Published!

This morning a nice, big package was waiting for me beside my mailbox. "Haworth Press" it said. "I didn't order anything from Haworth," I thought. But as I picked it up, I remembered, "My article!" They sent me three copies of the journal. I'm too afraid to read it--the editing process was a nightmare. But I did look at my name in print.

Knox, Emily. "How One Part-Time Library Staff Member Can Provide Interlibrary Loan Service" Journal of Interlibrary Loan, Document Delivery & Electronic Reserve 17:4 (2007): 87-94.

Boo-yah!

A keeper

I got sick on my last night in Paris and came home sick yesterday. I walked into my apartment and promptly went to sleep. So, I didn't go to the grocery store. Or get my hair cut. Or do my laundry.

But, my boyfriend brought me my groceries. From Astoria. This might not seem like a big deal but Astoria is about an hour and a half away from where I live. He brought the groceries, made sure I had everything I needed, and then went home. An hour and a half back.

Paris, je ne t'aime pas...

I was wrong when I wrote that Paris was multicultural. It's multiracial but not multicultural. People from all over the world live there but they are all...French. No group seems to have made any sort of mark on Parisian culture. Yes, there are Asian and Middle Eastern restaurants but that's about it.

I found this most readily displayed in clothing. Everyone dressed tastefully but boringly. Lots of black and neutral colors. I sat at a cafe and watched the people go by for about an hour and a half and nothing was all that interesting.

Paris seems to be missing sub-cultures. There were no skateboarders or kids from the hood or anything. I did see three semi-Goth kids but other than that it was just a bunch of French people in different races. There also wasn't much of a night life.

This lack of multiculuturalism also showed up in advertising. Although France is full of brown people there are non in ads anywhere. Everyone is white including all the mannequins.

I can see how the hijab issue became so volatile in France. The country, or at least Paris, is a melting pot of fondue rather than a salad bowl.

Paris was beautiful. Everywhere you go there is some magnificent statue or building. I can see why people love it there. It must be nice to wake up every day and be surrounded by beauty. But there was no undercurrent of excitement rising from the street and, for me, that's what makes a city.

Favorite things:

1. Musee de Quai Branly--I didn't actually go in (8 euro entrance fee!) but the building itself is amazing.

2. Les Deux Abeilles--A little cafe with EXCELLENT food.

3. French wine. Especially sancerre.

4. The Louvre--too many beautiful paintings but awesome nonetheless.

5. Le Metropolitan--it is ridiculously clean and easy to get around.

And here are pictures. I haven't labelled all of them but they are in reverse chron order with pictures of my friend Nathan's wedding at the end.

French Keyboqds

So, did you know that the French keyboard is completely different from the English one?
The A, M, and W are in a completely different place.

I finally found an internet cafe near my hotel but i cant type too much because of the crazy keyboard.

France has been pretty great. After visiting the Louvre (which has a starbucks btw) I ate lunch at the cafe Marly and had the best croque monseiur ever. I'm not a huge fan of french food in general but the sandwich was great. it was also 12 euros. 18 dollars. Have i mentioned that France is expensive? After lunch I walked to La Place de la Concorde and then back to my hotel.

Yesterday I went to Notre Dame and I happened to be there during Mass. It was strange to be a tourist during the service.

I also walked up all the steps to Sacre Ceour. All of them. I wandered around Monmartre and had an excellent Italian Lunch.

I'm sorry this is so short and unspecific but the keyboard is driving me crazy. Ill have to right more after I return.

Ah France

One of my favorite historical concepts is An Embarrasement of Riches. It is sometimes used to describe the Dutch during the 16th and 17th century when they were ridiculously rich and drove up the price of tulips. The Dutch have nothing on the Louvre though. Every chambre, hallway, courtyard or whatever is filled with magnificent art. Your eyes start swimming.

France is quite lovely and much more muliticultural than I expected. I didn't see much of Nice but I had a lovely time at my friend Nathan's wedding. Unfortunaely, while I was waiting for the train to Paris, I receivd horrible news--my father had a heart attack. He's okay but they had to put in a stent and do an angioplasty. I didn't sleep much last night.

Now I'm off to eat and wander around.

Au revoir!