Joe's Blög

I think a german colleague used the word “greenhorn” in a meeting today (with Norwegians, an Italian and me). Wow! I haven’t heard that word in a while. He must be reading Hardy Boys books or something
I’m actually quite impressed.

As a foreigner who spends most of the last 4 years talking to non-native speakers I’ve learned to never use slang with them. If one does then one will be re-phrasing their sentence about 3 seconds after one finishes it.

This entry is Hunky-dory.

Share on Facebook

Matteo asked me if anyone from the States had ever visited me. I said I think I’m the only ex-pat I know that’s never had a visit. Nice on me!

Next month it’s my ten year anniversary at the same company (sort of).

There is a tradition in Italy that on Easter you get a certain type of cake…It may or may not be called Columba…It wasn’t bad. It’s sort of a dry cake with some fruit inside. Easily edible
I asked PierPaolo to take a pic and he finally sent it to me:

Share on Facebook

Since I watched “It might get loud” for the third time I’m on a Jack White thing… He occasionally blows me away.  Not just the guitar playing, but as a songwriter and a singer (esp his phrasing). So here’s some clips… Nice to get away with “Grinning in your face” during the middle of a different Son House tune.

Share on Facebook

The Mexican food was pretty great last night! Best Mexican I’ve had in Europe. That praise isn’t as high as it might seem. Most of the mexican food on this continent isn’t so great, but this was definitely pretty edible.
I was so excited that I even bothered to text Pete in frankfurt. He also is on a permanent quest for good mexican, so I was glad to invite him over to Italy for a meal. Knowing Pete like I do he will be coming
Pete can’t say no to mexican…

Share on Facebook

I’m going for Mexican food tonight with some colleagues. I’m told it’s actually run by a mexican gent, so I’m kind of excited about this. I can’t recall the last time I had Mexican. I’ve decided to block out the trip to Sombreros when I was in Frankfurt…uhhhhhh….

Matteo: We want the bearded man back.

Share on Facebook

Who doesn’t love hypocrites and double standards?

http://www.slate.com/id/2251317/

http://www.newsweek.com/id/236421

http://www.newsweek.com/id/236632?obref=obinsite

I heard an interview with Romney a few weeks back. He managed to evade every single hard question without really sounding like he was evading every single hard question. Slick Mitt. You go boy…and then you get a guy like Ron Paul who gets booed for pointing out that Obama isn’t a socialist. Paul is my favourite republican cuz at least he’s honest and semi-intellectual. He’ll never be president.

Bill Frist: “You hear a lot of people on the extreme say that socialized medicine is going to come in and control everything. Socialized medicine is where the government owns the hospitals. They own the doctors and they decide how much people are getting paid. And that’s not what’s in these bills,” Frist told Washington Journal.

Share on Facebook

Got up early today and decided to take a short trip to Lerici. It’s only about 20k from here (except for the road closure that turned it into about 30k). I had been to Lerici a couple times before. It’s a beautiful place. Maybe next nice weekend I’ll try for Cinque Terra on the Vespa.
Seems to be lagging a bit on acceleration. I guess it needs a tuneup or somethin…Which in the lawnmower engine I guess just means changing the spark plug (plugs?). I s’pose that means a bit of tool shopping…
Pics from today…

Share on Facebook

I saw a really cool movie in Frankfurt. Called “It might get loud”. A documentary with The Edge, Jack White, and Jimmy Page. Really great! I recommend it for any guitarist.

a couple clips…

I know everyone hates the edge, but I really like what he did in this song…Three guitarist stepping all over each other, but it turned out way cool…

Share on Facebook

So while Matt was sleeping in on Sunday morning I copies all his photos from his birthday party on Saturday night…(Don’t worry Matt. You can still post them. I don’t think anyone but you, my parents and a couple italians read this…)

So anyway. Saturday was Matt’s birthday and the main reason I went to Frankfurt over the last two weeks. I didn’t get to do all the things I meant to do, but it was still a GREAT two weeks and was incredible to see the old gang.
On Friday night I did feed Africa…that was weird…I’m just not gonna put the details in here…It was too weird.

So here’s the Saturday pics. It all started on the Ebbelwoi Express…that’s a tram for tourists that basically runs around Frankfurt and let’s people drink Apfelwein (a local Frankfurt speciality – it’s just a sour apple wine). After the tram Shaun and I went to the pub while everyone else went to the River for a couple hours before joining Shaun and I at the pub (how horrible is that sentence…hopefully the Italians aren’t taking english lessons from me)…

It ended with me babysitting Matt and Phong… I got them home…

After I got home I shaved and went into work for half a day today even though I had the day off…I screwed up or something…

Share on Facebook

http://www.theonion.com/articles/republicans-leukemia-team-up-to-repeal-health-care,17215/

“Republicans have no greater ally in this fight than leukemia,” said Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC), who was flanked by Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY), House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH), and the abnormal increase in white blood cells. “Denying insurance to Americans with preexisting conditions and ensuring that low-income Americans stand no chance of receiving quality health care are just a few of the core beliefs that the GOP and leukemia share.”

Share on Facebook