Adam Thomas, RPH

I have been very good about not ranting pharmacy, but something happened recently to change that; at least for now.

Having insurance is a wonderful thing – I get and appreciate that.  But having to deal with insurance is not.  But, hey, ObamaCare will solve all the problems.  Right?

I had a problem processing a child’s prescription. She was a twin – so that has insurance cluster written all over it.  I know this first hand, of course.  The parent called and inquired about the status of the prescription she had been wanting for the last two weeks.  Since the wonderful catch-phrase ‘It’s a known problem and all available resources are working on it’ was no longer applicable, I called the insurance again and got some fucking idiot who had the balls to tell me I needed to ‘contact my software provider’*.  When I told him we didn’t have a software provider, he decided to speak again. “I doubt that because you would’ve had to have created the software for the company yourself and I doubt that’s the case.”

I cursed him numerous times under my breath and demanded to speak with his supervisor.  When the supervisor took over the call she stated that we had the child’s name spelled incorrectly – Sara instead of Sarah for example.  I made the appropriate change and the prescription processed immediately.  She then proceeded to tell me the man who initially helped me was, in fact, an idiot.  I thanked her, smiled, and called the parent.  “Finally,” the mother exclaimed after she heard her daughter’s name was corrected.  “The insurance has had it wrong for fifteen years.”

*in case you are all wondering, this is a catch phrase used by insurance companies when the person dealing with the situation has no idea how to proceed.

At first I was going to rant about this whole flu epidemic which, I’m coming to realize, isn’t really an epidemic at all.  It’s just a media blitz probably paid for by the makers of the damn flu vaccine and the distributors/retailers of said vaccine.  From what I’ve read it’s a slightly above average season AND the vaccine has been around since, like, August. How that qualifies as an epidemic/shortage I have no idea.  All I know is that it makes my life hell.

Also,Winter Storms are now being named. There are a few reasons this was decided upon.  Once again media based.  Apparently named storms are more efficient to reference in communication and easier to recall in the future.  With names like Euclid and Gandolf  who would want to remember either of those storms?  Just call the next blizzard Bob and be done with it!

Believe or not, I like January as a month.  I view it as one of those low expectations-low yield months.  Unless of course there is a New Year’s resolution involved.  Then that ups both the expectation and yield components.  I never make them, though.  I just make fun of everyone who indulges in such behavior.

To me, January is a regrouping month.  Back to business / time to relax after the roller coaster ride that started after Labor Day.  The fall is jam packed with so much and so many holidays, I look forward to January to just chill.  An added bonus for us here in Traverse is that the last of the snowbirds have finally flown South.  Sucks to be a Florida pharmacist right now.

So there you have it, my proverbial Ode to January.

Whether the entries are is yet to be determined.  But, obviously, the look is way different.  The makeover was long over-do.  Now if I can only do the same for myself.

About the book …

It’s still the primary focus, of course.  Stationary icons have been added to facilitate ease of purchase.  And please PURCHASE.  It’s available at both Amazon.com an BarnesandNoble.com.  Still workin’ on Goodreads.com, but I did hire someone to help upgrade the blog so I may have to contract out for that.  While I’m on the subject of the book, I want to address a few items.  The book has format issues.  I had to upload at least four different versions. So what you see is the best.  Sorry, but it’s really not that cumbersome of an issue. Or so I’m told.

Also, I KNOW THERE ARE GRAMMATICAL ERRORS.   Look, I had two very educated proof readers pour over the text.  As with the format, this is it.   Sorry, you will just have to deal.  I could misspell my name and not even realize it.  If you let what is written entertain you, than nothing else matters.

About the ‘new’ blog …

The essence/direction will remain the same – Random Nonsense.   I like it.  And, like I stated above about the book, there will be plenty of grammatical errors here, too.  Spell check can only do so much.  I am a writer not an editor.  Lastly, I realize none of the foul language is necessary, but we are all adults here.  Besides, there’s really not that much of it.

That’s it.

Oh, yeah, that damn Croton plant has only 1 leaf left.   That’s due for makeover, too!  Actually I’m just going to throw it away.

Driving around town, I’ve noticed more and more businesses with inspiring words of wisdom on the establishment’s marquee. You’ve seen them. Those profound phrases that are supposed to make you, ya’ know, think about … life?  Some are rather witty, I must say.  The others are not.  They beg to be commented upon.  So here goes.

            Bad decisions make good stories

            The first time is often funny.  The second is tolerable.  After that, you’re a train-wreck, following FML. Nothing about that is ‘good’.

            Reinterpret the past

            Are you fucking kidding me?  Who would do that? Who would want to do that? That has ‘bad decision makes bad story’ written all over it.  BUT it does remind me of something from   My Life As A Retail Pharmacist – A Fictionalized Memoir

           Adam often thought that ‘talking about the situation can bring you healing’ approach was a bunch of crap thought up by some repressed psychotherapist who was probably a woman.  Up until a moment ago, he thought he had actually changed his opinion.  Not anymore.  Talking about it was just another opportunity for someone to put a knife in an open wound and twist it until you passed out from the pain. 

 Finally, the one I identify most with, especially after a long day at work.

           Closed for the season      

I realize this title is beyond random but remember, the essense or what ever the hell this blog is about is Random Nonsense.  Need I say more?

My wife asked me to return her book on tape to the main library today.  I used the drive-thru.  We here in Traverse have gotten pretty high-tech.  Instead of the old-fashioned drop box we have a conveyor belt contraption that is really impressive.  I hit the button, a door opened,  and in went the book – one book at a time,mind you.  Then I noticed the sign posted above the door – NO PUPPETS.  Well, you can imagine my reactions.

Later in the day I went to the branch closer to my house  Since I know the ladies there – they are wonderful – I had to ask them about the NO PUPPET thing.  They proceeded to tell me what a ‘quandary’ those puppets actually were – there’s no bar code to scan, they jam the conveyor, people don’t wash them.  Who knew?

Damn puppets!