Silhouettes...

Back during the Regency, making silhouettes was rather popular... so, I thought I'd try my hand at doing one on the computer. This one is of me and Victoria and is based of a photo which I used The GIMP to cut out and trace, and iPhoto to slightly blur the edges. Maybe next time I will do more of the picture, and not just a cut-out. I was going for the little vase effect between the faces, but as it turns out I'm not sure the faces line up quite well enough.

As for the origin of Silhouettes, wikipedia says the following:

The term silhouette derives from the name of Etienne de Silhouette, a French finance minister who, in 1759, was forced by France's credit crisis during the Seven Years War to impose severe economic demands upon the French people, particularly the wealthy.Because de Silhouette was said to enjoy making cut paper portraits, his name became eponymous with these portraits and with anything done or made cheaply. Prior to the advent of photography, silhouette profiles cut from black card were the cheapest way of recording a person's appearance.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silhouette

Facebook like button added!!!

I just added the facebook 'like' button to the blog.... :D

Enjoy liking my stuff... :)

I will be posting a number of new posts shortly, I just have too many ideas to concentrate on one...

La fête nationale: gloire française ou massacre?

Today in France is the day when we celebrate the storming of the Bastille. We are told that this is the beginning of liberty in France and of enlightened thinking throughout the world that has brought all manner of social progress.

However, what is overlooked, is the fact that the French revolution--far from being a noble pursuit of liberty, was actually a massacre of blood and gore. And what for? The revolution was nothing less than a complete social upheaval, throwing all sense, honor, and justice into the blender of murder and mayhem.

The dawn of a new modern world dominated by the secular and the profane began in France with the murder of innocents by the raging mob. Christian Europe was brought to its knees when dealt the fatal blow before the altar of reason. Human reason which was to determine both the natural and the supernatural... and eventually rationalize all and preserve only a society bent on its own destruction. The arrogance of this new religion reaches the high heavens, undoubtedly.

It is for all this and more that we should think twice about how and why we are celebrating our national holiday. We must ask ourselves whether or not Republican France is a just or honorable cause and not just whether or not there were excesses under the Ancien Regime.

Yes, the monarchy was flawed. The kings forgot they were humans like the rest of us... but... it will never justify the tragedy that followed it and launched France into civil war and instability for the next century.

A hybrid of monarchy in its truest form with a proper amount of accountability would have clearly been a much better and life preserving alternative. And it could have been accomplished much more peacefully, had not the impassioned mob of absolute democracy forced its unreasonable self upon all that was dear in its direct march to anarchy and tyranny.

Credit: Arms of France and Navarre from Wikipedia by 'sodacan' (used via Creative Commons License)

Classing it up in class...

I took a couple of classes during the spring (while working full-time), and recently got a letter telling me I had made the dean's list... :)

Here's an example of what I might have worn to class on days when class was in the evenings after work (I was more casual for Saturday classes, ie. polo shirt, instead of dress shirt):

There is no possible excuse for anyone who has any self-respect to show up wearing pajamas or lousy t-shirts + ripped jeans... or sweatpants for that matter. People of good taste, let's unite and show how to do it right! :)

P.S.: It needn't be pricey... just in good taste--not hard if you try. Many people spend more than I do for things that look terrible. Using good taste is the best value... I don't need to buy two wardrobes for work and being comfortable, they run together for me... why should I need to be uncomfortable at work or look terrible when I'm enjoying myself?

P.P.S.: I'm allowed to be opinionated on my own blog. I'm not suggesting people do not have a right to dress as they see fit. I however challenge the idea that dressing without concern should be acceptable to society.

The Hope Diamond: It's sparkly...

I went to Washington DC today on a whim, because my work was closed due to AC failure today... and I thought I'd go and see the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, because I'd never really been farther than the lobby. After looking around a bit, I realized the Hope Diamond was here... so I went over and took a few pictures and a video... which has the relevant comment, "it's sparkly" by some random girl standing next to me... :D

So busy!

I have been running around lately and so distracted that I have forgotten to write here! Here are a few happy pictures from what I've been up to:

Making panoramas of things like pretty sunsets...

...and the new transportation center that's near my work...

Sewing a little, I decreased the size of a tablecloth here... this is hopefully the forerunner of a number of other upcoming projects, if I ever get around to them!

Spending time in DC with Victoria...

Swing Dancing at Glen Echo Park... :D :D :D

Making crepes!

Dancing at the Old Virginia Ball put on by the Virginian branch of We Make History...

Making all sorts of funny faces with someone I love to spend time with... (can you guess who?)

(that would be more funny faces)

And much, much, more!

Hopefully soon I'll have time to write up some more reviews about elegant happy things like Northanger Abbey, style, or other generally interesting/exciting material... but I thought I'd at least let everyone know that I haven't completely dropped off the face of the earth, lol!

Congratulations Cameron and Clegg! :D