The EVIL 10% fruit juice

Weather

Balmy.

Shelter Meals

Breakfast - Rice crispies & milk, 1/2 muffin, breakfast bar, coffee, cream, water. Guess the one time grits thing was a fluke.
Lunch - (Urban Market on food stamps) - Macaroni salad, brussel sprouts, vegan energy square, V8 Splash.
Dinner - Tomato & basil hummus, soft flour tortillas, trail mix, tangelo, licorice, water.

Can't even trust fruit & vegetable juices now

I didn't see the added Sucralose on the label until it was too late. This is in addition to high fructose corn syrup, another evil sweetener. I guess I'll need to dig deeper and fine some "pure fruit juice" to drink, if it's even at all affordable.

This goes with that

Found a style guide in Esquire that shows what pattern of ties can go with what pattern of shirts. This could be very useful for work!

Gaston, garcon!

It looks like Gaston Street may be the place for affordable housing at a convenient location. I'll be looking into finding a unit there, this side of Munger, that Dave G. and I could share. Two prospects look likely.

On a more somber note

My father died one year ago today. I'm pretty much over the grieving now, ready to move on with my life.

Reading List

In the queue: Skinny Bitch
Currently reading: Ancient civilization and trade
Last read: How to Decorate a Dump

Finally a bone thrown for housing?

Weather

Rainy and a bit chilly, there's more whining about it than actual discomfort.

Shelter Meals

Breakfast - Grits, sausage, toast, jelly, half a muffin, coffee, water. Looks like we're out of a cereal cycle and back on a grits cycle.
Lunch - (Urban Market on food stamps) - Tomato & basil hummus, bread bowl, corn nuts, Diet Coke Plus.
Dinner - (Urban Market on food stamps) - Macaroni salad, corn nuts, trail mix, dried apricots, club soda.

May have got a connection with the Housing folks?

Visited the Day Resource Center before work, trying yet again to contact the ever elusive Housing representative. That person didn't show up, but I guess Crisis Intervention started feeling sorry for me. They took down my basic information on a worksheet to give to housing. Why couldn't they do this before the other three times? I got a contact name and number, and left both my work business card and my personal calling card. Please oh please call!!

Back at you Jon

With a little time remaining before my shift, I stopped in to visit Jon of VA Homeless Outreach at the Day Resource Center. Some of the info I picked up from the VA Hospital was useful to him, as well as the failure to receive the DD214 there but success in getting it at my private mail box. Sometimes it takes an outside party to get information sharing going among members of the same umbrella organization.

You're life story? I'd rather not.

While waiting for the Housing people to show up I got my ear bent off by a life story and a situation story of other clients at the Day Resource Center. It doesn't matter that I'm just another homeless person in line, show a little attention and you'll get an ear full. I guess the other folks don't have blogs? {grimmace} I didn't get any magazine reading done as Theresa had to tell me all about her hurts and hang ups, though no habits that I could tell, other than too much talking and not enough listening. She'll show up again at Big Dallas Shelter before she disappears.

Reading List

In the queue: Skinny Bitch
Currently reading: Ancient civilization and trade
Last read: How to Decorate a Dump

Getting a real phone plan

Weather

More nice February weather. Don't know how long this can last.

Shelter Meals

Breakfast - Rice crispies & milk, two pop tarts, coffee, creamer.
Lunch - (Urban Market on food stamps) - Macaroni salad, sesame green beans, trail mix, dried apricots, club soda.
Dinner - Chicken casserole, bread, peas, salad with dressing, cabbage, cake, water.

Right on schedule

Food stamps made their last deposit for this three month period, so I now have a balance of about $215. They won't offer anymore until I have an interview with them. The new job will definitely reduced the benefits, but probably not eliminate them. Once I'm paying for an apartment, my benefits could actually increase from a reduced amount.

This old plan was killing me

The old "Pay As You Go" rate plan with Cingular's Go Phone was killing me, mainly the $1.00 a day charge on any day I used the phone. So now I could afford to switch, and got a plan that was about $50 with 300 day minutes, 3000 nights & weekends, and unlimited mobile-to-mobile. Sure there are better deals out there, including my old T-Mobile prepay, but for various reasons having to do with future plans I'm going with this. If I can be thrifty the rollover feature will allow me to bank some minutes in the future, perhaps for a new lady?

