Pithy me

Yes, I've been absent. Yes, I have a good excuse. Not really, but I've been finding it difficult to feel adequate in making my daily life interesting reading material. I guess the routine and the diminished budget have made the exciting excursions fewer and farther between making me feel like I've got less to tell. That and the fact that I dropped my laptop and gave the screen huge black spots so that I can only use half of it. Lovely.

Anyway, my wise friend Deb asked me recently why I wasn't blogging anymore, and I answered with the explanation you just read, and being wise, Deb explained that duh, I don't have to write long posts--just a little something would do. Et voilà, the idea to be pithy instead of feeling the need to be wordy, my usual inclination, as you know.

Maybe my shorter entries will be even more interesting. I hope so because I'd hate for my reader(s) to start sounding like French people commenting to everyone who makes a positive observation about something (anything really) that in fact, "c'était mieux avant" - that is to say "it was better before." Before what? Who knows. But whatever "it" is, it was better before. You think it's lovely, charming, delicious, etc. now? Was better before. I had heard over and over how very French this saying is, but I'd never heard anyone actually say it. Until today...

...when I went to the cute village of Suresnes to coach a couple of fantastic French women executives who need to improve their professional English. What fun they were! And how cute is Suresnes!? You can see the Eiffel Tower from the train station, and there are lovely churches and an adorable square where apparently every business person in Suresnes lunches. Beginning at precisely 1:00.

I was sitting on a bench in this very square enjoying a simple but flavor-packed sandwich on a slightly salty baguette when the older gentleman at the other end of the bench decided to chat me up. He asked what kind of work I did, and I explained. He asked where I lived, and I said Paris. And at some point in our conversation, I mentioned how pretty I found the little square to be. And I kid you not, my impromptu lunch companion responded with a real life "c'était mieux avant." I responded with a smile. It's true. They actually do say that. Well, at least one does.