Something needs to be said...... and being that this thread was brought up by another on Christmas, I might as well say it now. After the incidents of the past month it was suggested to me by a number of friends to go see a counselor. I did just that. One thing I have learned though all of it is, I need to stand up for myself in certain situations and I am making a stand now. I was publicly humiliated on this forum and much of what was said was lies. The temptation to let this thing die and move on was there but the lies that were told about me just don't sit well. This post will probably be a little hard to read as so much information needs to be said. I will do my best to have everything in order as to ease some confusion. I feel very petty mentioning much of what you are about to read but I just could not go on any further without defending myself against some of the BS wrote about me. So if you find yourself reading this and saying "OMG, how petty", don't worry I'm right there with ya. My previous post of being relieved was premature to say the least. At the time of those replies I was not thinking clearly. And everything wrote about me had not yet sunk in 100%. Rest assured I have read fully what was wrote and understand it completely.
Tere Salazar and I did become friends while she going through the Apollo fiasco and developed what I thought was a great friendship. So much so, that Cory and I, when Cory had found he lost his job in May of this year were left with 2 options. One was to continue living in Pa and temporarily struggle to keep our place or another option that was presented by Tere. To move in with her family temporarily in Arizona. Regrettably we chose the latter. Tere and I made many plans and discussed many things before the move. Such as employment options and transportation issues. Employment options were presented as being very bright and that was a plus. Transportation was also a plus. Tere said she could and would drive Cory and I anywhere we needed to go since she was a stay at home mom and John could be dropped off and picked up at work, giving her access to a vehicle to do just that. With 2 major concerns out of the way Cory and proceded to make plans to move to Tucson. Since we would be flying we decided to sell pretty much everything we owned. Car, furniture, electronics, the works. We did just that. Also discussed was the dragons. How we would team up and work together on the dragon hobby we both loved. When we had met I was down to one dragon being as I sold all of the others I had. Tere convinced me to stay in the hobby and even gave Cory and me 2 dragons,Calliope and Maia. That said I thought we were both looking forward to something great in Arizona. Before we left Pa I also bought 3 dragons from Vickie Dachiu. Paid for by check from my mothers bank account. Which Tere is full aware of even though she claims the ownership of said dragons were not mine.
Once we got to Arizona everything was great for about 2 days. That is when I found out that Tere had lied and I got to meet the REAL Tere Salazar. She had no intention of driving anywhere as she does not drive unless she absolutely has to and also the fact as she does not know Tucson very well (having never driven it) and did not know where some of the places we needed to go were. Thus making us rely on John who works Mon-Fri and sometimes Saturday 8-12hrs a day. Or on a bus system that we had no idea how to travel on, yet. This is also where I should mention Tere lives on an Air Force base. Davis Montham Air Force Base, Tucson, Az. Let's just say for now that security was an issue as Cory and I were not legally even allowed to be on the base (dragons are not legal either). That point aside we tried to make the best of what I found to be an iffy situation. Cory was fortunate enough to find a job close to the base and on a bus route. I on the otherhand was offered a position off a bus route and many miles from the base. Not an option because Tere would not drive unless she had to. She was the one who told me how far it was from the base (near the airport and according to mapquest 10+ miles away) and told me not to accept it as it would not work out transpotion wise. I turned down that assignment and was not offered anymore from the agency after that. Tere had suggested even before I stepped off the plane and again after Cory found employment of a possibility of her working as well. That with John and Cory both home before evening( or at least one of them) that she too could find a job and she knew just the place. Great news I thought, and we both applied immediately after it was mentioned. This afterall a position she had held and quit 2 times prior to me even moving to Arizona. We both got hired on the spot (part-time) and started working the next day. The job she said I walked out on. Indeed, I did quit, 2 days before I left the state. Her being fired due to my quiting is a bold faced lie. She had told me me that lie the day before I left. Shortly after leaving Arizona I called the commissary to arrange the mailing of my final checks. I spoke with both managers about how I felt Tere getting fired over me quiting was not a legit or possibly legal reason to fire her. I was told by both of them that she had in fact quit, and was not fired as she was claiming. It is true that I told a couple people that I had a job sooner than I did and that I did not live with Tere. Those lies were told at Tere's request simply due the fact that we were legally not allowed on the base and she did not want people to think that our two hobby/businesses were one and the same and that we were pulling a fast one on people.
