My eyes, my eyes !

Randomly clicking on the Recently Updated blogs as they appear on the Blogger home page can be quite an experience. Would it be terribly uncouth and unkind to say that in my opinion only goodlooking people should post their nudie pics on the 'net ? On the other hand, the self confidence is worthy of admiration, I suppose.

Like these...

Be afraid.

Be very afraid.

I have just purchased a digital camera, which means this blog will soon be inundated with mediocre pictures of little or no interest to anyone other than myself.

*cue evil laughter and spooky music*

Last days

No, not the Gus van Sant movie.

Today was my last day at Ex-Employer’s. After four and a half years, I said my goodbyes and waltzed out that door with a grin on my face. I’ll miss some of my colleagues, but as New Employer is only one metro stop away I’m sure I’ll keep in touch and continue to meet them for lunch and gossip quite often.

After being unreasonably pissed off at my departure and generally acting like a nasty person for 6 weeks – during which time I could have written a blog called My Boss is a Twat, with daily updates – the man relented and reverted to being a pretty nice guy during my last week. He even took the whole department – well, all 7 of us ! – out for lunch at a very yum seafood restaurant.

And my farewell present was – get this – a red handbag. Not the Furla I had my eye on (but I am not one to look a gift bag in the zippered compartment) and it is a similar shape and style, in leather and fabric, from Lancel. So, a big thank you to my lovely colleague T, lunchtime window-shopping companion extraordinaire, for choosing so well.

Pearly pits ?

So there's a new product on the market which boggles my mind. Perhaps I am easily boggled, but all the same...

It's a deodorant/antiperspirant with "natural extracts of pearl" and in addition to keeping one fresh, dry and clean smelling, it promises "beautiful armpit skin".

Now, I admit I am as much of a girly cosmetics addict as the next woman. I have succombed to the marketing sirens and bought more than my fair share of oils, balms, powders and creams that have promised - and delivered - glitter, pearly sheen, all sorts of iridescence. Products that make tanned skin glow, add interesting sparkle to cleavage, and subtle shimmer to browbones and cheekbones.

But not once in my life have I applied deodorant, waxed or shaved, or just randomly caught sight of my pits, and thought "you know, I could use a little natural pearly extract here. What the world really needs is a shimmery deodorant".

Would you buy this product ?

Too much of a good thing.

Specifically, rosé wine. Chilled and tasty, it's so easy to drink more than one should, when sitting in someone's garden on a sunny day. Lovely way to spend an afternoon, but as a result the evening starts with a mini-hangover and a touch of sunburn.

And tomorrow it will be Monday.

Feh.

Bullitt's PJs

Jumped at the chance today to see Bullitt today at the cinema. This is a classic I'd seen several times on DVD - actually, it may even have been a VHS tape - but it was great to see it again on a big screen.

One thing I had never picked up before - not once but twice, we see Frank Bullitt at home in bed and he is wearing highly improbable paisley pyjamas, featured in the movie poster here.

Come on. This is Steve bloody McQueen. Possibly one of the coolest men ever to have walked the earth.

I cannot believe for one second that Steve McQueen wore paisley PJs to bed, and neither should Lieutenant Frank Bullitt.

Especially when he's in bed with Jacqueline Bisset.

So sad.

Am not usually an overly weepy person, but on the Metro this evening I had a hard time fighting back tears.

We had just seen Tsotsi, which is a rather emotional experience in itself. Then on the way home, we notice a young man passing out flyers with a photo and description of a missing person. He's not just handing them out, he is calling out to people, urging them to contact the police or the number on the flyer should they see the missing person.

His name is Thierry, he is autistic, and he has been missing since July 16th.

I vaguely remember seeing the same flyer up on the side of a phone booth in my neighborhood, and not paying any particular attention, but it is now days later, and I think of the parents of the missing child in the movie we've just seen, and the family of this young man, sick with worry.

Then S tells me he had seen this friend or family member much earlier in the day, at another metro station, doing the same thing, and my heart just breaks.

I hope Thierry returns safely to the people who care about him. And I count my blessings.

A list, a list ! (pinched from Julia)

Four jobs I've had in my life:
1. Waitress
2. French teacher
3. Admin assistant
4. Muse and confidante (OK, so that's not really a job...)

