Germany

[11:32:47 AM] Katie Symington: yo
[11:32:51 AM] Katie Symington: sup?
[11:35:54 AM] Troy Symington: Yo. Just hanging with my home boys. Sup with you? :D
[11:36:11 AM] Katie Symington: laaazy morning, reading
[11:36:21 AM] Katie Symington: where are you?
[11:37:14 AM] Troy Symington: Just got back to the hostel. We just had dinner (sausage and a pretzel for me! Very German).
[11:37:28 AM] Katie Symington: .... you are in germany now?
[11:37:33 AM] Katie Symington: how was the flight?
[11:37:43 AM] Troy Symington: In Frankfurt. The flight was fine
[11:38:00 AM] Troy Symington: The traveling to and from airports took as long as the flight itself!
[11:38:05 AM] Katie Symington: lol poor boy!
[11:38:13 AM] Katie Symington: What will you do tomorrow?
[11:38:34 AM] Troy Symington: Tomorrow we wake up early-ish and go grab a flight back to the States!
[11:38:47 AM] Katie Symington: YAAAAY!
[11:38:54 AM] Katie Symington: How long is the flight anyhoo?
[11:39:32 AM] Troy Symington: It's gonna be like 20 hours... :(
[11:39:40 AM] Katie Symington: eeew
[11:39:53 AM] Katie Symington: that long time
[11:40:09 AM] Troy Symington: Yeah... not gonna be fun...
[11:40:33 AM] Katie Symington: hee
[11:40:57 AM] Katie Symington: but then you are home!
[11:41:06 AM] Troy Symington: Yup!
[11:41:53 AM] Troy Symington: And I'm gonna be EXHAUSTED! Don't expect me to be very talkative when we get back!
[11:42:16 AM] Katie Symington: lol okie dokie
[11:42:21 AM] Katie Symington: who do you want at the airport?
[11:43:02 AM] Troy Symington: Hrrrrmmmm... an In & Out burger?
[11:43:21 AM] Katie Symington: LOL I said who!
[11:43:38 AM] Katie Symington: Ironman wanted McDonalds when he came back to the States
[11:44:14 AM] Troy Symington: Ha, well they have plenty of McDonalds over here, but they don't have In&Out or Mexican food....
[11:44:27 AM] Katie Symington: sad
[11:44:33 AM] Katie Symington: so who?
[11:44:43 AM] Troy Symington: Ummmm... people?
[11:45:21 AM] Katie Symington: parentals?
[11:45:24 AM] Katie Symington: or sister?
[11:45:25 AM] Katie Symington: or both?
[11:45:32 AM] Katie Symington: though you will get nick and i the next morning
[11:45:40 AM] Troy Symington: Both!
[11:45:49 AM] Troy Symington: (Unless it's too much trouble for you guys).
[11:46:08 AM] Katie Symington: We will discuss it and you will find out! :D
[11:46:21 AM] Katie Symington: Anything you are going to do for a last hurrah before leaving Germany?
[11:47:01 AM] Troy Symington: Not really. We're both kinda dead. We might get a beer in a pub somewhere, but that'll probably be it. Plus we have to wake up early.
[11:47:20 AM] Katie Symington: how early?
[11:48:14 AM] Troy Symington: Only like 6:45, but still, that's actually the earliest I've had to wake up in a while...
[11:48:59 AM] Katie Symington: POOR BOY@
[11:49:41 AM] Katie Symington: otay, I gotta get lunch, brb
[11:49:41 AM] Troy Symington: I know, right?
[11:49:58 AM] Troy Symington: Where are you right now?
[11:53:15 AM] Katie Symington: I'm at home, in PJ's, on the couch, heating up homemade veggie pizza!
[11:53:30 AM] Katie Symington: I made the dough, the sauce, cut up cheese and added lots of fresh yummy veggies! Deeeelicious!
[11:54:08 AM] Troy Symington: Sounds awesome! (I'm going to warn you ahead of time, Italy has turned me into quite the pizza snob).
[11:56:57 AM] Katie Symington: well, you will have to come over and try some and give me tips on how to make it better! :)
[11:57:10 AM] Katie Symington: My boss just called and I am covering someone's shift today in the afternoon, yippee
[11:57:40 AM] Troy Symington: Yaaaaaay...
[11:57:48 AM] Katie Symington: :)
[11:58:19 AM] Troy Symington: Ha, so what was with all of the kids being loud when I called you yesterday?
[11:58:58 AM] Katie Symington: OMG are they not annoying kiddos? They thought you were my boyfriend and that's why I was hissing at them that you were my brother. It was 7th and 8th grade.
[11:59:40 AM] Troy Symington: Gotcha. Those 8th graders can be pretty darn rebellious!
[12:00:03 PM] Katie Symington: exactly! and it was either make fun of me or work on their papers, so . . . ;)
[12:00:45 PM] Troy Symington: Ha, yeah. I remember 8th grade, we were pretty horrible to some of the teachers! I am soooo sorry!
[12:01:00 PM] Katie Symington: yoy should be!!!!
[12:01:06 PM] Katie Symington: *you
[12:01:25 PM] Troy Symington: Hehe.
[12:01:32 PM] Katie Symington: So I watched Emma the other day and had to stop by the library to get Emma again and reread it, it was so awesome
[12:02:38 PM] Troy Symington: At the british library we saw Jane Austin's notebooks...
[12:02:49 PM] Katie Symington: oooooooooooooooooooh!!!
[12:03:03 PM] Troy Symington: And looooots of other cool stuff!
[12:03:09 PM] Katie Symington: sweeeet!
[12:03:20 PM] Troy Symington: I know, right?
[12:05:23 PM] Katie Symington: what else stuff?
[12:05:31 PM] Katie Symington: and how is your hostel?
[12:06:44 PM] Troy Symington: The British Library had the Magna Carta, original Beatles lyrics, famous science works, original compositions by guys like Mozart and Handel, the original copy of the New Testament, stuff like that.
[12:07:00 PM] Katie Symington: whoa
[12:07:28 PM] Troy Symington: The hostel room is pretty standard. Bunch of bunk beds and a community bathroom. But they have the best breakfast here that I've ever had at a hostel! which is awesome!
[12:08:32 PM] Katie Symington: wow, what was for breakfast?
[12:09:24 PM] Troy Symington: Ham, salami, hard boiled eggs. Rolls, sliced tomatoes and cucumber, yogurt, coffe, juice!
[12:10:00 PM] Katie Symington: om. nom. nom. NOM.
[12:11:04 PM] Troy Symington: Heck yes! Normally whenever a hostel includes breakfast it's only toast and cereal and coffe! So to have a breakfast like this is reeeeaaaally awesome!
[12:11:13 PM] Katie Symington: sweeet
[12:11:24 PM] Katie Symington: I had half a bagel and half a grapefruit for breakfast, it was nummy
[12:12:36 PM] Troy Symington: Very nice!
[12:13:05 PM] Katie Symington: omnomnom
[12:13:12 PM] Katie Symington: I'm listening to parachute, I like them
[12:13:39 PM] Troy Symington: Never really listened to them. I'm listening to Periphery, I like them.
[12:14:06 PM] Katie Symington: periphery? I will have to look them up.
[12:14:49 PM] Troy Symington: You probably wouldn't like them all that much. They're kinda rock/metal/mathcore.
[12:15:23 PM] Katie Symington: ...mathcore? ..... PIE! GOLDEN SPIRAL! RATIOS! ...i'm out.
[12:16:10 PM] Troy Symington: I cannot believe a sister of mine just used the wrong kind of pie...
[12:16:27 PM] Katie Symington: CRAP.
[12:16:29 PM] Katie Symington: I meant to do that.
[12:16:38 PM] Katie Symington: shhh, don't tell Nick.
[12:17:08 PM] Katie Symington: just told Nick.
[12:17:45 PM] Troy Symington: Ha, also, golden spirals are just spirals that go by the Phi ratio, so to say "ratios" after is kinda redundant...
[12:17:57 PM] Katie Symington: ....arrrgh.
[12:18:05 PM] Katie Symington: am not a math major. or a math fan. HATE MATH.
[12:18:11 PM] Troy Symington: :D
[12:18:21 PM] Katie Symington: so what is mathcore?
[12:20:01 PM] Troy Symington: Imagine the genres metal or hardcore or post-hardcore or something like that. Then add really weird, constantly changing time signatures and polyrhythms (playing different time signatures on top of one another).
[12:20:22 PM] Katie Symington: aah. interesting.
[12:20:28 PM] Katie Symington: duran duran is listening to now
[12:20:39 PM] Troy Symington: ...
[12:21:14 PM] Katie Symington: I am listening to duran duran now. english. is hard.
[12:22:04 PM] Troy Symington: Naw, German is hard (I don't like not knowing ANY of the language)!
[12:22:40 PM] Katie Symington: poooor boy. do they speak english well?
[12:23:43 PM] Troy Symington: Depends on where you go. It's not a very touristy city, but pretty much everybody can speak english enough for us to get by.
[12:25:20 PM] Katie Symington: bueno
[12:25:23 PM] Katie Symington: will you get to your flight okay?
