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You are here: Home / Open Threads / And Now the Night Shift Gets a Chance to Help! (We Did It!)

And Now the Night Shift Gets a Chance to Help! (We Did It!)

by WaterGirl|  August 17, 20238:31 pm| 58 Comments

This post is in: Open Threads

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Update on Friday morning:

I got a report from ghostcat this morning – she has received $3,006, so we met our goal and have her Airbnb covered for 2 months while she plots out a plan for more permanent digs, and puts that all in motion.

Balloon Juice peeps are the best.  Thanks, everyone!


Multiple people in the morning thread suggested that I re-post the information about ghostcat.

On Tuesday I wrote this:

Calling all BJ peeps who are organized and methodical, good at problem-solving and have familiarity with New Mexico and particularly the Las Cruces area.

We have a BJ peep whose new apartment fell through because it failed to pass some sort of inspection.– she was supposed to move in this weekend and is in kind of a panic.  She has 4 cats as her family, and she is worried that she will have to give them up if she can’t come up with a solution.

In ghostcat’s own words:

I’m also autistic and my brain has limited executive functions for planning complicated things like moving long distance, and I find it hard to talk to people on the phone. There are too many moving pieces for me to handle right now. I’m having endless panic attacks over this and finding it difficult to cope.

There were lots of excellent, helpful responses in that thread, and I want to thank everyone who made suggestions or supplied information – that was all very helpful to ghostcat!

There were also a ton of people who offered to chip in some funds if that would help the situation.

And now we have a plan!  $3,000 from Balloon Juice will turn our plan into a reality.   BJ peeps sent her $1,800 today, and $1,200 more is needed to finalize her housing.

So here’s a more detailed update:

More than funds, what ghostcat really needed initially was some help thinking things through because she was so overwhelmed, help with making a plan while her brain was overwhelmed with anxiety, help with identifying options, and maybe even knowing she wasn’t alone in the boat.  And you guys did that; all that’s left is the boost for covering the Airbnb, and the job that is supposed to resume on Sept 5.

Asking for funds wasn’t my first intention with the post, but now that we have a plan, funds will be most useful in implementing it.

Taking our sage advice :-) ghostcat is going to stay put in Las Cruces for while she figures out the next steps.  We have secured a 2-month stay at an Airbnb that was considerably less expensive than even the Extended Stay hotel, where it was going to cost more to have the kitties there than the cost of the room itself!

Best of all, ghostcat gets to keep her 4 kitties with her, which was a major goal.

ghostcat has arranged for a Pod to store her furniture and for a person to get her stuff packed up (physical injury makes that tricky right now) and she is in the process of arranging for someone to haul away the junk she wants to leave behind.

If all goes as planned, her job will start again on Sept 5, at which point the proof of employment – requited by nearly all renters – shouldn’t be an issue, and she will have 5 weeks left at the Airbnb to figure out where she is going to go next and secure housing there.

Tomorrow morning, she moves out of her apartment and into the Airbnb.

I would guess that ghostcat’s anxiety level has moved from 15 (on a scale of 10) to about 9, which is a great improvement, but still a very tough place to be.

Details for ghostcat contributions thru Zelle or PayPal.

Use only the email address to make a donation – do not enter ghostcat for the name or you will be donating to some unknown person planet earth who is probably wondering why she is suddenly getting money from total strangers!

Open thread.

Update at 10 pm.

I just got a phone call from ghostcat – she has received $2,500 today, with $700 of that coming in after I put up this post.  Jackals are good people!

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Reader Interactions

58Comments

  1. 1.

    Dangerman

    August 17, 2023 at 8:39 pm

    As I posted this morning, well done, Jackals.

    I see Trump proposed moving the Fed Trial to April, 2026. Seems rather unreasonable.

  2. 2.

    NJ Henderson

    August 17, 2023 at 8:43 pm

    Hope ghostcat is down to a 1 soon!

  3. 3.

    Another Scott

    August 17, 2023 at 8:44 pm

    Thanks for putting this up again.  Donated.

    Good luck ghostcat!

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  4. 4.

    MomSense

    August 17, 2023 at 8:48 pm

    Ok I’ll go now and donate.  Thanks for posting this!

  5. 5.

    dnfree

    August 17, 2023 at 8:49 pm

    Also donated.

