Reminiscing

Just to warn you, I'm a little punch drunk after spending 13 hours over the past two days driving.

So I missed the big Virginia Tech game in Atlanta that I've been excited about since before we even found out that we were definitely moving there.  I did it to come up to my HS reunion.  It's actually a big deal for me to pass, but I know I'll get to see VT/Bama AND VT/GT in two years, so I can deal.  And I got to visit Blacksburg, which was fucking badass seeing people, none of which I've seen in like 4 years.  Which totally made it worth it.

So I spent 13 hours in the car, with a layover in Blacksburg yesterday.  Which meant I belted out a LOT of show tunes (stop judging me) and stuck in my mind.  Anyone who knows me well, then you should be afraid.  Very, very, very afraid.

It was actually not that bad.  I came to some revelations.

First off, I decided that next football season, I want the two USC's to play each other in a bowl game, and one blows out the other.  Because I want to see either of the following headlines: "Cocks stuff the Trojans", or "Trojans smother the Cocks".  Not all my thoughts can be winners, but I felt like sharing regardless.

I look back on high school, and don't have many bad memories unless I start thinking deeply.  I remember feeling alone and virtually friendless.  Now, based on photos and other forgotten memories that have resurfaced, I've realized that it wasn't actually the case.  I just spent a lot of time dealing with my own issues that I was relatively withdrawn to try to hide stuff I hadn't even had a chance to process myself.

I think it was somewhere in either 10th or 11th grade, I finally came to terms with the fact that I was attracted to men.  I refused to give up on the idea of liking women, and I kept trying put my feelings aside.  I'd pretty much fully come to terms with it when I started dating DG.  It just felt right, and the fact that we were never able to actually spend time together probably helped keep the relationship for more than a few days (sorry, DG, you know I still love you!)

My ability to deal with issues in my life became a lot better in college, when I was pledging my fraternity.  Don't sweat the small shit, and it's all small shit.  It's hard to remember that all the crap going on in your life is all 'small shit', but it really is.  And when you are actually able to put everything in perpsective, it's much easier to deal with.

I also realized that maybe I'd have had an easier time dealing with my own issues if there had been more stuff in pop culture about unconditional acceptance.  The "It Gets Better" campaign, the Trevor Project, in addition to a slew of big singles by popstars.  To be fair, TLC put out "Unpretty" in 1999, but I don't remember it as strongly as even Christina Agulera's "Beautiful", let alone Lady Gaga's "Born this Way" and Pink's "Fuckin' Perfect", both of which get crazy amounts of play on the radio.

Anyways, I'm actually kinda distracted while simultaneously realizing that maybe I should have my editor around when I decide I have a brilliant thought after 13 hours of driving.  Also,...actually, I don't think I had an also.  Maybe I did, but I'm done now.

Also, I'm really looking forward to the weekend, even if Hubby isn't by my side, so that I have some arm candy.  He's too busy proving how crazy smart and awesome he is.  And you may now call him Dr. Hubby.

Small Town Living in the Big City

Don't ask why I'm making a double post today (in fact, I literally just made the announcement on social media).  And for the record, I almost never actually go to facebook anymore.  I rely on the emails that get sent that 'so-and-so commented on your recent post' or ;you have a new message from so-and-so'.  These lame 'you have notification messages waiting for you' emails just don't do it for me.

Anyways, Atlanta is obviously a large city.  It has a population of about 484,000 people.  And then there is Druid Hills, Decatur (and North Decatur), and Scottdale, all within the Perimeter (the beltway to those from DC).  In fact, Atlanta Metro is about the same population as the DC Metro area.

However, it doesn't feel like we live in a large city.  In fact, it feels very similar to Central PA.  If you ignore the sounds of the police sirens and the traffic on I-20 (about 1/4 of a mile south of our house).  In fact, our neighborhood (Edgewood) has a population of only 5,000 people, so it's about the size of Bellefonte.  However, Edgewood is about 3/4 of a mile both North/South and East/West, ranging from I-20 to the MARTA line, and from Moreland Ave to our street...which seems a very strange and arbitrary boundary.

