Tuesday, February 28, 2006

Too much to write about! But isn't that cool, I have had over 800 visits to my blog.

I wish I had just jotted down what was happening when it was happening. ut of course I didn't. I am the ultimate procrastinator!

Let me just give you a nice little Top 10 List I want to talk about:

(In no particular order)

1.) JB is my Boyfriend again and is much more given to spontanious kisses now. Which is Super-D-duper in my book! (Thanks to Paul for the advice!)
2.) Was told I was being taken to a Coca-Cola factory, last Sunday. I new I was being bluffed, but I still wasn't ready for how cool a place I was really being taken to. (See pictures below of Pierrefonds Castle!)
3.) Went to a party in a center for Musculation. A couple of friends of JBs were had a big surprise birthday party thrown for them. It was fun, except that the music was all hard techno in the beginning, and then later when it was better, only JB, Stephan, Elisa, and I were really dancing. Which was still cool, but it would have been more fun if everyone was!
4.) Last Wednesday I saw my first live concert of a French musician, and it was for free too! Jb and I were walking down the street, heading towards his house after seeing a movie, when this guy stopped us and asked us if we wanted tickets to the concert that was just about to start in the theatre at the end of the block. We said no thanks, because we thought that he was trying to sell them to us, but as it turns out his girlfriend didn't want to go after all, or wasn't feeling well, or something, and he just wanted to give them to us. So we took them and instead of continuing to walk home we walked into the theatre and watched a really cool concert for 2 hours or so. At my request JB took two photos for me, but the didn't turn out very well at all. (See blurry shadowy things below)
5.) Saw the movie "Fun with Dick and Jane" or "Braqueurs Amateurs" is the French title, and almost pissed my pants because it was so funny! I was just really in the mood for a funny/stupid movie, and it really hit the spot for me. JB was in a ball laughing several times as well, so it wasn't just me.
6.) Last night I got my situation sorted with the family I am working for. I won't have to find another family/job which is super good! Because even though there aa lotlot of other nice families around who would hire me (I know because I checked out several during these last two weeks juin casease I was going to have to leave), I would rather stay with these kids and this job. It is the best! My own place, the car, the pay, the kids, the free timeEtcetc. I can't find better, and I know I need to be more grateful to Bruno and Lydie for all they have done for me. Compared to the average au pair I am treated like royalty.
7.) This is old news, but I never wrote about it so I will now: JB and I were walking down near Trocadero (near The Tower) and there was this very little artificial pond. Ok nothing interesting about an artificial pond you say, but inside that artificial pond were two ducks. Still not very interesting you say, well they ducks were eating their evening meal of bread and and other junk, and they had a friend over for a visit. The friend was a Heron. Jb took a few pics, but it was too dark so he was unable to capture tmagnificencense of Frank the Heron for your viewing pleasure. (Yes, I named him Frank.) We have actually been back there several times and Frank has been there almost every time we visit. We have also seen frank at the chateau Versailles, where we chased him through a field that was really muddy and told him to go home to his little pond!
8.) Am remembering all the fun I used to have there, a lot lately. Went through all the little 'thank you' and 'I'm praying for you' notes that I received when I was there and was ready to cry when I realised how many good people I know. I am so sad that Ave Maria is dieing. I would do anything to save her and her people. (Below is a picture Katherineine Surmanski took 2 years ago at my last Ave Mardi Gras.)
9.) Am wondering what is going on with my little brother Peter; I though we were cool, bapparentlytly not. He is refusing to let me have his email address, which I really don't understand at all. Thanks go out to Gabe for trying to get it for me anyways.
10.) I have to call Great Lakes Educational Loans office today or they are going to start reporting me to credit bureaus. Can't let them ruin my credit! Bah humbug to money. I don't know how I came to owe so much! they are mad at me because I am behind in my payments by like 620 bucks, what they don't seem to realize is that I only get like 100 €uro a week! It hurts to have to pay them in dollars every month! Stupid currency exchange is a real bother too. Though I do have to say that I am glad that the €uro is worth more than the dollar right now. (See comic below depicting what the Russians thought when the €uro first overtook the American Dollar)

I gotta go now, and I didn't get those pictures uploaded yet. Bad me. I will do it in an hour after I drop the kids at their music lessons and I will predate them so they do actually physically go below this post.

God bless you all and Happy Mardi Gras! I hope you are all ready for Lent because ready or not here it comes.

By the way I have been very much out of the loop, and I want to say now, even though I realize that it is very late, that I am praying for Mr. Williams.

Monica I love you and wish I could give you a hug. I am never good at saying the right thing in sad situations, but I do want you to know that my heart physically aches for you and your family. My prayers are all I can offer, but please know that you have them in abundance. Peace be with you and yours.

Thursday, February 23, 2006

I haven't done any silly quizzes for a long time now., and these ones were pretty funny!

