Paris Day 2: The Louvre

Anyone who has been to the Louvre should realize that there is no easy way to show the whole thing. It's massive, it covers all of history and every great empire, and every part of it is worth a day in itself. But, I was told going into a gallery if you try to take the whole thing in you'll be too overloaded. Try to find one piece that really sticks out at you and take it in. So I decided to show the parts that struck me the most.

This depicts the survivors of the shipwreck Medusa. Of the 200 or so survivors not more than 10 survived due to starvation and murder. These are the murderers that survived... and look for salvation from the ship on the horizon... but do they deserve it?

Of all the artists in the Louvre trying to copy the masterpieces this one was far and away the best.

The three women are Mary Magdalene, Mary mother of Jesus, and a servant girl who is taking the crown of thorns off of Jesus' head. The guy on the right is taking part in the scene through prayer. One of the tougher parts of theology is trying to figure out how God can know the future even though it hasn't happened. One answer is that God is outside of time (an element he created and through science we realize can be relative) and sees things happening all at the same time. This priest believes that his prayers for God to comfort these women can directly affect their lives. Interesting to say the least.

The room of Apollo... the Sun God.


And in the room the 140 Carat Regent Diamond.

The founding of Rome on rape and bloodshed. Romulus and his men kidnapped the daughters of the Sabines because they had no wives. The Sabines attacked. Here is Titus, leader of Sabines facing off against Romulus the founder of Rome. Caught in the middle is the wife of Romulus and her children... yet she is also the daughter of Titus. Life is beautiful but complicated...

The two different sides of David slaying Goliath. Placed back to back in the middle of the hallway.

OZYMANDIAS
I met a traveller from an antique landWho said: Two vast and trunkless legs of stoneStand in the desert. Near them on the sand,Half sunk, a shatter'd visage lies, whose frownAnd wrinkled lip and sneer of cold commandTell that its sculptor well those passions readWhich yet survive, stamp'd on these lifeless things,The hand that mock'd them and the heart that fed.And on the pedestal these words appear:"My name is Ozymandias, king of kings:Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!"Nothing beside remains: round the decayOf that colossal wreck, boundless and bare,The lone and level sands stretch far away

Most every culture in history seems to worship the bull as a god of fertility and plenty. Baal. If you think that America escaped free of all this then you've obviously never seen the "golden" bull in the middle of Wall Street.

Nike, the goddess of victory. Wings outspread as she steps down from her ship onto the land. The wind the only thing keeping her garments pinned to her body.

And her hand raised in some sort of victory salute to the opposing army...

I realize how cheezy this picture probably is... and probably how historically inacurate... but I still like it.

Constantine... according to my history teacher at Harvard the second, with a strong argument for the first most influential person in the Western Civilization.

I'm missing so much it's actually kinda sad that you don't get to see it. The big ones... The Book of the Dead, The Mona Lisa, The Venus de Milo, The Turkish Bath, The Wedding Feast at Cana, Busts of Alexander, Marcus Aurelius, Caesar and the other Roman Emperors... and the list goes on and on...

Paris Day 1

Bored on the train to Paris...

Day of days...

Brendan's Point of View:

We had been talking about engagements for some time, and rings and everything, and so I knew that she expected something in the not too distant future... And to top it all off we were going to Paris that weekend.

So two reasons why I decided to pre-empt Paris and ask her before. First, she was probably suspecting Paris... and second, I didn't want to ruin possibly the first day or two of Paris with both of us constantly thinking about if this is the spot, or right moment. Paris would make a great engagement weekend enjoying the moment, not constantly looking ahead.
But I still wanted to give her some hint that the day was special because I didn't want it completely to be out of the blue or happen too fast that she could hardly remember it.
So I planned a whole day of things for us.
It began with breakfast in bed... fruit and yogurt, french toast, tea, and a little note saying that I want to be there to serve and help her in her life.
After breakfast I gave her a massage for her neck... massage oil, scented candles, and nature sounds - rain forest.. haha... and gave her another note saying that I want to be the one to comfort her.
After that I gave her another note saying that I want her to be the one I do stuff with, and enjoy things with. And all afternoon we just hung out, ate food, played darts, played cards, played games, and just talked.
Then I told her to dress well, I put on a sport jacket, and we went out for a really nice Italian meal. I gave her a note saying that I wanted to share special times with her and treat her well.
I figured she might be thinking that something is up by now... and if she suspected that something was up then she also suspected that I had some sort of plan as we came back to my place. But I doubt she could have ever expected note #5... Protect her.
On the way I talked about how North Tilburg, while not dangerous, is not exactly 100% safe either. Then somehow we started playing the 'what would you do if...' game and I asked her 'what would you do if' someone tried to mug her? ... seed planted... When we got back and parked my plan was to have my friend jump out and start yelling at us from a distance, walking towards us... I would put her behind me, and as he got close I would give her my last note. She would realize that it was all staged and she wouldn't be scared, but at the same time it wouldn't register too fast for the whole 'show' to be too fake and cheezy.

