Yeesh...reading this post and these comments has practically given me an anxiety attack. I didn't grow up desperately poor (we always had enough to eat) but I was always the kid with the unfashionable Wal-Mart clothes and no lunch money. We also fell in that space between desperately poor and too well to do for any sort of assistance.
However, nothing can prepare you for what happens when you're homeless, as I was for two brief stints in my late teens. It takes years to get out of that moment-to-moment mindset. When you eventually have to slow down and do things like save money or plan for the future it's weird, because you're so used to not having a future.
If you've never slept in a public bathroom in the dead of winter, or agreed to do some rich kid's term paper so he'd let you into the common room of his dorm to sleep, or flirted with the guy at the deli so he'd give you a sandwich, or had someone shout 'Get a job!' at you while you were on the way to work, or slept in the storeroom of the convenience store in which you work while your friend on the graveyard shift watched out for the manager, or carried all of your possessions in a backpack so huge you knock into people standing behind you without realizing it, or caught your reflection in a plate glass window and thought 'Gee, I'm a bum now I guess,' you really don't know what it's like to be homeless.
I think the moment I really hit rock bottom was at one point (before I landed the valuable Store 24 job) while sparing for change, (something you feel bad about at first but takes just a few days without eating to get over, trust me) I realized that people wouldn't give me money with a sign that said 'Hungry' but with a sign that said 'Need Booze,' people would laugh and with a hearty "Well, at least she's honest!" plunk down some cash.
Coming back from homelessness is nearly impossible, and when you do so you can't believe your luck. Awhile back I got asked for change from a young punky girl in a store doorway and was taken aback because I still thought of myself as the asker, not the askee.
I wonder what happened to the homeless population of New Orleans. Was there any sort of effort to evacuate them?
Found the link via Body and Soul.
Wednesday, September 07, 2005
Monday, September 05, 2005
Welcome to Albuquerque
Hey, neat. Albuquerque gets to be on the news and it doesn't involve the bubonic plague, suing McDonald's, or losing nuclear secrets.
About one hundred evacuees (I gotta agree, refugees is too creepy,) from New Orleans have been set up in the Convention Center.
I must admit that I feel a spark of pride at Albuquerque for stepping up to help. Although, I kind of want to warn those people they shouldn't go to UNM, then drop out and get a job at a call center, or else they'll find out why it's called the 'Land of Entrapment.'
About one hundred evacuees (I gotta agree, refugees is too creepy,) from New Orleans have been set up in the Convention Center.
ALBUQUERUQUE, N.M. -- More than 90 evacuees from Hurricane Katrina are being greeted with teddy bears, flowers and applause at the Albuquerque Convention Center Sunday night.To help them out, donate to the Roadrunner Food Bank, who by the way is in need of volunteers to help sort the donations.
Within hours after the announcement that Katrina victims would come, about 150 people had called a city information line to offer space in their homes.
Dozens of New Mexican volunteers clasped the stuffed bears to give to younger victims.
The volunteers cheered and clapped as the first exhausted-looking evacuees filed into the room.
I must admit that I feel a spark of pride at Albuquerque for stepping up to help. Although, I kind of want to warn those people they shouldn't go to UNM, then drop out and get a job at a call center, or else they'll find out why it's called the 'Land of Entrapment.'
Monday Fish Blogging
Let's forget sad people freaking out on CNN for a moment and admire my betta, The Mr. Beaumont.
Yes, the name is taken from the episode of Friends where Joey buys a boat.
Punk is dead, get over it.
On a layout-related note, I've decided to start using the Blogger title field. Is it too big and obnoxious?
Yes, the name is taken from the episode of Friends where Joey buys a boat.
Punk is dead, get over it.
On a layout-related note, I've decided to start using the Blogger title field. Is it too big and obnoxious?
Saturday, September 03, 2005
Chief Justice William Rehnquist has died
Upon coming home from work I casually flip on the tube to see that MSNBC is reporting Rehnquist has died.
So. Two potential uber-conservative Bush appointees. Great.
Upon coming home from work I casually flip on the tube to see that MSNBC is reporting Rehnquist has died.
So. Two potential uber-conservative Bush appointees. Great.
Holy Jeebus
Even the Fox News guys are turning on each other.
The usually very staid Shepard Smith (who sailed smoothly over almost saying 'blow job' on tv) and Geraldo, of all fucking people, were practically telling Sean Hannity to shut the hell up on Hannity and Colmes yesterday.
Crooks and Liars has the video. I am literally speechless after seeing this.
