Monopoly: Worst Game on the Planet

This morning I woke up at 10 exactly because I actually slept all the way in without waking up at all last night. I think that is actually a first for me. I usually wake up at some point in the night. But last night I didn’t! I took a shower and ate a better breakfast than usual actually taking my time. I opened a new orange juice bottle today so that was eventful for my breakfast festivities. After that I went to school and used the internet to talk to mom a bit on Skype. Gina was there early too so we talked a while about the groups trip to Brussels. I guess it was awesome. It sounded awesome. French fries, waffles, and chocolate? Where do I sign up!?

After that we had class which was kind of boring but also interesting at the same time. We didn’t get our history midterms back which kind of sucks because I’ve been most curious about that one because I can’t really peg how I did… He said maybe Thursday but most likely on Tuesday… Meh. After that we did class and after which Cassandra went to her locker and checked the mail and got my postcard from my mom. Of the Arc du Triomphe… Where I was… my mom is a dork. Funny story though… I didn’t actually go and see the Arc. I saw it from a distance and the plan was to go see the Champs-Elysee and the arc on Saturday after the Eiffel tower before leaving Paris but then with Lunch we ran out of time. So… I did see it from a far distance. But I didn’t actually get to it. I know pretty sad but now I have something for next time!

LaSia’s birthday is this week on Thursday so we are trying to figure out what we are going to do for it. It’s a bit hard because there is like a talk that we are supposed to go to on Thursday night… I really don’t want to go. We are sort of like being told that we have to but I mean what are they really going to do… And it’s about Albert Camus which I feel like the university is trying to shove down our throats. But really I don’t really care and it isn’t really what I want to spend my time doing… I’d rather be doing other stuff. Especially because prior to coming here I had never even heard of this guy… Is he really a big deal? You tell me! Leave me a comment! Have you ever heard of him? Is he a big deal? Should I be caring? Let me know!

After that Cassandra and I went to get food and went back and ate it in the library. We went to the Vietnamese place and got chicken and rice. I am already getting tired of that place. I don’t even go there that often though so that isn’t good. After that we had lit class where we talked about brothers K. It was interesting but I almost feel like at this point there wasn’t much to talk about we just we clarifying things that had happened and summarizing the book so far but not really dwelling into any real subjects brought up in the book. Maybe it was because we were coming back to it after break or because the chunk we covered was really large. In any case I got a little bored at the end of class. After class I went and watched some of Spencers videos and was happy to hear that Eli was in some of them as well! That was fun. Also Eli’s senior jury was yesterday so I am waiting to get links to the recorded stuff he did. I also got a crepe after class but I went for the sugar instead of the nutella banana because it was cheaper and didn’t walk to the good crepe place so it was not as good. Oops my bad, but the guy was really nice who I bought it from.

Then I went back home and dropped off my stuff and decided to go see what Madame and Paul were up to. I went down and Paul was watching some strange lego lion people show. It was not the greatest show but during it their mostly outside and skiddish, doesn't like loud people cat came and sat on my lap! I pet it and it was a very nice cat and likes me I guess which is nice because I really liked it. Very sweet. Her name is Stitch-ette. Like lilo and Stitch but she is a girl. I also learned instead of like electric id chips they tattoo the ears with an id number. Strange huh?
 

When the show was finished we decided to play Monopoly. I knew right then that bad things would happen. Here’s the deal. I kind of hate the game Monopoly because every time I play it, the game lasts too long and people get impatient or everyone gets bored or it just isn’t that fun and is more a math and money game than anything else. In short, I don’t really like it… In any case I knew this wasn’t going to go too well because Paul’s attention span isn’t very high as he is seven, and he likes to cheat a lot. So the way they play (I don’t especially play monopoly so my understanding of rules at home are not great) is that when you get doubles you move and then roll again. So Paul would take like three rolls per turn saying ech didn’t count until he got doubles. Of course only when he thought I wasn’t paying attention and when Madame was occupied with something else. He bought lots of properties and then was running out of money. He started not counting correctly on the board and also going really slowly on his turns. Madame was getting kind of frustrated and I was just like yep this game sucks in my head. Everntually Madame told him to hurry up and to play like he is supposed to. He stopped really watching the game unless it was his turn so we were constantly like having to bring his attention back to the game. It just wasn’t very fun. Eventually after Madame scolded him for not playing right and for being stupid and messing around which he really was and deserved it, he decided to quit. Madame said we would keep playing without him which he didn’t like. So then they fought over that. Then he said we could play but not with the things he had incase he changed his mind and she said no you play or not. So then they got in an argument.

I kind of felt like you do when you are at a friend’s house and their parent is yelling at them about something. You feel kind of awkward and put in the middle of something that is more of a private family matter. This one I saw both sides of it. But Paul is kind of crazy. Madame kept talking to me and saying wow he is so terrible and stuff like that so I was obligated to respond but like it didn’t feel right to Paul to be like talking about him right in front of him… I think that is a cultural thing though. They also don’t do private grades in school in France they are all done publically. But Madame even said like if you were my kid I wouldn’t accept this kid of behavior. Even after we put the game away and I said it was fine to just stop and be done, Paul kept like purposefully pushing her buttons. I would have like put him in time out or something. From what I have seen, they don’t really punish him and because he is an only child he gets catered to a lot. I think that may be a reason why he is so crazy and doesn’t respond to authority.

Also we used the same Monopoly board that Madame bought for Laurence when she was little. And they play where you can’t buy hotels or houses unless you own all of that color which I think is not like normal rules. 

After all that eventually Laurence and Jean-Claude came home. We had some red wine and chips and talked about them getting internet tomorrow because the guy had to get a part or something. Sooo boo.

After some cup with a coin under it game shenanigans we came upstairs. We had an improvised but delicious dinner of sausage and lentils. Tomorrow we are having pumpkin soup which must be interesting, and then on Thursday we are having the marinated chicken that I love! I am very excited! :-D I did some homework after dinner and then wrote my blog entry while laying with a heating pad. I am really sore in my legs lately from the increase in walking lately, which is only reminding me I need to book our reservations at the spa! Oh December why are you still so far away?