Tales from the Seine - Tales from Lac Léman

5 Star Review for 5 Reasons to Leave a Lover!

2011-07-13T00:12:00.001-07:00

Feeling very blessed for the following review from ReadersFavorites.com:

"Carolyn Moncel is a wonderful author. I like the development of the characters and the way they blended into the plot. This is not Ellery and Julien Roulet's first appearance, though. I was a little confused on that aspect at first, but once I pushed through the novella, I quickly became acquainted with them and found myself pulled into the middle of the book to take the journey of relationships and complicated issues that surround having a lover.

Not that I have been through these things, I really felt a deep connection with Ellery. Just the way that Ms. Moncel created and formed her character really reached out to me. I think that is part of what makes it such a fantastic book. The issues at hand, the cheating, the deeply emotional journey of abuse, all of them were created not to be entertaining, but informative and life like..."

Read the Full Review

Buy the Book

OOSA Online Book Club Gives 5 Stars to Encounters in Paris

2011-03-06T02:13:00.001-08:00

“The doors we open and close each day decide the lives we live.” – Flora Whittemore

When you think of Paris, one of things that might cross your mind is romance, but the last thing Ellery Roulet is feeling is romantic. Ellery never imagined reading her mail would send her life in a downward spiral, but soon she realizes it was already headed that way.

“Encounters in Paris” is described as a collection of short stories, but I would describe it as chapters in Ellery Roulet’s life. Every short story involves Ellery coming to the realization of a situation in her life, and also understanding that life’s solutions aren’t so black and white. The author does an excellent job of engrossing readers in the language, atmosphere, and culture of Paris, also addressing topics such as infidelity, trust, and regret.

Hopefully the author will continue Ellery’s story, because I believe there is so much more waiting in the wings for the main character.

Author Angela Henry Interviews Carolyn Moncel

2011-02-25T09:53:00.001-08:00

Check out my blog interview with Angela Henry, author of the terrific book, Paris Secret! A fast-paced mystery, it's the perfect read for a cozy weekend at home!
http://parissecretnovel.blogspot.com

APOOO Bookclub Recommends Encounters in Paris!

2011-02-25T09:28:00.001-08:00

In Encounters in Paris, Ellery Roulet, a 35-year-old American public relations executive, is living what appears to most people a successful and envied life. In addition to living in her dream city, Ellery is married to a handsome Frenchman, has two adorable daughters, and is one of the founders of a successful public relations firm. But, life always provides a couple of curve balls, some expected and some unexpected. In this well-crafted gem, Ellery will soon discover that life and love have both joy and sorrow. How she deals with the ups-and-downs is what life is really all about, and the joy of reading this book.

Ellery's life is revealed through connected episodes in this short-story collection. Some of my favorite episodes were the ones that deal with what-if scenarios, if you ever had a chance to re-do some past incidents in your life. In "A Brief Indiscretion," Ellery has a second chance to recapture love with an ex-boyfriend, and at the moment to make everything right, Ellery makes a decision that even she never imagined. In "Pandora's Box Revisited," Ellery and her husband will both discover what matters most to them, but one knows more than the other about what came in the mail that will change their future. I was simply engrossed in these stories, and in Ellery's world. I enjoyed that the stories were set in France and how the French culture was incorporated in the tales. The author was able to create situations which appear ordinary, but were more richly complex than what meets the eye. While the stories may use few words to describe the situations, the words are smoothly elegant and polished.

What I most enjoyed about this book, is while Ellery is African-American, she really is "Everywoman," as Ms. Moncel has written about universal experiences women encounter across cultures and time. It was refreshing to read a story that will appeal to all women, and one that features an African-American as the main character.

I recommend this book to all woman readers; this book shows how artful storytelling can be. The themes of job loss, infidelity, and death while bittersweet will speak to your heart. Grab your favorite beverage and be delighted by these profound stories. I look forward to reading future works by Carolyn Moncel.

This book was provided by the publisher for review purposes.

Reviewed by Beverly
APOOO BookClub

Ether Books

2011-02-23T09:40:00.001-08:00

Ether Books publishes short/flash fiction especially for smart phones, precisely the idea I had in mind while writing these stories. Check out their site: www.etherbooks.co.uk, as there are so many other stories written by awesome writers presented there too! Also, I'm listed as a contributing writer just under Sir Paul McCartney! How cool is that? Check them out.

Can’t Fall in Love with a Person? Fall for a Book!

2011-02-11T12:54:00.001-08:00

In celebration of Valentine’s Day, American author, Carolyn Moncel together with Smashwords invites readers to fall in love with her book, ’Encounters in Paris,’ by offering free digital downloads from February 11 to February 15, 2011.

“We’ve all fallen in and out of love, and some of us may be alone this Valentine’s Day,” says Moncel, a Chicago native, who has lived with her family between Paris and Lausanne, Switzerland for the last eight years. “It doesn’t have to be a tragedy. Instead, why not love yourself this weekend by curling up with a good book and a nice cup of hot chocolate?”

’Encounters in Paris’ centers on Ellery Martin-Roulet, a 35-year-old American public relations executive living and working in Paris has the perfect life. She is married to a handsome Frenchman, has adorable twin daughters and a successful bilingual PR firm located in one of Paris’ trendiest arrondissements. Unfortunately, Ellery soon realizes that life isn’t always perfect. When betrayal, loss, and regrets enter Ellery’s world at five different periods of time over a ten-year span, she quickly learns that it is how she chooses to deal with life’s trickiest situations that shapes her soul.

At the Smashwords site (http://bit.ly/ePNpa2), readers simply select their favorite digital format and type in the coupon code, SE56P, to generate the free download. The ebook, which normally sells for $9.99, is available in virtually every format including PDF, .mobi for Amazon’s Kindle, Epub, and LRF for Sony Readers.

According to Moncel, there is only one tiny request: All readers are encouraged to post an honest review at their favorite online bookseller site like Amazon.com, GoodReads.com and of course, Smashwords.com.

“It’s my way of saying thank you to all the wonderful fans I have met over the last few months,” added Moncel. “If you love the book, then shout it from the rooftops by posting a message! If you hate it, post a message anyway so I can write better books in the future!”

About Carolyn Moncel

A virtual media and web consultant by day and author by night, Carolyn Davenport-Moncel moved to Paris from Chicago, her hometown, in 2001. Known for her online articles on media relations, Moncel owns MotionTemps, LLC (www.motiontemps.com), a Digital Project and Web Content Management firm, and its subsidiary, Mondavé Communications (www.mondaveinc.com), a media relations and publishing company. She currently resides in Lausanne, Switzerland with her husband and two daughters. ’Encounters in Paris’ is her first work of fiction. Her next collection of short stories, 5 Reasons to Leave a Lover will debut in fall 2011. Discover her other works at www.carolynmoncel.com. Follow her on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Encounters-in-Paris-A-Collection-of-Short-Stories/171683209508859; LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/motiontemps; and on Twitter: http://twitter.com/carolynmoncel.

About ’Encounters in Paris’

Published in November 2010 by Mondavé Media via CreateSpace, ’Encounters in Paris’ – A Collection of Short Stories is now available in paperback and also in digital format for Kindle at all major online bookstores including, Amazon.com (http://bit.ly/cB9bfR). The retail price for paperback is $17.99. The Kindle edition is $9.99. Single story downloads start at $2.99. The ISBN number is: 978-1-4538-9821-5. Ms. Moncel is available for appearances, book club discussions and interviews.

About Smashwords.com

Smashwords is an ebook publishing and distribution platform for ebook authors, publishers and readers. Smashwords offers multi-format, DRM-free ebooks, ready for immediate sampling and purchase, and readable on any e-reading device. Visit their site at www.smashwords.com.

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Upcoming Events for Encounters in Paris

2011-02-08T08:35:00.001-08:00

I will be on Black Author Network Radio with Ella Curry on Feb. 9, 2011 at 8 PM EST. Check it out here! http://www.blogtalkradio.com/black-author-network

I had the pleasure of doing an interview on Dave and Lillian Brummet's Conscious Blog! Check out the interview today: http://www.consciousdiscussions.blogspot.com/
Go back in the future 'cause it's great reading and highly recommended!

It was a lot of fun chatting with Tyora Moody from soulful site, Written Voices Blog. Thanks for checking out the interview where we talked about Encounters but also spirtual topics. http://writtenvoicesblog.com/2011/02/interview-carolyn-moncel/

New Review for ReaderViews.com!

2011-01-26T08:24:00.001-08:00

Encounters in Paris - A Collection of Short Stories A new review in from ReaderViews.com: "...The end of this short book holds a question and answer session with the author which I thoroughly enjoyed. I was given the chance to understand the author, get to know Ellery better and discover the inspiration that surrounds the writing of this book. It was a unique feature... that fully fits the book..." Follow the link to read the entire review!

Reader Views - Encounters in Paris

www.readerviews.com

Carolyn Moncel on Writer`s Voices Jan. 21, 2011 at 1:30 PM Central

2011-01-18T13:16:00.001-08:00

Time: January 21, 2011 from 1:30pm to 2pm Central
Location: KRUU FM
Website or Map: http://www.kruufm.com/writers-voices

Please tune in on Monday, January 21 at 1:30PM Central when Carolyn Moncel, author of "Encounters in Paris, talks to Writer`s Voices hosts Caroline and Monica about her collection of short stories. Check out Carolyn's website at www.carolynmoncel.com.

