Dear Dogs and Cats

My cousin emailed me this recently, and I just thought I’d share; it makes me smile, because it’s SO true!

FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE PETS, THIS IS A TRUE STORY.

FOR THOSE THAT DON'T, IT IS STILL A TRUE STORY.

The following was found posted very low on a refrigerator door.

Dear Dogs and Cats:

The dishes on the floor with the paw prints are yours and contain your food.
The other dishes are mine and contain my food.
Placing a paw print in the middle of my plate does not mean that it is suddenly your food, nor do I find that aesthetically pleasing in the slightest.

The stairway was not designed for Formula 1 and is not a racetrack.
Racing me to the top of the stairs is not the object.
Tripping me doesn't help because I fall faster than you can run.

I cannot buy anything bigger than a king sized bed I am very sorry about this.
Do not think I will continue sleeping on the couch to ensure your comfort.
Dogs and cats can actually curl up in a ball when they sleep it is not necessary to sleep perpendicular to each other, stretched out to the fullest extent possible.
I also know that sticking tails straight out and having tongues hanging out on the other end to maximize space that you are taking up, is nothing but sarcasm.
For the last time, there is no secret exit from the bathroom!
If, by some miracle, I beat you there and manage to get the door shut, it is not necessary to claw, whine, meow, try to turn the knob or get your paw under the edge in an attempt to open the door.
I must exit through the same door I entered.
Also, I have been using the bathroom for years - canine/feline attendance is not required.

The proper order for kissing is:
Kiss me first, and then go smell the other dog or cat's butt.
I cannot stress this enough.

Finally, in fairness, dear pets, I have posted the following message on the front door:

TO ALL NON-PET OWNERS WHO VISIT AND LIKE TO COMPLAIN ABOUT OUR PETS:

(1) They live here. You don't.
(2) If you don't want their hair on your clothes, stay off the furniture. That's why they call it 'fur'-niture.
(3) I like my pets a lot better than I like most people.
(4) To you, they are animals. To me, they are adopted sons/daughters who are short, hairy, walk on all fours and don't speak clearly.
Remember, dogs and cats are better than kids because they:

(1) Eat less,
(2) Don’t ask for money all the time,
(3) Are easier to train,
(4) Normally come when called,
(5) Never ask to drive the car,
(6) Don’t hang out with drug-using people;
(7) Don’t smoke or drink,
(8) Don’t want to wear your clothes,
(9) Don’t have to buy the latest fashions,
(10) Don’t need a gazillion pounds for college
AND…
(11) If they get pregnant, you can sell their children.


My personal note:

My dog will continue to sleep on my bed, not the floor, it isn’t comfortable to sleep on the floor; I wouldn’t sleep on the floor, why would I make him? I don’t mind a little bit of dog hair, he brings me more joy then I can even begin to explain, a little dog hair is well worth the price. He can be difficult at times, but he so can I, and I’m guessing, so can you. And, he loves me no matter what, which isn’t the case with most people. He is ALWAYS excited to see me, every time I leave the house and return I am greeted as though I have been gone for months. It’s nice to be so loved. I can put up with his difficult behavior and idiosyncrasies. If you don’t like it, tough. He’s staying.
To those of you who don’t like animals, I don’t understand you. I’m not trying to be mean, but I find it incredibly confusing when people don’t like animals. I’m not saying you have to love all animals, or even like all animals. I have friends who don’t like cats, others who aren’t in to dogs, some who are terrified of birds. But, they don’t dislike all animals. A dog or a cat will give you unconditional love and, in my opinion, can only improve your life. And know this, coming to my house or my parents’ house means not only dealing with my dog, but being nice to him.

And if you hate animals (hate is different than not liking), well, they probably don’t like you either. And, I’m going to be honest, we’ll probably not be friends, because I love Love LOVE my dog.

The End.

Habits or Resolutions??

