The Gantry Launchpad

UPDATE: I published a new post to the effect that some very generous people have made a great difference, and that I'm no longer in dire straits. I'm in debt & behind on things, but now I can stagger on. Apparently visitors are coming directly to this post, so they don't see the later one.

I want to reiterate that I am deeply grateful to those who responded, but for anyone newly visiting this post, you don't need to send anything. I don't doubt there's someone else around who could also benefit from your great hearts.

Thank you all, and Merry Christmas.

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ORIGINAL:
It's never pleasant to admit you're in the hole with no way out. For that matter, it's even less so being there.

That said, my situation is this: out of work, can't find work, water utilities are cut off, and electricity issue on the horizon. Don't even want to talk about rent.

I'm looking at nearly $200 just to get the water back on, what with penalties and reconnection fees, and nearly the same to keep the electric service on.

If anyone has even a few dollars to drop into the "tip jar" (PayPal button) on my main page (to the left, under the links to Rick Rescorla, and Day by Day), it would be a tremendous help, until I can get back to work.

Better yet, if you can point me to work in the northern Cincinnati/southern Hamilton area, drop me a line.

Thanks, in advance, to those who respond; most especially to John Donovan over at Castle Argghhh!, for the help he has given.

Anyone who read my last post would understand why I didn't feel very thankful for anything about a week ago. In fact, it was quite the opposite.

I have been astonished by the kindness and generosity directed at me the last 24 hours. I even received a contribution from Australia, and one from Canada. You have all been more than generous, and have both my thanks and my gratitude, as I said in my individual replies.

This has been, to me, a bit of a (slightly) early Christmas miracle. Thanks to you wonderful people, I can turn on the water, keep the electric on, and even pay off a month's back rent. I'm still in a hole, but it's much more shallow now. :)

The warmth and sympathy I've encountered last night, and today, well; I don't have the words. Considering the challenge -normally- is to shut me up, that's something.

So thank you, so very, very much, to everyone who was willing to chip in to help out a stranger in need. Please feel free to stop sending contributions now, as I can stagger on, on my own now.

Even if nothing else happens this month, you've already given me a wonderful Christmas. Thank you, again, and God bless every one of you.

This weekend has unrolled like a badly-written made for TV movie.

Not only have people literally from around the world responded to my request for help (thanks again, everyone!), I just got a job. I do not believe this. No, really, I expect Jimmy Stewart to knock on the door any minute now.

It was the strangest thing. Like many people, I have a Facebook account, and keep track of folks I don't see in person very often. Just the other day I saw a friend had wryly posted on her wall that she hadn't been able to enjoy her Thanksgiving meal, as she couldn't keep anything down; bit of a virus. So I dropped her a line; a bit of "hope you get better soon" note, and as an afterthought asked her if knew anyone who was hiring.

I turns out she's a manager at a local restaurant, and told me to call her the next morning. It was a challenge keeping my hopes down, as I had been disappointed before. I made the call, wherein she asked me to drop by and talk to her kitchen manager. Long story short, I got hired today! Yeah, me. :)

So this weekend has been chock full of minor miracles for me. I'm afraid now that the 25th will seem an anti-climax after all this. I did learn two lessons:

-There are some wonderful people out there, and they're willing to help; try not to lose hope.

-God has a sense of humor, and he really likes messing with my head.