Thanksgiving went very well indeed. I had a great conversation about anthropology and genealogy with Jim Shipton, Uncle Kim, and Grammy over hors d’oeuvres; and after the meal Max, Aunt Michelle, and I hid out in the back room and furtively discussed Harry Potter theories. The food was excellent as well: my mom made a pesto cheese blossom cracker spread, my dad carved the turkey, and I baked delicious rolls. I don’t remember ever having such a “traditional” Thanksgiving, nor one that was so enjoyable.

Friday, Anna and I got together for something we’ve been planning for over a year: seeing the new James Bond movie! Casino Royale was thrilling and emotional and fun — not only my new favorite Bond film, but a good movie all around. It takes place when James Bond first earns 00-status, but it’s also set in modern-day, making an interesting canon reset that both explains a lot about 007 and updates the aesthetic. There’s less emphasis on the grandiose and high-tech, preferring a darker, grittier, more realistic and emotional sort of violence that still manages to stay very Bond (as opposed to License to Kill, which left out something essential in its attempt to do the same). And don’t miss the awesome parkour scene!

Afterwards, Anna and caught up on everything. We talked for hours, and I ended up staying the night. After I got back this morning, my parents and I took a long walk around town. I got cinnamon ice cream and we hung out at Bainbridge Bakers; then we went to the bead store and Safeway; and by the time we got home several hours later, we’d ran into half a dozen people we knew, including my third-grade teacher, Mrs. Mendoza.

Everything here is familiar but not weirdly so. It feels like part of my past, a place I’m visiting and remembering. Catching up with people feels like creating new relationships, and it’s easier than before. I’m more confident and sure of myself, less tangled up in my own habits and better able to see other people as peers. I’m now a visitor on Bainbridge, and I don’t mind. I’ll be back here soon enough, but right now I can’t wait to return to Reed.