Am I High? (aka How I Came to Discover the Mystical Sensation “ASMR”)

November 3, 2013 1 Comment

Earlier this week, I was driving home from work, letting my mind wander and reflect.  You know the feeling: you’re not really entirely present (scary while driving), but your mind is working.

As I got on the 405, Pandora started playing It’s Been Awhile by Staind. It’s something I’ve heard before (don’t make fun of me) — but it’s been years.

Suddenly, something odd happened.

At minute 2:18 (I’ve inserted the video below for reference), I felt an angelic injection of something golden in the back of my head.

It started like a tingle — and then exploded in warmth that spread to my ears (maybe a little more on the right side), then down to my shoulders, back, and torso. It evaporated somewhere around my toes, and was gone in 2-3 seconds.  What on earth?

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Israel Diary Day 7: Nazareth and the Sea of Galilee (+photos)

April 13, 2013 Leave a comment

israel_day_7This is the seventh day in my Israel diary, where I’m attending the HP Indigo VIP Event in Tel Aviv.  See Day 1 in Tel Aviv here, Day 2 in Jerusalem and Bethlehem here, Day 3 at the HP Indigo offices in Nes-Ziona here, Day 4 at Pageflex and Caesarea here, Day 5 at the HP Indigo Plant in Kiryat Gat here, and Day 6 here.

Today, HP has arranged for two tour options: Jerusalem, or Nazareth and the Sea of Galilee.  Since I’ve already visited Jerusalem, and given that President Obama is said to be tying up significant amounts of the city and corresponding traffic, I decide to head to Nazareth and Galilee.

A fantastic tour guide leads our bus, and two Vision staff members join us for the day.  Vision is the company that HP used to facilitate the HP Indigo event.

Yonatan is our 24-year old security detail, and is tall (probably 6’3″), and armed with a pistol stuck in his Read more of this post

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Update on (Homeless) Dave [+some things he needs]

April 7, 2013 2 Comments

photo-33

Dave heads back into the city he calls home.

After about a month of little contact, Dave and I were able to connect this morning.  As we headed to and from Rock Harbor, he shared his feelings, thoughts, and hopes.

(If you missed the last post about how we lost contact, as well as the letter Dave gave me to post for you, click here.)

Having passed the 1 year mark of being without a home, his spirits are challenged.  Not only is it hard being on the street, but he’s also seeing friends affected by drugs and alcohol.  Others have become “comfortable,” and their lack of desire to change their lifestyle worries him.

Dave is tired, dirty, sleeping poorly, and a bit depressed — but remains hopeful that the OC Rescue Mission will provide a gateway to getting back on his feet.  Click here to read a post about my visit to the amazing OC Rescue Mission.

That said, I’m continually amazed by his ability to easily interact with others, and socialize with people he barely knows.  I saw that (again) today, and it reminds me what an amazing person lies beneath the tired exterior.

This past week, Dave’s backpack was stolen, which unfortunately contained a lot of his basic necessities.  I asked him what he needed, and while he hesitated to ask for anything, he finally relented and gave me a list of things he needs most.

If you feel led to contribute, I’ve provided a few ways at the bottom of this post:

  • Phone charger (not for iPhone, but the kind that looks like a small USB); his last one was stolen
  • Verizon phone card, for his pay-as-you-go phone
  • Size 10 shoes; his current shoes have holes in the them from walking and facing the elements
  • Backpack; his trusty companion was recently stolen from outside Starbucks (including everything in it)
  • Hair cut, if anyone works in a  salon or is willing to help, please let me know
  • Bus pass, which helps him get to places he collects cans, check his mail, and hopefully soon, interview at the OC Rescue Mission

Again, do not feel you need to do anything.  I told him to have no expectations, but that I would bring these needs before you, Team Dave, and we’ll see what happens.

Here’s how you can contribute:

  • Give me the items (if you know me personally, you know how), or arrange a way via the comments below
  • Mail stuff to:

Care of David Rosendahl
30 Corporate Park, Suite 400
Irvine, CA 92606

In the comments, please let me know if you have any questions, or if you are able to meet any of the needs so that I can cross them off.

