YOU'RE A SMART COOKIE - Hilarious true story about my successor in Italy

Here comes a hilarious true story about my successor in Italy as I tried to COMPLIMENT her!

Marina Dalle Valle had just finished University and she started her 1st job.

So, I had to train her...

YOU'RE A SMART COOKIE! ←click link

Yep, when our boss Dr. Gigi Bagnasco came to check with me, about her ability, she was left out of the conversation as she did not speak English.

Knowing how she felt, I translated to her what I just told Dr. Bagnasco in English, that she picked up rather quickly and she is a smart cookie.

So I turned towards Marina and said in Italian: Marina è un biscotto furbo!

We almost wet our pants from laughing... This was one of those moments where translation is impossible.

Neither can you say in Dutch: Je bent een slim koekje...

But she understood that I only wanted to compliment her in a gracious way, and Dr. Bagnasco was quite pleased with that knowledge; meaning they hired the right person.

Cookie comes from the Dutch word 'koekje,' which means 'little cake.' The first cookie-like 'cakes' were thought to have originated in 7th century Persia, one of the earliest countries where sugar was cultivated.

Smart Cookie

The Cambridge International Dictionary of Idioms says that a smart cookie is 'someone who is clever and good at dealing with difficult situations.' The term 'cookie' may have referred to women as far back as the 1700s, and 'smart cookie' may have been a comment on women's intelligence.

The Cookie Idioms: Smart Cookie, Tough Cookie ←click link

Here Marina is next to me on the right during one of our visits back to Italy, on September 30, 1995.

Happy to see that she did so well!

Wearing my own sewing creation, skirt made from some raw silk. Paired with a silk sweater and a wool Yves Saint Laurent scarf.

She continued the Statistical Process Control that I'd introduced, as a tool for being able to pin-point 'where' in the process of e.g. producing compost, we were 'off'.

Also we used that, for more accurately being able to predict the yield of an incoming 1st break of mushrooms.

If any of the above ingredients were 'off', that already predicted less good quality mushrooms with less piece-weight and thus lower market value.

BUT, Marina my successor was a smart cookie!

Hoping she is still doing well. 

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{Yes; I was at an Yves Saint Laurent Prêt-À-Porter Show in Jakarta!} | previous post by me