Bank of America continues to have us in a stranglehold, and it hasn't eased up, yet. Instead, this malignant financial machinery grinds on and now somehow has us eight months in arrears when we were not at all in arrears before the process began, and have paid our mortgage faithfully for nearly 29 years -- 348 payments. Will someone please tell me what is going on because BOA doesn't have a clue? Does kafka-esque ring a bell? How does "outrage" sound?
BAD PUBLICITY HELPS! Our latest customer relations manager actually had my blog in front of him and swore he was there to help.
We've got about 300 signatures on our petition. Our friends have been wonderful but we need to keep the pressure on.
If you haven't signed, please do so. If you haven't sent it to your contact list, please do so. To those who already have, thank you. Believe me, this is some serious stuff.
I would like to write other things, but this has got to come first. It's a terrible strain for the entire family to awaken in the morning only to have this be the first thought we all have.
Stephen
Monday, May 14, 2012
Sunday, May 6, 2012
WHAT KIND OF JEW PULLS A TRIGGER? -- part 4
"Happiness is for idiots" was my family's mantra, injected into our DNA, remorselessly hammered home. "Only idiots are happy" was a minor variation. For most of my life I've believed that suffering was necessary to produce anything of value, artistic as well as religious: the artist in his garret;the saint on her cross. Pollyanna-itis was a three spit plague to be fended off by any sacrifice, particularly and primarily, the sacrifice of personal happiness. Well, I gotta tell ya, at this late stage of my life I actually find myself happy! Of course, I'm wary of cliches, but my heart actually feels full,a physical feeling like there is something big and good right there inside my rib cage. Whoa. Where'd that come from? I hear snickers, probably from my Ivy League buddies, and I don't blame them. I ask myself, "You sure you're not coming down with dementia?", and the answer comes back, "If this is dementia, bring it on." It's not that I'm unaware of the dark side. This FOREMAN FAMILY vs BANK OF AMERICA business is a bonafide nightmare which is far from over. It engenders anger and fear in equal parts. At one time in my life anger would have taken over. I would have been possessed by it. I'd have gladly taken Brian Moynihan, CEO of BOA, apart. I am angry, angry because I have to be so angry, angry because I've been so bewildered, angry because my wife of thirty-two years, Jamie Donnelly, has to wake up each morning and have her first thought be, "Will I lose my home?", angry because my children feel the stress and uncertainty, too. However, anger is not all there is. Jamie Donnelly taught me that one. Jan, the smiling, good-natured, "brusha brusha" Pink Lady she played in the movie, "Grease", really is true Jamie.
Nu? So what else is there?
Last night the moon was as full as it's ever going to be in 2012. The sky was clear, so bright moonshine turned the river water to pewter and created shadows that jumped in the breeze. A grouse drummed in the woods the other day, the sound a pilgrim most likes to hear in Spring because it means the cycle has brought the partridge back. Outside my back window the lawn is covered with dandelions, violets, and apple blossoms. Dandelions make me happy:little suns. I don't mind seeing them at all. Outside the window I look out when I'm at my desk the lilacs are leafing, and birds by the dozens land on their branches. A red hawk once landed on a limb near the ground. There he was! Preening. I've seen bear, deer, coyote, mink, woodchuck, chipmunks, squirrels, and wild turkey through that window, too, all spotted while sitting at my desk. They don't know I'm there so they go by slowly. How often do you get to see that outside your window? I've looked out my window and seen my children playing and ,Jamie, giving friends the tour. Those three people remain my treasures. We are alive and healthy, and we will go through this together. Friends are more dear to me than ever. Bank of America is not solely the first thing I think of in the morning when I wake up. The first thing I think of is a cup of hot, strong coffee laced with chocolate syrup (just a little, and, oh, yeah, some sugar, just a little of that, too) The thought is accompanied by a smile. A few minutes with my coffee cup then watch out. I'd still like to take Moynihan apart. My family will still do everything in our power to save our home. When and if I have to be unhappy I'm sure I will be, but not until then.
Right now outside my window there is an oak leaf on the ground, brown and crusty from the Fall. Most of the oak around here was lumbered off years ago, so a mature oak is rare and never this far down the mountain. But, oak is coming back. There are lots of saplings, and in another twenty years they will be mighty. Been a long time since I've seen an oak leaf and never close to the house. It must have been traveling down hill since Fall. It bodes well for the future, and stiffens my resolve. I'm determined to stand at my window and watch those trees grow.
I can't finish without a brief update. New point person at Bank of America: Julio Esparza. (O) (213) 345-6243
(FAX) (866) 882-0975
Mr. Esparza is our ear at B of A. He's the one who now needs to hear from you. Use of social media has gotten their attention. My nephew's twitter campaign is paying off. B of A does not want bad press, but these days there's plenty of it. Wow, is that bank hated! The two petition links are below:
www.change.org/petitions/the-foreman-family-vs-bank-of-america
http://www.change.org/petitions/bank-of-america-live-up-to-your-promise-and-help-my-uncle-keep-his-home
Pass them on.
Nu? So what else is there?
