Room with a view on a post-apocalyptic landscape

My dog and I wondering in town (Il Manifesto)

The talented Italian actor Elio Germano won the Golden Bear in Berlin as the best actor for the film Volevo nascondermi (I wanted to hide), based on the life of the painter Antonio Ligabue, whose greatness was equal to his madness. I would love to go and watch it, I love Germano and Ligabue too, but I cannot, because Italian cinemas are closed. Everywhere, I think.

An Italian cinema closed. Nevertheless the advertising on TV of the films coming out continues, I don't understand why 

The Strade Bianche (White roads), a spectacular cycling competition born in 2007 and characterized by a path that passes through dirth roads typical of the Tuscan countryside, will not come to my area tomorrow. It was postponed due to the coronavirus emergency.

What remains of the Strade bianche competition

We Italians are forced into inactivity. And don't laugh, under the mustache, that I see you. Despite the widespread image of the average Italian as listless and muddler, the reality is very different. It would be like saying that all Americans have a gun in their pocket, that all the French smell of cheese, that the Spaniards scream  when they speak, that the Portuguese are down in tone, that the Latin Americans are slow, that the Germans are rigid. In short, it's a bit true ... but not for everyone. We are forced into an inactivity that is not waiting for something nice to happen. We are waiting for the worst. The bad thing is that this applies to all humanity, not only us, but the rest of humanity still does not ‘smell it’. As in the film by Massimo Troisi and Roberto Benigni.

Roberto Benigni and Massimo Troisi in Non ci resta che piangere - We just have to cry (LaScimmiapensa.com) 

'Remember that the virus will come to you sooner or later'

'I am going to write it down'*

'Think about when it will arrive in England and nestle among the filtly fitted carpets!'

'Don't make me think about it!'

'Think about when it will be at its maximum spread in the East, where many people continue to spit on the street!'

'My uncle from Civitella Marittima also spits on the street ...'

'Then we'll have to convince him not to do it anymore'

'And how?'

'By telling him it's like swearing'

'Well, then you will see that he will spit and then swear'.

My uncle from Civitella Marittima spitting on a building site (Yahoo Style)

Today I went out and tested the atmosphere that reigns outside. A promotional video on Italy shows that, abroad, at this moment they see us as zombies proceeding to soften the planet while we, in reality, would be drinking Prosecco sitting at a cafe outdoor not caring about the virus that is raging in the Venetian countryside where Prosecco is produced. The truth is neither. The scenario outside the home is not post-apocalyptic, only hopelessly depressing. The bar jokes about the virus are turning into depressed sighs. People increase distances. There is only one topic for discussion, and we all know which one.

Italians sitting at a cafè not caring of the virus (4lliumcep4)

We continue to ask ourselves whether it is actually possible to escape the virus which, I am afraid, does not care about customs checks and that, unless a person self-isolates himself on top of an iceberg, he will arrive everywhere. We read of closed schools also in France. We read that he does not look in the face of anyone, since he has also entered the Vatican, the shameless one.

An Italian priest fighting the virus his way (IlFattoQuotidiano)

I have been working in tourism for twelve years and anyone who has and has had anything to do with me knows my honesty and professionality. I would never tell a foreigner not to come to Italy right now because it is not sure, unless he had a very weak immunity system. I would tell him not to come in the next few weeks because the atmosphere has changed. I would tell him, however, to book a stay where he prefers from June onwards. Because cancellation policies are very flexible and, in the end, he would have the opportunity to be refund if not at the last moment, almost. Because with the heat, viruses weaken and it's hot here in June. Because vaccine tests on men are already in preparation.

In the meantime, I promise to inform you daily of the reality of the facts, trying, as far as I can, to distinguish it from generalized panic.

Meanwhile, you who are stuck at home do like me:

- Read only trusted sites (like mine);

- if you are women, avoid Facebook groups dedicated to mothers, websites dedicated to mothers, support meetings between mothers, Whatsapp groups for mothers who have children in kindergarten, elementary school, middle school, high school, university and in case of extreme need, pretend you're not moms;

Italian mothers having different opinions on the virus (Universomamma)

- do what you never have time to do (tidy up the make-up box, throw away the receipts from the purse. Both things apply to both men and women);

- do sports (which strengthens the immune system and makes endorphin produce, which is good for the mood);

- eat healthy food and drink a lot of water (because this also strengthens the defenses and then, if death hits you anyway, you would be fit);

- go to the hairdresser or beautician (always to welcome death or your foreign customers if they should decide to return, as I do);

Remember that you have to die (Webnode)

- waiting for apocalypse, do not exceed the vices, but enjoy them a little, otherwise your life is an immense rip-off (go with safe sex, no drugs, rock and roll is ok if listened to in your personal sterilized headphones );

- in the end, if you know a little Italian, listen to this:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yI1Qf04V0jQ

*The extact words of Massimo Troisi were: mo’ me lo segno.

#eliogermano #orsodoro #stradebianche #cinema #prosecco #vaticano # mom # mother #apocalypse