Profoundly Shallow...

Come Join Me!

2010-09-17T11:08:00.002+02:00

I've got my own website now atwww.kmenozzi.comSo, come on over and see what's happening, eh?

13 Things I'd Rather Be Doing

2010-04-15T11:26:00.004+02:00

We've all seen the bumper stickers - well, those of us who live in the US, anyway - which say "I'd rather be _____." and then fill in the blank with some apparently preferable task. The possibilities range from "Dancing" to "Riding my horse" to "Flying" (presumably in an airplane) to many, many other things.Well, this week, I've been sidelined by a bad cold. I lost my voice on Sunday night,

13 Pieces of Eyecandy (yet again)

2010-04-01T10:36:00.006+02:00

Yeah, I know. I ran out of time again this week. I really need to do more planning, but the writing and the day job are taking over my free time, bit by bit.Add in that little loss of an hour for European Summer Time (a.k.a. Daylight Savings Time, which other parts of the world already did, two weeks ago), and I'm more than a little discombobulated.So, without further ado, allow me to present to

13 Main Characters I Have Written

2010-03-25T10:56:00.010+01:00

I'm a little pressed for time this week, so I thought I'd just do a quick Thirteen for y'all... So, please, allow me to present: Thirteen Main Characters I Have Written 1) Emily Miller (Ask Me if I'm Happy) - An American woman who traveled to Italy when she was in her mid-twenties, Emily married a handsome and rather mysterious Venetian on impulse and then stayed in the country for ten years.

Thirteen Jobs I Wanted to Do

2010-03-11T10:58:00.007+01:00

Hello, everyone! Welcome to this week's Thursday Thirteen. This week, I thought I'd depart from cycling-related posts (for the most part) and share a little more about myself.Wait! Come back!What I meant to say is, most of you know me as an Internet denizen, a rather silly individual, or as a writer. I didn't become any of these things overnight, though. There were a lot of potential career paths

Thirteen Photos Currently Inspiring Me

2010-03-04T10:48:00.009+01:00

Hello, all! Thanks for coming by this week.Once again, cycling is the theme of this Thursday Thirteen. Next week I hope to have a different subject for you, but this week, I'm sticking with the tried-and-true. I hope you'll bear with me, 'cause I've got my WIP, 27 Stages, on the brain. That's a good thing, right?And so, I present to you:Thirteen Photos Currently Inspiring Me1) Fabian Cancellara,

13 Excerpts from my current WIP

2010-02-25T10:54:00.007+01:00

This week, I thought I'd share a little of what I'm working on lately. These excerpts are all from the first draft of my current WIP, a novel called 27 Stages, which is set in the world of professional road cycling (if you're unfamiliar with the sport, think of the Tour de France). I featured other excerpts last year on my Profoundly Shallow blog, and these pick up where those left off. I hope

Thirteen Things Which Keep Distracting Me

2010-02-18T12:09:00.004+01:00

Hello, all! Welcome to this week's Thursday Thirteen post. As you can guess by the title, I'm a little distracted, lately. I need to refocus on writing, but sometimes, there's just so much to play around with to keep me from getting down to the nitty-gritty, you know?So, this week, I'm sharing at leastThirteen Things Which Keep Distracting Me!1) Facebook.While I love my social networking as much

13 Cycling Cuties

2010-02-11T10:34:00.011+01:00

Yes, I'll admit it, I'm rather stuck in a rut, as of late. I'm "researching" like mad in order to make my current WIP, 27 Stages, as authentic as possible. This means I'm spending loads of time reading, watching and generally obsessing over cycling. My favorite sport. So it's no stretch to concede I'm having a lot of fun.Something else which makes this fun is the fact that there are so many

Thirteen Things I Love About Winter

2010-02-04T11:02:00.002+01:00

I'm easing back into the Thursday Thirteen groove with a gentle post, this week:Thirteen Things I Love About WinterSo let's jump right in, eh?Snuggles. Need I say more?Not sweating when I walk to and from work - no matter how much I'm bundled up!Hot milky tea and a slice of panettone (Italian Christmas cake/bread/numminess). Soooooo good...Wearing a hat and gloves and scarf and boots and a big ol

Thirteen Things I Have To Do

2009-12-03T10:26:00.005+01:00

I'm pressed for time and a topic this week, as I'm preparing to go home for a little over a month to help out my mother. My stepfather, Martin, passed away two weeks ago, and we've all been thrown for a loop, to say the least.As a result, this is sort of a repeat from a few weeks ago, but to be fair, it *is* all I've got going on this week, so I give you:Thirteen of the Things I Have to Do this

No Thursday Thirteen this week

2009-11-19T10:32:00.001+01:00

Due to an unexpected death in the family, I won't be doing a Thursday Thirteen this week.I hope to resume next week, however.Thank you for stopping by.

