Will Try Again Tomorrow

So, now that I'm over my initial anger about being told the hour are closed yet again for Chase, I will try again tomorrow and pray things work out nicely. 

I Hate Chase

It's two-freakin'-thirty my time and they're already close?  So, wait, I can talk to Capital One at this time, but not Chase?  What the f*ck?

Chase has always sucks when it comes to customer service.  And it still is.  I'm gonna try AGAIN tomorrow and if I can't get a settlement, screw it.  I'll just file for bankruptcy and move on.  I don't feel insanely guilty over Chase's since they charge such ridiculous interest rates!  They're practically robbing people of money and totally fine with it and then stick you on an automated helpline for fifteen minutes before transferring you over only to hear some annoying, nasally voice say they're closed. 

The bank if freakin' huge enough to have regional areas, it makes no sense why I have to cater to Eastern Time when I'm on the other side of the freakin' country.  Seriously, they have no call centers in California?!  I know they have one in Texas.  So, what the heck?!  It looks like tomorrow, I'll have to call the the second I GET UP. 

Calling Chase Tomorrow

So, I was getting nervous about calling Chase because I googled their customer service and read a bunch of horror stories and couldn't find anything at all nice about them, except they are crooks trying to steal your money.  

I decided to google Capital One customer service and found the exact same thing.  Which was quite a relief since I know this is wrong as I spoke with a very friendly Capital One agent earlier today.  

I won't go to bed tonight having nightmares about Chase; which has actually happened on more than one occasion.  I'm going to pray we can work something out tomorrow and I will finally be debt-free and can focus on travels and enjoying life instead feeling like my life is my credit score.  Which is quite literally how I feel at times.  It's rather embarrassing and a bit shameful to have a score so ridiculously low (320.  You thought yours was bad!).  I'll say a prayer tonight and we'll see what happens.  I believe they'll work with me.  

I also have to head to Wells Fargo tomorrow; I really wish I would have scheduled for Friday now since it turns out I have that day off, but oh well.  I don't want to back out now as she already penciled me in and didn't leave that slot open for others, so tomorrow it is.  

Capital One Plan

I posted "Credit Card Horror"....yesterday or the day before, I think.  Well, I just hung up with Capital One and devised a great plan with one of their bill collectors, the lovely Lindsey.  I really wished I would have just picked up the phone and straightened this all out before turning to the consolidation company and landing myself into this financial nightmare, but I'm trying to make it right as of now.  

So, Lindsey offered me up a great plan and this is how it looks:

Two payments of $558.38.

The first payment is due before October 7th 

And the second payment is due before November 7th 

And that's it.  It's all settled then.  I have about $700 saved and will be getting 3 more paychecks before November 7th (of about $350ish each= $1050 ish in total by the final due date, excluding the saved $700). 


Unfortunately, the other bank I owe money to, Chase, was closed when I called.  I forget about the drastic time difference between us and the other States.  I was hoping to straighten this all out since a representative from Wells Fargo called and wanted to meet tomorrow and get things in order since I recently joined the bank.  They're the ones that it seems everyone around here banks through and they actually have several physical locations here, which is a lot more than other banks. Actually, I don't think any other big name bank is around this area (that I know of, anyway). 

I hope and pray Chase will be as willing to work with me as Capital One has been.

I'm extremely grateful that I received the Capital One bill with the phone picture with the big, bold letters Help is Available.  And underneath that was the line:  Just pick up the phone.    After reading it and carefully sifting through my options, I decided I really would like some help and would pick up the phone before resigning myself over to bankruptcy.

Hopefully, Chase will fit into this picture and I will be debt free and can re-establish my credit (Last I checked the scored was in the 300s.  Ouch.).  I owe Chase a lot more money, though, so we shall see.  I will update the blog tomorrow on what happened with both Wells Fargo and Chase.

I'm so tired of my credit debt always being in the back of my mind and factored into any future plans I try to make.

Thank you Lindsey for giving me hope and a clear path for my immediate financial future!

