hey remember that month when i only ate boxes of tangerines. . . so cheap and juicy! tangerine!

I don't know how to feel when I see photos of Italy, even my own photos. I get excited, sure, to see all the old sights, but already there's a film of unfamiliarity stretched over the reproduced landscape. And seeing those people's faces just makes me plain homesick. Last night, when Katie gave me my stack of wood-blocks, I smelled them, and then I teared up. I could close my eyes and be right back in that studio again. As soon as I get my bank account sorted out, I'm going to buy woodblock printing supplies.

Jefe called Katie while I was there last night, and we had a conference speaker-phone call, which was amazing. I hadn't talked to Jefe since Italy, other than a few brief facebook exchanges.

Does it sound odd to say that if I really allow myself to regret the loss of Italy, and after I hang out with Katie or talk to Jefe on the phone, I feel stronger? I remember that I DO have a voice, and I remember when it was definite and not dependant on approval from anyone. And you know, I'm going to continue using it, even if sometimes that makes me sound dogmatic or blunt or whatever else, and even if it results in me getting hurt in critiques. If I really learned anything from Italy, I hope I learned how to take that much of a risk and come out the other side on my feet.

P.S. American oranges make me sad. Not only are they dry and bizarre-ish, there is not the fun surprise of when you find a blood orange. = (

P. P. S. I gotta say, I love getting feedback from this blog. Liz and Andrew actually said something to me about my posts recently (and Mom, who is probably mildly more balanced in favor of liking what I write =), and I feel hella motivated now to find something worthwhile to share with everyone. Forgive me if it takes me a while, though, to really begin bringing you worthwhile thoughts on a regular basis. I try, but sometimes life is a little. . . predictable. It's always easier to think new things when your world is being shaken upside-down, like in Italy.