Jess's Random Thoughts

Consumer Scams: Credit Cards are the DEVIL!

2008-06-06T12:18:00.000-07:00

Haven't blogged in forever; go figure! I guess that's just what happens when life is crazy busy. All the good kind of crazy so I have no complaints. But I do have one complaint today, and that's about all the slimy credit card companies out there. What's the deal with them trying to scam consumers out of money without them know. Those sneaky bastards just tried it on me today and I let them have it.

There is no such thing as valuing the customer that pays on time and pays their balance. I honestly think that they prefer the consumers who are in a bad way, run up their cards and can't pay the balance. Those are the consumers that they are able to really poach with fees and charges that make no sense.

Long story short, (meaning not short at all if you know me) :) I have had a credit card with HSBC for about 3 years. I don't use it much but when I do I pay off the balance right away. Somehow they charged me a random late fee, I called, they "fixed it", done deal right? Nope, 2 months went by and I am thinking I paid off the balance. Not the case. In fact they didn't remove the late charge and charged me 2 more, and closed the account due to 2 late payments in a row. I wasn't even notified that any payment was late until month 3...gotta love it!

Result: $107 balance on a card with no transactions in the previous 4 months, a 30 day late fee reporting on my credit, a closed acct I have had open for years.

Final Result: $0 balance, a 30 day late fee reporting on my credit, a closed acct. No way to take off the late fee(all lies) they claim it was a legitimate late payment...again lies, and no way to re-open acct. I would have to reapply for a new card.

HA!! Sorry HSBC, I don't really use credit cards as it is but I sure as hell will never yours again. Thanks for "trying" to scam me out of money and I appreciate you lowering my credit score by your bogus late payment.

Folks, I will be writing letters to all three credit Bureaus to let them know this late payment is bogus. This is a lesson to everyone with a credit card to check your account every month whether you have a balance or not.

MIA from Blogging, Whoops!

2007-06-05T11:10:00.000-07:00

Well hello folks! It's been a while; yes I know. I've been crazy busy at NextStudent but it's all for the good. A few things have changed but all for the better. I recently rescued a Lab Pup that is absolutely sweet and adorable. You can check him out on my myspace account. Also, the house is coming along well just not as fast as I had hoped.

I got out to San Diego for Memorial Day Weekend and had a blast and now I am gearing up(saving $$) for my trip to Hawaii in September. I can't wait for that because I will be spending time with my family and laying on the beach for a full nine days.

That's all for now but I will try to get back to posting regularly!

Luck or life; how to deal with those damn lemons

2007-03-08T12:15:00.000-08:00

Recently, my life has been pretty crazy. Some may say down righ un lucky. I like to think of the most recent occurances as dealing with life. Maybe I'm crazy, you tell me. I'll take you through the chaos and you can decide.

November 15th-Stitches in the forehead from Flag Football which resulted in $1,000 bill from the hospital. Yes I have insurance...
December 18th-Unauthorized withdrawal fo $450.00 by my lender who was also my part time employer.
December 26th-Lender/Employer fesses up that I'm not approved for the mortgage loan they had been working on for 3 weeks, lying the whole time obviously. Risk of losing my new home purchase.
January-not sure when...I lost my Great Grandmothers hierloom engraved bracelet that I wear constantly as well as my favorite sweatshirt. Still not found and one theory on why I have such bad karma. Grandma Hemingway is probably rolling over in her grave.
February 17th-Assualted by a guy in a bar while waiting for my cab. Result; black eye, concussion, migraines, nausea, and medical bills yet to come. Investigator assigned to the case less than enthusiastic to close the case.
March 6th-$600 unauthorized debit from my checking account. Error on the banks part and they respond that the error will be corrected in 7-10 days. It's handled but only because I did the research myself and demanded to speak with a manager.

With all that said, as I was driving home from work the other day, stuck in traffic as usual, I was thinking about all of the crazy things that have happened to me in the last five months. It is a little depressing; I won't deny that. More than anything it is very eye opening as to the dangers out there(the assualt and the un authorized debits) and how easily anyone can be harmed and taken advantage of. As I was surfing online today, reading the latest news stories I saw this Dateline NBC special about this guy Wild Bill that is a private investigator out to make the world aware of the dangers that exist. It's really crazy how easy it is for scammers and robbers to get away with anything.

All in all; I just like to think as all of these occurance as life lessons that will make me stronger in the end. I hope that taking a positive outlook will help me deal with whatever life deals me. I know one things certain; after these last five months I can make some bad ass lemonade.

A Good Excuse to Miss my Awesome House Warming Party

2007-02-26T13:09:00.000-08:00

As you all know by now, I recently accomplished my goal and bought a home. This past weekend I had my house warming party and it rocked. Of course some people didn't show which was kinda lame. The only good excuse that I heard came from a group of my co-workers who attempted to kill themselves by sky diving. Check out this Video of I am better that you trying to kill himself.

