Linus Christmas Monologue

from Peanuts-A Charlie Brown Christmas. Linus tells us "what Christmas is all about".

Merry Christmas!

BFP My Turn/Op-Ed Reprint: Homelessness is having no place to hang your hat

Reprinted from NAHNN blog, here, as well as Green Mountain Daily blog, here.

Sunday, July 14, 2002
Burlington Free Press
[Burlington, Vermont]
Editorial/Opinion section
"It's My Turn"/Op-Ed segment
Homelessness is having no place to hang your hat


By Morgan W. Brown

If "home is where one hangs one's hat," where does a person who is living homeless hang their hat?

When a person hangs their hat someplace temporarily, are they no longer considered truly homeless even if, in fact, it is not really their home?

Being homeless myself, I know well how the smallest items of hope are always held onto very tightly.

Just like one's own sense of dignity, self-respect, pride -- which are equally cherished and held close, such hope can often prove extremely useful and even vital in the long journey being undertaken just in managing to survive as well as living independently.

These core parts of one's self can also be key to what is needed to help find, obtain and then move into some form of safe, decent and affordable housing of one's own; which is an essential part of what is needed to end homelessness.

As near as it may be to my becoming housed once again, after being homeless in its various forms for nearly five years this time around, one would think nothing could easily stand in my way.

Yet, there are many moments when it seems too daunting and so very far away to ever be accomplished on one's own.

There are those days, and even weeks, which do not seem to pass by without a severe and persistent need to find and renew hope, inner strength as well as faith in everything.

Almost constantly, in many different ways, I remind myself that whatever the circumstances or, how they are experienced and felt, there are always other ways of thinking about them and other methods of accomplishing something when it is waited for a little while longer and, what is sought is looked for even deeper than we may believe is possible and, the support needed to do so is received.

Just as crucial though, the value of the smallest or seemingly least important thing to provide inspiration should never be underestimated; often found in what we may perceive to be the most unlikely of places or persons, especially when it is needed the most.

These are among the things which often help me to never, ever, give up on anything or anybody -- and, most importantly, never on myself.

When I do find and move into a place of my own, my hat will be hung where it can be grabbed at ease when needed. Then whenever it is off of my head and in its usual resting place, I will know I am home.

Morgan W. Brown is living homeless in Montpelier.

Yet other different versions of what had been an original much lengthier three part essay of mine the above was drawn from are available here (via Street News Service) and, here (via Poor Magazine).

Thanksgiving 2009: What I Am Grateful About This Year

This Thanksgiving I find myself very thankful for:

• friends;
• family;
• being permanently housed;
• surviving too many moments, hours, days, weeks, months and, even worse, years living houseless (aka homeless); as well as,
• surviving hopelessness experienced during such times;
• better health;
• and, turning 54 years-old recently (which have been gravy or bonus years, especially given once grave doubts of mine about either myself or the rest of the human race surviving much past my 30th birthday due to the nature and state of world events both leading up to then as well as at the time: i.e., 1985).

What do you find yourself being grateful either for or about within your own life this year?

Sarah Palin Moment: Strange Dreams or Vision of Things to Come?

Within a dream er, maybe a nightmare actually, I experienced last night about nothing specific really, the following occurred while riding by Montpelier city hall on a crowded bus (reminder, this was only a dream of course):

The Montpelier (Vermont) city hall clock tower was adorned on all sides and also on top with lighted Sarah Palin for President signs.

It was sort of a twilight zone moment, especially given the clock tower scene with the lighted Sarah Palin for President signs kept playing over and over at different times during my dream state.

Maybe it was something I ate and need to be careful about not eating such so late in the evening again.

I just hope it was merely an odd moment during a bad dream and not a vision of things to come.

Living Homeless, Kevin Boudreau Posts on Boston Craigslist: "Help me ..."

Read his Craigslist post, here.

Read the Boston Globe news article profiling him, his story as well as circumstances and needs, here (Monday, October 26, 2009).

Taking Down Tent/Camp Site Tomorrow Morning: i.e., Friday, 9/11/09

Since I had given myself about a month to go back to take the tent down at my former camp site in the woods upon my last return there the day prior to moving into my apartment and was also waiting for both when I felt good enough to do so as well as cooler temperatures and for a period when there had been no rain for a while, it looks like it is time for me to do so come tomorrow, particularly before it rains next.

Most likely will try to do so as early in the morning as I can manage, especially since it will take me a little time and a bit of effort to get it done; although it should not be too hard or overly time consuming either, since the only thing left to do is to dismantle and fold up the tent as also fold up the tarps, etc., and then carry it out.

New Digs Video Tour & Needs

Video Tour of My New Efficiency Apartment

silent film style (i.e., no sound) video tour
of my new efficiency apartment in Montpelier

Since several have asked, although -- besides my belongings, clothes as well as new fan I bought -- I have been recently gifted a bed and small night stand, two living room chairs and a cable ready TV, I am in need of most everything one can imagine is needed for manging one's household and living space, particularly when starting from scratch all over again after twelve years of not having permanent housing.