QBParis

Way Over Yonder...

2011-07-25T13:45:00.001+02:00

I am sitting in the air-conditioned, first-class lounge, sipping Champagne, waiting to board my one-way flight back to the USA after 18 years, 11 months and 2 days of living in Paris. The past month, and in particular, this past week, has been an emotional roller-coaster ride.

I realized for the first time since my childhood, I will not have a key to my own front door. This is an incredibly liberating experience... my life is packed into three pieces of luggage (no mention of the 99 pieces being shipped!) and I have a few temporary places to stay while I look for a place of my own.

I've met some amazing and wonderful people whom I shall miss, deeply. I learned a new skill and turned that knowledge into a business that has sustained me over the past 5 years. I've reveled in the city of Paris, especially at night while driving past the monuments lit up in their glory. The seasons, the light as it changes with each season, the food, the wine, the cheeses... Paris is... Paris. I will miss Paris. I will not miss living here. I can always come back.

I begin my new life with barely a chance to unpack, and head to a conference in San Jose. I will hook up with a friend I have known since I was 16. I am looking forward to seeing you, Ro. I have concert tickets lined up beginning with Buddy Guy on my birthday, and plans to head to Long Island to see family and friends there. I will take a trip to see the craggy coast of my memories... (Watch this space! www.craggycoaststudio.com).

My son and I had our last night together for a while and we made the best of it. Lots of hugs and tears. He is a man now, a fine one, and he is doing well in university... I am so very proud of him. I know this is a difficult transition, but we agreed, it is time. Our visits from now on will be longer, and more fun in that we will have that extra time to spend together.

There are three women in particular who have meant the world to me while living here. Alice, Alison, and Barbara... from each of you I have learned so many different things about life. Thank you for the long talks, the encouragement and especially your friendship and support. I love you all.

I was fortunate to be involved with several Anglophone associations in Paris. If you are planning on living here, you must join, AND get involved with one or several of them. Doors will open.

5 minutes to boarding...

Paris has been a big part of my life. Now, the page is turned. I am looking ahead, with hope, happiness and a hunger to start again. I never thought I would say this! Au revoir, Paris... je t'aime!

Way over yonder, that's where I'm bound...

There are places I remember...

2010-10-06T22:06:00.005+02:00

The prompt to write this is from an article a friend posted on FB. She said she was bullied as a child. I understand that. I know how it feels, except that, I was not so much bullied. More bulldozed.

I spent my young life as a Navy brat, moving from state to state, changing schools, adapting to new situations and while doing so, knowing that at a certain point in time, it would happen yet again and I'd have to rebuild a whole new set of friends and reference points. Oddly, I always envied the kids who came in from an overseas post, not speaking English, or not fluent enough, who got tossed into the system to survive. I wondered if it was easier for them, to have that barrier of language to hide behind? Is it any wonder I had no qualms about moving to a new country, not knowing the language or having a deep seated passion to be here? My life would have been a lot simpler had I stayed in the US. Conversely, I never would have met the people I have, nor would I have learned the skills I did. That bulldozer was a blessing in disguise.

I have a lot going on right now. A divorce. This blog is being called into court. (Please read all the posts and you will know who I am.) My son turns 19 tomorrow. I am grateful for every moment I get to spend with him. He has his own set of circumstances that he is going through. However, it is his story to tell when he is ready.

After many years of being on my own, I fell in love. It ended abruptly, leaving me to wonder too many things about me, and who I am. I have been rebuilding my life this past year. It has really sucked at times, but it has also been a revelation for me to know what is important and why.

With that comes empowerment, and doubt, and retrospection, and hope. There have been days when it took every thing I had to rise, shine and give it my glory glory... And other days, when it was great to be alive. I must sound like a total schizophrenic. Trust me. I'm not so bad!

I thought I would be in a different place today. In a way, I am. And now I can move forward. With a lot of hard work, things are looking up. I look forward to the challenges and opportunities I am being presented with. And, I am truly thankful for the real friends I have in my life. You all mean so much to me. Even with letting go of the past, it is also important to keep a memory or two of faith, hope and love from that past. To know where you came from, and how you got here. There are several people I can say this to...

In my life, I'll love you more...

I can see clearly now...

2010-07-14T21:52:00.009+02:00

There are a few stories in play here... bear with me.

1. The austerity program is a great diet plan.

Today is Bastille Day. The day of the French uprising... revolution... storming! And storm it did. I normally shop on a Tuesday. I have the Carrefour fidelity/passe card... Tuesday is 'spend 60 euros, get 3 euros back'. Last week, I couldn't make it on the Tuesday. So, I planned ahead and ate out of the freezer until I needed fresh stuff. Easy enough... however, during the week, I went to Carrefour, not with the caddy, but with the shoulder bag for a few items. I spent less than 20 euros and got a bon for "Buy 80 euros of stuff, get 8 euros off if you shop on Wednesday, July 14". That's Bastille Day. The biggest French holiday going. That's today. It was pouring rain today. POURING. As in BIG, FAT, pouring rain. I waited at home until it cleared a bit, then I got my shopping list together, tossed an umbrella into the caddy as an afterthought and walked on over to Carrefour to "make the groceries".

This being mid-July, and a holiday, I thought about how much I love Paris in the summer when most people are gone and the store is empty... happy, happy, I hummed some tunes from last night's CSN concert, debated "less filling, tastes great" (NOT)... grabbed some fresh herbs, a couple of ripe tomatoes, some yummy, smelly cheese and the necessary list items... checked out and headed to the exit.

When I got to the door, I saw a crowd of people standing just inside the exit. Hmmm. Then I saw the downpour. The deluge. This was a rain that was not going to end soon. (Hindsight note to self: I was right... it lasted another 20 minutes.) After watching and waiting for five minutes, I decided to go for it. I thought, "I am only three blocks from the store. I had my brolly. Deal with it!" Hah! I lost my first sandal at the first corner. The curb was covered in water... little did I know just how deep it was. Stepping into it, my wonderful, comfy sandal was swept away with the Parisian street tide... I stood for a few moments in disbelief, trying to Brail my foot around to find the sandal... no glory. I slogged on... trying to keep my groceries dry while moving forward, one foot shod, one foot bare. The next corner was as deep and as fast as the first. At this point I thought WTF? and gave it up... I stepped in and the other sandal was gone. Mind you, at this point I was knee-deep in rushing water, holding an umbrella in one hand and dragging the caddy and a carry-along sack in the other. I'm not sure when I gave up the pretense of using the umbrella as protection.

2. Shades of yesterday.

Those of you who may have followed this blog know that I have been looking for my long, lost, TRES EXPENSIVE first pair of glasses. They were tri-focals. They were the first pair of glasses I ever owned/needed. I paid 1200 euros for them in 2008. I never claimed them with the French Soc Sec... why not? I don't know. Nuf said. In any case, they were my first pair of glasses. I could see. Or so I thought. The opthomologist said, "It might be hard to get used to them. You are going from nothing to tri-focals. Be careful on stairways!" Woof. She was right. I felt like I was (ahem) not myself. The three-way vision... up, middle, down... let alone, the far, medium, close was throwing me off. I couldn't deal with them. I tried... I really, really tried. Then, I put them away. I pulled them out every now and then to see if I could see with them... No dice. So, in a fit of frustration, I put them somewhere where I wouldn't lose them, yet still use them. You know how when you put something somewhere where you think you might find them? Yeah, well. That was two years ago. I searched high and low for those damned glasses. All I could think of was 1200 euros down the drain.

3. Revelations

Speaking of down the drain, I made it home. Barefoot, soaked and laden with a week's worth of now sodden groceries. I unpacked the caddy and carry-sack, put the frozen stuff into the freezer and set the rest out to dry... I got out of the soaked jeans, took a shower to wash off the yuck and threw everything into the washer. In the meantime, the sun came out, so I put the caddy on the balcony to dry out. While there, I decided to empty the pockets... lo and behold. Guess what I found? After two years of searching for the glasses in the bright yellow case? There they were. Right under my nose all this time.

Lately, I'm finding that a lot of my answers/solutions to life ARE right under my nose. I just need to look beyond the obstacles that are in my way. And you know what?

It's gonna be a bright, bright, bright sun shiny day...

She comes in colors everywhere...

2010-04-22T00:00:00.003+02:00

Choices. Remember when a box of 64 was a fantasy come true? The choice of colors... the names... violet red, sea green, sky blue, cerulean... the infinite possibilities...

I am once again faced with choices. Infinite possibilities. And yet, once again, I stand alone.

I had a client here today. I can truly call her a dear friend. We were discussing one of her projects. We pulled out that box of crayons... it was sitting there... we talked, and we colored. She'll be 75 this year. She kicked my ass. With a huge dose of reality. I think I will frame the results.

She's like a rainbow...

She moves in mysterious ways...

2010-03-24T19:51:00.026+01:00

Today is Ada Lovelace Day... an opportunity to blog about a woman in technology and computing whom you admire. Back when this project was announced, I vowed to blog about my favorite woman in computing. What they didn't know was, lucky me... I have two!

Way back in October 2001, I met Alice. I have written about her before... She is my business partner with HostingParis.com and LetsBounceBack.com, and the best friend I could ever have.

We met at the American University of Paris. We both signed up for the Web Design and Site Management course... it was two nights a week for several months and covered 90 hours of instruction. We started with basic html coding and learned the intricacies of forms the hard way and, in the end, produced working websites. I convinced her to take the follow-up Flash course and also roped her into a digital photography course at Parson's Paris. (We love to learn!)

We built our little web business slowly, word of mouth within the Anglo/Non-profit orgs/Artist community in Paris; and we are still growing. Our turning point came when we learned about Mambo, an open source content management system, which has since taken us to Joomla!, also an open source content management system.

Alice is my techno-geek chica. She loves the tech side of things... where she can spend hours Googling and figuring out something in PHP and MySQL, I can can spend hours making it look pretty with CSS and graphics. We have a mind meld that works. Our mantra has always been "two heads are better than one". We have another mantra: The Circle of Love. The Circle of Love is composed of those folks who impress us so much with their love of what they do: their passion, their intensity with which they give and their downright goodness. Which brings me to Alice's daughter, Catherine... who, might I say, is AWESOMENESS extraordinaire! Believe me, I smile when I say AWESOME! :-)

I am going to pull text from a proud mom's blog... (also posted on our recent project: LetsBounceBack.com, take a look!

"...Catherine is a first year PhD student in Computer Science. Her specialty: Human and Computer Interaction (HCI) and User Experience (UX).
She was a Computer Science major at a small, all-female liberal arts college, and her combined research experiences, and the mentorship of a family friend who is also an HCI matriarch, amongst others.
Despite her young age, she has numerous research experiences under her belt, has attended and presented papers at many conferences (including Grace Hopper and CHI), and continuously forges a broad and strong network in her field. She holds her own in this highly male-dominated sector, and is an enthusiastic advocate for women in computing, never missing an opportunity to encourage women to consider a career in technology.
Last summer Catherine was a contributor on the G-Nome Surfer project, a genomic information visualization program for a table top interface."

Woof! May I say again, WOOF!!

Catherine was very patient one evening around the kitchen table as she tried to teach me and her mom basic java scripting... frustrating for her, I am sure, but a fond memory for me! Her patience and her Eureka! moment as she figured out something she was working on made the evening. Catherine is a woman to watch. I am honored to know her, and her mom. Two special women worthy of Ada Lovelace's admiration.

It's all right, it's all right, all right...

Blue moon...

2010-01-01T02:34:00.005+01:00

The new decade was brought in with a blue moon and a partial eclipse, how special is that?

A wish for the new year and this new decade... May it bring you true joy and contentment, all you hope for and all you dream of...

And when I looked my moon had turned to gold...

Not fade away...

2009-12-26T10:32:00.007+01:00

This has been a year of many realizations and discoveries. Of letting go and moving on. Of finding joy and for once, reveling in it. Completely.

In these last few days of this decade let us hope for better things; for peace, for positive change and happiness. Simple gestures... make it better.

Love is real, not fade away...

To build a home...

2009-12-12T22:13:00.008+01:00

This photo brings back memories... it was taken at my aunt and uncle's mountain house in North Carolina following my mother's death, in December 2000.

We spent Christmas week there, and although the mood was not festive, it was still joyful. We had snow, we had a great hill, a couple of sleds and each other. A warm fireplace at night, no interruptions from TV, internet, phones... just peace. A chance to reflect and remember.

I recently wrote of the cloud of witnesses on CaringBridge.com... the people who participated and shared their thoughts during Alice's father's journey. The love and support expressed was open, loving and honest. For me, it was reliving my mother's journey, but it also gave me a lot of perspective and, after nine years, has allowed me to find my own inner peace.

There has been a lot of building, and rebuilding, in these past few months. One such project is a new website that Alice and I are pleased to announce: LetsBounceBack.com, an online community for members to share their experiences of coping with and overcoming adversity.

Adversity can come at you in many ways... job loss, depression, the loss of a loved one... Sharing the experience can be a healing process, and others, in turn, can gain insight and lend support.

Sometimes, all it takes is a kind word to see you through... sometimes, that kind word leads to friendship, and isn't the world a better place when you are among friends?

This is a place where I feel at home...

Give a little bit...

2009-12-05T16:44:00.007+01:00

My resolution at the beginning of this year was to "make it better"... whatever it was or in whatever small way that I could. I'm not sure how well I stuck to that resolution, but I'd like to introduce you to some folks who are "making it better" right now.

A little bit of history; the above photo was taken in Sri Lanka, I was there in November 2007 for a work related project. We had the opportunity to see the island and spent an amazing 12 days there. This photo was taken at Kotdoowa Raja Maha Vihara, Madu Ganga, an island temple located in the middle of a lagoon in southern Sri Lanka. This day changed my life forever. We arrived at about noon... we were given a tour and took quite a lot of photos... the boys were very interested in all that we were doing. It was wonderful to see their joy as we showed them the images...

I recently met someone through Twitter who is doing something I can only dream of for the moment. His name is Jeff Speigner, he is a graphic designer and the founder of Design4Kids.org, "...an opportunity for creative professionals to experience international travel and make a real difference in the fight to end the cycle of poverty. Design4Kids helps talented but underprivileged teens in developing countries learn the technical and business skills needed to establish and operate successful design studios."

Right now, they are beginning their third workshop in Lake Atitlan, Guatemala. You can learn more and follow their progress by visiting the Design4Kids.org website. You can also follow Jeff on Twitter at http://twitter.com/inspiritu.

As this year comes to a close, I am wondering where next year will take me. I do know there will be changes, that is inevitable. It is my hope that I will be in a situation to be able to give something back and "make it better"...

Now's the time that we need to share...

Don’t look back...

2009-11-29T20:42:00.007+01:00

... always look forward, and never quit...

This was the advice given to me by my hero, Mr. Ivan Chermayeff, whom I had the great pleasure and honor to meet at the home of a friend here in Paris this evening. What a wonderful man!

I brought some of my work with me and asked him for an honest critique.... and he gave it. Overall, my work is good, he shared some tips and advice with me that I have taken to heart and will remember for future projects. He was sweet enough to let me ramble a bit and he was very open with what he was working on. This is a man who is passionate about his work and he said he could never think of retiring... Amen for that!

I grew up with his work, we all have... when you look at the scope of what he has done in his lifetime... and you'll know it when you see it... it's coming from him. NBC, National Geographic, Mobil... the list goes on... I told him that what I love about your work is that it is so basic in its shape and form, and yet so simple and so symmetric. He said that is very hard to do... to keep it simple, yet keep it to the obvious.

What have I learned from this? I will quote the man himself, "Draw a lot. Work hard and be as self critical about what it is that you are doing. Don't be put down by not doing something. Don't let it stop you from going further."

I want to thank my dear friend, Barbara, for her hospitality and generosity... gros bisous et merci beaucoup!

Oh, I see myself in a brand new way...

Clouds...

2009-11-16T10:03:00.008+01:00

These past months, and more particularly, these past few days, I, and many others, have had the honor and very special privilege of being witness to an amazing man's life, Alice's dad, The Reverend G. Daniel Little.

I only had the opportunity to meet him once, at Christmas dinner with Alice's family. He immediately embraced both Christopher and me, with a warm hug and welcome. His obvious joy at spending time with his family was matched by his wit and laughter. It was a wonderful evening, one that I will cherish.

Over the past year and a half, but especially during these final hours the family has been able to stay in constant touch with each other and their many friends and colleagues through several social networking sites: CaringBridge.org, Facebook, and Skype. The outpouring of love and support has been uplifting, not only for the family, but also for those of us who have been caring from afar.

His grand-daughter, an awesome woman in her own right, wrote the following as her FB status:

When the cloud of Witnesses becomes the witnesses on the Cloud, their power is so much more tangible. If only virtual hugs could be real...

If only they could be. My thoughts and prayers are with the entire family. Thank you for sharing this very inspiring and touching moment, and for allowing us to give back the love we have all benefited from throughout Dan's journey.

...something's lost, but something's gained, in living every day...

What do you want from life?

2009-11-09T09:56:00.010+01:00

My answer to that is to always hold my muse close. The creative spark and all that goes with it, when it is elusive, is frustration to the extreme. It has been way too long; writing, shooting, designing... I finally feel free to express again. And, THAT, was the whole reason to start this blog... to give me a place to get my yayas out.

This past year has been shit on shit. One thing after another. And just when I thought it couldn't get any worse, it did. Take a look at how many posts I have made these past months and read them. Seriously... read between the lines.

Well. What happened? What turned it around? Without giving it all away... Me. I happened. I needed to practice what I preach. I needed to pull myself up by the bootstraps. I needed to kick my own ass. I'm good. I love what I do. I just needed to remind myself of that.

I need to thank a few people. Alice. Alison. Kathleen. Catherine (for your youth and life before you... AWESOME!). Brad, LYE... UB & AS. I also need to thank someone from the past. Mr Dennis Warner. My high school photography teacher. Apparently, he took quite a few lost souls under his wing and, recognizing a passion, taught us to see, how to look at things differently. And, he cared. One-on-one discussions. He was truly a teacher.

I've recently reconnected with an old high school friend via Facebook. I know, I know... Facebook, again. This was a good friend. To me, he has always been JohnMan. We hung out. It was the 70s. We were all young, we got high, we laughed a lot. We had a good time. He was also another student of Mr. Warner's. He's now an excellent photographer in his own right. Through brief conversations, he told me he was doing a show in Maine and would I be interested in contributing a few of my photos? He saw my Sri Lanka photos (see side bar). No hesitation. Yes. The proceeds will go to the local Good Shepherd Food Bank.

If you happen to be near the CMMC, Central Maine Medical Center, stop by and visit the Annual Craft Fair on High Street, Lewiston, Maine on November 20th from 8am to 4pm. Take a few minutes to look around. Say hi. And, even if you don't buy a photo, consider dropping a buck or two in the can. Hard times; a simple gesture can make it better.

I still have a lot to go through. Legal BS... meh. The courts will decide. I have some big, fat decisions to make. BIG. FAT. Can anyone say crossroads? Rebuilding my foundation is my top priority right now. My passion has always been networking and friends. And real, true friends, will always be there, no matter. This has been a reflective year. Thank you, my friends, for being there. Really. You made a difference and one day, I hope I can give it back.

How to end this one? No question! :-)

Or, a baby's arm holding an apple...

My sweet embraceable you...

