Marvelous Views of Rome

 I have long awaited the opportunity to create a show on Franc Palaia's incredible photos of Rome. Of course we have had a couple of Rome Shows and put on some wonderful photos. Fran's pictures, however, uniquely capture the beauty of this amazing city from a different point of view. His photos from atop the Victor Emmanuel Monument are really something, as well as the images of the Piazza Navona, my favorite piazza in Rome. I very much look forward to my broadcasts with Franc, as it gives me a chance to spend the hour discussing my favorite subject with another lover of all things Italian. I was given the chance to place the photos in whatever order I preferred, and so I chose the photos I loved best I knowing the time element wouldn't abbreviate our discussion. Nonetheless, the hour just sped by, and before we knew it, Ellen held up 3 fingers indicating that we had just a few minutes to go. Sadly we focussed on one final image, and that was it for now. Franc is on tap for another show, this time concentrating on his Photo Sculptures and Light Boxes. He gave me the DVD with those images that I will place in a show for the future, probably in about a month and a half. As the show ended, the phone rang and someone called to tell me she loved the show and the beautiful photos of Italy. That was really nice. This week two of the founders of Woodstock Public Access, Bart Friedman and Tobe Carey agreed to come on the show in two weeks for interviews which will deviate from our normal Italy format in favor of a historical retrospective of the TV station going back into the late 1970's. Tobe does have a quick Italy story, but other than that, there will be no major theme related to Italy. It is a bit strange for me to deviate from my very comfortable, and set pattern of focusing on Italy, but this should be quite good, as we will take a look at how WPAT started and emerged to become the wonderful station it has become. In the meantime the people at Saugerties Lighthouse TV Channel 23 will be debuting Alan's Italy starting this Tuesday, twice a week. They will take a DVD and show it 6 times over a three week period and then go to another broadcast. To help me keep things in order I am starting from the beginning with Show # 1 on Venice, and although the shows were definitely not quite as good as they are now, to keep things in order and easy to implement on my part, I have started with # 1 and will just move forward. I gave them 10 DVD's which should last them until next January ! I have written a letter to the editor of the Saugerties Times as well as placed an ad in that newspaper for this week to introduce people of the Saugerties viewing area to my show. In two weeks I start to teach my course, Alan's Italy in the Saugerties Lifespring Program which begins on Oct 3 and will continue for six weeks. Branching out to our neighboring town. Meanwhile one of my books, the first on producing the TV show, Alan's Italy: The Birth of a Televison Show will come out very soon, and I have decided to contribute part of the profit, assuming anyone buys the book, to the Woodstock Public Access Television Station. Buona note e buona fortuna.