Thanks for joining me in this journey!

-Dave

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A Letter From (Homeless) Dave

March 30, 2013 10 Comments

Dave's not to you, back

Dave’s handwritten note to you, his “Team Dave”

As you may know, it has been a few weeks since I last saw Dave. (If you haven’t been following his story, you can start reading about it here.)

Suddenly, and without warning, I lost contact with him. Life has been so busy with travel, work, and family, that I haven’t been able to get out on the streets and look for him — until today.

I spent about 2 hours searching Santa Ana and Costa Mesa, driving, parking, and walking around spots I recall him speaking about. I looked under bridges, behind buildings, and in parking lots. I drove around in circles, wondering, praying, and asking for guidance to find a needle in the haystack of a busy city.

About to give up, I decided to look in the parking lot of a Starbucks we’ve sometimes met. I parked, and walked around, hoping for something.

I suddenly remembered

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Israel Diary Day 2: Jerusalem & Bethlehem (+photos)

March 20, 2013 5 Comments

Israel Diary day 2

The second day in my Israel diary, where I’m attending the HP Indigo VIP Event in Tel Aviv.  See Day 1 in Tel Aviv here.

I awoke at 3:30 AM, fully aware that it was too early to get up, but unable to coax myself back to sleep.  So around 4:30 I gave up, and resorted to responding to emails and checking the news.

At 6:30, the hotel’s breakfast opened, which provided a wonderful array of options.  The display reminded me of being on a cruise — so many yummy things to try!

After eating and pounding a few cups of coffee, I made my way to the front of the hotel to wait for a tour bus (which I arranged the night before).  I choose a tour of Jerusalem and Bethlehem, which cost around $90.  Compared to what I’ve paid in other countries, it wasn’t too expensive.

Promptly at 7:20, our tour guide (Absalom) appeared, requesting that I follow him to boarded his tour bus.  He was a friendly and very helpful guide, and when I return to Israel, I’ll definitely look him up again.  After picking up a few more tourists, we made our way for about 45 minutes to Jerusalem.  I made friends with a number of my fellow passengers, including an attorney from Ohio, and an auditor for Shell.

For the next 8 hours, he led us on a journey of Jerusalem, Bethlehem, a kibbutz, and back to the old city of Jerusalem.  Here are some (but certainly not all!) of the highlights: Read more of this post

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The Power Of Storytelling: Generating $1,421 In A Week

February 24, 2013 1 Comment

If you’ve been following this blog, you’re familiar with Dave: he’s 40 years old, homeless, and lives under a bridge.  Here’s where he lives now:

Dave's place under the bridge. This is where he's been living.

Dave’s home under the bridge.

Against the odds, he’s making a love-fueled comeback.

After writing this post (my third in the series), I included a link that allowed readers to donate towards Dave’s journey.

Within minutes, $50 had been donated.  After a week, we received $1,421, not to mention other physical donations.

Honestly, I never expected this to happen.

As I’ve shared Dave’s story (you can read it starting here) and talked to readers about my blogging journey, I’m often asked how it started, and why Read more of this post

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[PICS] Costa Mesa Homeless: My Time With Dave (Part 6)

February 14, 2013 4 Comments

Dave and I sit in the parking lot of this Starbucks and talk.

Dave and I sit in the parking lot of this Starbucks and talk.

On Wednesday of last week, Dave and I meet in a Starbucks parking lot, a 10- minute drive from home.

“Come on, let’s sit in the car, it’s cold,” I tell him, motioning to my wife’s car.

We get inside, and I ask him how it went with his kids.  Because of your kindness, he was able to spend a night in a hotel, get cleaned up, and feel somewhat human in advance of seeing them.  This small luxury was a huge blessing for him.

“It was amazing … so, so good!” he says, repeating his words with emphasis and emotion.

“But my older boy, I think he’s got something on his mind about me,” he says, somewhat sadly.  I nod, wanting him to continue and share.

