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..mostly because the ground seems extremely hard tonight, which blows. I'm going to post this thread instead as a rant e/n sobfest and to see if anyone else has been in a similar situation and can give me advice/ideas/make jokes at my expense. I've been completely homeless for about five months. I've been trying to apply for jobs and I'm taking an online course to get a securities and insurance license (paid for by a charity here, awesome people), and I could get a good job if I pass the exam in the 28th, hopefully. I'm really trying to stay positive, but it's hard. I have three shirts and a single pair of jeans to my name, my other clothes were stolen and the only place to get clothes in this town only offers them once a month. I haven't had a shower or food in three days, but I'm going to be chilling outside the soup kitchen/emergency shelter tomorrow morning when they open so I might get a shower, I'll definitely get food. The hardest thing about this whole situation is that I don't really have anyone to help me, or even talk to really. My family won't talk to me (they're Christian and I'm queer), my friends are in different states. I've made a few friends with the other homeless guys who hang in the area but everyone just kinda keeps to themselves. Nobody stays long in one place. It's tough. It gets really hard to stay optimistic and I feel like crying all the time. I had a good job, I had my own place and I was handling that whole "being an adult" thing pretty well for a while, but I got laid off, work is scarce, I ran out of savings. Now I feel like a little kid again. There's one lgbt youth shelter here but I'm one year too old apparently so all they will do is recommend I go to the emergency shelter that's only open from 8-Noon three days a week. The regular shelter doesn't have any free beds. I want to work so badly, I really do. I'm not being picky about work, no one is hiring because it's off-season. I'd take any job right now. Someone tell me it's going to be okay, please.
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May 20, 2015 06:41
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It's gonna be ok. I don't know when or how, but it will.
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May 20, 2015 06:46
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It's going to be okay. You're taking all the right steps and opportunities will come up.
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May 20, 2015 07:02
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Sounds like you've gotten the rough end of the stick a bit there. The 28th isn't far off and you sound pretty motivated and together so you should blaze the exam. I'll be rooting for you. I guess about the only thing I could say is maybe try to squirrel away some food for exam day if it's a bit hard to come by because sitting in there stressed about being hungry isn't going to help too much.
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May 20, 2015 07:05
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It's going to be okay. I wish I knew how, but I don't. I just know that it is. Where are you, in rough geographic terms? I've been seeing a lot of Help Wanted signs near me lately -- mostly fast food, granted, but a few shifts between now and the exam would still mean money. There are also charities that help homeless people get nice outfits for job interviews -- I don't have specific info on that, but I can dig up links if it would help?
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May 20, 2015 07:46
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Thank so much already you guys  Birb Katter posted:Sounds like you've gotten the rough end of the stick a bit there. The 28th isn't far off and you sound pretty motivated and together so you should blaze the exam. I'll be rooting for you. That's actually a really good idea, thank you! On Fridays the soup kitchen gives out granola bars and stuff to help you get through the weekend until Monday, I'll probably squirrel back a couple of those. spacing in vienna posted:It's going to be okay. I wish I knew how, but I don't. I just know that it is. I'm in Florida, west coast. If you find the links, I'd appreciate it so much!
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May 20, 2015 07:55
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Dress for Success is a big one -- https://www.dressforsuccess.org It's got five or six locations in Florida. It's only aimed at women -- I don't know your gender, so that may or may not be helpful. If it isn't, their employees might have leads on similar programs for men's clothing. Most of the links I've found thus far are on the eastern side of Florida. However, this may be useful: http://www.suntopia.org/sarasota/fl/ This website seems to be pulling together resources for clothing, food, and so forth in various cities. This is the page for Sarasota -- I picked a west coast city at random, but you can enter your zip instead and see if anything useful comes up. Sorry for the ugly formatting -- I'm on my phone.
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May 20, 2015 08:33
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Sorry about the hard times OP. One thing I can suggest is finding an AA group around you and go to a meeting (even if you're not an alcoholic). Explain your situation and see if anyone point you in the right direction as a lot of former alcoholics have been in your position. Also, you get to have some free coffee and a warm room for an hour (and sometimes people bring food or snacks). Hope this helps :/
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May 20, 2015 11:47
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I don't know anything about your area OP, but it sounds like you're doing everything right and I wish you well. I work with homeless veterans and I can't even tell you how many of them I've seen become homeless due to job loss. It is tragic. Just keep doing what you're doing and it will get better.
