2am

I can't sleep for obvious reasons. While packing I watched Kung Fu Panda and The Big Lebowski. I wrote letters to leave for the next resident and for my landlord. Keisha is so kind and offered to help me take my baggages to the taxi stand. What a sweet girl.

To help me calm the flip down from the bank incident, I re-read the dog-eared pages of Franny and Zooey, pages 201 to 202. I'll probably need to read them again later. It's packed with my carry-on.

I didn't think I'd leave like this. I thought I'd be...less mad. Susie and Melissa came over to hang out, and I even had dinner with Keisha, and I was just totally distracted. I didn't want it to be this way. Mais c'est la vie.

God, I wanted to write something nice. Something good about leaving. Maybe something will come later when this is all done. Will try to sleep at least one hour.

why I love where I live

There's a small leak above my kitchen sink, and for some reason I thought my landlord Mr. Bassoul would be mad (there's been a lot of bad landlord things going on among Micefa students) even though it wasn't my fault. I've been really lucky. He came over and made an appointment with a plumber for tomorrow, and he wasn't mad just sorry about the inconvenience. I've been catching the water and using it to water plants and do dishes since it's clean, and he's really happy about that. "I like the way you think!" he said. He really cares about recycling and stuff.

He also gave me the address to his website! If you didn't know already, every Sunday morning from 11H to 14H I can hear him play his accordion and sing songs. He plays right in front of my church and people come to sing along and dance. Check out his website.

Other reasons to love where I live...So my opera singing French neighbor--I kid you not, I hear him practicing during the day with piano accompaniment--was probably super drunk last night since he was singing from his window to the people down below. Don't know if you can see him in the photo in the bottom right.It was beautiful. I think the way our buildings are placed allow for great acoustics. Some woman praised his singing from the street, and he proceeded to drague ("hit on") her from 3 stories above! Oh these French men! They exchanged digits for all to hear. He kept singing all night then ending it with, "Jean-Louis! Celibataire!" ("Single!")

Today was an especially lovely Sunday morning. Sun was out, Mr. Bassoul was playing his accordion, and the marketplace was bright with fresh fruits and vegetables. Called Lucia to see if she was up for free museum Sunday (my last one!). She ended up being at Keisha's, only a couple blocks away. She moved out of her studio and away from her horrible, evil landlady. We met and did some grocery shopping together. I love grocery shopping on Sundays. It's the best here. Got some pitas, hummus, and beer at the Franprix, cantaloupe and watermelon from the vendors. Went back to my place and I made lunch. So tasty. Stuffed pitas filled with hummus, tziki (sp?), salad, carrots, and tomatoes with a side of potatoes and grilled aubergine. Yum! Add that and a bottle of Kronenburg. Then we had the melons that we cut up beforehand for fruit salad and put in the fridge to cool. I put the table closer to the window so we could hear the music. I really like this set-up. Might keep it like this for the rest of my time here. For free museum day we went to the Musée National du Moyen-Age Thermes de Cluny which Lucia and I both wanted to see before leaving. Moyen Age means Middle Ages. I was really excited to see the Lady and the Unicorn tapestries.

Lucia's leaving in less than two weeks. It's already June. I can't believe how fast this all went by. And I'm going to turn 22 on the 23rd. Weird. I feel grown up, but in a lot of ways, I feel like a child.

LISTMANIA
Books I want to read when I get back home:

• The Odyssey by Homer and my old copy of Greek myths: Being in Sicily reminded me to brush up on the classics. Whenever at a famous site I was asked if I knew the stories but I said that I read them a while back and couldn't remember them well.
• Books on Arthurian legends, Aesop's Complete Fables, and the Brothers Grimm Tales: I need to reconnect with my childhood. They're also just good to read.
• On Writing by Stephen King: Because I heard it was deece, and "LOST" referenced it (white bunnies with numbers on their backs).

Places to eat at in LA and SF:

• Home. Dad's steak, Mom's pansit and stir-fry vegetables in oyster sauce, WHITE RICE! from a rice cooker...All this eating and sitting outside in the backyard with the smell of barbeque in the air.
• Tommy Burger's on Rampart and W. Beverly Blvd. (I'm getting a cheeseburger, chili cheese fries, and a root beer.)
• In N Out by my house. (Cheeseburger, animal-style fries, and a strawberry lemonade.)
• Lucille's in Brea. Full rack baby back ribs, fries, and coleslaw. I'm salivating already.
  
