[ITALY] UMBRA: A Purposely Bad Screenplay

During my stay in Italy, I took a screenwriting course with professor Christopher Kelly. Our first assignment was to write a purposely bad screenplay. If you happen to know me and my perfectionistic tendencies very well, I'm sure you can understand how this task caused me great anguish. This is besides the fact that I hated horror movies; I suppose that's why I thought it would be easy to write a horrible script based off one: formulaic plot, bad acting, unbelievable motivations, racial and social stereotypes....

Nevertheless, here it is below, in all it's bad glory. I have to admit I sort of liked the idea; I envisioned it as a stop-motion creep-fest ala Brothers Quay. Coincidentally, during my continuing film studies in Prague, I was introduced to the works of the great stop-motion master, Jan Svankmeyer; and much, much later, an oddly similar horror film featuring the homeless, "Street Trash."

If a story about multicolored, man-eating goop can be a success, then perhaps deadly spider-like umbrellas aren't such a bad idea after all.....

UMBRA

“A Purposely Bad Screenplay”

by Tara Rose Stromberg

EXT. NEW YORK SIDEWALK - NIGHT

Rain falls steadily. Puddles are everywhere, some reflecting light from the streetlamps, others dark and seemingly bottomless. PAN over mangled UMBRELLAS strewn about the ground; one is stuck in a garbage can, and another drowned in a pool of rainwater. Camera stops to follow water drips to a store awning above. A car skids by on wet tires with a splash.

Church bells ring in the distance, signaling midnight, as a young couple comes around corner and run sloppily towards camera. They are hidden behind a large, black UMBRELLA, which is blowing furiously in the wind. They are drunk and giddy. They laugh as the camera follows their feet down to ground level. Only their feet are visible.

GUY

C’mon baby...come here....

GIRL

(trying to squirm away)

No! I’ll get wet!

GUY

Oooh, even better!

They giggle, and the guy’s legs wrap around the girl’s high heeled feet, against the wall. Their UMBRELLA drops into frame.

GIRL

Hey! That umbrella’s from Coach!

She bends down slightly to pick it up, her HAND entering the frame slightly. The guy stops her.

GUY

Don’t worry about it. It’s a goner

anyway. Let’s go over to my place

for a hot shower, hmm?

They laugh again and walk off-screen to the left. The shot lingers on the fallen UMBRELLA momentarily, and then PANS to the left to follow the COUPLE as they walk across the street, the UMBRELLA now in the foreground. As the rain batters it, one of the metal wires suddenly TWITCHES.

EXT. STREET - EYELEVEL CU BEHIND COUPLE - (CONTINUOUS)

The camera follows couple from behind as they run, stumble, flirt, and giggle. A SHADOW seems to be unfolding behind them, but they pay no mind. Then, the GIRL stops abruptly.

GIRL

Hey did it stop raining?

(puts her hand out)

Both turn around slowly, the shadow engulfing them. Their faces twist in disbelief, then into horror as the shadow closes in. There are screams and a horrible shrieking and snipping sound. The screen goes BLACK. All is silent but the rain and screaming echo...

EXT. CHINATOWN - CANAN ST. - STOOP - (CONTINUOUS)

A homeless MAN sleeps on a stoop, a tarp wrapped tightly around him. He is surrounded by bits of garbage and large puddles of water. It is raining lightly, and the sun is coming up. The echo of the SCREAM wakes the man, who anxiously peaks out from under his tarp with a look of bewilderment.

He looks around him, then slowly gets up, taking shelter underneath the stoop awning. He listens. All he hears is the rain. He pulls the tarp close to him and huddles closer to the doorway, shivering in fear.

EXT. STOOP - CU OF HOMELESS MAN - LATER

The homeless man is leaning against the doorway of his stoop, asleep, still clutching the tarp. Sounds of SIRENS come closer. His eyes open instantly.

EXT. LONG SHOT OF STOOP - (CONTINUOUS)

Slowly, the man stands up. Cop cars whiz by on the street in front of him. They disappear to the left of the frame, and he looks behind him, then follows.

EXT. FARTHER DOWN STREET - (CONTINUOUS)

The man is walking carefully behind a small crowd of other New Yorkers, ripe from their early commute. They are all trying to peer over eachother to see what’s going on. Camera follows the man as he manuevers his way to the side of the crowd and bends down to look between a business man’s legs.

