docoflove1974

Well, I'm here, it's really day 2 for me in the Eternal City. Yesterday was spent at the heart of Ancient Rome, so to speak: the Palantine Hill ruins, including the Forum and Trajan's Market, the Capolitine, and all that I could get. I took almost 200 pictures yesterday...not bad. I'm definitely doing this on the cheap, so sadly no museums...I have to save most of my money for Tuscany, which starts tomorrow. Today I'm off to the Vatican and the Pantheon...must really get my religious aspect in I will write more later, when I'm not on a time limit, but I really wanted to mention here...I'm in awe. I was writing in my journal whilst sitting in the area of the Palantine of Severus' baths, and couldn't get over the fact that I was finally seeing what I had been literally studying all my life. I can't wait for my dad to get here--my parents are here after their time in Tuscany--so that later he and I can swap thoughts on the magic that is Rome. Ok, just a quickie...like I said, I'll write more probably when I get back to the States. I should be able to check in either tomorrow or the day after. Ci vediamo, tutti!

12 hours from now. 12 hours from right now, the plane'll be taxing the runway at San Francisco International Airport, on its way to Zurich. Then a 90 minute layover, and onto Roma. Holy crap. I'm finally going 'home'. Ok, let's be clear...I've never been to Italy. Not only is this my first trip there, my mother's family hasn't been back there since we left 100 years ago--with the sole exception of my great-uncle and his wife going back in the mid-80s. My parents are there for a month, and I'll be there for 2 weeks. I am completely and totally geeked. I told myself yesterday that there was no need to be nervous. I even blogged it here. And yet...after writing that, my stomach's been in a bit of a twist, and I've been a bit jumpier compared to usual. I had a doctor's appointment yesterday (all's well, thanks), but they noted that my usual and steady 120/70 had jumped to 140/93...I know it's the trip and this combination of anxiety, excitement, and thrills. Actually, my neighbor said I was restrained...not in the positive way, but the 'I have to hold back, or else I'll explode with a ball of energy' kind of way. The cable has been out since Friday--the landlord forgot to pay the bill, and for whatever reason it's still out--so I've been listening to a lot of music and watching DVDs at night. Lots of calming music...Brazilian samba for the most part, but I did end up switching to a little Afro-Cuban in the afternoon. Last night's movie (Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels) ended a bit late, but I figured that would be a good thing. Stay up a bit later, maybe get more tired, and then I'll for sure sleep well. Nope...I was still tossing and turning all night, a bundle of nerves just ready to go run across the Atlantic Ocean for the motherland. I was up by 6am (instead of the planned 7am), and I've been slow-moving. Purposely, by the way. I've got an extremely long day today. 14 hours of flying, 9 hours time change, and, well, I lose 24 hours total. Ma vado a Italia!!!! So, with luck, I'll be blogging from Italy over the next couple of weeks. Tons of pictures; I plan on hitting the Forum (the one in ruins, not just the one online) on Friday or Saturday, and will take pictures from Tuscany, as well. Hopefully we get to go to Lombardy and find some cousins...we shall see. Either way, Lady Fortuna hopefully will be by my side, the gods will be favoring me. Mercury, please bestow luck on me during my travels. And dear Juno, I have no quarrel with you, so please don't treat me like you did Aeneas and his crew. Arrivaderci!

