An American Hooligan in Paris (me)

7-7-11 (Paris, France)

Last night was Vetter's last night in France so me, Ben, and Vetter went out for a few drinks near the Moulin Rouge. When we got to the bar I was pleasantly surprised that beers weer only 2 euro so we all decided to buy a round. Three beers in and I knew this was going to be a fun night. After the rounds we decided to grab a bite to eat at a nearby sushi place. More beer was had. After dinner we agreed that we should walk from the Moulin Rouge to the Eiffel Tower and drink under it. Walking ensued. Unfortunately our journey was interrupted when we stumbled upon a local carnival. Ben and Vetter decided to blow their money playing rigged carnie games, but at least Ben won a giant stuffed Rasta-man. Awesome. We had to jet when the carnival started to close down. Here is a picture of Ben celebrating his victory with some butt sex of Rasta-man.

After the carnival we came upon the bridge where Princess Diana tragically had her accident. Ben and Vetter wanted to run through it and take some pictures. I eventually ran through it as well later on in the evening. Here are some pictures:

 

We finally got the the Eiffel Tower and bought more beers and a cheap bottle of champagne. All was thoroughly enjoyed. Hooliganism happened. To what extent, you'll never know unless you were there!

You Already Know This

6-29-11 (RM, France)

You already know what I am about to tell you, I know it as well. We all know this simple lesson; Your actions matter in this life. No, I don't feel guilty about my past. I don't have the sudden need to repent my sins or seek forgiveness from those who I have wronged in the past. I'm simply motivated by a recent experience to explain that we impact others through our actions and that through our actions we shape others in ways that are unforeseen. I don't mean that our actions are punishable or rewarded by some mystical being. On the contrary, I'm talking about tangible ripple effects that we cause in this plane of existence via our actions. Simply put, existence continues on without us when we die without  blinking. However, our deeds, our words, our work, our actions, and our legacy will live on in some small way. Bring joy to another person's life while you can, it doesn't have to be someone you love or even know. It can be small, maybe even a simple gesture of goodwill towards a stranger, but do it. Maybe living in a large city has finally got to me, but damn it, take a lesson from this libertarian and view people as meaningful individuals rather than as collective groups.

A humorous, yet annoying, story

6-27-11 (RM, France)


So I had just finished watching Paranormal Activity 2 last night and I was getting ready for bed. It was late at this point and I was kind of wired from being out late the night before. Anyway, I'm laying in bed and suddenly I see light start to creep in from my front door being opened. I yelled "hey!" and the door shut. Knowing Ben has my extra key, I assumed that one of those jerks (Vetter, Ben, or Clayton) was trying to sneak in my room for some reason. I texted Ben and Vetter asking them what the hell they thought they were doing trying to come in my room at 2:30am. Ben came out to the hallway and told me that it wasn't them. I didn't really believe him, but there was still enough doubt there to freak me out. To be safe, I asked Ben to give me my extra key and I put it in the inside door lock. Little did I know however, that having one lock on the inside will prevent the outside lock from being turned to open the door. Luckily one of my neighbors helped me jimmy the door open using an old xray he had. At least I didn't have to pay for a locksmith. I heard they can range from 50 to 200 euro per visit. As it turns out, the guys were trying to put a live frog in my room as a prank. I would have preferred the frog over the ordeal with the jammed lock.

Why do Parisians Constantly Seek Validation?

6-26-11 (RM, France)

Without fail, every time I go out in Paris and meet new people they will always ask me the same questions regarding my thoughts on Paris and on French women. I don't know why this strikes me as odd, because it seems like a totally normal and reasonable question to ask an American, but it is certainly getting annoying. I always give them the same cardboard cut-out response that I love the architecture, the art, the history, etc. I secretly want to tell them that there are better places in the world. Paris is fine, don't get me wrong, but it isn't the best city I've ever visited or lived in. There are far nicer people in the world in cities like Dublin and Amsterdam where people aren't afraid to take life less seriously and share a few pints together. I have no particular reason for posting this, other than the fact that it was on my mind lately.

Lyon Refinery and Stay in Lyon

6-19-11 (Lyon, France)

Our class took a field trip to the Total refinery in Lyon, France on Friday so I had to ride the TVG train down to Lyon. Travel by train is about 500% better than taking a flight. You avoid pointless and frustrating airport security and you are also able to enjoy the lovely countryside. The train was very quiet, fast, and smooth. I fell asleep after about 30 minutes and enjoyed a nice rest.

We took a bus to IFP Lyon and suited up in our blue jumpsuits, hardhats, gloves, steel-toe boots, and H2S detectors. H2S is pretty toxic and there can be leaks sometimes at the refinery. We also had an emergency mask just in case we were exposed and needed to make an evacuation.

The refinery was really impressive in all of its intricacies. I am always amazed by production facilities that are that large and complicated. Just goes to show how creative human beings are in figuring out how to exploit resources and turn them into useful products for our benefit. It was really a nice tour and well-worth the trip down to Lyon by itself. IFP Lyon has much better food in their cafeteria than we do at IFP School.

A group of us decided to stay the night in Lyon so after showering and resting for an hour or so we all ventured out from the Hotel to find the opera house. We wandered around Lyon for a few hours until we found a nice Lyonais restaurant. I had onion soup, roasted lamb and potatoes au gratin, and creme burlee.
I wanted to take advantage of the Lyon nightlife, but everyone else was exhausted. We all decided it would be safer to stay together as a group. Good thing we did because our hotel wasn't in the best area of town. There were several hooligans about that night!

The next day I walked all over Lyon with my friends Laura and Mattieu. We had an amazing hike up the side of a hill and up to the Lyon Cathedral. It was a beautiful view and a wonderful cathedral. The inside was magnificent with golden mosaics and tiles. It was awe inspiring. Mattieu said that he thought it was over-the-top. I disagreed. Next we walked to the other side of Lyon to find a store where they have an exhibit about the silk industry in Lyon. I bought a silk handkerchief for my suit pocket. Mattieu bought some gifts for his girlfriend and mother. The girl at the counter was really pretty and I think she thought Mattieu was cute for buying a gift for his mom.

After the silk exhibit we went to lunch at a Moroccan place. Without a doubt, I have never eaten such delicious vegetables in my life. They were cooked to absolute perfection with a slight crispiness that was retained. It was incredible and I felt really lucky to be enjoying such nice food. The baklava was out-of-this-world delicious.

Pictures to come...

What are we, as a society, willing to stand for in terms of violent force?

There is an alarming, disturbing, and growing trend of what I'll call "worship of authority" by many well meaning people today on both the left and the right. The worship of police and military by the socially conservative right is reactionary against leftist anti-war protestors and those deemed "subversive" to traditional values. Leftists, on the other hand, are currently propping up state bureaucrats, officials, politicians, and friendly academics as "authorities" and vanguards of what ought to be proper thought. What amazes me about both sides is that they seem oblivious to the fact that both facets of authority worship work in tandem to destroy or erode our natural, Constitutional rights. After all, the police and military are simply the violent enforcement arm of those who make the laws.