5 Reasons I LOVE my job at NextStudent

2007-02-23T09:31:00.000-08:00

I'll make this short and sweet!

My co-workers ROCK!
I get to use my wicked awesome negotiating skills everyday.
It's the norm to ROCK OUT on your Ipod while you're working.
I get to plan pranks on my co-workers that actually create a benefit to the company. C'mon; who doesn't think a fake Civil Union Party isn't funny? Even the Prankees loved it!
My boss, Chris Hooley, is crazy. No, really. Crazzzzzyyyy Fun!

Let me just say that NextStudent is anything but the typical corporate streo type. Rarely do I have a case of the 'Mondays' or what to take our fax out back and show it who's boss. It is a great company to work for where your opinion and ideas are valued and appreciated. Everyone makes a difference here. It reminds me a lot of my previous employer; Sheetz; Inc. It is a family owned company that several of the family play intrical roles in daily operations. It was not unusual for anyone, I mean anyone such as a salesperson to walk up to the President of the company and discuss ideas for improvement. Those ideas were taken into consideration. No matter where you stand in the hierarchy, you have a voice. That is how I feel at NextStudent. I am encouraged to push my self and my efforts are appreciated. With NextStudent you not only have stability, but they make sure that you have a future as part of the NextStudent Family.

If you have any comments or questions about my experiences here; please do not hestitate to ask.

New Student Loan Bill is the Destruction of Capitalism

2007-02-22T12:20:00.000-08:00

As you all know, I work for a student loan company. As we are all knee-deep in industry news on a daily basis, you can imagine my surprise when I heard about this Bill.

Now, at first glance this Bill (H.R. 5) sounds gravy to undergraduates. The benefits to this Bill include an interest rate drop from 6.8% to 3.4% over a four year period as well as an increase in the amount of Pell Grants available. That sounds good right? It will be cheaper to pay for school and there will be more free money available to pay for tuition. Well, not exactly. As you should expect, politicians promote Bills by only informing citizens about the perks.

By now you should be thinking, "What's it going to take to get these perks?" The answer is the breakdown of Capitalism in the Student Loan Industry. Specifically this Bill prevents "banks" from competing with each other. The Bill makes it more expensive for the private lenders to conduct business and this will most certainly hurt borrowers when it's time consolidate. The Direct Loan program that is being promoted through this bill does not offer any benefits for borrowers to consolidate. Private lenders currently hold that competitive advantage over the Direct Loan Program. They are able to offer rate reductions, cash back, and compelling customer service. They compete so that YOU the borrower get the best program out there.

Students are NOT affected while in school only after once they go into repayment. It does not increase the students ability to get student loan funding to pay school. Very few students are fortunate enough to go to college on a full ride scholarship. I personally went to school on two atheletic scholarships as well as an academic college. I went to a private school. Take a guess at what was left over with 85% scholarship. I'll give you a hint; three times more than what I paid for my car. My car is a Saturn Ion 2004.

The Bill ONLY affects the subsidized stafford loan which most middle class students do not qualify for. I know I have very little in subsidized loan debt as compared to my unsubsidized debt. A quick reminder; subsidised means the government makes the interest payments while you are in school and unsubsidized means you are responsible to pay on your own. While 5.5 million students will take advantage of this benefit, how many more aren't affected at all? If they were to increase the amount that students can borrow in Stafford loans by a large percentage wouldn't have to settle on their third choice or even Community College. It's not fair to students who have the mental capabilities to attend an elite school but are not eligible for federal aid because their parents income is above the threshhold. Think of the amount of students that are stuck in that Catch 22 and forced to take out loan after loan.

Consolidation isn't the devil. Considering I have experience in the Mortgage Industry, Consumer Debt/Bankruptcy, and now the Student Loan Industry I am well aware of the benefits to consolidation. Think about it like a refinance on your home. Most consumers are forced into taking high interest mortgages when purchasing their first home becasue their credit has not been established long enough. After signing up for adjustable rates that start low and increase substantially at the end of the term they are able to refinance into a better term and rate once they are out of their pre-payment penalty period. This can save homeowners anywhere to $100 to thousands each month which automatically increases the amount of disposable income for the household. What can that do??? You can pay off other high interest debt faster, open a retirement account, afford better healthcare, and even save for home improvements. The effects of a student loan consolidation mirror those of a refinance. You receive a tax deduction at the end of the year for all interest paid, your payment is lowered, decreased interest rate, lower DTI and more.

I will continue to write information on this subject simply because I know several people who are affected by this bill.

Oops she did it again

2007-02-19T21:17:00.000-08:00

Well Britney is back in the spotlight. I think she needs to give up and just realize that she needs to focus on the babies she is popping out. My guess...her career is done.

