Loss of technology

Well, I failed to mention in my last post that I had left my trusty Kodak digital camera in an Italian taxi cab. Of course it wasn't just the camera but also an expensive pair of duty-free sunglasses, a beloved statue of the Piata, and an apron with David printed on the front. Basically, that was a 5oo.oo taxi ride, not counting the fair and the tip. That is why I haven't been able to post any pictures lately. Fortunately, my simm card was full and I had taken it out of the camera and put it in my pocket, so my pictures made it home safely. I have also ordered the replacement version of my old camera and it should be here any day. In the meantime, I have rented a studio to paint in and it's 2 blocks from my house. I will be able to take much better photos of my work annnnd I will be able to do a little bit bigger work. I also collected all of the pictures my friend Vicky took in Rome so I will post some of those soon.

When in Rome!

Wow! That's a really good word to start with when I think about my experience in Rome. I was there for 7 days over the New Year's holiday and it was beautiful. I have been to Rome before, but only for 1 day. This time I really got to take in not just the monumental sites, but the people of Rome, too. I couldn't remember if Italians were friendly people or not, but it didn't take very long for me to find out. They are very open and expressive. They lock arms when they "stroll" down the street, they look you deep in the eyes when they talk to you, and they greatly appreciate it when you try to speak their language. I had sort of a "guide" in Rome for the first 3 days. My friend Joseph Mamente. He's from Bare, Italy, which is about 4 hours SE by train from Rome, and he plays soccer, I think probably minor league if there is such a thing. But he didn't speak any English so we had to each buy English to Italian translation books. It really helped me speak better Italian, quickly. It was a wonderful thing to have a non-English speaking person to describe what you are seeing and to give you historical information. I wasn't sure how I would respond to plopping myself, pretty-much alone, in a country where I could at best peck out the language. But I did great and I learned a lot about myself in the process. I recommend everyone should travel out of their comfort zone, both mentally and physically, at least once in their life.