we be luggin' that luggage.

We woke up early (8:00 early) in order to get everything done before our 2:00 train to Pisa. Today we are leaving for our grand week trip to Dublin, Prague and finally Vienna.  Carolyn Wiedeman is joining the Gorilla and her side kick as we take on the jolly, jolly Irish in Ireland and harsh, harsh Europeans of the Eastside.  It took us over an hour to lug our luggage (hence, luggage is called luggage) down the street to Paul's apartment.  You should of seen us, we were a sight to see and it was pretty much a joke trying to roll four oversized duffel bags down the cobble stone streets of Florence.  The Gorilla and I switched suitcases because I needed a smaller bag for my travels but the Gorilla neglected to mention that the bag had a few issues. For instance, when you try to roll it, it wobbles and topples over.  We finally made it safely and sweatily up the stairs with are luggage.   We had our "last Anna's" sandwich. Well technically it is not our last but technically it was our last as students (on a daily basis last). We hit up the euro store for some traveling gummies, which only lasted as long as it took us to get to our apartment. So much for traveling gummies. We came back to grab the rest of our stuff that we would be taking on our trip and to say goodbye to the Via Dei Ginorites and the Via dei Ginori Palace. It has not hit me yet that when I return from my eurotrip next week that I will not be coming back home to the animals and our pig pin (a pretty pig pin indeed) We said our goodbyes, gave hugs and holler backs to every part of our apartment.  Its a bizarre concept, this whole meeting people, living with people, starting to learn and love people and then the minute you just start to really feel the most comfortable, it is time to go.  As much as I hated, complained, wined and bitched about my roommates, how gross our apartment was, I couldn't have asked for anything better.  At home often I find myself in quest for the perfect everything, in school, with people, and here I didn't have to do any searching for it.  It was just all there.  Before we knew it, we were walking  out the door.  We realized that by the time we said our goodbyes it was already 1:46 and we needed to catch the 1:57 train to Pisa in order to make our flight.  Like all Gorilla and sidekick adventures, we had to start our trip off with a mid afternoon game of dodge and sprint.  In no time at all (we really had no time at all) we made it to the train station, leaped on the train and we were off to Pisa.  I told myself the last time I flew Ryanair that it was going to be the last time I flew Ryanair but for some reason the Gorilla convinced that because Ryanair was based out of Dublin it would be a much more pleasant and an easier adventure.  Indeed it wasn't. We got to the airport with plenty of time to spare, only to find out that we had to check my bag (the same bag that I brought Barcelona on Ryanair and did NOT have to check) and pay 20 euro to do so.  We had to get out of line, go to the Ryanair office and pay for the ridiculous fee and then get back in line to get my actual ticket and then we would be able to board the plane.  In a fluster and sporting extremely sassy attitude I stood in line to pay the stupid luggage fee.  I think I must of scared the lady ringing us up because she handed me the receipt and for some reason, she only charged me 2 euro, instead of 22 euro. With a grin on my face, I shut my big mouth, signed the receipt and headed to the gate.  Serves them right I tell you!  So in the end, I decided that I could manage to pay the 2 extra euro and I didn't hate Ryanair so much (they can't help it that they are stupid)  However my hate-o-meter started to rise after a. the man sitting next to us on the plane would not stop staring at us in a creepy way.  It got to the point where it was so uncomfortable that I couldn't handle it.  I turned my head and looked him straight in the eyes with the most evil and devilish glare.  You would think that he would of gotten the drift after my look of death. Not to mention the Gorilla and I also did a cartoon drawing of him getting shot in the head by a super hero. So yeah thats one reason why I still hate Ryanair (for letting skeeze balls on their planes) the other, which I am sure you wouldn't blame me, we almost died and crashed.  I guess it would be that we almost crashed first and then died. But during the landing I have never grabbed the Gorilla's hand so hard. I squeezed Gorilla juice out of her. At last we made it to Dublin and thank the lord my bag was there.  We found out that we had to take a 45 min bus ride to the city center.  At this point we were already over an our late meeting our dear friend Miss Carolyn at the hostel.  She had been in Dublin since 6:00 am this morning just waiting for us.  We finally made it to the Kinlay House hostel at 9:45 pm only to find our little friend waiting for us and a room full (and my full I mean there were two) french boy roommates.  We set our stuff down and headed to the only restaurant that was still serving food.  Of course it had to be Italian.  We played the big game of catch over soups and salads.  We headed back to the hostel for bed because we wanted to be prepared for our grand Irish tour tomorrow.  We came into the room to find our two french roommates giggling over the movie "American Pie".  Not only where they wearing sweaters with embroidered dragons, but one of them was definitely wearing jean shorts. No offense to boys that wear jean shorts.  Next to their beds were remote controls and head scratchers. What a great combination.  We engaged in a Q & A session, mainly it was them supplying the Q's and we providing the A's.  Questions like "do you have cheerleaders or girls like we watch in our porno's in the states?" or "Do all American's drive racing cars?".  The Gorilla started to fall asleep and of the French freaks asked if she wanted to sleep and the other French freak giggled and giggled.  We couldn't figure out what he was laughing about until he told us that in French the word "sleep" means little boy or old mens underwear and I quote "not the sexy kind". Then they proceeded to ask Ada if she needed an extra pillow but instead of saying pillow he said "nipple". So it came out as "aada do you need an extra nipple?".  With in a matter of seconds his face turned red and he started to dig himself out of his big hole.  "I mean pillow". We all started to giggle and by that I mean, I died in my bed.  With a jolly smile on our faces, we decided we had had enough french fun for one night and we hit the sack.

