Work Week Graffiti.

It's been a long week at work... I can't finish anything and I forget everything that I'm supposed to do... so.. yeah, not much gets done on my end. I've written my tasks all over the place in hopes I'll remember, but no. If I worked corporate I wouldn't give a shit if I did my tasks, but since I work for a homeless advocacy group I feel I gotta do my part. One of the things I'm supposed to do is recruit people (women, since we had none at the last mtg) to join the Homeless Congress. I've been helping with the Congress for a year + it's a way for homeless/formerly homeless people from all backgrounds + shelters to join together + make changes in the community. We invite people from the County, City, Mayor's office and even the State to talk with the Congress. It really is a great idea. I just haven't got around to recruiting more people so our numbers are sliding. I can't justify being lazy for a good cause... I can explain why I'm lazy, but I can't justify it.

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I guess it's now obvious that I'm pregnant. A man at the bus stop said to me yesterday, "Hey lady, how long you've been pregnant?" He then asked if I know the sex and I said I should by next week [update: I now know it's a boy!]. To which he expressed his hopes that the baby will be a "guy." It was funny b/c the guy was homeless and was assured that I was a student at Cleveland State. Maybe I'll see him at 2100 Lakeside Men's Shelter + he'll be set straight. It's always strange talking to a homeless person outside my work, especially when they ask for money to "help the homeless." I make pennies b/c my job is to "help the homeless."

Speaking of panhandlers...(and not all who panhandle are homeless and not all homeless people panhandle) the Downtown Cleveland Alliance (the street cleaners/safety patrol) have started a campaign to discourage people from giving to panhandlers. Will this really work? It's somewhat of a personal choice if a person wants to give up a buck or two. Instead, the Alliance plans to install boxes where people can make donations to homeless service agencies. I don't know who these agencies are or what they'll do with their dollar donations. In an article in the PD, it said panhandlers often beg for money for a bus pass but they can get free passes at local churches. ???? How come I didn't know of this? One of the biggest complaints is the lack of available transportation. I asked my supervisor about this + apparently the churches only give out like 4 passes a month to a person. So that really doesn't help.

And I'm sick of all this talk about tourists come to this city. Their virgin eyes!! We should ditch "Cleveland+" and advertise ourselves as the #1 City for Poverty. Come to Cleveland and meet interesting homeless people! Try to count all the abandoned buildings on Euclid Ave.! Which store will be the next to close? Just a thought.