In terms of a "just law" I mean any law that doesn't run contrary to our natural or Constitutional rights to life, liberty, and property. I would invite you to also read the Bill of Rights to the US Constitution for a quick review. Here is a quick list though:

1) Religion, speech, press, peaceful assembly, redress of grievances against the State
2) Keep and bear arms, organize into militias to protect the people from tyranny
3) Protection against quartering soldiers
4) Security of persons, property, papers, and effects against unlawful search and seizure except by a court-issued warrant based on probable cause
5) Right to a jury trial, protection against double jeopardy, protection against seizure of property except by eminent domain with just compensation
6) Right to a fair and speedy trial and to face one's accusor
7) Right to have common law courts review common law suits
8) Protection against cruel and unusual punishment as well as excessive bail
9) Statement that the rights listen in the Constitution are not the only rights guaranteed to the people by the natural law
10) Statement that the rights not expressly delegated to the Federal Government are reserved to the States as well as the PEOPLE.

To summarize what I have laid out so far is that people have many rights that are guaranteed by the Constitution as well as rights that exist outside of it (see amendments nine and ten.) Laws that run contrary to this fact are inherently unjust and ought to be overturned either implicitly or explicitly. By implicitly, I mean that citizens should ignore and nullify unjust laws that run contrary to their rights. By explicitly, I mean that these laws should also be overturned by courts and legislators. Agents or law enforcement officers that prosecute individuals under unjust laws and not acting in accordance to their sworn oath to obey and uphold the US Constitution.

As sovereign citizens of the US, should not simply obey or accept laws because they are administered or enforced by people with guns and badges or any other ridiculous costume. Second, we shouldn't obey laws because they were written by elected "officials" or thought up by intellectuals. Laws ought to be followed based on whether or not they are just and laws aren't de facto considered just simply because they came about in a democratic system. Keep in mind that democracy can also be a form of tyranny, that is why there are so many Constitutional provisions to separate and limit government power and to protect minority interests.

So why is any of this important? Because at the end of the day, all laws are based on the threat of the use of violent force or the actual initiation of force. You might think it is personally disrespectful for someone to burn an American flag or utter an obscene word, but can you justify using violence to stop that person? Forget having a police officer do it for you, would you, as an individual, tackle someone to the ground, hold them down, pull their hands behind their back, and handcuff them for such behavior? If you answered "no", then how can you morally justify the use of this violence when conducted by a person wearing a badge? Contrast this to a scenario in which murder, theft, rape, etc. was involved. These are examples in which is it morally acceptable to use the threat or use of violence to stop an individual from physically harming another. From now on let's focus on the respect of the natural law and of the Constitution and less on respect for authority.

I'M BACK!

5-25-11 (RM, France)

I apologize for the length of time that has elapsed since my last blog post. Life and school have become pretty mundane so I haven't really been inspired to write anything recently. Here is an update on life in France:

1) I met up with my old intern and her husband tonight at Sacre Coeur. They were married a while ago but they are now taking their European honeymoon. It was nice to see Emma and Ted and it sounds like they are going to have a nice trip through various parts of Europe.

2) School is in full gear and I have many papers to write. Some are interesting, some aren't. My current paper on industrial side energy demand is pretty damn boring and I don't enjoy it at all. Things should pick up when I get to write about alternative energies (which I am going to run through the gauntlet) and when I get to write about gold and silver markets.

3) I'm f---ing sick of not having a full size kitchen. Seriously, is it too much to ask for a full-sized fridge and an oven? I'm looking forward to being home and cooking decent meals again.

4) My allergies have been going bat shit crazy as of late. I've never had allergies like this in my whole life. Yesterday I had burning eyes, cough, wheezing, clogged nasal passages, and itchy skin. I couldn't sleep all night but luckily I didn't have class this morning and was able to sleep in.

5) I "met" someone "special"! By "met" I mean re-connected with and by "special" I mean that she will probably be my girlfriend when I get back home to the US. Lindsey was in OU Senate with me and she is getting her PhD in Political Communications. She is brilliant and beautiful. I admit to noticing her while I was in Senate but I was very loyal to my ex at the time and I pretty much ignored her. Turns out that we have a ton of things in common and she is a great gal all around. It is pretty much one of the most unexpected things to have happened to me so far while being in France. I'm definitely excited about visiting her upon my return.

6) I took part in a go-kart race last night. Although my team didn't place that high, I had fun driving. It was a pretty intense track (1.2 km long) and there were a ton of wipe outs and accidents. The only times I spun out were when I was trying to avoid other people that had crashed in front of me. Good times were had. Our team placed 14th out of 26. Not great, but not terrible.

Walking Day in Rueil

4-16-11 (RM, France)

I decided to take a walk around Rueil today near the Seine River with a weighted backpack. Here are some random pics!

Flowing Water Fountain

 Archway Path

 Fountain

 Another Flowing Water Fountain

 Flower Garden with Old Anchor

 View of the Seine River

 Small Dock and Seine River View

 A Pay Toilet

 Claude Monet School

 Corporate Park and Freeway

Summary of my Fantastic Irish Vacation

 4-16-11 (Dublin, Ireland)

 Friday April 8th
Arrived in Dublin in the afternoon and briefly walked around the area by O'Connell Street. I found my way over to my first hostel and then set out to explore the northeast area of Dublin. I had a nice plate of fish and chips for dinner and enjoyed two pints. While attempting to leave the pub, I was stopped my an elderly gentleman that wanted someone to share a pint with at the bar. Being an agreeable person and respectful of my elders, I agreed. I believe his name was Danny McBride. Danny was extremely friendly and he seemed lonely for someone to talk to so I lent him my ear for a few hours that night. He was definitely charming with all the women at the pub and told about every young girl in there that she was the "finest lass in all of Ireland." I would then apologize for his brash ways and strike up a conversation with the girls. He was an awesome wingman and we both got thoroughly drunk. He showed me his famous "whiskey walking on water" trick which involved getting whiskey to float on top of a glass of water.

Saturday April 9th
My brother Michael arrived in the mid afternoon from Texas. I met him on the street after having enjoyed a nice Japanese bento lunch down on South Great Geroge's Street. We then went to find Michael some food down at a small local cafe called The Crunch Cafe. The sandwiches were really good, the coffee was strong, and the waitress was a gorgeous redhead with an amazing figure. Life in Dublin is good.

I then took Michael over to Saint Steven's Green park. Eager to try freshly brewed Guinness, we stopped at a local pub near our hostel and drank some of the black stuff. We then headed north and found our way to the Temple Bar and listened to some live Irish folk music.

Sunday April 10th
I was worried that there wouldn't be any Guinness tours on Sunday since Ireland is a fairly religious place but I should have known better! Michael and I made our way into west Dublin and took the Guinness Storehouse tour. The storehouse is originally where the yeast was added to the beer to start fermentation. It was a really spectacular place and extremely stylized. Guinness uses over half of the barely grown in Ireland every year to make their famous beer. Michael and I enjoyed our free pint at the 7th floor Gravity Bar where you are able to see a 360 degree view of the entire city.

