In relation with the previous post of My Favorite Trilogy, considering Julie Delpy is French, saving the notion about my dreams of visiting Paris, past thoughts returned and were running through my mind.  This is all despite the consistently daily to every-other-day mentioning of Chicago by an outside source.  However, I still find myself dreaming of Paris, France despite my never visiting the country.  Before Midnight shows European culture, accents, love, and touches upon the universal feelings of sadness and fear when relationships turn and begin to fall apart.  No one wants to feel frustrated and/along with falling out of love.  The movie takes place in Greece, another beautiful country on my list of places to visit.

Some people may say the French smell or they are rude.  This may be true, but I’ve never experienced any hostility firsthand, and there are a lot of people in the States that smell fuckin’ terrible.  The French people, who I have come across in the States have been cordial and easy to talk to.  Also, if someone has experienced a rude person, don’t assume that it’s hostility toward you being toward the United States; they might be having a bad day.  We share this planet, and there is no use in holding grudges over nothing… or history for that matter.

Especially today:  why hold grudges for the past faults, whatever they may be?  My generation wasn’t involved in the nonsense.  There is no time like the present to start a new relationship.  We should be grateful for what the French shared and inspired in the world.  I am Italian, but I find the French language to be the most beautiful language in the world.  French artisan bread, cheese, and fine wine–how can you go wrong with those?

For crying out loud, we wouldn’t have the Statue of Liberty if it weren’t for the French.  I’m especially grateful, because of my New York lineage.

Oh, Chris, but you’re from/living in Syracuse.

Oh, please.  If you want to get that harsh on me, my father was born in New York City, and he grew up downstate.  States heritage aside, the Statue of Liberty is an icon that can be shared by all countries, nationalities, and religions.

Please enjoy the Daniel Roure.  The music is to emphasize my adoration for French jazz (thank you, Pandora Radio), which I commented with and on fellow a CNY blogger’s, Josh Shear, post about challenges that yield artistic expression.  Through the comment and consecutive Twitter tweets with Josh–yes, I just said Twitter tweets–a laundry list of authors was created on top of revisiting the concept of loving anxiety.  Creativity can stem from the familiar, but the new/unfamiliar creates an uncomfortable moment that can yield more creativity and emotion.  This varies by person.

So, I’ve never been to France.  I’ve flown over it, and it looks beautiful at a bird’s-eye-view.  I’ve dreamed, during R.E.M. and in my waking hours, of traveling there.  The Before Trilogy, French Kiss (1995), Paris, je ‘taime (2006), and A Good Year (2006) among other films only pushes me to want that travel experience even more.  Blogs I follow, the European hospitality seen, and the classy-dressed Americans that blend in with those Europeans allow me to squeeze my fist in frustration because it’s not at my fingertips (at the moment).  I know going there, anywhere where I haven’t been, will initiate creative intentions.

I’m sure there is a whole big world out there, and there is so much more to experience.

Many people put travel on their Bucket Lists.  It’s not a cliché.  It’s reassuring when you think of others wanted to experience the same things as you.  If you cannot travel, create your own scenario.

So, yes, I find Europe to be a bit more romantic than the United States, but this stems from the inability to be there on a regular basis.  It’s not to say that we can have equally as romantic experiences here in the United States.  We can, and we shouldn’t forget the things that make our country special.  However, sometimes the crème de la crème isn’t at an arms length or a drive.  When we have the ability to get there, we appreciate it.

Sharing a kiss on Clinton Square’s skating rink isn’t the same as Rockefeller Center (should either of the two happen).  Further, should getting me on skates (again and only for a second time) should happen.

It’s also comfortable to admit and accept wanting to be one half of a couple kissing on the Eiffel Tower.  This kissing isn’t a slobber looking and sounding type of making out, despite the delusional people who have done so; but the kiss is a passionate kiss, lasting from a quick lip smack to a minute (or two).  Pecking is too small for France.  It will be nice to look over the land and then into each other’s eyes before closing them as faces move into each other.  This isn’t much to ask, or too difficult to strive for.  To add to the importance and authenticity of this specialized kiss, it would have to be in the rain and under an umbrella.

A yellow umbrella.