A Christmas Meme

I have been tagged once again. That last time I was tagged it was back in in August when I was schmoozed. I will get back to that very soon. First let’s get back to Christmas.

This was tagged to me by my fabulous, gorgeous, passionate Jeni from The Passionate Palate.

She is a great cheerleader and friend. Love you Jeni! I am going to list 12 of my favorite things (past, present, future) of the holiday season, get ready, here I go…

1. I remember the fun times of making snow forts with my brother and sisters after a big snowfall.

2. Ice-skating with friends on Crystal Lake, and falling flat(hard) on my arse. OUCH!

3. Putting the angel display up in my mom’s dining room, a very special moment with my mom.

4. Making the Breads from scratch with my Nana and my Mom, a tradition that has been going on for more than 25 years.

5. Remembering a time when the magic of Christmas was so mysterious. Santa was really flying over the skies of the world to deliver all the gifts to all the good children of the world.

6. Decorating MY own Christmas tree for the first time and putting on MY ornaments. I felt good!

7. COOKIES

8. Christmas Schlush….virgin and alcohlic…YUM!

9. Watching my Boppa open gifts. He would open them up with the top of the box covering the gift so he was only one to see what he got first. He is still always on my mind to this day.

10. When I was in high school, I was in a group called Madrigals. And every year we put on a Madrigal dinner that consisted of wenches, wassail, jesters, and eating with your fingers. There was a play that was performed and the Madrigal singers, sang throughout the dinner. I loved being in it, I was a different part every year. Freshman year I was a wench, I served the food. Sophomore year, I won the part as the Queen of the castle of the medieveal times. It was great, I loved it!!! Junior year I was demoted back to Head Wench, but I still had fun. Senior year I made it to the big time, I was a Madrigal Singer, the songs are still being song in my head. It was my favorite time in my singing career in high school.

Now I get to tag some people here for some Christmas memories…

I pick, Michelle from Bleeding Espresso, Annika from Dove mi porta il cuore,  one of my cheerleader at Roam to Rome, Erin from The Olive Notes, last but not least Tina from Pecorino e Miele

Happy writing, my fellow writers!

a presto

 

Revelation

I know who I am!

As I rode back home from the coffee shop and a stop at Applebees for dinner, I was singing along with my favorite song by Brooke Fraser, Shadowfeet.

I realized how happy I am and how focused I am when I am writing. As how Tina felt in a previous post, I am sincerely happy. I know that this will be my career, earning me a living and all.

As I drove and sang more thru the song, I saw a vision of myself in Firenze living, writing, singing karoke at Micheal Collins, visiting friends and them telling me:

“Katie, you did it! You are finally happy and doing what you love, and living on your own.”

I was brought to tears when this vision came upon me, but happy tears. WOW! Here I am, Katie, persevering to a goal and dream that I want so much for myself, and I am loving every minute of it!!

 

I AM A FREELANCE TRAVEL WRITER!!!!

Thank you cheerleaders!!

Vi voglio bene!!!

GRAZIE UNIVERSE!!!

 

Two Days of Great News and Considerate People

This week by far, is the best week I have had since I arrived back from Firenze. It started off with me receiving a freelance travel blogger position with an travel website. YES!! I am amazed how good thoughts, persistence, and faith does to a person’s state of mind. I am truly making my dreams come true to become my own boss and do what I love, write.

THEN yesterday, I was offered another job on a travel website.  I will be writing to my hearts desire on a topic I am very familiar with Italy.  I am flabbergasted,  excited,  joyful, merry, full of ideas, full of hope, full of faith in myself that I WILL MAKE THIS MY VOCATION.  This will be MY passion in life!  Nothing can stop me now, but when has it ever?

Oh and my younger sister Emily, passed her Person Training test so now she can and will be a PERSONAL TRAINER.  This is her passion and what she loves to do more than anything else is work out, work out hard.

AND…My brother in law, Jay, received the news of a brand new job for his sanities’ sake.  He is overjoyed, shocked, and grateful for such an opportunity.  It is a job that he went to school for so he is happy he can actually apply those skills to a career he is passionate about.

WHEW….a lot of good news has gone down in the Greenaway house over these days.

THEN….This morning as I got into work, one of the supervising engineers, Tom, ask me and the other two women who sit by me to accompany him to his office.

He started talking about how a transformer works, and I knew he was leading to something.  I knew it wasn’t something I did because he wouldn’t have brought all three of us in the room.  Anyway he went on.

He then expressed his “disgusting” “unprofessional” manner he conducted himself on Tuesday.  (He was swearing up a storm in his office which is within earshot of all of us.)

