Worry warts

"Anxiety does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, but only empties today of its strength." -- Charles Spurgeon
Indeed, too much worrying and not enough strategic planning can deplete our minds of the strengths we possess.
Set a goal and some implementating strategies.
Worry can spur us into action, though.
As Larry McMurtry so aptly wrote, "Optimism is a form of courage."
Optimism is the best philosophy in contending with adversity.
But too much worrying isn't the best answer to action and reaction.
Overcoming adversity involves faith, courage and an optimistic game plan.
So keep the faith. Pray. Stay focused. Be courageous. Make plans and implement them.

Don't worry, be happy

I'm an avid worrier.
When things don't go according to original plans, I fret.
I have a tinge of paranoia ingrained in my cranial attic.
But I've been blessed recently.
My prayers of contrition and seeking help on earth for my worries have been answered.
Last week a homeless man who I befriended once and let sleep on my couch one night returned to rent an apartment.
His grandfather passed last Christmas and his mother received a very healthful settlement.
Instead of giving him money, she told him she would pay for a year's rent.
So because of my benevolence he's returning the favor and will be paying $3,950 in pre-paid rent, plus pro-rated August rent, $15 application fee and $200 security deposit. That's $4,269 in one day.
Not bad for a rookie manager.
Maybe I'll be remembered for the sloppy manager who still manages to rent out apartments.
My gentle and agape spirit shines forth again.
This is definitely reciprocal altruism in action and reaction.
Bless the Lord and praise God for bestowing this very opportunistic venture on my door step.

Coping

A squib in the newspaper caught my eye and my heart.
Marrie Harris, a New York City ad executive, said she didn't have any cash when a homeless man asked for some, so she let out-of-work real-estate man Jay Valentine use her American Express platinum card instead, adding that he returned it after buying deodarant, body wash, cigarettes and water for $25.
To trust a homeless man with an American Express card is overwhelming.
But what's most significant is that the homeless man only spent $25.
Yes, he bought a pack of cigarettes, but still he didn't overindulge.
Just helping out in a pecuniary way can bolster one's low self-esteem.
In other glad moment which turned out to be sad, one of our tenants helped me Sunday and spent eight hours getting our apartments market ready.
I paid him more than we originally bargained for but he was steadfast and dutiful.
Alas, he went to court yesterday and the judge sent him to jail because he said he hadn't been doing his community service.
According to his wife he did the community service but there was a communication miscue.
All we can do is help and hope for the best.

Take a chance

"Some men see things as they are and say why? But I dream things that never were and say why not?"
Robert Kennedy borrowed that one from some other great thinker.
That scenario applies to me and Henry Ho.
Henry inquisitively approached me one morning after we had slept on the Ole Main lawn, and said, "I'd like to do something but I just don't know what to do."
I really didn't have an extravagant game plan to impart to him, nor did I foresee the future.
But a spark of hope came through when Henry took me and Bob Wright out to breakfast at The Rolling Pin.
Not only did that meal fill me up physically but it eventually filled me up spiritually.
"One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed." -- Proverbs 11:23-24.
Indeed I gave freely when I was prospering and helping others cope with life.
But eventually poverty intervened.
Then a generous man aided me in my transformation from tent dwelling to an apartment manager's position.
So I'm refreshed thanks to the kindness of a Christian.

Helping any ole way I can

Lately it's been my pleasure to accommodate six sets of new tenants.
They're so excited to have their own space to call home.
It almost brought tears to my eyes to see a young man and his mother see his new furniture which arrived yesterday.
His mother said he was very excited to be moving into his own apartment.
Another couple are moving in to get closer to work.
So, in some small way I'm able to help folks enjoy the comforts of their own home.
It's appeasing and cathartic after all the stress I've endured lately.

simplicity

The simplicity of complexity.
Sometimes we blow things out of proportion.
We get bogged down on trying to be perfect.
I want to be a perfect apartment manager but I can't figure out how to please everyone.
I can finally balance my books but I can't make every apartment market ready to please our quality control.
I can rent an apartment and please a new tenant because they want their own space.
But the specifications of compliance for the complexity of making managers happy wouldn't fulfill their expectations.
But the simplicity of making a tenant happy is easy.
All they desire is a place to live long and prosper.
I can deal with reality.
Let it be.
Just try and make the tenants happy.
Simply spoken. Make the people who rent from you happy campers.

Narcissism

Who is the world's greatest narcissist?
Was it Nero who fiddled while Rome burned?
Was it Kim Jong Il who published "The Popularity of Kim Jong Il"?
We all love ourselves but Lebron James is my candidate for the most narcissistic person I don't love anymore.
Seven or eight years ago he seemed like a nice guy.
But my credo "Nice Guys Finish With Class" won't synchronize with Lebron's protracted announcement he was going to join Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh with the Miami Heat.
LeBron had a full hour to talk about the Boys and Girls Club which was supposed to be the beneficiary of this production.
With idolizing boys and girls in the audience eagerly awaiting this stupendous decision. LeBron focused on himself.
When the interviewer finally got to a question about whether it might be hard to share the spotlight with Wade and Bosh, LeBron responded, "It's not about sharing. You know, it's about everybody having their own spotlight."
It's not about sharing!
Gadzooks!
So, I idolize George Washington Carver.
He could have added fortune to fame, but caring for neither, he found happiness and honor in being helpful to the world.
He spurned a $100,000 offer from Henry Ford.
He preferred to be creative and invent peanut butter.
So which would you rather do, eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and thank George Washington Carver for his altruistic gift to mankind, or worship LeBron James who doesn't want to share. He just wants everybody having their own spotlight.
Albeit, James was the son of an ex-con who was never there.
Now he conned the whole sports community into believing he might be loyal to Cleveland.
Nope. He's not about sharing or caring.
He's the most narcissitic member of the Narcissitic Basketball Association.

Amusement

Just when I was depressed for the umpteenth time about the condition of some of our apartments amusement intervened.
Yes, I'm still appalled that yesterday while leading RidAPest to spray for roaches I discovered much to my chagrin a broken window in an abandoned apartment.
So I trudged over there at 7 a.m. to clean up the broken glass on the carpet.
Ugh!!
I received a couple of cuts and frustratingly returned to my office.
Then, I started reading about the Russian spies who were recently arrested.
One of their 15-year-old neighbors quipped, "They couldn't have been spies. Look what they did with the hydrangeas."
And another funny retort was published in a column today.
Robert Welch of the John Birch Society accused President Dwight Eisenhower of being a Communist agent.
A conservative guru wryly said, "Ike's no Communist; he's a golfer."
I grew up during the Cold War era when Communism was the scariest threat to our American freedom and heritage.
At least some folks have a sense of humor.
Laughter is the best medicine.

Epitaph

We all want to be remembered as good and simple people who care about helping others.
But what will be on your epitaph?
George Washington Carver's epitaph reads: "He could have added fortune to fame, but caring for neither, he found happiness and honor in being helpful to the world."
Carver was captured by the KKK and finally returned to his master.
But his mother was never seen again after the capture.
He went out walking every day and talked and prayed to God for guidance.
He discovered 300 products to use out of peanuts, including peanut butter and 100 uses for sweet potatoes, which enhanced the productivity of peanuts and sweet potatoes.
Henry Ford offered him a six-digit salary and Presidents invited him to the White House.
This was in the day of slavery and racial bigotry.
He overcame all of this to enrich the lives of many farmers.
On my epitaph, all I want it to say is "Nice Guys Finish With Class."
How about you?
Please send me a comment.
Happy Fourth of July!!
It's a day of enjoying our independence.

Stigma

There will always be a stigma in the minds of the unenlightened about homeless people.
I just painfully watched an episode of "Seinfeld" which cast a dark shadow on the stereotypical homeless guys in New York City.
Yes, it was somewhat humorous but it still irked my inner soul.
I endured all of the pangs one must encounter when trying to survive and overcome the factors which led to my bout with homelessness.
I encountered a skunk in my tent.
But I tried to display a sense of humor and nicknamed him Pepe LePew.
I spent 107 days incarcerated for something I didn't do but I was the prime suspect because I was that homeless guy.
Again I tried to cope by writing a tongue-in-cheek column and wrote with some sense of humor.
No, it wasn't a fun time in the Washington County Detention Center but I bonded with some dudes and made some friends for life who I will probably never see again.
That's the key to life, handling adversity with grace under pressure. That's the phrase that Ernest Hemingway penned to earmark and distinguish true American heroes.
You can either be a zero or a hero.
Now that I'm blessed with a new lease on life I'm dealing with a new agenda of adversity.
The communication gap between me and the Hispanics took on a very awkward moment yesterday when a potential new tenant walked into my office and desired information.
I processed her credit and criminal background check and received favorable news.
But I had no interpreter available so I went to my translator gizmo and handed her the message in Spanish.
I guess I need to take a course in Spanish to cope less forlornly.
It's a stigma to overcome.