Places I'd Like to Work

Since I'm planning to travel to various places through working at National Parks and WWOOFING (but this comes once I've saved up some money and gotten out of debt.  Beforehand, I'll have to work places where I get a payday)  

So, these are the following places I'd like to attempt working at: 

Yosemite National Park 
Cedar Points Amusement Park 
Death Valley National Park 
Olympic National Park 
Loon in New Hampshire 
YMCA Camp in Santa Maria 
Aspen Grove 
Job at Lake Tahoe Incline Village 
Tucson Horticulture Project; workaway program 
Cooking in California; workaway program 

Volunteer in Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary; workaway program 

Volunteer at an alpaca farm in Arizona, USA; workaway program 

Volunteer at an eco resort on the Aegean coast in Turkey; workaway program 

Volunteer at a non profit ranch in Americas North West; workaway program 

Join the Colorado lifestyle with horses; person very willing to teach new skills such as TRACTOR DRIVING!!!! 

Volunteer in Buffalo, USA; WILLING TO TEACH HOME REPAIR!!!; workaway program 

Volunteer in Lanai Hawaii and learn about farming; I'd like to learn about farming; workaway program 

Well, this is good for now, though I'd like to have included some WWOOFING wishes within, but I think this would keep me occupied for a few years at the very least.  This doesn't even include how I'd like to try out couchsurfing as well.  (once I'm debt free, obviously)  

Hopes, Dreams, and Goals for the Future

Future Plans 
 A medley of Korf's dreams, goals, and hopes for the future.  

Read through the whole Bible; study some other religions.  Get a degree in Theology/World Religion 

Pay off Credit Debt~  Capital One; Chase  Approx. $5,500 total owed 

Travel and work in various States (tourist areas).  Visit each State once. 

Travel to England, Spain, Italy, New Zealand, Japan, Taiwan, and Venezuela.  

Accumulate over $5000 in a checking account after getting out of debt. 

Improve my memory and creative thinking process.  Get a degree in creative writing. 

See various concerts: Daughtry, Jimmy Eat World, Manic Drive, TobyMac, Skillet, Thousand Foot Krutch, Linkin Park, Sevendust, Breaking Benjamin, Chevelle, Transyberian Orchestra.  

Learn: 
Saxophone 
Knitting
Spanish
Guitar 
Sewing (Clothes and pillows)
Baking Decorative Cakes 
Making Super Tasty Meals 
Create things out of Wood 
Make Jewelry 
Farming/Gardening  
Photography/Photo Shop


Write more fanfics, and original novel, and get move involved in my friends RP site.  


 Use WWOOF, Workaway, and CouchSurfing for my travels.  

Make a scrapbook of my travels; both a digital one and a "real" one.  


Complete everything on this list to the best of my abilities within a three year time period, starting today.  

Bonus:  Lose fifteen pounds.    

 

 
 



 


 

 

Penpals and Work

So, I wrote two of my three penpals.  I just got a letter four days ago from the other penpal, so I won't feel too bad about writing her tomorrow.  The other two were waiting for about three weeks/a month, so I wanted to get theirs out first.

I went to work and saw the server that thoroughly irritated me last time I was there.  Luckily, we seemed to smooth things over so hopefully things will be okay again from now on.  I hope.

The person RPing with me in the Kingdom Hearts RP I'm participating in hasn't replied so I'm a bit relieved because its hard coming up with those posts.

This blog was so inspiring after I wrote it earlier, I wrote my penpals, cleaned the bathroom (including the toilet), finished my clothes, and did the dishes.  I even straightened up a bit.  So, it was pretty nice all in all. I guess it really does help to clear out your mind so you can think straight; that is the whole point in meditation, right?

This seems to be working out, although I wouldn't mind trying out meditation at some point, as well.  But I guess I AM more visual so it helps I can actually see the words.

Guilty of Not KIT

KIT= Keeping in touch

So, over the years, I've learned that I am REALLY bad at keeping in touch.  I've been trying harder and harder to get better at this and I don't know if it's my OCD or what, but I seem to forget or freak out or think the person's gonna be mad at me for not getting back in touch sooner, or I tend to just lose track of time. 

Every year, I promise myself I'm not going to fall out of touch, I'm going to keep calling/texting/writing people and every year, I fail miserably.  So, starting now, I really AM going to put all my effort into it and really try to update my facebook more often, update my myspace (OMG, why all these social sites??), and write my four penpals from Interpals within the week I receive their later (because they tend to not get a letter for three weeks).  I'd call people more often, but I recently lost my phone. 

