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Outside of this blog, I have been writing just fine, excellent actually. Incorporating more reading into my writing process has opened my mind to strive for more, to be more. Currently I am halfway through Toni Morrison’s ‘Paradise’. One thing I can say about her is that she knows how to synthesize language with imagery in order to get the maximum potential out of a narrative. The Seneca chapter in the book was much longer than the previous three. In one night, I had completed Ruby, Mavis, and Grace. With Seneca, it took me four nights. Truthfully, it was a hard read to follow, and gave me an even harder pill to swallow. In order to be a good writer, I must be a good reader, and in order to be a good reader, I must fully comprehend what I am reading. This past Wednesday at work, I found myself overhearing a tutor teach his little attendees who Mya Angelou was; poet, author, woman. Its March after all. What was poignant to me was his lesson about reading comprehension:

In order to answer questions correctly, you must fully understand what they are asking.

The tutor sent his students home with an assignment, asking them to record their conversations with their parents about books they have read. Sitting at the front desk, I to, was a student that night. Rereading portions of the chapter again and again with the question that Morrison has asked me, and other readers to answer: In your own words, what do you think?

Fast forward to the low hours of Friday morning, the news of Akira Toriyama’s death rocked the world not seen since Michael Jackson’s passing. My X ( formally known as Twitter) feed was akin to a memorial wall of thousands upon thousands of adoration, grief-stricken posts from fans, critics and onlookers alike. Even if you didn’t read or watch Dragonball, you knew who Goku was. You knew what a Kamehameha was, you knew what a Super Saiyan was. I too, am a Dragonball fan. The Kai dub on Nicktoons was my “in” to the franchise and other anime. Viewing the scene of Future Trunks debut on screen and obliterate Frieza and his father King Cold in five minutes singed itself to my brain cells. Surprisingly, my father as well:

“Is that the Super Saiyan who hurt you my son?”

He says it occasionally to this day and probably forever.

There is something ethereal about Toriyama’s legacy. Only once gifted to very few individuals over lifetimes. A man’s vison for a comedy manga now spans a 40 plus year legacy of generational acclaim. Funnily enough, he didn’t expect, or better yet, worry about making it big. He just wanted to make a few people laugh. Toriyama’s question to us was; Did I succeed? Yes Mr. Toriyama, you did. You made us laugh, cry, dream, and awaken. Thank you! I am saddened, as well as many others probably are, to know that he was still working on projects, like Dragonball Daima and Sandlands. 68 is young. We may never be able to see his full vision, but he did carry it with him into the heavens. That is the knowledge we as fans must hold on to, for goodwill.

Akira Toriyama, Toni Morrison, Mya Angelou, and Michael Jackson were all artists. Drawings, books, words, poems, songs, and performances alike shared a common goal. A quote from one of my favorite books, ‘What Do You Do With An Idea?’ by Kobi Yamada sums it up perfectly:

“You change the world.”

Please, check that book out from your local library. You will not regret it.

To all the artists out there, me included. Put your ideas in the atmosphere, answer questions to the fullest, always go for greatness, and remember the only failure is when you give up.

Rip Akira Toriyama

Rip Toni Morrison,

Rip Mya Angelou

Rip Michael Jackson

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Sunshine signing off. Until we meet again!