So sick and tired of this

I can't take it anymore. I have been on hold with my insurance people for more than 20 minutes (for the second time today).

They called me--during my nap, by the way--to inform me that since I live in Virginia I needed to change my carrier since Blue Care Network of Michigan doesn't cover me in Virginia. Weird. Because I've been getting treated in Virginia the last four years!

This whole health care/COBRA thing is beyond me. It's weighing on my nerves more than anyone can understand. I think I have a gray hair from it all, which doesn't make me happy since I'm only 22. These people give me more health problems: high blood pressure, stress, and talk about emotional issues like ANGER and IRE.

I mean seriously, though, why does it have to be so complicated. So Unicare, Blue Care of Michigan, actually, BCBS in general, if you are reading. I HATE YOU. I hope your headquarters goes up in flames because your company is pure evil, right down to your core.

I pray that the Republicans come to their senses and vote on some sort of health care reform. This is ridiculous. I don't know what else to do with myself or my health insurance for that matter. I'm done.

It's been a while

Well, hello first blog of 2010. Sorry it took me so long. Things have been a little crazy to say the least.

First off, I graduated! Woo hoo! I now hold a Bachelor of Science degree in Mass Communications...Cum Laude, what what! It was four and a half years of hard work (not to mention really busting my butt the last two years) but it's all paid off now that I have this cheap piece of paper with a seal on it. Great.

I've started a new job. I work at WWBT-NBC12 in Richmond. It's been great so far. I'm meeting a lot of awesome people and getting lots of good training. Hopefully things will continue the way they're going now.

In not so great news, since I'm no longer a student my parents' health insurance has dropped me. Enter COBRA. Our health care system is so messed up. Like, truly messed up. And what pains me is that we will do anything and everything to help other countries (like Iraq and Haiti) and yet we don't help our own citizens. It really makes me sick to be honest. Oh, no! Don't say sick! It'll cost you!

But to end on a lighter note, I am going to Jamaica in April. My cousin is getting married in May and six of us are taking a bachelorette trip for an extended weekend. I figured I'd take the couple days to go down there and unwind. I need it. Hell, I deserve it. I've worked hard these past couple of months. I still work hard. Trouble now is, I need to get my bikini body back. Damn you, winter!

That's all my rants for now. Thanks for reading.

Almost Famous

Self Advertisement: First episode of VCU InSight this Friday and Sunday at 7pm on Richmond PBS.

Okay now that that's out of the way let's touch on some current events:

1. Chris Brown picking up garbage on the side of the road in Richmond--although quite amusing, a not really what I think of as "breaking news."
2. President Obama calling Kanye West a jackass--He's a big boy, which means he can use big boy words. Yes, Kanye is a jackass. How dare you take that microphone away from that poor little girl? She earned that moment...JACKASS!
3. Joe Wilson and his outburst--It was ridiculous, but can we let it go?
4. I wish the Bills would have beat the Patriots the other night. At least the Giants beat the Redskins.
5. NRA endorses Bob McDonnell as their favorite gubernatorial candidate--Good for them...and Gander Mountain if he wins!
6. Yale student's body in wall--beyond disturbing. How could someone do something so horrid?
7. Shooting at a local Richmond high school this afternoon--Is it bad that I didn't react very strongly to this? Maybe we're becoming desensitized to this sort of thing?

Film class makes me wish Graduation was tomorrow.

Summer

It is HOT, HOT, HOT in Richmond, Virginia!

So I'm starting my job hunt since I graduate in this fall--December 12th to be exact. What I'm finding is that...drum roll...no one is hiring!

It's really frustrating enough to look for jobs with zero experience. Talk about shooting down a girl's ego. The economy is just terrible. Everyone is laying off, and mandating furloughs. Doing my internship this summer has definitely helped fancy up my resume a bit but I still feel way behind the curve. Being that 13WHAM also opened by eyes to the realities of the economic troubles too, since their owner Newport Television is requiring all employees to take two weeks furlough.

Or it could be that I've never actually done the job I'm trying to get...

Either way--someone help! If you know of any jobs for TV Producers in Richmond, Virginia please let me know (or if you have any connections--wink wink)!

Singles' Awareness

I really do hate Valentine's Day.

This is the first year (maybe ever) that I've been in a relationship on Valentine's Day. Every year I wear black to mark this holiday because I think it's the most stupid way to get people to buy stuff for each other. It's purely commercial and completely "un-special."

Wiki says: Since the 19th century, handwritten notes have largely given way to mass-produced greeting cards.The sending of Valentines was a fashion in nineteenth-century Great Britain, and, in 1847, Esther Howland developed a successful business in her Worcester, Massachusetts home with hand-made Valentine cards based on British models. The popularity of Valentine cards in 19th-century America was a harbinger of the future commercialization of holidays in the United States.

Approximately one billion Valentines are sent every year. I find this absolutely ridiculous, even though I buy my fair share of candy and Valentines to send out every year.

There is so much pressure put on couples on this one day to make it so special. If it's not special then it's a complete disaster and makes the relationship awkward for a couple of days.

Here's something else that really ticked me off today:
My good friend, Shannon, and her boyfriend, Earl, have been dating a couple years. They live in separate cities as they are both still in college. For Valentine's Day, Earl is going to drive up to visit Shannon and they planned to go out to dinner at a local hotspot--The Melting Pot. Shannon made the reservation a month in advance, and was presented with a 4:30pm reservation. She decided to book the 13th instead because they did not want to eat so early. Today when she called to confirm their reservation, the restaurant had no record of it. They offered her an 11pm reservation to try and make up for it.

First off--it's so ridiculous that they were so booked up a month ago. Second off--11pm? Really? Why are you still open at 11pm? This holiday would be so much better if everyone would stay home, bum around in some sweat pants, and catch up with what's on their DVRs.

Online bill pay in my future?

For those of us who still write checks and pay bills by Snail Mail, the fact that stamp prices are going up is a pain in the behind.

On May 11, 2009 stamp prices will go up two cents to a whopping 44 cents. The Postal Service said the price increase was necessary because of rising production costs--WHAT PRODUCTION COSTS?? Under law, the price of stamps is not allowed to rise faster than the U.S. consumer price index, which measures inflation. Well when you put it that way...

Is it just me or have stamps been rising at a ridiculously high rate the past couple of years? Don't even get me started on this ridiculous economy.

It makes me wonder if constant this stamp rate increase will cause people to stop paying bills by Snail Mail altogether. I hate online bill pay. I just do. I don't know why, but I find comfort in writing checks, placing them in envelopes, writing my return address, and mailing them via the USPS. Now, I'm only 21 but being able to remember when stamps were a little under 30 cents makes me feel really old.

Needless to say I'm going out on May 10th to buy 37 books of "forever stamps." Should last me a little while.