As far as the bills go........ The services I supposedly demanded to have in order to move, were discussed and ordered before I even got on the plane. It was an issue that was approved by all involved and a "demand" was certainly never issued. I did however say that Cory and I would take care of the cable bill 100% since she said the upgrade WE ALL decided on was not in her budget. A service she later changed from cable to satellite. It is also true that Cory came up with $225.00 a week figure. I was told that $1,100.00 a month would cover all of the expenses and give Tere a fair amount as "rent" and it would also cover all the feeders. Being as since she lives on base and does not pay any rent, electric, water, trash or cooking gas bills. I thought $1,100 was decently fair. Grocery's were another issue. Tere after about 3 weeks of being there started complaining that the grocery bill was $1000.00+ a month for all of us and that Cory and I needed to help out more with grocery's. I wondered how that was possible. Cory and I averaged about $70.00 a week on grocery's back in Pa. Cory only eats once a day and has done that since the day I met him. And added to the fact that Tere shopped at the commissary where the prices are an average of 40% cheaper (on almost all items) than a regular grocery store I just couldn't see how that was possible. But after a few arguments it was conceded that Cory and I needed to help out more with the grocery bill. $1,100 + grocery's + ciggs + incidentals + bus pass + misc...... Needless to say, I saw Cory and I had got ourselves in a bad situation. On the flip side I couldn't help but think that Tere was making out pretty darn good. Cory, when I tried to discuss issues I had concerning this always told me "we came here to help them out and thats what we were going to do." That said, Tere and I had discussed her financial situation before I moved. She was very deep in credit card debt. And was in a cycle of paying all the bills but never gaining any ground. Thus the "we can help each other attitude" I thought all parties involved had at the time of my move. The financial issues within the house were horrible before I even got there and got worse once I arrived. Also the relationship issues that all couples have were very apparent as Tere on the 9th day of Cory and I having been there had a fight with her husband and was packing up her things and the kids and leaving him to go to Texas with her parents. That is when I seriously started to regret ever moving to Arizona.
During the first few weeks of my being there I worked with Tere's dragons on a very high level. I helped her map out a breeding plan and timeline, as well as getting a mouse breeding colony up and going. I purchased roaches as well, to add to her colony to help it out and get better established. Even while still in Pa I had walked her through the first "accidental" breed she created. I say accident due to the fact she bred the dragon too young and was told by the breeder not to breed him until a certain age. The same dragon she continued to breed even after being confronted by it's breeder over the the too young issue. I also ordered feeders for my dragons as well as hers being as mine would not eat everything ordered and I thought nothing of who's dragons were getting fed by who's order. Keep in mind that I only had 1 adult and 3 juvies when I first arrived. Of course not counting the 2 adults and juvie frilled dragon that she gave Cory and I. It was not until the 3rd week that I received the box of MY babies (12) that were hatched out by Vickie. Again I placed another order of feeders when they arrived. They went in 2 10 gallon tanks and remained in them until I moved out 4 weeks later. Meanie was in brumation 95% of the time while I was in Arizona and really could not be factored in on eating anything. Calliope went back to her old cage and Maia remained where she as she never left Tere's possesion. The 3 juvies I had, lived in one of Tere's cages with a couple of her juvies since the sizes were right to house them together. Tere makes it seem as if she spent hours daily, maintaining, cleaning up after and feeding my dragons. In reality it took less than 20 minutes. Her dragons with a head count approaching 30 was where all the time was spent. And never did I feed mine and not feed hers at the same time. I will admit however that I did not scoop poop as often as she did. But honestly I scooped more than my fair share of poop throughout my stay. Another time factor to consider is baths. I have never been one to bathe my dragons, but maybe once a month. Tere gives weekly baths and let me tell ya, it's time consuming.
