From Sunday Stealing
IF YOU COULD:
Q. Travel anywhere, where would it be?
A. Ireland, Scotland, and England.
Q. Meet anyone, who would it be?
A. I have a pen pal I've been corresponding with over the Internet for 14 years; it would be really nice to meet her in person.
Q. Bring anyone dead back to life, who would it be?
A. Jesus, so he could fix the big mess that has been made in his name. I am pretty sure he didn't mean for so many of the so-called Christians to honor the wealthy, demonize the poor, not want their tax money to feed children, do away with education, or eliminate other "entitlements." I think, in fact, he says the opposite - help the poor, give away all you have, etc. Somehow people have the Pharisees mixed up with Christ.
Q. Be anyone for a day, who would it be?
A. I'm pretty content to just stay me, if that's Ok.
Q. Get anything for free for the rest of your life what would it be?
A. Food.
Q. Change one thing about your life what would it be?
A. My health.
Q. Have any superpower what would it be?
A. The ability to see very far into the future (not the near future, but the far future, like 250 years from now). I am curious as to how we turn out.
Q. Be any animal for a day which would you be?
A. A human being.
Q. Date anyone who would it be?
A. It is sad no one comes to mind.
Q. Change one thing about the world what would it be?
A. I would eliminate guns. All of them.
Q. Live in any fictional universe which would you choose?
A. Middle Earth, of course.
Q. Eliminate one of your human needs which would you get rid of?
A. The one that deals with, um, elimination.
Q. Change one thing about your physical appearance what would it be?
A. I'd weigh a lot less.
Q. Change one of your personality traits which would you choose?
A. I'd be a little less quick-tempered.
Q. Be talented at anything instantly what would you choose?
A. Playing the piano.
Q. Forget one event in your life which would you choose?
A. Some things are better left unsaid.
Q. Erase an event from history (make it so it never happened) which would you choose?
A. I think if you change one thing you alter a great many others, and I would not want that power. I think, though, if I must choose, that never having slavery, which means going way way way back in time, might be a good thing to eliminate.
Q. Have any hair/eye/skin color, which would you choose?
A. I'm okay with what I have, though a little less "soft white" might be nice.
Q. Be any weight/body type, which would you choose?
A. I would weigh about 100 pounds less than I do now, and be athletic.
Q. Live in any country/city, where would you choose?
A. I am happy where I am.
Q. Change one law in your country, which would you change?
A. I'd make voting mandatory.
Q. Be any height, which would you choose?
A. I would like to be about five inches taller, so I could utilize the top shelves.
Q. Have any job in the world, which would you choose?
A. Head of a publishing company.
Q. Have anything appear in your pocket right now, what would it be?
A. A leprechaun that could then grant me as many wishes as I wanted.
Q. Have anyone beside you right now, who would it be?
A. My husband. Always.
Sunday, June 29, 2014
Saturday, June 28, 2014
Saturday 9: I Feel the Earth Move
Saturday 9: I Feel the Earth Move(recommended by Blue County Magic) (That's me!)
1) This song is from the album Tapestry, one of the all-time best-sellers (more than 25,000,000 copies sold worldwide). Is it in your collection?
A. I have certain songs from it in my Amazon cloud. I also sometimes listen to it on youtube. You can hear the entire album here.
2) It's about that glorious passion you feel when you first fall for someone. How many times have you been in love?
A. I think just once, and it became a 31-year marriage in which I am still involved.
3) San Francisco radio stations briefly removed "I Feel the Earth Move" from their playlists after the 1989 earthquake. Have you ever been in an earthquake and literally felt "the earth move under your feet?"
A. I was disappointed when there was an earthquake here in Virginia on August 23, 2011, and I did not feel it. I was driving down the interstate at the time and missed it completely. However, the thing shook the east coast from New York to North Carolina.
4) Carole King is the first and only woman to win the Gershwin Prize for songwriting from the Library of Congress. Here's your chance to brag a little -- tell us about an accolade you have received.
A. I have won eight Virginia Press Association awards for my writing for newspapers. The very first one was for a write-up I did in the first person of a hot-air balloon ride I took in 1986. Another was for a three-part series I did on the failing government in a nearby county. I also have won for sports writing, which is not my specialty. The others have all been in government reporting or feature writing, which are my specialties. A few months ago, I placed in a local poetry contest.
5) Carole wrote "You've Got a Friend," which was a mega hit for her good pal, James Taylor. King and Taylor have known one another for more than 40 years, but have never been romantically involved. Do you have any platonic friends of the opposite sex?
A. Many of my husband's friends are also my friends. One of his cousins is a fellow I can count on if I must. My editor and I are also friends, though there is that business thing going on, but after working together for nearly 30 years how could you not be friends? And there are many others.
6) Like more than 80% of the population, Carole is right handed. Are you right handed, left handed (10%) or that most rare of all, ambidextrous (less than 10%)?
A. I am right handed.
7) One of Carole King's earliest hits was Little Eva's "The Loco-Motion." Little Eva was the teenager King hired to care for her young children. Tell us about a sitter who cared for you when you were little.
A. My grandmother was the babysitter I was with most often. She also had two young boys at home still, including one who was a year younger than I (and he was the youngest of six children; my mother was her firstborn). The other boy was four years older than I was, and then my brother came along, and he is three years younger than I am. So she had her hands full but she took good care of us. When we needed some extra loving, she would pull us into her lap and rock us in her rocking chair, all the while singing, "Daisy, daisy, give me your answer do. I'm half crazy, all for the love of you."
8) Beautiful is the title of the Broadway play about Carole King's life. If we were producing your lifestory, what would you want us to call it?
A. Strong Enough.
9) Carole wrote "Pleasant Valley Sunday," the Monkees' song about conspicuous consumption. When Crazy Sam looks at her crowded shelf of hair products (paraben-free conditioner, keratin-restoring conditioner, hair masque, hot oil conditioner …), she realizes she's guilty of it herself. Have you bought anything recently that you later decided was a waste of money?
A. I have far too many magazine subscriptions. I am trying to either convert them to digital (which is harder than you'd think it would be, especially since many of these were gifts) or let them lapse. The only ones I really want to keep are O!, Writer's Digest, and Reader's Digest. But I also receive the print editions of Redbook, Woman's Day, Taste of Home, Better Homes & Gardens, Progressive Farmer, Onsite Septic Tank Installer (those last two are my husbands, but still), and a few others. They really pile up and I am tired of having to recycle them.
1) This song is from the album Tapestry, one of the all-time best-sellers (more than 25,000,000 copies sold worldwide). Is it in your collection?
A. I have certain songs from it in my Amazon cloud. I also sometimes listen to it on youtube. You can hear the entire album here.
2) It's about that glorious passion you feel when you first fall for someone. How many times have you been in love?
