Insurance lunacy

Ok .. The scoop on the roto-rooter procedure ...

I called the office that is handling the procedure. They got my information and informed me that my insurance was only covering 80%, so I had to have 20%, plus the deductible up front. They prefer to collect that at the time of the procedure. The deductible and the 20% comes to around $140.

I called my insurance company to find out why the 80/20 split and the deductible were being charged. It seems that if the DR orders the procedure as the result of some underlying medical cause, it is considered a medical procedure and is subject to the 80/20 split plus the regular deductible. If the procedure is because I am of the age to have it done and it is part of a routine visit, then I only have to pay the $10 deductible. This puts me in a odd position.

My DR's exact wording was: "We are not sure what is causing the pain, and because you are nearly 50 and due for a colonoscopy at that time, we are going to schedule one." My 'procedure' fits both categories. It is not because of the abdominal pain (which has practically disappeared) alone. If I were 10 years younger, there would be no colonoscopy.

Technically, it is because I am 49 that I am getting it done.

I called the DR office doing the work and explained it to them. They refused to change the way they bill it. They did say that once they billed it, if the insurance company paid it all, they would reimburse me. Yeah, like that will happen. Once they mention the abdominal pain, related or unrelated, an insurance adjuster, who is looking for any way possible to write a smaller check, will latch on to that like a bulldog to a bone.

My insurance company further told me, that even if it were a routine procedure, if the DR found anything, it would then be considered a medical procedure and I would again be liable for 20%.Is it just me, or is anyone else tired of insurance companies telling DR's what medical procedures they should do, and what medicines they should prescribe?

How many times has a DR prescribed a medication, only to have the patient told by the insurance company that they will not cover that, but will cover this ?

Does something seem askew here ?

Oh yeah, I told the DR office doing the procedure that we were cancelling this procedure and we would reschedule at a later date when it is going to be a routine thing. So, my blind date with the roto-rooter man is postponed. So, Wednesday is still hump day, but now is not anal probe hump day. Gotta go change the calendar ... see y'all later ...

yep, it is a new cut. The long locks are gone. 

The DR said ....

ok .. It isn't my gall bladder. It isn't my appendix. It isn't my heart.

They really aren't too sure what it is, so excluding things is the second best thing. They suspect that it is something in the stomach wall, something causing spasms. The pain radiating to my shoulder, they say, is my acid reflux.

They gave me some Prevacid to take before the meal, and told me to continue to take my Ranitidine at bedtime. Then they gave me a tranquilizer for my tummy. If it begins to hurt, I am to put two of these little bitty pills under my tongue and let them dissolve, for faster entrance into my bloodstream.

That is one of the most difficult tasks to do. It seems so easy. However, them little suckers do not want to stay under the tongue. They crawl out. Then you try to put them back, with your tongue, and end up putting them between your lip and gum. Finally, I have to get them out and put them back manually.

I finally get them to dissolve, and they don't seem to make any difference.

BUT ... The real good news is: They scheduled me for a Colonoscopy next week.

Yeah, a camera in my anus, wahooooooo. Tammy says it is about the size of her little finger. The DR says they will give me an anesthetic in an IV and I will wake up after it is over. That is always a scary thing, to go to sleep at a DR's office and wake up with a sore butt. It is easier to take knowing that it is supposed to happen. It would be totally different if it happened at the dentist office.

Oh course, my luck, just before I pass out, I'll see the Channel 18 truck outside and their cameras are HUGE !!!

I'll wake up with an anus you can park your car in and a form to sign saying it was ok because the DR's camera malfunctioned and they we already in the building.

Wish me luck.

Interrupted in the middle of ...

The High School here called us about Chella's recent absences. They were not going to be excused because she has already used her THREE parent excuses for this year. THREE !!! That's it ? She is allowed only three parent notes in one year.

We called the school, and the school board, and the state office. The Asst. Principal at the HS wasn't available, and everything seemed to point to him as the person with which to begin.

So, I began composing a great email to him about this whole situation .. Here is what I got:

Mr. XXXXXX,

I am Chelsea XXXXXX's step-father. We were called by the school and informed that her absences on Thursday and Friday will not be excused and she will not be allowed to make up the work, because she has used her three parent note excuses for the year.

Chelsea has asthma and severe allergies. She is very prone to upper respiratory infections, such as colds, flu, bronchitis, pneumonia, and a host of other respiratory ailments. We do not take her to the doctor for every sniffle or fever. My wife has dealt with this situation with Chelsea for nearly 16 years, and is best qualified to determine when a DR visit is warranted. Your own policy, which does not allow her to be at the school when running a fever over 99°, means she will miss school at times that she does not need to go to the DR.

