The God of Art Posted: Jun 29, 2010 Strolling through the Kimbell Art Museum, I could not believe Renoir's On the Terrace—my favorite painting ever—was only two feet in front of me. I wanted to touch it, but the awareness of security guards and that sneaky alarm convinced me otherwise. Sigh—it was so beautiful and skillful and . . . . The presence of such great works of art, displaying artistic mastery I cannot comprehend, completely overwhelmed me. On loan from the Art Institute of Chicago, the Kimbell presented more than 90 masterpieces from the impressionist era. Displayed were the works of master painters Degas, Monet, Renoir, Cezanne, Van Gogh, and Toulouse-Lautrec—just to name a few! The gallery not only grouped the paintings by artist, but also in a chronological manner; thus exposing the evolution of impressionism throughout the mid-nineteenth to early-twentieth centuries. To think a handful of painters, whose artistic eye challenged traditions and abounded with creativity, reinvented the art of painting and influenced culture decades later—absolutely incredible.

Casual-ty Sex Posted: Feb 08, 2010 Sex—it's what your twenties were made for. Your hormones would have you believe that. And "perhaps," our culture might purport something similar. You know, delay that adolescence, live for pleasure, be sexy, experiment with life, have as much sex as you can—maybe you've heard stuff like that . . . here and there. Seriously, what's the harm? Why is fooling around such a bad idea? God made us sexual creatures, right? Those are honest questions. But what about the proverbial "other hand?" Why is the make-out master (guy or girl) never satisfied? Why is it the one-night stand never works? If sexual freedom and sexual expression are so great, then why do feelings of emptiness, shame, and sadness often follow these sexual adventures? Could it be we, both male and female, are as deeply wired for intimacy and connection as we are wired for sexual activity? The answer is—yes.