13 Excerpts from 27 Stages

2009-11-12T10:17:00.007+01:00

There's a reason I didn't have my Thursday Thirteen prepared today - between work and writing, I just happened to forget.That's my story and I'm sticking to it, y'all.Anyway, to make up for this, I thought I'd share some of the WIP that has me so busy. It's called 27 Stages and it's the cycling story I've been so enthusiastic about since I got home from the US this summer.Now, I present to you:

13 Eyecandy Screencaps

2009-11-05T10:37:00.006+01:00

Okay, I'll just cut to the chase.If you don't want nudity of the male tushie persuasion, click away now.You've been warned.Without further ado, I present:13 Eyecandy Screencaps(from the Dieux du Stade 2010 video)Ohhhhh, mmmyyyyyyy...1)2)3)4)5)6)7)8)9)Where on Earth do I go to apply for that job???10)11)12)13)Wait, what?Thirteen yummy pics, and still you want more?That seems a bit greedy, y'know..

13 Things I Have To Do!

2009-10-29T09:54:00.003+01:00

Wow! Got too busy this week so I'm doing a quick list again...Here are13 Things I Have To Do Today(or very, very soon)!1) Grade papers for my lesson this afternoon.2) Prep paperwork to turn in on Wednesday so I'll get paid for this month.3) Teach two lessons at the bank.4) Walk to the school and talk with my (soon-to-be-former) boss, Mike. Good luck in the music biz, man!5) Clean the cat box. (ew

13 Things I'm Looking Forward To

2009-10-22T10:21:00.004+02:00

Got caught short again this week, so I thought I'd do a quick list of13 Things I'm Looking Forward To!1) This weekend, I'm supposed to go to Bologna, which is enough to make the list on its own.But then we add to this the fact that we're going there in order to see:2) Samuele Bersani, presenting his latest CD, Manifesto Abusivo! Woot! :)3) I'm also looking forward to finishing the edits/rewrites/

13 Websites I Frequent

2009-10-15T10:42:00.006+02:00

Now that I'm working more steadily, I'm afraid doing a T13 this week almost fell to the wayside. Since I'm pressed for time, I thought I'd make short work of stuff and present you with:13 Websites I Frequent (Almost) Every Day1) Yahooooo-oo!I reckon you know what this is. Visiting the American site instead of the Italian one is the only reason I know what's going on the US, much of the time. How

13 Select Pieces of Eye Candy

2009-10-08T09:07:00.000+02:00

(WARNING: if you are offended by male nudity in any form, skip this post. There is a rather revealing glimpse contained in a photo in this week's post. Not quite the full monty, but still, a bit of frontal nudity is visible. You have been warned!)Okay, everyone, this week, I thought I'd dispense with all the hubbub and get right down to the matter.No names are necessary, I think. Some of them

13 Things About Samuele Bersani

2009-10-01T09:47:00.011+02:00

Whoops! I got all caught up in writing this week and completely forgot to do a Thursday Thirteen! However, I had some handy inspiration available, provided by my favorite Italian singer/songwriter (and sometime Facebook buddy). And so, I give you:13 Things AboutSamuele Bersani1) Today is his birthday! Samuele was born on October 1st, 1970.2) He was born in the city of Rimini, Italy.3) His first

13 Facts About Fabian Cancellara

2009-09-24T09:09:00.015+02:00

In honor of his competing this week in the UCI Road World Championships - specifically in the Time Trials competition, and since I can't be there in person (although it's only in Mendrisio, Switzerland, for Heaven's sake, I shoulda just taken a bloody train... grumble, grumble...) today I'm bringing you:13 Facts About Fabian Cancellara1) Fabian started racing at an early age, and won the Junior

13 Excerpts - again!

2009-09-17T06:00:00.001+02:00

At the beginning of the year, I posted some excerpts from a work in progress. I'm happy to say that I'm currently editing down that same piece, after having combined it with a few others to make one novel, which I've titled "Ask Me if I'm Happy." The entire work, from false starts to final ending has taken nearly two years. I've learned a lot about myself as a writer, and how to work smarter

13 (more) Pieces of Rugby Eye Candy!