We need to resolve this issue. Chelsea is an extremely bright student, but will fail no matter how hard she tries if she is not allowed to make up her work.

It is in her medical file at school about her asthma. It is a established fact. We can get a note from her DR stating what infections she is likely to get, and that everyone of them does not require medical attention.

I realize that each district in the Commonwealth of Kentucky has the right to set their own polices concerning absences and what will or will not be accepted as excused. However, these policies should have some semblance of rationality. A normal child will contract more than 3 colds a year.

I got this far into my brilliant email, and he called us back .. dang it .. and I was on a roll .......

Oh yeah, my DR appt is at 1:40 pm.

Sorry

I know it has been a while since I posted.

It seems we are busier than ever these days. There is always something to do, or somewhere to go.

Friday, we were going to break down and go singing, until we realized that Tammy had to work on Saturday, and I had an all day class. It was the update class required for my Mater Electrician license. There is a group here that offers the classes free to teachers. I was taking advantage of that offer.

I have been experiencing some mild stomach pain on and off for a little while. Saturday morning, on my way to the class, I ate a little breakfast. This caused a sharp stabbing pain in the lower left quadrant of my abdomen. It was about six inches to the left and just below or even with my belly button. It went away once I was at class and walking around and sitting.

The class lasted about 6 hours. We skipped lunch to end it earlier. So, I was out about 2ish. On my way home, I stopped and grabbed a bite to eat. When I got home, I was in terrible pain. I looked it up on the pain chart at one of the medical sites, and it was classified moderate pain. When I got up to walk, it jumped to severe. The pain also radiated to my left shoulder. We began looking on the web for possible causes. Where the pain is, is away from everything that should be causing the pain.

I have heard from several what they think it might be. I just did the real smart thing and called my friend that is a Physicians Assistant. She says it should not be gall bladder unless my organs are reversed, which is possible but not probable. She thinks it sounds like colon or most likely, stomach. That is because the pain is almost immediate upon eating.

I have already called into work. I will do some paperwork from here and email it in, so my students will have work to do (oh joy.) Of course, stubborn me called into work on my way back from being under a house working on a furnace.


I will call my DR tomorrow morning to get in. If I can't be seen, I will go to the Urgent Treatment Center.

I appreciate kind thoughts and prayers (if ya are the praying type.)

I'll let ya know what happens.

Unbelievable !!

Ok .. Before I begin, I must warn you that this is a volatile subject, one which carries passionate arguments on both sides of the issue. That being said ... Let's go on ..

Seventeen years ago, in the middle of April, the followers of a cult leader, dug a pit. Less than one week later, on April 17th, Jeffery Lundgren bound and gagged Dennis and Cheryl Avery, and their three daughters, ages 7 to 13, put them in the pit, and shot them to death. He then had followers cover the pit with dirt and stones. The bodies remained undiscovered for several months until one of the followers went to the police.

Mr. Lundgren was arrested and convicted. He was sentence to death. He has exhausted all his appeals, and was scheduled to die on October 24th by lethal injection. Now, an Ohio judge has stayed the execution, based on the fact that Mr. Lundgren is overweight and diabetic, and this would put him at greater risk for suffering during the lethal injection.

Hey, I don't want to see anyone suffer needlessly, but if it were me, we would take Mr. Lundgren out to a farmhouse, have him dig a pit the same size as the one in which he killed the Avery's, then shoot him five times in non-lethal areas of his body. Then, after he has felt just a small taste of what his victim felt, shoot him in the head and pile on the rocks and dirt.

How is it that someone is so concerned about the rights of the condemned not to suffer needlessly and yet, it was that persons total disregard of that right in others that got them there in the first place. All of a sudden, Mr. Lundgren is so concerned about others that he wants to join in a lawsuit that would change the protocol for lethal injection, to prevent others from suffering. If he had just a smidge of that concern some 17 years ago, he would be on the outside trying to change the protocols. However, I suspect, that if it didn't concern him, he would be opening his mouth.

Maybe God told him to try to change the protocols. According to him, it was God that told him to kill the Avery's. I don't know exactly who was talking to Mr. Lundgren, but it wasn't the God I know. The one I know said, "Love your neighbor as you love yourself."

