So, the last thing I expected when I went to the hospital today was to walk out without having even shown my insurance card or paid a single cent.
And don't bother saying it's because the French are on a social health care system. I'm not a tax-paying citizen, and I didn't enroll in the social security system as a student either. I opted to get my own health coverage.
I'm especialy surprised that this visit was free because I signed a form when I got to the orthopedic surgery department saying that I acknowledged that my doctor charges 100 Euro for the consultation alone, which I had to pay in cash.
However, after about 30 seconds of examining my condition and asking about the accident, the doctor told me there was nothing wrong with my bones and he saw no reason to go through with additional x-rays. Then he walked me to the secretary's office, and said, "Don't charge her for this visit."
Wow. Frankly, I think that's just cool. Bless you, Dr. Olivier.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Pompidou Center and Modern Art- a Love/Hate affair?
If you are not a fan of modern art, it's probably because you think of Modern art as things like the contents of a garbage can being put in an acrylic box and labeled as art.
It's true. There's a display like that at the Pompidou Center, as well.
Now... let me just say, that I don't think that the contents of the garbage can are visually pleasing or took a lot of effort for the "artist" to arrange (or dump) in the acrylic box. However, if you think of art as a way of examining mankind, the human condition, or as a slice of everyday life (you may... you may not... I'm not going to tell you what art is or isn't), then I can see the value in it. But to me, if it's going to be labeled as art, then there should at least be some kind of commentary along with it. You know, if there's going to be three Coke cans, a subway ticket, and a half-eaten sandwich on display, then maybe use those items to address branding (since Coke is a universally recognizable brand), or how a subway ticket identifies the garbage as coming from a certain place, and therefore makes the rest of it that much more interesting (maybe).
Anyway, I'm not necessarily trying to defend "garbage can" art to anyone. I think I'm more trying to understand what purpose, if any, there is in displaying it.
HOWEVER, that is not really my style of Modern Art. So when I say I love modern art, please don't let that be the thing that jumps to mind. Instead, why don't you think of these?
Detail of a painting by Simon Hantai. He folded the canvas a bunch of times until it was small, then only painted the surfaces that showed. Unfolded it, refolded it, applied more paint. After many times of doing this, the resulting canvas is randomly covered in color (possibly more than one) or even left completely blank in places. He did have a purpose in doing this (something to do with ignoring the will of the artist in the placement of paint, letting it just be random, etc.), but I just really like the overall effect.
Oh, Mark Rothko. I think your paintings are wonderful. Deceptively simple-looking little festivals of color.
Love me some Jackson Pollock. This is a detail of 'The Deep.'
Nicolas de Staehl's "Les Toits." I absolutely LOVE this painting. It's quickly becoming a new favorite. I'm kind of traumatized by the fact that he killed himself after meeting with a particularly harsh art critic. I hope I get to meet him in heaven and tell him how much I love this painting. (Is that weird? Maybe just a little, but I would totally say the same thing about Monet, Van Gogh, Pollock, Rothko, and many others.)
Kupka's "Autour d'un Point" (..."Surrounding a Point/Dot" maybe?). Very graphic. Very cool.
Kupka's "Animated Lines" and Delaunay's "Rythm with no end"
Jasper Johns - Figure Number 5
More Simon Hantai. This is titled 'Painting' and called "Pink Writing." You can see there are a couple of different things going on with splotches of color and the dripping black circles...
It's true. There's a display like that at the Pompidou Center, as well.
Now... let me just say, that I don't think that the contents of the garbage can are visually pleasing or took a lot of effort for the "artist" to arrange (or dump) in the acrylic box. However, if you think of art as a way of examining mankind, the human condition, or as a slice of everyday life (you may... you may not... I'm not going to tell you what art is or isn't), then I can see the value in it. But to me, if it's going to be labeled as art, then there should at least be some kind of commentary along with it. You know, if there's going to be three Coke cans, a subway ticket, and a half-eaten sandwich on display, then maybe use those items to address branding (since Coke is a universally recognizable brand), or how a subway ticket identifies the garbage as coming from a certain place, and therefore makes the rest of it that much more interesting (maybe).
Anyway, I'm not necessarily trying to defend "garbage can" art to anyone. I think I'm more trying to understand what purpose, if any, there is in displaying it.
HOWEVER, that is not really my style of Modern Art. So when I say I love modern art, please don't let that be the thing that jumps to mind. Instead, why don't you think of these?
Wind by Xao Wou-Ki (I love how moody this canvas feels, even without knowing the title).
Untitled XX by William de Kooning (I just love the riot of color and that there seems to be no rhyme or reason to it).
