Somewhere between Gaaaaah and Things That Make You Happy ...

[rovingjack]

I'm thinking of it more like a steam powered machine. The pressure is building and the whole thing could blow up into a big court conflict or two, and it could hurt everybody, or just the new owner. OR I can let them see the release valves to let some of the pressure out.

See with the first tenant gone, and the second planning to be gone by the 15th, I figure making him aware that continuing with the eviction process through the courts would cost him about a grand give or take a couple hundred, just to evict two people with copies of their leases and a copy of the sales agreement which takes on those leases and security deposits, and that civil courts can be brought in for violations of those security deposits and pay the amount of a grand each to us and the new owner could also be required to pay any and all of our legal fees too.

OR the other tenant can leave on the 15th, they can give her her 400 security deposit, not try to get 15 days rent and the don't have to worry about fighting two eviction battles and civil battles over 400 dollars.

I'm a bit undecided if I should also stipulate that they should write an official retraction letter of eviction to all of us, so that it's not on any of our rental records in the future.

But that aside once she is gone and they cut any avenue for further BS toward her and the other tenant, then it's just me. I've no intention of being in the property past the FHA loan violation day (July 2). A judge could, though unlikely (considering my copy of my lease state what I pay per month to the property owner and what areas that grants me access to), decide to make me responsible for paying for the empty rooms as well as my own. But in those cases, I can appeal (which just draws it out longer) and in the very unlikely event of losing such an appeal, plead disability income. Because my only income since the new owner took over the property is social security disability they cannot take any of that income if I don't freely offer it.

So I have some recourse to protect myself. And if I let the new owners no that it'll cost them 400-700 $ and well into July to even take this further and that it could end up costing the 2000$ and take the entire summer; OR they can suck it up and quit attempting to get rent they are not owed, return my security deposit and count their blessings I didn't close all valves and stoke the burners past critical.

I wouldn't count on their taking that last bit. But honestly if I make the implications clear enough, it almost seems like an easy win for them to get rid of the other tenants and drop any wipe away any eviction processes (so nobody can come back down those lines to make additional complications for you), not chase any money you've said you were not owed in writing and wash your hands of them.

Now, how difficult I become is dependent on how they manage things up to that point. Letting them know that the other direction from the easy out for them is likely to be a hard lesson in tenants rights and the legal courses of the eviction in this state could make them take easy outs for the other two but determine to fight me even harder.

at which point I begin to ask do I then start pulling aces and show them the next easy out for dealing with me? Or do I take a beating for a bit because I know I can take it, and after the fact use their beating and the system to punish them for their conduct.

But for right now it's about removing the 'hostages' from the board. Once it's just me and the new owner I don't have to worry about anybody else. (note I didn't say that the new owners didn't have to worry about them, because I can easily get documents and some court appearances from people who would like nothing better than to teach these bullies a lesson).

[rovingjack]

The Guy is dispicable. I encountered him today and he acted all friendly and I figured this would be a possible reasonable resolution. I told him the other roomer planned to be out on wednesday and expected her security deposit and he agreed to that with no real hesitation and then I said "At which point the eviction claims on anyone is voided by their vacating the property according to the terms of their leases and your own statements."

"Oh no, I'm still going forward with the eviction."

If they left by your own terms you have nothing to evict them for. He is determined to chase after them for money he told them they didn't have to give. It's in writing.

He basically said he would take us all into court, get the month of rent he said we didn't have to pay, costs for the inconveniance to him, and his legal fees. And he says he will chase after people who are no longer tenants of the property for those costs.

The guy is as wonky as a drunken bat in daylight. I've contacted legal council and backed up all the documentation of the events and the preceding years I've lived here.

It boggles my mind that people regularly go through the eviction process who are monsterous tenants and the walk out months later and not a penny lighter and here we are roomers who have done no wrong being threatened and abused.

[Siliconous Skumins]

This is both "Gah" and "happy".....sort of.

I have decided to lose weight, as much as I can (and believe me, there is plenty). I will not reach my "ideal" weight for my height, but it will be close enough (reason is my body shape, I have big wide shoulders and I would look odd if thin). I'm aiming for around 15 stone / 210 pounds which will take me from 'morbidly obese' to 'fat ba**ard'. 

Going to be grumpy for a while as I cut out all sugar and junk food.

