Post by biggs on Sept 4, 2013 19:18:04 GMT -4
Wednesday, September 4
Paris, France
I remember the last time I was here, it was just after my divorce from Ellie. In what was one of the most miserable weeks of my life, I declared that I hated Paris. And while I still don't like the general snootiness, the small food portions, and the prevailing smell of cigarette smoke in the air, I must admit, I'm having a much better time now than I did last year.
This year, I was able to bring Alice along, and while it's probably a wee bit early in our relationship to bring her to what is widely regarded as the world's most romantic city, we've been avoiding the elephant in the room by visiting the Musée du Louvre. We're currently standing in front of The Mona Lisa, by Leonardo da Vinci.
”You know, for a painting that's so world renown, I've got to be honest, I'm having trouble seeing what the big deal is...” Alice says, looking past the large group in front of us, getting a peek at the picture. It's also flanked by two security guards, and behind at least a foot of glass.
”It's probably because you've seen the painting so often on TV and the internet, and you've built it up in your mind that it's supposed to mean more than it does. Maybe that, or the fact that it's behind so much security that we can't get close enough to really look at it. That being said, it's a simple portrait, of a simple lady. I choose to view it as a celebration of the beauty in simplicity...”
”Geez, you think you're so smart and learned, a true connoisseur of the arts,” she says with a chuckle.
”What can I say, I've read numerous books on Leonardo, watched every documentary I could, and even done a Wikipedia time sink or two! Although truth be told, both times, it started by looking up Leonardo from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles!”
”Oh brother!”
”Hey, it's not my fault Splinter had good taste in art! But seriously, even with the crowds, this is an experience I'm greatly enjoying. I mean, the last time I was here, I was in no mood to do anything like this.”
”The divorce, right?”
I nod.
”There's no need to talk about it if you don't want to. I've been there, done that, got the T-Shirt.”
”I know it's a bad idea to talk about your ex-wife with your girlfriend, but it's been just over a year. The last couple of weeks have been tough. I guess I'm just happy to make some good memories here in Paris.” I look at Alice, and smile.
She smiles right back, and hugs my arm, leaning in. ”Me too...”
As we continue to view on the Mona Lisa, I realize just how lucky I am. The fact that my job allows me to travel the world, to see things in person that many can only see on a screen. I've seen the pyramids, I've been to the Forbidden City. I've touched the Great Wall of China, and sat in the stands of the Roman Coliseum. I've truly lived a blessed life. I'm just glad that I have someone to share it with again.
Paris, France
I remember the last time I was here, it was just after my divorce from Ellie. In what was one of the most miserable weeks of my life, I declared that I hated Paris. And while I still don't like the general snootiness, the small food portions, and the prevailing smell of cigarette smoke in the air, I must admit, I'm having a much better time now than I did last year.
This year, I was able to bring Alice along, and while it's probably a wee bit early in our relationship to bring her to what is widely regarded as the world's most romantic city, we've been avoiding the elephant in the room by visiting the Musée du Louvre. We're currently standing in front of The Mona Lisa, by Leonardo da Vinci.
”You know, for a painting that's so world renown, I've got to be honest, I'm having trouble seeing what the big deal is...” Alice says, looking past the large group in front of us, getting a peek at the picture. It's also flanked by two security guards, and behind at least a foot of glass.
”It's probably because you've seen the painting so often on TV and the internet, and you've built it up in your mind that it's supposed to mean more than it does. Maybe that, or the fact that it's behind so much security that we can't get close enough to really look at it. That being said, it's a simple portrait, of a simple lady. I choose to view it as a celebration of the beauty in simplicity...”
”Geez, you think you're so smart and learned, a true connoisseur of the arts,” she says with a chuckle.
”What can I say, I've read numerous books on Leonardo, watched every documentary I could, and even done a Wikipedia time sink or two! Although truth be told, both times, it started by looking up Leonardo from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles!”
”Oh brother!”
”Hey, it's not my fault Splinter had good taste in art! But seriously, even with the crowds, this is an experience I'm greatly enjoying. I mean, the last time I was here, I was in no mood to do anything like this.”
”The divorce, right?”
I nod.
”There's no need to talk about it if you don't want to. I've been there, done that, got the T-Shirt.”
