soooo, feeling weird....

So. Not sure there's still someone checking on this, as I disappeared for some time... well, on the picture there's the new little one, Giorgia, with 2 1/2 years old Elena and my mum holding them.

Of course you may also see that mum doesn't look exactly in great shape (especially if you've known her before) and that may also explain why I didn't have much of a life in the past few months. She is starting to feel a little better now, but there's still a long way to go and we still have very fresh memories of last time and are not exactly looking forward to what is coming, none of us.
Anyway, the wedding has also been postponed to when she'll be able to attend and enjoy the event, so, we'll see...

Funny how now that I started writing I feel I could keep going and going... How is it in English? "Writer's block"???? I bet not....

Sorry this is just for the Italian speakers! It gives an idea of whom we have to deal with at work!!!! We are talking Alitalia, here... not all captains are like that!

new computer

Sooooo, at last, here I am, back to anyone interested... we bought a new computer, and this time there's an apple on it. I'm sure Luca will put it at the best use, as for me, as long as I can use the Internet again, I'm happy!!! 

Many news in the meanwhile... first of all: we are getting married! Nothing planned yet, apart from the fact that it is going to be in October, so not that far away.... but more news will come on the subject.

Second: I'm going to be an auntie again! My brother and sister- in-law are expecting another baby, a girl again and we are over the moon with the excitement! On the left, Elena a couple of weeks ago.

Third: have started going to the gym... very very boring, but hopefully it'll help me losing a few extra kilos! And looking gorgeous on my wedding day!

Quite enough for you to to comment on the post for today and I'll talk to you all very soon...

Book of the day: Mary Queen of Scots, by Antonia Fraser.

Scary

I honestly think this is scary.

OCTOBER

Best day: at Linderhof Castle.

Worst day: under the rain in Herrenchiemsee.

Silliest sentence (mine): se non ti sbrighi a chiedermi di sposarti, non ti sposo più.
Silliest sentence (someone's else):
Most repeated sentence: "excuse me, do you speak English?"
Most heard sentence: "A bit".
Music:Guitar Concerts by Vivaldi.
Movie: i Magnifici 4 e Silver Surfer.
Book: an author, Jennifer Donnelly and three of her novels. Brilliant.
Someone said: it's going to be cold in Germany! (everyone who knew we were going there on holiday).

Jude the Obscure and The Pillars of the Earth

I was editing my Myspace profile, when it suddenly came to my mind the following episode:

I happened to meet Ken Follett a few years ago. We were sitting at the same table, so I couldn't avoid one simple question, one that probably anyone who'd read Jude the Obscure (by T. Hardy) AND The Pillars of the Earth (by K. Follett) would have felt the urge to ask: did he feel obliged to T. Hardy? Actually, I was a bit bolder and asked him if he got the inspiration from Jude... it was quite a funny moment. All the "brains" at the tables, book industry brains, editors, translator (but I did not use him, I asked the question myself!) looked at me in horror (once the translator had done his job and translated the question in Italian: they probably thought I was accusing him of plagiarism in writing his most succesfull book...), but Sir (if I am not mistaken) Follett smiled at me and I could see recognition in his eyes. I am sure I was not the first person in the world asking him such a question, but he probably would not expect it in Italy, where T. Hardy is quite unknown. But he just smiled, and admitted T. Hardy was his favourite author and that he had a picture of him just behind his desk, to remind him every day of his life how much he owed him. And the we went on sharing thoughts on Hardy for a while, while the others looked at us and did not know what to say.
So, I don't really like Ken Follett as a writer, but I think he's a great guy.

Book of the day: The Pillars of the Earth, by Ken Follett.
Libro del giorno: I pilastri della Terra, di Ken Follett.

Beppe Grillo

Ok, I don't like speaking of politics. I don't like politics. Sorry to all the English speaking, but I have to link this, from Beppe Grillo's blog.
Ciao a tutti. Io non mi interesso di politica e non ne voglio neppure parlare qui. Ma questo ci coinvolge tutti e come al solito ne veniamo a conoscienza solo grazie a Beppe Grillo.
Cito un suo post sul sito:

"La legge Levi-Prodi e la fine della Rete

Ricardo Franco Levi, braccio destro di Prodi, sottosegretario alla Presidenza del Consiglio, ha scritto un testo per tappare la bocca a Internet.

