Category: Eyecandy

Thursday Thirteen: Happy Anniversary Edition!

27/2/2014

Ciao a tutti! Hi, everybody! It's that time again, and this week, I've prepared a special little tribute to my hubby of ten years - and tomorrow, that number is official! That's right, our tenth wedding anniversary is Friday the 28th, and I thought I'd "celebrate" a bit by sharing some of my favorite photos of my hottie hubby, Alessandro, taken over the years.

So now, please allow me to share with you:

Thirteen Photos of My Hubby!

1) August 2003, when we first met in person after a months-long "courtship" on the internet and telephone.

2) 2004 - Our first (and so far, only) Christmas in Tennessee. The weather was remarkably warm that year.

3) 2004 - Alle in his Green Cross gear. (Gotta love a man in uniform, eh?)

4) 2006 - Alle tries to persuade Santa that we'd both been very good that year. Santa wasn't buying it, though.

5) 2005 - Our first trip to Ferrara for Easter Monday.

6) 2004 - A stop in Lucca on our honeymoon trip.

7) The photo Alle sent me in 2003 which made me fall head over heels for him. Taken in Ireland.

8) 2004 - Alle clowning around in Siena during our honeymoon trip.

9) Alle (on the right) poses with his friends during a rest break on a ride. (I think this was 2006 or 2007, but I'm not sure.)

10) Alle with his newborn niece, Mia in 2008.

11) Alle poses for me in Fontanellato in 2006.

12) Alle and me, in Pisa (of course) in 2006.

13) Alle has some Daddy-Daughter Bonding Time with Doodle in 2008.

And there you have them: Thirteen Photos of My Hubby!

I think you'll agree he's a cutie, eh?

And since this is a special edition of my Thursday Thirteen, I've prepared an equally special final photo for you all.

It's a little different from the usual fare (to say the least), but...

I sure hope you don't mind!

Squeeeee! Baby Alle!

Ciao for now! :)

20 Comments

Thursday Thirteen: 13 Pieces of Eyecandy from 2012 (Possibly NSFW)

20/12/2012

21 Comments

Ciao a tutti! Hello everybody! Welcome to this week's Thursday Thirteen! This time around, I've decided to a "Greatest Hits", of a sort. I thought I'd share a collection of what is, for many visitors to this site, a highlight of their visit (or, in some cases, the reason they drop by in the first place).

So please, allow me to present:

Thirteen Pieces of Eye Candy from 2012!

January started off with this treat, in the post 13 Things I Like About Twitter.

Also in January was the post 13 (More) Frequently Misused/Confused Words, which featured this popular lad.

In February, I shared 13 Things Which Make Me Happy.

Another post in February shared 13 Reviews of Ask Me if I'm Happy, along with this pic of Luca Argentero.

In March, I shared 13 Photos of Fabian Cancellara, along with this photo of someone who certainly is NOT Fabian - but I sure didn't mind!

Also in March was this gem, shared in honor of 13 Ways to Celebrate International Women's Day.

In September, I had 13 Questions for Jill Pennington, which came along with this photo of Italian Olympic swimmer Filippo Magnini.

These British Olympians accompanied my post of 13 Photos from Lago di Como.

This shot of cyclist Marcel Kittel was the bonus for 13 Things Which Cheer Me Up.

October also saw 13 Images from Passo Ghisallo, which concluded with this shot of the infamous Paris-Roubaix showers.

In November, the post 13 Random Images concluded with this shot of rugby player Dimitri Yachvili.

Also in November, I shared this lounging beauty along with 13 Things I Need to Do. (No, he wasn't on the list.)

And, finally, this cutie accompanied my list of Thirteen Random Thoughts in November.

So there you have it: a recap of some of the finest eyecandy I had on offer in 2012!

I hope you've enjoyed this stroll down memory lane.

And if you need still more incentive to drop by, well...

I hope this will do!

Ciao for now!

21 Comments

Thursday Thirteen: 13 Songs I'm Listening To - Over and Over Again!

25/10/2012

22 Comments

Hello, everyone! This week, I'm going to provide you with a musical interlude - mostly because I'm writing and editing and have been listening to music endlessly while I work (it's part of my process, y'see).

