To-Do's

I'm a firm believer in accountability.
I know my failings, and I know that healthy pressure from someone who loves me enough to push me towards the right direction is necessary for me.
I'm going to compile a list of things that are "must-do's" in Florence, and I'm going to need your friendly nudge to get them done before I leave (in a MONTH yesterday!).
1) Visit San Marco Convent.
2) Go to the Galileo Museum.
3) Santa Maria Novella Church.
4) Climb the Duomo.
5) Try out famous gelaterias: Vivoli, Perche No?
6) Orsanmichele.
7) Casa di Dante.
8) San Lorenzo Church.
9) Tempio Israelitico.
10) Palazzo Strozzi.
11) Hot Chocolate at either Gilli or Rivoire
12) Brancacci Chapel

I'm sure I'll add more as time goes on.

I've gotten to see numerous masterpieces in the past few days (Uffizi tour today and solo trip to Pitti Palace on Wednesday)...your brain gets to the point where it can no longer appreciate another painting. It's like when your computer is running too many programs and the bottom of it starts to warm on your lap and making that weird "oh-no-it's-taking-off" noise. My brain does a version of that.
So, I came back home and made pasta with a white wine, white truffle, and castarone cheese sauce. Ummm, I can't believe I actually made it. It was delicious. I worked on my research paper on the "San Marzano tomato" and decided to take a nap before I was to meet my friends from church to see Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Pt. 1.
I woke up with enough time to spare and sauntered over to the church...no one came. My internet hadn't been working so I thought they sent an email to cancel it. I took a lengthy stroll back home and made sure to look in the windows of all the jewelry shops on my way. There are these fantastic rosette earring that I drool over every day, but I know they're not worth the cost.
Turns out the Harry Potter movie gathering is TOMORROW at five. Tomorrow when I'll be on my way back from a day-trip to Orvieto. I'm going to either a) go solo during the day or b) recruit a friend for a weeknight showing. This is necessary.
Last night I went over to Sabs, Olivia, and Mere's apartment for dinner. I brought the bread and salad and Sabrina made delicious homemade manicotti. We chatted and laughed and then the girls, interior design majors, showed me their websites with their projects. Oh. my. gosh. Everything they do is so hands-on and they have to think about so many variables. They have to think so much for the other people's desires, needs, and if the design will actually function. But they get to use so much creativity as well. It was so cool to see the professional side of my friends...I'm positive that they'll be successful after they graduate. They are so prepared.
Today I've just tried to be productive. This includes deleting a lot of my junk mail and unsubscribing to wayyyy too many newsletters. Everything is hitting me with the Christmas consumer illness. All the pictures of snowmen and families hugging are giving my first taste of homesickness. I leave this place in less than a month, so my mind is preparing me for my departure. I'm looking forward to watching movies with my parents and chatting with my friends about our adventures and cooking with my sister. I almost miss the oppressive Christmas advertising of the U.S. I keep thinking, maybe they'll put up more Christmas displays after Thanksgiving, then I realize they don't celebrate that here.
No worries, ISA is throwing us a Thanksgiving dinner, so I'll get my fix. Then the next day I head to Germany! Whooppppp.
I'll miss my Mama's birthday on Wednesday. She's the only family member whose bday I'm missin'.
Well, off to bed decently soon because tomorrow is Orvieto!
Ciao ciao.