Pretty sure I know what this tulip is thinking. Trust me, bro, it ain’t gonna happen. Not under my roof. :-)

First, speaking only for myself and not the other two parties involved, I’d like to say sorry. Sorry for keeping your health insurance premiums, co-pays, and the like higher than they should be. In my defense I’m perhaps the only person not making a profit from my actions. I am reaping the meager benefits till next year when rates are likely to go up again. For quite a while I’ve seen tv ads for all manner of medications that end with the narrator speaking a wonderful phrase. The exact wording may not be the same but essence of it is they’re generously offering to help pay for their life improving product.

Granted I’m still actively hunting for the perfect job but I can easily afford my normal co-pay for non-generic meds. But there I was, sitting in my doctor’s office going over the results of my latest checkup and he suggested I try this new prescription. We have a relationship going back over a decade and he knows I ask for generic meds when available. Again not because of its cost to me but to the system as a whole. I’m just trying to do my small part to keep costs down for everyone just like doing my small part selecting products made from recycled materials or not mowing the lawn midday during poor air quality days. So he tells me now to worry and hands me this little card. With it my out of pocket costs won’t be more than $10. What it really means is that the cost to my health insurance company is going to be significantly higher than if I had gone generic.

And just like that I found myself in the middle of the eternal battle between “Big Pharma” out to make as much profit as possible and Health Insurance companies trying to control costs thus make a larger profits themselves. As for me? I ended up paying the $10 as promised instead of just north of $50 for the same 30 day supply. I can’t begin to imagine how much more it cost my insurance to pick up the balance. The difference in co-pay is designed to nudge folks like you and me to the generic option when one is available. In truth, the new meds worked just as well as what I had been using before so I’ll be a good consumer and change back.

I’ve got one more refill left on this discount card though so I’ll make the change next year. It’ll be my New Year’s resolution and probably the only one I’ll actually manage to keep.

Life, my life anyway, has really changed these last ten or so years. I seldom get out other than a food/drink run, pick up/drop off the kids, or yard/home related tasks. I need to make some new, local friends. My closest buddies have moved or live far enough away that it’s impractical to just swing by and hang for an hour. Seems like just hanging out with the fellahs takes a massive amount of planning. The planets have to be aligned just so. And there can’t be any pending events involving family, or home.

Took a walk this morning on the paved trail behind our house. Looks like the water took out part of it. Amazed how fast the town checks on things for us.

This was a stunning thing to see too. once these two trees stood side by side. One old and one new(er). We’ll never know which of them caused both to come crashing down.

I can’t imagine what this place had to have been like last night. Look at how much dirt and mud was left behind across the path here. And the dirt is pretty well packed too. I may be light on my feet but I weight much more than a feather and didn’t sink at all when I walked over the this mess.

Forecast is calling for even more rain over the next few days. I wonder how much more the trail will change when all is said and done.