Am I really worth so little?

So, I figure before I’m silenced, I will tell what has happened to me from the apartments.  They want me to drop the Fair Housing complaint, and sign a confidentiality agreement. 

FOR $3,500. 00

Apparently this is all they think I’m worth.  All the things that they’ve done, how many times I’ve asked for the handicap parking spot.  The times I’ve had to call the police.  Even the time I had to get an escort into my own apartment from the police because the manager let other tenants stand behind my car, and wouldn’t let me back out. 

Then I got this email from the lady at Texas Workforce…

The Respondents have made a counter offer:

1.       My clients will waive the amounts due and owing from Ms. Cook as set forth on the ledger;

2.       My clients will pay $2,000.00 to Ms. Cook;

3.       The parties will sign a settlement agreement prepared by the undersigned to include a full release and confidentiality provision, among other things; and

4.       Ms. Cook will withdraw her Fair Housing Complaint (no conciliation agreement)

The offer will be available until the end of the week.

As I stated below, I have discussed my recommendation with management and legal. I want you to be aware that they may not agree with my determination.  If that happens the case will be dismissed no cause. If they agree and the case moves forward it not likely that the damages will be anywhere in the range that you are seeking. If the Respondents make a reasonable offer TWC may move forward without you and settle for public relief. As far as the determination I should have managements’ response by next Tuesday afternoon. Either way I will contact you to let you know.

Then I was sent this email:

I will tell you that the Pre-Determination will be a Mixed Cause finding.  Meaning that we do not have enough evidence to the allegations of Failure to Rent and Harassment.  If you have additional evidence that you believe supports the allegation then please submit it now.  If you have witnesses who witnessed firsthand the harassment allegations, then provide their contact information. I still have not heard from the witness you state wanted to remain anonymous nor have I been provided with their contact information. Your other witnesses have either not responded or their contact information provided was not in service.

Then I got this email:

Respondents have counter offered by raising the amount  on item 1. from $2000.00 to $3500.00. Items 3 and 4 will stay the same.

Respondents state that  the offer is good until Monday, September 26, 2016 and it is their final and best offer.

Either way, they want me to sign away my soul for $3,500, when the dollar amount of things that I lost when they evicted me were over $12,000.  This is a property that is targeting SFA college students.  And, since I’ve moved out, I’ve talked to half a dozen other tenants that have moved out for various reasons, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM  was sent a bill for over $2,000. 

I wish I could afford an attorney to fight them.  I wish I could tell the world what they did.  I wish I could have back some of the stuff they threw away.  Right now, I’m fighting to just survive.  I can’t afford my rent right now because I had to move to a place more expensive and further from school.  I only eat one meal a day on average, and that’s only because I got a 50 block meal plan.  Soon, that will be gone also.   I don’t have internet at home, I’m living on the bare essentials, with a little splurge here and there.  I’m trying to find a job, but no one really wants to hire someone in a wheelchair lately. 

I want to shout that I survived the harassment that the apartments have put me through.  I want to tell Texas Workforce, that this should have been decided months ago.  This fair housing complaint was filed in FEBRUARY!! The law states it should have been settled in 100 days.  We’re going on six months.  My offer to the apartments was $15,000.  That would have gotten me everything that I lost, and a little left to actually try to pay all my bills.  There was a blatant fair housing violation, and they’re getting away with it.  I don’t know what else to do.  

A New Adventure

So, court didn't go well at all.

I've spent all day between crying and not walking to talk to people.

I'm really sorry if you were trying to talk to me but I wasn't answering.

I get to go to a new phase of my life.

My education is so important to me that I will be sleeping in my car.  

At least I can stay at school until the library or student center closes.

Right now, I'm working on consolidating everything to where it will fit in my car and also have enough room for me to sleep.

It's a good thing that JJ is with his friend.  I've tried to shield him from this horrible life as much as possible.  All he knows is he gets to spend every night with his friend, and that's a good thing.

But, God, I really miss him.  It's another reason I'm crying so much.  

I can hope for a miracle before Wednesday.  

I've made a list so that I can try to make my car as organized as I can...but we know how I am.

One piece of paper and it's all over the place. 

