Month: March 2021

Stimulating mail theft

Posted on by backuphill

The first two rounds of stimulus money was direct deposited into my account because it was based off the 2019 tax return, a return that we got a refund from so the IRS had our bank account info. Unfortunately, the 2020 tax return didn’t see a return, but a payment. As such, the stimulus money was coming a different way…by mail.

OK, it’ll take longer to get (not that it was needed or desired – because, you know, taxes will be where the difference is made up from yet another hand out). I didn’t really think much of the way it would arrive until it arrived.

Mail theft is a VERY real problem.

I don’t know of a specific instance where my mail has been stolen, but I do have a mailbox out on the road and it is something I think about often. Therefore, the mail gets retrieved from the box as quickly as possible on most days.

So, imagine my surprise when the stimulus payment didn’t come in a relatively non-descript envelope, but one that essentially announces what is inside. No guessing needed. I know exactly what is inside just by looking at the envelope! Sometimes the government really is that stupid!

The little flyer inside the envelope (see below the envelope) makes it pretty clear what is inside the envelope, which is good – INSIDE the envelope.

Yes, I have heard the stories of people throwing away their stimulus payments, or their access to the stimulus payments. What I haven’t heard are the stories of people getting them stolen. I am pretty sure it has happened, so why don’t we hear about them?

Anyway, maybe I am just ranting about nothing. Maybe I am on to something. I don’t really know. I was just surprised by how obvious it was to the contents of the envelope.

Highway robbery

Posted on by backuphill

This is my first foray into the prescription drug market in quite some time. I don’t like what I see, or felt, when I went to pick it up.

This all, of course, stems from the ear infection that I have been dealing with since the Apple Airpods Pro 2 decided to tear up my ear canals. Thanks, Apple. I appreciate finding out that I am now allergic to my expensive earphones’ silicone ear tips. You can read all about that at the link above.

So, the day I went to the doc to confirm what I already knew, they prescribed some ear drops to help with the paid and clear up the ear canal. The prescription was sent to the pharmacy and I waited about four hours before going in to pic it up. It is rarely available immediately, so there was no point in rushing in to get it. I waiting in line for 20 minutes only to find out the prescription wasn’t ready and I would have to go back the following afternoon because they “were out of the product.”

I was a little EAR-itated…but I had already been dealing with it for a couple days so no biggie. I waited 24 hours and went back.

It took the gal a little while to get the whole thing ready to go once I presented my info and insurance card. The pharmacist came over took a look and asked if I had any questions (seriously? They are ear drops. I haven’t forgotten where my ears are!).

Finally the gal says, “That’ll be 150.”

I was like, “1 dollar and fifty cents?”

She replied, “No, $150. It’s kind of an expensive co-pay.”

My reply, “Holy crap! Are there gold flecks in the drops? What makes them so expensive?”

She says, “I am not sure, but probably the brand.”

I debated letting my ears just deal with it. I mean, who really needs ears anyway, right?

I forked over the credit card (don’t get all judgy…the credit card is treated like a debit card for the rewards) and waited patiently for the transaction to be done.

When I got out to the car I opened the paperwork that was in the bag. The picture at the top of the blog is what the ACTUAL cost of the eardrops would have been had I not had insurance. My drug co-pay isn’t that great, so I was prepared to pay some dollars, but not this prepared.

I am a little stunned. Well, actually, not really.

You hear about this stuff all the time, but this is the first time I have experienced it. There is literally no reason for the cost of this tiny little vial of liquid other than because the drug companies have absolutely no checks and balance on they way the industry works.

Sure, I am a proponent of the free-market, capitalist society. But we all know there is a serious issue with the way the medical industry works. Scalping? Gouging? Inflation? Unfair practices? Most certainly all of those.

After I am done using the drops in my ear, I might just drink the rest of the liquid – even though it says it isn’t for internal consumption. I sure as hell and going to get every dollars worth of value out of that thing. One way or another.