[12:26:26 PM] Troy Symington: Yeah, I talked to the hostel people about it. It's a pretty short ride on the subway and it takes us directly to the airport.
[12:26:42 PM] Katie Symington: where they will speak enough english to get you to the right terminal and all
[12:27:59 PM] Troy Symington: Oh yeah, everyone will speak English really well at the airport.
[12:28:11 PM] Katie Symington: bueno
[12:28:36 PM] Troy Symington: molto bene!
[12:29:01 PM] Katie Symington: tres bien!
[12:29:26 PM] Troy Symington: Awesome sauce!
[12:30:04 PM] Katie Symington: ery-vay ood-gay
[12:30:27 PM] Troy Symington: I don't think that one really counts as a language...
[12:31:38 PM] Katie Symington: moreso than "awesome sauce"
[12:34:07 PM] Troy Symington: "Awesome sauce" means "very good" in the little known awesomian language.
[12:34:21 PM] Katie Symington: pshaw
[12:34:43 PM] Katie Symington: that means "I don't believe you" in the little known pshawian language
[12:36:15 PM] Troy Symington: Pbbbbbtttttthhhh! That means "Pbbbbbbbttttthhhhh" In the little known Pbbbbtttttthhhhh language!
[12:36:23 PM] Katie Symington: CRAZY SAUCE!
[12:36:36 PM] Troy Symington: What did you call me?
[12:37:14 PM] Katie Symington: CRAAAAAAAAAAAAZY SAUCE!
[12:37:26 PM] Katie Symington: I'm pretty sure it means you are crazy.
[12:37:30 PM] Katie Symington: in sauce language
[12:37:43 PM] Troy Symington: I don't think you realize what an insult that is in sauce language!
[12:38:00 PM] Katie Symington: I bite my thumb at you, sir!
[12:38:08 PM] Katie Symington: In thumb-biting language!
[12:38:25 PM] Troy Symington: Do you bite your thumb at me sir?
[12:39:11 PM] Troy Symington: Ha, we went to the globe theater in London and got to see them rehearsing for Much Ado about Nothing which opens next week!
[12:39:43 PM] Katie Symington: Sweeet!
[12:39:50 PM] Katie Symington: Did they bite thumbs?
[12:40:01 PM] Troy Symington: Wrong play...
[12:40:26 PM] Katie Symington: o
[12:40:57 PM] Troy Symington: The "do you bite your thumb at me sir?" is from Romeo and Juliet.
[12:41:30 PM] Katie Symington: oops
[12:41:47 PM] Katie Symington: WHATEVER, MORE CULTURED BROTHER O' MINE. TRAVEL AND KNOW PLAYS AND BE MATH-AWARE, WHATEVER.
[12:42:55 PM] Troy Symington: WELL IF YOU ACTUALLY REMEBERED WHAT YOU LEARNED IN SCHOOL! I MEAN, YOU TOOK AP ENGLISH! YOU SHOULD NO SHAKESPEAREIAN PLAYS!
[12:43:14 PM] Katie Symington: NO? NO? WHEREFORE ART THOU "KNOW"???
[12:44:14 PM] Troy Symington: Hey, you can't make fun of me after misspelling pi and not knowing what "do you bite your thumb at me sir" was from!
[12:44:37 PM] Katie Symington: can too.
[12:44:46 PM] Troy Symington: Nope.
[12:45:01 PM] Katie Symington: uhhuh
[12:45:22 PM] Troy Symington: Yuhuh!
[12:45:58 PM] Katie Symington: nuhuh
[12:46:03 PM] Katie Symington: wait. crap.
[12:46:06 PM] Katie Symington: CHEATER!
[12:46:28 PM] Troy Symington: Nuhhuh!
[12:46:47 PM] Katie Symington: uhhuh!
[12:49:45 PM] Troy Symington: Wait, how did I cheat!
[12:50:09 PM] Katie Symington: u made me switch from uhhuh to nuhhuh by u saying uhhuh
[12:50:47 PM] Troy Symington: Uhhuh...
[12:51:33 PM] Katie Symington: nuuhuh
[12:52:19 PM] Troy Symington: STOP IT!!!
[12:52:27 PM] Troy Symington: :D
[12:52:35 PM] Katie Symington: :P
[12:53:09 PM] Katie Symington: you, sir should go to sleep, you have an early morning
[12:53:47 PM] Troy Symington: Ha, it's only 10, but ok.
[12:54:08 PM] Katie Symington: :)
[12:54:22 PM] Katie Symington: Still, early morning.
[12:54:50 PM] Troy Symington: Yup, soooo I guess I'll see you tomorrow or the day after!
[12:55:00 PM] Katie Symington: You shall indeed. Be veeery safe traveling, buddy.
[12:55:28 PM] Katie Symington: Remember to stand up every hour so no blood clots! and eat healthy. and beware of suitcases.
[12:55:34 PM] Katie Symington: I love you!!!
[12:55:50 PM] Troy Symington: Looove yoouuu!
[12:55:58 PM] Katie Symington: mwaaaah!
[12:56:06 PM] Katie Symington: (sun)
[12:56:14 PM] Katie Symington: night!
[12:56:41 PM] Troy Symington: Ciao!
[12:57:13 PM] Katie Symington: buenas nachos!

London, Oh My!

[9:47:02 AM] Katie Symington: Hello buddy! How are you?
[9:48:08 AM] Troy Symington: Hey! I just finished talking to Mom on Skype!
[9:48:39 AM] Katie Symington: Oh good! Well, I will get that chat from her to post on the blog, but quickly summarize or tell me something new! :)
[9:50:00 AM] Troy Symington: (It was a video) But things are good here! We went to Stonehenge this morning which was pretty cool, and then we stopped by Kensington Palace (not much to see there). Now I'm sitting in the pub owned by our hostel.
[9:50:47 AM] Katie Symington: Stonehenge must have been a sight to see. What does the pub look like?
[9:51:05 AM] Troy Symington: ... like a pub.
[9:51:19 AM] Katie Symington: I've never seen one!
[9:51:23 AM] Troy Symington: You're 21!
[9:51:32 AM] Katie Symington: in sac, not london
[9:52:51 AM] Troy Symington: It's your stereotypical pub...
[9:52:58 AM] Katie Symington: k
[9:53:22 AM] Katie Symington: So, I had a dream that you came home early because you ran out of things to do. ;)
[9:53:41 AM] Troy Symington: Ha, not very likely... there's way to much to do.
[9:55:05 AM] Katie Symington: Good! Are you excited to see Wicked? Tell me the last few things you will be doing and what you will miss the most. I need to go carry out laundry, be back in a minute.
[9:56:06 AM] Katie Symington: ...and will you show us all of your pictures on Saturday if we come over for brunch?
[9:56:11 AM] Troy Symington: We see Wicked tomorrow, then the next day we leave for Frankfurt. We stay there for 2 nights and then fly back to the US!
[9:56:42 AM] Troy Symington: Yeah, If I'm awake I'll definitely show you pictures! (I'll just need to move the ones I don't want you guys to see...)
[10:02:20 AM] Katie Symington: lol CUTE TROY ALAN.
[10:03:38 AM] Katie Symington: It is sprinkling here, and cloudy and cool! Yesterday it was kind of cool as well, but before that we had a stretch of 80+ degree weather!
[10:03:42 AM] Katie Symington: How is it in London?
[10:04:37 AM] Troy Symington: Yeah WHY THE HECK IS IT SNOWING OVER THERE?!?! We're supposed to be having a welcome home pool party at our friends house! But it looks like that's not going to happen!!!
[10:05:29 AM] Troy Symington: The weather here has been pretty nice, overcast and cool sometimes and sunny and warm others. But we haven't had any rain which is pretty awesome! We had a little rain in Liverpool and Holyhead but it wasn't a big deal.
[10:06:29 AM] Katie Symington: Mom just told me, at Tyler's! But won't you still go hang out with them? And it's SNOWING up there? WTF?
[10:07:17 AM] Katie Symington: Very awesome! So tell me, do you feel that you packed appropriately for all of the traveling you have been doing? Or do you wish that you had brought some more jeans/shorts/t-shirts/sweaters?
[10:07:29 AM] Troy Symington: Of course I'll go and hang out with them! It's just dissapointing that we probably won't be able to swim!
[10:07:45 AM] Katie Symington: Well you will have to let them know that our pool will need lots of parties at it over the summer!
[10:09:13 AM] Troy Symington: I've worn shorts a grand total of 2 times since getting here... Italians DO NOT wear shorts. My only problem is my awesome duster jacket that you guys got me for christmas is to bulky to travel around with! There's no way to fit it in my suitcase so that means that when I'm traveling around I always need to wear it and it can get REALLY hot!
[10:09:43 AM] Katie Symington: Aha! So in the future we must find you an awesome duster jacket that is not bulky! Noted! :)
[10:09:55 AM] Katie Symington: Well, I am glad that you like it so much. :D
[10:10:18 AM] Troy Symington: Naw, I'm fine with the one I have, it's just too much trouble to travel with!
[10:11:42 AM] Katie Symington: ;)
[10:11:55 AM] Katie Symington: Let's see. What else is going on with you? How are you gettin along with Alec?
[10:14:16 AM] Troy Symington: Good! But I'm not gonna lie, it'll be nice to not have to see him every single day for a while!
