Random thoughts for the day:

*45 days until I go home... that might be the most exciting thing about this day. And tomorrow's most exciting thing is that there will only be 44 days until I- not just GO home, but rather- ARRIVE AT OHARE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT AT 4:40PM!!! 

Now THAT makes me smile.

*Newsies is one of the best musicals of all time.  It is a phenominal movie and sadly I think there aren't enough people who have heard about it or who have seen it.  But, truly, the music is great and the story, relatively historically accurate, is endearing and inspiring... and it has a "feel good ending" that makes you smile.  

*If it wasn't socially unacceptable I might sleep all day... but I should probably be productive; plus, it's sunny out... cold, but sunny.

*Globalization makes it possible to get almost anything from one country in a different country.  If you're willing to pay for it you can get a Butterfinger for 2 Euros, an A&W RootBeer for 2, 50 Euro, a packet of Jell-O for 3,70 Euro... likewise in the US you can get French wine and cheese if you are willing to pay for it.  And really, outside of food products, the clothes and stuff are mostly the same.  The French wear more black, more stripes and more scarves.  They also wear brown and black together more than the average American and flat boots are a staple in everyone's closet-- mostly because the streets are either cobble stone or uneven and crappy and thus walking in heels is virtually impossible.  But the point is that all those things- black, brown, stripes, scarves and boots- are all accessable in the US, and THOSE you can find at the same prices-- anything from Kohl's or Target cheap to Designer Brand expensive.  They don't have Kohl's or Target here, but there are still cheap stores if you look for them..... so.... what am I supposed to bring home as gifts or souvenirs???

*Peanut butter is far too expensive in France and so freakin' delicious.

*I went on a cooking spree the other day: I made potato soup (SO YUMMY!!! Thanks Mom and Aunt Susie for the recipe!!), Pumpkin Pie (I know it's not the season, but I promised my roommate), and Peanut Butter Blossoms-- you know, the peanut butter cookies with a Hershy Kiss in the middle- they're my favorite cookie.  It was a very yummy day.

 *Isn't it silly that the Europeans change their clocks 3 weeks after the Americans? We only just did it this past weekend... and I cut my nails recently so I can't get under the little knob to pull it out and change my watch... so I'm still sort of living on non-daylight savings time, haha.  I should really try to fix that... :)

*Sleeping on your back really is better for you I've discovered... I'm less sore in the morning this way- thanks again Janki!!

*No one at the bar ever believes I'm American... why is that?  They ALWAYS think I'm Irish or Scotish or English... I got Austrian as a first guess one time- a first guess... do I look Austrain? Are there native English speakers in Austria?  And people guess outrageous things before they guess American.  One guy thought that my boss, the other girl working and I were ALL from the Netherlands... like... how coincidential would it be if 3 Hollanders all worked at the same Irish pub in France?  Silly French people.

*I should probably clean my room.