Winter break in Bologna

People in the streets for Gaza


The Neptune Square at night


My parents


With my cousin Alessia and he partner Luca


With my nephew Stefano

A time for crafting, meditating and dancing

So, as I have stated before on this blog, my dissertation is all written and, for the last few days, I was computer-less (or computer-free?) because my powerbook needed repair. With all this time suddenly on my hands (i.e. free from real hard work and obsessive internet surfing), I have developed a strong yearning for doing crafty things with my hands and doing something about my spirituality.

I have started knitting furiously again after over a year and am determined to move up the ladder, from being able to knit exclusively (stripy) scarves to introducing hats, socks and crochet into my repertoire. My mom - who, by the way, has made me four sweaters (plus a couple for herself) over the past two months (!) - has promised to give me hands-on workshops when I go back to Italy for Christmas. I recently found out that I suck at learning from knitting manuals, alas.

Here is a picture of my mother with one of the first scarves I made for her:



Please note that she was brave enough to model this for me in the middle of August in Southern Italy.

On the spirituality front, I have been reading two Buddhist books by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso. To my own surprise, I find that simply reading about these teachings soothes and calms me, almost like a bedtime story. Oh, and yeah, tomorrow I will be part of a group of 300 people who are going to dance an improvisational score for the Dalai Lama's Seattle appearance at Qwest Field.