I've been really busy for the last few days, but I thought I'd write something about how I'm doing.

I've been living on $730 a month disability for a long time. A lot of people do that with subsidized housing. Unfortunately, there isn't any available here. When the concrete foundation in my place cracked, I had to move into a hotel. Eventually, a place opened up in an assisted living facility. After living in that hotel for four months or so, I definitely needed assistance in living.

When I first got here, I had begun to believe that nobody could hear anything I said. Not that I wasn't speaking well enough, I just didn't think anything I said would be heard. I sort of knew on some level it wasn't true, but I had to keep telling myself it wasn't true. It took me a few days to get over that.

I've been here for a few weeks now, but only managed to get some internet access a few days ago. Internet access is a big deal to me. I have some ideas on how to finally get some income that require it, but more then that most of my connection with the world is through the internet. I know a few people, one in New York, one in Singapore, who I contact through it. Its nice to be able to communicate with you guys as well.

The irony in naming this place “Pueblo West Gardens” is rather painful. There are no gardens. Also no lawn. We are located miles outside of town and surrounded by patches of desert and grass. I wondered if someone was trying to be funny at first, but then I realized that these things are cookie cutter creations. You don't need to advertise them, because people come here straight from a hospital and are assigned a bed. More are being constructed right now. My guess is that the current economy makes more of these places necessary.

I'm not kidding about that. We are going to see a lot more of them soon. Another is being constructed a few miles away right now.

So far as I can tell, everybody who works here is doing a 12-hour shift, but is not considered to be full time employed. They are all essentially working for minimal wage. They have one nurse on staff for the building, but she only shows up once a week.