Wednesday|NNP ,|, 26|CD May|NNP 2010|CD The|DT effect|NN of|IN not|RB being|VBG on|IN vacation|NN in|IN Italy|NNP on|IN a|DT man|NN with|IN a|DT tall|JJ stack|VB of|IN papers|NNS to|TO grade|NN .|. 
As|IN you|PRP probably|RB noticed|VBD ,|, my|PRP$ wife|NN is|VBZ currently|RB on|IN vacation|NN without|IN me|PRP -—|: which|WDT is|VBZ different|JJ than|IN a|DT vacation|NN from|IN me|PRP ,|, although|IN given|VBN how|WRB frequently|RB insufferable|JJ I|PRP am|VBP ,|, I|PRP could|MD understand|VB the|DT appeal|NN of|IN such—in|NN the|DT le|DT Marche|NNP region|NN of|IN Italy|NNP ,|, which|WDT is|VBZ immediately|RB south|RB of|IN Tuscany|NNP and|CC full|JJ of|IN communists|NNS .|. 
As|IN evidence|NN of|IN how|WRB thoroughly|RB corrupt|JJ the|DT region|NN is|VBZ ,|, I|PRP present|VB a|DT picture|NN (|( courtesy|NN of|IN her|PRP$ )|) of|IN the|DT cabin|NN she|PRP 'll|MD be|VB staying|VBG in|IN free|JJ of|IN charge|NN until|IN July|NNP :|: 
That|DT 's|VBZ the|DT view|NN she|PRP 'll|MD be|VB writing|VBG her|PRP$ dissertation|NN to|TO the|DT next|JJ two|CD months|NNS .|. 
The|DT region|NN is|VBZ poor|JJ (|( though|IN not|RB so|RB much|JJ as|IN I|PRP thought|VBD )|) and|CC poorly|RB serviced|VBN by|IN internet|NN and|CC wifi|NN :|: there|EX 's|VBZ a|DT router|NN up|RP the|DT hill|NN from|IN her|PRP$ which|WDT sometimes|RB provides|VBZ wifi|NN ,|, but|CC only|RB then|RB into|IN a|DT loft|NN too|RB unbearably|RB hot|JJ to|TO occupy|VB during|IN the|DT day|NN .|. 
So|IN the|DT only|JJ opportunity|NN I|PRP have|VBP to|TO talk|VB to|TO her|PRP$ (|( via|IN Skype|NNP )|) is|VBZ that|IN last|JJ hour|NN in|IN the|DT late|JJ evening|NN when|WRB the|DT loft|NN cools|VBZ enough|RB to|TO be|VB habitable—provided|JJ ,|, of|IN course|NN ,|, that|IN the|DT wifi|NN strength|NN that|DT evening|NN is|VBZ strong|JJ enough|RB to|TO establish|VB and|CC maintain|VB a|DT connection|NN .|. 
Which|WDT it|PRP frequently|RB is|VBZ n't|RB .|. 
But|CC this|DT post|NN is|VBZ n't|RB about|IN how|WRB melancholy|JJ I|PRP become|VBP when|WRB I|PRP have|VBP n't|RB heard|VBN from|IN her|PRP by|IN 3|CD p.m.|NN (|( which|WDT would|MD be|VB midnight|NN over|IN there|EX )|) ,|, because|IN anyone|NN who|WP follows|VBZ me|PRP on|IN Facebook|NNP already|RB knows|VBZ that|IN and|CC because|IN this|DT post|NN concerns|NNS Urbino|NNP ,|, not|RB my|PRP$ daily|JJ descent|NN into|IN emo|NN .|. 

I|PRP 've|VBP written|VBN about|IN Urbino|NNP before|RB ,|, but|CC because|IN the|DT wife|NN is|VBZ providing|VBG me|PRP with|IN such|JJ dazzling|JJ photographs|NNS of|IN the|DT city|NN ,|, I|PRP feel|VBP compelled|VBN to|TO do|VB so|RB again|RB .|. 
As|IN I|PRP noted|VBD in|IN that|DT post|NN ,|, Urbino|NNP is|VBZ not|RB a|DT "|'' built|VBN "|'' city|NN so|RB much|JJ as|RB an|DT "|'' evolved|VBD "|'' one|CD .|. 
(|( The|DT De|NNP Landa|NNP seems|VBZ to|TO have|VB become|VBN an|DT unwitting|JJ theme|NN of|IN late|RB .|. )|) 
Of|IN course|NN it|PRP was|VBD built|VBN ,|, but|CC it|PRP was|VBD built|VBN vertically|RB within|IN the|DT city|NN walls|NNS ,|, meaning|VBG that|IN new|JJ buildings|NNS were|VBD constructed|VBN atop|IN existing|VBG ones|NNS like|IN so|RB :|: 
The|DT effect|NN is|VBZ the|DT sort|NN of|IN architecture|NN one|CD only|RB finds|VBZ in|IN dreams|NNS or|CC representations|NNS of|IN them|PRP ,|, like|IN the|DT one|CD in|IN the|DT finale|NN of|IN the|DT fourth|JJ season|NN of|IN Buffy|NNP the|DT Vampire|NNP Slayer|NNP ,|, wherein|WRB Joss|NNP Whedon|NNP took|VBD advantage|NN of|IN contiguous|JJ three-walled|JJ film|NN sets|NNS to|TO depict|VB Xander|NNP Harris|NNP moving|VBG seamlessly|RB from|IN the|DT upstairs|NN bathroom|NN at|IN Buffy|NNP 's|POS house|NN :|: 

