Go the Other Way!

80's Skate Party

roller skating 80's style

Changing directions in the middle of a song, couple's only, and racing madly around and around...

When is the last time you slipped into a pair of roller skates? Not only did I lace up a pair for the first time in almost 30 years, but decked out in full-blown 80s attire to boot! My outfit was pretty tame compared to others, but still a tad out of my comfort level. Sorry I don't have pictures of me and my cohorts to share; most are not worthy (or just too embarrassing). It was way fun, and I didn't fall once! Oh yeah, skating rink food hasn't changed a bit - blech.

Check out this 80s makeup tutorial: http://bit.ly/o5paZQ


Friday Night Skating in Paris!

The weekly Pari Roller, which began in 1994, is probably the biggest weekly skating event in the world. The fun begins at 10:00 pm on Friday nights when weather permits. Traffic is stopped, and 150 Pari Roller marshals skate among the masses - they are the ones in the bright yellow shirts. The skate fest lasts three hours, with a break for wine or snacks, and concludes at 1:00 am. The route changes slightly from week to week but covers over 18.5 miles through central Paris and along the Seine. Pari Roller also pays for the Paris "Protection Civile" which follows the skaters in two ambulances, in case a skater topples over and needs medical assistance.

skating through Paris

Get this - You can also become a member of Pari Roller; the membership fee includes an insurance plan adapted to roller skating, which is valid 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, wherever you are in the world!

More from France

"Is it a sign that we are more under the influence of the US, or that we have reached a certain level of maturity when it comes to women's rights, it's hard to tell. The fact is, that French female activists are now demanding that the term Mademoiselle be removed from official papers and forms. They claim that there is no male equivalent,  and that there is no reason to make the distinction between single and married women. They have a point, don't they?" - Paris Daily Photo 

I talked with Sylviane, my French teacher, about this, and she agrees that it is unfair and ridiculous to make the distinction between single and married women. It would be such a shame to see Mademoiselle disappear (in my opinion). I think instead they should ditch Madame and keep Mademoiselle. It sounds so lovely and so French.

In class this week we dove into "negation". The ne and pas surrounding the verb making the sentence negative. You've heard this one:  Je ne sais pas = I don't know. Je ne crois pa = I don't think so.  Here's another example with a bit of a twist: Elle n'est pas français = She is not French. We also learned the days of the week (I already knew them), reviewed numbers a bit more, and danced around the dreaded genders of nouns. This gender business has got to be the MOST difficult thing about learning French. I shall master it if it's the last thing I do. Vive la France! We also conjugated the verbs étre and avoir.  I can't believe there are only two classes left - quelle poisse (what a bummer).

Pets of the Week

Spent the weekend with more cuties belonging to my coworker, Amie. Betty, Maple, Charlie, and Sue were all super sweet and we had a good time. I'm not sure you will be able to grasp the enormity of Betty, but believe me she takes up half of a king size bed if not more.  Maple, Charlie, Sue and myself bunched up on the other half. I believe she is a Mastiff-horse mix.

Sue chilling listen to the rain

Sue kitty and Betty

Maple and Betty

super sweet Charlie

Well, that just about covers my week. I leave you with another random phrase drôlede petit:  tenir la langue = to stick out one's tongue (at someone)


Bonne semaine!

Related articles

• French Feminists Want To Ban The Word 'Mademoiselle' (huffingtonpost.com)
• Outdoor Roller Skating Returns To New York At High Line Park (wcbsfm.radio.com)