We are attracted by people who look like us

It was right about the time when a friend of mine started dating a girl who looked so like him you would think they are siblings that I asked myself if look-alikes attract better than the opposites.

Many times people fall in love with those who look just like them or in other cases they become alike after some years of marriage. First, let's see why we tend to like people who look like us?

It is very often that I hear people say how "opposites attract" and stay together, completing each other. But after years spent in observing married couples, I am not so sure we all want the opposite of us. It is more likely that we try to find a person who has the same passions and interests. And what about the looks? Why do we prefer someone resembling us? Researches always say that we tend to trust people who "mirror" us in looks and actions more.

So when I see my friend and his girlfriend together I can't help but say how cute and adorable they look together! He confesses that it's not just me. A lot of people think they look like as if they were made for each other.

However what I personally find more interesting is how couples that initially bore no particular resemblance to each other become alike after 20-30 years of marriage. The happier the couple the more there will be resemblance between them. Robert Zajonc, a psychologist from the University of Michigan, says the increase of facial similarity results from decades of shared emotions.

After analyzing pictures of a dozen of married couples, Dr. Zajonc concludes that after 25-30 years together those people looked very much alike. It could be also because they unconsciously "mirrored" each other's facial expressions, and that over the years sharing the same expressions shapes the face similarity. If your partner has a good sense of humour and laughs a lot, he or she will probably develop laugh lines around their mouth and eyes - and so will you.

Couples that look alike, when they first meet or maybe after some years are already like each other in their interests and personalities.

Intouchables

I think about loneliness. I think about our European society and its cast system. I think about how difficult it is to find someone who truly gets you. I think of how easy it is to lose people we love in just an instant...

I started thinking while I was still watching the "Intouchables" last night. I was thinking all night and all day today. The movie made me want to look deeper into our human nature.

The story isn't so original after all. We witness fairy tale plots everyday and they all look alike. But this one, could be because it is inspired by a true story, is very special and extraordinary. There are two main characters: Philippe and Driss. Philippe is a rich aristocrat, who is paralyzed physically and emotionally. Driss is a young black man who has just been to prison, paralyzed socially, if I may say so. Both unhappy, both looking for happiness, so different they were destined to meet and change each other's lives.

What makes Philippe and Driss become friends after all? Is their friendship even possible? These two extremes balance each other and in the balance they find new ways to see happiness, new ways to see life.

The first thing you notice is the social gap between Philippe and Driss. The first one is so full of money he buys a 40 thousand euro painting without thinking. The other one doesn't know what he's going to eat for dinner. You can feel this social gap with your every cell. How judgemental are Philippe's friends and even his daughter. For all of them, for this high society Driss is a miserable and a dangerous cockroach, plaguing their lives. Yet what they cannot see is the great humanity behind Driss's mask of a harsh man. True, he has no pity for Philippe and his handicap. No pity is the key to what is going to change their lives. Its acceptance of what they really are. Both paralyzed in their miserable lives, finding an escape, helping each other.

The film goes beyond all the social stereotypes and unveils the true face of the French society with all its problems. I have to say the political aspect of the movie has a lot of weight now in the view of the presidential elections in France. Does it also talk about the illegal immigration and its consequences? Surely it does. Does it show us the problems we have to balance within our society? Yes, it does. Do we really need to stop cataloguing people into casts? Do we need to have more compassion? I leave these questions for you to think about.

The problem of the french self-identity (social, cultural, political and religious) has been widely discussed in the past few years. Yes, the country is going through a deep crisis, while its important values are in great danger. While a film is only a film, it can also help us to dream. Especially because sometimes dreams come true.

Priority

The first time I came across this novel about 8-9 years ago in a library. It was when I took another issue of the Russian monthly magazine "Foreign literature". I was a university student at the time and did not have a lot of time for obsessive reading. But this was the case. I did not watch the time and was completely dissolved in the book. I felt I had a rare chance to travel through the time to a parallel reality, where only I could go. I spent the whole night reading and re-reading every line in the book. I imagined to live in Copenhagen - just like Delphine (the main character) - where I could see the four city towers. I could feel all the pain, inexplicable passion and delicacy the novel was transmitting. That night the book blazed up inside of me and kept on burning.

During all these years Delphine lived inside of me. I found myself using her words to speak and her eyes to look on the world. And I kept missing this incredible feeling the novel left in my heart. Some months ago I realized I had to re-read "Priority". A couple of days ago the book was delivered. As soon as I opened it and started reading the first lines I was dissolved in it again.

The storyline in the novel is very simple yet romantic. Two lonely strangers start writing letters to each other. This correspondence evolves with time: at first there is an almost imperceptible attraction growing into an electric tension growing into the feeling of euphoria and love. Two strangers living in different countries... what do they have in common?

