JAYSPEAK

As I have said before, I moved to Paris from Nice, after having lived in Nice for four years.  Why did I not stay in Nice?  There were a lot of reasons, but the main one is that I seem to thrive in a city.  Nice was beautiful but more like a “resort” to me, like living in Palm Springs instead of Los Angeles.  I could have stayed in beautiful Orange County in California, but I wanted to be in Los Angeles.  Now, I think I have made the right decision to move to Paris from Nice.  And, in 2019, when I made the decision to move, I had a friend in Nice who had properties in both Paris and Nice.  I literally begged her to let me rent a Studio in Paris for a year to “look around” for an apartment for me.  She owned a small Studio in the Sixième Arrondissement that she rented to visitors on Airbnb most of the time.  She agreed.  So, I moved to Paris with my cat and a Steinway piano after a major downsizing in January 2020.  Needless to say, it was a tight fit.  But, I did it and let go of many of my dearest possessions.  But that was how much I wanted to get to Paris before it was too late.  None of us could see the pandemic coming. 

But, lucky me!!!  I got to be introduced to one of the most charming areas of Paris with NO ONE on the streets.  WOW!  So, as I walked around empty streets, I had NO IDEA of what I was seeing.  I would read signs, but I had no one to ask.  The cat Missy did not like it at all.  She still doesn’t.  I had a patio in Nice where she would go outside and visit the neighbors.  Eat grass. Lounge in the sun.  Here, she is limited to one room and the bathroom. Nope.  She does not like it.  Many times, I have thought of getting rid of her and finding her a home where she can wander, but I love the company.  So, we are better, but she needs more options.  So do I. 

I knew some French. I knew some French history, but not a lot of either.  That did not stop me.  I have ALWAYS seen myself as French, even though I am Anglo-Saxon from the British Isles.  I don’t think I romanticized it.  Maybe, but I, on the contrary, saw myself as a student at the Sorbonne and as a revolutionary of some sort.  Alone and Joan of Arc ’ish.  Forthright.  Now, not so much.  Haha.   Now, I just want to be able to walk without a cane.  I can.  Sorta.  But I don’t.  Fear of falling.  But I digress.

WELLllllll, here I am, in the middle of The Latin Quarter, without a good foundation.  SO, in order to begin, I have begun my research in order to give a background to what I have seen, photographed, and posted on Jayspeak, Facebook, or Instagram by now.  What????  One other note to this “Preface”.   I had thought that my friend – who is now my “landlord” – would help me get adjusted, but that did not happen.  Why?  We managed to have a HUGE misunderstanding at the beginning and did not communicate much.  So, I was on my own, adrift in a muck of my own making without a rowboat or a paddle.  Still am, but things are better.  I am into my sixth month in Paris and learning my way around a little. 

As luck would have it, I have found myself in the middle of a historic center of learning, scholarship and artistic achievement in Paris.  Unfortunately, the area is also a bit of a victim of its own popularity – much of which I managed to miss during Lockdown.  This is a beloved neighborhood. It is an area in the 5^th and the 6^th arrondissements and is situated on the left bank of the Seine.  Known for its student life because of the Sorbonne, it has a lively atmosphere and a lot of well-priced bistros.  Students are always walking outside of my window.  Young and enthusiastic.  Also, besides the Sorbonne, the Latin Quarter is the home to a number of excellent high schools and other universities, such as the École Normale Supérieure, the École des Mines de Paris, Panthéon-Assas University, the Schola Cantorum, and the Jussieu University campus.  You get the picture. Lot of learning going on here.  I have considered enrolling in a class or two somewhere or trying to teach.  I always considered myself a “professional student”.   Thus, Law School at age 59.  Oh, to be young again.   Lots of other establishments such as the École Polytechnique have relocated in recent times to more spacious settings.

