The Bold Soul: A Writer's Life in Paris

Risking the hurt to get to the happy

Well, as I predicted, I got hooked on The Bachelor: Paris. (Damn it. I hate when reality TV sucks me in. I like to think I'm "above" all that, quite frankly. I guess I will have to console myself with knowing I will never watch any of the Survivor shows.) Tonight was the big night. Travis had to pick between two girls, Sarah and Moana, both 26. Sarah is the typical girl-next-door, a wholesome kindergarten teacher with an equally wholesome family who, ironically, practically DID live next door to the hunky ER doctor in Nashville, only they never knew it. Just think, they had to go to Paris to meet, even though she later discovered she sometimes went jogging past his house in Nashville. On paper, it was easy to see this would probably be a good match -- if a bit predictable and bland. The other girl, Moana... the dark horse, the underdog. The girl none of the other girls liked or could figure out. The one that maybe didn't have the picture perfect childhood or family. The one with the most fire and emotion. And of course, the one I was most rooting for. Both girls seemed real... Read more →

Bonne anniversaire, Bold Soul!

The Bold Soul is officially ONE YEAR OLD! One year ago today I wrote my first blog post. I was a bloggin' novice and got off to a slow start, but before long I was posting more regularly, uploading my own photos and generally having a fine time. Now, it's hard to believe a full year has gone by. And blogging is an activity that is pure joy for me and nothing like work (in fact, I can often be found crafting a blog post when I'm supposed to BE working). I've enjoyed connecting with many of you and appreciate your contributions, your link-backs from your own blogs or web sites, and your support. I plan to blog for a very long time to come. And in case you're wondering, I AM still planning to move to Paris some day, and sooner rather than later. It may take me longer than I would like but to me it's a non-negotiable. So bear with me and continue hanging out here every so often... before you know it, I'll be posting from Paris! Read more →

Une crise gastronomique!

Bird flu has come to France. Holy merde. Just one or two ducks, but since ducks migrate, the country is in a panic. [Read NY Times story.] When we think about France, we think about wonderful food. And in France, a lot of the food comes from poultry - chickens, ducks, geese, and even turkeys. Foie gras, coq au vin, and oeufs galore... can you imagine French cuisine without poultry? No bird market in Paris now, it's been shut down... 11,000 free-range turkeys killed on one farm near where the dead ducks were found. I don't even eat eggs but I love chicken and turkey, and my brain is reeling at the thought that 11,000 birds had to be destroyed "just in case" the avian flu had infected the birds on that farm. Imagine if this happens to other farms... remember what happened to the beef market because of mad-cow disease? And this is scarier because the birds are air-born... and so is the disease. Bird flu vaccines -- for the birds themselves, not the humans -- are now becoming available in the E.U. and the foie gras region in France will be among the first to get the vaccine.... Read more →

Why that stupid thing about being at the airport 2 hours early isn't so stupid after all

Shortly after my last post, bleary-eyed and no longer able to edit/rewrite, first I took a look at the live Webcam of la Tour Eiffel to see dawn breaking in Paris (imagining myself stepping out for a cup of coffee and a croissant while watching all the busy fonctionnaires scurrying off to work), and then I happened to read out the latest blog post from La Coquette. Which not only entertained me when I really needed it, and made my heart ache for Paris (reminding my WHY I am writing/editing that book -- to make money to move to Paris), but also proved why maybe the damned airlines have a point about checking in two hours early. Read it and laugh 'til you weep. Read more →

Beginning to regret this...

Up to my ass in editing a client's book but I needed a break so thought I'd blog for a moment. It's 6 hours straight and counting (I even ate dinner while working and most of my meal got cold anyway), and I'm still only about halfway done with this most recent version of the manuscript. I'm tired, my butt hurts, I haven't showered today and my eyes are crossing. Very painful to edit this manuscript because she keeps using words that either (a) don't exist at all, or (b) are totally out of context so that I have to spend 10 minutes figuring out what the hell she REALLY meant to say, so I can rewrite it in normal English. Why, oh why, do people try to "sound impressive" when they write? (I used to be like that when I was younger and writing things. God willing, I broke myself of that nasty habit by now. At least I hope so. If not, don't tell me, I don't want to know.) I am so tired now I can barely think in coherent sentences much less type them. I was supposed to have this damn thing done earlier today but... Read more →

I don't care WHAT they say. Chocolate saves lives.

