Early

Buy Family Christmas Presents? (including dog) --- DONE!

Wrap X-Mas Presents? --- DONE!

Saved Money On Thoughtful Presents Rather Than Average Expensive-Out-Of-Time Filler- Gifts? --- DONE!

Decorated X-Mas Tree (Just enough that mother can finish it up with the breakable)? --- DONE!

Added Festive Holiday Decor Throughout The House? --- DONE!

Send Out Christmas Cards? --- To Be Done (TBD)

I really like the holidays. I know. I know. Thanksgiving has not passed. I have to admit I hate procrastinating on things I enjoy. Who doesn't?

A satire writing on christmas to come...

The Customer Is Always Right

Lesson Today: The Customer is NOT ALWAYS RIGHT, but YOU CAN PRETEND THEY ARE :)



A principle of good business? Who knows? Sometimes, you have to pick your battles...

YAHOO REVIEW FOR HORIZON RIDGE PEDIATRICS (Mother's Clinic)

Advanced apology if this is too long... I write quite a bit, but this lady- wow, she takes the cake. Also, she was complaining, and we all know that emotions flow out like Niagra Falls.

POSTED BY ALIAS "CHANEL" (aka patient of my mother, Dr. F)
I am new mom with a son and met with Dr. Fernandez prior to giving birth and was comfortable in choosing her as my son pediatrician. I called when I got home from the hospital to ask the doctor a question about feedings, the receptionist was rude but I brushed it off as seeing maybe she was having a bad day. The doctor did call me later that evening. However on my second visit I was not impressed with office staff or the wait time. We waited almost 2 hours to be seen. At that time we scheduled a circumcision for the next week. I thought to myself maybe this is just a busy day. When I received a phone call from the receptionist to confirm my appointment I asked If my son would be seen right away or would there be another long wait. I was concerned about the wait due to the fact the doctor did not want him fed 30 minutes prior to the procedure. She replied that the doctor gets backed up due to walk-ins. I replied saying I did not know the doctor accepted walk-ins and my son would have to wait because of that. She said snidely that the doctor is not going to turn away sick children. I was completely taken aback because I certainly did not think doctor needed to refuse sick children. I was concerned about my son especially because he is a newborn and gets fussy if he is not fed. Not only that I was extremely nervous about the circumcision procedure. I felt that comment was offensive and argumentative. Then I receive a phone call from the office manager Rose, who was exactly the same way. I was under impression the matter was closed and did not need to go any further but I was wrong. The office manager was worse than receptionist, more argumentative and rude. I re-explained what happened and the longer the conversation went on the worse it got. I asked her what the other receptionist said she said she was told by Dr. Fernandez to call me back. At that point I made a decision I am not dealing with this miscommunication and unprofessionalism when it comes to my son. Finally I had to say to her this is not worth it because you are not understanding at all from a patient standpoint. She said your right and hung up abruptly. Basically I feel these are valid questions and concerns. If a front office staff cannot be courteous and customer service oriented then maybe they need reevaluate their staff. I liked the doctor but completely not comfortable with the front office staff. If it is true the office manager was told by the doctor to call me back, the doctor herself should have made the call instead of her rude office manager. I am not comfortable with the staff or the doctor. I certainly not going to take my son there especially when his health is involved.

MY RESPONSE: I guess I am a pseudo-ghostwriter for the clinic. I not a professional, but I must admit it is fun to respond to real people. :)

"At times, HRP gets so busy- that we do not stop to objectively evaluate how we are doing. There are no excuses for how we serviced you, but I hope you know that we are sincerely sorry. First off, HRP and staff will work on long wait time. Please remember, we only have one doctor at our office. Our office appointment policy honors ALL types of appointments, but often puts emergency "sick visits", or "walk-ins", ahead of "well visits" and standard circumcisions. We are confused why parents are not understanding of why sick children should not be seen first, rather than "well checks". However, we will take this input into consideration. We will attempt to adjust this policy, but in all due respect, our moral oath will be still come first- before pleasing every patient. Lastly, our staff has been repeatedly alerted of their lack of people skills. Thanks to your situation, amongst others, we see how customer service is very important to our patients. We will work on this weakness, thanks to your input."


I tried to avoid defensive remarks, but a few slipped in.

I guess in life, our feelings take precedence over the reality of the situation. As as business, we want money from the patient, and in return we feel obligated to please them in any shape or form. I guess that is the sacrifice one makes for "wanting" something from "the other". Yet, the act is never easy. I guess at the end of the day, it DOES matter who is right. You just have to keep it to yourself :)

Fencing

Modern Fencing and 18th Century Fencing

For some reason, I have neglected sports for 23 years. It was not till a year ago that I started fencing. My french coach continues to offer me a great deal of challenges upon every practice. Every week I better understand his instructions, but I still keep putting too much weight on one leg. Physical balance is a struggle for me. I guess I should strive to be more nimble and even amidst the multitude of things on my mind as I fence. My love for strategy is what drew me to this sport at so late in the game (pun intended). I didn't become a doctor so this sport must be my manifestation of my unconscious desire to wear white as a doctor. Oh the unfulfilled dreams of our childhood and parental longing! How they plague us... I must confess that the uniform is more tedious than it seems. The sport itself has tested my dexterity when zipping up layers of protection with one glove. Wiring, clips, and hooks are involved in the whole suiting up process. I'm still puzzled why I cannot make my white socks as white as my jumper. Bleach does not suffice in this circumstance.

