How Ya Gonna Keep 'Em Down on the Farm?

So, yeah, I've been gone awhile. Miss me? Awww, don't try to hide it, you know you did...anyhoo, I was in France, and it was fantastique. I saw things that filled me with all kinds of emotion, and spent the 15 days careening through spells of extreme joy, wonder, fascination, confusion, understanding on a deeper level than I am accustomed to (though I did learn that the French fully comprehend the meaning of the word, "Huh?"), empathy and awe. I felt overwhelmed often, but in a positive way, as if I was experiencing without really thinking about it; I think the word for that is 'living'. I felt very alive and vibrant while I was there. It was hard to come back. In fact, I started a blog post entitled "Ten Reasons the Entire Country of France Is Better Than Where I Live Now", but I flooded it so full of pictures that it got all messed up, and I got frustrated and quit. Now I have a huge backlog of backblogs, and that's daunting, believe you me! I mean, my devoted readers expect a certain level of quality in this blog, a sharp, wise, well-reasoned look at the world we live in, a witty, unique commentary on truths that, without my unblinking eye and commitment to accessible explanation of the global trends, trials and in-depth analysis, you might not be able to grasp fully, and, most of all, news of me...well, that's a tall order, and I have to have some big feet to fill my own shoes, I tell you what! I make it look easy, but...well, I digress...

Suffice it to say that even though I know you are all eagerly awaiting my certain brand of voyage reportage, I'm not telling. It was such a big adventure, and this blog is devoted to smaller adventures. All you will get is drips and drabs. I'm sorry, but that's the way it has got to be. Und now ve look at pictures:

Going to the ball at 9:00 a.m.
And yet, there aren't that many fatalities...

Just a screen door...

Caption: Man's best friend

Pig pastry

Yeah, I loved it. My grandmother, rest her soul, was a world traveller. Of Paris she said, "Mmmm... it's not so nice. We have Turtle Creek, which is a lot cleaner and nicer than the Seine. Tom Thumb makes French bread, and our museum has wonderful paintings and is a lot easier to get around than The Louvre. Less crowded, too!" I loved my Mom Mom, but I have to disagree. There's a big world out there and a million ways to be happy. Seeing art and music everywhere, eating delicious, diverse foods, smelling the odor of life (sometimes not so good, but honest!), getting lost in sound and color, and people, people everywhere...it wraps me in hope for the future, humanity, and myself. I'm glad I got to see things from a different perspective.

More photos to come! Au revoir!