The Summer made me younger, but the Fall took it all.

I've been invited to participate in a photo challenge about Gourmandise. France is probably the best place to be gourmand (I've already explained that idea of gourmandise, which I would translate as state of non-restriction in front of yumminess and good food, in a previous post). To make sure I got the perfect picture, I went to a couple of bakery and catering places and picked up a few nice, tasty and delicate cakes (I didn't eat them all, but shared them with my host family). Anyway, here is the picture. And yes, it's photoshopped.

If you think this is a good one and is worth publication, please vote for it on this link, make your friends, family, neighbors vote for it too!
Speaking of publication, I was finally able to celebrate the publication of the paper from my PhD!! Direct link to its Pubmed page.

Besides being an infinite catalog for photo inspiration, I re-discovered the country I was born and raised in. I've lived in different countries, I loved living in Sweden or in Canada, but there's nowhere similar to France. As one of my friend said, for us (we are both born in France) everything here is so smooth, so easy, so natural. There are tones of things that are completely irrational, cities that are dirty, people that are crazier/stupider than anywhere else but we share a common culture, language, state of mind, humor: there is a connection that facilitates the communication. At the same time it's like I moved to an unknown country and also as if I moved back to my home country.
Because I focused on the bad side of France and french people lately, I will add that it was very unexpected for me... to like it so much! I fell in love here.

I fell in love with Bayonne and the Basque Country... It's so beautiful and I met very kind, interesting, diverse and motivating people.
That leads me to describe a little bit my 3 months experience in France. I came back because of the immigration system in Canada. It was supposed to be for 2 months, but I got a summer job for 3. I stayed! I was depressed to leave Canada and my life there. I almost didn't take my ticket back to Toronto!

In the past three months, the Olympic Games took me a lot of time! Let say sport in general took me a lot of time since I've been working in a French sport store (http://www.decathlon.fr/), and preparing (oh I'm still so behind my program!) my second half-marathon. I've had a very entertaining training: from running on the sand to hiking or doing splits up and down hills. But best, I've been doing long distance run on the Atlantic shore... and that is incomparable to any other run.

Most of all, I enjoyed working full time as a vendor in a sport store. I've never ever worked in sales before, I discovered how to manage stocks, how to expose products and how to deal with clients! Clients were the best part. Oh these clients; I saw all kinds: from tourists (French, Parisian, Dutch, Spanish...), to angry and stressed mom, but also happy runners, injured runners, over-seventy runners, old lady (often the nicest client of the day...), to 10 year old who want to be a great sprinter. I also got the angry-against-life teenager, the friendly winner of the local trail race but I missed the famous actor and famous football player... To sum it up, I'll say that it was pleasant to give advice, to give my opinion on running shoes, to help people run injure-free, and I'll be happy to do it again, maybe not all my life.. I miss science.

And I was delighted to talk to motivating people who were doing crazy challenges or huge trail in the Alps... they made me dream! they motivated me to try more things! they made my adventurous side come back to me! and I'm glad they did.

Even if that was a full time job, because the store is open 11 hours a day, I wasn't in there all day every day, and my schedule was perfectly adjusted so I could enjoy a week day off or half a day! I was able to visit my own country, I was able to go swim or in the ocean before work, I was able to party or spend time with my friends!

In a word, I had a good memorable time in France, surrounded with French people! And I would do it again!

The Summer made me younger, but the Fall took it all. That's how I feel now. I've been working and living with people who were younger than I am, who didn't know how old I was, most of them thought I was between 23 to 26 (which still had an impression of old to them... that's the disappointing part)!! Good to know! That was pleasant to talk and hang around with them, it actually made me feel and behave younger. I've been partying reasonably for a summer time (well, not that reasonably a few times but in average that was not that much). And despite 2 great sleepless nights, I found myself a bit older than I thought. But Summer is over, all the young ones went back to school and I am getting older again, looking and interviewing for a job, in a few days back to where I was 3 months ago.

A few updates.

First, and I can say I did it! I entirely fixed my bike! It's been almost 6months that I wasn't using it anymore (I briefly fixed the old one but it ended up breaking both breaks so I was only walking for a long while). Following advices from the internet and from friends, I changed both break pads, break wires, both inner tubes and the seat! It's all brand new and it's working!

