The Bold Soul: A Writer's Life in Paris

Should old acquaintance be forgot

So, we're about to say au revoir to 2006, and bienvenue to 2007. I keep hearing that Barry Manilow song in my head: "It's just another New Year's Eve, another night like all the rest..." Is New Year's Eve just another night? In some respects, sure it is. I certainly don't place as much importance on it as I used to, back in the day where I felt like a social pariah if I didn't have a party to attend or a date to kiss at midnight. Now, a movie and Chinese food is the order of the day (I'm planning to see "The Holiday"). But in other respects, the passing of the old year and the launch of the new always makes me want to think back on what the old year has brought (and I only focus on the GOOD stuff), and also to think forward, about what's next and what I want to create in the coming year. So here are the highlights of my past year, as well as some of the things I'm envisioning for 2007 -- which I fully anticipate will be a year unlike any other in my life because I'll be spending... Read more →

Journey or Destination?

Do you care more about the journey, or the destination? I've spent a good part of my life trying to get something, get somewhere, or get someone. Like the majority of people in our Western culture, I've been very achievement-focused and goal-oriented. I believed that I could make things happen in my life by the sheer force of my will. And I was good at it. Too good, probably. So good that I tended to forget that there's just as much value (if not more) in the process as in the result. As a teenager, I wanted to get a boyfriend, get acknowledged for my creative pursuits (music, theatre, art, writing), and get the hell out of town to "live". I got the acknowledgment, but didn't always get the boyfriend I wanted, which began a long pattern of me feeling successful professionally but not in my romantic relationships. And it took me years to get out of town; even now, I am still working on the "living" part. In college, I wanted to have a good time, and get through it so I could get out and get a good job. I had a good time, but due to circumstances... Read more →

History in the making

Saddam Hussein, executed minutes ago. Once a powerful, brutish, sadistic pig of a dictator; now he's going to be worm food. Sometimes, there IS justice. Read more →

Why good writing is important

I have always been someone who pays attention to proper writing. So many people are terrible spellers and lackadaisical about writing in general, and it's my opinion that it stems from sheer laziness during the formative school years; after all, it's a real drag to have to learn and memorize all those vocabulary words for spelling tests, and most kids feel they have better things to do than to learn the difference between the correct usage of there, they're and their. But among otherwise intelligent, thinking adults, it astonishes me how lazy THEY can be about things like spelling, typing and grammar. It's as if people just don't think these things matter, when they really do. People in the highest echelons of every industry are often the worst writers, too. Maybe they think that because they have secretaries, they don't need to bother making the effort. The advent of e-mail hasn't helped matters any, either, because we're all in such a hurry that we're too busy to stop and open a flipping dictionary when we're unsure of the spelling of a word. And text messaging has taken proper writing to an all-time low. What can u expect from people who... Read more →

Winchester Palace

A rose window at the ruins of Winchester Palace, London. The Palace is located not far from the restored Globe Theatre on a narrow street reminiscent of Dickensian London. These ruins are all that remain of the palace of the powerful Bishops of Winchester, one of the largest and most important buildings in medieval London. Founded in the 12th century by Bishop Henry de Blois, brother of King Stephen, it was built to house the bishops in comfort when staying in London on royal or administrative business. The visible remains were part of the Great Hall, which formerly stood alongside the south bank of the Thames. The palace remained in use until the 17th century, when it was divided into tenements and warehouses. The ruins were rediscovered in the 19th century (following a fire that destroyed the Palace in 1814), and were finally revealed in the 1980s during redevelopment of the area. (Source: Placard near ruins - www.english-heritage.org.uk) Location: Next to Southwark Cathedral and the Golden Hind replica ship, corner of Clink St and Storey Street SE1; 1/4 mile from London Bridge. Read more →

Gorgeous Gates

Gates to Green Park, adjacent to Buckingham Palace. I think they are called "Canada Gates" but I'm not 100% sure. Read more →

Spa.... Ahhhhhh!

I'm very, VERY mellow right now. I just got back from a fabulous facial that not only cleaned the Paris grime out of my pores and made my skin all soft and hydrated, but the facial also included a neck and shoulder massage, hand massage with hot mitts afterward, and a foot massage where I swear, my spirit temporarily left my body, it was so good. There is nothing like pampering yourself (on a cold December day with the first snow flurries flying) to make those post-holiday blahs go away! Read more →

The 12 Times of Christmas

How was YOUR Christmas? Did Santa bring you everthing you wanted... or did you get coal in your stocking for being a bad girl or boy? We had a great time at our family Christmas yesterday, held at my sister's beautiful new house which was decorated like something out of a magazine. (Seriously, my little sister has turned out to be a real-life "Suzy Homemaker"--her name is Susan--and she's fabulous at it. Maybe Martha Stewart ought to retire and let my sister take over the empire.) She did all the outdoor Christmas lights herself and they were tastefully done; she and her daughter decorated the 11-foot tall tree after her husband put it up in the stand for her. The bannisters (both of them) had greenery and bows; candles were everywhere. Every corner had some Christmasy touch. It was spectacular; I'm so proud of her because not only did she manage to do all of that, but she did it while holding down a demanding full-time job as a first-grade teacher where this year, she has what she calls a "Damien" child (like, from "The Omen"). AND they had a big party last weekend where they invited all the neighbors... Read more →

Santa Sighting 2006

In case you haven't had enough of Paris yet (reading about it or being in it), the NY Times once again has provided us with more great things to do and explore, plus a neat article about the guy who keeps Paris lit up like a Christmas tree every night of the year. I took a look at last year's Santa Sighting post (for some reason, that post has become the 4th most popular link on Google for "Santa Sighting", and in the top 5 on several other search engines as well -- my Christmas Eve visitor stats are going through the roof), and realized I posted my wish list for Santa. Find out which of my Christmas wishes came true in 2006! (Bet you can already guess at least one of them.) So here's my wish list for 2007. I've been an especially good girl this year and I know Santa will be proud: Writing my own stuff, both books and magazine articles; landing that book deal at last; and being compensated brilliantly for everything I write; Our troops coming home from Iraq and Afghanistan; Continued success with my weight loss process; Health and happiness for everyone I love... Read more →

Observations on an American Christmas

Attention, holiday shoppers, we are now at those critical hours. It's December 24th and that means there are only mere HOURS of shopping time left. Better get a move on, you procrastinators! Having been in France throughout most of the pandemonium that is the commercialized American holiday shopping season, and having done my own Christmas shopping in Paris and London, I think in some ways this Christmas may be one of my least stressful ever. I've only had three days of Christmas carols instead of 30 days, so I'm enjoying hearing them and singing along in my car. I wasn't even overwhelmed by trying to find a parking space at my local supermarket today; it wasn't fun circling around for 15 minutes but I took it in stride. Not being swept up in the usual American frenzy this time of year has made it possible for me to jump right into the last-minute preparations with a pretty good attitude. I ran all kinds of errands today, and then spent approximately 5 hours wrapping gifts; first my own gifts that I brought from Paris, and then helping my Mom wrap some of her bulkier items. To make the job go faster,... Read more →