Just yesterday we were asked by someone (won’t bother naming whom, we’ll assume they simply know who they are and we’ll all leave it to that. Nopony needs be ridiculed or anything of such nature) “what am I some client of yours?”

Shortly thereafter our answer, which was “everyone is a client of PhilosoShy.” was continued with one of our standard overly formal responses. “Yourself, Rhyme Scheme, my friends here at home. Even some members of the PhilosoShy crew are considered clients to me, the writer, or another member of the crew.” We’d all like it to be known that this is, beyond what we could collectively consider any sort of shadow of a doubt, still true to this day and we all consider it to be so henceforth without necessary urge for direct compensation; largely only friendship and perhaps sometimes an ear lent out for a few moments. (Those who know any of us know how venting can sometimes be quite necessary for anyone) Of course donations are, as always, appreciated; though with the state of the world at this time we all agree it would be a little selfish to ask money of others when it could so honestly be more valuable elsewhere, (whatever our current stressful financial and housing situations situations.)

“Do you talk to all of your friends like this? I just don’t feel as much of a friend as a client.”

What would you like us to say? It seems entrapping. One way or the other, the answer is “Yes.”

However, all the same We have faced these sort of questions before from many sources. We’d like to preemptively nip this one in the bud; before it starts getting asked too many times.

To understand where the formality comes from one must know better the writer and their decisions in earlier portions of their life. It’s been written down around in different posts and, suffice it to say, it’s been decided amongst the PhilosoShy Crew that we’re just not yet involved enough with this project to trust some of those things with the readers. While PhilosoShy has come a long way, there is still much apprehension and it could even be said a small degree of apathy within the project that we all face. Times are difficult and that makes it almost equally difficult to get time, motivation or inspiration for quality philosophy updates. We don’t want to disappoint our followers. The formality is not necessarily due to a fear of loss at the point of difference from our readers but rather a honing mechanism to make what words we can publish really count for what they are. When one works in the field of philosophy they must often take a less emotional path to reach true emotional understanding. Sometimes the deprivation of a trigger entirely allows one to understand it. After conquering it we know how it is to be defeated if it shall return.

At the same time there is simply a very powerful desire in all of us to do “Right.” The writer of the PhilosoShy Crew as well as lead representative of the PhilosoShy Project proper, it should be noted, genuinely and powerfully believes that what is Right to retain as proper a social etiquette as the American English language allows. (The only language they know fluently) The writer has gathered, in their attempt to become properly cultured and diversify their social interactions, (for the purpose of improving themselves) is actually considered to be a very rude, crude and blunt language without as many social functions for proper manners as a goodly half of the other languages of the world. With this understanding, still delighting in the act of bettering cultured opinions, they retain proper manners, as a business partner to a client, with everyone they speak to when possible. There are very few exceptions to this rule; such as blood family or extremely close personal friends (Such as individuals who have personally known them for a duration of over five years and has with them personal background stories that could simply not have been helped in the first place) With particular mitigating circumstances this courtesy even applies to some special individuals whom the universe, for whatever reason, will simply not allow to part ways from the Writer of the PhilosoShy Crew. (Though such is EXCEEDINGLY rare)

It is to be made of Special Note (Us and all of our “Notes”) that the writer of the PhilosoShy crew takes it personally upon themselves to, in point of fact, improve their manners more and more, if possible in proportion to the level of their relationship with various clients. Client, in this case, is used in the very best possible way, when using the word. PhilosoShy, as a collective, was designed to be a servant to those who would partake of her advise. She is placed where she needs to be, she goes where she must. She says what needs to be said and takes the flack for it because someone has to and nopony is stepping up for it any time soon.

PhilosoShy exists to jump in front of the bullet shot at the stranger in the dark alley.

It isn’t some cheesy admittance to self righteousness. It is what the Dharma put us where we are for that reason, in a sense. We accept that wherever the pieces land, they landed there so that they could get done what they do and falter where they will. Thus is the way of things. We in the PhilosoShy accept the circumstances of the Universe. There will be no arguments for exceptions to the unalterable from us. We understand that we are flawed, but we were put here all the same to learn. We appreciate if we can make a living off of our reports in the school of infinite living; to be sustained on learning and spreading of attained experience through existence. If not there is, supposedly, that epitomological “Day Job” we hear so much about; that we should get one, that it’s easy, that we just have to walk in a get it, etc. Alternatively, since that hasn’t been working for us all despite repeated attempts over five years, constantly, we work on other projects; anything legitimate to get the next dollar, anything to keep living short of breaking the law. We will remain thankful for what we do have.

And there is largely nothing we can do to stop it. The lead representative of PhilosoShy is quite the PhilosoShy and if we got a new writer or tried to change that it simply wouldn’t be PhilosoShy. What’s the point? The mod is the character is the story is the mod. It’s a funny little twist of fate; but it makes more sense within the crew than any amount of this must to you. We wouldn’t have it different for the world. Stay Bought And Finish The Job falls into an interesting application in this sense but is oddly fitting in that there has been loyalty bought with service of friendship within the PhilosoShy Project; something that could, theoretically, be paid for, but it is easier and even more meaningful to simply do it the good old fashion way and become great friends and allies, making wonderful contacts along the way. It’s a price that’s been paid for by all of us and we wouldn’t change it for the world.