Like all major cities, Atlanta has interesting road quirks.  The most annoying one for finding your way through Downtown and Midtown is the enigma that is 'Peachtree St'.  There are 71 roads in Atlanta that use some variation of it.  In fact, There is a place where Peachtree Ave intersects E Peachtree St, which is two blocks off of Peachtree st.  Then there's the arbitrary road name changes.  When I drive to Decatur (which has been happening a lot in my job hunt, I take Howard Ave to College Ave.  There is no distinction, there's just a forced turn where Howard would have otherwise ran into the railroad tracks and MARTA line. At that same point, the road running parallel on the other side of the tracks becomes Howard Ave.  Not at an intersection, mind you.

When we were looking at houses, we looked at one on Boulevard SE.  That was the entire road name.  It was actually on a side-ramp, but that's not the point.  It was the best fit for what we wanted, other than the fact we couldn't quite figure out how we were supposed to get there, and there was a single-wide driveway to share with 2 other units.

Where Hosea L Williams Dr intersects Moreland Dr, it becomes Boulevard Dr.  Even though Boulevard Dr ends one block later.  When we first moved here, we figured that Hosea had to be a fairy major road (this was well before any exploration had been done).  Our rationale was that Atlanta is divided into quadrants, and we live in Southeast.  Houses on our road on the other side of Hosea are in NE.  Considering that Atlanta is already effectively divided into quadrants by I-20 and I-75/85, the interstates would make a more obvious selection, as would Memorial Dr, which is one block south of us, and runs the whole way through the city.

Interstate driving in the city is...interesting.  I've spent plenty of time driving in cities - I took my road test on I-66 and the Beltway.  During rush hour. I nearly killed us all, but I still got my license.  The Downtown Connector (where I-85 and I-75 combine) ranges from 8 to 12 lanes during the duration.  The official speed limits in some areas area as low as 40 mph.  The actual speed limits (regardless of time of day it seems):

• Right Most Lane: 0mph - this is a fun lane that is exit only, but reappears as the onramp.  It never moves because people are trying to get on or off the highway.
• 2nd Right Lane: 25mph
• 3rd Right Lane: 35 mph
• Middle Lane: 40 mph
• 2nd Left Lane: 75 mph
• Left Lane: 95+mph
• HOV Lane: 35mph - This is the most amusing to me.  There are no HOV exits, and you can only enter and exit the lane at certain points.  At which time, you have to book it across several lanes of traffic to make the exit 1/4 mile away.

However, the most interesting experience I've had on the roadway was not even on the interstate, but it was an expressway.  I saw a few sets of flashing lights ahead, so both I and the pickup in front of me began to slow down.  Then sirens came on behind me, and I relized I was about to be rear-ended by another cop.  Two more police cars sped down the left and right most lanes (I was going 75, so they must have been going over 90.  Then I noticed 3 cars going roughly the same speed into traffic in the right most lane.  Then I passed it.  And nearly wet my pants.

The cop speeding down the left lane veered sharply in front of the pickup in front of me, causing him to almost run off the road, with me close behind.  As we both managed to get around the car, I noticed the reason for the disruption.  A single car was surrounded by cops, guns drawn, two right up against the front windshield.  I have no idea what it was, but I think I'll be letting off the accelerator more often.  Just in case.

On Unemployment

No, I'm not on unemployment.  Also? Happy random-double-post-day to you!

As the school year winds down, I'm reminded one of the major downsides to being a substitute teacher.  I'm paid only on days I work, unlike 'real' teachers, who are paid a salary for the school year, which is then divided up over 12 months.  But, since there is no demand for substitutes, I don't make any money in the summer.  However, since I don't work because there is no demand, I can't get unemployment.  Which means no money for me.  Which makes me a sad panda.  I'd get another job, but as you've probably surmised by  now, I'm moving to Atlanta, Georgia sometime this summer, so there's no point in finding summer employment.

