Giorni Ribelli (Rebel Days) is the latest book by Andrea Calugi, whom I thank most sincerely along with Manuale di Mari.
Andrea Calugi is from Tuscany and from his short biography I like to quote this sentence: he is still searching for his future, among a book to read, a page to write, a song to listen to and a glass of good wine to drink.
It is therefore easy to empathise, and as Andrea searches for his future, he offers us a vision of the future in his book.
A timeless future, a future that we cannot calculate, a future that is far away and at the same time near: all the time I had the perception of a kind of dualism.
I was reading about a future and thinking about a past, a clear representation of how everything changes but how in reality everything remains unchanged.
The days flow by and history repeats itself.
A history from which we do not learn, or do not want to learn.
A history of wars, such as the one that characterises Rebel Days, that invite reflection, that spur the search for Freedom before it is extinguished.
I loved a passage in the book in which Andrea compares the earth to a human body bleeding from the wounds of the bombs and “it hovered dust that slowly, like tears, fell back to the ground, flooding everything and everyone with its weeping.”
I wish everyone had the sensitivity to see the earth bleeding, to feel the pain of the earth, which is pain for everyone.
And I was struck by the thought of one of the characters that “the real fear was that with him would also die all those wonderful memories that should have survived him instead.”
Constantine is considered crazy for his way of thinking, what is the real fear for you?
I sincerely thank all the staff of Voyage Minnesota Magazine and especially Camila, for contacting me and for the space they gave me!
I went browsing in Minnesota to discover Egg coffee and this virtual journey allowed me to discover interesting things I did not know, but at the same time someone else discovered me.
Unbelievable stuff, I know.
Yet here I am, with new friends and another story to tell.
The story of a project that I liked right away.
The story of a project whose thoughts are key words, which are also my own:
We also think that artists rock.
This is kind of the concept of Minnesota Voyage Magazine: We love small business, mom-n-pop and holes in the walls. We’re not snobs, but we don’t love most chains. We think independent entrepreneurs, freelancers and other risk-takers make our cities exciting places to live. We cherish the rebellious spirit, we don’t think just a handful of big companies should control all of our commerce, and we think smore with vegan marshmallows are better than regular marshmallows. We respect people and organizations that take the road less traveled. We root for the underdog and almost never say no to pizza.
After all, how can one say no to pizza?
If you’d like, after pizza, you can find me by clicking on this coffee.
I infinitely thank Lucia Amendola Ranesi, together with Mari’s Manual, for the opportunity to discover the book Quattro Terzi Pi Greco Erre Tre which I loved very much.
What is the volume of the sphere? Four Thirds Pi r3.
It is not the first time that I have told my interest in books on mathematics, but in this case I was immediately struck by the affinity of thought.
The “formula” to which one arrives, however, is not a calculation, but a journey that leads, or rather: brings back, to the origin.
I don’t like to reveal too much, because I would like you to try the same engaging reading experience that I had, and I would like you too to come to the “full circle” with all the load of emotions that accompanied me.
I considered Quattro Terzi Pi Greco Erre Tre as the equation of a world in which to enter through a wonderful exchange of letters, precisely those handwritten letters, the letters so dear to me.
A family sphere, but also a historical sphere.
And through the life of the characters I first understood the vocation: the passion for studying and teaching, together, as in a real union that lasts for a lifetime.
But the book also teaches that fate is not always behind the things that scare us the most.
And it shows how pure and true love cannot in any way be dirtied.
I will certainly not forget a special Grandmother, whom I wish I could hug as she repeats that all soldiers are sons.
And a special woman: Maria Moreno, who I hope will be remembered for her ability to combine literary and scientific studies, delicacy and strength of mind, poetry and everyday life.
Obviously I tend to focus more on the female characters, but undoubtedly Rodolfo too, as well as two important figures who have left a mark on our history, offer very interesting reflections.
PCTO or Pathways for Transversal Skills and Orientation.
Writing an article on the meaning of the expression “Keep Calm and Carry On” is the PCTO project assigned to the students of the 5R class of the “Manfredo Fanti” Liceo Scientifico of Carpi Modena’s area.
This project is part of the Focus History initiative: Focus Academy, aimed at involving young people in the various stages of preparation of the magazine through webinars that the purpose of promoting not only scientific or historical dissemination, as in this case, but also the various phases before issue.
I would like to clarify that the class was divided into two groups and that the second group also worked on a very interesting topic: the story of Crazy Horse.
My compliments go to all the students.
It goes without saying that I was struck by the subject of these works, so I contacted the Headmaster Professor Alda Barbi to know the origin, but the assignment came directly from the editorial staff of Focus History.
