Well, I've just woken up, I'm in a cafe getting my morning dosage of caffeine. Today's my day off, tomorrow will most likely be an forced day off. So will Friday... That means my work this week has consisted of monday, and another week of vacation. Strikes. La Grève. The University is shut down. All metro rails are down. The city stops, museums close, school is closed, office buildings shut down. If your job does actually continue, you have two excuses to not show up: 1, there's no possible way for me to commute there with no public services available. 2, "I'm standing in solidarity," the cause doesn't really matter. Sounds serious huh? well, no, this is the second time this has happened to me in my one month of teaching. One friend of mine is worried she wont get university credits for studying at the sorbonne because she's had a total of two weeks of class since she's been here.
I'd say the spirit of May 68 lives on, but no, thats not quite it. Maybe we'll see in May when we can celebrate 40 years of rebellion and strikes what happens.
I feel like France is a country where politics takes place in the streets. Still, revolt is almost institutionalized, everyone kind of expects them, and everyone protests in a well structed fashion. People don't seem that enraged, but they respect that is just the way that things work in paris, and you might as well enjoy the free time.
Today is mostly a musical documentary of my day, I figure its better than sharing my grocery list.
-------------------------
Feature: Shocking Blue
I don't know why, but sometimes I wake up with Shocking Blue in my head. Normally its their hit song "Venus" that rose to the chop of the U.S. charts in 1969. They are a dutch psychedelic band that has heavy riffs, catchy organs, and a strong drums backup. Not to mention the energetic voice of Mariska Veres (who is just too foxy).
Shocking Blue - Love Buzz
Shocking Blue - Send me a postcard
--------------------------
Early morning mp3s:
Pauline Croze - T'es Beau
Joanna Newsom - Bridges and Balloons
Julie Holland - Stubborn Beast
Blonde Redhead - 23
--------------------------
Really early morning mp3 (for when you're eyes are still stuck together and you're a bit delusional):
Gilberto Gil - Objecto Semi-Identificado
Boards of Canada - roygbiv
--------------------------
For once you're awake and want to run into the city and see galleries and museums:
Ella Fitzgerald - I Love Paris (Cole Porter)
T Rex - Cosmic Dancer
Jonathan Richman - Ice Cream Man
Al Green - Love and Happiness
No comments:
Post a Comment