The Daily Peeve / Rant

Lainey, I've often wondered the same thing. A few years ago I was at a place that gave out numbers and you were called by your number to assure they serve people in the order they arrive. I walked into the business and started to pull out a number, only to be told by the person at the counter that she was just finishing and I didn't need to take a number. Less than a minute later a man walked in and grabbed a number. I immediately felt uneasy, as he seemed quite rushed and irritated. The person at the counter finished up and waved to me to come up to the counter. The man angrily protested, since he obviously had the next number (although couldn't have failed to notice that I was there first). The employee assured him that it was my turn, to which he replied by saying, "If she's too dumb to get a number, she shouldn't get a turn!" So in this case I didn't have to wonder---definitely deliberately rude!

Oh, and now I take a number even when they tell me not to.

Yesterday it was really windy here. We got home and had the house all open to air out. Mid afternoon the stench was revolting. The neighbor behind us had a weed spraying company do their lawn and the air was permeated with the weed killing poison stench! THERE OUGHT TO BE A LAW against spraying these toxins. That is the side of the house my herbs are growing. Don't think I want to even eat them now. How disgusting. Wish people would realize the poisons they are promoting!

I feel your pain. When I had a condo, my next door neighbors sprayed for (non-existent) termites. As you pointed out, the stench is unbearable. I had to sleep in the farthest corner of my place, and try not to breathe much. I understand they subsequently banned that particular poison. And I think those pointless and toxic yard chemicals should be outlawed. So you have an anally tidy yard, and your crappy (pun intended) chemicals go right into the watershed. Is it worth it?

My rant -

Grass lawns in places with not-lush water supply, like California and many other states.

Why not plant ground cover?

There are lots of variaties which need less water and are hardy enough for repeat walking/playing on.

And you don't have to mow ground cover!

speeding up to pass on the right! i am ready to take license plate numbers and start complaining (except that would really be unsafe driving). it happens on the highway i take almost daily when i am going with the speed of traffic, then the person on the right gets caught in the merging on and off (which is why you go faster on the left, duh). A few times it has been really dangerous when they are going much faster.

this morning it was just an irritation. My new route to work includes a lovely boulevard that is divided with grassy areas and mature trees in the middle, there are historic homes on either side (and typical killer potholes in the road). i am going about 5-8 mph above the speed limit and someone just blows by me on the right, merges left and turns the same place i do. they got one stupid car length ahead. And it is such a pretty drive, take the stupid freeway if you want to speed.

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Originally Posted by Zoe Girl

speeding up to pass on the right!

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I've noticed that a lot more lately and about 4 out of 5 times it's a motorcycle passing on the shoulder of the road and not bothering to use turn signals either. All this talk about how we need to watch out for motorcycles and some of them seem to push the envelope.

Have you ever noticed super market lettuce smelling perfumy? I don't mean at a high end store, but just the ordinary supermarket. Ugh don't think I'm going to eat this lettuce. Luckily I have some heads from elsewhere that smell normal for my lunch tomorrow (they look less pretty but smell like lettuce at least). And now I become some paranoid sniffing lettuce all the time.

I could rant about the problems of getting a human at the IRS (even when you go there in person!), but that's too much like a real rant and too close to the real difficulties of living in this insane asylum (I mean being that we more or less have to pay taxes, it should be possible to talk to the IRS about them - a half decent country would and probably IS run that way. But I don't live there unfortunately. Ha even a less decent country you could at least maybe bribe someone to talk to a human! :)). Among existing problems with taxes, my company almost certainly misreported my income last year as now social security has that I'm earning, hmm a really pretty sum that I'm most certainly not earning (yes of course it's what they should pay me but they don't), and the social security administration gets the data from the IRS. Going to try another IRS location next time. Then the IRS drones complain they have no money as way of explanation for the horrible service, yes well your problem is with congress then, and as a non-rich non-corporate person I must pay my pound of flesh to you guys, but have close to zero say in what congress actually does. Taxation yea, but representation not so much so. Maybe they should get a checkbox on the taxes to fund them like the presidential campaigns do ...

