Ahh... funnel cakes, photobooths, and Boyz II Men. The California State Fair is awesome.

Fuck work. My boss wants to switch my schedule again because the other front desk guy is starting school soon. That's fine BUT he doesn't start for another 2 1/2 weeks, yet she still wants me to cover his closing shift starting this week. That totally screws up with my study schedule cuz that means So to have the same amount of study time for my OAT I have to force myself to wake up 8 am to study, which is a lot harder than having to wake up at 8 am for work. I just don't get why I can't start the closing shift in 2 1/2 weeks. The doctor didn't give me any good reason besides, "well we just want to change everybody's schedule now." It sounds so contradictory to what my boss tells me every week, "Christine you need to have a consistent schedule to study your ass off for the OATs. Its the most important test you have to take and not something you want to take more than once." There's no way I can have a consistant schedule if she keeps fucking with it.

In 5 years, I know if I start my own practice it will be ridiculously organized and consistant and NOT like the practice I work at right now. I'm not gonna piss patients off and change my opening hours and days every month. I'm gonna pay a little extra and hire book-keepers and medical insurance billers (those ppl who get trained and educated to do medical billing at Bryman, Heald College, etc). I'm not gonna hire car salespeople and stoners who come in with hickies the size of my fist with absolutely NO experience working with patients or insurance. I'll use a computer system that keeps track of medical records, insurance billing, contacts and glasses on order. Then when patients call, they don't get pissed off that no one can find their glasses or prescription. Then if there's some patient records that I have to take home for further study, I'll put the list that I took home on the computer system. Cuz it hella pisses off staff and patients when docs take charts without anyone knowing. Then staff furiously look for those charts and they can't help patients when they call and patients get even more pissed that no one can help them.

And when patients come in for their appointments, I'll have 1 employee fully responsible for pre-testing procedures for 30 minutes, then I'll do my part for another 30 minutes, so patients don't have to wait long to have the tests and exams done. And if patients are 30 minutes late, I'll make it a policy (that they're fully aware of) that they must schedule another appointment, otherwise I'd have to make other patients wake longer (every other optometry office in Davis does this, just not the one I work at). You don't know how many ppl get pissed off when docs run late, 20 minutes - 1 hr pisses EVERYBODY off, staff and patients. Maby if I make it efficient with good customer service then maby dozens of patients won't request to leave for another doctor every month.

Next, I'll make a policy where staff always collects payments from patients right after receiving treatment, or have them pay in installments, otherwise EVERY SINGLE patient will have a balance of $600+ and I wouldn't receive a dime of it (which is whats going on in my office right now, and the docs just don't get why they're not getting paid). You can't be too nice and let everyone rack up a huge balance. Doctors are supposed to be nice, but you shouldn't be an idiot and let ppl take advantage of you. And I'll make sure patients are fully aware of all policies so nobody is surprised to find out the cost of their exam or glasses or anything.

I don't think many pre-health students in college realize this, but health care is a business, whether its medicine, dentistry, optometry or whatever. And as much as you love healing ppl, your patients are customers too. They will leave you if they don't like your service (mostly if they wait too long). Many will try to bargain deals or refuse to pay. And like any other business, if they refuse to pay then you should refuse to serve them! My orthodontist didn't give me braces for free! So why the hell should an optometrist give glasses, contacts, or exams for free?! If you can't pay it all at once, then pay by small installments cuz nothing is freakin free. If you're a doctor, don't blame the staff if you're not getting paid cuz its the doctor's resposiblity to set up an efficient, flowing system that works for everybody. Collect your damn insurance! Set up installment plans for poorer patients. Do something except blame the staff for skimpy profits. Unfortunately, I think some docs (the ones at my place for example) get so caught up in helping patients that they don't realize how much their business sucks. They keep frustrating over how many patients leave and how much money they're LOSING over equipment and staff costs. Just cuz you get a degee and credentials to practice, doesn't guarantee you big bucks.

Something my dad has always said, "Stand your ground at ALL costs" (even if no one believes you or you look crazy). A day after the accident, the other party's agent admitted that it was the other woman at fault. Hours later the adjuster says that all damages will be paid, just repair it and send them the receipt. Great, within 24 hours I got most of this accident settled on my terms thanks to my dad's advice: Persist Persist Persist.

I still can't believe I managed to find the woman an hour after the accident simply by driving endlessly around Davis. Makes me think I'm crazy for doing it, but most of all, makes me feel like my dad. One day long ago when we were driving to Toys 'R Us, some guy in a pick-up truck flicked us off. Typically most ppl brush it off, but not my dad - he's not the brushing off type. Instead, we chased after that truck endlessly until pops flicked IT off and sped away. Sure it was unnecessary, but it shows that you shouldn't let ppl shit on you.

Persist, argue, fight back. It's okay to be crazy.

Poor Timmay got hit today.

1:55 PM in front of Quizno's about to head home to enjoy my honey roasted chicken sandwich. I was in a parking lot at a complete stop when a middle-aged white woman reversed straight into Timmay, my poor '89 BMW. Timmay got some minor scratches and the lady's brand new minivan got a dent and heavy scratches (Ha! Her '06 Honda shell can't compare to my '89 BMW shell). She claimed she didn't see anything behind her, possibly suggesting that I sped up to hit her car - which I didn't. We traded insurance policies and she quickly left. But I forgot to get her license plate number, driver's license, and picture of her damaged car. STUPID ME.

Her address and phone number is in the yellow pages, so I decided to go on a manhunt. I contacted Vic to borrow her camera and hunt down her ugly minivan, after an hour search throughout north Davis I couldn't find her house (it must be the wrong address or something) but I did find her minivan at an elementary school parking lot. Unfornately that required making an illegal turn across a cement barrier. Right when I finally got on the same side of the road as her, her van dissappeared somewhere. Determined to not have her claim me at fault or more damage, I considered staking out at the elementary school tomorrow before 3:oo and taking a pic of her license plate. Such a freakin stalker, and turns out all my stalking was fruitless. My trusty dad (all the way in Milpitas) made a few calls and we got her driver's license and various other personal info. Crazy how easily we can stalk ppl and get all this personal info with a few phonecalls, a phonebook, and some personal friends in the right field.

My claim is now filed, just waiting for an adjuster to assess the damage tomorrow. That lady better not claim me at fault or someone's gonna get egged.

6 hours studying for OATs today, and another 4 more to go. I can't believe 1/4 of the test will be on algebra. Even tho I excelled in it 7 years ago, it was still SEVEN freakin years ago. Any 8th grader can kick my ass on the OAT algebra section.