Colors

Color is wonderful. This almost sounds wrong, but I am so glad that I am not color blind. I just flipped through a bedding catalogue just to absorb the beautiful colors. I have a jar of colored water in my room that exists only to be that color. It is a lovely deep, light, liquid aqua. I have caught myself staring at it for whole minutes at a time. The best part of going to the baseball field in the evening is watching the range of color in the sky. Even if there is no big sunset, the blues of the sky are magnificent. It last for maybe 45 minutes after the sun has set sometimes. I saw a beautiful scene the last time we were at the field. Most people had left, and it was mostly quiet. There was some talking and laughing at a distance in front of us, but it was somewhat detachted from the moment. The air was warm and dry, and the breeze blew gently. I looked up at the blue-black of the sky, and the pear blossoms were an almost blinding contrast to the sky. The lights from the field reflected off of the white petals, and framed against the dark sky, the trees were beautiful. It was an amazing moment.
I have been looking at house plans, and found this 'castle' plan.

I want a portcullis. Maybe I will upload some of my own plans later. I love underground and tree houses. I also have a plan for a Tower. The first floor is a library. I love it. It involves a ladder, fireman pole, and slide. I also have maze houses, houses with secret passages, and massive luxury mansions. I have yet to create a reasonable house plan, and have been heard to complain that my architect software does not have round doors. Sound familiar? They are common in the Shire... Anyway, today seems to have been all about completely pointless stuffe. Played with my young cousin. Talked to a friend I haven't seen in awhile. Worried about theatre camp I am running. Today is a washed-out red.

Chauvert cookie cutters

I've been reading and listening to the Scarlet Pimpernel, Jekyll and Hyde, and Les Miserables. They are three of my favorite books and musicals. It is remarkable how similar the antagonists are, particularly Javert and Chauvelin. Wow. I just realized that they are both French. Javert and Chauvelin both have ideals and their enemies (Valjean and Percy respectively) destroy or corrupt those ideals. They both become more and more obsessed with those enemies as the enemies continue to evade them. They both adore the government. Javert idealizes and represents the Law, while Chauvelin is the hand of the Revolution. They both consider themselves to be correct. Both mercilessly send criminals to death and lifelong imprisonment. Chauvelin seems understand a bit better that he is not pure. He understands that sometimes he sacrifices morals for what he considers the greater good. Javert, on the other hand, does not seem to accept impurity in himself. However, in the end, he also sacrifices his morals for his country by becoming a spy. He acknowledges that, as a spy, he deserves death. When Percy spares Chauvelin, he is confused, but retains his hatred.
' "Then," Chauvelin murmured aghast, "you grant me my life, you---"

"I am sending you back safely as far as Nimes. What happens to you after that I neither know nor care. You have tried to do me such an infinity of wrong at different times, you still hate me so cordially, you---"

He paused for a moment with firm lips tightly pressed together and slender hand clutched upon his knee.

"You are right there, Sir Percy," Chauvelin murmured between his teeth. "God knows how I still hate you, even after this. You have the power to hit back. Why the devil don't you do it (Sir Percy Hits Back, Chap 39)?"'

Javert also retains his hatred but, unlike Chauvelin's determination, commits suicide. I have always thought of suicide as cowardly, and Javert's death is no different. However, in Javert's character, it is forgivable. His understanding of life and his place in the world must alter if he remains alive. He chooses death over giving up his ideals.

Hyde is different in that he is entirely selfish, having few ideals. He also commits suicide, but his death is entirely out of cowardice and fear of the gallows. He is not a lovable character, but we can pity him and his desperate clinging to his own existence. Today is pale, pale blue like a powder for an aristocrat's wig.