The lowest point of my life.

[Carl East]

Carl, add my prayers in.

I was in much the same boat. I didn't end up living in a tent, but I was living in a warehouse for ex-mental patients, a fair number of whom should have still been hospitalised.

But in spite of everything, it sounds like you are handling it well. Unlike the way I was for a long time, you seem to be still be able to look to the future.

Finally, don't sweat the small stuff. And it's all small stuff

I'm not sure whether it's the meds that enable me to look on the bright side or the fact that I feel close to getting re-housed. I do know that I was at my lowest the other night when returning to my tent and finding it burnt down.

I stood there for five minutes almost in tears and the same question kept going through my head. Who or what kind of person could do this, surely they know the tent belongs to someone who is homeless.

I personally don't know anyone who would be that callous but obviously people like that do exist.

Thank you all for the well wishes, it helps.

Carl

 

[Carl East]

Hello Carl,

I've never talked to you before on Lit but I wish you better and better days ahead.

Depression can be truly overwhelming. I admire that you get back on your horse (or find a new horse when someone takes your old one away) and plough on ahead.

A hug and
Mia

You're right Mia depression can be overwhelming. As I said I never recognised the symtems of depression until it was far too late and when I did even life didn't have much meaning for me. That's why I had such a long break from lit because even writing didn't excite me anymore.

Thank god for anti-depressants though, I truely believe that they're responsible for my humour coming back and my optimism for the future.



carl

 

[Carl East]

My brother is going to ring the council up tomorrow and ask them if his house burnt down would they re-house him straight away. If they say yes to this, which is what he expects, he will then tell them that the Social security office class my tent as accomadation, I think he wants to see how they crawl out of that one.

Just as we expected, although the social security have deemed a tent as living accomodation, the council don't agree therefore I have to buy my own tent. Which is what I just did. According to the social it's a goverment guideline that tents are accomadation. So this guideline is not shared by the council.

I can hear you laughing as I type, it's one rule for one goverment sector and another for others. You can't beat the system. lol

Carl

 

[English Lady]

Carl...well i am glad to hear you've got a tent again...but frustrated to hear you've not got anything more concrete. Are there any friendly hostels in your area? I only ask becasue my husband spent a fair amount of time "homeless" when he was in birmingham and a rather lovely hostel took him in and set him on his feet....I am sure you've already thought of this yourself..but hey...you never know

 

[Icingsugar]

Just as we expected, although the social security have deemed a tent as living accomodation, the council don't agree therefore I have to buy my own tent. Which is what I just did. According to the social it's a goverment guideline that tents are accomadation. So this guideline is not shared by the council.

I can hear you laughing as I type, it's one rule for one goverment sector and another for others. You can't beat the system. lol

Carl

Not laughing. Groaning. Dumbass little loopholes in the legal web that are used by the authorities to keep the little people down is something I see on too many places, and it always gets on my tits. If I had any, that is.

Not much I can do from over here, but I'm rooting for you.

/Ice

 

[Carl East]

Carl... Are there any friendly hostels in your area? I only ask becasue my husband spent a fair amount of time "homeless" when he was in birmingham and a rather lovely hostel took him in and set him on his feet....I am sure you've already thought of this yourself..but hey...you never know

Hi EL, yes we have a night shelter here as well, unfortunately on the occassions I've enquired (which are too numerous to mention) it is always full. Both my doctors and 'CAN' the homeless charity have tried to get me in there.

To be honest with you though I've never been disappointed that they failed because I've seen the types of people they take in that shelter. If they're not drinkers they're dependant on drugs and quite frankly I feel safer in my tent.

Carl

 

[Debbie]

I think the way you are coping/dealing with this is amazing.

You are in my thoughts that things will get better for you.

 

[dirtylover]

How about...

taking your tent to Spain, picking oranges by day, and cooking fresh fish on a beach fire at night?

Or, how about Willing Workers on Organic farms? (Try a websearch)

Or squatting?

Or something completely zany, like stopping traffic in central London by climbing on that bridge like that guy who wanted to see his kids, altough that has been done.

The way I see it is no wife, no home, hardly any possessions = freedom. The world is your oyster (well, perhaps not quite).

Don't be depressed because of things you haven't got (which are crap anyway), be happy just because. Hoping this doesn't sound patronising, dl

ps
k, actually being homeless is really shit (spent some of childhood with nowhere to live), sorry for annoyingly upbeat comments

 

[Carl East]

Re: How about...

taking your tent to Spain, picking oranges by day, and cooking fresh fish on a beach fire at night?

Or, how about Willing Workers on Organic farms? (Try a websearch)

Or squatting?

Or something completely zany, like stopping traffic in central London by climbing on that bridge like that guy who wanted to see his kids, altough that has been done.

The way I see it is no wife, no home, hardly any possessions = freedom. The world is your oyster (well, perhaps not quite).

Don't be depressed because of things you haven't got (which are crap anyway), be happy just because. Hoping this doesn't sound patronising, dl

ps
k, actually being homeless is really shit (spent some of childhood with nowhere to live), sorry for annoyingly upbeat comments

Funnily enough my brother has suggested things very simular to your idea's. He wanted me to go and make a noise in the council and make sure that the papers were there to cover it. So that when I was arrested it might make one of the local papers do a story on me.

There were times I'd thought about it but I'm basically a law abidding citizen and it's just not in my nature to disturb the peace. I think it's safe to say that the meds took care of the depression, at least I now feel in a more positive frame of mind.