EXT. VIEW FROM GROUND, THROUGH CROWD’S LEGS - (CONTINUOUS)

A man’s body lays motionless on the street, his legs and arms warped into all impossible directions, his flesh wrapped around a heap of broken bones. A girl lay next to him, only discernable by the high-heeled foot lying next to her head. There are policemen surrounding the crime scene.

COP (OFF-SCREEN)

Hey, you....

EXT. STREET - CROWD - (CONTINUOUS)

The cop is standing directly next to the homeless man’s bent back. The camera follows the MAN up to meet the cop’s face.

COP

C’mon, there’s nothin’ to see ‘ere.

Go scram.

The man backs away willingly, but turns his head once more towards the scene in curiosity. He makes his way over to a group of OFFICERS who are talking.

OFFICER 1

I tell ya, in my ten years as an

officer, I ain’t never seen anything

like this...

OFFICER 2

Why would a killer just leave the

bodies right in the middle of the

street?

OFFICER 3

Well, he seems to be a smart one,

anyways,since there’s absolutely no

evidence period.

OFFICER 3

Yeah, the victims still got their

wallets, jewelry, everything. Only

the umbrella was a little roughened up.

OFFICER 1

Well, with this weather, it doesn’t

surprise me. Isn’t it going on

ten straight days now of this rain?

They all agree, laughing for a bit, looking around at the wet streets. The man stands shyly for a moment, than attempts to speak. The officers notice him, and stand up straight, looking formidable.

HOMELESS MAN

(clearing his throat)

Um, ‘scuse me sir-

OFFICER 1

Hey, now listen, don’t go peddlin’

around here-

HOMELESS MAN

I’m, uh, I’m not lookin’ for no

trouble...

OFFICER 2

Oh yeah, well you’re gonna GET

trouble if you don’t beat it. I

could take you in right now.

HOMELESS MAN

(looks down shyly)

Well, alright, but I thought I

heard something last night, is all.

OFFICER 1

I suggest you head down to the local

shelter, mister, and get yourself some

coffee.

(turns to his buddies, ignoring

the man completely)

The ol’crazy is hearing things now...

The officers laugh together and continue their conversation. The homeless man puts his hand in his tattered pockets and walks away with a sad frown. The rain continues to pour down on him, and he makes his way to a garbage can to reach for a NEWSPAPER. When he picks it up, he realizes it is already soaked. Then he spies something else inside.

EXT. GARBAGE CAN - (CONTINUOUS)

A broken, flower-print UMBRELLA is lying on top of the garbage. It is in bad shape, with wires bent every which way.

EXT. SIDEWALK - (CONTINUOUS)

The man picks up the umbrella and opens it up as far as it can go. He walks away with it shielding his wet head from the rain.

EXT. CANAL STREET - CHINESE RESTAURANT - NIGHT

The homeless man is sitting outside of the restaurant with a dirty coffee cup in front him. The tarp is around his body, and he holds the battered umbrella to cover his head from the ongoing rain. He stares at the ground. Feet are walking past him every once and awhile, sloshing into the puddles. A man comes outside the restaurant and brings down the cage. He is locking it when the homeless man stands up. He holds out his cup. The Chinese man turns around.

CHINESE MAN

(with accent)

What you want? No give charity here.

You go now. Or I call cops.

The homeless man looks down solemnly into his cup as he turns away. He walks a couple of steps and hides behind the alley. The Chinese man continues to lock up, and then leaves, taking out an umbrella before going out in the rain.

The man looks around to make sure the coast is clear, then comes out of his hiding spot. He walks to the trash pile at the front of the store and starts to go through it. There are heaps of Chinese food garbage, newspapers, and more broken umbrellas, but no food. Frustrated, the man stands and THROWS down his umbrella, stomping his foot.He sighs, then starts to walk away.

EXT. SIDEWALK – STRAIGHT ON - (CONTINUOUS)

The homeless man is walking towards the camera solemnly, hands in his pockets. Strange NOISES are heard. He STOPS dead in his tracks. Camera TRACKS closer to man as his face twists in fear. He turns around to reveal the flowered UMBRELLA, mangled on the sidewalk, shaking ferociously.

EXT. CU OF HOMELESS MAN – FRONT - (CONTINUOUS)

TRACK in to face quickly. He hears more quick noises of metal scratching asphalt. His head TURNS to the right of frame in a snap. PAN quickly over to the other side of the street, where multiple UMBRELLAS, of different size, shape and condition are quickly moving towards him in a spider-like fashion, their metal legs crawling over the pavement. They are making unrecognizable NOISES.