I just updated my FaceBook status to: Domani!! Domani!!! Translation: Tomorrow!! Tomorrow!!! Yes, tomorrow's the big day. I've been working on the list of things to pack. Today I have a couple of appointments, then it's laundry and cleaning the apartment. I haven't decided for sure, but I still have some stuff for a light dinner tonight. Then...the big day! Tomorrow's shaping up to be a very long day...about a 36 hour day. In the morning I need to pack (unless I do it tonight, which is possible), do some yoga to stretch out and relax, take Bella to the kennel, and then go for the airport. It's a later flight (7:30pm), but because I'm flying international on the first leg and I'm checking a bag, I need to get there 2-3 hours early. The bad news in this is that I'll be taking public transportation...not my favorite option, but when flying out midweek during the workday, well, that's about it. I think I back tracked it so that I have to leave the house at 2pm. Eh, it's all good. The only thing I'm not prepared for is the language. Sure, I'm fluent in Italian, but I haven't had the time to review anything. Remember, I speak Spanish and English every day...no real Italian. And while I've been forcing myself to think in Italian as much as possible, there are some definite lapses. I guess this means I'm bringing my review book on the plane. I'm not nervous. I'm kinda surprised, really. But in a way, I'm not. How do I phrase this...I tend to get nervous leading up to major events, then the nerves seem to melt away when it's time to act. But it's all good...la vita

As you said in a later post...nothing ventured, nothing gained

Etruscan was not an Italic language, nor even Indo-European...in fact, it's a linguistic isolet, meaning we don't know of a language family that connects to it. The languages of the Sabines, Aequi, Marsi and Volsci have very little to data to discuss, so that I know of there isn't much to say. There are questions as to whether Ligurian, Rhaetian, Siculian and Elymian are Indo-European. It's possible, however there are very few data--mostly toponyms--but the feeling is that they are IE, just probably not Italic (Beekes 1995: 26). The closest to Latin is Faliscan, which we don't have much evidence on. We have some inscriptions in the territory of the Falerii, and a 4th century BCE cup found in Rome. (Baldi 1983: 25) Oscan and Umbrian (or the Sabellian languages) are the other Italic languages, and they are fairly close to Latin. Oscan was spoken by the Osci in Campania--in other words, it's the language of the Samnites. We have about 200 inscriptions from Campania, Samnium, northern Apulia, Lucania, Bruttium and Messana. Chiefly we have the Tabula Bantina, a list of municipal regulations, and the Cippus Abellanus, another municipal document. (Baldi 1983: 29-30) Oscan did have its own alphabet, but also there are inscriptions using the Greek alphabet as well as the Latin alphabet (Beekes 1995:26). Umbrian, spoken in the region to the east of Tuscany, also is recorded in various inscriptions and, principally, the Iguvine Tables. These were from 400-90 BCE, and contained directions for and descriptions of various religious ceremonies performed by a group of priests called the Atiedian Brothers." (Baldi 1983: 30) These tables were written in their own script, which is the youngest in the Latin alphabet (Beekes 1995: 26) There are a fair number of similarities to Latin, although with such limited data it's always hard to definitively make this call. Definitively, we have a much larger bank of data for Latin, especially of Old Latin, to make the comparisons, but it seems clear from the data available that these are the languages that are related. References...and definitely a couple of handbooks on all things Indo-European: Baldi, Philip. 1983. An Introduction to the Indo-European Languages. Carbondale and Edwardsville, IL: Southern Illinois University Press. Beekes, Robert S.P. 1995. Comparative Indo-European Linguistics: An Introduction. Amsterdam and Philadelphia: John Benjamins Publishing Company.

Wow, unreal. The jet stream's really off. You're getting sultry nights, while in Baghdad-By-The-Bay it's cool, rainy-ish...dare I say it, but typical English weather.

Where did this come from, Cosmo For Men? I somehow picture a scene in a movie with a voice over...kinda like !

Yeah, I know, two entries in one day. Whoda thunk it? The truth is that today was a day of various inspirational elements, and I find myself at 11pm at night needing to write. So here I am. It was relatively a good day. But weird in the evening. There was a party; my upstairs neighbor Hank decided to have a shindig, complete with live band. A damned good one: the Roger Steen Band, in which Hank is the bassist. They practice in the studio on the property, and while I'm very thankful when I get to listen to them, this was the first night in a while that I got to hear them full on--as in, not through a wall or two. Man, what a night! There were probably a total of 20 people in the backyard, which is a good crowd. A good night had by all. It also was a personal night for me. A family friend passed away on Thursday, after a 2 year battle with cancer. It was the first night in perhaps 6 months that I had hard alcohol--a couple of doubles of Makers' Mark--which was quite fitting. Robert was a reformed alcoholic, but would have approved a night of Makers'. In fact, had I enjoyed a cigar and a few rounds of poker, that would have been most fitting. Eh, good friends, good music, bbq hot dogs and burgers...he would have enjoyed it just the same. "Hey toots..." I can hear him now. He's dancing around to the music, enjoying the groove. Making everyone feel happy and welcomed. Miss ya, Robert. Ok, time for bed now. Or a few more glasses of water before a hot shower and bed. Man, I almost forgot what a great buzz good bourbon can give ya!

