The daily digest of Twin Cities culture | Secrets of the City

"If youre not going to date anyone, you might as well not date the best."

So true.

As someone who once had to make decisions like "Should I pay for bus fare so I can go to work, or should I eat this week?", this blog is definitely relatable. But even if people have never been in that position, it's still a good read. It's funny, not overly self-pitying...kudos to cristina for posting about this.

There always seem to be several homeless-looking people using the computers in the new Central Library when I walk through @ lunch. Wouldn't be surprised if Hulles is one of them, maybe even the dude we refer to as Spicoli.

I'm highly suspect of this guy -- it reads like a book proposal. And it might make for an interesting book, as he's a decent writer.

If it is true, he must be greatly exaggerating his plight. If you are depressed and broke to that degree, blogging does seem like it should be pretty low on the list of priorities.

I renege. This guy is a fake. A phony. A no good, lazy, gold-brickin' ....

And you want to know something else dude? I've seen a lot of spinals in my day...

Anyway, this blog is ripe with viral marketing for some other would-be cultural phenomenon. I almost fell for it, but it's not yet quite attained escape velocity.

Sorry about the above rant - I just finished reading about the FEMA trailers in the NY Times, which got me hotter than a pistol.

This blog is great! It's better than reading about some hobby stripper or something.

Cheers!

there was a homeless girl with a brain injury who kept a livejournal a few years ago in boston. she would use the library computer and it was all sorts of interesting. she also had a bit article in the globe. the last i read, she was put up in her first apartment she's ever had after being homeless for years. but now she's made her LJ all friends only, so i guess this was kind of pointless to post. meh.

What does this mean? Amber, do you like cynics or are you making fun of them? It's kind of unclear. I said I liked the blog. I wouldn't doubt that it's for real. I've been living in Minneapolis for too long to know that being poor and depressed sucks. Additionally, I would know better not to glamorize it or try to make it sound cool. Closing Palmer's with the toothless alcoholics isn't as fun as its cracked up to be. Nor is throwing up blood in the ladies room at the 90's. Ek, really.

I agree with kwatt.
My heart just doesn't feel a pull for a guy who spends "desperately needed" gift money on smokes and beer...

Twenty dollars can still buy food that will last a good, long time.
Peanut butter sandwiches may not be great everyday, but they'll keep you alive if you desire it.

Or.. determining, rather...

Not according to Maslow.

True (as usual), Max. But Maslow himself wondered if he was perhaps a bit psychotic.

You goota be kinda nutty to make a pryamid of needs.

According to Maslow's pyramid of annoyingness, Amber is less infuriating than people who post personal attacks anonymously on the Internet.

of course people blog when they're depressed or suicidal.
indeed, maybe instead of doing something more productive.
here's a video.

This is more evidence that blogging is the great equalizer. Whether you're a computer programmer, homeless, a stripper, a business executive, or a cat freak... you can have your little corner of the internets and say what you want.

He says his daughter is named Cristina. Is this our Cristina?

I didn't really find this that interesting but then I grew bored with Bukowski after a couple of books too and this is not really breaking new ground.

i call total bs on this guy. if he was such an expert on being poor he wouldn't waste money on lattes and mcdonalds. occasionaly broke? sure. "extreme poverty"? nope.

After working for many years with the poor I have become completely desensitized to how the poor choose to spend their money. What those of us with money see as bad choices are often the choices made by the poor. They buy presents for family, a beer at the bar, a latte, get a car that hasn't worked in months fixed, etc. We all buy ourselves things we don't need, so do the poor, they just have less wiggle room. It makes us feel good to splurge once in a while.

You can always get a free meal in this town, but you can't get a free latte.

In addition, if he's self-confessed depressed and not treating the illness then his spending decisions can't be held to the bar of "makes sense to me." If going to the bar and buying a beer to sip will be the one thing that makes you feel like a member of society this week, then the $3.00 will be worth it.

You can call it stupid and say the money should be saved for a haircut, bus fare, gas, or an interview suit, yes. However it is ignorance of depression and poverty to call that consumer decision proof of wealth.

I think you've got it there, Jerad. Exactly! In the end we each do whatever we need to just to feel human. Judge it if you must, but bad choice or not, sometimes it's all we've got...

A. If people could make rational and efficient financial choices, they wouldn't be poor. To make that complaint about this guy is like saying if starving people would just eat, they wouldn't . . . you know . . . starve.

B. Bigger issue: what is it that is "quintessentially Minnesotan" about being poor and depressed? (I mean, aside from the impression the Star Tribune wants to give us about all of our fellow 'sotans?)

"Hmmm.... Interesting possibility. Not exactly right, but there's always a bit of truth in everything."

Not a dad of christina. A child of cristina's brain.

hey, thanks for posting that video, chuck.