OK. Time for a rant.  It seems to be a common belief that turn signals give you the right to do whatever it is you were signalling to do.  This simply is not the case.  The fact is your turn signal only indicates your intention to turn or change lanes or whatever.  If someone chooses not to let you in, that is their prerogative.

I make a habit of signalling well before what I intend to do.  We would all be a lot safer on the road if we were just a little bit more deliberate in our driving habits.

Foliage

 The word is foliage people

 

Not foilage

 

Get it right. 

 

Isn't that some pretty foliage??  I like it a lot. 

Quality of Life vs Insurance Company Meddling

Recently I changed medical insurance companies from Blue Cross Blue Shield  (my company's insurance plan) to Aetna (my wife's company's insurance plan). There were a variety of reasons for the switch, but one of the biggest impacts recently - something that I did not anticipate - was a denial of prescription. 

Methylphenidate (Ritalin)

 

I take a daily dose of Ritalin LA for a minor case of ADD. I've been taking 30mg daily for more than 5 years. Under the new plan, the insurance company suggested to the pharmacy that they should fill the order with Vyvanse rather than Ritalin. I think the problem might be cost and the insurance company does not want to pay it.

 

Lisdexamphetamine (Vyvanse)

But here's the thing ... Vyvanse is a different compound. I have serious qualms about switching compounds just because an insurance company doesn't want to pay for another one. Don't get me wrong, Vyvanse might work wonderfully, and maybe even better than Ritalin.  Under different circumstances, I might even be willing to try it, but not when I am fresh out of my regular meds.  Perhaps, I should have planned ahead more, though I have never had an issue getting it filled.  What about quality of life? The insurance company is not my doctor - they're not going to be the ones I call when something is not working right. What if something goes drastically wrong?  As far as I am concerned, I would want some supervision before I go changing compounds. 

The pharmacy suggested that I have my doctor call the insurance company and tell them that I will only take Ritalin LA and that should do the trick. So I left it in the doctor's hands this morning. I am going into my third day without taking it. Not a big deal, people (especially kids) usually take weekends off, but if it goes much longer, I will start to experience withdrawal symptoms. Hopefully, this is resolved quickly. 

Update:  I got a new prescription this afternoon from my doctor, but this time she wrote it for Vyvanse, instead of Ritalin! Another receptionist said that she heard the industry was running out of Ritalin.  But my pharmacy said they had the Ritalin I needed, it was the insurance company that was refusing to pay. I guess I need more information so I can make an informed decision, so ... I made an appointment for tomorrow to discuss the issue with my doctor. Here's a link to a recent article about the shortage of ADHD drugs: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/01/health/policy/fda-is-finding-attention-drugs-in-short-supply.html?_r=2&pagewanted=1

Update (Jan 10):  I talked to the doctor this morning about options, given that my regular Ritalin meds are not available. We discussed several alternatives to Ritalin and settled on Concerta. Concerta is a methylphenidate - the same compound as Ritalin - but, due it being a different manufacturer, it has different release times associated with its extended release qualities - 22% immediate and remaining 78% over 10-12 hours.  For the record Ritalin was 50% immediate and another 50% after 4 hours.  Our decision to go with Concerta is an attempt to minimize the impact to my system and the withdrawal symptoms that I am already beginning to experience from stopping the Ritalin - going into my 4th day off. I am going to monitor this very closely as I am pretty nervous about changing it in the first place. 

Update (Jan 11): Trouble sleeping last night. It may have been anxiety or it may have been that I took my first dose of the Concerta at 11am (kinda late in the day) yesterday. Maybe tonight will be better. I am able to focus more on my work today than yesterday. Maybe this will work out after all. 

Update (Jan13): Ok. I am now on my fourth dose of Concerta. The release times have been difficult to adjust to, but I think my system is sorting it out. The 1st and 2nd days were pretty rough. This type of drug is a difficult thing to monitor because it is adjusting a brain chemistry that is "not quite right" to begin with, by buffering connections between synapses and neurons. As such, the affects of the drug are difficult to sense. But, I believe I was having an issue about 4 hours after taking the medication because my body was expecting that 50% Ritalin hit and all it was getting was a small portion of the 78% remaining from the Concerta. It left me with a lot of up and down emotional swings. I figured I would give it a week and if I was still feeling the same, I would go back to the doctor. 

Vertex ... Vertices

The use of the singular or plural of the word VERTEX is a common problem around my industry. We deal with vertices all the time when creating and manipulating GIS products. 

I understand that the English language rule is a little obtuse, but it really is quite simple. One vertex: VERTEX. More than one vertex: VERTICES.

It really grates my last nerve when I hear it's misuse in technical conversation as often as I do. Colleagues and non-colleagues alike use the plural form without the 's' when they intend to use the singular form.  What's more, it is actually acceptable to say VERTEXES for the plural form - which should simplify the matter, but most do not choose to take that opportunity.

I can excuse the misuse if it is occasional, but it happens all the time. 

ALL THE TIME

Why do we Americans focus so much on the food?

Lingering after a hearty breakfast at our local Mimi's, Pam and I were musing on the idea that American's seem to always be rushed through even the nicer of eating establishments. There is little time for socializing. The food comes to the table quicker than lightening. We gobble it up. Pay the bill and leave.

Personally, I think it would be nicer if the restaurant staff would take their time bringing the food. Now, I am not saying that they should be slow. Slow service can be quite painful. In fact, I believe that they should still be available for more coffee or soda or wine or what have you, but they should not be hovering either. It's a fine line really.

The food, on the other hand, should be slower to arrive. If I am going to take time to come into a restaurant, park the car and walk in through the rain - yes, it happens to be raining today - then I would want my time in their service to be a little more relaxed and not so rushed.

It reminds me of a time when we were out with my parents at a small restaurant in Little Italy in Baltimore. We had lingered too long after a fantastic meal, talking and whatnot, when the manager finally comes over and says, "We love you, but we would like to have the table". While I can understand their need to serve more people, it seemed a little rude to me. Maybe if we had ordered more wine - or a big bottle of champagne - to justify their time. But as it is, we got up and left.

So Mimi's was fast with their service and their food today, but we have yet to be kicked out. There are plenty of open tables. They have already taken the check (with the tip), but I'll save that for another rant.

Eat Mo' Moonpies

Eat Mo' Moonpies
Originally uploaded by 1Sock

You know the trouble with signs like this out in the midwest on some old highway? The sign entices you in - 'cause who doesn't like a nice moonpie now and then - but the store is completely gone. All that's left is an old parking lot with a lot of old rusted out cars and some antique signs ... much like the moonpie sign.

Pam and I spotted this sign while sitting in line at a construction site along New Mexico State Route 68, south of Taos, New Mexico.

No moon pies were had. Just disappointment.