Category Archives: bio

The Twitter Diaries: October, 2008, part 2

@rosso well, damn, you couldn’t have waited for me? ; )

“…open source is on a run away adoption curve and will relegate companies relying on software licensing revenues to history’s scrap heap.”

caricature artist in action

@missbhavens that would be way worse if there were flies already on them

Looking for cupcakes and Wiis. Don’t ask.

@alanc actually, I was just wondering whether there’s any beer left in the lab fridge over here at BRM…

Does anybody really care about politicians’ sex lives? So bored of the panting hypocrisy around these things.

came home to find flowers had arrived from my dad. Very sweet.

@jowyang your equation would need to take into account the many countries where there are few pianos and very few tuners

@billstreeter almost as scary as the larger version

@Cinegage I have rarely seen anyone as vapid-looking as that Bachmann

looking forward to chatting with my vlogger buds in 12 hours. hope I can wind down enough to sleep tonight. beer wore off

“Republicans Rain Negative Automated Calls on Voters in Swing States” – glad I don’t have a home phone! only the Obama campaign has my #

The Streets of Colorado

just back from videotaping people about why they’re working for the Obama campaign. Powerful stuff

wow, I’d be cringeing if I were from Johnstown PA http://tinyurl.com/65z5tm This is not the America I want to be part of

my Obama volunteers video is compressing now.

“Why I’m Volunteering for Obama”

@ThinGuy I am SOOOO jealous. Saw him in Austin and embarrassing number of years ago

@jowyang probably basic salaries for wait staff are actually enough to live on in Japan. Also helps when businesses are family-owned.

if I ever watched TV with ads, I wouldn’t right now: http://www.nytimes.com/2008…

I hardly need to look at Google News anymore, let alone TV. I get all the important stuff, including good links, from my Twitter buds.

“…all towns have values, not just small towns…” – Why isn’t Colin Powell running for president?

some actual data on votes: http://tinyurl.com/4ofnwj

I got the band I wanted for the SC08 party: http://www.thesinghsband.com/ yay!

it’s warm enough tonight to have the windows open, so I can hear coyotes yipping down by the lake. American wildlife amazes me

@DavidHowell Americans’ Phobia of Socialized Medicine

@Cinegage botched healthcare happens everywhere, regardless of system. No system is perfect, but some are fairer than others.

Jon Stewart, my hero: http://tinyurl.com/6j7pvt (born the same day as me, too)

@DavidHowell gee, I had no idea I was so divisive. ; ) for anyone who’s wondering, here’s the URL Americans’ Phobia of Socialized Medicine: 

@DavidHowell it would be more interesting if @edubya put a comment on my article

@Cinegage for the value of “better” where better= “available to all”, yes, it’s better

@Cinegage why shouldn’t health care be a universal right? Clean water is. Police and fire protection are.

@cristianconti mh, potrebbe sempre cambiare in peggio. E’ questo che vorrei evitare.

@Cinegage so that should only be available to some people? it ain’t easy, but other countries manage to share that wealth of skill

supportive working environment = your boss provides whiskey (the good stuff) and chocolate on request

@Cinegage again: no system is perfect, but this system could be a lot more equitable

just had a thought: constitutionally, what would happen if McCain dropped dead before election day?

@deirdresm yes, but who then gets the position? The VP-elect?

@lbridenne76 in reference to the whiskey? dunno about the best job (tho I love it), but certainly one of the better bosses

the kids gunning down the road are probably in the same van I noted earlier with a grenade sticker on the back window. American yobs.

I feel sick: http://tinyurl.com/56zz33

why expats go to a lot of trouble to vote: http://tinyurl.com/64hhr6

contemplating an escape to an island

@trine Nope, someplace warm, where I can drink vanilla rum on a beach and sleep a lot

@Chuckumentary does anyone ever ask these people (a) define socialism and (b) why is it so scary?

ugh. Apple hold music is a really smarmy version of “Forever Young”. Some songs just don’t need to be redone, ever.

I need a Halloween party to go to so I don’t have to spend all night giving candy to kids. Yes, I am the Halloween scrooge

crunching video of Bill Moore talking about SSDs

came home early for a rest, last-ditch attempt to shake this cold. I can’t be sick now!

