It's all good so far

Sometimes you know “where be dragons”. I know that tomorrow morning I have an encounter with a dragon. The dragon is health insurance coverage.

Yesterday I received the notice in the mail that my regular coverage ended with the end of the month and COBRA was available. The high deductible COBRA coverage costs more than my monthly mortgage.

The first battle is to see where the subsidized coverage is that was mentioned in the separation package. I am due this benefit for the duration of the severance, approximately 2 months. This would be a great tide us over until the new job, But suurely this rate is lower than what was quoted in the insurance information that I received yesterday.

Getting a new policy in place for the short term will be challenging. My previous go to company that I used when working as a contractor is closed for new policies pending a review of Obamacare. My concern is that this may be the trend and there may not be many affordable options available. How is that for irony for the electorate?

Hippocrates versus HIPPA and Hypocrites. Experience has taught me that you have to challenge this dragon, otherwise you end up owing a mortgage equivalent debt to cover a life-threatening illness.

It is a battle that will end up costing me, I will not win (unless the revolution or a zombie apocalypse happens). I just want to be sure I have some control in the amount sacrificed.

I saw a Facebook query a couple of days ago. A friend of mine was asking people to recount how / when they first met him. I thought it was a very interesting idea.

I first encountered him when I spied upon him at the Cathedral. Our church was in the process of calling a new Priest and I was a member of the search committee. We had been given names of likely candidates, and some of the committee had already interviewed him and were very impressed.

I was a little skeptical, I was one of the more conservative even stodgy, members of the search committee. I felt the obligation to represent the “frozen chosen”, the older and grater members of the congregation that still wanted the formality, choir and hymns, the minority in our church.

So I sat there in the Cathedral and listened to him preach. His sermon was tied to Independence Day and the theme was that not everyone could celebrate independence. That there were those that were dependent of day work, dependent on the whims of the economy, struggling to live good lives.

It was a sermon that was challenging me. I began to realize that this was the man that could challenge and move our Church. The other candidate that we had seen would keep us at the status quo, and that is not what our Church needed. This was a moment of discernment.

He became our Priest. He became a close friend. He engaged me, challenged me, and pushed me way out of my comfort zone. We worked together on the Vestry. He challenged me again when he called me to be Senior Warden. I learned more about discernment. I learned that I could change and so could our Church.

Time has passed, and there have been a few more changes. He has been called to plant a different Church. I finished term of leadership and now am back in the pew as a parishioner.

Sometimes, when you hear a challenge to your preconceived notions, it’s a good thing to listen, to discern, and see where you will go.

A new month begun. Transition issues still occurring, usually with tech. Trying to get things in sync is not easy when you have a historical account that was compromised and two new accounts to keep parts of life compartmentalized. Keeping things in sync will always be a challenge.

A Big fear issue has been resolved. I have been worried that a surprise check, received at the first of the year was inadvertently my severance sent early/before layoff, rather than my bonus, given the history and mystery of the company bonus program.

Some of the bonus had been spent over the holidays, upgrading the computer, the clothing, and the first new receiver in 30 years. Purchases that were made under the assumption that the check was indeed a bonus and that said bonus was a positive sign for continued employment.

Then the severance from the company and the promise of a severance check, vacation wages, plus a standard week per year of employment. Then the wait for the funds and the wondering started. Then the subconscious worry as I would work on the budget. But yesterday the severance check arrived. It is in the savings account and I now have a clearer picture of where we are financially.

I am better prepared for the adventure ahead. Still not sure where it will take us. Today’s email brought an opportunity in Perth which is worth exploring. The biggest challenge there would be to maintain support for our parents. Doing my fathers’ IT support from across the globe would be a challenge and I doubt they would ever figure out the time change.

The adventure continues.

Getting the morning started. I used to get through the morning oblations and download a series of podcasts, grab a large commuter cup of caffeinated brain fuel and start the commute in. I would listen to the ideas flowing around me as I cursed the commute.

Now we share breakfast, read the paper, listen to the podcasts, and then I have an obedience discussion on the morning dog walk before I get through some stretching exercises, then shower. I then get to sit down at the computer and log in.

I put some goals down on paper and get the morning journey started.