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- Calcutta
Theologians throughout time have argued that those in purgatory have no soul. Dante in his divine comedy, describes the journey of the soul through hell, predatory, and ultimately paradise. Certainly, the stereotypes that are thrust upon the homeless by those in the silent majority and government officials try as they may are always disappointed when… Read more: Calcutta - In the Ghetto
In times gone past Roman emperors would ride a chariot drawn by four wight horses, behind him followed ox-drawn carts laden with treasure hard won battles. The booty would be tossed over to the cheering crowd. A slave would stand behind Cesar holding a golden laurel leaf crown whispering over and over again “Scias, scias,… Read more: In the Ghetto - Good morning America how are you?
Ian This my account on a time line of the events that happened to the homeless in Richmond Virginia as hurricane IAN, steam rolled it’s way up the east coast of the United States in the Americas. but, to give you a focus point, you will find a copy of law which covers such events… Read more: Good morning America how are you? - Reset:
When my family arrived in Richmond, VA in 1975, we learned our first lesson about the city. Amongst us, we can collectively understand and communicate in around nine to ten languages. Each language has specific words for certain things. For instance, when abroad in Africa, Europe, or Asia, asking for “laundry detergent” result in confusion,… Read more: Reset: - That’s Life
Back in the day, yes, sort of those kinds of stories, one had telephones, typewriters, mimeograph machines, and photocopiers. For me, they were sort of nice because when one was not home, one was not told that one is rude for not responding instantly. Moreover, many a crime show or movie had a scene in… Read more: That’s Life - Stockholm
The urban tumbleweed rolls throughout the inner city’s poorer neighborhoods, with all the single-use to-go bags and containers left for the wind to carry into the gutters and curbsides of Richmond. Yet less than a mile in any direction, the well-manicured lawns and houses of the NIMBY, ignorant, are well-protected. They are folks who give… Read more: Stockholm - Enigma
What are you doing with your life? Is the question that is posed to us by ourselves. On occasion, depending on the circumstances, it is asked of us by others. Fundamentally, that is an enigma, or a person or thing that is mysterious, puzzling, or difficult to understand. We can all say that about ourselves,… Read more: Enigma - Elizabeth
I saw a compatriot about a week ago, walking as if on jammed logs, alternately wading through the traffic. He approached me with the familiar look of darkness and disparity on his face. Chester had on his shoulders two large and filled tool belts. He asked me if I knew of a good pawn shop… Read more: Elizabeth - Absurd.
It’s almost hard to believe that it’s only been a month since the cold weather shelter closed its doors. People have disappeared or are drifting away. They all have that pesky little thing that gets in the way, called life. Wondering where to go from the situations that have been narrated so far, it occurred… Read more: Absurd. - Kaleidoscope:
Mother nature was crying all day. The rain, with the frigid temperature of 44°, had driven me and others indoors to the panera. I sat there and observed the homeless who had come for safe harbor. One man with a torn flannel shirt and filthy clothing came back to the section of the restaurant I… Read more: Kaleidoscope: - Closed
Now with this season over and as this journal of the homeless grows daily. One has to acknowledge and understand the impact of my writings. Firstly, I have to admit that my last entry “family”, in my own opinion, was not the best work I am capable of. I sent out this message to a… Read more: Closed - Family
I was sitting at the Panera after writing the story called Tommy and realized I was board. Getting up from the table I walk over to a friend who happens to be homeless also. I asked him this question: “what do “normal”, people do agin”? I know I did something when I had housing but,… Read more: Family - Tommy.
The map of everyone’s future is written in pencil. At times I long for the invisibility of the silent majorty. Nobody really sees them. They all basically have the same life as each other. Everyone has credit cards with different names, but still they are credit cards. They have vehicles with different shapes and names … Read more: Tommy. - Ashley
Ashley The peculiarity, of the position that I find myself in is the fact that individuals are starting to come up to me to tell their stories as homeless. Sitting at the spot, CJ, came up and asked what happens after the 15th of April. Sadly, I had to tell him that he’s on his… Read more: Ashley - Staying Alive
One of the recurring themes for the homeless is there trust issues. For the same people or occupations that hold out their hands to help are the same people who most likely put them there. The lawyers, the doctors, the judges, the social workers. It is not uncommon that out of desperate times the people… Read more: Staying Alive - Two percent rule.