That's my usual; I have a couple of Afro-Latino mixes on iTunes that are on constant rotation. Also a Rock en espa

Saturday morning, 6:40. The feline alarm clock is sounding...creeping up on me like those first few rays at dawn, and then full on. RARRARRARRARRARRARRARRARRARRAR You'd think her food bowl was empty. Oh, right, it is. Eh, I was due to be up at 7 anyway. I find myself at peace this morning. Quiet. Calm. I have some potential new clients to see this morning, a coffee date in the afternoon, and who knows what tonight. I have more work to do this weekend than I know what to do with, and while that's neither exciting or adventurous, I'd love to have it all finished by the time I give my first final on Monday. And that's not even counting the list of things that need to get done before I leave for the Motherland in less than 3 weeks. * * * * * * * Yesterday I found myself to be in a Robbie mood. Yes, it's true, the music of Mr. Williams long ago enchanted me, and for the most part I like the latest CD. I also find that when grading a bunch of stuff, I need to get in the mood, which usually entails some type of music that completely engulfs me in a beat that I can bop to, yet can work to. But yesterday, I dunno, I needed me some Robbie. Call me silly, or whatever else, but we all have our guilty pleasures. C'mon, you all need to admit it. Just own up to it. You'll feel better, I promise.

Radio Amnesty...sounds like the tv amnesty that we had hear last year. Everyone now in the US needs to get their tv signals from either a wire coming from the wall, or a specific type of special antenna that pulls a digital signal out from somewhere. The funny part is, I thought most everyone here had either cable or satellite. Then again, I was informed that most everyone has an HD tv...um, well, not this person...

I saw the first half of episodes, and was intrigued. But I admit the very long layoff killed the interest in me; I just didn't care enough to make sure to watch the second half. I vaguely remember the original series in the 80s, and this plotline seemed a bit familiar.

LOVE sushi...and one of the perks of living in Japantown of a not-San Francisco city is that it's very good, and very affordable. The only downside is that, with my being allergic to shellfish, there's a bunch of varieties and rolls that I can't enjoy. On the other hand, toro...*drool*

