let us take a moment...

and mourn the birthday month for all those september birthday monthers out there.

::takes a moment::

::wipes away a tear::

if only france celebrated halloween to take a bit of the sting away...

just in case you missed it...

IT'S MY BIRTHDAY TODAY!

i would like to formally wish myself a happy birthday.

and a special birthday greeting as well to my dear
friend, frog-with-a-blog.

and to all the other september birthdays.
(especially you miss kimmeh!)

may this new year of your life bring m&m's, rhum-rhums, mojitos, and winning lottery tickets.

the birthday month has begun

today is the first day of the rest of my life.
today also happens to be the first day of my birthday month.
coincidence?

i'm a person who makes new year's resolutions. but who ever keeps those?
but it's my birthday month, so technically, it *is* a new year for me.
gregorian calendar be damned! the french revolutionaries invented their own calendar, so why can't i?
(ok, so robespierre and others lost their head, but let's not go there...)

i've been mulling over the resurrection of my blog for sometime, but i never could put my finger on exactly what i would write about. what my 'angle' would be. i still don't know. but i've decided to give a little CPR to the old blog and see what comes of it. it'll sort itself out somehow. things usually do.

as some people that are dear to me know, i've got this niggly little superpower that involves details. little picayune details. and i get hung up on them. which is why it helps to have dear friends that can see the Big Picture.

so, dear friend, thanks for that.

there have been some things that i've been meaning to do that i haven't gotten around to yet. you know those things, the ones that you keep putting off and the longer you keep putting them off the more you put them off because by the time you get around to actually doing them it's almost like 'what's the point?" actually, there's a lot of things that i've been meaning to do. so maybe i should start doing them?

let's see what my new year brings.

Happy Birthday Month To Me.

tagged! darn you, mrs b!

christmas time is here.
and because mrs. b called me out specifically , i'm going to step out of my grinchy-scrooge-like blogging role for a minute, and take the time to respond.

because she is SO right.
i wouldn't have done it.

so here it is mrs. b.
MERRRRRRY CHRISTMASSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? wrapping paper, like mrs. b, i'm not the worlds best wrapper (although i THINK i wrap better than a kindergartner...but that could just be my own bias), but i like bows and tape and pretty things. gift bags are pretty, though, but kind of cheating for the christmas effort. kids should have to struggle to get their treasures opened.

2. Real tree or artificial? conceptually, real. realistically, artificial. (plus, as i saw the gruesome twosome had this year, you can get REALLY cheezy and get that "christmas tree smell" stuff, which just adds a WHOLE NEW LEVEL of christmas joy/annoyance, depending on your point of view.)

3. When do you put up the tree? in the past? after thanksgiving. these days i'm lucky if i make one out of construction paper.

4. When do you take the tree down? if i'm lucky, i get to escape that chore altogether!

5. Do you like eggnog? yes. but i don't drink it much. although i do remember having my share of "eggnog flavored milkshakes" from mcdonald's.

6. Favorite gift received as a child? i remember getting a particularly cool barbie one year, with a motorcycle. she had longer than normal barbie hair, was more articulated than your typical barbie, and her arms moved when you pushed a button on her back. although, i wasn't overly into dolls, but that is a gift i remember.

7. Do you have a Nativity scene? not mine personally, but the one my mum made years ago. my sister and i used to fight about who got to hang the angel on it.

8. Hardest person to buy for? hands down, my mother.

9. Easiest person to buy for? me. ::grins::

10. Worst Christmas Gift you ever received? hmmm. nothing springs to mind.

11. Mail or email Christmas cards? there is something to be said for emailing christmas cards, but mailing is the non-cheating way. but i am SO a cheater! instant gratification!!!

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? A Christmas Story. (triple dog dares? that leg lamp? "you'll shoot your eye out!"? it's the princess bride of christmas movies!

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? oh? was i supposed to start that?

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? i have nothing against that at all. however, i don't think so, because mostly the gifts i would receive, would be on no one else's list. :)

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? pfefferneuse cookies. everything else gets eaten at other times of the year as well.

16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? for the pretty factor, clear. for the homey, real christmas factor, colored. oh, yes. no contest there.

17. Favorite Christmas song? new kids got ran over by a reindeer. no, i'm just kidding.

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? travel. especially if there is a hugely decorated christmas feast at the end of the journey!

