The HBM Network is Launched!

Dear Friends and Supporters,

I am proud to announce the Grand Opening of the HBM Network! A new and distinctive blog featuring the "business" part of my blog title.
I will still be contributing to this original blog as I can, since it is clear that I will be spending a great deal of time here at some library during the cold winter months.
The primary company on the site will be CallingCard.com! They are a wonderful company with hands on the low-cost domestic and international phone rate business. Click on the link above or the banner on the left to get more information.

I see you around later...

The High cost of Living in the City.

Hi Friends!

I am often asked just why I'm homeless to begin with. I don't drink, smoke anything, use any drugs. My main habits are eating and sleeping. So what's up?
While there is no doubt that there are many reasons for being out here, it is not because homeless people are lazy.
Many homeless people actually have jobs. Low-paying jobs that barely give them carfare or gas.
Others hustle with their shopping carts and pick up cans and the occasional stove or hot water heater, which they push across miles to get to the junk yard.
I remember a time when, if you did these things, you could get a room at the YMCA for $35.00 a week so easily.
It was a simple procedure which took all of 15 minutes to complete and you were in. No lengthy papers to sign, no credit confirmation, and best of all, no waiting lists.
Sometimes, to be independent, one must go his/her own way.
Also, most of the so-called bums stay very clean, shaved; the system that supports it is good.
Items like clothes, apartments, SRO's are huge drains on meager resources. It is far cheaper to live outside and attempt to save one's money to get into a place.
Speaking of which, click on my new CallingCards.com link at the left and save money on your next call.

A Salute to Our People in the Armed Forces!

Hi Friends!

It has occurred to me that Veteran's Day is here, and while we honor the Veteran, who fought to keep the USA free, We shouldn't forget the soldiers who are still over in foreign lands that are presently fighting and dying.

I hated this war from the start, but I fully understand the mindset of the individual who goes to war, believing he is doing it for his Country.

However misplaced such a noble notion is, I still support the Armed Services. From the basic soldier to the Highly posted Chief, I thank you for your efforts in our behalf.

Vets out there! Let me know how you feel! Drop me a comment, Alright?

In the meantime, click on the Cognigen site and purchase a low-cost Calling Card. It helps with those long distance calls.

Bye-Bye for now...

Oh, Anita! Ooooohhh, Yeah!!!

Sorry guys! I must burst your fantasy bubble concerning Anita Baker. It is a well-known fact that she sings only for the HBM (me, fool!)

Some people are under the mistaken notion that she sings for and to her ugly husband, but I'm here to shout it from the mountaintops! (Granted, there are no mountaintops in Chicago, so I'll go to the top of the Sears tower, instead.)

For Me. To Me. Don't hate.

I also have it on good authority (mine, of course; duh!) that she reads my blog lovingly each night before going to bed!

Oh Anita! How Long must we pretend, baby? Dump the chump and come home to Daddy! We can keep each other warm under the stars on my vast estate in Bronzeville.

I can't guarantee you any privacy, but sooner or later everyone falls asleep and the streets are quiet.

Under our extra-large sleeping bag, legends of love will be made. Adam and Eve. Franky and Johnny. Romeo and Juliet. HBM and Anita!

Sort of rolls off your tongue, doesn't it?

Now Go to my Business Site and Buy a few hundred cell phones, alright? I must try to take care of my life long lust (love) in the manner she is used to.

It's so hard being so handsome...

Sometimes, Things Are Exactly What They Look LIke!!

HI again friends, Romans, and whatever,

While coming to the library today, fresh from the Plains, I spotted the local tramp at the bus-stop on 51st.

Now I know what you must be thinking; "What the hell is he drinking? He is a tramp himself, isn't he?

True Dat. But compared to that bus stop tramp I look like a man with big money.

Am I looking down on him? No. In fact, I admire him.

He has a beard, beaded with food (we both frequent the same pot luck cafe aka soup line), and he hasn't changed his clothes for nearly a year. He carries an assortment of plastic bottles on a clothes line.

I find that fascinating!

He lays on the bottles, keeping his body off the cold concrete. A lumpy, but life-saving measure. A great idea!

He should get a metal or something for that idea. Help me buy that man a metal. Or just visit the Business Site and do it for the love of Homeless People.

Bye-Bye, til next time....

Dress Warm, Homeless People!!

Hey Everybody!

Your Uncle HBM here, saying; "Don't forget to put on the layers out there!"

It really is late fall and "Indian Summer" is over. Time for the long johns and tall sallys and knee-high white sox. I'm really thinking about getting some of those really cool battery-operated sox and gloves. From what I can tell, they're the bomb!

I would enjoy being able to laugh at the Arctic winds while others shiver in the cruel "hawk" (predator Chicago winds).

I also am seriously considering the "tent" set-up this winter. Yeah, Yeah. I know what you're thinking out there. "That fool HBM is gonna freeze his little worm off!"

