She's Leaving On A Jetplane, Also a Quiz

And I am going to the airport to pick her up! My own Thanksgiving celebration this year will be with an extremely nice redheaded vegetarian girl. Perhaps you've heard me mention her?

So I'll be out and about in Paris, Chateau Gontier, Nantes, and maybe Rennes for several days. Expect some pictures after and maybe even a guest entry from The Girl herself.

So in the meantime, to amuse yourselves, here is a quiz about me. Highest score gets a one-pound bag of Starburst. No cheating, please!

1) What is my favorite bit of menacing cartoon-iconography from the musical world? Hint: it/she/he has appeared in this blog.

2) What is my House Name from Sabotage (the red house, you know, in Madison)?

3) Have I ever written a letter to Jack T. Chick?

4) True or False: I have offered up my cousin David as a husband to a 17-year-old French girl.

5) Do I like Ragstock?

6) How many times has my mother threatened to disown me?

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Bonus Question 1) Fill in the blank: Twenty dollars can buy many ________!

Bonus Question 2) Which actress is my only weak spot, despite the fact that she has yellow hair and cannot act (at all)?

Answers in the Comments, please! Or email them to me; that's fine, too.

Picture of the Day (I Do Hope!)

I want, in order to make myself update frequently, to start a picture of the day section. Keep in mind that it probably won't be every day, but I'm going to try it out for a bit and see how it goes.

We'll start with two (bonus!) pictures. These are both in Chateau Gontier, and this building, of course, used to be a convent.

Picture: 4 Peaks
Picture: Looking Up

I've had the second one as my desktop wallpaper for a day or so.

I Now Have A Bidet

But what the hell do I do with it? It's clearly Very French, and I don't trust it one bit.

I'm thinking of balancing a chessboard on it or something.

The Bride of Frankenstein

Definite hottie.

Actually, this entry is about two things unconnected with the walking dead:

1) France Telecom is charging me 100 Euros for connecting a phone line. Off with their heads (Sam, I'm looking to you for help on this one).

2) I added a bunch of entries today; they're below the updated Ides entry. Make sure you read them or I will be sad.

UPDATED: It's the Ides of November And This Isn't Working

Okay, here's the scoop skinny 411 explanation for the lack of updates here recently. It's mostly due to the internet connection circus o' hoops here at Lycée Victor Hugo.

The only computers I have regular access to are staff computers in the teachers room, which are great in that they're there, and not so hot in most other measurable aspects, including being able to work and being under what feels like constant surveillance.

I must add, of course, that they're not under constant surveillance, it's just that I'm doing my best here to conduct my private correspondance in the midst of a constantly shifting group of people, many of whom I have conversations with.

So I'm working on a phone line, and with phone line comes internet access. I have other blog entries typed out and ready, but they're on my keychain drive and the USB ports on this machine aren't working etc etc.

If you're following this blog I beg your patience, because actual content is coming soon. If you're expecting email from me (especially Dave, but especially Orith) I swear to God I'm on it.

In the meantime, here are the Official Counts:

Official Beret Count (France): 1
Official McDonald's Count (Europe): 8
Official Mullet Count (Europe): 2
Official Dwarves Who Look Like ZZ-Top Playing Country Music on the Piano and Accordian in the Town Square Count (Europe): 2

Incidentally, zizi (pronounced ZZ) is a French slang term for, ahem, male genitalia. I was warned off mentioning that band during lessons on American music. See that you all do the same.

More Pictures

Okay, it's been a bit since I've had some pictures up here. Here are some slices of life . . .

• A pretty church two blocks away from chez moi


• This hospital used to be a convent, I guess. Most things here used to be convents.


• Well, it is a high school, you know.


• I like this picture so much I hereby copyright it!


• The French label their students rather harshly.


• Yeah, there are, like, castles and stuff here.


• Not kidding about the convent thing, by the way. This place was absolutely crawling with nuns till the second half of the 20th century. But WHERE DID THEY GO?


• My favorite piece of graffiti so far: Radiohead Bear!

Share and Enjoy!

The Wine Here is Good

port vs. starboard:

WHY DON' THEY JUST SAY LEFT AND RIGHT? IT'S ALL THE SAME RELATIVE TO THE PROW, ISN' TIT?

It's less reliable BECAUSE port is to the right when sialing norht and starboard to the left. It's still more reliabe, in other wordes, to calibrate by the boat not the land!

DIDNT' TEHY ALREADY KNOW ABOUT LERFT AND RIGHT? IF NOT, WHY NOT?
________________________

My hard-edged investigative reporting goes to work for YOU. Film at 11.

For Ky

Over the weekend, I saw a sign that said "Hyper Super Marché." For the uninitiated, that means "Hyper SuperMarket". Also, I thought he would appreciate this picture, which makes a wise observation vis-a-vis London.

I Have A New Address

5 Place Paul Doumer
53200 Chateau Gontier
FRANCE

I suggest you send me clippings from People magazine.

No, I don't.

Election Night - Black Tie

Hi, guys. I cast my absentee vote the other week and I will be watching tonight to see what the results look like.

I of course will have to stay up way later than you guys in order to see who wins. I only hope that this one is decided by voting not litigation.

Fly the red, white, and blue - and if you don't vote I will be sad.