So it is a grey day this afternoon and there have been lots of protests today over a policeman being killed. I am trying to find the positive in everything and it's not always easy. I have made some security changes to my life but feel like I'm looking over my shoulder all the time now. I am not going to live like that. I just can't. So I am going to change topics completely and tell you about a friend of mine and the work he is doing now. It is pretty amazing and I don't know how it is going to work out but I'm game to help him however I can get on his feet. Blessings come in unexpected forms. A huge one recently has come for a friend of mine, Ticante, who has asked me to share his story with you. The story actually starts on January 13, 2010 when I met Ticante who had a terrible crush injury to his foot from the earthquake. It took six weeks in the hospitalwith doctors trying to save his foot but they couldn't keep all of it, he lost his forefoot. He can still walk which is a huge blessing compared to so many who lost entire limbs. However he has been unable to do his previous job of mixing mortar for a masoon because he can't stand for that amount of time. Things have been rough for he and his family. They have been living in a tent city since the earthquake with no constant source of income. They have tried several times to sell various things but it always failed. Due to a myriad of reasons his wife left he and their 4 year old daughter. Times really got tough then, because he had to get his daughter to and from school and that left no time to try and find work. I talked to a friend of mine who founded the Apparent Project and she agreed to train Ticante in the art of rolling paper beads made from recycled cardboard and paper then made into jewelry. It is an art, I've tried and it's definitely not easy :). So now he is trying to get a stock of jewelry built up so he can sell it. The Apparent Project has jewelry parties where they send jewelry to you and then you sell it and the artisans receive 80% and the other 20% goes for shipping and tags and such. I don't know if we will try to do that ourselves or send Ticante's jewelry as part of an AP party. Right now he is just making jewelry. His goal is to first get a house for he and his daughter to live in. He is saving 1/2 of what he makes. Now he has a purpose in life and he is a changed man. It is exciting to see him have hopes and dreams. If you are interested in some jewelry please email me at crowdisk@yahoo.com and we will see what we can figure out.