Farmer's market through a screened window of a local bus. A watermelon truck waits to offload in front.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
To market to market...
Farmer's market through a screened window of a local bus. A watermelon truck waits to offload in front.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Why did the chicken cross the road?
The chicken simply...is.
But then there's always the dancing chicken, which doesn't cross roads. This chicken chooses the softer footfalls upon a wooden deck with it's counterpart, attired in black tux and fashionable Dansko where others aspire to tread.
Don't...cross this chicken.
Overlook off Matthew's Bridge by bus
Street lights dot the neighborhood West of Talleyrand Avenue from a view atop the bridge. A day laborer waits in the reflection on his way to work.
Later in the day I took some time to think about this picture. The visage of the man, the background of the landscape going by. For some unknown reason I thought about the upcoming upgrades to HD television signals next year, then I realized how many people on the street using small sets will be affected.
While the rest of us scamper for new decoders or HDMI cables, others will still be scampering for better food. It's all about planning. Us for ourselves for tomorrow, as well as us for those not able to plan for themselves then.
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Site Review Continuation: Wamu
Months and months ago I was asked to review Wamu.com from Washington Mutual Bank. Again like with most services or products I'm asked to review, I opened both a checking and savings account with them.
Both were found so reliable I closed down my other accounts that were either lame or costing me $9.95 a month. I've had to contact customer service four times at different points of the day and night, all able to help from loss of my PIN to clarifying normal customer service needs over the phone.
Money in, money out, not a charge or problem. I can see copies of all my checks on my PDA even! All this, and NO CHARGE in over four months! So it was cool they asked me to blurb about their Savings Accounts.
Just about anything you would do at any other bank, THEY can do. CDs out the Wazoo...or is that Wamuuuu?
Seriously, online, liquid, any type of CD...they've got a good selection. I can personally say they've really been a big help in saving money just in transitioning over to them from my other online banks. And if they're good enough for me to use personally over someone else, they're good enough for you.
Both were found so reliable I closed down my other accounts that were either lame or costing me $9.95 a month. I've had to contact customer service four times at different points of the day and night, all able to help from loss of my PIN to clarifying normal customer service needs over the phone.
Money in, money out, not a charge or problem. I can see copies of all my checks on my PDA even! All this, and NO CHARGE in over four months! So it was cool they asked me to blurb about their Savings Accounts.
Just about anything you would do at any other bank, THEY can do. CDs out the Wazoo...or is that Wamuuuu?
Seriously, online, liquid, any type of CD...they've got a good selection. I can personally say they've really been a big help in saving money just in transitioning over to them from my other online banks. And if they're good enough for me to use personally over someone else, they're good enough for you.
Site Review: 23Blogs
I was asked the other day to check out and give my two cents about 23Blogs.com - FREE Blog Roll TEXT Link Exchange.(1:10). Being on the outside in and giving a decent critique on something isn't possible, so I took the time of actually registering and installing the code on the site here...it's just above my MyBlogLog widget displayed on the right.
One of the biggest problems I hate about web services is having to 'reply' to an email to authenticate, something I didn't have to do with 23Blogs.com. Their authentication uses a standard 'CAPTCHA' process, and I was in like Flint. Registration took less than three minutes, and the code was installed after choosing within sixty seconds.
The idea behind 23Blogs.com is if your viewers click on a link in the widget, you get 10 points for your blog to be placed on the same amount of page views of other blogs having the widget. In essence your viewers interested in other blogs in the widget get you seen in other blogs. The links created go through 23Blogs.com, and you can see your referring them and to who by doing a mouseover. Everything's done through Java, so this is about traffic, NOT PAGE RANK! Page Rank will NOT be received through using this from what I'm seeing.
In the next few days I'll see how much comes through while monitoring my inbound link stats. Overall due to the ease of registration, installation, and not being page heavy on loads...I'd have to at first look give 23Blogs.com a high score compared to it's competition.
Let's see how they do in the long run.
One of the biggest problems I hate about web services is having to 'reply' to an email to authenticate, something I didn't have to do with 23Blogs.com. Their authentication uses a standard 'CAPTCHA' process, and I was in like Flint. Registration took less than three minutes, and the code was installed after choosing within sixty seconds.
The idea behind 23Blogs.com is if your viewers click on a link in the widget, you get 10 points for your blog to be placed on the same amount of page views of other blogs having the widget. In essence your viewers interested in other blogs in the widget get you seen in other blogs. The links created go through 23Blogs.com, and you can see your referring them and to who by doing a mouseover. Everything's done through Java, so this is about traffic, NOT PAGE RANK! Page Rank will NOT be received through using this from what I'm seeing.
In the next few days I'll see how much comes through while monitoring my inbound link stats. Overall due to the ease of registration, installation, and not being page heavy on loads...I'd have to at first look give 23Blogs.com a high score compared to it's competition.
