Chivalry and Chaos
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Earthquakes, Killing a spider with a banana, and Two bees in the refrigerator

7/31/2016

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Another Italy Update:
        Yesterday, there was a 4.1 magnitude earthquake in Northern Italy around 10:20pm. Thankfully all I felt was  a small tremor, it was barely noticeable. My hand was on the kitchen table, that was when I felt a strange shaking. My first thought was "you must be so tired that you're shaking," but then I realized that thought didn't make much sense, so I went over to my aunt's house next door, and she confirmed that she felt the terremoto (earthquake) too. This is only the second earthquake I have ever experienced firsthand; the first was in 2011 while I was visiting my mother in D.C. for the summer. It was terrifying because it such a new experience. D.C. never has earthquakes, but if I recall correctly, the epicenter was somewhere in Virginia. Everyone in the city was freaking out, the national Monument was even damaged a bit and closed a few years after for repairs. It was only a 5.8 magnitude earthquake, but  we east-coasters aren't used to this kind of seismic activity.  On the other hand, Italy has 2 out of 5 of the most active Volcanoes in the World, so needless to say, my aunt was not fazed by the tiny tremor yesterday, while I was freaking out  wondering if we'd feel any aftershock. We didn't. 

After my five minutes of irrational panic, I went back to Nonna's house. Then I saw a small, but vicious spider near the door, and I grabbed the closest thing I could to end it's little spider life. The closest thing was a banana, as the fruit basket is on the counter near the front door. That poor little spider didn't know what was coming... I suppose too much potassium can kill. 

This weekend I've been busy helping a friend build a website... it's not easy, but I finally figured out haw to navigate Square Space. It's a lot more complicated than weebly, but I suppose everything new needs time and patience to be learned. Also, I see ketchup chips in my future.

That leads us into this morning. Nonna has her own garden where she grows veggies and such, and so today she took some fully grown zucchini and brought them into the house. She placed them in the fridge,  then after a little while went back for something, as she was cooking lunch, and then she spots a bee in the refrigerator!  We all start freaking out, "how did a bee get in there?" and then my aunt spots a second bee sitting on a zucchini. She bravely takes the zucchini chilling bee outside, and then Nonna attempts to get the second one out. He's hanging out by the light in the right side of the fridge and won't come out. Eventually with some ruckus  the bee flies out and starts going around the kitchen. I'm sitting at the kitchen table and I freak out and run into the other room as fast as possible,  i'm afraid of bees, and then Nonna yells at me for slamming the door behind me... I couldn't control the force at which I was closing the door to have something separating me for that damn bee...  And that's  pretty much the most exciting thing to happen this morning. 

Now I'm trying to finish typing up a tomato sauce recipe for my cousin Stefano, as well as edit my "Nonna's Recipes" page. I'm thinking of separating it into three  seperate page, cooking, baking, and a photo gallery. I'm always trying to improve everything. 

Can't think of anything else for today, but if anything interesting happens I'll post another Italy Update soon.

Have a great week everyone,

​Cristina

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Today is the day

7/25/2016

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​#StillSanders
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#StillSanders
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​#StillSanders
​#StillSanders
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#StillSanders
I wish I could be in Philly right now with the other Berners, but I'm so excited and proud of everyone there, marching, chanting, fighting to save our so called democracy. So happy to hear about the DWS resignation, but she should step down before the convention today, not after it. I'm not at all shocked that HRC swooped in to take DWS into her evil group of cronies (officially).
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So sick of all the lies and the purposeful suppression of our voices and choices. The wiki leaks prove that the primary was hijacked by these homegrown terrorists, and I'm glad that their gas-lighting us Bernie supports is over!

We're not crazy! We've seen past your lies since the start!

We should REALLY just break up with the DNC after all this BS... D.E.M.E.X.I.T. anyone?

​The DNC better give Bernie the official nomination today. Without him HRC will lose to Drumpf in November if they do wrongly nominate her. But maybe the less of two evils really is Drumpf at this point. If worse comes to worse I hope all Bernie supporters go Green. Jill Stein is the best alternative to a Bernie-less election.

