missing and homeless?

What causes people to decide not to go home?

There are thousands of homeless people in the US that are not homeless by choice. They have no job, no skills, or are often mentally incompetent. The closure of hundreds of mental hospitals by Reagan in the 80s to "cut cost" created a whole new homeless population.

I'm used to seeing Crazy Valerie back on the corner of 20th and Irving. I've had people that were clearly insane out on the street approach me. But why do some of the more lucid people remain homeless? Is it because they cannot get jobs? Don't want to get jobs?

I guess the reason I startd thinking about this is because of the assumptions that I made regarding the Jerry Tang case. People in SF have probably seen the posters or news broadcasts around. I just initially assumed - because he was prone to seizures and didn't have his medication - that he was mentally incompetent. But I can't really tell from the information released. I know that he was reportedly depressed, but could the combination have caused a short in his brain that's kept him from finding his way home? Or is he lucid, but has decided not to?

I can't imagine that anyone who can make the decision and has a loving family would decide to wander aimlessly. From all accounts, this man was responsible and intelligent; he was the CTO of a company and taking care of his seizures. What triggers behavior like this?

I have a relative who has schizophrenia. All her life, she's had depression, but was one of the most engaging, vivacious people I knew. Two years ago, she started hearing voices. It got to the point that it was so bad that she needed to be chaperoned; even leaving her at home alone was risky. She was left in a mental hospital when she tried to commit suicide. Then, she got better. Yet recently, she's started her descent again.

My prayers are with Jerry and his family. I hope that he is returned safely; at the very least, these sitings indicate that he's alive.

couch makers extraordinaire

Yesterday, Eric, Philippe and I bonded over trying to move my couch into the apartment.

This is the couch that the movers couldn't get into the house when I moved back in mid-December. But I figured, hey, I live with 2 engineers, might as well give it a shot.

And - SUCCESS! We managed to move it in... after taking down a door, a lamp, and breaking the couch in 3 places. Afterwards, we started a promising career in couch-making by mending the couch with random pieces of wood boards leftover from a BBQ, a staple gun, and duct tape.

We rule \m/


The couch, which we feared would be stuck in our doorway.


Eric removing the closet door


Turning over the couch to fix


"Duct tape is good for everything!"


Our makeshift couch repair

weird wackiness weekend

Yesterday, I was all ready to finally pick up my stuff from my old house, and my car wouldn't start. My battery was dead!

Fernando had to come over and help me jump start my car, since both roommates were out of town, A doesn't have a car, and Karen was at work. Finally, at about 6:30, we got the thing going. My poor baby...

Since Fern and I haven't seen each other in several weeks, I invited him over to dinner (chicken lasagna, garlic bread and ceasar salad), uncorked a bottle of wine, and hung out. We even ended up moving furniture around.

The best part is that the man I was so sure was gay IS in fact dating a gay person now... who just happens to be a she! Fern is dating a lesbian (or ex-lesbian, at least). Only Fernando...

*~*~*~*

Today, I come into the office to find Kim smirking at me.

"So, did you talk to your roommate last night?" she asks.

I'm thinking, I wonder why she's asking about my roommate. Turns out that she and Jen (her sister) ran into Philippe in Tahoe! Of all the weird coincidences. Now we definitely have to do dinner at the ESL house.

new years (belated) resolutions

I'm having a hard time with New Year's Resolutions because I'm so used to setting quarter-bound goals. Er, so lemme take a stab at it:

1. Get back in shape - in a healthy manner. Screw those diets and obsessive pledges to work out. I'm happy with the way I look, but I acknowledge that I haven't been altogether healthy this last year. So I'm getting back in shape (i.e., toning up), the healthy way.
   
   The Goals:
   - Weight: 120 lbs (currently still at 130)
   - Body Fat: 24% (currently around 30%)
   - Size: 4 (currently hovering between 4 and 6)
   
   Sound familiar? Well, the difference is that these are goals for the YEAR. If I can't lose 10 lbs over the course of the year, then it ain't coming off.
   
   
2. Work out 3x a week. I just joined World Gym, and I'm excited by their classes! I'm planning on working out at least 3 times a week, with a goal of 5 consistently by the end of the year.
   
   My Quarter Check-Ins:
   - Cardio Classes: start out for 20 mins, and move up in 5 min-increments. Goal for the quarter: 45 mins
   - Weights at least once a week
   - Yoga once a week
   
   How am I going to stick to this? Karen and Andy both know that I ain't allowed to go out for dinner or wine unless I meet my 3x/week goal.
   
   
3. Cook more often! One key factor to my weight gain and fluctuation has been eating out. All the time. Now that I've moved into the Potrero House, and we're all happy to share groceries, I'm excited to cook, and therefore eat balanced and less fattening meals.
   
   I've even proposed Tuesdays as House Dinner Nights.
   
   
4. Relaaaaaaaaaaaaaaax. Let me tell you a story. After the blood, sweat and tears that I put into the Harvard application (7 essays, 3 recommendations, etc.), I accidentally missed the deadline by 2 hours b/c I misread the instructions.
   
   I was devastated.
   
   I'm not sure I cried this hard when Jeremy and I broke up. But as I rushed home to stay up all night to finish Stanford, I realized that NOTHING was worth stressing out this much about. If I had tried to finish my Stanford essay that night, I would have done a crappy job.
   
   Instead, I decided to defer Stanford to Round 3 because, now, I needed to do the best job I possibly could.
   
   This is a HUGE step for me - not freaking out. It also showed me that all those months of stress, not sleeping, not working out, etc., could have been easily for nothing. That night, I hung out with Colin, folded my laundry for the first time in 5 weeks (no joke), and chilled.
   
   Luckily for me, Harvard decided to consider my app for Round 2 anyway. Now its out of my hands. I'm going to finish up NYU and Columbia, kick ass with Stanford, and apply for INSEAD. And get back to life.
   
   
5. Take care of my teeth. I never have time to go to the dentist. Well, this year, I will.
   
   
6. See my friends more often. I love and miss them. I haven't seen anyone in weeks. But I'm making plans - promise.
   
   
7. Continue Decluttering. 'Nuff said.
   
   
8. Cherish my boy, and dump more emotional baggage. I like him, I'm lucky to have him, and I ain't gonna ruin it because of some asshole(s) that I dated 10 years ago.
   
   
9. Get a puppy. I'm just waiting for Brindo's mommy to be preggers again.
   
   
10. Be healthy and happy.
    

Happy New Year!

holidays with puppies!

Anyone who knows me knows that I love my puppies more than anything in the world. *Sigh* I already miss them. I didn't even miss my boyfriend that much (no offense, A) and we didn't see each other for three weeks!


The doggie bowls


The doggie bowls as they see it (yes, I was playing with my camera)


See, Bennie knows her bowl


Brindo napping


All cuddled up next to the heater


Fighting over the food


Brindo knows his bowl too


Best picture ever


A lazy day


Hiding underneath the chairs


Brindo being punished. He got locked in the kitchen for repeatedly peeing on the floor, but peers out through the little hole to get our sympathy. It worked.


Look at that face!


Brindo tries to bite off my nose


Mommy - she of the large head


Mommy, she of the large face


Daddy snoozing


We found the Minnie Mouse outfit originally bought for Bennie, but it only fits on Brindo. Unfortunately, Brindo's a boy.


This picture cracks me up


Brindo becomes Upside-Down Doggie #2 in the house