I'm currently in Twin Cities, MN. I'm heading to the West Coast to Washington and Oregon. Cali is a variable. I want to see Slab City, but I don't care about the state outside of that. Things are muddy, though. I could stay in MN until it gets cold and head to New Mexico for winter. I'm going to apply for jobs in New Orleans and if I get a job I'll head over there and see if I can visit my home town while I'm back in my home state. If I don't get a job, and I don't go to the coast this year, I'll go next year after the winter in NM. If I do go to the coast from here, and I don't get a job in New Orleans while I'm in NM I don't know what's going to happen after NM.
I'm considering heading back east, but this time to the states I didn't see - NJ, KY, WV, NH, and visiting Washington D.C. I might re-visit Providence but under MUCH warmer conditions so I can camp/ squat in Onyville(?) instead of having to stay in that stupid shelter. I hear Delaware is nice, but I haven't heard of anything exciting going on there. Baltimore is the only thing I've known about Maryland, and I'm not going there, while it's it's having it's uprising. That's all I have in the plans, for now.
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"Germany to Germany " is more fitting for this one, thank "Thank you for giving me your valuable time".
Boston was surely a learning experience. I met what I can consider my "other side of the coin". More on that in my emotional blog, though. Another thing for the emotional blog is how I fell for a person in Boston. I confessed like, but only time will tell if it's love. Boston had a lot of sad lessons that I need to learn, though. I reached out to fellow travelers about how to get something more independant so I could have time to reflect on myself and everything I'm learned and been through. I asked though that means I was more familiar with as an idea, but someone suggested I camp in the woods and privacy and reflection is what I'm looking for. At this point and time, I can't say I'm against it. Squatting has been at the forefront of my mind, but it might be time to take the suggestion to put that aside. Squatting has a lot more questions of safety than camping. If I really want to be able to relax and not be distracted so a new venue of options is likely the best way to achieve that. As for Boston, not much was done there. I ended up having to stay with some people for a month. It was a trail experience that I needed to go through. In a month I met a lot of other traveler, and that was very exciting! I met some Aussies, and I take on their accent whenever I think about them, and one of takes on mine! I can say I know people from China, Canada, Spain, Italy, and Brazil! And, those people have been to so many other places and have done so many other things, and continue to do so! It's exciting to know them, and to meet more new people! The UU church of Dorchester was a lovely and loving place! They pointed me to the Lucy Stone com-house and met the great people there. It was refreshing to be with such calming people. I also had a great time at the St. Patrick's day parade. It had to be a long parade, because I got the end of it at 4:30 and it started at at 1. I met some music performers as I walked the route. I got beads, danced with people, and got a beer. At least 5 people told me not to go to Boston and at least 5 more people told me not to go to the St. Patrick Day parade, and I'm glad I listened to none of them. However, in the future I will be more app to take well-meant advice. Boston was still rough, and there is a lot I dislike about the place. The whole northeast has been very emotional times for me. I really do need to sit back, be alone and reflect on everything without being under watchful eyes everywhere I go. As for future travel plans, I have a health issue I should stop putting off, as well. It's something in my neck. I also have an issue with my right hand, now. I'm hoping Twin Cities will be what I need it to be long enough to get all my current pressing matters straightened out, before moving on in my travels. If not, I'm going to continue on with my plan to go to the west coast but skip going trying to go to Las Vegas, NV and Arizona. I'll go back to New Mexico for the weather due to needing the health care. That's really not a bad place to send winter. Come spring I'll head to L.V. and back to Arizona but not necessarily back to Phoenix. However, I know someone in Phoenix now so it's a higher possibility. I'm looking at being off the road for a while as I'm helping some people with some worker's rights stuff in Boston. I will still be going between Providence and Boston, but not at the frequency I was looking at. I'm currently taking up French, Spanish, and Portuguese because of the place I'll be working in. I'm learning other languages just 'cuz.
