[London Pictures]             [Paris Pictures]             [Paris, parts two and three]
[Nice Pictures]               [Spain Pictures]            [Italy Pictures]

06/30/05, 10:05pm.
Ain't been sober since maybe October of last year...
So I have been seriously considering getting a cat. In fact, I spent 45 minutes standing in the adoption area of PetsMart today, watching and petting a girl kitty through the bars of her cage. She's a year and a half, has already had a liter of kittens and reminds me a lot of my sister's cat JC. They have a similar manner, as well as look...though this girl kitty is mostly tan and has less stripes. She's a little odd looking, but I kinda grew attached. They had named her "Betty" but I decided that was a stupid name and have already renamed her (possibly temporarily, possibly permanently) "Fiona." She just seems like a Fiona to me.

Though there are many practical issues I should have been thinking about, like whether my sister's cats will be able to adjust to a new kitty in the house, and how much my dad will flip out when he returns on Monday to find a third kitten roaming around on tabletops and counters, and if my sister would feel put-out by having a third cat to care for when I'm gone at school for 8 months of the year...I was mostly trying to think of what this cat would mean to me. Why am I so compelled to get a cat?

The obvious answer is "to fill in the gaping hole left in my being by having my cat (whom I love more than just about anything in this world) living in Florida with my mother, and not here with me." I definitely don't want to replace Cici. I love her so damn much, it's insane. But I feel like I need something here. I adore my sister's cats, they are fun and all, but they aren't mine. They don't know me and love me the way Cici does. I don't know if Fiona would either, but it would at least be something to call my own, right? In a life where I have so little stability...no house, commuting to work and to see friends, a life in constant turmoil...I want something I can point out and say "that is mine. That is my life. That is what I'm here for." But Cici is 900 miles away, and this house is not my home, nor is the one in Florida. I might not have a home again until I'm grown and buy one for myself...if I ever get to that point in my life. And until then, I have this ache. So bit it consumes the very center of my being.

The question, of course, becomes...will this cat fill the ache in my soul? I'm guessing probably not. Obviously, it takes time to build a relationship with an animal...the same as with another human. But the problem is that once Fiona moves in here with JC and Miss Rose, she stays here. I can't take her away in two years and expect everything to be hunky-dorey. She would get depressed, and JC and Miss Rose would feel the loss as well. So getting Fiona means leaving her here with Chris...for the next 15 years of her life. Would I really feel like she's my cat, then? How long will I be residing here with my sister? I'm not even sure where I'll be next summer. Back up in the Chicago area is my current plan (I'm certainly not living in my mom's house in Spring Hill). But will I live up in Antioch again? The commuter life is killing me. And my car. And the environment. In the past two weeks, I have driven 1270 miles. That makes sick to think of the pollution I'm causing, but I don't have much of a choice. I'm already considering finding an apartment for next summer...somewhere closer to Deerfield...but that's expensive, and I don't have that kind of money, and I'd have to find a roommate, and who the hell is going to want to live in an apartment when they still have sane families with houses within 7 miles? So I'm a bit on the screwed side.

So "my cat" wouldn't really be my cat. I'd pay for her, feed her (and the other cats) while I'm here, but then I leave for school. She'd live with my sister, and stay here for the rest of her days, unless I take the other two cats as well. My niece would definitely never allow that, not to mention that it obviously makes sense for a struggling college student and/or recent graduate to be taking care of 3 cats...not.

I'm willing to put forth the effort to care for her, and she'd have a good home, and things would be great for her...but me? I guess it doesn't really make sense. Though I think she would get along with JC really well and would be a good addition to the family. Maybe those aren't reasons enough to get a cat.

I just wish I had something to fill this void...something to soothe this ache.

Oh, you say it's all in my head, but to me it seems so real.
No, you don't know how it feels. You might think you do, but you don't.

Current Music: Breathe (2AM) - Anna Nalick
Current Mood: Pensive.

06/28/05, 9:34pm.
...
Very tired from camp. But me thinks this will be a common occurrence. Especially with the hotter than hell weather as of late. I melt during the day. The kids melt during the day. It's fun.

I'm now trying to decide if I should get to sleep now (a good 9 hours of dormir) or if I should catch up on some TiVo'ed tele and possibly read some smutty story or two. Sleep would probably be the best. A field trip tomorrow to Maplewood...not incredibly exciting, but worth a "woot" for the change of pace.