However, I now have lots of free time to dedicate to hobbies.  Which I now have.  Besides television and video games.  Well, a hobby, but that's better than nothing.  When I was young, my mom taught me how to cross stitch.  And I started a few projects. I don't think I ever finished any, but I started a few. Then I didn't do another one for many years.  Then one year in college, I was shopping in a giant big-box retailer, when I found a panda cross stitch kit.  If you don't know, Hubby is obsessed with pandas.  As in last time we went to the National Zoo, I took 40 minutes of video while he took close to 200 pictures.  We were at the panda exhibit for over 2 hours.  I'm not even sure we spent two hours on the rest of the zoo.  Also, for the record, Zoo Atlanta has 3 pandas.  Hubby has already set money aside for an annual membership.  Anyways, I spent like 2 months working on that damn panda cross stitch (late at night, after all distractions had gone to bed studying).  Then I bought another kit to work on, and promptly stopped.  Then another.  And stopped.  Shortly after moving up here, I was miserable.  I had no friends, and I had no job.  Hubby bought me a giant light house cross stitch that I worked on for about 3 months off and on, and then put it aside for a few years.  Then I worked on it crazy for a summer.  Then stopped again.  It's about 1/4 done, and I want to keep working on it, but I have no real motivation.







And the point, you ask? I'm getting to it.  Chill.  Geez.  Then after telling Hubby that I didn't want anything for my birthday, which he stupidly took as I literally didn't want anything, not I wanted a gift, but didn't want to ask for anything. How thoughtless, right?  Anyways, he bought me a scroll frame and two new cross stitches.  The first of which (also a light house, but much smaller) I finished in about 3 weeks. 







The second one will probably take me about a month, but that's because I'm ramping up for my next big project.  More on that in a second.

While browsing the internet one day, I came across a cross stitch that someone had made of the Light World overworld map from Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past.  And then I started to explore the site.  So I ended up making what I call a sampler that I pieced together myself (and I did it in exactly 4 weeks)







The only part that I had a pattern for was the words.  The rest I made myself.  I'm very proud of it.  Except Kirby.  He doesn't look quite right to me.  Anyways, I decided to make Hubby the Light World map to thank him for getting me back into the cross stitching.  Only then I discovered the Dark World map.  I decided that Hubby could choose which one he wanted.  He couldn't decide.  So I decided to make both.  Yes.  Both.  He then had the gall to ask if I could work in the game logo.  Or I asked if he wanted it.  I can't remember.  Either way, this is what it will eventually look like:

Oh, and that's not to scale compared to the other pictures.  It will actually be 14 inches wide and 28 inches long.  It's 77 colors and 119,724 stitches.  The instructions were 36 pages long when I printed them.  I bought the thread yesterday, and the fabric is being shipped.  I just have to finish my second birthday project first.

So I guess I'm a lot like my dear, sweet Hubby...as much as I bitch.  When he picks up a new hobby, he goes full-swing into it, and clearly, so do I.  Also, he enabled me, notice HE bought me the equipment.  Also, the lighthouse that's 6 years in development? Still not in the works.  It might be a while.

It's Like Waiting For Christmas. Only Not.

Ok.  First off, I really need to stop having multiple posts in a row with similar titles.  Especially since I post infrequently. At best. End tangent (which began before the actual content.  Go me.)

I hope everyone had a good Chrismahannakwanzakah. (and new tangent: OH MY GOD!!!! I CAN'T BELIEVE I FINALLY FOUND THAT VIDEO...I'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR FOREVER).  I had a good one.  I got the tie clip I wanted.  Which made me a very happy panda.  And somewhat embarrassed that it was like getting the Red Rider bb gun you wanted, but never actually got.  Only it was a TIE CLIP.  But for me, the real celebration will come in February.

