The Birds.

About two weeks ago the sun was coming out, the leaves started appearing on the trees and the birds started singing. I felt like someone should tell them that it wasn't actually Spring and that the brief period of warmth was just a teaser. Today I was pushing a stroller and by the time I got home from the park (about a five minute walk) I literally felt my fingers slipping into hypothermia. It may sound like I am just complaining that it is not Spring yet, maybe that is it, but I really felt like my hands had been plunged into the snow on a dare but then after the dare was over I couldn't pull them out of the snow.

My dad while he was here said the maybe the reason the Spring in Paris is supposed to be magical is because survived Paris in the Winter.

An Idea.

Releasing balloons? Worried about the environment? Biodegradable Balloons. 

The Shins, the Interview and Samo.

This morning I took the day off class for an interview coffee date. I won't go into detail, but it was a nice conversational meeting that went well. Afterwards I walked over to the Modern Art Museum of Paris in order to see Jean-Michel Basquiat's exposition. It is funny to come to Paris to learn about a prominent American artist, but it's not the weirdest thing. It was really good to see the work finally up close, after watching the movie about him and reading about him for several months. If you don't know his work, when you see it it looks like an angst-y preschoolers drawings, but they really are amazing works. Some of my favorites were from his exposition with Andy Warhol, where he painted over Warhol's work to make it more interesting.

As I headed back home to work on some French homework I listened to the Shins on my dad's iPod. Thanks Dad! There is just something about their music that changes the way to see the world, if only just while you are listening to them. If you don't listen to The Shins I would really recommend them. Just not while you are driving at night, they are a little sleepy.

The Poets.

I just got home from an open mic night at a very cute restaurant by Belleville. It was my first time taking the metro anywhere since Tuesday and it was so nice to get out again. I left before the second part because I still am  pretty tired but I am so happy I went. Everyone there spoke English and there were some really good poets and comedians. You had the poetic stereotypes, the angst-y gay man with the turtle neck and layer scarf, the old military retiree with the husky voice, the starving young artist volunteering at S& Co. My favorite however was a Japanese stand up comedian named Mimi. I think I will be going to her club's Stand Up night on Friday. She was a great advertiser.

In case I haven't already forced you to watch this, watch it. Or if you have already seen it, watch it again.

The Handmaid's Tale.

Kaitlyn recommended The Handmaid's Tale, by Margaret Atwood. I finished it in about three days because I couldn't put it down and for the longest time I just wanted to discuss or write an essay about it or something. Thanks Mrs. Coghill! I had never heard of it before but I am so glad KG showed me. It's similar to 1984 in how it makes you feel, but it also hits a lot closer to home because it you are with the main character the whole way. It's present tense first person so you really feel connected to the main character. You are embarrassed when she is, and her hopes are yours. Not to mention the description and detail are amazing.

I considered skyping Kaitlyn about it, but it wouldn't be the same. That is definitely one thing I miss about home. Being able to climb into the car and go for a drive down PCH or going to Starbucks to just talk. Talk about books, talk about life. Here, I can talk to my English friends, but it is so hard to have a discussion in French. I can talk about facts, I can talk about simple things. But to really communicate, I am definitely not there yet, I don't know if I'll ever be there.

Not to mention I am sick again so I have been a social recluse in my room. I am going to blame my chronic colds to being around foreign viruses and being constantly around kids. Not just my kids either, now I am babysitting for three different families with three kids regularly and I am teaching English on the side.

Last update, we are looking into going on a trip to Italy in February. Then in March we are definitely going to Amsterdam for a few days.

London called.

A few months ago I went to London, I blogged about it. I promised pictures.

Third star to the right and straight on till morning.

Adorable taxis all over London.

Windsor Castle.

Changing of the Guard at Windsor.

Let no picture go to waste.

We apologized before taking. 

Look closely. 

Windsor Castle.

Roman Baths in Bath.

Building outside Downing Street. Hidden cameras inside the beautiful leaves. 

You are happy to know me.

Voilà.

Smiling.

I hope I never forget how to smile. Some people have. I feel very bad for them and their facebook friends.

The best friend.

Dear Best Friend and Sister,

I miss you, still recovering from your visit. Happy to have my room back. Would like to skype.

Sincerely,

Mon

P.S. Best friend, sorry about your ordeal getting home, from your seizure patient in North Carolina, to your transfer to Phoenix, to your overnight stay in Phoenix, and finally on your transfer to Orange twelve hours late.

P.S.S. Thanks for the photos.

Self explanatory. Repping the 949.

