Aquanomics, Comics and Canada

i'm in mourning for Demon-Vincent. and it has occured to me after observing the behaviour of both Angel-Aziraphale and Ariel i have crowned myself "Friend of Fish". All five of my fish to date have had their own unique personalities, as you would expect from a dog or cat or ferret. Raphael (and the "Bijoux series" of bottom cleaners) was a little show-offy, quick tempered, curious and vain. He never flaired after he figured out the mirror trick. Lucifer, may he rest in peace, only lived two weeks but he was a real beauty and the feistiest fish ever. He BIT my FINGER while i was feeding him. he loved attention and was always doing the fish-dance when he noticed me. Demon was an absolute curmudgeon, he hated attention and was so high strung he'd flair at the drop of a pin. Angel (real name Aziraphale) is friendly and affectionate and always swims to my side of the tank when he sees me. he's also very patient, Demon never out-flaired him, nor has Ariel now. And Ariel is a curious but skittish little mite. he chases his food to the bottom when it sinks.
It also occures to me that this blog is going to turn into a semi-rant about the woes of getting a comic published.
I have many woes to recount at present, since i seem to have left my muse in Italy. that isn't nearly as worrying as the fact that i have to do a serious retro-fit and timeline-compression on an ENTIRE ARC of the script. then i have to resolve myself to the fact that one of my favourite characters DIED, and since i believe that good writers don't Deus Ex Machina everything, he's very likely going to remain dead and cremated.
and of course this entire sprawling, untidy, overgrown in some parts, just plain epic story doesn't even have a working title yet. my only title is the highly-creative Untitled, although in my head i've been referring to the opus minoris as Deamonologos, or for those who are Greek-impaired, Demonologica, or for those who can't read my pseudo-latin, Demonlogic. which isn't a very grabbing title at all. it was all fine and shiny when the durn thing comprised three arcs and one simple title; Arial versus Lotus. but of course while i love Arial dearly she wasn't compelling enough a main character and although i promised myself i would give the whole monstrosity up after 3 arcs...well that didn't work because i had to tie those dangling plot threads, and i was so tempted to continue exploring certain characters, and then i needed a grand finale but was unwilling to stay comitted to that "THE END" moment so i left it open for a sequel, which then became more absorbing than the original premise, so i also had to scrap the out-moded Arial versus Lotus title, but then what to call it? what was IT even about?! when it was just about Arial fighting Lotus...but Lotus being a far more complex and compelling character...in short the story blew-up until it became about everything. seriously, politics, sex, war and peace, good and evil somewhere in the mix....and i couldn't think of a damn title because everything and nothing fit. of course now that i've finally agreed to make the story about Lotus and his struggles for autonomy versus, well it seems the entire Heavenly universe, i can't call the thing "The Continuing Adventures of A Diva-devil named Lotus"... Daemonologos has a nice etymology for anyone into that sort of armchair demonology. but it's a stupid title from the angle of "how on earth am i going to get an audience with a title so pretentious and unmarketable?" in short, i won't, because the general comic-buyer is still an adolescent teen looking for sex, violence and fairly Hollywood plots rife with drama and angst. I don't deny that Lotus has a dramatic and angsty existence. However, as even I can't take him seriously, i treat him with the thickly sardonic tone the little scrap deserves. and with Magnus just having to die in order to forward the plot...i'm hoping with the rise of my newly-christened heroine i'll have a better title. Sheme makes for an interesting enough character.
that's the other big nasty to a writer, how do you know which characters will be likeable once the audience has gotten past the silly title? Lotus isn't likeable. he's difficult as all hell (pun intended) and making his struggles real and sympathetic is a touchy issue in a world where someone will always be offended by something. nevermind that Lotus' backstory is rife with war, incest, physical and mental abuse, same-sex love affairs, murder-by-contract, slavery... Sheme herself is a breath of fresh air for me, but for the audience? and who are they? i only hope whoever They are, they treat Sheme and my rising feminist characters with less contempt than what Lotus can attract. Sheme's pretty special for me at least. She's a rape-victim, her mother was a freed-slave, she's half-blind, half-deaf, smarter than the average comic female and she's black. yep, black. i still have trouble finding empowered females of any race, age or creed in mainstream comics, so Sheme should make a nice big splash.

