Paris = Chicago, but with older buildings.
I met a fine gent on the ferry yesterday, on my way from London to Paris. There was some sort of fucking fire on the Eurostar, and so there we were. Wanna be Lawyer and English professor discussing politics, evolutionary biology, etc.
Anyway, it was apparently his birthday, so I went to his party today and had a fabulous 4 course meal + cocktails prepared by his Germanic wife of many talents, Hilary. Quite a wonderful group, I must say, and really what all this is all about. I had quite a discussion with John-Pier about weapons of mass destruction (He's a nuclear physicist amoung other things), the invasion of Iraq, Italy, Parisians, the Artistic merit and history of Science to highlight. Linda, a Canadian with an accent that could have come strait out of midland USA, who was an adept conversationalist and well informed on a variety of topics. Nick, of course, who is "sick of mediocrity", a fan of the whiskey, bourbon, and made "Mein Kampf" required reading for his students despite the law against having that book in France because he can do whatever he wants. He's an English teacher. I also met a delightful Irish, ex-priest (since married 4 times) who writes poetry in Gaelic, heads the international baccalaureate program, and has more stories about more random things than even I (plus the ability to tell them in general company). I'd've remembered his name, except I was coerced into another drink (or more) by he and Natalie after we'd left Nicks (since I'd stayed too late anyway). Natalie, who is apparently in marketing, is not at all soulless or calculating. I really don't know how she can be in marketing, because she is nothing if not kind and pro-human. It may just be France, but in America you have to fool people into buying your useless crap to be in marketing. Meeting all these people made me wonder if I shouldn't ever worry about going anywhere, but focus more on meeting as many people as possible, because it was honestly the best part of Paris. The Louve was nice with it's paintings, sculptures, and breadth of collections but nothing can compare to the company of good people.
Anyway, it was apparently his birthday, so I went to his party today and had a fabulous 4 course meal + cocktails prepared by his Germanic wife of many talents, Hilary. Quite a wonderful group, I must say, and really what all this is all about. I had quite a discussion with John-Pier about weapons of mass destruction (He's a nuclear physicist amoung other things), the invasion of Iraq, Italy, Parisians, the Artistic merit and history of Science to highlight. Linda, a Canadian with an accent that could have come strait out of midland USA, who was an adept conversationalist and well informed on a variety of topics. Nick, of course, who is "sick of mediocrity", a fan of the whiskey, bourbon, and made "Mein Kampf" required reading for his students despite the law against having that book in France because he can do whatever he wants. He's an English teacher. I also met a delightful Irish, ex-priest (since married 4 times) who writes poetry in Gaelic, heads the international baccalaureate program, and has more stories about more random things than even I (plus the ability to tell them in general company). I'd've remembered his name, except I was coerced into another drink (or more) by he and Natalie after we'd left Nicks (since I'd stayed too late anyway). Natalie, who is apparently in marketing, is not at all soulless or calculating. I really don't know how she can be in marketing, because she is nothing if not kind and pro-human. It may just be France, but in America you have to fool people into buying your useless crap to be in marketing. Meeting all these people made me wonder if I shouldn't ever worry about going anywhere, but focus more on meeting as many people as possible, because it was honestly the best part of Paris. The Louve was nice with it's paintings, sculptures, and breadth of collections but nothing can compare to the company of good people.