I miss breakfast. I would kill for some eggs. I miss food besides pasta. Last night pasta again. that is all I have eaten so far is pasta every night. I would love a vegetable. I have to find restaurants with food. 

Saw Radiohead in concert last night in Florence. Larger than life experience singing along to all of our favorite songs with these people across the globe. They were great. I imagine: what would it be like to come from Europe? To play Florence like it were just another state in your union? Like we do in the United States, when we play Boston or something... Florence at night is like new York. It’s a different city at night.  

Thinking more and more about this theory that has been lodging its way deeper into my brain that America is soon going to be kind of taken over by Europe. Probably not in a military way. But already our dollar is worth 25% less than their Euro and that is how old? Five years or something. I don't know. Its just an intuition. I think slowly they are starting to turn into what we once were or attempted to be, and we are starting to turn into what they once were and what we once rebelled against two hundred years ago. A lot of circus and puppets and not much substance. What with the main thing we have going now is the movie stars. People in America seem kind of obsessed with movie stars and material possessions and not much else, regardless of what happens to them politically, economically, or socially. (this isn't entirely true. Actually we do tend to be pretty kick ass when it comes to socio-political action et all. 

But I think the problem is now that the government doesn’t actually do anything about what the people want which is the way it is for the most part and has been for the most part around the world since time began. But we have just kind of got used to this whole democracy idea, so lately it just seems like the government has forgotten about all of that—granted compared to other places America still offers more individual freedom than almost anywhere else, definitely not more justice, because our justice system and our political system seemed based almost entirely on money, technicalities, and circumstance, but---I don't think comparing us to other countries is the way to do it. I think comparing us to how we say we are to ourselves and to the rest of the world is what is really important). Maybe its not as bad as I make it out to be. But lets see what happens in five years to the dollar versus the euro and watch some other trends in spending. I really hope that we can break out of this economic downward spiral we are in. What's it going to be for us? what new inventions can we come up with? What new technology? What will be the next rabbit that America pulls out of its hat to bring itself back up? And no its not raping and pillaging other countries as the current administration thinks. Unfortunately this is why America is on its last legs, as Rome was near its infamous decline. Too much raping and pillaging other countries and not enough taking care of its own people. its your classic conservative versus liberal and I could go on and on. 

I think of my grandparents and great-grandparents often. All through the day while I walk around and look in the faces of the people and hear them speaking. I become so moved because it reminds me of growing up. I wish they were still alive so I could share with them. And then they could scream at me you have to be Italian, I think to understand this one, or at least catholic. But I know that they would be proud that I am here studying, and even more proud that I am learning Italian; re-learning the language so to speak for the whole family---since their death the whole family has just kind of gone to pot so to speak. Kind of allowing itself to become trashy American style. So it does not get lost from us, so we do not lose our heritage---I bring this back with me, a thing called culture. I will support my children to do the same thing, so they are not left with this empty feeling that you get when you travel around America and think “is this it?’ as can happen sometimes. And you forget that you came from somewhere. 

It is 8PM and it is still very sunny outside. Breezy but hot. Very hot. Texas hot, Florida hot, Arizona hot, but maybe hotter. Because you are surrounded by very tall buildings everywhere so you never get a breeze except when you are in a piazza. The bell from the cathedral il Duomo is ringing, the highest point in Florence—when it was built in 1401 it was the largest dome in the entire world. This bell rings every hour and you can hear it all over the city. I bought fresh flowers to decorate the apartment and made vases out of plastic water bottles. Somewhere outside someone is playing a saxophone. Life is good. 

Last Movie:  The Godfather, of course. Part two. I've seen this movie more times than any other probably.  But I need it while I am here at first just to stay connected to home. funny. Finding comfort and feeling close to home in America from watching a movie about Italian gangsters in Italy. 

Current Read: Ben Franklin, An American life.