Re: Question-Paula??

I'm not Paula, but it was me that said that. . . I'm not sure if it's
everywhere or just here where I live, but in the local newspaper there
is a section that shows when anybody gets a marriage license, a divorce
decree, or declares bankruptcy. I think they even show outstanding
fines, warrants, and people that are behind on taxes. There is
definitely a section on any arrests that were made, etc. Heck, they
even post all the teacher's salaries! And of course, the obituaries.
So, they pretty much list everything and of course I realize all that is
a matter of public record. And, it is probably designed to be a
motivator. . .you know, so you won't be as likely to step out of line if
you know it'll be in the paper. But, I kind of wish they would make it
a little harder to find out. I think people should have to go to the
courthouse to look stuff like that up, instead of having the broadcast
dropped on their front step every morning. The only thing the paper no
longer posts are births, for safety reasons. I think they should post
deaths and criminal offenses, but forget the rest. Getting a marriage
license, a divorce, or going bankrupt should be private, just like
having a baby.

If it's not bad enough that you have to do this in the first place, then
all your friends and family, your children's teachers, your co-workers
and business relationships and even your acquaintances know it too.
I've thought about how if we do this, then the next time I go to the
doctor or to my hairstylist, I'll know that they have seen it. As a
matter of fact, my hairstylist has mentioned it before. She asked me if
I saw in the paper where someone we both knew had recently filed for
bankruptcy, so it's clear that she looks at that section all the time.
So, if we file, it will be everybody's business except our own. :-(
And, I don't live in a tiny town where everybody knows each other
either. . . There's well over 200,000 people (still not a BIG city I
know, but not a one-horse town either).

Now you see why I was asking if any of the credit counseling/debt
management stuff was worth trying, because I was thinking if that could
prevent us from going bankrupt, it would save us the embarrassment.
But, I keep telling myself if we need to do it, we will, and just think
of Donald Trump. . . Does anybody think less of him these days because
of his bankruptcy some years back? I don't think so, and I know if I
ever had the kind of money he had I would have never wound up in this
position at all. So, if people don't think less of him, and he's a
public figure, then why should I worry what the people around here think
of me. . .I'm a nobody anyway!

~Deanna