Job Status: Unemployed but making effort
Bank Status: $0 (-$48) to be exact thanks to the IRS
It's unbelievable but then again not,considering the IRS. I woke up this morning with a notice from my bank that I had insufficient funds due to the IRS levy against what was all the money I had in this world (except the $3 in my wallet and a full tank of gas). I called the IRS prior, to request an extension to allow me time to find a job to address a 2002 tax return that I still feel I don't owe. I called them back this morning to ask why they took the only money I had in the world and was told that there wasn't any way to return the funds.
I really wonder, that after a long productive taxing paying life of an individual who has struggled financially the past 6-years, that a citizen of the UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT would be treated like this especially in these economic times. It goes to show you that this government doesn't really care. Illegal aliens have more benefits and leniency than I do.
I spoke to a tax attorney and probably could have had it all taken care of but $1,700 is pretty steep and to have to pay half up front just wasn't feasible at this time. I might have been able to but with funds frozen and now gone it won't happen.
I don't write this to be pitied. I write it out of frustration with this government and its willingness to turn its back on U.S. citizens who want to be productive. I'm not seeking help financially. I wouldn't accept it.
I want this message to go out and be heard. I know that there are many out there in my same situation.
So, I'll continue to have access to the internet for as long as I can before it's turned off. I'll be in preparation to disappear into the increasing homeless population with my best friend (Ellie). I'm a survivor, so this is just another challenge to contend with as I have the past 6-years.
God bless and God speed
Thursday, October 14, 2010
MENTORS
In life many of us have had someone who has been an influence or inspiration of some sort. I've had four individuals that impacted mine.
The first mentor was my baseball coach at an early age. He taught me "Patience", which I've carried throughout my life. Many times in recreational coaching, there's always those players who aren't as talented as some of us are lucky to be. He never showed his frustration and always was fair to show toleration to these individuals. I always admired him for the way he coached and treated everyone with respect and he always had winning seasons. When I coached soccer for 6-years I always remembered this and utilized his style of coaching in my approach. "PATIENCE"
The second mentor was my highschool track coach. He taught me how to set "Goals" to achieve a positive outcome. Thus, I excelled and was one of the best in my race events. This became very useful when I entered into my careet in sales. I learned that you might set a goal but that sometimes you might have to take a step back and reanalyze it then proceed from there. "GOAL SETTING"
The third mentor was a family friend who I worked for in moving and storage during the summers of college then full time for a year until I found a sales position in the medical field. He was the operations manager of the facility and got to know me better and saw a talent. One day after work we were in the back of the warehouse hoisting a few beers when he told me that I was very talented and that one day I could be the president or owner of a company if I wanted. This "Inspired" me to thinking and setting a goal that one day I would do this. I spent 22-years gaining experience with "Corporate America" and eventually became President of my own company. "INSPIRATION"
The fourth was my branch manager for a medical distributor I worked at. He was known as Mr. "Service" and a man of integrity among his customers and peers. I patterned my work and personal style after his even though I pretty much was that type of person anyway but saw and heard the praise he would receive from those individuals. "SERVICE"
These individuals added immensely to who I am today. My parents were just as influential but more in the moral and ethical sense in my upbringing. They provided me the positive and confidence in my life. I've been luckier than most to have had this opportuntity and recognize the struggles that others have had to go through for one reason or another.
God bless and God speed
The first mentor was my baseball coach at an early age. He taught me "Patience", which I've carried throughout my life. Many times in recreational coaching, there's always those players who aren't as talented as some of us are lucky to be. He never showed his frustration and always was fair to show toleration to these individuals. I always admired him for the way he coached and treated everyone with respect and he always had winning seasons. When I coached soccer for 6-years I always remembered this and utilized his style of coaching in my approach. "PATIENCE"
The second mentor was my highschool track coach. He taught me how to set "Goals" to achieve a positive outcome. Thus, I excelled and was one of the best in my race events. This became very useful when I entered into my careet in sales. I learned that you might set a goal but that sometimes you might have to take a step back and reanalyze it then proceed from there. "GOAL SETTING"
The third mentor was a family friend who I worked for in moving and storage during the summers of college then full time for a year until I found a sales position in the medical field. He was the operations manager of the facility and got to know me better and saw a talent. One day after work we were in the back of the warehouse hoisting a few beers when he told me that I was very talented and that one day I could be the president or owner of a company if I wanted. This "Inspired" me to thinking and setting a goal that one day I would do this. I spent 22-years gaining experience with "Corporate America" and eventually became President of my own company. "INSPIRATION"
The fourth was my branch manager for a medical distributor I worked at. He was known as Mr. "Service" and a man of integrity among his customers and peers. I patterned my work and personal style after his even though I pretty much was that type of person anyway but saw and heard the praise he would receive from those individuals. "SERVICE"
These individuals added immensely to who I am today. My parents were just as influential but more in the moral and ethical sense in my upbringing. They provided me the positive and confidence in my life. I've been luckier than most to have had this opportuntity and recognize the struggles that others have had to go through for one reason or another.
