Spending @ MindSay

well, again I haven't written in awhile...
After I last wrote, we were getting ready to go see my mom in Jacksonville,NC where she is in a nursing home...That morning we got up to a flooded basement...so, we had to stay,, called insurance, and plumber...Both came out that day and next day...with the insurance check we got we made an extra house payment..God works in mysterious ways! now we are only one month behind...but they continue to not want to help us..just this week we were again denied for the loan mod...they told us as long as we were behind and in the hole each month we would never qualify!! What??makes no sense...we were told that was why people like us could qualify for it..job loss, behind on payments,etc...That's what Obama said!!  its so frustrating!! Our second mortgage co. gave us a loan mod in 2 days!!! and we were behind with them too!! what's up with that??  who do you contact to find out if your mortgage co is jerking you around??/ they have to report to someone do they not?? sigh----
Good news is I got a job yesterday...Its part time like I wanted, no nights and no weekends..and only about 3-4 hrs a day, but every bit helps..I'm on Emergency unemployment now and my understanding is that that runs out in Oct... so we are still fighting to save our house as it stands now... oh and our first mortgage told us we needed to pare our bills down since we are in the hole every month..ok, well, we went to a credit manager and He told us there was no where to cut back!! we are paying only what we have to right now-utilities,insurance,gas,food,stuff like that that you cant pare back.. other good news, my husband  and my daughter got some help to be able to go to Doctor and get meds now...Ours is no cost to go to Doctor and daughter has to pay $5 each visit.Husband is diabetic, so he got his meds for free and my daughter is on a couple of meds that are free now too..that is a big help there..and our past doctor bills were covered and paid also which was almost at $1000.00.....now just owe the dentist $500.00...dont know when that will get paid...as no extra money at all. And here in NC taxes went up!! are they trying to kill us??? Our property taxes we owe this year are almost $2000.00!!!!! and sales taxes went up too... and now Duke Energy is wanting to raise its cost??? great...people are struggling..what do they want?our blood??? Christmas this year will be bleak..I just basically want my family together.. still trying to figure that out..with property taxes due right in Jan. that kills us..Christmas isnt about getting anyway..its about Christ and his birth.. we love each other and have fun as a family..that's what matters..The Black Friday list has already come out...those that have $ to spend-have at it...we don't.... yesterday in the mail we get 3 different letters from the county ..we owe $5 per cat we now have ..taxes on our animals!! I thought we came to America to flee Taxes on everything !! and for Religious freedom!!  good grief... tax this, raise this, what next???
have I said enough??? No wonder I was depressed earlier this week...
I was going to leave for the beach today with 3 good friends. they were going to take care of me so I could go.yesterday evening we get a call from one of them, my really good friend(I call her my Sis!) and her Dad was in ICU.. She had to call 911 earlier as he fell twice...so weak.... he had been sick all week but thought he was getting better... he was so dehydrated that they had to use a force bag to get the fluids in him. he took 4 bags I think..anyway, the rest of us told her we were not leaving her behind to go on to the beach..She wanted us to go on..can you believe that??She is so unselfish..I told her to shut up!! we were staying to be with her and the beach would still be there whenever...She couldn't help it that her dad got so ill...they weren't even sure he'd pull through last night! and she wanted us to go on.. No way!!my husband and I went over to hospital after she called and stayed. we took her to get something to eat. she went to be with her mom last night. her mom is diabetic and confined to the house..She has to be carried several times a week to receive dialysis. And she needs constant care..my friend is an only child so everything falls on her. She is a wife, and mother to two teens herself and works.. talk about having a full plate.. she does..
anyway I talked to her about 9 this morning and her dad stablizied during the night. they want to move him into a room out of ICU and regulate his meds. he lost so much weight...Will find out more later this afternoon..

my daughter started College in late August and she has adjusted well. Its our local community college, but she is doing great!! She has already aced a couple of tests! next fall she will transfer to UNCC. She has a new "Boy friend" lol says she doesn't want to be involved with anyone right now and they are just friends. I like him he is very nice.
Son has new girlfriend this year at Appalachian. he loves his apartment and having his own room!
I'm glad they are both settling in well.
well gotta run for now..maybe I will post again before another month rolls by! or two!

My Online Response to Rep. Broun’s

3/12/09 Whiny Newsletter entitled,

"Hold Your Leaders Accountable"

[He did, however, provide an interesting link to the supposed “Pork” in the latest bill that he accuses President Obama of signing all that exorbitant spending into law as if that is what the President wanted included in the first place.  What a silly little man.  http://www.heritage.org/Research/Budget/upload/porktable.html]

13 March 2009

Mr. Broun,

Thank you for your informative newsletter regarding the "pork" included in the Stimulus Bill.  Like you, it is distressing to me that excess spending finds its way into important legislation.  Moreover, it is nearly impossible to tell exactly what Congress is voting for in the end.  In order to support the integral parts of a bill, it has become necessary to accept all the trash thrown in the mix.  This makes it terribly complicated for the voters when we try to understand the merits of our politicians.  For example, did you actually and enthusiastically vote FOR the infamous Bridge to Nowhere?  Or was that just part of the trash included in a bill regarding something really important that demanded your support?

It would make great sense to me for the President to be given line-item veto power so that he could ferret out the ridiculous inclusions while at the same time getting the business of the country done in a proper fiscal fashion.  Unfortunately, he does not have this latitude.  So, instead of berating the President for conducting business with the very same shackles you share as you do your voting as if he is choosing to do so, work to create a better way of doing the peoples’ business, such as introducing a “line-item veto” bill.  Your critical rhetoric is just more of the same political shell-game that is misleading subterfuge.  Please get real and get busy.

