what are we going to do about AIDS and Africa?

atlanta, originally uploaded by scotterickson.

atlanta youth specialties conference

do you know what's going on around the world but especially in africa with the AIDS virus? it's killing thousands of people a day. 8000 people die everyday from AIDS in africa, which creates 6000 new orphans everyday. shocking. disgusting actually.

it's hard to really digest these numbers, at least for me anyway. i don't think i actually can conceive such massive destruction. i would need tp be there to really take it all in, but i would probably keel over in shock and helplessness by the site of it all. i think that's probably what a lot of us feel - helpless and purposefully removed from the reality of it all. how can i, one person, possibly affect this huge emergency? this is a question that has been weighing on my heart for some time... months if not years it seems. what can i do as a 27 year old in seattle way across the world?

my prayers have been heard. it's amazing to me how God is so belittled by his creation sometime. if i am one finite, small, fragile, human being, and yet i can feel such pain for the injustice i see, it's amazing to me that i ever ask, "do YOU care about this?" the God who knows every emotion by every human... who sees every tear, every cry, every death, every laugh... who knows all the the hearts of all men... who sees every rape, every murder, every beheading, every trick of a prostitute, every slap of an abusive parent... He knows all. He experiences all. this leads me to believe that He is the most sensitive and caring being... He is the most emotionally in tune.

so then we ask, "why doesn't He do anything?" i can see two possibilites. one - he takes away or freedom and punishes everyone for their wrong doing, which ends up being everyone in all creation and existence as we know it ends in a ball of flaming justice... or He allows us to keep our freedom, provides us a way for forgiveness and restoration, and then involves us in changing the wrong into right...

sorry... this entry could easily change into a philosophical paper... i wanted to share that God has heard my prayers and is showing me how i, an artist, can assist in helping fight the AIDS epidemic.

i got to go with world vision last week to a youth specialties convention in atlanta to help them promote their One Life Revolution campaign. this campaign allows people to help AIDS orphans in Zambia by giving them a structure to raise money and have it go directly to the kids and their livlihood. so i went along to help with the promotion of this program by doing live paintings to gain peoples attention.

it was awesome. i did five paintings in two days and we had such an overwhelming response from people wondering if they could buy them, that we had a silent auction and raised $1360 total for the five paintings. all the proceeds went to the orphans.

i see great potential in this experience. i want to continue to work with non-profits to help them promote their cause and to help them raise money for it.

i think the way we help is use what gifts we have been given and just walk in them.

to my girlfriend

bike best shot, originally uploaded by scotterickson.

holly and i started dating when we met up in amsterdam this last summer. this is a killer shot of us trying to ride a bike the way the dutch do. i wanted to include this picture because my blog wouldn't be complete without her.

i've been the perpetual bachelor for most of my life. all my friends have been marrying off and it's kind of been a joke that i would be forever single. but in my heart i knew i desired to love and be loved by someone... so a day came when i pledged to stop dating and i told God i wasn't going to date anymore until i met the one i was going to marry. i would just spend my time trying to love jesus more.

so here she is. our story is cool and you should all hear it sometime, so just ask and we'll share.

things i would like you to know about holly:
- her heart is huge and full of compassion for people, especially children. she's gifted with children like micheal jordan is gifted with a basketball. it's a joy to watch her in action and i learn so much just being around her.
-she's a talker which i love cause it draws me out of my interior self, which i can live in for hours.
-she's a good fit. especially at cuddling....mmm...
-she's a good friend
she loves to laugh, which means she will overcome any obstacle in life and open any door with everyone she meets.
-i think she's so damn sexy. the mysteries of womanhood are wrapped up in her small frame... every move she makes is graceful and beautiful.
- she can do a couple breakdance moves that are awesome!
- there are moments when i'm sharing with her my dreams... and she looks at me and i feel like i can do anything.

so there is my little ode to her. it might be sappy yes... but i don't care what others think. i always want to be sappily smitten over her and i will never be afraid to show it.

holly, my life is lighter with you in it.

more than a haircut

so i got my haircut yesterday. a normal activity to all, yes? we've all gone in to whatever stylist we go to to trim away the ever growing hair that maifests out of our scalp. some more than others... sorry guys. it just happens.

getting your haircut is a weird experience. first i have a complete stranger create a new look for me when he or she does not know anything about my life. how do they know what i like? how do they know what i do? they don't, yet in a few inadequate sentences i'm supposed to describe to them what i want to look like on a day to day basis. can't i just say, "make me look hot," and they should instantly go at it. no they can't, cause "hotness" is a subjective opinion. try describing how you want your hair cut in another language... it's near impossible.

luckly this day, brendan didn't feel like talking and neither did i. it was a nice change from the shallow chit chat that goes on when you get your haircut. it's a forced intimacy i still don't know how to deal with. i mean, they are right there, creating my image, and i can't really say "hey, i don't feel like talking. do you mind if you do your thing and i do mine?" no it's either conversation or silence. luckily i got silence.

i guess the wierd thing about my cut is that i felt depressed at the end of it. for one thing i never really like my haircut when i first get it. i know it will grow out and eventually look better, but right when i'm down i feel a sense of embarrassment and a feeling "why did i ask for so much off?" this has become normal part of the experience for me. i ran this thought by my friends and they disagreed saying they always felt better at the end of their cut. wierd. maybe i need to find a new place. i guess a few times i walk out thinking i look good, but usually i feel disappointment in the finished product. at least it's shorter...

this time was the same, but i noticed something. i'm forced to stare at my face for a good half hour... and i find that depressing. it seems as the time passes i feel worse and worse about myself. it's like i'm being forced to notice the imperfections and i can't look away. i don't know, does anyone feel me on this? maybe i'm weird and i'm the minority who doesn't like to look at themselves all day. there are times when i think i look good. it's mostly in airplane bathrooms. the light in their is great... i feel like i'm in a modeling shoot. maybe it's the closeness of the mirror... i don't know. but then there are times when i look into the mirror and i think "ugh, maybe i should get an extreme makeover." it's like photographs. how come some photographs i look awesome in and some i look gastly? am i only good looking half the time in reality and the other half i look less than great? or is it just a constant mediocre? strange thoughts... but none the less i was glad to not be looking at myself any longer when i walked back outside into the crisp autumn air.

anywho, it was a strange event. smalll compared to the rest of my days events. but impactful non the less.

friday surf retreat

IMG_0055, originally uploaded by scotterickson.

i headed out early friday morning for some solitude and waves. the drive to westport is long and that sometimes is very frustrating. but when you want to get away and think and pray, the drive can be quite quieting to ones soul.

few have ever really seen this part of my life so i thought i'd take a picture this time. it's 44 degrees outside and i have just gotten out of the water. the waves were small but fun on this day. there was a long lull between swells and i spent that time praying and watching the pelicans ride the wind that hovers over the water.

my best ride that day
i was dropping into a wave and i thought it was going to break on me before i could get up and turn to the left... but i went for it anyway. as soon as i made my turn to the left, i could feel the wave crash just behind me which left me right in front of the curl. it was such a great feeling riding along, sensing the wave billowing over and over behind you, roaring the whole time.

it was a good day. i left with peace in my soul.

halloween 2004

IMG_0069, originally uploaded by scotterickson.

we are a frightening bunch, aren't we

my first blog

so this is my first blog. i guess i have been blogging all my life, but it's never reached cyberspace. but i have finally entered in to the 21st century..... yeh me. so i'll try to and a picture too.