The Healthcare Crisis

Now, don't think, in light of the election that I'm going to get all political.

One of my jobs is to make sure that our HR system runs smoothly. One of my other jobs is to communicate. That said, I spend two months a year reminding people that they're going to have to make benefit choices, two weeks a year actually begging them to do it, two weeks a year listening to every lame ass excuse under the sun about why THAT two week period just didn't work for them while simultaneously trying to make the data do exactly what I want.

We are officially in the latter two weeks. Aside from the 'I was on vacation on the moon without hope of Internet access, and I didn't know it was open enrollment because I was in a coma and all of your e-mail goes to my SPAM folder' excuses, I fight with the system. The vendor makes upgrades and you have to change your approach every year. I have mastered playing in the test database.

Given all that has been going on, I've begun again collecting meaningful quotes, and lots of folks are sending them to me.

Early this week, I got this gem:

"The only courage you will ever need is the courage to live your heart's desire."

-Oprah Winfrey

So I wrote it on a sticky on my monitor and read it every day.

Today, because it is handwritten, I unconsciously read:

"The only coverage you will ever need is the coverage to live your heart's desire...."

Totally insane, right? How could I mistake a 'u' for a 'v' ? Is my heart's desire to jump from an airplane or something? Am I just over this whole benefits thing? YOU BETCHA!

So, actually, there were two quotes I got yesterday from my old friend, TEEK:

This one smacked me right between the eyes:

"Our dependency makes slaves out of us, especially if this dependency is a dependency of our self-esteem. If you need encouragement, praise, pats on the back from everybody, then you make everybody your judge."

...and if anyone cares to recommend a pill or a class or a course of action to help me kick that dependency, I could soooo use it right now.

...then this one....

Another Chance

Helen Steiner Rice

How often we wish for another chance

to make a fresh beginning.

A chance to blot out our mistakes

And change failure into winning.

It does not take a new day

To make a brand new start,

It only takes a deep desire

To try with all our heart.

To live a little better

And to always be forgiving

And to add a little sunshine

To the world in which we're living.

So never give up in despair

And think that you are through,

For there's always a tomorrow

And the hope of starting new.

Giving up has never and will never be an option for me, but these days, I'm having trouble finding the sunshine. For no specific reason. Can't figure it out.