A. I think just once, and it became a 31-year marriage in which I am still involved.
3) San Francisco radio stations briefly removed "I Feel the Earth Move" from their playlists after the 1989 earthquake. Have you ever been in an earthquake and literally felt "the earth move under your feet?"
A. I was disappointed when there was an earthquake here in Virginia on August 23, 2011, and I did not feel it. I was driving down the interstate at the time and missed it completely. However, the thing shook the east coast from New York to North Carolina.
4) Carole King is the first and only woman to win the Gershwin Prize for songwriting from the Library of Congress. Here's your chance to brag a little -- tell us about an accolade you have received.
A. I have won eight Virginia Press Association awards for my writing for newspapers. The very first one was for a write-up I did in the first person of a hot-air balloon ride I took in 1986. Another was for a three-part series I did on the failing government in a nearby county. I also have won for sports writing, which is not my specialty. The others have all been in government reporting or feature writing, which are my specialties. A few months ago, I placed in a local poetry contest.
5) Carole wrote "You've Got a Friend," which was a mega hit for her good pal, James Taylor. King and Taylor have known one another for more than 40 years, but have never been romantically involved. Do you have any platonic friends of the opposite sex?
A. Many of my husband's friends are also my friends. One of his cousins is a fellow I can count on if I must. My editor and I are also friends, though there is that business thing going on, but after working together for nearly 30 years how could you not be friends? And there are many others.
6) Like more than 80% of the population, Carole is right handed. Are you right handed, left handed (10%) or that most rare of all, ambidextrous (less than 10%)?
A. I am right handed.
7) One of Carole King's earliest hits was Little Eva's "The Loco-Motion." Little Eva was the teenager King hired to care for her young children. Tell us about a sitter who cared for you when you were little.
A. My grandmother was the babysitter I was with most often. She also had two young boys at home still, including one who was a year younger than I (and he was the youngest of six children; my mother was her firstborn). The other boy was four years older than I was, and then my brother came along, and he is three years younger than I am. So she had her hands full but she took good care of us. When we needed some extra loving, she would pull us into her lap and rock us in her rocking chair, all the while singing, "Daisy, daisy, give me your answer do. I'm half crazy, all for the love of you."
8) Beautiful is the title of the Broadway play about Carole King's life. If we were producing your lifestory, what would you want us to call it?
A. Strong Enough.
9) Carole wrote "Pleasant Valley Sunday," the Monkees' song about conspicuous consumption. When Crazy Sam looks at her crowded shelf of hair products (paraben-free conditioner, keratin-restoring conditioner, hair masque, hot oil conditioner …), she realizes she's guilty of it herself. Have you bought anything recently that you later decided was a waste of money?
A. I have far too many magazine subscriptions. I am trying to either convert them to digital (which is harder than you'd think it would be, especially since many of these were gifts) or let them lapse. The only ones I really want to keep are O!, Writer's Digest, and Reader's Digest. But I also receive the print editions of Redbook, Woman's Day, Taste of Home, Better Homes & Gardens, Progressive Farmer, Onsite Septic Tank Installer (those last two are my husbands, but still), and a few others. They really pile up and I am tired of having to recycle them.
Friday, June 27, 2014
Farmer 0, Tractor 1
Or maybe it was the creek that won this round?
Not my farmer nor my tractor, but a neighbor's. Oops.
Thursday, June 26, 2014
Thursday Thirteen #350
1. In 1976, I saw a movie called The Other Side of the Mountain. In one scene, the heroine, who had been paralyzed in a skiing accident, showed her boyfriend/fiancé that she could now retrieve a potato chip from a bowl. The boyfriend stood up, incredulous. "Aren't you going to walk again?" he asked. And when she did not answer, he fled, never to return. That scene has stuck with me all of these years.
2. My favorite scene in Dirty Dancing is the one where Baby is practicing her footwork on the bridge, and we get to watch her progress from being stilted and stiff to free and loose. It helps that she is dancing to the song Wipe Out.
3. In the movie Under the Tuscan Sun, my favorite scene is at the end, when the Italian salesman tells the heroine that she has all she had asked for, it just wasn't in the form she expected.
4. When the heroine in Flash Dance does her thing in front of all the judges, and one of the judges claps for her and looks enthused, I break out in a big grin every time.
5. I always cry when the mother deer dies in Disney's Bambi.
6. Forrest Gump always tears me up when his girl Jenny goes back to her old house and begins throwing rocks at it. Later Forrest Gump tells her, while she is cold in the grave, that he bought the property and had the house torn down.
7. One of my husband's favorite movies is The Replacements, starring Kenea Reeves. My favorite scene in the movie is when the whole ball team is in jail and they start singing and dancing to I Will Survive.
8. I always cry near the end of Return of the King when King Aragorn sees the Hobbits bowing to him. He bends down and says, "My friends, you bow to no one," and then he and everyone else bows before the Hobbits. Sheesh, makes me cry just to write it out!
9. In The Fellowship of the Ring, when the ring wraiths first appear and one of them sniffs at Frodo and his friends as they hide beneath a stump, I always jump and am surprised. I've seen the movie at least 10 times.
10. In The Two Towers (yes, I am a Tolkien fan, sorry), I always tear up when the elves march into the Keep, coming with their bows and arrows to help the men battle the orcs.
11. The movie Red Dawn, the one with Patrick Swayze, not the remake, made a big impression on me because I was young when I first saw it. The scene I best remember is the one where the boys watch from a distance as members of their families are executed. It was shocking at the time.
12. The movie Secretariat stays with me because of the tenacity of Penny, the horse owner, and her strong desire to win The Triple Crown. She believes in the horse and in her self. I admire that.
13. The movie SSSS was released in the early 1970s. When I stayed at my grandparents house, I would get up after they went to bed and watch it on the late show. The movie was about an evil scientist who turned a man into a king cobra snake. In the last scene as I remember it, the transformation is complete and the cobra's brother arrives in time to see the snake in a deadly fight with a mongoose.
Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here. I've been playing for a while and this is my 350th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.
2. My favorite scene in Dirty Dancing is the one where Baby is practicing her footwork on the bridge, and we get to watch her progress from being stilted and stiff to free and loose. It helps that she is dancing to the song Wipe Out.
3. In the movie Under the Tuscan Sun, my favorite scene is at the end, when the Italian salesman tells the heroine that she has all she had asked for, it just wasn't in the form she expected.
4. When the heroine in Flash Dance does her thing in front of all the judges, and one of the judges claps for her and looks enthused, I break out in a big grin every time.
5. I always cry when the mother deer dies in Disney's Bambi.
6. Forrest Gump always tears me up when his girl Jenny goes back to her old house and begins throwing rocks at it. Later Forrest Gump tells her, while she is cold in the grave, that he bought the property and had the house torn down.
7. One of my husband's favorite movies is The Replacements, starring Kenea Reeves. My favorite scene in the movie is when the whole ball team is in jail and they start singing and dancing to I Will Survive.
