Yo Poco..Go!

**Ken** · 08-11-2009, 01:37 PM

I had a secretary who decided to change her computer screen name and password on her first day on the job. Well, she goofed it up, and the computer went down.

I asked her if she tried to change ANYTHING. She said "No."

I called a computer tech in. He asked her if she tried to change ANYTHING. She said "No." He asked, "Are you sure?" She said "Yes, I'm sure." So then, he began checking all other possibilities. Five hours worth of work. Nothing. Again, he asked her if she tried to change ANYTHING. Again, she said "No."

Well, he checked anyway. He discovered that, in fact, she had tried to change her computer screen name and password. Took him 5 minutes to fix the problem.

Her lie cost me about $375.00. It cost her the new job.

**Timber_wolf** · 08-11-2009, 03:31 PM

Originally Posted by Sarge47

Poco, I would like to see the thread you should start with all that you have learned in the streets! There were many here who really got behind that & I think it was heartfelt, real, & really showed what the thread; "Basic Survival", was all about! If it were me I'd call it "Takin' it to the streets." Or even: "Basic Survival II. Many of us on here would love to read the things that you have learned. Looking forward to it man!

I also second this but for different reasons, as I too was homeless up until about two years ago.

I am wanting to see what you did and see if it would have made my situation easier. As a learning experience it was difficult and somewhat scary but I survived and now feel that equipped wilderness or urban survival would be much easier if it should ever come to that, again.

I am not ready to tell of my own misadventure on here but hearing your story might help me come to better terms with my own. As well as show me where I might learn from your experience.

Thank You
Timber Wolf

**Ken** · 08-11-2009, 03:57 PM

Originally Posted by Timber_wolf

I also second this but for different reasons, as I too was homeless up until about two years ago.

I am wanting to see what you did and see if it would have made my situation easier. As a learning experience it was difficult and somewhat scary but I survived and now feel that equipped wilderness or urban survival would be much easier if it should ever come to that, again.

I am not ready to tell of my own misadventure on here but hearing your story might help me come to better terms with my own. As well as show me where I might learn from your experience.

Thank You
Timber Wolf

Timber Wolf -- you survived! You made it through. Congratulations, my friend. It's good to have you with us.

**Sarge47** · 08-11-2009, 08:47 PM

I'm going to be brutally honest here; I thought the Basic Survival thread was "Okay"; 3 stars out of a possible 5, as it is somewhat speculative; where Poco's experience actually happened. What is so absorbing to me about Poco, and maybe even Rebel, is that they didn't go through the whole thing solo; but formed small "communities" in order to insure there survival; hence my interest in the new thread.

Another reason is that some 15 years ago I was on staff at a homeless shelter for 4 years and saw all kinds come in. I could spend a whole night or two around a campfire telling you all stories about the lazy ones vs. the ones who got out & made it. The numbers are the highest on the lazy ones, as well as the weal ones; the druggies & the alcoholics who tried to rise above their addictions but couldn't. The Mission had a policy had a policy they enforced that if you got high or soused while staying there you had to leave, as there were others there that were trying to kick their addictions. If they refused to leave we had to call the police. Sometimes they would hit the police & then get arrested for assalting an officer. Also they wren't all males. Some women were taken away in handcuffs.

The positive side was that I learned some "road survival" tactics from these folks: Safest place to sleep; by a dumpster; Avoid down sleeping bags in the winter, they get wet, then freeze & you die! Best day of the week to pan-handle for cash...Sunday!(Church folks are a lot more generous then.)
Best place to find food...the dumpsters behind resturants. And so on! This is TRUE survival basics!

