Introducing Angelino: “Little Angel”, and the Curious Gaijin!

Well, actually I’m the Curious Gaijin! (More about the “Gaijin” part in the follwing few episodes).

First, if this is the first time we’re meeting – let me introduce myself: My name is Angelino, which means Little Angel in Italian – and, quite obviously, why I have wings!

People who know about these things tell me my name is one that, apparently, brings good luck and blessings to those of us who bear the name. And yes, there have been many good times, full of luck and blessings, throughout my life. There’ve also been plenty of times when things have turned to shit!

Anyway, in Italian culture, the name Angelino is often given to boys as a way to express the hope that they’ll grow up to be kind, compassionate, and spiritually grounded individuals. Well, at least they got that part right!

Long story shorter:

These days I’m a Japan-based Creative Entrepreneur. Writer, Content Creator, Streamer, and Speaker – when someone thinks I might have something useful to share with a particular audience.

As for the blood that courses through my veins, I’m a bit of a mixed bag really. I’m Italian, as you now know – well half of me is. The other half is Dutch.

I was born in Amsterdam at 03:15 on a cold October morning. Apparently, I took my time making my entrance into the world, but when I finally did – it was into the hands of a midwife in my parents’ semi-double bed. I’m told the doctor couldn’t drag his ass out of his bed in time, so he missed the main event in mine.

He did give me the quick once-over though, to confirm the various bits were correct in number and located exactly where they should be. I understand comments were exchanged about what a sizeable “slug” there was for a new-born infant. Well, I guess we know which the Italian half is!

From the age of 5, I grew up in Australia – which you’ve probably worked out by now from my Aussie accent.

Yes, we were one of those immigrant families that arrived in the “lucky country” at the very end of the 60s. Well, it eventually became the lucky country – for a while – (I don’t think it is any more). The Lucky Country, built on the backs of immigrant workers, who toiled over the infrastructure of a growing nation.

Our new Aussie adventure started, as it did for so many European families, in the rounded Nissen huts of Australia’s quarantine detention centers (I believe the government’s preferred term is migrant hostels).

The 1970s was awesome! Well, some of it was. Gough Whitlam was the Prime Minister and there was free education and health services for all. I still remember being one of the class monitors – sent out with another boy to go out to the quadrangle each day to collect a crate of tiny bottles of milk for all the kids in the class.

Unfortunately, that wasn’t going to last. They fired his ass in 75, aided by Voldemort – the pompous Malcom Frazer who took over – looking down his nose as he told us life wasn’t meant to be easy. In the 80s, Bob Hawke was a breath of fresh air, a good bloke, loved his Cricket, and was probably the most transformative Prime Minister in our history.

Over the last 40 years (I got my start at a very young age) I’ve worked in many countries around the world as a broadcast journalist, media presenter, and variously across a range of performance disciplines.

That’s right people, I’m from that cohort of humans who grew up solving problems and figuring out how to make things work, thinking outside the box to come up with time-effective solutions to getting things done, unafraid to roll up our sleeves and get our hands dirty: We are Generation X, baby!

At the age of 12, I set up my own commercial radio station – on the front porches of our place and my mates’ places. People from the neighborhood, friends, and relatives would come to visit, eat cookies, drink cola (the grannies would drink tea, of course), and everyone would listen to my analysis of world events, news of the rich and famous, and my carefully curated top 40 hits playlist.

I also had 2 part-time jobs: Arnold’s Pharmacy, from where I would zip around the neighborhood on my dragster bicycle delivering medicines to the elderly, immobile, and infirm. And I had a newspaper round, which I really just did for the money. I hated getting up early on cold winter mornings for that. But if I wanted to buy stuff – I had to work for it!

I have such fond memories of old Mr. Arnold and I did try to find some images of him and the pharmacy. Unfortunately, I was only able to find the one (above) on the Mount Lawley Society website. Thankfully, there are still some historical images of what real estate agents these days like to describe to potential homebuyers as a “leafy suburb”! That image is of the corner of Beaufort and Walcott Streets back in the days when trams used to run out that way from Perth City.

The drug delivery gig though, was all about the milk and cookies – from a different granny each afternoon of the week. Wednesdays would always be sweet old’ Mrs. Gingerbread men. But Fridays? Dearest Aunty Chocolate Cake to die for!

As with everyone, my life has had its share of ups and downs, near-death experiences, life-saving surgeries, and award-winning triumphs. I’ll fill in the details, as we journey through time and space, with the creative content here on this site and my various social media channels.

At the moment I live and work in Japan. I’m “doing life” with my bestie – the most amazing woman I’ve ever known – and our family: three dogs and a Sulphur-crested Cockatoo (two of the dogs and the cocky are rescue pets). Pretty sure my wife describes me to others as a “rescue” too…

I love to cook (high up on my list of favorite things in the kitchen is my Chinese wok), and I travel for great food when I can.

Oh! And I’m told I have an epic beard.

So, thanks for finding me. And welcome to the Curious Gaijin!

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Angelino Angelino Angelino Angelino Angelino Italian Italian Italian Italian 

CONTENT CREDITS:

To be added soon…