tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-388859592024-03-20T17:48:42.089-07:00Homeless in Long BeachMemories of Street Livingalycecloverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00780458592803844709noreply@blogger.comBlogger1109125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38885959.post-21725343786523644012024-01-20T07:19:00.000-08:002024-01-20T07:19:35.068-08:00 Hypnagogic Hallucinations <p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"> <span class="ILfuVd" lang="en" style="line-height: 28px;"><span class="hgKElc" style="padding: 0px 8px 0px 0px;"><span style="background-color: white;">Hypnagogic<span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);"> </span>hallucinations are <span style="color: #040c28;">brief hallucinations that take place as</span></span><span style="background-color: rgba(80, 151, 255, 0.18); color: #040c28;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #040c28;">you're falling asleep</span><span style="background-color: white; color: var(--YLNNHc);">. They're common and usually nothing to worry about. They're usually visual in nature, such as images of patterns, shapes or flashing lights.</span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #474747;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Hypnopompic hallucinations occur while a person is waking up, and hypnagogic hallucinations occur while falling asleep. Together, hypnagogic and hypnopompic hallucinations are referred to as hypnagogia.</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #474747;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">*</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #474747; font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">Reading a novel, I had to search NSFW (not safe to work) and hypnagogic hallucinations. Oh, my I did not know that. I used to see things ~ eyes closed, trying to fall to sleep. I would see things, like people at a curb entering a car, as if I was actually watching them from a window.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #474747; font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">I thought that I was somehow seeing live action through the eyes of someone else. Like I was psychically connected to them. I started doing that after I was off the streets. Today I will wake up still dreaming ~ I guess that would also be an hallucination ~ because I am awake, yet seeing the images, as if I am still in the dream.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Alternately, I will continue "writing" the dream in my mind. Sometimes those two things occur at the same time. Such as: "she went to hide under the covers," says my thoughts, and I see her go hide under the covers. Even though I am aware that I am no longer sleeping.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">If that makes any sense.</span></p><p><br /></p>alycecloverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00780458592803844709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38885959.post-73889496438955813982024-01-10T09:52:00.000-08:002024-01-10T09:58:05.052-08:00How To Be Good<div style="line-height: 100%; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> <span><br /><span style="color: black;"><span><i>How
To Be Good</i></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> by Nick Hornby has quite a bit of dialogue about
homeless people in England. </span></span></div><div style="line-height: 100%; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="line-height: 100%; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Part of a sentence says, "...giving
lasagne away to starving drunks." I benefited from many people's
generosity with meals on the streets. </span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> Mother Teresa felt even a drunk deserves
a good meal. So do starving children in third world countries. (why
are they called "third world countries" btw?)</span></span></div><div style="line-height: 100%; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><span style="color: black;"><span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Unrelated
to homeless issues a woman thinks "I do suddenly have the sense
of being worth that much, and this is an entirely new and not
altogether unwelcome feeling." </span></span></span></span></div><div style="line-height: 100%; text-align: left;"><br /></div>alycecloverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00780458592803844709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38885959.post-23886362594993327102024-01-10T09:46:00.000-08:002024-01-10T09:46:57.529-08:00Funeral<p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"> https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSwTwVPbjcLX5Thi7KOrHMtf_HfPLO36n&si=ykGOrsiMs_xak-Uk</span></p><p><b><a href="https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLSwTwVPbjcLX5Thi7KOrHMtf_HfPLO36n&si=ykGOrsiMs_xak-Uk" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Funeral playlist at YouTube.</span></a></b></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Watching Sally Field movie, "Two Weeks," yesterday; her adult sons and daughter were arguing over what songs to include on her funeral playlist.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Or perhaps that should be "memorial." I spent the rest of the evening creating my own playlist. My son and two daughters already picked Terry Jack's "Seasons in the Sun," for theirs; they probably remember that it is mine also.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I often said, "I want an Irish wake." I should look into that ~ perception that it is a dance party. My songs were mostly dance songs. Some were just titles that apply to my life, even if the lyrics did not have much to do with my life.