As suggested by Prof. Bogliolo, here’s the press release that explains our participation in his computer science course. This is going to be fun! I say “our” because I mean WAKE UP MADISON – ITALY IS CALLING!!!!!!
Hee hee!
I’m at work now (don’t tell!), so I’ll leave you for now! Here is the link to the PDF file. Reality Show Press Release
Man – it’s been too long since I last wrote! It’s been really busy here. First let me catch you up.
As I said a while ago, I started working for a company (can’t say the name!) on a web-radio project here in Madison, Wisconsin. I started on September 2, already almost a month ago! First impressions? Nice building, friendly people. Lot’s of space. You can really tell that it’s new. There are two of us working on the project, me and my supervisor. He’s a really nice guy, we have lunch together often. It’s great because there’s a bar very close to our office. Actually, it’s not a bar, as they don’t serve alcohol! They call it a cafeteria, but it’s not part of our business – it serves a number of businesses in the area. Kind of like a diner. They make good sandwiches which is important. Cultural note number 1: lunch is from 12:30 to 1:30. We have to “punch in and punch out” with cards like a bank card. Actually, we “swipe” the cards, but the expression they use here remains from when the employee time machines made a hole in a paper card (“punching”). My supervisor told me this the first week. We “clock” a 40-hour week, and get paid over-time for all work we do above that. My supervisor is responsible for the project development, so he has to make sure we’re on schedule, this requires a lot of overtime, but I’m learning alot!
I haven’t met everybody at work yet, there are people in accounting and payrole that I haven’t met. They gave me a brief tour of the company, but I’ll be honest, it’s alot to remember. Anyway – the people in my department (research and development) are pretty nice. It’s also a relatively international group, with me from Italy, a programmer from India, a technician from china (who’s also finishing a doctorate at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and an Irish guy who is in charge of testing. It’s really nice, because everyone here knows what it’s like to be from another country, or has worked closely with people from another country, so I get lots of help and advice.
My supervisor (I can’t reveal his name, but we can call him Frank) has told me that this area of the United States had a lot of Scandinavian immigration in the late 18th and 19th centuries – which has influenced the accent and culture. The general Wisconsin accent (as far as I have heard) is really clean and easy to understand. It reminds me of the accent uses in Halifax, Nova Scotia (where mum is from).
I’ve also heard that there was an article in the newspaper regarding Professor Bogliolo’s use of my blog in his course teaching! We’ll be famous! Heh heh. This is really cool, I’ve already got a comment from Ilaria from the Economics Faculty in Urbino. Hi Ilaria! Thanks for the comment! I am really enjoying my stay in the US (although I haven’t found Salmo pond yet). I’m also happy to answer any questions you have or tell you anything I can about this experience! Oh yeah, I almost forgot, Big Brothe (Prof. Bogliolo), could you send me a copy of the article? I’ll post it! That reminds me! I think I’ve convinced my coffee friend Kate to enrol in the Urbino CS on-line course. Prof. Bogliolo could put her to work, I’m sure! I haven’t found out whether she’s enrolled yet or not. So, we’re all one bit international family! Feel like putting in your two cents? Comment please!
Today’s idiomatic expression is: “to put in your two cents” – it means to contribute your opinion to a discussion.
That’s all for now – I’ve got to get back to work!
Whew! Busy week! I started my job on September 4th – as the 3rd was labour day. Labour day is the workers holiday in the United States, but I don’t think it has the same connotation in the US that is has in Italy. Here’s what I found about it on Wikipedia:
Labor Day has been celebrated on the first Monday in September in the United States since the 1880s. The form that the observance and celebration of Labor Day should take were outlined in the first proposal of the holiday — a street parade to exhibit to the public “the strength and esprit de corps of the trade and labor organizations” of the community, followed by a festival for the recreation and amusement of the workers and their families. This became the pattern for the celebrations of Labor Day. Speeches by prominent men and women were introduced later, as more emphasis was placed upon the economic and civic significance of the holiday. Still later, by a resolution of the American Federation of Labor convention of 1909, the Sunday preceding Labor Day was adopted as Labor Sunday and dedicated to the spiritual and educational aspects of the labor movement.
Today Labor Day is often regarded simply as a day of rest and, compared to the May 1 Labor Day celebrations in most countries, parades, speeches or political demonstrations are more low-key, although especially in election years, events held by labor organizations often feature political themes and appearances by candidates for office. Forms of celebration include picnics, barbecues, fireworks displays, water sports, and public art events. Families with school-age children take it as the last chance to travel before the end of summer. Some teenagers and young adults view it as the last weekend for parties before returning to school. However, of late, schools have begun well before Labor Day, as early as the 24th of July in many urban districts, including Nashville and Atlanta. In addition, Labor Day marks the beginning of the season for the National Football League and NCAA College Football. The NCAA usually plays their first games the weekend of Labor day, with the NFL playing their first game the Thursday following Labor Day.
I didn’t do much of anything myself, but I did go back down to the lake again which was nice. I saw on Dane101 that there’s a place called Salmo pond that is great for swimming, so sometime I’d like to get out there, but it’s a bit far.
Saturday, however, I went to the High Noon Saloon on the corner of East Washington street and S. Blount St. (not too far from where I live) to listen to live music. There was a band called Numbers, and some other bands. Not a bad show. Numbers was kind of like a cross between the B-52’s and punk. Fun. They complemented one of the other bands pretty well too – Thieves on Holiday – again – punk alternative garage type stuff with a decent female singer.
Here’s a couple of pictures of the place:
On Saturday at 9:30 they have a CD release party for a band called Flameshark – I looked at their website, and they seem pretty good. I’ll probably go. It’s important to establish your pub – right!?
Also, and much fun, I met Kate! She reached me through Facebook and we met at Mother Fools for coffee. This is a music/coffee shop – big coffee! Kate – it was great to finally meet you! It’s nice to put a face to the name! The coffee was good too. I probably babbled too much about computer stuff and the on-line course in Urbino that my blog is being used for. Anybody want to register for Computer Science on-line at Urbino? There will be a heavy Madison Wisconsin content!!!! The link is: e-learning.sti.uniurb.it .
Registration closes October 5th.
Well, that’s enough for now – I’ll write about my first week at work later. I had a nice interview with my department director – nice guy. People seem very friendly here, if a bit reserved.
Today’s expression is: “he’s not playing with a full deck” – it means that a person does not have all of their mental faculties. The word deck refers to a deck of playing cards – like for 3-7 or scopa – but they use the English cards (2-10 JQKA).
Later taters (I heard that at the High Noon – it means bye! Taters are potatoes)
Wow – I love it here! There’s a lot to do, and great balance of city and nature. I’ve been going to the lake alot, and eating! Heh heh – nachos! Kate, you’re right – you too could be part of big brother land! So correct eeenglish only pleese! Heh heh – joking. I was thinking about Prof. Bogliolo’s proposal the other day – and I suppose I had better pack this blog with idiomatic expressions. That could be a fun bit of research for me.
Today’s expression is: “It’s just like shooting fish in a barrel!” – meaning, something is very easy. I’ve never actually tried this, mostly because it’s hard to get the fish into the barrel! Ha ha. No – I don’t even own a gun!
At any rate, Kate – if you ever want to avoid public space, you can look me up on Facebook. I will accept you as a “friend” – and we can arrange to have coffee! You can find me under Roberto Tousa (to USA – get it! ha ha! – I’m so brilliant it hurts). Anyway – I look forward to meeting you, and can tell you more about Urbino Computer Science – and, if you’re interested, the fantastic untamed world of web-radio! WWOZ! (station out of New Orleans that I listen to for on-line blues).
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