8. I always cry near the end of Return of the King when King Aragorn sees the Hobbits bowing to him. He bends down and says, "My friends, you bow to no one," and then he and everyone else bows before the Hobbits. Sheesh, makes me cry just to write it out!
9. In The Fellowship of the Ring, when the ring wraiths first appear and one of them sniffs at Frodo and his friends as they hide beneath a stump, I always jump and am surprised. I've seen the movie at least 10 times.
10. In The Two Towers (yes, I am a Tolkien fan, sorry), I always tear up when the elves march into the Keep, coming with their bows and arrows to help the men battle the orcs.
11. The movie Red Dawn, the one with Patrick Swayze, not the remake, made a big impression on me because I was young when I first saw it. The scene I best remember is the one where the boys watch from a distance as members of their families are executed. It was shocking at the time.
12. The movie Secretariat stays with me because of the tenacity of Penny, the horse owner, and her strong desire to win The Triple Crown. She believes in the horse and in her self. I admire that.
13. The movie SSSS was released in the early 1970s. When I stayed at my grandparents house, I would get up after they went to bed and watch it on the late show. The movie was about an evil scientist who turned a man into a king cobra snake. In the last scene as I remember it, the transformation is complete and the cobra's brother arrives in time to see the snake in a deadly fight with a mongoose.
Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here. I've been playing for a while and this is my 350th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.
Wednesday, June 25, 2014
Tuesday, June 24, 2014
Strange Visitors
Sunday I received a phone call from a neighbor that there were pelicans on the pond.
He wasn't kidding! There is a huge flock of about 20 down there. We've never had pelicans on the farm before.
I have no idea what they are doing here.
Strange happenings.
Monday, June 23, 2014
Sunset on Friday, June 13, 2014
There is nothing is more musical than a sunset. He who feels what he sees will find no more beautiful example of development in all that book which, alas, musicians read but too little - the book of Nature. -- Claude Debussy
Loneliness adds beauty to life. It puts a special burn on sunsets and makes night air smell better. -- Henry Rollins
Sunday, June 22, 2014
That Probably Doesn't Count
From Sunday Stealing
90 Questions, Part 3
61. Do you like current pop stars?
A. I am not sure who the current pop stars are, but there are probably a few out there I know and like.
62. What is your least favorite chore?
A. Cleaning the toilet.
63. Last place you drove your car?
A. To physical therapy.
64. Ever been out of the country?
A. Yes. I have been to Spain and France and I think there was a plane layover in England, but that probably doesn't count as a visit to a country. It was 35 years ago.
65. Where were you the last time you used a public bathroom?
A. At my favorite restaurant.
66. Could you handle being in the military?
A. Not at this age and with my health. Maybe when I was 18.
67. What is your average cell phone bill?
A. It's about $65. We don't text, we don't download, we use the things for talking on.
68. Who or what are you thinking about right now?
A. Right now I'm thinking about answering these questions.
69. When was the last time you laughed REALLY hard?
A. I laugh a lot and have a wicked sense of sarcastic humor that keeps my friends in stitches.
70. How many pairs of shoes do you own?
A. I have no clue. I have about 5 pair that I wear, the others are just sort of there. They probably need to be donated. I have problems with my feet and that requires replacing my shoes about every six months.
71. Are your toes always painted?
A. Never. I'm allergic to nail polish.
72. How many piercings do you have?
A. Just one in each ear.
73. What are you doing today?
My plan is to eat breakfast, read the Sunday paper, do a little sprucing up around the house, and then read an exciting book about how to eat properly following the FODMAP diet for IBS. Doesn't that sound interesting?
74. Have you ever been gambling?
A. Does playing the state lottery count? If yes, then I have. If you mean in a casino with slot machines, the answer is no. But I would like to.
75. When is the last time you updated your blog?
A. I blog every day.
76. Do you like roller coasters?
A. No.
77. Have you ever been to Disneyland or world?
A. I have been to Disney in Florida. I can never keep it straight whether that's a land or a world, but whichever it is, I was there in 1993.
78. Do you have a favorite cartoon character?
A. Captain Planet and Bugs Bunny are tied.
79. Last thing you cooked?
A. Eggs.
80. How's the weather?
A. We have a lovely morning with azure blue skies and a few fluffy white clouds overhead. The mountains look green and strong, as well as clean from last night's rain shower. A thin veil of fog rises up in the valleys from the creeks, so be careful out there, all of you early-rising motorcycle riders.
81. Do you e-mail more than snail mail?
A. Yes. In this day and age, who doesn't?
82. What's the funniest picture you ever took with your cell phone?
A. The only pictures I have taken with my cell phone were of my old car before we traded it in. It was the only thing I had to take photos with and I wanted a picture before she was gone.
83. Last time you were sick?
A. Sick as in with a cold or flu or something? That would be back in late winter. Sick as in "ya gots sometin' wrong wit ya and the docs don't know what it be" - that's now.
84. What states have you lived in?
A. Just Virginia.
85. Do you wish you could move?
A. No. Though I would seriously like to declutter.
86. Do you take a lot of quizzes?
A. I go through spurts.
87. What is your dream car?
A. I am happy with the one I have now, thank you. My husband, however, would like a red Lamborghini.
88. Have you ever wanted someone you can't have?
A. I suppose we all think about things that might have been or could have been.
89. If you could be anywhere right now where would it be?
A. I'm fine right were I am.
90. Are you happy with your life?
A. I am not miserable. I wish my health were better but other than that, I'm content.
90 Questions, Part 3
61. Do you like current pop stars?
A. I am not sure who the current pop stars are, but there are probably a few out there I know and like.
62. What is your least favorite chore?
A. Cleaning the toilet.
63. Last place you drove your car?
A. To physical therapy.
64. Ever been out of the country?
A. Yes. I have been to Spain and France and I think there was a plane layover in England, but that probably doesn't count as a visit to a country. It was 35 years ago.
65. Where were you the last time you used a public bathroom?
A. At my favorite restaurant.
66. Could you handle being in the military?
A. Not at this age and with my health. Maybe when I was 18.
67. What is your average cell phone bill?
A. It's about $65. We don't text, we don't download, we use the things for talking on.
68. Who or what are you thinking about right now?
A. Right now I'm thinking about answering these questions.
69. When was the last time you laughed REALLY hard?
A. I laugh a lot and have a wicked sense of sarcastic humor that keeps my friends in stitches.
70. How many pairs of shoes do you own?
A. I have no clue. I have about 5 pair that I wear, the others are just sort of there. They probably need to be donated. I have problems with my feet and that requires replacing my shoes about every six months.
71. Are your toes always painted?
A. Never. I'm allergic to nail polish.
72. How many piercings do you have?
A. Just one in each ear.
73. What are you doing today?
My plan is to eat breakfast, read the Sunday paper, do a little sprucing up around the house, and then read an exciting book about how to eat properly following the FODMAP diet for IBS. Doesn't that sound interesting?