“Are we like getting closer and closer to like socialism and stuff?” http://tinyurl.com/6j7pwk

are any of my followers TCKs? http://www.beginningwithi.c…

(actually, can think of two off the top of my head – Tim Bray and Rick Ramsey aka BigAdmin)

the Google news thumbnails showing Palin are starting to look like the ones I used to see for Hillary: strident, ugly, aggressive…

@dfugate I assume you meant INcompetent beauty queen…? ; ) yeah. I don’t like her, but this treatment looks misogynist to me

video: The Solid State Storage Revolution, Andy Bechtolsheim: http://tinyurl.com/6bsj67

revisiting very old pages as I (slowly, painfully) move my site, here’s a classic

@markramsey wow, that’s amazing. My dad, 69, ran the (failed) campaign to try to elect a black mayor in Beaumont, TX ~1965

looking at very complicated travel arrangements, but worth it if we can make it work

tired of everyone claiming to be or know or speak for the “real” anywhere. There is no single reality, or viewpoint, anywhere in the world.

In the office, trying to believe I’m not really that sick. Have to fly to Minneapolis this afternoon.

today’s vids on http://blogs.sun.com/storage/ – ZFS Boot in Solaris 10 Update 6, Flash Performance in Storage Systems

Twittamici italiani: figlia cerca forum dove italiani discutono l’elezione americana. Lasciate un messaggio http://www.fotolog.com/ross…

comment on my site: “you say litrally WAY TO MUCH it annoys me so yea just thought id let you no” Uh, honey: writing about TRANSLATION

just got a call from the Obama campaign in Alaska. We Colorado voters are certainly getting a lot of attention.

Always pleased when I put friends together and they really click. Two martinis make me very mellow too

geez, I’m missing all the fun in CO – could have gone to a “Women for Obama” house party with Kevin Costner Monday. And missed Hillary yday

rebuttal to Palin’s fruit fly remarks

@Cinegage given the hysteria over the label “socialist” in the US, neither side can admit that their proposals and actions are, in fact…

@italylogue for many years Castroni was the only place in Italy to get exotic spices, that’s far from true anymore

the smells of a Minnesota hot dish lunch are overwhelming

feeling like crap. Maybe I can take a day off and sleep on Friday before filming all weekend…

“If Italy managed to make everyone pay taxes, or collect only half of the 100 million euros evaded, it would be a very different country.”

for my fellow antique business machines fetishists: http://tinyurl.com/5twrze

Arrived Denver too tired to stand in the aisle as usual. Learning experience?

@Happen2bBlack I’m not typical but i consider the attempt to define “real” Americans, unamerican

moving into a new office. Windows! Sunlight!

@italylogue thanks, enjoyed that!

temp over at NREL http://tinyurl.com/6o8lgz is climbing rapidly – something on fire over there?

@ThinGuy Halloween is Nevada Day? There’s something way too appropriate in that, at least as concerns Las Vegas.

home sick, trying to wake up enough to face a long and very complex mail-in ballot (which I will hand carry in)

trying to understand the welter of amendments and referenda in this Colorado ballot

next up: benefits enrollment. Life is way too complicated.

I went, I saw, I voted. Well, turned in my mail-in ballot by hand. (I’ve been living in Italy, I don’t trust postal systems.)

interesting the number of people who are photographing and posting their completed ballots this year

thoughts for the day: http://tinyurl.com/5kz2hv and http://tinyurl.com/yfaqsg (need I say it: tongue in cheek!)

followed this http://tinyurl.com/6l6dfx to https://implicit.harvard.ed…

dunno why I’m subscribing to food blogs. No time to cook anymore.

at least for me, online ad revenues are plunging. Traffic is up, clicks are up, but earning is way, way down. Damn.

my feelings exactly: http://tinyurl.com/5jfzhj

!@#$@!#$ Dopplr doesn’t know where St. Barth’s is. Trying to send me to Arhus, Denmark. ?!?

dopplr is missing the entire FWI?

