I watched it last night, to see what it was people enjoyed so much. After seeing the movie, I am even more mystified.

What is making me smile today? :)

From Sarah Maingot Photography

The Manolo asks that age-old cheeky question: buttons or laces?

Lots of time hanging out with friends this week.

Fashion inspiration from Nadinoo.

RCIA last night, where I got to see my lovely, lovely friend MA before she leaves on her pilgrimage to the Holy Land. It just about made my week.

Fabulous interiors by Tim Clinch Photography.

Discovering you can get a plenary indulgence every first Thursday if you offer Mass in honor of Christ High Priest, and pray for priests (under the usual conditions of course).

Michael Jackson’s The Way You Make Me Feel.

The promise of crisp weather this weekend.

Had a great shopping trip with my cousin’s fiancee on Tuesday, followed by dinner at Teaism. The portabello mushroom and goat cheese sandwich was to die for.

Plans to try my hand at baking Welsh cakes and (with great trepidation!) macarons this weekend.

What is making you smile today?

this necklace from Vivi Reborn…

Now, my review of the film finished, I must say something in response to comments that have been made by others who have heard I went to the movie. Most comments have been appalling in their disrespect of what was a human life. MJ was a sinner as we all are, but we have no right to make ourselves his final judges. He was a man who was uniquely gifted by God, and deserves the same respect and love – yes, Love in the Gospel sense – as any other person.

And I say this not simple because I am a Michael Jackson fan. This is a problem more basic than whether someone criticizes MJ, or President Obama, or whomever. This is a problem of what it means to be a human being, and what it means to respect human life in all its forms.

Years ago, while I was still in school, I was reading a book by Monsignor Sokolowski for a class I audited. At one point he discusses how different people are unique perspectives on the world and on existence, and that the loss of that unique perspective is one of the things that makes death so sad, even if one does not know the person who died. Over time I have done a lot of musing on this gem from Fr. Sokolowski. That one passage has greatly influenced my thought in all areas of life.

Basically, this is the way I look at it. Every human being is a unique lens through which God can shine in all His different perfections, showing us all the different facets of Who He Is. That means every single human being, whether we are sinners or saints. God worked through Creation and time from the very beginning of the world to create each and every person with their own genetic code formed by their parents (grandparents, great-grandparents, etc. all the way back!), their own personality formed by their own unique experiences in life, their own talents and gifts.

As I mentioned, that lens may be clouded by sin or even cracked by mortal sin, but God’s light will still make it through if only vaguely. (And the beauty of Christianity is that the lens can be cleaned, and the crack repaired so there is no trace of damage, through Confession.) It would be much more constructive, then, to get down on our knees for those clouded and cracked lenses than it is to criticize.

Even if for this reason alone, that each person is a unique lens through which God can shine, every human being deserves our respect, our prayers, and our Love.

Regardless of what you think of his personal life, one must admit that Michael Jackson was a very talented human being. His abilities to dance, to perform, were remarkable, the new movie “This Is It” highlights these. The film is comprised of nearly two hours of footage from MJ’s final rehearsals, meshed very well with extra footage that he intended to play behind him during the concerts (e.g. a Humphrey Bogart/MJ chase sequence filmed to complement Smooth Criminal) and a few short comments from other people involved in the concert tour.

Most interesting are the times in the film when MJ is not singing: instead, he is directing backup dancers, humming songs to the musicians, talking to fellow performers. It is the unguarded moments that make the whole movie so special, and really add depth to MJ’s character that I for one have never seen. If anything, it is an important movie to see because it puts his odd past behavior into the proper perspective. There is a reason Michael Jackson named his ranch Neverland; he was a true Peter Pan. He never wanted to grow up, and from the more intimate footage it is apparent he never did.

Of course, if you like his music the film is a treasure. His dancing wasn’t quite what it was when he was young, but he shines in old favorites like The Way You Make Me Feel and Billie Jean. The production, even in final rehearsals, was dazzling. The backup dancers are the best of the best, the music is awesome, and MJ’s voice is clean and crisp. I assure you, you will be tapping your feet, dancing in your seat, and perhaps (as many in my theater were) even clapping and attempting to moonwalk in the aisle.

Today I am enjoying my latest Etsy purchase, this eco-chic necklace made from recycled pieces by tomate d’epingles. Check out some other awesome statement pieces here.

Stay tuned for reviews of “Joyeux Noel” and “This is It” in the coming days…

After a pleasant brunch at home, my sister C. and I ventured out into DC for a day out on the town. Our first stop was the International Spy Museum near Gallery Place/Chinatown. This past summer, some cousins stayed with us and gave us rave reviews of the Spy Museum after spending an afternoon there. It had been on my list of things to do in DC since its opening in 2005, so when we were trying to figure out what to do on our day out, that was my first suggestion. 

