Floods and Photography

Last weekend (Saturday Jan 30) I went to two temporary exhibitions in Paris - and they were both well worth the trip out into the cold when my preference is generally to stay inside with a cup of tea, a good book and a jigsaw puzzle.

These were two things I really wanted to see. For coworker/friend Paul and his wife, my friend, Sybil, these were things they wanted to see, too, but also they’ve been to all the ‘A-list’ museums in Paris, and B-list...they think they’re down to E-list now.

Anyway.

First was Izis : Paris des Rêves. The website is very good, albeit with a lot of flash, as it includes a sampling of the photos.

Israëlis Bidermanas (1911–1980) was Lithuanian, but spent most of his life in Paris. He is known for his more ‘humanist’ photographs, as well as those of circuses and of resistance fighters. ‘Paris of Dreams’ is the title of his first book. In 1950 he joined the staff of Paris Match, and worked for that magazine for 20 years. He also was chosen by Chagall to photograph Chagall’s work / creation of the ceiling of the Paris Opera.

What I liked about this exhibition ...

Izis did a series of photos in London at the time of QEII’s coronation. The difference between the London scenes and Paris scenes is evident, but I cannot find the words to describe it - I just know that the two cities looked/felt different - does that make sense?

The photos were just simple, yet artistic, and showed everyday life - often with either a humorous or sad undertone. He captured expressions, body language, and landscape. I’m not sure if the photos were more powerful because they were all black and white?

He also photographed men fishing along the Seine ; one line from the audio guide said that ‘a fishing rod is like a do not disturb sign.’ I’d never thought of it that way before, but it is so accurate.

At the Hôtel de Ville

From 20 Jan to 29 May 2010

Every day, 10h - 19h, except Sundays and holidays

Admission free ; 5 € for audio guide (and it is a good one)

After lunch we ventured over to the Bibliothèque Historique de la Ville de Paris for : Paris Inonde 1910.

Wow.

In January 1910, Paris had a huge flood. The website is very good and the ‘carte interactive’ is great. I cannot remember specifically, but it was a result of melting snow, more snow and rain ; plus there were not the dams and water control in place that there is now. The high water lasted from end Jan to beginning March, with the extreme height from 21-28 Jan ; and then clean-up commenced.

The water came to the base of most all the bridges, and spilled into the city. I just cannot imagine what it was like : January, cold, dark. No heat, no lights, no running water.

Galerie des bibliothèques - Ville de Paris

22, rue Malher, 75004

Tues- Sun, 13h to 19h ; Thursdays until 21h

4€ entry

Definitions

Just because I always question which is correct to use, and thus I'm always looking up the usage, I'm posting here so you know, too (from dictionary.com and Merriam-Webster)

So it seems ‘quote’ is a verb and ‘quotation’ is a noun. However, I’m still not sure if it correct to say I went to an art ‘exhibit’ or ‘exhibition’.

Exhibit

Verb, used with object (transitive)

--to offer for view or inspection (exhibit the newest iPods)

--to manifest or display outwardly, especially visible by signs or actions (exhibit anger or interest)

--to place on show for purposes of competition or demonstration

--to submit to a court ; to present/offer officially or in legal form

Verb, used without object (intransitive)

--to make or give an exhibition

--present something to public view

Noun

--an act or instance of exhibiting

--an object or collection of objects shown in an exhibition

Exhibition

Noun

--a public showing (of art, products, athletic skill)

--a large fair of extended duration

Quote

Verb (transitive)

--to speak or write from another source with credit acknowledgement

--to cite in illustration

--to state the bid/offer for a commodity/stock/bond

Verb (intransitive ; w/o object)

--to inform a hearer/reader that matter following is quoted

--to make a quotation

Quotation

Noun

--something that is quoted ; a passage quoted from a book, speech

--the act or process of quoting

--naming or publishing of bids and offers of prices/securities/commodities

Sunday morning

If my BlackBerry had a camera, I could have posted a picture of the 17 blokes, all wearing helmets, in a single file line, in front of the Eiffel Tower, riding Segways. This was too much of an assault on the senses and my sarcastic wit for 10:15 in the morning.

