Rally Against Homelessness 2pm November 7 2020 at 75 Main Street, Hartford, CT

MEDIA ALERT

ACTIVIST EVICTED FROM HOMELESS SHELTER WHILE UNDERGOING MEDICAL TESTS, CALLS FOR COMMUNITY TO RALLY AGAINST HOMELESSNESS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:   PETER C. FRANK
                        (914) 417-9579
                        PCFRANK73@GMAIL.COM

South Park Inn
75 Main Street, Hartford, CT 06106

HARTFORD, CT—Earlier today, I was evicted from South Park Inn (SPI), which is the homeless shelter I've been staying in, for doing nothing other than receiving healthcare that I was forced to postpone from last month due to not having the funds for medical transportation. I am now, literally, on the streets.

Specifically, during my annual wellness examination the day before my birthday last month, my doctor ordered a series of diagnostic tests to be performed. Among them was a sleep study, which takes 2-3 days to perform. Or more accurately stated, it takes 2-3 nights. My PCP (primary care physician) wished to have these tests performed as soon as possible but when I got to the checkout to schedule them, I embarrassedly had to inform my doctor's office that I could not afford to return to the office due to insufficient funds to transportation. I then scheduled all of the testings for the beginning of November 2020.

I even had to borrow money from a few different friends to pay for my Lyft (an Uber competitor) ride back to the shelter, that's how broke I was.

When I returned to the shelter I made a huge fuss about the entire situation and the fact that SPI was not providing medical transportation for me. The reason they've given is that I have a "significant income."

The only income I receive is Social Security Disability Income. I have extremely poor credit due to significant personal debts that I owe. In fact, my credit and debt are so bad that I was turned down on a housing application due to "significant personal debt." Yet somehow, SPI has this image of me that I earn thousands of dollars per month when nothing could be further from the truth.

Me, with the halter monitor that was
installed at today's appointment.
I have to wear it for the next 30 days.

To make matters worse, my case manager SPI claims that I never told them about my medical appointments, even though the scene I made upon my return was witnessed by many of the other residents at the shelter, and I continued to raise the issue with staff, in front of other residents, for the remainder of the week. This is the excuse they are using to kick me out of the shelter. They claim that I never told them about the appointments, which simply isn't true.

SPI further claims that I should have called to let them know that I would be staying out overnight. But why should I do that if I already told them about my appointments? It doesn't take a rocket scientist to understand that a sleep study would be conducted at night (the sleep study was to determine whether or not I have sleep apnea).

I have attempted to reach my doctor to get a "doctor's sick note" but my doc is an extremely busy, and successful woman—the sort of doctor who has a nine-month waiting list for annual wellness examinations and a three-month waiting list for follow-up exams. I'm hoping that she'll return my phone call on Monday and will then be able to send such a letter to me but in the interim, I'm literally on the streets.

This isn't the first time I've had issues with SPI, though. I've been very vocal about the inhumane living conditions we've been forced to live under, and I feel that this action is retribution for me speaking up and advocating not only for myself but for all of the residents living at SPI. For example, the 50 some-odd med living at the shelter are forced to share one toilet and one shower. The women are roused from their beds before 7am and cannot return to them, at times, until 8pm--and many of the women have health conditions that make it extremely difficult for them to be on their feet for such an extended period of time.

There have been numerous other issues with SPI I have encountered in the eight or so months I've been staying with them, and that doesn't even get into the systemic issues of homelessness.

SPI touts itself as a caring, safe space organization. However, in my experience and the experience of many of my friends and fellow homeless here, it has been anything but that. I invite other members of the media to come and listen to our stories as human beings. We demand to be treated with respect and not mollycoddled or demeaned in other ways.

I am thus calling upon the entire homeless community in the Greater Hartford Regions to rally with me in front of SPI tomorrow, Saturday, November 7, 2020, at 2:00 p.m. to raise awareness about the issues we face as we struggle to find housing and survive from day to day in the homelessness system, which is controlled by corrupt individuals.

I have started a GoFundMe to help with all of my expenses, including paying down my significant personal debts. With all of the personal health issues I have, my bills only continue to grow and right now, I really need to get glasses. I'll need three pairs of glasses and with the examinations and testing, that will come to about $2,000 alone.

To contribute to my GoFundMe, visit https://gofundme.com/f/pcfstartlife20.

If you'd like to help out and don't wish to use GoFundMe, here are some other ways you can provide assistance:

• I could use gift cards, especially to Amazon, BJ's Wholesale Club, Starbucks, Lyft, and CVS Pharmacy (use my email address)
• Support me on Patreon to help me continue my journalistic work and personal writing experiences on my blog
• I need help getting to my medical appointments so if you can help provide transportation I would be very, very grateful for that.
• You can send money to me via Zelle (bank-to-bank transfer using my email address), CashApp ($petercfrank), Venmo, or PayPal, BitCoin (ask me for my Bitcoin wallet address or use my email address, which you can also use for PayPal)
• I have an Amazon Wish List that you can order items I need and send directly to me but bear in mind that I currently stay in a shelter and have no space to keep or store items beyond bare essentials.
• I love being able to give gifts. So even though I may not be able to do so now, please share your Amazon Wish Lists with me, or just leave a comment and let me know what sort of things make you happy and brighten your day!
• If you're in or passing through the greater Hartford, CT area, I'd love to meet up with you for a cuppa (especially a Chai latte at SBUX) or some other tea house. Perhaps a short stroll through Elizabeth Park or Westfarms Mall. Something to just get out, stretch my legs, mind, and be with positive people. If you can provide transportation, I can provide some great company and conversation. Contact me to arrange an adult play date. It would mean the world to me (and yes, of course, I'll wear a mask!).