postness from the 25 of april in the year of the 2008, a day of good byes to the best city in the world. oh flo flo yo yo. 

Show Show Fo Show Show.

e n d o f t h e y e a r a l l s t u d e n t a r t s h o w. 

My Last Thursday As A Student In Florence.

I am not even sure what happened to this day.  I was like I was conscious of how I was spending my last full day as a student here but at the same time it was like living in a dream world.  At 10:00 we met our book arts teacher at the Strozzi Campus to help set up for our big All Student Art Show tonight.  To be honest I was pretty worthless because I was more interested in figuring out my trip to Greece and knowing that I would have to come back up to school later, made me even more uninterested.  I have been on quest for two things since I got here. 1. leather boots, real leather boots, not 24 euro plastic boots from Lucca. 2. a leather purse. In the leather capitol of the world, you would that the simple task of finding such items like leather boots or leather jackets, would be rather easy but not for me.  I am the worlds pickiest person and if it doesn't feel 100% right, I won't buy it.  We scoped out the leather market before making are way to Anna's.  I was worried after yesterdays sandwich disaster but Anna pulled through and the sandwich was the juiciest and hottest it has ever been.  We had to meet the commi hippie at school at 2:30 to help set up for the show, again.  It was kids of a bummer that we were having to spend out last day, not to mention last and beautiful day inside but after going to the show tonight it was sure worth it.  I am not sure what maade our house think it was a good idea to go to the CEA dinner tonight.  I think it was the email titled "Included CEA Dinner @ Mediterranean Restaurant" that reeled us in.  Yes, indeed it was that. We literally have not seen most of the CEA kids who are not in the art school all semester (which is about 90%).  It has been a blessing because I have never met such awful, ungrateful, waste of space people in my life.  I left like I was at an awkward BBYO or one roommate said High School event where it is just painful because you don't want to talk to anyone but the people you know. For us it was the Art school CEA kids that actually showed up were the people from my house.  The food was fabulous but we peaced out early in order to get to our show.  Wine, food, friends, farewell.  I love my teachers, my friends that I have made.  We stayed until 11. The pictures above capture the atmosphere more than the words.  

Quote of the evening: "So Nick, what was it like to get hit by a car" -Pants

We packed up what remained and the Gorilla and her sidekick went to bed for the last night in their cozy cots.  They loved their room and did not want to leave.

see woah see woah

posted on the date of april 24th, on the day of thursday, in the only year that is now, 2008. 