**wareagle69** · 08-11-2009, 09:08 PM

i don't think i have shared this before except with poco
i too have been homless on several occasions,usually by choice especially when i was rodeoing, i see mine as a bit different tho, not sure (lost my thoughts) hmm i lived out of my truck, in the bed under a tarp then a topper then a slide in camper, parked in walmat and other places like that and also many nights in the desert and back roads in the mountains and also job sites, just had co workers wake me up in the am. i think my situation was different(ah yes back on thought) not sure if you would call it being homeless, as i always had a spot that i thought was secure to sleep. i do recall one night in downtown pheonix parked in a fast food parking lot sleeping under my blue tarp, all of a sudden the tarp pulls back and i see a face staring at me, i think i scared the crap out of him, he's like "oh sh## sorry dude " he puts the tarp back and runs off, i went back to sleep, i saw most of what i was doing as an adventure, i could always go to work if i wanted to work. i miss it sometimes, a very simple life, not that i was lazy, but my needs were very simple at that time, when i nedded money i worked, if i wanted to play i did. i even worked at a ranch for foodand a shower and slpet in my truck , but also got free bullrides to practice on and it made time go by quickly, in pheonix at that time i could ride bulls 6 nights a week(no mondays) made the time go by, heck even at one time there was 4 trucks in the parking lot of mr lucky's, all of us being rodeo bums. miss it like i said, but i do have my memories

**pocomoonskyeyes** · 08-11-2009, 09:47 PM

When I get this done and up I REALLY would like to see some of those of you who have been or are homeless To pitch in and share as well. I can promise you this, it can only add more input and thought to the thread. Because we all have been homeless but not two of us share the same set of circumstances or solutions to problems on the streets. Even if as WarEagle said "not sure if you would call it being homeless" It is the same. Some I met on the street CHOSE to be homeless, others did not. No two situations are the same, yet share similarities. Thanks to those who have PM'd me about your experience. If you want to share your experience, but don't want anyone to know who you are, PM me with your experience and I'll copy and paste your story as "another contributor", if this is acceptable to the mods. I don't know if that would violate any rules or not. Just wait "til I get it posted,before you send me a PM,AND the mods approve or disapprove that idea. I know some who are or have been homeless but do not want to share that publicly. That's cool, I WILL NOT disclose any thing you don't want me too.
Sarge I think I've come up with a title for this thread.... "Gems from the Gutter", I don't know how many have seen a picture of a Diamond or some other gems before they are cut and polished. But when I saw a picture of a Raw Diamond I was really surprised at how very UNglamorous it is, looks kinda' like a frosted chunk of glass. Some of the contributions that will surely follow will be such a thing, as valuable as a diamond. Most of my stuff is out there already but it is scattered in this or that thread. It isn't compiled in one location. Maybe not in detail but there nonetheless. It's scattered and incoherent but there. Homeless people are kind of like the raw diamond, you look at it and say that's nothing spectacular, but cut and polish...you might just be surprised. Some are (Like Diamonds) very brilliant.

**Sarge47** · 08-11-2009, 11:48 PM

Gems from the gutter! I like it! You've got the right idea about keeping things confidential. As long as those PMing are in agreement, I don't see anything wrong with it; I'll let the others speak for themselves. I find this totally interesting having been on the other side of the fence while working at the homeless shelter. So go for it!

**Pal334** · 08-12-2009, 05:40 AM

I have to confess, my view of homeless folks in the past has been less than sympathetic.
Reading this thread has started changing that mind set. I am looking forward to reading this as it developes. Thanks guys

**pocomoonskyeyes** · 08-12-2009, 08:58 AM

Originally Posted by Pal334

I have to confess, my view of homeless folks in the past has been less than sympathetic.
Reading this thread has started changing that mind set. I am looking forward to reading this as it developes. Thanks guys

Pal don't feel bad. My view of homeless was not good ,and then I became one,and it was changed forever. For some of them your old point of view was valid. Still is. For others that are Homeless it's so-so. For some it's wrong. Like anything you choose to look at all are going to have good,mediocre,and bad. It doesn't matter what we're talking about,whether it's "Class", occupation, retail outlets,or apples. This is the Danger of stereotyping. I think everyone is "guilty" of it at one time or another,maybe not about people, but anything. All it takes is one bad experience or story being related to us to "taint" our opinion. There are good people that are homeless, there are bad people that are homeless, there is also the in between.
What I've learned here is to give a chance, with limitations for my own protection. I believe in second chances. But I place limits on them. I may even give a third chance since bad habits can be hard to break. Eventually though I have to look out for me,and can no longer help. It all depends, like everything it should be a case by case basis. The more ya'll talk about this the more I remember and the lessons I learned. Thanks for "keeping it Fresh".