"I was just sitting here thinking our way of life is over. It's the end, the apocalypse," said fisherman Tom Young of Plaquemines Parish on the coast. "And no one outside of these few parishes really cares. They say they do, but they don't do nothing but talk. Where's the action? Where's the person who says these are real people, real people with families and they are hurting?"

Although I finally have a shape and a definite, clear, purpose for this trip, I don't really have any kind of mission statement or anything. I have been compelled since the minute I found out about this to work, write, read, post, share, call, cut, collect, create, CONSTANTLY, in order to try to make ANY impact on the sickening volume of this disaster. We're headed down to the coast tomorrow to try to check out some of the major volunteer opportunities in each currently affected state, see what their needs and struggles are, see if we can be of help, help others get connected, volunteer to need, and help get the word out. My long term plan is to come home and keep helping with the informational/organisational parts of all of these vital causes and facilities, as well as building and promoting orgs for collecting, donating and building hair booms. I have had PLENTY to keep me busy, but it has been very difficult not to just panic and fall apart with the real weight of all of this, every second. I have been driven, but I have also been grieving, terrified, confused, disheartened, depressed, angry, and frankly, panicked since day one, just like all of us. I've just had to move forward, try to evolve quickly in some aspects, and keep working. The thing that had been driving me onward up til now was just the need to do it, to do SOMETHING. But you can only run on that for so long. Humans' souls (or egos or psyches or personalities or whatever you want to call it) need food. We need a REASON to go on.

There are ENDLESS reasons to keep fighting this particular battle, but I guess I had no one banner to march under, until today when I read this quote by Tom Young.
I want him to know that someone outside the parish DOES care, that there is someone who is willing to make, find or force action, and most importantly that there is someone, LOTS of someones who say these are real people, real people with families and they are hurting." 
I'm not sure yet exactly what I can do, but gdmt, I am going to find out. And in the meanwhile, I've raised a little money, some awareness, helped people get info, collected hair, spread the word, done what I can. And all the while, until it's better or until I drop, I will remember what Tom said. I hope I can find him in my travels and see what his plan is, what BP and the government and other folks are doing to help him, and maybe I can give him a hug and let him know that we're not just talk. We can't just sit by and watch people like him and his family hurt. We will help be his voice outside the parish, and strong arms inside the parish too. Whatever we can do.
-s

"BP's new plan risks worsening oil leak"

'I was just sitting here thinking our way of life is over. It's the end'"