-- I think about Paris when I'm high on red wine
I wish I could jump on a plane..
Oh, yesterdays over my shoulder
So I cant look back for too long
There's just too much to see waiting in front of me
And I know that I just cant go wrong --
Jimmy Buffett, Changes in Lattitudes, Changes in Attitudes

So I'm taking a big blind leap across the pond known as the Atlantic. I chose to spend a semester away from my St. Mike's home in Vermont, my home and family on Cape Cod, my home in the airplane, and my dog. And MLB post-season...so definitely keep me updated on that.

I've been to France numerous times, the last being in 2001 just before September 11th. I've seen lots of France: Paris, Nice, Chamonix, Annecy, Ste-Jean-de-Luz, Blaye, Biarritz. I know I love the country, so it was never really a question of where I wanted to go abroad. I had it narrowed down to France, but then what? I've got good friends of mine who summer on the Cape and live in Paris. It didn't take them long to convince me to go spend a couple months in their city. Sorbonne sounds good to me...so I threw the application out there and next thing I know it, they're asking me about flight arrangements. That was mid April.

It's now August 14, exactly one month until I board the plane. It has been a summer of saving. Nearly all of my paychecks signed by the treasurer of the Town of Barnstable have gone into my savings account created for this trip. However somehow it isn't piling up as tall as I thought it would...I've got to hustle for the last month. I took several paychecks and put them in my pocket for food and gas. Don't get me started on gas...because of the ridiculously high gas prices, driving to and from work everyday has killed my bank account and flying was forced into that "yeah...no." category. A few weekends though, I did splurge and spend money. Like that DMB-filled weekend at Fenway (thanks for a great one Ryguy, Taylor, and Tony). And the Goo Goo Dolls into Grace Potter weekend in Lake Placid with Kyle and Taylor. Great weekend! Then Aaron was on the Cape for a few weeks which was good cheap fun...with the exception of that twenty dollar swordfish dinner at Bobby Byrne's. Perhaps the reason why summer still feels like a big hole is becuase I had no room in my wallet for an all-out Jimmy Buffett tweeter center bash. I hope he doesn't do a Tom Petty and retire this year becuase I didn't go.

My last weeks are here and I've still got a ton to get accomplished. Well, it's time for me to watch my Sox lose to Detroit...but I know they'll win in October becuase I won't be here to see it. I guess it could be worse...I could have chosen Fall of 2004 to go abroad.