2009-11-07T17:39:00.010+01:00

I am a very lucky woman in that I have some really great friends, one of whom got in touch the other day and asked if I wanted to go to see a full dress rehearsal at the Opera National de Paris. How could I possibly say non? The performance was three ballets, Amoveo, Répliques and Genus, each very different. Each very moving.

I have never been to the Palais Garnier. I've gone by it, thinking one day... the exterior is exquisite, la Belle Epoque in all its glory! The interior, with its stairways, balustrades and gilding... sumptuous. But the ceiling in the theater itself? All Chagall... it took my breath away. I love his motion, colors, expressions... inhale, exhale, sigh...

I have never been to a ballet, so I didn't know what to expect. The first performance, Amoveo, was color and movement, the troupe was dressed in rainbow colors and the background had lines continuously being drawn horizontally and vertically, while changing colors. The main dancers were beautiful to watch; so supple, so graceful, so erotic... The music was Einstein on the Beach.

The second performance, Répliques, is making its world premiere tonight. The choreographer is Nicolas Paul. It opened with a black, satinée background. White lights back lit the top, the troupe came on stage, their reflections shimmering in the background, then leaving slowly with just the main dancers remaining. The top lights went down low, and they embraced, now lit from the side... the shadows they cast melded them into one as though they were breathing each other in... so sensual, so soft, so seductive... I will admit, the tears were running down my face...

Intermission and a chance to see the interior... the Moon Room, the Sun Room, the promenade... sensory overload. All too soon, the bells chimed and sent us back into the theater.

The third performance, Genus, was created for the Ballet de l'Opéra de Paris in November 2007. At 44 minutes long, it incorporated an interesting use of film and screens that dropped, separating the dancers from one another, yet all the while they shadowed themselves, movement with movement.

I was mesmerized by the background dancers, the women were held horizontally, and still, while each screen came down. They held that pose, the screens were transparent, the concentration, the strength each one had... This was a magical evening. I must go back, I need more of this.

The evening, because it was a dress rehearsal, was surrounded with press; photographers, videographers, and journalists. We were on the floor, row 9... it was great for me to see the activity of the final test run in action. The clicking of the cameras in the front rows, I could see them checking their shots, the movement they made reflecting the dancers, flipping cameras effortlessly from side to side... my passions are showing... I am in love with all of what goes into a production like this. I have so much more to learn and there is so much more to see. Any opera fans out there, tell me, please, what should I see first? The opera I saw with Sting and Elvis Costello last year blew me away. I need more... It was a wonderful evening.

Above all, I want my arms about you...

In the still of the night...

2009-11-03T20:55:00.004+01:00

Had a lovely surprise today...

On a rainy November afternoon I received a bouquet of sunshine... the thought behind it is very much appreciated. Thank you for the smile you brought to my face.

Simple gestures...

All the leaves on the trees are falling....

2009-10-27T21:11:00.008+01:00

Paris in the autumn is like no other season. Perfect weather, perfect light, perfect, perfect, perfect everything.... all the locals are back, everything is open; this is when you really want to be here.

I had an early (10am!!) meeting this morning and brought my camera with me. Unfortunately, once I turned it on, I realized I only had 4 minutes left on the battery!! Gasp! I managed to snag this shot just in time...

There is something about the light in Paris, once you know it, and its patterns, it's heavenly. I know that in mid-November, in the late afternoon, at a certain cafe... the light coming down the street is sublime. The first time I was there, that's all I saw... this amazing scene, and no camera. Lesson learned. Autumn in Paris... way more betterer than April in Paris.

Can I just have one more Moondance, with you... my love...?

Dear Mr. Fantasy...

2009-10-25T18:45:00.011+01:00

I took an afternoon walk... the clock has changed, fall behind, et al... needed some fresh air. I've also had the gauntlet thrown. Photographically speaking. Challenge? Nude. Parameters? Self as nude. Hmm... Let's see... fifty, fat, frightened... any more "f" words that immediately come to mind?

Nevertheless, I had the spark of an idea. We are allowed to have a bit of Photoshop freedom [amen] and so... this morning I did a test run for one layer of the idea. Those of you who know me know I have really long hair... I've been told it is always best to "accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative"... okay, I thought, this could work... take that hair and strategically cover some bits and I can keep my dignity intact and yet show a little artistic flair! Ahhh, yes... artistic flair, add a textured layer! With that in mind, I went to the park this afternoon to see what I could find for layer two.

Here's the thing. I live in Paris. I walk to my destinations. Luckily the Serres d'Auteuil is close by; my layer two thought process involved trees... I thought about it all the way there. I know the trees, I know the layout of the land... but, once I strolled through the gates, I got hit with the autumnal afternoon light and the very sensual sculpture shown above... Rapture! Joyous Restraints! May I just say thank you to the Renaissance artists who beautifully depicted women as they are/were... no airbrushing, no getting rid of excess baggage, just real honest-to-God women. Women with bodies, reveling in their femininity. Woot! :-)

The tree/hair layer idea is officially off the story board. I'm not sure of the direction just yet, but with a bit of guidance and a whole lot of inspiration, I think I'll get it right... I just need to "feel the fear and do it anyway".

This is all to say that the final presentation will not be a Bacchanal orgy overdose, but, hopefully, something tasteful, that I can look back on ten years from now and say, hey... you weren't so bad after all!

Something to make us all happy...

Spellbound...

2009-10-05T20:07:00.010+02:00

Seems like I've been in a bit of a daze... summer has rolled into autumn and I'm still trying to catch up with spring things. What has kept me going these last few months is the support of good friends. You know who you are! ;-)

At the age of 51, I am once again standing at the crossroads. People who I thought were true, weren't. Things I thought would work, didn't. You can take experiences like that and let them kill you, or you can glean what you can from them and use them as opportunities to learn, grow and move on.

And learn I did. To be honest, it has taken a few months to digest some of that learning and then, once appreciated, to expand upon it. Let's face it, this economy sucks, no matter where you are, no matter what you do. Any kind of learning you can undertake to better yourself these days is a plus!

This past month has seen an active revamp of the dusty, old resume, a new job proposal template, mega tutorials on anything CS4 and reconnecting with friends from the past. I think this is where I have found the most astounding revelations! I've had conversations with a few folks which have turned into deep and personal sources of inspiration; and even one-line comments have given me a great deal of insight... I thank you all.

These reconnections have not only shown me where I have been, but also, show me how far I have come and how much further I need to go. I'm turning pages, but with a new purpose and a revised, yet still undetermined plan. Life is too short to sit around and say 'maybe'. It feels good to say that... AND believe it!

We are spellbound...

Summer’s Almost Gone...

2009-08-17T12:34:00.000+02:00

A very low key summer this year... there are so many things going on and I felt the need to get away from it all. So, I packed a bag and hopped the TGV to CH, my favorite place to unwind!

Much of the time was spent doing exactly that, unwinding... cooking and sipping wine on the patio overlooking Lake Geneva, but we also celebrated the Fête Nationale Suisse. The day started with the racing yacht Alinghi making its way from Lausanne to Geneva... we caught sight of it mid-way in Morges. Followed that up with the canton Vaud's celebration of music, food, wine, bonfire, fireworks on the lake and dancing! I haven't been dancing in years and teamed up with a nimble Brazilian man who kept me on my toes! Obrigada, Luiz! The following day was quiet, mostly because it was Sunday, and half the village had left town on vacation!

On Monday, we headed up the hill to a friend's house for lunch. She and her husband have a spectacular view of the lake and Mont Blanc. Lunch was delish, and it was nice to catch up! Merci à tous!

By Tuesday it was time for a road trip... the beauty of Switzerland is that it is small enough to get around and you feel like you are in a different country within an hour or two. We drove up to Neuchâtel, and did a cruise around the lake, always relaxing... Got back to port and decided to drive to Murten; a beautiful little town in canton Fribourg. It was getting late by the time we arrived, so we hit a few shops along the central Hauptgrasse street.

The first was a gun shop to purchase and have a Swiss Army knife engraved as a gift for a relative (he only charged 1 CHF for the engraving!). It was a very peculiar little shop; lots of dead things, and lots of mercenary type gear, not to mention antique armory (he had a WWI machine gun set up near the cash register!). The owner was somewhat gruff and kept an eye on every move we made. I didn't dare touch anything, and I didn't see the guard dog until we were leaving. He was sleeping in his hidden/camouflaged cage, but the door was wide open and I'm sure, had the word been given, we would not have been going anywhere fast!

Our next stop was much more relaxed and enjoyable. The glass dispensers filled with different colored oils were what caught my eye. The store is called Vom Fass and it has every flavor of oil and vinegar you can imagine. They also have a wide variety of whiskeys, cognacs and other spirits. The site lists their locations, if you have one near you, go for a tasting!

After the oils, we grabbed a beer at Grizzly's, a Canadian resto serving ribs and American style food... right next door was a butcher. We had already decided it was too early for dinner, yet too late to grab something on the way home as the stores would be closed. The butcher's shop smelled of marinades and spices and the rack of lamb was the choice of the day. If you happen to be in Murten, stop by and ask for Christian Pauli, Hauptgasse 22, Tel: +41 (0) 26 670 11 32.

We got back to home base and whipped up dinner... I have never had lamb that was so tender and flavorful. Turns out it was Australian lamb... I may need to make a trip down under! The lamb was accompanied by fresh green beans and a dressing of avocado oil and fig vinegar, both from Vom Fass.

Plans are underway for the Cow Parade in September... however, that all depends on several situations and how they work out. For now, it is back to reality...

When summer's gone, where will we be?

Sweet cherry wine...

2009-07-28T16:31:00.007+02:00

I couldn't resist, and they tasted great! I'm back, it's been a while, but I've been busy and have spent some great times with friends who were visiting. Got to see Crosby, Stills and Nash on July 4th, and then had unexpected tix to see U2 on July 11th at the Stade de France! Great show, 80,000+ people... Next up is Yes in November and then The Harlem Gospel Singers at the Olympia in December.

A quick heads up, if you are a cycling fanatic and happen to be in the UK area, take a look at my friend Ymer's site. Tell him I sent you, he'll take good care of you... be sure to pack your wooden leg!

It's truly summer. I'm off to my favorite place... photos to be taken, wine consumed, friendships renewed. Life is too short, have a great time wherever you are!

Drink it right down, pass it all around...

Say ahhhhh.....

2009-06-15T21:34:00.008+02:00

In so many ways, saying ahhhhh right now is so precisely right. The opening of the yap and the sigh of relief for the outcome.

I was a smoker, on and off, for many years. It has been a little over 12 years since I quit smoking for good. I watched my mother die of lung cancer. I held her hand as she passed. Very recently, I have been worried about what was going on with my body, convinced that cigarettes have finally caught up with me. That funny looking spot on my lip that wasn't going away. But, that's not the cause... this is from too much sun exposure.

I am lily white. I never tanned, I burned and peeled. I have had sun poisoning more than once. I finally gave it all up at the age of 28. I had spent a long day at the beach with friends. It was fun, but the after effects were not. Our family trips to the beach afterwards were spent slathered in sunscreen or covered up, and definitely not outdoors during peak hours. Still... last Saturday afternoon I was at the dermatologist's office having a minor procedure done to remove a precancerous growth from the right half of my lower lip. Right now, it ain't fun and it sure ain't pretty, but it beats the alternatives. Time marches on.

My son reminded me yesterday that he will be 18 this October. I'm having a hard time taking that in. I knew it would happen. When I was pregnant I used to think... when he's 18, I'll be 51... it was such a long way off back then. But, here we are. I actually had to think out loud the other day, 'how old am I?'... I am still 50. For another 2 months or so, I am still 50. I find my memory banks to be a little harder to tap into.... maybe the mental Rolodex needs a bit of WD-40? WTF?

Seriously, WTF???

So, to combat some of this (what's the word I want?...) ennui? laissez-faire? (why can I come up with FRENCH and not ENGLISH words now?) I am planning some adventures for the next few weeks.

Some friends from Lyon will be in town the weekend of June 27 for the Gay Pride Parade. We have plans to meet up for lunch at Pooja, but we'll play it by ear. If you haven't been to a Gay Pride Parade in Paris, you are truly missing something... music, costumes, a lot of fun! (Guy, where are you??)

If you happen to be in Paris on July 5, meet me and a few other summer stragglers at the Eiffel Tower for a big sing-a-long. This is a Facebook event... the song is still being decided upon. Hopefully, it will be something everyone can sing. The big favorites being debated so far? "La Vie en Rose" (meh) and "We Will Rock You" (barf). How about "Imagine" or "All You Need is Love"? Something with meaning that everyone can sing... "Three Little Birds"? In any case, a friend is coming over from NYC and we will be spending July 4th at the Olympia with CSN. "Find the Cost of Freedom" would be a great song, but it's too short, and besides, how many French young-uns know the words to that? Hope to see you there. Here's one we can all relate to:

I will survive...

There are places I remember...

2009-06-06T20:31:00.009+02:00

I was there in 2002, the era of Bush, Chirac and Colin Powell. It was the first Memorial Day following September 11. We had invitations from the US Embassy to attend and a group of us drove up for the day. Our driver (a friend with the biggest van) picked us up bright and early and we hit the autoroute... we had a great time enjoying the camaraderie and rare moment of being together for something that wasn't office related.

As we approached Colleville, the streets were lined with French and American flags and military "checkpoints". We had to show our invitations and passports several times along the way. We arrived early as told, which gave us plenty of time to park and get good seats.

Going into the cemetery took my breath away. Knowing the events which took place there, and the enormity of the loss of life, I couldn't help but be moved by the vast number, row after row after row... of grave markers. The sea in the background and the decorated veterans who survived...

I am a military brat. I have written about this before. "Taps" starts the tears. Fly-bys do me in. Once the ceremonies were over, I pulled myself together and we finally had the opportunity to walk around and visit the grounds. I found myself standing and chatting with U.S. Navy Rear Admiral Larry Poe, overlooking the beach. Lots of stars and bars for a Navy brat like me.

If you have not yet been to Normandy, put it on the list of must-see places to visit in France. It is such an awe-inspiring place to be. The museums and sites will stay with you forever. To have been there for a special ceremony was a privilege, but I need to go back and spend a day there. It's a peaceful place to be.

Some have gone and some remain.

Toits de Paris...

2009-05-19T23:08:00.007+02:00

A lot to be said about the light in Paris... in all seasons. This was taken about an hour ago, 10pm... still light enough for that fabulous twilight blue to come through.

These past few weeks have been an exercise in patience... waiting for too many outcomes, just glad they have all turned out well. Now it is time to turn the page and move on.

Spring is very much here; and even though it is still chilly, the days are really getting longer, Rolland Garros is just around the corner and I will soon be heading to my favorite respite. Then, before you know it, summer will be here with la fête de la musique and friends coming to visit! Where does the time go?

Chim-chiminy...

The way you do the things you do...

2009-05-06T19:16:00.006+02:00

Gotta love Facebook. I know, I know, enough already, but... dig this! Just in today's posts I learned about restitution, retaliation and resurrection! Might I add [sic] for all?... Enjoy!

Restitution Q:
OK fellow FB'ers....anyone have an Ipod Guro who can rehab a rain-soaked Ipod?

Restitution A:
"Turn it off immediately. Put it in a bag of dry rice. Put the bag in a warm spot. Voilà!"
"ouch! then to reboot - hold down the menu button & center button at the same time for 10 seconds."
"DO NOT turn it on until dry (1-2 days in the rice). Water and circuit boards don't mix."

Retaliation Q:
?? "is figuring out how to retaliate. there's this long-running feud with her upstairs neighbor. he just broke out a saxophone and it sounds like he hasn't played it in a decade. he can barely blow a clean note. should ?? (a) make the dog bark, (b) get out her violin, (c) get out her irish tin whistle, or (d) bang on the ceiling with the broom handle?"

Retaliation A: (lots of them!)
"...we generally bang on the ceiling. And last weekend, early in the morning, we turned the speakers up towards the ceiling and blasted the stereo!!!"
"Make the dog bark while banging the violin on the ceiling. Save the whistle for later."
"No, no, no. Don't fight fire with fire. Call him up and tell him you think the sax is so sexy."
"Play the violin badly, if you can, and hopefully the dog will bark along with you."
"(e) All of the above...simultaneously."

Resurrection Q:
?? is asking "for help for our new worship service: anyone got any good resources (web or print) that have great assurances of pardon that will work for a more post-modern service? Or if you don't have resources, what would you want to hear about God's grace?"

Resurrection A:
""One fact remains that does not change: God has loved you, loves you now, and will love you always. This is the good news that brings us new life." It cites Women and Worship and is from the New Century Hymnal (we refer to it as "assurance of God's forgiveness" in our order of worship). I also like many of the resources found at Outside the Box prayers."
"Seriously, something from your heart, if you have to chunk this in, and have to follow Is. 6, do it completely from your heart...the key is for it not to be a formula...but then again, is Is. 6, the only way to see the USA...post modern style?"
"hehehe, i love that you're working towards a more "post-modern" service"...

You make my life complete...

Death and taxes....

2009-04-28T20:45:00.009+02:00

Come what may.

I'm knee-deep in French taxes. Another word for it is Ciel Hell. Ugh. I am not an accountant. I remember a long ago 25 question college course pop quiz. I got all 10 math problems right and all 15 true or false theory questions wrong. Need I say more? Now, take all that, put it into French, and then, apply French tax laws. You can SEE how much FUN I am having, non?? As they say in Skype... (puke). Due date? May 1st. Death is more inviting. So much so, that I am thinking of my submission for a project called "A Book About Death".

A friend here in Paris, Matthew Rose (an avant-garde artist), is the brainchild for this project and he has put together an idea for a book and website... 1000 artists contribute 500 post cards each to create an unbound book about death. Exhibition at the Emily Harvey Foundation Gallery in New York City. Opening: Thursday, 10 September, 2009. Exhibition: 10-22 September 2009.

When I first heard of this project I knew exactly what I wanted to submit. A photo of the church library where my mom spent many of her last days, which is adjacent to where she is now buried. It is a stark black and white image and, as it was almost Christmas when she died, the doors have wreaths, rendering them almost too festive. I have been going through boxes and piles looking for the negatives. I'll find them, and the shot I want, and I will submit it as a part of this project. It is a cathartic way to honor a memory and let it go at the same time. I have found the letting go part to be really hard, even though it has been almost nine years.

In any case, I hope you will take a look at what has been submitted thus far. There is a lot of love to be found, and a lot of creative expression, in many forms.

Nothing is certain...

Fairy tales can come true...

2009-04-13T14:19:00.009+02:00

Remember these ladies from last spring? They still look fab! Et moi?... I'm giving the daily walk another go, only this time I have a long-distance motivator who has promised to nag if I nag back. Nothing like a little guilt to get you going, and it felt good to get out and enjoy the weather; April in Paris this year is truly spectacular!

A lot has been going on since my last post. Life changing stuff that needs to be settled, new career of sorts, travel... I want to thank those of you who wrote to see if everything was okay. All is well, just laying low for a little bit.

Right now, it's time for some shameless plugging... here we go! Some friends (who are fans of Paris) have blogs you might enjoy. Kirsten's blog, Write On Thyme has lots of nice photos and tips on places to visit... Starman's blog, Le Rêve Français feature highlights from his visits to France. (They both have music, adjust your speaker volume!)

Des Américains à Paris is happening at the Jardin d'Acclimatation from April 11 through May 10, open every day from 10am to 7pm. There is SO much going on, I've cut to the chase and linked you directly to the event PDF...

