Stressed???

According to Matjaz, this is me once I'll be done editing your work... Note that for the hair, I'm almost there ;)

I finally took the GRE. The test center was on the 16th floor of the Prometric tower in La Defense area and I had a nice view on Paris and the Seine river. I’m disappointed with my Quantitative score. On all the Practice tests I took, I scored between 780 and 800. But today I only got 730. I could have done better… The Verbal section was as expected. This is not by reading Wired, SVM, Formula 1, Aerospace or Diver magazine that I’m going to expand my vocabulary... For the Analytical section I will have to wait a few more weeks… I had lunch at 4pm with Betty and I realized by talking with her that my life wasn’t that bad. I definitely prefer being busy like hell and sleeping 4 hours per night rather than spending days waiting for phone calls and looking for jobs. At least I have the feeling that my life is going somewhere.
Paris is a crazy city, full of crazy people. They have two lanes in the subway : one for people who run and another one for people who run fast ! You’d better be in the right one ;) This place is beautiful but it seems that the people living there forgot how special this city is. However, I would never be able to live in such a place – there are way too many people for me. But I should try to find a moment to go back there to visit the museums and all the amazing places that I never took the time to see. If I don’t do it while living in France, when am I going to do it ?? Furthermore, a little bit of culture won’t hurt me ;)
Finally, the rest of the week is going to be busy with the symposium and the Team Project. It is going to be In-Situ Resource Utilzation for the next 10 days (actually till we present our work). I also have to catch up with the lectures I missed today and there is also Max’s paper that I want to review. I tried to work tonight during the 4 hours I had in the train but I actually fell asleep like a log. Cannot fight against sleep anymore… I’m going to enjoy my bed tonight.

News from Paris...

Made it to Paris - La Defense - Courbevoie after walking 30 minutes in the dark with a map as large as a stamp. If you think the hotel in Luxembourg was terrible, well, you should see that one ;) I leave the door of the bathroom opened so that I have some light in the room! But for 40 bucks and a Wifi access, I shouldn't complain. Plus the CourtePaille is right next door so I'm going to enjoy a "confit de canard avec haricots verts" (duck with green beans) before enjoying some more GRE Practice tests. The test is tomorrow at noon. What they didn't mention though is that the first test consists in finding the place ;) It would have been too easy to have the examination center downtown Paris (or in Strasbourg!!!)... Instead they put it in La Defense, the craziest French maze ever... But at least I can see the Eiffel tower from my cell ;) OK, no more complaining for tonite... Diner time!!!!

See you Tuesday guys....

Heading to Paris in a couple of hours... I'll be back monday in the night. Thank you for the mulled wine, the beer and your support last night... It was nice to go out a bit ;) Rocky, could you please take the handouts for me?
Time to pack and do something for the palm-tree I have on my head...

Thursday and friday in pictures...

The all nighters...



A Canadian bear... recovering...



Visit of the Observatory:





Request for Proposal assignment: the presentations! (no, this is not a funeral...)



The campus under the first snow...





Online summary of Black Friday by Max... and Matt ;)



More soon, but for now this is bedtime...

No Mum... :(

It seems that we are not the only ones to wake up in the snow this morning... Mum just called to tell me that she won't come tonight because everything in Switzerland is recovered by 8 inches of snow, roads included of course... And since she doesn't have her snow-tires yet, it is not safe to drive... Another evening at school in the offing, working on my GRE or on ISRU...
Ok, time to get up (so cool to blog from your bed!). Forecast for 4pm today: feels like 19F with snow shower... where are my snowboard pants???

It is snowing!!!

I love it!!! Everything is white... That's the first time I see snow that early in the year. A little bit of ice on top of that and driving tomorrow morning is going to be a lot of fun.... for me!!!! I'm definitely bringing my snowboard back from the US!

I have such a life ;)

When we started school, a few months ago, the faculty told us that we were going to be a big family. Well.... I don't remember seeing my own family that often, even when I was living at mum's place. We are now taking breakfast, lunch and dinner together and we are also spending the night together... I don't know why I'm spending 350 euros on rent each month... I'm never at home. Lat monday I started bringing my cereals and milk to school. Next step will be my pyjamas and slippers... And by the way, whoever is using the coffee I leave in my mailbox 'd better not mess with my cereals... I could become very angry...