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">"I was born by a river..." not in a little tent, but in nearby hospital, "and just like that river, I have been running ever since."</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">"Moving on, moving on..." I found my place in "the warm California sun," specifically, Long Beach</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">"I took a wrong turn and I just kept going." <i>Did not have</i> a wife and kids in Baltimore, Jack. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Peace on Earth songs. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Depression songs, followed by Hope songs. Something like that. A mix. It is rather long. I will have to give it a listen and see if I can edit out some of the songs.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">I probably saw the movie "Two Weeks," previously. Likely on Lifetime or Hallmark. Could see where the commercial breaks would be if shown on regular channels, not at Amazon Prime. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;">Decided to post the link here, so I can later e-mail it to my heirs. To do with as they will. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p>alycecloverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00780458592803844709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38885959.post-77639877578240156602023-11-15T17:22:00.000-08:002023-11-15T17:22:38.518-08:00Eddie C<p><br /></p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDHh1yEt3QXY17y1rFk5z_-HWQcBjkLPgxnfyfkHiNsCmXRmXL8WPvBj0rPIWAgLPBz3yvK1ToomXU5dmpbzflZ1qhsPq0zd4qAISZyypLOXU6jP0QphihQPTD4RmPNpscLn3YL2fFBgSqLpD6jAu7fFQxDKUT8lxEl-skb9gIueSjJlUTjw1h/s160/Eddie%20C.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="120" data-original-width="160" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDHh1yEt3QXY17y1rFk5z_-HWQcBjkLPgxnfyfkHiNsCmXRmXL8WPvBj0rPIWAgLPBz3yvK1ToomXU5dmpbzflZ1qhsPq0zd4qAISZyypLOXU6jP0QphihQPTD4RmPNpscLn3YL2fFBgSqLpD6jAu7fFQxDKUT8lxEl-skb9gIueSjJlUTjw1h/w271-h219/Eddie%20C.png" width="271" /></a></div><p></p>alycecloverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00780458592803844709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38885959.post-16907087843429295862023-11-12T12:11:00.000-08:002023-11-12T12:11:23.504-08:00Bear<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8905Ry-yP5o5ny90jm8gTAAZ7htA7GBRR0JKCGflT92qtYjr2oP9soAkbAzUAahdKj3ZA7J6lOooC9B2w2TqEGcTARTwsvvcis_tIFU3RpNlrLhvevysSjvDGCjGn2YMsGhhQ6wTXKgMGy00hN6ZfKTj2Kv-Pdmxv9tHkm1GTUW93dWpLoj6i/s640/Bear%202006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8905Ry-yP5o5ny90jm8gTAAZ7htA7GBRR0JKCGflT92qtYjr2oP9soAkbAzUAahdKj3ZA7J6lOooC9B2w2TqEGcTARTwsvvcis_tIFU3RpNlrLhvevysSjvDGCjGn2YMsGhhQ6wTXKgMGy00hN6ZfKTj2Kv-Pdmxv9tHkm1GTUW93dWpLoj6i/s320/Bear%202006.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>I have moved photos from my Homeless in Long Beach Blog to a USB thingy. </p><p>When I went to my apartment complex's Computer Lab, the old computers were gone ~ no more CD drawers. I did not think to look for a USB port. I am going down later tonight to try to print them.</p><p>But if that does not work, I will try printing from this blog. </p>alycecloverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00780458592803844709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38885959.post-21013594710816429452023-10-05T11:16:00.003-07:002023-11-09T09:28:07.726-08:00Don't Cry For Me<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b><i> Don't Cry For Me, </i></b> is a novel by Daniel Black. It is basically a father, who is dying of cancer, writing a long letter to his son. He explains why he was hard on the son, seeking forgiveness. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br />There was a homeless guy in the novel. The father, Jacob, is mired in depression. He is walking by a church, stopped to listen to the singing. This caused tears to come to his eyes. Mind you, he was from a generation when men did not show emotions or cry.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br />A dirty, smelly homeless guy stands next to him, saying the church gave him hope. The guy refused to tell Jacob his name; said no one ever asked him his name. Thinking back, I would say that is basically true of us street people. There were exceptions, of course. A quote:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><b><br />"We were told <i>what </i>to think ~ not<i> how</i> to think." </b></span></div>alycecloverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00780458592803844709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38885959.post-54373102987183590172023-09-08T09:41:00.000-07:002023-09-08T09:41:03.294-07:00The Rook<div style="line-height: 100%;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span> </span><span><span style="color: black;"><span>Homeless
people play a role in "The Rook" by Steven James, The book
jacket blurb says, "The Rook" is an adrenaline-laced
page-turner that will hold you captive until the very end." I am
not sure it is "adrenaline-laced", but it is one of the few
books that held me captive, long after my eyes got too blurry to read
anymore.</span></span></span></span></div><div style="line-height: 100%;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: black;"><span></span></span><br /><span style="color: black;"><span>A
homeless man delivers an envelope to a couple in a motel room. A
deranged homeless man commits suicide. A quote: "...cruised past
a group of homeless immigrants who stared blankly at our car from the
curb.", evoked memories. Action in the novel takes place in San
Diego, California, but that scene could be anywhere USA. I not only