Before 30 I learnt how and fixed my bike! I've asked my dad to teach me the same thing on cars for a long time, but it takes a lot longer and we never found the time to do it for now.

Second, I just wanted to update some of you about the ending of the French elections. François Hollande (left-hand party, socialist) has been elected president. He took is functions on the 15th of May. He has nominated a left-hand government, but they shouldn't settle too much as the legislative elections are in June, to elect the National Assembly.

Third, and to continue on the creative path I've been trying to follow since February, Greg and I were official photographers at a wedding on the 5th of May. It was tiring (from 8:30 am to 4pm), my fingers were sore from continuously carrying the camera, flash, tripod and lenses everywhere. We took 2,400 pictures in total and that was quite and experience! We are not entirely satisfied with the work we've done, as are the newly weds. A few moments were very brief and mostly in a dark room, but we got a bunch of really good shots. We learn by trying, so now we'll be better for the next one (by the way, do you know anyone for the next one?).

And this wedding allowed me to score one more "before 30 thing": take a limo. The newly weds have booked a limo for the bride to ride the few hundred meters from her hotel to the restaurant, and then to drive them home. Because they wanted us to take pictures of them in the limo, we jumped in there! So here we were, visiting Toronto on a busy sunny Saturday afternoon with a loving couple.

Speaking of work, the work permit I was planning in applying for Canada is "sold out" so even if I have already sent a couple of job applications, I need to figure out something. It won't even be my B plan, I think I'm already reaching the E or F one... I won't stay steady, I have a couple of ideas in mind.

I've also been back into training and practicing sport. A knee sleeve, a few stretches and muscle exercices from my physiotherapist apparently helped, since I was able to fully run a 10K. I was a bit disappointed as my Nike GPS is a few hundred meters off and gave me incredibly good results during the run, and I discovered on the finish line that I run the 10K in 52min (my goal was to be below 50min). I haven't trained much and my knee still hurt at Km 7, but I should have been able to run it faster.

Since my knee hasn't entirely recovered and that I understood I need to change my way of running, Greg and I bought these so uncommon Vibram FiveFingers "shoes". We wore them for hiking 3 days in a row this week-end, and they really feel great! You're like a mix between Frodo, Spiderman and Avatar!! I love walking barefoot at home, and these shoes allow me to go barefoot on any surface!

My new goal is to learn to run in these and be able to run the 6K in Paris in September (La Parisienne). I'm still looking for a girl friend to join me!! (sorry guys, this is a female-only run!).

And finally, I experienced for real a north-american sport. It's like this sport that you see in every movie (no, not american football) but that you don't understand the rules (I don't understand the rules of american football anyway), nor why this guy in particular is a national star, while it's a team game... Anyway, we tried baseball... well, not exactly, we played Softball. Explanation for the newbie: this is the baseball rules, on a baseball field, with a baseball bat and a big baseball glove, a bigger (still tough) ball and a few softer rules (since I'm not sure of the rules for neither of them, I encourage that we both google them).

So far I can hit the ball... once every 5 to 10 pitch, and I can catch the ball when it's on the floor... My friends signed me up for a beginner league!!

THE 12 inches glove with the huge, tough ball.

Family time.

I always had trouble getting along with my parents, probably because I'm an only child, probably because of many other reasons that I am not fully aware of. And I knew that getting back to their place for a whole month was gonna be challenging. But I think I need to understand them, understand their fear, their troubles and have an idea of what made them like that. It's been 3 days and it's already challenging. We don't have the same life style, we don't enjoy doing the same things and they freak out every time I plan to do something.

But since I stay at their place and I haven't seen them for a while, I think I need to make a bit of an effort.

My mom is always singing (well, only 5notes, always in the same order, the kind of sad rhythm that stays in your head and that is supposed to calm her down). My dad is always talking, about everything, well mostly the things he really likes and the things he hates. And they both spend a lot of time criticizing. It may be about raising kids or baking simple cakes, that's the same, they would have done it differently and they make you know! They also make sure they tell you that this glass or this wire is very fragile and that you have to pay attention while using it... as if I had no idea something could be fragile (I'm sure they still have doubts if they should give me a wine glass or a plastic one... - what? you drink wine? no way!).