How about a little Paris in America? My friend Lindsey will be showing her works at the 12th International Sculpture Objects & Functional Art Fair (SOFA) in New York City from April 16-19 at the Park Avenue Armory. She did an amazing sculpture of red ballerina slippers in porcelain, covered with 7000 red Swarovski rhinestones. It's beautiful! Stop by booth #419 and say hello!

Okay, phew... feeling better now. Hope you'll find some inspiration in here somewhere...

Spring has sprung!

The day is long...

2009-03-21T19:59:00.005+01:00

I have been thinking about my grandmother for the past few days. Songs have been coming on the iTunes radio station I listen to... and this afternoon, my cousin gave me a call. We talked for a long time. I enjoy his calls... easy rambling and lots of good laughs. It was nice to share memories of Gram with him.

I am the first grandchild. I have special memories of time spent with my grandmother. The Florida coast, Michigan, North Carolina... In 1967, I spent a lot of time with her. I was nine years old. She had just gone through a divorce, we were in transition from the military to a civilian life... it was easier for me to stay with her for a few weeks. It was the best time ever. We played Yahtzee and Scrabble, ate Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and watched Johnny Carson. She smoked like a chimney and enjoyed her Crown Royal in the evening. I still use one of her blue Crown Royal bags for the Scrabble tiles.

This photo was taken at Clark Lake, Michigan on June 24, 1950... 8 years before I was born. It's of my great-grandmother, Charlotte; my grandmother, Rachel; and and my great-aunt, Rhea. I can see my mom's face in all of them, and now I know where the chin comes from!

She called me in Paris on the Wednesday before she died. We had a nice long conversation, got to say a lot of things and gave each other our love when we hung up. I went off to the house in the country for the weekend. We had no phone and no one nearby to reach us. When we got home that Sunday night the answering machine was blinking like crazy... I was on a flight the next day.

At her service, I was in the car with my cousin and three of my brothers. A few songs came on the radio that will be forever etched in that moment. I miss you, Gram...

Hold on...

Snotty, beam him down...

2009-03-09T23:42:00.006+01:00

By all rights this should be a snow covered, mountain capped, fondue enriched scene from Switzerland where I spent this past weekend... Instead, I offer you this: a sculpture outside the H. R. Giger museum located in Gruyere, the heart of milk and cheese. How did that happen??

Factoid: Giger's album covers for Debbie Harry and the band ELP were voted among the 100 best in music history in a survey of rock journalists.

Last Friday I ditched Paris and hopped the TGV for Geneva and an extended weekend visit. Spent Saturday in Lausanne and Ouchy, Sunday in Gruyere and Fribourg, and Monday hanging around taking in the fresh air and view. It was much needed and most definitely appreciated! (Merci, A!)

This is a short post... I'll be back on the TGV tomorrow morning, bright and early, looking forward to new horizons, projects and adventures. Spring is imminent...

Prepare for Metamorphosis. Ready, Kafka?

Who let the dogs out?

2009-03-01T22:47:00.006+01:00

First off, I apologize for this photo. It was not what I wanted to use for this post, but... the cow shots really didn't work (lighting, color, focus... blah, blah, blah...). In this dog's defense, he had a crowd around him; we were passing through and this was a quick, action snap. During the time it took us to pass through, he didn't move, bark or whimper a bit... AND, no... I don't know what she is doing with her hand. Obviously, both are professionals. Don't try this at home!

I went to the Salon de l'Agriculture yesterday. Met a friend there and we did a tour through our favorite halls: food, wine and livestock. I have a few folks whom I like to see and buy from every year. This year was an exception... I said hello, picked up my free magnums, had a tasting and said I'll be back next year. They all understood. In today's economy they are waiting for the bottom to fall out. They told me that although some folks are still buying, they are buying only top quality and a little less of it... leaving the lower quality (which is still good!) for next year.

Even the halls themselves were smaller in proportion. The cows used to have their own space... this year, they were sharing the same space as the pigs, sheep and goats. A lot of space was blocked off and unused. And, considering the day I went, there were not as many people there that I thought would be. This does not bode well for the French agriculture industry.

My hope is that things will pick up by summer time. The Salon Saveurs des Plaisirs Gourmands happens from May 15-18. If you happen to be in Paris, make a point of trying to attend. The vendors go out of their way to introduce you to their products. It is a treat to your senses... and lord knows, we need some tasty treats!

Woof, woof!

You say potato...

2009-02-22T20:48:00.008+01:00

...I say Gratin Dauphinois.

After living in France for 16 years, I have finally, just about, almost, reached potato nirvana. It took a chance conversation on Facebook and an experiment with refrigerator ingredients to come to this point. Everything I thought I was doing right was wrong, wrong, wrong! Cheese? Quel horreur! Milk? Alors! Mind you, I have been corrected and I hope to mend my ways.

A little history... I married a French guy. He had a mother. She hated to cook. (I should have run away then.) I brought my love of cooking and 17 boxes of kitchen paraphernalia with me when I moved here. I had spent the prior year getting to know him... eating in restaurants, going to his friend's homes for dinners... in short, enjoying the cuisine of France. One of my most favorite dishes has always been Gratin Dauphinois. What could be easier than potatoes, milk, and cheese I thought? Pfft. I can do that!

Yeah. Right. Not til now. Now I know I don't have to simmer the spuds in milk, minding the heat so they don't get scalded... no wondering which cheese is the right cheese... there is NO cheese! This is a simple dish prepared simply and with love.

Tonight I had three little potatoes that had been leftover from last week's raclette. I had a dab of butter, a tiny box of creme léger and a clove of garlic. Salt and pepper grinders are always on hand. I was set. I sliced the taters into a large bowl, poured the creme over top, seasoned it, rubbed garlic and butter into a ramekin and poured it all in... Popped it into a low oven and let it go for about 2 hours. And THAT, my friends, is the trick. Long and slow. Who knew? How easy is that? Sheesh. All these culinary years later.....

The end result was... almost perfection. I would use a full cream and not the light version. (Screw the calories for this dish!) Other than that? Nirvana.

In France, cooking is a serious art form and a national sport.
~Julia Child

The sun’ll come out tomorrow...

2009-02-17T22:01:00.009+01:00

Lots of stuff on my mind lately and, apparently, it's not just me, it's a few other folks as well...

Some friends have emailed and said they've been laid off from their jobs. Others are concerned and waiting for the axe to fall... there just seems to be a general malaise in the air. Following the Obama election/inauguration euphoria, it feels like we're on the slippery slope of a manic low...

President Obama has said it'll get worse before it gets better. Even if you are doing okay, maybe your friends or family members aren't...?

I'm just wondering, what is your top tip to keep a positive outlook?

Bet your bottom dollar...

You just keep me hanging on...

2009-02-08T20:41:00.006+01:00

Had to do a fast shoot of hangers for a website I'm working on... It got me to thinking of all the junk that just accumulates so innocently at first, and then all of a sudden, BAM! There's a pile of crap you really don't need, but aren't sure of what to do with. "I might need it for something someday".

I'm here to say bullshit on that!

Last August I emptied my bedroom. I took everything out and reamed in a BIG way. All those size 10 jeans, 80s suits (think serious shoulder pads), and shoes that were either worn out or never worn at all; no mercy! Boxed, bagged or binned! Gone! Bye-bye!

With that ream came a bunch of dry cleaner hangers. Those wire nasties that conjure up Mommie Dearest... I had them. Lots of them. I had planned on bringing them back to the dry cleaner so she could recycle them, but never got that far in the out-the-door process. So, they hung around. Gathering dust. Until today.

Today, they came in handy. Tomorrow, they go back where they came from. Fitting, eh?

Set me free!

Are you ready for some football?

2009-02-01T13:16:00.009+01:00

Living overseas offers the best of both worlds. Your new culture and its traditions, and those you grew up with. One of the things I miss living here in France is American football. (And, yes I have to clarify it as American. We get our fill of "football", but it just ain't the same thing.) I should also clarify that the only times I really miss American football is on Thanksgiving Day and Super Bowl Sunday. The half-time commercials are anticipated and this year The Boss is doing a 12-minute show? It might be the only time during the broadcast that you won't leave your seat!

I've often wondered if the 4-minutes on, 2-minutes off for commercial breaks contribute to the short attention span of America's youth. It's mind-numbing. How can you concentrate on the show/movie/game you are watching with the constant interruptions? Here in France you get them all in big doses, usually at the beginning, somewhere in the middle and then at the end, followed by a weather report. BBCPrime doesn't even run "commercials", but rather promos for upcoming shows and their own lame station IDs.

President Sarkozy has recently announced that the public stations will no longer be airing prime-time ads! At first I thought great! But what will they be replaced with? When can I run to the kitchen to refill my wine glass? How will I know what to clean my teeth/floors/toilet/dishes/body with? Pharmaceuticals alone... sheesh! I don't know what half the stuff is for! What exactly is Oscillococcinum? (Don't know, don't care, but it works when you are coming down with a cold!) Only in France can a naked woman taking a shower be selling yogurt. And treasures like this will never see the light of a plasma screen.

But, I digress. This post was about football, specifically the Super Bowl. The above photo is of me and Sue T., circa 1971. The Navajos never made it to the Super Bowl, but we made sure they would move to the left, move to the right..... you know what I mean!

So, to all my friends in the US, paint your face, grab your beers, wings and chips and have fun!

Oh yeah.... Go Steelers!

Freeze frame...

2009-01-28T21:54:00.010+01:00

It seems I have had a camera in my hands for a really long time. I may not be good, and I may not know exactly what I'm doing, but somehow, the moment was captured.

For the three of you who have been following this blog, you'll know that I have posted a few pix from the past. You also know that I joined Facebook back in September for a job-related reason. I was asked to learn the ins and outs of FB. So, I did. I may have mentioned this before, but through FB, I found a lot of old neighborhood friends. Recently, some folks I used to fly with have been joining. It is so nice to catch up with everyone, and yet it is funny how my life seems to be broken into segments of location.

The most important location has been that of my pre-teen years... or, as we called it, "Wilmont Turnpike". In 1969, my family, along with many others, moved to a new Levitt development on Long Island, fondly known as the "W" section. We were phase 2 of Strathmore East. We all came from different backgrounds, left our familiar schools and friends and merged in this magical moment of 1969. Together, we watched Apollo 11 land on the moon, and the phenomenon that was Woodstock play out on radio and TV news broadcasts. The Mets won the World Series, and we were turned on to Jethro Tull by Mr. T. ;-)

We erected tree forts and mud constructions, played in the foundations of the sections still being built. If our mothers only knew what we were up to... no cell phones, no SMS, no GPS... we were out there, on our own, and no one worried.

These days, it just isn't the same. As one friend said, this just doesn't happen anymore... it's Wii... PSP, iPhone, iPod.... iWhatever....

I haven't posted since President Obama's inauguration. (Yeah, I said, "President" Obama!) It's been just over a week since he has been in office, and there seems to be a trend to get back to basics. (Haven't I written about this before? [Yes.])

I just want to say, go build a tree fort with your kids. Take the time to share some music. Watch a ball game together. Plant some potatoes, carrots, root vegetables. (I wish I had a garden.) Slow down. The world is in a recession. As another friend said, "Eat pie."

This freeze-frame moment can't be wrong...

It’s a beautiful day...

2009-01-20T22:03:00.012+01:00

Change has come to America! Peace, dignity, integrity... a new beginning.

I'll write some more later; today has been a moment in history. Had calls from the US, friends on Skype and Facebook... it feels like we are unified once again.

The Glass Ceiling...

2009-01-16T00:54:00.012+01:00

Lunch, mentoring, and a good boogie...

Yesterday I had lunch with Stephen at Le Printemps under the stained glass dome. If you recall, I met him in December when my flight was canceled out of IAD to CDG. We stayed in touch through email and finally had a chance to get together for a meal and conversation. He's a great guy, witty, intelligent, and gracious enough to allow me to bounce some ideas around.

My life has taken some twists and turns over the last few months. I am a strong believer in fate, and I believe that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. Which brings me to where I am today; learning a new metier. Perhaps it isn't so much learning as it is putting into use what I have already learned, but didn't have need for, or so I thought. Timing is everything.

Over the years, I have had the great fortune to be blessed with several mentors; those people who come into your life, take an interest and give you a mind meld like no other. Many of those lessons I hold close, others... meh. (Sometimes the "reason for everything" just doesn't hold water.)

My most recent venture is one that I have been preparing for for most of my life. If you've been one of my faithful three readers, you'll know that I love typography and layout. It is a coming together of words and fonts, the message and media, the serif and sans serif. In 10th grade, my art teacher gave us a sheet of acetate, a font book, a pot of paint, a paint brush and said "match a word to the font; give it style!" My word was Boogie. I used a serif font. It was orange. The well-rounded o's became bodies with jiving stick legs. The capital B and gorgeous, squiggly lowercase g gave it rhythm. I was so in my element.

It wasn't until decades later, after I had been living in Paris for a few years, that I had the opportunity to revisit my letter love affair. At the same time, I learned about computers, desktop publishing and layout... the pieces of the puzzle that make a page come together. That led to a bit of copy writing and editing, which brings me to the present.

I have been entrusted with the role of communications for the folks I am working with. I have the wonderful opportunity to define the position and learn from experienced professionals. Once again, I am in my element.

Only passions, great passions, can elevate the soul to great things.
~Denis Diderot (1713 - 1784)

I’ve got to admit it’s getting better...

2009-01-07T12:01:00.012+01:00

As part of my quest to "Make it Better" this year, I finally tied on the apron, donned the rubber gloves and deep cleaned my kitchen. I learned two things. Dust and grease... nasty combination... but Mr Propre, the new "Eclair" series... I'm in love! The kitchen is gleaming! Kinda like his shiny, bald head!

In my former life (Before Paris) I considered myself to be quite the chef. I loved to cook! Wherever I had a layover, I tried to scope out the local markets and bring back a cool gadget or an exotic spice. I was a cooking show addict before the Food Network existed; I loved watching Julia Child and Graham Kerr. My roommate and I hosted some pretty tasty dinner parties. Then I moved to France.

One thing you need to know about French apartments, the only thing that comes equipped is the sink. My first apartment had a round wall (the other side of the stairwell), a large ceramic sink and an empty light socket hanging from the ceiling. Our 50 boxes of belongings had not yet arrived and all I could think was 17 of those 50 boxes is my kitchen stuff, where am I going to put it?

You very quickly learn how to downsize. I didn't know what to pack, so I packed everything; from a paper towel holder (too big!) to a turkey roasting pan (also too big!). I ended up doing a massive sort and figured out how to angle a medium size roasting pan into my small size oven. I now have a larger oven, but I still don't have a paper towel holder!

Which brings me to the deep-clean process. Three of those 17 kitchen boxes were just cookbooks! While I pulled them down and dusted them off, I reminisced about where each one came from... The Joy of Cooking was given to me by my grandmother, (I also have her personalized copy of The Gourmet Cookbook from 1950.) The New York Times Menu Cookbook was my mom's, my aunt gave me The Way to Cook, I picked up Le Cordon Bleu Complete Cooking Techniques following some classes I did there and Saveurs Américaines is signed by the author, Connie Borde, another American in Paris.

Connie's book is great in that she took American favorites and translated them into French, measurements and ingredients included! Another treasure is The A-Z of French Food, a descriptive bilingual glossary from Scribo Editions.

These days, it is easier to find a recipe or technique on the net, but I still find joy in leafing through the pages, grease spots and all.

It's getting better all the time...

It’s easy if you try...

2008-12-29T16:13:00.019+01:00

"I’ve often wondered why _______"

This is one of the writing prompts suggested to try to waken the muse. I've been a little stymied in the past week or so with my writing, not only here but also with a project I've been working on. The idea is in my head, but I haven't been able to transfer the thoughts to the keyboard. So, I've been looking for inspiration by reading and watching movies. This afternoon, I finally Googled "muse" and came up with a plethora of sites on how to get your muse back, the site above was mentioned.

Here's where the blog thought line was going... We're in the last week of this very historic year, the news channels are doing their usual presentations and they seem (to me) to be filled with death and strife. My friend, Michael Levin, over at "The Funniest Blog in America" let it rip with his post, "How I Really Feel"... His words hit home for me, but much more eloquently than I could have written! This was followed by reading two articles in the NY Times; Bob Herbert's "Stop Being Stupid", and Guy Trebay's "Change We Could Live With".

Which brings me to the point I am at right now. Stuck. It sucks. I can't even say how bad it sucks because I don't have the words. Question is, how to get over it? Maybe I need Cher to smack me in the face and say, "Snap out of it!"

Being duly inspired by all three articles, I have decided to define my New Year resolution a little early. It came to me as I was walking home from the grocery store. "Make it better." Whatever it is: make it better, even if it is just one little thing... make it better. Can you imagine if we all tried doing that? One tiny step towards making something or someone or some place just a little bit better? That's my goal this year. Make it better.

Happy 2009, may all things be better!

Louie, Louie....

2008-12-18T20:19:00.013+01:00

If you haven't been there yet, get your hungry self down to Di Palo's in Little Italy for the best whatever Italian flavor you desire! We went this past Sunday afternoon, the line was almost out the door (be sure to grab a number on your way in), but it was well worth the wait!

Di Palo's is one of those great foodie places where you go in thinking you only need one item and you end up walking out with ten. We were there for the San Daniele prosciutto, but we walked away with some fresh ricotta (heaven!), a peppery loaf of freshly baked bread (only available on Sundays) that was loaded with bits of prosciutto (to spread the ricotta on), two big blocks of parmigiano reggiano (I brought one home with me), fresh sausages, a chunk of pancetta and some marinated peppers...

We got to sample bits of everything we bought, and we got the inside scoop on some great local restos, not to be missed. Ask me!

My NYC trip was fast-paced and all-to-soon, it was over with! I arrived Saturday afternoon and was promptly picked up at the airport by John Hung, my driver for the weekend... door-to-door service with a great smile! (Ask me for his number!) My friend Brad came into the city and we enjoyed a great home-cooked meal chez Tobi. Sunday started with a long walk and ball chasing in Central Park with Tucker, (dogs can run free before 9am) followed by bagels and coffee, then the shopping tour. We hopped on the train and went downtown, starting at Di Palo's, then we headed up to Bloomingdale's and caught some great sales! Met up with another friend and had dinner at Canyon Road, a great little Mexican place near Tobi's. The duck burritos and frozen margaritas are the way to go!

Monday was a Chinese lunch with friends and a little more Christmas shopping, then I met up with Tobi and we had a quick dinner at Patsy's and we headed over to Madison Square Garden for Neil Young! He was great! He hasn't slowed down a bit, he still has his voice and he rocked the Garden with old tunes, and new! Cinnamon Girl, Old Man, Heart of Gold... mixed in with his new stuff (that I don't know yet!), excellent! The opening bands were Everest and Wilco, both sounding a bit like wannabes, although I did like Wilco a bit more than Everest. He didn't do Down by the River or Southern Man, but with his repertoire, he covered a lot of the major ones.

The next concert (that I have tickets for) is Jackson Browne here in Paris in April. Right now I need to wrap my head around Christmas and get some copy writing done for a project. The brain is in gear, I just have to sit and put the words on the page. For the moment, it's nice to be home. My son has been extra cuddly, I guess he missed me more than he thought he would... and yes, I missed him, too! :-)
I think we'll spend the holidays at home together.

Keep on rockin' in the free world...

