Debt and the power of the written word.....

I spend a lot of time listening to the radio these days, specifically CBC radio due to my geographical area.  Local radio is absolutely awful  playing country and bubble gum top 40 back to back without any mention of real world concerns or issues.  I admit I miss my old commute to Toronto sometimes if only for the am radio talk radio availability. 

This afternoon I spent a small portion of it listening to Type A, a talk show that covers different issues and topics involving Canadian economics.  Today's show was specifically addressing debt and all the lovely things involved with it. 

I fully admit I became irked by the "this is how it is, get used to it" attitude with the majority of callers and panelists of each of the various segments.  I was quickly brought back to my American Express days and the many calls I took.  Over 15,000 a year roughly, all complaints and problems.

I immediately got on my iPhone and started tweeting to Type A, I felt obligated.  It bothered me to hear so many people talking and relating the issues they have had and are facing in the future.  The condemnation administered by collection agents leading to thoughts of suicide, the Depression era mentality of the elderly and how you only bought what you can pay for.

The real crime in all of it was the fact that regulations are not in place for banks or any credit lenders as far as default rates are concerned.  I mean honestly, doesn't anyone really read all the small print?
most have no clue that if they miss 3 payments in the course of your relationship with said creditors you are usually subjected to interest far above the original introductory and standard rate agreed at signing.  I cannot even count the amount of times I completely explained the Lending on Charge cards AmEx cleverly signed callers up for.

I'm still enraged now but I have a small boy to look after as I'm sure I could rant about this for hours on end.  My point in writing was to congratulate myself on being re tweeted by Type A.
They popped my re tweet cherry after being on twitter for over a year.

My picture on this blog was stolen for another blogger but it rings so true, I wish I could see the day that we all stop allowing a cost be applied to literally everything in our lives and realize that raising our children properly should be the most important job we have. 

OK, I'll shuddup now......

Cheers

You Just Gotta Love Technology.....

I fully admit I love my iPhone.

Do I really need the 4.8 Gigs of apps on it currently, of course not but as per Murphy's Law the second I delete something I will need it. Having a tech savvy 4 year old doesn't help either.
That pic from my previous post was all him exclusively, I had nothing to do with it whatsoever. He sneakily had me download an educational game to then take full advantage of the small time frame where one can download again without requiring a password.
Clearly my investment in high DHA content with Omega 3 and 6 in his infancy has paid off.

Anyway, I was able to download Blogger to my iPhone. 
Will I ever use it?  I don't know.
Does anybody care?  Of course not.
Should I add on a million gadgets to try and get my nearly 10 year old AdSense balance over $50?
Of course not, I'm not a salesman, I'm more of a truth teller.

On that note, I will end this little writing warm up and play with my son.
Time flies when you're having fun.

OK.....I'll shuddup now.

There's No Excuse.....

The amount of time I let escape is completely inexcusable.

Life decided to throw another curve and dealt me into the single parenting game.

Definitely a challenge I've been willingly happy to accept.

I love this boy so much I have yet to be able to sum it up in terms I can even understand.

Another challenge I'm happy to accept is the "There's Nothing Like Australia" Contest courtesy of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.

"Tell us why you should be selected to receive this trip?

Winners will be based on topical relevance and enthusiasm for the desired travel experience, 250 words maximum.

Only 250 words......

For a someone like me this could be difficult.

After rereading my previous adventure with the Edge 102.1's old (2006) contest "The Moderately Paid Employee Program", I had to resurrect the guy I used to be and actually start writing again.

I can do this......

My work is just about to begin.

OK......I'll shuddup now.

Memories and the Future Imperfect .....

I have no idea what is going on anymore. I guess I'm just feeling a little lost and confused these days, not really sure which road I should be following as I wait with baited breathe for the phone to ring.
I accepted EI and ran that dry to be part of my toddlers life in his early years.
I attended school to become certified as an Emergency Public Safety Communicator and have yet to crack that field.
After 9 months of no income and all investments, RRSP's and stocks liquidated, I am forced to leave the only home my son has known. My story is common and I am nothing but another statistic in todays repressed ecomonic situation, however there may be hope on the horizon.
Stay tuned for the Revolution that is closer than you think.