envisioned the fictional scene, but also the mood of the people
sitting on the curb, grime silence, watching the world go by.</span></span></span></div><div style="line-height: 100%;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: black;"><span></span></span><br /><span style="color: black;"><span>On
"immigrants, transients, the homeless: "The system doesn't
care if a few vagrants or illegal aliens end up dead. The nameless
don't make the news. To the system they don't exist." I disagree
about not making the news. I have read "believed to be a
transient" in reports of the discovery of dead bodies.</span></span></span></div><div style="line-height: 100%;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: black;"><span></span></span><br /><span style="color: black;"><span>A
sentence on page 399 of the library book reads "...and began to
pick my through the backstreets...". A previous reader wrote
"way" after the word "my".</span></span></span></div><div style="line-height: 100%;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: black;"><span></span></span><br /><span style="color: black;"><span>At
a funeral for a homeless man, someone remarked that he "did have
family." I am assuming that meant the "Fifteen transient
men and seven women..." who attended the funeral. Homeless peers
do become like family in the same manner that co-workers do. On the
streets that family type relationship is vital to survival.</span></span></span></div><div style="line-height: 100%;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /><span style="color: black;"><span>On
controlling people James wrote: "If you can find the thing that
matters most to someone and either promise to help him get it or
threaten to take it away, he'll do almost anything for you ~ go
against his values, his morals, his religion."</span></span></span></div><div style="line-height: 100%;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: black;"><span></span></span><br /><span style="color: black;"><span>"Always
leave your enemy an escape route. Never corner him. Even a mouse will
fight fiercely when it's trapped in a corner."<br /></span></span>.<br /></span><span style="color: black;"><span><span style="font-family: verdana;">"If
you're confident enough, people will go wherever you lead them,
believe whatever you say. That's how Jeffry Dahmer did it. Complete
confidence.</span><span style="font-family: helvetica;">"</span></span></span></span></div>
<p align="left" style="line-height: 100%;"><br />
</p>
<p align="left" style="line-height: 100%;"><br /></p>alycecloverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00780458592803844709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38885959.post-10547538578464248072023-08-22T17:36:00.008-07:002023-08-22T17:36:34.147-07:00Shelter Beds <p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"> https://lbpost.com/news/tropical-storm-hilary-homeless-unhoused-shelter-plan </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">In anticipation of Hurricane Hilary that was downgraded to a tropical storm, Long Beach found extra <a href="https://lbpost.com/news/tropical-storm-hilary-homeless-unhoused-shelter-plan" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><b>shelter beds. </b></a> Article is from <i>Long Beach Post. </i>Photo shows homeless lined up outside the Multi service center<i>.</i> I took many a shower and did some laundry there. A long walk, usually from Caser Chavez Park, I was one of the first in line. </span></p>alycecloverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00780458592803844709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38885959.post-1351657876776724122023-08-01T15:35:00.001-07:002023-09-08T15:40:10.691-07:00The Downward Sprial<p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span><b style="font-size: large;">The
Downward Spiral</b></span></p>
<p align="left" style="line-height: 100%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Did
you ever get caught in a cyclone when everything starts going wrong
and you are powerless to stop it?
My-wife-left-me-and-when-I-backed-the-truck-out-of-the-driveway-I-ran-over-the-dog-and-Mama-died-before-I-got-there-to-tell-her-goodbye
kinda Country and Western song days? Weeks? Months? An insignificant
little event begins a chain of one thing after another going wrong.
You're screaming, "Lord, I can not take this...if one more thing
goes wrong...when is it gonna stop...will I ever see the sun again?".
Then things take a turn for the better. The turmoil of that whirlwind
is soon forgotten like yesterday's nightmare.</span></span></p>
<p align="left" style="line-height: 100%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">For
some, the nightmare of bad events never end. The company down-sizes,
re-organizes, out-sources, goes out of business and you are out of a
job. You find yourself competing with recent College graduates for
work you have been doing for years; competing with High School
graduates for jobs at your local Wal-Mart or McDonalds. You don't
speak Spanish, which has suddenly become a job prerequisite. You did
not need to know Computers at your last Stock room position. You
become depressed. Your wife leaves you. Your unemployment benefits
run out. The car is repossessed. Any number of reasons contribute to
how one suddenly finds their self without a roof over their head.</span></span></p>
<p align="left" style="line-height: 100%;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><span style="font-size: large;">A
woman moves in with her boyfriend; boyfriend kicks her out. Single
Mother is drinking & drugging, a series of men entering the home.
Some abuse you. She beats you. She takes off and never comes back.
