Wednesday, August 16, 2006
Everyday should be a holiday...
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this song made me smile this morning on my way in to work. Yesterday tickets went on sale (Jack's Mannequin) and I snagged 2 for the September 2nd Hartford show, so I can take my younger son. The Hush Sound is the headliner, I can't wait.
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ok so driving into work today I saw something very interesting. There had been some sort of accident (on the other side of Rte 91 just outside Springfield before the 391 Merge). Not only was there a cruiser pulled over behind the unfortunate parties BUT this big ass Insurance Adjuster van, with some cheesy logo on the side. Is this a sign of what is to come? When you get in an accident you call not only the police, but your insurance company and the two arrive within minutes of one another? Hm.... the times, they are a changin' I guess.
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Shite! I forgot it's Way back Wednesday.. I'm so not prepared.. well here's a picture of Great Grandmother Giuseppa Marciano (1889-1947) from her 1920 Passport..

would you believe she was only 31 in that photo? Evidently the life of la sicilianu back then was rough. She was coming to America to marry her 1st cousin Antonino (her father and his mother were full siblings). What is even more bizarre is that Giuseppa herself was the product of First cousins, which were related to her future husband yet again in another way. Jeesh...and it's a wonder my grandmother came out with two arms and two legs, although she was like 4' 11 and riddled with medical problems her entire life. Plus she was a strega from hell. Opps, never speak ill of the dead. I can envision it, she's so up there (or maybe down there given her sordid past) giving me the Mal'òcchiu (sicilian evil eye curse).

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7 Comments:
Blogger Sandouri Dean Bey said...
strega hearkens back to the colonies of magna graecia in sicily and southern italy. it comes from "striggla" which in ancient greek mythology referred to a malevolent witch. the word survives in modern greek.

my father said that when he was a kid, he was afraid to go up into the balcony of the old movie house where his mother took him to see snow white because he thought the striggla (the witch in the story) was going to get him.

Blogger The Persian said...
fascinating Dean, my great grandmother had Greek ancestry or what is called Arberesh (Albanian-Greeks who settled in Sicily and some parts of Italy in the 15th & 16th Century, yet retaining their launguage and tradition almost to present day) One of her ancestors Mattea Norcia was from "Plane Grecorum" in the records and at other times "di Hellada".

That was a cute story thanks for sharing it.

Blogger Kalv1n said...
The picture does seem to have an intensity that is simultaneously sweet. Maybe that's what was passed on. ;)

There's a book, the Stone Boudoir, kind of a peasant history of Sicily. It's a magnificent book. I recommend it to you. Stregheria..I was invited to a stregheria outreach party once. I didn't go. It might have been fun. I think the guy was interested in me too. I hate those "might have beens".

Blogger madamerouge said...
Here's me putting a curse on someone.

Blogger Monogram Queen said...
this brings back memories of my best friend's grandma, she always called me "Patrizia" and was a big believer in the evil eye!

Blogger JM said...
andy,
ma tu parli italiano?
sei gia stato in sicilia?
jm di parigi ma pure siculo ;-)
jm