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May 20, 2015 16:25
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are you utilizing the library or are you phone posting on a prepaid? the library is open during the day ( and into the night), climate controlled, has computers, quiet places for you to study, comfy chairs, etc. dont be one of those people masturbating on the computers and nobody will say boo. they also may have some community outreach/resources available.
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May 20, 2015 18:46
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I held on to my laptop when I had to sell my things, so I could look for work easily without having to fight for computer time (it's by the half hour here, by the hour in the town over but there's always people waiting). I mooch wifi from Starbucks and McDonalds with the bonus of being able to get clean water to drink for free. I got my shower today, a prepaid card for a nearby laundromat and a clean pair of scrubs to wear while I'm washing my clothes! I also had a cup of coffee for the first time in so long, I could have cried. The shelter isn't giving food until five tonight, but that's only three hours away! I'm waiting for my clothes to finish washing right now. Today is a better day than yesterday but god drat I am so hungry. Thanks for all the continued encouragement
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May 20, 2015 19:01
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Do you have any friends in other cities with more jobs that would maybe let you crash for a few days?
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May 20, 2015 21:22
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xie posted:are you utilizing the library or are you phone posting on a prepaid? the library is open during the day ( and into the night), climate controlled, has computers, quiet places for you to study, comfy chairs, etc. Gonna second this. I've worked at several public libraries in California, and they all had wi-fi and notice boards for homeless resources. The reference librarians might be able to point you towards resources in your area you weren't aware of. Good luck!
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May 20, 2015 21:58
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Colleges are getting out right around this time of year. If you can wander your way onto campus you might be able to scavenge a lot of canned goods/cloths from students leaving.
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May 20, 2015 22:12
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OP, I think things are going to be all right for you in the long run. You're taking steps to help you improve your situation for the future, including seeking a license. It seems that you will be one of the many people who is homeless for a period of time but not habitually or permanently. Keep doing what you're doing and you will make it out of this.
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May 21, 2015 00:31
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Find a way to San Francisco. You will always have food. You will always have shelter. You will get all sorts of training and assistance and free healthcare and poo poo. And you will be treated better than the middle class. gently caress San Francisco and its homeless poo poo. (USER WAS PUT ON PROBATION FOR THIS POST)
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May 21, 2015 00:53
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Waltzing Along posted:Find a way to San Francisco. Just so we're clear, are you making GBS threads on a homeless guy for being homeless, on San Francisco for feeding and sheltering homeless people instead of using their corpses to make cat food, or both?
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May 21, 2015 01:11
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SF for taking care of homeless people and making GBS threads on the middle class. I was advising him to go to SF where all his dreams will come true.
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May 21, 2015 01:20
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To be clear, I think it is good that SF helps people. I think it is bad they do nothing to help the people who are paying taxes to help the people who aren't contributing anything.
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May 21, 2015 01:21
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Lol you said middle class unironically
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May 21, 2015 01:22
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Yeah. In SF you are either rich or you are poor. The question is whether you are poor enough to get subsidized housing and then end up with more money than the people who make more money than you but have to actually pay rent because they aren't poor enough to avoid it. The whole system is so broken right now.
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May 21, 2015 01:24
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Waltzing Along posted:Yeah. In SF you are either rich or you are poor. The question is whether you are poor enough to get subsidized housing and then end up with more money than the people who make more money than you but have to actually pay rent because they aren't poor enough to avoid it. The whole system is so broken right now. So -- again, just in the interests of clarity -- you're whining about property taxes in an expensive city across the country from where the OP didn't eat for a few days?
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May 21, 2015 01:27
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San Fransisco is awful to be homeless in. It might get easier, it could get exponentially worse. Steel yourself and be prepared for whatever. Go with the flow. Then maybe it'll get better. Sounds bad but poo poo will fall into place. Eventually. Most youth shelters accommodate 23 and under. I realize i said SF is poo poo but they might have more LGBT options, I'm really not sure. Even the most progressive of shelters are iffy... My biggest piece of advice is even though you are probably already out of your comfort zone, get ready to leave it even more if you want to make progress. Good luck. Sincerely. Also keep that laptop, not to putz around on, but as a lifeline.
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May 21, 2015 01:49
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Listen OP, I know you're homeless and all but could you imagine being middle class in San Francisco? To see your family house go from 400k to 2 million in barely a decade, do you know how much more you have to pay in property taxes?? To see your rents go way up no matter how hard you try to stop any and all development in the city? To have someone protest you just because you want to take a nicer bus that doesn't have homeless people on it?? Please try not to use too many social services because the hard pressed "middle class" might have to foot the bill via income and property taxes. Can we please just think of the middle class for once? Why does no one ever help them...