  6. 6.

    DarbysMom

    August 17, 2023 at 8:50 pm

    Donated

  7. 7.

    WaterGirl

    August 17, 2023 at 8:56 pm

    Thanks, you guys!

    This is gonna be a real life-saver for ghostcat.

  8. 8.

    MomSense

    August 17, 2023 at 9:06 pm

    Done!

  9. 9.

    Steeplejack

    August 17, 2023 at 9:09 pm

    I kicked in a little more. I hope we can get her over the hump! 🤞

  10. 10.

    Omnes Omnibus

    August 17, 2023 at 9:12 pm

    Is there a non-Zelle/non-PayPal way to donate?

  11. 11.

    Ken

    August 17, 2023 at 9:12 pm

    @Dangerman: I see Trump proposed moving the Fed Trial to April, 2026.

    This is your helpful reminder that when you say “the fed trial”, you have to say which one.

  12. 12.

    Odie Hugh Manatee

    August 17, 2023 at 9:13 pm

    I just tried sending via Paypal and it choked on me. I’ll try it again in a bit and post back when successful (or…)!!

    Ahllll beee baaack…

  13. 13.

    Jeffro

    August 17, 2023 at 9:13 pm

    @Dangerman: it’s going to end up on SNL this weekend, I bet

    “Your honor, defense counsel proposes moving the trial to August, 3045”

    (they can take it from there)   =)

    Also, donated: best wishes, ghostcat!

  14. 14.

    Albatrossity

    August 17, 2023 at 9:13 pm

    Done. And coincidentally, I just passed through Las Cruces on my way back from Arizona a couple of days ago. It was hot…

  15. 15.

    ToesInTheSand

    August 17, 2023 at 9:14 pm

    Donated.

  16. 16.

    Jeffro

    August 17, 2023 at 9:17 pm

    also, what in the actual IS this?

    Awkward Americans See Themselves In Ron DeSantis

    FOUL!  Completely unfair to normal awkward Americans!  DeSantis is in a league of his own.

    Next up:

    complete liars see themselves in Vivek Ramaswamy
    America’s dementia patients see themselves in trump
    hateful insurrectionists see themselves in Ted Cr…wait, never mind, no one could possibly see themselves in him

    DO BETTER, Post!

  17. 17.

    mrmoshpotato

    August 17, 2023 at 9:18 pm

    @Jeffro: Writers’ strike is ongoing I believe.

  18. 18.

    piratedan

    August 17, 2023 at 9:18 pm

    @Ken: i think we’re going to have to come up with a semi-helpful shorthand

    the documents trial – the classified documents handling fiasco

    the pornstar trial – using campaign cash to pay off Stormy

    the rape trial – the E. Jean Carroll case

    the treason trial – the events from J6

    the tax fraud trial – events pertaining to the Trump Org misdeeds

    the Georgia Trial – events revolving around the Georgia crimes

     

    Naturally, the jackaltariat can likely find better names, but just figured we needed a starting point

  19. 19.

    WaterGirl

    August 17, 2023 at 9:20 pm

    @Omnes Omnibus: Any ideas for what that might be?

    You could always send me a check and I could pass the amount on with Zelle.

  20. 20.

    chrisanthemama

    August 17, 2023 at 9:21 pm

    I threw some love in the PayPal cup, and thanks for giving me the chance to help.

    There is so little we can do, and it is so important that we do it.

  21. 21.

    Steeplejack

    August 17, 2023 at 9:22 pm

    @Omnes Omnibus:

    Send an email to WaterGirl (who I believe is off blog for the night). Zelle and PayPal were chosen because of the extreme time crunch. But I assume other donations would be gratefully accepted

    ETA: D’oh! WaterGirl is still here.

  22. 22.

    WaterGirl

    August 17, 2023 at 9:22 pm

    @piratedan:

    documents

    porn star

    rape

    treason

    tax fraud

    GA

    Some enterprising person ought to be able to do something with all those words and letters.

  23. 23.

    WaterGirl

    August 17, 2023 at 9:23 pm

    @Omnes Omnibus: Steep said it better than I did.

    I assume other donations would be gratefully accepted.

  24. 24.

