For 15+ years, I’ve been living in the Baltimore/DC area.  I first moved down to DC from my home State of Rhode Island (hi Kerri!).  I couldn’t wait to leave RI, having decided early on that if you didn’t get out young, you never got out. 

Sure, I went to college in Maine, but after, I was back in RI.  A good friend who had just graduated from Georgetown (in DC) suggested that we move there.  So we did.

Now, here it is, all these years later, and I’m still here.  I’ve moved from DC to Northern Virginia to Baltimore to my current home in the burbs. And I hate it. 

I used to love this area. But, in recent years, the overall attitude of this part of the country has gone downhill.  The people are rude, the traffic is insane, and the weather is sucking my will to live.  I need to move, and I need to do it soon!

I can’t remember the last time I went an entire 24 hours without encountering a rude person.  Sometimes, when I walk into a store, I get attitude just for breathing.  Other times, I’m ignored altogether.  I’ve written about my experiences with the staff at doctor’s offices and labs, and they’re just the tip of the iceburg. 

The worst part is the effect that these attitudes have on me.  I don’t like the person I’m turning into.  I’m not a rude person, but at the first hint of rudeness from anyone, I’m on the defensive.  And believe me, I can out-bitch the biggest bitches out there!  I’ve tried to make an effort to just ignore this behavior and not let it affect me.  I really have.  But, when these people impact my life, either by denying me a service that I need or by making a simple process difficult, I find it hard to ignore.

I KNOW that it’s not like this everywhere.  I have traveled to the Midwest for Brian’s races, and the people are kind and considerate.  You can even see it in the way they drive.  The use of turn signals is something everyone just does.  Here, people can’t be bothered with such a task.

Brian and I are lucky.  We have jobs that are in-demand just about everywhere.  We have some loose ends to tie up in the next few years, and we’re hoping for a more welcoming real-estate market in which to sell our house.  We’d like to be debt free (except for the mortgage).  We’d like to have a decent savings.

But if these things don’t happen, I’m still moving.  I would rather be poor and living amongst kind and considerate people than rich and living around assholes. 

I’m a good person, but if I don’t get out soon, I could easily go the other way.  And that scares me.

The Box is the story of a family.  One day, a mysterious box is left on the front step by a creepy man with half a face.  Later that day, he returns to the house and explains what is in the box and what it can do.

Basically, the box contains a button.  If you press the button, you get a million dollars. But somewhere in the world, someone you don’t know will die.  What do you do?

In this scenario, the wife presses the button and is rewarded with a briefcase containing a million dollars.  The man begins packing up the button and box and prepares to leave.  The wife begins to get antsy and asks what happens next.  The man tells her that he will contine to offer the “deal” to other people until someone chooses not to take the money.  His parting words are “the deal will only be made to people you don’t know.”

Well, the family begins to freak out.  They know that one of them will die, and they are powerless to stop it.  This is where the movie goes downhill, but I won’t spoil the ending for anyone who might want to watch it.

This movie was, frankly, not very good, but the premise was intriguing.  It made me think, which is a quality that I LOVE in movies.  I started to think about the “what ifs.”  What if, instead of a million dollars, I was offered a chance to live without diabetes?  What if, instead of the money, I was offered the ability to have a child?  And what if, instead of someone I don’t know, somewhere in the world, dying, someone I don’t know was given my affliction (diabetes, infertility, etc.)?

Sure, I’d be vulnerable to whatever the next person’s (i.e., the next person given the choice) affliction was.  Would it be worth it?  What is worse than diabetes?  What’s worse than infertility?

Obviously, there are lots of things worse than either of these conditions.  I know this is true, but when I think about them, they all seem better than this.  And obviously, I wouldn’t wish this life on anyone else, but if it was a real, tangible choice, I can’t say I wouldn’t be tempted.

What would *you* do?

I was a good customer.  Sure, I booked through Priceline.com, but in these tough economic times, a girl’s gotta do … well, you know.

You see, this was not a pleasure trip.  I was in Florida visiting my very ill sister.  We only rented the car because we didn’t want to trouble anyone with picking us up or dropping us off at the airport.  It wasn’t like I got the car for free, either.  I paid $250 for just a few days’ use.

