Stupid, Stupid, Stupid Emergency

God, this is so embarrassing. Okay, let me do this in something resembling a proper, civilized order. First, many thanks to those who made donations in response to my recent posts. I received several donations after the second post (thanks again!), but unfortunately it was less than the $300 to $400 I needed. So I'm still trying to pay bills that have to be paid, including the internet bill that has to be paid tomorrow. Because I still can't pay the bills, I am still waiting to order groceries. There's almost no food left in the house at this point.

Then, just a short while ago, I received a message from PayPal informing me that my "preapproved payment" to The Washington Post had been made -- in the amount of $149.00. Since I only had $60 in my PayPal account, I'm now in the red for $90. But ... WHAT THE HELL?!?!?!, I thought. $149?!?!?! To The Fucking Washington Post?!?!?! So I did some checking -- and godammit to hell, but there was a preapproved payment in that amount. I had signed up for The Washington Post a year ago. If I'd remembered the deal, it would have been a good one -- the first year for $29, then the second year for $149. If I'd remembered it, I'd have canceled the prepayment, of course -- in the past year, as my funds grew less and less each month, I've canceled all the recurring payments I'd had. Because my funds are always so tight, I simply pay bills as I have the money.

But I forgot about The Fucking Washington Post. Oh, it's canceled now, you can bet your ass. And I'll contact the WP, and try to cancel the renewal and get a refund. I'm dubious I'll succeed; in any case, that will probably take a little time. In the meantime, I'm even more broke than I thought I was.

It's totally my own fault. Stupid, stupid me. But I still have some bills to pay, and I haven't had a decent meal in close to a week. Relatedly: I apologize for being late with the second part of my article about the Ken Burns Vietnam series. But I've been feeling very crappy -- anxiety about the financial situation, compounded by eating very poorly, with major intestinal problems as one of the results, and then it got very, very hot again for a few days. It's been a truly, horrendously rotten week.

Anyway, I'll try to get the next part of that series completed by mid-week. For the reasons explained above -- and because I am sometimes very, very, very stupid -- I could use a little more help.

My apologies for all of this. Well, not for the actual writing, when I get it done. But for everything else. I'm genuinely sorry.

Okay. Maybe I've beaten myself up enough. Time to get on with the tasks at hand. But can I just say one more thing?

FUCK PISS SHIT

Alright, three things. Ah, better.

Still Seriously Need Just a Little More Help

I offer my profound thanks to those who have made donations in response to my post of several days ago. Sixteen people have donated just enough to cover the rent and one other bill. Unfortunately, once those two obligations are met, I won't have anything at all left over for a few other bills (including for internet service), or for food. I can manage to scrounge together a few meals over the next day or two; after that, I'm out of food, period. $300-$400 would get me through this period (the internet bill alone is $80, thanks to the rotters at Time-Warner, oops, sorry, Spectrum, whatever). Donations in any amount will be very gratefully received, as always.

The writing continues to go well, at least as well as it can go at the moment. I'm nearing completion of the second article about the latest Ken Burns monstrosity. I expect to post it tomorrow (possibly later today, depending on how things go, but more likely tomorrow). And there are at least two other posts that I should complete in fairly short order; you can probably look for them toward the end of the week or over the weekend.

Many, many thanks once again. Bless you all for your kindnesses. Please don't ever think, even during my periods of enforced silence, that I take them for granted. I most assuredly do not.

See you again very soon.

Please, I Seriously Need Your Help

I'll get to the financial dreariness in a moment. First, though, I think I understand now how to get on with the writing I want to do. As you can see, I've begun a discussion of the latest Ken Burns paean to murder, mayhem and State power (forgive the redundancies). I'm well into the second part, which will likely be the conclusion as well (but maybe not, we'll see). I'm also anxious to address the issues raised here; I hope to get to that in a week or two. And I have several other essays in various stages of preparation.

It would take too long, and doubtless be tedious in the extreme, to explain the strategies I've adopted to deal with my varied (and increasing) physical infirmities. But I've had to change many of the ways I go about writing so as to accommodate my weaknesses and problems. For now, I know how to get it done, although it takes far, far longer than in the past for me to put an article together. But as long as I can manage it, I'll forge ahead.

It's the first of the month again. Sort of snuck up on me this time. Things have been very, very tight for the last couple of months, and the result is that I am now flat broke. I mean, flat broke. I have $5.00 (yeah, five) in my wallet, about $50 in my checking account -- and the credit card I use to buy groceries is maxed out. I can scrounge together food for about three days; after that, I have nothing to eat at all. (Don't really have anything to eat now but, as I said, I can scrounge.) Don't worry: I always have plenty of cat food. The Serene Being eats even if everyone else starves! Sasha is a creature of light and love. She certainly hasn't started any wars lately. We don't count her excursions against the occasional little bug; some might view them as a courageous health measure!

In any case, it is the first of the month and, since I have no source of income other than donations here, I have nothing for rent, food, internet service, or anything else. Help! Please. If you can make a donation in any amount, Sasha and I will sing your praises unto the goddesses themselves. Seriously, I will be profoundly grateful for your kindness, as always.

And there will be more posts coming up soon! The next one should arrive in a day or two, maybe three. Soon!

Many, many thanks for reading here, and for all your support.