Sea Glass

So I sit musing.  I have been here for just under 50 days but time seems to be passing differently.  The moments drag as if they will never end but the days fly by faster than I can keep track.  I have been here for forever but haven't finished a week.  I think back to August when I was packing up my room.  Each time I returned cleaning out more of the the dark corners filled with childhood dreams and high school wishes.  I discovered a small wooden box from when I was really young, in which are rocks.  Not sparkly, not shiny, not colorful or bright, nothing too special except that they are smooth a worn until all the edges had been removed.  Mixed in with the rocks, that I had treasured and saved from pre-ten-years-old times, was a blue piece of sea glass.  It was actually intriguing and truly wonderful to find this little treasure chest I had left for myself.  Of all the things that I would save over the years; favorite toys, my barbie doll collection, music posters, projects or papers, I saved a small tin of ordinary stones and a small piece of ordinary sea glass.

Fresh to Death

We had to run.  No matter how early we ever try to leave for the train it always seems like I am running for a train.   Fortunetly, we did make it just in time with some tag teaming, one person parking and one getting the tickets, but we made it on the train which was the important part.  Anyway, every seat was full, of course, so we walked down the train until we found three seats in a car.  I sat down next to what was I later figured out was two girls pre-raging for their birthday, on the 12 pm train into Manhattan.  Now, I have absolutely nothing against day drinking, and I really can nothing bad about day drinking in strange places (the weirder the better), but Budlight lime?  Really?  That's where I draw the line.  Have some class ladies. 

Hurry Christmas, Hurry Fast

Break was wonderful, I only had a few short days and let me tell you they were jammed packed and I still didn't get to see everyone I wanted to.  I did get some stuff I really needed done though, I cleared out my closet again, the less stuff I have in general the better.  My opinion is if I can live months at a time without it, or missing it, most likely I don't need it and if I need it later in life I can just buy a new one.  So I need cleaned my room, getting ride of that skirt from middle school I loved and was "waiting to fit into again" (Ha) and those chatchski's that just were collecting dust with no sentimental value.  I felt better leaving my room this time around knowing I had just....  Less.  I did keep all my posters though, I have a couple, ehem, motivational posters from the movie Kick Ass.  I like being reminded each morning I get up that I can do what ever I set my mind to, and that I will kick ass at what ever I so desire to peruse...  the only caveat to that would be directions and maps(fail on all accounts).

The Case of the 24 Hour Layover

I arrived at the Florence airport with no incident.  That morning I packed up the last of my stuff trying to make sure I would have the simplest flight home as possible, ironic I know, but that was my goal.  I had just a small carry on and a small checked in bag.  I always get little butterflies when I travel about everything that could go wrong; is my bag overweight?  Will I have trouble at security?  What about my connecting flight?  What kind of fees will I have to pay for those changes?  What if my seat mate wants to talk the whole time? So I try and come up with contingency plans before I even leave my house (Can you tell I have had traumatic flights before?).

How Do They Fit a Pumpkin in That Little Cup?

Walking around Florence is always such a wondrous activity.  When I sit on a bench watching all the people go by, I like to imagine that everyone is in a complicated dance with each person playing a part.  Somehow everyone always remembers their place spinning and turning, never colliding in a graceful dance of the masses.  This is somewhat helped by my "When I people watch" playlist.  Think folk/rock/indie/bluegrass bands and you will understand the rhythm I give people.  I love giving the world a sound track, so I create playlists based off of how I want to feel or how I do feel such as; "When I am sad", "When I workout", currently "When I feel like a badass" and "When I feel happy" are my top contenders.  These are literally collections of music that  are sorted by mood, as the name implies, literally.   I am super excited also, because I created a "Amurica" playlist with including but not limited to; Party in the USA, Sweet Home Alabama(its sort of close to Connecticut), American Pie, Americano, Flightless Bird American Mouth, Rock in the USA and other gems.

Home Again

Florence - I mean why not.  I had to show Florence to someone new so it was like I was exploring it all over again through the eyes of someone new!  We first got to Florence late at night, we were tired from all the travel and hauling luggage up hills(that was me) so we collapsed in our apartment and didn't move.  Liz had the time to upload all here pictures, and I had time to look back at all the emails I had missed over the weekend.  I am giving in to any preconceived notions about myself- I am addicted to the internet.  Anyway, Monday I had to be at work, and I worked through Wednesday then Liz and I were going to Scotland with her friend Anna! Monday night after work we walked around the city and looked in all the store windows, Liz decided that she wanted everything as a souvenir, so we had to narrow it down a bit.  What was nice was we got amazing leather jackets together, she got shoes and so on.  It was more nice to just walk around with her and talk.  I missed that so much, we used to be together all the time before I went to college and she went to high school.  It was a great catch up.

It's The Final Countdown

And so it begins -  my final hours before take off.  I have my rain boots tucked safely away, piles of individual packets of powdered Snapple and my bear (who I am unashamed to say has been to as many countries as I have) in my carry on.  Now if only my luggage would zip closed I would be golden.  The day has been crazy, I felt like was being stretched into a million different places trying to finish the long list of things I needed to get done.  Somehow I miraculously managed it because here I am sitting in my parents office typing away, as the house sleeps.

I came back yesterday to find all my plants had shot up over the past two weeks.  The morning glories took over - climbing on; the trees, the fence and the porch making a raucous mess.  My brother and sister where off enjoying their summers as kids should be and my mom took me to find shoes, and my dad and I finished the banking.  I deferred my phone, it was the only way to preserve my number but not pay to have a phone I would never use.  What that means is they freeze the number, I cant tell if I am relieved I don't have a phone or going through withdrawl of legitimately not having a phone any more.  I can handle not being on Facebook or my email for long periods of time( I may not like it but I can do it) but my phone is another story.  My mom didn't understand why I made such a fuss about keeping my number - she was voting to just delete it and get a new one when I came back.  Some part of me just couldn't let go, I can still delete it later if I so choose but for now my phone lies dormant surrounded by all the other things that didn't make the cut.  It looks a little like the island of misfit toys- I am sorry Buddha mug and shirt that I bought in the 5th grade its not that I don't love you but there is only so much room in my bag and I can't bring everything. 

Totally Necessary and Important Tangent:
I sometimes wonder how younger generations will deal with power outages without their phones or facebook or constant connection to their networks?  Not to go all Into The Wild or Armageddon on you but I am pretty sure that need be I could survive on my own for a while.  I would get lost as hell and never find my way back to anything and most likely eat something that (while harmless to most people) would end up killing me.  But for that one glorious week - I would survive like a champ. I am not so sure as to how these kids would do without power - because for all their life problems their is an App to solve them.  I digress, this is not a social commentary but the ramblings of a girl who had far too much coffee and went a little overboard on shoes.  I swear I never thought I would be that girl but show me a pair of Carlos Santana's and I melt like a Popsicle in July.  

Annnddd moving on.  Tomorrow should be interesting I am taking the train to DC which should take just over five hours, not the longest train I have ever taken but it is the longest train I am doing by myself.  I am bringing with me the card game Phase Ten and peanut butter.  This will be my go-to solution to any homesick crisis that may confront me.  A kid come crying to me about missing their parents and wanting to go home - I make them a PB&J, play some cards and have just chat with them.  Boom.  Done.
 
I know I am going to forget something so long as I have my passport and my credit card I am not going to worry about anything.  I find that thinking like that helps to have a calm flight and a relax traveling experience.