bon voyage

I am off to Italy. I wanted to write a long post about what I am planning, but as usual I have left everything to the last minute and have been desperately packing. I leave early tomorrow. I get back a week from Monday so I will be quiet for a bit. Wish me luck with my Italian adventures!

moba

Museum of Bad Art. Yes, it is a real place. Ryan found out about it. Check it out at www.museumofbadart.org . It is in Massachusetts so I am going to go when I get back. What a great idea. I can't wait!

in the news

Guess who is in the news today...BANSKY! check it out. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_pictures/7899443.stm (it is picture of the day #7)

I went on a long walk today. I thought I needed to get out. It was nice to walk without any real end goal. At one point I was trapped withing the walls of one of the lycees (high schools) here in Aix. I had to escape by following a car out of the parking garage gate. It was my version of a James Bond moment. Just making it in time through the closing metal gates. I think it is funny how nervous teenagers make me feel. I would have thought that by this age I would be over their judgmental stares and the feeling that I need to be cool enough. I mean they are in high school for heavens sake. I am in my junior year of college! Tell me, other adults, does being nervous of teenagers ever go away? or does their power to make you feel self conscious and bad about yourself continue to burden everyone even as we grow older? Is it just me?

The rest of my walk was fairly uneventful. I still can't find the park I have been looking for since I got here. I ended up at another park and sat on a bench finishing post cards and such for a short time. Then I did some errands.

My roommate and I cooked some very nice chicken this evening. We just took chicken breasts and then covered them with a mixture or herbs, breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan cheese, and lemon zest. Then they went into the oven for 30 minutes and came out delicious. We had them with carrots and shallots.
After dinner I went with my friend Hilary to try a yoga class. It was nice just to be back in a dance studio. It was just the right level for me. I think I am going to go twice a week from now on. I think it will improve my french (especially the body part words). Today I ingrained the words insprirer and expirer. Also, the class was very full so perhaps I will meet someone to have a conversation with once in a while. In the pictures, that is actually the instructor that I had today and that is the studio where I was.

Baby Girl!

I have a new baby cousin! I am very excited and I can't wait to see her. Everyone thought she was going to be a boy. I want to say, "I was right," but that isn't totally true. My mom told me a couple of weeks ago that my aunt and uncle thought it would be a boy and I said that I had thought of my new cousin as a girl. After I saw the ultra sound pictures though, I too thought it would be a boy. She fooled us all, but I would like to think that she fooled me less. I am going to go visit at the end of march/beginning of april. Oh and she doesn't have a name yet. They only had a boy's name chosen. I can't wait to find out what they decide on.

On another note, I am enjoying Rachael Yamagata. Her most famous song is Be Be Your Love.

25 Random Things...Not

My friend from high school, Artie, posted this article on facebook. I thought it was really interesting so I am posting it for all to see. I had been debating writing my own 25 random things list and I still might eventually even if it is just for fun and just for me. Anyway, I found this article interesting. I'm not sure of the credentials, but it sounds reasonable to me. Enjoy.

http://www.slate.com/id/2211068/pagenum/all/#p2

kitten and crow

I was looking at Maria's blog and then followed her link to Interspecies Friends blog where I found this cute video about a kitten and crow that become friends. Here is the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JiJzqXxgxo

ryan will be mad...

So I know that Ryan will be mad at me for this, but I just couldn't resist. This last Friday he was going to a party with his wilderness group. They had to go in pairs that had some sort of themed costume. Ryan and his partner went as I think "Country Club snobs from the 1970s." This is a video snapshot from our online chat. He looks so funny and soooo from another time. Haha. Love it! Oh dear...I know Ryan won't be happy. Get a look before he makes me take it down. He shaved it off the next morning right away.