GT, please check your e-mail/PMs!
Lets LOUNE out of cage
Entrails? Eeewwwwwwwwwww.
Rigs, I’m going to be working at a monitoring station for burglar, fire and medical alarm systems. Sounds exciting, huh? Not. It will, however, bring in a paycheck and provide badly needed health benefits. Mr. SCL talked to me last night - I don’t think he really wants me to take the job - but damnit, I’m tired of not having health coverage. I’m tired of toughing it out when I don’t feel good and not getting medications because they cost too much. This plan has 'script coverage, too.
And to be competely honest, I’m tired of sitting at home. I like making jewelry, but I’m not too enthused about the “selling” part. So hi-ho, it’s off to work I go! Starting Monday. Tonight is hockey, tomorrow night is hockey, and Sunday afternoon is the Meet & Greet.
Haze - come on back and give us the gory details. We won’t lecture you much.
Of course it’s not there! It’s all part of a dastardly plot to thwart her from completing her work! Most likely it’s office trolls. I only have experience with hospital gnomes, but office trolls are supposed to be as bad. God’s truth. Double swear.
MBG–I’m too old for you re the special compensation. You like them young and lithe. I’m old and cranky and squishy in certain places.
** Lissla**-I need someone more conventional and staid, sadly. My idea of a hot new novelty is to buy a different flavor potato chip. I think I may be the Don Knotts of housewives.
Taters–I used to not to do it with a list (when I was a SAHM), but back then, I knew intimately what was in my cupboard (does that sound vaguely dirty or is it me?). Now, I have no clue if we are out of milk, bread or other staples, so I need the list. I think I’m just bored in general.
I am wasting time until #1 son comes home. I am avoiding my grad school homework. Last Friday I cranked on it, so that I could have a homework-free weekend. That was nice, but there is now too much of it do in one day. I no longer want to master any of this, I just want it to end. Great attitude for learning, eh?
Way to go, scl! I’m with ya on the health coverage. These day’s you better have a good plan or be indigent.
I do my grocery shopping once a week on Saturday morning and I always use a list. Not everthing I buy is on it but the list has stuff that I need. I load up for the week and very seldom return for anything else.
Tonite The Princess[sup]TM[/sup] and I are gonna go order some Eyetalian food and then loiter in the puppy store while we’re waiting. I would never buy from one cause they all come from puppy mills, but that doesn’t mean I can’t go look and squeee! 
Is it quit-o-clock yet?
Oh, don’t get me wrong about the no-list thing. I check to see what’s needed, and definitely buy those items; but my problem is going beyond the “needed” items.
Like I said, I like to try new things, so that’s where I get in trouble.
The dishes are currently washing in the dishwasher. I need to vacuum, dust, etc., so I should start on that…soon.
For the first time since 1984, I really have to look around for healthcare plans. The HMO I belong to raised their bi-weekly premiums yet again. The premiums are now going to cost me $150.00 a pay period. That’s not what really cheeses me though.
Now, in addition to my $15.00 co-pay (which I find perfectly reasonable), I’ll have to pay a ten percent plan co-insurance fee. The problem is, they don’t really explain what that means in terms of actual dollars. So, if I go in for say, oh, I don’t know, a pap smear, what does that really cost me? Does that mean I’m paying an extra $100.00 or $150.00? So much for plain language laws.
I’m paying for what they call the “high option” plan. I pay for that because it includes dental (which isn’t all that great, but it’s something).
They are having a “health fair” next month, so I fully plan to quiz them about what this co-insurance crap really means.
Argh, I hate all of this. Last year, I had planned on purchasing extra dental insurance, UNTIL I found out my HMO had raised my bi-weekly premium an extra $50.00. That pushed the extra dental plan right out of the picture.
I don’t know, maybe this will be a good thing. If I can find a decently priced health plan without outrageous deductibles or co-pays, maybe I’ll be able to afford the extra dental. I’ve found a dental plan that looks pretty good, and I really want to be able to get it. On the other hand, I don’t want to pay over $200.00 every two weeks for health and dental. That’s a pretty big bite.
I guess I should get going with some more chores.
Hi, honeys! I’m hoooooooome!!! 
kisses kisses kisses
I haven’t had a chance to read any of the thread yet - I’ll get caught up this evening, I hope. But I had a good trip, and I’m glad to be back. Especially since I returned to some glorious rain - it’s wonderful!!
I did take time to unload the kiln, and I was bummed to discover some crackage. No explosion this time, but some things I thought I fixed, well… <shrug> I’ll get some pics posted later. And I have blown off the craft show tomorrow. I don’t want to spend the day sitting in a booth on a soggy lawn without side curtains and no guarantee that the weather will clear. Anyway, I’m just too pooped to do what has to be done to get ready, so even if the weather was gorgeous, I might pass anyway.
