Tuesday, November 21, 2006

Good Things Plus I Go On a Huge Tangent About How My Grandfather Saved the Eiffel Tower (TRUE STORY!)

Hey, never a bad idea to think about good things! Here's a quick list of things that are good in my life, in no particular order...

1. Getting a new dog of course!!!! Who by the way, is sooooooooooo sweet, so gentle, and truly a kind spirit (or so I hope!). He did try to eat some of my books today, I quietly showed him to my sister's room. I told him I'd give him 3 milkbone if he tore the place up... He did a great job! Little Rambo's really living up to his name.

2. Seeing my sister!!!

3. My improving health (although it's still filled with ups and downs).

4. Seeing my grandmother! Who by the way, recounts all these really cool family stories. There are lots of war stories, funny stories, the story of my grandfather saving the Eiffel Tower (I know, you think I'm lying, but it's true!!!, I'll tell you about it some time, wait, I'll mention it now, he worked as an engineer on the Eiffel Tower, he discovered a bomb in the structure, actually in the bathroom, this was back in '58 or something when there was all those problems with Algeria, he brought the bomb down, bomb squad came, he got some really cool medals, got a picture and article of all this somewhere). My favorite story of my grandmother's is about how her eldest brother made a fortune in Brazil selling ostrich feathers!!! Hahaha, how awesome is that, I always tell her to tell me that story, now the only question is, where did all that money go!!!

Good news, my sister just sent me those pictures of our grandfather. Here you go, it's in French, but you probably get the gist. I never got to meet him, he passed away before I was born, would have loved to have known him!

Gilbert Triffoz (our grandfather) Working Way Up on the Eiffel Tower (eh, I guess he wasn't afraid of heights)

Article About Him and the BOMB!!!!


Won Some Medals...At Least That's What the Records Say!



Whew, okay, back to the list of more good things in my life.

5. Being blessed with a great family all around! (I feel like I always talk about this, but it's true!)

6. This book I'm reading is really excellent, although there's no drugs, sex, or violence in the story, which really kinda sucks, but the quality of the book makes up for that. Plus I watch a couple super violent movies to make up for the lack of it in the literature I'm reading. Things tend to even out that way.

7. I just saw a great movie today, Freaky Friday, much to my surprise it was really good! I laughed throughout, Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis were great, the script was well done, just superbly executed. My recommendation: See this if you haven't already!

8. Getting to draw! It's not as much as I'd like, and I still can't fully concentrate, but my good days are getting better! The bad periods are still tough, but it's a lot easier sucking it up when you can expect times where you feel well enough that you can create!

9. I ate a ton of raspberries today. Miam miam, love that stuff. Ok fine, I'll even admit I ate some chocolate, well, ok fine, lots of chocolate. It's just soooooo good, I'm weak like that.

10. Seeing friends who are going to be in town (hopefully I feel well enough). One friend has already promised to smoke crack with me during the XXX-mas holidays, she is sooo great! I punched my one way ticket to hell a long time ago, so I figure I might as well live it up!

In other notes: Two legendary figures have just passed away. The nobel prize winning economist Milton Friedman passed away not long ago, at the age of 94. Robert Altman, a wonderful director of films, including MASH, Short Cuts, Nashville just passed away the other day, he was 80 years old. It's very sad of course, but we are fortunate that they left us with amazing bodies of work that will stand for quite some time.

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

Excellent stuff! I love the clippings...and the story...and especially your list of gratitudes! You rock, dude.

Unknown said...

Have a happy turkey day, seb.

Sebastien Millon said...

Cindra: Haha, thanks so much Cindra, you rock!!!! I'll be emailing you soon, I'd like to finish up a couple drawings, still feeling tired today though...

Omnifnaif: Thank you Nicholas! Hope you give the turkeys the punishment they deserve!

Anonymous said...

Wow, your grandpa was a great guy! Carrying the bomb downstairs. What courage. Thanks for sharing.Great things to be grateful for. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Nikki Neurotic said...

1. My puppie tried to eat a library book. It wasn't too bad, and it was a terrible book anyway so I think it was justified.