The Latin Quarter gets its name from the Latin language (duh), which was widely spoken in and around the University during the Middle Ages, after the twelfth century philosopher Pierre Abélard and his students took up residence here. I don’t know who Abélard is. Let’s look him up.  A philosopher?  WOW. His life and accomplishments are too numerous to list here.  Just know that he was the father of scholasticism and the inventor of conceptualism, whatever that is.  He was born in Brittany in 1072 and was a rigorous free-thinker and not a conformist.  That was new at that time (the 12^th Century).  He died in 1142.  His life is very interesting.  I will research more of it at another time.  As many of you may or may not know, I have been interested in philosophy for a lifetime, and this man’s life and pursuits are just my cup of tea. I wrote my master’s degree thesis about philosophers – “George Bernard Shaw’s Life Force Philosophy”, for sale on amazon.com.

This is my neighborhood.  Winding cobblestone streets, flower-adorned balconies and arthouse cinemas: these are only some of the features that contribute to the Saint-Michel neighborhood’s charm. It is located on the west side of the Latin Quarter.  I took these shots of the St. Michel fountain and the Notre Dame Cathedral, situated just across the Seine River on the opposite bank.

This popular neighbourhood is home to the Pantheon mausoleum. I have not been inside, yet.  It was closed during Lockdown.  What is the Pantheon Mausoleum?  “Sitting atop Montagne Sainte-Geneviève in the heart of Paris’ lively Latin Quarter, the Panthéon is a mausoleum for celebrated figures in French and Parisian history, including Victor Hugo, Marie Curie and Voltaire.”  – google.com

And with the Sorbonne University,

speciality bookshops and famed old cafes like Le Lutece also cluster in the area.

And the Jardin de Luxembourg,

and the Senate, and the area of Saint Germaine, and the Seine, and The Cluny Museum, and the Odeon National Theatre, and the Cinema, and ……..

That means that it isn’t all touristy. Despite its popularity, it still manages to reserve quiet nooks and places that seem curiously untouched by modernity.

Orientation and Main Streets:

St. Michel Boulevard is situated mainly in Paris’ 5th arrondissement  with the Seine River to the north and Montparnasse to the southwest. It’s roughly sandwiched between the Jardin du Luxembourg to the west and the Jardin des Plantes to the east. Meanwhile, the fashionable, rather posh  St-Germain-des-Prés neighborhood is  tucked just west of St-Michel Blvd.  The Gibert Jeune and Gibert Joseph bookshops are rare booksellers across the street from my apartment.  I have not gone inside because most of the books are in French.  But, I have a lot of places to go inside before I leave the area.  

I have browsed inside at Shakespeare & Company Bookshop in the shop’s narrow, uneven shelves and carefully curated tables.  I need to spend more time there. (I did not take this photo.  But, all the others are mine.) I have gone inside of this one.  LOTS of books in English.  Duh.  

You may have noticed that this entire district is something of a book lover’s dream.  There are few places more iconic in the Latin Quarter than this beloved bookshop. Opened in 1951 by consummate Parisian beatnik George Whitman—who passed away in 2011—it’s now owned by his business-savvy daughter, Sylvia.  Originally opened as “Le Mistral,” this is not the original S&Co shop in Paris: George Whitman renamed it in 1964, in honor of the legendary bookshop opened by Sylvia Beach in 1919 just down the street. Under Beach’s helm, the first shop was famous for hosting and publishing literary greats such as James Joyce. The more recent location is still a literary epicenter and a comforting refuge for English-speakers and readers.  And for those living in Paris, the shop also regularly hosts workshops and talks with great writers; it hosts aspiring writers and poets, charmingly referred to as “tumbleweeds,” by exchanging lodging upstairs for work in the shop. This place is simply timeless and essential.  I plan to attend functions like these in the future.

The Sorbonne is a Parisian badge of pride as one of Europe’s oldest colleges— it opened in 1257 as part of the medieval Université de Paris. The institution that gave the Latin Quarter its name (after the theology students, mostly monks and other religious figures, who occupied the then-Christian institution and worked exclusively in Latin,) it retains a genuine air of prestige.  Unfortunately, it’s not very easy to gain admission inside the hallowed walls of the old college to take a peek, but a visit to the pretty traditional square, lined with cafes and trees, is still worth a bit of time out of your day. 

