short but true

when growing up, one of the main things you learn is that everyone changes their opinions. The expression is "never say never" and we all have multiple examples in our lives as proof.
With that said, i will never ever ever ever ever wear capri pants in my life.

guilty pleasures

I won't lie, top 40 music is something I enjoy. Not on an everyday basis, but I log on infrequently on MTV.com to check out what "the kids are listening to" and sometimes add that song to my iTunes library. From emo/punk (Fall Out Boy) to latin pop (Shakira), R&B (Beyoncé) or radio rap (T.I.), my tastes run pretty wide. They don't necessarily show up on my "most listened to" playlist, because I do not tend to listen to them on the long haul.
Currently I'm stuck on "Me and U" (grammar police alert) by Cassie, who's apparently a new singer on P-Diddy's label, Bad Boy. Now I'm no expert on singing, but seems to me that miss Cassie ain't the best at it out there. Still, she does her share on a very slickly produced track. And the video is so hypnotic you won't want it to stop. It shows that a girl can be sexy even if she's too skinny.
I think that during the writing of this post I listened to the track 12 times... Time to put on some Modest Mouse.

raindrops keep falling on my head

seeing as I'd run only twice during the week, I told myself yesterday I was going to go running so I could reach my goal for the week. I usually go around 9pm, but by 7 it was raining pretty heavily, and the forecast wasn't exactly calling for bright skies that night, so I went anyways.
At first it was pretty much a downpour, and though it did eventually let up a little, it still rained/drizzled continuously through my 1h15min run.
The reason I decided to go, and did not reduce the length of my run, was that I had set an objective, as part of a broader running plan to regularly run 3 times a week. Not going for weather reasons wasn't an acceptable excuse for me because it would kind of set a precedent in my mind that it was okay to not go. Sure, I might not have gone if it had been thunderstorm weather, but simple rain could not prevent me from achieving what I'd decided. I've already run in the rain, but this it the first time I've actually started running while it was raining.
Motivation to run is essentially a mental thing. I never really feel tired to run, or at least nothing that will last more than the initial 15 mins, so I know that I basically need to get my wheels turning, as it were, to get into a comfortable groove. The type of weather I encountered yesterday was just another impediment, kind of like having a light headache, or having some stuff to do at home.
Plus, I really like running in the rain. It keeps you refreshed and makes people stay away from my running route. Ideal conditions, if you think about it.

iChange

i'll tell ya, today technology moves so fast that it's not even about the new new thing anymore. Now it's more like the new new new new thing, and what's in today is already out by the time you read this sentence. One example is the whole Blu-Ray vs HD-DVD thing, even though in my view, people have only recently gotten comfortable with DVDs. Of course it's not because manufacturers are fighting over establishing a new standard that people will fall over themselves to replace their old equipment, but the movement toward faster technological change is clearly speeding up more and more.

I've always tried to keep up with modern gadget trends, having been the possessor of a walkman, discman and minidiscman pretty quickly. Same goes for the DVD player. I came to the iPod relatively late, since I waited till the 3rd generation to get one, but i've bought two others since, so I'm now firmly entrenched on that bandwagon. My latest is a 6 Gb silver iPod mini, which I bought in April of 2005, after recognizing that my 40 Gb iPod was a bit too much for everyday commuting (song- and weight-wise). Then a few months later, Apple released the nano, an even lighter and slicker gadget than the mini. Sure, apparently there were some issues with its scratch-proofness, but overally I gotta admit it's a pretty smooth toy. They've now released the nano in a 4 Gb version, which is pretty much the minimum amount of space I like to have so I can have a mix of new tunes and classic tracks on me at all times.
But despite all that I've had no intention of getting a replacement for my trusty mini. I've dropped it countless times and it's pretty banged up, so I know it's sturdy enough for my lifestyle, and looks-wise I actually think the aluminum shell looks better than that plastic coating the nanos have.