[10:14:29 AM] Katie Symington: Well I am very glad that you two aren't at each other's throats!
[10:15:00 AM] Katie Symington: Hmm. So, how are the London girls?
[10:15:51 AM] Troy Symington: Nice! Although, I haven't gotten to really meet any of them... the only girls I've made friends with in London are from Australia and the US...
[10:16:26 AM] Katie Symington: What are their names?
[10:22:29 AM] Troy Symington: Why ya want to know?
[10:23:21 AM] Katie Symington: Because the other girls you mentioned had pretty names and I am trying to remember them
[10:23:31 AM] Katie Symington: SO I CAN TRACK THEM DOWN AND QUESTION THEM! MWAHAHAHA!
[10:23:53 AM] Troy Symington: Ha, those were the people from the Florence program that we already knew! They've all gone home now...
[10:24:13 AM] Katie Symington: Poor boy
[10:27:05 AM] Katie Symington: Mom and I are discussing the Barbados trip! I can't wait for you to hear all about it, it is going to be amazing! Mom is really working hard on figuring everything out! (sun)
[10:27:40 AM] Troy Symington: Awesome! I forgot to ask her about it when I was talking to her! I don't really know very much about it...
[10:29:58 AM] Katie Symington: She has been not talking about it to you on purpose because she figures that you will have enough time to hear about it when you are back here, so you can focus on London and your trip!
[10:30:18 AM] Katie Symington: I will just say that we will be spending some time in Barbados before the sailing trip, and then probably one day after the trip as well.
[10:31:18 AM] Troy Symington: I suppose that makes sense... I have been doing a ton of planning every day for our traveling. But this whole Barbados thing sounds awesome!
[10:31:30 AM] Katie Symington: I think it will be!!! :D
[10:31:37 AM] Katie Symington: What will you do in Germany?
[10:32:27 AM] Troy Symington: Not sure... I really don't know what there is to see in Frankfurt! But the German culture was really cool down in Munich, so we'll see how Frankfurt compares!
[10:33:47 AM] Katie Symington: Sounds awesome! What time do you fly back? When do you arrive?
[10:35:11 AM] Troy Symington: We leave from Frankfurt at 10:45 am on the 19th, and arrive in Sac at about 9:45 in the evening.
[10:36:07 AM] Katie Symington: great! I'm very excited to see you again buddy! (happy) How are you feeling about coming back home?
[10:36:37 AM] Troy Symington: I'm really excited to see everyone again! But somewhat less excited for everything else...
[10:37:19 AM] Katie Symington: I keep randomly going, "MY BROTHER IS COMING BACK!" to like everyone I see. lol
[10:37:49 AM] Troy Symington: Ha, that's much appreciated!
[10:38:10 AM] Katie Symington: That everything else is just a part of life. You've had quite a nice break from real life I think ... but hopefully it has shown you that there are a lot of different cultures that do things a bit differently than Americans, and you have the option to be or do whatever you want to.
[10:38:16 AM] Katie Symington: HOLY FUCK THUNDER JESUS GOD
[10:39:04 AM] Troy Symington: ... ?
[10:39:53 AM] Katie Symington: Sorry. Really big scary thunder just happened, and I had no idea we were expecting storms.
[10:39:57 AM] Katie Symington: AND NICK JUST LEFT HALF AN HOUR AGO SO I'M ALL ALONE!
[10:42:12 AM] Troy Symington: That was a very... unconventional series of profanities...
[10:42:43 AM] Katie Symington: Welcoem to my life. (sweat)
[10:43:00 AM] Katie Symington: hee
[10:43:09 AM] Katie Symington: Mom says it is hailing and thundering at home, the dogs are upset!
[10:43:48 AM] Troy Symington: Huh! What the heck is with this weather? Doesn't it know that it's supposed to be summer?!
[10:44:17 AM] Katie Symington: I know right!
[10:44:20 AM] Katie Symington: It is so weird!
[10:44:41 AM] Katie Symington: That's how it has been for the last two weeks or so: really nice, hot weather, then brr cold rain. Then REALLY hot weather, then thunder!
[10:44:43 AM] Katie Symington: Weird!
[10:44:51 AM] Katie Symington: I thought April showers brought May flowers, not May showers. Hmmph
[10:44:56 AM] Troy Symington: Global warming!!! AHHHHHHHHH!!!
[10:45:43 AM] Katie Symington: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
[10:45:52 AM] Katie Symington: :)
[10:45:57 AM] Katie Symington: eeeeee more thunder!
[10:46:05 AM] Katie Symington: I don't like thunder when I am alone, it freaks me out
[10:47:17 AM] Troy Symington: Awww... is ickle Katie scared of a wee bit of atmospherical electric discharge?
[10:47:27 AM] Katie Symington: YES
[10:47:33 AM] Katie Symington: heeeeelp!
[10:47:41 AM] Katie Symington: come fly home and keep the thunder away!
[10:47:57 AM] Katie Symington: ....although I'd actually rather you didn't fly through a storm, nevermind.
[10:48:03 AM] Troy Symington: It's ok! I'll be there in 4 days to protect you from the vicious thunder!
[10:48:09 AM] Katie Symington: Yay!!!
[10:48:16 AM] Katie Symington: Oh, btw! I am still playing WOW, can you believe it?
[10:48:29 AM] Troy Symington: O... M... G...
[10:48:32 AM] Troy Symington: My sister is a nerd...
[10:48:38 AM] Troy Symington: That's kind of awesome.
[10:48:58 AM] Katie Symington: LOL cute bud
[10:49:01 AM] Katie Symington: You can thank Nick.
[10:49:17 AM] Katie Symington: I am level.... 48 or 49 now!
[10:49:28 AM] Katie Symington: I am a super awesome paladin
[10:49:32 AM] Katie Symington: in a guild
[10:49:38 AM] Katie Symington: ohemgee
[10:49:39 AM] Troy Symington: Wait, seriously? Doesn't it only go to level 70?
[10:49:49 AM] Katie Symington: 70 until you buy the extension packs and then you can go to level 85
[10:50:16 AM] Katie Symington: We are going very fast because Nick recruited me so we get 300% experience for a while, so it is much easier to level up
[10:50:36 AM] Katie Symington: Plus, Nick knows all the best areas to get experience so that helps too
[10:50:50 AM] Troy Symington: Daaaaamn. But still, level 49 means that you've put in quite a few hours! My sister is a nerd! Now we just need to get you to play COD...
[10:51:43 AM] Katie Symington: LOl you can try bud, we shall see. I am a nerd. ;)
[10:53:09 AM] Troy Symington: Ha, just you wait... video games will take over your life and then you'll be all like "wait, isn't there other things that I could be doing right now?"
[10:53:48 AM] Katie Symington: ha, like reading!
[10:55:04 AM] Troy Symington: I know, right? The thing is, half the reason I play video games is for the plotlines, and if I start one, it just doen't feel right if I don't finish!
[10:55:13 AM] Katie Symington: That is funny!
[10:55:38 AM] Katie Symington: I mostly play because Nick enjoys it so much but I must admit I am starting to like WOW.
[10:56:09 AM] Troy Symington: Ha, it's nice to be someone else for a little while, right?
[10:56:32 AM] Katie Symington: My paladin is the shiznit. Her name is Sithy. :)
[10:57:42 AM] Troy Symington: An odd name, but I'll go with it :D
[10:58:15 AM] Katie Symington: Yes, but some of them on there are even odder. And most of the more normal names are taken!
[10:58:22 AM] Katie Symington: So you are still at the pub huh?
[10:58:25 AM] Katie Symington: What is Alec doing?
[11:00:02 AM] Troy Symington: Yeah, I'm having a pint because it's happy hour. Alec went back up to the room and is either reading or taking a nap. I'm going to go up and get him soon so that we can go ride on the London Eye (the giant ferris wheel across the river from Parliament).
[11:01:14 AM] Katie Symington: Oh how fun!
[11:01:30 AM] Katie Symington: What is it like hearing everyone with accents?
[11:01:38 AM] Katie Symington: Does everyone know you are American right off?
[11:04:25 AM] Troy Symington: I dunno... the accent is more subtle than you'd expect (probably because London is such a tourist spot), and the fact that I've been traveling around for the last 3.5 months has kinda desenzitized me to accents and languages. Ha, when we went to Westminster Abbey the other day, the guy who gave us our audio guides immediately knew that we were americans (even though we hadn't said anything) and he said that he knew because we were smiling!
[11:04:53 AM] Katie Symington: Ha, how funny! So English do not smile?
[11:06:23 AM] Troy Symington: Apparently... but the few that I've met have been drunk, so they we're smiling quite a bit!
[11:06:38 AM] Katie Symington: Awesomeness.
[11:08:13 AM] Katie Symington: So what kind of pint?
[11:08:52 AM] Troy Symington: I just finished a pint of John Smith's Ale. It wasn't bad! It was the first time I'd had it.
[11:09:37 AM] Katie Symington: So do you prefer beer or wine?
[11:10:13 AM] Troy Symington: Good question. Depends on the beer / wine! But I think I might prefer wine more... I dunno.
