The evidence of the Dark Lord's return is incontrovertible

Happy (belated) New Year everybody! Back in Amsterdam and it's great to be home. It's also great to think of this place as home. I have pictures on the wall! And I have mice. I thought it was just one, who was handily taken care of by Govern when she was out here (yes, I am a girl), but I saw one scurry along the baseboard last night RIGHT AFTER my cleaning lady had been there (yes, I have a cleaning lady...or cleaning girl, she's like 27 and apparently moonlights as an ecstasy dealer. or is an ecstasy dealer that moonlights as a cleaning lady, not sure which one it is...). Anyway, considering a cat.

Things are picking up socially over here -- offset by the fact that I don't have a ton of work. Now that the Pats are playing the Giants, we might have a 1am Superbowl party to watch the game. Or we might DVR it and reenact Superbowl Sunday the following weekend. I mean, we really just want to order pizza and eat chips and salsa and be huge American gringos.

It does feel like a bunch of people I know are leaving my quaint city (the Dutch HATE it when you call it quaint, but it IS). Actually, only 2 folks are leaving (a colleague is moving to India and a workout buddy is going to Chicago) and my adorable intern has moved on, but since that's like 50% of my friends, I am again online friend dating. Actually, it's like listserve dating -- it's kinda neat. There are all these "young expats" who propose meeting up for stuff, usually having to do with alcohol consumption. Unfortunately, the last time they were all dorks. Or I was hammered. The world will never know.

Also, I could potentially have a trans-Atlantic sugar daddy in the works. But he's old. Like son abouttostartcollegerecruitingprocess old. Doesn't mean he ain't sexy, but well, he's definitely before the Star Wars generation and I'm definitely after.

I've finally got all the members of the immediate fam on board to visit this spring. Anyone else out there want to visit? Might want to hurry that up -- I might not be here for the intended 2+ years. Get your moochin' while it's hot.