I have decided to give myself a birthday present this coming year, two presents actually. My wife and I are going to visit Italy next Fall, so in preparation, I’ve decided to study Italian. I’m full-blooded Italian-American, but my parents refused to teach their kids Italian because they wanted us to “fully assimilate,” as they put it, and not have it as rough as they had it. So, I’m going to Italy, and I’m gonna look for the places where my grandparents came from, and hopefully I’ll be able to speak enough of the language to eat, drink and be merry. Can’t wait.