So, I just read in the New York Times that an avalanche occured on Mont Blanc and that 8 are missing and presumed dead.
"'There's no chance of finding anyone alive,' French Interior Minister Michele Alliot-Marie said while visiting the area."
Wow. Way to be optimistic and reassuring.
Full article here.
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Olympics Frenzy
I am so excited - just two more days until the Olympics!!!!!!!
Last weekend at Mom's house, Mom was saying that now that her son-in-law is a non-American, she can suddenly see things through his eyes - because she has been in the US for so long and has gained US citizenship, she's pretty much used to all things American.
One of the big things Mom noticed (through the eyes of the H) is that Americans are crazy about winning. We LOOOOOVVVEEE to win, and we are a crazy competitive people. This winning thing has always baffled the in-laws and my other Frenchie friends - a friendly game of Monopoly or cards becomes a crazy showdown with yours truly, who is guilty of being hyper competitive at times. It reminded me of last year, when they showed the World Swimming Championships on TV in France. A French swimmer was up against Michael Phelps and the poor Frenchie did not finish very well - something close to last place, whereas Phelps (obviously) took 1st place. The French swimmer was then interviewed by good old Nelson Montfort, who was all, "Wow...so you did NOT swim well...what happened?!" and the French swimmer was all sulky and upset (and then, in typical Frenchie style) said, "Well, duh, I was swimming against Michael Phelps! I mean, the guy ALWAYS wins...it's really not fair at all; he doesn't give anyone else their turn to win, he always has to win, and it's really annoying."
Well, when I heard that line, I shrieked at the top of my lungs and the H became very alarmed, thinking that maybe there was an insect in the area. "Oh my god!!!!" I shouted, "what is WRONG with that guy?! Puh-leeze, it's a freaking sport, you're there to WIN, not give other people a chance to win! Suck it up, French Swimmer! You lost because you SUCK!"
Anyway, I read in the New York Times this morning that the French Ministry of Sports or whatever is hoping that France will bring back at least 37 medals. Whatever! Everyone knows that all the medals will go to China and the US...and maybe Russia will get some too. France will probably make their goal of 37 though, if you include silver and bronze medals, which we all know merely means that you lost the gold medal and thus, the competition! Even H agrees with me that the French rarely win gold, but often win bronze, though H likes to think that 3rd place is actually a very good thing.
In other Olympics news, I find it really annoying that people are politicizing the Olympics. I mean, yes, we all know that China has got a bit of a dodgy human rights record, but the Olympics are about the BEST IN THE WORLD coming together to duke it out in their respective sports, so I think everyone should just leave all the politics out of it! As far as I'm concerned, if certain athletes and/or countries feel that strongly about China, then DON'T GO TO BEIJING for the Olympics and just boycott it once and for all, like people did during the Moscow games. I had read last week that German athletes would have a choice of T-shirts with various political slogans printed on them (stuff along the lines of "Free Tibet" which I find very annoying because they are not even asking to be completely separate from China) which I find very insulting to the host country, and it's not like the German athletes are there to join in the demonstrations - they are there to try to win gold medals for Germany! (By the way, good luck with that, Germany). Athletes (at least here in the US) live their life for the Olympics (except in sports like basketball and soccer) so everyone should just concentrate on winning and not on harassing China about its laws and policies (which, I might add, might seem barbaric to some cultures, but hey, maybe it works for China. We wouldn't know, considering the fact that we are not actually Chinese people living in China...)
Anyway, I am all excited for the US to win their medals although I am really just rooting for everyone (except maybe Laure Manaudou; I don't know but there is just something about her that bothers me) and I hope everyone can have a good time. Yay, Olympics!
Last weekend at Mom's house, Mom was saying that now that her son-in-law is a non-American, she can suddenly see things through his eyes - because she has been in the US for so long and has gained US citizenship, she's pretty much used to all things American.