Current Music: The Best is Yet to Come - Frank Sinatra

06/26/05, 4:20pm.
You say it's all in my head, but to me it feels so real...
Introspective and retrospective all at the same time. I've been doing quite a bit of thinking yesterday and today...much of which spawned from playing "Never Have I Ever" but the rest just came from the peculiar mood I'm in. All of a sudden, I feel like pulling a sheet over my head and disappearing for a while.

(Will continue after movie hopping with Zoe)

10:56pm
Kinda strange how the very minute I was writing about disappearing, Zoe called me to ask if we were still on for seeing movies. Of course I decided that instead of being pathetic and hanging around my already boring household for 4 and a half hours until it could be considered a proper time to go to sleep...I drove down to Deerfield and we headed to the Buffalo Grove theatre. Double feature for us, first A Lot Like Love, the Ashton Kutcher movie. It was actually pretty good. More realistic than most, I think...though still very contrived. It was sweet and the acting was above average for most of it (though there were times when I think the director may have fallen asleep or fell off a cliff or something). Second feature was Sahara, which was also much better than we were anticipating. The plot was more complex than I figured it would be, but it was an awesome cast, and hilarious. I figured there would be a bit of humor, but it exceeded my expectations. Penelope Cruz is not my favorite actress, but she wasn't in it as much as it seemed from the ads, so overall...successful night. Both of these are things that I would own on DVD so that I could watch them again. They weren't stellar, but good enough to see again.

The movies helped take away a bit of the self-contemplation that I was dealing with earlier, but at the same time...today has been a bit on the dumpy side. My self-worth is way down, and passive-aggressive nature climbing to extreme heights. But it wasn't horrible. Earlier I was discussing the purchase of a kitten with my sister. She doesn't seem to mind, so I might do that sometime this week. I miss my Cici more than I can even express, and I love my sister's cats, but I think it's time for me to own something. And the companionship will not be lost. Hopefully he/she will get along with my sister's cats.

So it's been a long weekend, and I am very sleep-deprived, so I guess I'll be getting to sleep now. I should be able to get 8 hours before I have to be up for work in the morning. This week better go by faster than last week, that's all I'm saying.

Current Music: You Don't - Sara Evans

06/20/05, 9:17pm.
Don't tell me why he's never been there for you...
First day of camp went surprisingly well. Minor annoyances, but no disasters, which is always a plus. We seem to have a really good group of kids. Maybe that will make up for the sub-par counselors. I'm worried it will get to be a really long summer though. I feel like it should be Friday already. Not good.

For now, though, I'm super tired. So I shall sleep. And try to think happy thoughts.

Current Music: Good Enough - Sarah McLachlan

06/19/05, 8:04pm.
I sing because I'm happy...
All of my Europe pictures have been posted. Click on above links for viewing. Altogether there are about 130 pictures. I took well over 600, but I used restraint in posting.

Good Father's Day. I think Daddy like his present, and family lunch was yummy. Tomorrow starts camp. I'm actually quite excited, though definitely nervous at the same time. First day is always chaotic.

That's about it from here. Yesterday I movie hopped to Madagascar (not worth it), The Perfect Man (cute, but I have a special place in my heart for Hilary Duff and Heather Locklear), and Mr. & Mrs. Smith (fun to watch and SO MUCH HOTNESS!). Overall a successful day. Then there was Fazoli's for dinner, which was yummy and so much closer than when I lived in Deerfield. I have finally found one pro about being up in Antioch. I still want my old house back. A 2 minute commute every morning to work instead of 75 minute. Being able to go places on a whim, meet someone for dinner with a 15 minute warning. And certainly not have to plan anything in advance...dinner, movie, going to a park, hanging out. Oh well, I'm closer to Fazoli's.

Current Music: Eye on the Sparrow

06/18/05, 7:57am (CST!!!).
Just tell me who are you...?
My first entry since arriving back in the United States. Crazy...mostly because I've been so damn busy in the last 5 days that this is the first time I've really gotten to sit down and work on it. I tried to stay up late on Tuesday night to get all the Paris pictures in order, but unfortunately I quite half-way through uploading the pictures for the Paris, Part Two page. Ha ha...whoops. Those are all up now, so you can see some Notre Dame. I have to create pages for Italy yet, and the last page of Paris pictures, but I will hopefully get that all done today.

