Monday, August 29, 2005
Saturday, August 27, 2005
"What're you going to put on your resume? -Dumbass?"
Really, I would if I thought it would help me get a job.
And honestly, how is it that I put resumes/cover letters at the top of every one of my to do lists- and all in good conscience- and yet manage to make it the last thing I've yet to attempt?
Watching 'That 70's Show' is so much more entertaining anyway.
And honestly, how is it that I put resumes/cover letters at the top of every one of my to do lists- and all in good conscience- and yet manage to make it the last thing I've yet to attempt?
Watching 'That 70's Show' is so much more entertaining anyway.
Saturday, July 23, 2005
Time and Old Memories.
For reasons unknown, time is quite amazing. Mostly for me, it resembles money and is gone before I assimilate that it's there. In talking with Louise this past Thursday, I was reminded of how much time has passed since returning to the States and how quickly it's done so. In addition, Bobby has returned, but only just within the last week or two- comparatively to my two and a half months.
It's also been about as much time since my last post. Something about a 40-hour work-week instead of my leisurely aforementioned 12-hour work-week seems to make all the difference.
It was so wonderful to chat with Louise though. Such a fabulous indulgence in nostalgia. (Can something that's only two months past become nostalgia already?) We discussed the end of our time there with friends and family, the return, ensuring activities, and forthcoming possibilities. She has been accepted and assigned her post for the next year in France but is still debating between returning to Metz and her graduate school acceptance. Her options far outshine mine, and I have to admit to about five minutes envy that she could return if she wanted to. However I know that I am content not to return- the likelihood of receiving my former school again would be so tiny and I have always found it difficult to return to the same situation without expecting the same outcome. Instead I find myself plotting a week long visit in April or May of 2006- oh dreams are wonderful things even if they don't actually play out. (Namely due to short vacation allowances and small salaries for pions.) But how I wish I could visit in the spring... to see Metz begin blooming again and visit Parisian friends, and maybe even the Milau bridge and the Riveria... sigh.
Nostalgia is not in short supply for me tonight... I've been cleaning and sorting through old things again. Today it was time to clean under my desk- throwing out old middle school art projects and rambling through photos from high school onwards. The most surprising thing tonight was the file folder holding print-outs of all the old emails from my high school boyfriend. He was also my first boyfriend, and you would think that if I can throw out things from university, I'd be able to throw out a folder of old emails. Instead I ended up reading through the majority of them and for the stupid reason of sentimentality, I have ended up saving them again. Maybe someday I'll finally toss them, but I guess not now. I mean, what is it about your first boyfriend anyway, especially when it keeps you from throwing out a pile of space-taking paper.
It's also been about as much time since my last post. Something about a 40-hour work-week instead of my leisurely aforementioned 12-hour work-week seems to make all the difference.
It was so wonderful to chat with Louise though. Such a fabulous indulgence in nostalgia. (Can something that's only two months past become nostalgia already?) We discussed the end of our time there with friends and family, the return, ensuring activities, and forthcoming possibilities. She has been accepted and assigned her post for the next year in France but is still debating between returning to Metz and her graduate school acceptance. Her options far outshine mine, and I have to admit to about five minutes envy that she could return if she wanted to. However I know that I am content not to return- the likelihood of receiving my former school again would be so tiny and I have always found it difficult to return to the same situation without expecting the same outcome. Instead I find myself plotting a week long visit in April or May of 2006- oh dreams are wonderful things even if they don't actually play out. (Namely due to short vacation allowances and small salaries for pions.) But how I wish I could visit in the spring... to see Metz begin blooming again and visit Parisian friends, and maybe even the Milau bridge and the Riveria... sigh.
Nostalgia is not in short supply for me tonight... I've been cleaning and sorting through old things again. Today it was time to clean under my desk- throwing out old middle school art projects and rambling through photos from high school onwards. The most surprising thing tonight was the file folder holding print-outs of all the old emails from my high school boyfriend. He was also my first boyfriend, and you would think that if I can throw out things from university, I'd be able to throw out a folder of old emails. Instead I ended up reading through the majority of them and for the stupid reason of sentimentality, I have ended up saving them again. Maybe someday I'll finally toss them, but I guess not now. I mean, what is it about your first boyfriend anyway, especially when it keeps you from throwing out a pile of space-taking paper.
