One of my friends has a 20 something son that graduated college with a LAW degree, over $100,000 in debt to law school and they are working at McDonalds because there are no decent paying jobs anymore with outsourcing tons of jobs from factory jobs to customer service and manufacturing overseas, the digital/internet age making people's jobs obsolete

He graduated with a LAW degree. So he should be trying to find work in his field. Jobs like factories and customer service should not even be on his radar. If he graduated law and can't find a job better than McDonald's than something is wrong.

I get your point. Times are tough. We all make life choices and deal with the consequences of those decisions. I think your acceptance of poor paying jobs even with 2 degrees was your downfall. Other aspects really make no sense to me. I had an apartment and lived on my own at 16. I was an idiot at 16 but accomplished it. You have never done this in your entire adult life? Now at 55, you want others to help you do what you never have. At times you come across as a little angry that it didn't happen immediately and that this site didn't produce $60000 overnight.

This site has raised money for some people/causes which usually involved a family in need after a death or a communal cause. Yours is the first time that I have ever seen someone say that they made bad career choices and want people to fix that and give them money. I don't mean to simplify your issues but it really does come down to that.

Don't mean it to sound judgemental but I guess it is. Guarantee that more than a few read this and said "Cry me a river and go get a job". As I said earlier, there are many sad stories. Homeless people and hungry children for instance.

I had feared that you wouldn't get a cent here at the beginning. Amazed that this site generated what it did and perhaps a bit more will come. But being critical of the level of support won't help. $1600 from strangers may not pay for a new life but it is $1599 more than many get.

Arlene you should not have to justify hard times, and needing some help. The circumstances speak for themselves, you are disabled, your car was totaled, you need a place to live, there are not many job opportunities for people in certain age ranges, there are regional preferences employers have, up here if you are Spanish, wear tight clothes that looks like you got in them using a shoe horn, and show your breasts you will be hired because they want a "bi-lingual preferred". If you are white, you better be 30 or less and prepared to sleep with your boss.

Rather than look at what you can't do, think the other way, what things can you do? There may be churches that could use some part time help making phone calls, working on their newsletters etc. If you can prepare a meal, maybe you could do salad prep at a restaurant or fast food place. Many of the call center, phone jobs relocated to Delaware from New York, they do credit card servicing, etc. Think of the skills you have, and what type of work they could be applied to. Even the writing, are there any news television stations maybe you could do something there, even if it is just typing classified ads for a local newspaper. Consider funeral homes, they need people to answer the calls, take information, give people directions etc. Phones are used everywhere, if you can talk, you can do that. IF there are no jobs where you live, you gotta move. Florida may not be a bad idea. You got the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, you can get good medical care there, and Florida has a lot of small efficiency apartments. I know it is hard to think of all this, but as someone told me, sometimes you just gotta pick up stakes and go. Nothing is guaranteed, nobody's future, but when people are in a place where there are no possibilities, you got to do something else.

Baltimore will experience race riots when the dollar fails. You do not want to go thru that. I want to be waaaay away from New York City when that happens because it will be HELL up here too. We are living in the pre-end times. This is the time to call out for guidance and let him lead you where you need to go. One of the things I would say is try to find a good church, or a good masjid. Most of them do not help financially, the church or masjid may not help you but you may meet people there who will help. If they don't, remember that even Jesus complained that even a prophet had no where to lay his head in his own home town.

Remember God only deems 144,000 worthy to be in his new Kingdom that Jesus will establish when he comes back. Out of all the hundreds of millions of people, that's how many actually get it, understand how they are supposed to live. The rest are concerned with their own pleasures, and are slaves to their desires and materialism. So when you are surprised at people, don't be, others have walked these roads before you and faced scorn, indifference, torture, and death. If you are right with God, it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks. If they were living according to his ways, and the guidance he left, once you made your situation known, there would be an outpouring of support. I will add you to my prayers, and when my situation improves, I will send something.

I don't think it matters how you ended up in this position. What matters is where you are now and where you go from here in your life. God is aware of your situation, he is not ignoring you, he is watching the responses from those who know about it. He lets us suffer so we come to him and pray and get closer to him, and he uses our miseries to get others to think of him and come to him also, even if they only pray for you.

P.S. This lady Arlene has asked for help. God has a Tropical Storm named Arlene in the ocean. God will hold the storm back so it does not wreak havoc on the land, as a mercy to the people in the US. Maybe those who have not considered donating ought to. God is giving you his mercy, where is yours?