So my week. I got home on Monday. Went to dinner with Daddy and got a big ol' American cheeseburger at Ruby Tuesdays. Was excellent. Then I got "home" to my sister's house where I unpacked everything and started a load of laundry. The cats missed me terribly, so I had shadows while doing all this. It was cute, but I almost wiped out many times after tripping over small bodies. Sluts. Zoe called me around 8, and I didn't feel very tired, so I decided to head down to Deerfield to chill with her. I stayed until 11-ish, which was 6am Paris time and by the time I got back to Antioch, I had definitely been awake for 24 hours. Not cool. I believe this is when I foolishly thought I should update my website pictures, failed miserably, and then went to bed.

Work on Tuesday was tedious and boring, but not too long, so it wasn't bad. After, I don't remember what happened what day...but there was a time I did dinner and hung out at home with my Dad and sister. I think that was this night. I did head down to Deerfield a few times this week too, though. I know Wednesday night was Batman Begins in IMAX with Caitlin and Zoe. Thursday night was meeting Summer Theatre and going to Denny's with Johnson. After work on these days, I spent some time in the Deerfield area. Barnes and Noble, Best Buy, and Panera all received my business. Work on Wednesday sucked. Because it was the really long day of boring orientation stuff that we have done every year. And to add to it, I had woken up at 4:30am for some insane reason I know not of. Suckitude. Uber tired too.

Well, it's been a long, tired week. Yesterday I had half a day of work, and then got to come home, do laundry and be lazy all day long. I watched a bunch of TiVo'ed television...American Idol, CSI, Survivor. Season finales up the yin-yang and it was good. Then there was the Redwalls on Conan and things were good.

Today, I might do some theatre hopping around either the Regal in Round Lake or the TinsleTown in Kenosha. I'll be up in Kenosha later for Fazoli's, so if timing works out, I might just be able to chill up there all day long. On the agenda: Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Madagascar, and A Perfect Man. I must say, embarrassing at it is, I love Heather Locklear. And Chris Noth!!! So yeah. I might do that.

And I'm done. I'll try to get those Italy pictures up sometime soon. But I'm enjoying being lazy these past 16 hours, so maybe not today.

Current Music: Who Are You? - The Who

06/13/05, 8.40 (CEST).
And in my heart I see what you're doing to me...
My last few hours in Paris, and I'm a bit of a wreck. I'm entirely packed, but the bad news is that I now have two bags...my Kipling duffle that I bought in Paris for the Italy trip and my red Samsonite that I brought. Plus, of course, my computer bag carry-on and the posters I bought. I'm going to look quite the sight on the metro, and subsequent RER. I'm a bit nervous about that. I'm going to be the epitome of baglady...with a shoulder bag, shoulder-straped duffle, and large rolling bag. Oy.

And I'm uber tired. I set my alarm for 8:15, but of course woke up at 7:30 and was unable to go back to sleep. My stomach has butterflies the site of New Zealand and my throat is very scratchy and angry at me for some unknown reason. I'm super stressed about getting to the airport and having to find this tourist tax reimbursement thing, so I can get 54E back from my Burberry bag. Plus going through all the security and stuff in France...I assume it's the same as the US, but one can never be sure. I think once I'm waiting at the gate for my plane, I will certainly calm down, but until then (for the next 3 hours or so), I might be going a bit crazy.

The good news is that in about 15 hours, I'll be touching down in Chicago and will be picked up by my dad and will go back to my sister's house in Antioch, where I will feel at home, and see kitties. I miss them (not as much as I miss my Cici, but it's close). With any luck, Zoe and/or Amanda will not have failed me and will have either set up a little shindig, or at least planned some sort of dinner. Granted, it will be 1am Paris time before I even get to Antioch, but I will be staying up until it's a normal bedtime. Maybe I'll make them come up to Gurnee so I don't have to drive so much. If I get to bed at 10pm Central Time...it will only be 5am Paris time. Oh, this is going to be a fun day.

Okay, enough freaking out and spending valuable brain energy calculating the differences in time zones. I love Paris, but it's time to go home. And I can accept that.

