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If you live in the Milan area and are interested in AIDS related issues, don't miss this and that. Honestly I don't get why it is within the gay, lesbian and queer culture festival as it should be of great interest to many people, regardless sexual orientations!

Made in Chinatown

Very interesting documentary (English version) about the Chinese community in Milan.

Despite the fact we see migrants or non native communities in our cities, we often pretend they are "invisible". The have a sort of invisible aura that make them non relevant to our lives. Chinese are relevant only when they cause troubles, otherwise they are like small ghosts who own restaurants, shops and sometimes exploit women who are exploited both by their own community and by Italians (i.e. Chinese massages centres).

I've become interested in those "silent identities" lately and I do think they deserve our attention and all our efforts to develop a truly multicultural society. The myth of race (such as the razza padana) recalls fascism and we are several decades after the dictatorship. We are not better or worse than anyone else, we simply need to time to adjust to a different Italian society which, I think, would be much more vital and culturally rich if only we would be more prone to share our space with other people.

Pain and Pleasure

Tattoo convention 2010

The idiot

I had breakfast with a colleague (the “coffee girl”) of mine and we had a good laugh (and a good croissant) about our job. Right after the morning coffee we went together to a meeting where I barely spoke and she didn’t say a word. Actually I volunteered to do something (always a BIG mistake) as I candidly thought that other people were also involved in the job. It turned out that  I was the only idiot who said “I can do that, no problem”. At this point the coffee girl stared at me and laughed so hard that she had to go the toilet.

Since I was a child I raise my f**** hand to volunteer for everything. I should cut my hands off and keep my mouth shut.

After the meeting I just couldn’t have lunch with someone (“the boring person”). I couldn’t even think about having a sandwich with the boring person who is such a good human being but is boring to death... to put it mildly. And I don’t like the way he drinks, it seems as though we live in the desert. I lied to him and said that I had other arrangements. He bought it which is amazing because it seems that I ALWAYS have other things to do when that persons asks me out for lunch. I went to my favourite place and had melanzane alla parmigiana alone. Give a me a break!

I then checked my email and got a reply from an important author. I’m so glad we are in touch now, I hope to meet him soon. That’s the only good news today. I’ll spend the rest of the afternoon photocopying hundred of pages. I know it sounds old fashioned but I can’t buy all the books I have to study for my project for at least two reasons: I don’t have space and I want to stick to my second new year resolution.

As for the weekend, we’re are going to visit a friend and her new baby. We’ll probably go to see this movie later in the afternoon and then we’re planning to go here which is - to me- the best Indian restaurant in Milan. We haven't been there for a while and I'm so looking forward to eat some good stuff, I love Indian food.

Expo dog Milan 2010

Stich 'n Bitch

I'll join this group. By the way, I love the place, it's one of my favourite in Milan. I'll be there with my endless dog blanket.

Japan in Milan

here.

Milan and HIV

This letter (in Italian) sheds light on a forgotten issue.

Online resources on HIV will be added soon to my blogroll (both in Italian and in English). I am a volounteer of an Italian NGO for the fight against Aids, this is NOT a forgotten issue to me.

Almodovar Retrospective

I love Almodovar, he is one of my favourite director. I don't want to miss this retrospective (January 6-28). By the way, tonight on sky there's a movie by another director I love -F. Ozpetek- Saturno Contro.