Throughout the whole novel we percept that both Delphine and Jean-Luc are very delicate and gentle people with a very subtle view on the world. Every letter is filled with love to life and at the same time - melancholy and grief over life they are never going to have. They both have an amazing capacity of seeing art everywhere which makes their letters so weightless, almost unearthly. These two people are not living in the reality, and it makes us want to stay a little bit longer in their imaginary world.

There are colours everywhere in the novel: there is the grey of Copenhagen and the yellow of Cannes. They both imagine travelling together to Rome, Paris and Venice, finding their own place in every city. These travels are not so much romantic as they are erotic in their description.

You feel eroticism in every line of the novel, even when it seems there is none. The author Iselin Hermann fantasises of undressing Delphine with Jean-Luc's hands. She fantasises of having them together in the same hotel in Sweden: naked and passionate. Fantasies of love and sex so rare and subtle in their description you can hardly find anything similar in the modern prose.

What makes the novel so special? There is of course the sensual, erotic way of narration. But what makes us look in depth of the novel is the storyline itself and its characters. Who are they? We don't know anything about Delphine but it feels like we know her. She is honest and she's not hiding anything. But when it comes to Jean-Luc... who is he really? Is he a famous married artist or a simple post office employee? Maybe he is a lonely young man longing for love, thinking he is undeserving of it? Will Delphine be able to love him just as he is? Will she ever forgive him?

The end of the novel, like the novel itself if very well-thought. Hermann tears off the mask from this ephemeral correspondence of two complete strangers and shows us a harsh, cold reality. The kind of reality we don't want to know after having travelled through the fantasy land. And yet the author shows us the downside of reality, its worries and its grief. In the end we wish we could go back in time and have another happier ending for Delphine and Jean-Luc.

I highly recommend the novel to all men of any age. I recommend it to men in hope that they will understand the delicacy of the woman's soul. I hope they will understand how important it is not to break a woman's heart and her hopes.

Salvador Dalì will be visiting Rome

Salvador Dalí was a prominent Spanish Catalan surrealist painter born in Figueres, Spain.
Dalí was a skilled draftsman, best known for the striking and bizarre images in his surrealist work. His painterly skills are often attributed to the influence of Renaissance masters.
Dalí's expansive artistic repertoire includes film, sculpture, and photography, in collaboration with a range of artists in a variety of media.

Dalí was highly imaginative, and also had an affinity for partaking in unusual and grandiose behavior. His eccentric manner and attention-grabbing public actions sometimes drew more attention than his artwork to the dismay of those who held his work in high esteem and to the irritation of his critics.
The Salvador Dalì  exhibition investigates the artist's complex personality and multifaceted genius. Organised together with the Gala-Salvador Dalí Foundation the show adopts a novel approach, giving insight into some aspects of Salvador Dalí which have not been shown before. Light will be shed on an aspect that has so far been ignored by exhibitions and research into Dalí, which is his relationship with Italy.

The exhibition will focus on a selection of outstanding paintings, around which a series of other items, including objects, illustrations, and theatre and cinema costumes, will examine every aspect of the Spanish painter's activities. Documents, photographs, drawings, letters, projects, and objects will all document his journeys through Italy, and his inspirational encounters, like those with Anna Magnani and Luchino Visconti.

The exhibition brings together the figure of the artist and that of the man, giving a complete overview of the genius Salvador, who with his temperamental and biographical eccentricity managed to create a fascinating, intriguing universe of sculptural and literary images that are quite unparalleled.

Visit this fascinating exhibition: Complesso del Vittoriano, Piazza Venezia, Rome from March 9 until July, 1st 2012.

Oscars 2012 speak French

The 84th ceremony of the Academy Awards ended up with an absolute triumph of Michel Hazanavicious's the Artist. Clooney and Pitt went home empty-handed. And Martin Scorsese's Hugo Cabret took five Oscars, sharing this way the victory with the Artist.

The Artist took respectively five Awards, most of which were in the major categories: picture, leading actor (Jean Dujardin), director (Michel Hazanavicious), along with costume design and original score.
Martin Scorsese's Hugo in 3D won for art direction, cinematography, sounding editing, sound mixing and visual effects.

I can't but express my sincere admiration towards Meryl Streep who deservedly got her another Oscar for the best leading actress. And although the Iron Lady did not leave a strong impression on me as a movie, Meryl Streep with her incredible talent was impeccable as always. Another pleasant surprise was the best original screenplay Oscar for Woody Allen's Midnight in Paris. Very original, indeed!

And here we have our two main winners: the Artist and Hugo Cabret, both of which are fantasies set in about the same time (1920-1930s). Martin Scorsese takes on a trip to the very beginnings of the Hollywood, in 1895, which is an wonderful treat for all the lovers of true Hollywood. There is no doubt the two main Oscar-winning pictures are very different. While Michel Hazanavicious stakes on the acting and the original emotional power of the movie, Martin Scorsese creates a film that is not performance-centered. Hugo is rich and full of incredible special effects, which reminds us of another 3D picture, Avatar. Both movies, depending on technique, did not take the main Academy Awards.

