Hello all! First off I hope everyone out there is doing well and enjoying the marvelous Spring season.

I don't do journals of this type very often, in fact this is the first one I've ever done I think, but I'm looking for a little help to get me through what has been a difficult time in my life.

The main reason for this journal is to help raise some money because I am going to need major dental work soon. I have had an abcessed tooth for about a year now, but the company I work for does not offer dental insurance so I put off going to get it checked out. The pain went away until recently I accidentally bit down on the tooth (the gum has actually grown into the spot where the tooth was chipped and infected), and the pain was almost unbearable. The infection is still there and there is danger of it spreading to other areas which will be disastrous. Since it's a molar I don't think a root canal is an option but they will at least need to cap and crown it so I can use that side of my mouth normally, and that will be about $1,000 to $1,500.

I've never been one to ask for straight donations, although I'm unfortunately not an artist, I do have many things to sell listed below and I'm also offering professionally printed 8.5x11 prints of any photo I've taken in my FA gallery for just $10 including shipping.

If you are local I will be happy to meet you in a mutual location and deliver the goods, if not you can pay actual shipping charges to wherever you live.

Here are links to the things I'm selling so you can see photos:

Random stuff - plushies, a deluxe laptop bag, lion tail, etc: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/13590411/

Hawaiian shirts, $10 each (all L/XL)

I'm also selling some of my bowling balls, these are mid-to-high performance balls 16 pounds. They are all in good lightly used condition and will be resurfaced prior to pickup/shipping. The Nuts is by far the best of the 3 with the most overall hook, retailed for $229.99, I will sell for $50, the other two (Roto Grip Riot and Pluto) retailed for about $160 and I will sell for $30.

Mid-to-High performance Bowling balls, all 16lb

EDIT: 900 Global Nuts is sold! Riot and Pluto balls still available.

EDIT:  lovelessxlawliet has generously offered to draw Pay Your Own Way traditional sketch commissions for me. Please send your donation to the paypal address below and make a note so I know what it is for (and include your FA username) I will arrange your commission with her. Thanks so much!

My paypal is lion_king_300[at]hotmail.com - please let me know what you wish to buy in the notes section (choose "send money to friends" option).

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I also feel you deserve to know the other things that are going on in my life that is putting me in such a tough situation:

- I have really been struggling at work lately. I do like my job and it is normally decent to good money, but I seem to have been cursed with an inordinate amount of bad luck for about the last 2-3 weeks. Casino dealing at a keep-your-own-tips house is a double-edged sword, when you do well you don't have to share with everyone else, but when things are going bad, you wonder how you will be able to pay rent at the end of the month. And things have been going VERY bad

Nothing has changed as far as the level of service I provide to my customers, I am friendly, upbeat, positive and deal the cards efficiently, but it has been slower than usual and I have been very "hot" lately, meaning most of the money bet has gone to the house, especially for our good tipping customers (we don't have many). And when customers place a tip bet for me, it seems like 80-90% of the time it loses and goes to the house, so I get nothing. Finally, I seem to always be in the bad part of the rotation (we rotate tables every 30 minutes), standing on dead tables making minimum wage while my co workers are making bank with our good customers, and by the time I get there they are gone. It's a lethal combination and very frustrating. Every day I hope it turns around but it just hasn't. I've been dealing cards for more than 6 years and this is the toughest stretch I have ever endured.


- My 79-year-old grandma was recently diagnosed with cancer (she is a breast cancer survivor but it returned to her lymph nodes) and she is going through chemotherapy right now. At her age it's taking a lot out of her but she is staying as positive as possible, and our family is helping care for her and assisting with her mounting medical bills.

- One of my roommates is moving out effecting June 1 after 3 years of living together. I support his decision and wish him the best, but it could not have come at a worse time as my share of rent and utilities will go up to nearly $900 a month until we get the room filled. (I pay the lion's share since I have the master bed/bathroom). I will make a separate post soon about my housing situation, but if any locals are interested or know anyone that is looking for a room,it is a 3-bedroom house in an "adult community" (mostly seniors/retirees but legally it's only 18+) in an awesome location just off I-405 right on the Kirkland/Bothell/Woodinville border. Rent is $500 + an equal 3-way split of the electric bill, everything included.

So as you can see a lot of stuff is piling up on me and from the bottom of my heart I appreciate any help. I know others out there are struggling too and I wish you the best as well! I am keeping faith that things will turn around eventually and hopefully in a big way.

The bottom line is I won't let these struggles affect me negatively, I will still be the best I can every single day and do what I can to continue to help and inspire others in the furry fandom and beyond. I've gotten an overwhelming response to my Fursuiting: For the Kids Convention Edition video and I thank you all for taking the time to watch and share it.

Thanks so much for your help, support, kind words or even just spreading the word.