Tournage dans un jardin Algérien

Just a quick note to say that I'm famous. Or I will be in about six months when the film I just took part in gets released. That's right folks, I'm spitting out the bad milk of academics and sipping the sweet wine of movie-stardom. Or at least that is what I assume will happen after the Academy sees my powerful portrayal of one of a group of paparazzo running toward an elevator in an obscure Algerian film. That's right, and I got paid. They pay extras! What kind of crazy mixed-up Planet of the Apes world is this?

But really, I went and participated as an extra in this Algerian film, and I have to say that after seeing the magic first-hand, the movie business sucks. Early mornings. Endless repetition. Lots of standing. People telling you to be "more lively" on the 32nd take. I have to say that it was a fun experience, I got 20 bucks for my efforts, and just maybe I'll be able to see myself run by in the background of a scene on the big screen. Of course, it will only be on the big screen for a week in some art-house cinema in Paris, but maybe I'll be in town for it. I will put up some exclusive, behind-the-scenes photos when I get motivated enough to plug my camera into my computer.

This is also another way of saying that things here seem pretty normal. That goes for everyone except my doctor friend, who still has a lot of very sad work to do. But the rest of society as a whole is so Post Traumatic Stress Disordered from the recurring violence that you don't notice too much at the cafe or on the street. And just in time, the Corsair is getting even more Causal. I'm going to Paris to meet Jess tomorrow night, and might post from there (like the exclusive photos I promised just a few sentences ago), but maybe not. So see ya'll later, and as Cicero said: "NON-ILLEGITIMI CARBORUNDUM."