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May 21, 2015 01:57
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If you are living in a city where you sincerely and unironically feel that homeless people are better off than you, a person with a house, then the logical thing to do would be to sell your house and become homeless and cash in. Eagerly awaiting news on how Waltzing Along is liking his filthy rich new life on the streets.
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May 21, 2015 02:03
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it's pretty loving unlikey you could be homeless in SF and still afford public transport lol. I'm not sure where OP is located but if you wanna talk to a former hobo of many years hit me up congealed.nature@gmail.com
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May 21, 2015 02:07
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OP, its all going to be OK.
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May 21, 2015 02:14
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Baronjutter posted:Listen OP, I know you're homeless and all but could you imagine being middle class in San Francisco? To see your family house go from 400k to 2 million in barely a decade, do you know how much more you have to pay in property taxes?? Nothing, because of Proposition 13. I'm pretty sure Waltzing Along has never even been to SF.
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May 21, 2015 02:25
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Middle class folks don't buy houses in San Francisco. If you have a house in SF then you aren't middle class any more. Middle class folks can't even afford rent in San Francisco.
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May 21, 2015 02:35
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JewKiller 3000 posted:Nothing, because of Proposition 13. I'm pretty sure Waltzing Along has never even been to SF. I guess being born there and growing up there and spending most of my adult life there don't count?
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May 21, 2015 02:36
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jarvis cocker posted:it's pretty loving unlikey you could be homeless in SF and still afford public transport lol. They give the homeless free bus passes.
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May 21, 2015 02:37
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Waltzing Along posted:Middle class folks don't buy houses in San Francisco. If you have a house in SF then you aren't middle class any more. Middle class folks can't even afford rent in San Francisco. so how are they paying for the homeless conspiracy?
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May 21, 2015 02:37
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Op, keep in mind that sucking a dick is like sucking on anything else except people pay good money for you to suck a dick.
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May 21, 2015 02:43
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Waltzing Along posted:They give the homeless free bus passes. since when?
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May 21, 2015 02:50
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Waltzing Along posted:I guess being born there and growing up there and spending most of my adult life there don't count? As a fellow San Franciscan, can you please shut the gently caress up? It is completely possible to be middle class and live in San Francisco. it isn't possible to be working class in San Francisco, really, anymore--that's the bigger problem. And you can complain about either of those without fatuously and moronically claiming the homeless have it great. Yes, there's a huge problem with housing prices. It's not the homeless people's fault and you just look like a whiny, petty rear end in a top hat for combining the two issues.
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May 21, 2015 03:50
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Waltzing Along posted:SF for taking care of homeless people and making GBS threads on the middle class. You know its cheaper to take care of the homeless and house them then to abandon them to the streets right?
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May 21, 2015 05:19
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jarvis cocker posted:San Fransisco is awful to be homeless in. I have general anxiety disorder and I'm incredibly shy so you're 100% right about being way out of my comfort zone when it comes to trying to get help, but I've learned quickly that it's the difference between eating and having somewhere safe to sleep or going without and risking getting arrested for vagrancy. I've gotten a lot better about actively taking steps to get myself out of this situation beyond just mass applying for jobs, I wish I had your advice months ago. As long as I'm not being a nuisance I can sleep in the grass out in front of the Salvation Army shelter, which is a bit nicer than sleeping in front of the abandoned gas station. Sounds lovely, and it kinda is, but they're transitioning people out of the shelter into othet programs this weekend and next weekend so I could be sleeping on a real bed soon, hell yeah! I also got a bag of those fireball candies, it's been a good day today.
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May 21, 2015 05:57
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Waltzing Along posted:They give the homeless free bus passes. jarvis cocker posted:since when? I don't know about anywhere else but here you can get a free all-day pass if you can prove you have a job interview or if you have an appointment at the free clinic downtown. You can get a month pass if you managed to get a job and got into the Transitions or Turning Point program.
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May 21, 2015 06:01
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The rock bottom anyone should be able to fall would be a small apartment and a modest budget for food and clothing. It's so hard to rebuild a life when you don't have a bed to call your own. You don't have a crippling mental illness or a major drug addiction so as long as you keep plugging at it you will be ok.
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May 21, 2015 06:59
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You're a good person and it'll all be ok soon.
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May 21, 2015 11:33
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