globalization and all the other nonsense running through my mind

thanks to my dear friend, liesel, and thanks to her undying love for our dear old finance professor in paris, i was forwarded an event that took place at the american university of paris yesterday. i went to see nicholas burns, the number three guy in the state dept, speak about the relationship between france and the states. it was really interesting and awesome to see someone be so diplomatic when responding to really biased, tough questions. i also learned a lot more about what is going on in the world - i know that there are a lot of tough issues taking place all over the globe, but to actually know why and how something is going on, rather than just the fact that it is going on, was amazing. mr. burns was a great speaker and it was just so damn cool to see him give a little speech.

and now onto globalization....this wonderful concept is occuring at such a ridiculous rate right now...everything is connected. the problems going on in the world are so much more complex than they may seem - cuz everything is tied together and has insane impacts on the other side of the world. ive been putting a lot of thought into this topic lately...yes, im a huge dork. if you are in the biz school with me back at home, you may have had the pleasure of being in a global marketing class (which i just fucking hated) where i would bitch about how bad globalization is and how cultures are being smooshed together to one big universal, and most importantly, how globalization is ruining our environment. i still hate globalization for the environmental factors, but im beginning to realize that our earth is more or less fucked, with or without globalization. i really don't think that its globalization anymore - it's just that there are too many people here. the earth really can't sustain this many bodies without deteriorating. maybe if we all had compost piles in our backyards, didn't drive cars, recycled, didn't take airplanes ever, used public transportation, etc., the earth wouldn't be as fucked. but the aforementioned activities (or lack thereof) will never happen. perhaps we can get smarter cars, maybe smarter planes. it is my dream in life to have a compost pile (yeah, huge dork here), but i can't imagine that a lot of people are too big into composting. the environment is going to be fucked up with or without globalization...

now back to my point. (wait, what was my point again?) globalization is a good and an evil. do you realize how much knowledge is shared and how much more efficiently things can be done because of the amazing technologies that have sprung up in the last couple decades? it blows my mind. but these technologies aren't just used for good...terrorists can use this sort of technology to really harm societies and cultures all over the globe. it's really scary. you have no idea what is passing through cyberspace, who could be following your every movement and planning something accordingly. technology, man, i love it, but sometimes it just freaks me out. or it breaks.

ok enough heavy talk. after the burns talk, my friend and i started wandering back to the invalides metro and happened upon a lovely boulangerie/deli with a huge line outside. we knew it must be good. and amazing it was! we picked up some salads and made our way to a sunny little park bench. it was one of those, 'holy shit, we're really in paris...and this feels normal' moments. i walked her back to work and then hopped on the metro back to my work. on the way, we made time for a photo opp on my favorite bridge, pont alexandre III. the weather was beautiful, the sun was shining. being in paris just was the icing on the cake. pure perfection.

mad happiness here. :)

oh, by the way, no work for me today. it is all saints day. for the next 24 hours, you can just call me french and catholic. i am supposed to go put white mums in the cemetary. i thought maybe i would walk through the cemetary and see the white mums. or i may take one and find a lonely looking grave and give it some lovin.

i ran this morning for the first time in about four weeks. it was just great! parc de buttes chaumont is the neatest little place. fully of hills and stairs, twists and turns, random little jogs throught he woods, it is really a runner's paradise. hopefully i will have more time in the next few weeks to get my run on over there.

joss stone is performing this sunday in the 11th. im thinking of going.