Wednesday’s Forum
Steven L. Taylor
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Wednesday, October 16, 2024
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6 comments
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About Steven L. Taylor
Steven L. Taylor is a retired Professor of Political Science and former College of Arts and Sciences Dean. His main areas of expertise include parties, elections, and the institutional design of democracies. His most recent book is the co-authored
A Different Democracy: American Government in a 31-Country Perspective. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Texas and his BA from the University of California, Irvine. He has been blogging since 2003 (originally at the now defunct Poliblog).
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Waking to the sound of waves crashing on Nice’s rocky beach is not the worst way to wake up. Why yes, I do have café au lait and a basket of Viennoiseries.
Beautiful weather yesterday, wet and cloudy today and for the next two days. But somehow, even under clouds, the water remains blue.
My wife now agrees that we should look into long-term stay visas in Portugal or Spain. France is not welcoming, sadly. When I was a kid (8-10 years old) I lived in France – not the cool part, Fouras – and attended French schools first in Royan and then in Rochefort. I was completely fluent. Even dreamed in French.
Now, I’m trying to dredge the language up from the murky depths of my aged brain. It seems to me that there are four parts to this: Reading (not bad), Understanding speech (meh in Nice and worse in Paris), forming speech (I’m at a bright toddler level), and actually enunciating. This last one, I still have. To the extent that I am confusing staff by having a flawless accent and the vocabulary of a 10 year-old minus 60 years of non-use. I will not be debating existentialist philosophy.
Tonight we’re dining at Le Chantecler just down the prom at the Negresco. They’ve emailed me twice to remind me not to wear flip flops and a tank top, which is a bit much from a place that has only a single Michelin star.
@Michael Reynolds:
Have you considered Ireland? A friend of mine is moving there as soon as he wraps up his business.
@Not the IT Dept.:
Apparently in Ireland, authors don’t pay income tax.
@CSK:
Mike, you listening?!?!?!?
@Not the IT Dept.: I believe Michael has said before that temperature/weather matters…Ireland and GB have a fair number of cold, wet days.
@Michael Reynolds: You could always try Monaco. Heck, you could go apartment hunting today.