I
just got our healthcare statement for August and September, and
all I can say is I'm really glad we have insurance through Gray's
work and not the crappy California Blue Cross we had up until then.
An example: My fancy specialist doctor, for my 18-week level 2 ultrasound,
billed the insurance company $815. It was immediately discounted
to $665 (what is this discount business? I don't know) and our health
plan paid the whole thing aside from a $15 co-pay at the time of
the appointment. Now, the initial price is horrible and inflated
and is the problem with the medical system to begin with since all
they did was run an ultrasound thingie over my belly and look at
some pictures, but the Blue Cross alternative is that they would've
paid about 30% of each bill and put us in the poorhouse. Yuck. (Let
me also say that I'm a big fan of doctors getting paid properly
and I'm not a fan of socialized medicine and when I say all they
did was 'run an ultrasound thingie over my belly' I'm being a little
facetious. But on the other hand, eight hundred dollars? That's
more than most people's rent for a month, and it was for forty-five
minutes.)
===
I'm
listening to the new Jars of Clay CD because it was given to me
for my birthday, and this song "Dead Man (Carry Me)" (which
is appropriate since today's the Day of the Dead) sounds in part
like such a Roxy Music 'Love Is The Drug' ripoff it makes me think
they don't know their music history. At what point will all music
be derivative? Perhaps one day everything will fold in on itself
and become completely unoriginal.
===
I
haven't talked here about the E! show "House of Carters".
I have a semi-burning love for Nick Carter, you see, and yes it's
irrational and misguided and a good measure retarded, but still.
He's tall and blonde and sometimes I can barely contain myself.
So I have to watch the show even though Saturday Night Live's parody
of it two weekends ago was spot-on and all they do is argue and
make up and argue and make up and it's so weird and dysfunctional.
And poor little Aaron Carter, the little scrawny brother. He's so
obviously on meth or something. Why doesn't someone drive him to
rehab in one of the family's many BMWs? And so that's my reality
show trainwreck of the season. I think it's the only one I'm watching.
Oh, except for RW/RR "The Duel". I can't get enough of
those MTV kids.
===
A
word of movie advice: don't go see The Prestige. Oh, ugh. The Departed's
good, though. I feel like there's no time to watch movies lately,
maybe because there's still so much new TV to see and always catch
up on. In addition to the above-mentioned reality shows, here's
my fall lineup: Ugly Betty, Prison Break, Studio 60, 30 Rock, The
Office, Grey's Anatomy, and I think there are more I'm forgetting.
My God, how do I have time to live? I started out watching Smith
and Kidnapped, but the first was cancelled and the latter will be
soon. I tried to watch Friday Night Lights and couldn't, although
there was one great line in the pilot that a middle-aged lady said
to one of the more timid players, something like, "You should
listen to old Slayer. It'll make you angry." Also programmed
into TiVo is Flip That House, Property Ladder, Weekend Warriors,
House Hunters, football, now basketball, (although the last two
not consistently) and SNL. I haven't blinked in a month.
===
Now
I'm going to go read my New York Magazine and the ridiculous article
about the calorie restriction diet where you eat as few calories
as you possibly can to extend your life and supposedly have better
sex (because you're both so exhausted and depleted and skinny that
anything short of sweet death feels good?) Perhaps I'll have some
cheese and crackers while I read.
===
October
Music:
10.3.06
: Scissor Sisters - "I Can't Decide"
10.12.06 : Weekend Players - "Jericho"
10.24.06 : Depeche Mode - "Martyr"
10.30.06 : Shiny Toy Guns - "You Are The One"