You are 13 and do not know what to do. You party with your friends,
and decide to rob a convenience</span><span style="font-size: large;"> store; get caught go to jail. Once
released, your parents will not let you come home. No money, no home,
can' not get a job, that way, you rob, prostitute yourself, do
whatever it takes to survive.</span></span></p>
<p align="left" style="line-height: 100%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">You
can not deal with the horrors of war. You drink to forget. You got
hooked on drugs. The government slowly takes away your Medical
benefits. Your wife is brutally raped and murdered. Orphaned in a
war-torn country, you have heard that the US of America is the land
of opportunity and move there to find, it is not as easy as it
sounds.</span></span></p>
<p align="left" style="line-height: 100%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The
list goes on. The beginning of the end. Very few of the Homeless woke
up one day and said, "Hey, I want to be homeless". Most got
caught at the top of a whirlwind unable to escape, until they hit the
very bottom.</span></span></p>alycecloverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00780458592803844709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38885959.post-36748088988005524112023-06-11T09:08:00.004-07:002023-06-11T09:08:42.744-07:00Food for thought<p> Food for thought from the "Stupid Things" book:<br /></p><p>You have to know how a story ends, before you can understand its meaning."</p><p>"What matters in life to you?" His father asked Petrow, then when he asked father, the father stared into space, then shrugged his shoulders, which made Steven sad. </p><p>My first thoughts: having a roof over my head, hot and cold running water, a toilet having lived watthour all of that. I have also lived without heat, even when homed. I neglected to say "affordable." I might add food, refrigerator to keep stuff cold and stove to cook the food. Or, I guess, material things matter in life to me. </p><p>I think being honest matters in life; being kind; having morals; using etiquette; loving & being loved; spreading love, peace, joy. Even unhomed those things were available to all. </p><p>Good health. Strength matters in our elder years. Having loving family matters. Eye sight matters! Seeing, smelling, touching flowers! Lots of things in life matter.</p><p>My story is ongoing; albeit in its last chapters, thus that food for thought is rather difficult for me to understand. I have skipped to end of fiction novels, to figure out if it was worth reading the rest of the story. Knowing the ending did help make sense of it ~ or understanding why some random unrelated boring stuff was part of the story. </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>alycecloverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00780458592803844709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38885959.post-12119789331569531902023-06-11T07:57:00.003-07:002023-06-11T07:57:12.944-07:00Stupid Things...<i><b>Stupid Things I Won't Do When I Get Old</b></i> is a book by Steven Petrow. As his parents aged, he started keeping notes with promises to himself, that he would not do things they did when he aged. He turned those notes into a book. Every chapter begins with one of his notes. The chapter then goes into great detail on the subject.<div><br /></div><div>One was about old people's bad odors. The only elderly person who I recall smelling bad was my rummy grandfather. I think his bad odor had more to do with his alcohol consumption than being related to his age. I also remember my aunt, in a nursing home, who surprisingly had bad breath. An older brother, does tend to smell unclean. He does not bathe, and wears the same unwashed clothes over & over again, accounting for his body odor.</div><div><br /></div><div>I live in a Senior apartment complex. I also lived in one in California. Residents from 65 to 103 years old. None had a "old age smell, " about him. Petrow does include a scientific explanation for "old age smell," so I guess it is a real thing. </div><div><br /></div><div>He complains about younger generations disparaging Boomers, then begins to disparage them also. He blames boomers for lots of things, like putting the U.S. of A. into mega debt. Well, did boomers decide to be born? Maybe the blame belongs to the parents who gave birth to the baby boom generations? </div><div><br /></div><div>One chapter, he complains about elderly recitals of ailments. He vows not to do that. The next chapter he begins his recital of his ailments. I could not muster much sympathy for his sexual dysfunction, and other issues. He seemed obsessed with finding many sex partners, rather than spending time seeking love. </div><div><br /></div><div>He repeats himself, which is also a complaint he has about seniors. More, later.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>alycecloverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00780458592803844709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38885959.post-11106369738413996412023-06-06T18:15:00.003-07:002023-06-06T18:15:45.674-07:00The Night of Many Endings<p> If it were not for the homeless character, doubt I could have finished reading "The Night of Many Endings," by Melissa Payne. Normally, I would share a lot of quotes from novels mentioning homeless people, but found the novel boring, so did not take time to record them. </p><p>The story is about, Nora, a librarian whose brother has been addicted to drugs and alcohol, in and out of homelessness. I could only relate to her feeling of worry that her brother would wind up dead in an alley from an overdose. That thought plagued me up until the time my brother died. He was never homeless; on & off heroin addition. </p><p>Due to an unexpected blizzard, a group of people got stranded in the library overnight. One of those was a homeless man, Lewis, who Nora saved from death due to drug overdoes using nasal spray. Lewis sunk into addiction due to guilt over shooting students at Kent State in 1970. I am guessing that is authors creation. Interesting food for thought about National Guards possible regent for killing student protestors?