Mocking Valentine's Day: Wii Dating 101

2007-02-15T10:26:00.000-08:00

This post is a bit late but I have an excuse; I've been out of commission since Sunday. So give me some slack and enjoy.

History
Ahhhh, Valentine's Day. What a joyous crock of crap-o-la. Let's reminisce on how this crazy day got started. According to www.History.com who recently did a report on this very subject; there are a few different stories that are still recognized by the catholic faith today.

One story told is that of a Priest named Valentine who served during the third century in Rome. While serving he realized that unmarried men made better soldiers so he demanded that no young soldiers marry while serving. Somehow that doesn't really coincide with the point of Valentine's Day so I will continue with the one that makes the most sense to me.

The story that seems to match up is that of the Priest Valentine, however this one is a bit different. The Priest was imprisoned for reasons not disclosed in this version and sent the first "valentine" to a young girl he was in love with while locked away. Although this makes more sense, you can't tell me that countless other love sick men in the Roman era didn't send love notes via servants or messengers. Why was this guy special enough to have an entire holiday named after him?

My Sentiments
There are a few issues that I have with Valentine's Day. Now all of you out there that are FOR the holiday; that is your opinion and I won't judge. According to a recent post by a fellow blogger, Created for Success; Amazon did a poll and found that 56% of those polled are not fans of the Big V-Day. Guess I'm not alone. I also hear that Behind Enemy Minds got blasted for her V-Day sentiments. Pobresita. Well, here's my view; sit back while I break it down.

Money-Why are so many people convinced that in order to show someone how much you care, you have to spend some serious dollars? What happened to hand written letters and fresh picked flowers? Being romantic has become too commercialized.
Stress & Pressure- I can't count how many people; men AND women, get so worked up over this holiday. It never seems to land on a weekend so that you can actually make detailed plans. Most people work for a living and can't get home until late. Once your home from work you've got to rush around the house to get ready and then race to an overbooked and over priced restaurant. Why not relax, do something at home or at least something creative so that your not stuck trying to talk over everyone around you. I don't know about you; but that's definitely not what I call romantic!
Forced Expression - The holiday forces couples to do what they should be doing everyday that they're together; celebrating their love for one another. Why do we let the media tell us when we have to love our partners? I would think that an Anniversary is a better time to plan something romantic and better yet; any day for no reason at all. It's not forced and that's when you know it's genuine. And what about those poor couples that are just getting started? Don't you think it truly 'makes' or 'breaks' a relationship? The girl is expecting a gift because of the holiday but the guy is probably freaking out because it's a new beginning and if he goes overboard it may be misleading. It shouldn't be expected. It causes too much stress, resentment, and dissapointment. If you're a new couple and still testing the waters, my suggestion is to avoid the holiday and come up with a fun date instead.

My Valentine's Day Alternative

Thanks to a co-worker of mine, SnoopBloggyBlawg, I have been recently introduced to this new craze called Wii Parties. Being a sporty girl that's not into fine dining my dating life away, I thought these parties could evolve into a new dating craze for couples far and wide that have a competitive side. Wii Dates. Do it! You know you want to. But wait! There are some simple rules I suggest you follow in order to gaurantee success. Attention guys: YOU will most likely plan these Wii dates; so be prepared!

Food: Begin the evening with her favorite meal. Make sure it's healthy; remember you WILL be working up a sweat! For some healthy and natural options check out DIYNaturally's latest post about Wii snacking. Food=First Base. Hungry girlfriends are grumpy girlfriends. Believe.
Proper Attire: Tell your girl that she CANNOT wear stilettos on your Wii Date. The Wii games get pretty intense as it is, and you're not going to get any if you're rushing her to the hospital with a sprained ankle. I don't care how tough she is; hours at the hospital are an instant mood killer. Tell her about how much you care about her safety and throw in a complement on her on her legs. Second Base for sure.
Let Her Win: It's just the two of you. Who's going to know if you let her win one one round of Wii Sports Boxing? It's not like she can take you out in real life. Trust me; letting her win is HOT! And I've heard a lot of guys say that seeing a woman sweat is sexy. I gaurantee at least third base.
Feed Her Ego: Tell her how good she is and how you are SOO glad to be sharing this time with her. Okay, so it's a little mushy; who cares? Let her hit a homerun off of you in Wii Sports Baseball and then you hit a homerun later for showing her a good time.

I really think this is one of my best ideas yet. It's definitely a win-win. How many girls have the patience to sit around and watch you play 9 hours straight of Halo? Few...and even that's questionable. You can flirt, be competitive, and even pause the game for a "break". You can't do that at the bowling alley. Be safe, be responsible, Wii Date. It's the new rage. And please give respect to Nintendo; saving relationships one Wii game at a time.