Two percent rule. An anomaly as described on the online dictionaries is the following.1.something that deviates from what is standard, normal, or expected.“there are a number of anomalies in the present system”Similar: oddity, peculiarity,abnormality, irregularity,inconsistency incongruitydeviation,aberration, quirkfreak, exception, departure,divergence, variation, outlieredge case, rarity, eccentricity 2.ASTRONOMYthe angular distance of a planet or satellite from its last… Read more: Two percent rule. - Stereo Types
Green buildings: 18 examples of sustainable architecture around the world, is an news report that CNN did. Given the topic of my last blog post I thought it appropriate to share image’s of green architecture around the world in the hopes to get the Mesozoic destructive powers at city hall who are waging war on… Read more: Stereo Types - Destructive Forces:
The Goose that Laid the Leaded Eggs” is one of Aesop’s Fables, numbered 87 in the Perry Index, a story that also has a number of Eastern analogues. Many other stories contain geese that lay leaded eggs, though certain versions change them for hens or other birds that lay leaded eggs. The tale has given… Read more: Destructive Forces: - Subhuman:
The voracious appetite of those whome are on the street’s is notable, each time someone comes with food or care packages they take them with litte regard to others. Their needs come first & if you are one of them they will pick your bones clean if they even have a sent of money, cigarettes… Read more: Subhuman: - In the arms of the angel.
Something is for sure absolutely true about the homeless they are seriously professional at is the professional carrier of “hurry up and wait. ” They don’t get paid for it , but, are dam good at! As with many human endeavors there is layers of homeless and desperate people here in the United States. Families,… Read more: In the arms of the angel. - Je t’accuse
“je t’accuse“ Accuse! is a British-American 1958 CinemaScope biographical drama film directed by and starring José Ferrer. The film is based on the true story of the Dreyfus Case, in which a Jewish captain in the French Army was falsely accused of treason. There are many types of music that I listen to when I write/ translate your story into ours and… Read more: Je t’accuse - Crossroads
Crossroads of my writings are coming to me fast. As I in one of my stories cut the Gordian Knot, into smaller ones. They are rightly now occurring faster than usual. What can I say other than me and my big mouth. The crossroads are going to have a profound and lasting effect on what… Read more: Crossroads - Street law and justice
Street law & justice. A nice hot toasty bagel with a schemer of cream cheese topped with lox is quite a wonderful thing if your background has exposed someone to it. However, a few days ago while lying down in the Jr balloon a rather humorous exchange occored in hood English. The offending baked good… Read more: Street law and justice - Who are you?
Who are you? 9 letters that invites a potpourri of instant emotions and self doubt in anyone came out of the mouth of little Warden, to me. Not responding, right on the spot , I walked away shrugged my shoulders without a word. The easy response for anyone is “its completely complicated “. However, frist… Read more: Who are you? - Sence of Humor.
Sence of humor. In any occupation and or the walk of life we come from we have a sense of humor that fits us or the situations we encounter. Vets & police officers make jokes about the stuff they do, same with doctors and lawyers. We pay people to stand on a stage to make… Read more: Sence of Humor. - Connections:
Connections. Connections. James Burke produced the ten-part documentary series Connections (1978), which was broadcast on the BBC, and subsequently on PBS in the United States. Connections traced the historical relationships between invention and discovery: each episode chronicled a particular path of technological development. Connections was the most-watched PBS television series up to that time. It is also the model I am going to… Read more: Connections: - The Gordian Knot.
The Gordian Knot A legend of Phrygian Gordium associated with Alexander the Great. It is often used as a metaphor for an intractable problem (untying an impossibly tangled knot) solved easily by finding an approach to the problem that renders the perceived constraints of the problem moot. It is the metaphor I am using to describe what just happened to me by uploading my… Read more: The Gordian Knot. - Twenty seven.