@smaragdis if you continue trying to give her freedom, yes. Worked with mine! (19 now)

I’ve been heroic enough for today. Let this next video finish uploading and I’m outta here. Besides, working Saturday and Sunday…

harangued my daughter about why this would be a really bad time to walk away from a scholarship.

the Obama campaign has done some of the cleverest marketing I’ve ever seen. My marketing hat would be off even if I didn’t want him to win

we’ve lost a great one: http://tinyurl.com/5akmem

The Economist endorses Obama: http://tinyurl.com/5gl2yg

@trine I once saw a pediatrician dress up as a beaten baby.

"Why So Serious?"

E` tutto il giorno che si sente parlare dell’uragano Ike.
Secondo le previsioni Austin dovrebbe ricevere solo un po` di piogga che dopo l’afa di questi ultimi mesi puo` farci solo bene.
Una folla di persone spaventate o forse speranzose che arrivi la fine del mondo, riempie i supermercati svuotando scaffalate di cibo creando una sorta di uragano umano dentro il supermercato.
E` Venerdi.
Batman mi sveglia, come promesso, con un caffe` espresso dalla mocha che gli ho regalato e un bacio. Deve andare al lavoro.
Dormo altre 3 ore nel suo letto che, a questo punto, preferisco al mio.
Venerdi passa in fretta tra una commissione e l’altra, la geniale idea di dipingermi le scarpe e il primo tentativo di trovare lavoro in un ristorante italiano.
Dalla sera prima quando mi ero addormentata piangendo nelle sue braccia a oggi, tutto sembra migliorare e mentre il resto del Texas e` in panico per via di Ike, io sono felice di questo vento che tira sempre piu` forte.
Dopo un’ottima cena a casa e qualche bicchiere di vino rosso che, concordiamo io e April, ci fa amare tutto di piu`; ci dirigiamo verso quel lato della citta`: il lato dove c’e` quella casetta sporca con un cane bianco e un tappeto elastico nel giardino.
Saltello dalla macchina alla porta verde acqua che apro entusiasta sapendo che dietro ci sara` lui, seduto sul divano.
I nostri sguardi si incontrano. Non lo vedo da stamattina eppure non riesco a non sorridere dalla gioia appena rivedo il suo viso.
“Che bella che sei”
“Grazie”
Bacio

April e Billy escono, io e Griffin decidiamo di trattarci bene con un po` di sani, brutti vizi. Compriamo delle birre e un pacchetto di sigarette, parliamo del piu` e del meno.
Gioco con la cintura di Batman.
“Al lavoro me la invidiano tutti”
“Io odio il tuo lavoro, quando ti vengo a trovare mi guardano tutti male”
“E` perche` sono gelosi di non avere una ragazza come te che fa regali cosi belli!”

Tiro su il tappo della birra e la colla che e` poggiata sul tavolo.
“Questo tavolo… la nostra prima conversazione e` stata su questo tavolo” Ricordo che mi disse che sarei dovuta tornare a darci un contributo artistico.
Appiccico il tappo di fianco alla collezione di altri tappi che ci sono appiccicati e procedo a scrivere con la colla i nostri nomi in sanskrito.

Ci sediamo fuori, il vento fa ballare i rami e cadere le foglie. Tutto attorno a noi e` scosso e spaventoso eppure noi rimaniamo impassibili. Abbracciati e uniti, in una maniera che ci viene fin troppo naturale.
Siamo il dettaglio che contrasta l’intera immagine, quello che lascerei colorato in una foto in bianco e nero come per sottolineare cio` che non ha bisogno di essere sottolineato.
Tutto e` cosi perfetto che nessuno direbbe, guardando la foto, che poco dopo io saro` sdraiata sul cemento macchiando il vestito di April di mascara mentre piango come il giorno che sono nata.
Riapriro` quella porta verde acqua per l’ultima volta in un disperato tentativo di aggiustare qualcosa che non e` rotto ma semplicemente non c’e`.
Sei sicuro?
Penso proprio di si.

Sono sveglia di notte fonda con la testa che esplode e gli occhi che bruciano. Mi saro` lavata i denti 7 volte ma il sapore di amaro non vuole andarsene.
Alla fine l’uragano Ike ha colpito solo me e io non vedo l’ora che inizi a diluviare cosi potro` danzare sotto la pioggia e far finta di essere in India o in qualche altra parte del mondo dove non esiste Batman.