I don't know yet what the topic of my internship and report will be but I already have enough material to publish a guide on the fast-food places you can find around school at night ;)
Monday: Domino's pizza at school
Tuesday: Flunch (Auchan)
Wednesday: Mc Donalds (God forgives me...)

As things are going, I think we should come up with some kind of schedule for the sofas so that everybody can at least have 30 min of sleep during the night ;)

This afternoon, we went visiting the Observatory (2 blocks from my place). It was really interesting to learn about the history of the place and to see how they operate the telescope. I'll put pics soon... basically once I'll be done with my GRE.
We had our first snow flakes today. It is so cold!!! I was wondering 10 days ago why people were rushing to buy boots... I got it! and bought myself a nice pair so that I don't lose any toe ;)

Finally, today is Thanksgiving... and we don't even have time to celebrate... Mum is coming tomorrow afternoon and we are going to spend the evening together. This is going to be great!!! I'm in France but don't even have the time to visit my parents and brother/sister... Anyway, for all of you who have the chance to spend Thanksgiving with your family, I whish you a Happy Thanksgiving and hope you're having a great time ;) Time to go back to school....
Debby and Dave, I call you this afternoon (for you).

It was Monday...

Winter is here my friends... -3C (27F) this morning and -5C (23F) for tomorrow morning... Chris found a use to his ISU library card: de-icing the windshield!

We spent this morning working on our Team Project review (pics on this a bit later) and finally presented our preliminary work this afternoon. We are going to take you to the Moon!!! but before that, I have a ton of publications on In-Situ Resource Utilization to the Moon and Mars to digest... I also started "The Case For Mars - the plan to settle the Red Planet and why we must" by Robert Zubrin and this is definitely an inspiring book.

There have been a few articles published on our "Physics On Stage" event (it was last friday afternoon) in the Dernieres Nouvelles D'Alsace and in the 20 Minutes newspapers:

And finally, here is the happy crew after the event (no comment on my crazy haircut.. there's nothing I can do about it... it's totally out of control) ;)

Max sent me a few pics of his WE at Mike's beach, HoodSport, WA... where I used to go diving. So many memories there... so many bursts of laughter. I still have this thing going on in my stomach when I watch those pics... But it is good to see your smilling faces ;) I miss you... It is hard to be home and to feel so far from home at the same time...

I should stop dreaming and go back to my Request For Proposal assignment due Thursday... It is not tonight that I'll work on my GRE...

Thank you so much Anin!!!

I was about to cry this afternoon. Tears of happiness! Anin is awake... He cannot see yet because of all the drugs they give him but he definitely understands what you say! He even smiled and held my fingers firmly. I don't know if he realizes all the joy he brings us. The doctors say that his condition is still critical but that he has been stable for more than a week now so that's definitely positive! His wife was also smiling and I heard her laughing for the first time. It was so good, you have no idea ;)
So for now, I'm relaxing at home. Working for my GRE on my bed with a giant bowl of cereals on my bedside table and listening to Jack Johnson. The guys are not home and this is really quiet. I turned the heat on in my room for the first time this week-end because it is getting really cold here but also because Chris leaves the windows opened in the living-room (might be a Canadian thing)... Each time I open my door I'm expecting to see some penguins...
Daniel and I didn't see the sunrise this morning. I remember turning the alarm-clock off (or on, depends where you're from!) and turning the light on at 6am... but I actually opened my eyes at 1pm... I had more than 24 hours of sleep this week-end and my body is still asking for more... But I'm feeling better, more relaxed and seeing Anin this afternoon was definitely the best moment of this WE.

Alsace Wine Route

Daniel and I are leaving tomorrow (sunday) morning at 6:30am to see the sunrise on the plain, take some pictures and breathe! You're welcome to join us... Bring some hot coffee because it is going to be a freezing cold morning ;)

I created a new gallery on Smugmug where I put a few paper pics that I scanned. Most of them are pretty old but they are sweet memories. Enjoy!