Twenty seven. Melancholy, sets in as happen with people who are stuck in one location, with nothing better to do. It’s a weather advisory day in Richmond with ice, rain and snow over this Sunday. It was twenty seven degrees outside and naturally the inclement weather shelter starts filling up. One hundred and thirty… Read more: Twenty seven. - Broad & Gilmer
Broad & Gilmer Broad & Gilmer, is the stop I use to make my way back each day prematurely to the shelter & my nauseating daily routine. As a composit, of the past week I start there since when one sits there one gets a glimpse of what others who chose, forced or have no… Read more: Broad & Gilmer - Homeless monopoly
Homeless monopoly & blind ignorance. The suprise came out of the mouth of babes so to speak after my last essay & and also from another person, here in Virginia some direct questions that needed to be asked which I will respond to here without trying to make excuses that most Homeless people make. When… Read more: Homeless monopoly - Agendas
Agendas Now, sadly I wonder about every word that is spoken or texted to me. A bitter tastes has developed about those whom one calls friends. With, each word, the healthy paranoia kicks in now days. You would have it also or already have it. It is how we humans , get ahead of… Read more: Agendas - Charlotte
Charlotte, a paraplegic struggled this morning to roll herself, stuff and wheelchair out of the cold weather shelter. It is 7 am on January 8th and the temperature is 18° farinhight or negative 7 celcius. She finally, reaches the crossing of the boulevard as the light turns red. In her mouth she struggles to hold… Read more: Charlotte - 10,520
10,520 feet, seems like a long distance but it’s not really, I’m getting ahead of things here. It snowed two days here in Richmond. Not suprisingly, the city was caught flat footed. From, I 95 being clogged up with stranded vehicles to the states highest accident rate. 289 was the official count for the city,… Read more: 10,520 - Occupations and math
Occupations and math Starting out, I’m being to see a resemblance to a mafia boss and myself. Giving the other’s “my spot”, so they can scratch thier itch, and I get the lion share of the time. Time is probably most valuable item in any occupation. I use the old rideshare app, to see the… Read more: Occupations and math - Oooops
Oooops we not sorry. Having, a running joke with the next mayor of Richmond, Mrs, Ronda, I always hope that I will run out of stories to write about. Sadly, I just have to sit still and a story will just burst into me like a needle poked into a voodoo doll. (I suspect… Read more: Oooops - Little miracles
Little miracles: It’s the 27th , it’s over with. As I walked from the bus to the panara at VCU, the only sound I hear, are my boots as they hit the pavement. Contemplating the last three days and how to fairly express and write about them. So, inorder to go forward I have to… Read more: Little miracles - Solitude
Solitude is what the homeless hear. Solitude, is what is given to them. The silent majorty oblige by living in thier own fantasy worlds. Solitude is what is craved after a night on the shelter. Defining, noises of words of the previous night still ring in thier ears. “Do you have a cigarette, do have,… Read more: Solitude - Red
Red, is a firey red head who, walks fast, talks faster, & suffers from her usage of drugs and being one of the many, many uninvited, or un-shelterd in Richmond. She, walked into Panera this morning. Not seeing me, she gose to the counter to get a cup of coffee. As she pulls out a… Read more: Red - Cold winds
Cold wind blows as we stand in line at 4:40. A young lady breaks out her guitar and play some music for us. Some start singing along. At then end of the parking lot is the road, and the civilians as I call them. Totally, unawares of the warmth here. Little napoleon as I call… Read more: Cold winds - Flour, water, sugar,salt & yeast.
Flour, water, sugar, salt & yeast. Flour, water, sugar, salt & yeast, mix all those together in the right sequence and one gets bread. Much of the homeless can be likened to a basic bread recipe. They have to much or to little of one or all of the ingredients that the silent majorty fakes… Read more: Flour, water, sugar,salt & yeast. - Pastel orange
The week Pastel orange colors warmed up the clouds as the sun rose on Monday announcing the start of another week of routine. The air is crisp heralding the beging of the Christmas on slot of churches, charity’s, & individuals start thier annual Christmas season of giving. A romantic notion, much like the paintings of… Read more: Pastel orange - 1397
The explanation requiring the fewest assumptions is most likely to be correct.— William of Ockham 1397. Is probably the best way to qualify homelessness in the United States & in Richmond. No Brown M&M’s: What Van Halen’s Insane Contract Clause Teaches EntrepreneursBy Steve Jones March 24, 2014Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.At first… Read more: 1397 - M & M’s
I’m getting ready for the mayor’s advisory committee…. The cold wind winter’s through the streets of Richmond as the silent majorty rolls quietly to thier respective jobs. Outside, are many uninvited homeless, waiting in line for shelter, standing on streets begging for the days meal or enough for a single night’s stay in a hotel.… Read more: M & M’s - Unholyest of season’s
Unholyest of season’s… Before the sun rises at 6 am we are woken up and told we have one hour to vacate the shelter. I walked to my spot to start my ritual in hope and disappointment As I sat there on the boulevard watching the dark silence of people walking to the bus stops.… Read more: Unholyest of season’s - Holidays
Holidays Well, it’s getting cold & the Holidays are upon us. All of us …yes even the homeless. I have to admit for personal reasons I have found this time of year to be a melancholy and solem time for me. But, the mayor, (aka Ronda Sneed), made be reflective about the past year and… Read more: Holidays - Preditors on the homeless
