Airport wireless

I love free airport wireless. This post comes to you from the Jacksonville International Airport in Jacksonville, Florida. I've been here since Wednesday and am now on my way home. While I was here I got to experience the big company holiday party - 1500 people at the club house of TPC Sawgrass (that's a super duper swanky golf course for those of you not in the know).

It was okay - I've had more fun parties in my life, but it was a sight, that's for sure. There were every level of dress, from dresses out of t-shirt material to the most lavish prom dress (and hair) you can imagine.

I was worried about being over dressed, but that was not an issue. It was hard to be at a party where I didn't really know anyone. The people I went with scattered as soon as dinner was over, so I planted myself at a blackjack table - they gave us play money to play with. I left up "$4,000."

Everytime I come to Jacksonville I leave with the same impression. I am not part of this group. Visits to our office are a vivid reminder that I am an outsider. That's so incredibly hard to deal with, especially since I work with these people every day. Our communications are limited to phone and email, so I miss out on the interpersonal stuff, the lunches, the hallway conversations and the "driveby's". My team knew that I was coming, they've know for a while. I have to give credit to some of them, but my boss didn't actually spend any one on one time with me until right before the holiday party Friday afternoon. That was my third day in the office. He claims that I am important part of his team, and that I add strategic value, but that is a tough pill to swallow when he can't carve an hour out of his schedule to talk to me.

I digress...enough talk about work.

Dad is home, he was released on Wednesday. It was decided that he was mobile enough to go straight home. Mom told me that his post-hospital pharmacy bill was just over $1,600! Most of that is recoverable by insurance, but YIKES...

Oh - gotta go they are starting to call my flight.

Good news

So, effective yesterday, and thanks to the hard work of some of the folks at the hospital, mom and dad officially (and finally) have health insurance. They haven't had anything approaching decent health insurance in ages, and now they have really good coverage from Catamount Health and Blue Cross Blue Shield.

Also on a positive note, Dad is bored. There is talk of moving him into a physical rehab location by the end of next week. Now that they have insurance, he can finally be placed somewhere. So, things are looking up for Mom and Dad.

To answers Kate's query on eight random things about myself...let's see...

* I'm the only person in my immediate family to have never ridden in an ambulance.

* I've been wearing glasses since I was three years old.

* I've seen every episode of ALL Star Trek series.

* I play three musical instruments (the piano, trumpet and glockenspiel)

* I want to own and drive a motorcycle.

* I learned HTML because I could.

* I still own my Barbie dolls (but don't play with them - they are in Chelsea)

* I graduated Cum Laude from college.

Later Days!