Rainy Daze

Rainy days and Mondays always get me down- so it is pouring down raining in Florence this evening. I, of course, was hoping for one last weekend at the beach- but alas this is not to be...however, it is good as my very dirty car is being washed at the moment. So, what's up with you - nothing, what's up with you??? Have been watching lots of movies lately and reading books (that's what happens when your toddler stays at grandparents for the week!!) I just watched Keeping up with the Steins about this 13 year old boy who's parents are planning his Bar Mitzvah- I had NO IDEA that it was such a HUNORMOUS event. I mean I gave it the Catholic equivalent of a first communion but apparently it is a much bigger deal in terms of the "festivities" afterwards. Anyway this movie was quite good and had a nice cast- Jeremy Piven (who I love- PCU), Jamie Gertz (who I haven't seen since Less than Zero) and Darryl Hannah...nice mix. I liked it and even got a bit teary- but I think that is due to the pregnancy hormones and Madison starting "big boy school" next Monday. And of course this morning- one of my newer faves- BLADES OF GLORY with Will Ferrell and Jon Heder (Napoleon Dynamite)- super funny ice skating flick...check it out...I really want to see the new Ben Stiller film- my sister is already praising it. So this weekend will probably be pretty relaxed- I have relatives in from Atlanta tomorrow for dinner and not much else going on...will let you all know on Monday

Rainy days and Mondays always get me down- so it is pouring down raining in Florence this evening. I, of course, was hoping for one last weekend at the beach- but alas this is not to be...however, it is good as my very dirty car is being washed at the moment. So, what's up with you - nothing, what's up with you??? Have been watching lots of movies lately and reading books (that's what happens when your toddler stays at grandparents for the week!!) I just watched Keeping up with the Steins about this 13 year old boy who's parents are planning his Bar Mitzvah- I had NO IDEA that it was such a HUNORMOUS event. I mean I gave it the Catholic equivalent of a first communion but apparently it is a much bigger deal in terms of the "festivities" afterwards. Anyway this movie was quite good and had a nice cast- Jeremy Piven (who I love- PCU), Jamie Gertz (who I haven't seen since Less than Zero) and Darryl Hannah...nice mix. I liked it and even got a bit teary- but I think that is due to the pregnancy hormones and Madison starting "big boy school" next Monday. And of course this morning- one of my newer faves- BLADES OF GLORY with Will Ferrell and Jon Heder (Napoleon Dynamite)- super funny ice skating flick...check it out...I really want to see the new Ben Stiller film- my sister is already praising it. So this weekend will probably be pretty relaxed- I have relatives in from Atlanta tomorrow for dinner and not much else going on...will let you all know on Monday

Help me find a name for my baby NEMO

Here is the latest list (not in preferential order)

Mackenzie
Leland
Liam *
Riley
Miles
Nicolas
Allistair

Please vote your favorite name please....

Friday August 30, 2008

So what can I say-- August flew by and now summer is almost over (despite the weather conditions). I am hoping that I will have the energy to take Madison to the beach tomorrow, but I am not sure as my energy level is fading these days. Although if it is that or be annoyed keeping him indoors and out of his bedroom (that looks like Beirut in the 80's) then I might have to buck up. I found a hotel for about 100 euro for the night, but together with beach fees, dinner and lunch out, gas etc I am sure I would spend at least 250 euro (almost 400 bucks you Americans) for 2 days on the beach and I am not sure if that is in the budget these days. I will see tomorrow how I feel. On the baby side I am not 27 weeks..11 weeks to blast off...and feeling relatively fine. Meaning, I am irritable and bulky but on the medical side I am doing well except for my (thank goodness) low blood pressure- tonight I am planning on taking Madison to see Kung Fu Panda and am super excited about it-although it will be in Italian and not English - oh well hopefully it is dubbed well....Rock out...

TGIF ...

Ok- so I am at work and have lots of time to kill...it is 6.30 in the p.m. and I am ready to be outta here. So I had a doctors appointment this morning and baby #2 is coming along nicely...we are now at 22 weeks and tooting right along fine. That's good to here...makes me happy. Baby (shall I say "big boy" ) is at the grandparents tonight as mommy has scheduled a massage for tomorrow morning and babbo (daddy in eye-talian) has lots on the agenda tomorrow- I shall be joining them and the redneck pool tomorrow around lunchtime...I am not completely worthless!. I would really like to have some "adult time" (not what you are thinking) tonight- meaning go to the movies or something but my guess is we I will probably just collapse in the bed and read a book. I actually have to hop over to the ole Paperback Exchange (my previous employer) to pick up some beach reading for our vacation---YEAH!! we are leaving next Saturday for a week on the beach....I am planning on doing lots of nothing- relaxing at the beach, swimming in the ocean/pool-whichever strikes my fancy, eating lots of fish, and basically taking it easy- I am pretty good at taking it easy- it is a learned behaviour that however seems inherent in most Italians- they are experts in taking it easy. You think southerners are slow....you have no idea. You have not seen slow until you ask an Italian to do something-take my word for it. Enough about that....whatelse is going on with me these days?????? Hmmm....have been eating lots of ham and cheese sandwiches, I need to go to the store and buy mustard and ketchup though because we are out..I have taught Alessandro to love mustard and pickles- he never ate either one before he met me...think how much he was missing out on...come to think of it before that glorious fall of '96 when we met he had never eaten Chinese food! Much less Sushi or Indian...pointless to mention Cajun - which he of course loves. His most favorite breakfast item are my mamma's drop biscuits and grits...he still can't like French Toast (but I love him anyway) but pretty much devours pancakes...Madison is very into eating cookies and "splashing it" in milk in the morning. This is pretty interesting- my son as he is bilingual has a pretty unusual way of talking...I have to admit my coloquial speech and jargon from Baton Rouge probably doesn't help...but he pretty much puts and -ing and it after every verb...example
Wook mamma, Madison is walking it--(translation-Look Mamma, Madison is walking)
Wook mamma, Madison is singing it (Look Mamma, Madison is singing)
Wook mamma, Madison is dancing it...etc etc

And of course I don't correct him at all because I think it is cute...the strange things he says in Italian would not be particularly interesting for the majority of people who read this site as they probably wouldn't understand, but basically he used to (because he doesn't so much anymore) put the emphasis on the wrong sa-llyble...
Examples....
Ma-cchina
Gee-lato
Here again he was not corrected because his babbo thought it was cute.....recently though mostly he asks me if "baby is kicking it?"

