A few months after losing her administrative job in the summer of 2008, 23-year-old Brianna Karp got rid of her furniture, a beloved piano, and most of her books so she could move back in with her parents. When that didn't work out, she moved into an old trailer a relative had left her, settling into an informal homeless community in a Wal-Mart parking lot in Brea, Calif. By the summer of 2009, she was living without electricity, regular showers, home-cooked food, and most basic conveniences.
Karp held tight to her laptop, however, and began writing a blog about her experiences. That generated attention that helped her land a part-time magazine internship, and eventually ink a book deal. Although her book, "The Girl's Guide to Homelessness," was recently published, Karp still lives in a dilapidated shed that the state of California considers not fit for human habitation. I spoke with her recently about her experiences.
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Human beings are wired to overlook negatives. We generally don't want to spend too much time thinking about the risks we face, or how close to failure we really are. That ability of denial is what allows us to succeed in a hostile environment. That said I think we all would be better served to spend a little more time thinking about how close to the edge we really are. Most people are much closer to homelessness and poverty than they realize.
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