Le Bric à Brac: Odds & Ends (n°3)

Happy Sunday readers! Up to this point, Le Bric à Brac has been a Friday thing, but with our bags unpacked and the laundry done it seemed the perfect time to compile some of my favorite findings from the last few weeks and share them with you! 

⚜I've been loving my e-mails from Eurolinguiste. She recently shared some advice to help language learners simply get started. Her philosophy is that if a task can be completed in under two minutes, do the task right then and there. She adds:

"Obviously, you’re not going to finish your language study task in two minutes, but this idea is based on inertia. Once you get moving, there’s a good chance you’ll stay in motion and that two minutes will quickly become five, then ten, then twenty."

I'm also loving this Language Learning Reading Challenge. I don't think I will follow the challenge exactly (after all, it's already July) but I love the book suggestions! If you are a language learner and you haven't already, check out Shannon's site!  

⚜I recently read this article (10 Cliches About French Eating Habits That Are Actually True) and was shocked to read this quote:

"In the old Parisian cafés, where waiters are dressed in black and white, don’t expect any smiles or kind words of welcome. Don’t be surprised if the waiter show impatience if you take too much time to choose your plate. And don’t be surprised if, after that, he expect a tip from you."

Tony and I found our service in Parisian cafés to be some of the best we had on our entire European trip, and our servers always showed gratitude for our tips. I guess this goes to show you not take a stereotype at face value. It's best to experience for yourself. 

⚜I am constantly inspired by Rebecca Plotnick of Every Day Parisian. She recently posted for her one year blog anniversary, and as a fellow blogger this specific quote brought me much comfort:

"Throughout the last year, people have reminded me that they aren’t expecting a perfectly edited post it is more about the content." 

I try to edit very carefully when I post, but sometimes I can get too hung up or frustrated when I look back later and notice a small error. Rebecca's reminder that content can shine even if a few human errors slide in here and there is something I will be keeping in mind as I continue to write. This idea of perfection is something I will be exploring in a future post.

⚜ Just a fun little francophile tidbit from Frédéric of Talk in French:

"Many French couples will text their significant other on their way home «Tu as pris du pain? J'ai pris du pain.» (Did you get some bread?/ I bought some bread). Almost as a way to say "I am on my way home."

I always love these fun little sayings in other languages. :)

I hope you enjoyed these finds! 

Warm wishes from me to you,