</p><p>Lewis experiences could be Any Homeless Person in the U.S. of A., such as feeling invisible. The novel had an ambiguous ending. Spoiler Alert: although Lewis became "clean and sober," the story did not mention getting a job, a home, earing enough money to buy a well tailored suit. Lewis said he was an instant criminal due to being homeless. Sad, but true. </p>alycecloverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00780458592803844709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38885959.post-67500585354978975252023-05-10T10:49:00.006-07:002023-05-10T10:49:46.553-07:00The Rook<div style="text-align: left;">"The Rook" by Steven James </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />A homeless man delivers an envelope to a couple in a motel room. </div><div style="text-align: left;">A deranged homeless man commits suicide. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> "...cruised past a group of homeless immigrants who stared blankly at our car from the curb.",</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Action takes place in San Diego, California, but that scene could be anywhere USA. I "felt" the mood of the people sitting on the curb, grime silence, watching the world go by. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />On "immigrants, transients, the homeless," "The system doesn't care if a few vagrants or illegal aliens end up dead. The nameless don't make the news. To the system they don't exist." </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Not true in Long Beach, CA ~ mentions of homeless in local newspapers, often asked public's help to identify the person. Deaths of street people due to weather also make the news. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />At a funeral for a homeless man, someone remarked that he "did have family." I am assuming that meant the "Fifteen transient men and seven women..." who attended the funeral. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>alycecloverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00780458592803844709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38885959.post-65191259666111784762023-04-26T09:52:00.003-07:002023-05-10T10:37:02.869-07:00Betty<p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> I woke early AM, unable to fall back to sleep, after emptying my bladder. Betty's words kept playing in my head, no matter how I tried to force them to go away. All my "counting sheep tricks," failed me. After urinating several times this AM in quick succession, I realized it was due to anxiety, Kate caused me. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Upon reflection, I realized listening to her, was like listening to my ex husband. PTSD starting to rear its ugly head? </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Betty and those like her are the reason for all these mass and other senseless killings. "Well, they are scared, BB&B are going out of business, stores closing due to theft." </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Scared? Call cops, you do not shoot someone for pulling in the driveway, you ask, Can I help you?"</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Betty said "everyone wants attention." Posting photos of their children, etc. She must use the Internet? I think she wants attention. She cries so loud, Brenda can here her, even though her apartmartmen is west of elevators, Brenda's is east, turn south, turn west again. The two elevators, and waste chute are along that west/east wall. She had Brenda make her a sign apologize for her loud crying. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">If it was someone on my floor, I would call office for a wellness check. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Brenda & I do puzzles to relax; concentrating on finding pieces keeps mind away from dwelling on problems. Lucky we have a larger table this year; no more third chair for people to plop down and start talking up a storm. </span></p><p><br /></p>alycecloverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00780458592803844709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38885959.post-79583923428389370562023-04-26T09:36:00.002-07:002023-05-10T10:37:52.912-07:00Negativity<p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> Betty has something negative to say about every subject she touched on. </span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">*doctors refuse to treat her kidney stone (much greater detail)<br />*doctor not prescribing thus 'n such (much greater detail)<br />*she does not think she has shingles in her eye, doctor misdiagnosed, needs to get a new doctor<br />*she should go to down towards Philly, because they have better doctors there, than her</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">*she should go to dentist (great detail about toothache)</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">*I do not remember what all are ailments are ~more ills than Carter's got pills.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I was not adding to the conversation; when Brenda was gone, Betty starts in on political stuff. Open borders, they are letting them all in, they set fires, they are slow, due to it being so hot there, it is ingrained (I do not recall the word she used) in them. Guns are not a problem, my family hunts...</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">...oops. I lost my temper, raised my voice: NO ONE IS TRYING TO TAKE AWAY GUNS. Gop propaganda. I know Democrats who hunt, and have pistols, two-son-laws own them. I was looking straight into her eyes. I had stood up, looking through multiple boxes for pieces. Brenda & I pass the boxes back between us; was easy to scan them all standing, without standing over her shoulder. But, Betty, interjects: they are killing people.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">They? The last two shooters were old white men,. one was 85. They play their music too loud. "I want to go out and play music loud, so they can see how it sounds." On & on she goes with her negativity. I should have said: Judge not, lest ye be judged. Or Love thy neighbor, much?</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">She started her conversation with Brenda by saying something about "her, Lord." Like, "I am right with my Lord, but..." That is, I assume, she is not afraid to die, but does not want to live in pain.