Take the long way home...

2008-12-10T11:20:00.020+01:00

Please note the fine Helvetica. Designed to put you in a good mood.

Tuesday, December 2: CDG, ORD, MLI (look it up), DEN.
Sunday, December 7: DEN, DFW, IAD, CDG.
That was the good news.

I flew United. The flight to Chicago was fine. I was in Economy Plus, that extra six inches makes a big difference! Landed, cleared customs, got my bags, rechecked them and went to the gate with no problems and minimum waiting time. Rolled out and went to Moline... got off at Gate 15. Sat at Gate 15 for an hour or so, got on the next plane at Gate 15... my luggage didn't. Got to Denver, no bag. Made a claim, grabbed the shuttle bus and was dropped off at the wrong hotel (for some reason, Marriott has two Residence Inns in Denver??). Took a taxi to the right hotel. Having had previous experience of losing my luggage with United, I fortunately had packed some jammies and a toothbrush. Happy day. Went to bed...

Did the CMS Expo, see previous post.

Got up at 0430 MDT Sunday morning, made it to the airport by 6am, flew to Dallas, quick connection to Washington, DC for the 1720 EDT departure. Had enough time to grab an Obama t-shirt for my son, boarded the flight to Paris... pushed back and waited. They couldn't get the left engine started, "it'll be a few minutes"... Three hours later (still on the tarmac) they pulled us back to the gate, released us to the terminal and said check back in an hour. After an hour they rolled out the meal carts. (That is NEVER a good sign!) After another two hours they announced that the flight was canceled. Mad rush to the customer service area...

Two hours later and I had a voucher for the Hyatt, $15 for a meal and a reroute to Paris via Frankfurt. Luckily for me, I have a guardian angel who was kind enough to have me upgraded to Business. Thank you!!

Here's the fun part. As the saying goes, when life hands you lemons, make lemonade... While waiting in the gate area, I managed to find a spot next to a guy who was recharging his iPod, the other socket was still open, so I asked him if he could plug me in... we started chatting and I asked him what he does. He said he works in Communications for iContact.com! I almost fell over! I went to the CMS Expo hoping to speak to someone from iContact. They had a lot of people saying good things about them, but no rep! (Hint for the Chicago Expo!) Taylor, thank you for your advice, I hope you made it to YOUR conference!

While standing on the customer service line, I was chatting with Jacques, a nice French tour guide who helped make the time go by. We traded stories and buddied up to get to the hotel. First we had to claim our bags. His bags never made it on the plane from NY! Jacques, if you are reading this, get in touch!

Next day, I was checking out of the hotel and ran into Stephen who was carrying a huge bag with a bunch of Christmas goodies and his "Oscar" award. We shared the van ride to the airport and did the United check-in process. Upon boarding, and due to the above mentioned guardian angel, I was lucky enough to get upgraded and had to leave Stephen in order to nestle into my comfy chair. My seatmate arrived. Tony. A fireman. A man among men. He was reading "Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus". In public! He was on his way to visit his sons in Frankfurt (also firemen). He was 6 feet 4 inches of kind, considerate gorgeousness, he made my flight.

We finally landed in Frankfurt, and I met up with Stephen again. We ran through customs and headed over to gate C (if you know Frankfurt airport, you know how long it is between terminals). I had a 1:40 connection, he had the next flight out at 5:30. Stephen, when I get back from NY we will have that café!

So, what's the bottom line from all this? Shit happens. Keep your sense of humor and things will work out. Smile, and the world smiles with you...

...and don't forget to pack clean underwear!

Dress code...

2008-12-07T01:25:00.009+01:00

This guy was waiting on the corner of 16th Street and Tremont here in Denver for his animator friends. I asked his permission and was able to snap this quick shot. Just so you know, it is the Parade of Lights tonight in Denver and folks are dressed up in all sorts of garb and costumes. Unfortunately, I have a pickup at 0535 to head to the airport. Tonight, I shall be snuggled up in bed in preparation for the long trip home.

The CMS Expo was good... it was held at the Brown Palace Hotel, a beautiful old hotel in downtown Denver. Our hosts, John and Linda Coonen made us feel right at home from the get-go. A quick thank you to LeRoy for your smile and graciousness!

Aside from our gang getting together, I had the opportunity to meet some interesting people, a few stand outs: Tom Elliott from Joomlashack.com, Azrul Rahim from JomSocial.com, Kenneth Crowder from Crowder Web Design, Chris Rault from Joomla Junkies and very briefly, Karen Phelps from Landmark Innovations. A quick hey! to Paula Dawson and Susan Wolak, it was nice to meet you both!

A few of the things I discovered: YUI (Yahoo User Interface), jQuery, cool CSS tips and a bunch of sweet tidbits and “ah-ha” moments.

Follow up on the restaurant request.... we went to Blue Bonnet the first night. We were not impressed. The reviews are right, the place is hit or miss. I guess you kind of expect to have your fajitas served on a a sizzling platter. It didn't happen. The next night we dined at The Old Spaghetti Factory. The food was good, the ambiance relaxing, we had a chance to unwind over cocktails and then continued in that mode over our meals.

It was great to meet the rest of our virtual team, I'm looking forward to seeing you in NYC next Monday!

Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere.
~Chinese Proverb

Rocky Mountain Way...

2008-11-30T13:37:00.017+01:00

I'm heading to Denver this week to meet up with colleagues for the CMS Expo, a chance to fill my head with OpenSource matters! While there we will also be looking to graze in a few of Denver's restaurants. So, here's a call to dedicated foodies, Democratic conventioneers and Denver locals... What's your favorite restaurant in the Mile High City?? If you have a website or an address to go along with your recommendation, it would be much appreciated. You can post a comment here, or send me an email (see above profile for address).

I'm looking forward to this trip, I haven't been to the American west in a long time! I'll be bringing the camera, and hopefully, I'll have a little bit of time to snap a few pix.

Speaking of pix, last night I was going through some photos of NYC from this past summer. Since part of the trip included the CSN concert in Boston, I was also listening to a couple of CSNY tunes. Here is a great version of Down by the River from the David Steinberg show... he had a show??!! Neil Young sounded so good that I thought, I have to go see him live. So, I went to the Neil Young website and guess what? He's on tour! I immediately emailed Tobi and said, "Concert?". She said, "Yes!"... Long story short, we have tix for Neil Young at Madison Square Garden on December 15th! I got an amazingly dirt cheap fare to NY for the weekend and booked it! Call it an early Christmas present!

Lest you think I have gone completely over the edge, there is a little more to this than just looking through vacation photos. Part of the NY reminiscing was because of a movie I watched the other day called Helvetica. It's a film about fonts, typography and graphic design. Many of the scenes were shot in NYC and when you get right down to it, Helvetica is everywhere. Since I'll be staying with Tobi, there'll be plenty of opportunities while walking Tucker to shoot sidewalk scenes of Helvetica finds. (I feel another alphabet series coming on!)

In the meantime, all you food denizens, your Mile High resto recommendations are much appreciated!

My, my... hey, hey...

A Night at the Opera....

2008-11-25T00:08:00.016+01:00

I saw Sting and Elvis Costello last night at the Théâtre du Châtelet... in an opera! It was great, the acoustics were amazing!

This was truly a neophyte's introduction to opera via "Welcome to the Voice", written by Steve Nieve. Here's a blurb from Bill Flanagan at CBS News:

"Welcome To The Voice" is a new classical piece — oh, I might as well admit it, it's an opera with a libretto by the French writer Muriel Teodori and music by Steve Nieve, best known to the hoi polloi as the brilliant pianist in Elvis Costello & the Attractions. It's a piece about the clash between high culture and low, the upper class and the workers, and Nieve has very cleverly cast legit opera singers such as Barbara Bonney and Amanda Roocroft as the Sacred Voices, and rock singers like Costello and Sting as the Profane Voices. It's a conceit worthy of Bertold Brecht and it really works. Whether you come in through the front door of serious music or the servant's entrance of pop, "Welcome To The Voice" will make you feel welcome at the party.

The story line was was simple; high class vs. lower class. The above write-up describes it very well. Sting as Dionysos and Elvis Costello as the Police Commissioner. The sopranos were amazing... Sylvia Schwartz as Lily, Marie-Ange Todorovitch as The Ghost of Carmen, Sonya Yoncheva as The Ghost of Butterfly, and Anna Gabler as The Ghost of Norma. Sting's son, Joe Sumner, played Dionysos' friend. He looks and sounds just like his dad when he was younger!

I didn't know what to expect going in, but if you tell me Sting is playing anywhere, I'm there! I have always enjoyed opera in the movies; Philadelphia comes to mind, as does Moonstruck, however, not knowing the pieces, I never knew which direction to turn to for further listening. I have a short stack of CD's from my mom, but after a little while, I always lowered the volume or just changed the CD to something more familiar.

After hearing the sopranos in all their richness and volume, I would love to go see Madame Butterfly, or something similar. Any opera aficionados out there, please guide me! As my "date" said, "Once you get used to the fullness and quality of opera, it's like having tasted real chocolate... Hershey's just doesn't satisfy!"

Something I also need to do is go see more stage productions. The only real Broadway show I have ever seen was "Oh, Calcutta"... not much of a stretch for costume design there!

My thanks to Andy and Mollie for the heads up on the show (another Facebook tidbit!). I am hoping to write before I head to Denver on Monday. I've got to get into the Christmas spirit somehow! Maybe a little cold weather and mountains will help?

"You can't fool me. There ain't no Sanity Clause!"
~Fiorello

Tangled up in blue...

2008-11-19T15:36:00.011+01:00

It has been a while since the last post and I apologize! I've been really busy, happily!

I was contacted today by Ben... He emailed me to say that he saw my photos from Sri Lanka on GoogleMaps. He said he is heading there soon and wanted to know "what not to miss". I gave him a few pointers and suggestions... Enjoy your trip, Ben... send a few photos over!

It's hard to believe that it is now a year since I was there, taking in exotica, the sights, the sounds, the smells... (I'm lighting the incense now!)... I still have good memories of that trip. What began as a journey of expressions, turned into a serendipity of sorts and who knew I would be where I am today? I am moving forward, doing things I never thought I would be doing and going to places I never thought I would see.

Right now, I'm planning a trip to Denver for a geek conference in December. I'm looking forward to meeting some folks I have only known through forums and virtual encounters, and attending some workshops to learn some new tricks and techniques. Following this trip, there are a few more destinations to some far-flung places in the next few months that I am looking forward to seeing!

Facebook continues to amaze me. I have found several of my favorite crew members from my flying days! I might dig out some of those old photos and put an album together! Look out! A friend said, "you know a lot of different people", all I could say was I've lived a lot of lives. I can break my life into sections of where I lived and what I was doing at the time. Each "life section" has taught me a great deal. I feel like I have lived, loved and learned everywhere I have been. I'm still learning... there's so much more to learn!

Lord knows I've paid some dues getting through...

Beyond black and white...

2008-11-10T19:58:00.016+01:00

Yes We Did! That's what I wrote on my Facebook wall. The elation felt overseas totally resonates with America's heartfelt joy.

I had a comment from my brother (who, it turns out, is a rather right-wing Republican) asking me, "What is this 'we' crap there froggy????" I guess he doesn't realize that A.) I am (still) an American, B.) I (still) vote by absentee ballot, and C.) That vote (still) counts.

I spent this weekend in the company of groups of Americans here in Paris and the keywords mentioned were "hope" and "change". More than one person said they wore an American flag on November 5th, pointing out that they hadn't felt "comfortable" doing that during the past eight years.

I had lunch with Alice and a Japanese friend on November 5th. While getting dressed, I dug out my Swarovski heart-shaped American flag pin and proudly wore it, something I didn't feel I could do for so long! Americans in America may not understand what we expats have been feeling, and it is hard to explain. We are not the "other" Americans. We are, to quote Phyllis Michaux, "The Unknown Ambassadors".

I think the world has high expectations for Mr. Obama. I think he is in for the challenge of this century to turn America around. Saying that, I also feel that his acceptance speech laid down the gauntlet for America to pick up. It reminded me a lot of John F. Kennedy's "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country" speech. He spoke of the 106-year-old woman and the changes and progress she saw in her lifetime and tied it in nicely with the question, what will our children witness in their lifetime?

I think of my son. He was three years old when he first sat at a computer. He started with the C:\ prompt to play his games. At 17, he is now light years ahead of me. There are things we can't even imagine that are already on the horizon... I keep singing the Jetson's theme song with some of the projects I am working on now. (I can sync my sneakers to the Nike site to see how many miles I will be walking!... and that makes me feel like Agent 99!)

My point is, it will take more than Obama to make the change. We need to make it with him. We, the people, need to get our hands dirty and dig in. We need to give back. We need to turn it around and we need to do it now. Here's a great video. Alice's daughter (thanks Cat!) posted it on Facebook. Watch it, then share it with your kid. Heck, share it with everyone you know!

The future is now...

Nice nuts...

2008-11-07T20:26:00.006+01:00

These beautiful walnuts came from the farm of a neighbor of Alice. There's nothing like the flavor of "real" fresh walnuts on an autumn night. However, I will say this, Alice is in great need of a genuine nutcracker... those plumber's wrenches just won't do! (Yo, head's up you family Christmas list planners!)

Here comes the segue...

Feeling a bit "squeezed"? NYT has announced "Jobless Rate at 14-Year High After Big October Losses"... What are we going to do??? How about we go back to basics? I think the the real turn on of Obama's campaign was trying to be human. (Mind you, I live in Paris and was not subjected to "robocalls" and TV ads ad nauseum...) So, let's think back to easier times...

I recently pulled out a photo album from 1970, I then scanned and posted a few of those photos to Facebook. They were of my old neighborhood friends and our activities growing up. We were kids, doing kid things; ice-skating on a frozen backyard patio, playing in our tree fort, building mud constructions and waging battles with "epees"... As one friend said, "There was no better childhood." Another said, "W section Lord of the Flies!!! Remember all those empty houses we used to play in? We had so much fun."

Life used to be so much easier when we weren't over-extended... we relied on ourselves to provide and get the job done. There was a more innocent feel, you had to use your imagination to build the game you wanted to play. We didn't have PlayStation or the internet. Forget about cell phones, we were using cans and string! Our favorite pastimes were touch football on Wilmont Turnpike.... we had to break up the game to let a car go by... and THAT was on the busy street! We used to venture down to the "new" houses still under construction and play in the foundations. Our mothers didn't worry about where we were. We were together. We'd come home. Can you imagine the same thing today??? Just think of your kid being incommunicado for a whole 6 hours! You'd be on the blower to the police in minutes!

My (uneducated and rambling) point here is this. Baseball, hot dogs, apple pie and Chevrolet. The basics. We lost the plot. We need to be Ozzie and Harriet for a little while. We need to get grounded. You lost your job? I understand. Take this time to reinvent yourself. Find your passion. It's not easy. I know. I've been there. I'm still there, but I'm doing it. The beauty lies in discovering just what it is you are capable of doing. Then do it. Like I said...

Nice nuts.

Yes We Can!

2008-11-05T08:33:00.005+01:00

A friend sent this to me from Times Square. He said, "The environment was electric... The world will change from tomorrow onwards, it will be a better place..."

I got up at 5:30 and turned on CNN. I saw the numbers and then I had the extreme joy to watch President-elect Obama address the crowd. The hope is back. The heavy feeling of the last eight years is lifted.

It is pouring rain in Paris today, but there will be bright smiles everywhere, I'm sure!

Oh happy day!

Hope for Change....

2008-11-04T15:11:00.006+01:00

...and pray for peace.

History being made and I hope it will be made in a good way. A screen shot of CNN about a half hour ago. I couldn't help but shed a tear, watching this moment and thinking that tomorrow will bring about a new beginning.

Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.
~ Barack Obama

Happy Halloween, you Mavericks!

2008-11-01T18:42:00.011+01:00

We had a virtual Halloween party last night... the star of the show was "Sarah Palin"... good likeness! The above is a screen shot as we were signing in.

November has hit Paris in a cold, wet and windy way. Perfect preparation for an upcoming conference in Denver this December! I'm going to immerse myself in geekdom.... sweet code, design tricks and people who will "get" me. I can't wait! (I never thought I'd be such a NERD!)

My son doesn't know about this trip yet... but... he has recently given me hope and faith to leave him on his own without worrying about the police showing up at the door after midnight. His girlfriend told me she wanted to plan a surprise birthday party for him. She was looking at a place that was a tad pricey, she asked her mother if she could have it at her place... still questionable at the last minute, so... I offered up my place. I left the key with her, packed an overnight bag to stay at "Ms. Palin's" pad and hoped for the best.

It was good all the way around. I came home to a spotlessly clean apartment, no breakage, no law suits pending... and they had a good time. Merci a tous!

Back to the cold weather... it is perfect for curling up with a good book. I have been out of reading material for a few weeks and luckily "Ms. Palin" had a stack of books for me to take home. In the pile: The Cluetrain Manifesto, The Tipping Point, The World is Flat, Influencer, Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us, and I am hoping for a copy to be sent of Crowd Sourcing by Jeff Howe. For me, these are a treat!

Here's another treat, just think... in 3 days the President-elect will be known!

What Washington needs is adult supervision.
~ Barack Obama

Everything’s coming up roses...

2008-10-27T20:43:00.001+01:00

Yesterday my son and his friend reamed my cave. I guess that sounds worse than the deed itself. In layman's terms... take an over-piled storage area, ruthlessly start chucking stuff. Have your kid take the refuse out to the street. Con his best friend into reconstructing an Ikea armoire in the newly available space. Fill said space with crap you will be reaming the next time around. Rejoice. Rejoice again cuz it's worth rejoicing over the reclaimed space in the living quarters. Lather. Rinse. Repeat. Rejoice.

I should be at the Casino de Paris listening to Stanley Clarke, Marcus Miller and Victor Wooten right now. But I gave my ticket to the above mentioned best friend. When I handed him the ticket this afternoon, he kept saying, non... non... then he ran out of the apartment. Whatever. I had my weird moments as a teenager way back when.

He came back with the above white roses. Mon ange. I think we'll keep him! ;-)

Things look swell, things look great...

Put a little love in your heart...

2008-10-25T11:30:00.002+02:00

It doesn't take much to make someone's day!

I am working on a project that involves a "virtual team". There are several of us in four countries putting our minds together. The other day was one team member's birthday and we had a virtual surprise birthday party (via web conferencing) complete with hats, a blower, cards and flowers. We each created a birthday wish Power Point page in Google docs and shared it with the birthday girl. It was nice for her and a great experience for the team to bond this way.

What blows me away is that we are able to do this! The only thing missing was being able to smell the roses and taste the cake! I'm sure there is a genius out there who is working on that now.

Speaking of geniuses, the senior lunch the other day was a lot of fun. There was a total of 61 women in attendance. We took a little election poll and I want to share those numbers with you as inspiration. All the women are American, 40 have received AND returned their absentee ballot, 6 were still waiting for their ballots, 3 were voting in the US and 3 were not voting for whatever reason. The rest abstained. Those are incredible numbers! (If you haven't gotten your ballot yet, go to www.overseasvotefoundation.org.) These women are all over 60, some of them are in their 80s and THEY have time to vote! (You see it's getting late... oh please don't hesitate...)

I saw Al Green a few years ago at the Olympia. He was amazing, the crowd never sat down! Here he is with Annie Lennox.

And the world will be a better place...

To everything, turn, turn, turn...

