A Paris microblog

I wrote a very quick e-mail update to my a colleague just now, and thought it would be a start on a blog entry.

I don't want to jinx anything but unless I am completely clueless I think today was one of the better days I've had on Summer Abroas: despite morning t-storm after breathtaking stuffiness in west-facing-baking room w/ not so good sleep after paper marking, I sorted out the breakfast thing (some students were behaving as if it was included, which it is not, so I reassured the dude that I would cover the few who had helped themselves to the croissants and coffee billed at 6 euro), posted a notice about the tour and class etc, had most of the class down at the lobby for 9 (except two whom I called at 5 til and woke them up, grr). Bus tour was very good--Christine the tour guide was better than last year's, likewise Jose the driver. Pitched it well, paced it pretty well, dropped at Luxembourg / Foyer; mini lecture on Lux, needed to kill an hour before Raquel's Americans in Paris class was done, turned 'em loose and they were all back in time for 1 o'clock, then meet & greet & settle on the details for AIP showing GT lunch spots with their week's worth of Paris wisdom. Then off to get Navigo passes, somewhat tedious and we had to have cash.

Then over to cafe to confirm dinner arrangements, back to FI and a really interesting and satisfying class 2:45-4:30 with many teaching moments that I will someday detail (re grading, SA experiential ed, sexism, cultural sensitivity, etc., as well as good stuff following up on London), then back to Citadines via metro and Monoprix, then a flurry of work until 7 for pre-dinner rendezvous, ticked at 3 students for being late, fast walk to Odeon (cafe)for dinner, which was fine--nothing refined, but serviceable (in my opinion, though the foodies will poo-poo it). Again unless I misread, this hot and crowded atmosphere in a part of their upstairs room was very conducive to lots of conversation, and at a higher level, more so than I heard the entirety of last year. For the money no comparison to last year's pretentious place near St Lazare, twice as expensive for maybe slightly more refined food but no beverages no coffee and an atmosphere that did not lead to conversation.

There's my 10 minute spew. Will have to read the riot act to a couple of folks about lateness and "citizenship." Definitely feel some buy-in happening in some good ways, so we'll see. Now hoping for better / longer sleep... No class til 1:30, and