- Bub had his last chemo appointment last month, and got a clean bill of health from the oncologist last week, but ever since that visit (although he didn't get any chemo or even have blood taken) he's been mostly uninterested in food. I'm seriously stressing out about it - there are few things worse than when a pet won't eat, because, of course, he can't tell us what's wrong. We've got him on an appetite stimulant now, and we're trying every kind of food we can think of, but we're still in a wait & see mode. We may have to bite the bullet and pay for an x-ray or ultrasound to see if there's a tumor in there somewhere that the vet can't feel (maybe behind his ribcage) that's making him feel poorly. It sucks, but we're keeping our fingers crossed that it's just a temporary thing and he'll start eating again soon. And that the cancer hasn't come back.
- We're making progress on the things we need to get our Italian visas. One item was that our newly-minted birth certificates had to get what's called an "apostille" from the state in which they were issued. Which meant sending them back to the East Coast states from which they'd just arrived (to another department, but still). They both arrived back here at our house today, so we've checked another thing off the to-do list. Our marriage certificate didn't need an apostille, because we got married in Scotland and that meant it was already "good in the European Union." We certainly didn't plan that when we got married, but that's a bonus. Next step is to get the birth certificates and marriage certificate translated into Italian, and then we have to figure out if we need to actually go down to San Francisco to visit the consulate in person, or if we can do it by mail. We've received mixed responses on that question, but ultimately we'll do what the guy in the consulate tells us we need to do.
- I've become all-consumed by the Euro soccer tournament, especially as it concerns the Italian national team - the Azzurri. I get completely worked up & stressed before & during every Italy game, I scream at the TV when they do something stupid, and I swear like a truck driver. I actually made my throat sore during one close game. It's highly amusing to Chris and my co-workers (I've watched one Italy game at the office, and hope to not have to repeat that for fear of more ridicule). Italy plays Spain on Sunday, and if they lose their tournament is over. I'll no doubt start stressing out on Saturday. Hell, who am I kidding? I'm already stressing out about it. I never thought I'd be this into a sporting event. The bummer is that I realized (thanks to Chris) that I have a haircut scheduled for Sunday right in the middle of the Italy match - a haircut that was scheduled months ago, when I had no idea about the outcome of this tournament. So we've got to record the thing and watch it later when I'm done, and in the meantime we've got to ignore the internet, the phone, and all incoming text messages on the off-chance some so-called "friend" tries to talk to me about the game before I've seen it.
20 June 2008
Bad Blogger pt. 437
Oh, so many things going on, and never enough time to write about them... Here's a quick snapshot:
09 June 2008
Flickr Mosaic: Who Am I?
I saw this Flickr meme over at Bleeding Espresso, and I couldn't resist it. Of course, there are a few of these things I could have had several different answers to, and I kind of changed one of the questions a bit, but overall it's a fun little meme.
The gist is that you answer 12 questions, and then use those answers to search Flickr. You then put the photos you get as search results into a mosaic. They're not your photos, but they kind of describe you. It's an interesting game. Here's mine:
The questions I answered were:
1. What is your first name?
2. What is your favorite food?
3. What high school did you go to?
4. What is your favorite color?
5. Who is your celebrity crush?
6. Favorite drink?
7. Dream vacation?
8. Favorite dessert?
9. What did you want to be when you grew up?
10. What do you love most in life?
11. One Word to describe you.
12. Your Flickr name.
(#9 was originally - "What you want to be when you grow up?" - but since I feel like I've inadvertently gotten my dream job, I figured I'd reflect on what I used to want to be. And I'll confess that for #5 I very nearly had to toss a coin between a couple fellows, but this one is on my mind lately because the Italians are playing in the European football championships. So, there you are.)
If you want to play, here's how to do it:
1. You have to type your answer to each of the 12 questions listed above into Flickr Search.
2. Then, using only the first page of search results, pick one image.
3. Copy & paste the URL for each image into this cool mosaic maker (after adjusting it to make sure there are 12 squares).
And these are the folks whose photos I used for my Flickr mosaic:
1. Jessica(s), 2. Pear Gelato with Dark Chocolate Cookie, 3. North of Corvallis, 4. Orange as any orange on a tree, 5. andrea pirlo, 6. Ripasso Valpolicella, Villa Vinea, 7. Myra - turkey, 8. Gelato, 9. racoon-singer, 10. The Road Less Traveled By, 11. Must be careful when you cross the road,:P, 12. Andiamo tutti al cinquecento
The gist is that you answer 12 questions, and then use those answers to search Flickr. You then put the photos you get as search results into a mosaic. They're not your photos, but they kind of describe you. It's an interesting game. Here's mine:
The questions I answered were:
1. What is your first name?
2. What is your favorite food?
3. What high school did you go to?
4. What is your favorite color?
5. Who is your celebrity crush?
6. Favorite drink?
7. Dream vacation?
8. Favorite dessert?
9. What did you want to be when you grew up?
10. What do you love most in life?
11. One Word to describe you.
12. Your Flickr name.
(#9 was originally - "What you want to be when you grow up?" - but since I feel like I've inadvertently gotten my dream job, I figured I'd reflect on what I used to want to be. And I'll confess that for #5 I very nearly had to toss a coin between a couple fellows, but this one is on my mind lately because the Italians are playing in the European football championships. So, there you are.)
If you want to play, here's how to do it:
1. You have to type your answer to each of the 12 questions listed above into Flickr Search.
2. Then, using only the first page of search results, pick one image.
3. Copy & paste the URL for each image into this cool mosaic maker (after adjusting it to make sure there are 12 squares).
And these are the folks whose photos I used for my Flickr mosaic:
1. Jessica(s), 2. Pear Gelato with Dark Chocolate Cookie, 3. North of Corvallis, 4. Orange as any orange on a tree, 5. andrea pirlo, 6. Ripasso Valpolicella, Villa Vinea, 7. Myra - turkey, 8. Gelato, 9. racoon-singer, 10. The Road Less Traveled By, 11. Must be careful when you cross the road,:P, 12. Andiamo tutti al cinquecento
07 June 2008
Catching Up
Chris got back safe & sound on Thursday night from his trip to Milan, and we're laying low this weekend - he's exhausted (he almost never suffers from jetlag, but this time he's got it) and I'm not feeling much more energetic myself. I have a bad habit of staying up way too late when he's not around, and that went on for the entire 10 days of his trip - so I've got some catching up to do, sleep-wise. At any rate, a slow weekend is looking really nice from both our perspectives.
His trip was, overall, really good - and we still don't really know anything more. He had good meetings, met some more people, saw the end of the Giro bike race, caught a free Andrea Bocelli concert, and caught up with some of our new Milan friends. And the folks who owned the apartment he was staying in had a cat and a kitten, so he got all kinds of feline attention even while he was away from our own cats!
