in search of more madeleines
We're translating Proust in class, an excerpt from In Search Of Lost Time (A la recherche du temps perdu), where the main character/Proust (or Marcel, as my professor calls him), is enraptured by the effect of a melting madeleine cake on his lips while he sips tea. Our crazy prof from Kansas ("where the hell's your verb?") is going on about how this is real art, real French literature (some of the Frenchies have been complaining about the non-traditional texts he picks). "This is fantastic, what artistry!" he cries. Catie, who was not seeing the art in a melting madeleine, turns to me and says all indignant-lik

angel of the night
Because I am procrastinating from writing a commentaire composé (basically an essay but more ridiculous) on Céline's Voyage au bout de la nuit, and because I know I don't have the time to do any real updating, here are some thoughts/happenings (and not in the hippie sense).1. In analyzing the text I'm writing on, I read "tout gâteux" (all senile) as "tout gâteaux" (all [sing.] cakes [pl.]). I spent about 5 minutes vaguely wondering why the main character was all cakey a

dynasty
This Friday is the EW alum get together in London. I just spent an incredible weekend in Brussels with Kath and Lex (more incredible because of the people than the city, but that was nice too), so it's amazing to see them again so soon. Last time Kath and I went a whole year without seeing each other.With any Emma Willard event, one of the big questions is what to wear. I have tons of things back at home I could wear, but no jeans allowed at the Club, so that didn't leave me with much wardrobe choice. Tuesday: I'm in and out of H&M within 30 minutes (yes, that's good for a girl), dress in hand.

paris with my fille-fille
I told myself I would post all vacation updates before going to Bruxelles. I lied.Also, please note the rhyme scheme of the title of this post.Chapître 1: vendredi le 23 octobre 2009In Which Miró Goes to Paris to See Alexis

the little french box, the american pedestal
Language barriers ABOUND! In dealing with my own language barrier situations, I'm realizing that there is a more significant cultural barrier that impedes the language barrier more than you think.Today is Armistice Day, we just celebrated the fall of the Berlin Wall, I'm feeling closer to Sarkozy more than ever.Me and Sarko, you know we're not that different. If I misinterpret a French person's English, and they misinterpret my French, then what does Sarko do when he has to speak English with Angela Merkel, neither of whom speak English as a first language.Two very differ