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Whew! It’s been quite a month! I didn’t get the job at the Audubon, but I did get a crew leader position at the census, so I’ve been working for the US Census since April 12th. As with any short-term government job (actually, I don’t know if that’s the case with government jobs, it's more like a political campaign gig) I was notified just days before and then hit the ground running. I’ve been trying to get organized and find some kind of routine ever since!
So, here I am on a Thursday morning, just before the start of my 42nd year, trying to summarize my last month of my 41st year. My thoughts are: I didn’t get the job at Audubon; I did get accepted to Chatham University’s Food Studies Masters program; my census job is fun and challenging, I have a great crew. Along with my fellow crew leaders, that fulfills my need for coworkers; my 17 year old car needs a $1,000 head gasket so I’ve found a car to buy-a 2006 Subaru Forester-and I’m having fun with my bank to get the $12K for it; the Oakland community garden is coming along nicely; right now is the peak of busy-ness of all my projects!
Did get the job- I’m kind of relieved…I know that sounds like a defensive statement, but how was I going to do a Masters program with a full time job? I have to find $30,000 to pay for school, plus my expenses while I go to school (I could just have 2 Silpada parties a month and pay for my personal expenses…) but I’m not worried…I probably should be, but I’m not. I’m just so excited about the future! Who knows where I’ll end up!
The Census job is great! Its kind of crazy in that the rules change every day…you’d think an organization that’s been doing this for 230 years would have their system down pat! But it doesn’t work that way. Very interesting and challenging, and I love it! My crew is fantastic and I hear I’m the only one not complaining about her staff…maybe I’m just a positive person and don’t want to bother people with details, but that doesn’t sound like me…
OMG I had the craziest week back in April…my second week with the Census. I was hoping my 1993 Honda Civic would last through this summer. However, the head gasket problem escalated and was sucking the radiator dry, so the car was overheating. I couldn’t deny it anymore. My folks were still in Florida and my mom offered me her car while I searched for another. She got friends to take it from her house to her mechanic to get inspected; I got a ride up to get it. (About 45mins north of here) I used it for Census training on Tuesday and came home, got changed for the gym and got back in the car. I put it into drive but the light on the dash, the one that indicates what gear you’re in, didn’t move…humm…nothing. Turns out the cable that connects the gear shifter to the transmission had snapped! WHEN DOES THAT EVER HAPPEN!!???!!?? So, I had to manually (under the hood, at the transmission) shift the car into drive, take it to my mechanic. However, I had a meeting the next day, so I thought, OK, I’ll ride my bike. Well, half way there my tire goes flat. I fill it at the station and I end up pushing it home after pushing it to my meeting! I was afraid to walk anywhere for fear of breaking my legs! (and I recently sprained my ankle, but that’s another story) BTW, the selector cable for my mom’s car cost $400!l
My folks have a friend who buys cars at auctions around the country. I’ve been working with him to find a car. I wanted a Honda Element, but that seems to be the hot car of the season and couldn’t get one in my price range. So I cast my net a bit wider and found a Subaru Forester that I like. I really like! Have you ever driven one? They are so much fun! I can’t wait to get it! It’s higher off the ground than my Civic and even higher than the Outback, which I thought I wanted. It’s got a lot of space for camping gear and stuff, and it’s a seriously tough vehicle! I’m so excited! But my bank is giving me a hard time loaning me the $12,200.
First, let me say that my go-to loan guy is on vacation. He went on vacation the day after I applied for a loan and left it in his coworker’s capable hands. The underwriter, however, is taking advantage of this fact. The poor woman, she said she would be sympathetic to my plight if I were the only one she was having that conversation with…every loan she is working with is getting the same treatment. She wants to hide under a desk until my friend gets back so he can fight with the underwriter!!!
Here’s how it went. I applied for the loan. The car is worth $13,000 online at Edmonds.com (blue book) but they needed info from the dealer about the car. I put Bobby in touch with the bank. (turns out they didn’t ask him anything different than what I could have told them) Next, there is an outstanding balance from an account I closed in 2007…What? Turns out that there was a series of unfortunate overdrafts while we were on vacation, camping, no access to bank, internet, etc. and the bank offered to waive some of the fees and, in their words “Settle the account” for $150…which left a balance of $182…apparently “settled” doesn’t mean the same thing in Dollar Bank language as it does in normal English. It means “Ok, we’ll take $150 now, and wait till you need something, then we’ll bend you over this barrel and see how much you really need us!” So I paid the $182, and expressed how unhappy I was, but was paying it anyway. The next day, the underwriter still wasn’t happy with my credit rating…my husband’s is a bit better, but he’s not comfortable with giving me $12,2000. I, apparently, can’t talk to him directly, so I plead my case with a nice woman on the phone. Over the past 2 years, (while being unemployed, I tell you but didn’t tell them), I have managed to pay off my student loans, all my credit cards, my loan to them (Dollar Bank), and completely wiped out all my debt ($10K). We don’t have a mortgage; we don’t have credit cards (F**K them!) …We don’t have ANY debt….and I have good credit…I’ve paid on time and more than was due most of the time. What does he have to be “uncomfortable” with!?!?!? He won’t disclose details about what he doesn’t like, so I have nothing to go with. He’s offered me $11K…what am I supposed to do with $11K?!?!? No, it’s all or nothing, my friend. I’m confident that I qualify, I’m worthy and I deserve it. So if you want to make me wait until Kevin comes back, fine. You’re so ON!
I am not desperate. If I need to, I can put the $1000 into my 17-year-old vehicle and drive it another few months until I save up enough money to buy another car. I could start a campaign to get people to withdraw money from their Dollar Bank Account and hold it until Dollar Bank gives me the money…I’m sure I can get $12,000+ removed from Dollar Bank in less than a day. I guess they could argue that if I know people with money, why don’t I just borrow it from them…But THEY ARE A BANK! That’s what they do. I can wait.
Thanks for letting me rant this morning. I now have to go get ready for my busy day. I have census work, then I have to make signs for the farm’s plant sale tomorrow, and I have to do a final drawing (Large!) for the Oakland garden…called Frazier Farms…for Saturday. Oh, yea, I have to prepare to turn 41 on Sunday. Wish me luck!
I'll be blogging more about Michael Pollan soon!
