41 posts tagged “daily life”

This week, this was Jack's entire morning on Friday...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oops, time to move for the afternoon naps.

Pearl

Here in the Big D, it has been a quiet week after the semester ended. Not having cable TV I have missed the final dramas at Wimbledon, President Obama's foreign visits, and the many tributes to Michael Jackson.

I read that Federer won after a fairly tough battle with Roddick, the Russians weren't so impressed with our Prez, and Jackson's memorial cost L.A. several hundred thousand dollars. (Why? Was he a secret government/state official?) I thought that, since Obama is trying to turn America into a socialist nation, the former Soviets would have cuddled up to him. Odd, that.

My life was much less exciting. I travelled only to my new favorite cafe and the haircut shop, read a bunch of books, and rode The Bike. I finally received the new panniers I ordered: they're blue with a dogwood pattern, waterproof and reflective. Now I need a rack for the back of my bike--on order!--and I'll be completely set for riding to and from My U. And the grocery store, bookstore, around town in all weathers.

Not that we're having a lot of rain: right now we're under a heat advisory stretching across the weekend, giving us temperatures above 100. Not to mention the ozone advisories and the bad air advisories.

Tomorrow's Sunday, of course, groceries and cooking and reading, I guess, or a movie.

Pearl

Jack is curled up in my lap, while I am curled up in bed drinking first cup of coffee. The birds are noisy this morning, and the breeze through the window is cool and smells of ozone. I guess there will be more rain.

Pearl

It's already noon, and my day is shot.

I was planning to be out and about, doing errands I have been putting off. Monday is a half-day at Tolbiac, so it is always a non-library morning in my schedule. I have simply started using Monday morning as a time to complete errands that need "weekday" effort and places--like the post office--that I can start over the weekend.

Unfortunately, I got a kink in my plan, waiting on emails from state-side colleagues that will need to be handled as soon as I get them. So I am sitting here, watching the clock (they're still asleep over in the Mountain Time Zone). I know I could probably go out and do some errands, but that is simply irritating to me, after careful planning. I'd be hustling to ge tback, check the email, take care of this pressing business, and not taking the time to focus on the shopping or errands. Only completing three or four tasks on my list means that tomorrow I'll have to put in another half-day: I'd just rather wait and do it all tomorrow. The bonus: museums will be open, and I can add two of the shows I was planning to see next Saturday to my list. Yes!

In other words, Tuesday will be an all-day shopping/errand/museum extravaganza.

OK, maybe I can't be piqued any more. (Maybe I can!)

And in fact I can find plenty to do here in the studio (mopping floors, vacuuming, cleaning the bathroom, packing a few more items into the still-empty suitcases, Xmas shopping on-line--oh, and let's not forget about reading, researching, examining/analyzing my research material, and starting my syllabi for next semester). Or in the 'burb (cafe visit with my new book THE HISTORIAN, walking in The Bois, checking out the very good local bookstore, for instance).

So... my point? I guess that I need to rearrange my schedule and get on with it.

Here's some more Xmas photos from a florist in the 'burb, taken yesterday as I walked to market.

 

 

All of the florists have a few trees. They park them next to their door or in the street by the curb. There are also wreaths, boughs, and a few obviously stylized decorating accessories. The big trees are embedded in birch half-moons, which I suppose makes them sturdier as they stand. I presume you plonk the whole stand into water; otherwise these would never make it to the Day. I'll post more pictures as I take them.

Pearl

 

About two weeks ago Christmas lights went up here in the 'burb. I've been meaning to take pictures of them, but either haven't been out at night or haven't been out at night with my camera.

But here they are. This one is outside my studio. It also has flashing white lights that cycle through the design and Flash! constantly. I couldn't catch those flashes on this picture or any of the others, either. But in fairness, you really have to be watching closely to catch the flashes.

The lights are pretty, but not nearly as bright or sparkly as American Christmas lights in most places. This one hangs in the cross-street just south of the studio.

I think this one is my favorite. The design looks like big dandelion puffs, and again they flash. This one hangs in the next cross-street. Unlike all the other ones, it has gold lights. It's a bit unfocused.

None of the lights have a specifically "Christmas" design or feel, beyond appearing late in November. No Santa Claus, no red-and-green, etc. This is the main street:

You can also see how many pharmacies there are within a three-block walk. The green crosses mark their locations.

