Pure Chaos

The worst broadcast we ever did due largely to a host of technical problems Ellen was having with the system from video to audio issues. I was also tentative because after installing a new operating system, Yosemite to my MacBook Pro. My problems paled by comparison with what turned out to be almost pure chaos!!!

First she couldn't get the microphone to work, and then after trying all three in the studio, finally got something working. Then as we began, the visual feed stopped working so I couldn't be seen and then we had severe interference. When I went home and saw the DVD of the show, I was horrified by the end product - positively awful. I thought after all that hassle at the studio I could go with an imperfect show and indicate to my audience what it is like to do public access, but it was so terrible that it would have been an embarrassment.

Called Ellen today and indicated that perhaps we should not attempt to broadcast until we have relocated back to the now completely renovated studio, but she felt confident that we can do it, so I acquiesced and we are trying the same show again next Friday. The content appeared excellent. I focused on the Tuscan adventure we had with my friend Lidia and her friend Sabrina and Sabrina's husband Giulio. I asked them to take me anywhere they felt best in Tuscany, preferably somewhere I had never seen. They chose a fabulous day which consisted of morning at the Badia a Pasignano, just west of the Chianti Region, then lunch at a charming restaurant with spectacular views near where Sabrina and her family used to spend their summers, topped off by the hill town of Fioralle not far away. Show # 117 will focus on Badia a Pasignano with two wonderful video interviews, followed by part 2 or Show # 118 on the lunch at Rignana and afternoon at Fioralle. Good plan, lousy broadcast facilities.

Things were so bad yesterday that I began to once again think about doing my own production. I would buy a video camera, set it up meticulously on me sitting at a table, and simply do my own DVD to be uploaded to Youtube. The trouble is that I like public access, feel loyalty to Woodstock and to Ellen, and might not be able to have the split screen concept using the tri-caster. I will give this more time, especially in the new studio which should become a reality in a few months.

Oh Where Oh Where Have I been?

On Friday, September 25, 2015 I will attempt to broadcast my 117th show. The topic will be related to an extraordinary day I sent with some of my friends in Tuscany. The 116th show on an amazing bead store in Venice is currently being edited and may be published soon; who knows. The 115th show is permanently shelved as far as I am concerned due to the dissatisfaction the participants in that show had with the finished product (see my previous blog post). Alan's Italy is still alive, well, with a very strong beating heart. I have not gone away, yet.

The challenges of Public Access Production as opposed to getting easier seem to be getting harder for a variety of reasons. We are still in the makeshift studio instead of our new digs in the refurbished community center. My engineer continues to have difficulties with the broadcasts. Our desire to produce as close to a perfect show continue to haunt us. My time is even more limited than before, but I feel an obligation to my very loyal fan base, and my mission to present a watchable version of Italian adventure from my point of view.

I have many new shows in the very elementary stage of planning. They are very good ideas based both on my personal experiences and my fertile imagination. I do not know what the future will bring. We will close up shop probably soon to move back into a regular studio. Based on past experience the hiatus should last a couple of months at least. That will be a blessing in disguise as it will provide the time to create several new shows. Stick around.

As always, thank you for your support!!!

What If Someone Hates the Show? The "real" Alan revisited. Sigh.

Those of you who regularly read this blog may notice that there is something amiss here. Where's the previous blog post? Those real fans of Alan's Italy may also have noticed that the last show vanished from Youtube. Hey is Alan going bonkers? Well, do me a big favor and do not answer the last question because there may be ample evidence of that happening from quite a ways back. Only kidding. Actually here is what happened; you deserve to know.

I never had a show which the people in the video, i.e. hotel owners, restaurant owners, etc, did not like the content. Actually I came close once but we solved that problem before the show went on the air. The last show I did regarding a certain person who owns a restaurant in a certain place we visited was removed because the people did not like several aspects of the broadcast. Well, ok, I never claimed to be Ken Burns or anyone for that matter. In fact I have gone out of my way (several times early on in this blog) to point out the amateurish nature of my productions, all the imperfections, etc. In fact I do that almost every time I do a show - the "what went wrong" segment of the blog. You know this. Hey, I am not a producer of TV shows. I am a trained, educated, licensed and recognized educator of note in the field of remedial mathematics at one of the largest (if not the largest) community colleges in the world!! I pride myself on that as I cherish the air I breathe. You know this. I have indicated that many times.

So despite telling the person who wanted a show about his endeavors exactly what I just wrote here, the person nonetheless wanted me to do the show. I even made counter suggestions for that person to not only save him money, but also have a better production. I have a witness to that effect. The person wanted ME, and got what I am capable of producing. Then I was told there were too many flaws, and that I needed to change it. Fine, but I have few methods of editing that I am capable of. I could teach anyone basic mathematics, but I cannot edit a broadcast except in small doses. So I removed the show from Youtube and the associated blog. Very simple. Alan's Italy is really very simple, and easy to get along with.