Later that evening we decided to go out and try to find an interesting pub and listen to music. We headed south down  Aungier Street and found the Bleeding Horse Pub where they were hosting an amateur musician night. All of the participants were talented and I especially enjoyed an artist named Tara Stewart. Not only was she beautiful, but she had an amazing voice and sang some unique tunes. I also enjoyed another artist that sang about seasonal depressive disorder and some emo heart break issues. I remember laughing at the tragic familiarity of his themes.

Monday April 11th
On Monday, Michael and I decided to take the Jameson Distillery tour. Neither of us are huge whiskey drinkers, but it seemed only fitting since we were in Dublin. I have to say, I am really glad I took this tour. Call me old fashioned, but I think every man should no something about whiskey and all of the various derivations of it. The tour was extremely informative and I was glad to learn a little more about the complexities of this drink. Jameson is a triple distilled whiskey that is blended together from three different casks. They use barrels from the US, Portugal, and Spain to create the final flavor. If you want to try a surprisingly good whiskey cocktail use Jameson, ginger ale, and a lime with ice. Good stuff!

 We had met some girls from England earlier in the day so we tried to meet back up with them later at Temple Bar for drinks and music. I hadn't really felt like going too crazy that night but after a few pints in me I was ready to go nuts and dance to the Irish folk songs. A few short-term friends we met on the street commented that they liked my jig. I tried to dance with the girl from Dublin, but she was very strict on the rules of Irish dancing and doing in the proper way. The bar was crowded and I was confused as to which direction I was supposed to be spinning her. She also taught me how to do some river dance type stuff where I would keep my upper body stiff and upright while only moving my legs and feet. I had a blast that night.

  
Tuesday April 12th
Although I could stay in Dublin forever, we decided to take a day-tour to the west coast area of Ireland. Our first bus stopped in Galway and we transferred to another tour bus that took us down south to the Cliffs of Moher. Although we had to spend a lot of time on the bus that day, seeing the cliffs was worth the journey.

Before we arrived at the cliffs, we also stopped at a working family farm where they raise cattle and sheep. I actually chose to go with this particular company's tour because they offered the chance to see baby sheep on the farm. They were pretty cute.

Wednesday April 13th
Pub crawl night, enough said? Pints, shots, beer pong, pitchers, girls, dancing, awesomeness.

Thursday April 14th
My departure was in the late afternoon so Michael and I didn't really have anything planned for the day except for walking around the Temple Bar area and checking into his hotel. We had a lovely Irish breakfast with eggs, toast, sausage, bacon, pudding, beans, and coffee. Later that day we ate soup and sandwiches at a place called "Alamo." I didn't realize until after we were inside that it was a Texas themed restaurant. It was a sight for sore eyes to be sure.

Thank you Dublin and thanks to all the wonderful Paddy's! I had a wonderful vacation "in Dublin's fair city
where the girls are so pretty" (lyrics to Molly Malone)

Dublin Tomorrow!

4-7-11 (RM, France)

A fairly brief and somewhat meaningless post. Just wanted to let everyone know I'll be leaving for Dublin, Ireland tomorrow in the early afternoon. I am meeting my brother there and he is bringing my digital camera. I will finally be able to take lots more pictures! Pub life is going to be sweet.

Weekend Trip to the Netherlands was Dang Fun!

3-28-11 (Amsterdam, Netherlands)

My friends and I decided to take advantage of our four-day weekend and travel to Amsterdam. I was a little skeptical at first, thinking it would be too seedy or dirty, but I must say that my attitude has been completely changed. First off, Amsterdam is one of the most unique and beautiful cities I have ever visited. The slanted buildings, unique architecture, and endless canals give this city a charm that is simply unbeatable. Second, the Dutch are amazing, happy, and tolerant people. They have excellent customer service and go out of their way to make you feel welcome as an outsider. Everyone spoke good English and there was never any struggles of overcoming a language barrier. As a consumer-based city, the competition between the bars, restaurants, and shops made it really fun. Owners would come outside to help draw you in, show you pictures of their menu items, etc.

I know the subject on everyone's mind is about how I felt about the Red Light district so I'll describe it now. Most surprising to me was how relaxed I felt in this area despite the traditional vices like drugs and prostitution being very, VERY, prevalent. It is amazing how one's attitude can change just by acknowledging the fact that these things are legal. Competition between store owners and between the prostitutes has made everything feel "cleaner" some way. I think it is because none of it comes from off the street. People know what they are buying or getting into. These businesses are market-regulated as well as state-regulated.

Prostitutes: Red Light prostitutes are, for the most part, pretty attractive in that trashy way only whores can pull off. There were definitely girls there that would qualify as being a 10/10 in terms of looks. I'm glad I was traveling with one female friend because it made walking down in the red light seem less perverse. In fact, I'll admit to even having fun seeing all the girls and how all the people down there conduct business. In case you are wondering, no, I didn't engage in any "services."

Drugs: Marijuana, mushrooms, peyote, and some other plant-based drugs and things are available in coffee shops in Amsterdam and they are not all confined to one area. People would smoke pot outside, in the streets, in bars, in coffee shops, in the park, etc. Ill effect on society? I didn't see any. Most everyone was really friendly, relaxed, and happy. The weather was nice and you just got the feeling that people were just trying to chill, forget their problems for a while, and have fun. Nothing wrong with that.

Absinthe: This was probably the highlight of my trip to Amsterdam. I love herbal/anise flavored liquor so I was definitely excited about drinking some legit absinthe. The whole ordeal of lighting the sugar, lighting the drink, mixing it, watching the flames, and adding the water is super cool. I like that there is a drink that takes some effort and theatrics to enjoy. I drank the 140 proof absinthe and it pretty much just tasted like strong pastis/ricard/raki/ouzo. Very good though! Nice , relaxing feeling were enjoyed thoroughly.

In summary, Amsterdam is a beautiful city with lovely and unique architecture and sights. The canals are charming and the people are warm. While the red light district is what comes to mind when people think of Amsterdam, the city has much more to offer than just sex and drugs. It is a fun place, a tolerant place, and should be a model to other cities in terms of drug and sex laws. Crime was minimal and I felt genuinely safe walking around different parts of the city. Lesson learned from this visit? Just chill.

Cool Concert in Paris

4-15-11 (Paris, France)

Went to the Espace B venue tonight to see a band from Portland, Oregon called Blind Pilot. Definitely some very chill music with a lineup that included a trumpet player. I would say that over half the crowd were Americans or other English speakers. It was really nice to be surrounded by US culture and music for an evening. It kind of reminded me of seeing live music back in Austin, Texas. I also met a nice couple from the Northeast part of the US (Vermont and Philadelphia). Good times were had by all and there were some very nice looking American girls to boot ;)

3 Rounds and a Sound by Blind Pilot

Booked my flight and first night in DUBLIN!

3-10-11 (RM, France)

Our April break is coming up soon and I am really excited about my trip to Dublin, Ireland. Being in an English-speaking country with a pub-centric culture will be a refreshing change from French life. Extra cool news is that my brother, Michael, will also be joining me on holiday there.

