what's wrong with america?

someone very close to me has a mildly serious medical condition.  this person needs regular check-ups to monitor the condition.

unfortunately this person also has un-stable insurance available.  meaning companies are often changed, income status is often fluctuating, and coverage is changing.

i don't believe in the medical community.  i try to avoid antibiotics at all costs. i treat my self the most natural way i can for colds, the flu, allergies, etc.  i dont trust most doctors and think a lot of time they are ordering tests/medications for their own benefit(monetary or covering their ass).

a good example was when i saw a doctor for this awful cough i had for a couple weeks.  i only went because it would wake me up several times during the night.  the doctor told me i either had allergies or a cold and prescribed me medications for both.  i got neither.

this person real close to me had a check-up 2 and a half months ago.  it was discovered that a procedure was needed for the prevention of cancer.  this is the second time this person has needed this procedure.  

but because of our awesome medical system here in america this person has had to cancel insurance for a month, switch doctors, and switch insurance.  a clinic failed to inform them of the needed medical forms, forcing the cancellation of an appointment.  the "new" doctor wants to re-do the check up for her own records.  even though they had it done recently and it shows they are at high risk for cancer unless the procedure is done soon.

in the end this person will have to wait three months to get the procedure because of all the paper work that needs to be completed over and over again for the doctor's sake.  

what about our sake?  what about our safety?  when did doctors stop caring about the health of their patients and start caring only about money?

that is why doctor's should be paid less. professions in the health field and law can draw the wrong people.  it can lure those who are hungry money into a career that needs people who are in it for the good of others, not themselves.

IF this person ends up having cancer I don't know what I will do.  But I will take serious action.

I know you're busy

on register at work.  line of at least 20 people.  sunday always means stupid customers.  here is an especially asshole encounter.

customer: i know you're busy, but how does that thing in your nose work?

me: *smiles and says nothing (are you fucking serious? how rude can you be?)

customer: it looks like a staple, does it go all the way through?

me: yea, it's a staple.(yea jackass, i put a staple through my nose)

customer: is it inside your nose?

me: yea, it's horseshoe shaped.can we just stop talking about it?

customer2: it must hurt to take it in and out?

me: nope. if it hurt, do you think i'd have it?

customer: where's my iced tea?

me: at the end of the counter.where i already told you it would be.  nice button up tucked into your jeans, fucker.

this is def one of those times i wish it was socially acceptable to tell people "go fuck yourself" when they were acting like an asshole.

customer stories

this weekend was busy at alterra.

here are a few choice customer interactions.

customer: got any sort of energy drink?

me: coffee?

customer: yea...(laughs). (turns to 10 yr old boy) want anything else?  

me: your sandwich comes with chips; plain, salt and vinegar or jalapeno.

customer: yea

me: your sandwich comes with chips, which ones do you want?

customer: what are my choices?

me: plain, salt and vinegar, jalapeno (real slow and over pronounced)

customer: plain salt.

me: there are three choices.  plain (dramatic pause) comma (hand gestures) salt and vinegar (dramatic pause) comma (more hand gestures) or (real loud and over pronounced) jalapeno

customer: plain

customer's friend: i'll have a turkey club.

me: your sandwhich comes with a choice of chips.

customer's friend: what kind?  

  

customer: do you have a garbage back there? (holding up a plastic cup)

me: no. (smiles)

customer: (laughs) yea yea, i guess that was a stupid question which deserves a stupid answer.

me: (smiles and grabs the cup)

my house

that's not really my house....

but here are reasons i love my apartment building.

1. one of six working  pay phones exists across the street from my building. which means half of the east side looking to do drug deals hangs out around my street.  (explains why mine and patrick's bikes were stolen)

2.  there is a man hired by the renting company whose sole job is to vacuum the hallways, mop the basement, and hold the door open for me when i attempt to carry my bike into the building.

3.  this man (i assume) also puts glade plug-ins in the sockets of the hallways so our building doesn't smell like food and people and garbage like most apartment buildings.

4.  people say hi to you and small talk with you.  granted i hate small talk, but it's nice to be acknowledged.

5.  there are no screens on our windows so threatening patrick with the idea of me throwing his "babies" (aka xbox 360 and playstation 3) out the window is that much more believable.

6.  one of the tenants sits on the front steps doing random things. talking on her phone, petting her dog, painting her toenails.  

7.  douchebags spill their iced coffee from starbucks in the elevator, right in front of the door where everyone will step in it and don't bother to clean it up.

8.  the elevator never goes straight to the basement.  it always stops on the first floor for at least thirty seconds.

9.  people leave mats outside their door and shoes and they never get stolen.

summer so far

my summer is turning out to be pretty rad.

my internship is awesome.  well the training is awesome so far.

there are nine of us total.  i adore three.  am cool with two.  ok with three.  no hate, yet.

patrick and i actually get to spend time together. and it's been awesome.

i see more of my friends (except brandy for some weird reason....why is that brandy?)

emily and evan are getting married in a year and i get to be in the wedding!!!!

only crap thing that happened so far is mine and patrick's bikes were stolen a couple weeks ago.  we both have since obtained new bikes, but still it was a big bummer.

this week:

-kick ball

-work work work for three days in a row (its going to be rough)

-three on friday? floaties and bathing suits?

-brunch at comet

-KAYLEIGH!!!!

it's been awhile

i'm so close to being done.

so so so close.

so close that i have laxed in my duties as a student teacher.  i went to class in jeans and a fleece (yes i own fleece, get over it).  i didnt write up a formal lesson plan.  and the entire time i was biking to school i kept thinking today my professor will show up.

and he did.

i about shit a brick.  instantly my back is hot and i panic.  

should i write a lesson plan quick for the last three days?

should i explain why i am dressed down (dirty jeans, fleece, old tennis shoes)?

lie. truth. lie. truth.

truth.  but not freely offered. only given if asked.

as students file into the classroom, i stall them by handing out grade reports and pull certain "trouble" students aside bribing them with candy if they behave today.  

me: please please please watch your language today

student: why? (smirking)

me: my professor is here

student: oh....

me: if you can go the entire hour without swearing then i will give you candy

student: (laughs) ok miss burke

bribing a success.

after class my professor asks me general "how are you doing?" questions and leaves. 

Now it's time for a job.  But I have a huge decision to make first.

do i buy a car?  

if i don't then i need a job close.

if i do then i can get a job anywhere.

if i dont then i will potentially be saving a lot of money and save for when i can really afford a car.

if i do i will have to get a good job and have no money.

do i. or dont i.

coffeeeee

If you don't drink coffee or have never worked in a coffee shop this post will not make sense.

Here are some of my favorite requests/questions from customers:

-Can I have a no foam cappuccino? (the whole point of a cappuccino is to have foam...so no you can't)

-Is there ice cream in the mocha shake? (shake usually implies ice cream)

-Can I have a small EXpresso? (it's ESpresso, and it doesn't come in sm, med, large.)

-Can I have a regular drink? (what's a regular drink?  you know a non-coffee drink...oohhh)

-How are your beans baked? (beans as in coffee beans are roasted, not baked fuck head)

Oh customers, how you amuse me.