Not a great picture, but it was fun. Going to miss you girls.
Friday, April 22, 2005
Wednesday, April 20, 2005
And Then The Rains Came....
Bonjour a Tous! I am writing today without much of anything new happening. The rain has taken a break but I am sure it will return as I step into the street. It is kind of nice sometimes, the rain is like a metaphor, bringing the Spring to life and such. That is as literary as I am going to get after 1 cup of coffee, 30 minutes after getting up today. So, I am sitting here online again and thinking about what to say. Seeing as how my mother has just told me that a lot of people have been fired for what they posted on they're blogs. It has been deemed that it is a public forum and that it is open to your boss to fire you for anything that you post online. I can see some of the difficulties in this argument. Was the boss relayed the website by the employee, does the company search out these people? I think that this leaves some serious loopholes, all for the big-business to push there "Iron Curtain" around as they want to. Now, my mother is telling me to be careful with what I say because it could cause problems. So, if I say that I think G.W. has a little penis and the war in Iraq is like his Ferrari, is the Secret Service coming to check me out? I guess I am going to find out!!!
I have also been looking into getting a crew position on a vessel somewhere in the World. I am not sure if I will try and hit the seas this summer or when I have finished up my degree. I think that I would like both if it's feasible. I would like to sail around the World when I have finished my studies, before I settle into a 9-5, or in the case of a restaurant 8am-11:30pm position. I have been doing some online searched trying to find a novice/trainee position for the summer. There is also this thing happening next year in Genoa Italy called the Atlantic Challenge that I am interested in. Plus, it is in Italy and I would love to learn some Italian as well, not to mention the food! I have been checking into celestial navigation and trying to get a certificate while I am here. I may have to wait on that because the online course is about $115 and I am not in a position to pay that. Perhaps this summer when I get home I will be able to invest a little more into the thought of it. For now, I will just keep reading and trying the auto-didact route I wreckon. I am not sure if it the mystery, ports of call, solitude, or challenge that is pulling me this way at the moment. For sure it scares me to think about the possibilities of being out to sea, thousands of miles from home, but it's very alluring as well. It may go nowhere, but it may just take me around the world as well.
Well, I am having some family crisis's right now that need my attention so I will wrap this up. Love and miss you all.
I have also been looking into getting a crew position on a vessel somewhere in the World. I am not sure if I will try and hit the seas this summer or when I have finished up my degree. I think that I would like both if it's feasible. I would like to sail around the World when I have finished my studies, before I settle into a 9-5, or in the case of a restaurant 8am-11:30pm position. I have been doing some online searched trying to find a novice/trainee position for the summer. There is also this thing happening next year in Genoa Italy called the Atlantic Challenge that I am interested in. Plus, it is in Italy and I would love to learn some Italian as well, not to mention the food! I have been checking into celestial navigation and trying to get a certificate while I am here. I may have to wait on that because the online course is about $115 and I am not in a position to pay that. Perhaps this summer when I get home I will be able to invest a little more into the thought of it. For now, I will just keep reading and trying the auto-didact route I wreckon. I am not sure if it the mystery, ports of call, solitude, or challenge that is pulling me this way at the moment. For sure it scares me to think about the possibilities of being out to sea, thousands of miles from home, but it's very alluring as well. It may go nowhere, but it may just take me around the world as well.
Well, I am having some family crisis's right now that need my attention so I will wrap this up. Love and miss you all.
Sunday, April 17, 2005
I Found NPR online.
It has been raining continuously here in Lyon for the last 3 days. It has been off and on all week with rain and lots of gray overcast days. However the last few days have been continuous raining. So much that the metros and Tramways shut down early last night due to the amount of water that had fallen. So, what better to do on a rainy Sunday morning than read and listen to NPR. I found it on the radio stations on the Media Player that I accidentally found while trying to find some Jazz and Blues stations. So here I am updating my blog and listening to NPR.
I have been all over the place today online. Reading the headlines of the Financial Times that has become my favorite paper since arriving here in Lyon. Bouncing over to MLB.Com and The Boston Red Sox homepage checking out how the boys from Boston are doing. Then I started searching for English teaching positions in Spanish speaking countries. I really think that when I finish my degree and I am looking into Grad School I would like to go and learn some Spanish or perhaps Japanese or Chinese. I think about staying in Charlotte and I get depressed about the thought of it. I think that I am beginning to feel the reverse-culture shock before I get home. I have another year, maybe year and a half before I am finished up at UNCC. I cannot wait to be done there.
