BagOfNothing.com

• Insert generic time change joke about losing an hour of sleep [here].
• The kids are on spring break. They are starting it off by visiting a children’s museum in Waco with a cousin and then traveling to East Texas to visit grandparents.
• This week I start rehab. I probably should have referenced it as physical therapy but “rehab” is more eye-catching.
• On my first day back at work last week, my back started to hurt a bit more than I’d like so I took a pain pill. About a half hour later I received a company-wide email addressing the opioid crisis and what to look for, which made me laugh. However, I did read the email and while I don’t have any concerns about an addiction, I could relate to a lot of the signs mentioned and it led to a self-evaluation. Here’s a section of the email:
  • However, taking these drugs for long periods of time slows down the body’s production of natural painkillers. The body then shifts to depend on these drugs as a replacement for regulating pain and keep it in balance.  In short, people shift from taking the medication to assist, to taking the medication because they need it to feel regular.  Since the body is balancing back to zero, it builds a “new normal” for the body, and the person then needs to take more drugs to feel the “giddiness” again or stop the pain. 
• Tiger Woods’ second-place finish yesterday gives hope to all 42-year-old half-Asians with a history of spinal fusion surgery.
• The local news showed the moment when the TCU mens basketball team learned they were included in the tournament. It looked like every one of them was holding their phones in front of them either recording the moment or streaming it on Facebook live. If I was their coach, I’d like to think I would tell them to put those phones away, the moment is being recorded by the local news and the school, and let’s just enjoy the moment together as a team.
• I really don’t know a lot about Education Secretary Betsy DeVos but she was on ’60 Minutes’ last night. She creeped me out a bit because at the end of every answer, even ones about campus rape, you could tell she was forcing herself to smile. I felt she came across as very insincere. She also stated she hasn’t visited any under-performing school, only well-performing schools.
• I watched some of the reboot of ‘American Idol’. For the reboot of the first episode, I was curious about the first contestant the producers decided to showcase. She was a quirky and interesting soul. One of last night’s female contestants was a student in the school WifeGeeding used to teach at. Her parents would often send her to school wearing makeup which resulted in some confrontation with her teacher and principal.
• Mascara seems to be quite popular with the ladies, that is, applying or wearing a lot at one time. Personally, I’m not a fan, less is more.
• WifeGeeding cut off a lot of her hair, no buzz cut or anything but somewhere to her neckline. I gave her a complex about women and short hair in our early years telling her when women chop off their hair after having children it’s the first step of them giving up on their looks and nailing it in, that men will say they like the short hair, but inside, they really miss and prefer the long hair. She chickened out on coloring it gray, which bummed me out, I wanted her to do something bold and brave. But for her, short hair is brave.
• For years I’ve been saying we are moving to a cashless society, yet every Friday evening when I drive by the bank, there’s a line of cars at the ATM and I can’t figure out why. What are those folks using cash for that they can’t use a debit card for? Even if they are going to a gentleman’s club, wouldn’t they need singles? All of those folks at Lewisville ATMs can’t be driving to Oklahoma to the casinos.
• The local news had a story about a vigil being held outside of a gentleman’s club. Apparently, two managers of Kings Cabaret were shot and killed outside of it.
• This Vox interactive is pretty interesting – Your state’s teachers are underpaid. Find out by how much.
• Utah woman found guilty of trying to hire hit man charged with same crime for third time
• I wonder if the Catholic church would ever do an online confessional, maybe they already do.
• How Dirk goes through airport security for an away game.

https://twitter.com/dallasmavs/status/972932102416191488?s=09

• LeBron had a beautiful no-look pass.

This is absurd… pic.twitter.com/7pEuWKnztR

— Andy Bailey (@AndrewDBailey) March 12, 2018

• I returned to work yesterday for the first time in about six weeks. It was only half a day, but it felt good getting back in a routine again.
• Can’t win for losing
  • When I first started to look for a back doctor, the first thing I researched was to find one “in network” so I could save on cost. When surgery was required, I verified the hospital was an “in network” facility, again, to save on cost. Yesterday, I received a bill from the internist I saw an hour before surgery which was about $1,100, a lot more than I was expecting. I dialed up the insurance company and they explained it was that high because I chose an “out of network” doctor. I told them I didn’t really have a choice in the matter and verified I chose an “in network” surgeon and hospital, but I had no role in choosing the internist. Heck, I had no idea I would see an internist. The insurance company said they’d review it and they may possibly adjust it so I’ll be paying the “in network” cost, which is about $115. The process would take about seven to ten business days and before ending the call, they emphasized I should have sought an “in network” doctor. I guess she didn’t pick up on the part that I had no idea I was going to be seen by an internist and I did my due diligence in picking an “in network” surgeon and facility. She also suggested I call the doctors office and try to negotiate a lower fee.
  • You may recall I wrote something similar when DaughterGeeding went to the ER last year. The hospital was “in network” but the doctor who treated her was “out of network” and we were charged an extra $400. The insurance company stated they were willing to pay the “out of network” charges since we didn’t have a choice in what doctor we saw.
  • Man, I really feel for those suffering from major illnesses like cancer or ALS and have to worry about this petty insurance stuff all the time. Speaking of which, we have a friend whose husband needs surgery for a rare form of cancer but can’t find an “in network” surgeon in the area. “Someone with experience in the matter”, told them to go to the ER about the problem who would admit them because of the severity. Because they don’t have a choice of the surgeon, they would get the “in network” price. I doubt that would work, but it stinks people have to try to do these things.
• I’d love to own a house with a front porch.
• I followed up on a Reddit tip to search for “divorce” in Craig’s List to find cheap stuff for sale. I found a plethora of vehicles for sale and filtered them out. One of the first results was a puppy. That made me sad. However, WifeGeeding is getting an upgraded engagement ring for Mother’s Day.
  • I can never remember if it’s “Mother’s Day” or “Mothers’ Day” and always have to look it up. I always reason it out to be the latter since all mothers are being honored but I’m wrong.
• Over 500 Canadian doctors protest raises, say they’re being paid too much (yes, too much) – The group say they are offended that they would receive raises when nurses and patients are struggling.
• This is an old GIF, but I crack up at the Queen getting excited about seeing some cows.
• The New York Times – For Two Months, I Got My News From Print Newspapers. Here’s What I Learned.
• Man, 70, finally gets Eagle Scout rank