Current Music: Sweet Misery - Michelle Branch

06/12/05, 13h13 (CEST).
We haven't spoken in months, see I've been counting the days...
I visited Notre Dame again this morning. It was still wonderful. Saint Peter's and the Duomo might be bigger, with longer naves and more marble, but there's something about Notre Dame that I just really like. It's dark and gothic, but still feels personal and inviting. It has a good atmosphere for reflection. It seems to not want to compete with the other churches, and is content being who and what it is. She's gorgeous. I really wanted to stay for the 10am mass, but I was meeting up with Whitney and her mom.

The three of us went to a "bird market" on Ile de la Cite. That was interesting. Certainly a lot of birds, as well as bunnies, hamsters, and even pigs. We didn't stay long. From there we headed way North to the Porte de Clingancourt to visit some markets up there. Some antiques, not so much flea market stuff (as we were expecting). Then the typical markets selling various articles of clothing, purses, shoes, cheesy souvenirs, and drug paraphernalia. Like you do. It was quite cool. And we had crepes. Mmmm....I'm going to miss those. From there, I departed to return here. I'm planning on visiting the Pere Lachaise Cemetery a little later, and then tonight is my going away dinner with the Gathanys, which probably won't be until after 7...so I have some time. I might need to nap for just a bit, then take my journals to the Cemetery and spend some time there. Write a bit, reflect a bit, sit a bit. Sounds like a good plan to me. I should also be packing...but if I pack, that means I'm actually leaving. And that is not acceptable.

Current Music: Old Habits Die Hard - Mick Jagger

06/11/05, 23h40 (CEST).
Nothing's as bad as you want it to be...
The Arc de Triomphe was incredible. I could see everything from that one point. The Eiffle Tower gleamed, Notre Dame glowed, and the Sacre-Coeur sat stately upon its hill. It was amazing to look over the city that I have been living in for a month now, and I felt like I finally saw it. Beautifully massive, simply superb, elegantly organized. Really made me realize that I only have one day left here, though I don't think that will really sink in until my plane takes off from Charles De Gaulle on Monday afternoon.

I'm actually very tired, but I just wanted to write a little about the Arc. My alarm is set for 7:30am...yuck. But I'll be seeing my Whitney, so it's okay.

Current Music: Lost on Me - Stretch Princess

06/11/05, 15h31 (CEST).
You aren't surprised, love, are you...?
All of a sudden, I'm two days away from leaving. When did that happen? I have only the rest of today/tonight and tomorrow before my journey in Europe is officially at an end. Not cool. But at the same time, it will feel really good to get back to the States. I miss them terribly. Overall, I'm quite torn.

Italy was fantastic. I didn't like Florence as much as I had been anticipating, but it was still really good. Saw the David and waited in line for almost 3 hours at the Uffizi gallery. Also caught a ton of churches including Santa Croce, San Marco and Santa Maria Nouvella. Saw the Duomo, browsed along the Ponte Vecchio, and even took a bus up to the town of Fiesole to look over the Tuscan horizon and get some dinner. I took massive amounts of pictures.

My first impression of Rome was not the greatest. But I soon became quite enamored with the city (and its wine). Unfortunately, my guide book was a little sketchy and we found ourselves having the wrong information on museums and their hours not once, not twice, but three times. So we missed a lot of stuff that we had planned to do. However, we saw the Coliseum, the Pantheon, the ruins of the Roman Forum, and ruins of just about everything else. We ventured to Vatican City (which I'm counting as my 5th European Country...because I can) and actually was there at the right time to see a Wednesday morning service in Saint Peter's square. We saw the Pope (he drove past us, no more than 15 feet away) and then he was far away on a stage thing...but I took a couple pictures from the huge TV screens that they were projecting on. It was very cool. He spoke in Italian, Latin, English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, German and something else (Dutch or Swedish...something like that) during the hour-long service. Tres nifty. Unfortunately the crowds that day were chaotic, so we returned the following day to actually visit Saint Peter's and the Sistine Chapel, as well as some parts of the Vatican Museums...including the Raphael room. They were all quite amazing. The Basilica was huge and gorgeous, the Raphaels were awe-striking and the Sistine Chapel was just incredible. Also saw the Trevi Fountain (which I liked a lot) and threw in a coin...supposedly guaranteeing me a return visit to Rome. Also, we spent much time near the Spanish Steps where there was the best shopping. We hit all the stores, Prada, Gucci, Tiffany's, Fendi. I fell in love with a hot Prada red alligator skin purse that unfortunately cost 3200E ($4000), so I settled for a cheaper Burberry bag. Yes, I have a beautiful Burberry purse and I love it and I'm so happy. It was a bit of a splurge (and by "bit" I mean that it will take about 3 weeks' worth of paychecks to pay it off) but it's elegant and classic and I will have it forever. Yay. We also went to the Diocletian Baths and the Borghese Museum, which has amazing sculptures by Bernini. Overall, Rome was very successful and highly entertaining.

