How the TMNT introduced me to 4 AMAZING ARTISTS!!

Heeeeeelllllllllloooooo, BLOGGERDOM!!!!
(Dum, dum, DUUUUUM!) (Small fanfare... Roar...)

{Ahem.}
Okay.
Ready for another go around? (Edited and posted in March 2019)

Wishing a Happy Belated birthday to Michaelangelo! 
Which one? 
(Courtesy Daily Art - oh I'm sure you know already! 

*It's my comeback post!!! *

So.... ARE YOU READY?

Oh, yeah! That's what I thought you said!

Say what now??? Yes, how the now iconic Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles brought me the names of 4 EPIC Italian artists who would, from that time forward, shape my concepts of reality and deeper appreciation for the arts.

To be fair... I WAS only a preteen back then... Oh my goodness wait - 😳 just dated myself!
Here! (Scrambled for the closest VHS tape) 📼
Just watch this!:

EPIC RAP BATTLE TIME!

{Phew}
Okay, recovery moment.
☺️😀
Where was I? Oh. Yes.

"No truer words did any parent or adult ever utter".... Wait no, THAT is not it...

Y'all ready for this? I'm going to drop the Hammer of knowledge upon your heads, just like a ... Well,  hammer.

Okay, I'm not winning any awards for this, so just chill.

Picture this if you will:

It's about the mid-to-late eighties; circa 1987 , if I'm not too far off.
I was sitting back, relaxing, up to no good, when out of my tele, I here this theme song and *BOOM!* blaring !
🎵Ba-da, da-da! Da-da-daaa-da!🎶
(TMNT 1987 Theme song)

I just had to go see... What my older BROTHER was getting to watch.
(Like when he got to see...Transformers, ...or G.I. Joe...or any other boy - biases)

Relax, ladies. I got this, just like "I got milk".
😏
I was a total tomboy back then and did NOT let the patriarchy define these genes!
No sir, er, ma'am.
Which basically just means - I was ahead of the times; a trendsetter, if you will.
I played with Matchbox cars, traded Barbies for He-Man action figures, and played with the Tonka trucks.
Yep...
I was a defiant little shit, even then.
Whoever says girls can't do some crazy ass shit because it's "just a boy thing" never saw me on my bike, jumping off the bridge heading to Wiggins Pass, with some scrapes an scars... I digress, for your sake.
For now.

Here, again. The setting. Two kids laying belly-down, heads propped up in palms, deeply enthralled in the color pictures dancing across the screen. 
The oh so classic "Teenage Mutant..." Theme song plays...
And then, as I watched these (slightly crudely) animated characters, jumping across the colored TV, THERE were these

 4 crazy looking turtle-manbuffed NINJA dudes, with nunchakus, and katanas, and a bo, and sais - AND NO bears, oh my!

And I was like, wow! These characters look so different...

Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo and Raphael! - And they're MUTANTS??(Which totally psyched me out, man! Pre-Marvel and before X-Men, a comicbook reader's dream!) 

And. And.
AND. I WAS READY TO SEE SOME BLOODSHED!

WHOA. Hold up. 
Let me explain. 
Okay. To be fair, I was a kid in the eighties; we were not told, "oh hey, kids, blood... Go run into the other room: Rated R" or PG or nonna that;
This was a time more like:
"Oh hey kids, blood... Um, are you good? Because I'm going to continue watching this horror film (which is about to give you bad dreams for weeks, if not permanently scar you... 😈}
Shocker.
 (Proceed to insert your fave 70s or 80s horror film here... Oh, can't think of any? Carrie, Nightmare on Elm Street, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Friday the 13th, etc)

Just for you. 😘. You're so welcome.

But tsk, sadly to my pre-adolescent mind, it was not to be at the time. (I REALLY loved Bruce Lee at one point... then later, Mortal Combat. Erm. Moving on...)
It was a KID'S SHOW. 

Well, I'm back...again - HELLO BLOG

Why???

Cause I can.
No truer words did any parent or adult ever utter.

So, for anyone interested in what I have been up to lately, I'm back.

Been working, working, working, slaving... like a dog.
But this... this is my TRUE love. Writing to you. There wherever you may be: in your home/work/ luxury style apartment/ tent in the middle of no where.

