Happy Leap Year!!!

Actually, because I've somehow established a habit of writing post-midnight, it's not really the 29th any more. Sad. I like to write the number 29, because it's my birthday. And I don't often get to combine "February" with "29."

Wanna know why I'm not a math major? Because we got into this mind-summersaulting discussion about numbers in my poetry class today. (We have the oddest conversations in this class!) Is zero a number? It can't be, because zero is nothing. And nothing can't be something. And isn't a number something? For the same reason, negative numbers can't be numbers, because they aren't numbers, they're negative numbers. They're something different than numbers. And how do you have less than zero? Less than nothing? I don't think that's possible. My teacher presented the idea that numbers are something that doesn't appear to really exist. Have you ever encountered a four? I thought not. You can have four OF something, but have you ever just met a four? I can't get over the zero thing, though, because it really represents the fact that numbers are just symbols, aren't they? They aren't an entity in and of themself, they're symbolic of what they're applied to... For being such a "logical" subject, it sure makes my head spin!

I paid my rent today (I feel very adult-ish and boring saying that). I also spent way too much time online looking at Morocco and Turkey info planning for my trip with my sister this summer. Now we're thinking maybe we should scratch off Turkey... it's rather expensive to get there. I think I could find something cheaper at a different time of year, and I might just go back on my own, or if/when my younger sister comes to visit me, she could go with me, like next Christmas... It won't be very warm, adn it will probably be raining, but hey, cheap is cheap! Well... cheaper!

I think Rabat needs a cafe/bistro/youth hostel accomidations. I feel this might be my life calling... Rats that I'd need to work on my French and learn Arabic.

I wrote a blog today on my myspace page. www.myspace.com/daniL012988. It was a rather sobering blog for me. It's been tickling the back of my mind for awhile now.

I've been talking with my friend Christiana about getting an apartment together next year. I think it's a for-sure thing, because Clara and Ellen have agreed to live with two other girls. I'm not quite sure how I feel about it... before they agreed to live with these two other girls I sat them down and said I'd been thinking about getting a place with Christiana. But that was last night. And by today they'd already made plans to live with the other girls. I'm really trying to be mature about this and not take it the wrong way - in fact, I really think it might be Providential! And I'm trying to remember that! Because I feel like this semester I've been a bit of the 3rd wheel where Clara and Ellen are concerned... And it's a paradox in my head, because on one side, I don't WANT to live my life like they live theres. I'm so glad I've had the chance to know them and learn to love them, but there are still some very strong differences in our outlooks on life... But at the same time, I don't like to be the unwanted companion when we do do things together. I guess it's just pride. I don't want to be the person they talk about with our mutual aquaintances and how I've been annoying or frusterating to them, or how they're looking forward to finally getting rid of me...

Ironic moment: The song in my headphones right now: "Your love deep, your live is wide, your love is great, your love is wide, your love is all we ever need, your love is all we ever need. Your love deeper than any ocean, higher than the heavens, reaching beyond the stars in the sky, Jesus, your love has no bounds." What a great reminder!

So... the apartment hunt begins again. Ahh well, it's kind of fun... it's just intimidating at the same time! :-)

And I am off to bed, because I need to accomplish a 10 page paper tomorrow!

And guess what I just discovered...

Warning: I'm about to disclose some personal information. I'm disclosing it because I don't mind sharing it, but if you don't care to hear about my personal information, well, stop reading now!

Thoroughly annoying news. The ideal weight for women of my height (5'4") is between 110-145 lbs (that's the generous side. I saw one posting saying 120, and one range given between 108 and 132). Let's just say that according to any of those three ranges, I'm officially overweight. Well, according to the last time I weighed myself, which was at Christmas.

Now, I KNOW the arguments for why weight shouldn't be the determining factor... Issues like bone size and muscle weight and all that... And trust me, I've been using those as my excuse for a long time! But let's look at the facts: I'm not a huge-framed person. Granted, I'm not a twig, but my wrists and ankles (the two bony parts on my whole body) aren't extremely large. So thereby eliminating the whole "large boned" thing. Second, while I am appropriately "muscled," so to speak (one has to be climbing stairs around here... and I do occassionally run), there IS a good layer of "blubber" on TOP of the muscle. My arms? While I can see muscle when I flex, I can still grab an inch to pinch WHILE I'm flexing. My stomach? Yes, has muscle definition, but even when I'm flexing it AND laying on my back (and yes, I did just try it!), I can easily pinch a layer of flesh between my thumb and forefinger that separates them by a good inch (inch an a half?), AND that's when I'm pulling it UP from my stomach a good two inches. Let's not talk about my legs. Cellulites at 20 can't be a good thing!

So, maybe it's just the fact that I had a birthday and am no longer a teenager. Or maybe it's the fact that I seem to sit day in and day out around lythe, swan-like students in their little skinny-legged jeans (nope, still haven't converted!), OR maybe it's the fact that I'm in ROME where I don't even bother to try on clothes labled "small" or "medium"... I'm not sure. But I've decided I've had enough of sort of mosying by, thinking I can never get back to the size I was in highschool (an oh, how I dread those words coming from my mouth... err... fingers. People who say that "I was skinny in highschool" sounds so... OLD!). Now, I can see an excuse for not going back to senior year of high school size after you've had a baby... That's a lot to put a body through! Carrying a child around for 9 months! But for me, I'm all of 2 years out of high school, and my life hasn't changed that dramatically other than the fact that I've gotten lazy and excused myself with the fact that I'm no longer in highschool.

So enough is enough. I put away all the chocolate and simple carbs in my cupboard. They're now on the top shelf, way in the back, out of sight. I'm going to beg my roommates to eat them when I'm not around... because THEY both have a metabolism that means they can eat pasta 3 times a day endlessly and never go up a pant size... I, however, haven't that gift. So, here goes my attempt at a healthier lifestyle. I'm making it a goal for this next week to eat at least one fruit or vegetable at each meal, and as my first choice for snacks.

I've already been trying to up the water intake to a liter a day (actually, that's not that hard for me, I just fill up my liter water bottle and work on it all day), but I'm going to go back to my old practice of drinking as much as I can hold BEFORE each meal. Last time I went to the grocery store I made a point to pick up the low-fat yogurt, and I usually drink skim milk, but I need to work on the whole slowing down to enjoy your food aspect of things, and portion control. I heard once that it should take you at least 30 minutes to eat a meal. Virtually ALL of my meals are eaten in 5 minutes or less. The problem with that is that my bowl of cereal in the morning doesn't make me feel full after inhaling it, so... I eat another bowl. And another bowl. So now, I'm going to make it a goal to have ONE serving (and small to moderate size at that!), and wait at least half hour after I finish it before going back for seconds if I'm still hungry.

I've never been good at losing weight... In fact, I'm not sure I've ever successfully done it. But I'm determined to do it! Actually, I'm not even going for the weight so much, because I don't own a scale so I wouldn't be able to judge... but I did use my roll of twine today to cut lengths that are the size of the circumference around my body in various parts (arm, thigh, waist, hips, etc), and THOSE are what I'm going to use to measure my sucess.

