Economics for Dummies

Since I am in NYC and have no good stories to share, I'm left to yank stories from my HK friends' Facebook pages.  Hello desperation!  That being said, I think you'll like this (and the one to follow).

This is my friend Anthea's recent experience at Mannings, the popular pharmacy chain in HK:

At Mannings buying bandages for my class (she leads a first aid class).  I notice they have none in stock and ask the sales assistant, "Are you out of bandages?"

She says, "No, we aren't stocking them anymore."

Anthea: "Really?! Why is that?"

Sales lady: "We were selling too many of them."

Anthea: "Pardon? What? Oh never mind..."

God this brings me back to being in HK!

It's Official

I suck.  I've been neglecting you, but mostly because I have nothing to say.  I think my repatriation really wasn't as jarring (for me) or entertaining (for you) as I thought it would be.  I could get on here and write about my daily life, but think you'd be asleep by the second paragraph.  It would literally consist of me bitching about having to clean my own bathroom, celebrating American grocery stores and reporting on some crazy shouting match I witnessed on the subway.  Pretty ho-hum stuff.

You deserve more than that!

Instead, I'm trying to talk my American friend in Hong Kong - who is exceedingly funny and who supplied at least 5 stories for this blog including the one about the old Chinese lady wearing the "I"m shy but I have a big dick" t-shirt - to take over for me. If I can convince her to do it, you will be in great hands.

Meanwhile, should I come across something here in NYC that is so damn good it just has to be reported, I will jump back on.

What I'm saying is that the dry spell may continue for a few weeks, but hopefully someone fantastic will take it over soon. 

Parenting

This'll be a quick one that, had I more time, could end up being a 5-page post.  Here's the difference between parenting styles in Discovery Bay and New York City:

Today a kid on a stationary (e.g., non-moving) scooter semi-blocked my exit at the grocery store.  His mother immediately saw this and said, "Carlton, I told you not to ride that thing in here."

Months ago, I was nearly knocked over by a kid on a scooter zooming by me in the grocery store in DB.  I rolled my eyes and said, "watch out" to which his mother gave me a dirty look and most definitely said nothing to her son.

I'm not even going to provide commentary on this; I think it speaks for itself.

PS - If Blondie from the Forum is reading this, I hope your head is exploding!  :)

Crackhead

Sorry to have been incommunicado the last few weeks.  I've been sleeping on an air mattress (borrowed from a friend) in an empty apartment...watching TV on a borrowed TV (another friend) and eating pre-made meals that don't require cooking from Trader Joe's.

Yes, I'm living like a crackhead.

And I have a newfound hatred for a certain moving company that shall remain nameless (forget that  -Asian Express/The MI Group) who are TWO WEEKS LATE in delivering our belongings from Hong Kong.

These are the times when people like the Unibomber make a lot of sense to me.

Just Because

One of the big things I've been looking forward to are Sunday nights.  Specifically Sunday night TV. So far, we've had NFL play-off football (the Super Bowl is next Sunday!), Awards season (although the Globes were a little lackluster this year) and then a boatload of new shows I need to start watching - Homeland, Downton Abbey, etc.  It's like couch potato overload!

Tonight, I happen to be watching E!'s coverage of the SAG Awards.  Just me, a Brooklyn Lager and my pug who's happily chewing on a crack bone.  Hubby is at the office.  Yes, I do feel some shame about our individual circumstances.  So I figured instead of flooding my Facebook with minute-by-minute status updates (although I *do* love how it annoys people!), I'd capture my thoughts here.  (If this isn't what a blog is for, what is?!)

First off, the dresses are lightyears better than what showed up at The Globes.  I guess celebs saw the papers and watched Joan Rivers the next day and decided they needed to up their game.  Here's hoping the show is better than the Globes, too.  If your brain protected you from the tragedy by erasing it from your mind, here's just a small sampling:

Other random observations from tonight's red carpet:

John Krasinski may edge out Gosling slightly as sexy sexy sex man sexy man.  Tall, handsome and funny?  Deep breath, Jess.

While I love her style, Michelle Williams is just awkward in interviews.  She comes off as nervous (if you like her) and condescending (if you don't).  She's been doing this a long time, so even if she's a shy person by nature, I need her to get over it.  It's part of your job and you're kinda sucking at it.

How do I get Melissa McCarthy to be my new bff?

How do I get the gorgeous Kristin Wiig to stop dressing so badly?

Viola Davis and Rose Byrne have knocked it out of the park with their outfits!  That pantsuit is beyond.  Kinda feeling the same about Zoe Saldana (the tank top is a great touch!)

If I was on a yacht and that yacht got harpooned on a deserted island, the other two celebrity couples I'd want with me are John Krasinski/Emily Blunt and George Clooney/Stacey Keibler.  I feel like we'd have such a good time..and like I'd really fit in.  No really, I do!

I am sick to death of people calling Angelina stylish.  She looks embalmed and appears to be color-blind (black & white taupe are the only colors in her closet.)  And who in their right mind thinks stark white satin and blood red satin are a chic combo?  It's like a bad prom mafiosa dress.  There is NOTHING stylish about her.

Tina Fey has really lost the baby weight, huh?!  Good for her!  Maya Rudolph on the other hand...

So that's it.  Yes, I'm a bitch and yes, this wasn't exactly a well thought out post, but it's my blog and I'll do what I want with it until you stop reading.  :)

Super Bowl and Oscars red carpet, here we come!

Pharmacies Suck.

Here's how the medical process goes in Hong Kong:
You go to the doctor; he prescribes medicine; his nurse gives you the medicine; you leave with everything you need to get better.  Easy peasy.

Here's how the process goes here:
I feel like crap.  I call the doctor to set up an appointment and the doctor's receptionist informs me I'll need to bring my insurance card.  I don't have an insurance card, so I have to call insurance company Cigna (many conversations with automated computer that doesn't understand what I'm saying) and get ID number.

Go to doctor.  Get examined by doctor.  Ushered out the door by doctor with two prescriptions in hand.

Go to pharmacy #1 (Duane Reade) - located nowhere near doctor office. Hand pharmacist my prescriptions and tell her my insurance ID#.  Told the next day (!!) that Cigna is NOT my prescription insurance provider, only my medical/doctor provider.  Express Scripts is my prescription provider and they don't have a contract with Duane Reade.  A.k.a. - I'm not getting my meds here.

Go to pharmacy #2 (Rite Aid).  Hand pharmacist my prescriptions and Cigna ID#, explaining that I'm covered under Express Scripts.  She tells me they only have 1 of the 2 medicines in stock and that I need to provide more info from Express Scripts before she can fill the script.

Go home and call Cigna (automated computer hell) only to have them explain that they are a completely different company than Express Script.  They do have Express Script's number though (small miracle).  Call Express Script (more automated computer hell) and am given all info needed to get Rx filled.

Go back to Rite Aid and give the info for my 1 Rx.  Have given up hope on getting 2nd medicine.

Currently waiting for it to be filled and assume there will be 8 million more hoops to jump through, hiccups and meltdowns -- the latter from me, before I physically have meds in hand.

Now I ask you - sane, level-headed human being, which process would you prefer?????

Faux Yorker

Just when I think I've assimilated, the following happens:

I walk by a bar with a sign out front that reads, "Football all weekend long" and I think "Wow, soccer has really caught on here in the last three years."

That and I keep trying to go up the wrong side of the escalators.

Otherwise, I'm totally back.  ;)