Detail of a painting by Simon Hantai. He folded the canvas a bunch of times until it was small, then only painted the surfaces that showed. Unfolded it, refolded it, applied more paint. After many times of doing this, the resulting canvas is randomly covered in color (possibly more than one) or even left completely blank in places. He did have a purpose in doing this (something to do with ignoring the will of the artist in the placement of paint, letting it just be random, etc.), but I just really like the overall effect.
Oh, Mark Rothko. I think your paintings are wonderful. Deceptively simple-looking little festivals of color.
Love me some Jackson Pollock. This is a detail of 'The Deep.'
Nicolas de Staehl's "Les Toits." I absolutely LOVE this painting. It's quickly becoming a new favorite. I'm kind of traumatized by the fact that he killed himself after meeting with a particularly harsh art critic. I hope I get to meet him in heaven and tell him how much I love this painting. (Is that weird? Maybe just a little, but I would totally say the same thing about Monet, Van Gogh, Pollock, Rothko, and many others.)
Kupka's "Autour d'un Point" (..."Surrounding a Point/Dot" maybe?). Very graphic. Very cool.
Kupka's "Animated Lines" and Delaunay's "Rythm with no end"
Jasper Johns - Figure Number 5
More Simon Hantai. This is titled 'Painting' and called "Pink Writing." You can see there are a couple of different things going on with splotches of color and the dripping black circles...
but what you may not realize at first is that all of the texture and detail covering the whole canvas coms from handwriting on the canvas. Hantai wrote directly onto the canvas (I think it took the better part of a year or more) in pen. If I remember right, he copied down famous quotations or inspiring passages of literature or other texts. He made himself write on the canvas for an hour every day or something to that effect, until it was complete. I would never put myself through that, but he seems to be the very dedicated, experimental type who is willing to put in a lot of time to see the results of a certain approach (c.f. the folding canvas experiment noted above).
So, there you have it. My favorites from the Pompidou Center. Yep, there were some things I thought were more difficult to appreciate than others, but I still found many things I thought were lovely, thought-provoking, and very (even excrutiatingly) detailed.
Truancy at Its Finest
If I wasn't in class last Friday, at least I spent time "with" some of the country's (and the world's, if we're going to be honest) most brilliant minds.
Plus Victor Hugo in all of his awesomeness. (But the picture of his tomb looks like all the others, except blurry, so... not going to share. Sorry.)
This melting pot of brilliance took place in the Pantheon, of course. First built by Clovis (well, HE didn't build it, but I guess he commissioned it), it was later redesigned by Soufflot at the request of Louis XV. It was used during both of these time periods as a church--first intended to house the tomb of Clovis and his wife, then dedicated to St. Genevieve (the patron saint of Paris) by King Louis, as he attributed his recovery from a serious illness to the prayers he said to her. (Her remains were buried there in 512 AD, but later moved, I believe.)
It was in 1971 that the edifice actually became the national Pantheon. It was occasionally used as a Christian church in the 1800's, but then officially became a secular building only in 1885, coinciding with the funeral and burial of Victor Hugo.
After the Pantheon, I rushed over to the Louvre to meet E, stopping briefly to grab a couple of pictures on my way in.
The Assumption of the Virgin (detail). Sorry, didn't note the painter or the time period. My bad.
As previously stated, the paintings we saw were rather realistic and detailed for my taste, so I didn't take many pictures. 
The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, including the eternal flame (which, I just learned on Wikipedia, inspired Jackie Kennedy to request that an eternal flame be included by Pres. Kennedy's grave in Arlington National Cemetery.)
Then, of course, the lung-burning trek up to the top of the Arc. No elevators. 288 steps on a spiral staircase. Somewhat nausea-inducing, but totally worth it because you get fantastic panoramic views of the city. 
A Sparkling Eiffel Tower
Eiffel with a beaming ray of light
Like Voltaire...
Alexandre Dumas, Sr.... (yes, the author of The Three Musketeers and The Count of Monte Cristo, and...)
and Leon Foucault (well, his pendulum, at least).
Plus Victor Hugo in all of his awesomeness. (But the picture of his tomb looks like all the others, except blurry, so... not going to share. Sorry.)
This melting pot of brilliance took place in the Pantheon, of course. First built by Clovis (well, HE didn't build it, but I guess he commissioned it), it was later redesigned by Soufflot at the request of Louis XV. It was used during both of these time periods as a church--first intended to house the tomb of Clovis and his wife, then dedicated to St. Genevieve (the patron saint of Paris) by King Louis, as he attributed his recovery from a serious illness to the prayers he said to her. (Her remains were buried there in 512 AD, but later moved, I believe.)
