Grey Days
As I write this, the rain is lashing down here in not so sunny Milan. Funny weather for Italy, especially in June when it is usually hot enough to make you start digging out the remote controls for the air conditioning system, if you are lucky enough to have one.
Weather wise its been an odd year. The summer has been coming and going making this Englishman in Milan feel like he is back in good old England with its famously variable climate. Indeed, I’m not the only Englishman in Milan who is feeling a little let down by Italy’s usually reliable weather. Chris, one of the 442 pub regulars was also complaining about the lack of summer weather.
Now, when an Englishman complains about the weather in Italy, that really means that things are a bit pear shaped ( pear shaped = ‘odd’ in British English for those of you who are not familiar with the fruity expression I’ve just used).
If English people are pining for those hot and balmy summer days, then you can imagine just how many Italians are feeling. Sometimes Italians may ask you if you are ‘meteopatico’, which means, I suppose - ‘weatherphobic’, or in more Italian terms - allergic to bad weather. Coming from the UK I have to say that I’m very meteopatico, and I came out to Italy to escape the randomness of English weather, which I hate.
Our little one was supposed to be taking part in an end of term play today, and this play was supposed to have been held outside, in the sun. However there is no sun, and the play has been postponed, yet again. A shame, because I was free this afternoon, and was quite looking forward to seeing the wee one playing his part in the ‘Around the World in Eighty Days’ themed show. A definite case of ‘rain stops play’, if ever there was one.
Should said play be moved to Friday, I won’t be able to see it, but then neither will his mum who is down in Genova tending to her sick mum. What a shame. Hopefully, and because the postponements are causing problems for other parents, the show will be moved to next Monday. Hope so. Our little one has been rattling on about this school do for a good few weeks, and he is, or was, looking forward to it too.
Whether the weather will get better is anybody’s guess. I’m starting to feel pretty grey too.
Manic Monday
Yes, I know Monday is now but a memory, and that it is now Wednesday. But Monday was a fun day!
Why a fun day? Well, aside from the usual stuff, I also made a vulgar suggestion to an artist I had never spoken to before - in Italian, then, after having retrieved the little one from his school, I met up with two American friends, Chris Bright and Sean Carlos for a couple of pints down at the good old 442 - in the company of the 5 year old bundle of energy. To cap it all, in the middle of Monday I received a request for a translation which had to be completed by Tuesday morning.
To cap things off, and just before I was due to collect the little one, it appeared that persons unknown had been trying to hack my Italy is in site, which turn turned added a dose of ‘frenetic’ to what had already been quite a hectic day. In order to block the potential hack and prepare myself for the worst, I whizzed around changing passwords, and making backups, just to be on the safe side.
Then came the news that the Italian mother in law had been admitted to hospital with breathing problems, which caused worries all round. The poor lady is something of a ticking time bomb, and years of chain smoking have left her health somewhat unstable. A great shame, she is a very sweet person.
Despite all the action, I managed to get the translation job finished on time, and the client was quite pleased to discover the nicely formatted, thanks to WordFast, final version lying in her email inbox on Tuesday morning.
As for the vulgar suggestion I made to the artist, who, as I have already mentioned, I had not spoken to before in my life, I am pleased to say that said artist was not the least bit put out by what some artists may have considered a potentially sacrilegious idea. Although I won’t mention exactly what I am up to, you can read more about the idea on my new Italy is in Italian contemporary art site, in this my ‘Art Meets Business‘ article over on Italy is in.
At least the drink down the pub was pleasent, and I was pleased to hear that Chris seems to be getting things sorted out on the looking for a job in Italy front. Sean was in fine form too, and we exchanged geek info about WordPress and he ended up asking me if I really was ‘just’ an English teacher, after I fired off some info about server file permissions (775 for most folders and 644 for most files, incidentally), after I mentioned the attack which appeared to have taken place. Yes, running your own web sites can be traumatic at times.
I finally got to bed at around 2am, think is was. Great, and Tuesday was to prove no less hectic.
Actually the activity of both days left me dog tired, and I ended up collapsing and falling asleep on the sofa with the dog last night.
At least today will be a little less fraught, I hope.
Who says Technology is Anti-Social?
Admittedly being stuck in front of a screen typing away would not appear to be a particularly social thing to do, but, as a result of tapping away, I’ve got to meet, both virtually, and in reality, some great people.
The other evening after exchanging a few emails, after being put in touch with with Antezeta’s Sean Carlos by Italophile Chris Bright (another blogging contact!) , Sean and I finally met up down at my favourite watering hole, the good old 442 pub.
Sean is an interesting guy, and although we did chat about such geeky things as SEO, we also chatted a little about life, the universe and everything. Good stuff!
Apparently my blog has been interfering with Sean’s productivity a little, and he’s been dropping in the follow my prolific blathering rather more than perhaps he should! Still, it’s good to hear that what I go on about interests a few people. Blog from Italy appears to have a small but loyal following, and when I meet up with people I know they will often mention that they read something or other on this blog. This is nice. I guess all (aspiring) writers need to know that they have an audinence.
Anyway, back to Sean, who, I have to say, has put me on to a couple of interesting stories. One will appear here, in the Good Italian Things category, once I’ve done so more digging around the web and checked out the stuff Mr Antezeta sent me this evening. And the other story will appear on another little project I’ve been working on.
Oh, and if anyone is looking for an SEO specialist to head up an Italy (or Germany) related SEO project, then Sean Carlos should be on his or her list, and putting him at the top would not be a bad idea either. I don’t imagine there are that many people in Italy who have such an in-depth understanding of SEO issues relating to the Italian market. You’d be doing yourself, and your web based business, a favour by getting in touch with him.
So much for blogging being anti-social. Another dodgy stereotype hits the dust!
442 Pub Milan - New Banner
Down at my favourite watering hole there is a curious new flag with ‘Four Four Two, Milan’ on it. Although this flag, which can been seen on Facebook, appears to be English - red cross on a white background, not the Union Jack, interestingly enough, it is the flag of Milan.
I have no idea why the England and Milan flags are exactly the same, but I have to say that it is very appropriate for a sport pub in Milan. If anyone out there knows anything about the origins of the Milan flag, then please let me know.
I have used said flag as the basis of the new banner ad on this blog, and you will see it down on the left hand side. If you click on said banner, you will be taken to the official 442 pub site, but much better than a virtual visit is a real one. And shortly all you rugby fans will be able to see all the rugby down at the pub - but get there before the matches start, otherwise you will find it is standing room only. The atmosphere will be great though, sitting or standing.
Oh, and the ‘two beers for the price of one’ offer is still on. Yet another excuse for checking the place out.
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