So now, please allow me to present to you:

13 Songs I'm Listening To - Over and Over Again!

First up are three songs by Amanda Palmer (formerly with the Dresden Dolls, once upon a time). I bought her most recent album (Theatre is Evil, with the Grand Theft Orchestra) and quite enjoyed it, along with some of her older work. She might not be everyone's cup of tea right away, but I find she grows on you, and her original lyrics are frequently intriguing and stunning pieces of art.

Of course, I can't write without Samuele...

Well, there you go. Now you know how I've been spending my (musical) time, lately.

I hope you've enjoyed this extended musical interlude.

And now, if you don't mind, I'm going to get back to writing.

And since I'm writing another story with Davide Magnani in it...

It's only fair to feature Luca Argentero again.

I've missed him.

Haven't you?

Ahhhhh... Luca!

Ciao for now!

22 Comments

Thursday Thirteen: 13 Books on My TBR Pile

4/10/2012

18 Comments

Hello, all! While I'm excitedly making preparations for a visit to the Museo del Ciclismo in Magreglio, Italy, I didn't have a lot of time to prepare a full-bodied Thirteen for today. So I've decided to share a portion of my TBR pile (that's "To Be Read" for those unfamiliar with the term) with all of you, as I've well over the requisite number of books waiting for my attention.

Shameful, I know.

So now, please allow me to present to you:

Thirteen Books (and e-Books) on My 'To Be Read' Pile

1) John Irving: In One Person (Hardcover)

2) Stephen King: The Wind Through the Keyhole (Hardcover)

3) Stephen King: Full Dark, No Stars (Paperback)

4) Matt Shaw: 9 Months - Book One (9 Months Trilogy) (e-book)

5) Tim Krabbe': The Rider (Paperback)

6) Margaret Atwood: The Year of the Flood (Paperback)

7) David Nicholls: One Day (Paperback)

8) Kurt Vonnegut: 2 B R 0 2 B (e-book)

9) Matt Seaton: The Escape Artist (Paperback)

10) Jonathon Budds: Consumed (ebook)

11) Simon A Forward: From Evil With Love (ebook)

12) Graeme Obree: Flying Scotsman (Paperback)

13) Amanda Egan: Diary of a Mummy Misfit (ebook)

And there you have them: Thirteen books which are currently resting atop my TBR pile. Maybe you'll feel compelled to check them out, too, now you've seen them listed here?

At least you'd be reassured of a lovely selection of books for yourself as the autumn nights grow longer and cooler.

You could curl up on the sofa with a cup of cocoa, or coffee, or tea...

And then, you know...

Select a good book and...

Enjoy.

Ciao for now!

18 Comments

Thursday Thirteen: 13 Things Which Have Been Keeping Me Busy

20/9/2012

24 Comments

Hello, everyone! I've been away for a long while, it's true, and haven't posted much until the last couple of weeks. Well, I'm back, and hope to get "back in the saddle" again now I'm in Italy once more.

I thought I'd take advantage of this week's Thursday Thirteen post to share what I've been up to lately, so if you'll permit me, here are

Thirteen Things Which Have
Been Keeping Me Busy!

1) Recovering from Jetlag. After four months in the US (from April to the end of August), it's hard to get back into my normal schedule in Italy. I'm still not quite completely adjusted (if my plans allowed it, I could easily stay up until four a.m. with no problem), but I can get up in the a.m. without wanting to hurt myself or somebody else, so I'm doing as well as can be expected.

When I'm awake, I have, of course, been reading. It feels great to get some reading in, as I've been too distracted and busy all summer to just settle in with a good book. Here are the last three books I've read - all since I've been home.

2) Will You Love Me Tomorrow - Danny Gillan

Some aspiring musicians wait a lifetime for that elusive record deal. Bryan Rivers waited a lifetime plus three days. As if dealing with the suicide of her clinically depressed husband wasn't difficult enough, to Claire Rivers' amazement one of the biggest record companies in the country suddenly wants to offer him a contract. When his status is viewed as only a minor inconvenience, she begins to wonder if someone, somewhere, is playing a very distasteful joke on her. Will You Love Me Tomorrow is a comedy about death, depression, grief, loss, friendship, family, haircuts and the music business.

