Showing posts with label all in a days work. Show all posts
Showing posts with label all in a days work. Show all posts
Monday, July 20, 2009
"All in A Day's Work"
It is incredulous that I spend the bulk of my days battling for my life!
I called Western Union's fraud # regarding the money order I sent to ATT that was never redeemed. I read the man my serial # very very slowly and clearly. He replied: "That can't be western union we don't issue money order's with 11 digit serial #'s" "Would you repeat the # again?"
(No I won't) I counted up the digits. There are 11 digits.
"Don't tell me I don't have a western union money order, I'm holding it right here in my hand!"
"Did you say money order?" (he asked incredulously) "You've got the wrong #. This is the dept. of money transfer!"
He give's me the supposed correct phone #. It's doesn't work either. I call the # on the back of the money order. I explain that I want my 50 dollars back because ATT never gave me the phone service that I paid for!
"Our records show that ATT cashed your money order last Friday the 17th of July"
I call ATT to have them give me my money back. Sandra looks up my account in her records. "Ms. Snyder we never received your money order."
"Don't give me that!" i said angrily....I just talked to Western Union and they said you redeemed it on Friday." "You're going to have to give me my money back or I'm going to have to sue you!"
"Thank you so much for your patience Ms. Snyder" "I'm transferring you to my supervisor!"
"Everytime you guys transfer me to a supervisor you end up disconnecting me!" i said.
"Here's my employee i.d. #. I'll stay on the phone while we wait"
She gives me to her supe and after about 25 minutes the supe. says that it will take 4 to 6 weeks before then can get me my 50 dollars. (as of 7/2013 i never received the money)
Verizon
I guess I spent about 90 minutes, and maybe 100 calls to try to find a Verizon employee who will tell me what # I should call to set up my voice mail. The # she gave me was the wrong phone #. My friend with a verizon account ends up giving me the # to set up voice mail.
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I call to set up an appt. with emergency services because i have no gas money. The intake take 30 minutes and it is unbelievable what they asked me. I told them that I'm not sure that I have enough gas to get to the appointment! They can't give me an answer about the gas funds until at least tomorrow. I found the caseworker to be very condescending.
Food Stamps
My food stamps were due 6 days ago! I tell that to the caseworker and she says, "Well of course you don't have your money, you have a food stamp case open in another juridsdiction!" (THIS IS NOT TRUE!)
"Actually I did not. Plus that's irrelevant. What's relevant is that Ms. Macabee promised me the money would be on my card by last weds. and it is not."
"Well, I'm sorry you feel that way ms. snyder." "There isn't much I can do but to give you the # of the supervisor, but she's just going to tell you the same thing.
how is one supposed to create a life of balance? I don't think balance is possible for anybody but the well to do. The most I can hope for today is to take a long bath and listen to a Stevie Wonder c.d. while trying to temporarily mentally recover from just 3 hours on the phone.
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
"My past"
A CLASS OF HER OWN
I sure do wish I could say that it gets better but it doesn't. Unless, you find a private donor/philanthropist who has mercy on you and decides to write you a big fat check. Or, like George Bush said (i doubt i've agreed with him on any other point other than this, in his presidency!) if you want out of poverty, then marry rich!
But as the documentary "PEOPLE LIKE US" shows; it's extremely rare for people to marry outside of their socioeconomic class. "God" knows, I'm in a class of my own! My first boyfriend, Steve (81 to 83) has this amazing memory and was able to reconstruct some things about my adoptive family that I didn't recall. He told me a few months ago that my parents were" well to do" I had no concept really of what social class I was in prior to 87.
He said: (this is a paraphrase) "Elana, you're dad always drove expensive cars, your mother's closet was filled with thousands and thousands of dollars worth of furs. But your parents were two of the most selfish people I think I've ever met, as they said there was no money when you told them you desperately wanted to go to college. They fought you tooth and nail, forbade you; told you that you have to keep working so you can give them money!"