OK....I'll shuddup now.

Cheers

The 2nd Great Depression

Are we possibly on the cusp of another Great Depression? It's starting to look like it from my point of view.

After recently losing my income but not the bills associated with my current way of life, it seems that I and many others are on a steady downward spiral. There is no work out there, nothing that will support a family of 4 comfortably. Utilities continue to inflate however minimum wage hovers at $8.75/hr. That would be fine is I was a 17 yr old kid with no major loan or car payments. Minimum wage does not cover a $250 grocery bill for food that barely lasts 2 weeks.

It's a complete joke and I'm missing the humour of it. Time is running out for me. Nothing is working out. What's next .... repossession, eviction, homelessness, starvation. Yeah the future is real bright.

I guess I should have just been the mindless robot the 'brand' wanted me to be.

OK....I'll shuddup now

Cheers

One Way Down a Dead End Street .....

My title is how life is going for me these last few months.....frustrating and redundant.

Lets review exactly where I've been for the last 2 years. Well having babies is one thing that has kept me from writing into the wee hours of the morning like I used to, but Malcolm is the ray of sunshine in this perpetual rainy day I'm having.

I was working for American Express as I look back on my latter posts going back to 2006. I ended up climbing the corporate ladder there and maneuvered myself into a supervisory position. As gas prices went thru the roof it I was basically losing $5/hr working there and driving over 3 hrs a day back and forth. I had to make a change and found an entry position with Telus mobility......I made a huge mistake.

The second I saw their quality model for their calls I should have packed my bags and went back to AmEx but I had to give the college try. My commute had basically been reduced to a leisurely 20 min drive in the early afternoon. It was a win win situation since I now got to be a part of my new son's life instead of the guy that saw him for 30 mins before leaving for work each day and I was saving money as a tank of gas was lasting 2 weeks instead of 2 days. The quality model is what I brought me to this point.

Now a quality model in a call centre capacity is what every company creates to try and have all their agents process their incoming calls the same way. 99% of these models are created by executive suits who sit on the top floor without a clue on how the front line works. Finely scripted horseshit is what they dream up and it is handed down for the peons to spew to the client that calls in. Empathy is the one constant in all the quality models I have had shoved down my throat over the last 10 years working in the industry. The script is always the same.

Have you ever called in somewhere and heard this, " I understand your frustration, I'd be more than happy to help you with your issue", well I know I have and it has always made me even more pissed off when I hear the rattled off in a monotone drone way.

Well ,Telus was clearly light years behind in the quality model field, I'd go into specifics but I'm also sure if I go into exact details they will sue my ass since I'm still obligated by their confidentiality agreement. Regardless...I left a decent well paying job only to be fired less than 30 days before Christmas. I'm now on the brink of having my utilities disconnected and I can barely feed my family.....life is great. After terminating me within 2 days of completing my probation Telus then continues to not complete the required paperwork for me to claim Employment Insurance (EI). I have no income however my bills do not stop. I have no leg to stand on, I'm at the mercy of due process.

It's funny how hindsight is always 20/20. I knew I never should have bothered with Telus. I could never be the mindless robot they wanted me to be. I had asked to see the quality model in the interview however those details were not released.

Now the reason I keep going on about the quality model is because they fired me for one call....one comment...one joke that they did not find funny. Let me paint the picture.

It's a busy Monday night, always the worst day to call any company, there were 100's of people in the que. Wait times were in excess of 10 mins, every person I spoke with that night bitched about it the second I had them routed to me. One gentleman in particular was an elderly man, a client since 97. His first words to me were, "Goddammit, I fucking hate voice response systems!" now I had to be empathetic but the catch was I could not say "I'm sorry" since those words gave the idea that the 'brand' (Telus) was at fault....see what I mean about horseshit....so me being the person I am decided to try and recover the service and make a joke. "Well sir, the IVR isn't exactly and Intelligent Voice Response system by any means, 9 times outta 10 it sends you to the wrong place, it's kind of a joke.", I quipped. He laughed and agreed and I handled the rest of the call from there.