Hartford Registrar of Voters Colluding to Suppress Republican Votes?

Voters going to the polls for tomorrow's elections should be aware of a story of great importance regarding potential corruption and unethical practices in the Registrar of Voters office that city officials such as Mayor Bronin and the council would rather be kept quiet.

Vanessa Garay-Jackson
(fmr) Deputy Republican Registrar of Voters
City of Hartford, CT

Early last month, the Deputy Republican Registrar of Voters, Vanessa Garay-Jackson, was terminated from her position by the Republican Registrar of Voters, Sheila N. Hall, for no discernable reason other than what appears to be retribution for Garay-Jackson's successful bid against Hall to become the Republican Registrar of Voters.

Upon reviewing documents I obtained regarding the termination, Garay-Jackson was initially dismissed from her position by Hall without notice on Friday, September 25, 2020 "effective the close of business today." No reason was provided in the termination notice, signed by Hall.

A subsequent letter was given to Garay-Jackson dated Friday, October 2 stating, "As we discussed, your service as Deputy Registrar of Voters for the City of Hartford is terminated, effected October 2, 2020." The letter further states that Garay-Jackson is not entitled to any sort of termination compensation other than accrued vacation time, and advises her to contact human resources regarding health insurance and other benefits.

When reached for comment Garay-Jackson expressed her shock at the termination and lack of notice, "I was taken completely aback, especially given that I was the one who did most of the grunt work in the office to prepare for the elections. Sheila [Hall] always saw herself as being above that sort of work and preferred to remain in her office rather than get her hands dirty. What she did in her office, I can't comment on. I was busy preparing for the elections and doing the actual work of the Registrar, which is one of the reasons why I ran in the first place."

Earlier this year, Garay-Jackson ran against Hall in the Republican primary election to become the Republican Registrar of Voters and handily defeated Hall in the primary election, which was held in September. "After the election, Sheila took a few weeks off. When she returned, I was fired," Garay-Jackson related.

"After I was given the initial notice on the 25th I met with Sheila and she told me the reason for my termination was lack of work. In other words, she's saying that there isn't any work in the office that can justify my position, which is ridiculous because I've always been the one to do pretty much everything. Seriously, what has she done, the budget? She always says she's working on the budget and paying the bills but how long can that take, a week, at most? What does she do with the rest of her time? She doesn't even show up to the office most days."

Indeed, other sources inside City Hall, who asked not to be named for fear of retribution, confirmed that Hall does not usually appear in her office. This leaves open the question as to what, exactly, taxpayers in the City of Hartford have been shelling out over $60,000 per year for her to be doing. The exact amount of Hall's salary could not be confirmed, despite numerous requests to City Hall, including the offices of certain city council members. Garay-Jackson advised that she believed the current salary was $62,000.

To further complicate matters, however, Hall is running on a third party (that has herself as the sole member of this third party) to become a third party registrar of voters. According to the by-laws of Registrar of Voters by the Secretary of State's office, which governs all city and town registrar of voters offices, the City of Hartford could end up with three Registrar of Voters (and three deputies), adding an additional $111,000 in salaries to the Registrar of Voters's budget, putting a further dent in the City's failing finances.

None of the members of the city council whom I contacted were aware of this situation. Joshua Michtom was shocked by the situation and promised to look into it but in over two weeks was unable to uncover any additional information, including the actual salary of the Registrar of Voters. According to Garay-Jackson, the Deputy Registrar of Voters made $49,000 per year and the Registrars themselves make $62,000, although the Registrars used to make more in the past but their salaries were drastically reduced, and only recently were they granted a raise. Exactly salary information could not be found online or through the City's website, and numerous requests for this information have gone unanswered.

It took nearly three weeks of constant phone calls to reach Hall, adding fuel to the fire of questions regarding her whereabouts and what she is being paid to do. Additional, unconfirmed rumors arose that Hall has campaigned from her office at City Hall for her third-party candidacy (I did speak with a number of individuals who confirmed the rumors but none who were willing to go on the record, even if their names were withheld).

When finally reached on the phone, Hall was gruff and short, responding that the reason she's running as a third party candidate Registrar of Voters is that she's been a Registrar of Voters for the past ten years--public records show Hall has been elected as Registrar twice for a total of 8 years--and then quickly had to hang up before any additional questions could be asked of her. Hall's response to follow-up email attempts to schedule an interview with her was, "We are in the middle of a very contentious election for many reasons and for that reason I feel that at this time I am unable to set up interviews with Freelance Journalist such as yourself."

This response directly contradicts Hall's reasons for terminating Garay-Jackson, further supporting the notion that Garay-Jackson's termination is nothing other than direct retaliation for Garay-Jackson exercising her First Amendment rights to run for political office. In response to how Garay-Jackson was forced in a primary election, Hall qualified by gathering enough signatures on petitions to enter the primary race. Garay-Jackson explained further why she ran to become the Republican Registrar of Voters:

This is a dream, a goal that I've had and I was determined to accomplish it with or without [Hall's] help. This is not the route I wanted to take. I've been doing my best to work with her but the conditions have become untenable, especially over the last year. Why does she want to stay on, because of the money? What exactly has she been doing for the people in this City? She's never around, never reachable. She takes forever to respond to anyone, and she always leaves the work to me to do. So if I'm doing most of the work, why not run for the full position? She's refused to teach me anything about the office. Rather than growing and learning I just feel as though I've been languishing here in my position and being used. It's not the most conducive environment to conduct business and engage with citizens.