And I didn’t even complain when, despite my confirmed rental for a mid-size car, you gave me a Ford Focus.  Honestly, it was a cool little car.  But let’s face it, it is a compact car, at best.  Nope, I didn’t complain at all.

Just as we were instructed, we filled the gas tank up before returning the Focus.  We stopped at the gas station at 4:30ish in the morning, bleary-eyed and sad.  At the airport, we left the car in the designated parking space and dropped the keys in the “after hours” box. 

I thought our business had concluded.  I was wrong.

When I saw that you charged my credit card $46.55, I assumed it was a mistake.  I called your customer service line, and the nice lady told me that I was charged for fuel.  I told her that the car was returned with a full tank, but my word means nothing to you.  I was told that I would have to fax a receipt to PROVE that I purchased gas that morning.  But as luck would (not) have it, we didn’t get a receipt that morning.  Sure, I have my bank statement, but it doesn’t show the city or the time of the gas purchase, just that I made a gas purchase on 6/1/2010.

When I called your customer service number again, I got a different lady, and she was not-so-nice.  She said that without proof, you can’t reverse the charge.  Now, I understand this … I really do.  But what pisses me off is that I do not have the time to play PI and hunt down credit card information for you because (a) some incompetent asshole made a mistake when her or she entered the information into the computer, or (b) you are trying to scam people.

So, the not-so-nice lady told me that if I didn’t like it, “dispute it with your credit card.”  When I told her that I would, and that the entire situation was “unacceptable,”  she essentially said too bad.  I told her that I would NEVER rent from you again, and that I would make sure EVERYONE I know is aware of your shady business practices.  With attitude, she thanked me for renting with Avis.

Oh, and I did dispute that charge with Bank of America.  I won’t be paying that $46.55.  And if even one of my readers thinks twice before renting from Avis, I know I’ll have fulfilled my responsibility.

In the meantime, I’d like to extend you a great, big ladadeeda.com FUCK YOU, Avis.  May you rot in hell.

Sincerely,

Shannon

I’ve got to be honest; I’ve never liked you.  I saw part of an episode a few years ago that left me wondering what all the hype was about. Then, you started showing all of the “bad” auditions, which I’m not convinced aren’t staged.  I mean, seriously?  Are we supposed to believe that these people actually think they’re good?

I’ve shunned you for years because I think there’s more to music than a singer’s vocal range.  I can’t stand it when a so-called singer butchers a song in an effort to demonstrate his or her singing abilities.  The Star Spangled Banner is not an R&B song.  And, since this is the type of singer you most often attract, you really held no appeal for me.

Then, I heard about Crystal Bowersox.  See, like Crystal, I’m a type 1 diabetic.  I know how difficult it is to live (and succeed) with this disease, and I was curious about her.  My expectations were low; I admit it. But then I saw a few youtube clips of her performances, and I knew that she had something … that elusive originality.  She is a true talent.  And she’s even a single mom, too!

So, last week, when I heard that Crystal was one of the final two, I decided to watch the final episodes.  I watched her perform on Tuesday night, and I was floored.  This girl is the real deal, with talent oozing from every pore.  The other guy?  Lee? Yeah, he’s not bad.  But, he is not even in the same league as Crystal.

Last night, as I was packing for my trip to Florida, I left the TV on in the background.  I absently listened to the performances.

<side note> WTF was with changing the lyrics to Alanis Morissette’s You Outta Know?  Seriously, you really had to change it to “go down with you to the theater?” Really?  </side note>

I wasn’t even paying attention until the end.  And when you finally let pretty boy announce the winner, I was appalled.  Then I remembered that this is why I don’t watch you in the first place.  Your show is about who’s the cutest or the most popular (hmm, kinda like high school), not about who is the most talented.

So, I’ll not waste another minute on your absurdity.  You had a golden opportunity to redeem yourself in my eyes, and you failed miserably.

Sincerely,

Shannon

Before I met Brian, I never really gave much thought to driving.  Coming from the Biggest Little State in the Union, a long drive was the 30-minute trip to the beach.  Driving was something you did to get from point A to point B.