Why do we love the Artist so much? I've already written this in my previous post: this picture took a very special place in my heart. It is different from everything we see in cinema these days. It could be that the director himself made this difference so clear. You understand that he is expressing his sincere and very personal view, not only of what he loves about movies or Hollywood, but about what he loves and values most in life. I think this is a precious, rare gift from the director. You can feel his impeccable style not only in costumes and behaviour, but in life. The Artist a gracious, witty and aesthetically beautiful picture.

In my opinion, the Artist can take a place in everyone's heart with all its elegance and style. It is particular as it opens the places in your soul that were hidden, the dark places. It penetrates you with its sincerity and fill you up with light and freshness. Artist is a dessert. And I am quite aware of the fact that there are a lot of critics out there who will not agree on this, saying that the black-and-white mute movie died in 1929. No, it did not. The mute movie lives, it will live inside of everyone, as a parallel world, another reality, another country. And I do advise you taking a ticket and travelling to this magic world of the modern black-and-white mute movie.

Leonardo's Lost Painting

"Savior of the World"

 A previously lost painting by Leonardo da Vinci – Salvator Mundi, or “Savior of the World” – has  been found and restored. It has been displayed at the London National Gallery, along with other works, for the Leonardo da Vinci: Painter at the Court of Milan exhibition, taking place from November 9, 2011 to February 5, 2012.

The painting has been authenticated by distinguished scholars in the United States and Europe.  It depicts Christ with his right hand raised in blessing and his left hand holding a globe. "Svior of the World" is painted in oil on a wood panel. 

Owners of this priceless work of art include, King Charles I, Charles II,  and Sir Francis Cook, a British collector who was apparently unaware that it was da Vinci’s work. The authentication process took a long time due to fact that the piece was damaged and over-painted. 

This painting is documented in the collection of King Charles I of England in 1649 before it was sold at auction by the Duke of Buckingham's son in 1763. It was purchased in 1900 by Sir Frederick Cook a British art dealer. Where the work had been stored between these dates is unknown however it is clear that several previous poor restoration attempts had made the painting very difficult to authenticate, it was sold at auction in 1958 for £45. 


 In 2005 the work was acquired by a consortium of US art dealers and restored. The   painting has since been studied by several experts on Da Vinci and the renaissance period, the consensus is that this work was painted by Leonardo da Vinci and is the original from which the many copies depend. In a bold move by the National Gallery they will be cataloging the painting as a newly discovered Leonardo.  

If you like Leonardo's works of art, please visit: www.ilgeniodavinci.com

The da Vinci Syndrome

Exposed to the public the first time in 1998 Bianca Sforza didn't receive as much attention as it should have. It happened at the Christie's auction in New York. No one knew either the name of the painting or the name of the artist. It was a simple picture on a parchment. The painting was then bought by an art lover Kate Ganz for her gallery in Canada (it cost her $21. 850) and was then sold to a private colleсtor Peter Silverman. When he first saw the painting he felt certain it was Leonardo's.

Buying a simple painting at the auction and then finding out it was one of Leonardo da Vinci's masterpieces worth millions of dollars is what every art lover dreams about.
Peter Silverman has asked a professional opinion of Martin Kemp, a world-known professor of history of art at Oxford University. Kemp was impressed himself. He has a lot to do with "Leonardo loonies" who believe naively to possess one of the masterpieces. But this was not the case. Martin Kemp felt instantly sure it was not a simple Renaissance portrait, it was the Leonardo and now he had to prove it to the world. With the help of Pascal Cotte of Lumiere Techonology in Paris Kemp was able to do the multispectral scanning with high resolution. He found out some elements which in his opinion belong purely to Leonardo's hand and style.

Who is the young woman portrayed in this picture? Kemp found out it was Bianca Sforza, an illegitimate daughter of Duca di Milano. In 1496 she married Galeazzo Sanseverino, the captain of Milan troops and a sponsor of Leonardo da Vinci. At the time of this portrait Bianca was 13-14 years old and she passed away tragically a few months later. It is possible that it was an extrauterine pregnancy to cause the death.

Where does the painting come from? Where does it belong? Kemp didn't know the answer. It was one of his colleagues from the University of South Florida, D.R. Edward Wright, who made a suggestion the painting had something to do with the book called La Sforziade.The book is kept at the Polish National Library in Warsaw. Once he opened the book the professor saw that one of its pages was torn and the painting was perfectly matching in the missing space. The book describes the marriage and the life of Bianca Sforza and the painting was used as her portrait inside of the book. It is possible that it was taken to Poland by one of her relatives who married a member of the Polish royal family.

Is it a real Leonardo? We don't know the answer yet. A lot of exams still have to be done, a lot of time will pass before we will know the answer. Martin Kemp is however does not change his opinion. He only waits for the day Biance Sforza, a beautiful princess, can be exposed in a museum where everyone can admire her precious beauty.