It's a Boy!

The doctor confirmed it yesterday- we are having another BOY!!! Any suggestions for names are welcome- while Sled was a top favorite for our first child alas we went with Madison. This second go round it is even harder as it was hard enough to come up with a boy name in the first place....so far I like Riley, my grandmother and mother has suggested Grant to go along with the presidential theme- but as he was the leader of the YANKEE ARMY during the civil war - just can't do that. I also like Julian, Miles and Allistair...all vetoed by Alessandro...let me know your thoughts.

Ain't we lucky we got 'em

GOOD TIMES... I am so excited. I have found a way to watch full episodes of Good Times that I can watch on the computer...check it out... http://www.surfthechannel.com/tv/Good_Times/6e357fee80d062ac2dd6506e90ebc904.html

Very exciting- very exciting....I am thinking about ordering the first 4 seasons--not interested in season 5 and 6 as James has been killed off...and they get boring after that...did not realize that Thelma's name in one of the first episodes is Bern Nadette and in a later episode it is Bernnadette Stanis....hmmm did she get married or just change her "stage name"....things that make you go hmmmmmm.....I really really like this show, I think it is my all time favorite...followed by the Jefferson's, then One Day at a Time and then Three's Company...then The Facts of Life, and Different Strokes and the Brady Bunch. Come to think of it I watched a lot of TV when I was a child...I occasionally had to watch Sanford and Son in order to get to one of the favorites but it was not my favorite....any thoughts???

It is now 12 noon and still watching... I can't turn it off..........

Still watching

I am still watching "They Said What?" I am sooooooooooooo addicted....

Addicted

I am addicted to THEY SAID WHAT on People.com.....I have been watching it for like 2 hours straight....

Bored at Home

I have been put on "rest" - not "bed rest" but "rest" from work because I was having some painful cramps ....but now after 4 days I am SUPER SUPER BORED, not that I would prefer to be at work- however, I am now online watching People.com - which I find infinitely better than the magazine- since I can pick and choose without going through all the pages...I really like "They Said What?" which has what was said on Late Night TV which I obviously don't have here in Italy...really really funny. Sometimes, I feel like I am in GoodFellas how they only associate with other Mafia people- when you live in Italy- after 12 years while their behaviour is still bizarre and strange I have come to not understand it (for that I would have to at least have a lobotomy) but accept it as what they do....like this morning. I had to go have blood tests- regular I am pregnant blood tests- but in order to do this you have go to this clinic where they open at 7am but if you don't get there by at least 5.30am you have to wait for numerous hours...so I arrive at what I thought to be a reasonably early hour- 5.5o am and wait OUTSIDE ON THE SIDEWALK until 7am- at which point all these "elderly folks" who basically acted at if there were on the last leg--bolted for the number machine--I literally got pushed and thought I was going down...it was insane...nothing like socialized medicine...then I called because I need to make an appointment and today is June 6th and the first open appointment was in OCTOBER... I mean I am supposed to give birth in November....what good is an appointment I need now going to be 6 months from now I ask you....for all of those who think socialized medicine is a good idea- think again--at the end of the day I have to go private and pay out of pocket ANYWAY--thanks for taking 20% of my salary in taxes for nothing!!!

One of my favorite songs featured in one of my favorite movies- Valley Girl

Moving forward using all my breath
Making love to you was never second best
I saw the world thrashing all around your face
Never really knowing it was always mesh and lace
I'll stop the world and melt with you
You've seen the difference and
It's getting better all the time
There's nothing you and I won't do
I'll stop the world and melt with you
(You should know better)
Dream of better lives the kind which never hate
(You should see why)
Dropped in the state of imaginary grace
(You should know better)
I made a pilgrimage to save this human race
(You should see why)
Never comprehending a race that long gone by
(I'll stop the world)
I'll stop the world and melt with you
(I'll stop the world)
You've seen the difference and it's getting better all the time
(Let's stop the world)
There's nothing you and I won't do
(Let's stop the world)
I'll stop the world and melt with you
The future's open wide
(Let's stop the world)
I'll stop the world and melt with you
(Let's stop the world)
I've seen some changes but it's getting better all the time
(Let's stop the world)
There's nothing you and I won't do
(Let's stop the world)
I'll stop the world and melt with you
The future's open wide
hmmm hmmm hmmm
hmmm hmmm hmmm hmmm
hmmm hmmm hmmm
hmmm hmmm hmmm hmmm
I'll stop the world and melt with you
(Let's stop the world)
You've seen the difference and it's getting better all the time
(Let's stop the world)
There's nothing you and I won't do
(Let's stop the world)
I'll stop the world and melt with you
(Let's stop the world)
I'll stop the world and melt with you...

Rainy Tuesday in Florence

So I am just back from the doctor's from the first "official" sonogram and even though we thought I was only 12 weeks the dimensions of #2 the revenge are that we are really 13 weeks and due on November 24th...very strange because I went to the hospital to have Madison on the 24th of November 2004- even though he was not to arrive until the 27th...I am quite freaking out for that because I don't want Madison's birthday to in any way get ruint by this baby- by the way if you don't know what ruint is look it up in the Meridian Ms Guide to past simple verbs.. (learned that word at Strong River in the 80's). Anyway, the weather is crap here today...rainy and cold...not like what it should be on May 20th ...and yes, for the few of you out there that attended it was 10 years ago this May 23rd that I wed the big Sandy....I have to admit it was the best wedding I have attended so far--including my sisters! Maybe I am a bit prejudiced on this one- but I had a great time, my friends and family had a great time and the FOOD WAS AWESOME! Now here I am 10 years later with 3 year old at school and his sibling for the moment making me look like lots of people do after Thanksgiving lunch...I will try not to talk too much about babies in the next 6 months as I am sure it will bore lots of you singletons and wocs, but that is a lot of what I am doing now--doctor's appointments left and right...Alessandro left today to go to Lecce which is at the very bottom of Italy for work and I really hate it when he leaves because at first I am relieved to have some space but I truly miss him when he is gone...and there is no one to take out the garbage either....just joking...it was a nightmare though because he left at 6am and then his plane had problems due to too much weight and it was storming here so he volunteered to get off the plane- then was bused to Bologna and just now flew to Rome and hopefully he is boarding the plane for Brindisi where he will then take a car transfer to Lecce---travelling to southern Italy is not easy! Maddy and I will miss him! Well gotta get back to work for now...

