Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Two voices, one vote

We voted this morning. Well, I voted. Torsten is not a US citizen and therefore does not get to vote. But he came with me to the polling station, waited in line with me while I checked in, and politely stood to the side while I cast my ballot. In case I secretly voted for Hillary without telling him? I'm not sure. I guess he did it on the same principle that causes me to look totally in the opposite direction if someone is typing their PIN. Just to make sure they don't think I'm trying to steal it, even though they know full well that I'm not.

Anyway, Torsten and I both support Obama, so I consider my vote to be cast on behalf of both of us. And if you live in DC, Maryland, or Virginia, today is the day, so go cast your vote. Especially if you're going to vote for Obama. Just kidding. Sort of.

In other news, remember how I posted yesterday about how I ordered wedding stamps? Well, last night I saw this article about how postage is going up 1 cent in May. Half the stamps that I ordered will still be good for sending out the save-the-dates, because those are going out before May. The other half will require the addition of a 1-cent stamp. And all I can say is that they had better introduce a purple 1-cent stamp, QUICK. Because I do not want to blemish our RSVP envelopes with these hideous green, lamp-adorned stamps. Oh, I am bitter about this.

Also, I've learned something about Torsten recently: when he's in pain, he gets all panicky and generally acts like a paranoid hypochondriac. It is tempting, therefore, to be dismissive of his panic. However, when he acts like that, there is always something wrong. Yesterday was no exception. He had a mild toothache over the weekend and by Sunday night was all freaking out and unable to sleep, partly because of the pain but also because he was so worried.

I, being the bad fiancée that I am, told him he probably had a cavity or something and should just make a dentist appointment and not worry about it. Of course, it turns out that he has a strong distaste for dentists ever since his old dentist in Germany inadvertently drilled into his nerve without anesthesia. So he spent a couple of hours obsessively researching dentists online and finally managed to find one that was a) highly recommended, b) across the street from his office, and c) covered under his dental insurance plan. Let me tell you, finding all three of those things in one dentist? Nothing short of a miracle. Especially given Torsten's very high standards.

Anyway, so he went to the dentist yesterday, and wound up having a root canal on the spot. I did not even know what a root canal entailed until yesterday, and believe me, I wish I still didn't know. It sounds absolutely horrible. Apparently it wasn't as bad as it sounds, but still. Ugh. Just thinking about it makes me shudder. And he'll have to go back next week to have the root canal finished, and then again to have a crown put on.

And also? We're lucky in that both of us have dental insurance. But even with? The root canal is covered at 80%, and the crown is covered at only 50%, and apparently crowns are very expensive, like possibly $1,000 or more. And he has a $1,500 annual maximum, and he's already used about half of that on x-rays and the root canal. My question is, why couldn't this have happened a month and a half ago so he could have had half the work done in 2007 and saved some of his annual maximum for this year? Now we just have to hope that he doesn't need any dental work for the rest of the year.

Now, just to re-emphasize: DC, Maryland, and Virginia readers, go vote!

49 comments:

  1. It's pricey but believe me not having dental insurance is the worst of all. I'm still paying off my credit card from having 4 wisdom teeth removed.

    Also, didn't they just raise stamp prices?!? It's plain rude.

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  2. OH, ICK. poor torsten!! my mom has had some obscene number of root canals (like 3 or something!) and she says that the root canals today are like 30,000 times better than the root canals of even 10 years ago. still not, you know, PLEASANT, but not the torturous ordeals of the past.

    this is not to say that i want one, or envy torsten AT ALL, MY GOSH the poor boy.

    also, TEH SUCK about the price. ew :-(

    yay obama!! :-)

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  3. Mark had the exact same thing last year - he had tooth pain then two days later had a root canal and paid out the ass for it. Oh, and then, I chipped his tooth with my tooth. And then almost a year later to the day? I chipped his same tooth with my ring. He has paid his dentist A LOT of money in the past three years.

    Oookay, that was a lot about Mark and his oral health.

    Anyway, I also look the other direction when people enter their PIN. Even Mark, whose PIN I know anyway. Strange.