We got in last night at midnight, but it was 2am before we finally got into bed. Allie's family arrived at the apartment at 7:30 this morning and I spent the morning and bit of the afternoon with them, getting lunch and doing some grocery shopping. I then split off on my own to visit the Musee D'Orsay again. It was wonderful. I think I might try to get to the Arc de Triomphe tonight around 9:45pm, so I can see the city lights. If I don't, I might never get to it. Eek. I'm meeting back up with Allie and family for dinner...sometime. I think I'm going to try to nap before then...I'm sleepy. Tomorrow morning, I'm meeting up with Whitney and her mom, and I think we're going to a flea market, and possibly a "bird market" as well. Where they sell birds? I'm really not sure, but it will be cool to see her. I'm still trying to decide if I'm going to try to get to the Louvre again too. I think I'll have to see how my feet are feeling (I've walked so much, it's not even funny) and also see how far along my packing has gone. I need to pack tomorrow so I can be ready to leave on Monday morning. How scary is that? It's soooooo soon.

So...nap. Then dinner. Arc. Sleep. Market-ing. 24 hours in the life of Gail.

Current Music: What You Wish For - Guster

06/04/05, 11h28 (CEST).
And I'm thrilled to let you in...
Third time doing laundry, and I might very well be a pro. Except that everyone and their brother does laundry on Saturday, and I totally should have gone yesterday. I might have to wait for a dryer. Yuck.

Later, I'll be venturing to Dugommier to meet up with Allie and help her bring all of her shit to my apartment. Party and a half, let me tell you. Our train out tonight isn't until 7pm, or something, so we have bunches of time. Don't know what we'll do. I'm uber tired though, and I have to pack. However, since the dryers never really dry clothes, they'll be air-drying around the apartment until the last possible second, when everything will be chucked into my duffle.

BUT! I'll be in Florence tomorrow. In the beautiful countryside of Tuscan Italy. Sweeeeet. And then Rome after that. And all of a sudden, I feel like my trip is barreling toward the finish line. Which it is. I leave in 9 days. Sadness. And I still have yet to visit the Champs-Elysees or the Arc de Triomphe. I'm planning on those for the couple days when I get back to France though. Other than that, I hit up everything I really wanted to see and do, and it was excellent. Great museums (Louvre, Orsay, Pompidou), beautiful sites (Eiffle Tower, Notre Dame, Sacre Coeur), as well as just living in Paris and getting what it feels like to be a Parisian. I wouldn't give up being American for anything in the world, but it was a good experience. And now I know that I can do it, and I could anywhere in the world. I can get by, and that might have been worth the cost of admission.

As for having some incredible insight into my future, I'm still pretty lost. But I know that I'll be able to swim, with whatever I try to do. The art here has certainly made me think more about that career track, but then again everything I think of doing seems so impractical. As compared with the doctors and lawyers in the world, film and art seem so squishy. Which I love, but solid ground would be really nice. I don't think I'll ever be on solid ground though...it's not who I am. So I will constantly be stressed out and probably suffer from several ulcers throughout my life. Opa.

Well, my laundry should be just about clean. 55 minutes to wash, 6 to "dry" oh well. It's only 5E for the whole caboodle.

