L'Uovo di Colombo

Blog n.51!!! Beginning of a New Era?

How I came to a brilliant but obvious solution.
I was inspired by Cristoforo Colombo, whose reputation is now slightly tarnished, but his problem solving technique of finding an unexpectedly simple solution to a problem that seemed impossible is still a good one.

Colombo breaks the egg by William Hogarth

You can read the "real" story of the egg at the bottom of this page. I don't have an egg issue (had 2 this morning at breakfast though!!) but a life issue. To stop (working) or not to stop? Someone may remember that in my previous blog I said that I now want to live by choice rather than by habits. True. Not always easy though!

I finally chose to continue working, but not totally. Not as before! I want to have more time to play/read/wander around. But no, I can't let go of all the work I have done and, yes, the passion for this land is still there. If only I could avoid learning about the too many horrible things that humankind is doing to destroy it...but let's keep smiling for the time being, okay?!!

And here comes the egg!

I need someone to complement me in my work! (Merriam-Webster:  something that fills up, completes, or makes perfect) Exactly!

Someone with experience, with an independent spirit like mine, who is enthusiastic about life in general.

Bang! The egg hit my mind and I called her. Deal! We have a plan and we know how to share the work.

The new Seven Directions is called (changes may occur, check the website in a month!)

SEVEN DIRECTIONS | Travel Consultant

Hand Made Travel Concepts and Programs 

Personally Crafted by Patrizia (beautiful photo!)

Turnkey programs are provided in conjunction with an established travel agency.

The big change is that I feel free, which means that I'm not compelled to accept to work with whomever calls me. I can say no!!!

I can often tell from the first hello if the person is one I want to work with or not. I learned this through all my consulting over the millennia!

Unbelievably, since the decision has been reached, the phone began ringing: Canada, Italy, France, US...yeiiii!! 

Now I need a really nice picture, any photographer with touch-up skills out there????

Note: the white background is not my idea, I don't know how to fix it and I don't think it matters. Do you??? 

L'Uovo di Colombo:

The origin of this phrase is a popular, probably false anecdote, which has the Genoese navigator Christopher Columbus as its protagonist. After his return from America in 1493, Columbus was invited by Cardinal Mendoza to a dinner in his honor. Here some Spanish gentlemen tried to downplay him, saying that the discovery of the New World would not have been so difficult and that anyone could do with proper means. Hearing this, Columbus was angry, and challenged the Spanish nobles in what seemed an easy enterprise: make an egg stand upright on the table. Each of them made several attempts, but none succeeded and they gave up, convinced it was an insoluble problem, and begged Columbus to show a solution. Columbus tapped the egg gently on the table breaking it slightly and the egg stood upright. When bystanders protested, saying that they could do the same too, Colombo said, "The difference, my friends, is that you could have done it, but I did."