[11:10:34 AM] Katie Symington: Interesante
[11:11:32 AM] Troy Symington: Molto interessante.
[11:11:47 AM] Katie Symington: Interesting.
[11:12:36 AM] Troy Symington: interessant (German).
[11:12:47 AM] Katie Symington: ooooh
[11:12:50 AM] Katie Symington: I'm out
[11:12:54 AM] Katie Symington: Got no more
[11:12:59 AM] Troy Symington: Woohoo! I win!
[11:13:37 AM] Katie Symington: Woooohoo!
[11:14:13 AM] Troy Symington: Why are you celebrating?
[11:14:19 AM] Troy Symington: You lost! Muhahahaha!
[11:14:22 AM] Katie Symington: I am checking the Race times for the 5k, and Nick got....32.24 time
[11:14:33 AM] Katie Symington: He is #1058
[11:14:39 AM] Troy Symington: And you?
[11:14:47 AM] Troy Symington: What did you get?
[11:15:05 AM] Katie Symington: 32.35 #1085
[11:15:08 AM] Katie Symington: yay!
[11:15:16 AM] Katie Symington: I was running with Cassie at the end
[11:15:45 AM] Katie Symington: She got 32.34! #1079!
[11:16:18 AM] Troy Symington: ha, wow. You must have been with a big group at the end! How many people ran the race? Do you know?
[11:16:25 AM] Katie Symington: 2400 ran!
[11:16:36 AM] Katie Symington: And actually the longest time is 1 hour 51 minutes!
[11:17:46 AM] Troy Symington: Ha, wow! That's a lot of people!
[11:18:48 AM] Katie Symington: And that was just in the timed race, there were more in the run/walk! Pretty cool!
[11:18:53 AM] Katie Symington: They said it was a record turnout!
[11:19:03 AM] Troy Symington: Sweeeet!
[11:19:28 AM] Troy Symington: Alright, I should go Katie. I got a ferris wheel to ride!
[11:19:29 AM] Katie Symington: I had a lot of fun! We have not run since last Saturday for the race though, so today Nick and I are going back to the gym
[11:19:38 AM] Katie Symington: You ride that ferris wheel!
[11:19:41 AM] Katie Symington: And don't fall off
[11:19:42 AM] Troy Symington: Good! Keep it up!
[11:19:42 AM] Katie Symington: :)
[11:19:52 AM] Troy Symington: And I will see you in 4 days!
[11:20:01 AM] Katie Symington: Have tons of fun buddy, I love you, and I can't wait to see you soon!!! :D
[11:20:06 AM] Troy Symington: Love ya!
[11:20:09 AM] Katie Symington: Mwah!
[11:20:10 AM] Katie Symington: Ciao!

Catching Up in Ireland

[10:47:41 AM] Katie Symington: Trooooy!
[10:47:45 AM] Katie Symington: *achoo"*
[10:48:32 AM] Troy Symington: ... ?
[11:33:12 AM] Katie Symington: dude. my allergies are soooo freaking bad. and sorry I disappeared, I was cleaning and then Nick came home from his AF interview and I made breakfast and am a little bit hungover.
[11:41:13 AM] Troy Symington: Hungover from what?
[11:47:31 AM] Katie Symington: My friend and her boyfriend broke up yesterday and so my quiet evening plans were superseded by friend duties, mainly involving getting her drunk and then going out to barcode and dancing.
[11:47:46 AM] Katie Symington: and, you know, chocolate
[11:48:55 AM] Troy Symington: M'kay, interesting.
[11:49:35 AM] Katie Symington: some evil guy woke me up at ten something by mowing outside. urgh.
[11:49:49 AM] Katie Symington: lol sorry you probably don't want to hear about your sister drinking. So! How are you doing bud?
[11:49:58 AM] Katie Symington: (PS Nick had his air force interview and he did really good on it!)
[11:51:19 AM] Troy Symington: I'm doing good. Alec and I went on a tour to see the Cliffs of Moher and Burren today! It was pretty cool! (although tour buses aren't my prefered method of sightseeing).
[11:51:31 AM] Troy Symington: Tell Nick 'congrats' for me!
[11:51:48 AM] Katie Symington: he says thanks!
[11:51:55 AM] Katie Symington: oooh that sounds pretty awesome
[11:52:06 AM] Katie Symington: what was the coolest thing you've seen in ireland so far?
[11:53:33 AM] Troy Symington: Hrrrrmmm.... we've seen a lot of cool stuff. But I think my favorite is just the countryside and landscapes.
[11:55:47 AM] Katie Symington: very pretty?
[11:57:07 AM] Troy Symington: Oh yes. It's the stereotypical Ireland. There's rolling green hills with herds of sheep and cows and lots and lots of stone walls everywhere.
[11:59:35 AM] Katie Symington: sounds beautiful! and very calm. How are the people?
[12:00:04 PM] Troy Symington: Very nice and helpful, actually! Very different from Italy.
[12:00:28 PM] Katie Symington: oh?
[12:00:30 PM] Katie Symington: explain mas
[12:02:03 PM] Troy Symington: Italians are too proud and hate tourists. The Irish don't. It might just be the alcohol, but they're just happier people!
[12:02:16 PM] Katie Symington: lol! Do they drink a lot?
[12:04:18 PM] Troy Symington: Yeah, they actually do! All of the ones that we've talked to are always talking about drinking, and several of them have told us that they usually skip meals becuase they get calories from beer!
[12:04:39 PM] Katie Symington: hooooly cow. that's some good nutrition right there! Are they heavy?"
[12:06:09 PM] Troy Symington: Some of them. They really do like their Guinness over here. They also really like this dark ale called Smithwicks which is pretty good.
[12:06:39 PM] Katie Symington: So in terms of comparing Americans to Italians to the Irish, which country is the most overweight? Which country has the nicest people? Which country do you want to spend more time in?
[12:07:52 PM] Troy Symington: Americans are the most overweight (which I don't understand because the Irish eat all this really heavy food and drink all of the time), and the Irish are probably the nicest. I want to spend more time in all of them!
[12:08:10 PM] Katie Symington: :D
[12:08:29 PM] Katie Symington: And then in January we will be able to compare Barbados peoples to all those others!
[12:09:13 PM] Troy Symington: Sound good to me!
[12:09:49 PM] Katie Symington: so you remember that Mother's day is this Sunday, yes? I hope you send mom a really nice message, or actually I just realized that it would be even nicer if you called! Can you call us Sunday?
[12:10:07 PM] Katie Symington: Nick and I will be at mom's house morning through early afternoon I think
[12:11:09 PM] Troy Symington: Sounds good! I have no clue what I'll be doing on Sunday or where, but I will definitely give you guys a call!
[12:11:20 PM] Katie Symington: That will be excellent! :)
[12:11:35 PM] Katie Symington: Are you missing us or are you too busy trotting around looking at neat things?
[12:11:36 PM] Katie Symington: ;)
[12:12:28 PM] Troy Symington: Definitely missing you guys. But I also don't want to go home! The real world is there!
[12:12:44 PM] Katie Symington: lol isn't that true
[12:13:02 PM] Katie Symington: the real world here is HOT. it has been in the eighties the last few days!
[12:13:18 PM] Katie Symington: the real world here is also totally in a tizzy over killing Osama
[12:14:10 PM] Troy Symington: I know, right? That's all anyone has been talking about!
[12:14:29 PM] Katie Symington: yeppers
[12:14:39 PM] Katie Symington: over in ireland too?
[12:15:16 PM] Troy Symington: Oh yeah. Every time I try to engage in conversation with an Irish person, it always comes up.
[12:15:45 PM] Katie Symington: wow. cuz you're american and they think you want to talk about it?
[12:17:02 PM] Troy Symington: Naw, I think it's just because it's big news all over the world.
[12:17:11 PM] Katie Symington: gotcha
[12:17:20 PM] Katie Symington: how are the irish gals?
[12:17:24 PM] Katie Symington: laddie
[12:17:40 PM] Katie Symington: whoops, I mean Irish lassies, right?
[12:18:14 PM] Troy Symington: Pretty... pretty.
[12:18:31 PM] Katie Symington: ooooh
[12:18:50 PM] Katie Symington: speak more
[12:20:37 PM] Troy Symington: Not to much to say. The Irish lasses are hot!
[12:20:51 PM] Katie Symington: so it's lasses not lassies
[12:22:01 PM] Troy Symington: Uhhhh... I dunno.
[12:22:10 PM] Katie Symington: lol
[12:22:32 PM] Katie Symington: so what are you up to tomorrow?
[12:23:27 PM] Troy Symington: Bus back to Dublin. Ferry to Holyhead in the UK.
[12:23:39 PM] Katie Symington: ....what?
[12:23:40 PM] Katie Symington: where?
[12:23:41 PM] Katie Symington: how?
[12:23:47 PM] Katie Symington: You're leaving Ireland and going to the UK?
[12:23:51 PM] Katie Symington: which one?
[12:24:09 PM] Troy Symington: Which one? The UK is Britain.
[12:24:26 PM] Katie Symington: oh lol i knowed that
[12:24:29 PM] Katie Symington: teeehehehehe
[12:24:32 PM] Katie Symington: geography
[12:24:34 PM] Katie Symington: pbbbt
[12:24:49 PM] Troy Symington: Silly sister of mine...