BUT

My friend came too fast and I didn't have time to give her the note. He pushed me, and faked to throw a punch. I stood up and 'fake' punched him and he fell over. Only after did I turn and give her the note that read in big letters, "I WANT TO PROTECT YOU!" Then my buddy got up smiling and shook hands and patted me on the back and headed off.
We went for a walk, talking about the year and everything and how crazy it was how everything worked out. Wrong first impressions, with coincidences, with distance, and with everything we've gone through together. I told her that everything I showed her in action today is what I want to be for her the rest of my life. Then I asked her to marry me.

Danelle's Point of View:

I slept on the couch that night because it was the only room in Brendan's apartment that wasn't 90 degrees. I was awoken from an amazing dream of warm beaches and hot sand (unlike iceberg Tilburg) when Brendan brought me breakfast in couch? It was my favorite of course and add all the right cold remedies along with a note that he ever so gently placed on my hot tea (just to make sure I didn't miss it) . We then listened to a sermon together and it was about the "highway to holiness". He then told me that he will give me a massage. So he set the mood for a relaxing, surreal, spa like room and I made fun of his rain forest music and tried to guess what animals were chirping. A Chupacabra maybe?... or a Puma...! then he gave me a note to read again. It was numbered so, this is where I caught on that there would be a few. We played darts, and poker and Brendan gave me another amazing note. Brendan was in his room getting ready and I was in the living room on the computer. He came out and asked me if I was getting ready. I didn’t know that we had “big” plans for dinner so I was really under dressed. I think by this time I mentioned to him twice that he was being sooo nice! We got in the car and he gave me yet again another super sweet note and went Downtown for some Italian. On the way Brendan almost hit a car. I def. thought he was acting nervous. We had great talk at dinner and headed home. By this time I was thinking ok... well... maybe he is just wants me to think he is going to ask and clearly he isn’t. So we drive home and we go to park and he parks the farthest away from the door as he possibly can (to see if his car wouldn’t frost as bad on this side of the lot!? I can't believe I fell for that...) when we get to the door to go in. this guy in a hood walks up yelling in Dutch and Brendan is yanking on my hand to get behind him. I thought back to our talk in the car... and here this guy just walks up fast and the next thing I know he is on the ground. I was sooo scared and my heart was racing. Then Brendan turns around laughing and I didn't know why until he gave me his last note. I sat on the curb laughing almost wanting to cry. Then his friend leaves and we walk around the park outside. We re-cap the year and Brendan got down on one knee...

and I said YESSSSS!!!

Carnaval

Carnaval is 5 days of celebration before lent, (Wednesday), where you spend the next 40 days giving up things before Easter. Cause really... there is no better way to honor God than to party 5 days straight...right?... After a little deliberation, I think I might give up having people blow smoke in my general direction, or I think maybe I'm giving up NOT going to Mcdonalds... I guess we'll see...

(These are some of the guys... a Tiger (Rody), he said a monk but I say Scorpion off Mortal Kombat (Onur), a Parrot (Paulo), a Cow (Mike), a Magician with some sick card tricks (Me), Rick James (Donny), A princess/fairie/wizard (Stan), and Avril Lavigne (Daryl)

It's kinda like Mardi Gras mixed with Halloween. It's crazy. It's 5 days long. Noone works. Noone sleeps. Nothing is open except for Chinese Food restaurants. I think the trick on Carnaval is to get a good hat. Cause people judge how fun of a person you are based on your hat. There really is nothing else. These two roxars are obviously lots of fun.

Theif! This girl a) hated hockey b) was the worst c) stole my hat

(right) Hatless... hater girl left with it... not a bad trade to be honest... Especially with showgirl gold wig to replace it... .... not sure what happened to it though... all signs point to stolen...






... then came sick joker's hat... totally no where near as drunk as this picture pretends on account of my personal viewpoint that being sick is the opposite of fun... My thoughts on drinking?... 1) Everything in moderation... even moderation 2) Drinking should never be used as an excuse to do something that you wouldn't do sober 3) There's something about comradery in a few drinks that water just doesn't bring...

(Left) Theif in the night strikes again!?... luckily Trappers superfan gives me some sick black flow... (Stole the red punk hair for all of 5 minutes until Teletubby (Barrie) got jealous and demanded it back)

Damage done... only 3 more days of this...

Movie Night

So I'm gonna call you okay? You take care of that body...

For all the stuff they try to teach you in high school, I graduated with about half of it. But then, I didn't go to school but half the time.

Went into the store just to get a beer. Came out an accessory to murder and armed robbery. It's funny like that in the hood sometimes. You never knew what was gonna happen, or when. After that I knew it was gonna be a long summer.

Grandpapa Caine: Do you care whether you live or die?
Caine Lawson: I don't know





Although we were free, we were still slaves in our minds... MESSAGE!

