On December 16, 2016 I quietly marked the 5th anniversary of Alan's Italy. In the past I have marked the occasion with much fanfare, sometimes even balloons falling on the screen during the introduction. I hope I have not become too complacent nor too modest, because even though I am not famous, Alan's Italy is doubtless a phenomenon worthy of taking note. Laura and I always tell the story of our meeting people on a vaporetto (water bus) in Venice in 2013 late in the evening who recognized my face (and sports jacket). "We know you!" They breathlessly continued, "We watched your Venice show on Youtube (Show # 1!), and it helped us plan our trip here. Thank you so much." They even asked me to autograph a bag in which they were carrying food back to the hotel for one of their husbands who watching the kids. I recall: "Dominick, sorry you couldn't be here to meet me, but thanks for watching Alan's Italy." During that same trip when Laura was appearing in the Venice Biennale at the Palazzo Bembo, I, as a bonafide and certified official Exhibition correspondent, wearing my credentials on my lapel for 7 days, was videotaping interviews with as many artists in the show as I could find to speak with me. Sometimes we used an interpreter as these people came from dozens of countries around the world. As I would finish up an interview, people would tug at my jacket and request to be interviewed. We even interviewed someone late in the evening on a backstreet in Venice who happened to be showing at the Palazzo Bembo, but was doing something or other right there on the sidewalk. I interviewed the President of the Global Art Affairs Foundation who organized the Palazzo Bembo Exhibition. In all I came home with 21 videotaped interviews which served as the basis for three episodes of Alan's Italy. During that same trip I even interviewed the Head Rabbi of the Jewish Congregation in Venice and the Director of the Jewish Congregation in Florence in situ. For recent visits are are met with some anticipation by people for whom I had set up interviews in advance of a trip. Over 40,000 times people have watched at least one episode. There are currently 143 subscribers to the show on Youtube. My blogs have received over 11,000 reads. I have lectured about Alan's Italy and written two books on it and Italian Travel. It all started as simply a hobby, something to keep me busy during my "first retirement" back in 2010. The idea led to 123 studio and 9 home productions. People stopped me on the streets of Woodstock and other communities up here to compliment me on the show. When I decided to stop broadcasting live on Woodstock Public Access Television several months ago, the newly formed Producer's Board begged me to remain on the air. The Mayor of Woodstock once designated me "Ambassador to the Venice Biennale for the Town of Woodstock." I have made friends with people from all over the world, especially, of course, Italy. A doctor of mine recently told me she loved one of my episodes. And on and on....
It turned out to be a heck of a hobby!! Nevertheless, as odd as this may sound based on what I have tried to objectively demonstrate in the first paragraph, I prefer focusing with people in conversation about my profession as an educator of 45 years, and counting, hopefully. I mean that is what I officially received my formal training in, practiced for all those years in high schools and colleges, wrote my "real" book on a few years ago, and take the most pride in. Compliments about my teaching (and former supervising) give me greater joy. Nothing fills me with greater happiness than for one of the coordinators or chairpeople at my present college to tell me how valuable I am to the school or how lucky my students are to have me. Twice a year I revel in the student evaluations of me which occur in each of my classes every semester. Recently my Chairman gave me the ultimate compliment, which unfortunately I would rather not mention here. So what is Alan's Italy exactly? Where is it going? When will it end?
It is a hobby of mine, like going to the YMCA, reading, watching television, but so much more. It brings the world closer to me on a regular basis and I hope gives to my friends in Italy as much happiness as it has to me. It will continue, somehow, although my ideas are bound to run out eventually, I assume. If my home country, the United States of America cuts my Social Security and/or Medicare, certainly that would have a major impact on my ability to create viable presentations. Nonetheless, I will try to maintain my present level of commitment and bring to my audience quality productions. So after 5 years (on the air - the project itself actually began in the spring of 2011), I look forward to many more. All I ask is that you, my audience, stay with me. Thank you.
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