Bank of America love

I have to say - again - that Bank of America has really come through for me.

From Kim Baldinelli in the State Street branch right on up to the man from the Chairman's office, Matthew Taft, the bank delivered.

I know in today's world, people love to hop around jobs and banks and credit cards, but I've stayed with my BofA accounts and credit cards, inherited by them through BayBank, BankBoston and Fleet.

This week I settled with the bank over my credit card debt - and wow it feels good.

And of course I have to also thank my dad, who made that part possible ...

Between that and finally getting my 2007 tax situation squared away (thanks to my brother-in-law, Phil), I now have nothing to agitate about when I wake up in the morning.

It may be the economy, but the bank could have been much harder on me than they were (although some of the whipper-snappers who called me could have been more polite).

I said it before and I'll say it again: loyalty and longevity have their rewards.

Even with big, "impersonal" banking institutions.

And it helps to have a supportive family.

I still grieve, though, for the people who don't have these familial relationships, or who are hesitant to approach big banking executives. I certainly was.

(So here I have to thank my neighbor, Lisa, who encouraged me to go into the branch and talk to someone, which led me to Kim.)

Hell, I was hesitant to approach my dad. I thought I was way too old for that (and it's not as if he has money sprouting from trees).

I know it's hard for people to talk about their financial situation, but I do hope that I have - by doing so myself - given at least one person some hope or some impetus to straighten things out.

Procrastination and fear do not help. Stand up and fight.