I think a lot of the reason I have trouble KIT is because I still live with my family and it seems like someone always needs me to do something and then I have work and I feel totally drained and overwhelmed and my mind is just dictating all this stuff that needs to be done to the point of I just want to forget I have to do anything and I shove it all aside, assuring myself that tomorrow I'll have time to get to it.  Also, moving to several different states allows you to meet more people, but lose touch with more people, you know?

I'm hoping this blog will help me clear my mind and keep my priorities straight.  Just a place for me to kind of clear the fog from my mind and get things out on paper since I'm more of a visual person. 

Speaking of which, I bought a book about the brain and I guess it would be more helpful if the words were all..... like on a wavy line because it would interact with my brain better?  It's called Memory Boot Camp by Tony Buzan if interested.  I actually have been making mind maps and feel better and have already practically memorized my restaurant's food menu for the most part (and learned interesting tidbits about the food).  Like how a NY Strip is actually the large part of a T-Bone and the small part of the T-Bone would be the filet mignon, or tenderloin.  And how filet mignon is French, with filet meaning "thick slice" and mignon meaning "cute (or dainty)."  I know it's stupid and other people probably knew that already, but it was helpful to me and just a quick example of how the mind maps helped (I'd go into the 40 species of crabs and how 10 are fished out of Alaska waters and how about 50% of US consumed frozen fish food are from the Bering Strait waters, but that was way too big of a mind map). Apparently, colors are supposed to help your brain as well as word association. 

The whole point of this post is I'm going to attempt to keep a record of how well I'm doing with keeping in touch and I'm going to try not to fall out of touch with too many people over the years.   So, I'm off to write the three penpals that are waiting for a letter!!

Credit Card Horror

So, about two years ago (2008) I made the horrible mistake of using my credit card with a 22% interest rate in order to try and get a job as a flight attendant.  If you remember correctly, this was about the time the economy tanked and everything just went all wrong.  So, I was already stupid for even using the credit card under the naive belief my investment in a better job would pay off and I'd be able to rapidly pay off the balance.  The flight attendant plan didn't pan out and I was left working my meager hourly wage job with my hours getting severely cut.  Then the business went under and I was seriously screwed and my car broke down (whipped out the credit card again).   I finally got a new job and was getting back on my feet and catching up with my credit card when my car broke down again and couldn't get fixed (despite paying money into to find this out).  And then I wound up moving.  This included another credit card as well (but at 7% interest). 


Anyway, not to bore you with the history of my credit card idiocy.  In school, I had simply been taught credit cards were BAD.  The importance of having GOOD credit was never explained and I really wish it would have been emphasized.   So, I have very bad credit.  However, I am in the process of trying to improve my awful credit score. 

So, I'm going to try to make some credit posts as I pay it off.  With my next paycheck, I should be able to pay off most of the Capital One credit card (about $1486 total balance).  And I will be SO HAPPY to rid myself of one.  That's the 7% one. 

Chase, the 22% one has a much higher balance (obviously).  It's at like 4K I believe.  I will be calling them soon and trying to hash out a plan of some sort.  Why the heck are they even allowed to make interest rates that high in the first place? I think 12% should be a cap.  Or at least 15%.  I mean, 22% seriously?  But I had no credit at the time and apparently that was the best I could get (so how can someone with no credit get good credit if they're never on top of the payment because the interest is so insane?  I know, I know.  I should have made minimum purchases and paid them off right away instead of investing in a couple plane tickets for a job interview).

Honestly, I have no idea how I got the Capital One credit card.  I know I WAS doing good with Chase up until the flight attendant, lay off, and car breaking down.  Sadly, none of that is shown on your credit score.  I'm glad they have all these credit score commercials lately, reminding people of how their credit score does affect major purchases.

I even tried consolidation, when I was attempting to join the military (because your income has to be higher than your payouts).  There was something physically hindering me so I was unable to join the military, but I learned that consolidation is probably not the best thing.  $150 a month, $37 going to each credit card company, $76 going to.... the consolidation company a month (after a fee to join??).  It's like having three credit cards. 

So, I figure it's best to pay it off in chunks at this point, which is what I'm going to attempt to do first with Capital One since it's easier.  I remember reading Dave Ramsey BEFORE getting into credit debt and thinking I had my head screwed on straight for being smarter than everyone else and not using them in the first place (ahahaha, I guess that's karma for you).  How the snowball effect was to work, once you get one paid off, you get another, and etc. 