"Mona Lisa" revives in El Prado

Quantifying the number of all existing copies of Mona Lisa would be an impossible thing to do. It is however believed that the Prado Museum holds the most ancient copy of this sublime work of art. After a long period of restoration the copy was presented at the museum on February 1st. According to the scientists and the museum art experts the painting was created by one of Leonardo da Vinci's pupils around the same time Mona Lisa was done. The copy was evidently painted in the same workshop as the original, even though the Italian genius never even touched the canvas. The painting was found in one of the storehouses in Prado and was very dark initially. It took a lot of work to restore the whole painting and maintain its initial beauty and the enigmatic smile. "Mona Lisa of El Prado" will be exposed next to the original in the museum of Louvre for a temporary exhibition, starting from 26 of March 2012.

If you like Leonardo da Vinci's works of art please visit: www.ilgeniodavinci.com

The most romantic city in Italy

Arena di Verona

If you've already seen my post Things you must know when you plan your trip to Italy http://willseek.blogspot.com/2012/01/things-you-must-know-when-you-plan-your.html and want to visit Italia's gem Venezia, you must go and see Verona. Verona is only an hour and a half away from Venezia. I would suggest taking a couple of days to see it. You can take a train from Venezia: train trip will be a lot more comfortable and easier than driving all the way to Verona. 

Because of the value and importance of its many historical buildings, Verona has been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city preserved many ancient Roman monuments, which were mostly destroyed or heavily damaged by the earthquake of 3 January 1117, which led to a massive Romanesque rebuilding.

The Basilica of San Zeno Maggiore is one of the great achievements of Romanesque architecture . The present structure is the 3rd on this site, built from 1123–1135, over the 4th century shrine to Verona's patron saint, St. Zeno (died 380). 

Juliet's statue in bronze

When you visit Verona you cannot pass by Juliet's house. This building, originally dating back to the 12th century, was owned for a long period by the Dal Cappello family. Identification of the name Cappello with that of Capuleti began the popular belief - already widespread during the last century - that this was the home of Juliet, mythical heroine of the Shakespeare play, set in Scaligeri Verona. Its current appearance is the result of radical restoration work (1936-1940), during which the windows, gothic-style doorway and famous balcony were all added to the interior facade.

Inside the house are furnishings from the 16th-17th centuries, frescoes, and paintings - all relating to the story of Romeo and Juliet - as well as Renaissance ceramics from Verona. A bronze statue of Juliet by sculptor Nereo Costantini stands in the courtyard.

But above all, the real gem and the best memory of Verona will be its famous Arena.  The building itself was built in AD 30 on a site which was then beyond the city walls. 

Juliet's balcony

Already in ancient times the Arena was famous for its shows and games and attracted people from other regions as well. The amphitheatre could host more than 30,000 spectators.  Every year over 500,000 people see productions of the popular operas in this arena. Once capable of housing 20,000 patrons per performance (now limited to 15,000 because of safety reasons), the arena 

has featured many of world's most notable opera singers. 

I visited Verona only once in August of 2007 and I must say that Giuseppe Verdi's Aida in the Arena of Verona was the most striking experience of the whole trip. 

Watching an opera in the open-air Roman Arena, with the bright August stars above your head and seeing thousands of people holding candles during the performance will be the most romantic memory you will have of Italy. And the city of Verona with the gems like Juliet's house and the Arena will remain forever in your heart.

For more information on the performances visit: http://www.arena.it/en-US/HOMEen.html

Memory magic

Brad Williams

Do you remember every day in your life? Would you like to have that kind of memory or there are some moments you would like to forget? What if you and I, we all, could remember each detail of our life, its every single day? Brad Williams, a mnemonist, can remember it all! 

"Since I was three years old I could remember every day from my life. I remember where I was and what I was doing, what was on the news. I don't have any particular method of memorizing. If you ask me what I was eating 10 years ago for breakfast I can tell you that precisely."

Give Brad Williams a date, and he can usually tell you not only what he was doing but what world events happened that day. He can do this for almost every day of his life.

Williams is one of only three people in the world identified with this off-the-charts autobiographical memory, according to researchers at the University of California-Irvine who gave the condition its name: hyperthymestic syndrome, from the Greek words for excessive (hyper) and remembering (thymesis).

The California researchers are studying Williams and the two others with hyperthymestic syndrome, a man in Ohio and woman in California, hoping to gain new insights into how a superior memory works.

The goal of the study is to find a way to help people with failing memory.

However Williams himself didn't think he was special at all. "I always thought everyone could remember everything". Maybe we will be able one day... 

Can you really change your life?

You've all probably heard a lot about the old Buddhist say: "Change your mind and your life will change". But do you believe in it? Have you tried to change  your life by taking a positive attitude? Let's try to be honest: it's not easy, not everyone is mentally ready for a change. 

