TJ\’s Blog on a Log with a Frog

I have to start out by saying HOLY CRAP!

The last two weeks have been the angriest that I’ve been in a long time!  I mean angry as in manifest angry.  By “manifest” angry, I mean that it seems like I grow three times my size and (to paraphrase Bravehart’s William Wallace) shoot daggars out my eyes and fireballs out of my ass!i 

Therefore, BE FOREWARNED!

My wife goes to college at NSU.  She has worked hard very hard to get where she’s at and thoroughly enjoyes working with students.  The problem that has come in where every time the term starts, she got a letter from Financial Aid that she’s no longer eligible because of how many credits she’s taken. 

Therefore, she’s alwas written a letter explaining (in small words so as not to fry their poor little brains that bad) that, while she has had a lot of credits in her college career, the majority of them had been paid for out of her own pocked (when she was younger and had money and yodelled more).  They came back and approved her, but they were always late in getting things done… giving excuses like “We only cut checks at a certain time” or “We never heard anything from anyone on your status”.  Most of the people they’re waiting for are (gasp) either in the same building or (double gasp) they share the same email system!

Fast forward to now… September 2006…  My wife’s last semester before she graduates and has the BA to be able to be a full member of NSU’s growing ESL Center or go out into the world for that “better career” that is always touted.  She gets a letter from “the Director of Financial Aid” for NSU stating that “after careful review, they are declining her appeal letter”…. refusing to give her that last bit of help to graduate!  Needless to say, she goes into panic attack mode.  I came home early from work to take care of my son while she goes to the DOFA to find out why and ask what to do from there.

Here’s where things go from bad to fucking worse! Instead of discussing why they made the decision to decline her and help her with her options (the DOFA’s job, by the way), she pushes some papers at my wife and tells her to fill it out and return it the next day.  My wife had questions as to other private loan options or the need for co-signers, but the DOFA refused to answer any questions.  She was rude and couldn’t have cared less of the postion that my wife was in.

So, she fills out the paperwork for AFG and returns it the morning.  Fast forward to this last Tuesday.  My wife finds out from one of the people in that office that is nice enough to show some courtesy that the student loan request had been denied.  She then called AFG and talked to another nice person that did her job just fine, but said that this could have been done much quicker if she did it online! 

So, its 3:30pm… and if my wife doesn’t have some sort of arrangement for fee payment, Finance cancels her registration.  After frantically calling around, she talked to her mom about co-signing.  In order to get the proper forms here, they drove across the state and got here at 3:00am to get this done.   They get the signatures and all go over to SFLC directly to turn it it.  The lady with AFG, Ann, who doesn’t know my wife at all, appologizes for all of the hardship and gives her a hug!  She then says that everything is in order and to check back with Finance on Friday to make sure that all is taken care of and she could get her dispersement check.

All this leading to today.  My wife gets to Finanace, as directed.  Finance has….. NOTHING!  They contact Financial Aid, who don’t have a clue… but call AFG to find out if the check had been sent.  AFG confirms that they sent it.

Bottom Line:  All of this falls on the DOFA, or as I like to call her… the SSIHAPOS (Stupid Stick In Her Ass Piece Of Shit!).  It is all because of her unwillingness to do her job, keep on top of the department that she supposedly heads up, communicate with other departments in the University and keep good repore with the students (whereby keeping a good image for NSU and making sure their students aren’t afraid to come ask questions or come to ask questions only to get the wrong answers and jepordize their college career). 

The other people in that office at least try to do their job with some humanity and respect.  The DOFA doesn’ feel like she needs to because she’s in a position of power, on the Board of Regents and doesn’t have the time.  Guess what:  WRONG ANSWER!  What the DOFA did was TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE and…. if I have my way (and I think I will) she will be either taking early retirement or boning up on FLIPPING BURGERS. 

It sure the hell will not be somewhere where people’s education are at stake!

PS:  SK…. this means you…. you stupid cow!

Color Me Pissed Off!

TJ

I was going to name this “What I Did This Summer”, but what I’m doing is pretty much going to carry through as long as I can take it.

 A lot of people bitch about the price of gas, the enviorment and that expanding waistline.  I decided to do something about it! And, amazing enough, I tackled all three in one fell swoop!

 I walked.

 Not just around the block or to the store (although I do that, too) almost everywhere.  Now, I will say that there are a few times where a car has to be used to be expedient, but those times have been few and far between.  I walk a little over two miles to work one way… so it takes me about 30 minutes to get where I need to be.  

If it’s rainy (like it is today) I wear a rain jacket. If I’m walking at night, I carry a large MagLite flashlight.  If its windy, I lean into the wind. Bottom line is, there is little reason I buckle and drive. 

Since I started doing this at the beginning of April, I have used my car 5 times total.  Two of those times were to move it so that I could mow the grass around it.  I’ve also lost about 65lbs with all of the walking. 

Also, since I don’t take my car to work, I can’t drive to a fast food joint to spead money for lunch. When I go grocery shopping, I get only what I can carry in a backpack. 

So, far all of you hippie whiners that complain about the envoirment and gas prices as you drive your car to your next rally or Al Gore speach on Global Warming…. my seven words to you are “GET OFF YOUR DEAD ASS AND WALK!”

TJ