Author Archives: tcwells14

Three lives touched by one war — World War I

Posted on November 13, 2017 by tcwells14

In 2015, I returned to my family home to investigate an unexamined chest that, it turned out, held over 2,400 hand-written and typed family letters, postcards, marriage licenses, wills, death certificates, and grocery lists dating back 140 years. The memorabilia … Continue reading →

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‘Thor: Ragnarok’ – a triumph for comic books

Posted on November 6, 2017 by tcwells14

Having just seen Thor: Ragnarok, I came away with a number of differing thoughts. One was that it was like a series of graphic novels, and took just about as long to watch as it would have to read. Secondly, … Continue reading →

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Divine Felines and #NationalCatDay

Posted on October 26, 2017 by tcwells14

Let me turn you on to something. On October 29, this Sunday, it’s @NationalCatDay which looks like just an excuse to indulge in feline adoration. As if the 74,059,000 owners, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association, need an excuse. I love … Continue reading →

Posted in Cats, Freer Gallery of Art, Sackler Museum, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

D.C.’s gateway to Asia finally re-opens

Posted on October 26, 2017 by tcwells14

It’s been a long two years since the Freer Gallery of Art, the nation’s premier gallery of Asian Art was open on the National Mall in Washington D.C. “What began as a prosaic need to upgrade mechanical systems in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Asian art, Cats, Freer Gallery of Art, Japan, Sackler Museum | 1 Comment

A ‘refreshed’ Freer Gallery of Art coming in October

Posted on June 30, 2017 by tcwells14

Those into Asian and Middle Eastern art know all about the currently-closed Freer Gallery of Art and its partner, the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery in Washington D.C. During a tour of the Freer’s renovations, Director Julian Raby spoke about many … Continue reading →

Posted in Asian art, Freer Gallery of Art, Sackler Museum, Uncategorized | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales

Posted on May 27, 2017 by tcwells14

Updated to remove spoiler warnings. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales will make a lot of money but would have made more with a coherent story. The film’s  promise is lost amid various conflicting competing plot lines. It has all … Continue reading →

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Forget lovingly handmade gifts – Amazon wins

Posted on April 25, 2017 by tcwells14

This is not a nastygram towards Amazon.com or the USPS. Not at all. It’s is a realization. Only big business can afford to mail stuff, so buy from them. I just spent $20 to send a package across the U.S. … Continue reading →

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Utamaro-A glimpse into Japan’s sexual ‘floating world’ of yesteryear

Posted on April 8, 2017 by tcwells14

Thank goodness for sex, otherwise humanity would miss so out on so much great art. A one-of-a-kind exhibit, Inventing Utamaro, opens at the Arthur M. Sackler museum in Washington D.C. April 9th. Japanese artist Kitagawa Utamaro’s large painting, Moon at Shinagawa, owned by … Continue reading →

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Intense and Powerful – ‘The Zookeeper’s Wife’

Posted on April 1, 2017 by tcwells14

The Zookeeper’s Wife isn’t an easy movie to enjoy, but it’s so worthwhile to see. SPOILERS Continue reading →

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Why all the kudos for ‘Logan?’

Posted on March 22, 2017 by tcwells14

The first time I saw Logan, I was appalled by the violence and turned off by the story. I decided to give it another chance, see it a second time to see if I had the same reaction. So several … Continue reading →

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