bitch bitch whinge whinge There's not a whole heckuva lot goin' on around here. Just the usual get up go to work, come home walk the dogs, make dinner, eat dinner, sit and watch TV, go to bed, repeat.

Even this weekend of the double-header Imbolc sabbat and Superbowl (and yes, I know some people who are combining the two :rolleyes: ) there's nothing to do. There was an Imbolc open ritual up in Asheville yesterday, but we're so broke we can't really afford the gas to get there.

We had thought about going up to Asheville to see Sweeney Todd maybe, but its not playing anymore anywhere. So I'll yet again have to wait for DVD. What is with this area that it'll keep dreck like Alvin & The Chipmunks playing for 6 weeks in one cinema, but stuff that I actually *want* to see is gone in less than 3 weeks? Hickory had Sweeney Todd for about a week, maybe 2, but only 2 shows per day, one at 4:10 and one at 9:50pm. So we never got there. It didn't come to Morganton at all. Other than Pirates of the Caribbean, I can't think of any Johnny Depp movie that got to Morganton. They didn't even show Finding Neverland! :-p

bleah...

But, as mentioned, I'm so broke I can't even afford a movie really. I went and rented a couple movies yesterday, and I had a freebie, so it only cost $5 for 2.

I hate being broke. I'm old enough I should be well past this point in my life! But living in small town USA as we do, where wages are about equivalent to what I was making 20 years ago back home, and cost of living going up every day, I really can't see a way out of this hole unless we leave here and can find jobs that actually pay people what they're worth. With better health benefits, and steady hours.

This is what really bugs me about this country. The richest country on the planet, and they somehow "can't afford" for universal healthcare? I'm paying about the same in income taxes here in North Carolina as what I would be paying up in Ontario for equivalent wages, and yet I have nothing to show for it! On top of my income taxes, I also pay into the Medicare coffers, but as a sponsored immigrant, I'm not eligible to ever use Medicare. :-p And as a non-citizen, I'm not allowed to vote. Howzat for taxation without representation eh? :-p

bleah...

I pay more than $400 per month for health insurance for me and James. But we still have to pay for doctor's visits because we have a $1500 annual deductible. I had 2 doctor visits this month with the endocrinologist to test my thyroid levels, we haven't got the bill for them yet, but I expect it'll be over $200. bleah...

If I didn't have that $400+ to pay per month, I might be able to keep up with some other bills. As it is, we're not starving, but we sure are fuckin' bored I'll tell ya that! When you can't even go to the local cinema and spend $15 for 2 people to see a movie (yeah, its cheap here, back home it costs $15 per person!) its pretty pathetic. Talk about working poor. UGH.

We gotta get outta this place.  ¶ 10:58 AM