That Time I Accidentally Applied for a Job in Paris

Because I am both a Francophile and an Insomniac, I thought this birthday card from my daughter-in-law was sublime.

An Insomniac and a Francophile can be a symbiotic combination of “inner-selves”, (particularly when I want to stay up all night reading a book about France). Still, people often feel sorry for me because I rarely sleep but I’m telling you, there is a real upside.  For instance a twenty hour day is the norm, night school/single parenting/three jobs? Check. Plus, I know Cindy Crawford’s beauty secrets and have tried (and can attest to the efficacy of) Mighty Putty.  But sometimes a girl just needs to sleep. That’s when I take a Lunesta which I did one night this past December.  [Cue wavy dream sequence…]

The Lunesta worked phenomenally.  I slept.  However, the drug awakened my inner-Francophile who became drunk with power. When I awoke the next day I had this in my email inbox:

Whilst asleep, I had applied for a writing internship in Paris. I was simultaneously giddy and mortified. What had I written in my email?

Turns out, my sleep-walking inner-Francophile is just a darling and my email to Heather was cogent and tasteful, like the Me I wish to project:

Heather was gracious, offering me a job interview in Paris in January! At this, I began to obsess about getting to Paris in January. Yeah, yeah, it was late December already. Whatever. I could pull this off.

My plans were dimmed when I had an emergency room visit for an ulcer, got the flu so severely that I was afraid I would die, then it got worse and I was afraid I wouldn’t die, all while suffering a fever so high I felt like I was sleeping with Satan.  Then both of us, still spewing mucus, trucked our way in the dead of winter to move to a different state.  But there was still time…STILL TIME!  Forget my inner-Francophile, my inner-Gollum was taking over!

Even though this was both literally and figuratively my DREAM JOB, The Husband (I very much think “The Hobbit” also fits here) used his power of veto muttering something about me spreading myself too thin…blah, blah, blah. Sometimes his wisdom and groundedness is just downright irksome.

Obviously, I didn’t get the job. But I did get an introduction to Heather Stimmler-Hall (I have followed her at Secrets of Paris for years). She asked me to look her up next time I’m in Paris. The Husband and I are heading to Paris for the month of April and I hope to have a chance to meet her then.

Dream a little dream for me, mes amis!