Pooh Makes Roses Bloom

(click to enlarge)

I painted the above in Photoshop. I started by making the background and then added the woman. I am working with shading and contours, moving away from drawing the outlines and coloring them in, but rather building the figure with shading. I started with the lighter flesh shade to create the body and face, and then darker shades to create the contours. It's not perfect, but it's a beginning.

I have been thinking a lot about paradox lately. The paradox between two different philosophies - the one being "it happens when you least expect it", the other being "visualize it and it will happen".

I have been getting that conflicting advice all my life. And frankly, I don't know which one even works anymore, if either. So, I have decided to go with the third philosophy... "Fuck it. Go about your business. Shit happens. Move along."

Pardon my profanity.

I swear sometimes.

:)

The thing is, people are either happy or they are not. Sometimes, it just doesn't have anything to do with anything. Sometimes people who don't work for things get them falling out of the skies, and others who toil away are left with nothing. Sometimes, it's the other way around.

I am tired of being blamed for the things I lack. I am tired with being told, I have to do this or do that, or think this way or that way, in order to achieve happiness. Do people tell those who have been run over by a car, that they should have been looking where they were going? Or do they call an ambulance?

Happiness is moments in time. Happiness is a contentment with one's self. That kind of happiness does not depend on the circumstances. But, no one is always happy. Unless they have been lobotomized. Then, it's a different story.

There are people who try really hard to convince others that they are always blissful and happy. Flowers fall from the skies to cover the ground of their every step. Really? Not so much. They like to show one face to the world, and make the rest of us think we are losers because we have to sidestep pooh on the sidewalk sometimes. Sometimes, we don't notice the damn pooh, and step on it anyway.

That's the rest of us. Making the best of it. Sometimes, remembering to be in the moment and smell the roses and be thankful for them. Sometimes, feeling like we want to trample on the roses in frustration.

Who created that stupid metaphor anyway? I live in the city. The roses are mostly cultivated or fake. They don't even have a scent most of the time. What the heck do I do with that?

Make lemonade?

Any number of inane cliches can be used to pat us on the head when things are just not going well. It does no good to dwell on the mishaps, but acknowledging their presence and dealing with them is necessary. What's the good of denial? Ostriches get decapitated.

No. I am not a pessimist. I am not an optimist. I am a realist. Sometimes, life is great. Sometimes, it stinks like pooh under your shoe. Move along anyway. The next moment will come, and things will be different. Oh, and, does anyone have a moist wipe? :)