Anyway, I'm trying really hard not to let those election year consume me anymore like it has been, so I'll end my rant/post here.

But just know that I'm #StillSanders
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I can't resist all the memes:

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Must See

7/24/2016

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Here's a little dose of nostalgia to brighten up your day,
​
Cristina.
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Coffee

7/23/2016

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Today I learned to make real Italian coffee...
It's actually really  easy.
Took two minutes.
It's sort of sad that  I didn't know.
But now I do.
I've always been late  with everything in life, so I'm not surprised.
Anyway, yay! 
Coffee is amazing.
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When you have to research ways to relax... then you know you have a problem.

7/22/2016

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Okay, okay, I know. I'm uptight. I get it. 

I just want to clarify something. Being lazy does not mean you are relaxed.  Nonna can call me "Pigra" (lazy) all day long, but it doesn't mean that  I'm a chill person. The fact that I even have to analyze whether or not I am a relaxed person  makes the answer very obvious: I'm a rageaholic  while at the same time being the laziest person I know. The laziness covers up some of the anger... but covering does nothing, and it certainly doesn't help me deal with stress. 

I also want to clarify that procrastination is a form of stress. I literally have to stress myself out to the point of panic to get anything (school related) done, but hey it works.  I'm even on the Dean's List, so I must be doing something right.

I'm a rage-filled short person, which means there isn't much time left before my head explodes from my constant over-thinking and over-analyzing. I stress out over everything. The horrors of our world, the hate, the suffering, the ignorance. I hate hate so much that it's eating me up.

I know that's just ridiculous, and that I, as an individual,  shouldn't stress out about things that can't be changed, but I can't accept that.  It's, excuse my language, fucking bullshit. 

In through the nose, Out through the mouth...         *5 minutes later*

Okay, I'm calm... 

Everyone is right of course, I need to relax. Three different friends have told me this today alone, so obviously my  lack of  "chill" is showing. I've been recommended breathing,  meditation, herbal remedies,  saying "f*ck everything," and only caring about myself,  and  just taking everything in steps...

All good ideas. I'm thinking more along the lines of being tranquilized and hastily  shipped off to Alaska... where I can learn to live off the land, and just be alone, away from all the BS in the world. I'd like my  own cabin, and 2.5 Huskies to keep me company. I'd write novels and sell fresh fish (after I learn how to fish of course, and get over how boring it is), and live happily, peacefully, alone. I'd have visitors, but they'd have to leave all of their BS at the door, and we'd only discuss novels and the proper way to skin a moose.

In through the nose, Out through the mouth...

Well, I feel a bit better.

***
So did you hear about what's going on in Munich right now? The world is going to shit, and I can't CHILL.


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Can watching Gilmore Girls be a starting point to extensive researching of multiple references, cultural or otherwise?

7/19/2016

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​The answer is Yes.
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It seems that all day I have been researching reference after reference, definition after definition, and this is all due to my recent binge watching of Gilmore Girls.  Strange right?

Gilmore Girls seems like it's only a show that explores the complex mother-daughter relationship, but if one watches closely, and listens, you can find a lot of references to old school rock, movies from the 1960's, classic literature, and more. Some can go over one's head if they're not paying attention. This is why I've started to list references and actually research them further, ones that are known to me and others that are not. This way I can better understand the context within the show, but also the complex humor that is created through various cultural references. It's a fun and interesting way to keep my mind active this summer away from school, and I'm wondering if it's just ridiculous, or absolutely genius.

This type of extensive listing and researching reminds me a bit of one of the last chapters in A Visit from the Goon Squad,  by Jennifer Egan,  titled  "Great Rock and Roll Pauses,"  which lists  (thoroughly) the greatest Rock Pauses (in the eyes of a twelve year old girl). It's in the form of a PowerPoint, a very experimental fiction type of choice, which can be jarring at first, but the context and idea is rather interesting. 