Upcoming Radio Interviews with Carolyn Moncel

2011-01-08T18:02:00.001-08:00

Upcoming Radio Interviews with Carolyn Moncel

Time: January 17, 2011 from 1pm to 1:30pm EST
Location: Works Cited with Loretta Walker on BlogTalkRadio.com
Website or Map: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/works-cited/2011/01/17/carolyn-moncel-interview
Phone: 917-932-8610
Event Type: live, radio, interview
Organized By: Carolyn Moncel

Please tune in on Monday, January 17 at 1PM EST when Carolyn Moncel, author of "Encounters in Paris, talks to Works Cited host Loretta Walker about her collection of short stories. Check out Carolyn's website at www.carolynmoncel.com.

Time: January 26, 2011 from 7pm to 7:30pm
Location: Artists First Radio Network Online
Website or Map: http://www.artistfirst.com/
Phone: 330-823-2264
Event Type: live, radio, interview

Please join Carolyn Moncel, author of "Encounters in Paris," on Wednesday, January 26 at 7 PM eastern standard time for a DELIGHTFUL show about her new book of short stories. Now, everyone knows that Paris is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. You're sure to fall in love there but Paris can also break your heart. Tune in to find out why when I talk about the inspiration behind the book and much more. Check out my website at www.carolynmoncel.com, and don't forget to tune in at 7pm, January 26th, right here on The ArtistFirst Radio Network.

Encounters in Paris first Review!

2011-01-07T14:32:00.001-08:00

PRAISE FOR

Encounters of Paris – A Collection of Short Stories

"Paris seems like the most romantic thing in the world, until you live there. "Encounters in Paris" is a collection of short stories from Carolyn Moncel and her protagonist Ellery Roulet, a nearing middle age woman working in Paris and finding out while there is love, there is also everything you hate about love. A fun read that blends plenty of romance, "Encounters in Paris" is quite the pick, recommended."

—The Midwest Book Review

Swiss Independence Day – American Style

2009-08-10T01:47:00.001-07:00

My latest article on celebrating Swiss Independence Day

http://tinyurl.com/n658qp

Enfin! A Beauty Refuge for Women of Colour

2009-06-09T01:37:00.001-07:00

Expatica.com published my article on both the French and Swiss editions today.

"Where can I find a hair salon?" is the #1 question women of color, especially, ask me about visiting, working, and living in Paris and now Geneva.

When in Paris or Geneva, check them out.

Here are more options from my pal, Priscilla Lalisse of Prissy Magazine in Paris.

Switzerland: Europe’s Best-kept Secret!

2009-05-19T05:27:00.001-07:00

Expatica.ch, a really great English-speaking resource publication, interviewed me this week about living and working in Switzerland. It was a fun interview!

You can read it here: http://tinyurl.com/q43uho

People often ask me about the differences between working and networking in the United States and Europe. The differences are vast at times so soon I'll be blogging and tweeting regularly on these topics so stayed tuned!

In Praise of Pop Tarts – America’s New Ambassador …

2009-05-17T12:52:00.001-07:00

Switzerland may be the most neutral of countries, but at times it can still be hard for foreigners to fit in completely. Take my daughters for example. They try really hard to balance being both American and French. Now that we are in Switzerland, it gets even more difficult. So on Friday, my oldest daughter came home from school and said in a huff, "Mommy, I get so tired of hearing kids say bad things about America." She didn't go into specifics so I didn't ask her right away. Once she calmed down, I asked her finally what she does when she hears negative things about home country. She said, "Well, usually, I argue with the kids but today I thought I'd do something different...I brought them a little taste of America – Pop Tarts!" Apparently, the girls on the playground loved the brown sugar cinnamon ones (our household favorites). Now, the entire class seems to be in love with them and planning to rush down to the American store to get their own boxes! It's nice to know that a package of boxed pastries has so much diplomatic power!

And now…German!

2009-05-08T22:23:00.001-07:00

"Das ist falsche nummer. Ich bin nicht sandy."

"Danke" was my reply.

Proof that we are totally living in a global world and apparently I need to learn German now as well.

This all started yesterday, when my youngest daughter stayed home from school. It's finally getting warm here in Switzerland. While all of my daughter's symptoms seem to be those of a normal seasonal cold, no one wants to take chances these days with a growing epidemic of swine flu.

I should have called her teacher to say she wouldn't be in class, and her teachers would have certainly welcomed it. However, I know I wouldn't want someone calling me up at 6 am. So I texted one of her teachers and apparently I got the wrong number! Thankfully, I texted the other teacher as well so everything turned out fine.

"Das ist falsche nummer…" I'll have to remember how to say this. I get a lot of wrong numbers on my cell phone in both French and German. Up until this point, I've been able to reply with confidence in French and well, the other callers can at least understand me in English. One day, maybe, I can catch up to me kids with all of these languages. Then again, exactly whom am I kidding?

You're a Good Man Zidane

2006-07-14T01:44:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I've survived two weeks of World Cup Hell! It wasn't easy but I really did manage to achieve the unthinkable - almost ignore the games. My neighborhood has never been as quiet as when the games were airing on TF1. When France scored, I've never heard the place more animated. Honestly, when was the last time you've ever heard the sound of 70,000 people cheering in unison literally OUTSIDE your window and they were NOT at a sports stadium?

But last Sunday, I did break down and watch the World Cup Final - not because I really wanted to, but because there was nothing else on television and my arm was being twisted by three children (ages 3, 9 and 37)! There they all sat in soccer jerseys chanting endlessly, "Allez Les Bleures (Go Blues)!"

I didn't really care about the outcome of the match because it was exactly as I'd predicted. However like the rest of the the world, I was very interested in the scandal surrounding French player Zinédine Zidane and what would make him snap on the field. I remember looking over at my husband on the sofa and saying, "That Italian guy just said something about Zidane's mother!" My husband ignored me, in the way only the French can, and kept watching the game. Guess I knew something that the rest of the soccer world didn't - that the only two things that will make the average person snap are derogartory comments about one's mother or racial slurs.

Over the last week so much coverage has been devoted to this story - prompting Zidane to appear on two television programs in order to tell his side of the story and apologize to young fans everywhere for his "poor sportmanship" behavior. It turned out that my assessment of the incident was correct, but I didn't think Zidane owed anyone an apology.

I respect what Zidane did because there's something to be said about men honoring the women in their lives. When they do, integrity and a sense of honor become a part of everything that they do - both in their person and private lives.

Many years ago when I was a little girl, my paternal grandmother said something that makes my point. She said if you want to measure the true character of a man, look closely at how he treats his mother and sister. If he doesn't honor them, he doesn't honor himself and he'll never honor his wife or daughters. Glad I listened because I saw that honor in my father, and I now see if in both my brothers as well as my husband. But I also see that honor in Zidane.

In a world where it sometimes appears that women are the least valued beings on the planet, and yet soccer is the most popular sport on the planet, Zidane's actions not only served as a possible example for youth here in France but all around the world. Even if the soccer world doesn't appreciate that sense of honor, I'm sure the people who matter most, the women in his life, certainly do. I appreciate it, too. You're a good man, Zizou.

Celebrating International Virtual Assistants Day!

2006-05-19T01:18:00.000-07:00

Today is International Virtual Assistants Day! Proposed by the online advocacy group, Alliance for Virtual Businesses (A4VB), IVAD is now officially registered with Chases Calendar of Events, the recognized authority of special days, weeks and months. IVAD will appear in the 2007 edition and will be held annually on the third Friday of May. The inaugural celebration of International Virtual Assistants Day coincides with a three-day assembly sponsored by the Online International Virtual Assistants Convention (OIVAC) running from May 18 – 20, 2006. Virtual Assistants worldwide will display the free IVAD logo and creed on their websites.

I'm so excited to be taking part in this celebration for two reasons. It's time that this industry receives the recognition it deserves. There are are more that 5,000 of us working worldwide. But also it's my daughter Chloe's nineth birthay. Afterall if it wasn't for the fact that I wanted to spend more time with her almost five years ago, I never would have discovered this great industry. So five years later and two kids later, becoming a VA is even more meaningful. Plus, my daughters are already interested in business. They don't have to follow in my footsteps, but I'm glad they already understand that going solo as a business owner, no matter what industry, isn't all that scary.

So after I speak about Online Newsroom first thing in the morning, I'm off to spend what promises to be a beautiful spring day with my beautiful daughters!

I Can Play William Shatner!

2006-05-18T12:59:00.000-07:00

So at 1 a.m. this morning I was talking to one of my friends and vendors, Jennifer Speaker of CompuCoach back in Chicago. I was about to get into bed after a long day at the office (Boy, it felt good to accomplish every task on my to-do list!) when I heard the Skype chat feature beeping on my phone. It was Jen and I was helping her test her Skype headset for a Virtual Assistants conference we're both speaking at this weekend.

As I was talking about how much I loved my dual Skype phone and how much money it has saved me she says, "You know you're a celebrity back home! Everyone always knows you!" "No they don't, " I laughed. "Seriously, and if you don't believe me, take a look at this email I'm about to send you."

The subject line said, "THIS is why you're famous." She revealed in the body of the mail that she found the following content on one of the pages on the Skype's website.

"So, if you have a Chicago-based SkypeIn number, but you’re living somewhere in the suburbs of Paris, your Chicago area friends - or anyone! - can just dial your SkypeIn number, and your Skype on the other side of the world starts ringing... and your friends are only paying whatever their phone company charges them for making a phone call to Chicago."

I laughed so hard when I saw that. While it could be me, there are billions of people on this planet. My reply to her via email was, "Then I sure hope Skype hires me to be their spokesperson like William Shatner was for Priceline.com!" Heck, I'll lie across a piano like a lounge singer, do jumping jacks - whatever they want. Skype, if you're reading this, I can totally be your Bill Shatner - it would be a real treat!