His name is Ariel

he's red and feisty and he's my new fish, Long live Demon-Vincent.
it figures that my first week back in Canada there's a thunderstorm EVERY DAMN DAY!!!
by next week i'll have pictures and video clips online so yay for technology.

The clink of dice

in the middle of a game
most people who know my gaming habits know that i favour (uber favour) my degenerate half-demon petty criminal merchant prince, Lotus (real name Nefertem Sipasebakhaenniut)
at the moment i'm waiting to bring my self-righteous, bad-tempered, hard drinking paladin online.
i love dungeons and dragons.
but while my return went smoothly i am already missing my gelati. canada just had to be humid and grey. a-and my fishie DIED!!!!!!! i mourn my beloved Demon, who was crotchety and surly and reclusive but whom i loved so dearly and whose tank was next to my bed so i could greet his bubbly face each morning.
My new, spiky red betta is named Ariel. i will introduce him to Angel tomorrow and we'll see how feisty he gets. Angel is getting used to being the biggest fish on the block.

she's baack!!

well melissa and i went bonkers on our last night in roma. melissa kissed the cobblestones. i hugged the pantheon. yes, we're crazy
the flight home went smoother than the one there. go figure. i bought way too much stuff. and drank too much.
canada looks so different

Return to the Eternal City

no new ice-cream to report. so help me, as satan is my witness i will spend my last weekend in Rome where i belong.
Rome in all it's polluted, crowded, noisy, sneaky, oily, dirty glory.
Florence is officially a bigger tourist trap the Disneyland Paris. we walked around the downtown centre last night and perhaps only two couples we passed were speaking Italian. even the italians here are from other parts of italy.
Italian doorknobs:
Hands holding the knocker
Screaming faces with the knocker in the beard
Sphinxes
Dragons
Griffins
smiling masks
i want a griffin doorknocker.

WHY I HATE FLORENCE

at this point in time, anticipation of my return to Toronto, coupled with my longing for Rome and the over-all mediocre-bad experiences i have had have melded to create a low-grade but constant irritation with Florence. this city is a mausoleum full of tourists and immigrants. there are no italians left, and certainly no authentic culture.
if i can i will be saying my goodbyes to Italy from Venice or Rome (two cities which offered me so much more than blood-sucking Florence.)
i'm also gearing up for some hard-core gaming action when i get back. no one will be able to peel me away from my dice, my Diablo II and my Legend of Zelda. ever EVAR again.

Happy Birthday DEEAANNAA

To my sister, i hope you like your presents

Florence's theme song: you'd think that, seeing as how i am unimpressed with Florence (in general, to say the least) i wouldn't have a theme song. Actually, there are several.
Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody was sung in Florence an astounding 5 times
The Who's Who Are You was sung a close 4 times
The Arcade Fire's Rebellion was sung 4 times
The Black-eyed Peas' My Humps was sung 4 times
and whenever i get bored there's the "Best of the Little Mermaid ST".

Respect the Music...DON'T TALK LOUD!!!

ah yes, so after racking my brain to find things to do in jolly old Firenze that don't involve shopping, clubbing, going to museums or spending money of any kind...we came up with the great old Italian past-time of...Loitering.
Melissa and I spent a very amusing time sitting on the steps of the Palazzo Vecchio being "serenaded" by a student orchestra, erstwhile we dissed Florence's unmitigated pretentiousness.
and after getting a very tasty pompelmo-rosso-uva-fragola gelato, I.J. and i spent the remainder of the evening loitering on the Ponte Vecchio, listening to some bohemian guitarist free-style Buona Notte (there are only so many times!!!!) but of course it was made all the more amusing by having a sign directly in front of us saying Respect the Music, Don't Talk Loud!!!
So yes, of course we spoke as loudly as we dared. and when Florence's second finest (i'm talkin' bout YOU, Polizia!) has to make work by checking the hinges on the Ponte...well that's Florence for you
On another note, don't go to Florence...buy a nice glossy Renaissance art book and enjoy the city for Free. then save that money and go to Venice, Rome, Sorrento or any other city in Italy. or better yet, go to Florence just to stay at a nice BnB in Fiesole, which offers a truer look at modern Tuscany.
Donatello is now my favourite sculptor. The air in front of the Magdalen crackles. I swear to you.
and i'd like to see the three famous Davids get into a fight. I'm rooting for Verocchio and Donatello to take out Michelangelo, because, c'mon...the Chippendale's men have more spark in 'em.
The one thing that redeems Florence happened today. 50...5-0 euro fell out of the sky in front of I.J. and myself. so we split it. Stupid tourists, why can't you learn to secure that money. now we are enjoying the fruits of non-labour.
Updates on the ghost situation...we got a haunting. The Franciscan monks who must have tenanted the building before us have bodies in the walls.