NOTHING is going to keep me from school...NOTHING.

I will finish my education, and I will thrive.

I can fall into bed every night after studying all day, and then when I wake up I can always find a place to shower.  What I don't understand is...how can a landlord treat a person like this, especially one that is disabled?  

And, not only do I have to get used to being in my car, but I also have to figure out how I'm going to represent myself with this small claims case they've filed against me.
Have I mentioned that they took my doorknob so that I can't close or lock the door to my room, and they turned the power off for a week.  Yes, they knew it was against the law, but it was a civil suit, and told the police officer that they weren't going to turn it back on...I think.  (She didn't share with me what was said, but she did tell them that it was illegal...and yet the power was off for a whole week)

All I ask of you is to not be sad for me.

God has a plan.  Pray for James.  My poor son doesn't know what's going on.  All he knows is that his daddy isn't around and that his mommy sent him to stay with his friend.  

According to my roommate (pictured below);

I am a horrible and selfish mom.  She told me that any mom who gave up their child doesn't deserve to be a mom.  She knew about my oldest, and she said I was selfish.  

I have always done what is best for my children, even if it isn't being with me.  

I let JJ stay with his friend to avoid being around this person, who threatened to throw all his toys away.  What kind of person would do that?  

Me, I'm going to be OK. 

I've found a place, but I don't have the $399 for the rent...I've already paid the deposit.  I'm not sure it can be held for me much longer and I don't know how long it will be until I can raise the funds.  

I will post another blog soon with all the information.  But for now, Here's a screencap of my landlords:

Soon, I will post the recording of him telling me I was 100% negligent because there was mud on the floors.  Tile and wood floors, not even carpet.  

This weekend, I am attending a leadership conference. 

Then I'm going to pack most of my stuff up and get ready to move.  

I've don't think I've ever been through worse, but I do know that I'm a survivor.

I may have been knocked down, but I'm not out.  

I hope you guys have a great weekend.  I miss my son.  I miss my husband.

My friend started a hashtag: #Mercy4Marci

Don't Wish Me Luck Today, Wish Me A Blessing

Today, I head to court to fight my eviction.

Today, I have God as my shield in this fight.

Today, I hope to win, even if it's a tiny battle.

I'm getting evicted.  I'm not really happy about it.

There was a verbal agreement between my landlord and I, reiterated by a text message.

I had asked her to start the eviction process earlier this month, on October 12. 

On October 13, she told me (via text message) we had the following conversation:

LL: Please deposit some of the rent you owe

Me: I can't afford it and the late fees.

LL: What can you pay

Me: I've got $300 to last until I get my social security

LL: OK but what can you pay for your rent now

Me: If I don't get evicted $200 but I can catch up and get ahead as soon as I get the social security.  But I think I would rather take the eviction so I can have the service dog at another place.  I can get her certification paperwork as soon as I get her

LL: Deposit the $200 and then you can lay  [sic] the remaining $300 as soon as you can.

In this conversation, there is (in my opinion) an agreement about my rent.  She accepted the fact that I can't pay that much rent, and that I would catch up and get ahead when I get my social security.

Side note: I had the medical appointment for Social Security on Monday.  My case has been flagged as "dire need" and my caseworker is looking for the report from the doctor.  

On the morning of October 23, I had this conversation with my Landlord:

LL: I don't care about the spare room.  At this point if you can't work it out then H***** (name protected) has the upper hand her because of her rent.

Me: I understand.  I'm not bothering her.  I think everything is taken care of and I'm leaving her alone.  So are you making it back up to $900 or still at $700? (this is in regards to the amount of rent to be paid)

LL: Just catch up with rent first

Again, there is the implication that she has accepted that my rent is late.  There is also no mention of the late fees.  Yes, she has been very lenient with me about the rent.  

But, I feel to say this via text message, and then turn around that afternoon and hand me an eviction notice is wrong.  

If you think what is happening to me is wrong, please spread the word.  My friend came up with the hashtag #Mercy4Marci that we will be using.  

My Faith is GREAT.  I know that the Lord has a plan for me and I know that no matter how things go today, it is according to his plan.  