I find it just as interesting that this show can lead me on a wild goose chase after multiple references. I've been looking up writers, movies, and musicians, definitions,  and famous figures. I've even gone as far as looking into psychology. I started watching a movie from 1962 that I've never seen before just to understand the reference to it, and  I've listened to multiple songs by Guns N' Roses solely based on one reference to the wedding dress that Stephanie Seymour, ex-girlfriend of Axl Rose, wears in the music video of "November Rain."  I've also looked into  "gaslighting," "  a form of emotional abuse or manipulation in which you twist another person’s sense of reality,"  and how it can be a sign of an emotionally abusive relationship.
Gaslighting Article
It's actually a very interesting topic. I've added a link here if anyone is interested in learning more.
I'm adding videos of some of the things I've referenced above, including a trailer of the film Bye Bye Birdie (1962)  as well as a link to the full film. I'm also including a link to the r/GilmoreGirls sub reddit which I have been frequenting today in search of like-minded  viewers.
Gilmore Girls Reddit Sub
Bye Bye Birdie
I'm not sure if others will understand this splurge of knowledge  seeking or why in the world Gilmore Girls of all the shows in the world could trigger such a response... But who cares right? All I know is that I really enjoy this type of distraction/learning. I feel like I've learned many things today that I didn't know yesterday, and that's the goal isn't it? Learning new things everyday? I like to think so.  

Well, back to learning! Later~
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Posting just to post: Italy update

7/17/2016

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Always put on sunscreen. Today I got really tan, but now my face hurts a bit... so please, don't do as I do just do as I say. 

I've never really understood reddit and just checked it occasionally  for the asoiaf (Game of Thrones) sub, but today i'm really getting into it. Reddit is leading me to some hilarious stuff, and i'm excited but also scared to see where it will take me.

​A mule, that I usually see while walking through a forest trail , escaped from her farm yesterday. She was in the middle of the trail, not far from home, but it was sort of sad. It seemed as though she really were trying to get away, but she wasn't doing much, just standing on the trail. I pet her like I've done in the past and she seemed to look into my eyes. I swear I saw her shed a tear and it broke my heart. I wish I could keep her, take her back to Chicago with me somehow, but then I wouldn't have anywhere to house her... damn it. 

I've been doing capoeira. I think i'm decent at it and my kicks are pretty high, but I hate that I have to learn the music as well. I know it's important to the culture and all that , but I just can't get into. It makes me want to stop altogether. I'm just not the tambourine playing type, and  I most definitely don't want to learn to play the  Berimbau, a traditional African instrument... it hurts my hand just to hold it.  Is it too much to ask for if I just want to kick ass and throw people down for looking at me sideways? Sigh...

I've given up bread again, the struggle is real.  I haven't eaten beef in over a month now, and I still feel pretty good about that. Cows are just so adorable!

I've been working out, doing this stretch everyday to one day achieve a split, some random yoga, abs, etc, it's  nice to get back to it. I started waking up early to go running as well, but lately I just can't wake up, so I need to get back into it.

Honestly, I've been feeling pretty depressed these past few days. Might have to do with some boredom and overthinking. Overthinking always leads me to existential thoughts that cause me to freak out and just get... you know... depressed. I'm trying not to think. Don't think... It helps that I've been talking to a friend lately and that helps to distract me. He's really nice.  

I'm still attempting to write every day, but I missed two days so I posted some writing I did a month or so ago. All cute bs if you ask me, but this way I'll have to keep up. I can't keep posting older writing if I run out of old writing due to not writing at all which means no old writing. I hope that made sense.

I'm still waiting to know if i'll get to go to Calabria to see my great grandmother, who's 92, and  I hope it happens because I don't think it's possible to wait anymore. She fell a few months ago and just won't really leave her bed anymore, so it seems like a now or never type of situation. I hope I get to meet her. I really want to hear all about WWII, i'm such a history nerd. I actually wrote about her once for a class I took a few semesters ago, I wonder if I still have the file... If I do i'll post it, or maybe add a new page to my site dedicated to family history or something like that. 

I can't believe August is almost here. That means my dad will be coming to Italy, and then going to my cousin Celine's wedding in France, then my 21st birthday, and then my last year of University starts the day after I get back from Italy... wow.  

