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averygoodun42I should be taking advantage of the quiet house to try to catch up on my homework. Yep. I probably even will do that... in a few minutes. Especially as the construction next door seems to have halted for the day. Thank goodness. (IMO The worst thing about a neighbor's construction is that you don't get to see what was done.)
However, I have had a productive day, so I'm not feeling too terribly guilty about a few minutes frivolously spent saying in typed words what I probably wouldn't say in spoken words. (More for lack of opportunity than lack of discretion.) (Not that I'm necessarily going to be lacking discretion in this post.)
The next few weeks of school will probably be pretty stressful, as the snow days really cramped the teachers' schedules, especially where the testing was concerned. The second accounting test should have taken place last Friday, but seeing as we hadn't even started one of the chapters it covers, it was moved to this coming Friday. I hope to do well, but seeing as I was in a bit of a brain haze when we went through taxes and leases, it's possible I might not ace it. Those darn multiple choice questions always seem to trip me up even on the best days.
After school this morning, I went to Big Box and looked at laptops, trying to get a literal feel for them. I probably should put off the purchasing for another year, because, well, ultrabooks (and the Surface Pro) are damned expensive (among other things), but, well...
I could even put it off indefinitely. However, if buying one would enable me to go through a semester without having to lug a ten pound backpack everywhere, it would probably be worth it just in pain mitigation. I just have to see if the books I'll need are available as ebooks.
(But I want the taaaaaaaabbbbbleetttttttt!!! The pretty, pretty PC/tablet to draw and paint and edit on! It's gotten fabulous reviews for touch and pressure sensitivity. Even if that aspect doesn't work with photoshop yet...)
I have determined (strong word, that. Perhaps too strong?), however, that it would be wisest not to make any expensive electronic purchases until after I know how we're going to be financially affected by the health care law. All the information I've been able to find about how employees of small companies will be affected is pretty darn vague. I don't think anyone really knows yet how the participation of small companies in the exchanges is going to affect the companies' premiums, but I get the sense that it won't change in our benefit enough for us to all be covered. Especially as the (expletive) insurance companies saw the exchanges coming and made sure that Geoff's company won't be able to participate in the first round, as the exchanges won't open for enrollment until October 1, which is precisely when the new contract year starts. Bastards.
What I do know is that, if we choose to be covered by insurance provided by our employers, we are not eligible for any subsidies to make the insurance actually affordable. Not unless our share of the premiums is more than 9.5% of our income.
*rolls eyes at stupid, stupid law*
This really is a clusterfuck of a law, though I still maintain it's a good first step. Well, "good" might be overstating it, but at least it's good to have made a step. Especially as it has made more and more people become aware of the benefits of a single payer system. Though I'm sure Congress would be able to make a clusterfuck of that, too. They excel at making clusterfucks, after all. It's about the only thing they're really, really good at. Bastards.
Meanwhile, I have to decide whether I want to give up a Saturday to trying to sell art. I don't have much art to sell (photographs, mostly), but the big drawback is the time and energy factor. Realistically, I don't think I'll be giving up much studying time, as Saturdays have been pretty much a wash for that this semester, but I would be giving up chore and family time, both of which are pretty vital. I don't know. I have till Thursday morning to decide, but I think I'm leaning against participating. Perhaps I'll go to it, and see what it's like, should there be a next time.
I do need to do more art, again, though. I feel the need for it bubbling within me. It's part of the onset of Spring, I think. That and finally kicking this bug. (Knock on wood)
Oh, and Spring IS starting to come around! Bulbs are sending up leaves, the crocuses are blooming in the back (well, not today as it was too cold, but they will again), my poppy is alive and growing, and even the marigolds out back are pushing up through their mulch of leaves.
I am all anticipation to see what else survived the winter. I'm also really looking forward to digging up the back garden; I want some hostas and ferns in the front, darn it! Though perhaps what I'm looking forward to the most is the erection of the (temporary) shed. Oh, am I looking forward to getting the mower, snow blower and various gardening crap out of sight! I want to be able to show off my back garden without apologizing for the mess! At least, without apologizing for the inorganic mess. Weeds are a different matter. ;-)
But now I have spent far more of my time than I intended on this. I should go open my term paper doc and work on that a bit.
However, I have had a productive day, so I'm not feeling too terribly guilty about a few minutes frivolously spent saying in typed words what I probably wouldn't say in spoken words. (More for lack of opportunity than lack of discretion.) (Not that I'm necessarily going to be lacking discretion in this post.)
The next few weeks of school will probably be pretty stressful, as the snow days really cramped the teachers' schedules, especially where the testing was concerned. The second accounting test should have taken place last Friday, but seeing as we hadn't even started one of the chapters it covers, it was moved to this coming Friday. I hope to do well, but seeing as I was in a bit of a brain haze when we went through taxes and leases, it's possible I might not ace it. Those darn multiple choice questions always seem to trip me up even on the best days.
