Chick Lit

When the meek inherit the earth, I just figured I’d take it from them by force. Never gave much thought to the fact that it was my fellow bloggers I’d be fighting against…

Seems all this talk about Avian Flu has me treasuring my anti-social ways. Saw this scary segment on the NBC news Sunday morning about a potential Bird Flu outbreak that could affect millions. Now, to date, only about 91 people world wide have died of avian flu in the past few years, far fewer than plain ol everyday influenza. BUT IT COULD HAPPEN!!! Yeah. Right up there with finding WMD. Could happen. As you well know, I’m a big proponent of fewer people on the planet, so a killer mutation isn’t a big concern of mine.

I don’t know if the news broadcast was being informative or inflammatory. I do know it got my attention. They suggested stockpiling two months worth of food, water, and prescription drugs. Among the tried and true advice of ‘don’t touch live chickens’ and ‘wash hands frequently’ was another little gem: ‘practice social isolation’. Sounds like the blogging community to me! Bloggers shall inherit the earth!

Hmmm. Now to some folks, that might mean avoid crowds. To me, that’s the best excuse yet to skip Aunt Tillie’s eightieth birthday party, Sally's big wedding extravaganza and Percy’s graduation gift grab. Oh, sorry….I’d love to come to your baby shower, but I’m practicing social isolation for the good of the country. Can’t let those Asian fowls win. Maybe next year. Give my love to Grandpa Joe. Heh, heh, heh.

Speaking of prescription drugs…

The Chicago Tribune ran an article on the front page regarding the fact that you have to sign your life away to by Sudafed, but Vicodin isn’t tracked at all. Hopefully this will change, as Class II drugs are now being entered into computer databases.

My last trip to a pharmacy was less than pleasant. I tried a new one to get away from the evil Wal-Mart in my town. I went to the new store and saw only a Drop Off window. I stood politely until the man on duty acknowledged me. I asked if my prescription was ready. This is the drop off window, he observed tersely. He then walked away, leaving me to think I was in a Monty Python skit.

He re-emerged some 20 feet away where I saw another cash register. Oh. That must be Pick Up. Well aren’t we off on the wrong foot. So now I see that the Pick up isn’t part of the little filling station booth and come to the right register. He then starts shaking his head and gasping at the cost of the drugs. This is not good. This man has been filling six-thousand dollar heart meds all day, and thinks mine is too much.

Do you have insurance? Yes. Oh, well your doctor didn’t say that. I’m glad. These are very expensive. Yeah, well, don’t get me started on that topic either, buddy. Besides, why would doctor’s office give you my insurance? They don’t care. Not their problem. I present my card. He says they used a generic to fill one med, do I mind? Not at all. In fact, the only thing in my life I would never use a generic on is birth control pills. Wonder how many little Genericas and Genericos were born last year as a result of less-than-effective generic equivalents?

At any rate, this made me think about what I would do without insurance. Suffer from seasonal allergies, that’s for sure. Or would I? If I had no insurance, I most likely would have no job, and if I had no job, I’d be homeless, and if I were homeless, I’d move somewhere warm, like Arizona, and my allergies might not be so bad there, if I kept out in the desert areas. But not Phoenix. That's gotta be bird flu central. Right up there with the Canary Islands...