Until it’s time to use the bathroom!!!
Same here. Our insurance etc. will remain the same unless we make a change.
What does NOT carry over is any kind of flex spending account contributions, We have to renew those every year. Which kinda makes sense, as things change from year to year - like this year we put very little into our “limited purpose” account (used only for stuff like vision / dental), but we’re putting in more next year as we expect some expenses. And the HSA amount changes every year so we need to make sure it’s maxed out.
My own gripe today: I got a bill for several thousand dollars from the place I had my MRI a few weeks back. Rather kills the euphoric sense after finding I don’t have breast cancer! Turns out, while the hospital is in-network, their radiology department apparently is not. My insurance paid about 250 bucks. Now I’ve got to use a service they offer that will try to negotiate OON charges. And I’ve got to reschedule an ultrasound to use a different facility.
But to add the cherry to the sundae. I tried to get into UHC’s website today. It wants me to enter a code they text to me. But… the entry field DISAPPEARS as soon as I try to enter the code. Niiiiice.
I’m impressed by how well deer do leaping fences, in general.
I had noticed that my heart was occasionally skipping a beat, and my doctor referred me to a cardiologist, who found nothing significant, even after wearing a Holter monitor for several days. I had a follow-up with her a couple of weeks ago when the EKG now showed definite signs of arterial fibrillation, but she judged that it was not yet serious.
A few days ago I started developing chest pains, and ended up calling 911 (71-year-old male - they told me to always call). EKG on the ride in showed fibrillation, the EKG at the ER showed fibrillation, and the ER doctor ended up shocking my heart back into submission. I’m waiting for my cardiologist to get back to me, but it looks like continuing heart issues will be part of my future.
Driving seems to be becoming a contact sport in my neck of the woods. I was just headed out to lunch and hopped on the interstate to go 1 exit, which happens to be a left hand exit. It’s fun because this is America so the left hand lane is always speeding. Also we are having our first snowfall of the year and the roads are wet (but not icy, fortunately). So as I and a line of cars approached the exit a semi in the middle lane realized late that he wanted the exit, and he was damn well not going to miss it. No turn signal, just moved over with cars right next to him. The car in front of me ended up in the emergency lane. I just had to slam on my brakes and hope the guy behind me could slow up in time. But the important thing is that the truck didn’t have to go up another exit and turn around.
I need a work from home job!
I’m glad you’re getting treatment, @Bookkeeper. I hope you’ll start feeling better.
Re the deer: A neighbor said they would be able to harvest the meat, so I guess that’s a silver lining of sorts.
I have to admit to some small satisfaction at being able to make the latecomers jump through hoops if they want coverage next year. When I get emails, I’ve been giving them very specific directions on how to ask for changes to the open enrollment for 2025. And I’m not allowing them to say, “I just want the same thing,” they have to specifically tell me what they want to enroll in. I’m also happy to call them out on their bullshit excuses for why they didn’t finish. It’s cathartic.
Was sitting in my chair yesterday morning. Suddenly hear a noise outside, and
look up , and there’s a van outside - in my driveway - where my car is parked …
I got out side to see this …
There was no-one around and the doors were locked. The van had obviously
been parked without the handbrake on and rolled down.
Got my camera out and took the pics…
I got back inside to offload the pics to my laptop, then heard a noise outside and saw
through the window someone in the van. I rushed out in time to see the van reverse
out and drive off.
This is the damage … not too bad, but …
BASTARD.
I have reported the incident to the police. Hope they nail the bastard, but i don’t
expect that they will.
That seems like a hit and run to me, and can be serious. In my state, hitting an unoccupied vehicle with your own and not reporting it can even lead to jail time as a misdemeanor (up to 90 days). Not sure how they do things in the UK.
Since you have a photo of the license plate I would hope they could find someone to go after if they give it any sort of priority (that’s a big “if” I know).
Glad the damage seems only cosmetic (which makes since given the vehicle just slowly rolled into it through coasting via gravity). It still sucks.
Yes. It’s hit and run or “leaving the scene of an accident”.
