Day 119

--Goodbyes are on my list of least favorite things. Especially morning goodbyes, such as this morning at 4:45 am. I took a cab with a stranger, and headed out to my full day of "f" sounds, once again. It's funny how some little things can come full circle, just like the day I was leaving home to come to Florence.

So, today, I left at fffour fforty fiive from Fffirenze. I took a cab with a stranger who was staying in my hostel, who was fffrench and reminded me of Joanne from Rent somehow. When I was checking in at the airport, I was told I was not allowed to have two carry-ons. Effff, efff, effff bomb. And this is with all my valuables as carry-ons and with my other two bags being at just about ffifty pounds already, meaning I couldn't put too much else into them or I'd be charged. And my valuables were tricky to ffit into my bag because my fffricken, fat fresco. So, after rearranging to put my sketchbook, journal, money, pens, passport, laptop, fresco wrapped in cardboard, camera, undeveloped fiilm, and all the lenses into one bag, I was back on track (with a shoulder that would be screaming at me during the whole day of travel).

Back to my full circle thing, I am again flying from Ffflorence to Ffrankfurt to Phhiladelphia to Phoenix. During this long day of travel, I managed to ffinish and completely ffill up my sketchbook that I had started and only used during my time abroad. Below are the day's worth of art.

at least you're not John the Baptist

but screaming babies are pretty bad

parasols

dazy laise

escaping the cracks that

chase us

Time's winning

why can't I just have it all?

last page of my sketchbook from Florence

Well, this is essentially my last post on the blog (besides the one where I will post where you can view my black and white photographs when they are developed). But this, this is the conclusion, the final round, the last page in the last chapter right before the epilogue, the closing line before the signature, and I always hate figuring out how to end things, since I am not good with closings or goodbyes in my nostalgic nature. I write this safe and sound from home, sitting at the counter of my kitchen, drinking a cup of free filtered water, deciding what to leave you all with. And it will be a quote --as I am a lover of them-- from the narrator of  (500) Days of Summer:

Most days of the year are unremarkable. They begin, and they end, with no lasting memories made in between. Most days have no impact on the course of a life.

Most days have no impact on the course of a life, but many of these 119 days in and of Florence --and the many other cities traveled too-- have had such an impact on my life of inspiration, beauty, culture, art, relationships, learning, adventure, exploration, and growth.

I hope you have many days in your life that are impactful and memorable. Jot these days down.

Ciao e buona fortuna a tutti.

Lisa