Still, recently I've heard rumors of a new nano coming out this year, supposedly with a 8 Gb hard drive. I have to admit that if this were released, possibly under €300, I would be very tempted. I don't have the need for the video capabilities on my iPod, because I can already watch videos on my cell-phone, and I generally prefer to read (and listen to music) while commuting, but an 8 Gb iPod in that small of a form-factor, I would definitely be interested in. Plus the Nike+iPod kit is compatible with the nano (and not the mini), so that would be a huge factor in favor.

Technology evolves rapidly, sure, but I've found that if you have a clear view of what features you look for and need in a device, you don't feel as much envy when all the new models come out. That way it's easier not to be tempted when you judge your expectations haven't been met yet, and thus save money for that time (aka 6 months later) when the next one will come out.

fashion tips

this tee-shirt might just be the greatest tee-shirt ever created. Although this one comes pretty close too

mixtape rules

when assembling a road trip mixtape, one should be sure to incorporate at least one Simon & Garfunkel tune, no ifs, buts and maybes. Even if your playlist consists solely of minimalist German techno, or j-pop, you gotta have something by the dynamic duo on there. Because trust me when I say that there will be a moment during your trip when you're just surrounded by silence, looking at the road ahead of you, and those lyrics will hit you like a ton of feathers.
I guess this is as good a place as any for me to express my undying admiration for The Graduate, probably my favorite movie....EVER

gotta love August

today i'm wearing jeans, some "trendy" sneakers (Nike Monte Carlo), and a shirt. No suit for you !
And if it's really hot next Monday, I might wear shorts (though flip-flops would be a bit much), oh my !

currently listening to

Sufjan Stevens recently released a b-sides collection from his awesome 2005 effort, Illinoise. On it features an acoustic version of Chicago, which, although does not top the original, is still pretty good. Good enough for 14 repeats in a row on my iPod ? You betcha. Check it out if you're a fan of layered pop (as in Beach Boys pop, not Britney Spears pop) goodness.
On a sidenote, I can't figure out if Chicago or Boston is my second-favorite US city. I've been to Boston a bunch of times, and Chicago only once, but that one time was great enough for me to not be sure.

can't keep running away

Went running last night, as part of my current "get yo ass into real shape" program. Last week I went 5 times, this week I'm aiming for 3-4. It seems like my five year-old Nikes are definitely ready to retire. The sole is far from used, but I'm guessing even though I haven't run regularly in the time I've owned them, their cushioning properties has severely diminished, meaning my knees don't feel that great after 1h1/2.
So I guess I should get new ones, except

1. I hadn't planned to in my budget
2. I was going to wait until at least next month, when the Nike Moire (those extremely cool shoes that are compatible with the Nike+iPod kit, you know I'm going to want that) come out here

So I might have to tought it out, and run a bit less, until September, or figure out a way to fit it new shoes in my budget. Yet another sign that I'm kinda growing up. The 25 y.o. me would have gone down to the Nike store on the Champs and bought a new pair stat, budget or no budget.
Actually, now that I realize it, this entire post is making me feel old, damnit.

simple summer things

One big reason why I tend to delay my summer vacation toward the mid- to late August period is that Paris is so peaceful during the proverbial dog days. Sure, there's a bit more tourists, but so many Parisians leave between July 1 and August 15, that it's a pleasure to be here. Unless it gets really hot, like two weeks ago, that is. Then it ain't so great (when will they install standard AC in buildings already ?).
Among the things I'm enjoying these days :

• taking the bus to and from work : there actually is a route that starts near my place and ends at my job, so I can even catch up on some sleep if I want to. As Will Ferrell might say, "Oh, how glooorious"
• running in the empty streets of the 19e. Dunno if it's always that empty in the evening there, but the combination of that plus wide sidewalks makes it a joy to go running there
• and of course, girls wearing summer clothes

Summer rocks, and I haven't even taken my vacation yet

first things first

So after a few false starts, mainly due to my incapacity to decide what language I wanted to blog in, i finally have decided to, well, if you can read (and understand) this, you know what my choice was. So English it is then.