Quinzomadaire (our secret to finishing a book) + Some news to share--all in French!
Wednesday, February 10, 2021
I have something to share with you--entirely in French--at the end of the online post: click here for the full edition.
Today's Word: quinzomadaire
: fortnightly, every two weeks, bi-monthly
Audio File: Click here to listen to the following sentence
Quinzomadaire: mot-valise et monstre lexical formé sur quinze et hebdomadaire, était censé se substituer à bimensuel. -Alain Rey
Quinzomadaire: portmanteau word and lexical monster formed by quinze [fifteen] and hebdomadaire [weekly] [the term] was supposed to be a substitute for bimonthly.
A DAY IN A FRENCH LIFE by Kristi Espinasse
It feels so good to make progress. Whatever is on your To-Do list today just make a little progress. And then be sure to pat yourself on the back (loud enough to muffle the self-critic, who will never be satisfied, no matter the effort). Whatever the goal, whatever the project, the end will be in sight if only you will take the first step-le premier pas--and persevere! We all know this, and whether or not we do what we need to do may boil down to timing, trust, and sometimes dumb luck.
All this to say that Jean-Marc and I are at the 85 percent mark regarding the vineyard memoir we are writing together. A few months after beginning the manuscript, I imposed a draconian deadline: publish one segment every two weeks (there's even a French term for "every two weeks": quinzomadaire)...
Quinzomadaire. I'd better stop there, with that very cool word. Not so cool is the noise outside on the street, where someone has been batting a metal object (a heavy chain?) against a metal fence (or pole?) and I think I am now at cracking point! And while my inner critic is shouting FAIL! for not having more of a story to tell you today, I am going to pat myself on the back ("m'envoyer des fleurs") for working through the noise, the chaos, and the nagging doubts, to bring you this blog hebdomadaire. I wish you bonne chance et bon courage with your day--remember to keep the self-critic at bay!
Amicalement,
Kristi
P.S. Given our vineyard memoir delves into the struggles of our 30-year inter-cultural relationship... I am thinking that our next book could be a marriage guide. (You should have seen the look on Jean-Marc's face when I suggested "next book" and "marriage guide" :-) One thing's sure: writing this book has been good couples therapy! Maybe we'll leave it at that?
FRENCH VOCABULARY
le premier pas = the first step
quinzomadaire = every two weeks
s'envoyer des fleurs = literally: to send oneself flowers, to pat oneself on the back
hebdomadaire = weekly
bonne chance = good luck
bon courage = good luck (be strong!)
amicalement = yours truly
The following article came out in our regional newspaper La Provence, January 27th, 2021 edition. Click on the article below to read it.
A Message from Kristi: For twenty years now, support from readers like you has been an encouragement and a means to carve out a career in writing. If my work has touched you in any way, please consider a donation. Your gift keeps me going! Thank you very much.
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For more online reading: The Lost Gardens: A Story of Two Vineyards and a Sobriety