Those Plastic Bags by Jane Tolbert

What do socks in the dryer, lazy Sunday afternoons and recyclable shopping bags have in common? They disappear.

Each time I go to France, I stock up on heavy plastic or canvas bags. My kids are perplexed. Why would I continue to buy bags! Am I becoming a “bag lady” as I age? Suitcases filled with recyclable bags may raise alarm. But it really needs no explanation. If I lend someone books or carry food to a party, I usually forget to recover the bag.

These bags are sold in all supermarkets for a couple of Euros. They bear environmental mottos like, “Act for the environment” or, “In acting together, we truly act.” They carry the logos of Carrefour, Casino or Champion, some of the larger supermarket chains. Increasingly, in the States, more of these bags have become available in hopes that they will replace the fluttery plastic bags that clog the environment.

A Wall Street Journal article (Jeffrey Bell, “Paper or Plastic?” 6-12-09) points out that these little plastic grocery bags, introduced approximately 30 years ago as the next big thing because of their durability and inexpensive costs, have an adverse environmental impact. It is not as much the problem of bags in the landfill but rather the untethered bags that float through the ecosystem, choking waterways and animals.

Although in recent years, French grocery stores have sold the small plastic bags to the unprepared customer, generally shoppers always carry their own shopping bags or a small string net. The reusable sturdy bags are in the trunks of cars and accumulate under kitchen sinks. The French also bag their own groceries. Back in the States, however, I often forget my bags in the trunk of my car and stand by as an employee fills countless plastic bags with my purchases.

As of Jan. 1, 2010, only biodegradable bags can be sold in French grocery stores. Stateside, San Francisco has led the way as the first U.S. city to ban plastic bags (2007). No legislation has been passed in Florida, but customers are starting to bring their own bags, and stores insist they have recycling efforts in place. But probably more individuals will follow this example if I continue to leave reusable bags with friends and acquaintances.
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A few interesting things can be created from plastic bags. Visit Joshua Allen Harris’ inflatable polar bear that springs to life when attached to subway grates. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-a607j2dOo

Le monde a l'envers by Jane Tolbert

This image is taken from the archives of the BN available at www.gallica.fr.

Years ago, I visited Nice at the time of carnival. Numerous decorations-- including a dancing ayatollah, which was quickly dismantled—lined the Place Massena. The figures on the floats—often called the “grosses têtes,” or big heads-- presented burlesque caricatures with bulging eyes, bright colors that emphasized a theme. In the excitement of my frantic picture taking (it was my first carnival), my purse “disappeared,” but my spirits remained high with the energy created by this “monde a l’envers.”

Some years later, I gained another perspective, the behind-the-scene preparations for the carnival. I accompanied an Opio pre-school class to a large warehouse where workers assembled the “grosses têtes.” This carnival work was something of a family tradition, passed down for generations, from father to son. Back at the school in Opio, parents and teachers supervised as children constructed their own masks. Although some disappointments occurred--notably, the shrinking of the papier mâché heads that made the masks difficult or impossible to wear-- on Mardi Gras, a procession of school kids wound through the streets of Opio, dressed in their costumes and elaborate masks and brandishing noise-makers that ranged from small horns to kitchenware and a few antique drums loaned by Ninon or Michel from their antique store.

Although historically carnivals have appealed to all social classes, the Nice carnival has catered increasingly to tourism. The expense of tickets for the grandstands and fenced areas (between 10 and 40 euros) prevents many of the locals from attending the main events such as the Battle of Flowers. However, the floats can still be seen outside of scheduled events.

Local attempts to continue a 20-year tradition of a small carnival in Nice have met with resistance. Permission to hold the independent “ Carnaval de Saint Roch has been denied due to the violence associated with the past year’s event. Comments posted in the Nice Matin on Feb. 2, 2010, provide some insight into the tradition. Most writers complained about the lack of spontaneity of the organized carnival, the loss of the Niçois tradition under the guise of security concerns. As AlainB writes (Feb. 10, 2010), “We live in a time of standardization, drab and very disciplined.” ProvenPat also points to the “exclusion” of the Niçois from local events and the loss of folklore with the disappearance of the popular street carnivals.

Carnivals (or Mardi Gras celebrations) are known for the pulsating atmosphere, lavish decorations and excess that precedes the fasting (or giving up certain foods) associated with Lent. Historically, the carnival provided the “monde à l’envers,” or an upsid- down world in which roles were reversed (jesters became king for a day in the Fête des Fous). It’s no surprise that many of these activites were curtailed just because of the rowdy behavior of participants or the inclination to ridicule officials.

The problems of commercialization or loss of a tradition aside, this year’s carnival has been centered on an ecological theme—the introduction of a sustainable way of thinking (the blue planet) and the end of the old ways (the dinosaur). The carnival will bring attention to the problems faced by the planet, and many of its props are made with recyclable materials.

This year, I can travel only virtually to the carnival. I will miss the energy of large, festive crowds (but will not lose my purse) but not the logistics of getting to the carnival. I can ponder the pros and cons of commercialization and tourism to the detriment of folklore and popular events. I can think about the way in which the carnival brings life into the winter season in Nice (or other cities like New Orleans). So much to think about.

I wonder what the kids in Opio did this year? Did they march the streets in their masks with their noisemakers? Let’s hope that the spirit of tradition lives on in the smaller festivals that enable children to experience a carnival first hand.
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I probably won't make the Nice carnival next year, but I would like to see New Orleans.

To see the images of the Nice carnival, please visit the following sites:
www.nicematin.fr (for a photo gallery) or http://www.nicecarnaval.com/carnaval/galerie-photo-corso-carnavalesque.php (the official carnival site).

