Wobbly Arms, Flabby Thighs, and Blog Awards

Italy Blogger Awards Logo. Credit: www.italymagazine.com
Italy Blogger Awards Logo. Credit: www.italymagazine.com

Last Saturday I was walking home from my Zumba Class — which is my weekly opportunity to let off steam (see Frazzled Mamma Note at the end of Blog Post: Mudslinging at the Vatican).  As I shuffled my sweaty self along, I was deep into a massive personal pity party.  The problem with my Zumba class is that I am one of the two old geezers in the class.  The other one is a man.  So all the others are toned young women.  There are mirrors on three sides of the room and as much as I try to avoid it, I can’t help noticing that wobbling flesh as I flap my arms around, the flabby thighs and rear that jiggle as I flounce around trying to keep up with the lesson. On top of that, the very flexible teacher, gyrating Jairo Ugarte, is always criticizing me for not moving my hips right and having my shoulders raised in a tense way.  He doesn’t have three teenagers, so he doesn’t get it.

It didn’t help that in the last lesson when we got to the stretching, warm down at the end (which in Italian is called “allungamento” — to elongate), the guy my age turned to me and said, “I don’t need to do “allungamento” because I am already long.”  And I was idiot enough to turn to him and say, “what do you mean, did you already do “allungamento”? — so he repeated it loud enough for everyone to hear (and for me to understand that he was taking about his allegedly long weenie) and I was obliged to respond loudly, “We are all going to pretend we didn’t hear that!” And, get this dear blog readers, the guy’s name is Benito.  Only in Italy!!

Perhaps I am being a bit over sensitive about everything these days because last month I turned 50.  Oh yeah, I guess I forgot to mention that fact in other posts.   FLOTUS just turned 50 too, so I am not alone on this one.  I am a big fan of FLOTUS. (See Blog Post: Mom-in-Chief). FLOTUS, if you are not familiar with the term, is the wife of the President of the United States (POTUS).  FLOTUS is the acronym for First Lady of the United States.  So FLOTUS (Michelle Obama) turned 50 too, but she doesn’t have flabby arms (she reportedly gets up at 5am every morning to work out at the gym in the White House — I can’t do that, no gym in my basement, and I have to walk the dog.)  She also has long beautiful fingers — no veiny spotted hands for Michelle, but she gets a lot of help with the White House vegetable garden, and I bet she isn’t washing the dishes every night.

So FLOTUS tweeted a photo of herself holding her new AARP card when she turned 50.  For those of you who are not familiar with that acronym it is the American Association for Retired Persons.  You can join when you turn 50 (retired or not).

Freeze Frame of Tweet by Michelle Obama showing her new AARP card on her 50th Birthday.
Freeze Frame of Tweet by Michelle Obama showing her new AARP card on her 50th Birthday.

In his recent article in “The New Yorker,” “Going The Distance: On and off the Road with Barack Obama” David Remnick wrote: “Andrew Wylie, a leading literary agent, said he thought that publishers would pay between seventeen and twenty million dollars for the book (Obama’s Memoirs) – the most ever for a work of non-fiction–and around twelve million for Michelle Obama’s memoirs. (The First Lady has already started work on hers.)”

Before her birthday Michelle took a week to hang out at Oprah Winfrey’s farm in Hawaii (perhaps she took a few notes for her memoir while relaxing) and then headed on back to the White House for a party where Beyonce and Stevie Wonder sang, and people danced.  So let’s add this all up: FLOTUS has got long, muscular arms and elegant hands.  On top of all that, she’s already at work on Memoirs that will bring in 12 million.  I’ve got wobbly arms and veiny hands and my dear old Mozzarella Mamma manuscript will probably never even be read by a publisher.  Oh, woe is me, woe is me.

So there I was in the middle of a massive personal pity-party and I arrived home from Zumba and began to check my email.  I had one from Adri Barr Crocetti of www.adribarrcrocetti.com (check out her blog, she writes and cooks like a dream).  Adri informed me that I have been shortlisted for Italy Magazine’s Best Overall Blog for Lover’s of Italy.  Suddenly I was dancing all over the living room, my hips gyrating in a way that would have made Jairo proud.

I don’t know who of you out there nominated me, but whoever you are, when you come to Rome, give me a shout and I am going to cook you dinner.  Actually, scratch that, if you read my blog regularly you are aware that I am a disastrous cook.  Instead, I will treat you to my favourite restaurant in Rome — Piazza Caprera Ristorante.  It is a fabulous fish restaurant in a hidden away Roman piazza that has a fountain with dancing women. The atmosphere is relaxing and the service is great but most of all the food is the best.  I am not sure many foodies have written about it, but they should.  The owner is so sweet (she told me she personally goes to the seaside and chooses the fish every morning), and I’ve been there so many times that she often gives me a beautiful ceramic dish from southern Italy when I leave.  So whoever nominated me, I hope you like fish. (By the way, since this is Italy, everyone will suspect me of bribes.  This is not a bribe, only the person who already nominated me gets the free dinner.  But if you vote for me you’ll get my eternal appreciation)

And that brings me to the point, the voting closes on February 8th, and the winner will be announced on February 10th.  So, if you enjoy reading my blog and want to vote for me, here’s your chance.  Click on the box below and if all works as planned, the website should pop up with the list of the five finalists and all you need to do is click on the black stripe under the photo of my blog’s home page.

