Archive for November, 2006
Thursday, November 30th, 2006
My transient friends
It is an unfortunate fact of life that when you relocate to somewhere far from ‘home’ - it isn’t possible to take a circle of friends with you. You have to start from scratch - and forge friendships wherever and whenever you can, or face the very real prospect of becoming a neurotic billy-no-mates.
Strasbourg [...]
2 Comments » - Posted in Life in Strasbourg by Bart
Wednesday, November 29th, 2006
When direct marketing goes wrong.
Today I recieved some interesting mail. The first item, from DFS, told me that if I got my butt down to Sidcup this weekend I could well save a ton on a new sofa. The second, from Majestic’s, was offering me a seasonal discount on selected French wines.
Tempting but …
No Comments » - Posted in Life in Strasbourg by Bart
Tuesday, November 28th, 2006
Stealth taxes?
The so-called ’socialist’ government in the UK have often been accused of using ‘tax by stealth’ in order to fund their ’socialist agenda’. (stop laughing) It is entirely possible that New Labour learned this neat little trick from another socialist-run state, but if that’s so - it certainly wasn’t the French that inspired [...]
No Comments » - Posted in Life in Strasbourg by Bart
Saturday, November 25th, 2006
FIP-ing good radio
When Chris Tarrant gave up his breakfast slot on Capital Radio it was a sad day for listeners across London’s airwaves.
Not only did his departure prove that his successors: Neil “Foxy / Doctor” Fox and then Johnny Vaughan were pretty lame by comparison; but it also proved how fundamental a good DJ is [...]
1 Comment » - Posted in Life in Strasbourg by Bart
Friday, November 24th, 2006
Merry Christmas!
I was molested today. There I was minding my own business, cycling along the route to Kehl (Germany) and without a by-your-leave a Christmas tree suddenly leaps out and slaps me around the chops with a beneedled bow.
Or at least - that’s how it felt. While one week earlier the chances of colliding [...]
No Comments » - Posted in Life in Strasbourg by Bart
Wednesday, November 22nd, 2006
I zap, you zap, he zaps …
I learned a new French verb this week: ‘zapper’. This means ‘to zap’, and is conjugated in the usual way to all regular ‘er’ verbs.
But when this was imparted to me this week by my conversation group teacher - I had to ask “Er … what does it mean?”. Rather perplexed she [...]
No Comments » - Posted in Life in Strasbourg by Bart
Monday, November 20th, 2006
Travelling with children
Just got back from a short weekend (i.e. one night) in Paris. However with Strasbourg being 4 hours away by train* making a trip to the capital is rarely stress-free particularly if you’re travelling with children.
However I discovered, purely by accident, that some trains have a ‘family carriage’, which eases the pain considerably, not [...]
