Jun
29

Four Four Two

2007 | Filed Under 4-4-2 Pub | 21 Comments

UPDATE: Free Beer! After having a chat with Alessandro, the landlord, today, he agreed to offer readers of this blog the first two pints of beer ordered for the price of one. Not bad, eh?

This is a preview of Four Four Two. Read the full post (796 words, 4 images, estimated 3:11 mins reading time)

Like to dig deeper?

Jun
29

Windows Vista

2007 | Filed Under Me, Technology and Gadgets, This blog | Leave a Comment

Some time ago I posted this about the then new Windows Vista operating system.   So this article made me chuckle.   Sometimes, you’ve got to trust those gut feelings.

Permanent link to this post (29 words, estimated 7 secs reading time)

Like to dig deeper?

Jun
28

Italian university degrees

2007 | Filed Under Italy, Milan, Work | 1 Comment

If you know anything about the Italian university system you will know that up until relatively recently a degree course lasted five years.  Italians start university when they are about 19 0r 20.  However, the five year degree courses often took (take, they still exist) more than five years to complete.  Seven years is quite common and ten years is not uncommon.  The time it takes to complete degree courses in Italy is linked to how fast you can pass exams, and it is not all that easy to pass the exams first time.  Fail a few exams and it becomes nigh on impossible to finish the course in 5 years.

This is a preview of Italian university degrees. Read the full post (628 words, estimated 2:31 mins reading time)

Like to dig deeper?

Jun
28

The battle

2007 | Filed Under Italy, Milan | Leave a Comment

We have a sort of disco on our doorstep and its thumping bass manages to keep us awake many nights. It’s worse during the summer because we leave the bedroom window open.

This is a preview of The battle. Read the full post (181 words, estimated 43 secs reading time)

Like to dig deeper?

Jun
27

Miffed, I am.

2007 | Filed Under Italy, Language, Language teaching, Me, Milan, Work | Leave a Comment

I got the ‘we want to do more speaking’ comment from my students today.

This is a preview of Miffed, I am.. Read the full post (214 words, estimated 51 secs reading time)

Like to dig deeper?

Jun
26

Is Italy too hot in August?

2007 | Filed Under Italy, Milan | Leave a Comment

A couple of people have ended up on my Blog as a result of searching for information about the heat in Italy in August. The answer is: Well, it depends…. The big cities can be hell in summer - they do not cool down at all at night either. On the other hand, if you stay near the lakes or head up above 1000 meters or so, you will find that things cool off very nicely and you can actually sleep at night. And it does depend on where you are from.  If, for example, you come from Australia, then you may find the July and August heat quite bearable, whereas if you come from the UK or Norway, you may find the heat oppressive.  I have not mentioned numbers, because they are not that important.  For example an Australian may find 40°C fine, whereas an Englishman, like me, would fine the same temperature a little too hot for comfort.

This is a preview of Is Italy too hot in August?. Read the full post (430 words, estimated 1:43 mins reading time)

Like to dig deeper?

Jun
26

A winning streak

2007 | Filed Under Language, People, Technology and Gadgets | Leave a Comment

According to many nice men with African sounding names who represent various well know companies and lotteries, I have several million pounds coming my way.  All I have to do is send them a few personal details, a sample of my DNA and all my PIN numbers and my life will become worry free.  Boy, am I tempted.  Not.

This is a preview of A winning streak. Read the full post (220 words, estimated 53 secs reading time)

Like to dig deeper?

Jun
26

It’s a love hate thing

2007 | Filed Under Culture, Italy, Me, People | 5 Comments

Living in Italy. Today, I had a chat with someone who has spent 25 years in the Living Museum, and although you might expect someone who has been here so long to be used to Italy’s oft unruly ways, it sounds as though this person still becomes frustrated at the disorganisation of the place. Maybe I do not need to mention it, but this person comes from an Anglo-Saxon culture and, it appears that some people from such cultures find the Italian way of life something of a challenge. The person I mentioned above is not alone, and I’m not just talking about long-stay ex-pats. I know of Italians who have spent time in the US and the UK and either never want to return here, or long to return to the perceived ‘normality’ of Anglo-Saxon cultures.

This is a preview of It’s a love hate thing. Read the full post (527 words, estimated 2:06 mins reading time)

Like to dig deeper?

Jun
25

Just a little more

2007 | Filed Under Writing | Leave a Comment

I think I’m coming to the point where I need to sleep on the rest of my little story.  It’s developing quite well and I’m taking it just about where I want it to go.  I don’t think I’ll finish this evening, but I do think I will finish it in time for my ‘client’.  I hope it goes down well.  I’m not sure though, it’s an odd idea.  I think it is original, but you never really know.  I’ve read so much, that I think sometimes all the images and thoughts floating around in my mind adversely affect my capacity to be creative, in some odd way.  This probably sounds daft, and it probably is.  But I could just be regurgitating something that I read years ago, without even realising what I’m doing.  What an odd thought!

Permanent link to this post (139 words, estimated 33 secs reading time)

Like to dig deeper?

Jun
25

Still writing

2007 | Filed Under Writing | Leave a Comment

The young one is still in the land of nod, and it’s even starting to cool down a little.  I’m still scribbling away and the ideas are starting to flow quite nicely now.  I’ve even had an idea as to how to bring my short tale to an end.  It’s not a bad ending, one of those twists which I think may make my effort a little more memorable.  If I don’t manage to finish in time for this person’s competition, I might post this story here, or I might see if anyone else may be interested in it.  We’ll see.  I might end up hating the thing.

Permanent link to this post (109 words, estimated 26 secs reading time)

Like to dig deeper?

Jun
25

I’m writing

2007 | Filed Under Writing | Leave a Comment

My other half has gone out to dinner with some of her work colleagues, to celebrate a birthday, so I’m at home on babysitting duty.  Only, said baby collapsed on the sofa after a hard day at the nursery.  Leaving me with no baby to sit for.  A rare moments peace and quiet.  Even our noisy neighbourhood disco is quiet.  I could do some work, but I know if I start, the wee one will wake up and I’ll have to leave whatever I have managed to start in mid-air.

This is a preview of I’m writing. Read the full post (182 words, estimated 44 secs reading time)

Like to dig deeper?

Jun
25

Completely lost my train of thought

2007 | Filed Under Me, Milan, Work | Leave a Comment

Two calls have pushed me right off track and the thing I was working on is not progressing.  Phooey!  At least I’ve got the air cond going at the optimal temperature 26°C.  At 27°C, I was still sweating.  Boy it is hot here.

This is a preview of Completely lost my train of thought. Read the full post (129 words, estimated 31 secs reading time)

Like to dig deeper?

Next Page →