1. Have you ever finished a book and felt lost afterwards? I have six books awaiting my reading. Which to choose? Maybe I just want to sit with the other (finished) one for a little while longer?
2. What's the point of wearing footies with your heels? Either suck it up and wear the nylons, or don't wear anything at all. That's my feeling, alright. That little trace of nylon skimming the rim of your shoes is most unappealing. Cute shoes, too. Why did you go and ruin a good thing?
3. I've been thinking a lot about money and how I need more of it. I have already confided in my closest friends - and now, here, to you, dear Internet - that I believe in my past life I was a noble. I think I had nice, pretty things and was surrounded by luxury. I have always had an overly strong appreciation for all things clean and new. However, I have accepted that in this life, I might not lead the life of the noble I believe myself to be (at heart). Yet, I would still like to come as close as possible to living in comfort as I can. While discussing the issue with a close friend (who dresses well) for several hours, we left her house this evening in the nice (leather-interiored) car of her boyfriend. Driving through the artistically-lit streets of Paris in his car, with Serge Gainsbourg as the background, my urge to be loaded down with cash became an almost physically tangible feeling. Oooo... to not have to compare the prices of the different types of tomatoes! How I would love to no longer add water to my dish soap! The Boy and I have had an informal yet monumental discussion concerning our finances, and we have stumbled upon the unspoken agreement that we will now drink our semi-daily (does that mean every-other-day?) coffee at the bar. Sitting at the table, it costs twice the price, and we just can't afford to continue throwing a precious 2,30 euros two or three times per week. I have, in fact, become the person I could never understand: the one for whom every euro counts. This is a tough life, for a noble. I have never been up such a shitty financial creek as I am right now, and I find myself hoping that my thread, needles, and generally positive outlook will get us through this rough patch that could last anywhere from a year to an eternity. Wish us luck.
; "Sun River 5K")
; "Catching fish")
hey, I feel your pain....never been as poor in my life as I have been during these past 2 yrs in France...it sucks having to count pennies and to have your friends always buy you coffee cuz you can't afford it (especially when i listen to my friends back home talk about the great job they have, the new car they bought, the townhouse they just took a loan out for...). i'm just thanking god that i found out about the assistant program and now have some kind of income coming in to help pay the bills (and to buy my own caf� *S*).
I think even if I had money coming out of my ears I would still love to compare the price of tomatos at the market. Well, after sorting out the weird money/ear condition first. But that's just me. The measly sum you get paid for being a stagiaire is certainly not that condusive to enjoying life. Or even having a life really, but I'm told it gets better, eventually. In the meantime, if you can tell me where to find cheap tomatos I'd be much obliged.
Reading this reminded me to pick up the phone and ask the personnel people at work which day the month's salary allegedly arrives in the bank, almost to the nearest minute.
Most of my problems are self-inflicted, however, to the extent that one day when I chastised a friend of mine for being a "capitalist swine", my daughter said "Dad, if you didn't have any pigs among your friends and advisors you wouldn't have any money at all."
That shut me up.
I think I'd rather deal with the book dilemma all the same. At least the old truism that one coffee keeps you on the average Paris terrace in the sun, when there is any, for as long as you want still holds good, though.
About the book thing - I had that recently. It took me a loooong time to say goodbye to The Time Traveler's Wife - after I'd finished reading it for a couple of weeks I felt the need to keep going back and re-reading bits. I have the same life-long experience with I Capture The Castle.
Lottie - Did you get those book recommendations from me? Because I love both of those books with the entire soul of my being.
Nick - The terrace/coffee trade-off is essential to my well-being. I count on it almost daily.
Lee: Strangely enough, no. ICTC has been my favourite book ever since I first read it at the tender age of 13 or so. The Time Traveler's Wife is a more recent favourite, though again not found via here - my mum recommended it to me.
However, I did find tis site because of I Capture The Castle. I'd just re-read it for the nth time, and was obsessively googling to find people discussing it, and found odessastreet. And here I am!
I've been absent for some time, but now I remember why I used to love this web site. Thanks, I'll try and check back more frequently. How frequently you update your website?