74. Have you ever been gambling?
A. Does playing the state lottery count? If yes, then I have. If you mean in a casino with slot machines, the answer is no. But I would like to.
75. When is the last time you updated your blog?
A. I blog every day.
76. Do you like roller coasters?
A. No.
77. Have you ever been to Disneyland or world?
A. I have been to Disney in Florida. I can never keep it straight whether that's a land or a world, but whichever it is, I was there in 1993.
78. Do you have a favorite cartoon character?
A. Captain Planet and Bugs Bunny are tied.
79. Last thing you cooked?
A. Eggs.
80. How's the weather?
A. We have a lovely morning with azure blue skies and a few fluffy white clouds overhead. The mountains look green and strong, as well as clean from last night's rain shower. A thin veil of fog rises up in the valleys from the creeks, so be careful out there, all of you early-rising motorcycle riders.
81. Do you e-mail more than snail mail?
A. Yes. In this day and age, who doesn't?
82. What's the funniest picture you ever took with your cell phone?
A. The only pictures I have taken with my cell phone were of my old car before we traded it in. It was the only thing I had to take photos with and I wanted a picture before she was gone.
83. Last time you were sick?
A. Sick as in with a cold or flu or something? That would be back in late winter. Sick as in "ya gots sometin' wrong wit ya and the docs don't know what it be" - that's now.
84. What states have you lived in?
A. Just Virginia.
85. Do you wish you could move?
A. No. Though I would seriously like to declutter.
86. Do you take a lot of quizzes?
A. I go through spurts.
87. What is your dream car?
A. I am happy with the one I have now, thank you. My husband, however, would like a red Lamborghini.
88. Have you ever wanted someone you can't have?
A. I suppose we all think about things that might have been or could have been.
89. If you could be anywhere right now where would it be?
A. I'm fine right were I am.
90. Are you happy with your life?
A. I am not miserable. I wish my health were better but other than that, I'm content.
Saturday, June 21, 2014
I Listen to the Radio
Saturday 9: Little Red Corvette
(recommended by Smellyann)
No link this week. Prince apparently is very strict about copyright infringement.
1) The subject of this song is frankly sexual. Do you blush easily?
A. Not as easily as I used to.
2) Prince is his real name (Prince Rogers, to be exact). Growing up, his relatives called him "Skipper." Do you have any nicknames within your family?
A. I do, but if I wrote them out, I'd have to kill all of my readers.
3) Prince says he's "obsessed" with Mozart and reads whatever he can find about the composer. What's the last book you read?
A. Heal Pelvic Pain, by Amy Stein. Not very thrilling, is it. I reviewed it here earlier this week.
4) Between Prince and The Beach Boys, the Corvette is a much sung-about car. Tell us about your vehicle.
5) In the 1980s, when Prince was popular, MTV could turn a song into a hit. In 2014, how do you hear new music?
A. I listen to the radio. How's that for old fashioned?
6) In 1982, when "Little Red Corvette" ruled the airwaves, Braniff Airways shocked the travel industry and threw passengers into chaos by declaring bankruptcy. When did you last fly? Did your trip go smoothly?
7) 1982 is also the year Disney opened Epcot. Have you ever been to a Disney park?
A. Yes, see above. In 1993. We were only there for four days which wasn't long enough, but we had a good time.
8) 1982 is the year Cheers premiered. The sitcom was set in a bar where "everybody knows your name." Tell us about your favorite local bar or restaurant.
A. My favorite local restaurant is Shakers, which is in Roanoke near the mall shopping area. They have great baked spaghetti, good sandwiches, and a nice dinner menu. They play 1970s and 1980s music and I feel very comfortable there. I also appreciate that it is not a major chain, so I feel like I'm helping out my community when I eat there.
9) The 1980s were considered a highpoint in professional tennis, with Jimmy Connors and John McEnroe dominating the sport. Do you play tennis?
A. Only on the Wii.
(recommended by Smellyann)
No link this week. Prince apparently is very strict about copyright infringement.
1) The subject of this song is frankly sexual. Do you blush easily?
A. Not as easily as I used to.
2) Prince is his real name (Prince Rogers, to be exact). Growing up, his relatives called him "Skipper." Do you have any nicknames within your family?
A. I do, but if I wrote them out, I'd have to kill all of my readers.
3) Prince says he's "obsessed" with Mozart and reads whatever he can find about the composer. What's the last book you read?
A. Heal Pelvic Pain, by Amy Stein. Not very thrilling, is it. I reviewed it here earlier this week.
4) Between Prince and The Beach Boys, the Corvette is a much sung-about car. Tell us about your vehicle.
A. Happy to. I have a brand new 2014 Toyota Camry SE that I purchased in April. It is white with a black and gray interior. It doesn't have quite as much upfront storage as my 2003 Camry but I am adjusting. It has a backup camera and lots of places for connecting computerized gadgets and smart phones. Which would be great except I don't have a smart phone. Maybe one day.
5) In the 1980s, when Prince was popular, MTV could turn a song into a hit. In 2014, how do you hear new music?
A. I listen to the radio. How's that for old fashioned?
6) In 1982, when "Little Red Corvette" ruled the airwaves, Braniff Airways shocked the travel industry and threw passengers into chaos by declaring bankruptcy. When did you last fly? Did your trip go smoothly?
A. I last flew in 1993. My father gave my husband and me a free plane trip to Florida to Disney World as a combined gift for my college graduation and 30th birthday. He gave us his frequent flyer miles. The trip was fine. Obviously I am not a frequent flyer. I doubt I ever get back on a plane. That's okay with me.
7) 1982 is also the year Disney opened Epcot. Have you ever been to a Disney park?
A. Yes, see above. In 1993. We were only there for four days which wasn't long enough, but we had a good time.
8) 1982 is the year Cheers premiered. The sitcom was set in a bar where "everybody knows your name." Tell us about your favorite local bar or restaurant.
A. My favorite local restaurant is Shakers, which is in Roanoke near the mall shopping area. They have great baked spaghetti, good sandwiches, and a nice dinner menu. They play 1970s and 1980s music and I feel very comfortable there. I also appreciate that it is not a major chain, so I feel like I'm helping out my community when I eat there.
9) The 1980s were considered a highpoint in professional tennis, with Jimmy Connors and John McEnroe dominating the sport. Do you play tennis?
A. Only on the Wii.
Friday, June 20, 2014
Friday the 13th Honey Moon
This is actually the moon set on Saturday, June 14, but that doesn't sound as interesting as the title. I took these early as the moon was going down. Apparently it will be decades before there is another full moon on a Friday the 13th.
Thursday, June 19, 2014
Thursday Thirteen
I am overweight. This is my own fault for not paying attention and for lacking the will power to say no to a chocolate bar. I am owning this. But getting the fat off is something else again. It's especially difficult now that I'm dealing with this weird abdominal issue. A 30-minute visit to Barnes & Noble does me in, so exercise, aside from the physical therapy I'm doing, is not feasible right now. Because I'm not well, I'm not getting out as much. So I'm alone a lot more than I used to be, and I think that makes the bad stuff look even more appealing.