Il disegno di legge è stato approvato in Consiglio dei ministri il 12 ottobre. Nessun ministro si è dissociato. Sul bavaglio all’informazione sotto sotto questi sono tutti d’accordo.

La legge Levi-Prodi prevede che chiunque abbia un blog o un sito debba registrarlo al ROC, un registro dell’Autorità delle Comunicazioni, produrre dei certificati, pagare un bollo, anche se fa informazione senza fini di lucro.

I blog nascono ogni secondo, chiunque può aprirne uno senza problemi e scrivere i suoi pensieri, pubblicare foto e video.

L’iter proposto da Levi limita, di fatto, l’accesso alla Rete.
Quale ragazzo si sottoporrebbe a questo iter per creare un blog?
La legge Levi-Prodi obbliga chiunque abbia un sito o un blog a dotarsi di una società editrice e ad avere un giornalista iscritto all’albo come direttore responsabile.
Il 99% chiuderebbe.

Il fortunato 1% della Rete rimasto in vita, per la legge Levi-Prodi, risponderebbe in caso di reato di omesso controllo su contenuti diffamatori ai sensi degli articoli 57 e 57 bis del codice penale. In pratica galera quasi sicura.

Il disegno di legge Levi-Prodi deve essere approvato dal Parlamento. Levi interrogato su che fine farà il blog di Beppe Grillo risponde da perfetto paraculo prodiano: “Non spetta al governo stabilirlo. Sarà l’Autorità per le Comunicazioni a indicare, con un suo regolamento, quali soggetti e quali imprese siano tenute alla registrazione. E il regolamento arriverà solo dopo che la legge sarà discussa e approvata dalle Camere”.

Prodi e Levi si riparano dietro a Parlamento e Autorità per le Comunicazioni, ma sono loro, e i ministri presenti al Consiglio dei ministri, i responsabili.

Se passa la legge sarà la fine della Rete in Italia.
Il mio blog non chiuderà, se sarò costretto mi trasferirò armi, bagagli e server in uno Stato democratico.

Ps: Chi volesse esprimere la sua opinione a Ricardo Franco Levi può inviargli una mail a : levi_r@camera.

www.beppegrillo.it


Diffondete e inoltrate qualche "omaggio" a Ricardo Franco Levi"

Vi prego, mobilitiamoci.

Crazy stuff...

We had some problems while on holiday in Germany, trying to figure out what the following might mean.... I go with "It is forbidden to wear shoes on these grounds" for the one on the left; and "It is forbidden to fall" for the one on the right... up to you!

SETTEMBRE

Bellissima idea presa dal sito di Dory...
Ovviamente cominciamo con

SETTEMBRE

Il giorno più bello: il primo giorno a casa con Luca...

Il giorno più brutto: la sinusite due giorni prima di partire per le prime ferie in 3 anni!

La frase più stupida (mia): "visto che non riesci a capire che se guidi così mi viene la nausea, non te lo dico più e la prossima volta ti vomito addosso"

La frase più stupida (di qualcun' altro): "ma perchè tu hai fatto la stronza?!?" (spiegazione del perchè qualcuno è dimagrito solo di 1/2 kg all'ultimo controllo dalla dietista... significa "ma è perchè non hai seguito la dieta?")

La frase più detta: "sono i miei ultimi giorni"

La frase più sentita: "Non ti lasciano a casa 25 giorni..." (vedremo!)

Colonna sonora: Tutto Tiziano Ferro

Film: FUR, con l'inegaugliabile Robert Downey Jr.

Libro: poche soddisfazioni questo mese...mi tocca dire la guida blu del Touring della Germania...

Citazione: Non può piovere per sempre. (The Crow)

what is it?

Ok what is it in your opinion??? It was on a wedding menu and I had never seen anything like this in my life...

Cos'è? Ci è stato servito ad un matrimonio, ma ovviamente molti non si sono azzardati a mangiarlo... Avete mai visto qualcosa del genere?

Cheesecake!

This was my first attempt at cheesecake! My auntie gave a me a great recipe book: just follow the instructions and you'll have great results!
It was delicious! Will try the Chocolate marble next!

Yes!

Ghost Stories by MR James!! And thank god I did found it on the bookshelves. Anyone into thriller and horror books, DO read this. It's in Penguin Popular Classics.

books!!!

With thanks to Marco who always has the best meme!!!
Hope to see your answers too!!!

