Joys of Single Motherhood

I should be the poster child for the Health Care Reform Act. Until January 1st, I had been without health insurance for about six years. No colonoscopy at 50, no annual mammograms, no follow- up care for my 2008 bilateral mastectomy and reconstruction. I knew that my blood pressure was fine--don't know why, I just did--but I've never had my cholesterol levels checked. Over the years, I used my friends and neighbors whenever I needed a prescription. Yes, they're MDs. And I'd never had an injury until December. On December 28th I signed up for United Healthcare's Family Community Plan. I think it's essentially Medicaid for the middle class or lower middle class. I was skeptical at first. I pictured driving to sketchy neighborhoods to see doctors in basement level "clinics". I had heard that no one took Medicaid and that finding doctors was torturous. Under OCare, Medicaid monies in some states have been increased. I'm probably a beneficiary of that...

Both my kids are watching the Breaking Bad series right now. I've watched a few episodes--the writing is brilliant and so is the acting but binge viewing isn't my thing. "Burner phones" are ubiquitous in BB. I got one yesterday and setting it up wasn't that easy. As my son watched BB in the backyard, I cracked the package open on my new $15 phone with heavy-duty scissors. I was amused to find that it does just about everything my expensive Wi-Fi device does except it's way more rudimentary. As I scrutinized the setup directions and attempted to set up an account and buy minutes, I started thinking about the use of burner phones on television. On TV, the bad guys have burner cells. My question is "who sets them up?" Does the average bad guy have the patience to set up an anonymous account online and then make the necessary phone call to the Burner Phone Company to untangle the online mess? I waited on hold for maybe 15 minutes. Not bad. Then I t...