Now, you also know how when you call a company they have a message indicating that 'your call could be recorded for quality and training purposes' , well this call was recorded. The mindless Telus robots deemed my comment as a derogatory statement against the 'brand' and unprofessional conduct. That coupled with a poor attendance (3 days) record due to my father being hospitalized after nearly going into a diabetic coma was the reason for the swift axe to cut off my financial support for my family.

A few days later the Bank of Canada declares the beginning of a recession and 71,000 other people in Canada lost their full time work as well. The future is so bright.

Yeah.....I'm bitter and I also have to get up in 3 1/2 hrs to take care of my son, as always.....

OK....I'll shuddup now.

Cheers

I'm back ....

It is absolutely nuts that it has been over 2 years since my last entry into my little slice of cyberspace ....... alot has happened.

I had a son. His name is Malcolm. He's the best thing that ever happened to me by far.

I have alot of other news to share but I will reserve that for a little later, I basically just wanted to make sure this spot was still reserved for my rants.

OK....I'll shuddup now.

Cheers.

The Honeymoon is Over .......

And now it's time for the inevitable truth, I hate my new job. I've tried to be happy and satisfied after coming out of the hellhole I was previously in, but the new situation is a whole new ballgame.
Have you ever noticed now whenever you call in for any kind of service you are always sold something, well this is the reason behind my current disenchantment. I'm not a salesman, I never have been, and because of that I'm on the thin edge of the wedge in my current place of employment.
Sell, Sell, Sell....that's what it's all about. Working for a large financial organization and a world-wide brand one would think that they would have a deeper appreciation of their clients and cardmembers, however that is not the case, far from it. The only concern of the rep you are speaking to is not for whatever issue you called in about but how and what they can sell you. 9 times out of 10 whenever you are placed on hold that rep is sizing you up for a pitch for when they come back on the line to "resolve your issue".
I'm a service guy, I prefer being quick and simple and fixing whatever problem efficiently so I can go onto the next call. I don't have the time or patience to butter a customer up and basically con them into a service or product that they don't really need. If there is a true value and is something of a benefit then it's an easy sell and something I can complete, but out of the 110 calls I take a night only 3 or 4 really warrant a sales approach to let them know of the options.
I have a quota that I can not seem to maintain because of this, however there are people on the floor that clear an extra paycheque every month. Sure, I'd like to be that guy to but not at the cost of my dignity and sense of right and wrong. I'm sure if I went into specifics and started naming names I would be held liable under my companies code of conduct, but the this companies card holders should really know the truth about the money hungry machine they are dealing with.
Here's a few tips I can share:

1) Never take a cash advance - The first thing they do is charge insane amounts of interest right from the moment of withdrawal. Secondly the repayment method is next to loan sharking, especially if you took advantage of a promotional balance transfer offer. Credit cards work in a trickle down repayment method meaning the lowest APR or Annual Percentage Rate is satisfied first whenever a payment is made. Basically this means that if you had transferred $10000 at 3.99% and then you made $1000 in regular purchases at 11.99% you would have to pay off the 11000 first before you would even touch the $500 you withdrew which is financed at Prime + 14.99%. $500 at 22.99% accumulates $0.31 a day or $114.95 a year of interest, which of course is compounded and forever growing. It's a huge scam and I have seen many a cardmember paying insane amounts of finance charges for cash advances they took over 2 years ago.

2)Never take the insurances - Insurance is always nice to have and required in some cases but have you ever tried to make a claim when something does go wrong, it's near impossible. They are built to create income not pay out and again I have spoken to clients who are still waiting for their claim to be processed after 8 - 12 months time. Unless you are spending more than $25,000 a year, don't expect any real service no matter how easy the rep makes it sound.

3)Sign up for direct debit minimum payments - Credit cards are merciless when it comes to payment schedules. Everything is computerized and all human contact is removed. If you come in 1 min after 12 am after your payment due date expect a late fee and a APR increase. Not only that but the finance charges you will incur will be carried over the next 2 months since the system calculates the interest on the balance you are carrying as well as your new charges. Residual finance charges are one of the number one issues I deal with every night. Yes I understand you paid you balance in full but you fail to remember that you have been carrying a balance for the last 6 months, those charges are from the end of your last billing date up until the day you paid your balance in full.