Here are a few things that I want to do while I'm visiting Dublin:
1) Take part in a good old fashioned pub crawl
2) Visit and drink Guinness at historic pubs
3) Meet interesting people while staying at a hostel
4) Take the tour and drink a beer at the Guinness Storehouse
5) See the Jameson Whiskey distillery
6) Maybe some non-pub related activities???

The End of Polite Society in France (not really, but it grabs your attention)

3-3-11 (RM, France)

You would think that all the stereotypes about the rude or boorish American would put me off this subject, but I felt that something needed to be said about the inconsiderate nature of some young people in France and their reaction to random acts of polite behavior. Here are two scenarios which will highlight some of these points:

Scenario One: I was walking with a group of my classmates and we were about to enter the building. I grabbed the door and opened it, standing beside the door to let all my friend in before me. Rather than thanking me however, two of my friends stopped to ask me why I had done such a thing. They told me that I was already elected class representative and I didn't need to "campaign" anymore. I told them that I was simply being polite and holding the door open so that everyone didn't have to stop and open it for themselves. I also told them that, in fact, this was a common courtesy that I performed on a regular basis back in the US.

Scenario Two: Our class was invited to hear a short series of lectures at the International Energy Agency a few days ago. The room was arranged in a large circle with multiple TV screens showing the power point presentation in the middle of the room. Being in a circle, it was easy for everyone to see the lecturer and for the lecturer to see everyone else. To my surprise, many students thought it was appropriate to talk, laugh, and banter back and forth during each of the presentations. I thought that this behavior was extremely unprofessional, rude, and immature. I mentioned something after the presentation to a few of my friends about what I expected from master's level students in terms of their behavior. Instead of agreeing with me, my friend asked me why I felt the need to be so polite all the time. I told him that it was because we were in a professional setting and that I was trying to make myself and my class look good. Not only this, but it was just common courtesy to yield the floor to a speaker who is taking time out of their day to spend with students.

Stephen Fry: Most Polite Man in Britain

I Hard but Obvious Truth about US Public Education

2-26-11 (RM, France)

Living abroad has given me the opportunity to discuss US education policy without the fear of angering someone who is sympathetic to or a member of a US teacher's union. One thing is clear from my discussions: US public education is among the worst in the Western and developed world. I'm completely dumbfounded by the level of stupidity exhibited by Americans when foreign people visit the US. For example, a girl last night told me that someone in the United States asked her if France had electricity. In my mind, the problems with our system are as follows.

1) Spending per pupil has significantly increased while performance and test scores have remained stagnant of fallen. Too much money is siphoned off by bureaucrats and administrative hacks and not enough actually reaches the classroom. Poorly aligned school financial incentives are to blame. Also, since when do sports count as an "in-classroom" expenditure. This needs to change.
2) Federalized education programs have politicized lesson plans, distracted from actual education, and have imposed a one-size-fits-all approach to education.
3) A group of self-interested State employees have used political force in order to secure their financial interests and job security at the expense of competition and flexibility within the system.
4) Students are expected to being mastering concepts in soft social sciences before they have mastered the ability to read, write, and do basic math. Instead, they are asked to memorize useless facts at a young age that really have no bearing on their ability to think critically or get a handle on the basic skills truly necessary for furthering their education.
5) Almost all, except for a few, school districts and States refuse to allow experimentation and competition within their education system. Children unfortunate to live in low-income areas are trapped in a failing school system and are legally prevented from seeking out other public schools in the area.
6) Education is not synonymous with public school. This mentality has stifled creativity, innovation, and experimentation in terms of the way we educate our young people. In fact many unionized public school employees actively seek out the force of the State to make home-schooling and private schooling less attractive options for families.
7) Lack of proper nutrition and exercise within public schools. Although this is not a simple solution, it is my belief that children today are severely lacking in the proper nutritional building blocks to improve their early-years brain activity and function. Fatty meats, simple carbs, sugary soda and candy, and a lack of essential fatty acids are pretty much a school lunch recipe for disaster in terms of student performance and overall behavior. In fact, one study conducted in a Federal Prison showed that removing simple carbs and adding lean meats and vegetables helped improve inmate behavior by reducing insulin spikes and mood swings.
8) This goes along with 7 but I think the lack of proper exercise and breaks are hurting our student's ability to focus throughout the day. Kids are not adults, they don't have the attention span of adults, and they need breaks with physical activity.
9) Parents. Although I understand that it is difficult for some working parents to spend adequate time with their children, it is still their responsibility at the end of the day to educate their child. This is called personal responsibility for your family. Far too often, I hear or see parents act as if education is solely the responsibility of the State school. Wrong. Buy some activity books, buy some books to read at night, and spend time with your child. Read to them. Work with them. Instill the value of a higher education in them.
10) Kids themselves. I'm sorry kids but it isn't cool to be stupid. It isn't "selling out" or "betraying your community" when someone strives to be the best in academics. I have first-hand experience in seeing young black students being ridiculed by their peers for "acting white" when they succeed in academics. Since when did wanting to secure your financial future with a better education became a race-based quality? This mentality is just too sick to describe with words. There are other problems with children spending too much time in front trash tv, playing video games, or surfing the web for mindless imagery. Although all of these things are ok in moderation, kids need to experience life outside electronic mediums.

I am tired of the "dumb American" stereotype that persists in many European countries. The hard but obvious truth here is that this stereotype exists for a reason. Please educate yourselves and your children. Kids, please take the initiative to learn and explore things for yourself. It is ok to be curious and to want to pursue knowledge. Now get out there my fellow Americans and prove these Europeans wrong! ;)

Song of the Day: American Idiot by Green Day

The age of the twenty-somethings and the purpose of discovery

2-21-11 (RM, France)

A recent WSJ article highlights the fact that many women are getting tired of seeing twenty-something men in what is termed "an extended adolescence" or "pre-adulthood." To this I say, get your cultural conservative values out of my life. It seems the author of this particular article prefers that men act according to an antiquated male gender role.

The joys of living in an economic and politically free society have afforded women the opportunity to shed off traditional marriage and gender roles based on the division of labor within the family unit. Men were defined by their role as the economic breadwinner while women were defined in their role within the household. I, for one, am glad that these cultural institutions have been and are continuing to be challenged.

As a methodological individualist, it is exciting for me to see individual men being able to define themselves based on what brings them personal happiness rather than defining themselves based on a culturally imposed model. It is also culturally interesting to see the phenomenon where men and women are actually starting to seek out mates that share passions, hobbies, and interests. This is a far cry from the days where marriages were arranged or just expected for various social, political, or economic reasons.