Current Music: Surrendering - Alanis Morissette

06/03/05, 13h00 (CEST).
I'm still waiting for you, and I guess that I will...
Had quite the time last night. Yesterday after Centre Pompidou, I met up with Allie and a few of her friends for lunch, then she and I went around shopping for a while. Time flew, and all of a sudden stores were closing at 7:30 (really random, but they do) so we grabbed a quick panini for dinner and went our respective ways home. She came over a little later to pre-game before we met up with people on the steps of Bastille Opera to drink wine and find a bar. Was quite a good time. After the bar, we went to a dance club, but I didn't stay there long. Allison (a girl on the Dartmouth program) and I had planned to split a cab, and she wanted to go home, so we did. It was already 2am, so I wasn't super disappointed either. French cabs are so much nicer than American ones. I got home at about 2:15am and after taking off jewelry and putting on pajamas, I passed out into a lovely sleep. (Well, except for the part where I had to get up to puke, but that doesn't count).

I woke up about 12:30 and fixed myself some toast with confiture fraise (strawberry jam) and opened my window. It's amazing out. Thunder is rumbling loudly and there is a cool breeze floating through the air. It hasn't actually rained here yet, or at least no more than a few drops, but I'm sure the rain will come. This would be a good day for the Eiffle Tower. Probably scare away the tourists and see lovely views of a rainy, overcast Paris. I love Paris in the springtime. And every other time too.

On the schedule for today: Shower. First and foremost. Then I have to go shopping. I need to buy souvenirs for people...but I don't know who or what to buy. I tried to find a tee-shirt for my niece yesterday, but couldn't find anything that I really liked, so maybe today I'll find something. I also need to buy a better duffle bag for my week in Italy. My bat-mitzvah bag that I've been using since 7th grade is really good for overnight ventures, but our three days in London had it busting at the seems...so I think 7 days might kill it for good. And I refuse to give up that bag...I love it. It's amazingly useful. When it breaks, I think I might cry. But anyway...duffle for me. Souvenirs for other people.

I did a little "me" shopping yesterday. Allie and I went to H&M where I bought two pairs of amazing earrings (big, thin pink hoops and these crazy bronze things with tassels), two big chunky rings (one oval with a big blue stone, the other pearl and rhinestone explosion), as well as a cute hat and a purse for going out. It felt good to buy stuff for me that wasn't food or museum souvenirs And it was all less than 30E. Hottttt.

This is me showering.

Current Music: Shoes - Stretch Princess

06/02/05, 10h57 (CEST).
Someone like you is always leaving...
Already this morning, I have eaten breakfast, showered, went grocery shopping and washed dishes. I am woman, hear me roar.

The plan for today is to hit up the Centre Georges Pompidou (finally) and then after that, I'm not sure. Allie is done with class at 1:30 (for the term, in fact) so if she is free, we might do something, or if she goes out with people in her program, then I might be on my own. Or I might tag along with her friends, who knows. Either way, I am hoping to make it to the Arc de Triomphe today, probably around 9pm, so I can see the city lit up right before night, and subsequently, see the Champs-Elysees.

Quite unfortunately, my foot really hurts. And not in the blistered way, or the tired way. In the "something's wrong" way. And I know what you're all thinking... "she broke her foot again?!" but I don't think so. Or at least I hope not, because that would suck royally. All I know is that it is mighty uncomfortable to walk on. I look like an idiot limping down stairs and a fool every other time. I think I can hobble through the pain though. And with any luck, it will feel better by Saturday when we head to Italy to do massive amounts of walking. I suck.

Well, I should get going to the museum. I have to buy a metro ticket still. I've decided the carnet is a better option than a daily ticket, though the freedom yesterday was nice. I have to use it 6 times to make it worth it.

So...art!

Current Music: Twisted - Stretch Princess

06/01/05, 20h22 (CEST).
Only tells me where she's been when she's had too much to drink...
When's the last time you listened to Hootie and the Blowfish?

Busy busy day. It started quite early with a trip to the BNP Paribas in Republique (for the 3rd time in two days) and was finally able to change my traveler's checks for Euros. Didn't get the best exchange rate, but it was good enough, and now I have money for museums and Italy.

I followed that by going back up to Montmartre. I had spent time there yesterday, but time slipped away from me and I spent far too long in the cemetery, and didn't have time to see anything else. Oh, I saw the Moulin Rouge, which is just tacky and not even a cool "Times Square" tacky. I felt no need to take a picture. So today I traveled back up there to visit the Sacre-Coeur. Climbed the billion and a half stairs, took some pictures but didn't bother to go inside. I walked around Montmartre for a bit, but it's a bit sketchy. This coming from a girl who lives in Menilmontant near Belleville...so that's tough.

