I'm looking for a soft place to land.

I have concluded that I dislike January. It's a tough time at work; I'm very busy wrapping up one semester, and getting ready for another one at the same time. I've been spending my week saving teenagers from themselves; why some are so prone to throwing away a credit in the waning weeks of the semester is beyond me. I've had to stage too many interventions in the past couple of weeks.

In addition, I have the worst case of the January blahs. Every task before me whether it be washing a pan, doing laundry, marking a set of tests, making a phone call, or making a grocery list seems insurmountable. Usually I can do all these things with aplomb, but I don't know what's happening to me this week. Delayed reaction to Blue Monday? Perhaps.

However, I distracted myself from me not doing the things above by accomplishing one important thing: booking a flight to Paris for March Break! It actually took a good deal of research to find this year's winning flight with the proper combination of proper airline, flight times, and dates.

A picture of Paris from March Break 2010. I spent a weekend with Becca T before I spent the rest of the time visiting her in her old French home in Nice.

Instead of flying out ASAP on the Friday, which would have been too costly this year for whatever reason as determined by the airline gods, I have to fly out on Saturday instead. It gives me one less day in Paris, but hey, at least the packing stress won't be so bad.


I am excited for my trip, of course. Becca T has found herself a tiny new flat, and has even ordered a chair that will pull out into a bed for me. I look forward to a week in Paris with a side trip. I could go visit a friend in Geneva or I could just treat myself to my own excursion somewhere random.

Self portrait of me and Becca T on the steps of the Pantheon.

I saw a book at the bookstore the other day called "The Best Kept Secrets of Paris". I am tempted to look through it, potentially pick it up, and use it to guide my week. Or maybe I'll figure out my own agenda. I definitely have to find Marie Antoinette's grave. It's one of the few Marie Antoinette things I've never done.

This is a memorial from La Conciergerie, the place in Paris when she was imprisoned. I went there in March Break 2010.

Anyway, so I have that to officially look forward to.

Here I am at the fountain at the Louvre. It was really cold in Paris that week (see hat and mittens.)

Me, my mittens, my crazy flower hat, the Seine, and Notre Dame.

Tonight I was planning on going for a run, but I went out for Greek food on the Danforth with some friends instead. I thought socializing might just be the better option.

It warmed up enough on our last afternoon in Paris that we could relax without coats in the lovely Jardin du Luxombourg before catching our flight to Nice.

In other news, my buddy Matt from Winnipeg is in town this weekend for Los Campesinos! I am excited for that show. It'll be lots of fun.

Sunday, not so much. Day of marking. :(

There's a lot of other exciting stuff on the horizon too. I keep trying to think about that in my January slump, but it's not working as well as I think. How many more days 'til February? I think that's what I have to keep asking myself.

p.s. Actually going through my old trip photos and integrating them into this emo post has cheered me. Please remind me to look through old trip photos next time I'm emo.

p.p.s. Also, I am totally treating myself to a NEW CAMERA before this trip! :D