Perhaps our generation's new found freedom in terms of gender roles highlights a deeper divide of what generally brings men and women joy in their lives. It is not surprising to me, for instance, that the video game industry is one of the fastest growing forms of entertainment on the planet with revenues in the billions. However, rather than complaining about how individuals may differ in what makes them happy, maybe it would just be easier to adopt a live and let live mentality. For example, I will never, ever, not in a million years, care about make-up or clothes. I recognized the fact however, that my previous girlfriend did and would sometimes listen to her talk about how she bought this or that or liked certain colors, etc. I didn't care about the hobby itself, but I was glad that she had found something that brought her some joy. She was nice enough to listen to me sometimes when I wanted to talk about games, sports, or other things that I had interest in. There was a nice balance.

I have been told many times in my life that I take things too seriously, think too much, etc. As of late, I have been really taking this criticism to heart and trying to reverse my outlook on life. One of my reasons for being in Paris is to find a new side of myself that is more able to enjoy the small, fun things in life. I have been going out more, meeting people, dancing, having mindless conversations about random things, and having fun. While I still find discussion and debate a worthy form of entertainment which brings me joy, I have also discovered other things that I am able to incorporate into my life and to help me re-define who I am.

My previous girlfriend once told me that growing up and gaining more responsibility was just part of life, but we choose whether or not to adopt an "adult" mentality. By this I think she meant that many people often lose parts of their lives that bring them joy. It is a great unspoken tragedy I think that most people would prefer to hang on to youthful activities that make them happy but they feel that they would somehow stand out in a negative way. An Abilene Paradox to be sure.

Why should I give up playing video or tabletop games, reading comics and science fiction, listening to punk rock, or anything else just because some person might find it childish? Please. I will wait for someone who loves me for my personality, my interest, and my passions and not because I fit some sociological norm or gender role standard.

A now from something completely different....

2-18-11 (Paris, France)

I'm getting ready to go to my first live rock concert in Paris. And what better way to see live music than with a beautiful date by my side. I've not heard of the bands, but they all sound like pretty mellow indie rock groups. Shouldn't be too bad of a show, especially live. I'm definitely pining for my old concert-going days in Austin. Also, for some reason, I really miss my blue hair from college. Maybe I just have a spring in my step as of late, as pointed out by some classmates today.

Updates about the concert/date forthcoming...

Song of the evening: Float On by Modest Mouse


Talk about an unexpected evening. No tickets left at the concert, good times at the bar, new friends to be found. Fun times :)

-C-

Loss of a Friend and Mentor

2-17-11

My heart is filled with a great sadness at the passing of a friend and mentor, Mel Penn. Mr. Penn bravely struggled with lung cancer for 16 months before his passing on February 16th, 2011. Although Mel was fighting his own personal battle against cancer, he often acted as a counselor to me when I needed to talk to someone about a person in my life that was also afflicted by cancer. As I knew him, Mel was an extremely generous man with his time spent with me just listening. He was a source of strength and calm when my own life seemed turbulent, especially toward the end of my MBA program. I owe him a debt of gratitude for the prayers he said for me and for the people that I loved. My thoughts are with Mel and his family today. I hope that I can honor his memory by incorporating his kindness into my own life. I will miss you Mel and I will always remember what you did for me in my times of sorrow. You were a great man and deserving of my deepest respect.

A Scottish Farewell (amazing grace on bagpipes)

Melvin Penn

A Refreshing Evening

1-12/13-11 (Paris, France)

Every now and again you need a moment in your life to refresh the spirit, boost the ego, and just remind you that you are human. Tonight was one of those nights. Thank you Maria for hosting a wonderful birthday party. As luck would have it, the evening went exactly as needed for me. The clubs were scheduled at just the right times for serendipity to show its beautiful blond head.

If I may take a moment to reflect personally, I sometimes feel like I'm just outside of the mainstream enough to put many people off. While some may see this as a negative trait, I have found that it is extremely helpful to be somewhat eccentric because it attracts just the right kind of interesting people. Why waste your life with the mundane when there are so many people out there with logical opinions and minds worth sharing. To be frank, it is just nice to be on an ego trip and feel interesting and attractive.

Song of the night: I've got the World on a String by Frank Sinatra

Received an email from the PRESIDENT of the French classical liberal party

 2-8-11 (RM, France)

A few days ago I decided to send an email to the general inbox of a political party in France that generally subscribes to classical liberal and libertarian philosophy, basically telling them who I was and that I was looking for politically like-minded friends in Paris. Well... not only did I hear back from someone, I heard back from the president of the party. Here is a sample from the email:

"I have no doubt that your past experiences and even your insights regarding petroleum issues would be very valuable for our young political organization."

I thought that contacting the general email inbox of an organization would be fruitless, but I guess things work out for a reason. Hopefully soon I'll be able to meet some new friends and liberty-minded activists in Paris. I'm interested to see what authors people have been inspired by, especially since I have roots in classical liberalism stemming from the English and Scottish Enlightenment thinkers. I know a few French classical liberals, like Bastiat and Say, but I'm sure there are probably more to learn about. I just hope that they know who Ludwig von Mises is!

Song of the day: Tom Sawyer by Rush

 

France needs more punk rock, so let's rock this shi....

2-7-11 (RM, France)

I'm feeling quite punkish today so enjoy some classic tunes:

Eve of Destruction (cover version) by The Dickies
Banana Splits by The Dickies
Beat on the Brat by The Ramones
Blitzkrieg Bop by the Ramones
Holiday in Cambodia by The Dead Kennedys
Kill the Poor by The Dead Kennedys
Astro Zombies by The Misfits
Skulls by The Misfit
Faith in God by Bad Religion
Pity by Bad Religion

I've got the too-much-studying-today blues

2-6-11 (RM, France)

So I have been studying pretty much all day since I got back from the comic convention and am now getting to the point where I just don't care anymore. A terrible place to be in for sure! Oh well, this morning was really awesome and I am planning on going to the next convention in July.

Because this morning was so much fun, I decided that I wanted to find some interesting off-the-beaten-path places in Paris to visit while I'm here. I came across the Paris Vampire Museum which has a private dinner for group that includes a meal, a private guided tour of the museum, games, and discussion on vampire lore/myth. I also heard they they do tours and dinners in English. I think this would be a delightfully odd evening event!

Today I also joined a couple Meetup groups in Paris, one for adventuring and one for philosophy discussions in English. I think that these two groups will give me things to do outside of class and give the the opportunity to meet new people while I'm here. My adventure group is holding a Mardi Gras event at O'Sullivans Pub so I'm really excited to try and make a paper mache mask. I've never done this before so I am going to try and work on a mask as soon as possible to have it ready for March. I am going to attempt to make a "Bird Splicer" from the game "Bioshock" but without any of the blood splatter on it.

Anyway, enjoy these pics from the comic convention cosplay event :)

Found the Best Pub in Paris (on Friday, 2-4-11)

2-6-11 (Paris, France)

On Friday, I was supposed to meet up with the class representative from last year's PEM group. Only a few people confirmed that they were going to join us so I really wasn't keen on the whole thing. Fortunately however, O'Sullivans Pub turned out to be quite a nice place. Also, as luck would have it, the pub was full of Scottish rugby fans wearing kilts. Turns out that Friday nights are rugby watching nights at this pub. Anyway, the beer was great, the company was entertaining, and the night was a success. Wales lost to England in the rugby match, but oh well. Rugby is actually a really fun game to watch because there is constant action and movement. It has all the good parts of American football but non of the start and stop every play nonsense. It is definitely a sport that I could get into. On a side note, I met a guy that helps manage the capital assets of the British Royal Family. He gave me his name and email after we had discussed the American economy and the rise of China and India.