We're both still feeling optimistic about a move to Italy, and we're confident it can happen, but with summer coming up quickly - and with Italy being a country that virtually shuts down in August (not to mention part of July), we figure something will either come through in the next 4-6 weeks or it won't happen until September. So, we wait and see.
On the other front, we're also pushing ahead with obtaining our Italian visas. We had to get new copies of our birth certificates and marriage certificate, and are still waiting on two of the three items to come in the mail. Then we've got to take all of them to Salem to get a special stamp put on them, after which we have to take all of that to the Italian consulate in San Francisco. So we'll be planning a quick trip to SF here in the near future, whenever we can get an appointment.
And in other SF news, it looks like I'll be heading down there in mid-July for a bloggers' conference - my first professional conference as a blogger. I'm pretty excited. The last year has been really amazing for me, career-wise, and I still sit back and feel amazed that someone pays me to do what I do for a living... I am very lucky, and very thankful.
His trip was, overall, really good - and we still don't really know anything more. He had good meetings, met some more people, saw the end of the Giro bike race, caught a free Andrea Bocelli concert, and caught up with some of our new Milan friends. And the folks who owned the apartment he was staying in had a cat and a kitten, so he got all kinds of feline attention even while he was away from our own cats!
We're both still feeling optimistic about a move to Italy, and we're confident it can happen, but with summer coming up quickly - and with Italy being a country that virtually shuts down in August (not to mention part of July), we figure something will either come through in the next 4-6 weeks or it won't happen until September. So, we wait and see.
On the other front, we're also pushing ahead with obtaining our Italian visas. We had to get new copies of our birth certificates and marriage certificate, and are still waiting on two of the three items to come in the mail. Then we've got to take all of them to Salem to get a special stamp put on them, after which we have to take all of that to the Italian consulate in San Francisco. So we'll be planning a quick trip to SF here in the near future, whenever we can get an appointment.
And in other SF news, it looks like I'll be heading down there in mid-July for a bloggers' conference - my first professional conference as a blogger. I'm pretty excited. The last year has been really amazing for me, career-wise, and I still sit back and feel amazed that someone pays me to do what I do for a living... I am very lucky, and very thankful.
31 May 2008
Chris' Italian Adventures
Chris is about halfway through his trip in Milan right now, and he's already had several meetings and interviews. But this weekend he's going to have a bit of fun - on Sunday, the final stage of the Giro d'Italia races into Milan, so he'll be going to see that. And then on Monday, which is a big national holiday in Italy, he's planning to go to a free concert in the Piazza del Duomo by Andrea Bocelli. He's got my little camera, so I told him to snap some pictures. Both events should be a nice diversion from the work he's been doing so far.
Meanwhile, we're moving ahead with the visa paperwork process. For some reason, the copies we already have of our birth certificates and marriage certificate aren't good enough - they have to be issued within the past six months in order to be approved by the Italian consulate. So, we're ordering new copies of all those things. Then, when Chris gets back, we'll have to plan a trip to visit the consulate itself in San Francisco at some point this summer. I think that's one of two trips we'll have to make down there as part of this process, but I can't keep it all straight. Chris has been shepherding the whole thing along, thank goodness. I just do what I'm told.
I've been getting up way too early (for my tastes) to watch the live coverage of the Giro via the internet, so I'm absolutely exhausted (partly because on top of the early mornings, I've also been staying up too late!). I'm going to go to the farmer's market today and then will be enjoying a nice, long nap. I can't wait.
Meanwhile, we're moving ahead with the visa paperwork process. For some reason, the copies we already have of our birth certificates and marriage certificate aren't good enough - they have to be issued within the past six months in order to be approved by the Italian consulate. So, we're ordering new copies of all those things. Then, when Chris gets back, we'll have to plan a trip to visit the consulate itself in San Francisco at some point this summer. I think that's one of two trips we'll have to make down there as part of this process, but I can't keep it all straight. Chris has been shepherding the whole thing along, thank goodness. I just do what I'm told.
I've been getting up way too early (for my tastes) to watch the live coverage of the Giro via the internet, so I'm absolutely exhausted (partly because on top of the early mornings, I've also been staying up too late!). I'm going to go to the farmer's market today and then will be enjoying a nice, long nap. I can't wait.
16 May 2008
Milan: 3 Visits in 6 Months
We just bought a ticket for Chris to go back to Milan - solo this time, bummer for me - for a second job interview. He leaves on May 25 and will be there for about 10 days, having not only that second interview but also a bunch more meetings he's currently setting up. He'll also get a chance to meet again with the folks at the relocation agency in Milan that we're working with to secure the necessary visas for us to actually live in Italy, so that'll be good. We'll probably have to plan a quick trip down to San Francisco shortly after his return to visit the Italian Consulate down there as part of the visa process, but he'll get that confirmed on this trip.
So, while our lives are still very much up in the air, we'd appreciate all the positive thoughts y'all can spare starting May 25 for about 10 days!
So, while our lives are still very much up in the air, we'd appreciate all the positive thoughts y'all can spare starting May 25 for about 10 days!
12 May 2008
Here But Not Here
I know, it's been awhile since I posted... And, given the subject of the last post, you might have thought I resigned from the blog! Well, fear not. I'm still here. Sort of. I mean, I'm here, I'm just not here. If y'know what I mean.
There's always too much stuff going on in our lives these days, it seems, and now's no different. We're in the process right now of trying to figure out a time when Chris can get back to Milan for a week or so, for interviews and more meetings. We're also trying to catch up with friends we haven't seen since before we left for our trip back in February - this past weekend we were quite the social butterflies, let me tell you! And we've still got a long way to go down our catch-up list. Oh, and the Giro d'Italia started this past weekend, so we're getting up too early each morning to watch the live coverage. I'm so not a morning person; I can't help but think, "Gee, it'd be much more pleasant to be a fan of this race if I was in the same time zone."
We did squeeze in a "fun" day a couple of weekends ago, just the two of us, during which we browsed the Portland Farmer's Market (our local market opens this weekend - FINALLY!) and spent a few hours wandering through the Portland Chinese Garden. We had lunch in the tea house there, too, which is always fun. The picture above was taken in the garden that day - I just love that garden, and I especially love looking at it through the lens of my camera.
In other news, I'm sick to death of all the incoming calls we're getting that say "no data" on the caller ID screen (we don't answer them). I've yet to fill out my mail-in ballot, but even if I'd already gotten mine in the Oregon primary isn't until May 20, and we'd still be getting calls right up until then. Ugh. I swear, I think I prefer it when Oregon's late primary doesn't matter to the national candidates. It's bad enough to get the calls from the statewide races! I'll be really pleased when May 20 comes and goes, and the phone stops ringing.
So, you see, I'm here. And I could say I'll try to be better about posting to the blog here, but y'all probably know me better than to believe that crap anyway, right? I hope you know I mean well, at any rate...