EXT. OTHER SIDE OF STREET – GROUND LEVEL – (CONTINUOUS)

From behind the moving UMBRELLAS, the camera shows the homeless man running for his life not far ahead, stumbling in the pouring rain and slippery sidewalk. They continue to gain on him like a swarm of bugs.

EXT. SIDEWALK - FRONT OF MAN – (CONTINUOUS)

The camera is tracking out as the man RUNS, a look of horrid distress on his face. He TURNS a corner and disappears out of frame, and the shot remains static. Tons of umbrellas SWARM after him, some even CLIMB the buildings’ walls like spiders on their eight “legs.”

EXT. WASHINGTON BRIDGE – (CONTINUOUS)

Rain is falling over the bridge as the man RUNS out on the on-ramp, gasping for breath. He makes his way over the bridge. The UMBRELLAS begin to CRAWL up the bridge’s columns, and surround the man, who has all but given up.

EXT. BRIDGE – EDGE – MS OF MAN - (CONTINUOUS)

The man is almost on his knees, his BREATHING heavy. He looks at all the umbrellas around him in defeat. Then, a FLASHLIGHT beam suddenly appears. The umbrellas shake in surprise, and immediately stand at attention, ready to pounce.

EXT. BRIDGE – ENTRANCE – (CONTINUOUS)

A FIGURE approaches, masked in darkness, holding the flashlight.

OFFICER 1

Who’s there! Do you know what

time it is?

IT is the officer from earlier that day. His face enters the moonlight.

OFFICER 1

Hey, I know you-

His eyes go wide in horror, as he sees the umbrellas.

What the-

EXT. BRIDGE – EDGE – (CONTINUOUS)

The umbrellas immediately brace to attack, and the homeless man becomes restless. He looks at the officer with deep sympathy.

EXT. BRIDGE – EDGE – MS OF MAN – (CONTINUOUS)

He looks back at his beloved city, covered in a mist of rain, and knows what he must do. With newfound confidence, he OVERTAKES the nearby flowered UMBRELLA with force, and opens it up after much struggling. He then begins to pick off some of the ones nearest to him.

EXT. BRIDGE – EDGE – FACING OFFICER - (CONTINUOUS)

The umbrellas all TURN to the homeless man in panic and rage. They begin to SCUTTLE towards him in a frenzy, as the office WATCHES, dumbfounded.

EXT. BRIDGE – EDGE – FACING MAN - (CONTINUOUS)

The homeless man immediately gets up on the very ledge of the bridge, and taking a last loving look at the cityscape, and at the umbrellas to make sure they follow, he PLUNGES with the umbrella in his hand to the depths of the river. The UMBRELLAS all follow one by one, opening up to float down along with him, until every last umbrella has gone.

Then there is only the sound of the rain.

EXT. BRIDGE – LEDGE – (CONTINUOUS)

The officer RUNS to the ledge with his flashlight, unable to speak. He peers over the side in confusion.

EXT. HARBOR – WATER UNDER BRIDGE – (CONTINUOUS)

There is nothing but floating umbrellas to be seen, and one solitary flowered umbrella as well, to mark the spot where the poor homeless man drowned.

FADE TO BLACK.

EXT. CANAL STREET – GROUND LEVEL - NEXT DAY – (MONTAGE)

The weather is sunny and clear. People pass by as if nothing has happened. They talk and chat happily as their feet frolic on the sidewalks. There are no umbrellas to be seen.

EXT. CANAL STREET – STOOP – (CONTINUOUS)

We see the stoop where the homeless man used to be. There is nothing there but his old tarp and some garbage. A homeless woman comes by slowly, searching the ground. She sees the tarp and picks it up. As she walks on, a radio in the window nearby is heard.

RADIO ANNOUNCER

…And looks like we finally got

some good weather coming our

way. That’s right, no umbrellas

today folks. It’s gonna be a

beautiful day here in the city…

Camera slowly zooms into the pile of garbage, revealing the hook of an umbrella. MUSIC begins to play in a threatening tone, up until…

CUT TO BLACK.

Music abruptly ends.

CREDITS.

