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Reply #60 posted 08/25/10 6:56pm

PunkMistress

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I'm going to lay on top of JerseyKRS now. I'm rich in Internet love!

giggle

It's what you make it.
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Reply #61 posted 08/25/10 6:59pm

paintsprayer

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PunkMistress said:

paintsprayer said:

My wife was left with two small children to raise by her scumbag ex (child support was 50.00 every two weeks......not each; total) She lived in a complex in sarasota that had constant violence. She scraped by with state aid. She found herself in a position to get a waitressing job and the state said she was working and cut the childrens health care (they exploded on her when she quit her job in order to get health care back)

After we married she lost all aid except for her housing voutcher. I ended up taking jobs that would allow her to go to scholl, and us not having to pay child care (that means low paying jobs). How well I remember the misery involved with just redoing paperwork for the housing each year, and even just filling out head start aplications. Paperwork got lost and needed to be redone all the time.

We also had a special needs child, which coupled with low income was a green light for schools to shit all over you. How different the attitude we received when we moved and were in a position to buy a house.

noonbluespraypaintedapples, you are a good, good man.

OMG, the paperwork misery is fucking EPIC. After writing til your hand falls off and collecting every scrap of documentation they require, you find out that they CONSTANTLY lose your paperwork, then tell you that you missed a deadline and are getting cut off. I'm convinced this is a tactic to reduce the amount of aid recipients.

I have been a homeowner in the same town for almost 10 years now and there is no way the town or school would try that "lost your paperwork" crap with me now.

When low income and you get that response your only recourse is to fill out a complaint form that they are going to lose.

Now I'm older than movies, Now I'm wiser than dreams, And I know who's there
When silhouettes fall
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Reply #62 posted 08/25/10 7:02pm

PunkMistress

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paintsprayer said:

PunkMistress said:

noonbluespraypaintedapples, you are a good, good man.

OMG, the paperwork misery is fucking EPIC. After writing til your hand falls off and collecting every scrap of documentation they require, you find out that they CONSTANTLY lose your paperwork, then tell you that you missed a deadline and are getting cut off. I'm convinced this is a tactic to reduce the amount of aid recipients.

I have been a homeowner in the same town for almost 10 years now and there is no way the town or school would try that "lost your paperwork" crap with me now.

When low income and you get that response your only recourse is to fill out a complaint form that they are going to lose.

Isn't it heartbreaking to see exactly what makes you worthy in this country? disbelief Not your talents, your kindness, or your deeds. Just your wallet.

It's what you make it.
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Reply #63 posted 08/25/10 7:06pm

whistle

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i never intended to say that life can't be hard in the Western world, i just have seen things in my travels that gave me some perspective on what we generally consider hardship or poverty.

dirt floors, BO, lack of hygiene, etc. are the rule rather than the exception for many people outside the West.

malaria, cholera, large numbers of people urinating and defecating in the street and along train tracks, people actually dying of starvation....we don't really see those things here.

everyone's a fruit & nut case
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Reply #64 posted 08/25/10 7:07pm

paintsprayer

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PunkMistress said:

paintsprayer said:

I have been a homeowner in the same town for almost 10 years now and there is no way the town or school would try that "lost your paperwork" crap with me now.

When low income and you get that response your only recourse is to fill out a complaint form that they are going to lose.

Isn't it heartbreaking to see exactly what makes you worthy in this country? disbelief Not your talents, your kindness, or your deeds. Just your wallet.

at least we see it.

ever notice how corporations will hire low income service sector employees to treat low income people like crap

Now I'm older than movies, Now I'm wiser than dreams, And I know who's there
When silhouettes fall
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Reply #65 posted 08/25/10 8:11pm

johnart

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We (Mom and I) had our moments. When she was out of work, I can remember being on food stamps. I remember powdered milk and donated canned goods off donation food pantries once or twice.

I don't know if that means we were sometimes poor or what. We always had a safe and nice (and most importantly HAPPY) roof over our heads. I guess Mommy had a good way of balancing things out for me. shrug

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Reply #66 posted 08/25/10 9:21pm

Lammastide

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Poor? No. Broke? Hell yes.

I've never been without absolute essentials or the safety net of others who could furnish them at my simple request. But I've been in situations -- almost all of which my parents allowed us to be in when I was a child and, later, I allowed myself to be in as an adult -- wherein things were very uncomfortably tight... even financially in shambles. And, no, I was not content. I was utterly miserable, because I knew the mismanagement of "stuff" placed me in those situation. It owned us/me, rather than vice versa -- and there was no excuse for it.