CLICK HERE TO VOTE

Thank you Thank you and I will let you know how it goes.

35 thoughts on “Wobbly Arms, Flabby Thighs, and Blog Awards”

  1. Well Trisha – Happy belated 50th, whenever it was. I can only say just wait until you’re 60 and you’re going to love the arms you had at 50!!! Seriously, you look great – and we can’t compare ourselves to people who have a staff to help them, freeing them to go to the gym instead of walking the dog, cleaning up dinner dishes, etc. Congrats on being nominated for the blog award. I agree with you about Adri and her blog. She has a fantastic blog. While I didn’t nominate you (I didn’t know such an award existed), I’ll head over to the site and vote for you. And thanks for the restaurant recommendation. I’ll try it next time I’m in Rome.

  2. Happy 50th Birthday, Trisha! Also, congrats on the nomination – I hope you win! :) And not to worry about Zumba, I think those who instruct the class are a combination of dancer, gymnast, and body-builder or something – basically they’re impossible to imitate. Despite my disability to coordinate my body movements, I still go to Zumba because it’s the one work-out where I don’t feel like I’m working out – HA! All the best for the Blog Awards!

    1. Thank you Pauline! I agree with you on Zumba — by super instructor Jairo Ugarte is impossible to follow but I like trying to move in a dancing way and workout at the same time. It helps me sweat out all my frustrations.

  3. I just voted! Happy belated birthday! I agree totally with Ciao Chow Linda, you look great and no one can live up to the unrealistic expectations of the famous (especially the First Lady). Your honesty is refreshing, hilarious and rings true. I love hearing about your life, the happy as well as the struggles and learning about the political and cultural nuances of Italian culture. Thank you from your very cold but very loyal fan from Canada…

    1. Thank you Tanya — I am thrilled to hear I have a fan in Canada. I am so glad you like hearing about Italy for better or worse — I definitely don’t hide the negatives on this blog (about Italy or about me). And thanks for the vote!!

  4. Yours is one of the best BY FAR! Those dumb publishers don’t realize what a gold mine they’re passing up. You better be careful with an offer like that though, these days a fellow working mamma can come down to Rome from Florence for quite a deal!

    1. Hey, did you nominate me too?? I thought it was just Orna. Well, if you did too, come on down and you can have dinner with Orna and me at Piazza Caprera Ristorante.

  5. Happy belated birthday Trisha. You look great and accomplish way too much! I gladly voted for you and will tell my friends that follow you to do the same. In bocca al lupo

    Jane

  6. I say your memoirs would be great. While they might not command an extraordinary advance, I know I’d love to hear your “war stories.” And about the appearance of FLOTUS, well, I am with Linda on that one. I think she summed it up about having staff and all that. I recall one day many years ago Bart and i were standing in line at the super market check-out. I looked over at the magazine rack and saw a shot of an absolutely beautiful, still young Princess Diana on the cover. She was impeccably dressed, and that English rose complexion was absolutely radiant. I said to Bart “I wish I had skin like that.” He turned to me and replied “Adri, even she doesn’t have skin like that. Those photographers took 5,000 shots of her at that luncheon, and you are looking at the best one.” A woman behind us said “You have the nicest husband.” Both Bart and the woman were right. Princess Diana had been made-up, pummeled into shape, styled and dressed and the shot had been retouched. I think it’s pretty easy to forget that. I recall that during my years as a nurse, I took care of many famous people, quite a number of whom were completely unrecognizable without their make-up and support entourage. So take heart.

    Best of luck in the Blog Awards. I am spreading the word. You deserve it. Thank you for the shout-out.

    And as for Benito-there’s one in every class…

    1. I suppose there is a Benito in every class (but not with that name!!). Good grief. Bart definitely is the nicest husband, I agree with the lady behind you at the checkout counter. But I also know, like you, I looked with envy at that peachy cream complexion that Lady Di had. Yes, they definitely only chose the best photos, and then they surely did a little air-brushing (by the way, just for the record, no AP photos are ever touched up, not allowed.) Anyway, I have gotten over my personal pity party and will be happy enough with my wobbly arms and flabby thighs. Thanks for all your support on this blog.

  7. Mine’s the sea bream. Good luck! Oh and your description of the Zumba class was so hilarious, I am sure the neighbours are wondering if I’ve bought a donkey. Orna

    1. Orna, you are awesome. Thanks for the nomination and I promise the next time you are in Rome, just let me know and I will book our table at Piazza Caprera Ristorante. I can’t wait to meet you — and hear your donkey laugh!! Hee hee

  8. Your blog is the highlight of my workday. You live life with a gusto that is infectious. Fingers crossed for your book.

    Congratulations on the nomination. Wish I had known about the award as well; I did the next best thing — I voted. Good luck!

