I am back

[Giraffe]

Although I didn't actually tell you guys I was leaving, you will all no doubt be relieved to hear that I have returned! I just spent the last week attending the wedding of my little sister into a large Italian family on Long Island and then going to Santa Fe, New Mexico for work. I have learned important things:

1. Italians like to eat incredibly good food, in great quantities. My new brother-in-law and I played a game of gastronomic chicken the first night at a local restaurant where they aren't happy until you've gained at least five pounds and clogged a ventricle. He won, although I later learned that he was blatantly cheating by putting most of his food on other people's plates. Lucky for him, I'm incredibly unobservant.

2. Long Islanders are exactly like you see in the movies, in terms of being loud and sarcastic and incredibly hilarious. They double down on this at weddings. Since my little sister is loud and sarcastic and hilarious, this is a good match all around.

3. Santa Fe is pretty, and I hope to someday go back when I have more than 24 hours there and my schedule isn't completely packed with work stuff.

4. Certain people on certain Southwest airline flights should remember that the arm rest is not their personal property, especially when huge tall guys are stuffed into the middle seat and they are kicking it in style in the aisle seat. We could have come to an elbow accord if you weren't so aggressive, Mr. Business Traveler.

Please enjoy these important life lessons, and don't hesitate to share anything interesting you've learned over the past week.