The Writer personally speaks up to call on a personal quote, “I would rather take the world with my writing than be given the world to stop writing.”

There was a discussion a while back about whether that was moral or not within the group but it eventually came down to this; The point of PhilosoShy is to inspire change for the betterment of the collective of existence through leading by example and bringing to light less thought upon ideals, sometimes those considered “utopian in nature.” These sort of ideals are stressed because we would like to emphasize that it’s never too late to make proper, ethical decisions; fight for the Right of the situation instead of giving into a flawed system just because there is nothing better around yet in existence. If the collective works together in truth there will be no force that would try to stop them. The collective would be entirely working in unison. There would be no need for war; we’d all be getting along already, working together based on respect for mutual existence, as it should be. If the world paid us anything we could ever want if we just kept our mouth shut we would laugh. Perfect unison with everyone and everything is all we could ever want; the peace and prosperity of the collective of all living things, without need to subject the majority to suffering due to lack of mutual understanding and respect for mutual existence. By definition someone trying to give us the resources  of the world to stop this sort of thing is NOT the sort of person PhilosoShy would stand to represent. It does not represent the better society we are working to help create.

In the end, some things that simply must be accepted about PhilosoShy if she is to be taken with any amount of seriousness, are that; the please and thank you will most often be present in all conversational aspects. One will be treated formally and cordially, if not as an honored guest and client, when in conversation with her. One will be extended the generosity and kindness of family in the sanctity of her domain when unable to be provided with the lavish entertainment of nobility due to distance or economic constraints. The “Sorry”s come often, even when she has nothing to do with the dilemma.

There are many interpretations one could make on this particular set of traits (or whatever you’d like to call them) and we encourage interpretations to be made by those who have them, whether negative or positive. Opinions are the greatest option for intelligent evolution we have. Let’s embrace differences and be cordial all the while when possible.

Have A Blessed Day

Yours,

PhilosoShy

homelostoshy:

There is a powerful bit of reason behind this sign. For the very same reason that this man is trying to point out none of those in the PhilosoShy Crew are or have the ability to chase after higher education in the form of college.

We were all encouraged, when we came of legal age, to take out thousands of dollars in Student loans and, intelligently, we all opted respectively not to put ourselves into a debt we couldn’t pay.

I’ll let all of my readers in on a secret.

My mother (The writer’s mother, not the Character of Philososhy, though normally we try to keep from differentiating the two as a matter of course.) would still be in over 75 thousand dollars of student loan debts if she hadn’t happened to get into a particularly advantageous marriage that helped her relieve the debt she had accrued. For that matter it is important to note that she never finished. She signed for 50 thousand dollars worth of student loans and didn’t even get half way through. also note that she started with 50 thousand dollars of loans and, by the time she was able to pay them off the interest had brought them up over 25 THOUSAND dollars, just because she wasn’t able to pay them in the first place. It could be very accurately argued that her inability to pay her loans almost spelled death for me and the rest of the family. These debts drove her into homelessness more times than once.

I have heard from many friends that in other countries education is understood, by the government, to be an enrichment to the general populous and it is highly encouraged to go to college. In most countries, for good students and/or those who show the desire for higher learning (As Most of The PhilosoShy Crew would qualify under) the government is MORE than happy to foot at least part of the bill.

In A-Mare-Ica it is generally understood that giving money away to lower class students is a waste of governmental funds an it is simply recommended that poor students enlist in the military so that they can pay for it. It should be pointed out that as the system has very steadily been encouraging others not with a steady job to go back to school, taking out loans to learn, often with the “promise” that things will be more economically stable once they are done with their extended education, there has steadily been more and more reason to join the military, as they are currently the richest faction of the US with open enrollment, as it were. every time somepony quits their job and goes to school, taking out student loans, the military gets a bit more money. Every time somepony joins the military instead of taking out student loans they get even more. Can we see how this is very quickly becoming a bad to worse scenario? Either way the lower class loses (We in the PhilosoShy Crew do NOT consider a powerful, well stocked military a victory for the common folk, especially when the founding of our nation is based off of the idea of not needing a military; Thank the scared democrats for enacting all the gun regulations that take power from the law abiding lay-ponies because of the bad decisions of a few single individuals for that case)

In the mean time it is getting more and more difficult for anypony without a full college education to get a job at all. Folk are going back to school more and more because the US government is encouraging them to take loans out for education because of the recession. Suitably they are going into debt faster and faster and those who choose not to take out said loans are quickly cut off from many job opportunities. More and more on websites like craigslist, Monster and Jobdango “entry level positions” are requiring so many years of experience in the field; which is obviously NOT Entry-Level. The other day we were looking for entry level positions on craigslist and only found one that didn’t request a four year college degree. Monster actually asked for an entry level employee “With at least ten years of customer service skills.” It is becoming clear that there is a difference between the title of Entry Level when we were growing up and now, less than fifteen years later. The saddest part is that there is VERY little aid for entry level folk UNLESS you are fresh out of high school or, more preferably, still in it.

