Doc Hop

Well, folks – it’s been a technologically trying couple of weeks, but I think I may finally be out of the woods.

I don’t know how, in the year 2011, it can still be difficult to receive a reliable internet connection, but apparently being able to spend an hour or two reading gossip blogs and surfing the internet after a long day of work is too much to ask. At least, don’t ask AT&T. Trust me when I say that they won’t be able to do anything for you except waste your time.

I’ve spent every lunch hour I’ve had for the past two weeks trying to get a modem delivered to my house, and each time I called in I seemed to get a different excuse. Either UPS didn’t have my apartment number or was keeping the package at their headquarters, an hour away. Once UPS got the address right, they had already sent the package back to AT&T, who wouldn’t overnight equipment despite promises.

Once Addam and I received our modem, the laptop still wouldn’t connect to the internet, meaning AT&T had to send someone out to check on our signal. Of course, when I asked two weeks ago if someone could just be sent out in lieu of the modem, I was told that I would have to install it myself. We were told that someone couldn’t come out for two weeks, but after a bit of persuasion on Addam’s part, AT&T agreed to send someone out this morning. So far, knock of wood, things appear to be running smoothly.

This would make me feel better if I wasn’t also fighting a losing battle with my insurance company.

For starters, I haven’t actually made it to any appointments to get my head scanned. I know, I know – I need to do it, but nothing is wrong with me, and I hate wasting any more of time than I already have to on appointments that amount to nothing. Appointments, however, have not been my issue. (Probably because I keep breaking them…)

My issue is that my insurance company is not covering a prescription I was recently prescribed and has asked that I call my doctor to OK the approval. Well, I’ve called my doctor about three times a day for the past two weeks and nothing has gotten done. CVS is still quoting my prescription at $122, and at this point it might as well be $122,000. Addam and I are saving for a car and a concert and are not going to pay so much for something that shouldn’t cost more than $20 tops. At this point, I really don’t know when, or if, the thing will ever be filled.

In other, slightly happier news, Addam was promoted and has been working as a “certified grill master” for about two weeks now. Not only is he working Red Lobster’s main grill, he’s making more per hour, getting more day shifts and has his name featured on the menu on what’s quickly becoming a daily basis. I’m so proud, but more than that I’m relieved. Between my days and his nights, it was beginning to feel like we never saw each other. I didn’t realize how much I missed having him around the house.

For the first time in what’s seemed like months, Addam and I are actually getting to spend part of our weekends together. A couple of Friday’s ago Addam met me at Vicki and Tati’s place after work, and we spent the evening sipping drinks on the back of their roommate’s docked boat. Then this past Saturday we woke up early and biked down the South Beach to soak up some sunshine with the puppy.

Always the engineer, Addam hooked a basket and cart up to his bike that allowed us to carry both Yoga and a couple of chairs with us. I thought everything was going to completely fall apart within the span of 20 blocks, leaving us to pack up all of our stuff and bus home, but aside from a few readjustments, we made it through the entire day without incident. And of course – the baby girl absolutely loved it!

We’ve only taken Yoga out to the Miami beaches once or twice before, but she seemed to get just as much enjoyment out of it this go around. We had to relocate a couple of times after being caught by some frustrated lifeguards who have evidently been desensitized to cuteness after years of picking up after furry beach goers, but it never really became an issue. When asked to leave we’d just pack up and bike to the next stretch of beach until we decided to call it a day and head home, puppy in tow.

As Addam and I are still without television, I spent the majority of Sunday cleaning up and organizing the apartment. It sounds like a major pain, and in some ways it was, but in the end it was far worth it. Within two hours of sorting through one filing cabinet I found two lost IDs, my social security card and my birth certificate. While I’ll admit that I accidentally threw away Addam’s W-2s and had to spend about another hour sorting through a trash can of pay stubs and bank receipts dating back to 2003, I’d have to say that it was all worth it. Finding my lost documentation allowed me to register to vote, and I should be good to go by the March 15 Miami-Dade election.

Which leads me to the topic of work. I’ve continued to write, edit and lay out pages, and it’s going great. Feb. 11 marked my six month anniversary with Miami Today, and I could not be happier in my first journalism job. I could go on for hours about all that I’ve reported, but you can always check out our archives, or Facebook page, for that. Suffice it to say – I’ve worked hard and I’ve written a lot. A few new faces have joined our team, and together we’ve continued to push forward in our quest to provide news to the county’s leading business professionals. And we’re doing a damn good job of it, if I do say so myself.  (Although, I may be partial…)

But while work is going great, I’d be lying if I didn’t say that I’ve been having just as much fun at home. Each night, when the work day is done, I’ve come home and settled into what has quickly become my new hobby – cooking.

Ok, ok – I know what you’re thinking: “Why the hell would you cook when you’re engaged to Red Lobster’s latest grill master?” All I can say is that, while I may not be great at it, I enjoy it. Addam and I have been working with gas stoves for close to three years now and as neither one of us are great with our follow through, we never actually ever managed to get gas turned on in our names. After three years of microwaving everything, I like seeing what I can do in the kitchen. For the first time in years I’ve been able to prepare a nice warm meal every night and bring in leftovers to work each day.

Which begs the question – what am I making?

I guess that it is finally time to admit to the public that the world has lost one more vegetarian. Before you assume that I have turned to the dark side, relax. After a month-long transition period, I can finally say that I am officially vegan and have not eaten a bit of meat, eggs or dairy since January. That being said – please, please – hear me out before jumping to any conclusions, as this was not a decision that I took lightly.

I struggled with the question of becoming vegan for close to a year now but could never quite make the jump. As I’ve been a vegetarian since I was in fourth grade, it had become second nature. Eating should not be a struggle, but after reading up on what exactly went into cheese production, I decided that now was the time to draw the line. I’m not trying to sway anyone to the cause, and I mean no disrespect to those who were once my fellow vegetarians, but I could only hear so much before determining that if I was really in this for the animals, I could no longer lie to myself.

But let me get off my soapbox for a minute to clarify to all those who asked me countless times throughout my quest, “What are you going to eat?” that I have been eating very well.

In the past month I have made sheppard’s pie, pad thai, lo mein, cheeseburger macaroni, potatoes au gratin and pita bread – all of which contained not a single calorie derived from any sort of animal protein. What’s more surprising? I’ve freaking loved every bite. Not only do I feel better about what I’m eating, I feel better on the inside. I wake up with more energy, I make it through my day easier and I never quite feel so sluggish. Cheese may be delicious, but you can keep it. Veganism makes me feel too healthy to give it up. And the food – it’s way too good.

Other than that – Addam and I have been up to a bunch of nothing. The Bonnaroo line-up was recently announced and this year looks like it should be better than any I’ve ever seen. I won’t get into it here, as I plan to dedicate an entire post to the subject, but it would be safe to assume that Addam and I have been frantically planning how we will make it to Tennessee in June. Not showing is not an option.

All that being said, and yes, I know that it was a mouth, or eye, full – as my internet is up and running  blog posts should not be so few and far between. God willing. I’m crossing my fingers, but at this point I’m not terribly optimistic. All I know is that if had to go one more night without internet connection I’d probably throw my entire lap top into the Pacific Ocean. AT&T be damned…

“Humanity is acquiring all the right technology for all the wrong reasons.”  R. Buckminster Fuller (1895-1983), engineer.