[Banfili]

Siliconous, I tossed all processed, added and refined sugar from my diet around Feb this year. Up 'til the end of may I had lost approximately 9 kg (21 lbs, roughly. 6 kg to a stone (14 lbs, plus the other 3 kg), without modifying anything else much (I had already modified dietary intake [quantity) last year]. Then, I went to Ireland for 3 weeks - during that 3 weeks, without great exertion of won't power, I maintained the 'no sugars' routine. I haven't weighed myself since I came back, but spent half my time over there hitching my trousers up, as the became progressively looser and looser - does nothing for one's dignity, but a lot for one's self esteem! Even declined the Tiramisu desert on the plane home!!

Be strong! And if you desperately need something sweet, dates are a good bet. Honey in moderation is good for you, and there is also a sugar free syrup made from fermented rice which is quite ok. Not Golden Syrup, but then nothing else is!

[ForestB]

Siliconous, my husband is having to do the same thing right now, due to a recent diagnosis of diabetes and high cholesterol....  Best of luck to your health endeavor!

[J. Wilhelm]

This is both "Gah" and "happy".....sort of.

I have decided to lose weight, as much as I can (and believe me, there is plenty). I will not reach my "ideal" weight for my height, but it will be close enough (reason is my body shape, I have big wide shoulders and I would look odd if thin). I'm aiming for around 15 stone / 210 pounds which will take me from 'morbidly obese' to 'fat ba**ard'. 

Going to be grumpy for a while as I cut out all sugar and junk food.

For whoever wants to lose weight :most diets work, but are hard to sustain. My method involved a type of Atkins / caveman diet. I basically threw away all carbohydrates and sugars as much as I could and dedicated myself to eating meat, vegetables and fruit.

There's a drawback to this diet. It's very hard on your liver. The other drawback is that the first time you do it, your body will not know when to stop losing weight. It took me roughly two to three months to lose 38lbs 13 years ago. My waist back when I was studying 1st year of college was 34-36 and when I finished grad school it was 40.

Once I saw my weight going below 145lbs I realized my body wasn't going to stop losing weight, so I started reintroducing sugars and carbohydrates to regulate the body weight. It took another 4 years of this until my body learned to stay between 145 and 155lbs finally settling for 155-160 which has remained steady no matter what I eat now. I had to stop eating healthy in 2008 due to financial difficulties and I've not really regulated my intake since then, meaning I eat plenty of carbs, sugar and fat and I hardly ever go past 160.

It still a matter of speculation whether I damaged my liver at the time (the liver can regenerate), but I did notice without carbohydrates, my nails became extremely brittle. Also the effect of a bout of severe depression may have affected the chemistry of my body, one year after embarking on said diet, so that is unknown.

Proceed with caution, and consult your physician if possible.

[Siliconous Skumins]

Thank you all, I need the encouragement ! 

Don't worry, I'm doing this carefully and properly based on research I've done. I intend to lose weight gradually, but I will be using different diets and exercise at different stages of weight loss. I may also give a fasting diet a go, two separate 24hr periods during the week are severely calorie restricted, and the rest is normal daily intake. I'll play about and see what works for me and if I get sick of the diet, I can change to another type so it doesn't become such a chore. 

As long as I lose weight, that is all that matters. 

[Banfili]

Well, then, don't use the word 'diet'! Stick with 'lifestyle changes' or 'changes of habit' - using the word 'diet' pretty much guarantees failure, as something in hour head will identify it as a threat to your general health and well-being and will sabotage your every effort!

Healthy food and portion control, and you are on your way - losing weight is one thing, losing it the healthy way is another!

[J. Wilhelm]

For the fasting, you can temporarily become religious and fast accordingly (you have many religions with different types of restrictions), or you can simply invent a religion of you own  -JUST KIDDING 

[Madasasteamfish]

Well just to throw my tuppence in. For a low effort and easy to maintain 'diet' I can seriously recommend the hairy bikers diet cookbooks. All the recipes have calorie counts and there's plenty of suggestions on how to cut down on calories you might not account for. And since they are literally just low calorie versions of 'normal' recipes they're easy to incorporate into everyday life (I managed to lose nearly 5 stone, or 30 odd kilos in 6 months and have since kept it off, with the exception of about half a stone of 'ale paunch' I put back on but that's not a lot over the course of 3 years).

[Siliconous Skumins]

A little update : so far I have been able to lose about 1 stone (actually a little over 13 pounds) since I started my diet changes. Initially it dropped a lot quicker, but has steadied to about 1 pound per day. Not bad for 9 days. 

Not doing any radical diet or manic exercise, it just happens that I'm losing weight at this rate due to being a little more active, like clearing up the yard etc. This is mainly due to my starting out at 22 Stone, so this rate will reduce somewhat as my weight drops and I am dragging around less resistance. 

