Oh man new toys

I have a new phone! I switched from Verizon (big pain in the ass company that screwed me on my last phone) to T-Mobile (big pain in the ass German company). Why is this cause for celebration? Why is that a big deal? Well I’m glad you asked. It’s simple. I now own a world phone (quad band GSM). That means that I can use my pone and current phone number pretty much anywhere I travel. Apparently north Sri Lanka and North Korea don’t work but I can’t see myself there anytime soon. So dear readers those of you with my phone number can bug the crap out of me this fall while I am in Florence. Did I tell you guys that I will be there for at least two months this fall/winter? I am negotiating right now for an apartment. Let’s hear it for me.

There are a few other things that I will need for the trip. I think that I found a new camera today. A Pentax istDL. I also am getting two lenses an 18-55 wide angle and a Promaster 70-300 with macro. Its freaking awesome. While it’s only 6 Mega pixels it is an SLR camera and the lenses that I chose are soooo fucking cool. I haven’t actually paid for it yet since I am broke but it’s in my budget from the consulting check I have coming. Actually that check is paying for the whole trip. Really the whole thing is $200 below what I had planned on spending. Now while I sound like I know lots about cameras I really only learned what all of that stuff means in the last few days. My friends Gary and Dave (both one time professional photographers) seriously helped. I can’t do shit without my friends.

The things necessary for Italy are coming together. The apartment is in the works and I have started the lookout for research materials on the history of Florence. If you have any suggestions leave a comment and let me know. Any of you going to be in that part of the world this fall? If so let me know that too. We can grab some coffee and a chat. I have been focusing on this book and the trip pretty hard since Kate left. Well I think she left. She just sort of disappeared. Either she is breaking up with me very badly or something bad has happened. Knowing how she is with emotions I suspect I’ve been dumped. A serious bummer but hey I’m a grown-up. I’ll get over it. Still she was very groovy and I did have hopes of a future with her. Alas. Anyway I want ideas for other places and things to see in Florence and the surrounds. Hook a brother up, yo.

Later,
Sam