Two Weeks With My New Smile

It's been a little over two weeks since I got my new smile. 

I have to say, things are different.

People actually look at me now, instead of past me.

People actually want to converse with me, instead of running for the nearest exit.

I smile more often.  I have more self esteem.

It's amazing how differently people treat you when they don't know your circumstances.

They see the rotted teeth, and the missing and broken teeth and think that I'm not worth their time.

I've had people turn me down when I asked to volunteer my services.

I've had people just brush me off.

Now...it's different.

People actually listen to me.

They respond to me.

They look at me.

It's horrible that people are so judgemental, but it's today's society.

If you're not what they perceive as pretty, or educated, or even in the right income bracket, people think less of you.

I wish I had done a little more of a scientific study of this.  I wish I could have actual events, and facts.  But, I only have my perceptions, which are really different now.

My first big event with my new smile was in Arlington and I noticed right away I was treated better.  When my Sister and I were at Six Flags, people listened and conversed with me us in line, instead of the usual "hi".  (Yeah, we're both a little on the outgoing side.)

We laughed with high school kids who were playing a "concentration" game. 

We talked with a couple about the first years of marriage.

We met some wonderful people.

All in lines waiting for the rides. 

When what would have happened to me would have been them trying to avoid me.

I hope things get better, and I hope that my little blog makes people think twice about superficial things. 

That person that you ignored, they're probably incredibly funny but the medicine that they are on caused that breakout of acne, or for the teeth to rot, or even the weight gain.  

Please, don't judge people based on looks...they're usually pretty hard on themselves as it is.

Shame on Lufkin Industries for Reverse Discrimination

*****WARNING--THIS POST DOES DEAL WITH DISCRIMINATION BASED ON RACE AND GENDER, IF YOU GET OFFENDED BY WHAT I WRITE HERE, PLEASE DO NOT READ IT.*****

My husband has been a faithful employee at Lufkin Industries since 2006. From that time until he was put on Long Term Medical Leave, he had only a couple of write ups. Now fast forward to this year. In June 2009, Lufkin Industries had to pay $5 Million in a discrimination case as seen here.  Now, In my opinion, Lufkin Industries is so afraid of another lawsuit, that they're practicing reverse discrimination.

Now, I'm half-mexican married to a white guy, and I am fairly open-minded.  But, when my WHITE husband gets put on "clean up duty" because he scrapped 1 part and had a write up for it, and there's a BLACK FEMALE that scraps parts on a regular basis (conservatively 1 part every two weeks) and NOT A SINGLE WRITE UP there's something wrong. Oh yeah, have I mentioned that it has been heard that the supervisor will tell this woman that "she's like the daughter he never had"? This alone shows the company playing favorites.

My husband has not been allowed to work on his machine since June while this lady scraps parts on a regular basis.  Now, Lufkin Industries is trying to make my husband take a job that pays $5 LESS an hour than what he has been making for about the last THREE YEARS!!!!!!!!

When my husband went back to work after his disability for an injury that he incurred during the Iraq War, the company had already given his job to another person because they did not think he was coming back.  So, when he did go back, they didn't know what to do with him. 

Does this seem right?  They have written him up four times, yet he only had one write up slip.  When he asked for copies of the other write ups, the company would not give them to him.  Now, Lufkin Industries has gone against their own UNION CONTRACT and given away a job without posting a job bid as stated in the contract.  There is a lot of playing of favorites at this company, and I feel my husband won't be working there very much longer because they are trying to make him quit.  They have created a hostile working environment to the point where he doesn't want to go to work and when at work, he does his job and doesn't really talk to anyone.  If any of my readers out there knows anyone that can help us with this situation, please let me know.  Also, please please pass this on to your friends and let Lufkin Industries know that reverse discrimination is as wrong as discrimination.  There should be equality in the workplace, not just with pay, but with how people are treated no matter what race or gender they are.  I know that there is a strong case here, and I'm really hoping that he is able to keep his position. 

This is reverse discrimination against a white male who also happens to be an Iraq AND Gulf War Veteran, who has had to have brain surgery for a TBI incurred during the war.  It doesn't seem fair, or right and yet, Lufkin Industries is able to get away with it.