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 Posted: Sat Jul 16, 2011 6:42 pm
"I don't know about that. The weapons we currently have, and the diseases and how fast they spread." He wasn't honestly sure which time he could consider scarier. But this time he knew was scary, unseen enemies and people who could control your own life; all they needed to do was press a button to end it. Looking over the new books, not finding his interest in them sparked, he wasn't into medical things. He'd leave such things to the professionals.
"We still don't know about every disease, some we still can't find in the wild. We simply know people get it." He spoke, shrugging his shoulders as he followed behind her casually. "And depending on how far back we go, there were some places where cleaning ones body was a daily ritual. Though I will say the majority of people back then were dirty." And he would agree on most of her points. "I just don't like the idea of submitting to one solitary answer, weather it be many deities or a single god. It seems wrong to lock ones self in to a confined box and not be able to branch out and consider other things." Which many people seemed to do. Blame it all on the deities, and not think or try and find out the real answer.
"Maybe not anytime soon, thankfully. But I'm sure eventually we'll be further limited and less to imagine and come up with all manner of ideas and theories for. Though there are always the arts." But still...
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Posted: Sun Jul 17, 2011 7:43 am
Christa chuckled. Now this was the kind of conversation she could really only dream of. How many people her age would debate such philosophical topics as this. She picked up a book, examined it, put it back and repeated the process a few more times. "Maybe it's not too much different from back then. They had weapons and were continuing to develop more. They even tossed plagued bodies into a cities as a means to an end. While I haven't heard of a recent example of this happening in our time, I have no doubt we do something analogous anyway. But I agree with you - there is no one solitary answer." The teen put one book back and debated whether or not she should splurge on a new notebook as well. Ah, when times were easy...
"Science can't solve everything, just like religion or philosophy or anything else. I think it's a combination of things that give us the answers we're looking for, but it requires imagination of some form to get there. When different disciplines intersect - that's when we get the answer we're looking for. And some things still evade us. I'm alright with that, just like I think you are." Alexandre had a very concise opinion on the matter, which she appreciated and then some. Most people would look at her and their eyes would glaze over if she started into a conversation like this. She thanked her lucky stars that she could find someone else who would share in her love of simply thinking.
Turning onto yet another aisle, Christa found the comic books, graphic novels and manga her brother was interested in. She pulled out a list from her pocket and began to compare titles. "The arts are always an excellent outlet for imagination if the mundane and the discovered simply won't do..." she said, brows furrowing as she picked up what looked like a Superman comic. Why would Zach be interested in this?
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Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2011 9:44 pm
"It's one of a few things you can count one." He began, with a shrug of his shoulders. "Human nature, and our need to continue to find new ways to kill and maim each other. If only people would realize that we won't destroy the Earth...but ourselves, and think of a way to handle over populating, hunger, and how to not self destruct. Something back in those days people didn't need to worry over, one thing those times had over ours." Then they'd really be doing some good, if they focused on those problems. Weapons only went so far. He didn't support war, unless there was a need for it. Terrorists were one such need, seeing as the very definition of a terrorist was to cause terror such that no one felt safe anywhere.
"Poison is another good method people used than, as do they still use now. A preferred method of females, but a good method all the same. But no, I haven't heard of plague ridden bodies being used, though you could compare it to people, sick with deadly diseases, traveling from one place to another and spreading it." Speaking with something of a confident note to his voice. It was the best comparison, and it was a good one. Even if the person spreading it didn't realize it, it was one person biological warfare.
"Perhaps...Yes, I like things which evade me. As I said, I see it as a need in order to live our lives fully. The mystery and wonder is what makes people still think of the fae, of elves, the wonder of such books and the worlds in which they take place. The sort of wonder we gain when looking to the heavens and thinking of things beyond our currant comprehension. It's why I believe we need as many such things in our lives as possible. I don't think anything should be solves unless needed." And there were many things which he could live without having solved.
"Indeed, music I find very good, and painting. Painting of unnamed meadows, fields, glens and glades, rainforests. And other unnamed places where you could just envision all manner of other, beyond, things. Staring at the comic books, surprised to see so many, he couldn't help but stare for a moment. They weren't anything he'd normally read, but the picture on the spin of one grabbed his attention. Reaching out he pulled the thick book, staring at a cover which displayed tow males. One held the other, a blond and one with ebony hair.
