i know i am falling way behind.

Posted on Aug 19th, 2007 by

i'm so sorry but i can't make up excuses as per why i've not be online. i will tell you what i've been up to lately and you can decide for yourself whether or not you forgive me for being absent for a few months.

it all started when summer began-

we started camping. this includes taking kids with us and groups consisted of children with bleeding disorders and some inner-city kids and others who've never left their parents even for a night before. this also includes friends and my trips to various areas and getting re-accquainted(sp?) with a high school pal who is really into it and is planning other up-coming trips with me.

next is the part where i got a puppy. she's 6 weeks old. (she was born on july 6.) she's a purebred black lab. her name is Mattie Pearl. i named her after my great-grandmother. my grandmother is not yet fond of the name, but then again my grandmother is not fond of anything that moves and isn't human. she thinks animals are cute and loves to see them but within touching distance is way too close for her. and i'm learning how to train a dog to potty outside and walk with a leash which is a really fun process.

the aforementioned high school pal is becoming more of a best friend and helping me to get involved with better things.

i've also helped to begin a youth leadership program with some of my best friends. all of us are involved with the bleeding disorders community and have experience being counselors with the kids and are experienced leaders. we're working on various programs to get the older kids involved in inner-cities involved in our group.

i've almost completed my art project. i've been going around the city with gang members and framing graffiti they point out and explain to me and allow me to alter. i build beautiful frames around something my city tries to ignore and belives by ignoring it will go away. after i frame the graffiti, if the gang members allow me to, i put up a key to explain what the peice means. i try to make it an art so people will pay attention to it and understand it so they can stop it. how can you stop something you have no understanding of. i am also documenting my whole process and sending in images to local media in hopes they will run more stories on gangs and gang graffiti. its worked, i've actually had one news station offer to do a story on my work. i declined and advised them it wasn't the art they needed to cover, it was the problem that led to my art. people think i'm crazy doing this and going around the city with gang members, but i'm only going out and working with gang members i've grown up with and i've recently assisted in some slightly positve interaction between a police officer and three gang members. more to come on this.

i've been working my butt off when not doing any of the aforementioned to save up money for school and to also do the aforementioned. there are several things coming up that i am also going to be quite involved in-- i am going sky diving in october i need 200 bucks for, trip to tx to camp and trip to georgia to camp. and then a scuba class i have to pay for.

but i love my busy hectic life. i hope you enjoy yours as well.
i love you all! much much much love and hugs galore!

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about 17 hours later

**Kelly** said

Kudos on saving the graffiti art. There's some really amazing stuff around the world.

Also I admire your guts to hang out with gang members. I must admit I would be scared. But they must like you!