This gig started as a couch surfing thing and turned into a place to stay with a job for a cause. I hit it really lucky! Some good energy is really smiling on me to have fallen into this opportunity! I love doing things with a cause, and I'm very much about workers rights. AT WILL employment is a fucking scam. I don't know how long this will last, but I'm hoping it will be a while. I travel through couch surfing and shelters, and the last shelter I was in was in Providence. It was a standard shitty shelter with shitty staff, but the clients made it worse. They are always yelling and fighting, and they don't shut up after lights out. I'm way better off with my current situation in Boston. There are 4 room mates, and they have couch surfing guests. They also have a lot of groups meet here, so this place is a hub of information! I don't know if I'm at liberty to say what kind of information, but I'll say it's where I want to be. The bad news is Boston is costly! The MBTA is $2.10 one way, but a day pass is $12.50. A week pass is $20, though. I really don't understand that. The nearest food store to me is high... The rent where I'm staying it high for the place that it is. Naturally, pay is low so there are a lot of people working 2, 3 jobs. I might be one of them, soon. I still want to have fun, though! There are some places that i want to see and a lot of food to be eaten! Boston is much like my home, in that respect. LA and Boston are both very much about food! I'm ok with sitting in this era for a while, and I want my next stop to be Minneapolis! The Crossroads Shelter isn't that bad, as far as things go. My waste time was in Philadelphia. In PVD I'm a human being. I missed getting a better sleeping area so I was in the community room and they have mats AND blankets. I haven't had that in a long time.
The clients were more of a problem than the staff and my only issue was them is that they were loud after lights out. They actually laugh with each other and have fun instead of being mean and trying to infect each other negativity. Of course there are some bad apples, but the bunch is a pretty decent crowd, so fear. The staff is decent. At worst, a C- as far as I see. I'm glad to be in that shelter than a lot of others, so fear. I'm going to go to a different shelter after I came back from Boston! Typed 2/17/16 I got off to a great start with Rhode Island! My first host was a young blood like I am so we hung out until they got sick right before I left. My first night, I went to a bar and won a round of Bingo! As much bingo I played in Colorado that's never happened before! They tough me about the history of the English language and as much as I pride myself on my vocaublary I now know my life is a lie and there's no such thing as "proper English" because English isn't a proper language in the first place. They are amazing and in a few months they be doing a pilgrimage in centarl and south America before moving to the east coast! I'm going to miss them and I thank them for the great times and generosity!
Next was a more business type guy. We didn't hang out much but they showed me a lot of kindness. I have a feeling we'll meet again as long as I'm in Rhode Island. Next, their is my fellow queer cousin! We have SO MUCH in common so stay with them was great! We watch anime together and I was there with them for a little while as they were getting their FIRST TATTOO and it's fuckin' sweet! I was told it would take 3 hours, but it took 2:30 so I missed the final moments! It started 30 mins late, too, for the record! Their car had some issues on my last few days with them so we mostly hung out inside the house, which was ok with me with it being so cold outside. The Providence Library is so much better than the Philadelphia library! The building is lovely and open vibed. The staff are friendly and helpful! THE WIFI IS GREAT IN HERE! You don't need a library card to use to wifi here like you do in Philly. And, WAKFU! I. LOVE. WAKFU! The tattoo person introduced me to it and I'm all up in it! It had 3 seasons and need them all in my life! RIGHT NOW! TODAY! 