Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Une année

Honestly. And the days in-between?

September 12, 200812 septembre 2009
Et les jours entre les deux.

Claire Winter Gorton
Song: "Old Man" Neil Young
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWovzUEe4l8

Sunday, September 27, 2009

I just hope its not cigarette ash.

Market, yessir.
Cheese, bingo bango bongo.
I forgot to get the name of teh cheese. I'm sick. So a little bit out of it. I detest being in public when I'm sick. But I had to go to market. Evidement.


This cheese is quite good. It is actually a tad bit spicy. I think. My taste buds might be tricking me with this cold. Its very creamy and 7/10ths smelly. There is also ask in the middle. That's the black line you see. It is quite a good addition. But, what kind of ash is it. Better not be cigarette ash because I eat enough of that shizz accidentally in my kitchen.


France: Smoking is bad for you. Stop it. It isn't cool anymore. NEWS FLASH.
Do you "readers" exist anymore? Are you gonna send me pictures of us or not? My walls are still blankkkkkkkk.

cwg
Song:"Flock of Words" Trey Anastasio
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9RhQK2e2yA

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Bonjour

Morning jog through Aix.

Sunlight filtering my air

Breathe deep, fresh, then SING
My soundtrack this morning:
"The Weight" sung by John Denver
It's not on youtube...but it is inspiring.

Monday, September 21, 2009

A tumultuous day

So today had its ups and downs. A lot. Luckily it has ended with mostly ups. Allons-y.

Intro of Pocahontas tee to FR.

Was sitting at my computer and noticed I was scowling....FRENCH BUREAUCRACY

Just finished soccer try-outs...for teh men's team...and success!

Got some awesome blood blisters...double success!!

Met some incredibly handsome boys..one in particular who said I should play with them (!!!)

MY PASSPORT HAS ARRIVED AT THE MITCHELL GROUP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
CLAIRE WINTER GORTON

Sunday, September 20, 2009

Fromage II

Mmmm Fromage. Seriously. Just the facts today people. I went to market again. It wasn't as lively and full of the certain french-i-ness that it had last weekend. I think it comes from the amount of rain we've been having. The french like to hole-up as it is on Sundays, but even more when it rains. But I nonetheless got some amazing cheese. I was trying a few different types, but then this one hit me. And VOILA, decision was made.


It is a slightly strong chevre. When it is a tad cool it has a crumbly texture in the mouth, when room temp or warmer it is nice and gooey. mmmm. I am currently eating it with a Provence Pear and it is divine. I think I like it better when warmer and gooey.


I also bought this massive mushroom. I'm planning on having it for lunch some day this week. Potentially wednesday when I have a 3 hour break in between classes. I need to buy some mozz or possibly parm to cook with it. hmmm the possibilities.


Well I am off to write my glorious Hinckley Intern paper. Gotta get done at some point right? Yes yes, oh yay. To quote the Streets.
Signing off,
Claire
Song: "Nail" by the Sugarcubes
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZmJprCozqE

Thursday, September 17, 2009

awwwwww

C'est des


MONSTER MUNCHIES!!!!!!

--------------------clerrrrrrr----
Song "Poker Face" Lady Gaga (my Bonne Soirée playlist is on.....)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4slGLl-Vmes

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

My 3rd celebrity love.

At a young age, we are impressionable. We fall in love with characters in books and on our tv screens. My 3rd love from the magic box was Patrick Swayze as Pecos Bill. I wanted to MARRY him. Or run around the West shooting off everyone's trigger fingers and riding around on my wild and forever faithful stallion with him.


He has definitely shaped my type in men. Whether good or bad....Patrick Swayze=good....Pecos Bill=bad. You will be missed. I'm watching Donnie Darko tonight.

Goodbye and peace.
-Claire through the ages.
Song: "Living Life" By Ben Kweller
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-DwCafXjBY


UPDATE:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbBMNfuSSpo
I may or may not have just bought a dvd version of Tall Tale on Amazon.com.....Yes they ship to FR

Sunday, September 13, 2009

To market, to market!

