Clem the Moonman

My grandmother was equally remarkable. She was both matriarch and working mother. Her family was a mix of indigenous, Romani, and Vincennois French. Most of what I know about her though is that she grew up in the Holiness movement, in contrast with my grandfather's Catholic faith.

My grandfather was both a farmer and a locomotive engineer for the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. He started in the rail yards, working on steam locomotives. By the time of dieselization, he was a locomotive engineer. According to lore, he piloted the first revenue diesel streamliner in the 1937.

More reflecting on family in the spirit of Parentalia. This is my grandfather and grandmother. My grandfather was born in 1885, so I never had the opportunity to meet him but there is one thing we share in common—trains.

Photo: wedding photo of my grandfather and grandmother, circa 1930s.

Frog and toad are goals. 🐸

Also totally not a distraction against other, equally (if not more) explosive, matters of current events. 👀 🗃️

Good God almighty, the President of the United States is pulling the ultimate switch if he is preparing to release documentation concerning UAP. I don't believe we are alone in this universe, but it is a little disappointing and divinely comic.

Five years ago, in an effort to honor my ancestors, and to embrace Romanitas, I chose to legally change my surname from Grove to Petronio. It was purely a matter of poetic license, but I hope one day I will discover my family's true name.

The gravestone points to a princely rank, the nature of the rank is remains elusive. However, the crown on the gravestone is explicitly the Corona normale di Principe; five strawberry leaves with three fully visible, and eight pearls with four visible. Contrast with a ducal or marquess coronet.

Interestingly, genetics supports the oral tradition over the documentary reconstruction. Unfortunately, efforts to uncover our family's original Italian name have been lackluster at best. Documents point to a baronial rank, while the oral tradition asserts a much higher ranking.

The oral tradition, on the other hand, asserts our family arrived in America directly from Italy in the mid-19th century. Being of high rank, their lives were at severe risk, so they came to America and the family adopted an English pseudonym.

My family has a dual tradition, one oral and the other paper. Paper tradition has our family origins in the Roman nobility, exiled to Austria in the 12th century as minor lords, and eventual emigration to America in the very late 17th century.

Photo is an AI enhancement of an original daguerreotype.

February seems good a month as any to reflect on death and loss. In my family's traditional culture, it is the month in which the Parentalia is observed, between 13 February and 21 February.

Photos: my my great grandfather and his gravestone with Corona normale di Principe prominently displayed.

The choice to abandon an Italian identity was a matter of life-and-death. Moving from Catholic Italy to Protestant English and American culture meant a risk, particularly in the mid-1800s when nativism was at fever pitch.

Genetic testing supports the oral tradition over the paper documentation, and the documentation is both fragmented and peculiar enough to point to purposeful obfuscation. I do know that our family lost knowledge of our dynastic name, after an English cover name was adopted.

My family has a dual paper-oral tradition; on paper, my family has origins in Italy by way of Austria, going back to the 12th century and were of comital rank. However, our oral tradition maintains our family were of princely rank, and left Italy in the 1800s, directly for America.

Gaudete Sunday and I will admit I do miss attending mass at St. Ignatius of Antioch in NYC.

I must say I'm really enjoying my new job at the airport as a ground ops agent.

Now just waiting for the flight benefits to kick in. 💙 🧡 💛 ✈️

Green bean casserole 🥘💚

Two days late, but it's hard to believe I had left for NYC a year ago, only to return to my old stomping grounds. I was not expecting this turn, but here I am.

Well one thing is for certain, I am not built to work nights.

Safely made it back to Pinellas. I will miss New York but I am happy to be back home.

Well a decision has been made. I leave NYC for Florida tomorrow night. Perhaps it is for the best—and who knows I may yet return to the city someday.

When you hear the snack bag open from three blocks away 🐾😳🍪

When you hear the snack bag open from three blocks away 🐾😳🍪
#CorgiRun #DerpyDog #Zoomies #HappyPupper #CorgiLife #FluffyButt #DoggoVibes #SillyFace #PupperJoy #RunningBuddy

A year in New York is fast approaching, and all I can think about is how homesick I am for my home in Florida. I'm starting to wonder if I should just go back.

So I discovered that some of my neurological issues may be affected by my dermatological issues. Lovely.

Here for the unhinged Burger King marketing.

I strongly recommend Bryant Park if you enjoy getting pooped on by birds. 🕊️💩