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Snippets, eleven

Here are some short pieces based on things that have happened in my life recently.

Budget

I am not great at budgets. I don't mean for work, I mean personally. It's so difficult because I'm not sure how to balance spending and self-care. Not all self-care costs money, but a lot does (a massage, a mani/pedi, a nice meal, going to a movie, going to visit friends, travel). How do I balance my need to save money with my need to get through this low time in my life? I don't want you to think that I'm dangerously low or anything, but a lot of things have been difficult for me lately so I want to treat myself. But I've been doing that too much and now my bank account is unhappy with me. In summary: adulting hard.

COVID

Well, well, well, if it isn't COVID coming around again? Thought you'd seen the last of COVID? Well that was just wishful thinking.

Recently, both of my parents have tested positive for COVID. My dad has recovered and my mom is doing well at the moment with an assist from Paxlovid, so don't worry excessively.

Luckily (and I emphasize luck), COVID is merely a nuisance for me and my family. 

My dad tested positive the same day I visited him (now, his care home had the responsibility to inform me that there was COVID on the floor and they utterly failed at this sending no forewarning nor warning me when I signed in or when I came up to his floor). Since I had had such a close exposure (though I was masked), I took precautions and canceled plans for the week. This did the opposite of a wonder on my mood. Again, I realize that COVID can be so so SO much worse, but for me, it was mostly a nuisance. The label of nuisance only came after I'd been assured that my dad was exhibiting no symptoms and said he was feeling fine (though he always says this). 

Just the other day, my mom tested positive. She is currently visiting my brother, sister-in-law, and brand-new nephew. So far, everyone else is negative and/or symptom-free (the baby hasn't been tested). This though disrupts my plans for visiting everyone. Will I ever get to meet my new nephew (logically, I know I will, but I am frustrated).

I'm glad that COVID, so far, is a nuisance and frustration rather than life-threatening news.

Insurance

Why does insurance always get me like this? Upset, crying, frustrated. Now, I know my experience with insurance is not unique, but I wish I could be stronger during these conversations. I told them I wanted to file a complaint, but I think they just listened to me try not to cry loudly while I outlined how I'd been misled twice. They chastised me, saying I should've called this extension to start out with. I attempted to demand to know how I was supposed to know this when no one had told me. They had no answer.

Now I am considering changing insurance plans. Not because I expect my strength against them to be fortified or to be misled less, but because a nurse told me a workaround for another plan. I hope next time I can be triumphant.

Productivity

So I have been weirdly productive today at work. Not that I don't try at my job, cause I definitely do, but rarely do tasks flow so smoothly together for me. I have a good balance of meetings and tasks to complete, of work time and down time, of stimulation and quiet. I can feel my brain buzzing pleasantly, wheels turning, but not grinding, stretches welcome breaks rather than out of boredom. I am glad for this and am trying to savor the feeling. Maybe writing about it will help me savor it even more.

I still have two meetings coming up today, but they should be productive. I also hope that a meeting I'm not attending addresses some concerns I have, but it's out of my control so I am letting it go.

I also have a date later tonight so I feel like I'm using all of my time effectively.

Today was a good, productive day.

(Prompt by Kimisha Cassidy)

"Budgeting" by 401(k) 2012. Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-SA 2.0).


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