Back in May, I posted about my rash of symptoms from my sinus issues.  Then in September, I followed up by announcing that I was planning on going under the knife.  Then the whole thing became a nightmare. Like for real-real, not for play-play.

I visited the specialist on the first day my insurance through Hubby's university took effect for the year.  And I'd been told that it wouldn't be an issue.  And presumably it wouldn't have been.  It may still prove to not be one, but I'm not sure.  And it's six months later.  You see, the university takes insurance premiums out at the end of each month.  Starting in September.  Meaning that even though I'd been to the doctor in mid-August, it wouldn't be until the beginning of October before the insurance company would do anything.  Because my account wasn't paid.

This led to receiving multiple letters from the doctor's office demanding payment. Finally it was paid.  At the end of October.  And my doctor's balance went down by only $100 or so.  Because that little camera that was unceremoniously shoved up my nose for a whopping 35 seconds and used to determine the best course of action was classified by my insurance as surgery.  Which they don't cover.  They would if it had been officially ordered by my PCP, which he did.  But that was before the annual insurance switch-over.  I think.  It gets confusing.

Finally, the last week of October, I get the results from the letter of pre-determination that the doctor sent my insurance.  They would cover having my tonsils and adenoids removed, but not having the little doodads fixed (the only procedure that is so quick and basic that they don't even bother putting people under for) or having my septum fixed.  Because those are sinus surgery.  But having my adenoids out (which - at least for me - literally fill my sinuses) was covered.  I'm really not complaining.

I appealed in mid-November.  But they hadn't come to a determination by mid-December, which is the last time I talked to them.  After getting the first letter back from the insurance, I called the specialist to make an appointment.  I figured let's see how necessary he thought the two denied proceedures were (hence why I waited a while to file my appeal) and how much they would cost if I opted to just pay out of pocket.  He couldn't see me until the last week of November (this was late October).  A week before my appointment, the secretary called to inform me that the appointment had been rescheduled for mid-December.  I went in, the appointment lasted five-minutes, I was feeling good about what he had to say, and I walked out with an appointment scheduled for January 7.

I'm sure you're now thoroughly confused.  Because clearly if I'd been hack-and-slashed I'd have been bitching about it here. And on Facebook. And on Twitter. And and via any and every other form of communication I could think of.  I may have even brought the telegraph back out of retirement for that one.  Fortunately, (although extremely frustratingly) the doctor's office had an issue notifying my insurance about my scheduled surgery.  As in the insurance informed them that they had no record of me.  After a very long and confusing call to the insurance company, it was determined that the doctor was notifying the regular insurance, not the student insurance.  Despite what the very-nice-but-not-entirely-with-it secretary told me.  They also informed me that there was an issue with January surgery.  My insurance ended December 31.  Also? My insurance doesn't require advanced notification for surgery.

After calling every answering machine at the university insurance office, I finally managed to reach someone.  Actually the head of the department.  Because she is married to one of my former coworkers.  So I just called him.  Turns out, re-enrollment is automatic and there is no lapse in coverage.  BUT the insurance information isn't sent to the company until January 18.  The deadline for new enrollment.  And the first payment isn't until the end of the month.  Which would have led to the exact same issues with insurance I had back in August.  But at least then they had knowledge that I was covered by their insurance, just not paying my bill yet.

Long story short, I simply rescheduled the surgery and have gotten comfy on the spare bed.  But the countdown is on: 24 more days until surgery!!!!! Then a week or so for recovery, and I'll be able to breathe.

Oh, and all this shit just for surgery that is officially blocked for an hour of time.  But I've been told it probably wont even be 30 minutes.

And I realize that this post is kinda whiny and no one really cares and is sick of hearing about my sinus issues.  But this is my blog, and I pay for the domain.  So when you're in my domain, you do as I say.  Ok.  Maybe I need to take a nap.  Stupid not-getting-restful-sleep-for-24-more-days.

Oh, and for the record: my New Year's resolutions? To post on here more frequently.  Fail.