Yet potential employers are getting less and less likely to be lenient for things like probation, required vacation, injuries and school. Many of our friends have recently been laid off from their jobs because they started going to school, something that they’d cleared with their managers over a year in advance. The managers and those with steady, high end jobs do not care. They want quick employees who have no plans of doing anything but work for the company at hand. We’ve noted that anyone who does not PLAN on staying in the same position forever and make it known to potential employers simply does not get a job. Employers don’t want to hear “Well I decided i really wanted to go to school so I’m picking up this job to make my tuition and major in Astro-physics.” That’s what some employers would call a veritable business death sentence.

They want to hear, “Well I tried getting into school for astro-physics but I didn’t have the money for it so I ended up dropping out. Don’t have the funds to go back so I was just thinking maybe I’ll keep this job for a few years and see where it takes me, maybe stay a while longer. I mean it’s money in my pocket.” I can’t tell you how much potential employers, at least in Oregon, LOVE to hear potential employees having given up on their dreams. It assures them that the potential employee doesn’t want to go to school or otherwise do anything but enslave themselves to the system. Thus we see so many more fast food restaurants encouraging retirement plans on new, young employees; as if they are expecting folk to plan to retire asking “Would you like fries with that?”

So, while A-Mare-Icans are giving up on higher education left and right, sinking into a perpetual cycle of ignorance and depreciating culture, other countries are encouraging their students to make leaps and bounds in education, taking chances by personally funding thousands of poor children who otherwise couldn’t afford college because the governments of the respective countries KNOWS that a well educated society is an enriched, wealthy and cultured society that other countries will respect.

Common example in how every other country in the world wants to be seen and how A-Mare-Ica still, somehow, doesn’t seem to even acknowledge that the rest of the world exists. I wonder if some nations in our world scorn the country of Equestria because of their higher status on an international level, as well as their actions toward other nations and the (seemingly) tyrannical control princess Celestia has imposed upon the population for so long despite that countless other nations and intelligent species have been just as successful without the rule of a manifest deity.

Perhaps we should turn our eyes to what is necessary instead of what is apparent. Our children are not learning under a flawed system that lacks respect for the rest and has even less respect for itself. The rest of the world is learning just fine and otherwise encouraged to learn more because the government is GLAD to pay for smart citizenry who will inevitably give back because they have the skills and know-how to do so. In the mean time the A-Mare-Ican discourage widespread free learning and encourage the citizenry to take unreasonable risks (Join the military, Be All you Can Be! Be an Army Of One! THE FEW THE PROUD!!!!) for the CHANCE to be allowed to seek higher education (Remember, there’s a VERY big chance of getting shot. A-Mare-Ica hasn’t stopped being at war time for over a hundred years. Military service for education works very well in times of peace. A-Mare-Ica simply chooses not to allow themselves, as a nation. to have such times)

It’s sad.

As the man above speaks with his sign

Education should not be a debt sentence.

It REALLY IS right now.

let’s try to stop that, shall we? ^^

Yours,

PhilosoShy

To cement the point, remember that my Mod Blog has many legitimate opinions and more news and opinions on what is actually happening ion the Human “Real World” than the main blog. We’d appreciate it if you would all turn your attention to the current events covered in the mod blog, as well as our many humorous reblogs.

Thank you!

PhilosoShy

For any of those out there with a fondness for hip-hop there is a group you need to start donating to. Not to say that the PhilosoShy crew doesn’t need money, of course! Times are hard for all of us. However, it is because of that and because of the charity that we have before and still do receive from them that we have to encourage others to take a look into Ballistic Anomaly and Rhyme Scheme. For almost a month these good folk have locked themselves away in the rehearsal studio and made things possible for us; constant companionship and friends to the wend no matter what the situation. Things have, and I cannot emphasize it enough, gotten extremely rough and Ballistic Anomaly and his crew stayed together through it for us.

However, like us, Rhyme Scheme could always be doing better. Portland Metro does not have all that much in the way of a modern rap culture and Rhyme Scheme’s all time goal is to really start building a defined rap culture in the pacific northwest and we could not be more for such a wonderful belief in spreading freedom of expression.

Because it’s difficult for an up and coming Hip-Hop group in this day and age they accept donations. However, Ballistic Anomaly has not received any donations. Not all artists and writers can be as lucky as PhilosoShy when it comes to the charity and goodwill of others. Ballistic Anomaly himself is a very “in person” sort of individual as well and that can make it difficult for the leader of the crew to be the public person we in the PhilosoShy crew know him to be.

So please donate to the cause; help the Rehearsal Studio stay alive. it’s only 270 a month and, though they are sure they can squeak by, PhilosoShy will not stand idle and take the chance that their hard work could even possibly go to waste!

Though I cannot lend finances, PhilosoShy always tries to pay her debts. We owe a LOT to Rhyme Scheme. It comes as only fair that we try to help keep the music alive with them as they have kept us spreading the words of our philosophy.

Ballistic Anomaly: Leader and Founder of Rhyme Scheme

http://ballisticanomaly.tumblr.com/

There’s a donation button right there in the description! Don’t wait; Help them get their start!

