Parla italiano? You already know more than you think!
Twin words are the most valuable and overlooked gift in language acquisition. — Susan Elizabeth Nus I love the sound of Italian. As I child, I could listen to my father and grandfather talk to each other for hours and never get bored. Sometimes, with the help of hand gestures, arm movements that took in the room, crooked heads and…
Nomad’s Dream
“Our battered suitcases were piled on the sidewalk again; we had longer ways to go. But no matter, the road is life.” – Jack Kerouac I went for a pedicure the other day, to lessen the back-breaking monotony of packing. The color I chose was a rather nice frosted pale peach. I didn’t realize that it was called Nomad’s Dream…
A Right-Place, Right-Time Guest Post: “habemus papam”
Ed. note: Okay, so immediately after my rant about no unsolicited guest posts, here’s the latest guest post. Solicited. I’ve known Paula and Giovanni for years, and am pleased to offer their story here. Paula was born in Boston to Italian American parents, and her great-grandparents came from the Province of Avellino. She has a degree in languages from U. Mass Boston and…
So You Wanna Be A Guest Blogger?
I’m posting this on behalf of all the bloggers who write their hearts out every day, week, and month and have to take time to deal with spam guest blogger requests. We’re sick of them! — LDJ I’d rather be writing about Bermuda It happens all the time. You start a blog and diligently write every day or so. Then…
La Bella Musica: Italy’s Music Scene
I think music in itself is healing. It’s an explosive expression of humanity. It’s something we are all touched by. No matter what culture we’re from, everyone loves music. — Billy Joel Arena, Verona Purtroppo, I will not be going to Italy this year. Regrettable, indeed. I’ve been away two years in a row now, and I’m getting a little twitchy.…
Get Ready: It’s National Poetry Month!
April is the cruellest month, breeding/Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing/Memory and desire, stirring/Dull roots with spring rain. . . T.S. Eliot, “The Waste Land” Whatever. It’s also National Poetry Month, thanks to The Academy of American Poets — and has been since 1996. It’s become that time of year when schools, publishers, libraries, booksellers and poets throughout the…
Nice to be back
Welcome back, loyal readers and hello, newcomers! Sorry to have been away for so long. Probably you haven’t even noticed, but it’s been nearly two months since my last confession, er, posting. As my friend David said, I have been muggled. Twice. Taken down by computer meanies who want to get into my system and send you all annoying messages…
Muggle in Paradise
Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, when one only remembers to turn on the light. — Professor Albus Dumbledore At the gates of Hogwarts I am a muggle in love. Since the first Harry Potter book landed on our shores in 1999, I have been hopelessly in love with the world of Hogwarts and the boy…
Return to Ravenna
Adieu! Adieu! yon silver lamp, the moon, Which turns our midnight into perfect noon, Doth surely light thy towers, guarding well Where Dante sleeps, where Byron loved to dwell. — Oscar Wilde, Ravenna There are only a few places in Italy that Tim and I have gone back to. Major airport cities aside, it’s only been Verona…
Unraveling in Thread City
Driving over the Frog Bridge It’s inevitable. You move to a new state and you’ve got a laundry list of things to do: change your address with the Post Office, contract for new utilities, make decisions about phone, TV and internet service, order or renew newspapers and magazines . . . and then the most dreaded task of all. The…
Travel Tips Newsletter
Every once in a while, Linda posts useful gems about mustn’t-miss travel info. Group travel? Packing? Where to go? What happens when an emergency strikes?
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