Oh, and exercise. I tend to excuse myself from "real" exercise because I walk to and from school... but it's only about a half mile away, and at least 2 days a week I only have one class, so therefore only go a total of a mile just for class purposes. Some Fridays and Saturdays I don't even do that much - yes, there have actually been days where I haven't even left my apartment, other than maybe to run downstairs to buy gelato! That's gotta change. My goal is to get 30 minutes of decent exercise Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, and at least 2 other days a week, OUTSIDE of walking to an from school. Granted, I'm short pressed on time, it feels like, but 30 minutes a day is probably the minimum amount of time a day I spend on facebook, myspace, email, and here... So if I reduce each of those by 7 minutes, I've gained 35 minutes in my day!

OK. There's my plan. No, I need you guys to ask me about it to keep me accountable. Anybody want to join me in this little healthy-living endeavor? I can be competitive, and sometimes having someone that's going to say, "Hey, I just got back from my work-out" when I'm feeling lazy will get my behind in gear and out the door!

Um, as far as the rest of life... It's good. I ran a lap on the Circo Massimo today. That's the old chariot racing stadium that's now a bit of a rundown park. And while I was out running I got a call from the student government president who wants to meet with me on Monday about the application I turned in for being the English Lit representative on the student government to fill in until the end of the year for the girl who just resigned from the position. 2:15 Monday.

That's about it, I think!
Ciao ciao!

Mi casa...

It's high time I let all of you faithful blog readers see my apartment... So here's where I live. I had a crepe night tonight for a couple people to teach them how to make crepes, so I straightened up (a little!) and swept. I took the pictures post-party while it is still kind of clean :-).




Our living room from our front door. Couches on the right, the wall with the TV on the left, and the desk (doubling as a dining room table) ahead. The door past it goes down to the kitchen and bathroom.



Our couches - aka: "The Princess Lounges." Probably the most comfortable piece of furniture I've ever slept on.



My part of the room, as seen from the living room




Clara and Ellen's side of the room, as seen just inside the door going to the living room.




The closet. To the right of Ellen and Clara's bed. My section is the mirror section. I brought less clothes!




From the bedroom door looking back into the living room and towards the front door.




The stairs going down to the bathroom and kitchen... LOVE the shelves on the wall. Our last apartment had a shortage of shelves, cupboards, and closet space!




Our piccolo bathroom. The view just inside the door.




A bathroom mirror shot standing in the doorway. Toilet and shower are to the left. The previously mentioned shelves are behind me.




From the hall at the bottom of the stairs, looking into the kitchen/pantry/utility room. The washer is under the counter. The fridge is half size. And the cupboards on the left are awesome!




There's a window just inside the door in the kitchen above the little table. It opens into a courtyard. We're on the second or third floor, so we don't use the courtyard, but here's hanging out the window to take a picture looking back up towards the bedroom. The laundry air dries, so I hung twine outside the window to give us a tad more space to hang some larger items.

Condensed.

I had a teacher at LCC that made me write as concisely as possible. It was an awful practice, I hated it (surprised?!), but it was so good for me! So today's post will be short. And you deserve it after making it through yesterday's!

These are some thoughts I had today while sitting in my four classes:

- Tomato soup sounds good for dinner. (I came home and made the best tomato soup I've ever had - another recipe for my bistro!)

- I don't want to be beautiful. It's not worth it. Helen of Troy? Had a 10 year war fought over her. Persephone? Kidnapped by Hades and taken to the underworld. Pandora? Opened that darn box. Sarah? Had her husband terrified and was taken into Pharoah's harem. Esther? She may have been queen, but tell me someone in their rational mind who would WANT to be queen!? Rachel? Insecure. And now? If you're beautiful you have some many people hating you because you look good, jealous of you because you look good, or staring at you because you look good. If you were Angelina Jolie or Catherine Zeta-Jones, how many REAL relationships do you have? Thank you, I like being average!

- THE CLASSICS WILL NOT GO AWAY!!! As a Lit major, EVERY time I turn around I'm finding myself staring at some classic story. I wish I'd paid more attention in 4th grade when I studied this stuff.

- The Iliad is actually pretty interesting, especially if you picture Brad Pitt as Achilles as you read it outloud to yourself... And yes, my roommates aren't quite sure of my sanity.

- Stress brings people together. When everyone's freaking out about a paper, they're more likely to let down their boundaries. I like that.

AMAZING gelato!

I think I found a new favorite place... Although my little gelateria on Via della Scala will always be dear to my heart, being the first place I ever experienced canella. But this place is much closer to my house (uh-oh, not good!) and the guy was awesome - he let me taste test gelato, and suggested a combination that rocked my socks, so to speak! (I don't actually know what that means, but I think it is supposed to be something like overwhelmingly good... Kinda like Phil Wickham! ;-) ). Anyhow, I had "crema," which is kind of like a sweet, plain pudding around here, but it's gelato, and lampone (sp?), which is raspberry. Ever had those tasty sandwich type cookies with raspberry and frosting? Well, convert that to gelato... It was good! If you come visit me, I'll take you there!

I'm in the mood to fill out a survey, and rather than send a bunch out on my myspace bulletins, I thought I'd post it on here. My big sister sent this out the other day:

Food Questions
1. Do you like carrots?
cooked
2. Do you eat meat?
not for the past couple weeks... I just haven't bought any lately
3. Ever had sushi?
not yet. It's on my to-do list
4. Favorite soda/pop:
Not a fan. Sometimes coke or rootbeer or orange or sprite or Mt Dew taste good... for about one swallow. Then I'm done.
5. Do you eat blueberries?
Do I ever! I wonder when they start coming in season around here...
Music Questions
1. Favorite band:
At the moment, "Phil Wickham"
2. Song you absolutely hate:
I can't think of any, because I never have to hear songs I don't like. But there are a couple...
3. Radio station you listen to:
None these days
4. Current music:
Phil Wickham (as if that wasn't obvious!)
5. First CD ever bought:
Pachabel's Cannon in D? I dunno.
Love Questions
1. Ever been in love?
Not in the conventional way.
2. What does love mean to you?
Actions. Choices. Commitment
3. Believe in love at first sight?
Nope
4. Current crush:
Zero. None. Well... unless Phil Wickham counts! ;-) But, can you have a crush on someone because of their music??? Probably not.
5. First kiss:
I'll get back to you on that one...
Room Questions
1. What is your bed size?
It's a cot, actually.
2. Do you have any windows?
Yup, by my head. I love to have windows by my head. It makes waking up so much easier.
3. Is your computer in there?
If I want it to be, yup.
4. Bedsheet color?
white and tan stripes, I guess.
5. Number of posters on the walls:
One. It's this funky flower that was here when we came. But we have a lot of pictures and postcards and cut outs up.
Television Questions
1. Lamest show on TV:
I absolutely hate Sex and the City. It's disgusting and disturbing. I have no idea if it's still on, but my roommates have season of it on DVD and I can't even stand to be in the same room!
2. Best show on TV:
I gotta admit I kinda like The Office... But I never watch it! Of course, if I decide I want TV shows I usually turn on re-runs of Xena, Warrior Princess, dubbed into French...
3. Favorite cartoon:
I never watched cartoons.
4. Do you ever watch the news?
I've watched Al Jazeera news once since I came. It was in English.
5. Are you guilty of watching the weather channel?
Maybe once in my life?
The ‘Other Gender’ Questions (I should have read this survey before I started filling it out... this could get weird!)
1. Do you prefer blondes or brunettes?
Nope. No preference.
2. Do you like skater kids?
PULL YOUR PANTS UP!
3. Sweet but sensitive or loud but romantic?
Uh... let's not overdose on either
4. Do you like being called “babe, sweetie, honeybun,” etc.?
I have a name for a reason...
5. Do you like them outgoing or shy?
Them, as in men? Well, a balance, I guess.

