Went to the football last night (my first time at a football game of any kind), it was great, well the playing wasn't amazing, but the crowd was brilliant. I think Ben put it best something like 'hooliganism bordered by camp'. Roma won, just as well too. Tonight we have a lecture on architecture, philosophy and so on, I am very much looking forward to it. Today will just be quiet work in library, I feel the need to get some solid writing done so that I feel I have something achieved that is quantifiable.

Me and Cat on the Aventine, see Kat and Cat, and the Beware of the Dog sign, gettit?

Sculpture, i love the Venus, or whoever she is with hair but no head.

Yesterday morning I had organised a permesso (i.e. a permission) to visit the church of the Knights of Malta, it was such a gorgeous day, brilliant blue sky, sun reflecting off white marble. Also everyone who came loved it, including me, which added so much to the experience. My supervisor came and he is in such good spirits, and was all excited about the visit, so that has been great.

Had a nice quiet night last night, i sort of wanted a big one but my body wasn't up to it, and probably thanks me for listening. Instead I was awake sort of early and was planning an outing, saw Cat in the kitchen (the kitchen here is like the hub of activity) and she suggested Palazzo Massimo to see Pompeian wall frescoes and loads of sculpture. Excellent idea, said I. So we did that, I loved them, in particular one room that had frescoes for three sides of a room all decorated as an illusionistic garden with little birds and flowers.

Then we went to meet her friends, had some food, had a wander, now have just done some pilates as I have been feeling all wobbly, showered, and having a g&t. Also listening to the new song we have for choir on Monday, and also a new discovery of mine, a singer called Nick Drake, mi piace moltissimo. I am waiting for my photos to download, i love my new huge memory card, thank god I also got a new external drive or my poor computer would be seriously mad at me right now.

boo, we lost! not badly, i actually got hit full in the face in the first two minutes and subbed off, but I played again. After the second game we broke out the beers, then we found there was another game, yay drunken football.

The americans were nice, one couple had the cutest baby who loved my tres sporty headband in silver and gold. Waiting for a shower to be free now so we can hit the town.

Just about to play the yanks in football I hope they are shit, me and Ben just had the most unhealthy lunch and beer as our preparation *drinks loads of water*

Ohh before I can't be bothered I have to write about a few things from yesterday, well unless other people are history nerds like me it might not be so exciting. A big group of us trooped off to the pope's house to see the Tower of the Winds. But because we had a lovely guide he also showed us around the Vatican secret archives and we saw the edict of worms with Charles V signature (or as it also known the Diet of Worms which is just too damn funny for words), the actual 13th century letter for the creation of the Franciscan order, we saw the letter excommunicating Martin Luther and essentially the start of Prodestantism, and the letter from all the nobles of England to the Pope asking for permission for Henry VIII to divorce Catherine of Aragon, so that is the beginning of Anglicanism. Damn cool stuff.

The tower was also gorgeous, beautiful frescoes and also a meridian, or a big indoor sundial. Then in the evening we had choir practice for one of the artists Cian who has music as part of his art. Good times, we had to practice harmonies and all.

Oh and you will never believe this, I got back to the school today to find an invite to an Australia Day function from the oz ambassador.... Amanda Vanstone, hilarious.

Had another big night last night, gah. Pizza was good, had tuna which I love. Also we all had a really good chat about the Ara Pacis that me and Chris and Cat had been to see.

Then we went for drinks and I was trying to pace myself, and doing quite well I think. Chris was out of control once he tried to keep up with Anneleise, who is tall and Dutch and could probably drink most guys under the table. Then Aisling arrived with some Italian friends, one called Fabio, who was so funny, a proper drunk Italian. We had random chats in English and Italian.

I had to take Cat to get a cab because she was getting a bit over being the sober one amongst silly people, and she had a sore foot from me kicking it in football (i kicked it in a tackle *hangs head in shame*)

I then had some water, but then me and Aisling and Ben unwisely decided to do tequila shots, which being in Italy were like triple shots, argh. I was sick in the cab, not in a messy way, but I hate being sick like that, especially after I had been so paced. Anyhoo was still pretty fun but I need to now have a quiet week alcohol wise.

Had a great day today, the sun was out and Rome was beautiful, slightly misty and blue skies. THree of us went to see the Ara Pacis, an Augustan altar, big, white, sculptural. It was great, it has a new building which has been a bit controversial, by the American architect Richard Meier, but I really like it.

Then this afternoon we played football for 2 hours, we are getting better which is good as we have a game against the American Academy next week and we CAN"T lose. I am really enjoying learning how to play and how not to run away from the ball, I even took some dives *puffs chest*

Busy day today. Had a trip to Grottaferrata and Frascati to see a monatsery and a garden. But all this began at 8am this morning after getting completely smashed last night. Had a lecture, all good. It went too long so after I basically downed two glasses of prosecco, then some red wine, then more prosecco, the more red, then the gin came out, then some thing someone's Italian mamma had made which was 85% alcohol. Some things are blurred but I do remember playing kung fu fighting in a dress, trying to slide down long dinner tables on our bellies, and then ending up in Aisling's studio spray painting a canvas. I woke up this morning with spray paint and lentils on my feet. But in my dazednessI had drunk a whole litre of water so i think that's why I pulled up fine.

Today was gorgeous. Weather was shitto, but first stop was Grottaferrata, which I have been to before, a monastery built in the 11th century with additions from various centuries. But the real delight was the 89 year old monk, so gorgeous, he had been there since he was 17!

Then we had lunch at Frascati, which was basically buying food, which you then take to an Hosteria where they let you eat food and drink their wine, I love it, it all came out of big tanks of wine in the room.