Let's see how they do in the long run.
Saturday, May 24, 2008
The sun's so bright, they gotta wear shades
Temperatures touching the 90's, no place for a cold drink of water, dozens of people throughout Jacksonville will get relief from the sun, even if it's not their counterpart's choice of vintage sunglasses.
Recent tightening of admittance of homeless people in Jacksonville by staff of public places of interest was ramped up as expected, following increased temperature and lack of underwear for local unsheltered residents.
Trust me...when the temperature rises and you can't shower, you need all the changes of underwear you can get.
Recent tightening of admittance of homeless people in Jacksonville by staff of public places of interest was ramped up as expected, following increased temperature and lack of underwear for local unsheltered residents.
Trust me...when the temperature rises and you can't shower, you need all the changes of underwear you can get.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Nowhere to sleep
She carried a backpack filled to the seams bursting. Looked only fourteen, with a tattoo of Pooh on her left shoulder. Someone's daughter turned meat market fantasy entree for a night's cost in a hotel.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
...names hidden to protect the identities...
Tender, more psychologically damaged than anything. Doubt I'll forget this encounter...actually had my scrotum grabbed forcibly a number of times...actually fought to keep from laughing...you'd have to have been ther...then again, best you weren't and leave close encounters to the pros.
WAPping you with my set of balls
Monday, May 19, 2008
Site Review: Thoughts.com
Yesterday I was asked to check out a blogging community offering Free Blogs at Thoughts.com, a place I hadn't come across in the past before since most of the people in my circles have their own hosted sites or are still transitioning from the other big two.
Sometimes being in the same 'blogsphere' can close your mind to other options. That's why I was glad to take a closer look at Thoughts.com and see what was under the hood. Inside they've also got a community forum and forms of popularity for both promoting a person's work as well as letting other reader's know what's hot in the community.
Free bandwidth and the usual stuff that takes the worry from newbies getting their first taste of blogging, as well as a nice interface for experienced bloggers interested in just 'letting go' and getting involved with blogging for 'The Zen'.
Overall, not a bad place. The only downside however is in their terms of service agreement in regards to what we refer to as monetizing.
It's a no no. But hey, it's free, and that's not much to ask for to keep it from looking like a splogwork. The peeps behind Thoughts.com are simply trying to keep the place litter free, considering the amount of trash that could accumulate on their servers, let alone for their readers looking for quality without a sales pitch.
Myself, I'm looking at possibly creating an account there after blogging off and on for ten years. Monetizing pays the bills, but the real reason I got into blogging was about self expression, community, interaction, and learning about myself while learning about others.
It was about thoughts. Mine. Others. With going pro, it's what we can all consider in putting back into the blogosphere.
Sometimes being in the same 'blogsphere' can close your mind to other options. That's why I was glad to take a closer look at Thoughts.com and see what was under the hood. Inside they've also got a community forum and forms of popularity for both promoting a person's work as well as letting other reader's know what's hot in the community.
Free bandwidth and the usual stuff that takes the worry from newbies getting their first taste of blogging, as well as a nice interface for experienced bloggers interested in just 'letting go' and getting involved with blogging for 'The Zen'.
Overall, not a bad place. The only downside however is in their terms of service agreement in regards to what we refer to as monetizing.
It's a no no. But hey, it's free, and that's not much to ask for to keep it from looking like a splogwork. The peeps behind Thoughts.com are simply trying to keep the place litter free, considering the amount of trash that could accumulate on their servers, let alone for their readers looking for quality without a sales pitch.
Myself, I'm looking at possibly creating an account there after blogging off and on for ten years. Monetizing pays the bills, but the real reason I got into blogging was about self expression, community, interaction, and learning about myself while learning about others.
It was about thoughts. Mine. Others. With going pro, it's what we can all consider in putting back into the blogosphere.
Sunday, May 18, 2008
.:When you get a place you can have better shoe upkeep
When you're homeless, you have a problem with shoes wearing out. If you had a pair of Merrell shoes, you'd have more problems keeping them up.
When you're homeless you can't find a clean cloth to wipe them off. Stuff like mud, muck, water from tires splashing you...it's all icky.
But when you get a home of your own, you can keep them clean. You'll have a place to sit regularly and polish your shoes with a soft brush. You'll have a place to keep that brush in fact.
You'll be happy to be able to keep a pair of shoes nice and tidy.
When you're homeless you can't find a clean cloth to wipe them off. Stuff like mud, muck, water from tires splashing you...it's all icky.
But when you get a home of your own, you can keep them clean. You'll have a place to sit regularly and polish your shoes with a soft brush. You'll have a place to keep that brush in fact.
You'll be happy to be able to keep a pair of shoes nice and tidy.
.:He had a Bluetooth on in the soup line
Something humorous to some is seeing someone in a soup kitchen line wearing a Bluetooth headset. It shouldn't be.
