Polling the People

When I started this blog, oh say 18 months ago, I had a lot of grand ideas about what I would do with it. Clearly I was going to be a blogging rockstar, gain tons of followers, get invited to cool exclusive Paris things, and post all the time about my oh-so-cool life.

I had so very many plans for themed posts, series to maintain, and fun blog updates. Sticky notes galore. And, for a while anyway, I actually kept it on track! I posted frequently, I had a surprising number of visitors that weren’t my family, and I was feeling good.

But then, of course, real life got in the way and it became very hard to juggle all the things.

I dropped the ball on blogging and let it take a back seat to, well, everything else. Somehow immigration paperwork, a near-3 month stint back in the US (away from interesting things to blog about), followed by resume- and interview-packed unemployment before starting a very busy brand new job all took priority over writing about where I went to brunch.

But! Now I’m newly motivated to get this thing back up to speed. And so, without further ado, I present to you ::drumroll::

A POLL!

Here are a few of the ideas that were bouncing around my brain at some point in the past year+ of things to do with the blog. Vote for the type(s) of posts you think would be most fun to read!

Also, to stay on theme (who am I to say no to such an easy double entendre, eh?)… I voted! I went to the digital polls and cast my absentee ballot from abroad. #America 🇺🇸

I don’t get a sticker this year, so here’s a whole roll of ’em

Friendly Expat PSA: There’s just 2 weeks left before Election Day – Whatever your political persuasion, make sure you get your butt out to vote! It’s a super cool thing to do AND you get a sticker!

But no really, tell me what you want!

I can’t wait to see what you all have to say about what you want to see from me here. I’m excited to write and post fun things again. Crossing my fingers that more than 2 people respond, and that the responses are better than “Other: please stop. Just, stop.” Be cool, guys, be cool.

Not an optimist [UPDATED]

UPDATE 3/14/16:

It has come to my attention that this blog post fell flat like a pancake crêpe and/or totally confused everyone. Here are some clarifications to hopefully make it all make more sense.

1. This post was written in total snark and sarcasm.
2. Everything is fine.

For a bit of context, this post was intended to be a funny, quick exploration of French vs. American perspective and attitude. It was written in response to a funny exchange with my Frenchman in which, after reassuring me that X would be fine, Y would be fine, and Z would all be fine, he also expressed “I am not just being optimiste, I am just realiste.” I interpreted this moment as a silly, succinct example of one of the many differences between Americans and the French, in the way he felt compelled to clarify to me that he was not, in fact, being optimistic (apparently a bad thing), he was just being realistic when he said everything was going to work out perfectly smoothly.

I thought it was funny. Apparently everyone else did not.

Homeless in Paris: the musical!

5 days and counting… and still no place to live.

That’s what I think about every day, since the rug was pulled out from under us with our original apartment. I have to laugh. I knew this was all going too smoothly!

Back to the listings we went, looking at place after place online assessing whether it would be acceptable for us. Unfortunately, it seems we’re looking for a bit of a unicorn at this point, with mere days to go. Good area, decent size, real oven, place to put a desk… It wasn’t too much to ask a month or so ago, but it seems like it is now.

Over the weekend, Frenchman went to see 2 places. One was in a great location but is too small. The other was bigger, but not in a great location. When I learned he didn’t sign for either of them, I was a liiittle concerned. I might have cried. Maybe. He wants to keep looking at other options. I reminded him that we only have a couple of days left…

Stay tuned for Homeless in Paris (the hottest new musical, opening on a street corner in an arrondissement near you!)

Now and Zen

I should be freaking out, but I’m not.

For the past 2 days, I’ve had drafts sitting waiting to be posted, narrating various fears and worries and nerves. I just couldn’t bring myself to post them. It didn’t feel right or true to what I’m feeling. Those notes and paragraphs were certainly true when they were written, and that was only a couple of days ago. But somehow between yesterday and today I am just not feeling that anxious anymore.

This may be the most zen I’ve ever been in my entire life.

An 18-pound cat

You know that feeling when your chest is constricted and you can’t breathe and it feels like an 18-pound cat is sitting on top of you and you can’t move it? No? Just me?

For those who need a visual aid:

Georgie, the 18-pound cat

An 18-pound cat is sitting on my chest, and I can’t breathe.

Our apartment fell through.

Ms. Hepburn was right

Time is counting down and I’m nervous.

With just 2½ weeks to go before I leave for Paris, I’m starting to feel the pressure. There’s still a lot to do, a lot of things to take care of, a lot of people to see. I keep adding to-do’s to the list, but not checking off nearly as many as I’d like. Each one that’s added I think “hmm, I can get to that another day, after work” but the number of “after works” is dwindling faster and faster as days pass and calendars get filled with events.

There’s a car to sell, and people to share my news with. There are items to buy because I don’t know what I’ll be able to get in France. There are errands to run. Organizing to do.

The Secret’s Out!

I’m so excited I finally get to talk about this big adventure out in the open.

The secret is out!

I have known for months now that I was going to be moving to Paris. I didn’t know exactly when at first, but I knew it would happen eventually. I am freaking moving to FRANCE!

—

I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to continue working for my current company, doing my regular job all while I’m abroad (I’m not sure I ever explained that?) It’s such a relief after all that stressing, and I feel so fortunate to have a company that values me enough to tell me to go for it.

So since the end of June, I have known that I am moving, when I am moving, and all the exciting details that go with that kind of plan – and I haven’t been able to tell a soul.

Why haven’t I been able to talk about Paris?

Country Countdown

1 month. 4 weeks. 30 days.

The countdown is on.

I officially leave for Paris in exactly 1 month, on October 10th. In fact, at just about this time that day, I will be on my way to the airport with my multitude of suitcases.

With each passing week it’s becoming more and more real. Day to day, my feelings aren’t changing. But suddenly as 2 months turns into 6 weeks turns into next month… it’s real. I want to say I can’t believe it, but I can. There’s a strange calm that’s taken over me. It’s strange, but I like it.

Support that matters

A while ago, I talked about the experience of telling my parents that I decided to move to France. I had been really nervous to tell them, and really unsure of how they would react. I was afraid they would think it was a bad idea. I was afraid they would ask me questions about how I was going to do it, or about my relationship, or about something else that would make me doubt the decision and doubt myself.

After I broke the news, I called the experience “anticlimactic”. And it was, in a sense. After all that buildup and stress about their response, the fact that they were totally fine and never asked those scary questions made it seem like a meow instead of a roar. It was “meh” instead of “ahhh”

But looking back, I regret my choice of words, to a point. While it was true to my feelings at the time – and I won’t edit those feelings in hindsight – I think in some ways it’s a bit unfair.

Things that are hard

1. Deciding which pieces of furniture are worth storing
2. Figuring out what size storage unit is appropriate
3. Finding time to make 3,000 phone calls to movers and storage places while you have a full-time job in an open-plan office surrounded by people who aren’t supposed to know (yet) that you’re going anywhere
4. My jaw muscles from clenching them 24/7 for weeks on end
5. Keeping this secret that I’M FREAKING MOVING TO PARIS
6. Finding energy to pack more things after a full, busy day at work
7. Getting rid of those shoes you’ve always really liked but never really wore but like, what if you want to wear them someday, but are they really worth adding to storage just in case?
8. Thanking my mom enough times for helping me pack every weekend
9. Thanking my dad enough times for driving my rejected crap to Goodwill every week
10. Making time to see all the people you want to see and should see and need to see before you leave