Plus-Size-Diva

So this month is quickly flying by…I can’t believe it’s already the 24th!

Just curious if any one has any special plans for Valentines Day? I doubt we will be doing anything special.

I am wondering, do any of you have sexy lingerie that you bring out on days like this? If so, where’d you get it? I’ve been scowering the net for affordable plus size lingerie and I have to say…not much in the way of ‘affordable’ out there…lol Or maybe I’m just cheap…LMAO!

If you’ve got something planned I’d love to hear what you’re doing…trying to come up with some ideas!

Ok so this is going to be a bit long…I’m not in a good mood and have spent much of my day in tears and am quite pissed off.

As many of you know I recently graduated with my Bachelor Degree in Accounting. I finished in October of 2008. But let me start from back in April or so. While we were on our family vacation in Disney, our first time ever going, I got a phone call from the University I was attending. I got the message when we got back. I called 3 or 4 different times and left messages…no one called me back. Finally in July I got a phone call. The financial aid person told me I had reached my aggregate limit, I had no idea what this meant, or even how I had hit my limit since I had only taken the classes I was supposed to take. So she sent me over a new Mastery Promissory note which I signed and sent back with several more questions since I was still not understanding…

I followed that email with several more and a few more phone calls…nada from the University..I still have the unanswered emails..so then I get a letter saying my student loans funded in September…so I thought things were good and that everything had been taken care of. Well that was so NOT true…

So in October when I am finishing up my last classes and getting excited about actually finishing and getting my degree…10 days before I am due to graduate, I get an email…yep a fricken email saying that I am getting a refund but that I owe the school some more money. I was like WHAT?

So I called them…Here’s what I was told…

I owed $9700! Yep almost 10 grand on top of my student loans and that I don’t get my degree until I pay it! I’m like what?! So I start disputing it. I try to go straight to the financial aid officer…ummm guess what…she no longer works for the company! The girl I ended up speaking with didn’t know what to tell me…so I requested a dean. I start working with him in trying to figure out why nothing was done about this sooner. Guess what…after about a month….he no longer works there! I finally get someone else..They promise to keep in touch with me, and to help me figure out what is going on…I have to keep calling to get updates. Every time I leave him a message, someone else calls me or emails me.

So this goes on and on. A few emails go back and forth, I request a full audit of my account. I get the same piece of paper that I already have…no help there…I request more information about making sure that I wasn’t put into any classes that I didn’t need. I also requested information as to how much they are charging me per credit hour and some other stuff…which they responded to, but not with the answers to my questions.

So today I get an email that in a summed up response tells me that they’ve done their “due diligence” on their end and are sorry about the inconvenience and the frustration but that I need to make arrangements to get that balance taken care of…

Due diligence my ass! What they’ve done should be considered illegal and unethical! I think it’s a crock of shit that a school can do that. They should have tried to get back in touch with me instead of leaving it until 10 days before I graduate and allowing the balance to get so high that I can’t pay it…I mean come on here. I have student loans for a reason!

I will never recommend this school to anyone! Guys if they tell you that all you have to do is sign your financial aid stuff at the beginning of the year and they will take care of it….don’t believe them! Don’t make the same mistake that I did!

I am so stressed out over how I am going to pay the $9700 plus the $43,000 student loans that are coming due in April that I can’t see straight. I am utterly PISSED off!

I would really like to scream “IT’S NOT FAIR” at the top of my lungs! I’ve busted my ass to get my degree to only have the rug ripped out from under me!

THE BRIDAL SALON OF MACY’S-NORTH STATE STREET SPOTLIGHTS DESIGNER GOWNS FOR FULL FIGURED BRIDES WITH BARA LUXE by MARIMO USA TRUNK SHOW

The full figured bride will finally be able to try on the gown of her dreams before she commits to ordering it. On January 23rd and 24th, 2009, the Bridal Salon of Macy’s will host a trunk show specifically for the full figured bride. This first-time event will take place from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Friday and from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Saturday.

Bara Luxe by Marimo USA is a collection of beautifully designed couture gowns that showcase some of the most sophisticated and flattering silhouettes to ensure a proper fit for a full figured bride.

Bridal gown sample sizes have typically been a diminutive 6 or 8, sometimes a 10 but that left out the bride who was size 16 and over. This full figure customer was deprived of seeing how she would look in her selection before her first fitting. Enter Bara Luxe by Marimo USA. This couture bridal collection is designed with proper proportions and features gowns that specifically cater to
the special needs of a plus size bride. This collection comes in luxurious fabrics and laces and will provide bridal
retailers such as Macy’s with a larger sample for brides to try on. For the first time, Macy’s can offer the full figured customer the opportunity to try on her dream dress before she orders it.

WHO/WHAT: The Bridal Salon of Macy’s will host a trunk show of full figure couture bridal gowns at their location featuring bridal gowns by BARA LUXE by Marimo USA.

On January 23rd and 24th, Bara Luxe will provide size 16W, 20W, 24W and 28W samples for try ons. In addition, consumers will also be given 10% off gowns that are ordered during the show. Price of gowns range from $1,500 to $4,000.

WHEN: January 23rd & 24th, 2009
10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Friday and 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Saturday

WHERE: The Bridal Salon of Macy’s
111 North State Street, 4th Floor
Chicago, IL 22314
312-782-3545

Yvonne McClendon, Director of Marimo USA, will provide background information about Bara Luxe and help the bride with her choice as well as wedding plan advice. Yvonne has held various positions in the wedding/bridal industry for 20 years and has been a radio host and author on the subject.

Bara Luxe designer Sakairi will also be on hand to answer any questions that women might have.

For additional information please contact:
Erica Linden Fineberg erica@finebergpublicity.com
Danielle Kappel danielle@finebergpublicity.com
(212) 686-7820

For more information or color images of the collection, please feel free to
contact me.
Best,
Danielle