Ah, time flies when you have the post vacation blues but soon Il Divo will be coming to the USA and  the World Tour will start.  A few more weeks and the new CD and DVD will be out. 

Here's a sneak peak.

Wonderful time at the concerts and meeting all the fellow Il Divo fans.  Nice article in the Bray paper about our gathering the night before.  What a great bunch.  The mayor of Bray was a delight.

Here's a nice newspaper article about our get-together.

http://braypeople.newspaperdirect.com/epaper/viewer.aspx

It's early morning and I've been up for hours.  Not my usual routine but perhaps it will help with the jetlag.  We will be off early this afternoon to the airport and hope that Delta will see that it makes sense to put us on an earlier plane to Atlanta.  The way they've sent us just leaves us 40 minutes to deplane, run down the B terminal to the connector, get down to the tram and over to terminal C, and then find our gate for our plane to Dublin. 

I called last week and got a snarky agent who said they could do it for well over $200.  I hate Delta.  I called Air France to book and learned that if you press 1 for English you are routed to Delta.  Delta treats Air France customers like steerage.   Coming home from Paris we'll be on an Air France plane.  Finally!  I keep booking through them and they keep putting me on Delta. 

They now fly direct to Paris from Orlando but it's new and the dates didn't align with this trip.

Looking forward to Dublin for two days, then to Bray for the Il Divo concerts.  I've never been to Ireland so I am looking forward to it.  Then flying into London to spend 5 days there and then to Paris.  We've rented an apartment for 10 days and I am so happy to be going back again.  It almost feels as though I'm going home.  I love Paris. 

I'll try to blog while we are traveling.  Although it doesn't look as though anyone is reading my blog.  Oh, well.  I do.

This is where we are staying in Dublin.  Clontarf Castle Hotel

Time to get ready for our trip to Ireland, London and saving the best for last, Paris.  Suitcase is in the guest room along with piles of things to sort through and choose which will go and which will stay.  Some new things and some old favorites are in the piles.  We are limited to one suitcase for a 20 day trip so it will be difficult to pare it down to the essentials.

This is my first time going to Europe at this time of year.  Way, way, way back, almost ten years ago, I went to Denmark at the end of May through early June, but ever since then I seem to travel in the winter. This is a good thing.  I dont' need a heavy coat and a pile of woolies, gloves, hats, and scarves.  They say that the nights in Ireland can get cold and rainy so I need to prepare for that.

I'm so exited and counting the days.  The tickets for the 2nd Il Divo concert have finally arrived.  We still have a spare Champagne/Orangery ticket for the nineteenth (19th) to sell and I"ve listed it on eBay so hopefully someone will want it. 

Here's a taste of Il Divo and a new song from the new album.

I'm doing some research on a move to France.  Of course I've run into one of those Catch 22's on the Consulate website.  It seems I need to apply for the long-stay visa at least 2 months prior to any move and when I apply I must show a lease or proof of where I'm going to live.  Hmmm.. How do I get a lease before I get approved for the visa?  Can I get a tentative lease?  

I did see that I can bring my two cats with me, although it means finding a place that will let cats share my abode.  How can I leave my two best buddies behind? 

Here's Shadow:

He's just such a fun cat and is devoted to me so he must go with me.  Sassy might not travel very well so I need to think about what is best for her.

So far I'm sorting through my accumulation of "Stuff" and I've managed to sell some things from the garage on Craig's list and have started putting odds and ends on eBay.  Most things will be in a huge yardsale later this year when the weather cools down and the Snowbirds appear.   House will go on the market and hopefully not take too long to sell.  Then a big Moving Sale and I'm outta here.  The plan is to get this all done in less than a year.  

I'm hoping that there's no age discrimination in letting me live in France.  If not this will be one happy geezer. 
Advice and suggestions are welcome so please feel free to comment.

I'm looking into relocating to France.  Seems there are some places where I can live cheaper than what it costs here and the standard of living is so much richer. 

The area around Bearn looks interesting.  I was nearby in the Lot/Dordogne region a few years ago and it's such a lovely place. 

Here's some information on the area.

France Today on the Bearn area.

Here is another video I did at Patrick's concert in Las Vegas on July 2nd.   I have no idea what he was saying but he says it so nicely.