Not. I also plan to carry some of those little candles. I was reading (yes, I can read something other than Blogs.......) a survival manual and it showed how to warm a tent with a little candle, which makes perfect sense.

I also need a self-inflating, thin floor mat to raise my body off the cold ground and spare myself the ugly specter of heat deprivation. No sense in testing the laws of Thermodynamics (I know big words too, so there).

I'm on the hunt for a Bandominium (abandoned building). My wonderful Zero degrees sleeping bag shows signs of meeting it's design limits.

Does anyone out there have one of those great Zippo handwarmers? Help your Uncle HBM out here and I won't have to show up at your house with my dirty-ass, stinky clothes and embarass the hell out of you. Imagine what the neighbors would say!

Also remember to visit my Business Site. The Holidays are coming and you will talk up a blue streak on the phone.

Until Next Time.......

The Streets Are Never Empty.

Hail yes, and a Hearty Yo to you all!

Once again we find ourselves at the open doors of that Crazy Homeless Guy some people know as the Mighty HBM!

A strikingly good-looking fellow he is, leaving a trail of broken hearts everywhere he goes. He has a belly-full of laughter and is fun to be around.

Once you get past the smell, you will find him sharp and engaging, highly opinionated, and if that isn't great enough, he is always right!

Wonder of wonders!

And yes, There's More!

Walk with him as he shows off his huge living room, designed without walls to bring the outdoors in.

Marvel at his massive estate grounds which cover 3 miles of city blocks in the lovely and bucolic area known as Bronzeville, Chicago , IL.

Feel free to drop in at his airy bedroom and gawk at him as he stretches and farts in his elegant sleeping bag!

Sight-seeing just doesn't get any better than this! All this for absolutely nothing. Just click on the Link and buy a minimum of 10 calling cards and you're entered into our contest to chose some lucky individual to actually eat pot luck lunch with this famous and handsome celebrity.

Don't hesitate! Seating are going like hotcakes!

This offer is limited, so hurry up, yo! Must bring your own spoon and delousing powder. Contest winners will be notified when I get good and ready. Not liable for cutting a fool who wakes HBM. Some contents of the pot luck lunch might irritate sensitive stomachs. Don't hurt HBM, don't follow HBM home, and most importantly, give him all your money! You willbe so happy you did!

Getting Settled In...

This place is really interesting. The Christian Industrial League has done a good job with this facility. For the first time in a long time, I feel I can rest here for a while.
I plan to continue this blog as long as I'm allowed to . After all, I must respect the wishes of those who run the place.
Shout back at a Brother once in a while, ahright?
Boy, oh, boy! The luxury of a soft bed to lay on. It is to rejoice!
In addition, this will give me a chance (during the winter), to study about business blogs. I plan to build a serious blog soon, so look for it!
The Program here lasts about 6 months. By then I should be able to get a handle on the business blog subject.
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
In the meantime, go to my Business Site and buy 10 cell phones, okay? I may be in for the Winter, but this is not my home. So help an old man get off the streets, will you?
Bye, bye till later...

I Might Have To Move Around..

First, it was the Chicago Urban League. Then the University of Chicago.

What am I talking about?

This strange habit of stopping services that are good for the community. There was a time when computer rooms for public access were everywhere. There was the need to get the general public interested in the PC.

Now it is getting harder and harder to find such places since the majority of them have shut down, to save money.

For a while I have worked this blog at my favorite spot, IIT in Chicago. For a short time, access to all the computers in the Library was granted. Until now.

Apparently, they slipped in the usual program blocking "public" (freeloaders, like me) access, cutting down the number of computers available from 30 to 6. Early bird gets the computer.

After all, the Mother's Milk crew need they're computer time. How cute!

So I might have to go back to using the Public Library's older and nearly obsolete models. Talk about slow!

Why, if I had half-a-mind (can anyone tell me just what the hell that means?) I'd form a sit-at-a-computer strike.

And get my ass arrested and forgotten in lockup! Might not be a good idea.

Click on my new business offer at the left side, top. You might find it interesting. I do. And there always is my good old business site.

See ya When I See Ya!

That's Right! I'm an Old'n...

I feel for the youth of today. I'm not too sure how I would handle some of the issues young people are faced with. Lately I have been pondering the problems related to growing up in the 2000's. I was a rebel when I was young. Went through 3 foster homes and two bad-boy homes before I finally got over living without my mother and father.
Other than that, I could barely chew bubblegum and walk at the same time.
I can't even imagine living as a kid in this terrible time. One must be sharp to survive these days. Growing up in a hurry seems to help.
Maybe.
That is why I'm glad I'm an Old'n. Hell yeah! I sit and scratch, I complain about the weather hurting my poor aching knee, and I take a good half-hour on the stool.
You couldn't pay me to be 20-something again.
I also am young enough to enjoy the electronics I play with today. So I figure, why play like I'm a young'n? Those days are over, thank God.
Now it's time to really enjoy life.
After I get off these heah streets permanently.