Balless Wonders

2007-02-14T20:26:00.000-08:00

A man that hits a woman is just that. And that's all I have to say about that. I promise better posts to come. Out of commission at the moment. Sorry all.

Mayhem.

2007-02-11T20:46:00.000-08:00

Sometimes words just can't even describe things that occur in life.

3 most embarassing things in my life

2007-02-08T23:53:00.000-08:00

Some of you know me well enough to know I don't embarass easily. I am pretty loud mouthed and quite blunt. What can I say? I like to get to the point. Well as I was out this weekend I had something happen to me that would make the average girl tear up and run screaming down the streets. Ahhh and that is why I am me, very different from most. And thus that incident has inspired this post.

First Incident
Age: Approximately 16
Place: King George High School
Event: Friday Pep Rally
Embarassing Moment: As my field hockey team was running into the middle of the gym floor to perform a cheer; I tripped over my flip flop, knees pounded against the hardwood floor and nearly broke my wrists bracing my fall. Needless to say the whole school started laughing so I took a bow and continued with the cheer.

Second Incident
Age: 17 Summer prior to college
Place: D.C. more than likely
Event: Some dance club I don't remember
Embarassing Moment: As I was busting a move on the dancefloor with my high school BFF's I dropped it so hot that the back of my cute white capris bust completely open. The dance floor was pretty empty so basically everyone saw my booty. Nice...

Most Recent Incident
Age: 23
Place: San Diego
Event: Whiskey Girl Night Club; Gas Lamp District
Embarassing Moment: With a BRAND NEW skirt on, again, I was droppin it like it was hot as I always do and well, same story. This time there were PLENTY of people around and instead of a small rip, my skirt COMPLETELY split all the way to the zipper. I'm talking booty hangin out like no one's business. My reaction was to laugh hysterically and advice my BFF to go retreive my coat from the coat check IMMEDIATELY. I danced for another hour and a half. After all, I had no choice, I had been drinking earlier in the night and we had a long haul back to Escondido. Play it safe people; test out the new clothes BEFORE the club. Although only two boys saw my booty, it still isn't fun having to return the clothes to the store and explain what happened.

Mini Vacay

2007-02-05T20:32:00.000-08:00

Well this weekend was amazing. I spent some much needed time in a town other than Tempe, yah! My best friend and I learned all about the history of San Diego, busted a move in downtown, and lastly spent Sunday in beautiful Pacific Beach. There's something about the beach that just puts me at ease. I can't get enough of it! I hope everyone enjoyed the SuperBowl! I only caught half of it and then had to hit the road. None the less-a superb weekend. I can't wait until the next trip!

Cali

2007-02-02T12:02:00.001-08:00

Going to Cali for the weekend to visit with fam. See ya when I get back!

Who's going down?

2007-01-31T19:59:00.000-08:00

Yet again, the Newbies rule. The guys decided to sit back and relish in the ugly defeat of the last prank so us Newbies wasted no time lashing out again. Check out our beautiful homecoming for the happy couple!

Field Hockey Frenzy

2007-01-29T15:02:00.000-08:00

Hello again! Let me first start by saying that I had a wonderful and accomplished weekend. I had a softball game Friday night and then played Field Hockey the rest of the weekend at the Phoenix Scorpions 'Cactus Classic'. I played mostly mid-field all weekend and got the work out of a lifetime to say the least. I also had the pleasure of playing for a team based out of California called Mona Koa. The team was great and a such a fun group to play with. We had 3 games Saturday spread throughout the day and our last game Sunday morning to wrap up the tournament.

Amidst the chaos from the games Saturday I had part of my bedroom furniture delivered. Yah!! Also, I was able to go pick up the rest of my furniture on Sunday from the warehouse where I had to wait for an hour to get it from the loading doc. Boo!!! Obviously that company has never heard of a Master Production Schedule otherwise they would man up on the weekends when they know it's busy. I will have to upload photos tonight for the decoration contest. I can't even describe how much of a pain it was to get my new couch into the living room. We had that thing turned at angles I didn't think existed.

None the less; I was able to experience something new to my tastebuds. I had Indian food for the first time ever. While I was a little apprehensive at first, I was pleasantly surprised once I dove in. I'm not a fan of spicy food so I was happy that there was only one dish that was very spicy.

Well that pretty much sums up my weekend, other than the devastating masacre of my softball game Friday night where we were run ruled in the second inning; 28-3. No joke. Talk about a depressing Friday night.

I hope everyone had a great weekend as well!

Decorating Contest

2007-01-26T10:53:00.000-08:00

I've decided the prize will be a $25 gift certificate to the retailer of your choice. We will start with my living room which is a bit of an odd shape. I will upload pictures when I get home tonight. Good Luck!

Contest: Decorate my house

2007-01-23T13:48:00.000-08:00

Hey guys! Pretty soon I am going to be having a contest to help me decorate my newly purchased house. I'd love some tips, advice, and design strategies. Stay tuned for the details-I've still gotta figure that one out!

