Art Museums

I try to live a life without regrets, but I think this is impossible for many people if not everyone. Some regrets I have:

• visiting Berlin and not going to ANY of the art museums there. Checkpoint Charlie was interesting, but seriously, no art museums?
• going to Chicago and NEVER going to the art museum there (it has Nighthhawks, American Gothic, and so much more. I drool over their collection of Impressionist paintings).
• only going to the DIA and the museum at the Parthenon in Nashville, although the former does have an excellent Dutch art collection and the latter has a great accumulation of Hudson River School pieces.

Conclusion: I need to get to more art museums.

The MOMA is screaming my name, the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam is simply waiting for me, the Uffizi is getting a bit impatient with my lack of funds to even get to Italy (as am I). The Louvre knows I need to see its treasure trove of art, the Prado is keenly aware that its Goyas are a magnetic force, the Hermitage is beckoning to me with its Rembrandt collection. The National Portrait Gallery in London has the only verified portrait of Jane Austen while the National Gallery (in London) has masterpieces from Giotto to Cezanne. So many places, so little time, so little funds.

Why don't I live in Europe?! I think this is the real issue here.

Book Covers and Other Things

I have Samantha to thank for my book cover craze right now. So, thanks? These for Lemony Snicket and these for Harry Potter were pretty great. I'm also really liking the ones for Penguin Classics. In May it dawned on me that they put classical art on the covers of many works of literature....ever since then, I always look to see what the cover design is. I have a Gros on my copy of War and Peace, I saw a Pride and Prejudice with a Manet, a Man in the Iron Mask with Rembrandt's magnum opus, and a collection of Charles Dickens with sketches by Boz. (I'm not a big fan of Boz right now actually. Well, perhaps I should say: I'm not a big fan of the art community for attributing many of Rembrandt's works to Boz, who was a pupil of his. Yeah, I'm kind of upset over this.) For some reason though, I find this really exciting.

I have a lot to do, mainly for quiz bowl. The other day I discovered that the library has this book I've been looking for and guess what? I've already read most of the book. I stumbled upon it last summer and started reading it, however I did not finish it nor did I know that it was recommended by quiz bowl forums. I feel rather accomplished.

Quiz bowl camp is getting close....I'm kind of really pumped.