Merry Christmas to everyone from Mad Eye Moody! At least, that’s what I’ve been calling myself. Basically, I hadn’t slept well and had to get up early consecutively last week, then partied Friday and Saturday ‘til 4am (gotta luv dem drunk dials). Sunday morning, I woke up with a red eye. Apparently, a capillary in my right eye burst and now half of it is red! Eugenia is a pharmacist and says it will go away in some 10 – 15 days… LOL. Anyway, it’s a little early but I won’t be able to check the internet for a little while as the Benatti family will be off skiing in the alps while I am on vacation here. They wanted me to come before I came over here but at the time I had plans to return to England for x-mas. So now, without any specific plans for the holidays, I’ve decided to stay here in order to save money and soak up the local culture rather than travel solo during this wonderfully depressing season known as ‘The Holidays.’
So, I am writing this post now because I probably won’t be checking the internet for a little bit. A little recap~ last weekend it snowed a little bit (perhaps I will have my first White Christmas) and my terrace was all ice, fun times sliding to and fro. On Friday, I went to a graduation in Modena at the local university for a friend/student…. very interesting/different ceremony! Then, on Saturday I went to Mantova, which is a damn cool city.
I spent my week reading Cujo and now I am on to Dostoevsky’s ‘The Gambler’ and ‘Plato’s Republic’ sent direct from Cali by my parents. They also sent me another package which should contain the book you recommended, Jim, so I’ve got plenty to read for my vacation. I intend to study Italian, read, watch movies (also sent by the parental units) and keep writing. I finished two drafts of a short story called ‘The Sculptor’ and have decidedly abandoned another called ‘Iridium’ which was supposed to be based on Plato’s ‘Realm of Forms’ and the idea of absolute perfection. But how can you write a story about perfection when the writing itself is intrinsically imperfect? This is my dilemma…
For Christmas, I’ve got a bottle of premium MMII Montepulciano and for New Years… a bottle of ’98 Brut Monogram Franciacorta, which from what I understand is some premium shit (?). Both were given to me by students of my class and fellow connoisseurs of wine (can I call myself that, yet?).
I want to wish a Merry Christmas and a damn fine New Year’s to all my family, and to friends back home: Zev & Russ, Jimmy and Jonny and all the others… I miss you guys… Steven (wherever you are)… Todd, out there in Beantown (remember our last new years in LA? Haha!), my Active homies and all you guys around the tarn, Jan in Germany…
So here’s my party: It’s THAT time to let go of the past and look to the future!
5…4.….3……..2……....1…………*@#%#$^%@$#^ HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!
Friday, December 21, 2007
Buone Feste!
Stefano and Eugenia Benatti, sitting beside their nativity scene. 
Federico 'Freddy' and io. 
Nicola 'Nico or Nick' rockin' out playing Guitar Hero II. He hates 'Monkey Wrench.'
The Christmas tree that I helped decorate, and which features photo-ornaments of everyone in the office. That's Elena in the background. 
Mad Eye Moody...
Freddy insisted I put this one in too- throwin' up the westside
An outside shot of my apartment building. I am on the third floor. 
Italian/European perception of 'BIG Americans'
Mantova...
More Mantova...Thursday, December 13, 2007
Mirandola Pt. 3
There's not a lot going on for me to say right now. I'm just getting over a cold I acquired from Nick (pretty sure it's him), been watching a lot of movies and reading about an English dude who climbed Mt. Everest.
I went to Bologna over the weekend but my memory card became dislodged inside the camera and somehow the pictures didn't save. I'll probably be going there again, it's a nice place so hopefully I can have some pictures.
Christmas decorations are everywhere, all over the city and I was invited to decorate a tree here in the office at Studio Benatti.
Ciao
I went to Bologna over the weekend but my memory card became dislodged inside the camera and somehow the pictures didn't save. I'll probably be going there again, it's a nice place so hopefully I can have some pictures.
Christmas decorations are everywhere, all over the city and I was invited to decorate a tree here in the office at Studio Benatti.
Ciao
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Mirandola Pt. 2
Forgive the horribly long post, but its been a while…
I never really thought of myself as a teacher, but that is certainly what I am becoming! I still teach the boys everyday, but Stefano asked me to teach a class to the people in his office, which consists of 10 – 12 adults. They are a mixed group of different skill levels. Of course I agreed, and so last week was one the most stressful weeks ever! I was fully thrown into the fire here. My first class was introductory and short, but the second did not go well at all: I was not nearly as prepared as I should’ve been and things were very rocky. However, I took this opportunity to learn from my mistake and made some significant changes to my approach- I divided the class into two: beginner and intermediate. I then prepared an outline of each class and took time to demonstrate what each course would be like. This time, I came fully prepared with lesson plans and copies of grammar exercises using the materials Stefano leant me. Both styles turned out to be fantastic and people signed up accordingly. And now, this week I’ve begun my classes and things are working out really well. This is definitely a challenge and needless to say, I have a new respect for teaching!
The food here is SO good. I love homemade Italian food (forget England, Italy kicks all the ass). Everyday, I have lunch and dinner with the Borghese family and we eat all kinds of pasta, tortellini (actually it’s tortellini, tortelloni and tortello for- small, med and large), meats, sweets, vino… you name it. This last weekend, I splurged and bought a bottle of ’03 Barolo and ’01 Brunello. I’ve also had some ’99 Merlot reserve, Cabernet, Syrah- I won’t say anymore… if you know, then damn you know… like candy, maaan. Today, I had some homemade Crespelle (which is like french crepes but Italian), Lasagna, and Parmesan cheese with homemade balsamic vinegar. Actually, the region I am in, Emilio-Romagna is also where Parmesan cheese comes from. Maaaaan, it is soooo goooood! Jebus, I could write freakin’ pages just on the food, but I’ll stop here.