    Omnes Omnibus

    August 17, 2023 at 9:24 pm

    @WaterGirl: Any ideas for what that might be?

    No idea.  That’s why I was asking.

  25. 25.

    raven

    August 17, 2023 at 9:24 pm

    PayPal wants a name

    eta

    I used the email addy and ghostcast and it seemed to work

  26. 26.

    WaterGirl

    August 17, 2023 at 9:25 pm

    @Steeplejack: I just did my time on the treadmill, winding down with a quick check on the internet.

    And I haven’t played today’s Waffle yet!

  27. 27.

    WaterGirl

    August 17, 2023 at 9:26 pm

    @raven: I think when it asked for a name earlier, it was because there was a typo in the email address.

    Did you type it in or copy it?

    I wonder if the underscore is throwing people off?

    If you try again and it doesn’t work, send me an email and I will send you her name.

  28. 28.

    raven

    August 17, 2023 at 9:28 pm

    @WaterGirl: I just copied it

  29. 29.

    Steeplejack

    August 17, 2023 at 9:30 pm

    @raven:

    You need the “as_” in front of the part you wrote (which I assume WaterGirl deleted).

  30. 30.

    WaterGirl

    August 17, 2023 at 9:31 pm

    @raven: @Steeplejack:

    It’s a hard email address!

    It took me awhile to find the underscore on my phone.

  31. 31.

    Captain C

    August 17, 2023 at 9:33 pm

    @piratedan:

    the documents trial – the classified documents handling fiasco

    the pornstar trial – using campaign cash to pay off Stormy

    the rape trial – the E. Jean Carroll case

    the treason trial – the events from J6

    the tax fraud trial – events pertaining to the Trump Org misdeeds

    the Georgia Trial – events revolving around the Georgia crimes

    This is like when he managed to bankrupt 3 casinos and run an entire football league into the ground in a ten year (or less) span, but much more criming in much less time.  I have to say, when TFG fails (as he often does), he fails quite spectacularly.

    Also, this is a good set of reference names.

  32. 32.

    CTlurker

    August 17, 2023 at 9:33 pm

    I donated tonight

  33. 33.

    Villago Delenda Est

    August 17, 2023 at 9:33 pm

    Totally OT (best of luck to ghostcat and her kitties, of course!): TFG’s hack mouthpieces say they can’t possibly be ready for trial in for the third set of indictments (Jan 6th) until April of 2026, citing the unprecedented persecution of their client by his political rival and the weaponized with entire armor divisions DoJ.

    To say he and his hacks can FOAD is to not adequately express my feelings here.  We could just skip the trial and go straight to prison time, of course.

  34. 34.

    mrmoshpotato

    August 17, 2023 at 9:41 pm

    @Villago Delenda Est:

    We could just skip the trial and go straight to prison time, of course. 

    One way trip to the surface of the Sun.

  35. 35.

    WaterGirl

    August 17, 2023 at 9:41 pm

    @Villago Delenda Est: This was such a stupid, stupid move on the part of Trump and his attorneys!

    It’s such an outlandish idea that it seems to me that the judge is free to totally disregard it and give the the serious people the date they asked for.

  36. 36.

    Captain C

    August 17, 2023 at 9:46 pm

    @WaterGirl:

    This was such a stupid, stupid move on the part of Trump and his attorneys!

    I wonder if this is the kind of thing his lawyers give him in order to get him to stop doing or asking for something more harmful to his defense.

  37. 37.

    WaterGirl

    August 17, 2023 at 9:49 pm

    @Captain C: Speaking of which, I thought this was interesting.

    Translation: My lawyers told me if I held a presser and prattled on about a magical report, they’d all quit and testify against me…like most of my other lawyers. pic.twitter.com/QmT5hPIGGd

    — Jack E. Smith ⚖️ (@7Veritas4) August 18, 2023

    I wonder if they all got in the same room with him and said they would quit? That’s the way they got Trump to back down when he wanted to put the total hack in as AG.

  38. 38.

    Lyrebird

    August 17, 2023 at 9:50 pm

    Said I would, and now I’ve done it!
    Wish it could be more, but glad to send at least something.

    And yeah moving is awful even without all the other challenges.

  39. 39.