Asked what changes Garay-Jackson will implement when installed in January, she responded "Greater technological automation would greatly help maintain the voter rolls but the main system is run by the Secretary of State so we can't do anything to it without their permission." Garay-Jackson suggested increasing connectivity among various government agencies to help maintain voter registration records as an example of this, for example linking their system with the post office when people submit mail forwarding requests due to moving. "Of course, we'd have to get their permission but perhaps it could be done like the DMV, where there would be a box and people could check the box to have their new info sent to us so their records could be updated," she explained.

"We need to abolish the annual canvas. It's too costly and doesn't really help. As such, it only adds to the problem, creating more work. People either don't respond or respond too late. Another problem is that people think if they respond they're going to be summoned for jury duty, and that simply isn't true. There is no connection between registering to vote or updating your voter registration information and being polled for jury duty," Garay-Jackson informed.

She further advised, "Perhaps switching to an online canvassing system would be a solution, although getting and maintaining people's accurate email addresses or SMS phone numbers could be onerous, and there are privacy issues. But it would take far fewer resources--especially human resources--to do it electronically."

Ken Lerman, Hartford Republican Town Chairman, added, "Vanessa Garay-Jackson is running for Registrar on the Republican line. Vanessa served as the deputy registrar for a number of years and has been a significant help to the Republican party. Her experience, outlook, and proactive efforts will greatly assist Hartford’s voters in the fair and efficient election process. Voting for Vanessa will defeat third-party candidates which will save Hartford taxpayer dollars of over $110,000 per year in registrar office costs."

Due to the by-laws of the Registrar of Voters, Garay-Jackson will be serving at least one term. The only question is whether Hall will be elected as a third-party registrar. That will happen if Hall receives more votes than either the Republican or the Democratic Registrar, in which case a third registrar will be added to the city's Registrar of Voters office, with the additional expenses associated with it. Given the questions already surrounding Hall's performance and current actions, which could have opened the City to exposure of immense financial liability due to Hall's potentially unethical and/or illegal termination of Garay-Jackson, one must question the wisdom of voting in and creating such a new office in the City's government.

Attempts to reach the Secretary of State and State Attorney General's offices for comment on the ethical and legal questions regarding Hall's actions went unanswered. The numerous unanswered questions by elected officials raise further questions regarding the appropriateness and ethicality of this situation.

Even more alarming is the potential impact on Hartford's Republican voters, who are in the minority. One might wonder what impact Hall's actions may have on the Republican vote, either intentionally or unintentionally, perhaps to the extent that it may even result in a suppression of votes. The timing of Garay-Jackson's termination could not have been worse. Dismissing the Deputy Republican Registrar of Voters without cause, especially without appointing a replacement, leaves the office at a severe disadvantage in an election where accusations of voter manipulation, fraud, and other acts of malfeasance are frequent flyers in the news. 

How Hall intends to deal with all of these issues is unknown, especially as she is refusing to be interviewed. And as Garay-Jackson has stated, Hall never got her hands dirty doing any of the real work of the Registrar's office. This leaves open even more questions as to the ability of the office of the Registrar of Voters to effectively carry out its mission and ensure that all votes are counted accurately.

Given the level of obfuscation and obstruction encountered by this reporter in attempting to obtain basic, publicly-available information from the City in assembling this report, such a theory may not be far from the truth.

When reached for additional comment, Garay-Jackson responded that she was in discussions with legal counsel and advised to refrain from providing any further comment to the press in light of potential action she may be taking against the City for wrongful termination.

Coming Out In 2020: Truth and Pride

There is nothing more important to #PRIDE than the Truth and that means even when it may not be very convenient. The #LGBTQ+ community is uniquely situated to handle this quandary because, after the self-realization of identifying as LGBTQIA2S++, one is then faced with perhaps the greatest inconvenient truth of all: the great, big LGBTQ closet.

It's quite unfortunate that I've seen a rise in other such inconvenient truths (and no, not that Inconvenient Truth) since my return to the social web after a hiatus of a few years while I cared for, and then lost my mother as she battled breast cancer for the fourth time. We have come so far in the past 50 years yet have much further to go, especially as a community. I believe that is because we have been fighting for equality when in fact we should be demanding equity and justice.

One needn't look far from the gayborhoods to see the self-harm that staying in the closet does to us. And that's why today, on this 32nd anniversary of National Coming Out Day, I'm going to come out of a few closets that folks may not know I'm in:

1. As if you didn't already know, I'm gay and queer as fuck. If you don't like it or if it's a problem for you, that's your problem. Deal with it. I've done the work on my end. Go get a therapist. Talk it through. You'll feel a lot better.

2. I'm disabled. But not only am I physically disabled due to the injuries I sustained in an automobile accident in 2002 I also am disabled due to mental health issues. I suffer from severe, chronic depression and anxiety disorders. In fact, my depression gets so bad that I can end up in psychiatric hospitalization, often with suicidal thoughts.

Back in the 1990s when I first began experiencing symptoms of depression, I didn't know what was going on. I was in my early 20s, attempting to be one of the youngest graduates of the law school I was attending, and experiencing difficulties. Except, I couldn't put a finger on exactly what those difficulties were. Eventually, I was dismissed by my law school for "poor academic performance" (I was maintaining a "C" average simply by showing up to half the classes and taking the final exam).

I couldn't read the case law being assigned. I could barely concentrate to write the answers on the final exams. I struggled but didn't know why I was struggling or what was causing it. It was the 1990s. Mental health was not a topic of discussion. Thankfully, that has changed.

