Weekend Update from Last week

We had our Dave Ramsey garage sale last weekend, and got rid of some clutter, and made some cash. Our recent graduating class of Financial Peace University decided to have the garage sale as a way to raise Step 1. Step one is a reserve of $1000 for emergencies. The money that we raised was almost enough to pay for a new grill!!! Sunday was a the inaugural BBQ chicken dinner....it was awesome.

 The BBQ sauce had an "expiration" date of December, but thankfully everyone survived.

I had our monthly meeting with the radiography crew later that evening. The waiter actually rounded the change in my favor! What a refreshing change, no pun intended.

Revolver610 made an interesting comment that I've been dwelling on. He said that being in the medical profession, he feels that he is fighting Darwin. I  completely agree. Some of the patients that I see, I can only hope that they don't reproduce. It's not the Zombie apocalypse that we need to worry about, it's the "short bus window lickers" apocalypse we are experiencing that we need to worry about.

Keep Right On Prepping - K

Rounding It Out

I can't believe it has been so long since my last post. I've finished up this crazy semester of eleven hours, working full time, rental house, and family life. I did fairly well academically. I got 100% in my Current Issues in Healthcare, which was an exercise in free-style ranting writing. I felt that it was wasted money for a three hour course, but it did help my GPA and I got to spew my thoughts on a whole new crew of people. My MRI procedures class is finished, and I'm waiting for her to grade my "senior thesis". My senior thesis was a twelve page APA-style paper on epilepsy. I've also extended my MRI practicum into the summer, since a few of the protocols we don't do at work such as: adrenals, MRA of venous system of brain, gallbladder, liver, and other abdominal organs. I'll need to provide slave labor at a university sponsored hospital to collect all of the necessary routines for the MRI class.

The boys are doing well. Red Ant has earned his door back. The Doctor is 9 months old and walking around the couch and coffee table....He'll be walking on his own before ten months! Row, my brilliant third grader, is reading on a seventh grade reading level, and doing math on a fifth grade level. It is kinda bitter sweet to think that my nine year old is reading above the national reading average.

Prepping has been on a stand still. No new progress to report or cool gear to review. The doctor's food, formula, and diaper budget has pretty much taken care of any extra money.

Sweetheart and I have been co-leading a Dave Ramsey class at church. I'm loving teaching other people to get prepared for financial emergencies. Let's face it. Everyone will have money trouble, and learning how to get out of debt, and stay on a budget is the best way to protect you and your family.

Enjoy the customary photo with each post....

Keep Right On Prepping - K

The Meanest Dad Award Goes To Me

I get home yesterday, Red Ant is in trouble for general kid stuff with the boy next door. Red Ant heads inside through the garage and he throws his Nerf guns down in the garage, and I tell him to come back and pick them up. He keeps walking, but faster. I pick up my pace, and calmly tell him that "I know you heard me, go pick up those guns".

Red Ant makes it to his room and shuts the door behind him. I try to open it but its locked. "Open the door." He opens it, and quickly shuts it again. Well, it's unlocked, but he blocking me from entering the room. At this point, I'm fairly irritated. I head back to the garage and grab a hammer and flat blade screwdriver. I push my way into the room and start to take the hinge pins out. Red Ant is pretty perplexed since I'm not saying anything, or yelling. He finally gets the idea when I pop the door off,  stash it under my arm and head to the garage with the door.

According to Red Ant, I'm "the meanest Dad ever." I told him that I loved him and that if I was the meanest Dad ever I wouldn't care what he did. Always an adventure at our house...

Keep Right On Prepping - K

MRI Adventure Story Time

My last MRI scan of Friday turned out to be a real adventure. This black lady comes in and proceeds to hassle the front office ladies about "She don't know about no stuff on that piece of paper." I tell my co-worker that I'll take care of it. I call the lady back, get her situated in the dressing room, and tell her that we need to go over a few questions.

BL:"I dun told that girl that I don't be knowin' about dem questions you be askin'."
K:"Have you ever been a sheet metal worker or had metal in your eye?"
BL:"Listen, I don't be rememberin that silly stuff. I was in a accident, and I got whiplash. I looked it up on Google and I'm gonna get paid." (rolling her neck as she's talking)
K:"Have you ever been a sheet metal worker or had metal in your eye?"
BL: "I don't know"
K: "Okay, listen. Here's the deal. Unless you can answer these questions, I'm not gonna scan you, because I'm not gonna risk injuring you or causing any harm."
BL: "Well, I got a headache from that whiplash. I read it on the computer."
K:"Have you ever been a sheet metal worker or had metal in your eye?"

