Creating change

I have posted on Twitter about fun, new projects. Tell you, I am honestly excited about this! Through the place where my caseworker is in Chicago, I am starting a class in advocacy–perfect for me! The class works with legislative issues and writing to representatives (what we are working on right now), volunteer issues, and more.

This class will help me to develop my advocacy skills. I have never written to members of senate or congress before or had much of anything to do with legislation. I am sure the advocacy training will inspire new ideas how to help homelessness issues. The interaction with others in the class will help my social skills also.

I am also about to finally start the counseling, and am already on psych med. Amazing things have been happening in my life the past months! It is easy to see. A new life is waiting for me just around the corner.

A mentoring program for the homeless?

This morning on my way in to the Arlington Heights Memorial Library one of the employees stopped and talked to me. He mentioned something that I have said before: there needs to be a mentoring program for the homeless.

New people arrive to homelessness every day. To whom can they turn for help? When I first became homeless, I didn’t know what to do, where to go. I didn’t know “the ropes” to being homeless. I got in my car and just sat there. I thought, “Now what?”. I finally drove with no real destination. When it got dark and I was tired, I didn’t know where it would be safe to sleep. I didn’t know how I would stay clean without being able to take a shower. I wouldn’t be able to cook.

The homeless such as myself can actually teach others how to survive homelessness! I also believe that non-homeless people can volunteer to mentor the homeless–for social skills or being a “e-pen pal”, job search skills, addiction recovery. Homeless people also have skills and knowledge that someone needs! Why is there not a job agency that matches homeless people with employers who are looking for new talent with the opportunity to help someone in need? Why does the homeless services agency not offer a program in which the homeless receive specialized job skills training to advocate for themselves and the agency by going to businesses themselves to inform them of homelessness and needs, and to ask them to consider helping the homeless with services, discounts, or job postings? Currently they have only a lawn care services crew during warmer months as “job training”. The job training services and others should be expanded!

There is so much that homeless people have to offer–to each other and their communities! We have a need to attack homelessness ourselves! Teach me and I will teach you. I  have mentioned some of these things and others to the local homeless services agency but they have not developed any new mentoring programs. We can still do this ourselves! Help me to create better opportunities for the homeless so we can build ourselves a new life!

The Spirit of Giving

This is the time of year when everyone looks to give to others. The holidays have a dramatic effect on people and I am no exception. I celebrate Christmas and my birthday is coming up very soon. Recent tweets by Jeff Shuey and Lotay Yang have inspired me! My mind is racing, contemplating what effort I might be able to do in celebration of my birthday and Christmas?! I would give anything to be able to organize an effort for a van to be donated to Cross and Crown Church so they can help the homeless! But that sadly is expensive and probably not as realistic a short-term goal at this time. So then what would be?! Perhaps I could organize a Christmas party and/or gifts for the homeless–maybe local businesses might be willing to donate? Gift certs and gift cards, free meals, gas cards, auto repair, clothes, shoes/boots…??? Maybe I could open a special PayPal account? I want to do something special for everyone! What can I do?!

A big thank you to Cross and Crown Church

Each and every Saturday of the year the volunteers with the Ministry of Hope at Cross and Crown Church in Arlington Heights, Illinois, serve a feast for the homeless and low-income of the area. Approximately 50 to 70 people enjoy the hot breakfast and lunch each week. Many partake in the opportunity to attend a worship service.

The volunteers and pastors of Cross and Crown are a gift from God to the homeless. They live from their hearts, offering smiles, joy, friendship, hope and support to all who need. They serve delicious meals, give clothing, bikes, and more. They give transportation to and from the church in a church member’s van. The Ministry of Hope is NOT even part of the church budget–all costs come out of their own pockets!

The Ministry of Hope volunteers are absolutely amazing! I honestly don’t know how such a small church can do so much for so many! Some may remember that it was this same church that was vandalized around Christmastime. There was an outpouring of support from communities all around, including an awesome new Christmas tree to replace the one that was damaged by the vandalism.

I felt glad that this church was able to celebrate Christmas and feel the warmth of the community help that we homeless feel when we go to the Ministry of Hope on Saturdays. I hope to return the love and kindness someday by finding a way to help them myself, perhaps by finding them a new or used van of their own to give us rides in to and from the church. It would even grant the church the ability to give us rides to the church on Sundays so that we may attend the regular worship service–something many of us wish to do but can’t get to the church on our own.

View a pdf file about the Ministry of Hope.

No pain, no gain.

Trying to find motivation for writing this. Right now, oddly enough, it is pain distraction. I’m having some bad renal-related pain on the right side. (It was on the left side in back this morning, but not nearly as bad.) Finally just popped a good, strong pain pill and logged on to WordPress.

I think that pain is what motivates me to writing in my blog the most–whether it be physical pain or emotional pain. There are a lot of times when I would do it more often, in immediate reaction to something, but I don’t have a laptop or netbook computer to capture those moments. So then I text a tweet to my Twitter account from my cell phone instead. Sometimes if I am in a place where I can write privately and have abundant paper with me I will write my thoughts to transcribe later.

Life is like what seems to attract me to blogging: no pain, no gain. It takes some level of effort to succeed and reach goals. When I blog, I gain from readers, and from within my self. In life, I gain by doing things that will lead to taking me out of homelessness. I am trying. And I am doing. I am taking steps to helping myself accomplish that goal. I am trying to make more notes to help me remember things. I am getting mental health care, including counseling and psych medication. I am working with my caseworker regarding psych issues and future housing possibilities. I know that everything is working out. Finally. I am on the right track.

