Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Looking For Miracles in All the Wrong Places???

 I have been wanting to write this blog for some time and didn't know quite how to get into it.   Well, dear old things, just to prove that procrastination doesn't really pay off,  I still don't.  However, when has that ever stopped me before?......my life often gives a different meaning to the phrase "Ignorance Is Bliss"......if I said it once, I've said it a thousand times....."oy, had I but known what I was getting myself into I would have duct taped myself to the chair till the impulse passed by:")

I never cease to marvel at (and be grateful for)  how some of my unplanned, spontaneous and accidental  and even foolish actions have resulted in the most amazing outcomes.   If you have been reading me for some time you know about some of the things I am talking about.  (i.e. meeting my hero, Magic Johnson, on my BD and, what's more, accidentally having my camera with me so I can prove to myself that I didn't dream it).  You may not agree but I call them my small (and not so small) miracles and no one will ever convince me that they aren't.  Well, I offer up the following story and if you don't agree with me that it is a blooming miracle..........well, I have to just feel sorry for you.  And regardless of whether you agree with me or not, there is a reward waiting for you at the end of this thing.

I  really do not have many friends.  (I truly believe that the blog world has changed that a bit, but let's not get bogged down in semantics here......)  From the time I was a child I have not had a huge circle of friends, but the ones I have had and the few that are still hanging in there are more precious than rubies etc.  When I lost my ultra - shyness some time back and became the intrepid talker to strangers, you might think that that might have changed, but when I became more outgoing I think I also became much more particular and consequently my precious circle has remained small....and that is OK with me because I find it hard to spread myself too thinly.......I mean,  there is only so much Lois to go around, ya' know?

Anyway,  one of the things that I love to do is to offer, nay, slather,  praise unreservedly where it is deserved.  I deplore the fact that so much goodness goes unthanked, so much brilliance goes unlauded and unrecognized.  It really breaks my heart that mediocrity barely one step removed from dog dung gets all the medals and true genius so often does not even get a superficial pat on the head for trying.  Now, if I were running things......sob....but I digress.

So, where was I?  Ah, yes......so in my old age I have taken to not only thanking every dear soul who holds a door open for me, I have taken to...... shamelessly writing fan letters.  (there, I've confessed).

Some years ago I happened upon some animation gems created by one of God's gifts to the world, a real genius named Bruno Bozzetto.  I had never heard of him but as soon as I saw a few samples of his work I immediately found my way to his website and gobbled up all the goodies he had set forth and I was totally overwhelmed.  I found that in Europe he was sort of the Italian Walt Disney but with a huge difference.  His art and humor was for adults and, thank heaven, was being properly appreciated  by garnering  every award offered.  (In fact, I found that he was nominated for an Academy Award  in the U.S a few years ago, but lost to.....well, I am not going to go there....just let me say....he wuz robbed).

After  a few days of replaying all of the bits of his work I could get my hands on thru the Internet, I calmed down enough to collect my thoughts and sat down and wrote him a fan email.  I truly do not remember if I included a sketch of myself worshiping at his feet in that first letter, but I blathered on endlessly in my usual unreserved fashion heaping mounds of praise on the poor man's unprotected head and finally ended with "Love, Lo" when I ran out of superlatives.  

I  felt good at having at least made this already recognized genius aware that one more person in the world appreciated his talents.  Then I wiped my sweaty hands on my jeans and went back to my important tasks of making the north hollywood humming birds too fat to fly and really forgot about the whole thing..


You can never know my amazement and joy a few days later when I saw in my email the name "Bruno Bozzetto" and found an utterly adorable and charming email in slightly broken English thanking me for my kind words.  (He apologized for his English with lovely self-deprecating humor describing it as  being in the category of "Me Tarzan....You Jane".)  (It was NOT). 

Since that moment we have been in constant touch........he writes to me about his current activities and family stories.   We send each other hand drawn greetings for different occasions.  He has showered me with gifts of his works....some original Cells from his movies, tapes and a full set of CD's of many of his productions.  I have been lucky enough to be able to reciprocate by sending him some things he wanted and it has been altogether wonderful.  A few years ago when I was planning a trip to Venice I checked on the map and found that there was Italian rail service from Venice to Milan and Bergamo (his base).  I cheekily wrote and told him of my trip and asked, if I were to take the train up to his area, if he would meet me and let me buy him a cup of coffee.  He wrote back excited and enthused, told me his (adult) twin daughters also  wanted to meet me and the 3 of them would drive to Milan from Bergamo  and take me to lunch.

And it happened just like that and it was heavenly.

