The weeks I’m having, I tell ya! We had guests this week and it was fun. I met this fantastic girl (should I say lady? that just makes her sound old) on Ravelry and when she was asking around the forums for suggestions on where to go in Italy, I just couldn’t keep my mouth shut and invited her and her husband to stay with us. Talk about gracious guests! They stayed with us only a couple (four) days, but we tried our best to make them enjoy Rome. And our way of enjoying Rome is mainly through food. We brought them to some of our favorite eateries. That’s where my tale of woe begins. Yesterday was Sridhar’s birthday, so we thought we’d take him to Baba. This place is amazing and never fails to satisfy our ever expanding appetites. Anyway, we rented a car and drove there. They want you to be there by 9 and no later and, having walked the walk of shame once, we got there at 8ish. We sat down to knit and chat and WOOSH! my hair happened upon a candle. There is no damage I can see (but if you’ve seen my hair, you know how it would be hard to tell), but the smell just lingered on and on. Dinner was really good and at the end the whole restaurant joined us in celebrating Sridhar’s special day. He said he had never celebrated his birthday, which made the whole dinner even more special.

They left this morning, stealthily. Ben and I decided to fight the blues of solitude by spending outrageous amounts of money on a new computer. We braved Rome’s public transportation and hauled the loot from the other side of Rome. It is from said new computer that I am currently writing this entry. I am having to reinstall EVERYTHING and that is taking way way too long. Once I have WoW up and running, though, oh will the fun begin.

Life has been decidedly not in the suck department lately (jinxing it much?). We’re going to Vienna for my birthday and I am looking forward to it.

I have had an intense week. A week to put to shame all other weeks. My socializing muscle has been stretched and put to use. Still a bit rusty, but definitely getting toned.

Thursday was Paolo’s birthday. He threw a rooftop birthday bash. It was as cool as it sounds. We all gathered on a beautiful, candle-lit terrace. Ben and I played it cool at first, because despite the whole “we must make friends!”, we’re chicken shit when it comes to it. Eventually, we gathered some people and started chatting. I love interesting people and there was no shortage of those. Amongst the many, was Vincent. Who is not just interesting, but cooks divinely (as evidenced by Saturday’s dinner party he invited us to). We sadly had to leave Paolo’s party early, because I’m an old lady who has to work in the mornings. *curses*

On Friday, we rented a car and went (or tried) to see Ladytron in concert. Between Cara, Ben, Kate and I, we came up with as many wrong turns as we could and what should’ve taken us 20 minutes, took us an hour and an ulcer to get there. We arrived and only got to see the last 40 minutes of the show. Fortunately, they played the songs I had gone there to hear and all was good. We hung out for a while and tripped into another American. We’re such a Yankee magnet. Her name is Finley and she is also awesome.

Cara, Finley, Ben and I met up today for cheapo Indian food. And cheapo shopping. We found this department store that seems to be a place where cheap, badly manufactured and assembled things go to die. I bought a €10 backpack and bought a €10 shirt (and €10 for a shirt is NOT a bargain in this store where you can buy a pair of shoes for €5). I also bought a stolen pair of Vans right outside that store. They’re awfully cute. And comfy. Bargains all around.

Now is the time we go Wow.

I was driving around the other day when I stopped at one of the gajillion flower stands scattered around the city. Ben has been cultivating his own basil and I thought it was time he branched out into other edible things. I loaded up on parsley, sage, rosemary and … mint. While there, my eyes fell on cat grass and I brought home a plant. It took a whole of 2 minutes for the hungreeeee cats to sniff it out and… gather around it. I wish I had had a camera. They just sat around it, sometimes chewing, sometimes not, but just hanging around. However, like all these new generations, the novelty soon wore off and now they are searching for new cheap thrills (ie. bouncy ball).

Yesterday I got a pkg from an awesome woman (which I just realized is from Maine, just like my hero: J.B. Fletcher!). I was part of a swhap, my partner flaked out and this awesome lady took the situation in her hands and sent me the best pkg. Most of the time, as it happens, you get a pkg and you always feel a lil bit cheated, because shipping is expensive and this and that, the effort you put in always seems more than the effort your partner puts into it. This time… I WIN! Nevermind the millions of Reese’s cups stashed away in my fridge, or the fun Halloween stuff, or the yarn (AUSTERMANN STEP! My favorite sock yarn of all times), but she sent me enough ziplock bags to pack up my house and move. It was such a kickass way to start the weekend.