I went to the grocery this morning to get a few things and obviously the grocery list I had started in my kitchen was an old one, as I now have 6 rolls of paper towels, 8 boxes of tissues, and 20 rolls of toilet paper. I guess that song is right ... 'making a list and checking it twice'.

Growing Older But Not Up

Ok, I’ll say it : I do not like celebrating my birthday. I should’ve been a Wednesday’s child, not a Tuesday’s.

It’s not that I care about being older, because that does not faze me. Honestly. 33, 23, 45, whatever. Either you become another year older or you’re dead – so I’ll take being another year older. And everyone ages. Every day in fact. So it’s not like my turning another year older makes me more, or less, special than anyone else.

And, coming from a small family, it’s not like birthdays were huge events in our house. Sure, we celebrated, but it was always small scale. Or inevitably, one of us had gymnastics, soccer, volleyball, study group, you-name-it, after school so plans were delayed or altered. Plus, with a birthday on the heels of Christmas and New Year’s, I’m all partied out. And, growing up, I knew that whatever I had not received on my Christmas list, I was going to receive for my birthday. Both holidays involve sweaters and jeans, it’s not like I can benefit from a summer and winter wardrobe, or new releases of books. I just get the after Christmas sales (which, I will say, I took advantage of this year and bought myself some nice things in the off-season).

Other reasons I could care less about celebrating my birthday :

-inevitably, when someone finds out it’s my birthday (or anyone else’s), said person will say, ‘only # years old? That’s so young!’ or ‘I cannot remember being that young’ or some other such inane thing. Don’t you realise that makes any special feelings I had about my birthday vanish into the pot of your ‘dismissivness’? Don’t trivialize my birthday.

-or, people younger than me say something like ‘you’re # years old? Wow, what’s that feel like?’ And this is exclaimed in a way that makes me feel ancient, uncool, and older than one feels.’ Thanks, but I don’t need that.

-when I wake up, I don’t feel differently. I don’t remember being born. Nothing changes overnight in some magical way.

-in my memory, whenever I have planned a party or anything special like that, it was always way way less than my expectations and I was severely disappointed and let down. So now I figure why go to the hassle of planning, of all the cooking – cleaning – shopping – anticipating – etc., when I will just be frustrated and sad?

- do NOT ‘surprise’ me with a cake at dinner and do NOT try to plan my dinner, or a dinner around the date of my birthday, don’t try to tell me I need to go out with you, and a group of people, to celebrate, and don’t talk down to me if I say I just want to spend my birthday at home doing what I want. It might make you feel better or superior or ‘giving’ when you think you’re doing something ‘for’ me, but I despise it – all you are doing is making yourself feel better. Pat yourself on your back at someone else’s expense, not mine. And I cannot stand the song ‘Happy Birthday’.

-to continue on that thought, I often don’t want to do anything with others for my birthday because I don’t want to subject other people to doing something they may not enjoy ; or I may not know what I want to do / where I want to go until the last minute, and that isn’t fair to the invited people. Sure, I go along with whatever you want to do for your birthday, even if I don’t like it. But I don’t want to subject you to the same discomfort. Human beings are selfish enough anyway, why do we need to go above and beyond?

-living in a different time zone just makes it less special. For me, my birthday is half over by the time most of you are waking up. And do I celebrate my birthday in my current timezone, or do I have to wait until the timezone of my birth location? (At which time, I’ll be in bed asleep.)

-and birthdays just make me play the comparison game in my head. At my age, my parents had been married 10 years and had 2 kids. Refer back to first point, where everyone older than me this past week has been telling me what they were doing ‘when they were my age.’ In every case, it makes it seem like I am the lesser person – I am not married, I don’t have kids, I am not a vice president, I am not travelling SE Asia, I don’t have a doctorate, etc. Sure, I know these people are just making conversation, but the comparison game never works well. Having a birthday just reminds me that I don’t know what I want to do with my life, where I want to do it, or when ; and that other people seem to have done more than me by the same point in their lives.

So, I don’t need people dismissing me, and I don’t need to feel like I’m older than I am or less than I am. I am what I am. Who cares if I survived another year? We should celebrate every day if that were the case.

Why all the megativity around this? Well, I’ve always felt this way, now I’m just voicing it.

