Eviction case lost. I have 5 days from 4.28.25

Eviction is now imminent. I lost my case today and owe $9,741.

I truly believed I had a defense, but I didn't. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose.

Over the past 30 days, I found a job, worked my ass off to prove my worth, earned a promotion and a raise just yesterday — but today, it feels like I've been pushed five steps back for every three I took forward.

I had to force myself to relax today, even as my mind raced. The darker parts of me — the veteran who has seen too much — started spiraling, especially after the landlord/manager gave me a smug smile when the judge ruled against me.

I know I am capable. I just pray for patience... and that I can hold onto my morality.

Back in October, I was fired — many of you know this — for simply discussing pay. It couldn’t have been better timing for them, either. The NLRB didn’t take my case, likely a casualty of the DOGE(bag) cuts and the federal government’s ongoing mess. I also couldn't file a Department of Labor claim for being misclassified as a contractor, even though I was clearly an employee with no other real options for income; for the same reasons (billionaire in the white house). F*-45.

The mental health struggle is real, and this situation puts enormous strain on it.

If I end up homeless again, I fear I’ll just become another sad statistic — another example of how far this country has strayed, and how hollow our sacrifices as veterans have become.

Still, I cannot thank enough those who have helped me keep my head above water — those who fed me, who listened to me, who helped me through the darkest moments and reminded me that there is still some light left in this world.