Sincerely,

Katherine

The next time you hear a politician use the
word 'billion' in a casual manner, think about
whether you want the 'politicians' spending
YOUR tax money.

A billion is a difficult number to comprehend,
but one advertising agency did a good job of
putting that figure into some perspective in
one of it's releases.


A.
A billion seconds ago it was 1959.

B.
A billion minutes ago Jesus was alive.

C.
A billion hours ago our ancestors were
living in the Stone Age.

D.
A billion days ago no-one walked on the earth on two feet.

E.
A billion dollars ago was only
8 hours and 20 minutes,
at the rate our government
is spending it.

While this thought is still fresh in our brain...
let's take a look at New Orleans .
It's amazing what you can learn with some simple division.


Louisiana Senator,
Mary Landrieu (D)
is presently asking Congress for
250 BILLION DOLLARS
to rebuild New Orleans . Interesting number...
what does it mean?

A.
Well... if you are one of the 484,674 residents of New Orleans
(every man, woman, and child)
you each get $516,528.

B.
Or... if you have one of the 188,251 homes in
New Orleans , your home gets $1,329,787.

C.
Or... if you are a family of four...
your family gets $2,066,012.

Washington, D. C

< HELLO! >
Are all your calculators broken??

Accounts Receivable Tax
Building Permit Tax
CDL License Tax
Cigarette Tax
Corporate Income Tax
Dog License Tax
Federal Income Tax
Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA)
Fishing License Tax
Food License Tax
Fuel Permit Tax
Gasoline Tax
Hunting License Tax
Inheritance Tax
Inventory Tax
IRS Interest Charges (tax on top of tax)
IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax)
Liquor Tax
Luxury Tax
Marriage License Tax
Medicare Tax
Property Tax
Real Estate Tax
Service charge taxes
Social Security Tax
Road Usage Tax (Truckers)
Sales Taxes
Recreational Vehicle Tax
School Tax
State Income Tax
State Unemployment Tax (SUTA)
Telephone Federal Excise Tax
Telephone Federal Universal Service Fee Tax
Telephone Federal, State and Local Surcharge Tax
Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax
Telephone Recurring and Non-recurring Charges Tax
Telephone State and Local Tax
Telephone Usage Charge Tax
Utility Tax
Vehicle License Registration Tax
Vehicle Sales Tax
Watercraft Registration Tax
Well Permit Tax
Workers Compensation Tax

STILL THINK THIS IS FUNNY?

Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago...
and our nation was the most prosperous in the world.

We had absolutely no national debt..
We had the largest middle class in the world...
and Mom stayed home to raise the kids.

What happened?
Can you spell 'politicians!'

And I still have to
press '1'
for English.


What the heck happened?????

 

I am a floral designer at Michaels Arts & Craft stores. During the holidays my sales increase to over 75% of normal. What I can't understand is the spending. Why someone would pay $110-$200 for a faux arrangement, when so many people are without food, heat, jobs. When did Christmas become so commercialized? Can anyone date it back to when the zaniness of overspending began? As a child our Christmas was always about getting together with family. We spent Christmas eve with an open house of buffet style goodies, people coming over. On Christmas day, we opened our gifts, which were usually2 or 3 gifts, then got dressed in our new clothes, and went to Grandma's house for Christmas Dinner. We also went to church on Christmas Eve for the midnight service. The holidays for me were filled with foods from all types. From the cheese ball, to the pigs in a blanket, to the sugar cookies, jams, pies, cakes, fudge, and homemade treats. Christmas tunes of yesteryear off in the distance. Family dancing.All the cousins outside playing together, was something we looked forward to every year. Looking back, I can clearly remember who was there, and what we had to eat. However, I cannot remember what I received for gifts all those years. Only one present stays in my mind. All the rest is forgotten. Are the  gifts the most important part of the celebration? If they are, then why is it that they are not remembered? I wonder if everyone stopped giving gifts, and focused only on family/friends getting together. Great foods,and houses filled with cheer. Gather by the piano, sing a few carols. Go out caroling, stop over for eggnog at your neighbors' house, visit church during a candlelight ceremony. Visit your local food kitchen and donate your time, but please do not base the entire day on what to buy for someone, or how can you give back to someone who has given to you. I remember becoming so stressed over gift giving. I have 4 grandchildren. I made columns with their names on top. I would list each item that I purchased, with the amout of each item next to it. This way I could keep track of how much I spent on each kid, to be fair. Then if the columns did not match in equal value, I would have to run to the store and find a gift of equal value. At Christmas, I would always be concerned over how happy I made each person, and if they liked what I bought for them. The whole feeling of Christmas was lost while I rushed around trying to please everyone. Really is that what God had intended when he sent his only son to be born on Christmas day? How have we gotten so far removed from the epicenter of the true meaning of the day? Most importantly, how do we get back?

The occupation of Iraq will cost $3 trillion,
America's most expensive conflict since WWII. Here's your chance to go on a virtual $3 trillion
 shopping spree and prove it!

Browse the online store, fill up your cart,

click the checkout button, and send virtual gifts

to everyone you know.

A private island fortress? Healthcare for all?

Anything you can imagine, and if you can't find it,

add it yourself!

		$0.00