When I lived in DC, I didn’t even have a car.  Public transportation was reliable, safe, and fast.  I walked a lot, too, which was nice.  But with each job, I moved farther and farther away from the city until I ended up in my now suburban environment.

Each day, I commute from my home to Baltimore City.  It about 20 miles each way, and, on a good day, I can do it in 20 minutes.  Most days are not good days.

For me, driving is not a spectator sport.  I LIKE to drive.  Moreover, I LIKE to drive fast.  You don’t buy a six-speed, manual transmission, performance automobile if you don’t like to drive.  You buy a Camry.

As I drove to work this morning, I thought about all of the road-related things that drive me bonkers!  Here are the biggies:

1.  Lane discipline (or lack thereof) – Why do people feel the need to use the left lane as a travel lane?  Do they not understand that this creates traffic even if they’re exceeding the speed limit?  Few things irks me more than when the traffic resembles a rolling wall.  All lanes are not meant to be traveling at the same speed.  If you’re in the left lane and driving the same speed or slower than the person to your right, move the fuck over.  PERIOD.

2.  Doing-Everything-But-Driving – The moving automobile is not the place to:

1. Scold your kids
2. Do your makeup
3. Eat
4. Shave
5. Read
6. Text
7. Search for stuff
8. Talk on the phone (unless on hands-free, and only if you’re capable of walking and chewing gum at the same time.  85% of drivers are not capable of this)

3.  Courtesy – When merging, turning, changing lanes, or any other action that requires another driver to alter his or her speed (i.e., slowing down and/or stopping), acknowledge the driver’s kind act with a simple wave.  This is a practice that, when I was a child, was the norm.  Now, it seems as if everyone has forgotten it.  Don’t take kindness for granted because I DON’T HAVE TO LET YOU IN.

4.  Courtesy, Part Deux – Let people in.  If I’m merging onto the highway, don’t ride the bumper of the person in front of you so that I can’t merge in.  Seriously, it’s not going to slow you down that much to let me merge in.  Hell, I’ll even wave to you.

5.  Courtesy, Over-Doing-It – Do not disrupt currently-flowing traffic to let someone (who does not have the right of way) go.  This includes those waiting at stop signs and traffic lights (turning right on red).  All you’re doing is causing traffic to back up at that place.  Traffic patterns, including stop signs and red lights, are not arbitrary.  There is a reason that engineers make buckets of money designing this stuff.  It works – don’t try to help it.

6.  Entitlement – I realize that some people think they’re more important than everyone else.  We see this every day with those who cut in line at the deli counter or don’t slow down at crosswalks (even though it’s the law).  But the fact is you are no more important than any other driver on the road.  The only people who can claim priority over other drivers are police, ambulance, and fire engine drivers.  So, don’t think that you have more right to that lane or that parking space than I do.

7.  Ego – Leave it at home.  Do any of you know someone who takes it as a personal attack when someone passes them?  I do.  I see these people every day.  They’re the same ones who, after merging onto a six-lane highway, head right over to the left lane and set up camp.  For these people, it’s an affront on their ego to be passed, and it’s a show of weakness to yield to another driver.  If I’m attempting to pass you, don’t speed up so that I can’t, then slow down when I’m stuck behind you again.  WTF is that all about?  If I want to go faster than you do, what difference should it make?  Now, maybe if you weren’t driving a pathetic excuse for a car …

8.  Choice of Vehicle –There are three vehicles in particular that I’ve learned are common offenders of #s 1-6: The Toyota Camry, the Minivan (any make, any model), and the Honda CRV.

1. Now, I’ve made no secret of my dislike of the Camry, although I feel that most Toyotas fall into the same bucket.  But, for some reason, the Camry is the worst.  As with everything, there are exceptions to this rule (my stepmom special orders her Camrys with manual transmissions, which is sort of badass), but I’m writing in general terms.
2. Before I discovered the “joy” of Camrys, I was dealing with the phenomenon that is the minivan.  Why is it that when operating a minivan, the driver loses all ability to focus on driving?  No, really, why?
3. I have a nickname for the CRV:  the Camry of the SUV world.  Nuff said.
4. Honorable mention – The Jaguar.

