packing done!

passport? check! tickets? check! huge amount of luggage including a badly folded racing bike? CHECK!!!


Oh, and Michael: the pink fallic object is not a gay banner. It's a kite (although, admittedly, rainbow-coloured...)!

Red rucksack in the bottom corner, containing the bare essentials: CDs, i-Pod, a piggy bank full of euro change after 4 years of fruitless trips to Brussels, sun-cream, spare inner tube for the bike.

YEY!!!!

My summer reading list

First, two books I've been wanting to read for ages, but never got round to, about networks and social change:



Then, a couple of books from my MSc preliminary reading list, to get my brain moving...



Finally, some light reading for the warm evenings under the oak tree drinking gin and tonic... yuk!





All in one month. You bet...

the departure is nigh

overpacking? I think not...

The final

Some images from Sunday's final, now that I have recovered from the humonguous hangover and can actually push the right buttons to upload the pictures...

Annalisa's primal scream at the final penalty...


Heidi and Cath are definitely discussing the off side rule. But Molly, when will you learn to look at the match instead of planning your social life?!?!


Beth cannot believe they gave France that penalty


Francesco's stylish shirt


Eurico discovers the joys of supporting France...

An Outcome

But why did you do that Zizou...?

An Omen...

On 25th February 2006 Italy won the 5th Annual Mighty Mite World Championships, beating host favourites the United States, as well as Austria, France, Australia and Switzerland. Joining their event were members of the Mammoth Mountain Mighty 5 team who carried the national signs, members of the Disabled Sports Eastern Sierra and, making a guest appearance, Ski Patrol dog King and his partner Sean Macedonio. To the delight of spectators and participants, King, sitting in a special adapted sled, let out a deep bark with each turn.


Team Italy was the second group to attack the course with Brianna Andreas posting the top time for the team. Andreas was also the fastest girl in the 1998 girls division. Sierra Rutherford, who won the Girl's 1997 class, had the second fastest time for the team. Their times along with Steven Stickells' time of 28.21 helped Team Italy capture first place in the overall team competition.

Surely an omen of things to come...

Odyssey XXIII

Then Ulysses in his turn melted,
and wept as he clasped his dear
and faithful wife to his bosom.

As the sight of land is welcome to men
who are swimming towards the shore,
when Neptune has wrecked their ship
with the fury of his winds and waves-

a few alone reach the land, and these,
covered with brine, are thankful
when they find themselves
on firm ground and out of danger-

even so was her husband welcome to her
as she looked upon him, and she could not tear
her two fair arms from about his neck.

Indeed they would have gone on indulging
their sorrow till rosy-fingered morn appeared,
had not Minerva determined otherwise,
and held night back in the far west,

while she would not suffer Dawn to leave Oceanus,
nor to yoke the two steeds Lampus
and Phaethon that bear her onward
to break the day upon mankind.

7/7

I know for most people in London today will always and only bring back the dark memories of that fateful morning of a year ago, when the tube and streets echoed with the explosions of those bombs.

For me, however, today is a day of light and renewed faith in humanity, as a long period of angst and pain finally comes to an end thanks to 2 words uttered by an middle-aged woman in Winchester. Not guilty. The lies have been uncovered. The truth brought to justice.

Now let us drink and celebrate, because the tyrant is dead, and the king has returned to his throne.

Three Portraits

Palermo

How should I start recounting
that strange pulse of the ground
the eerie silence
in and around the crumbling stones?

There is no future in Palermo

Only the glory of the past
and the silent mourning
of the present

This land is cursed
blessed
raped
loved

On the very last night I met an artist
from Austria
he had fallen into the city's womb
and never managed to crawl out of it

He built this


by the Vucciria
the French Boucherie
distorted and despised
the raw guts hanging
under the plastic cross

I fell in love with him and with his city
there and then
angry that such beauty should rot
under the unforgiving sun of the Mediterranean

and then realising that there is no future
anyway

sic transit gloria mundi

so let them rot
the stones
and the palaces
and the artist
and the people
and the sun
and the moon
and the sea

because this rotten smell is beautiful

Italy-Germany: 2-0

Forza ragazzi, ce la possiamo fare...!!!!!!