Painting seems like a good idea until you are in the middle of painting.
This is what happened to me over the weekend, I got super excited about painting pretty much the entire new house. I was going to paint the kitchen and the master bedroom and the living room and entry way and master bathroom and maybe even the two guest bedrooms. Really the only room I wasn't going to paint was the guest bathroom. Lucky for me (and my credit card) I got overwhelmed with choosing paint colors for all these places and decided to scale it down and only paint the living room, entry way and one bathroom.
I spent probably 10 hours or more this weekend taping walls and ceilings and painting the living room. My shoulders and arms are sore from the actual painting, my back is sore from bending over to paint the bottom of the walls and my calves are sore from standing on my tip toes to paint the tops of the walls. And I am probably not even halfway done. Because the colors that are currently in the house are super dark I have to do two coats of paint on every service, meaning I essentially have to paint every room twice. This weekend I finished the living room and I am not looking forward to next weekend, which I know will be another 3-day marathon painting session in hopes of finishing everything else. Who's idea was this?
Monday, July 28, 2014
Saturday, July 19, 2014
Calm Down
Now that the long and super annoying process of buying a house is over I am getting really excited to move in and make it our own and by really excited I mean I have gone a little bit crazy.
I filled a shopping cart (and deleted it all) on Home Depot's website no less than 4 times. I have done the same at Ikea, WalMart and Target.
It is all so exciting! I just want to buy a million things: new curtains, new furniture, stuff to build a pantry, a new light for the dining room, a new vanity for the bathroom and the list goes on an on! Then of course there are things we actually need like new locks for the doors, smoke alarms, a lawn mower and handles for the cabinets in the kitchen.
And I want to do a million projects too! Like build a pantry, put a new vanity and medicine cabinet in the bathroom, put a shelf in the laundry room, paint some walls, add some shelves, change lights out and all this on top of making our backyard which has 3-foot tall weeds and no grass, look somewhat decent.
And of course I need to finally print some wedding pictures and hang all my other pictures on the wall for everyone to see!
In the two days since we got the keys to the house I have measured almost every room in the house, used online graph paper to try and decide how to arrange the furniture in our living room and bedroom (yes I know I have a problem) and crunched numbers a million times to decide how much of my craziness we can actually afford.
The problem with all of this, besides the money part, is that I am very much one of those people who get all excited to start a project and do really well for a little while and then lose interest and either never finish or take forever to finish. I can't start 6 projects at my new house because I know if I do a year from now at least 4 of them will probably not be done and that would make me crazy for a whole new reason.
I think it is probably a good idea for someone to take away all my credit cards and ban me from going to Home Depot, Lowe's or Ikea until some of the excitement has passed and I can make rational decisions again.
I filled a shopping cart (and deleted it all) on Home Depot's website no less than 4 times. I have done the same at Ikea, WalMart and Target.
It is all so exciting! I just want to buy a million things: new curtains, new furniture, stuff to build a pantry, a new light for the dining room, a new vanity for the bathroom and the list goes on an on! Then of course there are things we actually need like new locks for the doors, smoke alarms, a lawn mower and handles for the cabinets in the kitchen.
And I want to do a million projects too! Like build a pantry, put a new vanity and medicine cabinet in the bathroom, put a shelf in the laundry room, paint some walls, add some shelves, change lights out and all this on top of making our backyard which has 3-foot tall weeds and no grass, look somewhat decent.
And of course I need to finally print some wedding pictures and hang all my other pictures on the wall for everyone to see!
In the two days since we got the keys to the house I have measured almost every room in the house, used online graph paper to try and decide how to arrange the furniture in our living room and bedroom (yes I know I have a problem) and crunched numbers a million times to decide how much of my craziness we can actually afford.
The problem with all of this, besides the money part, is that I am very much one of those people who get all excited to start a project and do really well for a little while and then lose interest and either never finish or take forever to finish. I can't start 6 projects at my new house because I know if I do a year from now at least 4 of them will probably not be done and that would make me crazy for a whole new reason.