[rovingjack]

I'm sorting out my belongings and freaking out that I will get locked out and lose it all on friday.

The legal advice people tell me that we have a pretty solid case for dismissal and even if it doesn't win, we can appeal and try again and that can result in me getting an extension on how long I can stay here while I sort out my belongings to get rid of 1/3 of it, and store the rest away while I plan to live out of my car.

On the car front, I guess I'm being loaned some money, and can only hope it's enough. I'll know on the 13th if I have a car to live out of and get around in.

On the plus side one of the jobs I am putting in an application is a paid to sleep somewhere job. Essentially developmentally delayed people in a house (so we can comfort ourselves they are not being institutionalised) require that they not be left alone in a house at night. So they need an adult to be in the house sleeping there too. If anything important needs tending I'd be required to help but mostly it's meant like, one doesn't put a toddler to bed and then go out for a night on the town with nobody else there.

we shall see where things go.

[rovingjack]

Last minute rescue by a pro bono lawyer. He grabbed on with both hands last night and came in last minute this morning to negotiate with the lawyer of the Hemorrhoid showing that we have several fairly solid cases against the evictions. It actually seemed like for the first time we got to see the Hemorrhoid asking for a bit of mercy. I think it finally hit home they they over reached.

So not only did we not have to go through a trial, but they agreed to drop all claims of money owed, to return the security deposits on the day of my leaving with a walk through with my lawyer present, and release of all claims (which as worded could be interpreted to protect anyone else who was here in the first half of june from being gone after as a sort of end run around me). And an eviction doesn't show up on record for me or the others.

The gaaah half of this is, this is all gets revoked if I don't get out of here in 14 days. So long as I'm out of here and cleaned the place as I leave by the 21st of July this all goes down swimmingly for us. If after 5pm on the 21st, I'm not gone, then I'm in violation of the agreement and a full eviction with damages is awarded to the other side.

So I have 14 days to get my life into storage and prepare to be homeless.

[J. Wilhelm]

A major victory. Sad thing is that the landlords needed legal threats to do what most people can accomplish simply by talking and being reasonable. That is the kind of novice dirtbags who will go through life pushing people out of their way for greed. It almost sounds like Southern California's real estate market to me.

Have you decided to fix your car? My impression is that you are focusing your energy on transportation, rather than tying yourself to another rental property (the Ammonia gas chamber?)

[rovingjack]

I had a moment of clarity (weeks of 4 hours of sleep a night and seclusion in an unwelcoming living space makes the supply of those clarity moments rarer) and recalled that I am after all a mad scientist. I have a stack of goldenrod paper and so I took a sheet of that over to the place I cannot stay. moistened half of it with distilled water and let it sit in the air while I moved some things out to take it to storage. The moistened half went from golden color to blood red. a control at the apartment I'm leaving darkened the gold color a bit when wet but remained goldenrod colored. This paper is a PH indicator. the paper starts as golden, backing soda solution would turn it red (darker based on concentrations) because it's basic. The if you take a sheet you turned red and expose it to an acid like vinegar it will change the exposed area to a golden color. dampening the surface allow the air flowing over it to chemically interact with the ph indicator. Ammonia is basic.

So it's without a doubt that the air in that space is caustically basic. Is it ammonia, probably, all I can say is that it is most definitely not a place I wish to expose myself to, and I will try to inform the right people about it, without making a big production of it or making accusations of people who have been good to me.

I can suck up my pride enough to take the loan to fix my car. I can likely pay it off in August, or the first week in September; so log as the repair is not more complicated than expected.

I will however be refiling many people from dependable and supporting to acquaintances, some of them family.

In some ways it can make things simpler. I can feel less pressure to be there when those people ask, and I don't have to feel anchored to an area just because they are there. they have defined where I should keep them on my priorities list by how they have interacted with me in my time of crisis. If you cannot help me that's one thing. Making things harder for me by making demands on me that don't have to be made or handled right now, or worse try to make it about yourself or try to work out some way to explain to me how you think I caused this to happen to myself... nope, you are now the bottom of my priorities list. And if you ignore my attempts at reaching out for any references or info in favor of waiting for some shallow social gathering where there won't be any obligation or responsibility to do anything... right back at you. No more giving the shirt off my back, the flow of favors and support is off. One directional flows are not what I need in my life.

