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.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Monday, June 27, 2011
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.
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.
Sunday, June 26, 2011
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.
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.
Sunday, June 19, 2011
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...
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...
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