What is the best thing that I love about my work? I deeply find as a privilege (and sometimes a curse) to what I loved since I was a child. Ok, writing is not like being an astronaut or a fireman or a scientist, but you know… In Italy we use to say: «Tutti i gusti sono gusti» (translation: you to respect everyone taste, even if you don’t like it). I wanted to write, because I’m very shy, if the people look at me as I was crazy when I tell that, but above all, I am curious. And empathetic. And sometimes nasty. I like to be a storyteller.
What is my idea of perfect happiness? I have no idea of “perfect happiness”. If I had it, I’d be probably dead. “Perfection” and “Happiness” are so speedy and short concepts that you can just find them, not look for them. They are moments. They are instants They come to you, you don’t have to try to catch them. Sure: I have an idea of makes me not happy, but at ease. But ideas are always changing: when I was young I could answer to you “a night of wild sex”. Not I can tell you that makes me satisfied traveling, knowing lots of different people, catching stimulations from something people even don’care of. In 20 years, I will answer to you: “Good Health», hoping not to be already fallen into Alzheimer disease. In anywise, there is nothing that chocolate and a good bed a nice weather can not fix, at any age.
What is my greatest fear? Stupidity. If you look at our history, at the history of the whole humankind, you will realize that every scary act, every single horrible war, every single killed human being, was put down by HUGE idiots. Idiots scary me because you can predict their actions or thoughts, thing you can do with the bad people, even very, very bad.
What is the trait that I most deplore in myself? I try to be a rational person, so when I’m wounded from someone I love, immediately I loose my esteem with that someone. I can even say “I forgive you” if he/she tries to excuse himself/herself, but are unuseful words in my mouth. My lips pronounced those, not my heart. So, my relationships with the “forget and forgive” theme is like a Facebook couple status: VERY COMPLICATED. Hey, I’m a sensitive guy! Don’t be afraid of me. I can distinguish between irony and will to hurt.
What is my greatest extravagance? I do not think to be an “extravagant” type. Maybe it could be some childish behavior, and immediately after that, to be absolutely, deeply serious. Maybe it could wearing a formal suit in a hard, not-suitable-for-minors club (it’s happened). Maybe it could be to spend my evening with a very simple person, instead to follow a “very important person”, who can be “useful” fir my carrier. Maybe it could making everything is possible – even a flight of 18 hours – just to give and receive a kiss. Ok, I’m full of extravagances. My friends call me «a quiet warrior». If I want something, you can bet I will everything is possible to get it. And sorry, not material things, 99 percent.
On what occasion would I lie? I prefer not to tell lie. It’s confusing, you can forget something about your lie and everyone knows the truth. I think I would lie just to protect another person. Not me. And it’s happened that I said lies to people who were really, seriously sick and I didn’t want to scary them. But you know, in Italy we call them “white lies”. They don’t matter, according me.
What is the influence of role models, in my work and in my life? I think I had a lot of role models in my life just to unfollow them and try to build something mine. But for sure, in my work, there’s a lot of writersand creative people who influenced my vision of the world. In my private life…. Ehm, no: no role models. I want to make mistakes on my own, not to copy them. (Ok, when I was a kid I dreamed to be like Gatsby in the Fitzgerald novel. Now, I don’t dream to be like Fitzgerald).
What is the thing that I dislike the most in my work? Repetition. Doing same things. To be repetitive is the second thing I hate after a condominium meeting. And I dislike not to feel free in my expression. Another thing I dislike is to be “imprisoned” in one definition. Fashion journalist cannot be “cultural journalist”, people careful to their look cannot be judged as “intellectuals”.
What is my most inspirational location, in my city? Il chiostro di San Simpliciano, a beautiful medieval Monestary. La buca di San Vincenzo, a wonderful, wild place for punk-rock concerts. L’Accademia di Brera and Piero della Francesca’s Painting. And my home, for sure.
What is my favourite place to eat and drink, in my city? To eat: the restaurant of Mandarin Hotel, “Silk”. The evergreen “Da Giacomo”. But I love street food, too. The best roasted chicken in milano, is “Da Giannasi”, in a van from 1967. And Marchesi cakes and Sissi’s sweets. To eat: you can drink the best cocktail in town in this funny pub called “Nottingham Forest”. But I like the decadent, luxury bar of the Hotel de Milan. No fashion places in my stomach!
Who is my greatest fan, sponsor, partner in crime? I don’t care about “sponsor”, but I am deeply grateful to the person who bears me for 26 years. This person has nothing to do with my job, but contains some traces of pure craziness, clearliness of intelligence and good utilization of irony that makes me feel protected. I told you. Everything is in real love. «Love doesn’t exist, exist the proofs of love», said one character in “The Dreamers”, by Bernardo Bertolucci. I think the same. This person gave me so many proofs of love that I considered myself very lucky.
Whom would I like to work with in the future? I like to work in the future as I worked in my past: with a human being who can lightens up my curiosity and empathy. Without be boring or presumptuous.
What project, in the nearby future, am I looking forward to work on? I’d like to be involved in multicultural projects, including science, fashion, politics, economics and contemporary art. I like the idea to work in a team. I like to challenge myself in doing things I have ever done. But at the same time, I’m beginning to write a memoir.
How can you contact me? At my gmail mail, an homage to my beloved writer Philip Roth. antonioportnoy@gmail.com
The Hero's Journey 