Americans have to stop being so lazy in learning other cultures, while they are not as bad as the English I still think that we are lazy. A little anecdote for you about how I feel. When I was at the Monticello I was working a banquet one night. The banquet manager was bringing up the food for the party. Apparently, he thought that he could make it all the way without needing hot mits or a kitchen towel. Jaime ( pronounced HI-ME), was standing near the chafing dishes organizing the crudites and plates, etc... Jaime has been working at the restaurant for a few months and is learning English on the side at a community college. He works hard and the restaurant abuses his inability to speak English and the fact he is an immigrant to puch him as hard as they can without opening up there pocketbook like they would for an American. The banquet manager begins yelling at Jaime "Caliente! Caliente!" as he is walking towards the chafing dishes. Jaime hears and so he clears out of the way and moves to another end of the table. I also move out of the way and watch, the banquet manager begins yelling at Jaime to open the lids and calling him an idiot. I run over and lift the lids for the manager and he drops in the hot pan. I return to the lower dining room and soon the baquet manager, after chastizing Jaime for not opening the lids comes down as well. He turns to me and asks me if I can believe what just happened. I begged his pardon because I did not understand his point. He says well I said "Caliente! Caliente!" and Jaime just got out of the way and I almost got burned because he did not open the chafing dish lids. He tells me how much of an idiot he is, la-la-la..... So, I am standing there when pick something up and yell "Hot! Hot!" and the banquet manager jumps out of the way and he doesn't open the door behind him and help me through. I ask him why, I put the dish down and ask him why he did not help me out? He says, you only said "Hot! How was I supposed to know you wanted me to open the door?" So obviously I retorted with well you expected Jaime to open up the chafing dishes and help you when you yelled the same thing at him. Just before all this the banquet manager is telling me how any immigrant is responsible for learning English because it is "our" country. What an asshole? I hear that all the time though, and not at NRA meetings either. I know that I am speaking from a bias having spent the last 8 months in France but really? No offense Kat but I am going to pick on you, people are taking sign language at UNCC instead of learning a Spanish, French, German, Japanese, Italian, etc. I have no problems with sign language at all, but as far as the number of people that you can communicate with and the fact that it is without conjugation and only vocabulary it seems just a way to be lazy and get around the pre-reqs. You are not the only person that I know who has done this but I chose to pick on you because you actually read this site. I know that you are headed to Portugal this summer and I hope that you are learning enough Portuguese for getting around a cafe or finding you hotel. OK, that's it I think that we as Americans need to get off our asses and quit worrying about getting our jobs and our lakeside houses and go see the World and all of the cultures out there.
That said, I am feeling better this weekend in comparison to last week. I still have a cough and some nasty phlegm coming up occasionally, but on the whole I am better. So then I decided on Friday night to go and meet my friends at Maddy's place for the Pimps and Prostitutes Party, changed to the anything with a "P" party. I was too sick in the week to get a costume ready and did not think I was going to make it so I had to go sans costume. However, I found a couple lipstick yielding femmes and became a "Playboy" with some nice kisses all over my face. I planned to leave early and after snapping a few photos I went to catch the last metro. I missed the thing by about 20 seconds. So, I bought a six-pack and headed back up. I had previously decided not to drink but since I had to stay I said what the hell. I kept taking photos and everyone was so happy that I came back. I finished up by ending the party at 3:30am when the neighbor that yelled at me twice from the streets to close the windows eventually came up as someone was leaving and asked me to please stop. He was very polite and asked me kindly to turn the music down so that he and his wife could sleep since they had to work the next day. I went in and told everyone it was over and turned the music off. Claire, not thrilled said that the guy was crazy and who cares. After a little convincing that the party was already a success at 3:30 in the morning she succombed. I decided to walk home through the rain back home even though I was getting over a cold or possibly Bronchitis. I got about half a kilometer and decided I may as well run home to save time. 30 minutes later, soaked and coughing, I arrived chez moi. Took a shower and warmed up before going to bed with some more great memories a few months before my departure. I'll post some of the pictures as well. Hope everyone is well, talk to you soon.
I have been all over the place today online. Reading the headlines of the Financial Times that has become my favorite paper since arriving here in Lyon. Bouncing over to MLB.Com and The Boston Red Sox homepage checking out how the boys from Boston are doing. Then I started searching for English teaching positions in Spanish speaking countries. I really think that when I finish my degree and I am looking into Grad School I would like to go and learn some Spanish or perhaps Japanese or Chinese. I think about staying in Charlotte and I get depressed about the thought of it. I think that I am beginning to feel the reverse-culture shock before I get home. I have another year, maybe year and a half before I am finished up at UNCC. I cannot wait to be done there.