2008-10-19T21:52:00.008+02:00

I've been taking photos of the trees outside my kitchen balcony... I started on September 26 when the leaves just started turning. It is now October 19 and there are only a few die-hards still clinging to the branches.

Speaking of die-hards (and I mean that in the nicest way!), since I hit the big 5-0 this year, I am now officially a "junior Senior". I received my first invitation to attend the AAWE Senior luncheon this Tuesday with about 40 of my favorite senior women. (Earplugs optional!) As their saying goes, "once a senior, always a senior!"

These women have been an inspiration to me over the past 15 years. Their stories span decades and "eras", their experience goes beyond the average American woman of their generation, and they continue to reach out to the newbies in France to share their wisdom. I'm looking forward to seeing you all!

We are also getting down to the last days of the campaign. I have already sent in my absentee ballot... Have You??

If you have registered but not yet recieved your ballot in the mail, go to: www.overseasvotefoundation.org to get a Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot. The FWAB is an alternative ballot for overseas and uniformed services voters whose ballots are late. Every vote counts!

A time for peace, I swear its not too late...

The Deep End....

2008-10-16T18:18:00.011+02:00

I'm going to take the advice of Skype's opening message... "Take a deep breath."

I just had the plumbers here. The bathtub drain was clogged and not getting any better despite the weapons of mass chemical destruction over the past few weeks. I finally called the plumber today expecting that they would be able to get here on Monday. I got the number from one of those cards that gets shoved under the door... you know, Infos Quartier: Electricite, Serrurerie, Plomberie, etc... They said they could come by this afternoon. Hoo-ray!

I should give you a little history... I have long hair. My son has long hair. This is not the first time this has happened. But, in our defense, it always seems to happen after la rentree. Here's my theory: in August, people are gone for a month, the drains in the building get limited usage... not a lot of hot water passing through the pipes to keep things moving, the goo has a chance to 'solidify' and clog up the works. Everyone comes home at around the same time and all of a sudden, the pipes go into overload and stuff gets backed up. Add hair to this equation. Still with me? Nod your head and say yeah.

So, this afternoon the plumbers (Actif-Services) show up. They looked like Dumb and Dumber. Ugh. I won't even mention butt crack. (No offense to Joe the Plumber!) They immediately go into the good plumber, bad plumber routine. "It can be fixed." "It can't be fixed." They pulled out the POWER PLUNGER. Mind you, I know that a power plunger goes for about 30-40 euros retail. I almost bought one a few years ago and I still kick myself in the butt (pardon my potty humor!) for not having done so!

They made a grand show of said apparatus and power plunged a few times. Now, even I know, YOU HAVE TO PLUG THE OTHER DRAINS AND OVERFLOW HOLES TO GET SUCTION. EXCUSE ME! I politely mentioned this to them. Dumb says, there must be a flood. [what?] Dumber nods his head and they go into my son's room and pull the bed away to access the pipes. There's no flood. So, they "confer" and Dumb starts writing up a big list of everything that needs to be replaced. Pipes, drains, sockets, wiring... Dumber is nodding his head in agreement. They present me with a devis for 998 euros hors taxe. All I'm thinking now is how much do I owe these guys just for showing up? So I asked them. Dumber (or Dumb, I can't remember who was good plumber in this) pulls out his power plunger again and says "We can do this, allons-y!"

Plot spoiler coming up: Here's a trick I am going to pass along in the interest of humanity. After power plunging for a few more plunges, he took the shower hose, removed the showerhead, and shoved the "hose" into the bathtub drain. He blocked it off with a good guest towel (grr) and proceeded to open the hot water tap full steam ahead. He let the HOT water run for a good three minutes or so, then whipped out the power plunger and pumped that baby a few more times: water, air, water, air, water, air, water, air... Guess what?

Yes, the almighty drain orgasm. That orbiting spiral of water, the release of a gurgling sigh as the clog gave up its soul... If I still smoked, I would have been puffing a big one. Ahhhhh.

Segue into the living room. This is where it got hairy. (Again, pardon my pun.)

Dumb (or Dumber) reworks the devis to a mere 568 euros. "A promotion!" My face must have been a visual for "are you out of your fucking mind?" because Dumber (or Dumb) immediately got on the cell phone to his "patron" to discuss the price. I pulled out the receipt for the exact same work on the exact same pipes done almost exactly 2 years ago for a total of 118 euros and 60 centimes. I also pulled out my checkbook and wrote a check for 150 euros. I got a friend on the phone in case I needed back up and I told them to take it or leave it. Dumb wrote up a new devis, added "prix promo", took my check, packed up and they left. Good riddance.

Here's a shameless plug: Do not call anyone (except perhaps the pompiers) on those "under the door" cards. Holley Duran is a reputable plumber. I used them two years ago and I should have called them back. (I found their old receipt in my 2005 books.) Go with what you know.

And away go troubles down the drain...

Wild thing...

2008-10-10T19:15:00.017+02:00

Whenever people come to Paris, one of the things they want to do is experience the food. Some friends from the US are here this week, but not for the sights. They are here for the restaurants. They are "Serious Foodies".

Let me introduce you... I met Tobi through an AOL support board almost 10 years ago! We have stayed in touch and visited each other over the past few years... she's come to Paris, I've gone to NYC. Tobi is a member of several other forums and boards, the topics include Paris, travel and food. Peg is a member of the travel and food boards. She's also a professional caterer in Atlanta. Jo (a friend of Peg's) and her husband, Don, are from the San Francisco area and come to Paris for a month or so every year.

We all had lunch together on Sunday at Brasserie Balzar in the 5th and the topic turned (naturally) to which restaurants they had been to on this trip. Jo whipped a sheet of paper out of her purse that I HAD to see. She has compiled an impressive list of restaurants and cafes that is broken down by arrondissement and includes price ranges and comments by friends and critics. She very kindly gave me a copy of it. It's better than a Zagat guide!

The conversation then segued into the variety of entrees, plats and desserts that have been tasted and sampled during the week. I was astounded when Peg said she had had cassoulet for dinner the night before and then ordered charcroute for lunch! (I could feel my arteries hardening by the second!) But, I totally understand the "I want to have all my favorites while I'm here" syndrome. I did the same thing in NY & Boston; Reubens, bagels with cream cheese, garlic pickles, lobsters... I won't even tell you what I go for in the South!

We met again for dinner last night at L'Epigramme in the 6th. I had the canard sauvage, the others had the cote de cochon basque. The duck was tasty and came with the added ingredient of buckshot. I have long ago learned never to take a solid bite into anything "sauvage".

I used to be quite a chef back when I had time to cook and someone appreciative of the efforts. In my old neighborhood of Suresnes, I had all my "guys"... the wine guy, the cheese guy, the fish guy... my favorite was my butcher. These are the people you really need to know if you live in France. I once got a gift of a dead pheasant. It arrived in a FNAC bag, its tail feathers sticking out the top. I had no idea what to do with it. So, I took it to my boucher and he did all the magic things that one does to make it cookable, charged me 25 francs and off I went. I called a friend whose husband is a chef and asked, "What do I do with it now?" Well, let me tell you... I barded that baby in bacon, browned it, then doused it with Calvados, threw in some onion and apple slices and let it simmer for a short time. I invited said friend and her cheffing hubby for dinner that night, et voila... I got the seal of approval! Kudos (and Calvados) all around!

We'll be meeting up for one more dinner on Sunday night before they all head back to the US. Not sure where we'll be dining, but it will be good, I'm counting on it!

You make everything, groovy!

Like a bridge over troubled water...

2008-10-04T21:44:00.001+02:00

The last few weeks have been a journey through my past. Through conversations with old friends and "new", I am discovering not only who I am, but who my true friends really are. The memories being relived, back and forth, are revealing. Between what I remember and what a friend remembers, we stitch together pieces of our past that may have been forgotten, but which suddenly explain certain events and their outcomes.

This process is also revealing to me my choices in life and the different path I seem to have always taken given my parent's lifestyle and the choices they made. Moving around as a Navy brat, constantly entering and leaving neighborhoods/friendships/schools/states made for an abbreviated grasp on the meaning of long term relationships. I have lived in Paris longer than I have lived anywhere else in my life. And I'm not French! It's not my culture, nor my country, background or language, and yet... here I am.

I am discovering (I think I have a little more learning to do on this subject!) that certain people who I thought I could count on are not at all who I thought they were. That is a huge disappointment to me. And others, relationships built slowly over time, have proved to be more than I ever thought they could be; I thank you for that. In your heart, you know who you are.

This has been a difficult journey. There have been tears, a lot of self-reflection and questioning of who I am on my part. I know this is a journey I can only make on my own. And I know that when the end of this particular path comes to its fork, I will have learned more about me and I will be ready to make my next move with strength and confidence.

I have a lot to go through in the next coming months. Life changes combined with today's climate of economic incertitude... I'll need to know who my friends really are.

Sail on silver girl...

Rainy day, dream away...

2008-10-03T16:07:00.006+02:00

The heat has finally been turned on in my building, and brrr... just in the nick of time... it is COLD and rainy! My son came home for lunch today and left wearing a leather jacket and a scarf!

I've been watching the trees change in my "jardin" and taking a daily photo. It's amazing how quickly they are changing this year. A portent of a cold winter?

In the meantime, some friends arrived this morning from the US and we have tickets (row 8 center!) to see Stephen Stills on Sunday! Having just seen him with Crosby and Nash this summer, I am looking forward to seeing him on his own.

At the end of the month I have tickets for a show featuring Stanley Clarke, Marcus Miller and Victor Wooten.... this is with my son, a friend of his and his friend's dad. If anyone can direct Dave Mason to Paris, let me know!

Short post, I have been digging on the cooler weather, slightly slower pace and satisfying work with good people.

Let the sun take a holiday...

Black and white...

2008-09-27T20:52:00.009+02:00

Went to see the Richard Avedon exhibit at the Jeu de Paume. I loved seeing the portraits enlarged as to be able to see the reflection in the eyes of the subject. The images were all so powerful and the exhibition space lent itself to the black and white starkness of his work.

I had my little Olympus with me and took a few shots indoors of the windows and space... the above was taken outside after we left the building. It was just a blank wall, but the shadows and the play of light on the leaves made an interesting pattern. The person I was with asked me, "how do you see that?" as I nudged her in that direction and took the shot. The beauty of digital is it is right there. I showed her the preview. I don't know the answer to that. It's just there... it pleases my eye.

Here's a link to the Fraenkel Gallery in San Francisco. A lot of pleasure in this site. Enjoy.

Note to self: This was such an inspiration. Make more time to go see more shows and make it a point to go out and just shoot.

I speak through my photographs more intricately, more deeply than with words.
~Richard Avedon

Mois de la Photo

2008-09-26T19:03:00.020+02:00

A few years ago I took a digital photography course at Parsons School of Design here in Paris given by Bob Bishop, the editor of Paris Voice. I've been rehashing a few of those photos here in this blog, including the above taken at the Jardin des Tuileries.

For me, the course was a refresher in how to look at things. He gave us a great assignment of shape, form and texture. Simple and subtle. I enjoyed going out, camera in hand, with a specific task in mind.

To be honest, I've never been technically astute with my equipment, but I think I have a good eye. I saw an interview once with Gabriel Byrne and something he said captured the essence of my photography and how I like to shoot. He said, "The camera photographs thought. It photographs emotion. If you think it, the camera picks it up." That says it all for me.

Here comes the shameless plug.

The Mois de la Photo is coming up soon here in Paris. I had emailed earlier this afternoon with Bob and he sent a link of photo events that will be happening around Paris for the next few weeks.

Hopefully, he'll be adding the upcoming Mona Bismarck exhibition "Serendipity: Photographs by Kim Powell". Kim is a friend and a professional photographer. We did a trip to Sri Lanka together last November to photograph and document the works of 60 Sri Lankan artists for Expressions of Independence, the previous MBF show. We spent an amazing 12 days in Sri Lanka, touring the island, the temples, and getting a feel for the culture. If you haven't been there, you must make it a destination to be seen and experienced. It will take hold of all your senses.

Much of our time was spent in the back seat of our car being transported to different sites by Nalin, our driver. We quickly figured out that if we wanted to capture anything, it was going to be on the move. There are a lot of motion shots, lots of movement and color blurs. But it seemed to capture the essence of what we both saw, incorporating thought and emotion.

My photos from the trip are rotating in the little photo sidebar on this site. Here's a link to the bigger slideshow.

If you are in Paris between October 22, 2008 and January 10, 2009 be sure to stop by the Mona Bismarck Foundation to see Kim's work. As I write this, it is still being set up, but having shared the experience with her, I can assure you, it will be well worth the visit.

Say "fromage"!

All the leaves are brown...

2008-09-22T20:28:00.006+02:00

Well, not yet... but it is autumn!

I love the fall. I love when it gets chilly enough at night to throw on the big thick comforter. I love watching the leaves go through their changing metamorphosis of colors and the rustling they bring when the winds blows. The days begin to grow noticeably shorter and soup makes its way onto the menu...

Here in Paris, the chestnut leaves will be falling soon. I call them landmines because you never know what might be under them. I wrote an "Ode to Fall" when I first moved here... I wish I could find it. Suffice to say it involved sidewalks, big leaves and small dogs.

For those of you considering a visit to Paris, the autumn is the best time of year to come over. The weather is still good, everything is open, most of the regular tourists are gone and the fêtes and salons are in full swing.

The last few days here have been perfect. The next few should be just as good. A friend's mom is here from San Francisco, we're going to try to do a Cordon Bleu class. The Richard Avedon show ends next week and I'm meeting someone on Saturday to take that in. I started yoga classes every Thursday evening... all is good. A brief break in the rentrée schedule.

Everyone must take time to sit and watch the leaves turn.
~Elizabeth Lawrence

Blast from the past...

2008-09-17T21:23:00.009+02:00

This is really stretching it... first the FA days and now this!

As part of a learning process for a project I am working on, I was asked to join FaceBook (social networking, community building, et al). This was something I have always been reluctant to do as I already spend more than enough time on the web. But, I did it. I'm still learning how it works... and I need to make a few adjustments to the privacy settings.

I will say this... it is instantaneous as far as getting in touch with old friends. Especially for old farts like me! I have gotten back in contact with most of the old neighborhood gang, and people I haven't heard from since HS graduation day! So, to bring back the haze... here's a self-portrait of moi, circa 1976.

I used to have "my darkroom" in the bathroom... (please note the fine 1970s vintage wallpaper à la Strathmore East!) I had the enlarger and trays set up on a folding table... turn on the red light, lock the door and block out the light at the floor with towels... et voila. I'd spend hours in there, developing film, printing... lost in my own little world. My friends were my best subjects. Candid shots, portraits, staged photos, just doing what we did... it's nice to go back and look at them... even better to see they survived after 32 years!

And we survived too. So, Floyd, Sue, Anita, Sue, Jim, Kev... here's looking at you!

Ah, how good it feels! The hand of an old friend.
~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Welcome aboard...

2008-09-13T17:07:00.013+02:00

There was an article on today's NYT website entitled, "Flying the Unfriendly Skies". The author, Michelle Higgins, went through American Airlines' Flight Attendant Training School and reported her experience. It had a video that went with it called, "Flight School Confidential"... I had to watch it.

As you know, I was a Flight Attendant for 10 years, and let me tell you, FA training is not easy. Judging by the video, it has not gotten any easier over the years.

The above photo is of a few of us crew members lolling around in a 747 engine, that's me standing. (Sometimes it got a little boring hanging around on the tarmac...) Luckily, we had a ladder and a few "ramp rats" to help us up and down. In training, it was a different story. To qualify on the 747, we had to jump out of a mock up cabin... Our trainer popped the door open, blew the slide and down we went, JUMP, JUMP, JUMP... It's a scary thing to do that without the adrenalin rush of an actual "event". We were given the opportunity to jump out of the upper deck... no takers. A single lane slide 47 feet up? After you.

My flying experience began as a bet. There was an ad in Newsday... I was sitting around with my boss at the time and read the ad to him. He said, "I'll give you the day off if you go to the interview". Sure, why not? That began my whirlwind career of "sky-walking". I had the opportunity to see places I never would have traveled to otherwise. I met people of many different cultures, tasted foods from all over and sated my wanderlust nature.

As cliche as it is, I met my future husband on a layover... it was April in Paris... he worked for a French airline, I worked for an American airline... we dated NY-Paris for a year and ended up getting married. Long story short, I'm still here, he's not... see my profile.

I worked for three different airlines, all charter (I wanted to do international flights and not just Peoria-Pitt-Philly-Phoenix). The last one was American Trans Air (ATA). They just went bankrupt this past spring. I met my roommate (DD) in training and we shared a house in Long Beach, NY, just four blocks from the beach and close to JFK. Our hours were not normal, we had two phone "signals", one for friends and one for crew scheduling... we had "The Wall of Shame"... photos from layovers that you wouldn't want your mom to see. We had a lot of fun. We also lost a lot of friends. It was the 80s and HIV/AIDS was still not quite defined.

Some of the more memorable flights include flying the Mormon Tabernacle Choir to Washington, DC for George H. W. Bush's 1989 inauguration. I kept asking them to sing something and after a bit of egging on, the forward cabin broke into song. It was amazing to be surrounded in that sound. We flew Sir Richard Branson, his wife and several of his guests including John Hurt, from Miami to London when Virgin's plane broke down. He's an inspirational man. I had the opportunity to work a flight to the "North Pole" with the Sunshine Foundation. We had kids and their parents on board for an hour or so, with clowns and Santa... we just inched along the empty runways, but the kids enjoyed every minute of it. So did I. I have a lot of good memories.

These days, post 9/11, it just doesn't seem like it would be much fun anymore. The training video included smoke hoods and defibrillators! We were lucky enough to have a basic first aid kit and CPR certification. If you want a good laugh, go rent the movie "Stewardess School".

Fasten your seat belts!

Herd mentality...

2008-09-11T21:58:00.005+02:00

I left this shot in a larger format because I want you to click on it and enjoy the details. It's the screen saver on my second monitor and it takes me back to that day. We were at the baby elephant orphanage in Sri Lanka and it was at the end of bathing time in the river. As you can see, there's always one hold out in every crowd. I like to think that maybe s/he thinks s/he can break free... Why not?

The reason for this photo is exactly what you see... the herd mentality. I was thinking about it today in reference to the campaign and all the mindless polls... let's just vote already! NYT's Gail Collins must have been reading my mind. Check out her column today.

This is just a quick post, knee-deep in a big deadline...

I wonder what an elephant would look like with lipstick??

Oooops, I did it again...

2008-09-09T20:09:00.015+02:00

I love French taxi drivers.

Between yesterday and today I have been in 5 cabs, zipping back and forth across Paris. Until I open my mouth, I'm French. Then they ask me where I am from. New York. Then they ask, who am I voting for? They smile when I say Obama.

On my iGoogle home page, I have the NYT feed. One of the headlines today was "Straining to Reach Goal, Obama Presses Donors"... Ever since I donated a few days ago, I have been getting a bunch of emails from the Obama campaign. IMHO... y'all need a good copywriter to punch up the pitch! ---> Moi, (a registered Democrat abroad) didn't realize that Obama had made a decision to bypass public financing for the general election!

For that reason, I whipped out the credit card and made another donation. Check out the Obama website. They even have a $5 button for donations! Isn't that what a latte-choco-moto-whatever-it-is costs at Starbucks? Put YOUR money where your mouth is... and don't forget to register and VOTE!

