So this is us I guess. I can see that there have been some changes to the forum. I found the thread that Faust had posted. But this is about a transition both for the forum and an attempt at exposition at how things are going both now and in the course of the time that has passed since I last posted here on pd.com. please do bear with me as there is much and I do not know exactly where to begin, and so I will simply attempt to begin.
I think it is best to first simply summarize that so far, both myself and Verthaine are alive, reasonably secure, and well supported after a truly challenging 2023. We were both unhoused unlawfully about this time of year. It's been a BOSS FIGHT for us both together, and individually, and we are now both securely housed in a rather nice abandoned house not all that far from where the SHTF for us after nearly 2.5 years of cohabitation with Verthaine as my Landlord.A
I have survived, and Truly thrived even, in the streets of This City, whom I very much enjoy anthropomorphizing as The Lady New Orleans, or Lady Nola for short. All of my possessions are for the most part good materiel salvaged from Her Streets, gifts given in respect for spiritual work done here, or purchased with money earned reading tarot in Her Streets. The house that now keeps 3 of Eris' kids secure is no exception to this pattern. I found it in about middle of November, just as the overnight temperatures and rainfall were getting potentially quite hazardous. The front door was open, and it had two deadbolts on it instead of a bolt and a proper knob assembly. They were both in locked positions, implying that whoever had last made ingress was not in possession of the keys. Now I have lived in the St Roch neighborhood for over 3 years at this point. I knew this house to have been largely abandoned during that whole period. In that time I had seen local addicts of a rather nasty sort wear out, and then ultimately burn down, a similar building.
It would turn out that I had made a rather good choice to see if I could treat the place better. And now I, Verthaine, and a local Discordian Sister named Sauin are doing just fine. As I document the work I am putting into the place I may post some pics here, and there.
More later as it goes!
So, that said, HOW YOU GUYS DOING?
(A) Please do note this term is pretty dang loose in New Orleans, but I was handing him my cheddar. More on this later.
Glad you found a nice place. I'm also fine currently.
Had to move a year ago because rent was getting high (>60% of my income after taxes etc..).
Am now living in a smaller flat in a smaller town. Landlord is a "Genossenschaft" (online translators tell me the correct translation is cooperative (society)/collective. "Genosse" means comrade, so maybe comradeship). It means the Genossenschaft owns the flats, but also only consists of all the renters. So, the rents are just high enough to pay for staff and upkeep, no profit for some investment company.
Also I've defended my PhD last Thursday. Finally finished that chapter.
Glad you and verthain have some kind of stability at the moment wizjoe. Sauin Is that the phonetic of samhain (autumn)?
Quote from: Faust on February 27, 2024, 07:16:36 AMGlad you and verthain have some kind of stability at the moment wizjoe. Sauin Is that the phonetic of samhain (autumn)?
Yeah. She's got that Oct 31 birthday Scorpio thing, and the name reflects that. We are doing well overall. In fact at this time Sauin has another spot entirely so for now it's just Verthaine and myself here. We have a nice "double camel back" style house to work with. Half of it is in an unlivable state of disrepair. It bears smoke damage, debris, likely some black mold, and a rather powerful haunting presence exacerbated by the clear intermittent use by some spiritual practitioner, but the structural integrity, doors, and windows are all sound. Our side is livable, and although there's no running water on site as yet, we have power. The power box had been gutted gutted for copper and bore signs of several rather nasty spark events when we arrived. A man was apparently told by unknown factors to come repair it about middle December. He told me in quite friendly fash that I didn't need to worry about who was paying the bill for now. It's been fine since. I finally got all of the documentation together to get a valid Louisiana driver's license largely because of the boon so granted. It seems that I have a rather well informed secret supporter or group.
I am under general promise not to discuss Verthaine's status with people, but I can say that he is as well as a man that's been THROUGH IT can be. We're working on getting him back into the system for various forms of support he needs that I cannot provide. He's very much a brother to me after these years here in New Orleans, and so I have done all I can for him.
Turns out that's been enough for the both of us, at least so far.
Quote from: ein Gefrorener Würfel on February 25, 2024, 09:04:48 PMGlad you found a nice place. I'm also fine currently.
Had to move a year ago because rent was getting high (>60% of my income after taxes etc..).
Am now living in a smaller flat in a smaller town. Landlord is a "Genossenschaft" (online translators tell me the correct translation is cooperative (society)/collective. "Genosse" means comrade, so maybe comradeship). It means the Genossenschaft owns the flats, but also only consists of all the renters. So, the rents are just high enough to pay for staff and upkeep, no profit for some investment company.
Also I've defended my PhD last Thursday. Finally finished that chapter.
Nice to meet you! I am very much about finding competitive nonprofit methodologies in all markets. Sounds like an interesting concept.
I'm glad to hear you're doing okay, TWJ. I'm... not doing so great, actually, but there's a chance I exit the USA soon and get some real healthcare, so that's something.
I don't like this. I don't like this reality at all.
How can we help? Can we help? We can, I think!
I have a couch. But in Germany, I could provide money for a flight (I think, not that much money but it should be possible) and residence on my couch. But I don't have influence/money to get you a job (also no idea about bureaucratic stuff)