I just did [a thing] that I’ve been resisting for a long lo-o-o-ng time.
I sat down and wrote honestly about myself, and some of the ways I’ve been less-than-together (under-statement of the century) in my Real Life, and then Actually. Ask. for Help! (Progress, right?) (Thank you, Ash and Shanna and everyone who’s ever written about how vital that is.)
The next step is to ‘make that visible’, because, well, *writing it*, committing it to screen is one thing (Yay, Me), but if nobody can actually *see it*, it still doesn’t do much good, right?
So, here’s Me (Ms. Karen Johannessen in Chicago, Illinois, USA), being vulnerable and visible at the same time: gofund.me/j1z7k8.
All the heavy-duty resisting and denial I’ve done in the last year (decade?) – about losing the house, editing my stuff (by definition: eliminating options!), getting what’s left packed up and mostly stashed out of reach – all of that has come down to ‘spare-rooming’ it (a step up from ‘couch-surfing’ but a really small one), and now, losing the latest couch (at the end of December!)
It’s time to step up, get a “real job” with a “real income” (I know: you-all are a lot about “‘don’t just ‘work for the Man'”, but right now, I haven’t left myself time to start a side gig – face-palm!), and get into a place that supports my genuine needs. I see that as a place of my own, where I can be not so off-balance every minute of every day. First I need the place. I need the job, too, to support the place, but the hard deadline for a place is January 1!
Meanwhile, Thank You all for your wisdom, your advice, your support and your role-modeling. If it weren’t for my friends and the folks I’ve found on the internet, I don’t know *where* I’d be now (not anywhere any more comfortable, that’s fersure) ~ Blessings to you, and a shiny New Year!
Please take a look at this page, and if you can contribute, I’d surely appreciate it. Even if you can’t (or choose not to), I appreciate you, for sharing You, and for reading my words! gofund.me/j1z7k8. If you see fit to share it, that would be wonderful, too.
Bright Blessings (the sun’s coming back, hurray!) and
Happy Winter Holidays (all of them) ~ Karen J
PS – I do have a PayPal account, too: k m johannessen at yahoo dot com. (Thanks for the reminder, Cordelia’s Mom!
December 19, 2014 at 2:24 pm
Karen – Is there any way to donate via Pay Pal? I’m reluctant to release my debit card information through that link. Or, if you want to email me your actual mailing address, I could send you a small check. Don’t get too excited, it won’t be much, but if most of your readers are willing, maybe together we can get you back on your feet. You know I’ll do whatever I can to help, after all the support you’ve given me the last couple of years.
December 19, 2014 at 3:08 pm
Oh, bless you, CM! Private message on it’s way π
December 19, 2014 at 3:40 pm
A little something is coming your way. For whatever reason, Yahoo won’t let me reply to my emails – once that’s fixed, I’ll let you know what I sent and where to.
December 20, 2014 at 4:35 pm
Reblogged this on Cordelia's Mom, Still and commented:
Our good blogging friend, Karen J, needs our help. You’ve all seen her wonderful, funny comments all over the blogosphere, and some of you have received her help when you needed it. Personally, were it not for Karen J’s emotional support at the beginning of my blogging career, you would not be reading this post now. Please, if you can pony up even a few dollars, that would be appreciated. You can donate on GoFundMe (link is in the post), or to PayPal (kmjohannessen@yahoo.com). I’ve given what I can – now it’s up to the rest of you, if you can help a fellow blogger get past the rough spot in her life. I don’t imagine it was easy for her to write this post.
December 21, 2014 at 1:46 pm
Thank you sooo much, CM!
And thank you and welcome to my new followers!
You’re right, CM – these 2 posts (at GoFundMe and this one) were some of the most difficult “writing assignments” ever for me to actually “turn in”.
December 21, 2014 at 2:01 pm
You;re very welcome, Karen. I just hope my re-blog helps.
December 21, 2014 at 10:18 pm
π
December 21, 2014 at 2:58 pm
Thank you again, CC!
This certainly is *not* what I’d had in mind as my “first guest post” – bet it wasn’t what you were expecting either, eh?
December 21, 2014 at 9:08 pm
You have an open invitation to guest post whenever you wish. Please let us all know when your situation improves.
January 7, 2015 at 4:56 pm
Well, Karen, I am not in the position to send anything at the moment but as soon as I can I will. You and I are neighbors, (really, I’m in Bolingbrook, soon Naperville) and I think life twins, too. Same situation. I am figuring out a way to move at the end of this month out of my sisters house. Long story, but I too am widowed, short sold the house, moved in with my little sister. I can’t do it anymore. I’m taking a place I definitely cannot afford, but mentally, I have to do it. We need to connect. Really. I really really understand, everything. The poor choices, the losing a husband, losing a home, needing my own place. I’m living it the exact same as you. I found you from a comment on middlefingerproject, and landed here. Now I need to go read the rest of your blog.
January 7, 2015 at 5:41 pm
Oh, a thousand thousand welcomes, Arlene! and many ZenHugs, too…
I hope you find this place as welcoming as I find TMF – gotta love that crew, eh? A guaranteed giggle along with your hard medicine-slash-business-slash-life wisdom. π
The email addy in the PS above works, without spaces…