Oxymoron

One of my favorite pastimes is trying to solve crossword puzzles.
Today's theme was oxymorons.
I found it humorous that it's oxymoronic to work at your home office.
For me it's my job and my home.
So I guess I'm an oxymoron.
Another humorous one "Good grief" from the mouth of Charlie Brown.
And another interesting one was "Pretty ugly."
Sometimes we blurt out oxymorons and don't realize it.

Teamwork

When you're down and confused and just don't know where to turn, sometimes it helps to swallow your pride and seek help from someone else on your team.
Yes, I may have a college degree and think I know it all.
But I'm a neophyte bookkeeper who doesn't have a great deal of knowledge in all of the finer points of balancing my books.
So I turned to the expert of all experts and she helped me.
I was blessed today to see her on the elevator at our corporate headquarters.
I thanked her for her support in the past and put in a good word for her with my boss.
She reiterated that my boss was a good man to work for.
So when I got back to my little cubby hole of an office I just relied on her skills and she pulled me out of a mini-jam.
She's an auditor with a conscience and a heart.
I praise the lords of teamwork.

Vuvuzelas

I've never been much of a soccer fan.
But the most annoying aspect of the World Cup has been the incessant blaring of the vuvuzelas.
And then the Florida Marlins handed out 15,000 of those ridiculous noise makers, not instruments, and according to Tampa Bay Rays Manager Joe Maddon, "There's cool things and there's very uncool things. That's a noncool thing."
It's cool to enjoy great music, i.e. "Stairway to Heaven."
But it's uncool to try and duplicate the World Cup atmosphere at a major league baseball game.
Send the vuvuzelas back to Africa.

Free Agents?!

While watching the boob tube I ruminated about the term free agent.
When I was a young lad and an avid St. Louis Cardinals fan I felt chagrin when the Cardinals traded Curt Flood.
He reneged and took his case all the way to the Supreme Court.
He rebelled about being traded and declared that he was not a slave.
His case opened up the Pandora's box.
In my heyday of baseball fandom players belonged loyal to their home team.
They didn't pander themselves to the highest bidder.
So free agency is an oxymoron.
No one is free.
You pay big bucks to watch them play.
We used to attend St. Louis Cardinals baseball games and the ticket price was affordable.
I remember when I went to see the Fabulous Thunderbirds, ZZ Top and the Rolling Stones in the Cotton Bowl and we only paid $25 for the tickets.
Oh, the good ole days.
Where did they go?

Nice guys finish with class

Whenever adversity confronts us we must respond with class.
Character distinguishes the wannabes and the true gentlemen.
I was aghast when I watched the USA soccer team rally from a 2-0 deficit and tie and then be cheated out of a game-winning scenario.
We had two men being held and a third kick in the goal.
Nope. Some dopehead Dutchman official was blind or prejudiced or just dumbfounded.
He blew it and should be banned from ever calling a World Cup game.
It reminded me of the Arkansas-Florida football game.
Those officials were banned for a month.
This guy, whoever he thinks he is, should be banned for life.
So, I was proud of our Americanism when they interviewed him and he said it was the buffoon's (my language not his) first game and maybe he got caught up in the spectacle of it all.
Nevertheless, the officials at the World Cup need to review their policies and reprimand this malfeasance and tell the bozo to go back to wherever he heralds from and never come back again, don't pass go and go to Hades.
He's a poor excuse for an official.
Nice Guys Finish With Class!
But this is not a nice guy performance.
It's a disgrace to see prejudice on the part of such a hallowed gathering of the world's elite soccer performers.

Failure to communicate

So who said, "What we've got here is (a) failure to communicate" in the 1967 film "Cool Hand Luke"?
Punctuation wise I may be incorrect, but the answer is Strother Martin, The Captain, the imperious prison warden.
Luke, the reprobate inmate portrayed by Paul Newman later remarked, "What we've got here is a failure to communicate."
That famous line describes my frustration in not being able to communicate with some of my tenants who only speak Espanol.
Indeed, one of them skipped out and moved without paying rent.
And another one is playing dodge.
Now I've got to communicate my frustration to him.
So I'm going to seek a translation aid and let him know in no uncertain terms that he must pay to play (figure of speech) or extricate himself from his humble abode.
He's awaiting approval to move into a house.
But he keeps telling me through his church friends that he's moving to a Lindsey-owned house.
I don't care.
Every Lindsey-owned property is its own entity with separate bank accounts.
Oh, well, just another day in paradise.

Camping can be dangerous

Camping out ain't no fun when it's raining cats and dogs.
I endured the trauma drama of camping out, but never was it life threatening like Caddo Gap just dwelt with.
I can empathize with those who survived the horrible ordeal.
I had a friend call me from Michigan who had been watching CNN and its coverage of the ongoing tragedy.
It's spooky enough sleeping in a tent during a rainstorm, but we were atop Markham Hill and didn't have to worry about drowning.
Things did get rather damp, though.
We had a clothes line so we could dry out our clothes.
I still have buddies up there in Fayetteville and I hope they're okay.
Whenever it rains I praise the Lord for my newfound homestead.
I guess God wanted me to endure the trials and tribulations of camping so I could enlighten others.
I'm just very blessed now.
Pray for the relatives of the unfortunate Caddo Gap campers.
May they rest in peace.

Ugh!!!

Just when you thought you were going to have a boring day sparks fly from the mouth of an angry tenant.
Just another day in paradise becomes another day in Hades.
The police were called to attend to a domestic dispute between two tenants who prefer volatility to peace and contentment.
Now I have to file an incident report and probably evict my third tenant.
Ugh!!
Later on once I finalize the scenario I'll write about it.
But duty calls...

Virtues

In William Bennett's popular tome "The Book of Virtues" he highlighted self-discipline, compassion, responsibility, friendship, work, courage, perseverance, honesty, loyalty and faith.
When coping with life's adversities we must be self-disciplined to not overact.
We must possess compassion for our fellow man's dignity.
We must maintain responsibility for every decision we make.
We must display friendship which evokes and kindles new friends.
We must have a great work ethic and strive for a perfect day every day.
We must display courage and perseverance.
Honesty is the best policy.
We must be loyal to our employers.
But always keeping the faith makes us live Christian lives.
I'm mulling over the possibility of changing the name of my blog to Coping With Life since I'm no longer homeless. But the website will still be nwacoping@blogspot.com.
Thanks for reading and please leave a comment if you desire to make a remark or issue your opinion.

Seven pearls of wisdom

John Wooden, the legendary UCLA basketball coach, who died Saturday at the age of 99 kept a card his father gave him when he graduated from grade school.
Seven Things To Do:
1. Be true to yourself.
2. Help others.
3. Make each day your masterpiece.
4. Drink deeply from good books, especially the Bible.
5. Make friendship a fine art.
6. Build a shelter against a rainy day.
7. Pray for guidance and give thanks for your blessing every day.
Wooden's favorite passage from the Bible was 1 Corinthians 13.
Indeed. And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
He once said, "You can't live a perfect day without doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you."
And he also loved to quote from Luke 6:38: "Give and you will receive. You will be given much. The you give to others is the way God will give to you."
Some of the simplest things in life are also the greatest.
Charity requires giving to someone else less fortunate.
Altruistic love is living a perfect day by doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you.
But if you give something to someone they might pass it on to someone else in some extraordinary similar fashion.
I remember when a lady gave me some clothes at a church luncheon in Fayetteville.
I saw a man who took off his shirt and I offered him a nice sweatshirt I had received that day.
A few days later I gave a man a stocking cap I'd found.
I told him that was the second time I'd helped someone out.
He told me he was the dude who'd taken his shirt off.
That kindled a friendship that will be ever lasting.
No matter your circumstances you can help others out.
It might not be much but if your heart is in the right place and the spirit of giving is truthful then God will reward you some day for your charitable heart.
That's what has happened to me.
And now I must reciprocate and be charitable.
Here's a final one to remember John Wooden by:
"Talent is God-given; be humble. Fame is man-given; be grateful. Conceit is self-given; be careful."

Cobblestone

The Green Room meeting of the Cobblestone Project last night was very heart-warming and enlightening.
Hearts touching hearts would be the appropriate theme.
Some young ladies shared their stories about handing out bags to people they didn't know but cared to share.
They were anxious to seek guidance.
Just out of the goodness of their sweet hearts they've been dispensing good will bags to people in need.
Sometimes just one person caring can make one's self-esteem rise astronomically.
Because when you're down and out, you lose your self-worthiness.
And when someone shows they care it makes you feel like a person of genuine worthiness.
I remember when I just started this job I would go to McDonald's for breakfast.
There was a man with a slew of plastic bags with all of his belongs.
I asked him if he would like a sausage biscuit.
That kindly gesture perked him up.
Just showing someone you care can not only make your day but make him feel like the world isn't against him if he has one friend in the world.
I was asked to relate my story succinctly.
So I related how the Cobblestone Project and its caring and sharing hearts transformed my life.
I don't know where I'd be if the love displayed by the men I met at the Homelessness Awareness Rally hadn't adopted me as a friend.
I went from sleeping in a tent to an apartment manager.
I'm a true renaissance man thanks to the altruistic souls who dream big dreams and make them become participants in the missing support groups which is lacking in the lives of those hard luck victims who just fight for survival.
Thanks to all of those who've helped me.

