The True Story of My Life #1

I'm going to fill the timeline in, but want to get started with background information first. I have maintained my problems began with involvement with the Mt. Angel Monastery/Seminary in Benedict, Oregon. Prior to my meeting some monks there, I had zero problems with anyone, or known "enemies" and my reputation was solid.

I was 24 or 25 years old. For my age, I was somewhat sheltered and extremely naive. In general, people had always been good to me.

I had excellent work references and was constantly head-hunted, for business ventures, companies, and nanny work, and I was at church almost 70% of my free time. After I was a nanny on the East Coast, I went into nanny work on the West Coast, with the DelBalzo's (1995-1996), and then worked for a computer company called CTR, out of Portland, Oregon (1996-1997). CTR did networking and was a full solutions computer company and had about 100 employees. I loved this job because it was something different from nanny work and my private time was respected more. I enjoyed some of professional boundaries of business and the respect I gained.

At CTR, I was the front desk receptionist. I have fond memories of the people there and managed to secure the trust of many employees, who came to me on breaks to gossip and share private secrets, which, they knew, I would share with no one else. And I didn't. I did some sales assistant work and after one year, I was offered a very good sales position, by Bruce Melkonian, with a salary, training, and commissions on top of the salary. While the offer was generous and I knew I'd be good it, I considered the offer carefully. My main concern was that I wanted to go back to college and get into something a little more socially oriented, like social work, teaching, or activism--I knew one can make a difference in people's lives in business, but wanted something different, I thought, and I was worried that once I started on the business track, I would keep climbing and never get off the ladder. Money seemed irrelevant at that time in my life. Money, to me, was a means for going to college to take a job that earned nothing but made me feel like I was making a difference. Before I quit, when other executives quit ahead of me, they tried to head-hunt me, offering me positions with higher pay and rank at their next place of business. I turned down all offers. I was loyal to CTR until I quit to go back to college.

In the space between my auto accident in 1995, and taking the nanny position with the DelBalzo's, less than 3 months after my neck was broken (while I was still in a neck brace), I was extremely active in a church in Northwest Portland called New Song. The Pastor was Pastor Richard Probasco. I volunteered my time to sing in the choir and do solos, to be on staff for jr. high and high school students (my supervisor was Eric Knox), went to Bible studies during the week, and regular formal church at least 3 times a week (2 Sunday morning services back to back for choir, Sunday evening services, and mid-week services with youth). You could say I become quite religious and devoted after my car accident, having felt God gave me another chance at life.

I received very little from the insurance companies, from the accident. I should have hired a lawyer. I received $50,000 total when Mike's insurance company and my own insurance company decided to combine funds to give me $50,000. My medical bills were almost $40,000 but I wrote to the hospitals, asking if they would accept less, given the amount I received from insurance, and the fact that I was told I'll need another reconstructive neck surgery 10-20 years from the date of the accident. I managed, by the kindnesses of doctors and hospitals who reduced their fees, to walk away with about $20,000. I decided to invest in real estate. I was 21 years old. I wanted to buy a fixer upper and resell it to make some money. I had never owned credit cards (still haven't, to this day) but was able to use my payments to utility companies as evidence for good credit, and with a well-written argument to a lender, secured my first loan. There was no co-signer and I did it on my own.

I chose a cute 1920s bungalow in St. John's, Oregon. The neighborhood wasn't great, but it wasn't terrible, and there was some movement in investing out in that area, with potential for appreciation. The house was made like a rock. The best materials were used and it's foundation, floorings, and built-ins were solid. The chimney needed repair (there was a fireplace) and after this was done, I bought the house. I repainted, took out the carpeting and found intricately laid oak floors which I had refinished, and I added creative touches to the house. I also had a bedroom added to the basement, sealed the basement floor and walls myself, and then 2 years later, sold the house, making $20,000 profit. I walked away with $40,000, excellent credit, and plans to invest again and go to college, or do social work and maybe live abroad as a missionary or doing humanitarian work.

The house had 3 bedrooms and I rented two out to friends. While the basement room was being done, I shared a bedroom with my best friend (bunkbeds). It was on Independence Day that I was held hostage, with my 2 roommates, a situation I'm certain I'd be questioned about about as a figment of my imagination now, had there not been 2 other witnesses present.

It was July 4, 2007. The hostage situation happened on July 4, 2007. I don't remember if I was still working for the Del Balzo's or already working at CTR. It happened over one year after the auto accident, at the house I'd purchased with accident money.