Tuesday Reflections: Fight, Fight, Fight…
The depression you experience after you lose everything is devastating. So much so, that you don’t feel like fighting anymore. When you lose your home you want to quit. You want to crawl into a hole and disappear. But myself, along with many others in Orlando have to push thatContinue Reading
Monday Reflections: How to feel when no help is coming
When you’re trying to fight off homelessness in Orlando, it doesn’t even feel like you’re in the same town. Sadly, this isn’t the first time I’ve struggled during this housing crisis, and the environment for recovery here is so hostile that I’ve never felt further away from the community IContinue Reading
Aurora VA prosthetics scandal is proof we need more oversight
An infuriating report out of Aurora, Colorado on Monday morning, confirmed that the prosthetics chief of that Department of Veterans Affairs facility canceled 1000 orders leaving veterans without help. (story HERE). This is why we need more eyeballs on the VA and not less. I’ve said many times that mostContinue Reading
Sunday Reflections: The pain of realizing your going to lose everything
When you’re looking at your finances and you realize that you’re going to lose everything, there is a physical pain you feel. I imagine its what it would feel like if someone took a frozen piece of ice and stabbed you in the chest with it. I’ve felt it twiceContinue Reading
To Succeed and Fail in Orlando: A painful comparison
Right now, I’m without a home in Orlando. I’ve been in this town since early childhood, and I offer a painful perspective that I can share with you with the hope you’ll never have to experience it one day. I’ve succeeded in the City Beautiful in the past. And nowContinue Reading
Saturday Reflections: Weekends for those struggling in Orlando are for depression
You can fight. Take every second of your waking existence trying to prevent yourself from becoming homeless in Orlando. But the process will stop the clock for you. Every Friday at 5pm. Such is my case in this Orlando housing crisis trying to find some way to pull myself up.Continue Reading
Friday Reflections: What I would say to my younger self as I struggle with housing in Orlando
A popular question during interviews and conversations that you hear on television and read online is “What advice would you give your younger self?”. As I prepare to hit week three here in the Orlando homeless community, I actually wish my younger selves would give advice to me. This isContinue Reading
Homeless veterans can carry no reminders of how great they once were
The purpose of military awards appears simple. They are to recognize the achievements of our brave brothers and sisters who serve. The presentations are often proud events done in front of their units and positivity is everywhere. But years later, when the uniform is packed away and the missions areContinue Reading
How to make your clothing donations for struggling veterans go farther in Orlando
As I’ve struggle in Orlando recently, it’s been hard to come upon a community closet that can help give everyone that needs help what they need to survive. Which is weird. Because I’m sure you and even myself in my past life have donated generously to various charitable organizations. WeContinue Reading
Thursday reflections: The nonstop anxiety of fighting homelessness in Orlando
My mood on this Thursday night is fear. Much like it was last night. And the several nights before. Just wall to wall anxiety these days. The feeling is so strong, that my definition of what could make me happy has shrunk. My once grand dream of being a prosperous,Continue Reading