Blurbs

Hey foodies, check out Chocolate and Zucchini! This eye- and palate-pleasing site is written by a young French woman, but the site is in English.  In fact, she writes so well, I was surprised to discover that she's French.  I found the link among the many at Chasing Daisy. 

Speaking of French, and food...

...my friend Cathy sent me this article, which explains why French women are so thin.  Unfortunately, I see the trend of pre-packaged, processed food gaining here, too.

Earlier I went to the bank to try and get them to set up the internet access for my account. As I sat waiting my turn, I observed the automatic doors swishing open and shut.  The motion sensor on them is really sensitive, so sometimes the doors would open for no reason at all.  It kind of made me laugh -- here I am in this old old town, and there are these automatic-for-the-people doors.  Modern!  Still no internet access for account yet, though.  I think I'm going to have to call up to the branch where I opened it.

There is no "Ms." in French, and I'm not talking about the magazine.  No "Is she married, or isn't she?" title for liberated women.  Not that the French aren't liberated, but they didn't see fit to invent a word for women who might be married, but might not.   
Once you have kids, of course, you become a Madame, whether you've tied the knot or not. 
Now that I'm sort-of-not married, should I be Mademoiselle K.?  Madame B.?  (K. being my maiden name, B. being my married name). 

I taught my 6th graders to call me "Miz B.".  As in Ms.

I could have made a bulleted list for this collection of randomness (is a collection by definition ever random, though?) but I thought it would be neat to use the colors that Typepad now offers.   

Must go.  In half an hour I've got a woman coming to discuss the possibility of her taking care of my kids on the days when I start teaching at 8:00.  I hope it works out, and yes, I'm thinking about work again.  A good sign, n'est-ce pas?  I need to straighten up a bit because, you know, I don't want to look like a total slob.  (I'm just a partial slob.  I mean, it's the kids.  Yeah, that's it).

UPDATE:  Never proofread while your friend Anne is talking to you on the phone.  You won't hear a word she says, and you won't catch the silly grammatical mistakes and typos you made. 

 

Comments

[Allan]

Good luck with the interview. I hope you can work something out.

[Thomas]

I only know enough French to keep me alive; Things like Je fais faim, Eau, sil voux plais, Ou est la salle de bain? and Je suis un Americain incompetant. Ou est l'embassie Americain, sil voux plait?

I also know a smattering of Latin. Japanese, however, is different. I could actually function there. Kedo, ie koto no ho ga, yomu koto yori, joozu desu. (Literally, "But, as far as speaking is concerned, and much less in reading, I am skilled.") [I speak it better than I read it.]

[Alison]

Domo arigato! That's about the only Japanese I know.

I never took Latin, although I wish I had, because I'm an etymology geek. Plus, French being a Romance language, Latin would have been helpful when I was learning it. I do know a few roots here and there, but that's about it.

[Mike]

I think Ms is one of the greatest inventions of the English language and I use it ALL of the time. Why should be women be sorted by marital status while men are just Mr?

Children here in the South have the quaint habit of calling all women "Miss". Never in a million years would a child refer to you as "Alison" but if you taught here, all of your students would call you "Miss Alison" and you wouldn't mind.

[newwavegurly]

The only French I know could get me into trouble, learned thanks to Patti LaBelle.

Yes Alison, it's good to hear you're thinking about work again, though you go back when you're READY to go back.

[Daisy]

I remember the shock at being addressed as madame for the first time, the first step on the slippery slope toward the zimmer frame and removable teeth. *sob*