Observations from Europe

A few notes from my recently completed trip to Europe -- some random, some not; some totally forgettable, some ... not so much.

-- I made one of my best-ever language gaffes on this trip. I meant to ask my German-speaking Armenian friends if their son was awake yet (aufgewacht) but instead asked if he was resurrected yet (auferwächt)!

-- I don't think there's a better place on earth in May than Austria. Naomi and I spent a super-idyllic afternoon sitting in a rose garden across the street from the Parliament building just soaking up the day in between meetings.

-- Gerard Pontier is right: no matter how bleak the weather in Britain, you'll nearly always get a break at least once in the day when the clouds part and you can see the sun and blue sky. That makes the dreariness of gray and rain easier to take.

-- After a while driving on the left doesn't seem too strange.

-- But, inevitably, heading for the car in Nottingham I went straight for what in Britain is the driver's side. I think I've done that every single time I've come to the UK -- and this was trip #7.

-- I've made more separate trips to the UK than any other country in the world.

-- I wonder how many Americans and Europeans from the continent got mowed down on English streets before they started writing "Look Right You Twit" on the pavement. (OK, they don't add on the "you twit" part).

-- In-flight movies were much better this time around than on my last two trans-ocean trips. Saw "The Holiday", "Children of Men" and "Music & Lyrics", all of which either take place in England or have very English stars. Hmm.

-- United took care of us. While in Chicago on the journey out I noticed we had middle seats for the flight to London. I approached the guy at the desk in Chicago and mentioned that Naomi was pregnant (ed. note: how's that for an announcement y'all) and needed to make frequent trips to the lav. Not only did he find us an aisle and one next to it about 10 rows up from our original seats, he also upgraded us a level and got us the same seats for the flight back yesterday. He did right by us and it won't be forgotten.

-- So, yeah, Naomi is pregnant. We're very excited! And very happily, she didn't get sick much on the trip, even though this is the dreaded first trimester. Little D is due in mid-December. On the aforementioned flight to London we had next to us a couple traveling with a 3 month old and we took notes. Their little girl hardly made a peep the whole trip. We hope it goes that way for us since we'll most likely be traveling with a 4-month old. I'm already praying we don't become the people everyone glares at.

-- It's still to-be-determined where that flight next April (Lord willing) will be headed. I think England is the front runner right now, but the jury is still out on Austria. Next weekend some of the powers-that-be for Europe will meet to discuss my job proposal and decide if it's something they want and can support. If it's a go from them we'd need to figure out where exactly to live and how to make it work. The deal in England is pretty much set. I know what I'd do and they're very keen to have us. England would cost about 2/3 what Austria would, so that's a factor as well. We hope to make a decision by June 8th. Stay tuned.

-- I have a friend named Anne Frank (really). This is for her: Louisville Billy Club!