rome | The Dimwit Diary

Three years ago, I took my Mom on a two week vacation to Italy. It’s always been a dream of hers to visit the motherland, so I was happy to be in a position to finally see that her dream was fulfilled. Despite a few tense moments that were to be expected when a mother and her 32 year old son team up to travel, it was a great trip. We visited Rome, toured the Colosseum, saw the Vatican, traveled to Sicily, walked the beaches, drove the countryside, and ate gelato until our hearts were content.

Whether you’ve been to Italy or have only seen photos, I think you’ll find a mother-son take to be a fresh perspective on such a beautiful country. So without further ado, may I present 25 must see photos of Italy like you’ve never seen before.

1. My Mom taking a picture of a flight status board.

2. My Mom taking a picture of tables and chairs.

3. My Mom taking a picture of a leaf.

4. My Mom taking a picture of rigatoni.

5. My Mom taking a picture of a homeless person.

6. A picture of my Mom holding an umbrella.

7. A picture of me holding an umbrella.

8. My Mom taking a picture of the ceiling.

9. My Mom taking a picture of candles.

10. My Mom taking a picture of flower arrangements.

11. My Mom taking a picture of grass.

12. Me taking a picture of grass.

13. My Mom taking a picture of peat moss.

14. My Mom taking a picture of sand.

15. My Mom taking a picture of stucco.

16. My Mom taking a picture of stratus clouds.

17. My Mom taking a picture of rocks.

18. Me taking a picture of rocks.

19. My Mom with two guys that like wearing yellow.

20. My Mom taking a picture of me opening up a water bottle.

21. My Mom taking a picture of restaurant menus.

22. My Mom taking a picture of a fruit bowl.

23. My Mom taking a picture of me pumping gas.

24. My Mom taking a picture of me fed up with her taking pictures of me.

25. A picture of stray cats.

It seems like everyone is a photographer nowadays. Every time I get on Facebook, somebody has started a new photography business. It use to annoy me – buy a nice camera, aim it at some pretty stuff, and suddenly that makes you a professional photographer – but now I think it’s great. I say the more photographers the merrier, because the saying “it’s a small world after all,” that’s just some bullshit Disney saying that somebody made up anyhow. It’s a great, big, ginormous world after all, and there’s not enough time for a person to see everything. So when somebody can take some nice photos and really capture a moment, take you to the top of a 15,000 foot cliff, or place you along a peaceful river bank to watch the sunrise, I’m all for it.

Go on shutterbugs. Fire away. I just have one bone to pick, however. If you insist on incorporating a flower into your logo, or if you dot your i’s with hearts, or if your flyer looks like an 8 year old made it during arts and crafts at summer camp for mentally challenged children, than I can’t take your photography business seriously. Sorry. That’s just the way it is. Maybe you should take up selling scented candles or tupperware instead. Oh my gosh, was that mean? I’m sorry. I woke up at, like, 4 o’clock this morning and I have to work all day today with these folks from Toronto. Ugh. Folks from Toronto.

I’m not a professional photographer, but I do enjoy having an excuse to get outside and to see things in a different light, so I take photos from time to time. Feel free to steal them and use them for whatever. And if you’d like a high res photo, shoot me a message and I’m sure we could work it out. Like maybe a high res photo for an Arby’s sandwich, or something like that. I’m a pretty reasonable guy AS LONG AS IT’S NOT 4 O’CLOCK IN THE MORNING. Gotta go. Toodles (by the way, is that not the worst expression ever? “Toodles.” Talk about a total barf-o-rama. I think it’s time to go get some coffee now…)

September 19, 2010
Sunrise at Moraine State Park
Portersville, PA