Never try to pay a sl with a broken back

I'd like to thank people who have already posted their stories on this site.  I'd like to say that I've enjoyed reading them, but that would be a nasty lie.  Thought I might share my own little nightmare with getting some higher education.  Total student loans at graduation were 35,000$, amount I've paid to my sl in the last 8 years 1$.  Only had one year's income tax refund siezed to boot.

I freely admit that I f***ed up back in 97, I had graduated that April from the U of Alta with a BA (History) I was working, but couldn't have made any payments, applied for interest relief - exhausted it.  Whatever plans I had for my degree were pooched at the end of August when I broke two vertebre.  Long story short, in pain but can work for 6 months at a time or until my back gives out whichever comes first.  Kinda throws a loop into any payment plans when you're pretty sure that you're not going to last long at any job. 
In the last 8 years I've worked at a hell of a lot of interesting jobs, everything from the doorman at a gay bathhouse to being a collections officer(hey, know your enemies)  BTW I had less crap to deal with when I worked at the tubs, much better working conditions than at FCA (can't come up with a decent curse, wont try). 

So anywho, I finally found out about a federal form for my doc to fill out.  After a bit of an arguement with my doc, the form was filled out properly and now my federal loans are in a "non-active" recovery folder.  The paperwork nightmare was a long and hard slog, if I remember right I succeeded in having the fed loans dealt with (temporarily) back in 2001.  Yayish

As all of you know, that's just the federal portion.  Today I have no idea what I owe to the federal gov, then again, ever since I signed that consolidation agreement I've not been too sure what I owe.  I'm not sure what's happened to the bank's part of the debt, they don't call me about it anymore.  I have a suspicion that my sig other sneeked a settlement in with the bank, but there's no way in hell I'm about to discuss this topic with such a sweety. I know he didn't pay the whole thing off, I ain't dating a millionare. 

So, we get to the final act.  Alberta student loans has now hired CBCL.  A wonderful company that calls me twice a day from the same number.  No actual collection officer calls me, it's a happy computer offering to discuss a business matter with me.  Ever so polite, I'm really happy Ralph's gov't hired these guys, have only spoken to a collection officer from them once.  A mistake that shall not be repeated. 

As I see it, I would like to declare bankruptcy now, but having waited nearly 8 years I can wait until april 2006 to declare banko.  Damn good thing that I left full time studies in 96.  I'm beginning to wonder how the actual bankruptcy hearing will go, I expect that my non-payment will be an issue.  However, I never made more than 19K in any year since graduating. 

Non carborundum illegitimati (hmmm maybe I should check my spelling, never studied latin...)  I botched it when I didn't declare banko just before they changed the rules.  Had just broken my own back (entirely my fault, mountain biking in the river valley, who knew Edmontnon had dangerous trails???)  and was still full of that macho Albertan uhhh, crap.  I'm sure you've met some of the people from alta who are full of it, the ones who've never had any real obsticles in their lives, and think a catastrophe is when a Liberal(closet tory, these days) gets elected.  In a way it's a damn shame I didn't have a lobotomy, then being a conservative I coulda sponged off the tories.