Rene

Happy Birthday, Rene Magritte.

Do his paintings challenge your preconditioned perceptions of reality and force you to become hypersensitive to your surroundings, as was his intended effect?

Starry Night

Starry, starry night.

Flaming flowers that brightly blaze,

Swirling clouds in violet haze,

Reflect in Vincent's eyes of china blue.

Colors changing hue, morning field of amber grain,

Weathered faces lined in pain,

Are soothed beneath the artist's loving hand.

-Don McLean's song "Starry, Starry Night"

As I was searching quiz bowl packets today, I read a question about this painting. Apparently it's the view from Van Gogh's window at the asylum. He had sent this painting-along with a package of other paintings-to his brother and in the included letter he wrote that he didn't care much for this painting. Ironically enough it's considered Van Gogh's magnum opus.

Poor Vincent, victim of mental instability and lack of success in his chosen career.

Hmm...

Certain things make me wonder.

For example. What exactly defines a friend? For me, it's actually quite a bit. Someone I can talk to easily (because we've already established that I'm a horrible conversationalist), someone I know well, someone whom I can predict what their thoughts/reactions will be, someone who doesn't make me feel inferior, someone whose faults I've come to overlook and maybe even love. This then begs the question, "Is Peter my friend?" Well, he meets most of the criteria, oddly/sadly enough. Except the whole "make me feel inferior" part. Just in case you didn't know, Peter is kinda consuming my [somewhat obsessive] thoughts. Followed closely by another person, who will go unnamed because I am NOT obsessed with them, whose question of "friendship" one tends to wonder about. It just confuses me.

Another thing that makes me wonder: How can artists be so subtle? Do they plan out every single, allegoric part of their piece before actually painting it. Or are they like Willem de Kooning who reworks his pieces time after time, trying to get it just right? So much planning, interpretation, and discussion goes into one painting. Did Leonardo da Vinci realize the impact he would have on the world when he simply painted Mona Lisa, the peasant wife of a friend? Did Piet Mondrien realize that in painting rectangles of different sizes in primary colors would become so famous? Did Rembrandt see how psychological his The Night Watch is or has become? Art is a form of protest and self-expression. I think it would be true for artists to incorporate symbols but I don't think that artists recognized the impact their paintings would have on the world and on the generations to come. It's the same thing with authors. Did Poe see how his "The Raven" and the mystery of his repetitive "Nevermore" be interpreted? Did Fitzgerald realize that The Great Gatsby would be read and begrudgingly analyzed by high school students across the world?

I think: yes. Authors and painters mean to include symbols and underlying messages to convey warnings, chastisement, or to simply share with the world a beautiful talent. I don't think that they realized the unmeasurable impact their works would have; I believe they only hoped that people would catch on. But the meanings they intended are open to interpretation; there is seldom a wrong answer.

So, after deviating off course from my first paragraph, I will try to answer my own question. Is Peter my friend? Well...yeah. Is that sad? Well...not really.

One down, one more to go.

Why, Hello Blog!

It's been a long time. I've been thinking I should name my blog... preferably an "A" name. Elisabeth?

I really want to write an allegorical piece on the hypocrisy surrounding human existence. I want it to be dense with allusions and wittily hidden meanings; something that Johnathan Swift would have written, such as his A Modest Proposal. I'm just not capable of doing this. Either that or it would take me a ridiculously long time and multiple drafts/editing sessions to accomplish.

Hmmm...maybe.

It hit me today as I was in Laurels, actually.

I started jotting down notes but then I accidentally threw the paper away because it contained a list of what I considered to be my faults/errors. (Yes, it did include my nose.)

Any thoughts?

I Blame AP Stats

Yeah, I blame AP Stats.

I blame it for my headache, my stomach ache, my sore throat, the pain in the back of my eyes and my exhaustion.

Actually, I should probably be blaming blogger. I mean, I have no one to blame for my horrible grade in that class but myself. And yet what am I doing other than studying for my 4 chapter test tomorrow?