I am grateful never to have been earnestly poor -- and I do not romanticize it -- but I think there's something potentially sobering, priority-setting and motivating when a person must manage with next to nothing -- and no option to acquire it. It can show you the real worth of things in life and move you, one way or the other, to honor that worth through hard work and real appreciation.

[Edited 8/25/10 21:51pm]

Ὅσον ζῇς φαίνου
μηδὲν ὅλως σὺ λυποῦ
πρὸς ὀλίγον ἐστὶ τὸ ζῆν
τὸ τέλος ὁ χρόνος ἀπαιτεῖ.”
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Reply #67 posted 08/25/10 10:36pm

kimrachell

SCNDLS said:

PunkMistress said:

You haven't visited the ghettoes of the United States.

There are areas of Los Angeles and Chicago, to name two, that resemble Third World countries more than the good ol' US of A.

nod EVERY major US city has areas that look as if a bomb dropped on them and people living under those conditions. Or, you have the people living in the deep south who are STILL sharecroppers and picking cotton like it's 1850. But since these groups of people have little power the public at large don't hear about it.

yeah, for instance "pine ridge" native american reservation in south dakota, some of the worst poverty i've ever seen in my life! sad

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Reply #68 posted 08/25/10 10:54pm

kimrachell

to answer your question....yes, i was poor almost my entire childhood. was homeless, lived in motels, gov. housing, went without food, my parents had to sell everything we owned several times. had to go to food closets and churches for food i don't know how many times. and my dad always worked, it's just it was never a good paying job. but somehow we always made it through. it's like just when we would hit rock bottom and be sleeping in a motel room, or in a car, some angel of a person would pop into our lives to help us. i will never forget the things i went through as a child, and seeing my parents cry because they didn't know how to buy food for me or milk. those memories are burned into my brain forever. one thing i will always admire about my parents is that they would work 5 jobs at once if they needed to in order to take care of me. my dad is one of the hardest working men i've ever seen in my life. it must of been hard for him to be judged so much by others thinking because he's poor he must be lazy. confused

also right after my husband and i got married we were in bad shape for the first few years, then everything got better when he was promoted at his job. we are okay right now, we get by pretty much paycheck to paycheck. but we never go without anything.

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Reply #69 posted 08/26/10 12:23am

Serious

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No and I hope and pray I won't be one day sigh. My financial situation has very much turned to the worse in the last 3 years and I hope I wil find a way to change that again.

My boyfriend on the other hand has experienced real poverty and it breaks my heart to know what he has been through although he doesn't talk about it much.

With a very special thank you to Tina: Is hammer already absolute, how much some people verändern...ICH hope is never so I will be! And if, then I hope that I would then have wen in my environment who joins me in the A....
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Reply #70 posted 08/26/10 12:24am

Serious

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kimrachell said:

to answer your question....yes, i was poor almost my entire childhood. was homeless, lived in motels, gov. housing, went without food, my parents had to sell everything we owned several times. had to go to food closets and churches for food i don't know how many times. and my dad always worked, it's just it was never a good paying job. but somehow we always made it through. it's like just when we would hit rock bottom and be sleeping in a motel room, or in a car, some angel of a person would pop into our lives to help us. i will never forget the things i went through as a child, and seeing my parents cry because they didn't know how to buy food for me or milk. those memories are burned into my brain forever. one thing i will always admire about my parents is that they would work 5 jobs at once if they needed to in order to take care of me. my dad is one of the hardest working men i've ever seen in my life. it must of been hard for him to be judged so much by others thinking because he's poor he must be lazy. confused

also right after my husband and i got married we were in bad shape for the first few years, then everything got better when he was promoted at his job. we are okay right now, we get by pretty much paycheck to paycheck. but we never go without anything.

grouphug to you and everyone else here who had times like that

With a very special thank you to Tina: Is hammer already absolute, how much some people verändern...ICH hope is never so I will be! And if, then I hope that I would then have wen in my environment who joins me in the A....
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Reply #71 posted 08/26/10 12:35am

booty

.

[Edited 8/26/10 2:01am]

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Reply #72 posted 08/26/10 6:36am

TotalANXiousNE
SS

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PunkMistress said:

Some of you have gone to "Poor Camp" - which is different from being poor. lol

The difference is the horrible buildup of physical, mental and emotional stress that comes from having no, I mean no light at the end of the tunnel in terms of being able to fulfill your physical needs and material comforts. And, if you choose or are forced to apply for assistance, the degradation and abuse that gets heaped on you any time you apply and each time they make you re-certify (which means trek down to the office every three months with no car and bring every piece of paper you've ever had with your name on it while they look at you like you're a rat in the subway), which is hardly worth the pittance you eventually receive.

