Thursday, October 30, 2008

How to feed a tired monkey

Believe it or not, these dishes taste much better than they look! :)



Wednesday, October 29, 2008

The philosopher is in!

Mmmm... I am thinking... of a solution... to the global financial crisis!!
Come disturb me at your own risk... unless you have bamboo... in which case, you are welcome... mmm.

Friday, October 24, 2008

The lady is in!

This was a portrait that I started a few months back and didn't quite finish. Well until yesterday, that is! I'm so pleased with myself for finally finishing it. It's hanging happily on my office wall now.

I think the reason it took me so long was because I procrastinated a lot towards the end. I got distracted with other things for a while, then got a little paranoid about screwing things up when working on something I haven't touched for a while. Let me show you what I mean. Here's what it looked like after the first layer:



Pretty scary, eh? I thought so too, but then we're only laying down the groundwork of shapes and shadows. Nevermind the jolie lips. :) Here's what we've got after the second session:



I'm beginning to like this girl. Prim and guarded and intent, she makes me wonder what (or who) it is she's looking at.



Dressed up and adorned with an intricate headress now, her gaze softens and innocence shines through. I fell in love with her look and dared not touch her face for the longest time! Though finally, everyone needs to grow up. She's more matured and confident now, having found her place in the world.



I hope you enjoyed the journey as much as I did! :)

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Drop your weapon!!

Okay, okay..! Look, it's just bamboo, alright? I chew on it. Chill, man...

Thursday, October 09, 2008

St Theresa's Prayer

May today there be peace within
May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be
May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith
May you use those gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you.
May you be content knowing you are a child of God. Let this presence settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love.
It is there for each and every one of us.

Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Life is too short, so ...

Kiss slowly... Laugh insanely... Love truly... And forgive quickly

Sunday, June 22, 2008

heard today

Watch your thoughts, they become words.
Watch your words, they become actions.
Watch your actions, they become habits.
Watch your habits, they become character.
Watch your character, for it becomes...your destiny.

Monday, May 19, 2008

Winter Cuddles

The last 8 Wednesdays have been so special because I get some quiet time to sit down and paint for 3 hours each time. What a wonderful gift! Each time I'd walk home with a big smile on my face. It feels so good to be painting again after all these years of passive yearning.

Sometimes I feel like I'm baring my soul through my paintings, which makes each one so personal and valuable to me. That's why I wont make a very good professional artist I guess - I love my work too much it would be heartbreaking to part with any. :p

Here's one that I worked on for 12 blissful hours. I took a photo after each 3-hr session. They weren't all taken at the same place though, so you can see some color-distortions from the different lighting conditions.









Incidentally, this is the first painting where I played with certain areas using a pallette knife. Check out this sky detail. I love the element of surprise!

Monday, May 05, 2008

baby laughs

Laughter is contagious... this proves it time and again! :D

Sunday, April 13, 2008

Prayer of St. Francis

Make me a channel of your peace
Where there is hatred, let me bring your love
Where there is injury, your pardon, Lord
And where there's doubt, true faith in you

Make me a channel of your peace
Where there's despair in life, let me bring hope
Where there is darkness, only light
And where there's sadness ever joy

O Master, grant that I may never seek
So much to be consoled as to console
To be understood as to understand
To be loved, as to love with all my soul

Make me a channel of your peace
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned
In giving of ourselves that we receive
And in dying that we're born to eternal life

Monday, March 10, 2008

Sunday, February 17, 2008

An Angel in the Post Office

I like to believe this is a true story, and what an touching one at that... it almost made me cry. What a better place this world will be if each one of us remembers to take a moment to spread some kindness in the many ways we can, even to people we don't know.

From Craigslist's best-of page (http://www.craigslist.org/about/best/tus/487665904.html):
Date: 2007-11-23, 10:55PM MST

This is one of the kindest things I've ever experienced. I have no way to know who sent it, but there is a kind soul working in the dead letter office of the US postal service. Our 14 year old dog, Abbey, died last month. The day after she died, my 4 year old daughter Meredith was crying and talking about how much she missed Abbey. She asked if we could write a letter to God so that when Abbey got to heaven, God would recognize her. I told her that I thought we could so she dictated these words:

Dear God, Will you please take care of my dog? She died yesterday and is with you in heaven. I miss her very much. I am happy that you let me have her as my dog even though she got sick. I hope you will play with her. She likes to play with balls and to swim. I am sending a picture of her so when you see her you will know that she is my dog. I really miss her.

Love, Meredith.

We put the letter in an envelope with a picture of Abbey and Meredith and addressed it to God/Heaven. We put our return address on it. Then Meredith pasted several stamps on the front of the envelope because she said it would take lots of stamps to get the letter all the way to heaven. That afternoon she dropped it into the letter box at the post office. A few days later, she asked if God had gotten the letter yet. I told her that I thought He had.

Yesterday, there was a package wrapped in gold paper on our front porch addressed, 'To Meredith' in an unfamiliar hand. Meredith opened it. Inside was a book by Mr. Rogers called, 'When a Pet Dies.' Taped to the inside front cover was the letter we had written to God in its opened envelope. On the opposite page was the picture of Abbey & Meredith and this note:

Dear Meredith,

Abbey arrived safely in heaven. Having the picture was a big help. I recognized Abbey right away. Abbey isn't sick anymore. Her spirit is here with me just like it stays in your heart. Abbey loved being your dog. Since we don't need our bodies in heaven, I don't have any pockets to keep your picture in, so I am sending it back to you in this little book for you to keep and have something to remember Abbey by. Thank you for the beautiful letter and thank your mother for helping you write it and sending it to me. What a wonderful mother you have. I picked her especially for you. I send my blessings every day and remember that I love you very much. By the way, I am wherever there is love.

Love, God