Absent for a while

Hey everyone,

I haven't been around in a while, and probably won't be for a while, because I don't have a computer any more. I'm at the library right now using the public computer. My house was broken into last week, and my laptop was one of the things that got stolen.
Interestingly enough, the thieves went through my bathroom, and ransacked my medicine cabinet, but didn't know enough about the meds to take anything. LOL

Anyway, no computer means very little online time for me. I can only get online to check email, do a little bit of job hunting, etc. Just the essentials.

I'll miss you guys! Hang in there with the migraines.

bubbs!! I was thinking about you today and even checked to see the last time you logged on. I think you're hidden though.

I'm so sorry about the break in. Do you have insurance for that?

How much word processing do you need to do online? I'm asking because Im using an IPAD for my Internet connection. Would you be able to get a notebook or something rather than a full scale laptop?

Oh Sweetie, Im so sorry but thanks for checking in with us.

sending you hugs, Charlotte

Sorry to hear that bubbs. there are many places that sell used laptops with guarantees. I got myself a new Acer notebook for $299.00 at Futureshop. Its small and doesn't do games well, but I only like to do creative writing and internet.

Ask around, maybe someone you know has a spare sitting around that they will sell for cheap.

Hope to see you soon.

Angela

Oh Bubbs, I am so sorry, thats horrible. I wish you were over here, I have an old (not that old) lap top you could have had to at least tide you over....
I hope you get back with us soon, we already missed you.

Take care and see you soon.

Bubbs,

Sorry you lost your laptop. That's just a bummer. A side note - would renters/homeowners insurance cover something like that?

Rather funny that they didn't steal your meds. They just didn't know what they were missing. I know you have some good stuff too.

Be well dear.

Becky

Thanks, guys. I made it into the library today to get some info I forgot to look up yesterday, and thought I'd pop in really quick to check PMs.

LOL HL, at the time I actually did, too They say criminals are stupid.

I probably will buy a laptop cheap, which sucks because mine was a really nice one, bought when times were better, of course, but even a cheap one is going to be a hard squeeze on my budget. I've been unemployed for a year now, and I just don't have any extra cash. That's why this break in is such a hard thing to deal with. I don't have much, but the guys who broke in took everything I had.

Yeah, we have renter's insurance, but when all is said and done, it doesn't cover even half the monetary value. Computers and electronics are like cars - they depreciate the minute you get them out of the store. Then take away the deductible, and take into account the cap on the amount the insurance will pay, and it doesn't leave much. There are three of us who live in the house, so divide the insurance payout up and it won't be much, certainly not close to covering the value of what was stolen. And that doesn't even touch the sentimental value of things: I have very little jewelry, for example, but they stole it all. It's not worth much, but to me it's irreplaceable. Alot of it was bought on vacations, so it carries the memories of the places I visited. I can't get that back.

Anyway, I do have a friend who has an old laptop she's trying to get up and running that she is going to loan me once she does. So hopefully in a few weeks, I'll be "live" again.

I am just hoping they catch who broke in. The police seem to think it had to be someone close by because of the way the break in was managed, which is very sad.

Anyway, take care, everyone.

AuntieBubbs....I'm so terribly sorry.
These things make me feel angry.
Maybe you can find a good laptop on e-bay or some similar sites; the world is full on "maniacs" who spend all their money to run after technology so you might find someone who's selling a still very good model at a good price. I did it with my home-thater device years ago. I paid it 50% of the price despite it was a very recent and little use model.

I'm sorry, AuntieBubbs.

I remember a friend describing to me how she felt after her house was broken into years ago--she said it was such an invasion of privacy and a feeling of being intimately violated.

Hope you're able to find a computer soon.

That's terrible! I'm so sorry at the loss of all your stuff! I'm glad that the library has given you access to us though! I've been reading about all the cuts that libraries in CA are taking because of the budget. One city is even closing all its libraries! May yours stay open forever!

thanks again everyone.

Vicki, I'm thanking the gods for the library. It's open 6 days a week.

Quick update: I am having to find a new place to live right now on top of everything else. My sister no longer feels safe in our house/neighborhood, and wants to move. Her/her husband's moving plans do not include me. (I've been living with my sister, her husband, and my 3 year old nephew for the last 3 years)
I've been looking actively for the last week at studios, apartments to share, rooms to rent, etc. It's depressing. Everything that is within my mininscule budget is a dump, everything that is halfway decent is not in my budget. I have no money saved to move with - deposit, 1st and last, etc. - and I'm unemployed. I have a cat. It's a frustrating situation. I wasn't prepared to move this month, though I should've guessed after the break in my sister would want to move. I guess I should've guessed as well that they wouldn't care what happened with my situation, too.

