Paris Christ

I have been told that whatever vice you have before you come to the islands becomes all-consuming once you get here.  Drinking socially elsewhere becomes full blown alcoholism here.  I went out with some co-workers the night before my first day for some get to know you time.  I really like them.  But I fear I am going to have to find other ways of bonding because they can DRANK.  I am the girl who gets slutty after one glass of wine and they look completely composed after much more than that.  I am not saying this to disparage anyone.  I am a big believer in people doing what makes them happy and then being happy (I somehow have found ways of doing things that make me happy and then not being happy).  And honestly, I may be in the same boat after a month here, who knows?

But then I think about Paris.

Paris I think might be my savior from becoming a full blown drunk on this island of not a whole lot.  I read this book with my former boo last fall called Paris Is Burning about the occupation/liberation of Paris during World War II.  The book was ridiculously thick and I remember at first thinking ewwww, why would I read this?  But it was such an amazing retelling of the events leading up to the liberation of Paris and included the stories of so many people, both big and small players in the war.

The level of research that went into the book must have been EXTENSIVE because there were so many details about everything.  Details about thought processes.  Details about small life moments.  Details about small everyday interactions.  Details about the men who were in a particular tank and their back stories.  It was fascinating.  But one thing I found fascinating is how much this very high-ranking Nazi officer, who was in command of Paris, basically disobeyed Hitler's orders to destroy the city.  My recollection of why he disobeyed is cloudy, but it was either because 1) he couldn't destroy something he thought was so beautiful or 2)  he didn't want to be put in history books as the man who destroyed something so beautiful (Paris) or 3)  maybe a little bit of both?  So, after reading that book, I decided that Paris is something that I would like to experience with my own ten senses.  Besides being arguably the most beautiful city in the world, it is a pastry mecca.

So, I think I am going to set a reminder in my phone every day around 7 that says Paris that will remind me not to squander my money on getting drunk or anything else for that matter.  But as with all voids, it must be filled with something...