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">After she left Brenda said she told her she does not need a physician, she needs a psychiatrist. I do not picture Brenda saying that; maybe she simply thought of saying it? I would agree.</span></div>alycecloverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00780458592803844709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38885959.post-33068648845071679412023-04-26T09:06:00.000-07:002023-04-26T09:06:00.491-07:00Sunroom<p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> Walk west after exiting elevator, pass the fitness center door, mailboxes, buzz open the automatic door to enter the large sunroom. Large windows on 3 sides. Two buzzing doors, along the wall across from hallway door. One leads to a little community garden and Gazebo area. The other, has a ramp, leading to resident parking lot. Those buzzing doors are annoying. Especially when no one comes through the hall door. We think it is set off when man who lives on 2nd floor activates his wheelchair access apartment door.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Theresa & Brenda always look up to see who is coming or going. They would both say hello, and chat with whoever it was. I seldom looked up. If someone yelled "hello Mary;" I would turn around to acknowledge who addressed me by name. A lot of new people since 2020. Since I no longer smoke, I seldom see any residents.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">A lady, I do know, came through door, heading for parking lot. Brenad, looks, yells, "Kate did you get note I left on your door?" Kate, comes over to the table, standing at my shoulder, talking to Brenda. I used to see Kate outside at bottom of parking lot. She leaving, me putting out smoke, heading back to sunroom. When she starts talking she never shuts up. She and Brenda are talking about doctors, and health issues, prior and present. I was able to tune most of it out.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">A few times I talked over Kate, to say something to Brenda about the puzzle we are putting together. Brenda stopped turning to look at her, kept her head down doing the puzzle. Does Kate get the hint? Of course not. </span></p>alycecloverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00780458592803844709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38885959.post-8983639781214750932023-04-26T08:52:00.002-07:002023-04-26T08:52:16.741-07:00Puzzles<p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> March 2020, management removed community puzzle table from sunroom. Brenda asked if we could have it back, due to COVID restrictions no longer apply. Thus she & I are doing puzzles again. Our 3rd "puzzle buddy" was moved to nursing home. About a year later,Theresa, passed away. Her sister, Rose was the first of our regular group to die. Others were less frequent puzzlers.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Brenda & I still wear masks; immunocompromised. She is being treated for pancreas cancer. I have been in remission, but having PET Scan next week. Mantle Cell Lymphoma might have returned. Brenda put up a sign informing people to use Hand Sanitizer before touching puzzle pieces. I never used it; plain old soap and water kill germs. I honor her wishes, however, and use it when puzzling.</span></p><p><br /></p>alycecloverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00780458592803844709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38885959.post-28196502239542682822023-04-05T12:32:00.004-07:002023-04-05T12:32:18.429-07:00Phantom Limb<p> Phantom Limb by Lucinda Berry</p><p>Elizabeth's therapist: </p><p>"she spent the first 5 years of her childhood living in the streets with her drug addicted parents, so she knows what it is like to have overcome to the hard stuff"</p><p>"spent the first 5 years of her life eating out of garbage cans."</p>alycecloverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00780458592803844709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38885959.post-52773693377353553812023-04-05T12:00:00.005-07:002023-04-05T12:00:32.167-07:00PTSD<p> "One of the symptoms of shell shock is that the victim of trauma sometime loses themselves in thought." Walter Mosley in Blood Grove. Vietnam vets a plenty in the story. </p><p>I was in supply room putting away stuff when one of The Village workers came in and asked what I was doing. That snapped me out of my blank spare, and told her "I was putting away supplies." I wondered if she thought I was stealing stuff? Or did she realize I was just standing there staring? </p><p>I believe it is called the "thousand yard stare' that WW veterans experienced, before PTSD replaced Shell shock. I had said so many times years earlier that I felt like a Vietnam Vet with PTSD. Never realizing that domestic violence survivors can also have it. P</p>alycecloverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00780458592803844709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38885959.post-48932707458320179842023-03-29T11:21:00.003-07:002023-03-29T11:21:20.683-07:00Sleeping here in Allentown<p> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana; font-size: 17.5312px; letter-spacing: -0.175312px;">So many peeps who post on Yahoo News shared articles, hate California. I love sunny Southern California. Living here in Allentown, PA, I do not know much about homeless population. Some do sleep out front of my building in bus shelter. Some residents report them to police. I never do, they are harmless.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17.5312px; letter-spacing: -0.175312px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I had a spat with one in the back at our Smoking Shelter when he wanted a cigarette and I truthfully told him it was my last one. He accused me of lying. Other homeless routinely go through the ashtrays, and cans where ashes are dumped, looking for "snipes" or butts large enough to smoke or remove tobacco for rollies. </span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 17.5312px; letter-spacing: -0.175312px;">Both out front at bus shelter and around the Smoking Shelter. I have been told they also sleep inside that shelter. One lady calls the cops when she sees them. Not a comfortable sleep spot, very narrow long bench. Two wicker chairs. There are pads or cushion. A sleeping bag on floor might work better.