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Philip Newton ([personal profile] pne) wrote2004-01-20 04:11 pm

Being Homeless

I was surfing my /friendsfriends page today and came across [livejournal.com profile] being_homeless (through, I believe, [livejournal.com profile] blenrock). She's a person who became homeless after an injury that caused brain damage which has meant she hasn't been able to keep a steady job. No steady income = no home. Yet she's smart and clean; not like a "stereotypical homeless person".

I've just had time to look through her userinfo and some of the posts linked to from it and from her Component sidebar, but it's been interesting.

To be honest, I didn't particularly enjoy reading many of the comments on the posts I read, especially the ones where they all go on about how wonderfully she writes; they seemed to be all very similar and not particularly detailed.

But it sounds like an interesting account of how she copes with her life.

Have a quick read, even if you only look at the articles linked to from her userinfo and sidebar, and think about homeless people and why they may have ended up that way.

Edit: Apparently, she's found an appartment and will soon not be homeless any more.

Edit 2: She writes a lot. As many as 15 posts a day on some days.

[identity profile] bride.livejournal.com 2004-01-20 09:49 am (UTC)(link)
I saw her journal too (through [livejournal.com profile] magicwoman. She caught the attention of the media a while ago. I can't remember which major US newspaper, but she had a whole centre-spread editorial on her, complete with a photographer following her around for a day. Very uplifting.

She's a very interesting person, very eye-opening. The most interesting quote of hers (paraphrased): "I'd rather be out on the street than in the shelters."
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[identity profile] jpallan.livejournal.com 2004-01-20 04:08 pm (UTC)(link)
I know her IRL.

[identity profile] missysedai.livejournal.com 2004-01-20 07:37 pm (UTC)(link)
As far as "great writer": You're right. Not really great. But what makes her a good read is her "voice". She's very matter-of-fact about things, which does indeed make her account of her life quite interesting.

Her recent entries feel quite joyful. I'm glad she's getting an apartment.
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[identity profile] pne.livejournal.com 2004-01-20 09:31 pm (UTC)(link)
Interesting; from back when she was in NH?