It’s All Maya!

Just like November for Americans can only mean Thanksgiving; November for the French means the Beaujolais Nouveau has arrived!  More than one third of the Beaujolais grown, produced and sold is for the Beaujolais Nouveau consumption!  This year’s harvest, however, is at an all time low since 1975 because of poor weather conditions this past summer.  Twenty-five percent of production was lost and certain vineyards lost the totality of their harvest.

Don’t worry, that hasn’t stopped the party plans that take place in every bar, restaurant and home in France for one of the most celebrated festivites of the Fall.  What use to be a regional celebration after harvesting the grapes, has become a wine festival celebrated throughout the world where the Beaujolais Nouveau makes its way to Paris and then to all parts of the globe! With millions of bottles arriving at bars, restaurants, and stores around the world almost simultaneously, is it any wonder that starting at midnight on the 3rd Thursday of November (today!) people have taken to heart this Autumn ritual and immediately begin consuming the wine right on through the weekend! 

The Beaujolais Nouveau is a light wine (in taste, not color) that one should drink within a relatively short period of time; usually between a few weeks to a few months.  The only problem with such a young wine is it goes straight to your head, and boy the stories I can tell you living right across the street from Chez Georges on the Rue des Canettes for many years!  Nowadays, however, I prefer just having one glass and then moving on to a more robust wine.

Maya Muses:  The Beaujolais Nouveau is here and is it any wonder why people everywhere love the festivities surrounding this very popular celebration?  Cin Cin!

Photo Credits:  Flickr

I wrote about the Paris Syndrome which affects Japanese tourists who go into some sort of psychological shock when they arrive in Paris because reality does not live up to their expectations or the illusions they had about the City of Lights.  Well, I decided to come up with my own syndrome for many American expats living in Paris and I decided to call it The American in Paris Syndrome!

What is it,…. and what are the sympthoms?  Well if even one of the following sounds like you, you’ve come down with TAIPS!

• Doesn’t want to be known as an American in Paris, prefers to be mistaken (if only!) for French.
• Gets upset when Parisians talk to them in English after they hear their American accent; or worse, someone automatically speaks to them in English even before they’ve said a word!
• Tries desperately to wear their scarves as carelessly chic as most Parisians, but somehow the style just doesn’t come across the same.
• Cringes when American tourists sit down next to them in a café or restaurant and shows exasperation for their American manners and loud voices, which is just a mirror image of what they’re running away from and don’t want to see in themselves.
• When writing in English they have to put in a word or phrase in French, even if the person they’re writing to doesn’t speak the language or doesn’t understand what they’re saying!

If you have TAIPS, don’t worry!  It usually affects newcomers to Paris.  For some, they get over it quickly; for others the symptoms can drag on for years!  The bad news is, if you have TAIPS it’s because you’re trying too hard to fit in and if you’re being honest with yourself, you realize you don’t.  The good news is, once you no longer have any of the symptoms and can accept the fact that you’ll always be considered in one way or another, even a little, as an American in Paris….you’ll see that you finally do belong!   

Maya Muses:  I’m sure there are other symptoms so feel free to tell me, but at 3 in the morning that’s what I’ve come up with so far!

Photo Credits:  Flickr

Don’t ask me how I got to reading a post about an American girl living in the suburbs of Paris, because I truly can’t remember. (Sorry, but that’s how it is when you reach my age!) Anyway, I left a comment on her blog and boy did she and one of her readers take it wrong!  Why?  I don’t know, afterall, I’m just some person in cyberspace that is stating my opinion, so what bearing does it have on her life?  None, I would imagine!  I did tell her to delete my comments if they bothered her so much and I went back to see if she did.  Instead I found her referring to my comments on her new post!  So I said, if she’s willing to talk about it, so am I.