1. Raised in:
The preceipitous (is that a word?) Northwest of the USA.
2. Were you a planned baby:
I've never asked, actually. I'm here, that's what matters!
3. Birth date:
29 January
4. Any siblings:
Four
5. Younger or older:
uno older, tre younger
6. Hair color:
Mine or theirs? Brown, for me...
7. Hair length:
Mine, I presume. Short.
8. First school:
Was... down the hall.
9. Eye color:
Green
10. Shoe size:
39
11. Mood:
Va bene, grazie! Realizing this survey is LONG!
12. Smell:
What do I smell like? Sugar and spice and everything nice... And Green Tea perfume by Elizabeth Arden
13. Height :
taller than some, shorter than some, right about average I'd say.
14. Lefty/righty:
I still have both. Should I be expecting to lose one soon?

THIS OR THAT:
1. Love or money?
Are we talking now or the future??
2. Coffee or alcohol?
Italian cafe, per favore
3. One night stands or relationships?
What an indecent and ridiculous question!
4. Television or internet?
Internet... although both can be time wasters
5. Pepsi or Coke?
Water
6. Fun night out or romantic night in?
Must we get into this lovey-dovey stuff?
7. Phone or in Person?
Person is always best. But phone suffices
8. Aim or myspace im?
I have neither
HAVE YOU EVER:
1. Have you ever been caught sneaking out?
I never had a reason to sneak out
2. Have you ever skinny dipped?
Brr!
3. Have you ever done something you regret?
Of course
4. Have you ever been on a house boat?
No - I might add that to my life goal list though
5. Have you ever finished an entire jaw breaker?
Oh yes. I use to buy those HUGE ones in Seattle and work on it for weeks. My tongue would bleed from licking it so much.
6. Have you ever colored your hair?
highlights
ARE YOU:
1. Are you missing someone right now?
I always miss people when I'm not with them
2. Are you talking to anyone right now?
Just you (aren't you special!)
3. Are you German?
I suppose part of me might be
4. Are you Italian?
I don't claim it. I think the mindset might be rubbing off on me a little, though... EEK!
5. Are you French?
Non, j'ne Francais
6. Are you Russian?
I'm not sure... maybe some?
7. Are you Norwegian?
I don't think so.
8. Are you Irish?
I want to be!
9. Are you Indian?
No, although I want to live there for a bit.
10. Are you latin?
Nope
11. Are your parents still married?
Indeed (Thanks Mom and Dad!)
DO YOU:
1. Do you get depressed about things easily?
No. Just piles of schoolwork!
2. Do you live life to the fullest?
I hope so - I fail sometimes, though.
3. Are you comfortable with the way you look?
A good 75% of the time, I think
4. How do you dress?
All over the board. Skirts and boots, jeans and sweaters, t-shirt and sweats... Totally depends. But the trick is... as long as you have a coat and scarf on, you can wear anything!
5. Are you scared of growing old alone?
Nope.
6. What do you want to be when you grow up?
2 questions: 1: do I really HAVE to grow up? And 2: Do I have to decide to BE something if I grow up? Can't I just be me?
7. Favorite season?
sunshine, sunshine, sunshine... So I'll take it in any season. No season would be as valuable to me if I didn't have each of the others to balance it.
8. Are you a vegetarian?
Maybe? I don't know. Does not eating meat make you one?
9. Current song you are listening to?
Take a wild guess... I bought Phil Wickham's new ALBUM on iTunes... And it's good! ;-)

FINALLY done. Sorry folks!

Sunny, sunny, sunny days!

Today I love Rome! Today I've decided that I didn't, in fact, get lied to about the weather. Today reached a high of (hold your breath!) about 67 degrees!!! It was GLORIOUS! Of course, I still wore a black jacket and a scarf... I mean, it's Rome, let's not be hasty in to shifting to spring clothing... but I shed both of them whilst sitting on a set of stairs in the sunshine reading "The Woman In White" (A fantastic hit from the 19th century... It's called a "Sensation Novel" and quite the page turner).

This is my second blog listening to Phil Wickham's "True Love." GO LISTEN TO THAT SONG RIGHT NOW IF YOU HAVEN'T DONE IT! I'll wait.

www.myspace.com/daniL012988









There now, wasn't that wonderful?

I don't really have anything more to write about, because a) I came home from my afternoon-sun-soaking activity to sleep for 4 hours. Not on the plan, but probably needed. And b) because of the action (or lack thereof) taken in part a, I need to go work on some more homework. Did you know a 10 page paper has about 2500 words in it? I just learned that. I finished one 2500 word paper, now I'm working on a 1200 word one, and I have another 2500 word one due next week. This lit thing is depressing sometimes.

New Song!

I'm in the computer lab because I needed to actually accomplish something today, so I left my house! It's only halfway working.

When I went to sign in to blogger, I realized I automatically pushed AltGrand to use it for the @ sign (look at that, I just did it again!). Does this mean I'm going native around here? Euro keyboards don't through me for a loop? Yay!

I found a new song. I know, I know, you're thinking, "Didn't we just HAVE a blog about music???" and yes, you're right, we did. Yesterday. (OK, technically today, be went went over this already). But I like a new one I found enough to promote it on here!

Follow this link: www.myspace.com/daniL012988. It's the song on my profile. Title: True Love by Phil Wickham. If there's a more perfect, brand new Easter-type song, I've yet to hear it! (Hang on while I go push play on the song in the other window really quick!)

Come to find out, Phil Wickham has a whole new ALBUM out. How did I not know this?! Because I'm in Italy? Or just oblivious? Probably both. But really, being over here does play a part. Usually my sister and I will talk about music for an average of, oh, 10 hours a week? Usually at night when we should be sleeping. I don't hear about all her new discoveries all the time over here. Of course, she is good to myspace me and tell me about some, but there ARE more important things to talk about... Like shoes. Shoes are very important. Or sales. So, see, we have to reduce all that kind of communication.

Speaking of shoes and sales, I'm going to a black tie charity event next month! The Irish Embassy is hosting a Celtic Ball to raise money for homeless people in Rome and Ireland. And I've reserved tickets. I need a dress though. Anybody have a black cocktail dress they want to mail to me? And shoes? I'll bring them back in June!

And speaking of Ireland (don't you love how this is all tying in to Phil Wickham's song? And did you just go back to retrace this line of thought? Because I just had to...), I am the proud owner of a one-way ticket to Belfast for my spring break! I have friends there, and since I've never been to the Emerald Isle, I decided it was high time to check it off my list. Of course, it'll be for about 2 days, then I'm flyng to England for Easter dinner with some other friends there, then flying on to Southern France for a couple days there with a girl I just met, and FINALLY (hopefully!) on to Northern Spain to visit people THERE before I come home and read 3 books over the weekend and crash before school starts on Monday!

That's it. That's all the news I have. I think I'm going to sautee mushrooms and spinache and basil and tomatoes to have with integral (whole grain) pasta tonight, because I have all of them on my shelf in my fridge and I don't want them to spoil. Besides that, it's relatively calm here. I'm writing a paper on a Shakespeare sonnet, a Milton sonnet, and Keats sonnet. And finishing a paper on the concept and portrayal of virtue in restoration England (both due on Tuesday). I'm also still finishing up Emma, finishing The Woman In White, reading The Iliad, and revising a paper on Charles Dickens and the definition of plot. See why I'd rather be listening to fantastic music?!

