Compass

I usually thought of you in terms of World Discovery Channel or the latest NASA space findings; something that was a new revelation to the world.

But as I’ve walked through the ancient churches of Rome, stumbled upon its mosaics, and identified its ruins, I’ve realized that this eternal city has already been exposed. Though I have seen many firsts, it’s had many travelers, builders, contributors, students, wanderers, and migrators alike who have already made use of you here, unveiling the meaning behind Rome’s many spectacles.

Many have journeyed, pilgrimaged, or searched prior to my arrival, identifying all the ruins, relics, and remains of this place.

All I’m doing is discovering the already discovered.

I’m taking you on round two, three, four- thousand. I’m triplicating you; you’re on a never-ending repeat through the city.

You are new to me, multiple discovery, but I thoroughly enjoy you.

You can be explained like this, “Sometimes the discoveries are simultaneous or almost so; sometimes a scientist will make a new discovery which, unknown to him, somebody else has made years before.”

-Robert K. Merton, The Sociology of Science, 1973.

I love the feeling of learning something from a fellow student about a religion, church, monument, or myth that I’ve never heard of.

I love finding out that the dark dome in an old chapel is actually just a canvas painted to look concave, as the church couldn’t afford to build another dome at the time.

I love realizing that the nameless church my family claimed only a week earlier is actually the Church of Sant’Ignazio and the one assigned to me for my final project.

I love the feeling you give me every day, and I love knowing that you’ve already given that to all other passerby’s.

I find it ironic that I’m just now discovering you.

But thanks for never growing tired of passing your excitement and knowledge on to the rest of us,

Riley Makenna

this is molly

molly, me and eden

beautiful morning in borghese

my friends went all around the shut down town just to bring me back some gf food

every time i go to the beach out here it is cloudy lol

santa marinella

big toes holding on to scraps of paint

these moments are great

gelato making

got free gelato. then went and bought 10 gelato bites.

this is my church

andrea pozzo painted this in nine years

beautiful sunset from borghese

this is how molly sleeps. someone please explain

for dinner we made eggs, cheese, and rice

our polaroid

fresh strawberry gelato