In conclusion, I am pretty fortunate to be in this neighborhood for a while even if I move into another arrondissement (because that was the deal) and this one is pretty pricey.  But, that is OK.  I am glad that I am in Paris and beginning an interesting sojourn for the next few years, if my health maintains. 

And, as a final observation, in The Latin Quarter, EVERYTHING seems in disrepair, including me.  Most things are being worked on in some way.  Resurfaced, reconstructed, repaired, torn up or fixed.  All of it is worth saving in some way.  In Nice, entire buildings would disappear with an entirely new structure going up.  Not here.  It is probably my imagination, but I can feel the ghosts from ages past surrounding me in the Jardin and on many of the streets.  I have so much to learn and so much to experience.  It is an exciting time for me.  I pray for good health, energy, money and time left on the earth.  So, all of it will be, “God (the Universe) willin’ and the crick don’t rise…..” (a Southern expression).  If I had to make one suggestion, come to Paris when you are young.  LOTS  of fun steps and nooks and crannies everywhere.  This was a fun one to write!  My sign off picture is recent and au natural sorta. No one here seems to care ((except me when I want to take a selfie!!! (sigh) Mother would be horrified.))

Best, Jay

Donation – Beginning Again in PARIS)

Thanks for helping me afford where I am going AGAIN in Paris. I will do my best! Thanks, Jay

$50.00

This in on my mind.   THE “RIGHT” OF FREEDOM.   THE FOURTH OF JULY.  THE USA.  My friends.  My family.  

Are you one of the people who thinks that you are free  to do what you choose?  That it is your Right to do what you choose?  OR, that the virus will not hit you?  OR, so what if it does?  That you will get over it!!  That you are free to say what you want, do what you want, go where you want, wear a mask if you want, shoot a gun if you want, have sex with whomever you want, run for president if you want?    Yes?  Isn’t that “the American Dream”?  Does freedom come with a price??  Must we all pay it?  Are we all “bottom feeders”?  What?????? 

My mother used to fish in the lake all the time.  She loved to fish.  And, if she got a “bite”, she would get excited and work to “bring it in”.  But, if she saw it was a “carp”, she would frown in disappointment because carp were large fish that feed on other fish and eat whatever and take advantage of other fish.  She called them “bottom feeders”.  I have been thinking a lot about people who take advantage for sport or maybe for survival.  Bottom Feeders?  All of it so that they can say that they are “free”? 

But, this is the problem.  The Bottom Feeders get to live and swim freely in the lake.  The other fish are at jeopardy.  Oops.  So what does this tell us?  There is NO poetic justice.  Haha.  Well, I knew that.  But, it also says, “Beware!  There are Bottom Feeders EVERYWHERE, swimming around.  Even eating the worms intended for you.  So, they save your life (for a moment) and they take advantage.  Ugh.  I HATE this message.  Well, I am not sure what the point is, but maybe you do.  I will try once more – Life is NOT fair and there is NO poetic justice.  BEWARE of Bottom Feeders.  Just when you have hope you caught something for dinner, you haven’t.  (This is getting more depressing by the minute. Haha).  I guess it all depends on whether you are the fish or the fisherman. Thus it depends on your point of view. Either way, it is not new news or good news.  Maybe this wasn’t a good analogy.  Too late.  Swim at your own risk.  And, sign this waiver not to sue the Lake Owner before going into the water.

“Welcome to the Freedom Cafe! We trust you to make your own choices if you want to wear a face mask. And, in the same spirit of individual liberty, we allow our staff to make their own choices about the safety procedures they prefer to follow as they prepare and serve your food.

We encourage employees to wash their hands after using the bathroom, but understand that some people may be allergic to certain soaps or may simply prefer not to wash their hands. It is not our place to tell them what to do.
We understand that you may be used to chicken that has been cooked to 165 degrees. We do have to respect that some of our cooks may have seen a meme or a YouTube video saying that 100 degrees is sufficient, and we do not want to encroach on their beliefs.

