School has begun and it is off to a great start. Anyone in education knows that school is school and it doesn't really ever change. The only affects on teachers might be new schedules (not for us) or odd students. So far all my students seem to be genuinely interested in school and happy to be in class. Fun!

It probably has something to do with my more "settled down, slowed down" outlook on life due to the traveling lessons learned. So it was a great summer and the brick wall syndrome hasn't been allowed to affect me this year.

Next, regardless of the rain that any and all Alaskans didn't appreciate this summer, today I got a good whiff of fall with a crispy air feeling and thoughts of a Charlie Brown Thanksgiving. It's nice! This year being more settled (in house, 2nd year at a school) allows for actual participation and calmed reception of the holidays. Wonderful!

I just got a great hair cut! Too bad the good beauticianally skilled lady's effort goes to a semi-waste with my famous up-doo! Still very nice!

Today I talked to mom and Trace as they headed to Little Miss Sunshine with the gang living it up! I'm excited to hear how the movie is! Off to watch Total Recall with some great pizza!

What if your kitchen fell off into the sea?

Wait, shouldn't I be doing lesson plans...

Nah, and as our Dublin taxi driver said, "Eh, we Irish just think, ah… we can do it tomorrow."

A great philosophy to embrace. Not just whim, but seriously embrace. YES! Especially for my thoughts on teacherhood b/c it's never really complete until May 23. You heard right, that's our last day of school! And don't get me started on how sweetly laid out our Christmas break is - coming back on Jan. 6th or 8th? (props to Matt's day).

I have no shame in the holding on dearly to our school breaks!

So, so, so you may be thinking, "How is Mary doing with....you know....all that getting up and being a human so early and for so long?"

2 A.M. bedtimes, 530 wakeups. Good times!

Diagonal naps! TAKE 'EM!

Large bed, sleep diagonally with swimming room! Only one blanket and one pillow. Pure stretchy, spread out good sleep!

Oh! So, lately my mind has been rollin', rollin', rollin' --- but not with school stuff. Book ideas, stories, funny things, quips of hey, hey, hey slow down brain I've got to write that down please!

Jammin' to the new Keane album here! Dad did I send you the pipettes yet? Shame on me if not, argh! What do you think?

Did anyone see SNL's pirate bit last Saturday. Anything Arrrgh! Peter Saarsgard, Arrrrby's, carrrrr, barrrrrr akdjfadfahdf hehehehheh. Pointless and brainless but enjoyable!

This is a great quote from Tracey's adventure:

"...golden, grassy land stretching as far as the eye can see, huge blue skies, (clear, starry skies at night), acacia trees popping up here and there, AMAZING sunsets, and animals going about their business.

...tons of different and weird-looking birds, buffalo, and much more."

And I was wondering if everyone else lumped birds into their own random and largely diverse category, b/c who wants to know each one's idiosyncrasies and purpose, feather and poop color, noises? I was thinking about that on the Fjords glacier tour we took last month. Well, the Lord certainly enjoys them! NICE!

Current Music Playlist:
1. When You Were Young - Killers
2. How to Save a Life - The Fray
3. Wraith Pinned to the Mist and Other Games - Of Montreal (Outback Steakhouse used this song horribly on the radio today! Unbelievable! Hilarious!)
4. John Saw That Number - Neko Case
5. Why Did You Stay? - The Pipettes
6. Talk to Me - Crutches Soundtrack (Mike) an all time favorite!
7. One Way - Hillsong
8. Lesson No. 1 - Viva Voce
9. The Execution of All Things - Rilo Kiley
10. Synth - Ed Wamik
11. My Will - DC Talk (yeah, you heard right!)
12. Is It Any Wonder? - Keane
13. Lloyd, I'm Ready to Be Heartbroken - Camera Obscura
14. Achilles - Michael Edwards
15. Set the Fire to the Third Bar - Snow Patrol (Good lyrics. Not as good as Mike's Two Bricks From Another.)