Today, this news story appeared on CNN.com, concerning a new line of chocolate products from Mars, Inc. (who makes M&Ms). The new line, called CocoaVia, is made with a dark chocolate high in antioxidants that are found naturally in cocoa beans, which may thin the blood and may lower blood pressure. Naturally, the skeptics are out there claiming chocolate cannot be used for "medicinal purposes". Let 'em claim it -- I know better. Chocolate saves lives. There have been times when chocolate has prevented me from wanting to kick the crap out of someone I am annoyed with. You know, those times when you're pre-menstrual and everything gets on your nerves, or when you just want to strangle that irritating coworker or smack that pushy guy standing next to you on the subway. Have a piece or two of really good quality chocolate (not that over-sugared over-processed stuff you find at the supermarket check-out, I'm talking about the really GOOD stuff, high in natural cocoa, like the Lindt Excellence bars) and suddenly your mood lightens and for the next 20 minutes or so, all is right with the world. No Prozac required, and no one gets hurt. Eat the high-quality... Read more →

Toto, we're not in Kansas anymore...

Today I had the fun of watching my niece Beth at rehearsals for The Wizard of Oz, at The Growing Stage in Netcong, New Jersey. Beth is playing "Dorothy"! Here are a couple of "live motion" shots (no flash photography allowed + low lighting = blurred effects) in which even a hiccup would create "motion"... but you get the idea. I was especially proud of how professionally she behaves on stage and how she ran through the entire first act with all her lines memorized (the same could not be said of some of the adult actors). Of course my favorite part was hearing her sing "Over the Rainbow"; this is one girl who needs no microphone when she performs. "Ding Dong, the Witch is Dead" - Dorothy (center stage in burgundy sweatshirt) and Munchkins. The greenish blur is the choreographer/Auntie Em/Glinda the Good Witch demonstrating a dance move. Taking blocking notes and stage direction from the director. Practicing a dance step. Opening night is March 3rd. There are shows every Friday, Saturday and Sunday through the entire month of March. If you're in the neighborhood, go and take the kids. Read more →

Lottery fever

I may have posted in the past about my lottery fantasies, but it's just so much fun to think about and therefore I am going to write about it (again) tonight. If I'm being redundant, forgive me. I am overcome by lottery fever and am no longer responsible for my actions. The Powerball jackpot is at $365 MILLION. That's in U.S. dollars; it comes to about 209 million Pounds Sterling or 305 million Euros or 421 million Canadian dollars or 495 million Aussie dollars or 43 BILLION Yen - yowza! It's a lot of dough no matter where you're baking it. This is the largest lottery jackpot in U.S. history. And the drawing is tonight at 11pm New York time - less than one hour from now. Tonight, someone's life may be changed forever (unless there is no jackpot winner again tonight and THEN the jackpot gets even bigger), and I am damn sure hoping it's going to be ME. I heard about the big jackpot amount last night and this morning I decided: Why not? I drove 50 minutes in a blinding snow squall over the state line into Pennsylvania to get tickets because New Jersey is not a... Read more →

Night Lights in Paris

I happened to catch this excellent Paris-by-night tour suggestion from Rick Steves' website, one that is worth passing along. Instead of going on a group bus tour, Rick recommends just taking a taxi! If you live in Paris and will be hosting some out of town guests, or if you are planning to visit Paris in the near future, this sounds like a great way to spend about an hour one evening, visiting some of the most beautiful parts of the City of Light, at night! Rick even gives you the French you'll need to communicate with your taxi driver... and a map so the driver will know where you want to go. What an easy, fun idea! On my last trip to Paris, we had dinner with a Parisienne I know, and she brought along a friend/client who had her own car (I think she lived in one of the 'burbs). On the way back to our hotel, they insisted on driving us around to some of the sites at night, so we went by the Louvre, the Arc de Triomphe, Place de la Bastille, and more. It was a lovely way to see the city and much more... Read more →

This little piggy

This is going to be one of those posts where I have no choice but to make blatant fun of my own imperfections. To "come clean", if you will. I have been trapped in a pig sty of my own making. For the past week I have been trying to chip away at the dust and clutter in my workspace... which, I'm embarrassed to say, is quite considerable. Not because I enjoy dust and clutter but because essentially I live and work in one room right now, and it's virtually impossible to keep it neat and clean all the time. My home office is also my bedroom, living room, and on occasion, my dining room (although I never leave dirty dishes around). It's not ideal, but it was a conscious decision for me to move back into my mother's home over a year ago as I started my writing business and as an effort to save money to move to Paris (the latter is going slower than desired, however). The price I have to pay for economising is small living space. I console myself with the knowledge that it is only temporary, and provides me with incentive to become a... Read more →