There's always too much stuff going on in our lives these days, it seems, and now's no different. We're in the process right now of trying to figure out a time when Chris can get back to Milan for a week or so, for interviews and more meetings. We're also trying to catch up with friends we haven't seen since before we left for our trip back in February - this past weekend we were quite the social butterflies, let me tell you! And we've still got a long way to go down our catch-up list. Oh, and the Giro d'Italia started this past weekend, so we're getting up too early each morning to watch the live coverage. I'm so not a morning person; I can't help but think, "Gee, it'd be much more pleasant to be a fan of this race if I was in the same time zone."
We did squeeze in a "fun" day a couple of weekends ago, just the two of us, during which we browsed the Portland Farmer's Market (our local market opens this weekend - FINALLY!) and spent a few hours wandering through the Portland Chinese Garden. We had lunch in the tea house there, too, which is always fun. The picture above was taken in the garden that day - I just love that garden, and I especially love looking at it through the lens of my camera.
In other news, I'm sick to death of all the incoming calls we're getting that say "no data" on the caller ID screen (we don't answer them). I've yet to fill out my mail-in ballot, but even if I'd already gotten mine in the Oregon primary isn't until May 20, and we'd still be getting calls right up until then. Ugh. I swear, I think I prefer it when Oregon's late primary doesn't matter to the national candidates. It's bad enough to get the calls from the statewide races! I'll be really pleased when May 20 comes and goes, and the phone stops ringing.
So, you see, I'm here. And I could say I'll try to be better about posting to the blog here, but y'all probably know me better than to believe that crap anyway, right? I hope you know I mean well, at any rate...
27 April 2008
The Things You Find When You Clean
Chris & I have just spent the last several hours cleaning out/de-cluttering part of the upstairs hallway that leads into my office nook. There's still quite a bit of work to be done, but we got so much accomplished today, I'm really pleased. We're getting rid of a bunch of stuff, and a bunch more got organized and put away (like it was supposed to have years ago). So, all in all, even though my back is now aching, I'm happy with how I spent my Sunday afternoon.
Of course, there are all kinds of odd and interesting things you tend to find when you're cleaning, especially if you're cleaning out an area that has been untouched for, oh, well, years. One thing I found today made me smile, just as it did when someone first sent it to me via email almost a decade ago, and I thought I'd share it with all y'all.
Of course, there are all kinds of odd and interesting things you tend to find when you're cleaning, especially if you're cleaning out an area that has been untouched for, oh, well, years. One thing I found today made me smile, just as it did when someone first sent it to me via email almost a decade ago, and I thought I'd share it with all y'all.
Resignation
Consider this official notice:
I am hereby officially tendering my resignation as an adult.
I have decided I would like to accept the responsibilities of an eight-year-old again. I want to go to McDonald's and think that it's a four-star restaurant. I want to sail sticks across a fresh mud puddle and make ripples with rocks. I want to think M&Ms are better than money because you can eat them.
I want to lie under a big oak tree & run a lemonade stand with friends on a hot summer day. I want to return to a time when life was simple. When all you knew were colors, multiplication tables, and nursery rhymes, but that didn't bother you because you didn't know what you didn't know and you didn't care. All you knew was how to be happy because you were blissfully unaware of all the things that should make you worried or upset.
I want to think the world is fair. That everyone is honest and good. I want to believe that anything is possible. I want to be oblivious to the complexities of life and be overly excited by the little things again. I want to live simply again. I don't want my day to consist of computer crashes, mountains of paperwork, depressing news, how to survive more days in a month than there is money in the bank, doctor bills, gossip, illness, and loss of loved ones. I want to believe in the power of smiles, hugs, a kind word, truth, justice, peace, dreams, imagination, mankind, and making angels in the snow.
So... Here's my checkbook and my car keys, my credit card bills and my 401K statements. I'm resigning from adulthood. And, if you want to discuss this further, you'll have to catch me first, 'cause:
"Tag, you're it!"
Consider this official notice:
I am hereby officially tendering my resignation as an adult.
I have decided I would like to accept the responsibilities of an eight-year-old again. I want to go to McDonald's and think that it's a four-star restaurant. I want to sail sticks across a fresh mud puddle and make ripples with rocks. I want to think M&Ms are better than money because you can eat them.
I want to lie under a big oak tree & run a lemonade stand with friends on a hot summer day. I want to return to a time when life was simple. When all you knew were colors, multiplication tables, and nursery rhymes, but that didn't bother you because you didn't know what you didn't know and you didn't care. All you knew was how to be happy because you were blissfully unaware of all the things that should make you worried or upset.
I want to think the world is fair. That everyone is honest and good. I want to believe that anything is possible. I want to be oblivious to the complexities of life and be overly excited by the little things again. I want to live simply again. I don't want my day to consist of computer crashes, mountains of paperwork, depressing news, how to survive more days in a month than there is money in the bank, doctor bills, gossip, illness, and loss of loved ones. I want to believe in the power of smiles, hugs, a kind word, truth, justice, peace, dreams, imagination, mankind, and making angels in the snow.
So... Here's my checkbook and my car keys, my credit card bills and my 401K statements. I'm resigning from adulthood. And, if you want to discuss this further, you'll have to catch me first, 'cause:
"Tag, you're it!"
19 April 2008
The Last Photos from Italy
Okay, I've finally gotten around to uploading the rest of the photos I took during the trip to Italy - many apologies for the delay. The entire trip is now chronicled (more or less) in this set on Flickr. The only thing I've left out is the photos from the start of the Milano-Sanremo bike race; but there's a link to that separate set if you're really interested in cycling (or you can go directly to the cycling photos from race sign-in here).
Again, sorry for the delay in getting these online; I hope you enjoy them!
Again, sorry for the delay in getting these online; I hope you enjoy them!
14 April 2008
Thanks for the Support
I read a blog post recently about an American gal who's been living in Italy for the past eight years - she's married to an Italian man, and just had her first baby recently. She mentioned in her post how her mother used to leave classified ads for jobs she'd be qualified for around the house whenever she'd come back to the US to visit, and how she's now upped the ante (now that there's a grandchild added to the mix) by saying, "They've had you for eight years, now it's our turn!" The blogger was wondering who exactly had "had" her for eight years, since her move to Italy in the first place was her decision.
Anyway, it got me thinking how important it is to have a base of support behind you when you do anything that's even remotely unusual or difficult. Yes, great things can be (and often are) accomplished by people who work solo and who don't even have a cheering section, but I can't help but think that's really the tougher road. Even if your support network does nothing more than take you out for a drink every so often, or listen to your complaining, or remind you that you're wonderful no matter what happens - these are incredibly important elements to undertaking any difficult task.
So I wanted to take a moment to thank everyone who's been supportive of Chris' and my "Project Italy," as we sometimes call it. It seems crazy to some of our friends and family that we'd want to live in Italy, but for the most part all we hear is encouragement. Some people are sad that we'll be further away, but generally speaking their first question is, "You're going to have a guest room, right?" It means the world to us that our friends and family are so supportive, because although the end result (living in Italy) will be excellent, getting there (figuring out a way to live in Italy legally) is definitely not easy.