Mike Achilles is quite, quite good. Brilliant!

Other music: Regardless of overplayedness already even in Alaska, "Incredibly, the band (Killers) still make you want to believe that 'glamorous indie rock 'n' roll' can change your life."

"Burnin' down the highway skyline, on the back of a hurricane that started turnin' when you were young...when you were young"

And with that, now words especially to Matt and Tracey's brains, except all may enjoy:

It was a cool Bowling Green summer evening where 9 P.M., a jar of change, hopes and dreams hit the steering wheel! An epic trip that deserves to be preserved in words at least! You mean to tell me 2 pictures of a Mission Beach BMW squeeze parking are the only other relics of the trip? Not so, recollections! It was a commencement west!

What was the first American city to use a police car?

As opposed to foot, bike, motorcycle, horse.....?


AKRON, OHIO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Did you know that Bruce?

We got a new Willow highway sign while I was gone this summer! Pretty festive, eh?

Here's Bo and Storm relaxing on one of their new "indoor" pillows. They are getting pretty good at relaxing inside the house, and not spazing.

Great news! Bruce and Joan in Alaska in September! WOOOHOOO!!!

Today I met up with some old friends here in Alaska at the Cadillac Cafe for some pesto chicken pizza! I showed them my trip pics! The Fray(s) are their last name! And Ha! Old friends I've know for what 8 months, that's funny they're old already.

Casey and I have been lounging like never before as we defy the thoughts of school :) Tomorrow though we shall face the calendar facts, gets some specific beach groceries for health, start workouts, and see a Talladega Nights matinee.


Rome Part 2:

As I mentioned previously we stayed at a hostel called Hotel Colors close to the Vatican. There were cubes of "color" decorating the windows and colorfully painted rooms to reiterate the name. It had a cute kitchen with a terrace out back, off the 4th floor mind you.


We had a few elaborate salads prepared by Tracey and some odd encounters and discussions. First we met 2 college girls from India who were on "the trip of their lifetime....so far (they hope to travel more)" and they were silly, friendly, and happy to talk with us. In their youthfulness, I don't know about Tracey, but I felt old..er.

For instance, one girl said her Indian name really fast, and immediately blurted out "BUT EVERYBODY JUST CALLS ME PIXIE, heeheeheehee..hehehehehheheheeeee". Alrighty!


Saint Peter's actual tomb at the Vatican.

Then we talked with an older couple that had been in Rome for 6 months as the husband taught Biblical studies at a college. He liked to cuss oddly, but they were both super friendly, were interested in us, and helpful about sight seeing. We learned how to bypass a huge line at the coliseum by buying tickets elsewhere and prior to entering the coliseum.

Unfortunately, the coliseum day fell inline with the camera mishap and pictures are only mental for Tracey and I. Picture a bigger fountain, only on the ground, perfect for dropping personal belongings into.


But we learned interesting facts that I shall share in words. Like the wild animals for the coliseum fights were kept in cages down below the floor, as were the prisoners. Sometimes the animals would get loose and the Roman guards would leave the prisoners to die by animal......or by fire. The coliseum was lit by torch, as you might picture, and these torches would often fall down into the prisoner/animal area - and sometimes burn them all alive. GRUESOME!

But you'll be happy to know that none of the spectators were ever killed by bears at the coliseum!

Apparently there were other little coliseums, less organized and perhaps for more of the common people, and the wild animals often got loose. At least one spectator was killed daily by some wild animal that got loose. Not at the coliseum though! Ever in its history! What a stat!

Most of the "real" collesium spectators were noble people, political leaders, higher-ups in society who indulged in the killings. People who put money into having their names engraved in the coliseum stone blocks, because they were so proud to be associated with this gruesome display

Leaving Rome we planned a day of exploring Pompeii's ancient ruins. It required us to find our way back to our first Rome subway experience, about 10 blocks from Hotel colors. I shall quote my travel journal at this time about Naples and Pompeii:

"Stepping into Naples' main station was a shady, crowded, and hot experience. We were bustling to get to the Pompeii transition/metro situation and did so with ease, not much to foreshadowing. Our train to Pompeii was about 35 minutes and took us through tons of graffitied, dirty, inner city high rises. In retrospect description, Naples was undesirably very industrial with large smoke stacks, cranes, warehouses unbecoming to our eyes.

