The Human Manifesto

I’ve manifested for 36 years and as I add another year, I think what can I manifest this year. I’ve never done this before, but I’m devising a list of

37 things I would  like to manifest before I turn 38. In the meantime, I’m going to list 37 things I can be grateful for, as that’s the hip thing to do

as you turn older.

1)Good health

2)Funds to make it thru another month

3)food in the fridge

4)having lived overseas

5)My MacBook Pro

6) Having an education

7) Not being saddled with kids and no husband

8)My dreads

9) My faith in God

10) Joel Osteen

11) My pastor, Joel Taylor

12)My mother and her accoplishments

13)My mother pushing me

14)My cousin, Elizatbeth Dishman

15)My dog

16)My feet

17)My vision

18)My education

19)My camcorder

20)My love of books

21)Living in America

22)Being born in Chicago, the best city in the world

23)Silence, sometimes

24)Having been to HK 16 times

25)Having been to the Great Wall, solo

26)Having loved once, even if it was puppy love

27)Having been loved once, even if it was puppy love

Okay I’m short 10  but that’s all I can think of and perfer not to lie about what I’m grateful for when I’m a crabby mood…..=)

Orginally published on ChicagoTalks.org

February 16,2009–Chicago legal aid societies, providing services for some of the city’s poorest residents with non-criminal cases, are bracing themselves.

As a result of lowered federal interest rates, these organizations will see a sharp cut in funding, while requests for their services has, in some cases, doubled.

Legal aid societies have benefited from a program called Interest on Lawyer’s Trust Accounts, or IOLTA. Interest gained from short-term accounts, such as real estate transactions and retainers, are placed in this pooled-interest bearing trust account.

In Illinois, the IOLTA fund has two sources of funding – interest from short-term accounts and from state licensing fees, which brings in $2.5 million, with all of it going toward legal representation for the poor or working-class poor. Other states are directed by law or choose to direct their funds toward services in high demand.

During the 2008 fiscal year, which began July 1, $17.1 million was available for some agencies to expand services, recruit and retain lawyers and improve technology.

Thirty-four Cook County firms received grants from IOLTA in 2008, with  $3.1 million allocated among the three largest firms – CARPL, Legal Assistance Foundation of Metropolitan Chicago and Chicago Volunteer Legal Services.

But as interest rates dropped from 5.25 percent to between 0 and 0.25 percent, Illinois IOLTA income could plunge to about $5 million total for fiscal year 2009.

Now, many agencies will seek alternative sources – private firms and donors – in addition to fundraisers to meet the growing public need for legal advice.

Kendra Reinshagen, executive director of Legal Aid Bureau of Metropolitan Family Services, said that she wouldn’t know until April how much in IOLTA grant funds her agency will receive for fiscal year 2009, but they are prepared for it to be lower than previous years.

“We’re reaching out to the law firms and other sources for funding,” said Reinshagen.

Last year, an increase of $50,000 in grant funds enabled the firm hire an eighth lawyer to serve the Southwest suburbs. This year separate funding for this position will not be available. Reinshagen is hoping to raise additional funds from outside sources to maintain the position.

Also, Reinshagen said her firm is telling staff about the possibility of furloughs and no raises for the year. She said many local agencies are already doing so.

The decrease in funding comes at a time where many firms are seeing an increase in requests for legal assistance for foreclosures, consumer debts and family issues. At the Richard M. Daley Center, CARPLS operates four legal advice desks and has seen 6,500 clients in the past year seeking assistance.

Selene James, 62, a project manager at Healthy Families of Illinois, was recently served with a judgment by Midland Financial Bank for unknown debt. She called the CARPLS hotline and was referred to their municipal desk on the sixth floor at the Daley Center.

As she waited more than 30-minutes to speak with a CARPLS’ attorney, she said wasn’t aware any such debt and suspected they bought the debt from some other company. James said the company claimed her sister was served with papers in 2008.

She doesn’t have a sister.

Concerned, James said if the judgment was made against her, she would face having her wages garnished.

Ashlee Highland, supervising attorney at the 1401 collections desk at the Daley Center, said the numbers alone don’t reflect the problem clients are faced with. She is concerned with any cuts in services due to lack of funding.

“I think if we weren’t available, people won’t be aware of certain rights,” said Highland. “And they might waive them or lose them.”

The Chicago Legal Clinic created their chancery desk five years ago, designed to assist clients in understand court procedures such as mortgages and name changes. At that time Executive Director Edward Grossman estimated the desk would see roughly 20 clients a day.  Now, on some days, it’s up to 40 a day, he said.

Allen C. Schwartz, executive director at CARPLS, said they have been able to maintain their current budget, but she worries about the coming fiscal year because of the indications funding will be reduced.

A recent survey of calls to their hotline in the second quarter in 2009 showed a 25 percent increase from 2008. Requests for foreclosure and consumer debt were up 58 percent and 34 percent respectively. Their Spanish hotline saw an increase of 49 percent. Schwartz said Hispanics are a population that is being hit disproportionately.