Tomorrow I'll be out and about again, and I'll look for more signs of the holiday season here in Paris.

Pearl

 

Today I thought you might be interested in my living quarters, meaning my little studio in the 'burb. It is 250m. sq.--small. But very pleasant and very organized. Note: all the mess in the following pictures is my mess.

Entry hall:

Bathroom, directly on right as you enter (toilet is behind the bathroom door):

Kitchen/Laundry room, directly on your right as you enter the studio. This includes 2-burner stove top, washer, electric water kettle, coffee maker, sink refrigerator, microwave/convection over/grill and, of course, storage cupboards:

Dining room/desk-workspace:

The bedroom and window, shutters and window closed:

Shelves, which also act as dresser:

That's the tour. It is a small but very cozy space. I took these pictures at 6 am or so, when it was still very dark outside. Then I made breakfast:

Yum. Have a good day.

Pearl

Sorry, folks.

My landlord's telecom company merged with another one, and in the merger the phone, TV/Cable, and DSL here went out--kaput!--from Friday night until just 5 minutes ago.

On the one hand, a weekend without telecommunication was quiet. On the other... it was definitely odd to have no way of communicating in or out. Something to consider with bundled service: if there is a miscommunication, everything goes. It only takes about 30 minutes to realize how dependent one is on email, internet, phone, and even cable news (Hello, CNN in English!) one is. Or seems.

Good thing I bought that Neil Gaiman book at Village Voice, and already had plans for Saturday.

Pearl

I have started taking a new route to Tolbiac. Yeah, I get bored and need the stimulation of new events. This is an easy one to create.

My route used to include the #1 and #14 Metro lines: both are fast and shiny clean, for the most part, with new train cars. #1 is the main tourist line, running along the Rive Droit of Paris (Right Bank) and te #14 is the newest line, built only slightly over a decade ago.

Now I travel on the #1 (but fewer stops) and the #6, which is an old line and a what I call a working-class line: meaning real Parisians, not tourists, make up the bulk of the travelers. It has old cars with old, faded plush seats. People here ride with fewer shopping bags and no maps. You rarely hear English, German, or other languages being spoken.

But the charm of the line is that it goes above ground, especially near Tolbiac. We go over the river (not under) and that is always beautiful. And it lets out at my stop above ground.

It is a slightly longer walk to Tolbiac--by about a block--right past a sweet little cafe where I pick up a croissant in the morning.

I was struck yesterday by how much I will miss this ritual. Back at My U, the notion of public transportation is ridiculous--I live in a state where it might be illegal, I am uncertain, despite seeing busses around and about--because everyone drives self to every place. It is necessary, given geography and mentality of the place. Walking, too, is suspect, except for the fitness-minded and indigent.

But then I don't live in a city, I live in a metroplex. The two words do not signal the same kind of construct or philosophy about people living in an urban space.

Well, off to my commute (40 minutes, door to door) and the library. Tonight: yoga.

Pearl  

Today I woke to the sound of rain... Paris is now in late fall/early winter, which means rain.

The sound of falling rain makes it difficult to get out of bed, especially coupled with 6 am darkness. I would much rather snuggle under the covers.

Here's what the 'burb looks like in the rain:

This is what the library looks like in the rain:

I can't help but think of one of my favorite painters of urban Paris, Gustave Caillebotte. If you've never heard of him, I wouldn't be surprised. He is considered one of the lesser Impressionists, but you probably know this painting, which my own photo of the 'burb brought to my mind: 

Same shiny streets, same gray skies. Il pleut.

Pearl  

As I said, last week was a fruitful week for library, personal writing, and not much else. But I am surprisingly becoming fond of the monster that is Tolbiac-Bibliothèque François Mitterand. Despite being constructed out of totally non-sustainable materials (steel, concrete, steel) and probably raping the Amazon forest for the incredible amounts of polished wood on the floors, desks, chairs, walls, and stairs of the library, I am actually coming to like it.

Especially when I exit in the evening to a sight like this:

 

 

 

I was just in time to catch these gorgeous sunset clouds from the upper level of the Tolbiac walkway. On it, I am high enough to see in all directions (except west, blocked where I was by northwest tower). The skies were filled with color, toward the end of the sun going down over the city.

At ground level, it is dark already, shadowy and chilly.

But in the sky, it is still bright and rosy.

Pearl