Discovering Niki Saint Phalle

2006-05-13T02:47:00.000-07:00

It's nice to know grown-ups can still learn something from their children. I had a nice surprise this morning when I picked up my daughter Chloe from Saturday class. (Remember, kids in France have school some Saturday mornings, which still remains a mystery to me!)

When we went downstairs to the gym to view the student art exhibits, I discovered an artist totally unknowned to me. Her name was Niki Saint Phalle, and it was a real treat learning about her life and her work.

All these weeks when Chloe had been working in plaster and drawing strangely colorful animals and women, and I had no idea why - other than the fact that it was for art class.

Chloe took to the work really easily (she likes collages, clay, mosaics and pottery). She also appreciated hearing from her teacher that Saint Phalle not only shared her background (American mom and French dad), but also grew up in Neuilly-sur-Seine, which is in walking distance from our home. Tomorrow we're off to visit some of Saint Phalle's work near the Pompidou museum. It should be fun.

Because we like Castles

2006-05-08T12:21:00.000-07:00

Yes, I can complain about living in France, but I do love the spring time because then I can get out of the house. Because today was a holiday - these days I lose track - my husband and I hopped in the car with the kids in search of a castle. My daughter Chloe adores everything about them and is often disappointed when there aren't any moats. But Chantilly didn't disappoint and she loved it. Leave it to Jillian to become fasinated with the ducks and fish in the pond found by the entrance. Although I have to admit, they have some of the largest fish I've ever seen. They looked like catfish and they were wrestling with the ducks for bread! We went through every room and took a few tours. It was great fun and we didn't even have to travel that far. Let's see, we've already been to Versailles as well so we'll have to check out book to see how many more we can check off before September comes!

Sleep Around the Clock

2006-04-27T12:18:00.000-07:00

Belle and Sebastian have it right. After days of Internet connections mishaps, I am so tired. I've just written a total of 30 press releases today! Ten were for client Susie Hollands and her upcoming IVY paris Art Collective. The other 20 were for the speakers who will be presenting at this year's Online International Virtual Assistants Convention. When Sharon Williams from OIVAC called today, I jokingly said, "please no mas!" But I'll just sleep around the clock and all wil be okay again.

Bad Customer Service

2006-04-20T12:12:00.000-07:00

As an American I complain A LOT about living in France. It's usually the little things that bug me, like really bad customer service and the fact that the French seem only seem to know three phrases, "No," "Impossible," and "It's not my fault."

My negativity stems from today's events. I just returned to France after a two-week vacation back home in Chicago. As I'm packing our things, I log on to the computer (a habit I can't seem to break) only to find that I have no Internet connection. I reset my WIFI connection - still nothing. I call the ISP to find out what's going on. They just tell me to repeat all the steps I've already done. I can feel heat rising in my hair! Then begins round after round of representatives telling me what they couldn't do. Finally, after a 10 days of screaming at them (all that time I had use a AOL dial up connection) I finally get them to come out. They replace the router - exactly the problem I told them it was. Then before leaving, "Madam, you'll need to wait another 12 hours for the router to reset itself!" Normally, I would have spontaneously combusted by now, but since my trip, I've decided to turn over a new leaf. I simply resigned myself to the fact that there's anything I can do about it but hurry my trip home. I hope to move back to the States in 2007!

An Open Letter to French Student Demonstrators

2006-03-28T03:10:00.000-08:00

Memo to French on Job Security: N'est Existe Pas

My Letters to the editors for Time Magazine, Chicago Tribune and International Herald Tribune. Some said it was bold to write from Paris. To me, it was just an honest personal opinion. Trust me, a lot of French businesss people agree with my overall sentiments. They just don't express it in public.

Dear Editor,

I am responding the piece this week’s Time International edition entitled, “Advance and Retreat” by James Graff. My only words of advice to the young students demonstrating and rioting throughout Paris are, “Get over it. Job security no longer exists.”

As an American woman in her late 30s currently living and running a business in France, I can say this with utter confidence because I come from that first generation of new workers in America, who graduated from college during the early 90s when our country was in a serious economic recession. There were no jobs for anyone let alone recent graduates. Imagine our frustration when so many of us had worked our way through college, paying expensive tuition, only to discover that temporary positions or low-paying jobs at coffee shops and copy stores were the only jobs awaiting us. Many of my friends returned to school to attain masters’ degrees. I myself spent the first two years out of college working unpaid internships. Actually to me, that’s exactly what the CPE would be for young people in France except better – at least they would be “paid” internships.

Despite the Prime Minister Dominque de Villepin’s motives, what he is initiating will actually help not hurt France. The world markets are changing rapidly. France needs employment flexibility. Without it France, Italy and Spain – all countries within the European Union with some of the highest unemployment rates among youth – would not be able to compete in the global marketplace. The youth are trying to hold on to the past, and they want their cake and eat it too. However, if France doesn’t move with the times by reforming antiquated employment and work policies, they will end up “taking part in that race to the bottom.”

At end of the day my generation learned that we’re the only ones who can secure our future. That would be a good lesson for French students to start learning today.

Sox Win!

2005-10-27T03:38:00.000-07:00

Sox are baseball's new World Champs! The photo says it all! The only downside is that I wasn't able to see the game. ;-(

My First Runway Show

2005-10-05T05:30:00.000-07:00

Susie Hollands, my favorite Scottish client and good girlfriend, gave me the best b-day present yet! My birthday is actually on Sunday.

She took me to the Stella Cadente runway show, one of my favorite designers. A Ukranian designer known for her bright and airy look, I just love her clothes because they are really feminine and sexy without being frilly - something I'm not. She also put out a great scent called "Miss Me" earlier in the spring, and I just love it!

Since I was a little kid, I've always been mesmorized by clothes and whenever I could catch bits of an actual runway show from Paris, Milan or New York on the tube via CNN or some other outlet, I was there. Since moving to France, I've been watching the shows on the Paris Premiere network, which shows recaps in primetime. CNN's fashion correspondent, Elsa Klench was my guide to the world of fashion. In fact along with my mother, she's responsible for my obsession with shoes. After all, it was Elsa who turned me on to Manolo Blahnik shoes and Bottega Veneta handbags, not Sex and City's Carrie Brawshaw!

Susie and I agree to meet at the metro just across from the Louvre, where apparently most runway shows take place. The atmostphere was crazy, with people dressed all in black - myself included, running around - journalists, designers, models, PR people alike. It was great because in Sarah Turnbull's book, Almost French, she talks about how wild runway shows can be, and the worst thing that can happen is gettting stuck with standing-room only passes. None of that foolishness for us. The security guards and show's staff couldn't have been more nice and gracious.

It probably took Susie and I at least 45 minutes to hook up with each other through the crowd. Finally, as we're trying to locate each other via text messages, I find her standing under the inverted, glass pyramid holding the phone up to her ear. Yep, it's the Louvre alright.

When we get inside through the metal detectors, we realize that the PR folks have only sent us one ticket instead of two. I didn't want Susie to miss the show, but she insisted I take the ticket because she was going to use her press pass. I waited outside the queue with everyone else. Finally, I hear a young woman say "Are there are members of the British press here?" I quickly throw up my hand in the air. In my perfect mimic of Ms. Hollands' accent I say, "Susie Hollands of the Sunday Times!" She takes my hand and leads me to the front of the line. I'm in at this point and on my way to a wonderful seat.

Still nervous because Susie hadn't surfaced yet. I finally receive another texto from Susie, "I'm seated - in the first row!!!" "Alright, I'm seated in the third row!," I reply. It turns out that Susie was seated next to the "real" Sunday Times" reporter and they got on famously! I'm chatting it up with a nice student from Boston. She's studying fashion PR at the American University Paris (AUP). Then I switched off my cell phone in order to enjoy the show. We rocked out to the Clash, Queens of the Stone Age and Iggy Pop. The models were on stage with dancers from the Moulin Rouge and they were having a great time. Then the show ended.

I've always been shocked by how quickly a runway show ends because there's so much planning and preparation put into it. But we had a great time anyway. We topped off the day with some wonderful lunch - which gave us a chance to talk about Bonapart and IVY's websites and plans for publicity. Let's just say that she left me at the Madeleine metro stop skipping back home via St. Lazare. Hope we can do it again next year!

How About An Audrey?

2005-09-29T01:09:00.000-07:00

My husband sent me an interesting email from work this morning. The subjuct line read "How about another Audrey?" There was a link to a news story in the body of the email. I clicked on the article and read that the French government was trying to encourage more families to have at least three children. The thought being that the birth rate in France remains one the lowest in Europe, and to maintain a respectable population growth, they would like parents to have as many children as possible. As an incentive they were offering families up to 900 euros per month plus other subsidies in child care and housing, etc.

To put it bluntly - I love my two daughters but I do not wish to have any more children. I know my mother could have thought the same way, since I am kid number 3. However, we live in a different time now and raising one child is exceedingly expensive, let alone three. It's the reason why both of my brothers and their wives each have only one daughter.

The inventor of this idea clearly is not a woman, definitely doesn't have any children, and certainly is not an entreprenuer. Otherwise he would know that 900 euros or roughly $1,000 USD would not cover the extra expenses of having a third child.

He would also know that the average entreprenuer doesn't have time in their day to run behind another child nor do they wish to shell out all that money to a babysitter. Last, he surely knows that encouraging women to have more children keeps them at home and out of the workplace, where quite frankly it seems, most French men would prefer their women to be.

