me me me me me!

You know the story: you start responding to one darn long meme from the downright charming Alice, get seriously side-tracked by work, stripteaseuses, and doing stuff, and discover that while you've been away from your wireless life-line, you were hit again, this time by fellow bidet-curious blogger Susan. So you kill two memes with one post. Geronimo!

Quelle est votre situation de famille?
Funny you should ask, I just celebrated my first year of conjugal bliss on September 9. For now, it's just JB and me, but I'm really into loud, noisy family gatherings, so... my calendar is starting to look like a multi-colored polka-dot paradise.

Quelle est votre date d'anniversaire?
December 30, 1978. And yes, I believe that people who kill two birds with one gift should be crucified.

Vivez vous en ville ou à la campagne?
We live in Paris, in the 12ème to be precise, but are dreaming of a house à Perpète-les-Oies.

Quels métiers exercez vous ou avez vous exercés?
I've worked as a paralegal in law offices up and down the coast of California (entertainment, intellectual property and personal injury, oh yes - I was considering law school), taught English to pervy and non-pervy types in Paris offices, tried to sell knives, had a lovely stint in museum administration (and felt the collective pang when Ms. True's scandal came to light)and currently work in the field of high-tech public relations.

Avez vous des allergies?
Kein.

Quelle est votre odeur préférée?
Big Sur.

Aimez vous les sucreries?
I have my moments, usually accompanied by edgy outbursts brought on by what was once brilliantly referred to as "heightened awareness." During these monthly wild-eyed episodes, high fructose corn syrup and I are tenderly reacquainted.

Si oui, quelles sont vos préférées?
Haribo Polka mix never lets me down. I'm not a huge chocoholic (R-M, I finally understand) but I could probably live off of chocolate cupcakes.

Quels sont vos goûts culinaires?
I enjoy spice. Watery eyes, runny nose, and a burning palate to me equals a successful meal. My favorite sweat-inducing dishes hail from: Mexico, Thailand, India, Viêtnam.

I also love fried manioc.

Quel genre de musique aimez vous?
I used to respond to this type of question with some variation of "everything but country," but no longer find that just. I can just as easily hum along, cut a rug or zone out to Bluegrass, Techno, Swing, Classical, R&B, Samba, Folk, and so on and on and on.

Quelle est votre couleur préférée?
Any shade of purple, violet, lavender, eggplant.

Quelle est votre saison préférée?
I'm shivering uncontrollably as I write this, and may have detected the first signs of rain-induced depression this week, but I still think my favorite season is fall. The crispness in the air and the anticipation of costume parties and gluttonous feasts are positively electrifying.

Collectionnez vous un objet quelconque?
For a short while, I collected vintage post cards. But that didn't last long, because they were too lovely not to send.

Quel magazine lisez vous?
The Magazine Littéraire is usually pretty fantastic b-room reading, and when I think to, I try to see what's going on with the spreads in Numéro.

Quel est votre style vestimentaire?
In a word: jeans. I used to wear skirts and heels and spend atrocious sums of money on designer items (usually on sale, but still). Then we moved to the fashion capital of the planet and jeans and flats and blouses became my de facto sartorial policy. Wherefore this seemingly contradictory state of vestment affairs? We no longer own a microwave. This means that I can no longer heat my own depilatory wax, which means that I have to see an aesthetician to remove the embarrassing carpet on my legs, and endure fun small talk like, "Et ben, dis-donc!"* when I remove my pants, or better yet, "Et votre mari, ça le dérange pas??"**

*Well, would you look at that!
**And this doesn't bother your husband??


Pratiquez vous une activité manuelle?
Plucking my leg hairs.

Quel est votre animal préféré?
Turtles: such lovely throw-backs to a more peaceful, prehistoric time.

Quels sont vos loisirs?
Walking all over and taking in the surroundings, reading novels and history, dancing, travel, travel, travel.

Avez vous une liste de cadeaux en ligne?
No, but I make no bones about sending mass e-mails about things I find that I wouldn't mind owning.

What are you wearing?
A vintage terry cloth robe that my mother gave me. It's a surprisingly flattering daffodil yellow, and really does make me feel like Joan Crawford, shoulder pads, breast darts, cinched waist and all. If anyone knows where I can find feathered mules and a crystal cocktail mixing set, do drop me a line.

I'm tagging Gem, Amy, and Tata Lisa, and anyone else who feels like divulging a few innocent details.