Saturday Afternoon at the Arch de Triumph

Paul at Shakespeare and Co.

Thank you, Bill, for the heads-up!

rue de la Huchette

Notre Dame

More pics from Friday

Vendredi

Friday morning near the Eiffel Tower.

A special post for my French class

You all will appreciate this little story:

My first night here, while dining with my friend Debra and her boyfriend Marc, I was telling a story about when Debra and I were in college and how I was a real "a**hole" one time at a bar. Well, I ended up calling myself a word similar to the French word for a**hole instead of an a**hole and the look on Marc's face was priceless. He was too polite at the time to correct me, but was so curious as to why I would compare myself to a duck. Finally, he started laughing, made the correction, and since then I have a new nickname....yes, both of them now call me "The Duck". I am just going to play it off as my secret spy call name.

And that's---the rest of the story.

Peace!

Paul

Ce matin a' Paris

This morning I have spent most of my time exploring the neighborhood. The apartment is on Passage Beslay in the 11th arrondiesment. The church in the preceding picture is Saint Ambroise and it appears we are enmeshed in the St. Ambroise parish. I got wonderfully lost earlier when I was looking for a bike shop--but never fear--my language skills actually worked! I stopped into a small bookstore and got directions. Of course, I had to ask 3 more people, 3 more times before I literally stumbled onto my street. But nevertheless, I made it home. This afternoon we are getting my train tickets for Rouen next week and for Debra's trip to Normandie tomorrow. Au Revoir!

Pax

Paul

The view from my balcony window in the 11th.

Premiere Nuit A' Paris

Tonight Debra and her boyfriend Marc took me to this terrific Senegalese restaurant for dinner. A wonderful first "official" meal in Paris. We sampled a variety of traditional dishes and then went to Sacre Coeur to take in the night view. What an amazingly beautiful city! My trip is off to a great start.

I promised my mother I'd get her a picture of the Mona Lisa....so, this one's for you, Mom!

Debra's lecture this afternoon centered on French restoration art--I learned so much. It is one thing to read about a picture or have a prof lecture you--but to have the work of art in front of you as a very knowledgable teacher helps you make connections--not only to the work but to the times it was created in--well, to me THAT is the true art of teaching.

Pax

Paul

J'arriverais!

I landed this morning at 10:30 and promptly went to the Louvre to attend a class given by my friend Debra. I am about as exhausted as can be....so I will post more later!

Pax!

Paul

O'Hare on a Tuesday afternoon

Well...the first leg of my trip was just fine. No complaints. Sitting at O'Hare waiting on a transatlantic flight. Woohoo!

Peace and love and more soon...

Paul

Countdown to Paris

Ok....the packing is almost done. This time tomorrow I will be in the air on the first leg of my Paris trip. I am scheduled to arrive at Charles De Gaulle around 9 am Wednesday morning and a shuttle will take me to Debra's school. Stayed tuned for more updates!

Peace and love!

Paul

Last French Class

Tonight was my last French class before I head to Paris (on Tuesday). I was a little sad to say goodbye to this fun group of people...but happy to know I will probably see them next semester. It was enjoyable to recall my French vocabulary from my KU days and I feel pretty confident in my language skills for the trip. It was an excellent lesson in being a student again...I forget how hard it can be to learn something new--and the very uncomfortable chairs didn't help any. Anyway--I will be posting regularly about my Paris adventures right here...so stay tuned!

PAX!

Walt Whitman on Election Day

ELECTION DAY, NOVEMBER, 1884

If I should need to name, O Western World, your powerfulest scene and show,

'Twould not be you, Niagara - nor you, ye limitless prairies - nor your huge rifts of canyons, Colorado,

Nor you, Yosemite - nor Yellowstone, with all its spasmic geyserloops ascending to the skies, appearing and disappearing,

Nor Oregon's white cones - nor Huron's belt of mighty lakes - nor Mississippi's stream:

This seething hemisphere's humanity, as now, I'd name - the still small voice vibrating -America's choosing day,

(The heart of it not in the chosen - the act itself the main, the quadrennial choosing,)

The stretch of North and South arous'd - sea-board and inland - Texas to Maine - the Prairie States - Vermont, Virginia, California,

The final ballot-shower from East to West - the paradox and conflict,

The countless snow-flakes falling - (a swordless conflict,

Yet more than all Rome's wars of old, or modern Napoleon's): the peaceful choice of all,

Or good or ill humanity - welcoming the darker odds, the dross:

- Foams and ferments the wine? it serves to purify - while the heart pants, life glows:

These stormy gusts and winds waft precious ships,

Swell'd Washington's, Jefferson's, Lincoln's sails.

Uncle Walt

Halloween

I just had the best time with Dominic and Ronan tonight...we went trick or treating and then hung out at Stan and Sue's house...(the boys' grandparents) and it was such a beautiful night. One adult was dressed as Michael Myers and he really gave Ronan a scare. He retreated to the porch for the rest of the night and talked about the mon-ter. Really great little guy!!!!

Pax!

Gas Prices??!!??

I just filled up my little Ford Focus for 20 bucks at $1.98 a gallon. How long has it been since I have been able to do that??? Granted, I receive a 10 cent discount for using my Dillons card at Kwik Shop...but still....amazing!

Prepping for Paris

OK...my trip to Paris is a little more than two weeks away and I am starting to get very excited about it. I will be staying with my old friend, Debra Thimmesch, from Nov. 11 to the 22nd in her apartment in the heart of the city. I have been a little anxious about taking this trip with my new health issues, but after careful study and reflection I have decided to go. I ain't gonna let a little diabetes stop me from doing what I have planned for my life--and I have been planning this trip for almost a year now! I plan to post daily to this blog while I am in Paris and will keep you updated on my adventures! Yahoo! And....let's see.... j'ai sera a' Paris bien tot! And I am tres psyched about it!

Pax!

First Post in a While

So....I have been away from posting for a bit as I get my footing back on this new life of mine. Today I started feeling more like my old self--which is good. It's been a tough couple of weeks and I have been filled with amazing feelings of doubt and regret and sadness. Having said that, I also have been blessed with the gift of amazing friends and a wonderful family, so the journey thus far has been better than it could've been. Thank God for that! I will post more later as I continue coming to terms with this new development....

PEACE!