I had a confirmation of an epiphany yesterday. It was a revelation of something that I deeply suspected, but had been afraid to act upon for some time, and in truth I should have just bucked up and taken the reins and confronted this truth. Ladies and gentlemen, I like salmon. Trust me, this is a shock. For years and years, the only way I liked salmon was as sashimi...since raw salmon didn't have that pungent olor that put me off. And I do love other types of fleshy fish...everything from orange roughy to cod to petrale sole, from tuna of all varieties to swordfish to halibut...love me some eel, skate...just about anything. Except salmon...I just consistently got turned off for years. Yesterday was my cat's birthday, and my present to her, so to speak, is to go to the fish monger and get her a couple of prawns. It's a birthday dinner that lasts a couple of days, and one which she really can't get enough of. I poach one prawn in a bit of water, cut it up in very small pieces, and serve her with the delicious dish. She eats a bit at first, and then lets it sit so she can savor it the rest of the evening. And she does...I woke up this morning, only to find that the once 3/4 full dish of shrimpy goodness was now empty. Of course, I'm not just going to buy two shrimp and call it a day...I usually get something for myself. Yesterday at the fish monger there was a huge variety of salmon: Wild Oregonian King Salmon; Australian King Salmon that, according to FishSource, is sustainably and responsibly raised; farmed Coho Salmon--just a start. So after a brief chat with the fish dude, I settled on a small Aussie King Salmon fillet. With a couple of other purchases done, I went home to show Bella her birthday gift, and to contemplate dinner preparation. My decision was to go basic and simple: drizzle of olive oil, salt, pepper, and chopped herbs from the garden. I wanted to be able to truly taste the fish, so I wanted something clean. I was going to put it on the gas grill outside, but seeing as how there was no more gas in the tank, well, I nixed that idea. So I settled on a quick pan sear on both sides, 2 minutes per side, and then a 5 minute rest. Squeeze of lemon after cooking. Um...wow...holy wowzer. This was good! What in the hell was I thinking before? Perfectly cooked--meaning barely cooked in the middle--and buttery. No off-putting flavor whatsoever. Amazing! It's still not going to replace my favorite--albacore and bluefin tuna steaks--but it's a damned good investment. Ok, I've been changed. Which leads me to wonder...were there years of crappy salmon in my past, or have my taste buds changed? What else needs to be crossed off the relatively short list of foods that I do not like? (By the way, tripe and most organ meats will continue to be on that list...I keep trying, and I can't stomach them.)

Latini became romans and some other provincials became Latins. Confusing... It seems to have more to do with the founding of Rome as a stable city. Once that group of Latini identified themselves as Romans first (of the Latini general tribe secondarily), that's when the switch was made. The language was used by the entire tribe, hence the term being from there. But the city of Rome was the center of the eventual Republic, and because of this those specific people (and their civilization, and the actions henceforth) are considered 'Roman'. But the region in general was always considered Latium, the land of the Latini people. Rome just happened to be the major hub, the central and most important city.

Been a while, I know. The end of the semester usually gets a bit rough. In this case, perhaps all the moreso because of the upcoming trip to the motherland. There seems to be an unending amount of things to get done beforehand, so that when I come back I'm not bombarded with a myriad of items requiring my attention. It's bad enough that when I come back, I'll have about 3 weeks to get everything settled for my move. I have been reminded that I am honor-bound and duty-driven to come up with activities that I want to do while in Tuscany. Um, duh. I know this. I also know that while I will do some planning, I do not plan on doing all that much. Oh, a trip up to outer Milan to see the ancestral lands is definitely on the list. But while I have sent off a letter to my grandmother's cousin, I somehow doubt that I'll hear anything back...and if I do, wonderful. If not, well, I just want to go see it. Granted, it's preobably been built over, seeing as how what once was a podunk farming community 100 years ago is now a suburb of Milan. I know this. Maybe it's just that my overall energy level is down, but I just can't be arsed to do it. I want to spend a couple of days in Florence, a handful in Siena. Beyond that...well, the pool at the villa looks nice.

Yes, and the language was spoken (and sporatically written) before Rome the city was firmly established as a powerhouse.

...Brutus, Caesar and...

I will admit something...I recently had students use Wikipedia for phonetic information on a project. *gasp* *shock* To be honest, while I found a couple of inconsistencies, the point of an intro to linguistics class is to have a general knowledge of linguistics. And most sites which details of a given language's phonetic inventory is too complex and detailed for an intro class. But not true of the Wikipedia site...I was amazed. Now, for anything else they do for me in class, they cannot use Wikipedia as a source, but I've taught them how to use Wikipedia as a starting point for a list of links and/or references, and to go from there. (Let's see if they follow instructions!)