With childcare, food (I forgot that they expect you to breast feed), and clothing (also forgot that they expect you to stay at home and not work) and just sheer loss of time, means this not a workable solution for most families. Now Philippe has a best friend, and they already have three children. Talking to his wife recently, she told me that she'd love to have at least two more! God bless her.

My reply to my husband's email? "I don't think so!" in the subject line and no explanation in the body. He replies next with "It was only a joke." My final reply, "It better be." I think we'll sit this one out and let other French people worry about growing their own population.

If You Build It...

2005-09-22T10:03:00.000-07:00

And they do come, here in Paris, to a tiny non-descript, South African bar called La Pomme d'Eve. This is where you'll find me and Philippe more than a few nights during the summer and fall because I LOVE baseball. Specifically, I really love the Chicago White Sox - not the Cubs, because I grew up on the Southside of the city. In fact, it's practically a sin to be a Cubs fan south of 35th Street.

I love Ozzie Guillen, the current Sox manager. You might say that he "re-ignited" my love for the game. I saw him the first time at age 15 when he was the Sox's new hot-shot shortstop. It was love at first sight. From that point on, I wanted to go to every Sox game, and my big brothers Tony and Kirk, a shortstop and third baseman respectively, had no qualms about taking me. It was also during that time that I learned everything about the game: what's a sac fly, when do you bunt, how do you steal bases, and if you're stealing home plate why it's great to knock over the catcher!

Philippe goes with me to La Pomme d'Eve for moral support because on the nights that I go, the games usually start around 10 pm. I leave the kids at home with the babysitter. Usually, I am also the only woman in the room, surrounded by players from the Paris Baseball League - all whom appear to be Australian. Stranger still, the game is on behind the bar on a tiny television set while the big screen television is showing MTV! And, it's "polite watching," meaning that there is no yelling at the television and no real discussion about why an error occured, or why no one tagged up on the fly ball, etc. I'm also the only person speaking (or yelling) at the television set in English.

Philippe just doesn't get my fascination with America's favorite past time. It must be a French thing. He says, "It just doesn't have as much excitement as football/soccer." I'm heartened at least to learn that Chloe (my oldest) has already developed an interest in the game.

I'd taken Philippe to the ballpark on many occasions back in Chicago, but he didn't enjoy the games all that much. I think he mentioned something about being a jinx because the Sox would lose every game he attended. Worst news of all, his powers are still strong because the last time I went to see my precious Sox at the La Pomme d'Eve, they lost. Get it together guys, you've got fans 4,000 miles away! We need to see you win the pennant!

All I Want Is Some Tennis!

2005-09-11T00:00:00.000-07:00

The U.S. Open is on now. I'm watching last night's match. It's okay because I expect the time difference. It used to happen all the time in reverse in the U.S. whenever I tried to watch the Australian Open in January. However, the sheer lack of coverage is what's making me cranky today. Honestly, I've been trying to watch tennis here for 3 years and I swear that the only time you get coverage (cable included) is when a French player is on the court. That really sucks because like baseball, tennis is a like a religion for me. Years ago when I worked in municipal government, I would take one of my vacations in September just so I could watch early-round coverage of the Open during the day on cable.

I discovered tennis at a really early age. Nobody else I knew cared for the sport or even played it for that matter, but I didn't care. I was seven years old, and it was a year after Arthur Ashe won the U.S. Open. That's when I discovered my hero, Bjorn Borg. I was too young to like him for all the reasons the bigger girls did, I just thought he looked cool on the court. He was a man of very few words and let his racket do all the talking for him. I was simply mesmerized and I watched him win a total of five Wimbledon titles. Every July, I would be right there in front of the television set with a bowl of cereal and strawberries. Since that time, I've seen a lot of great players come and go - my favorites being Borg, Wilander, Edberg, (there's a pattern of Swedes here), Becker and Sampras. I've missed very few major matches until moving to France, and even when I do catch a tournament, I turn down the sound of the television because the play-by-play simultaneously in French and English is annoying. At least I take the time to actually play more than I did in Chicago - even though I had a court across the street from my house.

Chloe has developed an interest in tennis. I hope Jillian and Chloe learn to play because Philippe is a big tennis fan too. Back in Chicago he and I used to go and watch many of the players listed in senior tournaments. That sounds so funny.

Philippe recently asked me how would feel if Chloe became a really good player and turned pro? I thought about it and said it would be great. "Uh huh," he said. "Could you see yourself as one of those backstage sports parents? They would bar you from the tennis stadiums."

Yes and no - it depends on what's happening, as I think about it. I could become one of those parents because like many of them, I learned the game from an arm chair. But I think I'd be cool and rational, just like Borg for the most part. However, one really, truly unfair call against my kid and Philippe might have a point. The fathers of Elena Dokic, Mary Pierce, Jennifer Capriati, and Serena and Venus Williams would look like choir boys by comparison.

Saturday School

2005-09-09T23:38:00.000-07:00

Today is the first week of Saturday school, and it was my turn to take Chloe. I'm adding this phenomenon to my French list, too. I'll never understand why there's no school on Wednesday but school on Saturday. Surely, they have to know how much this screws up parents' schedules.

Philippe is off to the register the girls in some sort of Wednesday activity. I love my daughters, really I do, but if I have to spend my entire day breaking up fights, trying to decipher who hit whom first and why, I'll lose my mind. Enrolling them in an activity (one or two hours) helps me to keep my sanity.

Jillian will be taking an English class. Although she and Chloe are both currently enrolled in what I call "Mommy school," Jillian still doesn't speak English as well as I'd like. Although she speaks English when she wants to, she understands English much better than she speaks. It's understandable, I guess, since she did arrive in France at two weeks old. Some would argue that French is her mother tongue but I beg to differ. That's an argument for another day.

After almost three hours of waiting, Philippe managed to get Chloe registered in a beginners gymnastics class, her first choice. I couldn't phantom the wait but then Philippe reminded me about the long wait at a particular public park across the street from our old house, Welles Park. From our living room window, it was virtually a tradition to watch people line up the night before registration, in sub-zero January weather, to register their kids for summer camp programs. We literally lived across the street but could never get Chloe registered.

Personally, I don't care if Chloe's good or bad at gymnastics. For once, I just want her to go to class more than four times before giving up. Last year it was chess and the year before, karate. Although I'll forgive her for karate. Honestly, she quit after spending 14 hours at a karate tournament in which all she got was a tiny medal as a parting gift. Somewhere around hour five, I said to Philippe, "Who is the organizer of this thing and where can I find him so I can smack 'em! Seriously, I think I can take 'em down!" I was lucky because I had Jillian, and at one point we ran out of diapers. I had to go home, but Philippe and Chloe soldiered on.

Even if gymnastics doesn't work, there's always the tennis or fencing, the backups. No laughing about the fencing because it could land her a full ride to an IVY league school - seriously. What mother wouldn't want her kid to hang out at Harvard or Yale? ;-)

Hurricane Katrina

2005-09-02T01:21:00.000-07:00

I'm sitting here this morning watching the news come in about Hurricane Katrina. At night I catch the news late night with Brian Williams on NBC so I can get a more local perspective.

I am so overwhelmed with emotion, I am just speechless. I feel so helpless watching mothers with children and babies, the elderly and poor having nowhere to go. I wish I was back home. I know that I could only do so much if I were there, but the need to do something is so real. I've donated money already, and I am constantly looking for other things to do, but I just don't feel like it's enough.

My heart and prayers go out to everyone suffering in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. To my knowledge, all my relatives in these areas are safe. However, I am forever conscious of the fact that ALL of those people - no matter their race, religion, age - are my family, too. I'll continue to find more ways to help, but in the meantime, join me in donating at www.redcross.org.

Also, if you want to donate in some other way, MSN provides this list: http://www.microsoft.com/mscorp/citizenship/giving/agencies.asp.

Screaming at the Maternelle

2005-08-30T07:54:00.000-07:00

This will be the third year that I've taken Chloe to school here in France. She's a real trouper because once again she's changing schools. There was nothing wrong with the last one, except, I just wanted her to attend a Catholic school like I did. It's another opportunity to pick up some religious instruction. Chloe's excited. She's a shy little girl so it takes some time for her to make new friends. She's feeling great knowing that even if her old friends can't go to the new school with her, most of her friends (all boys) live in the apartment building across the street. I have got to get this girl some little girlfriends!

This morning when I dropped off Chloe, she gave me a little smile and said, "Don't worry about me, mom, I'll be fine!" So off to her new classroom she went. Another point of adjustment, parents don't meet the new teacher on the first day of school. Further, parents don't even accompany their kids to the new classroom either. Although I experienced this back in Chicago when Chloe attend the Lycee Française, an all-French school, I still find it strange.

Jillian, on the other hand was another story entirely. She started maternelle or pre-school this morning. While I was allowed to accompany Jilly to her classroom, the morning was a disaster. I learned when Chloe was that age, you have to prepare your kids for school. I did this all summer by taking her to school and letting her get excited by the prospect of doing new things like a "big girl." I would have thought that there would have been a least one day of adjustment so that the kids could get used to the classroom (something we did back in Chicago), but uh huh - the French will have no such behavior. As a result, we had a room full of crying three year olds. Heck, even when Jilly started at the garderie (daycare) they made me go through a two-week adjustment period. Each day, I would leave for 15 minute intervals and by day three I told them, "Enough already - are you going to take her or not?"

