Créteil

The Minutiae of Carniverous Plants & Road Trips

May 17, 2009November 23, 2020 by Rasmenia Comment Closed

"I think writers need windows on a view to remind them that a whole world is out there, not the minutiae with which they might be dealing on a close scale." - Anne McCaffrey.It just occurred to me that it has been a little while since I've posted anything here.Of course, that isn't because I've run out of things to say - I've actually got a list of topics sitting next to me that I'll be bitching about in the future, but the thing is... I just don't feel like it right now.I don't read many other blogs. The reason being, I can't stand to read about the minutiae of other people's lives. I admit, I just don't fucking care. Blogs written by new mothers about each time their brand new larvae shits, blogs supposedly written by someone's fucking cat or anything written by someone who has absolutely nothing to say, but just needs attention from strangers on...

Funky Fresh Fate

September 1, 2008November 30, 2020 by Rasmenia Comment Closed

I walked out of the pooping closet and informed my husband, "From now on, you will address me as Super Ferret Funky Fresh."Olivier pulled the toothbrush from his mouth. "Why?" He asked, slightly muffled by foam."It's my hip-hop name. I decided that I needed one just now when I was pooping," I said.He shrugged and turned to spit into the sink. "Okay. Super Ferret Funky Fresh. Got it."The next morning, I was informed that I would now be referring to Olivier as Hyper Furry From the Galaxy. There was really only one thing left for us to do: sing a theme tune.Which we did. It was only a matter of time before we had a hyper-funky mix safely stored away in iTunes.Several months later, we were walking through the mall in Créteil after another annoying visa-related visit. We passed a myriad of the typical stores that one would expect to find in a mall.We eventually came upon one particularly in-your-face...

Créteil

June 2, 2008May 15, 2019 by Rasmenia Comment Closed

It's a good life here in France. There's plenty of great food, excellent wine, an incredible health care system, more stinky cheese than you can shake a baguette at and plenty of museums, history and culture for everyone.Of course it has some negative aspects, too. That's to be expected. Things like no Arby's, milk in a freakin' box, people eating the cross-section of a veal's head and the occasional strike or car burning.But, the worst has got to be visa renewal if you're an immigrant living in the Val-de-Marne départment.Visa renewal in Paris was a walk in the park. We made an appointment with the préfecture, waited a few minutes, then an employee actually possessing the ability to smile and be friendly processed my paperwork. I was given a date at which time I could pick up the new visa and within 15 minutes or so, the entire process was completed.This is unheard of in Créteil. Créteil is where the...