I know the opponents of the death penalty are jumping all over this possibility of 'excruciating' pain and suffering from the lethal injection. Just as the proponents of the death penalty are climbing all over the brutality of the crime, and the fact that the Ohio Parole Board recommended against clemency. It doesn't matter where you fall on the fence on this one, it is a travesty, that someone with such callous disregard for the suffering of others should even ask us to be concerned about his own suffering for that disregard.

OK, I feel better now.

Feel free to post your disagreements. I am not afraid of those that disagree with me. It makes me dig deeper into my beliefs foundation, and that makes me stronger. Who's knows, you might change me mind.

And we are still not through it

OMIGosh

Who would have known it could be so crazy?

Now, we had festivals and events in Lexington that would carry on into the wee hours, with revellers in every corner of town. However, Lexington is a town of 268K+. It is set up to handle large gatherings, well, except for traffic. Lexington can't handle regular traffic.

(I was coming thru Lexington at 2PM on a Friday afternoon. There are 2 major roads leading into Lexington from the south. They are Nicholasville Rd and Harrodsburg Rd. At 2 PM, Friday, Nicholasville Rd was bumper to bumper for more than 3 miles. I made the opportunity to cut across to Harrodsburg Rd, and it was bumper to bumper thru town and beyond. What the heck are all these people doing on the road in the middle of a work day? This was not rush hour. This was 2 hours before rush hour. Incredible.)

Anyway, Mt Sterling is a town of just over 5600. It has 3 corridors that run east/west. They are High St, Main St, and Locust St. Then there is 1 corridor going north/south. It is Maysville rd. It even does a little jog thing thru town, where you have to turn and turn to stay on Maysville Rd. On the North side of Main and all of Locust, from 5 blocks west of the house to 20 yards of the house is COURT DAYS. It started (officially) on Saturday and runs thru Monday. It has been a zoo. From the edge of my driveway, I can look up Locust and see a slowly churning living wall of people. There is a constant stream of walkers from blocks and blocks east of us that pass to and fro in front of our house.

Tammy is freaking out because, at least, 1 out of every 5 passersby is carrying a firearm of some sort. Some have rifles, some have shotguns, some have pistols. (We did find out if you are carrying more than 2 firearms and you are congregating and talking to others with firearms, you will be fined $300 for illegal firearms trading. Odd.) There is much trading. There are many vendors. There are countless food merchants. It is Festival !!

We have allowed some to park in the side yard. Kyle goes to the corner with a sign and works the traffic. Anyone with room for 3 or more cars has a sign and offers to allow parking .. For a fee. We did the same. We made enough on Saturday and Sunday to pay for Tammy's new cell phone. (We wont talk about what happened to her old one. Let's just say that cell phone and washing machines .. Not a good mix.)

Oh yeah, we had a great anniversary. The gifts were simple and from the heart. I have no clue what the 3rd year anniversary is. I tried to buy her some outlet extension boxes and some wire track molding, but the supply house was sold out. Oh well, maybe next year.

I took off work on Thursday and Friday. That was good. There were no students at my school anyway, Fall break. A few of my students were at Court Days and stopped by to say hi.

Now, Court days ? Well, in the olden days, Montgomery County was the largest in KY. It stretched from its present eastern border all the way to the West Virginia state line. The judge was only in town on a certain Monday each month. All those that had business with the court would be in town on that day every month. They came from near and far to do their business. Since transportation wasn't as modern or convenient those days, many travelers took advantage of the day to do their monthly shopping. There was also much horse trading of items of all shapes and sizes. Eventually, vendors caught wind of the possibilities and began setting up on court day each month because of the increased chances to sell their wares.

Modernization (to some point) occurred. The county gave land to other counties. Montgomery County is now one of the smallest counties in KY. Court business is taken care of daily as it is all across the land. Court day became an annual event. It is estimated that over 130,000 people will pass thru Mt Sterling during these three days. We were out earlier to pick up a prescription for Tammy, and as far away as 2 miles, they were parking folks for $5. Beyond that, they still parked, but it was less.

Tomorrow, I am supposed to be back at work. Tammy has to work as well, but later in the day. The kids have had their two day crash course on parking cars. They will be manning the fort.

Tammy has a big case of the tired's. I am not far behind.

How was your weekend ?

Three years

Three years ...

To a baby, three years is a lifetime. To our fifth grader, it is just under 1/3 of his life. To our 15 year old, it is 1/5th of her life and the forever that has to happen before she is 18. To Tammy, it is one thing, and to me, it is another.

