Still here,
Still getting longer, (albeit ever so slowly)
Still have a cool name....WALTER (White Tail)
When I offically joined this forum, the Directory of Members was a around 80 I believe. I see today it is 288 !
I think I qualify. In fact, it occurred to me this weekend that it was 6 years ago, Oct. 15, 2000, that I decided to grow my hair out.
I will turn 47 in December. I trim my hair so that it stays somewhere between half way down my back and my shoulders. I will try and send a few pics, recently, of me in Italy this summer (hair very midback) and recently. I got my hair trimmed when I returned from Italy. The summer heat, dirt and varying types of water had taken its toll, so my hair is now upper back length.
Robert
Very impressive Robert as your hard work with the ball sports and in the gym is clearly evident esp. in your tricpes and calves! Niiiiceee! (from one fitness afficionado to another).
All I can say is that by the time I'm 47 I have no doubt that you'll be the most ass-whoopin, long-haired, Latin Emeritus (or active teacher still!) of all men aged 72.
Your hair is looking fantastic in this shot particularly, yet you suit the shorter style too. I like the fact that you can alternate between the two lengths, as it shows dedication to long hair as well as the capacity to 'let it go' i.e. it suits the definition of long hair as 'freedom' to a tee!
Thanks also for posting pictures from the land of molte regioni belle!
Did your profficiency in Latin help you in understanding the Italian even a little bit, or do you already know Italian?
As you know I am quite serious with my Italian for the next 2 years (as a result of not passing 2nd year Latin). I am really enjoying it and have even decided to postpone the last stage of my Personal Training qualifications until mid-next year so that I can travel to Italy (by myself) during gennaio e febbraio (e un po' di marzo forse)!
Will I have a good time do you think?
And do you think-being an excellent student of the classics and as a teacher of father Latin-that around 7 weeks will provide enough of an 'immersion' experience as to be helpful in improving my Italian?
(I am guessing a 'yes' on both counts? :)
Thanks, Dean. I do this kind of trim once or twice a year, and I enjoy both "ends" of it. I enjoy the longer version which usually reaches half way down my back or more, and then the shorter version which is more about the top of my shoulder blades.
It grows back. :)
My Latin DEFINITELY made Italian more accessible. I had not ever formally studied Italian, but did some quick surveying before I went. I was there for 4 weeks and found myself really picking up more of what was being said around me, and quite able to say the most basic things that I needed to.
Here's what was the greatest thing. I learned very early in the trip to TRY to say anything that I needed to to Italians. They LOVE to help you with your Italian, and seem very pleased when you try to speak their language. Correspondinngly, the most obnoxious thing I ever saw was English speakers who were rude and obnoxious when they could not find anyone to speak English for them. Like the world owed them that. Deeply embarassing as an English speaker.
When do you plan to go?
Robert
What a reassuring reply!
Would you believe that my mother has been saying that because Italians are a very stylish people generally speaking, that people would be cold or unresponsive to me because of my long hair. I scoffed at her, but still it is nice to hear that you were treated in that famous way that the italians have.
Probably mid-January?
Oh, and I do plan to try to converse in Italian when I get there('try' being the operative word here!).
And I saw plenty of long hair or longish hair on Italians. You will NOT be treated coldly because of your hair. And do speak. Everywhere, every day, even if to say: Parle l'Inglese? Always say Buon Giorno and Bona Sera to everyone you meet. And, if you are stanidng in lines at the store, you will hear Italians saying the routine things that all human beings say at cash registers--you'd be amazed at what you learn to say while stanidng in linnes, on the metro, or bus, etc. Listen, and then mimick!
Robert
Hi Dean, Hi Robert,
as a high school student, I had the opportunity to travel to Rome with my school, a two-day train journey from Germany.
My Latin teacher at school said, "Don't worry too much about learning Italian, you can learn enough during the train ride to Rome" - and, you know what? It turned out to be true! Simple everyday conversations were possible after studying a language guide for a few hours. Well, I didn't keep it up, and I certainly don't speak it well by any standard - "Capisco un pocino" ...
Another thing: Dean, if you have learned Hebrew as a child, you should have a great advantage over most of us - you know how to learn a language. In any case, have a great trip to Italy, and consider a stop-over in Germany if you have the time (Robert, consider a stop-over on your next trip to Europe.) If you want to check a reference: Jason has been here ;-) Just a little info: The Shabbat service here might be in Russian, as there are lots of immigrants here.
