They made a card for me, and many, many people signed it and wrote sweet messages.

I wasn't aware of just how many lives I had touched, there; I just did my thing and minded my own. But in doing so, I had an effect.

I've arrived at the next step in my life.

Leaving the shelter was strangely hard. You'd think a place like that would be instinctively temporary but everyone, everyone was telling me they didn't want me to go.

I was family for a lot of people there.

https://sevvie.ltd/homelessness/a-homeless-halloween-for-those-who-need-it-most/

Simply the most beautiful thing I've seen...

Thank you. My position is somewhat unique; I'm blessed to be able to speak to many extremes. It's something people should know about, for myriad reasons.

They asked me to sit down with the whole staff. It was fascinating. I've never seen a shelter do this, and I was told by the administrator that she'd never seen anything like it either.

But it was an honour.

In 5 days I'll be leaving. I wanted to leave everyone with real things to consider and real hope; I think, I think I might've.

But eventually I'll come back to visit, give another support group and maybe cook a gumbo.

It's the first shelter to take feedback from a resident.

I did my best to show where things are breaking down, and I gave suggestions for how to handle community outreach in a personal manner.

Every moment of it was heartbreaking. But as they told me, it was things needed to be said. Help and bureaucracy are oil and water.

I explained how the intake is so impersonal, and bombards a person in a crisis with information they will not retain. I explained how living in a shelter comes with building a mask to protect oneself. I spoke of the hopelessness some feel, for myriad reasons.

... but those here are here following a very specific crisis, and bring with them problems which offset the benefits of being in this shelter.

Families, children, the damaged and those with nothing else all in the same place. It's scary for all involved.

I spoke of the difference between the staff's perspective of life in this shelter, and the perspective of those who have no choice but to live here.

It was difficult, emotional for all involved. I was delicate but serious with my words; it's the best shelter I've seen but...

I'm honoured today. I was asked to do a group, as the shelter has been doing, but this time it was for the staff rather than the residing.

It was a tough one. These are people who have dedicated themselves to helping but whose hands are tied by bureaucracy and limited resources.

I may have just lost my ride to the airport for next week... And with no shuttles going from here to the airport an hour away, the cab ride will be painfully expensive.

It is by serendipity that I'll be leaving the shelter in a week. Not everyone is as fortunate as me, and it breaks my heart that it is so.

When I go, I hope to leave the shelter better than I found it, and those within more equipped to return to the world when they do.

With hope, and a little luck, I'll be doing a group session this week regarding the mentality one adapts in a shelter. Similar to the prison of the mind, the shelter of the mind can be equally trapping; even with external reasons, internal change makes all the difference.

Despite being the resident of a homeless and DV shelter, the qualities that make me, me, have led the staff to ask me to host group sessions.

But I want my time here to transcend a half hour each Wednesday. I want to leave people with something few others will give.

A shelter is like a family. You can't pick who's in it, but you're in it together.

This is the message I taped up where it could be seen in the shelter tonight, as a gentle reminder. Living here isn't easy, but we have to make the best of it.

My previous message was meant as a reply to this. Sorry, and thank you again, so very much.

Sometimes I get notifications by email and sometimes I don't -- thank you so much and I'm sorry it took me so long to see this!

https://sevvie.ltd/homelessness/the-homeless-shelter-of-the-mind/

I haven't written in a while. Regrettably, the environment of a homeless shelter can be stifling, even suffocating... and freeing one's mind from that trap is paramount.

I sometimes think I am the most somber thing on Peepeth.

I'm at once scared and at peace. The future is more sure than the present-- I have a job opportunity. The opportunity of a lifetime...

But for the time being, until the end of the month, I am here in a shelter, freezing and ill.

Lots of new faces with the announcement of free sign ups.

Welcome to Peepeth, everyone.

It's been a difficult couple days. I've been ill, and being I'll in a shelter is no comforting thing.

The community here on Peepeth is quite amazing. Most places on the internet don't want to hear the bizarre ramblings of a mad homeless hacker... But you all not only encourage it, but seem to enjoy it.

