Health Cares
baystateparent Magazine
When I hear about skyrocketing healthcare costs, I can’t help but wonder if part of the problem is that people are visiting doctors more often these days for more ailments, just because they want their money’s worth out of their insurance deduction. And once they see a doctor, they inevitably get referred to a specialist for further evaluation.
You can’t go into a doctor’s office healthy and come out healthy. Inevitably, they’ll find something. I know.
I ..read more
Published in Credit Card Alert – The Uncut Version
I’ve been abducted by the Visa police. It’s horrible, I know. A complete stain to my shopping reputation.
Yes, I was declined today – after years and years of faithful, frugal usage of my L.L. Bean Visa card. My card went on SHOPCON 1 – Oh, horror!
And from me, the faithful paying merchant – foryears! Never a late payment – never just the minimum. I am a pay-in-full person.
It all started innocently enough – perhaps a bit too generous on my part, ..read more
Spilling the Beans
Donald Trump, move over. I have truly perfected the Art of the Deal. While my deals may not be in the mega-millions, they’re big in my eyes.
Take my bean deal, for example. A few years ago, Stop and Shop was promoting a $1.00 per item refund on selected Rienzi brand foods, including canned beans. The best part? The beans were on sale for 99 cents.
Late that night, I hightailed it to the bean aisle and emptied the shelves of ..read more
Feel the Love: Emeril’s Customer Service Secrets Revealed
I recently gained illicit possession of something that’s never before been seen outside the kitchen of the Original Emeril’s Restaurant in New Orleans, and I just can’t keep it secret. It’s too good to be true! It’s better than knowing what’s in Emeril’s Essence, or cracking Emeril’s confidential Cajun or Creole creations.
It’s Emeril’s 15 Commandments for Excellent Customer Service.
Oh, it’s hot. Spicy hot. For all us foodies out there who know first-hand how bad service can spoil the best ..read more
The Boston Marathon Baby
Published in the Metrowest Daily News and the Westborough News
It’s the holy grail. The brass ring. The oldest, the notorious, the elite, the famed. The magical, mythical Boston Marathon.
And I was running it. Just saying “I’m training for the Boston Marathon,” gave me a smug, self-satisfied feeling. I won’t lie.
No matter that I was a charity runner, had the flabby breasts-tummy-thigh-thing going from bearing three children in five years.
I dreamed of that moment in April when I ..read more
The New Bedford Half Marathon: A premiere surprise
Watch the 2010 New Bedford Race Video
Some runners choose their races based on distance. Or notoriety. Or the terrain, the location, the cause, or maybe the color of the T-shirts.
I didn’t choose to run New Bedford for any of these reasons. I chose it because it was an official “Boston Marathon” team run for our Alzheimer’s Run for the Memory team. I also signed up because I checked the weather on my iPhone and ..read more