And that is all for tonight, I hope to comment more on the unfairness of credit card companies and their shifty sales tactics but that will be left for another time.

OK...I'll shuddup now. Cheers.

When The Reviews Reign We All Get Wet ......

Ahh, the things we do for money, I'll never understand. The Review page is going well at least for me anyway. There is no cash flow and I doubt there ever will be but at least I tried, right?
I just like the writing. I don't really expect anyone to actually purchase anything I review with all the free downloading available out here in cyberspace. Sometimes though there's a CD that you just HAVE to own. A DVD that will look perfect on that shelf where your collection is on full display so you can seem cultured, hip and oh so cool.
People are fickle, strange creatures.

Keeping it quick and painless tonight, lots to read and catch up on.
OK.....I'll shuddup now.
Cheers.

Let The Reviews Reign .....

Well the time has come for me to try and expand my little slice of cyberville here. I've officially added a reviews page where I can write whatever I want about the things I listen and watch these days. I also enabled the Adsense on the new page so I can possibly make some cash out of it. I doubt highly I'll ever make the payout threshold but it will be something fun to watch grow.
I still plan on adding my various views of things on this page but I wanted to try and sort my thoughts however feeble that may be.
I know I lost alot of readership after being gone for 2 months but things change and now it's time to pick up where I left off.

So if you need to do a search feel free to use my link in my official reviews page cleverly titled:

The Write Moment Reviews ......

Just click the link on the right, just above EVIL BERT to check it out.
I'll never add Adsense to this page but I figured it would make sense to add it to a reviews page. The remote chance that my opinion on something might incite a need to search for more info on whatever CD, DVD or what have you I'm writing about or possibly even buy said item was enough to make me go capitalistic.
I'm going to go sit back and watch the fractions of cents roll in.
Stay tuned for more useless information.

OK...I'll shuddup now.
Cheers.

May 24 ..... A Brief History

May 24 has always has been one of my favorite weekends of the year. Not only because of all the drunken debauchery that goes on into the wee hours of the normally rainy nights, but it was also the weekend I got my official drivers license when I turned 16. So many stories of so many adventures I could go on and on.
My hometown stomping grounds London, Ontario provided the infamous Fanshawe Convservation Park and Camping Grounds where I was kicked out of the park several times because of the music volume , not to mention the 150 people we had at our site reserved for only 4 people. Damn those Yogi's (Conservation Officers) for ruining our not so innocent fun. With Fanshawe also being a provincial park there were always lots of O.P.P. officers as well (Ontario Provincial Police), patrolling the park and handing out the dreaded $53.75 Underage Drinking fines, ahhhh ..... those were the days.

One May 24 we ventured out of the city limits further north to a private camping ground called White Sands close to Sauble Beach. The best thing about this place was the "private" listing which meant free reign and no police. It was heavensent, completely chaos and a whole lotta fun. The beer bottles were ankle deep and the music never stopped. I could go into graphic details however some stories are best kept among friends. The one thing from that weekend that sticks in my mind the most was on the Monday morning, the usual day of check out, a few of us hardcores were still sitting around what was left of a fire. The key thing here is we had ran out of wood along time ago and it wasn't like we were going to pay the ridiculous $7 the park owner was charging for extra dry firewood that would burn in 30 mins. The guys at the site beside us were much more resourceful, they figured that since the picnic tables were made of wood they were fair game for the fire. Since our fire was out long ago from the mix of rain and lack of fuel, we joined these guys next to us as they continued to burn every picnic table they could get their hands on. Early that morning we were confronted by the park owner as he asked us what happened to all the tables, as calmly as ever the drunken guy who rented the site next to ours said " I have no idea, man ". Half of the table was still sitting in front of us all, in the fire, unburned but smoldering. Needless to say he had a hefty bill upon check out, I think it was $125 per table, I still don't know how many they actually burned.

I met my prom date that weekend......yet another story for another time.

OK.......I'll shuddup now.

Cheers.

Just My Luck .....

I just can't believe the fact that for 2 days in a row my numbers have come up on Daily Keno........did I play them you ask?
Of course not !!!!!! I'm trying to be responsible and smart with my money, why would I throw money away on a silly lottery?!?!