PS:

I have my friend Cass's blog listed to the right. He's an English major at the University of Arkansas. Somehow... still not sure how... he ended up over here with the University of Arkansas study abroad group... which happens to be geared primarily for architecture students. His homework load is pretty light (as in, virtually non-existant which I keep warning him won't probably last past the end of August!), so he tends to do fun stuff around Rome and Italy and is pretty faithful about blogging about it.

If you can get past his Lost review obsession (I just skip those posts) his writing is usually pretty witty and hilarious (and shhh, no, you don't need to tell him that! It might swell his head a little too much! ;-) ), and typically a lot shorter than mine. So while my blog tends towards just telling you about my boring, study-filled days and the occasional one or two hour jaunt, HE is actually LIVING the experience of absorbing as much of this crazy country as he can... so if you have a moment, go check it out and treat yourself to a laugh!

Top ten this, top ten that!

I've decided that as long as I write one time within my daily "waking" period, it counts as being once a day. Does that work? So, even though it is actually early morning by the clock, since I've yet to go to bed, I haven't technically missed a day of blogging.

I think maybe this is just startint to sound desperate!

To continue with the idea of desperate, I'm apparently desperately running out of blogging ideas, or just getting kind of bored with the "this is what I did today" blog, or (perhaps more frequently) "this is what I thought about today" blog.

So this is a list blog. Not the first time I've done it, of course, but... the first time I've done THESE lists.

The game list:
On iTunes, I changed my settings to shuffle, went to "top rated songs," then hit "play." Here's the first 10 songs that came up:

1. "He Don't Love You Like I Love You" by Daniel Bedingfield. Ohhhhkay. What a good start! This song title just makes me laugh... And my favorite line is: "Tell me this love's just a feeling that will pass away, tell me your heart is a liar. Tell me your not what I know you are, all that a man could desire. And he doesn't know, darlin', what he's got, but I would treasure you..." Soooooo totally, over-the-top, sugary-sweet!

2. "All At Once" by The Fray. YES! Colorado represented, even though I've spent about 8 days of my whole life there... Favorite line: "Sometimes the hardest thing and the right thing are the same." Maybe not THE most profound words, but certainly a good reminder that easy isn't always best... (Uh-oh, I'm getting a nagging guilt that this might apply to that paper I should be working on...)

2. "Somebody Told Me" by The Killers. The Killers always make me think of Scotland because my friend Jamie was the first to introduce me to their music. NOT the best song ever created... no, there is no reason for you to go listen to it if you haven't already heard it. But the background sounds (I don't know how else to describe them) are quite cool... and I love how, right before the chorus, everything STOPS. Very dramatic.

3. "Say Goodbye" by Joy Williams. Excellent song! I'm not typically a huge female-artist fan, but I do love Joy's music. She has the incredible talent of putting into words and music things I've thought or felt myself. Great question in this song: "You're different now, would you go back, would you want to anyhow?" Food for thought...

4. "When Did You Fall" by Chris Rice. I seem to have incredibly fun, upbeat, "summery" music from Chris Rice on my iTunes. He totally pokes fun at himself in this song, which is great... who can resist someon who's willing to laugh at themself? Fav line: "Come on tell me, what's right with you? Now it dawns on me probably everybody's talking, and there's something here I'm supposed to realize, cuz your secret's out and the universe laughs at it's joke on me. I just caught it in your eyes, it's a beautiful surprise!"

5. "Bubbly" by Colbie Caillat. HUGE success in the US whilst I was in Morocco, I think. Someone had just introduced her to me before I left, and I thought I was about the only person who knew anything about her. I came home in August and BOOM, it felt like every 5 minutes. This is what happens to me when I don't have a car and thus have no reason to listen to the radio... I'm oblivious to what's happening on the music scene. I love the "crinkle my nose" phrase.

6. "You Are A Storm" by Jonny Diaz. First, I just gotta say I'm kinda massively disappointed this dude just got engaged. OK, moving on! What I consider a great song about relationships... "Darkness fighting, thunder, lightening, crashing down from above. Sometimes frightening, always exciting, it's the storm that I love. I am leading, but still needing you to follow my groove. Sun is hiding, so inspiring, you keep me on my toes. You are a storm filled with deep mystery, and while other may run it's inviting to me. Darling I'll brave the winds if you promise to stay, because you are a storm, but I love the rain." (Sorry, long quote... I just LOVE it, though! The piano, his voice... ahhh!)

7. "Far Away" by Nickelback. I particularly like the music video for this song. I liked the song before I saw the video, but the video adds a whole new element. For me, it relates to me the importance of cherishing and appreciating love... both love close and far away. "On my knees, I'll ask, a last chance for one last dance. Cuz with you I'd withstand all of hell to hold you hand." OK, also terribly sappy, I know! Moving on...

8. "Only Alive" by Jars of Clay. I really like the folksy sound of this song. "I'm only a live with you, I can't get by and I won't get through. So put me in the river and let me say I do, I'm only alive with you." Strings...

9. "You're Beautiful" by James Blunt. OK, I know, I could really be opening myself up to some SERIOUS insulting with this one! Stupid music video. And yes, his voice is kinda weird. And he has a very self-centered kind of mindset... But what I LOVE about this song is the idea it inspires in... I think it would make an absolutely amazing short story... it just begs for beautiful, raw imagery to be inserted. Or, maybe I just want to see a totally different type music video for this one. It could have been SOOO cool. I see it as being a very gritty kind of movie... subways flashing by, graffiti in "the tube," very unsaturated colors. And a beautiful smile. Lots of faces. Lots of faces not making eye contact, living in their own little bubbles, and this girl makes eye contact and smiles. And because the singer is so lonely, he thinks she's an angel because she acknowledges him... Anyhow. Great potential, horribly performance in the visual arts.

(I must have Bubbly in here twice because it came up again. Then "Hero" by Enrique Iglesia came up, but I thought I'd focused enough on cheesy love songs, so I'm pushing the forward button - and yes, that means I'm cheating, but it's MY website, so I make the rules - besides, I LOVE a quote in Jesus Freaks!)

10. "Jesus Freaks" by DC Talk. These guys have got to be some of the coolest musicians ever! They're STILL popular after, what, 15 years? Still producing right-on music (seperately, I guess). TobyMac? Amazing! But, this is DC Talk... This is one of those running soundtracks in my life... it's been "there" in the recesses of my brain for a long time. It was the first song I tried to rap to! Probably about the last too, with the exception of "Raised in Harlem"... ahhh, yeah... Favorite quote: "I saw a man tatt on his big fat belly. It wiggled around like marmelade jelly. It took me awhile to catch what it said, cuz I had to match the rhythm of his belly with my head. "Jesus Saves" it what it raved, in a typical tatoo green, and he stood on a box in the midd of the city and claimed he had a dream. What will people think when they label me a Jesus Freak?"


There now, wasn't that fun? :-)

Today I went to the church that holds St. Valentine's skull. It was closed, though, so I didn't go inside. Bummer. I wanted to say that I've prayed standing in front of St. Valentine's skull. Isn't that a cool claim? Maybe it will happen one of these days.

