Killer Kindness

I want to start this post by sharing a quote I found on Playing Grown Up-

“ When I was young, I used to admire intelligent people; as I grow older, I admire kind people.” -Abraham Heschel

So I prayed that March will be much kinder than February. These past few days, it certainly hasn't felt like because I've had my share of mishaps, but at the same time, for every negative thing that has happened, there's also goodness that I've experienced.

I wanted to share that quote because it totally applies to me. When I was younger, I didn't feel very smart so I always envied those who were smart. Over the years, when I grew into my smarts, I realized that compassion is a much more valued trait. There are not enough people with heart out there. People just become to analytical and process things with their suspicious minds as opposed using their hearts to understand things. I am finding that I live in a world where acts of kindness are often misinterpreted.

Just this week, while I was trying to extend an act of genuine kindness to another individual and it was received so coldly with a mumble. Then this person walked away. This encounter made me feel so discouraged, but I stumbled upon this quote and I was reminded that there are people out there that appreciate kindness.

This unfortunate encounter, in addition to all the random mishaps this week, is not enough to dilute the goodness I experienced from other people. Even simple and genuinely kind words go such a long way, so please, do not use them so sparingly.

Here's another 365 (I'm getting them up, slowly but surely!):

DAY 61 - March 02, 2010
TITLE: HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARK!
MEDIUM: Computerized Graphic

Thanks for being a wonderful friend!

Secrets and favorite things

I was inspired by my last post to write about my favorite things. I know, it's very Sound of Music, but I just wanted to take the time to appreciate the little things.

The smell of crayons. Breakfast food. Water-proof eyeliner. Rainboots. Nami kisses. Warm pajamas. Movie nachos. Drives around the south of Guam. Curry. Theme parties. Karaoke. Pasalubong. The $1.50 store. The snooze button. Paint. Guam sunsets. The buzzing of the tattoo gun. Sister secrets. FRIENDS. FAMILY.

This was a shorter list than I thought it was going to be. I guess it's hard to think of things I love on the spot. As I stumble upon them, I'll be adding to this list.

I've been behind on posting my 365 pieces, but rest assure that I am keeping up with them. Here is one inspired by one of my favorite things as well:

DAY 60 - March 01, 2010
TITLE: Shh
MEDIUM: Pastels/Computerized Graphics

This was a pastel piece inspired by the song called "Secret" by the Pierces. It started out as just a pastel piece, but I wanted to do more to it so I played around with it using Photoshop.

Check out the song here:



"Why when we do our darkest deeds to we tell?" :P

Curly Fried Happiness

I think I am starting to shake off the negative aura that’s been surrounding me all week. I started this year out with so much positive energy and I am a bit disappointed in myself that I let that energy vanish over the last few days, but I had enough left to remind myself what I set out to do when the year started. I somehow forgot that happiness is a choice and that I, just like everything good in life, must work for it.

I am always glad to prove that I can thrive amidst adversity.

I had a pretty good weekend. Last Saturday, I had an awesome time at a party my friend was hosting. I was really looking forward to this party because it was a guaranteed good time. Great company and great music with a splash of alcohol isn’t too bad of a combination. :)

Here is yesterday’s art of the day:

DAY 59 - February 28, 2010
TITLE: Curly Fried Happiness
MEDIUM: Pastels

Thought I'd do something simple but fun. I had curly fries the other night and it just made me think of how much I loved curly fries as a kid. When we lived in the Philippines, McDonald's would have curly fries as a limited promotion and I loved them so much, my dad would get me some practically everyday until the promo was finished.

Yay for two months of Art, completed! 306 days to go! ♥

At Last

DAY 55 to 57 - February 24, 25, & 26 2010
TITLE: (none)
MEDIUM: Acrylic

It's been a long week. It hasn't been very hectic but I've just got a lot going on internally that everything I do seems to be taking twice as long to do, with twice as much effort. My body parts haven't been comunicating with each other properly, but at last, I finished.

