Have mercy.

The weather's getting warmer. I'm pretty excited, because Columbus has been a giant, icy-hell for the past few weeks. Once the weather is nicer, and I'm not up to my eyes with things I have to do, the posting will pick up a bit. Honest.

But, for now it's back to writing.

Ciao, ciao.

Basta!

I've come to the conclusion that people only read my blog when I post memes. So, here's my second shameless attempt.

1. What is your occupation? - I'm a full time lover, baby. Also, I go to school and write advertising copy for real estate agents.

2. What color are your socks right now? - Military issued flannel socks. Shyeah, my feet are warm.

3. What are you listening to right now? - Coworkers, Riccardo arguing in terrible English, the new Shins album in the background.

4. What was the last thing that you ate? - Peanut butter and banana bagel. No, not a bagel with peanut butter and banana on it. An actual peanut butter and banana flavored bagel.

5. Can you drive a stick shift? - Indeed.

6. If you were a crayon what color would you be? - F crayons. I'd be a grape scented marker.

7. The last person you spoke to on the phone? - Frank.

8. Do you like the person who sent this to you? It wasn't sent to me. I stole it!

9. How old are you today? - The square root of 1440 divided by 3.6.

10. Favorite drink? - PBR

11. What is your favorite sport to watch? - Calcio! and of course college football.

12. Have you ever dyed your hair? - Oh my, yes. Many times, many different colors. I've since wised up, however.

13. Pets? - Salvatore.

14. Favorite food? - Indian: Saag paneer, curry, basmati rice, and naan. The greatest combination of food.

15. What was the last movie you watched? - Io Non Ho Paura - Era magnifico!

16. What do you do to vent anger? - Anyone who knows me will tell you that I'm rarely angry. It's strange. I'm certain i'm unhuman.

17. What was your favorite toy as a child? - Anything and everything He-Man! Grayskull, go!

18. What is your favorite season? - Autunno.

19. Hugs or kisses? - Please, and thank you.

20. Cherries or Blueberries? - Raw? Cherries. Incorporated in a dish? Blueberries.

21. Do you want your friends to email you back? - I rarely e-mail my friends. I usually just phone them. But, whenever I do, yes. Of course.

22. Who is most likely to respond? - To this? Oh, I don't know. Who ever isn't sick of me yet.

23. Who is least likely to respond? - All of you who are sick of me.

24. Living arrangements? - The last time I checked, questions still required verbs. So, I will answer this nonsensical question nonsensically: canteloupe.

25. When was the last time you cried? - Funerals, probably.

26. What is on the floor of your closet? - Let's see. Hiking pack, old clothes, various soccer balls.

27. Who is the friend you have had the longest that you are sending this to? - I'm not sending this to anyone.

28. What did you do last night? - Ate Chipotle with Frank, rented Il Ladro di Biciclette and the Hours, and passed out on the couch.

29. Favorite smells? - Fall.

30. What are you afraid of? - Heights, after a certain height. Failure.

31. Favorite dog breed? - Hmm. Probably Weimaraners.

33. Number of keys on your key ring? 12. Apartment, car, frank's car, frank's apartment, Caribou key, office key at Lulu, laundry room, and some others I forget.

34. Favorite day of the week? - Saturday mornings.

35. How many Provinces have you lived in? - Derp? I'm a newb to the traveling life, but i've lived in a few states.

36. Favorite holiday? - Festivus - for the rest of us!

37. Ever driven a motorcycle or heavy machinery? - Fork lifts and scissor lifts, illegally. Which, by the way, is quite a funny story.

38. Ever left the country? - Not yet. Quest'estate!

39. Favorite kind of music? - This is hard. Depends on my mood, really. Folk in all of its forms is probably the top contender, followed by post-rock, hardcore, metal, and some hip-hop.

40. Last book you read? - I just finished The Devil in the Hills by Cesare Pavese, and now I'm finishing a book I failed to finish a few months ago, In America by Susan Sontag.

41. What career do you wish you had pursued? - I'm in the process of pursuing it, thank you.

One of these days, I'll write my own meme. Then, it will be ultra meme.

San Valentin-who?

Happy Valentine's Day, you.

Tonight Frankie and I are going to a fairly nice Italian restaurant here in Columbus, Due Amici (all you expats in Italy, shut it, it's the best we can do!).

Crap. I forgot, she doesn't know I'm taking her there yet. I'm hopeful she won't read this before tonight.

Pictures of food and adventures later to come.

Yes.

Crap on Macs

So, apparently my blog looks all jumbled up on Macs, particularly with Safari and Mac Explorer. Is this true for everyone? All Mac users, I need your input.

Shakespeare, what?

I was reading this today, on cnn.com.

Two prehistoric lovers, who died almost 5,000 to 6,000 year ago, uncovered in their dying embrace. And, they were uncovered in Italy, near Verona.

Only in Italy. Honestly.

Ouch, and aww.

Yesterday, despite a traffic-jamming snowstorm that crippled all of humanity (at least the incompetent drivers of Columbus portion of humanity), I made it to my tattoo appointment with Ant at Stained Skin. He's done all of the work on my half-sleeve so far, and it's about 3/4 of the way complete. I started the sleeve with what I've always, since as far back as I can remember wanting tattoos, wanted to get: The Great Wave of Kanagawa.

It's on my right arm, stretching from my shoulder to my elbow, and thrown in the mix is a (very cool looking) Japanese koi fish; one of the most popular Japanese themed tattoos. After Anthony told me his favorite tattooing style, withoutadoubt, is Japanese style, I felt obligated to stick with the East Asian theme. So, I relented and let him do what he wanted with the coloration.

The only thing not yet complete is the body and face of the koi, and a lotus flower that will fill in an empty gap on the back of my bicep. Yesterday, Anthony started filling in the Koi, and he did quite a smashup job, if I do say so myself.



The color looks so dull because scabbing has already started, so once those trusty platelets and white blood cells work their magic, a nice shiny color will be revealed. Also, the inner arm is one of the most painful places to get tattooed, so needless to say this little guy was painful.
I've got about 2 more hours of work before it's complete, and I'll post the finished product once i'm done.

And now for something completely unrelated. If, for any reason, you were thinking that your cat is cuter than my Salvador, these pictures should quiet those notions.



Drats! I just remembered I forgot World Nutella Day! I need to get on that!

Jazz without the swagger.

Stream of Consciousness: Jimmy Joyce style, take 1.

I've had this song in my head.
It's been buzzing and bopping since before I can remember. Since before, a while ago. Some time. Lapsed.
It's like jazz, without the swagger. Or blues with no heartache.
I know this song like it's mine, like it should be mine. I've played this song, I know I have.
And then, when it's there, in my fingers like I've got it-- It's gone and then back again, awkward as ever.

I gave up on the song once.
I just quit, stopped listening. Filled my ears with dialogues and noise.
Something constant, neverchanging.
People talking and talking. No hearing, just talking at, to, or over-- but never with.
Constant.

So it's back to the song, that I know I know. I know it. It found me. The song in the air.

It's mine.