I don’t expect it to be given a high priority.
I think it was lucky it just glanced the side. Although it did also
break the fence panel (under all that growth in the second pic).
If it had hit head on it would have done more damage.
Good point. Hitting it diagonally was probably what kept it from being worse.
Years ago, when my current car was still fairly new, a lady drove into me (she had a stop sign, I didn’t) and hit my car, but because we were both turning left it wasn’t really a head-on collision. The biggest damage I sustained was that the windshield wiper fluid system was broken. (Of all things!) Otherwise it was cosmetic.
I do too. I have mobility and other health issues and I can’t commute anymore.
Non Rant
I work from home. It’s bliss. No commute. No noisy cow orkers. No need to enter a security code to enter the building. No need to enter a security code to enter the bathroom. No sharing a bathroom with cow orkers. No sharing a break room, refrigerator or microwave with cow orkers. The office had a minimal dress code. I don’t event have to meet those low standards now.
One of the leads sent out an e-mail last month asking people who could physically reach the office to come in on a certain day. A VIP of some sort was visiting and they wanted things to look busy. She said that rather than the usual dress code, it would be business casual. She made it clear it was optional. As it was a mass e-mail, and I had no plans to go into the offfice I did not respond. A few days later (While I was on a call helping somebody apply for benefits) the lead called me over the chat function. I had no idea why she was calling. I quickly but politely put the caller on hold and answered the lead. She asked me to come in. She stressed that it was optional. I politely listed the many reasons I did not want to go into the office. She kept trying to convince me. At no point did she offer any reason I should come in- other than to impress some VIP. If you want me to wake up early, spend time and money on public transit, buy new clothes I will almost never wear (The only long pants I own are jeans. Jeans are not acceptable under a business casual dress code. I own one button down shirt. It is with my only suit and tie. I am not sure if the suit is in my apartment or at my GF’s. All the other shirts I own are short sleeve t-shirts) and go through other hassles that are entirely unnecessary for a job whose functions I can and do perform at home, I want something. I understand that she cannot buy me business casual clothing, or pay my transit fares. Could she have offered free pizza or something for those employees who physicaly worked in the office that day? I don’t know. Did she even offer a hearty thank you or a pat on the back? I gave the firmest no I was comfortable giving a superior.
Once, while driving, we saw a right turn that became a U and ended with a small truck nearly slamming into an apartment building. It tore up the lawn and would have done more if the front wheel hadn’t become stuck in a utility vault.
By the time it got free, we had written down the license. (This was before we had iphones.) The police that came out wanted a description of the driver. They said that without that, the owner would just say that the truck must have been stolen. But it was dark and we had been concentrating on making out the license. Now we know.
If that’s a business vehicle, you may have better luck.
Just wanted to say that, after being in a couple of bona fide accidents (that totalled two of my favorite cars in a row), it’s a relief to see a mild fender bender.
That’s not to say I don’t want that driver to get arrested (or blackmailed by pjd.… “Ok, derpwad, five hundred cash and I don’t press charges…”).
Balance billing is legal in your state?
Yes, this is pretty mini, and definitely under “first world problems”, but it still greatly annoys me that M&M is not offering their incredibly addictive white chocolate peppermint variety this year.
Never mind
Never?!?
A few months ago my employer started requiring everyone under one of our VPs to come into the office once a week. The reason given was it was to facilitate collaboration between coworkers. If we had a meeting, we are supposed to have it face-to-face instead of over teams unless it was someone far, far away or outside the company. I barely collaborate with anyone on my team and when working with employees it’s through emails, Teams, or on the phone just like it is with vendors. I get less work done in the office because I’m busy “collaborating” with recruiting, HRIS, administration, and everyone else in HR.
My best guess is they’re getting us used to coming into the office one a week and sometime next year we’ll start coming into the office 2-3 days a week. I’ve already discussed with my supervisor that I don’t want to come in on Fridays so I’m guessing M-F I’ll be in the office. Fortunately because of my position I won’t have to share a desk with anyone else. So at least I’ll have my own space.