For a cultural perspective : in France it is the responsibility of the birthday person to take friends out to dinner and/or bring croissants (or something) in to the office. Overall, probably a good deal as then you never have to foot expensive bills for all of your friends’ random celebrations – this way you only pay once during the year. However, it is a bit annoying to shell out 30 USD before 8 a.m.

To end on positive notes :

-in the last decade (Feb 3 2002 ; Feb 1 2004 ; Feb 6 2005) I had the joy of celebrating my birthday at Super Bowl parties (go Pats!), at which no one knew it was my birthday. So that was fine, and fun.

-2008 was a good celebration because I was in Houston and then on a plane to New Orleans for Mardi Gras where I celebrated with Cassie and Manny – thanks !!!

-with a birthday on the heels of New Year’s, I am given a 2nd chance at completing resolutions and refocusing my life (not like it has mattered or amounted to anything). I feel like I’ve had a month to relax from the holidays and travel, and thus I can spend some time thinking about what I’d like to change in my life.

-the Australian Open and US Figure Skating championships are always around my birthday (not that I watch either, but still)

-I do love receiving emails and cards for my birthday. These I can enjoy at home, read them again and again, and know that you took time out of your busy day to write me. I like that. And I apologise to all of you who received belated birthday cards from me in 2009 (or so belated, none at all). I promise to be better this year!!!

-And, the past few years, I have come to count on Cirque du Soleil, NFL UK, Swarovski, Best Buy, FNAC and Eddie Bauer – I get email birthday greetings from them, always in my mailbox before I wake up. Today, as of 2 p.m. Paris I’ve received 3 email wishes from friends (not w/in the office) and 6 from companies.

Birthday

February 1
Feast day of St John of the Grating, St Henry Morse, St Pionius, St Bride or Brigid of Kildare, St Seiriol, and St Sigebert III of Austria

2005 : Canada introduces the Civil Marriage Act, making Canada the fourth country to sanction same-sex marriage.
2004 : Super Bowl XXXVIII, Reliant Stadium, Houston, New England Patriots beat Carolina Panthers 32-29. Janet Jackson's breast is exposed during the half-time show of Super Bowl XXXVIII, resulting in US broadcasters adopting a stronger adherence to FCC censorship guidelines.
2003 : Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrates during reentry into the Earth's atmosphere, killing all seven astronauts aboard.
1996 : Visa and MasterCard announced security measures that will make it safe to shop on the Internet
1991 : President F. W. de Klerk, says he would repeal all apartheid laws
1982 : "Late Night With David Letterman," debuts on NBC-TV
1979 : Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini returns to Tehran after 16 years of exile
1978 : Harriet Tubman is 1st black woman honored on a U.S. postage stamp
1978 : Director Roman Polanski skips bail and fled to France after pleading guilty to charges of engaging in sex with a 13-year-old girl
1977 : Heavy blizzard in New England claims 100 lives (what a day!)
1972 : 1st scientific hand-held calculator, the HP-35, introduced for $395
1968 : Former Vice President Richard Nixon announces candidacy for presidency
1968 : Vietnam War: The execution of Viet Cong officer Nguyen Van Lem by South Vietnamese National Police Chief Nguyen Ngoc Loan is videotaped and photographed by Eddie Adams. This image helped build opposition to the Vietnam War. ( this is the image I recall the most, one of the events I recall most often, when I think of Feb 1 ‘this day in history’)
1966 : Buster Keaton died, US silent-film comedian
1965 : Martin Luther King, Jr. and 700 demonstrators arrested in Selma, Alabama
1965 : Peter Jennings, 26, becomes anchor of ABC's nightly news (he was only 26???!!!!)
1965 : NL adopts emergency team replacement plan to restock any club struck by disaster (wow, that’s eerily fascinating)
1960 : 4 students stage 1st civil rights sit-in, at Greensboro North Carolina Woolworth (this is something else I also associate with Feb 1)
1959 : Swiss males vote against voting rights for women
1957 : 1st black pilot (PH Young) on a U.S. scheduled passenger airline
1954 : 1st TV soap opera "Secret Storm" premieres
1953 : "You Are There" with Walter Cronkite premieres on CBS television
1953 : Dr. A de Waal appointed as Netherlands 1st female Assistant Secretary of State
1944 : Piet Mondrian died, Swiss painter
1920 : The Royal Canadian Mounted Police begins operations.
1930 : The Times published its first crossword puzzle (not 100% certain of this, but it’s fun to think it’s true – and not sure which ‘Times’ is meant)
1898 : 1st auto insurance policy in U.S. issued, by Travelers Insurance Co
1896 : Giacomo Puccini's Opera "La Boheme," premieres in Turin (no, I’ve never seen this)
1892 : Mrs William Astor invites 400 guests to a grand ball at her mansion thus beginning use of "400" to describe socially elite
1884 : 1st volume of the Oxford English Dictionary, A-Ant, published (ok, this is very very cool)
1871 : Jefferson Long of Georgia is 1st black to make an official speech in House of Representatives (opposing leniency to former Confederates)
1865 : 13th amendment approved by President Abraham Lincoln
1865 : General Sherman's march through South Carolina begins
1865 : J. S. Rock, 1st black lawyer to practice in Supreme Court, admitted to bar
1862 : Julia Howe publishes "Battle Hymn of Republic"
1861 : Texas becomes 7th state to secede
1851 : Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley died, English novelist
1810 : 1st insurance co managed by blacks, American Insurance Company of Philadelphia
1793 : France declares war on England and Netherlands
1790 : Supreme Court convenes for 1st time (New York City)
1650 : René Descartes died, French scientist and philosopher
1587 : English queen Elizabeth I signs Mary Stuarts death sentence