DAY 58 - February 27, 2010

TITLE: At Last
MEDIUM: Acrylic

So here's the finished piece. I wanted to create something whimsical out of a sad moment. I just want to recreate a moment, so that I don't associate that particular sad moment with my everyday life.

Add a caption

DAY 58 - February 27, 2010 TITLE: At Last MEDIUM: Acrylic So here's the finished piece. I wanted to create something whimsical out of a sad moment. I just want to recreate a moment, so that i don't associate it with everyday life.

Slowly but Surely

DAY 54 - February 23, 2010

TITLE: Control

MEDIUM: Computerized Graphic

My brain is angry at my heart because it knows that my heart shouldn't be feeling the way it does. My brain knows that the events of last weekend haven't changed anything in my life, but it can't seem to convince my heart that everything's OK.

I can't wait until the two are in sync again. I'm sure they will be, soon. I just wish it'd be sooner.

I have a piece that I'm working on that has been today and yesterday's subject, quite possibly tomorrow's too. Everything these days seems to take more time and effort, but I'm still keeping them coming, slowly but surely.

Relapse

Did you know that the Balinese language does not have a word for "art"? According to my professor, the word for "art" is the same word they use for "life". In the Bali, art is interlaced into everyday life that there is no distincion between the two concepts. It may take a lot of time and effort to accomplish anything, but life is lived beautifully.

Art is a huge part of life. Here's something I realized over the weekend about my 365 Days of Art - when you showcase your art, you are showcasing yourself, and there are times when you don't want to because it hurts or it is too personal, but I made a commitment to create art and share it. This is my outlet. This is my growth. This is my chance to inspire or empower someone else.

Last weekend, I had a relapse. Everything I have done to cure my broken heart seems to have unraveled and I found myself at a very familiar point. I was trying to brush off the fact that last weekend was the same weekend last year when my exboyfriend visited me. I told myself how irrelevant this date is to my life now. I reminded myself that I'm doing better. Yet, this inkling persisted and I had the hardest time absorbing what's to come. In the same weekend last year, when we shared a beautiful visit together, he was on island, this year, for a job.

The next 24-hours was a complete blur. When I got the news, I got angry. I was hurt. I couldn't understand why I didn't deserve a warning from him or in wishful thinking, an invitation to meet up, bury the past and carry on with friendship, like we talked about. Angry e-mails and hopeless phone calls were made, but in the end I decided to just let it go. I went to have a drink to collect myself and there he was. And in what seems like a second, he was gone for the airport.

I may have gotten what I wanted - my moment to speak from the heart, and hopefully, gain my old friend back. One of the worst things about a breakup is sometimes, you lose a great friend in the process. And what I miss the most, is my friend, not my lover.

I may still be in a state of shock. In such a short period of time, that was a whole lot to take in. I confronted the inevitable, but it seems that the inevitable has still found a way to surprise me. So now, I'm just taking a moment to absorb everything and hope for the best.

DAY 52 - February 21, 2010
TITLE: Hurts Undid
MEDIUM: Pencil

"Hurts Undid" is the anagram of my X's name. Imagine that. Now I just hope that the hurt may actually have been undone in my bittersweet trip down memory lane.

To find humor in a somewhat painful moment

DAY 53 - February 22, 2010
TITLE: CasaNELLA
MEDIUM: Marker

It's official. I must have been a horrible womanizer in my past lifetime. Maybe, Casanova. It's the only explanation I have as to why I have a horrible love life. It's karma saying, "here's what it's like to be a woman whose heart was broken by a man".

Now, I am going to take a deep breathe and carry on...

The Side You Don't See

DAY 51 - February 20, 2010

TITLE: The Moon has Two Faces

MEDIUM: Pencil

This week in Astronomy, we studied how we only see one side of the moon. The interesting thing about this is the side of the moon we see is fairly smooth, while the side we don't get to see is extremely jagged and rough. It painted a nice imagery in my head so I thought I'd draw it. :)