And you've just won...A NEW CAR!

That's what I hope to have after the first of the year. Mr. Landlord and I have been thinking about replacing our 1999 SUVs...his has 275,000 miles on it and mine has 145,000. We believe in buying cars outright with cashola and driving them until they die. Truly...cars are a big waste of money so why pay the bank more money to help you finance one? We are replacing my car first, as the Mr. beleives his will last another year or so. Hey, who am I to argue??? So, here's the big debate...

We LOVE the Mercedes R class. Love it...LOVE IT. It is big enough for Mr. Landlord to sit in the driver seat, passenger seat, and the back seat (a rarity for him to fit back there). He is a big guy...It's just a lovely car, and gets good reviews. (These are all subjective reviews though.) We would get the CDI model simply because it gets higher MPGs than the other models. There is nothing wrong with this car that I can see...except its not a hybrid.

Herein lies the debate...We could get a Lexus 400h for a little bit less money. Mr. Landlord could only fit in the front, and barely in the front passenger seat. My son could probably ride in the back until he was about 5 or 6, which is 3.5 years from now. He's a big kid...100th percentile on all the charts. At that point, we would have to find something else that we could all fit in which would mean plunking down another chunk of cash...Something we aren't prone to do every few years for cars, as evidenced by the fact that our current cars are 9 years old. Size is an issue in our family...(not from obesity, but from height). Mr. Landlord is an ex-football player, so you get the picture...

The other hybrids such as the Toyotas are too small. In fact, my brother-in-law bought the Toyota Highlander Hybrid last year. He's a big guy, too. You should see him and Mr. Landlord get in that thing to go to a football game together. It's quite a sight...once they are strapped in, there's about two inches of space between them. When you look straight down the hood of the car, the top of the windshield cuts off the tops of their heads above their eyebrows. Their knees are touching the dashboard. Other than the fact that they look like sardines, it's truly not a safe ride because they don't fit.

HOWEVER, I'm in love with the hybrid idea. We are torching our environment in so many ways. It breaks my heart and I say my prayers every day that we come together as human beings and work through these environmental issues. Yet, I hear mixed reviews regarding hybrids and their actual MPGs. My brother-in-law says he gets about 28 (significantly lower than what he was told and what was advertised), which is what the R class, CDI model gets. So, any of you out there own hybrids? What are the pros/cons? What kind of gas mileage do you get? Help!

Compromise?

Isn't that what you do in a marriage...or any partnership for that matter? Mr. Landlord has been DYING to get a flat panel television for our bedroom. Dying...like in "I want what little Timmy wants...I can't see the football players on our little 32 inch screen..." blah blah blah. Our bedroom is becoming a quaint, tastefully done french country black and cream toile theme...all we really need is new furniture. So, after much discussion, and hammering it into my mind that we will eventually have a bedroom version of the UT football jumbotron (which, in case y'all don't know, is the largest jumbotron in a football stadium in the world...Australia will be putting in one that is a little bigger in a few months...) in our bedroom, I conceded...to nothing more than a flat panel 32 inch. I wanted it hung on the wall opposite the foot of the bed, but Mr. Landlord complained that he still would not be able to see the football players. So...I conceded again...yes, you can put it on the dresser...which is four feet from my side of the bed. Off we go...one happily and one dreadfully...to Circuit City to buy this media nightmare. Mr. Landlord, after swearing he's not going to buy anything he doesn't have cash for, buys a 40" tv...to put on the frickin' dresser. 40"....did I say 40"?

So, Mr. Landlord stays home from church yesterday while myself and itty-bitty landlord go to hear the Lord's word and say our prayers...He stayed home so he could finish his work in time to get the tv set up to watch the NFL games in the afternoon. Priorities, anyone?? I swear I haven't seen Mr. Landlord this excited about anything except for the day itty-bitty landlord was born. Indeed, as expected, he gets it hooked up and turned on. I walk into my bedroom and good G-d I thought I would faint...the thing is HUGE. After many questions that essentially ask me if I like it, I don't answer and lie down to take a nap...after all, it's exhausting keeping your trap shut.

Later in the evening, the jumbotron is on as we bath itty-bitty landlord and get him ready for bed. Then, as I crawl into bed, I notice that though all the bedroom lights are off the room seems really...really bright. Then I roll over to see the tv...my eyes start feeling heavy and painful. I think I'm going to start seizing as Mr. Landlord provides a demonstration of some of the features...I NEVER wanted to see the lines and creases around McDreamy's eyes and mouth, but lo and behold, there they are. My head starts pounding. I get up to take tylenol PM so I can get to sleep. I roll over with my back to the tv and try my damndest to sleep, but I swear it's like having a home theatre in your bedroom. I begin feeling the weight of the tv pressing on my back...literally. I'm hating this thing and Mr. Landlord is VERY happy.

Finally, after about 30 minutes of my trying to sleep, Mr. Landlord decides its time to go to bed and turns the thing off. My eyes still see the brightness from the tv and my ears are ringing from the sound. Very shortly, Mr. Landlord is snoring along with the beagle and the lab, and I'm still feeling the weight of the tv on my back...I finally got up and slept in the guest bedroom. I've never had a better nights sleep....

Corn

they say it's responsible for obesity in children...seriously, I'm watching this on tv now. The woman that espouses this says that corn is in everything we eat and is making our children FAT. Hmmmmm....I'm not so sure about this. Corn may be in most things...on this I have no knowledge and therefore won't argue for or against. However, the obese kids I've seen in practice sit on the couch, watch tv, dvds, and play their video games ALOT. They have no interest in playing outside, running on the playground, walking the dog, or getting involved in sports. I've blogged on this before when my neighbor swore that if she gave her two year old son whole milk he would get FAT. Her pediatrician told her this. Everyone I know grew up on whole milk AND corn and we are not obese, even mildly so. We played outside...all the time. I played soccer, basketball, tennis, and was a member of the drill team. I also ran track. Though my experience in each of these sports was very time limited...I wasn't any good...I played them anyway.

