Monday, December 14, 2009

6..7..8..9..10


Clocks in France are all 24 hours.
This means you may have a "rendez-vous" at 20h30 (pronounced twenty hour thirty). And you know that it is p.m. Unlike when you have a flight at 8 and you forget entirely to verify if it is morning or evening. Only to arrive at the airport at 6p.m., ticket in hand, and the desk clerk tells you that you are 11 hours late.
20h is just practical. Plus, people don't leave the house here before 8h30.
I think the U.S. should have 24 hour clocks.

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

The land of "I don't know"

I actually believe that when people are frustrated and it's emotional or sentimental and they say exhaustedly "I don't know", what they really mean to say is "I know, but I don't like it and thus refuse to acknowledge". But today I am in emotional turmoil and trying to do what is "best for me" but I've got boyfriend fog covering me. Yesterday I was really clear about what to do and had decided to take a breather. But after talking and sleeping last night at our place. I cannot make a decision. Wading through grayness. What happened to the damn ROAD ?!

Example:
I don't know factual
Question: Who won the world series? (a factual and existing piece of information)
Response: I don't know

I don't know emotional
Question: How do you feel? (changing like the weather, but still possible to clearly identify at any given moment)
Response: I don't know (a lie)

I don't know of today
Question: What do you want to do?
Response: I don't know (Is it possible to do 3 things at once?)

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Just 1


Yes, my friends, what you are actually seeing is photo of toilet paper. Take notice of the name, "just 1", and also that small icon in the bottom left corner with a 6. That is the "ply" of my toilet paper here in France. And the name, that is how many squares they expect you to use. I cheat and use 2, which might mean I am SUPER lux, instead of just lux. Really, could you resist trying 6 ply toilet paper if given the chance?

Sunday, September 6, 2009

Can we?


"Yes we can" was a great slogan. I really admire it for its tenacity. But I cannot tell you how it irritates me now. People find out I am American and it just comes out of their mouth, like word vomit with a big grin to follow. I can do nothing but smile back and give a thumbs up. I am starting to feel like a celebrity that only did one mentionable movie. Like, Hugh Grant with the Christmas song in About a Boy(it wasn't even his either).
I suppose it is not the worst thing that people could say to me. They could be thanking Americans for single handedly pulling down the world economy.

At least its not something about Bush or Iraq....

Sunday, July 12, 2009

Distraction & Overload


I could be a professional at distraction. In fact, I think I am. The only sad part about this is, that I do not get paid for it, and in fact it may be inhibiting my ability to get paid. which all contributes to the overload...
And why is it that thinking in french is more difficult for my brain. I cannot hold the main line of a thought process. This makes it really difficult to participate in long conversations, no less make presentations.

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Little Joys



This delight is something called a "Café Gourmand" It is your french mini after coffee surrounded by multiple 2-bite size samples of different desserts. This particular one is the best one I've had. This is the time that I don't argue with France anymore about its way of making everything have 6 extra steps, like the woman at the office I visited the other day who was perfectly willing to send me home to get a paper to bring back (around a 3 hour trip) so that she could then give me another paper which incidently, she already had scanned onto her computer. This is when I shut my mouth and smile pleasantly, and eat my dessert.

Friday, June 19, 2009

French Fridays

So at 5 o'clock on the nose, I am officially the last person in our office of 45.

Monday, June 15, 2009

French Exams

So I just walked out of the 3rd session of my french exams, preferring to study for this afternoons exam rather than score moderately on them both. This week wasn't so bad. Last week :P My description of last weeks exam: 2 days in 4 hour blocks. Possibility of 17 professors/subjects (each with a presentation to memorize between 150 and 250 pages long). 3 questions for each 4 hour block. I was allowed a dictionary.
Who does that? Seriously

Thursday, June 4, 2009

1st

Well Helloooo there.....