You can't win if you don't play. It also doesn't help checking the numbers to see what if, if it only drives you crazy afterwards thinking about all the reasons why you didn't play in the first place.

Looks I'll HAVE to go back to work on Friday now, lucky me, another May 24 weekend wasted on work. Good thing I get double time + 1/2 for working the holiday Monday.

May 24 - pronounced two - four, because when you go camping with all your friends you drink a case of beer a day. Many foggy memories of past May 24's are now flooding into my mind. I won't bore you, but I may come back and write a story about one I'm sure.

OK....I'll shuddup now.

Cheers

Alright Then....................

Well, I'm back once again. Writing about nothing
and everything, killing abit of the free time I have. Hard to believe I haven't posted since February, the time has flown by indeed. I have taken a new step in my life since my last post and lot of changes have been implemented. New car, new home, new family life. Time to say good-bye to the bachelor I once was. The Stripclub DJ who went to bed when the birds began to sing, the guy who had no one else to look out for but himself. It's a welcome change. Having a better half with a little one, 5 years old to be exact, is a wake up call to say the least. Stepping into a role I'm not familiar with at all does leave me a tad bit terrified, but it's kinda fun at the same time.

So anyway, I just wanted to get something new up here and let anyone and everyone know that I'll be back at'er here in no time. After working out all the few kinks from getting moved and organized, I definitely plan on adding to my little slice of cyberspace on a regular basis again.

Wake Me Up When February Ends......

Well, here I am again, sitting on the cusp of yet another snowstorm. It's kind of ironic that these damn storms always hit when I have to begin my 120 km trip to work the next day, what fun. It's not bad enough that I have to start my work week on a Saturday changing one of the best days of the week into the worst but I now have to leave even earlier. Oh well...it builds character.
I went and looked at some new cars today. I'm aiming for a sleek 2002 Honda Civic Si. I just have to land the financing now but the fact that I've started a new job 5 months ago is becoming a hindrance. Apparently changing jobs for a $13K pay increase is a bad thing. I seems I would be better off in a dead end, under-appreciated, underpaid job for 2+ years and barely make the payments rather than a job that satisfies their insane finance rates. I'll never understand banks. If I didn't have to have direct deposit to get paid I'd never deal with them at all. Keep it all under the mattress and never pay another horseshit transaction fee again. I dunno, I'll have word by Monday or Tuesday.
So...as the rest of the world gets ready to go out and party all night I must go to bed and prepare for the mother of all snowstorms and the journey ahead. What will happen next....an earthquake......imagine that, I just learned there was an earthquake just outside of Ottawa tonight. I better quit while I'm ahead.
OK....I'll shuddup now.
Cheers.

And Now....Some More A Night With Tom Green Pics

Hello all, I was lucky enough to come home early tonight from work so I thought I'd actually publish abit more useless information and pictures while I have the free time. I was thinking of rambling on about the Muslim Cartoons, but I don't see a need to get political on here. I was also thinking of rambling about Team Canada not scoring a single goal in 2 games, but I don't feel a need to panic and have faith in Pat and Joe and all the rest of the boys, instead I thought I'd just post some more pictures from my little roadtrip to see Tom Green last month. I also hope to get some cool Nine Inch Nails pics when that concert comes along but for now....enjoy. My better half Stephanie ( a.k.a. Boo ) will probably whip my ass for posting pics of her but oh well. Look for us on the DVD when it comes out.

OK....I'll shuddup now. Cheers.

The Winter That Lasted Forever ..............

What fun, what fun. Will this weather ever end? It seems not. I don't know how much longer my poor little Cavalier will last. I awoke to a nicely chilled car this morning before work. It was so cold last night that my radiator had ice in it, even after adding some concentrated anti-freeze !!!!
I just have that kind of luck....some Barr's Leaks and another 3 litres of concentrated anti-freeze has corrected my temporary set back but my car is letting me know that this will be it's last winter.
I would have to find a fairly decent job over 120 kms away now wouldn't I.
OK, well, my head is pounding and I need to eat so I will quit my whining right now.
If anyone has a line on a decent car, please feel free to contact me before I need to hustle my way to Toronto at the truck stop every day.
OK....I'll shuddup now.
Cheers.