Parlez-vous Francais?

I’m thinking about going to Paris in the summer of 2006. I’ve been talking about it for so long and it’s time that I do something about it. A year plus a few months should be enough to set aside some money and get all the arrangements made. This will take a little more work than trips I’ve taken in the past, but I think it’s doable. In the meantime, I want to work on my French language skills. I had four years of French in high school and one in college before I stopped because I wouldn’t be going to a French-speaking country anytime soon. I think it would come back to me relatively easily, especially the grammar. It’s the vocabulary I need to work on. It’s going to take more than a few scattered words like fromage and bibliotheque to get me by. My mom (a retired professor of German) suggested I pick up some Berlitz tapes. I’d like to find some interactive material on the Web as well. Too bad I don’t have my old French textbooks anymore. If anyone has some language tips, e-mail me.
And speaking of all things French, I’ve been totally grooving on the new M83 album. It’s become one of my preferred playlists for writing. I just know the Secret Service is going to haul me in for questioning one of these days for being such a francophile. The songs do get a bit overwrought at times, but there’s enough ear candy here to keep things interesting. It’s like a more drugged-out version of Air.