Another hotbed issue was JnSDragons/B&HDragons basically Shannon and Jimmy from the platinum dragons thread that Tere assused of certain things, recanted, accused, recanted........And I was foolish enough to get mixed up in that and it caused nothing but trouble for me. After the information I had found about them I had decided that I was not going to have anything to do with them. Tere was on very friendly terms with them during the whole time. They were afterall nice enough to pay Mitch Triana (Platinum Dragons) a substantial amount of money to get Apollo back for Tere. To this day they have still not been reimbursed for that as far as I know. I saw that she talked trash on them once the phone was hung up and thought to myself, Yep, I know what kind of friend she is. BTW, This is a thread that when I found out they had a new name on ReptiBid
http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/foru...hlight=Shannon and were selling animals there I responded to. It was brought to my attention by Paul Sage. The next morning when I informed Tere of what I had found out, I was screamed and yelled at and called "The King of Cut Throat". She then went on to say that Vickie was "The Queen of Cut Throat".(That comment made due to Tere's misinterpretation of "Be careful mixing 2 businesses together, as it always seems something happens and one person gets the shaft" that Vickie had said to me and I repeated to Tere not thinking it was major statement. No one was trying to steal anyones business but I certainly now know why she took it that way. A guilty conscience certainly makes you think in ways you normally wouldn't.) Needless to say I was totally shocked at Tere's attitude. I was told while being yelled at that it was indeed Tere who had created the new name for them on ReptiBid because since they were banned they could not. That Jimmy and Shannon had babies to sell and that needed to sell them as they could not afford to feed them and may even themselves wind up homeless. The quilt trip was layed on very thick and the fear of being kicked out was getting stronger. So much so, that I knew that I had a paycheck coming in about 4 days, so I told Tere that I would buy a 3 lot from them to help them out with the intent of reselling them at a later date. I also contacted a few people I knew about a "3 lot for $100.00 if they were interested". Thankfully no one was. I even contacted Chuck Kimmel about a 10 lot for $300.00 as I was told they had sooo many they needed to get rid of. You see Chuck, your assumption that I was trying to sell MY dragons was wrong. I was trying to help someone else out. I will address your post on my thread later on, Chuck. Tere said she was going to buy a 3 lot too. We both placed our bids and she continued to maintain the friendship and bad talk me to them over what I had done because I wanted to "Cut the Throats of the Competition". That is where I pretty much started to hibernate in my room as often as possible praying for freedom. The next day I was confronted rudely about how Tere was going to have cover my bid because I did not send them the money yet. I explained to her that I was going to give them $100.00 for the dragons out of my paycheck coming in 3 days. She continued on about how that wouldn't work because she said the money needed to go to her to pay the credit card bill that she went over the limit on while buying feeders or whatever it was. (Somehow I was responsible for that.) That is where you will find I called upon Paul Sage for a $100.00 loan. I did not originally disclose why I wanted it but I did tell him a lie when I talked to him on the phone. I was just too embarrassed to admit at that time that I had done business with the same people he had told me about. He proceded to send $500.00 to "help me out". I upon reading that he sent $500.00 I emailed him that I could not accept it and was going to refund the $400.00 I did not need. He wrote back saying don't worry about and that I could pay it back once I was more capable. I immediately sent $100.00 to Jimmy and Shannon. The next morning I told Tere that they were paid and she asked how. I told her I sold a dragon to Paul Sage because I didn't want her to freak on me again and a sold dragon seemed like a pretty safe bet. She did not know about the other $400.00 for quite a few more days. I had also worked out a deal with Vickie to get 10 babies from her to resell and make a few bucks on each. That deal combined with Paul's loan made me feel like a million bucks. I would be able to get Cory and I off the base. The next couple days were quite uneventful or so I thought. While I was at work the one night a meeting was held and it was decided that I was going to be asked to leave. The next day, Cory came into the room and told me that Tere and John thought it would be best if I made arrangements to leave. Of course it came as a shock but not a huge one. I asked what him and he said he has been asked to stay and he planned to do just that. That was the big shock that sent me reeling. I sat there numb for a good hour or so until I had to get up and move around. I ended up in the Kitchen talking to her husband John and after we talked I had a little hope that we could perhaps work something out. Fast forward about 3 days to the day after I got my check. Tere comes in to the room and asked if I had cashed it yet. I said no, I was just going to sign it over to you. She then told me that I should use it to buy a plane ticket and that I need to leave. Fast forward a lot of talking, avoidance and trivial BS to the day before Shannon