I have this feeling that I am back to being a teenager. And I must say, the 3 of us didn't enjoy that much my teenager time. We couldn't understand each other and at the end I'm not really sure we wanted to. They just intend to make sure I didn't become a junkie, while I honestly didn't have any intention of becoming one (but they never ever understood that point). So I couldn't listen to pop-rock music (well, that's just the softest example, anything else than classical music they didn't like and of course was synonym of me becoming a junkie). I wasn't allowed to go to my friends' place because they couldn't watch what I was doing there, I couldn't take the bus home because you never know who you can accidentally meet in the bus and I wasn't able to go to my friends' party because of course they were gonna smoke, drink and take crack. And that... until I turned 18. When I turned 18, I had my driver's license, my Baccalauréat and I purposely chose to move to Pau, 200Km away, for my studies. These 2 years in Pau were the best ever! And guess what, I didn't become a junkie!! but you can imagine how much I now have to discover in terms of music and movies...

I'm still not sure of what they think about me becoming a junkie, maybe they got over it... maybe not. I don't quite listen to them when it comes to my way of living (my dad is now convinced that I converted myself to buddhism because I practice yoga), like I did before. But they now realize that we got far apart from each-other. We don't have that much in common. And worse of all for them, they taught me so hard not to show my fears, not to show my tears or my feelings, that I am completely incapable of having some kind of human relationship with them. For me, their worst problem is trust; they don't trust anything nor anyone. And the fact that they don't trust me, and over time this lack of trust has become a huge issue in our relationship.

Anyhow, I have the feeling that before I turn 30 (my dad is being 70 this year), I should take this opportunity to make it change. I should try to understand them, and tell them what I think, not just run away. 

Yesterday, it was 21°C, a bright sunshiny day, so I proposed to go on a bike ride. My dad loves cycling and skiing and could talk about it for days. Because it was winter they hadn't biked for a few months (my dad drags my mom for some bike ride, to make her exercise) and I figured it would be good for me too since my knee still hurt when I run.

That would also give me the opportunity to take some pictures of that region I grew up in and that I particularly love. We biked for 50Km, in the pine tree forest (Les Landes), along the dunes, seeing sometimes the ocean. They couldn't stop behaving themselves, but at least we got a few minutes of calm, fresh air, exercise and time together.

And while I was up there on my teenager yellow bike, in my beloved Landes, I thought of things I would like to do before I'm 30: kite-surfing and base-jumping.

To do list.

While I am currently tidying my computer (and removing all these mitochondria related articles that take so much space), I wander on the internet, looking for other people lists to do before 30. 

While the first entry gives me this very crazy list, that I don't really feel the need or the envy to accomplish, I also find softer ones where I have done almost all of it. I still pick up a few to-do things: start an investment account or invest in the stock-market, and fully understand how that works; participate in a flash mob (like a dance, or something).

This one is just an extensive list to pick up interesting ideas like: pretend to be a superhero (in what damn situation could I do that?), or survive an accident that you shouldn't have survived (how can you honestly do that on purpose? I mean, I don't even want to try!), but certainly get cured from my snake phobia would be very helpful!

At the end, not so many helpful comments on those pages. I'll stick to my plans!

Teach my man how to cook before he is 30.

Teach my man how to cook before he is 30. That gives me a bit more than 2 months.

I must notify that he already is a master in hamburger making! Heathly yummy hamburgers! Here is how we spent "Valentine's Day" yesterday evening! So cool! that and taking pictures...

He is also a very good chef when it comes to Omelettes (at that point I don't even try to make one, his are way better!).

He is willing to learn some other recipes but each time he misses a step or because I never follow closely a recipe, he gets confused. We already crossed a big step in that a few years ago "cooking" meant getting something out of the freezer into the microwave!

And like every man on that planet he knows how to bake meat! But he can't prepare anything (except pasta) that goes well with meat. I have nothing against meat (I have to admit I myself don't have that much ideas when it comes to cook meat), but meat doesn't make my meal.