Thank you all for your attention and your aid

Yours,

PhilosoShy

So this post tonight was, let us warn you, forged from the very essence of sober humor. Funny enough, it’s probably one of the more touchy subjects I’ll cover, if only for the hilarity of the subject matter. In fact this post, of all posts, is made to not be serious. It’s been far too stuffy and worrisome as of late. We need some crude humor to bring spirits up.

It all came up when we were talking together about general silly things. As the writer of the PhilosoShy crew I have some fondness for large, cool, quiet places; in this case my favorite Garage in Vancouver, Washington. Funny thing about this garage (and it’s purely happenstance that it came up but I had been thinking the same thing) is that as soon as one gets truly comfortable in this garage something comes up; most often the need to eliminate.

So, keeping this in mind I made sure to use the restroom before taking up space in the garage for a nice nightly wind-down; a post, smoke a bowl, read one of my favorite books, etc.

And in the restroom (because the best thoughts are made on the toilet, as we all know) it came to us that there were, for some situations, a very distinct “Natural Order” to the way certain things were done

Among the first of these things, in this order, was that smoking came after pooping.

To which the immediate question would obviously be “But how, why?”

Our only answer thus far, through all the thinking about such a silly subject, is that smoking comes after pooping because we imagine that the entire affair of smoking could easily be ruined by the need to defecate. “How can one expect enjoy a good smoke when they have to deal with all the poop?” one must wonder. It brings a giggle to our lips, the thought of it. So, in the end, the proper order of things presents itself in this situation through obvious logic. It would totally not be enjoyable to have to hold in both a plume of smoke and a full bowel movement. And how does one enjoy such a purifying motion when their mind is hopelessly addled by powerful enthiogens? (A less pressing question I might add. Generally defecation is a pleasant thing anywho. Like coughing and spitting it is, by nature, a motion of cleaning the body)

Yes, and from this simple equation I imagine we could therefor determine the natural order of other things. Obviously pooping comes before nap time; because it wouldn’t be pleasant to sleep whilst so full of garbage. Obviously eating comes before pooping (why would the poop have any reason to move out if not for other matter moving in?) and eating comes after smoking (because we’ve gotten done with pooping, leaving us empty and done with smoking, leaving us hungry and happy) then nap time after eating because food makes us drowsy… wait, where does that leave the pooping that comes before nap time? I suppose One needs to pick and choose how their busy schedule rolls in? ^^

Humor aside, there’s a valuable lesson in it all. If one thinks about it that way they could theoretically control their life in a simple, similar method. Right now, for example, I am homeless.

It would seem to others that finding a home or money would be the most logical first course of action,. though I respectfully retain that cementing a proper relationship with close friends is far more important than the seeking of sanctuary or funding to purchase such sanctuary. At some point I have come to realize that money and a roof over one’s head means very little if they have none to share it with. Without family all the money in the world is meaningless. You still won’t have a family to support without embracing one. Your friends will not be the ones to say “We knew all along since you were born you were gonna go far.” They can’t, they’re not your blood family. They didn’t raise you.

Similarly owning your own home, away from the family you’ve worked so hard to impress, will mean nothing without friends to share it with you. As strange as it may sound, in the four years I lived in my last home, it would have meant nothing if it hadn’t been filled with rambunctious individuals, causing me no shortage of gray hair, giving me a reason to stand up and do the dishes. Who would I have had to share my fortune with? Who would I have had to go to when I wanted to get away from family?

And then we all realize just what the roof and money is. It’s a material construct of this illusory world made to keep us attached; the folk around us are the true positivity, assuring that we have something to do with all of this illusory stuff. The only thing that even has the potential to be any kind of real, in that viewpoint, are living entities who have a modicum of free will and the capability to exercise it. Sometimes, when one looks at all of their belongings, it’s easy to forget that they are living eternally in this circle of loss. It’s easy to forget that, unless you aren’t, one is very much alone in this existence, against it and at the same time forced into a waltz with it.

Find a way to stop waltzing with the universe and its constructs and find a way to start changing to partners that talk back to you, provide friendship and companionship. Money cannot bring you meaning. A roof cannot give to you support (In fact, by its nature a roof can only keep one dry if they support it) only family and friends can bring that sort of company along; only living , breathing things. Engage in this however you will, just remember what really matters. Home and hearth does not matter if there is nothing there to enjoy it with. Until then it is simply a house and a stack of money; not a home filled with legitimate financial assets and companionship to help spend it wisely. there have been friends of mine who didn’t follow this natural order of things and, when they finally got to these material goals, they literally destroyed them shortly thereafter because it felt so meaningless, leaving them both without companionship and then without home or money to rebuild with.

Friends and family are more valuable than we could know also because they keep us from destroying those things we have tried hard to get, especially in times of dire confusion and crisis. We can make silly decisions. Friends and family encourage us to keep our decisions to an acceptable level of silly. Follow The Natural Order Of Things

Yours,

PhilosoShy

There are some times that we must simply pack and leave, for whatever reason, whether permanent or not. The flight from my old home was, whether well or not, planned to a degree. We had boxes and bags and were ready for the most part, despite some degree of procrastination. Sometimes you don’t get that option. So what do you do when in flight and why?