So, I've heard that there are studies that show it takes 21 days for a person to form a new habit, or break an old one.  I've perused the internet, not looking super hard, but looking, and never actually found any studies that prove this statement.  But, I think it's an interesting concept, especially at this time of year.  Here's the closest I found to a study proving this 21 day theory:
http://www.iamthankful.com/science/21-days-to-form-a-habit-you-can-do-it

New Year's is a time for new beginnings for most people.  Lots of people make New Year's resolutions, hoping this will be the time that they make the change.  But, how long do people actually stick with these resolutions?  Maybe it would be easier to stick with a resolution if you said it was a new habit, or that you were breaking an old one.  Here's an article from MSNBC on resolutions and sticking to them, and most importantly why we don't:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40893205/ns/health-behavior/
I think this article shows that not just resolutions are hard to keep, but habits are hard to form and break, because our brain's pleasure center wants what it wants.

We are a month in to the New Year, did you make any resolutions?  Did you keep them?  I'm not usually one to make resolutions. I think they are silly.  I think the day you decide to make the change should be the day you do it, you shouldn't just wait around for New Years.  I usually just go for it.  But, this year, I decided to make a resolution.  I didn't tell anyone I was doing it, because it was just for me.  It was a silly little thing.  My resolution was to floss, every single day.  Ya, ya, I know, I already should've been doing that.  But, I wasn't, I'm dumb.  But, I decided to make a resolution, to floss every single day.  It's been one month.  So, did I stick with it?  Yup.  Some days I forget, but I go back and do it.  I have flossed every single day this month, and plan to continue to do so.  Anyway, might seem silly and dumb, but I did stick to it and so far I've been really good.  I know my teeth and gums thank me.

A lot of people don't stick with their resolutions, check out this article about just that: http://www.proactivechange.com/resolutions/statistics.htm

But, then look at this article, it talks about how to set goals and keep them and how when you set one goal you fail, you can actually have a better chance at keeping with it next time: http://www.goal-setting-guide.com/statistics-facts-setting-years-resolutions

Did you stick with your resolutions?  If not, maybe go back and start over, it is the beginning of a new month.  Or start tomorrow, its the beginning of a new day.  Whenever you start, remember you should be making these changes for yourself and not for others.  For me, I am my harshest critic and I don't want to let myself down.  My resolution (forming a new habit) was a seemingly easy one, flossing, but I did it for me, and I knew that I would be happier with myself for doing it.  I have now formed a new habit, so maybe that whole 21 day thing was right on?  31 days and I'm still going strong.

Happy Birthday to... Rocky!!!

Today is my dog's birthday.  Yep, I know when my dog's birthday is.  In case you didn't already know, I love my dog, A LOT.  I got Rocky for my birthday four years ago, when he was just a few months old.  He has changed my life in a lot of ways.  And, I credit him with helping my mental health.  

When I first got Rocky I had been diagnosed with bipolar just a few months before, and had quit drinking just before that.  I was still struggling with a lot of things and my medication was still being adjusted.  Some days I didn't want to get out of bed at all.  There were days when life just seemed too hard and I wanted to let the bipolar wash over me, more than I wanted the medication to work.  But, with Rocky, I had no choice but to get up and get moving.  He needed to be fed, walked, played with.  So, even on those bad days I would get up.  It would have been so much easier to not get Rocky and not get my act together.  But, I did it.

Today, I am in a much different place than I was when Rocky came in to my life.  I still have bad days, where all I want to do is crawl under the covers and hide, but I look at the dog and the cuddly loving looks he gives me and I get myself up and take care of him, and in turn take care of myself.  I have my mental health under control and my personal life is in a much better place.  I know the dog didn't do these things for me, but with him it made it all so much more possible and feasible.  

I often say Rocky saved my life.  But, in fact what he did was show me how to save my own life. Through caring for my dog I have learned to better care for myself.  I have learned to appreciate my own life more.  Rocky gives me unconditional love, everyday.  When he wakes up in the morning he's just so happy to be alive, and it makes me try harder to take on the day in a positive way.  Every time I come home he's is just so happy to see me, wagging his little tail and wiggling around and jumping up to get to me.  This kind of love and happiness makes me a better person.  I love having this goofy little creature in my life and could not imagine my life without him.