In other news, I'm apparently greatly lacking in Roman understanding and appreciation because I have never seen Roman Holiday... Anyone? Anyone? I have a mailbox! DVDs seem to be working in my computer now that it's permanently set to Region one. They even have huge posters inside one of my favorite gelaterias, "Della Palma" which, I realized the other day, actually appears to be some kind of chain...? They at least have 2 stores in Rome that I know of. This makes me sad because I like things to be unique.

Speaking of gelato, in no particular order, these are the flavors I remember trying since I've been here:

chocolate
chocolate with cinnamin
honey and seseme seed
pastachio
grapefruit
lemon
pear
cinnamin
cafe
kiwi
mixed fruit
cream with cherry
amaretto
fig
strawberry
coconut
banana
chip and mint
cream
cream with chocolate chunks
cream with chocolate chunks and pastachio nuts
Nutella and puffed rice

I think that's about it. For awhile I was just sticking to my favorites, but now I've decided to try something new every time I go somewhere. I try to pair a new one with one I know I like, so I at least get one good type. Do they usually do 2 or more flavors in the states? I don't remember. They do here. The smallest cone or cup comes with 2 flavors, and the larger sizes, the more flavors you get.

Now when people come visit me you can ask what kinds I liked and what I didn't like, and I'll be educated enough to tell you!

Outside perspective

I have an intro to poetry and poetics class taught by a Scotsman. Prof Miller is a wee wisp of a man, who frequently dresses smartly in flashy grey suits and vests. He has a habit of putting his chin up and squinting his eyes so one can't really tell if he's closing them or just looking through his eyelashes whenever he tries to remember what he was talking about. This happens quite frequently as he tends towards rabbit trails.

One primo example is today's 75 minute class. The first 45 minutes of it we didn't even discuss poetry or poetics. We discussed... America. And food portions. And customer service. Prof Miller was telling of his time in Ithaca, NY, speaking at Cornell. He was aghast at the quantity of food he got at an "eatery of some sorts" that some students recommended to him. He was quite overwhelmed by the sheer number of choices one had to make to get a simple sandwich: Which type of sandwich meat? Which cooking method? Seasoning? Bread style? Bread type? Vegetables? Pickle type? "Chip" type? All for 4 or 5 dollars. He said he struggled to carry the platter to a table to sit down after his quarter of an hour decision making process and the scowling of all the people in the queue.

He observed that Americans seem quite willing to accept and tolerate people of a vast variety - car owners or not, as he classified them. He couldn't understand the business of tipping people. He also commented on our attitude towards customer service - he claims that just because someone is serving someone else doesn't make the service-person a SERVANT. He rather likes the French way of taking pride in their occupation.

It was facinating to hear P. Miller and the other non-American students discuss their impressions of the US. We also discussed how places or people are really IDEAS in our head. I have several stereotyped ideas about Italians and French and English and Scottish and Irish and Russian and all the other nationalities out there - but in all truth, they're not accurate. They can't possibly be all accurate.

P. Miller expressed his realization that the US is really BIG, with a lot of differences even within our nation. Of course! If you think about it, Scotland is quite varied, from the borderlands to the north, from the east to the west... People a mere hour-drive-away have a completely different ACCENT. Scotland isn't even as large as some of the STATES in the USA, not to mention having FIFTY of them! To presume the US is homogenous is aking akin to saying Swedish and French and Ukranians and Italians are all similar because they inhabit Europe. Not quite the same, of course, considering each of those nations speaks a different language, but just because two people or two people groups inhabit the same land mass doesn't make them identical.

That's something I've learned even since being here, though. Americans are a vast, varied, broad-minded lot! I, unfortunately, have the impression that MY part of the US is how every part is... I feel that the NW is decidedly laid back yet high strung (probably from all the coffee we drink). We are sharply divided by many things - liberal, green city dweller contrasted with conservative, hunting country-er (is that a word?). The yuppies who wear sweater-vests and khakis with thick glasses going to office jobs having something to do with computers, and the dread-locked homeless people sleeping under bridges and smoking pot, AND the artistic, pale, introverted and clique-ish coffee-house youth. People who go to church on Sundays and spend the rest of the week with their Bibles in the trunk of their car. The people who live for the outdoor activities: hiking, biking, mountain climbing, skiiing, canoeing. Even within my description of the NW is a VAST difference, yet I see it as common for all these people to live together and co-exist. I'm learning that isn't the way it is everywhere. For example, in the southeast I feel that appearances and what one SAYS is a lot more important. The NW can be pretty blunt sometimes. I have this stereotype image of one southern woman whispering to another one, "Bless my soul, do you SEE that girl's hair? Lord bless her heart." And in the Northwest I imagine people as being more assertive and demanding, "I asked for my cuoffee THAT way and I demind my money back since YOU made the mistake." I also imagine the Northeast as being a bit more formal in social interaction.

So where am I going with this? I have no idea! I actually need to just stop and go to class, so I'll cease rambling about now. I usually like discussing the poetry in my poetry class, but the 45 minutes I spent listening to other people's views of America - both non-Americans AND Americans trying to explain America, which is really only their understanding of America - was probably the most thought-provoking, interesting, and possibly even... enlightening? 45 minutes I've spent in a long time!

Scholarships....

Reading load is STILL insane. I've got half of Emma to finish before tomorrow... Is it possible to do it in the next 9 hours? It better be.

I got a scholarship finished up today, I'm planning to mail it from Vatican city tomorrow. That's where I typically go to mail stuff. St Peter's is one of my favorite places in Rome, I think. It's big. I've realized I like big things. Big churches, big open spaces, big fields of grass, big trees.

I have new friends from WA staying with me! I met them at Termini this morning and brought them back to my place. They introduced me to Piazza bianca - which is basically pizza crust with olive oil on it. One thing I love about Italian food is that it's SIMPLE but oh-so-good. They brought me starbucks coffee too. I don't know how simple it is, but it's also really good.

I don't know that I feel any better, but I don't necessarily feel worse. I think, overall, I have more energy, but I'm very tired. It's more of an... internal energy, perhaps? Physically I'm exhausted, but the thought of having my regular 3-day weekend sounds LOVELY!

I still have loads of reading to do tonight, though, so... off I go!

I am thankful for the following:

- My friend Hilary (as in "Hawaiian Hilary's site" link over to the right) and her idea to keep a thankful blog... So I'm copying her (imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, no?) by writing today's blog on things I'm thankful for.

- We had another blue sky and sunshine day today. At some point I need to go buy cool, Roman-looking sunglasses so I don't create more wrinkles then necessary around my eyes, but for the moment, I rather enjoy walking outside my front door and having my sight assaulted by brilliant sunshine (which the ancients would call the mark of Apollo, FYI).

- I am thankful for my Ugg boots. I didn't bring them over last semester a) because it was HOT when I came, and b) because I didn't think I had room, and c) because Ugg boots are SO last season, aren't they? Well, I don't care what season it is, it was COLD in my all-tile apartment towards the end of last semester... So I made a point of rolling them up and stuffing them into the top of my backpack when I came over in January. Seriously, they are the most used item of my wardrobe, I think. The very FIRST thing I do when I get home is take off my shoes and put my Uggs on, and the very last thing before I leave is to switch my Uggs for my regular shoes. I don't wear them outside, but I love having them for these brillianty-but-cold days and nights.