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? yes. and now i even know them in french! HA!

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? angel. though i'm open to star toppers.

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? eve is for extended family. morning is for immediate and santa presents. yes. santa still brings me presents. so, shut up, and don't be givin' me evils!

22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? it's how it starts earlier and earlier...now it's practically before halloween. THAT IS SO CHEATING!!!

23. What is the "corniest" family tradition you do, or miss doing? it wasn't a family tradition, but in high school i used to have friends over to go caroling in the neighborhood - at my best friends we watched "SCROOGED" every year - one year, we had a pianist friend come over and play while we all sung carols and drank hot chocolate. i miss that cozy homey christmas feeling that brings. they don't really carol in france.

24. Ugliest Christmas Decoration ever invented? there are many, many, many things that fit in this category. mostly the cheap-o ornaments are just AWFUL.

25. Which looks best, theme trees or homey trees? homey trees. for absolutely certain. although theme trees can look lovely, they are just for show and not meant to be in people's homes. unless they are just for public viewing and there is a proper tree (you know, the ones filled with all the decorations you made in elementary school).

weird question of the day:

asked by some random french man at place st. michel today:

"have you ever been in love...
with your cat?"

?????

the baker's wife.

i think she and i have something in common today.
i think i'm in the wrong story.

dear mother nature

please check the thermostat.
thank you.

sincerely,
kyliemac

my paypal account is going to be suspended!!

eek!
i better go to the site directly and update all my information right away!
:: pause ::

oh.
WAIT.
I DON'T EVEN HAVE A PAYPAL ACCOUNT!

:: rolls eyes ::
gggrrrrr. arrrrgggghhhh.
bastards.

(they are soooo attempting to be sneaky too - the domain at the end of the email is @ paypall (dot) com.

anybody know where to report these scammers to?

UPDATE: if you get any of these ANNOYING scam (phishing) emails,
you can report those referring to paypal accounts to the following -

FROM THE PAYPAL WEBSITE:

Together we can help stop fraud.
If you think you’ve received a phishing email:
Forward the email to spoof@paypal.com
Delete the email

bummer. dude.

sometimes i wonder why i live in paris, when i have to miss things like this.

Buffy On the Big Screen

REFLECTIONS ON A FRIDAY NIGHT SATURDAY MORNING

sexy high-heeled boots
walking home at three a.m.
bad combination

hogwarts express in paris

apparently, the hogwarts express is going to be in paris (gare du nord) on june 19th.
i just need to figure out what time!

who's coming with me?
::grins::

thanks to jennC from NoPlaceLikeIt for the head's up!

Tourist Rescue Unit

how many monuments can be seen in one absolutely crazy jam-packed monument filled parisan day?

find out when kyliemac takes the 'au pair that is better than yours' on a blitzkrieg budget tour of paris.

stayed tuned to find out how much they actually accomplish!

for my mum

tom says hi.

shoes update

i had bought some shoes that SEEMED fine in the store, but upon wearing them and actually having to WALK somewhere.
NOT. SO. GOOD.

back to the drawing board.

au secours! paris shoe divas untie!!

oh, shoe divas in the parisian area, please come to my aid!

needed: shoes a.s.a.p. for a potential social outing.

the hunt: a simple black high-heeled shoe that doesn't cost a fortune.

requirements: a heel. must have a strap or something to keep the shoe on. being narrow-footed, and flat-footed, without some kind of back to the shoe, it's a no-go. no buckles. no lacey/bow-ey/sparkley bits. classic style that will work with future ensembles.

to go with: a simple classic "little black dress". ( sleeveless and hits just above the knee)

my neighborhood has both nothing i like and nothing i wish to afford (220€ for a pair of shoes is a bit much for my budget)

i've started looking today and can't stomach paying over 75€ for a shoe i don't even like. and WHAT's with all these buckles and whatnot on the shoes?? i've looked in a couple of shops near st. michel, and there is nothing that i'm in love with for the price.

the hunt will recommence this weekend - so any suggestions on neighborhoods or shops will be much appreciated!!

on holiday

the boys are at least.

they went skiing last week, and THIS week they are going to the aquarium and the circus.

i only get to go to class.

):P

not that i'm bitter.