La Verita`

e` che non so COSA voglio.

Mi ritrovo catapultata da una parte all’altra del mondo in un arco di tempo troppo breve per rendermene conto.
In ogni posto il mio comportamento e` modificato dalle circostanze e non riconoscere me stessa mi fa sentire ancora piu` persa. Mi aggrappo alle piccole cose che sanno di stabilita` e di casa: una pasta al pesto, una canzone di Vasco Rossi, un film di Bollywood e un po` di incenso!
Ma che cazzo di miscuglio sono?
E dove cazzo sono finita?
Ma soprattutto COSA VOGLIO?

Almeno Dicembre arrivera` in fretta e potro` di nuovo mimetizzarmi coi Lecchesi; e se ancora saro` reduce dallo shock culturale e la mini crisi esistenziale… almeno potro` berci sopra senza dover temere l’arresto!

The Twitter Diaries – July, 2008, part 2

continued from here

July 16: !@#$@# can’t do a CO driver’s test in a rented car. Can’t get a car loan without a CO driver’s license. WTF am I supposed to do?

I let my California driver’s license lapse a couple of years ago, because they kept trying to get me to do jury duty which obviously I couldn’t from Italy, and I thought it might get me into trouble to keep claiming to be resident in California. By then I had an Italian license and didn’t expect ever to need any other. So much for expectations.

When you move to Colorado, you’ve theoretically got 60 days to get a local driver’s license. I was not surprised to learn that, because my California license had lapsed and Colorado does not recognize the Italian license (even though it was a lot harder to get), I’d have to redo the written and road driver’s tests. This would be the fourth complete driving test I’d suffered through in my lifetime!

I had intended to start the process back in April, but was dumbfounded to be told that, for insurance reasons, I couldn’t take a driving test in a rented car. Several colleagues offered to lend their cars, but I was nervous about doing the test in a car I’d never driven before (I was still getting accustomed to driving again, period). The only solution I could think of was to wait til I actually bought a car of my own, then do the driver’s test.

As I neared a decision on a car to buy, I was told that it might be impossible to get financing on a car if I didn’t have a Colorado license…

okay, everything’s set, I’ll borrow Lynn’s car Friday. Which means I get to spend how many hours at the DMV tomorrow for the written test?

My boss Lynn offered the use of her car, a Toyota Camry that was at least a size I felt comfortable driving (I had nightmares of trying to parallel park an enormous SUV). But first I had to do the written test.

nets full of unflattering (to put it mildly) photos of Hillary, not so much of Obama. Does HE never look evil, dorky, etc.?

I was still seething over the treatment meted out to Hillary by the American media. While visiting my dad in hospital in the UK in June, I had explained my preference for Hillary thus: In the USA today, it wouldn’t be acceptable to make racist remarks about Obama, but it’s perfectly okay to make sexist statements about Hillary. Racism is politically incorrect, sexism goes unnoticed. That’s why I’d like to see Hillary as president. (That, and her experience.)

passed my written driver’s test, only one mistake. And the DMV wasn’t such a nightmare. Driving test tomorrow in Boulder.

Fortunately, the little local DMV office in Broomfield was not crowded, and I got it done in under an hour.

17: my first (and probably last) attempt at political satire

McCain is advertising on my site again. Guess where?

and the McCain ads appear to be earning me Google money. Hmm.

18: morning poem: prairie dogs irresistibly attracted to asphalt – raven sits on a fencepost – awaiting fresh roadkill

today’s schedule: meeting – drive test – meeting – test drives

After months of spending way too much money on renting cars, I was looking for a car to buy. Which was a lot more complicated than I anticipated.

my dad does not have cancer. Phew.

Those following me on Twitter back in June would have seen some angry and worried, but not clearly explained, tweets about cancer and smoking. Dad has had pneumonia seven or more times since December: cancer was an obvious possible cause. And, after 50 years of smoking, it would not have been surprising. I was sick with fear, but also angry about all those years I pleaded with him to quit, and he always said: “I’ll quit when my life is less stressful.” Well, your life will be a lot less stressful when you’re dead…

Cancer has now been ruled out, but they still don’t know what’s causing the pneumonia.