After school this morning, I went to Big Box and looked at laptops, trying to get a literal feel for them. I probably should put off the purchasing for another year, because, well, ultrabooks (and the Surface Pro) are damned expensive (among other things), but, well...
I could even put it off indefinitely. However, if buying one would enable me to go through a semester without having to lug a ten pound backpack everywhere, it would probably be worth it just in pain mitigation. I just have to see if the books I'll need are available as ebooks.
(But I want the taaaaaaaabbbbbleetttttttt!!! The pretty, pretty PC/tablet to draw and paint and edit on! It's gotten fabulous reviews for touch and pressure sensitivity. Even if that aspect doesn't work with photoshop yet...)
I have determined (strong word, that. Perhaps too strong?), however, that it would be wisest not to make any expensive electronic purchases until after I know how we're going to be financially affected by the health care law. All the information I've been able to find about how employees of small companies will be affected is pretty darn vague. I don't think anyone really knows yet how the participation of small companies in the exchanges is going to affect the companies' premiums, but I get the sense that it won't change in our benefit enough for us to all be covered. Especially as the (expletive) insurance companies saw the exchanges coming and made sure that Geoff's company won't be able to participate in the first round, as the exchanges won't open for enrollment until October 1, which is precisely when the new contract year starts. Bastards.
What I do know is that, if we choose to be covered by insurance provided by our employers, we are not eligible for any subsidies to make the insurance actually affordable. Not unless our share of the premiums is more than 9.5% of our income.
*rolls eyes at stupid, stupid law*
This really is a clusterfuck of a law, though I still maintain it's a good first step. Well, "good" might be overstating it, but at least it's good to have made a step. Especially as it has made more and more people become aware of the benefits of a single payer system. Though I'm sure Congress would be able to make a clusterfuck of that, too. They excel at making clusterfucks, after all. It's about the only thing they're really, really good at. Bastards.
Meanwhile, I have to decide whether I want to give up a Saturday to trying to sell art. I don't have much art to sell (photographs, mostly), but the big drawback is the time and energy factor. Realistically, I don't think I'll be giving up much studying time, as Saturdays have been pretty much a wash for that this semester, but I would be giving up chore and family time, both of which are pretty vital. I don't know. I have till Thursday morning to decide, but I think I'm leaning against participating. Perhaps I'll go to it, and see what it's like, should there be a next time.
I do need to do more art, again, though. I feel the need for it bubbling within me. It's part of the onset of Spring, I think. That and finally kicking this bug. (Knock on wood)
Oh, and Spring IS starting to come around! Bulbs are sending up leaves, the crocuses are blooming in the back (well, not today as it was too cold, but they will again), my poppy is alive and growing, and even the marigolds out back are pushing up through their mulch of leaves.
I am all anticipation to see what else survived the winter. I'm also really looking forward to digging up the back garden; I want some hostas and ferns in the front, darn it! Though perhaps what I'm looking forward to the most is the erection of the (temporary) shed. Oh, am I looking forward to getting the mower, snow blower and various gardening crap out of sight! I want to be able to show off my back garden without apologizing for the mess! At least, without apologizing for the inorganic mess. Weeds are a different matter. ;-)
But now I have spent far more of my time than I intended on this. I should go open my term paper doc and work on that a bit.
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no subject
Date: 2013-04-03 10:40 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2013-04-03 04:51 pm (UTC)Yes, congress excels at cluster effery, this is exactly why the govt needs to get out of non-govt business as defined by the govt charter. The govt has never really excelled at service delivery. They cock everything up they try, and at a tremendous waste of financial resources. Why would the general population could even think govt could become an insurance provider, plus adding a layer of red tape and..get this..actually improve it is beyond me. But then again, I think much of the American voting public are some of the most stupid, lazy, and uneducated idiots on earth.
"We have to read the bill to see what's in it..." I did. Lying SOBs....all of them.
Tablets- require you to have a wireless data subscription. PCs can use DSL hookups.
no subject
Date: 2013-04-03 08:02 pm (UTC)PS: Medicare, before the government gave up its bargaining rights to Big Pharma and the insurance industry, was an excellent example of government efficiency. It's the corporations that lobbied their way into the system that screwed Medicare up. But even with the declining benefits and doughnut-holes and screwed-upness, Medicare is still far more efficient in its spending than just about every insurance company out there.
But you and I will always disagree about the role of government. I (and the Founding Fathers, btw) believed that, flawed as it is, government is supposed to be there to protect us from the corporations (and other tyrants). It is not our enemy in and of itself, though we always will have to fight the entropy.
no subject
Date: 2013-04-03 08:03 pm (UTC)