Guess What??

For all of those who still don't know...I am pregant with # 2!!! This is not him or her but a random sonogram picture of a 12.5 week old baby- I am right at 12 weeks so I thought it was appropriate... I am very excited and scared and nervous and overwhelmed and joyful and hormonal and emotional...I was telling my husband today about what the guards who watch the tomb of the unknown soldier have to go through to be worthy of their job and how even in the face of death refused to leave their post and I started crying. I am patriotic even though there are lots of things that American does that makes me angry mostly because I consider them un-American (like putting an Italian guy in jail just for visiting his girlfriend "too often" in Washington, DC- see the NY TIMES for the article) but I could never be as patriotic as these guys- in fact all military persons who risk their own lives in order to protect our country deserve our respect even if you are not in agreement with war- I truly don't think that anyone wants war- this is my opinion...anyway I digress...

Friday night ramblings and outrages!

Ok, so I am at work and should be working but as it is 10 to 4pm on Friday afternoon my mind is wandering. I am super bummed out because the weather forecast for this weekend and the next 10 days is rain, clouds and more rain! SHITE! I don't normally hate "rainy days and mondays" but with a 3 year old who is barely containable in open spaces the thought of having to be indoors for a weekend is horrendous..this means I will more than likely be forced to spend the weekend with my mother-in-law. This would not be as awful as it sounds, except that she and her "partner" (European word for man/woman who is not your legal spouse and you are too old to call them girlfriend/boyfriend--> for me it sounds like a same-sex word but I am adapting to the Your a peein' ways) are fighting a lot. Not like knock down drag out fights, but bitchy, wise-ass comments left and right and lots of voice raising (not uncommon for Italians) and it is doing my head in-- I am mean I have enough working with crazy eye-talians all week that I don't need it on the weekend.

ok so time is passing so slowly today that I feel like I am going to cry...ok so lots of horrible things have been happening in Italy lately- mostly in Sicily. I doubt this has made the NY Times but it should..three boys 15,16,17 killed this 14 girl because they claim that she was pregnant with one of theirs baby and was going to tell her dad- they took her to an isolated spot...raped her in turns then beat her beyond recognition of her own parents and then strangled her....they have now confessed and after confessing said "can we go home now?" What kind of animals are these people? I mean what is going on in this world-- horrible to have your child killed, but also think what it would be like to know that your own child was a HORRIBLE MONSTER who could kill another person and not even feel bad about it....I am shocked and feel nauseous. Another situation where a 20 year old man is taking phone films of sex with his 13 year girlfriend---hello are you INSANE?? What are you doing having sex with a 13 year old--that is called being a pedofile! I am very frightened for the world we are bringing our children into ....

Update on the gerlfriend--she is super nice and gets a Healey thumbs up...

work work work

So I am at work and after only an hour I hate it!!! Whatever, my brother-in-law's brother MATT
is magically in Florence for the day with his NEW GF and of course I am taking some time off of work in order to have lunch with them...really excited as I love Matt (in a brotherly way of course) and I am the FIRST to meet the new gerlfriend! so of course my opinion is going to be super serious as I am of course probably the most critical of all my sister's (at least out loud) and notice EVERYTHING...hopefully she is not stupid. I mean not that I think she will be but that is my fear- I can forgive ugly, I can forgive poor fashion sense (my sister's maybe not) but STU-PID I cannot forgive..sorry all those dumb dumbs out there but I have no sympathy for you...not that I think I am super smart but people who are just stupid cause me pain- its almost physical...i am thinking back on certain cousins' ex-girlfriends and THANK GOD they married someone else because could not have handled stupid in the family...back to work..

So please see the article below on the history of ICEEs and SLURPEES...and K & E you bees kraz-ee. Can't believe in searching for proof that ICEES are truly superior I found that there are entire webpages on this subject and most people agree that the carbonated ICEES are the best!!!

Look what you find on other people's blog....

ICEE vs. Slurpee

The 7-11 store in Mission, KS carried ICEE frozen fountain drinks, not Slurpees. ICEE was the brand we drank in various flavors like Cola and Cherry. When I was about nine years old, I found an old 45 single at a garage sale called Dance The Slurp. The flip side had humorous anecdotes from voice-over actors about the strange things that happened to people who drank ICEEs from 7-11. It was a hoot.

I lost that 45 and didn't think much of it until I got to talking with an avid record collector years later. He traded me a copy for something else I had and much to my surprise, when I played it in the production room at the radio station where I worked at the time, all the voice overs mentioned Slurpee, not ICEE.

Yes, it's true. ICEE and Slurpee are one and the same. The original concoction was invented by Omar Knedlik of Coffeyville, Kansas. That sounds like a name out of Mad Magazine. Omar marketed ICEE and ICEE machines in Kansas and a few other Midwestern states and eventually sold the rights to 7-11 in 1965. They rebranded it the Slurpee and sold it coast to coast. There must have been a wrinkle in the contract that kept the ICEE brand (complete with polar bear mascot) in Omar's legacy outlets here in the Midwest. ICEE may be dead, but I saw the logo on an office building at Johnson Drive and I-35 in Merriam, KS the other day. Perhaps the spirit of Omar Knedlik lives on.

Found here...
http://fowlerjones.blogspot.com/2006/04/icee-vs-slurpee.html

An anonymous left this comment
I don't think Slurpees and Icees are the same. Icees (with the bear) are still found at Mr. Bulky's and some Walmarts. Icees are way better than Slurpees with the carbonated taste (probably some chemical) in the cola flavor. You could drink a whole Icee quickly and not just end up with a chunk of ice at the bottom like you can with Slurpees. I remember the 7-11 at 89th and Roe and collecting the Icee coupons in the sorghum and soybean fields that used to be there to redeem free Icees.