"Interesting." He wasn't sure how to feel about such things. While on one hand he was interested on the other he somehow was shocked that such a thing would be put out for others to read. But he knew he was sort of closeted about certain things. Relationships, if one or more ever happened, wouldn't be something put on display for any and everyone to see. Alexandre was a private person like that.
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Posted: Thu Jul 21, 2011 7:13 pm
Christa went about wandering through the aisles while Alexandre explained his side of things. She agreed, for the most part, the humans in and of themselves haven't changed a great deal over time. They still maimed, kidnapped and killed other people for various reasons. Money, power, the sheer thrill of it, mental illness. religion. You name it and death has been caused in its name. Maybe humanity hadn't really come that far. "I certainly agree with you there. Humans seem to have an insatiable need to harm one another for whatever reason. I don't know why. It never made any sense to me, but no one important asked me my opinion." Lawmakers and congressmen wouldn't want to have anything to do with a senior at Meadowview, that was for certain. Sometimes Christa hated to be part of a species that did little to progress in the last few hundred years.
"But there are several frontiers we haven't discovered yet, if uncovered places tickle your fancy. There's the ocean floor we haven't even begun to explore, and space. Deep, deep space beyond the moon. And secret gullies and cave systems no human has ever touched. It's a wonder, really, and a testament to Earth. We haven't even touched on all her secrets." She pulled up a book on geology to showcase her point. It showed a cliffside and what was probably a network of caves beneath the rock, burrowing to undiscovered depths within the earth. Who knew what lived down there?
When Alex mentioned the arts, Christa had to nod in agreement. "Do you paint or draw? I myself am an avid lover of fibers. I like to sew and dye things as a hobby. What else do you do, aside from gardening?" With a chuckle, she added, "Maybe you go mapping the uncharted areas of the world? An intrepid explorer?"
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Posted: Thu Jul 21, 2011 8:11 pm
"Part of the animal in us, perhaps. But I doubt we will ever move past it, it's something we have to accept and deal with; without doing like so many others have." She said, giving a shrug of his shoulders. What else could people, as a whole, do?
"Indeed, but space is one we need to explore. With our population still rising, we can't all live here." They would need to move elsewhere, like in some books, animes, and other works of fiction. It was an idea, like colonies, as opposed to living on another planet. That wasn't something he'd want to do, especially if it were a planet already inhabited.
"I'm a painter." He said, while hearing what she did. It was nothing he'd manage himself, for several reasons. Besides the work involved there was getting dye on himself and his clothing. It wasn't something he could or would ever do. "I watch the history channel, and other such channels, when I have free time." Or he'd play the tv as background noise while working on homework and other things. Wealth tv was one of his favorite channels, and they did various places all around the world.
Moving to the next isle, to see what else was here. He was looking for books that matched his own interests, while she was getting ones which interested her.
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Posted: Thu Jul 21, 2011 9:01 pm
Living out in space was something that could very well be done, if Christa had anything to say about it. While her past was still very murky, she knew she had lived out amongst the stars once, or even several times before. What she had seen and experienced on her own moon allowed her to know such things were possible, magical or otherwise. Perhaps man and senshi could align themselves once the war was over and take to the stars to solve some of their problems? The teen knew it was wishful thinking, and that the war with the Negaverse was far from over. "Space is a very interesting frontier. You have stars, moons, comets, asteroids, nebulas... and everything in between. Sometimes I think it's even more beautiful than earth, and I have a particular love of our planet. But still, humans don't seem to be slowing down anytime soon. Sometimes I wonder if we're due for another plague like in the Middle Ages? Cull the population a bit."
It was a crude conversation, but purely intellectual if anyone around them was paying attention. Neither one had a particularly vested interest in the lowest portions of humankind, but both were researchers of some caliber. They were simply discussing things like medicine, social evolution, history, science and the arts. What could be so wrong about that?
"Ah, what do you paint, if anything in particular?" Chirsta was never one to paint, really. She didn't necessarily have the skill or the patience for the practice, and instead found that she liked to paint on fabric, so to speak, instead. She smiled when he explained what else he did in his spare time. They seemed quite a bit alike - like they were cut from the same cloth in a way. They were both quiet, private people with an interest and love for knowledge in all shapes and sizes. Both had an eye for the arts and a passion for expanding and bettering themselves.
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Posted: Fri Jul 22, 2011 7:19 pm
Black holes, quasars, pulsars..." He added in, the words droned out. He'd seen a few shows on the history channel, while going to sleep or doing homework, on such things. They were interesting, though some of what they speculated, and such, was beyond him. It just made space seem far more interesting to him. he could imagine the view, from living somewhere in space, would be drastically different than it was from here on Earth. The idea interested him greatly. If only to see it once, and return to living on Earth. He didn't say this though.
