Thanks to one of you in particular, who I gather wishes to remain anonymous, I was able to put a deposit down on an apartment: thank you for all the big things you’ve done, but especially thank you for the small things that kept me going when I thought about giving up. I’d like to thank that person, everyone who donated to the GoFundMe, and those of you who helped me out in other ways; you will always have my sincere gratitude. I’ve had a few unpleasant moments over the past several months, but your support has made those moments infinitely more bearable than if I were to face them alone.

The Apartment

I emptied out my bank account and put a deposit down on an apartment. We did paperwork, scheduled a viewing after a deep cleaning, and arranged to have the utilities turned on.

The apartment is a partially furnished studio in the South Side. It’s on the small side, but not cramped considering it’s for a single occupant. The immediate area has a relatively low crime rate, particularly for a low-income area in the city. I should be able to move-in within the next 12 or so days.

Tutoring Again

I was offered another tutoring gig with the same student, for similar compensation, while I was trying to earn and gather money for the deposit. The position was still open after I had made the deposit; so, I took it. This time I was granted nicer budget hotel room but my meals were limited by a set dollar value.

This is the second half of my student’s differential equations course: where the first half focused on theory and technique, this half seems to focus on practical applications and technical refinement. Though our tutoring period was shorter than the first time, I believe he’ll do just fine on his exam.

He did do fine. He passed with a higher score than last time. He still does not want to be an engineer though.

Update on Mike

You might recall Mike: he was one of the first unhoused people I met; you helped him regain control of his money with a prepaid debit card that he could use to receive direct deposits. He has since rid himself of the debit card because he recently qualified for a proper bank account. He got his new ID card.

He’s moved into what I thought was a group home, but from his description sounds more like an assisted living facility. He has a private room and shared bathroom. They provide his physical therapy on-site and arrange travel to and from his medical appointments. They even have outings to theaters, shopping centers, and a swimming pool.

Overall, he says he’s the happiest he’s been in years; his only complaint being the shared bathroom.

Odds and Ends

This was just a short update; I’m probably going to rewrite or expand it in the near future—I just wanted to fill you in on what’s been going on. My foot is healing well. I haven’t been able to sleep recently. I’ve been a bit hungry, for above stated reasons—of course, those of you who’ve met me in real life know that I could stand to skip a few meals. I’ve switched back to looking for permanent employment; this was a practical decision because it’s been next to impossible to get to either temp agency, from where I’m presently based, before they’re exhausted for the day.