Monday, May 30, 2005
Weekend highlights, and not in my hair...
So, you're just going to have to forgive the title, as it's late.
So last week, I missed the note about how everyone coming back for graduation etc was back during the days leading up to Saturday, so I only made it over to the area on Saturday about noon and then spend happy quality time with the family. So sorry to everyone I missed seeing, in case it was that important to you to see me then.
However, missing said note did allow me to complete a few interviews- necessary for those student loan payments- and even a surprise one for the summer job that I'd really wanted on Friday!
Finally participated in a female tradition in my family (started by my aunts!), the tradition where I go through all my crap from my entire life and sift through it (aka discard about 75% of it) and pass it along to my young female cousins so that they in turn might do the same to even younger cousins or potentially my female children. Wow, who knew my aunt's daughters might inherit some of her childhood things in the long run!
I also managed to get reacquainted with the insect population of Iowa; mosquitoes still like me...
I was also reminded of the joys of Phedre this weekend. Oh how I miss Intro to Lit 311!
Managed to consume more fried foods this weekend than in (probably) all my time in France this past year.
Ditto on soda.
Got mildly caught up on the EU Constitution referendum in France and the "No" result. (Check the BBC for some overview.)
And happily also managed to surprise Angela with a visit to her summer pad so we could at least scratch the surface of all the stories we need to catch up on!
And finally, got the summer job I wanted (surprise interview one!)! Plans are potentially falling into their necessary places!
I miss France, but it's awfully good to be home.
So last week, I missed the note about how everyone coming back for graduation etc was back during the days leading up to Saturday, so I only made it over to the area on Saturday about noon and then spend happy quality time with the family. So sorry to everyone I missed seeing, in case it was that important to you to see me then.
However, missing said note did allow me to complete a few interviews- necessary for those student loan payments- and even a surprise one for the summer job that I'd really wanted on Friday!
Finally participated in a female tradition in my family (started by my aunts!), the tradition where I go through all my crap from my entire life and sift through it (aka discard about 75% of it) and pass it along to my young female cousins so that they in turn might do the same to even younger cousins or potentially my female children. Wow, who knew my aunt's daughters might inherit some of her childhood things in the long run!
I also managed to get reacquainted with the insect population of Iowa; mosquitoes still like me...
I was also reminded of the joys of Phedre this weekend. Oh how I miss Intro to Lit 311!
Managed to consume more fried foods this weekend than in (probably) all my time in France this past year.
Ditto on soda.
Got mildly caught up on the EU Constitution referendum in France and the "No" result. (Check the BBC for some overview.)
And happily also managed to surprise Angela with a visit to her summer pad so we could at least scratch the surface of all the stories we need to catch up on!
And finally, got the summer job I wanted (surprise interview one!)! Plans are potentially falling into their necessary places!
I miss France, but it's awfully good to be home.
Monday, May 23, 2005
France and the EU constitution- BBC News
BBC NEWS | Europe | France and the EU constitution
On the upcoming French referendum on whether to accept the EU Constitution. The comments on the article are just as interesting.
On the upcoming French referendum on whether to accept the EU Constitution. The comments on the article are just as interesting.
BBC NEWS | In Pictures | Day in pictures
BBC NEWS | In Pictures | Day in pictures
Check out the caption on this page and let me know if you too found the obvious error. I guess the BBC strike is effecting even their editing staff.
Check out the caption on this page and let me know if you too found the obvious error. I guess the BBC strike is effecting even their editing staff.
My clocks are finally synched...
Or in other words, I'm back on the North American continent... or home, whatever that's supposed to mean...