another afternoon with nothing to do

while it's perfectly true that in Rome i went on the internet everyday, it wasn't my only occupation
my sole form of entertainment
my escape, in short.
What can Florence offer me. I have the sneaking suspicion that all of her energy and life got used up 600 years ago. Where's the new Renaissance?! WAKE UP FLORENCE!!!

The Ballad of GianCarlo

I once met a man named GianCarlo
So good-looking and full of machismo
But he'd work the room to find a pretty dancer
And take her for a ride before dropping her cold
and if she asks him for a second dance
he'll draw himself up in a fighting stance
If you don't speak Italian "This is a problem"
So "Io non capeto" and I'll say
GOOD BYE

Things I miss about Rome

everything
seriously
the monuments and the fact that almost everything is FREE
the fact that people are so much more alive there
the nightlife
the day-life
the market
the men (just kidding)
Largo Argentina
the coffee!!!!!!!!!

Happenin' spots in Florence: Piazzale Michelangelo. who knew?
It seems that Florence is not a ghost town after all.

Ask Not For Whom the Ghost Knocks

well we finally heard from the resident ghost. Last night, in the presence of three sober and sane witnessess, we were either hoodwinked by my practical-joke-playing neighbour or haunted by a ghost who loves to knock on walls.
knock-knock-knock!!!
had an interesting night out. very interesting
had an interesting day in Siena and San Gimignano. Siena is more beautiful than Florence, at this point. also they have some cool gelati in San G.
vernaccia and spumante-melone (you read right)
melone e pesca
yummy.

Signs of maturity

so while other people blissfully spend their parents hard-earned money on shoes and clothes, i have spent a good portion of my parent's hard-earned money on groceries and laundry. but by some fortuitous chance, i got a free load of laundry the first night. hee hee.
THINGS TO KNOW IN ITALIAN
quanto = how much?
quello = that
questo = this
un poco = a little
piu bisogno = too expenisve
no, grazie = no thanks
Gelati worth eating:
nocciolosa and crem caramel
coffee-dispensal machines make for great cheap coffee.
and slumber parties are better done not in monasteries.
I AM FOR TRINIDAD TONIGHT, BECKHAM SHALL FALL HEE HEEEEEEEEEE
In other news, why i have a hate-on for the Polizia: they never have anything to do except harrass tourists, women and smoke all day. Also, because in the heat of a day, on a public holiday and when there are clearly no better people to heckle than my friend and I, and when there is clearly no hooliganism of any kind going on anywhere in the one-horse town the Polizia have to get their five cents in by barking at us in Napolitani. darn them
Andrea's new mission is to promote the Carabinieri(pronounced care-Bin-air by us Canadiese) and to get pictures with vespas.

Mondiale di Calcio

okay so while watching a soccer game in Italy is a thoroughly enjoyable experience, it is lessened by the presence of soccer-ignorant american teenagers!! the kind of people who go to bars to get plastered and cheer for whoever scores, because it's cool to do that kind of thing when one is sixteen.
on another note Fior Di Latte, Crem Caramel and Nocciola has been added to the list of gelati.
and while everyone raves about the Florentine markets, the same stuff is sold in asian-run fashion knock-off stores for the same, if not less. Andrea does the happy-bargain shoe dance!
that's why Florence is a good city. and not because it charges fees to enter everything.
And anyone wishing to go to Florence should avoid places haunted by American hooligans. most of these places are sketchy.
I have recovered an appreciation of hip-hop. that seems to be the "in" music here. i often lament my euro-house, which one is more likely to hear in woodbridge than in Italy. and when i do hear italian music it's that darn Ligabue song or Biagio Antonacci. puh.
And for those who saw the Italy-Ghana match...yes the great Totti is a WUSS!!!