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh/MIATCDAT1+shtml/202032.shtml

Tropical Storm Arlene Discussion Number 6
NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL AL012017
500 PM AST Thu Apr 20 2017

I have to add one more surprise to my long hurricane forecasting
career. Unexpectedly, the subtropical cyclone became a tropical
depression this morning, and then it intensified to a tropical
storm. This intensity estimate is based on the cloud pattern
presentation on satellite imagery which shows moderate thunderstorm
activity surrounding an eye-type feature, and a convective ring in
microwave imagery. Initial intensity is set at 40 kt, although
estimates from TAFB suggest that the winds could have reached 45 kt
around 1800 UTC. Since that time, the cloud pattern has deteriorated
somewhat and winds probably have diminished. Despite the
intensification, Arlene is still forecast by all global models to
become absorbed by a nearby developing extratropical cyclone on
Friday.

REMARKS: God most certainly does control these things. He already proved it. All the forecasters waaay back said there was no way Hurricane Floyd would NOT hit us up here, but God stopped it, he also stopped Isabel, and Irene from destroying us here. I am not arrogant enough to say he did it for me, but he was well aware of my circumstances and during one of those storms I lived 2 blocks from the ocean. During Irene, I tried to escape and ended up smack dab in the middle of it near the river rising close to inundation stage. The car just would not go further, further where I was headed ended up with inundations and major flooding. He stopped me from being there.

[Edited on 4/20/2017 by gina]

P.S. This lady Arlene has asked for help. God has a Tropical Storm named Arlene in the ocean. God will hold the storm back so it does not wreak havoc on the land, as a mercy to the people in the US. Maybe those who have not considered donating ought to. God is giving you his mercy, where is yours?

God sounds like he is threatening us. Not a very nice God that you have, Gina.
God is warning us now as it is raining outside. You better sell all of your earthly possessions and donate, Gina. OH OH the wind is blowing now. Better sell faster.

Instead of threatening with natural disasters, why doesn't God just give her a car and an apt?

gina...that's not sound doctrine. Not even close. I told you before, many times, be careful of your interpretations and how you convey them to people. I'm not getting into it with you again but just a heads up...

If it's 144,000 thing, then I guess heaven is already full and it's time for me to stop following this thread. Arlene, you will be in my prayers. Unfortunately, I've been laid off after 35 yrs from a company I poured too much of my personal life into. And nobody is looking for a 60 yr old unless it's for close to half my old salary, which I'll do if necessary.

Jobs like factories and customer service should not even be on his radar.

Yours is the first time that I have ever seen someone say that they made bad career choices and want people to fix that and give them money. I don't mean to simplify your issues but it really does come down to that.

I had feared that you wouldn't get a cent here at the beginning. Amazed that this site generated what it did and perhaps a bit more will come. But being critical of the level of support won't help. $1600 from strangers may not pay for a new life but it is $1599 more than many get.

Couldn't have said better myself, though I do hope your luck turns around, but I wouldn't wait on someone to fix the problem for you.
Have you tried https://www.vehiclesforchange.org/car-donation-programs/
They look to serve the Maryland area.....

If it's 144,000 thing, then I guess heaven is already full and it's time for me to stop following this thread. Arlene, you will be in my prayers. Unfortunately, I've been laid off after 35 yrs from a company I poured too much of my personal life into. And nobody is looking for a 60 yr old unless it's for close to half my old salary, which I'll do if necessary.

Sorry to hear that. Yours is a very common story. I have many friends in the same situation.

Hopefully after 35 years, they treated you respectfully and fairly with your exit. One friend has been in a legal battle for a couple of years. After almost 40 years, they are trying to give him next to nothing. Because of certain aspects of his industry, the legalities are not as straight forward.

Another friend lost pretty much everything. First getting let go at work after 30+ years, lost his house, cars and was pretty much feeding the family through food banks and the support of friends. Lead to massive depression with suicidal thoughts. Eventually lost his wife/family as it was just not a healthy situation for anyone. A shadow of himself. This was a guy who worked his way up from as low as it gets to VP of the company.

Personally I never had the chance or wanted to hang for 35 years. It was not the nature of the careers that I chose. Radio? Absolutely no job security at all. Little pay for countless hours. No 9 to 5 shi*t there. Everyone gets fired and everyone is always looking for work. Music industry? LOL - well that is even worse than radio. Depending on the job, it is always a matter of looking for more work. Money there one minute and gone the next. Musician? Well that is even worse than the other two. Even when you work, the money sucks.