I think it is probably a good idea for someone to take away all my credit cards and ban me from going to Home Depot, Lowe's or Ikea until some of the excitement has passed and I can make rational decisions again.
Monday, June 2, 2014
I am a control freak
This is not new information. I have always been a control freak. I like to know what is happening, why, when and be in control of those things whenever possible.
That makes buying a house one of the most stressful things ever!! John and I are in the process of getting approved by the banking/looking at houses/praying our offer is accepted and it is making me crazy! Because I can't control any of it, all I can do is sit and wait and try not to have a panic attack (side note: it is not going well).
I can't control how fast the bank processes our application or if the seller accepts our offer and I am not very good at being patient!
As another side note, my control freak ways did make the actual application process with the bank go very smoothly because I had all the documents I need printed out and ready to give the mortgage officer which made everything super easy and fast.
I know all this waiting will be worth it in the end but in the meantime I am going crazy!!
That makes buying a house one of the most stressful things ever!! John and I are in the process of getting approved by the banking/looking at houses/praying our offer is accepted and it is making me crazy! Because I can't control any of it, all I can do is sit and wait and try not to have a panic attack (side note: it is not going well).
I can't control how fast the bank processes our application or if the seller accepts our offer and I am not very good at being patient!
As another side note, my control freak ways did make the actual application process with the bank go very smoothly because I had all the documents I need printed out and ready to give the mortgage officer which made everything super easy and fast.
I know all this waiting will be worth it in the end but in the meantime I am going crazy!!
Wednesday, January 8, 2014
New Year, New Me
For as many years as I can remember I have made my New Year's resolution to lose weight, while this year is no different I still want to lose weight, I am doing it for a different reason.
In the past my number one focus was always looking good and being "skinny" but after several months of health issues, that may or may not be related to my weight, I am ready for a real positive change that has nothing to do with what size of jeans I can wear.
I want to lose weight so I can be healthy, so my body doesn't have to work so hard to go through daily life, so I don't someday end up taking medicine for high blood pressure, high cholesterol and maybe diabetes. If there is anything that being sick off and on for the past several months has taught me it is this: good health is a blessing but not something that comes without work.
I want more than anything to not be sick anymore (or ever again but that is just wishful thinking) and I have come to realize that no amount a medicine can make up for not taking care of my body.
I have to drink more water and eat more vegetables and workout and stop making excuses. No one forced me to not workout for 4 months, nobody has held me down and forced me to eat pizza, ice cream, cookies, pop, sugary cereal and a number of other foods that have been a regular part of my diet the past few months. I chose to eat those thing and I chose to not workout and now I have to choose healthier habits.
As I write this I am drinking a green juice made from cucumber, celery, spinach, lemon and apple. It isn't the most tasty thing I have ever drank but it is good for me and for my body.
I want to eat less processed foods, drink less caffeine, eat more whole foods and listen to my body when it comes to hunger cues. I don't want to never eat dessert again but I do need to implement a lot of moderation in my life. I know I can't do a complete 180 all at once but I am on the path, taking baby steps, towards a healthier, happier me.
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
My Life Matters Too
I have listened to and read much about the debate on abortion, birth control and other women's health issues over the past year but none of it has been quite as disturbing as this: http://www.slate.com/blogs/xx_factor/2013/12/03/aclu_v_catholic_bishops_tamesha_means_was_turned_away_from_michigan_s_mercy.html
It is a short article/opinion piece and you should read it but in a nutshell there are hospital in the US, namely Catholic ones, that are refusing to treat women who are having miscarriages basically because they are against abortion.
I can at least understand where the Catholic church and other religious institutions are coming from with not wanting to supply birth control under health insurance because it goes against their beliefs, but this makes absolutely no sense to me.