Her memory got markedly better, and was able to answer the rest of the questions. I got her into the MRI room,and onto the table for the cervical and lumbar spinal scans. At this point, I was pretty fed up with all of her nonsense. She reminded me that I needed to do a good job, even though she wasn't paying for it. Well dear, that letter of protective for the lawyer's office, that you signed, clearly states that any settlement that you receive will have the lawyer fees deducted, then the scan, then the remainder will be awarded to you. So yes, you are paying for the scan, if you get a settlement.

Imagine my surprise when the first few images came back, and the cervical spine looked good. I'm not a radiologist, but I'm not stupid either. At this point, I decide that she's right. She needs me to do some of my best work. I tweak a few of the parameters, and make some crisp clear high resolution scans.

MRI is all about trade-offs. The trade off in this case is that the scan times have increased by about 50%. I'm chuckling inside because I've got this lady (I use the term loosely), with a headache, in the scanner for about 40 minutes instead of 25, and I'm getting some excellent pictures of her "whiplash" so that she'll probably lose her case. Some days it just doesn't get any better than this.

 Keep Right On Prepping - K

A World of Change

(Disclaimer: There might be foul language involved.)

As my regular blog readers know, most of the guys from our graduating radiography class get together once a month to stay in touch and have a few laughs. We take turns picking restaurants and spend a few hours drinking a beer or two, eating good food, and having a few laughs. I like to pay in cash, and on three of the latest occasions the waiter/waitress has decided to keep the change. I usually tip well, since I worked on the industry for 23 years. I can do simple math in my head, and I'm usually easy to get along with. A cash tip is great for the waiter since they only have to claim 8% of their sales for tax purposes, but have to claim the full amount of debit/credit cards. Thus, a cash paying customer is a boon for the waiter since it gives them more buying power...less taxes. This is where my rant begins.

The first time, I was informed that they didn't have change at the restaurant. Really? How dumb are your customers to believe that load of hooey? His tip severely suffered, and I left without a word, and I won't darken that doorway again by my choice.

The second time, I was more aggressive about the situation. I called the waiter over, and asked about my change. He stated that it was a math error, so I called him out on it. He had decided to pickpocket keep the change from those of us that paid in cash. I asked why he had short changed my friend as well. He promptly left, and got my change from the bar. I'm not quite sure what I said to the waiter, but something along the lines that  I didn't appreciate being pick pocketed, and he should always round to the customers favor. He didn't want to hear my lecture...

The third time, Revolver decided to leave before I made a scene. Everyone at the table has hoping and praying that I got some coinage with my change! He might be proud to know that I handled it better. I called the waitress over and asked her whether it was because I was old school or was it customary to keep the change. She gave the lame excuse that management didn't allow them to turn in change, and that she "just looks at the number of dollars, and counts that out." I again explained to her that you should go the extra mile and earn her tip, rather than just keep my change. She proceeded to tell me that I was right while she pulled a dollar from her pocket. Her tip was about 8%..and I left her a note that she missed out on a 20% tip because of the change issue.

I'm sure that Revolver610 expected this post a long while ago. It's taken me a while to actually calm down and write this post without a lot of foul language.

I've seriously thought about having some business cards printed that read: Since you decided to keep the coins, you also decided on your tip. Always round in the customers favor, and don't pick pocket them.

President Obama has right about hope and change. I hope I get my change. Give me my damn change next time.

Your thoughts?

The Doctor Update

The Doctor has been pulling up for about a month, which means he'll be an early walker like Row. The Doc is teething like crazy, and on track to have a full set of teeth by his first birthday. The daycare workers have decided that the Doctor is a mash-up between both his brothers. No DNA test needed to determine that they are mine.

He is starting on solid foods, which gives me a sign of relief. We've been stockpiling food and formula for a while. We are buying extra every payday.

If for some reason there was an extended national emergency, we would probably lose a substantial chunk of the baby population. On my wilderness ramblings, I ran across quite a few graveyards, and I was always a little sad to see so many infant graves. A good reason to prepare....

Keep Right On Prepping - K

11th Anniversary

I'd still say "absolutely."

Keep Right On Prepping - K

3.14

Apple, of course. I'm baking pie shells now for the chocolate mousse pies with whip cream.

Keep Right On Prepping - K