Closing out October

Home from Bretagne and back to books. Thanks to great advance planning, I wasn't too far behind on my schoolwork. I had had to be prepared before the weekend as on Tuesday I had an oral expose in my History of Fashion class. So far this class has proved to by my favorite. The teacher is fabulous, and the material in class is very interesting, including the readings. I genuinely look forward to doing them (nerd). My expose topic, with partner Allison from Australia, was particularly cool. It was a text analysis of the essay "The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction", by interwar period German literary critic Walter Benjamin. Benjamin was defending photography and film as new mediums of art that were significant tools of political discourse in the 20th century. We had to apply Benjamin's analysis, and definition of art, to fashion. Essentially we were looking at whether fashion can be described as art. Very mixed opinions, pivoting on the definitions of both 'art' and 'fashion'. In the end, we concluded that haute couture can classified as art while the clothing/fashion industry, is not. Assignments such of these that are engaging and really make you think are the lessons in education that actually stick. My most meaningful academic work has always been a particularly difficult paper, or in this case, oral presentation, because they really challenge you to think. Though annoying at the time, the satisfaction at the end, and the learning process, is what education is all about. That is why being an arts student is the right fit for me. And when the professor tells you after class what a great job you did, that's also pretty nice ;).

In celebration of my presentation on from 5-7, I went straight to Annie's to meet up with Annie and her friend Fran from England and we headed off to concert #2 of year in Paris, Yeasayer. An American band, their music is a mix of alternative, psychedelic rock. Though mid crowd for most of the show, we were able to get right up to the front with my friend Glenn for the encore. A really solid show with a good, albeit slightly more mellow, buzz. Afterwards we went out to enjoy a drink before heading home before the last metro.



Wednesday Oct 27th: After my initial complaints about unseasonably cold fall weather, I have been pleasantly surprised by a return to pleasant autumn temperatures the last few weeks. Still riding the high of nailing my expose, I decided to go to the Paris catacombs on Wednesday before salsa with Nadir, a friend of Etienne's whom I've hung out with a few times. Unfortunately, we had forgotten that it was fall break for the primary and secondary schools, and the line for the museum was unmoving and long. Instead we decided to head to across to Quai de Bercy by Bastille and walk along the Seine and enjoy the sunshine. A real burden. I don't think I will ever fail to appreciate stolling through Paris on a sunny afternoon. It is simply splendid and always puts me in a fabulous mood. Enjoying a cup of tea while overlooking Bastille square wasn't too bad either. Its been a tough year. Really.

On my way home from salsa, I stopped by Monoprix and picked up some pumpkins. I decided rather last minute that I needed to bring some true halloween culture over to France. Essentially I just really wanted to carve a pumpkin. I had invited over a bunch of the Madeleine crew to mine for the evening. Though there were a few bailers, I ended up having a lovely night with David, Annie, Anna, Paulina and another Russian friend of theirs whose name escapes me. It was so much fun carving myself, but also watching the childlike glee of Anna and Paulina, who were carving their first pumpkin. I'd say we turned out two very fine pumpkins. After the crowds had cleared, Etienne came home from his own night out with friends and the three musketeers were united once again for another rowdy wind-down soiree.

Paulina and Anna with their very first pumpkin! Eiffel tower on the front, unicorn on the back.

Sarkozy and I, Annie and mine's masterpiece.

Thursday Oct 28th: Really not much to say, other than Annie and I ate so much delicious food all day, watched Scrubs and wrote French papers. Though due Tuesday, I had to finish this paper before Friday when I was leaving for London as I was going to miss my class on Tuesday morning. It was a bit of struggle, being my first essay in French and the question itself, "Is the state the essential power", a rather difficult topic to tackle. By the end I was quite proud of myself and blissfully unaware that I had written the paper on the wrong topic. But I wouldn't discover that until Tuesday night.

My two muskateers

Next up: my London Adventure!