When in Rome...

October 10 2007

...well, you know the line.

A bigger-than-expected turnout for today's Lotus Collaboration Summit here, somewhere above 250.  I think we had the right pacing going with the translation, and the team made some adjustments to the plenary session to keep it interesting.  Lunch was better today -- the cold cuts were speck  and breseola, the pasta was great, and there was other yummy stuff.  No queueing, either.

It's been a great learning experience to work with the fine Lotus team in Italy over the last few days.  One thing you can see in this team -- longevity.  Roberto Boccadoro and I started at Lotus within a few weeks of each other.  Alessandro Chinnici has been in every Lotus-related role possible for the Italian team.  John Campitelli picked up his Lotus life from San Francisco and moved to Italy, where he's married and the father of two.  There are many more such stories.  This feels as much like a family as a team of colleagues.  

And as they are family, they take care of their own.  Yesterday morning, Roberto took me to see Da Vinci's The Last Supper, trying for days to find a way to get tickets that are now sold out months in advance (thank you, Dan Brown).  It was worth the effort, even for those precious 15 minutes.  We also walked around the Sforzesco Castle, which I missed on my prior visit to Milan.  That was very cool.

So, while I still will have pictures to post (right, Davide?), and there are probably other topics to cover, tonight I'm celebrating a successful set of launch events.  My apologies again to the other Italian cities that I won't be able to make it to.  No worries for you, though -- you've got my local relatives looking after you.  Ciao!

Ed Brill | Roma, Italia Category:  Lotus  Add/View Comments [13]

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  1. 1  Giuseppe http://www.dominopoint.it | 10/10/2007 2:06:03 PM

    Better lunch, no queue... I start thinking that Lotus Italian team is launching a message here: I regret not having been in both dates!

  1. 2  Charles Robinson http://cubert-codepoet.blogspot.com | 10/10/2007 3:36:11 PM

    Did you truly do as the Romans? Meaning smoke like a fiend, talk loudly and gesticulate wildly, all while driving your Vespa on the sidewalk at 100km/h? :-p

  1. 3  Darren http://www.dadams.co.uk | 10/10/2007 4:36:28 PM

    So now I know why Roberto hasn't responded to the e-mail I sent him, he's been acting as a tour guide. I am somewhat jealous Ed, I love Rome (despite the fact there seems to be someone trying to fleece you on every street corner or tourist attraction).

  1. 4  Marco Rena  | 10/10/2007 4:40:09 PM

    Oh no ... it's not because of Dan Brown .. that's usual waiting time for it .. Even worst than Alcatraz ... :-))

  1. 5  Ed Brill http://www.edbrill.com | 10/10/2007 5:41:32 PM

    @2 oddly, this morning, while Roberto and I took breakfast here in the Sheraton, it was the Americans just coming off a flight from the US who were loud. Wielding Southern accents. Acting superficial. :-O

    @3 note that Roberto confined his secondary career activities to Milano. I haven't even been in "Rome" yet, just this hotel, but I will spend a few hours in Rome in the morning. Guess that coin in the Trevi Fountain last year was well-spent. { Link }

  1. 6  Karen Lilla  | 10/11/2007 9:03:03 AM

    I am so glad that you finally were able to see The Last Supper. Hope you used the headphones/tour. So beautiful.

  1. 7  Mika Heinonen http://www.siipi.com/mika | 10/11/2007 1:39:06 PM

    Heck, now I realize that Leonardo Da Vinci was an Italian too! That rocket-jumps my love to italians for sure :)

    He was the best genius in all history of mankind. I bet he even invented Notes/Domino.

  1. 8  Mika Heinonen http://www.siipi.com/mika | 10/11/2007 1:48:32 PM

    Hmm, "the universal genius par excellence", SuperHumanSoftware, and the mysterious symbols in Designer 5... Was it him?

    "with his feeling for line and for light and shade, forever transmuted it into life-communicating values."

    Collaboration? Notes?

    "Five centuries have passed, yet we still view Leonardo with awe.", isn't that like the history of Notes too?

  1. 9  Gianguido Benelli  | 10/12/2007 10:12:08 AM

    Nice post Ed, hope you enjoyed your time here.

    We did of course.

    As I am a much younger "relative" I often feel like standing amongst giants, but certaily the Lotus roup here is one of the best groups I've been working with so far, both for knowledge and for sociality.

    Ciao from your youngest Italian relative ;)