Arrivederci Firenze!

First, I'd like to point out the fact that I'm pissed. Why?? Because our basketball team, in a word, is PATHETIC.  What is this crap of us losing 3...yes, 3 games IN A ROW?!?!? Not to mention they were to Colorado, Iowa State, and Oklahoma!(what the crap?)  If Big Dub and his boys don't shape up--that National Championship that's supposed to be theirs will be GONE!  Bill Self better put the smack down on them...and SOON!

Ok, so it's been a few days since I've written and sorry to say folks this will probably be the last time I write again until I've arrived in Paris!  Monday morning we took our art history exam...not too bad, I got it back this morning and I'm pretty happy with the results.  However, the test definitely did not test our knowledge to the full extent, because monday night when we all went for dinner and gelato, Jeff felt the need to point out these random doors at a random shop and sigh, "oh, those doors remind me of Ghiberti's Gates of Paradise...and those doors remind me of Pisano's Life of St. John the Baptist." Not to mention when we got to the Duomo he had to point out the fact that the dome was built by Brunelleschi in 1420-36.  Oh man, the best part was, he couldn't tell you what Buon Fresco is(it's the painting technique on the walls here)...and his response "I know who did them, when they did them, and where they are...so who cares if I know how they did it?"  good point...It was amusing--so thanks Jeff!  Tuesday we had class as usual, and THAT was exciting--not.  We went to the Museum of Science for Western Civ...woohoo, I got to see Galileo's telescope, and see how physics work.  Let me point out the fact that I barely passed physics in high school, so why do I care about physics now? oh yeah, because it's relevant to um, NOTHING we do in Western Civ.  Actually, this visit was probably the most relevant considering we (were supposed to) read Galileo, which even more coincidentally is on our final tomorrow, and woohoo...his telescopes were great.   Why I care about chemistry and physics that Galileo had nothing to do with is totally beyond me.  Oh well!  Last night I also worked a lot on my journal for class which is due in Paris the day we get there.  I'm really excited about my leather-bound book, however, it ways 12 tons and is going to be a bitch to carry around for spring break...because of course no matter how much I work on it now, there's not really a chance in hell I could get it done BEFORE spring break.  HI--do we need to learn what SPRING BREAK means?  BREAK...relaxing, NO schoolwork--crap, we're in college, we don't get ''breaks" we get "you don't have to be in class,  but you still have a crapload of work to do." grrr. :)

SPRING BREAK 2005:  Friday I leave for Rome on the train at the crack of dawn(of course!), then fly to Athens, Greece where I will spend 5 days being the American tourist, eating lots of Greek food, drinking oozoh(haha) and enjoying the 60 degree weather we're supposedly getting there.  Then on Wednesday it's off to Milan on another small and frightening plane, then taking the train to Lausanne, Switzerland.  In Switz, we will enjoy the snow they have, and the freezing cold weather(sounds a bit like Florence right now...just a bit more snow!) and who knows what we will do there???  Sometime next sunday we'll get to Paris where will basically have to fend for ourselves for a little over 12 hours before we have to meet our professors and new ACCENT staff to move into our dorms and get our bags that we shipped...speaking of which, I have ENTIRELY way too much stuff.  I bought too many things, and crap, I'm only halfway done.  Actually, it's just because my books take up TOO much room, and unfortunately I can't get rid of those.  I need to think about downsizing because let's face it, I don't throw anything away...and I shop too much.  OOPS.  :)

Today was REALLY exciting...we went to the Pitti Palace and got to look at some really interesting pieces of art...all the while it's sowing mad-style outside. Then I came home and started the packing process, which my suitcase expands...and I sort of figured out how to expand it, but it doesn't stay up. (whining child voice): DADDY....HHHHELLLPPPPPP!  Life would be so much easier if I had "Mr. I can pack anything in any size space at anytime and make it fit"with me to make sure I got all my stuff together.  That's what he's there for anyways, right?  Oh yeah, that and bbq-ing my favoritest ribs ever for me when I come home in May(hint hint).  I guess I'll just have to suffer and attempt the packing thing on my own.

Tonight I am studying for my western civ I final which is tomorrow morning...woohoo.  That should be fun.  Tomorrow after the final, it's time to bring our bags to ACCENT to be shipped, then home to clean like mad-crazy so we can get our deposits back!  Tomorrow night we our having one last meal at our favorite little restaurant--Trattoria Sostanza...which is fitting since we had our one week anniversary there, and our first meal out. 

I am really going to miss Firenze!  It has been so much fun here, and I'm finally getting used to speaking(haha) Italian!  I will certainly miss monday pizza and gelato night...and of course San Lorenze market where I love to shop! haha.  It's been so much fun, but it's time to move on to Paris :).  Once I get to Paris it's only 5 more fridays until I get to see my best friend, and 6 until my parents come and I get to be their tour guide! :)  Lots O fun.

Alright...well, I think it's time for me to start studying.

And since I can't say "Ciao Bellas" anymore because Jeff yelled at me because "he made it up" I won't sign off with that...I don't really want to quote him!...

Arrivederci Italia and Firenze!  It's been fun.