(Ok, so that''s a song lyric, and not a song title...it's appropriate, dammit...) Friday was a huge and emotional day, for many reasons. Yes, I did go to the Honors and Transfer Ceremony, which was this fulfilling experience as an educator and as a member of the campus community. We have 10,000 students at my college, which is a small number for a community college, but the number of students who have finished their certificates or associate's degrees and who are transferring is large. And we'll have even more students in the fall, and that means even more opportunities to change lives. It's really pretty awesome when you think about it. Friday also marked the day when a dear friend handed in her dissertation...not only is she done, but the nightmare that was her defense and post-defense period has now closed. She had one of the most unsupportive committees, headed by a dissertation advisor that left her to the proverbial wolves--and my dear friend is someone who needed, and perhaps one could say deserved, better treatment. But regardless, she's done, she's a PhD, and that chapter has closed. She sent me and various others the copy of the acknowledgements page of her dissertation...very touching to be part of that. And as I type this, I'm sitting in my parents' den. I'm spending the night here, celebrating Mothers' Day with my mamma. All us kids were here today, and tomorrow I'm making lunch. Happy Mothers' Day to all those wonderful women who give us life, to give us support, and who give us love.

It's award season in academia...as the semester winds down, it's time to honor those whose work and effort did not go unnoticed. We have a 'power couple' as I like to call them, a duo who emigrated here from Mexico together, who study together, who will graduate together, who will transfer to a 4-year college together. Oh, and who rock. Check this out: Aldo and Violeta win the Jack Kent Cooke Scholarship What the clip didn't mention is that this is the second year in a row that Ca

A classic Saturday Night Live skit...Olympia Restaurant

Still waters run deep. I know this to be true, and while creating and maintaining conversation is a skill of mine, it is equally true that not everyone is good at this skill. Lately I've been on the dating circuit, and have met a wide array of interesting chaps. Some have been quite conversant, but there has been a gnawing at my viscera that something's not quite right with them...and I've learned the hard way to listen to my viscera on such matters. Some have been, well, perhaps overly reflective; definitely they're trying to think before they speak, which is always a good behavior. But to take it to the level that you don't really participate in a conversation on an active level, and instead just react to a question or a statement at a minimal level, it gets, well, weird. Recently I met up with one such deep thinker for an afternoon. He displayed an interest in me: leaning into the conversation, always looking right at me with wide eyes, with a relaxed yet interested expression on his face. Yet getting him to elaborate on himself, his life, or even general thoughts on life was damned near impossible. And while I'm a talkative gal, I am highly capable of waiting for the other person to initiate another line of discussion...and yet every time I would do that with this gentleman (and others like him), they just sit there, waiting, hoping that I'll bring up something that they can comment briefly on. At a couple of times I just looked right back of him...and became unnerved by the unyielding and very intense gaze; this cold chill ran up my spine, and the viscera were cranking up again. I can't quite be cold enough to drop these types of guys at the blink of an eye, and I'm sure that they figure out that I was expecting a bit more. Nice guys, the lot of them, but just not interesting to me. On the other hand, I had a dream last night that I was dating a professional hockey player, and he was teaching me how to maneuver the puck on the ice. I'm positive that's a metaphor for something

Happy birthday, ya big bear. Hope you enjoy the day!

Gotta love springtime here in NorCal. Warm, but not hot...until that semi-random storm comes racing in. The last couple of weeks have been glorious, outside of Tuesday and Wednesday--those days seem to be reserved for stormy weather. It's all rather confusing, really. I would love to go for a bike ride, but I'm going to chicken out and instead do some much needed yoga indoors. And poor, poor Bella...she's not happy with me at all. All she sees right now is sunshine, blue skies and birdies flitting around outside...she seems to gloss over that huge thundercloud just to the northwest. I keep showing her the radar on the internet, showing that we're about to have a substantial outpouring of water coming from the sky, but she doesn't seem to care in the slightest. So she runs around the tiny apartment, partly to show her frustration, and partly to get my attention...whacks a ball in my direction, but doesn't really want to play. I keep telling her, about 2 more months, then we go to a much bigger place (2 1/2 times as big, really), and if she's good girl she'll be able to go outside. (Maybe, I haven't decided completely on this.) But you know cats...all they want is NOW. Oh, to be like her sometimes. Ok, time for funny looking stretches. Gotta do some kind of physical activity this morning.