Adventures in Advocacy: Rome by Motorscooter

I was born, as my family likes to say..."Scared of my own shadow."
Once upon a time when I was about 10 years old, I had a blue Huffy Charlie's Angels bike- my first and last bike. At about 10 years of age, I shot up and have always felt strange on the seat of a bike. I avoid two wheels, always.
In Italy, on the other hand, most people are born to ride a motorscooter. They can drive one at 14 years of age, so they're everywhere and I must say, extremely convenient.
I had an appointment with an attorney in Rome who last year, represented a Deaf woman who refused to pay her television bill, citing that she is Deaf and her favorite television program was not closed-captioned.
The Italian forum had requested that we get involved in some way to either improve captioning access or reduce the rate of the television bill because that access was limited. I had contacted the attorney who gave me an appointment in Rome to discuss a possible collaboration. Corrado, a member of the forum who lives in Rome sent me an email via fb asking me if I needed a personal driver while in Rome. I said, "Ok!"
He showed up on a motorscooter:-)
Never, in my life had I ever been on the back of a scooter. But I had to make it to the appointment.
He whipped out the helmet. I put it on, threw my bag in the back and hopped (sounds cooler to say it that way) on the back of the scooter.
As I was in apnea for the first five minutes, I grip-locked the side of the scooter and Corrado's jacket. I had one of those surreal moments where I couldn't stop smiling, because NEVER would I ever have imagined to be whipping through Rome on the back of a scooter.
Amazing experience:-)
In any case, the result of the meeting with the attorney was that the RAI- the state-owned Italian television company actually has a technical commission that includes associations representing the Deaf Community. They have improved their closed-captioning service and have vowed to bring the percentage of closed-captioned programming to 70%.  The problem is that the captioning is oftentimes not a reflection of the actual audio and the level of the Italian is many times lacking.
If anyone has any ideas as to how I can motivate an improvement regarding captioning, please leave a comment.
Thank you:-)

THE Espresso

I went to Naples for a meeting to organize pediatric courses.
75,000 babies are born in the region of Campania every year.
I stopped in Gambrinus for what everyone said was the best coffee in the world.
I stood in front of the counter and waited for that famous cup of coffee.
You know those scenes where the spotlight is on a person and despite the 50 people surrounding that person only that bubble exists?
I was in the bubble.
The man behind the bar placed the cup of espresso on the counter.
I picked it up and almost dropped it directly on the floor.
I barely managed to place it back on the saucer.
They serve espresso in burning hot cups.
I waited a minute.
Then, I drank the espresso.
Amazing.

One of those carpe diem things.
One of those memories you make, that you keep.

Mary Janes and Big Girl Dresses...by Anna

It's kind of like trying a new dress on, not THE dress that you have been dreaming of for a long time, looking through a shop window, nor one of those types of dresses that you've given two thoughts to wearing..just a "new dress".

You try it on, then you look in the mirror to see how it fits.
You kind of like it, then again you don't.
You look at yourself again, and you think about it again...

Deep down inside, you know that at a certain moment you may even appreciate it, you might just like it in the end; you may even have the impression that it's a good fit for you.

Time is the great manipulator of all those situations that we flat out don't like, don't accept...that we fear, in the beginning.

Time encourages us to change our ideas a little bit, or, simply, it gives us the opportunity to perceive situations from another point of view.

Alas, there is no ONE way of looking at things...that ONE way, at the very beginning was a defiant, "I WILL NOT, CANNOT CHANGE". Which translated meant, "I DON'T WANT THE CHANGE".

I sit here waiting for more time to pass, and in the meantime, I wear my "new dress"...I feel it, I observe it and live it.

E' come provare ad indossare un abito nuovo, non uno di quelli che per tempo hai sognato attraverso una vetrina, non uno di quelli che hai sempre desiderato...solo un abito nuovo...e allora provi ad indossarlo, poi vedi come ti sta, un po' ti convince, un po' no, ma poi ti riguardi, ci ripensi...e dentro di te sai che ad un certo punto ti ci ritroverai, forse ti piacerà anche, forse alla fine avrai l'impressione che ha proprio la vestibilità che fa per te...il tempo ci convince di molte situazioni che all'inizio non ci piacciono, non le vogliamo, ne abbiamo paura...il tempo un po' ci fa cambiare idea o semplicemente ci mostra le "cose" sotto altri aspetti...non abbiamo più un unico punto di vista che è poi quello che all'inizio ci fa dire "cambiare? no,no...io non ce la posso fare, non voglio".
Io aspetto il trascorrere del mio tempo e intanto questo "abito nuovo" lo provo, lo guardo, lo vivo.