Some of our cooks may prefer to use the same utensils for multiple ingredients, including ingredients some customers are allergic to. That is a cook’s right to do so.

Some servers may wish to touch your food as they serve it. There is no reason that a healthy person with clean hands can’t touch your food. We will take their word for it that they are healthy and clean.

Water temperature and detergent are highly personal choices, and we allow our dishwashing team to decide how they’d prefer to wash the silverware you will put in your mouth.

Some of you may get sick, but almost everyone survives food poisoning. We think you’ll agree that it’s a small price to pay for the sweet freedom of no one ever being told what to do – and especially not for the silly reason of keeping strangers healthy.”

OOPS.  Well, did you not get the MEMO?  Did my mother call you a “bottom feeder” and throw you back into the lake as not worth keeping?  Like “carp”?    What??????   Did anyone tell you that freedom comes with a price?  …that freedom is your “Right”as an American?  Who gave you that Right?  Says who?  

NO COMMENT.

Best, Jay

Donation – Beginning Again in PARIS)

Thanks for helping me afford where I am going AGAIN in Paris. I will do my best! Thanks, Jay

$50.00

Yes, this is somewhat of a repeat with new photographs.  But, I have added to the message.  This is important to me and warrants repeating. This morning, as I was walking in the park, I decided that a smile is our universal language.  Everyone understands a smile.  Sure, we ALL have a story.  Sure, we are ALL damaged in some way.  But, get over it!!  Smile back. Or, smile first. Or don’t smile.  Bah Humbug!!!   

How can a person write a weekly blog without mentioning the news?  I have so many thoughts and opinions about EVERYTHING and hate the current “regime” in the USA.  I think that cruelty is prevalent and each day, gets crueler. I no longer have a country that I am proud of.  What are we getting so terribly wrong???   Revolutionaries of one kind or another are forming a new country.  The dialogue is not healthy.  I have saved a lot of articles for posts but find that I don’t want to use any of them.  My mission for Jayspeak is NOT to write opinion pieces for readers.  And, every day I think that the news cannot get any worse, and it gets worse!!!  This week was especially full of bad news (I think) and crazy rants of one kind or another. 

No, my mission was / is to write about my life in France during my “golden years”.  Well, actually in 2015 when Steve and I left Los Angeles to “do something else”, I was already in “my golden years”.  He was 66, young and sexy.  So, we had a lot of plans.  Dying was NOT one of them.  Yet, he is gone, and I am now living in Paris, France, in my “golden years”.  Haha.  That is not the way it was supposed to work.  He was supposed to take care of me.    How did all of this happen? 

And, now that the USA is a country I barely recognize, I yearn for some semblance of the values that I still have.  AND, France is hardly what I had in mind.  Yet, here I am.  So, I am taking classes to do what I have to do to become a French citizen (duel citizenship and not easy to get), just in case.  Steve got his Italian citizenship before we left LA, but it doesn’t do me any good at this point. (I checked.  He must still be alive.) And, I am unsure of any future at this rate.  I am on my own with the U.S. Embassy in a fallback position that makes sense.    Yikes!!! 

Also, I have realized that there are people I am supposed to love, but don’t find anything loveable about them.  And friends I am supposed to like that I don’t like.  And there are people I love and like even though I don’t know them that well. Now, I know that maybe I am not loveable or likeable, but I am the person I live with.  And, I love me and I like being with me.  So……

Observation – I think you can see through people and know them even though you don’t KNOW them.  I have become more and more aware of this during these turbulent times.   I read people’s posts and instinctively don’t like them.  ONE person said [edited by me], “I believe in freedom.  If someone doesn’t want to wear a mask, that’s his prerogative. He did what he needed to do to feel “free”. Isn’t it great that we all still have freedom?  Another person wrote, “Another person wrote, “God is preparing people for the Rapture. I don’t know when the rapture will take place but I do believe it could be soon. Until the Good Lord calls me away from this world to go home., I must repent to be ready.”

WHAT????  “Freedom is tied to wearing masks so that you won’t kill someone else?”  “Ready for the Rapture?”