The lettuce, I think it probably wants to go into the trash can.

this is a really stupid rant, actually i want to work on my judgment here but meanwhile i am going to let it out.

People who do not use the technology work provides for them. So we have 3-4 different systems of student data which is kinda crazy. However 2 of them will print sign in/out sheets, rosters, etc. i am going to our large meeting today so it has me thinking of my colleagues who have giant bags they carry everywhere. why? because they have to make lists of things like classes and kids and carry them around. one person still makes them handwritten! She is in her 20's not her 60's. i guess if i was her supervisor i would be encouraging her to learn the systems better and not spend all the time i am paying her to hand write lists of kids and then tell me how busy she is

like i said, probably none of my business

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Originally Posted by ApatheticNoMore

I could rant about the problems of getting a human at the IRS (even when you go there in person!), but that's too much like a real rant and too close to the real difficulties of living in this insane asylum (I mean being that we more or less have to pay taxes, it should be possible to talk to the IRS about them - a half decent country would and probably IS run that way. But I don't live there unfortunately..

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yes, and my student loan program. i am losing valuable time because i can only sit on hold and try to navigate this so long. i am kicking myself for not doing more of what i need, and then i start trying again and just can only have everything together and ready to sit on the phone or try to get a person for so long

Wasn't sure where to file this one at all, and perhaps I have been watching too many episodes of Portlandia, but I think I can safely say that hipster chic has become a total caricature of itself, as evidenced by my attendance at our local indie DIY Fair....I kind of wanted to tell these 20 to 40 somethings the boat has done gone by, and the excessive tats and facial hair look kinda, umm dated...I wonder what is next on the horizon? It just seems like everyone I saw was so self-involved with their perceived "coolness." Maybe I am just an aging hippie-punk...

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Originally Posted by SiouzQ.

Wasn't sure where to file this one at all, and perhaps I have been watching too many episodes of Portlandia, but I think I can safely say that hipster chic has become a total caricature of itself, as evidenced by my attendance at our local indie DIY Fair....I kind of wanted to tell these 20 to 40 somethings the boat has done gone by, and the excessive tats and facial hair look kinda, umm dated...I wonder what is next on the horizon? It just seems like every I saw was so self-involved with their perceived "coolness." Maybe I am just an aging hippie-punk...

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Oh, I know it. They think they have completely invented everything hipster. And the money wasted on bad tattoos (Never get one in Omaha by the way).

Thanks for the Omaha tip! I never even got one back in my punk days (early "80's) when it was considered really radical. I never found a design or motif that I felt I could live with the rest of my life, plus I was too cheap to spend the money. Now I am sure glad I didn't. I did have extra piercings when it was considered pretty radical, but this whole ear plug thing and multiple facial piercing by now has outlived its shock value. Somehow I have gotten old to be thinking like this....it's sure hard to look really different and rebellious anymore ;P

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Originally Posted by SiouzQ.

Thanks for the Omaha tip! ;P

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We saw a lot of skin at art shows over 19 years. Omaha always had the worst ink - blury and blotchy - just nasty.

I have too much free time on my hands (I can't believe I am saying this). It's getting old and my brain is getting squirrely. I need to get back to some kind of work-imposed schedule. I STILL can't believe I am saying this!

Are we still allowed only one peeve a day? haha.

Today I discovered that when I Google my email address, there is a page of data that lists my full name, address, and birth date. It's on the crummy abandoned web site that has a page for community garden members. I just emailed the man who ran this thing to take down the page, but I wonder how long this will appear in Google? And I know that it will show, forever, in caches. But really, it's too much information in a nice neat package to have readily available out there in Google land.

I'm not normally squeamish about security, but OTOH it's stupid to put it all out there, ESPECIALLY now that that site was abandoned.

You do see the irony of this coming from the queen of "how to edit and delete postings", right? :~)

That does suck, though. Could you or the site owner possibly go in and edit / delete your info before killing the page?

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Originally Posted by kib

You do see the irony of this coming from the queen of "how to edit and delete postings", right? :~)

That does suck, though. Could you or the site owner possibly go in and edit / delete your info before killing the page?

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haha.

if he edits out data about me, and THEN deletes the page, would the deleted page only be the one contained in caches?

