What's he on about now?

In case the articles, essays and opinions throughtout this site just weren't enough for you, here's my online diary (a.k.a. 'blog'). It's as close as you'll come to the inside of my head, so don't say I didn't warn you
(and remember, you can always e-mail me if you love or loathe anything you're about to read)...


   Wednesday, July 09, 2003

NOT MUCH TO BANK ON

Flush with confidence upon realizing how little is left on my ghastly 1999 student loan, I made an appointment to speak to a bank rep this morning about a second, smaller consolidation loan. A new loan, I figured, would eliminate the debt I have left outstanding with evil collection agencies and perhaps even grant me a credit card. I loathe credit cards, and have lived happily without one for many years, but I'm occasionally left feeling like a non-person in our Consumer Society and I really hate it.

I was a fool, of course. The guy at the bank seemed -- or possibly was -- sympathetic but kept referring to how "they" won't go along with my small-scale plan. His only suggestion was to come back in a couple of months, after I've paid off the student loan completely, and to call the collection agencies and simply tell them to stop calling me. "That's hardly a solution," I said, "and I'd rather pay the interest to this bank instead of them, no?" He didn't bite, and my colleague at the record shop wasn't surprised. "Banks are evil," he shrugged, "They only exist to make money but if they help you out in the process, it's a bonus." And that about sums it up.