I Support Tom Cruise

I'm not in the habit of posting off-topic stuff in my blog (I created the blog mainly to write about some of my many adventures and things artistic), but I support Tom Cruise and I support religious tolerance and freedom of religion (for everybody, no matter their religion), and I wanted to share an Access Hollywood video on the subject. Unfortunately, the embed feature is not working on their site (so I can't have the video for you here), but you can click here and then select the "Defending Tom Cruise" link over on the right.

And this quote from MSNBC.com:

STARS SUPPORT TOM CRUISE

Adam Sandler, Dustin Hoffman and Ben Stiller are just a few of the celebs who spoke out in defense of their friend Tom Cruise in this week’s People magazine.

Outraged over the allegations in Andrew Morton’s unauthorized biography of Cruise, Sandler told the mag, “To see anyone's private life invaded and mocked like this is sickening. It’s especially gross when it happens to a guy like Cruise, who's a great dad, a great husband and a great friend.”

I must say, I am in complete agreement here. Religious persecution is stupid, childish and downright ridiculous. People engaged in it are, in my view, doing nothing more than showing the world how ignorant (or worse) they are.

The United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 18, states:

Article 18.

Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.

I was ridiculed as a child for being Jewish. It was hurtful, and I didn't understand. I am now very happily married to a Muslim from Saudi Arabia.

And yes, we are both Scientologists. I don't think I ever imagined life could be this good. There have been many broken promises and betrayals of help throughout history, but Scientology is not one of them. It is my religion.

Bitten by an Ostrich (and an Armadillo, too)

I just wanted to mention that I've been bitten by an ostrich in my lifetime. And also by an armadillo. I believe this to be a distinction that not many can match.

These incidents both occurred during a trip to the Brookfield petting zoo (Chicago) when I was six years old.

The ostrich was a hungry bugger. I was holding a hefty hunk of bread in my hand, which was hanging by my side as I was checking out some rather unattractive turkeys. The ostrich snuck up behind me and the next thing I knew, my whole hand was in his mouth. He got the bread, and I got a bandaid.

The armadillo incident was negligible and without effect.

I'm actually pretty proud of all of this. I mean, who do you know who can say they've been bitten by an ostrich? Or an armadillo? Or BOTH?

The Letters of Vincent Van Gogh

I recently read a fascinating article in Smithsonian magazine's January, 2008 issue, entitled "Letters from Vincent".

Something which caught my eye was his lament that he had difficulty in creating from imagination, relying more on painting scenes which he saw before him:

Arles, c. April 12, 1888 My dear old Bernard, ....I sometimes regret that I can't decide to work more at home and from the imagination. Certainly—imagination is a capacity that must be developed, and only that enables us to create a more exalting and consoling nature than what just a glance at reality (which we perceive changing, passing quickly like lightning) allows us to perceive.

A starry sky, for example, well—it's a thing that I should like to try to do, just as in the daytime I'll try to paint a green meadow studded with dandelions.

But how to arrive at that unless I decide to work at home and from the imagination? This, then, to criticize myself and to praise you.

He was a great artist, living a tortured life. I wonder where he is now, in his current lifetime, and whether he is still painting.