To market, to market to buy us some cheese;
Now ten euro lighter-thank you and please.

To market to market to buy some fresh mint;
I'm seeing the world with a rose colored tint.

To market to market to buy tomato paté;
What a glorious and nonetheless very French day.

To market to market a day second to none;
home again home again market is done!
-cwg

Fromagggggggggge---
I have started on my quest through the cheese land which is akin to heaven in my eyes. I am buying a new cheese every time I go to market/the store. I will keep track on here. Provided with descriptions and very, Very, VERY jealousy envoking pictures. Enjoy!
This is the first one. C'est Tomme Brébis. It was aged for 3 mois. 3 months. They also had the same aged for 6 mois ET 30 (THIRTY!!!) mois. I tried it, I think 2nd, and there were about 9 cheeses. and I KNEW it was the one I was buying. It's absolutely delectable.


It is quite soft (only aged for 3 months) and creamy. It's not very sharp, but has almost an earthy flavor. It is also slightly sweet, and fairly rich.


I will keep everyone updated, even if you don't want to read about it. We also bought some jambon cru (aged ham) that was aged for a year. Yes, be jealous. Except those vegetarians out there. Just be, except understand what you're missing. Love this market. Love the damn thing. I'm already sad to think about not being able to go to it....and it's the 13th of septembre! nevermind, I'm reveling in the fact that I have 10 more months.

Claire
Song: "Last Fair Deal Gone Down" Keb Mo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VaV-S5w7UO0&feature=fvw
This is Robert Johnson, because there isn't a Keb Mo version on youtube.

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

C'est pour les hommes....

Hello Everyone!
I have had my first day of orientation/foreign exchange student school. My french student classes don't start until the 14th or 21st. Here I am in my window the night before school. For my entire youth, my family took a first day of school picture. We have them throughout the years of Grace's rad pink glasses, bagheera in the background, my front toothless smile to my braces smile, Grac'es shiny purple eyeshadow and then me solo with Lori. This year it was a little different, as it was taken the night before and I'm alone in my french window with no family anywhere. Oh, where life takes us.





On a funnier, lighter note. I was looking for a bike today to buy for the year. I simply want a used bike to ride around aix in place of the 130 euro bus pass. So I go to the Depot, a pour les trucs utilise. Used items. I find a bike, 68 euro, not too horrible. But its old. I inquire with a man who doesn't really look like he works there, even maybe mentally slow...but he walked up when I rang soooo....

We start talking, en francais and he says.."oh no no no, this is a man's bike" I respond with. Yeah, but I'm tall, I can handle it. He is very adamant and now chuckling. No no no, it for MEN, it is made for MEN. "yes sir, I GET that, ok thanks". SO I go get the head guy, and he sasy teh SAME thing. I ask why now, thinking something huge is lost on me. He simply says see the bar here, it is straight and not slanted. Women's bars are slanted to make it easier to swing you leg up over. It is not as hard to get on"......I am happy! "Oh that's it" I say, then yeah, I can do that! No he says, no c'est pas pour toi. ca marche pas pour toi. NO, it won't work for you. I'm thinking, "sir, I rode HORSES for 4 years..I don't think a bike bar ont eh ground is going to prove too difficult for my delicate female legs to swing over". He is laughing now, no no work for you, les femmes. EXCUUUUUUSE me? Are you trying to sell your bike or not. He started to get a little worked up and so did I, then I remembered that it was a crappy bike for 70 Euro anyway and said merci au revoir and left.

Gender Equality has a whole different mindset in France. Excuse me, I must go to bed and I think my bed might be unisex and so I want to give myself extra time to make the jump up into it....
Mlle C. GORTON
Song:"Technicolor Health" by the Harlem Shakes
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_x7Njb-JHQ

Saturday, September 5, 2009

Well, that's a disappointment

Orangina...Light! Great!


Actually it is quite tasteless and lackluster. I didn't even finish it. Don't get your hopes up, or waste your time.

