I am the kind of person who wants to hear the bad news first, I eat my least favorite thing on my plate first, I like to chase yucky medicine with a spoonful of sugar. So while I am not always Pollyanna and "Oh everything is always lovely" I do like to end with positive, if I can I want to move on with some hope of sweetness after having faced the negative of bitterness. With that in mind I'm going to vent about my insurance maze and then give you links to fun YouTube goodness. Things that make me happy, and have nothing to do with health insurance.
So the insurance debacle is 6 months on and officially no closer to being done than it was when I first brought it up to them 6 months ago (6 months and 4 days ago if one were counting, not that I'm counting) I have called them 10 times in those 6 months, I'm not calling week or even every 2 weeks but I have been trying to keep in touch, get my name back in front of someone, and seeing if there was anything new to tell me. Well this week we received a bill for services that happened last year and I pulled all the paper work out and found that one of the things we received last month was actually a credit. So I had hope that the audit was done. Officially no it is not, but they did pay for services to a 3rd party from the middle of last year that we had already paid. So now I need them to give me credit for an overpayment to them and I have to contact the 3rd party and get a refund for the 'overpayment' I made to them and they are still billing me for things that happened the end of last year after we supposedly met our (very high) deductible. When I found out they paid a 3rd party I kind of lost it on the poor customer service person. I kept saying I know this is not your fault but I am VERY ANGRY and you should probably get a supervisor so I can yell at them rather than yell at you. She did get the supervisor, and that is when the supervisor told me that all these people who over the last 6 months who told me that they were escalating my audit, were actually doing nothing of the sort, they were giving me a number that they wrote a note that I had called and pointed to the audit that was started in October. She then said that she would escalate it to her oversight committee and that she would call me to let me know what was going on. I told her straight up that I didn't trust that since it is exactly what all the other people I had talked to said but I have her name and will ask to talk to her in 2 weeks when I call them back, because so not trusting that she will actually get back to me, ever. GRRRRR.
I did call the 3rd party and they had already found that my account shows an overpayment and they have issued a request for payment and I should see the refund in a month, or so. You know whenever they have enough payments to run a check run.
So now doing research on how to get a hold of the state insurance commission and file a complaint. They are messed up and while I can see the change over of billing software caused this problem in the first place 6 months to work it out is unacceptable.
Ok, happy things now.....
Have you seen all the cool shows on YouTube? They started doing a bunch of original content shows and I have found some that we LOVE!
First up Geek & Sundry it is produced by Felicia Day & Kim Evey the duo who brought us The Guild. So far our 2 favorite shows are The Flog, Felicia's video blog she does different things she want to try like blacksmithing, and Table Top a show hosted by Wil Wheaton where he plays a board game with some friends and the video it. Good times. There is probably language and innuendo that you may not want your younger kids to see, but since I'm clueless we let the boy watch them with us, and he LOVES them.
Next is The Lizzie Bennet Diaries, which is apparently a retelling of Pride & Prejudice and I only figured that out because there is a character called Darcy in it and oh yeah I kind of remember hearing about that name and some 19th century book. yeah, not a book I've read but I'm really enjoying this. So go, look, enjoy.
Now for Crash Course! I just found this in the last 2 days and we love it. One is biology and the other is world history. This one even I get the fact that there are references that some people do not want their kids to see so preview before you let your kiddos watch, that said the boy spent an hour yesterday watching the biology videos.
Then for pure girly fun I am really enjoying Fawn where there are makeup tutorials and a travel show and well other fun things. Michelle Phan is one of the people who started it and I love her makeup tutorials. I feel like I can put on makeup without looking like a clown because of what she has shown me, and so what if she is 20 years younger than me. ;)
And here is a bunch more I love CGPGrey's Channel, The Spangler Effect, Vi Hart, and Simon's Cat
There, happiness spread. Go enjoy and stuff.
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
I am so bad at this parenting thing
Oh I am a bad mother, a bad teacher and overall a bad woman. Or at least that was how I was feeling this morning.