Into|IN the|DT Initiative|NNP 's|POS underground|JJ bunker|NN :|: 
Then|RB ,|, from|IN the|DT bathroom-|NN Initiative|NNP across|IN the|DT hall|NN :|: 
Into|IN his|PRP$ parent|NN 's|POS basement|NN :|: 
And|CC into|IN an|DT ice|NN cream|NN truck|NN :|: 
Past|JJ the|DT the|DT come-hither|JJ lesbians|NNS :|: 
Through|IN the|DT back|NN of|IN the|DT ice|NN cream|NN truck|NN :|: 
By|IN means|NNS of|IN a|DT passage|NN :|: 
That|DT returns|NNS him|PRP to|TO you|PRP guessed|VBD it|PRP his|PRP$ parents|NNS '|POS basement|NN :|: 
In|IN which|WDT he|PRP exits|VBZ the|DT same|JJ door|NN he|PRP originally|RB entered|VBD it|PRP from|IN Buffy|NNP 's|POS house|NN only|RB to|TO end|VB up|RP in|IN the|DT halls|NNS of|IN Sunnydale|NNP High|NNP and|CC (|( shortly|RB )|) an|DT Apocalypse|NNP Now|RB parody|NN :|: 
The|DT only|JJ difference|NN between|IN what|WP Whedon|NNP did|VBD and|CC Urbino|NNP is|VBZ that|IN you|PRP could|MD travel|VB through|IN the|DT side|NN streets|NNS of|IN Urbino|NNP with|IN a|DT camera|NN and|CC accomplish|VB such|JJ feats|NNS (|( minus|CC the|DT Coppola|NNP )|) without|IN needing|VBG to|TO cut|VB once|RB .|. 
Because|IN without|IN leaving|VBG officially|RB sanctioned|VBN lanes|NNS of|IN transportation|NN ,|, pedestrians|NNS can|MD venture|VB into|IN and|CC through|IN outdoor|JJ kitchens|NNS ,|, university|NN departments|NNS ,|, the|DT central|JJ hallway|NN of|IN apartment|NN buildings|NNS ,|, and|CC so|RB on|IN .|. 
This|DT photograph|NN of|IN the|DT dueling|NN signs|NNS for|IN the|DT Hotel|NNP Raffaello|NNP the|DT wife|NN snapped|VBD the|DT other|JJ day|NN typifies|VBZ the|DT way|NN the|DT city|NN feels|VBZ :|: 
You|PRP can|MD enter|VB the|DT hotel|NN either|CC through|IN the|DT door|NN with|IN the|DT green|JJ awning|VBG or|CC the|DT second|JJ story|NN window|NN of|IN an|DT adjacent|JJ building|NN .|. 
(|( This|DT is|VBZ n't|RB technically|RB true|JJ ,|, but|CC it|PRP accurately|RB describes|VBZ how|WRB it|PRP feels|VBZ to|TO those|DT unaccustomed|JJ to|TO the|DT city|NN 's|POS geography|NN .|. )|) 
The|DT city|NN is|VBZ even|RB more|RBR disturbing|JJ ,|, though|RB ,|, because|IN of|IN the|DT tendency|NN of|IN its|PRP$ sidewalks|NNS to|TO transform|VB into|IN recessed|VBN brick|NN ladders|NNS when|WRB the|DT street|NN becomes|VBZ too|RB steep|JJ for|IN bipeds|NNS 
:|: That|DT picture|NN is|VBZ not|RB from|IN the|DT current|JJ set|VBN ,|, as|IN the|DT relative|JJ quality|NN attests|VBZ ,|, and|CC if|IN I|PRP remember|VBP correctly—by|NN which|WDT I|PRP mean|VBP ,|, "|'' recognize|VB the|DT fingerprints|NNS of|IN amateur|JJ photographers|NNS the|DT world|NN over|IN who|WP think|VBP a|NNP '|POS good|JJ '|POS photograph|NN is|VBZ one|CD framed|VBN in|IN the|DT most|RBS dull|JJ and|CC predictable|JJ way|NN possible|JJ "|'' —|NN snapped|VBN by|IN me|PRP .|. *|NN 
I|PRP only|RB mention|VBP that|IN because|IN in|IN 2002|CD I|PRP visited|VBD the|DT city|NN with|IN the|DT wife|NN and|CC ,|, as|IN you|PRP probably|RB guessed|VBD ,|, the|DT real|JJ point|NN of|IN this|DT post|NN was|VBD to|TO indulge|VB in|IN a|DT bit|NN of|IN vicarious|JJ vacationing|VBG before|IN returning|VBG to|TO a|DT stack|VB of|IN ungraded|JJ papers|NNS that|IN no|DT amount|NN of|IN actual|JJ grading|VBG seems|VBZ to|TO have|VB the|DT power|NN to|TO reduce|VB .|. 