Returned Monday from a short trip to Las Vegas. I'd only been there once before, on a New Year's Eve, about twenty five years ago. It has changed and grown since then but still a loud, crazy place. I went to see Patrick Bruel in Concert at the Wynn Casino. Beautiful place and the concert was wonderful. The meet and greet afterwards was badly organized and poor Patrick was just mobbed. There was no security for him at all and his many fans just overwhelmed him. I did get to say a few quick words before he moved on.

Most of the others attending were French and the few Americans I met were French teachers. I saw Celine Dion's husband, René Angélil, moving through the crowd. He'd been backstage to see Patrick and there were some odd characters hanging on to him as he was leaving.  I heard that he, like Patrick, is an avid poker player.
Here is just a short video I did. I have a few more short ones that I wanted to put together but can't figure out how to do it so just posting this one.

They are back.  Il Divo at the Classic Brit Awards with one of the songs from the new album to be released in November.  I'll be seeing them in Ireland in August! 

This should be read by all in the US who plan to sit home on their butts and not vote this election.  We get the government we deserve.  Read this.. Get out and vote.


October 28th, 2010 2:05 PM

A Boot to the Head ...from Michael Moore

By Michael Moore

There she was, thrown to the pavement by a Republican in a checkered shirt. Another Republican thrusts his foot in between her legs and presses down with all his weight to pin her to the curb. Then a Republican leader comes over and viciously stomps on her head with his foot. You hear her glasses crunch under the pressure. Holding her head down with his foot, he applies more force so she can't move. Her skull and brain are now suffering a concussion.

The young woman’s name is Lauren Valle, but she is really all of us. For come this Tuesday, the right wing -- and the wealthy who back them -- plan to take their collective boot and bring it down hard on not just the head of Barack Obama but on the heads of everyone they simply don't like.

Teachers union? The boot!

Muslim-looking people? The boot!

Thinking of retiring soon? The boot!

Living in a house you can no longer afford? The boot!

Doing a bit better with your minimum wage? The boot!

Stem cell research, the bullet train, reversing global warming? Ha! The boot for all of you!

What? You like your kids being covered by your health plan ‘til they're 26? The boot for them and the boot for you!

In love with someone of your own gender? A double boot up the ass for every single one of you sick SOBs!

Hoping there's a few jobs left here in the U.S. when you graduate? How 'bout just a nice boot to your head instead?

And most importantly, the last boot is saved for the black man who probably wasn't born here, definitely isn't a Christian and possibly might be the Antichrist sent here to oversee the destruction of our very way of life. A boot to your head, Obama-devil!

Yes, one big boot is poised to stomp out whatever hopey-changey thing we might have had two years ago and secure this country in the hands of the oligarchs and the culture police.

And if they win on Tuesday, they plan to show no mercy. They will not speak of bipartisanship or olive branches or tolerate any filibuster threats. They will come in and do the job with a mandate they'll perceive the electorate will have given them. They will not fart around for two years like the Democrats did. They will not "search for compromise" or "find middle ground." They will not meet you halfway on the playing field. They know that touchdowns aren't scored at the 50-yard line. Unlike our guys, they're not stupid or spineless.

Make no mistake about it, my friends. A perfect storm has gathered of racists, homophobes, corporatists and born agains and they are on fire. Two years of a black man who secretly holds socialist beliefs being the boss of them is more than they can stomach. They've been sick to death since the night of 11/04/08 and they are ready to purge. They won't need a rope and tree this time to effect the change they seek (why bother when a nice shoe on another's skull will do just fine, thank you).

They simply need to get their base to the polls (done), convince enough people Obama is responsible for the fact they don't have a job or a secure home (done), and then hope enough of us Obama-voters are so frustrated, disappointed and downright mad at the Dems (done) that we'll either stay home Tuesday or, if we vote, we won't be carpooling with 10 others to the polls.

Done? Or not?

These Republicans mean business. Their boots are all shined and ready. But they've got one huge problem:

The majority of Americans don't agree with them.

The majority want the troops home. The majority want true universal health coverage. The majority want the thievery on Wall Street to be stopped. The majority believe that global warming is happening, that social security shouldn't be privatized and that unions are a good thing.