Death of a legend

Who was the greatest coach in history?
That's a no brainer.
John Wooden. The Wizard of Westwood.
Here's some pearls of wisdom from Wooden:
"Talent is God-given; be humble.
Fame is man-given; be grateful.
Conceit is self-given; be careful."
"Make each day your masterpiece."
"Be quick, but don't hurry."
Humility is my chief and ever-lasting trait which I want to be remembered for. I was humbled by God during my homelessness period.
I spent time incarcerated for something I didn't do and I asked God for forgiveness for whatever I'd ever done to deserve this fate.
I made a pact that I would serve the Lord to the best of my ability with humility.
Fame is fleeting but be grateful every day for waking up and having the challenges of whatever to face and overcome.
Conceit will get you nowhere. That's a false sense of overconfidence.
Make each day better than the last one.
Hurry up and wait is one of my favorite sayings.
Because we're all in a hurry in our helter-skelter, fast-paced society.
But patience is next to Godliness.
No matter what the situation, patience will be a virtue you will learn to appreciate as you gracefully adapt to life's challenges.
John Wooden was the greatest coach because he was such a wise man who lived life with dignity, style and philosophical wisdom.
He lived 99 years just like my grandfather.
I treasure the memories I enjoyed at William A. Lanier's residence in Conway.
Likewise I admire and respect John Wooden's brilliant career and life.
God bless John Wooden. He's now back with his lovely wife who he so missed.

Support network

All God's children need someone they can lean on.
Lately I've been dealing with adversity, but not by myself like I used to.
I've got a lot of God's children supporting me.
God answers prayers through his networking of friends helping friends.
No matter where I go I meet people who interconnect their lives with me because of my positive attitude and friendly disposition.
I inherited that from my saints of parents who I eulogized in very sacred ceremonies.
I remember after my mother's funeral I heard someone say, "That was a very beautiful service."
I cried inner tears because I knew my mother was proud of me.
Likewise when I gave a eulogy at my father's funeral, the church was jam packed and I was a tad nervous but God was with me.
As we sat in the hearse after the funeral ceremony, rite, my brother said, "David, that was a very good eulogy you gave."
And I thought that was the end all and be all of me ever giving a public oration again.
Nada.
When one of my best friends of all time Berry Williams passed I went into a black funeral home in the Arkansas Delta and gave another emotional tribute to a friend.
I connected with people who didn't know me from the Congolese in Africa.
But they clapped at the end.
God speaks to us if we will just seek his guidance.
He cares and he appreciates our prayers of asking him for help.
There's a chain interlocking all of our lives.
It all starts and ends with God.
Yesterday when I was a little despondent about my having to evict some friends from this complex and then receiving the audit results, a man from our corporate headquarters who is in Quality Control came by to lend a sympathetic ear.
That was a message from God that if you do the right thing and say the right things, you will always have support from God's children.
Bless God and all of his interacting supportive friends.

Superman cape

I donned my Superman cape this morning at 6 a.m. and flew into the uncharted world of bookkeeping management.
I had a myriad of challenges to overcome.
I had to file three dispositions on tenants who departed.
I had to file a disposition on a tenant who skipped out and send it to Southwest Credit Bureau.
Then I had to clean out my books from May and convert them to June.
Whew!!
I'm working on my CPA (computer program in accounting).
I'm glad May is history because it caused me mass hysteria.
I lost two good friends who moved out for various reasons.
Another pair of friends are departing due to a domestic dispute.
Ugh!!
All's not well that ends ugly.
I just home I have a June swoon of good fortune because May was filled with misadventure after misadventure.
Just another day in Paradise.

Extracurricular activities

Whew!
Just when I thought everything was going to be cool, calm and collected all heck broke loose.
I was finalizing a lease and feeling groovy.
An ex-policeman was helping his son get settled and he asked me why the Rogers police were here.
Uh, oh!
Then he went and talked to the police and came back to report two people had been arrested and it was alcohol related.
There goes my comfort zone for this weekend.
I should have known don't take anything for granted.
Just go with the flow.
Or flow with the go.
Whatever.
Now I have to be Sherlock Holmsian or Columbusesque or just David Lanier the apartment manager and find out what the heck is going on in our peaceful little community.
Why can't things be hunky dory?
Because domestic disputes lead to angry neighbors who call 911.
Oh, well, I've got to earn my money somehow besides just sitting behind a desk and taking people's rent and thinking this is a gravy train of a job.
The gravy sometimes spills out and you have to clean it up.
This will be a memorable Memorial Day weekend but not how I originally envisioned it.

Hoping

After 80 days without a day off I'm hoping someone relieves me soon.
It's not that I'm burned out, it's just the thought of not ever getting a real day off.
I thought I might have Memorial Day off but it's not a paid holiday.
They're expecting to rent out more apartments during this peak time of the year when people are moving.
I hope someone decides to look us up soon.
I have one moving in this weekend but too many others are moving out for a sundry of reasons.
Just another day in paradise.
Happy Memorial Day weekend.

Trauma drama

Just when you thought everything was hunky dory trauma drama boils over.
I envisioned a quiet weekend.
Wrong.
One of my tenants is moving because of water damage to his carpet and he needs a bigger apartment for his growing family.
His girl friend blessed him with a little girl and they desire a bigger abode.
So he goes out and finds a bigger apartment.
But he also calls our corporate office to complain about the water damage.
They call me and want to know what the heck is going on.
Then he comes in and says he wants to transfer.
Business wise we can't transfer deposits from one complex to another.
It's a complexity.
Because each complex is its own entity.
So he must pay the applicable application fee and deposit at the other complex plus settle up with us on liquidated damages, i.e. rent due on his existing lease here.
That's not all the trauma drama I'm dealing with.
I listened to my message machine and a tenant said the cops kicked in her door and it needs repairs which she will pay.
Oh, my gosh!
This is not the quiet weekend I had hoped for.
Normally at this point in the month it's peaceful and calm.
Just another day in paradise.

Lions Club

Today I was the guest speaker at the Bentonville Morning Lions Club.
I just let God do the speaking through my mouth.
I related how my life changed when I got this job.
I went from sleeping in a tent to being an apartment manager.
God has a divine plan for our lives.
We just need to heed the call.
Keep the faith and God will deliver us from our old self to our new lease on life.
I'm still marvelling at the blessings I receive every day.
Thanks for reading and thanks for leading me down the paths of righteousness.

Audit

A lady spooked me yesterday when she walked into my office and announced she was auditing our books.
I almost freaked.
But everything went okay. I guess. I won't really know until I get her report.
After last Friday I was paranoid.
But I'm finally going to take a day off tomorrow after a meeting in the corporate headquarters in Fayettenam.
The numbers look better than the last time.
I hope to turn the numbers even better in the future.
But it all depends on recruiting future tenants.
I responded to two e-mails today and hope to visit with these prospects in the near future.
We're kind in an isolated spot and we don't have any luxuries.
Hopefully we can offer a quiet setting.
The noisemaker is gone.
After 72 days without a day off I'm ready to have at least one afternoon off when we return from the financial meeting tomorrow morning.
I'm not going to worry about the audit until I see the results.

It ain't easy

A friend used to say, "It ain't easy being sleazy."
Well, I can reiterate that fact.
I feel like a sleazy guy for what I did to my friend Mike.
But I forewarned him on numerous occasions that I could get fired if an auditor came to our apartment complex and started prying into my affairs of state.
So, he's gone on to wherever.
It was ironic that I saw him twice Friday after the dirty deeds done dirt cheap.
I put a notice on his door telling him he wasn't welcome on the property or else he would be criminally trespassing.
I told him when I saw him walking that he had better obey my wishes, or else.
He came back and waved at me and said okay.
I guess he thought he could get away with it even longer, but I wasn't taking any chances, especially after I found out he'd already found another place to live.
So he was playing me like a fool.
It's history and life goes on.
I've received plaudits for my actions.
I will have to account for my actions with my superiors but I know I did the right thing.

Immigration

Who are these illegal immigrants?
Were our ancestors documented?
Did they all bring green card to get here.
We are all immigrants.
Except the Native Americans.
Where are they now?
They're drunk or on drugs because they got disposed to an outpost for the outcasts.
What a travesty!!
We don't even know our own history.
It's hysterical seeing what's going on in Arizona.
Go look at your heritage and find out how your grandparents came to America.
They didn't come here on a pleasure cruise.
They came here to escape tyranny.
Let it be.
You're the tyrants now.