2009-06-03T14:01:00.007+02:00

13 (more) Pieces of Rugby Eye Candy!WARNING! TODAY'S POST FEATURES SOME RATHER REVEALING PHOTOS OF MEN - IF YOU ARE OFFENDED BY NUDITY, SPECIFICALLY GLIMPSES OF THE "MALE ANATOMY," PLEASE CLOSE THIS PAGE.Okay, now that's out of the way...Sadly, I'm short on time this week (and next), so I'm offering this plethora of delights from the rugby arena! Most of these come from the "Gods of the Stadium"

13 Guys Who Look Good With Facial Hair

2009-06-03T11:23:00.011+02:00

13 Guys Who Look Good With Facial HairOkay, I'll admit it. I'm picky. You'd never know that looking at my posts here, most days, but I am. I don't like beards. Or mustaches. I just don't.Still, in recent years, I've found myself being won over into the "Scruff ain't so bad" camp. Who knew it could happen? I've always preferred clean-shaven fellows (my hubby is divine when he's clean as a whistle,

13 Italian Films (Worth Reading the Subtitles For)

2009-05-27T23:23:00.028+02:00

Okay, I ran short on ideas this week, so I'm going to do13 Italian Films (Worth Reading the Subtitles For)Here they are, in no particular order...1) Chiedimi se Sono Felice - "Ask Me if I'm Happy"Not only is this flick hilarious, but oftentimes subtitles are irrelevant. That's the great thing about comedies, isn't it? This is a great film, and along with the title track and soundtrack by Samuele

13 Pics Which Inspire My Writing

2009-05-21T10:33:00.008+02:00

13 Pics Which Inspire My WritingOkay, y'all... We all have 'em. Those particular photos, images, impressions, whatever, which seem never to fail to inspire us. Whether we're writers or artists or musicians, there's just something about certain images and feelings which drives us to create.This week, I thought I'd share a handful of mine, and let you see what happened as a result of the

Wilbur J. "Bill" Hudson - a.k.a. My Dad

2009-04-20T17:00:00.003+02:00

As I write this now, my family are arriving at the funeral home for the family visitation for my father, who passed away last Thursday morning. For a variety of reasons, I could not be there with them.Needless to say, I am saddened by this. My inability to be with my family at this time is heartbreaking. I don't like the idea of my brother and my sister saying goodbye to our Dad without me.The

One Week Later...

2009-04-16T18:26:00.002+02:00

Some of you may have noticed that I didn't do a Thursday Thirteen this week. Some of you already know the reason.I had been told Wednesday morning that the family were being called in after 9:00 a.m., as the prognosis wasn't good. I spent the day in a fug, yet I managed to finish a chapter, make phone calls, and drag myself out for a dinner which I wound up enjoying quite a lot. (Thanks, Laura.)

Head Down, Butt in Chair, Hands on Keyboard

2009-04-08T16:37:00.001+02:00

Make it all go away. This is the underlying thought I have in mind nearly every time I sit down to write, recently. The universe has an impeccable sense of timing, no doubt, as my distractions outside my office reached a peak on April First, this year. The days are longer, which means my output is suffering. For reasons unbeknownst to me, I write better at night. Now nighttime is farther away,

Don't Let it Become "Yesterday's News"

2009-04-07T22:43:00.001+02:00

As promised, I've sought out the best source for helping the victims of Monday's earthquake in L'Aquila, Italy.Please go here:http://www.cri.it/indexeng.htmlThe Italian Red Cross (Croce Rossa Italiana) works directly with the public services to give assistance. This is the fastest way to get aid to the people who need it most.The instructions are in English, and you can donate through PayPal,

We're the lucky ones...

