Eliot – After so many years, I’ve really come to appreciate the opportunity to gaze upon a familiar place with fresh eyes. That long sojourn in the US, hopefully it’ll give me some fresh perspective.

Jen – I read and loved the Dreher essay (though I’m definitely not a crunchy-con) a few years ago. In fact, I think it’s one of the better, more thought-provoking pieces that I’ve read in National Review.

Y’know – I hadn’t thought about the child angle in re to the Chinese airlines. But actually, that’s a GREAT point. Chinese passengers and flight attendants are way more tolerant of kids than American ones. They actually seem to like them.

re Whole Foods, etc: Rod Dreher’s book Crunchy Cons addresses some of this, the shocking phenomena of middle-and upper class conservative types going all free-range and organic. It’s interesting, expecially his look from the inside. If you search the National Review archives, you can read his article that was the seed for this book. That is, if the National Review doesn’t make you itch .

re: Chinese airlines–Good tips for those of us who travel with kids, who no matter how quiet and still I keep them, would never be described by grouchy—I mean other Americans not traveling with kids as delightful.

re My Antonia: Amen to that!

And a “delightfully noisy” flight? You have been in China too long, my friend.

Welcome back!