“FREEDOM” is a powerful word.  It can mean a lot of things in a lot of different situations. It can mean democracy in government, personal independence, and a right to speak, the power to act individually.  In a general sense freedom means NOT being enslaved.  Most people at some point in time experience some form of enslavement. In the Free World and under democratic governments, for the most part, we don’t corporately face the physical enslavement that some other countries or people experience. For the most part, we as free people in these countries have a voice, a right to speak up and stand up for ourselves and take action from our own ‘free will’. 

WELL, that is the problem.  Apparently, not wearing a mask in the middle of a global pandemic under Donald Trump makes some people feel free. Free to KILL other people.  Give me a break!!!!!   These people need to experience life under Stalin in Soviet Russia and life in Germany under Hitler as a Jew.  “Freedom” deserves more respect than that.  The police don’t have the “freedom” to kill people.  Why should you????   Freedom comes with a price.  And, not wearing a mask in order to breathe in the middle of a global pandemic under Donald Trump is NOT that price.  Human freedom is a social concept that recognizes the dignity of individuals and is the absence of coercive constraint. Because freedom is inherently valuable and plays a role in human progress, it is worth measuring carefully.

This coronavirus is highlighting the difference between reality and a narrative based in ideology. A virus has a rate of increase and a number of deaths either goes up or goes down.  When I was in High School and diving competitively, I had to go on the bus to Atlanta each weekend to work out.  I had a coach.  I was a teenager and did not want to do that.  Mr. Benson (my coach) said competitive diving requires practice.  Either you get better or you get worse.  You DON’T just maintain.  Re this virus, the number of people going to hospitals either goes up or goes down. It’s not subject to debate because the hospital bed is either empty or it’s full, we either bury people or we don’t.  Those are the facts. PERIOD.  There is NO argument.  There is NO ideology.  Only the facts.  In my walking, my legs either get stronger or they dont.  THEY DON’T MAINTAIN according to whether I want to do it or not.

And, “Repenting for sins to be ready for an oncoming Rapture” sounds a lot like Jim Jones before he got everyone to drink the Kool-Aid.  What if there is no such thing as a “Upcoming Rapture”.   What if there is no “home” that you are going to when you die?  Trump has NOT been sent by God so that you can go “home” to everlasting life.  Trump exists.  And, “free” people put him in office with their “Fuck YOU” attitude, of “freedom”.  Give me a break!!!!  

And vice versa.  So, today, I am going to think about what I am thankful for.  My friend Michelle does a post from time to time “Attitude of Gratitude”.  So, I am stealing her idea.  I want to list the things I am grateful for because I have a long list of things that I want to complain about.  Haha.  Yes, I am one of those who think that the grass is greener somewhere else.  So, I am going to go against that grain and tell you what I am grateful for. Get a cup of coffee.  I am going to get one for me, too.  I need the caffeine to help me think and calm down.  Haha. 

• I am grateful that I am still alive and have made it through this pandemic so far.

(A lot of my friends and family are dead.  Some died too soon, and others lived a long life.  Darrell (my first husband and the father of all of my children) was young (52) when he was either murdered or committed suicide.  We will never know the truth.  It was either a coverup or self-inflicted.  I believe it was a clever murder/cover-up.  Pick your truth.  We will never know what really happened.  And, now, some of my friends have the virus.  I hold my breath for my children and my grandchildren.  I hope they are making good choices.)

• I am grateful that a friend is letting me rent her apartment in the 6e in Paris, France for a year. It is centrally located and allows me to learn more about the city while I think about where I want to live, once I move.   And the Jardin de Luxembourg is nearby. (I am falling in love with Paris – everything is in disrepair and old.  I love it!  I can feel people from all of the ages that went before me and I am surrounded by the city.)
• I am grateful for my French class and Audrey, my instructor.
• I am grateful for the smiles I got from strangers this morning.
• I am grateful for croissants and fresh orange juice and good coffee.
• I am grateful for visitors (8,563) on Jayspeak.
• I am grateful for love of Missy, my cat.
• And on, and on, and on……. You don’t want to read this. I don’t want to write it.