Americans have to stop being so lazy in learning other cultures, while they are not as bad as the English I still think that we are lazy. A little anecdote for you about how I feel. When I was at the Monticello I was working a banquet one night. The banquet manager was bringing up the food for the party. Apparently, he thought that he could make it all the way without needing hot mits or a kitchen towel. Jaime ( pronounced HI-ME), was standing near the chafing dishes organizing the crudites and plates, etc... Jaime has been working at the restaurant for a few months and is learning English on the side at a community college. He works hard and the restaurant abuses his inability to speak English and the fact he is an immigrant to puch him as hard as they can without opening up there pocketbook like they would for an American. The banquet manager begins yelling at Jaime "Caliente! Caliente!" as he is walking towards the chafing dishes. Jaime hears and so he clears out of the way and moves to another end of the table. I also move out of the way and watch, the banquet manager begins yelling at Jaime to open the lids and calling him an idiot. I run over and lift the lids for the manager and he drops in the hot pan. I return to the lower dining room and soon the baquet manager, after chastizing Jaime for not opening the lids comes down as well. He turns to me and asks me if I can believe what just happened. I begged his pardon because I did not understand his point. He says well I said "Caliente! Caliente!" and Jaime just got out of the way and I almost got burned because he did not open the chafing dish lids. He tells me how much of an idiot he is, la-la-la..... So, I am standing there when pick something up and yell "Hot! Hot!" and the banquet manager jumps out of the way and he doesn't open the door behind him and help me through. I ask him why, I put the dish down and ask him why he did not help me out? He says, you only said "Hot! How was I supposed to know you wanted me to open the door?" So obviously I retorted with well you expected Jaime to open up the chafing dishes and help you when you yelled the same thing at him. Just before all this the banquet manager is telling me how any immigrant is responsible for learning English because it is "our" country. What an asshole? I hear that all the time though, and not at NRA meetings either. I know that I am speaking from a bias having spent the last 8 months in France but really? No offense Kat but I am going to pick on you, people are taking sign language at UNCC instead of learning a Spanish, French, German, Japanese, Italian, etc. I have no problems with sign language at all, but as far as the number of people that you can communicate with and the fact that it is without conjugation and only vocabulary it seems just a way to be lazy and get around the pre-reqs. You are not the only person that I know who has done this but I chose to pick on you because you actually read this site. I know that you are headed to Portugal this summer and I hope that you are learning enough Portuguese for getting around a cafe or finding you hotel. OK, that's it I think that we as Americans need to get off our asses and quit worrying about getting our jobs and our lakeside houses and go see the World and all of the cultures out there.
That said, I am feeling better this weekend in comparison to last week. I still have a cough and some nasty phlegm coming up occasionally, but on the whole I am better. So then I decided on Friday night to go and meet my friends at Maddy's place for the Pimps and Prostitutes Party, changed to the anything with a "P" party. I was too sick in the week to get a costume ready and did not think I was going to make it so I had to go sans costume. However, I found a couple lipstick yielding femmes and became a "Playboy" with some nice kisses all over my face. I planned to leave early and after snapping a few photos I went to catch the last metro. I missed the thing by about 20 seconds. So, I bought a six-pack and headed back up. I had previously decided not to drink but since I had to stay I said what the hell. I kept taking photos and everyone was so happy that I came back. I finished up by ending the party at 3:30am when the neighbor that yelled at me twice from the streets to close the windows eventually came up as someone was leaving and asked me to please stop. He was very polite and asked me kindly to turn the music down so that he and his wife could sleep since they had to work the next day. I went in and told everyone it was over and turned the music off. Claire, not thrilled said that the guy was crazy and who cares. After a little convincing that the party was already a success at 3:30 in the morning she succombed. I decided to walk home through the rain back home even though I was getting over a cold or possibly Bronchitis. I got about half a kilometer and decided I may as well run home to save time. 30 minutes later, soaked and coughing, I arrived chez moi. Took a shower and warmed up before going to bed with some more great memories a few months before my departure. I'll post some of the pictures as well. Hope everyone is well, talk to you soon.
Thursday, April 14, 2005
Blue Wednesday, oh-oh blue wednesday!
I am trying to update this blog a little bit more than usual because I am now done with school and I have a lot of free-time on my hands. So, basically this week blows! I missed work Monday to study for an exam, missed work Tuesday because I felt like crap and had no sleep. I have not been out in almost two weeks so those of you thinking I am just partying, that's not the case. Then on Tuesday night I went to the gym planning to really have a go at it. However, my body let me know really early it had other plans, I was so weak and fatigued really early on. Then a slight cough set-in... I finished up but I have now fallen ill. Yesterday I tried to sleep it off and take it easy, so I stayed inside and did some reading and searching on the internet. I felt continually worse throughout the day and had a little bit of chocolate and some orange soda to feel better. Having promised my roommate stir-fry I got into the kitchen to follow through. I made a nice big wok full of veggies, turkey, and of course the stir-fry sauce. I could not even stomach thinking about eating it and decided instead to just have some white rice with a little bit of butter.
Next, I received my grade in French earlier in the day, an astonishing 8/20 after studying all week for the damn thing. French, at least written French, is not panning out to be my forte.
Then last night there was a Champions League game for European soccer with the hometown Lyon up againt PSV who I think are from Germany. The game was excellent and it went through double overtime with Lyon missing a few opportunities to put it away in the end. Which really ticked off there star Junihno because it forced a shootout, which they lost. The Lyonaiss guys after Junihno looked like they were from a summer camp back home. They had no leg in the shots I guess because they did have the precision and power combination like Junihno. Would have been nice to have the Champions League Vainqeurs while I was here but maybe next time.
