Things You Can't Take Back

Today theGuardian published this article about the illicit antiquities trade, particularly the trade coming out of Egypt. Larry Rothfield has already shared his opinion on this article and, as with most things Larry Rothfield says, I agree with him entirely. I would like to add that we shouldn’t just be focusing on Middle Eastern antiquities, but on artifacts from basically EVERYWHERE. Looting in the Middle East is definitely a problem, but it is also a problem in South America and Asia as well. It’s a worldwide issue and it should be discussed that way. Additionally, though I am glad the Guardian is giving these issues some much-needed media attention, the same part of me that still can’t get over the Harry Potter movies not being exactly like the books also cannot get over the Indiana Jones reference in the first fricking sentence of this article.

A few weeks ago, I went on a date with a dude who told me, with a candor that was both disgusted and ill-restrained, that hanging out in cemeteries for fun and reflection is really weird. I don’t appreciate being told outright that I’m strange, especially by a potential gentleman caller. There are a lot more things I am other than strange. Strikingly beautiful, for one. Astoundingly intelligent, for another. But despite how secure a person I am, it was startling to be thrust into a moment that was reminiscent of high school, where being slightly different is different enough for comment. In the end, the experience was a good thing: first and most importantly, I realized I can never consider dating anyone who doesn’t think ice cubes made from coffee is the best idea ever. Second, I began in earnest to consider the things in my life that have contributed to my enjoying cemeteries, crying during Disney movies, and once being told by Dan Hofstadter that I take art too seriously. Ultimately, these are the kinds of experiences I think more people should have. I can’t see any downsides to being this emotional and passionate about history, art, and people, and I don’t regret any of the things in my life that have made me this way. So I’m going to capitalize on my oddities and experience by serially writing about particularly incidents, media, and people that made me this way.