The Check Is In The Mail...

I have been self employed since 1997 - I started my home mortgage loan processing business as a way to stay home with the kids and also earn a little extra for the fun adventures we as a family like to do.. My business ended up being a God send when my husband lost his job last Spring - thankfully he is back to the world of the employed...

As a self employed person... my reputation is very important... I strive to always provide the best that I can give.... One thing I learned very early on is that what I do or don't do can make or break a loan. My knowledge... persistence... integrity is relied upon when working under constant deadlines... If I don't do my job - No one makes money... And when a loan closes - some of my clients are foaming at the mouth to get their check from the bank... and if it's not there quick enough - I am informed and asked to help them out... Which I gladly do... especially for the fact that if they do not get their check.... I don't get my check... makes sense right???

Recently I have two clients that are not paying me.... The excuses I get are so transparent that I would laugh if I wasn't so ticked off.... The money I get paid doesn't even come out of their pocket - it is billed into the final fees- the borrower pays.... So basically the client is stealing my money.... I have a very hard time understanding how people can operate like this.. I could never hold on to someones money like that...

The excuses I have heard range from: "The bank mailed the check to the wrong address." ( I do online pay and that has NEVER happened to me). "The address on the check can't be seen through the window on the envelope." (huh, really?).. "I mailed it two weeks ago.. really - you didn't get it?" "The postman in my building lost all the outgoing mail that day."

I have offered to run by their office to pick up the check and that's when I almost get the truth... Almost... I wonder whatever happened to good character? Because when it comes to money for some people good character has left the building.... I find that sad, don't you?

Definition of Good Character

Watch your thoughts, for they become words.
Watch your words, for they become actions.
Watch your actions, for they become habits.
Watch your habits, for they become character.
Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny
Character is who we are when no one is looking.

It's All About Character

When I was in the tenth grade - My business law teacher, Mr. Baldwin had our class watch President Reagan be sworn into office... Mr. Baldwin's comment to all of us on that day was - "You are watching history in the making".... This was January 20, 1981.... In November 1984- I voted in my first election and I voted for President Reagan to continue his stay in the Oval Office.. I remember feeling proud of myself... feeling American... Knowing that my one vote could make a difference... I believe elections were won by character in those days.... Not by "Smear" campaigns...

I have to tell you - I am completely disgusted by the election campaign ads and the candidates that are constantly on TV.... When President Obama was running for office - I thought the ads had hit an all time low.. I was wrong... The ads for Jerry Brown and Meg Whitman are so awful that I am choosing not to vote for either one of them this election... They are both horrid... Whatever happened to a candidate proving their worth... Proving their qualifications? Nowadays, it's Spin City - Elections are no longer based on Character but instead how bad they can make their opponent look by skewing the facts.

I have not heard one candidate step up to the plate and state their case... or rise above the trash talk and give real talk on what they can do for our state... our nation... Telling us... Showing us - what their intentions are... What their plans are... and what they will do to achieve it... Winning an election is all about Character... and I have not seen any good character in any elected or running candidate it a very long time....

Love this speech from The American President....