Are homeless considered survivalists?

[Assassin Pilot]

I have recently been reading this homeless veteran's blog about his life being homeless. I think it relates a lot to what we talk about here. Basically this guy is in a survival situation and manages to make a descent amount of money without having to worry about housing and such.

He manages to keep a laptop and recharges it at hotel lobbies and such, so he's not one of those stereotypical hobos who do nothing at all. I think you guys would probably be interested in it.

Here is the link:
http://wanderingvets.wordpress.com/

[canid]

in my view, there are few better examples of the survival mentality or success than a healthy homeless person.

i've been homeless myself, and have known many who by choice or circumstance, spend some time or other without an address.

[canid]

btw: much of what you might call the stereotypical hobos are mentally ill people with no family or friends to take care of them.

[Rick]

Did I miss something? I didn't see anywhere that he was homeless. Only a homeless veteran's advocate.

[trax]

so he's not one of those stereotypical hobos who do nothing at all. I think you guys would probably be interested in it.

I think if stereotypical hobos did nothing at all, they'd be dead.

[crashdive123]

I believe you are right. He seems to be an advocate for homeless vets. Most of the homless vets that I have met are in the situations that they are due to drug addiction or some type of mental illness as candid stated. I work with a few veterans groups to try and get these guys and gals some help. They have served us and I want to try and help them.

[Assassin Pilot]

I think if stereotypical hobos did nothing at all, they'd be dead.

by "nothing at all" I mean never little in terms of work and such. Canid brings up a very good point as well. When were you homeless by the way?

He is a homeless veteran. I spent time over the last few weeks to read most of his blog posts. Here are some of his posts that bring up some pretty good points and things some of us could use.
http://wanderingvets.com/2007/10/31/...lter-tent-150/
http://wanderingvets.com/2008/01/06/...acks-and-beds/
http://wanderingvets.com/2007/10/02/...-rabbit-snare/
http://wanderingvets.com/2007/10/09/...ne-birmingham/

If you read some of his first posts, it pretty clearly states that he is homeless himself, he is just a lot better off than many other homeless people.

Drug abuse seems to be a big issue for lots of homeless people. It must suck being homeless and having a drug addiction, plus sometimes a mental disability.

[trax]

I was thinking in terms of finding food whenever possible and shelter of some kind every night is probably tougher in an urban environment than out in the wilds. It would be for me anyway, doubly so if one has to deal with addictions or mental disability.

True story. I was in a restaurant in Vancouver, BC once when an earthquake hit, this was back around 1976. It registerd 6 at it's epicentre, just outside of Vancouver. The restaurant was one of those 24 hour coffee joints. I noticed the cutlery starting to vibrate and just thought "holy crap, I heard there were earthquakes here, I guess one' s about to hit" and wham! the whole place is shaking and quaking like a boat in a storm. There was this old street guy at a table across from me who kept passing out at his table. The staff kept waking him up and telling him to leave and he'd stall and say ok and then go back to sleep when they left him alone. I think most of them didn't really have the heart to turf the guy. Well, when the quake hit, most of the restaurant patrons started freaking (proud to say I never, anyhoooo) This old guy lurches awake, sees that everyone else is shaking as bad as he is and calmly goes back to sleep. Less than a minute later, it was over. I always kind of admired that guy.

[canid]

i was without residence when i moved to california for a few months at 13-14 with my mother and again several times throughout my traveling over the years. it's hard to travel and then relocate into a rental situation when you don't have a lot in the way of savings [and wish to stretch your traveling time as long as possible]. i'm sort of nomadic that way. i don't like living permanently in any place and i love to be on the road.

[trax]

Why you frisky l'il irregular meat sprocket you. I lived like that years ago, I actually miss it sometimes, when my whole life fit into one backpack and I could go when I felt like it. The big difference for me,at that time was, I had people I could fall back on. I lived that way by choice.

[canid]

i've always had family and friends to help, just not always in the area i wanted to be. i suppose it's easier when you're young and more so when you're single. now i'm planning my academic career and talking of children with my lady. i'm not sure how much more of that is in my future anymore.

we also lived in our tents for a wile in juneau when i was about 7. it's worth mentioning that i come from a long line of tinkers and some element of the idea that that is normal is cultural

[Sourdough]

I say if you are alive, you are a survivalist. The dead are not. We all have a comfort level, and a discomfort level. And when we are thrown over the line, into discomfort, we aspire to return to our comfort level. Those of us living a 1880 to 1930 life style are happy. I assume those living a 2008 life style are happy. Every six weeks I go into the urban area, and for me that is survival, I try to only be there for 3 hours, or less. And for others being lost in my backyard would be survival.

[trax]

I say if you are alive, you are a survivalist.

Or lucky, don't forget good ol' lucky.

[Rick]

Hopeak - Put your mind at ease. I'm as happy as a pig in mud living my 2008 lifestyle.

[nell67]

Rick,what if he wants to put his mind at west????

[Rick]

Yeah, yeah. I fixed it. Are you happy now? Sheeeeeesh.

[nell67]

LOL,just being mean.....

[Assassin Pilot]

I've never actually been homeless, but I've always thought it would be a nice experience to have. Unfortunately for me my immediate family is the only family living here in the USA, and the rest of us are back in Finland. We moved here when I was 5 so I don't remember it too well.

How much money does it take per day on average while being homeless? I got a nice stock of money I have saved up from working, so I could definitely go buy some stuff to help me adjust if need be. I always go camping just to get away from it all, but I think it would be pretty cool to try being homeless [long term camping out] over the summer or something when I don't have school. I could keep you guys up to date as well cause recently I bought an iPod Touch which can connect to the internet and fits in my pocket. And pretty much every coffee shop has free wifi.

You guys think it would be worth it? I've already gone camping for over a week with only what I can carry on my back so I know what to do.

[canid]

in re. to the cost, anywere from nothing to a couple hundred per month [or more] depnding on how you go about it. i lived two weeks in humboldt on $80 including my morning breakfast and coffee at the co-op while waiting for some training courses a couple years ago. i traveled with a rainbow family free kitchen for a few months for a couple hundred between the whole crew. i earned and sunk about $50 into it during the process.

[Assassin Pilot]

I suppose if you're desperate you can use $1 to buy a double cheeseburger at MCDonalds (for some reason it costs less than a regular cheeseburger ) anyways, assuming you have clothing and shelter, all you would need is food (which can be hunted) and stuff like lighters/matches (unless you are desperate, in which you use a fire bow).