paint post

i don't assume to know anything. really. at all. so when i hear things about what art is, i get upset. who am i to say, "that cigarette lying in the middle of the gutter isn't art, but a black and white photograph of it is"?

well, danya, there are universal codes of what constitutes as art. there are the basic forms: photography, painting, drawing, dance, sculpture, etc., etc. and to say that every moment of your life has aspects of art in it is... well, a little pretentious.

but what if that's not it at all and nothing is not art? when my friends and i stripped down to our bras, covered ourselves in primary colors and ran around the art gallery in the middle of the night, taking pictures, we weren't thinking of 'art' but we weren't thinking of not making 'art' either.

so, you're saying that it just kind of turned out to be art?

no. that's not it either.

then what is it?

it just is. it is not not art, but it is also not art.

danya, not everything can be shades of gray.

yes, everything can be if we just stop caring about labeling things, you know?

whatever you need to tell yourself.

every feel like you are so sucked down in the torment of what life is and what society is and wonder why humans are the only animals on earth that have concepts of money and material possessions?

danya, this is an improvment in technology and quality of life. you should be thankful for it.

but i'm not. and i know that seems like an awful thing to say, but god. i don't like how almost everything i touch is just something that i bought with something (dollar bills, credit card, etc.) that is only a representation of wealth, whatever that means.

we are consumers, danya. that's what we do.

but i don't want it to be that way, where our lives are considered sucessful when we become millionaires or whatever. shouldn't sucess be happiness, or enlightenment, or something that actually gives meaning to your life?

many people strive for financial sucess all their lives, and that is also considered sucess, danya.

when everything is done and gone, i think that most people realize that their life wasn't worth wasting for some paper.

cake post

so it's my birthday today and i was wondering why we eat cake.

well, danya, it's because cake is delicious and is decorated in such a bright manner to make people happy. which is a good thing when remembering a joyous event such as a birth.

but mei goreng (a balinese dish) is also quite delicious and can be laid out in such a fashion to make people happy. but i don't see most people eating mei goreng for their birthdays.

i'm sure that most people would love to do that, but cakes are enjoyed by everyone while i'm sure that mei goreng is directed towards a specific group that likes the taste of balinese noodles.

i'm not saying i don't like cake. i love it, but does everyone actually enjoy cake? i don't think diabetics are much interested in the fluffy, chocolate-y goodness.

danya, go back to bed. you're too tired.

person inside my mind, would you like some german chocolate cake made for my birthday? it uses the toasted coconut you see above.

but of course. does it have sprinkles?

no.

then no.