I guess I should start where I left off...
The flight home was uneventful. And home was, well, home. What more can you ask for, home cooking, family, and a few friends. Christmas, then New Year's.
New years was great. Quarters and beer all night with some old S&M buddies and champagne with the ball drop. It was a PJ party, so I sported my new Guinness PJ's that my mom got me for Christmas, and even went to breakfast the next day in them. I met few new people (including 1 person that seems esp. cool) and gained some confidence in what I'll call "drunk reflexes." But new years was only 1/2 the reason I was in Raleigh.
I knew I would have a hard time keeping my contacts while overseas for a year. But surprisingly, conversation with my former boss(es) and biz-like friends was pretty easy. I might have found a job offer or two, a potential place or two to live, and caught a pint of Guinness with Alison again (I mention this because a girl liking Guinness is just novel to me). Unfortunately, I may no longer be able (consistently) to drink Guinness in the US. It is terrible (and isn't much better in Italy). It tastes like poorly brewed, overly roasted coffee. Top two pints so far: #1 O'Neil's of Suffolk Street and #2 Gravity Bar in the Guinness Storehouse.
Oh - and I got to play PS3 on 61" of 720p (for non-geeks, that's a mega-awesome-huge screen with outstanding quality). Mad props to Jason & roommates to putting me up for the better part of the week. I really wish I could have stayed another day, but I had to head home to pack up and fly out. Just my luck.
And the the 2.5 day journey to Italy began...
New years was great. Quarters and beer all night with some old S&M buddies and champagne with the ball drop. It was a PJ party, so I sported my new Guinness PJ's that my mom got me for Christmas, and even went to breakfast the next day in them. I met few new people (including 1 person that seems esp. cool) and gained some confidence in what I'll call "drunk reflexes." But new years was only 1/2 the reason I was in Raleigh.
I knew I would have a hard time keeping my contacts while overseas for a year. But surprisingly, conversation with my former boss(es) and biz-like friends was pretty easy. I might have found a job offer or two, a potential place or two to live, and caught a pint of Guinness with Alison again (I mention this because a girl liking Guinness is just novel to me). Unfortunately, I may no longer be able (consistently) to drink Guinness in the US. It is terrible (and isn't much better in Italy). It tastes like poorly brewed, overly roasted coffee. Top two pints so far: #1 O'Neil's of Suffolk Street and #2 Gravity Bar in the Guinness Storehouse.
Oh - and I got to play PS3 on 61" of 720p (for non-geeks, that's a mega-awesome-huge screen with outstanding quality). Mad props to Jason & roommates to putting me up for the better part of the week. I really wish I could have stayed another day, but I had to head home to pack up and fly out. Just my luck.
And the the 2.5 day journey to Italy began...
