Welcome to Milan

• Americans will finally be able to get a Smart Car. You know, that really really small car that you or someone you know took a picture of at least once when in Europe?
• I just discovered Steve Pavlina (Personal Development for Smart People) – very interesting articles – including how to make money on your blog and become an early riser – I plan on checking out the rest

We have moved! We are now fully situated in the new apartment as of this weekend, and I have to tell you, things are GREAT. Pics to follow after we get the boxes out of sight. Big-girl apartment!!

Today I rode my bicycle to work, and it took me exactly 7 minutes. That’s it. A far cry from the 120 minutes it could take on a bad morning. On Tuesday, I went home for lunch. What a beautiful feeling. Even my coworkers were jealous.

In fact, I can’t remember ever living so close to a job I’ve had in years. There was the time I lived on Stanford campus (where the professors and their multi-million dollar houses were, not the dormitories – I was in the basement, btw) and I worked a short 7-10 minute drive away, but that was all residence and track housing, and this is CITY.

I can’t ride my bike like in Pavia with rice paddies on both sides, especially since I live near a street where a lot of trams pass – if I’m not careful, my wheel will get stuck in the track grooves (check) and I’ll make a big fool of myself trying to get out (double check).

We are definitely celebrating our new-found independence.

Last night I went to a 4th of July aperitivo last night with another American friend. I wasn’t there for the BBQ, which definitely was a far cry from good, but rather to see who was there. Who were these “Americans” living in Milan? Would I have recognized them on the street? Was there anyone worth meeting?

Unfortunately it was less “networking night” and more high school reunion as certain cliques met and stuck together, with very little mingling. The range of people was very interesting – there were the “diplomat kids” – bored kids with pantries stuffed full of HotPockets & Doritos in their air-conditioned security-enabled parents’ apartments, teens overdressed because it was being held at the JustCavalli cafe’ and you never knew when a talent scout or hot guy might be around, the Marines buying up 150euro bottles of champagne for the models they found…somewhere, and the groups of people who had been here for years and were very involved, in themselves. There were more of the last group, but of course not as much fun to watch.

Sadly, no fireworks that night (something about the models’ hair insurance, I think) but the highlight of the night was definitely when they asked us to stand up and sing the national anthem. No, really. It was definitely a surprise and most people got that I’ve-been-asked-to-give-a-speech-and-I-don’t-know-why deer-in-headlights look and mumbled their way through.

Since the bar didn’t have a big screen TV available, around 8.30 everyone started looking at their watches, shuffling their feet, and planning their getaway to the metro or another locale. Any other night….but it couldn’t be helped. The poor organizers even had a raffle planned with round-trip tickets to NYC, but no one cared about being there for the final drawing.

After Italy’s win last night, the air was filled with cheers and then with honking horns for several hours. Luckily for me, the mojito and beer I had at the aperitivo helped me get right to sleep. I’ll have to regroup for Sunday night.

Forza Azzurri!!