Mike unpacks the reality of being unhoused by first challenging traditional definitions of "home." He details two significant periods where he experienced homelessness—starting in Portland after a traumatic mental health crisis and job loss—and subsequent travels across multiple states, linking these challenging experiences to his life mission. Crucially, Mike explains that he embraced this time to gain professional "street cred," arguing that genuine systems analysis requires directly experiencing the user/individual experience to inform his work in urban design and sustainability. This difficult journey ultimately provided him with deep personal fulfillment and led him to fall in love with Columbus through the kindness of supportive organizations and community members he met along the way.