The post where all the trouble started talked about an encounter that she had on the Métro.  She sat down next to a French guy that she found attractive and she noticed he was reading the same book that she was, so she tapped him on the arm and struck up a conversation with him.  After exchanging niceties about the book, he asked her what she did and she replied she was an English assistant.  He said he was taking English classes for his job, and the conversation went on until she realized the next approaching stop was hers.  She mentioned it to him and gathered her things, and they said goodnight, and that was it.

It’s after she got off the Métro that the mood of her post changes and she speaks about the emptiness, the bitter disappointment that she felt because they hadn’t exchanged phone numbers or set a rendez-vous to meet again.  Where was the romantic ending that you always see in films she wondered.  As she walks away she tells herself that it wasn’t suppose to end this way.  She then says (to her readers) “I know what you’re thinking, because I have been thinking it myself:” but this is where she is so wrong!  What she’s thinking is probably not what many readers are thinking.  (Or not what I was thinking in any case!)

She says that signs are for suckers and she’s sick to death of signs.  She beats herself up with I should have done this, and I should have done that.  I should have given him my phone number, asked him out, pretended my stop was somewhere else further along, and on and on….  And then she concludes that she had done everything she could and it wasn’t enough! 

Now some people left optimistic comments like, “Oh you’ll run into him again!”, but one person told her, “Um, he could have gotten off with you…” which was exactly what I was thinking, so I left a comment saying that I agreed with that person.  I told her when a French guy is interested in you, believe me he will make that move and I gave her a few examples of the crazy things they do.

She wrote back saying, you’re right Lynn I’m too optimistic, too self-confident and then she says something like, Ha!  You don’t know me at all.  So I wrote back, no you’re right I don’t know you at all, but having spent more than half my life in Paris and having dated more Frenchmen than I care to mention and living with four of them, I think I know Frenchmen.

I did tell her I was sorry for being so blunt and that it wasn’t my intention to be mean, but most French guys will make that move if they’re interested.  (Now this is where I think I got her upset.) I told her if a guy doesn’t make that move, he’s just not that into you. I said, don’t take my word for it, ask several of them and see what they say!  I did tell her, however, that who knows, maybe she was right and he could have been one of those rare French guys that wanted to make a move, but didn’t know how!  Hmm!  Actually I should have told her to stop wasting her time with regrets about something she can’t change.  She couldn’t go back and relive that scenario, so why beat herself up?!

Another girl left a comment that more and more young French guys are really shy and not so bold as their predecessors.  (Boy am I happy to have been born when the predecessors were in full swing! Otherwise, I wouldn’t have all these great memories!)  It did, however, get me to thinking if that were true, how would a really shy French guy act?  So, of course, I asked Patrick who was somewhat shy when he was young and the other shall remain nameless because he is young and somewhat shy.  They gave me great insight. 

Their conclusion was the same, the man on the Métro probably wasn’t interested or if he was, he wasn’t available so he didn’t make a move on her.  Well that offended one reader and she told me to stop making this lovely encounter into a “bloody meaningless pulp”!  She went on to say that I had tarnished this sweet encounter and had given it a bad name!  I mean come on!  It was a 20 minute conversation with a little flirting at best and now it’s a bloody meaningless pulp!  What?!  Now she has to tell her future children, “Oh, and this is how I didn’t meet your suppose to be father.”  Give me a break!  Is everyone living in Mayaland?!!!

So I said, sorry - delete my comments and I won’t post again!  I mean, what could I say?  (Nothing!  I had apparently already said too much!)  Well, as I mentioned at the beginning of my post, I went back to see if my comments were deleted, or if I was going to be massacred by her faithful readers and much to my surprise, someone actually came to my defence, or rather the defence of everyone having the right to state their opinion.  Then another person said (which I was waiting for and not disappointed) that I was a condescending ass!  Why….for giving my opinion?  No!  For giving an opinion that didn’t agree with all the lalalalala they feed her!  Opps!  Sorry, I didn’t know we were suppose to contribute to her delusion! 