Thousands of people in every community use some form of public meal source to survive. Some due to bad choices, some out of pure necessity. Wearing the earpiece they may be waiting for an emergency call from a doctor to get their spouse in for a translant. Another might be waiting for a home to be opened for the family to move in. Another may be waiting for a job to start the life on a new path.
It's not the appearance...it's why it's there that should matter...when someone homeless is trying...no matter where they are at the time.
Thousands of people in every community use some form of public meal source to survive. Some due to bad choices, some out of pure necessity. Wearing the earpiece they may be waiting for an emergency call from a doctor to get their spouse in for a translant. Another might be waiting for a home to be opened for the family to move in. Another may be waiting for a job to start the life on a new path.
It's not the appearance...it's why it's there that should matter...when someone homeless is trying...no matter where they are at the time.
.:Ideas for homeless mothers to be
When you're homeless, baby gifts are something you don't see much of after a newborn baby's been brought back to the shelter. I mean...they're there, just not what you'd see at any shower.
It makes one realize how much precious life is, and the dearness we put on trappings rather than the life that slips from us day by day.
If you have a shelter in your area, consider clicking the link above and checking out what would make an unwed mother or unfortunate expecting couple happy to open...even if just for a few moments in a very unhappy time they're experiencing.
It makes one realize how much precious life is, and the dearness we put on trappings rather than the life that slips from us day by day.
If you have a shelter in your area, consider clicking the link above and checking out what would make an unwed mother or unfortunate expecting couple happy to open...even if just for a few moments in a very unhappy time they're experiencing.
.:Lose Weight with the Evil One or Phentermine
Phentermine has been a subject of discussion for years. I personally don't know anyone who's homeless who needs to be on a diet to reduce weight...although I know many who need a diet that gets nutrients necessary to live in such.
Consumerpricewatch.net has got some info over at their site on getting your hands on this item, if your interested. Myself, I've lost 30 pounds over the last few months, but then again it was due to the 'Evil One'.
If you'd like some help from the 'Evil One' in losing weight, I'll be happy to put her in a box and send her to you. If not, check out the info in the link above.
Cheers.
Consumerpricewatch.net has got some info over at their site on getting your hands on this item, if your interested. Myself, I've lost 30 pounds over the last few months, but then again it was due to the 'Evil One'.
If you'd like some help from the 'Evil One' in losing weight, I'll be happy to put her in a box and send her to you. If not, check out the info in the link above.
Cheers.
.:Come on and ride my clean sparkly ride, women
Cadillac grills can be a sign of affluence, just like the difference between a well made blog theme and something you find as a default choice on a blog.
Appearance is everything. Driving down the road for everyone to see, just like traffic to a blog.
Nobody wants to be seen with a ding here or a pitmark there. They want to show off their ride, just like their blog. Makes me wonder, which is more important to a person...a blog or their ride?
Me, my blog...since my ride has 10 wheels and seats over 40.
Appearance is everything. Driving down the road for everyone to see, just like traffic to a blog.
Nobody wants to be seen with a ding here or a pitmark there. They want to show off their ride, just like their blog. Makes me wonder, which is more important to a person...a blog or their ride?
Me, my blog...since my ride has 10 wheels and seats over 40.
.:Memories of the homeless
A few moments ago I spoke with someone who's been in and out of the homeless cycle and system four times in the last five years alone. Prior to that it's really hard to say what their experience was, since much of anything that far back is a jumble...sometimes painful for the person be spoken to to remember.
Traumatic memories are the hardest to retrieve. Sometimes they come out when a person's ready to deal with them, sometimes when least expected. Sometimes they can pop up into a person's view just when they're about to cross the street against oncoming traffic.
Sometimes they never know what hit 'em, literally. Sometimes laptop memory isn't easy to deal with...but it always finds it's way to come out in the end.
Traumatic memories are the hardest to retrieve. Sometimes they come out when a person's ready to deal with them, sometimes when least expected. Sometimes they can pop up into a person's view just when they're about to cross the street against oncoming traffic.
Sometimes they never know what hit 'em, literally. Sometimes laptop memory isn't easy to deal with...but it always finds it's way to come out in the end.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
.:The Memory Of The Van Accident
A few years ago while in the homeless shelter, my daughter and I were involved in a vehicle accident just behind the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office. Just yesterday we received word from the attorney that there was a settlement.
Medical bills paid in full.
Attorney's fee's taken out of the check.
Left over amount: <$1000.00 USD.
Could we have milked the cash cow? Yes, most definately. Many do. We didn't. We had nothing but our family members during those days. We chose to build from scratch. We're proud of that fact.
So this Tuesday when the check is cut, my wife and I are going to Sam's Club and doing something we haven't done in five years: stocking the freezer and kitchen completely. I'm used to keeping dry goods on hand for anything, whether a hungry kid with a wet appetite or someone dropping in that needs something hot...but something wholesome and with love.