I'm not that innocent...

Pump up the volume...

2008-09-06T22:55:00.011+02:00

I'm on a few mailing lists. I am also a member of FAWCO. This came in the other day from the FAWCO list...

The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has proposed new regulations that would effectively redefine commonly used birth control methods as “abortions” and restrict the access of millions of women to contraception methods and information about alternative methods of birth control.
Women’s groups are disappointed that a department of the US Government which should normally be concerned about women’s welfare is using its power to try to curb and dramatically restrict the ability of women, particularly the 17 million women who depend on federally-supported medical facilities, to receive contraceptive services.
FAWCO, in keeping with its Resolutions & Recommendations which state:
2. Resolves to encourage and support FAWCO members to promote human rights and welfare with a special focus on the most vulnerable women and children through education and awareness-raising, and recommends:
c. Affirming a person’s right to accurate information about reproductive and sexual health, including HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases; supporting health education programs aimed at preventing, controlling and treating diseases, as well as publishing information on cardiovascular disease, cancer and other health issues;
has written a letter to the Secretary of Health and Human Services, Mike Leavitt recommending that the department drop the proposed regulatory change and concentrate on improving and expanding medical services for women, particularly those least able to afford private clinics.
Our letter is on our website under UN/NGO “FAWCO Speaks Out.”
For a complete copy of the regulations the Department of Health and Human Services is proposing, go to www.hhs.gov/news/press/2008pres/08/20080821reg.pdf
The government has a 30-day public comment period, which will continue until Sept 20. During this time, if you wish to comment you can contact the government at www.hhs.gov/ContactUs.html.
If you would like more information go to NOW’s website at: www.capwiz.com.

Are we that far removed from reality? Where are we headed? I feel like women are going back in time. Judith Martin's blog today spoke volumes.

Words fail me.

We won’t get fooled again...

2008-09-05T19:18:00.018+02:00

I'm gonna need a few cases of Alter Ego to get through the next eight weeks.

In order to be bipartisan, I watched the reruns this morning of McCain's speech at the RNC. (No way was I getting up in the middle of the night to see it live!) I noticed, as the cameras panned the audience, that there was something missing. In that sea of American humanity, cowboy hats and red, white and blue buttons aside, it looked pretty pale compared to Obama's crowd. Where's the diversity? Where's the melting pot of America? And I kept hearing the same word over and over... 'fight'. Aren't we tired of fighting??

Speaking of fighting, let's move on to the pitbull in lipstick... While listening to Ms. Palin’s party acceptance speech yesterday, I had to put a finger in my good ear (I’m half deaf) to soften the shrillness of her voice. I kept saying to my son, “She sounds like, like...” and couldn’t remember who... until this afternoon. Think back to 1984 and the movie Splash. You know... Tom Hanks, Darryl Hannah? Here’s a clip from the movie, you’ll have to wait until very close to the end to hear what I mean, but it’s totally worth watching. I especially enjoyed the Crazy Eddie commercial.... IN-SANE!

Here's another little tidbit: Gail Collins' NYT op-ed today mentioned some off-mic chatter made by MSNBC commentators. I'd rate this exchange right up there with Jesse Jackson's recent gaffe. However, it's interesting to get some honest opinions from "the experts".

Now that the conventions are over, it's time for the debates. I hope CNN will give those the same full election coverage we've come to expect for the viewers overseas. I am looking forward to seeing Joe Biden and Sarah Palin face off in the swimsuit competition...

The change, it had to come...

They’re baaack!

2008-09-03T19:46:00.029+02:00

It's official. Anyone who held out until the last possible minute has made their way back to Paris to what is known as "La Rentrée". I can hear the Xanax being popped across the city... I can also hear the roaming street band outside... they wasted no time getting back in the swing of things. Cue Strangers in the Night... it sounds like they spent their summer learning some new tunes! It also sounds like they bought some new amps.

For those of you who have no clue as to what la rentrée is, it's the traditional time of year when, following five glorious weeks of French vacation, you pack up your bags (and your attitude) and make your way back into the grind. Work, school, whatever... then, you start counting down the weeks to the Toussaint vacation. Six weeks on, two weeks off. I love France.

It also means everything is open for business again! Cafes, bistros, newsstands, the open air markets are back with all the stalls and regular vendors. The kids have returned to school and routines fall into place.

Autumn has always been my favorite season, no matter where I lived. A time to begin anew and hopefully, make some real changes to the schedule. In my mind, it's better than making New Year's resolutions that you know you'll never keep.

Right now, I am busy working on the catalogue for our next show, (I will be shamelessly plugging that in the upcoming weeks) and I once again find myself glued to the chair and box for long hours. As you know, I have been trying to figure out some nifty time management tricks over the past few months. I've sort of come up with a list... or as I like to call it, Notes to Self. Feel free to add your suggestions!

Note to Self: Do not go to Carrefour after 4pm. The mom brigade is out in force to pick up the kids at school and head en masse to do the grocery shopping. I now have the luxury of doing daytime shopping. I just have to get off my butt and do it.

Note to Self: Roll your butt out of bed, throw something on, bypass the Nespresso machine and go do a 45 minute walk around the lake. You owe it to yourself. Side note: I hear the blind man tapping his way around the block everyday at 5pm-ish and the guilt sets in. My son has to be out of here at 8am every morning, Monday through Friday. (No Saturday classes this year!) I must build in a regular walk schedule, so if I don't answer the phone first thing in the a.m., you'll know where I am!

Note to Self: Take advantage of this amazing city and go see more stuff. There are two photo shows on right now: Annie Leibovitz and Richard Avedon. The artistic input will be a point of inspiration and, who knows? I might even meet some new folks in the process!

On that note, a friend's mom is coming over to visit in a week or so and I have promised to do a class with her at Cordon Bleu. I haven't done that in years! It will be fun to see her again and to spend the afternoon doing something we both enjoy... cooking! I'll have more on this later. Until then...

If the facts don't fit the theory, change the facts.
~ Albert Einstein

Hot Fun in the Summertime...

2008-08-30T13:40:00.028+02:00

This morning, after reading way too many blogs and news articles about McCain's VP choice, I decided to put my money where my mouth is. I made a donation to Obama's campaign.

I was Skyping with a friend in the US and watching CNN International (multi-tasking!) when yesterday's announcement was made... my jaw dropped. I won't tell you which emoticon we both used, but it was immediate and unanimous.

My first thought was, 5 kids? My mom had 5 kids... she barely had time to go to the bathroom and this woman could potentially be "a heartbeat away" from the presidency? Then I found out the youngest was born in April, with Down Syndrome? I'm sorry. My priorities would be with my family. I'm still shaking my head in disbelief. What is he thinking? What is she thinking?

Here's what some other bloggers are thinking... I found a few to share with you. I just needed to have a little chuckle.

From the "Funniest Blog in America" McCain Taps Palin of Alaska After First 37 Choices Turn Him Down:

"I know Vice President isn't a glamorous job," Sen. McCain admitted. "You mostly go to funerals of foreign leaders, unless you're inventing the Internet like Al Gore or running America like Dick Cheney. But the job is frankly what you make of it, and I would have thought I could find someone who had some sort of stature or name recognition or even came from a state where there are more electoral votes than caribou."

A few comments from Jack Cafferty's blog:

KS from KS (August 29th, 2008 3:31 pm ET): She’s gonna whip Biden in the swimsuit competition during the VP debate.

Laura from SF (August 29th, 2008 3:38 pm ET): Grandpa and his Alaskan pistol-packin’ mamma are gonna save the world from terrorists...oh boy!

This comes from Wikipedia*:

"She and her father would sometimes wake at 3 a.m. to hunt moose before school..."

I guess we can all see where that 3 a.m. phone call ad will be going now... [gunshot heard echoing in the background]...

*This just in... Apparently there has been a lot of recent editing to Ms. Palin's Wikipedia entry. Here's a link to her bio prior to the announcement.

From Gail Collins:

"This year, Hillary Clinton took things to a whole new level. She didn’t run for president as a symbol but as the best-prepared candidate in the Democratic pack. Whether you liked her or not, she convinced the nation that women could be qualified to both run the country and be commander in chief. That was an enormous breakthrough, and Palin’s nomination feels, in comparison, like a step back."

From Tim Kaine: Real Time with Bill Maher

And one more: The Daily Show with Jon Stewart

Those summer days...

Cruising into middle age...

2008-08-29T12:12:00.006+02:00

The big 5-0 milestone has been reached and it ain't so bad. As the saying goes... consider the alternative!

The birthday excursion to Switzerland was quite enjoyable. The weather was a bit iffy for a Saturday evening dinner cruise, so we opted for a Sunday lunch cruise on the lake which lasted for 3 hours. We got off the boat feeling like it was over a little too soon, (the weather was perfect!) so we drove to Lausanne and caught another boat and did another three hours, this time accompanied by the above bucket. Cheers!

This past week has been spent working by day and watching the Democratic Convention by night, thus the late post. Last night I stayed up until 5:30am to see the entire closing event and watch Barack Obama accept the nomination. I know I posted this before, but I remember back in 1992 when Bill Clinton accepted the nomination, my first real "involvement" with politics. He was inspiring and even back then it was time for a change from the first Bush. I think both Bill and Hillary did the right thing by putting their dreams aside for the better good of the Democratic party.

Watching the speeches this week has given me a new sense of hope, that perhaps the US can pick itself up and dust itself off and go forward. Hopefully, come November, those of us living abroad won't have to once again say, "But I didn't vote for 'him'!". (I guess you know my affiliation by now!)

That said, whatever your party choice, I hope you are all registered and that you will send in your absentee ballot. If you need help getting registered, or want some information on how to vote from overseas, visit the AARO website and click on Voting. (When did I become such an activist?)

I think Barack Obama's message of looking forward and not turning back is appropriate for this milestone. It is time for new beginnings... because, like I said earlier...

Consider the alternative.

The sound of silence...

2008-08-20T20:12:00.009+02:00

Or, clam up! There is a theme here... bear with me.

I spent my formative years on the north shore of Long Island. Summertime evenings meant steamers and beer. I haven't done that in years... with that in mind, I had a hankering for bivalves the other night and found an easy recipe on epicurious.com for clams with a white wine and freshly squeezed lemon juice sauce tossed with pasta. The above photo is the end result of my clam cooking foray. I used palourdes... I guess I should have known by the price that the tinier (and much more expensive) clams would have been better. What do I know? On this recent US trip, I brought back several cans of Gorton's chopped clams. I can't get canned clams in France. (Maybe now you will understand why I was happy to pay the $50 overweight baggage charge on my return flight from hell. Lord knows, I didn't want my baggage contents spilled all over the check-in area for the world to see...)

Anyway, the finished dish looked great, however, the clams were rubbery and I ended up dumping most of them... totally unsated. Which got me to thinking about lobsters. We had such a great lobster dinner at Anthony's in Boston. So, I went back to Carrefour with a bon d'achat for 22 euros in hand and bought a lobster. It came to 1.76 euros (merci, bon d'achat!). It was a big lobster, but, as I later discovered, it had just shed its shell and was beginning a new one. So, soft shell, tender, not much meat, but the flavor was there and I enjoyed it.

How does this tie in with the sound of silence?

This is the golden week in Paris. In my quartier, everyone is gone. There is no street noise at night. No traffic, no 2am pedestrians (you know what I mean!). No crowds at Carrefour, you can actually cruise the aisles! No garbage collection at 6:30am on a daily basis... heck, I don't even look twice to cross the street! There's no one here! So what am I gonna do? Get out of Dodge!

This weekend I am turning 50. The big one. The "halfway there" mark... When I tell people how old I am they say, no way! (I think it's just the fat cells keeping the wrinkles at bay.) I'm heading back to the land of happy cows, Swiss precision and green vistas. I'll be staying with a friend and we plan to do a gourmet dinner cruise Saturday evening on Lake Geneva with champagne ordered for midnight. (Hangover free on Monday!) Bliss.

Can I hear you say yeah??

Wooly bully...

2008-08-14T18:37:00.008+02:00

Well, much like the song Wooly Bully, my sojourn in NY was fast-paced...but very enjoyable. I managed to get a lot done, but I could have used an extra week to do/see stuff that was not on the "to do list".

First. My friend Hayden moved back to New York after many years of living in Paris. She is now the co-owner of a boutique called Hayden & Alice at 385 Amsterdam Ave between 78th and 79th. I didn't get a chance to see her and when I had a day available, she was on a plane to Paris! Stop by her shop and say hi! Tell her QB sent you!

I just want to mention this... I came back from an afternoon at Macy's... yes... I know... one post was all about consumerism, etc. But, I don't normally shop like that, I had a list and at least I was boosting the US economy! Anyway, I came back to the hotel, collapsed on the couch and turned on the tube. For whatever reason, I landed on C-SPAN and stayed there. It was a recorded show from the NOW convention in Maryland. I happened to tune in just as they were honoring the recipient of the Woman of Courage Award. It went to Barbara Hillary. I was truly inspired by what she had to say, how she said it, and what she has accomplished in her life. Her one bit of advice was "have a goal". Take a look at her website. Very interesting woman.

On Tuesday of my second week I was picked up by a friend and we headed over to Lambertville, NJ to meet with an artist, Timothy Martin and his wife. Timothy is quite a talented and unique character, you will be hearing more about him here in the future. We had a wonderful afternoon with them and then headed over to a B&B called Woolverton Inn. On the way there, we passed by a glass studio and we both said, "Hmmmm!".

So, we checked in, dropped off the bags and headed back up the road to investigate. I'm glad we did. We met Geoff and Karen Caldwell, the owners of Sunflower Glass Studio. At first we weren't sure if anyone was there, but Topper (the English Springer Spaniel) greeted us at the door and Karen rushed about turning the lights and fan on for us. We got the tour of their studio, with works in progress. As if glass wasn't enough, Geoff is soon to hang his shingle as an astrologist AND you can catch him on YouTube singing the blues!

We asked about restaurants in the area and they recommended DeAnna's. Thank you for that tip! Great ambiance, fab food and tucked away so you really need to know where it is to enjoy it. If you are in the Stockton/Lambertville New Jersey area, stop by and say hi for us!

After NJ, it was time to head up to Boston for the Crosby, Stills and Nash concert. My friend Tobi and I rented a Prius... we paid for the extra tank of gas thinking it would be easier to just drop the car off than to try to find a station in NYC. We never once hit a gas station there and back and drove it in on fumes! What a car! Comfortable ride (once we figured out how to turn it on!) and we averaged 44.7 miles per gallon (according to the computer screen on the dashboard. Also liked the live view when you put it into reverse. Order yours now!

We met up with my aunt and uncle who were making their way back to North Carolina from Nova Scotia. We had dinner (get the lobster!) at Anthony's Pier 4... Anthony's has been around for years, the walls are lined with autographed photos going back decades.

The next night was the concert, great show, CSN did so many of the favorites, including a 'new' one called Lay Me Down written by James Raymond, David Crosby's son. Wonderful evening, the Bank of America Pavilion was 'outdoors' and the weather was perfect!

All too soon it was time to head back to NYC and get packed to go home to Paris. I really would have liked to stay one more week, if anyone would be interested in an apartment swap next year, let me know!

Let's not be L-7, come and learn to dance...

Come fly with me...

2008-08-02T17:02:00.014+02:00

I come from a flying family. My grandfather had his own plane. My grandmother (post-divorce) took exotic vacations and flew around the world. (I have a piece or two of her old luggage.) My mother learned to fly, then she married a pilot. My uncle flew, my brother was an air traffic controller and built his own planes. I was a flight attendant... Flying is in my blood. However, it feels like the lifeblood is rapidly draining away on the tarmac. What has happened to the airline industry? Where's the glamour? Where's the elegance? Where's the privilege of flying? This return trip from the US made me feel like I was plopped into steerage class from hell. The TGV is looking real good these days.

I booked this trip to NYC well ahead of time with plenty of options to choose from. I chose to fly a European airline (Swiss), as the news this past spring was all about excess baggage and weight charges being assessed on the US carriers. I also wanted to up my mileage with the program I am signed up with (Star Alliance). I could have gone direct from Paris to JFK on Air France, but with no miles being accounted for. (I now have enough for a free round trip ticket or a round trip upgrade.)

I also got a deal on the hotel by booking the entire trip through Expedia.fr. In some ways, because I booked it myself, I expected a few disappointments. I must say that the hotel (Eastgate Tower Hotel) was wonderful. Thank you to Carol, Jerry and Najeste for a wonderful stay. The staff could not have been more helpful. For three weeks I felt like I was at home abroad.

Open comment to the woman at the check-in counter at Swiss Airlines in JFK on 31 July. First off... if you hate your job so much, move on. Some one else would be happy sitting in your seat. Your attitude does nothing to promote the face of the company you represent. Second... Honey, I can count. When you insisted that you gave me a window and an aisle (F & G) and I asked you to recheck and you said "what's the problem?" ... the problem is that when I worked for the airlines, I had to know the seat configuration for every aircraft I was qualified on. 2-4-2 = AB-DEFG-JK. Your configuration. That's why I asked. Third, even though I was technically under the overall baggage weight limit for 2 passengers, (there wasn't much more that I could pack into the guitar case or the smaller duffel bag) why couldn't you be gracious enough to accommodate that in your assessment of our bags? We had weight to spare, but because one bag was over by 4 kilos, you made me pay the $50 overweight baggage charge. Merci.

And when did the carry-on baggage weight limit kick in? Carry-ons are now limited to 8 kilos?? So, the theory here is that as long as my carry-on bag passes the initial weight test and I can stroll through the x-ray machines without my liquids, I have every right to march into duty-free and purchase 50 kilos of (insert your favorite beverage here) without being fined?? Okay. Cool. Just so I know the rules. By the way, it would be nice if you would wear your ID with pride so we would know your name, and not tucked inside your shirt. Good or bad, tell the truth. All the time. Be proud of what you do.

I will go into a bit of detail on the actual NYC trip activities in the next few days. There is a lot I want to share; really good, fun stuff. But right now, I'm dealing with jet-lag and I promise to get over it as quickly as I can. Until then...

Let's fly, let's fly away...

Who are you?

2008-07-16T00:54:00.006+02:00

It dawned on me that the photo above and the previous photo of the Chrysler Building are no longer "baseball, hot dogs, apple pie and Chevrolet" American. Anheuser-Busch has been sold to a Belgian company and the Chrysler Building is now owned by the Abu Dhabi Investment Council. Who owns Chevrolet these days??

This slow sell-off of America is scary. As an American living overseas, I have gotten used to questions about who am I going to vote for, where am I from, what do I miss most... but these days, I have to wonder about the stability of my native country. I'll be very honest and say if given a choice, I don't think I could move back to the US. That has more to do with the way I was raised and how I grew up than anything else. If I had family roots in one area, I don't think there would be an issue, but I grew up on military bases, spent most of my life moving and I don't really have anywhere I would call "home" in the US. In fact, after living overseas for 16 years, I don't have anywhere in the world that I would call home right now. The transitions I am currently going through will result in another move at some point in the not-to-distant future. Where that takes me, who knows?

Right now, I wonder about my friends and family here in the US. Some have spouses who have lost their jobs through cut backs or bankruptcies. No one (yet) has lost their home, but there is a cautious holding back of spending that I am seeing. Even for me, although I have the advantage of the exchange rate right now, it's still expensive. I went to D'Agostino's this morning, spent $65 and walked away with 2 bags of groceries. (Okay, so I bought a six-pack of Coronas for $7.99) but still... 2 bags?

