Friday, November 30, 2007

Being Super

I wore this wonder woman bathing suit ALL the time when I was little. I would slap on those strappy, comfort sandals and be ready for anything. I remember how the bum of my suit would cling to cement; feeling all the little fibers being ripped from their weave. It suited me up for adventure and allowed for optimal spinning freedom. I was missing the Lynda Carter hair at the time (though, I am kind of working that look these days, now that I think about it) and the gold wrist cuffs were slowing me down (my mom's jewelry was more like artillery) The point is, it gave me that bad ass feeling. Like I could do anything and that super powers were not completely out of the question.

At some point, that suit was riding so far up my ass that my mother could no longer let me outside in good conscious. I pleaded and begged her to over look it. I even cut the straps in the back and tried to just halter it in the front (a born designer!) it just resulted in a fierce camel toe and my mother yelling "Basta! Daniela, Basta!" I had to let her go....Luckily, it was only a few years of substituting Liberace inspired dance recital costumes to having my mother sew me one fingerless, lace, glove complete with wrist ruffle. (Uh, Madonna, Lucky Star anyone???)

I guess my point is, I miss that Wonder Woman feeling. I had a house Tiara, (just put it on while folding your laundry, it takes off that 'average girl' edge off) I have a "Keep on Keepin on" playlist; complete with Marvin Gay's "Got to Give it up" and more recently Britney's "Piece of me" (Don't you judge me... there are some talented people behind that messy mamma)

Thursday, November 29, 2007

Things that Bite

WHAT is with the mosquitoes that NEVER seem to go away? I wake up with bites EVERY morning. I have to remember to plug in that gadget that burns those blue discs to stink those suckers away (and probably poison me, oh so slowly all the while). It's maddening. I finally found an Italian living thing that finds American eats more delicious then Italian.

Second thing that bites: The plane ride back to NY. I am in complete denial that I am leaving this Sunday for over a month! Being back in that NYC office, back in the cold, back to spending too much money on dinners and drinks (though, I have to say Florence is just not that much cheaper). I spend so much time in my house, I don't even know how to dress myself anymore. It doesn't help that I have spent the past 2 weeks eating whatever my heart desires. All my pants are feeling a bit snug. This is bad because I find in my line of work, everyone is much more adoring towards you when you are looking slimmer. That is an awful thing, I know, but it's the truth my friends. The welcome is much warmer when the hips are swingin' with that trim grin.

Wednesday, November 28, 2007

Keeping Up

I love Itunes because it gives me a direct link to the sensory pleasures of the states. The 2 greatest things it has to offer are absolutely FREE! These being RADIO and PODCASTS. Radio is so old school yet such a wonderful thing to have when you have exhausted your playlists and yearn for that element of surprise. Itunes categorizes stations by musical tastes and even gives you a brief description of each station. Letting me have a day of classical or changing it up for a disco day.

Now, the Podcasts are endless. I have yet to scratch the surface. I download: The American Life (out of chicago,) , NPR (frm NY) and This Show Again (www.thisshowagain.com) which stars comedian Tom Kelley (a friend and my former VP of LI Lutheran High School!). You can subscribe to these casts and they'll download automatically to your Itunes. It's good company and good listening THOUGH, I am finding keeping up with actually listening to all the episodes is getting difficult. It's hard to actually LISTEN to them while I'm working so I pause and save for a time when I can focus on listening a bit better. I have to say, they are back logging on me! BUT I figure I will catch up on the left overs on my long plane ride back to the states this weekend.

Speaking of which..I am somewhat dreading the trip. It has been nice to be home here in Florence for more then 2 months, a record since I moved here!

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Why do we Blog?

I moved to Florence over a year ago and it wasn't until another new American girlfriend of mine shared 'some of her favorite ex pat blogs' with me that I even delved into this whole world. I loved being a voyeur, reading up on everyone's personal experiences. I also admit to keeping a little journal myself, tucked away in files under files on my computer for the past year. Today I decided to officially begin to spew out whatever it is that runs around my head for whomever stumbles upon this to read. Surely, I may bore the hell out of most of you, but what fun to create a bubble of your own where you can choose your own fonts and colors!

I think this blogging thing is going to make me accountable for all my mental round ups. I have been home in Florence for more then two months straight and this is the longest stretch of time since I moved here! I ended up traveling so much for work, I had one foot here and another still in the states (and on occasion China here and there). So, in this time of calm, I have been doing a lot of thinking and reflecting on life here vs the US. It's truly exhausting me and I am practicing my new philosophy of "it be what it be".

FOOD:
Moving here I discovered my inner chef, how can you not cook with all this great fresh food around you? Working from home also allows me to simmer stock for 10 hours. Which I have found is the most gratifying thing I can do for myself these days. After reading everyone else's blogs I admit to feeling completely inadequate as a cook and a lost cause as a baker. I would feel so accomplished to make just one loaf of fantastic bread! Need to write that down as a goal for 2008.

FASHION: Being in the industry I just cannot help but harp on the insane accessory habits of the Italians (or anyone for that matter) Please join my plight in finding the reasoning behind the endless love of the overly, decorated, stiletto, cowboy boot. The man and I have a theory that those girls are just aging some fine cheeses in those things (i mean they'll wear those puppies all through summer...)

FLORENCE/LIVING ITALIAN: Flo is a small city. A really small city...but I adore her all the same. I didn't land here as a complete fish out of water(more like a fish out of ocean and into fishbowl). I had been here a few times, mostly to shop (which just isn't what I remembered it) I am first generation Italian (both parents born down south), I never quite picked up the language at home; mostly bc I just wanted to be American bc we were so NOT American. One of my rebellions was to never speak the language. The outcome of that was a working use of the present tense and an ability to understand about 70% of what I heard. So, this made it easy for me to appear ignorant to all the witchy things the girls would say about me when I first arrived here. That was fun, I still play down my comprehension just to invite people to conduct otherwise private conversations ;)

OH...TV: (this is my moment for a personal confession) I watch too much tv and indulge in American celebrity gossip more then I am proud of. (www.perezhilton.com) It's my escapism and I cannot shake it. I spend way too much money on Itunes and live for my sky....which always has nothing but the simpsons and gilmore girls BUT always comes through with that travel discovery channel. (When oh when will I have that serious cash to build that dream house...)

Wow, I didn't realize I had so much to talk about...