Even the Fox News guys are turning on each other.
The usually very staid Shepard Smith (who sailed smoothly over almost saying 'blow job' on tv) and Geraldo, of all fucking people, were practically telling Sean Hannity to shut the hell up on Hannity and Colmes yesterday.
Crooks and Liars has the video. I am literally speechless after seeing this.
I Love You, Anderson Cooper
Anderson Cooper is, besides being kind of a hottie (ugh, did I just say
'hottie?') seems to be having some sort of moral revelation after all of
the hurricane crap he's been hip-deep in the past few days.
This (according to my frantic TiVo rewinding) is Anderson on last
night's Real Time wih Bill Maher:
"All these politicians all this week are saying, 'This is not the time
to point fingers, this is not the time to, you know, quibble about
things.' Well you know what, when is the time? Because I'd be happy to
write it down in my engagement book."
Is this really someone from CNN talking about the Bush administration?
Yes, he did go on to make a weak excuse for the spineless press corps in
the wake of 9/11, but you could really see the glimmer of change in his
eye.
I don't watch his show on CNN. But I do remember a sprightly young
Anderson Cooper on the 3 a.m. crazy news on ABC. And I'm telling you,
soon the man will be angrily tearing the shirt from his well-toned torso
in anger, shaking his prematurely-gray-but-in-an-interesting-way locks
at some figurehead or another from FEMA, who will cower in fear.
And then it will be like a scene from Fight Club or something.
ADDED: More Cooper badassery: he lays one into LA senator (ed note: corrected...d'oh) Mary Landrieu when she tries to soundbite her way out of a tough question.
Thursday, September 01, 2005
Shoes
Condi Rice spent the weekend shopping for fancy shoes in New York City.
From a photo gallery at the Washington Post.
The caption reads "Jeremiah Ward wears makeshift shoes after his rescue."
How long until someone in the Bush administration literally says "Let them eat cake?"
Link via Cookie Jill at skippy.
Condi Rice spent the weekend shopping for fancy shoes in New York City.
Condoleeza Rice was seen spending several thousands of dollars on some nice, new shoes (we’ve confirmed this, so her new heels will surely get coverage from the WaPo’s Robin Givhan). A fellow shopper, unable to fathom the absurdity of Rice’s timing, went up to the Secretary and reportedly shouted, “How dare you shop for shoes while thousands are dying and homeless!”Meanwhile,
From a photo gallery at the Washington Post.
The caption reads "Jeremiah Ward wears makeshift shoes after his rescue."
How long until someone in the Bush administration literally says "Let them eat cake?"
Link via Cookie Jill at skippy.
I love you, Margaret Cho
Margaret Cho summed up her reaction to the hurricane and flood damage in New Orleans perfectly.
And while I'm on the subject of Margaret Cho (and I know this is way old news,) let me say it is utterly stupid for Michelle Malkin to try and extract some sort of evil meaning out of a dog's name.
After all, she never complained about Osama fin Laden.
Margaret Cho summed up her reaction to the hurricane and flood damage in New Orleans perfectly.
I see a lost and fearful looking Doberman on a rooftop, and I wish I had a giant ark, and I could sail down into the city and save him. Then I would pick up all the other animals and people that needed help, two by two. Two trannies here, two hookers there. A pair of wet and miserable Goths, with black Manic Panic hair dye running into their red, unbelieving eyes. I want to save them all.Exactly.
And while I'm on the subject of Margaret Cho (and I know this is way old news,) let me say it is utterly stupid for Michelle Malkin to try and extract some sort of evil meaning out of a dog's name.
After all, she never complained about Osama fin Laden.
When the Levee Breaks, I'll Have no Place to Stay
Maybe it's because of a glum state of mind, or maybe it's because I live in a desert and the idea of death by water is absolutely and utterly bizarre to me, but I have become slightly obsessed with the flooding disaster in New Orleans.
The sight of people floating by on rafts made of doors or mattresses, dragging black garbage bags of 'looted' supplies behind them is shocking. The idea of the now-homeless living like animals in the Superdome, or spending the night on the ruined freeway, or rescuers pushing floating bodies aside to try and get to the living is downright apocalyptic.
I actually can't comprehend what this would be like. Life in New Mexico is so stultifying normal, when there's a snowstorm people freak out. This is not a big natural disaster area. The worst thing that happens are summer brushfires, and although a few years ago a brushfire did wipe an entire small town they usually amount to nothing more than a funny smell in the air.