Since I last wrote (last week), I have had two French classes, studied a LOT, gotten an appointment with the Paris prefecture for July to update my Visa, and taken a LOT of new pictures.  So, I will post some of my favorites.   July is going to be a busy month for me.  And the French class will be over.  Now, I must find a French culture course.  And, there is also a mandatory civics course that I must take.   So, with these pictures, I say “goodbye” to June.  YES!!  What a month!  Hellooooooo, July!!

These are new photos.  June is on its way out!!  I apologize to anyone I offended.  Or not.

Best, Jay

Donation PIANO

None of this is easy. Thanks, Jay

$50.00

“Smile” (NAT KING COLE singing!)

Smile, though your heart is aching
Smile, even though it’s breaking
When there are clouds in the sky
You’ll get by…

If you smile
Through your fear and sorrow
Smile and maybe tomorrow
You’ll see the sun come shining through for you

Light up your face with gladness
Hide every trace of sadness
Although a tear may be ever so near

That’s the time you must keep on trying
Smile, what’s the use of crying
You’ll find that life is still worthwhile
If you just smile

That’s the time you must keep on trying
Smile, what’s the use of crying
You’ll find that life is still worthwhile
If you just smile

This morning, as I was walking in the park, I decided that a smile is our universal language.  Everyone understands a smile.  Sure, we ALL have a story.  Sure, we are ALL damaged in some way.  But, get over it!!  Smile back. Or, smile first. Or don’t smile.  Bah Humbug!!!   

Now, down to the meat and potatoes.  How can a person write a weekly blog without mentioning the news?  I have so many thoughts and opinions about EVERYTHING and hate the current “regime” in the USA.  I think that cruelty is prevalent and each day, gets crueler. I no longer have a country that I am proud of.  What are we getting so terribly wrong???   Revolutionaries of one kind or another are forming a new country.  The dialogue is not healthy.  I have saved a lot of articles for posts but find that I don’t want to use any of them.  My mission for Jayspeak is NOT to write opinion pieces for readers.  And, every day I think that the news cannot get any worse, and it gets worse!!!  This week was especially full of bad news (I think) and crazy rants of one kind or another. 

No, my mission was / is to write about my life in France during my “golden years”.  Well, actually in 2015 when Steve and I left Los Angeles to “do something else”, I was already in “my golden years”.  He was 66, young and sexy.  So, we had a lot of plans.  Dying was NOT one of them.  Yet, he is gone, and I am now living in Paris, France, in my “golden years”.  Haha.  That is not the way it was supposed to work.  He was supposed to take care of me.    How did all of this happen? 

And, now that the USA is a country I barely recognize, I yearn for some semblance of the values that I still have.  AND, France is hardly what I had in mind.  Yet, here I am.  So, I am taking classes to do what I have to do to become a French citizen (duel citizenship and not easy to get), just in case.  Steve got his Italian citizenship before we left LA, but it doesn’t do me any good at this point. (I checked.  He must still be alive.) And, I am unsure of any future at this rate.  I am on my own with the U.S. Embassy in a fallback position that makes sense.    Yikes!!! 

Also, I have realized that there are people I am supposed to love, but don’t find anything loveable about them.  And friends I am supposed to like that I don’t like.  And there are people I love and like even though I don’t know them that well. Now, I know that maybe I am not loveable or likeable, but I am the person I live with.  And, I love me and I like being with me.  So……

Observation – I think you can see through people and know them even though you don’t KNOW them.  I have become more and more aware of this during these turbulent times.   I read people’s posts and instinctively don’t like them.  ONE person said [edited by me], “I believe in freedom.  If someone doesn’t want to wear a mask, that’s his prerogative. He did what he needed to do to feel “free”. Isn’t it great that we all still have freedom?  Another person wrote, “Another person wrote, “God is preparing people for the Rapture. I don’t know when the rapture will take place but I do believe it could be soon. Until the Good Lord calls me away from this world to go home., I must repent to be ready.”

