Choirs singing

(I’m catching up my blog on Jan. 8 and backdating a bunch of posts.)

I flew out of Dublin yesterday and was treated to a school choir singing carols at the arrivals lounge.

I noticed a pack of media types, cameras hoisted onto shoulders. Turns out a fella had just proposed to his girl. Awww.

I filled out my US customs form next to a guy with a Google jacket. Google has a large operation in Ireland to dodge US taxes. It doesn’t even pay the much lower Irish tax rate because it has clever accountants. I had un-Christmas-like feelings toward this guy, heading home for Christmas to a country his company is screwing. That’s the problem with a business-and-human-rights degree. It’s hard not to notice these things.

On arrival in the US, I disembark and the first thing I see as I go through the gate at Dulles is a Dunkin Donuts. Welcome to America! I meet my mother at the airport and we catch a shuttle to a Marriott, where we spent last night. We are going to my nephew’s wedding today, which I will include in “tomorrow’s” post.

12-19