5 HOURS AGO! I'm so glad to be here! And, Boston is an hour away! Typed 2/16/16 That last installment is very feel-y, petty, and non-travel related isn't it? Yep, that's me being a human being, expressing my loneliness on a platform where I can look at it later. I've re-opened an emotional blog, so there will be no more of that on this blog. I want to delete it and I probably should, but that would be me devaluing my own feelings. I want to keep it as an expressed issue that I have as a travelers and as a person. Travel and personal issues can intermingle just like personal and business or travel and business, so whatever. If you came to anything looking for perfection welcome to disappointment. It's better you know it now, then later. Another reason why I want to keep it is to remind myself that I really wasn't in the best of headspace while I was in Philadelphia, due to many contributing factors. Lack of sleep, community hostility, environment, insecurities with basic needs, etc. As I said more posts ago, I didn't know a major city could be poor and I ended up in the poorest major city in the country. Philadelphia is also very socially - morally poor, and mostly hate the homeless/ poor community. SEPTA is in shambles - poor costumer service being their biggest problem. Who usually uses public transportation? You know it! People get kicked out and harassed by the Amtrak Police about sleeping in the station. Who are usually those people? Yep. You guessed it. "No lotioring/ sleeping/ panhandling" signs everywhere, including places they don't even need to be in - like ally ways and parking lots. The Philadelphia Free Library is a waste of tax money. As a resource it has a lot free for improvement: they don't have any kind of tech lab, the shelving system is confusing, and don't bother asking the employees for help because they don't know. When you walk into the main branch downtown, it's a big "room" that has very little directional aid. The security guard stares at you like a fool, and the person at the desk won't even look up at you let alone say "Hi. Welcome to the library! Let me know if you need anything." One of the guards harassed me about bringing in a stakebroad and I had to ask 5 people who made the rules to the facility to file a complaint. Of course the guard said "You want to write a complaint about the rules? You won't be the first." I've never met the person before so I don't know what stick he had up his ass with me, but I personally hope he dies in a fire. Philadelphia needs a bigger punk and anarchist community just to have a library where people can have a stakebroad and not be treated like garbage for it. Also, the people in that library can welcome people when they come in, people can take a nap without being dehumanized, and have a place to have an actual community unlike the facade that is what the Philly Free Library system is suppose to be. I had to deal with a whole lot of hate in Philadelphia. I met some cool people there, but their resources where so limited they could only extend so much help. I thank them for what they did, but I cruse the system that limits them and other great people of the city. I will carry them with me in my travels, in spirit! I also met troublesome people, and they are most terrible that I would ever want to meet. Drunks that fly off at the month, middle age men going through mid life crisis, people that look at everything negatively and only believe in pain and hurtfulness (due abuse in their past, so everyone has to hurt because they hurt, basically), among a rainbow of fuckery. The bad news is the ones I pointed out were the ones that made it clear they were attracted to me - romantically and sexually. That was a lot of what spawned that previous post. I hang around a lot of different types of people, so only attracting garbage made me feel like garbage. It's the "Do I have a "I only fuck losers" sign on my back, or something?" because no one in any of the better circles I was in were interested in me. At the same time, a lot of the people I end up willing to have sex with turn out to be not so great themselves, and I end up dodging a bullet. A particular person I was interested in Philly was a "Comedian" of sort and he was nice to let me stay with him sometimes. His downfall was that he has no respect for other people's identities, and I as a trans person I don't take kindly to that. I did correct him, but he was trying to hear it, but I didn't stop correcting him. White, male, heterosexual, college educated - top pf the totem pole type stuff. And the funny thing is, after getting enough sleep right before I left I wasn't sexually attracted to him at all! He's a great friend otherwise, but he prides himself on ignoring people's