Something on-topic: I understand that a reasonably large portion of men in Italy wear their hair long, these days ;-) What was your impression, Robert?
Greetings to both of you!
Hans-Uwe
Hans-Uwe,
I did find a large number of either longhaired men or men with hair longer than the "norm". Hair at collar length fairly common, and past the shoulders common enough to see many each day--moreso in Rome than south, but still, quite a lot. I NEVER felt like I was being stared at for having long hair--in a negative way!
Thanks for the invitation to stop over. I'd love to! My next trip, though, is with students. Perhaps when I am traveling without kids!
Robert
Yeah thank you Hans for the invite. Unfortunately I have to get as much done in Italy as I can while I'm there. One of the main reasons I'm going (or perhaps THE main one) is that i can be ready for senior Italian which is gonna involve oral presentations, debates etc. all in Italian!
I've also never been overeas by myself before...anyway long story short I'm sure that i will take you up on that offer of yours and see you personally one day, just not 'this' day. (btw, please feel welcome to say hello if you ever stop by in Sydney :).
As for the hebrew I actually did it from 6-16, yet I can barely speak it today due to a lack of desire to do so while a boy and a teenager, one-dimensional teaching, and a weakness in my academic accumen where languages other than my own are concerned.
Nevertheless I am enjoying Italian more than any language I have ever done, I am older, I have the desire, I suppose doing a couple years of french and later Latin + all those years of ivrit has helped subconsciously with language acquisition and I am going to Italy!
Ciao!
The first one was a shot of me sitting inn the window of the place I was staying, the Roman "grove" in the background behind me.
This second is standing my my shower--corner in the bathroom--but shows more the length of my hair.
Robert
Here's a shot from last week.
Robert
Roberte, amice, Optime!
Scisne ut nihil sit dificile viri forti et fideli et capillato?
Veritas? Quid dicis?
Bene, eundus sum iam. Diu vive sustineque(verbos dictos Spocko?).
Bragi
Salve, Bragi. Nescio utrum aliquid sit difficile viro forti, fideli et capillato annon. Sentio multos viros fortes multa superare posse. Sentio viros fideles multa sustinere posse. Et, fortasse, vir capillatus in ingenio crescit--quod de capillo! fortasse, vel capillos secat!
Robertus
Mehercule! Ita vero. Igitur, in futurum ero creber ingenio! Rides? Meos capillos volo numquam secare ut bene scis! Tamquam Romanus, aliquando spero me posse tibi epistulas scribere modo in Latine. Oro laboroque! Scientia est oriens. ;-)
Cool to see someone who writes in latin, I thought the language was dead
Rumors of its death have been greatly exagerated, to quote a famous American.
My students would groan to read your post. They not only write in Latin and read Latin, ,but we speak Latin in my class! :)
Robert
Looks great, Robert! I love how healthy the ends look. I think your periodic trimming keeps them looking in top shape.
I agree. When my hair gets rather long, it then becomes thinner and thinner on the ends, and while I don't have much of a problem with splits, it just doesn't look good--to me. So, I do this trim once or twice a year, and it can be a much as 5-6 inches. I know that sounds like blasphemy to some, but it works for me.
Robert
I wish I could do that - my hair gets thinner and thinner at the ends but I can't bring my self to cut it more than an inch. Aesthetically it would look much better shorter but mentally I can't cope with the loss of length. Oh well, better get back to folding my towels.... [OCD joke :-)
That is a great looking shot Robert, not just hair wise (which is terrific) but everything. You have a nice relaxed and confident expression, you definitely look like a man content :)
Hope all is going well for you.
Your hair looks great Robert, and it's good to see that your out there enjoying life. I agree with you about thin ends. I am going for terminal but if(when) my ends start to get thin and wispy I would trim them. Thanks for the update it was good hearing from you.......Bodhi
I don't know if I'm technicall an old member. . .I've been around here for about 4 years off and on. . .does that count?
That "Ball" Guy
www.thatballguy.com
I started logging on in 2001 so does five years count? I am definitely and "older" member turning 72 next month...still blessed with a full head of hair ranging in length from 10 to 12 inches. I am on my third journey to longer hair...and enjoy the "journey" better than the destination.
I've been posting since '97, and I'm still around, though I do take frequent breaks for long stretches of time.
Oh, we're always hanging about somewhere.
Hair Religion
Hi Walter. Still here and still longhaired. I took some pics recently for my five year anniversary, but haven't gotten around to posting them yet.
It's really good to see your growing yours out again, it looks great. Thanks for the inquiry and take care......Bodhi