5 Reasons I am ELATED the Eagles got rid of T.O. last season

2007-01-23T12:03:00.000-08:00

We all know and despise Terell Owens of the Dallas Cowboys. Excuse me, I despise him for several reasons. I am a pretty big Eagles fan and had to put up with his arrogant, disrespectful, and plain old idiotic attempts at winning media attention. He sure enough succeeded and quite frankly; it makes me sick! Sorry T.O., but I'm glad they made you go.

Reasons that made me ever eager to see the Media Whore take his trip to Dallas:

1.) Constant Kindergarden Antics- What makes you think that just because you are paid millions that you can act like a child? Last I checked children look up to professional athletes as role models. What are you teaching them about respect?

2.) Dissing YOUR Quarterback- What did Donovan McNabb ever do to you? He sure passed to you a lot, tried to make things happen, delivered time and time again to the So called Superstar WideOut. As a former college athlete, there is a certain code of honor that you must abide by. Supporting your TEAM is one of them. Team sports are not about ME, they are about WE and creating anymosity will definitely get you jumped OR in your case; traded!

3.) A whole lotta talk- Yea, you know how to talk a big game but did you really deliver? Not enough for coach Andy Reid to want to keep you around. As far as this season with the Cowboys, I can recall several games where I saw dropped pass after dropped pass. But somehow you managed to create a pity party of how it wasn't your fault. I'm an athlete. I don't make exuses; you own up to your mistakes and make changes to fix it; simple as that.

4.) Recent Suicide Attempt- Are you kidding me? What kind of mickey-mouse b.s. is this all about? What's wrong T.O., not getting enough attention because you stink worse that my cleats after a long day of play? You know what, I feel sorry for you. You must be extremely insecure to go to such great lengths to get attention. There are people that can help.

5.) Blow at Bill Parcells- So what if the season didn't go as well as planned? It surely isn't all Parcells coaching efforts. First and foremost T.O., you need to realize that he was the one coach willing to put up with your nonsense! According to a FoxSports article during the debacle, they stated several teams were NOT interested in bringing T.O. on; the Falcons in particular. He is probably better off retiring; having a player like you that requires such "constant supervision" would have probably sent him to an early grave. "This past year was a big letdown. Hopefully, the owner will hire a coach to take the team to the next level." T.O.'s comments in a recent interview. Bottom line-the Cowboys paid way to much for you!

Proof is in the Pudding; Examples of the Eagles better off without the T.O. baggage

-The atmosphere surrounding the Eagles is more upbeat without the constant questions about Owens.
-We went to the playoffs. Not only without T.O., but also with star QB McNabb replaced by Jeff Garcia; proof that we are still a strong team that can adapt.
-Eagles triumphed over Cowboys in matchup

An OBVIOUS sign I'm from the South

2007-01-22T05:19:00.000-08:00

As anyone else, I am a fan of the redneck jokes. Here's a few to get your day started with a laugh. Redneck Pick-up lines:

1) Did you fart?
cuz you blew me away.

2) Are yer parents retarded?
cuz ya sure are special.

3) My Love fer you is like diarrhea ...
I can't hold it in.

4) Do you have a library card?
cuz I'd like to sign you out.

5) Is there a mirror in yer pants?
cuz I can see myself in em.

6) If you in I were Squirrels,
I'd store my nuts inyer hole.

7) You might not be the best lookin girl here,
but beauty's only a light switch away.

8) Man - "Fat Penguin!"
Woman - "WHAT?"
Man - "I just wanted to say something that would break the ice."

9) I know I'm not no Fred Flintstone,
but I bet I can make yer bed-rock.

10) I can't find my puppy, can you help me find him?
I think he went inta this cheap motel room.

11) Yer eyes are as blue as window cleaner.

12) If yer gunna regret this in the mornin, we kin sleep til afternoon.

and.... the best for last!

13) Yer face reminds me of a wrench,
every time I think of it my nuts tighten up

How to Prank a Telemarketer

2007-01-22T05:15:00.001-08:00

Classic...

Consumer's Revenge

5 Things you DON'T know about me!

2007-01-17T22:20:00.000-08:00

So I was recently blog tagged by Snoop Bloggy Blawg on 1/16/07. The way the game works is someone writes 5 things about themselves no one else knows and then tags five other blogs he or she wants to hear things about. (sounds a lot like those damn myspace chain bulletins...but I'll play along)

1.) I was in a beauty pagent my junior year of high school. It was horrible and very political. Never again.

2.) In college I learned how to nail holes in cinderblock walls...o yes folks you can do it to-just ask!