Wool Socks and a Messy House Kind of Love

Today I took a walk alone in the center of Grosseto.
I people-watched and had an espresso.
I breathed in a little of that fresh winter air and for the first time felt a part of the whole Italian thing.
Three years ago, I woke up in the middle of the center of Grosseto and thought, "What the hell am I doing here?"
And now, I know.

For now.
The beauty of "for now" is that it is not necessarily "forever".
But it can still be a happily ever after.

Jordan is starting a new school on Monday. His teachers and the school administration have helped us to be able to make the smoothest transition possible.
People who read this blog helped me to help my son.
Now, it's up to Jordan.
He's tall and wears a size 13 shoe.
It's time for him to flex his brain.

Yesterday, a surprise article popped up in an audiology online journal. A journalist had written a story about our forum and how there is a place for support online in Italy. Last week the forum joined forces with an initiative to offer support to a school for the Deaf with habilitation resources in the Congo. We will be sending hearing aids to the people responsible for managing the school. Today an article came out in Italy about a woman who is taking legal action to not pay her television bill, because the programs are not close-captioned. I contacted the lawyer responsible...maybe we can help.

Yep, tomorrow this nice, Jewish girl from Pikesville will take down her Christmas tree in Tuscany.

Never
say
never.

Happy New Year!!! 2012...Sounds Good:-)

Today I took 40 minutes and went to the beach.
Just me, sunshine, the sea and my boots stuck right in the sand.

I sat, stared and gave thanks.
I breathed in the fresh air and exhaled.

Sofia Madyson was born 9 years ago today.
Yesterday over a cup of hot chocolate and a brownie, she said, "Mommy, go ahead and tell me your most intimate secrets!"

I do believe my mouth dropped.
I replied, "Drink your hot chocolate, Sofia".

Sofia received a lotttttttttttt of presents for her birthday, but when she woke up this morning she asked if I had made her a card.
I said, "No".
And felt like the worst Mamma in the world.

So, today after the beach I went to the mall (there's now one in Grosseto) and bought her a book. On the inside flap I wrote her a long letter.

And I shared my first intimate secret with my 9 year old daughter.
I told her about the time I got in trouble for kissing a boy on the cheek during a game of "Truth or Dare" when I was 9 years old. We had to eat the rest of our lunch at the "punishment table".

I hid the book under her pillow, so before she goes to bed she will find her last birthday surprise.

Happy New Year to all...I hope it brings more love, Newborn Hearing Screening in Italy, passion and an infinite amount of "Wow...that's amazing!"

Sometimes the things we can't change, end up changing us

2011 has come to an end.
2012 is about to begin.
I am having an emotional breakdown.
No idea why, but the tears just will not stop streaming.
I have the sensation that I have just completed an enormous project and that what is staring me in the face is five times bigger.
To not become completely overwhelmed, I look to the simple, the easy, the beautiful.

My kids.

Sofia will be 9 tomorrow and she amazes me every single day.
Jordan is 15 and we fight at least once a day.

We are building something together and maybe one day we'll be able to sit down together and discover what exactly that is...together. I imagine they'll reach that age where they see me as a person and not a mom and hope that while they yell and complain that I was on the computer too much, they'll smile as they remember a neighborhood watergun fight at midnight on a hot summer night.

Have you ever been totally conscious of every single step you take as you are climbing a staircase- because you're afraid you'll trip and fall and break an ankle?

Try smiling and looking the person coming down the staircase in the eyes, noticing the color of the painted walls, clenching tightly your children's hands so they don't fall as you climb and planning your day as you are being totally conscious of every single step you take....and not pass out when you reach the top.

And if you do reach the top without passing out, you just may cry.
As you realize that another flight of stairs awaits you.

2012

I think it sounds kind of important.
*Smile*

The Hollow Christmas Tree with the Angel on Top

Christmas is so very strange this year.
Something is missing in all the festive cheer.

Perhaps the times require that we dig a little deeper....
Past the lights, the balls, the texts and the you've got mail beeper.

I believe that people have realized that they will never have enough...
and that video games, ipads and name brands are really just a bunch of materialistic stuff.

I cannot be the only woman that feels Christmas is empty this year,
Even when listening to Michael Buble, there is an echo of fear.

Christmas may ring hollow, but people are more aware...
United by a common sense of despair.

This year, the simple things have been a lot easier to see,
Just like the angel smiling down from the top of the Christmas tree.

-Cookies by Debbi:-)