Plus I have ulcers, and that means no 'maters or spicy foods. I've been looking at diets. Diets confuse me and always have. They are like some sort of math only written in alien language. I simply can't figure out why if I eat a pound of fudge I gain more than a pound. I mean, the fudge just weighs a pound, right?
My problem with weight loss books is they go into all of this detail about why their diet works better than others, blah blah. I don't care. I just want a month's worth of foods spelled out for me, breakfast, lunch, dinner, and two snacks, that I can live with, that are healthy and filling, that are fairly easy to fix, and don't cost a fortune. Apparently no one can offer that.
Anyway, here is a list of diets that I've tried or looked at or read books on. I hope I can come up with 13.
1. FODMAP diet. This is my latest one. My gastroenterologist handed me a piece of paper several weeks ago with this word on it, FODMAP, and a list of foods you could eat and a list you couldn't. Here, do this, he said, though you won't be able to stick to it. That was incredibly unhelpful. I've done a little looking online but still couldn't figure it out. I ordered a book. It just came yesterday. I will be reading it this weekend.
2. Atkins diet. My husband likes this one. He did it about 10 years ago now and lost a lot of weight, all of which he gained back once he stopped the diet. That's the trouble with diets. You gain it all back plus 10. I lost weight on Atkins, too, but also got very depressed. I need some carbs.
3. South Beach Diet. I tried this one some years ago, but it had too many foods on it that I couldn't eat. I have a lot of food sensitivities and I think this diet had most of them in it.
4. Weight Watchers. I have done Weight Watchers online a couple of times and in the first several months, I lose weight, but then Thanksgiving comes and that's the end of that. My issue with WW is that it doesn't teach you anything at all about healthy eating, really. I mean, if you want to eat 28 points in chocolate (which would be about 4.5 candy bars, btw) and call it a day, you can do that. And that's not healthy.
5. The Scarsdale Diet. This is an old one. My husband used it 35 years ago when he finished high school. He's always had a little trouble keeping his weight in check, and right before I met him, he went on this diet and he was fine looking, let me tell you. :-)It's a lot like Atkins. Eliminate the carbs.
6. Jorge Cruise. I had never heard of this guy until someone who had just started his diet recommended him. "Oh, I've lost 9 pounds in a week," said the skinny friend who probably didn't need to lose that much anyway. I found his book online for $1.99 so I downloaded it. It's low carb. But it's on my kindle and I have discovered I can't manipulate that like a book. Still might try this one if I can figure out how to get the diet onto a piece of paper. However, above-mentioned friend confided a few weeks later that she and her husband had found it impossible to stick to the plan.
7. The Schwarzbein Principle. This is one of the best diet books I've ever read, even if I couldn't stick to the program or figure it out. I did understand this one more than most. Maybe after I finish the FODMAP book I'll go back and reread this one.
8. The Dash Diet. The Dash Diet is supposed to help with high blood pressure. I don't know if it works because again, I couldn't really get my head around it. This is supposed to be one of the better diets.
9. The Sugar Addict's Total Recovery Program. I have already admitted I'm a sugar-holic, so this seemed like a good idea when I read the book. The most interesting premise was that you needed to eat a high carb like a potato before you went to bed. I actually tried that for a while. I had the craziest nightmares. You ain't had a nightmare until you've had a potato-driven one.
10. Eat Carbs, Lose Weight. This is diet book by Denise Austin. It seemed pretty good.
11. The Writing Diet, by Julia Cameron. Yes, really! A diet for writers. Good advice in here, but no menus. This is more about self-care and mindset, and I need to reread this but I see my copy has gotten musty. I should stick in the freezer a while, ha, to get the musty smell gone. The best thing I took from this book was her acronym of HALT: Don't get too Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired.
Hmm. I've run out of diet books. I only had 11. So here are two diets I've heard of but never tried:
12. Simply Weight Loss. I hear ads for this on my local radio station all the time, and have for years. It must work for somebody. It's herbs and supplements.
13. Jenny Craig, Nutrisystems. We've all seen the commercials. I've never tried either of these because they seem to rely too much on prepared foods, which have a lot of salt in them. My aunt has attempted Nutrisystems and I looked at the labels - way too much sodium for my high blood pressure. But anyway, there they are.
What diets have you tried? Any tips for the chocoholic who is trying to quit?
Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here. I've been playing for a while and this is my 349th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.
Plus I have ulcers, and that means no 'maters or spicy foods. I've been looking at diets. Diets confuse me and always have. They are like some sort of math only written in alien language. I simply can't figure out why if I eat a pound of fudge I gain more than a pound. I mean, the fudge just weighs a pound, right?
My problem with weight loss books is they go into all of this detail about why their diet works better than others, blah blah. I don't care. I just want a month's worth of foods spelled out for me, breakfast, lunch, dinner, and two snacks, that I can live with, that are healthy and filling, that are fairly easy to fix, and don't cost a fortune. Apparently no one can offer that.
Anyway, here is a list of diets that I've tried or looked at or read books on. I hope I can come up with 13.
1. FODMAP diet. This is my latest one. My gastroenterologist handed me a piece of paper several weeks ago with this word on it, FODMAP, and a list of foods you could eat and a list you couldn't. Here, do this, he said, though you won't be able to stick to it. That was incredibly unhelpful. I've done a little looking online but still couldn't figure it out. I ordered a book. It just came yesterday. I will be reading it this weekend.
2. Atkins diet. My husband likes this one. He did it about 10 years ago now and lost a lot of weight, all of which he gained back once he stopped the diet. That's the trouble with diets. You gain it all back plus 10. I lost weight on Atkins, too, but also got very depressed. I need some carbs.
3. South Beach Diet. I tried this one some years ago, but it had too many foods on it that I couldn't eat. I have a lot of food sensitivities and I think this diet had most of them in it.
4. Weight Watchers. I have done Weight Watchers online a couple of times and in the first several months, I lose weight, but then Thanksgiving comes and that's the end of that. My issue with WW is that it doesn't teach you anything at all about healthy eating, really. I mean, if you want to eat 28 points in chocolate (which would be about 4.5 candy bars, btw) and call it a day, you can do that. And that's not healthy.
5. The Scarsdale Diet. This is an old one. My husband used it 35 years ago when he finished high school. He's always had a little trouble keeping his weight in check, and right before I met him, he went on this diet and he was fine looking, let me tell you. :-)It's a lot like Atkins. Eliminate the carbs.
6. Jorge Cruise. I had never heard of this guy until someone who had just started his diet recommended him. "Oh, I've lost 9 pounds in a week," said the skinny friend who probably didn't need to lose that much anyway. I found his book online for $1.99 so I downloaded it. It's low carb. But it's on my kindle and I have discovered I can't manipulate that like a book. Still might try this one if I can figure out how to get the diet onto a piece of paper. However, above-mentioned friend confided a few weeks later that she and her husband had found it impossible to stick to the plan.
