"Losing a house in America is no big deal"

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Wednesday December 17, 2008 · 5:39 AM PST

2008/12/17 · 05:39

This was said to me by the owner of an energy shipping company during an interview a few weeks ago. I was at the end of my rope with his question upon question as to what would make me suitable - or willing to stay - at his $9.50 an hour data entry job. He'd had me in his office for nearly an hour, pummeling me with questions that were more investigative than any I'd ever heard before in 20 years of interviews for much more promising and lucrative jobs.

"Why do you want this job and what should make me think you'll stay when you were making so much money before?" he finally asked outright.

I couldn't take it anymore. I broke. All professionalism flew out the window.

"Honestly? I just need a job. I need to work. And pay doesn't matter because I'm losing my home anyway, so the money makes no difference. I just want to get my mind off my own problems."

"Well," he replied, "trouble and suffering are relative. Compared to an Indian right now being chased by another Indian around his hut with a machete, losing a house in America is no big deal."

MissAnneThrope

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Friday November 14, 2008 · 6:23 AM PST

2008/11/14 · 06:23

In between packing and painstakingly moving via a small Nissan Altima everything that constitutes my life for the past ten years, it hits me that I'm supremely frustrated. Like people in the 30's must have felt: hardworking, talented, hungry, confused, with nowhere to turn. The tv reminds me that the holidays are approaching - someone's fantasy of impossibly huge, lavishly decorated Christmas trees, parties, drinks, laughter, good cheer. I want that. I want my ten years of memories to stay put. I want the only house my daughter has known - as she tearfully reminded me last week - to remain the only home she knows. And I blame myself - for not saving, for not going back to school, for not selling my home in 2006 and moving to a trailer, hunkering down for the economic storm I knew was coming.

But, most of all, I feel alone. The reality is, I'm far from alone.
What to do about this?

MissAnneThrope

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Tuesday October 28, 2008 · 4:42 AM PDT

2008/10/28 · 04:42

I've not been around these parts much anymore, not since life got tougher and it took increasingly longer hours of work to make ends meet. I've done nothing to help Obama, aside from cheer him on and pray he wins. Surviving alone took up all of my leftover time that didn't go to kids or pets, and when the grocery bill became too much, I had a friend in far-off Canada who brought tears to my eyes by sending an unexpected $120 through Western Union. No matter what, though, I thought we'd survive.

Everyone thinks that: we got through before, surely we'll make it through this. Whatever this is. After all, I have a job, a house, a life for the past ten years that I've come to just assume would continue, unabated.

That was before my boss came in last week and told us she lost her contract and everyone was out of a job. Just like that. Boom. I'd only been there three weeks, having left a night job in favor of working normal hours again, sure that the legal field was recession-proof.

MissAnneThrope

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Tuesday April 04, 2006 · 5:22 PM PDT

2006/04/04 · 17:22

Looks like Nightline is going to do a segment tonight on Culture Jamming and the Chevy Tahoe commercial. One of the producers or reporters, Shanee Meewella, sent me an email at YouTube where I'd posted the ads uploaded by by foot from here.

She gave me a number. I called it, and here's how it went.

Follow me below the fold while I pee myself from excitement. Or um, just you know, just catch my breath... Read More

On Craigslist: Why I am getting out of the Marines

MissAnneThrope

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Thursday January 26, 2006 · 5:37 AM PST

2006/01/26 · 05:37

Along with DKos, my other home is Craigslist. Granted, it's a cesspool sometimes, particularly the rants and raves.

On my town's R&R board we still have the mouthbreathing minority claiming America's been through tough times and "this is nothing new." With that comes the big push from these folks about having more kids. They want to know why others aren't having children, and label the childless "selfish." Vaguely reminiscent of some period of time Godwin's Law forbids me to discuss. ;)

While perusing the "Best of" Craigslist today, I came across this anonymous post. Thought it was worth sharing here. Can't vouch for it being truthful. With anonymity comes the opportunity to pretend. However, this seems real to me. Judge for yourselves. . . Read More

Vasilopita, or reclaiming my heritage

MissAnneThrope

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Friday December 30, 2005 · 8:45 PM PST

2005/12/30 · 20:45

Since childhood, my family has celebrated the new year with the observance of Vasilopita. Aside from making phenomenal toast, this rich sweet bread symbolizes, to me, all that is, was and will always make me proud of my religious heritage. Like so much in this crazy Bush world, it now carries a reminder of how far we have fallen:

(More after the flip...) Read More

Please help my family and neighbors fight Ohio Rep Earl Martin

MissAnneThrope

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Tuesday December 13, 2005 · 3:47 PM PST

2005/12/13 · 15:47

Sometime in October, my parents and all their neighbors received a lawsuit wherein they were named as defendants on a tax foreclosure for $4,300, on property worth $3,500.

For the 38 years they've lived at this residence they've been members of a homeowner's association owning a small strip of beachfront property. As kids, we all used the land and small bathing/changing building for access to swim in Lake Erie. It required crossing through the backyard of one of the association members. Which was never a problem in all that time.

