Food, snow et cetera et cetera et cetera

If I knew

noreply@blogger.com (Paolo) — Wed, 04 Jan 2006 14:15:00 +0000

This too was passed on to me by my dear friend Christine R. – Paolo
IF I KNEW

If I knew it would be the last time
That I'd see you fall asleep,
I would tuck you in more tightly
and pray the Lord, your soul to keep.

If I knew it would be the last time
that I see you walk out the door,
I would give you a hug and kissa
nd call you back for one more.

If I knew it would be the last time
I'd hear your voice lifted up in praise,
I would video tape each action and word,
so I could play them back day after day.

If I knew it would be the last time,
I could spare an extra minute
to stop and say "I love you,"
instead of assuming you would KNOW I do.

If I knew it would be the last time
I would be there to share your day,
Well I'm sure you'll have so many more,
so I can let just this one slip away.

For surely there's always tomorrow
to make up for an oversight,
and we always get a second chance
to make everything just right.

There will always be another day
to say "I love you,"
And certainly there's another chance
to say our "Anything I can do?"

But just in case I might be wrong,
and today is all I get,
I'd like to say how much I love you
and I hope we never forget.

Tomorrow is not promised to anyone,
young or old alike,
And today may be the last chance
you get to hold your loved one tight.

So if you're waiting for tomorrow,
why not do it today?
For if tomorrow never comes,
you'll surely regret the day,
That you didn't take that extra time
for a smile, a hug, or a kiss
and you were too busy to grant someone,
what turned out to be their one last wish.

So hold your loved ones close today,
and whisper in their ear,
Tell them how much you love them
and that you'll always hold them dear

Take time to say "I'm sorry,"
"Please forgive me !" "Thank you !" or "It's okay !"
And if tomorrow never comes,
you'll have no regrets about today.

Lest we forget

noreply@blogger.com (Paolo) — Wed, 04 Jan 2006 14:03:00 +0000

This was passed on to me by my friend Christine R. – since I am not a fan of chain emails, I decided I’d spread it by posting it here.
Paolo

It was 1987! At a lecture the other day they were playing an old news video of Lt.Col. Oliver North testifying at the Iran-Contra hearings during the Reagan Administration. There was Ollie in front of God and country getting the third degree, but what he said was stunning! He was being drilled by a senator;
"Did you not recently spend close to $60,000 for a home security system?"
Ollie replied, "Yes, I did, Sir."
The senator continued, trying to get a laugh out of the audience, "Isn't that just a little excessive?"
"No, sir," continued Ollie.
"No? And why not?" the senator asked.
"Because the lives of my family and I were threatened, sir."
"Threatened? By whom?" the senator questioned.
"By a terrorist, sir" Ollie answered.
"Terrorist? What terrorist could possibly scare you that much?"
"His name is Osama bin Laden, sir" Ollie replied.
At this point the senator tried to repeat the name, but couldn't pronounce it, which most people back then probably couldn't. A couple of people laughed at the attempt.
Then the senator continued. Why are you so afraid of this man?" the senator asked.
"Because, sir, he is the most evil person alive that I know of", Ollie answered.
"And what do you recommend we do about him?" asked the senator.
"Well, sir, if it was up to me, I would recommend that an assassin team be formed to eliminate him and his men from the face of the earth."
The senator disagreed with this approach and that was all that was shown of the clip.
By the way, that senator was Al Gore !

[ this is not to say I am a GW fan – Paolo ]Also: Terrorist pilot Mohammad Atta blew up a bus in Israel in 1986.
The Israelis captured, tried and imprisoned him.
As part of the Oslo agreement with the Palestinians in 1993, Israel had to agree to release so-called "political prisoners." However, the Israelis would not release any with blood on their hands, the american president at the time, Bill Clinton, and his secretary of state, Warren Christopher, insisted that all prisoners be released.
Thus Mohammad Atta was freed and eventually thanked the US by flying an airplane into Tower One of the World Trade Center.
This was reported by many of the American TV networks at the time that the terrorists were first identified. It was censored in the US from all later reports.

noreply@blogger.com (Paolo) — Tue, 29 Mar 2005 13:11:00 +0000

Corriere della Sera - La stretta di mano

La stretta di mano
Se avete un figlio, insegnategli a stringere la mano. E' ancora un'arte importante in molti Paesi del mondo. Può creare equivoci in India, per motivi religiosi; e in Inghilterra, dove qualsiasi contatto fisico che non sia amoroso o guerresco genera imbarazzo. In Italia, invece, la stretta di mano resta fondamentale. Ma se nessuno la insegna, non la impareremo mai. Solo così si spiegano le spiacevoli esperienze in materia.
IL MOLLE - Quest'uomo non vi consegna un arto, irrorato di sangue e mosso da muscoli e nervi. No: stende verso di voi una sorta di lumacotto. Lo capite però solo quando lo stringete. In quel preciso momento provate una sensazione spiacevole, ma è tardi: la mano inerte è dentro la vostra, vitale come un raviolo di pongo. Un consiglio alle lettrici: usate le unghie. Magari riuscite a ottenere qualche reazione.
L'ERCULEO - E l'antitesi del Molle. Qualcuno gli ha detto che la mano va stretta con decisione, e lui si mette d'impegno. Vi stritola l'arto e s'aspetta che sorridiate. Talvolta è un sadico che s'è allenato in palestra e vuole vedervi soffrire; spesso è solo un tipo più robusto che furbo, incapace di valutare la propria forza. Quando in chiesa si sente «Scambiatevi un segno della pace!», la gente gli fa vuoto intorno.
IL VISCIDO - Non si tratta di un giudizio morale, ma fisiologico. Il viscido ha la mano sudaticcia: stringergliela è come prendere una carpa per la testa. Un'esperienza interessante, se uno ama la pesca ed è preparato; ma quando accade in un salotto o in un ufficio, l'esperienza è fastidiosamente scivolosa.
IL MALIZIOSO - Stringe la mano a una bella signora e muove le dita, accarezza col pollice, agita il polso: è chiaro che avrebbe voglia di proseguire nel contatto, risalendo l'avambraccio, per arrivare alla spalla e allungarsi in zone non consentite. La sua stretta di mano è un'avance. Anzi: una forma di petting postmoderno. Quando il Malizioso vi prende la mano, sorridete e ditegli: «Che strano. Pensavo che le zampe dei maiali avessero solo tre dita».

Beppe Severgnini
da Io Donna - 26 marzo 2005