[ITALY] Making Movies Is Hard

From: James Morrison
Sent: Wed 5/24/06 5:08 PM
To: Tara Stromberg
Subject: random thoughts‏

Tara,

Sitting in the library again. Should I tell you how crazy things have been here? You probably could have guessed. Making movies is hard.

We're doing pretty good as for now. Doing casting at some fancy LA spot this Saturday. Still do not have the funding secure from Ian's family. This is making me a little edgy. I have a good feeling his family may not like me too much, seeing as how I show up out of nowhere & tell him to ask them for 3,000 to make a story I made up. Oh well!
Been sleeping on his couch for a week now. It's a nice couch! MMMMhmmmmm.

This library sucks & there's all these homeless people using the computers next to me & they smell real good. The computer barely works & keeps dropping offline. Tonight I have a meeting about scheduling. We're shooting our interiors on a sound stage at the school! How professional, I know.

My head drifts farther & farther every day with more to do & more shit to talk to people about why they need to do this. I'll be happy to get rolling & actually doing something.

I'm a waitin for your letter. I'm kinda diggin these e-mails because I know you get em' right away. Nathan is flying in on the 2nd, but I have to stay here I think till the 19th. Cigarettes here are cheap & that is nice. That's the only cheap thing though, everything else is a lot.

The kids I'm working with are real professional and keep bothering me about insurance and shit. I hate producing work. I'm pretty good at it though because I'm so talented in the arts of bullshit. Still, right now I am doing much more producing shit than anything directing. Our storyboards are non-existant at the moment. yeah...

Enough of my film bitching! There are much bigger problems in the world.

I hope Italy is going well & you're not down about that damn foot. You should just cut it off & hobble from bread shop to bread shop. I finished Raise High the Roof Beam Carpenters on the plane ride here. Seymour and Introduction is kind of hard to get into right now. Are they supposed to be connected as one book? Or are they just two separate stories in one book?

I wish I had more to tell you. I'm happy to be out here & working on something.

Keep that foot in good condition & eat some bread and cheese & listen to people speak Italian... I hope you're getting some ideas for your script to shoot on 35mm!* Everyone I tell about that here is big time jealous by the way.

miss you RIIIIIICCCCKKKK!
James

*Referring to my acceptance into the NYU in Prague: 35mm Filmmaking program. 

***

From: Tara Stromberg
To: James Morrison
Sent: Thu, 25 May 2006 15:10:34
Subject: cant think of a clever subject title....

James,

I figured you were busy since I hadn’t heard from you in forever (at least it seemed that way.... >le sigh<) its true, the emails do come faster, but there's still the matter of finding time to write the email. i have plenty of time to, because compared to you, i hardly do an work over here. i have class from 9-1 two days a week, and 2-5 two days a week, and then some writing homework. you’re making me look like a lazy bum!!!! ^.^;;;

but anywho, back to the whole mailing thing, yeah, your messages never come often enough. i feel like i have so much to tell you about, but then again its probably not as groundbreaking as all the work ur doing over there, so i kinda feel selfish. my foot woes are unworthy of a juxtaposition with your starving artistry. but im gonna tell you it all anyway. ^_^

gahhhh and i just bought a postcard to send you too, but since u still havent gotten my other letter, itll probably take forever to get to CA, and by that time we’ll both have tons of stuff to talk about. oh well, the postcards not big enough anyway. ill send it soon with a clever note, much more clever than the one i am so painstakingly trying to write at this moment.

sooooooo where do i begin? i feel really bad about all this crazy film stuff getting you down. but ur having auditions!!! at a swanky place!!!! and u have producer people to help you (even though they’re a pain in the ass, but that's their job, so u dont have to do it), and storyboards can be easily done with stick figures (you dont have to be a van gogh, the film is the important part), and ur already scheduling things out. however, these things are mostly overshadowed by the fact that you have no budget. but that's not ur fault! blame ur producer! and ian. er, his parents. i didn't know that you needed that much money....he should try to convince his parents that he wont have a future unless he makes this movie. or rather, you make it, with his help.

funny thing is, i'm having money problems as well. i went to exchange my $300 in travelers checks last week at amex, and the exchange rate only left me with $230. that's not good. as of now, after spending money on groceries, the bus, meals, and the doctor that charged me 40 euros to poke my foot until i said it hurt, i have 120 to my name. and i still have four weeks left here...