Then we hit the garden, which I have seen before but always love. Some of it was blocked off which was annoying, but still fun.

Just played a solid hour or so of table tennis.

piccies

The Main (only?) street


San Nilo


our monk


the Hosteria

Made some art tonight, well posed for some. It involved a late night walk in the Borghese gardens, which means dodging rent boys, a costume that was basically coveralls with little pictures stuck all over and we all posed on the steps of a classical temple and then walked home in costume.

Found a new libretto for a play in a manuscript today, exciting, for me anyway. Then went and bought some mascara and got pissed at Zara because they didn't have my size in any jeans which I had a sudden desperate desire for. Had potato pizza instead which probably now means I have gone up a size.

Italian class this arvo, I love them, I make lots of mistakes, but learn a lot at the same time, also Alberto siad my Italian was 'brava' so that chuffed me. Then I began mooching until Ben came and knocked on my door with a g&t and we hung out giggling about Americans.

Had a productive morning in a new library. It is so gorgeous, a big high ceiling room with three levels of bookcases and tiny walkways. Also they were absolutely lovely people, thank god as I got to the desk and completely forgot how to speak Italian and was just standing there opening and closing my mouth like an idiot. My eyes got sore at about pm from reading 18th century handwriting so I went to get pizza, and then I picked up a few essentials like nail polish remover, socks and a knitted v-neck chocolate brown dress.

Yesterday was so bloody wet. We were meant to go the markets, scrapped that, and then we were meant to play soccer in the afternoon but that was scrapped too. SO instead we played ping pong and then watched Kingdom of Heaven, hilarious, honestly, worts script ever. Orlando Bloom is still hot though.

Then we watched Napoleon Dynamite which I had never see. I loved it and having been trying out my new catchphrases all day. It was also pretty funny that I had had no idea what those 'vote for pedro' t-shirts were about.

Last night a bunch of us had dinner at a bloody brilliant pizzeria, very basic, paper on the tables and everyone jammed in, but we had to out our names on a list and then we went and had a drink at a tapas bar. I had my favourite pizza with artichokes and tuna. We drank huge beers and then found a bar. We were in a part of Rome called San Lorenzo which I love as it is where all the students hang out, so the bars a bit more proper, proper meaning rowdy and uncivilised.

We got steadily drunker and one guy who is only 22 just fell asleep at the table, so we drew on him with make up. Then drew on each other. Then we left and ended up getting caught in the rain, so we started chasing each other and beating each other with umbrellas until they all broke and we finally got a taxi. When I got in I realised I had mascara all down my face and smudges of lipstick everywhere. Good times.

Today was a bit lazy, went out for a walk with Chris, we intended to go to a museum but we kept just going the wrong way so we gave up and had ice cream. Came back played soccer and I got three goals in a row, so proud.

Oops dinner bell just went.

haha perfect! just one of those nights, I am now drunk again and feel fab! Went out to see lovely art this morning, then saw saw the church where they make decorations out of bones, then tried to see some thing old and roman, then went sneaker shopping. Gave up on that and had damn fine pizza. Came back did some work and then me and ben had g&t's and watching random stuff online.

We went bowling tonight and I rediscovered my inner overly competitive spirit.

Yesterday I had four hours of manuscripts, three hours of Italian lessons and 30 mins of good hard ping pong (technically all ping pong is hard for me). What more could a girl want?

Wandered up the Janiculum today with Ben to the American Academy, got my card and did a bit of work, didn't feel all that productive, I am having trouble getting my head down and really working. Though partly the problem was I didn't have anything I really needed to do there, just lots of little things. I think tomorrow I will head back to the Casanatense in the morning and do some more libretti and then come back in the afternoon and try and write. I might even sign up for lunch. I think I need some music or something. I will make cups of tea and knuckle down to the queen casimira stuff that i can do via the net. Then try and get my set design analysis framework sorted.

There is a lecture on soon, about pots and Pompeii, hopefully it is good, but at least there are free drinks after and special dinner.

Its rainy today, which is a bit of a downer, though on the other hand it is legal to whinge about rain in Italy, unlike oz. Had a late night last night, which was good as it meant I slept through till 9am no problems, Cat called me to organise the serious business of getting out to the sales, which began today. So we headed off about 10, mooched a bit, got stiflingly hot in Zara, but it was worth it, bought some lovely shoes and a top. MOstly I just scoped it out, the queues to try things on were far too long, so I will go back later when it is less crazy. Italians are seemingly unable to shop alone, sp that doubles the crowd, not to mention the tactical shopping, husband stands in line, while the wife tries things on, and her smaller daughter darts amongst the crowd to fin the right colours and sizes.

My new shoes...


Cat and I went for a wander yesterday arvo and evening to tire ourselves out. Popped into San Agostino to say hi to Caravaggio's 'Madonna of the Streets'.

Starlings over Piazza Venezia


An antique shop


The Pincio Christmas tree



PIazza del Popolo

I am sooo hungry but still 45 mins till lunch.
Jet lag came and prodded me awake at 5:30am this morning, so I read a comic for a bit, but that woke me up more, so I decided to try counting sheep, but then I statrted analysing their relationship to the natural environment instead. So I eventually got up about 6:15 and did some pilates and sit ups.
Now I am in the library trying to get back into research, but I still feel a bit disorganised, I have so much to do and so much I can do I don't know where to start.

Rome 08

Back in Rome, this is becoming a habit isn't it?
Flight was straightforward but exhausting, I couldn't sleep as well as I normally can, plus the fact that I was so exhausted from that hot new years evening.
Am having an organising day today, it is bit cold and cloudy, though will venture out later for supplies to the local supermarket.