Time to escape...

I just booked my flight to Vancouver, BC. I'm going to spend New Year's Eve on the beach watching the whales and listening to the waves....

(Pic by Christina Craft)

I need to escape... Cannot stand to live in a box anymore. I feel like a lion in a cage. I want forests, trails that take you in the middle of nowhere, lakes, mountains, the sound of the waves breaking on the shore, space and silence... 39 days to go.

Now that I can see some light at the end of this tunnel, things should be a bit easier. Just need to keep working hard before I put up my tent in the sand.

"Just Feel Better"
(Santana feat. Steven Tyler)

She said I feel stranded
And I can't tell anymore
If we coming or I'm going
It's not how I planed it
I've got the key to the door
But it just won't open

And I know, I know, I know
Part of me says let it go
That life happens for a reason
I don't, I don't, I don't
It goes I never went before
But this time, this time

I'm gonna try anything that just feel better
Tell me what to do
You know I can't see through the haze around me
And I do anything that just feel better

And I can't find my way
Girl I need a change
And I do anything that just feel better
Any little thing that just feel better

She said I need you to hold me
I'm a little far from the shore
And I'm afraid of sinking
You're the only one knows me
And who doesn't ignore
That my soul is weeping

I know, I know, I know
Part of me says let it go
Everything must have it seasons
Round and round it goes
And every day's a one before
But this time, this time

I'm gonna try anything that just feels better
Tell me what to do
You know I can't see through the haze around me
And I do anything that just feel better

And I can't find my way
God I need a change
And I do anything that just feel better
Any little thing that just feel better

Long to hold you in my arms
To all things I ought to leave behind, yeah
It's really getting nowhere
I think I need a little help this time!

Yeah
[Guitar solo]

I'm gonna try anything that just feel better
Tell me what to do
You know I can't see through the haze around me
And I do anything that just feel better

And I can't find my way
Girl I need a change
And I do anything that just feel better
Any little thing that just feel better

What a mess...

The problem when you dream is that at some point you have to wake up... and this can really hurt. One of my friend told me to live for today and to die with no regrets. I don't have any regrets... I live absolutely everything at 200%. It is just that when you hit the wall at 200, it causes more damage than at 30.

I'm feeling you

Sometimes I imagine the world without you
But most time I'm just so happy that I ever found you
Its a complicated web
That you weave inside my head
So much pleasure with such pain
We always always stay the same

I'm feeling the way you cross my mind
And you save me in the knick of time
I'm riding the highs I'm digging the lows
Cuz at least I feel alive
I never faced so many emotional days
But my life is good I'm feeling you
I'm feeling you

You go and then I can finally breath in
Cuz baby I know in the end you're never leaving
Well we rarely ever sane
I drive you crazy and you do the same
But your fire fills my soul
And it warms me up like no one knows

I'm feeling the way you cross my mind
And you save me in the knick of time
I'm riding the highs I'm digging the lows
Cuz at least I feel alive
I never faced so many emotional days
But my life is good
I'm feeling you
I'm feeling you

I'm feeling the way you cross my mind
And you save me in the knick of time
I'm riding the highs I'm digging the lows
Cuz at least I feel alive
I never faced so many emotional days
I'm feeling you
I'm feeling you
I'm feeling you
I'm feeling you

Oh I’m feelin’ the way that you cross my mind
And the way that you save me in the nick of time
Oh i’m feelin’ the way when you walk on by
I feel light, I feel love, I feel butterflies

I feel butterflies

I'm feeling you ~ Santana, Michelle Branch & The Wreckers (all that I am)

The thrill of life

I lived very enriching experiences this week-end and learnt a great lesson. Anin is still fighting and his wife and us spent as much time as possible with him. Tonight, I met some people from the Association Franco-Indienne and it was very interesting to listen to them speaking Bengali and to see how a different culture deals with diseases and hope. It was a real cultural experience. Indian people are amazing. I think they are right when they say that medecine is not an exact science and that the mental support you can provide somebody with can make a real difference in his recovery. I have been feeling really powerless this last week but I finally understood and accepted the fact that being strong and keeping up hopes is the best and only way we have to help Anin. As long as there is hope, there is life. And as long as there is life, there is hope.