Belly Dancing into my Heart

The From the Heart to the Hip fundraiser for PADS of Elgin last night was a success! Over $1,400 was raised! Woohoo!! There were a lot of raffles with happy winners! I was there and spoke on helping the homeless. I met several current followers and future ones–pleased to meet you!!! As always, I welcome comments in person and any other contact method–email, leave a message on my phone, send a fax, tweet me on Twitter, reply to my blog…

I had a great time last night! The dancers shimmied their way to my heart with their obvious happiness and beautiful dances, and all for a good cause! A table of donated articles of clothing, gloves, toilet paper, and so many other things was stacked full for the Elgin homeless! I met Elgin PADS executive director Dennis Hewitt and he is so nice! I was honestly amazed at the emotion I saw in him as he spoke of the homeless people that Elgin PADS helps! He really got to me with how heartfelt his words and expressions were. He didn’t speak like an “executive director”. He spoke like a person who truly cares about others. God bless him.

Dennis Hewitt, executive director of PADS of Elgin

The fundraiser was sponsored by Serafina with belly dancers from all over the area. They were fantastic! I can’t say who my favorite is because so many performed beautifully–and the outfits–OMG just as awesome! There was someone doing temporary henna tatoos at the show and I got one. The artist did beautifully detailed work! Here’s a picture of the henna tattoo on my hand:

My henna tattoo

I can’t wait to go to another fundraiser event! I plan to be with Black Card Circle on Nov. 19th in Chicago at the Rockit Bar and Grill. Will you join and support their great foundation?!

Life is good

I’ve been having some great tweeting and text messages today and its hard to break away! I thank you all for the entertainment! LMAO! Gosh, what a great time I’ve had in the recent weeks! Thanks to all my Twitter and RL friends, so much  more has been happening in my life and I really feel that I and my site am more worthwhile!

I met @geogeller and @sioksiok who are filming the Twitter documentary in Chicago, and ended up leaving with them that night for the #140conf in LA! What an awesome time that was!!! I connected with so many new people face-to-face–it was like a live version of Twitter. I am not used to such non-stop activity though and by the end was more than ready to come “home” to Chicago! This is really down-time in comparison. I actually prefer the fast-paced lifestyle, but like I said, I am not used to it–nor am I on psych meds yet. But that will happen soon! I am still going through the intake process.

Gosh am I tired! Plus my body is sore, and its hard to think. I’m having headache problems off and on today as well as other aches and pains. Part of my issues. Even my fingers hurt typing. I am surprised that I am more awake today than yesterday. Yesterday I was falling asleep all day. I could really use some coffee.

 

What am I doing?

I have just been so busy to trying to get too much done (and no way to finish all I want to do)! It would help if I didn’t live like this–going to homeless shelters, a new one every night of the week, in different towns, needing my feet or other transportation to get there. Some are several miles out! I am lucky and managed to get a ride to tonight’s shelter or else I would be walking 8 miles or so in the rain. I’ve done it plenty of times before, rain or snow, doesn’t matter the weather–its a safe, warm, shelter at the end when I get there. It’s worth it!

During the day I might be found at the library. Which isn’t the easiest or most efficient environment for getting things done! For one, computers have time limits. They are also usually s-l-o-o-o-w. I also like to use my own software from a flash drive and not all libraries allow that. Libraries use filters online and on occasion a perfectly harmless and good website gets blocked. There are distractions also, such as people not obeying the “quiet zone” rules and talking on their cell phones or talking to friends. I am also part of the problem by habitually trying to do too much at once. At any given time you will see me on the computer with two browsers open, one with at least 10-12+ tabs, the other only two or three; and my email program; an Explorer window to easily, always, have instant access to all my files available; Word or other MS Office program; a program to edit my website; and perhaps a chat program, which I rarely use. Maybe more programs. I also can distract easily, like my attempts at multi-tasking by having too many programs and windows open, and will jump from one project to another. Another yet reason? The library is just not a “work” environment to me. I used to only come to the library for recreation and with my kids. After all this time, it is still  hard to stay out of that mentality that it’s not playtime.

The best option for me would be to get in to a different environment, one that has all available supplies and tools, and is structured so I know exactly what I am expected to do. And I will do it. Provided my mental health issues don’t get in the way… But that is another subject for another day.

Unfortunately, it is almost time for me to go. I have been working on this post for almost two hours. In addition to some of the above distractions, I have also been having pain issues which developed suddenly while writing this. I have pushed myself to at least somewhat finish this. I had wanted to stop what I was doing and try to finish tomorrow but I have a little determination in me. Plus, it does offer a little distraction from the pain. Not much. But it is something else for me to focus on.

Long day

I admit, I am becoming a Twitter addict. Should I search for an online tweet therapy? I just started using @HootSuite today and I am loving it! So far, I have to definitely recommend it to all Twitter users as a must-have–especially if you are the type of person like me who tends to try and do too much at once!

I have been bad about posting in the blog lately and I apologize for that. Yesterday I promised a blog post about why I am homeless and writing it is in progress! Keep watching for it with excited anticipation!

Sorry to cut this short today but I have walk to the shelter site now. Luckily, its only about 1-1/2 miles, maybe 2 at most. Tomorrow on the other hand, I’ll have to walk maybe 8 miles or so to get to the shelter site–and the weather forecast is rain! I may get a little muddy and wet. There is no sidewalk most of the way and a small portion may be in the road during rush hour.

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