Charlatan

The phrase a fox in sheep's clothing has new meaning for yours truly.
I'm a nice guy and whenever I meet someone who I can help I try and go the extra mile.
Once upon a time I met a man who was very sheepish.
He befriended me.
He let me stay in his room and went out and bought Papa John's pizza.
Everything was cool in jazz land to quote Ricky Lee Jones.
Then when I tried to repossess my stuff he wouldn't answer his door.
Then I saw him at the Union Station at the UofA and he had my bag and he was headed to do his laundry.
He said my stuff was in a garbage bag in his room.
I went to retrieve my stuff and found it in a dumpster.
I saw him again in a watering hole in Rogers and befriended him and told him this was reciprocal altruism.
That psychological term applies when you help someone out of the goodness of your heart and it will come back to you someday.
Alas, a fox in sheep's clothing does not qualify for reciprocal altruism.
That's a pejorative evaluation even Sigmund Freud would find complex.
A former friend hoodwinked me and now I'm filing a disposition on him.
I left a criminal trespassing notice on his former abode.
He skipped out on me and twice promised to pay rent.
Alas, he's absconded and living in another domicile in Rogers.
Luckily a friend of his came by to retrieve $60 owed him by the scalawag.
So, nice guys no more for me and this charlatan.
All's well that ends swell.
Live and grimace.
Do the right thing.
Don't burn bridges with landlords.

Maintaining

The key to success is maintaining and sustaining.
Maintenance has been a major cost factor in our apartment complex.
I'm clueless about maintenance.
But we just hired an angel to aid me.
His name is Angel and I see how and why.
As far as sustaining, that's a faith issue.
Trust in the Lord and he will sustain you.
I'm overwhelmed in the change in my lifestyle the past two months.
Yes, I've worked indefatigably. I have worked 57 straight days without a day off.
Next week I hope to change that scenario.

Facebook

While it's great to be residing in an apartment, there's some drawbacks, too.
Noisy tenants are wreaking havoc with their untoward lifestyle.
I've been putting notices on their door and I forewarned them yesterday that they could get evicted if it happened again.
I got a phone call last night from the girl's mother asking if we took credit cards.
She said she would pay the $20 fee for noise disturbance.
I told her that wasn't necessary but they were overdue on their rent.
Just another day in paradise.
I found a message from Brad Melton to Linda Hicks that I was restricted from using Facebook because all I have is access to the office computer which prohibits us from using Facebook.
So, Linda if you're reading this send me a message at my e-mail address: davidlanier1951@gmail.com.
I would like to communicate but feel like I've got handcuffs on when I can't send messages on Facebook.
Where are you now Linda?
I hope you'll join as a follower of this blog.
The genesis of my blogging occurred when Mark Horvath, a former producer of Wheel of Fortune toured the nation documenting homelessness. I met him at an awareness rally at the University of Arkansas last summer.
I also met some other very nice people who've aided me in my renaissance from homelessness.
I also had a friend who helped me get back on my feet with appliances and food.
Others contributed by helping me purchase clothes, food and a microwave.
You can't use a microwave in a tent unless you unlawfully stretch an extension cord a half a mile.
I haven't been able to go see my camping buddies because I haven't had a day off in 55 days.
Sometimes it becomes mind boggling how all of this transpired.
I praise God for the blessings he's bestowed.
I see everyone's pictures and messages on Facebook but can't respond.
Oh, well, just another day in paradise.

Do the right thing

We all aim to please.
We all want to go to heaven in peace.
But some people like to take advantage of the nice guys.
How do we deal with these connivers who use the nice guys?
I have a grifter who is using me.
I don't know how to deal with him but he must be evicted.
My conscience bothers me but in my position as a manager I must deal with reality.
If someone doesn't pay their rent then they must be evicted.
So, now I know why Jesus hung on a cross.
He tried to blend in and found solace in helping others.
But God wanted him to sacrifice his life so others could hopefully learn that no one is perfect.
We all bleed.
We all need a savior.
We all need to help others.
Why, God do people take advantage of me when I'm just trying to be a nice guy.
I'm not Jesus.
Yes, I can magnify myself as David Lanier, but I'm not Jesus.
Help me God to make the right decisions.

God Bless

All of us worship a God.
Some of us worship the God of money.
Some of us worship the God of earthly possessions, i.e. the Lexus we drive.
Some of us worship the television and DVD we own.
Some of us worship the cell phone we text message we use.
Some of us worship the computer we use.
But there is only one God in heaven who created all of these luxuries.
Worship the true God who is omniscient.
Blessings to anyone who read this.

Cinco de Mayo

We had a blast at our Cinco de Mayo fiesta.
I printed out the significance of the date in Espanol and it created quite an interesting scenario for the little tykes.
They all got sticks and were ready to go to war!!
On May 5, 1862, Mexico defeated an army of Napoleon Bonaparte's from France, even though they were outnumbered.
The feisty Mexicans were ready to combat any and all comers last night.
I needed a good laugh like that because I was under a lot of stress to send my books from April to corporate headquarters. I was told three different ways to do it and they all failed.
Finally I was about to stress out.
But, a former manager here gave the correct instructions and it went smoothly.
The fourth time was the charm.
My supervisor ran in here and I predict she had been chewed out because I told my boss Rob I was stressing from her stress and really didn't want to talk to her for awhile.
I wrote her an apology today and received a nice reply.
She said I'm doing a good job of recruiting tenants but need to do a better job as a bookkeeper.
I enforced a no drinking policy and that turned some Hispanics off.
We didn't have any WASPS there but me.
One of the senoritas wants to get to know me more intimately but there's a major language barrier which I've had to deal with once before.
A good time was had by all.
Feliz Cinco de Mayo.

economichardtimes

The economic blight is impacting tenants paying their rent.
I've had three people come in today and apologize for not being able to pay their rent on time.
I like their attitude about telling me before hand.
One came in and pointed to the calendar and told me Friday he pay $40 late fees.
Another one told me he would bring me food on Friday or Saturday to compensate for his being late.
Another guy who works for us brought me a bottle of tequila from Mexico because he said I was cool.
We're having a Cinco de Mayo cookout on Wednesday.
My maintenance man Isidro went to a Mexican grocery store to get a cost estimate.
We're going to go all out and have a fiesta.
This is a significant holiday for Mexicans as they celebrate their independence from Spain.
They kicked their butt in a big battle on May 5.
With 71 percent of our tenants with Hispanic heritage we're going to cook and eat and celebrate.
Feliz Cinco de Mayo!!!

Lucky 13

Superstition is the hobgoblin of little minds.
I've never been very superstitious except on one particular Friday the 13th when I trudged to Wal-Mart in a driving rainstorm. My umbrella got swooped inside out and my metal rods were snapped.
When I walked in drenched, the door greeter quipped: "David, your impression of Mary Poppins didn't work."
Well, 13 was my lucky number on Friday, April 30, when I rented out two apartment 13s.
That's 12 so far in 43 days.
Our occupancy rate is skyrocketing.
And I made some more people happy with the instantaneous decision making about their credit rating.
One young lady said at one of the apartment complexes it was going to take three days to get credit approval.
Whereas, here it takes 15-20 minutes.
Voila. I hope I achieve my 13th rental in the very near future.

Inconveniences

Today has been a day filled with inconveniences and the natives are restless.
I'm earning my pay today dealing with numerous faux pas.
First SWEPCO shut off our power to install a new transformer.
Then our water got shut off because of a leak in an apartment.
I had to call Razor Rooter last night and then Res Con to dry and clean the carpet.
Customers are querying me about how long the water will be off.
Ernest Hemingway once wrote about how one is judged when adversity strikes.
One must display grace under pressure to endure and succeed in handling life's little traumas.
One must not worry oneself to death over circumstances out of one's control.
Two of my most traumatic experiences occurred when I was sleeping around.
One night I came to an abandoned house I had been snoozing in and it was a pile of bricks.
I went to the Walton Arts Center and slept there a couple of nights until the automatic sprinkler system cascaded on me.
Another time Pepe LePew entered my domain uninvited.
I guess if I can handle those twin inconveniences I can handle just about anything.
Just another day in paradise.

God knows

I read the other day that if you want to make God laugh tell him your plans.
Indeed God already knows what's going to transpire in our lives if we just seek guidance and forego our human pride.
It used to be my way or the highway and I ended up trodding along in my own uppity shoes.
But I kept the faith and prayed for divine guidance which brought me into a much more comfortable lifestyle.
I still have to make sure I don't be overwhelmed with my good fortune and trumpet that I'm a lucky man.
I'm currently housing a homeless dude and helped him get his own apartment this upcoming weekend.
I just hope he doesn't let me down like he did last night.
Gadzooks used to be one of my favorite exhortations whenever I was flabbergasted or bamboozled.
Now I think I'll coin a new term, "Godzooks."

Cinco de Mayo

On May 5 we're celebrating Cinco de Mayo with a cookout.
It will commence at 5 p.m. so if anyone is in the 'hood come on down and join us.
We have about 75 percent Hispanics residing here, so we want to help them commemorate this special day in Mexican history.
If my memory serves me correctly that's the anniversary of a major Mexican victory over Spain in some war.
Mexicans really celebrate their Independence Day in September.
Later on that note.
I had one new tenant come and prepay his May rent.
We had a great conversation.
Again I was told I'm a nice guy.
I've adopted "Nice Guys Finish With Class" as my credo ever since I gave a eulogy at my father's funeral in 1987.