Adding to the wardrobe

It's time to get some new work clothes from Men's Clothing Store. I had had a clearance ivory colored dress shirt on hold, so went and got that and a bright grey pocket square. This is the first pocket square I've had in about a dozen years, and it feels good to be back in the habit. Somehow I think more squares may get added to the wardrobe soon. ;^)

Reading List

In the queue: Skinny Bitch
Currently reading: Ancient civilization and trade
Last read: How to Decorate a Dump

Diving into old boxes for treasures

Weather

More fair weather.

Shelter Meals

Breakfast - Rice crispies & milk, breakfast cookie, coffee, water.
Lunch - (Urban Market on food stamps) - Red pepper hummus, flour tortillas, a tangelo, Diet Coke Plus (so much for the Skinny Bitch warnings about Diet Coke).
Dinner - (Volunteer servers again) - Spaghetti & meat sauce, stew, tuna casserole, cabbage, stuffing, salad & dressing, bread, pasta salad, cake, water. A feast!

Swapping in and out of storage

I met my friend Rusty who has most of my stuff stored in his carport. I brought along the sleeping bag, which I really don't need, and was going digging for a few things I do need. I got lucky, they were either close to the top of the mound of boxes or I happen to reach in an grab in just the right spot. Most important was the herringbone sports coat, an item that is a bit worn already but will give my good suit a chance to rest from time to time. Also got two ties from Rusty, two more of my old ties, and my credit union checkbooks that need new checks ordered for the address change.

Grabbing back issues

While digging in one of my box of papers, I found many back issues of magazines. I grabbed several that I'll be reading the next few days, as long as I can figure a way of smuggling them into Big Dallas Shelter. They don't like magazines or newspapers there, just one of the rules. I also need to get the mailing labels to update the addresses online, since my address forwarding from the old apartment is really messed up.

Reading List

In the queue: Skinny Bitch
Currently reading: Ancient civilization and trade
Last read: How to Decorate a Dump

Veggie dinner guests, I heart you

Weather

Rather nice.

Shelter Meals

Breakfast - Rice crispies & milk, breakfast cookie, coffee, water.
Lunch - (Urban Market on food stamps) - Macaroni salad, gouda cheese, dried apricots, trail mix, club soda
Dinner - (Indian volunteers serving vegetarian meal) - Spaghetti & marinara sauce, salad with Italian dressing, bread, oreos, banana, milk.

Last day of training

After today I'll be on commission, and I hope the schedule will get better. Point Of Sale may be my weak point until I can get a few more transactions under my belt.

Covering the wrinkles...

...not on my face, but on my shirt. I bought a clearance priced sweater vest to wear under my dress jacket on those days my shirts suffer from being stored in the garment bag [which is often]. I got a cotton vest rather than merino wool one so I don't burn up from the cover up.

Reading List

In the queue: Skinny Bitch
Currently reading: Ancient civilization and trade
Last read: How to Decorate a Dump

I was told wrong, thank goodness

Weather

A bit nippy in the morning, then warming up to the 60s. No need for a coat, really.

Shelter Meals

Breakfast - Rice crispies, milk, breakfast cookie, pastry, water, coffee.
Lunch - (Urban Market on food stamps) - Macaroni salad, gouda cheese, dried apricots, trail mix, club soda.
Dinner - Gumbo, fried fish, chicken nuggets, beans, salad, biscuit, chips, pound cake, water.

Lounging on the cafe side

Got some hot tea from the Urban Cafe, not the Market, and sat down to eat an energy bar there and read Skinny Bitch. Spending a little money and sitting with the normal morning crowd makes me feel normal again.

Payday surprise

Got my back pay and this week's pay, and come to find out the amount for the training wage and draw were not what I was told. Both were a good dollar an hour higher than I was quoted. This won't really cause a problem in eligibility requirements, since I'm already pretty close to the poverty line, but the little extra cash certainly helps. It also means apartment affordability based on the standard formula goes up to about $400 a month from $350 a month. That's not enough to qualify on my own, but means I should be able to carry my weight with a roommate situation in a two bedroom place.

Obsessing over Valentine's Day

Dallas' local McPaper known as The Quick hosted a fourteen page insert on Valentine's Day. This is not my favorite holiday by a long shot, as it seems to invite disaster into my life. The lack of meaningful content in this section just makes me feel even more "Bah, humbug!"

Reading List

In the queue: Skinny Bitch
Currently reading: Ancient civilization and trade
Last read: How to Decorate a Dump

The ripoff day labor ticket

Weather

Cold morning, chilly the rest of the day.