THE GLASS IS HALF EMPTY!!!

living with a new group of people really changes your perspective. i can no longer keep track of the times my sarcastic/ironic or pessimistic remarks has earned a mild rebuke. i used to think of myself as a tolerant and open-minded person but i'm constantly being addressed with new ideas, and that's the real acid-test of tolerance.
On a different note, Florence is more enjoyable in small groups. and not with the purchase of a "Friends of the Uffizi" card. gimme a break!
Places to shop: San Lorenzo market. why, because they sell dried fruit! dried kiwis! strawberries! cherries! pineapple! seriously.
And everyone should own a hot red leather jacket. why? because I own a hot red leather jacket. from the leather factory. best bargains for Canadian students. heehee

Hauntings and Musings this side of the pond

Rumour suggests that the converted-monastery hostel i'm staying at is haunted and while i have yet to encounter smoky white figures with clanking chains, there is a constant background symphony of weird noises and disembodied voices. whether this is because the walls are paper thin or my imagination is over active i don't know.
there are truly two brands of Americans. the nice ones and the Other ones. every nice tourist i have met on this trip has been American. today while waiting in line (which, for anyone who knows of the Italian service industry, you do a LOT) it was the Americans who were friendly and helpful, full of advice and travel anecdotes and ready to accomodate people. in a space where most canadians would easily get hot, brusque and irritated (and most french, germans, chinese and every other major tourist group for that matter) the Americans make friends. who knew?
not to speak ill if the Germans, but they make for the rowdiest, loudest and sometimes just plain rude tourists. i think it's a combination of uber-efficient homeland policy and sterile self-image.

Gelati and music to travel with

limone é ciocolatta
limone é melone
limone é fragole
ciocolatta fondante é rosa
ciocolatta é fiore di latte
ciocolatta-arancia é uva-fragola
uva-fragola é limone
zuppa inglese
stracciatella
Music to walk along the Tiber with:
Enya, Orinoco Flow
LA Guitar quartet, The Lotus Eaters
Dido, Beauty in the Breakdown
and to contemplate the colosseum...duh; Gladiator's Earth. Also good for the Palatine and Pompeii

Places to eat, gelati to sample, clubs to avoid

Lists lists and more lists
Places to eat in Rome:
Caffé Argentina: gnocchi with cherry tomato sauce and delicious coffee, located in the heart of Rome by the Area Sacra and the Via del Corso. ruins and shopping after a yummy lunch
Pampo de Argentina: a real steakhouse, in Italy. amaaaaaaaaazing
Sant Eustachio Il Caffe: hands down the best cup of coffee, espresso or cappuccino you will ever have, EVAR
Della Palma: perhaps the largest selection of gelato i have ever seen, including rose flavoured. it's also a candy store for those who aren't satisfied with the gelato.
Places NOT to eat:
Trattoria de Pollara: salty, oily food and an owner who honestly resembles a fairy-tale witch. ignore the guidebooks and the locals' opinions. Signora Paola is EVIL
Places to eat in Florence:
Trattoria De Ginone: Nola is the sweetest and most generous person ever. the food is amazing and freshly made, it's all you can eat and the staff are friendly, accomodating and just plain nice. GO GO GO
Festa Di Gelato: exactly how it sounds.
Carraia Gelato: Across the Arno in a residential area. Home to grape-strawberry gelato. mmmm
And for those who want a good night out in Florence, never EVER go to club Central Park no matter how wonderful it sounds, no matter how good the specials. they prey on tourists. 'nuff said.
on the other hand SottoSopra is a great purely local disco bar with cheap drinks, funky music, friendly and interesting locals...absinthe for the brave.
Florence's answer to Rome's Escopazzo.

Does a first post shrug

Live to you from Florence Italy, home of the greediest cheapskates in Italy!!
We finally got a long-overdue dose of hot weather. No one ever mentions the fickleness of the mediterranean climate.
Oh Rome, how we love thee. Thy cobbled streets and noise-pollution, thy bottle-kids and drunken riots. The campos and piazzas littered with tourists, broken beer bottles, lovers, ex-patriates and the ubiquitous vucuprai.
Oh Florence, they lied when they said it was hot, they lied about the mosquitoes, the "good clubs" and the absinthe that summons green fairies.
After spending three wild and mainly sleepless weeks in Rome, the fallout in Florence is hitting our class hard.
And so i sit and rant about being broke, being harrassed by every lovesick Italian swain and skinflint, being bored out of my skull and longing for the Eternal City.
More when next i scrounge some change.