In fact, we just found out today in a detailed email exactly what it will take to get one particular visa that would allow us to live and work in Italy without Chris having a job ahead of time. In addition to the cost of the visa, there is an incredible list of documents we'd need to pull together, get translated, and bring personally to the Italian consulate in San Francisco. And, ironically, one of the documents is proof of a residence in Italy... Which is something we thought we couldn't get without the visa first. It's such a circular process, it's no wonder people just go and stay illegally.
At any rate, this is all to say that while we know this isn't necessarily what everyone out there would want for us to be doing right now, we appreciate the support you're giving us anyway. It's quite something to have so many people cheering you on as you try to realize a lifelong dream!
Anyway, it got me thinking how important it is to have a base of support behind you when you do anything that's even remotely unusual or difficult. Yes, great things can be (and often are) accomplished by people who work solo and who don't even have a cheering section, but I can't help but think that's really the tougher road. Even if your support network does nothing more than take you out for a drink every so often, or listen to your complaining, or remind you that you're wonderful no matter what happens - these are incredibly important elements to undertaking any difficult task.
So I wanted to take a moment to thank everyone who's been supportive of Chris' and my "Project Italy," as we sometimes call it. It seems crazy to some of our friends and family that we'd want to live in Italy, but for the most part all we hear is encouragement. Some people are sad that we'll be further away, but generally speaking their first question is, "You're going to have a guest room, right?" It means the world to us that our friends and family are so supportive, because although the end result (living in Italy) will be excellent, getting there (figuring out a way to live in Italy legally) is definitely not easy.
In fact, we just found out today in a detailed email exactly what it will take to get one particular visa that would allow us to live and work in Italy without Chris having a job ahead of time. In addition to the cost of the visa, there is an incredible list of documents we'd need to pull together, get translated, and bring personally to the Italian consulate in San Francisco. And, ironically, one of the documents is proof of a residence in Italy... Which is something we thought we couldn't get without the visa first. It's such a circular process, it's no wonder people just go and stay illegally.
At any rate, this is all to say that while we know this isn't necessarily what everyone out there would want for us to be doing right now, we appreciate the support you're giving us anyway. It's quite something to have so many people cheering you on as you try to realize a lifelong dream!
11 April 2008
Signs of Spring
Well, my fever and nasty head-cold migrated both north and south - into my sinuses and lungs - which means that remnants of it will probably be annoying me for weeks (if not months) to come. And then the head-cold kind of morphed into a mysterious stomach ailment, which lasted for several days, and nothing I ate (or didn't eat) seemed to make it any better. That was seriously irritating. That seems to have subsided now (fingers crossed), so I'm beginning to be seen among the living again! Wahoo!
I'm saying this was one of those usual Spring colds, but I know it probably had more to do with just sheer exhaustion after the trip to Italy. But in addition to the stupid cold, there are other signs of Spring - and these I actually like. The weird snowy and hail-y weather we had here a week or so ago has finally given way to beautifully sunny days, and the tulips and daffodils in my garden are in bloom. That's lovely. Chris and I might take a drive tomorrow in the Alfa down to the tulip festival south of Portland because it's supposed to be 75F - I know I won't be able to get any photos that don't have other people in them, but it'd still be fun to get out on such a gorgeous day.
There is one last sign of Spring that I don't like, however, and that's my wardrobe. As much as I love this time of year, I can never seem to find anything to wear. I love my winter clothes, and my fall clothes, and you'd think fall and Spring clothes would be the same - but they're not. So I may have to do a little targeted shopping tomorrow as well. We'll see if I feel like I can afford it.
Hope all's well with you, and it's a beautiful day where you are!
I'm saying this was one of those usual Spring colds, but I know it probably had more to do with just sheer exhaustion after the trip to Italy. But in addition to the stupid cold, there are other signs of Spring - and these I actually like. The weird snowy and hail-y weather we had here a week or so ago has finally given way to beautifully sunny days, and the tulips and daffodils in my garden are in bloom. That's lovely. Chris and I might take a drive tomorrow in the Alfa down to the tulip festival south of Portland because it's supposed to be 75F - I know I won't be able to get any photos that don't have other people in them, but it'd still be fun to get out on such a gorgeous day.
There is one last sign of Spring that I don't like, however, and that's my wardrobe. As much as I love this time of year, I can never seem to find anything to wear. I love my winter clothes, and my fall clothes, and you'd think fall and Spring clothes would be the same - but they're not. So I may have to do a little targeted shopping tomorrow as well. We'll see if I feel like I can afford it.
Hope all's well with you, and it's a beautiful day where you are!
02 April 2008
Down for the Count
That post-trip head-cold I was fearing started coming on before I left for Sea-Tac airport on Sunday to go get Chris, and developed into a low-grade fever on the trip back to Portland. The fever didn't last, thank goodness, but I've had a hacking cough since Sunday night and am now starting to get stuffed up. I was so pleased, I thought I'd actually managed to get away without any real nasty jetlag effects, and then WHAM. That's what I get, I suppose, for thinking I could escape jetlag. Jetlag has some powerful friends, I guess, and it doesn't like to be ignored.
Thankfully, I'm working at home this week anyway, as most of my office is out of town - my "office" is now the sofa, where I can put the laptop down every few hours for a nap. It's amazing how much sleep I feel like I need right now... I'm hoping to feel better by the weekend, because I'm tired of being cooped up in the house - especially now that the weather has finally turned back into Spring!
Thankfully, I'm working at home this week anyway, as most of my office is out of town - my "office" is now the sofa, where I can put the laptop down every few hours for a nap. It's amazing how much sleep I feel like I need right now... I'm hoping to feel better by the weekend, because I'm tired of being cooped up in the house - especially now that the weather has finally turned back into Spring!
28 March 2008
I'm back!
I got in late last night, after a too-long day of airplanes and customs and security lines and no sleep, and I finally turned out the light around 11:30pm. I vaguely recall waking up once during the night, but didn't really start waking up in earnest until almost 8:00am today, so that's good. I'm starting to feel sleepy now, and am hoping to go to bed early, but all in all I'm pleased at how well I slept. We'll see if I can really avoid jetlag, or if I'm deluding myself.
It was extremely hard to leave Italy yesterday; the whole process of packing and taking the train to the airport was just plain depressing. Now, it is nice to be in my own home surrounded by my stuff and to have my cats around (that last part is especially nice), but I could have my own stuff and my cats moved to Italy. So that isn't enough of a lure to stay here. No, moving to Italy is still very much something I want to do, so we'll see how it all works out.