2009-04-06T17:21:00.003+02:00

Some of you have asked if I'm close to the site of the earthquake here in Italy and are wondering if me and mine are okay. We're fine. We live in the northern portion of the country, and haven't been affected. Some of you recall my excitement/fright last Christmas time when Reggio had its own little quake (5.4 on the Richter scale, lasting about 5 seconds - which felt much, much longer).That was

Thirteen Things Which Make Me Laugh

2009-04-02T09:55:00.006+02:00

WARNING! THERE IS POTENTIALLY OFFENSIVE MATERIAL IN TODAY'S POST. IT IS QUITE POSSIBLY NOT SAFE FOR WORK.Okay, y'all - I'm about to redefine "Random" here!Today's Thirteen is:Thirteen Things Which Make Me LaughLet's go...1) This is in Italian, but I think much of the humor shines through. The general idea is this: An English language lesson, with translations in (Southern) Italian, which keeps

Thirteen Portraits of My Family

2009-03-26T11:07:00.005+01:00

Hullo, all! :)Welcome to this week's Thursday Thirteen.The topic this week?Thirteen Portraits of My Family1) - My Mom, in Lake Lure, NC last summer.2) My hubby, up on Chimney Rock, during the same vacation.3) My niece, Mia, during one of my Wednesday babysitting sessions.4) Mia, again, during that same session.5) The hubby, while he was getting ready to go grocery shopping and I was in bed with a

Thirteen Lovely Smiles!

2009-03-19T09:37:00.006+01:00

Okay, I confess. This week's Thursday Thirteen is a bit slap-dash. However, I plead illness, as I'm confined to bed this week because my back went out on me.That said, here is my contribution to the Thursday Thirteen:Thirteen Lovely Smiles!Let's jump in!1) Kim Rossi Stuart - Italian actor (films include: Romanzo Criminale (Crime Novel), Le Chiavi di Casa (the Keys of the House), Le Rouge et le

13 Photos of Italians in Uniform

2009-03-12T08:00:00.000+01:00

Thirteen Photos of Italians in UniformHere at Profoundly Shallow, I often find myself hoping to share some aspect of my life that folks elsewhere in the world might not be familiar with. As an American in Italy, certain things just kinda-sorta jump out at me that might not be noticeable to the average Italian.Like uniforms, for example.I still get quite a kick out the police uniforms here in

13 Yummilicious Tushies!

2009-03-05T05:59:00.001+01:00

Warning! This week's Thursday Thirteen contains loads of nudity of the male persuasion. If you have a problem with viewing perky male tushies, I advise you to click away, now.You've been warned!Welcome one and all to this week's Thursday Thirteen!The topic?Thirteen Yummilicious Tushies!I must begin by saying this: God Bless the Creators of the Dieux du Stade Calendars! Without their hard work,

13 Random Objects Currently Sitting on my Desk!

2009-02-26T00:01:00.002+01:00

Welcome to this week's Thursday Thirteen!This week, I'm showcasing13 Random Objects Currently Sitting on my Desk!(Can you feel the excitement?)1) I couldn't even *do* the Thursday Thirteen without this one:My computer.2)My phone. This is my phone's exact model, above. I've had it since 2003, and it just keeps on going. Nokia ROCKS my SOCKS, y'all!3)My kitty box. I use this to keep small objects

13 Random Photos from Italy

2009-02-19T11:12:00.008+01:00

Another 13 Random Photos From Italy!Yeah, I'm a one-trick pony. Do you care that much?1) The hubby fell asleep watching TV, and Sophie took full advantage. Crafty kitty...2)At the Christmas Eve dinner at my father-in-law's, Mia got passed around the table.3)The hubby and his sister goof off during the Christmas gift exchange.4)This is the size of the average Italian Christmas tree. Really.5)This,

13 Opening Sentences/Paragraphs

2009-02-12T14:58:00.005+01:00

13 Things I'm Thankful For

2008-11-27T11:06:00.007+01:00

Well, I came up short again, this week. However, the time of year provided me with a natural topic! So here is my Thanksgiving Thursday Thirteen:13 Things I'm Thankful For1) I'm glad that I've already seen a snowfall this year. Here in Reggio Emilia, we had snow on San Prospero day, which is the holiday for the patron saint of the city. It was wonderful to wake up to that, especially since I only

13 Pieces of Rugby Eye Candy!

2008-11-20T09:04:00.005+01:00

As many of you know, over the last year or so, I've developed a genuine fondness for a certain sport. While Cycling is still my favorite of all time, I have to confess that:Naturally, my love for this sport started out as a lark, even though I do truly enjoy watching matches (which I used to be able to do for free, until my best friend moved away from her flat that overlooked the stadium. Traitor

Ooops, Again!