One of the big things Mom noticed (through the eyes of the H) is that Americans are crazy about winning. We LOOOOOVVVEEE to win, and we are a crazy competitive people. This winning thing has always baffled the in-laws and my other Frenchie friends - a friendly game of Monopoly or cards becomes a crazy showdown with yours truly, who is guilty of being hyper competitive at times. It reminded me of last year, when they showed the World Swimming Championships on TV in France. A French swimmer was up against Michael Phelps and the poor Frenchie did not finish very well - something close to last place, whereas Phelps (obviously) took 1st place. The French swimmer was then interviewed by good old Nelson Montfort, who was all, "Wow...so you did NOT swim well...what happened?!" and the French swimmer was all sulky and upset (and then, in typical Frenchie style) said, "Well, duh, I was swimming against Michael Phelps! I mean, the guy ALWAYS wins...it's really not fair at all; he doesn't give anyone else their turn to win, he always has to win, and it's really annoying."
Well, when I heard that line, I shrieked at the top of my lungs and the H became very alarmed, thinking that maybe there was an insect in the area. "Oh my god!!!!" I shouted, "what is WRONG with that guy?! Puh-leeze, it's a freaking sport, you're there to WIN, not give other people a chance to win! Suck it up, French Swimmer! You lost because you SUCK!"
Anyway, I read in the New York Times this morning that the French Ministry of Sports or whatever is hoping that France will bring back at least 37 medals. Whatever! Everyone knows that all the medals will go to China and the US...and maybe Russia will get some too. France will probably make their goal of 37 though, if you include silver and bronze medals, which we all know merely means that you lost the gold medal and thus, the competition! Even H agrees with me that the French rarely win gold, but often win bronze, though H likes to think that 3rd place is actually a very good thing.
In other Olympics news, I find it really annoying that people are politicizing the Olympics. I mean, yes, we all know that China has got a bit of a dodgy human rights record, but the Olympics are about the BEST IN THE WORLD coming together to duke it out in their respective sports, so I think everyone should just leave all the politics out of it! As far as I'm concerned, if certain athletes and/or countries feel that strongly about China, then DON'T GO TO BEIJING for the Olympics and just boycott it once and for all, like people did during the Moscow games. I had read last week that German athletes would have a choice of T-shirts with various political slogans printed on them (stuff along the lines of "Free Tibet" which I find very annoying because they are not even asking to be completely separate from China) which I find very insulting to the host country, and it's not like the German athletes are there to join in the demonstrations - they are there to try to win gold medals for Germany! (By the way, good luck with that, Germany). Athletes (at least here in the US) live their life for the Olympics (except in sports like basketball and soccer) so everyone should just concentrate on winning and not on harassing China about its laws and policies (which, I might add, might seem barbaric to some cultures, but hey, maybe it works for China. We wouldn't know, considering the fact that we are not actually Chinese people living in China...)
Anyway, I am all excited for the US to win their medals although I am really just rooting for everyone (except maybe Laure Manaudou; I don't know but there is just something about her that bothers me) and I hope everyone can have a good time. Yay, Olympics!
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Grrrrrrr
Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!
Carla Bruni is not only on the cover of Vanity Fair this month, but she is also on their best dressed list!!!!
AND on Friday, she sang to Barbara Walters on 20/20. Here is the link.
Ugh. I do not get all the fuss. I especially do not understand why all of America is in love with her. Come on, people, wake up! It is all a web of lies! She is totally playing everyone! Argh!!!!! And why are people not outraged that she serenaded Barbara Walters?! What kind of a First Lady goes on TV and sings a song from her upcoming album?! Carla should do more Brangelina-type activities like giving all her money to charity and visiting orphans in Africa! That's what First Ladies do! And is it just me, or is it really, really annoying that she keeps comparing herself to Jackie Kennedy?! Ugh. Anyway, I actually went out and bought Vanity Fair and read the article and got myself all worked up into a fit of rage...then I brought the magazine into work to lend it to a Frenchie co-worker...who is borrowing the magazine tonight so that she, too, can read it and work herself up into a fit of rage. When I get it back, I'll see if I can get around to posting some excerpts - there are some real doozies in there about how she regrets making her "relationship" with Sarko so public and how she has given him a makeover and all that crap.
