I met with someone PO SUAVE spoke very highly of. A guy who was to have all these connections.  Handsome guy, healthy, happy, proud.  He opens the conversation with so I hear you've gone through tremendous loss. After a bit of dialogue, I put it to him that he's really just a glorified Welfare Clerk.  He couldn't respond.  He has these designations - BA, BSW, RSW.

All those letters only to recommend that I go on Welfare. My Gross this month was roughly $3200, less expenses.  That after losing jobs and productivity due to homelessness, useless hospitalization, court, useless probation, loss of property, etc.  Furthermore, what I just stated consumed my energy from looking for work the next month, in December.

He recommends WELFARE

I went from $40/hr+ as an employee to Welfare and possibly lost everything I own because of "Mental Health Workers", "Mental Health Liason Officers", etc.  Including my means of earning a living.

There was more said in this meeting.  As for Mental Health, I stated that no human was created perfectly.  Maybe I am wrong, maybe we all were? I explained my use of Coffee and Cigarettes, how I am using them to keep me "up".  Personally, I'd rather ween myself down, but everything is too chaotic.

I explained my Sinking Ship analogy (my parents, siblings).  I explained my Jar and Stir Stick Analogy (Psychiatrists and Psychologists).  I explained "Assisted Living" from my views and what I learned.  I explained I was offered Special EI Benefits back in February (they would not have helped me).

I explained what I needed.

I explained that I needed what was taken from me.  A place to live, a place to work out of.  I explained the reasons why.   I explained what I needed to do, and that is write everything out.  The truth.  I believe I explained that work helps me.  I also believe I explained that if I fall any further, I will never get back up.

He was proud.  He was confident.  Until I asked him if he had ever been Self-Employed.  Suddenly, he was useless.  It was all in his face as he said no.  This is not meant to mock him at all.  The System sure, let's expose it for what it is.

His recommendation was Welfare - unless he could look into a few different other things previously offered.  On the idea of Welfare, how would that actually help me?  How would it help anyone?  It won't even pay for the room that I am staying in.

All it will do is create dependency.  More meetings.  More control.  Bureaucracy and red tape.  Not to mention, it cripples one's pride.  $40+/hr, down to a recommendation of Welfare?  What a complete waste of time this meeting was.  What a waste.

At the end, he concludes that

I am just Barely Surviving.

I gave him my email address and encouraged him to write me if he had thought of anything. I wonder if he will email. At the time of this writing, 2017-01-10, I have not heard a word.  Perhaps I need to email, I have so much to do.  I actually suspect, that I might not make it.  It's not as simple as many people assume.