I am now a licensed Colorado driver. Now I just have to find a car…

The road test was easy, and parallel parking was not required (although, confusingly, there is still a diagram about it in the driver’s ed manual on the Colorado DMV website).

gin & lime: very nice way to end a hectic week

WS School parent’s banquet, with interesting speeches about why they sent their kids there

Still trying to edit all the video I have from Woodstock.

car salesman today thanked me for sharing my stories. Maybe I should be doing more of that

very good documentary/interview with Philip Pullman

One of my favorite authors.

19: Stories: Duchess, a Dog

Evan Handler has great music on his website

20: awake since 4 am, and don’t even have the excuse of jet lag

Another day, same old Berlusca, same old Italy (steadily worsening)

I wish the news from Italy would get better, but it never does.

21: adding the new crop of SAGE students to the Facebook group I run for Woodstock. They fly to India next week. It’s been a year already?

About a year ago, Rossella left for Woodstock. So much has changed in my life since then.

@sol lie or lay is correct, depending on the tense. This is a GMAT question:?!?

It’s scary that such basic grammar is on the “Graduate Management Admission Test“.

my first real furniture purchase in the US: a beautiful Shaker-style desk in dark “espresso dyed” hardwood, just the right size for my study

22: spent most of yesterday assessing the video situation. Learned we have over 150 hours, most shot by me, about 60 still need editing. Intern!

looking for recs on a decent quality, compact, lightweight lapel mic kit. Anyone?

I wish he were still alive… and influential…

buying a car is way too complicated

23: OMFG I live on Wisteria Lane.

The people around here are nice, but a little scary. I just don’t know what to say to the average American soccer mom.

just ordered iPhones for myself and Ross. Let the new adventure begin!

turtles have gone to their new home: http://www.lecornelle.it/ (unfortunately, typically annoying Italian flash site!)

I am easily irritated by poor usability.

24: lesson for the day: never take a heavy-duty antibiotic first thing in the morning on an empty stomach

I threw it up.

@ThinGuy Avalox, one of the new generation of kick-your-butt but don’t actually cure the infection antibiotics…

does anyone know how to do playlists with JW Media Player? Love the player, but the documentation sucks, and I’m not a programmer.

I can has car! Picking it up tomorrow. I feel so grown up…

It’s a Toyota Rav4 (ahem, a mini-SUV, I must confess…). Got a fantastic deal on a lease, on the very day that Chevrolet announced they would not be issuing further leases because they can’t predict the future value of their cars. I guess Toyota doesn’t have this problem.

possible food poisoning and a panicking offspring… what a fun evening!

25: interesting view in our back yard this morning:

photo by my housemate Kathleen

I was too sleepy to get out and figure out what the dogs were barking at. Wish I had!

I have a new car. It is red and very shiny. And fun!

the neighbors want to come and look at my car. I feel so… American.

@lskrocki yup, even got the plastic copy [of my driver’s license] in the mail today. Absolutely awful picture. My worst ever.

The Colorado DMV is famous for bad photos. They made me take my glasses off, so I look blind as well as stupid.

26: one of the great pop videos is back on YouTube

27: curtains (I refused to call them “window treatments”) are hung

28: my head has been CAT scanned. Something nasty going on in my sinuses. Which we already knew…

picked up my new iPhone this morning, haven’t had time to play with it yet (I do have to work sometimes, in between all this buying!)

twitting from my new iPhone!

29: also received yesterday a home-style phone (DECT) to use with Skype, no computer needed. Very cool.

@dariostacchinare” ? questa parola mi e’ nuova – spiega!

A (younger) Italian acquaintance had to explain some young-people slang.

30: Enrico arrives tonight for a one-month visit. And I actually have time and brain space to be excited about it this time!

(short) video for all you Open Solaris geeks

brilliant

phishing scam claims I have won a “loyalty prize” from Poste Italiane. Not bloody likely

Hanging at the airport. Flight’s in but immigration is always unpredictable

Enrico took so long getting through immigration and customs that I was getting worried. Turns out they cross-examined him at length, but eventually decided he wasn’t a threat to national security. I don’t need the INS or Homeland Security to make my long-distance marriage any more difficult than it already is…