dubious data

One would say that science based on hard data leads to hard truths. Incontestable. In fact there is not even  agreement on the basic phrasing-  data are or data is? 

wasted words

Was contemplating my days...and observed that I spend a lot of time a la recherche du mot perdu.  Then I wondered how this might sound in English. Obviously could not remember the title in translation. It turns out there are at least two...In Search of Lost Time and Remembrance of Things Past ...of course, it should be lost time more like wasted time. And now, after these thoughts, I feel better.  I am a la recherche du mot juste.My snob aunt met another old nobility snob who complained that her grandson was an actor. Famous, but just an actor.My generous aunt consoled -He's not an actor. He is an artist.

the taste of liberty

When we got to Paris, a friend of my mother gave us twenty francs.  I was hungry and left the hotel to get something to eat. These twenty francs were all the money we had and it was not clear if and when and how much more I could get.  Not far found a vegetable store. A kilo of bananas was five francs. Extraordinary. In my entire life I had not eaten more than three, maybe four bananas. In total. Splendid, happiness! I bought two kilos. Ate five or six bananas on the spot. Later on that day I was throwing up in the bidet.