your interests, Ron

[Guest guest]

Ron,

I'll tell you, if my family and I EVER end up in your corner of the

world, we will be so honored if you host us for one of your lectures.

This stuff is right up our alley! Why, I'd take our mother in law with us

- she has relatives in your corner of the world. I don't want to get way

off topic here, but in our neighouring province, the design and

construction of their provincial legislature building, built in the

1920's, was heavily influenced by Freemasons. It's a very, very beautiful

building, by the way. I will send you a link off-list a research

paper and the Wikipedia link. I'm not interested in the occult per se,

but am fascinated by oddities like this. Call it Aspie perseveration or

whatever one likes - to me, things like this are fun - this is what makes

the world go 'round - and a good premise for many " Discovery

Channel " documentaries!

- Helen

At 09:37 PM 4/29/2008, you wrote:

,

I found it most interesting to read the

summary of some of your interests herewith. We’ve got a few

things and areas in common.

I have a great interest in alternative

healing arts, and have been interested in food reform for over 50

years. And with my own

Type of inquiring mind, I’m certainly

fascinated with the ‘big’ questions about life and the Universe, having

pursued what might

Be best called esoteric subjects all my

life.

I’m involved of course with the Arts, -

having been an Actor and Presenter (of poetry and other things over many

years.)

Used to go the Ballet a lot in my young days

– late Teens, and saw most of the classical repertoire, back in the

1950s.

As far as Art is concerned, my library on

Art comprises perhaps some 800 or more books; and my first love is

certainly in the

period and thinking of the

Renaissance. My speciality is the subject that is known as

Iconography, - most significant during

that period. Have you read any of the

books on the subject by Gombrich? Very fascinating, as he explains

the content and

meaning behind the paintings of Raphael,

Titian, angelo and the rest.

Another art speciality of mine is Christian

Art and its history. And as you might recall, I am often putting together

Lectures on

these subjects, well illustrated by loads

and loads of beautiful Paintings by the masters, and projected in Digital

in full colour.

In my Lounge room I have a huge screen that

comes down from the ceiling electronically so that I can do presentations

for

specially invited friends. Of

course anything on Video, DVD or Lap Top can be duly shown on the big

screen.

I do get invites from groups, clubs,

churches fraternities to do lectures suitable for their members and

adherents. One of my

Oldest standard talk I simply called

Symbolism in the Art of the Renaissance; and this has had many rewrites

and different

Selections to make it up. I just love

the Painters of the High Renaissance, - Raphael in particular being a

great favourite.

When the popular novel DA Vinci Code came

out, I was already circulating a 2 hour lecture on the bizarre imagery in

Leondardo’s

paintings. When explaining the

curiousities of the Last Supper, I get an unsuspecting member of the

audience to come out and

get forced into the convoluted poses shown

by the Disciples in the picture and show just how strange the picture

is. Dan Brown’s

book hardly scratched the surface of

Leonardo’s secret messages.

Just presently, I’m preparing a lecture for

a local Lodge of the Freemasons (of which I’m not a member), in which I

will be illustrating

and explaining how Symbols and images that

the Brothers use in their traditions, can be found in famous Art works,

and I indicate

what they mean there.

Like you, I do enjoy the Surrealists, and in

particular Dali and Magritte. I have several books in the

library on them; but I haven’t

got the specialized knowledge to go

lecturing about them. Over the years, I’ve lectured to many

Christian Churches, including

Catholic and various Protestant and

non-mainstream denominations. The more Evangelical or

Fundamentalist groups aren’t

Particularly open to my sort of liberal

explanations of Christian Art, especially with the expositions I offer on

extra-Biblical

Legend and Tradition. But I like

to think that I’ve opened many people’s eyes to the great heritage that

we have in our culture,

In Art and beauty.

Cheers, Ron.

** Am highly intelligent, a very lively mind that can race 100 mph

with conversations going in all sorts of tangential directions.

People can find it difficult to keep up with me, even NTs. Very

curious about the world and society - what can we do the make the

world a better place.. what is the meaning of life.. how does one

connect between self and nature/the universe? How does one become

enlightened? The newspaper can be boring for me. Written at a fifth

grade level (I have other comments about that, but reserve those

until a later time). Love the arts and have a membership with the

most well known museum in Chattanooga (Hunter Museum). Went to a

ballet while in graduate school, and saw Flatley and Lord of

the Dance a few months ago. Went to the High Museum of Art in

midtown Atlanta a couple of weeks ago. Renaissance art is my

favorite era of art, but I love art in all of its forms (and science

can be a form of art as well). Just look at a Salvatore Dali

painting involving great amounts of surrealism, and you'll know what

I am referring to and such. I love to travel, and would like to go

to Europe in the next year or two (provided the USD gains strength

against the Euro). I do have interests I pursue actively -

Chattanooga Lookouts baseball, All About Friends group on meetup.com

(I am an assitant organizer), alternative medicine type groups, etc.

For having AS, I prefer keeping busy as much as possible.