Under pressure

Posted on by backuphill

Photo by Pavel Danilyuk on Pexels.com

The trip to the doc yesterday confirmed my suspicion on the ears. I have an ear infection. Doc said it was fairly easy to take care (of course) but then the pharmacy didn’t have the drops for my ears and I have had to wait an additional 24 hours for relief on that.

But, what I was not expecting was that some other news isn’t what I wanted to hear.

As it turns out, if I am not careful I may blow a gasket, so to speak.

The nurse came in yesterday and we went through the usual check in stuff and then she proceeded to check my blood pressure.

Background: I run high and always have.

She seemed alarmed. She asked, “Are you feeling alright? Your BP is unusually high, even for what we have in the records.”

I assured her that I run high and it wasn’t all that unusual. She said, “Well, this high and we start to worry about a stroke.”

Hmmmmm. I guess that is high.

She said, “We’ll have the doc check it again when she comes in. Often people are a little high when they visit the office so maybe you’re just elevated at the moment..”

She leaves. Doc comes in a few minutes later. Ask about the ear. Checks the ear. Confirms infection and sends off a prescription for drop to treat. Then she sits down and says, “Let’s talk about that BP.”

She takes it again and she says the top number is down but the bottom number is still really high. Too high for them to feel real comfortable with. So, she recommended a follow up in two weeks with my primary. In the meantime, I am supposed to check my resting BP at least once a day for the next two weeks so I have some data to talk with the doc about at that time.

It seems the pressure inside is building and I just might pop a top. Blow a gasket. Explode.

Do people just randomly explode from high blood pressure? That would be cool. Maybe. I supposed it could be rather messy.

Anyway, here’s to keeping the pressure down and the top on.

Cheers!

Hard to hear

Posted on by backuphill

These aren’t the version of Airpods I am talking about.
Photo by Jess Bailey Designs on Pexels.com

Well, here’s a new on for you. Apparently, I am allergic to my Apple Airpods Pro 2. Based on what I can find via online research, there is something in the little silicone ear mold things that irritate people. I guess I am not alone in this.

But it is still kinda weird because I used them for about 8 months (maybe a little longer?) with no issues. Then at the beginning of this year, while traveling by plane, I noticed something weird going on with my ears after having worn them for an extended period of time.

My ears hurt, they were weeping really badly (like that water in the ear feeling), and they they were getting really crusty. After about a week, it would go away. It was uncomfortable and I looked funny with tissue sticking outta my ear.

It took at least another wearing and cycle of symptoms to put things together…is it the really the airpods? So, after the second time of noticing the symptoms, I wore them a third time just to see if that was really the cause.

It is.

Pretty sure it was the worst round yet of symptoms and now I also have an ear infection as a result of the drainage and pluggage (that’s not a word, I made it up). It’s strange to have those two symptoms at the same time but that was the case.

So, now my ear hurts, I’ve been to the doc, and I’ll have drops to install twice a day for seven days.

Annoying.

Worse yet, now I am going to have to find some replacement ear mold things to fit the airpods, which were expensive to begin with.

Really annoying.

What’s that you say? Ha ha. Very funny.

Frog in a pot

Posted on by backuphill

Photo by Chris F on Pexels.com

A frog doesn’t know it is being cooked when the heat inside the pot slowly rises. Instead, it stays in the pot and doesn’t try to escape because it doesn’t recognize the danger it is in until it is too late.

There are a lot of Americans who don’t realize they are frogs in the pot.

The chef in the kitchen are the Democrats and their recipe for destroying America has all the right ingredients at the moment.

Compliant or apathetic people who look to the government to take care of them and solve their problems.

I may be a frog in the pot, but I sure know what the hell is going on and I am doing my best to get out, but those other frogs in the pot just keep pulling me back in.

Are you willing to get boiled, a slow and steady death…of your freedoms?

You better wake up and open those eyes soon. Those people you put in power are going to take your power and there won’t be any looking back.