HVD

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

(happy v.d. just doesn't look right...)

a sign?

is the fact that the faerie bubbles game on neopets refuses to load a sign that i have other things that i should be doing?

ummmmm.

nahhhhh....

change (still) comes from within

last year, on nearly this exact date, i wrote this post.

the jar is still there.
actually, that's not entirely true- let me rephrase.
the change is still there.

while at the post one day, i noticed that the automatic stamp machines, the ones that spit out boring little stickers with the amount of required postage on them, accepted coins! even 1 and 2 cent pieces. i was all amazement. there was something in paris that willingly accepted 1 and 2 cent pieces?? i couldn't believe my good fortune.

OH HAPPY DAY!!

'i have found the solution to my dilemma,' thought i. 'i can use the little blighters to help fund the revolution!

i hurried home that same day, dividing up the annoying little creatures (for indeed they multiply like rabbits) into neat little groupings - then placing them into individual envelopes carrying 85 centimes worth. this way, i could carry an envelope with me, knowing exactly how much it contained (enough for a letter to the states), and when i tripped over one of the many post offices liberally sprinkled throughout paris, i could pop in, tear open the envelope, get rid of all this annoying change, and get a stamp in the bargain - a stamp that i would send off to america and would no longer be cluttering my little closet!

a 'practically perfect' solution!

excitedly, i carried my first envelope to the post down the street. i selected the correct parameters - and began dropping the coins in...one two three four five six seven eight nine ten eleven...suddenly, after twenty something coins worth, they all dropped down out making a h3ck of a lot of noise. the machine was not happy with me and said i had entered too many coins or that they were defective. (i'll say they're defective!!!

seems that my 'practically perfect' solution is no longer so practically perfect.
:: unamused look ::

so i am open to suggestions (other than seeing how many i can stuff up my nose. that one's already been offered up). the coins are no longer in the jar, but in neatly labeled individual envelopes.

and they sit, on my shelf, waiting.
and multiplying.
like rabbits.

new year. new look. new blog.

ok.

so there will be those of you who say technically this is not a new blog because it's the same name as my previous blog. still others of you will argue that to have a NEW blog, i would have to have an OLD blog, and since i don't blog much at all, who am i kidding? others of you will simply be amazed that i've written anything at all.

with all that aside, here we are with a new look. i may fiddle with it in the future, but for the moment, it works. i had toyed with the .mac blog, but it simply took too long to upload any changes, and with blogger - it's lickety-split. (comparatively speaking). the other thing is with .mac having to buy more space to keep photos and archives and whatnot. blogger free, therefore blogger better.

let's get into the post, shall we?

i'd like to wish you all a happy new year. (albeit belated). which brings to my mind the question: when does it become TOO late to wish someone a happy new year? i'd argue that it can be done until the end of january.

and with the new year brings (for many) the New Year's Resolutions. ::insert dramatic music here::
do you make them? i do, and break them as soon as possible. that would be a good resolution for me, to resolve to break my other new year's resolutions. at least that would be one i would keep.

(some of) my new year's resolutions:
by kylie mac.

1. floss. (i've added this only because i told my dentist i would).
2. blog at least once a week.
3. take my vitamins. (that is on my doctor's advice.)
4. touch my toes (without bending my knees). i'm as elastic as a can opener (read: not at all)
5. write something to andy (the revolutionary) every week.

one day, not long ago, i found a posting online looking for revolutionaries. a plea, if you will, a battle cry to prevent the art of correspondance from being lost. e-mail has it's place, and i love the internet too, but i had to agree with him. not only are normal everyday letter boxes becoming overstuffed with spam mail and bills and ads, so are our virtual mailboxes. spam spam spam. for mortgages on homes most of us don't own and the opportunity to work from those homes. (and HOW many "male enhancement" offers do YOU get in YOUR mailbox each day?) when was the last time you opened up your mailbox and had a letter - a hand-written letter addressed to YOU?

i'm probably one up on you, because i got one last week, and am anxiously awaiting another.

so if any of you would like to join andy's revolution along with me, please feel free to send me your snail mail address. or you can check out andy's page on myspace and write to him. or better yet, pick up your own pen and write a letter to a complete stranger, someone from your high school you haven't talked to in ages, your best friend that you talk to on the phone every day, or even your mum and dad.

it will bring a smile to their faces. (unless it's a mean letter, or a guilt letter, or a letter asking for money.)

yours in keeping the postal employed or over-worked (your choice),

-k