MySpace a place for friends

You have to wait for the page to finish uploading, for the contact box to appear. Either way, if you click below my photo, the "Add" link is there.

I am:
a lover of the arts, a student of life, a social activist, a reader of books and newspapers, a world traveler (4 continents so far), a political aspirant, an unconventional human being hungry for truth, wisdom, loyalty, friendship, love, and inspiration.

I am:
a cinefile and an artist who loves to share his passions with the world... For this reason, I have created dozens of tribute sites on MySpace to the men and women who have most inspired me, individuals such as Fellini, Hitchcock, Kubrick, Degas, Rilke, Bergman, and many others... Perhaps in doing so, I will contribute to this medium, inspire others, and raise the overall standard and expectations that we share.

I am:
a 1st generation American of a culturally and traditionally old-fashioned, strong Italian descent, fluent in Italian, conversational in Spanish, with some understanding of French, and constantly seeking stimulation, whether it be intellectual, artistic, emotional, social, or physical.

I am:
an outspoken and progressive liberal, anti-theist, Epicurean, secular humanist, adamantly pro-choice, pro-women, pro-gay rights, pro-environment, pro-education, pro-equal opportunity, anti-discrimination and violence of ANY kind towards any human being, supporter of international diplomacy and peace initiatives, science and technology. I'm extremely concerned with the state of this country, the state of world governance, and the emphasis on consumption, power, and religious dogma especially in recent years, where I believe a lack of inspiration, leadership, and truth has led a majority of decision-making bodies and individuals down the wrong paths. I value human lives (as well as those of animals) and do not believe they should be wasted in war, in poverty, or in neglect. I do not believe in any gods or subscribe to any religions. The world (in my opinion) would be a lot more beautiful and peaceful, if the tenets of humanist philosophy were accepted and shared with one another. One world. One humanity. One people. Religions and gods divide us from one another, suggesting that one group of people are the "chosen ones", while the rest need to be converted or "shown the light". My favorite quote on this subject comes from Stephen Roberts, who said: "I contend that we are both atheists. I just believe in one fewer god than you do. When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours."

I have:
spent 18 of the past 23 years in academically challenging environments. I'm going to apply that knowledge and experience to the world in ways that will be significant, influential, motivating, and ultimately inspiring without conformity, greed, deceit, or deprivation.

I am:
fascinated with the art of cinema. One of my dreams is to direct pictures, so that I may share my experiences, insights, fears, desires, hopes, dreams, and value system with as many people as possible.

I am:
always interested in furthering my exposure to the process of creation and discovery... I want to break the rules that society, the media, and often times our government establishes to monitor and tame its public, in order to achieve a higher meaning and purpose for my life and those lives I touch.

Though I:
love to socialize, converse, debate, and go out in the city, I rarely find individuals that are genuine and committed, classy, curious or challenging. I feel this is a reflection of our current society and the misinformation, lack thereof, or over-stimulation which people consume on a daily basis (whether in school, at work, at home, or through television). If I can play a role in changing that, I will have contributed in a positive way.

I believe:
subversion, anger, passion, and risk-taking are effective tools, if you know how to use them. I, myself, am an eternal student... and "I'm mad as hell, and I'm not gonna take it anymore!"

I sleep about 4 hours/night. I spend the other 20 learning, thinking, creating, and exposing myself to the ideas of the world and all its beautiful artwork. I'm extremely neurotic, to a fault... I have no interest in leading a simple or comfortable life. It has to be extraordinary, for anything less will be completely uneventful and dissatisfying to me. I vacillate between extremes: depression and cynicism vs optimism and creativity. Yes. I'm a bit mad or crazy. But I take great comfort in the fact that I connect deeply with dead artists, who've created amazing and inspiring works of beauty and imagination. As they did, I would like to transcend this world into a higher plane... a place where I can fly high above the muck and disturbing nature of our flawed humanity and its greed... where I can re-create the world into a place of dignity, grace, passion, and love.