Blogging.

LAME. I just want it to be Thanksgiving break. Or next Tuesday. I'm going to Addicted to Drugs, not....err, Addicted to Movies not, Drugs. (My bad.) I'm totally excited.

(Thanks, Amy!)

And the picture of Cha? I just liked it. There's really no relevance to the post. At all.

I have a lot of fragment-like sentences in this post. Just sayin'.

2700

See that title post? Yeah, it's the number of books Herr Baldwin owns.

OH MAN.

Who do I want to be when I grew up, if I had to pick a teacher from the high school? Psh. Herr Baldwin/Ms. Bryen. The best of both, you know?

So many books. So little time. I don't think I even own a hundred books...Maybe fifty at the most. But seriously!? 2,700 books! I don't think I'd get a job. I'd be sucked into these things, away in a world like Don Quixote's. I just hope that my life wouldn't turn out to be necessarily like his....not that it isn't entertaining.

On a side note, I'm 95% that Volanksy doesn't like me very much. I feel as if she's scrutinizing me in class, watching me and analyzing what I do. I've had two "after-class" discussions about her now due to my body language. WOW. And it's only October. This is only going downhill.

Everyone is blogging about NaNoWriMo. Well, I might as well just say it. I'm not doing it this year. Every time I try, I just fail. I lose my steam after the first paragraph. Literally. I hope you guys have fun with it-keep me updated!

I've been toying with this idea for a while. What do you think: no dessert-type foods for a year.

And Yet Another Conversation. With Myself. (Is anyone else worried??)

So....how's it goin'?

Gut...Und du?

Gut. I have a Stats test tomorrow.

Oh yeah?

Yeah. I'm not really prepared though.

Why?

Because I'm blogging when I should probably be studying.

Bianka!!

I know. It's terribly unlike me.

Yes. Yes, it is. It's horribly disappointing.

Well, you know, life is just tiring right now.

I know what you mean.

I can only imagine.

No, you have no idea what it's like.

Fine. Be that way.

I will.

Hmm....so how's psychology?

Ridiculous. I sit in the back and listen to Dan's raffish language and his escapades concerning contraband materials. It's very exciting. We had to fill out another Scantron because apparently the machine was being stupid. Even after we finished the sheets, I still got twelve more points added to my score due to errors made by Bonner and the machine.

Really?

Yeah, it took my grade from a B- to an A-. I'm OK with that.

Well you should be...

I know. I would be a bit worried if I wasn't. Someone mentioned at lunch that it would be better to not have a 4.0 when taking hard classes, such as AP's. I agree-it takes off the pressure.

Yeah. It'd be great.

Right??? Today Volanksy told me my essay started out great but then got worse towards the end. I know it's true and yet it still made me a teensy bit sad. It happens with almost everything I write except for short, descriptive stories. Why is that?

I'm not sure.

I just suck at writing. I've come to accept the fact that I'm solidly mediocre. I'm OK with it-never been one extreme or the other. I hate it when other people edit my writing. I can't help but think, "I know it stinks. Just tell me that and let's be over." I mean, before she even finished the whole thing she told me I was a great writer. Once she was done she was like, "Uhh, could I take that back?" Sure, Mrs. Volanksy, sure. No problem!

Well. I'm sorry.

Yeah, you should be.

Don't you just hate how life is full of gaucheries?

Yes. And you know what else I hate? The fact that I haven't received my word of the day from dictionary.com in three days. It makes me sad. My inbox is so empty anymore.

I know!

And did you notice what was in there a few days ago?

Yeah....weird. Totally unexpected.

And you were coping so well.

Whatever. That's all I have to say.

Why does that bother you so much?

I DECAY. It bothers me that it bothers me. Did that make sense?

No.

Why am I asking you?

Who knows?

This should probably stop.

Yes. Probably.

Maybe this titivated your blog, if even just a little bit.

You know what I just thought of?

What?!?

An Autumn/Halloween theme blog layout. (Andrea?) :D

That would spruce things up.