It’s been send-off after send-off lately, but one was particularly pleasant and bloggable : Negrito Chocolate Cake Brunch this morning.

The Usual Suspects answered the King‘s summons, as did Bloggoddess Petite, her fellow Parisian Expat Deity Coquette having a prior commitment. Have some great pictures but no way to take them out of the camera until I get to NY.

I wish I’d had more time to know the people behind the blogs, as they, and their loved ones, are interesting, balanced, open-minded people. Nothing like us Yahoos ! I’m looking forward to reading their continued adventures, and wish them all the best in the City of Lights.

Step and Chaton, thanks for taking me in, and keeping me sane the last two months. It wasn’t always easy, or pleasant, or safe for your teeth, and I really appreciate the sacrifice.

I’ll be seeing y’all online from the other side of the pond!

I could have been happy as a Samurai.

Loyal unto death, a tool, a part of my liege-lord’s glory.

Except I have not met my Shogun, my Emperor, the One who could replace Cause or Purpose, Love or Life. Many have claimed to be my Messiah, and none have made the grade.

It isn’t about the power, or the seduction, or the perversion. None of them were willing and able to assume responsability for my well-being, and that of my kin, in exchange for my unswerving allegiance.

So the world is filled with a million shades of gray, and there are no absolutes.

What fulfillment we may reach we will snatch from the jaws of enthropy and chaos, and it will have meaning at least for us, because we can’t stand for it not to. Any meaning it will have for others will be rooted in misunderstanding, and the sad, lonely ability of the human mind to read sense and universality in what is only noise, or at best babble.

Only the animal warmth of the other’s presence is Truth, and fealty is a lie.

The half-past noon ritual of waking up the Princess on the other side of the ocean has undergone massive change in the last few days. A phone call turned from a bitter-sweet show of faith to a deep, cool sea of contentment with a fresh breeze of anticipation rippling the surface…

A myriad questions whose only answer could be ‘I don’t know’, now not only have a date, or time, but even a Flight Number and a Terminal. The anxious ‘What do you think could go wrong this time?’ has been replaced by a plethora of plans and projects and little sweet nothings lovebirds coo at each other on the edge of the nest after a long, grueling migration.

For the first time, we’re projecting ourselves into the future effortlessly, without a thought, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

For the first time, I find myself not caring if Chaton is going to get laid or if Step is going to join the human race. Because this chapter truly is winding down, and I know what the ending is.

The good guys win this one, and the rest was just window-dressing.

My little brother is another year past 18 today. He’s lost deep within communist China, and I don’t know what Dick can do for him, but our prayers are with him, always.

Happy birthday, Greg, you’re my favourite brother, I love you, dude

In other news today, the A380 flew for the first time today, and I can’t help but be very proud of my European passport right now. Take THAT, Uncle Sam

Lastly, I must report a dinner with yet another old flame who was totally bummed out to learn that I’m free of their machinations and able to fly free to the waiting arms of my Darling Princess Tigercub. We dutch-treated, and spoke of how pathetic clingers can get, and I could hardly stop laughing.

Another heart broken. Sorry, dude.

Local HR claim they can’t let go of me before Friday. I’m bummed it can’t be earlier, but happy it’s not later…. meh, that was a useless sentence.

If they can get all their shit done before noon, I have a nice, juicy one-way CDG-EWR on Continental for 500 euro waiting for me at 2pm. I shall use the force, as flying on Saturday is much more expensive.

Flying one-way to the US… a dream come true.