Oh Yeah. lol Gotta Love it.

Or when you've just 'become' poor like the day before and you walk in for the first time with your eye phone and gucci bag, and proceed to tell them you have no money food shelter or vehicle. lol

I've reached in darkness and come out with treasure
I layed down with love and I woke up with lies
Whats it all worth only the heart can measure
It's not whats in the mirror but what's left inside
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Reply #73 posted 08/26/10 6:52am

TotalANXiousNE
SS

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Anyways, to answer the question, I don't know that I'd say I've been poor.

When I was going through my divorce, I no longer had the luxuries I did wen I was married, but my kids still got fed, and we never slept one night without a roof over our head. It might not have been the food or roof of choice but it was still there. We slept on the floor, and had no furniture or ac or vehicle all last summer and fall, but we had fun doing it. It was like camping. I just kept worrying about the kids the whole time. LIKE, OMG my kids lives are ruined cuz I'm not taking them to the beach this summer, or cuz I can't get them ice cream. But yanno what. They didn't complain a ONCE and you woulda thought I had just bought them a pet dinosaur the first time they came home after a weekend at their dads and saw that I had finally bought a LIGHT BULB for their bedroom, or when I had picked them up some cheap bath toys at the dollar store. I swear they appreciated that stuff more than they EVER appreciated all the motorized glorified toys we used to get them.

I have to say those were some great days, and I wouldn't trade them for the world.

I've reached in darkness and come out with treasure
I layed down with love and I woke up with lies
Whats it all worth only the heart can measure
It's not whats in the mirror but what's left inside
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Reply #74 posted 08/26/10 9:09am

Shyra

I never wanted for anything as a child. Even though my parents were college educated and had good jobs, they were very, very frugal, both of them. They had lived thorugh the depression where food was scarce; consequently, they never forgot that and learned how to save and not spend money on frivolous stuff. I never went hungry as a child, ever. But when I was in college, I had many a day when I didn't have enough money to buy a meal. I lived in the dorm, but had used up all the money my folks had sent me for food. I was too ashamed to tell them I was broke, so I made do with soup and hot dogs for a while. I eventually got a part-time job while in college so I had extra money to buy food and incidentals.

As an adult, I've done OK. In my 20's I was living paycheck to paycheck, but I never had utilities turned off or missed a car note. For a minute, I had a bill collector harrassing me, but I put a stop to that by paying off the bill and vowing never, ever to let that happen again. I hated that shit! This mofo even called my neighbor when he knew I wouldn't answer the phone!

After I lost my job in '07 and was unemployed for three years, I was able to keep my house, pay my bills and buy food all by the grace of an inheiritance left to me by my daddy. If it hadn't have been for that, I might have been up shit's creek.

I'm back to work now, but not making the money I was making before, so I have to be careful about spending. I consider myself blessed because I don't have to support any kids; don't have any. But I do have to keep my 7 kitties in food and cat litter. lol

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Reply #75 posted 08/26/10 9:21am

kimrachell

Serious said:

kimrachell said:

to answer your question....yes, i was poor almost my entire childhood. was homeless, lived in motels, gov. housing, went without food, my parents had to sell everything we owned several times. had to go to food closets and churches for food i don't know how many times. and my dad always worked, it's just it was never a good paying job. but somehow we always made it through. it's like just when we would hit rock bottom and be sleeping in a motel room, or in a car, some angel of a person would pop into our lives to help us. i will never forget the things i went through as a child, and seeing my parents cry because they didn't know how to buy food for me or milk. those memories are burned into my brain forever. one thing i will always admire about my parents is that they would work 5 jobs at once if they needed to in order to take care of me. my dad is one of the hardest working men i've ever seen in my life. it must of been hard for him to be judged so much by others thinking because he's poor he must be lazy. confused

also right after my husband and i got married we were in bad shape for the first few years, then everything got better when he was promoted at his job. we are okay right now, we get by pretty much paycheck to paycheck. but we never go without anything.

grouphug to you and everyone else here who had times like that

hug

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Reply #76 posted 08/26/10 2:14pm

bboy87

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PunkMistress said:

SCNDLS said:

"Poor camp" lol

What you describe is closer to what I think of as really being poor. Meaning that one doesn't have any options and is more or less mired in the cycle of poverty without any REAL tools for improving their situation on a long term basis.