When I see any one of these vehicles, usually in the left lane when I’m trying to pass, I expect the worst.  Every now and again, I’m pleasantly surprised, but for the most part, they don’t let my expectations down.  Now, if you drive one of these cars, ask yourself if you’re an offender and be honest.

9.  Attitude – This goes hand-in-hand with #6, but it deserves its own category.  If you want to pass me, move over to the left lane and do so (because I’m not in that lane unless *I’m* passing someone).  Don’t ride my ass with the intention of “motivating” me to go faster.  Chances are, I’m speeding already, so if you want to go even faster, pass me.  And when you finally do pass me, don’t slam on your breaks to “teach me a lesson.”

Also in this category is when you find me on your ass because you’re clogging up the passing lane.  Don’t “jack up” on your brakes so that I have to slam on mine.  Don’t play these stupid games; just get out of the way.  I’m not trying to insult you; I just want to get where I’m going.  It’s when you play these games, or feel that it is your responsibility to stop me from speeding, that people get hurt.  Don’t do unsafe things that could kill someone.

<side note> There is scenario that I encounter every day on my drive home.  The northbound side of a road merges down to one lane AFTER a stop light.  So, people who are turning right at that light don’t merge over into the left lane at all, and some people wait to merge until after they have gone through the light.  Sometimes, the people waiting in the left lane get pissed off that people drive up the right lane and merge in at the last minute.  So, to curb this behavior and “teach them a lesson,” they straddle both lanes so that people can’t get around them.  This drives me crazy, especially because after that point, there are no passing zones on this road.  If you get stuck behind a slow person, you’re SOL.  So, I like to stay in the right lane to guage the traffic and see who the slow drivers are.  More often than not, I manage to avoid them and travel at speed.  But, every now and again, I get stuck behind a slow driver.  It sucks. </sidenote>

10.  And last, but not least, Turn Signals – they put them in your car for a reason.  Use them.  I don’t care if there’s no one around you.  It will help you get in the habit of using them more when they are needed.  I use a turn signal for every single turn I make.  It doesn’t hurt anyone to use them, and it’s not a sign of weakness.  You’re less likely to have a crash if people actually know what you’re doing.

Seriously, people, brush up on your driver’s education.  Take this test, and if you don’t get all of the answers correct, research why.  Driving is big responsibility with a lot of rules.  Know them.

It’s been a little while since I checked the search terms that people use to find my blog.  I don’t know why, but I LOVE looking at these queries and wondering about the people who entered them. 

As I hoped, there were some good ones:

“Big of a” grammar – This overused phrase is wrong, as noted by a fellow grammar cop.

Little fridge – I love my little fridge.  My employers often don’t.

My a1c is 7.5 – Ugh.  Don’t remind me.

Dexcom crazy wrong at night – Hmmm, I disagree (Go Dexcom!).

Fuck you diabetes – Amen!

Car accident without headlight on – As I inch closer to a resolution (i.e., settlement) for my injuries, I want to remind everyone to turn your headlights on at night.  Are you listening Camry drivers?

Had blood test drs have phoned and asked for phone consultation does this mean bad news – Um, probably.

What happens to diabetics in prison? – Nothing good.  I think Type 2s have it a little easier, though.

Why are supervisors morons – I’m going to assume this is rhetorical.

Symlin pregnancy – That’s a no-no, folks.

Low income Omnipod – Um, a big syringe taped to your arm, maybe?

Scott Williamson Seymour TX – I’m not even going to write what I really want to write about this person.

MM CGM – Sucks!

Adoptive parent chronic illnesses – Thanks to the wonderful news from Elizabeth, I no longer fear this one.

Grab my boobs meme – I don’t think I’ve ever used the word “boob” in my blog.  Now I feel compelled to search for it.  Plus, now that I’ve mentioned it (again? Twice, dammit!), I can expect it to turn up more in the searches.  Ah, the cycle of life . . .