First of all; What to wear. it’s very important. As always, clean is best. Even if you’re somewhere warm, make sure you have some wool clothing or a wool blanket of some sort. No matter where you are, even when wet wool keeps 80% of it’s heat. If not try to keep in something relatively waterproof and insulating. Cotton kills in the wet and cold.

What to pack: FIRE! I cannot emphasize enough how important lighters and waterproof matches are. No this isn’t just some silly pot smoker trying to increase awareness of the wide wonders of a flame creating object. Fire IS technology. We would have come not half the distance we have without it. Also pack some kind of cordage, tough cable to tie things with. Holding things down is important, even if there’s nowhere to hold them down in. A tent is always useful. Don’t go big, just go practical. Whether there are places to put it up or not, never count it out. Make sure the pack you carry your things in is heavy duty and in good repair. You DON’T want your things falling out in the middle of the rain. If possible, make sure it’s waterproof or at least water retardant.

Toilet Paper!

You need it. Always have one or two rolls nearby at all times. Homeless life, even for the night, has very little bathroom tissue everypony so let us all make sure we pack up the charmin. Bring it along and be stingy. it’s YOUR toilet paper and they cannot have it.

Bits of food are useful but remember what you’re up to. Things that last are a must for those who don’t know how to be homeless. Jerky, nut mixes, granola. These dry good are fulfilling for short term stay outs and can be eaten to assure even burning energy throughout night and day. Make sure to try to get dried fruits as well. Despite the fact that jerky is expensive, it keeps get a couple of cans of food as well if possible. Don’t go for the Progresso soups, though. Those expensive wastes of time will whither what little wallet you have and make those few hours of luxurious full stomach worth very little the next day when you realize how you should have paid for the cheaper model.

Instead get cans of deep green vegetables; the store brand if possible. These sort of things will do more than the mushy soup mixes and give you good iron and vitamins; things that will keep you fed and warm. Try to keep your expenditure to a minimum while you can. I shouldn’t have to explain how needed a can opener is at this point.

What to do?

Go to friends. Look for alternative resources. Avoid homeless shelters in inner city settings. Near everypony will encourage you to flee to them but steer clear of them, especially in the warmer months. From experience we all in the PhilosoShy crew can tell everypony reading that, at least in downtown areas, inner city or otherwise highly populated areas the chances of getting a space to sleep are small at best due to the need to arrive very early or else all available spots will be taken by the time one arrives.

Theoretically one may have to sit in the same place for HOURS before what is considered lights out and, once one is “safely” snugged into their respective place for the night, they must hunker down. Forget bodily functions. Expect not to be able to move at all. Conditions are cramped and when one goes to a big city shelter they shouldn’t expect safe, concerned fellow citizens just trying to get by until the weather clears. Believe it or else a goodly half of them are JUST FINE with their lifestyle. They have no problem stealing your spot. They have no problem stealing your things and throwing what they don’t want away. Nopony else has any problem letting them do it. Most of them don’t have a problem if you get stabbed in the ensuing conflict over said space to sleep and stuff.

Furthermore: shelters are, to put it blandly, a common birthplace of disease. The people there seldom bathe; in warmer months scabies abound! (I as the writer had scabies once and almost died not from the scabies themselves but the treatment. It is not a risk that can be taken again and is an easily complicated process at that.) Folk come in sick all the time with absolutely no plans of taking care of themselves. One would be surprised how many homeless children also sleep there with street foster parents and siblings taking care of them, vouching for them; street life perpetuating itself, so to speak. Children, let’s get it out there, generally have far less value for cleanliness than most. I shouldn’t need to repeat it again that these places, for even those with a powerful immune system, are one of the most biologically hostile places a “Housie” can go to when they are new on the streets. Furthermore, do not expect sympathy. When we write in The Home Lost Chronicles that at least half the folk at shelters are unforgiving, we’re not joking. They don’t care about your situation. Over half of them will be constantly complaining about how bad their life is, how much more valid their complaints are than anyone else; how much trouble they’ll cause if they don’t get paid attention to. It’s a very chaotic place and we could not recommend to emotionally delicate individuals and newly homeless folk more to steer clear from such places at all costs.

The list goes on about how the standard plan for the rising homeless issue in A-Mare-Ica is inadequate and how the system could get better but that is a matter for a different blog post. For now we must assure the survival of others. That is, after all, what this post is for.

While we understand that it is not for the faint of heart, we must push the statement: DO NOT GIVE UP! There is often light around the corner if one looks for it. Even in the darkest of experiences a lesson of merit can often be gleaned. Try to keep up because the universe may come back every day but it seldom gives up something that has been returned to it and is disinclined to relinquish spurned gifts.