On a lighter note, when I got home last night the garage light was on. I thought that was odd. Then I saw there was a note from our house-sitter extraordinaire on the door, saying one of the cats was in the garage. (They're indoor cats, and not supposed to get into the garage, even.) She said he'd gotten in there just that evening as she was taking out the garbage, and he was too quick for her. He hadn't responded to her attempts to get him back inside, so I spent the first 20 minutes of being home lying on the floor of my garage trying to convince my cat to come out from under Chris' car. He finally did, and when I scooped him I up I realized his paws were kind of oily. Lovely. So then I spent the next 15 minutes washing off my cat's paws (he really didn't love me very much at that point) in a locked bathroom so he couldn't get away and get oily cat footprints all over our cream-colored carpets. Then, and only then, did I actually bring any of my bags upstairs.
Yeah, it was kind of an odd re-entry. But comical. At least for me (not for the cat).
Oh, and this morning before I ran to the grocery store for some milk, I stopped by the cafe that's around the corner from our house (and run by some friends who love Italy and Italian coffee), and I taught the gals working there how to make my new favorite coffee drink. I'll have to teach our friends, the owners, so they can add it to the menu. Seriously. I'm not sure I can live without at least the occasional marocchino for too long! Hey, if I can't be in Italy, I'll bring as much of Italy home with me as possible...
I'm going to spend tomorrow morning doing a few household chores and unpacking, my mom's going to come up for a visit in the afternoon, and I'm going to relax in my PJs and maybe not leave my house all day. Then on Sunday I have to drive to SeaTac airport to pick up Chris. That's as far as he could get on Sunday (they were going to have him stay overnight up there and fly him to Portland on Monday - no thanks). I'm not looking forward to the road trip by myself on the way up, especially if I'm still jetlaggy. Anyone wanna come with??
It was extremely hard to leave Italy yesterday; the whole process of packing and taking the train to the airport was just plain depressing. Now, it is nice to be in my own home surrounded by my stuff and to have my cats around (that last part is especially nice), but I could have my own stuff and my cats moved to Italy. So that isn't enough of a lure to stay here. No, moving to Italy is still very much something I want to do, so we'll see how it all works out.
On a lighter note, when I got home last night the garage light was on. I thought that was odd. Then I saw there was a note from our house-sitter extraordinaire on the door, saying one of the cats was in the garage. (They're indoor cats, and not supposed to get into the garage, even.) She said he'd gotten in there just that evening as she was taking out the garbage, and he was too quick for her. He hadn't responded to her attempts to get him back inside, so I spent the first 20 minutes of being home lying on the floor of my garage trying to convince my cat to come out from under Chris' car. He finally did, and when I scooped him I up I realized his paws were kind of oily. Lovely. So then I spent the next 15 minutes washing off my cat's paws (he really didn't love me very much at that point) in a locked bathroom so he couldn't get away and get oily cat footprints all over our cream-colored carpets. Then, and only then, did I actually bring any of my bags upstairs.
Yeah, it was kind of an odd re-entry. But comical. At least for me (not for the cat).
Oh, and this morning before I ran to the grocery store for some milk, I stopped by the cafe that's around the corner from our house (and run by some friends who love Italy and Italian coffee), and I taught the gals working there how to make my new favorite coffee drink. I'll have to teach our friends, the owners, so they can add it to the menu. Seriously. I'm not sure I can live without at least the occasional marocchino for too long! Hey, if I can't be in Italy, I'll bring as much of Italy home with me as possible...
I'm going to spend tomorrow morning doing a few household chores and unpacking, my mom's going to come up for a visit in the afternoon, and I'm going to relax in my PJs and maybe not leave my house all day. Then on Sunday I have to drive to SeaTac airport to pick up Chris. That's as far as he could get on Sunday (they were going to have him stay overnight up there and fly him to Portland on Monday - no thanks). I'm not looking forward to the road trip by myself on the way up, especially if I'm still jetlaggy. Anyone wanna come with??
26 March 2008
BootsnAll Bloopers Video
At BootsnAll we've been doing lots of videos over the last few months, recording stuff in our basement mini-TV studio and putting it up on the video section of BootsnAll. As you can imagine, Ethan (the man who's usually behind the camera) has collected lots of bloopers and outtakes over this time, which he actually edited together into one three-minute video.
Now, if you don't know anyone at BootsnAll, this may not be terribly amusing to you. But I've watched it twice now and giggled myself silly. I work with some funny guys.
For reference, featured in this video are:
Sean - BootsnAll CEO, co-founder & company mascot
Chris - BootsnAll co-founder, design guru & resident Aussie whose mind goes blank for a second
Ethan - BootsnAll video expert who's apparently struggling with an ear hair issue
Mika - BootsnAll business (or biz-natch) development
Hayden - BootsnAll marketing guy who is told no one cares about his family
Roger - BootsnAll writer who brings his own lighting to the DMV
and me!
Now, if you don't know anyone at BootsnAll, this may not be terribly amusing to you. But I've watched it twice now and giggled myself silly. I work with some funny guys.
For reference, featured in this video are:
Sean - BootsnAll CEO, co-founder & company mascot
Chris - BootsnAll co-founder, design guru & resident Aussie whose mind goes blank for a second
Ethan - BootsnAll video expert who's apparently struggling with an ear hair issue
Mika - BootsnAll business (or biz-natch) development
Hayden - BootsnAll marketing guy who is told no one cares about his family
Roger - BootsnAll writer who brings his own lighting to the DMV
and me!
25 March 2008
Where did I leave off?
I know, I know - it was ages ago. I'm a bad blogger. And I haven't uploaded pictures to Flickr for awhile, either. Sorry about that - I'm trying to maintain two Flickr accounts, and I'm obviously not doing a very good job of that! As it happens, maintaining two blogs is a bit difficult, too. I hope you'll forgive me.
It's Tuesday afternoon in Milan, and I head back to Oregon on Thursday. I'm not ready. I don't want to go back yet. Despite some things I'd like to change about my living situation here (bigger apartment, better plumbing, having my cats here) and the situation overall (Chris with a job here, us being able to be here legally and permanently), it's been an excellent trip and I still very much like Italy and the idea of living in Italy. We both do. It could have gone either way, of course, with either one of us deciding after six weeks of living in Italy that this was a bad idea of colossal proportions and what were we thinking in the first place? Both of us could have come to that conclusion as well. But we didn't. We both still love it here, and we want to come back ASAP.
That's easier said than done, unfortunately.
We have been presented with some options, which include getting an autonomous work visa for me and then a family visa for Chris, but there are serious downsides to doing that (not least of which is the personal cost we'd have to shoulder). We can also come back for up to three months on a normal tourist visa, during which time Chris can be once again looking for work. But at some point the looking for work has to turn into actually getting a position, and that's the tough part. There's no doubt in either of our minds that it'll happen, it's a question of time and presence - things tend to happen more slowly here, and it'll be hard for Chris to get a job if he's looking from across an ocean. So, even though we have options, there is (as yet) no perfect solution. Except, of course, if Chris gets a job offer!
