Kor-getties beware

Infectious viruses that seep through humanity slowly slowly taking a hold. It’s a horrible sentence isn’t it? One that sort of encourages you to get a blanket, curl up in it and avoid anyone with a sniff. But I saw something today that made me wonder if brands can be a kind of virus, that travels through us, infecting other people around and spreading.. probably not the nicest way of saying it though.. meh.. although it is a very pattern recognition idea..
So.. Tin Tin.. its over here en masse.. I have seen a tin tin shop in every city ive been in (admittedly that’s only Brugge, Brussles, Paris and here) BUT.. there is merchandise.. for tin tin for goodness sake.. you can buy a watch, little (very expensive) figurines, comics.. of course, a whole line of boys to mens clothes, and diaries.. one of which I brought today.. both to my joy and dismay.. sadly its no where near as cool as a Mao watch.. nothing can be.. little mao waving away the seconds.. that really is sick kitch.. and yet for some reason appealing.. probably some human way of dealing with these catastrophies.. making them into kitch..BUT..
I never really got that into tin tin.. its cool.. but I grew up with Asterix and Obelix (of which there is a theme park near Paris… sooo going), Calvin and Hobbes (translated as Tommi/(y) and Tigren –spelling optional- for the Norwegains) and Footrot flats… it never occurred to me that cartoons could be big.. and so capitalised upon.. if they ever make a ‘dog’ key ring though.. im there.. or ’horse’ probably wouldn’t go for ‘Major’ though.. or ‘Prince Charles’. (to everyone else.. they are characters from Footrot flats, a Kiwi cartoon, they are all dogs, ‘dog’ being the main character/ narrator... except horse who is, obviously, a cat.. it all makes more sense if you read it.. and it’s a VERY good introduction to New Zealand)
Speaking of New Zealand.. I was given some very grave news recently.. apparentliy they lost to France.. to FRANCE people.. for some indescribable reason I find this more upsetting than us loosing to the poms.. its terribly sad.. I was inconsolable for moments after discovering this.. the fact that I was informed by a Norwegian did nothing to help my general globalisation confusion.
I was more interested to hear that an election has been called.. I am still quite upset to be missing my first federal election (damn those who got me interested in politics.. you know who you are..) all the ads and everything.. although I am told Johnny Babe put something on YouTube so we shall have to check that out.. attempting to get to the net surfing masses.. hah.. soo subtle..
Speaking of YouTube.. a word to the wise. When you have to access internet in a public place.. do not ‘accidentally’ watch any chaser clip.. well maybe other people don’t have the problem of laughing out loud.. whilst trying to hold back the ‘they’re not, they’re not..’ although it did put me in a good mood, everyone around thought I was a bit mad.. but hey its worth it. As I missed all the APEC(?) stuff I caught up a bit watching them pretend to be security randomly testing etc. people in Melbourne! on a tram.. for APEC… sigh.. it was cool.. and yet doesn’t translate in the world of blogs.. I recommend it..
Ah yes.. I’m in France. And as many of you know.. I don’t speak French. I speak Indonesian.. which we have ascertained is quite useless on the continent. And I have always been under the impression that the French will meet you with a rather chilly welcome, and in some cases will refuse to look at you, serve you, etc. if you don’t speak French. Now maybe its just me, or maybe ive been very lucky with the people ive met, not eating in restaraunts might help, but so far people don’t see to view it as anything other than an annoyingly amiable trait. Its frustrating.. and obviously I wish I spoke French.. but im kinda glad I can live anyways.. and im still successfully getting by on body language and context. Its when someone stands in front of me doing a monologue with no hand gestures that I get lost.
Ah.. but I did recognise one new word today (aside from calzone.. ka zing.. got that one..) courgette.. ok well I happened to have read a few cook books that used this one.. but I was still proud. The mental monologue went something like ‘ah hah.. I know that one.. it’s the fancy name for zucchini.. don’t think you can get me there French people..’. I imagine if I had only ever used cookery the autralian way and not watched our dear Stephanie alexander.. the throughts would have been something more like. ‘kor-getti.. wtf is a kor-getti? It sounds like some type of Japanese motorcycle.. or possibly ammunition for a hardcore machine gun.. oh look there's a zucchini, I wonder how much it costs.’
I also went to an Irish shop today. As if I couldn’t, as soon as I saw it I started wondering what on earth the French think of as Irish. The answer.. everything Scottish, or British in general. There were a few leprechauns.. and some green stuff.. and werid pre-made jelly.. but there was defiantly a lot of scottish memorabilia.. which was a bit odd.. and skittles.. I could have sat down for hours thinking of irish things.. and never would have got to skittles.. I have to say I hope some random irish guy doesn’t walk in there looking for a nice taste of home.. it might not go down too well.. its like finding Vegemite or Kangaroos in a Kiwi shop..
Anyway that’s the world as it stands through my eyes today.. im hoping msn is back up and running.. and I hope all is well with the universe..
Take care
And smile™

Oh and I found another quote floating around in music…
‘people don’t hunger only for food..
How easy that would be, so basic and crude
There's so much more you need..
To help nourish you..’
I thought that was nice.. and somehow needs remembering more often..

p.p.s for some reason i find the word kor-getties very amusing.. in a very un-worldly australian way..