This is Jack Briggs, and I am homeless. (1 Viewer)

[Ron-P]

Remember me, folks?

I do Jack, and while you may not remember me, I do remember you. I am so very sorry, beyond words to read your story and what has happened to you. I don't venture out much here anymore as this site has gotten so big but it was Mike who posted a link in the Testy Area 51 thread that brought me here.

My thoughts, my prayers and my hopes are with you my friend. If you need anything, anything at all you please let me know. PM me when you can. I want to see you back, back in full swing. It will happen, I know it.

 

[Parker Clack]

Jack:

Wow! I cannot believe that you have had to go through all this. I was floored when I had to read that
Scooter was living as he had to for awhile and to read that you were in a similar situation really
hit me in the gut.

You talk about HTF and what this community has done for you but let me say this that in the beginning
of HTF Ron and I wouldn't have made it without the generous contributions that members such as yourself
did for us. You volunteered your time and put a lot of effort into making sure that HTF was THE place
on the net where we could all go and hang out and discuss our hobby. I can honestly say that without
members such as yourself HTF wouldn't even exist.

So to see the outpouring of support for one of our own just reinforces what Ron and I have known since
the beginning. We started a place that we could build up a community of people that shared our hobby
and offer a home for them to come to out and play.

Be well and stay safe. We will always be there for you.

Packy

 

[Cees Alons]

Cees:

Did you take that picture?!??

No, I was still listening to those helicopters.

The New York Times had the funniest version:

Did he ask who this Rembrandt guy was, and why his paintings were always so dark? And why did his painting look like a typical gathering of well armed guys here in Boise?

The painting became dark when later generations applied more and more varnish. Apparently Obama told the director of the museum that Rembrandt was his favourite painter since his school days and according to him (the director of the Rijksmuseum) he asked some pretty intelligent questions during a walk around.

Those guys are a militia under our 17-century version of your second amendment. Obama needed those guys, because his own secret service men had a great night in Amsterdam the evening before and weren't all there.

One was found unconscious in the lobby of his hotel, another man was constantly singing "Annette, Annette, escort me to my bed". No one knows what it meant.




Cees





PS: OK, I made the second one up. Apologies to the US secret service.
The man found like what the English call totally pissed (not meaning what it does in US-English) is true, according to several news papers.
C.

 

[Cees Alons]

Jack,

You said some nice words about this community, and indeed it's something to be proud of.

But don't forget, please, that you are a member of this same community, and what people start doing is purely for you, for nice conversations, for great posts you made back then, as well as funny passages and stories many of us enjoyed. (Yes, you can write. To their own advantage some publication should offer you a job a.s.a.p.)

This thread attests to the fact that members are not just putting some notes in an anonymous box. You can be proud of yourself, people intended to give something to you, to help you. Yup, for Auld Lang Syne.

Should Old Acquaintance be forgot, and never thought upon; The flames of Love extinguished, and fully past and gone: Is thy sweet Heart now grown so cold, that loving Breast of thine; That thou canst never once reflect On Old long syne.
That thou canst never once reflect, On Old long syne.


Ha, ha, I'm getting sentimental, but I believe this is important in life.
No goodbye, Jack.


Cees

 

[schan1269]

So there is more than hash in Amsterdam...

Who knew?







sarcasm

 

[schan1269]

While "skirting" politics...

Willie said he'd invite Rick Perry on his next bus trip to Denver...

 

[Jack Briggs]

"No good-bye, Jack," indeed, Cees! You're beautiful, buddy.

And now, let me attempt to post a message without recurrences of "all of you" and excessive comments of love and such. But, however, all that still is there.

Last night, in the shelter, I had to hit the sack (or, rather, the cot) at just after 7 p.m. I was, and still am, that zonked, that overwhelmed by the loving-kindness given and shown to me by this community. And, Cees -- and Packy -- I hear what you gentlemen say. I hear it. I know that I have been a (I suppose, but I'll take your word for it) a "good" member of Home Theater Forum.

Now, reasonably restored to a sense of "there-ness," I guess I can see clearly enough where I need to go with the plans I have made. But before that, let me note that still more contributions have come my way into the Paypal account. So, understand, my amazement at this is only increased. (It will never diminish.)

A question, though: Paypal still has not deposited any small amount into my newer checking account. The paltry but even-steven sum I have in it is still unchanged. This, though, is the third business day since the account was established (on Saturday). So, as I said yesterday, there are two contributions that I cannot access until then. Does anyone have any idea why those Paypal deposits into my checking account might not have occurred yet? Please advise if so. (A hearty "thank you" in advance, kind people!)