WHAT????  “Freedom is tied to wearing masks so that you won’t kill someone else?”  “Ready for the Rapture?”

“FREEDOM” is a powerful word.  It can mean a lot of things in a lot of different situations. It can mean democracy in government, personal independence, and a right to speak, the power to act individually.  In a general sense freedom means NOT being enslaved.  Most people at some point in time experience some form of enslavement. In the Free World and under democratic governments, for the most part, we don’t corporately face the physical enslavement that some other countries or people experience. For the most part, we as free people in these countries have a voice, a right to speak up and stand up for ourselves and take action from our own ‘free will’. 

WELL, that is the problem.  Apparently, not wearing a mask in the middle of a global pandemic under Donald Trump makes some people feel free. Free to KILL other people.  Give me a break!!!!!   These people need to experience life under Stalin in Soviet Russia and life in Germany under Hitler as a Jew.  “Freedom” deserves more respect than that.  The police don’t have the “freedom” to kill people.  Why should you????   Freedom comes with a price.  And, not wearing a mask in order to breathe in the middle of a global pandemic under Donald Trump is NOT that price.  Human freedom is a social concept that recognizes the dignity of individuals and is the absence of coercive constraint. Because freedom is inherently valuable and plays a role in human progress, it is worth measuring carefully.  And, “Repenting for sins to be ready for an oncoming Rapture” sounds a lot like Jim Jones before he got everyone to drink the Kool-Aid.  What if there is no such thing as a “Upcoming Rapture”.   What if there is no “home” that you are going to when you die?  Trump has NOT been sent by God so that you can go “home” to everlasting life.  Trump exists.  And, “free” people put him in office with their “Fuck YOU” attitude, of “freedom”.  Give me a break!!!!  

And vice versa.  So, today, I am going to think about what I am thankful for.  My friend Michelle does a post from time to time “Attitude of Gratitude”.  So, I am stealing her idea.  I want to list the things I am grateful for because I have a long list of things that I want to complain about.  Haha.  Yes, I am one of those who think that the grass is greener somewhere else.  So, I am going to go against that grain and tell you what I am grateful for. Get a cup of coffee.  I am going to get one for me, too.  I need the caffeine to help me think and calm down.  Haha. 

• I am grateful that I am still alive and have made it through this pandemic so far.

(A lot of my friends and family are dead.  Some died too soon, and others lived a long life.  Darrell (my first husband and the father of all of my children) was young (52) when he was either murdered or committed suicide.  We will never know the truth.  It was either a coverup or self-inflicted.  I believe it was a clever murder/cover-up.  Pick your truth.  We will never know what really happened.  And, now, some of my friends have the virus.  I hold my breath for my children and my grandchildren.  I hope they are making good choices.)

• I am grateful that a friend is letting me rent her apartment in the 6e in Paris, France for a year. It is centrally located and allows me to learn more about the city while I think about where I want to live, once I move.   And the Jardin de Luxembourg is nearby. (I am falling in love with Paris – everything is in disrepair and old.  I love it!  I can feel people from all of the ages that went before me and I am surrounded by the city.)
• I am grateful for my French class and Audrey, my instructor.
• I am grateful for the smiles I got from strangers this morning.
• I am grateful for croissants and fresh orange juice and good coffee.
• I am grateful for visitors (8,563) on Jayspeak.
• I am grateful for love of Missy, my cat.
• And on, and on, and on……. You don’t want to read this. I don’t want to write it.

Since I last wrote (last week), I have had two French classes, studied a LOT, gotten an appointment with the Paris prefecture for July to update my Visa, and taken a LOT of new pictures.  So, I will post some of my favorites.   July is going to be a busy month for me.  And the French class will be over.  Now, I must find a French culture course.  And, there is also a mandatory civics course that I must take.   So, with these pictures, I say “goodbye” to June.  YES!!  What a month!  Hellooooooo, July!!

My apologies to those I have offended.  Or not.  Just know that my heart is aching for all of it.  But, I am smiling for the camera, anyway…………..

Best, Jay

Donation PIANO

None of this is easy. Thanks, Jay

$50.00