Tuscany, Hemingway powerpoint and my messy ipod

Oh, how the mighty hast fallen! If you haven't heard, Ohio State lost this past weekend. Huge bummer. But they'll still get into BCS bowl if they beat Michigan. I'll really miss not being on campus for the big game, though. Besides family and friends, OSU-Mich. will the thing I miss the most. There's nothing like the emotion of a good old fashion college rivalry game. Last year I sprained my ankle on High Street (not fun at all), limped around the rest of the night, and then woke up the next day to find it all black and blue. Stupid, I know, but I took one for the team. Well, somone make sure to tell me how the game goes!

This past weekend I visited two cities in Tuscany, Siena and San Gimignano. In Siena we had an authentic Medieval dinner with mead and some kind of stew, or porridge as I like to call it. It was pretty good and, at first, makes you want to experience how they lived. Then you think, no medicine, heating or electricity? Okay, maybe not. I came to the conclusion that Medieval times would be something like Idaho: a cool place to visit, but you woulnd't want to live there.

San Gimignano (pronounced San Gee-im-yano, or somthing like that) is my kind of place. A secluded little town that still retains much of the Medieval building structure, it's surrounded by miles of rolling hills and rows upon rows of grape vineyards. Sorry, that really sounded like a tourist guidebook. Their famous for their wine, too, especially the Chianti Classico. I indulged in a sample on top of the main hill over looking the country side. Very relaxing. It made me want to stay there for a week or so and read a couple books.

Tommorrow I have a big powerpoint presentation in my Hemingway class on A Farewell to Arms. Also, I had to write a paper for the same class. I should do good on it, though, and after that I'm pretty much on cruise control for the week. I think I'm staying in Rome this weekend, too. First I have a few papers and another powerpoint presentation due next week and a few of my roomate Lee's friends are coming in from Florence. So, I think I'll pretend to be responsible and write those papers, then help Lee show the his three friends around the city.

 Before ending this post, I'd just like to say that I came to the sudden realization yesterday that my ipod playlist is a mess, and that I love it. Maybe it's the new people I've been hainging out with, or maybe it's just that this place is so foriegn, but I've been listening to a much more ecletic list of artists. Here, constant reader (or should I say phantom reader, since few people probably read this), is a candid look into my current playlist. And yes, you should feel very lucky. Donations are always welcomed. Just kidding, just kidding. There's probably some law against that, and I don't want to get in trouble. But seriously, here's the list:

• A Tribe Called Quest - Electric Relaxation
• Amos Lee - Keep it loose, Keep it Tight
• Bob Dylan - Like A Rolling Stone
• Dave Matthew's Band - Crash into Me
• The Jayhawks - Tampa To Tulsa
• Jesse Malin - Broken Radio
• John Coltrane - Mr. P.C.
• Wynton Marsalis - These Are Those Soulful Days
• Velvet Underground - Pale Blue Eyes
• Ryan Adams - Oh, My Sweet Carolina

That about does it. I think the first ten songs gives you a good taste of the chaos. Well, kids i have to run. So until next time, like Amos says: keep it loose, keep it tight.