Ramblings

There is this colleague, at work, with whom I talk a lot.
We have pretty different ways to look at life: he thinks, somehow like Shopenhauer, that happiness is just a short episode between two painful moments... I, on the other side, think that your life is what you make of it. That you should try to follow your dreams (as trite as this may seem), see and appreciate the beauty in the most unexpected places, and if something is wrong, just go and change it!
I couldn't live thinking I am here to suffer...
And I don't think it depends on life experiences either: I know he has been through some hard times, but I have too, and if I think about it all, I realize I am a pretty strong person.
Besides, I find more and more women to be stronger than men. Much stronger...

Just some birthday ramblings to try to put some order in my thoughts.

Thursday love!

Yesterday, because of an accident, the street I take to go home was blocked, so it took me 3 hours and 10 minutes to get home. I am exausted today, but still have stuff to be grateful for!

• First, bf who makes me dinner and takes me out to have gelato, because I had such a hard day (and commute)!
• Then, I got home late but I found a parking spot under the building - I am never so lucky!
• Tomorrow is my birthday! I want to make a cake tonight to take to work tomorrow - it'll be a nice surprise for my coworkers, I hope.
• And on sunday, beach! It'll be my fist time this year, so I can't wait.
• Connected to the previous one: my very nice new swimsuit - also, can't wait to use it.

Other stuff: gelati, being able to wait for months for a bag to go on sale, the new hat I bought for little niece, and having her (and family) for dinner on sat, cooking, peaches! books and magazines, and the smell of summer in the air!

Yay!

Lovely A from The Glamourous Grad Student just published my first guest post on Rome's city chic! Check it out (and check her lovely post).

It's 5 am...

...and the birds outside are chirping like crazy.

Bird chirping always made me happy.

It's not so loud to wake me up, but it's loud enough that I can hear it and enjoy it while getting ready. It makes me smile.

It's like adding a little color to a monochromatic outfit, a painting on a white wall, the secret ingredient that makes a dish special!

Some more lists...

Sales start this Sat - finally!
And I also have a coupon for 50% off for a store I like, starting from tomorrow...
So, here's what I'd need:

• A couple of pairs of comfortable flats, one of them in silver color.
• 3-4 shirts
• 1 dress, probably floral
• a pair of capris
• a bag in ice, light grey or ivory color
• a swimsuit

Can't wait to go shopping! (I am so vain, I know and I don't feel guilty for that!)

Secret places in Rome.

I bought a book, a while ago, called "I segreti di Roma" (Secrets of Rome). It's from Corrado Augias, a pretty famous journalist who grew up here. It describes less-known places in the city.
I started reading the book, and thought it would be a really nice project to go see the places he writes about. So, I started last Saturday.

The first "secret" place he writes about is the so called "English Cemetery", which is actually a non-catholic cemetery, but people who rest there are mainly from England. Besides the history of the cemetery, which involves functions taking place at night to avoid "vengeful acts" from catholics and similar facts, what was beautiful was the peace reigning on the place. But let's the pictures do the talk:

Under the shadow of the Cestia Pyramid, here's the place where they rest:

This is the grave of a young english poet, who didn't want his name on his tombstone.



Another writing reveals who he is.


And his friend too, who rests close to him.



Finally, here are the ashes of a political italian man, condamned during the fascism for because of his opposition to the government.



There was such calmness and serenity exhuding from that place, it was enchanting.

Song of the day

I have been wanting to re-listen to this song for a couple of days. It's from 2-3 years ago, I think...