Today is so exciting! I am getting my own apartment. It is hud subsidized. I only make enough on all my sites to qualify as hobby income. Some months I make nothing, some 20$. When I make enough it will change my ssi income and my housing rent will change, but it should all work out. Still hoping for those big sales, a design to catch on or my store to go viral. Till then I am just using the ticket to work program to guide my online endeavors. If I make 400$ a month it qualifies as substantial gainful employment. There is a movie theater across the street from my new apartment that I might try to get a job at in the spring too! I hope to keep my new apartment for more than ten years unless I make enough someday to buy a house again. So exciting. It’s a great building across from a grocery store. Perfect for me with no car. It’s a one bedroom. My ex whom I keep in touch with as friends is very excited as he is on housing lists in a shelter this holiday season. Keep the homeless close to your heart this season of giving is hard on them. Shelters typically make you leave from early morning till dinner time and it is often too cold to remain outside so they go to stores soup kitchens and libraries. If you can find a way to donate time and services to help those in need try to get involved in something that is working in your community. Every community is different. I was homeless from 2016-2018 and that is where I met my ex. We both were so shattered we couldn’t adjust to living together. We now provide communication support to encourage each others independence. It’s really quite beautiful and I want nothing but to be alone and working on my art. I have two adult daughters from a previous marriage. One married two years ago and has a great job in Milwaukee. The other attends her third year of college at Cornell out in New York State. Between them and my sisters I have plenty of support and have been helped into stability. My youngest sister helps me move today and took me shopping for household goods. My world is changing. I have come a long way since homeless. My therapist encourages my artwork and my only medication side affect is a coming and going of a lack of concentration. I am an artist with schizoaffective disorder. This means I have some symptoms like auditory hallucinations at times when my body’s fear level gets out of hand. It has been over a year since I have experienced those and I am hoping to start a new chapter. Even if they come back I am prepared with an action plan.
that all being said. Shopify has no problem handling the orders and while I have only had one so far, I feel confident more are coming. The important thing is I am still making art and design choices and people are looking at them. I get about 300 visitors a month to this store. But that could change at any time. I am surviving and happy and looking forward to my new life of independence and sharing the ups and downs of my art and design escapades with my readers. Thanks for stopping by. Thanks for your support. Will post a video tour of the new place once I am unpacked! Merry Christmas