Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Marc Poulin on April 2, 2012 at 7:53pm

Thanks Matt, but I am beyond shuffling money and budgetting. We are in the high 5 digit figures of cc debt, and sadly have hardly anything to show for it. We haven't missed payments yet but we're getting there. 

I'd love to know if anybody else has gone through bankruptcy though...

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Permalink Reply by Scott Howard on April 3, 2012 at 9:31pm

Yep. At the time I had $30,000 in CC debt, 2 new car payments and a mortgage.

My bankruptcy attorney charged me $1400, but it was well worth it. The first thing he told me was to stop paying all unsecured debts and refer all collection calls that would inevitably result, to him. That alone was worth his fee.

It really is more of a moral/mental issue in your head than it is a legal issue. I had to appear before a judge twice for about 10 minutes each. Your creditors get 30 days to contest your filing, but they usually don't especially the credit card companies. At the end of 30 days if no one has contested your filing, the judge issues a discharge order and your done.

You will have to reestablish credit worthiness in the years after, but I didn't find that task all that difficult.

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Permalink Reply by Marc Poulin on April 3, 2012 at 9:37pm

Thanks for the info, very reassuring. We would be going through a trustee, but I'm assuming they charge as well.

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Permalink Reply by Scott Mirto on April 2, 2012 at 8:30pm

I had a  moment of weakness about 1 1/2 years ago. I have been struggling with sleep issues since I was a kid and the older I am the worse it gets. I had been diagnosed with sleep apnea a few years back, but not before having a doctor prescribe me the gambit of sleep meds that worked for a time and proved ineffectual due to my crazy tolerance I build to most drugs (not that I am a druggy or anything.) I was given a cpap machine but I just couldnt get it to work because it is just so damned uncomfortable to sleep with, so I just continued to suffer. Finally it got to the point where I was only getting 1-3 hours of broken sleep a night for around 2-4 weeks at a time and then I would sleep "decently" for a short period of time due to exhaustion, only to revert back. Being on 4 pharmaceuticals a night only made it worse in the mornings. My job and my sport suffered along with my relationship with others.

One of my crew mates at work was a pretty wacky religious type (unlike anything else I had ever seen), but a good and decent man. During one of my periods of insomnia that lasted around 3 weeks (I dont remember exactly how long, things get hazy when I am in those states) I let him talk me into trying to meditate and pray for relief and use my cpap machine. It worked, but I think it was a combination of just the mental calming effect of meditating and the fact I switched my mask from a full face to a nose piece.

Nelson is right. After I got a couple nights sleep with the mask I felt like a complete dweeb for breaking down and....... praying. I felt cheapened, like I lost my integrity. The only consolation I have for my still wounded pride 1 1/2 years later is that I felt like I was going downright crazy from not getting the proper sleep I needed. However, I should have just manned up and gotten that damned mask to work earlier. Science cures, not praying <sigh>

So keep your head up along with your pride. Positive thinking and action gets results.

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Permalink Reply by Marc Poulin on April 2, 2012 at 8:40pm

I have moderate to high sleep apnea as well, and like you hate wearing the gear. I did switch to the nasal mask early on, but have never had it on for more than 3 hours a night, and gave up a while ago. I should really try it again but it's such a pain in the ass. ;)

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Permalink Reply by Scott Mirto on April 2, 2012 at 8:58pm

It does make a huge difference. I always allot 8 hours a night and keep the thing on for that time. Whether I get 8 hours of sleep is a different story. Let me tell you though, life is pretty good when you can breath while you sleep.

Another option is a snore guard. They are a little expensive but insurance should cover it. I have one but I have a little anxiety over going through the adjustment period of getting used to it and slowly adjusting it to the proper form. I am sure that I will have nights of sleeplessness but it may be worth it. After all in the event of a power outage I am SOL with my cpap.

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Permalink Reply by Lewal on April 2, 2012 at 9:00pm

I dealt with the same thing about a year ago. After Jesus undeniably failed this test, I switched up to the Greco-Roman pantheon and that's actually working out way better. To quote some of my less educated religious friends, how could you believe in such a random system?

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Permalink Reply by Lewal on April 2, 2012 at 11:22pm

Uh, moment of weakness, not bankruptcy.

I am super poor though and it's fairly depressing sometimes, the suggestions here are really kinda motivating!

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Permalink Reply by Wretched Saint on April 3, 2012 at 12:11am

Why do you call it a moment of weakness and not simply, "I had a thought?" Just curious.

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Permalink Reply by Marc Poulin on April 3, 2012 at 7:18am

Because it felt like I was about to give up and start talking to myself. ;)

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Permalink Reply by Rich on April 3, 2012 at 6:01am

Research as much as you can about Scientology! I know it sounds daft but the whole subject is fascinating. You'll soon realize that your power of free thought is a gift that no one can take away from you.

You'll also realize that Tom Cruise is a massive cock!

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Permalink Reply by Mike on April 3, 2012 at 6:15am

Why isn't their God already helping?  That is the question I always ask myself.

Sorry to hear about your troubles Marc, while my problems are not employment or financial at this time we have plenty in my house.  We are offered prayers all the time to deal with the fact that my wife has stage 4 cancer and we started round two of radiation therapy and starting another round of chemo in a couple of weeks.  Whenever we are offered prayers from the xians I want to ask them what their God's ransom is?  How much groveling and obeisance is required before he deigns to help?  Why hasn't he helped already.

Sometimes I wish I could pull faith out of my ass and believe.  It would make it easier to deal with this crap.  It does sound comforting their promises of help from their God.  But if their God is all that they say why isn't he helping already?

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