One week later. Exactly, one week later

After encouragement from my wonderful friend Mauri Parks I have decided to start a blog! So here it goes...
I woke up this morning totally excited to start the day. No snooze button, not even once, and i even had to leave an hour earlier today to head into Anchorage to drop off the car at the mechanic shop. Honestly, I can't remember the last time that has happened. I didn't even go bed until 1am and at 6:30am I was ready to get up and jump into the day. I am really on to something here, I told Christian. There is so much to do, let's go!!!
Just one week ago I had NO idea what so ever that I would be doing what I am doing right now. From the Fund Raiser I am planning for this Friday for my dear friends in Hait to Blogging to hugging the suntanned cartoonish lady at the mechanic shop over the headline on the front page of this mornings paper, "count rises to 200,000" WTF????
The earthquake in Port-Au-Prince has a lot to do with the action I am taking, right now. But even before the earthquake I have been working on VeVe Haiti; Art inspired by Haiti, Nature and Vodou. It is as if the last 5 years I have been practicing to do exactly what I am doing right now. This is a powerful realization, and I am high on life over it. The way I feel is already making me believe that the universe does have a plan for me and I can relax, finally. It makes me understand a little more the Creole Proverb: When you make plans the Gods laugh. I made a few Goals for 2010 during the first week of January to help make 2010 one of the best yet:

1. Sell VeVe Candles and Paintings
2. Write down your ideas immediately... Yes, I have admitted to myself that I have no short term memory
3. Ask questions, and get advice from all the smart family and friends that I am blessed with
4. Take an English 101 class and relearn proper grammer and punctuation so that i can compose emails correctly and start a blog. (i have decided to start the blog any way, so bare with me)

I was making progress. I started an official notebook of ideas and things to do on January 7th. I taped a VeVe drawing on the cover of a black spiral notebook, the first page is a list of supplies I had been needing to get before my trip to Haiti on the 28th. I needed new paper and brushes mostly so I could paint while relaxing in the sun on the beach in, Haiti. Of course I would need to bring enough to share with all my little friends there. One of my favorite things about my time in Haiti is drawing, painting, and coloring with the kids in our neighborhood there. We still have a lot of the drawings and the one from Ebay is on our refrigerator. On January 8th I met with a business owner and friend that I admire and respect a ton and showed her the VeVe candle idea and the paintings I have completed over the last six months. She was super impressed! Her and I brainstormed for a good hour and I wrote down all of the ideas we came up with and even typed them into the computer. Monday January 11th i met Mauri for a lunch meeting... one more page in my notebook filled. It seemed like we had not had enough time, as usual. I was feeling good. We discussed my idea of having a Haitian Art Show (i'll keep the name of it a surprise because it will still happen) that combined hand made Haitian Art with my VeVe Candles and paintings. How long after you return do you need before you'll be ready? Mauri pressed me to make a timeline. I remember Andrea had suggested having the show during spring carnival. But the second week in March seemed too soon. I needed time to get the candles ready, the paintings framed, etc., etc., excuses, excuses.

On January 12, 2010 at 4:53pm a 7.0 earthquake rocked Haiti. My friend Djaloki who was in Port au Prince said, "it was as if the earth turned to liquid." I came back from my lunch hour walk to, 911:Earthquake in Haiti emails from Christian. I was in shock. I didn't believe it. That's my Haiti, those are my people. I sat here helpless watching the tragedy unravel. I went to bed that night still thinking that maybe it was a terrible nightmare. Wednesday I was reduced to tears for most of the day. Devastated by the photos and video footage, I had to DO something. By Wednesday night VeVe candles took on a higher purpose. I could use VeVe candles for a fundraiser!! I'll my prior procrastination and excuses are lifted and I am on a wild ride of my own creativity. I have been enrolling strangers in my vision for helping Haiti. I have been getting help and advice from awesome friends and family and am confident that my community is going to help support my efforts to help Haiti now and in the years to come. Please come out to Jack Sprat on, Friday January 22, 2010 5pm- 10pm to see what a VeVe candle is and, if you want, make a donation and take one home to your house and LIGHT IT and every time you LIGHT IT hold Haiti in your heart and send your blessings to Haiti. See you soon.