chuckle

Single Parisian, 43 year old man,
cute, slim, would like to be seduced
by a sweet, charming woman,
sincere, sensual, cerebral, sometimes
loving to lead during lovemaking.
nnnnnnn@aliceadsl.fr

There is an english speaking magazine/free press. It has vocabulary games, crosswords, but mostly advertisements and personal ads. This ad appeared under 'Friendship'. I apparently have the wrong kind of girlfriends.

Another one of my favorites that ran for several months, also under friendship, was a 40 something man looking for a nice girl, he wanted to write a book with her, about her.
Comedy.

bisous

So tonight we decided to get asian takeout
I make the call and start the order

Me: "Good Evening, we'd like to make an order"
Takeout Guy: "sure"
Me: "chicken and fried noodles, fried nems, and a spring roll"
Takeout Guy: "do you want baguettes?"
Me: (me thinking "baguettes" are bread) "no"
Me: (me realizing that "baguette" is also the french word for chopsticks) "yes, yes we want baguettes"
Takeout Guy: "it's not bread"
Me: "heh yes I just realized"
Takeout Guy: "it will be ready in 15 minutes"
Me: "ok we'll see you in 15"
Takeout Guy: "see you soon"
Me: "kisse...."

Yes. I actually just told our asian takeout guy "kisses" at the end of our phone conversation.

Awesome.

Should I give myself a grade like Barack?

My New Year's resolution as of 2 days ago is to not think negative thoughts. This might seem extreme and bold as a resolution. So, let me clarify. I don't want to make everything positive. I just want maybe the absence of my own dislike/judgement that causes an internal Greco Roman Wrestling. Like when my alarm goes off in the morning and I say " I just want to stay here where it is warm" or "I don't want to get up" followed shortly thereafter by "I can do everything later, what is 5 more minutes". Then my subconscious knows if I get up, I will have lost to whatever task or person made me get up. I don't get to lose. I don't like internal greco roman wrestling.
But to say the least I haven't been very successful at this. I would give myself a C or maybe a D. Which is not very "not negative". Ok so no grades
Just no more negative

Barriers to Entry

My french friends must pay their credit card bills at the end of the month. And they pay and annual fee. Ok this is like an Amex card. But they also pay a monthly fee to actually have an account. My boyfriend pays over 10 Euro a month to "have" his account. hmm

So imagine my surprise when I tried to open a french bank account and after arriving with my life in one file folder (social security card, birth certificate, diplomas, Carte de Longue Séjour -aka visa, registration from my current school, doctor's notes, etc. etc. - really if this file disappeard I would officially cease to exist) and a nice first check that they would to give me an account. This on the grounds that I would need to make an appointment, meet with a banker, decide if it was the right bank (i.e. see how the actual charges were hidden - ATM withdrawls, cards, etc.) and then sign papers.
Really?
This in addition to paying a monthly fee for having an account. REALLY?

Yes, apparently, Really. I visited, with my little file folder and check, 5 banks and was told the same things. So I after crying and stamping my feet, I accept that I will not be able to get an account for another week, and thus have to be paid by check from my company, and take appointments with 4 banks in my neighborhood.
What a treat to visit 4 banks at 9 a.m. on Saturday morning and to tell them each that I think their banking charges are ridiculous and that I will not pay them 8 euro per month for them to hold my money and make interest off of it. Finally I find one bank that will do the trick and I get a student discount so I have to pay only 2,50 per month. I pay charges if I take money out of ATMs that are not my bank if I do it more than 10 times in a month.

And Finally.....
another delight, having my account totally electronic and then being charged for asking them to print me statements so that I can take it to the police to renew my visa. Also not being able to deal with any other office of my bank. I can take money out of the ATM but the people inside cannot do a thing with my account - including see what is in it.

Note: We also asked my boyfriend's bank, also his parents bank, for the price for an account (which should be beneficial to everyone involved). Not only did she wait two weeks to respond she wanted to charge 13 euro per month. SERIOUSLY?!

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.

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?)

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?