When the tsunami hit Southeast Asia, it was horrifying, but like most Americans, places like Indonesia and Thailand exist only in images in movies and on TV.
It's shallow, I know. The loss of life in the tsunami was astronomically higher and more widespread. But New Orleans is a city I've been to. I've had the beignets at the Cafe du Monde. I've played pool at Molly's. I listened to the Tom Waits-esque piano player in Lafitte's. I took some cool, haunting photographs in the city's cemeteries.
Chalk it up to human nature, but a disaster that is close to you is infinitely more disturbing than one far away. And I am more than a little ashamed to say that.
Anger rises in my blood, too, to hear about the people who literally couldn't afford to leave the path of the hurricane, or the fact that the New Orleans flood control budget was cut in order to pay for our misadventures in Iraq.
But there's some to feel good about, as well. Skippy, (or, skippy as I should more properly say) the Bush Kangaroo has issued a challenge.
There are a couple of blogs I've found keeping track of the developing situation. DeadlyKatrina.com, Making Light, and the folks at This Modern World have been doing some fine blogging on the topic.
This is some scary shit going down. Looting is out of control. Lack of any running water or electricity has reduced the already poverty-stricken Gulf Coast to a third world country. The sick and elderly are going without care.
Can you really blame people for looting, though? If you had to choose between breaking the law to help yourself and your family, or taking things from others, can you honestly say you're such an upright citizen you wouldn't choose looting? It's easy to criticize when you're not faced with that choice.
A lot of the looting seems to be for food, medicine, and other necessities. Even when it hasn't been, it's sad that people in this area are so poor that given the first chance they can they get new clothes and shoes. Even something like a TV might be tradeable. I suspect a black market in goods will develop in the area in the coming weeks and months.
I wish I could reach through my TV screen and help these people. It's downright agonizing.
(Updated some after publication as blogging with insomnia often leads to typos and a lack of clarification.)
Maybe it's because of a glum state of mind, or maybe it's because I live in a desert and the idea of death by water is absolutely and utterly bizarre to me, but I have become slightly obsessed with the flooding disaster in New Orleans.
The sight of people floating by on rafts made of doors or mattresses, dragging black garbage bags of 'looted' supplies behind them is shocking. The idea of the now-homeless living like animals in the Superdome, or spending the night on the ruined freeway, or rescuers pushing floating bodies aside to try and get to the living is downright apocalyptic.
I actually can't comprehend what this would be like. Life in New Mexico is so stultifying normal, when there's a snowstorm people freak out. This is not a big natural disaster area. The worst thing that happens are summer brushfires, and although a few years ago a brushfire did wipe an entire small town they usually amount to nothing more than a funny smell in the air.
When the tsunami hit Southeast Asia, it was horrifying, but like most Americans, places like Indonesia and Thailand exist only in images in movies and on TV.
It's shallow, I know. The loss of life in the tsunami was astronomically higher and more widespread. But New Orleans is a city I've been to. I've had the beignets at the Cafe du Monde. I've played pool at Molly's. I listened to the Tom Waits-esque piano player in Lafitte's. I took some cool, haunting photographs in the city's cemeteries.
Chalk it up to human nature, but a disaster that is close to you is infinitely more disturbing than one far away. And I am more than a little ashamed to say that.
Anger rises in my blood, too, to hear about the people who literally couldn't afford to leave the path of the hurricane, or the fact that the New Orleans flood control budget was cut in order to pay for our misadventures in Iraq.
But there's some to feel good about, as well. Skippy, (or, skippy as I should more properly say) the Bush Kangaroo has issued a challenge.
the people in louisiana, mississippi and alabama are americans. this is about america. and americans have historically always rolled up their sleeves and pitched in to help out their fellow countrymen in need.This is, of course, awesome.
skippy has donated $100.01 to the red cross for hurricane relief. and now, skippy challenges everyone who writes a political blog, no matter what side of the spectrum they inhabit, to do the same.
but that's not all of the challenge. skippy then dares everyone on his blogroll (who will be receiving an email with this double-dog dare), after they donate, to (a) blog about it, and (b) send an email to everyone on their blog roll.
There are a couple of blogs I've found keeping track of the developing situation. DeadlyKatrina.com, Making Light, and the folks at This Modern World have been doing some fine blogging on the topic.
This is some scary shit going down. Looting is out of control. Lack of any running water or electricity has reduced the already poverty-stricken Gulf Coast to a third world country. The sick and elderly are going without care.
Can you really blame people for looting, though? If you had to choose between breaking the law to help yourself and your family, or taking things from others, can you honestly say you're such an upright citizen you wouldn't choose looting? It's easy to criticize when you're not faced with that choice.