I use this page as I would a blackboard; constantly etching my thoughts and ideas down, erasing, changing and re-arranging them. Thereby using this opportunity to communicate as a form of therapy and self-expression.

I heard this quote recently on the Charlie Rose Show. Actor Christian Bale who just completed a film with the great German director Werner Herzog, said:

"Obsessive people tend to do extraordinary things."

This was in reference to Herzog's life, intellect, creativity, determination and work. If that's true, there is hope for me.

If you'd like to contact me via email, or find me on your friends list:

"The only dream worth having is to dream that you will live while you are alive, and die only when you are dead. To love, to be loved. To never forget your own insignificance. To never get used to the unspeakable violence and vulgar disparity of the life around you. To seek joy in the saddest places. To pursue beauty to its lair. To never simplify what is complicated or complicate what is simple. To respect strength, never power. Above all to watch. To try and understand. To never look away. And never, never to forget."

--Arundhati Roy

I'm very busy with the management of the tribute sites I've created on MySpace, in addition to my creative and activist goals. I'm here to share the wealth of my knowledge and opinions with whomever is interested. That is my primary goal on MySpace. If I meet a few interesting, dynamic individuals along the way, that's great... but either way I'm looking to set a good example for children and adults, to make people think, and to inspire and be inspired.

If you'd like to stay updated on my latest sites and projects, send a friend request. I post some interesting bulletins several times/week. If you want to know more about me, just send a message and ask. I do my best to respond. To my acquaintances, please keep in touch. I appreciate you, and if you're ever in NYC, please look me up. Thank you.

Love

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
--Book of Corinthians, Chapter 13

I'm NOT one to fully ascribe to the rudiments of Astrology, but this is fun... Go to this website -- http://www.cainer.com/ -- click on the link "About Your Friend" on the left-hand side of the screen, and fill out the info to see what it says about you or one of your friends.

This was mine (not my words, but from the website):

CARLETTO, A VERY SPECIAL AQUARIAN

Carletto is the last of the great eccentrics. The funny thing is, he doesn't know it. He thinks his behavior is perfectly normal. He sees himself as a pillar of propriety and a paragon of protocol. Carletto has strong views about every topic under the sun. There's not a subject he doesn't know about or a moral point he can't pontificate on. Carletto is entitled to be a little arrogant. He knows an awful lot about an awful lot of things. He is well versed, well rehearsed, and deeply immersed in the kind of knowledge that we lesser mortals can only dream of attaining. Thankfully, he is there to shed the light and show the way. This, he does generously and patiently, as befits a person of superior intellect. Carletto is wise, intelligent and (thankfully) oblivious to irony.

Or, at least, that's how Carletto is, at his worst. He can't help it. He's an Aquarian and Aquarians are infamous for their occasional outbursts of pomposity. Happily there is another truly delightful side to him. Carletto is as honest as the day is long, as generous as the ocean is deep. This is partly where the eccentricity comes from, for a person with such strong opinions Carletto is surprisingly willing to please. He is keen to win friends and influence people. He loves to feel that he belongs. He always wants to be in on the action, part of the scene and one of the gang. Rather like Groucho Marx though, he is never sure that he would want to be part of any club that would have him as a member. He is always on the lookout for some new cause to support, or enterprise to sign up to. You might think that this would make him fickle but actually Carletto is exceedingly loyal. He may be forever expanding his horizons but he never forgets his friends and he never reneges on his commitments. This is why, despite the highly idiosyncratic nature of Carletto's personality, so many people think the world of him.

--For better or for worse, I'd like to think there is a shade of truth in that description!

Famous Aquarians I greatly admire: Federico Fellini, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, David Lynch, President Abraham Lincoln, Admiral John Ford, Sergei M. Eisenstein, François Truffaut, Ernst Lubitsch, Jim Jarmusch, Hiroshi Teshigahara, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Humphrey Bogart, Clark Gable, Bob Marley, Paul Newman, and Edith Warton

My greatest joy in life is making people think, laugh and smile...
For this reason I feel destined to inspire, create and do magical things.