On her latest post, that’s where I saw her referencing my comments, she was talking about all the unsuccessful encounters with men in her life.  I truly think the problem is not how she looks physically.  From the small photo of her balancing a ball on her face (!?!  Yeah, I don’t get it either!) she looks like she’s pretty.  (Patrick thought she was cute.)  I think if she’s having problems with men it comes more from the vibrational energy that she gives off as someone who is waiting for things to go wrong, or someone who knows she’s going to get hurt….and so she does. 

Maya Muses:  We are told that we create our own reality in this so-called world by what we think, and more importantly by how and what we feel.  So then, is it really of any surprise that reality quite often meets our expectations?!

Photo Credits: Google Images and Flickr

Kerri, my niece, was asking people on her blog what her best friend Jackie should do to get out of a rut.  Jackie is restless and looking for an all together new experience in life.  She’s single, no children, and well established for a young woman, so she wanted people to give their input.  Someone suggested the World Race.

It’s a race around the world that takes you to eleven countries in eleven months.  The next race begins in January 2009, but they also have races that start in June, August and October of next year.  January has nine teams that vary in size from two to seven participants in each team.  The idea behind the race is not only to minister to others around the world, but to experience other people, places and cultures.

Patricipants are between 21 and 32 years old, but they will consider candidates who are older depending on their experience and leadership abilities.  For more information, visit their website.

Maya Muses:  I told Kerri and Jackie, where was this race when I was young traveling all around the world on my own?

The only kind of race that I would want to do now would be one that flies me 1st class to major cities around the world and I can stay at 5 star hotels where a Magnum of chilled Champagne will be waiting for me in my room and I have dinner reservations at the best restaurants….well, you get the picture!

Photo Credits:  The World Race

Maya Muses:  80 years old today and Mickey still looks as young as when I was a kid!

Photo Credit:  Flickr

Apparently there is new evidence against Joran van der Sloot in the Natalee Holloway case.  A new witness has emeged placing both he and his father, Paul van der Sloot around 4 a.m. near a pond that has never been searched.  Where has this witness been for the past three years, or is this another false lead that will fall by the wayside like all the others?  I don’t understand why the Dutch people aren’t in an uproar over their most notorious citizen Joran van der Sloot!  What more do they need to arrest this young man who confessed to the demise of Natalee Holloway in Aruba and has now been caught in Thailand recruiting young women for the sex industry in Europe?!  I’m truly baffled!

When crime reporter Peter R. de Vries secretly recorded van der Sloot admitting to being with her during her final moments before an accomplice of his dumped Natalee into the sea without regard to whether she was dead or alive; people from around the world were convinced that he would finally be held accountable for her disappearance, yet no action was taken.

Instead of laying low van der Sloot has now shown up in Thailand trying to entice young women for prostitution in the Netherlands under the disguise of getting them jobs as dancers.  Once again we hear him in his own words committing a crime!  What more do authorities need to bring him in?

After the airing of the video showing van der Sloot accepting advance payment for recruiting young girls, he has gone underground to flee authorities in Thailand.  A spokesperson for the public prosecution service in Holland, however, stated that he (van der Sloot) did not appear to have committed any crime.

Could the fact that Joran’s father, Paul van der Sloot, who happens to be a judge and suspected of dumping Natalee’s body, be part of the reason for this corrupt judicial system?  Are they protecting one of their own?

Maya Muses:  I spent a year in Amsterdam living with some of the most gentle, kindest people.  I just don’t understand that there is no reaction from the Dutch that justice be done!

Photo Credit: Google Images

van der Sloot confessing to what happened to Natalee

van der Sloot caught on tape in Thailand

Maya Muses:  Thanks to Chad who left a comment on my blog, I found a fascinating video by David Icke talking about our Holographic universe, the Matrix nature of reality, it’s all Maya, or plain and simple….the world we live in is just an illusion!  Enjoy!

I mentioned in an earlier post that it was never my dream to go to Paris, it’s true.  I was 19 years old at the start of the 1970’s and studying at a university when I decided to take a semester break.  My older sister was living in Germany at the time and I decided to go see Europe and my little nephew for the first time.

