My gorgeous new boss - part III

Promise it's the last one over him... I don't want to get obsessed with him but..

Last night, had some urget work to do for this mornig, had an argument with one of my colleagues about it, well I ended up doing on my own till 10 p.m.
The bank was empty, all lights in the other offices off, it was only me and the night guard in the building..

While I was getting out extremely pissed off with the entire world (can I say that or sounds too rude??) - I bumped into him, talking on the phone, rushing into the bank...

We looked at each other quite surprised, said "hi" and walked fast in our opposite directions..

Then I heard his voice, soft and (maybe?) worried "Hey, are you ok?".. I just said "yes thanks", didn't turn, hurried towards the tube station...

But I felt a bit awkward for a while...

Me gorgeous new boss - part II

Today we had a very importan presentation at 10.00, so last night was busy with the ultimate double-checks..

It was about 8, I was still there with my collegues and the middle-boss.

He came to see how it was going.. came next to my pc (I managed to hide my internet windows opened on my blog, the map of copenhagen where I'm planning a romantic mini-break and pictures from the last Gucci catwalk!), set on my desk, asked a few questions, then started..

"G-sh, I'm so tired, I woke up at 6 to catch the flight to come here (he lives with his wife in rome and works here monday to friday, the contrary of my hubby!), I still have to buy sth for dinner, than cook it.. I hate mondays, eating alone, makes me feel so sad, I'd rather go to a nice restaurant..."

Suddenly the middle boss came with some more things to change in my graphs, the other girl joined us and we hecticly kept on working.. he wandered a bit in the room, than said goodnight and went.

Weird... If I didn't know he's gorgeous boss that can probably have any girl he wants and me the standard-looking just married employee... I would think he was about asking to have dinner with him!!!!!! aaaarrrrrgggggggghhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!

Interview by Miladysa

I've been interviewd by Myladisa who came up with very intriguing questions for many of us blogger! Here are mine:

1 . If experience and skills were not a qualifying factor and you could manage any business or government department in the world which one would you choose and why?

Well, when I was young and started to study economics I wanted to find a way to develop a more fair trade and business model, decrease poverty, stop consumism to find a better quality of life, preserve the natual enviroment.. well for many reasons, I ended up in a merchant bank, my opinion and ideas totally ininfluent to the rest of the economic system... But I wish I had the chance to rule the World Bank or IMF and actually do sth!!!!

2. What kind of flower would best describe you?
A "non-ti-scordar-di-me" I think in English is a Forget-me-not... really tiny, brigth blue, simple and therefore just beautiful.. and unforgettable.. at least that's how my hubby sees me with loving eyes :))

3. Would Benedict XVI have been your choice for the new Pope?
Definitly not... Nothing against him personally (I must admit I don't know much of his writings and thoughts before) but I'd like the Church to become more and more open to the so-called third world.. so I preferred an indian or south american pope.

4. What is your favourite poem, verse or song?
very difficult.... anything from Baudelaire, Herman Hesse or Pablo Neruda or an italian writer called Leopardi. But a single poem is "The Prophet" by Kahlil Gibran...