    WaterGirl

    August 17, 2023 at 9:50 pm

    @WaterGirl: The hack that he wanted to put in after his previous hack Billy F. Barr had resigned.

  40. 40.

    WaterGirl

    August 17, 2023 at 9:51 pm

    Thanks to everyone who is donating.

  41. 41.

    Lyrebird

    August 17, 2023 at 9:52 pm

    @Odie Hugh Manatee: fingers crossed!

    FWIW paypal behaved itself for me.  I copy-pasted the email address just in case.  Who knows.

  42. 42.

    Lyrebird

    August 17, 2023 at 9:56 pm

    @Jeffro: I am NOT CLICKING on that!

    this very awkward American sees someone who would endanger the health and safety of kids in Ron DeSantis.

  43. 43.

    BethanyAnne

    August 17, 2023 at 9:56 pm

    G’luck, Ghost and kitties. Donated.

  44. 44.

    WaterGirl

    August 17, 2023 at 9:59 pm

    Update:  I just got a phone call from ghostcat – she has received $2,500 today, with $700 of that coming in after I put up this post.

    Jackals are good people.  Almost there!

  45. 45.

    kalakal

    August 17, 2023 at 10:02 pm

    donated

  46. 46.

    Steeplejack

    August 17, 2023 at 10:05 pm

    @WaterGirl:

    Good news!

  47. 47.

    Odie Hugh Manatee

    August 17, 2023 at 10:24 pm

    I sent a donation via Paypal but it said that [email protected] needed a Paypal account to get the money, which makes no sense. Did I fudge it up or what? It sent a link for the money to that address.

    Either way, there’s fifty bucks out there somewhere…lol

  48. 48.

    WaterGirl

    August 17, 2023 at 10:27 pm

    @Odie Hugh Manatee: That is not her email address.  :-)

    you have to include the 2 letters at the beginning, and the underscore.

    Yeah, you kinda goofed that one up. :-(  You could write to that address again and say it was a mistake.

  49. 49.

    Kristine

    August 17, 2023 at 10:28 pm

    Donated!

  50. 50.

    Odie Hugh Manatee

    August 17, 2023 at 10:35 pm

    @WaterGirl:

    I copy/pasta’d but must have missed that. Oh well, will do and try it again…lol!

    Shit happens…

  51. 51.

    Odie Hugh Manatee

    August 17, 2023 at 10:44 pm

    Got it reversed and resent! Done!!

  52. 52.

    Captain C

    August 17, 2023 at 10:48 pm

    @WaterGirl:

    I wonder if they all got in the same room with him and said they would quit?

    Given that if he holds that presser there seems no way to mount an effective defense for him I wouldn’t be surprised if something like this transpired.

  53. 53.

    Wolvesvalley

    August 17, 2023 at 11:59 pm

    Just sent a bit to ghostcat. So happy she’s found a place to stay (with the kitties!).

  54. 54.

    thruppence

    August 18, 2023 at 1:37 am

    Just donated (I think)

  55. 55.

    ghost cat

    August 18, 2023 at 6:49 am

    Yesterday was an awful day. My primary response to major stress isn’t to fight or flee. I freeze & collapse, which is counterproductive in my current situation. But you guys are a definite bright spot. I can’t thank all of you enough for your generosity and good wishes–I’m overwhelmed in a good way! Today & Saturday aren’t going to be much better. But after that, things will improve because I have a quiet place to land at an airbnb. Thank you to the person who suggested airbnbs. I would never have thought to look at them, and I found one that was the least expensive option overall. Best of all, the owner doesn’t care how many cats I have and doesn’t charge extra!
     
    Thank you for giving me some breathing room to curl up with my kitties and recover from this truly awful week before I start looking for more permanent digs.

  56. 56.

    MomSense

    August 18, 2023 at 7:15 am

    @ghost cat:

    We are all rooting for you and the kitties!  Thank you for reaching out and asking for help.

  57. 57.

    WaterGirl

    August 18, 2023 at 8:26 am

    @Odie Hugh Manatee: Thanks for hanging in there until you got it done!

  58. 58.

    MazeDancer

    August 18, 2023 at 9:43 am

    @ghost cat: Sending you much Light & Peace. Moving is hard no matter what. Just get through these two rattling days and then relax. And just rest and regroup.

    Best of luck to you!

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