i pray to someday look like Penelope.

I haven't had the chance to update in about a week...I just started my classes and my job last week and I have been quite busy making the commute. Here's the deal-io..I needed to take studio art classes this semester, therefore, I had to register at Paris VIII instead of Paris IV. The fact that I get to take studio art in Paris is amazing, BUT the university is in the complete opposite side of the city so it takes me an hour just to get there. The school is not my favorite, it's very overcrowded, but it's only for one semester. The classes I am taking are pretty chouette...i have courses in drawing, sculpture, history of photography and the philosophy of art esthetics. In the past week I have had to haggle my way into these classes..but things finally seem to be settling. I get to carry a big portfolio case around Paris like a real life art student...but honestly I feel like a poser...hah

in other news, I saw 2 plays last week...one was a modern adaptation of Shakespeare's "Much Ado About Nothing" and the other was a musical based on the band "Queen"...one of my students was playing Freddy Mercury so I obviously had to go. The theater was completely packed so I had to sit in the very front row and center..which was awkward because I was literally face to face with my student while he was singing. Otherwise it was cute. Espescially the fact that mini frenchies were singing Queen songs...with little frenchie accents.

Over the weekend I went back to the ountryside and got some homework done. I also went horseback riding with Jérôme, which was a lot of fun. The weather was perfect and we went on a ballad for 2 hours.

Entertainment wise...I am currently addicted to The Office..I have watched seasons 1, 2 and most of 3. Caroline is a life saver and is ordering season 4...why didn't i watch this series before? Last night I went and saw Vicky Christina Barcelona and i loved it! It was very true to European mentality on love adn relationships and Penelope Cruz was awesome. I's alowly realizing that I may never leave Europe...or at least not anytime soon, I really love it here and I feel I can be more myself and less restricted to what is "expected" of me. There is this very cool quote from the song "The Healer" by Erykah Badu that says: "You don't have to believe everything you think"...it seems simple, but if you think about it..it makes a lot of sense(God. I would kill to look like her or to marry Jim...and that is a request)

In the past 3 weeks I have read 2 books and now I have started "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck...which I am enjoying very much. It is the first Steinbeck book I've read since "The Red Pony" in the 8th grade (which I hated)...next I plan on reading "For Whom the Bell Tolls" by Hemingway, then I will have read all the books I brought with me. HELP.
if any of you are feeling overly compassionate and rich please send me a present of a good book and some peanut butter M&Ms...not likely but I thought I'd throw it in there.