Off to get caught up. I’ll be back.
Hi FCM! I’m glad you’re back.
The sun is shining here, but it’s most definitely cold.
T-15 minutes 'til the weekend officially arrives. I have no particular plans for it except to sleep in tomorrow.
VBob - I resent that. I know computers inside and out and they do what I tell them. Computers appreciate that sort of thing, y’know, and my work computer knows that most of all after that talking-to that I gave it the last time it screwed up. It knows better than to defy me.
ALSO I AM A STUPID BAG OF FLESH.
[sub]END OF LINE[/sub]
LOUNE - You got entrails in my tea.
And it’s not bad.
pokes LOUNE with a tea-soaked entrail
SCL - Congrats on becoming gainfully employed! New jobs are nervous-making, but always awesome because it’s an end to that damnable job hunt and uncertainty of where your next paycheque is coming from.
Hank - Hey, as long as there are no regrets. (That Guy notwithstanding – something really must be done about him. How is he with ferrets? I mean lots of ferrets?)
LiLi - Contrast is a nice warm day and an ice cold beer. I’ll gladly take that.
And I’ll take the nice cool day and cup of tea or hot chocolate. Why oh why do you choose to live so far north?
Either homemade pizza or black beans and rice for dinner. I’ll ask Mr. Lissar which he prefers whenever he gets home.
(emphasis mine)
I read that as “no egrets” and wondered how egrets and ferrets would get along…
Congrats, SCL on the new job, and good luck on Monday!
And oh BOY! I am home alone!!! laughs My daughter went out to a local mall to see some pro wrestler! I don’t even know when she’ll be back. I’ve already eaten a big PB&J sammich, so I don’t know if I’m even going to fix dinner. 
There’s some leftover beef stew, I’ll probably heat that up later on. (My daughter is allergic to PB and hates it when we even eat it around her.)
I have’t heard from my son recently, but had a dream about him the other night – he had a girlfriend with him, and had come to visit!! He seems to be making out okay on his own, so far from home … I miss him, though.
The political ads have already started up - yuck. 
I abhor them all, but especially the ones where they point out all the “bad” things that the opponent does/has done. Hah, if you want my vote, you’re better off telling me about yourself and what you will do rather than poking at your opponent. Do they think all voters are idiots?! Gah!
Even though it is raining, it is a much needed rain, so I am not complaining. Guess it will be an indoors weekend though, so maybe I’ll make a nice pot of chili and a batch of cornbread. Yeah, that sounds yummy!
YAAAAAAAAAAAAAY SNAKES!!! CONGRATS!!!
I’m up and trying to motivate. I need to shave and brush my teeth then get dressed cause I’m bein’ taken to Logan’s Roadhouse for dindin. That’s good but I’m havin’ a hard time motivatin’ to get ready. Anywho, since I can’t have beerverages before goin’ to work, ol’ y’all know who gets to drink and I can be designated driver. However, tomorrow night we are invitated to a <snerk> wienie <snerk> roast replete with beerverages so it shall be my turn to drink and his turn to be the DD, so I think I got the better end of the deal.
Rigs now do you understand what I meant about what grad school is really all about?
The good thing about da brewry is, since we have to wear ear plugs and such, there’s no inane chatter except in the break room. If you need to talk to somebody on the floor it’s brief cause we have to yell real loud to be heard.
Ok, off to purtify and dress. Somebody is commencin’ to get impatient. Sheesh, can’t a body get all awake first.
[QUOTE=swampbear
Rigs now do you understand what I meant about what grad school is really all about?
[/QUOTE]
Yes, Master, you have taught me well.
I may even start drinking on Tuesday nights.
Home now. The weekend may now commence. Woo!
LiLi - I was born here, and I kinda grew some roots. Stupid photosynthesis. I don’t actually mind some bits of winter, the ones that are relatively mild and where the snow is only six or seven inches deep. Those blistering, blustery days where the cold freezes your nostrils shut and the wind threatens to go all Poltergeist-bathroom-scene on you – those days can fellate a mule.
Rosie - Ferrets being ferrets, the egrets would probably just get pissed off and peck them on the noggin whenever they scurried within range. Then the ferrets would sneak up on them from behind and try to ride them into the sky.
Taters, if it’s available in your area, go with the Met Life dental plan. It’s slightly more expensive but provides a lot more coverage. Our dental office recommended it, and boy were they right.
And we have that coinsurance thing on our health plan – but only for doctors’ bills when an actual hospital inpatient. And as it turned out, it wasn’t that much, even with all the doctors who took care of my from my knee surgery, since federal insurance plans can really negotiate the prices downward. But if you don’t need major medical stuff, it’s probably a good idea to consider switching plans. Is it the federal Blue Cross high option? That’s what we have, and I think my knee surgery cost us less than $500, just for comparison purposes. (Not including physical therapy copays, however.)