[12:25:45 PM] Katie Symington: so you are going to Britain! For the first time, yeah?
[12:26:01 PM] Troy Symington: Yeeeeaaaah!
[12:26:41 PM] Katie Symington: yaaaay!
[12:26:47 PM] Katie Symington: What will you do there? and for how long?
[12:27:41 PM] Troy Symington: I don't know. But I gotta go Katie, we're having trouble booking everything for tomorrow. (And the fact that there are literally NO hostels in Holyhead isn't helping...)
[12:28:40 PM] Katie Symington: uhoh! well have fun, and tell everybody I vaguely know hi. ;) And then let us know where you are going, k? Have a great time buddy, love you! ciao!
[12:28:59 PM] Troy Symington: Love ya! Ciao!

Dublin!

Hey ma! I'm alive!
[5/1/11 1:03:31 PM] Lisa Symington: YES! but where?
[5/1/11 1:03:47 PM] Troy Symington: In my hostel in Dublin!
[5/1/11 1:03:56 PM] Lisa Symington: Tell me all about it!
[5/1/11 1:05:48 PM] Troy Symington: I'm declining your call because I'm sitting in a common room and don't want to be annoyingly loud.
[5/1/11 1:06:01 PM] Lisa Symington: Notte Bianca must have been fun. Who else was still iin Florence?
[5/1/11 1:07:15 PM] Lisa Symington: You know, you could accept the call and turn down the volume :)
[5/1/11 1:07:21 PM] Troy Symington: There were a couple of people but we didn't meet up with them. It was just Alec and I roaming around on our own. Still fun though! Unfortunately we went to bed pretty early.
[5/1/11 1:07:25 PM] Lisa Symington: and speak quietly
[5/1/11 1:07:29 PM] Troy Symington: I would still have to talk loud.
[5/1/11 1:07:41 PM] Troy Symington: You wouldn't understand if I spoke quietly.
[5/1/11 1:07:50 PM] Lisa Symington: sure, sure....
[5/1/11 1:08:01 PM] Lisa Symington: Tell me more....
[5/1/11 1:08:22 PM] Lisa Symington: Was there good music?
[5/1/11 1:09:15 PM] Troy Symington: The Notte Bianca supposedly went on until 5 in the morning. We wandered around listening to bands. There were some DJ's and a couple small ensembles that were pretty good. We didn't see much in the way of the art stuff (because we couldn't read the program!)
[5/1/11 1:09:58 PM] Lisa Symington: Not read the program? Even with all the Italian in school? Bad Boy!
[5/1/11 1:10:38 PM] Lisa Symington: How was the florence hostel? the train or bus to Pisa and the flight? and then finding your way to your dublin hostel?
[5/1/11 1:14:43 PM] Lisa Symington: Are you going to chat?
[5/1/11 1:14:49 PM] Troy Symington: Weeeell. I mixed up our two Ryanair flights. So I thought we were flying out of Pisa at 3 but that's the London to Frankfurt flight... our flight didn't leave until 5 so we waited around for many hours after the train got us there at 12. We got into Dublin at 7.30 (we gained an hour it's 9.13 here right now). And took the hostel van from the airport to the hostel for FREE! We've only been here for like 30-40 minutes.
[5/1/11 1:15:14 PM] Lisa Symington: Ohhhhh
[5/1/11 1:15:31 PM] Lisa Symington: I guess you don't know Dublin very well then :)
[5/1/11 1:16:15 PM] Troy Symington: Not exactly... but our hostel is right across the river from the Custom House which is some famous building!
[5/1/11 1:16:22 PM] Lisa Symington: Have you had the local drink yet? is it Guinness in Dublin? or whiskey?
[5/1/11 1:16:44 PM] Lisa Symington: Do you have a tour book of Dublin?
[5/1/11 1:18:40 PM] Troy Symington: Guiness. No we don't have a tour book. And how could we have possibly already have had a drink here!?! Although I think we're supposed to take a tour of the Guiness factory at some point. Oh! Our hostel is giving us a free all day tour thing of the countryside tomorrow because we're staying over two nights! It's supposed to be really good but I'm not exactly sure what we'll be seeing!
[5/1/11 1:19:35 PM] Lisa Symington: Wonderful. I was just looking on wikitravel and saw the custom house photo on the river Liffey. Looks nice.
[5/1/11 1:20:36 PM] Troy Symington: Yup! Ummm... could I get some more money soon? I withdrew enough to last me the next couple of days. But there's only 200 left in the account.
[5/1/11 1:21:01 PM] Lisa Symington: I put in $1000 yesterday
[5/1/11 1:21:29 PM] Troy Symington: Yaaaay! It must not have processed it yet because I was just looking at BoA.
[5/1/11 1:21:49 PM] Lisa Symington: Have you checked with Bank of America for sister banks to save you fees?
[5/1/11 1:22:45 PM] Troy Symington: Yeah. I just haven't been able to figure out which ones are in Dublin! The UK is Barklay but I think I just need to look for Deutchbanks or Barklays while in Ireland.
[5/1/11 1:24:18 PM] Lisa Symington: I just looked at b of a and it shows my deposit as "processing"
[5/1/11 1:25:19 PM] Lisa Symington: I expect you will likely need more $ before you are done, but I am awaiting some deposits myself before I have enough to spare you. Hopefully within a week or so.
[5/1/11 1:25:25 PM] Troy Symington: Gotcha. I just checked and there aren't any Deutche banks... now to check Barklays and BNPs.
[5/1/11 1:26:19 PM] Troy Symington: M'kay. $1000 will definitely last me a while. An entire month if I was still in Florence! But since we got to pay for hostels and eat out all of the time...
[5/1/11 1:26:34 PM] Lisa Symington: How's the weather? I think of Ireland as rainy
[5/1/11 1:27:34 PM] Troy Symington: Cloudy. But a good temperature (though colder than Firenze this morning) and I haven't seen any rain yet.
[5/1/11 1:28:20 PM] Lisa Symington: I hope it is nice while you are there. It's always easier to walk around in good weather.
[5/1/11 1:29:21 PM] Troy Symington: Yup. I do have my umbrella but it's gotten even more broken. So if it starts raining a lot I'll probably have to buy a new one :(
[5/1/11 1:30:46 PM] Lisa Symington: My cheap ones (even one I bought in Pisa) were only 3Euro! Katie said it didn't withstand the wind, so I think you get what you pay for... Wikitravel says there's a meideval viking world in Dublin. Interesting sounding.
[5/1/11 1:31:19 PM] Troy Symington: Huh... I might have to look into this!
[5/1/11 1:31:55 PM] Lisa Symington: and there's a gaol where folks were executed.... yuck
[5/1/11 1:32:26 PM] Troy Symington: gaol?
[5/1/11 1:32:41 PM] Lisa Symington: http://wikitravel.org/en/Dublin
[5/1/11 1:32:52 PM] Lisa Symington: did I mis-spell? goal?
[5/1/11 1:32:55 PM] Lisa Symington: Prison
[5/1/11 1:33:06 PM] Lisa Symington: pokie
[5/1/11 1:33:14 PM] Lisa Symington: joint
[5/1/11 1:34:22 PM] Troy Symington: Now I'm confused? Since when is goal a synonym for those others?
[5/1/11 1:35:13 PM] Lisa Symington: GAOL, not goal
[5/1/11 1:35:44 PM] Troy Symington: What the hell is a gaol?!? That was the point of me asking in the first place!
[5/1/11 1:36:10 PM] Lisa Symington: the gaol is the prison, pokie, joint, jail
[5/1/11 1:36:33 PM] Troy Symington: Huh...
[5/1/11 1:37:03 PM] Lisa Symington: Com'on smartie pants. you always got an A in english class...
[5/1/11 1:37:30 PM] Troy Symington: Doesn't mean that I've ever heard that word before.
[5/1/11 1:38:57 PM] Troy Symington: Oh! Gaol is just the British spelling of jail!
[5/1/11 1:39:34 PM] Lisa Symington: They spell funny! Well, check out your touristy options and see if you want to see the gaol, or any of the other sites. Wikitravel does seem to be concise and informative, but I would compare it with other info you get.
[5/1/11 1:40:16 PM] Troy Symington: Yeah. I'm unsure of how much time we'll have to do stuff like that. But I'll look into it and we'll see!
[5/1/11 1:40:50 PM] Lisa Symington: Is it just you and Alec? at one point you thought one of your roomies might be with you
[5/1/11 1:41:56 PM] Lisa Symington: and when and out-of-where is your ryanair to frankfurt?
[5/1/11 1:42:11 PM] Troy Symington: Yeah. We just saw a couple of them. They'll all be on the tour tomorrow ridiculously early in the morning and we'll talk with them then!
[5/1/11 1:42:31 PM] Troy Symington: We're doing London to Frankfurt on the (I think) 17.
[5/1/11 1:42:45 PM] Lisa Symington: Who is "them"?
[5/1/11 1:43:15 PM] Troy Symington: Greg, Maura, Kim, Gabi, Avia.