And just like Abraham when God told him to take the life of Isaac. He never gave him an answer, he just said "don't ask"... and that's the kind of followers that God wants... those that don't ask... You say, hey! Why's preacher wearing good clothes, driving a fancy car, living in a big house?" And I say... don't ask... And that's what God expects from His sheep, here at the Greater Ebenezer New Revival Tree of Life Institutional Double Rock on the Side of the Road to Jericho Missionary Baptist Church of Zion! And I said Mount Cavalry! Huh! Y'all gonna help me!~

Either they don't know, don't show, or don't care about being a menace to South Central while drinking your juice in the hood. That's what it's all about... That's what it's all about... ?

Dart/Hockey Promo

Shoyoyoyoy (Boy oh boy oh boy oh boy...)... I give crazy dart lady my camera to take pictures during a promo where some pro darters come on the ice to skate with us. She ends up taking pictures of me... like 4 or 5 until I tell her to stop, then she asks me to take a couple of her on my camera??? then doesn't take even one picture when we're actually on the ice at all, and then she goes back to taking them of me when I come off the ice... then hits on me, then hits on a couple other players... then tries to get our emails and phone numbers and starts talking about her jacuzzi at home... creepy

(I finally stole the camera back and took some pictures of my own. This is Gary Anderson and Gary Robson looking tough in some hockey gear. You'd be surprised how in shape they are... and that shape is round... I only joke because they joked first)

Shellfish...

This is honestly the most random thing I think I've thought about in the last little while. No huge reason why I wrote or posted it beyond the fact that it was stuck in my mind and I wanted to see my thoughts on it. I guess these are my thoughts... Random, silly, and deep all at the same time... word is still out on if it's any good tho...
The stages of selfishness in the evolutionary timeline:
1) The Cherry Picker. This player doesn't play below the tops of the circles in D-zone. This player gets as many goals as possible. And what is this plus-minus stat anyways? They're oblivious to what's going on or the hurt that is in the world, as long as 'they gets theirs.' Doesn't really make trouble, but doesn't know enough to help others out of it either... "Hey! The World doesn't revolve around you you know..." ... "That's exactly what you would say if the world DID revolve around me and you didn't want me to find out..." Cherry picker's have a lot in common with gold diggers I want to say.
2) The Ironman. Stay on the ice as long as you can. 2 minute Power Play shift? Why not? No thought to consequences, just take and take alike, and try to get as much as you can. Like Hungry Hungry Hippo, or the United States.
3) The Retaliator/Head Hunter knows exactly the consequences of what they're doing. And sometimes it actually makes them feel better to cause people pain. They live off the carnage of others... even skate by the puck and a possible goal just to make that one big hit. Sadly your team's killing off 6 minutes a game of dumb penalties you've taken. In real life maybe you are the dictator of some small country and will try to make enough money out of it so you can leave when the revolution comes and then retire to some island in the Bahamas.
4) The Chissel. Make everything look good and have no one suspect anything, but wherever and whenever possible take advantage of people. No way am I changing that second assist that I got to the guy that actually deserves it. Possibly you'll grow up to be an executive at Enron.
6) The Enforcer. I'll be as completely unselfish as I can to those closest to me, as long as WE TOGETHER take advantage of those people that are not closest to US. Like Athens circa 400BC or so. Or like mafia movies before 'Hollywood' cuts in because audiences don't want to see or believe that bad guys ultimately can succeed in life. They don't make parades for bad guys do they?
5) The Coach. I'm going to try to see how both you and I can get exactly what we want, no matter how at odds we are. And we both win. I make you feel like a million dollars because you're the center of my life. You're going to scratch behind my ears and possibly toss the ball around for me a little bit, metaphorically speaking, And we both win.. They'd be a teacher if you weren't a coach probably.
7) The Role Player... Doing the ugly jobs that noone else wants to do. Like going into the corners, screaning for shots, or going down to block that shot face first in overtime. And does things for others even if they hate it because, as Kant says, the fact that I don't even get a good feeling for it makes you all the more unselfish. Kinda like how the religious are supposed to be... taking care of the poor, looking out for the homeless, helping those others have rejected. Obviously they're big into love because, "greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends," and they're giving up their life every day for people. But somewhere pride creeps in because they can feel superior in their ability to go through hardships that others don't. And sometimes thoughts of Karma coming into play and make them hopeful. But at the end of the day, count it all a blessing because it's definitely going to serve a reward in heaven, or next year's contract.
8) Unselfish...? I think maybe it's there. I've seen glimpses possibly. Playoffs mostly. Real life? Parents most likely know a thing or two about it. Marriages should probably have it somewhere. Friendship's been known to show it. Even actions from complete enemies can sometimes bring it about. Possibly the word forgiveness is involved... going on the thesis that God is good and exists then chances are He has a lot to do with it. It could be some disney romantic comedy moment with a sudden sharp realization that everything is connected to something greater than yourself. Not in the 'new-age fuzzy' spiritual way that happens in the last 10 minutes of your yoga class, but in the 'lets really actually look into this thing theological+apologetics' spiritual way that gets a person killed for doing what's right. And It's not simply a religious mindset because a lot of that is still a carrot on a string to me. But how do you really put your finger on it?