getting in the groove...

I see how this game is being played now.  To date I have used up 4 ½ years of IR without a single problem.  Now all of a sudden there is a problem.  I filled out the application forms okay, but then I have a message to call the CIBC National Student Center.  I have to listen to that automated message telling me how much I owe with interest accruing daily every time I call.  I can see them sending me a form letter in the near future, asking me to please enclose my cheque for ¼ million dollars within the next 10 days.

I haven’t sent in my “Ontario loan repayment” form and my interest relief is being held up.  Kind of hard to send back something I’ve never received.  I did receive a “repayment summary” letter that the first person I spoke with sent me along with the IR application.  Something to do with extended interest relief and “this is just something we have to do” was her explanation.  Nothing in that letter said anything about signing and returning it and neither did she. 

The second person I spoke with told me to sign it and return it.  The third person told me that they would sent me the Ontario repayment form and I would need to sign and return it.  They will mail it to me.  I never received it.  All of a sudden, there is a problem with the mail.  The fourth person told me to fax the signed copy of the letter.  They didn’t receive the copy I sent in the mail. I faxed it this time. The fifth person told me that this wasn’t good enough; they need the signed copy of the Ontario repayment loan form.  I don’t have this form.  They will mail it.  The sixth person asks if I have a fax machine.  Why would I?  They will mail the Ontario repayment form again and now I have a deadline.  I can see where this is going.  As well, every time I call there is a different person who puts me on hold several times while they read their notes, talk to their supervisor, or whatever.  I think I’m getting the hang of this now.  I’m in the groove.  

I will get past this by paying for the use of a fax machine at the copy center to receive the form and then fax it back with the signature.

It’s just that I’m getting that familiar feeling of rising anger and helplessness.  (I have survived the welfare system and I can see a few similarities.....)  I want to just go there in person to sign their stupid form and have done with it.  I'd like to wring their necks.  But I’m trying to get into the Christmas spirit.  When I asked whether my application for IR was being affected by this, person #6 suggested  “we’ll see”.  I could feel that slight shift in power. My first gut reaction was to pack up my things, grab the cats and get out of here.  But no, I’m going to put up my Christmas lights instead.  

 

yep, what your talking about is all too familar--Its just like finding a job, or trying to get a pardon for a criminal record or just like welfare yep all the things I had to go through and now you too...your exactly right !!!

You dont have to do this to yourself. Johny can do it in 5 minutes

I kept a record in my debt reduction booklet and heres the hard numbers. Took me 100+ hours on the internet(look all my crazy post from jan 2005-aug 2005), 65+ hours on the phone, 40+ hours runing around getting paper work. I talked to over 15 different people from the bank, gov another 10--sometimes they got my paper work sometimes they didnt, sometimes a form was missing, sometimes they forgot to send my stuff to the gov. etc.

But what im slowly saying i I spent my whole days for six months straight dealing with this crap: Get up phone banks, get paperwork, deliver it. come home. no dinner-organize paperwork, go through a whole shoebox of paperwork. Library--internet internet

I finally, got so sick of it i told them to stop phoning so i could look for work(at the time i had no job or income)

Yep, it almost destroyed me

call john, before you drive yourself nuts

Hey there,

I'm back from running around picking up the fax, signing it and sending it back again - I had to pay for it too... Just getting warmed up I guess...Thanks Johnny and it's good to know you're there because inevitably I will be giving a holler as I don't see any other options and I trust your motives.  Will hang on to this website for dear life...

Thanks for the heads up nago.  I can't believe they'd go so far as to send an investigator to your home.  They expect you to have your own office, with a fax machine, filing cabinet, personal secretary, computer with internet, and 40 hrs. wk. to fulfill all their demands.  And be independently wealthy.  Welfare system's the same runaround.  And they changed the E.I. rules (unemployment) so that you can't quit or get fired..another stream of paperwork. Control freaks. 

Then you'll going hungry for 3-4 days with no busfare to get to the food bank and someone will ask in astonishment "you don't have a car"?.  Poverty is a true education.  Have no fear nago, no one will break my spirit. 

Hippy 

 

 

Speaking of John.  We miss you man.

Imagine

Imagine there's no student loans,
It's easy if you try,
No debt collectors calling,
Or at least he's a pleasant guy,
Imagine all the people
at National Student loans having common sense...

Imagine there's no high interest rates,
It isnt hard to do,
No one giving you the run around ,
Or making money off of you,
Imagine all the people
at the banks showing you respect...

Imagine no bankrupcy rules for students,
I wonder if you can,
No politicians greedy and uncaring,
No hiding from the man,
Imagine all the people
Sharing knowledge with you...

You may say Im a dreamer,
but Im not the only one,
I hope some day you'll join us,
And the world will live as one.

 

Barry you made my day....