Shelter Meals

Breakfast - Cereal, milk, and coffee. One of the worst breakfasts ever!
Lunch - (Urban Market on food stamps) - Red pepper hummus, sourdough bread, trail mix, hot tea.
Dinner - Chicken & dumplings, cooked cabbage, corn, beans, salad, cookies, crackers, water.

Four hours, the horror!

This days moonlighting assignment was for "customer service". The client had us working his trade show booth at the Dallas Convention Center. The kind of work is normally reserved for a manufacturer's rep, not a day laborer who has only a few minutes to learn about the company and the product line. To add injury to insult, there were too many of us in the small booth, so I was cut after four hours. In the long run this was probably better, as it gives me time to run errands and still turn in a work ticket for about $20. Later I found out that he tried paying the other laborers cash under the table, violating his contract with Ready Labor.

Can we say "Bargains?!"

The Entertainment book arrives. Two coupons alone will pay for the book, both going to Kalachandjis, a restaurant hosted by the Hare Krishnas. Their food is vegetarian and very, very good. Anything beyond those 2-for-1 coupons will be a net savings.

Sightings of the sheltered kind

Saw a former shelter resident who had been evicted over the accusation of stealing money. She was doing okay all things considered, but didn't know how long she could continue couch surfing at a friend's house. I'm a bit worried for her, but told her I'd watch her back (well, as best I can).

Let's get Skinny

Picked up the copy of Skinny Bitch, which was on hold at the library. Looks like a great read!

Reading List

In the queue: Skinny Bitch
Currently reading: Ancient civilization and trade
Last read: How to Decorate a Dump

VA for the first time

Weather

In the low 40s, cold and windy. It's quite a shock to the system after a couple of days in the 70s.

Shelter Meals

Breakfast - Biscuits & gravy, a pizza filled breadstick, coffee, and creamer.
Lunch - Hamburger & bun, ketchup, mustard, tomato, pickle spears, salad with dressing, crackers, cookies, and water. It appeared that the hamburger was a salsbury steak patty that had some kind of barbecue flavoring figured in somehow.
Dinner - Turkey, dressing, gravy, green beans, salad with dressing, cranberry sauce, bread, macaroni and cheese, cookies, crackers, and water. No this is not a Dickensian dream, this was actually what was served. It really is feast or famine here.

I'm a real number now

Along with two copies of The Wall Street JournalI find my replacement copy of a Social Security Card. Ever since the Patriot Act, this seems to have become a much more required document, oh well. At least now I can go bleed in peace at the plasma bank.

Bleeding will have to wait

Michael G. had told me about a Labor Ready ticket coming up for a customer service job. I had reserved at least one of my days off, and it turns out the assignment is for Thursday and Friday. I can give him Thursday (traded for Superbowl Sunday with my coworker), but Friday I'm back to work. We'll see if that can be arranged. Amazing what you'll do on your day off for $40 when you're homeless, even with a full time job.

VA is a breeze, but I needed a strong gust

Getting to the VA Hospital couldn't be easier, just take DART's Blue Line to the VA Hospital stop. Up on the hill is a big VA Hospital complex on a large campus. Finding the main entrance was easy, as was the Information Desk, the intake, the photo ID place, and a referral to a social worker. The ID will arrive in the mail, and I have an appointment on March 5 with a new primary care physician for a full physical. I was in about 9:00AM and out by about 11:30AM, all very efficient, in fact more so given what was accomplished than the Food Stamp office.

Housing for naught

The social worker was available to assist me in finding a housing program. Unfortunately I don't qualify for any. To understand why, read the paragraph on the bottom right hand corner of this page labelled "What's This About?" The lady did say several times, "you've done your homework", but that response doesn't get me out of the shelter. She also suggested I not develop an alcohol program just to qualify. My response to a similar comment was, "It's more likely I'll drive the shelter people crazy before they drive me crazy." And I meant it.

Poor eyesight is not a disability

I don't qualify for the VA's vision program, but the social worker was able to refer me (in the future) to a free program to get a vision prescription filled. Now I just need to get a prescription. It might happen at Big Dallas Shelter, but possibly not in a reasonable time frame. In the mean time my glasses are falling apart. Oh well, at least half the issue can be addressed in due time.

Reading List

In the queue: Skinny Bitch
Currently reading: Ancient civilization and trade
Last read: How to Decorate a Dump

Buttons hanging by threads

Weather

Nothing noteworthy.