Last night the moon was as full as it's ever going to be in 2012. The sky was clear, so bright moonshine turned the river water to pewter and created shadows that jumped in the breeze. A grouse drummed in the woods the other day, the sound a pilgrim most likes to hear in Spring because it means the cycle has brought the partridge back. Outside my back window the lawn is covered with dandelions, violets, and apple blossoms. Dandelions make me happy:little suns. I don't mind seeing them at all. Outside the window I look out when I'm at my desk the lilacs are leafing, and birds by the dozens land on their branches. A red hawk once landed on a limb near the ground. There he was! Preening. I've seen bear, deer, coyote, mink, woodchuck, chipmunks, squirrels, and wild turkey through that window, too, all spotted while sitting at my desk. They don't know I'm there so they go by slowly. How often do you get to see that outside your window? I've looked out my window and seen my children playing and ,Jamie, giving friends the tour. Those three people remain my treasures. We are alive and healthy, and we will go through this together. Friends are more dear to me than ever. Bank of America is not solely the first thing I think of in the morning when I wake up. The first thing I think of is a cup of hot, strong coffee laced with chocolate syrup (just a little, and, oh, yeah, some sugar, just a little of that, too) The thought is accompanied by a smile. A few minutes with my coffee cup then watch out. I'd still like to take Moynihan apart. My family will still do everything in our power to save our home. When and if I have to be unhappy I'm sure I will be, but not until then.
Right now outside my window there is an oak leaf on the ground, brown and crusty from the Fall. Most of the oak around here was lumbered off years ago, so a mature oak is rare and never this far down the mountain. But, oak is coming back. There are lots of saplings, and in another twenty years they will be mighty. Been a long time since I've seen an oak leaf and never close to the house. It must have been traveling down hill since Fall. It bodes well for the future, and stiffens my resolve. I'm determined to stand at my window and watch those trees grow.
I can't finish without a brief update. New point person at Bank of America: Julio Esparza. (O) (213) 345-6243
(FAX) (866) 882-0975
Mr. Esparza is our ear at B of A. He's the one who now needs to hear from you. Use of social media has gotten their attention. My nephew's twitter campaign is paying off. B of A does not want bad press, but these days there's plenty of it. Wow, is that bank hated! The two petition links are below:
www.change.org/petitions/the-foreman-family-vs-bank-of-america
http://www.change.org/petitions/bank-of-america-live-up-to-your-promise-and-help-my-uncle-keep-his-home
Pass them on.
Saturday, May 5, 2012
Foreman Family vs. Bank of America -- The Foreclosure Chronicles
Today is May 5th. This is an update.
Bank of America agreed to (their word) "escalate" my case. Well, folks, they escalated it into a bill for seven months in arrears. Understand, in nearly 348 payments, only one has ever been lost in the shuffle due to a bank error. Throughout the modification process I continued to pay every penny asked of me. There was no question I was paid up, so please explain to me why I'm seven months in arrears? The bank couldn't have put us in a more dangerous and exposed position. Seven months in arrears? Horseshit.
We need to keep up the pressure. It may not always get the intended result, but they do respond to it. We've been assigned a new customer relations person who seems to be quite aware of the power of social media. His name: Julio Esparza, (o)(213) 345-6243, FAX (866) 882-0975. Let him hear from you even if you've already signed, sent, and/or called. JULIO ESPARZA. Right now, he's the ears of Bank of America.
Senator Gillebrand, Congressman Gibson, New York's Attorney General, and the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau (CFPB) have all launched investigations. Our local bank managers, both in LA and NY, to their great credit, are helping as well.
If you haven't signed our petition, please do so. It won't cost you anything nor will it hurt your reputation. Come on. Sign it and pass it on. Signatures are coming in from all over the United States. Make yours one of them.
The petition address is as follows:
www.change.org/petitions/the-foreman-family-vs-bank-of-america
Bank of America agreed to (their word) "escalate" my case. Well, folks, they escalated it into a bill for seven months in arrears. Understand, in nearly 348 payments, only one has ever been lost in the shuffle due to a bank error. Throughout the modification process I continued to pay every penny asked of me. There was no question I was paid up, so please explain to me why I'm seven months in arrears? The bank couldn't have put us in a more dangerous and exposed position. Seven months in arrears? Horseshit.
We need to keep up the pressure. It may not always get the intended result, but they do respond to it. We've been assigned a new customer relations person who seems to be quite aware of the power of social media. His name: Julio Esparza, (o)(213) 345-6243, FAX (866) 882-0975. Let him hear from you even if you've already signed, sent, and/or called. JULIO ESPARZA. Right now, he's the ears of Bank of America.
Senator Gillebrand, Congressman Gibson, New York's Attorney General, and the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau (CFPB) have all launched investigations. Our local bank managers, both in LA and NY, to their great credit, are helping as well.
If you haven't signed our petition, please do so. It won't cost you anything nor will it hurt your reputation. Come on. Sign it and pass it on. Signatures are coming in from all over the United States. Make yours one of them.
The petition address is as follows:
www.change.org/petitions/the-foreman-family-vs-bank-of-america
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