"Mother nature's way of handling us and a reminder were still at her mercy and she will put us in line when were too out of hand." He added, with something of a smirk crossed with a smile. He found it interesting that they, humans, thought they were so high up and yet mother nature reminded them of their animal status, that they were things she controlled just as she did lions, tigers, birds, serpents and other animals. They were no different in some ways.
"Let us just hope the next plague isn't something air born. It could do far more damage with planes and other forms of travel now." Not to say it would keep it from spreading, no chance of that, but it would help a little bit. It was something to worry over really, but it was also why he didn't let his mind wander to that. Those shows, when they came onto the tv, were changed as fast as they came on and he realized it. Those ideas, the images and such, plagued him for days. They didn't give him nightmares, thankfully, but his mind didn't stop wandering to such ideas and seeing just how easy it would be. He'd wonder if he would survive such a thing, how he could, what about his parents and friends? How would it be to loose such people, he'd try to evaluate his feelings on people and figure out how bad, or well, he'd handle their loss. he didn't like such self evaluations, it was too emotional and he'd wind up teary eyed thinking of his parents, Lily and her family.
Glad for the change in topic, even if it was oddly sudden, he was glad for it. "I like landscapes. I dislike painting people, it leaves little freedom. Flowers and nature however. I can decide what colors and plants I wish to paint. With people...you need skin tones and to make them look proper." And that was hard, the skin wrinkles, crinkles, the clothing, the crows feet and other marks on peoples faces. Not to mention it was better to have a person to look at, and then you had to make them look just right." It wasn't to his liking, never would be. Though there was one canvas he was working on, slowly, with people in it. He'd found a motivation to do it, and it was his way of showing something so impossible and yet something he'd seen. A way of coping perhaps.
"Do you make things from the fibers you color?" Did she make like sweaters, scarves, or other things?
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Posted: Fri Jul 22, 2011 7:42 pm
Christa was sure he didn't mind the subject change, but to her credit, he did pique her interest when he mentioned he was a painter. Picking up one of the last books on the aisle, she looked it over and shrugged. Something about first aid and never going anywhere without it. Some advice that was. "Landscapes, I think, are much nicer to look at than a portrait of a person. You can imagine yourself out in a landscape - what it smells like, what it feels like, what the birds around it must sound like. But with a person, you can't do the same. All you would end up doing is imagining yourself sitting next to someone, and who wants to do that?" She chuckled softly again and placed the book back on the shelf. Looks like they were out of aisles now.
"I suppose you could say I make tapestries. That would be the easiest way to explain it." The teen tilted her head, musing about how she would describe what she made in a way that made sense to someone not in the realm of fibers. She lifted her hands in order to demonstrate what she was thinking. "It's like... like a painting, but with thread and dye instead of canvas and paint. I dye the background colors and sew on additions to the fiber to make it an artwork, if that makes sense? Lately I've been making many space-theme pieces, though I don't know why."
That was an outright lie, but how could she say she was born in space in a past life, an interstellar warrior with powers that drove people insane? It would be ridiculous at best, and dangerous at the worst. No, she would keep that information to herself for both their sake. "Alex, if you don't mind me being so forward, do you have a cell number? I'd like to continue our discussions in the future, if at all possible." She wasn't hitting on him, that was for certain. The sheer idea of someone being attracted to her made Christa laugh.
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Posted: Fri Jul 22, 2011 8:30 pm
"I wouldn't imagine sitting next to the person. Portraits, while they serve a purpose, are quite boring. The things you've stated about landscapes are a large portion of why I paint them. The other part is that universally they can be appreciated, something taken from them. I want for them to be viewed, if and when they are, to be able to mean something to someone of any age." It was why he disliked modern abstract art. Children only saw shapes and color and got nothing else from it. It was pointless.
He was still on an isle looking over the books. Nothing too interesting, but that was ok. He could walk right back to the one with the plant books and grab several books. Which was just what he was walking off to do. He had it in his mind that he wanted to purchase several books today.
"Like what they'd hang on the walls of palaces?" He asked, tilting his head to look over the spins of the books he was looking at, having gotten to the plant books. Grabbing one it went into his basket.
"Of course I do." He stated, as if it were absolutely ridiculous to think other wise. "Come get it." He said, pulling his phone from a back pocket. She could find his number, while he looked over the books some more.