I turned 49 last week. I was delighted at the looks of shock amongst our friends who could not believe that I could be that old, but, yes, I am. I am nearly half a century old, and while this post is not about my age, it is a relevant fact. How someone looks at time is dependent on so many mitigating circumstance. It is relative to how long one has been living. It is relative to one's health and circumstance. It depends on whether you are looking at 3 years until retirement or 3 years in jail. It changes from the time you are 10 to the time you are 50. It depends on whether you have to endure 3 more years or have only 3 more years to enjoy.

At 10, I was a happy 6th grader at Yates Elementary, oblivious to bills and responsibilities beyond simple chores and schoolwork. At 20, I was married, working as an electrical apprentice, and preaching. At 30, I was working as an electrician, expecting our third child, assistant pastor of a church, and spending too much time on the road keeping food on the table. At 40, I was divorcing, living alone for the first time in my life, and still trying to discover who I was. In 1 year I will be 50. All of my life, in increments of 10 years, or 5, or 1, or even months and weeks, have led me to where I am right now.

So, where am I right now?

I am working as a teacher, teaching electricity to high schoolers. I am a new home owner, again. I am still on my journey to discovery of who I am , or perhaps just on the journey to accepting who I am. I am still a father, grateful of the lessons that path has taught me. I am a husband.

Three years ago, Oct 11, 2003, Tammy and I stood in front of family and friends, expressed our love in vows and song, made promises, kissed, and celebrated. Three years ago, I married one of the smartest, wittiest, prettiest, most honorable persons I have had the joy to know. Three years, we have enjoyed our life. Three years, we have walked up hills, climbed mountains, rested in valleys, together. (Really, it has been 4.5 yrs if you count the 18 months we dated, but let's keep it simple here.)

Three years is just the beginning. Three years and her touch is just as thrilling, if not more. I still smile in my heart when I catch sight of her while we are out and separated for a moment. I still watch her sleeping. I still watch her reading. I am still amazed we are together. I think I have almost stopped worrying that she will come to her senses someday.

Three years, and Honey, I'll still ask you, every day, that one question, "Will you marry me?"

Three years is not enough time to begin to know you. There are so many complexities we have yet to explore. Tomorrow, we start on year 4. I'll fill up with gas, cause this is going to be a helluva ride.

I love and adore you, TJ

Cloistered

How quickly we adapt.

We have been in Mt Sterling for just over a month now. We have settled, somewhat, into the quiet town life. We are just 3 blocks or so from the main intersection of downtown. (Yes, residential areas begin with 3 blocks of down town .. In most every direction.) I don't know about the rest of the family, but I have grown accustomed to the pace of the town. Of course, some may say that I was living in the small town pace while living in Lexington, but, I digress.

I leave Mt Sterling (pop. 5600, 73 churches, 7 motels, 1 cinema, 1 drive-in, and 1 airport[where you can learn to fly]), between 6:45 and 7:00 am, to go to Winchester (pop. 16,378, 52 churches, 7 motels, 1 cinema, and 1 drive-in) to work. I do this at least 5 times a week. I have gotten used to slowed down pace of these small communities.

About once a week, unless we can avoid it it, we go to Lexington (pop. 268,000, over 230 churches, 68 hotels/motels, 5 indoor malls, 7 colleges, and 4 TV stations.) On a recent trip to Lexington, I stopped at a convenience store to grab a Diet Dew, as I was just parched. I sat for a minute in the truck watching the people. They bustled (yes, I used the word 'bustled') about. They were all focused on their path. They had that singularity of purpose. "I know where I am going. I know how to get there. I know what to do on the way. I know what to do once I get there."

That isn't to say that people aren't the same everywhere. However, I began to think about living in a small town. I have to say, in my opinion, one of the biggest killers of hospitality is being rushed. Most people just don't have time to be kind. In Lexington, that is like a dog chasing it's own tail. The faster you chase, the faster it runs away. Everything is a hurry up. Everything is a rush. People drive like they do because they are rushed. The rushing makes it worse.

Oh yeah, back to the first word of the post. Cloistered.

A cloistered community is closed in. It is mostly self-sufficient. It operates at its own pace. I noticed, Lexington has a pace. Winchester has a pace. Mt Sterling has a pace.

Yes, there are thing we cannot do in MS. There are things that cannot be done in Winchester. I am liking, however, the much slower paced MS. I like my quiet street with only the occasional honking horn after 9 PM. I like not living in a 24 hour community.

