Civilization and stuff...

Well. Been forever since I got on here, eh? Well, I am surviving, if still occasionally dealing with both Post Traumatic symptoms and the death of my Dad. They say you have good days and bad, and mine are now mostly good, so I can’t complain too much. Distance has not changed my feelings on the misadventure that is Babylon, but as much as I tried to affect the situation there, I would imagine there is even less I can do here.

So, in lighter news, I just made my first visit to Paris. All I can say is wow. The city is beautiful in ways no other place in the world is. Saw all the important things, but most interesting was actually two hours outside of Paris in Rheims. There I saw the Cathedral and the tomb of Joan of Arc.

Let me let you in on a little secret; since I was a little boy and first heard the story, I have been madly in love with Jeanne D’Arc. I suppose I can dismiss hormones, as there are no photographs, and let’s face facts—she must have been a dirty medieval French girl with horrid teeth and hygiene (though, looking like Leelee Sobieski would not be bad). Also, since this particular obsession has lasted decades, I have to assume it is the real thing. First, like me she hears the Divine (though, her voices were obviously much clearer than the Holy Charades I have to play with the Almighty). Then, she was a soldier, so we share a professional interest. Thirdly, she was basically sticking it to the man. As a 16 year old girl she maneuvered herself into being a Kingmaker, runs mental and spiritual circles around the Inquisitors at her trial, and sponsors enough adoration that the Church not only recants the heresy charges (which does little to recant the flames mind you), but make her a Saint. Then of course there’s all the mystical possibilities; the Maid of Larraine legend was not a Christian prophecy, but one of the older religions.

Now, as much as I hated the book The DaVinci Code (crappy mystery), the information is interesting. Nothing I hadn’t read elsewhere in a better-presented form. But, if Rabbi Jesus’ progeny settled in France as the Merovingian Kings… hmm, is it possibly that Clovis or another of those early freaky French diddled with someone who would later be the great great grand mother of dear Joan? Jeanne D’Arc, granddaughter of Christ? The possibilities are endless if you consider the spiritual side of things, and if you don’t, that had to be a hell of a woman to get on a horse in front of an Army in the 1400s.

Is it possible she was just a figurehead used to rally the rabble around the legend of the Maid? Sure. Is it possible she was just schizophrenic rather than Divinely touched? Yeah. Is it possible she was just a scared crazy little girl used by power hungry and ruthless men? Very. But I dare you to read the trial transcripts and go see her in Rheims. I think she’ll change your mind.

Just remember though—I saw her first, and I’m taking her to the dance.