Welcome to my blog “Life and Random Thinking” – I hope you will enjoy this post.

This post is another for the Three Random Thoughts category. – David

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

MURDER – A true history of sport, violence, and emotions but also amazing talent – the sport was tennis, the artist was a painter named Caravaggio.

He murdered his opponent over an argument in a tennis match. The murderer was volatile and extremely talented. Swords, illegal weapons, racquets and paint brushes were all common to Caravaggio.

Giovanni Pietro Bellori (1615-1696), gives a short but colourful description of the 1606 match, writing that the painter played ‘gioco di palla a corda’ with a young friend and that during the match they started hitting each other with their rackets.

Eventually Caravaggio drew his sword and killed his opponent. For his crime the painter risked capital punishment (bando capitale) and was forced to leave Rome, living like a man on the run, never to return to the city again.

https://www.real-tennis.nl/caravaggio-blog/7-caravaggios-tennis-match

A well known brawler, he assaulted many including a police officer, in May 1606 Caravaggio may also have been the most well known painter at the time. However after the tennis murder, he was forced to flee Rome to escape a bounty on his head for a few years. Ironically during this period many of his paintings included severed heads. !!

I saw some of Caravaggio’s paintings in a gallery in Rome, the paintings were so dark and violent but also amazing in their intensity. Links to more information Here and Here.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

MUSIC – There have been many OHW (One Hit Wonders) and those hits are remembered by us all even if the band disappears.

Perhaps the biggest one of all time was in 1995 – “Macarena” by Los del Río.

The One Hit Wonder below had an interesting inspiration story, you might call it depressing.

The band’s main songwriter, Sherman Kelly, was inspired to write this hit song after getting viciously beaten up while on a Caribbean island holiday.

Recovering in hospital, he decided to envision a peaceful and joyful reality, and a song was born.

Everybody here is outta sight

They don’t bark and they don’t bite

They keep things loose, they keep things light

Everybody was dancin in the moonlight.

King Harvest – Dancing in the Moonlight

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

CHOICE – The streets can be a tough place to struggle daily. The quote below was recently spotted on a post in the Okanagan and shared with me. I don’t know the author, sorry. Whenever I read it slowly it tells a story. A story of crossroads, and found strength. – David

I found myself at a crossroads,

To carry on in fear or to stand in faith,

Today I do stand, where I used to fall,

And God gave me a choice, and I choose Freedom.

Unknown

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++