Exactly.

There's a difference between having a period of struggle in your life, and actually knowing poverty.

Poverty sucks, and there's nothing romantic about it. Yeah, it builds character, blah blah kiss my ass. I'd trade some character for organic vegetables and air conditioning any fucking day.

nod

"We may deify or demonize them but not ignore them. And we call them genius, because they are the people who change the world."
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Reply #77 posted 08/26/10 2:17pm

bboy87

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PunkMistress said:

whistle said:

i understand your point. i'm just saying that i've been to the third world and to the people there, we're all in 'Poor Camp'. they'd roll around on the floor laughing at the so-called hardships of our poor people.

You haven't visited the ghettoes of the United States.

There are areas of Los Angeles and Chicago, to name two, that resemble Third World countries more than the good ol' US of A.

nod I've seen parts of Oakland that looked abandoned

"We may deify or demonize them but not ignore them. And we call them genius, because they are the people who change the world."
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Reply #78 posted 08/26/10 2:26pm

JoeTyler

I'd be "poor" if not for my family, which has a considerable fortune; I'm a mediocre young man, lazy as a lion...

tinkerbell
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Reply #79 posted 08/26/10 9:32pm

noimageatall

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SCNDLS said:

As a child: Nah, but my mom worked hard and struggled as a single parent to make sure I had a roof over my head. None of our utilities were ever turned off and we never wanted for food.

My mother and I came to the states from Panama for a two week vacation with literally one suitcase each. She decided, at the age of 40, she'd have better opportunities here. So I went from a life of comfort, with a maid and private schools, to being a latchkey kid while moms worked two jobs to put herself through school and got her bachelor's and master's. She never got child support from my dad or welfare but managed to keep us in a very comfortable home. She also taught me the value of independence and self-sufficiency by making me get a job at 14. She never bought me another stitch of clothing or paid for anything else for me after I got a job and continued working throughout high school. I've been on my hustle ever since.

As an adult: I put myself through college without ANY parental assistance, graduating at 21. I was broke in that college student way but I lived on campus and had a meal plan so I didn't have to worry about bills or food. I worked since day 1 of college so I always had SOME change in my pocket. After graduation, I moved into my first apartment, 5 years later into my first house, 7 years after that into my current home which I've been in for 4 years. In the 16 years since I've graduated from college, I've never had a utility cut off, missed a rent, mortgage, or car payment, or even bounced a check. I've often held down two jobs even when I didn't need to because I LOVE to see my bank account grow and to be able to take care of business and indulge myself however I desire. I've been very blessed that I haven't been poor in the way you describe but I've been self-sufficient most my life and never had to ask anybody for a thang.

[Edited 8/25/10 15:57pm]

I can't believe you said all that with not one word about SHOES! lol

"Let love be your perfect weapon..." ~~Andy Biersack
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Reply #80 posted 08/26/10 9:34pm

noimageatall

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PunkMistress said:

SCNDLS said:

"Poor camp" lol

What you describe is closer to what I think of as really being poor. Meaning that one doesn't have any options and is more or less mired in the cycle of poverty without any REAL tools for improving their situation on a long term basis.

Exactly.

There's a difference between having a period of struggle in your life, and actually knowing poverty.

Poverty sucks, and there's nothing romantic about it. Yeah, it builds character, blah blah kiss my ass. I'd trade some character for organic vegetables and air conditioning any fucking day.

For real... hug

"Let love be your perfect weapon..." ~~Andy Biersack
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Reply #81 posted 08/26/10 9:44pm

Spinzilla

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I remember when i was very young, probably around the age of 6 (i'm 21 now), my family was pretty poor. We couldn't really afford furniture, so we just had lawn chairs in the living room. No table at the time either. I see pictures now of me and my brother's birthday and all of our presents came from the dollar store. And the methods of transportation! My dad is pretty much a god when it comes to cars, but even he couldn't get those pile of shit to run for very long.

Now life is much, much better. My dad makes a ton of money.

I still play pokemon. I play warcraft. And I'm awesome.
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Reply #82 posted 08/27/10 6:53am

SCNDLS

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noimageatall said:

SCNDLS said:

As a child: Nah, but my mom worked hard and struggled as a single parent to make sure I had a roof over my head. None of our utilities were ever turned off and we never wanted for food.

