Getting the Band Back Together...

The Blues Brothers is a classic. Full of awesome stars and cameos. If you have not seen it, I highly recommend it. So, what does this have to do with LivingOnKindness? Well, I would love to get the band back together as they say and team up with a filmmaker. Someone with the passion of telling stories. I think there are great stories to be told on this journey. Not just in the adventure of it all but the hundreds of stories about the people that we will get to meet. Whether it's meeting someone on a trail or sidewalk, listening to the story of someone kind enough to give a ride, or even the kind family that takes brings a stranger into their home for a night.

How do you find a filmmaker? I mean I'm not going to get Casey Neisat no matter how much I love his storytelling. I know there are brilliant storytellers all around the world. Probably far more than I think there are. I just need to figure out how to find them. Perhaps an ad on Craigslist? I wonder if there are filmmaking forums?

I don’t think I would be able to vlog about my trip, at least not as successfully as a storyteller could. I mean I will if there is no other option, but my creativity comes in the form of coming up with creative solutions for problems. Not so much on the artsy side. But capturing it all in a raw unedited vlog would be better than nothing at all. I will of course also be updating this blog during the adventure too.

If anyone has any insight about anything, please comment and let's have a conversation. It could be tips on hitchhiking, backpacking, minimalist camping, Blog/Vlogging, or Storytelling.

Thanks for your kindness

-Ryan

What would it feel like to be homeless?

I am very grateful for advantages that I have had in life. I grew up with loving parents and step-parents. We were probably at the bottom end of middle class. We had a house that we owned although I remember my Mother always talking about how expensive it was to heat/cool it. After high school I received enough money to buy my first computer. At the time I didn't know it, but this would send me down the IT track. I was lucky enough to always have a job when I needed one. After learning a trade I went back to school to go into IT. When I graduated I enrolled in a four year college, and began my professional career.


I, like I am sure many of you have had, have also had difficulties and challenges in my life too. Going through a divorce at a young age. Twice. I was raped and molested at a young age with trusted adults not doing anything about it. When I was older with a family I was off work for a long time due to an injury and was within two weeks of being on the street. I considered myself incredibly lucky to get the job I both wanted and needed at the exact time I needed it.

So my point is that I do not know what it is like to be homeless. When talking to those down on their luck I try to avoid the question of how they got there and what are they doing to get out. I focus more on helping them with a ride, food, drink, or maybe even a couple dollars. In my ignorance I guess I think of being homeless as camping in the city. Perhaps backpacking is more accurate. Carrying all your belongings with you all the time. They can't be too big or you won't be able to go into any buildings or businesses. But I would think your pack does have to contain the majority of what you need. Is camping/backpacking in the city the same as being homeless? Could I practice in my own city for a weekend before I set off across the country?

My main concern is that if I travel across the country, or wherever, that I will be taking resources away from those whom are truly homeless and need those resources more than me since I could get access to money if I needed to. What do you think, am I taking resources away from those who need it? Do I makeup for it with the exposure that the different programs will get?


Hope to hear from you
-YonK