This is so disgusting

This morning (MORNING, as in before 10 a.m.) as I'm getting ready for work, I heard a really troubling commercial on the radio. Granted, it was on the Adam Carolla show, but still, it's not like this was a Love Line commercial or anything.

It starts off like your average online dating ad generally does, however I knew something was awry when the man narrating was asking if listeners were looking for a discreet, new relationship. As in, are you bored with your marriage or current relationship? Are you looking to have an affair?


I'm gagging just thinking about this right now. At first, I almost started laughing because it legitimately sounded like it could have been a spoof, SNL-ish type of commercial. But it kept going. He continually repeated how this could be the love of your life, or just for fun. Ugh, I really can't even think about this anymore, it's so despicable.

And if you even know me one bit, you can understand how this is so appalling to me. I believe that cheating on someone is the worst thing you could possibly ever do. People who sign up for this company deserve to have their hearts shattered for life.

It's not fair that things like this exist and ridiculous people feel like this is an acceptable behavior.

Alright, I'm getting off my fidelity/pro-monogamy soapbox. Actually, no I'm not. I'm so morally opposed to this and hate that this website exists and is making profits!!!!!

You gotta fight, for your right....

...to party?

Anyways, I feel like fighting's a pretty good theme to wrap up this week.

You already know that I had to fight for my friends' visit -- who just left, BIG BUMMER -- and I also had to fight for me and my personal space here in France.

However, as much as both made me very unnerved, uncomfortable, angry and stressed in the beginning, I honestly believe all is for the best now. Two more days of work and then I move back home.

But on a different level of "fighting," I literally saw three outrageous fights in the last 45 hours. Not even two full days.

Yesterday morning when I was running around like a chicken with its head cut off (to close up everything here) I heard obscene amounts of honking coming from the auto-route exit when I was walking on the street to the CAF building. Turns out some old man was driving like an A-hole or something -- come on this is France, don't expect much from the drivers -- when the guy behind him gets out of his car and starts slamming on the window. Even though it was entirely in French, he was telling the other guy off in a very, very foul way. Then it died down and he drove off. All that for cutting someone off.

Situation two happened this morning when we were on the way to Nice on the Promenade des Anglais. Half the road was blocked off and these guys on motorcycles boxed in a good three cars. Man #1 in the middle car gets out and forces his way through the motorcyclists. He then proceeds to open the door of the car belonging to Man #2 who was with his wife. Man #1 lunges for Man #2, intent on dragging him out of his car so he can kick the French out of him. Man #3 on motorcycle pries Man #1 off Man #2, while Man #4 in the car to the rear starts running towards the scene. Then our light turns green and we drive off.

And the third brawl occurred while we were sitting in the TGV, waiting for our train to take off. A big huge group started forming near our platform, because apparently some teenage girl jumped on this really old, senile looking woman. No idea what caused this rise in tension, but she was swearing, throwing fists and lunging after the old woman. Security came running to the scene and pulled her off, forcing her arms behind her back. Then the girl continued swearing at the security officer and spat in his direction. I don't know if it got on him. This causes the other security guard in the little cart to come running to his friend's aide, and then proceeds to viciously KICK the girl in question. That completely shocked Kat, Libby and me. I wish I could tell you how it ended, but again, our train pulled out of the Gare on its way East.

French people are really leaving a good taste in my mouth for my last week here.

Oh and don't forget: Clocks forward tonight for those of you who live here.

MENTEUR!!!

I'm in a bit of a little bind here. Ok, maybe two little binds.

One of them concerns my Spring Break. THIS LYING PIECE OF S--- WEBSITE notified me that the vacation would be from April 5 to April 20. Bear in mind it is the official ministry of education's website. However, I guess this is sort of my problem for not checking in with each of my individual schools.

Apparently schools who are only in session four days a week (that'd be both of mine, since I get Wednesdays off) don't actually start their vacations until April 9. Well that's all good and fine, but I've already booked my flight for Germany leaving on April 7. So I'm going to have to ditch two days of school. Only the second time I've done so. However, I'm being smart here and am thinking up a worksheet to give the teachers to occupy the students' 30-45 minutes that would normally be spent with me.

The other bind is more of a deliberately self-imposed one. Temptation is luring me towards missing more school. You see, I think part of the reason we have two extra days of school to attend in April is due to the fact that we get so many random days off in May! Normally, I don't have to work Wednesdays. For some reason, we get May 8th off, which is a Thursday. At first I thought about doing something fun, but I'd have to work Friday, May 9th anyhow. But I'm tempted to play some hookie because we ALSO get off Monday, May 12th.

In theory, if I ditch just one day of school -- May 9th -- I'd be free from Tuesday afternoon until the following Monday night. Ummmm, vacation anyone?

It might be important to mention that I'm already breaking my contract 2.5 weeks early so I can make my sister's graduation ceremony at UCSB on June 14th....

What are they going to do, fire me?!

LIFE-CHANGING EVENT!!!

JHDWGDhjGSGFWYJDGbukfghg bjhgfhjGHJGDHJGShjG!!!!!

That's the most eloquent way I can express my shock at what just happened right now.... There are no words.

I'm heading home from the gym like usual. Since it's a typical Sunday, the buses only run once every hour and I definitely can't plan my workout routine to the hour like that, so I figured I'd just walk home and get a bit more exercise in. And as usual, this is France so who's to say the buses will even be on time anyways?!

Long story short, I was just a few blocks from my house where I stood at a corner waiting for the cars to pass so I could cross, even though I clearly had a green light and thus, the right-of-way. After a steady stream of about six vehicles passed me by, one woman actually slowed down, smiled, and waved for me to cross the street even though there were a good eight more cars behind her -- insert heart-attack here.

SOMEONE PINCH ME PLEASE, I don't believe it!!!!

Anyways, that was kind of life-changing. I just taught my dad how to use Picasa, so here's the link to our pictures from Milan, Italy last weekend:

http://picasaweb.google.com/almoy1/MilanoJan122008

...21 days until California!!