I'm not sure why I wanted to write this up, but I suppose I was just bored.  I hope for your sake, whoever you are reading this, that you didn't die of boredom while reading about my life. Maybe no one is even reading, that 's actually better for me, this way I don't  have to worry about entertaining anyone. Yay for me.

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Defeat Writer's BlockĀ 

7/12/2016

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So today I decided to challenge myself. I've added a new tab to the navigation bar called "Daily." Under it is a new blog for daily writing. It's a challenge to help me get passed my writer's block! If you click it, you'll find my first two posts, one on why I'm doing this, and the second is my first "Writer's Block Experimentation" post. I actually did my first trial a few days ago, but I've decided to post it today as the first in a series of writing trials, this way I have a starting point.

I hope you will all check it out, and then possibly decide to join me in my challenge. Maybe I'll even post your trials to the blog if you decide to submit  one! Join me in the fight to end Writer's Block!
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Fresh coat of paint

7/8/2016

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I've decided that my website needs a little spring cleaning, or a summer cleansing if you will, either way it's getting a "fresh coat of paint," and so a few pages might look a bit unfinished during the week. A few links may not work as well, but no worries, I'll try to have everything done soon. Even if no one is really reading this, I do take pride in what I put my name to, so regardless of recognition or other people's opinions, I'm  "gonna do me," as the kids say. 

Hope everyone is having an amazing summer!

Until next time,
Cristina.
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Belgium

7/5/2016

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Hi everyone! I just want to let you know that this blog post should have been posted on June 26th, but as i'm lazy and get distracted easily, it has taken me an entire week to finish writing it. So when reading this, just keep that in mind. Thank you. Have patience with  me readers, it is a virtue after all.
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The land of French Fries! (They should actually be called Belgium Fries since they where invented there after all...) They were so good, with Mayo and ketchup, I get chills just thinking about them now.

Just got back from Antwerp, Belgium today! Had a great few days there with my Zia Giovanna! We were visiting my older cousin Francesca who is going to school for dance there! I was so glad to see her, it had been about five years since I had last seen her in the flesh. I miss her already! But she's coming to Turin this Wednesday, so I don't have to wait another five years haha.

While led we were there, Franci had her end of the year performance, and we went all three nights, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, to watch her dance. She's amazing! A lot of people in my family are artists, dancers, photographers, cooks, and it's amazing to get to experience some part of it all. I think I've watched enough dancing now to last a life time, at least the routines that we watched. I'd like to file those away now and move on to the next so to speak. Watching the same thing over and over just makes you notice mistakes and it takes the initial amazement away from the experience. Nonetheless, it was a great show each time. The male dancers in the second performance were simply amazing, each time I saw the show I liked there performance more and more, and even started counting out the movements.

Franci was the best of all the girls in their group, sorry ballerina girls, my cousin is the best, and this isn't favoritism because of blood. I just think she is the most talented and committed to the art, I really admire her as an artist and a person in general.

I met a lot of lovely people while I was there, all friends of Franci, all really nice. I wonder if most people from Belgium are nice, it seems so peaceful there, I can't help but wonder how they can achieve such a relaxed feel.

[Side note: Why do people in Belgium keep saying "yeah, too bad," when I mention Bernie Sanders!? You guys do know that he's not out of the race right?? Don't trust the Media. #dropouthillary #canAmericaStopBeingSoDisapointing?]

Anyway, Belgium was freaking beautiful and I would love to go back. I'd like to stay a bit longer, that way I can experience more of the city and it's culture (And also to eat more fries). I had a wonderful time with my Zia Giovanna and my amazing cousin Franci!  

To quote my cousin, from her end of the year portfolio, "Today I (took) a trip around the world, and I was everywhere and time didn't exist." 



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The street art was  great, I loved these photos I captured with Francesca as the model in both. She didn't even realize I was taking the photos.  Love love love.
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The city was so amazing. A mix of old and new structures, religions and faces, and filled with people riding bikes (the main form of travel there). I'd love to return to see more.
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    Cristina R.

    Artist, Writer, Reader, Gamer, Plant Enthusiast.

    "She wasn't doing a thing that I could see, except standing there leaning on the balcony railing, holding the universe together."  -Salinger

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