Whew

Gadzooks!
Life as an apartment manager has its moments.
Or at least I used to say, "It's been real."
That indefinite statement means we're coping and not moping just glad another day in paradise is almost over from the work standpoint.
We're required to inspect each apartment every 90 days and check the air filter in the AC/heat unit and see if the smoke alarm is functioning properly.
Some of my tenants have been very attentive and tell me I'm the greatest.
One of the relatives of another tenant was non-compliant.
He said he was busy.
Whoopee! I just rented out the last one on this side of the street.
Well, I'll know for sure in the morning.
Edgar Hernandez made my day!!!

Rock and roll

Blessings have been bestowed on me again.
I've been very positive and upbeat with tenants and future tenants.
I inherited my sweetness in personality from my saint of a mother Ruth Marie Kornmeyer Lanier.
I inherited the passivity of handling stress from my saint of a father Rev. William Maurice Lanier.
Their spirits are guiding my actions.
I used to write about them on Mother's Day and Father's Day.
Once while covering the Phillips Charity Classic in Bella Vista a lady came up and hugged me and said she loved my articles about my parents.
I gave eulogies at both their funerals because I felt guilty about not telling them I loved them while they were still alive.
I hope through writing and living the life they would be proud of I can repay them in a spiritual way.
Right before I gave a eulogy for my father the man who took him to the hospital told me and my brother and sister that my father said he was proud of all of his children and wanted them to know that should he pass on to a heavenly kingdom.
I have a feeling he wanted to join my mother again because he missed her so much.
I'm not in that spiritual wanting to ascend the stairway to heaven yet.
I'm excited about the new challenges I'm accomplishing here.
If I can get these apartments filled up it would be a very positive development for my future with the company I work for.
I never mentioned rock and roll yet but things are rocking and rolling at my apartment complex.

Squirrely day

Just another day in paradise.
Saturday began like it was going to be a very boring, mundane, lackluster day.
Then a bizarre interlude.
A tenant told us someone had drilled a squirrel onto the balcony of her building and she didn't want her granddaughter to see the bloody mess.
My maintenance guru went over to tend to the situation.
He returned and asked me to provide assistance by holding a garbage bag open.
I'm not into blood and guts.
I'm squeamish.
So I showed him how he could attend to the scenario without my intervention.
Then I recruited another future tenant.
We're down to two apartments that haven't been leased on my side of the street.
Since I've been here we've turned the keys on eight new leasees.
I praise the Lord for his giving me these blessings.
My paycheck included 42 hours of overtime, so I'm going to celebrate tonight by eating ribs with a friend who lost her husband in January.
She's been bored and not been out in the public since.
Berry would be proud of us tonight.

Overcome

The key to success: improvise, adapt, overcome.
Clint Eastwood said that in the movie "Heartbreak Ridge."
Today a maintenance man from the Post Office put that credo into action while installing a key to some of our mailboxes.
He improvised, adapted and overcame with ingenuity.
Likewise I'm using a freetranslation.com web site to overcome my lack of knowledge in speaking and writing Spanish.
I never envisioned the day when I would be in the minority.
But most of our tenants are Hispanic.
So, I thank Brad Melton for his assistance.
Where would we be without good friends.
Homeless.
Sleeping in a tent.
No job.
God has blessed me with great friends who've aided me in my transition from camping out to being an apartment manager.
Thanks for a little help from my friends.

Stress Test

Yesterday I passed a stress test.
Two tenants clogged up their toilets with toys.
That's a no-no and the first time we forgive them, but the second time means they pay for the maintenence.
I'm going to give them a notice but one of them will be owing money.
I guess I'll have to wait until my maintence man works so he can speak to them in espanol.
Thanks Brad for sending me a message about free translation.com.
That will be a helpful link to communicating with the Hispanics.
It's a free service until you try and use it and then they want you to pay $9.95 per month.
I guess I'm having trouble spelling maintenence.
Oh, well, this is not a perfect world.
Just another day in paradise.

Toys in the toilet

Today I learned that some people don't have total control of their children.
Two of the tenants where I am supervising complained about their toilet stopping up.
Our maintenance man reported to me that both were caused by toys being thrown in the toilet.
No habla espanol for toys in the toilet!!
I have been told we must charge them if this happens more than once.
So, now how do I respond?
I can't even find toy in my Spanish dictionary.
Now I have to deal with this.
Just another day in paradise.

Baptism

God works in miraculous ways!
God blesses us every day.
But we must acknowledge his blessings and praise him faithfully and forthrightly.
Today I took two "showers" of blessings.
I initially showered for church and then was immersed in his Holy Spirit by being baptized.
I wanted to say my hero, my mentor Jesus of Nazareth was baptized by his cousin John the Baptist. My cousin Stewart Lanier in Massachusetts couldn't be here today but my friend Tommy Hinson will be baptizing me.
Interestingly another friend from the past Pedro was baptized too.
Then I saw two friends Henry and Brad witnessing.
They had already gone to their church and were there for moral and friendly support.
Both have aided me in my transition from homeless to apartment manager.
I was thrilled to be sitting with them in church this morning.
I have a new beginning thanks to their generosity and God's blessings.

Kinship

Just when you thought you were sinking because three people hadn't paid their rent, voila, they appear and the books are cleared of indebtedness.
Alas, the books aren't crystal clear.
Due to an oversight, there's red in the books.
So, we scoured and devoured and finally found a glitch in our bookkeeping.
But, in between the misery of worrying about not paying tenants and their delightful paying the late fees, intervened a friend who took me out to lunch.
He desired to give me a "housewarming" gift.
So, he bought me a microwave.
As we sat devoutly sharing experiences in life, a lady approached me and asked me if I was going to buy that Emerson microwave.
I politely said that was my new prized possession.
She castigated the purchase by remarking that it didn't have enough power.
Well, I guess I'll figure that out when I put it to use.
In the grand scheme of things, material possessions don't exacerbate spiritual kinship.
When I was down but not out, I didn't have a safe haven to sleep.
I didn't care a hillbilly hoot about watching television.
I could care less about microwaving popcorn.
I wasn't very alert to my laundry, except when I felt like I needed to wear a clean shirt and pants to church at Wiggins on a Sunday.
But I always seemed to have friends.
Christian compadres.
God was always with me.
He comforted me.
He saved me.
Now tomorrow when I enter into the realm of immersion I will reminisce about when Jesus went down and under with the spiritual cleansing from John the Baptist, I too will come up and celebrate a new beginning.
God, please help me to reemerge as a spiritual renaissance man.
Help me to help the less fortunate.
I have a gentleman sleeping on my couch who otherwise would be sleeping in the woods or at the Salvation Army.
So, I hope he understands I do care about him and I want him to be transformed.
Kinship is the sainthood of salvation.

Optimism

Larry McMurtry let you be my guide.
"Optimism is a form of courage."
The day began inopportunistically.
A tenant vamoosed.
I hopped on it with aplomb.
I did all the right things.
Then when I started feeling glum.
I get a message someone is interested in our apartment complex.
I called him.
He lives in Houston.
He's very interested in moving here and meeting me because I called him instaneously.
Wow!
Then I saw another message on the Internet and a lady is coming to tour Friday.
Hopefully by being optimistic and courageous I might be able to attract some future tenants.
I can't control the destiny of anyone, but I might be influential in their decision-making.
Likewise, a man told me yesterday he wanted to move out.
At first he was told he would be breaking his lease with us if he moved out when he said he would.
Then I told him he could move to another property owned by the man who sold the property the mall is located on.
Today he came back and said he wanted to move to another of our complexes.
He shook my hand and said Thanks.
So, I feel like I'm helping people out in their toughest times of decision making.
God makes a difference in our lives.
But we too can try and give people good advice.
Thanks, God, for helping me help others cope.
When one of my best friends of all time died I was told he said once, "If I ever go on the TV show, "So, you want to be a millionaire, I would call David to help me out as my lifeline."
Thank you, Berry.
Thank you, God, for helping me be a nice guy with class who wants to help people out no matter the circumstances.
Indeed, optimism is a form of courage.

Bah Humbug

The vicissitudes of life proclaim that we deal with adversity with charismatic Christian values and idealistic altruistic attitudes.
In other words life happens.
Deal with it.
Just when I was floating on Cloud Nine.
I received payment from a potential tenant with a $200 security deposit.
Bah Scroogebag!
I went to dispense vacate notices on passed due renters.
Alas the would be vacater took a vacation and flew the coop.
The good news he left the furniture.
But he's skipping along somewhere out there in no pay, no play land.
I just hope they don't take his vacancy no pay out of my next pay check.
I'm a forlorn lad.
But all we can do is clean up his apartment and rent it out to someone else.
I did talk to a would-be tenant from Houston who's planning on retiring and might move into one of my apartments.
Que sera!!

