You are visitor to John Balderson's Homelessness Diary web page.

Thank you for visiting this section of my web site. I am currently finding various places on the street from Fort Lauderdale to Hollywood to stay since I got kicked out of the Salvation Army recently.

I am chronicling my experiences for those interesting in learning about "breaking the cycle of homelessness", a quote I like from the resource development director of the HAC, Ezra Krieg.

Below is a diary of my activities.

It has been 7 months since I left Tent City to first move into the HAC, to be later followed by Foundations, Salvation Army, the Helping America disaster, and now currently the streets.

After meticulous checking, I finally was offered the job at Motorola. I started this past Sunday, August 30. I will be working 5 days a week, 32.5 hours, Monday to Friday, from 12AM Midnight to 7AM, with mandatory overtime. I really enjoy this job and I don't have any smart-aleck supervisors, and everyone is very helpful during the training and orientation process.

As part of the continuing process of the Lisa Huriash Sun-Sentinel article, photographer Preston Mack met me at the Mercede theatre, and took some pictures of me as I was walking up University Drive and as I walked into the Motorola building.

The picture taken as I was entering the building caused quite a ruckus for the Motorola/Wackenhut security, and I was later called into the Security office to explain the process of why I was having my pictures taken. I did not tip my hat about my homeless situation, as the only person I have told in confidence about that aspect of my life, is my supervisor, who has gone out of her way to help me out, with free meal debit cards for the cafeteria and loaning me some money so I can buy a bus pass to get to work.

I am still havinf difficulty finding a decent place to sleep during the day, and I can't ride buses all day, so I'll have to find somewhere or else go to the campground and compete with all the insects out there.

My first paycheck will be September 10, so I only have 9 more days to go under my present circumstances, and can begin looking for housing or short term shelter in earnest.

I had a fairly enjoyable Labor Day weekend, as I went to Young Circle for the Zeta Luau where 35,000 of my closest friends and grungers drank and danced and moshed from noon until the skies opened up at 5 PM, cancelling the act I was really waiting to see, hyped all afternoon, Drain STH, four Swedish girls that would make ABBA blush.

I am sure glad that I worked on Saturday so that it really was a 3-day weekend. I'm looking forward to my first Motorola check on Friday, in addition to talking to Lisa Huriash from the Sun-Sentinel to finish up final details on the magazine article.

I will probably get a new pair of sneakers with my check and probably re-activate my cell phone. I have found a pay-by-the-week hotel on Federal Highway and Sheridan in Hollywood, charging $170 per week, I'm trying to find something cheaper.

I am really happy at Motorola and it was worth all the testing, drug screening amd background check, and I hope it turns out to be a long term employment relationship for me, as I really need some stability in my life right now.

I would still like to maintain a goal of being off the street in one form or another by November 15, if not sooner.