Living in this incredible neighborhood means parking is difficult, but that my local post office or currency exchange place is located inside the giant marble bear hug that is St. Peter’s Square.  Recently, I noticed that the dollar was getting a little stronger against the Euro, so a few moments ago I trotted across the street and crossed the international border from Italy into Vatican City, to visit the nice ladies at the currency exchange.  These dollars I’d been carrying around since July weren’t getting any younger.

I suppose it’s the off-season so there weren’t too many tourists around.  But there was a flurry of unusual activity. So unusual in fact, that it kind of circled back and became typical.

On my right, they were building the manger for the annual Christmas nativity scene, which I can’t wait to see.

While snapping this picture with my Blackberry, this is what I actually thought to myself: “I’ve got my own law office now, I should send out a Christmas e-card, maybe a picture of myself in front of this, when it’s ready….” #Iammyownmarketingdepartment #AndITdepartment

Then I turned to my left and saw this strange thing going on…

The sign over the yellow tent in the middle of the Vatican says “Viva The Circus”…. The jokes write themselves.

And finally, as I was about to cross the border back into Italy and into my apartment, this:

I was thinking, “Whoever you are, good luck.”