Lexington, you are the place of my birth. You will always have a place in my heart, but Mt Sterling is quickly becoming 'home'.

Cloister me.

I just do not get it.

Violence, I understand. If raised in a violent atmosphere, then violence could very well be your first response to most things. I have personally seen children, when introduced into a violent situation, through divorce or remarriage, react to situations with the same type of reaction they have seen. Violence is a difficult cycle to break, but it can be done.

The thing I do not get, is the whole “I was molested as a child, therefore I molest children,” thing. It seems to me that something so degrading and horrifying would be the last thing you would want to revisit on some other child, in the position you were in, years earlier. I would think, that admitting it to yourself, would make you a champion against such offenses.

Now, in light of recent revelations, Former Rep. Mark Foley, has suddenly gained the courage to come out of the closet (like the revelation of you sending sexually motivated IM’s to males, didnt do that for you. “Surprise everyone, I am gay.) and has decided to bring to light (just a little light) his unfortunate childhood that included molestation at the hands of some clergy (to which every clergyman in his life is saying, tell us who it was, so we will be out from under this cloud.)

One of my pet peeves, is telling someone under me, to do something, or stop doing something, and them telling me what they are doing, as if that means they don’t have to conform to what I said. (Like today when I told one of the auto students [yes, I have them today] to leave the lift alone, he felt compelled to tell me that he was showing someone something on it. It doesnt matter. I didnt ask why you were doing the thing you shouldnt be doing. I simply told you to stop doping it. The proper response is to say, yes, Mr. Simpson, and stop.)

Dude, you were caught. You did the wrong thing, for the wrong reasons, and were caught. Do not tell me why you were doing it. Do not use whatever contrived motive you thought you had as an excuse to slip out from under the responsibility umbrella. You did it. Pay for it.

Like the sign in the glass shop window, “If you break it, you buy it.” Mr. Foley, you broke it, now buy it. I do not need your DRs excuse or your lawyers note. I need you with your responsibility and remorse, to step up, and say, “It was my fault.”

Man, you broke it. Do the right thing. Stop hiding behind your fabricated vague past. That is so lame. It is so high school.

I remember once in High School. I had a class I hated. I skipped it just about every day. The class was split by lunch. So, while that class was in lunch, I would slip in and mark myself present. If we had grades, I would give myself a decent grade. I didnt make myself an A student. Well, eventually I was caught. Someone turned me in. The principal called me in. He asked what I was doing in the lunchroom when I was supposed to be in class. I told him, “I was skipping,” and that was the last truthful thing I said in that meeting. There were drugs involved, threats, fears, retaliations, etc. I lied my ass off. He bought enough of it to excuse my skipping that day (they did not know about the other days.) I walked away a free man.

That is not going to happen here. This is the big leagues. You may garner some sympathy with your stories, but you still need to pay the price.

If you believe that this is a cycle, you need to break it here. The kids you touched (Physically, mentally, or emotionally) need to see you pay the price. They need to see the ramifications of those actions visited upon you.

I may be way off base.

I welcome your thoughts and comments.

Oh yeah

It's my birthday !!

Peace, y'all.

holey moley .. is it that long ?? 

Tapping fools

Kyle came home with some interesting stuff from school today. One of the math problems they had involved tapping their finger on the desk. They timed themselves for 10 seconds. Then they had to figure out, at that pace, how long it would take them to tap 1,000,000 times. That was fairly simple. Kyle tapped 37 times in 10 seconds.

One million taps @ 3.7 taps/second will take 3 days, 3 hours, 4 minutes, 30.27 seconds.

The teacher has a thing he does to get the kids to work. One thing he does is offer them a problem, that, if they answer, will exclude them from homework for that day. That is pretty cool. It is, until you give them a problem that is well beyond their abilities. Make it possible. Make it reasonable.

This teacher told them to figure how long it would take to tap one billion times. OK, that isn't so hard.
1,000,000,000 taps @ 3.7 taps/second will take 8 years, 208 days, 3 hours, 4 minutes, 30.27 seconds.

Then he added that they had to figure out how long it would take to tap one trillion times. That is a little more than the average , or even above average 5th grader can figure. So, with a few taps on my calculator, I figured 1,000,000,000,000 taps @ 3.7 taps/second would take 8570 years, 78 days, 3 hours, 4 minutes, 30.27 seconds.

I don't usually give the kids answers to homework. It defeats the purpose. I know how to do the math. I know how to figure it out. They need to know. Kyle understands the concept of doing the division and multiplication to figure out the problem, but that is a bit much to keep straight. I figure at least half of my sophs, juniors, and seniors cant do it.