I plan to leave the Paypal account as is, for the time being, and not to access any of those funds until I am ready to pick up and move back to Tennessee. And that, folks, will be some time next month, in April. As I said yesterday, for some reason I prefer to let another general relief payment come my way, as well as another month's worth of food stamps payments (the so-called EBT payments). The reason, I suppose, is for back-up purposes, though, given what this community has provided me, the need for such a back-up is questionable. It is just me, the way I am.

Here is what you have done for me, Home Theater Forum: I can return to Nashville (most likely using the free airline ticket that has been offered to me by not one but two members of this unique board. Then, with the funds I have now, I can rent an apartment in Nashville outright (and for a few months, at that -- can you believe it?). Thus, given the better employment prospects in that city, I should be in some sort of job reasonably soon.

My professional background has been editorial: I have been a copywriter, writer, copy editor, and editor all my professional life. However, I am also open to working in a 7-Eleven or flipping 'burgers. To my way of thinking, minimum wage is better than no wage. But the thing is, and to which I keep returning, is this: You, the people of Home Theater Forum, have made this possible.

It is with this sense of being to hold my head up again that I treasure, and it would not have happened without this board and the people who make it happen. So, allow me again to say "thank you."

I do need some input, though, regarding Paypal and this verification process. Why is it taking this long to see any change in my checking account? Any ideas?

As I have been, I will be returning to this post on a daily basis. It is a vital link to my plans. And if anyone here at Home Theater Forum lives in the Nashville area (aka, "Middle Tennessee"), please chime in. I need to get a sense of how much the town has changed since I last saw it in 1987. Though I have been a Big City Boy for nearly three decades now, I know how change can make a place so different. I know, for example, that Nashville has had another office tower erected in downtown since I last lived there. There are more people there now, as well. If any Nashvillians care to enlighten me, please do so.

Meanwhile, many other questions on my part are sure to crop up, and I will be coming here, as I said, on a daily basis to keep up.

My first hour of the day on the library's computer is about up. So I am logging off for the moment, but I will return.

Again, my thanks go out to the beautiful people who are Home Theater Forum. And I so look forward to when I can discuss audio and video equipment and films and discs with the glorious people here again.

So, Cees is right as far as I am concerned -- no more good-byes!

Your friend, always,

Jack Briggs

 

[schan1269]

Paypal says 3-5 days for the verification deposits(not counting weekends).

The FAQ has people saying it took 6 for theirs...

If you haven't seen anything by 6 days...ask Paypal what their holdup is. If you re-instated the account and immediately went to Paypal then, the re-instatement may not have made itself known, so to speak...but that depends if Paypal "got right on it"...

 

[Jack Briggs]

Thanks, Schan, as always. I have not "re-instated" anything regarding the Paypal account (at least, not that I know of). But I still seem to remember that Paypal stated "two to three days" vis-à-vis the verification process. If, though, it is upwards of five days, I will patiently wait. The (paltry) sum in my checking account will allow me to see the small amount Paypal will deposit quite easily.

And, Ron-P, I do remember you. You would be amazed at how many people here I remember. It amazes me further, though, when I look at all those contributions on my account page at Paypal and realize that I do not recognize so many of those names. It simply shows me yet again how so special this incredible place is. As I said in my earlier post, though: I look forward when I can again discuss, say, Mulholland Drive again or get advise regarding whatever LCD-type monitor I will need and such. But, as many of you have said, those days are coming. Thing is, I now believe it. Without you all, though, I probably wouldn't.

Again, with love,

Jack Briggs

 

[Jack Briggs]

... and forgive those typos in the above post!

 

[JohnRice]

Jack, today is the first day it could have appeared. The bank has a say in how long the funds wait to appear. My guess is BoA will wait a longer time rather than shorter. Sorry I got your hopes up, but my funds show up on the third business day, but it is a rather small, local bank and they have much more liberal policies.

 

[Jack Briggs]

OK, people, I have a very basic question, and, based on a communication with Mike Frezon, I think I may have gotten this entire verification process wrong. So, please, anyone who wishes, respond in a simple, step-by-step fashion (as in, first, you do this, then you do that, etc.).

Does Paypal make the deposit into my account or am I supposed to make the deposit from Paypal into my account? I have been waiting for this small deposit to show up in my checking account. Or do I have that wrong? Am I supposed to transfer the amount myself to BofA and then confirm that with Paypal?

I checked my BofA balance again this morning and it still is the same. Have I been waiting all along for something that is not supposed to occur that way? Please advise.

And, when you explain, please tell me how I transfer that amount -- or any amount, for that matter -- from Paypal into Bank of America. I just want to get the verification process over and done with.