Several years ago I did an interview with a hotel owner. The person had a bad cold and hated the way he looked, so we did not broadcast that interview. The show went forward without that aspect and it was a fine show. So what happened here with the last show I did? Honestly I am not sure. True I have only a 142 IQ, so there are obviously things I don't know; otherwise I would have a 180 IQ like Thomas Jefferson. It could have been a language thing (but this never happened before), or just a misunderstanding. I do not know. I apologize to the person for not delivering what was expected, but once again folks, when you appear on Alan's Italy do not expect a CNN broadcast!!!! I have made this so abundantly clear to people that I am getting tired of it. Before I do a show about a hotel or restaurant or anything, I tell the people to go to my Youtube site and watch my shows, especially about commercial establishments with interviews. If they don't like what they see, then fine, no problems. I move on as I have with 115 broadcasts. So one last time......hello out there......Alan's Italy is a hobby, like model airplanes or stamp collecting. By profession I am a mathematics educator. If you want a broadcast about you or your projects, go to Rick Steves. If you want advice about learning mathematics, send me an email.

A Great New Hotel in Venice: Palazzo Sant'Antonin

It was my original intention to return from Venice and immediately do a show about the Hotel Palazzo Sant'Antonin. I should have known that it would be impossible to organize all the photos and get everything ready before about two months. This broadcast actually took less time than that from the day we returned from our trip on June 9 to yesterday, July 31, so excited was I regarding the extraordinary experience staying at this amazing hotel. Also, whenever we are graced with a video interview of such quality that just adds to the excitement. So I worked very hard to create the perfect show given the great material I had and, of course, the subject.

As I indicated during the show, staying at this hotel came by surprise as we decided was to stay close to the Biennale at Arsenale and Giardini with no idea of where we would choose. After some research on the Internet, I found this treasure and immediately emailed them reserving a room. I read all the wonderful comments people had made about it, and just knew that this (and oddly not visiting the Biennale) would be the best part of this stay in Venice. I was correct. The title of the show, Oasis in Castello, Venice, was suggested by Elena Scarpa, the hotel manger and daughter of owners. I actually added the "Venice" so that people looking for a hotel in Venice would immediately been taken to the hotel in a google search. Very few people, I would assume, look for Castello as a place to stay unless they either wanted to also stay close to the Biennale or knew the fact that this is a wonderful, charming, and peaceful neighborhood in which to stay. We came upon Castello during our last trip in 2014 with another hotel which at first did not have a room for us this time, but then "relented" a few days after I had already booked the Sant'Antonin. Incidentally the name derives from the church of the same name which is nearby; I do not believe we even got to see it, as we were so busy with three days at the Biennale. Seeing everything  at the Biennale is a huge undertaking, and probably impossible. The temperatures were very high during our stay and after several hours of seeing the amazing art in extremely uncomfortable circumstances, we happily would have a nice lunch somewhere and return to our special treat, a twenty minute stroll from Arsenale and a bit longer to Giardini. Coming back to the hotel was such a wonderful experience that when we left Venice, all I could think about was returning soon to stay there once again. Also, after many years of staying in Dorsoduro, I believed that we had found a new location in which to spend time. We also made contact with two lovely people who owned a beed store near the hotel. That experience will be the subject of a future show.

The actual broadcast did not go smoothly. What else is new? First of all because the air conditioner always makes so much noise, we usually turn it off just before going on the air. The studio became stifling hot. I thought about opening the front door, but I realized that someone was mowing their lawn somewhere close by and making loud noises. I did not want to take my sport jacket off, so I did the show feeling quite uncomfortable. Second, just before going on the air Ellen, my engineer, had trouble with the mouse which did not permit her to do her work on the tri-caster. Third and most disturbing, the video interview with Elena was not being broadcast properly with voices not in sync (a common problem), and also a lot of static. Needless to say by the time the show ended at about 5:45 PM, I was a physical and emotional wreck. I told Ellen that if the video was not viewable, we would do it all over again as soon as possible. When I got home and watched the DVD, everything was absolutely perfect!!! After 114 broadcasts I should know by now that public access is just such a challenge that I can never expect a smooth ride.

Once again, I would like to thank Elena and her family for their amazing hotel and kindness towards us during our stay. Their story is so sweet and charming that I hope everyone who watches the show will wish, as we do, that the Scarpa Family not only succeeds in their venture for many years to come, but flourishes as well!!

In Dry Dock for a While

Just as I was about to spend Sunday preparing for the broadcast of my next show on Alan's Italy, I was informed by my engineer that work would begin tomorrow (Monday, July 20) to relocate the equipment from the makeshift studio we had been using since the renovation of the regular venue back to our new studio. The show would have been # 114: Oasis in Castello, Venice - Hotel Sant'Antonin, focusing on the wonderful hotel in which we stayed during the most recent trip. We would have included photos of the area in which the hotel was located, closeup shots of the hotel, inside and out, and featuring the interview we did with the owner's daughter and hotel manager, Elena.

