A (sordid and) sentimental Journey through Alps, plaines...and more

Things to do with your left hand (if you are not left handed, that is)

ferris60 — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 23:48:06 +0000

Ironing: yes (easy things, though)
Combing your hair , possible .
Putting on make up: foundation, yes, with a brush. Blush, mascara, yes . Eye pencil is a no no for me (i don’t have a steady hand)
Cutting your own steak: scifi.
Falling on the floor in a crowded cinema, on your injured shoulder : ghastly. But since my husband fell on the same spot the week before, he didn’ t chastise me.

I’m black

ferris60 — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 11:01:00 +0000

Act Against SOPA. Here in Italy even the Trade Unions are in favour of some form of internet censorship. Never for more freedom. So consider this blog in blackout for the present day, as i’m joining the international campaign for freedom on the net.

merry Christmas (even late)

ferris60 — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 23:39:00 +0000

Sorry for being so late but yes what happened to me made my Christmas far form being happy. I was aggressed and robbed on Christmas afternoon, by a north African, Who caught me by surprise – surely because you don’t expect to be aggressed in a small town, and even in a wall-bred, residential surrounding. It is not for what he stole from me (20 €, an old cell phone, keys and ), but he broke my shoulder, an unnecessary violence. I was shocked, and my husband even more. I am recovering now, but it has been difficult, and i’ m watching my town with different eyes

Christmas frenzy

ferris60 — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 23:15:12 +0000

During the last days before Christmas people seem to run back and forth without a real purpose. Presents, Sure. Errands, yes. Christmas dinner planning, obviously. (That ‘s why your local supermarket is packed to the ceiling like the day before the Armageddon ) . People want to forget the troubles outside, and in a country like Italy the best way to do so and feel secure is to rely on your family : there is a sociological category explaining this situation : a – moral familism (Gallino 1984 ), meaning that family is both a social safeguard and a center of personal interest dealing with care, work, relations, supporta. That’ s why italian young adults find so difficult to leave the family. This country discourages people to leave their domestic nest with high rents, few grants and poor welfare.
But it is Christmas and we are all good , generous and have forgot racial insecurity … ( for a day ) Or, like our former Prime Minister wanted usa to believe, it is all a mistake, italians are richer than they think and infact we are all leaving for the holidays…But he is old and he is quickly losing his mind …

The unbearable sadness of Christmas

ferris60 — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 00:11:03 +0000

Today, after my montly school reunion, i decided to go for a walk downtown, just to see how many shops have shut down since last time. And boy if it was depressing. From Santa’s sledge in piazza Libertà, to the Christmas tree in the very centre of town, you got the impression of a forced merryness, of gritting teeth laughters. This evening, at the third Christmas carol of our annual Bank celebration, i was reach to shoot at the orchestra

Saved?

ferris60 — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 23:37:29 +0000

So, new government, new taxes. And the sad evidence that I will work till 67 . That means, after work, death. That ‘s the easiest way to fix the years long question of early retirement, with no retirement at all. We italians are a strange people :_ we have spent the last 15 years believing in a fairy tale, and today all of a sudden we are reach to believe in another fairy tale, of hard _work and redemption.
We are, after all, a people of saints, artists, and tax drifters. And soon of old workers. I had a Plan
My Plan
What i had planned to do with my husband when i’ be retired.
Thanks prof. Monti, for having ruined my Life.

Not a rockstar

ferris60 — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 23:14:25 +0000

A prime minister, a rockstar or Demi Moore don ‘t share the average middle aged woman : time . Sure enough, half an hour doesn’t seem such a task, but it may sometimes be just be another tag in my already full agenda. What is utmost difficult is finding time for weight training because i travel a lot from house to house and can’t always find the right equipment. My always handy solution are commercials. Two set of abs here or push ups there or calf raises while washing the dishes and I’m done (more or less)

Till the last vote

ferris60 — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 23:26:37 +0000

Going going fine? At last? I recon that Italian politcs are a hard candy to swallow for everybody abroad and for most of us, especially when asked why in a three years time the number of political parties has grown from 6 to 27 .
I have been in the mountains and it didn’t help my melancholy .
I end with a sense of hope – and a picture given to me by my friend Ennio.

A prescription for walking

ferris60 — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 22:42:21 +0000

Since going to the gym is out of question _ I can’ t find all that time _I walk. Everywhere, every time. A good prescription, you can get your exercise without even noticing it. It can be done even when everything else fails, in winter or simmetria. You can even pretend that a shopping spree is sport. (In that case it is good for your health and bad for your finances) . It is my number one motivation. Not to mention the feel good factor : half an hour of mind clearing solitude.

Our river

ferris60 — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 23:49:56 +0000

Here it is, river Tanaro at sunset. See what I mean.?