When looking at who was born on February 1st over the centuries, either I’ve missed my calling, or society doesn’t put much weight into when business leaders were born. Then again, for this data to really mean anything, I’d have to compare it to other birth dates / sun signs / months / etc. to see if there is a trend, or if this is the normal distribution :
Athlete : 49
Actor / Director / Singer : 49
Composer : 24
Military / Politician : 22
Writer : 18
Science / Psychology : 9
Philosophy / Education : 7
Law : 5
Religious : 5
Artist : 3
Business : 3

Births Of note (to me) :
1968 : George Quigley, Jr., born in Cincinnati, Ohio, skeet 1996 Olympics
1968 : Lisa Marie Presley, American Musician
1967 : Tim Naehring, born in Cincinnati, Ohio, infielder for the Boston Red Sox
1965 : Stephanie Marie Elisabeth de Grimaldi, Monte Carlo Monaco, Princess
1948 : Rick James, American Musician
1938 : Sherman Hemsley, Philadelphia, actor, All in the Family, Jeffersons, Amen
1937 : Don Everly, Brownie, Kentucky, vocalist, Everly Bros-Wake Up Little Susie
1931 : Boris Yeltsin, born in Russia, first President of the Russian Federation, endorsed free market economies
1905 : Emilio Segre, born in Tivoli, Italy, physicist, Nobel Prize in Physics, discovered antiprotons, a sub-atomic antiparticle and an element used for Fat Man atomic bomb used on Nagasaki
1902 : Langston Hughes, poet/translator
1901 : Clark Gable, born in Cadiz, Ohio, actor, Gone With the Wind
1878 : Hattie Wyatt Caraway, politician/teacher/1st woman elected to senate (not sure if US or State)

Whew

Swept, mopped, dusted, scrubbed, laundered, showered. Tomorrow : filing, sorting, corresponding. But for now, champagne.

Happy Anniversary to Me

It's my one year anniversary of moving to Paris from London today (well, I moved on a Thursday, but on the 15th - so you decide). Oddly, I just have no motivation to do a 'retrospect' on the past year or a brainstorm ('thought experiment' as I've heard it called recently) on this year to come. But, amazing that a year has gone by. I think I'm about 80% settled in my apartment, so I guess that's good. Just debating whether or not I should hang my pictures on the walls, or leave them propped on the floor?

Puzzles

I did 8000 pieces worth of jigsaw puzzles over 9 days in Ohio ; and now this 1000 piece puzzle is taking me at least 4 days. Ggggrrrrrr. (ok, dad helped me in Ohio, but still! Those 9 days included 2 trips to Dayton, 3 shopping days, Christmas, packing and bad lighting!)