My mother and I came to the states from Panama for a two week vacation with literally one suitcase each. She decided, at the age of 40, she'd have better opportunities here. So I went from a life of comfort, with a maid and private schools, to being a latchkey kid while moms worked two jobs to put herself through school and got her bachelor's and master's. She never got child support from my dad or welfare but managed to keep us in a very comfortable home. She also taught me the value of independence and self-sufficiency by making me get a job at 14. She never bought me another stitch of clothing or paid for anything else for me after I got a job and continued working throughout high school. I've been on my hustle ever since.

As an adult: I put myself through college without ANY parental assistance, graduating at 21. I was broke in that college student way but I lived on campus and had a meal plan so I didn't have to worry about bills or food. I worked since day 1 of college so I always had SOME change in my pocket. After graduation, I moved into my first apartment, 5 years later into my first house, 7 years after that into my current home which I've been in for 4 years. In the 16 years since I've graduated from college, I've never had a utility cut off, missed a rent, mortgage, or car payment, or even bounced a check. I've often held down two jobs even when I didn't need to because I LOVE to see my bank account grow and to be able to take care of business and indulge myself however I desire. I've been very blessed that I haven't been poor in the way you describe but I've been self-sufficient most my life and never had to ask anybody for a thang.

[Edited 8/25/10 15:57pm]

I can't believe you said all that with not one word about SHOES! lol

spit Fool! Shoes were implied with "indulge myself however I desire" geek

Now that you mention it, I remember patching the holes in my shoes with cardboard as a kid. Not sure if my mother even knew about that. I usually only had 2-3 pairs of shoes at any given time.

My fascination with expensive shoes is a pretty recent development that I trace back to December 31, 2006. The night Prince complimented my boots. I bought at least 25 pairs of shoes in the 12 months that followed that night. sigh

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Reply #83 posted 08/27/10 8:25am

Nothinbutjoy

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SCNDLS said:

noimageatall said:

I can't believe you said all that with not one word about SHOES! lol

spit Fool! Shoes were implied with "indulge myself however I desire" geek

Now that you mention it, I remember patching the holes in my shoes with cardboard as a kid. Not sure if my mother even knew about that. I usually only had 2-3 pairs of shoes at any given time.

My fascination with expensive shoes is a pretty recent development that I trace back to December 31, 2006. The night Prince complimented my boots. I bought at least 25 pairs of shoes in the 12 months that followed that night. sigh

http://prince.org/msg/7/342270

giggle

I'm firmly planted in denial
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Reply #84 posted 08/27/10 10:05am

shootindabreez
e

Born and raised poor as fuck....my dad was a deadbeat and my single mother had to provide for my brother and I alone....

Got married...did the poor thing for a LONG assed time before getting things straightened out...

So yes...confused

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Reply #85 posted 08/28/10 8:02am

Deadflow3r

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For me the better question is "have I ever NOT been poor? The answer is NO, not really. (1998 I made $25,000 weirdly enough).

Have I resigned myself to being poor forever? Hell NO!

[Edited 8/28/10 8:03am]

There came a time when the risk of remaining tight in the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom. Anais Nin.
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Reply #86 posted 08/28/10 9:12pm

GirlBrother

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Poor right now.

Yes, I can buy new clothes and go out on the town now and again... But to do that, I have to live in the worst part of town; underneath a crack dealer.

I have money in my pocket for the first ten days after payday and then survive on fresh air for the next twenty days every month. Please don't tell me to "budget"... If I spread-out my wage over the month, I'd never be able to leave the flat.

I haven't had a week's holiday away from my hometown since 1985. My last break away was two nights at a friend's house in the countryside in June 2009. My last holiday in another country was two nights in Brussels, in 2001.

My parents give me frozen leftover food to eat, and none of it is stuff I'd choose to eat if I had an option.

I've been single since a bad relationship in 2006. I'd love to meet someone, but I couldn't afford to sustain a period of dating; just simple things like going to the movies, or meals out, or bowling costs money.

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Reply #87 posted 08/28/10 9:12pm

SHOCKADELICA1

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Hell I'm po right NOW! sad

"Bring friends, bring your children and bring foot spray 'cause it's gon' be funky." ~ Prince

A kiss on the lips, is betta than a knife in the back ~ Sheila E

Darkness isn't the absence of light, it's the absence of U ~ Prince
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Reply #88 posted 08/29/10 3:18pm

booty

.

[Edited 8/31/10 0:46am]

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Reply #89 posted 08/29/10 5:53pm

booty

.

[Edited 8/30/10 20:05pm]

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