Checking things off the list.

The last time I was in Pisa, it was in August '07 -- and it was also at 3AM. I was with my sister and we had taken the train (which was, of course, late*) in to catch our flight to Sardegna. It was dark, and there were no taxis, and we had no idea where the airport was. Two backpacking hobo's with ratty camping equipment and a drunk Pisan bum later we had walking directions from the station to the Airport. With luggage. It was one of the more memorable eves of my life but not for what I had expected. On the train in, visions had danced in my head of a sunrise-taxi-drive-by of the leaning tower of Pisa and the Piazza dei Miracoli, bottle of white wine in hand, wooed by some guy playing suitable background music on a violin. But indeed no. I found myself with my sister and the two hobo's walking along a broken sidewalk at 3AM, weighed down with too-stuffed backpackes along a major highway -- to reach the airport by foot -- and the only background music the sound of the occaisional car whizzing by. Ohhh, Pisa.

So to make up for it, since Jac & I were in Tuscany for the weekend with friends, I went back to Pisa -- this time in broad daylight on a sunny late spring day to lounge for several lovely hours on the lush laws of Piazza dei Miracoli.

Soon as I saw the tower I was overwhelmed with a desire to send some sort of advisory message to America, something along the lines of: !!! The hype is TRUE!!! It really DOES look like it's about to fall over.

Nothing could have prepared me for the hoards of americans taking pictures in front, pretending to "lean" in all sorts of awkward/twisty ways/directions.



Kind of made of think of 2003 in front of the Torre Eiffel with Corinne, taking turns making that illusory pic in which one looks as though they are holding up the tower in the palms of their hands. Or the classic "make a Gladiator muscle" in front of the Colosseum.

In all, I had a really good weekend -- saw lots of new places (Lucca, Viareggio, Pisa, Orvieto) -- and it was much needed. Summer is a'coming. Life gets interesting-er. Stay posted.

*From herein when I mention taking trains in italy, just assume it was late -- unless I miraculously report otherwise.

La-di-da...

So two overly-cheeky (ahem, dramatic) e-mails to the only two theatre-spots for speakers-of-English in Rome – and no answer. No word. Nada.
That doesn’t perhaps mean there will never be word, but I’m not counting on it.
And now I’ve really got to look myself in the eye (using a mirror, of course) and ask myself whether or not I can dedicate the time and energy to Theatre again that I once could – the commitment required to put on a really great, well-done, well worked through and worth-WHILE piece of theatre.
The answer? Probably not. I work 10-7 every day and at night all I want to do is sleep. And on the weekends, sleep more.

So I’m thinking it might be fun to pull together a small, fly-by-night theatre group of English-Speakers that perhaps could develop its own stuff – entry-by-donation – that sort of thing. But the problem of time/energy remains.

Also because I’m very hesitant to cut into my time with Jacopo. We see each other often—very often for a working couple (consider I only sleep in my own bed about 2 nights a week). But the moments are few when we are together and have energy to do stuff or be together in a more conscious way.

But I am determined to pick-up-the-pace in one way or another. The season is already giving way and we have already full weekends.

Observe:

Friday: We slept.
Saturday: Watched the game (soccer/AS Roma) with friends then to a party in Trastevere that included live Jazz. In bed by Midnight.
Sunday: Lunch at Jac’s parents. Then trip to Villa Ada (Park) where we spend the afternoon snoozing on the grass. Then home, and more snoozing – this time on bed. Then we wake up, eat dinner, and go to a presentation of a Film on 9/11 that too-closely resembles Loose Change. Jac’s friend is the producer. We leave after about an hour and a half, grab a Gelato, then pass out.

And now I’m at work.

Yeah … eventful weekend right? Actually it was.

Friday is a Bank Holiday here so that means no work. On Thursday night Jac and I are driving into Tuscany with some friends (one of them has a house out there). Friday we go to my dad’s cousins wedding (he is getting married in Lucca – in Tuscany) then the rest of the weekend lazing around in Tuscany.

I’m excited. I haven’t set foot in Tuscany in 5 years. And considering it’s right next door – that’s a long time.