As we hoped, the Pompeii station was free of graffiti and debris. The foliage was quite abundant and inviting, setting a a pleasant garden-like atmosphere. To our surprise the cute red train depot had a huge sign alerting us to the Pompeii Park Entrance being hardly 50 meters away.

"No need to take a bus" said the sign.

This side trip was a neat historical part of our time in Italy. We really enjoyed it despite the treacherous heat, blazing sun, and length of exploration (approx.6 hours). The city itself was humongously stretched out over an entire mountain top, as Mt. Vesuvius (its killer) panned throughout the background of every *mental picture we took. Pompeii was famous for being preserved in volcanic ash, you see....

Rock structures mostly in ruins, accompanied by a telephone audio tour, led our imagination to fill in the blanks. We saw mansion to common house layouts with fountains and gardens in design. And some of the most interesting buildings were the multiple gyms, pools, spas, and athletic fields. The people of Pompeii are also credited with some of the first fast food restaurants. The proof was in round dish like counters at the front of some main street shops."

And still I wonder what sports they played....

Dress code for the Vatican! p.s. sorry no pics on Pompeii!

Amongst more Alaskan rain, we have been moving and organizing wood piles around our house. You see, certain ones must go in certain places: useable dry firewood by the house and in the garage, and the newly cut trees elsewhere for years to come.

In using commas (yet not in a series), I like Justin's comma discussion from his pseudo info page. Good stuff! Perfect for my English teacher bound self in about a week and a half............

In addition to that outside excitement (and it is exciting b/c the yard is getting crispy clean alongside our freshly growing green grass! Pretty!),

I have been organizing and purging junk, old books, senseless scrapbooking pieces of trash, YOU KNOW a paper trail. Paper is weird, it's always laying around with ink on it and it piles up no matter what: magazines, junk mail, notes, print outs and pig dogs (they go together).

The trick is to find categories for everywhich thing. And don't forget the uncategorized category, b/c it is quite crucial. One box a night! BRILLIANT!

And all that has been inspired by two new bookcases compliments of Casey's parents! NICE! Thanks! Organize upwards is the key. Did you know it takes 3-5 years to get settled into a new house? Hear that 1156!

Well, finally here it is: A ROME REPORT:

First, a random collage of Italian signs in the subway.

Here's a hilarious answer to the vespa on a Rome street!

Interesting trees by the Vatican that somehow take me back in time to Caesar's ruling. I can picture Roman soldiers with chariots and various business purposes.

While traveling the western coast countryside from Rome to Naples, we kept seeing random huge ruins. Just there, beside apartment complexes. It certainly was a privilege to be in a world whose civilization is thousands of years older than our country. There are no pictures of those ruins though due to the speed of trains of course. Sadly there are no photos of the perfectly detailed portrait of Ludacris graffiti either :(

Rome was a great part of the trip for it's history and tours. We took a yellow double-decker bus called "The Christian Tour". It takes you to all the important Roman Catholic places (b/c we are Catholic and all), but also gave us tons of architecture and history that we so wanted to hear (and not have to read). It's always good to just be somewhere like Rome, to soak it all up and try to fathom the legacies, the people, the histories that probably could never be studied entirely in this lifetime.

Rome itself was a normal metropolis with clean streets and tall upright buildings all around. We perhaps were spoiled by staying only 3-4 blocks from the Vatican, b/c we certainly saw other shadier parts of town like all big cities have.

A nice night scene of a castle guarding the Vatican (in old days). Photo by Tracey prior to the water fountain mishap by Mary.