:: September & October 2020 ::
In June my manager asked me if I
would be up for bringing a
diversity and inclusion learning
experience to all 56,000
employees and to do so by the
end of October. I started to cry. I
was overwhelmed.

I am the program manager for our
D&I learning experience but this
would be new and would be a BIG
HUGE lift.  But I also knew that
the time is now, there was
momentum and pull and this work
is critical in today's world.
Weeks of intense program
management, stakeholder
consultation, partnering with the
designer, deadlines, deliverables,
consultations and a million
iterations.
Finding peers who would want to
tell their stories, directing and
shooting videos - Zaven actually
did the editing and was offered a
freelance job with HP.

I came to Milan to insure that my
internet was stable. Our internet
in Zeccone is slow and crap - but I
can always hotspot 4G from my
phone if it drops. In Serole our
internet is fast (satellite)but if it
drops (random thunderstorms) I
am screwed because our phones
have zero connection. Milan Hilton
gave me my own wifi. Love them.

Yesterday the Reinventing
Inclusion Webcast launched with
my Human Resource colleagues.
Our organization can be critical, so
it was scary. My co facilitator is
our Chief Diversity Officer and I
love her. Our SVP was moved and  
teared up a little after the opening
video (my directoral vision was
realized ;) and Z's editing and
consultation paid off) and we were
off! I had to get up at 2.45 to
deliver for APJ later on- uff.

Only 22 more to do.
I am very proud of this work.

Low slung mask looks like a beard.
I hate wearing them. Who
doesn't. I would like to think of
mask wearing as another way of
determining IQ.

After my 4.00 AM webcast I was  
jacked on adrenaline and decided
to walk to the Duomo to watch
the sunrise. Early morning cities
are magical.

Zaven is on his way in to have a
celebratory lunch with me. Hurrah!

My heart is full.   

Milano, Italia
8-11 September 2020
The illusive Zaven making an
appearance for poke, Uniqlo and
Muji. Channeling Japanese and
Hawaiian (?) culture in Milan.

9 September 2020
Milano, Italia
Coffee with Lori Rinascente
Terrace. Exotic to meet with non
family. Normal. Not normal.

10 September 2020
Milano, Italia
Autumn has officially arrived to
Serole.
It had been sunny and warm
but today the rain arrived. A
hike to visit Omar's tree -
missing Baci - he used to walk
with me / us and up to the
picnic place. Being in Serole by
myself, much stronger
internet, so it is easier to
work, makes me wish I had a
dog for company and also to
keep me safe. I have been
dangerously perusing dog
adoption sites.
Maybe one will just show up
on my doorstep.

Beautiful hike, views and yoga
in between rain showers.

20 September 2020
Serole, Italy

Perfect little tomatoes from the
neighbors.




Shana Tova! Happy New Year!
My challah isn't beautiful -
didn't hold the braid, it was
whole wheat and tasted good.
Apples and pears from our
soon to be (December)
orchard. We will definitely cut
down many of the trees. Who
needs 12 Granny Smith trees,
plus they have not been taken
care of so the majority will
come down.

18 September 2020
I always get excited when it is
clear and I can see the Alps
from here.


30 September 2020

Beautiful days. Work. Work.
Workin' but taking breaks for
runs, walks, yoga, GJ and
goats.

Taking a break from work and
webcasts to spend the
weekend in Zeccone, missing
the boys and my other cat
family
Celebrating our 32nd
Anniversary
Covid style. No travel. No
crowds.

We went to Alba - waited in a
line to get into the city center -
counting heads, temperature
taking - total buzz-kill. We
walked in and walked out.
Drove the short drive to La
Morra - Barolo country - again
crowds. I popped into a store
and bought a lovely bottle of
wine and we found a nice spot
- away from the crowds - in a
vineyard and drank and looked
at the views. They were
harvesting - it's the
vendemmia -  tractors full of
grapes and crates waiting to be
picked up were all over. Usually
there are all kinds of harvest
festivals but not this year and
for the few that they are still
holding - well who wants to
wine taste with a mask on.

Our numbers are going up, like
most of Europe, people are
stupid. Everyone. Again. Just
stay at home.

I am still looking for a dog to
adopt. Soon. Soon.


10 October 2020
Views from my morning runs -
fog in the valley and slight
dusting on the Alps - Winter is
coming

October 2020
I had 6 webcasts this week and
3 of them were in the middle of
the night. Friday I slept 10
hours and took two naps on
Saturday. It was heaven. This is
one of them. Packed a picnic -
cheese and wine - park it on a
hill and look at the Alps...and
have a little snooze-a-loo.
17 October 2020