Posted by Stamper_WI on 5/17/08 6:31pm
Msg #247722

One of our own

Wish there was a way to help. I saw this on CNN

http://www.my58.com/video/16276828/index.html

Reply by Nancy M. Misenar on 5/17/08 8:44pm
Msg #247730

This is sad, and this can happen to any of us, notaries or not at any time.

Thanks for sharing..

Reply by desktopfull on 5/18/08 8:40am
Msg #247752

No, this is what happens to someone that doesn't make contingency plans. Maybe this is the video we should post for all of the "newbies" that post: "I just got my notary. Please tell me how to get a business started or how do I get signings?" She has my sympathy, but she should have made arrangements to change her line of work or profession long before she ended up in her car on the streets. Furthermore, the video doesn't state that she doesn't have any family and if she does why isn't she staying with a family member. I would never allow a member of my family to live on the street while I had a roof over my head. Why would she keep her dogs in a car in the heat of the day while she works instead of finding them a good home so that they don't have to suffer. We're talking about 2 large golden retrievers, they need a place to run and get exercise and they drink gallons of water a day. The one I have eats 50 lbs. of food a week. I know it's hard to give up pets, but I would give them up as to making them suffer living like that. JMO

Reply by jba/fl on 5/18/08 9:48am
Msg #247760

DTF: your reply is disturbing

on more levels than you may realize. The ignorance you displayed is appalling.

There, but for the grace of God, go I...or you. Or your family....or...or...through all familial relationships and perpetuity.

Sh*t happens!

Reply by Luana Lonergan on 5/18/08 9:59am
Msg #247763

Re: DTF: your reply is disturbing

I agree with jba/fl. Too bad we all don't have a little more compassion for other people especially on a Sunday

Reply by DebbieT on 5/18/08 12:19pm
Msg #247772

Re: DTF: You got it right on the nose. If more were

compassionate she would not be sleeping in her car.

Reply by DebbieT on 5/18/08 12:21pm
Msg #247773

Re: Totally agree Launna n/m

Reply by desktopfull on 5/18/08 3:22pm
Msg #247780

Re: DTF: your reply is disturbing

No ignorance is be displayed.

Reply by Maureen_nh on 5/18/08 12:13pm
Msg #247771

I understand where you are coming from, but it is hard to walk in someone else's shoes.
Santa Barbara is a very expensive town to live in. I am sure that this lady provides for her pets, probably at her own expense. It would be a lot easier for her to find affordable shelter on her own.
You say a lot of things that are very hard and true, but again we are not her.
Hopefully business will improve and she can have her life back again. If I were there and she was a decent person I would be glad to share my home and dog yard with her.

Reply by Loretta on 5/18/08 2:02pm
Msg #247776

Here's how I feel. After having an abstracting company for 12 years and a full time signing agent, I can feel the pain of these women. We were grossing anywhere from 8-10 grand a month. The spout dried up and we used all of our savings for the last 6 months to keep us in our home. Now, we are heading into foreclosure. Our income dropped more than 50%.

I have much compassion for this woman and anyone who is in a financial hardship for any reason. First thing I did was go get a full time job. I hate it, I can't make my own hours and I can't take off whenever I want to but it is paying our other bills. We may be losing our home but we are much smarter now. I hope desktopful never has to walk in those hard shoes.

Our savings and retirement accounts are empty. We tried to keep our kids at the same school and in the same town but fate is going to send us to another town to live this summer. I look forward to the new things on the horizon and will accept this as a lesson learned and another mountain climbed. I'm a just thankful that we are not homeless and that my life is in someone's hands much bigger than mine.

I have gotten much encouragement from my friends in the title business.

Reply by SueW/Tn on 5/18/08 2:57pm
Msg #247777

From the heart...sorry for your difficulties Loretta

Been there, done that...not once but twice and while the ride "ain't no fun" you and your entire family will be stronger for it. I know that sounds so "ugh", right up there in my book with "everything happens for a reason" but from one who's literally been homeless...it DOES get better. Along with that you gain an entirely new outlook on what's important and what's fluff. It's humbling to learn that lesson and while I was down on my knees I realized with help from a higher power there was only one way to go! You only lose "stuff" and all "stuff" can be replaced. Your health, your happiness and that of your family is all that's important at this stage. Trust me, you'll never look at one of those WOW PAYCHECKS the same way again and you'll never EVER take a single thing for granted. Positive energy is headed in your direction and bigger and better things are on the horizon for you and your loved ones. We sometimes need these little bumps in the road to put us on the right path.