The ironic thing about the accident was that the driver/owner of the vehicle we were in didn't have car insurance. His family was homeless too. When you're surviving, it's not a priority.
It's why now I budget finances for medical insurance and other benefits at work. Lesson learned.
Medical bills paid in full.
Attorney's fee's taken out of the check.
Left over amount: <$1000.00 USD.
Could we have milked the cash cow? Yes, most definately. Many do. We didn't. We had nothing but our family members during those days. We chose to build from scratch. We're proud of that fact.
So this Tuesday when the check is cut, my wife and I are going to Sam's Club and doing something we haven't done in five years: stocking the freezer and kitchen completely. I'm used to keeping dry goods on hand for anything, whether a hungry kid with a wet appetite or someone dropping in that needs something hot...but something wholesome and with love.
The ironic thing about the accident was that the driver/owner of the vehicle we were in didn't have car insurance. His family was homeless too. When you're surviving, it's not a priority.
It's why now I budget finances for medical insurance and other benefits at work. Lesson learned.
.:Yeah, I'm Back Kids
A while ago I decided to back off this blog. Close it out. Whatever. Life changes, people change, and there's a whole new thing out there. We could all just lean back in our leather office chairs while sipping Mocha Lattes and think it's fine.
But it's not.
Getting out of homelessness is just one step down the path. Keeping out of the cycle is another. The greatest problem I've seen over the last four years is the high percentage of people returning to the streets, the shelters, the soup kitchens, and the traps their minds continually to become ensnared in.
And it sucks. Granted at times I write with a big ego...it was one of the reasons I chose to close the blog entries since I thought it would hamper my attempts to improve 'the system' for the recipients.
But I was wrong. Dead wrong.
Homelessness isn't the issue. Alcohol isn't the issue, or drugs.
It's about the mind and the need for mental health at the root, and it's something I've not seen anyone having the balls to name the demon publicly. This used to infuriate me. At times I saw it as a double standard, professionals telling me one thing behind closed doors acknowledging the problem while keeping their mouths shut in front of the camera.
That's when it hit me. It's not their job to be heard. They can't do their job if they out the system, since they can always be removed.
But me...I'm not in the system. I'm outside it. I am it. I see it every day when I speak to those still within it. I smell it when I realize someone hasn't had a bath in a week I'm speaking to. I hear it when their stomachs churn and body exudes odors of malnutrition.
When I became a Director for the Emergency Services & Homeless Coalition of Jacksonville, Inc., I thought my hands would be tied...of not being able to speak my mind...or heart. Again, I was wrong.
People are still sleeping outside. People are still using drugs to escape demons inside. People are still using peers for their own purposes of feeding those demons even. But do I have an answer to this nightmare others wouldn't talk about?
No, unfortunately. For millenia people have experienced homelessness. The problem isn't about homes...it's about people...it's about survival...it's about what's inside.
A home isn't. A soul and heart is. Get to the heart of the soul, and you might find the cure to one person's homeless cycle.
One new home at a time.
But it's not.
Getting out of homelessness is just one step down the path. Keeping out of the cycle is another. The greatest problem I've seen over the last four years is the high percentage of people returning to the streets, the shelters, the soup kitchens, and the traps their minds continually to become ensnared in.
And it sucks. Granted at times I write with a big ego...it was one of the reasons I chose to close the blog entries since I thought it would hamper my attempts to improve 'the system' for the recipients.
But I was wrong. Dead wrong.
Homelessness isn't the issue. Alcohol isn't the issue, or drugs.
It's about the mind and the need for mental health at the root, and it's something I've not seen anyone having the balls to name the demon publicly. This used to infuriate me. At times I saw it as a double standard, professionals telling me one thing behind closed doors acknowledging the problem while keeping their mouths shut in front of the camera.
That's when it hit me. It's not their job to be heard. They can't do their job if they out the system, since they can always be removed.
But me...I'm not in the system. I'm outside it. I am it. I see it every day when I speak to those still within it. I smell it when I realize someone hasn't had a bath in a week I'm speaking to. I hear it when their stomachs churn and body exudes odors of malnutrition.
When I became a Director for the Emergency Services & Homeless Coalition of Jacksonville, Inc., I thought my hands would be tied...of not being able to speak my mind...or heart. Again, I was wrong.
People are still sleeping outside. People are still using drugs to escape demons inside. People are still using peers for their own purposes of feeding those demons even. But do I have an answer to this nightmare others wouldn't talk about?
No, unfortunately. For millenia people have experienced homelessness. The problem isn't about homes...it's about people...it's about survival...it's about what's inside.
A home isn't. A soul and heart is. Get to the heart of the soul, and you might find the cure to one person's homeless cycle.
One new home at a time.
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