About an hour ago we looked at our first apartment here in Milan - it was mostly a test run, to start to get a feel for the real estate system here (it's so different from the US, I don't know where to start). It was a decent apartment, but just like with cars you don't want to take the first one you see. And of course we can't really take anything right now, either. It's all this big circular thing that's very difficult to enter as a foreigner. In order to get Piece A you need Piece B, and in order to get Piece B you need Piece C. But in order to get Piece C, it seems you need Piece A. Frankly, I'm not surprised so many people come and stay here illegally - the system is so challenging to penetrate.
At any rate, this six weeks has simply flown by, and this time next week both Chris and I will be back in Oregon, trying to figure out our next steps. No telling what happens next, folks.
It's Tuesday afternoon in Milan, and I head back to Oregon on Thursday. I'm not ready. I don't want to go back yet. Despite some things I'd like to change about my living situation here (bigger apartment, better plumbing, having my cats here) and the situation overall (Chris with a job here, us being able to be here legally and permanently), it's been an excellent trip and I still very much like Italy and the idea of living in Italy. We both do. It could have gone either way, of course, with either one of us deciding after six weeks of living in Italy that this was a bad idea of colossal proportions and what were we thinking in the first place? Both of us could have come to that conclusion as well. But we didn't. We both still love it here, and we want to come back ASAP.
That's easier said than done, unfortunately.
We have been presented with some options, which include getting an autonomous work visa for me and then a family visa for Chris, but there are serious downsides to doing that (not least of which is the personal cost we'd have to shoulder). We can also come back for up to three months on a normal tourist visa, during which time Chris can be once again looking for work. But at some point the looking for work has to turn into actually getting a position, and that's the tough part. There's no doubt in either of our minds that it'll happen, it's a question of time and presence - things tend to happen more slowly here, and it'll be hard for Chris to get a job if he's looking from across an ocean. So, even though we have options, there is (as yet) no perfect solution. Except, of course, if Chris gets a job offer!
About an hour ago we looked at our first apartment here in Milan - it was mostly a test run, to start to get a feel for the real estate system here (it's so different from the US, I don't know where to start). It was a decent apartment, but just like with cars you don't want to take the first one you see. And of course we can't really take anything right now, either. It's all this big circular thing that's very difficult to enter as a foreigner. In order to get Piece A you need Piece B, and in order to get Piece B you need Piece C. But in order to get Piece C, it seems you need Piece A. Frankly, I'm not surprised so many people come and stay here illegally - the system is so challenging to penetrate.
At any rate, this six weeks has simply flown by, and this time next week both Chris and I will be back in Oregon, trying to figure out our next steps. No telling what happens next, folks.
17 March 2008
Heading "Home" Tomorrow
I'm now on my last full day in Florence; I've got one (possibly two) more quick work-related stops to make here tomorrow morning, and then I'm going to get on the next train to head "home" - back to Milan. I'll probably have to grab one last gelato here, though, before I go back. The gelato really is extraordinarily good in Florence.
It's funny, I've been calling the Milan apartment "home" now for awhile, mostly in conversations with Chris, but it hasn't been a purposeful thing. It just feels so comfortable here, it's hard to not think of it as home already. I can't believe I've been here nearly a month already - this is the longest trip I've taken since my four-month study abroad in college, during which I felt serious pangs of homesickness regularly. This time, no homesickness. Sure, I miss my family, my friends, my cats - and yet I don't feel the usual "I wanna go home" thing that I usually do after a couple weeks of vacation. I've been so busy during much of this trip, that may be part of the reason for my lack of homesickness, but I'm not sure. It could also be that the immediacy of things like email and Skype make the world seem much smaller than it used to, too. I'm in regular contact with most of the same people I communicate with regularly back home in Oregon, so it doesn't feel like I'm an ocean away.
That's not to say this has been easy, however. I've gotten better at the whole "travel writer" thing as the trip has progressed, and I feel more comfortable in my role... And it's a job that really wears me out. I've crammed a lot of it into this trip, with visits to Venice, Rome and Florence in the space of three weeks (something I wouldn't try to do again if I could help it!), and if I lived here in Italy I'd definitely space these trips out more so that I had time to recuperate between them. I'm proud to report, however, that I've gotten a lot done, even if I feel like I could sleep for a week as a result of it!
At this point, I'm really looking forward to being back in Milan in our cozy apartment, where I can relax all day (well, while working at the computer, of course, but not running around visiting hostels and hotels, anyway), do laundry, and not eat out for every meal. As much as I love Florence (and I really love Florence), I'm going to be happy to be back on a train to Milan tomorrow. At the moment, however, I'm not sure how I'm going to feel about having to get on a plane back to the US about a week later...
It's funny, I've been calling the Milan apartment "home" now for awhile, mostly in conversations with Chris, but it hasn't been a purposeful thing. It just feels so comfortable here, it's hard to not think of it as home already. I can't believe I've been here nearly a month already - this is the longest trip I've taken since my four-month study abroad in college, during which I felt serious pangs of homesickness regularly. This time, no homesickness. Sure, I miss my family, my friends, my cats - and yet I don't feel the usual "I wanna go home" thing that I usually do after a couple weeks of vacation. I've been so busy during much of this trip, that may be part of the reason for my lack of homesickness, but I'm not sure. It could also be that the immediacy of things like email and Skype make the world seem much smaller than it used to, too. I'm in regular contact with most of the same people I communicate with regularly back home in Oregon, so it doesn't feel like I'm an ocean away.
That's not to say this has been easy, however. I've gotten better at the whole "travel writer" thing as the trip has progressed, and I feel more comfortable in my role... And it's a job that really wears me out. I've crammed a lot of it into this trip, with visits to Venice, Rome and Florence in the space of three weeks (something I wouldn't try to do again if I could help it!), and if I lived here in Italy I'd definitely space these trips out more so that I had time to recuperate between them. I'm proud to report, however, that I've gotten a lot done, even if I feel like I could sleep for a week as a result of it!
At this point, I'm really looking forward to being back in Milan in our cozy apartment, where I can relax all day (well, while working at the computer, of course, but not running around visiting hostels and hotels, anyway), do laundry, and not eat out for every meal. As much as I love Florence (and I really love Florence), I'm going to be happy to be back on a train to Milan tomorrow. At the moment, however, I'm not sure how I'm going to feel about having to get on a plane back to the US about a week later...
13 March 2008
Rome is Exhausting Me
I'm on my last full day in Rome (I leave for Florence tomorrow morning), and I have to say that I'm kind of glad about that. This city absolutely exhausts me. Of course, I walked all over hell's half acre yesterday, which contributed to that exhaustion, but there's also a tiredness of a different kind that I seem to get in Rome. It could just be me, but I feel like I always have to be hyper-aware of my surroundings, always have one eye open (and when I've got a giant camera in my face and I'm taking photographs, that's tough), always have my hand on my purse... It's partly because I'm traveling alone right now - normally Chris is around to keep an eye out as I'm blissfully ignoring the world and taking photos - but I can't help but think it's also partly this city.
