Please help Thom start the next chapter

PLEASE HELP THOM START THE NEXT CHAPTER.

As you may know, I spent the last several years as a caregiver for my elderly parents. It was challenging, and I wish I'd done better, but I did the best I could at the time. Now that they are gone, I'm glad I was able to help them in whatever way I could. My mom passed away in 2019, my dad last October. I am still grieving and perhaps always will. It's a rite of passage I know many go through, and I certainly feel for those who have already, as well as for those for whom it is yet on the horizon.

When my father died, however, I lost more than a beloved parent. I also lost my home. My dad had taken a reverse mortgage on the house and the day after he died it was taken over by the bank. I'd been living with my folks for over a decade. Since October I've been staying with friends in the city, which has been very healing, but that is a temporary situation and I must start planning the next step. I need a place to live, not just a place to stay. But I'm afraid I won't be able to make that happen without the help of my friends. By which I mean financial assistance.

While I now collect a small monthly stipend from Social Security, I have had no regular source of income for a long time. (This is not to say I haven't been working, I just wasn't paid.) What money I have made over the years - from odd jobs, royalty payments, and whatnot - largely went towards helping my parents with their needs, as they lived below the poverty level for the last several years of their lives. I currently face a sort of "Catch-22" situation: to get a job, I need a place to live, and to have a place to live I need a job.

What I'd like to do is return to Madison, Wisconsin, where I stayed for a time a few years ago. An efficiency apartment or studio is all I need, and would be ideal, though I can't rule out a roommate situation (something which, to be honest, does not really appeal to me but may be more feasible economically). Once I've relocated, I can find work and also commence with various artistic projects and volunteering. This would indeed be the next chapter in my life; I do feel that I still have things to offer society. I just have to get from here to there!

A number of friends have suggested I start a GoFundMe, so here it is. The amount of money I've listed as my goal may seem like a lot, and I do feel weird asking for it, but the truth is I will need even more. At any rate, whatever amount is raised will be helpful and appreciated. All of it would go towards an apartment. As I have zero credit (not bad credit, just *no*​ credit!) I may need someone to co-sign a lease or to sign for it completely. With that in mind, I would like to have as many months' rent in advance as possible.

This is not easy to ask for. I don't like being in this position but honestly don't know what else to do. Avoiding homelessness is really what this is all about. In addition to life's daily struggles, I am doing my best not to lapse into negative thinking and depression. It's no fun being 63 years old and finding oneself in this situation. It's hard not to feel like a total loser. I understand that the world owes me nothing and that I largely put myself where I am. Ultimately, we each have our own path and I am treading mine. Hopefully, it will lead to Madison!

If you have any questions, please message me. Thanks for reading this, and for your support and friendship. Namaste.