It was in 1971 that the edifice actually became the national Pantheon. It was occasionally used as a Christian church in the 1800's, but then officially became a secular building only in 1885, coinciding with the funeral and burial of Victor Hugo.
Soufflot's intention was to make the Pantheon more majestic than St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. Anyone who has been to St. Peter's can easily see from the pictures that this isn't the case, but the Pantheon is still incredibly beautiful. You can also really see the influence of St. Peter's in the architecture and the detailing.
This particular detail is what really echoes the basilica to me.
After the Pantheon, I rushed over to the Louvre to meet E, stopping briefly to grab a couple of pictures on my way in.
The Eiffel Tower peeking out from behind a wing of the Louvre.
The Assumption of the Virgin (detail). Sorry, didn't note the painter or the time period. My bad.
As previously stated, the paintings we saw were rather realistic and detailed for my taste, so I didn't take many pictures.
After leaving the Louvre and trying (and failing) to meet up with another friend that I was supposed to see that night, I went over to see the Arc de Triomphe and take a few pictures from the roof (and I'm really glad I did, because I didn't end up putting the other days of my museum pass to use, really.)
I like to think that this guy is welcoming me to the Arc, not declaring victory in battle or calling troops to arms. I almost want to insert a little speech bubble into the picture. ALMOST want to.
I like to think that this guy is welcoming me to the Arc, not declaring victory in battle or calling troops to arms. I almost want to insert a little speech bubble into the picture. ALMOST want to.
The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, including the eternal flame (which, I just learned on Wikipedia, inspired Jackie Kennedy to request that an eternal flame be included by Pres. Kennedy's grave in Arlington National Cemetery.)
Then, of course, the lung-burning trek up to the top of the Arc. No elevators. 288 steps on a spiral staircase. Somewhat nausea-inducing, but totally worth it because you get fantastic panoramic views of the city.
About 2/3 of the way up, there is a built-in break (hooray!), where there is an interactive world map showing all of the locations of large arches around the globe. Really quite interesting actually.
There are also dozens upon dozens of metalwork wreaths in honor of the Unknown Soldier (sent from different parts of France, and presumably different countries as well).
Then the last short trek up the remaining stairs, where the rewards is not one but many breathtaking views.
My pictures absolutely don't do them justice. You'll just have to come here yourselves and see.
Le Grand Palais
Sacre Coeur (very blury, I know)
A Sparkling Eiffel Tower
Eiffel with a beaming ray of light
My Grammar Teacher...
...probably thinks I'm a total flake.
I missed Friday because I was feeling gross all morning.
Monday I left halfway through class because I felt like I was going to throw up.
Tuesday I went to class, which was incident free.
Tuesday right after class I got hit by a bus.
Today I am missing class again (not to mention the first day of my "France and Europe" seminar and my second session of phonetics) so I can go to the hospital and get x-rays done.
If I was my teacher, I would be annoyed. Thank heavens it doestn't count for anything.
Though, they can report "truant" behavior to the Embassy and get me kicked out of the country. I don't think this week will lead to that kind of action, though. :)
I missed Friday because I was feeling gross all morning.
Monday I left halfway through class because I felt like I was going to throw up.
Tuesday I went to class, which was incident free.
Tuesday right after class I got hit by a bus.
Today I am missing class again (not to mention the first day of my "France and Europe" seminar and my second session of phonetics) so I can go to the hospital and get x-rays done.
If I was my teacher, I would be annoyed. Thank heavens it doestn't count for anything.
Though, they can report "truant" behavior to the Embassy and get me kicked out of the country. I don't think this week will lead to that kind of action, though. :)
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Let's Pause for Awesomeness
On my verge-of-hysteria, brink-of-tears trek from Phonetics to Institute tonight, I came across this little bit of awesomeness that put a smile on my face.
There are performers all over the Metro stations, and even performers that come right into the Metro trains, do a performance, and then make the rounds with a coin purse for any potential offerings.
I happen to think that almost every one of them I've heard has some musical talent. However, I thought this was particularly amazing and unexpected.
There are performers all over the Metro stations, and even performers that come right into the Metro trains, do a performance, and then make the rounds with a coin purse for any potential offerings.
I happen to think that almost every one of them I've heard has some musical talent. However, I thought this was particularly amazing and unexpected.
Now I'm just sorry I didn't capture more of it.
Got in a Fight With a Bus Today. The Bus Won.
But I, hopped up on adrenaline and completely in shock from being smacked by public transit:
1) told everyone I was fine
2) refused to let them call the paramedics, and
3) went to my phonetics course, where I attempted NOT to burst into tears for an hour while replaying the scene in my mind over and over and over. (Luckily, I was successful. It was my first day, and what a horrible impression to make...)