2008-11-13T11:13:00.003+01:00

Yep, you guessed it!I didn't manage a Thursday Thirteen this week - things have been too crazy at work and I've been writing, as well.SOoooo... What to do?A little eye candy should do the trick, eh?First:Alessio Boni - Italian actorAnd what the hey - let's make it a two-fer on the eye candy this week...Ashley Harrison - Australian Rugby player (so I'm told...)Ciao for now!

13 Comments About My Short Story, "Connections"

2008-11-06T06:04:00.008+01:00

13 Positive Things People Have Said About My Short Story, "Connections".I have my story "Connections" posted on Authonomy.com, in slim hopes of having it read by the editors of Harper Collins and possibly picked up for publication. Dare I to dream? Heck, yes! That's why I did it.Anyway, I've gotten some very positive feedback from readers on that site, some of whom are published authors or

13 Random Photos I've Taken Around Italy

2008-10-30T05:55:00.003+01:00

Welcome to this week's Thursday Thirteen here on Profoundly Shallow!This week, I'm featuring13 Random Photos I've Taken Around Italy.Pic #1This was a display in a shop window in Firenze, back in 2006. Compelling, no?Pic #2This is a newsstand in Firenze, also in 2006. But trust me, they're still selling the same stuff.Pic #3This odd pic was taken in the restroom of the train station in

13 Reasons I Might Be Excited About November 22nd

2008-10-23T06:00:00.002+02:00

Well, I'm trying to catch up and make some Thursday Thirteens worthy of a readership. But this one might just fall into the category of "Yippee for me!" as I'm happy to report that I am going to see the Italy/Pacific Islands Rugby Test Match here in Reggio Emilia on November 22nd! Woo-hoo!!!And so, here are13 Reasons I Might Be Excited About November 22nd!And no, they aren't necessarily 13

Oops!

2008-10-09T11:57:00.003+02:00

I'm sorry. I don't have a Thursday Thirteen ready this week.So, we'll skip to the eye candy. I'm afraid it might be a repeat, but I'm not sure...Is that all right with you? I sure hope so.Ciao!Amos Roberts, Australian Rugby Player

13 Photos of Sophie the Kitten!

2008-09-26T18:38:00.007+02:00

13 Photos of Sophie the Kitten!Hey, all! This week, I'm a little pressed for time, so I thought I'd present you with 13 photos of my newly-adopted furbaby, Sophie!Here's a little background, first... I've wanted to adopt a kitty for some time, now. Since arriving in Italy, in fact. My husband slowly warmed up to the idea, and we agreed to choose a kitten or cat from the local shelter as soon as

13 Books I Bought This Summer

2008-09-24T23:57:00.001+02:00

Howdy! I'm back! And I'm bringing you a list (to ease back into the Thursday Thirteen habit) of 13 Books I bought during my Summer holiday.Here goes:I didn't even make it out of Europe before I started buying books. In Heathrow's Terminal Four, I bought numbers one and two on the list.1) Because I've got nearly every other book Hornby's written so far, and this one had a certain charm, as well.

13 Italian Words You Already Know

2008-07-03T00:00:00.000+02:00

13 Italian Words You Already Know!What's that? You say you don't speak any Italian at all?Silly, of course you do! Why, the food words alone are enough to fill a modest vocabulary!Instead, there are other words that you likely use often - if not every day - that stem rather directly from the Italian language. In fact, here are thirteen of them! :)1) Graffiti.Of course you know this one - although

13 False Friends

2008-06-26T00:00:00.002+02:00

13 False Friends(Linguistically Speaking, That Is)When I first started learning Italian, I found myself stumbling over words that seemed so darn familiar to me, but in actuality were not. They look similar to English, but in fact have vastly different meanings than what I kept wanting to believe. It's a common pitfall in most languages, and since English draws from so many different sources, it's