Too many French at fencing club. Maybe I should devote myself to learning French? Not practical right now, but maybe a cold mixed with phlegm and some occasional french phrases will help me bond with my coach.

As in life, always remember to "riposte".

Missed this.

I often found it selfish to do this. The act itself of writing on a blog unconsciously harnessing the energy of audience attention . Redundant right? "Audience attention" is a complex phrase for me, mostly due to the fact that I care to criticize what I find to be obscene in the world based on my unconscious demons. Why? I like privacy. I love keeping myself to myself. But I write... Why should I rant about me, when there are other "ME's".

I believe everyone is burdened with their own lives, comprising of tedious responsibilities to soulful desires for ultimate happiness. Of course, to add to that list, we struggle to complete all of it before our time is up. I don't think anyone has time for anyone else, if they hardly have time fore themselves. See, privacy is sacred to me, mainly due to the fact that I am used to it. I am used to being alone as one says. As I said before, I am an only child with a singular lifestyle. Many times before, I had to clear this seemingly cry for help. However, if you know me, you know my declaration is not a woeful status, but a matter of fact statement of a contented singular being. I am solid. I have always been. In Sylvia Plath's movie, titled (hard to tell huh?) "Sylvia", Gywneth Palthrow playing Sylvia says, "I don't feel solid." It made me sad. She continued by saying "I have never felt whole". Because the subject matter of this post is on "writing", I cannot help but bring up a writer, or more accurately, a poet. To my dismay, she suffered the pervasive symptoms of most writers- feelings of abject depression and frequent thoughts of suicide at her lowest moments.

I'll tell you something that has always been with me since I was very young. In contrast to Ms. Plath, I have always felt entirely whole AND solid. I struggle like everyone else with releasing the pressure of a full tank through self-expression, but I always feel like ME. No matter the alien environment. No matter the expectation to be something or someone else. I always feel solid as a rock. Of course everyone has anxieties and sometimes the inner equilibrium of the self feels shifted back and forth, depending on hormonal fluctuations (biological origins) and the demanding interactions with other people; however, I like to think I have never truly felt the hopelessness of Ms. Plath.

Tying into privacy and writing, writers seem to have no qualms about bearing their souls in words. One would be niave to think that communicative expressions in writing, painting and etc. are simply creative endeavors for the sake of productivity with little insight into the human being who looks like nothing but a bag of flesh. Strange how complex we are on the inside. Strange how the invisible and intangible is more of our reality than what is before our eyes. People seem to need to write. For others it does not seem as selfish as I think it is. Maybe I am more old fashioned? I prefer the diary style of writing. There are different types of writing: writing for others, writing for ourselves, and etc. Am I wrong to think that nowadays that writing is for the masses in our tech fueled society? It is ok to share, but the narcissistic intent (not everyone, but a majority of people seem to do this) of others is disconcerting. I can be narcissistic at times. I am probably one now, but I am surprised others seem unaware of this human vice. Don't say too much. Listen... Believe me, I struggle with this everyday.

So, the message is here is "write" or "type" (whatever), but do please do it with temperance, in regard to the well being aka the sanity of others and yourself. Mainly, this idea stems from my preoccupation with preserving the person we already give to the world. I believe in the integrity of privacy but the inherent need to share what matters. Also, I know from numerous psychological sources and from my own observations that we only care about ourselves. People will take offense to that statement so I will rephrase. We care more about ourselves than others (more polite way to say it). Again, nothing wrong with an attention to the self. However, we would be fibbing if we did not acknowledge this. Stop pretending. I acknowledge it right now. I love writing and reading about what happens to ME, because I am preoccupied with me. I am hardwired for that. Evolutionary psychology can offer a plethora of answers to strike your academic citation obsession, but I will not get into that.

I receive immense pleasure for writing, not because of competency; but, because like you, I enjoy and require the release. Whether I repeatedly talked about a dog who crossed the street with a four word sentence, which would be of no substance to you than me, I would still write. However, the main point lies in me feeling regret in telling the whole world, even if it was a handful of people how I was feeling. Even if you cared, you shouldn't. Maybe I think no one will care. Problem is too many people think the audience cares when in fact it is the opposite. Never expect someone to care. Sometimes you do not have control over the type of audience you receive. You have to accept not everyone is as into you as you are with yourself.

Just because you have an audience, doesn't mean they are paying attention. But, we all want both right?

Here is to being noticed...

My new website will be called "FameForward". It is a site for new talent to get noticed, all in an effort to answer that profound nagging question, "Does someone care?"

Let's hope I get the audience's attention. The words seem one in the same, but are not...

Novel realization? Not really. No purpose to this post... I just wanted to release. LOL