Gauguin took the ear?

This is interesting:

Despite the legend, Van Gogh's lost ear may not have been an act of self-harm. Apparently fellow artist friend Gauguin may have sliced it off with a sword. Funny because the iconic tale of artistic madness has been used as a prime example of the relationship between art and madness. How many copy-catters have there been who granted themselves license to eccentricity because of this story? Do we have to rethink the connection all together?

I'm going to go ahead and say probably not. Just because Van Gogh wasn't quite loopy enough to mess with his own ear doesn't mean there isn't a legit. connection between emotional/psychological diversity and artistic expression. Much of art is about seeing and reflecting upon the world in from an unconventional angle...then again, artists have to be level-headed and logical enough to create things others will appreciate and relate to. Still, kind of funny though.

Annnnyways...

I'm sitting in the library killing time before I have to to cover an event at Pinkerton Academy. Apparently State Rep. Carol Shea-Porter is going to be giving some WWII Vet some awards he was supposed to receive years ago. I decided it's better to get out of the house to write my articles. I just get distracted and anxious working in the cave of a basement room I live in write now. So not ideal.

My anxiety has been off the charts lately. If I don't have something to do I just have this nauseous feeling in my stomach and the jitters all over. Maybe it's the warm weather, the impending changes, my new goal of quitting smoking. I don't know. But it's not pleasant and I'm no good at meditation. This morning I started a painting. I'm thinking maybe if I whip out the canvas just to get my hands and mind occupied I won't feel so much anxiety. I don't know about the devil, but it's sure true about idle hands. You do stupid things. I swear our culture breeds anxiety. We're meant to be multitasking, decision-making machines. < Check out the Radiolab segment about it. So much for R&R. You won't get it here.