an ongoing, incomplete promise…
Today is my blogiversary and I’ve just returned to Paris!
View from a friend’s apartment
Merci in the 11eme.
Three years already. Happy birthday, baby. You keep growing so fast.
At 59 Rivoli
New cafe in my ‘hood
Thank you, lovely readers, for coming along for the strange and beautiful ride.
Rue de la Roquette; I pass this all the time.
Inside the new cultural center, Elephant Paname
Exciting futures ahead.
How is your new year going?
Hello friends,
I am delighted to unveil my new website today: siondayson.com/
Unveil makes it sound like I’ve had this in the works for awhile. Actually, as is my way, I just woke up yesterday and decided, gosh darn it, I need a real website. So I did it!
It’s been in the back of my mind for awhile. I love this blog, but it doesn’t encompass all of my writing work. I wanted a more professional place to showcase my full portfolio – and to send potential new clients. After all, I talk about all my faux pas and odd little quirks on here. I hope my personality shines through all of my work, but I don’t necessarily need my beauty blunders and bathrobe attire to be the first thing people learn about me.
I considered hiring someone to build my website. It’s so important to invest in oneself. But, it’s also totally empowering to do things yourself. So yesterday I set out to do just that. I’m pretty happy with the results. I’m no designer, but I think it provides a clear overview of all of my different projects. I think I was able to make it look like a website rather than a blog, too. I love teaching myself new things!
It’s the final week of August, so Parisians’ vacations are winding down. The full-on buzz of the rentree is just around the corner. This felt like my nod to the busy upcoming season. Projects galore are in store!
Don’t worry, though: I’ll still be here recounting my silly little tales for your amusement. The blog’s not going anywhere!
Check out my new website and feel free to let me know what you think: siondayson.com.
Do you have new projects on which you’re embarking? Tell me about them!
In Auvergne last summer
Today she’s turned the tables on me. She asked me to dole out some advice, dish on reading and writing, and discuss the challenges and rewards of blogging (hint: I give a shout-out to you as my biggest joy in blogging).
Head on over here to read the interview, if you’d like. (FYI: She starts with a repost of my Franglish article awhile back. Scroll on down if you just want the interview).
The sky before unleashing its rain, Hotel de Ville
Let me paint you a portrait of a recent ‘summer’s night’ outing: dressed in long-sleeved shirt, sweater (yes, sweater), and scarf I make my way to the Hotel de Ville to hear Tricky perform as part of the FNAC Indetendances festival of music. (This was the last weekend; sorry folks).
Some people are dressed wistfully, in tanks and short skirts, willing the weather to cooperate. Most have realized that we are in a season more closely resembling fall, however, so jackets are in full display.
A menacing sky, but we will the rain to hold off for a bit. It does. Until it doesn’t. With the advent of a light sprinkle, we open our umbrellas, make the umbrellas dance. Several people jump onto the stage. (I believe this was a practical means of escaping the rain rather than anyone being overcome by the music. They conveniently exited the stage again once the rain stopped.)
A fine night, a fine night, but we are too much darting between raindrops, those of us left here in August. We try to slot ourselves in between scattered sunbeams this summer.
Rosa Bonheur at 4 PM
The day before the concert, I met up with fellow bloggers Res I(p)sa, An Alien Parisienne, and Paul of Paris Inspired at Rosa Bonheur in the beautiful Buttes Chaumont Park (my favorite park – I suggest to anyone visiting Rosa Bonheur to go near 4 PM as we did; such a relaxed pace before the crushing evening hipster crowd arrives – which is also fun, of course. Also how cute is it that Paris Karin and Paris Paul are a blogger couple?)
Rosa Bonheur at 8 PM
The weather confusion saw me in many layers, but by the time we settled in, the sun shone bright. Mid-August and I wear layers, I contemplate knee-high boots, turtlenecks. This just shouldn’t be. Even in Paris, where I forgive almost anything just to bask in her beauty, sometimes you just want a little warmth and light.
Today, Sunday, there are no breaks in the clouds, the rain falls heavy. It’s cold. A sweater and heavy socks kind of day (shall I remind you this is mid-August?)
Should be a good day to stay indoors, write, work. Should be…but I gaze longingly out the window and am distracted by how much I wish for the sun.
So I know I’ve been stretching the definition of faux pas lately. You’ll have to forgive me; it is just my way.
This week’s installment is also a stretch, but it seems somehow fitting.
One of the snazzy features of my blog platform (WordPress) is that it shows what search terms led people here.
Some of the results are understandable, but some, quite surprising – all the way to downright dirty. (Really, there are a couple of X-rated searches that I cannot in all conscience share with you).
Now I know it is partly my own fault. I have, after all, written about questionable massage parlors and women wearing no pants. My defense is that I’m just reporting the facts; this really is my (somewhat odd) life!
Below are a few searches that have somehow brought people to paris (im)perfect. Dedicated readers will be able to match key words to blog posts. Some searches, though, seem way open to interpretation. Enjoy!
1) kissing faux pax
2) starving artists in Paris
3) good gynecologist in Paris
4) women with no pants
5) massage by men for men in Paris
6) flying kiss boy (um, excuse me?)
7) nothing but nylons
8 ) beautiful flamenco dancer
9) bars le Paris
10) lazy French people (for the record, I’ve never said anything of the sort!)
11) typical weekend
12) pharmacist pick up lines
13) blowhorns (again…what?)
14) grammar “checking in on you”
15) choree-zoe cone way-voz (I have nothing to say to this)
I think these searches not only call into question just what kind of blog I’m keeping here (way too many ‘no pants’ searches), but even more so, what are these people actually looking for? Flying kiss boy, for example. Anyone?
Now one search did seem quite highbrow: “Diane Johnson Elizabeth Hawes.” Two award-winning writers.
When I googled this myself, it turns out my Camus post came up number 2 on the results page!
But then I started to wonder: What’s the intention behind the search? What do they find?
I went back to my post and read with new eyes. I noticed that I referred to Hawes and Johnson as a “star pair.” Of course, this was my short-cut for saying “the two famous writers.”
But maybe, just maybe, someone could read this as an insinuation that the two are a couple? (They are not!) Oh, what have I done?
Though, really. Spreading rumors + creating controversy= spikes in traffic. Perhaps this should be my new policy?
(Just kidding.)
Any bloggers have examples of funny searches that have led people to your blog? Anyone have any idea why ‘blowhorns’ or ‘choree-zoe cone’ would lead someone here?
And as always, faux pas examples are always welcome. Maybe you can get me back on track!