However, there are still far too many individuals who are struggling with mental health and may not realize it, and then there are those who struggle because of the system. Here's a great list of mental health screening tools you can take online to see if you may need to speak with a doctor or seek further assistance.

3. I'm homeless. I left everything behind in New York, including my subsidized housing for disabled individuals, and permanently moved to Hartford, CT to take care of my mother when her breast cancer came back for the fourth time. When she lost that battle last year, I lost my housing. The system is so screwed up, though, that even though I've been homeless for nearly a year, I've only been "officially homeless" for about five months. I'll be writing more about homelessness and my journey in the coming days and weeks.

4. I'm an addict. I'm addicted to technology, the Internet, and gaming--and there's a slight possibility that I might be a foodaholic and a shopaholic. Everyone needs a smartphone today, but I have to have the latest, greatest phone (form Samsung, of course). If I don't, I feel less than, and it affects my mental health. 

My hands twitch in anticipation of getting a new phone. I can't wait. I yearn (as I am right now for the Note 20 Ultra, which I can't currently afford).

Most of all, I'm addicted to social media, and all of the love from my friends that I've made over the decades in coming out to them about who I am through my own version of storytelling.

As I was reminded this past week, coming out is a process. It is never-ending, and it changes as we grow. And as we grow there are different aspects of us that need to come out of the closet. As can be seen, coming out isn't something that's relegated solely to the LGBTQ community even though it was started by and is still owned by us.

There are individuals right now who are hiding in various closets. It may be someone very close to you, someone you think you might know very well. But they're living in a closet, afraid to come out.

The best thing to do for folks, for everyone, is to let them know that no matter what sort of closet they're living in, it's ok to come out. It's ok to be who you are, and that no matter who you are and what sort of closet you're living in, you'll be accepted and loved.

That's what all of my friends and family have done for me over the years. And it hasn't been until now that I've had the courage to come out of all of my closets.

I hope that this gives you the courage to come out of yours.

Please support my GoFundMe. Thank you!

Homeless, Disabled, and Distraught: Starting Life 2.0

Greetings and salutations. Thank you so much for taking the time to read about my situation and need for assistance. I'm launching the first chapter in what essentially is a new book in my life, so I've dubbed it Life 2.0.

In a nutshell, I'm homeless, disabled, have a plethora of health issues (numerous physical health issues plus severe chronic depression and anxiety), lost my mother to breast cancer a year ago and her sister just passed away in Thailand, successfully fought off a COVID-19 infection, and have only a limited support system. I need help to get back on my feet and make a new start of things, and I'd appreciate your assistance with that.

That being said, I truly appreciate and am grateful to you just for finding and supporting this post and hopefully contributing to my GoFundMe campaign (which you can do right now simply by clicking this link). For other ways to help out, scroll down to the bullet points at the end of this article.

A Bit More About Me...

As I mentioned, I'm a disabled gay man who dropped everything and left my life behind in New York to move to Hartford, CT when my mother's breast cancer came back for the fourth time in order to help take care of her. Previously I'd spent years traveling back and forth to help mom out with a bunch of things. As an immigrant with little education, mom struggled to make a life for herself, and I was happy to form a more solid relationship with her in adulthood, especially as I wasn't raised by her.

My Mother, Kalaya

Late last year, mom lost her battle against breast cancer exactly one day after her 70th birthday. I was devastated, and it's only been within the past few weeks that I've managed to come out of the shock I've experienced from her loss. I've managed to resurface in life, both online and off, after a nearly three- to four-year hiatus of devoting most of my time and energy to her.

As I also mentioned, mom's only sister just passed away. It was exactly two weeks before the one-year anniversary of mom's passing. I'd really like to be able to send some money to my cousins over in Thailand to help with the funeral expenses as well as mom's anniversary celebration that they do in the Buddhist temple and tradition there in Thailand.

After mom's passing last year I had to move out of her apartment and eventually became homeless. The multiple contingency plans I'd made all fell through for one reason or another. My chronic depression combined with grief over mom's loss sent me on another trip to the fun factory (aka a psychiatric hospitalization) as my suicidality went from passive to active. When I was discharged from the hospital, I was sent to a homeless shelter to continue my "recovery."

While at the shelter I contracted COVID-19 and was placed in quarantine for two weeks. When I emerged from quarantine, still with COVID-19 symptoms, I was evicted from the shelter because I had overstayed the 30-day time limit for the recovery program that placed me there.

Along with a few others, I spent a week in the shelter's lobby in a state of homelessness limbo, literally sleeping on chairs. It wasn't until I began "making noise" (as we activists say) that I was re-housed with the homeless population of Hartford, CT in a hotel, else I'd still be in that lobby. We stayed in the hotel from mid-April until the end of August when we moved back to the homeless shelter as the COVID-19 funding ran out. Here at the shelter, I have the delightful privilege of sharing one toilet and one shower with over 50 men, but I do have my own cubicle and lumpy mattress, which does wonders for my back that has been diagnosed with severe spondylosis, among other issues arising from the car accident I was in.

For those wondering, I do receive Social Security Disability Income (SSDI), which I began receiving in 2002 when I became disabled from an automobile accident that kept me in the hospital for nearly a year, in a wheelchair for two years, and on crutches for seven years. I now hobble around for short distances with the aid of a cane. I am unable to walk long distances due to pain and other issues. SSDI is not enough to live on, especially in the northeast region of our country.

