Rock Bottom

[usullusa]

I hate to do this, but I am putting out the call:

As some of you already know a few months ago I came out to my parents. They told me I was not welcome under their roof while I was queer. Since then they have withdrawn a large chunk of their financial support. The last few months have been the hardest of my life. My parents, even when they messed up, where my mentors, confidants, and the only people I could rely on while I was starting out in life. I won't regale you with the details, but it's been horrible. And now I am going back to college while I still can (it is a long story, but right now is my best and last chance to finish my degree without incurring tens of thousands of dollars in loans) and I have to somehow support myself while attending school full-time.

But I'm trying to make some sort of order out of the chaos. At some point within the next month I am moving into an apartment in New York so I can finish my education. The problem is that I need to be able to pay my rent for the first month and I can't find a long-term job yet because I'm moving and because I don't own a car or drive in Connecticut, where that is essential.

I don't know what I can do right now to make some money. This is why I'm asking you, internet, for help. I need some sort of temp job. My resources are so limited. I can basically work from home on something, anything, or I can take odd jobs from people in New York, once I've moved, until I find a permanent job.

If you live anywhere in NYC and need something done, please think of me. Do you need your storage room cleaned? Shelves, closets or cupboards organized? I am aces at cleaning and organizing storage spaces. Do you work at an office where you have a backlog of filing, data entry, or general office work and could use a temp? I have several summers worth of experience doing just that.

Or, do you have any kind of online data entry you need done? Do you need somebody to gather information on something? Do you need cataloging of any kind?

Even ideas for what I can do are wonderful. Anything, any help you can think of, is already more than I have right now.

And, you know, if you spontaneously know of a part-time job that would work with a three-day or evening schedule, please let me know.

If you're on the edge, this will make the difference between my having a place to live or my having to drop out of school and live off the charity of friends until I can find some way out of this situation, or worse having to closet myself again and live under the toxic influence of my parents. I am completely terrified of not being able to make ends meet and ending up without a home or having to crawl back to my parents and promise to "be straight".
I know I can build a new life for myself, but I need some help getting up on my own two feet.

Please, ask your friends, ask your family, ask the people on your f-list. At worst, they'll say no. At best, you'll have helped somebody more than I have words to describe.
Please don't let this entry drop off into the void.

Comments

[jaaaarne]

Please, do hold on! Everything will be okay in the end, I'm sure it will. I wish I could be of any help, but obviously I cannot, what with being in another country entirely and all. :) Just wanted to you to know that people are already spreading the word around, so I hope that the solution will be found soon. Just hold on. You're strong, you will manage. Everything will be allright. I will be sending good vibes your way. :)

[harald387]

I'm here via sparkindarkness; I've worked for GMR Transcription in the past. If your typing skills are up to snuff and you think you can do audio transcription, it's a good way to make some money at home, working whatever hours work for you. It won't make you rich, but it's paid the bills during hard times for me.

[ajnabieh]

Here via dingsi.

I'm a New Yorker, and there's always the chance I'll need odd-job work done, either research-assistanty stuff (this journal is my academic one, so you can see what I do on here) or possibly house organization stuff. (Do you like kids? I have a toddler who may need some distracting while Mommy works.) I won't be able to hire you until the fall (my family's financial situation is shaky at best, and doesn't get better until I start getting a paycheck/get my stafford loans in the fall), but I'm subscribing to stay in touch with you, mmmkay?

Also just generally sending you positive vibes and energy. This shit sucks. I'm so sorry that you have to go through it.

[via_ostiense]

Here via rm; I asked a NYC friend and he said he'll ask around..

[lairofthemalelesbian.blogspot.com]

I don't live in New York and I'm afraid that i don't have any contacts there, but I'm going to be bouncing this on in my journal and hopefully it'll reach someone who can help.

I'm so sorry that your parents are being rubbish. I recently came out to mine about being bi and have got a shadow of what you've received and that hurts enough. I really hope they see the light and come round.

Good luck.

PJW

[lairofthemalelesbian.blogspot.com]

I have bounced a quick recap of the situation and what you need on here (http://lairofthemalelesbian.blogspot.com/2010/07/anyone-know-anyone-who-knows-anyone.html). If you'd like me to edit anything, then please give me a nod.

PJW

[blogofchampions.livejournal.com]

I don't have many contacts in NYC, but if you have a PayPal, I'd be happy to donate money and encourage others to do so. I know firsthand how difficult it is to find a job in this economy, and even with everyone you know telling everyone they know, it might take you a while to find one. Donations might tide you over until then.

here vis iambickilometer

[elspethdixon]

Do you work at an office where you have a backlog of filing, data entry, or general office work and could use a temp?

The Brooklyn Eagle, where my girlfriend works, is considering hiring a part-time person to do just that. It's still in the "we should hire someone else. Yes, we really should," stages, and they haven't posted a job announcement yet, but it may be worth keeping an eye on their website just in case (www.brooklyneagle.com).

[usullusa]

Thank you for your support. The outpouring of kindness and well-wishers is astounding in the best possible way.

[usullusa]

I can do all of those things. Thank you for offering despite your own shaky financial situation. This means a lot to me. Keep in touch if you ever need me.

[usullusa]

thank you!