13 Things to do While I'm in the US

2008-06-19T00:00:00.000+02:00

13 Things to do While I'm in the USI'm visiting the US for 10 weeks this summer, and I have a lot to do. As usual. If I want to relax, I can, but I have to get some other stuff done, as well. When I return home for any period of time, I usually have a program in mind.And so, I present some of the things I must do while I'm in the US.1) Visit family. Of course, this is the highest priority on the

13 Things I Love About My Hubby

2008-06-12T00:00:00.004+02:00

This week I depart for the US for ten weeks. Eight of those weeks will be without my hubby, Alle, and I thought I would do a special T13 dedicated to him and the many reasons I love him. Yeah, I know, it's sickeningly sweet. So sue me.13 Things I Love About My Hubby!1) His sincerity. He doesn't say anything he doesn't mean, and I think that's great.A quick kiss in Siena, May 2005.2) His sense of

13 Songs In Heavy Rotation (On My iPod)

2008-06-05T08:41:00.007+02:00

13 Songs in Heavy Rotation (On My iPod)This week, the TT I had planned went a bit pear-shaped, so I'm substituting with this topic. However, in the interest of full disclosure, you should know that these are NOT the Top 13 on my play count, but are instead a selection from the top region of the play count. Does that make any sense? I know that if I did a direct "Top 13", you would have "13 of my

13 Pieces of Eye Candy!

2008-05-29T06:00:00.000+02:00

Welcome to a Special Edition Thursday Thirteen!This week, I thought I'd rest on my laurels a bit, and post 13 Pieces of Eye Candy which have been previously featured on this blog. Consider it a "Greatest Hits", if you will, even though not all of the candy has been posted before.So, here we go, in no particular order...Luca Argentero, Italian ActorDimitri Yachvili, Georgian Rugby Player (France)

13 Favorite Photos I've Taken

2008-05-22T11:07:00.011+02:00

13 Favorite Photos (That I've Taken)Today I thought I'd share a few of my favorite photos - in most cases, they are photos that I've taken, but one or two were taken by other people instead. Almost all of these are taken in Italy, of course, since this is where my love for photography got a chance to really blossom.So, in no particular order, here are 13 of my favorite photos! :)I start with this

Real Men Wear Pink!

2008-05-14T12:00:00.004+02:00

Thirteen Facts about The Giro d'ItaliaThis great cycling race, second only to the infamous "Tour de France", began last weekend. I'm pleased to bring to you a few facts about one of my favorite sporting events.So, let's jump right in!1. The first ever Giro d'Italia was begun May 13th, 1909, and was won by Luigi Ganna.2. This year marks the 90th Giro. It began on May 10th and will continue through

Thirteen Stories I've Written (or will write)

2008-05-08T10:57:00.011+02:00

This week I thought I'd show a little about how my creative process works, and divulge the inspiration for a few characters/stories that I've written (or am working on, at the moment).So, let's jump in with a few stories that I've written:1.) The first story I ever fleshed out into a novel-length tale was - for better or worse - written when I was just seventeen. It was originally supposed to be

2008-05-01T10:00:00.008+02:00

Thirteen Things About Reggio Emilia Since I moved here four years ago, I've learned a few little facts about my new "hometown". Since Reggio Emilia isn't one of the more well-known cities in Italy, I thought I'd share them with you, today. 1) Reggio Emilia's roots extend as far back as 187 BC, with the construction of the Via Aemilia (the Roman

13 Books on my Shelf

2008-04-24T10:58:00.009+02:00

Thirteen Books I Have On My ShelfWriters read. If you want to be a good writer, you have to read. That's all there is to it. Bearing that in mind, here is a sampling of what you'll find on my bookshelves, should you happen to come by my house, sometime. Sure! You're invited, just let me know in advance, eh? ;) 1. The Entire Harry Potter series - the Scholastic (US) print. I have a few first

2008-04-17T10:58:00.007+02:00

Thirteen Crushes I Have HadYeah, I know - it's an oddball - but I wasn't able to prep anything in advance, and I wanted to take advantage of the power of the Internet. Bwahaahaaahaaa!Anyway, these aren't in order, just how they came to mind as I wrote this...So, here goes:Thirteen Celebrity Crushes I Have Had1. Michael Palin of Monty Python's Flying Circus. I was eight and the show was in

13 Things About Raoul Bova

2008-04-09T10:22:00.010+02:00

Welcome one and all to this week's Thursday Thirteen: 13 Things about Raoul Bova.Why Raoul? Because the ladies love him, that's why. And I have pics to share. Those are all the reasons I need, thanks.Raoul, all bundled up, in Predator vs. Alien. This is the last time you'll see so many clothes on him, here. I promise.Besides, he provides quite a bit of, erm... Inspiration, for the writers I know.