Working all of those jobs, you need something on the side. So I did countless other stupid jobs to get by. Often between career jobs, I did what I had to. Positive side - I learned quite a few skills. Negative side - most of the jobs sucked.

Then I got sick and realized that I had picked a whole bunch of jobs that left me with little to no benefits and/or security. Get sick in anything music related - See you later. Being ill will sure mess with the family and your mental health. Luckily I have a great family and my wife is a rock. Just as I was recovering - my wife gets ill and we almost lost her. So then neither of us are working. Was a pretty stressful time.

It took a lifetime to figure out that anything music related would never pay the bills and there is no pension. Trouble is the only way to make the money I need is to manage something. Spent my life usually being responsible for others and didn't want to start that all over. So I got a haircut and got a real job. LOL - Took a pay cut and haven't been this happy in years.

Do the music stuff on the side now. Some consultant work and some "expert" pay for legal stuff.
Musician - I had tired of it long ago from a gigging angle. Plus working music/radio, I was at some f'n show every night too. It gets tiring after a while. Now I play with a couple of acts and have fun again. Don't care if I make a cent. Doing some session work an make a few bucks plus do some stuff free for friends.

Getting old makes it harder to start over. But I did it which means anyone can if they want or need to.

I hope Arlene and others find the help and solutions that they need. As bleak as things may seem at times, you have to keep trying and keep an open mind. As advice and resources are what helps solve things long term.

I'm almost 58, spent the last 25 years working in the family business.

We closed the florist side in December leaving me without a job.

Over the years I took less money than most in my position just to help keep things going.

I could have concentrated on my photo business and left the family behind but I didn't.

I sure didn't come here in January to ask my friends to pay my bills until I found another job.

My new gig starts Monday.

Hey Ron, good luck and good on ya for hangin' in there all that time

same here, found a new job at 58. I love it. Been there two years and plan on being there another 5 or so.

It can happen, ya gotta keep digging.

[Edited on 4/21/2017 by ArleneWeiss]

My new gig starts Monday.

Hey, PhotoRon, good luck with your new gig starting Monday, whatever it is!

[Edited on 4/22/2017 by ArleneWeiss]

Not easy coming forward Arlene but I think it gives people a more accurate view of your situation. Sad that you are in this sad state of affairs. I think admitting the homeless issue is huge. Hope others agree.

Ron
Good luck starting over. Hope like me, it works out for you.

My new gig starts Monday.

Hey, PhotoRon, good luck with your new gig starting Monday, whatever it is!

Thanks!

I'll be running a garden center with mulch sales and nursery stock.

Pretty much what I was doing before but with fewer responsibilities and twice the pay.

Arlene,
I mentioned this above https://www.vehiclesforchange.org/car-donation-programs/
Have you looked into contacting them with your story? Looks to be based out of Maryland, prolly wouldn't hurt to give them a try.

Arlene,
I mentioned this above https://www.vehiclesforchange.org/car-donation-programs/
Have you looked into contacting them with your story? Looks to be based out of Maryland, prolly wouldn't hurt to give them a try.

Thank you for the kind thought. Yes I have, as well as looking into Cars For Careers and The Maryland branch of the National Kidney Foundation & Goodwill that both accept donated cars from people who get tax writeoffs. For all of these to qualify you must currently be employed, have proof of income from employment per pay stubs, and for 2 of these you must have children or be supporting tax claimed (per your most recent IRS Tax Return) dependents, so on all those points I don't qualify.

Also, My Outreach Caseworker on Monday, and my Therapist on Wednesday wrote me wonderful Appeal Letters to send to all of the resources that I have met with or contacted for help but won't help me because I 1.) Don't qualify, 2.) They plain out say no, 3.) They have criteria that disqualifies me such as NOT having children or dependents, NOT being 62 or over in age, and NOT being a Refugee (Catholic Charities, Jewish Charities, and MANY of the Houses of worship in Maryland sponsor Syrian & Afghan Refugee families up to 6 with free housing and I asked all to make an exception and sponsor me and all have said NO). Anyway I sent the 2 appeal letters and it did no good, still all denials from everyone.

[Edited on 4/22/2017 by ArleneWeiss]

My new gig starts Monday.

Hey, PhotoRon, good luck with your new gig starting Monday, whatever it is!

Thanks!

I'll be running a garden center with mulch sales and nursery stock.

