Blip #8: Sabre

This morning, on the way home from N2N, I saw a man carrying a sword on the tram. He wasn't wearing a ninja costume or anything; he looked normal except for the fact that he was casually carrying a three foot sabre in his lap. No one else looked very alarmed. I was too hungover to switch trams.

Blip #7: Purple Sweatpants

I was on the tram home from Tesco yesterday (looking for neon stuff to wear to the 80's party. Then I remembered that 1, the 80's were a smear in the face of modern fashion, and 2, I look sickly in neon) and this teenager in purple sweatpants was sitting in front of me. In addition to the purple sweatpants (?!), he had on rollerblades.

He got up for his stop before the tram fully stopped, and I guess he forgot that he had on rollerblades on, because he wasn't holding onto a pole. The motion of the tram propelled him backwards, and he nothing to hold onto. And with an amazingly smooth, single zip, he rolled to the back of the tram while flailing his arms, falling against the rear window.

People helped pick him up and dust him off. He was fine. People on the tram thought this was pretty funny, and were chuckling to themselves. I almost cried trying not to laugh aloud.

Other Stuff I Find Funny:

1. Matching father-son mullets

2. The word "Ausfahrt"

Blip #6: The Infant Jesus of Prague

A teensy little wax doll that was given to Bohemia as a gift in the 1600's. This doll is said to have curative powers. Famous and normal people alike make pilgrimages to visit this doll from around the world. Beside the altar was a picture of the Pope kneeling in front of it.


There are several ceremonies each year to change the doll's clothes. You can view his outfits in the free museum in the church. Also, you can light up the alter by paying 10 crowns in this little machine beside the pews.

I think this is 1, just a little bit crazy, and 2, SO. AWESOME.

Blip #5: New Friends

I was in Barcelona by myself for a night. I arrived late, at about 10:30, and after perfectly following the route I highlighted on my map, I still couldn't find my hostel. Turns out it was in this sketchy little alley off the main street. Which was annoying, because their website said that they were "safe and centrally located," when it really should have said "safe and centrally located except for that last part where you have to jump over a dumpster and grope around in an unlit alleyway."

Blip #4: The Secret

My marketing professor, who I swear is a member of the Russian mafia, does not like teaching. He prefers talking about corruption in the Czech government, and alcohol. He also wears the same brown vest to class every week, which I find irritating.

Anyway.

He showed us "The Secret" in class the other day, saying it would change our lives (it didn't).

Basically, the trick to becoming successful in life is positive thoughts. Because positive thoughts attract good things. So, apparently, the billions of people living in poverty are poor because they do not think positively.

Blip #3: The History of Love

Found this book on the deck one morning during spring break. I didn't pay attention to it at first because I assumed it was one of those shitty Harlequin romance novels that middle aged women read to fill the void in their loveless marriages. But then I thought it might be kind of fun to see how quickly I could read it.

It was a great, great book. Funnily, it was partly set in Poland, which I just visited. It's about this old man who wrote a book for his childhood sweetheart. But when he flees Poland to escape the Nazis, the book is lost. Someone finds it and publishes it, but the man goes through his life not knowing that his book is changing lives.

It's written by Nicole Krauss, who is only 35. 
I left it at my hostel in Barcelona, which I regret.
For the record, I finished it in 3 hours.

http://nymag.com/nymetro/arts/books/reviews/11916/

Blip #2: Cortado

An espresso with milk. Had one my first morning in Barcelona. That, and a croissant was only 1€ at this cafe I found on my way to the airport to pick up my mom. The old man working there was really nice. He thought it was funny that I was Chinese but from Canada. 

Holy Crap it is April 25th Already (& the introduction of Blips)

Only a month left. Can't believe it. Then I must go home and be an adult again.

Just got home from spring break with my mom, and realized there are a million little funny things that happened that I won't remember because I never wrote them down. Soon the semester will just become one big mush of a happy memory, with no specifics to speak of.


BLIP NUMBER ONE:

"Opportunity" Girolamo da Carpi

After visiting what seems like a million art galleries across Europe (with more to come), this was my favorite painting.  It's the Greek god of opportunity, Kairos. He represents the "brief moment in which things are possible."

He's running on a ball, representing the way you have to keep on your toes for opportunities. In his right hand is a dagger, representing the way one must be sharp to catch him. He only has one long lock of hair, which means he is "easy to catch as he approaches, yet, when he has passed by, the moment of action has likewise expired, and that, if opportunity (kairos) is neglected, it cannot be recovered."

The sad lady on the side represents missed opportunities.
Missed opportunities are my least favorite thing in the world.