don't worry be happy

this trip just keeps getting better and better!!!

...

i've been trying to finish this post for a while now, but keep getting stalled because it's so sad for me and i just know it's not the end.

back up... last night, flight was delayed from minneapolis to chicago. we land in chicago and the flight attendants make an announcement "if you are terminating here, or have a long layover, please stay seated so those with connections can make it to their flight." i appreciate this announcement, but HATE STUPID PASSENGERS WHO DONT LISTEN TO IT. and i know they dont listen to it because i was in row 20 of a 24 row plane and when i FINALLY got out, there were TWO people sitting in their seats - and i'm pretty sure that they were waiting for a wheelchair. people think just because a few people in the first few rows got out right away, no one else on the plane has a flight to catch. i was trying to make it clear that i had a flight to get to, so i called my mom while i was standing in the aisle waiting for the SLOWEST people in the WORLD to get their bags, "mom, can you check online and see if my flight is on time?" she told me it was "ok, then i have to hang up because i'm going to have to run." i had 23 minutes to get to my flight and since it was an international flight, i wasn't sure if i'd make it... i get off the plane and started running. i had to go from terminal b to c which incorporates a run underground. i passed people and was so proud of myself for getting there on time. i got to the gate a few minutes before departure and i asked if it was good that i ran. the attendant agreed it was and that they were shutting the door. whew. i board the full plane and take my seat against the window. and then wait. and wait. and wait. we sat on the tarmac for over an hour due to crappy chicago weather. i was sitting next to a middle age woman reading "catalyst: the journal for defending catholicism." lovely. it ended up being fine, we both decided not to talk to each other.

anyway, no problems with the flight - normal, red eye - watch a few movies, take a tylneol PM, struggle to stay comfortable and remain asleep. no big deal. i get off the plane really groggy and sticky - like a normal red eye not in first or business class (or so i would think - i've never flown in either on a red eye). i went through passport control and the guy stamped my passport on a page that ALREADY had four stamps - wtf! i JUST got 20 extra pages added to my passport explicitely for the purpose of NEW STAMPS! grrr. whatever. sleepily i trudge along to baggages. and wait. and wait. no bags. of course, not. my flight was late. it would never think for someone to bring late bags out on the tarmac and load them on to a plane taxiing for an hour. that would make too much sense. they should put a little star next to my name in their system so that they know that MY bags are ESPECIALLY important.

i go over to the desk for lost bags. and wait. and wait. i tell the woman, in french, that i am missing two bags. apparently my french is really crap. she instantly started speaking to me in english. bleh. so she tells me that the bags will most likely come on the flight tomorrow (bleh) but since tomorrow is a bank holiday in paris (kind of part of the whole reason i am here since my friends have the day off) they won't be delivered until the day after (double bleh). i tell her that i am not going to be in paris, i am going to carcassone tomorrow. she asks me for the address which i dont have - why would i have that? again, that would make too much sense - and tells me that since its far away, she's not sure when i'll get the bags exactly. lovely.

so i head into paris. i have to take the bus to porte maillot and then jump on the metro to lisa's work so i can pick up the keys to her apartment. i'm literally walking into her office when she calls me on my cell phone to ask where i am - i'm over 2 hours late. i tell her i'm in her office. where is she? she's on the street i was just on. so i go back downstairs and we meet. i walk with her to her beautician's appointment and then to get lunch. i didn't feel like eating and was just too tired and flabby to do anything. she pointed out that i should've made more of a stink at the airport so i could get some extra miles and a stipend for my lost luggage. i hate it when i'm not on my game! after lunch, i walked to monoprix, which is kind of like an expensive target. i bought underwear, socks, and a few tops. then i went to the gap, looking for h&m, though, and bought 2 more tops and a sweatshirt. i now own or have owned, in my entire life, 5 things from gap. i feel like i'm walking with a huge sign on my chest that says "american! dumb american!" but oh well.

the metro back to lisa's was a long ride mostly because i was trying not to fall asleep in case i missed the stop. and of course her stop doesnt have any escalators, so with every step i felt as if i was lifting a 500 pound foot. i finally made it up the stairs. i'm sure i looked like death and thats what everyone was staring at me for. but its fine. the nice thing about lisa and meat's place is that it feels like home - i've spent so much time here, i know all the shops and streets and how to get to her place and the code and it feels like i never left! which is absolutely crazy. so i knew exactly where to stop for a nice baguette de chef and strawberry jam (and some of my FAVORITE tea, of course). i got back to lisa's just as she was calling the house from work. she tried calling united to give them the address in carcassone and make them feel really bad about not making sure my bags were on the flight, but - get this... the lost baggage office closes at TWO THIRTY every day. 2:30!! 2 effin 30. can you believe that? stupid french and their stupid working hours and their stupid holidays. so i end up calling the US, who were very nice and polite and ... thats me telling you what happened which is not much. i finally took a nap on the couch, but i dont remember sleeping. i'm pretty sure i slept, though, because all of a sudden there was a pool of saliva all over my hand. it must've been a deep sleep. can't remember the last time i drooled. i took a brief shower and finally feel a bit better.

now its time to hit the sack. i have to get up at 6:40 to get in the shower so we can leave at 8. more on the south of france demain... i can't wait to see what else goes wrong.