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 17.5312px; letter-spacing: -0.175312px;">Still better than sleeping out in the rain. When I first moved here, people said homeless were caught "living" under a large bush near the back parking lot. It is where I used to walk when smoking. Ladies told me it was not safe. Never mention to anyone that I spent a year and 3 more months living on the streets, seeking a dry place to sleep.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17.5312px; letter-spacing: -0.175312px;">I have made donations to a Allentown Mission. I stopped sending $$$ as they spent so many of them on constant mailings asking for more. My daughter will drop off boxes or food or clothing to the Mission, so I have given her my surplus.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17.5312px; letter-spacing: -0.175312px;">When I was still taking bus to New Jersey to see my mother, I would walk past that Mission. Never saw many homeless hanging around. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17.5312px; letter-spacing: -0.175312px;">As I am printing the photos, it brings back memories of Long Beach and places I used to sleep. The town changed so much since those days. I wonder where homeless hang out now that the old library was torn down, and Lincoln Park not the same as it once was. Wish I was able to take a trip back home. </span></span></p>alycecloverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00780458592803844709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38885959.post-37099852377179798022023-03-29T11:12:00.005-07:002023-03-29T11:12:21.078-07:00CA most mass shootings<p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Someone posted in a comment on article about the Nashville school shooting, that California rated #1 in mass shootings. She added: Do not live in California. My first thought, was: gangs. I found a site which lists the states. New Jersey is listed as having 1 mass shooting. Maybe everyone should move to New Jersey? CA listed as 25. These stats were from 1982 to present. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">25 mass shootings in 41 years in a large and largely populated state does not seem like a lot. I vaguely recall a man driving his car into pre-school, I think, killing children, angry at his ex wife. I did not remember if homeless killed at a camp were shot. Yes, they were.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: 17.5312px; letter-spacing: -0.175312px;">David Cruz Ponce and </span><span style="font-size: 17.5312px; letter-spacing: -0.175312px;">Max Eliseo Rafael were found guilty of shooting, killing 5 people in a homeless camp, near a 405 off ramp. They were gang members. The killing may have been done due a drug dispute. Do not know if the man Ponce kidnapped, and murdered was from the homeless camp or a separate killing. </span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17.5312px; letter-spacing: -0.175312px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The murders happened in November, 2008. I was no longer living on the streets. I did forget about the recent killings in California. Lunar New Year, Mushroom Farm and in Oakland during filming of a music video. Only one person died, 7 injured. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 17.5312px; letter-spacing: -0.175312px;">Bought ink for printer ~ HP promised 300 color prints. Got to 77 printing my Homeless in Long Beach images that used to be on this blog. I want a new laptop or minicomputer. Daughter says they do not come with CD disc drawers. So decided to print them. Hate to spend more $$$ for HP expensive ink. Sigh. </span></span></p>alycecloverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00780458592803844709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38885959.post-92212520102049983232023-03-20T13:28:00.002-07:002023-03-20T13:28:12.219-07:00Grave Endings<div style="text-align: left;"> Grave Endings (old post)<br />Several homeless mentions in Grave Endings by Rochelle Krich. In describing a neighborhood in Hollywood the author writes that ".<i>..<b>the LAPD would periodically chase the street people away, but</b></i> <i><b>without conviction, the way you half-heartedly swat at flies.</b></i>.." and "You know the flies will be back the minute you stop waving your hand, and they know that you know that after a while you'll get tired of waving."</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />She continues saying even though the undesirables <b><i>"trickle back, along with the homeless..</i></b>." "the area has improved."</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />The novel features Rachel's Tent. One service it provides is temporary shelter for abused and homeless women. A character giving a tour of the place says "<b><i>We try to help homeless women achieve independent living and regain their dignity."</i></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />The wealthy gentleman who funded Rachel's Tent was motivated because his unwed mother put him in foster care. He later found out she <b>"<i>died, hungry and homeless.</i>" </b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">The last report was of a man who asked two men for directions to a homeless shelter. The men then followed him and beat him with his own crutches. That is hardly fiction when beating homeless for sport is all too common in real life, often leading to death of the defenseless homeless person.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>alycecloverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00780458592803844709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38885959.post-39220500452528183892023-03-19T14:13:00.006-07:002023-03-19T14:13:50.299-07:00Tent City in Phoenix<p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"> https://www.yahoo.com/news/sandwich-shop-tent-city-american-144226624.html</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Read New York Times article at Yahoo news:<a href="https://www.yahoo.com/news/sandwich-shop-tent-city-american-144226624.