Best! Present! EVER!

My boyfriend, my amazing, wonderful boyfriend, is taking me to PARIS for my birthday! =D And it’s not even a joint Christmas/birthday present, he has something else for me for Christmas! I’ve always prided myself on my gift giving, but now I feel my present for him is terribly inadequate.

“… Which still hasn't delivered, sigh, neither has the rest of your present, grrsies, nor my Moleskine guidebook to Paris! =) Yeh, I've been browsing the interwebs.. and, and, and, well you know me and organising things? Like alphabetising things. And colour-coding things. Like the way my bookcase used to go in alphabetical order of author's last name, then first name, then all the books by that author in chronological order, or in some cases the chronological order of the series, rather than when published. I think I'm destined to be a librarian. Either that or I may have a Problem (the type with the capital 'P').

Anyways, yeh.. there's the other reason the Paris thing should've been kept a surprise from me, 'cause I totally went into Research & Organise Mode. I’m sorry sweetie.. =( It's just all part of the excitement for me, I do love to organise... But hey, I haven't meticulously planned it or anything, just the best times to fly and where to stay. You have two choices for each, so I'll still be surprised! =P Hehe.. just wait till we actually get there though, boy howdy. Coming up with a list of attractions, narrowing the results down based on cost, interest, and distance, and scheduling it all out.. Memorising a map of the Metro within the first hour. Here are some early warnings:

1. I will squirrel away every free leaflet, pamphlet, booklet, map, brochure, or postcard that I can lay my hands on. You should probably just put up with it at the time, but sweet Jeebus don't let me bring it all home.

2. I will parle le Francais as much as possible, perhaps pronouncing the words I don't know in a Frenchy way, but never to an actual Parisian. That embarrassment I shall leave to you, mon amour.. =P

3. I will take lots and lots of photos, and expect you to be in them when I want you to be, and expect you to pose a certain way when I ask you to. Enthusiastically, or else I'll feel guilty and take hardly any photos =(

4. I don't know how hyper I'll be. I'll probably be very very hyper.

5. Or, I may be very very irritable, depending on the circumstances. I'll probably alternate dramatically throughout the day, so try and keep me on the hyper side. Controlled hyper.

6. For reference, I've reached out-of-control hyper when I put a beret on your head and draw you a swirly black moustache (i.e. "French-ify" you). Though that'll sure teach you not to fall asleep on the Metro =P (which you'll so do!)

7. It will be my birthday, and I will be in Paris: let me eat cake! =D Though of course, I'll be with you, and you don't eat cake, and I don't eat when you don't eat. So I propose a compromise. We go to a fabulous little café like Angelina's, and you can have a luxurious hot chocolate while I have a big fat satisfying slice of cake =) Deal?

8. Please, endure all this and possibly more from me with a gracious loving smile, because this is one of my Dreams. A main one. Paris, with the love of my life, on my birthday. I don't know if I want it to snow or not. I don't like cold, but how much more romantic do you get than Paris in the snow..? ... Thank you so much for this darling. So so much."