...and since im on a rant already about things that suck, ill just mention that our room smells like the septic tank underneath us, and I'm getting eaten alive by ginormous mutant mosquitoes. i killed two yesterday, and made them suffer a horrible death.

but, there are good things as well. and so far they outnumber the bad....so far. I'm off my crutches and the soft cast is off, and I'm walking again ^^ (lord, its a MIRacle....) and to celebrate, i went out with friends and got drunk....again. but it wasn't as bad as last time (ie i wasnt stumbling or pretending to smoke the wine cork or peeing on random trees) I hip-hopped it up at this club and we had a grand ‘ol time. and now i can take a shower standing up like normal people.

Class has been good. for my history-art class (it cant even be classified) we went to one of the oldest museums in the world, the Uffizi, which had a Leonardo da Vinci exhibit and a Michaelangelo painting and about a million painted Madonnas (not the singer, the virgin). Our teacher gave us these headsets connected to a mic she had so we could her her. I felt like a cyborg. i wanted to get you and my mom some journals with leo and his art and other spiffy art stuff, but they were mad expensive. instead i bought 30 cent postcards. but ill find something...

i just got an email from my mom yesterday-she said my grandma is home and doing great, which makes me feel so much better. she’s been in the nursing home and hospital for almost three months.

oh, i got a haircut today. it looks a bit short (shoulder length) cause its so curly and wavy. itll probably grow back by the time i come back. but its oh-so soft,silky and light. ill have to send u a pic. do u still have ur scrappy beard? i hope ur gonna be taking pics over there. i actually have taken a bunch around the city and stuff. ill send u the link to my photo account.

so yeahhhhh, my 35mm script. now I'm rethinking my original ideas. i dont know what to do!!!! :( if ur friends are so jealous they should send me some III-DEAS. for class i wrote my really bad script; it's about umbrellas that come alive when they are mangled and left on the nyc streets at night, and they mangle ppl in revenge. but i kinda like the idea, cause if i did it with stop motion it would be really creepy. as for my script for class, its the one that i left on ur laptops desktop. i have to rework it tho. i got some new feedback. i wanna do it for my narrative in the spring. so let me know if you know anybody that's good with pyrotechnics. i need to blow up a lawnmower.

ANYways....i think I've went on about myself long enough. did u like the raise high the roofbeams story? i know, both of them are pretty dense prose-the seymour intro is not in the same time frame as the previous story, but they’re related because they're both about the Glass family. i actually cant remember much from it, to tell u the truth. i wish i could send you The Little Prince book - actually its online, u should read it. its quick and i think you'll like it. very philosophic and child-like. and it has pictures.

well i would love to write more, but your eyes can only take so much of a bright white screen, and those homeless ppl are probably startin' to smell pretty bad, so i will send this along and hope to hear from you very soon (or as soon as ur schedule allows you-i know ur already swamped, and i doubt ur getting much sleep, especially since its on a couch. you cant fool me ^_~)

i will be anxiously awaiting your letter or e-mail, whichever it will be, and I'll probably send u a postcard and also another letter, that's longer than the last (and just wait to you see how long THAT one is :P)

i will pray to buddha and do a raindance for ur film, even though i know you’ll get it done anyhow, even if u have to bullshit ur way through the whole thing and run from the cops and live off water and cheese doodles for a couple of weeks. it'll be a contest to see which one of us gets the skinniest :P

sooooo i will enjoy my tasteless bread and mushy fruit and catch some lizards (RIIIICK, do you know that iguanas can grow back their tails??????!!!!!) and you sleep and dream of $3000. 
just don't be a coconut*. 
i don't think ur a coconut, but worrying toomuch is very coconut-esque.....so be cool like a cucumber...and i'm gonna make like a banana, and split...

miss you and wish u were here,

Tara

*Reference to the song "Ask Me Anything" by The Strokes.

[ITALY][Bologna] A Most Deliciously Treasured Feast

This is our class ready to eat our lunch. We are all beaming because this was seriously the best food we've gotten since we've been here. And you know why? 'Cause NYU paid.

Piazza in front the Basilica San Domenico

Choir room in the Basilica.

A crater from the famous bomb at the Bologna train station.




Fancy-schmancy cabinet etches. It's like, poppin' out!

The tomb of St. Dominick......creepy.
Another thing that was creepy was that his skull was on display in a gold treasure.

A medieval tower in bologna, where families used the top to hide during war times. 

Bologna's own leaning tower, bent further than Pisa's.

Venice? No! believe it or not there is a CANAL in Bologna! 