- Skype is an amazing tool, and I used it last night to call my wonderful doctors. I worked for my doctors for awhile, played soccer with their daughter, took a class on Political Science from their son, and have had my health primarily looked after by them since I was about 10. They run a small clinic in my hometown, and I have their phone number memorized. I called and after explaining the situation and being on hold for a couple minutes, I got to talk to Anwar, who is always kind, generous, and warm to me. After describing my ailments and symptoms from the past week, he told me amoxacilline, 500 mg, 3 times a day for 10 days. I went to a farmacia today and showed them my note (I forget how to say "500" and "30"), and got 12 caplets of 500 mg. It was all that farmacia had, so I'll need to find another one tomorrow or the next day to get the remaining 18 caplets, but yay for Italian drug systems and over-the-counter antibiotics, and yay for wonderful, personable doctors, and yay for skype!

- My apartment is seriously in one of THE most idea places in Rome in terms of tourism (yes, anyone who knows me really CAN come visit!). Tomorrow I'm expecting some relatives of someone my parents and grandparents know. I'm going to meet their train in the morning, and they're hanging out here until sometime Thursday I think. I'm delighted that I have cool roommates who are all for having company, and that we got this awesome apartment, and that I have two wonderfully comfortable couches to welcome guests! I even went grocery shopping today (twice, actually, because I couldn't carry everything with just one load) and picked up breakfast stuff so we all have something to eat over the next couple days.

- Although I wasn't thankful for this at first, while I'm thinking on the subject I'm even thankful for the less-than-ideal grade I got on my paper the other day. Why? Because it reminds me that I need to be putting my utmost effort into school (although, I feel that I already am putting a LOT of effort into it, I'm sure I could find a little more time to devote towards it somwhere!) AND, it reminds me that I'm not perfect... In case I NEEDED a reminder! :-) It also reminds me that yes, school is important, but there will come a day that, if I even REMEMBER it, I will in all likelihood laugh about it and say, "Well, that doesn't make me any less loved by God."... for which I'm VERY thankful for!

- My butterfleece sweatshirt, which gets almost as much wearing time as my Uggs

- The fact that I'm going to stop writing this and go read Jane Austen's Emma and know that I'm being productive towards school efforts!

- Lastly, for the opportunity to apply for SCHOLARSHIPS. It's that time of year. I've finished two, and I'm working on the essay part for a third, and I've got a couple more to tackle before the end of the season. I've been so blessed by scholarship money the past couple years, and I'm thankful for the groups/agencies/organizations that provide scholarship funding for students such as myself...

Filming session

This is the bridge I walk over to get to school each day. It's my favorite part of the walk, because you can see up and down the Tiber (Tevere in Italian) river. Unfortunately, there is usually a group of homeless people with dreadlocks and a bunch of their dogs (why do homeless people have dogs?) camped on the bridge, so I have to either feel guilty because I don't give them money every day, or fish out some coins.

Today, though, there were no homeless people, and instead there were big, white reflective screen things, and one of those really long microphones with the grey fuzz on the end to put in front of actor's mouths whilst they talk. There was also dude with fake-looking grey hair leaning against the side of the bridge and someone was touching up his makeup. Quite a few people were standing around watching, sort of to see what was happening, but it didn't look like the cameras were rolling.

When I saw all of this I was reminded that Ellen said fliming of "Angels and Demons" is underway here in Rome. I wonder if this was for the movie??? That would be pretty exciting... Regardless, I'm terribly excited to see the movie when it comes out simply so I can identify all the locations and landmarks I recognize.

There was also a guy that looked like he might have been Leonardo diCaprio, but he looked shorter than I expected him, and I was trying not to stare. Actually, I just caught a glimpse of him from the corner of my eye while I was listening to Phil Wickham on my iPod and trying to weave through people so I wasn't late to class...

the Roman Forum

Today I picked up a copy of the free Roman Forum magazine/newspaper thing at the back of church. In case anyone wants to know about the news happening in my little town, go to: www.theromanforum.com which gives you a plethora of interesting news in English about Bella Roma.

Three things I found particularly interesting in this month's articles/news blurbs:

1 - "John Cabot University expands to new premesis." I'd actually heard about this and am QUITE excited to see how it pans out. Hopefully by next September we'll be having classes in this former Jewish Elementary school... Our school right now is quite small, so it'll be terrific to have additional space!

2 - "Mystery surrounds death of a 21-year-old John Cabot Student." I quote: The body of Karen Young (21),an American visiting student at John Cabot University, was found underneath Ponte Garibaldi (insert: a bridge that I walked over at least 6 times a week last semester) on 24 January with several lesions to the head and a crack at the base of the skull. The university's president, Franco Pavoncello, said in a statement that she had 'died of natural casues,' yet her family said the investigation was ongoing and an autopsy was pending. Ms Young's tragic death came mere days after her 21st birthday and a week after arriving in Rome.

This was news that hadn't been passed on to the students. About the injuries, I mean.

3 - There's a CELTIC BALL, black tie affair on March 15th that I think I've talked my roommate Ellen into going with me! It'll mean getting a formal dress (sisters? Anyone want to mail over a cute formal dress???) in the form of buying or borrowing... and it DOES cost 83 Euros (ridiculous!) but part of the ticket is going towards a homeless ministry here in Rome, which I'd like to contribute money to without giving out change on the streets... Oh, and I'll have to find shoes too... ;-)

My ear feels a lot better after the drops I put in it. Does anyone know whether I should pursue getting some kind of oral antibiotic? Or is just having the drops enough? I really have no idea what's in the drops because not only is it medical language mumbo-jumbo, but it's also in ITALIAN.

I'm still working on that darn 10 page paper. I won't tell you how far I am into it... not nearly as far as I'd hoped! But on the suggestion of my Vatican-research friend Steve (he's working on his PhD, he must know something about writing papers?) I've scribbled out an outline, so now I have an idea of where I'm going and where I SHOUlD be going when I distract myself with the idea of going downstairs to "Joe's" to get gelato... which I just did, by the way. Lemone and Ciocollato are quite a tasty mix for a cuppola piccolo.

In other news, I've scratched the idea of posting pictures every time I post these blogs, so sorry! Writing once a day is clearly about as much (or more!) than I can manage!

I'm off to FINISH (Inshallah!) writing about virtue in restoration England... wish me luck, and THANKS for the prayers for health! The cough is a bit hurtful to the lining of my throat, I think, and the sinuses are definitely annoying... but I'm thankful that the knife-in-the-ear has stopped!

Sideways screen

The left side of my face thinks that gravity has played some funny trick on it as I write. Reason? I'm making every effort to keep the right side of my head - namely my right ear - pointed towards the ceiling. Why, the curious blog reader wonders? Well, my friends, I've had the first slight health fiasco in Europe. I hope it gets no worse. On top of the fever (comes and goes - mostly gone, though), and the headache (also comes and goes - mostly comes though), AND the plugged up head (there's nothing going about it - it's just come and taken up semi-permanent residence in my sinus cavities), this evening I took a nap. At some point I rolled over, and BANG (just like that, with the sound affect and wide eyes and everything!) I had a knife going into my eardrum. Well, I guess it wasn't a literal knife, but that's what it felt like.