and Jimmy's dragons are to arrive. That is when I informed Tere that I too was expecting a package of dragons from Vickie. I explained to her that I was going to resell them and that we had agreed that what we did with out hobby/businesses was our own business. She really didn't have much to say except that she wish she had known in advance and asked permission. To that I said, we agreed our business is our business and that I really didn't need her permission as they were only going to be here for a short time anyway and she wouldn't even really see them. I had order supplies for their shipping and also ordered feeders for them as well. I also was planning on housing them in the empty baby bins that were made in Cory and I's room. Nothing else was really said by either of us that day but I knew she was flippin mad and the off green color she developed from jealousy was a dead giveaway to her true feelings. The next morning.................We both acted very civil to each other and quite honestly I was having my first good day in quite a while. We were both excited about the pending deliveries and worked quite well together that morning getting things ready and basically being good friends. That is until the first box arrived. The dragons from Shannon and Jimmy were HORRIBLY ILL. It was painfull obvious that they were malnourished and had not been housed properly. Many had nips and bites and a few others had clubbed feet and could not walk. We had purchased only 6 from them but they sent 15 due to Tere wanting to help them out. She was going to house the others until they sold. 2 babies had to be euthanized that day because they were doing so badly, the others were fed, cleaned, fed, fed again and housed to the best of our ability in the baby bins in my room. Then the box I was getting arrived. Upon opening the box we found 12 beautiful, healthy babies. But we had a big problem. Since the babies from Shannon and Jimmy were in such bad condition we decided to keep them completely separate from that room and the baby bins. That is where as Tere stated earlier that we had to work some magic to get them in a house. We used the large tank that we were housing geckos in and another tank that had a male in it. The one remaining gecko was let go outside as that is where we origionally got it from and the male was moved to another cage. Also used was her juvie cage and we put a couple like sized dragons in that cage. Not a major thing to do but it worked out for a temp solution and we were decently happy with the results. However the shock from Shannon and Jimmy's babies conditions pissed us both off. We both felt taken advantage of because the conditions were never revealed or even hinted at and the possibility of contamination our stock existed since we really didn't know what was going on with them. We decided to write Shannon and Jimmy about ti and told them that we wanted refunds and that they either need to have the babies shipped back to them or we would ship them to where ever they needed on our dime. I know that we offered to help but the risk of losing dragons was too great. The BS that was created by all that was unreal but thankfully the babies were shipped out a couple days later. And that is the last I ever seen or heard from Shannon and Jimmy.
Now what makes this post relevant to BOI on her thread which it will be posted on.
Shortly after the babies from Vickie arrived I sold 1 to Jim O. He was told in a phone call that were bred by Vicki and he was looking to get a male and a female and asked me which ones I recommended. I told him that for males I had a couple really nice ones but for females I suggest that he get together with Vickie and get a nice one from her. The ones I had were nice but I thought that he would be better off getting something nicer from her directly. Now, if I was scamming people and doing all I could to get money would I have turned down a sale??? No, I would have sold him a mediocre female and pocketed the money. Also, as far as shipping I told him shipping FedEx overnight would be $15.00 Since the base had an account with Fed Ex and there was a large discount. It costs less than $10.00 (average about $9.50) for Tere to ship an overnight package anywhere in the lower 48 states. So I charged him $10.00 for shipping and $5.00 for supplies. The actual cost to ship. Now another point I would like to make is that the community center where you go to ship via Fed Ex puts no indication of actual cost on the boxes you ship. I could have charged Jim $50.00 + for shipping and since thats average cost for overnight he would have never known and I would have pocketed an extra $35.00 for doing nothing. More proof that I was not out to scam money out of everyone I encounter........ However, I know Tere has accepted that "extra" money made on shipping. Just take a look at her website."Shipping is a flat rate of $45.00. Shipping charge is calculated by the box, not the number of animals purchased. Please note that shipping charges are NON-REFUNDABLE" In her terms it clearly states a flat rate of $45.00. She makes an extra $30.00 on every box shipped. Ethical??? Morally correct??? Something that the "Beardie Mommy of the Year" would do??? You be the judge..... I do know one thing though. At the time I stayed with her she was not Fed Ex certified and had no intentions of being certified. If she was, she would have to disclose what she was shipping. It's not legal to have reptiles on the base to begin with and the base certainly wouldn't allow reptiles to be shipped off base using the bases account.