In times of worst consequence, when your friends cannot help you and you do not have a place to go; look. Walk around. Contrary to popular belief, sitting and moping about the state of your life is NOT going to get you indoors any faster. Unless you are already indoors for the night, maintain powerfully that moping isn’t going to fix anything. As a matter of propriety I like to insist that sobbing and a mild bit of moping is not only natural but can be therapeutic for those recently deemed homeless as well as those in traumatic circumstances. Just wait until you’re secure first! I know it sounds difficult but please be strong until it is appropriate to break into a million pieces. There ARE times! Now that we’ve got the personal assurances down; trek on! Make sure you’re in the same general area. Don’t go wandering into the wilderness or over the countryside (Unless you happen to be there already) but don’t feel afraid to give your legs a stretch. Benches are around for rests and, theoretically, your dream bridge to sleep under is right around the bend. Not just any bridge will do, after all!

Now here is a part that may be confusing. There’s a degree of trust one MUST hold with their fellow street person if they are to be successful on the street. Now that one is out and homeless one must, to a degree, live like the homeless. There ARE tricks to the trade, as it were. Try to learn from those around you who very obviously have no home, just like yourself. They learned through others as well as personal experimentation. Homeless folk have literally been doing this forever; living off of the good graces of others.

There’s a “vision” homeless folk get. They pick up newbies and housies. Some homeless folk really DO want to get out of their position and about a quarter of THEM are generous folk who want to help others out too. These are the most likely to “help” you out when you look like that lost, sad new homeless kid (The term kid should be noted in this instance to be an age neutral term and there can be 80 year old “street kids” without much of any problem) lolling about the nearest parking lot knowing not what to do. It’s important to remain with one’s wits about them either way because the only other folk who will do the same thing are out to manipulate; to make their standing on the street greater. Note that some take a lot of pride on the notoriety one may come to gain through street life. Bishop Don Magic Juan, Twista, Ces Cru, Biggie Smalls just to name a few. All of them made their fame living on the streets, slinging bags and “pimpin hos,” as it were. There’s a great wide culture about it.

RULE 0!

Don’t be a poser; we CANNOT emphasize it enough. The folk on the street do not take kindly to being imitated. It isn’t an easy life and over half don’t want it. (Speaking personally, it’s torn the mods apart) To say that folk on the streets take pride in the way they’ve forged a life is an understatement and some are real success stories and truly something to be proud of. There IS a something about you that will get you “into the club.” Everypony has something special about them that will be readily accepted into the fold. (or as readily as one can be) The same rules apply homeless as with a home; Friendship is magic and nothing worth doing is ever easy. Find those you have things in common with, learn from who you can, don’t be a poser, Act In Accordance To The Law. (AIATTL. Follow It!) Special Note should be extended to AIATTL. We understand that some things simply cannot be helped. Folk can get mighty hungry and homelessness drives others to strange and crazy things; to say and do things they otherwise wouldn’t imagine doing. One would be surprised, however, at how charitable some organizations (Such as subway, just as a baseline example) can be when dealing with good-hearted and respectable individuals. There is always a chance of meeting someone new on the roadside or sidewalk who happens to be able to spare a place. Don’t lose hope and try to follow the rules of society. Nopony else needs their lives stirred up and any homeless individual needs to be stirred less, not stirred up more (In the proverbial sense, that is)

Don’t be against a few hours of respite!

Even if it’s just a few hours, suck up your pride and take what you can get. A shower and a couch for a few hours of sleep is a well needed thing. Try making a sign begging for a place to stay. You may very well get lucky and meet a friend who may be able to support you for a bit. Stranger and more unlikely things have happened before.

There are many more things that will be covered in Home Lost Chronicles but it is very important to remember that above tidbits. There are LOTS of things to keep in mind but try to keep the above things in mind all the same.

Thank you for your time and for always reading!

Yours,

PhilosoShy

The last post turned out to jinx it. I got worse again, back to 104 that very afternoon.

I had been speaking with Kryptchild that day. I had told her about my situation and she’d told me I had to go to the doctor. I promised her that if my temperature got back over 104 I’d go. And so I did.

Admittedly I understand hospitals are safe and such but I still do not care for them. I don’t like how we must pay so much to survive. I got a chest x-ray, blood-work, urinalysis, nasal and spit culture; the whole obnoxious affair. I was told that if my chest started feeling worse then to go in to the doctor again. If my stomach started hurting more, then go the the ER Immediately! There was apparently a very real possibility of appendicitis.

I was given VERY powerful antibiotics. Now the third day into the treatment I feel what could easily be described as world’s better. There had been a time a week ago where every time I closed my eyes to sleep I awoke with even less energy consistently. Now, though things are still difficult and I am still weak, I am well enough to stand and walk and eat; something I was too exhausted to do before.

I have been, so it comes to my attention, a bit scornful of my family as of late. Due to the housing situation and the lack of communication that led to the great rift that separates us now, I had been VERY hesitant to contact my mother and ask her to bring me in but she didn’t put up too much a fuss until she had to deal with me personally, in which case she was not pleased “she had to play maid for me…”

However, there is import, I realize, in embracing these challenging relatives despite their disapproval of my lifestyle and actions, their ridicule of my chosen life paths (And there WAS ridicule when I spoke of what I was doing with my lives) My family does NOT understand the value of friendship; they understand the value of money. Suitably, that is all they respect. They don’t understand why I stay with Rhyme Scheme. In fact I was given quite the flack for associating with them. “Why would you waste your money on other people, it’s stupid.” They made it very clear that they would rather I have a job on paper and no friends than what I am doing now, and they hear whatever they want to… So perhaps, at least with my family, talking about my life and what I am doing in it; the sort of things I am doing to improve it…

Well they tell me all the time they want to know but every time I tell them they make fun of me and say “Are you serious?” and then it always comes back to “Nothing we say matters, you’re never going to listen to anything we say so it doesn’t matter.”  And that is so hurtful….