Soon you may see some of his cooking (or if I'm not blogging for a week, you'll know he did wrong). As a challenge to my not-30-yet-self I would try to cook meat in different situations. A friend of mine once told me that you know when a woman is ready to have kids when she can prepare a good stew. I've never made stew in my life, that's the time to try!

After food, craft would be the second big topic of that blog. 

As much as I'm addicted to berries and expresso beans, I'm also addicted to Pinterest. This is a stream of constant inspiration. As well as you can see how much people love food, love Ryan Gosling or the latest colour of the Essie nail polish, you can find quite a lot of interesting/fun/gorgeous Do It Yourself activities. From home decoration to wedding arrangement, sewing, painting... everything! And people keep pinning!

I'm addicted to Pinterest (which is good in my situation, not that good when you spend half of your time at work checking on that website, reloading the page every 5 minutes). The plan for the next few months was to pick an idea from this site, everyday, each day, and make it be! produce it my way! Because I have largely failed in that for the past days and because I also have ideas on my own I'll try to use their advices and ideas as often as I'd run out of inspiration!

And because I don't count much on Pinterest to tell me what are the important things I have to accomplish before I'm 30, I still count on YOU! (yes, YOU over-there!).

Last but not least, I've finally brought my business card for printing this afternoon. More handy/colourful/user-friendly than a CV, I had to make one. First of all because I'm going to a networking session tomorrow that would certainly be helpful to get my way into the world of industry or just make contact with people that might revealed to be helpful for me to find a job later.

I did want my business card to reflect who I am, which means what are my interests. As it wasn't visually pleasant to list them, I've tried to picture them. And because I can be super professional, very straight in my way of thinking and proceeding to tasks, I can also be very imaginative and openminded.  This business card reflects both my left brain and my right brain, together into one person.

Because this is the very first version of it and that I only had a week to make it from scratch, I do appreciate your advice/comments/disagreements and will do a new one in larger batch as soon as I'm fully satisfied of how that business card represents who I am. I'll have a nice, clear, unforgettable business card before I turn 30.

Pilot

Hi everyone!

This is the first post. I have to get right on the first post, that's what motivates people in following a blog, the context and the content of the first post! That's like the pilot of a series.

So let me explain the circumstances and present you the characters.

First, to explain why I'm doing this blog, here is a video (in french... sorry) of a guy that realizes he is now entering a new era: is blew his 30th candle! And I've also heard a few of my (scared, about to be 30...) friends that we should make a list of what we'd like to accomplish before we turn 30.

This is what this blog is gonna be about: stuff I need to fulfil before I turn 30.

So it is gonna be about finding a career path, about travelling, about craft, yoga, cooking... and so much more! This is mostly not gonna be about me (do I hear a sight of relief!?), this is gonna be about all the crazy/essential/unorthodox things my body/brain/soul is telling me to do before I get no time/energy/occasion.

Today is my occasion to do all those things that have filled my mind with for the past two years (I got a Ph.D. in Biology 2 years ago and that was the end of 20 years of studious studies (in the rest of that blog I'll try to avoid this kind of repetitive sentences)!

This is gonna be what I have in mind but I'm very open to any suggestions? Everything you think is worth doing before you become 30! I still have a bit more than a year ahead of my 30-year-old me, so feel free to spam this blog with any idea (or if you want to be part of one of my before-30 moment!).

Let me now explain why I'm best concerned with that question right now.

First of all I am not sure academic research is the job I want to do my entire life (I may regret than sentence pretty soon, but here I am right now). My contract at the University of Toronto is ending at the end of February 2012 and won't be renewed. I am now looking for new experience in my life, in my mind and in my professional area. I'm planning these next 10months to figure all that out.

To give you some clue about the following episodes of that series, there will be a some back-to-basis trip to Pessac my home town; an active preparation to get on top of the Kilimanjaro; a few personal records to be beaten as a runner and probably indescribable experiences in different professional scopes.

That blog would be in english. For the one that are not english speaking, please use the google translator tool, that has greatly been improved in the past few years. Or you can also message me for more details./ Ce blog sera en anglais. Pour ceux que ça n'enchante pas, je vous invite a utiliser Google Translate, qui (on a beau dire) c'est bien amelioré ces dernières années. Vous pouvez aussi m'envoyer des messages pour en savoir un peu plus.