I wasn’t able to go to the Pirates of the Caribbean screening last Sunday. I had to work. All day.
I got in the office at around 10:15 AM and couldn’t leave until after 7 PM. Bummer. But I knew that playtime would undoubtedly have to be sacrificed to the legislative session going into it, and so far, I’ve already had more actual weekends than I’d expected I would. And I know I’ve had it relatively soft compared to other editors, like poor elemess who had to stay until midnight on Tuesday. Plus, the evil-scary bill I labored over on Sunday, HB 227, actually passed in the House this week.
fosteronfilm is having two wisdom teeth pulled this morning, the poor thing. But it’s high time. One of them broke months ago. Fortunately, the break didn’t expose the nerve, and he wasn’t in pain.
Less fortunately, with the new year, we’d switched dental plans, which also involved acquiring a new dentist, and the one we got (based primarily on the proximity of his office to our house) was not a good fit, being less concerned about the state and welfare of our teeth and more interested in pushing expensive and unnecessary dental procedures–which, ironically, did not include extracting the broken tooth since that apparently wasn’t big ticket enough. So yah, we decided that we wanted a new dentist and had to wait for the insurance folks to approve a switch (the third dentist we’ve had in six months). Then we had to wait for the paperwork to go through so this new dentist could examine Matthew’s tooth and go “yup, that needs to come out, and probably be a good idea to pull that other one too while we’re at it,” get the extraction procedure okayed by the insurance, and then schedule it.
I’m just really, really glad that Matthew wasn’t in any pain. All this waiting, while decidedly annoying, at least wasn’t agonizing.
On the plus side, the extraction procedure is 100% covered. On the minus side, the anesthesia portion is 0% covered. The hubby is opting to have it done under just a local which is much less expensive than a general would’ve been. He’s hella more macho than me; when I had my wisdom teeth out, I insisted they knock me out. But I remain perplexed and indignant than none of the anesthesia is covered. If we couldn’t afford to pay for it out of pocket, would they really have subjected him to having two teeth pulled without any anesthesia?
Writing Stuff
I’m either due or past due on responses from several markets. I haven’t felt jonesy for a sale for a while, but I’ve got the writerly jitters good now. I could really use a juicy sale fix. *twitch*
Received:
– Heidi Ruby Miller (ambasadora) asked to interview me for her ongoing “Heidi’s Pick Six” author spotlights. Of course I said “yes.” Mine is slotted to go up next month.
New Words:
– 300 on “Better a Heart of Fire.” As I feared, my momentum is beginning to fizzle. A gooey glob of inspiration hit while I was driving to the MARTA station this morning. But, of course, traffic cops tend to frown at folks typing on laptops while driving, so I refrained from trying to increase my word count while cruising down the freeway. Will try to work on it this weekend.
|
|
|
2,568 / 3,500
(73.4%) |
Busy, busy lady! Do take care!
Don’t know if you looked into it or not, but for some major dental work requiring anesthesia, health insurance will cover a portion of the cost. Might be worth checking on.
Thanks for the suggestion! We did actually call our dental insurance provider to verify, and as it turns out, they do cover a chunk of the anesthesia costs for employees of the state. The dentist’s office was quite astounded. They said was the first patient they’d ever had whose nitrous was covered. Woot!
I’m so glad to hear that there was coverage available! Things get expensive enough, and having it done without would have been uncomfortable to say the least.
Me too! And the whole thing went really well. No complications during the procedure, and there was no swelling and minimal discomfort afterward. And was even eating pretzels (albeit carefully) last night!
let me know when the interview is up. i can’t wait to read it.
You betcha!
I’m undecided if I like HB227 or not. While it does push towards consolidation and gives an advantage to the “monster” telecom companies; at the same time it wouldn’t be needed if some municipalities didn’t abuse local franchising. For instance, you and I have just gotten hit with a new “non-tax” because our new city imposed a franchise fee that couldn’t be levied at the county-only level.
At least HB227 (unless it changed over the weekend) levels the playing field and sets state-wide standards. Johns Creek will get the same benefits that Albany or Valdosta or Rome gets instead of everything being decided by local politics.
Back in Rockdale, I remember a franchise agreement being held up until the cable company hired the Commission Chairman’s staff assistant as their PR director. Ain’t local franchising wunnerful?
I’ve seen so many versions, amendments, and changes to the initial incarnation of that bill that they all sort of blur together. Honestly, I’m just hoping not to have to edit another version of it. That’s terribly uncivic-minded of me, but I’m noticing that cavalier “I just want it gone!” mindset to be a side effect of this job. Or maybe just of the session. While I still get outraged and indignant over some of the more egregious legislature I see coming through here, there comes a point when all I want is for it to get off and stay off my desk. Gah.
“For instance, you and I have just gotten hit with a new “non-tax” because our new city imposed a franchise fee that couldn’t be levied at the county-only level.“
Sigh. One of our energy providers (Scana? Sawnee? Damn, I always get those mixed up) is also tacking on an extra fee due to the John’s Creek incorporation. Stabbity them and their little dog too.
so I refrained from trying to increase my word count while cruising down the freeway.
Good thing. I wouldn’t want to read headlines like “Writer Causes 20-Car Pile-Up” or “Local Writer Drives Car Through Target”…well, I would like to see a car go through a Target store but not by anyone I know [enter evil laugh].
Yes, agreed with one caveat. Although I used to read novels on the way from East Cherokee County to 5 Points (no good way to get from Point A to Point B, or vice versa), it strikes me that laptops would interfere with the steering. But what happened to that Palm used to have? It would fit nicely held at steering wheel level. Then she could tap out letters with the stylus on the screen in Edit-Keyboard feature, at least that’s what my little wp program WordSmith has available. Nothing like prodding up the word count in heavy traffic, but only when it becomes a parking lot!
Nothing like prodding up the word count in heavy traffic, but only when it becomes a parking lot!
Hehe, rush hour has its uses after all.
Hee! I don’t think my commute ever gets so bad that I can actually type (or tap) during it. There have been some gridlock-no-one’s-moving days, but the norm is an unpredictable accelerate, creep forward, brake. I’ve thought about getting a voice recorder to dictate into, but I’m so totally not speech oriented. I don’t think I could produce anything worthwhile that way. And I’d have to transcribe it then too.
Hmm. I need a device that I can think words at and have them show up onscreen . . .
Actually, getting a micro-recorder isn’t such a bad idea. You could work with your reluctance to express yourself in spoken words and get some story ideas down and maybe even some word count in. And the transcribing isn’t a total waste as you’ll be editing as you go along. Rethink this one, GF. A moment wasted is a moment of brilliance lost for all time, or so somebody says, maybe just me.
Thank you for thinking of me for your “Pick Six”! By all means, friend away
.