This story doesn't indicate how far along the woman seeking treatment was but I think it is fair to assume it was in the first trimester because that is when the vast majority of miscarriages take place. The story does, however, say the woman wanted to be pregnant and didn't want to terminate her pregnancy. How does it make sense to risk the life of a woman for the life a baby who wouldn't survive outside the womb anyway?
How can anyone in the medical field refuse life-saving treatment to someone who needs it? How can the "rights" of a fetus be put a head of a those of a living, breathing person whom that fetus can't live without anyway?
I am in no way advocating for abortion and think that abortion, especially late term abortion, should be illegal in most cases with rape and life-threatening situations being the exception. I think abortion has become too easy to get and an easy way to avoid the consequences of poor choices but that doesn't mean there aren't cases where it is warranted and it definitely doesn't mean every woman who has a miscarriage should be prosecuted or refused care. I believe babies should be given every chance to be born and grow-up to live happy, healthy lives but I can't get on board with putting the rights of fetuses that can't live outside the womb ahead of my own.
It is a short article/opinion piece and you should read it but in a nutshell there are hospital in the US, namely Catholic ones, that are refusing to treat women who are having miscarriages basically because they are against abortion.
I can at least understand where the Catholic church and other religious institutions are coming from with not wanting to supply birth control under health insurance because it goes against their beliefs, but this makes absolutely no sense to me.
This story doesn't indicate how far along the woman seeking treatment was but I think it is fair to assume it was in the first trimester because that is when the vast majority of miscarriages take place. The story does, however, say the woman wanted to be pregnant and didn't want to terminate her pregnancy. How does it make sense to risk the life of a woman for the life a baby who wouldn't survive outside the womb anyway?
How can anyone in the medical field refuse life-saving treatment to someone who needs it? How can the "rights" of a fetus be put a head of a those of a living, breathing person whom that fetus can't live without anyway?
I am in no way advocating for abortion and think that abortion, especially late term abortion, should be illegal in most cases with rape and life-threatening situations being the exception. I think abortion has become too easy to get and an easy way to avoid the consequences of poor choices but that doesn't mean there aren't cases where it is warranted and it definitely doesn't mean every woman who has a miscarriage should be prosecuted or refused care. I believe babies should be given every chance to be born and grow-up to live happy, healthy lives but I can't get on board with putting the rights of fetuses that can't live outside the womb ahead of my own.
Thursday, November 21, 2013
Driving isn't hard
I could probably pretty easily blog everyday about the idiots that I share the road with. This morning I turned on the radio and the first thing I heard is there were no less than 5 accidents in the Salt Lake Valley because it was raining. I only have one question: WTF Utah drivers?
This happens every year when it first snows, there are a million crashes and people freak out and drive 30 every where they go but there is no snow yet! Even if there were snow I don't understand why this happens, do people forget how to drive in the snow in the short 5 months we didn't have any? We live in Utah people, it snows every year and the warnings are the same: slow down, give yourself plenty of time to get to work and make sure you have good tires. So why are we still crashing into each other at alarming rates?!!!
I just don't get it.
While I am on the topic of drivers (and to spare you another rant later on) I might as well address a few other issues. People, moving over from the far left lane when someone wants to pass you isn't just the nice thing to do it is the law! The other day on the radio a girl called in and was complaining because she got a ticket for going 69 in the fast lane. Newsflash stupid girl, not moving over and impeding traffic is breaking the law just like speeding is. Not only are you likely causing a traffic jam because you refuse to move over you are also creating a safety hazard because other cars are weaving in and out of traffic to get around you.
I understand that people (me included) are way too impatient and should just slow down and enjoy the ride but let's be real that isn't going to happen anytime soon. Even if 99 out of 100 people were trying to speed past you for no good reason other than they wanted too, wouldn't you feel bad if that 1 person was trying to get to the hospital before their loved passed away and you prevented them from getting there because you refuse to move over?
I feel like every problem we have in driving, including most accidents, could be prevented by everyone taking two simple steps.