NYE

It's an M&C NYE for me :

Mac & Cheese ;

Moet & Chandon ;

Mark & Carrie (Hamill & Fisher, Star Wars DVD) ;

Marriage at Cana (jigsaw puzzle).

Time to get started - it's already nearly 19:00!!

Oh, and if you want to watch the excitement that will be, literally, 2 blocks from me, go to this website and watch the excitement.

Updates

It's 10:30 and I'm just now having dinner after bell choir rehearsal. As I haven't had much more than 1 hour to myself at night between arriving home and going to bed these past weeks, I figure the easiest way for me to update is to recap my Facebook updates ....

Random thoughts first, yet to be posted to FB :

--if I ever invite you over for dinner, check the expiration date on the food before you eat it

--Boston just seems so far away right now, and I wonder if I'll ever get back

--Saturday is the Christmas concert at church, and after bell rehearsal tonight, I'm no longer looking forward to it. Although, about 20 people from work are coming. Cripes.

--Sunday I am going to Ballet Russes at the Opera Garnier

Today : From church finance committee tonight, while discussing the Pastor's Discretionary Fund ... one woman says 'except then you still have people coming to the front desk hungry [and looking for money/handouts]'. Umm... it's a church, you share and do good work, right? And then bell choir put me in a worse mood. Bah Humbug.

Wed, 9 Dec : Dizzy this morning, weird.

(And also locked my keys in my apartment, still in the key hook. Luckily I have a spare set at work. So I get to work about 8, leave at 8:30 to go back home and hope the spare set works (in most Paris locks if your keys are still in the lock on the inside you cannot open it) I got lucky.

Tues, 8 Dec : Ohio, you disappoint me. [execution by lethal injection]

Mon, 7 Dec : Patriots, you're breaking my heart and ruining my Monday mornings.

Sun, 6 Dec : Bells at church today. Then tour of the famous Paris les egouts (sewers).

(Also, did you know that rats are the only animals that can survive in sewers, survive the bacteria, etc. That's pretty cool.)

Sat, 5 Dec : Back from IKEA - got nearly everything I needed, but should've bought 2 of one thing instead of 1 - gggrrr. Now off to BHV.

Fri, 4 Dec : It's 53 in Boston ; snowing in Houston ; and I have yet to turn on my heat in Paris.

(And Happy Birthday, Allison!!!)

Thur, 3 Dec : Finally got to the Louvre last night.

Sat, 28 Nov : Watching 'A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving' on DVD. Only 2 days late, but it counts! (well, 1 day late as we had our T-giving celebration Friday night)

(But, I'm so 'Bah Humbug' right now, I have no motivation to watch the Christmas special ; and for me, I never feel like it is Christmas until I do watch it. Should be an interesting year for me then.)

Sat, 28 Nov : Up the Eiffel tonight (only to level 2 as level 3 was closed due to strong winds)

Sat, 28 Nov : Fontainebleau

Thanks-what?

Well, this ranks up there as one of the most un-eventful Thanksgivings for me, and overall just a really 'meh' day.

What megativity you ask ...?

--Only 1 person in office said Happy Thanksgiving to me ; and one guy actually asked why I didn't want to be in the US with my family for the holiday. Gee, that made me feel better.

--I don't know if it's from stress or sleeping but I've pulled something in my neck. Not serious, but just an annoyance.

--Lunch in the canteen was worse than usual and the best option was a small-ish salad with two melba-sized pieces of toast each with half a soft-boiled egg and a sliver of smoked salmon. I thought I'd make up for that by taking what I thought was raspberry mousse for dessert. It was strawberry - ick. And the mini baguettes were stale. And, one guy from the office sat at our table and he has chronic severe halitosis so that was what I was smelling/breathing in while eating.

--I had several pointless meetings today, in which nothing was accomplished or I felt we took a few steps back. And I had to explain to a 4th set of auditors/consultants some of our business processes - don't they all talk with each other? I could've found a better use of my two hours. And in another meeting it was me and several men (as is usual) and of course the other three were more sprawled out in their chairs, assuming the 'cocky male stance' so to speak ; and one of them was perched on his desk, assuming an air of authority he gave to himself.