My Last Wednesday As A Student In Florence.

The Gorilla and I woke up an extra hour early this morning because we thought it might be a good idea to study for at least an hour before and for our Art History exam.  We attempted to study last night but we both knew that getting into bed with our teeth brushed and fully dressed in pj's, was not the best way to study. Especially for a narco-narco like me.  I am rubbing off on the Gorilla and she is slowly moving to the dark side and by dark side I literally mean she can fall asleep in odd situations like with the lights on, music and or the radio.  The dark side = eyes closed. Peanut butter and crackers for breakfast are quite delicious. In attempts to ride our house of food, we decided that rommate stealing (I mean food) is completely acceptable.  After we "B+" (should be read as "b-plused") our Art History exam (I swear they only give out B+'s in this school, so I assume thats what I got my exam) we presented our oral exam.  Last night Trishowski, the Gorilla and I "free-translated" a short script for the big exam.  Watch our Ryan Secreast, the Gorilla might be taking over you show.  We wrote a short exert from an episode of Italian Idol.  The winner would receive the grand prize of a Ferrari and or a picture of one, same thing. Our teachers favorite car, and at the beginning of the semester she told us she would kill for one. The judge was our friend Camile. Her show names was Anni-Ani (translated at butthole year..remember from the beginning of the semester lesson). Trishowski and I were the singers.  We mad Trishowski-stage name, Nine-T-Nine Cent (the name of the euro store) The best part of the whole thing was that Trishowski got so nervous that she actually tried to sing the song for real, where as I made a fool of myself, partially because I am a fool and partially because I can't sing.  Our teacher loved it.  She took us all our for coffee after class and then off to Anna's. Let the count down begin. We have a very short amount of time left and it is imperative to eat Anna's every single day from here on out.  I wouldn't be opposed to eating it twice a day.  We didn't think it was possible and under such pressure and lack of time, Anna's just happen to only have one piece of our favorite kind of bread left. I sacrificed my sould and sucked it up and ate the sandwich on wheat bread but the sensation could not even compare to that of the flat bread.  I had my painting crit today and I promise to post pictures as soon as possible.  Kelsey and I brought snacks but we ended up being the only people to eat them.  I am tell ing you while the euro store has been a blessing because everything in the store is only a euro, it has also be a little devil. I blame the euro store for my florence 15.  The Gorilla and I headed over to Santa Spirito to eat our favorite panino.  We sat on the stairs enjoying the atmosphere and observing the most beautiful men.  It was incredible.  Of course at the end of the semester we discover the Mecca of nice, attractive-non-freaky licking men.  The home dogs and the Gorilla and I decided we should do a Via dei Ginori gelato outing as a family.  After Pants complained the entire way there, we all ordered the delicious gelato from Grom and we all thoroughly enjoyed it.  Pants said it tasted like spoiled milk but after she devoured her 3 euro, bigger than her face gelato, she realized she liked it.  She proceeded to criticize Emily and my gelato selection until mid sentence, Emily snapped but in the most calm voice she said "well, why don't you just shut up". I was dying.  Pants has been quite the chatty kathy lately (I guess you can count an entire semester as "lately") and I think everyone is starting to get annoyed with her.  We still  love her but at the same time we all want to kill her.  Tonight was pretty magical because it was the first time in a long time that we all went out together and I couldn't stop smiling. Just as much as it was magical, tonight was also quite depressing.  1. We had to take down our beloved motherland. Look above our room looks naked! Rather than doing anything remotely productive because my internet went out, the Gorilla and I decided to step back in our past and reminisce about the SMEaster days. One thing lead to the next one story sparked another and we proceeded to stalk the world.  I am terribly ashamed to admit this but I only speak the truth.  I did however figure out a majority of my greece plans and I did pack up life. It still hasn't truly hit me that this week is the last week I will be living in the Via Dei Ginori Palace with the Via dei Ginorites.