if I'm at all skeptical of this liberal-minded and eclectic city, maybe after all Berkeley is adopting me - besides grocery store checkers who throw eggs and orange juice down the belt at rapid speeds while scowling and scare me into "hands off" mode. in the couple of days since I've arrived, I've already been adopted by an Italian and by a two-year old boy who unabashedly and decidedly planted a wet kiss on me only after just meeting me today and after an evening of playing the Falling Down game (uhh...I didn't mean to teach him a game...I think I just fell down because I'm clumsy, haha). apparently, the little one won't even kiss his dad...or other adorers from his small group who he knows well. eh...Andre's won me over :)