--I had bell choir rehearsal (fine) but that means I didn't get home until 22:30.

--I left work a tad early so I could get to the drycleaner to pick up a suit I had cleaned and a pair of pants I had the hem redone on - 35 Euro for that. That's FIFTY TWO DOLLARS. For cleaning a pair of pants and a suit jacket and stitching the hem on a pair of Eddie Bauer pants.

--I called my grandmother and my parents. They had a nice lunch together today but I was sad talking to my grandma because she was sad / disappointed that Lauren & Heather were sick and thus they couldn't come up, too.

--It is now 23:07 and I haven't had dinner (and won't at this point).

--And my day started at 9 a.m. when I felt something poking me in my side / under my arm. Yep, the wire on my bra was coming out so that was the proverbial 'thorn in my side' all day long.

MBTI

Yet again, I am the same Myers-Briggs type. Yet again, no change in my type since I first took it 16 years ago. Seriously? (I’ve taken it 4 times ‘officially’ (either with the official-official test, or a very good summary one ; and several times, as today, with a 70-question test from a book I have on the subject.)

I thought people were supposed to change? I thought I had. While answering the questions I thought that I certainly had changed, or was close to changing in two categories. Or at least I figured I had since living in Paris as everything is so crazy and I’m doubting so much about myself. But even if I alter my score based upon the questions next to which I put a question mark, my results barely change.

When at Thunderbird, my professor of Supply Chain Management took one day to give us a version of the test and show us ways to analyse results in the context of an organisation. For example, showing us that all types are necessary for successful project implementation and what types of people to employ on projects at what time ; how to balance one type with another ; what questions to ask when hiring to help determine one’s type ; etc.

My results, this and every time, are that I’m the dull one who likes thinking ‘how can we do it within this organisation’ and ‘what needs to be done’ àI’m management, not leadership.

I’m to like factual details, micro issues, control and certainty, work roles and organisational goals. I like goals that are realistic, down-to-earth, and based upon efficiency (all true). I should value ‘tough minded people who can get others to accomplish the job.’

This last part troubles me ... when I read books where characters are like this, I love them, want to be them. But when I’m confronted by such people in real life, I see them as cold, unfeeling, mean bitches/bastards and I just want to crawl back into the cave from whence I came.

It’s just when I read over the descriptions and differences for Extrovert/Introvert, Sensing/iNtuition, Thinking/Feeling, and Judging/Perception, I know what I am for E/I, but for the others I think I could be in either category, have a bit of both ; but then my results are usually 80% in one box. And when I think on conversations I have, it seems to me others might perceive me as being different from my results ; or is that just wishful thinking on my part? Am I really as cut-and-dry as 16 years of taking this test has determined?

I guess I’m just one of ‘life’s natural organisers’ and partly ‘committed to getting the job done.’ Me and Harry Truman and QEII.

It’s good to remember, as I learned at T-bird, ‘type watching is only an explanation ; it’s never an excuse.’

Bordeaux

Map of wine regions in Bordeaux

Wine making process

Last weekend (Nov 13-15), Marissa (friend / co-worker) and I went to Bordeaux for the weekend. We found a good weekend deal, either on the Air France or SNCF (train) website, so figured, what the heck. The weekend deal, sponsored by the Tourist Bureau, included hotel for 2-nights, 2-hour walking city tour, 1/2-day tour to two wineries outside the city, free museum passes, a bottle of wine, and vouchers for a wine bar.

We left work in the afternoon and took the TGV getting to Bordeaux about 19:30. Because we had been sitting for 3.5 hours, we decided to walk around and see some of the city.

Saturday morning : we got up and headed to the tourist bureau to get our welcome information packet and then walked around the city, to some of the churches, window shopping, etc. We had lunch near the tourist office (love the goat cheese salad with honey!), which was right next to a Relais d’Entrecote (steak place, where that is the only thing on the menu, and only 1 kind of steak). The line literally wrapped around the building!

