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I don’t want anyone to feel even a twinge of jealousy, but I have a little confession to make — I just got back from Paris.
You heard me right. Paris.
Me.
I went to Paris.
On Monday I boarded a flight and left Missoula and returned to Missoula on Friday.
Think about that. We live in an amazing world.
For those of you who think going to Billings or Spokane is a big trip, I can assure you a trip to Paris is a bigger trip.
But it wasn’t all fun and games. I had work to do. I was there for a special conference and, and as much as I would have enjoyed being just a tourist, I didn’t have time. I had presentations to attend and people to meet.
But don’t feel bad for me. Admit it, you were starting to feel bad, weren’t you?
I did manage to get a few glimpses of life in Paris as I was going to and from my sessions and meetings.
I saw many fancy restaurants with French-sounding names and people sitting outside the restaurants chatting and enjoying life. It looked just like the scenes I’d seen in the movies.
I might have indulged in a fresh pastry (or two) that far exceeded my weekly sugar quota, but let’s keep that as our little secret. There’s no need to tell my wife.
And then there were the people … so many languages and nationalities that came together in Paris. So many cultures.
And it amazed me that just about everyone I interacted with spoke excellent English in addition to whatever other languages they spoke.
And even though I wasn’t a tourist, I saw … are you ready?
I saw the Eiffel Tower.
The Eiffel Tower.
How many people can say that?
Well, probably quite a few, but that’s not the point. The point is, I saw the Eiffel Tower. Me.
What? How can I afford such a trip? It didn’t cost that much. The round-trip ticket only set me back about one hundred bucks. You heard me — a hundred bucks. And the hotel room was comped, which means it was free. And the food was also free, except for the pastry things.
Pretty cool, huh?
You don’t believe me?
You don’t think a trip to Paris could be so cheap?
Well, you have to know how to shop for these things online. It takes some skill but I’m pretty good at it. It starts with the airline. My airline of choice is Allegiant because they’re often the cheapest … by far.
You don’t think Allegiant flies internationally?
Well, they don’t, but why would I care if they fly internationally?
Oh … I see your problem. You’re thinking of that other Paris place. The one in Europe.
Get serious. I couldn’t afford a trip like that.
My conference was at The Paris Hotel in Las Vegas.
I had some excellent meetings there and talked to some interesting people, but as nice as Paris was, it doesn’t come close my home in Montana.
I love The Big Sky Country.
“23andMe’s Crash has exposed Americans’ genes to Big Tech and the feds” by Jon Gabriel.
“How to escape the surveillance state: Pick the right search engine” by Michael Matheson Miller.
“The Dawn of Woke AI” by Maxim Lott. A fascinating look at Google’s entry into artificial intelligence with Gemini.
Before I go, I’d like to share a blessing with you from the Old Testament.
“May the Lord bless and protect you; may the Lord’s face radiate with joy because of you; may he be gracious to you, show you his favor, and give you his peace.”
Numbers 6:24-26 (The Living Bible)
Until next time … be the reason someone smiles today
I just got back from Paris