Lunch Break Commentary

So I am not a faithful blogger like my friends, however, many times I feel sure that it is quite egotistical of me to assume that others would be interested in what I have to say-but as there are only like 3 people who occasionally read this blog I guess it is no biggie. ... I want to just say a few things in my remaining 9 minutes of my lunch "break"....lately I have come to realize that while I CHOOSE to move to Italy and a lot of times I do love it...I mostly love what it could be and not what it is...I miss ICEES not Slurpees as they are the ugly step sister of ICEES which only 7-11 had in the past and then Circle K....by the way I only figured out the other day that 7-11 referred to the operating hours of the famed convenient store--am I an idiot or what...HELLO!!! Because I was thinking- 7-11, 24-7 what the hell is 7-11 and then I was like DUH open at 7am close at 11pm...well glad to know that I have single-handedly put this issue to rest. Umm, I also love cheese grills (as I used to call them ) from the BRCC snack bar at the pool- at least I used to until all the REAL staff were either let go or died. They were super fattening before I cared about fattening and smothered with butter on the outside to make them crispy and I would only eat them with mustard- which I love...and prefer to all other condiments..what else do I really really miss--a part from my sisters - which I consider practically appendages I love them so much..I miss driving around with nothing to do with Eliza Borne, listening to the radio and singing our (or my in this case) tone deaf voices belting out show tunes...once or twice with a daiquiri in my hand--here they pronounce it DIE-Key-ree and it drives me BATTY.. I miss fat free twinkies...I miss daytime television, I miss NBC nights (do they even have them) although I have to admit that last night by myself I rented AirBuddies for Madison, Spiderman 3 for Alessandro and Pride and Prejudice for myself (because I hadn't quite finished reading it for the book club meeting tonight-even though I have read it in the past)...one minute remaining...mostly I just miss American easiness and laughter-thank god for my 'merican friends here -especially Heather --or else it would really be unbearable...God Bless American- your humor and your junk food without which I would be forever lost...

hello everyone

Ok, so I am back in action. Update on what has been going on....well my parents came to meet us in Paris for Easter---despite being very cold, and intermittent rain, sleet and sunshine Paris was lovely as usual. I have decided that I must learn (or rather re-learn) French and make and a yearly pilgrimage. Really great. Madison enjoyed it- a bit less than the rest of us as the word of the week was "Madison" as in "Madison sit down"! "Madison DON'T TOUCH" "If you do THAT AGAIN you are BACK in the stroller"...and on and on....I was feeling a bit ill for a 24 hour period but it was Madison who THREW UP in the bed with Mama and then again in the subway. I really am not familiar with subway vomiting etiquette- I am sure that many a wino has spewed their wares in subway cars but I really didn't know what to do...attempt to clean up the subway floor?? I thought not-so in any event, as we were sort of in a corner no one really noticed until we made our exit...rude I know, but nothing could be done.

On another note my parents and I were discussing something, don't remember exactly, and someone made reference to a line in GOODFELLAS (one of my favorite movies) and that line was "this is what it is, but you gotta go home" and I have found that this line comes in handy a lot. As in when your child throws up a chocolate muffin on the Paris metro... it is what it is then you go home....I like it.

My sisters got me SUPERBAD and KNOCKED UP for my birthday and I am about to put on Knocked Up as I have been fortunate enough to have already seen SUPERBAD which in Italy has been renamed SUXBAD now how that is more Italian than Superbad I have no idea...MCLOVIN RULES.........

photo of Madison in San Gimignano for Carnival

Have "Happy"Period Indeed!

This is an actual letter from an Austin woman sent to American company Proctor and Gamble regarding their feminine products. She really gets rolling after the first paragraph. It's PC Magazine's 2007 editor's choice for best webmail-award-winning letter.


Dear Mr. Thatcher,

I have been a loyal user of your 'Always' maxi pads for over 20 years and I appreciate many of their features. Why, without the LeakGuard Core or Dri-Weave absorbency, I'd probably never go horseback riding or salsa dancing, and I'd certainly steer clear of running up and down the beach in tight, white shorts. But my favorite feature has to be your revolutionary Flexi-Wings. Kudos on being the only company smart enough to realize how crucial it is that maxi pads be aerodynamic. I can't tell you how safe and secure I feel each month knowing there's a little F-16 in my pants.

Have you ever had a menstrual period, Mr. Thatcher? Ever suffered from the curse'? I'm guessing you haven't. Well, my time of the month is starting right now. As I type, I can already feel hormonal forces violently surging through my body. Just a few minutes from now, my body will adjust and I'll be transformed into what my husband likes to call 'an inbred hillbilly with knife skills' Isn't the human body amazing?

As Brand Manager in the Feminine-Hygiene Division, you've no doubt seen quite a bit of research on what exactly happens during your customers monthly visits from 'Aunt Flo'. Therefore, you must know about the bloating, puffiness, and cramping we endure, and about our intense mood swings, crying, jags, and out-of-control behaviour. You surely realize it's a tough time for most women. In fact, only last week, my friend Jennifer fought the violent urge to shove her boyfriend's testicles into a George Foreman Grill just because he told her he thought Grey's Anatomy was written by drunken chimps. Crazy!

The point is, sir, you of all people must realize that America is just crawling with homicidal maniacs in Capri pants... Which brings me to the reason for my letter. Last month, while in the throes of cramping so painful I wanted to reach inside my body and yank out my uterus, I opened an Always maxi-pad, and there, printed on the adhesive backing, were these words: 'Have a Happy Period.'

Are you fu*ing kidding me? What I mean is, does any part of your tiny middle-manager brain really think happiness - actual smiling, laughing happiness is possible during a menstrual period? Did anything mentioned above sound the least bit pleasurable? Well, did it, James? FYI, unless you're some kind of sick S&M freak girl, there will never be anything 'happy' about a day in which you have to jack yourself up on Motrin and Kahlua and lock yourself in your house just so you don't march down to the local Walgreen's armed with a hunting rifle and a sketchy plan to end your life in a blaze of glory.

For the love of God, pull your head out, man! If you just have to slap a moronic message on a maxi pad, wouldn't it make more sense to say something that's actually pertinent, like 'Put down the Hammer' or 'Vehicular Manslaughter is Wrong', or are you just picking on us?

Sir, please inform your Accounting Department that, effective immediately, there will be an $8 drop in monthly profits, for I have chosen to take my maxi-pad business elsewhere. And though I will certainly miss your Flex-Wings, I will not for one minute miss your brand of condescending bull sh*t. And that's a promise I will keep. Always.