So, I also missed work this morning. I woke up with a super-light headed feeling, sore throat, and nagging cough. So I called the school and told the principal that I thought I had a cold or a Spring flu but that if she wanted I could make it. She told me that she would tell the teachers that I was not feeling well and that I probably would not make it and I could come if I was up to it or not if that was the case. I got up to see how I could manage and I almost fell over on my way to the bathroom. Needless to say, back in the bed. If it had been a restaurant I would have been there without an option and been ok I guess. I was happy to go back to bed though. I still feel like crap today after getting up at 2:00pm, yes I said 2:00pm. Very unlike me but I was trying to rest up. I want to get to the gym over the 2 week vacation and really give it hell. Until then I am sipping on Fanta Orange soda and craving some Cambbell's Chicken Noodle or Kraft Macaroni and Cheese. Why is it when we are sick the most processed shit is what we crave? I cannot remeber craving strawberrys or apples when I am sick. Almost always it is something created in a lab and packaged for the masses. Goldfish, sodas, chips, condensed soup, chocolate, jello, pudding, etc... It seems a little strange to me I guess because it probably worse than everything else that I could have in this situation, but here I am wanting pre-packaged, freeze-dried, powdered, condensed, artificially, frozen, preserved, ready-made...CRAP!
Next order of business is that I may not be back until mid-July now. Fred called me this morning and he wants me to come up to Paris until around the 15th and then he is going to fly back with me to Charlotte. So, Kat and Caya it is not in the books yet, I have to do some serious thinking in the next two days on my plans. I really would like to stay here in France at this point and I wish I had already finished my degree and could set up shop here. I saw the Australian guy get nabbed at the Capital because of asking to see Bush with 2 suitcases at the steps. They are going to through him out of the country for making a point. I think he is brilliant and I am worried about the state of my country of birth. I look out over the Atlantic in my daydreams and I wonder where the place I grew up learning about is? Where are those that stand for freedom? When did "God" become so involved in politics?
I recently read an article about the Day of Silence for homosexual awareness in schools and how the christian ( yes I know it is supposed to be capitalised:) opponents are using some big "Defense Fund" for christians to tell the truth about homosexuality. How it's wrong, yada-yada blah-blah..... It seems to me that two people loving each other is not wrong, but a group of people hating others love is ok for the ultra-conservative christian right.
Is it any more accepetable for Christians to persecute than Muslims, or Jews, governments, or anyone else?
Oh, and why in the hell does every christian tell me that it's the right way to think. As if there is no other option in the Universe, of which Earth is the only planet with life??? Fat chance buckaroos. I am not trying to say that I have the answers, but I know that I don't. Most christians think that they have the answer, it's right, no questions asked. What bible do they read??? King James? I think I am getting too hard on the christians here and need to broaden this whole argument for any religous, state, or cultural ideology. Shit, that puts old US-of-A and Uncle Sam at the top of the friggin list. I better watch my comments or I am going to get a visit from some SS, wait a minute here.... Secret Service-S.S.??? You make the correlation to the next sentence. Is it National Security when SS agents track down an artist for making a political statement in Chicago? Or when they visit a High School in Washington to investigate a student's art for possible threats to the President? I am truly scared that the shock and awe campaign is in the States and not in Iraq. Finally, I read another listing of a 16 year old girl being held in a detention center for wanting to be a suicide bomber. She is being held without an attorney, without bail, without any civil liberties in my opinion. Her parent's are illegal immigrants and she is not a citizen of the US, yet. She was a very well-liked student with lots of friends and tolerant and embraceful of many cultures. A young woman exploring her own heritage and that of her new Nation. She missed an appointment with immigration because she was excited for a school function if I recall correctly, and they arrested her and are holding her as a terrorist, whilst in the process of deporting her parents.
Give us your weak, your less fortunate?
I am going to return to a country that does not resemble the one in my mind when I left, when I joined the Army, when I was told it was the "Greatest Country in the World." I feel isolated and lost, more at home in my host country France than the thought of being back on my maternal soil.
Well, I really went off on a rant there. I am not sure what tipped it off. I think it has been in the making for some time. Since before I left I believe I have been on this road. Someone told me that they would give up liberty to fight terrorism. I say "Give me Liberty, or Give me Death." That is why I joined the Army in the first place. I thought there was some residual value in my country. Now it's a War in Iraq that Americans have become complacent with because why? Noone knows. Or Guantanomo Bay, Cuba? Need I say more?
OK, going to end this now. I miss you all very much, but I am worried I am not coming home. I am coming back to finish my degree and apply for graduate schools and then going to try and find a job or do some travelling around the World and see some things.
Next, I received my grade in French earlier in the day, an astonishing 8/20 after studying all week for the damn thing. French, at least written French, is not panning out to be my forte.
Then last night there was a Champions League game for European soccer with the hometown Lyon up againt PSV who I think are from Germany. The game was excellent and it went through double overtime with Lyon missing a few opportunities to put it away in the end. Which really ticked off there star Junihno because it forced a shootout, which they lost. The Lyonaiss guys after Junihno looked like they were from a summer camp back home. They had no leg in the shots I guess because they did have the precision and power combination like Junihno. Would have been nice to have the Champions League Vainqeurs while I was here but maybe next time.