Most Amazing Japanese Food Night!!!! Ever!!!!

2-2-11 (Paris, France)

Just got back from what is, hands down, the best Japanese food experience of my life. Keisuke (my classmate) really outdid himself with arranging a sampling of delicious Japanese cuisine at a restaurant near the Arc de Triomphe. We started with 3 samples of sashimi (salmon, tuna, and marinaded mackeral) followed by an amazing fried ball of white meat chicken. Next we had 4 pieces of nigiri. What happened next was totally unexpected, Japanese potato dishes. This consisted of Japanese potato salad and a fried mashed potato ball. The potato ball was really impressive because of the crispy outside and mashed potato inside. Finally we had a pork meat soup with snow peas and yellow potatoes. All in all, there was so much food and it was all delicious and wonderful. To top it all off we had a few Japanese beers and some warm sake.

After eating at the restaurant we all (Francois, Valerie, Dave, Anna, Myself, Jay, Kamal, and Keisuke) we back to Keisuke's apartment to drink more beer and sake. Kamal suggested we play a party game called "Mafia" which was pretty darn fun. It was essentially the same game as "phantom" for all my starcraft 2 nerds out there only in real life. Awesome and simple game for a party. Thank you so much to all my friends for such a fantastic evening. Events like these are so much more enjoyable than going to loud music clubs, thank you!

Met an OSU Grad from Texas on the Street in Rueil

1-31-11 (RM, France)

Yesterday, Ben and I decided to walk down to the Chateau de Malmaison (this once belonged to Emperor Napolean) to see the grounds and get some exercise in while it was sunny out. While we were walking down the street, a guy walking his dog passed us by and gave me an extremely odd look. I didn't see this happen, but apparently Ben saw him staring at me. A few seconds later he turned around and said "Hey, are you guys from Oklahoma?" It was then that I realized that he had seen my Oklahoma University sweatshirt under my jacket and he had recognized the colors. Anyway, this guy was an OSU grad in chemical engineer (I think?) who had previously worked for Fina before it merged with Total (the largest French oil/gas company). He had been living in Houston for a while and he had just moved to France over the summer with his family. I think he oversees refining production at two facilities in Belgium and the Netherlands. He seemed like a really down to Earth guy so me and Ben gave him our email information and told him that we should go out for a beer sometime. Small world!

Map Scales Can't Be Trusted in Paris! (from 1-29-11)

1-30-11 (RM, France; Paris, France)


Last night I was supposed to attend a friend's birthday party at about 8:00pm in East Paris. I left Rueil around 7:00pm to ride the RER and Metro into the city and leave myself enough time to find the restaurant. Unfortunately, I had written down the old address (he moved the party at some point during the week) and couldn't immediately remember the new one. After about twenty minutes of intensive thinking and walking around I was able to recall the street name. Following this mental revelation I proceeded to locate the nearest map at the Metro station. The cross street didn't seem to far away (maybe a few blocks?) so I headed off in the direction of the street. I kept looking for the cross street but never saw it. I decided I must have walked in the wrong direction and headed back to the Metro station to head that way. After another fifteen minutes of walking, I turned back again. Finally, Ben and I had had enough and decided to stop and eat a sandwich. After eating we asked the owner if he knew where the street was. He pointed us across the street and down a few block. After over an hour of walking around searching for this damn street, it was literally 100 feet away the entire evening.

Fortunately for me, showing up late was probably for the best. I hate being stuck at crowded tables with no way to stand up or move around. I guess it makes me nervous, crowded, and uncomfortable. Anyway, people were just getting their meals by the time Ben and I showed up. While people were finishing up with their food I was able to give a prepared toast to my friend David in honor of his birthday. My toast was followed up by presents and cake. It was a great time to arrive at the party!

Man, This Song Takes Me Back

1-27-11 (RM, France)

Every now and again I listen to a song that takes me back to what seems like a simpler time. Today's selection includes: The Spin Doctors "Two Princes" aka (just go ahead now). I know this post seems pretty pointless but you can make it better by commenting on what songs you remember from "back in the day?"

How about this gem?
Need more nostalgia?
Not enough?
One about fruit?
Thirsty for water after eating the fruit?

Subsequently, if you have any of these albums let me know :)

Dear French Government - Bugger Off

1-26-11 (RM, France)

Despite already having two medical insurance policies, including one specifically designed for international travel and mandated by OU, the government of France thinks it would be a good idea to extort 200 euro from me so that I become part of their social security (medical) system. Thanks guy, but I think have it covered already.
I will try one last ditch effort tomorrow to explain to the bureaucrat at school that I don't want to be part of a system that I derive no benefit from now or in the future. Me being here for 6-7 months without a government health care policy isn't going to bring down your way of life or destroy French democracy. Please just leave me alone already! I just want to go to school, learn about petroleum, hang out with my friends, and be left alone by the local violence-monopoly. Is that too much to ask? Do me one solid for once....

OMG Food-gasm

1-25-2011 (RM, France)

This post isn't really that exciting or glamorous, but I thought I would take a few minutes to talk about what I am eating tonight. I really love the fact that you can get baguettes at different lengths. I am alone in the apartment so I usually get the one that is about one foot long. It is delicious bread and only costs about .42  euro cents. Next, I decided that it would be a good idea to have some spread for the bread so I picked up a few individual packages of goose liver mousse. Yum! For my entree I went with beef stuffed cannelloni with tomato sauce. Despite the fact that it came from a frozen foods store, it was excellent as well. Picard (the frozen foods store) is probably my favorite store in the history of the universe. Everything is fresh tasting and ready to cook. What more could a single man want? No pots and pans, no messes :)

Sacre'-Cceur and Moulin Rouge 1-23-11

1-23-11 (Paris, France)

Today a small group of us (me, Nikita, Maria, and Mattieu) went to see the Basilique du Sacre'-Cceur. Not only was the church beautiful, but the view over Paris was amazing as well. Next we walked around the Montmartre area, where there were many small shops and restaurants.

Since we were in the area, we decided to see the Moulin Rouge and the surrounding red-light area. No big deal really, just a bunch of strip-clubs and porno shops. It was an odd mix of smut and nice restaurants.

Look, pictures!!!

At Least Half my Evening was Cool (1-22-11)

1-23-11 (RM, France; Paris, France)

Where to even begin? Yesterday was incredibly long and filled with many ups and downs. First off, David, Valerie, Anna, Nick, and I went to the Pompidou modern art museum in Paris. Most of the exhibit was boring and repetitive crap on canvas, but they had a few good pieces which I found worthy to be in a museum. Usually students are given a free ticket to enter the main exhibit but I guess my age disqualified me from getting the discount. I grudgingly had to shell out 12 euro. Nick commented that, being a modern art museum, there were going to be plenty of giant vaginas and breasts on canvas. Funny because it's true.