1. Pay Attention: put your cell phone down, stop trying to use your fancy navigation console and program your radio stations and just drive. If someone comes up behind you move over, if your exit is coming up don't wait until the last second to change lanes and then cut someone off and if the roads are slick or snowy slow down.
2. Don't drive like a dick on purpose: everyone accidentally cuts someone off (mostly due to not paying attention as mentioned above) but there is no reason to be an ass on purpose. If you refuse to get over when I want to pass you don't speed up when I do try to pass you, if there is a traffic jam don't change lanes a million times you are making the situation worse and if we are in a line of traffic riding my butt isn't going to help, I have no where to go so back off!
There I am done with my yearly rant about drivers! Drive safe everyone, especially on your way to Thanksgiving festivities!
This happens every year when it first snows, there are a million crashes and people freak out and drive 30 every where they go but there is no snow yet! Even if there were snow I don't understand why this happens, do people forget how to drive in the snow in the short 5 months we didn't have any? We live in Utah people, it snows every year and the warnings are the same: slow down, give yourself plenty of time to get to work and make sure you have good tires. So why are we still crashing into each other at alarming rates?!!!
I just don't get it.
While I am on the topic of drivers (and to spare you another rant later on) I might as well address a few other issues. People, moving over from the far left lane when someone wants to pass you isn't just the nice thing to do it is the law! The other day on the radio a girl called in and was complaining because she got a ticket for going 69 in the fast lane. Newsflash stupid girl, not moving over and impeding traffic is breaking the law just like speeding is. Not only are you likely causing a traffic jam because you refuse to move over you are also creating a safety hazard because other cars are weaving in and out of traffic to get around you.
I understand that people (me included) are way too impatient and should just slow down and enjoy the ride but let's be real that isn't going to happen anytime soon. Even if 99 out of 100 people were trying to speed past you for no good reason other than they wanted too, wouldn't you feel bad if that 1 person was trying to get to the hospital before their loved passed away and you prevented them from getting there because you refuse to move over?
I feel like every problem we have in driving, including most accidents, could be prevented by everyone taking two simple steps.
1. Pay Attention: put your cell phone down, stop trying to use your fancy navigation console and program your radio stations and just drive. If someone comes up behind you move over, if your exit is coming up don't wait until the last second to change lanes and then cut someone off and if the roads are slick or snowy slow down.
2. Don't drive like a dick on purpose: everyone accidentally cuts someone off (mostly due to not paying attention as mentioned above) but there is no reason to be an ass on purpose. If you refuse to get over when I want to pass you don't speed up when I do try to pass you, if there is a traffic jam don't change lanes a million times you are making the situation worse and if we are in a line of traffic riding my butt isn't going to help, I have no where to go so back off!
There I am done with my yearly rant about drivers! Drive safe everyone, especially on your way to Thanksgiving festivities!
Friday, November 15, 2013
Something is very wrong here
I am pretty sure there is one thing everyone in America can agree on: the health care system is broken. I don't know what the solution is and I don't know enough about the Affordable Care Act to know if it will help or hurt but I do know something has to be done.
This past few months has been an endless parade of doctors appointment, antibiotics and IVs as I have tried to get a very stubborn UTI infection to go away.
When I was first told I would have to do IV antibiotics I knew it would be expensive but I was in no way prepared for the bills that would come later.
In total I received 24 days of IV antibiotics (the first round of 10 days didn't work) and the total my insurance was billed for those 24 days, not including the numerous IV starts I had or visits to the doctor was $6,676.26. I could buy a car for that much!!! And less than half of it was my actual medicine, which cost about $75 per day. The other $200 a day came from "supplies". When I called to find out why on earth I was being charged so much for two saline syringes, an alcohol wipe and cap every day the answer I got was astonishing.
I was told that they was this particular company bills is on a daily patient average. That means patients like me who are using the bare minimum of supplies are paying for other patients who are using mass amounts of supplies (and probably more expensive ones too) because the daily price for service is based on an average.