Best,
Wendi Aarons
Austin , TX

FAT TUESDAY

..on the eve of Fat Tuesday--- it just occured to me that I think that it is only appropriate that in Louisiana (one of the fattest states in the Good Old U.S. of A.) that we are the biggest celebrators of FAT Tuesday...

Today's Role Model

I really like Avril Lavigne. I was thinking that today that I really like her.

Trip to the Cinque Terre

Tribute to Sisters - I love you !

A Birthday Tribute

Band on the run... today I am writing in memory.. in memory of what you ask? In memory. Today is January 31st 2008- today is also the birthday of my first love- Richard Cooper Crosby. I have not seen him in 14 years since we broke up a little after my 19th birthday. He subsequently married, had a child and now I believe is divorced. It just seems that every year when Jan. 31st rolls around I can't forget that it is his birthday. Band on the Run--was our song by default. Not because be both loved WINGS (although I am sure that everyone secretly does) but because strangely every time we got into my car (because even though he was year older he didn't have a driver's license and I did) the silvery Caprice Classic inherited from Gaggi & Poppi this song was on the radio. Not like once or twice, but like every time we got in the car for an entire summer. It was strange and remains permeated in my mind. Anyway, he was my first great love. I was sure we would marry and have oodles of kids, but alas this did not happen..for many reasons but mostly because I was 15 and he was 16 when we met and over the years people change. We were different in so many ways, but I am sure that the love that we had for each other at that time in our lives was real. As real as it gets anyway. I am now much older, married and have my own child and I live in another country so needless to say my life has changed a lot since 1994 when we broke up, but here's to you Richard... Happy Birthday where ever you are!

I would post a picture if I had one ....

WHAT DID YOU SAY??

So I am totally deaf in my right ear since Saturday morning- this really sucks and tomorrow I am going to the doctor again to see if this is normal after 4 days of antibiotics. I mean I love the fact that we have "social medicine" here in Italy (ha ha ha-- as if it were really free), but they so suck at treating every day normal illnesses. I mean if you have a horrible illness or something chronic then there is no HMO saying you aren't allowed treatment etc- you just get in line with everyone else- but if you have something like an ear ache (which Madison had for 1 year solid until we had tubes put in - in the US) then they basically wait until you are deaf to do anything and then at that point they say "well you are deaf in one ear but you will live" - THANKS A LOT! I love living in Italy when I am driving through the countryside and the beauty really takes my breath away- the parks are basically safe places (even at night) my child's public school (that he will attend next year as day care is not yet available to all) does not require a metal detector etc. but the salaries stink, job market is super closed (if you are over 30 forget about finding a job and if you are a woman between the ages of 18-40 the first question on your interview is "do you plan on having children?" to which of course you answer "no, absolutely not- in fact I am sterile". but of course they don't believe you and don't want to pay for the eventual maternity leave (which if you have a job is great- 5 months paid leave and up to 2 years off where they must maintain your position) and so you don't really get the job. What else... can you tell I am surly these days... and NO - I am not having my period!

p.s. just looked at an ear health website and thank god I don't have ear maggots!

Bitch Blog

Ok- so I have not been posting lately. Mostly because I can only do it at work (which I am not supposed to do) because it is MISSION IMPOSSIBLE for me to work on the computer when I am at home because Madison wants to sit on my lap and hit all the keys and begs for me to go on the Anniejuneleoquincy site a.k.a Little Einstein site and play. Also I was struck with an inner ear infection on Saturday morning at 7.30am - the pain was so intense that I went to the ENT Emergency clinic at the hospital becuase A) I thought my ear drum was going to burst and B) the pain was so intense I thought I was going to pass out..
So that is the reason why I haven't been blogging. Now to my current topic I have to bitch
Bitch #1
I have been having some "challenges" (as my father would call them) at work. I have a colleague who is extremely anal about the way she works - which is fine- but lately she has been "controlling" my work. "Why did you do this?" " Why did you do that?" " Why are you here early?" "Have you sent this or that?" Basically I want to yell "why don't you mind your own FREAKING business and let me get on with mine" But being the civilized person that I am - I have so far refrained. This morning I asked her simply to modify the way in which she sends me FYI messages as they are a bit cryptic for me and the response was "why are you so irritated this morning" ------YIKES...

Bitch #2
This bitch goes out to a person that will remain unnamed- However put in a general way, I really hate when someone bombards with demands- do this, do that, get on it right away- I do it with the quickness of a cowboy drawing for his life and then when I say ok- "i've done it- now what?" and they respond- oh well, I don't want to work on that now - it's late, I'm resting, I've got over things to do....etc etc. If you are not serious about something DO NOT BREAK MY BALLS ABOUT IT.
At this point I have made some decisions about my life and for now I am going it alone....

-- 

Scary Dreams

I was reading about my friend Natalie's dream the other day and last night I had a doozy. So anyway I will not even go into the fact that I have not had more than 4 hours continuous sleep this week due to varying factors.....Madison waking up and wanting to know I am there, him need for some reason this week to have the light on, the lovely little kicks that he gives me in my sleep and of course last night---the big "Maddy Moo is going to sleep in the his own big bed" which led to a 1am waking up crying searching for Mamma-three peas in a pod- or 3 people, a cat and a partridge in a pear tree in my bed..so between Alessandro snoring like a Crazy Train and little feet up my back, kitty making biscuits on my tummy--needless to say it was a restless night before the NIGHTMARE occurred. Ok, so there we are all three (oops) 4 if you include the cat in the bed with Maddy in the middle. I have this horrible nightmare that I woke up to find a crazy, scary, bedraggled and toothless (imagine Ethan Hawkes description of that guy in DPS) homeless man standing over our bed with not 1 BUT 2 knives calmly but crazily telling me that he must kill us..now for some reason I am the only one who is awakened by this man who is literally holding death over our heads...I am sure you could reason that this represents my feelings of how Alessandro is not involved in things I think are important and Madison's ignorance due to age and innocence for all things evil...in any event--without waking anyone up I am able by using my calm voice to talk this crazy beggar man with a white beard (O Capt'n My Capt'n) to hand over first the small knife (which I quickly toss under the bed in a Law & Order type swiftness) and just as I am about to take possession of the larger sword/knife I realize that I am holding the sharp blade in my hand and just at the moment when Capt'n Jack is about to give it up he changes him mind and slashes my hand open exposing me (in my dream) to all sorts of imagined infections and diseases that I could have potentially picked up from the unclean blade....then I wake up. So the disease thing is not new as this is all part of my phobias/OC disorder which seems to rear its ugly head (despite my meds- which I forget to take frequently- that could be why) when I am under a lot of stress. Might I also mention that I have had unbearable pain in my neck and shoulders this week... I bought that damn Roll-On essential oils Anti-Stress thing and am using often--I have finished my Rescue Remedy-what is going on Marvin Gaye?
So I am just finishing up a week of work slaving at the computer renting luxury villas to people who are apparently made of money and the low USD is not affecting, I am having a cup of tea that smells like cumin (armpits) and am about to head home... what I am thinking tonight is Tylenol PM and earplugs!!!