Reciprocal altruism

Do you believe in karma?
How about reciprocal altruism?
About a month ago a newfound friend let me stay in his motel room/apartment.
Tonight he's sleeping on my couch.
I was homeless a month ago.
Now he's homeless.
He hasn't eaten in three days.
He's been sleeping in the woods somewhere in Rogers.
So, that's reciprocal altruism.
God blessed me with the ability to help out a friend.
He's in seventh heaven watching cable TV.
I'm taking care of some unfinished business and then ruminating about the hands of time.
God works in wonderful ways.
He permits us a second chance at life.
And then he lets us reciprocate and help out those who helped us when were down but not out.
God Bless everyone who's aided me in my quest to lead a more normal existence.
Now God is permitting me to help those who helped me.
I am so thankful I went to church this morning and made a confession of faith in God.
Now I've got to decide what to do next in my rebirth in God's spirit.
The Rogers First Baptist Church is anticipating baptizing me next Sunday by immersion.
I will immerse my spirit and soul and contemplate the true meaning of faith.

Jesus

What would Jesus do?
Do we all make our decisions based on the supposition what would Jesus do?
I make my decisions based on my analysis of all the analytical factors.
A year ago I was homeless.
Now I have a secure place to live.
I have a TV.
I have a coffee maker.
I have a computer.
I have a bed to sleep in.
I have a bank account.
I have lots of friends.
Am I happy?
No.
Not yet.
Because I have to hang up late notices on rent due.
I want to help the homeless.
I don't want my tenants to be homeless.
I can't pay their late fees.
I don't understand why I'm not happy.
Material possessions are phoeey.
Sam Walton was one of my heroes.
He used to prophesize Buy America.
He used to invest his company in American made products.
He even invested in Arkansas companies.
But now everything is made in China.
Why?
Do we buy American made cars or Toyotas?
Let's just take a deep breath and remember what would Sam Walton do now.
Would he be happy that most of Wal-Mart's products are made in China?
The bottom line is that we can't be Jesus or Sam Walton.
We are who we are.
You can make a difference in someone else's life.
Just be yourself.
Don't pretend that Jesus is going to come back and save the world. Yes, he will. But we all can help our fellow man.
Try and help someone to see the right path.
I went to church with a tenant and God called me to change my life.
By a profession of faith.
Next Sunday I'm probably going to be baptized.
Pray for me!!
God Bless!!
Happy Easter!!

easter

Did the Easter Bunny die on a cross for you and me?
Did Jesus celebrate Santa Claus' birthday?
Did the Pilgrims celebrate Thanksgiving in a teepee on a reservation?
No.
No.
No.
What is our heritage?
Jesus died on a cross and was resurrected three days later.
Santa Claus depended on a red-nosed reindeer.
There were no microwaves when the Pilgrims chomped down on leftovers.
And Abraham Lincoln never watched television. He was too busy reading books by the light of a coal-stoked heater.
Everything is relative.
What's it all about Alfie?
Who's hiding Osama Bin Laden?
Not the relatives of Saddam Hussein (yes he was insane) in Iraq?
They hung him and it wasn't on a cross.
Now.
The answer my friend is blowing in the wind.
Bob Dylan sang that one.
All I can do is be the antithesis of right and wrong.
I'm not a copycat.
I'm just a jestful joker a few days after April Fool's Day.
Have a merry Easter.

Butlermania

Who said white men can't jump?
Don't tell that to Butler dynamo Gordon Hayward.
Hayward converted an alley-oop slam dunk and snagged nine rebounds en route to a trip the Final Four.
Who said you can't go home again?
Butler returns to Indianapolis as part of a Fantastic Final Four appearance as the Bulldogs dispatched Kansas State Saturday.
Hayward's heroics efforts encapsulated a grand finale in the West Regionals of the NCAA March Madness.
Not many bracketeers picked Butler to return home to their Hoosier roots and play for the national championship.
Never underestimate the human heart.
Butler toppled No. 1 seed Syracuse, 63-59, and advanced to the Final Four by turning the No. 2 seeded Kansas State Wildcats into Mildcats.
That's what makes amateur athletics so unpredictable.
Likewise my life has been very unfathomable.
Who would have predicted I would be sleeping in a tent one night and training to be an apartment manager the next day?
I've never found a four-leaf clover and I don't have any Irish blood in me, but my favorite holiday is St. Patrick's Day.
So, I'm rooting for Butler to win the national championship.
This will mark the anniversary of me acquiring my nickname Big Al.
When Al McGuire coached Marquette to the national championship I rooted for him and the next day a friend started calling me Big Al.
Big Al hopes for another miraculous occurrence.
I just hope I can afford a TV set next week so I can watch it live rather than on a Hewlett Packard.

Comfort zone

When does one reach his comfort zone?
As we trudge along seeking a new identity after enduring some slings and arrows of outrageous misfortune, it's comforting to meet new friends and helpmates amongst our new employers who will guide and direct us into a new dimension. A new comfort zone.
At first we live in a land of confusion on the first few days of our new expedition into the land of apartment managerialship.
Then, when we have the thrill of victory, i.e. renting our first apartment to a tenant who appreciates us and our optimistic and helpful attitude, a bond has been successfully accomplished.
We're approaching a comfort zone.
Never in the past few years have I experienced the overwhelming zeal of a new challenge.
Now I have full time employment.
I have a very comfortable bed to sleep in.
I have a very good support staff of employers who sincerely care about me and my future.
They want me to succeed because they've glimpsed my personality and see a spark of zest which will translate into bonding with future tenants.
My goal is to fill this place up and then I'll qualify for bonuses.
I'm not into materialistic benefits.
I seek spiritual enlightenment with the people I work with and the tenants I serve.
I want to be remembered as a nice guy who also served as a quality manager who cared about the welfare of his fellow neighbors who just happen to rent from him.
I want my comfort zone to be their comfort zone.
We can all be warm and cozy here as we traverse down life's highway.
We are family!
Indeed, when my friend Berry Williams passed on Jan. 20 I bravely and spiritually commemorated his loving spirit with that We Are Family outlook.
Now I must invoke that with my fellow inhabitants in this friendly little comfort zone we call home.
Not bad for a guy who didn't know where his next real home would be.
My home used to be an abandoned house, or a tent on a hillside.
But now I have a real home and I'm engaging in a comfort zone beyond belief.

myway

Frank Sinatra crooned I did it my way.
My way may not be as circumspect as it needs to be.
But I've always been a trusting soul.
A friend of mine told me once, "David, I've never heard anyone say anything bad about you."
The first tenant who opted to move in here told me her boy friend opined as they left after our initial visit, "Now, that's a nice guy."
She said they'd toured numerous apartment complexes and opted for ours.
I don't know if that means they were infatuated with the scenario we represented or were just tired of touring.
Yesterday I showed an apartment to a young man and his friend. I firmly believe he's going to move in here. I just told him the best perk about this apartment is the washer and dryer. You don't have to spend an hour going to the laundromat and acquiring quarters to do your washing and drying.
He said, "Yeah, that's what I need to do now."
My maintenance man is starting to bond with me.
He told me he could do a lot more fix it uppers if he just had some tools.
So, that's my next goal.
Interrelationships of bonding distinguishes friendships on all levels.
I learned that while struggling to survive.
Hopefully the lessons I learned during the past few years of toils and tribulation and turmoil will make me a more discerning person as far as nurturing my kinship with tenants and fellow apartment aficionados.
I know some want me to be more business-like and suspicious of people who walk in here.
I can change my approach to handling interviews but I can't change my personality.
I am who I am.
When I gave a eulogy for my father I vowed to strive to be like him.
He was a genuine caring man who treated everyone with Christian love.
He trusted everyone.
He invoked altruistic virtues.
He believed in the Holy Spirit.
He preached love, peace and understanding.
I couldn't walk in my father's footsteps.
He wore a size 10 1/2 shoe.
I wear a size 8.
Those were giant footsteps he trodded.
As Neil Armstrong said, "That was one giant step for mankind, but one small step for a man."
Nevertheless, if I treat everyone with dignity and respect and trust and show them that I care, hopefully they'll treat me likewise, no matter the circumstances.
So far I know even some of the most untoward individuals I've met who were homeless and a little bit misunderstood became my best friends.
So I will continue to do it my way.
Or maybe I should say I will emulate Major William Maurice Lanier's way.
Nice guys finish with class.

