People Who Don't Know What They're Talking About
I’ve seen a couple of new articles lately followed by comments about student loans. Specifically, about how a college degree generally doesn’t earn you more money and how as a result, most people can’t pay back their loans. Most of the comments I’m seeing are pretty negative toward people who can’t pay back their loans. They are:
-Don’t spend money you don’t have. If you don’t have money for college, don’t go to college.
-Students knew that they were borrowing, should have anticipated having to pay back the loans, and should therefore not be whining about paying back money they owe.
This kind of attitude makes me crazy. These comments must come from people who either A. didn’t go to school and resent those who did, or B. had their parents pay for school and have no idea the reality of student loans.
First of all, throughout high school, most students are drilled by their teachers and parents that if they go to college, they’ll get a good job and make money. If they don’t go to college, they’ll never get anywhere in life. This is brainwashed into kids so severely that many feel like they don’t have a choice about the matter, and if they ever want to be anything more than the assistant-manager at the local grocery store, they have to go to college. I know that when I was a senior in high school, I felt that way. I was made to feel like only losers don’t go to school.
What kind of a choice does that offer kids? If their parents can’t afford to help them with school, then they think they have to take out loans. No one ever tells a high school student, “Well, if you don’t have the money, don’t go to college.”
Second, college students are not given a realistic picture of student loans. They are told by their high school counselors, their financial aid counselors, and society in general that student loans A. earn their worth because of the degree they allow you to achieve, and B. are easy to pay back because the low interest rate makes for low payments that can be paid over the long term.
This is serious bull. These are flat out lies that are used to dupe students into borrowing money that they will struggle a lot to pay back, if they are even able to. When I got out of college, I realized that a degree does not earn you a better job. You don’t make more money, either. In fact, you net less money because you have to take pay your student loans every month, unlike the guy with 10 hours at the community college in the cubicle next to you who is earning the same. I also realized that the affordability of student loan payments is a terrible falsehood. For every $10,000 I borrowed, I had to pay about $100 a month. That’s a lot of money. I had no idea that the payments would be hundreds of dollars a month. Not a single counselor or administrator nor anyone told me this. They even gave me a stupid little chart that erroneously tricked me into believing that it would be $150-200 a month. That was such a lie.
So, you go to school because you’re told you have to, only to find out that your degree is nothing more than an expensive piece of paper. You borrow tens of thousands of dollars because of falsehoods told to you and you find out that you pay more toward your student loans every month than you do your rent.
That is, if you can afford a home after you pay your student loans.
Then, you hear about ignorant people judging student loan debtors. Misinformedly talking about how they knew what they were getting into. I guess that just shows how stupid and judgmental people can be.
I guess the whole point of this was to say, have some sympathy for people with student loan debt. They were pressured and lied to, and now they’re trying to claw their way out of the hole their school dug for them and threw them into.
I Guess I Just Pissed Off Barley's Brewhaus
So, according to the FDA, fast food and chain restaurants are required to be able to provide customers with the nutrition information on their food. You know, calorie and fat content and that type of stuff. You can find out from most restaurants on their web site (such as McDonald’s and Applebee’s). Sometimes you have to call them to find out, but they are supposed to be able to provide it to you. I guess this is designed to help fatty America make better decisions about their diets.
So, I called Barley’s Brewhaus, where I had eaten dinner the night before, to get the nutrition info on the sandwich I’d had. I just wanted to know how bad it was so I could decide if it meant I needed to eat salad all day today to compensate. Now, I know that they’re not really a chain (there are 2 Barley’s and about 10 restaurants under different names but owned by the same people), but I figured I’d see if they had the information. I didn’t know that this would cause them to be ugly, rude assholes to me.
Stacey answered the phone pleasantly and asked if she could help me. I told her my request, and she sounded perplexed. She put the phone down to ask other employees, but didn’t put it on hold. I could hear her ask the others around her, and heard them say things like, “Is she serious?” and “Tell her it’s bad for her and not to eat it.” Now, I have worked in a restaurant, so I know that restaurant employees hate customers. They see them as people they must be fake toward in order to get a tip. I understand this, and have definitely been on the other end of that conversation before.
However, I didn’t expect them to completely be assholes and blow me off. It’s not like I was asking them for something unreasonable. A lot of places have that information for customers. In fact, most restaurants do. I know, because I ask a lot.
Stacy got back on the phone and said that she doesn’t know anything other than it’s bad for me. I told her to get her manager on the phone.
Darren got on the phone and asked if he could help me. I told him my request, and told him that some restaurants are required to have the information, therefore it is reasonable for me to ask. Darren told me that the sandwich was bad for me, I shouldn’t eat it, and that he doesn’t have nutrition information. I mean, he acted like he wasn’t supposed to know and I was weird for asking. WTF?
So, I guess I pissed Barley’s off. I’m kind of mad at them, and will probably call their GM. Sheesh.
St. Paddy's Day
Real quick...
I was reading online a bunch of commentary about how St. Valentine's Day is all phony (Shan calls it Hallmark Day). I don't agree or disagree. I really don't have an opinion.
However...
This led into some posts about how St. Paddy's is phony. You know, people saying that St. V's day is phony like St. Paddy's Day.
Excuse me? St. Paddy's Day is phony?
Yeah, well, so is the Chinese New Year.