3.) When I was in private school I made my entire school pray because my daddy had died-only he hadn't so everyone was giving condolence to my mother for weeks. Ha ha

4.) Kurt Loder on MTV is my great Uncle, I can remember him having to leave a cousins wedding early b/c he had to interview Janet Jackson.

5.) I have a scar on my right forearm from punching a window when I was in 7th grade, a calcium under my left eye from a rightous hockey game in college that resulted in a stick in my eye(don't worry I damn sure went back in!)

Well I hope it was interesting learning a little more about me.

And now for the chosen one's that I'm taggin':

Depressed Fan

Prankster Video up FINALLY!

2007-01-16T08:42:00.000-08:00

Our sweet sweet revenge! Play it as many times as it makes you laugh...Ah ha ha ha Old School Suckas!

Moving

2007-01-14T20:15:00.001-08:00

Busy packing for my big move. Catch y'all lata.

Da Bum Dibacle; Unfortunate OR Unwilling?

2007-01-11T11:25:00.000-08:00

As I was driving in my car yesterday to go buy lunch on my break from my job at NextStudent, I noticed a homeless man sitting on the street corner with his dog. He was holding a sign that read "Homeless but still smiling, please help!"

I couldn't help but immediately feel compelled to pull over and help considering all of the things I can be fortunate for. I thought it over for a split second while in traffic debating whether it would help or just make matters worse. On the one hand, many think that we should automatically throw 'dollars' at the situation. Well, what does that accomplish? Nothing. The homeless man is just going to go buy alcohol and not use it for what could possibly get him out of the hole his been stuck in for so long. Can you really blame him though? What would you do if you had been homeless for months on end, stuck in severe depression, no food, no clothes, and no job skills. Talking this subject over with some friends, some realize they already spend their money on alcohol. It's a normal daily occurance to go home after work and grab a beer out of the fridge. Is that so different from what the homeless guy will most likely do? Not so much.

Not that I am a major social reformer, but I did learn a few things from my education at Catawba College in Salisbury, NC. One of my courses was Social Problems where we discussed issues that plauge societies today. One of those focused specifically on poverty and homeless. I was horrified when I realized just how hard it is for those living on minimum wage to break above the poverty line. It is absolutely discraceful that citizens in this country can work 40 hours a week and not afford suitable housing, food for their family, and other basic necessities. In general, the minumum wages set in this country further worsen an individuals attempt to overcome poverty.

I really think that lending a helping hand is MY moral obligation. With that said, when I saw the man on the corner the other day I felt like it would be more beneficial to his situation if I could take him to the store and buy him necessities rather than just give him money. That would ensure that the money was being used in as direct an positive impact on his life. After discussing with friends, they insured me that a woman should never do that simply do to the safety factor. I can remember when I was still living back East and an ex and I went out to Bucca di Beppo (love that place) in D.C. for dinner. Well as you know, there are several homeless in D.C. and the restaurant serves extreme portions so we had a ton left over. Before we arrived I spotted a homeless man on the street and I desperately wanted to give help. Well me and my ex-boyfriend decided as we were leaving that we would stop and give the man the food. We made our way back and he announced that I was not allowed to get out of the car. Well needless to say, the guy wasn't there but it was a good thought.

There are groups out there that are targeting solutions specifically for this social issue. Check out this article about how a website plans to solve poverty. Please feel free to leave your thoughts on what you view is the best solution to such a major issue.

Sicky McSickerson, to Rest or not to rest

2007-01-09T06:30:00.000-08:00

Sorry all that I haven't wrote in a few. I was really sick over the weekend and stayed in bed the entire time. I play a lot of sports so I had to forgo those this weekend as long as my all time passion; blogging! So the question of the day is, "What's best when your sick, rest or sweat it out with activity?" Let me know your thoughts!

My night in Shining Mortgage Armour!!

2007-01-05T05:42:00.000-08:00

First of all, there are so many Mortgage Companies out there who's sole purpose is to make money off of you. I have been in the Industry myself for about a year and at this point I've seen it all. As you have read in my earlier blogs; I am in the process of purchasing a house. Much to my dismay, after 3 to 4 weeks of working with a lender who I trust, respect, and also employs me part-time, I get an awesome little e-mail that lists my conditions to close. Knowing that it is a typical song and dance before any closing, I think nothing of it.

Well, I should have known better. My conditions to CLOSE were actually conditions for Initial Approval! You're propably thinking "What the heck does all of that mean??" Well my friends, let me enlighten you. When you first apply for a loan, a mortgage, a credit card, insurance of any kind, or whatever else you have to sign your life away so that the company you're applying through can justify giving you a 'I'm definitely going to default on this' type of rate, you must first fill out an application. Specifically with mortgages, you must list assets and liabilities. So if you have any lates or collections that have been haunting you for years-get them taken care of now. If nothing else, get started and get all supporting documentation. Oh and while your at it, save some time by writing up a letter of explanation telling them that your not a jerk that doesn't want to pay the bills and that there is actually a good excuse.