“I think he feels I left him, that it’s my fault we’re not Read more of this post

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[Video] Costa Mesa Homeless: My Time With Dave (Part 5)

February 9, 2013 15 Comments

Dave & Dave!

Dave & Dave!

Earlier today, I met Dave for lunch at Panera, in the same shopping center as the Target we first met.

I brought paperwork from the OC Rescue Mission, including a Program Agreement, Application, and Policies Handbook.  He’ll review them over the next few days in preparation for his interview.

Since I took a tour of the location earlier in the week, I also showed him pictures (you can see them here), which he was excited to see. His mental image was much different than what I showed him; he’s pumped!

Last time we spoke, we made plans for him to read the posts I’ve written on this blog, and I wanted him to see your encouraging comments.

To be honest, I was a bit nervous of what he might think as he read the posts, especially because of the pictures.  As we sat eating our sandwiches, I told him that I feel he’s great about sharing his feelings, and that I wanted to follow suit by telling him that I feel a little vulnerable sharing the stories with him — but he responded positively, and was extremely encouraging.

In fact, part way through the first post, he was emotional and Read more of this post

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Costa Mesa Homeless: My Time With Dave (Part 4)

February 9, 2013 4 Comments

At the corner of Hope Drive ...

Hope Drive!

Earlier this week, I visited the OC Rescue Mission, which happens to be about a stone’s throw from my office.

As you know, I’ve been spending time with some homeless in our area (click here to see the rest of the stories about Dave, in order), and through this experience, have started to make myself familiar with available services.

The OC Rescue Mission is built on the site of the Tustin Marine Base, which has two gigantic hangers you’ve probably seen if you’ve been around Orange County (which, by the way, I’ve heard you can see from outer space; is that true?).

This is what I’m talking about … if you’ve been to Orange County, chances are you’ve seen them:

This is the hanger I was talking about. It is gigantic.

If you live in Orange County, you know this landmark.  This is where the OC Rescue Mission is.

My hope is that Dave (and Joey, who I wrote about here), can gain admittance to the program.  Dave is in the midst of waiting for his California ID (which will take 4-6 weeks), so I’m praying that there is some divine intervention and it gets here more quickly, as the folks at OCRM indicate there are openings.

I met with Kristin Bruce, an energetic, Read more of this post

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Costa Mesa Homeless: Dave’s Story [Start Here]

February 6, 2013 16 Comments

Dave & Dave

Me on the left, Dave on the right — a day after your gift of a night in a hotel.

Dave is 40 years old, and homeless.  He lives under a bridge with 2 friends he met on the street.

I met Dave in a Target parking lot, and have been sharing his story on this blog. In response, you’ve showered him with an amazing outpouring of love and support.

If you’re looking to jump to these stories in sequence, here’s where to start:

  • Costa Mesa Homeless: My Time With Dave (Part 4):  Since readers have entrusted over $1,200 in donations to Dave and his story, I decided to take a tour of the Orange County Rescue Mission, which is where Dave intends to live.  I’ve included some pics — it is an amazing place!
  • [Video] Costa Mesa Homeless: My Time With Dave (Part 5):  Over sandwiches at Panera, Dave reads everything written about him on this blog (including your comments), and writes a thank-you note.  Also, he decides to film a short video!  See the man whose life you are changing.

How You Can Help

Many of you have asked how you can be a part of writing Dave’s new life story, and here are a few things you can do:

  • Share this story.  Send it to your friends, post it to Facebook, send links via email.
  • Leave Dave a comment on this blog.  Tell him where you’re from, and how you heard about his story.  I’m going to show him these posts soon.  If you have words of encouragement, leave them here.  He’ll love reading them.
  • Please continue to pray – not only for Dave, but also for me to discern what to do with the energy and momentum these stories have created.  Where is it leading?
  • If you have physical donations, I can arrange to pick them up.  If you have questions about what Dave needs, leave those in the comments.

Dave’s life is being changed by people he doesn’t even know, from across the globe.  Will you join in making a difference in his life?  Every amount counts, no matter how small.  Donate here.

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