Just for you.

Now that this exciting news has been broadcast, I will be doing a series of blog posts on, AMAZINGLY, places I have actually wandered TO from home. WOW.

Shocker.

Ok. Catch up time. Hope y'all are good... yes, good? ...Ok, good.

Love ya all, without you I am just 8 fingers and 2 thumbs looking solemnly into cyberspace, awaiting excitingly for your inevitable unwilling relentless return to my weird, but fun, page.

Oh. How I've missed you!

:)

Thanks and take care.

~Ciao, mon bel petit,

Caro B.

City on the SPOT: Naples, FL - BOY, Though LOVELY... I'm Bored!

Naples, Florida.
The Italian-named jewel of the Southwest Coast of Florida.
The Retirement Capital of the US for the old, rich, or both.

Ah Yes, Naples is very family friendly for the most part.
Very nice. Very lovely. Very..., er... Beachy.

http://www.laplayaresort.com/naples-florida-beach-resort-webcam.aspx - Live Web cam courtesy of
LaPlaya Beach & Golf Resort
9891 Gulf Shore Drive, Naples, FL 34108

RESERVATIONS: 800-237-6883 HOTEL DIRECT: 239-597-3123

http://www.enaplesflorida.com/ ~ Live web cam courtesy of

Sun Realty: Graham Ginsberg

3757 Tamiami Trail North, 34103, Naples Fl Tel:239-404-4221

Like any city, there are some areas more desirable than others, and no, despite any articles to the idea, the streets are NOT paved in gold.
:)
However, they are very clean in comparison to some other area cities.  Punta Gorda gulf area might be comparable to in cleanliness. Port Charlotte is nice, but dull. Immokalee is growing, but besides the Seminole Casino, kinda far from... everything else.

Some areas are prone to some crime, such as theft and vandalism, but you do not hear about it often, and when you do... it's big local news. Areas like Marco Island, Ava Maria, Port Richey... hardly any real crime. That you hear of locally, anyways. There is big money and subsequently, big lawyers/ law firms.

So. NOT. New York City.
More like Manhattan, eh Upper New York State. Parts of New Jersey, minus shore smell. Elizabethtown comes to mind.

Much more friendly than some parts of Fort Myers, which is our next closest big city. Although I have found that some residents in Lee county area (Bonita Springs, Estero, San Carlos) can be equally, if not MORE friendly, there are many areas of Naples that still have that down-home, slightly country feel that makes you welcome to walk in and hang about for a while.
 Especially any dive bar. The one of Pine Ridge Road, for example.

NICE.

The Naples area boasts many elementary, middle and high schools to choose from; my best suggestion is to contact the schools personally and vet them as if your student already attends the school. Skip all the fluff, get to the real facts.

Some things to keep in mind: If you are looking for a very active city, with lots of family-friendly activities, and tons to do every weekend - I would be looking in a different area. Unless you LOVE (and I do mean - LOVE A LOT) many watersports, as it boasts an ENDLESS variety; Fishing, skiing, scuba diving, boating, fishing, jet skiing, swimming, and did I mention?

FISHING.
Not. My. Forte`.

It does have some annual and holiday/festive activities, mind you; however, I would judge the level of activity based on your preferences and level of busyness you currently enjoy. There is a zoo, a kid's museum, a lovely park in downtown area, several parks actually... some fantastic beaches (once you live here, you may not visit as often, AKA= THE HEAT INDEX) , a waterpark (open most of year-not all) and BUNCHES AND BUNCHES of shopping areas.
Ha.
That.
More MY speed.

The central mall is Coastland Center, and next is closest is only about 20-30 minutes North, out of Naples, depending on traffic.
The most active and newest shopping center out of the bunch is Mercato, which is centrally located off of Highway US 41, AKA Tamiami Trail North, AKA 9th St North in Naples (yes, it goes by several names, this road.)
Well, anyways, hope this helps a bit in your search. It really is a quiet, nice place to rest your head and know the kiddos are all right.

Anyways, my little blogga-dos, I will check in again. See how are ya holding up.
I'm alright. Just. HOT.

Have a lovely air-conditioned summer, y'all.

~ Vous petit- Cherie,
Caro B.