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Depuis que j'habite à Paris, j'ai décidé de ne plus trop sortir - après tout, mon année Erasmus est finie, et je suis sensée devenir sérieuse, travailler et économiser le plus d'argent possible. C'est pourquoi je fais beaucoup plus de soirée chez des amis. C'est moins cher et vraiment très sympa - la plupart du temps. Eh oui, la dernière fois, je n'ai pas eu de chance, car je suis tombée sur un voisin de table (c'était un petit apéro dînatoire samedi soir) qui n'a pas arrêté de me parler de son chat. C'était plus que passionnant. Heureusement, le vin était bon et les vieux immeubles haussmanniens sont assez jolis. Mais finalement, après cette soirée on ne peut plus ennuyeuse, j'ai quand même tiré profit de cet ami d'un ami qui apparemment me trouvait assez sympathique (sûrement parce que j'étais la seule qui l'écoutait encore)- il m'a ramené à la maison avec sa peugeot occasion, ce qui m'a permis d'économiser le prix d'un taxi. Au moins ça!

My best mate got married last year and his wife is expecting, and I think that these monumental occasions are causing him to have a bit of an early-life crisis.

He's looking into life insurance now, in case anything (God forbid) happens to him and he's unable to be there to support his growing family. It's a scary thought, and at first I thought he was way too young and early in life to be thinking about something like life insurance, especially when we have so much other things to pay these days with taxes and bills. But it's true.

If anything did happen to him, he'd have to have some sort of assurance that his family would be looked after. It got me thinking about when I'll be in a position to need life insurance. If I get into the family set up one day I will want to do everything I can to ensure their well-being whether I'm there or not.

But I suppose I don't really need it yet, because I don't really have the set up where I'd have to leave my wealth and belongings and 'assets' to my loved ones.

Well, that was a bit deep!

Photo: davhor (Flickr)

Having drinks after work with colleagues can be a great way to develop working relationships, help with team building and even help your career development. At the same time, it can also be a political minefield.

I like to go for drinks with a few people in particular at work, not all guys or all girls or anything like that, there's just a certain group of us that get on really well and have great banter, and we tend to be the core group that go out. There are always others who join us from time to time and it's great, the problem is when really boring people come along.

I know it sounds horrible, and it is, but I just can't stand to be stuck with the boring lad who wants to tell me all about his old job selling car insurance where they loved him, or the few awkward ones who come out and stand at the bar staring at everyone but not joining in with any conversations.

I do feel bad, but it's so awkward, I wish they'd just make more effort or not bother coming along!

Photo: joelgoodman (Flickr)

I'm starting to think I should go for a last minute getaway this weekend before Notting Hill carnival takes over West London.

As I've said before, I usually go to Reading Festival, but it's pretty dire and muddy this year so I won't be, and I really don't want to get stuck here so I'm looking at my options.

I found a funny article that has alternative bank holiday fun - such as a weight loss boot camp in Kent, hmm... not exactly what I had in mind!

They also suggest heading down to Sussex and visiting Herstmonceux Castle to watch England's largest Medieval festival battle where more than 1000 knights, bowmen and men-at-arms 'lay siege to the castle over three days with cannons blazing'. Interesting, if a bit weird...

Then there's the suggestion to help with the French champagne harvest. This weekend the 'vedange' or annual harvest is taking place and you can join in and visit some of the Champagne Houses that usually don't open their doors to the public. Now this sounds more like it! I might have to look into this one!

Photos: Brainbitch / FromTheNorth (Flickr)

Warning: I'm going to come over all typically British in this post.

But seriously, it's August, so of course it's pouring down with rain! It's ridiculous outside, literal 'cats and dogs'. I got soaked on my way to work this morning and now I'm dreading going out on my lunch break - I'm meeting people for lunch so I can't even wimp out of it! Look at this week's weather:

Is that it, is summer well and truly gone now?

I'm so glad I'm not going to Reading or Leeds Festivals this year, I have friends going and feel bad for them if it carries on like this. Last year I did go and it was absolutely pouring, we put up a gazebo first and stood under it, then put up all our tents in the absolutely torrential rain, it was so depressing. Everything was soaked!

I remember years ago when the August bank holiday weekend used to be sunny and hot! Although maybe all the rain will prevent any trouble from kicking off at the carnival, I'm not too happy at being at home for it this year!

Photo: Shane Global Language Centres (Flickr)