MY TRIP TO ITALY PART 2

When I went to The Vatican I got to see what a lot of people all over the world wish they could see...and be for that matter.

I seem to always just run into places while I'm walking around cities. I found The Pantheon. One of the oldest structures in Rome. It's simply an amazing building. Here's a few pictures that I took. One is of the roof, my inside, and one of the outside.

Here I stumble into The Spanish Steps. It's by all of the shopping so of course I'd find it! One thing I don't understand is that all these people will just sit on the steps. Not sure what that's about but all hours of the day people will sit there and look around and face the fountain.

When I was walking around Rome I ran into to The Fountain di Trevi. It was packed with people. They say if you toss coins in the fountain...depending on how many coins you toss determines if you'll come back to Rome to getting married....no word on how many coins I tossed!

Finally, I spent my last day in Rome at The Vatican, The Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel. You've always heard so much about these places that when you're there it's a little surreal.

MY TRIP TO ITALY! PART 1

LOOK AT THAT LEMON! IT'S BIGGER THAN...

I just got back from a trip to Rome Italy that I took by myself. Like my trip to Paris it was great to see another great place in the world. On this trip I feel like i had a better time. It is summer so there's fantastic weather in Rome and I was also in a better mental spot now then when I was in Paris.

at The Colosseum

The first site that I checked out was the Colosseum. It truly is amazing think of how old that structure is, what it has withstood and what crazy things happened inside it's walls.

So much history is in the area near the Colosseum. There's an arch much like The Arc in Paris.

Nearby is The Forum. An area that once was filled all kinds of structures and people. There's not much that remains but what does it still fascinating.

I walked around so much that I would just run into history. One thing Romans were famous for was chariot races. I found the land that once held these events...and it was disappointing to know that a stadium that housed thousands of spectators now is a run down park that you shouldn't go to after dark.

While I was in Italy I took an excursion to the island of Capri. I met a great girl named Vanessa from Singapore and we hung out for the day.

The Island of Capri was sooo beautiful. I would love to go back and stay for longer. The view from the top of the island was spectacular.

The food was delicious. I ate gelato for breakfast ...lunch ....and dinner. Although I did eat regular food.

I've got more to share so part 2. is coming....

ROME HERE I COME!

So tomorrow I leave for Rome Italy! Of course I'm super excited and at the smae time I'm nervous. With every experience I get a little nervous of what I may encounter.



On this trip like my trip to Paris, I will go by myself. I again don't speak the language or know anyone in that country but I'm sure I'll be just fine. When I was in Paris, I pretty much kept to myself and just walked around and soaked up all I could see. I'm excited to see a new culture and try new food. See how the people are different and the same.



I'm excited that it's summer so I can walk around Rome in shorts and sandals. I'll be able to lay out on the beach. That's one thing I'm doing at least once. One day of the trip I'll be going to Naples and the island of Capri. I hear Capri is beautiful so maybe some beach time there.



I'm looking forward to having reading time. I need to finish reading 2 books. Both of them will help me get a better understanding of self.

So we shall what happens!!

MY WEEKEND OF RANDOMNESS!!!! ROCK BANDS AND BASEBALL PLAYERS

So over the weekend I was hanging with the girls. We went to the Hinder, Staind, and 3 Doors Down show. Then we met up with some of the Cincinnati Reds players who a couple of my girlfriends had met a couple nights prior to that. (Don't worry none of them hooked up with them) Needless to say it was one of the most random nights of my life.

First, we're at the concert grabbing some drinks when some guy comes up and asks us if we want to go backstage. We all look at each other and say "Why not?" So we head back but then we end up at the bus. We all made a pact that we we're not doing any drugs or getting it on with any of these guys!

We sat with Cody who is the drummer for the group. We just talked about what it's like on the road and life on the bus. Then Cody started dishing the dirt when some groupies showed up. These were girls that apparently follow the band from show to show! All in an effort to get with guys in the band.

One of the girls he told me has got it on with every band he can think of. Another girl slept with one of the guys in the band 7 times and each time he never remembered her!!!! Here's a pic with one of the groupies! And it's not me!

