What's Happening in My Italy Life - An Update

Well, I feel it is incumbent upon me to fill my readers in on some of the things that are happening to me in my Italy life. Not sure how well this will be received by my readers (I do apparently have a following according to the continual increase in the number of people who are reading this ), because I promised that everything on here would be related to producing Alan's Italy. But here goes. My first book, Alan's Italy, My Personal Journey, is about half way through the production stage. I have no idea when it will be "out", but I think the editing stage is over. It is about 50 pages long; I thought it would come out longer after production, but hey, what can you do. So it will be easier to finish. I am somewhat excited about it, but my real excitement comes from my second book, now slightly more than half done, Alan's Italy, Friends and Other Miracles (so far the working title). It covers everything I have ever experienced in traveling around Italy, but not in chronological order, like my other blog on Travelpod.com, but in another order that relates to my friendships with people who live in Italy, Laura's impact on my life and work, which is enormous (!), my friends Ric and Sharon, and the TV show. I think it is good, really good, and that is very very exciting. It is a memoir, but focussing on my traveling experiences as opposed to my work experience as a math teacher, assistant principal, and college teacher. My third book will cover my 41 year career as in education, with particular emphasis on my 26 years as a supervisor. I have a bushel full of stories to tell, as only someone who was close to the power base of a NYC high school could possibly have, and I wasn't as close sometimes as I wish I had been, so much of this will be my view of things from the second rung down the ladder. It will give a view of the running of a high school that few people have ever seen. I only hope that after I finish book number 2, I have any energy and creativity left. I wrote some of book 3 while walking around the track at the Y this morning, and I think it will be very good. I hope XLibris works out because having a book self published is a very good experience so far and there will be many more books to come as long as my mind hangs in there. I am also, of course, teaching a course this fall in the Lifespring Program, which is basically a continuing ed program up here. I have that ready to go, with written materials and 6 lectures just about totally planned. The course I am doing for New Paltz Lifetime Learning in the spring 2013 will use the same format, but will require 2 more lectures to be created. I am also planning a trip for us for next May and June (2 1/2 weeks) to Orvieto, Figline Valdarno, Florence, Venice (for the Bienale), and perhaps the Dolomites and Lake Como, like in terms of days 2,1,5,5, 3. It will be expensive, but hey ya only live once. I am also batting around the idea with Laura to have our 10th anniversary party in Florence in May 2014. A bunch of people will be invited, but I have no illusions about how many people may come; I know it will be small, but I want to try. We haven't decided yet. We would have a day long celebration in which I would provide a tour of Florence in 2 parts separated by a pizza party at our fav pizza place, cocktails at the hotel, and dinner at La Spada, and gelato on the Piazza Santa Maria Novella. Everyone who came would have to purchase their own plane ticket, pay for all hotels, and everything except that day's activities. I would get a low rate for people who stayed at Croce di Malta, and I would try to arrange for lesser priced dinners at La Spada in case anyone wanted to eat there during their stay. I would also provide assistance for anyone who wanted to travel around Italy, but we would plan our own trip, Laura and I which I am hoping will include a long awaited trip to Sicily. A few people actually said they would think about it when I broached this a party recently. That's what is happening, plus of course I play the guitar usually 4 or 5 times a week in my den, and walk and swim at the Y. It can be done, and I only hope for one thing: GOOD HEALTH. Without that all is lost.