it's gettin late but I don't mind.

I'm in a reflective mood. Memories, good and bad.





I'm still not a big fan of cooking, but I'm getting into making super simple recipes with my current favorite things: fish, shellfish, and veggies. Excited to cook for the fam at home!

MUSSELS AND TOMATOES

2lb local (black) mussels

1 onion sliced

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

3 tablespoons olive oil

½ bunch parsley, chopped

1 can Italian tomatoes

salt and pepper

½ cup white wine

·      gently fry onion in olive oil until translucent

·      add garlic, tomatoes salt pepper and white wine

·      cook 5 mins, add scrubbed and debearded mussels and parsley

·      cook until mussels open

l

I'm reading Dance, Dance, Dance by Haruki Murakami. It's weird but interesting and I'm told it's the worst of his books. If that's true can't wait to read the rest! 

It isn't very difficult to see why You are the way you are

 "The less you give, the more I want so foolishly."

 

"Travel often; getting lost will help you find yourself."

"A Stanford professor revealed that all babies below the age of four are tested at near genius levels. But something starts to happen after this. Children slow down because they are given limitations: “Don’t say silly things!”, “Stop playing with your imaginary friend!" 

Lesson: Don't let the limits people place on you cause you to doubt yourself!

The unattainable and bountiful: love.

"You know what's so good about the truth? Everyone knows what it is

however long they've lived without it. No one forgets the truth, they just get better at lying."

"Don't walk in front of me, I may not follow.
Don't walk behind me, I may not lead.
Just walk beside me and be my friend."

 

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"I'm afraid of those who are afraid of me"

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"Many people need desperately to receive this message: I feel and think much as you do, care about many of the things you care about, although most people do not care about them. You are not alone."

 

 

“We either make ourselves miserable, or we make ourselves happy. The amount of work is the same.”

 

(but a little Effy-esque misery feels good)

"If I'm free, its because I'm always running."

"If you aren't living on the edge you are taking up too much space."

"I dare you to move like today never happened."

Ramblings

The Netherlands was AWESOME, now after one night in Firenze I'm in Panicale. It's beautiful.

Someone posed this question to me (talking about the book - and movie, who knew? - The Secret): What do you REALLY want?

I want to fall in love and then travel before settling in one place. I want to go to South Africa, but not family-trip or solo style. I want a houseboat in Amsterdam!

What don't I want? Some things you think you want, you actually don't. Will I ever truly want a tattoo? Or to skydive? Or to live in the U.S. for the rest/most of my life because my family is there?

What I'm doing when I get home in July:

• cooking the occasional dinner aka MAKING THE BEST HOMEMADE PIZZA with crazy toppings
• learning how to hair wrap and using cool beads & colors
• dying a pink streak in my hair again
• reading
• watching documentaries
• downloading music (full albums of my fave artists)
• Not being flaky and calling out people who are!
• Being spontaneous
• sleeping on the back porch or outside
• having Em drive me everywhere for once!

I love Italy so much being in someone's home, although they're an awesome family and so welcoming, made me realize how ready I'll be to go home to my own!!!

update - I will also learn to make sushi and where I can buy the fish/all ingredienttts

People have balls

On to the next.

I leave Florence on Saturday, it's been 3 of the best months of my life. So many great friends and memories. Luckily, I have the Netherlands to look forward to with Kai and Christine, then back to Italy until July 13! It will be CRAZY returning to the states after all of this, but I CANNOT wait to see everyone. I'll keep the blog going, because wanderlust is my favorite word and favorite song (shout out to Thompson Brothers Band). I love to travel; Florence was the best start I could have had.  So much to see it's completely overwhelming. But the people at each place are what matter.

Mhmmm.

Wanderlust Firenze.

I'm so comfortable here. I don't want to leave.  I'm thinking about this because I just looked at the picture of Florence at the top of this blog. Usually I ignore it because I've seen it so many times, but I just looked again - it's AMAZING how different it appears after living here. I know the streets, buildings and river bank so well. Three months ago it was just a picture in the top Google image results.