To all those who have been homeless...

... doesn't it feel great to finally have a place to call home? Boo-YAH, yes it does!!

I've been a homeless wanderer for two months. I've slept at the homes of friends, in the homes of family, in the homes of strangers, in the beds of friends, on couches, on floors, in airports, on airplanes, on planes, on buses, and even some hostels. Some nights I haven't slept. Most uncomfortable place to sleep was definitely the plastic benches at the airport overnight with people walking by. Most comfortable was Michele's friend's gilded apartment in a king sized bed.

You want to know the best part about this? Up until about September 1st this was intentional, but then I was supposed to have a place to live. I moved to a city that I know essentially nothing about with all of my belongings, and not much idea of what would happen to me. I could've ended up sleeping in the subway, but not once was I really concerned that would actually happen. I am completely amazed by the incredible kindness of friends and strangers who have let me into their home or held onto my stuff. I feel incredibly blessed and so, so grateful that this experience has been so positive, especially when it could've sucked so much.

I just want to give a public shout out to the great people of New York City who have helped me out (and a few who were connectors): Di and Mim for letting me stay before traveling; Mike for making sue I had a place to stay when I came back to New York; Mike's friend Megan who let me stay right after i came home from Poland and cat-sit; the Ward's back in Medfield; the Kelly's on Martha's Vineyard; Meri in Salt lake and for keeping all of my stuff as i've wandered around; Helen for letting me sleep on her bed, on her floor, and keeping all my stuff in her corner for an indeterminable amount of time, and her roommates for understanding; Christian for introducing me to Trevor; Trevor, Shelly, and baby Maddie for letting me stay at their house without knowing me when baby Maddie came early; Michele for contacting her friend Gayle; Gayle, Tony, and baby Max for letting me stay in their gilded palace apartment while they went on vacation to show off the baby; and last, but definitely not least, my new roommate Emily for finding us a beautiful place and making sure that I was always taken care of somewhere while our move-in date kept changing.

I now have a home. I have no furniture or anywhere to put things, but you know what? I don't have to repack my suitcases. I can have all of my stuff in one place. I can buy things. I can have my mail forwarded to me and buy groceries and get to know my neighborhood.

I have a place for friends to stay when they are visiting or maybe even homeless.