hand turkeys...haha.. nah, for some reason I just felt like drawing one.

this was a happy letter. The smilie faces were in their correct vertical form, I found it necessary to put them in any way that I could. Seriously, the sender of this letter made me quite chipper. I have never talked to this person, but I believe I would have a nice conversation.
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Hi Patrick,

I decided that yes, I guess it is about time I actually write a letter and send it your way. So... here it is- ha:)


You wanted to hear about how people live their lives, and how they get by from day to day. I don't really have any huge insight or moving/ inspirational words to share about what it is that keeps me going. I guess I just do because I chose to...you know? I mean, I'm a pretty happy person, and I think I just try to stay happy- as lame or as simple as may sound. But that's the truth really.
So maybe then the things that make me happy are the reasons I'm able to make it through each day? Maybe so, I guess. Sooo, I'll share a few of them with you :)

{second page. Not going to lie, this is what makes this letter spectacular to me}




{third page}

my family- my friends-acting-painting-music-movies-talking to people-cookies (stupid, but true)-spending time with my little cousins-kids in general- really good smelling things-board games... freaking love them-the movie "Clue" (so funny it hurts)- good food- my bed/bedroom- pictures in frames- g-chat- candles-dogs (I miss mine :( )- movie theaters- china buffet- my car- "To Kill a Mockingbird"- trees- decorating cakes and cupcakes- good tv- my secret garden :)- facebook - my church- sushi- romantic comedies- getting mail- seeing shows- the Art Institute- Mr. Sub- recording myself singing (haha)- singing in general - lamplight- "domestic shopping"- driving- tap dancing/any kind of dancing - dressing up- swimming pools- flowers- soulful music, especially with piano- thinking about love (which probably stems from all the romantic comedies)- driving to rehearsals with my friend- good food and or dessert- stars- art that makes me feel something- candy- connecting with people- color- being at home- walking across a bridge downtown when it's evening and the lights reflect on the water- mocumentaries- and a lot of other things, I guess

......................................................................................................................................
Anyways , that's kind of a longish, simple list, but I think it's those types of things that make it all good, you know? Oh, well feeling loved and cared for, which I'm lucky, because I do. So that just makes life sort of ride along on an underlying current of joy- which is about all you can ask for, I think. Right? Ha, I don't know. Well, out of room! Hope you are well!

Sincerly,
---- :)




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the last part of the third page was what made this feel like a friendly conversation.
I love that, friendly conversations with strangers; they are alway nice.

"The complete visceral good I see in what I do for those people brightens my day more than any music or any accomplishment I've yet to experience."

This letter has a kind of embarrassing preface for me, I am blushing just thinking about it. But the entirety of the letter makes me feel so wonderful, here it is for your enjoyment.

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Preface

Well, I found your letter May 28th on the Belmont bus. I have to say, I thought you were very attractive and thought I saw you looking back a good bit, but being reserved and shy around the type, I just locked into my gameboy. Also, Patrick is a name that I fell in love with once on the CTA alread, so the old memories flooded back quite heavily afterwards (a story for another time). We got off at the same stop (Belmont/Damen), and I saw you had left a letter. When I read it, I certainly can appreciate the intent and what a unique way of getting into people's heads. So to you Patrick James Gill I write:

How do I survive? I've survived up to this point of my life by constantly changing. The luxury of youth has allowed me to make lots of mistakes, explore new interests, and most of all mold into a multifaceted individual. 12 years of my life devoted to music now helps me get through my greatest stresses with beautiful and tumultuous tones, and appreciate the intricate nuances within. 3 years of leading a pride movement in one of the most fundamentally religious states prepared me for how to deal with bigotry and living as a second class citizen. Today, I can sympathize with the most downtrodden of people and appreciate their struggles. I've begun a career as a nurse and work in the emergency department. I watch people die, people dying, and people reborn. The complete visceral good I see in what I do for those people brightens my day more than any music or any accomplishment I've yet to experience.

The example that will forever stand out to me: a man came in because his musician daughter had forced him to. His chest had felt "heavy" for twenty four hours. I began the usual actions for this and I saw immediately that he was having a heart attack. The next forty minutes of my time in that patients life was spent hurriedly preparing him for a life-saving procedure. The entire time, his daughter stood by the bed and I asked her to hold his hand and talk to him as I explained everything going on around him. Then, I took him to have a cardiac catheterization. Four hours later, I went to the intensive care unit to see how it had gone. His daughter was by the bed, holding her father's hand, and he opened his eyes and smiled.

The synestheisa of everything that's happened to me, all of experiences, at least somewhat prepare me somewhat for whatever happens when I walk out of this apartment every day. These twenty-three years of family, music, gay rights, medicine, and athletics will come to play as I become a flight nurse in the United States Air Force. The chapter to begin will take me all over the world as I see soldiers fighting everyday to survive.

(this section had a signature of the contributor and their address)


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As a bit of an explanation for the preface, I have been dropping notes that explain the project and ask for readers and contributions. They mainly are placed on the CTA.