• That really good ice cream shake place in Eagle Rock that I went to with my brother before leaving but was closed. Why do you close at 10pm on a Friday?!
• Taco Nazo for fish tacos.
• That burrito place that Dad took me to in LA for a wet burrito and tortilla chips.
• Pho Huynh Hiep 3 at Westlake Village in Daly City
• Mitchell's for ice cream in SF
• bubble milk tea at Lollicup
  

coming to an end

Something like 15 weeks now until I go home. I have mixed feelings about it all. This all occurred to me when I realized that I was 3/4 done with my first Moleskine.

I've been a Moleskine fan since high school when I bought my first one on Irving at an adorable shop called Wishbone while staying with my brother in SF. There was something about its simplicity and history that attracted me. To write in the same kind of notebook that Hemingway and Picasso used...I wanted to be a part of that. I loved its simple design and features: the accordion pocket in the back, the bookmark, the band to keep it closed. The paper is acid free and thick enough for a fountain pen to write in without bleeding through. I swear I'm not getting paid to write this.

I only used it sparingly, for some reason I wouldn't leave the house with it for fear that I might lose it somewhere. It was my first Moleskine. A pocket one with graph paper instead of lined. I've always liked graph. I have 3 now: this one, a red limited edition weekly planner, and the Paris City Book. Had the first one for three years or so then started carrying it around when I started using a bag (I didn't use purses that much). Got the other two here because there's so much more selection of Moleskines here. It is European after all. But now, after three years with my first Moleskine, after months of toting it around Paris, London, and Amsterdam, it's almost full. I'm thinking I'll get through Italy with it and finish it there. But who knows I could finish it here if I get some good material (quotes! film ideas! other random things!).

Some blog news: Am having loads of fun making blog banners from the photos I've taken so will probably update the blog banner every week which'll be cool, I think. Also, am looking into changing up the colors for spring. Maybe a change around the equinox? Blogs are so much fun!! Here are two lists. Haven't done lists in a long time.

Currently:
1. Reading: Anne Frank Diary of a Young Girl, various homework papers.
2. Studying: French revolution, negation expletif, sujonctif.
3. Writing: wedding film for Kuya.
4. Watching: Saw Run Fatboy Run. I LOVE Simon Pegg. Hilarious actor. He's not too shabby in the more dramatic scenes either (ie on the balcony with Thandie Newton). Also second season Psych because the writing is too much some times. I wish I could write that funny.

Never leave home without:
1. Moleskine!: either my city book or my regular book. When I travel, it's always my planner and the regular book that comes with me.
2. Wallet: Durh. Navigo in the pocket with my cards so I never lose it.
3. Lip balm: I'm a lip balm fiend.
4. Lamy fountain pen
5. Bottle of water: Lesson learned.
6. Kleenex
7. Camera: Depends on where I'm going.
8. Umbrella: If it looks like it's going to rain.
9. Hair ties
10. Cell phone

tips from the 1500s and traveling with my lovely parents!

Found these tips online from Erasmus's De Civilitate. I will try my best to live them out. Found them on theThe Happiness Project blog which is one of my favorite self-helpish blogs. I thought they were interesting just because they're so hard to follow! Especially 6 because I like to ask questions when people tell stories.

According to Erasmus, you should not…
1. gossip
2. tell unkind stories
3. boast
4. indulge in self-display
5. seek to defeat others in argument
6. interrupt people when they tell a story
7. be too inquisitive

You should…
8. be discreet about your own thoughts and actions

Despite occasional bouts of frustration and wanting to stay in my shell, I am happy. I have done more growing and learning (and not the kind you pay for) here than I have ever done in the same amount of time at home. I've become close to people who I admire and whose company I enjoy and who I want to keep in touch with long after this is over. I went to midnight Mass at Notre Dame. I took a train under the English channel. I rode on the back of a Vespa from southwest London to northeast London. So despite the strikes, the sickness and cold, and not quite living up to the "studying" bit in studying abroad...I am happy. I'm really happy! Especially about this next bit too...

Talked to Mom and Pop the other day, and they're coming near the end of the semester to spend a week in Paris and then road tripping it to Spain where Dad will be the tour guide and show all his old haunts to us during the time he was stationed there. I can't wait. At first I didn't think I'd make it, what with classes, but this is a once in a lifetime opportunity! A road trip with the parentals in Europe! Sounds like such a cool adventure. I remember going to Thailand with my Mom and riding the back of this old army Jeep in the Philippines with my Dad. Great times.