So maybe my family… I shouldn’t talk to them about my life. They ask every time I see them but show a progressively growing unwillingness to listen to what I say coupled with a knack for hearing only what they want, which over half the time is just the opposite of what I say.

Maybe I’m just thinking too far into it. Maybe I’ve gone into delirium once or twice too much at this point… Perhaps There are simply things that I should accept won’t change. Family is family all the same I suppose, whether it’s difficult or not.

All the same I have received good treatment from others as well. Friends still support me when they hear from me. If Kryptchild (The first one I talked to about my sickness that mentioned going to hospital as well as one of the most insistent) hadn’t made me promise to go to the hospital I wouldn’t have remembered it in the first place; which is truly why I called in the end. I remembered my promise to her. Even without family it seems there is a bigger family at work that is keeping me alive.

Unfortunately it seems I made a sore business transaction out of desperation to keep things going. I blame delirium. Everyone else does too… Financial Advisa scolded me and Ballistic Anomaly was simply unimpressed. Things are a bit dreary because of it. I’ll have to get over this hump.

And it get’s toward the latter half of the month when things get difficult anyway. However, this time, for the first time; I have to spend that extra difficult time homeless, struggling to keep food in my mouth. I’m interested in some ways to see how things turn out. In other ways I am horrified. I don’t know what to expect or if help is going to come and money is running low.

I’ll thank everypony again for any support, signal boosts and anything else they can give at this time. Money is always appreciated. I’m getting better and it is getting easier to write things again. Soon I’ll be writing much more frequently.

On a side note; I had a wonderfully gruesome little thought;

“Thank A Writer, Kick A Politician.”

It’s a tad bit barbaric for me I think but spontaneous. i don’t actually recommend anypony actually do it though.

Again thank you all for any and all support!

Have A Blessed Day And Be Safe

Yours,

PhilosoShy

First of all we’d like to apologize for the absence. The PhilosoShy crew has taken a bit of a slump with my (As the writer) most recent escapade in homeless life; that being sickness in a new place. We still don’t have our respective homes yet. We’re all trying very hard to get our situations worked out. Rhyme Scheme’s due date is coming up but Financial Advisa says that we will probably roll through just fine all the same. He’s a very optimistic sort. I haven’t even been able to visit Rhyme Scheme, however, in several days.

Last night my temperature was 106.1 F. It was a very tough day; one I am happy to say my friends in Oregon City were nice enough to let me stay through, the last week, as a matter of fact. Very sick and Very poor it could have been a veritable death sentence to kick me out at that point. I’m happy to say that my friends love and tolerate me despite my shortcomings.

Soon enough we will get back to posting and updating, etc. We’ve gathered up many different subjects to post up but, because of the illness that struck, there hasn’t been the energy to put them into a cogent topic. Couldn’t have opened up the laptop if I’d wanted.

However, I think it is alright. Brought mostly from this horrible, delirious fever (Which is now holding at 101.8 ) I have come to a new found appreciation of good health, a realization of just how much we take it for granted. Good health is not, by itself (At least not in A-Mare-Ica) free. As a matter of fact, most healthy choices in this country are very expensive. Folk like myself, the rest of the PhilosoShy Crew, Rhyme Scheme; We don’t have the money to go to a doctor no matter what others say; especially when going in, getting an IV for fluids and being told that, without insurance there’s nothing that they are allowed to do before being released will just put a $500 bill in the mail of a place we don’t live anymore in a month and thereafter be completely lost, gathering up interest to catch us years later after we’ve tried so hard for things to work out. It’s a VERY unfair system yet, all the same, one we must be forced to live in at this time.

You will hear no shortage of complaints in A-Mare-Ica of how much the medical system “sucks” save by those with quality insurance, where you will hear nothing but confusion in how the lower class can’t get proper medicine. After all, if the upper class can get medicine, how difficult could it be for lower class individuals to get quality medical service? Very…

At some points we have to ask ourselves, “Is it worth it?” I am, though still a bit sick, functioning now. Though there must have been a point where my brain was cooking in it’s own juices I feel surprisingly good despite the sore throat and sinus congestion. I’m not vomiting anymore!
 I can think! I can STAND! (And i cannot emphasize how empowering that feels right about now.

Admittedly I would have LOVED to go to the hospital (Despite how I don’t like hospitals) due to the severity of the situation; HOWEVER, it’s outside my pay grade. In many countries, so I’ve heard, the government rather likes to foot the bill for the health and safety of their populous. America would MUCH rather let people be turned away at the doors of hospitals because they don’t match a certain pay grade.

