So I know this is totally lame but I'm in Montréal at the moment holed up in and blogging from a coffee shop. I'm here laying the groundwork for reasons that will hopefully reveal themselves in the blog next year and, frankly, I'm taking a little break. This city is extremely kinetic and, unless you have a concrete plan for where you're going, it can be a little overwhelming.
It should be noted here that this is totally okay (and I love this feeling, by the way...I've had an awful case of wanderlust ever since I was a kid) but a break here and there is probably good. If I were home in beloved Minneapolis I would probably take a nap (because, you see, I'm like an old man nowadays) but, since I'm here, I thought I would take the chance to collect my thoughts for the moment and leave a web entry I can come back to later when I'm pining for some French-Canadian culture again.
I completely forgot my camera the last two meals I sat down for (which, coincidentally, both included goat cheese...how about that?) so I'll just have to say that they were amazing and populate this post with some stock pictures of this city from the Internets. I went to a blues bar last night and had some sort of local brew which was really good. However, once I paid and the bartender gave me my change back, it became apparent that I have no concept of what money looks like here. I got back an assemblage of coins which, until I inspected them a little closer, where just like beautiful Monopoly money.
There's not a $1 bill here...it's a coin. So what seems like just a handful of change in the US is actually a more substantial sum here in Quebec. I seriously almost gave this woman a $5 tip for a $6 beer. Thank god I stopped and stared at the coinage for a bit while the Eric Clapton DVD was playing in the background. Lesson learned.
Oh, and then there's the French thing. I really need (oh, screw it, I just want) to learn some more French. Due to the fact that I'm a vocalist, I can pick up a few words here and there but, boy, am I in need of some sort of 40-year-old, divorcée woman night school course in French. Maybe when, I get back?
And P.S.--is anyone else really excited that, after 4 years (that felt like forever), Imogen Heap is finally coming out with a new album?! I cannot wait. Usually when an artist takes this long it means that the new work will have gobs of integrity (I'm thinking specifically of The Shins's's Wincing the Night Away here, for example). I recently bought the lead single, First Train Home, and it's like falling in love with her sonic character all over again (as ridiculous as that expression sounds).
Au revoir for now!
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