Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Phil 4:6-7



Thursday, August 11, 2011

(8/11)...streaming

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I'd like to say, up front, thanks for all the kind comments about my front entry. I actually find it to be very boring, but I guess in this case, boring is good. The paint keeps it from being completely "yawn."


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I keep getting one-ringers on the phone at home. You know, when the phone rings once and then stops. I always wonder, is God calling? I get up, or come from whatever I am doing, and by the time I am halfway there it has stopped. And then I wonder was God trying to get my attention. I check whatever is cooking on the stove to make sure it's not burning, check to see where Faith is, is she safe. Hmmm. I wonder what He was trying to get me to notice. I know in reality that it's just some dumb auto-dialer calling, but yet, I wonder.


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Faith's tonsillectomy is scheduled after much going round with the insurance company, the surgical center, the human resources department at Doug's office. I felt like the phone was stuck to my ear after a few days. Without going into too much detail, I'll tell you we learned that Doug's insurance does not provide the same benefit to children as adults, which is just wrong, and possibly illegal. But, unless we want to file a grievance way up the food chain (with the state insurance commission), we're stuck. Even though my husband likes his job, he regularly pisses people off trying to do his own job better, and there are only so many people you can piss off at work before you lose your job. I hate being stuck between a rock and a hard place. I am grateful that we can afford the surgery, but I feel rotten for people who are making long-term health care decisions for their kids based on finances. And we're not even talking no insurance, just mediocre insurance. I guess the worst part for me is that I do see both sides of the issue, I just don't like either side.

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Speaking of surgery, I learned yesterday that I will need to have vein surgery. Since my surgery three years ago when I had clots in my left leg, my veins have apparently gone downhill. The two superficial veins are not really functioning in the way they should (to return the blood from my leg to my body) and the blood pools up in my leg during the day, leaving me with an achy swollen ankle at night. In the morning they are normal, after being horizontal all night, but then each day I go through the same thing each day. Sitting with my leg up for the rest of my life, is just not in the picture. After this procedure, the doctor says I'll be back to normal in one day. Yea! Unfortunately, I have to go through anesthesia to have it done. Boo! I'll let you know when it's scheduled, but I've already been warned that I have an insurance battle ahead. Oh, joy!


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I watched this version of Mansfield Park yesterday -- a Jane Austen-book-based film I had not seen before. So tragic-turned-wonderful, in typical Jane Austen style. I enjoyed it thoroughly, but there were some scenes inappropriate for young girls (and boys) so this one is not a mother/daughter movie. I'm sure there are other versions, like Jane Eyre, and Pride & Prejudice, so I'll have to view some more and decide which I liked best.

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I have meant to write a review for the film The Rite, which I viewed several weeks ago, but just haven't come up with the right (no pun intended) words. Frankly the film pissed me off (sorry for the language today -- it's the way I've been feeling lately). I don't know at all why the author would have permitted the screenplay to go so differently from the book. I guess the book wasn't edgy enough for Hollywood. I would rather have truth than edgy, and thus my annoyance. It's not like a novel that screenplay writers tweaked here and there for a better film. It was the truth turned untruth.

Spoiler alert:
What ticked me off the most is that they wrote the screenplay for the priest to become possessed, which not only does not happen in the book, but to my knowledge, would be highly unusual, even unheard of (except in films). The exorcist is the most on guard person in dealing with a possessed person, knows the most there is to know about satan's methods and how to protect oneself. It's truly ridiculous that they wrote it that way and it irks me that the author of the book -- who knows the truth -- would allow it. Maybe he didn't, I don't know how it works when you sell your story for a film, but it seems he should have some ability to approve or disprove based on the fact that it was his story to tell.

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O.k., I'm done for the day here. I have dog food to freeze (I promise that's a post coming later today on my food blog), laundry to hang, and I think there is some Orange Sweet Bread in our future today. Can you say breakfast for dinner?

...have a sweet day.

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7 comments:

  1. Oh Barbara, I know how annoyingly tiresome go-rounds with the insurance company can be. Hang in there.
    You're in my prayers today, dear friend.
    Blessings~

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  2. Oh the hassles of insurance. It's even more than a hassle - it can just suck the life out of you. We've had many go rounds regarding both boys' therapies and it stinks every time. In fact, I dread it tremendously and put it off until I can't possibly put it off any longer. Not mature, but it's the truth.

    Also, on a lighter note, have you seen the 2007 movie version of Jane Austen's "Persuasion"? It stars Sally Hawkins and Rupert Penry-Jones, and I enjoyed it very much. I recommend it for your Jane Austen movie marathon. :)

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  3. Re: Mansfield P. I'm gonna pull out my Jane Scholar hat here, (I wrote my thesis on Mansfield Park), and say that version is the best. I've seen the masterpiece theater ones, but the '99 one really captures the tone of the novel the best (as well as the subplots), and includes some of Jane's earliest writings as school room stuff for Fanny (the Kings and Queens of England). And all versions of Persuasion are quite wonderful.

    As for the tonsillectomy: I dunno where Faith is having it, but if it's at Children's, call the finance department. They can set up a payment plan for you, if that would make it financially more swallow-able.

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  4. Let us know when the surgery is so that we can say a prayer for you all. I hate dealing with insurance stuff, too. I'm anxiously awaiting to see how much our current experience is going to cost us. But it is so good to have insurance. I bet you get a lot of hits on your dog food post on your other dog. Lots of people seem to be going that route.

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  5. I love this version of Mansfield Park
    http://www.amazon.com/Mansfield-Park-1986-Jackie-Smith-Wood/dp/B000244F8M/ref=sr_1_5?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1313110946&sr=1-5.

    It is from 1986 and might be hard to find, you could try the local library.

    Those "one-ringers" are likely pollsters, the current political upheaval has all the polling companies working overtime to help develop campaign strategies for the upcoming elections.

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  6. Yikes, insurance....

    Wishing you well on the leg surgery. Will you have to wear a compression stocking/sock (and would that help things out how until you have the surgery?)

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  7. I don't know about your one-ringers, but a few years back, I had a ringing phone pull me from a deep sleep and out to the living room. When I answered, a woman said she was "calling back, because we received a 911 call from this number." I had not called 911, but suddenly I realized that someone was calling out and beating on our front door. Still in a mental fog, I set the phone down to answer the door. It was a police officer who had been trying to wake anyone in the house: he said he could smell gas! The upshot of it was, we had a major gas leak, and had the phone not rung, I might never have awakened. So I understand why you are wondering about those "one-ringers." --- Rosemary

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I appreciate your comments -- sometimes I feel like I'm talking to myself!