    1. Thank you Mary Jane!! There are lots of really good blogs out there, so I feel lucky to get your vote.

  9. Joan Schmelzle

    Happy Birthday!! And I have to agree with Linda about the arms only I will say arms a bit past 75. I do love this blog, but can’t vote for you (unless I can vote twice) because I found you when I was voting for another blog. Not sure exactly what I would do now! And in the manner I oftern find blogs about my favorite country to visit, I am now heading over to Adri’s blog.

    1. Hey Joan — I know what you mean, I have been checking out the other blogs that have been short-listed too and discovering some good ones. And I promise I will stop sniveling about my arms and just be happy I have two that work — who cares if they are a little wobbly!!

  10. . . you young whipper-snapper! All that pathetic, pitiable snivel was to get us voting for you – thare had better be at least a coffee in it!

    1. Hee hee hee. Of course there is a coffee in it– if you come to Rome you can take your choice — espresso, caffe’ latte, cappucino, caffe’ macchiato, marocchino, caffe’ stretto etc etc.

  11. Hi, Trisha:
    Since I only recently started blogging, I wanted to see examples of the best sites. Anyway, Christine Gilbert had a great post that came up high on my Google search and your blog was in her list of the top 10 best sites of 2013. Her blog is really well done (Almost Fearless Life) so I took her recommendation for the best sites seriously and signed up for Mozzarella Mama. I’m really happy I did. I love your site and wish you all the best. Don’t worry, 50 isn’t so bad. I’m more worried about hitting the 60 mark. Best regards, Roselyn

    1. Thank you for this Roselyn. I have no idea who Christine Gilbert is so I am going to go check her out right now. And yes, I am getting used to 50 – it is not so bad after all, despite the wobbly arms.

  12. Congratulations on the nomination – and well deserved!! I will head over and vote for you now!

    I’m not that far behind you in the age stakes and also have three teenagers. I’m doing my best to embrace it. Ha! Not easy!!! I now need glasses sometimes but I bought some funky, trendy ones. I’ve tried to change my hair to something a bit softer (the hairdresser hasn’t helped by forgetting how she cut it last time so when I said – same again, she looked at my hair and me and I could tell she couldn’t remember but started hacking away regardless!! I need to work on my hair colour… salt and pepper makes me feel old and the lighter shade of brown isn’t doing that much for me either *sigh* I usually manage to dress for my shape and skim over the not so nice bits… but exercise, well you’re one up on me already!! Actually you’re MANY up on me… you live in Italy (not a drought stricken Australia) you can speak Italian, you know the great restaurants in Rome and probably many other places too… see!? You’re FABULOUS!

    1. Annette — thanks for your comment. I think I need to devote a whole post to the question of grey hair. I started turning grey at age 26 and have been coloring my hair ever since. It stinks. It takes forever and I am rarely really satisfied with it. I go darker, I go lighter, I add highlights, I get rid of the highlights. I’ve always said that when I turn 50 I will throw in the towel and be proudly grey. But now that I am here, even my children are begging me not to do it. Women in Italy rarely leave their hair grey so when you do it is really noticeable, so the bottom line is I don’t have the courage yet. Easier to go to Zumba class and be wobbly and flabby than to face the grey.

  13. Trisha – I have been following your blog for the last few months and love it. I like how your blog posts combine political and social issues with everyday life. This is one of the blogs with substance and without doubt my favorite Italy blog. Happy Birthday and I really do hope you win!!

    1. Thank you Nam. You have given me a real boost. Sometimes I worry that my blog is all over the map — one day on the Pope, the next day on my son going off to University, the next post on the Mafia, the next post on my zumba class. I’ve worried all the bouncing around might turn away blog readers. You cheer me up.

  14. Oh I can sooo relate and I don’t even get as energetic to do Zumba. I’ve been voting for you over and over and I know you will win!!! I was so excited when I saw you and no more pity party lets shake those arms and legs and rear and not care…..I always remember my Nana in her late 80’s saying she couldn’t wear shorter sleeves in Summer because of her ‘flappy’ arms…I never want to be like that especially not at 80!! My big 50th coming up in June so if you’re in Paris we’ll hook up, we hope to meet up with as many friends as possible and you are top top tippy top of my list xxx

    fingers crossed and yep voting again xxx

    1. Thank you Nancy! Yes, I did win thanks to the support of everyone. I am very grateful. Mozzarella Mamma is now ItalyMagazine.com’s “Best Overall Blog for Lovers of Italy”

  15. Today, I booked my ticket to arrive in Rome in August and spend four glorious months attending a language school in the city. I studied abroad in Rome for a semester in college, and, grasping at anything I could to keep me close to the culture upon my return to the US, I found your blog. It has satiated my longing to be back in Italy over the last two years. So, I’ve certainly submitted my vote in your favor. With my return to Europe quickly approaching, I look forward to checking out the fish restaurant and continuing to read your articles and connecting to them on an even more personal level. Congrats and good luck! :)

    1. I am thrilled you like my blog! Thank you for voting for me. In the end, I won!! Yippee!! Stop by office and say hello when you are in Rome. AP is on Via della Gatta, just around the corner from Piazza Venezia….if I am not running around covering some story, I will buy you a cappuccino.

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