I've been through that stage where I left home and wanted to be away from my parents and see the world. I mean, I'm living it right now. But now they just seem more dear to me than ever. And they're funnier. I don't know if it's because they're retired and have a lot of free time or if it's just my sense of humor that's changed, but they are funny as heck! And I love spending time with them. Every moment spent with them at home during my vacations is really precious. Even if it's just going to Costco with Mom or doing random errands with Dad. I love this stuff.

So I'm going to let my teachers know that I'm "leaving the country early". I'm sure they won't mind, and I know a couple of students who did this before the first semester ended. I just don't want to miss out on this!

free time

I now have 2 free days during the week. My oral conversation class just ended. YAY! Prof was cool and brought a tasty treat for us to enjoy: galette des rois. Or Three Kings Cake. It's made with almond paste, and there's a figurine of a king inside the cake and whoever gets it is the King and gets to choose the Queen. It's for the kids!

My classmate asked me what I was going to do with all my free time. That's a very interesting question with a lot of interesting prospects...

1. I gots my mocumentary to write up. The basic layout for the film has already been established. I just have to figure what my B-roll is going to be based on the answers from the people I'm going to interview.
2. 2 other writing projects. That's right! One of them is an idea I got here and another is an idea that I've been working on for the past year. I'm really excited for both even though one of them is not really do-able with my means since it's meant to be sort of a tv series.
3. Read. Yeah! French and English stuffs.
4. Expositions. There's a bunch of expositions I've been wanting to see including one on 1920s clothing. Come on! That's amazing. I love the 20s.

So that's the plan for the next couple of weeks when my days are free. Usually I can't write for more than 2 hours at a time so I can probably go to an expo and then go home and write, then go to the park to read, then come back home to write. God, that sounds amazing! This is like my dream job. I'm living my dream job right now while going to school. I better make the most of it. Like come home with 2 scripts and be ready to shoot the mockdoc.

Ate a lovely little snack grab thingy of Cheetos that Romina gave me on Monday, and it was delicious and brought me back to the good old days of grade school. Thanks Romina!

tummy ache

Woke up and worked out for what seems like the first time ever. What followed was the most horrible tummy ache that I have ever had. Blurg. Had two cups of tea to make it go away, but it only made it worse. Felt like going back to the good old days, so I started watching episodes of "Batman: The Animated Series". So good and cinematic. I'm starting to get into Batman, after watching The Dark Knight trailer. Been going on Wikipedia and reading about all the characters and story arcs.

Didn't feel like eating lunch (only more tea) but forced myself, and it only made it go away slightly. Went out to buy more tea and also stopped by the kind grocers to stock up on veggies and fruits. This time, carrots, zucchinis, clementines, and bananas. Almost 7 euros. I like the carrots here. They're sort of sweeter than the ones in the States. One more cup of tea and clementine later, I felt better. Maybe my body is taking revenge on this new fangled diet and exercise thing.

Was up late last night reading Why We Write, a blog started by writers in TV and film. Each essay is written by a writer on why he/she writes. It's pretty cool. They were accepting submissions, so I wrote my own. It felt good to write it, I don't even care if they publish it or not. But it would be cool.

Going out tonight for Kristin's birthday. She'll be 21. Turning 21 feels uneventful here since you can pretty much drink as long as you look 16. But I have a feeling her birthday will be pretty eventful.

"No, Jules, you've decided to be a bum." -- Vincent Vega, Pulp Fiction.

Walked out the building today to find the guy who sometimes sells used books in front of our building brushing his dog. Toto was lying on his back on top of our recycling bins. It was cute until book vendor makes a joke and says he can brush my hair next which was poofy under my hat. Haha, very funny. I say no thanks and continue on.

Okay, so I look like a bum. Big effing deal that I don't want to cut my hair because I want it long, even though it's current state is beyond weird. So what if I don't spend more than 5 minutes in front of a mirror applying stuff on my face other than sunscreen. Paris is so good at making me feel unpretty. After that encounter, I felt like every female that passed me on my walk dressed better than me, looked nicer than me. Me with poofy hair. Me wearing faded baggy pants from 7th grade. Me in the wool jacket with three missing buttons. Crap. It's all because of what that book vendor said!

Did some studying grade school style while watching cartoons, "Batman: The Animated Series", which is so amazing. It's cinematic, the dialogue is great, I just love everything about it. Am reading more French than ever before, this time with the help of my interests. Bought Premiere magazine and Glamour. The Premiere is also for my brother since it has his girlfriend, Natalie Portman, on it. There are so many cool looking movies coming out in Paris this year, most of them American, but I love my American films!