So, I also missed work this morning. I woke up with a super-light headed feeling, sore throat, and nagging cough. So I called the school and told the principal that I thought I had a cold or a Spring flu but that if she wanted I could make it. She told me that she would tell the teachers that I was not feeling well and that I probably would not make it and I could come if I was up to it or not if that was the case. I got up to see how I could manage and I almost fell over on my way to the bathroom. Needless to say, back in the bed. If it had been a restaurant I would have been there without an option and been ok I guess. I was happy to go back to bed though. I still feel like crap today after getting up at 2:00pm, yes I said 2:00pm. Very unlike me but I was trying to rest up. I want to get to the gym over the 2 week vacation and really give it hell. Until then I am sipping on Fanta Orange soda and craving some Cambbell's Chicken Noodle or Kraft Macaroni and Cheese. Why is it when we are sick the most processed shit is what we crave? I cannot remeber craving strawberrys or apples when I am sick. Almost always it is something created in a lab and packaged for the masses. Goldfish, sodas, chips, condensed soup, chocolate, jello, pudding, etc... It seems a little strange to me I guess because it probably worse than everything else that I could have in this situation, but here I am wanting pre-packaged, freeze-dried, powdered, condensed, artificially, frozen, preserved, ready-made...CRAP!
Next order of business is that I may not be back until mid-July now. Fred called me this morning and he wants me to come up to Paris until around the 15th and then he is going to fly back with me to Charlotte. So, Kat and Caya it is not in the books yet, I have to do some serious thinking in the next two days on my plans. I really would like to stay here in France at this point and I wish I had already finished my degree and could set up shop here. I saw the Australian guy get nabbed at the Capital because of asking to see Bush with 2 suitcases at the steps. They are going to through him out of the country for making a point. I think he is brilliant and I am worried about the state of my country of birth. I look out over the Atlantic in my daydreams and I wonder where the place I grew up learning about is? Where are those that stand for freedom? When did "God" become so involved in politics?
I recently read an article about the Day of Silence for homosexual awareness in schools and how the christian ( yes I know it is supposed to be capitalised:) opponents are using some big "Defense Fund" for christians to tell the truth about homosexuality. How it's wrong, yada-yada blah-blah..... It seems to me that two people loving each other is not wrong, but a group of people hating others love is ok for the ultra-conservative christian right.
Is it any more accepetable for Christians to persecute than Muslims, or Jews, governments, or anyone else?
Oh, and why in the hell does every christian tell me that it's the right way to think. As if there is no other option in the Universe, of which Earth is the only planet with life??? Fat chance buckaroos. I am not trying to say that I have the answers, but I know that I don't. Most christians think that they have the answer, it's right, no questions asked. What bible do they read??? King James? I think I am getting too hard on the christians here and need to broaden this whole argument for any religous, state, or cultural ideology. Shit, that puts old US-of-A and Uncle Sam at the top of the friggin list. I better watch my comments or I am going to get a visit from some SS, wait a minute here.... Secret Service-S.S.??? You make the correlation to the next sentence. Is it National Security when SS agents track down an artist for making a political statement in Chicago? Or when they visit a High School in Washington to investigate a student's art for possible threats to the President? I am truly scared that the shock and awe campaign is in the States and not in Iraq. Finally, I read another listing of a 16 year old girl being held in a detention center for wanting to be a suicide bomber. She is being held without an attorney, without bail, without any civil liberties in my opinion. Her parent's are illegal immigrants and she is not a citizen of the US, yet. She was a very well-liked student with lots of friends and tolerant and embraceful of many cultures. A young woman exploring her own heritage and that of her new Nation. She missed an appointment with immigration because she was excited for a school function if I recall correctly, and they arrested her and are holding her as a terrorist, whilst in the process of deporting her parents.
Give us your weak, your less fortunate?
I am going to return to a country that does not resemble the one in my mind when I left, when I joined the Army, when I was told it was the "Greatest Country in the World." I feel isolated and lost, more at home in my host country France than the thought of being back on my maternal soil.
Well, I really went off on a rant there. I am not sure what tipped it off. I think it has been in the making for some time. Since before I left I believe I have been on this road. Someone told me that they would give up liberty to fight terrorism. I say "Give me Liberty, or Give me Death." That is why I joined the Army in the first place. I thought there was some residual value in my country. Now it's a War in Iraq that Americans have become complacent with because why? Noone knows. Or Guantanomo Bay, Cuba? Need I say more?
OK, going to end this now. I miss you all very much, but I am worried I am not coming home. I am coming back to finish my degree and apply for graduate schools and then going to try and find a job or do some travelling around the World and see some things.
Tuesday, April 12, 2005
Screwing up a little.