You Should Date An Italian!
You love for old fashioned romance, with an old fashioned guyAn Italian guy is the perfect candidate to be your prince charmingIf your head doesn't spin enough, just down another espresso with himInvest in a motorcycle helmet - and some carb blocker for all that pasta!
Which Foreign Guy Should You Date?


You Are Funky Panties
You're stylish, trendy, but not over the top.You know how to look good - without looking like you're trying too hard.Men think that you're cute, friendly, and approachable.And you've got a spunky, feisty side that comes out after a while!

What Kind of Panties Are You?

Your Flirt Quotient
You are 53% Flirt

How Much of a Flirt Are You?

Friday, February 17, 2006

Hello, do I know you?

This might seem out of the blue, but I have a blog sight meter/tracker thingy, and every now and then I look at it and it tells me who loves me. Wait, no it doesn't tell me who loves me, it just tells me who is reading my sad little blog.
Well, apparently I have a a reader in Kansas. Which is super cool, but I don't think I know anyone in Kansas... I am so curious who is reading my blog from Kansas! Who are you? Please tell! You are from somewhere near Wichita is all I know. Come on leave me a comment won't you?

Pictures are still coming from Valentines Day on The Tower. I promise I will get that sorted this weekend. Ok, well have a good day! I am offto Jbs place to watch the new Lost. It's hard to get 'em over here you know. They always have funny subtitles and ....lol... I shouldn't complain. Happy Day!

Thursday, February 16, 2006

A rose by any other name...

What's in a name?
Everything and nothing.
For the last 2 weeks I have been in a small, and somewhat silent state of confusion. You see I really like this fella JB, right, and we are also great friends. So, it gets me confused when we kiss, and start dating, but then he says he needs to think about us being guy and girlfriends.
Along comes Valentines day!
Woo hoo, I am in a state of 'no man(s) land' in the middle of the most romantic city in the world. Ah, Paris!
How you mess with my head.
At about 2pm JB rings me up and says "Hey you wanna come see a movie with my friends and me in an hour?" I say "Which one" he says: "Brokeback Mountain" I die snickering to myself but tell him, "Um, no thanks! I am outta money, and thats not really my type of movie" He then says "Ok, well you want to meet me after at my house?" I say: "Sure..." When the time is set, we both hang up, and I proceed to feel miserable for aprox. the next 3 1/2 hours.
Five minutes after the time I had told myself I must leave my house in order to arrive at the appointed time, I get in my car and proceed to drive to JB's place. Of course I have no luck in finding a spot to park, and of course he rings my phone after I appear to be 20 minutes late but in reality have been in front of his place about 20 times already and have just not found anywhere to leave my poor little car yet. So, he asks the nice man at the desk downstairs and gets the 'little secret parking place trick', and lets me into the back of the Mayors office to park. I feel silly for not calling him before instituting my buzzard ways.
Circle Circle Circle.
We proceed as normal. Up goes the elevator to the 5th floor, we walk the hall down to the 2nd door, then into the chair in front of the computer, I plop. I expect nothing. (Let me write that with a little more honesty: I told myself over, and over, and over, and over again to expect nothing. However, I still hope for maybe a rose.)
A rose would have made me soooo happy.
I proceed to check my email, as he walks to his room I say: "What are we doing tonight? Desperate Housewives?" From down the hall he says: "Nope, we are going to The Tower" This statement makes me happy. I love The Tower. She is so beautiful. I then remember that it is Valentines day again, and I suddenly have a dread of my favorite tower. Too romantic. I think to myself, and Jb is trying to distance us. What is up with us going there tonight?
He walks back down the hall with a huge bouquet of 10 roses.
I blush deed blue.
'Voila'!' He says and tries to hand them to me. I start laughing and look down. In my silliness I forget to make my arms and hands move to accept the gift of these, oh so beautiful, roses. So, there I sit in front of his computer laughing at him while he tries to give them to me. He says: "Oh, you don't want them? Ok." and jokingly tries to take them back. Yeah right, like I am gonna let them go now! I quickly realize my error, in not accepting them right away, and snatch them from his hands.
They are soooo beautiful.
I forget to look for a card on the outside.
He waits patiently for a whole minute, then he says.
"I wrote you a poem too, see?"
I see the little plain white note card attached to the plastic. He takes it off and hands it to me.
Doute que La Terre fait des tours.
Doute que La Lune tourne autour
Doute que Le Soleil est un Feur
Mais jamais ne doute de mon amour.
J-B
We go to the Eiffel Tower, his little brother comes too, but it is still super cool. We wait in many lines, cumulatively, for about an hour, but we finally get to the top of the tower.
I am freezing in my thin jacket and I still have damp hair from my bath, but I love it.
There is nowhere in the world like Paris!
There is no one in the world like my, 'boy that is my friend,' JB

Thursday, February 09, 2006

Vanity, vanity, all is vanity!












I just noticed. I don't have any nice pictures of me on this here blog, and it is mine after all, so... hé hé hé You can all look at me today! I am sure since most of you haven't seen me in months and months you really won't mind. But if you must complain, I guess you can do so in my comments box.