I remember it like it was a dream......3 gorgeous Bozzettos and me having Risotto and salad and expresso (though I cannot remember eating at all).  He is a handsome and charming  and amazingly humble man and his girls are exquisite and delightful.....I hope I can find the photos we took so I can post them here.  (if I cannot find them now I promise to publish them soon.)

And we still keep in touch....the girls just wrote to me and have involved me in helping them and Bruno critique some English translations of a new script they are working on and, of course, I am honored to hell.  Who would  believe? And all I intended was to say "thank you" to someone who brought me some joy. What a reward!I am thrilled and honored beyond words to have this remarkable man and his family for my friends.

Now, I ask you......is not that whole thing a goddamned miracle or what ?

And now, for an encore I present you with a website which offers 8 little 5 or so minute works of the fabulous Bruno Bozzetto.  I believe there were 13 in all....I do not know what they were meant for.  They are wonderful little gems that just show a bit of his whimsical humor and vision of the world.  Enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/user/otrokrisank#p/u/1/3gX7il1_R8A

20 comments:

  1. See what happens when you just reach out with love? I'm so happy for you. I think it's wonderful. Maybe, there'll be another trip in the near future?! Thanks for sharing.

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  2. I forgot to say that I love his work! and have bookmarked it for lots of future viewings. How fun.

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  3. Nothing ventured, nothing gained; and look what you've gained, a beautiful friendship. Wonderful story.

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  4. I remember you telling me about Bruno Bozzetto.the creator of the Italian Mickey Mouse...I could be wrong about that, but for some reason I have that in my mind. I agree 100% in miracles..I have had a few BIG ones. I know your friendship with Bruno and his daughters is priceless to you, and I am very happy about that,,,This blog is one of my favorites...Thanks for sharing, dear.

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  5. That is so awesome. Little miracles like that make life wonderful. Miracles like that found me my Tanya. Thanks for sharing.

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  6. A miracle indeed!!

    And I agree with Ms. Moon ~

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  7. The internet is a wonderful thing.
    Thanks for sharing.

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  8. In a day when the "mediocrity barely one step removed from dog dung" won't even bother to answer one fan letter, that the truly greats still do such things is awe inspiring and amazing and miraculous indeed. May your friendship with the Bonzetto family grow stronger each year.

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  9. I've just watched my first Bonzetto film thanks to your link and it made me laugh out loud. He is very good and I shall visit his films again. I love receiving compliments for a job well done in my professional career, I don't expect thanks but it is so nice when clients notice and appreciate the extra effort I put in to make sure all goes to plan. I always keep the thank you cards and letters. I try in turn to compliment others - it makes the world a nicer place.

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  10. He's very good Lo. I haven't heard of him before.

    I sometimes send emails of appreciation to people who have "created a little miracle". I often get a note back and it's great satisfaction to know someone's day was a little brighter because they knew they were appreciated. I need to plant these flowers more often.

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  11. This is delightful. I had never heard of this man.
    I too have tried to let people know of my appreciation of them and their efforts. Life is too short to not make someone's day brighter.

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  12. That was wonderful! Sophisticated, surprising, charmingly drawn. And it puts my obsession with Homestar Runner look positively sophomoric....which it is, snort.

    Isn't life (just often enough) fabulous sometimes?

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  13. I do love it when a good turn gets rewarded. I can also relate to having a small circle of friends that you turn to. Great to see another full and enjoyable post from you Lo.

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  14. I love this story and I LOVE this entry :) Oh! And I love you!

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  15. Now that gave me lots to smile about! Great post!! Awaiting those pics you mentioned.

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  16. You asked if it was a 'miracle'? No question! BUT, I would add (and I am sure you would agree), those miracles are waiting to happen to everyone all the time – well, maybe, not all the time, but they're certainly out there!

    You will have read of some of my encounters on my various blogs (often resulting from the smallest happenstance) and I just hope we lead by example in prompting others to dig up their own miracles!

    Terrific post, Lo, and I am really glad Mr B is a nice guy. I have been in love with his work since (as a huge fan of Fantasia) I first saw his deliciously irreverent Allegro non Troppo more years ago than I care to remember!

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  17. Your talent, combined with your passion, always leads to an absolutely wonderful and unique read! One must take chances, right? Bless you...

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  18. How neat.

    I just found you through your comment @The Qi Papers. I have to say your comment "unplanned, spontaneous and accidental and even foolish actions have resulted in the most amazing outcomes" is so true.

    Well, lovely lady, as I look forward to my 60th birthday on Saturday, I hope I'm still around blogging and having wonderful adventures at your age, even if most of them turn out to be of the backyard sort. You are an inspiration.

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