November 7th. Today, myself and millions of other Americans voted in the mid-term elections, expressing our views on candidates and for states with propositions such as California, deciding on laws that could take affect in as soon as ten days. I’m not here to write about my political opinions or thoughts on candidates; friends know that I’m liberal and because of my dual nationality, a proponent of state assistance. I’m writing tonight to just present a hopefully unbiased perspective on my first time voting in person at a polling place. True, I had voted two years ago in the 2004 Presidential Elections but this was through an absentee ballet which was convenient and provided me with plenty of time to understand the ballot and choices. Today, I voted electronically in my new “home” state, California.
At this moment, I’m fed up and annoyed with two companies that previously, I had been very happy with: TextDrive and Cingular. I rely on both, TextDrive to maintain my web presence and promote the simple shareware applications I write, and Cingular to stay in touch with the rest of the world (as Hamilton’s gotten rid of landline phone service). Both have failed me exactly when I need them the most. Continue reading »
I’ve been back in France now for about a week and a half now. Over the past ten days, I’ve spent a lot of time transitioning back into the French lifestyle. Baguettes, cheese, and wine are just a small part. As such, I’m now ready to make some observations, and with this post you’re about to read, we’re going to start a new column, Battle of the Cultures. This might be a lofty goal but I’d like to write a bit about the different cultures I’ve grown up in. We’ll see whether or not it continues, but here at least is Part I. If there are any topics you’d like me to touch upon, just leave a comment or contact me and I’ll try and include it for the next edition. In this edition:
With less than a week before 2005 comes to a close, I guess it’s time to sit down and make my list of five favorite things. I think we’ll start with the most common categories and end on a more personal note.
Best Albums of 2005
It’s been a fairly good year for music. Having shared a radio show with Sean during the spring semester, as well as branching out a bit more than I usually do in the fall, I was able to hear a whole range of new artists. I’ve purposefully left out compilations as it’s hard to compare a compilation with an album by an artist. One band that I struggled with was Porcupine Tree. Anyone who knows me well knows that I truly appreciate their music and even went to see them this past summer. However, even though they released a new album this year, Deadwing, it simply wasn’t as good as In Absentia, and as such, didn’t make the cut.
* I stand corrected. Arcade Fire released Funeral in 2004 but I only just discovered it this year. Good, it gives me another slot on my list.
I once again ventured into Nice today to spend the day shopping and running errands. The stores were full, the roads a mess, and the inhabitants flustered. However, it was a welcome outing as I was able to spend five or so hours soaking up a rarity: the sun. I’ve posted a fair amount of new photos within the gallery I’ve set up for this trip and in addition, I’ve included a number of small observations about the differences between France and the US in this post.
Lifestyle You can’t beat the French lifestyle. Waking up in the morning, putting on a light jacket, and heading down to the Boulangerie to pick up a freshly baked baguette. Fruit are fresh, ripe, and ready to eat. The presentation of the cakes in the Patisserie are mouth watering. All of this adds up, make you feel alive - more so than heading to the local supermarket in Clinton to buy shrinkwrapped food. Although, that of course is still available here too. However, even the local hypermarches - Carrefour, Casino, and Auchan - go out of their way to make the trip feel fun, much like a trip to Whole Foods or Wegmans. Continue reading »
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