Wind SUCKS

It is officially COLD. 18 years of winter in the desert (even with last year's 3 feet of snow) has done nothing to prepare me, much less my wardrobe, for being here. And it's only November. This morning, walking the 3 blocks to the laundrette, I almost froze to death. And the viciously cold wind didn't even slow down before ripping through my fleece jacket, long sleeve shirt, and tank top. Really, I think I could handle the cold if the wind weren't moving it around all the time (aren't things in motion supposed to warm up??)

To complain just a little bit more before I move on, the railworkers are still striking and I am gonna be a very unhappy camper if I can't get out of Lyon to visit my friend, Dia, this weekend.

I have been really unmotivated to write lately. For one thing, I guess not much has been going on here over the past couple of days, and for another, things have been kind of rough. I don't want to go into it, but I will say that I am a little frustrated by the fact that life is continuing on without me back home, and it makes it hard for me to focus on being here, no matter how many times people tell me that I should...that I shouldn't dwell on something I can't change, and that it's going to be better, or at least ok. I'm not very good at accepting change in my life at times like these.

So there you go. No exciting Francey stories for now. Basically, I've just been doing the same old thing...going to class, avoiding studying with every ounce of myself, spending a lot of time at home because it's too cold to spend too much time outside, making/eating yummy food, watching old episodes of Gilmore Girls online, and dealing with homesickness and grief...and trying to pick out and focus on the beauty.