Reply #8: Many of us are struggling just to keep our heads above water...

[Ghost in the Machine]

I have been for well over a year now, since I had to close my business. I've also been fighting for my disability for 15 months now. I've been turned down twice already, so I got a lawyer a few weeks ago. He's telling me it will be another 12 to 15 months to get a hearing.

I've tried getting jobs, but no one will hire me with my limitations. I've tried selling things online, but haven't done too well at that. I've had yard sales, but living way out in the sticks, 12 miles from town, we don't have much traffic. I've done the flea market scene... and it usually costs more for the gas to get there and for the table rent than what I make selling stuff.

I get a check every couple of months for $100-$120 from google adsense program, from people clicking ads on my sites, and I use that to stock up on soap, toothpaste, toilet paper, shampoo.. the basic necessities. I've had a few DUers who have made donations to my republican sex offenders site, to help keep it online, and I thank them from the bottom of my heart. Sadly though, it'll probably be gone next month..

This past 15 months has been a living hell for me. I've never been in this kind of shape before. I've always been able to provide for my kids, even though I've been a single father for 13 years and have never seen a dime of child support. Right now, we're basically living on food stamps. Even though that is our case, I spent $100 of my food stamps last month to help another family that had no food. I never expected anything back for it... it just felt good to help someone else who needed it. We struggled at the end of the month.. but we made it through. Even through all this, I still help raise food/money for our local food bank, and I help organize our local version of Toys for Tots.

Things will get better one of these days... but until then, we're dug in and hanging on by our fingernails and toenails....

Peace,

Ghost