identities. He let me stay some nights, and gave me a lot of stuff, including the traveling backpack I have now! I was something of an introductory on gender for him, but it's going to take a figure that he'll have to show respect for to teach him that identities outside of his own are just as important as his. In the present, I'm in Providence RI and I already have plans to head out to Minneapolis MN and I'm hoping to get the done between the middle of Feb and March. After Minne, I'm heading to the west coast or southwest. While I'm here, I'm looking for EVERYTHING - a place long term place to stay, more short term places to stay to tie a good temp net together, a ride out of here, short term work to pay for a bus ticket if I don't find a ride, volunteer work to get to know the community, a squat (and squat mates) in case I don't find a place to stay. I'm also looking for more traveling gear! I have a backpack, but I still don't have a sleeping bag and tarpe. A tent and tools are handy to have, but it's a matter of carrying them around. The backpack I have isn't made for that. I would have to make room for that stuff on the inside, with my other things. A bedroll made of blankets and sheets is another option, but a tarpe is still needed. I've started inquired about seasonal hostel jobs all over because I don't know where I'll be in the future. I'm looking at places with desirable spring/ summer weather. As much as I would love to go back to Phoenix (and be there for Comic-con) , as of right now, I'm not looking to apply for a job there. However, I could change my mind about that tomorrow. The main events I would like to attend this year are a Queer Pride Fest, a Couchsurfing meeting/ gathering event, and a Comic-con or any otherwise anime convention. Pride season is year 'round but the cluster of Pride events are between April and Sept. CS gathering events are more unpredictable as they can be setup by a smart group on individuals. Comic-con's have schedules to maintain, so they are more stable events - though shit does happen it has to be something serious to cancel a convention. Look at me having plans while being open and shit. I do believe I'm starting to get into this traveling thing! "I think you're cool, but having sex with you would be like having sex with my [family member closest to that person]." That's how I'm usually turned down. Recently, I got "I'm not into you sexually."
When I turn someone down I do that "it's not you; it's me" but way of "I'm mentally and emotionally unstable. You can do so much better, so go do it!" This shit is just not going to happen in my lifetime. I'm very conflicted. I want intimacy, and maybe I want sex. It's just come across someone I feel like I can trust and they aren't interested. Yet, all these ugly, morally bankrupt homebums wanna fuck me. I've been in the same shelter for 3 months, now, and some of these shelter bitches think I'm trying to steal their "partners". I've made it clear I'm just here to party and get something together so I can get out of the shelter and stay in the area for a while, or if that doesn't work out I go to a different state. I don't know where in there says "I want to fuck your guy/chick/whomever." What's really bad is some of the homebums think I want them or they want me. Someone I just tried to open up to turned out to be MARRIED. Spouse is in prison, but still. Married is married, and I don't do that. I don't want to be old running around like a dog in heat, the way I am now. I wish I were asexual and I didn't have to have these feelings. It's really nothing but trouble. Now is the time that I'm thankful I went to Albuquerque and already learned some of this lesson is relation to the married person, but when am I going to get over this sexual attraction thing? It really hurts more than it helps. I've noticed that a lot of my blog has been complaints, and most of my complaints have been about the treatment of homeless people. I have to face identifying as homeless, though I would rather not (THE EARTH IS MY HOME, BITCH!), the treatment of the idea of "localized" homelessness is very piss poor. We need homelessness as a protected class. No place ever has enough shelters, or resources for food, jobs, and other things that are necessary to fight homelessness in the short term and long term. However, homeless people are literally and figuratively the most exposed to violence, abuse, and exploitation.
