Tuesday, May 25th
2005
Time to Feel Grateful….
I know that it is unforgivable of me to miss Tuesday’s update, and I’m
sorely sorry for that, it is just that I was tempted to try out a new
coloring technique that I have learned. I am not sure how will it turn
out, but I guess I will never know till I give it a shot. In the end, I
think it looks simple, but I assure you there are several layers created
to give the tree trunks a little texture feel; I am still in my
practicing stage, so I need a little more time to perfect it. Hope you
guys liked it!
It has occurred to me that I have been ranting about things for the past
one year or so. And by that I mean ‘talking’ about things that either
frustrates me, makes me upset, insanely happy, makes me desire something
or makes me feel all weird inside. Today, I think I will give all that
angry shouting a pause and start feeling GRATEFUL for the things that I
have in my possession.
Contentment is NOT an inherent human quality; hardly anyone is contented
with anything. We cannot let go of anything that we desire with our
hearts, and that often leads us to do things that are ultimately bad.
Yoda said that once in Episode III, but actually the Buddha had observed
this fact 2,500 years ago before Yoda, and decided that the main cause
for human suffering is the never-ending desire we have within ourselves.
This inability to feel contended with what we have gives us the
impetuous to strive for the things we want, but at the same time it
makes us hunger for things beyond our reach. When we are unable to get
the things we want so much, ultimately we become miserable and we turn
to alternative means (usually bad) to get the things we want.
I myself am guilty of over-desiring things at times and I am still
seeking Enlightenment to stop wanting, and start feeling. By feeling, I
mean feeling grateful; for the things I HAVE and not the things I NEED
or WANT.
Below is a list of this I feel grateful for today, I thought I didn’t
have much to feel grateful for, but I ended up being grateful to a lot
of things, I have always taken granted for (doesn’t that always
happen?):
1. I am grateful for my Muse, the provider of the inspiration to draw
SKOOKUM! SKOOKUM! will still be a piece of white paper without proper
inspiration.
2. I am grateful to my mother and my sister for feeding me and talking
to me for hours, hence keeping me sane.
3. I am grateful for the food I have! These chemical compounds that
keeps me alive. At the same time I understand that almost 1/3 of the
world is starving as I eat.
4. I am grateful to my Apple computer! For putting up with my
unreasonable usage of disk space.
5. I am grateful to the creators of Adobe Photoshop CS. Digital coloring
won’t even be possible for me without Photoshop!
6. I am grateful to the creators of the Internet. No Internet = No
webcomics!
7. I am grateful to all the other manga artists that I have read, their
works spur me on to improve myself and to fulfill my dream one day.
8. I am grateful to English Literature.
9. I am grateful to my enemies, for without them I would never
understand that success is the BEST revenge.
10. I am grateful to all the trees that gave their life to the paper in
which SKOOKUM! is drawn on; their sacrifice would not be in vain.
11. I am grateful for w’Note for tirelessly uploading the pages and my
rants, despite his equally tedious work load.
12. I am grateful to my host, Uniqva, for giving SKOOKUM! a home, so I
don’t have to wonder aimlessly around the Internet like a stray website.
13. Following this line, I am grateful to all my friends… for the fact
that they are my friends.
14. I am grateful to all the musicians who composed such wonderful
melodies that help inspire me in my work.
15. Of course, I am grateful to my READERS. The artist lives for his
audience. Thank you for being there.
Wataru
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