During the backstage experience we ran into some players from the Cincinnati Reds. My friends had actually met them a couple nights before that at Mi-Key's downtown. So, left and met them down at Taylor's downtown. The other girls hung with them, I was off talking to someone else.

It's bar time and the boys decide to go back to the Pfister and hang out. Well Bronson Arroyo is one of the pitchers for the Reds and he also is a musician. (Classic) Anyway, the girls want to go and I thought what the heck!

So Bronson busts out his guitar and we all start singing 90's rock songs. Pearl Jam and U2. It was weird. I felt like I was in high school all over again. It was so random. Some the other players were there as well. Paul Bako the catcher and Mike Lincoln one of the other pitchers.

And talk about random, Mike and I got to talking and discovered we lived in St. Louis at about the same time while he played for The Cardinals and we actually lived pretty close to each other too.

Over all it was a good time. Us girls kept our noses clean and had a night that you can chalk up to a night that we'll all laugh about for a long time.

DO MEN NEED MORE ATTENTION THAN A GIRL??

I'm not sure what exactly sparked me writing this blog but I was thinking recently about guys and how they always seem be on the prowl. When girls do this people think we're desperate and on a man hunt. When guys do it, they are in my opinion looking to hook up. And the ones that are looking for someone to date no one ever tells them "You'll find someone when you least expect it."

In about a week it'll be 1 year since Sean and I broke up. And for most of that year I've been very single. With of course the exception of Mr. X for a few months. A few weeks ago when I talked to Sean we talked and compared dating stories since we broke up. Neither one of us having a ton of success. Although, he has dated a lot more girls than I have guys. One thing he said to me is that I need to go out and just date.

For Sean, even though i think he's truly a independent guy, I'm not sure if he ever really has NOT had a girl around. I think Mr. X is the same way. I think he had something going with someone else a week after we broke up. My ex-husband was the same way. Always had some young girl around to make him feel better about himself. I think most guys feel the need to have some sort of girl around. If only for the night.

When I'm in a relationship I like to get attention from the person I'm dating. When I'm not dating someone, sure, does the random male attention feel good? Yeah, but after a while of getting nothing but duds it gets boring....or at least dissatisfying. Guys on the other hand, always need a girl around. Or at least guys always need female attention. May she be a hook up for the night or a girl they think they could date they waste no time getting back into the swing of things. Now not to say there wouldn't be guys who have been single without much action but let's face it...guys like being on the prowl for the next kill!!!

One of my very good friends dated a guy for 3 months. He broke it off with her out of the blue. (Sounds familiar) Well it took her 10 months to even get ready for a hookup. She was not ready. Where a guy in the exact same situation (and i know one) the very weekend after she broke things off with him...he's making out with some girl in a bar's bathroom!!!! AWESOME!

Why do girls always get classified as the needy ones when clearly it's NOT at all true. When Mr. X and I broke up he later told me that I basically required more attention than he could give. He told me I wasn't needy though..which is good. Problem is, since the break up, he has been on the prowl for a girl like a run in a cheap pair of pantyhose! Hookups, dates...you name it. Not sure if he's successful with the dates but the hookups well...let's not think about it.

So why so guys feel the need to always a girl around? Is it to fill a void? Is every man deep down like a old man that just likes having women around? (I know one of those too) Why is it that women get labeled needy and guys get the label as playing the field? If a girl were to play the field like a guy she not only would be called slutty but also desperate!!!Hmmm.....

WHEN YOU'RE THE ODD WOMAN OUT

I'm at a point right now where I feel like I'm in high school all over again. When I was in high school I was always without a boyfriend. My friends all had a guy but all I ever seemed to attract was the foreign exchange students and the pot smokers. So, needless to say in high school and college I never had a boyfriend. Truly, I never really had anyone interested in me longer than a couple months if I was interested in them as well. Especially, since I never put out....I was a good girl.