Shelter Meals

Breakfast - Rice & gravy, biscuits, margarine, coffee, water.
Lunch - (Urban Market on food stamps) - Potato salad, fruit salad, Diet Coke Plus. I'm really getting tired of that potato salad.
Dinner - (Urban Market on food stamps) - Macaroni salad, gouda cheese, trail mix, dried apricots, club soda.

Metro vs. Techno

As I was explaining to a pair of young ladies coming from the Urban Market, a technosexual is more into gadgets than members of the appropriate sex, and a metrosexual is more concerned about hair products and narcism than his potential female mate is. I'm drifting from techno to metro, but trying to stay grounded in good old fashioned hetero. Dressing up for work everyday certainly does help turn the heads of the fairer sex, but living in a shelter, needless to say, is a real turn off. More about this later as we get closer to that dreaded V-Day.

Popped a button already

The whole point of getting an off the rack suit and then getting it tailored, when necessary, is to fit and feel well. So why would I pop a front pants button barely a week after buying a new suit? Maybe it was sitting too long on the clearance rack? Don't know, don't care, and bitter about the time going to be spent reattaching it. The closing buttons on the European cut suit are so loose I'm having to button them both not to lose a button. But as it turns out, I read that you're supposed to do that with double breasted suits anyway. Still, the threads that attach them shouldn't look stretched out like shoe laces. Word to the wise, if you're going to spend an extended period of time homeless, invest in a clothing repair kit.

"Food stamp fraud!"

If you don't report a full time job after 80 hours of work, the HHS people get real testy. I filed my form for renewed benefits, and am awaiting a scheduled interview. For the record, I've only accrued 76 hours on the new job.

Reading List

In the queue: Skinny Bitch
Currently reading: Ancient civilization and trade
Last read: How to Decorate a Dump

Locked out of my bag

Weather

A little humid, in the mid 70s.

Shelter Meals

Breakfast - Grits, biscuits, margarine, coffee, water
Lunch - (Urban Market on food stamps) - Macaroni salad, trail mix, dried apricots, cheesecake, club soda.
Dinner - Barbecue Corn Nuts, brussel sprouts, an orange, Diet Coke Plus

Getting the ID runaround

This happened to somebody I spoke to, not myself, but it's a lesson on how important photo IDs have become in this economy. A gentleman had let his Texas driver's license expire, and had no other form of government issued photo ID. The Social Security Administration would not let him get a replacement SS card without a photo ID, and the State would not allow him to get a even a state identity card without his SS card and other supporting documents, which he didn't have. So it was the classic Catch-22 situation, with no real place to start. It is possible to get a copy of your Texas birth certificate with less than these forms of identification, which he did, and then next worked on getting his high school records. Somehow from this he got his Texas State ID, and is now working on getting his Texas driver's license. And without some of these documents, he also can't legally work in the state. I'm taking a lesson from this example and adding to my growing list of documents. Along with an expired passport, birth certificate, and California DL, I've added a SS card and VA identification card, and will work next on getting a Texas State ID and eventually a license. If I store at least one picture ID away from my person, I could potentially avoid this kind of disaster in the future.

What size am I?

Even with a tape measure, and with those of my coworkers, I'm not sure what shirt size I am. The short answer is I'm a 15 1/2 neck and 33 sleeve, but the particulars are somewhat influenced on the length of my jacket sleeve and how much sleeve I like exposed from the jacket. And then there are the variations in cuts among manufacturers, oh my! Let's just say that in exact sizes, I prefer a 15 1/2, 34, but am willing to negotiate if a shirt I see is really, really nice.

Bolt cutters to the rescue

When I packed out my apartment during the eviction, I knew the duffelbag would need to be secured for the shelter or street life. In my possession were two padlocks, one which I used on the duffel and a spare I attached to the handle of the duffel. Up until now those keys and my mail box key were the only ones on the key ring. Tonight I did what I was afraid would happen eventually, my pocket valuables were locked in the duffel along with the set of keys, sigh. I had known earlier that Big Dallas Shelter had a set of bolt cutters, but this solution was offered only after I had pointlessly tried to go at the lock with a small hand hacksaw. About an hour before lights out I wasted waiting to get the bolt cutters. I don't mind the loss of one lock, but now this event can't be repeated if I want at least some of my property secure during the day.

Reading List

In the queue: Skinny Bitch
Currently reading: Ancient civilization and trade
Last read: How to Decorate a Dump