Thursday, August 31, 2006
YES!!!!!
I make the Day Program! Vester, the supervisor at ACORN, agreed to give me another 5 hours a week and he will look into whether or not he could pay me but the big plus for me is the extra time I have for sleeping. I have not had a solid night's sleep since I entered ShelterWorld and on most days I am almost "out of it" by 2 PM because of sleep deprivation.
Wednesday, August 30, 2006
EVEN BETTER
When I spoke with Adam at Primavera Works, he told me that a 30 hour a week job counts as full-time and that means I would be able to stay/sleep in on the weekends and leave after 7 AM on weekdays!
The ACORN job is 25 hours a week and I will try to get another 5 hours, even if I have to work for free.
The ACORN job is 25 hours a week and I will try to get another 5 hours, even if I have to work for free.
Monday, August 28, 2006
A WORKAROUND!!!
I just spoke with Cory and I may be able to go to work for ACORN registering voters. It's a part-time position so I will have plenty of time for job searching AND I will get some $$$ coming in! I will also be free from the threat of losing my bed because I don't want to work a shitty Primavera manual labor job.
Sunday, August 27, 2006
TROUBLE IN PARADISE
Although I have noticed a large decrease in the amount of stress I experience since leaving JEC and the Salvation Army shelter, not all is calm in Primavera Paradise. The case managers at Primavera Works insist that I go out on one of their manual labor jobs or lose my bed at the shelter. I've been able to avoid this so far but Adam recently advised me to get some work shoes and pants. I got the pants but there weren't any shoes at the Blue Door store, so I may be safe for another few days.
In the meantime, I am trying to get a letter from my former osteopathic surgeon that states I have osteoarthritis in both knees and cannot do prolonged heavy manual labor. Janitor work is just fine but pick and shovel work are out for me. I hope this letter will satisfy the case managers but if not, I plan to look into the implications of the Americans with Disabilities Act on my situation.
In the meantime, I am trying to get a letter from my former osteopathic surgeon that states I have osteoarthritis in both knees and cannot do prolonged heavy manual labor. Janitor work is just fine but pick and shovel work are out for me. I hope this letter will satisfy the case managers but if not, I plan to look into the implications of the Americans with Disabilities Act on my situation.
Wednesday, August 23, 2006
SLEEP
I have been without the "Sleep that knits up the ravell'd sleeve of care" since I entered ShelterWorld and even Primavera doesn't seem that concerned. Tomorrow I have a 2:30 PM job interview and I asked a case manager if I could stay at the shelter until then but the answer was no. Fortunately for me, Tom was kind enough to agree to let me sleep in his lab until I need to go to the interview. He won't get in until 9:30, so I will stay in the U. of A. main library until then.
Friday, August 11, 2006
Thursday, August 10, 2006
I MAKE A CHANGE
On Tuesday and Wednesday, I didn't go into the Jackson Employment Center (JEC). On Tuesday I was looking for replacement dress shoes and on Wednesday I had to get my Fluoxetine (Prozac) prescription refilled. These two days of comparative freedom gave me some time to think about my present circumstances and I came to 2 conclusions: 1) I had to get out of the Salvation Army Shelter and 2) I wasn't going to wear a business outfit in the heat and humidity of August in Tucson when I was just dropping off resumes or filling out applications.
On Wednesday, I managed get to into the Primavera men's shelter and I also decided that I had had enough of the Jackson Center.
The new shelter has several advantages over the old one:
- Curfew is 7 PM instead of 5 PM. I now have more time for job searching, errands and "me time."
- Space. Although the sleeping arrangments are much like a WW II submarine, the high ceilings and unwalled patio give me the sense of less restiction. In addition, the patio is open all night.
- Respect. I did not have to turn in my prescription and that I means that I do not have to go to the front desk when I need to take a pill.
- Comfort. The swamp cooler WORKS! Last night, I even had to use a light blanket.
The one drawback is laundry. I can no longer do my own laundry and apparently I have to do a shelter chore to get ¾ths of a pillow case of dirty clothes washed.
On Wednesday, I managed get to into the Primavera men's shelter and I also decided that I had had enough of the Jackson Center.
The new shelter has several advantages over the old one:
- Curfew is 7 PM instead of 5 PM. I now have more time for job searching, errands and "me time."
- Space. Although the sleeping arrangments are much like a WW II submarine, the high ceilings and unwalled patio give me the sense of less restiction. In addition, the patio is open all night.
- Respect. I did not have to turn in my prescription and that I means that I do not have to go to the front desk when I need to take a pill.
- Comfort. The swamp cooler WORKS! Last night, I even had to use a light blanket.
The one drawback is laundry. I can no longer do my own laundry and apparently I have to do a shelter chore to get ¾ths of a pillow case of dirty clothes washed.
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