”I know it's a bad idea to talk about your ex-wife with your girlfriend, but it's been just over a year. The last couple of weeks have been tough. I guess I'm just happy to make some good memories here in Paris.” I look at Alice, and smile.
She smiles right back, and hugs my arm, leaning in. ”Me too...”
As we continue to view on the Mona Lisa, I realize just how lucky I am. The fact that my job allows me to travel the world, to see things in person that many can only see on a screen. I've seen the pyramids, I've been to the Forbidden City. I've touched the Great Wall of China, and sat in the stands of the Roman Coliseum. I've truly lived a blessed life. I'm just glad that I have someone to share it with again.
***
”Man alive, do I hate the Black Hand!”
“Because despite the fact that I pinned Michael Jennings at Shockwave, 1, 2, 3, I hardly feel like a winner. Nothing says a big time victory like getting beat down by four other wrestlers. You see, a Chair Match is supposed to be one of those matches that ends a feud, that puts things to rest between two competitors. And yet, despite the fact that Jennings and I both fought hurt, despite the fact that we brutalized each other two ways til next Sunday, I've got a feeling that things between me and Jennings, well, they're just starting.”
“Which brings me to my opponent this week, Kurt Styles. Because Kurt, the last time you and I fought, Jennings stuck his nose where it didn't belong, and attacked me before our match. Now I'm not taking anything away from the fact that you beat me. I made the choice to compete, even though I had just been decimated with a Steel Chair, and you capitalized for a win. I have no ill-will towards you for that. I would have done the same thing. But I know that deep inside, you must feel that your victory over me a few weeks ago was hollow at best. A win is a win, sure, but if you're any sort of competitor, you want to earn those wins, not have them handed to you.”
“But than again, you are from Seattle, and I'd be willing to wager you're a fan of the Seattle Seahawks, who got the win handed to them against Green Bay last year that was the difference between them making the playoffs and not. And yeah, I'm from Seattle too, but I can't stand the Sea-Chickens!”
“But that's neither here nor there. As amusing as it is that we're having the Battle of Seattle in Paris, France, where we're from, what our past is won't matter so much as the here and now we will experience inside that ring tomorrow night.”
“I'm one of the longest tenured Mega Stars on the APW roster, whereas you've just recently made your way to Action Packed Wrestling. I'm a former Undisputed Champion and multi-time Overdrive Champ. This will be what, your third or fourth match on Overdrive? Either way, we're coming into this match from completely different angles, completely different career trajectories. Conventional wisdom would say that in a fair fight, I should absolutely destroy you.”
“But there's two things about that statement that I know are false. The first is conventional wisdom. Just because on paper, I have the much more impressive resume, it means jack squat once we step between those ropes. Secondly, I'm not convinced that our match tomorrow night is going to be a fair fight.”
“With the Black Hand roving around, I can't shake the feeling that they're going to do what they do best, and stick their noses where they don't belong! I'm going to have to have eyes in the back of my head, have my head on a swivel, all that stereotypical jazz that basically amounts to me expecting to get my butt kicked tomorrow night. Whether it's by you, The Black Hand, or both, I cannot feel confident about leaving Paris unscathed.”
“Throw in the fact that my good friend, C.J. Gates, wasn't medically cleared to fly over to Paris following his brutal encounter with Level-One at Shockwave, and my chances of walking out of Paris instead of being rolled out on a gurney drop exponentially. I'm truly looking at a no-win situation tomorrow night, because even if I do beat you tomorrow night, The Black Hand is always hovering, always watching, waiting for the right moment to strike.”
“Now Black Hand, don't confuse my pragmatic nature with fear. I'm not afraid of a single one of you nor the beatings that you will undoubtedly try to give me going on forward. I just know that a man like Michael Jennings won't let a little thing like his loss to me at Shockwave go, and that all of you will follow Jennings' suit, and take your frustration of being swept at Shockwave out on me. I'm your target. I accept that.”
“But I'll be darned if I make myself an easy target!”
“I know that the whole stinky lot of you are going to try and get your hands on me, that all of you are going to attempt to give me the beating of my life tomorrow. But I'll tell y'all this much, when you all gang up on me, when y'all try to beat me down, I'm not going down without a fight! I don't know how many of you I'm going to be able to bring down with me, but I'm taking at least one of you down! That's a promise!”