Four movies I could watch over and over:
1. The Lord of the Rings trilogy, the extended DVD version. Geeky, moi ?
2. Strictly ballroom
3. A room with a view
4. When Harry met Sally

Four places I have lived:
1. Bangkok
2. Cartagena de Indias
3. Jerusalem
4. 5 different arrondissements in Paris

Four TV shows I love to watch:
N/A as I don't have a TV... I did love Friends and have seen every single episode up until season 8, but my co-conspirator with the DVD player moved away and that was that...

Four places I have been on vacation:
1. Croatia
2. Saint Barth
3. USA
4. England

Four websites I visit daily:
1. Google
2. Current employer's intranet, which I will not link to...
3. Go fug yourself
4. New York Times

Four of my favorite foods:
1. Pho
2. Full English breakfast
3. Dim sum
4. Steak tartare

Four places I would rather be right now:
1. A beach, any beach...
2. A walled city by the sea - a place like Dubrovnik, or Saint Malo...
3. A luxurious day spa, getting a massage.
4. A village in the Cevennes, cool inside an old stone house with thick walls, in spite of the sun beating down outside.

Yesterday's non event

Walked up to Montmartre last night, hoping to have a nice view of the Bastille Day fireworks, couldn't see anything, walked back home. So much for that.

However, had some wonderful news - my mother and grandmother had dinner together after not speaking for 6 years. As both are incredibly stubborn women, I'm very happy they were able to talk before, well... my grandmother is 96, or is it 97 now ? so it was high time this happened.

Now I would love it if my mother and my favorite auntie could reconcile as well, but that could take another decade or so, if ever, so I'm not holding my breath... baby steps, baby steps...

The Man has spoken

Just saw the Zidane interview as linked to on Julia's blog. (The wonders of cyberspace, making the world smaller - I'm in France, but only saw this interview - on French TV ! - thanks to a blogger in Australia...)

Ranks have closed here, and Zinedine is more of a hero than ever. If anything, his hotheadedness and willingness to get in trouble to defend the honor of his womenfolk only made him more likeable to the masses.

But, but - I'm not convinced.

If black footballers can go on playing when "fans" throw bananas on the pitch and make monkey noises (no, not during the World Cup, but it does happen) then he should damn well be able to continue playing even in the face of a pathetic "your mama" insult.

Never mind. Thanks to all the Bleus for a wonderful month of excitement and passion and this feeling of togetherness, of being connected in some way to the popular heart of the country. Rendez-vous en 2010 !

shocking

What a terrible way to end a glorious career. I'm sad that France lost, but that is completely overshadowed by my shock and disappointment in Zidane.

What possessed him ? It doesn't matter how he was provoked - if indeed he was - but there is simply no excuse for such behavior.

Zizou has always been a fair player and a gentleman. Why, why, why tonight, during the last match of his career, did he lose his cool and act like a common thug ?

Today's non-event

The première of Pirates of the Carribean 2 was held at a cinema on the Champs Elysées and I had to walk through the crowd on my way from the office to the metro. Apparently Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloomin'heck (as S calls him - sheer jealousy, I say) were there. Didn't see them but heard lots of squeals and cries of "Johnny, Johnny".

And I was shoved out of the way by a security guard when I tried to walk onto the street to avoid the crowd on the sidewalk.

Perhaps he was afraid I would hijack a limo ?

a lovely handbag

Same model as in the photo, but in red grainy leather, from Furla. Boxy rectangular shape, big enough to hold all the usual crap that hangs out in my bags, possibly roomy enough to stuff a book and light sweater in as well. But not too bulky. Can be hand held, carried in crook of elbow, or over a shoulder. Perfect. And it's red - have I mentioned already that it's red ? Cause I don't do white bags. A steal at 174 euros, reduced from 290. But I really can't afford it.

Whine whine whine.

What a perfect evening

Lovely summer weather, a table outside, great food - 6 courses, all of them mouthwatering, simple, honest ingredients cooked to perfection, flavors both subtle and cristal clear - red wine, far too many cigarettes, a charming waiter, a chef who came out when the meal was finished to ask patrons if they were happy (a resounding yes from all), laughter, football talk, fashion talk, travel talk, cinema talk, more laughter.

See a pattern here ?

France - Switzerland 0-0
France - South Korea 1-1
France - Togo 2-0
France - Spain 3-1

so....

does that mean France will score 4 goals against Brazil ????