Hello all!!! Bonjour tout le monde!!! I know you have not heard from me in awhile and I am sorry about that. I actually posted a pretty nice little but last week but the server for blogger went down and I lost the entire piece. After that I was too busy studying for my French exam that I had yesterday. I am really not looking forward to the grade. I know that I did better than last time but I always have a lot of trouble knowing which personal pronoms to use. In spoken French it is usually simple because you can adjust what you say to accomodate but the written language is completely different. I really would like to have a working since of French in case I ever have the opportunity to come back here, or go perhaps to....French Guyana, La Reunion, etc...
What's new in Sean's world? Well, after studying all weekend I called the school yesterday and cancelled my classes to study more for the exam. I went to school all stressed and ran into Maddy and Mauricio going to lunch so I decided that it may calm me down to hang out. The diet was going great through lunch, through the exam, and after I got back home as well. Then I laid down at 5:00pm to take a cat-nap before the gym. Bad Idea!!! I woke up at 8:15, too late to make the gym since it closes at 9:30. So, I really felt like having some bad food and decided to celebrate finishing Lyon 3 by getting McDonald's. I bought and ate a meal and sundae, felt like shit the rest of the night. Next time if I cheat it's going to be homemade and not that crap. So, then I started reading the end of my book Wooden Boats about the Gannon and Benjamin Marine Railway in Martha's Vineyard, don't worry they're not the vacationing yuppies, real blue collar guys doing what they love. Really makes you want to find a boat captain and hit the seas for adventure. I was mesmorized and enticed by the stories at sea of the people working in the shop. How they came to be sailors, and then boatbuilders in a story that started off a little slow but brings you into the circle. It's a book by Michael Ruhlman, the only reason I bought it actually. It was on sale at a bookstore and I saw the author, who has written 2 great books for the restaurant world. They are The Making of a Chef, and The Soul of a Chef, the latter of which I enjoyed the most. The Making of a Chef is about the CIA in Hyde Park, NY and is informative but reflects why I do not like culinary schools, the job is hard enough without having to be an asshole to get things done all the time. The Soul of a Chef takes you through three kitchens, each one very different in style, grace, and dogma. Ending with the highly famed Thomas Keller at The French Laundry. In the end I really like Ruhlman's style and readability, he also writes cookbooks, at least when it's Thomas Keller.
So, after my long nap last night, reading my book until 1:30, I still did not fall asleep until after 4:00 in the morning sometime. So tired that I did not get up to go and teach this morning and have to go and explain myself a little later and make-up the time. ooops. I have not missed a day since coming back from Christmas so I think I am in the clear with less than 3 months to go, weird when I hear that my time is on the shortside.
OK, well I have to go make up for yesterday's absence at my school and I still need to get a shower before I go. Miss you all!!! Sorry I cannot make the wedding Timmer's, but I will see you this summer in July. I am looking to the 8th of July so I should make the Caya/Kat procession from the looks of it. Take care all. Ciao
What's new in Sean's world? Well, after studying all weekend I called the school yesterday and cancelled my classes to study more for the exam. I went to school all stressed and ran into Maddy and Mauricio going to lunch so I decided that it may calm me down to hang out. The diet was going great through lunch, through the exam, and after I got back home as well. Then I laid down at 5:00pm to take a cat-nap before the gym. Bad Idea!!! I woke up at 8:15, too late to make the gym since it closes at 9:30. So, I really felt like having some bad food and decided to celebrate finishing Lyon 3 by getting McDonald's. I bought and ate a meal and sundae, felt like shit the rest of the night. Next time if I cheat it's going to be homemade and not that crap. So, then I started reading the end of my book Wooden Boats about the Gannon and Benjamin Marine Railway in Martha's Vineyard, don't worry they're not the vacationing yuppies, real blue collar guys doing what they love. Really makes you want to find a boat captain and hit the seas for adventure. I was mesmorized and enticed by the stories at sea of the people working in the shop. How they came to be sailors, and then boatbuilders in a story that started off a little slow but brings you into the circle. It's a book by Michael Ruhlman, the only reason I bought it actually. It was on sale at a bookstore and I saw the author, who has written 2 great books for the restaurant world. They are The Making of a Chef, and The Soul of a Chef, the latter of which I enjoyed the most. The Making of a Chef is about the CIA in Hyde Park, NY and is informative but reflects why I do not like culinary schools, the job is hard enough without having to be an asshole to get things done all the time. The Soul of a Chef takes you through three kitchens, each one very different in style, grace, and dogma. Ending with the highly famed Thomas Keller at The French Laundry. In the end I really like Ruhlman's style and readability, he also writes cookbooks, at least when it's Thomas Keller.
So, after my long nap last night, reading my book until 1:30, I still did not fall asleep until after 4:00 in the morning sometime. So tired that I did not get up to go and teach this morning and have to go and explain myself a little later and make-up the time. ooops. I have not missed a day since coming back from Christmas so I think I am in the clear with less than 3 months to go, weird when I hear that my time is on the shortside.