I keep an eye on listings for places in the area, but my primary focus is set on maslows hierarchy, bottom level. If I can be sheltered, fed, cleaned, etc then I can work toward other things with a more deliberate methodical approach (my preferred method). So long as I have a car that can shelter me and provide power and get me to locations of food and other needs, it provides the means to meeting that lower level without depending on others as much or being as vulnerable to the actions of others. Then I can take time to find something that works for more anchored living, knowing I always have the fallback option.

I'm also working out ways that this can be an opportunity. Some youtube videos about survival (zombie apocalypse themed or something). traveling around the region tracing genetic family roots. researching the other drifters and hobos lifestyles for fiction writing. test running some invention ideas to use in making a tiny home that is self contained and sustainable etc.

[J. Wilhelm]

I'm not one to push somebody toward instability. God knows I'm paranoid myself about being in the streets, a legacy of my own experience. But as soon as things get better and you can land a steady income, perhaps it's time to revisit the idea of an RV?

I'm always longing to have a nice refurbished one and just disconnect myself from the grid. I salivate over one of those re-painted and well kept GMCs which are now collectible. Being able to just "fold the tent" and not even have to move furniture and stuff is priceless. Taking everything you own to the middle of the Rocky Mountains if you want to is even more priceless. I would get a satellite dish service for it just to stay connected.

I have learned to live with very little since my last event. All I own is in  a storage place (which I hardly even visit) and my room contains exactly one-pickup-truck's worth of things. Especially as I got rid of a Queen size mattress. I know I can probably permanently get rid of the storage stuff, if I hand over the family mementos to my family (15 small boxes in all). The rest could easily fit in a medium sized RV. A 25 footer from the 1980s would be enough.

On the other hand, stability is paramount. Given your health considerations you may want the opposite and try to land a brick and mortar room... At least for a little while

Personally, I'd aim for both. I'm at that age where I'm wondering whatthe hell I'm doing here, and realize that short of going overseas, I can actually reach all the countries which could give me a new life just by driving! I really want to avail myself of a small modern RV if possible. Based on many years of previous experience, I know that I can easily cross the entire continent with it.

[rovingjack]

the cars in the shop for the next 36 to 48 hours minimum, and I'm walking around the city for my appointments for the day in the rainy, humid, heat. Yuck.

I'm going to get about two weeks of living in the car to try it out. Mostly sleeping in there and spending the rest of my time at the mall and library. Then I'm going see if I can book a hotel for a night in the middle of the week to attend a crafts fair up north. It's 8 days long so I'll have to figure some things out.

Then it's back to car sleeping. I might try to get a camp site for a night or two before september starts.

Once I get to september maybe I will have a room share situation figured out, or I will just continue along the same. It's when we hit october I need to start paying attention to my options for colder weather. On the one hand it makes food storage easier, on the other it can kill me.

I'm going to watch see if it looks like we will have a warm enough winter that I can stretch things out and rely on hotels for the really cold nights. I have a gig I should be able to get in on starting late october or november through new years, working for the post office seasonal rush. Once that ends in early January I may just pull up and head south for less frigid weather for a couple months. I'll want to come back in spring as I expect I can have my pick of groups looking to canvas for causes and candidates in the midterm elections. That should score me good pay for several months all the way into the start of postal seasonal work again.

All the while using the car, camp site, hotel room, couch surfing, air b&b method of switching out for whatever works best for the environment and season.

I hope to pay the car off before october 2018. and along the way be able to hook a hitch onto the back and roof rack up top, to increase my ability to meet my needs along the way. Early on I'd like to make a sort of teardrop trailer that sets up shower/ toilet. To greatly increase my ability to be independent. hooking up solar to a roof rack would be a plus. Then as I keep going along I hope to make a tiny vardo style trailer to live in.

One of the hopes is that I will get to figuring out how to connect with people who will let me park in their driveway for a day or two in different areas.

I'll likely invest in a mobile hotspot so I can work from anywhere I can get a signal, looking at some of the digital assistant things as well as selling prints of some of my art and, opening up a T-shirt store etc, while writing and selling fiction and articles and shooting video content where I can sell merch and get fan funding through Patreon like services.

[Banfili]

As far as showers and toilets go, a popup camping toilet/shower cubical can be had for not a lot on eBay. I have one, for the odd occasion I might be out for a day doing fieldwork without any facilities around. It would house my "Bog-in-a-Bag" or collapsible camping toilet. They use "Bog Bags", which are sort of like disposable nappies (sorry, diapers!) except they are a bag, and can be disposed of in the same way, or at camping ground or caravan park dump points.