It actually made me really mad because as I was leaving, I could hear Jilly crying, "Mommy, daddy, don't leave meeeeeeee! I usually have the strength of iron during times like these, but I have to admit, it really got to me. Then I got mad all over again at Philippe for moving here. In the States you can offer up suggestions without making the teachers feel like you're ursuping their power. Here, whenever I offer my advice concerning my children, it makes me look like the wicked witch of the west and frankly, I hate being put in that position. Trust me, I'm there often.

I called my mother about the day's events and her response was, "Well, it looks like you're getting your payback!" Then I remembered. When I started kindergarten, I cried every day for about three months. Every morning my mother walked me to the classroom and while she shoved me through the door, the teacher would be pulling me through at the same time. Eventually, I settled down. I have discovered that if I get Jilly to school before the crying kids come, she doesn't cry. So all I can say about the crying is, "Like mother like daughter." And, the promise of a great birthday present never hurts either.

End of the Summer

2005-08-25T13:31:00.000-07:00

Well, the end of the summer is definitely upon us. I can feel it in the cooler temperatures and see it the weakened sunshine. The kids are back from their vacation in Lyon. I'm glad to see them after five weeks. I was starting to think my in-laws were taking over guardianship. However, it also means that I won't be getting very much work done this week while they are at home. They don't start school until next week.

My friend Liz Ryan of WorldWIT said in a recent article that she loves when her kids are out of school for the summer. For her it makes things easier because her schedule is less regimented. I admire her so much because I simply don't know how she does it. She runs a busy organization and has five kids!

However for me, the opposite is true. Having a regimented schedule is the only way I'm able to keep everything together. My two kids have the energy of five kids. Add working on the business, housework and running behind a dog and cat, and my hands are full.

Personally, I can't wait for them to go back to school because then things get back to normal. And I feel guilty for admitting it too. It's okay though because we enjoy our weekends together. But during the week, I desperately need to have order so I can feel like something's getting accomplished.

Shopping for School Supplies

2005-08-18T12:56:00.000-07:00

When you were a kid, didn't just love shopping for school supplies? I know I did. I guess it was just fun to get new things. I loved picking out pens, paper and crayons. I think my favorite items were really cool notebook organizers. One year I had a really cool Charlie's Angels lunchbox.

This year the tradition continues. It's now time to buy school supplies for Chloe and Jillian. So this morning I'm off to Auchan at La Défense. The kids are still on vacation. I would love to have them join me for this rite of passage, but if I were to wait until they return at the end of the summer, there would be people everywhere. As I've mentioned in earlier posts, sometimes the French just take all the joy out of shopping.

This year is a real milestone because it's the first year that I will be doing the shopping alone. The first year we arrived, the school year had already begun so we found what we could for Chloe, and everything turned out okay. Last year, Philippe did the shopping, but I never like what he picks out because he can be so cheap. One day last week he wanted to go shopping with me. I was in the school supplies section picking out crayons for Jillian when I heard him say. "Fify cents for 10 Bic pens? Heck, I can just get Chloe some pens from work!" I turned around and looked at him and said, "My God man, you are really C-H-E-A-P thrifty!" So when Philippe offered to go shopping with me this morning, his day off, I told him no way! When asked how I would decipher the 40-odd items on the list, I told him I'd manage.

So I was off. It was helpful having the list. Chloe's switching to a new school this year, thankfully, and at last, administrators behave in ways in which I'm accustomed. They actually know what it means to give parents a list of supplies BEFORE school starts. However, I must admit, I've never seen so much stuff in my life. The specificity is unnerving. When I was a kid, it was simply buy pencils, notebook paper, pens (preferably black or blue) and a backpack. Here, they tell you the size of the notebooks, how many pages it should have and what color.

I found all of the items - except for the blotting paper for the fountain pen. Honestly, how many eight-year-olds have you seen writing with fountain pens? Not that many I suspect. I'll take that back. When I was 11, I had a nun who had a particular fondness for the writing instruments. Maybe they share the same thinking, that fountain pens force you to improve your penmanship. If that's the case, I guess I'm for it because I used to have beaufitul handwriting. Now, I type everything because my handwriting looks like a doctor's prescription.

Ninety minutes later I'm on my way home out of the store with four really large Auchan bags. Next stop is H&M Kids. There I picked up some really cute cargo pants, jeans and tops for both girls. One last stop to Orchestra for skirts. You see, neither of my girls likes wearing dresses or skirts but I buy them any way. Eight bags later and some really empty pockets, I'm walking home. I'm kinda despressed too because for the amount of money I spent, I could have made a killing at Target!

Philippe couldn't believe how much shopping I did in record time. The secret of course is going very early in the morning before the shoppers start arriving. No word yet on what Jillian really needs for preschool. No surprise there. So I just guessed based on the things purchased for Chloe at that age. I guess I'll find out in the next couple of weeks. Something tells me that this is going to be a very interesting year!

MotionTemps Introduces New Business Venture

2005-07-18T13:42:00.000-07:00

It's been a very busy summer. As if my schedule wasn't busy enough, I had nothing else better to do than start a new business venture. It's called MotionTechs.

MotionTechs is a service that is only available in Paris for obvious reasons. I'll be introducing it formally this October but this site provides affordable and flexible PC maintenance services in English for home-based business owners, independent consultants and families. It's fun because it's a job I really enjoy doing, and to be honest, it's how I've met so many of my MotionTemps clients in Paris.

I'm usually called to help with a computer problem. That visit usually leads to questions concerning programs like PowerPoint. Before I know it, I'm assisting a new client in some virtual capacity. It's also nice because doing house calls makes my week less predictable, and I actually get to leave the office for a few hours.

I don't know what will happen with this venture, but getting it started is always a blast!

Because Gucci Is Its Own Reward

2005-07-05T16:05:00.000-07:00

Today, I did something totally out of character for me: I made an impulsive purchase. I know that doesn't sound really earth shattering, but for people who know me really well, it's a big deal. In fact, there are only three things that are powerful enough to make me throw caution to the wind and buy something without thinking: shoes, CDs and purses. Today, the latter won out. I saw this Gucci handbag that I just had to add to my collection, but hey, it was on sale. I'm not talking about the French's idea of a sale, I mean a REAL sale and once I completed my purchase from the store in the U.S., I ended up paying about a third of what I would have paid for the same bag here in France. It didn't hurt that the euro is still riding high against the dollar - sorry Uncle Sam.

Okay, now I've explained what I've done but let me explain why. This month I will not only celebrate MotionTemps' fourth anniversary, but just this week, I also picked up a new Canadian client for a long-term PR project, and I'm really excited about the details. I thought it was time to give myself a nice pat on the back, and the Gucci was my reward.

Three years ago my friend and business coach, Carole Nicolaides, gave me some excellent advice that I try to incorporate into my business daily. Each year when I am listing my goals for the company, I put those goals into an excel spreadsheet. I assign points to those goals and every time I achieve one of those goals, I award myself with points. I give the points value. For example, 500 points equals a new outfit, or 1,000 points equals a day at a spa, etc. At the end of each month, I an supposed to tally up the points and reward myself, the idea being if I don't do this, who else will? It has been such a great exercise. I don't always have time to tally up my points each month, but I do perform this exercise twice a year when revisiting my business plan. I've been a busy girl this year, hence the new handbag.

Now, this doesn't mean that my long-term priorities are all off kilter. Every day, I'm still working toward saving money for retirement, college education funds, and ultimately that new house. However, every now and again, you have to be willing to put the delayed gratification on hold and enjoy the moment. I think I can enjoy this bag at least until December.

It's Still a Holiday for Me, Too!

2005-07-03T16:04:00.000-07:00

It's the 4th of July and MotionTemps is closed today. My clients in the States get this immediately, as they are also at home enjoying great barbecue, something I can only dream about until I return.

Contrastly, why do some of my French clients have such a hard time understanding this concept - even after I tell them that the office will be closed well in advance? Saying that I'll be closed for July 14th is a no brainer, however. You see, that's their independence day, Bastille Day. However, my need to celebrate my country's holidays and customs seem to put them at a loss. I'm always struck by their defiance.

Last year I remember telling a client that I was taking the day off due to holiday celebrations in the U.S., and she said, "But you're not in the U.S. anymore, you're in France!" I looked at her really annoyed and said, "Every day can be a holiday if I want it to be since that's the beauty of owning your own business. I choose when my office opens and closes." Truthfully, I celebrate both countries' national holidays when they make sense. I will be closed on July 14th, for example. As Bobby Brown says, "That's my perrogative," as long as I have my work prorities under control.

That comment really unnerved me because it made me feel like I'm a 24/7 robot, which I'm not. Also, it was almost like I'm supposed to leave my holidays, and culture for that matter, behind. This year, I'm just sending all calls to voice mail. I can guarantee that no business calls will be returned until July 5. That'll teach them a lesson.

Music Can Change the World

2005-07-02T09:29:00.000-07:00

... or at least my world again. A couple of months back both Philippe and I signed the One petition, lending our support to "making poverty history." And now Live 8 is taking place today. It's so great to see Sir Bob Geldolf and others out there reminding us that the world is much larger than our little neighborhoods.

Geldolf, Sting, Peter Gabriel and U2 first changed my life 20 years ago. Back then I was just a 16-year-old kid on the South side of Chicago who just loved all kinds of music - all kinds, from rock, metal and punk to soul, funk, house, jazz and classical. I remember getting up at 5:30 am to watch Live Aid on television, and there I sat on the floor of my mother's bedroom mesmerized for hours by the vast array of musicians hitting the stages in London and Philly. Live Aid changed not only the way I looked at other people living around the world, but it also made me more aware of those less fortunate than me living right in my own city. It fueled a need in me to act and I did. One of my first jobs was cleaning the parish church on Saturday mornings. I had been saving up my money for over a year for something, but I can't even remember why anymore. All I know is that I handed most of the saved money over to our priest and ask him to put it in the contribution box for Ethiopian relief. It was clear to me at that time that whatever I wanted paled in comparison to what those people needed.

