Dinner, Trash Party and Atonement, OH MY!

Well hello friends (and fam).  I should start with a little disclaimer.  This might be long, as I have a lot of territory to cover (that's what she said?)

One of the lovely MFA students has asked me to participate in a series of workshops that will help inform her process of devising a theatre piece for her thesis.  The first workshop was Friday afternoon and was so wonderful to be a part of!  Truly, it is opportunities like this, that will keep me artistically and creatively engaged, and will help fuel and inspire me to continue with personal projects here.

I entered the room to find myself surrounded by all different kinds of objects, strategically placed around the space.  We were led through a series of exercises in which we used these objects (which ranged from a banana to a guitar to an empty wine bottle) and ended up creating to a short piece of text we were given (and then expanded on our own), a movement piece containing three gestures.  Um...hello...this is a BU theatre arts' grad's wet dream!  Objects, gestures and devised theatre!  Yes, please!  My text was, "I dreamt of you last night," which turned out to be about a love I was unable to be with *cries internally.* I mean...just kidding.

I left the room feeling more whole, exhilarated and certainly supported by the wonderful group of people.  I am so so SO grateful to be a part of this.  I look forward to what is to come and am thankful for the opportunity.

View from Jesse's terrace at night

I later went out to dinner with my friend Jesse and a few friends from the MFA program, to a ristorante called Miva.  I had an insalata mista, and a pizza, senza glutine (gluten-free crust!!!).  It is amazing that the gluten free options are more readily available here than I find at home.  The pizza had mozzarella, tomato sauce, roasted eggplant, peppers, olives and mushrooms.  There were supposed to be capers too, but they forgot those.  Bastards!  We had two litres of sparkling white wine.  We then all went up to Jesse's INCREDIBLE terrace and proceeded to have about two more bottles of wine (and then some).

Around midnight, we headed to a Trash, Left party at a villa nearby to the school.  What is this you might be wondering?  Well, let us start with the word Trash.  Trash as I was informed is a type of music/party, circa 1980s-early 90s, a party with lots of flashing lights, crazy "out there" clothes.  This particular trash party was for la sinistra (the political left party) which is the former communist party, now democratic/socialist.  Arezzo is a pretty conservative town as a whole.  I'm still trying to get a better grasp and knowledge on the politics here in Italy.  I don't feel like I know quite enough to report on but I will keep y'all posted.  What I can tell you, is that this was the kind of crowd that felt like my kind of people.  It brought in the dudes with mustaches and cool haircuts and maybe fake glasses (so...close to the hipster crowd you might say), and more of the queer community than I have seen so fars, etc, etc.  These could possibly be my perceptions as an American, but my observations nonetheless.  People who liked to get down on the dance flo, need I say mo'?  I walked back around 5am and finally made it to bed around 6.  Perhaps my favorite part of the night was when Time Warp from Rocky Horror Picture Show came on.  Italians and Americans alike knew all of the words and the dance moves, so many hands on hips and pelvic thrusts and jumps to the left (punny, ay?).

my lofted bed and living area in all its glory

I woke up the next morning, well, afternoon, feeling pretty exhausted.  I went into town and got the most AMAZING kebab filled with all kinds of glorious sauces (greek yogurt, hot sauce, hummus) cooked onions, mushrooms, MEAT, and fresh tomatoes and peppers.  MMMMM.  Then I got myself a nice little cup of gelato and returned back to the villa to decompress, clean my room, and make some dinner with friends.

My cute little kitchen

My very own bidet...also very good for filling up water balloons.

The sauce for our pasta.  Sauteed garlic, zucchini and zucchini flower in olive oil mixed with Gorgonzola cheese.

After dinner a very heavy discussion took place outside watching an incredibly beautiful thunderstorm.  We talked about forgiveness, loyalty, judgment, intention, both in/with ourselves and the world at large.  You name it, we probably covered it.  I realized that without even meaning to, we were covering the territory of what Yom Kippur is all about, and certainly what it means to me.  I am not religious, but can connect with what this holiday represents.  While yes it is about Atoning for our  "sins" or whatever you would like to call them, for me, it is about much more.  Letting go of the things that are not serving me anymore, of any ill-feelings I have towards someone, and certainly forgiving myself for things I may have done to cause others or myself pain.  It is about clearing out the old and making room for the new.  Spring cleaning...but in the fall, and to the millionth degree.

When I came back to my room I took some time to reflect on what these big concepts mean to me.   In the past few months I have been doing a lot of reflection as is.  Realizing that in my life, it is important to me to always come from a place of love, compassion and understanding.  It is something that I want to work on, and a place I want to live from, everyday.  And so, I make the choice to learn how to forgive, to free myself of judgment of myself and others, and to be more patient.  This shit ain't easy. 

And so I let go, and will continue to work on letting go and living freely, becoming more aware and mindful of my actions, taking ownership and responsibility of them.  And loving, deeply and fully, myself, and those around me.  Amen.

"Only from the heart can you touch the sky" - RUMI