Positive attitude can change your life. It requires a lot of hard work from you, as it is an ongoing process. When you have a positive thinking mindset you automatically have positive thoughts and you continually recite positive affirmations. Your positive affirmations bring you positive emotions and you feel happy and content with your life. This way you bring into your life happiness, health and success. Sounds easy, not so easy on practice. 


Before you start,  do not forget that positive thinking should be a life-changing process. Start in the morning, wake up and say thank you for things in life you already have. Don't think about what you're missing. You have it all, it just takes time to arrive to you. During the day ask yourself if your thoughts are positive or negative. Think of what you want now. Is it money, love, family, health? Take your time and think about it. What is it that you want? 
As soon as you know the answer, tell yourself you already have it. Embrace the joy of being healthy, having money and a happy relationship. Feel good when you think about it. Think of all the things you could do if you had it. Imagine you are already there. Tell yourself that you are loved, that you are healthy, that you are rich.


You will have it all. You deserve to have it all. Just open your mind to the Universe and send your message. The Universe is a living being and we make a part of it. You and I, we all are connected to this common intelligence. Don't lose the connection. Feel happy today!

A must-see when you visit Rome: Transfiguration

The Transfiguration is considered the last painting by the Italian High Renaissance master Raffaello Sanzio.

This painting was created by Raffaello and was believed to express a connection between God and his people.

The Transfiguration was created in 1516 and is another high end altarpiece. It was commissioned by Cardinal Giulio de Medici who was made arch bishop of Narbon and became Pope Clement VII.

Following Raffaello's premature death in 1520, the cardinal retained the picture rather than send it to France. He subsequently donated it to the church of San Pietro in Montorio, Rome. It was taken by French troops to Paris in 1797, but after 1815 it was brought to the Vatican, to its present location.

A mosaic copy of the painting was installed in St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican City in 1774.

The composition of the Transfiguration is divided into two distinct parts: the Miracle of the Possessed Boy on a lower level; and the Transfiguration of Christ on Mount Tabor, in the background. The transfigured Christ floats in an aura of light and clouds above the hill, accompanied by Moses and Elijah. Below, on the ground, are his disciples. Some are dazzled by the light of glory, others are in prayer. The gestures of the crowd beholding at the miracle link the two parts together: the raised hands of the crowd converge toward the figure of Christ. In this very grand composition Raffaello has summed up all the elements present in the best of contemporary painting, including references to classical antiquity, Leonardo da Vinci (without doubt based on his recall of impressions garnered during his stay in Florence) and - not without a certain narcissism - himself. The works set the stage (just as surely as Michelangelo's Doni Tondo) for Mannerism.

This is Raffaello's last painting and appears as the spiritual testament of the artist. The work is considered in his biography, written by the famous artist and biographer of the 16th century, Giorgio Vasari, "the most famous, the most beautiful and most divine".
The picture is now housed in the Pinacoteca Vaticana of the Vatican Museum in the Vatican City.

Visit the Vatican Museum:

Viale Vaticano, 00165  Rome

Info: tel. 0039 06 69884676 - 0039 06 69883145

the world's genius turnes down a million dollar prize

"I don’t want to be on display like an animal in a zoo. I’m not a hero of mathematics. I’m not even that successful. That is why I don’t want to have everybody looking at me", - says Grigori Perelman, probably the world's greatest mathematician, who lives in Saint-Petersburg with his mother.

He worked out a solution to one of the seven great unsolved mathematical problems, the Poincaré conjecture, in 2002 - almost a century after it was first posed, and just two years after the Clay Mathematics Institute offered a one-million-dollar prize for its solution. It was a magnificent achievement. Honours, cash, offers of world lecture tours and lucrative teaching posts were hurled at the Russian theorist. But Perelman turned down the Fields medal, the mathematical world's equivalent of a Nobel prize. What was even more astonishing was that he turned down a million of dollars that the Clay Institute wanted to give him for his work. 
One of my friends admires him so much, he said this was such a rare gesture it is almost impossible to believe it.

Grigori Perelman is now 45 (he was born on June 13th 1966). Ever since he was a child he was obsessed with mathematics. He turned down a scholarship to study in the United States and he graduated in Leningrad (now Saint-Petersburg). Since the begginning of the 1990's he worked at the prestigious Institute of Mathematics named after Steklov in Saint-Petersburg.
Now, he has given up his job as mathematician and has no contact with media at all. He lives in his own fragile world, filled with books and his manuscripts.

Some might argue that monetary awards for mathematical work are inappropriate, or that the Poincaré Conjecture is of little practical value and not worth the one-million-dollar prize. But do we owe respect to him? Yes, and not only as a mathematician. We must respect his gesture, a rare gesture in the world where money decides everything.

Has Neil Armstrong ever been to the Moon?

the flag waving

To the Moon and back. But has he really been there or did we witness the biggest lie ever?