Live Aid also made me want to see how people lived in other parts of the world. Now, I haven't made it to any part of Africa yet, but hey, back then I never thought I'd be living in France either.

I became more interested in politics and the current events. I started watching the news and reading the newspapers, making myself aware of the issues around me. I started volunteering at various organizations. By 1992, I was deeply involved in political campaigns (from the presidential elections all the way down to local elections) and haven't stopped nor do I ever plan to stop.

I'm getting the same feeling today as I watch the Live 8 streaming over AOL. Wow, who would have thought 20 years ago that this is where we would be! Sure times change and the lineup of musicians is different, but the sincerity, sense of urgency and motivation for action are all still there, and those are the things that matter most. My commitment to change hasn't change either. I have to keep going now so that my kids will understand that they also have a responsibility. It's working because they were rocking right along with Philippe and me. In between the music, I got a chance to throw in a simple history lesson for 8-year-old Chloe.

Kids are influenced by so many things. They are just as moved by seeing their heros committed to worthy causes as they are to watching we do as parents. So I want to thank these guys for putting on another great show. Just like I became more aware of the world around me, you can bet a bunch of kids are going to follow suit. Our future leaders are watching.

Summer Reading List

2005-06-30T04:10:00.000-07:00

Work is finally starting to wind down for the summer, and my family and I will be heading off for the much-needed vacation. I like this time of the year because the office is a lot less busy, and it gives me a chance to look at where the business is and where it's going over the next year. It also gives me a chance to read, which I love to do. If you have some downtime, check out these books that I highly recommend.

A Whole New Mind by Daniel H. Pink. I love Dan's web site and his first book, Free Agent Nation was such a catalyst in helping me to understand that it was time for me work solo. When I started my business, I had no idea that there was already a name for what I wanted to do: virtual assistance. I only knew a couple of things. First, that I wanted to work from home because I had gotten addicted working this way while on maternity leave from a dot.com. Second, I loved certain aspects of administrative work, but only the expressive and challenging parts like creating great PowerPoint presentations. I also loved PR, which is what I had been trained to do, but I not only wanted to do it in a way that helped the little guy, but I also wanted to do PR on my own terms, meaning that I only wanted to work on projects that I found interesting or fun. I knew that I was self-disciplined so I wanted to be free to work on radically different projects that required me to think in vastly different ways. I had no idea that what I was doing was what this book suggests, finding a symphony between two radically different things and making them work together in an innovative way. I have a long way to go but I think I'm on the right path. The book talks a lot about designing work that has meaning, and that's totally where I am these days, and trust me, I'm a whole lot happier.

I've been reading this book for the last couple of days and I can't put it down. Some of the concepts are heavy admittedly (right brain versus left brain), however, it's an easy read and some of the tips you can start applying to your own business or career right now. I know I can't wait to finish the book to see where I am and where I'm going. It's also helping me to look at how I can take these concepts and nuture my kids' talents and steer them in the right direction for the future.

A few more really interesting books that I am either currently reading or have read within the last few months:

The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell
I am reading this one right now. When Malcolm says the book is about change, he's right. It's all of the seemingly little things that make a big difference. I'm only in chapter two, but I love the story about the return of Hush Puppy shoes.

The Art of the Start by Guy Kawasaki - I read this one last Christmas. The idea of coming up with a company mantra has completely changed the way I look at my business.

Purple Cow - Seth Godin is a genius! I read this book last fall and whenever I have an opportunity, I'm always preaching to my clients to look for what truly makes their business unique, that purple cow! My goal has become making my company truly remarkable. This book can show you how! If you need a daily dose of support in that arena, check Seth's Change This blog, too! It's where I found the excerpts from The Art of the Start.

Two more for the road:

Anything by Tom Peters. He's the closest any of us will get to an all-encompassing mentor. Check out In Search of Excellence, Re-Imagine and/or the Pursuit of Wow.

Good to Great by Jim Collins. Client Carol Johnson recommended this one. I was so floored by what I learned that I've passed this book along to at least three other clients, and what they've done with their companies as a result, has been outstanding.

Our Third Daughter

2005-06-29T09:03:00.000-07:00

I'm doing some light house cleaning today in between work projects. Hanifa can't come today because she's doing an internship this summer and has to work late.

Hanifa is our "third daughter." We met her over two years ago in the lobby of our apartment building. I was wheeling the stroller in after picking up my oldest daughter, Chloe, from school. A nice teenager came up to me and said "Bonjour," and I spoke to her. She began talking to me but it was clear that I didn't understand a word she was saying. It must of been that ever-present puzzled look on my face. Then she said the magic words, "I speak English!" Hallelujah, I thought to myself. At last someone around here speaks English, and we became fast friends.

She started off just coming by to help Chloe with her homework because I wasn't much help. Philippe works pretty late each night so it was a blessing to have someone available to drop by after school.

Then Hanifa moved up to babysitting Jillian for short periods of time while I went grocery shopping or to the post office. I remember the first time she kept her. I went to pick up Chloe from school and I left a sleeping Jillian with Hanifa. Apparently Jill woke up in a panic because approximately one block away from the apartment, Chloe and I met Hanifa and a screaming Jillian. She was trying to find me in hopes that maybe I could quiet my little demon baby!

She also helps me with a little light cleaning (washing up the morning dishes or supervising Chloe and Jillian as they clean their rooms) but nothing remotely that would make her feel like Hazel, the maid. Although her dad insists that I should make her work hard, I never do. She's a kid and anything she does is a big help for me. Plus the pocket change probably comes in handy since most students here don't work because they carry such heavy class loads.

Hanifa is your normal teenager. She's a great kid and while she steps out of line occassionally, she does all the typical things teens do back in the US, like she drinks all of the orange juice and puts the empty carton back in the fridge. When she's out of line my husband or I just put her back where she belongs. Sure, she gets angry with us (like typical teens) but in a respectful and parental way and not for long. She'll stay away for a couple of days only to return as if nothing ever happened.

She was born in Algeria but came to France orginally as a small child. Her dad is a diplomat so she has lived almost everywhere and she already speaks Arabic, French, Spanish and English. She's even teaching Chloe and Jillian Arabic. I help her with her English homework and she help me with my French homework. She's at the university now, but still drops by after school every day as usual. I'll miss her when she goes on holiday this summer.

Philippe has nicknamed her "Kramer" after the Seinfeld character. Short from having a key to our home, she makes herself at home just as much as Kramer ever did at Jerry's place. For example now when she comes by to help Chloe with her homework, she grabs her regular snack and drink. Afterwords, you're likely to find her strawn about on our sofa watching MTV or some other cable program, or chatting it up with her boyfriend online, applying her makeup in the bathroom while her "little sisters watch" or even washing her hair and changing her clothes before a Friday-night date. A priceless moment comes when she (in her heavy English accent) is trying to tell Chloe the words to the latest Usher song! She spends so much time at our house that when her parents are looking for her, they come to our place first. When Chloe had a birthday party two weeks ago, Hanifa dropped by the local McDonalds to see if I needed help!

That's our third daughter, I guess and we're very protective of her, too! A couple of months ago, I was holding a client meeting at my home. Three very young and attractive guys came as I had commissioned them to work on a project for my client. As I talked to them about the project, I mentioned that I had to leave soon to pick up my other daughter. One of guys said to me, "I thought you only had two daughters." I said that I did. He said, "Isn't that pretty girl in the other room your daughter, too?" I replied with a smile, "No, not exactly however, she's like our daughter. Therefore, you would fair well to think of her as my daughter and treat her with respect." They got the picture. We returned to our meeting, but not without my first putting my "mother" hat back on and reminding my "third daughter" that those guys in the other room were young but way too old for her so stop flirting with them!" I guess I got a glimpse of what I'll be like when my "other two" daughters are old enough to date. Heaven help us!

The French Soldes

2005-06-27T08:52:00.000-07:00

At some point, I will have to two write at least two books about my experiences living here in France. If I had to choose titles, one would have to be called, "101 Things I'll Never Understand About the French!" Trust me, I have consulted a truckload of books on the subjects of French culture and thinking. You would think that my marriage to one of them would help me to understand the culture better. Ironically, my French husband is one of the most American-acting people you'll ever meet so he's no help!

Thing number 101 is what I want to talk about here because it's going on as I write. I'm talking about the "Soldes" or sales. I went shopping for a new blouse today because I'm doing a presentation for a new client next week. Boy, was I sorry I went at 2 pm instead of 10 am when the stores generally open. The crowds were insane, and in one store called Zara's, clothes were flying through the air. It looked like Filene's basement when they're holding those $99 wedding dresses! I love to shop but all of those people everywhere all the time literally turns the whole affair into a joyless experience.

Now, here's what I don't get and no one yet has been able to give me a straight answer. Why, are there only store sales roughly four times per year? It is one of the things that has been driving me insane! In the US, if a store decides to put their inventory on sale, they just do it. They don't need what appears to be the government's approval to do it. Usually their competitors follow suit because hey, that's capitalism! Sometimes I feel like I'm living the former Soviet Union.