I understand that this is how insurance works for the most part, everyone pays into the pool and then if you need it you can use and if not someone else gets to use your money but I couldn't believe that I was being charged $200 a day for supplies I wasn't using.
In addition to the cost of the IV medicine and ridiculously expensive supplies I had six IVs put in, four visits to my doctor (one long, 3 just for urine samples), a CT Scan and other Xrays done, total cost $13,560.72.
It seems so outrageous! That is almost six months of income for me. I am very grateful that I have insurance and luckily my cost is much, much lower than that but it seems so so crazy to me that the services I received can cost that much. I was watching the news last night and heard that on average in Utah the cost to have C-section delivery costs less than this, how is that even possible? I didn't stay in the hospital, I didn't have surgery, I didn't give birth to a child that needs cared for. I gave myself my own medicine at home everyday, I kept my IVs in as long a physically possible so I could have less of them and I didn't let them give me anymore "supplies" unless I actually needed them.
Every time I got to my doctors office to do a urine sample my insurance is charge $61.99. That is 60 bucks for me to pee in a cup and them to stick a piece of paper in it and read the results. The actual urine culture to decide which medicine will hopefully work to get rid of my infection is another $156. It just blows my mind.
Again I am really grateful that I have insurance, even if I do have a really high deductible, because I couldn't imagine facing more than $13,000 worth of medical bills.
Something has to be done about the way medicine is practiced and payed for in the country. I just wish I knew what the solution was and how I could help!!
This past few months has been an endless parade of doctors appointment, antibiotics and IVs as I have tried to get a very stubborn UTI infection to go away.
When I was first told I would have to do IV antibiotics I knew it would be expensive but I was in no way prepared for the bills that would come later.
In total I received 24 days of IV antibiotics (the first round of 10 days didn't work) and the total my insurance was billed for those 24 days, not including the numerous IV starts I had or visits to the doctor was $6,676.26. I could buy a car for that much!!! And less than half of it was my actual medicine, which cost about $75 per day. The other $200 a day came from "supplies". When I called to find out why on earth I was being charged so much for two saline syringes, an alcohol wipe and cap every day the answer I got was astonishing.
I was told that they was this particular company bills is on a daily patient average. That means patients like me who are using the bare minimum of supplies are paying for other patients who are using mass amounts of supplies (and probably more expensive ones too) because the daily price for service is based on an average.
I understand that this is how insurance works for the most part, everyone pays into the pool and then if you need it you can use and if not someone else gets to use your money but I couldn't believe that I was being charged $200 a day for supplies I wasn't using.
In addition to the cost of the IV medicine and ridiculously expensive supplies I had six IVs put in, four visits to my doctor (one long, 3 just for urine samples), a CT Scan and other Xrays done, total cost $13,560.72.
It seems so outrageous! That is almost six months of income for me. I am very grateful that I have insurance and luckily my cost is much, much lower than that but it seems so so crazy to me that the services I received can cost that much. I was watching the news last night and heard that on average in Utah the cost to have C-section delivery costs less than this, how is that even possible? I didn't stay in the hospital, I didn't have surgery, I didn't give birth to a child that needs cared for. I gave myself my own medicine at home everyday, I kept my IVs in as long a physically possible so I could have less of them and I didn't let them give me anymore "supplies" unless I actually needed them.
Every time I got to my doctors office to do a urine sample my insurance is charge $61.99. That is 60 bucks for me to pee in a cup and them to stick a piece of paper in it and read the results. The actual urine culture to decide which medicine will hopefully work to get rid of my infection is another $156. It just blows my mind.
Again I am really grateful that I have insurance, even if I do have a really high deductible, because I couldn't imagine facing more than $13,000 worth of medical bills.
Something has to be done about the way medicine is practiced and payed for in the country. I just wish I knew what the solution was and how I could help!!
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