Thursday Thirteen - 13 Italian Proverbs

2008-04-03T09:52:00.004+02:00

Thirteen Italian Proverbs If nothing else, one must concede that the Italians are a colorful group when it comes to expressing themselves. Today, I give you thirteen of their most vivid proverbs.1) A chi dai il dito si prende anche il braccio.English translation: Give them a finger and they'll take the arm.Idiomatic meaning: Give them an inch and they'll take a mile.2) A rubar poco si va in

Thirteen Live Performances

2008-03-27T09:18:00.010+01:00

Thirteen Bands/Artists I Have Seen in Concert Yeah, I got behind again this week - so I'm going with an "Old Faithful" of sorts. Still, I'm sure a lot of you have seen some of the same artists, so who's complaining, eh?Here we go...in no particular order... 1. My first concert ever:Ah... the '80s. When I saw Duran Duran, I was thirteen, hadn't eaten or slept for days, and I was madly in love with

Thursday Thirteen - LOL!

2008-03-20T11:40:00.010+01:00

My Thirteen Favorite LOL Cats (mostly)!Anyone who knows me knows this is true about me:I'm a shining example of pure stupidity once you put a cat in front of me. I can spot a cat at a hundred yards, while driving down a busy Italian road. (Okay, I'm the passenger, but you get the idea.)Anyone who knows me also knows this: I love stupid captions on goofy pictures of cats, dogs, hamsters, squirrels

Thirteen Things About the Number Thirteen!

2008-03-13T10:32:00.003+01:00

I was caught unawares, this week - which means I actually got some writing done! Woo-hoo!So, here's my utterly random Thursday Thirteen:Thirteen Things About the Number Thirteen!1) According to Christian belief, there were 13 people at the last supper.2) It was at one time associated with the Epiphany: it is said that Jesus received the Magi on the thirteenth day of his life.3) Jewish boys

I Got Tagged, Too! The Telephone Game!

2008-03-10T19:04:00.003+01:00

You all probably know how this works; a group gets in a circle, and the first person whispers a word or phrase to the next person, who whispers it to the next, and so on and on... Usually, by the time it gets back to the first person, it's totally different.Well, this is the internet meme version.Kathleen tagged me to play, so here's my entry in the telephone game...“Jocelyn and Will went up

The Soundtrack of Your Life

2008-03-06T12:43:00.003+01:00

(Gina Ardito posted this for her Thursday Thirteen, and I liked it so much, I had to do it right away. This is the corrected version of mine, which first appeared in her blog - I didn't alter the choices, just put them where they should have been!)If your life were a movie, what would the soundtrack be? Open your music library (iTunes, winamp, media player, iPod). Put it on shuffle. Press play.

Thursday Thirteen - Yummah! 13 Italian Dishes

2008-03-05T18:53:00.015+01:00

Yummah! 13 (or is it 14?) Italian DishesI thought I knew about Italian food before I came here. Yo! I'd even lived in New Joisey for a few years amongst the Guidos, shouldn't that qualify me? In a word, "No." If you've never been to Italy, chances are you have no idea about the cuisine. If you think Pizza Hut is good pizza, you couldn't be further off the mark. Chef Boy-ar-dee? Gag. Olive Garden?

