Today 9th time at the Questura to get my Permesso di Soggiorno... Failed again.
But finally a real reason: they lost it! No idea where it is, but they suggested I go to the Central Police Station to check out whether they might have it (which is the station where you have to arrive before 7AM and wait for 4 hours at least....)
:-((((((((((
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Sunday, February 25, 2007
Hungover
A week of work, with little to say about it. Except for the fact that Thursday morning, I could no longer start up my computer. Of course this was quite a shock and I quickly analysed the problem (which was quite easy, because it was written on the screen: CONFIG.SYS was missing). This is a problem that has occurred before and last time I only managed to start up half of the computer after a lot of hassle and had to reformat the harddrive in the end. Obvioulsy I was very pissed off and I decided that it was time for a new laptop. I am so fed-up with that old fcking thing and all the trouble it always causes (I have had it for nearly 4 years, though)... Luckily we received some advertising the day before and I decided to just buy the cheapest laptop they had available. So after going to Uni during the day (and to Chinatown to visit the International Foodstore), I went to this shop and bought myself a 599 euro gorgeous laptop...
1 Gb RAM, 80 Gb HD, Intel Celeron M and a wide screen. I am molto felice about this thing... (and of course very grateful that Fedor was willing to lend me the money to be able to afford it!). One little issue with this computer is the fact that Windows only speaks Italian. In a Dutch version of Windows, one can easily change the operation language, but apparently Italian Windows is constructed in such a way that one cannot actually change the language at all!!! So this is good for my attempts to learn proper Italian (as long as I am discussing operating systems, viruses or the execution of programmes, I will be fine!).
I have not yet been able to actually get the data from my old computer, but this is going to be another project some day soon...
Yesterday, I spent the entire day in the kitchen in order to prepare a lovely Japanese meal. Well, Japanese-fusion meal, I should say. Artichokes are not that Japanese, I guess. But the miso-soup and the range of different kinds of sushi etc etc were definitely Japanese. The pineapple carpaccio was not, though. So fusion-Japanese at best...
For dinner, we had two guests: my ex-flatmate Meghan and my friend Idil, who both enjoyed the dinner a lot (I think), as did we... Afterwards we were obvioulsy a little tipsy already, but we decided to go dancing at the Johann Sebastian Bar, where we had such an aweseome time when Bastiaan and Anne were visiting. And we had a great time again!!! Danced our legs off, had a lot of fun with the 60-year old barbie-like woman looking like a dragqueen past her prime, who is the resident DJ at the establishment... Et cetera, et cetera. After putting the absolutely waisted Meghan in a cab, we walked home where we supposedly arrived at approximately 4. Today we stayed in bed very very late, and we are not both hungover... But also very satisfied about this weekend...
Ciao,
OJ
1 Gb RAM, 80 Gb HD, Intel Celeron M and a wide screen. I am molto felice about this thing... (and of course very grateful that Fedor was willing to lend me the money to be able to afford it!). One little issue with this computer is the fact that Windows only speaks Italian. In a Dutch version of Windows, one can easily change the operation language, but apparently Italian Windows is constructed in such a way that one cannot actually change the language at all!!! So this is good for my attempts to learn proper Italian (as long as I am discussing operating systems, viruses or the execution of programmes, I will be fine!).
I have not yet been able to actually get the data from my old computer, but this is going to be another project some day soon...
Yesterday, I spent the entire day in the kitchen in order to prepare a lovely Japanese meal. Well, Japanese-fusion meal, I should say. Artichokes are not that Japanese, I guess. But the miso-soup and the range of different kinds of sushi etc etc were definitely Japanese. The pineapple carpaccio was not, though. So fusion-Japanese at best...