Matching Up by Jane Tolbert

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and store aisles are filled with candy hearts, chocolate kisses and bright red animals. We have entered the season of love, a phenomenon marketed by the online dating sites throughout the year.

Statistics seem to favor the singles—approximately one-third of the baby boomers seek relationships. An estimated 800 dating sites exist in the United States, according to an interview carried by the online publication, Network World (see “The Hottest Trends in Online Dating,” by Carolyn Duffy Marsen, 2/7/08). Results from a Pew study on Internet dating have indicated that 11 percent of American internet users have visited online websites to meet people (see the Pew's Internet and American Life Study, March 2006).

Both in the States and France, traditional online sites enable users to create a profile with photos, select from a list of likes and dislikes (body build, ethnicity, religion, children, pets, smoking, drinking) and provide a personal description of themselves and their ideal partner. Numerous articles have addressed the way in which people refashion themselves (that is, men may add a hairline or a few inches to their height, and women may subtract a few years from their age). After all, this is a virtual world. But these virtual recreations of the “self” seem to be the problem. Online gives you the freedom to be who you want to be, to change what you dislike. There is a slight difference between the virtual and real worlds.


Although the statistics are encouraging, anecdotal evidence from friends who have used online dating is anything but . . . . Initially, they were concerned about privacy and security issues of online dating. But the sites protect identity—emails, phone numbers and addresses are not exchanged. And most people used their pets’ name as their online identity anyway. Everyone exhibited caution when arranging a personal meeting—use a well-frequented location (like a bookstore or café or popular watering hole), let friends know and don’t drive off with a stranger.

Surprisingly, more problems occurred because of the discrepancies between virtual and real profiles. For example, the men who exhibited a sparkling wit online—a trait that appealed to many in the academic community--morphed into embittered cynics in person. One businessman who described himself as a community leader had so many DUIs he could not drive to meet his date. Another, who stressed his easy-going nature became very controlling, arriving at the meeting with a addendum to his initial list of dislikes.

The Florida males described themselves loving walks on the beach, sports, pets and gourmet dinners. Their photos show them lounging in board shorts, by a pool or on a boat. They most often describe themselves as easy going and very flexible, which seemed to contradict the list of dislikes, spontaneous (often misspelled but implied they are men of action rather than the stereotypical Doug on the TV show, the “King of Queens”).

In France, many of the men who responded to a search in a 20-mile radius around Cannes actually lived in the North of France, a region plagued by lengthy winters. Their photos seemed to be taken in cafés, night spots or via a webcam. For the most part, these “tender, social, generous” men seek a positive woman who wants to share their lives (or refaire leur vie). Some express themselves poetically (they want to fall in love, offer flowers, live for the moment). But they also want someone who is attentive, sparkling and independent. Some of the descriptions are short and concise; others are long and somewhat tedious. For example, one 54-year old man organized the description of his ideal mate by theme—physical and mental attributes, values and lifestyle, and hobbies. His paragraph read like a “how to” book on relationships. But one man provided a refreshing contrast—his only criterion was that a female friend be “sympa.”

But all of us in our 40s and 50s have met enough men to have developed criteria for the ideal mate. Maybe that it is the problem. Too many criteria, too many parameters, too many virtual networks. Something about that one man whose only requirement was “sympa.” I wonder what he’s doing for Valentine’s?

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The IKEA Experience by Jane Tolbert

Mies van der Rohe Barcelona chairs – Saarinen womb chairs – B&B Italia – Ligne Roset . . . just a few reasons why I have never bought furniture. Instead, I have lived for years on slightly tattered furnishings, waiting for the day when I could justify a designer item.

I’m probably like many people. I have lived on castoffs—some of which are quite nice—from family or neighbors or the occasional estate sale. I have made only the occasional purchase (such as a yellow armoire and a Louis XV style small table). My excuse? Well, the price for the designer items, and then the fear the furniture may be damaged by pets or broken during one of my frequent moves. As my grandparents used to say, “Three moves is equivalent to one fire.”

My inaction gradually wore down. My daughter planned a visit to the States (and I had no comfortable furniture), and the kids’ threatened to post a photo of the living room on FaceBook.

A gift card from my son for IKEA got me to rethink my current MO. To ensure that I actually used the card, my two kids drove me to the IKEA store in Orlando a couple of weeks ago. I knew they meant business--we would be in that store until I located a couch and bookshelves. We wandered through aisles and aisles of household items. Sofas, chairs, tables, bookshelves, lamps, and rows and rows of kitchen items, all of which were in bright colors.

The furniture is reasonably priced and seems to withstand people and pets, at least that has been my experience with some castoff IKEA furniture. But there is just one small detail. . . . The IKEA experience involves a lot of hands-on work. Everything has to be assembled. A venture I would never undertake alone.

We selected our items, marked our list with a small wooden pencil, identifying the product, aisle and row. For the larger items, customers recover them on the ground floor in an area resembling a warehouse. The L-shaped couch came somewhat compressed. The bookshelves were quite heavy. We really needed to be two people to load our carts (though the other shoppers were quite helpful). We made it to the checkout, paid with the gift card and arranged for a transporter to deliver our merchandise. There, that wasn’t so bad.

A few days later, the furniture arrived at 2 p.m. The delivery men unloaded numerous large boxes and smiled. “Have a great afternoon,” they said, driving off.
And then, the real work began. The bookshelves and small tables were easy. But the L-shaped couch required teamwork. We put covers on cushions. We screwed on feet and armrests. And we even had to puncture two small holes in the fabric covering to complete the assembly. After four hours, we finished at 6 p.m. Although the Barcelona chairs will have to wait, the living room looks pretty good.

“We’re not through yet,” the kids said, pointing to the old TV, now an ungainly item posed atop my sleek Swedish bookshelves.

Next year. . . .

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