OK, well I have to go make up for yesterday's absence at my school and I still need to get a shower before I go. Miss you all!!! Sorry I cannot make the wedding Timmer's, but I will see you this summer in July. I am looking to the 8th of July so I should make the Caya/Kat procession from the looks of it. Take care all. Ciao
Monday, March 28, 2005
Jason and Ashleigh in Paris
Hello all, I went to Paris again this past weekend to see some friends from home. Jason and Ashleigh came in on Saturday morning so I decided to meet them over at the hotel early. That way they would not have a chance to sleep and be jet-lagged all week. I met them around 9:30 at the Hotel Europe and we went to walk the beautiful streets of Paris. First we stopped by a cafe for some much needed coffee! Then we walked over to the Eiffel Tower and down through the park just in front of it. Over to the Louvre to see that famous pyramid of triangles made even more famous by Dan Brown and The DaVinci Code. We walked sooo much! Over to the Champs Elysees and to the Arc de Triomphe to finish. Then I let them head over to the Hotel for a little nap and so they could get ready for dinner at La Maison de Campagne. They were kind enough to buy my dinner and I was very happy to accept! It was really nice and we were fortunate because the waiter turned out to be an Irish ex-patriate so I was able to speak French and they spoke in English. The next day I met them at 1:00pm at the Musee D'Orsay because I did not realize it was daylight savings time to change and Spring Forward so I woke up late. It was nice to that museum because I had never been. The whole museum is nice and not crowded until you get to the 5th floor where the Impressionist's are. Then the place is crowded and it's hard to get a great view without being patient. The paintings are simply beautiful, I love Monet the most I think. Van Gogh is no slouch but I think that Monet had a better style and grace. Afterwards we went to a cafe and had a late lunch sandwich and coffee before I had to go and catch my train. It was a great weekend and now I have to hit the gym and pay the piper. It feels early but only because of the daylight savings. Well, I hope all of you are doing well and I will post again soon.
Monday, March 21, 2005
Spring Is Just Around The Corner
It has been absolutely beautiful here in Lyon this past week. I have been able to go roller-blading 4 times so far around Lyon and always in the Parc de La Tete D'Or. Which is a huge park in the North of the city where the whole city goes when it is nice outside. Last Thursday I skated up there to play some soccer with my peoples. We played and lazed in the sun for hours. I was so fatigued that I could not go to the gym that day! Then I went out on Saturday night with some Aussies ( of course ), and I also met some Swedes. The stereotype is true, they are all beautiful!!! However they are not all blonde. The one that I took a liking to was a blonde, and like every other girl that I like she has a boyfriend. Who apparently fits her like a glove as I have been told. So Sunday was the free-day and I woke up after being shifted into another bed when Mads got back from her rave. I went back to sleep and when I got up I had 2 bowls of this great Muesli with lots of chocolate chips! Then I grug over to the market to get some things for the rest of the week and that night. I love to get one of the spit-roasted chickens from some really jovial characters there. They are always singing and chatting with everyone so it always makes me smile to see them.
Next was off to the park again to meet an entourage and munch on some chips. I had planned to play soccer but I think everyone was happier talking and sitting in the sun so who was I to change that perfect setting! I did roller there and back so even on my day off I got some exercise. Which is good because I came home and made some broccoli and chicken pasta with parmasan, cream, and lemon zest. Not to mention the half pint of Haagen-Daaz that I ate afterwards. It was a nice weekend with great weather but it is now getting a little chilly again. Hopefully it will be nice next weekend when I go to see Jason and Ashley in Paris. Not looking forward to paying 90+ euros for the return fair but I would never miss seeing them. OK, that is enough for today I am going to me couche bientot. Ciao
Next was off to the park again to meet an entourage and munch on some chips. I had planned to play soccer but I think everyone was happier talking and sitting in the sun so who was I to change that perfect setting! I did roller there and back so even on my day off I got some exercise. Which is good because I came home and made some broccoli and chicken pasta with parmasan, cream, and lemon zest. Not to mention the half pint of Haagen-Daaz that I ate afterwards. It was a nice weekend with great weather but it is now getting a little chilly again. Hopefully it will be nice next weekend when I go to see Jason and Ashley in Paris. Not looking forward to paying 90+ euros for the return fair but I would never miss seeing them. OK, that is enough for today I am going to me couche bientot. Ciao
Monday, March 14, 2005
Murphyslaw Strikes, then backfires!!!