The first time I visited Rome, I was absolutely knackered after only three days, and yet I was kind of surprised to find that I feel roughly the same way this time. I thought that with a few years of Italian language classes under my belt (not to mention more overall Italian travel experience) I'd be more able to handle Rome. And I do feel much more confident here than I did last time - I've gotten myself all over the place via the bus and walking, not asking directions or getting lost, and that counts for something in my book. But I can't help it... I'm just not built for Rome. I appreciate it (how could you not?), but I'm longing for a city on a smaller scale, a city that doesn't seem poised to eat me alive every time I step out the door. In short, I'm really looking forward to getting to Florence, a city I dearly love.
Rome, it's nothing personal. I think you're a fabulous city, overflowing with history and with oodles to offer, but I guess I can only handle you in small doses. So, no hard feelings, okay? I'll be back. I promise.
The first time I visited Rome, I was absolutely knackered after only three days, and yet I was kind of surprised to find that I feel roughly the same way this time. I thought that with a few years of Italian language classes under my belt (not to mention more overall Italian travel experience) I'd be more able to handle Rome. And I do feel much more confident here than I did last time - I've gotten myself all over the place via the bus and walking, not asking directions or getting lost, and that counts for something in my book. But I can't help it... I'm just not built for Rome. I appreciate it (how could you not?), but I'm longing for a city on a smaller scale, a city that doesn't seem poised to eat me alive every time I step out the door. In short, I'm really looking forward to getting to Florence, a city I dearly love.
Rome, it's nothing personal. I think you're a fabulous city, overflowing with history and with oodles to offer, but I guess I can only handle you in small doses. So, no hard feelings, okay? I'll be back. I promise.
10 March 2008
What kind of geek are you?
At the end of February I attended a Girl Geek Dinner in Milan; I'd been totally unfamiliar with the whole GGD phenomenon prior to that night - I signed up to go because a friend of mine was helping to organize it, and because I work for a web-based company in which I'm one of the only girls in the office. But I'm far from a techie (despite what my mother might think). So I was interested when the founder of Girl Geek Dinners stood up and introduced herself, saying that her definition of the word "geek" was much broader than what most people thought of when they heard the word. That got me thinking.
The GGD founder, Sarah Blow, says that to her, the word "geek" just implies someone who's totally passionate and knowledgeable about something, whatever it is. She said that she thinks my friend, Sara, who was one of the GGD Italia organizers, is a "food geek." Sara's blog is partly about living in Italy, partly about traveling in and outside Italy, but it's almost always about food. She regularly experiements in her home kitchen and publishes recipes, complete with her own gorgeous photography (some of her fans call it "food porn"). When she travels or tries some new food item even in Italy, she usually reports on it (again, with more photos). She's got a collection of posts about the best places to get gelato in Italy and elsewhere, a great post about how to order a coffee in Italy, and an introduction to Italian candies. So, in the eyes of Sarah Blow, that makes Sara a food geek.
I've been thinking about that ever since, and I've been trying to figure out what kind of geek I am. I suppose I'm a travel geek to some extent, and an Italy geek, but I'm certainly not an expert on either subject. I think this is one of those things where it's hard to objectively judge your own label, because you almost know yourself too well to be objective. So, I'm asking two questions here, in case anyone feels like answering...
What kind of geek do you think I am?
and
What kind of geek are you?
The GGD founder, Sarah Blow, says that to her, the word "geek" just implies someone who's totally passionate and knowledgeable about something, whatever it is. She said that she thinks my friend, Sara, who was one of the GGD Italia organizers, is a "food geek." Sara's blog is partly about living in Italy, partly about traveling in and outside Italy, but it's almost always about food. She regularly experiements in her home kitchen and publishes recipes, complete with her own gorgeous photography (some of her fans call it "food porn"). When she travels or tries some new food item even in Italy, she usually reports on it (again, with more photos). She's got a collection of posts about the best places to get gelato in Italy and elsewhere, a great post about how to order a coffee in Italy, and an introduction to Italian candies. So, in the eyes of Sarah Blow, that makes Sara a food geek.
I've been thinking about that ever since, and I've been trying to figure out what kind of geek I am. I suppose I'm a travel geek to some extent, and an Italy geek, but I'm certainly not an expert on either subject. I think this is one of those things where it's hard to objectively judge your own label, because you almost know yourself too well to be objective. So, I'm asking two questions here, in case anyone feels like answering...
What kind of geek do you think I am?
and
What kind of geek are you?
07 March 2008
Fame Spotting
Milan is one of those cities I guess you can expect to see the odd famous person now and then - if for no other reason than they're swinging through Gucci or Armani HQ on their way through Europe. To date, here are the famous people we've seen (or we're at least pretty damned sure we've seen):
Lenny Kravitz - Seen with an unidentified woman having a coffee sitting at an outdoor cafe table near the Duomo; he played the Sanremo Music Festival the next day. At the time, I thought, "Wow, that guy looks an awful lot like Lenny Kravitz," assuming it couldn't possibly be him. It wasn't until he took the stage at Sanremo (roughly 260km from Milan) that I thought, "Wow, that was Lenny Kravitz!"
Silvio Berlusconi - Seen getting into a car in Turin (roughly 140km from Milan). I actually only saw the top of his little bald head, but Chris (the tall one) was able to see that it was, indeed Berlusconi. Silvio may only be famous in Italy, but for those who don't know he's been the Prime Minister a couple times and is currently running again. He's also been under investigation for any number of things (I can't keep track, and I'm not sure most Italians can, either) and is, in my everso humble opinion, a scumbag.
Antonio Banderas & Liam Neeson - Seen walking through Milan's Galleria and going into the Prada store. There was a big film camera set up at one end of the Galleria, and Chris looked it up later online and discovered the pair are in town filming a movie right now. But honestly, we couldn't tell if they were actually filming something at that precise moment or just going shopping. It looked more like the latter. Chris (again, the tall one) took the camera and tried to get a few shots of them leaving the store (he was the only one of us who could see above the throng that had gathered outside the store, where no less than five people asked me who was inside), but he learned that being a paparazzo is actually kind of difficult, what with all the jostling and such. I'll say this about Antonio and Liam - the former is short, the latter is tall.
Laura Linney - Seen walking by herself down a street near the Duomo. Now, at the time, I thought, "Wow, that woman looks an awful lot like Laura Linney." But I figured I was dreaming. (I should know better now, after the Infamous Kravitz Sighting of 2008.) Then when Chris looked up the Banderas/Neeson sighting online, he said Laura Linney was also in town filming the same movie. So, who knows? Maybe it actually was Laura Linney I saw walking like an average human being through central Milan.
