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| back/side view of Mark Twain House |
by publishing Grant's autobiography. By the way listening to the hellish battles of the Civil War while trying to go to sleep is not recommended. Now a days U.S. Presidents are not capable of falling upon financial collapse and we have even had our last mayor R. G. leave office only to earn 30 million dollars.
The Morgan Library is amazing and I had loved Jean Strouse's book. I had an original hard copy signed but when I walked out of my home like Julia Robert's in that Sleeping With the Enemy film (except I did not sleep with any of my enemies) I had sold off or given away all my books including Strouse's impressive powerful tome.
To spend all day with people that love ART, Culture and literature was Heavenly except of course I believe my art to be superior to much of what I saw but that is just me. For long term residents -- remember the spray painted note in Soho when Soho actually had artists that said "I am the greatest artist."?
The people I was with were wonderful and intellectual and also peaceful. Even the bus driver of this beautiful luxurious bus that took us on this journey commented on how quiet we were. We watched a PBS production of Mark Twain that I happen to have on my IPhone.
Mark Twain has a literal meaning about the level of water -- but for me mark twain means living on the edge....the edge of that fine line between what can be safety and utter danger.
At the Museum I saw some Hopper water colors that struck me as "almost" warm in comparison to his oil paintings.
Mostly it was wonderful to be with people where there was no hostility, no angst -- just a thirst for knowledge, to experience art, culture and literature....a far cry from what I have been living once I leave me home.
My eyes ache tonight. I feel so exhausted...a new level of exhaustion...and I miss the days when my knees worked and I could run....I would run for a minimum of an hour. Those days are gone. It is exhausting to not work-out.
As always a lot of my plate and plenty I don't tell you although I am an emotional nudist.
Just a wonderful day. So amazing that Grant and Twain had such low, low points in their lives, achieve great success and fame and still managed to lose everything yet continued on.
Mark Twain aka Samuel Langhorne Clemens saved President and General Ulysses .S. Grant late in the 9th inning of his life by publishing his memoirs. Clemens made him a better offer and he also sold books door to door kind of like Amazon does by bringing book selling in to your homes which is why sad to say Barnes and Nobles in NYC continue to close...
Grant's book and the bible were the two best selling books and Grant's book set records kind of like Harry Potter of that era but it was his true life...
FYI: Developers wanted to flatten Twain's house and make it in to a parking lot. There is the original bed he and his wife brought back from Italy with Angels that little girls would take down and play with, even bath and Sam Clemens said okay as long as you return the Angels before we go to bed at night.
He and his wife did not want to return after their adult daughter died in the house. They sold the house.
Grant was suckered out of his money by a Ponzi scheme and Twain just was no businessman who made a fortune, spent money like there was no tomorrow and lost lots of money. He was very generous even sending an African American gentleman to I believe Yale law school, and he graduated top of his class. The lawyer's name escapes me but he fought segretation and one and greatly influenced Thurgood Marshall.
Exhausted....glad to get away but scary that I felt so exhausted all day.... post 9-11 I have throat burn...like a third degree burn...and if I run to get some where I feel that burn all the way in my upper chest. Not fun.
Time to find the reset button.
Happy thoughts....happy thoughts....my mind goes to what makes me happy, very happy.
I look forward to visiting the Morgan very soon....