If I cant play on the internet I will watch.









Yes, I would be a great pirate. I am fierce baby, fierce! Aargh.











I was only playing with the camera, but it is actually an ok picture.













I have eyes, two of them, and I think they are the prettiest part of my exterior being. You are all welcome to argue differently of course. (Again use the comments box.)










Look I even have a little bit of green. Coolness!








Nothing much else to write... ummm. Mary I will reply to your emails soon ok? You know you can always comment on here. (Hint, fudging, hint!) Oh, and that goes for you as well Paul. I know you have been visiting my blog, and I also noticed the lack of comments from you.

*Song for today: "Volcano" by: Damian Rice*

Pictures of the kids and I.

What can I say.... I see this face alot. Lol










Hé hé hé
Laure is such a lady. She wears a skirt on our nature hikes, and fixes her wedgies every 5 minutes.















I don't think it is possible to find a serious picture of Laure and I, but then do you really want one?











They act all sweet.
















But then they try and push you into the lake.











Sometimes we go for walks in the little forrest behind the house. Usually it is fun, but sometimes Laure screams for an hour before she actually starts walking. Such was the case yesterday.

We all survived though.

Tuesday, February 07, 2006

What I am not going to do.

1.) I am not going to talk to my blog audiance about being confused.
2.) I am not going to tell my blog audiance that my heart hurts.
3.) I am not going to lean on anyone.
4.) I am not going to ask for help.
5.) I am not going to cry infront of anyone.

Instead I am going to be cheerful! I am going to make you all look at pictures of... ummm... lets see what I can find here on Google... oh yeah! Great White Sharks! Today, you will all look at pictures of Great White Sharks!

Sharks are cool.
Today I am going to think about how cool sharks are and not about how
I am not good enough.

Enjoy the sharks, my peoples!


If you never heard of the Air Jaws, and Air Jaws 2. You are missing out on the coolest jumping sharks ever!

*Song for today: Feelin' the Same Way, By: Nora Jones*

The sun just slipped its note below my door

And I can't hide beneath my sheets

I've read the words before so now I know

The time has come again for me

And I'm feelin' the same way all over again

Feelin' the same way all over again

Singin' the same lines all over again

No matter how much I pretend

Another day that I can't find my head

My feet don't look like they're my own

I'll try and find the floor below to stand

And I hope I reach it once again

And I'm feelin' the same way

So many times I wonder where I've gone

And how I found my way back in

I look around awhile for something lost

Maybe I'll find it in the end

And I'm feelin' the same way...

Sunday, February 05, 2006

HA HA, the time has come!

Yes, the time has come, my little friends, to talk of other things!

Of shoes and ships and ceiling wax, and cabbages and kings. And why the sea is boiling hot, and weather pigs have wings! CULOO, CULAAY, come run away! ''Where there's cabbages and kings!''


The Walrus and the Carpenter had the right idea. Well, the Walrus did anyways.


I love Sundays! I get to be lazy!

Thursday, February 02, 2006

Happy Birthday Eva Cassidy

"It is an Eva Cassidy day." I said to myself as I walked home from dropping the girls off at school.

I had to hear her today or I would die of want. So, when I got home I bemoaned the loss of the excellent CD given to me by Paul, and then proceeded to utilize "Limewire" in a slightly less than legal way. I also, out of pure curiosity, decided to look up her history online. I was moved to tears by her life and slightly surprised to find that today is actually the anniversary of her birth. Thus the title of this entry.

Today I charge all of you to the task of listening to just one of her songs. (The link I just provided only has partials, you need to listen to a whole song. Just use Limewire ok? You won't regret it.) She is unrivaled in my mind as the most soulful female singer ever. She was not a song writer, but a song interpreter, and she did that to its fullest capabilities. She performed all of the back up vocals and harmonies for her versions as well.

Though I am a great fan of originality and every one of the songs that she has recorded were written and sung by someone else first, I would still rather hear her sing them, with her soul and haunting movement of voice, than hear any other version available. She could read in to the song, better even sometimes than the original. For a perfect example I will say listen to Sting performing their "Fields of Gold", and then listen to Eva and how she felt it. (Years later, after her death, a t.v. reporter, who was a fan of hers and happened to be interviewing the lead singer of Sting got him to listen to her singing this song, and he was moved to tears. It was his song, he was fiercely territorial of it, but he immediately recognized that she had perfected what he had intended to say with it.

Here is a small list of my favorite songs sung by the beautiful voice of Eva Cassidy:

Fields of Gold
You take my Breath Away
Time after Time
Songbird
I Know you by Heart
Autumn Leaves
Wade in the Water
Heaven


If you want to feel Love listen to: "You Take My Breath Away", "I know You By Heart" and "Fields of Gold". They make your inside ache.


Eva Marie Cassidy was born on February 2nd, 1963, and left this earth on November 2nd, 1996.