2. family is awesome.

3. I'm glad to hear about your health

4. Family stories are the best. I always loved sitting and listening to my Mommom talk about childhood stories, etc.

5. See #2

6. What book are you reading?

7. Freaky Friday was okay, I saw it with a couple of kids while babysitting. I prefered The Parent Trap though.

8. I can't even draw a stick figure. Hehe.

9. First time I ever ate a raspberry was like two years ago. Sad. And that was the last time I ate one. Even sadder.

10. Friends are good, don't have too much fun though. ;-)

Cassandra said...

That's so cool about your grandfather. I love hearing about family history.
And great list. My step-mom has us write down a thanksgiving list each year at dinner. I usually just say "everything." We're pretty spoiled here in the US.
Pet Rambo for me! I wanna puppy now!

M said...

Your granfather was the coolest! What a hero.

Re: Robert Altman, my favorite of his movies was Gosford Park. I'm sorry to see him go.

Anonymous said...

Much too be thankful for seb old man... gave a great Turkey day tomorrow.

Sebastien Millon said...

Glorious: Thank you! Have a happy turkey day! Yeah, takes guts to do that kind of thing, don't know if I could...

Silver Neurotic: That always gets me when people say they can't draw! I believe everyone has something to express through art, you just need to tap into it is all! Haha, maybe your dog knows it's allowed to eat bad books! Hey, my sister said the same thing, she prefers Parent Trap. As for the book I'm reading, it's Illusions Perdues by Balzac, this French writer, it's cool, about a poet who's trying to make the bigtime back in 19th century France. I've really been concentrating on reading in French, I'm trying to keep a knowledge of my culture! As for the food, I gotta take it you don't like raspberries, makes me think of my buddy who didn't try Coca cola till he was 20 or something!

Babs: We are spoiled aren't we!!!! HAha, I will go pet Rambo for you, he's just the kindest little guy. Plus he destroyed my sister's room for me, is he a future powerhouse evil doer in the making like myself? I think so!!!

Mariana: Thanks, I really wish I could've met my grandfather! Oh yeah, I need to see that movie again, it's been a while since I saw it. Really sad that Altman passed on...

Allen: Merry holidays and remember, turkeys are evil, so we are justified in eating them. Water boarding and such might even be permissible, who knows? Those turkeys are so freakin' dangerous.

Anonymous said...

Wow, what a great post about your grandfather!! What a guy!

My grandfather Josef was a German POW in Poland during WWII. He was badly mistreated, but that's a very sad story. I wish I could have met him, he was supposedly a very laid back fellow despite all his trials. My other granddad Oskar was a tailor and bus driver in Germany.I did get to meet him when I spent 6 weeks in Germany as a kid.

Anonymous said...

This is a fantastic story! Now, you need to share your great uncle's secret of how to make millions selling ostrich feathers in Brazil with us.

Maritza said...

Those are great photos! You sound very energetic with this post (then again, when don't you?)

Hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Lauren Brazeal said...

Thats so cool, what your grandfather did.

Happy turkey day!

Sebastien Millon said...

Sonja: I'm sorry about your grandfather Josef, it's sad how widespread the misery was in that era. Cool about Oskar, did you get to ride around in the bus and see the sights???

Anita: Oh man, if I had the secret, I would've been in a Brazil a long time ago!

Maritza: HAha, thanks Maritza! Yeah, I never thought of that, I am kinda energetic even when I'm sick, I just get excited is all! Happy thanksgiving!

Lauren: Thank you! Happy thanksgiving, let's punish those evil turkeys!

Nikki Neurotic said...

Sebastian, actually I do like rasberries, it's just that neither of my parents ever bought any while I was a kid so I always thought I DIDN'T like them because I wasn't exposed. But then I discovered that I do like rasberries and rasberry flavored things.

Sebastien Millon said...

Ahhhh, my mistake. Raspberries are soooo good, I couldn't comprehend the fact that you didn't like them. Good thing it wasn't true, I felt sad that you couldn't enjoy the greatness that is the raspberry!