nous sommes tous hors de NORMAL

Ok so far there have been many great moments. MANY. But last night, unable to sit in the hotel alone, I took my laptop downstairs to my friend and concierge Matthieu and asked him to help me find out if the Pari-rollers were on! It had been raining and the streets didnt look wet but were at some points. I hadn't skated in about 4 weeks so I knEW jumping into a 30 kilometer (18 mile) insane city skate with near professional skaters was the right thing to do!



HOLY ALL THAT IS GOOD ON EARTH.....it was BEYOND the right thing to do. I was nervous as hell (again). Matthieu definately noticed and he kept telling me to relax. But the fact remained:



1. I was alone

2. It was late at night and i hardly know Paris

3. Even in that scenario, I REFUSEd to carry anything with me

4. I did end up carrying my metro card and 20 euros

5. I was certain all the annoucements would be in french



So the MOMENT I put my skates on, my feet started cramping up like insanity. I found the place where they begin which ironically is like 2 blocks from where I live and where I WILL LIVE. I couldnt sit down honestly cause of my feet, I tried stretching and stretching and more stretching and skating around. Finally they stopped hurting. And the place was really exciting. They had a dj, tons of music and then tons of men started showing up. Like one single man after the other. This, of course, made me more nervous. They all appeared single. There were very few women but one other who apparently came alone like me. Or maybe her friends didnt make it.



Ok so as predicted ALL the annoucements are in French. I am lost, people are skating everywhere....where do we actually begin, when, why, how, I was not sure of anything. Finally a resemblence of a starting point appeared. I got right up in front. We started on a hill but I didnt even care...And we were off!

It was insanity. Pure insanity.

Roller blading cops with us the entire time

They formed skaters of three in line and raced passed me several times

Cars and streets stopped with no honking

Employee's with yellow "Pari-roller" shirts skating all around us weaving in and out like maniacs

They stopped at almost every street ahead and within to make sure cars wouldnt kill us

Hand signals and yelling in unicen when cars were in the way or we were about to turn

It was fast and everyone clearly had a need for speed

The better skaters did all kinds of crazy speed demon tricks, weaving in and out, taking turns on two wheels, jumping up on sidewalks and my favorite wa sthis one dude who dodged a car in this INCREDIBLe fierce skate to the left microsecond moment. And the car didnt even honk. And the city didn't even care.

I'm sorry but NYC could NEVER pull this off. Close roads, not once but you understand EVERY friday night for measely little skaters.

We stopped to rest at all the right moments

I could hardly see but I know we were on rue St. Lazare

Near Place d'Italie

RIGHT through the gorgeous lights of Printemps

By Notredam

the list is endless. Well look at the map. They do a variation on the route every week apparently. And last nights involved a lot of hills. By the last 1/2 hour (its 3 hours, 10pm-1am) I was near death. In fact, some nice Parisian man was pushing me to help and one of the yellow shirted workers gave me his hand to pull me at some point cause the hill was killing me and clearly they do not like anyone to go slow. NEAR DEATH! But I felt so damn good and knew that I had to do this many MANY more times. But I need interim practice skating to gain stamina. How can I do this if I am home so late everynight? Its so wrong.

So there was this one kinda cute guy Nicholas who saw me fall on my ass at one of the stops while I was trying to stretch. I fell like a bastard. haha. and we talked a bit, of course he realized I didn't speak French and he didnt seem to upset. He asked for my number but of course I dont have it memorized so the best I could do is give him my email.

We were closing into the end of the ride when I recognized the big building (tour Montparnasse) and my body got this burst of energy, probably cause it knew it was almost done. So I raced towards it and finally made it home. Of course the hotel was empty and the concierge locks the door so I stood outside the hotel for like 10 minutes freezing, in pain but still so excited about what I accomplished. Matthieu had left already so I wont get to tell him about it until tonight!

Feelin good my friends!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted in: on Friday, December 28, 2007 at at 11:49 PM 0 comments

On the bus today I thought about my cousins. Specifically the bond i have formed with Mark. He makes life so much sweeter.

In the canteen today, I found a seat far from everyone (it was packed). Away from all the French conversations. Away from the coworker who clearly did not invite me to join her. Near the window which meant near the heater which felt great on the cold legs and I read. I pretended I was alone. And I was.

In my dreams wednesday night I was bitten by at least two snakes. They surrounded me from all sides. I woke up in a panic. I was pissed at the snakes in the dream because I missed my train and then I didn't know how to get where I was going.

Last night I woke up with another nitemare, this time at 3:30. My stomach was talking for about 1 hour and it had nothing good to say. I finally fell back asleep but with anxiety.

No matter how much water I drink I'm still dry.

About a year ago my stepfather had a stroke. He has suffered badly from depression and I think he is going to have some breakthroughs in the new year. We have been emailing eachother and he has opened up to me.

People pass my office all the time but very few stop.

When I was 29 I had perfect hair.

Maintaining impure thoughts is just as hard as not maintaining impure thoughts.

I am lonely but I am not sad. Music is here to keep me company.

Currently: 2 Rights Make 1 Wrong by Mogwai

Happy New Year

Posted in: on at at 4:22 AM 0 comments

So I copied Elizabeth Gilbert last night and met up with a native (French) man to begin a casual exchange of languages. She talked about this in her book Eat, Pray, Love. Only she was in Italy. But as fearful as I was to even take the meeting, it was pretty much perfect well with the exception of me. haha. Let me begin by saying on the way to the "financier" (a bar) I saw this cute guy give money to a homeless person and briefly wondered if that could be the man I'm meeting but he said he would be in a grey coat and this man had a dark black coat on. Well about 5 seconds later in the bar, it WAS the same man. And even though he may have a color handicap he was terribly cute.

