Yesterday, I made more money in one day than I have made in the past year in a half. Boy it feels good. I am going buy a couple of CDs and have that student ID card replaced (lost it somewhere along the way.) So, how you may ask, did I make this money? Well, it seems I am a natural at the coatcheck. I took the coats from lots of French ministers at an event honoring Simone Veil, a French political woman (there are a few of them), who was responsible for winning the legalization of abortion in france in the 1970s. I took her coat.

In any case, politicians pay good money and my young ladiness got me a lot of tips for simply hanging people's furs and leather jackets and giving them a number. I had a fun time watching the reactions of the bourgeois Parisians to my American-style service with a smile. A few people responded in kind, but most people seemed bewildered. Women found it nearly impossible to look me in the eye as I handed them their number (smiling) and the men seemed to feel like they should give me money. One man asked me how much he owed me, so I said "well, about 50 euros should do it." I forgot that French people often don't get sarcastic teasing, so he simply took out a 5 euro bill and gave it to me. I should've refused, but I didn't. People have to pay for their lack of humor.

I also gave a class, which pays quite a bit too. I kind of like the odd jobs career path i find myself on. You definitely meet a lot of interesting people. My newest possible student (she's in Japan right now, but will call when she gets back), is an art historian who specializes in the restoration of painting.

So, if anyone knows of any coat checking or dogwalking or plant watering or ticket selling or tree planting or auctioneering or heavy equipment operating or flyer handing outing or babysitting or english teaching or catering or house painting or, better yet, housesitting gigs in the Ile-de-France region, let me know. I can make miracles happen.