Reply by desktopfull on 5/18/08 3:16pm
Msg #247778

I did lose everything I own, I lost it in a fire in 10 minutes flat. I was left with a car, pj's and a bathrobe. That's how I learned my lesson and that is why you make contingency plans. Only difference is I had a 4 year old son at the time, and it happened in the middle of the night. Poof! Everything gone and no insurance, I was renting at the time.

This down trend in our business has been going on for nearly 2 years now, and are you going wait to make other arrangements for employment until after you've lost your home and living in your car. I'm sorry this happened to her and yes my signing business has hit the skids as well, but I'm am doing other things so that I can keep a roof over my head and take care of my pets. If the woman lived near me I would certainly offer a helping hand, but she knew what was coming just like the rest of us and should have started making other arrangements before ending up in her car in a parking lot. Again why isn't she getting any assistance from her family and friends.

Reply by BrendaTx on 5/18/08 5:42pm
Msg #247787

Re: One of our own - we always like to believe

that somehow we could prevent ourselves from winding up like this.

While I agree that a contingency plan is needed I don't think that there are that many contingency plans available for someone her age. She is working and I admire her for that. Her spirit is strong.

As far as her dogs...the first thing I thought of was that I would feel a lot safer at night with the two dogs. I am sure she's been a good shepherd to them and now they are serving her as protection. I get the idea that she's smart enough and caring enough to make sure they don't get too warm. She was wearing a jacket and covering up at night so it can't be too hot there when that film was made. Yes, I'd like for those dogs to be roaming in a huge back yard but sometimes we all have to be a little uncomfortable to get to the other side of difficulty.

She doesn't seem like the kind of person who expected things to be handed to her. Perhaps she was just a little too optimistic.

I think this film speaks volumes to the ads that notaries are still needed in Ca. Oh, wait...I'll just bet she didn't know how to market herself.

Reply by Becca_FL on 5/19/08 9:48am
Msg #247826

Re: One of our own - we always like to believe

**I think this film speaks volumes to the ads that notaries are still needed in Ca. Oh, wait...I'll just bet she didn't know how to market herself.**

I certainly hope all the snake oil salespeople out there along with their instructors watches this video and feels remorse. The fact that these NSA factories can't recognize that they are the problem and not the solution is beyond me.

Reply by Lee/AR on 5/19/08 11:49am
Msg #247831

Think this whole thread ought to be added to 33325 n/m

Reply by NCLisa on 5/18/08 10:18pm
Msg #247809

Her only family is her 19 year old daughter that is living with friends!

I would never give my dogs away if I had to live in my car again! I spent 1 month living in my car with my toy poodle in a very cold and snowny Lake Tahoe winter many years ago.

I guess you don't realize, but to some of us, our pets aren't just pets, they are family members, and are a big part of what keeps us going in troubled times. Neither of those dogs looks abused or even the slightest bit neglected to me. The piece did not say they stayed in her car all day, she probably has a place for them to go during the day. I bet she spends more taking care of those dogs than she does herself!

As a former CA resident, I know that even with a good paying job, life can be paycheck to paycheck and you may never have a savings to fall back on. I'm sure she'll be back on her feet at some time, but in some areas, you have to make way more than minimum wage to even live in a dive in some areas!

The running joke with my daughter and I is that if business gets really bad, we'll see if the guy we rent pastures from will put a porta pottie and a cowboy shower up in his barn, and well sleep in one of the horses stalls. My daughter and I may be homeless one day, but our animals will NOT!

Reply by desktopfull on 5/18/08 3:19pm
Msg #247779

My previous response was meant for Maureen_nh, sorry. n/m

Reply by BrendaTx on 5/18/08 4:43pm
Msg #247782

Wow Loretta. You are so amazing.

I look for you to be on the cover of a magazine one day saying, "How We Rebuilt Our Lives to be Even Better."