It's not just about homeless youth and elderly. It's not just about LGBTQ. It's not just about any kind of disabled. We're all homeless. We're all a homeless community, in itself. It's the same as any other group. They say that no one will stand up for us, but we have to stand up for ourselves, just like any other group. Hello,
My name is [name], if you don't want to call me by either of the other names. This past Sunday I came to your Lancaster/ Havorford location with the understanding that breakfast would be served, not knowing that sitting in church would be required to eat there. Upon exiting the building, one of your volunteers was very rude towards me for not wanting to stay and even blocked me from exiting until he said everything he had to say. I asked him if sitting in service was required and he danced around the answer at least 3 times before finally answered yes. After I said I was interested he insisted that I should lesson to the service heavily implied that I was wrong for just wanting the food serving. He also insisted that all places should force their clients to lesson to service before feeding them - none of any of his opinions I asked for. I have my own disagreements with such methods of requirements of forcing people to lesson to whatever agenda before helping them, but it's you're place and you have the right to do that. What I will not accept is being disrespected, being trapped and forced to get a fascist lecture about how things be by someone else's ill-guided standards. It was a black man with medium brown skin, low cut head and facial hair- bread, no mustache. Not fat (more out of shape looking. Average, I think is the word for that) but a kind of fat face. Maybe 5'8... I'm 5'4 and he is taller than I am but not towering. I will inform the community of my mistreatment and this requirements, as I wasted a walking trip going to the localization only to leave empty stomache-d. If I had knew church service was required beforehand I would not have walked out there. [name] ~ Thank you for your email. I am sorry about your experience . So you are aware, we hold Sunday morning worship at Chosen 300. Yes, there is a meal after the service and we welcome all who attend. Like any Sunday morning service, there is a inspirational message of hope. Although, food is a necessity, we believe the gospel message of hope is what will keep anyone who is in need. Please note, we also serve meals on Mondays and Fridays at 6:00 PM. You are more than welcome to enjoy a meal during those times. Meanwhile, I will speak with our team to address your concern. If you have any other need or concern, please reach out to us. We are here to serve you. In Service, Rev. Shandai Jenkins Sr Vice President Chosen 300 Ministries, Inc 1116 Spring Garden Street Philadelphia, PA 19123 ~ With the way you've replied I don't feel like you take this issue seriously. I don't need an advertisement about your program after I've already been abused by someone in it and a staff member at that. I was cornered and verbally dehumanized by one of your staff members. Do you not care about the gravity of that event? Am I not human, to you? Is this how the non-believer are normally treated - With humiliation and disrespect? I also feel like it's your duty to properly inform people that this church service is required so they have prior consent to attending the event, instead finding out when they get there like I did. I missed another meal because your location was the closest to where and I opted to go there. ~ If you would like to speak with me directly, I can either give you a call or you can contact me directly at [number]. I hope to speak with you soon. Rev. Shandai Jenkins Sr Vice President Chosen 300 Ministries, Inc 1116 Spring Garden Street Philadelphia, PA 19123 ~ I like the platform we're using, right now. I don't have any reason to trust that I won't be subjected to more abusive behavior by anyone in the organization. The event itself could be sweep under the rug (if I let it), unless there was a camera on us and there is recorded proof. I really doubt that's the case of the matter. Emails can be documented and I don't have the tech to document phone conversations. What reassurance do I have that I will be be respected and taken seriously about this matter if i call you? ~ Sorry about your complaint. Have a blessed day. ~~~~~ Chosen 300 clearly doesn't have any respect or dignity to extend to their clients. There are other places to eat around town, and i will surely suggest them to anyone. They can keep their blessings. I only accept true blessings from people that actually wish other well. By "well" I also mean treating them with respect and not trying to shove their agenda on others. I admit, maybe I over reacted at some point, but I don't feel like I was unreasonable. I was already closed in by these people once, in person, and it can be done over the phone as well. I've dealt with issues like this before, and they were all handled in far better ways. These people don't really care what needs to be said and addressed. Of course, only so much can be done, as I wasn't bodily abused and there are no cameras to prove anything, but "word-of-mouth" works WONDERS. That's how I found out about the place, so i'll use that same tool against them. I've been in Pittsburgh since the 10th and I'm still no less excited about finally being here. I think I've been wanting to come up here for almost 5 years. My ex-fi and I talked about it before I left LA and that's already more than 3 years, right there. Then, a few months ago voting law issues started happening here, and I decided I wanted to come up here to help with that. It seems like that has died down, thanks to TX really fucking it up. The plan that the government comes up with will be a one size fits all measure to make sure none of the states can come up with anymore voter law restrictions.
So, I'm just hanging out with nothing to do, in the meantime. It looks like I'll be spending winter in Philly, for I'm leaving Pitt in mid Sept. I'm looking forward to it! |
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