Now that I think about it, I am royally pizzed that I gave my birth date to this eejit. I believe that the umbrella gardening organization asked for demographic data on all garden members. they also asked for my race, but I don't consider that information that can be used against me. Haha, I can now see how limited THAT thinking is, too!

They can ask my age ,but they do not need my exact birthdate. most web people databases display an approximate age for people, I've just never seen that birthdate display with email. I sure as hell didn't give it to Mark Zuckerbirs for his little eFacebook operation.

Indecision in little everyday stuff. Like, Q: what time do you want to leave? A: I don't know, whatever time you want to leave. Q: where do you want to sit in the movie theater? A: Up to you. Q: should we take this route or that route to the arts fest? A: You decide. and on and on. Oy.

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Originally Posted by SiouzQ.

Wasn't sure where to file this one at all, and perhaps I have been watching too many episodes of Portlandia, but I think I can safely say that hipster chic has become a total caricature of itself, .

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ITA, I would take DD and visit my brother in Boston to go the the Bizarre Bazaar every year, the ultimate hipster craft fair. We started when she was maybe 7, by 11, she looked at me and said, "this isn't bizarre anymore". She was right, lol. The interesting outfits and odd hair dos, those huge ear lobe rings, seemed stale even to a kid, lol. Although, I got my WWTWD (Tom Waits) tee there and I cannot find it anywhere, that was my fav shirt.

So my peeve is I think I gave my WWTWD tee away when I gained wt, but I would never have done that, so where is it??? I am so behind on Portlandia, thanks for the reminder.

My roommate/friend's been talking to me about breaking up with her boyfriend for like 5 months now. Ugh. I don't mind discussing such things, but how long does it take to figure out that he'll never be what you want, he's manipulating you, you could easily get someone better, and you should end things already? After a certain number of years people make their priorities pretty clear based on their actions. We talked for like an hour today about not seeing him today (3 days ago she said they were broken up) and then she's, "well, going to see him."

Thanks for letting me vent here.

kestra, it's stuff like that that makes me never want a roommate again, not even in the nursing home!

I just love this: It's the second week of class, and I've got students coming into the library looking for books the faculty members have put on reserve. They are filed by the professor's name. I ask, "Who is your professor?"

"I don't know his/her name."

Jeezum Crow. And these people are going to be in charge someday.

at least they are not your spawn. Last year, my son worked his first job, it was a crappy job but he stuck it out. He has a debit card linked to ex's card or something like that. He would spend $15 or so at Chipotle nearly every day. And then he complained that a summer job is useless, you don't earn enough to buy a car, etc. I sat him down and went over his debit statement. I showed this is what he earned in a day, and $15 was going to Chipotle daily, plus the gas to get there. I told him as an adult, I only rarely (like every few months) ate lunch with co-workers with a bill of $15, we went to cheaper places and spent under $10 every few weeks. I think he finally got it, he is saving money like crazy this year so here's hoping.

I'm glad you sat down and went over things with him. My folks never told me a thing about what stuff in the real world costs. I never even saw a receipt from the grocery store.

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Originally Posted by freshstart

at least they are not your spawn. Last year, my son worked his first job, it was a crappy job but he stuck it out. He has a debit card linked to ex's card or something like that. He would spend $15 or so at Chipotle nearly every day. And then he complained that a summer job is useless, you don't earn enough to buy a car, etc. I sat him down and went over his debit statement. I showed this is what he earned in a day, and $15 was going to Chipotle daily, plus the gas to get there. I told him as an adult, I only rarely (like every few months) ate lunch with co-workers with a bill of $15, we went to cheaper places and spent under $10 every few weeks. I think he finally got it, he is saving money like crazy this year so here's hoping.

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They're getting worse. I just checked out a laptop to a student and filled out the form. There's a section that says: Cord? Yes___ No___. He did not opt for the cord.

He points to the form and says, "Shouldn't that say 'yes' for the cord?"

I just looked at him and said, "But I haven't given you a cord."

"Oh."

facepalmheaddesk

And now one wanted to know if we have Avery stickers to hand out to students to print on.