There are many secrets that regard the famous Area 51, cituated in the state of Nevada (USA). Some people believe that alien spaceships land there, others believe in a secret military project against Russia. What seems more frigtnening to you: aliens or the 3rd world war?

American giornalist of the Los Angeles Times, Annie Jacobsen, reveals some of the secrets in her book Area 51. I've read a review on the book in il Venerdi di Repubblica of 20 jan. 2012. It made me think of all the secrets that have been kept from us for decades. There are certain things we all have a right to know. Things that could probably change our history, our culture and science. If we knew what happens there, we would not be so scared.

shadows not matching

One of the most popular myths associated with Area 51 is that Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin never went to the Moon. It was a part of the Cold War game where Americans had to upstage the Soviet Union that has already sent the first man in space (Yuri Gagarin). There is a version that the video was filmed at the Nevada's Area 51. If you look closely at the photographs, you can see that some of the shadows do not match up.
The flags wave when there is no air. There are no blast craters under the lunar landers. It is believed that Stanley Kubrick, a master filmmaker, created this "make-believe" film.

In 2002, with the cooperation of Kubrick's surviving family, the French film maker William Karel (after initially planning a straight documentary on Stanley Kubrick) directed a hoax mockumentary about Kubrick and the NASA moon landing entitled Dark Side of the Moon. The film purported to demonstrate that the NASA moon landings had been faked and that the moon landing footage had been directed by Stanley Kubrick during the production of 2001: A Space Odyssey. In spite of clues that the film is a news parody, some test audiences believed the film to be sincere, including at least one believer in the moon landing conspiracy.

The first mission to the Moon was not an easy challenge for NASA. They knew already in 1961 that going to the Moon would be impossible, also because of the Van Allen radiation, that would simply kill them.  But there was too much money involved and so they had to fake it...

Things you must know when you plan your trip to Italy

Colosseo, Rome

A lot of my friends have been asking me about Italy and places they could visit. They made me lots of questions about best places to visit and climate and people.  I will try to sum up all the most interesting facts here.

First of all, when going to Italy, you have to have a clear idea of why you are going: sightseeing, beach time or shopping. Trust me you won't have time to do all these three things in only a couple of weeks. You'll be exhausted and your memories will be blurred.

Capri

Then I would never suggest going sightseeing in summer: too humid and too hot, which is not the best combination for most of the people. Summer is excellent for some great beach time, renting a yacht and late night dinners with your Italian friends.

If you have not been feeling well and have been having heart issues, I would suggest taking advice from your practician before you leave.  My mother has been having high blood pressure and heat never makes her feel better. So, go to your doctor and don't forget your pills. And if you don't feel well, you should know that all Italian drugstores offer their free help in measuring your pressure at any time.

Best places for the beach time: 

• Capri
• Sorrento
• Amalfi/Positano
• north of Sadregna
• Isle of Elba
• Sicily
• Toscana
• Calabria

The most remarkable places for sightseeing:

Naples

• Rome, again Rome and the Vatican. I can never get enough of this city. It's so filled with culture and history, one of the most romantic and beautiful cities in the world.
• Venice. Even if I'm not such a big fan of Venice, I would still recommend you to go there, even for a day. Actually, one-two day trip will be more than enough.
• Naples. Now I know what you've probably heard about it... Naples is magic. You must see it and feel the envy for those who live there and can see this magic scenery every morning. Do you have your window overlooking the Vesuvio, Capri, Ischia and Sorrento at the same time? If you do go to Naples, don't forget to visit the Statue of Veiled Christ (see my post: the most beautiful statue in the world)
• Pompei. Let's just say it: you go to Italy and don't see Pompei? Ridiculous!
• Florence and Vinci. Because we all love and admire Leonardo da Vinci! See more about Leonardo da Vinci at www.ilgeniodavinci.com
• Verona. Go to see the Juilette's house and an opera in Arena. It is magic and you will always refer to Verona as the most romantic city in Italy.
• Small cities make you the impression of the real Italy, so do not miss that chance. Rent a car and drive on! 

So, if you need to go shopping and bring yourself some made-in-italy clothes, go straight to Milano or Rome. Both cities are ideal for luxe shopping. You'll surely have a wonderful time sitting in their fancy restaurants, showing off your fancy clothes.

You should keep in your mind one very important thing: supermarkets and shops close at 12.30 - 1 p.m. and they do not open until 4 - 4.30 pm. We have our own siesta. You should also remember that restaurants do not open until 7 p.m. for dinner. A lot of Russians complain about that, as in Russia we can normally have lunch and dinner at any time you want. 

Venice

Stay away from people talking you into something. Especially if it's a big city, like Rome, Venice or Naples. They can steal your purse, your watch, etc. Well, that happens in all the countries, but still, be prepared.

