[Manciano, Italy circa 1995]
Niente di Grave
While 2020 will go down as one of the toughest years on record for many of us, I would like to posit that some aspects of it were successful, at least for me, over the course of the year. Because the pandemic grounded us, I spent more time with family; got off the train with my two-hour, one-way commute to work; got to work in my home office, most always with a cat or dog at my feet; and met a lot of like-minded people as a result of my work with the Global Water Alliance that I feel will lead to some great WASH projects — water, sanitation and hygiene — sometime in the future. Maybe not the rousingly successful output of years passed, but a quietly successful one that I’m grateful to have had given the alternatives available.
In the like-minded people category, I’ve had the pleasure of meeting Joanne Spigonardo, author of the blog, Hidden Treasures of Italy, as well as a Business Development Consultant Specializing in Sustainability, Higher Education, Career Management, and Public Relations. Joanne formerly served as Senior Associate Director at the Initiative for Global Environmental Leadership (IGEL) at Wharton Business School at the University of Pennsylvania. She’s also the author of the book, White Widow, about the wives and families left behind by Italian men who emigrated to the United States in the early 20th century. Our interests are aligned on many levels.
So when Joanne asked me to write a post for her Italy blog, of course I said yes. I offer it here for your review — Niente di Grave — a trip down memory lane which left me longing for the day we will all be able to travel again. I dug through old photo albums to find the two photos above then took a digital picture them, printed on film over 25 years ago.
The photos have yellowed some but I’m sure the landscape in Manciano hasn’t changed much in the last two and a half decades. I couldn’t find any photos of Trastevere, not because I don’t have them, but I got tired of looking, although it sure would have been nice to have a picture of that arched doorway. Read about it here.
Until next time — wherein I will try not to take myself too seriously for the good of everyone around me — ciao for now.
pam lazos 1.3.21
Green Life Blue Water 
I’ve never been to Italy and it looks like such an inviting place to visit. I agree with you that not all of 2020 was awful. Some good things came out of it for us, too. Healthier meals, homemade. More walks around the neighborhood, because we had the time. Small changes with large benefits.
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Those small changes are what I’m hanging my hat in for 2021, Ally. 🥳
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Lovely Pam, just the perfect antidote to our latest lock-down. I hope you might have time to hunt for a few more photos… Happy New Year.
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Me, too, Cath. I could use a little more time on Memory Lane. ;0)
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Hi Pam – wonderful photos of ‘your’ villages – and I forgot the self image on Joanne’s blog – looks amazing. It’s great you’ve met up with Joanne and had more time to get to know her in these freeing up times … as you say there are some advantages. Great memories you’ve evoked for us … take care and stay safe – Hilary
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Thank you, Hilary!
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Hey Pam.
It’s nice to see someone looking at the positive sides to 2020. I also have several things to be grateful for (despite everything) and feel that it’s important to acknowledge these things.
Society is a like a spoiled child right now (rampant consumerism and social media, to name two things gone wrong) and it’s time that we matured as a group of humans!
Happy New Year!
James
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James, I couldn’t agree more! We need to get our act together before it all unravels! I just don’t know if we have the collective will, but I’m hoping so!
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Fantastico! 😉 It is interesting. Thank you, Pam, and also Joanne Spigonardo. 🤗🙏💖
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🙏👌💕
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Italy’s the greatest. By the way, I forgot to ask you something in re one of your recent posts: Which part of South Philadelphia did you grow up in?
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Actually, I’m a Jersey girl but my mom grew up at 10th and Dickinson so we spent oodles of time in Philly and I lived in Queen Village for about ten years after college. Plus I’ve been working there fir the last 30 years so it’s in my blood, Neil.😂
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