What page is this?

I know what you may be thinking and 1. Yes, that is an awesome purse in that picture and 2. Yes, as a matter of fact I have three final papers, a few hundred pages of reading, and half a research project to finish...so I revamped the blog.

I have attempted to make it both more aesthetically pleasing and user-friendly – the front page will now only display the most recent blog post, though you can scroll all the way to the bottom to see all of your favorite old posts, the still non-existent “About Me” link, and the list of all the other cool kids following the blog (seriously, they are ALL doing it). More blog, less link-related shenanigans on the sidebar...that’s my motto. I believe the blue background accentuates the focal point of the header: my first purse. While this purse has been retired, I’m sure it holds as dear a place in your hearts as it does in mine. With regards to the title of the blog...it’s the same (likely a by-product of the conservative portion of my moderate mind that, though it can appreciate some change, periodically pauses to say ‘let’s not get ahead of ourselves here’). I considered coming up with a clever, new title, but...didn’t. I can only hope that Bob and Eric continue to be loyal readers despite the removal of their names from the title bar...

Don’t hesitate to let me know what you think about the new look, and please enjoy!


Enough about the new look, now for the France update:

There are about 7.5 weeks between right now and AUP’s graduation…which means that our time in Paris is sadly winding down. There are several questions that I get a lot, that I’ll go ahead and answer here:


1. Has your French improved? Yes. However, like many things, I feel like I should have put more time into it, learned more, pushed myself more, read/wrote/spoke more but...I’ve done ok...it hasn't been a complete immersion experience as I am getting an MA from the American University of Paris and am surrounded, suprise! by English speakers, but, like I said, the French has certainly improved.


2. What do you miss most about the states? Aside from the obvious - an ocean between Abbey and I and a majority of our friends and family - the answer to this question is going to be quite contradictory: Junk Food and the gym. I miss Five Guys. I miss Moe’s. I miss the Varsity, Arby’s, and Chik-fil-a. I never thought of myself as much of a junk food eater until I came here and realized how much I miss it. Which brings me to my second point. When we got over here I had the decision of paying too much for a gym membership or buying a set of dumbbells. I opted for the latter as it involved less of a chance of me lying under a pile of heavy things in a room full of people who don’t speak English...irrational? Maybe. Fiscally responsible? Certainly. But I am looking forward to getting back to the states, picking up heavy things, putting them back down again, and repeating.

3. When are you coming back? July 8th after a few days in Nice – just in time for the Summer 2010 tour of what is certain to become one of my new favorite bands…stay tuned.

4. What's the best thing about living in Paris for a year? Prolonged exposure to the never-ending amusement that is French people-watching (and I thought Virginia’s annual “CountryFest” was the best place to bask in humanity’s unintentionally entertaining side); Being in an academic program where I feel like I’m seeing ‘the other side of the coin,’ so to speak – learning about familiar time periods and events from a different perspective; finally, every now and then me and Abbey realize that when we got married we had hoped we would be able to spend the year after I finished in Seminary and now, so to speak, we’re living the dream.

That’s all for now…Oh, one more update: our traffic circle (Place D’Italie) was completely blocked off Saturday for a “No Sarkozy Day” demonstration. There were a couple hundred police, many loud protestors, and – I kid you not – French Gangster Rappers putting on quite a show. I celebrated by buying a new, light-weight spring scarf...


Stop laughing at me.

Thanks for reading.