Archive for October, 2004

Mobbed by knee-high witches

Sunday, October 31st, 2004

I saw the first Xmas decorations on sale today and we still haven’t had Halloween. My own little spider-man and bat-woman had their party at school yesterday; my son having a second party at another one of these millionaire pads my kids frequent via their rich little Italian friends. The house yesterday was done in […]

EU leaders sign new constitution…

Saturday, October 30th, 2004

… and cause massive traffic jams in my neighbourhood. I mean, couldn’t they have done it on another day? Saturday morning was good for me; I don’t get up till ten and there are plenty of parking spaces for their limos.
All roads approaching Campodoglio were blocked off by chainsmoking Carabinieri, while the riot police read […]

Beware of vultures

Saturday, October 30th, 2004

One of the best things about living in Rome is learning its history. For history read legend, if not gossip, self-promotion and smears. Politics as usual, then as now.
Here’s how Livy describes the founding of the city in The History of Rome:
As [Romulus & Remus] were twins and no claim to precedence could be based […]

John Peel’s in heaven

Thursday, October 28th, 2004

He was one of those people you imagined would always be around, just because he had always seemed to have been around; there when I was getting my first teenage kicks; there when I dreamt of playing my guitar for people outside my bedroom; there when I danced around the house in West Africa, happy […]

yadiyadiya

Thursday, October 28th, 2004

Can you read this? Hello? Is anyone there?
How can I know if anyone can read this?