*|NN If|IN it|PRP was|VBD n't|RB ,|, even|RB Homer|NNP nods|VBZ ?|. 
No|DT ,|, but|CC seriously|RB ,|, if|IN that|DT 's|VBZ not|RB a|DT picture|NN I|PRP actually|RB took|VBD ,|, it|PRP 's|VBZ exactly|RB the|DT sort|NN I|PRP relentlessly|RB take|VBP ,|, whereas|IN check|NN out|RP the|DT wife|NN 's|POS chops|NNS above|IN :|: the|DT woman|NN has|VBZ an|DT eye|NN .|. 

If|IN she|PRP is|VBZ working|VBG ,|, she|PRP is|VBZ not|RB on|IN vacation|NN .|. 
AND|CC this|DT time|NN apart|RB will|MD make|VB you|PRP stronger|JJR and|CC make|VB you|PRP realize|VB marriage|NN is|VBZ work|NN and|CC you|PRP need|VBP to|TO put|VB some|DT in|IN or|CC the|DT marriage|NN dies|VBZ and|CC you|PRP are|VBP left|VBN with|IN an|DT empty|JJ hole|NN in|IN your|PRP$ heart|NN .|. 
I|PRP know|VBP this|DT is|VBZ over|IN kill|NN ,|, but|CC you|PRP need|VBP to|TO get|VB out|IN of|IN the|DT funk|NN you|PRP are|VBP in|IN and|CC grade|NN the|DT papers|NNS and|CC finish|VB the|DT course|NN so|IN you|PRP can|MD get|VB some|DT down|JJ time|NN and|CC catch|VB up|RB on|IN your|PRP$ sleep|NN .|. 

Posted|VBN by|IN :|: alkau|NN ||NN Wednesday|NNP ,|, 26|CD May|NNP 2010|CD at|IN 11:11|NN AM|NNP 

have|VBP a|DT happy|JJ vacation|NN that|DT place|NN looks|VBZ fascinating|JJ I|PRP should|MD get|VB a|DT passport|NN 

Posted|VBN by|IN :|: happyfeet|NN ||NN Wednesday|NNP ,|, 26|CD May|NNP 2010|CD at|IN 09:57|NN PM|NNP 

happy|JJ ,|, I|PRP do|VBP n't|RB normally|RB like|IN to|TO contradict|VB you|PRP ,|, but|CC in|IN this|DT case|NN I|PRP must|MD :|: I|PRP 'm|VBP not|RB the|DT one|CD on|IN vacation|NN ,|, sadly|RB .|. 
I|PRP 'm|VBP having|VBG to|TO live|VB it|PRP through|IN my|PRP$ beautiful|JJ ,|, vacationing|VBG wife|NN .|. 

Posted|VBN by|IN :|: SEK|NNP ||NN Wednesday|NNP ,|, 26|CD May|NNP 2010|CD at|IN 10:18|NN PM|NNP 

oh|UH .|. 
Sorry|JJ I|PRP got|VBD confuzzled|JJ .|. 

I|PRP ca|MD n't|RB wait|VB to|TO get|VB Alzheimer|NNP 's|POS so|IN I|PRP can|MD watch|VB Buffy|NNP again|RB like|IN it|PRP was|VBD the|DT first|JJ time|NN .|. 

Posted|VBN by|IN :|: happyfeet|NN ||NN Saturday|NNP ,|, 29|CD May|NNP 2010|CD at|IN 12:23|NN PM|NNP 

