I’m still getting settled in, but am mostly there. Well, all of the essentials are there. :) I’m still trying to nail down stuff like furniture layout, which blocks getting any frames hung. I set up my machines the last part of the week, and found that it looks like I’m pretty well off, but have two dead power supplies. The first casualty of the trip was my phone, which I dropped on the asphalt the night before I left. Needless to say I was pretty upset about that. I left both my two monitors and my two torchiere lamps in Atlanta. I ordered some new lcds once I got here, and I still haven’t found replacement lamps that I like. I’m half wishing I had brought them all with me… But there was no room in the trailer for either. If I gain much more stuff I’ll for sure not be able to fit in a 6′x12′ trailer next time, though I tell myself that I’ll never pull that size of a trailer across the US ever again. We’ll see if I keep the sentiment next time I move. There of course were some scratches on things, which I guess eventually I’ll get used to, though I don’t recall there being so much damage to stuff when I moved to Atlanta. Maybe it was due to less stuff, or the shorter trip, or just a poor memory. Also, the dvd player is having issues, too…

Cribbed from a movie, but none-the-less apropos.

Today marks a profound, though
bittersweet, milestone for all of us
as we bear witness
to both an end and a beginning.

And while we must continue on,
we must also be grateful
to have been blessed
with people
who have so ably guided us
to where we are today.

When there has been so much love
and happiness for someone
it is natural to be reluctant
to close such a wonderful chapter
in our lives.

For moving forward
is rarely accomplished without
considerable grief and sadness.

And while our sorrow
may be profound
the clouds will clear
and the sun will shine on us again.

And in that warm, bright light
we will find ourselves
facing a glorious future.

A future of exciting challenges
and infinite possibility
in which the horizon
will stretch out before us
rimmed in the heavenly glow
of the sunrise of our tomorrow.

Many things to remember while moving. Many things that have already been forgotten again. But this one for now: I ran across the programmable remote control I had in high school I used to control the in-classroom tvs and vcrs. Good times, good times…

Alas, with the final passing of my lucky bamboo, so too goes my residency in Georgia. I really need to get off my tookus and move to California…

Where are you?

I am convinced you cannot convince anyone of anything (not even this).

SEC. 322. PREMIUMS AND FINANCING. – Why isn’t the government earning interest on this $2B, 10-yr loan for the public option? We did it for TARP, why not here?
Too bad that people don’t mention the tax deductions for certain people, businesses when they mention the tax increases.
Which leads me to wonder why you’d want to add a 2.5% tax on medical devices if one of your primary goals is to decrease healthcare cost. Not much has been said on the increased services (well, some) that this bill provides leading to the increase in taxes.
Interesting. This section contains a “NO BAILOUTS” provision.
I read that some other countries’ systems always pay out within 5 days. Would be nice if the government run shops did this as well.
Tax credit subsidies will cover only up to half of businesses’ premium costs, and the tax deductions run out after two years.
TODO: see how much funding is granted towards “INCREASING NUMBER OF PRIMARY CARE DOCTORS”
how much is the average currently paying for healthcare (e.g. via their employer)
The possible jail time is really only in reference to normal tax evasion standards enforced by the IRS.
TODO: draw a graph of the cbo’s “PRELIMINARY ESTIMATE OF THE EFFECTS ON THE DEFICIT OF
H.R. 3962″ table; the trends at first glance don’t appear promising
good summary: http://www.ohioverticals.com/blogs/akron_law_cafe/2009/11/health-care-financing-reform-55-cbo-estimate-for-h-r-3962/
why tax individuals w/o healthcare?
where are the reductions in spending?
tax burden summary: http://www.lifeandhealthinsurancenews.com/News/2009/11/Pages/CBO-Combs-Through-HR-3962.aspx
TODO: draw a graph of per capita medicare spending over the last 10 years against the average in the US by private insurers, the average across the top 10 industrialized nations, and the average globally
TODO: draw a graph of the year over year percentage difference per capita between medicare, the US private insurers, the average across the top 10 industrialized nations, and the average globally

In my head for the past two mornings: Lisa Loeb – Stay (I Missed You)

It makes the day a bit better when you wake up with Coldplay in your head. :)

Yesterday on my drive to work, it looked like the bulk of the flood was gone, but it also looked like there was still a ton of water around. Ever since the water’s been restored in Douglas County, we’ve been under a boil advisory. I bet we continue to be under one for at least a few more days. The water’s probably ok to drink, but they’re probably playing it safe. I can’t wait for it do be drinkable so I can stop using very cold Britta water to brush my teeth, as well as doing some much needed laundry.

The road I take to work was closed yesterday and continues to be closed, even tonight, despite being free from water on the road. I haven’t heard the reason, but I bet Sweetwater Creek is still pretty high, and they might not have been able to inspect the bridges yet. I-20 was/is open, though, and I bet I was one of the first few to drive on it after it did open yesterday.

Other than a longer commute and the water (from the tap) stuff, I haven’t been terribly affected. But very close by there is complete devastation to peoples’ homes. I got lucky living on some high ground, but could have easily been a victim had I stumbled into a low-lying apartment complex.

It’s still very hard to believe that what seemed like a very unassuming several days of rain (of which there are many in Atlanta) would cause so much trouble. There was a 100-year flood in Canyon in the 70s, and until now I couldn’t imagine it. I can easily picture it now.