Do it in '08!

I'm borrowing that line from my pals at Palmer Hall in Chicago, of course. But I'm going to run with it, too. I'm feeling pretty positive about this year, for sure.

First, Our friends Dave and Mendy (AKA Potunkey) are a month into their grand adventure: a year-long trip through Russia, Asia, Australia, and The Americas. Talk about Doing It! We miss them something awful; they were so important to us during our first year when we were trying to figure out who we were in this city. But we're proud to know people who have the guts to do something so daring and so enriching. Dave is a funny journalist/photojournalist and has been writing some compelling stories on the blog linked under More Shopping on the side of this web page: Sorry for the Group Email. Have you been clicking on it? I hope so, because the site is funded by ads, and each click gets our two wanderlust-filled friends a couple of cents. So make a habit to click on the blog every day. It adds up, man! With your help, the Potunkeys will get funding for a meal in China or a place to stay in Korea and you'll be entertained with the insights of a smart young Englishman and his smart Yankee wife. Win, win if you ask me.

Speaking of travel, it's high on the MegaMart list this year, too. The opportunity to travel was one of the most attractive parts about our move to this side of the world but so far we haven't lived up to that goal. Well, I've been fortunate with my job, Marty's only been out of the UK once! We're hoping to meet up with The Potunkeys at some point, most likely New Zealand this summer, and we've pledged to ourselves that we will spend the money on other short trips in Europe throughout the year. The first travel of the year will be back in the States, but no less exciting. Marty's in Las Vegas right now, actually, celebrating Tom's bachelor party. Next, we've already booked a trip to NYC for Easter weekend, which is coincidentally my birthday.

Last year sucked because I felt so isolated and unsure of my identity and goals in this country. But already this year I feel more at home in this city. Moving across the world was tough in a lot of ways at first, but now that I'm over the worst of it I'm so glad for what it's taught me about myself and my country. This year is going to be so much better just for that reason alone. Plus, we're due back in Chicago at least three times this year for the weddings of close friends. We're happy for the friends and the excuses to go back will definitely ease my worries about keeping connections alive back home. What's even more, a few of our friends (and one sibling!) say they might pull off a trip to come and see us this year. We know how hard it is get up the motivation and money to travel when you've got your own goals, so we're honored when anyone does it to see us.

Lastly, I stray from politics in this blog because, well, that's not this blog's purpose. We set up this site so our friends and family could look at pictures of us pointing to Big Ben, not to disappoint our parents by reminding them that we are evil liberals. But I just can't help it: I love Obama! I want to shout it from the rooftops. I've been doing my best to keep up over here, reading mostly American press and watching the debates on YouTube. His success in the primaries has me hoping that there can be progress made in our country, even in habitually corrupt Washington. He breeds inspiration, and it's certainly spread over to me on this side of the world. If he wins the election, I'm moving back home. Seriously. I could not imagine missing such a momentous time in our nation. On the other hand if old-politics Clinton wins, I may consider moving even farther away. Like to the moon.