Ok, so as usual I'm on a random tangent...let's get back on track. Dings on your credit-bad. My situation was that the lender wanted me to show 6 months PITI(principle, interest, taxes, and insurance payments) in my bank account for atleast a 60 day period. Also, they wanted a medical collection that is under investigation by a govt. agency paid in full. Ha! What happened to looking at my application and seeing what I wrote was in my bank account? What even happened to looking at the SUPPORTING docs I provided that showed the medical collection existed? What's that, you wanted to take my money, overcharge me, and then roll me over and do me dry like you do all your other customers??? Sorry BOYS, not this chick. I've been in the industry long enough to know that those are conditions for initial approval and I'M OUT like a redneck Friday night at the dragstrip.(I can say that bc my lil' bro IS a Redneck and DOES spend every Friday at the drag strip racing his '86 Ford 5.0 GT Mustang) Here you can check out his car... http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=22690039&MyToken=d1e8048c-519b-4d66-8e82-279f84e7658b

So back on track again. After not being able to get a straight answer out of my lender who I won't name because I have a feeling I will be going to small claims court soon to get some of my money back...see the Stop ruining my life! post to see those details. Well amidst all of this I found the perfect lender, My Knight in Shining Mortgage Armour!! His name is Paul Pashley with desert heritage mortgage and I have so much respect for him. He's from Boston, so he tells you like it is, no dancing arond what could be. I have a lot of respect for East Coast business people, because I hail from VA. I DEFINITELY reccomend this guy. He had me approved "OFFICIALLY" in one day. I mean an ACTUAL underwriter looked at my application and said, "Green Team GO!" "Let's get this girl a house". So call him up, he saved my purchase when we only have 15 days to close. Not kidding people, he's the real deal. Here is his contact info:

Paul Parshley

Desert Heritage Mortgage

www.paulparshley.com

pparshley@metrocitiesmtg.com

Scottsdale, AZ

Feel free to ask any questions about the industry and I will answer as quickly as possible. I also work in the debt settlement industy so I can be helpful there as well. I know the pros and cons to refinancing vs. debt negotiation. I hope this was informative!

Office Wars: Good try but you gotta do better!!

2007-01-04T05:37:00.000-08:00

(BEFORE---this is what came off of the BOYS desks)

First off I want to say whatever lame attempt this was to get back at me for orchestrating the rank on you 'Old Schoolers' DID NOT work! You BOYS didn't even put any effort into it. I totally knew what was going on as soon as I left my desk. Well here is what they did folks....but it's okay-it's just paper. Now I have a paper PALACE right at my own desk! Yah Yah paper. Oh yea and we have video of this whole saga so keep an eye out; I'm gonna post it soon! NEWBIES RULE!!!!!!!!!! Hey link to me so you can keep up with the pranks in our office. It's so good to work in a place where you don't get in trouble for having fun!

(AFTER---It all ended up in my desk-LAME-O-RAMA!!!)

Snowboarding; or something like it...

2007-01-04T05:12:00.000-08:00

Well I FINALLLLLLLY went snowboarding for the first time! I drove 4 1/2 hours all the way out to Show Low. First off, let me just say that the ski park is definitely like no other. The park hours are from 9-4 so my first thought was, "Are you kidding me?" Back east, we always went to Massanutten and that place has lights so you can ski or board all night. If you're ever in VA check in out, the place rocks and is gorgeous! http://www.massresort.com/

Alright so back to my snowboarding experience... Sunrise smelled like @$$ big time. It was gross but I had just drove hours so I just ignored it. I got my mangled rental of a board and boots and went on my way to lessons. The lessons lasted 2 hours and for the first hour I was doing everything backwards and busting it over and over. Apparently snowboarding is a bit different from wakeboarding and you're not supposed to have all the weight on your back foot. Although I wiped out a bit I was one of the best people in my class.

After the lessons I wanted to get back out there but ended up taking on the task myself becasue all of the boys I was with decided they were, "too tired". I was pretty pumped when I went out there and got down the run (AKA the baby hill that you practice on :-)) 3 times with out busting it! Did I mention that I busted it enough that when I got home I noticed 3 nice bruises on my bum? Yea, direct bone to fat contact; gotta live it. Oh well, it was worth it, I had so much fun even if I had to sacrifice a full nights sleep over it.

So and all I hurt like a mother all the way home anld have never had my bum hurt so much in all my life. I also got wind burn and it took us the full 4 1/2 hours to get back because my ride decided that it was cool to drive 40mph in a 55 zone the whole way home...yea a big "What kind of Mickey Mouse bull$*&% is this???"

So let me know if you guys have any tips for my next experience. I will NOT be going to Show Low but instead to the Snowbowl if they ever open up!