Speaking of socks… I have been trying to finish this pair for a while. I am such a slow ass knitter. I am making them for Eugenia and she might stop over tomorrow. I have to kick it up a notch, basically, this lame-ass “do a couple rows every 4 hours” strategy is not working.

I am spending a lot of time on livemocha. It has been a lifelong dream of mine to learn French. At least well enough so when I speak it in Paris, people don’t answer me in English (HATE!). The site is awesome and you can chat with mothertongues. Fun! I even got complimented by this guy yesterday (I will not add the fact he then asked if we could move onto the webcam and if I was hot…). It terrifies me to type out and speak a language other than my own (and English). I suck at retaining vocabulary. And spelling. And grammar.

I’m kind of tired of always having to be the lunatic in the relationship. For once I’d like to be the reasonable procrastinator with a valid excuse always handy.

I have a dual citizenship. I want to vote. For both countries. Whereas Italy has no problem with it, America is trying its darndest to make it impossible. I thought we had reached an understanding, but on Saturday I found out that the forms they sent us are for overseas armed forces people. Which I am not. And so I have written posts on Ravelry in the hopes someone would help. Nothing. I have sent emails and I have called (because that procrastinating, wants-to-drive-me-crazy man I married wouldn’t). Nothing. The person they need to forward me to is out of her office and there is no point in my leaving a msg when she won’t call my overseas ass back. And so for the past 4 hours I have been fuming at Ben’s procrastinating. Will I EVER learn? Doubtfully. And I know he’s working and shit, but making a 5 minute call will not kill him. Or maybe it will and I will finally understand his need to delay. And half my grrrr wouldn’t even happen if he said “no!” the first time around, instead of saying ok and then waiting 4 hours to make it clear he’s not gonna do shit. Ow. The grrr is affecting my stomach and making it all clench up. I have plans for lunch with Annalisa tomorrow: delicious Indian food (speaking of stomach clenching up…). It is also Eugenia’s birthday and I should try heading over there to french kiss her. Have I mentioned how much I love that woman? And her kids? Sweet mama pie.

On a side note, not even spam users want to comment on my blog and that’s very depressing.

Life was just made of sucky non-friends, Thursday happens and KABLAMMO! I feel awesome again.

On Wednesday Ben got a letter informing him that his request for citizenship had been approved. We made many a “now you’re an Italian jokes” and just proceeded to brag about it with anyone who’d listen. On Thursday I took the morning off and we went to this faraway office to pick up what I thought would be a diploma stating “Well done, you’re Italiano now!”. As a sidenote, if anyone asked me if my glass is half empty or half full, my question would be “what glass?!”, because I figure I am a step down from pessimist. In reality, I’m the biggest frickin’ optimist ever. And here’s why: We get to this office, receiving hours are 9 to 1. I try to avoid rush hour and show up 15 mins after 9. There is no one in front of this office. Not. One. Soul. I make my way, resolutely, to the door and am told to go to the other entrance. I turn the corner and the other entrance is THICK with people. Quite a crowd. I am informed that the “tickets” were distributed before 9 and that, whoever doesn’t have a ticket is probably not going to get done today. But we do get done that day, only 2 and a half hours later than I would have expected. We find out that not only is Ben not a citizen until he gets sworn in, but that to book the swearing in we have to go to the other end of town. That’s when I drop Ben off and head to work. At 4 I get off and we run to this other place. We get that done (November 10th, baby!) and Eugenia calls. She has something to give me and we must meet up today. The word cupcakes starts flashing in my head. Buttercream flavored hope fills my heart. Of course I’m on a diet and all, but surely there’s a cupcake clause. Ben and I jump on the trusty scooter (which has started making a creeky sound lately) and head to this most awesome of cafès, Tribeca cafè. We’re an hour early, but we spend the time reading books, chatting and knitting. Right as I am about to lose all hope of Eugenia ever showing up, Roberto walks in the door. I haven’t seen Roberto in 5? 6? years. I love Roberto. I constantly talk about him and his wonderness to Ben. And there he is, not a cupcake, much better than a cupcake. And Eugenia is there too. And we’re all headed to Trastevere to meet Cara. I know! It’s like one day you’re getting rid of THE suck in your life and the next you’re reminded of the awesome that’s left. Today we met up with Roberto and Eugenia again and frolicked in the center. I can’t even start describing the feeling of YAY! I get from hanging out with these people. And finding them unchanged. And the love, oh the love. And now it’s Friday night and I am beat from too much awesome. I may show up at the knitting tomorrow, but I need to figure out how busy we’ll be first. I know one thing for sure, and that’s that I’m sleeping in. And hard.

