13 August 2007

Two Weeks Left, and Let the Compulsvie Planning Begin

Two weeks left. My last week at work. Last time I'll get to see several of my friends. Last few days of miserable Chicago summers.

1) Worrying (tone: mopey)
Almost constantly I play out little "what if" situations in my head. If I'm about to call someone or tell someone something, I plan out what I'll say and anticipate their answers. In a card game I'll know what the possible effects of playing each of my cards are. Even if I'm baking I recite the next four actions in my head before doing anything.
All of this subconscious planning (some of it is conscious, of course) means that I have absolutely NOTHING left to be nervous about. "What happens happens" is my motto so I have no worries. Which means that I don't feel ready to go, because I don't think I'm in the right emotional state yet. Which is the only thing that worries me.

2) Paris (tone: cheerful)
I've gone through my France guidebook and highlighted all of the sights and museums and places in Paris that are free, especially ones which have occasional free days, several of which occur during my week in Paris. I figure that I've already seen most of the sights that cost money, so I'll be as cheap as possible! Some highlights that I'm looking forward to:
- vespers at Notre Dame
- Roman ruins at Parc Monceau
- Musée Carnavalet, which covers the history of Paris
- Victor Hugo's house (I like a few of his poems, but his work in general was depressing. However, it's free!)
- Musée de Cluny! (my favorite place in Paris, it's the Museum of the Middle Ages and it's in a castle)
- Jardin des Plantes (the gardens are free and the zoo is cheap)
- the Panthéon (which offers a panorama of the city, and has tours in French, and is free the first Sunday of the month)
- Église St-Sulpice (Saint-Saëns played the organ there, and there's a free tour)
- Musée Rodin (it's worth four euros)
- Bibliothèque Nationale de France (cool architecture, a huge garden, and unlimited internet)
- Fondation Taylor (an organization that gives prizes for art and exhibits it)
- Parc des Buttes-Chaumont (hills, cliffs with caves, a Roman temple... the gibbet hasn't been there since the Middle Ages)
I'm excited about all that! I might (depending on my mood) even splurge and go to Disneyland. I plan to go sometime during the year, since I've never been in America.

3) Cooking (tone: lip-smacking)
I made bagels! And they turned out surprisingly well. The recipe needs some tweaking, but I'll post it once I think it's perfect.

If you have any suggestions of cheap things to see or do in Paris, please comment!

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