My monthly blog

As has become apparent custom, I have sat down to update my blog for the first time in a month or so. Lots to type about so settle in for a lot of babble.

I was watching one of my favorite movies the other day, The Shawshank Redemption. In that movie Clancy Brown plays a sadistic prison guard by the name of Byron Hadley. I couldn't help but look at him and marvel at how truly versitile he is. My little one is a huge SpongeBob Squarepants fan. In this show, Clancy Brown provides the voice for Mr. Krabs. If you haven't watched SpongeBob, or BaaBaa as Bem would say, you should watch just to here Clancy.

In another fine family tradition, my urinary tract started acting up about a month ago. To make matters worse pain has found it's way to a region where pain can and should not be ignored. However, when I finally got around to going to the doctor I called for an appoitment just in time to discover that it was my doctors last day at the office. Apparently, she is moving to greener pastures. Regardless, this left me to fine a new doctor... again. When I needed a Chiropractor, I just went to our medical insurance's web-site and picked the first one on the list within a reasonable proximity to the office. I hit the gold mine as the office they sent me to is filled with wonderful professionals who have helped me tremendously. So I took it on fate that the doctor that was on the top of the list for an internest would also be good. Not to mention that his name was Yang, and we all know that the best medical drama on TV (Grey's Anatomy) has a Dr. Yang on it and she just won a golden globe, so it had to be fate. Besides, I truly feel that asian doctors have a better understanding on average than american doctors when it comes to healing... not just treating.

I was wrong. I went to the office in the basement of a business in Manchester... who even knew there were basements in Manchester? It looked like a cross between a 70's vets office and a porn palace. Paneled walls decorated with starving artists oil paintings. 2x6 furniture with worn cushions, and the receptionist/scheduling/medical records/accounts payable desk was just hanging out there in the middle of the waiting room. To boot, the phone was one of those old rotary dials with the real honest to god bells in it. The visit went much like you would expect, 45 minutes of waiting and 3 minutes of doctor interaction. He did not tell me what he thought the problem was, but did give me some samples, which he did not tell me what they were or what they did, and told me to come back in a week. No urine was taken, no blood drawn. Medicate and release.

I have to admit a medical prejudice. I like a sleek looking office with all the bells an whistles. I like seeing a nurse who will take my vitals then a doctor who will actually spend a few minutes and try and figure out what the hell is wrong with me. This joker had none of these qualities. Tomorrow will begin with the quest for another doctor.

It is tax time, and for those of you out there who have easy taxes, I would be glad to do them for a small nominal fee. I did mine yesterday in about an hour. It would have been quicker, but the old man with the telegraph took a long time downloading some new software. I got a good return this year, too. Funny thing... I paid $911 in tuition last year, and since I did not get reimbursed until this year I got a credit of $184 for that, which is cool. But I paid $8,400 in interest on my mortgage and guess how much of a credit I got for that? $0... Don't get me wrong, I am pleased and thankful for my return, but the tax system is screwed up. If you make next to nothing and proliferate prolifically you can actually get a return larger than your income. I paid in roughly 8% of my income and got roughly 10% back... it's not right. No wonder we have a budget deficit.

My sister moved to California a couple weeks ago. She had spent most of last year out there and had come back long enough to run out her lease, pack here things and drive back. While she was here she had hoped to see some of the afternoon rain showers that Tennessee often has and California rarely does. While it threatened a few times, I do not think it ever came through.

Tennessee is our adopted home. We, as a family, moved here in 1980. Kelly, most of all, never really seemed to take too much to Tennessee, until she left. I think the same can be said for Tennessee. After she departed, it rained everyday until today. You may say it is coincidence, but I think that the state was weaping. Expressing the sorrow we all feel to see here go.

Good luck and God Bless, Kel...