Don't get me wrong, it's wonderful to be back with my family- as that's what home is mostly to me. I'm having a hoot! It's been fabulous that the weather's been mostly nice in my week and a half back. I'm enjoying a stressless adjustment period of hiding out in my parents' house, of finding a job, of not having to deal with the compounded energy of at least 300 other people who are perfectly intune with their internal clock while I'm still confused about what times I'm suppose to be tired and sleepy at... That's been the best bit of being back- just having the time to coast back into a regular sleep and time schedule again. The eating schedule is something all together else though... I think I just need the world's best cereal from LeaderPrice and then everything would be all better though! So being back... overall, not too bad.
Except as usual there's all the things I miss. Like, crazy but mild weather, the river and the riverwalk, the parks, stealing daffodils out of the public gardens, my cafe, walking around centreville, destroying my shoes' soles on the cobblestones, running errands on foot except for the occasional hoof and bus trip to Cora, missing the construction of the new Pompidou in the Quartier Amphitheatre, my boulangerie on the corner, St. Jacques and all the tables, the Cathedral, and probably most of all, the bells ringing to remind you of where in the day you are- every fifteen minutes... the bells never bothered me as they might have others, I liked them and I could sleep through them during my afternoon naps, so I miss them. I tell you what, a tornado siren at noon does nothing to replace them and everything to stop my heart-- I mean, come on people, it's not the first Wednesday of the month here... everyday is a bit obsessive, except for the fact that we live in a tornado prone area I suppose...
And I miss Paris even, it's a great city if just too much some days! I miss my seat in the Luxembourg Gardens and I miss subtlely chasing the piegons down the streets and I miss the trains and I miss well, everything I love about being in France... I miss that I'm missing late spring and early summer in Europe... for those still there, remember to truly enjoy it!
And now that I've decided to cut off my list of things I miss, so as not to become overwhelming homesick, I'm going to go think about why it is I'm not going back next year... sigh.
So maybe next time I'll be up to bringing you up to date on why being guide and translator can be so exhausting... just as Kim warned me it would be!
Don't get me wrong, it's wonderful to be back with my family- as that's what home is mostly to me. I'm having a hoot! It's been fabulous that the weather's been mostly nice in my week and a half back. I'm enjoying a stressless adjustment period of hiding out in my parents' house, of finding a job, of not having to deal with the compounded energy of at least 300 other people who are perfectly intune with their internal clock while I'm still confused about what times I'm suppose to be tired and sleepy at... That's been the best bit of being back- just having the time to coast back into a regular sleep and time schedule again. The eating schedule is something all together else though... I think I just need the world's best cereal from LeaderPrice and then everything would be all better though! So being back... overall, not too bad.
Except as usual there's all the things I miss. Like, crazy but mild weather, the river and the riverwalk, the parks, stealing daffodils out of the public gardens, my cafe, walking around centreville, destroying my shoes' soles on the cobblestones, running errands on foot except for the occasional hoof and bus trip to Cora, missing the construction of the new Pompidou in the Quartier Amphitheatre, my boulangerie on the corner, St. Jacques and all the tables, the Cathedral, and probably most of all, the bells ringing to remind you of where in the day you are- every fifteen minutes... the bells never bothered me as they might have others, I liked them and I could sleep through them during my afternoon naps, so I miss them. I tell you what, a tornado siren at noon does nothing to replace them and everything to stop my heart-- I mean, come on people, it's not the first Wednesday of the month here... everyday is a bit obsessive, except for the fact that we live in a tornado prone area I suppose...
And I miss Paris even, it's a great city if just too much some days! I miss my seat in the Luxembourg Gardens and I miss subtlely chasing the piegons down the streets and I miss the trains and I miss well, everything I love about being in France... I miss that I'm missing late spring and early summer in Europe... for those still there, remember to truly enjoy it!
And now that I've decided to cut off my list of things I miss, so as not to become overwhelming homesick, I'm going to go think about why it is I'm not going back next year... sigh.
So maybe next time I'll be up to bringing you up to date on why being guide and translator can be so exhausting... just as Kim warned me it would be!
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