Wednesday, July 14, 2010

I pretend to be rigid

but in fact I'm not. I can't stick with "rules" not even with plans except for things/people I really care. In my dreams I'm a really strict goal setter, in reality I'm like everybody else, rigid and soft at the same time. So I have decided to "break the blog vacation rule" because honestly it doesn't make any sense if I miss writing! I miss writing and reading in English even though I'd made up another rule: reading in Italian for a little while. I'll have to write a book in Italian in the near future so... it's better to warm up! No way. I read a book in Italian and then yesterday night I switched back to my Lolita that is wonderful, disturbing and written in an amazing English (I always feel like crap when I read Nabokov knowing that he wasn't mother tongue!). Oh my, what a marvellous prose!

Nabokov is my uncle's favourite writer. I don't think I've touched "my uncle" issue here. In any case, he is one of the most important person in my life and did have an impact on my cultural background. I see him everyday (more than my dad who would be mad if he comes across this post!) and I can't even imagine my life without this brilliant, strange, amazing man. It's difficult to describe such a person, he is just my zio and I love him the way he is. All this to say that Nabokov is dear to me because of my uncle even though I haven't read all his books. Like Tolkien. The first book my uncle gave me when I was a child was The Hobbit and I still have that book.

More writing to come...


6 comments:

  1. Now I am really intrigued! Who is this zio? When did he come into the picture? And he reads and speaks English? And you see him every day?

    Anyway, already I love him because he is part of the reason you write - and for that he is great :-)

    And I'm glad you're back, btw :-)

    ReplyDelete
  2. OK, I realise I may have read far too much into it - but still, I like my idea of it all :-D

    I realise you don't see him every day. I realsie he may not speak English. I realise he may not necessarily be the reason you write, etc., etc.

    ReplyDelete
  3. :)

    Indeed, I do see him almost every day but no, he doesn't speak English. I think he may be one the reasons I write as I've been surrounded by his books since I was young.

    He is my mom's brother. He is not married and I'm the only "nipote" which means that I'm like a daughter to him (I think). He has always been part of my life even before my parents divorced. He comes to visit us every single day (around lunch time and also in the afternoon... he is retired now BUT when he worked he came right after lunch for half an hour and then after dinner!)and we also went on holidays together -in the UK by the way-. He is quite a character, not a simple person but I/we adore him! He just my unique and only zio. I have others zii (my dad's sister and brother) but I don't see them at all. He is the only one to me.

    ReplyDelete
  4. See, now this opens up so much more!

    He sounds lovely and anyone who enjoys reading and books has to be good. Just the same as anyone (well most) who love dogs ;-).

    You used to go on holiday to the UK? Where did you go? Why did you go? etc., etc.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I know :)

    well, we didn't use to go to the UK but we did go two or three times: London first, then Cornwall (land's end! what a wonderful place) and then London again, Cambrigde, Leeds + Ireland. The three of us (my mum, my zio and myself) had a great time in your country despite the weather!! I was 13-14 I guess and I was the only one who "spoke" English! I recall I had to call b&b to reserve a room and I was really embaressed for my poor English. Yet again, my uncle and my mom wanted me to speak a lot and "sent" me (well, my dad played a role too) to the UK when I was 12 for three weeks to learn English (but this opens up so much more ;)

    ReplyDelete
  6. ps. BTW my shadow -who is not my shadow anymore- came to the UK with me when we were 12.

    ReplyDelete