For dinner, we had two guests: my ex-flatmate Meghan and my friend Idil, who both enjoyed the dinner a lot (I think), as did we... Afterwards we were obvioulsy a little tipsy already, but we decided to go dancing at the Johann Sebastian Bar, where we had such an aweseome time when Bastiaan and Anne were visiting. And we had a great time again!!! Danced our legs off, had a lot of fun with the 60-year old barbie-like woman looking like a dragqueen past her prime, who is the resident DJ at the establishment... Et cetera, et cetera. After putting the absolutely waisted Meghan in a cab, we walked home where we supposedly arrived at approximately 4. Today we stayed in bed very very late, and we are not both hungover... But also very satisfied about this weekend...
Ciao,
OJ
Sunday, February 18, 2007
presentation etc
This week has consisted of a lot of work. Of course I had to prepare my big presentation, where I was gonna have my first feedback on my paper. The presentation went quite alright, except for the fact that it was too long!
I got some reasonable feedback, although it mostly consisted of things people had not understood. Obviously, I have to increase the clarity of exposition... Oh well, I will spend some time this week on doing exactly that!
On Friday, Fedor had invited Nina to watch Dirty Dancing, so I decided that my evening was better spent elsewhere. I thus took Idil, Felix and Annaig to La Padellacia, where we enjoyed their awesome pizzas! Afterwards, some wine in a local Vineria and some others joining us.
Saturday, I finally had the opportunity to sleep really, really late... It was lovely. In the afternoon, we did our weekly groceries and bought some lovely pillows for on the sofa... (horrifically kitsch, but really cute). Today, we did a really thorough cleaning!
Now we are relaxing and thinking about the lovely Lasagna we will be having later.
Ciao,
OJ
PS: Just some more pictures from Firenze:
I got some reasonable feedback, although it mostly consisted of things people had not understood. Obviously, I have to increase the clarity of exposition... Oh well, I will spend some time this week on doing exactly that!
On Friday, Fedor had invited Nina to watch Dirty Dancing, so I decided that my evening was better spent elsewhere. I thus took Idil, Felix and Annaig to La Padellacia, where we enjoyed their awesome pizzas! Afterwards, some wine in a local Vineria and some others joining us.
Saturday, I finally had the opportunity to sleep really, really late... It was lovely. In the afternoon, we did our weekly groceries and bought some lovely pillows for on the sofa... (horrifically kitsch, but really cute). Today, we did a really thorough cleaning!
Now we are relaxing and thinking about the lovely Lasagna we will be having later.
Ciao,
OJ
PS: Just some more pictures from Firenze:
Monday, February 12, 2007
Firenze, there we were...
After a week of work and pleasure, we finally arrived at the moment we had been waiting for for quite a while: FIRENZE. As a birthday present, Fedor gave me a trip to Florence/Firenze and this was the weekend. The forecasts were not so great, but we thought this wouldnt matter too much as most of Firenze's treasures are inside. However, it turned out that the forecasts were wrong and we actually had awesome weather. This way, we could enjoy the city even more. And Enjoyable it certainly was. Absolutely stunning in its beauty and the beauty of its art and architecture. We were also lucky, because Firenze has a We Love Holland-Period as a result of which we could visit some museums for free (which is nice, because Firenze is not cheap). Some of the highlights we saw included the Uffizi Gallery (number 60 on the List)
But also the Cathedral:
Of course, it is also practically compulsory to climb up the hill to Piazza Michelangelo and enjoy the view on the Florence Cityscape (number 67 on the List)
On top of this hill, there was another gorgeous church, whose inside frescoes were 13th century-made (appr.)
In addition to all this loveliness, we were also able to enjoy some lovely time in the sun at the Palazzo Pitti, with its gorgeous gardens and some nice museums.
Finally, of course there was the city itself, which was also simply stunning. Including the Piazza Sant'Annunziata:
I guess the pictures tell most of the story. We had a really good time and really enjoyed it. Out hotel was also fine, and booked via this great website where one can book very cheap hotels: Go and check it out!!!.
Today has been a back-to-work day though and I worked on my presentation for Thursday when I am presenting my paper at the Reading Group. I am actually looking forward to that!!!
