#and also i just can't do more than 2 appts a month AND deal with prescription bullshit and the inevitable clinic fuckups

[mephestopheles]

People who don't regularly take public transit, do not understand the inherent difficulty of even a robust system. And the system I deal with daily is far from robust. While technically I live in the same overall municipality, I live in one hub, work in another and am now required to go to a doctor's appointment in yet another.

I rely on the transit system and use buses daily. I actually enjoy my commute to and from work because it gives me an opportunity to unwind on the bus before getting home. I get to settle out from the day.

It is also frustrating at times. Like Thursday. I had to request time off for the appointment, and if I wasn't reliant on transit, I probably could have gotten away with using maybe 4 hours ish, or blocking out 4 hours and then adjusting the time I actually used.

However, because of the transit system here is abysmal at the best of times, it's been getting steadily worse for a while.

I had to leave twenty minutes earlier than I usually do for work, so I could grab the 8am going the opposite direction from work. That bus will take an hour. I'd arrive a half hour early for my appointment, still have to walk to get there and I was hoping to have time to get a coffee or tea prior to my appointment. If all goes well the appt is 2 hours long, I would get the next available bus back to town, and then a transfer and get to work. So if you're keeping track that's leave an hour and 40 minutes before the appointment, to arrive a half hour early. Appt time between 90 minutes and 2 hours. Wait for the next bus (at least 1/2 hours wait) get to town an hour later. Transfer to another bus and get to work an hour after that. Which means at the earliest I'm getting back to work at 2 pm to go home at 4pm. Rather than spend the extra hour in transit, I might as well take the day off instead.

That's the good result, the expected result.

Instead I arrived at the bus hub, to an overcrowded stop for that bus line, they couldn't take everyone and there were way too many waiting around for the next bus as well. Usually there are anywhere between three and four buses heading at least partially in that direction. The express college bus, two buses going to one town and one going to another nearby. Problem is, they're having a driver shortage as a result of sick calls, increased covid, the rise for RSV and how that is knocking the shit out of everyone (I recently got over my own chest infection just in the last week), they're also dealing with maintenance, buses breaking and several of them that need inspection or can't pass inspection without several fixes.

So there I am, faced with a dilemma, I can reschedule my appointment and go to work (not really an option because I've waited months for this appointment and I promised mom some help after the fact), I could try to get the next bus coming but that looked so full I don't think they were taking anymore, or get a cab. I called for a cab at 8:08 and it finally arrived at 8:58. It was freezing outside and it really sucked.

I wasn't the only one waiting, it's a shit time to get cabs, because there are a bunch that do school runs, and even more than do the mail run. And one guy who usually gets the bus with me going my usual route was waiting for a cab to go to work because he missed our usual bus.

What's really bothering me about this is that I'm still luckier than most. I have a monthly bus pass that is relatively easy for me to afford, I have time I was able to take off work. I don't pay for my healthcare out of pocket. And still this was frustrating and time consuming and it puts me steps behind my coworkers and peers because I am reliant on either transit or generosity for transportation.

It's really shitty being unable to get a bus with the pass I've already paid for, because the city cannot or will not run the transit system properly. I'm out both time and money. If I was going to take the taxi, I could have waited at home and just called one at a somewhat reasonable time and been warm, not frigid because I didn't switch to better mitts.

The trip home was better, the bus is not nearly as full dropping off, and I managed to get to the appropriate stop in enough time. I grabbed a transfer and stopped off at mom's and gave her a hand with garbage because she's been sick as well last week.

Overall it wasn't terrible for the rest of the day, but a slightly shitty start. So yeah if you're not used to public transit, or have friends that rely on it, cut them some slack.

[nathank77]

5/30/24

8:01 Edited/Slightly Added to

I made phone calls. I called Walmart obv. I'm waiting on their response.

I called my bank and PayPal and took care of something annoying but it's done.

I also called club 24 and planet fitness to understand what I'd be charged to walk in the door and other random important questions such as if I broke my arm and couldn't work out what would happen. Club 24 is vastly more expensive but it's open 24 hours a day every week. You use you card to walk through the door. It's like 150$ to walk in. Then like 12$-16$ a month bc they charge you by the week at a biweekly rate depending on your membership. Beyond that if you break an arm, you can freeze the account but you still get charged 2.99$ a month and if it rolls over past your annual fee you get charged the annual fee.

Planet fitness is like 59$ to walk in the door. It's better to join on the 16th so you get charged on their billing cycle that starts the 17th, the 10$ a month. Then you get charged an annual fee 2 months after signing up at 49$. If you break an arm they freeze your account, charge you nothing a month but if it rolls over the year you get charged the annual fee.

