Dark Blue/Grey

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I’m not sure what my problem is today, but I for the life of me cannot finish the simple task of packing my one tiny little suitcase for my Eastern European adventure. I washed and folded all of my clothes earlier this week. I neatly arranged all of my options on my bed between classes this morning. So why can’t I just pick out what I want and put it in that damn purple bag?! One of my main hang ups seems to be choosing between my dark blue and my light grey jeans. This is probably the dumbest problem anyone has ever had. It seems to be symbolic of my life: easy and comfortable but often made “difficult” by trivial choices that I often overanalyze. My indecisiveness is clearly one of my more attractive qualities.

It’s also probably somewhat the result of my current “limbo” state of being. Not knowing when I’ll be heading home. Not knowing if I’ll be hired for the most amazing summer job of my life. Having absolutely no backup to said wonderful summer job. Having no future projections past said wonderful summer job. Feeling so unbelievably ready to be done with teaching and return to Minnesota/feeling an overwhelming surge of jealousy at the sight of five friends posting joyful facebook statuses of their acceptance as teaching assistants for the fall. Wanting to go out and enjoy the last Friday before vacation/wanting to stay in to shake off the lasting dregs of yet another cold. Flurgh. Boy needs to get it together.

On a much happier note… I’M GOING TO POLAND TOMORROW AND I COULD NOT BE MORE JAZZED! My friend Victoria and I have planned a stellar tour of Poland, the Czech Republic, and Hungary, mostly with the intent to make headlines by running all of Eastern Europe into a terrible food crisis by eating anything and everything they have to offer. Watch out Slavs – one dynamic digestion duo is coming for your provisions. As Tina Fey so aptly described Slavic food in her book Bossypants (which I highly recommend you read/listen to on audiobook) “… it’s buttery and delicious. It’s just potatoes, rice, meat, and cabbage in an endless series of combinations.” I fully intend to eat my entire body weight in pierogi. Every night. This may actually be possible since Eastern European currency is worth approximately nothing compared to the Euro. It’s going to be fabulously gluttonous, and I can’t wait!

Because of this wonderful 13 day voyage, I probably won’t be posting anything new until I get back. At that point, be ready for me to lay it on thick. Like Polish butter thick. Or thin if all we end up doing is eating and I have nothing else to describe but the appetizing confections I have consumed. Since I’ll be missing two photo sundays, I’m going to get a head start and show you what I’ve been up to over the past five days (I had to retype that 4 times to keep myself from saying “fast pive days”). It hasn’t been a whole lot since I caught myself  a lovely cold on Sunday and have been pretty bummed about the fact that Alex had to head home to Germany on Wednesday… That being said, here are some pix for your viewing displeasure:

Day 19: sick and sleepy

Day 20: sickness continued. my ever so lovely tonsils.

Day 21: Alex left today. The house feels rather empty without her here. Bisous ma chérie!

Day 22: Day trip to Binic. Taken with the assistance of Kate P!

Day 23: sunny afternoon spent reading "Le Neveu Du Magicien" by C.S. Lewis in my favorite reading tree

Must go to sleep now! Travel day tomorrow! Bisous xoxoxoxoxoxo

P.S. For those of your concerned, I decided on the dark blue over the grey.

Two Weeks

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Two weeks. That’s all that rests of my obligations as an English teaching assistant. One week on either side of my upcoming two week Easter vacation. Um… how is this possible!? The past six months have slipped away so quickly. Some days it feels like I’ve been here forever, and others it feels like I just arrived. I’ll likely still be in Europe for the next two or three months (depending on what happens with some summer job applications), but this time will no doubt pass by just as quickly. I’m feeling a bit conflicted about the imminent end of my year abroad, but I’m mostly at ease with the idea. Giving up extravagant European adventures, delicious French cuisine, and my twelve hour work week won’t be easy, but I am very much ready to see family and friends again. But enough about that for now. There is still time, and I plan to make the most of it!

It’s also been two weeks (and a few days) since I started my new photography project. It’s crazy to think that I’m only on day 18 of 365, but I’m pleased with how it’s been going so far. I’ve been discovering a lot about my camera, photoshop, and myself.

Day 12

Day 13: Spring has sprung

Day 14: Day trip to the beautiful Ile de Bréhat

Day 15: The aftermath of a sunny day on the island, sans sunscreen

Day 16: levitating in the backyard

Day 17: Feets

Celebrating Erinn's birthday with a bbq chez moi

Day 18: APRIL FOOLS! I TRICKED YOU! I'M NOT ACTUALLY NAKED!

Bisous bisous

Come Wind, Come Rain

Song of the day: “Come wind, come rain” by Vashti Bunyan

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Last night, as I tossed and turned in bed, I decided I needed to start a new project. Something to give focus to my free time, to busy my idle hands and idle mind. There are hundreds of unfulfilled intentions floating around in my mind at any given moment, and seldom do I actually act upon them. But today was different. Spring is in the air, and I’m ready for new things!

Today, I took the first step in a photography project that I’ve been thinking about doing for quite some time: A 365 Day Portrait Project. It’s by no means a unique endeavor, but an interesting challenge nonetheless. If you’ve ever browsed around “Flickr” (or any other photo-sharing site) you have undoubtedly seen examples of this type of undertaking, some much better than others. For those of you unfamiliar, the concept is simple: take at least one picture of yourself every single day for 365 days, otherwise known as a year [minus February 29th]. It’s an interesting way to see yourself in new ways, document your life/surroundings, push your creative boundaries, and force yourself to take out your camera more often.

I’ve been waiting for the right moment to start, but I realized today that waiting was silly and senseless. What was I waiting for? A new beginning? A new month? A new year? A new setting? I’ve already had all of these things come and go within the past year, and yet I’ve failed to seize these opportunities to start my project. So today I said goodbye to waiting. The Ides of March is as good a time as any, right? Plus, I have been watching an inane amount of America’s Next Top Model with Victoria over the past week or so, and it’s been making me want to take pictures (and buy new clothes) like crazy.

Without further ado, here is numero uno:

Waiting? I'm over it

I haven’t decided whether or not I’ll be posting them here everyday, but they will definitely be available for viewing on my flickr photostream. Depends on how interesting they end up being I suppose!

In addition to my self-portraits, I’m going to try and take at least one photo of some other part of my day as well. A place I visit, someone I spend time with, something delicious I eat, and so on and so forth. My time in France is quickly disappearing, and I want to document it!

Today’s photo: MY NEW LIBRARY CARD!

Having fun, isn't hard, when you've got a library card!

Why it has taken me nearly six months to get my ass to the library, I have no idea. Ridiculous. I’ve had so much free time to read, yet I’ve only made it through three books since I got to France. Also, there are about 2350984608236 books I should/want to read. Leave it on the internet and reality television to turn my brain to mush. While I’m sure my t.v. addiction will not cease, I’m going to do my best to break up t.v. streaks with books from now on. I’m pumped to start checking out books and movies again! Today I found:

1. Fresh et Bio: a vegetarian/organic cook book with some delish looking recettes
2. Paris: a film by  Cederic Klapisch (director of L’Auberge Espagnole)
3. Une forme de vie and Acide sulfurique: two novels by Belgium author Amélie Nothomb, the first of which I’m already halfway done with, thanks to a lovely afternoon spent reading in the grass.

I was also lucky enough to end my day with a skype call from my dear friend, Sarah G. We caught up, of course, but more importantly, we made faces at each other. As it turns out, Sarah’s nose does a great mushroom impression.

q.t.p.2.t.

All in all, today was a good day. Bisous bisous! xoxoxo