Alcuni anni fa la Casa Editrice in cui lavoravo, avviò e produsse  un progetto chiamato ” SottoDiciotto “.

L’idea era di stanare gli scrittori nuovi della città di Trieste.

Ne pubblicammo due edizioni e poi più. E’ stato uno dei tre quattro progetti che, quando me ne andai, più mi dispiacque di non aver saputo portare avanti.

Uno dei ragazzi che conobbi allora si chiama Matteo Starri e – come si dice – ha fatto strada.

Nel senso che – per mettere a frutto le sue capacità, e per confrontarsi con il mondo – se ne è andato a Londra, prima a studiare, oggi a lavorare e vivere.

Matteo ha invitato questo blog a un progetto un po’ più granduccio del mio di allora, ma infondoinfondo non tanto dissimile.

The Economist, IL settimanale leader nel mondo per accuratezza e autorevolezza, ha inventato THE THINKING SPACE.

L’idea è quella di creare una rete di scambio e promozione di idee, progetti, prodotti e servizi colti  fra quelli espressi da alcuni blogger di ogni parte del mondo.

E’ una cosa OPEN, non c’è bisogno di invito, ma il suo mi ha fatto davvero piacere.

Così ho scritto, rispondendo al panel di domande eguali per tutti, un post – questo – che sarà ripreso sul sito dell’ Economist.

Se non è chiaro cliccate qui e la cosa vi si schiuderà come la porta ad Aladino quando disse ABRACADABRA.

Qui sotto dunque ( abbiate pietà del mio pidgin english e  della mia non sempre evidente autoironia ) trovate il mio compitino, preceduto dalle domande.

Ho risposto A Vànvera, of course…

Here are the questions we’re keen for you to answer when you’ll write about your own Thinking Space. Feel free to expand any areas you feel particularly relevant:
General

* What is your current profession and how did you choose your career path (where did you study, learn, become inspired)?
* Where did you grow up? How did it influence who you are today?
* What are you passionate about, outside of work?
* What was the last thing that made you laugh?

Your Thinking Space

* Why have you chosen this as your thinking space? (Reference to the image you took of your Thinking Space i.e. your own workspace)
* Can you tell us about the different objects featured in your Thinking Space: what is the story behind each object? Is it of unique significance to you? What does it tell us about you? How would you feel if it went missing?

Your favourite blogs, websites

* Do you have any favourite blogs or other websites that you check out regularly?

Spotify playlist

* Do you have your own Spotify playlist or any other playlist? Who are your favourite artists, soundtracks?

Born in Milano, Italy, march 24 1954. Raised in Trieste and The Rest of The World from 1956 to now, and further on, hopefully.

I am an adviser in art and social matters, I should say, but the words reader and listener defines me more, even if they are not acknowlged as works or professions.

I studied classics, art and rock’n'roll…

The list of what inspired me is too long to mention, but literature-movies-music are the core of my life and business. With landscapes, animals and nature, not in a integralist way: they truly inspire me ever and ever and ever, even when I’m really down…

I had good parents and teachers, and I still have them, even if my mommy died when I was 13 and my father passed by 17 years ago .

I have the luck – should I say the gift ? – of doing for life what I like the most, so working-not working is the same for me, when I am in good shape and aim. Sure I do my work for the people and the companies which I am consulting  for, trying to fullfill the mission they give me, but what I write and tell them  comes out from reading, going to theatre and movies, listening, travelling… : . One true pleasure is eating well,  from a simple fried eye to a Chef’s  masterpiece, drinking wine and smocking pipe tobacco or, eventually, cigars. And then, last but not least, my private writing pleasure, both visible and invisible.

The very last thing that made me laugh was Artù – the bassotto ( basset hound ) with whom I live –  this morning, lookin at me with a smile in his eyes, and a beg in his tongue “ another cookie, pleeeeeeeease ! “. He got it.

The place you see in distance is Trieste, the gulf and a small part of Carso, the hills surrounding the city, the day Oct 12 2009, Barcolana has just started. So how can I tell you ALL the ’story behind’ ? But yes, it’s a unique and YES, I miss that view when not there.

We, the place and me, have chosen one the other: 1976 I got married with my true love, Cristiana, who lived in hers parents’s house. There were a little, but beautiful apartment. We settled down there. In 33 years we moved, but we always came back to Contovello, the place where we  find ourselves.

I have to add that this is an example – since I have to show it to be correct wtih you answering the questions, of a place of mine where I feel  good and inspired. But my Thinking Places are to be found even in Trieste, in the little studio where I’m writing right now, or at some friend’s table, or Cafè… Outside my hometown there are places where I always felt good: a little lake in Turracherhohe, Austria; Place des Vosges, Paris; Valencia, Ireland; some places in Toscana, Umbria, Trentino, Puglia and Sicilia…. Recently I discovered Zfaat, Galilea, Israel: it was my first time there, but I felt like have being there before.

I surf the web, but my favourite are art and politics, innovation and news sites. To mention a few, in Italy, in and off topic…

Il Post

FactCheck

Sergio Maistrello

Luca de Biase
Massimo Mantellini
Luca Sofri
Matteo Bordone
Zoro
Luca Conti
Leonardo
Spinoza
Giorgio Placereani
Gaspar Torriero
Giorgio Jannis
Lankelot
Mauro Gasparini
Web e Conoscenza
PreVisioni e PreSentimenti
InnerNet
Andrea Buoso
Antonio Sofi
Beniamino Pagliaro
Matteo Apuzzo

Diogene Malamati
Clelia Mazzini

Giulia Blasi
Solitaire
Enrico Marchetto

Fulmini e Saette

Eiochemipensavo
Placida Signora
Secondo Piano

SWG

Ah, music ! ALL, I should say…. OK. I play the game, apologizing for the missing ones: Bach, Mc Cartney, Bacharach, Joni Mitchell, Richard Staruss, Prince, Mozart, U2, Ravel, Randy Newman, Bruce Springsteen, Paolo Conte, Enzo Jannacci, Giorgio Gaber, Vinicio Capossela, Tom Waits, Kings of Convenience, Gwen Stefani, Callas, PDA…  And all the songs and music that I do not recognize but I love to listen.

Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen, with JS Bach and REM are more than music to me, they are the Soundtrack of my life.

Finally, I add to this uncomplete and long auto portrait – compiled with legeresse, I hope it was clear – two already written posts which could be useful. The rest – which is by definition missing – is well kept in the secret white lines between the black in my blog, A Vànvera, and in his even better secretely kept other rooms in the Web….

Valerio Aaron BaoTzeBao
Riparare, Respirare

Grazie per la pazienza, CIAO.

Vecchia ma adorabile clip , animata e non di cartone.

Oggi Artù compie 10 anni.