I think I enjoy reading biographies because I wish I was living a different life.
I took advantage of some Wal-Mart ‘Cyber Monday’ deals. There’s no need for my children’s presents to be delivered anytime soon, so I chose the cheapest option, which was free shipping. To my surprise, all my items were delivered to my doorstep before dinner. Wal-Mart delivered everything in less than seven hours of my order. Color me impressed.
Several times this year, I mentioned as I look back at things, I felt my ex was gaslighting me. “Gaslighting” is a word that’s not really a part of my vernacular. But my eyebrow raised when I saw this article yesterday – ‘Gaslighting’ is Merriam-Webster’s word of the year for 2022. I wonder if Merriam-Webster is going to put her profile pic next to the definition.
I called Aetna again about the neck brace they wouldn’t pay for. They told the provider it wasn’t “medically necessary” despite having neck surgery. The rep I spoke to stated the provider needed to provide documentation of the surgery performed. I told them that since they already paid for the surgery, they must already have all documentation. She thought that made sense, and after some back and forth, called the provider and conferenced all parties. I love it when they do that, everyone speaking to each other at the same time to get on the same page. In short, the provider sent me the bill in error.
To be honest, it was never great. It was very, very good. Taquitos were fun to get when it got late at night.
I found this tweet yesterday while reading my second favorite blog (hey, I’m all about some self love and ain’t gonna put myself #2), and doubted it was true. Being the investigative journalist that I am, I decided to test it out using “Shanghai” and then “Beijing”. Nothing suspicious or seedy came up in my results. Heck, the first result was a literally FU to the late Chairman Mao on Tiananmen Square.
That bullet point may get this blog banned in China. Which makes me think of actor Richard Gere who made Red Square, a film which negatively portrayed the Chinese government. At the time, many people predicted it was career suicide since China was becoming a major contributor to the film industry. Depending on how you look at it, that may have come true. He certainly hasn’t been in any notable films as of late.
I hope TCU goes undefeated.
I’m wrapping up the Jimmy Johnson book. He dedicates one very long chapter to not making family a priority in life, and the regret he lives with. Here I am thinking how much I’ve made family a priority in life, ever since a social studies class in junior high pointed out the average age of a white male and compared that to the age of my father. All I ever tried was to make family the priority, with how I spent my weekends (I rarely went out as a teen), to the college I chose (Abilene is only two hours away in case of an emergency and weekend visits once a month), to the jobs I selected (I wanted to be with my wife and kids more than anything). Yet, I lost all of them early – Dad, Mom, best friend, brother, sister, and the family unit I helped start. I pray I don’t lose a child. It all makes me wonder if I should have pursued money or put a career first, and focused less on family. Maybe I would have lost all those things, but at least I would have family. As of now, I have neither after putting family first. I guess I should have put myself first at times. There’s nothing like living with regret. I am the common denominator.