I mean, really! Just because you're not Chinese and don't attach any meaning to the Chinese New Year doesn't make it phony. Just because you're not Irish or Catholic and don't attach any meaning to St. Paddy's doesn't make it phony.
I understand that there are people who use St. Paddy's as an excuse to drink (not that I don't). They don't have any Irish heritage, but they sure love the party. But what about those of us who ARE Irish in America and consider this day a celebration of our heritage and culture?
I think if someone ever called St. Paddy's Day fake to my face, I'd pop them in the nose.
It's A Good Day
I found an old CD the other day that I’d burnt somewhere in the last part of 2002. It brought back a bunch of really happy old memories.
When I burnt the CD, I was beginning one of the happiest parts of my life. I’ve had a happy life in general, but this period that began in about 2001 and has lasted all the way though now is definitely the happiest.
At the time I burnt the CD, I was living back in the KC area and finishing up school. I loved my job, my roommate, my friends, and my life in general. I made decent money for the first time ever (not a lot, but enough to live a lot better than during college), and I was happy to treat myself to new clothes, dinner out with friends, and a new car. I was in the middle of a 2-year period of being single, but it was the refreshing kind of single where you’re not hurting over an ex and you’re just having fun.
The CD really got me thinking about how happy I am. I made it a few months before I started dating Shan, or just right when we began to date. I think one of the reasons I love being with him so much is that I entered the relationship a happy person, with no baggage and no drama. I was coming from a couple years of really good happiness, and stepping into a really healthy relationship with another happy person. It’s funny, isn’t it, how two people can end up coming together at just the right time in life?
Anyway, I don’t want to make anyone puke by droning on about how great Shan is and how happy we are. I’m sure that with V-day around the corner, you’re already getting sick of people who are happily in love. The CD just got me thinking, is all, and I wanted to express myself.
Have a great day, selah!
Lazy List Post
>2. What time did you get up this morning? 7:30am
>3.What was the last film you saw at the cinema? Walk the Line
>4. What's your favorite TV show? ER
>5. What did you have for breakfast this morning? Coffee
>6. What's your favorite food? Chocolate
>7. What food do you dislike? Green beans and peas
>8. What is your favorite chip flavor? BBQ
>9. Your favorite CD at the moment? Meteora
>10. What kind of car do you drive? Mazda Protege
>11. Favorite sandwich? Turkey, bacon and cream cheese
>12. What characteristics do you despise? I don’t like this question so I choose not to answer
>13. What is your favorite type of clothing? Pajamas
>14. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would you go? Been there…it was Greece
>15. What color is your bathroom? Blue, white and tan
>16. Favorite brand of clothing? Ralph Lauren
>17. Where would you retire to? Dixie
>18. Favorite time of the day? 4-7pm, get home time
>19. What was your most memorable birthday? My 21st, even though I don’t really remember it
>20. What year were you born? 1979
>21. Favorite sport to watch? NCAA Basketball
>22. Who do you least expect to send this back to you? Not sure
>23. Person you expect to send it back first? Not sure
>24. What fabric detergent do you use? April Fresh Tide w/ Downy
>25. Were you named after anyone? Nope
>26. Do you wish on stars? Nope
>27. When did you last cry? A few nights ago, in my sleep, because I dreamt my mother died.
>28. Do you like your handwriting? Yes
>29. If you were another person, would YOU be friends with you? Maybe
>30. Are you a daredevil? Can be for sure, especially when I was younger
>31. Do looks matter? My looks matter, others’ don’t
>32. How do you release anger? I cry or I drink
>33. Where is your second home? Definitely my car
>34. What were your favorite toys as a child? She-Ra
>35. What was the most useless High School class? P.E.
>37. Favorite movies? Gone with the Wind, Harry Potter, Say Anything
>38. What are your nicknames? BB, Madame Queen, Niffer
>39. Do you untie your shoes when you take them off? Yes
>40. Do you think that you are strong? Yes, very strong for a girl
>41. What's your favorite ice cream? Ben & Jerry’s Phish Food
>42. What is your favorite color? Pink
>43. What is your least favorite thing about yourself? I exagerrate/embellish stories
>44. Who do you miss the most? My friend Kelli
>45. Do you want everyone you sent this to, to send it back? Yeah!
>46. What color pants are you wearing? Black
>47. What are you listening to right now? Silence
>48. Last thing you ate? Tacos last night
>49. If you were a CRAYON what color would you be? Hot Pink
>50. Last person you talked to on the phone? My brother
>51. What is the first thing you notice about the opposite sex?
>52. Favorite Drink? Captain Morgan
>53. Do you wear contacts? Yes
>54. Favorite Day of the Year? Christmas
>55. Scary Movies or Happy Endings? Scary Movies
>56. Summer or winter? Summer
>57. Hugs OR Kisses? Both, and lots of them.
>58. What is Your Favorite Dessert? Anything Chocolate
>59. What Book are you reading? Too embarrassed to say
>60. What's On Your Mouse Pad? A purple, squishy anti-carpal tunnel thing
>61. What Did You Watch Last night on TV? I didn’t watch TV last night
>62. Favorite Smells? Armani Gio, vanilla, plumeria, freesia, Cool Water, cigarette smoke
I know, missing a couple numbers. Got this off Rowan.
>63. Rolling Stones or Beatles? Neither
>64. What's the furthest you've been from home? Istanbul, Turkey
