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Through Vancouver's Community Services Northwest, I have obtained up to $1000 per month in funding towards a one-bedroom apartment, but it was mostly up to me to actually find the apartment. My smoking, radioactive crater of bad debt made that a challenge - even with the rent guaranteed by CSNW - but at least I'd never stiffed a landlord.

This isn't Section 8 but is quite similar to it. The money ultimately comes from Housing and Urban Development, then through the Vancouver Housing Authority, then through CSNW.

The previous tenant is in the same housing program as I am, but will be moving to a retirement home.

This last page points out that this housing leads to a significant decrrease in emergency room visits. I go to the emergency room quite a lot; the last time was not long ago, when I"d run out of my antidepressant and got suicidal. The emegency room gave me one dose, then set me up with a bus pass so I could get to my pharmacy.

There is some possibility that the apartment will come furnished. I have a few things in storage here, but not much - I would otherwise be sleeping on the floor. I have a nice futon in storage in Silicon Valley. My mother pays for all four of my storage lockers - RLY - but can't be convinced th financed moving the other stuff to Vancouver. This despite that the present arrangement costs a great deal more in the long run.

I was upset about that, but in the contest of wills between me and my mother, Mom clearly wins. We get along just great to the extent that I don't bring this up.

Hopefully having my own place will enable me to earn some coing through coding. If nothing else it will make it easier to focus on my music; maybe I could join a band someday.

(I'm a good pianist but have a hard time learning anything new, as I can't read sheet music. I can improvise original music but it's not like you can dance to my compositions.)

My case manager says "This is 99% certain". It wont' be a sure thing until I meed the landlord and sign the lease next week. But despite my mental illness people generally like me. All of my real enemies are on the Internet, where I'm more outspoken. In person I'm very quiet and thoughtful.

In other news, I'm going to ask a woman out for a date next time I see her, which should be Monday night. More about that in a future diary. She clearly likes me though, I'm just not sure that she likes me _that_ way.

I'm really looking forward to cooking my own food.