The true work of art is but a shadow of the divine perfection. - Michelangelo

Today was my date day. I took myself to KC for the afternoon to try and forget about the stress of not being able to find a job and to try and get myself centered and relaxed once again. What better place to unwind and enjoy beautiful artwork than the Nelson-Atkins Art Museum? I brought along a camera so you all can share some of my favorite parts of today.

The front of the museum. Ahh the shuttlecocks.

They're huge.

I ran into some old friends at the museum...

A Japanese seated wooden Buddha.

The elephant-headed Hindu god Ganesha.

One of the most important Hindu gods, Shiva.

Probably the coolest part of the afternoon at the museum for me (the huge religion nerd) was seeing all the different cultural interpretations of religious icons. There were an innumerable amount of Buddhas, Jesus and other religious figures (including a room with pieces from a Hindu temple) and I loved every single one of them.

Georgia O'Keeffe "Apple Blossoms". I absolutely love her work.

Severin Roesen's "Two Tiered Still Life with Fruit and Sunset Landscape"
The painting was so life-like I wanted to pluck a grape right off the canvas. (But I didn't because I was afraid of the pale guy with his eyes in his hands waking up and trying to eat me. Man I hope you catch that reference!)

A panel depicting Madonna and child from the Medieval room.
This whole room made me wish that Dr. Esposito had been there to narrate. It's much more interesting to see these things in person than on a slide show.

Knights in shining armor...aka the room that made me face my fear.
Ever since going to the haunted house "The Beast" a few years ago, museums have made me jumpy. I expect everything to start moving and chasing me. I had to take a minute to breathe before I walked into this room. ;-) Yeah yeah...I know.

(Photobucket removed this photo...apparently it doesn't matter how culturally significant the nipples are, they're still nipples)


Atalanta and Meleager
Meleager was a prince of Calydon, and in this sculpture he's embracing a virgin huntress named Atalanta. Her face intrigued me because I couldn't tell if it was simply the stone she was cut out of, or if she's meant to look disinterested.

"Waterlillies" by Claude Monet
My picture just doesn't do this justice. There is an aptly placed bench in front of this painting where I took a moment to just marvel...and laugh. A family was passing through the room and a teenage girl remarked to her mom "You call this crap art but yet you hate the music I listen to?!" Oh goodness.

"Portrait of Emily St. Clare as a Bacchante" by John Hoppner
I love the impish look on her face, the use of light and how her clothing just flows around her. This painting was at the end of a hallway and when she caught my eye, I couldn't help but smile.

Yet again my camera doesn't do this justice. It's a depiction of the rebel angels being kicked out of heaven. What amazed me about this is how small it is but yet how intricate the details of each figure are. In the lower right corner the mouth that is eating the angels represents hell.

A full sized cast of "The Thinker" by Rodin in the sculpture garden.
“What makes my thinker think is that he thinks not only with his brain, with his knitted brow, his distended and compressed lips, but with every muscle of his arms, back and legs, with his clenched fist and gripping toes.” - Rodin

All in all I'd say today was a pretty successful me-date. I enjoyed the quiet of being by myself in the gallery, going where I want to go and taking as long as I wanted. I took myself out for a chai latte on the Plaza afterward because hey...I deserve it. While I will always enjoy the company of others, it's nice to know I can do things by myself.

Snack Time on Mass. Street

Holly: You know those days when you get the mean reds?
Paul: The mean reds, you mean like the blues?
Holly: No. The blues are because you're getting fat and maybe it's been raining too long, you're just sad that's all. The mean reds are horrible. Suddenly you're afraid and you don't know what you're afraid of. Do you ever get that feeling?
Paul: Sure.
Holly: Well, when I get it the only thing that does any good is to jump in a cab and go to Tiffany's. Calms me down right away. The quietness and the proud look of it; nothing very bad could happen to you there. If I could find a real-life place that'd make me feel like Tiffany's, then - then I'd buy some furniture and give the cat a name!


This whole not having a job thing is starting to get to me. Income aside, I want to have a reason to get up in the morning. I want to have an excuse to get out there and interact with people.

I want to have a purpose.

After discovering this morning that I didn't get the job I'd really been hoping for, I gave in and went around town putting in applications. Maybe I'm being a snob, but I don't really want to work at Pier 1 for $6/hr. It's hard having invested so much of myself in my education to be told I'm "not qualified" for a simple receptionist job. It's becoming even harder to not take it personally when I get rejected. The anxiety was starting to get a little overwhelming.

But today was an absolutely gorgeous day and I wasn't about to let it go to waste.

I looked cute (because that's how you should look when you're trying to beg for a job) in my graduation dress and little heels, so I figured I'd go enjoy the weather on Massachusetts street. As I strutted down the sidewalk, a couple of bums stopped me to tell me I looked nice. I smiled and headed on.

I stopped into a corporate coffee-shop (which will remain nameless to protect the innocent) and took in a minute of understanding. The comfy chair, the coffee, the classical music and the raspberry pound cake melting on my tongue made for an amazing sensual experience...a moment of peace. I looked deeply into the whole experience, thinking about all the people who walk through the doors and how our lives were unconsciously intersecting and I was a part of that moment...but yet they'll never remember me. I laughed out loud, which startled the guy enjoying the comfy chair and a paper next to me.

This fits. I understand. I'm grateful for your existence. It's reassuring just knowing that you are you. The steamed soy milk isn't THAT bad.

I left the coffee shop and continued my strut down Mass...smiling at babies (who don't know I hate them) and stopping to compliment a Schnoodle on her fluffy coat. It was a wonderful afternoon. Something tells me I'll be spending more afternoon snack-times on Mass. street.

People tell me I need "alone time"...I never really understood what this meant until today. It felt good to be by myself enjoying the afternoon. It's not selfish like I initially thought, but it reminded me that I am a part of something bigger than myself.

I can't quite wrap my head around it yet, but I do know that I should do it more often.
I'm taking myself on a date tomorrow. I need to forget about the anxiety this job search is causing. I need to remind myself that I am capable and confident and if Pier 1 rejects me it doesn't completely invalidate my life.

I'll let you know how it goes.