Missing Thanksgiving was a rough one. Always is. Just wanted to be home with the parents, full, on the couch, warm. Haven’t been back for Turkey Day in awhile. Gonna have to do something to change that for next time around: Fly home to be with the parents. Done.

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STRAIGHT OUTTA COLICO: Things are good over here. Getting tons done, learning a million and one new manufacturing processes, getting inspired by Italian “know how.” These I-talians, man, they sure do know how to engineer stuff. Blowing my mind, on an hourly basis.

DAYDREAM NATION: I find myself “doing the math” every couple hours about the time change and how it relates to my little Portland life. Right now, as these meathooks feather the keys of this keyboard, just about high noon over here, everyone back home is fast asleep, warm, tucked in and zonked. That’s the sort of shit I think about over here.

TECTONICS UPDATE: I guess I slept through an earthquake the other night. Didn’t feel a damn thing. Our Italian hosts were woken up by the movement. The Americano guest slept hard and heavy, and dead. Our bodies needed it.

RIGS: Lots of funny little cars over here. Makes me wonder if I could fit into them as they whiz on by. These fuckers over here drive like crazy. I find myself reaching for the seatbelt as a matter of survival.

LUNCHABLES: Pasta (like fettucine, more or less), hunk of bread, french fries, green beans, cold Coke, some sort of chocolate pudding product.

PROMISES, PROMISES: I have been snapping pictures like crazy, and I promise some sort of gallery to be offered up when I get myself stateside again. I’m without email, without my laptop, without a sure-footed connection, so, to all those in the DDC camp, please be patient, I’ll be back early next week for the onlslaught.

WAYFINDING: I had a hunch the street signs would be something that would get me fired up. Well, they do. Clean, modern, small, appropriate. A Lesson: They are used sparingly, so pay attention.

FRUSTRATION: (+) The keyboards are all fucked up over here. All typos are to be excused, due to international sanctions.

HUMANITY: Mom, dad, Whitney, roommate Zimmerman, Kasshole, Brad-ical, Baker, Sullivan…I will get in touch will “all y’all” as soon as I get back onto American soil. Pinky promise.