[usullusa]

Oh lord, wow. Thank you so much for your overwhelming generosity. I do have a paypal and it's at usullusa@gmail.com

I'm trying not to think about the possibility that I won't find employment before school starts up again... that's just simply not an option for me.

Re: here vis iambickilometer

[usullusa]

That sounds fantastic. I've bookmarked it and will definitely check it often. Do you think you could drop me a line if you hear about the position opening up, just in case?

[usullusa]

Thanks for the tip, I'm looking at it now. Do you know if I have to have the startstop equipment and software they mention in the application? Would they hire me without it? Should I say I have it and manage without?

[harald387]

The software I used personally is Express Scribe, a free download found here: http://www.nch.com.au/scribe/

Many transcriptionists I know invest in a foot-pedal, but I worked entirely with keyboard shortcuts (90 wpm typing speed helped here). The last time I worked with them (September 2009, so things may have changed) they did require output to be in Word .doc format and were recommending Word 2003 (OpenOffice was not good enough); I don't know if they've since upgraded to docx and Word 2007.

Pay usually ran between 15 and 20 cents per audio minute, and as they note they do require typists to take on four hours' worth of audio each month; I rarely had trouble getting five hours of audio a week and could have gotten more during busy periods.

[oaktree]

I know we don't know each other, but I'm here via a post on riverside_hq. I've put out a call on my fb to my friends in NYC, and I hope through this or through another avenue you get some help. I'm pulling for you, and I wish you the best!

[oaktree]

OH GOD I JUST REALIZED WHAT A HORRIBLY INAPPROPRIATE ICON THAT IS. I hardly ever use dreamwidth and I forgot what my default icon was! I am *so sorry*.

[indywind]

here via iambickilometer. I remember being where you are, and send you sympathy and luck, and if I come across anything of practical use I will send it your way. Hang tough.

[epporsimuove]

Here via dingsi.

I can't help with the job search, but I am also moving to NYC next month, so I can offer a free homecooked meal anytime you need it (I hope that doesn't sound odd since I don't know you).

In terms of the job hunt, I'll keep my ears open.

[scheherezhad]

Here via torachan. I'm so sorry you're going through such a tough situation. I don't have any contacts in NYC, either, but I'll signal boost on my journal in case someone I know does. I'd also be happy to donate a bit of money through PayPal after I get paid next week.

[mneme]

I live in NYC, and might be able to come up with something (though our apartment, while terribly disorganized, really needs shelves built and installed before much more organization can happen).

[usullusa]

Thank you. :D

I can't build shelves from scratch, but I've assembled and installed store-bough shelves a few times, so I could help you out there.
Have you checked IKEA, by the way? I wouldn't recommend their furniture, but they are good with reasonably priced shelving and storage.

[mneme]

Heh. We've actually got mostly ikea furniture, and it's held up pretty well. (hell, our canopy bed is Ikea and is -awesome-).

That said, we long ago got past "furniture on every wall with a free floor", so while there are organizational issues that would allow us to put in -some- extra shelves stacked on top of existing furniture, that's not one of the top priorities, largely because most of the furniture is involved in project #2. Which is to say, we've got two projects I've been running low on Round Tuits for over the last couple of months (after I decided that they were the right approach and got drcpunk to agree):

1. Put wall-based shelves up on the walls above radiators that had previously been marked as "we don't put shelves here because there are radiators on the floor". Deal with my existing fear of putting bookshelves up on walls by drilling entirely through the wall and using bolts with clamps on both sides (in one of the two places I'm planning on doing this, this means putting up shelves on both sides of the wall using the same set of bolts--possibly in the other place too). I have installed wall brackets before, but not for over a decade -- and the last time I did, the first try involved the unit falling off the wall (thus my "just drill through the entire wall plan :) the first time and having to get put back with extra paranoia.

2. Swap all the furniture in the study (filled with computers, and drcpunk's extensive library) and the bedroom (filled with a giant canopy bed...and parts of my library, and, of course, dressers). This can be done in stages, but the first stage is huge and has to be done in one day (ish; we could live for a few days with much of the library in boxes in the living room, but faster=better for things like this).

Things I could use help with here include physical labor, but also organizational help and extra cycles (eg, measuring spaces and ordering supplies).

[usullusa]

I'm glad IKEA works for you. =) I'm just not such a fan of it myself.

Have you considered rearranging furniture so it's not all against the walls? It could free up some space if you have some empty space in the middle of a room.

I would be happy to help you out with all that. Just let me know when you get around to it.

Thoughts

[ysabetwordsmith]

>>They told me I was not welcome under their roof while I was queer. <<
Parenting grade: F-
On the bright side, it sounds like your parents are reasonably sane people most of the time, and you had a good relationship previously. So they might simply have freaked out in shock; there's a fair chance that they will come to their senses after some time has passed. That's something to watch for later. Meanwhile, damage control.

>> I don't know what I can do right now to make some money. <<

I'm not in New York, but I do have experience in an alternative business model, crowdfunding. If you have any creative skill, this is worth considering. Basically you market your writing, art, craft items, etc. directly to an audience online. It rarely makes enough to live on, but if you're down to counting individual dollars, it can be a big help. It can make as much as a part-time job. Some starting tips are here:
http://community.livejournal.com/crowdfunding/88166.html