So, here's Dr. Landlord's treatment outline for obese children:

1. Stop feeding them Goldfish, crackers, and other flour based foods for snacks WHEN THEY ARE VERY YOUNG! Good G-d, people, this sets them up for a diet of chips and the like as they grow.

2. Don't give them fried foods...

3. Don't give them fast food...

4. Give them a lot of fruit...eating a lot of fruit makes the transition to vegetables easier as they get older.

5. Take them outside...play with them...teach them to play outside in the yard by playing hide-n-seek, etc.

6. Don't buy into the "I need this game system b/c little johnny does"...this is a surefire way to encourage couch sitting versus getting out and exploring the world. Besides, these game systems are mindnumbing...look at the kids playing these systems...they are completely unaware of whats going on around them...much more than normal.

7. FOLLOW A NUTRITIONAL DIET AND EXERCISE PLAN YOURSELF...YOUR CHILDREN LEARN FROM YOU!

Now, that's not so hard, is it...it's all common sense but damn if people don't bring their kids in for treatment....

Oooops....

I spoke too soon about the new renters in house #1. Went by there yesterday to have an old washing machine hauled away (the machine was 4 years old....the transmission froze on it...). Oh...My....G-D! These people are disgusting. And they both are professionals. There were dirty plates of leftover food in the living room and on the kitchen counters. There was a pile of dishes in the sink. Dirty laundry was everywhere (at least have it picked up and in one spot - even if the washer isn't working). I just don't get how people can live this way.

On another note...why can't people think outside the box? I mean really...

I'm trying to get my medical records from my doc so that I can obtain a second opinion. I faxed a signed note stating I needed to pick up a copy of my records, and left my phone numbers in case there were questions, issues, etc. So I haven't heard anything and I call the medical records department. After jumping through a bunch of hoops, leaving upteen messages, I finally got a live person on the phone...Apparently I am supposed to fill out THEIR form and send it in and then allow 15 days for them to process my request.

Um, hello....yes, I faxed a note on November 1st and asked that I be contacted should there be any problems.

Yes, I understand you need your form filled out, but your office should have called the numbers on my originally faxed request to state this.

So, you will email me your release and I can fax it back immediately after I have signed it...then what happens? I have a consult appointment in another city this Friday so I need my records before then.

So, you're saying you will see what you can do to get my request processed ASAP...what exactly does that mean?

Yes, I know "ASAP" means "as(s) soon as(s) possible." I don't need and am not asking for a literal translation of ASAP...I'm asking how quickly you can get my records copied.

And so it goes...what fuckers. FFFUUUUUUCCCKKKKEEEEERRRRRRRRRRSSSSSSS!!!!!!

Its been a while...

since I last blogged. Things have been status quo, but I have been feeling a bit "blah" and not much like getting a whole lot done...despite the fact that my to do list is insanely long. As a side note, have you checked this out? www.todolistblog.com Interesting...who would have thought?

We found renters for house #1 finally. They are an older couple with one grown son. She became ill a few years ago, and long story short, they ended up filing bankruptcy and selling their house to deal with the medical bills. Oh, and during all of this he lost his largest contract and suddenly became unemployed. As a landlord, you always question why someone can't pay their bills...more times than not if they can't pay their bills then they can't pay you the rent (as is the case with our renters in house #2). However, these seem like genuinely nice people, so I am willing to do what I can to make their stay in my house as comfortable as possible.

Their situation brings up the whole health care debate...what a mess we have in this country. Mr. Landlord and I are self-employed, but thankfully can afford to pay for health insurance with a large deductible. This time last year, we were getting raped by high premiums through a John Alden/PHCS plan that the husband of a friend of mine sold us. After some checking around, I finally got a very comparable plan at less than half of what we were paying with a better company. Paying for our health care has been difficult, but throw on top of the premiums and out of pocket the headache of dealing with the actual insurance companies themselves. We all know this nightmare...I have spent so much time on the phone, pacing the house, feeling my blood pressure rise, and knowing damn well that the person on the other end is trained to give the standard, inside the envelope response rather than take the time to really...I mean REALLY....think about the issue at hand and help me find a solution. I have also cursed out people at the insurance company call center. Literally....and I'm not a mean person. I'm pretty sure I dropped the F-bomb a few times. For instance, our deductible is comprised of both medical and prescription drug payouts. We had been paying out of pocket for our prescriptions through June, despite having met our deductible on January 4, 2007. I finally called the insurance company and said, "Hey, what's up?" Their response: "The company that manages the prescription side of your plan had not been getting a copy of the medical claims that paid your deductible. We owe you about $800, so we will get our investigator to sort out all the claims, review each one - both medical and prescription - and get it all straightened out. I promise, Ms. Landlord, you will get your refund." Well three months and MANY phone calls later, I found out they sent my refund to my OB/GYN instead of me. Fuckers...Fuckers....Fuckers...Of course, my OB/GYN would have gotten the money ultimately as I had a balance with him, but damn people, that was my money and it was up to me to decide what to do with it. I've seriously thought about taking the insurance company to court.

So, it's no wonder that my new renters had difficulties that led to bankruptcy, and no wonder that folks don't pay their medical bills. Mr. Landlord and I happen to be one of the few in America that can actually afford to keep ourselves covered. However, we are not far away from ending up in a very precarious and terrible situation. Its a shame that our healthcare system is in such a mess...truly a shame for this great country we live in.

That's my soapbox for the day.