About an hour was all it took for me to decide this was not going to be fun. Less than that, in reality, but an hour was when I'd had it. My friend Emily wrote out a wonderful note in Italian (Hi, I have great pain in my ear. It really hurts a lot. Is there anything you can give me for it?) and off I went with three friends who I'd planned to have dinner with at the pumpkin restaurant. First stop was the bancomat, and three times my card was rejected. Cass fronted me 10 Euros so I could buy the ear drops (the Indian pharmacist spoke English, so the note wasn't necessary). After finally taking some pain meds as well, I was ready for some food.

My Mom will say to me, "Why didn't your card work?" To which the answer is I needed to transfer money over... which I did get taken care of, and paid Cass back. I plan to see how the ear drops work for tomorrow and maybe Monday, probably keeping a supply of tylenol nearby, and if there isn't any improvement, I'll go back to the pharmacy and see if I can get a perscription. One of the beauties of living in Europe is that you don't HAVE to go to a doctor - in fact, you aren't really supposed to - for a lot of these common ailments.

In the meantime, my ear is pretty painful, and I've still got 5-7 pages to go on this paper tomorrow afternoon, along with all the usual reading load and church... Prayers are much appreciated!

PS: No pictures - sorry!

Not even a week!

I didn't even keep up the daily blogging for a week! MAN... But, in the words of Samuel Beckett: "Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better."

Yesterday was a zoo of frantically reading and attending class and trying to stay awake after a LATE night, and then dinner at the pub my friend Taina works at with a whole gang of people.

Today has been much the same, 'cept one of my teachers didn't want to do the makeup day, so we aren't, and I didn't get up at the crack of dawn to read the stuff I needed to... I slept instead. But the fact that I was AT school on Friday was a lot more than some people!

Here's a photo from last night, with all the girls and Cass (one of the 3 guys) trying to look all... suave. Uh-huh. :-) Hope everyone had a happy heart day!

Running past the Colosseum...

Before my clock turns to midnight I need to write!

Today's been relatively productive. I'm still trying to avoid getting REALLY sick, keeping my throat and head to a dull ache is the goal, so I turned off my alarm this morning and tried to sleep a little longer than usual. I ended up not really sleeping past 9AM, so I read homework under my two wool blankets - it was cold last night!

Class, turned in a paper, came home and made lunch and dough for sourdough bread (it ended up being a complete flop, but the house smells wonderfully sourdough-ish... It just didn't rise), then worked on the presentation I'm giving tomorrow. I had some trouble finding sources, so I'm trying to pull this thing together still now, at quarter to midnight. I did take a break and go for a run, though, and my route took me by the Colosseum. It was pretty much dark by the time I left, but I'd never actually been by the Colosseum after dark. They have lights inside and spotlights on it, so it's quite lovely (you can check it out on google images - I didn't have my camera with me, obviously)... Keys, ID card, phone, and iPod shuffle are about all I care to try holding.

I copied the image above off google because I liked the overview of it. I ran on the far side of the building - the area where the cars don't drive. My route brought me up along that main road from the left, but I broke off from the road about where the road becomes visible as it leaves the treest. It's all a pedestrian area behind the colosseum, and then I joined up with the road again on the right side and followed it as it fades off into the distance on the top right of the photo.

In other news, Orbitz is having sales on flights... $650 round trip tickets from PDX to Rome for the dates I typed in for March... Anyone want to come for a visit? :-)

Bridging the Gap

This image is from my walk to school. It's a little hard to see in this picture (I was at risk of being run over by renegade motocyclists), but what you're looking at is actually a bridge between two buildings. I've noticed it a number of times because it's rather unique. Most of the buildings here are block-sized buildings, meaning people or stores might own or rent sections, but they are all part of one big building. Usually you don't see these connections built BETWEEN buildings, though, especially over the top of roadways. I think it would be really cool to have an apartment that spanned both sides!

Tonight was supposed to be a student forum meeting focusing on how to get degree-seeking students and study abroad students to BOTH feel included at JCU. Typically both groups feel that the other is getting more attention than they are: at the beginning of the semester the study abroads are catered to quite a bit, and by the end of the semester they feel like they're being cast off because they're going home and nobody cares how they feel about things. I guess it's challenging to balance both sides.

It's been challenging for me to balance different aspects of my life too. Going back to Jason's sermon on Sunday, Christians are described as living here on earth, but being citizens and belonging to the realm of heaven. I've been trying to figure out how one does that. How does one live IN the world, but not be OF the world? How does one balance being as wise as a serpent and as innocent as a dove? How does one build relationships with people who have nothing in common with one spiritually, yet manage to not compromise one's beliefs? And on even another note, how does one stand up for and claim to be part of a belief that is seen as being manipulative, treacherous, dangerous, self-seeking, and destroying? How do I claim, "I'm a Christian" when we're studying literature and discussing how the church exploited the illiterate? Or, on the other side of things, how do I claim, "I'm a Christian" when other people claim to be Christians too... whilst getting wasted on Thursday night with their friends or being rude in class or being ignorant of Biblical theology?

And in another sense, what IS my part in bridging the gap between the study abroads and the degree-seekers? I still feel strongly that God brought me here, to Rome, to this school, for a purpose. But what are the fine details of that purpose? Where should I be concentrating my efforts? School versus church involvement versus Christian fellowship versus reaching out to people versus being a good friend to my roommates versus traveling versus spending money wisely...

I think the real bummer is that I'm pretty sure life never gets much easier... so, for anyone who is reading this, you can skip right over the comments about, "Wait until you have a mortage"... or a job or a husband or kids or whatever other complicating factors come in as we age. I'd really rather just try to handle one stress at a time, 'K? :-)

The long (but authentic?) way

I think one of the greatest challenges, but also sometimes the most rewarding part about living is Italy is when it comes to my cooking habits. I love to cook. Or bake. Or do anything that involves making food because I like to EAT food! No, wait, actually I really dislike making salads, for some reason... You know, like rinsing the lettuce and tearing it up and grating carrots (I HATE grating carrots!). Which is odd, because I do like to EAT salads... Anyhow, my solution to that is to buy baby spinach all the time because you don't have to tear it up!

Grocery shopping is a challenge in Italy. It's a fun challenge. Since I can't read the language very well, I have to sort of just guess juding by pictures. We have a market every morning outside my front door, though, which works for getting produce. Here's a picture of one of the stands this morning:



The only thing I don't like about market shopping is that I don't know the proper custom for doing things - do you just pick through and hand things to the marketstand person? Or do you ask for them to pick it up? It stresses me out!

To my knowledge, Italian grocery stores don't carry yeast. You know, like breadmaking yeast? Anyhow, I brought a jar back with me from the states for when I want cinnamon rolls or bagels, but I also decided on Saturday to attempt to make my own sourdough bread starter. Here's a picture of the stuff in my jar sitting on our window sill... Now, the window sill might not be the best place for it, because it has to be kept fairly warm, but there is a radiator right under this window sill, so the jar gets the heat from it.



It's starting to get bubbly, which - I presume - is a good thing.

Also, you can see that there is laundry drying outside at our neighbor's apartment across the way. The Italian apartment-dwellers are really quite ingenious! We live on the 2nd or 3rd story (it's kinda hard to tell...) and they just string their laundry out the window. I'm not really sure how yet. We have a rack in our kitchen that we drape clothes over... and drape them over the cupboard doors... and over the bedroom door and bathroom door... Sometimes it's like a laundrymat here!

