Totally Frenched Out

From the blogger formerly known as Samdebretagne

Friday, June 13, 2008

One of my goals for this summer is to try to be more present in my day to day life. I've pretty much spent the past six months waiting. First in February, waiting for my trip back to The Company to talk about them hiring me full-time, then all of March waiting for the April vacation (and thus the end of my gawd-awful teaching contract). Not to mention waiting for May 1, which was supposed to (finally) be the start of my/our adult life. The culmination of everything we'd worked so hard for. And then I ended up really spending April waiting to go back to the US, only to find out once I was there, I was counting the days until I came back to France. And then I spent the rest of May counting down the days until the 28th, when I was finally to be in Paris.

And now here I am. I have nothing left to count down to. Which is not always an easy thing for a mega-planner like myself. But you know what? I feel okay about it. I have the opportunity of a lifetime - the chance to spend a summer in Paris with no strings attached. I have a place to live, I have money to live off of and I have friends around me. So my goal is to live this summer to the fullest, and to just try to be present - to not be worrying about the future, to not always be thinking ahead. To just enjoy myself and all the cool things I will get to do. After all, stuff always works out in the end, right?

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22 Comments:

Blogger Doc said...

Dude! chez moi! 26 juillet! sinon? you don't want to know!

are you going to Ian's thing on the 28th?

June 13, 2008 at 11:52 AM  
Blogger MilkJam said...

excellent! isn't it nice to just "be"??

June 13, 2008 at 12:08 PM  
Blogger Starman said...

It's funny. We spend so much time worrying about things and, when they're over, it turns out there was nothing to worry about after all.

June 13, 2008 at 1:22 PM  
Blogger Astrid said...

Brava!!

It's nice to feel the renewed energy through your posts. I wish you the bestest parisian summer! ;)

June 13, 2008 at 1:25 PM  
Blogger Alison said...

Yay! Have a great summer, Sam.

June 13, 2008 at 1:38 PM  
Blogger Barbara said...

Just go with the flow and enjoy...

June 13, 2008 at 1:51 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

yessssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss

June 13, 2008 at 5:43 PM  
Blogger Victoria said...

cool...you can use the summer to rejuvenate and relax and then start to plan for your next big goal in life.

by the way, are you interested in meeting up in Paris when i'm in town?

i'll be there july 14-22nd, so let me know.

June 13, 2008 at 6:38 PM  
Blogger Anne said...

hope you have a wonderful summer! i know exactly where you're coming from. in australia i was always counting down the days 'til i was in france (for 18 months!) so by the time i got to france i wasn't sure what to do. very strange to not cross off another day on my mental calendar but actually just enjoy life. so glad to hear/read what a fun time you're having :)you deserve it.

June 13, 2008 at 6:49 PM  
Blogger judyb said...

stuff always works out in the end, right?

right :)

June 13, 2008 at 7:35 PM  
Blogger TreeFeathers said...

Awesome, Sam! Enjoy your summer!

June 13, 2008 at 8:25 PM  
Blogger islandgirl4ever2 said...

You've come a long way.... now it's time to just relax and enjoy your summer.... I think you have a wonderful attitude! Peace to you... Leesa

June 13, 2008 at 10:47 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

You've articulated my biggest problem! Living in the present is hard..we're kind of trained from birth to always be looking for the big picture and into the future.. being able to just 'be' without worry , without anxiety and fear is a precious thing.

June 13, 2008 at 11:49 PM  
Blogger Unknown said...

I hope you can soak it all up, takes lots of photos for the memories and finally decide when you are ready to plan again... I highly suggest having lots of fun and seeing all of the tourist in your new found home. :)

June 14, 2008 at 10:03 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Another way to settle in to this new way of life: Try closing your eyes, breathing deeply through your nose, count to seven, then exhale deeply through your mouth. Do this several times, concentrating only on your breath. Notice if you are experiencing anxiety anywhere in your body, and then notice all the physical sensations that register. Notice your thoughts, but don't get caught up. Bring your attention gently back to your breath if you do get caught up. It takes 5 minutes. And, boy, does it make a difference...

June 15, 2008 at 2:59 AM  
Blogger Julie said...

Cynthia from Dazed and Confused said it best!
"I'd like to quit thinking of the present, like right now, as some minor, insignificant preamble to somethin' else"

June 15, 2008 at 7:59 AM  
Blogger Bijou salon said...

EXCELLENT!!!!!!!

June 15, 2008 at 3:24 PM  
Blogger Jacqui said...

What an awesome opportunity! Love every minute Sam, life is super short.

June 15, 2008 at 8:29 PM  
Blogger deedee said...

The funnest things happen when you just go with the flow. Have a great summer in gai Paris :)

June 15, 2008 at 8:58 PM  
Blogger Starman said...

Hi Sam - It was nice to meet you on Saturday. I have posted a picture of you on Flickr (starman1695) and will post the same on my blog(s). If that's a problem, let me know and I'll take them down.

June 16, 2008 at 11:07 AM  
Blogger Ksam said...

Starman, that depends, is it a good picture?? :-)

And I was just uploading my pics to my camera and thinking that it was a bummer that I didn't get one of you!

June 16, 2008 at 11:29 AM  
Blogger Our Juicy Life said...

Yes...things always work out. Enjoy your summer, don't stress, just enjoy. There will be plenty of time for "waiting"...

June 17, 2008 at 3:59 AM  

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