Chapter 104: Sarkozy+Hincks=BFF

nerd blog post #109

And so, after seeing Bronwyn off on Sunday, I have been in Paris. I am very happy to be here, despite the antsiness I feel knowing that I'll be in Toronto very soon. Still, Paris is feeling like home and the days in Rennes seem quite long ago. I have really been able to relax this week and regain an appreciation for this city.

Raffi's class is doing their final show tonight. This will be the first time I see him doing his thang. It's crazy that we met the week-end before his first week of school, and that now it's coming to an end. And I have never seen a show or a class or anything. So you can imagine how excited I am to see what I've only been hearing about for eight months. Anyways, the point is that he (and the others) have been really busy this week and I have been hanging mostly solo. Which has been good.

On Monday, I went to a little museum in the Jardin des Tuileries called l'Orangerie. It is home to Monet's Waterlilies and other famous people's paintings. I really enjoyed it. I hope this doesn't get me sniped, but I wasn't super impressed with Monet's paintings. The only thing I could really say is that they're big. Otherwise, they were just okay for me. What I loved, though, was watching the people looking at them. They were all snapping pictures as if the place was about to go up in flames. And videorecording, too. I wanted to let them know that a google image search would give them superior results than their take-a-picture-shift-to-the-right (rinse and repeat) technique of getting the whole thing on their camera. I really enjoyed some of the other work that was there, particularily by one French guy who isn't dead yet but I forget his name.

I visited Brian at the bookstore and decided to buy a (used) book. I have run out and have read most of what interests me on Raffi's shelf. I bought Hemingway's Green Hills of Africa. It's about his safari with his wife back in 1933. I like that Hemingway writes about real things that he's done. I like real people's stories. That's why I don't like Harry Potter and his friend, Jar Jar. This book I like, though. And I feel instant solidarity with Ernest because I, too, have gone shooting.

I saw Merrill one afternoon. She was on her way to London for a week but stopped in Paris for the day. We had coffee and poked around the Marais. It was good to see her and hear the happenings of Rennes. She's tired of being there, as I can imagine, and looks forward to going home at the end of the month.

I also saw President Sarkozy, but that wasn't planned. I was supposed to meet a friend from Queen's (Andrew Kelly) who is backpacking through Europe. We had a planned meeting point outside of Notre Dame, near this statue. I waited for half an hour and he didn't show (misunderstanding etc). Anyways, the point is that there was a massive something going on in the church. International camera crews were there and the mass was being played over a loud speaker. There were hundreds or a thousand peeps in front of the church. Turns out, the funeral for the families of the disappeared Air France plane was happening and Mr. President was there. When the funeral was over, I followed an Italian film crew near the front and saw him exit the church. I thought waving was inappropes, so I just looked. I think we're pals now.

I lost a game of Scrabble.

Yesterday I met up with a guy from Queen's who's now at Law School in England. Mark Dean and I had a class together in my first year, and then were bf/gf for a short time some years back and now I'm glad that we can be friends because I think he's a very nice and funny man. We checked him into his hostel and then explored the Latin Quarter, the Seine and Montmartre. We stopped at a grocery store to pick up some peaches and beer and consumed them on a bench in Montmartre, overlooking the city. We then had a beer at one of the restaurants up there that had live music. We laughed a lot and remembered funny things and talked about life in Europe (he lives in Leeds) and our excitement to go back to Canada (he left today). It was a really nice time.

I also decided this week that I would like a Summer job. I feel as though I haven't worked in ages and I miss it. I also want a way to meet people who aren't clowns. I love the clowns, but I also want my own friends and a way to keep busy. A job would also help me live more comfortably in this very expensive city. And so, I marched into The Great Canadian Pub and I have my first shift on Sunday. Unlike my last bar experience at the Greek Mafia Bar, these peeps seem awesome. Very relaxed about my schedule ("Hello! I'd like a job! I leave Tuesday for three weeks... Sorries!), concerned about working papers, happy I'm from TO but speak French, and just really laid-back and nice. I think it will be a fun place to work. Doctor said that it's more than a bar, it's like a theme park. He's right. I love my new job already and can't wait for my first eight hour shift in ages, this Sunday.

I think that about sums up the excitement of this week. It's been nice to walk around and read and enjoy the city, as well as see a couple of friends. I am looking forward to the show tonight, my job on Sunday, and my return to Canada on Tuesday. I am a purring lionness.

Much love,
Hincks.