Lenny Kravitz - Seen with an unidentified woman having a coffee sitting at an outdoor cafe table near the Duomo; he played the Sanremo Music Festival the next day. At the time, I thought, "Wow, that guy looks an awful lot like Lenny Kravitz," assuming it couldn't possibly be him. It wasn't until he took the stage at Sanremo (roughly 260km from Milan) that I thought, "Wow, that was Lenny Kravitz!"
Silvio Berlusconi - Seen getting into a car in Turin (roughly 140km from Milan). I actually only saw the top of his little bald head, but Chris (the tall one) was able to see that it was, indeed Berlusconi. Silvio may only be famous in Italy, but for those who don't know he's been the Prime Minister a couple times and is currently running again. He's also been under investigation for any number of things (I can't keep track, and I'm not sure most Italians can, either) and is, in my everso humble opinion, a scumbag.
Antonio Banderas & Liam Neeson - Seen walking through Milan's Galleria and going into the Prada store. There was a big film camera set up at one end of the Galleria, and Chris looked it up later online and discovered the pair are in town filming a movie right now. But honestly, we couldn't tell if they were actually filming something at that precise moment or just going shopping. It looked more like the latter. Chris (again, the tall one) took the camera and tried to get a few shots of them leaving the store (he was the only one of us who could see above the throng that had gathered outside the store, where no less than five people asked me who was inside), but he learned that being a paparazzo is actually kind of difficult, what with all the jostling and such. I'll say this about Antonio and Liam - the former is short, the latter is tall.
Laura Linney - Seen walking by herself down a street near the Duomo. Now, at the time, I thought, "Wow, that woman looks an awful lot like Laura Linney." But I figured I was dreaming. (I should know better now, after the Infamous Kravitz Sighting of 2008.) Then when Chris looked up the Banderas/Neeson sighting online, he said Laura Linney was also in town filming the same movie. So, who knows? Maybe it actually was Laura Linney I saw walking like an average human being through central Milan.
05 March 2008
Seeing Double
Just in case any of you are following the Italy Logue as well, you'll probably recognize something I posted here first appearing on the Italy Logue in the next week or so. I've gotten enough comments from people on my "Becoming a Regular" post that I'm going to put it on the Italy Logue as well. I just didn't want any of you to think you were going crazy...
04 March 2008
Venice & Turin Photos
Who said it could be March already? This trip is already feeling almost over - I just didn't realize how quickly six weeks could go by, but when I'm looking at a calendar and already have plans for trips to Rome and Florence coming up (after which I'll only have a week or so left before I fly home), it feels like time is just slipping away from me.
At any rate, Venice was amazing last week - despite the ferocious cold - and I can't stop thinking about that city. I can't quite put my finger on what it is about the place that so captivates me, although I keep trying. If I figure it out, I'll let you know. Until then, if I keep rhapsodizing about it, you'll have to forgive me.
Chris & I went to a dinner on Friday night which was organized partly by our friend Sara from Ms. Adventures in Italy. It was a "Girl Geek Dinner," though there were boys in attendance as well (no, Chris didn't have to wear a dress). We were both exhausted from the previous few days - Chris from prepping for and then teaching his second class here in Milan, me from a few whirlwind days in Venice and too-little sleep on Thursday night - so we weren't the social butterflies we might otherwise have been, but it was fun. We then kind of took Saturday off, sleeping in until something like 10:30 and doing not-much all day. We did go to our first Italian soccer game on Saturday night, which was fun - except my favorite guy didn't play (boo-hoo) and the home team just barely tied the game against a team they should have beaten. So, at least for me, I'm not really counting that game as having happened and I'm hoping we get to see another where my guy actually sets foot on the field. (Yes, that's more important than the team actually winning, at least in my book.)
Sunday we got up early-ish and caught the train to Turin (site of the 2006 winter Olympics) where we visited the final day of the Cioccolatò festival. It's a smaller chocolate festival than some others, including the big one in Perugia every October, but it was really fun - and the weather was spectacular. (That's a picture of chocolate "sausages" and chocolate "eggs" at the top of this post.) It was summer-like, and we both walked around in T-shirts, quite comfortably. After breathing in all the chocolate air, we wandered over to the museum of the Shroud of Turin for a tour and then headed back to Milan. It was a lovely day spent wandering around a lovely city. I'd be quite happy to spend more time in Turin, and if Chris found work there that'd be just fine with me.
So - if you check the Flickr set for this trip, you'll see I've added a whole bunch of new pictures, from Venice, the soccer game, and Turin. Chris has a bunch of sticky-notes on the wall next to our dining table/desk with things we want to do while we're here, and we've only completed two of the 12+ items on the list - so if all goes well, you'll have lots more photos to look through very soon.
Hope all's well with all of you!
At any rate, Venice was amazing last week - despite the ferocious cold - and I can't stop thinking about that city. I can't quite put my finger on what it is about the place that so captivates me, although I keep trying. If I figure it out, I'll let you know. Until then, if I keep rhapsodizing about it, you'll have to forgive me.
Chris & I went to a dinner on Friday night which was organized partly by our friend Sara from Ms. Adventures in Italy. It was a "Girl Geek Dinner," though there were boys in attendance as well (no, Chris didn't have to wear a dress). We were both exhausted from the previous few days - Chris from prepping for and then teaching his second class here in Milan, me from a few whirlwind days in Venice and too-little sleep on Thursday night - so we weren't the social butterflies we might otherwise have been, but it was fun. We then kind of took Saturday off, sleeping in until something like 10:30 and doing not-much all day. We did go to our first Italian soccer game on Saturday night, which was fun - except my favorite guy didn't play (boo-hoo) and the home team just barely tied the game against a team they should have beaten. So, at least for me, I'm not really counting that game as having happened and I'm hoping we get to see another where my guy actually sets foot on the field. (Yes, that's more important than the team actually winning, at least in my book.)
Sunday we got up early-ish and caught the train to Turin (site of the 2006 winter Olympics) where we visited the final day of the Cioccolatò festival. It's a smaller chocolate festival than some others, including the big one in Perugia every October, but it was really fun - and the weather was spectacular. (That's a picture of chocolate "sausages" and chocolate "eggs" at the top of this post.) It was summer-like, and we both walked around in T-shirts, quite comfortably. After breathing in all the chocolate air, we wandered over to the museum of the Shroud of Turin for a tour and then headed back to Milan. It was a lovely day spent wandering around a lovely city. I'd be quite happy to spend more time in Turin, and if Chris found work there that'd be just fine with me.
So - if you check the Flickr set for this trip, you'll see I've added a whole bunch of new pictures, from Venice, the soccer game, and Turin. Chris has a bunch of sticky-notes on the wall next to our dining table/desk with things we want to do while we're here, and we've only completed two of the 12+ items on the list - so if all goes well, you'll have lots more photos to look through very soon.
Hope all's well with all of you!
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