Me being Nick Cage at the Statue of Liberty.

Going down the stairs to the catacombs. Again.

More catacombs.

My best friend desecrating dead people's tombs. There seemed to be a lot of that going on this trip.

Napoleon's Tomb.

Told you it would look cool.

Jim Morrison's Grave.

Desecration.

Lunch at Eiffel Tower.

The Window.

I left class early today because I couldn't focus. We went out last night to the 2 Moulins, the cafe Amelie works at in the movie "Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulain," because of their half price cocktails until ten. We didn't stay out too late but regardless it was hard to focus. I finally got my stuff back from Emilie and came back home at 10h45. It has been surprising warm in Paris lately so when I got home I opened my window.

My sister and Kaitlyn are no longer in my room but it is not any cleaner for it. I keep doing loads of laundry and I am about half way there. SO I am sitting on my bed piled with clothes and books and all of a sudden I could hear a cat meowing. Very, very faintly. I looked around for the cat and couldn't find  it on the street below but it made me miss Oliver terribly and it makes me want a cat for my full transition into a premature cat-lady. The cat's meowing had me looking around and I started seeing more birds, hearing seagulls crying and more green outside. I know it is only January and I know it is wishful thinking, but I feel like Spring is coming. It is probably just a tease, with my luck, but whether or not it stays, it is a nice feeling.

Two Nights of New Years.

The night before New Year's we (the Canadians and the Brit and I) took my sister out to Dupleix for a little underage drinking. They didn't even check her ID and we went down under the Champs de Elysee for Julie's first clubbing experience. Of course she accidentally looked stunning and kept getting attention from people that she tried to hid from. It was so cute. But we had a great time and we discovered that Julie really likes a Monaco, but really, what kind of a person doesn't like a drink with grenadine? On our way home at three in the morning we rescued an old scooter from the sides of the street and played around a bit. Emilie swears it was a kids scooter that we stole but the handle was so screwy that we really did someone a favor if it really was left there by accident by removing from the reach of kids. Thanks for the photos Em!

A good description of the lurkers that night.

The next night was New Years and I will have to get more photos from my mom, but the four of us went to the Champs de Elysee again for New Years. It was so crowded I felt like a sardine. When we got there they blocked of the street from cars and everyone poured out on the street. We were slightly confused as to what was going on, there was no clock, no lit up ball, nothing. So when the countdown got closer we finally saw that the street lights had all synchronized and apparently that was the countdown, going from RED to GREEN to YELLOW and back. Somehow or other it was New Years and everyone cheered, but it was just chaos. It was a lot of fun, but without the fireworks the past years had promised it was a little disappointing. After, my mom and dad walk back to the house and Julie and I met up with the girls at Corcoran's, an Irish Pub in Saint Michel. Julie got another Monaco and we came home with a pizza about five in the morning. Early for New Years but fun none-the-less.

Julie looking into a Patisserie. 

Catacombs. Round I & II

Over the Christmas break I took my family to the catacombs of Paris and to the Pere Lachaise Cemetery. Over the past week Kaitlyn and I have done the same thing making it my third time to these places. It was fun to go again however and this time I was able to get pictures. Kaitlyn's photos aren't up but when she puts them on Facebook I will steal and repost. My mom was having a good time taking pictures in the low lighting so we have so really good ones.

Threw this in for good measure.

On the way to the cemetery.

Jim Morrison's grave.

Christmas with the Linzmeiers.

When you are super busy there so much to talk about but no time to say it. My parents and my sister  have been in town since December 24th and it has really been amazing. They were two hours late at the airport and I was afraid I had missed them without anyway to contact them. When I finally saw Julie come through the doors the people around laughed because I dropped my composure and ran under the bar in front of me and run-hugged her.

Everyday since they have been here we have been out and about trying to cover all of the bases, but we are still having plenty of time to share together inside relaxing (which is all I ever really want). We have been walking to our desired tourist trap and hopping the metro back home. Christmas Day we met up with some of my friends who didn't have family for the holiday and we went to Notre Dame for a service. Mom was snapping pictures inside and out:

My adopted brother and I at Notre Dame.

Afterwards we headed over to Saint Michel and showed my family around the Latin Quarter. :

The sun showed up for a few minutes. 

GYROS!

We came to my host mom's house for drinks then went back to my room for pasta in my room because all the restaurants were closed.  A very nice Christmas overall. It has been so much fun, I will talk about our trip to the Catacombs, Pere Lachaise Cemetary and my sister's trip to Dupleix and finally New Year's Eve... soon.

My family in my room.

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