I posted this to FB this morning:
Because let me tell you, yesterday SUCKED. I was ready to send the child to the nearest military school, I was certain he was NEVER going to learn to read, or at least never learn to read from me, and I said out loud that I didn't think I was a very good teacher for him. Which with my child is the same as saying I no longer wanted to be his Mommy, or at least that is how he heard it, with a little bit of if he was just a better child I would still love him. (I am of course guessing all this because while the child will never, ever, ever shut up he will also never, ever, ever talk about his feelings.)
Today I started it with that wish, sadly a bloody mary did not appear and we tried to do school again, and ended up in the same damn argument we have in some form or another. I say do A he says can't I do X? I say no we are doing A. He says well there was that one time you let me do X before doing A why can't we do that now. I say because you then melted down when we had to do A we are not doing X first, then there is crying, usually on both parts. I love that argument, I tried to get my BF to tell me I would miss this argument in 10 years (her boy is 10 years older than mine) She laughed and said, sure, of course you will, then laughed some more, then offered to go get a pedicure with me (hooray something to look forward to), but not go to LA for the weekend (boo).
We get past that argument and then we have the.same.damn.argument but this time I say write X here, but you may look at what you wrote previously, he says can't I write it below what I wrote previously? I say no and start to lose my shit because damn it I have already had this fucking argument with you once today and I am so.........
breathe ami.........
Oh wait, it is totally fine if you write there, it saves paper, gives you more confidence and yes, you may, but of course it does not come out like that, instead it comes out like "Fine" "Write it there" and the boy, thinking we are still in the middle of our normal fight starts to shut down.
I then get us both to breathe and I explain to him that I am the kind of person that likes things done according to the rules, if you tell me where to write I will write there and nowhere else. He is the kind of person who will look at what you tell him and he will look right back at you and say, but what about (insert a million different options or just one that is completely at odds with what was just said)..... and I went on to explain that this is a good thing, this is something that is going to be important as he grows up. I want him questioning why someone tells him to do something. I want him to look at someone and say "Why the hell do you want me to try that drug/drink/donkey" I am raising a boy to become a man in a world where it is all too easy to follow the leader and the leader isn't always right.
So we breathed and we made it through the day without the help of bloody mary or any of her friends, although her cousin beer is calling my name right now. And I think maybe I'm not the worst mother, teacher, woman on the face of the planet. Breathing.
And as a footnote to this, later in the day I was looking at FB and there was one of those side ads for something called Hot Shots and he read it. He read it out loud with no hesitation and with utter confidence. You guys this is HUGE!!!!! he is starting to read, I am helping him learn to fucking read! OMG!!!!!!!! Now, of course he will one day be able to read over my shoulder and I will have to be careful about when I post but for right now HE IS STARTING TO READ!!!!!!!!!
I posted this to FB this morning:
Today I started it with that wish, sadly a bloody mary did not appear and we tried to do school again, and ended up in the same damn argument we have in some form or another. I say do A he says can't I do X? I say no we are doing A. He says well there was that one time you let me do X before doing A why can't we do that now. I say because you then melted down when we had to do A we are not doing X first, then there is crying, usually on both parts. I love that argument, I tried to get my BF to tell me I would miss this argument in 10 years (her boy is 10 years older than mine) She laughed and said, sure, of course you will, then laughed some more, then offered to go get a pedicure with me (hooray something to look forward to), but not go to LA for the weekend (boo).
We get past that argument and then we have the.same.damn.argument but this time I say write X here, but you may look at what you wrote previously, he says can't I write it below what I wrote previously? I say no and start to lose my shit because damn it I have already had this fucking argument with you once today and I am so.........
breathe ami.........
Oh wait, it is totally fine if you write there, it saves paper, gives you more confidence and yes, you may, but of course it does not come out like that, instead it comes out like "Fine" "Write it there" and the boy, thinking we are still in the middle of our normal fight starts to shut down.
I then get us both to breathe and I explain to him that I am the kind of person that likes things done according to the rules, if you tell me where to write I will write there and nowhere else. He is the kind of person who will look at what you tell him and he will look right back at you and say, but what about (insert a million different options or just one that is completely at odds with what was just said)..... and I went on to explain that this is a good thing, this is something that is going to be important as he grows up. I want him questioning why someone tells him to do something. I want him to look at someone and say "Why the hell do you want me to try that drug/drink/donkey" I am raising a boy to become a man in a world where it is all too easy to follow the leader and the leader isn't always right.