Besides the concerns CARPLS has over IOLTA funding, they are also worried about funding they receive from the city, state and county. Schwartz said it isn’t clear what the economic crisis impact will have on those sources of revenue.

“We’re hoping for the best, at this point we’re hoping to maintain the current levels of service and staffing but basically we have to play it by ear,” said Schwartz. “It’s a month to month thing.”

Some legal aid societies said there are not enough legal services available to the poor in Illinois. If service is cut because of funding, it will have a direct impact on their ability to protect their rights.

“A lot of times we are the only thing that separates folks between a proper resolution of their legal problems,” said Schwartz. “Most unrepresented litigants are people not familiar with the law and don’t tend to come out on the right side of the law when they have a legal problem.”

Schwartz said this could manifest in higher levels of wage garnishments, evictions, and foreclosures.

Ruth Ann Schmitt, executive director for the Lawyers Trust Fund of Illinois, said there will be an impact next year if funds did not increase and by 2011 the impact could be “devastating” for many programs.

Schmitt said most programs will be able to weather the economic storm with slight adjustments in their budgets, but beyond the 2010 budget year, many could close or merge.

“I think we have hit rock bottom in terms of monthly income,” said Schmitt. “Right now, the real question is how long will [federal] rates stay this low. And number two, how can we stretch the limited reserves to meet needs.”

Schmitt said the IOLTA reserves were “beefed up” because of the income generated in 2008 but now these reserves will sustain for one or two years but after that they will be depleted. She said if the income per year were $1 million to $2 million, it would put IOLTA back 10 to 20 years in grant funding.

“Money is very tight,” said Schmitt. “And that’s why it’s gonna take all of our ingenuity to preserve IOLTA as a viable funding source through out this crisis.”

For more information about legal services in Cook County contact or visit the following websites:

Legal Assistance Foundation of Metropolitan Chicago
111 W. Jackson Blvd. 3rd Floor
Phone: (312) 341-1070
Lafchicago.org

CARPLS
(312)738-9200
http://www.carpls.org

Chicago Legal Clinic, Inc.
2938 E. 91st Street
Chicago, IL 60617
(773)731-1762
http://www.clclaw.org/

Chicago Volunteer Legal Services
100 North LaSalle Street, Suite 900,
Chicago, Illinois
Phone: (312) 332-1624
http://www.cvls.org/

Chicago Legal Aid Bureau of Metropolitan Services
(312) 986-4000
http://www.metrofamily.org

It’s more like a memory. My fave vlogger–Jay Smooth–over at Ill Doctrine.com put up a new vlog, after weeks. As I was looking thru the older posts I came across this little gem. If you were a child of the–well anything before 86′– you’ll understand. Enjoy.

http://www.illdoctrine.com/2007/10/why_albums_used_to_matter.html

Would some please tell how networking became a necessary evil? It is just plain evil to have to endure an evening with people
you wouldn’t want to work with in order to find work. I just attended a Media Bistro event, and it was horrendous. People only
wanted to mingle with those who they came with, and those who did decide to let you partake in their conversations about themselves and how grand they are doing during this economy, were not so grand. The blonds stayed with the blonds or with their brunette wing ladies. The CEOs were scoping out the room and I actually had someone tell me that I should move on from our conversation only after 2 minutes of small talk. The only entertainment I had was observing a 6′3” transgendered woman continuously drink red wine while propping her foot up on a cocktail table as if she were at a rodeo.
After burning off the steam at a local hot dog joint ( free events don’t have appetizers) I walked to the CTA, got home and desperately wanted a cigarette to relax. But, alas I’ve given that up in an attempt to now join the adult world.

If it’s anything like what I witnessed tonight. I rather stay under the covers.

OHH baby-bye were my feet killing me yesterday. I spent the whole day doing something I love–shooting video but I spent it at the Chicago Auto Show. One, it was like being a diabetic at a Willy Wonka factory. Being surrounded by such beautiful cars, and not being able to drive away with one ain’t inspiring. I’m tired of taking the CTA. CTA just plain sucks and if I was willing to take the risk, I would get a loan. But alas, it was a sad feeling, to leave at the end of the day, with sore feet while walking past a BMW.
The auto executives are not a group of happy campers, at least this year. They must have gotten some sort of memo before coming. There was very little smiling. Very little interaction with the press. Very little food and very little joy. In the mist of the largest car show room I’ve ever been in, only one man had any happiness and he worked for Rolls Royce. (Nice cars to just sit in by the way.) Otherwise the event was boring, especially by the 5th time I had heard another overpaid, old white stody executive read from his teleprompter that “even though we are going thru these difficult times, our car was rated #1 for having some sort of doohicky that makes it go faster than you need it to in 35 mph areas.”
From what I understand, in prior years, the unveiling to the media was flashy and fun. But ever sense the big three car executives got whipped by Congress for asking for money, there’s been a halt on the party. Evidently, it never was much of a party, because I’m thinking even if you did get egg on your face, you could at least have a sense of humor about it.

Or a good attitude. That’s something you can never put a price on.