Own it

Posted on by backuphill

Photo by Maria Orlova on Pexels.com

Crisis created by promises made before an election. Promises the American people disagree with, and promises the administration’s rear end can’t cash. Of course, the Biden administration is going to say it isn’t a crisis but the numbers are pretty much the same as they were when the Democrats said there was a crisis under Trump. They probably are worse.

The border is a mess again.

The same as it was during the Obama administration and leading up to a Trump takeover. Why was it bad? Democrats had promised something they couldn’t provide and immigrants were scrambling to get across the border illegally before a new administration took over in Washington, DC.

The Trump administration handled it (maybe not the best way, but it definitely sent a message) and the stabilization of national sovereignty and border integrity was beginning to take shape. Something that is not only necessary, but a requirement for the establishment of law and order.

Unfortunately, there are a lot of people coming over the border illegally and even more headed that way because of bad policy and empty promises from the Democrats. There is no one to blame, though the Biden administration is of course blaming Trump, except the Democrats. There was no crisis at the border when Trump left office. This is clearly the result of Biden entering office and immediately reversing all border policies previously in place.

There is no other explanation.

So, Biden (et al.), own it.

Just step up and own it.

Revert back to policies that were working and engage in true immigration reform, rather than giving the impression that the border is open.

Sick days

Posted on by backuphill

Photo by cottonbro on Pexels.com

What are your feelings on Sick Days? Have you or do you currently work in a position that offers you Sick Days? If you had access to Sick Days, did you use them? Maybe a better question is how did you use them?

Kind of loaded questions, probably. Here’s another…does they way you use your Sick Days say anything about you, like as a person?

As most of you understand, a paid Sick Day is for those times when you (or someone in your family) are physically ill and it wouldn’t be a good idea to go to work (or you need to care for someone), or if you (or someone in your family) have medical appointments you need to attend. In general, these are the only acceptable uses of your Sick Day(s).

With that being the general understanding of how a Sick Day is supposed to be used, where do you stand when people use a Sick day for something other than those two reasons?

Examples of other uses:

A co-worker takes a Sick Day because they want to take an extra day on either end of a holiday or vacation.

A co-worker uses a Sick Day to go shopping, or to take a beach/lake/whatever day – basically like a vacation day.

You take a Sick Day as a “mental health” day.

You aren’t sick, but just don’t feel like dealing with your co-workers today so you use a Sick Day.

A co-worker is avoiding doing part of their job so they take a Sick Day.

Obviously, there are lots of scenarios where someone could use a Sick Day for something other than being sick.

So, how do you feel about it? Is anything acceptable now?

I have some 100 days of Sick Leave accrued from the last 19+ years (15 year of teaching and 4+ in my current position).

I very rarely used my Sick Days when I was a teacher because it was just easier to go to school than it was to get a sub (all teachers feel this way), and I almost never use more than half of my allotted Sick Days in my current position. So, I have a large bank of days to draw from should I need them.

I guess this all comes from the fact that some of my co-workers have used all their Sick Days up (because they didn’t use them for their intended use) and then something happens and they need to ask for people to voluntarily gift them Sick Days. I know people who regularly (and often) take Sick Days to just do whatever they want because they can and no one questions them about it.

What do you think?

Do you think poorly of the people who use the benefit in such a way, or do you think it is OK to take an occasional “mental health” day?

Drop your thoughts, or experiences, in the comments. Really curious what you all think!

Estimate on the estimate?

Posted on by backuphill

Photo by Marianne on Pexels.com

Working with contractors is a frustrating endeavor. Sometimes I wonder how some of these outfits stay in business since they apparently have a hard time following through with even the simplest part of the job – giving a potential customer an estimate or bid for a proposed project.

Now, maybe I am wrong (I have been know to do that once in a while) but I would think that these business would be falling all over themselves to line up jobs for the year. At the very least, get the estimate out there for consideration. Granted, not every potential client will choose them for varying reasons, but you can’t get a job if you don’t give the customer even the chance to consider you.