8570 years ... Those are some tapping fools.

Trying to get back on track

I am trying to get back on track with my blog entries. I have been doing the hit or miss thing, lately.

It has been rather hectic since the move (and some time before) to Mt Sterling. I have to admit that I love this small town (pop. 5600 approx.) versus the big city (pop. 268,000 plus) of Lexington. That is not to say that I didn't and still don't love Lexington. There are things that are only Lexington. There are things there that cannot be found anywhere else. There are places and people you will not find elsewhere. However, the traffic, I will not miss. The crowding, I will not miss. Enough about that.

Today is a 'no student' day at the school. We have an advisory meeting for each program. It will be good to see my advisors, many of which are friends of 30 years. Some are new friends. They are all related to my field and will tell me what the industry is looking for in employees, so that I can better teach my students the things they need to succeed.

Tonight, hopefully, will be a door planing night. Several of the doors in the house stick or wont close completely. They are solid wood doors and can be planed slightly to fix the problem. I have to borrow a planner from the Carpentry teacher or buy one. The C teacher will want to tell me how to do the job, so buying one might be the better idea.

Other than that, it promises to be a quiet night.

Oh yeah, one of the changes that happened coming here was Chella getting into ROTC. She loves it. She is up for promotion. She is staying out of trouble. Discipline problems at the school are detrimental to her ROTC career. I think it is that, and the fact that she is growing up. Congrats, Chella, I am proud of ya.

I might also add here, that I am proud of all my kids. All seven of them. I told my oldest once, that there was nothing she could do that would make me cross the street to avoid her or make me ashamed to introduce her as my daughter. I may not always agree with her choices and decisions, but she will always be my daughter, regardless. I feel that way about all the kids, my 3 and Tammy's 4.

later all.

Are you ready for this?

It is still a busy week.

Thursday, we went to revival in a neighboring town. A friend in Carlisle pastors a church in Flemingsburg. Another friend from Indiana, now pastoring in GA, was preaching. Mom and Dad were going to be there and asked us to join them, and we did. Now, I am used to driving in Lex, with all 268,000 on the road trying to get into the same parking place that I want. It was just over 30 miles to where we were going. We left the church at 8:47 pm and drove home. We drove 25 of the 30 miles and encountered 5 cars along the way. 5 cars ! ! Small town driving is one thing, but driving between small towns, you better have a good working cell phone and ample coverage area, in case you get lost or break down.

Friday, I get up. The clothes from going to church are in the chair. It is easier to grab them, khaki's and nice shirt, than to dig for jeans and an appropriate T. I get to work, and you would think they have never seen me dressed up that much.

Friday night is laid back. Easy going. Relaxing.

Saturday is a rush. Tammy has to take Chris to Louisville for meeting with psychiatrist recommended by the court. I have to take Chella to Kenneland Race track for a walk for DSACK (Down Syndrome Association of Central Kentucky) for charity. I take Kyle with me, and take him to Caimon's for the weekend. I do some work on Dad's apartment building. Then I pick Chella up and drop her off at Fayette mall to meet a friend, and off to the house.

Tammy gets home, and we go to the grocery to pick up some scripts and get some needed things. One of the things needed is toilet paper. (My girls and some of my close friends will tell you about my phobia about running out of toilet paper.) I keep plenty around. Tammy goes off to get her scripts and I go down the TP aisle. I like Charmin, but any nice brand on sale will do. Anyway, I am looking for regular rolls of Charmin. I see big rolls. (12 big rolls = 24 regular rolls, it boasts.) Farther searching brings the 30 big roll pack, equal to 60 rolls. Then there are the MEGArolls. (6 rolls equals 24 regular rolls.) All I want is to find a package of regular rolls of toilet paper.

I just want to be able to wipe my ass, not do algebra. If x=regular roll, and y=big roll, and z=mega rolls, how long will it take to give you a headache in the bathroom. Come on, we go to the bathroom to relax, not do long division.

Grocery shopping has become more and more complicated. If you cant get your kid to do their math homework, and you are worried about them failing math, send them to Kroger to get regular rolls of toilet paper. They will rush home and plow into their math books. I always wondered how math was going to apply to my life after school. (We have all heard that argument .. I'll never use this after high school.) One trip down that aisle should convince them otherwise.

After that trip, I had to go home and nurse my aching head.

ahhhhhhhhh .... Slow Sunday