Needless to say, I was excited!  I had dreams of going to London and Amsterdam, and I saw myself traveling through the wonderful cities of Italy, and hopping from island to island in Greece.  My sister wasn’t far from Luxembourg and she told me, “You have to go to Paris, it’s so beautiful!”

My response was, “No, if I have time I will, but if I don’t see Paris on this trip, that’s okay; as long as I see London and Rome!”

A few days later I was playing with my nephew when my sister came home from shopping.  “Guess what I got you?” she asked.  After a few lame guesses, I couldn’t imagine so she pulled out a ticket voucher and said, “I put you on a tour to Paris next week!” 

“Really!” I said.  “I guess I’m going to Paris!”

It was a bus tour that left in the morning and got to Paris in the afternoon.  I still wasn’t excited until the bus arrived at the Place de la Concorde and I saw the Eiffel Tower for the first time.  As we made our way up the Champs-Elysées and I saw the Arc of Triumph looming ahead, my mind was thinking about three of my film idols, Audrey Hepburn, Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire.  Sabrina, An American in Paris, Gigi, and Funny Girl were all there before my eyes!  I couldn’t wait to get off that bus and walk down the street!

Our hotel was on the next avenue and our tour guide gave each of us our room key.  We had the rest of the afternoon to explore and then we were to meet back at the hotel to go out for dinner and a Paris by Night tour.  I dumped my belonging in my room and left the hotel as soon as I could.

I made my way back to the Champs-Elysées and started walking; people and cars were everywhere.  As I strolled along the avenue, I saw a bunch of people going down the stairs somewhere.  Where is everyone going?, I wondered.  I continued walking, and once again I observed more people going down more stairs and thought what could be so fascinating down there when this was the most beautiful avenue I had ever seen!  I decided to check it out for myself!

I was swept up with a sea of humanity as I made my way down more steps.  (This was a time when there were people who punched your Métro ticket “les poinçonneurs” as you made your way to the platform.  During rush hour, however, it was next to impossible for them to get to everyone.  People just passed through with or without a ticket.)  As I still didn’t know where I was, I just kept going along with everyone else. 

In a matter of minutes the Métro train pulled in with crowds of people getting off and just as many getting on.  I was pushed on with everyone else and we were squeezed in like a bunch of sardines.  More stops and more people continued to get packed inside.  It was a friendly atmosphere though, and I loved listening to everyone speaking French.  I didn’t understand one word of it!

Finally we arrived somewhere, the doors opened and once again I was swept along with everyone else.  I got off the train and followed most people down some more stairs.  It was there that everyone took off in different directions and I was left standing there without an inkling in the world what to do next!  The sign said “Châtelet” but it didn’t mean a thing to me!

I realized I had no idea where I was or where my hotel was!  I had left the key at the front desk and hadn’t bothered looking at the name of the hotel, the street address, or anything!  I looked around and saw a young man who had his back to me.  I’ll go and ask him for help, maybe he can tell me how to get back to the Arc of Triumph.  I’m sure I can find the hotel from there, I thought.

I went up to him and tapped him.  He turned around and it was love at first sight for both of us!  A gorgeous young Frenchman swept me off my feet 20 minutes after arriving and it was the beginning of a love affair with Paris!

Maya Muses:  The biggest surprise was for my sister when I told her I was staying in Paris!  That was priceless!

Photo Credits:  Rita Crane and Flickr

In the beginning the universe was created.  This has made a lot of people very angry and has been widely regarded as a bad move.

Douglas Adams
                                   The Restaurant at the End of the Universe

There is no question that there is an unseen world.  The problem is how far is it from mid-town and how late is it open?                  
          

Woody Allen

Here is a guaranteed way to get more of what you want: want less.

         Ashleigh E. Brilliant

Maya Muses:  I love the rhetorical wit that these men display on universal topics!

Photo Credits:  Flickr