Ultranormal

  • I’m a Geek!

    First of all, I had fois gras for the first time last night, and it was fabulous. How come no one told me?

    Second, I am so not a major geek. I’m a definite lower-case geek. Compared to the people here, I’m a guy off the street. Which makes me smile, in a way. A lot of the people here are big-G Geeks. They are implementors and the people who build the things that I use every day to communicate (web browsers, for instance). I am a user. I’m a user of the standards the W3C comes up with, and I’m a user of the products these standards are used in. I create documents that follow these standards and are displayed in their products. I am horribly out-numbered.

    At least now, I know my role. I am the representative of the regular “author” or “user” of the standard, not of the implementor. It means I better get my act together (and to that end, I now own a module, which is kinda scary).

    This week is alternately boring (when I don’t understand what’s going on), and interesting (when I do). The food is amazing for the most part, and I’m having a ball with the language (and my lack thereof). What fun! Next week… Texas!!

  • They Like Us, They Really Like Us!

    We’ve heard that the French hate us. That they don’t like America. It’s not true. Don’t believe it. I haven’t been here for very long, and was fully expecting to have to say I was Canadian to escape a hassle. I didn’t have to. I have had a great experience with everyone I’ve met here, both in Paris (apparently the hub of this anti-Americanism) and here in Cannes. Most people speak English, their TV is full of American shows, and no one has made that classic French face of disgust.

    I think I also realize why most people here speak English. It’s not that they’ve got some superior education system or we’re just dumb for not all learning a foreign language to the point of comfortable conversation. It’s’ that they almost have to. English is, oddly enough, the common language not only of business, but of entertainment, and it seems of Europe. I was watching a German snowboarding show the other night, where snowboarders from four or five different countries were interviewed. The German interviewer spoke to the foreign athletes in English, and the athletes answered back.

    In Paris, I went into a little boulangerie (bakery) near my hotel and stumbled through ordering a sandwich and some beignets. The young man behind the counter pegged me right away as American, and seemed really happy to be able to practice his English. I ordered in my crap French. He replied in his stilted English, and we had a laugh.

    Here, in the hotel restaurant (which is unbelievably good), almost everyone speaks English. There’s one older man who doesn’t, and seems apologetic about it. I don’t get that. I should be the one apologizing. I came into his country, and I don’t speak the language. I’m embarrassed at how bad my French is, which I think has helped me get along with the people I’ve met so far here. I try French first, if that doesn’t work, I ask if they speak English (in French), and then thank them if they say they do (again in French). So far, I haven’t had any trouble with people refusing to speak English (I was warned by several people that Parisians will watch you struggle just for the fun of it). Now, I have had some funny experiences with us both speaking English and us still not understanding each other, but it’s not for lack of trying, and it usually ends in a laugh.

    The French don’t hate us. There’s no reason for us to have “freedom fries” or dump French wine. Doing so doesn’t hurt the French government (which is who we may have a problem with), it makes us look silly.

  • France Pictures!

    I finally have a broadband connection, so you have pictures to look at. The Paris pictures were pretty much a waste, but I might put some of them up later. Anyway, here are my pictures from yesterday, my first full day here on the lovely Cote d’Azur:

  • I’m in France

    Yep, I’m in France! The day in Paris was… interesting. Jet lag is horrible. It’s four in the morning and I’m awake. I’m stuck on a really slow modem connection, so no pics or real elucidation or stories until I can find some broadband.

    But, I did get my croissant, a couple beignets, and had the most amazing meal for dinner tonight.

    The Cote d’Azur is gorgeous, and I can only imagine how perfect it is in the summer.

    Ok, it’s late, I’m tired, and I think I can get back to sleep… more info later!

  • Who Runs Now?

    With the President’s announcement yesterday supporting an amendment banning gay marriage (for my opinion, read this one more time with feeling), he’s opened a huge rift in the GOP. We now have a President siding with the ultra-right Christian Fundamentalists in the party and has just thrown mud in the eye of the small government conservatives.