During that last week in Arizona, Paul had agreed to let me stay with him for a few weeks until I had enough to move on into my own place. I proceeded to tell Tere what was planned and we had a long talk about everything. It was at that point I reveled the extra money Paul had send and she said that things could be worked out if I wanted to stay. I was feeling pretty good about that and even told her I could give her money for the grocery bill that she was complaining about but if I did and she threw me out again next week I would be stuck. I explained to her her that I had to make plans and get help to leave and that if she didn't understand that, that I was sorry but I had to watch out for myself as well. She said she totally understood. The next day we went grocery shopping and I stopped at the ATM and withdrew $220.00 and gave it to her for the groceries. Not because she tricked me into it or had to convince me or ride me, but because I VOLUNTEERED to. She asked me to leave again the next day and I flew out 2 days later.
A few quick side notes...........
You did not witness me telling lies to my mother or asking her for money. Those things never happened and my mother will glady sign on and confirm that if you feel it necessary to continue lying about it. Also she can tell of the phone call you and her shared. You know the one where you told her how helpful I was, and what a great cook I was, or even how much you thanked her for raising such a nice, caring son. Your lies are starting to show through Tere.
I didn't turn your children into racist pigs as you implied. Race is not an issue for me and never will be. If I was indeed racist I certainly would have never moved into your home since a non Caucasian lived there. Lol, I mean honestly, Tere. I would think you had more class than to even mention something like that. But then again I was dead wrong in that thought.
Snack cakes?!?!?! OMG, what petty BS. Tell me Tere, what were the 3 boxes of snack cakes??? I can tell ya, because I have been buying the same 3 types for years. Cory eats the Cosmic Brownies as snacks and eats the Honey Buns as a form of breakfast ( If you can call one them breakfast). I always get myself a box of Nutty Bars. Yes, the Nutty Bars I have mentioned in other threads on fauna. I like them that much........... To insinuate that I stole them from your kids, OMG!!!! Your were truly going for the jugular on that one weren't ya. I was questioned by people on the snack cake issue more than any other thing you mentioned in BS post. Lmao...............stealing Little Debbie's.
And yes, I do use more dishes while cooking than the average person, I guess. I cooked all the time and you know it. I cooked dinners at least 3-4 nights a weeks. And occasionally cooked your kids lunches if you were busy, sleeping or John was running late. I cleaned the kitchen all the time, too. I know you were grasping at straws to make me seem like the devil but your choices make you seem quite unstable. Want me to bring you your pill again??? I know you occasional forget to take it.
Uhhhhhh, of yes, Laundry. Simple thing here. I wait until I have a full load before I wash my cloths. If you send you kids or come in yourself to take my hamper and wash a 1/2 load that has nothing to do with me refusing to wash it myself. Although it was appreciated it was not necessary.
Screwing with your auction was wrong I admit it and once again offer my apology for that but It sure did make me feel a bit better on a very bad day. Now people may understand why I did it. And besides that extra $35.00 you made on shipping should cover any inconvenience you may have occurred due to my actions.
The digital camera issue........... Cory had indeed bought the camera and we both used it. I still needed to use the camera and wanted to bring it with me. BTW Tere, Thanks for the idea of shipping it in the dragon box. Regardless, Cory has it back now. All is well on the digital camera front.
As far as your questions for me go, Tere. I think your actions answered most of them for you. I still don't quite understand what the hell I was thinking when I thought your friendship meant something to me after all this. Rest assured, I do NOT want anything to do with you, not now, not ever. At least now I have told my side and revealed you for your true self as well. I fully expect you to again lie your butt of over this post and I wish you the best of luck. Your the one that will have to sleep with yourself over the lies many of us know you will continue to tell............................ A bit of the pot calling the kettle black I would say.
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