Happy Mother's Day!!

Hello my friends and family

So, yes, in Britain, today is Mother's Day. So, to reiterate the title of todays nonsense, Happy Mother's Day mum. Also, if you're not my mum but you're a mother, Happy You Day. On Thursday it was Father's Day here, but as my dad isn't here or Italian I neglected to wish him a Happy Father's Day. To have two, plus his birthday would be too much, especially as there is no Middle Child Day. I have to make do with only my birthday until I bear offspring. Truly, I believe this is the best reason to have kids. I might try to have several in each of the countries I journey through, thus multiplying my potential gifts from my no doubt adoring brats.

Not really that much new stuff to tell you (but I've still managed to whitter on for ages). I must admit that I was a little nervous about my last post as I know that some of my students read this (why? Most of this isn't grammatically great, and is full of in jokes and slang.) But yes, I felt a bit nervous about taking shots at Italian TV and it's godawfulness. One, (hello Stefania) asked why I only watched the worst of Italian TV. It's very hard to see the best of Italian TV, as I understand that it's on very late, or is segued between gameshows and adverts. Also, I don't have all of the TV channels, as the reception isn't great on all my channels. So, I will continue in my (possibly mistaken and unfair) belief that Italian TV's crap. To find out anything different, would frankly require effort, and to quote Jesus (probably not, I don't know, I never knew him, although I think some might say we all know him) "I can't be arsed". The thought of deciding something, then changing one's mind seems like unnecessary mental hardship, which as you may or may not know, is not something I've ever rated too highly.

That said, I am awfully happy here. Happy is maybe forcing an adjective on something which I don't really think about, but I'm certainly settled here. I was talking to someone, don't remember who, and Italy has yet to annoy me or kill me inside in the same way at had for them. When I see someone driving through a red light, or generally being reckless; when I get pushed by an old woman on a bus, I just smile. These things I'm sure are chipping away at my resolve, but at the moment I still have enough of a reserve of resolve to not be utterly sickened by the whole country. I like living here as a foreigner, as I don't really have to care about the mess the country's in. If I was an Italian, I think I'd be horrified by it all, but as that's not the case I find it charming, safe in the knowledge that when it all get stoo much I can retreat to Scotland where the politicians are just as inadequate, but at least they don't control everything and if they drop the ball in a criminal sense they can be prosecuted, and probably won't return to a position of power. Here, it seems like the more suspect you are, the more cases that have been brought against you, the higher you can get. How many countries have a leader who brings in laws saying he can't be prosecuted for anything, that are hey, just before a case was going to be brought against them? I may cynical, but I think that's a bit fishy.

Also, Italian is a really nice language. It's quite unusual for me, as the vocabulary seems awful flowery, but it's also quite beautiful. In Britain, if a footballer is interviewed, you can expect the usual monosyballic phrases peppered with cliches. Yes, the game was difficult, and yes the boys done good, but still, please say something else. A great example of the Italian language is a recent interview with Alex Del Piero:

“Football is a team sport, but there are infinite moments of solitude where you concentrate and thoughts run through your head before a game.
“Joy is also shared and yet personal, as after a goal or a victory there is this ecstasy where you don’t understand what’s happening, throw your hands right and left, close your eyes and your teammates jump on you. Those are the sublime moments that sport can give you.”

Now, I may be an old fool, but I think that's really nice.

It's only a few months til my passport drags me back to Scotland, and to be honest, I'm not really looking forward to it at all. Of course, it'll be nice to see my family, friends and animals, but I'll be home for three months, which seems like a long time. I'm sure it'll be good, but I like ruts, and I've settled into my current one quite nicely. I think this rut was designed specifically with me in mind.

And now my weekly chat about football: A couple of weeks ago I went to the Genoa v Inter game (we lost 2-0), and I took my camera. Unfortunately, I'll never be a wildlife photgrapher, as I saw someone underneath me with a flare and I thought: "That'd make a good photo". Sadly in the time my brain had processed this (I'd had a few beers pre-match) and I switched on my camera, the flame had gone out and I was left with this:

I'm off to see Udinese get spanked this afternoon, and for the past few weeks I've wanted to get some lyrics for the songs here so I can sing along. Finally on Friday night I found the two that I was after. Here they are (if a student is reading this and can verify that they're correct, I'd be immensely grateful)

1) Per te per te per te io canto per te,

Ovunque tu sarai non ti lascero' mai

Translation: For you for you for you I sing for you,

Everywhere you will be I won't ever leave

2) FORZA GENOA............FORZA GRIFONE.............FORZA GENOA GRIFONE OLE',

(repeat)

Forza Genoa ale ale ale, ale ale ale, ale ale ale

(repeat)

ale aleeeeeeeeee ale aleeeeeeeeeee forza Genoa ale aleeeeeeeeeeeee

Translation isn't really necessary on this one I don't think, but 'Forza' means 'come on'.

I look forward to stretching my vocal chords and sharing my lilting voice with the rest of the choirboys in a couple of hours.

Until next time folks, take care of yourself and each other