3) Conversations with S. Teri O'Type -
Christopher Allen

Curt Child is a man who just can't seem to get gay, so he's enlisted the help of his oldest--and gayest--friend S. Teri O'Type to drag him a few inches down The Road to Greater Gayness.

(Some of you might remember this title from last week's Thursday Thirteen where I interviewed the author - I'm currently reading the book and am laughing with every page.)

4) The Diary of a Single Parent Abroad - Jill Pennington

When Jill and her family moved to Italy she expected life to change but she had no idea how massive that change would be. Shortly after the move, she discovered her husband had been having an affair and had no intentions of staying in Italy.

Despite being in a foreign country with no income, limited language skills, a house that needed rebuilding and three young children to care for, she never once considered returning to the UK. With strength and determination she accepted any challenge, dismantling a derelict house to ground level, digging out a three metre deep well with her hands to get free water and overcoming her fear of the chainsaw to cut the winter wood. When there was very little money for food she made risotto with nettles collected from the roadside. She overcame many problems, learned new skills and discovered that money is not important, the only things in life that matter are health, happiness and her children.

Jill's story is delivered with an ever present hint of humour because, as she says, 'Without laughter life wouldn't be funny'.

5) I built a bookshelf - at least, that's what I'm calling it. Yes, it's from IKEA. Yes, the kitty seems to approve.

6) In addition to the bookshelf, I've also built two IKEA chairs for the kitchen. Unfortunately, they're a tad wobbly. (Uh-oh.) I'll see if I can sort that out, shortly.

7) I've watched several episodes of Big Bang Theory - including a few I didn't see while in the US!

8) Since the hubby had the chance to stay home and use up some vacation time the first week we were back from the US, we got some serious housework done. As suspected, I needed some good, strong muscle to get it all taken care of. There's more to do (Autumn cleaning?), but the place is looking better all the time!

9) As mentioned above, there was a spur-of-the-moment trip to IKEA.
I maintained control, much to my own astonishment, and walked out having purchased ONLY WHAT I'D GONE IN FOR!!!!! I should have written that day down in my diary...

10) I did another voiceover job. As before, it was fun to do, and Paolo, who does the recording on a professional-grade video camera (no, I'm not filmed, we just tape the audio), is a really sweet guy. Luckily, my hubby was home this time to keep tabs on the kitty and make sure she didn't get into mischief which would have ruined the recording.

11) I renewed my Italian I.D. card. Belatedly.
Very belatedly.
As in, one year late.
Oops.
Upon my return home, I found this snail on my sidewalk.
Et tu, Snail?

12) I started sketching out ideas for my next project(s). Included among them are The Off Season (a sequel to 27 Stages) and an untitled novel (a sequel to Ask Me if I'm Happy)

13) Due to my efforts over the summer on my mother's exercise bike, my hubby and I decided to purchase a bike for me when we got home. We selected this one.
Unfortunately we've had some mechanical issues with it, so were trying to get those sorted out. Once we have, I'm hoping to get back to my twenty- and thirty-mile rides again.

Wish me luck!

And there you have them: Thirteen Things Which Have Been Keeping Me Busy!

I'm willing to bet we have some of these in common, right?

Because I know just about every one of you is a busy, busy bee.

And I know the reason most of you normally stop by here.

It's been a long summer, but I haven't forgotten. No way!

And as summer fades into autumn...

How about a little musical interlude?

Yeah, it's good to be back.

Ciao for now!

24 Comments

Thursday Thirteen: 13 Random Tasty Bits of Eyecandy

9/2/2012

22 Comments

Whoops! Time has gotten away from me, today - so I'm just going to have to throw together a quick Thursday Thirteen for y'all.

The reason I'm coming up short is that I've been writing and I've been watching the end of the Tour of Qatar stages every day. As a result, my scheduling has been a little wonky.

And so, this week, I shall present to you a few of my favorites, which I'm sure I've shared before, but I doubt you'll mind:

Thirteen Random Tasty Bits of Eyecandy

And a bonus one for contrast.

