2010: at the Quarter pole already!?

"Procrastinazione", "pigrizia", and "distratto" are all Italian words (procrastination, laziness, and distracted) that can explain why its been three months since my last post. Even though I've made promises to folks that I would continue to update, I weakly have been letting facebook provide my updates--a practice I promised myself I wouldn't do.

Because a number of things have happened since my last post, here is a quick timeline of highlights:

• early January- Natalia and I went to Siena for a couple of days. AWESOME town in Tuscany. We'll definitely be making a return trip this summer.

• mid-January- got offered a consultancy with a great UN organization based here. Quickly learned that I did not have the proper paperwork that would permit me to begin work. Slight depression ensues.
• late January- went snowboarding in the Dolomites with my brother, Justin. An unbelievably epic trip, with perfect snow, uncrowded runs, good food and amazing vistas.
• mid-February-returned to SF for three weeks to sort out my visa. After four visits to the Italian Embassy, I was finally granted an extended stay visa permitting me to return to Roma for six months. While home for three weeks, I had a great time eating all the foods that we can't get here including chinese food (i had dim sum 5 times in 3 weeks), Mexican, Vietnamese, Japanese, Filipino, Joe's of Westlake, and my first experience of Dottie's Cafe in the Tenderloin. I easily put on 5 lbs during my trip home, but all well worth it. Other than food, I also caught up with pretty much everyone, which was great but often resulted in hungover mornings. Getting older does not help in this area one bit. I also participated in godfather duties as my newly minted godson, Jordan Rillera, was baptised while I was home. Bittersweet as I was proud to able to be there that day, but bummed that I won't see him for a few months. The same can be said for the other kids in my life including, Quincy, Tyler, Tobey, Thomas, Elizabeth, Colin, and Elijah among others. I had a chance to spend time with all of the kids, but it only bums me out to not see them again for a while. The great thing about kids from ages 0-7, they don't miss a beat and I was embraced and played with them as if I never left. Other highlights of the trip home: HDTV, curling, karaoke, poker, an old-school weekend of partying with Francis and Chris, and going to a Warrior game (they actually won!!).
• early March- returned to Rome and Natalia just in time for winter to begin to thaw and sunny days slowly returning. Great time of the year here.
  
• mid-March-secured the consultancy...any semblance of depression completely lifts. start date- March 29. After seven months, I'll be back in an office. Looking forward to it, though the days of morning strolls to the market, sleeping in, exploring the city aimlessly with Ipod on, and reading every page of the newspaper online each day will be greatly missed. Steady income and a chance to actually plan our wedding and life going forward is an easy trade-off for capuccino mornings, plus I still have the weekends.
  
• late March- after months without one, we bought a TV and are digging watching Italian game shows, BBC, MTV, and lots and lots of soccer (the last part only applies to me).

So thats a quick blast on what's been happening in my life. I have plans for another post soon, but that will have to wait for another day. I need to go out and take advantage of one of the few free days I have left. Ciao.