New QUIZ

Who was your favorite teacher? Miss Nelson- fo so, 5th grade at EHS with Khaki

Where did you first encounter FWM? I feel like we knew each other as soon as we were born.

Who is your favorite Brady? I actually really liked Jan, because she was the whiny middle child like me.

What is your favorite Mexican dish? Fa-geetas

Who were the members of the Steak Club? - don't know but I remember the Shelby's Angels (by the way Shelby is blind now from Diabetes- I find this truly sad as he is a wonderful fellow)

What brand of underwear do you like? I am not brand particular- I try to get cute stuff that doesn't cut off my circulation and leave nasty red lines

What is your favorite BR bar? Hmmmm it's been 13 years since I lived in Baton Rouge so I am not very hip - but at it's time it was The Library or The Bayou (I was a Chime Streeter)

Of all the cars that you have owned, which is your favorite? I really like my Bora (a.k.a. Jetta) that I drive now.

Would you consider getting a bowl cut? I will leave that to my 3 year old who looks like a cute little preppy kid with his (in my mother's opinion). I avoid short haircuts as they enhance my tendency to a little plump

Do you prefer your sausage in patty or link form? I have to say that don't have a preference. I mean I like the patty equally to the link. But I like the sound of cracking the skin on a link (is that weird?)

Sound Sleeping

So for the last 2 nites I have been sleeping extremely deeply, having intense realistic dreams and when I am awakened by the sound of my baby angel (hee hee) saying "sveglia mamma" (trans. WAKE THE HELL UP AND PAY ATTENTION TO ME) I have been dazed and confused- misreading the clock and thinking it is like 1:30am instead of 7:30am which in any case is early- far too early considering I have to be at work for 10:30am. But it seems that I need this extra time as it took me literally from the time my feet hit the ground at 7:42 until 10am to walk out the door - dressed and ready accompanied by my 3 year old who was already dressed and ready. It seems unfathomable to me that it takes 2.5 hours for 2 people to get showered and dressed. But alas one of those people is a little 3- year old how is going through a period of his life that I like to call Pig Won't (if you are familiar with Richard Scarry you will know what I am talking about). Madison let's get dressed- no dress. Madison let's put your shoes on- no cappe (trans. shoes) " juice juice" -ok, here's your juice. NO! YUCKY (throws cup across the room). Maddy please don't do that...he looks at me with a sly look and does it anyway. What is this insanity? Terrible twos are over? HELP you other moms... what do I do?

Q & A from the Aquarium

1. Do you still have tonsils? yes

2. Would you bungee jump? maybe

3. If you could do anything in the world for a living what would it be? I would rate commercials

4. How many tattoos do you have? 1

5. Your favorite fictional animal? tigger

6. One person that never fails to make you laugh? KPE now Creech and my Brit friend Abbi

7. Do you consider yourself well organized? NO WAY JOSE

8. Any addictions? let me count the addictions...coffee for one

9. From what news source do you receive the bulk of your news? internet

10. Would you rather go to a carnival or circus? neither really although I spent New Year's Eve at the Circus-what is a carnival really?

11. When you were twelve years old, what did you want to be when you grew up? a playboy model.
12. Best movie you've seen this year? ummmmm Napolean Dynamite? or wast that last year

13. Favorite alcoholic drink? Apple Martini

14. What is the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning? kiss Madison &/or pee

15. Siblings? 2 and 1/2

16. (make up your own question here) Why are pretzels twisty?

17. Have you ever gone to therapy? yes many times

18. If you could have one super power what would it be? being invisible

19. Do you own any furniture from Ikea? yes and love it all

20. Have you ever gone camping? yes

21. Gas prices! First thought? Americans need to have smaller cars like in Europe

22. Your favorite cartoon character? Leo from Little Einsteins

23. What was your first car? Caprice Classic! Got love the Healey cars

24. Do you think marriage is an outdated ritual? no and yes...it was meant for people who died at age 35-- I am almost 33 and have been married 10 years...

25. The Cosby Show or the Simpsons? Cosby all the way

26. Do you go to church? to do volunteer work but not to mass

27. What famous person would you like to have dinner with? Ozzy Osborne

28. What errand/chore do you despise? I hate running errands period

29. First thought when the alarm went off this morning? no alarm- 3 year old alarm clock

30. Last time you puked from drinking? hmm about 2 months ago sadly. I seem to always throw up when I drink- strange that.

31. What is your heritage? UMMMMM Scottish McInnish, Irish Healey, German - Burkhart

32. Favourite flower? peach roses

33. Disney or Warner Bros? neither- PIXAR

34. What is your best childhood memory? i have tons..Milkawanna (ask me or N- too long to write)

35. Your favorite potato chip? salt and vinegar chips (those ones you can only get in the NE)

36. What is your favorite candy? I like Tootsie pops

37. Do you burn or tan? burnish tan

38. Astrological sign? pisces

39. Do you own a gun? no, but my husband does

40. What do you think of hot dogs? i really like them but cringe when I think about what's really in them. They are the perfect drunk food though

8:32 PM

The Case for Not Voting in November

Dispatches from one nauseating presidential primary

By Chris Faraone, Mark Grueter and Dan McCarthy

While you were sleeping like a dead baby at 4am last Friday morning, three of us crammed into a rental car and hurtled up I-93. We brought laptops, long johns, stimulants and skepticism -- all the necessary tools for documenting New Hampshire's notorious first-in-the-nation presidential primary and the carnival that surrounds it. Initially, we came for the same reason that we cover local politics: because by delivering anti-partisan commentary with some stank on it, we believe that even intellectually retarded hipsters and college kids who wonder why a Middle Eastern city named itself after a drinking game might be interested in the policies and people who govern them. But after four days of chowing bullshit and baloney, we decided that you're all better off not voting. If you're a status quo robot who wants press release-inspired rub about flip-flops, hollow promises and poll results, then please consult your daily newspaper. For the rest of you lazy fucks who need new excuses for not exercising your democratic duty, this is the only article that you need to read all year.