Happy Birthday to my dog, Rocky!!!

As a side note, I totally let Rocky sleep on the bed, and occasionally under the covers.  I know that there are people who think this is weird or gross or whatever.  My thought is, if I wouldn't sleep on the floor why would I make him sleep on the floor?  That's just madness!  I'm not making him sleep on the floor.

Check out my picture of the day today to see how Rocky celebrated his big day (a little celebration and a nice long walk): http://2011-inpictures.blogspot.com/

Operation Jack

On Sunday, December 26, the day after Christmas, I had one of my best running experiences of the year, and I didn't even run.  I volunteered at the Operation Jack Marathon.  I heard about Operation Jack through Twitter, (oh the joys of social networking!) and first thought, man, this guy is nuts!  Then I read more about why he was running so darn much (61 marathons in a year!) and I realized that it was really incredible.  I saw that there was going to be an Operation Jack Marathon here in LA.  I planned on running the 1/2, but due to an injury I couldn't.  I was really disappointed that I wouldn't be able to participate.  Then, through Twitter, I found out that volunteers were needed for the race.  Bingo!  I was in.

It was darker than this
when I arrived

So, the day after Christmas, I woke up at 5 am, got a VERY large cup of coffee and headed down to the location of the aid station I would be working in Playa Del Rey - at mile 4.5, on the bike path on the beach (about a quarter mile up from where I lived in Playa for 7 years).  It was dark and cold when I got there.  But, as the sun came up and we (myself and three others - another runner; and a mother and her son who needed volunteer hours) got our aid station set up.  It was a looped course, 6.5 miles out and back, so we would see the half marathoners twice and the full marathoners 4 times.  I've run seven races this year (2 full marathons and 5 1/2's), and I know that aid stations can be very important as you're putting in those long miles so we got prepared (see my post on the Malibu 1/2).

our aid station - ready to go!

Throughout the morning we poured cups of water and Gatorade, passed out Sport Beans and met some really amazing runners on the course.  Everyone was so appreciative of us being out there, I think almost every single person who came by said thank you.  I try to always thank the volunteers at races, but now I realize how much it really means.  Its great to know that you're being appreciated for giving up your time to help someone else through an event.

This wasn't a huge race, only about 150 participants, most doing the half, but they all needed the aid stations as much as participants in huge races do.  It was really special to be a part of such an amazing race, because everyone was out there for the same reason, to do something bigger - whether they were there for themselves or to support the cause, they were there, and they were supporting the cause and Sam (and of course Jack).

Ready for approaching
runners

I can't really fully explain it.  But, it felt really special to be a part of this day. It was great to go out and volunteer for the morning and help others, even in a small way.  It felt like I was banking some good running karma, which I feel like I need right about now (I would like my knee to get back to fully functioning activity soon!).

After the race we packed up and went to a post-race celebration lunch at a great little restaurant in Manhattan Beach - Four Daughters.  The entire day was great.  During the race and after at Four Daughters I got to meet some of the most amazing and special people.  They helped me remember how much I love running and how I can't wait to get back out there again. They were all inspirational in their own ways.  They were enthusiastic and joyful about running and life.  It was special.  Every person I met that day was so friendly and memorable.  This day rejuvenated me in ways I can't explain or describe.  I don't know if it was the volunteering or the actual event, or a combination, but it was one of the best running experiences I've had all year long.

I highly recommend that you get out there an volunteer at an event.  It really made me remember what I love about running and why I started doing it in the first place.  If this event takes place next year I will either participate in it or volunteer again.  Operation Jack wound up being so much more than I ever thought it could be.  And I'm ready to get out there and enjoy running again.  I haven't been enjoying running mostly due to injury, and its frustrating, but I now realize that I've been injured for a reason, to meet these people and volunteer at this event.  So, thank you for everything I got from each of you.

