Happy Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day has never meant much to me - so I'm neither happy nor sad today. I do intend to have some good food for dinner tonight, but besides that expectations are pretty low/non-existent.

I DO have something to celebrate though... Dan is now OFFICIALLY BOOKED FOR EUROPE this summer!! Thanks to my expert travel-agent-via-internet skills and about 60k Delta Skymiles that Dan had accrued, he is now booked to enjoy an 18-day European getaway this summer. I'd say that more than makes up for his unfortunate absence last year.

I am extra excited because I am getting to experience new places I've never been to before this year - including London and Venice - in addition to sharing with Dan some of my all-time faves (like Cinque Terre and, possibly, Rome - maybe just for lunch).

Anyway, just wanted to share my excitement. Valentine's Shmalentines......but YAY FOR EUROPE!!!

LONDON

CINQUE TERRE

VENICE

92 Days

92 days, 92 days - how am I inspired? Let me count the ways...

1. Friends & friends of friends.

http://annarouthphoto.wordpress.com/

http://blueeyebrowneye.com/

http://wessumnerphoto.tumblr.com/

http://farewellpaperie.com/

2. The email blast I got this morning, entitled: "What if Anthropologie did weddings?"

3. This quote:

"There is no security in life; there is only opportunity."

- General Douglas MacArthur

4. And this quote:

"Don't ask yourself what the world needs; ask yourself what makes you come alive. And then go and do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive."

- Howard Thurman

5. The countdown in my planner

6. My hope to wear these on this year's Cannes red carpet

7. The successes and ballsy endeavors of former Cannes students

http://www.mtvu.com/shows/shows-featured-content/oscars-correspondent-contest-top-10/

8. New ideas

9. My camera

10. My passport

11. Passport stamps

12. Warm weather (& warm weather clothes)

13. The unknown

14. Life lessons

15. Movie boom in GA

16. D.C.

17. L.A.

18. Paris

19. New gadgets

20. DIY

Hat Trick

Just realized tonight that this is the third World Cup in a row during which I've been in Europe. A recap of vivid snippets I remember from each of the last three tourneys...

2002

Sitting in a park in Geneva, Switzerland with several of my high school French classmates watching World Cup games on a huge screen that had been erected in the middle of a public square area.

2006

Sitting in an alley in the streets of Rome outside a bar that had set up two 32" tv's out onto the road so more people could see. Italy won this year, so I remember things being INSANE!

2010

Tonight...whilst enjoying a brew and watching Uruguay (unfortunately) beat South Africa in an Irish Pub of sorts in Antibes, France I made my realization of how Europe calls me to its continent during World Cup years.

That is all. More realizations to come, I'm sure...

Revelation

While talking to Dan tonight using an international calling card from my favorite beachside phone booth - I had a revelation. We realized that I would be home in exactly 3 weeks (21 days) meaning that I have been here for 40 days thus far - since I am here a total of 61 days. Yes, I counted before I left.

Anyway, it dawned on me that 40 days is the same amount of time as Lent... which THEN got me thinking even further. During Lent this year I gave up bread & cheese, but had Dan with me by my side throughout that time. Now, though, during this pseudo-Lent (40 days as of today), I have unlimited bread & cheese, but I don't have Dan.

How come I can't have BREAD & CHEESE & DAN all at the same time?! These are only 3 of my favorite things!! Oh well. Just thought that was interesting.

USA! USA! USA!

(via www.someecards.com)

Luckily, this doesn't apply to me - as I'll be watching it in real time at a much more reasonable hour (live on tv @ 8:30PM over here in France).

Also, I'm strongly considering / pretty much most definitely going to wear my American flag t-shirt tonight...and probably every other time the U.S. plays this World Cup. I packed and brought it with me solely for the purpose of wearing it on my flight home to the U.S. after 9 weeks abroad since it falls on the 4th of July --- only the most patriotic day to return home to the states. However, now that World Cup fever is beginning to hit - I may have to whip out the stars and stripes slightly sooner than expected.

This is what my shirt looks like.

(via www.urbanoutfitters.com)

L-I-V-I-N

Still sorry for all the delays posting updates. Been too busy l-i-v-i-n.

Cannes Lions students checking in today and tomorrow, so should have time to add some stuff this weekend --- minus the few hours when I'll be cheering on USA v. England this evening!

Happy Birthday to "BJ the DJ"!!

It's Dan's mom's birthday today - whooopeeee!

If I had the power I'd steal this cake from Matt's 4th birthday party and give it to you today.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!