I don't know what life has in store for us but this hardship is definitely bringing us closer to each other and is making us stronger as well. We all have a different way to deal with this and I'm extremely grateful to my friends in the US and here in France for helping me going through this. Another good thing is that since saturday night, I sleep without taking any relaxant.
This week I have to start catching up with all the lectures I attended without being mentally present (don't remember a single word...) because school is going on.

Finally, if you think your life is messed up, you should see mine tonight... ;) But this week-end I realized that, even in the most difficult moments, life is full of unexpected hours of happiness. You just have to seize them and dream of more. I keep going and learning.

A beautiful night...

I don't know if I dreamed or if it was real... I think that I'll remember it as a dream and keep my eyes closed so that it happens again...

STOP!!!

Tom, please, don't take the subway in Lyon anymore.
And for those who were asking me last time, yes there is curfew in Strasbourg. You can find a list of the cities concerned here.

I promise...

... that I will sleep and eat.

Pray for Anin

He needs us more than ever...

Curfew?

I hope this is going to stop the spread of violence but I have serious doubts. I don't think that people who set buses on fire with people still inside will stay at home just because the Prime Minister told them to.
But this will have to end soon because we are going to end up either with a civil war or with the Far Right (bunch of racists, nazis...) at the next elections. For now helicopters are still flying over our heads...

Where am I living?

They torched a school... and that is just for Strasbourg... Have a look at the QuickVote on the CNN webpage.

They are watching us...

Just got a bunch of helicopters flying over our heads... I have the feeling that France is going to make the headline on CNN tomorrow as well... I'm wondering if they are going to send the army. Ok, do we have an army?

The helicopters are back again and are getting closer... and don't go away... I hope it won't be like that all night long... who knows, maybe I can ask for a free ride??

Jeeez, they are still here. They are so noisy that I'm wondering if they are not going to land in the street. I should probably think on parking my car someplace else.

Being back in France is definitely becoming more and more interesting. I don't understand my country anymore. I've probably been away for too long. Watching things on the French news when you are thousands of miles away is definitely not the same as living in the country and having a feeling of what's going on. I'm very surprised by the violence of all this... I mean, this is not the country I left 3 years ago.

The night is going to be long...

No more WE like that one...

I think this have been the worse and most depressing WE ever. It is awful to see a friend suffering. But I'm glad the doctors agreed on talking to me so that I can translate for him. It is just very difficult to decide between what he should know (what you need to tell him) and what he doesn't need to. I hate that. I don't know how doctors can handle that everyday.
Saturday night, Daniel and I went out for beers. Both of us needed to forget about things. We landed in the Irish Times, talked about death, suicide and rugby and left when I could barely walk.
Today was a bit like yesterday, without the beers. Anin was looking better today than yesterday and definitely better than Friday night. It was good to see him smiling. There is so much more I would like to be able to do... but I guess that visiting him everyday, holding his hands and telling him that he's gonna be fine is probably the best thing we can do so far...
I have been working a bit on my GRE. I hope people in Paris will be done playing with lighters and gasoline (they have nothing better to do than setting cars, buses, schools and bakeries on fire????) so that I can actually go there and take this exam.
Life really sucks sometimes...

Alone in the smoke...

The guys are gone... Daniel is at the soccer game and Chris went out for beers. I have the all place for myself ;) It is SO quiet ;)

And now whatever Chris told you, I didn't set the appartment on fire! It is just that I was used to have smoke detectors "screaming" to tell me that food was ready... There is no such things here and I have a tendency to forget things in the oven (doing thousand things at the same time....) So, there is just a little bit of smoke, that all! But I keep thinking that we need a fire extinguisher here if I keep cooking a bit ;) Now you all know how talented I am in a kitchen... ;)

All nighter here we are...

I can already feel the keyboard on my forehead....

Googlebomb

1 - Go to Google
2 - Type in the word "Failure"
3 - Do not click on "Google Search " but on "I'm feeling lucky"
4 - Laugh

There is also that one, made by somebody who obviously doesn't have any education in History!!!