24/01/2010

SATURDAY & SUNDAY POSTING - WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY?

Sunday morning
In bed, sipping hot cappuccino served by hubby, checking mail. I suddenly remember I was doing something last night. Something I had to interrupt due to exhaustion. My head bent and my eyes didn't want to stay open on  ...what I was scribbling (typing) while watching some  TV. I  automatically turned everything off - laptop, TV and the lights- and off to the dream world! What was I writing? Here you are.

 Among the many things I love and make me happy there's music, many kinds of music: from classical to pop, from opera to dance music. I sang for many years of my life (studied singing privately and was part of a choir touring all over the world) but then I had to stop ( young children+ work) and never went back doing it. Something I really love too is watching people dancing, I envy good dancers and also skaters, especially ice-skaters, who live the music through their body.
Figure skating is one of the few sports I follow and music shows with dancing performances are among the rare things that can draw my attention on Tv. I hardly ever watch it,  really seldom.
I'm watching some tonight, I'm having a look at the Italian version of "Strictly come dancing" ( Ballando con le stelle) : wonderful live music, great costumes and very good dancers.

As for skating, I've just heard that, at Tallinn, Estonia, Italy's Carolina Kostner won her third women's title at the European figure skating championships . Carolina Kostner, the 22-year-old 2007 and 2008 champion, was gold ahead of defending champion Laura Lepistö of Finland with Elene Gedevanishvili of Georgia taking bronze after the free skating final. With this she is officially qualified for the Olympic team though she had finished second at the nationals.
Today, skating to Bach's Air and Vivaldi's Violin Concerto, she got back the title she lost last year to Lepisto. I admire this slim, apparently frail, young woman: she knows how to rise up and start over again  after falling. She never surrenders.


These are just two - among many other -  of the little joys I've learnt to appreciate in life: they are ordinary things which can really  make me happy and relaxed (too relaxed last night!)
Now since I'm writing about this, I'll add other eight little joys  in order to fulfil my tasks for the Happy 101 Award I received from Avalon:

family gatherings, a good period movie, reading a a good book, going for long walks in beautiful natural settings, going to London, having spare time to spend as I want, summer at the seaside, watching my favourite actor in one of his performances (see? I haven't forgot!)
May I add some extra-ones?
having breakfast in bed, being on holidays, having dinner out, travelling abroad, meeting my best friends and spend some good time with them, meeting interesting new people, giving good marks to my students, receiving hugs from my sons and my husband as well as comments on my blog... lots of others... but I'll stop here.


These are the seven blogs I'd like to award with the Happy 101 Award I've recently received


1. Torch under the blanket books
2. TakeMeAway
3. Sotto i fiori di lillĂ 
4. Reviewrama
5. Orgullo y prejuicio
6. A reader's random ramblings...
7. Laura's Reviews

The awarded bloggers should choose other seven blogs and pass it on as well as list 10 things which make them happy.


And now the Humane Blog Award which I'd like to pass on to


1. RichardArmitageFanBlog
2. Reading, writing, Working, Playing
3. November's Autumn
4. My cozy book nook
5. Mrs ThorntonDarcy's Blog
6. Stop me if you heard this one before
7. An RA viewer's perspective from 33°0'S of the equator





I really hope they'll be as happy as I am at receiving these little signs of appreciation. If they don't want to pass them along, never mind, it's just a game to link and meet people on line. It's been a pleasure to me to award all of them and it is a great pleasure to read their blogs!

22 comments:

Mary Gray said...

That's awesome you're a singer!! I sometimes wish I could sing. I play the piano but now prefer to spend the time reading/writing to playing. :( Kind of sad, I know.

Maria Grazia said...

@M. Gray
I WAS a singer! Now I just sing when nobody hears me! Have a great Sunday!

Unknown said...

I should have known! Here's yet another interest we have in common, MG (apart of the singing): I've spent a huge amount of afternoons watching Olympic skaters on TV when I was younger - I'm talking of the glorious times of Katarina Witt, Brian Orser and Brian Boitano, some 20+ years ago ;-) - and enjoying it oh so much! Now I haven't a TV anymore, so I'm quite safe from "wasting" time that way, but still I like watching some good skating on youtube, for example.
Have a nice Sunday afternoon, doing exactly what you like :)
xx KB

Maria Grazia said...