Forced sissy breasts – What the hell was the person who entered that search string ACTUALLY looking for?  I understand each of those words individually, as I often write about my sissy, who has breast cancer, and I’m sure I’ve written “forced” somewhere.  But why all three together?

Lada sucks – Indeed.

Airport metal detectors – It amazes me how often this one appears.  Why are so many people searching for ways to get around airport metal detectors?  Do I feel safe when flying?  Nope.  Not even a little.

And finally …

La da dee la da da this good shit got me high – Well, you’re welcome!

Sure, I make mistakes just like everyone else.  Sometimes, I forget a rule or fat-finger the keyboard, but for the most part, I try to write as well as I can, even on on user forums and blogs.

So, since so many people ask me the correct way to write various things, I decided to put together a list of the most common errors I encounter while doing my job and reading stuff on the Internet. 

Punctuation

Always Use proper punctuation when writing, even when writing emails, blog posts, and forum responses. 

Exception:  Twitter

Subject/Verb Agreement

Use proper subject/verb agreement.  If you subject is present, your verb should be, as well. 

If you do not know the correct contraction for a verb, don’t use it. 

Examples:    

Incorrect – She don’t live here.

Correct – She doesn’t live here.

I don’t care if it is in the dictionary, “ain’t” is NOT a word.

Pronouns

“I” vs.” Me”

This is an error that I see every single day.  I don’t know why, but we feel pressured to use “I” when referring to ourselves, even when we should be using “me.”

“I” should only be used when it is the subject of a verb.  Use “me” when it is the object of a verb.

Examples:       

Incorrect – Jane and me went to the store.

Correct – Jane and I went to the store.

Incorrect – My sister gave a present to Brian and I.

Correct – My sister gave a present to Brian and me.

He/She vs. Him/Her

Very similar to the “I” vs. “Me” rule, “He/She” should only be used when it is the subject of a verb.  “Him/Her” is used when it is the object of a verb

Examples:       

Incorrect – Her and I are best friends.

Correct – She and I are best friends

Incorrect – It is a secret between he and I.

Correct – It is a secret between him and me.

Commas

Probably the most incorrectly used form of punctuation.  There are far too many rules surrounding commas, and it would be impossible for me to teach them all in this blog.  As a general rule, use commas before the use of and, but, or another conjunction ONLY when it connects main clauses.

Tip: If both clauses in a sentence can stand alone, but are separated by a conjunction, add a comma. 

Examples:        

Incorrect – I went to the mall to buy shoes but the store was sold out of my size.

Correct – I went to the mall to buy some shoes, but the store was sold out of my size.

Incorrect – My home is often messy, but never dirty

Correct – My home is often messy but never dirty.

Semicolon

Most people have no idea when to use a semicolon.  Its use is very simple and not very common.  Use a semicolon to connect main clauses of a sentence that are not separated by a conjunction.

Examples:        

Incorrect – I thought it would be easier to write this blog, it wasn’t.

Correct – I thought it would be easier to write this blog; it wasn’t.

Incorrect – At the end of the day it’s the little things that matter

Correct – At the end of the day, it’s the little things that matter.

Common Mistakes

There, Their, and They’re

“There” is a noun – Look over there.

“Their” is a possessive pronoun – Their mistake was to underestimate me.

“They’re”  is a contraction of “they are”  – They’re going to regret that.

Your vs. You’re

“Your” is a possessive pronoun – Your hair looks wonderful

“You’re” is a contraction of You Are – You’re going to spend a fortune keeping it.

Its vs It’s

“Its” is a possessive pronoun

Tip:  if you’re unsure whether to use its or it’s, substitute the word “his.”  If the sentence still makes sense, use “its.”  Remember, there is no apostrophe in his, so there shouldn’t be one in its.

Examples:        

Incorrect – It’s use was decided by a group of scientists.

Correct – Its use was decided by a group of scientists.

Incorrect – Its not that big of a deal.

Correct – It’s not that big of a deal.

