today is someday.

My mother is one of the biggest optimists I know. Though we are alike in many ways, this is not one of them. I can't stand her sunny, bright answers to all of the problems that I allow to bog me down; sometimes I just want to wallow, dammit, and she refuses to let me. I take for granted that I have a mother who gives me sound advice, support, and the money I need to do the things I want. After all, she and my father have obviously sunk a lot of money into this little adventure of mine, and on days like today, I am not acting appropriately thankful.


Today, offering me advice when I was feeling grumpy about certain situations that are not going exactly as I planned, I shut down, refusing to allow her to try to help me...because we all know how well I accept help. But after getting off of Skype with her, it was very clear to me that she was right. There is no point in sitting around my adorable Italian apartment, allowing myself to feel bummed because my friends may not always want to do what I want to do or because I may not get to take one weekend trip that I REALLY want to take. After all, I can find solutions to many of these problems if I would just look past the dark and stormy negativity...and the ones that I can't necessarily fix aren't work getting in a huff over.


So after getting off of Skype, I got dressed, grabbed my books, and went off to the library like I was supposed to, ignoring the fact that though it had been gorgeous earlier in the day, rain clouds were now gathering over my head. When I discovered that the library was closed, I decided to just walk. I walked a long time. I walked to the river and back, kinda-sorta looking for a place to plop down and do my reading, but mostly just walking, because I live in Florence, and I feel like I'm taking that for granted. There are so many things to see and do here, and I don't have the time to waste, moping around because things don't always go precisely as I plan them.


In the spirit of this new attitude, I decided to do something I've been talking about doing for more than a week now. Every time my roommates and I walk down Via Nazionale, we pass this little bakery that has MOUNTAINS of chocolate and almond scones in the window. Every time we walk past it, we always say that we will break down someday and buy one. Well, today is someday. I only have four months here, and I'm not going to waste them by putting off the things I want to do until "someday."

Other things I really want to do in the next couple of weeks:

1. See a movie at the Odeon theater.

2. Go to the markets at San Ambroggio and Santo Spirito.

3. Buy a pair of black boots and a leather jacket.

4. Go to the paperback exchange by il Duomo.

5. Get Indian food with the roomies (or sushi. I'm not picky.)

6. Plan our overnight trip to Verona.

P.S. The verdict on the scone? Mediocre. But at least I don't have to torture myself walking by that bakery anymore.