Today was my second appointment over at EZ Braces, the one where I pay. It sucked. And by sucked I mean that it may have been the worst appointment of my life, including mammograms, pap-smears, and other embarrassing, uncomfortable experiences.
Their first mistake was scheduling me with a different doctor than who I asked for due to a scheduling conflict. I saw him last time though, and he's fine, so no problem. But this financial lady.... what. the. HELL.
I arrived ten minutes early for my 10am appointment, at which time I was asked to wait a few minutes. No problem. And then I was told it would be a little while... okay.. sure that's fine. At some point I realize that she is helping another customer over the phone or something, and keeps making me wait. I mean, why didn't they just call me and ask me to come in later? Or call the phone person back- she didn't have an appointment. Everyone is getting called before me, but hey that's okay because they are waiting to see the DDS, not the financial lady. But wait. One of the girls who came in 30 minutes after me is now sitting in Financial lady's office and talking with her.
It's now 10.45. People keep telling me they're sorry, but I'm getting really annoyed. All I need to do today is sign my contract and pay- I have my cards out- I'm ready! This will take five minutes!!
Finally, she says she will work with me at the same time as the other girl because she simply cannot stand to make me wait any longer. It must be the dirty looks I'm giving her. The other girl gets a seat in her office. I get a seat in a dentist chair. I keep waiting. She comes in and says, Oh I didn't know you know Jesse and Julia (which I've written on my form weeks ago). They are my brother and sister. She immediately kicks the apologies into a very annoying groveling type of boot-licking. I really just want to pay and leave please. She goes over my program with me, but like she's seeing it for the first time and expects me to tell her what my treatment plan is. I don't know what 80% of the words mean, I just know that I already talked to the doctor about it last week and I'm just here to pay. That's all. Here's my card.
Then she tacks a bib on me and goes to get the DDS. Apparently I have some questions for him. I do? No, I don't. Last time I was here he spoke to me for over an hour answering every minute questioned I posed. I'm really just here to pay. He says, ok, looks in my mouth, pretends to write something down and tells me to wait for Financial lady in her office, which is free now.
She asks me what the payment plan amounts were. I tell her from memory. She spends 15 minutes on her calculator trying to come up with those numbers, but not getting them. Finally she gets them. Oh I was doing it wrong, she says. Hahahaha, Can I pay now? Seriously. I hand her all of my cards which I've had out for over an hour. While the payments are being run through we schedule my follow up appointments. I write them all down and get ready to leave. She insists I take appointment cards, and slowly writes out what I've just written down- copying the dates from MY notes!!!!!!
She says she is waiting for the receipts to print out. From another office. She tells me to go back to the waiting room and wait some more. It's now 11:30. For 15 more minutes I wait. I am on my last nerve. KASE 101 is playing loudly in the lobby. One of the assistants asks me if I watched the country music awards last night and then starts talking about the lyrics of the drunk drinking song to her co-worker. I think about banging my head on the glass window, but instead I get her attention with a dirty look.
I cannot stay here any longer, I say. Can you just mail me the receipts? She has to ask if it's okay. It's okay. I leave. Pissed. Not the British kind of pissed. At ten minutes to 12. Two hours after I arrived. What was EZ about that. What.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Goodbye, Edie Britt.
O! The things it takes to get me to write a blog entry these days.
Oh well, I know I'm late on this one, but I am just getting around to watching Season Five of Desperate Housewives. Last night Edie Britt...... (******spoiler alert********) Last night Edie Britt passed into the next world. Not like last time when she was saved just in time. She's out this time, dead, and it sucks.
For the last couple of seasons Nicolette Sheridan's sassy, brassy character has been my hands down favorite on the show. Usually, like Bree or Lynette best, but they have just gotten weaker. Edie's character seems to be the one that got stronger. I'm really going to miss her on the show.
Anyway, the reason I'm writing is to say how disappointing that episode was- not because Edie died, but because the episode turned into a lame memorial full of memory skits (FOR THE SECOND TIME THIS SEASON!!!!!!). I hate those kinds of episodes. Wouldn't it have been more appropriate to use old Best-of-Edie-Britt footage that has kept US laughing over the years, some lines that we'd forgotten, some of her best performances? Not this trite "Edie was a good friend to me but I never told you all about the time when she....." zzzzzzzz. Snooze Fest.
Most importantly- had the writers really been using their chops and keeping with the shows track record, they would have kept her in the story for a little longer. If Edie Britt can blow the door open to tell her friend that she'd like her ashes to be released on Wisteria Lane, then she sure as hell could find some way to try to tell her friends that the psycho she married is trying to kill a couple of them. I mean, this is the traumatic news that led directly to her death, and while it's somewhat interesting to think that David "Williams" Dash's secret died with her, isn't it infinitely more Desperate for them to be led to clues by the pissed off and betrayed Miss Britt? As if she ever would have stood for that.
Here's to better writing in the next episode and in Season 6. Cheers.
