Shawn Perkins-Greene writing.  Hope this finds y'all well and reasonably happy ...

My family is well ... well, most of them are, anyway.  Corey, my little brother, is due to have heart surgery at the end of August; his heart is just not doing its job.  We are worried about it, as any family should be.  Poor mama and daddy are in tears over this; so am I, whenever I think about it.  Corey is so little; so many things could go wrong during the surgery, especially since his own health isn't that great ...

I am trying to put this at Jesus' feet, but it's still so blamed hard!!

I wish Goon, my best bud, were still here.  We used to spend the summer together, doing things like running in the sprinklers at Central Park, playing video games, drawing, and just hangin' out.  Goon was here over Easter, and it was the best time; my family absolutely loved him!  They still talk about when he was here.  Now he's back home in New York, and I am missing him more than ever!

My sister Q'urionka tried out for AGT; she didn't make it.  She was so disappointed; she really wanted it so bad!  I was upset when I found out she didn't make the cut to go on!  I swear the judges at the audition don't know million-dollar talent if it bit them in the butt!!  My sister HAS the goods; she's every bit as good as those who do make it to "America's Got Talent", even though she is like 11 years old!!

I watched the first two shows last week (Tuesday and Wednesday); plan on watching it this week.  Some of the acts that tried out were really bizarre, but then again, you had acts like "Future Funk" (two little boys who breakdanced), "ArcAttack" (this act that involves lightning; the guy literally gets struck by man-made lightning; it's really freaky!), and this eighteen-year-old singer/guitar player from Louisiana (can't remember his name at the moment).  Let's see what this week brings.  I still say my sister was robbed ...

I wouldn't mind going on that show; I could rap and show 'em how a pro does it.  I've been rapping since I could talk.  Oh, yeah, speaking of rapping:  they also had this 11 year old kid (CJ Dippa) who rapped; they are already calling him "The Next Eminem".  He was tight!  He definitely had some mega skillz!!  He made it through (as did "Future Funk", the 18-year-old singer/guitarist, and "ArcAttack"). 

I have watched AGT since it started five years ago; I've seen some incredible talent come out as a result of that show.  Terry Fator (ventriloquist act; he won).  Neal Boyd (opera singer; he won).  Bianca Ryan (teen singer; she won).  David Militello (kid with autism; he got cut while vying for the top 40; he should have gone higher than he did!).  Kaitlyn Maher (little four year old kid who sang; she made it all the way to the top ten before she got axed).  Lazylegz (this guy who breakdances on crutches ... yes, on CRUTCHES!!).  Barbara Padilla (this opera singer who was the runner up last year).  So many memorable acts who are going to be huge as a result of this show!

Maybe next year I might try out.  I could either rap or breakdance (but then again, once you've seen one breakdancer, you've pretty much seen 'em all [unless you happen to be "LazyLegz", that is ...] ).  Or I could dazzle the judges with my trick basketball skillz (think "Harlen Globetrotters" as a solo act!).  Yeah, I think I will try out for "AGT" next season! :)

Soon it will be July Fourth.  We are going to a huge festival in Birmingham; we will see fireworks and see the parade (the parade's the day before).  The festival and fireworks start the day before the Fourth and goes until the fifth; there'll be fireworks on the 3rd and 5th as well as the 4th, so we will have three different opportunities to see fireworks.  That'll work; I love fireworks!  :)  It'll make us forget of Corey's impending heart surgery (at least for a little while ...).

School ends this week; Friday's the last day.  I plan on spending it by swimming after school lets out (we get out at noon on Friday).  I just wish Goon was here to celebrate it with me; I miss his goofy personality and his megawatt smile!  He's the best friend a guy could ever have!

Well, I am going to go: gonna eat before we go to church tonight at six.  We're having fried chicken, collard greens, pinto beans, fried potatoes, and for dessert, cherry cobbler.  Mmmm, making me hungry already just thinking about it!  I will write in here again soon; until later, this is Shawn Perkins saying so long and God bless!

~"Determined" (aka Shawn).  :)  ("Determined" is my new nickname 'cause I don't let anything stand in my way! :) )