Rubens, or the Michelin people.

Now and ZenToday I went to U.C. Berkeley Art Museum to see the oil sketches of Peter Paul Rubens, the Flemish/Dutch/Spanish painter. If you live around here, it's a show to see. Go now.

It's always been difficult for me to discuss art. I was terrible in Art History classes. But I'm the person the guard has to tell to keep their hands away from the works because I get so excited in talking about technique. I paint, too. I love painting.

Rubens' work is highly regarded for its rendering of the human figure as musculature draped in skin with white highlights in all the light/right places. He studied Caravaggio in Italy. His compositions kind of show this. He mentored Velazquez in Spain.
He studied Michelangelo and Raphael in Italy.

His work isn't perfect in the way that Michelangelo's is. The faces of his figures are not interesting except in the family portrait. But his use of dark umber and darkness and light is so fascinating.

Sick and tired of being sick and tired--and anonymous.

Now and Zen: The orange and the green without the wheel.Sometimes I get comments on my blog. Now, I know I don't write often enough to get many comments, but sometimes I do get them. I understand them and I receive them. However, I never get a signed blog comment. My need to communicate is somehow subverted by the commentary of those who would communicate only through anonymity.

About being sick and tired. I'm sick and tired of anonymous bloggers. But I'm actually really sick of my life and job and lack of a love life. I'm so tired of this situation that I can't get up with any kind of glee. It's so tiring being tired of things that don't change.

I saw the film 'What the Bleep do we Know' the other night. If only I were a photographer! If only I knew a little kid with a basketball! If only I had taken quantum physics at the university in which I spent so much time dreaming (I'll let you guess which one it is--not UC Santa Cruz, for you in the Sufi crowd, though)! If only I didn't have these major mood swings (except I'm always loathing my job (you'd have to read about it in another blog). Quantum physicists, please explain!

The orange and the green without the wheel.

MSN Hotmail - Today
Today was another Hallmark holiday. However this one benefits the bar scene and purveyors of alcohol, a poison. A friend of mine was telling me that there is a whole ritual around the drinking of alcohol. I believe this is true. When I didn't have the choice of spiritual convictions, I went to Catholic school. The only thing I liked about it was the incense. The same is true of bars. They have a distinct scent. Pepe le Peeuw (sp?) would be proud.

Meanwhile, Irish people of all descents have converged today. I like that aspect of things. It's like imagining you're from India, a country with a green and orange and white flag, too. But it's flag sets it apart from the drinking people. It has a chakra in the center. There is a spiritual component to the flag. Just like Korea's, for example. Today I am Korean and Indian and Irish with just a distant piece of Denmark. Just today. Tomorrow I'm exploring Chad.

Now and Zen

Now and Zen

Tonight I worked on the San Francisco cable TV show "Bro Jud on Love Energy." I am the "reader" for the show. Jud gives me articles to read, and I read them.

The first time I saw this show was back in 1995. It appeared on the cable menu, and I was looking for love (like always), so I switched the remote to it. Actually, I'd only had cable tv for about a few months. When I first got it, I was terrified. The whole world available in this box. It was weird and overwhelming. Now I was watching a local show that promised to give me tips on what love might be.