Well, here I am for the first time on the outside looking in. In my almost 40 years on this planet, I'm living abroad, presently banging a keyboard in Milan Italy, where my family and I have relocated until 2021.
During this time I intend to capture a few thoughts in a new set of dispatches with a fresh title: Overseas Posting.
You can think of it as the musings of an American living abroad during a particularly crazy time in history.
What will I write about? Well, it will be a departure from what you've seen on the Hand & Eye. I started the blog years ago as a way to celebrate the work of makers and craftsmen. That's where my head was at back then, but a lot has changed. Like so many these days, much of what occupies my time and my mind is work, parenting, and seeking respite from the pressure of COVID/modern-day culture. This is what I expect will bubble up here in the next few months.
I’ll also share stories about the people I meet, the places I see, and general observations about living abroad during these crazy days, and also some musings about media culture and whatever else strikes me. Some of this will of course overlap with my Hand & Eye work, but I won’t force it.
There won't be a lot of product talk here. In all honesty, I've grown tired of consumer culture and have mostly spent the last six months or so squirreling away my hard-earned dollars for a rainy day. I won't be affiliate linking or reviewing products going forward.
With Overseas Posting, I promise to be as honest and open as I can. I believe that's the only way this little thing can be interesting and successful. This will also mean some occasional political talk, which is something I avoided previously. While my move to Milan wasn't a refutation of America (I really, really detest the expression: Love it or leave it), it's hard to move abroad in 2020, even if briefly, and not feel that it is in some small way a political act.
Put bluntly, America is a chaotic mess right now and because my wife is Italian, we are lucky enough to be able to get some distance. Also, pizza, passionate witty people, Autogrill, the Alps, and cappuccinos that don’t taste burned.
Anyway! I look forward to sharing some photos and writing regularly again, and I hope you'll join me as I try and figure things out over here. But if not, I totally understand. This isn't what you signed up for.
I’ll be here for the next couple of months, let’s see what happens.
Your friend in Milan,
John
John: I missed this, so I’m catching up on your big adventure.
And I just received a giant, custom sideboard - made in Italy by Piero Lissoni - yesterday! It’s magnificent.
I’ll watch this space. Keep posting.
Stay safe, sane and sanitized.