Things that I thought about today

Here are some things that I thought about while I walked around today: 1. The reason why you never want to be a matador is that you may be on the wrong side of the matanza. This is "dead matador" by Edouard Manet... he is French, but not to be confused with the other French painter Monet, that one letter makes a big difference. I did not know that the French participated in bull fights... and after seeing this painting I figured out that they just must not have ever been very good at it.

2. While I have never been a huge fan of the other 1800's famous French artist Claude Monet, I have found that the reason why I never liked his art is that I had yet to see this painting in person. I like this particular painting, 'woman with a parasol,' because there are people in it, and they don't seem fake, or like dots. I think it is his wife and kid, it also looks windy and if I were that lady I would probably be putting away the umbrella before it reverses and she has a horrible time getting it back in place.

3. Vincent Van Gogh was not only crazy, but he spent the latter part of his painting years trying to paint an olive tree orchard correctly. I did not know that this was so difficult. The card at the gallery informed me that he thought it was difficult because the color of the trees was sometimes a silver color, and other times it was more earthy. Well Vince...I have to say you nailed it. See result below.

4. The lady at the hot dog stand sold me a chicken hot dog that looked, smelled, and tasted like a normal hot dog. This was not a bad thing, I only opted for the chicken dog, because I didn't know that I had ever had one before... maybe she gave me the regular because she knew I couldn't handle the chicken dog?

5. The Dutch were a depressing group of people in the 1600's, and Rembrandt made about 100 too many dark portraits. I did like this, it is called the mill, and if I had to interpret it for everyone I would say that he was trying to paint a mill, and that it was a bit of a dreary day. I really like this painting, and think he should have spent less time taking credit for portraits his students painted for him, and more painting depressing landscapes.

6. They say that the spy museum has a really neat gift shop. This is false. Every gift shop sells you crap that you do not need. I think that they must have ranked that gift shop on the number of peanut butter jars that you could hide stuff in, or how many James Bond theme songs could be heard over the speakers while you shop. I thought it was annoying that every product was taking video of me, and displaying it on screens, I spent a good half hour in there trying to figure out which product was displaying me on which screen... also they have a restaurant attached to it, I wonder if you have to use a decoder ring to order a bagel? Or what if you ordered a sandwich and somehow got mixed up with a Russian spy who was sent to kill someone important? Isn't that kind of what happened in 'Gotcha?'

7. I once heard that the FBI building was originally designed to draw crowds to it, it was going to have a market, and arcades in the middle of it. After seeing it in person, I don't know how they thought this would attract crowds, It is just cement, and squares. Maybe they could have had a fountain or a waterfall, or a statue or something... I think that would have done it a bit more efficiently.

8. Lincoln was shot in the ford theater. I really wanted to go inside and take a picture of myself reenacting the events that took place there, but it is closed for renovation. I did not know that it is still a functioning theater, I wonder if you can sit in his seat? I guess I will have to wait till after the renovation. One thing I did do is go across the street to where he actually died. The room he was staying in is tiny, and his bed is glassed off. It is shorter than I pictured, but I guess him having to be there was kind of spur of the moment. Overall it is very creepy. The house is just open and it was just me and a ranger in there. It is dark, and it smells like someone is sick and staying in an old bed next to a closet full of moth balls.

9. There was a festival outside of the Portrait gallery. I think that there is a very loose definition for the word festival. After walking through, I realized they were calling 3 craft tables, and a bad jazz band a festival... this seems a bit on the weak side. Soon we may start seeing all street vendors calling there stands festivals... maybe then they will be more honest about the ingredients in their hot dogs?