...and remember kids. only you can start forest fires!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

We found out what our next project is going to be today. Blue 6 is going to be travelling down the Georgia to hook with the Devil and set some ol' fashion fires. Fire=Fun. They call them prescribed burns (control burn is a misnomer can nobody really controls fire) and they help to eliminate less fire resistant plants, allowing for exotic species that depend on the fires to eliminate competition. We will be burning and assisting with the burn of over 1500 acres of land, in, around, and near the Okefenokee Swamp and possibly in some places in Alabama. I am super stoked and could not be more overjoyed by this new development.

My friend Dustin is of course going to be spending the next two months building houses in the Virgin Islands...which sounds nice and tropical, but I would still rather go to GA and burn some woods. Maybe I'll even splurge and buy my own driptorch, or make my own. Isnt it every kids dream to burn stuff and somehow be appreciated or even paid to do so? (well, I am recieving some money, but I wouldnt really call it pay)

Anyway, have a happy new year, and look for me on the news.

be great
--DAlen

Its unfortunate that the people who have understood how to change the world, the people who really understand "being the change you want to see," are too busy behind their hammers and trowels, stoves and pots. For making the world a better place isnt about sitting around a board table discussing solutions for our modern issues. The solution is in building a better future one home at a time...or cooking to feed our people in need, metaphorically and literally. The only way to of course lead by example or service is to work hard, and often in the process sweat as a result. When was the last time you were sweating in your business suit? I sweat in mine everyday (and it comingles with the paint, sawdust, concrete sand, and often blood to make quite a nice set of stains).

Be Great

Time flies when youre building houses...

So, tommorrow is the last day of our Spike. We have finished 2 houses so far, and hopefully will finish the third tommorrow. If all goes well, the 4th house will still be finished enough for the normal guys to do their thing. This means 4 families will get to move into new houses for Christmas. What a great way to celebrate the season right?

Back to SC on Friday...then its a weekend of rest. Looking forward to that. We have a few days of work and debrief/ brief, then its back to Charlotte for...well, more volunteer work. Maybe i'll do some valet as well, or stagehand work on the side. Either way, the weather is getting colder and holiday music is playing everyway I turn.

Merry Christmas!!!!

Anybody got any cool plans for New Years Eve? I'm looking for a party to hit...

be great

Want to workout like DAlen?

Be like DAlen in AmeriCorps...

These I call DAlen Circuits. Do 2.

40 pushups (3 sets of 13, differnt elevations of feet)
100 crunches
100 Squats (2 sets of 50)
Planks 1 min front, rest :15, 1 min each side, :15 rest
40 elbow to opposite knee crunches, each side
60 side leg raises, each side (10 lower, 10 upper, 10 full range, twice)

HAve fun! work hard.

--DAlen

KY is COLD!!!

Last week we were working outside...and it started to snow! Yeah, so its cold here, but work is going well. We moved some paint one day to an indoor location to prevent it from freezing, so that was kind of funny to me. It looks like this week, we will be spending a lot more time painting and finishing up these houses.

I just got back from a wonderfull wedding in Asheville. It felt like home there. I crashed at my old camp for one night, and saw Amber from college. I hadnt seen her in forever, so that was real fun to catch up. Also, got to see Rene (she was getting married) and Ashley (the groom). It brought back all the wonderfull memories of college. Much thanks to everyone who welcomed me into the Fielder-Leake Family. I really felt like I belonged at the wedding, as family. Thanks goes out to Jamie and Shannon for letting me crash on their floor, and also thanks to Rene's Aunt from New York, who loves AmeriCorps members and showed much appreciation with her unceasing compliments and the Rum and Coke.

I just got done eating a steak, and now I am going to bed. Off to work again tommorrow. Two more weeks before I get back to the SC, back to the beach, and back to eating in the galley. Its almost Christmas time folks!!!!

--DAlen be great