@Karen
Apart from singing and some more ... I too avoid watching TV as musch as I can. Sometimes I forget I own a TV set for weeks. Yes I love watching skating! Now , to follow your suggestion not to waste time I'm ironing, I've just finished watching a period movie and now I'm checking my mail and then ... correction time! This is not exactly what I like but ... who knows? Maybe in my next life!
*Hugs*
MG

Luciana said...

Hey MG! It's always nice to hear more about your interests! Unfortunately I'm a terrible singer and a terrible dancer! Thanks so much for the award!

Mo said...

ooh and lying around reading thre Sunday papers

Maria Grazia said...

@Luciana
You deserve it! Again, I used to sing (good old time!)and I've never been a good dancer. I love watching good dancer and skater move at the rythm. I loved watching Billy Elliot for instance. Enjoy your Sunday!

Maria Grazia said...

@Mo
Lucky you!!! Relax for me too!

Katherine said...

I too love classical music, figure skating, dance (ballet, in particular), and going for long walks! We have quite a few interests in common! :)

How great that you used to sing was it any type of music in particular or a variety?

Thank you for the award! It's so nice and a pleasure to receive.

Maria Grazia said...

@Katherine
Glad to meet so many nice people to share with. Your blog deserve this award and many more, K.! What my choir still sing (cause they go on doing it) is poliphony in general from Renaissance music to Orff, Verdi, Schubert or Puccini. I loved when we sang with big orchestras accompanying us!

Michelle said...

thank you so much... very honoured.

I'll have to think hard what my fav things are.. when I can get Julie Andrews singing 'These are a few of my favourite things' out of my head.. raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens, brown copper kettles and warm woollen mittens, brown paper packages tied up with string, These are a few of my favourite things *dances away*

Thanks again for the award!

Michelle

Fiona said...

Thanks so much for the award Maria. I'm looking forward to compliling my list!

Maria Grazia said...

@Michelle
Perfect! You've sung it out, M.!
@Fiona
Looking forward to reading it!

mulubinba said...

Thanks so much for the award, Maria! I share a lot of your favourite things too. Long walks, watching dancing and ice-skating, good music, cappuccinos! I hope you have a lovely, relaxing Sunday.

lunarossa said...

Hi MG, Congratulations on your awards! If you like skating and dancing have you ever watched Dancing On Ice (ITV1), I like it more that Strictly come dancing, maybe because it is more "daring". I'm so happy for Carolina Kostner's victory, especially after all the negative press against her! Ciao. A.

Maria Grazia said...

@mulubinba
Well then! We'll have capuccinos watching something - from Ra's works to dancing shows - and then we'll go for a long walk together as soon as I am in Australia or you in Italy! Is it ok?
@lunarossa
I've only seen "Notti sul ghiaccio", the Italian version of Dancing on Ice, and I liked it much more than "Ballando con le stelle". Only, they stopped it, the watching figures were not so positive.
Great Carolina Kostner! She deserves her victory after the troubled period she's been through.
Ciao e grazie!

Katherine said...

Beautiful selections! I can't imagine how delightful it was to have a big orchestra accompanying.

Avalon said...

Wow...What a great morning for you...My morning is "Momma I am hungry!" "Mom can we go so and so?" "Mom I need so and so!", "Momma are you ever gonna get out of bed?"

Ha ha, Richard's movies make me happy too.

Great choices on your blog selections.

Maria Grazia said...

@Katherine
It was such a great emotion when the orchestra started and I was there behind them... it made me shiver! Now when I'm among the audience and the orchestra starts, I have to make a huge effort not to burst into tears ( moved as I am)!
@Avalon
It reminds me of old times! Probably your children are younger than mine. My teenage sons sleep till midday on Sunday!

Jenny said...

Thanks so much for the award!!

Maria Grazia said...

@Jenny
Good blogs deserve appreciation. Yours is one of them. Keep up the good work, J. Take care. MG.

JaneGS said...

I hadn't caught this post back when it was current, but I'm glad I read it because I didn't realize that you were a singer. That is one talent that completely eludes me--much as I love music, I can't carry a tune at all! Touring the world singing with a choir sounds wonderful!

I also love and follow figure skating--it really is an amazing sport--liquid athleticism.