I battled hysteria in both its comic and tear-filled forms for another hour or so while I tried to think of the signs of shock and concussions so I could keep a watchful eye on myself on my way to Institute.
I wanted to ask the other people who were in the Metro if they were freezing to death, too, but I didn't want them to think I was psycho. (Look at me being all prideful in my distress. I'm lame, I know.) I ate most of a sandwich from the corner bakery, thinking that maybe it would help alleviate the nausea. Not so much.
Then I went to Institute and burst into tears as soon as I got to the bathroom.
And don't worry that it was totally my fault. I was in an area of the city that I'm not very familiar with, and after looking for oncoming traffic, I started into the street. Unfortunately, there was a street behind me that I didn't check, and SMACK went the bus into my left shoulder and leg. CRASH went I, onto the sidewalk on my right shoulder.
The site of the accident. The ladies crossing the street are standing right where I was...
I am grateful:
-that neither the bus nor the sidewalk made contact with my head or spine
-that the bus was coming to a stop anyway, so it wasn't going fast enough to do serious damage to my bones
-for the church--I have no idea how else I would have made it through today. I don't know anyone here, so being able to go to Institute and get a blessing, comfort from friends, and a referral to a doctor all in one place helped alleviate a lot of my trauma. :)
-that the only injuries I have (assuming I'm not bleeding internally anywhere, which is HIGHLY unlikely) are a sore back and a scraped ankle
-that my wonderful friend Agenor had very kind things to say to me that helped me put this little incident into perspective
-that I could learn this lesson while retaining the use of all of my body parts
Feeling blessed tonight. Also feeling a little stupid. But not stupid enough that I refuse to write about it here. Because what's sharing it with people who already love me, when about 50 random people in Paris saw it happen?
Yeah, I think I'm going to take another route to class from now on. Also, is it weird that the buses (busses?? shoot. I used to be able to spell. Oh... now I feel better.) now scare me? I think I'm going to have to start taking the bus to get over that as quickly as possible.
(P.S. Welcome to my stream of consciousness. I know it's chaotic.)
Apparently...
... one of the horses belonging to the Police force got away and went on a fun-run through the streets of Paris this week.
Ha! I just hope no one got hurt. I'm just wondering what all the people on mopeds went home and told their families when suddenly a horse galloped past on one side, and on the other side, a police car sped past with its siren wailing.
This clip from YouTube is called "The Crazy Horse Arrested by the Police." Too funny.
Ha! I just hope no one got hurt. I'm just wondering what all the people on mopeds went home and told their families when suddenly a horse galloped past on one side, and on the other side, a police car sped past with its siren wailing.
This clip from YouTube is called "The Crazy Horse Arrested by the Police." Too funny.
Monday, February 23, 2009
"Soon" is a Relative Term
Ha. So today I feel like crap. I totally interrupted my French class by leaving to go to the bathroom and then going back in, packing up my stuff, and leaving. My teacher was probably bugged, but he was in the middle of talking, so I didn't stop to explain.
But I think that's better than vomiting in the middle of class, right?
So now I'm camped out at home for the night, working on re-writing all of my class notes, creating verb-conjugaison(tion) and usage flashcards, and updating my A-Z address book with alphabetically categorized vocabulary words and their root words/derivatives. Don't be jealous.
On the up side of things, I went to my first French Cinema class today. I'm pretty sure it will consist of us watching a movie every Monday at 10, and not much else. Keeping my fingers crossed that it will take the least effort imaginable.
Today we watched "Oscar," a comedy of errors/farce filmed in 1967. I laughed out loud a couple of times, even while trying to read the french subtitles. But some of the gestural comedy was a little much for me.
I promise at some point I'll put up the pictures from last week. Maybe even tonight. But first, I need to give some attention to my schoolwork.
But I think that's better than vomiting in the middle of class, right?
So now I'm camped out at home for the night, working on re-writing all of my class notes, creating verb-conjugaison(tion) and usage flashcards, and updating my A-Z address book with alphabetically categorized vocabulary words and their root words/derivatives. Don't be jealous.
On the up side of things, I went to my first French Cinema class today. I'm pretty sure it will consist of us watching a movie every Monday at 10, and not much else. Keeping my fingers crossed that it will take the least effort imaginable.
Today we watched "Oscar," a comedy of errors/farce filmed in 1967. I laughed out loud a couple of times, even while trying to read the french subtitles. But some of the gestural comedy was a little much for me.