If you're truly curious, of the monthly SSDI income I receive, 12.5% goes to pay for my prescription medication (even though I do have insurance that covers the majority of those costs, I still have co-insurance payments), 7.5% to medical insurance premiums, 35% to paying off debt agreements I cannot get out of, and 20% to paying for technology and health aides. That leaves me with 25% of my $1500 monthly disability income--or just $375--to pay for rent, utilities, food, transportation, clothing, household supplies, and other expenses. Suffice it to say, it's not enough, especially when the rent alone for a one-bedroom apartment in this area averages $1341 per month. So exactly how is one expected to be able to survive (let alone live) when the average market rate for rent is more than the average social security payment—insane, right?

In addition to some form of subsidized housing (which, unlike in other parts of the nation, take years if not decades to obtain here), I obviously need to supplement my income. To do this I'm working on re-opening and expanding my business to offer a number of professional services ranging from consulting, coaching, event planning, fundraising, business development, marketing, social media, writing, journalism, decorating, and as I'm a Justice of the Peace, performing weddings in the State of Connecticut. Additionally, I can offer savings on the energy distribution portion of utility bills in over 17 markets and zero-down home solar panel installation in over 10 markets.

For all of this to happen, I'll need to get and furnish a home, take better care of my health (both physical and mental), pay off all my past debts (not just some as I'm doing now), replenish my important possessions, and pay for a number of business expenses (including a web site as well as recurring social media tools and monthly app fees).

That's where you come in: I'm asking for your help to get my life back, to start a new chapter, to turn the page. In reality, though, it's more like starting a new book. I will be eternally grateful to everyone who contributes, and of course, if I can offer any of my services to you, let's have a conversation about that!

Me, being homeless during the COVID-19 pandemic

Please know that this is no easy thing for me to do, asking others for help. Like most men, I have great difficulty in asking for help for myself. However, unlike most men, this doesn't come from a sense of ego. Rather, it's because, for most of my life, I've derived such immense pleasure from helping others that it is a primary source of joy and gratitude and thus, a way of life for me. So I truly enjoy helping others and have no problems when it comes to asking for help for others, just when it comes to asking for help when it's me who is the person needing the help.

In the coming days and weeks I'll be writing more about what's happened that's caused me to be in a human "incognito mode," as well as chronicling my journey into homelessness and hopefully the return therefrom. I'll also be detailing a bit more about what the money I'm asking for will be going towards. Finally, I'll be answering any questions I receive about this funding campaign for everyone to read, probably in the form of a FAQ. Please follow my writings on my blog here.

Once again, thank you for staying with me this far. I do hope you'll stick with me for the rest of my journey. I look forward to hearing from friends old and new and to meeting some great, new folks who can support me on this journey I'm calling Life 2.0.

If you'd like to help out and don't wish to use GoFundMe, here are some other ways you can provide assistance:

• I could use gift cards, especially to Amazon, BJ's Wholesale Club, Starbucks, Lyft, and CVS Pharmacy (use my email address)
• Support me on Patreon to help me continue my journalistic work and personal writing experiences on my blog
• You can send money to me via Zelle (bank-to-bank transfer using my email address), CashApp ($petercfrank), Venmo, or PayPal, BitCoin (ask me for my Bitcoin wallet address or use my email address, which you can also use for PayPal)
• I have an Amazon Wish List that you can order items I need and send directly to me but bear in mind that I currently stay in a shelter and have no space to keep or store items beyond bare essentials.
• I love receiving gifts (who doesn't?), especially of handmade items and baked goods (what can I say, I have such the sweet tooth!). Did somebody say chocolate? Please contact me directly for a mailing address. But note that due to the fact that I currently am in staying in a homeless shelter, I am very limited in what I am able to receive here.
• More importantly, I love being able to give gifts. So even though I may not be able to do so now, please share your Amazon Wish Lists with me, or just leave a comment and let me know what sort of things make you happy and brighten your day!
• If you're in or passing through the greater Hartford, CT area, I'd love to meet up with you for a cuppa (especially a Chai latte at SBUX) or some other tea house. Perhaps a short stroll through Elizabeth Park or West Farm Mall. Something to just get out, stretch my legs, mind, and be with positive people. If you can provide transportation, I can provide some great company and conversation. Contact me to arrange an adult play date. It would mean the world to me (and yes, of course, I'll wear a mask!).

I am ever so grateful that you are
with me on this journey into Life 2.0.

Top 10 Religious Movies for Atheists

A tweet came into my stream asking atheists what their favorite religious movie was.

I began thinking about it and came up with a Top 10 list of my favorites (because we Libras have difficulty choosing).

So for the record, I was raised Roman Catholic and as I've completed five of the seven sacraments and have yet to be excommunicated by The Church, I still am one. However, in terms of my belief system, I consider myself a spiritual atheist with my spirituality based on energy--somewhat of a scientific take on religion, if you will (the theory of everything, string theory, e=mc², etc.).

The being said, here are my Top 10 religious movies of all time, that I strongly recommend you watch.

1. The Magdelene Sisters

2. Its A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World 

3. The Matrix Trilogy

4. Zeitgeist

5. Latter Days

6. The Bells of St. Mary's

7. Prayers for Bobby

8. Dogma

9. It's A Wonderful Life

10. Miracle on 34th Street

11. Sister Act / Sister Act 2

Ok, ok I know I said it's a top 10 list but as I've been saying all along, taking AP Calculus as a junior in high school totally farked my ability to do maths. 😝😝😝

So what are your faves? Do you have any suggestions for me? Please post a comment and let me know what your picks are of religious movies for the non-religious!

A COVID-19 Quarantine Warning

Folks, I know I've been absent from cyberspaces throughout the realms but I would be remiss were I not to make every effort to bring forth this warning about some very strange and dangerous goings-on as a result of the COVID-19 virus and how governments worldwide are dealing with this pandemic. 

