you don't even know me

YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW ME by Sharon Flake (Jump at the Sun, 2010) is a collection of stories and poems about boys and young men facing trials and obstacles. Sometimes the obstacles are your normal run of the mill teen stuff: pimples, girls, and the like. However, there are some really tough issues here as well: HIV, suicide, abuse, teen pregnancy. What ties it all together is Flake's willingness to let the characters talk. Especially haunting is the story of a young man who is planning his own suicide following he suicide of his twin brother,

Spent hours getting hair color this afternoon. Needed a lift after a week the ended on a very sour note. Feeling better now and looking forward to a trip tomorrow to see wildflowers.