“I truly apologize to all you ladies for being unprofessional and disrespectful behavior.”

Then he said something profound, which I hardly hear anyone say these days.

“I should have stopped myself and looked at the situation in perspective, ‘Is this going to matter in a hour or even tomorrow?”

I smiled at this point and answered out loud, not meaning to,”No”.  Then he said if we ever get stressed or hear him getting stressed that we can use these “ballistic balls” he bought at Wal-mart and throw them at him or each other.  Keep in mind this man is not even our supervisor.  I thought this was such a great tactic and wonderful thing to start out my day.

Even though this job is only temp, I feel really great about these people.  Especially Tom.

Well, I am grateful, thankful, and glad I am not a person that settles, as my friend Maripat told me tonight.  I have no interest in being the ordinary, I am the extraordinary, abnormal(in the creative way), unique soul, focused, determined, and willing to be ME. Whatever obstacles come my way, I will break them down one by one and ask for more.

See if you can stop me….The Universe has given in, will you?

a presto amici

 

Basta

I am glad Firenze has finally set up a campaign against drinking and driving. Here is an article from The Florentine describing it.

Playing with your life

a presto

 

Bedridden and online shopping

I have attracted a sickness from the many people around me that are sick.  I feel crappy, in my warm bed typing to you.  AHCHOO! excuse me.

On the bright side, I have almost completely bought all my presents  online this year.  Not having to pay for shipping once.  Hot dog!  I love the internet, I am so addicted to it, that I just can help but write and write about nothing on my blog here.

I am going to get back to writing my articles.  I am concentrating as we speak.

a presto

 

I prefer to write

My thoughts in the past few hours have been all about writing. I have enjoyed the heavy banter between my ego and my soul in my head.

My ego has been silenced from this moment on.  To explain, my ego is usually the negative thoughts that go through my head saying such things as “you can’t, you won’t, you will fail.” It is a constant struggle with that stronza(bitch) in my head to shut up.

Alas my soul, that has traveled from my heart to my thoughts has been  helpfully repeating, “You are just where you ought to be, Nothing is etched in stone, You have made progress, You are a writer, and will keep growing into a successful person.” All the positive aspirations that I have always longed for, has become my mantra. There are tanti altri cosi that has been helping me focus and push out the bad thoughts, alas I want to save all those others for another day.

I prefer to write.  That is my vocation.  My passion.  My talent.  My Prosperity.  I will become even more successful, as my soul kindly put in my thoughts.  It is my destiny, in addition to Firenze.

a presto

 

To All My Friends…

that are following their passions in life, I dedicate this to you!

a presto

 

A goal has been reached, by 2 special ladies

The Gods have spoken and now we are finally moving down the path we have chosen and desired.

First and foremost, My dear friend Tina, has finally done it(we all knew she would)! SHE IS A FREELANCE TRANSLATOR! Please help me in congratulating this fine lady! I want to express my heartfelt feelings towards Tina. I am so glad our paths crossed in the blog world as well in Firenze. I don’t know what I would do without your constant support and always know I am here for you as well, anytime of the day. You are fabulous lady!! Our lives are going just as we planned, how lucky are we? Your success is my success, it makes me feel like I can do the same thing you are doing, and I have!!!

Now onto me, KATIE, Katerina, Katie koo, Caterina con occhi blu…

I am proud to announce to my blogging friends and friends around the world…I have been offered an opportunity to write for a travel website!!!

I AM A FREELANCE WRITER!!!!!!!

I am sharing this with you all because I feel this blog has paved the way to remain confident in myself.  Thanks to my loving friends that frequent my blog and comment generous and encouraging thoughts.  Even though it is just a small job I feel great….the Universe has conspired to my passion!

I will keep you updated on my process on this wonderful opportunity for me!!

Firenze ci vediamo piu presto…..(just wanted to salute my love)

 

Writing Every Day!

My people have discussed it thoroughly and the consensus is….I am going to be diligent in my writing on this blog.  I will be engaging you all every day for the next month or so.  I want to be able to keep the intensity going in my passion towards being a writer! 

Step 1: write every day, who cares what it is!

a presto

 

You gotta hear this…

Matt Morris has the voice of such range and soulfulness. Please listen to this!  It will move you!

Also to report amica mia Francesca, her band MAGICBABYET, is doing very well in Bologna and in and around Firenze. She is getting reviews up the wha-hooo!  Here is a few(PS they are in Italian):

Review by

MusicaOltranza

Artists and Bands 

Please check out her website as well she has some songs you can listen to as well.

Ti Voglio Bene Fra!!!

a presto