Jan. 13, 2010, Nashville, Tennessee~

Dear Journal~

Nathan Lake here.  Sorry if I haven't written; been busy with schoolwork, some (minor) surgeries on my nose, and trying to stay out of trouble.  LOL

I'm doing pretty good most days; some days, though -- hoo, boy!  Some days it would have been better had I stayed in bed!  Like when my mom tries to treat me like a baby instead of the teenager I am; I mean, I can dress myself, feed myself, and take care of my own affairs!  I don't need anyone's help; if I do, I'll ask for it, but not before then!  I swear, my mom is worse than a mother hen at times!

Now that the worst of the pain is behind me now (had my nose operated on last month; what a Christmas present that was!  NOT!!), I can concentrate on continuing my recovery and showing myself to the world:  don't look so much like going through a round with Muhammed Ali!   LOL  I am sooo glad that's behind me!!

I had a good Christmas, other than having to spend several days in the hospital.  That wasn't fun; I've had so many pokes and proddings it's a wonder I don't leak!  LOL

I am starting to like how I look whenever I look in the mirror.  I don't look so much like a Frankensense Monster; I am starting to look more and more like a human being.  It's been a long time coming, but there's still work to be done.  I will be glad when all of this is behind me; I've had so many surgeries on my face I've lost count!

In fact, the other day at school, I got brave enough to ask a girl out on a date.  Me, the Creature, asking a girl out!!  That's a huge step towards normalcy in my life because up to now, my life has been anything but normal!  She said yes; so this Friday I have a date!!  My first one!!  I am so excited, as you can imagine!  I plan on taking Trysta Gentry out for pizza and maybe a movie; she wants to see "Avatar", which is really huge right now!

I like Trysta.  She's small and cute, with long, floofy black hair and dark-brown eyes, and she has such an infectious giggle!  I hope she will like me as much as I already like her; I can see us as a couple one day!

Well, I gotta run; am at school as I write this, and if Mr.  Withrow, my English teacher sees me goofin' off instead of doing my English work, I just might get canned!  I will write in here again; I will tell you about our date in my next journal entry!  Take care and God bless!

~Love, your friend in Tennessee, Nathan Lake.  :)