I have it on the most excellent authority that people are, once again, going bonkers from being all couped up in quarantine due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But this time, folks are going nutters in thoroughly difficult and inexplicably peculiar ways. After conferencing in the microwave and toaster oven while sipping a cuppa from the KEURIG® over Zoom from my Sealy™ Posturepedic®, we all agreed that things are getting really bad out there.

It was at this point that we received an urgent request from the KitchenAid® to join the conference, who provided some invaluable intelligence on just how mixed up things have become. Particularly, the toaster oven expressed grave consternation about the latest heat map of COVID-19 cases. It really became frightful when the Hoover® reported that people suffering from this novel coronavirus felt as if all the air had been sucked out from their lungs. The Maytag® picked up on this with her spin-factor, adding that folks with COVID-19 feel like they've been wrung out and left to dry. Beginning to panic, we all agreed that absolutely nothing was to be said to the Frigidaire® due to his ever-cold and distant disposition.

The Rowenta® was finally able to placate us when she burst in that everything will be fine because no situation is too wrinkled that a good pressing can't fix. The Cuisinart® wasn't the least bit sympathetic, though, suggesting that folks were getting way too chopped up over everything. The Vornado then circulated reassuringly constant hope throughout the room that these uncertain times would shortly blow over. Unfortunately, the toilet looked a bit flushed when I asked its opinion and he kept schtum, while the sink gurgled up something about it all going down the drain.

We were about to completely lose it when the Yale Assure told us to get a grip. The front door complained that we were becoming unhinged, while the curtains admonished us about a potential cover-up of the gravest facts, advising that we simply pull it together. All the Levelors did was complain about how blind everyone was to the facts. Naturally, the wireless tuned in and proposed that we see a show so the tube threw down with a bit of Broadway's latest hit, Hamilton (and I still can't figure out why it's become so popular).

At that point, Alexa butted into the conversation because she was eavesdropping again. When I asked Google what to do about everything he suggested that I get an Assistant. When I did that, the Assistant checked the food in the Samsung Smart Refrigerator and ordered us a pizza with a coupon it found on GrubHub to save 25% off the order.

So now I'm just sitting here with a can of Lysol® in each hand and what's left of my rubbing alcohol (because the Assistant just read me a warning about hand sanitizers having manufacturing problems making them unsafe) waiting for the delivery driver to show up in its Tesla and hope my Chevy doesn't get jealous and clog up the atmosphere again, praying the pizza is still warm because the Viking oven blew a fuse when it got too hot and burnt dinner and now none of the appliances are talking to me other than the Ring, who chimed in that he misses capturing people walking by because everyone is holed up in their homes due to the COVID-19 quarantine!

Laptop Dreams

I need a new laptop. All THREE of my current laptops died on me at the beginning of this year. Were it not for a kind and generous friend who gave me his old desktop, I'd be without any computer at all. 😞

I'm looking for a powerful but affordable 8th generation or later core i7 or core i9 laptop. I don't need it for gaming but the laptops built for gaming seem to contain the specs I like; however, they're too expensive. I use a laptop as my primary computing device. I'm disabled so I am on a very tight budget.

I do *a lot* of multitasking and usually have a plethora of tabs open in numerous web browsers that put a strain on a system's processing power (think, lots of web apps running in many tabs and windows).

A typical computing session might be: having Gmail, Google Voice, Google Duo, Zoom, Google Docs, Google Sheets™, 10-15 LinkedIn, 25 Facebook, 10 Twitter, my Tweetdeck (that has 38 columns), 50 Pinterest (usually more though as it's so easy to get carried away on their platform!), 5 Instagram, 25 Google Search, Hootsuite, Bit.ly, 5-10 other social media management (like Socialfave, Crowdfire, Buffer, IFTTT, Tailwind, etc.), 15-20 regular news, 10-15 tech, 5-10 tech news, 5-10 Android, 5-10 YouTube, Google Music, 10-20 Amazon.com, 5 eBay, 20-25 other shopping, 50 graphics/picture, and a few screenshots tabs open across Google's Chrome browser in a couple of different windows.

Plus I'm also usually running Evernote, Windows Explorer, a BitTorrent client like Utorrent, TeamViewer, PuTTY SSH, IrfanView, HP Smart, GIMP, VLC and possibly a video editor (usually Shotcut), along with a smattering of some other, miscellaneous programs (Avast Software's anti-malware suite, of course, Google Drive (now called Backup and Sync) and whatever else I might have open). So, that's why I need so much computing power and I'm not a gamer. (But of course, I might just have the odd game or two open on the computer, as well.)

I'm hoping to find something under $1,000.

That's why I definitely *need* an 8th-gen core i7 or greater CPU (e.g., 10th gen core i9--and not the "U" variant as I don't think it will be powerful enough), minimum 16 GB ram, an external graphics card, and either an SSD or an SSD+HDD combo (I don't care how big as I can always upgrade later, plus I have some external storage I can use in the interim). VGA & HDMI out would be nice. Separate mic/headphone jacks would be superb.

I definitely want a 15.6" screen, as that allows for a num pad with the keyboard. I'd love a touchscreen, even if the laptop isn't able to double as a tablet. I'd prefer a WUXGA or better display but will settle Full HD (1920x1080p) resolution, IPS or better, LED or better (not certain if laptop screens have only advanced to OLED or AMOLED). As many USB 3.0 & USB-C ports as possible.

And let's talk about _Easy access to system memory and storage_, shall we? Enough of this having to rip the computer apart to upgrade the RAM or storage. Can we please go back to the days when you just unscrewed a few screws on the bottom of the laptop where well-marked panels were to access storage and memory? Like on my very first ThinkPad or the Dell D620 line?

