I found a place to live, but I may be on less.
I've spent the last few months staying at the Santa Fe Inn. I am considered to be disabled and live on SSI, but not SSDI. That means I get $730 a month, and it's lead to a lot of interesting problems in staying alive.
Normally people in my circumstances have various programs that help them, but there are so many funding problems in Pueblo, Colorado that I essentially never get access to those programs.
Have you ever heard about how people live in Greece? They say government programs are stretched so far that people just give up on them entirely sometimes. Its actually a little like that in some parts of the US too, and I live in one of them.
I should say I almost never get access to those programs, because it appears there is room for me in an assisted living facility now. My doctor signed off on my needing it, but until now there wasn't room.
Basically, my rent will be almost all of my SSI check, but they supply the food and fix it. It's actually a much better deal then I have now. I get only one room, but that's all I really need. Its financially sustainable, while staying in this hotel is not. It's also much quieter.
The thing I like about this the most is that I'll be around people I can talk to. I've moved from one place to another and most of the people I once knew have left Pueblo, or died. Without a car and on a very limited income there aren't that many opportunities for socialization out there. I'm hoping I can get used to being around people again. I think it's something I need.
Unfortunately, I don't have access to internet out there. The assisted care facility is in Pueblo West, a kind of addition to Pueblo which does not connect by bus at all. That's how things are here. The Social Security Administration building is located so far out of town many people with disabilities have a great deal of trouble reaching it. That's good planning on their part I suppose. It means they receive fewer claims on their time. It's not particularly great for the disabled but its become clear over the years that this doesn't factor into their planning.
What I can do is take a cab ride into town once a week to get to the library. When I'm there I will read my messages, upload my work and so on. I will drop in now and then and try to stay in contact with those of you I've met. I've been working on a project that is very important to me for six years and I'm going to launch it soon, so I will be back in touch at least every week.
I have several ideas of how to get internet access more often in the near future, so I may be able to log in more often then once a week in time. It depends on a number of factors. I may be able to hook into wi fi a little closer, but I'll need to get some kind of a device first. I'll figure out a way to get on the internet more often as soon as I can.
Staying at the hotel was very depressing. I've frankly been getting less and less work done every day, but I'm hoping that I will go back to my full efficiency once I'm in a more stable environment. I keep track of my numbers every day, and they are about 25% of what they were back when I had a livable apartment.
So I’m sorry I’ll be in less contact with you all for awhile, but for the most part this is very good news. I was struggling for a few dollars each month to avoid becoming homeless, and my diet had become terrible while I stayed at the hotel. I would have been homeless at the least very soon.
Comments
Time of move.
So far as I can tell, I won't be in the new place until Monday. It will be a quick move. I have my computer, one box, and a duffle bag.
I should be online for several days though so I can still talk to people here.
Urban sprawl is a pretty harmless sounding phrase, but people die from it. I almost have a couple times. I hope I managed to describe what its like. Its a difficult thing to make most people understand.
I'm glad you found a better place to live
let us know how it's going on your weekly library trip. take care
There is nothing which I dread so much as a division of the republic into two great parties.. This...is to be dreaded as the greatest political evil under our Constitution.--John Adams
Yay!
Good that you have found stable housing, it's been a long and hard time for you, mxp. Are you looking into cellular internet possibilities? Is there some Obama service that might work? I'm sure that you are looking at options. Best wishes.
Hey! my dear friends or soon-to-be's, JtC could use the donations to keep this site functioning for those of us who can still see the life preserver or flotsam in the water.
There is a possibility.
I found a broken laptop that someone is going to let me have. If I can get it working again, then I will get wi fi access which I could get to much closer to home.
There are a couple possibilities. I'm sure I will get better access then I have now in time.
Good Luck to You, Martian!
I have a friend in similar if not as dire straits. She has a form of arthritis which will at some point immobilize her. Yet because she isn't now locked into a lump of calcium deposits, she's getting lots of resistance from the so-called welfare system. Her survival funds are dwindling while the bureaucrats notch more time toward their generous pensions.
Situations like yours and my friend's lead me to believe that if certain members of our political community had their way, they would end all welfare and make it a crime to be poor and destitute. Those who could work would be rounded up and incarcerated in a for-profit slave-labor facility.
But what of those who can't work? I can see where such PTB would round up the incapacitated and haul them off to some nearby harsh climate.and leave them to their fates. It's thoughts like this that make me wish that Yeshua WAS coming back angry, for such people performing such crimes against humanity would be among those he'd come for first. But Yeshua died, and his religion did as well, morphing into an excuse for our modern-day Pharisees to pretend to be morally superior while they transgress against the least of us.
I'm old enough to have seen the promise of what this nation could have been prior to 11/22/63. I'm encouraged enough by the young to see that they will evolve a successor society to the capitalist criminality we are currently forced to live under. My only fear is that climate changes will evolve faster than humanity.