They've turned the word "change" into a cliché. Our candidates reveal total contempt for us by endlessly repeating the same meaningless slogans every cycle; the contenders all declare support for "change" (we tracked how many times this word was abused until we ran out of ink) and other vague notions such as "hope." All of this rhetoric should be denounced, but instead we are expected to decide whose crap smells best. Barack Obama busts the same junk that John Kerry did in '04: "change," "unity" and all that mindless tripe. But our new guy has alleged "rock star" appeal, so we're compelled to soullessly embrace nonsense because he has a solid chance of winning. In desperate hope for victory, sheeple are swallowing candidates' vapid focus group advice, and such pathetic subjugations should be opposed on all fronts.

Fred Thompson is no savior. He's the Wesley Clark of this race -- a comparison he earned by galloping in on a Trojan horse stuffed with half-cocked ideals and unwarranted egomaniacal one-liners. We all support the Law and Order franchise, but unless Ice-T is running that's no reason to elect someone president. If you're a sucker for celebrity appeal, and you really feel the need to pull a lever on November 4, then John McCain is a much better pick. In addition to that whole prisoner of war thing he has going, McCain also looks like Dan Aykroyd's character in Nothing But Trouble. We suspect that Dennis Kucinich would consider appointing super hunk Viggo Mortensen to a considerable cabinet post, but despite the Ohio congressman's being one of the few candidates in either party who is genuinely interested in engineering social equality, he's been written off as delusional.

Mitt Romney's tan is artificial. And so is everything he says. Sure, he'll stack his administration with cute blond nitwits like he did on Beacon Hill, but that's only a perk for the security guards who monitor the White House bathroom surveillance cameras. After covering Mitt in Massachusetts for three years, we were looking forward to ignoring him the way he did the Commonwealth for his entire term. So imagine our frustration when he decided to crisscross America advertising the irresponsible unfunded health care mandate that come tax season will leave us not only still vulnerable, but a few hundred bucks broker. You can fool some of the people most of the time, and those are the chumps who Romney has had success preying on. Judging by the Patagonia-and-khaki decked turds at his New Hampshire rallies, it's mostly clueless yuppies and other assorted selfish jerkoffs who gravitate to Mitt's optimistic economic babble, family junk and racist anti-immigration fluff. Prove that you're not one of them by staying home on Election Day.

Our electoral process creates a hysterical intolerance of dissent. We went to the Puritan Backroom Restaurant on Saturday to watch the debates with Mike Huckabee supporters, and while we expected virgin punch and a dangerous tribe of Christians, it turned out to be an enlightening Republican debate bash at which we could trade opinions with the bunch. And then Ron Paul was asked about the War on Terror. As the Hucksters booed Paul's criticisms of American foreign policy, we stood up and cheered, only to be reminded that we were across enemy lines. Even those who disagree with Ron Paul should appreciate his contrarian stabs, but Republicans prefer an echo chamber, like Sunday night's Fox News debate that Ron Paul was excluded from.

America is not a real democracy. Money has completely corrupted our politics, which is why we have the lowest voter turnout of any industrialized country. It's not that most Americans are indifferent to political issues; it's that we don't even necessarily get to choose whether or not we participate in what can best be described as transparent fraud. For starters, it's pointlessly difficult and tedious to register and vote. Unlike those in peculiar civilized European countries, our election days are not holidays, so many people simply can't vote because they have to work. Voting isn't supposed to be for everybody; they just make it look that way. Here in New Hampshire, campaign events are staged for the cameras. Hillary Clinton holds a "rally" in the small cafeteria of a Hampton high school (rather than in, say, the gymnasium) so that it will look jam-packed on the 10 o'clock news. Her handlers, paid to manufacture frenzied momentum, opened the auditorium for the citizens that otherwise would have been denied entrance, piping Clinton's speech in over speakers. The phony democratic politics that prevail every campaign cycle.

Chuckabee. Judge Reinhold's endorsement of Bill Richardson runs a distant second to the Chuck Norris-Mike Huckabee tag team. Their union put a choke-hold on every crowd they faced, and we sat at several star-dipped rallies watching voters suck Huck's puck just because it came with Chuck. It's eerie when a presidential frontrunner gains noticeable steam by billing himself as the undercard on a B actor's ticket, but we expected nothing more from a party whose greatest hero was a Tinseltown side note. If Huck goes the distance, Chuck will be VP. And while that might make for one fuck of a Chuck-Huck T-shirt, you're better off using the 10 minutes that it would take you to vote at your local precinct to cast your third ballot in the upcoming American Idol contest.

You don't have to be sexist and/or racist to reject Clinton and Obama. Bill Clinton impressed us so much with his speech at Bow High School that we fancied his wife was a committed public servant. Only after escaping his aura did we remember that she's a megalomaniacal carpetbagger who's determined to buy this election like she did her New York Senate seat. Hillary's declining popularity in New Hampshire might be due to the aggressive presence of armed guards and police dogs at her campaign events, but those of you outside the Granite State only need to resent her shameless yap. As for Obama -- the candidate of tolerance -- we thought you should know that his staffers don't allow people to bring homemade signs to his events. Sorry if you registered to vote for the first time because you were inspired by his rainbow coalition of supporters with multicolored placards tagged with hopeful messages; every one was painted by an intern.

Manchester matters. This place is ground zero for the primaries, which is both an unfortunate reality and an easy metaphor for the entire flawed electoral system. The mills that didn't collapse from neglect were favorites for squatters and addicts before the recent overhaul. The gilded theaters were bulldozed and replaced with parking lots and dive bars. To its credit, Manchester is a historically relevant working-class mill town that was once a cultural and industrial epicenter, but as a stage on which candidates' performances mean everything, this city's role as a political epicenter is a punchline to a depressing joke. Every four years this silly circus stops here, and the clowns never consider how using this so-called "Queen City" as a litmus test is just another exercise in meaningless tradition.