"When love beckons to you follow him,
Though his ways are hard and steep.
And when his wings enfold you yield to him,
Though the sword hidden among his pinions may wound you.
And when he speaks to you believe in him,
Though his voice may shatter your dreams as the north wind lays waste the garden.
For even as love crowns you so shall he crucify you. Even as he is for your growth so is he for your pruning.
Even as he ascends to your height and caresses your tenderest branches that quiver in the sun,
So shall he descend to your roots and shake them in their clinging to the earth.
Like sheaves of corn he gathers you unto himself.
He threshes you to make you naked.
He sifts you to free you from your husks.
He grinds you to whiteness.
He kneads you until you are pliant;
And then he assigns you to his sacred fire, that you may become sacred bread for God's sacred feast.
All these things shall love do unto you that you may know the secrets of your heart, and in that knowledge become a fragment of Life's heart.
But if in your fear you would seek only love's peace and love's pleasure,
Then it is better for you that you cover your nakedness and pass out of love's threshing-floor,
Into the seasonless world where you shall laugh, but not all of your laughter, and weep, but not all of your tears.
Love gives naught but itself and takes naught but from itself.
Love possesses not nor would it be possessed;
For love is sufficient unto love.
When you love you should not say, "God is in my heart," but rather, I am in the heart of God."
And think not you can direct the course of love, for love, if it finds you worthy, directs your course.
Love has no other desire but to fulfil itself.
But if you love and must needs have desires, let these be your desires:
To melt and be like a running brook that sings its melody to the night.
To know the pain of too much tenderness.
To be wounded by your own understanding of love;
And to bleed willingly and joyfully.
To wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving;
To rest at the noon hour and meditate love's ecstasy;
To return home at eventide with gratitude;
And then to sleep with a prayer for the beloved in your heart and a song of praise upon your lips.""

(a bit long, for this post, isn't it?)

5. Which six guests, past or present, would you invite to a dinner party and were would you host the event?
Even more difficult - there are soooooo many!!! But if I have to choose I'd like to have a ball in Versailles, like the used to do in the 17th centuries with dressing, musics, fireworks in the garden -- and I would invite
- Maria Antonietta: she've always fascinated me, her tragic life as the symbol of the decadence of royal class, and at the same time a modern passionate woman (she was forced to marry when 14 and then fell desperatly passion for a swedish noble). She'll be the perfect host for the evening
- Cleopatra - she too had a unique destiny..
- Bono Vox: I think he'd look good in a 17th costume and I could talk to him about world poverty (see above) and I'll make him sing for me
- San Francis of Assisi: he's simply my hero.. I wish I could spend with him just a few second.. and he used to be a rich knight, so he'll do well in versailles!
- Groucho Marx - I love his sense of humor! He could surely animate the party!
- and..... last but not least, I'm no original and very materialistic... Brad Pitt!

Alhambra - Granada

These days in Europe there's a great debate about Islamic people... Are they trying to distroy western culture, are they just victims of western culture, are they a danger for us, are we for them... I think the issue is extremely complicate and I hate when people on newspaper or on tv are just trying to simplifiy it, no matter to which conclusion.

I've been only once in an Islamic country, Egypt. I didn't stay there very long to formulate a real opinion and honestly was much more interested in visiting the archeological sites of the ancient Egyptians.

So, a part from eating in some dodgy place in the suk or buying some spices at local markest, I didn't get much into their lives but I got the impression of a not just poor but extremely decadent and dirty place (I've other places in south america or asia so poor but full of dignity). But I repeat, it's only a very superficial feeling...

This summer I went to Andalusia, south of Spain. It was a Muslim Reing for about 800 years untill the "Reconquista" of the Christian Kings about 1400. The Arabs have left amazing sings of their at the time so much advanced civilization. Beautifully designed gardens, daring architectures, elegant decorations.... I was so impressed. It was really weird walking through their imponent palaces and mosquees (how do u say that in english? boh?) but in a typical western set..

While I was in the Alhambra in Granada, thanks to a perfect sunny day, I really wishes I could go back in time and see how life was there.. and maybe understand what went wrong...

ps: I didn't manage to upload my picture in a album (like flicker) in any way.. maybe there's some firewall or similar in my pc at work :-(

Hectic week

This week has been really hectic. I did and undid and re-did 5 presentations at the same time, trying not to mix up numbers...
I did my short one to our new gorgeous boss.

He's so concious of his good looks (expecially in this bank full of old and ugly men!) he just likes looking deep in your eyes to make you feel uncomfortable!

But I'm very professional so, while looking at his long elegant hand and his sexy wrists coming out of his stilysh withe shirt... I didn't get distracted any minute and did my professional duty!! only when I finished I think I blushed a bit ;-)

Today is a calm day, but next week there are other meetings, other decision to be taken

I'm trying to post my pictures on a web album... it seems almost impossible!