Wrap 'Em Up!! NextStudent Newbies Prank Old Schoolers!

2006-12-27T13:27:00.000-08:00

Well after a grueling(not really:-) ) first month of torment from the Old Schoolers here in the WebMarketing Department, us Newbies took action into our own hands. We hand crafted our prank, named 'Operation Okie-Doke', and commenced on Tuesday, December 26th 2006.

We spent hardly anytime and virtually no money to give the "boys" a nice welcome back surprise. Mainly the prank consisted of completed "wrapping" each Old Schoolers desk, chair, monitors, and other miscellaneous items in newspaper. We felt it was the best way to welcome them back from a long holiday vacation. We also have taughting signs posted all over the entire office that read, "NextStudent Newbies Rule".

Thus far, only one of them has dared to return and face our Newbie wrath! We ran video during the prank; highlighting the before and after shots of their workspace. There is also commentary and we are working on an interviewing the pranked individuals. I don't have any pics or the video running yet but not to worry it will be here soon so that you can laugh as much as we did! I am sure you will soon see many comments from the Old Schoolers saying how much us Newbies rock here at NextStudent!!

Keep an eye out for updates on new pranks. I have a feeling this is just the beginning of NextStudent Office Wars!

Go Santa, Go Santa, Go

2006-12-26T14:27:00.000-08:00

Christmas Rocks; just in case you missed the memo. Just wanted to tell everyone that I hope you all had a very merry holiday! My parents were especially nice to me this year. Not only did they give me cash towards my house, but also provided me with a ton of stuff to spruce up the new town house. My mom went all out with new pots, pans, towels, and other decor. So that's really it for today. Feel free to drop a comment on your christmas story.

"Gosh, STOP ruining my life!"

2006-12-22T14:28:00.000-08:00

Welllllll you see what had happened was....

I went onto my online banking b/c I am so meticulous about my checkbook and wanted to make sure the numbers matched up. Much to my surprise, there was a nice auto debit for $450 pulled from a company that I had never heard of. Considering I had just mailed off a bunch of checks for all of my bills. So trying not to freak out I called my RealEstate Agent to see if he had heard of this special company who was taking my money. He hadn't so I called my lender who wasn't available to talk.

With no one to help answer my questions, I called my bank and reported fraud. I knew that someone was taking my money without my permission! I was pretty mad and felt like there was nothing I could do. Eventually I found out that it was a cost for my appraisal and that they had used the information off of my check to pull the money out of my account. Privacy Rights Violation was my immediate thought but I didn't want to overreact incase it was an honest mistake.

Apparently there was a communication break down along the way but that didn't stop the man in charge of handling the situation from being extremely condesending and insulting my intelligence. I calmly explained that it was NOT okay that money had been withdrawn from my account without my permission and that it was very serious. The gentlemen tried to hint at killing the loan all together and consulting his attorney to see what risk this opened him up to.

He ended up deciding that he would simply refund the money and then I could pay the difference owed on the appraisal. So, there was a second there where I thought I was going to have to look for new financing. Although I haven't received a call back today for an update on my loan; I am sure that things will go smooth throughout the rest of the process.

The moral of this is keep in CONSTANT contact with your lender and be aware of all the people who are working your loan. Personal information is sensitive and a small breakdown in communication can ruin everything.

Where has Jess been????

2006-12-18T11:38:00.000-08:00

Yes, yes I know; I dropped off the planet! My appologies to all. But no worries, I'm alive and better than ever! There is a ton going on with me and to keep you updated I have created this blog. That way, if 6 months goes by and I haven't returned your call, e-mail, text, morris code, or telegram; you can simply check my blog and see why.

So, for starters, I got a ROCKIN' new job with NextStudent, Inc in the Web Marketing Department. That's right I'm back doing what I love, Marketing! Not only am I making more than my job at the Law Firm, but I am sooooo happy. I work with the coolest people who are nuts about SEO; in a good way ofcourse!

Next, I am working 3 jobs. Yes, 3! My primary ofcourse is NextStudent and then my two part-times are XYZ Mortgage Co. as a Loan Analyst and then for 1st Choice Events Staffing Specialists as a Server. You might think, "Why in the world would Jess want to run around working 3 jobs?" Well let me just tell you....

I'm BUYING a house!! Yahhhhh! I am buying a TownHouse right in Tempe, and I couldn't be happier. It is a 3Bed/2.5Bath townhome located in a really nice neighborhood. I have a cute back patio where I can grill or get a tan. The community has 3 pools and I am right next to one of them. Also, the tennis courts are only about 150 yards away. From what the seller tells me, the neighbors rock and are very helpful. I hear the one has a daughter, so maybe a possibility of a fourth job, yah! Lol

All n' all my life is pretty chaotic right now but very exciting. Make sure to keep in touch and keep me posted on what's new with you! Happy Holidays!