My Other Birthday

This is kind of a long one, but its important to me, it is part of what got me to where I am today.

Every person has a birthday, the day they entered the world.  My birthday is May 15, 1979, I celebrate in some way every year on this day.  Some of us have more than one birthday.  Let me explain.  There is another day that I celebrate, quietly, but still spend time paying attention and reverence to, and that is my other birthday.  My other birthday is today, December 17.  It is the day that, in many ways, I was reborn.  December 17 is the day I got sober, four years ago.  The last time I had a drink was December 16, 2007.  So, for me, December 17 is a very important day, in some ways more important than my actual birthday.

Before I got sober I wasn't an everyday drinker.  I wasn't waking up in the morning needing a drink.  I didn't need alcohol on a daily basis.  I didn't feel withdrawal symptoms when I didn't drink.  I didn't drink a fifth of scotch or endless bottles of wine or a case of beer on a daily basis.  I wasn't what many people consider an alcoholic.  But, being an alcoholic isn't that black and white.  There are a lot of shades of gray with alcoholism.  What makes one person an alcoholic might not be the same thing for another person.  My drinking problem is very specific to me.

A little history... the best I can remember it...

I had my first drink when I was 14.  That might seem young to some people (or a lot of people), but in the beginning I only drank occasionally with friends, at a party.  When I was about 16 (I can't exactly remember) I started drinking more often with my friends.  By our senior year of high school there were parties many weekends at which there would be alcohol.  We would drink and have a good time.  We were a responsible group, we didn't drink and drive, we didn't do anything bad.  I never blacked out.  We were good kids.  I was a good kid.

I got to college and my drinking increased.  At the beginning of college I was struggling with some severe anxiety issues (and in turn depression).  Sometimes drinking would make me forget about or settle my anxiety, other times it would make it much worse.  My drinking habits were not regular.  I steadily drank more and more.  I played drinking games, I went to parties, I went to bars, I did what college students did, I drank and enjoyed myself.  I had my first blackout in college.  It's a scary thing not being able to remember what you did or where you were.  Having a blank spot in your memory is not fun and does not always mean you had a good time.  It's really never okay to blackout, at least not for me.

After college I my drinking escapades continued.  I was in my early twenties, it was what we did.  We would go out to bars, have drinks with dinner, go to parties, and of course get crazy drunk sometimes.  It was all "normal."  I had a couple of times where I blacked out from drinking too much (no, that's not normal, and it could be more than a couple times, I just can't remember, no pun intended).  I had fun with my friends when I would drink.  I would also do stupid things when I was drunk.  Things that I don't like remembering because they are not good memories.  (Remembering those things now is part of what keeps me from having a drink, but the memories can still be embarrassing and/or painful.)

I don't know when exactly things got out of control for me.  I don't remember a specific event that was a turning point or a specific time in my life that was a turning point.  I just remember that it seemed like it was suddenly a problem.  I got to a point where I couldn't go out and have just one drink.  If I had one I'd have three or four or more.  I couldn't stop myself, even when I said I was only going to have one or two, I'd almost always have more and get drunk.  And, I had started drinking by myself, not a ton, but enough to get a good buzz going, a couple of times a week.  I actually don't know how much I was drinking at a time, because I wasn't keeping track.  By this point my bipolar had gotten bad, I hadn't been diagnosed yet, and I was going through stages of deep depression followed by manic episodes.  I didn't know what was going on with me, and the alcohol was a good mask (at least it masked it for me, even if others could see there was a problem).

I remember quite clearly the night I last went out really big, well the beginning of the night at least.  It was for Halloween and I got drunk, blackout drunk.  I woke up in the morning and didn't know exactly where I was, I was with friends so I was safe, but that is still totally unacceptable behavior.  I just didn't seem to know when to say when.  I don't like thinking about that night, because it was a bad time in my life.  I realized during my insanely bad hangover (I know it was truly an awful hangover that lasted a couple of days, but I only have a vague recollection of it, weird) that I had a real problem, and I didn't really think it was with alcohol, I just knew I was severely depressed and needed to go back to the psychiatrist.