Very low productivity....

Today I feel so lazy.. must be my headache or just because it's friday!
My job: I'm a kind of business and financial analyst in a small investment bank; basicaly I make up numbers to support strategic (?) decisions.. Today I spent most of my time preparing a presentation.. My biggest dilemma is, which graph should I use?









Shades of blue or red?
This may sound like a joke, but it very important the way you represent an idea, even in dull finance!

But can't make my mind up today so I'm going home and leave it to Monday!! as donald duck would say.. never do now something you can do tomorrow!!!!

Plans for the weekend:
Ricard is coming home 19ish, so it's time to IKEA!!! I like when we behave like the average suburbian couple... happens quite rarely ;-) we have to shop for many housing items and I love IKEA, you can buy tons of unnecessary stuff for a few euros!

Then there are some cool art exhibitions these days, one is open-air scupltures from a chinese woman and a photography one by famous french Deisnau (don't remeber how to spell it), a free concert nextdoor bookshop and a an organic potatoes festival!
So there's plenty to choose!
And if the waether is fine, we'll go to look for wild mushrooms ;-) yum!!!

.CAT

Yuppy!! Ricard just phoned to tell me last night has been approved the new domain .CAT that means Catalunya. One step more towards surviving...

For those who don't know about it, it's a long story of minorities, languages... my husband is from Barcelona, which is in Spain but used to be an indipendent country, Catalunya, with its own language and whose colture is quite different from the rest of Spain. So he's very sensitive to this matter.. and I've become as well!

Back to school

My head feels a bit better now.. still a I feel a bit dizzy..

Today is a sunny clear day. The air is fresh, "frizzante" and smells like "going back to school days" - all type of new stationary items and college-style clothes are appearing in shops, lots of children and youngsters are excitingly spending their last days of freedom in the ice-shop in front of my office..

I feel a bit nostalgic… There’s a very nice post from Cheryl about what she misses of childhood… and one of it I agree is getting a new diary and a coloured pencil set!

I used to love this time of year. Here in Italy summer holidays are quite long, usually from mid June to mid September. My mother was a teacher in junior school and my father at university, so they basically had long holidays too, so we used to spend rent a house at the seaside and spend about 2 months there.

We used to go to a little seaside village in the south of Italy where other family friends went as well, so my brother and I had some friends to play with. We also met many other children, and I remember having a really wonderful time.

The house was situated just on a small sandy dune on the beach, so it was 50 meters down from our porch to directly into the water. I experienced my first independence there, as my parents (normally quite strict when in town) would just leave us free to go in and out, stay with our friends who had a house nearby, walk to the village..

Well, I was 5 when we first went there, and 15 the last time… so I had my first crush, my first kiss, my first boyfriend... one of the kids of my brother’s gang who was a couple of years older than me, me slowly turned from children playing with sand castle into teenage lovers.. hiding in my father’s boat at night, sitting the porch while my mother was cooking lunch pretend to do our homework and writing each other silly love letters instead…

But this is an other story, I wanted to say that 2 months away from your normal life are quite long when you’re a child and in the end I was getting a bit bored there.. other families had normal 3-4 weeks holidays, so at the end of august houses were closed, people came to say goodbye, days were not so hot, clouds appeared en in the sky often bringing rain, the sea turned to grey, I was starting to feel I was left behind and longing to go back home to catch up with my real life (I’ve always been a very thoughtful and incline to nostalgia child).
When my father used to say "time to go back" I rushed to pack my things in relief… I was so happy to find again my little room in Pisa again, my books, my toys.. and getting ready to go back to school!

Nowadays that my summer holidays shrank to 3-4 weeks I wonder how could I get bored of them???????

