Two months
and counting…
That’s how long I’ve been at ASHF …hopefully not for long.
Spring has sprung (sort of) and it’s time to enjoy the fresh air …warm sun
…longer daylight hours and the hot rockin’ music scene that will soon explode
in Chicago. The last statement – I need to be a part of that again. I miss it
so much. Hanging out with my bands …friends …fans …celebrities …and my
“stalkers” (I actually do have a stalker or two). MORE importantly my time here
at this shelter is numbered and I’m SO ready to flee …as soon as I gain
employment and housing.
That’s the goal, folks.
The “air” in this place is stifling …there’s no room to
breathe or feel “free”. This is why I tend to “disappear” most days when taking
my daughter to school. I honestly cannot for the life of me understand how
anyone stay within these walls all day long. Unless you’re in a “class” aka
Computer Learning …Life Skills …etc – there’s basically nothing to do here
except lounge around …hang out on the computers (if available and or not used
for a class) …or whatever most people do when their hands are idle.
“Idle hands…” – something someone very dear to me once told
me.
I don’t have idle hands. My hands are busy applying for
positions and typing pages for this book I’m writing …to which I’m ALMOST
finished – YES! It’s a major accomplishment and (hopefully) it will be
completed on time since an official completion date has been set. Let’s just
say – it’s getting really, really, REALLY good. More about that later as I
approach the due date.
Back to being at ASHF – I’ve learned to navigate the system
…the pecking order as it were. Whom to avoid or not associate myself with to whom
I should align myself with but from a safe distance. It’s almost like “keep
your friends close and your enemies closer” type of scenario. Yet, in my case,
I’m keeping all fronts closer than ever. My skills as an observant music
blogger comes quite in handy when analyzing residents at this place. I’m not
here to make friends or join a clique …I’m here for one thing only.
That being said - you would be amazed by the things I know
and see as well as heard. Not going to give anything away but if I was to write
my life story today …gawd, what sordid tales I could tell and secrets I would
definitely expose especially about living inside a homeless shelter. It may not
be the glamorous part of my life at the moment but I do keep it real and
somewhat exciting …always an adventure these days…
…but for now – the goal is to be “free” …to breathe in the
fresh air …and rock with the music scene again.
Summer comes extremely fast and I definitely do not was to
be still here missing out on the fun that comes with it…
In other news – the food here is sort of improving. It’s a
gradual improvement actually. One Sunday for dinner – they served meatballs
with spicy marinara sauce (so delicious – we had two plates) …however they need
to serve something other than chicken. When I leave here, chicken will NOT be
on the menu at my place for a while! It’s not that they don’t know how to cook
chicken but they have run out of ways to serve it. And pouring sweet and sour
sauce over cut chicken pieces does not constitute that it’s sweet-n-sour
chicken. That’s just sauce poured over chicken pieces. They recently did try to
serve meatloaf – HA! I trust no one’s meatloaf except my own and my mom’s. All
others are crap and you can definitely quote me on that! I did enjoy they
“honey” flavored chicken they had one day. Now, they need to add some BBQ sauce
…or at least have chicken nuggets or strips for the kids. Today it was “chop
suey” …heard it was good. Unless it has fresh veggies and noodles – it’s not
good to me. I don’t “do” canned veggies with my cooking. Something I miss doing
SO terribly. Anyway – chicken is about the only thing here that’s safe …besides
the eggs (sometimes they’re too runny …swimming because they’re not cooked
fully) and the salad bar – but leave the black olives out of the greens! They
did try to serve a burrito type taco – mine’s better …of course. Sunday – the
turkey/ham sandwiches were totally not appealing. I like my daughter’s
suggestion – pizza. There should be a pizza night here …and I don’t mean the
nasty-looking pizza casserole they served in January that looked as if they had
a pizza …dropped it on the floor and mashed it into a casserole dish.
One day …the kitchen staff will get it right…
…or not…
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