Too bad the majority party has done precious little to bring about the change for which the majority voted. Yes, change takes time. But try telling that to someone who hasn't worked in two years. Or who hears the knock of the foreclosure sheriff at the door. The booted-up minority knows how to make hay in a situation like this. All they need is us, the disappointed, dismayed, disgusted us.

What say you? Stay home and punish the weak-kneed, sell-out Democrats? Or spend every free moment you have between now and Tuesday trying to protect what little progress has been made so we can live to fight another day (even if it is with “allies” like a Democratic Party that will more than likely still not get the message of what they need to do -- and has, in fact, spent much of the past two years giving progressives the boot)? Perhaps our job, post-election, is to provide a gentle but swift boot in the bee-hind of the party whose mascot is an ass.

Right now, we've got 112 hours. Seems like enough.

Yours,

Michael Moore

MMFlint@aol.com

MichaelMoore.com


A Boot to the Head ...from Michael Moore MichaelMoore.com

This guy is running for Governor of Florida..  Don't we have enough idiots running this state now?

My neighbors have listed their house for sale and here is a video of it taken by the Realtor. It's a nice 2 Bedroom, 1 bath home on a nice lot. Price is listed at $105,000. Best part is that if you buy it, you'll be my neighbor.

Their home/B&B is almost complete in Merida, Yucatan, Mexico and they will be moving there as soon as the house is sold. It's going to be a great place to visit when it's ready.

I've rediscovered JibJab and they now do e-cards and fun videos.  This is my first starring me and Sebastien Izambard from Il Divo.

Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!

Last week I came home after a busy day and collapsed in front of the tv.  TCM (Turner Classic Movies) was on and Love in the Afternoon was on.  Audrey Hepburn, Gary Cooper (way too old for the part) and Maurice Chevalier in Paris.  Filmed in 1957 when I was just 15 years old.  How could I resist?  I had missed the first 40 minutes or so and was watching it without a lot of enthusiasm when suddenly something  made me sit up and rewind...  There was the street I lived on last October when I was in Paris. 

Here's part of it.  At 3:54 Gary Cooper is handed  Maurice's business card and the address is Rue Mallebranche.  I think it's now spelled with one L...  At 4:02 you can see my street and the stairs I climbed so many times to get back to my apartment. 

Thinking of Paris. I found this photo and have made it my desktop. It's one of the beautiful light fixtures from Au Pied de Cochon restaurant near Les Halles and  a few steps from the Eglise Saint-Eustache de Paris.

Click on the photo to see it larger.

Sorry I haven't posted to this blog lately. Just been busy and in a rut. After Paris in October life was just sort of blah for awhile. I'm working on getting my Mojo back.

For starters, I've booked a trip to Paris for New Year's Eve and I'm taking one of my granddaughters. There's an old saying that however you spend NY's Eve is how the rest of the year will be and it certainly held true for my first Paris trip in Dec. 2008. New Year's eve was fabulous and so was the year that followed. Last NY's eve I spent on the computer and watching tv and so far, that's about all I've done this year.

So I was determined to make some changes and now I'm working on shedding excess weight to help my old knees get in shape for walking in Paris.

Restarting this blog is my next goal. The other blog, the Kissimme Daily is still in limbo. Not much happening here in Kissimmee and others write very nicely about Disney so not sure what I'll do with it.

Here's a photo from my first trip to Paris that I printed in grey tones and hand colored.

TEA PARTY RACISM: What The Media Won't Show You About Teabagger Racism

This is something the press isn't showing and it is frightening how many of my countrymen are so ignorant and racist. Someone said that almost 45 million people in this country are operating at a fourth grade education level. That does explain some of our past election results and the signage these people display.
Shame on us for tolerating this and not speaking up.

J'accuse mon père Clip Officiel

I really enjoy all of these clips from Mozart L'Opera Rock. I am awaiting the release of the DVD.. Hope there are english subtitiles..

I volunteered to teach a collage class along with a friend at a residence for the mentally handicapped. It was fun, challenging, and very rewarding. Below is the badge bestowed upon me by Disney, along with a free day of my choosing.

Evian Babies New Making Of

These Evian commercials are so much fun to watch. Here is how they do it.