I always assumed that when we moved out of the big house in Randallstown (when I was 12) and into an apt., that it was because my parents fell into financial ruin. But Steve said that was not the case, and that my father told Steve (in about '82) that "you 2 will never want for anything, consider yourselves taken care of!" (my father assumed Steve and I would get married) Perhaps had Arnold not married Helen, I never would have had to go through all of this shit. But Helen definitely" wore the pants" in the family and controlled the finances after 1975. (She did not want to adopt me, and only adopted me so that Arnold wouldn't leave her)
Helen,( adoptive mother) drilled into me throughout my time at her house to save everything I get or earn.. Relatives put money into my account, and Helen said: save the birthday money people give you , never spend it. Well, when I turned 18, I probably would have had up to 50k in my account. I told my mother I was ready for my money, and she said: "there is nothing left, remember when you asked me for money so you could eat pizza at the mall?"
So, in 1981, I started out in the world with no savings at all. Cash poor but never really thought of myself as poor until after 1993. I had enough food and a stable address for the first 24 years of my life.
In '82 I announced my desire to go to college, but Arnold and Helen forbade me. Steve said I fell into a severe depression. He said I was miserable at my job as a medical transcriptionist, and that if my parents hadn't forbade me from going to college I would have never been mugged by those 2 men during my lunch break at my job across the street from Reisterstown Road Plaza. That's a good point.
I believe that my academic aspirations are probably genetically based, since Arnold and Helen didn't seem to have any interest in learning or reading. In 1990, my birthmother sent me a Baltimore Sun newspaper article about my biological uncle on my father's side; "THE SCRAPPY , CIGAR SMOKING MILLIONAIRE IS BACK IN JAIL!"
Anyhow, against my parents will, IN 1982, I enrolled in night school. It took me 4 years to get an a.a. degree and six more to get a Bachelors. I got through on grants, loans, my own funds, and no parental blessing. (And my father is Jewish! It's the rare American Jewish father who doesn't have high aspirations for his children.)
Bill said: that it's foolish to go into debt for a college degree. But I will never ever regret it. When you face tremendous odds in your pursuit of a goal, then reach it; you find out what you are made of!
So, my adoptive family were well to do, but didn't let me know it, and my biological family on my father's side are very, very well to do, but not in my life. (I met my bio. father 3x, but no other relatives on that side, yet) So, this is why I say I'm in a class of my own. Poor as dirt, with smarts and talent, (Go ahead, toot your own horn when no-one else will!) but needing a lucky break or large donation to live the full life that I want and deserve.........
I sure do wish I could say that it gets better but it doesn't. Unless, you find a private donor/philanthropist who has mercy on you and decides to write you a big fat check. Or, like George Bush said (i doubt i've agreed with him on any other point other than this, in his presidency!) if you want out of poverty, then marry rich!
But as the documentary "PEOPLE LIKE US" shows; it's extremely rare for people to marry outside of their socioeconomic class. "God" knows, I'm in a class of my own! My first boyfriend, Steve (81 to 83) has this amazing memory and was able to reconstruct some things about my adoptive family that I didn't recall. He told me a few months ago that my parents were" well to do" I had no concept really of what social class I was in prior to 87.
He said: (this is a paraphrase) "Elana, you're dad always drove expensive cars, your mother's closet was filled with thousands and thousands of dollars worth of furs. But your parents were two of the most selfish people I think I've ever met, as they said there was no money when you told them you desperately wanted to go to college. They fought you tooth and nail, forbade you; told you that you have to keep working so you can give them money!"
I always assumed that when we moved out of the big house in Randallstown (when I was 12) and into an apt., that it was because my parents fell into financial ruin. But Steve said that was not the case, and that my father told Steve (in about '82) that "you 2 will never want for anything, consider yourselves taken care of!" (my father assumed Steve and I would get married) Perhaps had Arnold not married Helen, I never would have had to go through all of this shit. But Helen definitely" wore the pants" in the family and controlled the finances after 1975. (She did not want to adopt me, and only adopted me so that Arnold wouldn't leave her)
Helen,( adoptive mother) drilled into me throughout my time at her house to save everything I get or earn.. Relatives put money into my account, and Helen said: save the birthday money people give you , never spend it. Well, when I turned 18, I probably would have had up to 50k in my account. I told my mother I was ready for my money, and she said: "there is nothing left, remember when you asked me for money so you could eat pizza at the mall?"
So, in 1981, I started out in the world with no savings at all. Cash poor but never really thought of myself as poor until after 1993. I had enough food and a stable address for the first 24 years of my life.