You can help me with that. Go to my single business site and buy a cellphone or two or twenty!
I'll see you next time...

I'm Movin' Slower Nowadays...

This knee of mine is giving me the flux! For real! I feel older than I ever have before. Time for some serious Ben Gay or Heet timeout!
I'm not complaining. I'm just giving the FYI to my thousands and thousands of fans ( Hi, Duster!).
Anywho, I am working toward an rss feed soon so I can beef up my blog, maybe even afford a small digital camera to take pictures.
Hoo, Hoo!
There's no stopping me now, babee! I checked my business account and saw a staggering amount of $0.38 cents. Someone is paying attention.
Someone once said that riches start with pennies. I just hope the riches part comes a little quicker, so I can get off the cold floor and get a place! (is the begging too obvious?)
In the meantime, get your new cell phone and calling cards from me and enjoy!
Bye, bye for now...

HBM Notes..

It is common wisdom to simply accept what one doesn't understand immediately and chuck them into the "Great Mysteries of Life" pile, located somewhere in the mind.
After a while, the pile grows to the point of distraction, so you must either rename it or have it renamed for you, often by society in general.
I personally guard my pile, however putrid it becomes, against classification. As time goes on, I dig out the old questions and Dust (love ya, Duster) them off, one by one, answering or at least, refining them.
Answered questions have gone full circle and are placed into static memory forever. Refined questions return to the pile, and become reusable as food for the soul.
That said, I often state what seems like simply questions, because I can't stand the half-assed approach to research (or non-research) that seems to dominate many people's habits.
What exactly is Cognigen, for instance?
Answer. One of the Best sites available for buying phones, cell phones and other such items.
Don't take my word for it. Check it out, Alright?
See Ya Later, Gator...

Online Heaven!

I had no idea that the Internet was so rich with so many different possibilities. Oh sure, I understood that I could do research, catch up with the news of not just my Chicago, but the World as well, play games and on and on. But this anime and movies thing has me psyched!
There is no doubt that I have just touched the proverbial tip of the ice burg.
I have always said that I could live at the library and not even begin to read every book. Next to that, the Internet is a million times more engaging.
Now I know what you're thinking. Duh, old man! Get a life, why don't ya!
Please try and remember that I came from a time when the only tv's were black and white. Color was for Movie Theaters only. 50 years later, things have certainly changed.
My only complaint is the amount of learning that must be absorbed to understand how all of this works.
By the way, don't forget to visit my business site and buy a some time for your cell phones, okay? Old papa needs and new pair of pants. Later, Gators!

When It Rains,It Rains!

I've been having trouble lately with the wet weather we've been having. Had to go to the policestation over on 51st street. Wasn't too bad. Got kicked out at 5am this morning,though.
I had to change my shoes 'cause my knee is in serious pain and I assumed that problem is in the shoes, themselves. So I changed them. I must have looked a little worst for wear, hobbling around like I was, because the bus driver of the CTA bus stopped and gave me a free ride!
Thank God! I was really hurting today.
Lately I have been turning over in my head the consideration of getting and holding a job (winter is coming after all). I can only hope that the market hasn't changed too much, because then I might stand a chance.
Need to charge up my cell phone just a little. Cognigen is known for it's great deals in this area, so give it a try! If enough of you guys do that, I might not have to carry my old butt to Labor World! Bye-Bye..

A New Sleeping Bag Makes All The Difference!

I have finally bought myself a sleeping bag. Beats the hell out of sheets. No more shivering in the cold, moist mornings anymore. Praise God! this encourages me to consider trying to pitch a tent when it gets colder.
The only thing is I got a bag that is rated down to 0 degrees! Hot, sometimes, but as the night wears on it becomes comfortable. Now if only I could do something about these damn biting-ass bugs!
I just don't have the kind of money to spend on Deet every night. Besides, that stuff is made for occasional nights out, not everyday.
I hope you guys don't forget me on the business end of this post. Click on this Special Link and get some great deals on cells phones and the like. You won't regret it. Until next time..

Keep Your Head, America!

While there is no doubt there are a lot of scary things in the world, one should never give in to personal fears. I remember when I first tried sleeping outdoors, I was freaked by every shadow, every noise at night. It's true that some forms of fear are good for you, oftentimes saving your life, but others manange to limit your existence, too.
Fear is not a logical thought, it is a vague unreasoning feeling, and should not always dominate your thinking.The strangest fear I have ever come across recently is the fear of people. Especially people in your own neighborhood.
I counter such a univerally held fear by speaking to the stoney-faced individuals as I walk past, whether I know them or not. And smile! Don't forget to smile. Afraid they will talk about you? Hell yeah, they will!
But you will have done your part to make this a better place and that in the long run is all that counts. Don't give in to the darkness!
Also, don't forget to click on this special link for some great deals on cellphones and related items, okay? Do it for yourself, do it for the old homeless guy, but just do it! See you....