I posted only a couple of days ago, but I'm not sure how long it will be before I get back online. Tomorrow will be a full day for me. I give the final at 10 a.m. (both classes will meet at the same time). Afterward I go back to the room and grade while burning DVD copies of the documentary for each person to take home. I really should say "first version" of the documentary.

Although I've only voiced it publicly to a few people, I was prepared to have the five week class end with less than a "polished" product. Frankly what 15 students have done in 5 weeks with no budget and only a PD 150 camera and G4 laptop has been pretty impressive. Six of the students had absolutely no video experience whatsoever. Two others had some, but limited. Pedagogically speaking, there is great learning that can occur when things don't go exactly as you'd like. I have no issues with any of the students, though. All of them have done what asked to the best of their ability.

So, one or two volunteers will work on the production when we get back. I got an e-mail from a grad student in music at BSU who has offered to provide original music. Version one will have the canned stuff we brought with us. Version two will instead have an original score. Cool!

On Friday we make the long drive from Florence to Messina. Depending on when we get out and the traffic, we will either arrive Friday night or Saturday. The plan is to spend 4 nights, although we were advised by my Bologna cousin that the mosquitos are pretty bad down there. If that's the case, we may have to leave earlier. Kim was eaten alive in Rome. Not just bites, but swelling and oozing (sorry about the image, but it was really quite gross). This picture, in the town of Ganzirri, is taken very near the spot my mother and father were married 57 years ago.

Nicole and Kim went to Pisa Monday and today they're in Siena. I've never been to Pisa but Nicole and Kim tell me I didn't miss all that much. The 16 Euro price to climb the leaning tower is not what kept them away. It was the 4 hour wait! I did enjoy Siena when I was there. Still, I'm happy that they get out and about in Tuscany without me. I'm not a very good passenger in the car. I'm way to uncomfortable. Before we leave for Sicily Friday I'm going to have to take one of the "happy pills" (as Steve calls them) that I usually take to fly.

One unexpected pleasure here in Florence has been the ability to go see Michelangelo's David for free. Call me cheap, but it's one of the most expensive tickets in town. The Accademia, where he is housed usually charges, but it's free Tuesday nights. Several of us have made it a regular weekly event to visit Dave (as we call him) every Tuesday night after dinner. It's truly magnificent. But, we were very disturbed to see a description in the museum stating that his pose is just after having slain Goliath. That is contrary to everything not only I know (I've never claimed to be an art historian) but also contrary to 2 art history experts and a book sold in the Accademia gift shop. A colleague speculated that some local professor/"expert" has probably tried to build a reputation by taking a radical position. It does cause one to reflect on other informational material provided in museums, and whether that has been vetted by others.

As a media guy, some of what I really want to bring back has been media: videotapes of Italian TV shows, music videos, commercials; CDs of music; newspapers (I'm saving one from the day after the London bombing); magazines, books. Unfortunately I have neither the money nor the room in my suitcase for all these things. I have told myself that I can get any books I want once I get home, either through the local bookstore or online. The hotel owner did videotape one thing for me, though, Calcio Storico (the site's in Italian but they have a button for photos). It only vaguely resembles soccer. It's more like a cross between rugby and a rumble. I met one guy who has played for 16 years. Back in 1993, he was on the operating table for 10 hours while the put his eye back in its socket. Many of the students went to see a game and have asked me for a copy of the video once I get it dubbed to NTSC.

I have been disappointed that the TV game shows I enjoyed so much just 3 years ago are not on the air. I was espcially attached to one (Kim, Nicole and I even were in the studio audience for a taping, and I met the producer, a writer and the host), but there were several on the air a few years ago. Now there are none to be found. They do have lots of summer special programs on, especially music festival programs. Probably the best known is FestivalBar. It's a series of shows from a piazza in four different cities with lots of different artists. Speaking of music, we enjoy music videos. I've tried buying them in record shos but to no avail. I've asked the hotel owner if he can record some but haven't gotten them yet.