I went to the doctor and was put on anti-depressants.  He told me not to drink.  So, I didn't.  Most of the time I'm really good at taking directions and following instructions.  But, in December of that year I went to a Christmas party and figured I could have one or two drinks and it wouldn't be a problem, even on the anti-depressants, even though I knew better.  I hadn't had anything to drink since the blackout night of two months before.  I figured it was no big deal, one drink couldn't hurt.  But, again, I can't ever have just one drink.  I had about 5.  And then I did the one thing I swore I would never do, I drove after drinking.  Thankfully I got home safely and fell asleep.  In the morning I realized I had a problem and I had to stop drinking, for good.

That morning was December 17.  I haven't had a drink since that party.  About two months later I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and put on even more medication.  Now, if I chose to drink it could cause more problems because of all of the medication I take, just more incentive not to drink.

I didn't have to go to rehab or detox.  I just quit drinking.  I have never been to an AA meeting.  I just did it on my own.  I never asked for help, I just stopped.  I will say this, quitting drinking right before the holidays was insanely difficult and AA or something similar might've been helpful.  I wanted to be able to have wine with dinner at Christmas.  It really really sucked to go out on New Year's Eve and not drink.  We went to a bar.  Ugh.  That was a mistake.  All I wanted to do that night was say screw it, give me a drink.  But I didn't.  I made it through the new year and beyond.  I won't lie, it has been incredibly difficult at times, and it still can be.  But, I'm so glad that I've stuck with sobriety.

The good things about being sober:
1. It has made me more clear-headed, happier, more relaxed, a better friend and a better person.
2. I have had some mean hangovers in my life, and it is amazing to never wake up with a hangover.  Now if I wake up and feel like crap I know that I didn't cause it myself.  (Okay, maybe I've woken up after a marathon and felt a bit yucky, but that pain is so worth it.)
3. My bank account thanks me.  It's nice not to spend all that money on alcohol.
4. I always know where I am when I wake up (yes, not knowing where I was happened a couple of times when I drank, not safe or acceptable).
5. I can always get myself home and not have to spend money on a cab.  I don't ever have to depend on someone else to give me a ride.
6. I don't mind going to be early on a Friday night to do a long run on a Saturday morning, I'm not missing out on a night of drinking (if you're not a runner this might seem weird, but for me its nice).
7. I always remember what I did the night before.
8. I can take care of you when you need it.
9. I can get you out of jail or keep you out of jail for the crazy things you might do.
10. I am better.
I could go on and on and on... but you get the idea.

There are also things that suck about being sober, but the list is much shorter.
1. I can't have a glass of champagne to celebrate a friend's wedding or New Year's or something special.
2. I can't have a beer after a marathon or half to celebrate finishing.
3. Hmmm, I can't really think of anything else.

So, clearly the positives far outweigh the negatives.

It is still difficult to stay sober, even after four years.  But, it gets easier.  It's not difficult every day.  But there are days when it takes a lot for me not to have a drink.  But, I know I've made the right choice every time I don't have one.  I have moments where I think that I could probably drink now and it wouldn't be a problem.  But, its those thoughts that make me realize that it would be a problem, and fast; its that same part of my brain that tells me that I feel fine and don't need my medication anymore, clearly that part of my brain sometimes gets a little confused.  I can't EVER drink again.

So, to you, my friends, please understand that when I say I don't want a drink, it always means I can't have a drink.  Please try to remember this.  Don't encourage me to have just one beer with you.  Just one would be my demise.  And good friends wouldn't want this for me.  I don't expect you to always remember that I'm sober, you have your own stuff to worry about.  But, please, occasionally try to remember and not offer me alcohol. 