On the ride home, we didn't listen to Tom Finneran hack it up on WRKO. By unanimous decision, the crew also vetoed NPR icon Tom Ashbrook's cynical half-stepping. Besides not caring who won, the car was already littered with Bud Light cans, expired Newports and Burger King Italian Chicken wrappers, and even with the nipple-jerking New England breeze ripping through the windows, the thought of smelling any radio blowhard's breath was sickening. We had endured pollsters, talking heads and barstool strategists making irrelevant predictions all week, so instead of torturing ourselves we bumped some Tupac and rubbed our own crystal ball. Here's what we saw: one candidate or another wins in November, and thousands of American soldiers will still be sacrificing life, wife and limb to stick band-aids around the Middle East. You or someone who you know and love will still be poor, uninsured and about to be foreclosed on. Gas prices will be high, morale will be low and no one will take responsibility. Especially us, because no matter which ticket prevails, we will not have voted for it.

BORED!

My mother always told me(the myriad of times that I told her I was bored) that intelligent people are never bored. I think that this is wholely untrue as I consider myself quite the intellect and am ALWAYS bored. I mean things hold my attention for about 5 seconds then I am over it. I mean Madison (my three year old) are on about the same attention span- which works out great when we are together, but the majority of my day is spent in an office -where- when there is lots to do I am content and when there is nothing to do I get super super antzy! Like really ants in my pants can't sit still. I mean I can lay in bed and read for hours, I can watch movies (ones that I like) for entire weekends straight, but if I don't have something occupying my head I get agitated. I mean the problem is really that I am smart, but I am lazy. I have creative ideas, but am too lazy to put them into act. I prefer to be force fed entertainment as opposed to looking for interesting things to do. Am I a product of my 1980's culture? Maybe so...

Ugly Clinton???

ok, so I just got back from my lunch break where I was supposed to hop out to pick up my daily contact lenses, juice and diapers....and instead, I broke down and ordered a pair of glasses (which I never wear) as I was convinced by the "not so ugly" sales boy Claudio that if I continued to wear only contact lenses all my eye muscles would turn to mush and I would be blind by 40! So to the tune of €350 - translations $500 I have ordered a new pair of glasses that I desperately hope will not make me look like Ugly Betty. It's bad enough that there is such a thing as "adult acne" damn the man, and now I have to wear glasses- what's next "adult braces?"

checking in

so I am trying to blog more frequently as I am interested in what others are doing and there is the off chance that someone I know might be interested in what I am doing. At the moment I am at work- feigning work - as I have really none to do. My left buttock cheek is hurting from my sedentary lifestyle, but this morning I finally (after joining in July 2007) when to the pool to swim. It was a "prova" [Italian for ....for ...for..shit. can't think] a trial run sortof. I wanted to do my Power Yoga this morning and seeing as we bought a new DVD/VHS combo the other day and Madison slept at his grandparents as he is Scarlet with Fever I was again "a singlish adult"..however and there is always a however, this NEW DVD player does not play Region 1 (a.k.a. American DVDs. effer) so we are going to have to be rednecks and put the OLD DVD player on top of the NEW DVD player so I can see all my movies (50% of which are American). Goddammit!!!! So needless to say Power Yoga was American - I couldn't watch it and so I did a trial run at the pool- to see how long it takes to get there, swim a bit, shower, dry hair and get to work. It seems as if ..if I leave my house at 8.30 I can get there, swim about 45mins and be dressed and at work for 10.30. So I have made a deal with Alessandro- we are going to try for me to go to the pool on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday morning and he will take Madison to school and on Tuesday and Thursday night he will go to JUDO for 8pm...sounds like a deal to me. By the way, I am digressing but I just now finally saw the new version of HAIRSPRAY thanks to Carden Gene who sent it to me for Xmas. Love ya girl.... John Travolta is so good! My favorite line is "this sooooo Afrotastic" I wish I could say that a lot, but I don't think it is PC-but it's like saying Afrodisiac.... I like it... no offense intended.

watcha readin?

At the moment I am 2/3rds the way through Elizabeth Gilbert's - Eat, Pray, Love: A women's search for happiness...and I like it. I loved it at first, then didn't like it and now like it again. Next I am going to read- Watching the English...should be a good laugh

17.20 Monday afternoon

Well, it is completely pitch black dark outside at 5.20pm for those of you on a 12 hour clock. I am at work and have been typing my little heart out since 10.30. I am going on South Beach from today until my 10 year wedding anniversary- which is on February 14th 2008. I mean really, my child is now fully three so I can't use "I had a baby" as an excuse anymore. However, I have that "getting off of pasta" headache now. I have tried to do this diet like 4 times and I always gives up after about 4 days...Courage (spoken with a French accent- ku-rahj).

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Welcome to 2008! I have a feeling that this is going to be a fantastic year and that great things are going to happen. I am not sure why I have this feeling but I do despite the fact that my horoscope claims that this year will be my most demanding one ever.....I find that hard to believe and therefore I don't. I had a wonderful Christmas here in Italy, despite my intial trepidation and fear that it would be sad and loney without my American family once again. However, we managed to have a wonderful holiday season right here in Italy. Instead of walking in a Healey wonderland on Donray Drive- my friends gathered in Via Baroni for the third annual Healey-Magherini winter wonderland party. There was good food to be eaten, drinks to be drunk and good times to be had. All in all I have to say-SUCCESS. Christmas eve was spent in town doing last minute shopping, Christmas day at the Nonni's(grandparents) house, the 26th Santo Stefano (holiday in Italy) was spent with the Zii (aunt and uncles)...a few days of holiday rest...then the 31st was spent with hubby and toddler at the CIRCUS...only in Italy do they give you a split of Champagne at the circus (obviously for you to toast the New Year at midnight) but I thought it was a nice touch. Of course, we had ours open way before midnight. And let me just add this for all those mothers who give looks to parents of rowdy children - if my child can not act rowdy at the circus when can he be rowdy....stay at home if you want a calm evening!!!!
Sorry, but I have had the most uncontrollable urge to slap some of those mothers... I didn't ask for an "active" child, but i have one and I love him and I refuse to tell him No 24-7... there is a time and place I agree- but a healthy tiger growl at the circus when he sees the tigers at the cirucs I think is totally appropriate.