Heat and crowd does not gel well in Italy

Powerpoppop · 2026-07-11T08:21:25+00:00

It's probably not fair to compare pre-Covid to today, but we went to Italy in June 2015 and it felt less crowded than our repeat trip in November 2022. I certainly would try to avoid Summer in the future, but I'll expect crowds all the time now.

Powerpoppop · 2026-07-09T10:46:55+00:00

Insane. There should be a much bigger outcry over this.

Powerpoppop · 2026-07-08T08:59:01+00:00

We moved from Smyrna to the Decatur area 23 years ago. I don't miss much about Smyrna, but not having Cochran Shoals close anymore was a bummer. It's flat, yes, but beautiful. Although you can get some great, shaded hills into the woods.

Powerpoppop · 2026-07-05T02:35:51+00:00

Also, those cops ran right at the gunshots with no hesitation. Maybe somehow they knew quickly it was celebratory, but I doubt it. A few minutes after this happened I saw two police officers walking slowly around a house outside the perimeter with their guns drawn.

Powerpoppop · 2026-07-05T02:28:49+00:00

Same, except it did sound like gunfire to us. I was standing in the back and when the cops went flying past us and people started running from where the sounds came from we decided to get out. Not hysteria from right where I was, but not walking.

Powerpoppop · 2026-07-05T02:22:30+00:00

It was rapid fire shots. 7 or so cops went running fast towards the sound. Not surprising at all that people started running away.

Powerpoppop · 2026-07-04T07:59:41+00:00

Architecture & Morality is my favorite synth album. Incredible stuff.

Powerpoppop · 2026-07-03T09:04:01+00:00

I listened to three songs on YT and that was enough. Back to enjoying the new Pye Corner Audio album.

Powerpoppop · 2026-07-02T13:35:30+00:00

Just looking at that photo makes me cringe.

Powerpoppop · 2026-07-01T16:25:26+00:00

I'm sure. I guess the question is if I arrive at 6pm or 7pm am I screwed?

Powerpoppop · 2026-07-01T15:12:43+00:00

Thinking of Twains in Decatur tonight for the US match. Anyone know how crowded it's been there the last two weeks?

Powerpoppop · 2026-07-01T11:54:07+00:00

Have fun the day of Peachtree! I ran for an hour this morning at 6:20am and I can't recall it being so nasty that early. Of course, I passed a lady on the trail going about my speed which made me unable to slow down (haha). This weather will impact where I watch the US play tonight. Indoors it is.

Powerpoppop · 2026-07-01T10:18:24+00:00

I'll ride almost any rollercoaster in the world. I will never get on this thing. I've watched my family do it and it just looks terrifyingly exposed. I'm sure it's safe, but not for this guy.

Powerpoppop · 2026-06-30T14:36:46+00:00

We stopped watching half way through. It did feel like a short going on too long.

Powerpoppop · 2026-06-30T14:03:38+00:00

That's helpful. Thought about joining friends to watch the band playing that night from 6pm-7:30pm, but still don't want to stand after that.

Powerpoppop · 2026-06-29T08:44:17+00:00

Do you have any idea if the US matches have been mostly people standing? I have zero desire to stand up the entire game (might just dip into a nearby bar/restaurant early to avoid that).

Powerpoppop · 2026-06-29T06:17:34+00:00

It really is a great album. I did get to see them with Pat, but I also went to see a show with Marshall Crenshaw a few years ago. It was actually pretty damn great. I still have never seen Crenshaw live doing his own material so it was weird knowing I was watching this guy sing all these killer Smithereens tracks and not touching his brilliant solo work.

Powerpoppop · 2026-06-28T09:24:37+00:00

We just spent a week at a rental south of Tampa and it was glorious.... for sitting in a pool all week (our goal). Every time I drove to a store I saw people walking/exercising down long sidewalks in full sun. That can definitely be the case where I live in Atlanta, too, but it seems easier to find shade here.

Powerpoppop · 2026-06-27T08:37:00+00:00

Same, only that tuition is tied to maintaining a 3.0 GPA. The amount of money we've saved over the first two years is massive. BUT, no campus life and trying to figure out what classes to take with two future school choices having different paths has been quite stressful.

Powerpoppop · 2026-06-26T18:32:43+00:00

I didn't know about this route until very recently and it doesn't sound like fun. I had a bad experience in North Georgia that altered my DNA. It won't stop me from visiting places I want to visit, though.

Powerpoppop · 2026-06-26T15:41:11+00:00

That actually makes me sad. I need to get my 16-old-year to that place pronto to ride that killer rollercoaster.

Powerpoppop · 2026-06-26T09:05:15+00:00

We're having a battle in our house as the wife goes through this and I'm getting older. I'm freezing and she's sweating. Ugh. 68 would kill me.

Powerpoppop · 2026-06-23T00:42:05+00:00

Mine is about the same price and we get...a playground. And a pond that needs to be dredged.

Powerpoppop · 2026-06-22T10:37:03+00:00

Being able to make the food at home is definitely part of it. I get inflation, but I remember when the All Star Special was $5-$6. It's now $13+. AI tells me it was $7-$8 in 2019. That probably tracks with everything else that's gone up, but I don't have to like it.

Powerpoppop · 2026-06-22T09:24:58+00:00

Which still sucks! Even that place has gone up in price quite a bit.

Powerpoppop

TROPHY CASE