zen, zen

must remain zen
breathe breathe
Today is a day much like any other (except it's a Garfield dreaded Monday), so there's no reason why it should be any more difficult than any other day. But I think it's precisely because it's so much the same that I'm having trouble. I dunno, since that last dose of the flu, something snapped. And something really snapped this weekend when I treated Monsieur and myself to a couple of hot chocolates at 2 Magots (a chic and rather expensive café in Saint Germain, but they make their hot chocolates with real chocolate, rather than the French equivalent of Milo). Upon paying the bill I realised that those 2 hot chocolates cost me more than I make in an hour. Obviously it's not every day that I frequent that sort of cafe..but still...

So this morning I amused myself, between the data entry (no home internet connection for the next couple of weeks or so, boohoo) in composing a letter to my interim agency something along the lines of;
Well, the original terms of my contract were for 6 months, and that time's almost up, and they want to keep me on, and frankly I couldn't be doing my cv any less of a favour by staying in this job. In fact, if anything, it's dequalifying me. A 15 year old could do it. I haven't made this little money since working as a base level lab tech (but in that instance, food and rent were less than half the price I'm paying now)

ok, a lot of that was just me whining, I really just had to paraphrase the first line.

Problem is, I can't afford to quit my job unless I have another job. Already having a job means looking for another job is thus confined to lunchtime, when I really need to get away from my desk (mental sanity, get some sun), and when everyone I want to call (discreetly) goes to lunch. If I quit my current job, I don't know what my chances of getting any sort of unemployment benefit are, and I don't know how long I'd have to wait for my end-of-contract payout. So chucking in my job has to wait until I have a bit more savings behind me. And saving money is tricky when 2 hot chocolates cost you more than you make in an hour. Oh drat!

Had a good weekend though, went to see an exhibition of late 60's band posters from San Francisco at the Museum of Publicity. Discovered that my theory of 'we TECHNICALLY SHOULD be able to see the Eiffel Tower from our building, somehow' (ie by getting up onto the roof, which I think we have access to outside our front door). Nothing so drastic required as I was able to sound out my theory by hopping up on a chair and looking out through a small window in the hallway, and there she was, hurrah! I'm going to mount a parabolic mirror up on a wall opposite as soon as it gets warm enough to leave that window open.

By the way, for my antipodeal readers, it's REALLY FREAKING COLD HERE. Apparently it got down to -10 last night, which would explain why all the water in the gutters was frozen this morning...
Should I mention again how happy I am that the radiators are working at my lovely apartment?