I promise at some point I'll put up the pictures from last week. Maybe even tonight. But first, I need to give some attention to my schoolwork.
Friday, February 20, 2009
Weekend Plans and Museum Visits (Pics to Come Soon)
I went to the Pantheon, the Louvre, and the top of the Arc de Triomphe today. I played hookey and went to the Pantheon when I should have been in class*, and then I met up with my friend E at the Louvre. We wandered around the Pavillon Richelieu and looked at a small section of the "French Painting" portion of the museum. She had to head home for dinner with her host family, so I took the Metro up to the Arc and climbed the 280+ stairs to the top.
Oh, and I went to the Pompidou Center yesterday, where I bought a 4-day museum pass. I'll be heading back to the Pompidou for about 30 minutes on Sunday after church to grab some pictures of my favorite displays, and then I think I'll stop back at the Louvre before heading to Versailles for a fireside with Elder Oaks (suh-weet! I'm sooo looking forward to that. The last fireside I went to where he and his wife spoke was fantastic). I'm going to have to pack a lunch.
Tomorrow (before my art class), E and I might head over to the Picasso museum.
At the Louvre, the paintings we saw were too realistic for my personal taste. However, E kept pointing out the details that she loved in the paintings (she loves more realistic portrayals like those of Rembrandt and his school of painting), and about halfway through I found myself able to appreciate the lighting, the details, and sometimes the color choices. But overall, still not a big fan of the style.
*Don't think I'm a bad person. Well, I guess you can if you want, but I guess that's my way of saying that I'm not going to feel bad for doing it. I was actually not feeling well this morning, so I decided not to go to class. I started feeling better a few hours later, but by the time I was feeling well enough to go out I couldn't have made it to class without causing a big disturbance (which is greatly discouraged). So I decided to make the most of my 4-day museum pass and see the Pantheon, which I've been wanting to do for weeks.
Oh, and I went to the Pompidou Center yesterday, where I bought a 4-day museum pass. I'll be heading back to the Pompidou for about 30 minutes on Sunday after church to grab some pictures of my favorite displays, and then I think I'll stop back at the Louvre before heading to Versailles for a fireside with Elder Oaks (suh-weet! I'm sooo looking forward to that. The last fireside I went to where he and his wife spoke was fantastic). I'm going to have to pack a lunch.
Tomorrow (before my art class), E and I might head over to the Picasso museum.
At the Louvre, the paintings we saw were too realistic for my personal taste. However, E kept pointing out the details that she loved in the paintings (she loves more realistic portrayals like those of Rembrandt and his school of painting), and about halfway through I found myself able to appreciate the lighting, the details, and sometimes the color choices. But overall, still not a big fan of the style.
*Don't think I'm a bad person. Well, I guess you can if you want, but I guess that's my way of saying that I'm not going to feel bad for doing it. I was actually not feeling well this morning, so I decided not to go to class. I started feeling better a few hours later, but by the time I was feeling well enough to go out I couldn't have made it to class without causing a big disturbance (which is greatly discouraged). So I decided to make the most of my 4-day museum pass and see the Pantheon, which I've been wanting to do for weeks.
I Just Enrolled in...
... a painting class!!
It's a three month course, and the first one is tomorrow. I'm so excited!! As many of you know, I love to paint, but I have never had any formal training. I don't even use real paints. I use 99-cent-a-jar craft acrylics, which I buy at Robert's or Michael's. I own real acrylic paints, but I don't know how to use them properly--or if there is even a "proper" way to use them. I am, in fact, clueless.
There is so much to learn about: color theory and perspective, form, shading, composition, and all kind of other topics that are essential to understand when creating visual art. I have no idea which of these will be covered in my classes, but I think this will be a great jumping off point. I would love to continue taking classes once I'm back home.
I'll be sure to report back tomorrow on how my class goes. Tomorrow all I'm supposed to take is a pencil, eraser, and a specific size of sketch book.
It's a three month course, and the first one is tomorrow. I'm so excited!! As many of you know, I love to paint, but I have never had any formal training. I don't even use real paints. I use 99-cent-a-jar craft acrylics, which I buy at Robert's or Michael's. I own real acrylic paints, but I don't know how to use them properly--or if there is even a "proper" way to use them. I am, in fact, clueless.
There is so much to learn about: color theory and perspective, form, shading, composition, and all kind of other topics that are essential to understand when creating visual art. I have no idea which of these will be covered in my classes, but I think this will be a great jumping off point. I would love to continue taking classes once I'm back home.
I'll be sure to report back tomorrow on how my class goes. Tomorrow all I'm supposed to take is a pencil, eraser, and a specific size of sketch book.
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