Planet fitness def wins but I wish club 24 did... I like the whole 24 hours everyday... cause of my circadian rhythm issues.. planet fitness is opened 24 hours Monday through Thursday. They technically are opened at 12 a.m on Friday but close at 9 p.m. Then they have standard-ish business hours from Saturday and Sunday until Ike 7 p.m.

I'm only planning on working out twice a week. If I'm bored I may do 3 days. Idk whats going on with Erin but if she can't see me anymore cause of her license issue. I may go Monday and Thursday. I'll coordinate with Mike to get one more appt a week.. I also could go Tuesday and Thursday.

I wish club 24 was better. It's a lot but you shouldn't have to pay if you break a bone a monthly cost.. I get why the annual would be charged but a monthly isn't acceptable if you can't work out bc of an injury, life happens.

So when I eventually join I'm going to planet fitness. It's like 110$ with annual fee/sign up not including monthly and I'll join on the 16th to avoid a prorate cost. It's too bad club 24 would have been awesome if I could go any day of the week after 1 a.m cause of my schedule.

I plan to go twice a week and run. I want to burn calories and also I want to work on my arms, chest, shoulders, sorta my back, eventually my abs. I'm only doing low weights, high reps. I'm going to use the machines mostly bc of form. Free weights you can really fuck your body up if your form isn't right.

I still got to schedule the mri but it's a lot of paperwork...

I got to shower and shave my head and face soon. It's taken a while to get all these phone calls done.

Also the place that does my cbd on my bank account said reoccurring payment... so I called about that bc I'm not locking myself into a subscription.. he is going to cancel it tomorrow if I have a subscription so I don't get charged. Not only do I want the ability to change my products but they have a lot of percentage off deals. Last month it was 20%, for 420. This month it's 20% off for spring lol like I'm not paying full price bc I have a subscription. I'm using promo codes yo. This shit is expensive.

I tried to call car wash places to ask if they do hand washes. I got a hold of like one but they don't do it. I'm just going to go with Espinosa. They def do hand washes. I went there before. They also clean the inside of the car.. for like 30$.. they don't do the greatest job and they are in New Britain or West Hartford. Idk which I'm going to but it's easier than calling 10 places locally and listening to stupid recordings and some places price interior detailing in the hundreds. I might do a shampoo on my seats and stuff. We will see what it costs. I plan to go Saturday.

I called about the teeth sealant they can't give me an estimate over the phone. I really want to get it done before the gym... I may join the gym in July unfortunately. I have my dentist appt on the 11th I think.... and if he doesn't cancel I'm getting that estimate and if it's affordable I'm putting my smile before my pecs tbh.

But yea I got a lot done. I got to fill out the mri paperwork, shave my face/head. Shower. Decide if I want to buy cbd today or wait until the 1st.

The car wash and grocery shopping on Saturday will not be fun. I mean bjs closes at like 7 p.m or something ridiculously early. So I'd have to go grocery shopping first cause I need a chicken and protien bars..

But yea once I get this car wash done I can schedule my macbook phone appt so then I can schedule my in-store appt.

I also ordered laundry Detergent from Walmart with my purchase last night to hit my 35$ free shipping. It's the only thing I'm worried about bc it isn't sealed. And bc of this whole Walmart debacle I'm like what if they poured bleach into it or something.

Maybe I'll return it and get one in store. Cause I mean I've been harassed and made to feel like a criminal and they know my name but I mean- who knows what employee packed my order. The rest of it is all sealed so I mean as long as the seal isn't damaged then I have nothing to worry about. I hate that I have to go to Walmart Saturday...

I'm still waiting for the status report on Kristen... I surely hope they take my case...

I'm prob not going to do anything about my glasses. Between the teeth sealant and the gym, and cbd, money is going to get really tight...

The Ray-Bans have been working. I haven't had enough TV time for hours to see if my eyes strain but I also read if you watch a lot of TV for hours eyes strain. So maybe it isn't worth it...

My tooth not having a brown stain surely isn't worth putting off for too long. I hope the stupid dentist doesn't cancel again. I have an appt at 4:30 p.m. Stop going home early!

I don't want my body to wait too long either, I deserve to hit my prime. I mean I am here but I can get even more sexy.

I won't get my b12 until Saturday so if the Tingly feeling and numbing is from that I guess I got to wait a little longer. I'm worried about sleep. I fall asleep but I'm suffering from all sorts of things now. I kinda feel like that makes xanax fake but idk.

I'm really worried about my testosterone and my next xanax script cause my Dr went mia. I'm just glad xanax is Monday for my renewal... but I hope she responds to my multiple attempts. I got to get my xanax on Wednesday...... so I wont renew until Monday. I mean maybe I should wait until Tuesday but she doesn't work Tuesdays....

So yea a lot of concerns and I'm trying to remedy them. Sleep, Kristen, testosterone/Xanax, Walmart are my biggest concerns.

I still don't know what to do about Erin tomorrow.... I got to decide.