We are not a stationary store! Go to the freaking bookstore!

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Originally Posted by frugalone

And now one wanted to know if we have Avery stickers to hand out to students to print on.

We are not a stationary store! Go to the freaking bookstore!

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At least that one knows that Avery stickers are expensive and worth asking around to see if there is any way to score a free sheet.

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Originally Posted by frugalone

I'm glad you sat down and went over things with him. My folks never told me a thing about what stuff in the real world costs. I never even saw a receipt from the grocery store.

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he is very stubborn, yes, he's learning about money, he even has a 403B at the nursing home (will not take any advice in how to invest it), but I thought he'd be 40 before he ever did anything like that. But the bad part is he abandoned his plan to go to community college this fall, he was going to do 2 yrs of that, 2 at a State School and be a music teacher (no jobs). But that was better than taking a year off, then taking a 1 yr program to learn to be a luthier, no degree and even fewer jobs. Yet since starting to work full time, he's pulled himself together, exercises daily, became a vegetarian and is learning to cook. And he is nice to be around again. 15-18 were tough years. He's his father's kid, at that age, you sit back and let life happen. Not how I plan but I have to accept his choices. And I will not pay for a non-college program.

Some people are late bloomers. I did not start my BA until I was 31 & had 3 kids. I then got 3 grad degrees including a Ph.D. My oldest son just got his BA at age 42. Never too late.

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Originally Posted by Teacher Terry

Some people are late bloomers. I did not start my BA until I was 31 & had 3 kids. I then got 3 grad degrees including a Ph.D. My oldest son just got his BA at age 42. Never too late.

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wow! how the heck did you do that with 3 kids?

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Originally Posted by frugalone

They're getting worse. I just checked out a laptop to a student and filled out the form. There's a section that says: Cord? Yes___ No___. He did not opt for the cord.

He points to the form and says, "Shouldn't that say 'yes' for the cord?"

I just looked at him and said, "But I haven't given you a cord."

"Oh."facepalmheaddesk

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Maybe a dumb question, but why wouldn't the cord automatically be supplied? Seems easier.

Peeve du jour: a collection of observations about my recent slightly overdue spate of cresting-the-hill screening exams.

1. If one is not obviously, clinically obese or underweight, why is it necessary for every office to pull out a scale? Why does the dermatologist need that information?

2. If you want me to believe you're a cutting edge facility, why are you handing me a stack of badly photocopied paper forms, half of which ask for the exact same info? How many times do you need me to tell you who my contact person is? Three? Really? What do you do with all this paper?

Today is the second time in a week I've been told on a form that I would be given specific counseling or recommendations due to family history, with no follow up. Really, why highlight the fact that you're being neglectful by mentioning this in the first place?

3. Along the same lines as #1, why is in necessary to strip naked to have a colonoscopy consultation? I don't mean a rectal exam, I mean talking about the nasty goop I'll have to drink and what I can't eat the day before. I need to be naked and freezing to optimally absorb this information?

4. Do you really think decorating the walls with reminders not to do this and that, no cell phones, please don't discuss your medical issues with other patients, there will be a $3 fee for using Visa, there will be a $50 charge for missed appointments, lends a professional air to an office? I sure don't.

5. When I call the insurance company to find out if a procedure will be covered by my policy, I don't want a friendly guess about it. I also don't want to be told to read the policy guidelines, only to find myself wading through clinical trial information. Is it covered or not?

I don't know why my medical experience always seems so poor, it's probably my own personality, but I will be glad when things are found and fixed, or not found at all.

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Originally Posted by kib

1. If one is not obviously, clinically obese or underweight, why is it necessary for every office to pull out a scale? Why does the dermatologist need that information?

Today is the second time in a week I've been told on a form that I would be given specific counseling or recommendations due to family history, with no follow up. Really, why highlight the fact that you're being neglectful by mentioning this in the first place?

I don't know why my medical experience always seems so poor, it's probably my own personality, but I will be glad when things are found and fixed, or not found at all.