In '82 I announced my desire to go to college, but Arnold and Helen forbade me. Steve said I fell into a severe depression. He said I was miserable at my job as a medical transcriptionist, and that if my parents hadn't forbade me from going to college I would have never been mugged by those 2 men during my lunch break at my job across the street from Reisterstown Road Plaza. That's a good point.
I believe that my academic aspirations are probably genetically based, since Arnold and Helen didn't seem to have any interest in learning or reading. In 1990, my birthmother sent me a Baltimore Sun newspaper article about my biological uncle on my father's side; "THE SCRAPPY , CIGAR SMOKING MILLIONAIRE IS BACK IN JAIL!"
Anyhow, against my parents will, IN 1982, I enrolled in night school. It took me 4 years to get an a.a. degree and six more to get a Bachelors. I got through on grants, loans, my own funds, and no parental blessing. (And my father is Jewish! It's the rare American Jewish father who doesn't have high aspirations for his children.)
Bill said: that it's foolish to go into debt for a college degree. But I will never ever regret it. When you face tremendous odds in your pursuit of a goal, then reach it; you find out what you are made of!
So, my adoptive family were well to do, but didn't let me know it, and my biological family on my father's side are very, very well to do, but not in my life. (I met my bio. father 3x, but no other relatives on that side, yet) So, this is why I say I'm in a class of my own. Poor as dirt, with smarts and talent, (Go ahead, toot your own horn when no-one else will!) but needing a lucky break or large donation to live the full life that I want and deserve.........
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Jumping through hoops/crumbs from the rich man's meal
After 5 years of trying, it appeared I had finally been accepted into the Taxi Access Program. Taxi Access allows one to take taxis affordably and could significantly raise my quality of life. But, like most programs, it is such hard work to get into the program that I only know one person who was accepted into the program!
I received the paperwork telling me that I had been accepted into the program. Or so I thought. It said "welcome to the taxi card program" I re-read the letter about 100 times but it still didn't make sense to me. The taxi access program allows you to go anywhere in Baltimore County or B. City for 3 dollars one way. But this letter stated "you send us your monthly payment of 6 dollars and we will put 18 dollars on your taxi card"
I read and re-read the letter. My interpretation of the letter was that for every 6 dollars I give the taxi driver I get 18 dollars in service. No, it turns out that you ONLY get 18 dollars in service per month! But that's nothing like the taxi access program I had heard about. Why? Because taxi access and taxi card are 2 different animals I would find out.
To get taxi access you have to ride mobility vans for 90 days, interview face to face with an M.T.A. rep,. then have your doctor fill out medical reports. There is quite a bit of stigma involved in riding the vans, and the tenants as well as the maintenance man would know all of my comings and goings.
:(
Whether the programs for the poor are governmental or not, I liken the results to eating the leftover crumbs from a rich man's meal. You work your ass off for crumbs. You're thankful for any crumb you can get but you wish you really had something to show for all of your hard work and hoop jumping.
I have not made up my mind as to whether I want to put myself through the stigma of riding these mobility vans............
I received the paperwork telling me that I had been accepted into the program. Or so I thought. It said "welcome to the taxi card program" I re-read the letter about 100 times but it still didn't make sense to me. The taxi access program allows you to go anywhere in Baltimore County or B. City for 3 dollars one way. But this letter stated "you send us your monthly payment of 6 dollars and we will put 18 dollars on your taxi card"
I read and re-read the letter. My interpretation of the letter was that for every 6 dollars I give the taxi driver I get 18 dollars in service. No, it turns out that you ONLY get 18 dollars in service per month! But that's nothing like the taxi access program I had heard about. Why? Because taxi access and taxi card are 2 different animals I would find out.
To get taxi access you have to ride mobility vans for 90 days, interview face to face with an M.T.A. rep,. then have your doctor fill out medical reports. There is quite a bit of stigma involved in riding the vans, and the tenants as well as the maintenance man would know all of my comings and goings.
:(
Whether the programs for the poor are governmental or not, I liken the results to eating the leftover crumbs from a rich man's meal. You work your ass off for crumbs. You're thankful for any crumb you can get but you wish you really had something to show for all of your hard work and hoop jumping.
I have not made up my mind as to whether I want to put myself through the stigma of riding these mobility vans............
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
"Just got published!"