That northern Virginia race is really cranking out the hateful, nasty political ads, isn’t is, herbs? Man, I am sick of them. “My opponent wants people to carry guns EVERYWHERE!” “Yeah, well, my opponent ignores her duties to go on boondoggles paid for by DEVELOPERS!” Aargh! Just shut up already!!
Dindin is ready. Off to eat!
Hi everyone! I’ve been giggling my way through the MMP since I got home. Had dinner sort of in the middle there (poached some chicken in chicken broth with leeks and celery and then heated up some naan - yum). Gotta think of some dessert…
Yay for Snakes and her new job!!!
It’s really really important to have health insurance, SCL. I know you’ve been worrying a lot about not having it. Even if you’re in perfect health, the reduced stress will be worth it. Do you get prescription coverage too, or is that too much to ask?
Excellent news on the new job location taxi! I was wondering if you’d find out in time to factor that into your buying decision.
I think Puggy and I are twins as far as grocery shopping goes. Once a week. Almost never in between. I make it up to Trader Joe’s once a month or so. I usually shop on the weekend, usually on Sunday.
Traverse City sounds nice, meli. I haven’t been up there in ages. Glad the counselor could give you some tips. Hope that helps with the anxiety.
So LOUNE, how does it feel to be free? Have you learned your lesson?
So glad it’s the weekend. I’m relaxing tonight. Need to do some cleaning tomorrow and maybe organize some pictures.
Back after a while…::Hugs random Mumpers on the way out::
GT
My weekend does not start until seven a.m. tomorrow. It’s a strange weekend.
Dindin at Logan’s was good. I had me some prime rib. YUMMMMMM!!! Ol’ y’all know who quaffed three huuuuuuuuuuge mugs of beerverage and is in a happy place right now. Ok, actually I just put him to bed. No appreciatin’ though cause in a while I have to go to work. Gray pocket t and blue jeans btw.
rigs drinkin’ helps grad school. Just ask Haze.
Ok, off to snoop around the 'net for a bit.
Later Y’all!
I
am
tie-
erd.
I am taking my pills and getting into bed by 9pm - I have not slept more than 2 hours at a time all week (I managed to get two two-hour sleeps in each night but that just ins’t enough.)
BFF and I are going to a new restaurant for dinner tomorrow night - she couldn’t stop raving aboout the meal she had there a week or so ago and I am sick of the same old yuppie bistro time after time so new place it is. I will tell all upon my return tomorrow night
But first I gotta get up early and gdet into work by 7 - 7:30 at the latest if I want to get out of there on time to meet BFF at the restaurant
but right now, like I said
I
am
tie-
erd!
MT, the MetLife dental insurance was the plan I was looking at. It would cost about $58.00 a pay period. This would be most excellent if I can find a plan that isn’t going to cost me as much as my current health insurance does.
My health insurance is Group Health and is an HMO. The co-insurance applies to clinic/outpatient doctor visits as well; at least that’s how I’m reading it when I go down the pages with all the stuff that’s covered/not covered and what my expenses will be. If it was just inpatient stuff, it wouldn’t be a big deal.
Sigh, this is why I’m going to quiz the reps at the health fair.
I’d have to pay $200.00 bucks a day for inpatient hospital stays, up to $600.00. Seeing as how I don’t plan on entering a hospital soon, this doesn’t bother me to much.
Off to broil some rib-eye steaks.
You shave your teeth? Wouldn’t flossing be easier??
OK, I’ve gotten all caught up. I’m only going to make 3 comments, and the rest of you can be assured the appropriate reactions/hugs/coos/gropes/smoochies have been distributed.
**rosie ** - the reason I emailed you is yours was the first name in my yahoo address book that popped out as a MMPer. Don’t you feel special now?
And now, the two that defy generic greetings:
**Happy ReboDay!!! ** <flinging festive sparkly confetti with wild and reckless abandon>
Congrats, SCL!!! <flinging paper-puncher cutouts with wild and reckless abandon>*
I came home to shaved doggies. **FCD ** got tired of their stinkiness and took them to the groomer yesterday. Scruffy looks so funny! Poor pup. Speaking of the critters, they’ve been following me around - I guess to make sure I don’t leave again.
It’s still raining - yay! And it’s lovely and cool - what a relief after upper 80s in Miami! And while I was gone, **FCD ** also did a dump run and got the flat tire on the van fixed. Too bad about his surgery, tho - the gutters are clogged and overflowing and need cleaning. Oh well - what ya gonna do??
Since I’m not doing the craft show tomorrow, I’ll be describing my Miami adventure in the MMP. Kinda gives you something to look forward to, don’t it?
- isn’t that appropriate confetti for a job-related celebration??