So instantly I felt better as he was not the monster I pictured in my mind. We talked about everything. So then he suggested food which i KNEW would be impossible with my nerves but we went to a creperie which was like 1 block away from my new place and I dont know why I suddenly trusted this man so much (the two glasses of wine could have something to do with it) but I decided to show him my new apartment! Plus I'm so eager to show it off. But the hords of you have just rolled your eyes, YES, and the word stupid has probably rolled off your tongue because what on earth was I thinking!! I mean he didnt kill me or even try to kill me. In fact, we had a long discussion about the lack of space for my appliances. It was very normal. He's very normal (so far). Anyway, after that, we stood there and I was still very nervous and I didnt know what to do, so I stuck out my hand to shake his and he essentially pushed it aside for the double cheek kiss and then he proceeded to tell me we should hang out again certainly and then he threw in "Actually I have a girlfriend for the moment" haha. I didn't quite know what to make of that sentence and specifically "for the moment" Perhaps he doesnt think it will last? Perhaps its a language barrier? But his English was quite good and I didn't think he would say that wrong.

Anyway, he suggested a museum. I was actually relieved he had a girlfriend in a way. It made being friends much easier. I also feel that it takes the pressure away. So it was a wonderful night even if I greately insulted his people (He's from Brittany) and didn't eat any crepes. Or as he calls them: "Galette" and apparently this is what I should be calling them if I plan to fit in to my new neighboorhood.

History Lesson by Me:
Briefly, I will be living in Montparnasse. As I understand it, a very long time ago tons of Galette farmers/makers from Britanny would travel/migrate to Paris and the train from that part of France (Northwest) would always go directly into the Gare Montparnasse and since they didnt stray far from the Gare, they settled near there and now you have like a million creperies all over my neighboorhood. I've been to two of these creperies so far and I feel like I need more time to find the perfect crepe/galette. To be perfectly clear, this man last night said "crepes" are said/associated with dessert and the flour used is different from a main course galette which looks like a crepe but uses different flour and all that.

Posted in: on at at 12:03 AM 0 comments

But as I'm confused about todays date/time/what country I'm in, I opened the calendar on this laptop and just as if France wanted to clarify with me that I am, indeed, here, they put me in the perfect time zone! hahah - see for yourself....

Pic: A clear message of where I am in the world

Posted in: on Wednesday, December 26, 2007 at at 1:42 AM 0 comments

Pic: salmon on mushrooms and spinach wrapped in dough then baked for 20 min. the main course of my xmas dinner. Gorgeous chunk of fish!

Posted in: on Tuesday, December 25, 2007 at at 3:11 PM 1 comments

Otherwise known as the plan that didnt work out...Found in my new hood, nestled on a street near Gallerie Gaite

Posted in: on at at 4:50 AM 1 comments

Pic: Cemetery Pere Lachaise, signifigant winter sun, day after the solstice

If you find yourself in Paris in winter when everyone is home with their families, stores are closed and nothing to do...head to the nearest cemetery! I felt like they opened it JUST for me and my two super cousins. We followed super fast cousin #1 to some side entrance which he thought was the main entrance to Pere Lachaise cemetery. We spent at least three hours in the sunlight walking around all the dead people just lovin every inch of that day.

Last night was xmas eve. We had no plans and no reservations. A quick internet search took us to this famous restaurant called La Coupole. A favorite of Hemingway, J. Baker, its a huge brasserie upstairs and dance hall downstairs. As we walked up to the place, I started to realize that I was there last year...with the poet. We met his poet friend there. This is where she took us. I remembered we ordered food but never ate it cause we realized we had 15 minutes to catch our train across town back to Brussels. We rushed out and later missed the train. We stayed at his friends that night. Forced to stay in Paris. I frowned to myself thinking that free trip he got to europe (on our mutual friends frequent flyer miles) was the only reason he was with me. I decided to enter the place as if I'd never been. And it was so much fun!
Pic: Small bits of color caught my eye

We had a 45 minute wait at the bar where we drank and told stories. Cousin #2 lost her earring so there was the hunt for the silver soho dangler...then the food, the cute waiter who thought we were japanese! lol. And the table switch which I couldnt stop laughing about. They sat us next to this empty table.

Brazilian Mom and Son

Empty table with no place settings

Us Three

Parisian Family of 5

Then as if the waiters held a meeting and decided that our personalities would not blend well next to this french family, they explained we need to switch. Our table was pulled out pushed to the left and the empty table was pushed to the right, a switch. We were now sitting next to the brazilons. And the empty table remained empty for at least a 1/2 hour. Then some other small family of three sat there. But i never understood the reason for the switch. It had to be a personality switch. We were quite boisterous and laughing and talking to everyone. The waiter seemed to love us. The brazilion doctor/mom had lived in Minnesota (where the cousins are from) and spoke four languages (portugese, spanish, french, english). The food was insanity. We had fish and the cousin insisted on red wine. He is not a fan of white even with fish.

Pic: Oscar Wildes bises and love

We never found the earring but it was a perfect night. And this place is two blocks from my new apartment. TWO BLOCKS. At the end of the night the waiter gave me some advice on learning french. He said its best to watch tv late at night when no ones in a rush and they speak slower. Hahaha. that was awesome. Late night french programming where they speak slower!

Pic: Just across from Oscar, a great crane rose into view

Pic: near the real entrance of the cemetery, giant empty cobblestone road

Posted in: on at at 4:29 AM 1 comments