Again, Martian, good luck to you. I will think positively on your behalf.
Vowing To Oppose Everything Trump Attempts.
Malign neglect in rat-trap housing
is somewhat likelier than literal abandonment. It allows TPTB to pose as "helpers" ("We gave them roofs over their heads, what more do they want?") instead of callously indifferent slumlords.
If they go the full monty of criminalizaton, we'll be seeing a lot more prisons for the destitute and disabled, where they are forced to do whatever piecework they can manage as long as they can manage it - and then neglected to death.
They could do even worse than that, and we all know it. But...would they dare?
There is no justice. There can be no peace.
Yes. They Would Dare.
EOM
Vowing To Oppose Everything Trump Attempts.
Glad you have found permanent housing.
Please do stay in touch best you can and let us know how things are going.
"Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich."--Napoleon
Excellent
Really pleased that things are looking up for you (even if not ideal yet)
Hope that you manage to sort out computer/online issues - it really makes a difference.
Good luck with the new place.
“To learn who rules over you, simply find out who you are not allowed to criticize.” -Voltaire
Please message me about your disability
I used to work for the SSDI here in CT. For almost 9 years. I reviewed disability claims. AS you know it's a federal program administered by each state. Let's make sure you don't qualify for additional coverage b/f giving up. Good luck
Don't believe everything you think.
Hey Martian, I am on the
Hey Martian, I am on the higher paying SSDI and Medicare before that I was on state Medicaid coverage. I live with friends who supported me until I got my disability approved. It always amazes me how the neo-lib and con pundits make it out like folks on disability are living high on the hog, and should do them all a favor and just die off already. Fuck them! Like Hester said, you should look into what programs will cover you, and get them rolling!
So long, and thanks for all the fish
Hey, mxp!
I'm not from DKos, so I meet you here
for the first time - and well met may I
say. This is a good place. While it
sounds like your living situation is
improving, I do hope you're able to
soon resolve the internet connection
issue.
I went back and read your first essay
here again and, like many I'm sure,
can relate to your living in a place
where you just can't find many (any?)
who share your interests to talk to.
That's the beauty of our internet
connections with one another. I do
very much hope you're able to stay
connected via the net, eventually on
a 24/7 basis at your new place.
Keep us updated as your situation
develops. And best of luck!
Only connect. - E.M. Forster
Hey, Martian! I hope that you consider
contacting hester (above), who's worked with the CT SSDI program, and might have the ability to connect you with other social services/programs.
About three or so years ago, while researching Medicare cuts, I ran across a web site--actually, it was part of the Medicare.gov website, IIRC--which gave info about income subsidies for lower income seniors.
As sometimes happens, that link, led to more links, which mentioned additional programs, and subsidies. Anyhoo, furnished them to an old acquaintance who took a real beating during the 2008-era financial crash; and, he was able to get a little more than $300-worth [monthly] of federally subsidized financial help. He wasn't disabled. And, he was above the official poverty level.
(He qualified for help from either 3 or 4 federal and/or private programs, even though he did not qualify for SNAP or TANF, etc.)
Hey, it never hurts to ask!
Hope you are able to stay connected--let us know how things are working out for you.
Good luck!
Mollie
"The obstacle is the path."--Zen Proverb
Everyone thinks they have the best dog, and none of them are wrong.
Raspberry 3 - I'm 'typing' to you on one right now
Supposedly the Raspberry 3 is only $35, but nobody sells it that cheap yet. But it's getting close. You have to add a power supply ($5 to $8 for a decent 2 amp 5 volt) and a video display and a mouse and a keyboard. Built-in wifi _ as I say, I'm on it right now.
best, john
Strange that a harp of thousand strings should keep in tune so long
So glad to hear you'll have better living conditions! I'm sure
you'll enjoy having people around to talk with, once you get used to it.
Here, the bus service provides extra services for the disabled. Have you looked into that? You have to call in advance, but they send you your very own van and take you shopping or whatever. Then I think you have to also schedule your return trip. But it's door to door, just the usual price of a bus ticket, so much less expensive than a cab. I think you just need a doctor's note to access it. They go farther out of town than the regular bus service, because obviously with a disability you may not be able to walk a far distance to reach the bus stop.
Good luck! Hope to hear from you soon! The Bernie revolution can't take hold too soon. How ridiculous to expect people to live on $700.
Please check out Pet Vet Help, consider joining us to help pets, and follow me @ElenaCarlena on Twitter! Thank you.
Pueblo
doesn't do anything like that. And there is no bus service from Pueblo West to Pueblo.
There is another service that will give you rides, but you have to pay $45 a month for it.
Ouch. You'd have to need a lot of rides to make that worthwhile
That's too bad. Pueblo needs to get up to speed! I imagine there is federal money available for the service or we wouldn't have it.
Please check out Pet Vet Help, consider joining us to help pets, and follow me @ElenaCarlena on Twitter! Thank you.