When I first travelled to Rome I had a very unpleasant accident with my credit card. It was cloned and someone left me without one thousand euro. Unpleasant, but now I can teach you. Remember this one: if you need to get some cash do NOT use an ATM that's in the street. If you find one inside of the bank it's much safer and you won't have to repeat my mistakes.

Taxies are really expensive. Find a way to rent a car. This way you'll be your own master. But be careful when you're driving - Italians are crazy drivers!

I hope this was a helpful information. Contact me if there is something I could help you with. Have a great time in Italy!

Laws of Attraction

Have you ever asked yourself why you're in love with this particular person? 
An anthropologist and writer, Helen Fisher,  says that there's all kinds of reasons that you fall in love with one person rather than another. Timing is important. Proximity is important. Mystery is important. You fall in love with somebody who's somewhat mysterious, in part because mystery elevates dopamine in the brain, probably pushes you over that threshold to fall in love. You fall in love with somebody who fits within what I call your "love map," an unconscious list of traits that you build in childhood as you grow up. And I also think that you gravitate to certain people, actually, with somewhat complementary brain systems. And that's what I'm now contributing to this.

It's true, we fall in love with people who resemble us. We have to have the same tastes and views, same interests and goals. However, the laws of attraction between men and women are not so easy. Only few couples live happily every after. Those who felt mutual attraction and love. These couples are stable and experience deep emotional attachment throughout the whole life.

As for the others? The majority of people do not end up with the right person. They feel attracted to someone unattainable, someone who doesn't respond to their feelings. It is very common, indeed, to see couples where one is trying to reach out for the other.

We all have experienced this feeling. We all had a school sweetheart who never looked our way and still we felt madly in love with him. Some of us still experience this feeling to a partner, even a spouse.
The reason for this unreasonable attraction may be our brain, that sees this person as a perfect partner.

There is no good explanation to why you choose a person who doesn't love you back. This person can be undeserving and below your own level. This person can humiliate you in public and laugh at you, but this will not stop you from loving him.

But in the years I have developed my personal idea on the subject. If you love someone and he doesn't love you back, he is not worth your time and energy. You probably like the idea of possessing this person, so unattainable and yet undeserving. Probably it is your ego, your primitive nature trying to conquer a new territory. Try not to rush. Stop and wait. Wait for the right one to come.

Are you likely to suffer the post-partum depression?

You've just had a wonderful baby. Exactly what you were dreaming about for months or maybe years. But you still feel that something is off. What is it? Are you suffering from the post-partum depression? What is the best cure?
You are not alone. Some 80% of women experience some mood disturbances after pregnancy. They feel upset, alone, afraid and unloving to their baby and above all they feel guilty for feeling all of these feelings.
Childbirth is a time of great change for a woman. The adjustment to these changes can contribute to depression. 

• Physical changes after delivery
• Many changes occur after delivery, including changes in muscle tone and difficulty losing weight. 
• A lot of women are simply tired after giving birth
• You may feel soreness and even pain weeks after your delivery. Physical recovery after cesarean delivery may take even longer than after vaginal delivery
• Some women feel guilty after a C-section, telling themselves that their baby was left alone (it was the main reason for my post-partum depression)
• changes in hormons can cause mood swings

There are however certain women who in a short period of time tend to adapt to these changes and recover. In a few weeks they feel happier and more stable emotionally. Now, in my opinion this depends a lot on what you were expecting from your delivery. Some women plan to stay home babysitting and taking care of the house. The routine does not scare them and does not make them unhappy.
I was not among these women. I had to force myself to like the way my life was after my baby was born. It was so routine I felt I had no air and this had nothing to do with my baby. If you are among those women who before their pregnancy never stayed home and never liked routine, you might find it very difficult to adapt.. Unless, you start bringing something more creative to your day. Maybe you could do a part of your work during your baby's sleep. When you have a couple of hours for yourself to do what you like to do most, it will let you be more open emonionally towards your baby.
You will stop feeling guilty if you face the problem and tell yourself that you are not alone. There are hundreds of thousands of women just like you. Let's help each other and embrace the joy of being a mother... with a strong personality.

