Hehe.

I get more links from this search than I'd like to admit.

I'm such an idiot. Yesterday as I checked my bank account online, I noticed that my balance was much less that the online balance (even considering outstanding transactions). So I went back to the beginning of November and checked my math on every transaction. Sometime in the middle of the month, I subtracted an extra $200 somewhere. D'oh! That's what I get for balancing my checkbook at red lights, and without calculator. It's still about $40 off. I may just add it to my checkbook once all transactions have gone through. Geez. I'm a computer programmer with a knack for math. Or so I thought. Oh, well. At least it wasn't the other way around.

Yesterday I got a letter in the mail from my HMO. This was in response to my prescription for Allegra-D. They wanted to suggest I try Alavert, which is over the counter and uses the same active ingredient as Claritin. I went to their website and logged this complaint:

I just received a letter about my recent prescription of Allegra. The letter suggests that I try Alavert OTC, which uses the same active ingredient that is in Claritin. I used Claritin a few years ago, but had to switch to Allegra-D when Claritin quit working. It is ridiculous how HMOs are removing these drugs from their formularies when they are not all the same. I will continue to use Allegra-D because it works. I just wanted to voice my complaint. I hope I don't continue to receive these misinformed letters every time I refill my Allegra. (I complained over the phone about this when the drugs were switched to OTC/non-preferred, but knew it would do no good. Only the drug and insurance companies benefit from this move.)

Eh, why bother? I got a response saying that this was "beyond the scope of web support", so I called the 800 number. That lady was very nice, and told me they were getting quite a few complaints. She suggested writing them a letter to get my opinion on record, and that every little bit helps. So, I'm drafting that now from the original web complaint above. She said she didn't think this would be changing any time soon. Hopefully the snowball effect of the complaints will add up.

I scheduled the party for the 20th. Screw her. She never called me back, and neither did the other friend I left a message for to see if she'd heard from her. (Revised - the second friend did call me back. She said Friend One is "not very reliable lately." Whatever that means.) Now I just have to hope there's a hair appointment open on that day. I'll have to go after I've cleaned and deodorized the house. The carpet is starting to smell like a fucking stinky dog. Why must we have a dog? Jeff. Who bathes him and cleans up after him and gets (or tries to get) rid of his odors? Me. Who's planning to take the time to take him for walks around the block so he doesn't continue to get fat because he only goes outside to relieve himself (or end up stinking all the time)? Me.