The other thing that floored me was the size of the portions of food served in restaurants and the amount of those portions that gets thrown away. After we dropped my son off at his camp, Brad and I went to a diner for lunch. I got a Reuben and iced tea. The order arrived... I almost fell out of the booth at the size of the portion. The Reuben came with a pickle, potato salad and a side of cole slaw on an over-sized plate and the food was hanging off the edges. The side of cole slaw came in a separate bowl. The refillable iced tea kept coming and then the waiter asked if we wanted desert. No thanks. I watched a couple next to us get their order. French fries with melted cheese on top, gigantic cheeseburger with all the fixings and endless glasses of DIET soda!! Where does the excess go? When the busboy cleared the table next to us half the food was left behind and got tossed into a plastic bin along with the dishes, obviously not to be reused anywhere. You could have fed a family of 4 on what was thrown away.

Where am I going with all this? I'm not sure. I go through this feeling every time I come back to the states. Reverse culture shock... the huge portions, feeling rushed through every meal in a restaurant, one person's plate is whisked away even though the other guests are still eating, no pause between courses... have I assimilated into French dining rituals? If I have, amen for that. Each course is sized to please the palate, knowing the next will do the same. There is time between the courses to enjoy your company and your dining experience. Even in the smallest cafes, the pace is slower and the portions smaller. Bite-sized... if you will allow me that comparison.

I guess what is hitting me on this trip is the abject consumerism in the US. The gluttony and need for bigger and more of it... I came with a shopping list of things I wanted to bring back (shoes, a few things I can't get in France, a book or two...) but I watch as people buy for no particular reason except that it is there and why not?

Life is simpler in France. Sunday is family day, the stores are closed. The average living space is smaller, no need to amass a lot of junk. Five weeks of vacation so you can actually take some time off and recharge your inner soul... I'm scaring myself with this post. I have no borders or cultural identity anymore. I've become a citizen of the world and the world is hurting. It's time to start healing it.

Tell me, who are you?

I can see clearly now...

2008-07-13T23:52:00.007+02:00

It's been a few days since the last post. We made it to NY and have been busy gearing up (literally) for my son's summer camp. We spent the first morning in Sam Ash Music picking up equipment and the afternoon was Bed, Bath & Beyond for the rest of the stuff on "the list".

He's enrolled with Power Chord Academy and will be spending the next two weeks absorbed in all things rock and roll... lessons, stage, recording, a concert... all organized on a university campus. My son will have two weeks of exposure to American kids his age and all the English slang currently in vogue. I'll pass along any choice expressions.

A friend, Brad, whom I have known since I was 12 came in and gave us a ride to the university. After we got him registered we brought his stuff up to the dorm room. We couldn't find his suite at first but there was a lot of "noise" coming from down the hall. After searching a bit and checking suite numbers, we walked right into the middle of the music source. Three of the suite mates were already jamming in the common room and his roommate was pulling his bass out. Good timing. We did the exit, stage left and hightailed it out of there.

I had my little mom moment of, will he be okay, he didn't eat lunch, etc... it was just funny that after all these years this little rite would be shared with Brad. Fitting as he has always been "the fifth brother".

When I came back to the hotel there was an emptiness that hit me that I really didn't expect to feel. This is the first time he's been on his own (without a parent) for this amount of time. I know he's probably overjoyed at the freedom, and I am thrilled for him. But I know it won't be long before he'll be going off on his own and I will be an empty-nester.

I have a lot on my agenda this week, too. The highlight being three days of one-on-one tutoring time with an instructor I met last summer. I'll be covering FileMaker and Adobe programs. I have all day Tuesday to catch up with some skill refreshing and will take advantage of my 30 days of lynda.com!

It's gonna be a bright, bright, bright sun shiny day...

Feelin’ alright...

2008-07-06T21:13:00.021+02:00

To get you in the mood... an excellent rendition of one of my most favorite songs by Dave Mason. [YouTube has since taken it down! 20 Aug 2008. Here's Joe Cocker's rendition.]

I mentioned a few weeks ago that I was contacted by a publisher in New York to review a book... "Petite Anglaise" arrived via FedEx practically on the day it was released in the US. I finished reading it on Friday and I have been thinking about how to write this review.

First, my ground rules. I had not heard of Petite Anglaise (henceforth to be known as PA), nor her blog before I got the book. I did not go to her site until after I finished reading the book. I took notes as I read the book and I have a few questions myself, but I'll give you my honest opinion first. PA's blog gets mega hits per month and mega comments to every stroke of the keyboard. If I had that volume of readership, I'd quit my day job... (wait, I already did! ... merde!).

Seriously. As an expat living in Paris since 1992, I can say we all come here for different reasons. Hers was a lifelong dream. Mine was happenstance. We're both still here... there's just something about Paris. We came here at about the same time. She was a college student, I was married with an infant. She's a Brit, I'm American. My son was born in the US. She had "Tadpole" in Paris during the summer of the canicule (the heatwave, 2003). I remodeled my kitchen and bathroom that summer. Anyone who has been through remodeling can understand that it is the equivalent of childbirth. Anyone who lived through the canicule in Paris, will agree with me... DRUG ME NOW!

PA's book was mostly a synopsis of her blog, so the story line needed to follow. She takes us through the beginning moments of her blog, the meeting of "Lover" and the breakup with "Mr. Frog" (the father of her daughter, "Tadpole"), and then, the eventual breakup with "Lover"... She ends on a positive note by purchasing her own apartment in Paris and looking forward to life as a single mother. Something I know a lot about.

On page 172 she said, "write what you want when you have something to say". I can relate to that and have given myself the freedom of not feeling like I have to post here everyday. She poured her heart into her writing and it obviously paid off.

But PA put herself out there like I never would. As she said back then, she blogged "as a persona". She spilled her guts when life sucked and she shared her happiness when it didn't. She detailed events in her life along with her feelings. The people around her, although never named, didn't always seem too happy to have their histoire out on the net... and she acknowledges that. She even questions pushing the publish button on some occasions.

She didn't have her name on her site until after she was "dooced". (Yes, I learned a few expressions along the way... although this was not included in the book. I had to go back in her archives about two years because the book leaves off in the summer of 2006.) She has an intimate relationship with her readership and sometimes used her blog to send someone "an open letter hoping for some response". But that's how she started out. More power to her. Here's a link to her blog, Petite Anglaise. You can order her book online, details on her site.

A few things I learned... there are Parisian Blogger Soirées... I'd be interested in attending one. It would be nice to get to know some of the other blogging folks out there. I may already know some of you! She gave Meetic a try. This bit is on the blog. At least her experience had a happy ending... mine ended up with a restraining order. She mentions a good organization that I wish I knew of a few months ago... freecycle.com. Check it out. If you are moving and/or have good stuff that you don't want to put on the sidewalk, sign up and post it... Someone will come and take it off your hands *pronto* and give it a good home.

Follow your passion, and success will follow you.
~Arthur Buddhold

Miracles, the B-side...

2008-07-02T18:42:00.026+02:00

This is a follow up to a few things. The photo is of the same fountain as the last Miracles post, but it was taken this morning, with the b-side. Get it?

Here we go:

Miracle 1: I love lynda.com. They picked up on the problem I had with Adobe and made an offer I couldn't refuse. I'll be happily watching training tutorials on a VAST number of subjects. If you thought Lynda.com was just for Adobe products, think again. Amorphium Pro?? Never heard of it myself, but I can learn all about if I wanted to! I think I'll be spending my time with Illustrator, Photoshop and InDesign. Gotta hone those skills, baby! While I'm at it, hey Lynda, how about 'mashup for morons'?? :-)

My thanks and gratitude to Steve at lynda.com. There are still some good people in this world.

Miracle 2: Right after I emailed with Steve this morning, I got an automated reminder from Adobe.com...

Dear Dianne,
We want to remind you that you have not yet selected your complimentary registration benefit. Please take this opportunity to select now...

...so I did. Another month with lynda.com! Amorphium, here I come! Mind you, my Adobe support ticket is still "Open - pending Adobe response". At this point a response would be a courtesy. May I point out that this was an automated reminder?

Miracle 3: Do you remember the blind man who makes his daily treks around the block? My neighbor invited me over for an impromptu happy hour yesterday. I asked her about him (she KNOWS everybody/everything!). Turns out he's the organist at the local church! Well, smite me down! She said he's very good, has been playing there for years and that I should go give him a listen. I think I will. The hardest part of living in France is integrating into society. I've lived in this apartment since 1999. I know 2 of my neighbors on a less formal basis. One is British and the other is Moroccan. Go figure.

Miracle 4: Duly inspired by a friend in the UK and my blind man (I will learn his name!), who both make AND take the time for a daily run/walk, I walked to the sport store yesterday and bought some comfy sneakers. Mind you, I have huge feet and it's just my luck to live in a country where women's sizes in normal shoe stores only go to a 40. I'm a 42. Tant pis. I stock up on regular shoes when I am in the US, but, for sneakers, I go directly to the men's department at GoSport. (Why waste time having the assistant running back and forth saying, "Je suis désolé madame, nous n'avons pas ce modèle dans votre taille." It ain't easy.) Anyway, I found a pair and tried them on. It was like Heaven on my soles. I said, I'll take them.... and off we went to the cash register. Cha-ching. Little did I know I bought a pair of Nike Zoom Vomero 3's... but I am one happy camper with those babies on my feet!

Miracle 5: With those new babies on my feet and camera in hand, this morning I did the tour around the lake. Might as well combine work with pleasure! What I wanted to do was take photos to map my position on Google Earth. I'm learning a lot! One day I'll post a link so you can see what it all does. The walk felt good and I am now more motivated to carry on with it.

Miracle 6: Well, maybe not a miracle, but a follow-up nonetheless. Remember Hobbes, recently risen from the dead?? Well, dem bones ain't gonna rise again... I had news from UB that Hobbes is really up in kitty heaven. He was 19 and truly made the most of his nine lives. RIP, Hobbes.

If we are facing in the right direction, all we have to do is keep on walking.
~Buddhist saying

They did the mash...

2008-07-01T07:34:00.014+02:00

For those of you following the previous post, I haven't written because I was waiting to hear back from Steve at Lynda.com (no reply just yet). I also submitted a ticket on Adobe's support forum with a link to the "An inconvenient truth..." post. The status there is "Open - Pending Adobe Response". I will keep you informed.

Just a side note here: I signed up for Layers Magazine's Tip of the Day. I got my first "tip" and at the bottom of the email was a big, fat link that said, "Upgrade to Adobe CS3.3 at CDW and get one free month of online training at Kelbytraining.com". Uh-huh.

In the meantime, I have taken my own words to heart and ordered my first e-book. I don't know if you have ever read an e-book before. It's a bit different from your regular paperback or hardcover, it's onscreen which means nothing to hold and I am chained to the laptop to read it. But, because of the topic of said book, it's actually much easier to click on links than to type them in. I am learning about mashups. If you haven't heard of them, you have probably seen them in action and weren't even aware that this is the future of Web 2.0. I've spent the last two days reading, learning and experimenting with mashup APIs. I'm getting it, but I haven't had my "ah-hah" moment yet. Yesterday I was actually wishing I had a third screen just to keep track of what was where. If anyone out there has a bit of advice to offer, please, by all means, pipe up! I could sure use it!

Still living virtually, I also did a bunch of online banking tasks. It is so much easier than having to go in person or making a phone call. I clicked on the live chat window and went to town. Sure, some of the replies are stock answers, but they are clear and why reinvent the wheel? I was done in ten minutes and it didn't leave a footprint!

My next big adventure might be ordering groceries online. I need to get a grip on my time management and I'm trying find ways to put my available time to better use. Aside from giving up the daily NYT crossword puzzle (no way!) I figure I can buy about 2 hours each week by having the victuals delivered to my door. (Maybe I could then apply that time to the daily walk/workout session?)

The mind boggles at what can be done online these days. If you haven't downloaded Firefox 3, here's a link. Then sign-up with iGoogle and start adding widgets to your homepage... fly yourself around the world with Google earth...

You'll catch on in a flash...

An inconvenient truth...

2008-06-27T00:05:00.015+02:00

Apparently, at Adobe, the customer counts for nada. Bear with me here... this will only take a moment. I won't tell you how much money I have thrown their way over the past year... suffice it to say that as of yesterday, I have upgraded to Design Premium CS3.3 (now with Fireworks and Acrobat 9 Pro!). It's even legal... and registered!

Following my registration, I was sent an email that said "Your registration benefit is waiting." I was waiting for it. I eagerly anticipated my chance to have a one-month free trial at lynda.com.

Alas, it landed in my spam folder. The untouchable folder, the one where I have to send a request to the sender to have the email resent. But, in the "reason it got rejected as spam" field it said, "Level 2: anywhere in message Match: PLEASE DO NOT REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE".

So... rather than replying to the message, I called Adobe's support line. That's an international/really long distance call from Paris to California. First, I had to press my way through the voicemail map and listen to all the options. Then I got Roger. Roger was very friendly as he put me on hold until he "located my records". He came back after a few minutes and told me that while he sees all my purchases, because I had DOWNLOADED the upgrade, I was not eligible for a registration benefit. WHAT??

I'm sorry, but in this day and age of global warming and trying to save the planet, me accepting to purchase my software via a download and not have a CD/DVD (not to mention the accompanying manual) pressed, packaged, processed and mailed should be incentive enough for EVERYONE to be downloading their programs AND getting their registration benefit. Honestly! All I want is my free one-month trial at lynda.com... street value, $25. I'm not asking for the moon here, folks!

Bottom line, I need the programs and Adobe has me by the you-know-whats (if I had them)... If any nice people over at lynda.com are reading this... I sure wish you'd rethink your incentive package policy with Adobe. And to Roger at Adobe, it doesn't take much to please your customers. Bend a little.

Thank you for letting me rant.

Have a nice day...

The Bottom Line...

2008-06-22T13:17:00.008+02:00

I've had this post on the back burner for 2 days now.... debating the option of using a web photo or something of mine. I have to be true to myself and use one of mine, but I just wanted to add the following:

Saturday's NYT had an article about the, "Strange Habits of Successful Tennis Players". Guess what? Remember my Bucket seats... post? Seems I'm not the only one who noticed...

"...Nadal has more elaborate behaviors that have nothing to do with his wicked left-handed hooking forehand. There will be kangaroo jumps in the locker room, ultra-precise drink bottle positioning on changeovers, obsessive toweling off between points and equally obsessive wiping of the lines between points with a sneaker sole, even when those lines are already clean. Above all, there is his backward grab at the seat of his tennis shorts that one imagines has not helped sales of the clam diggers that he has otherwise popularized.

When reporters once tried to get to the bottom of the habit, Nadal said the problem was actually his bottom. “A little bigger than usual,” he explained."...

A little bigger than usual. Wow.

This is a young guy, in fine shape, and he's got a big butt. What hope is there for us slightly older, pre-menopausal babes who are carrying around a little extra tonnage in the derriere?? Ack!

Because I wanted to stay away from pulling shots off the web... and I do not have any photos of Nadal, you'll have to accept the above.

This is back when I was a babe... ~~in the woods~~...under the hair dryer. Reading the phone book?? Nice shoes, eh?

Oh, very young...

Slow Motion...

2008-06-21T22:51:00.004+02:00

My son's band, Slow Motion, played this afternoon at the Malakoff Town Hall's Fête de la Musique. The weather was sunny, there was a good crowd, and friends and family of the band were there to cheer them on. They did a few covers and then wailed on their song, "Baby, Oh". The crowd seemed to enjoy it! I did!

I think the upcoming rock and roll summer camp is going to be a great thing for him... he's had a bit of experience now and he will learn a lot during those two weeks. It was good to see all of them up on stage enjoying themselves.

It's only rock and roll, but I like it...

Hot, sexy men...

2008-06-20T22:39:00.014+02:00

Yeah... I thought that would get your attention!

I've been reading all the blogs that Blogger pushes, plus a few that I particularly like (see sidebar) and it seems they get a lot of hits when they include photos of hot guys; dressed, semi-dressed, undressed, as you wish... oldies in their prime, youngsters in their glory... Let's call it what it is. Beefcake. Back in my Flight Attendant days it was, "Cheesecake, 4C"... Yes. We did that. Where do you think the phrase "coffee, tea or me" came from?? Not all of us were brainless, and we were definitely not blind. Amen.

Take a good look at this particular ad (...sigh...if only...go ahead... "Click to enlarge!"). I am sure the geek guys meant well with their text. It is so inviting... "Add to cart"... Can I??? OMG!!! Thank you!!!! What I would really like to know is.... just how much IS that additional service to "See it Mounted"? 'Nuf said.

I am woman, hear me roar.

Star people...

2008-06-19T12:59:00.013+02:00

This gets filed under the "15 minutes of Fame" category... Google Analytics said I had 80 hits the other day! Woo-hoo!! Considering I have an average readership of 3 (thank you, all!), I was pleasantly surprised! :-) I tracked it down to this link, a French blog dedicated to Amandine from Nouvelle Star. So, what am I gonna do now?? Exploit the crap out of it!

The post says, "Un américain qui vit à Paris à écrit ça sur son blog à propos d'Amandine" and quoted "And the winner is..." from June 12. Someone else (a real French person) agreed with me that there are quite a few of us out here who would have enjoyed seeing/hearing Amandine do anything from Janis Joplin. She has the range and the pipes for it. At least this time around it went to someone with real, raw talent. As one commenter (the only one!) pointed out, "...for someone like her [it] is like winning Thermophilae's battle. This is what happens to the rare people who don't act like a clown but who live their true feelings and who give everything to their art." Thank you, Anonymous.

I've watched a few of these shows... Star Ac, Nouvelle Star, Fame Academy... call me a glutton for punishment, but I like this kind of stuff. This year, NS aired the auditions. I can't imagine having to sit through the number of hours that must take! They also had a new crew of judges, which included André Manoukian, Philippe Manœuvre, Lio and Sinclair. I was really impressed by Philippe Manœuvre... I had seen him in assorted music shows over the years and I always thought he was a pretentious asshole, but his comments were concise and his judgments fair. He is a purist and his roots lie in his involvement with the music scene over the past few decades. I'm a new fan. He done good. They done good. Let's see what Amandine does.

In the second half of my 15 minutes of fame (tick, tock...), a few days ago I was contacted by a marketing associate at Spiegel and Grau, a division of Random House in New York. I think this is one unexpected perk of blogging, free stuff!! :-) She asked me if I would be interested in a book which was written by a British expat living in France... the American edition has only been on the shelf for 2 days, and my copy arrived today. Thank you, KN! I will be happy to give a review once I have finished reading it.

If there is anyone else out there who would like me to read, wear, sample, sip, taste their works, wares, goods, potables or comestibles, please... by all means... get in touch! Red is the preference, and I'm a willing (shameless) promoter of free enterprise!

Fame is a bee. It has a song. It has a sting. Ah, too, it has a wing.
~Emily Dickinson

Rattle and hum...

2008-06-16T21:33:00.010+02:00

U2's "Rattle and Hum" is on the tube. When my son was little, one of his favorite songs was "When Love Comes to Town". We listened to it over, and over, and over, and over... He also liked Rossini's "William Tell Overture" from a CD my mother had called "Switched on Classics". I think he liked the trumpets best... or maybe it was the cannonball finale?