Flash forward at least 10 years later. I' m a single girl again, with mostly single friends. Most of the time I've lived here in Milwaukee I haven't dated anyone of much significance. I've had the random dates here and there that never went beyond the 1st or 2nd date. And I've dated someone for a few months. When my girlfriends and I go out I again usually attract every lame-o around. I must have a sign on my forehead that says "IF YOU SUCK...HIT ON ME!"

Where am I going with this? Well, as you know I'm as a single as it gets. Since my breakup, I haven't had any dates nor have I had anyone besides 50 year old men ask me on a date. As I tell my friend Ben..."It's as dry as the Sahara." It gets me down a little. Having the opposite sex give you attention is always nice but when all you ever attract is old men, men with rap sheets, and users, it bums you out a little.

All of my girlfriends at the moment have at least an iron in the fire if not a few. One of friends is dating a guy and has a few guys that she is keeping in mind. Another one has met a guy that seems to be absolutely smitten with her. Lastly my other girlfriend has randomly met 2 guys that she will be going on dates with. One a doctor and the other a med sales guy. All of the guys seem to great to far. THEN THERE'S ME!!! Seriously, the last guy that seemed into me we found out that he has been in jail!!!! DEAR GOD!!!!

My girlfriend Marissa told me the other day that I can't catch a break with guys. She said "Erin you seriously have the worst luck." This being single thing would be so much easier for me if I could like a guy. If I could just hook up with people. Problem is, even if I wanted to do that, again I attract D-bags! And I'm not going to waste a number on a D-bag...actually I think I've already done that and NO THANK YOU. Thank God I never see him around town.

Don't get me wrong, I am so happy that my friends are finding guys that seem to be worth dating. It does suck a little hearing about these guys fawn all over them and sending them sweet text messages. Considering the last guy I dated never sent me a txt like that it really got me bummed. I feel a little short changed.

Even though I'm bummed being the odd girl out I guess it's good that I'm not just dating to date. I never want to be with someone because I'm bored by myself. Or because I need attention that bad. I just hope that I will attract at least some good men one of these days.

DON'T JUDGE A BOOK BY IT'S COVER!

We've all looked at someone and judged them. It doesn't necessarily have to be bad. You can look at someone and think they "Oh they look like such a nice guy!" We're all guilty of it. Judging someone in a negative way...or judging them by giving them the benefit of the doubt.

I've been guilty of this in several ways. There was a girl that I once judged a little harshly. At the time I was somewhat seeing a guy that she knew. He didn't always speak so highly of her which made me think a certain way about her. Now the guy turned out to be a complete D-bag. So later I met up with her and discovered she was actually really sweet and a very nice person. I felt so stupid that I took his word instead of figuring it out for myself. I should've known not to listen to him...seriously he was a D-bag.

Now there are plenty of times where I've given someone the benefit of the doubt when I shouldn't have. One was with someone I dated. He seemed to be a truly good person. Sensitive, thoughtful, caring. I learned very quickly that he might've been that way at one time or another but at the very end he was very selfish and actually kind of mean. Almost like he didn't think before he spoke. Because he certainly didn't think things all the way though before he did them. Maybe that was the real him and I was just now seeing it.

The next one is a whopper!! I meet someone who I thought might have short term potential. He wouldn't be marriage material for a couple reasons but I thought he might be OK for awhile. This guy came with some recommendations. Well I told my friend Marissa to CCAP his a$$ and see what we found. I totally thought that we wouldn't find anything...boy was I wrong!!! My friend pulled a rap sheet on this guy that would've made you blush. I couldn't believe my ears when she told me. Funny thing is, I wasn't upset. I actually just laughed. It was funny to me. I mean, my life is pure comedy!!! I can't help but laugh sometimes! I mean, you'd think that I was meeting these guys in a truck stop...but I'm not!!!

After that my friend Marissa said that she felt bad. When I asked her why, she said that I couldn't catch a break with guys. Which is kind of true but I'm trying my best not to let it get me down. Although, that's tough when you know your ex isn't as picky as you and he's off with girls. I digress....

So are you ever right when you take a first impression from someone? That's always when someone is on their best behavior. Is there ever a good time to judge a book by it's cover? And when you do...do you get it right or do you get it wrong?