Hardback, trade paperback or mass market paperback?
Any paperback. Hardback is just for Jeffery. Deaver.
Barnes & Noble or Borders?
Borders, but no way to find it in Italy, so I'll have to say FNAC.
Bookmark or dog-ear?
Oooops! Dog-ear, cause I always lose bookmarks and find them squashed under the bedclothes in the mornings.. or, worst even, during the nights...
Amazon or brick and mortar?
Amazon
Alphabetize by author or alphabetize by title or random?
By language and then topic and author.
Keep, throw away, or sell?
Keep the best ones, those I know I won't read again straight to the local library!
Keep dust jacket or toss it?
Toss it. Thank god paperbacks don't have one.
Read with dust jacket or remove it?
Without. And then find it under the bedclothes in the mornings or during the nights... did I say that already?
Short story or novel?
Novel. With the exception of some Short stories collections with different authors and Poe and another author whose name I don't remember at the moment and whose book I cannot find on my bookshelves and am worrying now....
Harry Potter or Lemony Snicket?
Have to admit I did not read any Harry Potter, nor saw the movies... same with Lemony...
Stop reading when tired or at chapter breaks?
When tired. Otherwise I won't remember anything I read after I realised I was tired.
"It was a dark and stormy night" or "Once upon a time"?
"It was a dark and stormy night"..., but I also love "I have just returned from a visit to my landlord-the solitary neighbour that I shall be troubled with". Just perfect.
Buy or borrow?
Depends on my bank account. But if I borrow something REALLY good, then I must have it.
New or used?
Used
Buying choice: book reviews, recommendations, or browse?
book reviews and recommendations.
Tidy ending or cliffhanger?
Thoughtful.
Morning reading, afternoon reading, or nighttime reading?
Anytime is good, wish I could read 24/7
Stand-alone or series?
Depends.
Favourite series?
Jeffery Deaver's
Favourite children's book?
Raperonzolo! Can't remember the name in English, but it's similar. Fairy tales, anyway.
Favourite YA book?
Wuthering Heights.
Favourite book of which nobody else has heard?
1) Jude the Obscure
2) Tamburlaine the great
3) Under the jaguar sun
4) Ash Wednesday
5) The last song of Dust
Favourite books read last year?
The Falls, by J.C. Oates; On beauty, by Z. Smith
Least favourite book you finished last year?
Oceano mare........... hated it!
What are you reading right now?
Gone, by J. Kellerman
What are you reading next?
Literary London
Favourite book to recommend to an eleven-year-old?
White Fang
Favourite books to reread?
Any Jeffery Deaver, any 19th century British novelist.
Do you ever smell books?
YEP!!!

Ligabue

Not the famous painter, but the famous Italian singer.
Am having a long night at work and listening to Ligabue on You Tube. Balliamo sul mondo, at the moment, Urlando contro il cielo, previously. Amazing how somebody so important (musically speaking) in Italy is totally unknown out of the borders.

Soooo, I know I'm probably too excited about it, but here are the two beauties!!! Quickly growing up by now, one of them already booked by my cousin Silvia, I can't wait to see the next ones!!! Two eggs are already in the nest, so in a couple of weeks time we'll have a few more little ones sto think about...

What else? We've booked our weekend in Santiago de Compostela, Spain, to go to my friend Olga's wedding... can't wait to be there! We haven't been seriously on holiday since 2004 and I really feeling like having a nice rest... but I'm working this year as well, I wished we could go in September, but Luca will probably be VERY busy in that period, so I don't think we'll manage. But I might be going to London (Xenia permitting), or maybe Scotland (Marco permitting...) for a week or so, just to relax. I wish Luca was there too, though.
Luca is in Athens tonight... for those of you who doesn't know (and live in another planet, i.e. Marco ;)) it's the Champions League final!!!! Sony has invited him over there and as far as I know, he's been having a great day today! And eating great food! If I think that when I met him, he would not eat anything that wasn't strictly Italian... lucky to meet me that guy!!! He always enjoys trying foreign food when he travels abroad and he even liked Paté de Fois Gras last time he was in Paris!!! UNBELIEVABLE!!!
Well, we'll hear what he says when he gets back...
bye bye!!!