C-SECTION FACTS

Giving birth to your baby may be the most beautiful and unforgettable experience in your life, especially if you prepare for it before your term.
I was preparing myself for the natural vaginal birth with my baby, however I had to do the c-section due to certain conditions. I was traumatized at the thought of not being able to give birth naturally and thought of how much easier it would be if  I knew how c-section worked and what the real risks were.
The Surgery:
There are multiple layers that your surgeon must go through before reaching the baby. All in all from the start of surgery, until the birth of your baby is about 5-10 minutes. The doctor will use a combination of sharp instruments and blunt dissection as s/he goes through each layer. You may also hear whirring noises as a machine is used to caterize or burn small blood vessels to prevent bleeding. When the doctor reaches the uterus, you will also hear suctioning. After cutting through the uterus, the amniotic fluid will be suctioned away to make a bit more room in the uterus for the doctor's hands or instruments such as forceps or a vacuum extractor. Your baby is usually engaged in the pelvis, usually head down, but perhaps rear first or breech. Whatever part has entered the pelvis will be lifted out by the doctors. You may feel pressure at this point and some women report feeling nauseated during this intense, but brief moment. Once the head is out, your doctor will suction the baby's nose and mouth for fluids. In a vaginal birth these are normally squeezed out by labor and birth. In a cesarean birth, the baby needs some extra help getting rid of these fluids. If meconium is present there may be extra suctioning required.
However, before you consider the C-section for your baby's birth, you should also weigh the risks.   Cesarean birth is major surgery, and, as with other surgical procedures, risks are involved. The estimated risk of a woman dying after a cesarean birth is less than one in 2,500 (the risk of death after a vaginal birth is less than one in 10,000). There are normally serious medical indications leading you to c-section:

• prolonged labour
• fetal distress
• uterine rupture
• hypertension
• tachycardia
• placental problems
• failed labour induction
• overly large baby
• umbilical cord abnormalitie, etc.

Risks for mother include:

• Infection. The uterus or nearby pelvic organs such as the bladder or kidneys can become infected.
• Increased blood loss. Blood loss on the average is about twice as much with cesarean birth as with vaginal birth. However, blood transfusions are rarely needed during a cesarean.
• Decreased bowel function. The bowel sometimes slows down for several days after surgery, resulting in distention, bloating and discomfort.
• Respiratory complications. General anesthesia can sometimes lead to pneumonia.
• Longer hospital stay and recovery time. Three to five days in the hospital is the common length of stay, whereas it is less than one to three days for a vaginal birth.
• Reactions to anesthesia. The mother's health could be endangered by unexpected responses (such as blood pressure that drops quickly) to anesthesia or other medications during the surgery.
• Risk of additional surgeries. For example, hysterectomy, bladder repair, etc.
• Risk of adhesions.
• Risk to future fertility and babies. 
• Risk that future births will have to be surgical 
• Maternal death (very rare)

Risks for the baby:

•  Higher infant mortality risk: in c-sections which are performed with no indicated risk (singleton at full term in a head-down position), the risk of death in the first 28 days of life has been cited as 1.77 per 1,000 live births among women who had c-sections, compared to 0.62 per 1,000 for women who delivered vaginally
•  Wet lung: retention of fluid in the lungs can occur if not expelled by the pressure of contractions during labor
• Potential for early delivery and complications: Pre-term delivery is possible if due date calculation is inaccurate. One study found an increased risk of complications if a repeat elective Caesarean section is performed even a few days before the recommended 39 weeks

As for the anaesthesia, it is common to use the epidural or spinal anaesthesia during the c-section. Advantages of regional anesthesia include the absence of typical risks of general anesthesia: pulmonary aspiration of gastric contents and oesophageal intubation. Regional anaesthesia is used in 95% of deliveries, with spinal and combined spinal and epidural anaesthesia being the most commonly used regional techniques in scheduled Caesarean section.

the most beautiful statue in the world!

Placed at the centre of the nave of the Sansevero Chapel, the Veiled Christ is one of the most famous and impressive works of art in the world. It was the Prince’s wish that the statue be made by Antonio Corradini, who had already done Modesty for him. However, Corradini died in 1752 and only managed to make a terracotta scale model of the Christ, which is now preserved in the Museo di San Martino.

So Raimondo di Sangro appointed a young Neapolitan artist, Giuseppe Sanmartino, to make “a life-sized marble statue, representing Our Lord Jesus Christ dead, and covered in a transparent shroud carved from the same block as the statue”. 

Sanmartino paid little heed to the previous scale model made by the Venetian sculptor. Both in Modesty, and in the Veiled Christ, the original stylistic message is in the veil, but Sanmartino’s late baroque feeling and sentiment permeate the shroud with a movement and a meaning far removed from Corradini’s rules. The modern sensitivity of the artist sculpts and divests the lifeless body of its flesh, which the soft shroud mercifully covers, on which the tormented, writhing rhythms of the folds of the veil engrave deep suffering, almost as if the compassionate covering made the poor limbs still more naked and exposed, and the lines of the tortured body even more inexorable and precise.

The swollen vein still pulsating on the forehead, the wounds of the nails on the feet and on the thin hands, and the sunken side finally relaxed in the freedom of death are a sign of an intense search which has no time for preciosity or scholastic canons, even when the sculptor meticulously “embroiders” the edges of the shroud or focuses on the instruments of the Passion placed at the feet of Christ. Sanmartino’s art here becomes a dramatic evocation, that turns the suffering of Christ into the symbol of the destiny and redemption of all humanity.

Visit the Museum:

Museo Cappella Sansevero
Via Francesco De Sanctis, 19/21
80134 – Naples, Italy

Tel./fax: +39 081.5518470