Well, recently, he was assigned to a new project (in addition to his normal work).  This project requires a separate on-call phone, which Brian has been assigned to carry indefinitely.  This, frankly, sucks.  That friggin phone has been ringing constantly.  Middle-of-the-night?  It rings.  Saturday morning?  It rings.  Private moments?  The pain-in-the-ass phone rings.  We can’t even go out to a nice dinner without having to cart that ugly-as-sin, manufactured in 1999, piece-of-shit cell phone.  The least they could do is spring for a cooler phone, right?

Which brings us to last night.  That fucker rang not once, but twice.  I hate it.  I have a hammer with its name on it. 

I’m sleep-deprived, cranky, and nauseas.  No jury would convict me.

Through some careful handwashing, limited contact, and vitamins, I’ve managed to avoid the cold.  Until now.  I went to bed last night around 11pm and slept hard.  I woke up (at 5:30am) to a sore throat and an unbelievable fatigue – I didn’t feel well rested at all.  I decided to go back to sleep for a little while, hoping I’d feel better.  I slept straight through to 9am.  Feeling even worse than I did earlier, I decided that work just wasn’t going to happen.   Between the fatigue, the sore throat, and the Symlin-induced nausea, I knew that I would be completely useless at work.  I loathe calling in sick, especially for anything D-related (I like to kid myself into thinking I’m just like everyone else), but sometimes, it’s just unavoidable.

The good news is that I’m up to 60 mcg of Symlin.  I’m even going to try to move up to 120 mcg because I’ve read that I will get the best weight-loss results and BG control this way.

Sorry for the boring Monday post, but I’m feeling useless all around.  I hope you guys are having a better day than I am!

Today, I see Dr. S.  I’m not looking forward to getting my A1c because I know it’s going to be higher than last time.  I just hope it’s under 7% so that the baby progress can continue.  I’m strongly considering going back on Symlin.  I took it once before and had awful nausea, but I didn’t really give it a chance.  I stopped after a few days – mostly because we decided to start “actively trying to conceive,” which meant no Symlin.  Frankly, I wasn’t sorry to see it go. 

But now, I’m really trying to lose weight.  It’s my primary goal and I feel like I’m fighting a losing battle.  I’ve got HUGE genetic factors working against me.  On my father’s side, which is the side I take after, there is not a single person under 200lbs.  I’ve always had to fight my body’s natural inclination to be heavy, but now I need a little extra help. 

The other benefit of Symlin is that it will help to reduce those spikes I get after meals AND reduce my TDD.  So, if I can handle a couple of weeks of nausea, I think it would probably help me.  I’m not looking forward to a form of MDI again, but I’ll deal.

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Next, I want to talk about Roddy Pippin.  We had some good news in our fight last week.  The Warden of the Jester III prison granted Roddy a few considerations:

1. He would be allowed to attend Sunday worship services – something he’s been denied since December.
2. He would have access to a telephone.
3. He would be allowed to change channels on the television in the infirmary (this one isn’t all that big of a deal since Roddy isn’t a TV watcher).

Unfortunately, these considerations were short-lived.  The prison P.A. said No more – “No more worship service for Pippin!  And no recreation, no law library, etc.”  The P.A. also said “Pippin is NOT allowed to leave the prison solitary confinement for the next 3 years and 8 months!”  This is not a disciplinary case issue.  So, we know that the prison P.A. is in cahoots with the D.A., but the question I have is this:  Does the P.A. have more power than the Warden?  Evidently, she does. 

There was a recent AP article done on Roddy.  While I initially liked the tone of the article, I don’t like what various publications did with it.  One, in particular, was the Dallas Morning News.  They created a headline that was not at all relevant to the article.  They did this to incite anger in their readers, and they succeeded.  I spent some time trying to respond to the nasty comments that followed the article, but most people were content believing a bunch of lies and exaggerations.  I’ve learned that it’s a losing battle with the press.  Unless/until the story breaks out of Texas journalism, it will never be told truthfully.

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Last, I want to talk about the unbelievable liar my body is making me out to be.  I sat in Dr. T.’s office last week (ironically the day my period was due) and told her how “regular” I am.  Hell, I am more reliable than a calendar.  Until this month.  I am now officially one week late.  I’m not-so-patiently waiting to have all of these tests done, which are dependent on my period.  But my period is MIA.  It’s so frustrating.