"bonne continuation"

In learning a different language, there are often phrases or expressions that one comes across that don't really translate all that well -- I have found a particularly annoying one.

It is "bonne continuation" -- despite having a rather decent understanding of the french language at this point, I still read it and hear in my head "good continuation." Then I immediately think, "wait... good continuation? Stupid." If I were to think of a better way of rephrasing it, I'd say it means "good luck in your continuing efforts." Satisfied with my better and more eloquent translation, I then realize that I'm a complete fool. This is because after processing all that information, I return to the first part of the sentence that "bonne continuation" came from, the part that I haven't misunderstood. It says, "je vous informe que votre candidature n'a pas été retenue." I've just been rejected from another job application and have spent the last three seconds thinking about this stupid phrase which is really just a courteous way of telling me that I'm hopeless.

Sadly, it's not the first time I've read that annoying phrase -- not even the second or third. But such is life and it moves on.

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Anyways, this Saturday I was feeling more like myself so I decided to meander around the giant Christmas market near the Capitole. I'm kicking myself for not having a camera, I wish I could show you how awesome it looks! I wanted to have a mosey around, maybe find a gift or two to bring back with me, perhaps try the famous mulled wine; unfortunately it was absolutely mobbed and I could barely move around in the huge crowd. I resigned myself instead to people watching which was quite entertaining. As festive as it was and as much as I love Christmas (as all my friends and family also seem to have realized), I couldn't help but feel a little sad. I didn't see many other people wandering around by themselves. I felt like to someone watching me, I must look like someone whose friends have left them waiting. Frankly, I would have preferred that to the the truth, which was a loner curiously staring at complete strangers.

I'm excited to go home -- perhaps a little too excited. I hope I'll return after Christmas and have better luck in my continuing search for... whatever it is I'm looking for.