TODAY’S WORD: la confiance : trust; confidence
PRONUNCIATION: [lah kon-fee-ahns]
EXAMPLE SENTENCE:
La confiance se construit pas à pas, quand on accepte de s’appuyer sur les autres.
Trust is built little by little, when we allow ourselves to lean on others.
A DAY IN A FRENCH LIFE by Kristi Espinasse
Written during the final weeks of preparing this book.
Today I’m sweating my way through a spontaneous challenge: combining two deadlines—this week’s blog post and the final push to turn in my manuscript by Friday! Could I have avoided this hotspot by being better organized?
Peut-être–you betcha. How’s that for a franglais réponse?
Publishing a year’s worth of blog stories in real time is a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants rodeo. And now, in month twelve, I’m in that redoutable rush to the finish. My mind churning with exclamation points, I headed out for a brisk walk, hoping all that’s swirling in my head will pour out onto the page you are now reading. Ah, l’espoir—where would we be without hope?
And trust… la confiance—without trust how can we keep moving toward our dreams? I’m remembering last night’s spur-of-the-moment appel. In the eleventh hour, I contacted three volunteer readers who’d reached out over a year ago. Would they still be interested in helping with my book project? Were they the right pick?
Within hours, all three responded. Bon signe !
It’s one thing to have volunteers at the ready—and quite another to communicate your needs clearly (which may explain why I procrastinate when asking for help…). In the name of efficacité, allow me to do that now—and so accomplish part two of today’s challenge:
Dearest proofreaders, merci encore pour votre générosité !
I will soon send you a PDF of the current state of my manuscript. Ignore the front matter (copyright, title, dedication…) and the formatting; go straight to Chapter One and…
- Read casually—no need to hunt for split infinitives, mixed metaphors, etc.
- Note only the errors that jump off the page (the kind that shout “Geronimo!”).
- Point out anything catastrophic. (Did Chapter 3 disappear?)
- Flag any French words missing from the vocabulary section.
Finally, transmit any edits to me in whatever way comes naturally: snap a photo of your yellow legal pad, jot notes on the back of a napkin, or—if you’re a tech guru—feel free to show me a better way.
Mille mercis !
Kristi
As I did circles around the park earlier, thanking my lucky stars for volunteers Kelly (avid reader, English major, true Francophile in Denver, CO), Allan (in Portland, OR, in his eighties, long retired, happy to have “a brief mission”), and Lynne (author, poet, translator, “grammar cop” on Vancouver Island, Canada), it occurred to me I could combine tasks even further: why not make this very entry into the Acknowledgments section I’ll soon need to complete my book? Usually the Acknowledgments are tucked at the start or end of a book—but that’s the beauty and freedom of indie publishing: I can put it where I want it! Creativity knows no bounds when you’re free and holding the reins!
Still, a creative has got to know her limits. A little high from endorphins during my morning walk—back when these thoughts were forming fluent paragraphs in the ether—and now home struggling to find my words, I realize the Acknowledgments section can wait. Better to focus on this essay, which needs a smooth conclusion.
To end, I simply want to say merci encore to my volunteer proofers and to all of you who have offered to help along the way. Knowing you’re out there reminds me that things move forward—and dreams take shape—when we step out and trust, both ourselves and others. And now, back to the rodeo… Yee haw!
FRENCH VOCABULARY
peut-être = maybe
franglais = a mix of French and English
la réponse = the answer
redoutable = daunting
l’espoir = hope
la confiance = trust
l’appel = the call
bon signe = good sign
l’efficacité = efficiency
merci encore pour votre générosité = thank you again for your generosity
mille mercis = a thousand thanks
RECENT INTERVIEW
If you missed the webinar you can see my interview here on YouTube. Many thanks for watching!
REMERCIEMENTS
Thank you to the following readers for your donation this past week to this journal!
Cate S.
Rajeev B.
Whether you’ve been reading for years or just stumbled upon this little corner of France, thank you for being here. These stories continue thanks to reader encouragement. If you’d like to help maintain this journal, here are a few simple ways:
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Merci, Kristi! It always makes me feel calmer and happier to see the French ocean, the French olive tree, French pastries, and to hear your voice in your writings.
WONDERFUL WONDERFUL YOU ARE! Merci!
I’ve got a great idea to help you (a lot) with your book, send me an email and I’ll explain.
Felicitations for your book!!! What’s a typo here and there anyway when the content is so rich and enrich-ing? Loved your interview and Don is going to hear it, too.
We also see Ciotat in a new light now that we know more about that boat-building town. Merci.
Hey, Kristi. In the vocabulary list, you write, “redoutable = formidable (in the French sense)”. But it seems to me “redoutable” means “formidable” precisely in the ENGLISH sense of the latter word. The relevant meaning of the English word “formidable” is “daunting,” “imposing.” The French word “formidable” can mean “astonishing,” “exceptional”; or it can mean “great,” “fantastic.”
Congratulations on keeping the olive tree going for a year, transitioning it from outside to inside. I look forward to seeing it with lights!
bonjour, Kristi: Merci for today’s e-mail. Deadlines can be deadly as ideas & constructs keep flowing through your mind. I used to write a weekly nutrition article for our local paper & it was really difficult finding the right topic, where to place information & getting it in on time. Kudos to you for everything that you’ve given us for 23 years! Keep them coming. (so happy that your readers are also your international volunteers; cheers to them!) Amicalmente, Ann
Wow! You were doing all of that while preparing for the interview! The interview was terrific, and you did so well! I was sending you hearts all the way. Hope it has warmed up a little in La Ciotat.
bonjour, Kristi: I am watching a netflix series, “Blacklist”. On season 5, episode 2, the main character (who is a criminal but is very rich), is trying to make a deal with someone & he offers him a boat & tells him about La Ciotat! Of all the places in the world to mention, that’s the one he spoke about & I knew about it!!!! Just wanted to share today! A bientot, amicalmente, Ann
I love it! Thanks, Ann, for sharing. La Ciotat fits the bill—it has a history rich in mafia activity!
Love your look back to the final rush days. I identify with the stress! Hope you got my email I sent about how much I enjoyed the interview from the link you shared. You rock, Kristi!