Of course, I'm gonna try and ring Chase this week and try to negotiate some kind of payment plan. But in the meantime, it'll be nice to have one less credit card to worry about so I'm hoping by the end of October I'll be finished with Capital One completely!!!!

Booth Nirvana

I was looking for a place to whine and moan about my shift last night (which I did in my first blog post).  During this search, I came across the Waiter Rant site.  I'd never heard of him before now, despite the book deal.  After reading some of his stuff, I was inspired.  No, I don't plan to write a book, but it did seem like a good idea to blog in order to vent.  So, the April 26th 2004 entry particularly got my attention.  He mentions how some people just HAVE to have a certain table and referred to it as table nirvana.  The restaurant I'm currently working at doesn't seem to have a coveted table that I'm aware of. 

However, I worked at Denny's for awhile and during that period there was this one corner booth that everybody and their freakin' brother wanted to sit at.  Even the night shift at 2 freakin AM, people are coming in and it's clear we're only seating one side of the restaurant yet they "don't want to be around people" (Oh, no, the horror! Other people?! In public?!) so we'd have to oblige their request if they wished to sit in the other section of the restaurant. 8 out of 10 times, they would head straight for that big, cushy booth.  The other 2 times, they'd go to the table furthest away from the rest of the restaurant because, you know, it's not like I was the only server for the entire restaurant, which I was.  

It's not like I was acting as hostess, cashier, server, and taking To-go orders all at once.  Oh, wait. I was.  

The booth was designed for parties of five or six people.  Sometimes seven people could fit in.  However, even during the morning shift or swing shift, parties of three would often ask for it.  Everybody wanted to sit there.  It was a bit crazy. 

There was only one woman I didn't mind letting her sit there even if only two people were to join her.  She was a teacher and would often use the space to grade papers, along with her two colleagues.  She always left 20-30 in tips and her friends always left 10-20 in tips, so naturally me and my other co-workers would try to spot her and run to greet her at the hostess stand.  She used to work in a 24/7 restaurant before teaching, I found out on evening. 

Honestly, I've never had so many people ask for a booth before.  It was big and that was it.  There was no grand view.  It's a mystery.  Booth Nirvana. 

Being a Backwait Sometimes Sucks

Seriously, if a server can't handle their own section for a period of time when the backwait has to attend to something else~~ why the heck are they even serving in the first place?    I WAS in the dining area, I couldn't have been that hard to find.  Why not just say, "Hey, I could use a little help."  Instead of letting unreasonable irritation grow and then making rude and snide comments to me.  It's not as if I was out smoking or screwing around in the breakroom.  I was working.

This server can't get through a shift without a backwait attached to the hip; it's very unfair to the other server who is supposed to be sharing the backwait. Whatever.  I have a couple days off and I'll just act like it never happened, but I will remember it and try to avoid that landing in that server's section when I can. 

I know the stress can make people snap, but you can find, whine, and moan to everyone else yet can't make the effort to find me (which isn't hard; the dining area is NOT that large and only one section is a bit hidden and it's not that long of a trip) and get help?  What a load of crock!  I guess next time I'll just not bother with the five dirty tables,  I won't move the bus station which is blocking the doors, and I won't make sure the hostess gets the ticket for the other employee's tab cuz I'm sure as heck not paying for the about $40 worth of food.   And let's not take the time to think that one backwait has left, the other is missing, and I'm the only one in the restaurant.  Heaven forbid I go to another section to take care of things after checking on the tables in question, filling up their water, and seeing that they're still eating off the plates on their tables. 

GEEZE.  If you need food run out or something, just SAY it.  Especially if you don't have a problem running your mouth off to other people.  It's funny how this is the ONLY server who can't last more than five minutes without a backwait, while the other ones all function greatly with or without one.  

I've been a server before with a "backwait" (though, we called it server assistant) and if I knew the backwait was generally good and rarely disappeared without reason, I never snapped or made snide comments to them.  Give me an effin' break.   Next time, maybe I'll live up to those snide and rude comments and then SEE what happens.  Person's lucky I'm not THAT vicious and like to generally avoid confrontation.  I don't know, though.  Lately, I've been itching to have an excuse to lose my temper and scream and cuss someone out.  I CAN find other places to backwait/serve at, I'm sure.  I know I can.  I've been told I'd be welcomed back at places I had to quit (after giving them my notice well in advance).