FRENCH WORD-A-DAY

The Big Blue with Rosanna Arquette--one of Jean-Marc's favorite films (I liked it, too!)

énervé,e (ay-ner-vay) adjective
   irritated, annoyed; nervous, edgy

L'amour peut énerver l'âme, ou l'affermir.
Love can upset the soul, or strengthen it. --Etienne de Senancour

                                                                               
"Machine-gunning" is how Jean-Marc refers to the way I take photos. Such drive-by photo-shooting works, I am finding, both in and out of the car and the physiological results are the same: relief from pent-up frustration is as instant as the click of the shutter button.

"Going out for a bit of photo mitraillage?"* my husband says, as I steam past him, uncomfortable under my own skin, ornery, argumentative, and all around sur les nerfs.* Humph! I don't like the sound of "photo mitraillage," but then I don't like the sound of birdsong at the moment either.

I stomp out to my car and throw myself into the driver's seat, quickly checking to see if anyone's noticed my dramatic exit; only the birds have, which makes karmic sense considering how I can't stand their song today.

Driving twenty minutes seaward, I stop in the village of Roquebrune-sur-Argens. With a digital camera and one gigabyte of memory, I've got 1000 shots at sanity. After only three warm-up clicks, the lens automatically shuts and I, with my still-frayed sack of nerves, look down at the screen and see the mocking message: "Change the battery pack."

BUT I AM OUT OF BATTERIES! Before my meltdown is complete and I fear I might combust, I look up to the French heavens for mercy. A few feathered foes fly by. This time their message is clear: on a bad day stop and listen to the music.

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References: le mitraillage (m) = machine-gunning; (être) sur les nerfs = to be on edge

In Music:
A most relaxing soundtrack (from the favorite film, mentioned earlier)

Listen to French:
Hear Jean-Marc recite today's quote: Download enerver.wav
L'amour peut énerver l'âme, ou l'affermir.

Related terms:
  énerver quelqu'un = to irritate somebody
  s'énerver = to get excited, worked up
  l'énervement (m) = irritation, annoyance

In Gifts:
 

Gigi wall hooks with French terms
              

Stone Mortar and Pestle -- a must for French pistou!
...

Do Not Disturb / Ne pas Déranger French Door Knob Hanger