Once verified, I can then add those two contributions to the total amount in Paypal. And, then, next month I can go ahead and do the business of getting my 'hind quarters from California to Tennessee. Woohoo!

So, to reiterate, please tell me first which is to happen: Does Paypal make the deposit? And, if so, why hasn't it done so by now? I am supposed to make that deposit, then how do I do it? Then, tell me in the simplest step-by-step fashion (using a 1, 2, 3 or an a, b, c or bullet-points method -- please understand, that state of being overwhelmed still very much is with me).

Other than that, things are going as well as one could expect for a person who has found himself homeless. I am a bit more clearheaded now. And what keeps me going is all of you.

When I am back on my feet -- which I know now I will be -- I look forward to writing a post about the people I have met and seen in the past month and a half, as well as impressions of what life is like when one has fallen below the bottom-most rung of America's economic ladder. You would be amazed -- and some of it is not so good.

For now, though, please answer my questions and do so as if you were speaking to someone with limited mental acuity. I suppose, presently, I am. Not for that long, though. ...

Your grateful friend,

Jack Briggs

 

[Jack Briggs]

Oops, I see that I've made some errors and need to edit the above post. And I cannot tell how or see how one can edit his or her own post at the moment. As I said:

1) Does Paypal make a small deposit into my BofA checking account? If so, why has it not occurred yet? Or do I make the deposit from taking a small amount from the Paypal account and depositing it into my BofA account?

2) If the latter, how, exactly do I do that? That is, transfer a small amount from Paypal to my BofA checking account?

3) Once done, do I enter that amount into the page on Paypal that details the verification process?

Etc., etc.

Thank you kindly in advance.

Again, yours,

Jack Briggs

 

[schan1269]

1) Does Paypal make a small deposit into my BofA checking account? If so, why has it not occurred yet? Or do I make the deposit from taking a small amount from the Paypal account and depositing it into my BofA account?
Has it been 6 days?

2) If the latter, how, exactly do I do that? That is, transfer a small amount from Paypal to my BofA checking account?
IF you went to Paypal and linked your account...then Paypal sends a deposit. Two of them, but under 50 cents.

3) Once done, do I enter that amount into the page on Paypal that details the verification process?
Yes

If it has been 6 days...call Paypal.

 

[Jack Briggs]

Oh, and here's another thing: I did not opt for online banking capability when renewing my, um, relationship with BofA. I can only check by mailed statements or by looking at my checking account amount on an automatic teller. Does this help any further, for those responding? Schan, I see by your response that Paypal makes the deposit(s). But how can I tell the difference between two separate deposits by using only the ATM?

Do I sound confused? To quote a former vice-presidential candidate, "You betcha!"

 

[Mike Frezon]

Jack:

Can you change your mind and opt for on-line banking with BoA?

It would make your life a whole lot easier to be able to instantaneously check your account balance any time that you have internet access.

 

[Jack Briggs]

Hey, Mike: I suppose I could, but the less I have to do with BofA the better I like it (i.e., it's a financial super-giant, a juggernaut ruining the U.S. economy, etc.). But if I must, I suppose I will -- that would have to be tomorrow, though. Yes, you're right; I have to admit it. (When I went into the BofA office last Friday, I felt very bad being there -- hard to explain, and I do not want to run afoul of the basic precepts of discussion here; I was an admin, so's I know!)

So, I will go ahead and speak with a BofA person vis-à-vis online banking. Thank you, Mike. And Schan.

Either way, I see myself returning to Nashville by the middle of next month.

Thank you again, all.

JB

 

[schan1269]

You should be able to print out a transaction receipt from an ATM.

But online access would be easier. You probably don't need to go to the branch to create the access(could be wrong).

If all else fails you can simply walk into the branch and have a teller tell you if there are two Paypal deposits. You don't need their order...just the amounts.

You should also have "phone in" access to your acct via a 1-800.

 

[JohnRice]

Jack, assuming you have started the checking account verification process with PayPal, they should make two deposits of a few cents to the checking account. They will probably also withdraw the same amounts, so the balance of your checking account may not change. You have to view those two transactions either by accessing the checking account online (not an option) or going to a branch and having a teller view the account and tell what the two amounts are. Then you log into your PayPal account and go to My Account>Profile>Update Bank Accounts and it should show your checking account with a link to verify it. You click that and enter the two amounts in the fields and click "Verify". It's still only the fourth business day. Of course, you can call PayPal just to confirm the verification is in process.

 

[Mike Frezon]

It's like Christmas morning!

Sometimes its tough to wait and rip open the presents!