Time is an interesting thing here. It's a city, so people still walk really fast talking on their cell phones even faster and waving their hands like they're painting in the air in front of them, but dinners are long, drawn out affairs. And classes usually start a little late if they're taught by Italians because, as my roommates say, the teacher's "can't be bothered" to arrive on time. I like that part, though, because I'm always trying to do one more thing before I walk the half mile to class... Like feeding my sourdough starter! I'll let you know how that goes!

Love. Loving. Lovingly

After spending some time yesterday on this website, browsing from blog to blog, I've decided that it would be a good exercise in communication for me to write a blog every day for the next month. Maybe then I can practice writing SHORT blogs.

To go along with this decision, I've decided to add a picture every day along with my blog post, for the next month. March 10th will mark the end of my daily blogging attempts... Can I do it? Yet to be seen. Check back in a month!

Today at church my friend Jason spoke since Pastor Dave is in the US. Considering that Valentine's day is just around the corner, he spoke on love. Loving by faith. I was quite convicted - I think something that especially hit me was a letter he read dating back from about 100 AD. The letter was about Christians - who they are and how they act. Christians, according to this author, are characterized by a real and true love. They love all men. And the people who hate them are UNABLE to give any real reason for their hatred. That is the way love should be shown. That is the way Christians should live - loving people. I'm always surprised at how Jesus was really taken advantage of during his public ministry, contrasted to how I hate to be taken advantage of. But that's not really loving, is it?

Anyhow, thanks for showing ME love by reading these little musings!

On a completely unrelated topic, here's a picture of me wearing my new H&M dress!

Communist Conventions and Mall Madness

I was walking to the grocery store today with Ellen. It is the one and only time I managed to get out of the house all day, despite my running attire since my shower at noon... Good intentions! Anyhow, in my usually quiet apartment (accept for the music instructor upstairs) there came a decidedly UNusual noise from... outside, somewhere. When Ellen and I walked out (with my new IKEA bag - more about that in a moment) to go to Sma Punto, the grocery store, we were faced with a tremendous crowd beyond our front door. The Italian gal we were with stopped and listened for a moment and put two and two together to make... well, two, actually, but it was more like one and one to make two... REGARDLESS, given the Anti-Vatican signs and the red colors and whatever the lady was shouting over the microphone, we determined the convention to be some sort of communist convention and took the round-about way to the grocer.

Yesterday I ventured forth on bus 38 to the Porta di Roma mall. With 220 stores, and all the winter clearance sales happening, I talked two friends into going with me. I was a good girl and bought autobus biglietti for both the way out and way back... Maybe my money will go towards higher wages for the bus drivers? After riding the bus to the end (THE END. That's where my friend Laura told me to go), Virginia, Cass and I got off and realized we should have gotten off one stop sooner. Well, actually Cass and Virginia had suspected we should get off on the second-to-last stop, but I'd been adament about going ALL the way to the end. We had to walk back. Unfortunately, we didn't clearly figure out where the front entrance was, and Italians being Italians hadn't seen any reason for alternative entrances.

We approached apparently from the back side and wandered in and out of the merchandise loading and unloading areas. At one point, someone commented that they felt as though the area we were in would have been a "Do Not Enter" area if we had been in the US. For the most part, I suspect it was fairly harmless, but the sick looking skull with cross bars signifying poison beside an open door full of a white powdery substance properly alarmed us to the fact that we probably shouldn't be five stories down from the surface level.

Once we actually made out way INTO the mall, to our delight, H&M was having huge sales. For me, this meant buying one dress for less than 3 Euro. Cass, the typically-male-and-skeptical-shopper left with no less than 55 Euros worth of clothing, I believe... Due in part to the fact that he's been here since mid January and has yet to do laundry, possibly. Virigina got some snazzy sunglasses, a matching green shirt, and sparkly bronze shoes. Delicious pizza and gelato rounded out our first shopping stage.

We also made a pilgrimage to IKEA, which is right next door. It was my first time. It was a momentous occassion. I would be quite happy picking up and moving into one of their little studio apartments on display, I think. The best purchases I made, though, were a rolling pin (my last one got left in my apartment in Trestevere), beautifully smelling candles (citrus, chocolate, and pear), lingonberry jam, and a number of tasty cookies. I got to put my cookies to good use this afternoon with tea for a friend who stopped by to catch up after Christmas break. Oh, and a cafe maker. We've been forced to buy cafe since we came due to a lack of maker... bummer!

But now I've a shot of espresso sitting next to me, and a paper on my mind to write... May you all have happy Sundays!

Pictures

Since my Mom is bound to start clamoring for some pictures, I thought I'd provide a pleasant surprise for when she next stops by... Enjoy!

Stopover in Colorado to visit my sister (and meet the gentleman in her life!)


our little Roman "family" reunites. L-R Roommates Ellen and Clara, with our friend Alex



The wonders of the printing press... My book list for this semester



The beauty of Rome


This is what I call "Streaming Sunlight in St. Peters"


I have yet to actually buy anything from this store, but it's my favorite sign to walk past! :-)


My new kitchen full of new friends!


Birthday celebration #1: Crepe Night

Presents for Birthday celebration #2

Normality...

Do you want to know the things that make me laugh about living in Rome? Here's a couple:

It was a dark, stormy night earlier this week, and I'd been up late doing homework. I'd crawled in bed to study my homework because not only was a tired (and being in bed would thus require a minimum amount of moving before I could sleep peacefully), but it was also warm (not that I've been nearly as cold thanks to having my Uggs and a wool blanket). I turned my light off about 1AM, and was peacefully drifting off to sleep with the sound of the storm crashing at my window. I was ALMOST asleep when I realized the hot tea I'd been drinking all evening was making it's presence in my body know... So I threw the covers back, stumbled down the stairs, and flipped on the light in the bathroom. Now, using the toilet is, of course, something that everyone should be familiar with, but I'm telling you, I had a unique experience: Our Italian bathroom has a propensity to create it's own weather... For example, it doesn't matter what it is doing outside, it always rains in the bathroom after one flushes the toilet. This is because the tank for the toilet is positioned high on the wall, and there is no lid on the tank. When the tank is filling up following someone pushing the button on the wall, it "rains" on a certain part of the bathroom. Well, this night, it didn't just rain while I was using the facilities, it actually hailed! That's right, folks, I had a freak storm INSIDE my bathroom!

Actually, we have a window that's open above our shower which is too high to close. While the storm was raging outside, it had started hailing. Imagine my surprise while I was standing in the corner of the bathroom after I'd flushed the toilet waiting for the usual "rain" to stop in front of the sink, and all of a sudden I realize I'm being hit by balls of ice... Very odd.

I'm always making language mistakes too, which -after I got over the "I'm SOOO stupid" moment- I laugh at. I'd just bought gelato at one of my favorite gelaterias the other day and was indulging in a grapefruit and kiwi flavored ice cream cone (delicious!). I was walking by a restaurant that I OFTEN walk by, with waiters that I FREQUENTLY see. One of them said to me, "Buono gelato?" but I thought he'd said, "Bongiorno." Rather than replying, "Yes, my gelato is good!" I said "Good day. How are you?" in Italian. Uh-huh... dumb American!

I also smile every morning when I walk past the corner of Campo that smells like fresh fish, due to the fresh fish stall. It reminds me of the beach. It also makes me laugh that I moved here to Rome partially because I knew I'd be close to the beach, and in all the months I've been here, I've only gone to a real beach once... So much for great intentions!