The "Bog-in-a-Bag" is a three-legged folding stool, with a removable velcro-ed flap on top. It can be used as a normal camp stool until required for it's alternative purpose. Also available quite cheaply on eBay, with replacement bags. I keep one in the boot (trunk) of my car all the time, as I have mobility issues, and can't use the trees by the roadside - had an ankle fusion, & can't squat. A solar shower (for the summer months) is also quite inexpensive, and quite effective.

[J. Wilhelm]

Preparing to live out in a car for a couple of months is one thing. Living for a longer period like 6 months or year is entirely different, especially in cold weather. Unless you feel that a job plus rental is absolutely not an option, I'd advice against it.

I have known people who lived for 6 months out of a car, in Southern California, where the weather is the mildest (the best anywhere), and it still was very hard. Even Texas can be very cold in Winter, with temperatures dipping below freezing in the middle of winter.

I prefer being a camper, to be honest. If you're serious about it, I'd advice instead that you do two things:

1. Consider slowly making your way south as the year progresses. SLOWLY. Not in winter like you say, but also migrate during fall/spring. Why not plan to go to California or Florida for the winter? Since you are not tied to anything why not just keep moving?

2. Try to see if trading for a larger vehicle where you could sleep/camp is an option. A large pickup truck with one of those Fiberglas covers with windows, whatever you call them. In the future perhaps the camping type pod could be fitted to the same vehicle.

Another reason to move out west outside of urban areas: Cops will harass you when they see someone living out of a car in a street. No one will harass you at a camping ground.

Go visit Colorado. Who knows? You might find loving the outdoors, and settling eventually with a job in a smaller town out in the Wild West.

I know if I absolutely had to live in a vehicle, I'd definitely be going west to where the greener areas are. I wouldn't mind settling in an outpost working in a tiny shop living from the tourism traffic outside one of the major National Forests.

Something like a clerk at a convenience or souvenir store, selling Native American trinkets to corny tourists I could even dress up as a Steampunk all year round. With my uniform, I'd fit the environment rather nicely

At least, when my time comes, I'd be happy to die out there, rather than contemplating a hospice in the city.

[rovingjack]

It's a bit of a stretch to lump my ride in as a car. It's a subaru outback. It's essentially and SUV where I can fold the back seats down and get what is essentially a small station wagon. I'm 6'2" so I still have to lay diagonal to fit laying down. And with insect screens over the open windows it should help eliminate moisture from closed windows, stale air, and bugs from open windows. some posterboard in the windows for privacy and sun block. I should do alright for a bit. getting a roof rack for storage and a utility trailer to become toilet and shower. Then it's just about finding the right places to park (which I might be able to find driveways on craigslist and tiny house hosting options.

eventually I'd like to build a vardo style tiny home, and treat it like RVing.

oop forgot why I came. Got the 'car' back from repairs. It took about 28 hours rather than 5 days, and cost a bit more than half the cost most peopl quote. So I'm happy. I had to walk a mile in 90 degree high humidity to get it, and I walked 5 miles in the same yesterday after dropping it off and heading to an appointment. so I feel gross and I can't say as I smell great either. A bit sore too. but I've got to do some more sorting and packing.

[SeVeNeVeS]

Not been around here for a while, PC hard drive fried, no internet and all that.

Gaaaah......... After a valiant fight for a very long time, my Dad finally lost the battle and passed away on the 29th of July. It's all been a slightly crappy, but hey, life carries on.........

Happy......... He has no need for his PC now, so I grabbed it quick, back online and you poor people will have to suffer my presence once again I'm afraid  

Might be slightly intermittent for a while longer, but I am back. A lot of catching up to do methinks.

[Banfili]

Sympathy for the loss of your father, SeVeNeVes. Never a good time, but good that something reasonable came out of the situation.
Nice to see you back!

[Cora Courcelle]

So sorry to hear of your loss, my thoughts are with you.

[Siliconous Skumins]

Sorry to hear about your dad, but also glad to hear you are back.

If ever a post was an exact fit for this thread, yours would be it! 

[J. Wilhelm]

Not been around here for a while, PC hard drive fried, no internet and all that.

Gaaaah......... After a valiant fight for a very long time, my Dad finally lost the battle and passed away on the 29th of July. It's all been a slightly crappy, but hey, life carries on.........

Happy......... He has no need for his PC now, so I grabbed it quick, back online and you poor people will have to suffer my presence once again I'm afraid  

Might be slightly intermittent for a while longer, but I am back. A lot of catching up to do methinks.

Sorry to hear about your loss. Nut I understand firsthand the process of end of life. Since I had no relations with my biological father, my grandparents ended up becoming my parents. I had to go though a protracted process between 2010 and two years ago.