Thinking about becoming one of portlands homeless - need advice (Detroit: insurance, employment)

[ramedud]

Originally Posted by UrbanAdventurer

You can move to Portland and be a borderline bum if you want, contrary to some of the other fuddy-duddy opinions here that you need to be a rocket scientist first or that you *need* to follow your relatives to Virginia as a 22 year old grown up. You don't. You're not a kid anymore and can make your own decisions. (Maybe that revelation hasn't dawned on you yet.) But you should at least aim to have a place to lay your head at night and should intend on finding a way to provide for yourself. Sleeping in the street and begging for change is not an acceptable plan there Mr. Man.

Catch 22

[khyron]

Originally Posted by Leisesturm

I don't know which is worse: posts that finesse the fine line between credible and incredible or advice (well meant though it be) that is saccharine and naive. UPS drivers @ 75K... after how many years? Starbucks... does the o.p. sound like Starbucks material? When I joined this forum it was like reading the NY Daily News... not quite the NY Times but what is? Now it's like reading the National Enquirer... I would cancel my subscription but I didn't buy one...

The signal to noise ratio on this forum is rapidly decaying. It's sad, I found it quite useful when I first came to it myself (going on five years ago now). I'm curious, is this happening across CD or just in the Portland forum?

[Minervah]

I think the OP has established he can stay with relatives and get some help from them. But of course that cannot last forever. It would be a good idea for him to have some sort of understanding as to how much help they are prepared to give and for how long. Otherwise, he can actually find himself on the street without work and that would not be a good thing. I do not think he would choose that life once he has witnessed it.

[pdxMIKEpdx]

You're not a kid anymore

The key words in that post.

To the OP:
If I could give you a good asskiicking and tell you to get a grip and straighten yourself out I would, but I can't so I'll say this.

Quit living in some dreamworld fantasy land where there will alway be someone to take care of you, open your eyes as to what it takes to make yourself a success in this world, make yourself a plan and grow a set of cahones and learn to take care of yourself.

Your problems aren't going to solve themselves overnight, so quit looking for some "instant gratification" to escape your current position in life and figure out a way to improve your lot in life whether it's unpleasant or painful or takes a little time.

Be responsible and set some realistic goals, and try your best to achieve them.
No matter what happens, you'll be better off than acting on some hair brained scheme to become homeless in Portland.
Take all that energy you're using feeling sorry for yourself and getting other people to feel sorry for you and use it to figure out a way to make your life better, 'cause guess what?
A million people can say "There, there that's all right", and "I'm sure things will get better" and give you all the emotional reinforcement you want, but NOTHING will happen unless you make it happen.

I mean do you really think being homeless is a good plan? Really? Seriously?
That's the best you can come up with?
Do you really think people are going to say that's a great plan and ecourage you to to do it?
What are you really fishing for?

Get some counseling, I'm sure you can find something free or low cost where you're at, and work on that self esteem and work on that self pride.
And a good counselor will have the connections to help you with more than just "talking about your feelings."

Life is won by taking solid baby steps building on each other until you've learned to walk like a man and reached a destination, not sitting around whining and feeling sorry for yourself.

(Crabby Old Man Lecture is over -- Sorry if I offended anybody)

[R_Cowgirl]

I think the advice you received on May 30, 2011 was the best advice for you. On several forums you have asked this question in numerous ways. You are getting excellent advice on all three places you have posted on City-Data forum. People here are sharing with you how to be a grownup in the real world. It's probably a good idea to go back and memorize the post below. It's brilliant. No one can live your life for you. But the best thing you can do is develop a strong work ethic, realize you can't just be handed everything on a platter like when you were a kid, and recognize life success takes hard work. You're not a teenager any more. Time to take some initiative and get to work. Life is not a reality show. And even the Reality shows aren't real. Homeless people get robbed, raped, beat up, and arrested. Not an auspicious start for a life on your own. Move to Virginia. Suck it up.
//www.city-data.com/forum/long-...-island-8.html

[ramedud]

Originally Posted by pdxMIKEpdx

(Crabby Old Man Lecture is over -- Sorry if I offended anybody)

LOL

Crabby Old Man Lecture aside, I think we can all agree there's no easy way out.

To the OP: It is sad you lost both parents very tragically, but from here you can either go up or down.

You should seriously sit down and watch "Men of Honor" or "Antwone Fisher".