Lately, I have been hearing an awful lot about how bad marriage is. I’ve never experienced it, so I’m willing to take the naive plunge. But a quick look on CNN’s website drew my attention to two stories and all I could see was how ironic life can be.

Amy Borkowsky asked Americans (or anyone with an internet connection) for $3 million to buy an ad for the Super Bowl. Borkowsky, a NYC comedian, is looking for love and thinks she’ll find Mr. Right by airing a 30-second commercial during the Super Bowl. First, it’s obvious Amy doesn’t have any male friends or has been in a relationship during sports season. Why she thinks a guy would pay attention to ad,(at least one that didn’t have T&A in it) especially during one of the BEST Super Bowl games in a long time, shows she doesn’t know men or hasn’t done her homework. A quick look at Twitter during the breaks revealed that most men looked up from their nacho plates and stopped their best-play-of-the-down discussion when ads displaying physical humor (Pepsi Max) or the trailer for a favorite movie(Fast and Furious/G.I. Joe/Transformers).

On the other side of the world, 10 -year-old Nujood Ali has taken Gay Paris by storm. For what? She bravely walked out on her arranged marriage to 30-year-old loser. Since being in Paris, Ali has been talking to all the right people about the impact of being a child bride. She intends on becoming a lawyer, presumably to assist others who have had to endure such suffering.

In the land of milk and honey, a single woman must ask for money to get the word out to get married. And on the other side of the globe, a single woman/girl is “given” money to get married. And while Borkowsky has seemly  bought into the idea that marriage is some sort of Shangri La, Ali expressed this to her interviewer:

“…Nujood sat back in her chair, crossed her arms and said bluntly, “I no longer think about marriage.”

You know marriage is a sad state when a 10-year-old is sworn off.

Ah, the Christmas of sports just came and went yesterday. The Super Bowl. And for two hours and the first time enjoyed myself watching two teams
that had no relation to my city. (The Bears and the Cubs must be born under the same sign.) I watched it for the commercials and only found one
worthy of my laughter.

Enjoy

Quite a few blogs and faux websites are out there giving plagiarized advice on how to stay positive and reinvent yourself during these times. Most are crappy ad-filled ones that have the seizure-induced flashing ads of “can you kick the paper through the two fingers” ads. Or my favorite, OH MY GOD!!! in that auto-tune voice that sounds like a computer on helium which blasts through your speakers and surprising you. (Hopefully, you aren’t drinking coffee when it comes on). It’s going to take some creative measures to find work during these times. And creative thinking, also.

On ehow.com, lilj, an eHow Member, posts a couple of good ideas. This is one that stood out for me:

Step 1: Have a party. Call it a “get me a job” party. It really doesn’t need to be that formal, just a get together with friends. Whatever you are comfortable with. Start a list of all your good and marketable qualities. Use this information to create a resume. Put together a cover letter too, and tailor them to each job you apply for. Have several local papers lying around and invite the others to see what they think you would be good doing. Ask your friends to look on the internet for you and email you job possibilities. It could be a game, a contest. Suggestion: The one who picks the job you get, wins a lunch on you when you get your first paycheck.

This is pretty good and hopefully you have a group of serious-minded friends who can not let the alcohol consumption out pace the advice giving. I can only imagine writing “a great” cover letter for a position you’re dying for under the influence, firing it off, and only waking up the next day to re-read it and it’s more like your postings on Facebook about a night out on the town. Safe to say, drinking and writing is about as dangerous as a DUI.

Also, hopefully you have a few friends who are good with the adjectives and know your work. Sometimes it helps to hear what others see about your contributions, abilities and gifts. It’s easy to forget some of the “smaller” gems as you try to sell the ones that will make you stand out in the crowd. No friends? The bust out the thesaurus and do it yourself. It could give you some moments of brevity from the job hunt, as you have a few chuckles while trying on new descriptions of yourself.

As you try to revive yourself, try CPR: Cheerful, Positiveness, Resuscitation. You’re familiar with this if you’ve had to look for work before. Exercise, eat right, keep a clean house/space, network, etc. But what I like about this blog post are the three little words. It’s like you could create your own mantra from it, perhaps even incorporate it into your cover letters.

Dear Hiring Manager,
I’m doing CPR on my career-Calling People (to) Respond. Will you?

There’s always enjoying the time given to you by your pink slip to explore all those career avenues you didn’t have before. I found this to be a rather luring job promise: living six months free in the Great Reef and blogging about it.

The successful candidate will be asked to keep a blog and photo diary in exchange for six months rent-free on Hamilton Islands part of a $150,000 salary package that includes return airfares and travel insurance.

Blogging while on the beach sounds delicious, but hopefully you’re not the only one there. As they say, if it’s too good to be true then you’re gonna be working harder than you ever imagined.The key I’ve found to positive thinking, is that it’s not always “positive”. But rather an expansion of how you see things. During this time find creative ways to shop, to interact with loved ones, or do what you love to do but didn’t have time to do it before. Explore your world with new eyes using your skills and hopefully it will strengthen you, leading you to new adventures.