In other non related news, the job is going well, and I am very excited for the Olympics to start at the end of the week. I've completely become accustomed to waking up every morning at 7:30 am (and you thought I'd never be able to do it!) and in fact I believe I am following in my father's footsteps of not needing much to sleep - I am in bed every night by 1 am and usually doze off around 2...but I'm actually not that tired during the day.
I've been suffering from mosquito bites - there is a vicious little mosquito flying around the apartment and it's the kind that gives me the crazy creepy reaction. In fact, I had one on my arm last week (it's more or less gone down now, so the bite is not so horrifying to look at anymore) and it was the talk of the office as everyone gathered around me to scream "Oh my god!!!!!!!!". I got another one near my butt the other day but that one has started to calm down too. I am merely suffering right now from one of those giant, painful pimples that take several days to erupt, but still hurt. It is unfortunately right by my nose and the bump has surfaced, but the zit hasn't shown itself yet. Grrrr.
Let's see...oh yes, H has gotten himself one, possibly two, internships, so he is very excited. H works in film production, but has no idea how it all works over here in the US, so this is a good opportunity to relearn the ropes...and all in English! His English is also slowly improving, although he still hasn't gotten rid of that pesky habit of "I must to go..." or "I must to be..."
Carla Bruni is not only on the cover of Vanity Fair this month, but she is also on their best dressed list!!!!
AND on Friday, she sang to Barbara Walters on 20/20. Here is the link.
Ugh. I do not get all the fuss. I especially do not understand why all of America is in love with her. Come on, people, wake up! It is all a web of lies! She is totally playing everyone! Argh!!!!! And why are people not outraged that she serenaded Barbara Walters?! What kind of a First Lady goes on TV and sings a song from her upcoming album?! Carla should do more Brangelina-type activities like giving all her money to charity and visiting orphans in Africa! That's what First Ladies do! And is it just me, or is it really, really annoying that she keeps comparing herself to Jackie Kennedy?! Ugh. Anyway, I actually went out and bought Vanity Fair and read the article and got myself all worked up into a fit of rage...then I brought the magazine into work to lend it to a Frenchie co-worker...who is borrowing the magazine tonight so that she, too, can read it and work herself up into a fit of rage. When I get it back, I'll see if I can get around to posting some excerpts - there are some real doozies in there about how she regrets making her "relationship" with Sarko so public and how she has given him a makeover and all that crap.
In other non related news, the job is going well, and I am very excited for the Olympics to start at the end of the week. I've completely become accustomed to waking up every morning at 7:30 am (and you thought I'd never be able to do it!) and in fact I believe I am following in my father's footsteps of not needing much to sleep - I am in bed every night by 1 am and usually doze off around 2...but I'm actually not that tired during the day.
I've been suffering from mosquito bites - there is a vicious little mosquito flying around the apartment and it's the kind that gives me the crazy creepy reaction. In fact, I had one on my arm last week (it's more or less gone down now, so the bite is not so horrifying to look at anymore) and it was the talk of the office as everyone gathered around me to scream "Oh my god!!!!!!!!". I got another one near my butt the other day but that one has started to calm down too. I am merely suffering right now from one of those giant, painful pimples that take several days to erupt, but still hurt. It is unfortunately right by my nose and the bump has surfaced, but the zit hasn't shown itself yet. Grrrr.
Let's see...oh yes, H has gotten himself one, possibly two, internships, so he is very excited. H works in film production, but has no idea how it all works over here in the US, so this is a good opportunity to relearn the ropes...and all in English! His English is also slowly improving, although he still hasn't gotten rid of that pesky habit of "I must to go..." or "I must to be..."
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