A 'secular miracle of communication?'

During my canal-side wanderings, I happened to notice this Pacman-like character tiled (sneakily) onto a municipal building. I became curious ...

Today, walking near Rue Buci with Bastien, I noticed another.

If you've ever read The Crying of Lot 49, you might be able to see where this is taking me. In the book, which is rife with references and things that remind you of other things that you can't quite place, but somehow leave you with an enduring sense of almost-comprehension, the main character keeps coming across symbols and references to a secret society. I don't want to give anything away, so you should just read the book (it's one of my favorites).

Anyway, I'm positive there's a meaning or a game or some sort of reason for these little things all over the city, and I'm determined to find more and figure it out. A mystery!

April in Paris.

Friday afternoon I went to lunch with my friend Nadia. We went by the canal (St Martin) to a restaurant called Chez Prune. Quite tasty.

Right facing our table outside was this mailbox, marked 1984. Earlier that morning, a podcast I was listening to referenced Room 101. Just one of those reference-filled days.

Fun graffiti (is it?) along one of the locks on the canal. In mirror fragments. No idea what it says though.

More of the lock mechanism. Does this not look like something out of that computer game Myst from the 90s?! Somehow if you activate all of the tiles in the right way I'm sure this opens up and reveals a path to the center of Earth. Or something awe-inspiring.

I enjoy misuse of the language. Rock-hair cut. Not a rock hair-cut, but rather a rock-hair cut. Because even sculptures needs a trim every now and then. Apparently.

This made me smile. Little faces drawn onto a traffic light. Makes me want to go around and do it to other ones.

On our way back to the train station, saw a sewing supply store. Look at those spools of thread!

Burn, Baby, Burn!

For some reason, Maryland decided that even after electronically rejecting me about a month ago, they'd send along a paper copy to make sure I got the message.

How does one respond to that? Well, I toasted my flaming (literally) letter with a bottle of 2009 Cabernet d'Anjou. I already accepted Penn State (which was more of a first choice anyway), so this was a matter of honor really.

Now you see it ...

Now it's a flaming pile of ash in my kitchen sink :)

So that's settled.

Kitchen does not equal métro, just the same.

This picture is hanging in our kitchen at home :)

Miss it.

Les Grosses Têtes.

I first subscribed to the French radio program 'Les Grosses Têtes' maybe two years ago, in a fit of podcast excitement. At the time, it was far too difficult for me to really follow, so I never really got into it.

Apparently my French has improved at least a little, because it's a fair amount like Wait Wait Don't Tell me ... A panel of mostly old, mostly men. Lascivious. But often hilarious, and the panel is filled with characters.

Well, RTL, the company that owns the show, has the recording studio in Paris ... and Julien signed us up to go this past Wednesday. It was cool to be in the live audience, but also a bit weird. We decided we like listening on the radio better, ultimately, but it's great to have gotten the chance to see a taping!

Jacques Mailhot et Bernard Mabille ...

Jean Jacques Peroni, Chantal Ladesou, Amanda Lear ...

The big guy, the host, Philippe Bouvard.

World Domination.

Jess and I have devised a strategy. Here's the game plan:

Here's the map. Need to get mini soldiers to put on top. Perhaps Matchbox cars and Polly Pockets too?

Jess gets North America, except Texas will be surgically removed and placed in the black hole that is Alaska.

I get Europe and Russia.

Emma gets South/Central America because of her experience with drug crazed law. And Spanish ... sorta.

Bill gets Africa, because it's his thing.

We're letting Hillary Clinton have the Middle East ... maybe she can lay the smackdown.

Dave gets East Asia. We think he'll like the culture of all work and no play. Psych, we thought he would be most successful at changing that.

Australia is the Community Chest. Antarctica and the Arctic are TBD.

BOYS'S not geting it.

Near Chatelet. Ugh.