A Real Fine Place To Start

Here we go. My first blog post. I think that some kind of introduction might be needed, just to be sure that you are in the right place.

THE REASONS. There are many reasons that led me to the decision to start this blog, but I am not going to bother you too much with them. In short, I am young, have some ideas I would like to share, need to practise my writing skills and English while I am not in London, and need to keep my mind busy when I am bored.

THE CONTENTS. I am not sure yet what this blog is going to be about. It is probably going to be about me and about the rest of the world, if we want to be a little bit more (un)specific. I am a mental wanderer and I wanted to warn you, anyway.

THE TITLE. The title of my blog is important. As hard to believe as it might be, I haven’t simply put together the first few words I had in my mind. So, here is a simple explanation.

For everyone who knows and loves Frank Sinatra the reference toThat’s Amore... must have sounded clear: ‘When the moon seems to shine like a BIG PIZZA PIE...that’s amore...’. I really needed to point out that I am Italian. People have usually big problems to believe that I am from Italy, and my blonde hair-blue eyes-vagueness in the eyes sort of appearance doesn’t really help. Italy is an essential part of me, no matter how much I criticise its institutions and people.

The ‘Russky’ in the title (I am not using it derogatorily) has quite a straightforward meaning if you look at my profile. I study Russian, I live in and for Russia, and I can’t do without it.

The π at the end (which, guess what, reads like ‘pie’) is a reminder to myself that I studied ancient Greek for five years and still cannot speak the (dead) language. But it is also homage to classical culture, to its beauty and power over the spirit, to its philosophy and its poetry. I attended high school in Italy, which for me meant five years of liceo classico (i.e. classical lyceum, pretty much a mishmash of almost every subject you can think of, with a special focus on humanities). You can say whatever you like about Italian educational system, but it is fair to acknowledge the impact that it had on me. It definitely left me a special sensibility to art and philosophy, an analytical mind and a few Latinisms and Graecisms here and there that are always good to confuse the reader.

Enjoy.

Primum vivere, deinde philosophari

Aristotle