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  4. Toothaches are SO painful! I've had two root canals and they were not fun. Sitting there for over an hour while the dentist killed one nerve after the other...it's not fun.

    I can't believe they are raising stamp prices again! I have to agree with the first comment, it is rude.

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  5. Oh no! I have to get a root canal too, I've been putting it off since November. I hope Torsten is feeling better and I commiserate with his pain. Tooth pain is the worst.

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  6. I feel very bad about your postage woes, but "Oh, I am bitter about this" cracked me up. I hope a purple Tiffany stamp comes out just in time!

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  7. I remember freaking out about the stamps, too. The annual wedding stamp wasn't released until the DAY I needed to mail my invitations...I kept going by to check if they were in and they told me to just keep checking. It was very stressful for me because I wanted my invitation envelopes to look cute, so I definitely understand!

    Poor Torsten. I'm glad they were able to find the problem and fix it, but yes, it SUCKS to fork over money for something that caused pain.

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  8. Oh man, poor Torsten. That blows. Root canals are ouchy.

    And man I should really get out there and vote. Every day it becomes increasingly more apparent that I should vote for Obama.

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  9. Hooray voting!

    I do not have dental insurance and it drives me crazy! Tooth care is so expensive and sooooo boring. Blowing $1000 on shoes? Stupid, but fun!!! $1000 on teeth? Smart, but not fun!!!

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  10. Go Obama!

    I was not able to vote for him since, here in Michigan, most of the Dems. (besides Hillary) backed out in protest because we moved our primary date up or something. I was a little upset but whatever, not a whole lot I can do. It just pisses me off that my choices were all of the Republicans, Hillary, or "uncommitted." I didn't participate.

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  11. Um, yeah. I've had FOUR root canals. Suck to the max. But the pain is immeasurably relieved after a day or so, so there's that.

    Also, GO OBAMA!

    And I do the same thing with the PIN numbers and email passwords. It just means we're super respectful and considerate. Yay us!

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  12. The post office really annoys me sometimes. They should let you design your own stamps! haha, in a dream world. ;)

    Poor guy, I hate the dentist too!

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  13. Root canals have a terrible reputation, but they are actually amazing things. The act of the root canal is what makes the pain go away! It is not the pain itself. So, I actually adore root canals. Except for the price tag. I have been there!

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  14. They're raising the price of stamps AGAIN? Didn't they JUST DO THAT?
    suck.

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  15. 1) I believe stamps can be returned.

    2) We had dental insurance for awhile, and the monthly payments added up to more than we pay for dental work---even with root canals and crowns. They charge so, so much, and pay only part, and they set the maximum at pretty close to what you have to pay for it. NICE.

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  16. ew root canal ew ew ew. I've been there, and I feel for Torsten.

    Also the stamp thing is just annoying. I bought a bunch of the "forever" stamps the last time they raised postage but they are not nearly as cute as the special ones they put out! (And don't worry, no one will notice the stamps on invitations- at least that's what I told myself because the love stamps when we sent our wedding invitations were HEINOUS.)

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  17. Oh, I like the Tiffany stamps!

    Then again, I have a penchant for things that are green, and a soft spot for things that are ugly, sooo... yeah.

    Poor Torsten's teeth :( I had a root canal several years ago, and while the process itself wasn't so bad, my oral surgeon wasn't exactly nice, and the drooling all over myself part was kinda gross.

    TMI? Sorry. Tell Torsten I feel his pain :(

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  18. Seems like the post office is raising rates every other day. Sucks! I bought a bunch of those forever stamps, but they're not purple.

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  19. A Red Sox fan AND an Obama girl?! Be still my heart :)

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  20. I have never, ever, met anyone with decent dental insurance. It ALL sucks. What is the DEAL?

    Bummer about the stamps. It feels like they JUST RAISED the rate, doesn't it?

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  21. Don't fret the stamps! No one will notice. And if they do, they are weirdos.

    Poor Torsten. I hope he is at least feeling better!

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  22. Bummer about the stamps. I feel like jinxed you!

    Even bigger bummer about the root canal and the dental bill. I hope Torsten is feeling better, even if he has a lighter wallet.