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since doctor visits have replaced my career, I'm getting annoyed by similar things. Like when I am walking like a drunken sailor, bumping into walls, why do I have to wobbily balance on the scale when I was just there YESTERDAY! And the reading is meaningless because I cannot balance on it at all. How much can your wt have changed in 24 hrs unless you have congestive heart failure, which I don't? One time, the nurse was getting frustrated because I would not let go of the wall during my all important daily wt check. I tell the nurse, "I really think I am going to fall if I let go, could you just write down FAT and maybe only do this once a month or so?" Of course not, she says, "I'll catch you, you'll be fine." Let go of wall, wobble for a few seconds and then fall and she did not catch me, grrr. My doc comes out, SHE gets me off the floor and says to the nurse, "she was just here yesterday, I don't need her weight and she doesn't need a head injury." My primary is very blunt and I love that.

I cannot believe they asked for that health info and documented that they were not planning to follow up? WTH? Wouldn't that be kind of evidenciary should you sue them for not taking care of your health problems?

I finally saw neuro again today. She read the results of my IQ and memory tests and said, "not good, happening too quickly, I don't know for sure what is causing this, but now it is time to really amp up the testing." I don't want to hear that but I at least know I am in good hands.

This is how I feel, too: I will be glad when things are found and fixed, or not found at all.

It's been a year, figure it out, good news or bad, I just want definitive answers and a plan, even if the plan is, "we can't fix this." At least, I will finally know.

I do not believe that it is your personality causing poor exams, even though they may not remember this often, our medical professionals work for us, not the other way around.

I meant that I can be very picky so I walk away feeling like things aren't up to par, not that I'm so unpleasant that I get bad treatment - ok maybe I am, but I'm hoping not :~).

I feel for you. Right or wrong, when I ask why and I'm told "that's just how we do it", what I hear is "Who Knows. Because We Can." Hope you get some answers soon, hopefully the fixing kind.

and you, too.

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Originally Posted by kib

I don't know why my medical experience always seems so poor, it's probably my own personality

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No, kib, it's not you. It's that state-of-the-art best-in-class American medical system. There is no room for improvement. >8)

When my second-to-last GP quit to teach, I took the opportunity to ditch that clinic because I hated their front office. Calling for information resulted in a query about "which team" your provider was on. Not like anything in the office was color-coded red, yellow, or blue. I refused to guess. The receptionists sit behind high partitions that really limit what they can see in the check-in line, so you frequently stood there for minutes on end before they noticed you. Every last clerk behaved like they'd rather be in Hades that day getting their fingernails peeled back with sharp bamboo sticks than checking you in. And the intake staff barely does its job, with measurements like the bouncing scale and the blood-pressure machine they never audited manually in my presence. The actual doctors and nurse-practitioners were fine (if a little insistent on the almighty "we-do-that-for-every-illness-like-yours" protocol). But you had to get past the front desk first and, in the end, it just wasn't worth it. At my new place, they actually remember my name and there's none of that "oh, another expense just walked in" feeling I got before. Too bad the GP I had there quit to move to another clinic (in which I cannot participate). *sigh*

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Originally Posted by SteveinMN

No, kib, it's not you. It's that state-of-the-art best-in-class American medical system. There is no room for improvement. >8)

When my second-to-last GP quit to teach, I took the opportunity to ditch that clinic because I hated their front office. At my new place, they actually remember my name and there's none of that "oh, another expense just walked in" feeling I got before. Too bad the GP I had there quit to move to another clinic (in which I cannot participate). *sigh*

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Did the docs have any say in who was hired or fired from the front desk? To me, they are important, the first impression when you call or come in. And if it's a bad experience every time, you would think some patients will just switch docs. And for them not to remember your name? Ok, how can you possibly triage phone calls if you don't have the working knowledge of the freaking names of the people you work for? That sounds like hell, pure hell.

How is it now with the GP gone?

I am very lucky, I think I have a good team now and they are actually sometimes communicating with each other. And all have good nurses (the one with the wt thing, I have found her to be a nurse who isn't quite taking in the whole picture, so she just has a checklist of what needs to be done to everybody, she's very nice just not intuitive at all). And even good desk staff.

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Originally Posted by freshstart

Did the docs have any say in who was hired or fired from the front desk? To me, they are important, the first impression when you call or come in. [...]
How is it now with the GP gone?