Pretty much what I was doing before but with fewer responsibilities and twice the pay.

Doesn't get much better. Congrats Ron. All the best.

Arlene is there a roof over your head? We do not need to know where, do not give out the location to people. Having worked in social work for 7 1/2 years I KNOW how the system works and doesn't work. Some of the shelters are not bad, if you are a couple then you get your own room. If not, they pair you up with someone you don't even know for one night, then the next day it could be someplace else with someone else you do not know. Bear in mind these people also are in crisis with many problems, life, logistical, emotional. If you can find some churches talk to some of the priests, they may let you sleep in there at night; in NYC some of the churches let the occupy wall street protesters sleep there during the winter. That would be better than a single person in a shelter situation.

Since you need an address for welfare, go online and find foreclosed properties, use one of those addresses. Pick up your mail there. Just try to be discreet, come home in the dark and leave in the morning in the dark. if they have a shed in the back, that would put a roof over your head, or a garage would also do and probably be better. Get a sleeping bag or an inflatable air mattress.

You might even be able to negotiate something with the bank holding the note on the property, tell them you would like to stay there while they are trying to sell it, and offer some rent. Any income on the property is better than nothing. If there are busses, mass transit, you can get around. You cannot remain in the position you are in now. You have to think outside the box.

If you can take a course at a college, you can get an id, you can use their libraries, fitness centers, they have cheap places to eat etc.

In the summer and off season many of them also rent out the dorms nightly, much cheaper than a hotel.

What do you do with your stuff? Get a cheap storage unit and some totes, put things in there.

Yes all this requires some money, but you got to do what you need to do to keep a roof over your head, and take care of your needs.

Churches have pantry and soup kitchens. The food is free, Habitat for Humanity runs respectable, compassionate ones and do not harass you for your life story.

As to the new car, get a mini van, it is easier to live in something where you can at least lay out flat. SUV's have big gas guzzling engines, the minivans are 4 cylinder, and drive like a car does. You take out the back seats and you can lay down.

Arlene, if you can drive, (and it is not a great job) most towns need bus drivers for the school kids. The pay is good. The job conditions, not so much, but most will let you take the smaller busses home if you want to. You could use that to get around.

Arlene when I was young (like 19) I learned to drive an airport limo, but I did not keep that job very long, I did other jobs with less stress. If you can drive, you can drive. Limos and cabs require special licenses and endorsements, the smaller busses may require it but some of the companies may let you train for it and help you pass it. Consider it. Wheels and a paycheck will help you a lot.

[Edited on 4/22/2017 by gina]

Really???

What next, gina???

Try to tell her how to be a Uber driver???

Unreal.

Really???
What next, gina???
Try to tell her how to be a Uber driver???
Unreal.

LOL - I thought it was one of the most logical posts in Gina's history. I doubt Arlene is up for most of the suggestions. But they are ideas.

Canadian Mule and everyone, as I feared I am getting alot of scary emails to my GoFundMe and on Facebook since I changed it to say I am -h-, and still no one is helping me or donating. 2 people who personally know me and didn't know I was -h- deleted me from their Facebook.

I DO appreciate and know that you all mean well and I DO appreciate your kind thoughts, but many people look down on, are ashamed of, or prey on -h- people and I have experienced this many times even with my own personal and professional friends.

I can tell you that when I first became -h- I called 2 of my oldest "friends" and did not ask for funds. I asked if I could store a box or 2 of belongings at their homes and one who told me he was having problems hiring a responsible and reliable live in nanny for his newborn, I asked if I might help him and his wife by taking the job, and then I also would have a place to live and a salary, and he acted like I said I had leprosy, hung up on me and has not spoken to me since. My girlfriend of 37 years who just bought a new 5 bedroom home I only asked if I could store some belongings and when we had a blizzard a few months back I asked if I could just stay the night. She also won't answer my calls anymore and lets it go to voice mail.

Also, one of the publications I was writing for (but NOT paying me I was writing for Free), when my car broke down (the battery had died) I called the owner/publisher of the publication and told him I was living in my car asking for funds ONE time since they didn't pay me. He did drive up and pay for the tow truck and the new battery but was not thrilled with me when he found out I was -h-.

On that basis I am changing my GoFundMe back to NOT say I am -h-, just disabled because that is making things worse for me.

https://www.gofundme.com/urgentneedsaw

[Edited on 4/22/2017 by ArleneWeiss]

That is a shame although you did climb $200. Positive side.