Bonjour a Tous! I have a great story to tell you all. I had planned to go skiing yesterday with a large group of friends. We purchased a group package for 27 euros. In all there were 12 of us from about 5 nations and four continents that joined in on the plan. We all had to meet at Belle Cours by 5:55am when the bus was scheduled to leave. Although France is known for being late, when it comes to transportation they are usually right on time. So, I could not fall asleep the night before. Probably because I had been fighting sleep all day since I got home at 5:00am on Friday night from an international gathering the night before. I left at about 3:40am but decided to walk home so that I could get up early and clean the apartment before the landlords stopped by with the new fridge. I arose at 10:30am and cleaned the place with a nice hangover. Then, I went to the gym because they had not arrived. They said sometime in the afternoon so I continued to wait. Finally, I went to the store to buy groceries for the trip and eventually they arrived at 8:00pm. I guess that is technically afternoon! Then I watched the Miss Europe Pageant. I am not a paegent kind-of-guy but it was my brother Fred's show and he wanted me too watch it. I went to bed around midnight but fell asleep somewhere between 2:00-3:00am. The next thing I know my phone is ringing and it's Mad's. I thought she was calling to make sure I was awake but it turns out it was 5:55am and the bus was about to roll out. No chance to get there in 5 minutes so after having bought my ticket and renting my skiis I thought that it was all in vain. I received several phone calls from Maddy and Jo after that telling me to get a train to Grenoble and then hitching a ride or finding a bus. That seemed a little bit too much of a shot in the dark so I started to get back in the bed smoldering with anger and envy. Then my phone ribbits ( I have a frog chime ) with a message saying that the bus is en panne or broken down at a gas station. The station is only about 10 minutes by taxi and they tell me I have 30 minutes before the bus arrives. I hopped out of bed, called Allo Taxi, put some sandwiches and edibles in my bag and went straight down to meet the taxi! Amazingly, the bus was about 12km away and after another 22 euros for the cab fair I rejoined my friends and had a great day skiing. Moral of the story, never give up when you can call a cab!!!
Hope that you enjoyed that little anecdote, it will be a memory of mine for years to come. Yesterday I went to the Parc De La Tete D'Or with Maddy her man Mauricio, Anna, Claire, Lynette, etc... for a little fun in the finally warm sun!!! I rollered there in my skates that I got the 2nd month here. I did not fall yesterday so I think that I am starting to get my feet back. My goal is to be able to navigate the streets really well and have a proficiency in skating backwards since I would like to pick up hockey again when I get back home. For all those interested I am still in the "Zone." I have lost around 4-5kgs so far. That is about 10-12pds for those who are not savvy with the metric system. Which, by the way, is so much more efficient and easy to use than the fucking standard system that we use in the US. Americans need to jump on board and we should be more like the English in tranferring our youth completely to metric by teaching them both in school. However, with the bold and STUPID "No Child Left Behind" doctrination of our bumbling 4 more years President I think that we are sliding back in time.
OK, I don't feel like standing on the soapbox right now on such a beautiful day so I am going to the gym, class, and then maybe even the Generation Roller tonight. That is a 15km skate around Lyon. They shut the streets down in front of and behind a huge group of roller bladers. Going to be some fun tonight!
Toodles...
Hope that you enjoyed that little anecdote, it will be a memory of mine for years to come. Yesterday I went to the Parc De La Tete D'Or with Maddy her man Mauricio, Anna, Claire, Lynette, etc... for a little fun in the finally warm sun!!! I rollered there in my skates that I got the 2nd month here. I did not fall yesterday so I think that I am starting to get my feet back. My goal is to be able to navigate the streets really well and have a proficiency in skating backwards since I would like to pick up hockey again when I get back home. For all those interested I am still in the "Zone." I have lost around 4-5kgs so far. That is about 10-12pds for those who are not savvy with the metric system. Which, by the way, is so much more efficient and easy to use than the fucking standard system that we use in the US. Americans need to jump on board and we should be more like the English in tranferring our youth completely to metric by teaching them both in school. However, with the bold and STUPID "No Child Left Behind" doctrination of our bumbling 4 more years President I think that we are sliding back in time.
OK, I don't feel like standing on the soapbox right now on such a beautiful day so I am going to the gym, class, and then maybe even the Generation Roller tonight. That is a 15km skate around Lyon. They shut the streets down in front of and behind a huge group of roller bladers. Going to be some fun tonight!
Toodles...
Thursday, March 10, 2005
Hitting the Slopes
This weekend is my first adventure into the French Alps for a little skiing. There is a big group of about 15-20 of us going through a service that we found that is cheap and reputed to be a nice group of slopes. Not that I am going to have any clue since it has been about 12 years since I went skiing and I had only been a few times before that. The main concern I have is the fact there was 55,000 injuries in France last season attributed to winter sports, or in otherwords skiing and snowboarding. I have just started the BFL Challenge and I am in week 2 so I am hoping that I do not go up there and screw it all up by getting a broken foot, leg, or arm! That would be just my style I think. Its not so much that I think I will fall and break something as much as I am worried about someone else running into me and causing damage like the last time I went skiing. I was plowed into by a friend of mine, I was already down and he tried something stupid above me on the slope to show-off, fell and planted both of his skis in my leg, did not break it but bruised it to the bone I can assure you. Well, I am supposed to be in class now and I have a test at around 1:00pm so I better run and get to it. Talk to you all later, looks like I have to come back for the end of May and first few days of June for a wedding. Congratulations Timmy! Never thought you would be first before Brendon or myself. No worries, wish the two of you the very best and I will see you in June I wreckon!
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