"We could meet for coffee, talk about the latest books we've read. Something of a two person book club, or politics, or anything which happens to fall into the realm of interesting and discussion worthy." He stated. The phone he held was black and silver, with a pattern on it's back and a logo in silver metal on it's front.
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Posted: Sat Jul 23, 2011 6:18 pm
So they had the same opinion of art as well? Good. Christa was respecting this boy more as time went on. Point in his favor. She walked up beside him and went to check over what books she'd placed in her own basket, counting up the prices and adding them in her head. About right, she thought. The money she had in her wallet should be enough. Alexandre was good at distracting the teen from mundane things like paying for books with deep discussions on art and literature. "If and when you have a gallery opening," she said, skimming over the books in the aisle one last time, "let me know. I'd like to come see it."
When he asked a question about wall hangings in palaces, Christa had to chuckle. "Same idea, though not nearly as fancy. Those tapestries typically have intricate embroidery and beadwork and are made on fine silks or satins. I typically work on cotton because it's much less expensive and a bit easier to dye. My beadwork is lacking, but I do like to embroider. So I suppose, in short, yes, like what they'd hang on the walls of palaces, if I were so lucky." Another chuckle and after he near beckoned her to come and get his phone number, she produced a rather plain looking cell from her pocket.
She wasn't into fancy electronics, but if she had all the money in the world, she'd by an extremely fancy library. One of those libraries that had one or two wheeled ladders. Now that was fancy. Picking through Alex's phone, Christa added him to her contact list, and then added herself to his. Handing the phone back, she said, "There you are, sir. I'd love to have a book club. It's not often you find someone interested enough in literature to form one. I know Mr. Darrow in the library might be interested as well, though I can't attest to him being an intellectual or not." In truth, they didn't speak much when she worked in the library - Christa was far too focused. After making sure she had everything, she made her way to the registers, walking slow enough to allow Alex to meander around if he wanted.
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Posted: Sat Jul 23, 2011 6:36 pm
"I do not plan on that ever happening. I like to attend openings and showings, of what I find attractive. However, I have no intentions of showing anything I do in such fashion." He spoke honestly. His words coming off a bit haughty but that was normal for the teen, she'd get used to it if they spent any further amount of time together. "I paint for my own pleasure and the few whom I consider close." And to his mothers friends who whenever over had to peek into his painting room. Those women was well and truly annoying at times, gushing over his work or him. One seemed intent upon him dating her daughter. That wasn't about to happen, and for multiple reasons. He simply wouldn't tell her that, it might risk his mother loosing the woman's husband who was a client of his mothers.
"Not to mention those were masters who were hand picked and spent how many years in their fields." He said, shrugging as he slowly made for the counter, having filled his basket with at least a dozen books. All on plants and herb lore. His parents would not be the least bit surprised to see this on their bank statement, they knew how many books on the subject he had. So when new ones were bought it was almost expected.
Trailing behind her, his phone slipped back into the back pocket of his jeans. "Perhaps you should find out, and we can make something of a small social gathering of this." He spoke, thinking of a coffee house meeting of a social but also intellectual manner he found himself liking the idea.
"I believe it is an idea worthy of pursuit, even if only by the two of us." He finished, placing his books on the desk to be rung up.
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Posted: Sat Jul 23, 2011 7:30 pm
"Ah, so you paint for yourself and your close friends. Nothing wrong with that." She picked up her receipt, looked it over and then went to stand by Alexandre while he was rung up by the cashier. "I sometimes sell what I make to fund further projects. My family and I are not wealthy in the slightest, but there's nothing wrong in selling a little hard work, I think." Her opinion on whether or not an 'amateur' could have their own show was moot anyway.
Smiling, she waited for him before walking to the door. "How's about I find out if anyone else is interested in a discussion group of sorts? While I don't know anyone in particular at the moment who would be interested, it doesn't mean I can't find out later." Mr. Darrow may be interested, if only to host a small gathering in the library if it came to that. If it was only her and Alex, then that was fine too. Coffeeshops would become their meeting place instead.
Looking up at the clock, Christa realized she'd spent much more time in the bookstore than she anticipated and inwardly smacked herself. "I'm sorry to cut this short, Alexandre, but I must be going. My father expected me home hours ago and the last thing I want is house arrest." She bowed her head to him and waved before walking out the door. Her leg wouldn't allow her to drop into a jog, but thankfully, her house was still within pleasurable walking distance.
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