Thx for the idea's.

Carl

 

[MercyMia]

Hi Carl East, just checking your thread and sending you a bump, rose and hug,

Mia

 

[Carl East]

Hi Carl East, just checking your thread and sending you a bump, rose and hug,

Mia

Thanks darling, I can get online most days thanks to my brother so I'm still around. I'll keep you updated if anything exciting happens, like I get a roof over my head. lol



Carl

 

[Colleen Thomas]

Sending you hugs and best wishes.

-Colly

 

[Carl East]

Sending you hugs and best wishes.

-Colly

Thanks Colly, I can never get enough hugs.

Carl

 

[minsue]

In that case, have another.

http://www.addis-welt.de/smilie/smilie/diverse/smileyhug.gif

 

[Carl East]

In that case, have another.

http://www.addis-welt.de/smilie/smilie/diverse/smileyhug.gif

Thanks Minsue, I could get used to this. lol

Carl

 

[Katerina Val-Kyrie]

Dear Friend

Carl, wow, its been a long time. I'm sorry to hear your going through such a hard time in your life right now. But if I remember correctly, you are strong...and with your strength, you will get through this. Take one day at a time, Carl. All good things come to those who wait.

However, it's unfortunate you have to wait for a home and put yourself at the mercy of the government. But, I’m glad you have family you can rely on. May I ask why you can’t stay with them until your life is settled? Why do you have to stay in a tent? I know if I had a family member in this circumstance, they’d always be welcome to stay with me. Just curious, Carl.

Anyways, stay strong my friend. Keep your chin up; your life will get better. When it does, embrace and cherish the momemt. Make your moment last a lifetime.

Yesterday is already a dream, tomorrow is only a vision, but today well lived, makes every yesterday, a dream of happiness, and every tomorrow, a vision of hope.

Bless you my friend. Katerina

 

[Carl East]

Re: Dear Friend

But, I’m glad you have family you can rely on. May I ask why you can’t stay with them until your life is settled? Why do you have to stay in a tent? I know if I had a family member in this circumstance, they’d always be welcome to stay with me. Just curious, Carl.


Bless you my friend. Katerina

HI ya sweet thing, long time no see/hear. There is something I've neglected to say during this thread and it's not something I like to dwell on.

My family were there for me when I lost my first home but because they see it as my own fault the second time, they haven't been all they could be. They have no clue as to what depression can do to a person, which is why I think my brother helps me. He's suffered a heart attack in the past and gone through a deep depression himself, so he can relate.

Without slagging my family off too much because they have helped once before I will simply tell you where I spent Christmas day and Boxing day, in my tent.

Personally, if I'd known anyone of my family were homeless on christmas day or any other day for that matter and I had a house they wouldn't have been homeless for long. I could go on but feeling bitter doesn't help anyone.

It's so nice to see you writing again gorgeous, I hope you're back to stay for a while.



Carl

 

[Carl East]

Fucking weather.

Carl

 

[Guest]

Oh dear.

*hugs*

Did you sleep in that last night?

Lou

 

[Carl East]

Oh dear.

*hugs*

Did you sleep in that last night?

Lou

No, I woke to find it snowing. I thought we'd got through that weather, because it was getting a little warmer. I'm quite warm once I'm wrapped up though. In case anyone is wondering, a friend let me pitch my tent in their garden. I say a friend, more an acquaintance.

Carl

 

[Guest]

No, I woke to find it snowing. I thought we'd got through that weather, because it was getting a little warmer. I'm quite warm once I'm wrapped up though. In case anyone is wondering, a friend let me pitch my tent in their garden. I say a friend, more an acquaintance.

Carl

Yeah, I've been amazed by how cold it's been recently. We're well into March for goodness sake!

I did wonder where you pitched your tent, glad to know it's in somebody's garden, not in a public place.

More *hugs*

Lou

 

[Carl East]

I did wonder where you pitched your tent, glad to know it's in somebody's garden, not in a public place.

More *hugs*

Lou

After my first tent got burnt down I didn't feel that safe anymore, and then a friend offered me his garden to pitch it in, so I did.

Carl

 

[PDumbledore]

Carl,

Sorry to hear about all that has been going on. I myself have gone through some of what you have. Even though I still go through a depression every now and then, I look into myself, and work my way out of it.

Even though there are ass wipes in this world, remember that there are people out there who care about you and love you.

My prayers will be with you.

 

[Carl East]

Carl,

Sorry to hear about all that has been going on. I myself have gone through some of what you have. Even though I still go through a depression every now and then, I look into myself, and work my way out of it.

Even though there are ass wipes in this world, remember that there are people out there who care about you and love you.

My prayers will be with you.

Thank you for those kind words PDumbledore. I could tell you about some wonderful people that we all know here and what they have tried to do for me, but they want to be kept anon. I'll simply say that there are some very good people in this world and even though I refused there help I was moved to see it offered.

Carl

 

[Carl East]

I have longed to come in to this thread and tell you this news, and now I can. I've been offered a one bedroom flat/apartment, and I'm going to see it tomorrow.

After seven months of living in a tent, and being a manic depressive, I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. My brother and I are going out to celebrate tonight.

I'll let you know what it's like when I get to see it for the first time, in the mean time I wanted to thank all those that wished me well in this thread, and others that pm'd me.

Thx

Carl