[Sprightly]

Originally Posted by resident14

I want to add that one my relatives may be able to help me out financially if I decide to move. I need to know about employment in portland. I have no college degree. I worked in 2 different retail stores for a total of 2 1/2 years of experience. With just retail experience would I be able to find a job? Are there abundant retail jobs in Portland?

Resident14, first I am sorry about the loss of your parents - it is a profoundly difficult loss to have happened so early in your life. Thinking on difficult times I've had in my own life, I would share a few lessons I've learned that might help. There is a terrible temptation when you have suffered the loss of those that care about you to become lost to yourself as well. But you need yourself right now more than you ever have in your life. You need to be your very own protector, encourager, planner, creator in your life. Those who had that role officially for you have passed on so now you must reach in and be that for yourself.

So imagine splitting yourself into two people. One of those people is the you who is searching trying to figure life out. The other "you" is this parental protector version of you. Would that part of you - whose job it is to care for you - want you to ever be at risk for homelessness? Ever be at risk for poverty? Ever be at great risk for crime? What would that part of you want to happen? This is more than just a psychological game - you can tap into your deeper wisdom this way.

And as for my practical advice - don't do it. But you've already had plenty of people spell out why it's not a good idea. Portland in particular has a large population of young people on the margins - you don't want to get anywhere close to that scene. If you must start new somewhere pick a city that has a much better economy and a much smaller young population. Then you'll have a better shot at retail type jobs. You can always save up and move to Portland at a later time.

[2bpurrfect]

Originally Posted by R_Cowgirl

I think the advice you received on May 30, 2011 was the best advice for you. On several forums you have asked this question in numerous ways. You are getting excellent advice on all three places you have posted on City-Data forum. People here are sharing with you how to be a grownup in the real world. It's probably a good idea to go back and memorize the post below. It's brilliant. No one can live your life for you. But the best thing you can do is develop a strong work ethic, realize you can't just be handed everything on a platter like when you were a kid, and recognize life success takes hard work. You're not a teenager any more. Time to take some initiative and get to work. Life is not a reality show. And even the Reality shows aren't real. Homeless people get robbed, raped, beat up, and arrested. Not an auspicious start for a life on your own. Move to Virginia. Suck it up.
//www.city-data.com/forum/long-...-island-8.html

so true... not to mention, it is far too cold and wet in portland to be a healthy homeless person. if you want to be warm at night without any heat, or a cheap heat bill, you should go far south from here.

[2bpurrfect]

Originally Posted by resident14

I am a 22 year old male living on Long Island NY. I used to live with both my parents in an apartment. 2 years ago my dad died in a car accident. Last month my mother died of lung cancer. I moved into my aunts house. Now she is selling her house and moving to virginia (where some of our family lives). I have been to Virginia and I don't like it and wouldn't wish to live there if I had a choice but right now I have no other options. I have no college degree, I do have a few years of retail work experience. Basically I have no idea what direction to go in with my life right now. I want to live on my own somewhere and I have been researching different places and Portland seems like a cool place to settle down. Of course my problem with moving there is that I have no money. I came up with idea of flying to Portland with little money and being homeless at first and attempting to get a job and get a place to live from scratch, starting off with nothing. I realize this is a very far fetched idea that's why I want the opinion of some portland natives. Basically I wanna know if my idea just sounds insane and impossible or could it work?

any input is greatly appreciated.

virginia is a nice place and you need people who care about you, the streets can be so mean. I think if you get yourself some college (pell) grants by applying at a junior college/ community college , for free tuition, you could explore that for a while and it might be good for you before you do any moves across country. They let you change your major if you want etc and it's far better than high school, you are your own boss. you could find out more about your own potential, your options, and what your future could hold that way. and your relatives might feel you are trying to make something of your life and might be more supportive perhaps? i would definitely try that if it were me. i would love virginia versus portland! at least for a while. Not like you would be stuck there for life....

[alexxiz]

Originally Posted by Sprightly

R The other "you" is this parental protector version of you. Would that part of you - whose job it is to care for you - want you to ever be at risk for homelessness? Ever be at risk for poverty? Ever be at great risk for crime? What would that part of you want to happen? This is more than just a psychological game - you can tap into your deeper wisdom this way.

If all listened to "Parental protector", America would never have been discovered.