I don't need an optical drive. If I do need one I can get an external one. Good speakers (I really dig the Bang & Olufsen speakers on HP's laptops) and dual microphones that can eliminate the sound of typing on the keyboard while using the computer as a VoIP or SIP device for communication would be a dream. Actually, it would come in quite handy, and I wonder why no one has produced a plausible solution for this pestiferous problem. All too often have I offended the sonic sensibilities of someone on the other end of a conversation with the loud clacking of my typing, amplified through the laptop's body to be picked up by the microphone and transmitted to their battered ears.

It would be quite nice if the unit would stay cool to the touch. I really liked what I read about the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G15 laptop and its cooling technology. 

And finally, can we please make this a durable device? I mean, I own a Samsung laptop that I love as it's sleek and adequate but I've sent it in for repair for the same damn issue more than four times now. The power plug ends up getting banged into and that cracks the motherboard or the power port, rendering the laptop unable to make a connection with the power cord afterward. As such, it cannot be charged or even powered on.

So please place the power cord somewhere safe (like the back), perhaps using an L-bracket so it's not jutting straight out. And in the event the laptop falls (even from a bed onto a carpeted floor), the cord won't get bent in and the power port won't crack or break off the motherboard.

While we're at it, please place the exhaust vents in places where we aren't apt to place our bare skin like out hands (and get burned). Maybe you can figure out how to run the air around the computer's edge before venting it out so it doesn't come out quite so hot? IDK... But I swear you could cook sandwiches on the HP Pavillion laptop I owned that actually burned out on me shortly after the warranty expired (and which they refused to repair, even if I purchased an extended warranty).

Well, I think I've gone from my computing requirements to my wishes. I'm certain there are a few other items I could come up with....

I believe both businesses and consumers would really appreciate the features I've requested in my dream laptop if it could be built for under $1,000 (yes, I know, $999.95).

Add a few bells & whistles like full 1TB SSD (instead of, say, 128 GB SSD + 1 TB HDD), or increase the SSD & HDD size (512GB/2TB). Increase the RAM to 24 or 32 GB and use an ultra-high-end graphics card. Put in a 4k touchscreen with a Full HD 3D webcam. Build a 2.1 sound system into the unit, even if you have to detach it or fold it out (like fins, or slide-outs). That would be one hell of a killer gaming rig, for under $1,600.

Pare it down and there would be different models for home and educational (core i3/i5), and business (i5/i7/i9) uses. Yes, use the "U" version of the CPU for ultraportable, as well as Chromebook versions.

So what do you think? What would you include in your dream laptop? What do you think of my ideal laptop? Can you help me find it for under $1,000?

Maybe ASUS, HP, or Acer could just give me a nice price break for coming up with some of these ideas and capitalize on them, or hire me as a consultant.... 

Leave a comment and let me know your thoughts!

Oh, and if you'd like to chip in to my laptop fund, feel free to donate via PayPal, CashApp, or Venmo or send an Amazon.com gift card. Thanks! 😃

Please Help -- I'm Homeless!

It's official: I've officially just been registered as a homeless person in CT's Coordinated Access Network (CAN) for homeless persons. I am not one who has an easy time asking for help but right now, I need all the help I can get.

I would truly appreciate any amount of money you can spare to help me get back on my feet. I can accept funds via the following methods:

• PayPal
• CashApp
• Google Pay (send to my email address pcfrank73@gmail.com)
• Zelle (bank transfers) via pcfrank73@gmail.com or 914-417-9579.
• Venmo
• Amazon (I can always use gift cards for Amazon to get things I need, such as clothing, food, household supplies, etc.)

I had been staying with the relative of a friend for the past few months, ever since I had to move out of my mother's apartment when she lost her fourth battle against breast cancer. Unfortunately, we both now are homeless and instead of expressing to me what was going on constructively, this person chose to pick a fight with me, as you can see in the video, below or watch on my YouTube channel:

I am now homeless, without money, in a load of debt, and need your help.

This is where I had been sleeping since September 2019:

This is where I've been sleeping for the past few months
since my mother passed away--literally on the floor.

As you can see, I've literally been on the floor. Most of my possessions are gone, having been thrown out by relatives who were "cleaning out" mom's apartment.

The only regret I do not have is losing my subsidized housing in New York when I came up here to Hartford, CT a couple of years ago to help take care of mom when her breast cancer came back a fourth time. I stayed up here so long that I wound up losing my housing voucher, and I don't regret it. When that happened, I began building a life in this area.

Although most of my time was dedicated to dealing with my mother, I was able to join the community in Hartford, CT. I helped out with their LGBTQ pride festival and re-engaged in politics, joining the town's Republican Committee as a progressive Republican.

I'd very much like to continue building the life I had started building up here when I came to take care of my mother. While I don't know very many people and have few contacts, I believe that Hartford, CT is ripe for a rebirth and I look forward to being part of it.

I am so grateful to you for keeping up with me, checking in on me, seeing how I'm doing, and whatever other support and assistance you can provide to help me get back on my feet and start living again.

This is me, Peter C. Frank

URGENT HELP NEEDED - Crazed Roommate Attacks Me Over Pillow & Now I'm Homeless!

Shortly before midnight on Monday, January 6, 2020, the woman I'd been renting a room from in an unhabitable apartment (without a stove and numerous housing code violations) at an unaffordable (to me) rate attacked me over a pillow, and now I'm homeless. I managed to record a good portion of the altercation, which you can watch on my YouTube channel:

As you can see for yourself, she comes into the room I'd been sleeping in (on the floor) and begins a huge row with me for no apparent reason.