Ciao,
OJ
But also the Cathedral:
Of course, it is also practically compulsory to climb up the hill to Piazza Michelangelo and enjoy the view on the Florence Cityscape (number 67 on the List)
On top of this hill, there was another gorgeous church, whose inside frescoes were 13th century-made (appr.)
In addition to all this loveliness, we were also able to enjoy some lovely time in the sun at the Palazzo Pitti, with its gorgeous gardens and some nice museums.
Finally, of course there was the city itself, which was also simply stunning. Including the Piazza Sant'Annunziata:
I guess the pictures tell most of the story. We had a really good time and really enjoyed it. Out hotel was also fine, and booked via this great website where one can book very cheap hotels: Go and check it out!!!.
Today has been a back-to-work day though and I worked on my presentation for Thursday when I am presenting my paper at the Reading Group. I am actually looking forward to that!!!
Ciao,
OJ
Monday, February 05, 2007
Goodbye Bastiaan and Anne
On Friday, Bastiaan and Anne arrived. Bastiaan is a friend from highschool (who, we realised is my second-oldest friend (not age, but time we have been friends)) and Anne is his new girlfriend, whom I had not met before. The weather was quite lovely all weekend, so we enjoyed a bit of a walk on Friday afternoon and a nice aperitivo in the evening. On Saturday, after sleeping rather late, we went to the Cimitero Monumentale.
At the Cimitero, we ran into my friend Idil, who was showing her sister around. Isn't it just really random to meet friends at a cemetary??? Afterwards we enjoyed lunch at Corso Como and saw more of the city. At night, our other classmate Nina, who also lives in Milano came to join us and together we went to La Padellacia (third time in a week... we're on a diet now). Some fun time at the "Johann Sebastian Bar" afterwards, with a lot of crazy stuff going on (hint: it includes 60 year old barbies and trans-sexuals) was the next stop.
Obviously, this implied we got up late on Sunday again. Not really a problem, because we only went to a museum (the Pinacoteca di Brera), where I found out later that we missed Idil and friends by about 10 minutes again... It is a small city when people have visitors!
This morning, Bastiaan and Anne left again. By taxi this time, at 4.30AM, because walking people to the station is really quite a hassle at that time of the night.
All in all, it was a really enjoyable weekend! It was great to them and we had a great time.
Something completely different, if anyone is ever consider a new career, I have an idea. Become a Quantitative Gastronomist! I recently received news about a Conference in Gastronometrica and I reckon it is an awesome science to be involved in! You get to research the quantitative aspects of such interesting topics like "How did American food get so bad?", "Are you what you eat? Experimental evidence on health habits and economic
behaviour" and "Stars War over French Gastronomy"... I am definitely in the wrong field!!!
Ciao,
OJ
At the Cimitero, we ran into my friend Idil, who was showing her sister around. Isn't it just really random to meet friends at a cemetary??? Afterwards we enjoyed lunch at Corso Como and saw more of the city. At night, our other classmate Nina, who also lives in Milano came to join us and together we went to La Padellacia (third time in a week... we're on a diet now). Some fun time at the "Johann Sebastian Bar" afterwards, with a lot of crazy stuff going on (hint: it includes 60 year old barbies and trans-sexuals) was the next stop.
Obviously, this implied we got up late on Sunday again. Not really a problem, because we only went to a museum (the Pinacoteca di Brera), where I found out later that we missed Idil and friends by about 10 minutes again... It is a small city when people have visitors!
This morning, Bastiaan and Anne left again. By taxi this time, at 4.30AM, because walking people to the station is really quite a hassle at that time of the night.
All in all, it was a really enjoyable weekend! It was great to them and we had a great time.
Something completely different, if anyone is ever consider a new career, I have an idea. Become a Quantitative Gastronomist! I recently received news about a Conference in Gastronometrica and I reckon it is an awesome science to be involved in! You get to research the quantitative aspects of such interesting topics like "How did American food get so bad?", "Are you what you eat? Experimental evidence on health habits and economic
behaviour" and "Stars War over French Gastronomy"... I am definitely in the wrong field!!!
Ciao,
OJ
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