Saturday day : we did a 1/2-day tour on a bus to two wineries and the woman leading the bus group was very good, saying everything in French and English, talking about the history of the region, the wine growing areas, the small towns, and some of the wineries. Our first stop was at Chateau Maucailou, then to a photo-op stop at Chateau Margaux, and our 2nd tasting was at Chateau Giscours (with quite an interesting history).

Winery tour thoughts : I was expecting more from the tours, I think because the tours of Champange houses in Reims and Epernay were so great. Chateaus in Bordeaux just do not market themselves the way Champagne houses do. While covering the technical aspects of the wine making (in French and then English), it wasn’t thorough, the women at each Chateau did nothing to make me feel connected to their wine, their brand. In fact, when talking about it at work on Monday, I couldn’t remember the names of the two Houses! Even the tasting of the wine was impersonal - they didn’t tell us how to taste, or what tastes we should expect in what they poured (oak, vanilla, spice, etc.). I didn’t feel connected with the wine and thus found it quite easy to walk out without spending 50 Euros on a bottle. Also, I was surprised that most (all?) of the wineries do NOT age their wines once in bottles. Once the wine is bottled, the wineries sell it to distributors and such and they age it for another few years. I think to them it is wine, it is France, it is Bordeaux, so it doesn’t need marketing or fancy language or talk. (Even though the French on the tour asked a bizillion questions, with the arrogance of being experts.) As Bordeaux has been renovated, I imagine the region will get more tourists and maybe then they’ll step up their touring and tasting lectures?

Saturday evening : we stopped at the wine bar and used our vouchers, walked down to Place de la Bourse to get pictures of it at night, and then just meandered back to the hotel.

Sunday : we did a two-hour walking tour, led by the tourist bureau. It took us many of the places we had been on our previous walks, but this way we learned about the history, the new development, etc. Well worth it. I wish I could remember the description about the Girondins Monument!

What impressed me the most : the city of Bordeaux itself. It has undergone major renovation (in fact, if you look it up on google maps and go to satellite view, the view of the river front is of dirt and heavy machinery working to make it into an esplanade). The whole downtown city centre is mainly pedestrian streets ; there is an extensive new tram car system, powered by wires placed underground so as to not detract from the view above ground ; majority of buildings have all been power washed, so the stone is no longer black (literally) but back to original granite / sandstone look.

What surprised me about the city : (1) lack of wine bars and wine paraphernalia stores - no where to buy random wine stuff like tea towels, dish towels, bottle openers or stoppers, wine glasses, etc ; (2) lack of wine bars - there was 1 tasting bar across from the tourist bureau, but that was about it ; (3) the sharp contrast between the renovated city centre area and the rest of the city.

Overall, the only downfalls for me were : (1) I was so tired Friday / Saturday morning that it made it more difficult to really enjoy everything ; (2) we never made it inside any museums, so I’d like to go back to do that ; (3) the week or two before I did something to my left foot - I have no idea what. But it makes walking very painful, so I’d like to go back and be able to walk around more and do so without hobbling or wincing ; (4) I’d like to go to a different winery or two for tours, to see if the tours are any better (although I’ve heard Burgundy is better at them, better at marketing) ; and, (5) the train ride back - screaming baby several rows back, 2 fidgety toddlers behind me (one who often cried) and 1 fidgety baby in front of me who was crying, teething, and I think sick (and who’s father spent more time on his iPhone and reading his car magazine than helping his wife with his son).

Leaders, Life & Purpose

Back in October, I made the choice to go to an evening discussion/dinner put on by ‘Leaders, Life & Purpose’, a forum for business people sponsored by the American Church in Paris (ACP), St George’s Anglican Church in Paris and the McDonald Agape Foundation. The purpose is to outreach to Christian business leaders and professionals and to provide an environment to hear inspirational talks and stimulate conversation, exchanging ideas on the deeper spiritual issues of purpose, work and life. Sounds good, eh?

I’ve been trying to find something more spiritual to do in Paris, but everything the ACP offers is either (1) Thursday nights when I have bell choir – such as their new series on God and Darwin, Bible studies, etc. ; or (2) all the great programs are for the Young Adults Group (ages 18-30) – weekly meetings, movie nights, volunteering, lectures, etc. Once you’re 30, they assume you’re married and then the ACP has a slew of activities aimed at that demographic.