7. The Schwarzbein Principle. This is one of the best diet books I've ever read, even if I couldn't stick to the program or figure it out. I did understand this one more than most. Maybe after I finish the FODMAP book I'll go back and reread this one.
8. The Dash Diet. The Dash Diet is supposed to help with high blood pressure. I don't know if it works because again, I couldn't really get my head around it. This is supposed to be one of the better diets.
9. The Sugar Addict's Total Recovery Program. I have already admitted I'm a sugar-holic, so this seemed like a good idea when I read the book. The most interesting premise was that you needed to eat a high carb like a potato before you went to bed. I actually tried that for a while. I had the craziest nightmares. You ain't had a nightmare until you've had a potato-driven one.
10. Eat Carbs, Lose Weight. This is diet book by Denise Austin. It seemed pretty good.
11. The Writing Diet, by Julia Cameron. Yes, really! A diet for writers. Good advice in here, but no menus. This is more about self-care and mindset, and I need to reread this but I see my copy has gotten musty. I should stick in the freezer a while, ha, to get the musty smell gone. The best thing I took from this book was her acronym of HALT: Don't get too Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired.
Hmm. I've run out of diet books. I only had 11. So here are two diets I've heard of but never tried:
12. Simply Weight Loss. I hear ads for this on my local radio station all the time, and have for years. It must work for somebody. It's herbs and supplements.
13. Jenny Craig, Nutrisystems. We've all seen the commercials. I've never tried either of these because they seem to rely too much on prepared foods, which have a lot of salt in them. My aunt has attempted Nutrisystems and I looked at the labels - way too much sodium for my high blood pressure. But anyway, there they are.
What diets have you tried? Any tips for the chocoholic who is trying to quit?
Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here. I've been playing for a while and this is my 349th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.
Wednesday, June 18, 2014
Books: Heal Pelvic Pain
Heal Pelvic Pain
By Amy Stein
Kindle Edition
256 Pages
Copyright 2008
As regular readers know, I have been experiencing chronic abdominal pain since my gallbladder surgery a year ago. The local doctors so far haven't been much help, but it appears I have adhesions or scar tissue and it has affected the muscles in something called the pelvic floor. This is a group of muscles, fascia, and tissue in the area below the belly button ending at the legs. Problems down there are called pelvic floor dysfunction. Apparently about 10 million people have pelvic floor issues but they are often treated as other things. Misdiagnosis is common, from what I can gather.
This book was written by a physical therapist for pelvic floor dysfunction. It offers massage techniques, stretching and strengthening exercises, and general overall health advice for those who might benefit from some attention to that particular body area.
As I am already undergoing physical therapy for my abdominal pain and have been for about 8 weeks now, I was familiar with some of the techniques and was actually pleased (and relieved) to see that they were being used on me.
I wish I had not bought the Kindle version of this book but instead had gone for the hard copy. I have learned recently that nonfiction books are probably better for me than the tree-killing versions. I like to go back and reference and in this book in particular, I would have liked to photocopy a page or two of the exercises to take to my physical therapist. As it was, I tried to show her the exercises as they appeared on my Kindle but that didn't work so well. The Kindle also divides the pages funny and I have found that makes it difficult to consult while trying to do the exercises or massage.
The author emphasizes the need for stress relief and that is something my physical therapist has been emphasizing with me, as well. The author talks a little about diet but I felt that was lacking in detail. However, there are many other books about diet out there.
The exercises in this book would help anyone with just general health concerns, I think, but in particular women with bladder issues, bowel issues, or sexual dysfunction might be interested in taking a look. I think the massage techniques in particular could be helpful to the millions who suffer from Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
Additionally, Stein has just released a video demonstrating the massage techniques and exercises. The video is called Healing Pelvic and Abdominal Pain: The Ultimate Home Program for Patients and a Guide for Practitioners.
I bought the video and have watched some of it. So far I have found it helpful, but I think it might serve physical therapists as a guide more so than patients. However, that judgment might be premature as I haven't watched the entire thing. As an example, she uses some tools such as a massage stick and a massage ball. I use a tennis ball for a massage ball, but I had never even heard of a massage stick. So some kind of discussion about equipment might have been helpful. Also, I am hoping there is a routine in there somewhere that one can follow, like I would do with a Denise Austin video. We shall see. Please be aware I'm still watching the video so these comments could change.
I definitely recommend the book (do get the paperback) if you have any issues that seem related to pelvic floor or the abdomen. It is especially good if you are new to these concerns. Even if this is not what is causing my pain, I think the exercises are helpful.
By Amy Stein
Kindle Edition
256 Pages
Copyright 2008
As regular readers know, I have been experiencing chronic abdominal pain since my gallbladder surgery a year ago. The local doctors so far haven't been much help, but it appears I have adhesions or scar tissue and it has affected the muscles in something called the pelvic floor. This is a group of muscles, fascia, and tissue in the area below the belly button ending at the legs. Problems down there are called pelvic floor dysfunction. Apparently about 10 million people have pelvic floor issues but they are often treated as other things. Misdiagnosis is common, from what I can gather.
This book was written by a physical therapist for pelvic floor dysfunction. It offers massage techniques, stretching and strengthening exercises, and general overall health advice for those who might benefit from some attention to that particular body area.
As I am already undergoing physical therapy for my abdominal pain and have been for about 8 weeks now, I was familiar with some of the techniques and was actually pleased (and relieved) to see that they were being used on me.
I wish I had not bought the Kindle version of this book but instead had gone for the hard copy. I have learned recently that nonfiction books are probably better for me than the tree-killing versions. I like to go back and reference and in this book in particular, I would have liked to photocopy a page or two of the exercises to take to my physical therapist. As it was, I tried to show her the exercises as they appeared on my Kindle but that didn't work so well. The Kindle also divides the pages funny and I have found that makes it difficult to consult while trying to do the exercises or massage.
The author emphasizes the need for stress relief and that is something my physical therapist has been emphasizing with me, as well. The author talks a little about diet but I felt that was lacking in detail. However, there are many other books about diet out there.
The exercises in this book would help anyone with just general health concerns, I think, but in particular women with bladder issues, bowel issues, or sexual dysfunction might be interested in taking a look. I think the massage techniques in particular could be helpful to the millions who suffer from Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
Additionally, Stein has just released a video demonstrating the massage techniques and exercises. The video is called Healing Pelvic and Abdominal Pain: The Ultimate Home Program for Patients and a Guide for Practitioners.
I bought the video and have watched some of it. So far I have found it helpful, but I think it might serve physical therapists as a guide more so than patients. However, that judgment might be premature as I haven't watched the entire thing. As an example, she uses some tools such as a massage stick and a massage ball. I use a tennis ball for a massage ball, but I had never even heard of a massage stick. So some kind of discussion about equipment might have been helpful. Also, I am hoping there is a routine in there somewhere that one can follow, like I would do with a Denise Austin video. We shall see. Please be aware I'm still watching the video so these comments could change.
