I had a bad week. A really bad week. And now I'm getting a notice from a debt collector for something I thought was paid ages ago. It's a medical expense because of course it is.

It isn't that much so I'll probably just pay it. I'm not up to figuring out if a medical expense was paid or not, medical expenses are always so fucking confusing. It was an emergency room visit where the ER was in-network, but the doctor wasn't. Something I keep getting burned on even when getting reassurance from the hospital that their staff is in-network.

We are leaving Brazil tomorrow to hunker down in my parents summer townhome in Northfield, MN for the summer.

This is my hometown, which I love dearly. And a much better place to spend the summer than the winter.

I last posted on March 12, and that afternoon Dx and I were speculating on whether our universities would move online. Ten minutes later my University did, along with the public schools. So my wife and I have been teaching online while our kids go to school online.

I hate online teaching. It's all of the tiresome busywork of teaching without the fun of the theatrical performance in front of an audience, and the personal contact with people who have just decided that they like to think (admittedly, a minority of students at a large research university).

Teaching a large class on Zoom is like being the DJ in absentia for a party you can't attend. You just aren't present enough to feel the room, to see what's working, and to move the experience forward for the participants.

When we started this people were saying that it would make us all see the benefits of online instruction. But I think I have learned that the in person lecture is sadly underestimated by education theorists. It's a group experience the students can't get by watching yet another video on a screen. On the little screen, we just can't compete with the alternative of cat videos, trick shots, or dumb guys slipping on ice. I don't think its the best thing for most students.

McMasters is lifting almost all restrictions on Monday, the work or home order is lifted, the quarantine for anyone who is travelling from a hotspot, and restaurants can have outdoor seating.

Overall the day was a lot smoother. although I do't get home until 7ish so that kind of sucks for the day being gone. Was supposed to have Monday off and now have Tuesday off.

Most people were really nice. The other memorable couple was the lady and her husband, she works at a pharmacy at a local hospital, they have 20 covid 19 patients. Neither was wearing masks and she didn't use hand sanitizer after the transaction.

Gud, I'm sorry you are having a bad week. I'm really glad to see your pixels though!

Sorry it's a rough week, Gud! Hope it gets better.

Askye, glad most folks are being nice and reasonable!

Rick, how old are your twins now? I'm so glad I'm not dealing with kiddos during this, it's hard enough dealing with just me!

Played scrabble with my roommate this afternoon after she made a bunch of ribs and gave me some. So that was nice!

Sorry you are having a bad week, Gud. Medical expenses are way too confusing, I'm sorry you have to deal with that. Getting a bill for an ER visit is just not a thing that should happen. It's an emergency!

I hear you on that, Rick.

I just found myself thinking that Jesse should ask her milkman to bring her an extra pint. That's something fictional people have been known to do, I think?

Yes! Or I could buy a pint, actually... Also another friend just suggested something shelf-stable...

Grocery order delivered, no toilet paper.

Getting a bill for an ER visit is just not a thing that should happen. It's an emergency!

At the very least you should get one bill and it should be in-network or not, not a slew of bills all with their own insurance network associations. I already paid this physicans group a couple grand ages ago, after they threatened to send a bill I never received to a collection agency. Now a year later, I'm getting contacted by a collection agency over some other bill I never received or some adjustment to the charges I was never informed about? WTF? How can this be fucking legal?

That's ridiculous. None of that should work like that!