And I'm thrilled. My circumstances aren't much better than what you'll read about in my article, but I'm elated to get the word out about poverty and homelessness. I hope to banish myths about the poor and/or homeless by sharing my story. Here goes.
URBANITE MAGAZINE
OCTOBER 2007
"ALL IN A DAY'S WORK"
My JOB is to get out of poverty. The list below illustrates a typical workday for me when I was homeless and didn't have a penny to my name.
1. FIND SHORT TERM AND LONG-TERM SHELTER/HOUSING
Hitchike or walk to businesses with bulletin boards. Post flyers: "Woman needs housing immediately, has references." Find public or university library. Log onto Craigslist and intentional communities website. Read housing ads for Maryland and beyond: perhaps I can barter in exchange for shelter. Post and read classified ads on intentional communities website. Find cafe or restaurant to search for a secondhand newspaper for classified ads. Whole Foods has a free phone for customers; however it is not adequate for making a series of calls.
2. FIND FOOD
Hitchike to welfare office to apply for food stamps. They ask me to come back tomorrow. But I'm hungry today! Hitchike or walk to Towson Town Center. Hit the mall for free coffee. Ironically in the self-serve cafe (for free coffee) the clerk eyes me suspiciously. Still hungry, I go to each food stand in the food court and ask for a sample from the vendors who seem willing. It's not enough food. If I have the strength, I can hitchike over to Whole Foods and get some more free samples.
3. FIND A JOB
I brainstorm about public places that have a free phone. Oh yes, the bank. I walk the two miles to the bank, sit down at the phone with newspaper in hand, and begin making calls. I immediately become very discouraged. Many ads say "must have car," "must have reliable transportation," or "no bus serves this area." I call the first one I circled but get voicemail. I'm only at the free phone for about four minutes when the bank manager comes over and says, "I'm sorry, but this phone is only to be used for business. I'm going to have to ask you to leave."
Physically, psychologically, and emotionally exhausted, I return to my friend Marnie's. She can put me up for one week. Tomorrow, I go back to work:
1. Find shelter.
2. Find food.
3. Find a job.
4. Maintain glimmer of hope.
5. Don't postpone joy.
Elana Snyder currently resides in public housing in Baltimore City. She is working on her first book, a memoir titled: ONLY THE DESTITUTE WALK.
URBANITE MAGAZINE
OCTOBER 2007
"ALL IN A DAY'S WORK"
My JOB is to get out of poverty. The list below illustrates a typical workday for me when I was homeless and didn't have a penny to my name.
1. FIND SHORT TERM AND LONG-TERM SHELTER/HOUSING
Hitchike or walk to businesses with bulletin boards. Post flyers: "Woman needs housing immediately, has references." Find public or university library. Log onto Craigslist and intentional communities website. Read housing ads for Maryland and beyond: perhaps I can barter in exchange for shelter. Post and read classified ads on intentional communities website. Find cafe or restaurant to search for a secondhand newspaper for classified ads. Whole Foods has a free phone for customers; however it is not adequate for making a series of calls.
2. FIND FOOD
Hitchike to welfare office to apply for food stamps. They ask me to come back tomorrow. But I'm hungry today! Hitchike or walk to Towson Town Center. Hit the mall for free coffee. Ironically in the self-serve cafe (for free coffee) the clerk eyes me suspiciously. Still hungry, I go to each food stand in the food court and ask for a sample from the vendors who seem willing. It's not enough food. If I have the strength, I can hitchike over to Whole Foods and get some more free samples.
3. FIND A JOB
I brainstorm about public places that have a free phone. Oh yes, the bank. I walk the two miles to the bank, sit down at the phone with newspaper in hand, and begin making calls. I immediately become very discouraged. Many ads say "must have car," "must have reliable transportation," or "no bus serves this area." I call the first one I circled but get voicemail. I'm only at the free phone for about four minutes when the bank manager comes over and says, "I'm sorry, but this phone is only to be used for business. I'm going to have to ask you to leave."
Physically, psychologically, and emotionally exhausted, I return to my friend Marnie's. She can put me up for one week. Tomorrow, I go back to work:
1. Find shelter.
2. Find food.
3. Find a job.
4. Maintain glimmer of hope.
5. Don't postpone joy.
Elana Snyder currently resides in public housing in Baltimore City. She is working on her first book, a memoir titled: ONLY THE DESTITUTE WALK.
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