The Focus press office was equally kind but we can perhaps think that there is no specific reason.
And I would say that this is precisely the beauty: there is always a good reason to say “keep calm” don’t you think?
All this made me think back to the glorious days of school, when we still called these activities simply “research.”
Is there a research that has particularly impressed you? What memories do you have of school?
The first research carried out in elementary school often comes to my mind for two reasons.
The first concerns the precise memory I have of my mother as she searches for newspapers so that I can find the images to cut out.
Yes: it was a cardboard billboard with glued cutouts.
If we think about what can be done with images now it really seems prehistoric.
The second reason is the topic chosen by the teacher Virginia, whom I admire and still respect today: foreign words that have come into common use.
Today they are no longer counted: now our language is made up of constant and continuous contamination.
But in search of foreign words I somehow got tied up, and I never stopped trying to learn them.
Who knows if even for some of the students of the Fanti high school this work will mark a turning point, or will represent the first of a long series of steps in the journey of life.
The Gucci family has repeatedly dissociated itself from the portrait that the film portrays, and I will not go into the merits, but now I can finally say that Lady Gaga in the House of Gucci is truly credible, for the vision I had of it.
So, taking up the talk on Patrizia Reggiani, apparently Lady Germanotta’s decision not to meet her did not affect the interpretation, despite Reggiani being annoyed.
Obviously I observed clothes, accessories, and outfits in general, with particular interest both for Gucci pieces and for 80s looks, and I have to say that I enjoyed the work of costume designer Yanti Yates.
Very scrupulous work, starting from months of study in the archives of the Gucci maison.
In an interview with the New York Times, available in full on Instagram, Yanti Yates stated that Lady Gaga was hugely involved, not least because she is a complete clotheshorse and looks marvelous in everything. She was hugely focused on how her character might appear at a particular moment, and had very strong views on aspects like hair and makeup.
But also difficult work, again according to the statements made during the interview: I would create initial selections, and then she would select from there.
Gaga selected.
It also seems that there have been days when for her it was “not today.”
Moreover, the same Gucci website reports as an iconic statement from Yanti Yates: “Lady Gaga told me that in this movie she wanted to dress like her Italian mom. To create her looks, I was able to draw on both her personal and historical Gucci archives.”
At the same time, however, I have this doubt that is spinning in my head, so help me understand if my perception is deceiving me since, actually, in the early 70s despite I wasn’t really in the world from longer (also now I am not, but this is a other story).
Unfortunately I could not find the image of the scene in which Maurizio Gucci introduces Patrizia to his father Rodolfo, but more or less the same goes for the floral dress in this picture.
Obviously I’m nobody to question the reconstruction, which in all other situations I have admired, and I stress it well, but the idea of this dress leaves me perplexed. I’m wrong, right?
In addition to the clothes, House of Gucci offers the vision of a fantastic series of precious “vintage” cars.
In particular, I really loved the way director Ridley Scott frames the arrivals at Rodolfo Gucci’s home: focused on the entrance. From the outside to the outside.
This shot occurs more than once in the movie, with different cars arriving in front of that entrance.
For me it was a sort of “story within history,” almost a symbol to mark the time.
In the picture below, with the same principle, in contrast we are witnessing a departure.
Which is also a beginning: the beginning of a strategy for Maurizio being back in the company.
For the rest, I refer you to the review by Matavitatau, me, a bit like Cruella, I really enjoyed the non-original soundtrack.
As for the floral dresses, I felt a sort of temporal disorientation that in some cases conquered me, in others it left me a kind of question mark.
For example, I liked the choice for George Michael’s Faith as soundtrack of the wedding scene: despite the anachronistic incongruity, it gave me a joyfulness that counterbalanced the void created by the absence of Maurizio’s family.
On the contrary, I was perplexed listening to Ritornerai by Bruno Lauzi as the background to the scene in which Aldo Gucci goes with Maurizio and Patrizia to the estate where their historic breeding is located. The song is wonderful, ça va sans dire, and the meaning is centered on returning to the origins, but for my personal perception it is as if something screeches.
Apart from that, I could list one song more beautiful than the other, and I would like to propose them all: Here comes the rain again by Eurythmics, Heart of glass by Blondie, Ashes to ashes by the White Duke David Bowie, Blue Monday by New Order, Una notte speciale by Alice, Sono bugiarda by Caterina Caselli, but also Largo al factotum from Il Barbiere di Siviglia by Rossini, Madame Butterfly and much more.
As you choose which one you prefer to listen to first, here are some coffees.
Hi I'm Claudia and this is KCDC.
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