Well, I hope you had a pleasant weekend so far. As for the house thus is acase where there are two sides to any story. I will try my best to give you a fair account of it all. So….sigh… Originally, when I was picked up from Terry she needed someone to baby sit her… Read more: Preditors on the homeless - So…yesterday
So….. yesterday, I was panhandling at my regular spot and somthing of a miracle happened. An old friend of mine drove past as said that she would take me to lunch. Then kept on driving to where she had to go. Naturally, I rolled my eyes, and begrudgingly nodded my head in acknowledgement. Admittedly, I… Read more: So…yesterday - Wish list
Homeless hope list. Will I eat today?I don’t know.Will I have running waterI don’t knowWill I take a showerNo.Will I have clean clothes.I don’t know.Will it rainI don’t know.Will I be able to use a bathroom?there are none for our kind.I don’t know.Will my sleeping bag be stolen ?I don’t know.Will I find a safe… Read more: Wish list - On Empty
On empty I find myself in a melancholy frame of mind. Trying to figure out the why. The how part I already know. The majority of the homeless have given up on the how and the why and survive with “is”. For example I have witnessed two others whome I know get thier housing vouchers.… Read more: On Empty - It’s Monday
It’s a Monday I went to the post office to get my mail. Much to my dismay I got a letter saying that I have been declined for Medicaid. Given that I have had 4 cardiac events so far, that letter reads like a death sentence to me. Melodramatic of me I know but, as… Read more: It’s Monday - Dusk
It was dusk last night as the line formed with the homeless at the cold weather shelter. Naturally, one has those who, are catching up with each other’s daily event’s, or those hustling for a cigarette or change so they can get a can of cheap beer before being let in. I was one of… Read more: Dusk - Human kindness
Act of human kindness. Mostly, the homeless wait. With avenues closed to them or wait for the rusted self infected government agencies to see if the right comma or period was placed on a numeric form. The numbers being more important than the distant humanity they represent. In April of 1940 Germany walked through the… Read more: Human kindness - Hurricane Ida.
Hurricane ida: Monday August 30.For those of us with smart phones we pass the word that Wednesday is gonna be a pain in the ass. The homeless will as usual fend for themselves. Experience, has taught us this. The mayor of Richmond is to busy getting the committee of the homeless together. And we’ll the… Read more: Hurricane Ida. - The two Bryan’s
The two Bryan ‘s and others. For those of you whome have been reading all these posts it is painfully noticeable that I am very dyslexic and the grammar is noticeable or non existent. A friend offered to edit these posts and I gracefully decided to decline his offer on the grounds that they would… Read more: The two Bryan’s - Perceptions
Admittedly, when I became homeless I had the same suburban perceptions about other homeless people. I have to admit it’s a mixed bag and is more a case by case basis much like how one picks ones “click of friend’s “, in Richmond. One afternoon at the lot a rather amusing seen occured. I was… Read more: Perceptions - Genders
I wrote a sign that read “who is more generous men or women”, tried it once it was sorta effective. However, it did spark my curiosity on who is more generous for panhandlers. Here are the results of my observations. African American and blue collar workers are by far the most generous of all persons.… Read more: Genders - Panhandling
Panhandling. For those who understand that Panhandling is an art form and a job. Basically, one has to stand on a dangerous situation, create a message and hope someone will help you. It is also the last resort for many. My panhandling days started about 6 weeks ago when the Virginia employment commission finally got… Read more: Panhandling - Invisibility
Invisibility continued: The previous example was the type that was blatant Invisibility. But, there is a second type that is a daily grind. It is the look out of the corner of their eyes. The silence as one passes them by. The rolling up of car windows as they pass you by or sit… Read more: Invisibility - Next part
Next part: These parts are becoming so intermingled that I’m losing track of what belongs where..lol.Anyway, I mentioned a few topics in my last post and now going to attempt to work through each of them. The frist and foremost is the ” authorities” , meaning the police department. Our frisy interaction is/was due to… Read more: Next part - Shelter part 3
Part three the parking lot. Before I continue with the next part there is a few touch up items that I forgot to mention about the hotel that need to be mentioned, that I forgot to include. The main one point was the lack of showers and sanitation. Yes, there where showers and one could… Read more: Shelter part 3 - Part 2 shelter
Part two the shelter I finally reached the greyhound bus station after walking from Kroger in Carytown in the snow. Started to warm up and talked to a couple who where waiting on a money transfer for a hotel room. During the conversation the man warned me that I should go anywhere but the cold… Read more: Part 2 shelter - Long story
Well, sorta stepped into it now. It has been requested of me that I occasionally wrote something about being homeless in Richmond VA. A self infected wound for sure. Anyway, I Ave been asked the question, ” how is it to sleep outside”. The response is rather surprising to myself and maybe others. In so… Read more: Long story - Homeless
So, the mayor wants to the low down on the homeless situation and how to improve services for us. Naturally, the will have PHD’s in this or that. Maybe a representative of law enforcement and some of his hand selected favote charity’s. However, being homeless myself I absolutely understand that I have been handed my… Read more: Homeless
Homeless in Richmond VA 