Here it's like capitalism isn't encouraged at all. If I'm wrong about this, and there are some English-speaking French people reading my post, please feel free to comment and set me straight. It is my understanding that the government regulates pricing here. Therefore, if you're looking for that new iPod at Darty's it's the same price at FNAC or Virgin Megastore, with the tax added. Even if you buy it online at any of these stores, the price is still the same regardless. The only difference is will the store of your choice actually HAVE that beloved iPod in stock? Nine times out of the ten, my experience has been no! This of course, frustrates me further, makes my hair stand on end like the heat miser, and sends me off on a four-letter-word tirade that using ends with "I'm going home where I know how things work!" My husband hates to the see the annual sales coming.

Here's something else about the sales I don't understand. Why are they in August when most French people are not even in the country? Everyone is on vacation someplace else. I know this because I had the misfortune of spending my first August in Paris. I guess it's for the tourists, but I'm willing to bet they can get the same things cheaper in their own countries in many cases. Like last year, my friend Priscilla was so excited about a pair of Gucci shoes she picked up during the sale. When she told me how much she paid on sale, I nearly gasped aloud. I said that's no sale, girl, that's a rip off! The luxury tax here makes products so much more expensive. A word to wise, buy your Gucci back home because it's cheaper, and I don't mean from some rip-off street vendor either.

Chuck Berry sings "I'm so glad I'm living in the USA," and when it comes to shopping, it has become my anthem. That's because it's true when he says "Anything you want we got it right here in the US of A." When I get back home for vacation, I'm going shopping at Old Orchard, River Oaks, Orland Square, the Mag Mile or someplace. What's more, I just might kiss the ground in the process!

I want my Air Conditioning

2005-06-20T09:16:00.000-07:00

It's another hot day here in Paris. Today's temperature is 32 degrees celcius or roughly 90F with blazingly hot sunshine. I guess I can take comfort in knowing that it's almost as hot in Chicago right now, but with a whole lot more humidity.

I hate to be a baby about this, but I WANT MY AIR CONDITIONER. Dire Straits said it best with "I want my MTV," but you get the picture. I know someone out there is rolling their eyes to the high heavens. It's true because if you've had one your entire life, it's pretty darn hard to get adjusted to living here without one. France isn't an exception. Most countries throughout Europe don't have air conditioning so the people just take it all in stride.

More than that, the heat is hard on your computer equipment. Today, I had a project due for one of my clients back in Chicago, and I couldn't complete it because of the heat. I was converting some training manuals to PDF and just as I was about the save the first one to my jump drive, I could have sworned I heard my computer groan out the word, "Noooooooo!" Then my jump drive fell silent. I went out and bought another one, but it still delayed my project deliverable by one day, which sucks! Thank goodness for extremely understanding clients. When I called Kelly to explain the delay, she said, "Well don't kill yourself! Get it to me when you can because I can wait!"

If there is any comfort in all of this, it has to be the fact that it is not nearly as hot as it was two summers ago. That was the year when almost 500 people died (mostly the elderly) from heat exhaustion. The temperature must have stayed above 90 degrees for most of that August, and I was just distraught. If one more person had walked up to me and said, "The weather is really unusual this year. It's never this warm!" I think I would have slugged them! But I guess if you stay anywhere long enough, you follow the old saying "Do as the Romans do!" Before long I was giving the kids quick showers every hour, keeping the shades drawn, and putting ice cubes in the water bowls for the pets. Eventually the hot air gave way to cooler temperatures.

I'm a quick learner but I don't care, I still want my air conditioning!

Fed Up With Technology

2005-06-14T13:50:00.000-07:00

I'm turning back into a Luddite! That's right, a Luddite. Those people who hate anything technological. To think that I would be blogging or running a virtual company using my computer would have been unimaginable to me around this time 14 years ago when I about to graduate from college.

I wanted to become a writer, and back then journalists and reporters still didn't rely on computers for word processing all that much. Fortunately, I had a PR professor who made a wise decision. She told me that I had turn in my senior thesis in PR would only be accepted on a floppy disk. She said, "Carolyn, if I let you graduate without being computer literate, I will have failed as an educator!" When you want something badly enough, you learn and quickly. With my sister as my guide, I learned WordPerfect - well enough to get that final paper written and saved to a floppy. I graduated on time, too.

Flash forward to 1995, I was working for my first dot.com. Dr. Kay Felkins, if you're out there reading this, thanks! Back then Luddite was the catch phrase throughout the industry for people unwilling to embrace this thing called the Internet. It clearly explains why I'm I'm dropping out of technology. Besides the fact that I simply don't want to be accessble to anyone 24/7, I just hate when technology backfires. Here's what happened to me today.

I went to see Dr. Evil, like usual, at 9 am in the 7th arrondisement. From there, I hopped on the Line 14 toward Bercy to meet my favorite Scottish client, Susie Hollands of Bonapart Consulting.
I had a few moments to kill, so I was sitting in the Café Bercy jotting down some blog entries. Then it occurred to me - my Palm died while I was in Dr. Evil's office. Susie's phone number and office door code where in my address book.

I'm lazy. I still haven't transferred all of my contacts to my cell phone (shame on me because I certainly know how), but who has time to that? I call up my husband in a panic. He's gotten used to these mid-day phone calls. I ask him to go to Susie's web site to see if he can locate her phone number so I can call her. No luck because only her company email address and contact form are present. Luckily, I have memorized her personal address, so I have my husband to send her an urgent email. She didn't see it because she's in the kitchen making tea. We're set to have our PR meeting in a matter of minutes.

Two minutes later my phone rings. It's my husband. He googled Susie and found her phone number by only the Lord knows where! I call her up and she says, "Hey, darlin' where are you?" I tell her that I'm downstairs. I explain what happened. She gives me the door code, we go on with our three hour meeting. Thanks to Philippe's quick thinking, crisis has been averted! I hate rescheduling meetings - especially if I'm already at the meeting place.

Now as I think about this, maybe I not ready to return to Luddite status just yet. After all, it was technology, with a little help from my husband, that saved the day!

Commitment Pays Off

2005-06-07T13:33:00.000-07:00

It's been three months since I started seeing Dr. Evil. I guess he knows what's he doing because I've lost almost 15 pounds. I guess that's a good start. If I keep it up I could be back in that size 8 dress before the summer ends.

To be fair, he shouldn't take all of the credit. I mean, it's me who's trying really hard to stick to that crazy Zone diet. But also, my dear hubby has been great too. In fact, he's a bit of a new-age, vegetarian, workout, health nut! How he ended up with me, I'll never know. Anyway, he's been great in advising me on the things I can and cannot eat - especially when I've grown tired of salads, spinach and most green veggies.

My sister, Rainy, back in Chicago has been a big help too. She's always reminding me to keep my portions the size of my fists. That's been good advice because now I can cheat one day a week with a meal and even a dessert.

We're still feuding, Dr. Evil and I. Last week, he was mad because I missed my 9 am appointment. What he didn't know was that I had strep throat. The pharmacist accidently prescribed penicillin and I broke out in a terrible rash! There was no way I was going any place. I was spending all my time cursing and wondering why the hell Benadril wasn't sold over the counter in this god-forsaken place!

When I did see him today, he was frosty. He told me that he got my husband' s message but was disappointed that I didn't show. I would have taken that okay until he said, "And if I 'ad known you weren't coming, I would not 'ave come into work so early!"

I said, "It was nine o'clock! Where I come from, that's the time all able-bodied working people ought to be in the office, whether you have appointments or not. And anyway, you live upstairs over your office! What, it was too much trouble for you to commute one floor down?"

Again, nothing but laughter from him. Sometimes I wonder if I'm just the crazy American or if something is amiss here. Not just with him, but in the cultural differences in general. Rainy swears that all of my doctors are going to line up and put me on the first plane back the US. I don't know, sometimes that not a bad idea! Anyway, I think Dr. Evil enjoys getting me worked up. We've since made up and he's very pleased with my progress.

Now it's time to move him toward visits twice per month...not a chance at 85 euros per hour, but one can dream.

Being Combative is a Good Thing

2005-05-04T13:21:00.000-07:00

Back to see Dr. Evil again this week. For some strange reason, I have to go every week as if I can't be trusted not to whoof down a whole cake! Each week when I drag myself of bed, get the kids ready for school and hop on the SNCF headed toward St. Lazare. I take the Line 12 to his office and I always arrive in a huff.

This week he's late and when our appointment starts, he always begins by reading my food diary from the week prior. God, I hate that thing! After an endless string of "hums" and "a-has" he finally indicates that it is time for me to step on the scale get weighed for the week. He looks at me a says, "You 'ave on the same trousers from last week."

I'm not in the best of moods today so I snap back, "So, and you 'ave on the same suit from last week. These are my 'skinny pants' so maybe that's your 'skinny suit!'" I, of course, am not laughing.

He starts to laughs. "That's what I like about American women. You are so combative! I like your fire!"

Combative, indeed, and I hope I never change.

Meeting Dr. Evil

2005-04-26T13:06:00.000-07:00

I guess it's unfair to call him Dr. Evil because he truly is a nice doctor and person to boot. In fact I adore him because he really makes me laugh, and he's very good and letting his patients know that he's on their side. However, when you're trying to lose weight, you're at war! Someone or something has got to be the enemy, and it may as well be the doctor because he's holding you accountable for your actions.

My husband found him on the American Consulate's list of English-speaking doctors. He's a nutritionist and a cardiologist - not a bad combination. My husband went with me to the first appointment, one rainy night a couple of weeks ago. When we sat down, he said, "So why are you 'ere?" French people never pronounce the letter "h." I told him why and he says, "You're not fat. You are curvy, and curvy is good on a woman!" Nice touch!

