Saturnicity

 Saturday began with me finding 2€ in the street. I felt much better but still had a fleeting scratchy throat that made it even harder to speak French with a believable accent. I'd gotten to the point where people in boulangeries and cafes didn't think twice, didn't even notice how great it is that a Yankee could speak their language. I was tempted to inform them that I was in fact American [there was a period there that people were telling me that, if anything, my accent sounded German], especially when I was sitting next a couple American couples who ordered everything in English, not even attempting to read the French. 

Things haven't been going as swimmingly as I would like, but maybe it's more a matter of letting the currents take me. Finding synchronicities, good fortunes, happy accidents are always good signs that I'm on the right path even if it's a path I wouldn't have chosen. 

The lessons we need to learn aren't always the ones we want to learn. 

So continuing Saturday's fortunes/misfortunes, I was supposed to meet a friend for drinks and then go to a party.  But, at the last minute, I got a text that cancelled the plans, citing a feeling of unwellness. 

And, surprisingly, I felt actually disappointed, realizing that I haven't actually had too many plans or adventures in the past several days--first being deprived of energie from the cold, second just not finding people--and was looking forward to something that could be cool. 

It could also be not cool, but at least it would be new, foreign, and so at least somewhat interesting. 

But a door closes, a window opens. 

I called my friend Clément who had also mentioned something going on, and he was in the metro on his way already. He asked where I was and had me meet him on the quai, the platform?, of the metro where our two lines would intersect on the way.  It didn't seem like the easiest plan, but it worked out; arrived at the station literally 2 minutes before he did. 

When things work out like that, it makes me happy. 

So we went to this thing, which he explained as a having to do with his girlfriend's highschool friends and "fanfares".  Whatever that is. 

Turns out, it was a super unassuming space in the villified banlieu [Clément was surpised it was so nice en banlieu], but the people waiting in line to get in all seemed like they were going to some art-music-danceparty--chic but cool. 

And it was, in fact, a competition between "fanfares", which ended up being a lot like Emvironmental Encroachment" or "Mucca Pazza" in Chicago but mostly playing covers of pop songs: coldplay, nirvana, etc. My favorite was when the emcee introduced a song as Terre, Vent, Feu!

And it was pretty amazing. Some pretty tight groups, others more theatrical, one that just sucked, but most were pretty good. What a surprise, inattendu.

I put some pictures up on FB and made a recording on myPhone.  Good times.