It is hidden behind this little window, which Pam cannot reach.

[ITALY] The Pangs of Hunger

From: Christine Stromberg
Sent: Wednesday, May 24, 2006 8:32 am
To: Tara Stromberg
Subject: Mom

Tara,

Hope you are feeling better and adjusting better. I kinda worried we have not heard from you yet, I am sure I am overreacting.

Drop me line so I know everything is fine.

PS Grandma is at her home now, and is doing wonderfully.

Love you lots,
Mom

***

From: Tara Stromberg
Sent: ?
To: Christine Stromberg
Subject: Re: Mom

i sent you an email silly, didnt you get it? >sigh<

anywho, dear mither et al,

i had been waiting for you to email me. let me know if you got it. i can forward it again. i am so glad grandma is back at home. i will send her one of the postcards i bought today.

so i got off my crutches yesterday, and I'm feeling pretty good. my foot hurt for a little while as i tried to get used to walking again, but now its fine and just changing into an array of beauteous rainbow colors. now i dont have to bathe sitting down anymore, i relinquished my top bunk, and i can get my own food.

for class today we went to the Uffizi gallery to see some paintings. they had the Michaelangelo Madonna, and a really cool Leonardo da Vinci exhibit (i thought of you, mom ^^) but we didn't have time to stay there. i can go back for free with my card, so i intend to do so. tomorrow we go to bologna for more artness.

I'm having a lot of fun with everyone here. we all go out together and eat and such, and look after eachother. it's gorgeous here. our backyard is a meadow and so far it's been warm (with some cool nights).

so that's all the good news. now the not-so-good news. i am running out of money. when i got my traveler's checks exchanged to euro, the rate left me with -$60. And now my wallet is left with 140 euro, plus 40 in cash. i've only went grocery shopping (today) so i can have food for the weekend, and only spent 10 euro. got salami, provolone, yogurt, jam. so that's not good, cause i've only been here for a week.

i also think this diet is killing my digestion. i'm not geting enough grains and stuff. i might even be losing weight, cause my pants are always falling down. we only get dinner four times a week. breakfast seven. lunch none. so we have to fend for ourselves on those select days. most of the time i skip lunch or eat an orange and bread that i take from the cafeteria in the morning. and for dinner i had to buy Chinese (*shame*) twice, because it's cheaper than actual Italian food. i did get pizza for 5 euro. but most of the places close at 8, and after that they charge you 30 euro for an okay sit-down meal. and there is no oven here, or stove. just a microwave. and they don't sell stuff you can microwave here because Italians actually have good taste.

I'm also covered in mosquito bites. they are everywhere, even in our room. i was sitting in the sun at 2 pm and they bit me. i killed two last night as big as bees. i made sure they suffered.

and transportation is hard too. I'm walking everywhere. bus cost 1.50, but that adds up fast. i like walking, but its a long way to the city. and the way back is uphill, on cobblestone. and everything here closes at 7 or 8. including the buses. cabs are two times more expensive here than in new york. go figure. i guess we are lucky.

so I'm hoping that i can last on these groceries and the crappy food they give us. it's not that bad actually. maybe its just cause i'm always hungry. but the breakfast is the same every day. mushy fruit (not even fresh!), three yucky cereals, bread (mostly stale), lukewarm tea, yogurt and pre-packaged croissants. oh and hard boiled eggs. god forbid they actually cook them. the dinner is usually good though. we just have to wait until 7 for it.

we want to plan a trip every weekend; hopefully get to pisa, rome, venice, pompeii, mayyyyybe capri. if i don't get to go to a beach here i will twist someone's head off. i just hope this won't include getting a hotel or a pricey ticket. cause then i'd have a problem.

so anywho, enough whining. i should be glad to just be here, and i really am. I'm having a great time, and praying thanks to whomever that i didn't break my foot. cause i would have came right back to the states and started over again another time ^.^;;

I'm sure i have lots more to say, but i just bought some postcards, so ill send one along instead. hope everything is well with you guys, and that the weather has since gotten better. I've taken some pictures (and by some i mean a lot) so I'll send you the link to my snapfish as soon as i can. I'm warning you there aren't many of me. at all. but its hard to take pictures of yourself.

Take care and tell everyone i miss them and will be trying to buy them something from Italy. i wish it could be food, but i haven't found any cookies yet, which saddens me a lot.

ciao for now, and molti baci,

Tara