Couple days ago I finished drawing out these tshirts.  

Front and back version; a bike coming and going.  A company is screen printing out the team's shirts, but I wanted to make them available if anyone else wanted to buy and wear them the week of the ride.  

So, if you are interested you can get them on cafepress.com.  I've never used this website and these are my first t-shirts I've sold online.

I think I may start designing some other t-shirts, though I really hate how much of the profits cafepress gets. Smart company.  

Here's the link to buy. I didn't really mark them up for profit because I wanted people to actually buy them. So, $2 commission sales on all shirts goes directly to ‘Bike for Kam’ fundraising project.

Purchase Bike for Kam T-shirt Today on CafePress (click here)

Other than that I have alot to say but not feeling particularly eloquent right now.  Not that I usually am, but for this one I'll just be spouting out facts.

Bike for Kam is going well.  We are nearing our 50% mark with $9,256 raised. That's great! Thanks to all who have been supporting.  

The fundraising is great, but a whole new audience has been building.  People who didn't know about HIBM know about it now, and that is more important in many ways. Building that audience.  Sometimes it feels like a very slow process and you have to do alot for a little, but patience is virtue.  Sometimes the work and waiting has to be at other's pace and not your own.  

Besides, we are knew to this.  I have been helping ARM for years, but Bike for Kam has been a one man band in terms of all the logistic work. It's not like I can just take a break because there are emails or papers waiting to be replied to.  I have to keep in it to keep the project moving forward.  Fortunately I have some passionate and fun guys to keep me going because I feel broken down and provincial at times.

It's not like building campaigns, websites, PR and strategy is my background or something I'm well versed at. I'm kind of just learning as I go and follow my instincts.

Just because something isn't your profession doesn't mean you can't learn it and so I try.  I try not to get caught up in what I don't know and just do. I'm probably doing alot of things wrong, but when you are the only one doing it you do the best you can.  

I feel like I've been working on this project for forever even though donation lines have really only been open for what? 2 weeks?  It's tiring and in many ways worse than a fulltime job. I have to be on call for emails, constantly sending out emails, PR, updating website, know the status of project and next steps and then as mentioned in the previous post -- it's emotionally taxing.  

After all, I'm not just some hired PR or marketing person attached to a project, I'm attached to my own, .to myself, to others like myself with this condition. Being "with" yourself is draining and I think most of us do alot of work to distract this from happennig.  But, alas it's not the case for me.  So, it's tiring.  I'm also working on other projects and in the job interview playground.  April has been an unusually busy month.  Bike project, job stuff, visitors every week/end coming and going for the month of April. It's all good things, though.

I had a friend in town for a week. My friend of nine years. It was tiring but wonderful having her here stay with me. We don't talk or see each other on a consistent basis, but we just pick up where we left off whenever we see each other.  It's one of those friendships where I can completely be myself and don't actually need to play "host".  

She has known me for many years which means throughtout the years she has witnessed the progression of HIBM.  We reminisced the first time she saw me. I was wearing a knee length black skirt and high heels.  

Skirt? Heels? What are those?  I can't even imagine wearing heels.  We had a great time, though. Non-stop laughing during her visit. Laying in my bed putting on mud masks and cooking for each other each night.  She was wonderful at helping, too. She could lift me and I was surprised since she is shorter than I.  

In our more serious and intimate conversations she expressed that she was sad that "this" was happening. Not pity sad. Just out of love, sad. Alot of people don't get to see that struggle or when I cry.  They just see my facebook picture which is always followed by the comment, "You look great", as if that fact is what makes it difficult to make the connection that yes, something seriously is wrong with my body.  I don't feel great.  My body is my constant alarm clock on an epic snooze cycle.

She said she was proud of me. I miss her.  I miss having my close friends around me. I was sad when she left as the house instantly became quiet again. I love a full house and I love the kitchen in constant use.

This weekend a couple of the guys from LA dropped off their bikes so it's one last thing to worry about next weekend.  One more week until the guys hit the coast!

Can't believe it and they are totally geeked. I'm looking forward to our pre-bike hangout next Saturday. They are all flying in and I am going to cook them a ton of food before I pat them on their butts and push them out the door.

Ok, no patting involved, but there will be food!  It's nice to see them so passionate, especially about something that not only benefits themselves but others too.  They've been great and though they are new to this fundraising world they have been sticking with it.

Those are all stories in themselves, but I'm too tired to type it out.  It was good that the guys happened to be in town the same weekend that Jason was out.  He flew back home for a funeral and since I am not used to being alone for long stretches it was a challenge. But, I was just really careful and I found most of my day was taken up with cooking a meal, washing dishes and getting dressed :/.

Man, I'm slow. ;)

I'm trying to get back to my personal illusrations. Haven't really done one in a month.  Now, I feel like I'm rambling so I think it means I should shut the computer off.  If you are reading this keep passing our bikeforkam.com project on and thanks for all the support. :)