I am looking at having a concrete patio build off the back of the house (its not a small job) and I would like someone who knows what they heck they are doing rather than a few “weekend warriors” to tackle it with me. So, I have called about 17 different businesses in the landscaping to concrete categories. Of those calls, only 14 had the courtesy to call back, 11 came out to look at the project, and only 8 have submitted a bid for consideration.

Are these companies THAT busy that they just don’t need the work? Are they overwhelmed with job opportunities and can’t get the process started? I am confused as to why even the easy part is difficult to do.

I texted two of the businesses that came by to look at the job and said they would submit an estimate within a few days. Four days after they stopped by I asked for an estimated time on when they would get the estimate sent off to me. So, I asked for an estimate on the estimate. Only one has bothered to respond so far, and he has set his deadline for himself as “today.” I guess I’ll see.

Anyway, thought I would vent about a frustrating process I have been dealing with for over a month. I am hoping to have a decision made by the end of the week, so fingers crossed I get a couple more estimates to work with and compare.

Anyone else had a (or multiple) frustrating interaction with a contractor as of late? What has been your experience in the last year or so (setting aside that many couldn’t work for a short while because of “precautions” related to Covid-19)?

Virtual over the shoulder

Posted on by backuphill

Photo by Noelle Otto on Pexels.com

In my line of work, I do a lot of “virtual over the shoulder” looking at a client’s computer. It’s the best way to help them troubleshoot issues they have in the software and we can help them (sometimes “holding their hand”) as work through processes to get the data they need. This is, of course, with their permission.

The matter is entirely different when you haven’t explicitly authorized a computer/mobile operating system, app, or browser, to look over your shoulder virtually while you use a device. Instead they collect more and more data about what you do and where you go, all in the name of providing information and data to people who want to sell you things (or have other motivations).

I am getting more and more wary of the intrusiveness that we have allowed, mostly without a fight. We just accept it.

So, I have started looking at alternative browsers that provide more of the privacy that we should want, but moreover expect. I have used Chrome for years and years, both personally and at work. However, as more information comes to light about business practices and intrusiveness (even the “incognito” mode tracks you) it becomes harder and harder to accept.

Transitioning to something different is difficult because you inevitably are going to be asked to sacrifice something in the trade-off. Weighing all those factors becomes somewhat of a challenge since there are benefits with the varying products that are out there. The nagging question is always, “What’s the best way to go from here? Am I making the right choice?” It’s a question I haven’t been able to settle as I look at the different options.

So, what say you?

Are you on a similar journey and what are you finding? Have you taken steps to move browsers and what did you consider as you did so?

Tell me what you are considering, or considered if you have already made the move.

Space fatigue

Posted on by backuphill

Photo by Juan Pablo Serrano Arenas on Pexels.com

Space is not endless, at least not in the “out of this world” sense.

We humans like to collect stuff. Some of it is useful, some not so useful. Some of it is because of nostalgia, memories, sentimental value, or whatever and then sometimes it’s just because it’s cool. Whatever the reason we collect stuff, there is always a tipping point that each of us reaches.

“Where am I going to put this?”

Space, especially in a small-ish house, comes at a premium. There is only so much space. You can only rearrange it so many times before you just don’t have any options left. You can stuff it full (hoarders?) or you can try to maintain a balance, but for every single thing that comes into the house there has to be a space for it to go.

Why do we have a hard time letting go of things? What is it about an item that makes us keep them for whatever weird reason it is? Why do we even store things for other people (kids, relatives, friends) when we don’t have space for ourselves?

A tipping point has been reached here.

There can be no more things brought home without giving up ground on something that no longer has a useful purpose, or is used more than a couple times a year. There just can’t be more. It’s hard to say, “No,” to someone or even myself but there is this fatigue that becomes too great for trying to make things “work” or “fit.”

This space is either going to be the final frontier with manageable things, or it’s time to explore different worlds and expand this universe.