Thank you all again.

I can't make it to the library of my own accord. I get my wifi from coffee shops and pubs. Also, thank you 💕

Another huge thank you to you all.

Being where I am sucks the soul out of you, but your support is quite reinvigorating.

Thank you so much. First wifi I got, I had to share; I'm so glad it has interested people!

https://sevvie.ltd/homelessness/the-joy-of-programming-while-homeless/

When a simple request turns into an idea, turns into a possible business plan...

Crypto, if the barrier to exchange is solved and made easy for the common person, would make a great incentive. But if there is no ease of use in the incentive itself, it becomes useless.

I wish I had a business partner.

My idea probably seems crazy. After all, the homeless by definition have nothing and respond better to instant gratification incentives.

But entrepreneurship is in my blood. Faced with a problem, I look to solve problems to help myself.

Budgeting for those who have nothing... Is that something people would assist in crowdfunding?

One idea that keeps buzzing in my head is having the app be a low powered miner for crypto, and setting up a means to automatically pay it out, but most of these people don't have a bank account.

If I could pay out to a Google Pay/Apple Pay account, that might be an option ...

How exactly the user will be rewarded I haven't decided yet. I was considering a pool of cryptocurrency paying out in the equivalent of 5 or 10 cents USD, but that would require crypto I don't have.

It could also be in the form of discounts with affiliates. There are options.

Im still working out the details. But the idea is this.

The app recommends an amount to stash/move to savingals each week, and tracks repeating expenses. A very simple budgeting tool. But to aid the process, each time expenses are met, the user is rewarded.

I had an idea for a PWA which takes advantage of receipt scanning to help people with no bank accounts or practice with budgeting/saving do exactly that.

And to take it a step further, incentivize the activity.

(A PWA allows me the easiest interface and install for non-techs)

So, given the differences the staff at the shelter see in me with everyone else, I was asked to run a group session at the shelter this Wednesday to teach budgeting.

But I want to do something better. Not before Wednesday, but... In time.

I hate that I can't take pictures at the shelter. Elty is being beautiful and adorable this morning...

I suppose an old photo will have to do.

This is the best service dog ever.

I don't have a referral code but the waiting list can be found here: https://www.textile.photos/#cta

I am so honoured by you all. Sharing is not easy, but you all seem to wish me to continue regardless.

My everlasting gratitude, @ano and @fred. 💕

The red tape is a dragon in and of itself, locking those working the nonprofits into a lockstep and creating castes where there should certainly be none.

I keep telling them regardless: do a yearly rough sleeper head count and more options will be made available.

I find myself trapped. My knowledge of navigating this limited system is vast, but no one will accept help from someone within the system needing help.

It seems so strange. I could make a job of helping others to help myself, but this is not allowed.

Homelessness is a dragon which sits upon you, hoarding from you the wealth of energy it steals away. The only problem is, no white knight can slay it; charity is hamstrung and state assistance is suffocated by it's own noose of red tape.

I haven't been able to make the walk to "borrow" wifi this week and I feel like shit for not publishing anything.

Publishing is the only way I make money. Whether written or videos. Without my desktop machine I can't make videos, and without my health...

Thank you. I'm holding together as well as I can for the moment.

If nothing else, crypto currency seems to make it possible for me to eat and get to appointments right now, through the help of exchanges which PayPal plays nice with.

Thank you all btw. Because of your help I can make my appointments next week.

The times just get better and better. I begin again with that dragon cancer on October 11th. I got the call earlier and immediately felt sucked of will.

I still can't even get an ID. My insurance isn't active yet, this seems like it's going to consume me.

What a day...

Not a truer statement could be said. I am driven by passion.

Oh aye. My notes cover this. But I also doubt I can publish tonight given the weather and my health. Borrowing wifi shouldn't be done in the rain...

Even as I write this, I realize just how bizarre it is... I have nothing but a cheap laptop, a broken phone, and a brain of some capability, and I'm using it to keep others informed, even if I can't keep myself fed.

What is wrong with me.