After the museum we walked over to a cathedral that was right in the area. I'm not even sure which one it was, but the architecture was beautiful and for some reason I just felt like we should go inside and check it out. As luck would have it, a free concert was about to commence inside. Two pianists were going to perform various pieces by Brahms and Schubert. Our group stayed for a few songs as well as an organ performance. It was definitely a treat.

Following our encounter with the divine, the group decided to get smaller and more rowdy. Nick, Anna, and myself went to our friend Mattieu's apartment in Paris to have drinks, eat pizza, and mingle with friends. The night turned into an impromptu karaoke event when Anna asked me, in a oh-so convincing way by batting her eyes and smiling at me, to sing her a song. I chose the classic, Piano Man, as my first live performance piece. I also had a request from Aleksandra to sing Moon River to her.

Due to the size of Mattieu's flat, it was actually really fun to try and cram as many of our friends into his place as possible. Later in the evening, Mattieu insisted that we all leave and go to a club party located on a boat parked along the Siene. This decision later proved to be, well, mixed.

As many of you probably already know, I hate clubs. Hate 'em. At least being with my group of friends made it more pleasurable than it otherwise would have been and there wasn't a cover charge for IFP students that night. Things went down like they usually do in clubs, drinks got made and were overpriced, people danced, some people tried to dance, etc. Damn it all though when everyone wanted to leave and wouldn't wait for me to get my coat at the coat check. For no particular reason, it took maybe a good 20-30 minutes to get my coat when there were only 6-8 people in front of me in line. Only Ben and Dounia remained outside to wait for me. Thank goodness they did, kind of. The next hour or so was spent walking from the club to another district in Paris trying to find a taxi that would actually take us to Rueil. French taxi drivers apparently hate making money by driving slightly outside Paris. Dounia was finally able to convince one driver to take us all back to Rueil.

Why I Don't Like Voting (An Answer to my French Friends)

1-19-2011 (RM, France)

Many people in France are interested in discussing personal politics, but up until this point I was pretty hesitant to enter into that type of discussion fearing that my ideas are far too complex to summarize in a short discussion session. Specifically I have been asked on numerous occasions if I voted for Obama and who I plan to vote for in the next election cycle. I have pretty much kept it at that I don't vote. When asked why I simply state that I don't support the State in its modern incarnation. This has confused some so I will try to take a moment to explain.

The State, by its very definition, has a monopoly on physical violence and force. In a legitimate society, one based on private property and voluntary human interaction, the State is the mechanism of retaliation against those who would deprive the rights of other individuals. Notice that, for me, the use of force by the State may only be initiated AFTER an illegitimate use of force by someone else. Simply put, I am against the initiation of force by the State in a preemptive way.

Building upon the premise of the legitimate role of the State, it may become more clear as to why I can't lend my support to the current incarnation of the US government. This incarnation is not specific to the current regime, but spans across political parties and individual politicians. In other words, the majority of State action taken today begins with the initiation of force against peaceful, private individual citizens. I can not lend my support for such a system of political rule, so I choose generally not to vote. Were I to vote, I can guarantee it would be against incumbent politicians despite their political party affiliation. Better to prevent politicians from making a career out of looting the private wealth of individuals as lifelong members of the ruling political body.

Does this make me an anarchist? No, not really. I do support a minimal government; one that functions as the protector of individual rights and property. Decentralization of power is key for me, especially in terms of the State's ability to wage mass-murder in the form of foreign wars. I also believe that the State should not interfere in the decisions of individual actors so long as they are not causing harm to another human being or their property. This holds true across all issues including a person's economic livelihood and the ability to own, control, transfer, use, and enjoy property.


I will tell you that I do not consider democracy or voting as sacrosanct, because these are simply institutional means to an even greater end: individual human liberty and voluntary interaction. What I mean is that the democratic system of government is not in place for the sake of itself, but for the sake of protecting individuals against unreasonable uses of force against them. When democracy turns against the goal of human liberty, then it is no longer a system worthy of support. Does this mean that our society can't turn back to a legitimate system of political rule? I can't really speculate. This would take a massive political and philosophical changing of the tide in terms of the way the public thinks about the role of the State.

For now, trust me when I say that I put faith in decentralized human creativity and creation. I believe that free minds, when free to create, exchange, and expound upon ideas, will help drive technological, social, and economic changes that will improve the lives of people around the world. Invisible lines on a map don't limit the emergence of cooperation, friendship, and bonds that can develop between people across the world.

Regards,
Chris

song of the day: Death and the Healing by Wintersun

Sunday was Beautiful 1-16-11

1-17-11 (RM, France; Paris, France) (updated with picture)

Yesterday (Sunday) I went to Paris to visit Notre Dame Cathedral. The weather was absolutely gorgeous and the sun was actually out! This made the trip so much better since the stained glass windows were lit up and sparkling. I was amazed at how tall the Cathedral actually was inside and how beautiful it was. I was stupid and forgot my camera but the tour is free so I'll probably wind up going back when the weather is nice again.

I walked along the Seine River for a good hour or so through the city. Everyone was out running/jogging, roller-blading, riding bikes, or just walking their dogs. After coming out of a long tunnel, I swung back around into a park and wound up in front of the Louvre where the pyramid is located. Next I wandered around until I found a small cafe where I had a sandwich and some fries. Not really too much else to say other than the architecture here is amazing and the sun really lights up the whole city when it isn't cloudy. I'm looking forward to Spring.

Here is a picture of some street art I got for ten euro. It is actually much cooler in person.

I've Got the World on a String - Sinatra

Birthday in Paris! 27 years OLD.

1-15-11 (RM, France; Paris, France)

Birthday plans in Paris tonight at a hoppin' British-style pub. Details to follow tomorrow...
Enjoy this birthday song written by NOFX in the meantime (NSFW)


 Yay birthdays with new friends! I started out my evening with a quick gin and tonic at the apartment and the proceeded to the Pub in Paris. Things started out kind of slow but eventually all my classmates started to trickle in 1 and 2 at a time. I think I paid for my first drink and that was it. Someone bought me a shot of caramel flavored vodka which was really, really sugary. After that I stuck to British bitters (beer). I think later I had two green apple vodka shots and ended the night with a disgusting beer known as Desperado. It is a lime/tequila flavored beer that seems to be popular here. It is too strange for me to enjoy. However, it came as a free gift from a new friend I met out at the bar.

My new friends in the PEM program are AMAZING! Not only did they bring me a cake with candles, but they collectively gathered money to buy me a nice french dress shirt, tie, and zippo lighter. Everyone smokes here so I thought it would be cool to have a nice lighter as a conversation starter on the street. I had no idea that they were even planning on getting me anything since I had insisted that it wasn't necessary.

I think I'll try and start a database with everyone's names, contact information, and birthdays so that our class can continue to plan events around people's birthdays while they are living here.

Congratulations.... TO ME!