    Yay for voting! Yay for Obama!

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  23. I would be bitter too. They better make a purple one cent stamp, or I sense a smackdown approaching ;)

    Ugh, don't even get me started on dental insurance, or the lack thereof. Why is it so expensive for basic X-Rays?

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  24. Yeah for Voting! Two Yeahs for Obama! I am wearing my Obama pin today. Dude, that sucks so bad about the postage and your save the date cards. Curses to the US postal service!

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  26. I was undecided until the Washington Caucus on Saturday where I was moved by the Obama supporters. Now I am completely onboard the Obama train and I really hope I get to vote for him again in Nov.

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  27. dude. this bullshit with the health insurance companies is beyond atrocious.

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  28. Dental insurance is a total crock. And I need a root canal. I have been avoiding because I feel no pain.

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  30. UGH poor Torsten! I had a double root canal last year. Yes, that's right, two at the same time. MISERABLE. And they are expensive. Luckily though, at the time I was doubly insured so I only ended up paying about $60. If it happened now though, I'd be stuck with the other 20% and 50%. Ugh. I'm moving to Denmark.

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  31. My dental work had a way of happening like that too. Now that I don't even have dental insurance anymore, and don't get me started on that, I know what the uninsured know...you just have to floss more.

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  32. what's with the price of stamps always increasing? is it because everyone emails things now? that sucks!

    root canals are very unpleasant. poor dear! while dental insurance is a blessing, it is still really pricey. i went with a ghetto gold crown because it was sooo much cheaper (and luckily it was in the back of my mouth so less visible).

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  33. Whoa, there are special stamps for weddings?

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  34. My grandmother had a root canal once WITHOUT NOVOCAINE. Nothing. And this was back in the fifties, when things were really scary, dentally speaking. Woman had a high pain tolerance, clearly.
    Also, seriously? They're raising stamp prices AGAIN? It's amazing to me people don't storm the post office in rage. People besides the actual postal workers, that is.

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  35. Note to self: steer children towards a career in dentistry.

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  36. Yuck, a root canal! I had one, it is no fun. Not only is there pain, but billing pains as well. I feel for you.

    Purple stamps sound fun. Stupid post office has to ruin the look for you, phooey. It'll still look cute.

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  37. I didn't have dental insurance for far too long... and now I'm scared to go and get the flossing lecture!

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  38. I hope torsten feels better soon!

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  39. GAH. You had to get in that story about TEETH at the end. I hate going to the dentist, and I shudder when I think of things such as root canals.

    I can not BELIEVE the stamp prices are going up again already. For our wedding, our local post office was just trying to use up old stamps before this last increase went into effect. I got to use vegetable stamps on my wedding invitations. They had either corn, kidney beans, red peppers, peas, or green beans on them.

    So.

    That was pretty good.

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  40. There's no voting in Oregon until like March or something ridiculous. And yeesh... Those lamp stamps are GROSS.
    Also, I tagged you for a meme if you want to play.

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  41. Poor guy! Teeth stuff absolutely sucks.

    And I'll talk to my PO guy and make them come up with a pretty purple stamp for you for after May. Not that I have that much authority, but I can always try. :)

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  42. Can't you post them all before the price goes up?

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  43. I can't believe stamp prices are going up again! 41 is freakin high enough!!! grrrr

    yay obama :-) he kicked some major ass today

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  44. Holy crap the dentist is expensive. My sister went for a root canal. Don't think she had much fun.

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  45. He sounds German.

    They hypochondriac bit. :)

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  46. Seriously, didn't the stamp prices go up like twelve months ago??

    Will just had to RE-root canal a tooth because his crappy dentist didn't finish the job the first time around. In fact, his work was so shoddy that Will's new dentist actually asked "Um, did you have this done in a third world country?" I told Will that he should send the new dentist bill to the old dentist but my idea was deemed too mean.

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  47. I also look pointedly away when someone is typing in their pin number. It's such a weird little thing but I think most people do it.

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  48. I would take those stamps BACK to the post office I purchased them from and demand that they refund your money because they KNEW that stamps were going up when they sold them to you.

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