Anyway, I went to the LLP forum on Friday 9 October (a rainy Friday, which I would’ve preferred spending at home, in my PJs, watching a movie). The topic was ‘The Economics of Mutuality’, presented by Dr. David Young, Founder and CEO of Oxford Analytica, which provides business and government leaders with timely and authoritative analysis of world events. (Although, I’ve never heard of them before). Dr. Young served on the National Security Council Staff during the Nixon administration and as Special Assistant to Dr. Kissinger in the White House from 1969-73. Sounds good, eh?

So, I paid my 55€ for an evening of cocktails, lecture, dinner and moderated discussion.

I want my money back, and here’s why :

-- Dr. Young was a good speaker, but in no way memorable. I do not remember his voice, his looks, his message. The only reason I do have comments is because I took notes during his lecture.

--His lecture had NO talk of faith, nor purpose. There was no overarching theme. It was all touchy-feely and didn’t seem applicable to every day life. It was more super macro focused, rather than micro. It’s things like this make me want to go read Ayn Rand and 48 Laws of Power

--Side note : why are people are so impressed with themselves when they ask questions to a speaker? àshows just how self-centered they are

--The lecture was to be about 30 minutes, and it had 2 parts, the second of which had eight (8!) points.

First point in lecture : Are we at a Wilberforce moment? (a turn in the road that can make a difference). Wilberforce is from British history (1759-1833). He did much work for the campaign against slavery, as well as lobbying for better manners. So what, he gets extra points for using Wilberforce, instead of just saying Tipping Point?

Second point : 8 Propositions for Sustainable Market Capitalism. The idea that ‘you first have to have justice to have a lasting peace’. And that things must be sustainable : environmentally (LT goal) ; socially ; and, economically (ST goal).

1) Is the system broken?

a. Yes. It is unsustainable on 3 fronts : economic, social, environment

2) Do we have a correct assessment of human nature?

a. Marx had correct view of capitalism, but incorrect view on human nature

3) Can man be trusted? Is man good?

a. Founding Fathers said no, so they created checks and balances

4) How critical is freedom?

a. At enterprise level? Social? Do the two have to be same? If different, how to reconcile? Or do we need better governance?

5) Do we have a holistic approach?

a. Necessary for balanced government

6) We have to move from thinking of value to thinking of values.

a. Values of the system

b. Bill of Rights ; freedom

c. Order ; rule of law

d. Justice ; fairness ; equity

e. Ownership

f. Entrepreneurial

g. Individual

i. Needs of the poor (mercy, concern, compassion,)

ii. Civil society

7) 3 dimensions within sustainable market capitalism

a. Hard : financial performance

b. Soft : environment we have ; creation of things

c. Mid (spiritual) : human-to-human ; common good ; culture ; society

8) How do we build sustainable market capitalism?

a. Justice

b. Mercy

c. Humility

Seriously, those are my notes. He did not really expand upon the ideas any further. He did not really tie in faith, purpose. He did not address how we as business people, in varying levels of authority, could help enact change.

Dinner

Dinner was set up with tables of 8-10, with each having a pre-arranged moderator. To my knowledge, the role of a moderator is to lead discussion, keep it on subject, get everyone involved, bring up points from the lecture, etc. Of course, such a person should have some opinions, have a voice that can carry across the table, and exude some sort of confidence. Wouldn’t you figure I pick a table that has to have one of the worst moderators! He barely talked, when he did you could barely hear him, and he never really brought up subjects from the lecture. The rest of the people at the table were also soft talkers, and generally without opinions.

The only points I took away for further thought, and these were NOT from the meat / key points of Dr. Young’s speech, but rather were side notes.

--We ‘long for lives that count’ ; which made me think – what makes my life count?

--What purpose has my God laid upon me?

--What are the ‘common assumptions that will guide your team over the coming years’?

--NYC has a group ‘Socrates in the City’

--by 2010, 90M more in extreme poverty ; and 59M more lose their jobs in 2009

--In the US, from

1776-1781 : we won our freedom

1781-1789 : we ordered our freedom

1789-2009 : we maintained our freedom

It was a painful evening all round. But at least I tried, right?