“Black Hand, I've got just three words for you tomorrow night: Bring It On!”
“The same goes for you, Kurt Styles! I sincerely hope that we get a fair fight tomorrow, that we can find out truly who the better man is. But I wouldn't count on it. Not with the Black Hand around.”
[/div]”Man alive, do I hate the Black Hand!”
“Because despite the fact that I pinned Michael Jennings at Shockwave, 1, 2, 3, I hardly feel like a winner. Nothing says a big time victory like getting beat down by four other wrestlers. You see, a Chair Match is supposed to be one of those matches that ends a feud, that puts things to rest between two competitors. And yet, despite the fact that Jennings and I both fought hurt, despite the fact that we brutalized each other two ways til next Sunday, I've got a feeling that things between me and Jennings, well, they're just starting.”
“Which brings me to my opponent this week, Kurt Styles. Because Kurt, the last time you and I fought, Jennings stuck his nose where it didn't belong, and attacked me before our match. Now I'm not taking anything away from the fact that you beat me. I made the choice to compete, even though I had just been decimated with a Steel Chair, and you capitalized for a win. I have no ill-will towards you for that. I would have done the same thing. But I know that deep inside, you must feel that your victory over me a few weeks ago was hollow at best. A win is a win, sure, but if you're any sort of competitor, you want to earn those wins, not have them handed to you.”
“But than again, you are from Seattle, and I'd be willing to wager you're a fan of the Seattle Seahawks, who got the win handed to them against Green Bay last year that was the difference between them making the playoffs and not. And yeah, I'm from Seattle too, but I can't stand the Sea-Chickens!”
“But that's neither here nor there. As amusing as it is that we're having the Battle of Seattle in Paris, France, where we're from, what our past is won't matter so much as the here and now we will experience inside that ring tomorrow night.”
“I'm one of the longest tenured Mega Stars on the APW roster, whereas you've just recently made your way to Action Packed Wrestling. I'm a former Undisputed Champion and multi-time Overdrive Champ. This will be what, your third or fourth match on Overdrive? Either way, we're coming into this match from completely different angles, completely different career trajectories. Conventional wisdom would say that in a fair fight, I should absolutely destroy you.”
“But there's two things about that statement that I know are false. The first is conventional wisdom. Just because on paper, I have the much more impressive resume, it means jack squat once we step between those ropes. Secondly, I'm not convinced that our match tomorrow night is going to be a fair fight.”
“With the Black Hand roving around, I can't shake the feeling that they're going to do what they do best, and stick their noses where they don't belong! I'm going to have to have eyes in the back of my head, have my head on a swivel, all that stereotypical jazz that basically amounts to me expecting to get my butt kicked tomorrow night. Whether it's by you, The Black Hand, or both, I cannot feel confident about leaving Paris unscathed.”
“Throw in the fact that my good friend, C.J. Gates, wasn't medically cleared to fly over to Paris following his brutal encounter with Level-One at Shockwave, and my chances of walking out of Paris instead of being rolled out on a gurney drop exponentially. I'm truly looking at a no-win situation tomorrow night, because even if I do beat you tomorrow night, The Black Hand is always hovering, always watching, waiting for the right moment to strike.”
“Now Black Hand, don't confuse my pragmatic nature with fear. I'm not afraid of a single one of you nor the beatings that you will undoubtedly try to give me going on forward. I just know that a man like Michael Jennings won't let a little thing like his loss to me at Shockwave go, and that all of you will follow Jennings' suit, and take your frustration of being swept at Shockwave out on me. I'm your target. I accept that.”
“But I'll be darned if I make myself an easy target!”
“I know that the whole stinky lot of you are going to try and get your hands on me, that all of you are going to attempt to give me the beating of my life tomorrow. But I'll tell y'all this much, when you all gang up on me, when y'all try to beat me down, I'm not going down without a fight! I don't know how many of you I'm going to be able to bring down with me, but I'm taking at least one of you down! That's a promise!”
“Black Hand, I've got just three words for you tomorrow night: Bring It On!”
“The same goes for you, Kurt Styles! I sincerely hope that we get a fair fight tomorrow, that we can find out truly who the better man is. But I wouldn't count on it. Not with the Black Hand around.”
