The Random Comic Strip

The Random Comic Strip

Words to live by...

"How beautiful it is to do nothing, and to rest afterward."

[Spanish Proverb]

Ius luxuriae publice datum est

(The right to looseness has been officially given)

"Everyone carries a part of society on his shoulders," wrote Ludwig von Mises, "no one is relieved of his share of responsibility by others. And no one can find a safe way for himself if society is sweeping towards destruction. Therefore everyone, in his own interest, must thrust himself vigorously into the intellectual battle."

Apparently, the crossword puzzle that disappeared from the blog, came back.


Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Time is just not on my side


I don't have any spare time anymore. Since I retired, I have more scheduling problems than I ever did while working. I thought retirement would get me out of the grind, as they say. Instead, I now do things I didn't do while working. I get up early in the morning to play golf 3 days a week. I get up early to go exercise 3 days a week. The seventh day, I get up early so I don't miss out on coffee. And because everyone else in the house is up. I end up wanting to go to bed at 10 PM.

My "free" time is Tuesdays and Thursdays after 10 AM. I'd add in Saturdays and Sundays but there are no doctors, lawyers, or other businesses that I need to deal with that are open on those days. I occasionally make appointments for the golf day afternoons but I'd rather be taking a nap if possible.

I notice that, for retirees, doctor appointments are important matters. I have no idea why. Just going to the doctor's office is an ordeal for me. I hate waiting rooms and I hate waiting. In fact, I refuse to wait more than a half hour after my appointment and I have taken to showing up only 5-10 minutes early. So, if my appointment is for 2 PM, I am there about 1:55 and I leave at 2:30.

The staff personnel are getting tricky, though. I notice they often bring me in to an examining room by 5 minutes after my scheduled time. Then I sit there for a half hour or more waiting for the doctor to show up and give me 5 minutes of his precious time (for which my insurance will pay him handsomely and I will give him some chump change $20 as co-pay). I will have to re-think my strategy on this.

In addition, I have this legal thing going on which means the occasional appointment or legal errand. This is not a regular thing but it is something which intrudes on my life. For instance, two weeks ago, I was asked if I would be available for a telephone conference call at 10 one morning. Though I was available, there was no call. I suggested that next time it happened, I would send a bill for my time. It's difficult to get any respect from lawyers.

I gave up trying to get it from doctors long ago. They enjoy robbing you of your dignity anyway. I don't think they went into medicine because they want to help people but for the power they can pretend to hold over the patient. And most of us patients enable them.

I always think that next week, or next month, I'll be able to just kick back for awhile.

I'm just fooling myself.

2 comments:

Promotional Pens said...

Waiting rooms... similar to waiting in a crowed terminal for your late and overbooked flight.

Douglas4517 said...

Yes, but without the groping... that comes later.

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