Oh well, I know I'm late on this one, but I am just getting around to watching Season Five of Desperate Housewives. Last night Edie Britt...... (******spoiler alert********) Last night Edie Britt passed into the next world. Not like last time when she was saved just in time. She's out this time, dead, and it sucks.
For the last couple of seasons Nicolette Sheridan's sassy, brassy character has been my hands down favorite on the show. Usually, like Bree or Lynette best, but they have just gotten weaker. Edie's character seems to be the one that got stronger. I'm really going to miss her on the show.
Anyway, the reason I'm writing is to say how disappointing that episode was- not because Edie died, but because the episode turned into a lame memorial full of memory skits (FOR THE SECOND TIME THIS SEASON!!!!!!). I hate those kinds of episodes. Wouldn't it have been more appropriate to use old Best-of-Edie-Britt footage that has kept US laughing over the years, some lines that we'd forgotten, some of her best performances? Not this trite "Edie was a good friend to me but I never told you all about the time when she....." zzzzzzzz. Snooze Fest.
Most importantly- had the writers really been using their chops and keeping with the shows track record, they would have kept her in the story for a little longer. If Edie Britt can blow the door open to tell her friend that she'd like her ashes to be released on Wisteria Lane, then she sure as hell could find some way to try to tell her friends that the psycho she married is trying to kill a couple of them. I mean, this is the traumatic news that led directly to her death, and while it's somewhat interesting to think that David "Williams" Dash's secret died with her, isn't it infinitely more Desperate for them to be led to clues by the pissed off and betrayed Miss Britt? As if she ever would have stood for that.
Here's to better writing in the next episode and in Season 6. Cheers.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Cottage Life
We have moved. We are living in a one bedroom cottage on 34th St about one block east of Guadalupe. It's the cutest little place and our neighbors are all fantastic.
Two days after we signed the lease here, while we were still staying at our place on 21st, two people were shot to death in their apartment a few doors down from us. It was a horrible scene to come home to: crime tape, police, forensics, crowds.. It was also a very strange farewell to the apartment where I drew the tarot card "Death". It was one of several untimely deaths since our moving in.
We are moving on though, moving forward. I will do another reading here in this house and I hope it will be full of happiness and light. I just found out I am living about a block away from Jessica's old apartment. I asked Jill for a picture. If I get one, it will be like a reunion with a friend I haven't laid eyes on in years.
Two days after we signed the lease here, while we were still staying at our place on 21st, two people were shot to death in their apartment a few doors down from us. It was a horrible scene to come home to: crime tape, police, forensics, crowds.. It was also a very strange farewell to the apartment where I drew the tarot card "Death". It was one of several untimely deaths since our moving in.
We are moving on though, moving forward. I will do another reading here in this house and I hope it will be full of happiness and light. I just found out I am living about a block away from Jessica's old apartment. I asked Jill for a picture. If I get one, it will be like a reunion with a friend I haven't laid eyes on in years.
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Dream: Childhood Videos
I had this dream a few days ago...
In this dream I was following links on YouTube. I don't think I've ever dreamed about surfing the net before.. probably a good time to cut back on that kind of activity. While I was looking, I came across a video of me as a kid.. and then realized that there were many, many more. Most of these videos were of me at school, not at home. Me singing, me playing, me being funny. There I am in elementary school choir, in dance class, at an outside water fountain, on a swing set.. Sometimes aware of the camera and interacting with it, other times not. It was like looking at old pictures of myself, but they were moving and talking.
I looked for some clarification. The letters were scrambled. ABEL PAYNE, it said- in an attempt to hide itself, I thought. But I had found them. I found person who had posted these videos and they admitted that they had videos of nearly my entire childhood at school. Are there videos of other people?, I asked. No, they replied. I can't remember now if it was a man or a woman- a woman, I think. She said there was nothing harful intended. She had just been fascinated with me and thought I was special. It was strange. So strange.
In this dream I was following links on YouTube. I don't think I've ever dreamed about surfing the net before.. probably a good time to cut back on that kind of activity. While I was looking, I came across a video of me as a kid.. and then realized that there were many, many more. Most of these videos were of me at school, not at home. Me singing, me playing, me being funny. There I am in elementary school choir, in dance class, at an outside water fountain, on a swing set.. Sometimes aware of the camera and interacting with it, other times not. It was like looking at old pictures of myself, but they were moving and talking.
I looked for some clarification. The letters were scrambled. ABEL PAYNE, it said- in an attempt to hide itself, I thought. But I had found them. I found person who had posted these videos and they admitted that they had videos of nearly my entire childhood at school. Are there videos of other people?, I asked. No, they replied. I can't remember now if it was a man or a woman- a woman, I think. She said there was nothing harful intended. She had just been fascinated with me and thought I was special. It was strange. So strange.
Wednesday, July 08, 2009
Michael
'Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds. The mediocre mind is incapable of understanding the man who refuses to bow blindly to conventional prejudices and chooses instead to express his opinions courageously and honestly.' -Einstein
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