So that's my update! My migraines are not handling the situation well. I had a dr. appt. a couple of weeks ago that I had to cancel - I pay out of pocket (no insurance) and had to decide what I needed to spend the money on, the dr. or moving expenses. No dr. No meds either, so I'm doing the best I can with advil for level 8+ migraines. (Thank goodness I had topomax stockpiled!) I usually take imitrex or treximet, and stadol for the really bad ones. I'm applying to Glaxo Smith Kline's assistance program to see if they will pay for my imitrex though, so hopefully something will change there. Fingers crossed! I need a break somewhere, you know?

Sorry for the whiney rant, and thanks for listening

AuntiBubbs,
I am so terribly sorry for your situation. I wish I lived closer to help you more.
Can you do any job from home? It would guarantee at least the money to pay the rent and you could be indipendent.
Take care

Oh Bubbs, you rant away your situation is horrible. I dont know what to say except I really hope something comes up for you.
Feeling the was I do with migraines almost very morning, I cannot imagine how you are coping.

Good luck and take care, we miss you.

Pen

Bubbs,

That's just so awful. All the stress is not good for our poor heads. Just wish you lived closer as I'm still looking for a roommate and would take you in. I'm sure something will turn up for you though. And it's always harder when you are under the gun to find something.

And whine away...the situation deserves one.

Hang in there!

Becky

I'm so sorry, AuntieBubbs. What a horrible position to be in.

Do they have low-income housing where you live? Can the county social workers help in any way? There's got to be something available. Don't give up.

I'm praying for a viable, affordable solution for you and your kitty. Please take care.

Thanks, guys, I appreciate all the well wishes. It really means alot to me to have some support!

Without going into too much detail, the long and the short of it is, I "make" too much money on unemployment to qualify for any public assistance. I tried and got turned down. It's ironic since unemployment benefits don't pay enough to sustain a single-person household. I don't know what I'd do if I had a child - though I'd probably qualify for more assistance, come to think of it. But I don't qualify for low-income housing, either.
It's the same old, same old. You have to be destitute to get any help, and when you get help, they want you to get off the assistance programs as quick as possible anyway. Example: my sister has no income, no car, no insurance. My parents had to take her back in, or she'd be homeless. She qualifies for some assistance, but only $200 a month, and that's not cash aid, that's food aid. Every little bit helps, though, but $200 a month in food aid is not going to help her become self-sufficient again, you know? So how is she going to get off public assistance?
My situation isn't as dire as that, but I can see how some people would feel their situations are hopeless. I feel that way alot of the time, too, and mine isn't as bad.
But throw the migraines in there, and it's a real struggle. No, stress and worrying doesn't cause migraine, but it sure does trigger an awful lot of really bad ones. My head has really been killing me, almost every day. Its a struggle to get out and come to the library to use the computer when the screen hurts my eyes, and then its a struggle to make all those calls and arrange to visit places, and then by the end of the day, after I've seen people and viewed studios, rooms, etc., I can barely think straight, my head hurts so much. The other day I didn't think I could drive home, it was so hard to focus and my head felt like a rusty saw was splitting it in two. And trust me, advil doesn't touch that.
But I have to do what I have to do. Things have to get better eventually, right?

Ivy wrote:Can you do any job from home? It would guarantee at least the money to pay the rent and you could be indipendent.

Almost forgot Ivy, there is work I was setting up to do at home, but I needed a computer to do it. LOL And the computer got stolen in the break-in. Grrr.

Bubbs,

You may have also checked into this resource but maybe not. I know about it because I am somewhat involved in it at work. It is a US federal HUD program, administered by states, with the acronym of HPRP. It is outside of the usual assistance that you get, or in your case, do not get from your county. From what I understand it is part of the stimulus package.

I think the idea of the grant is to help people who
1. Are homeless now but would be able to maintain a rental if they got a few months help
2. Are not homeless but are in danger of losing their housing,but with a few months rental help could get caught up.

In either case, the applicant is required to have income. What is enough but not too much income is determined by where you live.

Below is a quote from HUD regarding the requirements. Please don't let the bureaucratic language scare you off. You might just qualify.

"HPRP Eligibility Requirements
In order to receive HPRP-funded Financial Assistance and/or Housing Relocation and
Stabilization Services, households must at least meet the following minimum criteria:

1. Initial Consultation & Eligibility Determination: the household must receive at least an
initial consultation and eligibility assessment with a case manager or other authorized
representative who can determine eligibility and the appropriate type of assistance
needed;
2. Income: the household’s total income must be at or below 50 percent of Area Median
Income (AMI);
3. Housing Status: the household must be either homeless (for rapid re-housing
assistance) OR at risk of losing its housing (for homelessness prevention assistance);
AND meet both of the following circumstances:
a. No appropriate subsequent housing options have been identified;
b. The household lacks the financial resources and support networks needed to
obtain immediate housing or remain in its existing housing."

Chris

Oh for a good job! Hope a good one is in your future soon!

Cheryl