Routines

As time passes, we develop routines. What is novel one day, becomes a routine after a few days, weeks or months. Nine weeks have passed since I arrived in Paris, and life has become a bit more routine. This is to be expected. I spend my time hanging out with friends, watching television, going to the supermarket, eating and walking around Paris. The novelty has slowly faded as routines have silently emerged.

Then, I remember that novelty and routine are relative. While my life seems a bit more routine in many ways, there's always a little twist.

While watching television, like a small child, I'm pleased with myself when I grasp the topic of a convesation and understand a few words here and there. Today, Al Jazeera Children caught my attention. Seriously, it's a real channel. It was quite entertaining to watch young girls, about 10 years old, wearing birkas, strapped backwards to each another in siamese-twin safety vests, and trying to throw balls into basketball-like hoops. Not something we typically see on American television.

A trip to the supermarket is always entertaining.
I rather enjoy looking at the various types of products available, trying to decipher what's inside a package, and doing a little cost-comparision analysis. Cheese tends to be less expensive, for example. Very tasty fresh mozarella di bufalo from Italy is only $1.60 for 125 g whereas a package of 8 flour tortillas costs nearly five dollars. The mini ice cream cones from Picard, weighing about an ounce each, are quite tasty. And some of the fruit I've seen at the produce market - well let's just say some are new to me.
[This really is a supermarket that I go regularly.]



Hanging out with friends. I do it in the U.S., and I do it here. During the past week, I've wandered the streets with Antonio (from Mexico), met up with Sebastien (an actual frenchman who just took a new job in Paris) and informed me that I pronouce "beaucoup" improperly, made dinner for Richard from England who ended up on my sofa last Friday night after missing the last metro, and with Ariel (originally from Argentina) and a few of his friends where the conversation constantly fluctuated among French, Spanish and English. So, it's the same thing I do in San Francisco - kind of.

My diet has also become a bit more routine. I've become quite good at making salads (Cynthia, don't fall out of your chair), preparing (pre-fab) crepes for breakast with a bit of lardon, porc et une oeuf, and at least once a week I have shwarma or 'un sandwich greque.' Then, there's the pastries, which I justify by making sure I swim two to three times per week if the pool is not closed due to a "mouvement sociale" - government workers who are protesting. Oh, and bread of course!

No matter where we are or what we're doing, eventually life becomes a bit more routine. So, it's good to take a step back and think about the little things that are slightly different and fun and make life interesting. After all, even with routine, there is always some variety which is, as we Americans say, "is the spice of life." I'm glad that I can find variety, even when life is "routine."

Routine photo of street musicians at San Michel.

Routine photo of Notre Dame which is just down the street and which I routinely pass.

Events in front of Hotel de Ville (City Hall) are routinely changing. For the next few weeks, there will be an eco-garden. It's a lot of work for a temporary exhibition.

Even "les chats" like to have their routine little naps during the 'dog days of summer.' It was above 80 degrees this afternoon.