P.S.--I ALSO have been reading up that what gets people donating to GoFundMe is when ALOT of people make a post GO VIRAL and SHARE the GoFundMe post on Facebook & Social Media, (and also share it on their email contact networks as well) **AND ALSO (and this part is very important)* they ADD a little intro to when they SHARE the GoFundMe that personalizes it coming from them.

Example: If someone from the ABB forum shared my GoFundMe,

One of my Allman Brothers Band forum’s members, Arlene Weiss has an emergency situation and needs your help. Arlene is a journalist and has repeatedly interviewed Gregg Allman & Derek Trucks and supported the ABB and many music artists. Now she needs YOUR support and help. Please consider a kind donation to her.

Please, please, please,... she needs your help.

So now you want US to beg for you?

This thread is seriously messed up.

I still feel sorry for you but that takes a lot of gall to ask/suggest that people spam their friends for you.

[Edited on 4/22/2017 by ArleneWeiss]

That is a shame although you did climb $200. Positive side.

These 2 donations today are from someone I know from my journalism and their friend who have been speaking to me directly. They also donated after I changed it back to NOT include the -H- part.

That is a shame although you did climb $200. Positive side.

These 2 donations today are from someone I know from my journalism and their friend who have been speaking to me directly. They also donated after I changed it back to NOT include the -H- part.

Either way - they helped. Not sure that having the H part for 12 hours was going to make a difference. But whatever you are comfortable with.

Your stories of all these stalkers and lots of emails is strange? Where are you finding these people and without some knowledge, not sure how they found you. And in only a matter of hours? Talked to someone just now who has done a ton of online fund raising and no stories of stalkers, perverts or strange emails. Somehow you attract them in hours? Strange.

Again your Fund Raising - do as you please.

I think you have pretty much maxed out on here for funds but maybe not. Not what you wanted but as I said - more than I expected.

Sure does a lot of editing and deleting posts.

Glad I quoted the part she deleted.

I think you have pretty much maxed out on here for funds

Maybe time to move on and give this thread the burial it deserves?

Sure does a lot of editing and deleting posts.

Glad I quoted the part she deleted.

I think you have pretty much maxed out on here for funds

Maybe time to move on and give this thread the burial it deserves?

PhotoRon286 I deleted all the -h- stuff and I deleted what you specifically seem to take offense at. I also deleted something I wanted to say specifically to you and now I am putting it back.

PhotoRon286 I was not trying to be forward I was doing what GoFundme and Kickstarter have as Faqs for a successful fundraiser. This is also the idea behind social media. Whenever someone even shares a CD, movie, etc. with their intro endorsement, that's what makes people interested and supportive. That is all I meant and did NOT intend to offend you or anyone else.

However, PhotoRon286 LONG before I ever started this thread, LONG before, and I only posted regular fun stuff, or replies, or my journalism work, you have been the ONLY person on the ABB to consistantly troll and follow my threads and post sarcastic, hostile, combative or mean spirited stuff, LONG before I posted this thread. I have not said anything all these years while I held it in, and LONG before I started this thread.

Well enough, ok, enough. If you hate me so much that you have to constantly follow me and say mean stuff, and that includes after anyone says anything positive to me, (NOT just here, as I said LONG before I started this thread) when I have replied to or posted on other threads and someone says something nice to me and you then reply with some nasty stuff to make sure everyone only notices your hateful remarks. I don't know why you hate me so much LONG before I started this thread but you are the main reason I don't post that often on the ABB, I love to read but I don't post that often, because you always troll me. PLEASE leave me alone. OK.

I am now certain that you got exactly what you wanted, to know that you upset me and riled me up. That make you feel good about yourself?! Unreal.

As for Canadian Mule, Gina, Brer Rabbitt, Anthony Spare, and everyone else who posted or replied to this thread, thank you for your kindness, concern, suggestions, donations, thoughtfulness, kind words, encouragement, suggestions and Have a good weekend and a Happy Earth Day. Peace out! Eat a peach for peace!

[Edited on 4/22/2017 by ArleneWeiss]

Interesting as I don't ever remember trolling any of your previous posts from years back.

Guess I better look that up and see if I was out of line.

The idea of asking us to beg for you was tacky as all hell.

I still feel sorry for you but it seems you spend much more time here than on facebook and that's a much bigger audience, as people have tried to point out.

You also deleted other posts after lisajess asked you about them.

[Edited on 4/22/2017 by PhotoRon286]