Sunday is supposed to be a day of rest. So I rested. But I also worked on my presentation. We aren't reading papers, just talking about our individual projects. For some people, they are doing further work on dissertation. There's not much more they need to do. The section of my book I'm working on is an area of study unfamiliar to me. I've learned a great deal about the portrayal of philosophers in sculpture, but I still feel like an amateur compared to other members of my group who have studied and teach art history or classical studies. I'm hoping that the hotel in Pompeii has a business center where I can print out my notes and even provide copies to people.

In the evening I got the cheese & meat slices from the fridge and made myself little sandwiches for dinner. The chocolate biscotti with peanut butter makes a good dessert. I downloaded some more episodes of the BBC TV show Torchwood and enjoyed the last part of the day. I called home through Skype and had a long conversation about life back at the homestead.

Today was laundry day again. The kitchen at the Academy is closed this week and next, so today I'll need to go scavenge for food again. Tues. through Friday we'll be in Pompeii, then returning some time on Saturday. This is another of those times when we are expected to make a return trip on our own. I'll need to rely on more experienced travelers to get back to Rome. People give directions how to get somewhere, but then nothing is like what they say. For instance, coming back from Ostia we were told to get on the train, ride into Rome, and get off at the Pyramid. That's not the name of the stop. We were on the train with a large group but packed in like sardines. The three people I was near had no idea what stop to get off on. Even after we got off at the last stop, some people didn't know what to do next. And then half of the group went to one bus stop and the rest to another. The only way to know what to do is to have done it before.

I went to the office here to ask about using the computer center just to print my presentation. Turns out it costs 26 euros extra just to get a card to get into the computer room. Plus you have to make an appointment with the computer person to have an orientation. My next idea was to try to email a PDF back to the ESR office and have it faxed to the Academy office. They would charge me something for the fax but not as much as the other way. I was doing this at the last hour before the office would close. For some reason the fax number came back invalid. I decided to try to see if I can find a place near here where I could print a document. An internet search showed a laundry mat with computers that are coin operated and have printing capability. So I put my files (I made several versions, pdf, doc, rtf) on my thumbdrive, figure out my directions, and off I go. The catch is ... I have to go down the stairs to Trastavere. Some people, when they think of Rome, are reminded of the Baths of Caracalla. I will forever thnk of Rome and remember the Stairs of Trastavere.

Finding the place was easy. I sat down at the computer but couldn't figure out how to get started. I turned to the woman next to me and said, "Do you speak English?" She replied, "What?" Then she realized how funny that was. She told me how to get the guy in the yellow shirt to type in the password. So I did that, and he showed me how to put coins in to get it to work. Sure enough, there was a USB port. It didn't take too long to find my document on the thumbdrive, open it, and print. I had to put some more coins in, but it printed. Over by the vending machines for soap there was a tray sticking out and out came by prints. I was very happy. As I was walking back, I passed a copy center. So I went in and had copies made too. Another brief stop and I had a little sandwich to take back with me.

 It's funny how those stairs have been so central to my stay in Rome. They've given me a lot to think about. Like the cigarette packs dropped on the stairs. Can't help but wonder if the person got so out of breath on the way up that he threw his cigarettes away. Or how about this. On the way down the stairs I passed a man who had a crutch on one arm and was slowly making his way down the stairs. Then on my way back I passed a woman on the sidewalk who was in a wheelchair. It made me pretty glad to have been able to walk down the stairs and to be able to walk back up them.

I don't think I'll be able to post blogs until I return to Rome from Pompeii on Saturday. There will be much to see, many places to visit, much to learn. I plan to write the blogs each day but post them on Saturday. Arrivederci.