Ciao for now!

22 Comments

Thursday Thirteen - 13 (More) Frequently Misused/Confused Words

19/1/2012

7 Comments

It's that time of year again! The time of year when I dredge my memory and cull information from the internet to demonstrate the continuing abuse of the English language. So, for this week's Thursday Thirteen, permit me to share

13 (More) Frequently Misused/Confused Words

1) "Then" and "Than" - I covered this before, didn't I? No? Okay. "Then" denotes the placement of events in time (First this happened, then that did).

"Than" denotes preference of one thing over another (I'd rather drink a strawberry milkshake than a banana one).

Why is this important? See illustration below:

Not exactly ye olde "laff riot", eh?

2) Humorous and humerus - "Humorous" (or "Humourous") means something is funny. "Humerus" is the upper bone in your arm.
(Yes, I've seen this mistake a few times. Disturbing, isn't it?)

3) "A lot" and "Alot" - "A lot" means frequently or often.
"This has been happening a lot, lately, hasn't it?"

"Alot" does not exist.
(Although Hyperbole and a Half had a fantastic post on the subject.)

4) "Should have" and "Should of" - This is actually pretty simple to remember:
It's never "of".
You should have, would have, could have, and so on. Some folks think this confusion came from the sound of the spoken contraction: People saying "Should've", "Could've" and "Would've" sound like they are saying "of", but they're not. I beg you - stop doing this!

5) "Where" and "were" -
"Where" is a direction.
"Were" is the past-tense of "to be".

Shut the shutters, Ma! Storm's a comin'!

6) "Shutter" and "Shudder" -
A "shutter" is what you put over a window to protect it or to close it.

A "shudder" is like a shiver, an involuntary shaking of the body, usually happening when one is exposed to something unpleasant.

7) "Lose" and "Loose" -
If you "lose" something, you can't find it (so it's lost).

If it's "loose" you need to tighten it - or you will lose it.

8) "Pray" and "Prey" - To "pray" is to converse with your religious higher power, whatever it might be. Also, in older English, to "pray" is to ask something of someone else, often someone in a position of power, ex: "Pray, tell me what you know of my father's fate."

"Prey", however, is something which is being hunted, or the act of being hunted. "The mouse was the cat's prey."

9) "Advise" and "Advice" - As it happens, there's a reason those people who advise you on what courses to take are called 'Advisors' and not 'Advicers'.

"Advice" is what you give someone when you "Advise" them in regards to something.

10) "Stationary" and "Stationery" - "Stationary" is related to movement.
"He remained stationary while everything else bobbed and weaved chaotically around him."

"Stationery" relates to writing materials - paper, pens, envelopes and so on.

11) "Compliment" and "Complement" -
If someone says something nice to you, they've given you a "Compliment".

If something completes something else or enhances it to some degree, it is a "complement" to it.

12) "Affect" and "Effect" - To "Affect" refers to making a change in or influencing something else "I didn't want to affect the outcome of the competition, so I withdrew my entry from the judging".

An "Effect" is the resulting change in something which has been altered or acted upon. "The scent of ginger has an invigorating effect on many people."

A pallet.

13) "Palate", "palette" and "pallet" - The "palate" is the "roof" of your mouth, and is also a term related to flavors and how they are perceived.

The "palette" refers to either the board an artist mixes colors on or to a range of colors.

A "pallet" is a low bed or the wooden platforms items are transported on (also called "skids").

Okay, then. I sincerely hope this helps some of you today.

And no, I'm not saying I'm perfect. I make mistakes too.

I'm just doing my part to make the world a little more grammatically correct.

Now I'm going to kick back and do some editing, some writing, and then I'm going to relax.

In fact...

I just might see what's in the fridge.

Ciao for now!

7 Comments

A Week's Worth of Eyecandy

9/12/2011

1 Comment

Well, I promised some eyecandy for the ladies yesterday, since I didn't feel it appropriate with my Thursday Thirteen post on John Lennon.

In fact, I'll go one better and give you a whopping SEVEN pieces of candy, one for each day until the next Thursday Thirteen. How's that for customer service, eh?

So here you go, ladies! Enjoy!