There is a really cool Leonardo da Vinci exhibit in the castle here in Mirandola, where they reproduced many of da Vinci’s drawings and models. I went with a friend named Francesca to this exhibit and we had a really good time. My favorite was one model of da Vinci’s proving the impossibility of perpetual motion. I don’t fully understand how it works, but I dig the idea and I looked it up on Wikipedia and damn it’s so cool; he totally rebuked all the other inventors and scholars of his time with this specific piece.
Last night, I went to a big-band swing concert in the local theatre with the Benatti family and then was introduced to what felt like a majority of the community. Everyone is so polite and cordial. And man, there are a LOT more beautiful girls here, way more than I originally thought. Where do they all come from for such a small town?! They are very proper though, almost regal- not a chance for a foreigner like me who doesn’t speak nearly enough Italian.
I spoke with the family about having visitors come and stay with me here at the flat and they gave me ‘the okay.’ I will be here until February 10th so if anybody wants to take a vacation out here in Italy you have place to stay here with me for a bit in Mirandola, just know that I work Mon – Fri in the afternoons until the evening. Mirandola is in the middle of everything: Florence, Milan, Venice are just 2 hours away by bus and then train. There are so many things to do and I can show you the ropes- just let me know.
I have some more pics of the town, the concert and the church with the sword stuck in the spire below~
Out.
I never really thought of myself as a teacher, but that is certainly what I am becoming! I still teach the boys everyday, but Stefano asked me to teach a class to the people in his office, which consists of 10 – 12 adults. They are a mixed group of different skill levels. Of course I agreed, and so last week was one the most stressful weeks ever! I was fully thrown into the fire here. My first class was introductory and short, but the second did not go well at all: I was not nearly as prepared as I should’ve been and things were very rocky. However, I took this opportunity to learn from my mistake and made some significant changes to my approach- I divided the class into two: beginner and intermediate. I then prepared an outline of each class and took time to demonstrate what each course would be like. This time, I came fully prepared with lesson plans and copies of grammar exercises using the materials Stefano leant me. Both styles turned out to be fantastic and people signed up accordingly. And now, this week I’ve begun my classes and things are working out really well. This is definitely a challenge and needless to say, I have a new respect for teaching!
The food here is SO good. I love homemade Italian food (forget England, Italy kicks all the ass). Everyday, I have lunch and dinner with the Borghese family and we eat all kinds of pasta, tortellini (actually it’s tortellini, tortelloni and tortello for- small, med and large), meats, sweets, vino… you name it. This last weekend, I splurged and bought a bottle of ’03 Barolo and ’01 Brunello. I’ve also had some ’99 Merlot reserve, Cabernet, Syrah- I won’t say anymore… if you know, then damn you know… like candy, maaan. Today, I had some homemade Crespelle (which is like french crepes but Italian), Lasagna, and Parmesan cheese with homemade balsamic vinegar. Actually, the region I am in, Emilio-Romagna is also where Parmesan cheese comes from. Maaaaan, it is soooo goooood! Jebus, I could write freakin’ pages just on the food, but I’ll stop here.
There is a really cool Leonardo da Vinci exhibit in the castle here in Mirandola, where they reproduced many of da Vinci’s drawings and models. I went with a friend named Francesca to this exhibit and we had a really good time. My favorite was one model of da Vinci’s proving the impossibility of perpetual motion. I don’t fully understand how it works, but I dig the idea and I looked it up on Wikipedia and damn it’s so cool; he totally rebuked all the other inventors and scholars of his time with this specific piece.
Last night, I went to a big-band swing concert in the local theatre with the Benatti family and then was introduced to what felt like a majority of the community. Everyone is so polite and cordial. And man, there are a LOT more beautiful girls here, way more than I originally thought. Where do they all come from for such a small town?! They are very proper though, almost regal- not a chance for a foreigner like me who doesn’t speak nearly enough Italian.
I spoke with the family about having visitors come and stay with me here at the flat and they gave me ‘the okay.’ I will be here until February 10th so if anybody wants to take a vacation out here in Italy you have place to stay here with me for a bit in Mirandola, just know that I work Mon – Fri in the afternoons until the evening. Mirandola is in the middle of everything: Florence, Milan, Venice are just 2 hours away by bus and then train. There are so many things to do and I can show you the ropes- just let me know.
I have some more pics of the town, the concert and the church with the sword stuck in the spire below~
Out.
More of Mirandola
Here is a better shot of the Castle that overlooks my apartment.
Proof of the bitchin' wine I be drinkin' mang.
Inside Teatro di Mirandola with all the musica e la cantina (singing too). I didn't want to take too many pictures and look like a complete tourist.
My zoom sucks, but if you look closer on this one I made a red circle around the sword that's stuck in spire; it actually looks like the knights could've had a decent fight up there, but HOW did they get up there? I suppose that's why it's a myth.
Teeny streets and tiny wittle cars.
My new 'do.' All the hip Italian guys have what my buddy at work Ron, called the 'Guido Haircut.' I thought I'd try to fit in little better, so I got one too. It's kind of like a mohawk from the top to the back as you can see...
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