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> A Sandwich Shop, A Tent City and An American</a> Crisis. Do not know if peeps using link will have access. It is about a Sandwich Shop in Phoenix industrial area with as many as 1,100 homeless sleeping outside. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">I associated with a few homeless when I was homeless in Phoenix for a few days, or a week. I got lost taking a bus, when I had stayed at dive motel while looking for a job. I walked for miles in an industrial area trying to find my way back downtown, to get bus to the motel. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">The owner offered me a job there. But I already spoke to others who worked for her ~ not getting paid, for one. Declined offer, and headed back to Long Beach. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">I do not remember any tent cities in Phoenix, but it is a large city. I remember homeless hanging outside the library; Station wagon would come to hand out clothes. Many years later, was in Phoenix area to meet sister's daughter, given up for adoption when she was 18. The lady often collects, distributes clothes to homeless. Wonder if she was one of those I saw doing so when I was homeless in Phoenix. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Descriptions of those in this article, are the worst of homeless humanity. Sad for owner of the sandwich shop, having to clean up after them. </span></p>alycecloverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00780458592803844709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38885959.post-70155029104514009722023-03-10T09:56:00.003-08:002023-03-10T09:56:21.905-08:00Sleeping in Doorway<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">I found these quotes listed way below quotes from the State of the Union Address. Lots of white space; must have missed posting here. I think, they are from the novel,<i> Women in the Library.</i> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"> "This is where I tried to sleep that first night after I got off the bus from Charlotte."</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br />"The doorway is wide and sheltered, but it smells unsavory, and even in the day, this part of the street is shaded and cold."</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br />"The junkie who usually slept there came along and beat the hell out of me."</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br />"Isaac happened to be sleeping over there," points across the road to a gap between two buildings. "He came over, calmed the guy down, gave him a couple of cigarettes, and took me with him."</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;">___</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">I used to pass a man or woman sleeping in a doorway. I can picture it still. Fast forward and I slept there myself. It was usually occupied when I did my long night walks looking for someplace to sleep. A single step, up, door back a bit, enough to give shelter from rain. Small space, but I am a small person. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Did not sleep well, as it was not hidden from view of passing cars or people walking by. Plus worry that someone who usually slept there would roust me. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">I do not think about being homeless in Long Beach anymore. Vivid images come back when I read about a homeless character in novels.</span></div>alycecloverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00780458592803844709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38885959.post-75808533900205395162023-03-04T08:09:00.001-08:002023-03-04T08:09:00.179-08:00Homeless person died from exposure<p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"> Did not find much info about a homeless person who died from exposure. A <i>Patch </i>article said it happened at the Billie Jean King Main Library where more than 100 people huddled together to stay dry under an awning. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">I spent some nights sleeping under an overhang at the Long Beach Free Public Library in 2004. That library was torn down, and this newly named one was built after I no longer lived in Long Beach. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Seeking details of the person who died from exposure, I found: </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">Homeless person died 02/07 died of overdose at Community Hospital winter shelter. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">02/14/2023 a homeless person was stabbed to death homeless encampment along PCH & Los Angeles River.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">A new proposed temp winter shelter at </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #101010; font-family: "Publico Text", serif; font-size: 21.12px;">at <i>Silverado Park Gym</i></span><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: large;"><i> </i>was axed, due to area residents complaints.</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #101010;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;">"<i>This is the only park gym that this entire part of town has,</i>" said Tony Bell.<i> "It's taking away from the seniors, from the teens, from the kids across the street at the school."</i></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #101010; font-family: "Publico Text", serif; font-size: 21.12px;"><i> Reported by KCAL news staff writer. </i></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #101010; font-family: Publico Text, serif;"><span style="font-size: 21.12px;">I do not know if I ever visited that park. City owned, perhaps residents can sacrifice for a few months? I wonder why that gym was selected as potential temp winter shelter? I will guess, due to there being a lot of homeless people who hang out at the park? Articles say "west Long Beach." The west L.B. park I spent many days at was Cesar Chavez. </span></span></span></p><p><span style="color: #101010; font-family: Publico Text, serif;"><span style="font-size: 21.12px;">Silverado Park </span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #101010; font-family: Publico Text, serif;"><span style="font-size: 21.12px;">must have been more north.</span></span></span></p>alycecloverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00780458592803844709noreply@blogger.com0