Feeling it

Posted on by backuphill

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

Snap, crackle, and pop.

Grunt, groan, sigh.

OH, that hurts!

Wait, why does that hurt? I didn’t do anything! It didn’t hurt earlier in the day when I was shoveling gravel for 30 minutes and climbing in and out of a dump trailer at a 30 degree angle. Why does it hurt now?

All I did was slide into bed…

This getting old thing is not something to shake a stick at. I guess neither is the outta shape thing either. Combined, they make for the perfect pairing of mysterious hurts, aches, and ailments.

Last night I suddenly felt a twinge of pain in the left hip area when I slide into bed. Weird. I didn’t have that before. Needless to say, it woke me up a few times as I shifted positions.

It hasn’t bothered me much today but it was just one of those reminder pains that let’s me know I am getting old.

What reminds you that you are getting old?

Sirius-ly annoying

Posted on by backuphill

Photo by Victoria Borodinova on Pexels.com

Does it astound you how companies or corporations or whatever you wanna call them when they assume the customer is stupid? Does it astound you that they don’t realize in today’s world that there are other options that you, as the customer, have when it comes to entertainment? It frustrates me. Gets me all pissy, and stuff. Guess I am in the right place…

So, the subscription to SiriusXM is up in my car. Well, in another month, but basically I have gotten the renewal notice already. Knowing there is a “game” to play with these companies I called and went through the stupid hassle again. The whole point here is that as the customer we shouldn’t have to play the game in order to get the best deal. Sirius-ly.

When I got the car I had and used the free trial. When the trial was up I cancelled the service. I wasn’t going to pay $20+ a month for radio in my car when I can literally get it for free or use whatever streaming service I have on my phone. Sure, there are lots of choices available via the service but they a pretty much the same as the apps I can get on my phone and they are actually better than listening to the regular radio because there are no (or rarely) commercials. So there is some give and take when it comes to features.

After about eight months and multiple offers at different pricing tiers, SiriusXM finally hit one I couldn’t pass up. It was better than some of the streaming services on the phone, Amazon, and Apple. So, for just over $6 a month I felt it was worth it. After a year at that price, and a pandemic going on, they offered another year of the service at the same price. Of course I accepted it have enjoyed it more since used it nearly every day while working from home.

Now, two years later, its that time to renew again.

I did the messaging online and long story short, they didn’t offer me the same deal to start with. They instead offered just six months and then back to their “regular” price.

Uh, I just said if I wasn’t going to get the same price I was going to cancel. Did you not believe me?

So I told them to cancel it.

Oh, wait, suddenly now the same price is available again…weird…

No, not really. They just like to yank people’s chains hoping you’re stupid enough to pay any attention to the deal you’re getting. It’s irritating. Sirius-ly.

Anyway, I renewed at the same price I have gotten for the last two years. Do you supposed since I have had the price for three years that it should now be the “regular” price?

Probably not. And I’ll have to cancel again next year.

Or not.

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!