A Quick Succession of Busy Nothings

Sunday, September 29, 2013

Yesterday we found out our friend and neighbor David Lange passed away. We are heartbroken for the Lange family. We love and admire them. David and Janice were Luke's fabulous nursery leaders whom he affectionately called "Sister Wang and Sister Wang." David has been one of Isaac's young mens leaders since he turned 12. He cared about the boys and taught them it was okay to do hard things. (To read about the many other things he taught the boys see our friend Chad's beautiful tribute here .)

The day before we left for Paris, David walked to our house to say good-bye. Even though he just lived two houses away he struggled with the walk. His lungs had been severely damaged by chemotherapy. We talked about how by the time we got back he would be feeling more like himself. We wish we could be there to tell Janice and her family how sorry we are.

I've been thinking all day about mourning with those that mourn and comforting those that stand in need of comfort. I'm not sure how you do that from so far away. We are grateful to have known David.

Libby's Writing Journal Entry

Luke's Writing Journal Entry

Isaac's Writing Journal Entry

1D

While I don't understand the obsession of these college girls for One Direction, I am glad they were nice enough to invite our kids to see the movie with them. Actually, two of them had already seen it and used our kids as an excuse to see it again. Chris and I got to eat lunch and shop alone on the Champs Elysees. Again, fun for all!

Kid free!

Saint-Ouen's Labyrinth

Saturday we visited what is apparently the world's largest flea market. According to the Paris Walks book "If you hate, clutter, noise, and crowds, this walk will be a challenge for you." Sounds great! Coming out of the metro in Saint-Ouen was interesting. Isaac said "what are we doing here?" It is definitely the most ghetto neighborhood we've been in so far. Getting from the metro to the start of the markets you are surrounded by people trying to sell you all sorts of potentially stolen items.

Once you get into the maze of markets it is pretty amazing. There were antique books, papers, statues, clothes, anything you can imagine. One section, the Marche Biron, was full of enormous chandeliers and gilded furniture. We just kept thinking "who buys this stuff?".

We didn't take any pictures (Isaac didn't dare take his ipod out) except of this lovely item.

Date Night!

Thanks to a couple of great students, Chris and I had a date night. We had dinner at a sidewalk cafe and took some ice cream to the Eiffel Tower. It was pretty awesome. The kids did Tae Bo, a crazy clothes fashion show, and watched Cars. A fun night for all.

Cluny Museum

The Cluny Museum is the National Museum of the Middle Ages. We went with the students as part of their Art History class. It was great to listen to their instructor and learn more about viewing and understanding art.

Exterior of the museum.

The museum is located on the site of a Roman bathhouse. The Roman baths were the social and economic center of Lutetia (the Roman name for Paris).

The frigidarium was the location of the cold baths. After opening their pores in a hot bath to release bad humors the Romans would jump in a cold bath to close their pores.

Anxiously taking notes.

These heads were Israelite kings on the facade of Notre Dame.
They were torn down during the French Revolution, only to
be rediscovered in the 1970's.

A small room displayed stained glass windows, many from Sainte-Chapelle. We learned about stained glass production and the differences between early and and later styles of stained glass.

An altarpiece.

Gold rose

Unicorn horn

One of many tapestries.
One of the most famous, The Lady and the Unicorn, was not on display.

Dance like nobody's watching.

The kids were very well behaved during the 2 1/2 hour class. I am hoping we can go to more of them. A museum visit is so much more interesting when you have some information about the origin and meaning of the art. It was the first time I had to think hard in a long time, and I loved it!

Thursday, September 26, 2013

Bare Naked Ladies (and men)

Last year I came across an excellent blog post by the artist J Kirk Richards titled WHY ARE YOU PAINTING THOSE NAKED LADIES? Or, What makes me think I can go to a nude drawing session on Saturday and then go to church on Sunday? He says "learning to draw the human figure, undraped, un-obscured [is] fundamental for artists." For my part, I have found that seeing the human figure is fundamental to viewing art.

Before coming to Paris we talked with the kids about seeing nudes in art (and in ads on the metro). We tried to explain that capturing the human body is extremely difficult in any medium. To really appreciate art is to appreciate how different people approach that challenge. We also discussed how the human body is beautiful not sexual. J. Kirk Richards says "Let’s not teach our children to have an unhealthy, body-hating, puritanical view of the human figure." Agreed.

Yesterday we went to the Rodin museum. The gardens and museum building are full of beautiful, intricate sculptures: mostly nude. The kids seem unfazed at this point.

So fair warning - nudes to follow.