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This clinic is one of maybe two or three dozen across the metro, all belonging to the same medical group, which also owns hospitals, medical-equipment firms, a few opticians, etc. What I understand from people who are in the know is that things are very centralized and the process-improvement bug has bitten this place hard. A doctor friend of mine at another clinic in the same group complains of constantly being dinged for spending "too much" time with patients -- a concern echoed by the GP at my new clinic. I have heard that hiring and firing is done at the pleasure of corporate. The atmosphere really reminds me of a franchised fast-food joint: the product and policies are delivered from corporate and merely distributed by the practitioners.

I've only had to be back to my "new" clinic once since my GP left. This clinic is part of a much smaller "chain" and they use that lack of size as a selling point. It works, though the doctor I had to see on my post-knee-surgery visit just borders on being a jerk.

It may sound like I'm coming down really hard on medical staff, especially the front-office people. But I actually was a front-office person, years ago. I was a receptionist at a doctor's office and an orderly at a local hospital. I know it's possible to do the job without being an automaton. I get that the world of work is different than it was those many years ago. But it doesn't cost a dime extra for someone dealing with sick/fearful/irritated people to be nice rather than robotic. And I'm a firm believer that empathy and sympathy and care definitely can be as much a part of the treatment mix as the latest statin or pacemaker.

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Originally Posted by SteveinMN

It may sound like I'm coming down really hard on medical staff, especially the front-office people. But I actually was a front-office person, years ago. I was a receptionist at a doctor's office and an orderly at a local hospital. I know it's possible to do the job without being an automaton. I get that the world of work is different than it was those many years ago. But it doesn't cost a dime extra for someone dealing with sick/fearful/irritated people to be nice rather than robotic. And I'm a firm believer that empathy and sympathy and care definitely can be as much a part of the treatment mix as the latest statin or pacemaker.

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ITA, I was a waitress in a nursing home and an aide in the hospital and other jobs not considered exactly glamorous. Sure it was hard work, but it didn't take much longer to be pleasant and chat if someone needed to or do an extra task.

I will never forget my interview for hospice, as I approached the desk, the receptionist goes "who the heck are you and what the Fword do you want?" I was speechless and thought, I will never ever work somewhere where the receptionist has no clue who a person is and uses the Fword to find out. Families come there. It doesn't matter who it is, you cannot act like that no matter how cute and funny you think you are in of all places, Hospice.

But I liked the sound of the job, went back a second time for a team interview and was won over. I eventually became close with that receptionist, they did take her off the desk and promoted her big time and she eventually got to be good with families. She would have these loud, ranting breakdowns over "stupid people making her life Fing harder!" She would get spoken to but it sounds crazy, she turned about to be great at her new job, she could fix any laptop problem, when you asked her for something, she did it, unlikely many who did not. She's really sarcastic and funny when you get to know her and underneath a rough exterior, she is very kind, she turned out to be a good friend to have.

when my dad started volunteering, he called me to ask if I knew a crazy girl there named Kim. Yup, bracing for him to go into a tirade that she called him a foul name. Instead, he says, "I love her, she is so funny. She said she loves you." No way in hell would she say "love" and I called her on it and she said, "I love you, you love me, we're the only sane people here, now get the F out of my office!"

it's a strange world! everyday she sends me a picture of her dog, no words, just a daily picture of Jackie. So I send one back, of my dog pooping in the yard. And has done ever since I left, she never misses a day.

rambling, sorry

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Originally Posted by kib

5. When I call the insurance company to find out if a procedure will be covered by my policy, I don't want a friendly guess about it. I also don't want to be told to read the policy guidelines, only to find myself wading through clinical trial information. Is it covered or not?
.

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Part of that issue, is there are normally different ways to bill something and one way can be covered, while one isn't. Also one can make the doctors more money (which is why they pick it), verses another. etc. Profit motive is one issue, just someone having a bad day, or you knowing the doctor, etc. could be another.

I always like how doctors wanted me to sign the form that I have seen the HIPA book, when they don't even know where it is. (I make the change to have not)