• Category Archives Life in the USA

  • 655 and Im very excited.

    Posted on by beno 1 Comment

    We have been looking for a little while, a house has been the goal.
    Not to buy, as you all know, we cant do that on the visa we are on, but to rent.
    It’s been a little tricky because we really wanted something close enough to Amys school such that she could walk to school and back.
    Close enough to my work that I could still come home for lunch.
    No more money than what we are currently paying.
    Oh, and to top it off, we really need it to include a washer, dryer and fridge (to save us having to buy them for a little while)………

    Freddys been looking for a while, and nothing has really shown up….. The new people in the complex had a bit of a scary domestic issue last Sunday morning (~2:30am!) that woke three of us up (Terry can sleep through pretty much anything I suspect) and gave us the shakes.
    Latter that morning, Freddy found a listing that matched everything we needed.
    When I rang, the woman was adamant that credit score would be the ‘only deciding issue’ as to who she would rent the house to. I explained the situation and she was not really interested, but we arranged to view the house any way.
    When we got there, she had changed her tune a LOT. Our credit score was only part of the equation now….. So that was nice……
    More about the house later.

    We paid our $18.50 for her to run our credit report. Unfortunately she cant reveal the full report, but she can tell us our score.
    Now, before I reveal the number (duh), you have to remember that we have only been here a little while, and have only got a credit card (with my own money) and a loan (with my own money), thats it, paying rent, or gas or electricity do not add to your credit score….. in other words, I have been able to do very little to actually get a score, or ‘improve’ it, or find out what it is……
    Anyway, my score is 655….. what does this mean? Glad you asked.
    Here is a cut and paste from the web………..

    A credit score of 800-900 is basically flawless credit. Although I’ve never seen a 900 credit score, scores of 800-850 are a fairly common occurrence.

    A credit score of 720-799 is considered great credit, and will typically result in interest rates and approval rates that a credit score in the range of 800-850+ would yield.

    A credit score of 680-719 is considered good credit. Although it’s not perfect, you should still be able to qualify for most loans and auto or rental leases, although interest rates may be a little higher than those offered to borrowers with excellent credit.

    A credit score of 620-679 are still considered “good” or “ok” by many creditors, though you may see further restrictions and fewer approvals when attempting to get a loan, lease, or a mortgage. Scores at this level are fairly common, and no reason for alarm.

    580-619. This is where “ok” and “good” turn to “bad”. Credit scores in this range are clearly below average, and you will have a difficult time securing a loan, or applying for a credit card.

    500-579. Credit scores in this range are just flat out ugly. If you’ve got a credit score in this range, there’s a good chance you have a major derogatory mark on your credit report such as a collection, charge-off, mortgage lates, a foreclosure, or a bankruptcy.

    So, there you have it, I checked a few sites and they all say about the same thing.
    I have an average credit score after 7 months.
    Two things. 1. Im excited about that (and even more so about the house) and 2. What must you do to have / get bad credit??????


    Life in the USA

  • Hi Ho, Hi Ho, its off to work I go……

    Posted on by beno Comment

    Its hard to call it work…… Its so much fun, Im surprised that its legal.
    Well, Ok, thats probably pushing it, but I have to say, I have not even really started, but I am really enjoying my job as a docent at Mount Palomar Observatory.
    One of the really good things about the ‘job’ is the super commute.
    I take the bike every chance I get…….and here’s why;

    ben riding to work on Palomar

    Click here for a 1024×768 (114kb) version, and here for the full resolution version (4mb).
    (I put the smallest version in (32kb) the blog so my Dad would not cop a big download on his satellite internet….. Hi Dad!).

    How did I get said photo you may well ask……. As it happens, the road up to Mount Palomar is so popular with the bikes that different photographers park themselfs on the side of the road and take photos of pretty much everything heading up or down.
    I pulled over after seeing him, and got his business card. It lead me to his web site, jpimagery.com and from there, you just select the date you were there and buy your photos.
    Somewhere out there in Internet land, there is another photo of me from trip up the day after Labour Day, I plan on stopping at every one I see and get their card to try and find that photo.
    I also want to get one of me scraping the pegs, Amy tells me that sparks come off it when I do, I am interested in seeing if you can see said sparks during the day (she saw them in the night from my last after work ride way too long ago).

    I hope to get the lights updated soon to HID (More on that when it happens) and also there is a small chance I might be able to get a tire pressure monitor. I am really excited about all that, but am also trying to calm myself down, as, beleive it or not, both upgrades look like they are going to come from Australia. (A topic for a future blog). It could take some time, but hopefully before the end of the year.

    I am planing to take my first after work ride in the dark tomorrow night…… more on that no doubt in the next few days……..


    Goldwing Life in the USA

  • Defining the width of the brush.

    Posted on by beno Comment

    A few weeks back I wrote my most ‘touchy’ entry, I’m sure you remember it, the one on Americans, their social and small world view…….
    I actually got three emails from Americans as a result of that entry (this has never happen before)….. two and a half of the emails agreed with me.
    However, all three pointed out that I was seeing things only from a Southern California point of view.
    I raised this idea with one of the guys at work that I feel comfortable talking about this sort of thing with, and he agreed. Its the SoCal way of life.

    So, I am not going to go back and edit the blog entry, it was a ‘true’ reflection of my frustrations and feelings at the time, but I do want to bring the width of the brush back a little and rather than paint ‘all’ Americans that way (which never was my intent, but I can see how I came off sounding like it), I will just say its most strongly felt in good old Southern California!

    I’m told that North of LA things settle down, and East of here, the people are more friendly and open. (I’m lead to believe that their world view does not open up as much as they would think however). Then, it all gets back to the same old same old when you get to the coast, peaking in New York.
    I hope I get the chance to experience it, it would be nice to see it first hand.

    Anyone got any comments on what the ‘faults’ (perhaps ‘traits’ is a better word?) of Australians are? Perhaps its something that you cant see when you are one, you can only see it from an outsider living (and I think you really do need to live here, we saw none of this on any of our holidays here) in the country??


    Life in the USA