I definitely recommend the book (do get the paperback) if you have any issues that seem related to pelvic floor or the abdomen. It is especially good if you are new to these concerns. Even if this is not what is causing my pain, I think the exercises are helpful.
Books: The Answers Are Within You
The Answers Are Within You
by Debbie Ford
Read by the author
Copyright 2003
Approximately 6 hours
In this book, Debbie Ford, whom I had never heard of before, writes about how we create our own story - the story of our life - which is not necessarily the reality of who we are.
As a writer, I found this idea very appealing, for it means I can change my tomorrows. Of course there are many random events that affect a person - nobody asks for a car crash or a major illness - but even so, our ideas of who we are can change and we can grow.
This audiobook offers up many meditations and questions that could help someone find triggering events that made them think certain things about themselves. For instance, some long-ago action by a parent or teacher might have given a person low self-esteem. Ford's theory is the self-esteem comes from the story you tell yourself and then believe: the teacher says I am bad, therefore I am bad, for example.
Rewriting your story takes work. She focuses on this rewriting by asking you what you gained from your story. Did thinking you were a bad person strengthen you in some way? Did it make you a better friend or coworker? Have you gone out of your way to be what you think is "good" and what kind of strengths has that brought to your life?
From there, she advocates seeking out your "secret" - the real you, the one hidden by the story we all create about ourselves. This would be the divine you, the one you really want to open up and share with the world.
I thought there were good ideas in this book. I was listening to it in the car so I wasn't able to stop and do the meditations or journaling aspects. I also listened to it over the course of many weeks and I suspect working on this daily would be beneficial.
Ford passed away in 2013, a fact I was not aware of until I began writing this blog post. I was looking to see what else she has written. Her website offers some free meditations and prayers, as well as online courses and training in various related things.
Definitely an interesting listen if you're interested in self-growth.
by Debbie Ford
Read by the author
Copyright 2003
Approximately 6 hours
In this book, Debbie Ford, whom I had never heard of before, writes about how we create our own story - the story of our life - which is not necessarily the reality of who we are.
As a writer, I found this idea very appealing, for it means I can change my tomorrows. Of course there are many random events that affect a person - nobody asks for a car crash or a major illness - but even so, our ideas of who we are can change and we can grow.
This audiobook offers up many meditations and questions that could help someone find triggering events that made them think certain things about themselves. For instance, some long-ago action by a parent or teacher might have given a person low self-esteem. Ford's theory is the self-esteem comes from the story you tell yourself and then believe: the teacher says I am bad, therefore I am bad, for example.
Rewriting your story takes work. She focuses on this rewriting by asking you what you gained from your story. Did thinking you were a bad person strengthen you in some way? Did it make you a better friend or coworker? Have you gone out of your way to be what you think is "good" and what kind of strengths has that brought to your life?
From there, she advocates seeking out your "secret" - the real you, the one hidden by the story we all create about ourselves. This would be the divine you, the one you really want to open up and share with the world.
I thought there were good ideas in this book. I was listening to it in the car so I wasn't able to stop and do the meditations or journaling aspects. I also listened to it over the course of many weeks and I suspect working on this daily would be beneficial.
Ford passed away in 2013, a fact I was not aware of until I began writing this blog post. I was looking to see what else she has written. Her website offers some free meditations and prayers, as well as online courses and training in various related things.
Definitely an interesting listen if you're interested in self-growth.
Tuesday, June 17, 2014
Why Isn't This Fraud?
Having a medical condition that has forced me to delve into the recesses of the health care system has left me perplexed.
I have to wonder why the insurance companies, hospitals, medical device providers, and pharmaceutical companies, aren't all being charged with massive fraud.
"Free market" I guess is the answer, but if so, it is a sucky one and one that I do not accept. Because what is going on in the system in this country is, to be perfectly frank, wrong.
I am going to give you two examples from my own recent history.
In September, I received a CT Scan at one of the local hospitals. My insurance was billed $10,582.80 by the hospital for the procedure (this did not include ER or other tests, this was the CT scan only). The insurance company "allowed" $3,472.13, and that is what they paid as I had already met my out-of-pocket deductibles. (For my readers outside of the US, that is a cap the insurance companies place on policies. Once you pay X amount out of your pocket, then the insurance pays 100 percent of its allowable costs. It's very confusing.)
In April I had another CT scan at an affiliated satellite location with the same hospital. The charge for that scan was $7,949.00. The insurance company "allowed" $2,276.48, and I had to pay 20 percent of that "allowable" cost because I had not yet met my out-of-pocket deductible for this year.
When I go to my insurance company's website and look at their "estimate the costs" link for procedures, the cost for a CT scan of the abdomen with and without contrast (which is what I had), is less than $1,000. Good thing I wasn't depending on that to be right, huh?
How is this possible, you ask? Here's my understanding of it. The hospital "contracts" with the insurance companies and they make agreements about what is acceptable. You and I have no say in this matter. Neither does the government, except with government-paid policies (Medicare/Medicaid).
Obviously the hospital can afford to do a CT Scan for $2,276, the lowest price my insurance company "allowed," and not $10,582, the highest price the health care facility billed.
Read the comments on this website about the costs of CT Scans. One commenter claims to have been charged $252,000 for a CT Scan! Public bilking, anyone?
Here's the second example:
My doctor prescribed a TENS unit to help me with pain and so that I am not taking so many pain killers. A TENS unit sends electrical shocks into your muscles to trick your brain into thinking the spasms and pain aren't there. It helps.
The bill for the TENS was $795.00. The insurance company "allowed" $185, and I will have to pay 20 percent of that amount. The rest of the cost vanishes into thin air.
Last week I received a notice from the TENS unit company that it was time to get new electrodes (little pads that attach to your skin so that the electric current can go into your body). My insurance supposedly will pay 80 percent of the "allowable cost" for these supplies. This is my first time ordering them.
However, because of the "contract" with the company, and what may or may not be allowed, no one can tell me what my cost will be. I will be paying 20 percent of whatever the insurance company allows, as I understand it.
So I could be paying $2 or $200.
The company that sells the electrodes told me over the phone that they could sell them to me at the "out of pocket" cost (i.e., the cost without going through insurance), for $21.60 a pack. A pack, by the way, should last me 10 days. That is a lot of money.
What do you bet they charge the insurance company about three times that amount? And then the insurance company "allows" so much - but will it be less than $21.60 or more? I don't know.
So I asked my physical therapist today if they sell the electrodes by the pack. Why sure they do! For $9 a pack.
Will my 20 percent share on my insurance be more or less than $9 a pack? I don't know.
How am I supposed to make any kind of an informed decision about purchasing these items? How do you work that kind of thing into your budget when you don't know the amounts?