homelessness

Now I can truthfully say I enjoy homemoreness.
More than less I am home.
In fact I enjoy homemostness.
More than likely I savor homeallness.
They say, "Don't take your job home with you."
I say, "My home is my job."
Indeed, my apartment serves as my office and my home.
It's challenging to sustain a fastidious kitchen and bathroom.
My kitchen is a showcase 'cause whenever anyone comes to the office my kitchen adjoins the office.
And whenever needs to go do No. 1 or No. 2 they utilize my lavatory.
In the past I personified Oscar Madison of "The Odd Couple."
No, I did't win any oscars for my Madisonian slobbery.
But now I'm inculcating a new persona as an apartment manager who must glisten when tenants or prospective tenants enter my realm.
I'm not pristine but personable.
So I'm turning over a new leaf in a new chapter of my life.
I'm enjoying new adventures and foregoing misadventures.
The old me learned lessons the hard way.
Now the highway leads to high goals and aspirations.
My heart pines for indigents.
I've been there and done that.
God chose me to enlighten.
I documented and wrote about homelessness. I lived that lifestyle. I persevered.
But once while two newfound friends were putting up a tent for me to reside, one reminisced about the movie "Heartbreak Ridge."
Clint Eastwood opined, "Persevere. Adapt. Overcome."
In a nutshell that's what I accomplished.
I persevered my trials and tribulations forlornly but without sacrificing my human dignity.
I adapted like a chameleon and drifted along in a hoboesque mileu amidst the woodsmen.
Now I've overcome!!!
New York Mayor John Lindsey appeased the blacks in the ghettoes of his Big Apple following the tragic assassination of Martin Luther King.
While Los Angeles burned, Lindsey strolled hand-in-hand with his comrades singing, "We shall overcome."
Indeed I overcame and now I'm living the lifestyle, "Don't Worry, Be Happy."

home work

An old adage doesn't apply to this apartment manager.
They always say, "Don't take your work home with you."
I say, "My home is my work."
Indeed I'm finally enjoying the comforts of home and work at the same locale.
Life couldn't be grander than to finally have a luxurious bed to doze.
No one knows how uncomfortable one might be enduring the nightmarish scenario of a skunk poking its beady little eyes into one's tent at 5 a.m.
Now I'm peacefully snoozing and there's a comfort zone which provides joy and peace of mind. I take a shower every morning and put on clean clothes every day.
I no longer have to worry about the disdainful fear of police invading my premises and waking me up at 1:30 a.m. telling me I'm on private property and have no right to be there.
I don't have very far to traverse to work.
In fact, my kitchen adjoins my workspace, so I can cook or make sandwiches on my lunch break. I won't be eating out as much as I used to either.
Indeed, God has blessed me so much I wish I could understand why.
Just like I used to wonder why I was homeless.
Maybe because of my intestinal fortitude and positive attitude my fortunes changed.
Actually, it's all due to friends who came to my emotional rescue and introduced me to my employers who are also going out of their way to make me feel comfortable.
So, what do I do in exchange?
This morning I went to McDonald's and saw a homeless man lugging plastic bags full of his stuff.
I bought him a sausage biscuit and tried to do so nonchalantly.
What goes around comes around.
I remember when I had people buy me food at McDonald's when I was forlorn and bedraggled.
None of us can end homelessness, but we can make someone's life more tolerable just by doing them a kind favor.
Just to be treated nicely and not being treated like the scum of the earth makes all the difference in the world.
It's better to give than receive. Especially when you've been receiving and not being able to give like you wanted to.
Hopefully my generosity will make an impact much like friends made me feel good about myself again.
The memories of my pauper past make me appreciate my newfound success and the comforts of home so much more.
Many take for granted sleeping in a comfortable bed.
Now I praise the Lord for making me a landlord.

confidence

Confidence is in the minds of the beholder.
Initially I lack confidence when boldly going where I've never gone before.
So, today I've built up a modicum of confidence in myself as a manager.
I flew solo on my new job and enjoyed motivating my assistant and handling a prospective tenant.
Once a person gains confidence he can be self-motivating.
Handling adversity provides a backdrop of optimism in handling the next adverse circumstance.
If I can overcome a skunk invading my homestead then I should be able to cope with almost any adverse circumstance imaginable.
Indeed, a nice lady today desired to move into an apartment but she disdained the odor of cigarettes.
So, I sought advice and sprayed her future domicile with a mint-scented disinfectant designed specifically to combat pet odor.
Hopefully my friends gave me the best advice.
But like a wise man once said if you don't know the answer to something go to someone more experienced.
Sometimes in the past I was filled with stubborn hubris and thought I had to do everything on my own.
Finally after struggling to survive with just me, myself and I to rely on for guidance I came to the realization that teamwork of everyone who participates will generate better results and solutions to problems with simple answers.
I don't know how to turn on a hot water heater but I know someone who does.
There is no I in team.

letitsnow

I'm dreaming of a white spring!
Yes, Jack Frost just doesn't want to hibernate.
On the first day of spring, what did Mother Nature bring?
Four to eight inches of dandruff from heaven.
What a way to start a new job!
I'm probably going to be by myself today in the office.
But I'm loving every minute of it.
I feel like a homeless man in heaven.
I have my own king-sized bed.
What could a hobo ask for?
This must be indigent nirvana.
They snowed me under with a big couch, a lovely love seat, a chest of drawers which would accommodate all the clothes I've ever owned in all of my 58 years of existence, a super long table, two smaller end tables and two TV stands with glass partitions.
Now all I need is a coffee maker, a microwave oven and a TV set.
Wait a minute.
I think I must be dreaming.
Just last week I was sleeping in a tent.
What would the world be like today if I woke up cuddled up in a blanket of snow?
No.
I'm hibernating in my apartment, sitting at a computer, ruminating.
I think I'm a happy camper now!
Just come by and see me sometime and we'll reminisce about the good old days when Pepe LePew chewed his way into my life.
Eat your heart out Pepe!
I have a bag of Doritos.
But they're all mine!

tentrevival

I now have a new significance to a tent revival.
I'm coping with a new challenge.
I'm training to be an apartment manager in Rogers.
I can't transfer to Facebook because there's a filter on our computer system.
So if anyone wants to communicate with me it has to be done via e-mail.
My e-mail address is davidlanier1951@gmail.com.
Thanks for the perseverance as I transition the culture shock of sleeping in a tent to sleeping on the floor of my new apartment.
My phone number is 636-5135.
My address is 600-1 North 12th Place, Rogers, AR 72756.
Office hours are Monday-Saturday, 9-6 and Sunday 1-5.
I'll be a workaholic with approximately 59 hours a week until I finally get paid in two weeks and can afford to take a lunch break.
Keep those prayers uppermost in your mind.
Thanks for reading and caring.

Godblessesus

God truly blessed me today. St. Patrick's Day is my lucky holiday.
Last night I slept in a tent and today I'm an apartment complex manager in Rogers.
I went to the UofA library this morning and read my e-mail which told me I was approved.
So I'm in a state of ecstasy but aware I have a mammoth task ahead of learning how to be a good manager and make all the right decisions and fill out all the requisite paper work.
I can't say much more because my employer disdains publicity.

hypothermia

Another homeless man finally found a home.
In heaven or hell.
A friend perished last Friday night due to his lack of a warm place to lay his head.
The sadness continues.
CW was evicted from a local hotel/apartment dwelling a few weeks ago after he found another former homeless man dead in his bed.
A mutual friend Dwayne found CW lying in the woods stiff as a board on Saturday morning.
I talked to CW the day after his eviction.
The property owners would not let him retain the steaks he'd purchased with his food stamps.
And they evicted him because he wasn't listed on the lease.
I feel very saddened by all of this because I knew all three of the aforementioned individuals.
Why?
Sometimes once depression sets in and there seems to be no hope, one drifts into a state of apathy.
I hope somehow awareness will supersede apathy on the part of those who don't care about the homeless.

jobops

Who would believe that a homeless man would be interviewing for a position as an apartment manager?
That should qualify for Ripley's Believe it or not.
A friend recommended for an interview with a local apartment complex mogul.
I'm slated for the interview on Wednesday.
I hope he doesn't delve too much into my recent background of housing and the lack thereof.
The main impact of this scenario is that friends can make a difference in our lives.
Indeed during the recent winter siege friends intervened and permitted me to couch surf or sleep on the floor of their domiciles.
I've had several folks comment about how cold it was this winter. But warm hearts provided relief and comfort.
Thanks to everyone who aided me in my continuing efforts to overcome the elements of nature.
The key to survival no matter your circumstances are friends, God and the love bestowed by caring hearts.

couchsurfing

Many homeless individuals couch surf.
They find a friend who'll let them sleep on their couch until the welcome mat is no longer user friendly.
Some sleep on floors.
That's been my lifestyle recently as newfound friends sympathetically let me sleep on their floor instead of camping out.
The downside to that proposition is when the person gets mad about some petty deal and holds your stuff hostage.
That's what happened to me this weekend.
A guy let me crash on his floor at the Twin Arches motel/apartments.
Then when we started playing pool I permitted another guy to play the winner.
Unfortunately my "friend" got perturbed and knocked the eight ball in on purpose before the rotation and stomped off mad.
I can't arouse him and I'm worried about my stuff.
This is the second time this has happened to me so I'm paranoid about retrieving my belongings.
Then, I read that a trailer which I used to sleep in burned down, so I lost some more of my clothes.
Que sera!