God bless and God speed
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
HOMELESS CHALLENGE
My financial woes began in mid 2003. I had left "Corporate America" to follow the American Dream in 2001 to become an entrepeneur and be my own boss. I firmly believed that I had gained the experience to make this move and still do even though things might not have turned out that way. My professional experience had been in medical sales for 22 years and so I ventured into the pre-owned medical equipment initially and eventually worked into federal/military contracting representing other small businesses in their market focus areas. The hardest challenge was the first two years of securing those small business's that wanted to expand into government contracting as partners since I had gained a great deal of knowledge on bidding to that arena.
By mid 2003 I had built quite a substantial credit card debt and income just wasn't coming in so a friend (attorney) recommended that I might want to consider filing Chapter 7 bankruptcy to wipe out the credit debt without affecting my company. I filed late 2003 and was granted the Chapter 7 early January, 2004. My $200K home went through foreclosure mid January but I never received a notice to vacate so I gave the bulk of my furnishings to my daughter and her husband and house sat for 6-months with just a bed and tv. The gas was eventually turned off and I spent two months taking cold showers (whenever I watch "The Game" with Michael Douglas it reminds me of those times). Mid June I finally received notice that I needed to vacate which led me to move in with my mother who lived in a retirement village. She was happy to have me move in since she was going through some medical issues and because of my background I could be of help. It was a win-win situation for both of us (I'll address this existence in another blog since it's another story to be told).
Needless to say, between losing the house and moving in with my mom, I started having panic attacks which were very devastating. At the time I could still see my physician and he verified the panic attacks he got me samples to address the condition but once I ran out of the samples I started hitting the vodka on ice to cope. It became a major challenge.
My Lincoln Towncar was repo'ed in August of 2004 at 5:30 in the morning. I heard screeching tires but thought it was just some highschool kids trying to wake-up some of the residents in the retirement village until I went out to run an errand and my car was gone. I called the village security to report it stolen when they informed me to call the city police and I was notified that it had been repo'ed.
Around August of 2005 I received an eviction notice from the retirement village, not because I had done anything wrong, but because my mother had signed a contract that wouldn't let relatives live and care for her (Of course, she didn't read the fine print when she signed it). Funny that it took 2-years for them to realize and act on it.
I was truly left homeless. I definetly didn't want to go to the downtown City Mission so I was literally considering finding a bridge to live under. It was desperate times until a very good highschool friend invited me to come out to northern California and live with him. He even paid for my flight out. He found me a job working for a hunting club gutting pheasant and chukkers. It paid a $1 a bird plus tips and usually worked out to around $30-40 dollars a day on weekends.
After 6-months, my mother wasn't doing well medically and my son had just graduated from Border Patrol training so I decided to go back and killed two birds with one stone. I got to see my son before his assignment to San Diego and find a way to help my mom. I ended up moving back in with her without anyone saying anything for another 2-years (go figure).
I got evicted again in May of 2008 but this time the head of security knew of a Salvation Army shelter (another blog) in Independence, MO and I was able to move in there for about 3-months. The stipulation there is that you had to look for a job which I had no problem with but at my age and being over qualified and many applications later it wasn't an easy thing to do. I finally got a call from the general manager at a Dennys that hesitated because of my background professionally and age but took the chance and never regretted the hire as a dishwasher. I looked at it like another learning experience.
I finally started to make money for the first time in a long time and was able to get a studio apartment and be on my own again while being a care giver to my mom on a part-time basis. I lived paycheck to paycheck without any type of social life except for patrons and employees at work. After 2-years of doing this, my mom passed away this past February and since I didn't have any ties in KC, my son asked me to move here to San Diego and help him start a business that we had spoken of many times.
So here I am, I got his business plan completed and we're waiting on funding but in the mean time I'm still unemployed and the market doesn't look all that great. I just this week started a work from home business and feel optimistic that it should take off. It better, now I've got the IRS coming after me for a 2002 back tax return that I know I paid but they still froze my bank account.
I've struggled the past 6 years so if you think you may have it bad just reflect on my challenge that I've just shared. I hope it helps in some way.
All I can say is keep the faith.
