by Drew J Jones
Sun Jan 28th, 2007 at 07:22:13 PM EST
Not sure why I'm using movie titles for diaries lately....
At the request of my dear friend (and fellow smokers' advocate), Jerome, a diary on why I'm leaving Europe.
It's heart-breaking, to be sure. I had high hopes -- perhaps too high -- of falling in love with England, and never wanting to leave. But it is nonetheless the case that, as I mentioned in tonight's Open Thread, I simply miss being in America. That is not to take away anything from Europe. Quite the contrary, living here has been wonderful. And, along the way, in addition to having the privilege of meeting Miguel, Barbara and (ET's) Helen, I had the privilege of meeting two people -- Helen Oginsky and Richard Smith (thus completing the shout out, as the blackfolk say) -- who are, without question, two of the greatest one could hope for.
But, also as I said, while I deeply regret all of the things I didn't do and didn't say, it's time to move on. I'm going to (hopefully) be starting a business that will provide me with a ton of material to write on -- not about the business, in particular, but about a few concepts I've come to recognize over the last four years, as we've watched firsthand the revolution that has taken place in our communications, cultures and politics. (I wouldn't be a proper cheerleader if I didn't plug Joe Trippi's book, The Revolution Will Not Be Televised: Democracy, the Internet & the Overthrow of Everything, here.) It's exciting stuff, especially as an economist. And, as any economist can tell you, we're not the most excitable group on Earth. And I'm going to be moving to Atlanta to work in the meantime.
And, with all that said, adieu Europa.