Please, my friends, understand that for me, going to a bar or a club where everyone is clearly drinking is not going to be fun for me a lot of time.  It just makes me want to have a drink.  I don't mind sometimes going to bars/clubs, I don't mind when I'm at dinner and people are drinking (but don't expect to split the bill evenly, I didn't drink and alcohol is expensive, I don't mind if you drink but I'm not going to pay for your drinks).  I don't always like being around people who are trying to get wasted.  It makes me uncomfortable, in a way that makes me want to have a drink.  But, don't think that this means I don't want to be invited to your nights out on the town, I may not always accept, but understand that this is not because of you, its usually because I'm having a difficult day with sobriety.

I don't mind driving you around when you've been drinking, I'm sober, its fine.  But, please appreciate it, pay for gas (I drive a beast of a car, it devours gas) or parking or valet, or say thank you, and mean it.  And don't expect it.

Please understand that watching you get drunk is only fun sometimes. 

Please don't get judgmental with me because I'm not drinking, I'm not judging you for choosing to drink.

Please don't say things like, "It would be so fun to see you drunk."  No, it wouldn't.  That isn't supportive or kind.  Please try to remember that this is difficult for me and when people try to encourage me to drink it just sucks.  I know many of you met me after I got sober.  Understand, that we probably wouldn't have met if I hadn't stopped drinking, I wouldn't have done the things I've done if I hadn't gotten sober (i.e. - run a marathon or two).

When I drank I didn't know when to say when. I couldn't have just one or two drinks, I would drink as many drinks as I could.  I would drink til I got drunk almost every single time that I drank (in the end).  And now I have found the best solution for me, no drinking at all.

My name is Elisabeth, and I'm an alcoholic.

Please help me celebrate my other birthday by making a donation:  (maybe we can get me halfway to my goal!)
http://pages.teamintraining.org/los/la11/ewallersco

Magic Button

Nearly four years ago I was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder.  When I heard the doctor tell me that diagnosis I just went with it.  I hoped that knowing what was really going on in my head would help me be able to function more normally.  I went with it and started taking the medication religiously.  I did what the doctor said, went to my appointments and carried on with my life.  But, I carried on in a way that was more manageable.  We tried different medications until we found the right combination and then I was set. I've taken the same combination of medications for about 3.5 years.  I just switched out one of my anti-depressants, and I'm still trying to decide if I like it.  But, luckily, medication wise, it's been fairly smooth sailing.  Like I said, my doctor handed me a diagnosis and I went with it.

After I was told I was bipolar I did crazy amounts of research (it's what I do, both of my parents are journalists, I can't help myself, I have to know everything I can).  I read articles online, books, blogs, everything I could to find out the best was of dealing with this diagnosis.  I knew it was the right diagnosis from the start.  I had been up and down for years.  My temper was beyond short, I snapped easier than a twig.  I could sleep for what seemed like days, and feel nothing.  I could spend money I didn't have on things I didn't need without a thought (I know lots of non-bipolar people do this too, but mine was a bit more out of control/excessive).  I had all of these classic bipolar symptoms, and even more.  I did everything I could to try to deal with being bipolar and live a successful, happy life.

More than once I have asked myself who I would be without this diagnosis, who I would be if I didn't have bipolar disorder.  Would I be the same person?  I don't know, probably not.  What I do know is that I am intense, intelligent, incredibly creative, passionate, loving, compassionate, empathetic, and much much more, and I do think that part of it is influenced by the bipolar.  My emotions and feelings tend to be more intense than most people, or at least they feel that way.  I think my levels of emotions are probably the same, but the intensity factor behind them, and the lack of control on my part with respect to these emotions really is the main difference.  When I am un-medicated and not trying to control myself my emotions are wildly out of control.

So, I've always thought to myself, if there was a "magic button" I could push and make this illness, yes illness, go away, would I?  If there was a cure would I take it?  Who am I if I do not have bipolar disorder?  I've thought about this a lot, many, many times, and I don't think I would change it.  If I could completely rid myself of the bipolar I don't think I would.  Of course, there's part of me that would love for all of this to go away.  I hate taking all of the medication, most days its the last thing I want to do, but I do it, because I know I have to (I hate the medication and side effects more than anything else to do with this stupid illness).   I hate when I lose control of my emotions, which happens more often for me than most people.  I hate that my medication determines things I can and can't do (i.e.- running in hot weather, can't do it, I completely fall apart and overheat, I was never like that before).  There are a million reasons I hate having bipolar disorder.