God bless and God speed
By mid 2003 I had built quite a substantial credit card debt and income just wasn't coming in so a friend (attorney) recommended that I might want to consider filing Chapter 7 bankruptcy to wipe out the credit debt without affecting my company. I filed late 2003 and was granted the Chapter 7 early January, 2004. My $200K home went through foreclosure mid January but I never received a notice to vacate so I gave the bulk of my furnishings to my daughter and her husband and house sat for 6-months with just a bed and tv. The gas was eventually turned off and I spent two months taking cold showers (whenever I watch "The Game" with Michael Douglas it reminds me of those times). Mid June I finally received notice that I needed to vacate which led me to move in with my mother who lived in a retirement village. She was happy to have me move in since she was going through some medical issues and because of my background I could be of help. It was a win-win situation for both of us (I'll address this existence in another blog since it's another story to be told).
Needless to say, between losing the house and moving in with my mom, I started having panic attacks which were very devastating. At the time I could still see my physician and he verified the panic attacks he got me samples to address the condition but once I ran out of the samples I started hitting the vodka on ice to cope. It became a major challenge.
My Lincoln Towncar was repo'ed in August of 2004 at 5:30 in the morning. I heard screeching tires but thought it was just some highschool kids trying to wake-up some of the residents in the retirement village until I went out to run an errand and my car was gone. I called the village security to report it stolen when they informed me to call the city police and I was notified that it had been repo'ed.
Around August of 2005 I received an eviction notice from the retirement village, not because I had done anything wrong, but because my mother had signed a contract that wouldn't let relatives live and care for her (Of course, she didn't read the fine print when she signed it). Funny that it took 2-years for them to realize and act on it.
I was truly left homeless. I definetly didn't want to go to the downtown City Mission so I was literally considering finding a bridge to live under. It was desperate times until a very good highschool friend invited me to come out to northern California and live with him. He even paid for my flight out. He found me a job working for a hunting club gutting pheasant and chukkers. It paid a $1 a bird plus tips and usually worked out to around $30-40 dollars a day on weekends.
After 6-months, my mother wasn't doing well medically and my son had just graduated from Border Patrol training so I decided to go back and killed two birds with one stone. I got to see my son before his assignment to San Diego and find a way to help my mom. I ended up moving back in with her without anyone saying anything for another 2-years (go figure).
I got evicted again in May of 2008 but this time the head of security knew of a Salvation Army shelter (another blog) in Independence, MO and I was able to move in there for about 3-months. The stipulation there is that you had to look for a job which I had no problem with but at my age and being over qualified and many applications later it wasn't an easy thing to do. I finally got a call from the general manager at a Dennys that hesitated because of my background professionally and age but took the chance and never regretted the hire as a dishwasher. I looked at it like another learning experience.
I finally started to make money for the first time in a long time and was able to get a studio apartment and be on my own again while being a care giver to my mom on a part-time basis. I lived paycheck to paycheck without any type of social life except for patrons and employees at work. After 2-years of doing this, my mom passed away this past February and since I didn't have any ties in KC, my son asked me to move here to San Diego and help him start a business that we had spoken of many times.
So here I am, I got his business plan completed and we're waiting on funding but in the mean time I'm still unemployed and the market doesn't look all that great. I just this week started a work from home business and feel optimistic that it should take off. It better, now I've got the IRS coming after me for a 2002 back tax return that I know I paid but they still froze my bank account.
I've struggled the past 6 years so if you think you may have it bad just reflect on my challenge that I've just shared. I hope it helps in some way.
All I can say is keep the faith.
God bless and God speed
Monday, October 11, 2010
Life Experiences with Reverend Jim
Let me begin by introducing myself and the purpose of this blog. On February 24, 2007 I made a decision to become an ordained minister through the World Christianship Ministeries. The only revelation for my decision was based on my realization that my life was one of many life experiences that have been both good and bad (more good than bad). Experiences that might benefit others in some way.
My pulpit is not based on Scripture but on EXPERIENCE so let's not get stuck on the BIBLE but more on everyday living and the thought of how experience has affected our lives up to the present. I will not preach and I will not judge. The BIBLE has many good lessons to learn from and definetly has a "Great Purpose".
This forum will be based on the trials and tribulations that we all are struggling with in these challenging economic times. I will share some of my personal experiences that I hope will enlighten and consul. I will give an insight into my own life from early years to present from time to time in the format of a sermon that I hope will be fuel for thought.
Just hanging in,
Rev Jim
God bless and God Speed to all
My pulpit is not based on Scripture but on EXPERIENCE so let's not get stuck on the BIBLE but more on everyday living and the thought of how experience has affected our lives up to the present. I will not preach and I will not judge. The BIBLE has many good lessons to learn from and definetly has a "Great Purpose".
This forum will be based on the trials and tribulations that we all are struggling with in these challenging economic times. I will share some of my personal experiences that I hope will enlighten and consul. I will give an insight into my own life from early years to present from time to time in the format of a sermon that I hope will be fuel for thought.
Just hanging in,
Rev Jim
God bless and God Speed to all
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