hibernation

Some falsely believe the best way to cope with winter's depressing weather is to hibernate.
Cabin fever ensues.
When a friend loses her spouse she can either cope or mope.
Unfortunately my friend is moping instead of coping.
Or maybe that's really what's she trying to do, cope by mope.
Actually she's hibernating and watching DVDs all day long.
I don't know the cathartic correct response.
All I've really done is provide a heartfelt eulogy and then try and be a friend by being there if she wants to talk.
She's morose and not verbose.
I'm introspective and she's been trying to help me more than I've helped her.
But she's been a darling of a friend with her Aunt Jemima cooking and caring and sharing spirit.
I don't know her motivation but as Sigmund Freund observed, "What does woman want?"
About the only resolution I foresee is when we traverse to Southern Arkansas University on a recruiting trip for her son Courtney Haskell sometime in mid-March.
Hopefully that will fulfill some of her angst.
She's worried about the fruition of what her husband desired.
I know Berry wanted me to accompany them, so that's what Trina wants, too.
Last night she told me I always had a place to stay.
She told me she would help me if she could.
I need to find a job so I can continue to help her with a tidbit of rent money.
Pray for her and help me find the right words to say.

hooray

The Arkansas Razorbacks enjoyed the best of times and the worst of times yesterday.
The Hoops Hogs hogtied the USC Gamecocks with some rock 'em, sock 'em exploits led by Courtney Fortson and Marshawn Powell.
Now they're still the best in the SEC West.
Alas, Ryan Mallett broke a bone in his foot and will miss spring practice.
All is not lost though as Tyler Wilson and the freshman Mitchell and a newbie will receive exclusive reps during spring football.
Mallett seems to be accident prone just working out on his own.
The Lady Razorbacks close their home season tonight and Sunday afternoon.
Then, the Razorbacks don't play at home until 10 days against Vanderbilt.
I'm not sure what's going to transpire for me since I guess I won't be ushering at baseball games.
I've heard that's the toughest sport to be an usher. They only use the old schoolers.
So, I'm going to have to devise a new game plan.

Warm Hearts

Staying warm can be a challenge during the Ice Ages.
But staying warm is a term of relativity.
I may be warm snuggled underneath my Coleman sleeping bag and that's sufficient to survive.
But someone else might feel like it's too cold to sleep in a tent.
It's all a matter of survival.
Yes, this winter I've copped out and stayed in a motel once or twice or thrice and that was probably money wasted when I could've just coped in my Coleman.
Now I'm staying with a friend in Bentonville who has a very warm heart which provides me comfort and joy despite some recent tragedy.
So, staying warm brings on significant meaning in a myriad of ways and means.
We should all be thankful for the company we keep with our friends and neighbors.
Some of my best friends share with me whatever they can spare just because they care.
And they're classified as homeless.
Share and care together brings warmth of body and spirit and hearfelt togetherness ensues.

Consolation

When you're down and out and so confused you need a Bridge Over Troubled Water.
Following the tragic death of my friend Berry Williams I paid tribute to him at a Memorial Service in Bentonville and then at his funeral in Helena.
But now the toughest times are helping his widow Trina.
Her son Courtney Haskell is an awesome running back and was depending on his Dad to travel with him to visit colleges.
Trina and Berry were in a car wreck and their vehicle was totalled out.
Trina is still undergoing therapy and won't make a settlement until she's given a fair amount.
Keep her in your prayers.

death

My best friend Berry Thomas passed away last Friday of a heart attack.
His wife Trina told me had an enlarged heart.
Indeed he had the largest heart in the world.
I'm planning on a eulogy for him and am trying to post it on my Facebook account.
I'm kind of at a loss of words right now but will be better equipped emotionally and psychologically following the funeral and wake.
Pray for his family.

flexible

While covering the Arkansas Razorbacks football team in the 1980s I encountered a term for a defensive philosophy entitled, "Bend but don't break."
In other words be flexible but never let your defenses down.
That's a good philosophy to employ when dealing with any adverse circumstance.
Be ever vigilant. Bend your reflexes. But never breakdown.
Or as a friend once said while assembling a tent for me, "Adapt, improvise, overcome."
I had a friend who almost died last week.
He collapsed and was rushed to the hospital.
They diagnosed his blood-sugar count to be 2,150.
In the parlance of doctors, you should be dead.
Nevertheless, my friend persevered and fought off the enemies within his body.
He's now taking insulin shots in the stomach and has drastically changed his eating habits.
I admire his changes.
He now awakens in the morning and drinks coffee and enjoys breakfast.
Something I've never see him do over the course of 10 years of living together, off and on.
But he's made of sterner stuff.
Both of us are PKs. Preacher's kids.
For awhile we lived a charmed life.
But reality intervened.
I endured the hardships of homelessness.
At first I rebelled against God and pondered, "Why me?"
Then I was afforded the window of opportunity to write about homelessness.
I encountered God and took a more religious approach to my life experiences.
I could be a living example of how to cope and not mope.
I could document the experiences and hopefully enlighten others who might find it within their hearts to help others in distress.
I've also written about the realities of dealing with critters, which every homeless individual must encounter. Again I tried to eventually take a philosophical attitude.
Then, the police rudely awakened us.
Again I wrote about the experiences.
There are some of us who are chosen to be the spokesmen.
That's the only logical explanation for what's transpired in my life and my attitudes towards coping.
God helps us endure.
God has a purpose for our lives.
God rewards us when we make the right decisions and handle the adversity with a modicum of aplomb.
I've been blessed this year when a friend offered his apartment to me during the frigid ice ages.
I've also been a little bit of a coward and took the easy way out and checked into a motel when I had some money.
But last night I had the best night of sleep in a long time, in my tent, with three sleeping bags as mattresses and a blanket provided by the kind people at Central United Methodist Church for a Christmas gift.
God bless that blanket!
God bless those who care and share!!
We shall overcome!!

hospitality

Fayetteville provides quintessential care for those in need.
I've struggled to survive in Bentonville, Rogers and Springdale while enduring the slings and arrows of outrageous misfortune.
I almost starved in Bentonville and Rogers but the kind hearts at Springdale Methodist Church's Bread of Life provided me with sustenance.
Finally I moved to Fayetteville where there's free transit via Razorback Transit.
There's Seven Hills Homeless Center which provides invaluable aid.
There's the St. Paul's Episcopal Church which provides meals on Mondays and Wednesdays, plus they dispensed a plethora of nice Christmas gifts to everyone.
There's the Central United Methodist Church which provides meals on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
There's College Avenue Baptist Church which provides a breakfast meal at 9 a.m. on Sundays.
There's LifeSource which provides a Sunday night meal and tents and sleeping bags.
So, in summation if you're down on your luck and you need a place to regroup and seek some solace and comfort and food I would highly recommend Fayetteville.
Per capita I've never met so many loving people who want to genuinely help with caring and sharing.
Thanks Fayettevillians. And you're not villains you're compassionate Christians.
God Bless Fayetteville!!!

brrrrrr

The frigid weather has been very frustrating to those of us who are brave enough to venture forth with our lives.
I came to the library but they're not opening up until 11 a.m.
So I went to catch the ORT bus to Seven Hills.
They're not running until 10 a.m.
I fear it's too cold to walk anywhere else so I'm blogging about everyone else's paranoia about the frigidity.
I'll be glad to get back to Bentonville tomorrow, weather permitting, of course.
On Monday the Fayetteville library didn't even open, so I ventured to Bentonville where the road conditions were 10 times worse. The Bentonville library was open, nevertheless, but I don't have access to their computer system.
I'll be taking a week's hiatus while in Bentonville unless the spirit moves me to go to the Daily Record.
Kudos to Cobblestone for providing shelter at Seven Hills Homeless Center.
That's the grandest thing I've seen since I've been dealing with homelessness.
Everyone else says they want to help and they want a shelter, but Cobblestone stepped forward and did something.
Bravo!

happynewyear

So far this has been a very happy New Year!
I've been blessed and have slept on three people's couches lately.
That's couch surfing in the vernacular.
I haven't had access to a computer due to the holidays and inclement weather.
A friend moved out of his apartment and in with his girl friend and so that's been my sleeping nest lately.
Last night he informed me anything in the apartment was available.
The furniture is pretty nice and I e-mailed Mike Rusch of Cobblestone Projects with the pertinent details.
So hopefully someone who needs some furniture will benefit from this development.
Cobblestone Project deserves beaucoups of kudos for helping monitor Seven Hills being available for overnight accommodations through next week.
Also College Avenue Baptist Church is opening up its doors to the homeless for sleeping arrangements.
Thanks to all who are opening up their hearts and hands to help those less fortunate.
It's very much appreciated.
The Razorbacks played lights out against Texas Tuesday night.
When Courtney Fortson raced onto the court for the first time this season the student section at Bud Walton Arena erupted with jubilation.
He was an inspirational force but the Longhorns are powerful and well deserving of their No. 2 ranking.
Hopefully the Hogs will start like gang busters against Mississippi State Saturday.
I won't be able to watch the National Football Championship game between Alabama and Texas but I'm an SEC zealot and am rooting for the Tide to roll.
It was funny to listen to some of the comments of Arkansas fans jesting at Longhorn rooters.
But Texas boasted the most firepower and prevailed.
Happy New Year!