The kits need lovin’. I shall provide it.

I feel very zen today. Half of me does, at least. The rest is ready to rip things into tiny tiny shreds. I got a call from someone yesterday. She has been feeling guilty about not seeing me enough and wanted to go out to eat. I would’ve gone to eat pizza (I have a craving, ok?), but then the thought she would’ve been there too made me reconsider. Once upon a time this person was my bestest friend in the world. And not in a 7 year old way either. I would have never doubted her love for me. Now she’s nothing but a stranger who makes me feel uneasy, because she’s seen me without a bra and fragile more times than I care to admit. I was stalking her like I would have an ex-boyfriend not an hour ago and realized that that is exactly how I feel about her. There’s this mixture of anger because her life goes on (a life, btw, that she has made no effort in involving me in), there’s a bit of wanting to reaffirm I am perfectly fine without her (and, quite honestly, I am), and there’s also the full awareness we’re now going our separate ways. She has the typical dumper’s guilt and that has little to do with me. I am having a mad rush from realizing this and finding myself just slightly ticked off and no longer disappointed.

And now I am off to cook. Yes, I cook too now. How we change…

I have been in a very good mood for the past week. Ben and I started dieting, and that makes me feel less poopy than I care to admit. We’ve also started a pretty strict fitness regimen: we play Wii for an hour (or until our arms are just 1 step away from falling off) every afternoon. Since I can now stop obsessing about the self-destruction, I can focus on all the other fucked up bits of my life.

Tomorrow is Matilde’s wedding and I am not going. The only thing that doesn’t give me as much satisfaction as it should, is that my grand “FUCK YOU!” gesture might somehow go unnoticed. I was guilted into buying her a gift (that’s €40 I could’ve so put to better use) and that’s enough for me. I am enjoying being this petty. Actually, petty I feel not, I feel entitled to purge these people out of my life. My time of need really made me face how shitty some of my “friends” are, so I’m in the market for new ones. If only I ever met interesting people! I have high hopes in Paolo and his circle of friends. And hopefully Ben will go out, spread his Italian knowledge and win us some top notch friends.

For now, I will go enjoy my Friday and make plans for my Saturday. It’s even pouring down rain, what more could I ask for?

Today I went to the day hospital to have a series of tests done. I figured I would be poked and prodded all at once (I have to have x-rays taken, a sonogram, gastroscopy and some other test I can’t remember) and then I could forever hold my peace, but it didn’t turn out that way. Today was blood tests and EKG time. The blood tests never ended. I got in at 8 and left at 11.45, my body and psych battered. I feel drained, and not just of juices (lord knows they took enough blood to rebuild a newer and better Carla). The dr was awful. She kept making faces and acting panicked and not explaining what the fudge was going on. That kind of attitude, in the presence of a hypocondriac, is a no no in any book. Especially when the hypocondriac is cranky from very little sleep the night before. I headed home feeling slightly violated. I will survive.

I am now coming slowly back to life. I showered and ate and I feel much much better. I shall snuggle with the kittehs and watch me some TV, while busily knitting socks and forget all about it. I can’t wait to sleep a deep undisturbed sleep tomorrow. Mmmm.

You know when you have a week that isn’t bad (well, not the amt of bad that has been thoroughly discussed on here), but just plain irritating? Well, that’s been my week. Every single aspect of my life has been annoying, but in such a stupid, little way, that when I complain about it I get no sympathy. Ex: I thought I had fixed my trimester(3 MONTHS!) long quest in finding my boss a new phone + phone plan. This was the most dragged out thing ever. He couldn’t make up his mind, he decided not to go for it at all at some point, and he’s just plain indecisive. I wrote memos, called 900 different places, printed enough paper to rebuild the Amazon forest. We signed the contract on Tuesday. Signed, sealed and delivered. I was giddy. And then on Wednesday I get a call telling me the phone he wanted is no longer available. And that was that. No phone, no plan, no peace for me. See what I mean? In the grand scheme of things, that’s nothing but a pimple on a thrice removed extra in the tenth row, but add it to the other 500 tiny things and it just drives me crazy.

Eh, maybe cranky is just my “at peace” state.