[5/1/11 1:43:32 PM] Lisa Symington: ahh, not roomies then, but comrades
[5/1/11 1:44:26 PM] Troy Symington: Yup! Oh my god! People. are. driving. on. the. wrong. sideoftheroad!!!!
[5/1/11 1:44:51 PM] Lisa Symington: Yes, and they will run over you from the opposite side, too!
[5/1/11 1:45:16 PM] Troy Symington: It's soooo weird walking around!
[5/1/11 1:45:23 PM] Lisa Symington: haha
[5/1/11 1:45:34 PM] Lisa Symington: and they all talk funny, too
[5/1/11 1:45:47 PM] Troy Symington: I like the Irish accent!
[5/1/11 1:45:58 PM] Troy Symington: So how are things back home?
[5/1/11 1:47:03 PM] Lisa Symington: Things here are usual. We hauled Nanny's new curio cabinet up to her apartment without you, just Dad and I. It was heavy and didn't fit easily in the elevator...
[5/1/11 1:47:29 PM] Lisa Symington: Dad bought a new weed whacker yesterday and has been using it all morning.
[5/1/11 1:47:34 PM] Lisa Symington: without you...
[5/1/11 1:48:03 PM] Lisa Symington: We haven't seen Katie since Easter
[5/1/11 1:48:04 PM] Troy Symington: I'm sorry! Just goes to show that you guys can't handle things without me!
[5/1/11 1:48:17 PM] Lisa Symington: Looking forward to seeing you!
[5/1/11 1:48:43 PM] Lisa Symington: I am happily looking for hotels in Barbados for January
[5/1/11 1:48:56 PM] Troy Symington: I know! Only a couple more weeks! It was so weird leaving Florence this morning. I was surprisingly sad.
[5/1/11 1:49:03 PM] Lisa Symington: With 5 of us, we don't fit into most rooms.
[5/1/11 1:49:35 PM] Lisa Symington: I'm sorry you were sad, and I understand. You will ALWAYS remember though
[5/1/11 1:50:17 PM] Troy Symington: Yup! Sorry you're having trouble with hotels!
[5/1/11 1:50:25 PM] Lisa Symington: especially the special bond you shared with your fellow californians in a special place
[5/1/11 1:51:03 PM] Troy Symington: Yeah. I'm definitely gonna miss it. It's going to be weird going back to the real world.
[5/1/11 1:53:43 PM] Lisa Symington: You will have a really hard time coming back. Not only will we be mundane, you will have to be working, saving money instead of spending, denying yourself which I didn't want you to do much of while you were in Italy and now vacationing in a once-in-a-lifetime kind of way......
[5/1/11 1:54:54 PM] Troy Symington: Sigh.....
[5/1/11 1:55:01 PM] Lisa Symington: Well, I ought to get going. I am raking the back yard, under the oak tree.
[5/1/11 1:55:28 PM] Troy Symington: M'kay. I should go to. It's almost 10 and we haven't had much in the way of dinner yet. Love ya!
[5/1/11 1:55:47 PM] Lisa Symington: Love you too! Have a fun time tomorrow!
[5/1/11 1:55:50 PM] Lisa Symington: Mwah
[5/1/11 1:56:07 PM] Lisa Symington: :*

Chatting Money

MY BOY!
[4/29/11 9:32:53 AM] Lisa Symington: On your last night in your apartment, right?
[4/29/11 9:33:35 AM] Troy Symington: Yup!
[4/29/11 9:33:49 AM] Lisa Symington: what have you been doing?
[4/29/11 9:33:53 AM] Troy Symington: Tomorrow night we stay in a hostel across the river in Florence.
[4/29/11 9:34:11 AM] Troy Symington: Cleaning. Packing. Seeing everything I still had to see.
[4/29/11 9:34:19 AM] Troy Symington: I climbed the Dome today finally!
[4/29/11 9:35:23 AM] Lisa Symington: Funny to stay in the same town in the hostel. Yay, you climbed the Dome! I'm glad. Was it still great? or did it lose some of it's pizazz because Firenze was more familiar to you?
[4/29/11 9:37:11 AM] Troy Symington: Nope! Don't think so! It was pretty cool to get a veiw of absolutely everywhere in the city! I kept going "that's where ... is, and that's the ...".
[4/29/11 9:37:24 AM] Lisa Symington: :)
[4/29/11 9:37:42 AM] Lisa Symington: Did Accent have a going away party for you guys?
[4/29/11 9:39:02 AM] Troy Symington: Yup! We went to a pizza place nearby our apartment that I've actually been to twice before. We got free soda and pizza! I was stuffed! And we said goodbye to all of the teachers and a couple of the students who left early. Our roommate Sean left this morning! It's so weird!
[4/29/11 9:39:41 AM] Lisa Symington: Seems weird after making a home together for the last 3 months!
[4/29/11 9:40:48 AM] Lisa Symington: Is all going well with your packing? extra storage off to your friend for the ride home? (was it Jordan? i forget whom)
[4/29/11 9:42:01 AM] Troy Symington: Naw, it was our friend Shannon. I dropped the bag off yesterday with all of our stuff (it ended up being pretty darn heavy even though it's just a duffel bag!)
[4/29/11 10:05:08 AM] Lisa Symington: Sorry, I got a phone call from our travel agent. I tried to type in be right back but didn't get the return button hit.
[4/29/11 10:05:45 AM] Lisa Symington: I trust you weighed your duffel bag to be sure you didn't go over the weight limit?
[4/29/11 10:05:49 AM] Troy Symington: It's ok, I know it's because you don't actually love me... : )
[4/29/11 10:05:56 AM] Lisa Symington: Not really!
[4/29/11 10:06:53 AM] Lisa Symington: I have you booked in the tiny, cramped, cheap, inside, windowless cabin with Katie and Nick for our sailing cruise.
[4/29/11 10:06:59 AM] Troy Symington: The wait limit is 50 lbs and it's a small duffel bag. I really don't think we got anywhere near it. It was probably like 30 lbs or something.
[4/29/11 10:07:00 AM] Lisa Symington: Okiedokie
[4/29/11 10:07:52 AM] Lisa Symington: Tell me about your plans that you have booked already for your next couple of weeks
[4/29/11 10:09:58 AM] Troy Symington: Florence for 1 night tomorrow night. Then Dublin for 3 nights. Then a train to Galway and an unknown number of nights there. We haven't booked our Galway hostel yet because we might want to spend an extra night in Dublin.
[4/29/11 10:10:34 AM] Lisa Symington: Sounds like you're city folks :) What is there to do in DUblin?
[4/29/11 10:10:54 AM] Troy Symington: Not a whole lot...
[4/29/11 10:11:17 AM] Lisa Symington: Then why stay so many days?
[4/29/11 10:12:36 AM] Troy Symington: Oh! By the way... I'm probably going to need some more money in the bank account soon. There's still over 500 in there but since we're going to start traveling around it's going to disapear reeeaaally quickly.
[4/29/11 10:13:56 AM] Troy Symington: For the Irish culture! And I know how that is synonomous with drinking, but that's not what I intend to do... much.
[4/29/11 10:14:38 AM] Lisa Symington: OK
[4/29/11 10:14:57 AM] Troy Symington: I got to go mom! We're meeting people for dinner! Love ya!
[4/29/11 10:15:06 AM] Lisa Symington: I'll see what I can do about your bank account. You are going to owe me big time!!!
[4/29/11 10:15:11 AM] Lisa Symington: Love ya too!

Finals in Florence

Troy!
[4/26/11 1:29:39 PM] Lisa Symington: You there?
[4/26/11 1:29:51 PM] Lisa Symington: Hellooo!!
[4/26/11 1:31:06 PM] Troy Symington: Whoa! My mom's messaging me!
[4/26/11 1:35:43 PM] Troy Symington: But Skype's not sending it apparently...
[4/26/11 1:35:54 PM] Lisa Symington: and then I ran away since nobody loved me enough to respond!
[4/26/11 1:36:04 PM] Lisa Symington: Hi honey!
[4/26/11 1:36:40 PM] Lisa Symington: I was about to book the San Francisco de Young museum for June 18, a Saturday, for a Picasso exhibit.
[4/26/11 1:36:46 PM] Lisa Symington: Do you want to go?
[4/26/11 1:37:40 PM] Lisa Symington: We are only planning a day trip with the exhibit time of 12:30, if I can get it.... they are already sold out for the first weekend and most of this second weekend
[4/26/11 1:38:55 PM] Lisa Symington: Did you run away?
[4/26/11 1:40:21 PM] Lisa Symington: Now Skype isn't sending my chats to you!
[4/26/11 1:40:38 PM] Lisa Symington: they are "pending", so what's with that?
[4/26/11 1:41:13 PM] Lisa Symington: It still has you listed as a green check for having your computer open....
[4/26/11 1:42:10 PM] Lisa Symington: oh well, I'm out to mow the lawn with the PUSH mower. The regular one is being repaired and the grass grows fast this time of year
[4/26/11 1:42:20 PM] Lisa Symington: Where's my mower when I need him?
[4/26/11 1:42:35 PM] Troy Symington: I'll have school and work by then... what day of the week is it?
[4/26/11 1:42:58 PM] Lisa Symington: Saturday
[4/26/11 1:43:05 PM] Lisa Symington: Yay! you ARE there!!
