The last couple of weeks I’ve been carrying around this pad of paper. On the top sheet of the pad is a TO DO list. Included in the TO DO list are many things related to finding myself a doctor, a dentist and a way to get a new pair of glasses. I never realized how many elements need to line up to make these things happen.

First you have to have time. And a phonebook. When searching through the phonebook aimlessly gets you nowhere, you need to have friends or coworkers with good recommendations on physicians (who must be female), eye doctors and dentists. Then you need more time. And a phonebook again. And this time a phone. While making a million phone calls, you have to make sure the physician/eyedoctor/dentist is accepting new patients, and if they are you have to be lucky enough for them to accept your kind of insurance.

If all those factors come together, then you still need more time because you have to get medical records transferred, which requires more phone calls and maybe some driving around town. And then, only then, can you finally start setting up appointments. Which, of course, requires even more time. Time that coincides with the receptionist’s calendar, which I’m sorry, is not allowing you to make an appointment when it’s convenient.

So far this week, all I’ve really managed to do is make a dentist appointment, which I’m sort of dreading. But no, I’m not complaining. I have insurance and by god, I’m using it.

However, one thing I didn’t anticipate is that money would still be such an issue in all this. I have good insurance, thank the powers that be, but there’s still those damn things they call co-pays. I don’t mind co-paying, I’m happy to contribute 10 or 20 bucks here and there because it’s a lot better than 10 or 20 thousand.

But for some reason, this job has not made me rich yet, and so I’m tempted to put off the physician/eyedoctor/dentist visits until copaying 10 or 20 bucks doesn’t feel like I’m spending tomorrow’s lunch money.

Somehow, the whole world found out I got a new job and would suddnely be making more money than I did as a full-time volunteer. So the whole world got together and dicussed who should get a piece of my money first. Unfortunately, the whole world is pig-headed and greedy and nobody could agree who got the money, so everyone in the world just sent me little notes in the mail that said I owed them money all at the same time.

The student loan people sent a “note” because they decided now that I have a job I can instantly pay them back. The car insurance people sent one too because I guess they like to get paid every six months. The credit card people, who haven’t had to send a “note” in a very long time, figured they wanted their money back for all that crap we bought for the apartment. And they all want their piece of my money RIGHT NOW!

I’m happy to fulfill my obligations, but the new job’s paycheck just isn’t quite big enough for it all. I didn’t have any illusions that with this new job I’d be sleeping on a diamond-studded bed under a quilt made of hundreds, but I hoped I’d at least be able to start putting some money into my savings. Instead, I’ve been draining it just to keep up.

I know once I get through this drought, I’ll eventually find myself in pretty decent shape…I hope. I’ll be able to see the physician/eyedoctor/dentist without skipping a meal the next day. But right now I’m wondering if I need a second job.

Payday? Please hurry!