    I don’t think this does anything to the Democrats. It only adds fuel to an already raging fire. For the GOP, it’s going to cause all kinds of soul searching, all kinds of turmoil. Even in the first 24 hours, some of the Presidents staunchest supporters, Andrew Sullivan and even Tom DeLay have either revolted completely or are backing off of the President’s position.

    At this point, does someone inside the GOP step in to run against Bush? John McCain? Anyone?

  • Oooh, Wha?

    I got yelled at today. No, really, I did. One of the guys who sits across the hall from me yelled, “Kevin, if I hear you tell someone else you’re going to France, I’m going to scream!!”

    Yeah, so, I’m going to France, and I’m nervous as hell. Logically, I know I’ll be fine. I know enough of the language to get around, buy food, and I don’t really fear getting lost. But, I can’t help it. I’m nervous. I know I’ll be fine, but it doesn’t stop the nervousness.

    Tomorrow is the day… off to Paris for a meeting, and then to Mandelieu La Napoule for the conference. 11 days away from home, away from Jen and Max, and away from my own pillow. As sad as missing them will be, I am excited. I couldn’t be more excited. I’m almost all packed except for the clothes in the dryer and the many sundry drugs I have to take with me, but still have to ingest in the morning.

    It’ll be nice to get away from the news for a while… really.

  • Max’s Bouncy Stuff

    I’ve been on a mini-quest to create the perfect mix CD for Max. When we go out, we always listen to music, always have a CD in, and Max isn’t shy about expressing his opinion about what’s playing. So, for the past year, I’ve been making mix cd’s trying to find songs that he’s never heard before that he’ll flip over (and always leaving in some of his favorites from past cd’s). Here’s the latest version (he loves it so far):

    1. Jerry Lews (not by Jerry Lewis) from Ska the Third Wave: Instrumentals

    2. The People Who Grinned Themselves to Death by The Housemartins from the album of the same name as the song.

    3. The Song From The Kill Bill Trailer: You know the one I mean.

    4. La Unda from that Ska instrumentals album in \#1.

    5. Sheep by The Housemartins from London 0 Hull 4

    6. Back on the Train by Phish from Farmhouse

    7. Hit the Road Jack by Mo’Horizons from Remember Tomorrow

    8. You Keep it All In by The Beautiful South from Carry on Up The Charts

    9. Cat Juide from that instrumental ska album

    10. The Mango Song by Phish (running out of time, find your own albums)

    11. Particle Man by TMBG

    12. Back in Black covered by Living Colour

    13. It’s The End Of The World As We Know It by You don’t know?

    14. Hey Baby by No Doubt (Max loves them)

    15. Deeply Dippy by Right Said Fred (their album is underrated. there’s some quality stuff on it)

    16. Watermelon Man from the ska album

    17. Woo Hoo from Kill Bill

    18. Istanbul (Not Constantinople) by TMBG

    19. If I Had A Boat by Lyle Lovett (I think this is the first song Max knew all the words to)

    20. We Are Each Other by The Beautiful South

    I don’t know why I like making him mix cd’s so much. I just do.

  • Wishin’, Wishin’, Wishin’

    Just in case anyone cares, I’ve updated my Wishlist. You know, cuz my birthday’s coming up and stuff.

  • It’s Over… ::Poof::

    So, I kind of killed nonDependant today. I’m no longer going to actively add content or try to create a community there. I’m leaving it up because a LOT of people get to the site through search engines, looking for The Constitution, and I think that’s kind of cool.

    I just don’t have time, and didn’t see it going anywhere. Oh well… maybe next time.

  • Plane Reservations are Go!

    All set… really. I am. I have plane reservations, and tickets are being printed tomorrow. I’m going to Paris for about 18 hours, then off to Nice for 8 days of conferencing. Wheeee!! Hello, jet lag, nice to see you again. This time, I’m definitely taking a tylenol PM after dinner, so I sleep the whole way. No staying up watching movies and trying to read magazines. I will be the snoring jerk that keeps everyone else awake, waking up right as we pull into the gate in Munich, get my stuff and make it to the gate for Paris.

    I know, you’re all sick of hearing about this, but I’m excited. I can’t help it.