When I Saw the "David" for the First Time

2008-03-04T13:25:00.006+01:00

This is a piece I wrote two years ago, when the hubby and I took an anniversary trip to Firenze. I thought I'd share it since I posted a Thursday Thirteen about art in Italy.Thoughts on Michelangelo's David, commissioned in 1501 and first displayed in 1504. I have to confess, I was indeed momentarily struck dumb by this piece. Naturally, I expected to be awed, surprised, perhaps even a bit

7 Things You Will Always Find or Will Never Find in My Stories:

2008-02-29T19:33:00.003+01:00

I got this from Ally, via her blog, Tangled Up In Words.7 Things You Will Always Find or Will Never Find in My Stories:1. Happily-Ever-Afters Okay, I'll be blunt, straightaway. You won't find a typical "Happily Ever After" ending in most of my stories. I tend to leave things rather ambiguous or unresolved. Which isn't to say that my writing can't serve as escapism, for someone seeking that. I

13 Great Works of Art (Plus One!)

2008-02-28T09:00:00.000+01:00

Art... I've been to museums in the US, of course, but nothing prepares you for the constant presence of ART in Italy. In addition to spending entire days in the Uffizi and the Galeria dell'Accademia in Firenze, a simple walk reveals wonders, in most any town. Almost every piazza or random street has some small artistic jewel hidden away in it, if you just look. (Not to mention the art of some of

One Reason I Love My Hubby...

2008-02-27T11:41:00.004+01:00

...is because he loves "The Little Prince". When Alessandro and I started talking back in 2oo3, he told me that one of his favorite books was "The Little Prince" by Antoine De Saint-Exupéry. We agreed that it was a beautiful story, and that this passage was one of the most beautiful in the book (indeed, one of the most beautiful passages ever written). Early on, he read this to me over

Ti Voglio Bene - I Wish You Well

2008-02-25T10:00:00.004+01:00

Looking back now, I can see how many things had to come together in some special way to align themselves 'just so' to guide me along my life in the direction I've gone so far. All the loves, the interests, the coincidences and even the long periods of doubt and self-loathing which had to come to pass before I could be where I am today. Crikey, did it have to be so difficult, though? I suppose,

Things to Avoid in Italy

2008-02-19T11:23:00.005+01:00

Okay, I swiped this one from someone else, but I thought I'd share it since other folks might get a kick out of it. :) Hope you like it!Things to Avoid in ItalyBy: MaggieMc - 15 Feb 2006 (from the Lonely Planet site) Crossing the road Look both ways. Pedestrian crossings are there for decoration or as a perverse form of population control. In order to cross the road before next Christmas, one

Thursday Thirteen - 13 Italian Contributions to the World

2008-02-18T11:40:00.010+01:00

I was looking at my old MySpace blogs and found this one - which I thought was nearly perfect as a Thursday Thirteen. :) ...How many of you realized the following: 1) The founder of Planter's Peanuts was an Italian immigrant. 2) One of the most influential and important men in NASA's history was the son of Italian immigrants. 3) Want to relax in a hot tub? Thank the Jacuzzi brothers! 4) Enjoy

13 Things I Learned to Love About Italy

2008-02-14T10:25:00.007+01:00

I'll be honest about this - I didn't come to Italy with any "AAaahhh, Italy!" visions in my head. Quite the opposite. I came here because I'd fallen in love with an Italian, and he'd fallen in love with me. That's it.I didn't speak the language, knew only a little about the culture, and certainly couldn't wear the clothes. I'm no fashion maven, so the styles were beyond me. (At the very least,

Hotties In Heaven

2008-02-10T17:08:00.000+01:00

hmmm... Well, what can I talk about today...? Alle and I have an ongoing joke... Almost two years ago, somehow or other we got onto the subject of the "72 Virgins in Heaven" concept that is supposedly offered as incentive to those who martyr themselves in the name of certain religions. We were pondering whether 72 virgins would really be such a great thing. Wouldn't 72 sluts be more compelling,

I Still Like Cycling...

2008-02-08T11:38:00.001+01:00

I know, there have been a lot of debates recently about sports and doping/drugs/whatever. It's the same thing here in Italy (if not more so), and cycling is not immune. I guess I'll have to confess my disappointment in the cycling doping trials that gained so much attention last year around the Tour de France and Giro d'Italia. I wish it weren't so. I wish these guys would keep the sport pure,

Caramelle Per Gli Occhi!

2008-02-07T12:51:00.000+01:00

Well, excuse me while I act all hormone-addled-teenagery, and post these pics of:A Few Good Reasons To Visit ItalyRaul Bova: Popular actor and pin-up boy. You first noticed him in those GAP ads.Then along came Under the Tuscan Sun (and you had a reason to be jealous of Diane Lane beyond her haircolor or her figure).You sat through that ridiculous Alien Vs. Predator film for him (and pretended to