After Montmartre, I went down to Montparnasse to check what was playing at the cinemas there. (I had an unlimited day ticket, so I didn't mind wasting some trips). Sin City just opened and is playing in the version original avec sous-titres francais. So good. Might have to take that in. Le Pont du Roi Saint Louis is also open, and is apparently an American film (who knew?) but according to IMDB, it wasn't well rated. The Interpreter opens next Wednesday. I saw it in Spain, but unfortunately...in Spanish, so I didn't understand much and I'd like to see it again in English. Sydney Pollack rocks my socks. Anyway...so I scoped out the movies, then got myself a crepe nutella banane for lunch and sat in a little parc along side a church (possibly Notre Dame des Champs) to eat it and enjoy the scenery.

On Monday, Allie and I had dinner, then walked past the Cathedral Notre Dame where I took pictures of the outside, but it was closed, so I didn't go in. Today, I ventured back down that way to actually go into the cathedral. It was amazing and beautiful. I wish there hadn't been so many tourists, but it was nice to wander and sit and reflect/pray. I "donated" 2E to light a candle and chose to light it in front of the statue of Sainte Jeanne D'Arc (Joan of Arc). It's odd that some of the most fascinating places I've seen have been churches and cemeteries. One might think I were religious. They have just felt incredible to be a part of. The cemeteries. have definitely been less touristy, which is nice.

After Notre Dame, I headed to the Louvre. Wednesdays are one of their late days, so I decided to go later in the day in hopes to weed out much of the crowds. It worked. Obviously, there were still crowds, especially around the Venus de Milo, Winged Victory and the Mona Lisa...but they weren't that bad. And that was all in the first quarter of my visit. The last parts, especially when I got up to the 2nd floor Flanders, Dutch and French painting, it was much deserted. There were entire salles where I was alone with the art. Quite incredible, actually. I was thinking that I should have gone back to the Italian art to hopefully get a more undisturbed viewing of the Mona Lisa as well as other da Vinci works, and the Raphael paintings. I'm a big fan of the Italian art. The Louvre was spectacular though. I started with some of the sculpture, which doesn't usually wow me, but I was definitely feeling it today. And the building is gorgeous to walk though. Confusing, but amazing. I actually felt inspired to continue my art studies and get a job at a museum. There was one area that they had closed off, because it was filled with works from the basement that they had moved due to fears of flooding and subsequent damage. But unlike most of the blocked off areas, they had gates instead of walls, so you could see through. A melee of statues and sculpted works in various degrees of packed or unpacked boxes. There was a woman doing some refurbishing work on one of the statues and I realized that I would give anything to be here. In a huge room of miscellaneous pieces of priceless art and restoring a statue to its original beauty. Ahh...the envy. To be a curator in the Louvre...that would probably have an outrageously large paycheck attached to that. Top curators at the Met in NY make over a million dollars a year. To get to that point, you'd have to be incredible, but I'll take a comfortable $100,000 a year. Yeah, right. It's sad though, everyday there are certain rooms that are closed off because they don't have enough workers at the Louvre to have every salle open. I think that's a huge shame. I noticed that a few rooms in the Spanish art section were closed off, and a sign said that there were Egyptian rooms that would also be closed today. I'll move here and work in the Louvre, seriously. That would be amazing. I've toyed with working at the Art Institute this summer, but I'd only be able to on weekends and their late night (Thursday, if I recall correctly - they recently changed it). And it's awfully far away from Antioch. That would be a hell of a commute. If it takes 40 minutes to get to Deerfield, I don't want to know how long it would be to get to the Loop. But that would be cool. And if I wanted to pursue art, it would be a really good experience. *sigh* I don't know what to do with my life.

After the Louvre, I've come back to the apartment. Made myself pasta for dinner. Plan on relaxing for the rest of the evening, I've done enough today. Tomorrow I need to hit up the Casino (grocery store) for toilet paper, pasta sauce, and wine. I love France.

That's odd....listening to Hootie (still) and it got to the last "song" on the CD, a 50 second acoustic clip of the lead singer, and what he's singing is a song I sang in All-Campus Choir freshman year. "Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child." Good song, sad and haunting, but good.

She was the same girl I fell in love with long ago.
She went in the back to get high,
I sat down on my couch and cried.

Current Music: Let Her Cry - Hootie and the Blowfish