If past performance is any determining factor in this type of situation, then we can be pretty sure we will be out of action for at least three months, bringing us to at least late October at the earliest. Things could be different this time around, but I am not optimistic. I feel badly since I was getting ready, not only the hotel show, but many others related to the last trip and several others. I feel especially badly to disappoint Elena and her father who treated us with great kindness. I will prepare a show immediately with the expectation of returning to live broadcasts as soon as possible; however, fans of Alan's Italy will have to go with the previous 113 broadcasts for now.

Thank you for past interest in my projects.

The Most Amazing Sculpture Museum in Florence, The Bargello

For the second show in a row I attempted to analyze art. This time it was the amazing Bargello, National Museum of Sculpture in Florence. I have been to this museum about 8 - 10 times, and with a bit of research of my favorite pieces was able to do a pretty good job. The preparation was quite challenging considering I am working 4 days a week, full days, a lot of travel into NYC and very little time to do anything but my job at the college. I squeezed in a few moments here and there with the expectation that I would be able to create a show. It is important that things move along, since in not so distant a future, I am certain the makeshift studio in the trailer will close and the broadcasting equipment moved back into the new studio. Who knows how long the studio will close, but if last time is a guide, it could be several months. Meanwhile since I have promised several people in Italy shows, I do not want to disappoint them for too long a period. I now have all the photos and videos from our last trip and the show on the Hotel Sant'Antonin leads the list for future broadcasts. First, of course, I wanted to finish up the Bargello show which has been on the drawing board for probably two years. I kept seeing "Bargello" on my list of albums, and never gave it a second thought until recently when I was starting to run out of shows. Then I started to put together something serious, and wow, it came out good. Ellen engineered as perfect a broadcast as she ever did with no glitches at all.

The only down part (ho hum) was my reference to the number of sculptures by Michelangelo which still remains in Rome. First I said two, then corrected myself with four and when I got home realized it was really five forgetting the Risen Christ in the Church of Santa Maria Sopra Minvera near the Pantheon. Probably nobody will notice that, but once again perfection eludes me. I also began the show by discussing one of my previous errors when I referred to the Adoration by Botticelli in the room of his name at the Uffizi with the theme of three centuries of Medici, instead of saying three generations. I almost did it again during the correction phase of tonight's show. Nonetheless, I was pleased, so do not get me wrong and assume I was dissatisfied, although it bewilders me how I can never do a perfect show, but I could teach a perfect mathematics lesson which is probably just as hard. In a 4 1/2 hr lecture, I could go straight through without any problems, but perfection in a 50 minute show doesn't happen that often..

Now the stage is set for me to work hard and produce the hotel show for the wonderful family using the outstanding interview I did with the manager and daughter of the owner, Elena. She is excited about it and I am eager to do a good job. So off I go to start creating the new albums for the new season. Please tune in.

The Italian Renaissance in New York City

I felt very uncomfortable doing tho show last evening. Part of the reason was that I was very, very tired. Another thing was that I was very hungry and hadn't really eaten much that day (always very bad for me), and thus felt weak in addition to hunger. I also had my new summer teaching assignment on my mind. And finally, once again my engineer had trouble getting everything right, and only did when I made a suggestion. You know things are bad in the studio when we get on the air because of a suggestion that I make!!!!! Also, I hadn't realized that this was the first broadcast since before we went away, so five weeks. All this combined to make this a difficult performance on my part, although, and I kept thinking this all during the broadcast, my audience probably had no idea of any of this. I made several mistakes throughout, just as I used to do in the "old" days; the most annoying and perhaps glaring (but again perhaps unnoticeable) when describing the work in the Uffizi by Botticelli, I indicate that the artist depicted the Medici Family over "three centuries" when I meant to say "three generations." I thought that was my most annoying error, but unfortunately I did not realize it until I was viewing the show at home several hours later. In the Adoration, which is my favorite of Botticelli's work, we see Cosimo il Vecchio, his son Piero, and the young Lorenzo off to the side - hardly three centuries!!! I also picked up a few other mistakes along the way, but the mistake I just mentioned was the one which kept me awake all night.

I liked being on the air again, talking about our recent trip to Italy, "the agony and the ecstasy" a weird combination of magnificence and great strain and anxiety (watch the show). Now the hard part - putting together enough shows to last for the next year. I have a couple which I could fashion into shows quickly, but to get everything together will require time, a commodity I may have trouble finding since my teaching schedule will be totally dominating my time, at least for the next five weeks. Then since I have applied for a full time position at the college, that could be a future difficulty.

In the meantime it is on the schedule that the makeshift studio may closed for a while and we will be moved into the new studio in the refurbished Woodstock Community Center. Last time taking the equipment out of the old studio and setting up the trailer temporarily consumed several months. If that occurs, I will surely not be very upset, because time is what I need most to get the new year's broadcasts together. Do not expect a show now for perhaps three weeks. That show will probably be the one which is about 25 % completed on my favorite sculpture museum in Florence, the Bargello, the former prison and now the National Museum of Sculpture. After that, if we are not closed down, I will probably begin the new year of broadcasts with the one titled, Oasis in Castello, Venice - Hotel Sant'Antonin. I owe the gracious and dedicated owner of the hotel in which we stayed in Venice the honor of my first show of the new season.