We were listening to Pink Floyd earlier tonight and I told him the story of "Comfortably Numb" and how it related to me. (My cousins and a few of my brothers will know what that story is about... REM, too...) Anyway, I told him that a lot of the music he is listening to now is the music I grew up with. He said he's "growing up with it, too". I guess he is, just not in the same way. I saw Led Zeppelin back in 1975 at the Nassau Coliseum... I still love listening to "Ramble On" today. I was very happy to take him to see The Who last summer here in Paris (so many old farts in the audience... me included!). He's going with his dad to see Kiss tomorrow night (there's no accounting for taste...!)

I guess I'm on the music thing because he's been turning me on to some of the stuff he listens to. Through him, I found Andy McKee and Cinematic Orchestra, and I now know almost every bass line of every Red Hot Chili Peppers song. (He and his band, Slow Motion, have been practicing for their upcoming set at the Fête de la Musique concert in Malakoff on June 21.) I guess it's the love of music that crosses the generations and cultures.

I was looking for a photo to use for this post, and came across this and showed it to my son. It's my mother (his grandmother), circa 1985. I won't tell you what was going on, but my son was WAY impressed with my brother's old Rickenbacker bass. I wonder if he still has it? Music is magic.

In the name of love...

And the winner is...

2008-06-12T18:50:00.011+02:00

So, without singing anything from Janis Joplin at all, Amandine won Nouvelle Star. Although, it was a bit strange, you'd think she would be ecstatic about it... but her reaction was very low key. Maybe she felt bad that Benjamin didn't win?? Hopefully, she'll get used to the fame, work on her diction and put out a decent CD. Looking forward to seeing what she does over the next year.

My friend Kim over at Parisian Events was rooting for Benjamin, as she calls him, 'Benji'... see how I segued into that shameless plug? :-) She cooed about his James Dean good looks and suave style... I just wanted him to move the arm that wasn't attached to the microphone! What's next for hot summertime French TV viewing? Koh-lanta! Oo-la-la!!

Today was another long day at the computer, so I will call it an early night and spend some time with my son. Most likely, he's watching something on his laptop, which will leave me in bed early with a good book. With the temperature currently at a stormy 60F, it's great sleeping weather!

I love Paris when it fizzles...!

Ramble on...

2008-06-09T21:34:00.018+02:00

"This election is a turning-point election. And it is critical that we all understand what our choice really is. Will we go forward together, or will we stall and slip backward?"

I watched Hillary Clinton's speech on Saturday and I had to hold back a tear or two. In August 1992, as I was preparing to leave the US to live in Paris, France, I watched the Democratic Convention. It was the first time I was ever fully engaged by what was going on politically. I can still hear Fleetwood Mac's song, "Don't stop thinkin' about tomorrow..." and I remember the energy that Mr. Clinton exuded in his speech. For me, it was a moment in my life I will never forget. There was hope in the air and there I was, on my way across the pond.

In the years that passed, Bill brought a lot to the international stage, both in front of the camera and behind the scenes. Whatever his transgressions (honestly), he held the country together. I don't know why he never got behind Al Gore during his run... although Al is way cooler now with the global warming issues.

Then, we got W.

I worked for a non-profit American association through both those elections. I can't tell you about the depth of depression that was felt and expressed by many who called or came through the office doors. His record speaks for itself.

The photo above was taken of my TV screen during Hillary's exit speech. It was at the point where she spoke about her mother's generation and her daughter's future. Then she said, "Let us resolve and work toward achieving very simple propositions: There are no acceptable limits, and there are no acceptable prejudices in the 21st century in our country."

We now have a chance to bring some hope and change to the country and its perception on the international front. In the next coming weeks we'll see what the ticket brings... whoever it is, it can only be better.

...now's the time, the time is now...

Bucket seats...

2008-06-08T21:12:00.004+02:00

This afternoon was the men's final at Roland Garros. Again, it was down to Raphael Nadal and Roger Federer. I like them both. Roger is absolute Swiss elegance and Rafa is primal Espagnol. The only thing that bugs me about watching Nadal is how often he has to tug at his drawers. Granted, he has an adorable derrier, but it didn't take long for him to dig in and then, he didn't stop... I'm sure I won't be the only one to say, "Can someone please get him some breathable undies that don't ride up?" In any case, congratulations to both for making it to the finals and to Rafa for taking his 4th French Open win.

This is another short post. I've been spending a lot of time on the computer with work and I need some down time. So, quote of the day, and I'm off...

Time you enjoy wasting, was not wasted.
~John Lennon

I want to ride my bicycle...

2008-06-06T22:20:00.008+02:00

My brain is melting. I've been doing web stuff for the past 4 days solid. I have questions out on forums all over the place... I would love to learn PHP, but it might put me into overdrive. I'm dreaming in code... I need to get out and not think for about an hour.

I have to admit, I like the learning process, although it can be a bit frustrating at times. If anyone can give me a synopsis of Community Builder, I'd be much obliged! ;-)

It is cold here in Paris... it was maybe 17C today... that's a little over 60F. The folks at Roland Garros were wearing scarves and jackets. It's June!

This is a short post, I need to step away from the machine for the evening. Hopefully, it will be a little warmer out tomorrow and I will be able to make the time to get on a bike and do a slow ride...

Take it easy!

I spy with my little eye...

2008-06-03T20:07:00.008+02:00

Today has been a web day... working on a site now, had the key people over to discuss content and placement... all the while watching the restoration progress of someone else's site that got hacked. What is wrong with people in this world that they need to hack websites? I don't get it. Hacking and spam. Ugh. Welcome to the internet, let's all be friends (not fiends!).

In the "this is not spam" category, I got an email notification this afternoon that Stephen Stills will be playing at the Olympia Theater in Paris this October. I have 8th row center seats! This will be a nice follow up to seeing CSN in Boston this summer. I love their music and I am really glad to finally hear them play. It will be especially nice to see Mr. Stills play solo in a small theater... he's my favorite!

The above photo was taken at the Royal Botanic Gardens at Peradeniya, Sri Lanka. Although we didn't have enough time to enjoy all the beauty there, I did manage to get a few photos in the time allowed. This was taken in the Orchid House. I have a Sri Lanka slide show here. I'm sure you'll recognize a few shots! It is nice to remember some of those locations.

If you have never been to Sri Lanka, make the trip. Your senses will be overwhelmed... gonna go light some incense now...

Breathe in, breathe out...

Many rivers to cross...

2008-05-31T23:09:00.006+02:00

I can't get this song out of my head. Amandine sang it the other night on Nouvelle Star and I have had to go to the M6 website to watch her version of Jimmy Cliff's classic and compare it to his... She's good.

The other song playing in my head is "Can't Find my Way Home" by Blind Faith. I have to wonder what is up with my subliminal thinking? At least I'm not seeing a dancing baby!

My son will be finding his way home tomorrow. He has spent this week on a class trip to Cardiff. For all the traveling he has done in his life, this is the first time he's been on his own.

We are cranking up the machine for the next exposition at MBF. Think purple... think serendipity... think Sri Lanka... it is going to be an amazing installation! More details at the end of the summer. I think the part I like best about my work is the beginning of the project... the planning, the sharing of ideas and possibilities. What about this? or that? do you think? No limits.

That creative beginning is a journey in itself.

That’s what friends are for...

2008-05-29T20:24:00.013+02:00

I have been shamelessly plugging my own blog. I have added it to my email signature and I keep telling people to click on such and such label for this or that photo. Since I have a few photos posted that I really like, I have decided to create a "Fav Photos" label. I'll have to go through the posts to label the shots I like best, but I think it's worth the time invested.

This blog started as a learning project. I know enough about web design and layout to make it look the way I like, but I needed to know how to promote the blog itself. I have learned about labeling and networking the link with other sites. There are a few sites I visit everyday, JimH Crossword Blog is one. Here's a shameless plug for Rex Parker; I get a lot of hits from his site. Expatblog.com is another source of traffic flow. How do I know this? I signed up with Google Analytics. Just add a simple bit of code to the html file and watch the data come in!

I am a total believer in networking. I like putting the right people together. I like it when good things happen for friends of friends because they had the chance to meet.

That said, I spent this afternoon with my favorite printer in Paris, Robert Ruscoe. I have known Robert for 13 years and he has given me great advice and little tricks of the trade to help me along in my pedagogical print progress. If you have something that needs to be printed, large or small, contact him. He's bilingual and expert at his trade. Tell him QB sent you!

The above photo was taken during a digital photography course at Parsons School of Design in Paris with Bob Bishop... (pattern, texture, shape.) Bob is the editor of ParisVoice.com, formerly the magazine, now an e-zine and packed with all kinds of info as to what is going on in Paris. Your first stop to your outings in Paris!

Another Parisian friend, David Sprawls, has something you need to help make your summer tasty! Lt. Blender's Drinks in a Bag! Frozen Margueritas to go! Strawberry Daiquiris, Pina Coladas, Mojitos... no problemo! He's got it, you want it! Tell him I said hi! PS: I'll shamelessly accept a bag of Margueritas!

Keep smiling...

Details...

2008-05-28T23:14:00.004+02:00

Sometimes things seem so clear. Other times... clear as mud. This post has no rhyme or reason, which feels just about right.

It has been a weird week thus far... but opportunities have made themselves available and in the course of my work, I have learned so much by trial and error. Right now, things are coming together on so many fronts, it is something to behold. More on this down the line.

As you know, it is Wednesday night and Ycare has just gotten voted off of Nouvelle Star. He is a great entertainer, I hope he gets signed by some big record company and has a chance at his singing career. It is now down to Amandine, Benjamin and Cedric. I'm still waiting for Amandine to belt out some Janis Joplin.

Meantime, it's been rainy and cold... the sun peeked out today for a little while but tomorrow it is supposed to pour. Again.

Rainy day, dream away...

Lest we forget...

2008-05-26T20:33:00.004+02:00

I'm a military brat. My dad was a Navy pilot and flight instructor during the 60s. I spent a lot of time in Pensacola, Florida and Kingston, Rhode Island. I learned how to pack and move a house in 2 days. I learned how to make friends and just as quickly, leave them. I learned that sometimes, people never come back.

My most impressionable memory was of one of my father's friends and colleagues. He was a young man, gung-ho... virile, masculine, funny and always had something for us kids... He was the epitome of what my very young mind thought a man should be.

The last time I saw him he had just gotten a motorcycle. I remember that he pulled up into the driveway gunning the engine and grinning like a lunatic... he was so happy with his new toy.

Before my mom died I asked her about him. She knew exactly who I was talking about. Some people stay with you. He went to Vietnam in 1965 and never made it home. I wish I could remember his name. I do, however, remember his spirit.

To him, and to so many others, thank you.

Hang on...

2008-05-25T21:42:00.007+02:00

Wish I could do like Snoopy and just stretch out on top of my dog house. Parties in the building have kept me awake both Friday and Saturday nights. I wouldn't have minded so much if I had had fair warning... I could have dealt with the noise. Frankly, most French music sucks even when it's at low volume. Loud and pounding through the walls, with dancing until 4:30am... no comment.

I did manage to get some catching up done with a few web projects, I finished reading a book, did a buttload of laundry and went into debt booking the NY trip.

Bright side of all that is my life is a little more organized than it was last week. I know where I stand on a few things. I still want to do the 20 minutes/100 items list. Let me know if you tried it?

This week brings lots of meetings for future projects. Time to toss around ideas and get ready for the fall. Let's face it, in France, May is June and June is summer, ergo... nothing will get done 'til October after La Rentrée in September!

Vive la France!

Change your life...

2008-05-22T14:16:00.007+02:00

I was feeling a bit bummed out yesterday and randomly Googled "change your life". I came across this blog: WiseBread. It had an entry called "Feeling Stuck? 100 Ways to Change your Life". It looked like it was right up my alley so I followed the link.

Essentially, the author, Nora Dunn, suggests you turn off the TV, computer, cell phone and other distractions, grab a sheet of paper, make yourself comfortable and for 20 minutes write down 100 things you would like to see, do, accomplish, change... whatever. Sky's the limit.

You are then supposed to leave the list alone and definitely not make any revisions to it. Take a look at it after a day and ask yourself: "...How many of the items on it are feasible? Can you see your way to accomplishing any of it? Any surprises in there?".

I told AG about it today and sent her the link... While there, I started reading some of the other articles; there is a lot of good information on life hacks and financial tips. This is not in the shameless plugging category, but I hope you'll take a look.

Dream big...

Egads!

2008-05-20T11:56:00.005+02:00

I have been a derelict blogger!

It has been a few days since I last posted anything, but note how much time I have made available for other things! Did I do anything worthwhile with that extra time? Sort of... announcements soon!

On the other hand, I saved money and did NOT go to the Salon des Saveurs. I know that had I gone, I would have plunked down a few much needed euros for wines and other goodies that I shouldn't indulge in right now. It was a tough decision, but I stand by it.

I have gone walking twice, I must absolutely make more time for that. Had lunch with a friend, it was good to get away from the home office. I really need to do that more often!

I guess I'm feeling like I need some changes in my life, or more precisely, my routine. Not quite sure what, but I will figure it out. I'm still hoping for suggestions from the outside world! Best tips for the home worker on how to manage everything and still have a life beyond the office door (that opens into the living room)...

Time is what we want most, but... what we use worst.
~William Penn

Tasty morsels...

2008-05-17T23:17:00.003+02:00

It seems that last night's photo is missing in action. Not sure what happened to it... the link is still there and I haven't deleted it or anything. Of course, I am on my laptop and that particular image is on the other machine. Something to look into tomorrow. [fixed]

I am going to head over to "Le Salon Saveurs des Plaisirs Gourmands" tomorrow afternoon. I have an invitation from a chateau that I bought wine from this past February at the Salon d'Agriculture.

This is one of the best things about living in France... the regional foods that come together for the big salons. You really get a sense of the flavors and specialties of France. Fresh cheeses, wines, olive oils, honey... so many things to taste and sample. A delicious way to spend the afternoon!

Mangez bien!

Get into the groove...

2008-05-16T00:17:00.003+02:00

Tonight (Thursday evening) was the changing of the guard at one of the associations I am involved with. I went to the annual general meeting where the volunteer Board, incoming and outgoing, was thanked and feted.

The outgoing prez has been a huge inspiration to me, pushed me to "go for it and believe in myself". The incoming prez has been a friend for a long time and I am so glad to see her take on this challenge. She is the perfect person for the job. Congratulations to you both!

I also got to see some women whom I have not seen since I left the office position. I wholeheartedly believe in networking and connecting people, so... for those of you who I promised to send a link to this blog... here it is! :-) I will soon be sending you an invitation to LinkedIn. I am still rebuilding my 'database' of contacts...

I think the nicest part of tonight was seeing some people who I really care for and have not seen in a long time. I look forward to my promised hand-written September luncheon invite!!!

Cheers, dears!

Got a monkey on my back...

2008-05-13T10:16:00.011+02:00

...and it's called Time Management!

Ever since I started working from home, I have lost all sense of time. The day is longer than when I had an office to go to. The office now blends into the living room, laundry gets washed while working on websites, editing gets dropped for dishes, the phone rings, Skype dings, incoming email blings... Yikes! I need to define my time!

I've had a few suggestions which I could put into place. One woman said, "Don't schedule meetings for Monday or Friday." Another said, "Turn the computer off at 6pm." While these are great ideas, I haven't found the time to be able to get away on long weekends and I still use the computer for personal communications.

It would be great to have a regular plan to to stick to. I'd also like to schedule in my daily walk and/or workout session and build in some creative time for gallery visits, shows, photo shooting, etc.

I know there are plenty of folks out there in the same predicament, so... I am turning to you, all three of my faithful readers, for some tips on keeping the clock in control!

I want to fly like an eagle...

Happy Mother's Day...

2008-05-11T17:44:00.009+02:00

My mom passed away on December 17, 2000. She had lung cancer. She was diagnosed in May 1998. I racked up a lot of miles going back and forth between France and the US during those two years. We also made a lot of memories.

When she was in the hospital that last time, she asked me if I loved her. I said, "Of course I do!" I just didn't know the depth of that love until she after was gone. There is a lot of story between those lines.

Eight years later, whenever I dust mom's photo I have to laugh because it was something we always joked about. "Don't forget to pick up the frame and dust underneath it!" If you knew her, you'd know the joke in that!

I wish she were still here to see her grandson becoming a young man. She'd be so proud of him. I sure am.

I miss you, Ma.

Grrrr...

2008-05-10T21:15:00.005+02:00

I felt like I was dragging my feet today.

I did get out, but not for my walk. I went to the grocery (walked there as I always do) and picked up fish and salad stuff. There were police everywhere: in buses, vans, horses, motorbikes, bicycles... all that for the Paris Saint Germain / Saint Etienne match. The game is over, but there are still people outside.

I'm going to call it an early night. Will be in a better state tomorrow. :-)

Bonne nuit!

If only you believe in miracles...

2008-05-09T21:17:00.014+02:00

Miracle 1: I did the walk. It took a total of an hour for one tour around the Hippodrome and lake. The above photo is the fountain in front of the Hippodrome. It was a gorgeous day today and it felt good to get out there.

Miracle 2: With any luck, I will look like one of those water nymphs in a short time. The last time I did this, I lost two sizes in two months without dieting. You know that now that I have started I will do it again tomorrow.

Miracle 3: I had a comment! :-) To tell the truth, it was the impetus of that comment that made me go out and do the walk. Sometimes you need that kick in the butt to say "yes, you can!". Thank you, Earlycreek!

Miracle 4: That nice photo of Hobbes (see May 4) snoozing in the afternoon sun and I had him cruising on the mortal plane...? Apparently, he had a round trip ticket! He's still with us!! I had UB on the phone last night and I told him that someone (hi Bluefish!) thought he was adorable; too bad he was gone. UB said, "Nope he's right here!" Eek! Ol' Hobbes is 19 years old and still standing! Me? I stand corrected.

Miracle 5: Got a great price on a great hotel in Boston through Hotwire. Yippee! I will be spending a few days with UB, AS and TS! We have tix for CSN... can't wait!

Miracle 6: Hasn't happened yet, although I am sure it will...

I believe!

I never promised you a rose garden...

2008-05-08T17:35:00.007+02:00

I finally made time this afternoon to put the geraniums into some dirt. I bought them the other day and they had been sitting in the bag on the balcony. It was just too nice out to let the opportunity escape, so... I got the trowel out and went for it.

While I was digging away, I noticed something that will get me to move my be-hind-butt-ocks. For as long as I have been living in this neighborhood there has been a blind man who walks around the block on a daily basis. He taps his way along and everyone makes room for him. I remember, many years ago when I first saw him, that I thought he was learning the ropes. He seemed to bump into an awful lot of stuff no matter how many times he had been around the same block.

Mind you, most times that I saw him, I was coming home from work and that was the only time I had seen him for that day. This afternoon, I heard his tapping first, looked up and sure enough, there he was. Today, however, I noticed that the tapping had come around again, but it wasn't the first time, and it dawned on me that this blind man has made NO excuses to go out and make his daily rounds, not once, but several times! Sheesh.

Here's my plan. I need to do the same thing this guy is doing. I need to move my butt, at the very least around the block, NO excuses! I have the advantage of sight... I will bring the cell phone with me (did I mention that it has a Carl Zeiss lens?) I will take some photos along the route. I am near the Bois de Boulogne and Hippodrome... there should be plenty of photo ops... so much to see... if I only make the effort.

I am humbled by this man.