[4/26/11 1:44:04 PM] Troy Symington: Whoa! It just sent me your last, like, 10 messages all at once!
[4/26/11 1:44:05 PM] Lisa Symington: We could probably do a Sunday if it's better. I am waiting for Katie's reply still..... but she leaves for Hawaii later that week so I thought sooner was better than later for her sake.
[4/26/11 1:44:47 PM] Troy Symington: I just don't know what my work schedule will be, but I can probably do it!
[4/26/11 1:45:29 PM] Lisa Symington: I suppose you would be able to schedule work around it since, as of now you are not scheduled at all :)
[4/26/11 1:45:48 PM] Troy Symington: Yup! :)
[4/26/11 1:46:04 PM] Lisa Symington: OK, I'll count you as a go! Your ticket is $21 as a student
[4/26/11 1:46:27 PM] Lisa Symington: How was your history essay?
[4/26/11 1:47:37 PM] Troy Symington: Woohoo! The essay went pretty well I think! Afterwards we had a Soc Sci essay that was really easy, but by the time we took it I felt really burnt out from all the writing! (our journals were due that day as well so I had spent the entire night before writing many, many pages).
[4/26/11 1:48:11 PM] Lisa Symington: Last minute journaling for the whole semester?
[4/26/11 1:48:36 PM] Lisa Symington: Congratulations on feeling good about your essays!
[4/26/11 1:48:50 PM] Troy Symington: Ha, no. It's just the last 8 entries that were due today.
[4/26/11 1:48:51 PM] Lisa Symington: SmartiePants!
[4/26/11 1:48:56 PM] Lisa Symington: OK
[4/26/11 1:49:06 PM] Lisa Symington: Anything new?
[4/26/11 1:49:17 PM] Lisa Symington: I saw Anna's Greece photos on FB
[4/26/11 1:49:42 PM] Lisa Symington: Why didn't you go to Greece? I had thought that was one of those places you wanted to go?
[4/26/11 1:50:40 PM] Troy Symington: Started throwing away things today that I'm not gonna need after the program... Ok, stop freaking asking me all these questions at once, I started writing in response to the "anything new" and then you start throwing all these other questions at me! Stop it!
[4/26/11 1:51:11 PM] Lisa Symington: Type faster :D
[4/26/11 1:51:36 PM] Troy Symington: You need to learn proper chat room etiquette!
[4/26/11 1:51:43 PM] Lisa Symington: Pause....
[4/26/11 1:51:54 PM] Lisa Symington: awaiting prior responses....
[4/26/11 1:52:29 PM] Lisa Symington: pause....
[4/26/11 1:53:22 PM] Lisa Symington: pause.....
[4/26/11 1:53:35 PM] Lisa Symington: still pausing.........
[4/26/11 1:53:58 PM] Troy Symington: Ok... I had wanted to go to Greece. But the program that Anna went with was through something called Florence For Fun. And I knew that if I went it would just be a lot of partying and I wouldn't see anything of Greece. Anna told me she hated the Greece trip because of this (as well as the very perverse Greek men). And if you say pause one more time I'm hanging up.
[4/26/11 1:54:19 PM] Lisa Symington: hahahaha
[4/26/11 1:55:27 PM] Lisa Symington: I understand about the partying and the men! yikes! I guess it was all right to miss her trip then, although the boat trip looked wonderful and the caves and shoreline were beautiful.
[4/26/11 1:55:49 PM] Lisa Symington: What did you throw away?
[4/26/11 1:55:58 PM] Troy Symington: She did say that it was very beautiful. But it's not how I want to see Greece.
[4/26/11 1:56:08 PM] Lisa Symington: Gotcha :)
[4/26/11 1:56:12 PM] Troy Symington: Again with the multiple statements!
[4/26/11 1:56:24 PM] Lisa Symington: I'm pausing :)
[4/26/11 1:56:25 PM] Troy Symington: You have no idea how annoying...
[4/26/11 1:56:30 PM] Lisa Symington: Love you :)
[4/26/11 1:57:15 PM] Troy Symington: Just threw away a lot of papers and the museum tickets and city maps that I didn't want (I kept most of them).
[4/26/11 1:57:49 PM] Lisa Symington: That makes sense, especially since you will be carrying everything on your back for the following 2 1/2 weeks
[4/26/11 1:59:00 PM] Troy Symington: My friend Shannon is actually going to take a bag back for us. We're going to pay the $55 dollars baggage fee and buy her dinner or something.
[4/26/11 1:59:19 PM] Lisa Symington: You have that much stuff?
[4/26/11 2:00:29 PM] Troy Symington: I need to send my books back mostly. Plus the souvenirs. I was able to take my carry-on on the flight over here, but I'm not going to be able to when we travel around.
[4/26/11 2:01:25 PM] Lisa Symington: Are your books worth $55?
[4/26/11 2:01:38 PM] Lisa Symington: You could leave them in Italy...
[4/26/11 2:03:04 PM] Troy Symington: Do you have any idea how expensive textbooks are? Any one of them is worth $55. Plus I need one of them for next year. Plus, Alec is paying for half of it. Besides, I need to send back my bowler hat, a large mug we stole from a beer garden in munich, among oher things...
[4/26/11 2:03:26 PM] Lisa Symington: Oh, I get it now...
[4/26/11 2:04:06 PM] Lisa Symington: Are you ready to say goodbye to Florence? How does the timing feel?
[4/26/11 2:04:35 PM] Troy Symington: I feel like I should have another couple of months here!
[4/26/11 2:04:54 PM] Lisa Symington: I'm glad you're still enjoying it!
[4/26/11 2:05:18 PM] Lisa Symington: I bet your Italian is pretty good now, too
[4/26/11 2:05:24 PM] Troy Symington: I feel like there's so much left to do, just in Florence!
[4/26/11 2:05:36 PM] Troy Symington: My italian is still... eh.
[4/26/11 2:05:55 PM] Lisa Symington: I guess 3 months isn't very long, really
[4/26/11 2:06:11 PM] Lisa Symington: I really miss gelato
[4/26/11 2:06:13 PM] Troy Symington: Not really...
[4/26/11 2:06:27 PM] Troy Symington: But I signed up for Italian 3 next semester!
[4/26/11 2:06:50 PM] Lisa Symington: I'm glad. It will keep you connected to this time and to the country.
[4/26/11 2:07:35 PM] Lisa Symington: Any other news? I should get mowing since you're not doing it!
[4/26/11 2:08:18 PM] Troy Symington: Not really, I should get to bed... I have 2 more finals tomorrow...
[4/26/11 2:08:33 PM] Lisa Symington: Love you. Good luck on the finals
[4/26/11 2:08:40 PM] Lisa Symington: Mwah (h)
[4/26/11 2:08:49 PM] Troy Symington: Love! Ciao!

Catching Up

[8:27:33 AM] Katie Symington: goooood morning!
[8:29:08 AM] Troy Symington: Whatcha mean by "morning"! It's 5:30 over here!
[8:29:14 AM] Katie Symington: hee
[8:29:27 AM] Katie Symington: Well it is 8:30 here, and I just woke up. :)
[8:29:43 AM] Troy Symington: Ha. What are you up to today?
[8:30:10 AM] Katie Symington: First I will eat a yummy chocolate waffle
[8:30:38 AM] Troy Symington: Oooh La La!
[8:30:55 AM] Katie Symington: Exactly. Then I will probably call my Thank You Rewards help assistance to figure out how to use my thank you points for my flight to Kauai.
[8:31:07 AM] Katie Symington: Using those points, it totally knocks off like 200 bucks! :)
[8:31:17 AM] Katie Symington: Then I will call Andra and we will book our flights. YAY!
[8:31:46 AM] Troy Symington: Awesome! So you did decide to go after all!
[8:32:26 AM] Katie Symington: Yep! It will be expensive but it is also a great deal and will be worth it, and I probably won't ever have a chance to do this again with Andra.
[8:32:59 AM] Troy Symington: Did Nick decide to go with you?
[8:33:57 AM] Katie Symington: Nope, he is going to stay here because there isn't enough room at the resort, unfortunately. It will be more of a girl trip. ..Then Aubrey turns 3 years old so Nick and I will pick up a present and go to the Rich's bbq at 3:00 where he can meet everybody for the first time. Poor boy. ;)
[8:35:22 AM] Troy Symington: Aubrey turns 3 today?
[8:35:40 AM] Katie Symington: In two days actually, but her celebration is today.
[8:35:55 AM] Troy Symington: Awesome! Tell everyone hi for me!
[8:36:09 AM] Katie Symington: I totally will! What shall I tell them you are up to?
[8:36:49 AM] Troy Symington: Awesomeness!
[8:37:28 AM] Katie Symington: ...otherwise known as . . . ?
[8:37:42 AM] Troy Symington: Italian stuff...
[8:37:46 AM] Troy Symington: ?
[8:38:24 AM] Katie Symington: DUDE. Speak.
[8:39:50 AM] Troy Symington: Today I'm just being lazy and have been writing a song on Garageband all day.
[8:40:03 AM] Katie Symington: And tomorrow?
[8:40:45 AM] Katie Symington: Mom always says on these chats that I talk more than you. It is your turn. You tell me all about what you are up to, and I will comment. Capice?