So we breathed and we made it through the day without the help of bloody mary or any of her friends, although her cousin beer is calling my name right now. And I think maybe I'm not the worst mother, teacher, woman on the face of the planet. Breathing.
And as a footnote to this, later in the day I was looking at FB and there was one of those side ads for something called Hot Shots and he read it. He read it out loud with no hesitation and with utter confidence. You guys this is HUGE!!!!! he is starting to read, I am helping him learn to fucking read! OMG!!!!!!!! Now, of course he will one day be able to read over my shoulder and I will have to be careful about when I post but for right now HE IS STARTING TO READ!!!!!!!!!
Friday, April 6, 2012
Breathing
How often do I talk of breathing, it is such an important yet often ignored part of continuing to exist on this planet. I think having asthma and not getting to take breath for granted makes me more aware of it and how it affects my emotions and physical well being.
Right now I'm trying to remember that how I hold my body changes the way I breath, and changes my reactions to things in my life.
In my remembering to breath I'm trying to also remember that while we like life to be sweet, a diet of only sweet is uninteresting. I like some salt and some bitterness and so I need to remember to breath and enjoy both those parts of life as well.
I've started an April Photo of the Day challenge to help me remember to take a photo each day and see the beauty around me. Breathing and controlling your breath is important to taking a picture. I remember learning that with my camera when I was 11.
So in my attempt to remember to breath and control my breath I've taken up a photography challenge for April
Right now I'm trying to remember that how I hold my body changes the way I breath, and changes my reactions to things in my life.
In my remembering to breath I'm trying to also remember that while we like life to be sweet, a diet of only sweet is uninteresting. I like some salt and some bitterness and so I need to remember to breath and enjoy both those parts of life as well.
I've started an April Photo of the Day challenge to help me remember to take a photo each day and see the beauty around me. Breathing and controlling your breath is important to taking a picture. I remember learning that with my camera when I was 11.
So in my attempt to remember to breath and control my breath I've taken up a photography challenge for April
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| April 1 My Reflection, yes it is a cheat, I don't care. Look at the pretty flower. |
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| April 2 Color, muted colors and another cheat since I took it on the 1st but it is just so pretty. |
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| April 3 Mail, I actually did go to the post office here in town. |
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| April 4 Something that makes me happy. |
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| April 4 Something that makes me happy part 2 |
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| April 5 Tiny, feels like another cheat but it is pretty and much smaller than me. |
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| April 6 Lunch, my lunch with Mickey. |
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Fun day in disguise
I did not expect yesterday to go the way it did. My sister asked to come over so I could help her with a project and I said yes but I'll need to do school with the boy first.
The project was much, much bigger than I had thought it would be and the boy had to fend for himself. I'm sure he was broken up that he didn't have to do his Barton lesson that day. ;)
What he did do was create a quiver and ballista type thing from left over tubes and rubber bands. He had so much fun, his only unfun part was that I didn't get up and help him use the drill. I was happy he actually waited until his father got home since he knew he shouldn't be using the drill by himself, yeah cub scouts! He was firing it last night to try to calibrate it and see how far it would go. He used his Stomp Rockets as the ammo and I will say that the rubber band does not send it as far as the air booster but he is learning. Learning to make weaponry but learning.
I wonder what today will bring?
The project was much, much bigger than I had thought it would be and the boy had to fend for himself. I'm sure he was broken up that he didn't have to do his Barton lesson that day. ;)
What he did do was create a quiver and ballista type thing from left over tubes and rubber bands. He had so much fun, his only unfun part was that I didn't get up and help him use the drill. I was happy he actually waited until his father got home since he knew he shouldn't be using the drill by himself, yeah cub scouts! He was firing it last night to try to calibrate it and see how far it would go. He used his Stomp Rockets as the ammo and I will say that the rubber band does not send it as far as the air booster but he is learning. Learning to make weaponry but learning.
I wonder what today will bring?
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