Tell me, somebody please, how all of this - this making up amounts and back-door dealing - isn't one great big fraud being perpetuated upon the American public. We Americans think we have the greatest health care system in the world when it really ranks 38th, right under the health care of Costa Rica and just slightly better than that of Slovenia! Slovenia, for Christ's sake. We are not number one. That would be France. Yes, France.
Health care should be regulated. Free market my ass. F--k capitalism and the so-called Free Market. This is nothing but a rape of the sick, who generally are too ill to fight and advocate for themselves. The greedy shysters in the industry know they can easily take sick people's savings, cars, homes, and lives. What a distasteful and immoral system we have, one that allows such devils to prey upon the weak. Blood sucking leeches, every last one of them, and they all should be behind bars serving time in jail.
This is why we need real health care reform, one with regulations, checks and balances, and oversight that keeps people who are ill from having to grow even sicker trying to figure out how to keep food on the table and the lights on.
Unfortunately, fraud is legal in US health care, where only dollar bills count and people are just so much chum in the ocean filled with sharks.
I have to wonder why the insurance companies, hospitals, medical device providers, and pharmaceutical companies, aren't all being charged with massive fraud.
"Free market" I guess is the answer, but if so, it is a sucky one and one that I do not accept. Because what is going on in the system in this country is, to be perfectly frank, wrong.
I am going to give you two examples from my own recent history.
In September, I received a CT Scan at one of the local hospitals. My insurance was billed $10,582.80 by the hospital for the procedure (this did not include ER or other tests, this was the CT scan only). The insurance company "allowed" $3,472.13, and that is what they paid as I had already met my out-of-pocket deductibles. (For my readers outside of the US, that is a cap the insurance companies place on policies. Once you pay X amount out of your pocket, then the insurance pays 100 percent of its allowable costs. It's very confusing.)
In April I had another CT scan at an affiliated satellite location with the same hospital. The charge for that scan was $7,949.00. The insurance company "allowed" $2,276.48, and I had to pay 20 percent of that "allowable" cost because I had not yet met my out-of-pocket deductible for this year.
When I go to my insurance company's website and look at their "estimate the costs" link for procedures, the cost for a CT scan of the abdomen with and without contrast (which is what I had), is less than $1,000. Good thing I wasn't depending on that to be right, huh?
How is this possible, you ask? Here's my understanding of it. The hospital "contracts" with the insurance companies and they make agreements about what is acceptable. You and I have no say in this matter. Neither does the government, except with government-paid policies (Medicare/Medicaid).
Obviously the hospital can afford to do a CT Scan for $2,276, the lowest price my insurance company "allowed," and not $10,582, the highest price the health care facility billed.
Read the comments on this website about the costs of CT Scans. One commenter claims to have been charged $252,000 for a CT Scan! Public bilking, anyone?
Here's the second example:
My doctor prescribed a TENS unit to help me with pain and so that I am not taking so many pain killers. A TENS unit sends electrical shocks into your muscles to trick your brain into thinking the spasms and pain aren't there. It helps.
The bill for the TENS was $795.00. The insurance company "allowed" $185, and I will have to pay 20 percent of that amount. The rest of the cost vanishes into thin air.
Last week I received a notice from the TENS unit company that it was time to get new electrodes (little pads that attach to your skin so that the electric current can go into your body). My insurance supposedly will pay 80 percent of the "allowable cost" for these supplies. This is my first time ordering them.
However, because of the "contract" with the company, and what may or may not be allowed, no one can tell me what my cost will be. I will be paying 20 percent of whatever the insurance company allows, as I understand it.
So I could be paying $2 or $200.
The company that sells the electrodes told me over the phone that they could sell them to me at the "out of pocket" cost (i.e., the cost without going through insurance), for $21.60 a pack. A pack, by the way, should last me 10 days. That is a lot of money.
What do you bet they charge the insurance company about three times that amount? And then the insurance company "allows" so much - but will it be less than $21.60 or more? I don't know.
So I asked my physical therapist today if they sell the electrodes by the pack. Why sure they do! For $9 a pack.
Will my 20 percent share on my insurance be more or less than $9 a pack? I don't know.
How am I supposed to make any kind of an informed decision about purchasing these items? How do you work that kind of thing into your budget when you don't know the amounts?
Tell me, somebody please, how all of this - this making up amounts and back-door dealing - isn't one great big fraud being perpetuated upon the American public. We Americans think we have the greatest health care system in the world when it really ranks 38th, right under the health care of Costa Rica and just slightly better than that of Slovenia! Slovenia, for Christ's sake. We are not number one. That would be France. Yes, France.
Health care should be regulated. Free market my ass. F--k capitalism and the so-called Free Market. This is nothing but a rape of the sick, who generally are too ill to fight and advocate for themselves. The greedy shysters in the industry know they can easily take sick people's savings, cars, homes, and lives. What a distasteful and immoral system we have, one that allows such devils to prey upon the weak. Blood sucking leeches, every last one of them, and they all should be behind bars serving time in jail.
This is why we need real health care reform, one with regulations, checks and balances, and oversight that keeps people who are ill from having to grow even sicker trying to figure out how to keep food on the table and the lights on.
Unfortunately, fraud is legal in US health care, where only dollar bills count and people are just so much chum in the ocean filled with sharks.
Monday, June 16, 2014
Trapping Stink Bugs
Stink bugs, an invasive species, began showing up in our area a couple of years ago. They hid in the curtains, behind picture frames, and in places you'd never think to look. They don't like temperatures below 70 degrees.
They come out and crawl on the walls and fly around the lights. Sometimes you are in the middle of doing something and you look down and there's a stink bug. They seem to materialize out of thin air.
This is how I capture stink bugs.
You need a plastic bottle and a pair of scissors.
Cut the bottle several inches from the top; along the label line often works well.
I use my handy kitchen scissors for this. I suppose you could also use a pocket knife or something.
Once you have the bottle cut, you invert the top (take the lid off the bottle) and place it down in the bottle to create a funnel.
Then you go around the room and collect stink bugs. I usually tap them into the bottle with a pencil (using the eraser end so as not to damage the walls). They can't climb back out because the inverted funnel creates a barrier they can't cross when they climb up the sides of the bottle.
You can also stick a little water and Dawn in the bottom. That will kill the bugs. I'm told Pinesol also works well for this, and does a better job of covering up any stinky stink bug odor, too, but I haven't tried it.
Recently we discovered this stuff and sprayed it around all the doors and windows. I have seen fewer stink bugs indoors since we did that, so it seems to work to keep them at bay.
They aren't gone; I found a lot of them outside over the weekend. They were in my roses, my forsythia, and the garden. Stinky little beasts.
Anyway, if you haven't yet figured out how to deal with stink bugs in your house, maybe this will help.
*No one paid me to endorse a product or talk about stink bugs in this entry.*
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