[8:42:47 AM] Troy Symington: Just so ya know, capisce is the conjugated form of the verb capire but it's the form for he/she/it. You want to say "capisci" for "you understand".
[8:43:01 AM] Katie Symington: Okay, thank you. CAPISCI?
[8:43:34 AM] Troy Symington: NO!
[8:44:06 AM] Katie Symington: I will let Oz pee on your bed!
[8:45:04 AM] Troy Symington: And you'll have to clean it up before I get home!
[8:45:18 AM] Katie Symington: Nope. It will be left for you as a welcome home present.
[8:45:26 AM] Katie Symington: OR you could tell me what you've been up to! :D
[8:45:57 AM] Troy Symington: *sigh* ... fine.
[8:46:11 AM] Katie Symington: speaky speak
[8:48:17 AM] Troy Symington: Yesterday Alec and I went to Siena for the day. We didn't spend too long there but we saw everything that we're supposed to see. It's a pretty cool city. Today I seriously have not left the apartment. Tomorrow I have school from 9:30 until 4 and then I'm probably just gonna wander the city aimlessly and see some of the remaining things that I need to see! It's so weird that we only have like 2 weeks left!
[8:48:56 AM] Katie Symington: It has gone by very quickly but I will be glad when you are home. I miss you buddy!
[8:49:03 AM] Katie Symington: Tell me about the food you've had.
[8:49:07 AM] Troy Symington: Ha, I miss you too!
[8:49:18 AM] Troy Symington: Food from where?
[8:50:15 AM] Troy Symington: P.S. You're making my computer run slower so I can't get anything done on Garageband because it keeps stopping because the song is too complicated.
[8:50:41 AM] Katie Symington: pooooooor boy. suffer!
[8:51:07 AM] Katie Symington: food from everywhere! What was for dinner? Lunch? Breakfast? What is your favorite? What do you not like? How often do you get the coffees?
[8:53:14 AM] Troy Symington: I dunno, this last week or so I've just been cooking stuff here at home or eating cheaply. I finally had some Italian Mexican food a few days back! The nachos were really good...
[8:53:35 AM] Katie Symington: how were they different from American-Mexican?
[8:55:58 AM] Troy Symington: They weren't really. But the Italians do not eat very much mexican food at all, and they DO NOT eat spicy food. It's nearly impossible to find the ingredients in the stores. Gabe got some tortillas to make fajitas last week, and they were THE WORST tortillas I have ever had the displeasure of tasting!
[8:56:28 AM] Katie Symington: oh no! ....what made them gross? I had tortillas last night, they were yummy!
[8:59:53 AM] Troy Symington: They... were on the verge of not being able to be called tortiallas. But I dunno, the problem is they were the only tortiallas that we've actually seen available to buy in stores!
[9:00:23 AM] Katie Symington: poor boy. Now tell me more about the coffee you have had!
[9:02:17 AM] Troy Symington: A lot of the time I just make instant coffee here at the apartment. But when I do actually get it from a bar (cafe) I'll either get expresso, a cappuccino, or a cafe latte. They're always really good no matter what bar I get them from, but they're always really small cups!
[9:02:45 AM] Katie Symington: I know espresso is supposed to be small, but the others are too? Lame! Is it as good as the cafe con leche de Costa Rica?
[9:04:33 AM] Troy Symington: Yeah, the cappuccinos and cafe lattes are actually kinda similar to that, but yeah, always really small cups. Expresso is litterally one small gulp and you're done.
[9:05:09 AM] Katie Symington: are they expensive?
[9:05:34 AM] Troy Symington: 1 euro for an expresso. A tid bit more for the others.
[9:06:25 AM] Katie Symington: Yum! Now please tell me about Siena. What did you do? What was your fave? You know that's where my old supervisor Aimee loves in Italy, and she named her daughter Siena.
[9:09:44 AM] Troy Symington: Weeeeell, we wen't into the Siena Duomo. It wasn't particularly big but it was really intricate and had some really cool art. Then we climed up the Mangia tower which was in the main squarea and had an AMAZING veiw of the city. The rest of our time was just exploring and enjoying the city!
[9:10:32 AM] Katie Symington: They must have towers and duomos everywhere! Will you miss them when you are back home?
[9:11:36 AM] Troy Symington: Ha, probably not. I'm kinda churched and museumed out.
[9:12:23 AM] Katie Symington: lol you will be like, "GIVE ME HAMBURGERS!" and sit on the couch and veg and ignore all culture things!
[9:13:32 AM] Troy Symington: Yes. That sound soooo awesome.
[9:14:40 AM] Katie Symington: Well enjoy them for me, and where are the pics of your recent Siena trip? I want to see culture Troy! You hardly put any photos up anymore, remember that nice camera you received for xmas? You should use it lots more!
[9:17:47 AM] Troy Symington: Have you not checked fb for a couple of days? I finally posted the switzerland pics and the cinque terre pics. Besides, Siena was only yesterday! I can procrastinate a little bit longer!
[9:18:11 AM] Katie Symington: Nope! It must be done soon! I think I saw the others, they were beautiful. :) Didn't I comment?
[9:18:35 AM] Troy Symington: Ummmmm.... no?
[9:18:48 AM] Katie Symington: I shall check later. Tell me more! MORE! mwahahahahaha!
[9:19:03 AM] Katie Symington: Tell me how you and your friends are getting along. Tired of sharing an apartment with them?
[9:20:10 AM] Troy Symington: Ha, not really. I think we all get along prett well, actually! Last night we all just hung out around the apartment (there may have been some alcohol involved), and it was really fun!
[9:20:38 AM] Katie Symington: Excellente! What kind of alcohol?
[9:21:54 AM] Troy Symington: Lots of wine and limoncello!
[9:22:12 AM] Katie Symington: lol Andra has limoncello, she says it is super sweet
[9:22:30 AM] Katie Symington: Poor boy will come back to American and have nooooo drinking for two years
[9:24:25 AM] Troy Symington: yeah, it's ridiculously sweet. A lot of restaraunts serve it for free after meals here because it's supposed to help indigestion. (Plus it's made on the Amalfi coast a few hours from here).
[9:24:44 AM] Katie Symington: How is school going? Finals coming up soon?
[9:25:33 AM] Katie Symington: lol I didn't know it was supposed to help indigestion! cute.
[9:27:02 AM] Troy Symington: Yup! Yeah, we have finals after this week unfortuanately. I'm not worried about it in any of my classes except for History, which is the only class I have a B in. But it's like 88% right now so I'm remaining optimistic.
[9:27:31 AM] Katie Symington: I shall as well! However I would suggest studying a lot to try and inch it up 2% if possible.
[9:27:39 AM] Katie Symington: Great job on having A's in your others, though!
[9:27:53 AM] Katie Symington: Is it easier in Italian class not being able to speak English now that you've had lots of practice?
[9:29:18 AM] Troy Symington: I think so. I'm definitely getting used to the only speaking italian thing while in class.
[9:29:38 AM] Katie Symington: Can you understand Italian better than you speak it? Or are they the same?
[9:30:06 AM] Troy Symington: Eh. I really don't know.
[9:30:23 AM] Katie Symington: When the teacher speaks do you understand it all?
[9:31:14 AM] Troy Symington: Of course! But she restricts here vocabulary to things that we'll actually know.
[9:31:46 AM] Katie Symington: I see. I think it is so cool that you are becomin proficient in another language.
[9:34:21 AM] Troy Symington: Ha, me to. I really wan't to take Italian 3 next year just so that I will be able to say that I speak another language.
[9:35:02 AM] Katie Symington: You should take it. I had 4 years of Spanish plus 1 college semester of Spanish 3 . . . and I barely remember any of it now. Keep using it or you really do lose it.
[9:35:15 AM] Katie Symington: You shoudl write a song in Italian.
[9:35:53 AM] Troy Symington: Ha, ok sounds good.
[9:36:29 AM] Troy Symington: I really like the song that I'm writing right now. It's pretty weird. But I'm having problems getting this one verse to sound the way I want it to.
[9:37:00 AM] Katie Symington: How is it weird?
[9:37:38 AM] Troy Symington: I'd have to show it to you. Maybe I'll post it online or something.
[9:37:57 AM] Katie Symington: yes, do!
[9:38:03 AM] Katie Symington: how though?
[9:39:48 AM] Troy Symington: Youtube is a wonderful thing...
[9:40:00 AM] Katie Symington: Oh, great idea!
[9:40:14 AM] Katie Symington: What do you think about the sailing trip to Barbados mom wants us to go on?
[9:40:41 AM] Troy Symington: I'm not sure when I go back to school that January. Other than that I think it's awesome!
[9:41:08 AM] Katie Symington: I do too.
[9:42:00 AM] Katie Symington: I just looked up Sierra, they start the 23rd of january. You could go without any troubles.
[9:42:15 AM] Troy Symington: Sweeeeeeet!
[9:42:21 AM] Katie Symington: yep!
[9:45:47 AM] Troy Symington: M'kay, I'm going to go now. I'm really into this song... say high to everyone for me at the party! Love ya!
[9:46:01 AM] Katie Symington: I love you too! Ciao!