Our consultation went on and then he asked me where I was from? I told him I was an American from Chicago. He then wanted to know where my parents were from so I told him. Next my grandparents, and I told him. Finally, he asked about my great-grand parents. I said "Your guess is as good as mine. Why do you want to know?"

"Because your skin complexion is exactly like my wife's and she's from Martinique," he said. So I laughed and said, "Well, no family from the Caribbean, but hey, one never knows. " Dr. Evil is a real flirt and my husband is a really good sport about it.

All in all Dr. Evil and I get along pretty great. That's not to say that there are no disagreements, but more on that later...

Who's Says There Are No Fat Women in France?

2005-04-19T12:44:00.000-07:00

I've always heard this saying, and heck, there's even a best-selling book with the same title, but trust me, French women get fat just like everyone else.

Okay, I admit it. I can no longer hide behind the baby. My youngest daughter was born almost three years ago - just before my family's arrival in France. Therefore, there's no excuse for me to be carrying around still all of this weight. I don't even recognize myself anymore, with the double chin and thickening waistline! I guess I do have an excuse, I if I blame my the weight gain on my lack of will power, and my inability to resist baquettes.

Let's face it, I'm fat! There isn't any nicer way to say it. Working from my home office every day with little exercise and being surrounded by an endless array of gastronomical temptations are part of the problem. Being a mother of two picky eaters and hating to see perfectly good food go to waste is definitely another reason. Sometimes being in a foreign country and feeling totally out-of-control is yet another. But if I am to be honest with myself, the real culprit is good 'ol American Coca-Cola. Yes, I'm addicted to Coca-Cola, and Time magazine even quoted me talking about my dependency in an article last December.

So if I I think about it, the weight gain shouldn't be that much of a surprise, right? Still if you had told me three years ago that I would be almost 50lbs heavier, I would have died laughing! After all, I had already had one daughter and lost the weight. What in the world was wrong with me that I couldn't do it again?

I needed some incentives to lose the weight I guess. One incentive was the the French boutique owner who smirked at me and said, "I'm sorry, Madame, but that dress doesn't come in your size." This of course, was a first for me, a former svelt size 6. Payback for me too, for all of the times when I have made fun of other more full-figured sisters. But I was younger and foolish back then.

Even though my husband says "You're not fat, honey, you're just curvy," I know he's lying. Every man knows that the fat question is off limits. When a man is willing to attempt to answer the question, you know it's time to drop the pounds.

The last incentive I needed was to rent and watch "Super Size Me" on DVD. That's when I realized that I needed an unbiased opinion. I needed some outside help, and that's when I met Dr. Evil!

He Said, “We Have a Problem.”

2004-10-12T14:25:00.000-07:00

Ever have one of those days when almost everything sucks? That’s exactly the type of day I had. Technologies problems seem to be everywhere – from my mobile phone and toll-free phone number to my laptop computer.

My ISP called this morning to tell me that a technician would be coming over to re-install my IP settings after I lost them during a recent computer repair. It’s a computer still under warranty in the United States, so I had to send it back to the manufacturer because there’s no one in Paris authorized to fix it. But that’s a frustrating story for another day.

A couple of years ago, the thought of the ISP technician coming over to my office to fix my computer would have scared me to death. In fact it nearly did. I hadn't seen him since he came to upgrade my cable modem this summer.

On his first visit a couple of years back, he came to hook up the cable television system and Internet service in our apartment. I wanted to return to work after the move, but I didn’t want to spend so much money using a slow, dial-up service.

When the technician rang my door bell, I let him in. He said good morning and I spoke to him. Then I showed him where he could find my computer. The whole time he was talking to me, I had no idea what he was saying. He realized it, too when no matter what he said to me, all I could no was smile and nod my head yes!

He went on working – laying out cable and hooking up my laptop to the Ethernet cable. Then suddenly he stopped. I couldn’t make out what he was trying to tell me, but luckily my oldest daughter, Chloe, hadn’t started school yet. Thankfully, she understood him.

Chloe turned to me and said, “Mommy, he said ‘We have a problem.’” When the technician realized that my five year old was bilingual, he directed all of his questions to Chloe in hopes that she could interpret. Actually, she did a really good job.

She didn’t know this but the problem was that he had to determine how to configure my computer because everything was in English. As it turned out, it wasn’t that big of a deal. He just called into the office and the tech team was able to walk him through the installation.

Fast forward almost exactly two years later, and the same technician paid me a visit today, but this time things were a lot different. For example, I did understand him and the re-installation was easy.

I guess the point to all of this is that we worry way too much about little things. In the end even the craziest situations eventually work themselves out. So the laptop is up and running again – that’s good. Now, if I could only get that stupid voicemail on my mobile phone to work!

My Mom, My Friend, Audioslave and a Cartoon Turtle Can't All Be Wrong

2004-10-11T05:50:00.000-07:00

Two years ago today, I arrived in Paris with my family. I still remember it so well because it was a cold, wet and dreary day. Through the jet lag after being on 9-hour flight, all I could think about was whether or not I would like this place or the people. Would the people like me? Since I was leaving all of my friends behind, I had to make some new ones. I hadn’t given much thought to what people thought about me in so long.

It took me back to a conversation that I had with my mother when I was 14. I had just started my freshman year at high school. I guess it’s always tough when you have to leave old friends behind and try to make new ones, so I was having a hard time getting adjusted.

One day when my mother asked me how school was going I said, “I hate that place because I don’t think anyone really likes me.” My mother looked at me and said, “Why do you care what other people think? All you have to do is be yourself and stand up for what you believe in because what other people think about you will never matter as much as what you think of yourself.”

The advice didn’t sink in right away, but it certainly was in place before the end of that school year. And you know what? It turned out to be a pretty good year, too. Her advice stayed with me even through high school, college and throughout my working career.

When arrived in Paris I found myself struggling with that question again some 20 years later. Then I met an American who had been living in Paris for about 10 years.

She was showing me around town, and during one of our conversations about working and doing business with the French she said: “Carolyn, a lot of people are going to tell you that you’ll need to adjust your personality (a.k.a. American tendencies) if you plan to work with French businesses. Don’t listen to them. Be who you are going to be.” I listened to her, too, and so far so good on the business front.

If that wasn’t enough advice, I only have to recall a cartoon I used to watch when I was kid. Now, this cartoon is even a little bit before my time, but I remember it because I had two older brothers. If you’re old enough to remember the cartoon that I’m talking about, you'll get a chuckle. Each episode would end with the turtle saying, “Be always what you is; not what you is not!”

The lesson here is you can only be who you are. And hey, isn't that the same lesson that Audioslave's Chris Cornell belts out also when he sings "Be yourself is all that you can do?" Therefore you might as well get comfortable with yourself and try to be the best person you can be. So I guess my mother, a good American friend living in Paris, a very cool band, and a cartoon turtle can't all be wrong.

Two Important Anniversaries

2004-10-09T09:06:00.000-07:00

Today and next Monday, October 11 are two very important dates for me. That's because today is my 36th birthday. I guess I'm definitely middle aged now. That's okay though because the coolest thing about my b-day is that I also share it with the late John Lennon!

Monday, October 11, is important because two years ago on this date, I arrived in Paris from my hometown, Chicago, with my French husband of six years, two little girls (ages five and two weeks), and a cat! The family dog arrived three months later after clearing quarrantine.

When I arrived I didn't speak a word of French (and even now only conversationally), and having only been to France on vacation a couple of times, I knew very little about the culture, let alone the business culture.

To say that I was scared is an understatement. I resisted the move to Europe on every level in the beginning, but eventally I remembered that I so love a good challenge! I also enjoy the quiet satisfaction of proving others wrong! So along the way, it has been and continues to be at times, a bumpy ride as I learn to adjust to my adopted city, yet keep communication open back home.

Tales from the Seine is just that: Stories that chronicle my journey of living and running a business in France. They are the types of stories I share with my friends both here and back home. A lot of things have happened to me (some good, some bad, some very amusing) but I've learned a lesson from every situation. In the process I hope all of my experiences are helping me to become a better wife, mommy, businesswoman and human being.

So if you should happen to stumble across my blog, please take a moment to read my entries and join in the discussion. These are just my musings on being in Paris. I'm too busy or lazy to keep a journal, but I guess I have a lot to say about the things I've encountered! I hope the lessons I've learned can help you as well.

Until my next posting, make everyday a good one!

Carolyn

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I had the pleasure of doing an interview on Dave and Lillian Brummet's Conscious Blog! Check out the interview today: http://www.consciousdiscussions.blogspot.com/Go back in the future 'cause it's great reading and highly recommended!

It was a lot of fun chatting with Tyora Moody from soulful site, Written Voices Blog. Thanks for checking out the interview where we talked about Encounters but also spirtual topics. http://writtenvoicesblog.com/2011/02/interview-carolyn-moncel/

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Summer Reading List

Our Third Daughter

The French Soldes

I want my Air Conditioning

Fed Up With Technology

Commitment Pays Off

Being Combative is a Good Thing

Meeting Dr. Evil

Who's Says There Are No Fat Women in France?

He Said, “We Have a Problem.”

My Mom, My Friend, Audioslave and a Cartoon Turtle Can't All Be Wrong

Two Important Anniversaries

I had the pleasure of doing an interview on Dave and Lillian Brummet's Conscious Blog! Check out the interview today: http://www.consciousdiscussions.blogspot.com/
Go back in the future 'cause it's great reading and highly recommended!