Bless you and your family; I'm with Sue, lots of positive energy coming your way.

Reply by MW/VA on 5/18/08 5:31pm
Msg #247785

Heartbreaking, isn't it? Did you know that the majority of homeless people in the US are women & children? I've seen news stories done like this before--women of means suddenly divorced & put into circumstances like this. I had an abusive husband, and had to leave several times with nothing. I looked homelessness square in the face. It was not an option.
I finally divorced him, but did not leave my home. I knew if I did I wouldn't have a chance out there.

Reply by Stamper_WI on 5/18/08 6:35pm
Msg #247789

Contingencies

Sometimes they run out too. All it takes is one illness, car accident, death, job loss. Its a one two punch sometimes.

Reply by BrendaTx on 5/18/08 6:56pm
Msg #247791

Re: Contingencies - you are so right Stamper.

I wouldn't pass judgment on this gal for the moon.

Sometimes your own strict judgment can come back to bite you in the buttocks.

Reply by JanetK_CA on 5/18/08 11:59pm
Msg #247812

My thoughts, exactly! n/m

Reply by A-1 Signing Agents, LLC on 5/19/08 7:35am
Msg #247817

Re: Contingencies

Amen to that. Both hubby and I had well paying jobs, new cars, kids in private school. Life was great. No contingency plan for both of us losing our jobs within 4 months of each other. Alot that are my age were able to leave school, get OJT and never step foot inside of a college. Todays kids have to but back then, not so much. Nothing to fall back on, no degree. Boom, from a 6 figure income, perfect credit to bankruptcy. THAT is humbling. I use to think the same way as Desktopfull. Sorta snobbish actually on my part. Even bigger killer is when you lose your job, health insurance went with it. Now, I am the most compassionate person I know. Much luck to everyone. Anyone of us could be that way months from now. NO ONE ever thinks it'll be them. I know I never did.

Reply by Cheryl Elliott on 5/19/08 8:29am
Msg #247818

Re: Contingencies

I've met Barbara Harvey, she's a very nice lady, attractive, knows more about loans than most of us since she worked a full time gig as a loan processor, went from a nice living arrangement in a condo raising her daughter alone to becoming homeless with her two dogs. She's like any one of us, hardworking, smart, but no backup plan. I'm sure there are a lot of places she could go, but she wants to stay in Santa Barbara and wouldn't give up her dogs if her life depended on it. Pets do grow on us. Hard to part with them once they've been in our life. I'll try to look Barbara up and see if there is anything I can help her out with. Meanwhile, I pray every day that things get better in the world and that our industry makes a come back sooner than later.

Reply by MW/VA on 5/19/08 2:09pm
Msg #247853

Re: Contingencies

If there is anything we can do for her, please post it. I know notaries have set up funds for others for medical situations, etc. I would be glad to pitch in something. It is so sad what is happening in CA. I also know what it is like to try to hang on tight when you've in a situation like that. She has a good car, her dogs, and a safe place to park. Maybe someone out there could stake her a place to stay while she gets back up on her feet.

Reply by Cheryl Elliott on 5/19/08 5:31pm
Msg #247874

Re: Contingencies

Unbelievable, I had just left the blood bank today at 2:40pm when I saw Barbara running across the street to check on her dogs, as she was waiting for a Drs. appt. I asked her if she had a couple of minutes, and I told her she was a very hot topic on notaryrotary.com. I invited her to have dinner with another notary and I, and she took my number and I have her mobile number.

Barbara looks great, has lots of energy, and she is very upbeat. She was very pleased that I took the time to pull over and speak with her. I've only met Barbara once. I have invited her to come stay at my house (which is about 80 miles from Santa Barbara) and hang out with her animals and me and my animals. She was delighted. Marlene Maxwell and I will take her to dinner, we'll find out what she needs, I'm thinking a nice motel/hotel venue for a few days here in town, since she's working here. HUD housing is difficult, if not impossible to find, especially with two dogs.

If any one is interested in making a donation to Barbara, please feel free to contact me at my email address: [e-mail address].

Reply by Joan Bergstrom on 5/19/08 10:44pm
Msg #247884

Re: Contingencies

Let me know what I can do to help?