Hi Laga! I think I've seen you mention your coming out on Facebook, but I'm glad to see you and your fabulously-perfectly-you identity here!

Hi Laga! I'm sorry I took so long to say so - I saw your post on the way to work yesterday and then forgot that I didn't actually post in response... Congrats on being able to be a little more yourself in the world!

Good to see you, Laga! Congrats!

Laga, that's a bit more than "not much to share" :) Congratulations!

Susan, make sure to tell Alex that the lurkers support him on the internet.

Not much happening to me. Still love my job and my boss drives me nuts. But, at least I drive her nuts right back.

Susan, make sure to tell Alex that the lurkers support him on the internet.

Will do!

O HAI

So, I realize I haven't checked in for awhile.

I'm still living in Sacramento. I was homeless a couple of summers ago, but it wasn't long before I found housing, though I've had to move twice since then. Now, I'm in a sitch that's fairly stable (knock on wood). I'm trying to find work, but I spend my days looking after my roommate's dog and working out. There are businesses within walking distance of my apartment in West Sac, but I kinda doubt they'd hire me. It's a little rough over here.

Today it's pretty blustery, but we're spared from the current spate of power shutoffs by virtue of *not* being served by PG&E.

Slightly off-topic, but I haven't heard a worse plan than "Turn it off!" since I was in a residential placement that counted surges of adrenaline as a disaster plan.Our utility sucks, too, maybe not as much I haven't really wandering much, just lost in the activist thing. Still trying to get published, and David Simon followed my twitter this spring. So I can get a man's attention...if I worship him, there's a country between us, and he's married to someone who could win an award for writing up how she'd kill me if I tried anything. Good to know, if not super-helpful when I think about rewriting my dating profile.

Hi Bridget! I hope you stay safe from the fires and find convenient employment soon.

Hi erikaj! Keep writing! I hope to see you published more in the coming years.

Hi Delurkerers!

Most years lately there hasn't been anything new to share -- still driving Lyft/Uber, still driving around in big circles and barely making ends meet. But this September I started a 30hr/week job as a driver for an assisted living facility in Cambridge that I can walk to and life feels like it's changed quite a bit to being both more organized and more purposeful.

'Driver' means that I do the facility-sponsored transportation, in a nice Subaru Legacy sedan for small parties and in a much much larger wheelchair lift bus. I also do grocery list shopping (Insta-Connie, I call it, but most of them don't get the joke), carry around packages, lead some (very gentle) exercize classes and anything else that Programs needs a hand with, like going out and buying $173 worth of wine.

They are really nice people, both the staff and the residents, and it feels like this will be a keeper.

It's good to have this positive thing going on -- alas, there was a serious bereavement in my family that struck me really hard, because my incredibly vital and wonderful cousin David died in a truly freak accident. That's brought back all the sadness from my aunt's death (last year) and worry for my remaining cousin, who now has to solely wind up her brother's estate and also take over as primary caregiver for my poor uncle who is slowly progressing into dementia.

So I've been down and up, but mostly trying to keep moving forward.

That's awesome, Theo. A good driver is worth a lot to people who can't.