But, I still wouldn't change it if I could.  It is part of me.  It has made me who I am today, a strong, confident, intelligent, creative woman.  Yes, I have a mental illness, or if you prefer, a brain disease.  But, that doesn't make me diseased or bad.  It scares some people.  Sometimes I go on a date and the guy finds out I have bipolar and it clearly changes his opinion of me, and not usually in a good way.  That's usually the last date.  I know it scares some of my former friends, and probably even some of my current friends.  Sometimes it scares me.  I'm scared that if (and when) I have kids, that I'll pass it along to them.  I'm scared that one day I will stop taking my medication and get out of control.  I'm scared that my medication will stop working for me and I won't know how to deal with it. 

But, I know that I'm strong and I'll figure it out and letting myself be scared isn't doing me, or anyone else any good.  I can't let my fears define me.  And, I know everything will be okay, mostly because I have the most amazing family anyone could ever ask for, and friends (the good ones, the ones who will stick by me through anything and already have) who will help pick me back up if I fall.  Without my family and friends I would not be where I am today or who I am today.  They are the most important part of my life.

So, the short of it, after all that is no, I would not push a magic button and be cured.  This is who I am and it makes me, well, ME.

bad credit... bad employee?

I clicked on my internet explorer at work the other day (as I do everyday) and noticed the following article on the default home page (which I have never changed for some unkown reason).  So, I saw the headline, "How Bad Credit Can Hurt You at Work" and I was curious.  I've heard people say this before, but I've never really given it much thought.  I decided to look at the article and see what it had to say.

Basically the idea of the article is if you have bad credit you'll make a bad employee.  Apparently in these tough economic times, when people are having their homes foreclosed, or are having difficulty making credit card payments - because they are unemployed, or short on cash - we should start looking at their credit to determine if they will be a good employee.  What I don't understand is how does having a bad credit score, or a bad mark on your credit, determine if you will be a good office manager, writer, assistant, chef, doctor, nurse or whatever it is you're trying to be.

I could understand needing to have your credit checked if you're doing something with say MONEY.  And even then, I'm not 100% sure that it's necessary.  If you're applying for a job and they want to check your credit history, and you deal with money and social security numbers, does that mean they think you're goin to steal said money or social security number?  That's a big leap from bad credit to identity theft.

In all honesty, if someone were to check my credit, and it needed to be good to get a job, I'd be screwed.  My credit is terrible, and I know it.  I've been fixing it, a little bit at a time, making payments on things when I can.  But, I don't make much money, so getting everything fixed is difficult.  I have no credit cards right now, no car payment.  But, still my credit is bad.  There's a reason its bad, its my own fault, but there is an explanation for the whole thing.  I won't go into it right now, because that's not the point of this post.  But, there is a reason, as there is for everyone.  To judge someone based on their credit (for a job, not a loan or credit card, cause that makes sense) isn't right or fair.

Having bad credit does not make one a bad prospective employee.  It just makes you bad with money, and that's not even always the case.  If someone can please explain to me why a credit score is important for determining if you need a job, something that makes sense, then I'm all ears.  Because right now it seems wrong and I agree with the lawmakers who are trying to ban employment-related credit checks.

One final thought - how are you supposed to fix your bad credit when potential employers are judging you on that bad credit?  It doesn't make any sense.  You need a job to fix your credit, but someone might want you to have good credit to get a job.  It's that age old problem - we would give you the job if you had the experience, but you can't get the experience if no one gives you a job.

Done rambling.  If you want to check out this article here's the link.  I'm hoping that lawmakers can institute a ban on this nonsense.

http://buildingabrighterfuture.msn.com/?serviceName=article&dataId=24621306&source=msn&GT1=25057