I am now homeless, without money, in a load of debt, and need your help.

This woman, Rosemary Gordon (aka "Gypsy" as she likes to be called), is the Aunt of a dear friend. My friend introduced me to her because when he spoke about me to her, she wanted to meet me. After my mother lost her fourth battle to breast cancer a couple of months ago, she asked me to move in with her. Given that my other plans fell through, I accepted.

A couple of weeks later she asked if I could help out with paying the rent, and I said I wouldn't be able to afford much but I would do what I could. We agreed that I would pay $250 a month to sleep on the floor of her living room. A few weeks later, she demanded more money, and my friend and she and I sat down and we all talked it out and agreed that I would pay $400 a month (despite the fact that I really can't afford that), and that I could move into the free bedroom in the apartment.

This is where I've been sleeping for the past few months
since my mother passed away--literally on the floor.

Shortly thereafter, Rosemary told me that we were going to be moving to a better neighborhood (one without nightly shootouts and gunfire) and dwelling (the one we were in had serious issues). I later found out that the impetus for this move was that she was being evicted by her landlord and had reached a settlement with him and that we were to be out by the end of November.

We have been "moving" ever since the end of November, except that every time we were to be ready to move, something happened with the new place that delayed things. I've spent hundreds of dollars on movers and moving expenses, and in order to get into the new place, Rosemary told me that she needed me to pay her two month's rent and a security deposit, which I did.

I hired movers twice and had to pay them for showing up and doing practically nothing because they arrived, some other issue always came up with the new place that prevented us from going ahead with the move. Last week we finally got the majority of our possessions out of the old apartment to the new place (which I still have not seen) with the help of more of my money but right when I was ready to go to the new apartment, something else came up that prevented us from going there and actually moving in.

I spent another few days on the floor of the old apartment hoping that this latest delay would be resolved and we'd finally be able to move in and then we were forced to leave by the landlord. With everything in the garage of the new place, we went to stay with a friend of Rosemary who lived near the new home. Once again, I'm sleeping on the floor, which I've been doing the floor the entire time I've been living with her. (I did purchase a bed and mattress at the end of November but left them in the box, as I figured it would be easier to move.)

As of right now, I have nowhere else to go. I have exhausted my monies for the next four months. My bank account is seriously in the red. For the past few nights I've been staying in a cheap hotel, which around here is still $75/night.

I've now run out of money, I have nothing to eat and nowhere to go, and my belongings are in Rosemary's new home. I have other items that are in her friend's home, and I need to get those out of there today.

Ever since my mother's passing a few short months ago I've been in a black hole of triple depression. And then I began watching Bernie Sanders's videos again, and just as it did four years ago, hope took hold of me and I began pulling myself out of the darkness of despair. I began to hope that things would begin to improve in my life. I began reconnecting with people, with my communities. I even attended a New Year's Day dinner event (which I'll be writing about soon).

I began living again, and it felt good! I went to my doctor for the first time in a year (as I was taking care of mom, I wasn't able to keep any medical or other appointments) I was looking forward to having a furnished room to sleep in as well as work out of, volunteering for Bernie Sander's campaign, getting back to writing, and finding a way to increase my income.

Now, I am losing not only that hope but all hope. I really don't want to say this but it just seems as if everything I do becomes a disaster. I can't do anything right. I don't have the means to live life anymore, especially as scraping by off SSDI is not living, and one certainly cannot afford to live off SSDI checks alone in this region of the country, let alone to better one's life. I still face a number of health hurdles.

I hate asking people for help but I really do need it. Any amount you can give me will be helpful--even $1. And I really do appreciate it. I know that there are very kind people out there, and many people in similar situations as myself or on the verge of a situation like mine, facing homelessness.

If, after reading this and watching the video, you could help me out by sending whatever amount you can, I would be ever so grateful. If you can't help out with some funds, then please share my story. Maybe you have a friend who can.

I can accept funds via the following methods:

• PayPal
• CashApp
• Google Pay (send to my email address pcfrank73@gmail.com)
• Zelle (bank transfers) via pcfrank73@gmail.com or 914-417-9579.
• Venmo
• Amazon (I can always use gift cards for Amazon)

I truly appreciate your kindness, generosity, and love. Maybe I'll get through this. I really don't know. Whatever hope I have is fading. I literally need about ten thousand dollars to pull myself out of this hole.

If you can help me, and I'm able to get set up in a new place (which I'll need help paying for going forward), know that I'll be able to help Bernie Sanders become the next President of the United States this year, and that I'll be able to get back to helping others in my communities.

Thank you so much for reading this and watching the video. Whether or not you can contribute toward my housing relief fund, I'm grateful that you're in my life.

Even though #cnn is slowly coming to grips with #berniesanders2020 (they use "if" when writing about his chances of NOT winning the election), when @cnn has only positive things to say about @berniesanders yet they still rank him as only the #2 candidate, you know the game is still rigged! #berniesanders #berniecrats #politics #uspolitics #news #journalism #journalists #media #mediabias #thegameisrigged #bernieblackout #bernieforpotus

via Instagram https://www.instagram.com/p/B61lBtHhmqk/

Fireworks in #hartford #ct to bring in the #newyear. Happy New Year, everyone! Much love, light, health, peace, and prosperity to you in the coming year with #2020 vision! #happynewyear #happynewyear2020 #hartfordct #hartfordct #nightphotography #nighttimephotography #instapic #fireworks #fireworks💥 #newyearseve #newyearsfireworks

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