Headache and chairs

My computer is definitely gone, no rescue. The young guy at the computer shop (looks like 13, with black Iron Maiden Tshirt and talking about 300 words-a-second) told me they can probably save my datas on the hard disk.. which is good!

I must get a new one, I’m now so much computer-holic that I can’t stand the idea of not having mine… we’ll see…. I wanted to post pictures from my holidays because I took quite a few good one and am very proud of my new canon digital camera.

These days I’ve a horrible headache that doesn’t go away.. I’m not a fan of medicine but I admit I took quite a few over the weekend because I have very low level in coping with physical suffering, and this time it is extremely painful..
today at 6 I’m going to see my doctor, hopefully will find the right remedy… otherwise I will just spend the rest of my life in bed waiting for the headache to disappear!. Will it be just stress-caused? it's hironic how I quit my job as a business consultant becasue I was working too much (9-23 almost every day, often on saturdays..) and now I have a regular 9-6 banking job I have headaches more and more often...

Ricard works in rome during the week. So he’s off for the airport monday 6 a.m and comes back friday 8pm. Which leaves me alone here in milan.
As a matter of fact, I'm not alone at all..I know many people here… but most of them are only.. "acquaintances" (as my grandma would say), all in some ways related to work and honestly they do not fill my hunger for humanit. So when I feel in the mood, I’d rather stay at home reading a book.. I do get bored quite easily with other people but rarely on my own…. And if it's probably true that good friends don't subsitute a love-companion (ricard's favourite!) also a love-companion does not sobstitute a good bunch of friends....

I the meantime, I must choose chairs for the dining room.. the table is modern and basic in wenge (african really dark wood that here is most fashionable) and I’m wondering whether dark or contrasting light chairs… uhm really serious dilemma, isn’t it? I’m discovering a new world.. there must be at leas 60 different producers, 5000 models (most of them just look the same to me… ) a basic one cost about 200 euros (175 dollars).. If I though I had a hard time with the table, this is going to be a nightmare! Here are the nominees, any suggestion?

Sleeping beauty and a foam party

Ricard's father’s partner (a very ugly and irritating but rich woman) owns a modernist house dating from 1910 in a pretty village south of Barcelona called Sitges.
As according to Modernist style (the catalan version of Art Nouveau and Jugendstil) , it is beautifully decorated on the facade and it's interior design was inspired by a fairy-tale castle.... in the middle of main bedroom there's like a giant light green oak-trea whose branches and leaves become the ceiling .. I felt like the Sleeping Beauty each time I lay in that bed!

We wanted to have some intimacy and since the house was empty we spent there a few days, going to the beach, lazily sunbathing in the terrazza overlooking the promenade, eating fresh seafood bought directly from fishermen impeccably ;-) cooked by myself....

Although Sitges is well known in Europe as a party place, exp. in gay area, we had a romantic break.. until the very last day when we met Manu, Ricard best friend since childhood who turned out to be gay after dating a girl for 6 year and having fixed a wedding date, who took us out on our last night there.. we went to the usual (at least in spain as ricard told me??) foam party in a disco and ended up dancing techno in a beach club with Manu's friend until the morning after! Quite an experience but definitely good fun. I think I was a bit drunk and slightly remember inviting about 300 people to a house-warming party in Milan...

Computer crash

I'm just back from holidays... arrived late last night after a one-stop-only-10 hours' drive from barcelona.
This morning I woke up a bit jet lagged.. turned on my computer to download pictures and update this blog.. just the silly thing didn't work anymore! Ricard tried every way... no intent! He's going to a shop to see if they can fix it, I stopped at an internet cafè in the nearby library...

Anyway, holidays were great!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! we've seen so many friends, spent some relaxing time, ate soooooo much delicious food and good wine, discovered litlle villages and unspoilt woods..................

I could spend my life travelling, my secret dream is to be a travel journalist... Jst getting paid for experimenting new posh hotels or tasting food in tiny romantic restaurants ;-)