two little ones

Here they are! my two little Canary Birds! They are 14 days old, but already quite big, as you can see... They are very sweet and both look like their father... (gloster corona)
The parents are ready to... to... "make" new eggs (??)... definately not the right verb, but you get the message. Anyone want a bird???? Please, avoid cheeky comments, thanks!!! ;)

Ecco i primi due canarini figli della mia coppia dei gloster... hanno 14 giorni e sono enormi! Nel giro di una settimana dovrebbero uscire dal nido e cominciare ad alimentarsi da soli entro il mese. Intanto stamattina ho assistito ad un nuovo accoppiamento dei genitori e così oggi dovrò attrezzarmi con un nuovo nido, sennò si mettono a spennarmi questi qui e li scacciano dal nido per deporre di nuovo... poi non ho ancora deciso se lasciare che si schiudano anche le nuove uova...

AHHHH!!!! Che meraviglia!!! Due passerotti in terrazzo che mangiano le bricioline cadute dalla gabbia dei canarini! E uno è una mamma che imbocca il piccolo!!! Che giornata meravigliosa mi si prospetta... prima l'accoppiamento, poi mentre pulivo la gabbia imbeccavano tranquillamente i piccoli e ora mamma passero imbecca il suo davanti ai miei occhi... scusate, ma queste meraviglie della natura mi emozionano sempre!!!

e comunque... qualcuno vuole un canarino??? Per sapere come saranno da grandi, cercate nel blog le foto dei genitori e lo saprete! Vi dico già che uno ha il ciuffo e uno no. Nei negozi costano anche 25 euro i canarini gloster, io ovviamente li regalo a chi me li chiede!!!

book of the day: Pars vite et reviens tard, by F. Vargas
libro del giorno: Parti in fretta e non tornare, di F. Vargas

news...

Just a quick word from work... everything is going fine, but I've been struggling to get used to the different shifts: nights, days, afternoons, evenings... and so I don't have much time left to relax on my blog!!!
Good thing is that I found out there is actually somebody else reading it!!! My cousin Nicoletta!!! Thanks Nicky for taking your time and reading!!! Anyway, I'll see you in a couple of weeks (May, 19th) and I'll tell you all the news...
I love this job. And I really like most of the people I work with. You cannot actually like everyone, but do try to get along with them all. There's plenty of stuff to learn, which I find very stimulating, and Summer is coming, so the traffic will increase considerably in the next few weeks... meaning that I'll probably be busier than now!

The other news is that Luca has left the flat in Milan and we are living together again! As a normal couple! Apart from the fact that when I work at night I leave when he gets back and get back when he leaves. ..tough!!!

talk to you soon!
book of the day: Gods of Aberdeen, by... can't remember... sorry! will get back!

can you spot the difference?

So.... Can you spot the difference in the nest??? It's the first born of my Canary Birds... born yesterday, he/she now has also got a brother/sister... It was a great emotion, the miracle of life... I'm so excited about it! In the next couple of days the other two eggs should give us a nice surprise too, fingers crossed that everything will procede smoothly for this lovely family! They're so tiny it's hard to believe they'll be adults in only 3 weeks!
Stay tuned for any updates!

I'm back!

Not to worry everyone, here I am!!! Sorry I disappeared for such a long time, but we had a few problems with our laptop, the only pc in the house... Luca tried to install Vista and it just went PUF!
At the end he managed to fix it, but not to disinstall Vista and there still are a few tiny little problems... plus the screen went dead and we were lent one from his brother. All in all 3 weeks without the computer!

In the meantime I started working at the airport... I know I know I said I was going to keep the other job, but I was called by the airport to start when the marketing company was going to renew the contract for a month and so I took the chance!

This time it's a 6 months contract. The "real" job, dealing with the Italian Mail and their planes, will start on April, 2nd, in the meantime they're giving us some more training on the job, since we last saw the stuff in October.
I love it. Totally and utterly love it. There's no way of running away from it, it is MY job.
So really, fingers crossed on this one.

And take a look at our beautiful Elena!!!

first day!

Yesterday I had my first day on the new job. As you can imagine it was just training, teaching and training! I'll do a bit more of that today as well and maybe I'll also start with a couple of interviews.
The job is interviewing people and get Customer Satisfaction's Feedback for a very important automobile manufacturer.
This is one of the projects the company is working at, and it's the one I'll be assigned to.
All clear? I'm afraid I can't say anything more for privacy reasons....

see ya!