Merry Christmas!

Adoration of Shepherds by Bronzino

"Now it happened that at this time Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be made of the whole inhabited world. This census - the first - took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria, and everyone went to be registered, each to his own town. So Joseph set out from the town of Nazareth in Galilee for Judaea, to David's town called Bethlehem, since he was of David's House and line, in order to be registered together with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. Now it happened that, while they were there, the time came for her to have her child, and she gave birth to a son, her first-born. She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger because there was no room for them in the living-space. 

In the countryside close by there were shepherds out in the fields keeping guard over their sheep during the watches of the night. An angel of the Lord stood over them and the glory of the Lord shone round them. They were terrified, but the angel said, 'Do not be afraid. Look, I bring you news of great joy, a joy to be shared by the whole people. Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. And here is a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.' And all at once with the angel there was a great throng of the hosts of heaven, praising God with the words: Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace for those he favours. 

Now it happened that when the angels had gone from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, 'Let us go to Bethlehem and see this event which the Lord has made known to us.' So they hurried away and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger. When they saw the child they repeated what they had been told about him, and everyone who heard it was astonished at what the shepherds said to them. As for Mary, she treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart. And the shepherds went back glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, just as they had been told." (Luke 2, 1-20) 

Wonderful beginning - Jane Austen

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.

However little known the feelings or views of such a man may be on his first entering a neighborhood, this truth is so well fixed in the minds of the surrounding families that he is considered as the rightful property of some one or other of their daughters.

(Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen)

Steve Job's

New Challenge

Distacco del Vitreo

Ieri stavo seduta al computer quando ho visto una grossa zanzarra volando tra il monitore e io. Ma solamente la vedevo con il mio occhio sinistro. Dopo mi sono reso conto che era un problema interno. Ho avuto un distacco del vitreo. Il dottore mi ha detto che vedrò questo insetto, che veramente sembra un ragno, per un mese, un anno - chi lo sa? Il rimedio è la pazienza e la forza di gravità.

Quindi, mio figlio ed io abbiamo trovato un nome per lui. La chiameremo Carlotta Gasparoni. Carlotta perché è Charlotte in italiano, singolo ragno amichevole. E Gasparoni perché è il nome della nostra famiglia. Anche se Carlotta balla nel vitreo, vedo tutto. Lei è veramente simpatica!

Where happiness is

 “There are two tragedies in life. One is to lose your heart’s desire. The other is to gain it.” (Bernard Shaw)

 It's so easy to misunderstand where real happiness is.  Health, passion, wealth, good looks are all important, but not enough to fill one's heart.  So many have it and are not fully pleased! Love, after all, it's the only path to happiness. A desire to do good, in the name of God.  And "Where there is no love, put love and you will find love." (St. John Of the Cross) This recipe works, many have proved.