apr 12, 2018Dec 28, 2018 M English, Lady of the Sea, My Pen, Pen

‘Lady of the Sea’ – The Mission

(For the previous chapters, visit the Lady of the Sea's main page) Azov’s pirates had been sailing all night when their captain rounded them up to reveal the news as the sun came up. The big sea bear cleared his throat and tried his best to look cool and collected. “As you know," he began, … Continue reading ‘Lady of the Sea’ – The Mission

Mar 26, 2018Jul 16, 2018 M English, My Pen, My Pencil

Song Illustration: The Right Words

Breaking my foot was, by far, one of the best things that ever happened to me. And, even though I set my crutches aside over a year ago, there's something about forced seclusion that makes you want to suck the marrow out of life as soon as you're able to walk the world again. It … Continue reading Song Illustration: The Right Words

Feb 21, 2018Mar 22, 2019 M English, My Pen, Verse

No Love Lost

no love is ever lost when love stands still if you save it in a box no love is ever spilled love can never be lost when it's not carried in words to save every single drop just ignore the hummingbirds if you never reach to taste it no love is ever wasted save your … Continue reading No Love Lost

Sep 23, 2017Mar 22, 2019 M English, My Pen, Verse

The Visitors

It wasn't like this before. We were never modern or trendy only feeding off old glories of dead sailors and football stars. So we liked having you here: the wealthy relatives who never held us in any regard. But now you come to visit all the time. There is no more sitting outside with a … Continue reading The Visitors

Jul 29, 2017Mar 22, 2019 M English, My Pen, Verse

Seeds

The eyes In my mind See all the skies I've crossed Since they were left behind Can you see All the seeds you left Inside me How they grow Do you know It is all you I am turning into.