It's the last day of the month...

It's the last day of the month, and I have to do some tidying up so I can be ready for tomorrow.  A new month beckons, with all its usual challenges.  Getting the bills paid.  Moving the rest of our stuff to its final resting place or throwing it away.  Hanging pictures (which happens to be my LEAST favorite activity), their just never quite level with each other or themselves.  We moved in here last month after we noticed (with the return of my stepson) that we needed more space than our little two bedroom appartment could afford us. 

I have noticed one thing for me that is more tiresome than living homeless.  It is waking up to someone sleeping in the livingroom.  If it is only for a night or three I am cool with it.  That is the reason we have a hideabed couch.  But, if it is day after day for weeks on end I find it very tiresome, it just wears on me.  And, not in a good way.

I have found myself updating this blog more than I thought I would be able to which is a very good thing.  Now I just have to focus my thought process, which can be a very daunting task.

I will leave you for today with my thoughts on a Jamacan proverb:  "Peace be the journey" not the destination.

Advocacy for Homeless and Mentally Ill

It is always advisable regardless of your financial condition to have a project that will leave this world a better place for yourself and at least one other person.  My project is advocacy... giving a voice to the voiceless.  Standing up for those who cannot stand up for themselves.  Many of these people cannot pull themselves up by their bootstraps.  For one many don't have the skillset necessary, and if they do have the skills they have other "handicaps" that disallow functioning in the normal working world. 

Policies don't work because they are blanket solutions to individual case by case problems.  Many on the streets because of MH issues either cannot afford to go to the doctor, or cannot afford the Co-Pay on their meds.  Then if they can afford the previous two cases they have to deal with often distressing side effects.  If they can muscle their way past these three minefields, there is a problem with having proper clothes and a place to clean themselves up to be ready for work.  The problem that then arises is the McJob that they do have will not cover the basic needs and expenses of moving into a place of their own.

If they have tackled all these problems then they may be on the slow long climb to normalcy.  But, they are still one sick day from houselessness, and the slow decent that feels like freefall.  Well this is enough of this rant.

Remember peace is the journey, not the destination.

Two economic sinkholes...

One of the most invisible taxes on the poor is the Lottery.  One set of statistics on the State and Provincial lotteries of the over 70 billion dollars in lottery sales last year only 38 billion dollars were awarded in prizes.  I do admit when the lottery is doing the over 100 million dollar thing even I will invest a dollar or two but that is it.  Five, Ten or even more is a true waste.  That is not truly going to improve your chances of winning.  The lottery commission is counting on your investment. 

According to a credit counseling service most of their clients spend $10 to $20 dollars a week mostly in scratch off tickets.  That adds up to between $520.00 and $1040.00 a year.  And, when you are looking for “milk money” that is a good place to look.

Another place to look for lost money is…  it is only $19.95 and if you call in the next ten minutes we’ll double the offer… Television Infomercial impulse buys.  According to the Electronic Retailing Association the infomercial industry brings in in excess of 400 billion dollars a year with most of the gadgets and gizmos just taking up space in the cabinets and drawers.

Many people in dire economic straights will often spend over $200.00 per month just on Infomercial impulse buys. 

In our house we have learned to circumvent some of the infomercial effects by watching our TV on the internet.  You can get the same programs online without the infomercial crush.

This is my first attempt at composing a blog.  Living below the poverty line has afforded me so many lessons about life in general that I feel compelled to impart them to others.  So that is where I am standing.  I will take this time to say hello, and invite you to learn from my favorite Bible Scripture from 1st Timothy 6:8  So, having sustenance and covering, we shall be content with these things


I will update this blog as often as I can but it will be at least weekly.