nous sommes tous hors de NORMAL

My awesome boss gave me the day off so that I could go open a bank account which was shockingly easy. Actually this housing service sent along a person to help me but the banker spoke English so I'm not sure why I even needed her help!

Then I went to get a basic "sim" card for my euro phone. It will be a while before I get a check book so I needed the card in the meantime. It’s simply a small card with minutes on it that you pay for. I wanted a 1 hour card which is usually 15 euros. I was sent to a place called "Darty" which reminds me of a PC Richards really. Honestly, I had bought these before, in Belgium, Swissy land, Spain and even in France and never had to go through the "process" I went through today. They needed my passport; they typed my name into a computer system. For a while I thought I had somehow asked for an entire phone but I did show them I had one and just needed a card. FINALLY after 45 minutes (25 min longer than setting up a bank account) I received a 5 hour card for 20 euros. Apparently that’s the minimum number of hours. Or apparently I'm a big sucker. Who knows, but at least I can use my phone now. Of course the entire thing is in French and I keep getting messages which I don’t understand. Probably "this phone will explode the next time you use it"
lol.

Ok so the apartment search came to a bolting HAULT tonight when I crunched the numbers for the third time and realized this amazing one of kind place I found was well over 30% of my monthly net pay (the recommend percentage not to EXCEED). That’s WAY too much. Am I insane? Yes, yes I am. But I have signed nothing so I'm still capable of walking out. I think the beauty of the apartment, location, etc clouded my brain for a few seconds, but now I'm ok. I seriously need to consider all my expenses. And living there will not allow me.
Just to give you an idea:

it was in the HEART of St. Germaine on a very lively block with coffee shops, restaurants, boutiques, grocery
totally renovated with new everything: washer/dryer, dishwasher, kitchen, bathroom
6th floor walk up in the back of the building (so away from the noise)
but yes, no elevator but apparently finding a building with one is like winning the lotto so I gave up that thought already
a true one bedroom
50 square meters (538 square feet) which is huge for just me.
all for 1600/month

Yes, the dream is alive but just recently, it has died. Its dead, let it go..
LET IT GO...

but now for the highlight of the day. I will begin this section with a quote:

"Since I must always be an exception to the general rule in everything and everywhere I am going to pursue my destiny" Gustave Courbet

And if not for his work, this statement alone, said in the 1800's, perfectly describes how I feel about myself now and forever including childhood, possibly embryonic-hood and adulthood and not excluding old-hood and death and afterlife if such a thing exists. even as an ALIEN, I will live by this rule. uhh where were we?

...who is Courbet you asked? SHAME SHAME ON YOUR FOR NOT KNOWING!!

He's seriously a crazy painter from the 1800's. Honestly, it’s his portraits and portrayal of people where his talents really came alive. He did attempt landscapes and I have to say, not too impressed (yes, I realize im absolutely no one)
but anyway, I could sit in front of his paintings all day (except the museum was crowded today so no place to sit), I waited 45 minutes in a line which apparently was a bag check line. They hardly glanced into my bag at all which made the need for the line completely useless and what killed me after I found out it was just a bag check was they broke us up into three lines actually (the non ticket holders, the ticket holders and then one I couldn’t figure out at all, probably members) but why do that for just the bag check. Aren't we all equal status when it comes to bag check? Are the ticket holder’s bags nicer? better, require more thought to look thru. So THEN you go inside and into another line for the tickets. I was taken to the front of a line that just started which was cool. Then I walked through a mad MAD crowd of ancient (yet dressed perfectly) French women and students and a few tourists. I will see that the palace itself is guarded by really mean looking statues and sculptures of angry men and snakes

Pic: I didn’t bring my camera so this is from the web but it’s the palace from above, there is a also another palace across the street called the "le petit palace".

And once you are inside, it certainly doesn’t seem like you are in a palace, I think they are hiding the palace behind the museum. But its soo damn big that I know I didn't even come close to covering the entirety of the place, I was probably in the maids quarters at best or the dogs quarters....lol speaking of smelly things...my hotel lobby suddenly this morning smells like the bathroom at port authority. I do not understand why. And no one seems phased by this at the desk. It’s very odd.

back to work tomorrow.
oye vey!

PS. I was JUST invited to my first Parisian dinner party and you will NEVER EVER guess what the host is serving (please sit down):

LASAGNA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That is my WORST nightmare come true!! The ONE CHEESE MY BODY cannot even LOOK AT...the allergy of a lifetime, and they are serving this as the main course!! I might literally die. Please stand up again.

Posted in: on Wednesday, December 5, 2007 at at 10:31 AM