International Spy Museum

The International Spy Museum is the first in the United States to be entirely devoted to the history of international espionage, and this is certainly its most unique feature. Different sections of the museum are devoted to different spy organizations, from the Federal Bureau of Investigation to the KGB. Contrary to my fears that most of the “museum” would be about fictional heroes, in reality very few of the exhibits were about James Bond, Spy vs. Spy, or Emma Peel.   

When you first enter the museum, you take an elevator to the second floor, where you are ushered into a large room by black-suited and silent museum staff. In this room, you choose your identity from amongst twenty or so options, and memorize the name and biography of your cover. Throughout the museum experience, you will be confronted by museum staff at random and interrogated to see if you can keep your cool and not blow your cover, so it is important that you remember all the details. 

After an educational video about what it means to be a spy, you continue on into a “training room” which teaches you observation tactics, and from there you enter the museum itself. The walls are lined with glass cases filled with awesome artifacts, from cameras hidden in buttons, to microfilm and (my personal favorite) a lipstick pistol. In my opinion, however, the best part of the museum was the next exhibit, which was all about the history of spies and spy organizations. As you meander through rooms designed to look historic – a 17^th cent. library, a women’s dressing room during the Civil War – you learn about Civil War spies, Benjamin Franklin’s role in espionage, ninjas, the prophet Daniel, and the Code of Hammurabi amongst other things.

Although I certainly enjoyed the majority of the museum, the very end was a letdown. You move through a fantastic exhibit on the Berlin Wall and the Cold War, only to be confronted by a techno-room filled with televisions, computer screens, and LED tickers that appears to have no other role but to give you a headache. I suppose nothing can be entirely perfect. All things considered, the museum was well worth the high admission price. 

C.’s friend T. met us halfway through the museum, and both inspired and accompanied us to our next stop, the National Portrait Gallery. Across the street from the International Spy Museum stands the Portrait Gallery, which houses as part of its permanent collections early American portraiture dating from the 1600s to the 1900s and a gallery of Presidential portraits. Also, for those interested in the Lincoln Bicentennial, the ballroom on the second floor was the location of President Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Ball, and has a special display to remember that momentous occasion. 

But I think all three of us would agree that one item in that Gallery is not to be missed: the visitors’ comments books located in each exhibition hall. We stood there for long periods of time and simply leafed through the books, laughing and offering a running monologue on the different notes left by visitors. Some comments were stiff and formal; others obviously written by more mischievous hands. All were extremely entertaining. 

At this point, T. invited my sister and I to come to his grandparents’ house near Forest Glen for dinner. I had never been to Forest Glen, and did not expect it to be a part of my “100 Days in DC”. Thankfully, I was mistaken. It turns out that the metro station at Forest Glen is second deepest in the world at twenty stories below the surface. It is reachable only via six high-speed elevators. I felt a little claustrophobic and honestly could not exit the station fast enough. 

Forest Glen Metro Station

We finished off the night with an absolutely delightful dinner with T.’s family and relaxing post-dinner conversation as we went through a slideshow of photographs from T.’s trip to France earlier this year. (Thank you so much, T.!) It was a lovely day out on the town – neither C. nor I could have asked for more.

Rue Montorgueil, quintessentially Parisian

It was the morning after a wonderful, albeit draining, Defender’s Day weekend. At around 4AM, I dragged myself – still achy from hauling benches and tables from the tavern to the Fort – out of bed, drank my token two cups of coffee, and literally threw the rest of my stuff into my suitcase. Daddy had taken the day off to help us get out the door, and he and the girls dropped Mommy and I off at the airport in D.C. Everyone was a little sad, especially Mommy, but excited at the same time…

To read the rest of the first two entires in my Paris travel journal, follow the links to my travel blog (yes, I feel guilty to this day for not finishing my Australia trip last year) to read Day 1: In the Air and Day 2: Settling into Parisian Life.

Also, for more information on ParisFlatRent, from whom we rented our delightful little apartment, visit their website here. I would wholeheartedly recommend them to ANYONE visiting Paris. :)

What is making me smile today?

Reminds me of Paris...ah...

Liu Bolin’s genius artistry is certainly something to smile (and gasp!) at any day of the week.

A delightful, Spirit-filled couple hours with the RCIA team and our inquirers last night. Father F. gave a talk on the Holy Spirit that I am going to be chewing on for the next lifetime…

Are you in the market for new stationary? I’ve just discovered Night Owl Paper Goods…I heart this one and this one and this one and THIS ONE and this one.

Being asked to give a witness talk on my relationship with Mary, Mother of God next week at RCIA. What a journey that has been; I nearly jumped out of my skin with excitement when R. invited me to witness.

This photo blog is both humorous and has potential to offer fashion inspiration.

My two daring outfit choices this week worked out nicely. Whew!

This spiritual bouquet postcard is such an awesome idea.

The harvest bazaar tomorrow at the retreat center…bake sale + pumpkin patch + possibility of seeing some of my fav priests = heaven.

I really love these plaques from Red Letter Word.

Good times with old friends (I had a wonderful dinner out on Wednesday night) and opportunies to make new ones.