The Ides of March

My day started out with no internet access at work. I pulled every plug, pushed every button and threatened every piece of equipment I knew how - nothing. And Verizon couldn't figure it out, so they have to send us a new piece of equipment which won't arrive until - hopefully - tomorrow. And what does one do without an internet connection? Good question. I had to find a nursing facility we had never heard of.

"I'll look it up online...um, no I won't."

Someone called about a patient they insisted we had on service.

"I'll look it up...um, no I won't."

I couldn't get directions anywhere, find phone numbers, check payments, receive or send e-mail, or print off calendars from a few years ago that we sorely needed. And nor, does it seem, I can imagine what life was like before 24/7 access to the world wide web.

Then...while my boss and I passed off the phone trying to get the internet working, he opened the mail. I hear an "Oh, no." Not a good sign. The last time I heard that, the earth may as well have opened up and swallowed us whole. This time we wished the earth would open up and swallow us whole.

You know, our government has nothing better to do with its time than chase after small business owners for money. When they could go after huge hospitals that have huge budgets that get huge amounts of cash from the tax payers pockets; they pick on small hospices with a grand total of 50 to 70 patients at a time. This time they wanted information: charts so large they make up six stacks of paper all over two feet in height each. We have to go over it all with a fine tooth comb, copy it all and then mail it all. And did I mention this has to be done in 30 days? Perhaps the way to fight this one is to sic the tree-huggers onto them. For before this is over, we'll have cut down several trees worth of paper...

"Beware of the ides of March," Shakespeare wrote.

Next time, I think I'll just follow my inclinations and stay in bed.