Also never a problem? Taxes. For 78 years, not one member of the association is known to have received a late tax notice.

The property is listed as being owned by KeyCorp, with various residents named as trustees of the Sunset Beach Association. Never have my elderly parents or their neighbors received any notice of delinquent taxes.

Fast forward to the current homeowner whose property connects to the beach area: Republican State Rep Earl Martin.

(More after the jump...)
Read More

GOP starring as Scrooge in A Christmas Carol - now with spending bill

MissAnneThrope

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Friday November 18, 2005 · 4:42 AM PST

2005/11/18 · 04:42

Good to know we have our priorities straight. . .

During an acrimonious extended session, our leaders brokered compromise on the contentious budget bill, according to the Washington Post. Let's focus on the highlights:

"Rep. Marion Berry (D-Ark.) called the youthful, redheaded Rep. Adam Putnam (R-Fla.) a "Howdy Doody-looking nimrod."

So much for the silver lining. Now, on to the cloud:

MissAnneThrope

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Thursday October 13, 2005 · 9:35 AM PDT

2005/10/13 · 09:35

While I personally believe that our main Democratic voices (Pelosi, Reid, Conyers, Slaughter, Feinstein, Shumer, Kennedy, Byrd) are smart to keep quiet over much of what's going on right now, they're simply missing the boat when it comes to using the Great Republican Bitch Fest/Prison Avoidance Scramble of 2005 as a time to speak out positively and loudly about our platform.

Friends and fellow Kossacks, now is The Moment.

Why now, and not 2006, you ask?

Well, for starters, the Republicans are so busy caterwauling and crying in their beers over Plamegate, The Trouble with Harry and the Katrina debacle that they've precious energy for countering our collective message. But there's something else amiss in Conservative Corruptionland. . .a non-silent majority is waking from its slumber. And it doesn't like what it sees.

Better still, it's a veritable LIBERAL giant.

Check out these polls, below the fold: Read More

Kerry reminds me: don't accept the flowers after the beating

MissAnneThrope

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Thursday September 15, 2005 · 9:24 PM PDT

2005/09/15 · 21:24

Wow. How many of you got sucked in by that damned speech? If I didn't know better, I'd swear Shrub was channeling FDR in terms of usurping Liberalism. Maybe he was. For a minute there, I thought everything was going to be okay this time. All was forgiven, as the hero came forward with an apologetic, low-shouldered walk and his best shot at empathy. And yeah, the freepers ate it up -- all their talk about not giving, all the racism, all the crap about being fiscal conservatives --- out the window. Good to know they're so...um...principled.

Anyway, I almost bought it. Until I saw this from John Kerry: Read More

If you were the President, how would you handle it?

MissAnneThrope

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Monday September 12, 2005 · 12:32 PM PDT

2005/09/12 · 12:32

Obviously, none of us would have dropped the ball as badly as Bush has done - we hope. For the sake of discussion, though, assume we had.

Focus on the aftermath. If you totally failed, as President of the United States - or even the head of your Border's Reading Group - and as a result, people died, what would you do? Read More

NYT: Bush got "no good, reliable information" and here's some swampland for sale

MissAnneThrope

Community (This content is not subject to review by Daily Kos staff prior to publication.)

Saturday September 10, 2005 · 3:43 PM PDT

2005/09/10 · 15:43

(Super top secret Bush administration round table discussion....)

Hmmm...who can we blame while we tell others not to point at us?

First, the victims themselves. They really hosed things up. So damned incovenient. And very, very black, as Wolfie would say. Wait. That didn't work. My poll numbers are still dropping, Turdblossom!!

Okay, how 'bout the Governor and Mayor...heh, heh, heh....

No, that didn't work either!

Let's use the damned librul media to blame it on the damned librul media! Bring out them confidential synonymous sources, Karl. Serve that New York Times right. They didn't tell us nothing. We didn't get 'good reliable information' on the ground. Yeah. That's it. The 'Murkins are too busy to watch television; I think they'll buy it:

NYT 9/10/05

The president, long reluctant to fire subordinates, came to a belated recognition that his administration was in trouble for the way it had dealt with the disaster, many of his supporters say. One moment of realization occurred on Thursday of last week when an aide carried a news agency report from New Orleans into the Oval Office for him to see.

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"Losing a house in America is no big deal"

Smart, talented, jobless, foreclosed upon? Let's hear from you

Edited: Goodbye Cruel World...You were beautiful while you lasted

UPDATED: Holy Cannoli - Nightline just contacted me about our Chevy Tahoe ads!

On Craigslist: Why I am getting out of the Marines

Vasilopita, or reclaiming my heritage

Please help my family and neighbors fight Ohio Rep Earl Martin

GOP starring as Scrooge in A Christmas Carol - now with spending bill

Yes, Dem Leaders: America Has a Liberal Majority [w/ poll]

Kerry reminds me: don't accept the flowers after the beating

If you were the President, how would you handle it?

NYT: Bush got "no good, reliable information" and here's some swampland for sale