Soul Train

Somewhere in Emilia Romagna, Italy - I am, by my own human nature, a social animal. I love people, love being around people, talk too much, can't get enough of it all, and will do it all over again. Many people, so I've heard, say they connect better to people on Twitter than people they know in person. I have met great kindred souls on there myself, but instead of being a replacement for the friends and family who make mine one of the best lives ever, they are an addition. Ya know, the reason why I handmade and sent 220 holiday cards last year instead of my usual 200.

I was both excited and apprehensive about spending six days traveling alone in Italy before my actual reason for being in the Boot - work. Excited to figure out how I'd hold up, to not have to negotiate priorities and agendas, time to catch up on reading, a brand new advenure. Apprehensive to figure out how I'd hold up, being in one of the world's greatest culinary countries and having to eat and drink everything on my own, lack of conversation, witty repartee exisiting only in my head and the ink of this green pen (this blawg post was originally written in green ink on the pages of my Moleskine notebook - so there, Intertubewebs). But thanks to Twitter and Facebook, I still get to hear and trade enough comments and snark from you fools, and get recommendations while I travel. So apart from some post-race comedown sadness, in which I felt lonely that I had absolutely no one to recap my run with and no one to fan my immensely huge athletic ego by telling me how well I raced with a sprained ankle, I've been fine. Really. I'm not in self-denial. I wish I spoke Italian so I can chat up strangers like I enjoy doing (note to you: don't sit next to me at the ballpark if you dislike random strangers talking to you about the Cubs and baseball). But I'm fine.

Fine because of moments like right now, in addition to the one you've already read about a sunny Saturday on Piazza Maggiore in Bologna, when I'm eating an orange on a TrenItalia train hurtling towards Venice and Chet Baker is blowing "These Foolish Things" on the iPod. Chet, of course, is an iconic hero in Italy, a haven for rogue artists, it seems. The Tarocca orange is blood red, sweet with a tinge of sour, and has the highest vitamin C content of any orange in the world. The train carriage is hot and probably gross if I thought about the black spots and dusty crevices. Me, I'm feeling warm, and I'm sure it's more than just because the spring sun is streaming in my face. I'm in a happy place.

A fruitful train ride.

Gotta go. Marvin Gaye is on and singing "Let's Get It On." This one requires some major closed-eye concentration, slow head-boppin' in comprehension of soul satisfaction and perhaps some finger tapping on the train window ledge to get a beat on things.

Popped in, souled out.