This is one of those times where the extra calories in the regular, are just worth it.

Claire Winter Gorton
Song: "Southtown Girls" by The Hold Steady
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zff4TMOQls
(please ignore the video that goes with the song...it was the best version of the song I could find)

Friday, September 4, 2009

That Fateful Day in France: Day 1

This is a blog post that I wrote on the train from Montpelier to Marseille...after writing it before arriving to Aix I decided to never post it. Upon recent events I have decided to post it. I have't even re-read it since I wrote it...it's completely au natural...no spell check either (good luck) along with a picture immediately after writing it. Act One. Here it is:

It’s gone. My key. The key I’ve worn everyday since December 9th 2006. I had just bought an orangina in the train station from a vending machine and I looked down to see if it was still on my wrist. Which was a negative. It had been pulled off by pressure, which isn’t surprising because I have been hauling around humongous bags all day across countries.
I knew I would have a slight emotional breakdown, whether it showed outside or not, but I never guessed this would happen. I feel so lost. I can’t even call anyone to talk about it. This is lesson number one. I don’t even want to be in France right now. How could I have been so stupid to wear it on my wrist when I knew I would be all over the place? I don’t want to go explore; I don’t want to play soccer; I don’t want to learn French.
Shitty happening number one. Right so it sucks, yeah. I can deal with that. But how can I fix this? I can’t, not really for a year. I believe there were two keys to the lock of my mothers lock, but I’m not sure. And I’m not sure where it would even be. And then I’m not going back to MI for god knows when. Maybe this is a sign. For those who know what the key means, maybe it’s time to quit using my mom’s, and start using my own. I had taken hers and was using it to help me transition to my own life. Her _________ was acting as mine, helping me through. Now, as I enter into completely foreign territory, perhaps it is time I get my own ____________ of myself, of the world and of her. I think this might be good for me. This breaks my ties with the past a little. I have recently felt a few feelings that I probably should have felt a lonnnng time ago about her death. I believe it is time to move on. I am speeding through the French countryside. I do have to a find a completely new key and ________.
Ok then, nowhere to go but forward. On to Marseille, then Aix….and then, well I don’t really know because I don’t have directions to my new home yet. There is a good possibility that I will be spending my night in a train station tonight. Step one. OH man I feel restless now. I want to go find a new key, but it won’t be the same. I wish this had been a choice. A new key and I could have the old one in a box knowing it was there. But it’s out there. Just like she is. Booooooo. Still I must make the best of it; but I would never have picked this. But, I will be okay. I will. It’s just a piece of metal, small at that. I don’t know if I want instant gratification, or if I should take my time and find the right one. I think I need a substitution, but only a stand-in until I find the real thing. Yes that’s it. I have one in New York that will work, and maybe even permanently, because I did get it before this, it wouldn’t be a replacement, IT was a transition, I was debating wearing it instead. Yes. I’m done.
P.S. I don't look as though I love trains so much now, eh?

So it was devastating no? I had lost my key, if you understand the gravity of teh situation, you might also be saying buck up Claire. Also if oyu know me, you know I have weird senses about this that I own and that i use a lot. And people as well. I can feel them. I didn't FEEl that it was gone. Like teh idea made me want to sob, but it didn't register. I though, denial right?

But two days laterrrrrrr:

I am going through my backpack to get my folders of endless papers out for government stuff andddddddd

I FOUND THE KEY AT THE BOTTOM.

It was in my backpack. it had been ripped off of my wrist...and fallen into my backpack. The chances! To think of all teh miles I traveled, cities I walked through, countries I crossed.

Incredible.Needless to say I'm a little happier in the following pictures, non?

I still stand by what I said, I think the transition period is my choice, and I'm choosing it. I think I will now have two. One tried and true, and one new: Mine.

Claire Winter Gorton
Song:There Goes the Fear by Doves
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZgBKVBduQg
(Sometimes I just love how these songs fit so well with the posts...by chance)