h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Many people feel that being homeless is a bad thing. Actually you can enjoy it! No work! No burdens! Here’s a homeless person’s aganda:

10.00 wake up (late!)
10.30 finally begged enough for a decent breakfast
11.30 visit the nearby park and play chess(after a good breakfast)
12.00 bet with other chess players to secure lunch
1.30 what a delicious lunch…bath time!
2.00 acquired money to visit the local pool(water galore!)
3.00 sun-tan by the pool. borrow sun block from the person next to you
5.00 go to the bar and have a caht with buddies (you don't ahve to buy anything)
7.00 beg again for dinner/supper (depending on how long you take to get the cash, more like change)
8.30 have an early sleep

Is that great or what!

Yes, but continue it into the night...

10:30 Wake up freezing cold, find yobs have stolen blanket.
11:45 Finally get back to sleep. Cold.
6:30 Woken up by the city starting to wake up.
9:00 Manage to have a short snooze.

It's not all good you know...

HI. MY NAMES MIKE.
SPEAKING FROM EXPERIENCE THERE IS NO BRIGHT SIDE OF BEING HOMELESS! I LIVED ROUGH IN LONDON FOR A WHILE,THE MAD THING WAS I WAS IN THE ARMY AT THE TIME.DRIVEN TO THE STREETS BY BULLYING I SLEPT THERE FOR THE BEST PART OF 3 MONTHS,STILL DOING MY MILITARY STUFF DURING THE DAY BUT HITTING THE STREETS AT NIGHT BECAUSE IT WAS SAFER THAN SPENDING THE NIGHT IN CHELSEA BARRACKS.
ONCE ACCEPTED AS "ONE OF THE BOYS" I ENJOYED WHAT ENDED UP BEING AN ENJOYABLE 6 YEARS SERVICE.
SOME VERY INTERESTING AND INTELLIGENT PEOPLE OUT THERE! BUT PRIVALIGED??? CERTAINLY NOT!!

You don't have to shout? take off caps lock it's hard to read.

I woun't think being homeless is privaliged, although I wouln't say having money is either.

You get what ya says not what ya pays.

-- DoctorMO --

Hey, I didn't mean being homeless is good or anything. I mean, the posting was written in jest, no offence. I do not think being homeless is great or anything in fact, it’s suffering… Please forgive me if I caused any unhappiness.

(waves at researcher 205394)

Well it brought a to my face, I was pretty much thinking the same thing!

Homelessness is a very touchy subject for the majority, and I have to say most people's views seem to be what they perceive to be the most decent thing to do....... which is not neccessarily the best thing!

It's refreshing to see a touch of humour! I'm sure you didn't offend anyone, there are just lot's of different points of view out there!

(p.s you may want to write a short intro into your personal space, that way people can come and say hi! )

There is a danger of being critercied by yourself so most peoples views are deterministic of feelings rather than thought,

I like the posative motion,

It's a shame we can't here anything from homeless or the used to be homeless.

-- DoctorMO --

I have seen a few documenteries about homeless people which were very good, it certainly puts a new light on it!

But then if I had been homeless or was homeless I think that I would be embarressed to admit it! There is a certain feeling of 'shame' that accompanies anything that suggests a less than respectable social standing!

For example a friend's little boy (he's 4) desperately wants to be a dustman when he grows up! Now I appreciate the very important job they do and the stigma attached to picking up other peoples rubbish, but my friend was horrified to think that is what he wanted to do!

To echo what was said in another thread, you can be the nicest person in the world and of course you probably haven't always been homeless, but people will still won't give you the the time of day, because you are homeless now!

*sigh*

I know a soical standing is important for structual reasons* but you don't have to go forgetting that other people are alive too.

-- DoctorMO --

* So t is belived

Of course not, which is what I was saying!!

'I' personally would not go on television and tell the world I had been homeless. I can't say that I ever have, but I'm sure if the situation ever arrises my viewpoint would be the same.

It is for this reason I didn't think that people would actually come forward and admit their experience.

Which is a shame because I think alot of eyes would be opened!!

I think that if someone generaly said to me, 'you know I a few years back I was homeless for 6 months'. I think I'd look at them with new respect. it takes a hard person to live on the streets and I think certain people recognise this.

-- DoctorMO --

I agree completely! I have worked with many charities, not just 'donating' but actually getting my hands dirty so to speak...

I know what they have to deal with on a day to day basis, and it's very easy to feel sorry for somebody on the streets which is why people react the way they do, i.e embarressment.

I know I wouldn't have that kind of courage, as there are few people in the world that would be as understanding as you DoctorMo!

Everything, no matter how taboo, can be made of light of. This is a good thing because it means that people are accepting it more etc and therefore think about it enough to try and make light of a bad situation.

I used 9/11 as a prime example. That is quite a raw and touchy subject though Eminem taking the mickey out of Osama Bin Laden lifted a bit of the darkness surrounding it. No doubt soon we will be able to tell jokes about that. Do you disagree with me? Then look at past historic events. Both World Wars have been made the burdens of constant jokes and at the time it wasnt exactley a joking matter. Same with Viet Nam.

If you make light of a situation it does not mean you disprespect the persons involved (ok in some instances you might) but it does mean that you are moving on and trying to deal with it therefore I ask:

Do homeless people really get knock knock jokes?

I bet some homeless would think that was funny , the Homeless are people are far as i'm concerned and many people are difrent. So I go as far as saying that most people can joke about there life. good or more likly bad.

-- DoctorMO --

knock knock.

who's there?

Thasmee.

Thasmee Who?

Thasmee box you're in, get out of it......

come back?

-- DoctorMO --

Is Thassame Irish by any chance?

it's slang, it's *cough* er not used in polight circles

but 'er we'er no polight 'ny how!

-- DoctorMO --

I didn't think it was a word!!

I thought I'd made that word up to go with the joke!!!

Glad you liked it though!

that means you made up the joke... well done very funny

-- DoctorMO --