1-14-11 (RM, France)

I want to send out a very serious "thank you," to everyone in the Petroleum Economics and Management (PEM) program who voiced their support and gave their votes for me today. It is because of all my friends that I was elected class representative today. I hadn't really planned on running for the position, but a group of my fellow students recommended to me that I run. It was quite and honor and I know that I'll do well in representing our class from an international point of view. Congratulations are also in order to  Emilie Gubian as well, as she will also be representing our class.

Birthday Plans Coming Together for Saturday

1-13-11 (RM, France)

Just two more days until my 27th birthday, yay! At first I didn't really like the concept of turning 27 and entering into my "late twenties," but now I realized that age bring wisdom and experience, bring in turn bring respect and admiration. If you are in the Paris area this Saturday and you are a fan of this blog, then please join us at the Frog and Princess Pub in Paris around 18hr30m (6:30pm). It should be a fun time at the pub.

I was very flattered today when a group of my fellow students advised me that they thought I should be the class representative (or at least of of the two representatives.) The best parts of my personality continue to shine through as everyone here is very friendly and outgoing and a real pleasure to talk to. For some reason I feel more confident and willing to share my fun side with these folks and that makes me feel good.

Other than my birthday party this Saturday night, my plan is to make it into Paris early in the day and take in some local art culture. I think I'll try to visit the Musee d'Orsay and maybe just walk around a bit in the city.

Last night's dinner with Geraldine, Maria, Marco, and David was a ton of fun. Marco made Mexican style burritos with beef, sour cream, tomato salsa, peppers, and, of course, queso! We all sat around in Geraldine's room and drank beer, laughed, told jokes, ripped on each other, and performed bar tricks. Geraldine had an especially good trick where she makes a glass disappear under a napkin. She was way too fast after a few beers for me to see it work. The group berated me for about 15 minutes because, apparently, I can't pronounce "Maria" in the proper Spanish accent. Americans don't do the proper "R" sound. They told me to use the tip of my tongue to do an "r" sound just behind my teeth and on the roof of the mouth. I'm getting better, but they all think it hilarious that I can't do it. As if that weren't enough, Geraldine made fun of me because she thought my name was too similar to the Christopher Robin character from Winnie the Poo. I tried to jokingly storm out of the apartment dorm but the door was locked. Instead I collapsed in front of the door and acted like I was crying and curling into a ball.

I was asking Maria about romance in Spain since Americans tend to think of all Spanish speaking countries as very romantic and passionate. I was surprised to hear that guys in Madrid don't really know how to approach women and are often timid to do so. This reminded me of most guys back in the States. Apparently in Brazil however, people just make out with whomever they happen to be dancing with. My other friend, Emelie, told me that in France the guys should just try to take the girl and hope for the best. In other words, they will respond if they are interested and won't if not. I'm not fully able to grasp the concept of this yet since I actually like talking to people first to develop a rapport. Seems strange but, when in Rome, as they say.

All for now, thank you all my readers! Y'all are great and the growing numbers really help inspire me to keep writing.

Song of the Day: Any Way You Want It by Journey

My Official Course Schedule

1-13-11 (RM, France)

Financial Accounting
Energy Economics and Development
Energy Geopolitics
Upstream Management Techniques
Downstream Management Techniques
Commodities Markets and Trading
Reservoir Engineering 1 and 2
Linear Programming
Advanced Econometrics
Management Information Systems

Also, awesome news. The director of the IFP School is named Jean-Luc. Bad ass? Yes.

Things Continue to Go Well

1-11-11 (RM, France)

The second week of courses started this week and so far everything is still pretty basic, but stimulating. The quality of the education we are getting here is, IMO, far superior to back home. I think it is because IFP requires all their students to be sponsored from business or industry or pursuing a joint masters degree from a partner university. They know we are all very capable individuals and treat us as such.

Personally, I love the price and variety of cheese here. I got an awesome blue cheese for less than 2 euro at Carrefour and ate it with some yummy baguette. Sweet. I also bought some peanut butter and jam to have on hand in case I run out of proper food. It will do in a pinch and the jam is definitely awesome. Blackberry jam, amazing. I also got a few more eggs and meat for breakfast dishes.

I'm really glad that I have had experience traveling and living on my own in the past. I'm sure this experience would be much scarier if I hadn't been living around the country during the Ron Paul campaign and giving it a shot at living in Southern California a year or two back. I'm adjusted to life here quite easily and I'm not really experiencing any culture shock that some Americans get from traveling and living abroad. French people seem pretty polite and many random people will stop to chat with you simply because you are American or look like you need help. A really nice Chinese/French women helped us order food at a restaurant and spoke at length with me and Ben about her husband having worked for IFP.

Cost of living (except for rent of courses) has been considerably cheaper and more reasonable than expected. I get a good, quality lunch for around 4 euro per day and my trip to the grocery store plus the frozen food store for the week only ran 24 euro. This sets up nicely for some extra money for weekend trips into Paris and maybe some more fun trips to other places (Prague maybe?) in the future. I'm torn between wanting to visit Munich and Prague. All the beer drinkers tell me to go to Munich, all of the ladies men tell me to go to Prague.

Things started of so poorly but I'm happy to say that everything has rapidly and drastically improved since classes started. I can't say enough positive things about the quality of teaching here by the professional, industry-oriented staff, and of my fellow students. Everyone seems like a stellar individual and I'm having a lot of fun just meeting new people and listening to stories and ideas about where they come from. In the age of globalization and integrated markets, it seems like a must for people to have international exposure at some point in their younger years. I know I made the right choice coming here and since have no regrets.

An Afternoon in Paris (01-08-11)

Ben and I decided to venture out on our own to try and learn how to navigate the RER and Metro system. It was pretty easy but we went to the wrong track I think twice. Anyway, we went from Rueil into Paris right near the Eiffel Tower. We walked up to the tower, under it, etc. It was very pretty at night since they light it up. Can't say I liked all the street merchants trying to peddle their useless crap to me, but oh well. Next we stopped in a small cafe/bar to have a beer. We had some type of wheat beer that was really good and fruity tasting at a pretty reasonable price considering we were downtown and right near the largest tourist sight in the city.

After our "touristy" visit into the city, we decided to head back to Le' Defense and stop at the giant shopping mall there. I have never seen a mall like this in my life. It was utterly insane in size and scope. They had a three story store inside which was the equivalent of a Wal-Mart only about twice as big. One floor was nothing but food, the bottom floor was all beverages, and the top floor had appliances and household items. I needed to pick up an electric buzzer to keep my hair in check. Ben got two pillows for 9 euro and a blanket for even cheaper. Europeans always complain about Wal-Mart and American consumerism, but I can't say without a doubt that this was the busiest mall and largest store I have ever seen in my life. Seriously, Wal-Mart is a joke in comparison to the massive size of Auchan.

Anway, here are some pretty pictures of the Eiffel Tower to tide you over. Sorry, they were taken on my camera phone and aren't that great of a quality. I'll have to buy a digital camera or something while I'm here.

Song of the Day: The Omen by The Prodigy