And it comes as a wonder to me why people don’t commit more crimes. Prisons offer full medical services, three hots meals and a bed and a QUALITY workout plan; every prison and jail has cable tv, some have a recreational facility (For board games and table tennis and puzzles) limited internet use every day, a full working barber shop to cut your hair and give you a shave (From what I hear prison barbers are paid quite well) and otherwise Star treatment if one keeps to themselves and doesn’t cause issues, which, while sometimes difficult, is not horribly so.

And I never even had half that. If I were a less powerful individual (Not to say that I, by myself, have much power at all) I would have done a crime and lie “protected” in county jail as long as I could.

But I prefer to take life’s lessons one at a time. If I ever end up in prison, well then I suppose I’ll deal with that then. However, for now homelessness is giving us all enough problems

Thank you for your time and patience

Yours,

PhilosoShy

PS

For the record we’re all aware this probably hasn’t been my “best” post >////> My head’s still a little foggy and some of the PhilosoShy crew are only tenuously “Better off” in their own respective situations. We keep good contact, or try to, all the same ^^

Again, thank you for your time and patience

First of all I would like to say that I am doing better than I could have expected and I am glad to say that I have been getting a few wonderful donations from wonderful other folk that care about me. Thank you all for caring and following me and I hope I am able to make more friends like you ^^

I love that there are others out there who would fend for me in my time of need based only on the fact that it is a kind and caring, compassionate thing to do. It is the adventure I am on; to find folk like that. They are pleasant to live around and I would like to learn from them.

I do, of course, still need money, sad as it is to say. However, I am glad to say that I also have others who will reblog my situation. It helps and gives me hope that there is a future.

Not very long. Sorry for not posting as much as I should. I have been trying to get accustomed to things. It is very difficult and I couldn’t describe enough how much I could never thank any of you enough T_T

Yours,

PhilosoShy

what about them? They are if they are and I am sure, for the most part, that they prefer to remain that way XP

Or so we must assume

So I’ve decided that this is one of the first things I need to write in the course of what I will come to call The Home Lost Chronicles part of our collective adventure. In the very beginning, before we ever got kicked from our home, Rhyme Scheme came to us and told us that we had friends in them, letting us know that Bongo Fury was as much our studio as theirs. Suitably, we DID help pay for it quite a bit thanks to the gracious donations of our followers!

That all said, there were some things we didn’t expect to find out, though they were obvious to begin with. First of all, Nopony really talks in a rehearsal studio. There’s a lot of talk outside the doors but not really any in the rooms themselves. Nopony talks unless to belt and sing and perform on a mic. Otherwise… why would they talk? you can’t hear in those kind of places. Either the music is blaring and one is deaf and wouldn’t hear anything over it anyway or one is wearing earplugs and wouldn’t be able to hear anything over the blare anyway as well! Either way, talking doesn’t happen too often. Everything is done in gestures and some strange unspoken ways that it seems only those who occupy the space understand. We are learning it ourselves very quickly. Every day, every visit back to Bongo brings us closer to understanding this way of things.

While the members of Rhyme Scheme are not the best in the game, they certainly are players of it and we haven’t seen many of those out there with quite the same particular set of skills as delicately and finely honed in the ways they have honed theirs. Ballistic Anomaly Started it all by introducing me to the members; starting with Young Cease. He’s such a “chill dude,” as they call it, and he hardly ever makes a sound except when to say something that has meaning. He’s never loud or furious and reacts with a calm, cool demeanor. At the same time, when it comes to kicking back in the studio, he’s a very generous man who has no qualms with making sure that everypony is well taken care of in his own special ways; silent and contemplative.

Only a couple weeks ago did we meet Financial Advisa; the… well, the Financial Adviser of Rhyme Scheme and up and coming Shot Caller in the community. The man can work any amount of numbers in his head and plans for a lifetime, only to make sure his backup plans have backup plans (Which inevitably have backup plans with their own backup plans! It gets crazy sometimes) but he’s kind to a fault and is always trying to figure out ways to include his friends and family into his bigger plans for the future; assuring that, as Twista said in Get It How You Live, “I ain’t stingy wit the dust, the whole crew ride slick.” He seems to feel that to leave out his friends would be one of the worst things he could do; and it warms our hearts who work on this blog that he would include us in the same crew (Though we should let it be known right now that Rhyme Scheme and PhilosoShy are completely separate entities)

In the end the Rehearsal Studio has become a glorious influx of culture and passion. We hear the greatest things in there, figuring out how life works as a whole through trial and error. Nothing can stop us, at this point, from learning. It is all we have left, after all, to manage ourselves in this world..

The Rehearsal Studio will definitely be a major part of our progress as a blog. All of us have been so inspired by all of it that we cannot help but try to be a part, getting the benefits of the job just as any other part of the crew. There is reward to it; a humbleness that we’ve yet to experience as a group. It brings very powerful things to the mind in what we are capable of.

Today we sit in Oregon City, playing this game that they have introduced us to, working as hard as we can to assure that we survive… and there seems hope. Though we sleep on floors and rest does not come easy we feel there are great things to be learned from all of this.

And, in time, This Too Shall Pass. In time all wounds heals and in time the wounds of our respective psyches will mend. In that time we must simply make sure that we stay safe and alive.

Yours,

PhilosoShy