Hi there. It’s me, the Sometime Yenny. I think “j” confuses Italians a little bit, since it’s not officially in their alphabet. But how can you hold a grudge against a people that upholds the traditional combination of fat and sugar, even against all warnings of modern science? I can’t be upset when I’m being fed. It’s a chemical impossibility.
Now, after ingesting some sort of contaminated raw meat and/or slightly rancid cheese, I have become acutely aware of the differences between my stomach and the average Italian steel trap. To my fellow world travellers: wherever you are going, there are several types of bacteria and viruses that you have –guaranteed– never encountered before and so lack immunity to in the most complete sense of the word “lack.” As in, wholly vulnerable to and most likely will have to lie in bed all of Easter weekend as a result of. Be more careful than Yenny.
Which leads me to Important Blog Point One:
While standing in front of my refrigerator one day, I had that first random thought that tells you, one day, in the far… far off future, you might actually have children. The offending thought? “I’m going to make my daughter be the cheese sniffer, since I obviously can’t tell, then it’ll be all good again.” What?! Wait, it actually would be a comfort in my old age….In any case, I blame my father, who has always needed a sniffer. And that’s how the cycle goes.
Important Blog Point Two:
Sometimes, you don’t need a plane ticket, just take a break from work and sit in some grass. I was lucky enough to have a very affordable daytrip where I could do just that. Florence is situated in a valley, and I went up into the mountains (Fiesole and Olmo) to do some nature basking and to get reaquainted with what a tree looks like in person. Every view was spectacularly beautiful (have a look!), and the land itself looked friendly. It was very relaxing, so I’m glad I didn’t push myself to do the typical European spring break, which might have landed me in a hospital anyway. Check out what Florence looks like from up here!
Instead of a shoulder, there’s a stone wall yeah, I’m consistent in my driving wussiness
In Campagna the Tuscan countryside
Fiesole This town is surprisingly large, and has individually named sections. Lots of people commute to Florence for work, but there is still a lot to see here!
Can you spot the Duomo? Hint: the big brown dome
I’m afraid of heights, just thought I would mention it…
Multilingual Revolutionary Graffiti I’m a fan.
Back in Florence I feel more at home on the lowground. Factoid: Baton Rouge is approximately 15 feet above sea level.
And then I went to a Portishead concert! If you don’t them, check out a sample. They played in Florence in a smallish venue called Saschall, and it was appropriately amazing. I was pleased to find that a British band playing for a mostly Italian crowd still had the same vibes as any decent concert I’ve been to in the States. There’s something about music, isn’t there? The only difference was that at one point, the lead singer asked the crowd if they knew English, and the crowd shouted back, “Yes, we do!” …That was a moment of disparity.
Important Blog Point Three:
I think I would be the worst cooking show host ever. Seriously. Think about it.
Important Blog Point Four:
Be proud of me! I just read an entire book in Italian! It’s The Baron in the Trees by Italo Calvino. Yeah right… April Fools! HAHA! I can’t help myself. I am about to start a book by Calvino, but in the meantime I am reading Musicophilia by Oliver Sacks (which is, more realistically, in English). He’s the neurologist guy who wrote The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat and Awakenings, which they made into a movie. Although I haven’t gotten into a proper Italian book yet, I have graduated to Italian movies with Italian subtitles, and French movies with Italian subtitles. Supaircoo! (Fr. for supercool) My favorite so far is Conseguenze dell’amore, The Consequences of Love, about a guy with a joyless life, who suddenly finds himself wanting love and consequently gets sucked deeper into the mafia. Disclaimer: concentration of film is solely on artsiness, or aesthetics, if you prefer.
Thanks to everyone who sent me an almost-word! Keep them coming!
Arrivederci!
Jenny
Jen! it looks like u are having an amazing time! Im really proud of you!
… and yes I check your blog weekly.
love ya hun!
Just saw Portishead at Coachella and they were amazing. I’m wondering if they attract the same kind of crowd in Italy as they do here.
When I saw P, the venue was on the small side, but it was packed! One of my Italian friends told me that word of the concert was not spread very far– on purpose. Most of the crowd was singing along to the older songs, so I think it worked out so that serious fans were given a heads up first and bought up all of the tickets. It was a great show!