A lot of the looting seems to be for food, medicine, and other necessities. Even when it hasn't been, it's sad that people in this area are so poor that given the first chance they can they get new clothes and shoes. Even something like a TV might be tradeable. I suspect a black market in goods will develop in the area in the coming weeks and months.
I wish I could reach through my TV screen and help these people. It's downright agonizing.
(Updated some after publication as blogging with insomnia often leads to typos and a lack of clarification.)
Monday, August 29, 2005
Donate and Help Now
Help the victims of Hurricane Katrina:
Donate to The Red Cross.
ADDED: A bunch more links here.
Help the victims of Hurricane Katrina:
Donate to The Red Cross.
ADDED: A bunch more links here.
Saturday, August 27, 2005
Ignoring Women's Equality is not Democracy
A few days ago sexist conservative asshole Reul Marc Gerecht of the American Enterprise Institute appeared on Meet the Press with a statement that nearly shocked me into silence.
On behalf of the fighting suffragists of the 1900s I'd like to pass on a hearty "Fuck You!" to Gerecht and his ilk.
Is that the type of democracy Lucy Burns went on a hunger strike for, was force-fed and tortured for?
Is this the democracy women like these fought and bled and died for while Reul Marc Gerecht was getting his hair and makeup done waiting to appear on TV? I don't think so.
At least I hope not.
Less than 100 years ago, women did not have the right to vote. It seems like so long ago, but when you stop to realize that women who are still alive today were literally second-class citizens when they were born it starts to get creepy.
Who knows, maybe in 85 years young women will whisper to each other in properly modest, hushed tones about there still being women alive who used to have equal political footing to men. If we don't keep an eye on bullshit like this that might just happen.
A few days ago sexist conservative asshole Reul Marc Gerecht of the American Enterprise Institute appeared on Meet the Press with a statement that nearly shocked me into silence.
Women's social rights are not critical to the evolution of a democracy.Umm, excuse me?
On behalf of the fighting suffragists of the 1900s I'd like to pass on a hearty "Fuck You!" to Gerecht and his ilk.
Is that the type of democracy Lucy Burns went on a hunger strike for, was force-fed and tortured for?
Is this the democracy women like these fought and bled and died for while Reul Marc Gerecht was getting his hair and makeup done waiting to appear on TV? I don't think so.
At least I hope not.
Less than 100 years ago, women did not have the right to vote. It seems like so long ago, but when you stop to realize that women who are still alive today were literally second-class citizens when they were born it starts to get creepy.
Who knows, maybe in 85 years young women will whisper to each other in properly modest, hushed tones about there still being women alive who used to have equal political footing to men. If we don't keep an eye on bullshit like this that might just happen.
Yay!
Quite possibly the coolest quiz result since that Captian Kirk one.
Via Mimus Pauly of skippy the bush kangaroo.
Quite possibly the coolest quiz result since that Captian Kirk one.
Via Mimus Pauly of skippy the bush kangaroo.
Thursday, August 25, 2005
Buy me presents.
August is my blogiversary. I almost forgot. I've been blogging for three years now.
Whee. It's like Mr Toad's Wild Ride around here.
Everybody buy me a present.
Also, check out the very updated blogroll. Added several blogs I've been reading off of other people's blogrolls for awhile, deleted a few blogs that either haven't updated in months or that I've stopped reading.
Of special note is Leery Polyp, who I started reading after my unfortunate maternal misadventure, and who just had her baby!
She is almost as cute as the baby panda.
August is my blogiversary. I almost forgot. I've been blogging for three years now.
Whee. It's like Mr Toad's Wild Ride around here.
Everybody buy me a present.
Also, check out the very updated blogroll. Added several blogs I've been reading off of other people's blogrolls for awhile, deleted a few blogs that either haven't updated in months or that I've stopped reading.
Of special note is Leery Polyp, who I started reading after my unfortunate maternal misadventure, and who just had her baby!
She is almost as cute as the baby panda.
Tuesday, August 23, 2005
Aww.
So this is what I've learned watching the Panda-cam at the Animal Planet website.
1. Pandas are cute.
2. Pandas eat a fuckload of bamboo.
Via the Hedgeblog, who has some cutie animal videos of her own.
So this is what I've learned watching the Panda-cam at the Animal Planet website.
1. Pandas are cute.
2. Pandas eat a fuckload of bamboo.
Via the Hedgeblog, who has some cutie animal videos of her own.
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