What a blur of a weekend. Travis and I left the freezing cold Ohio hotel parking lot around 5:15 am. Did I mention that it was cold? Of course, Travis has to make it an adventure by turning by spraying the windshield and using the wipers. Of course, that doesn't melt all of the ice on the car, but thankfully it doesn't make it worse. The windows are all fogged up, but Travis starts driving anyway with his head leaning out the window. Thankfully, we just went to the gas station next door. Twenty minutes later, my fingers had thawed and my heart had calmed. :)
We both get window seats, and I read most of the way back. A fellow cheer mom had loaned me a book called The Gift. It was a typcial chick book (basically, neighbors meet and fall in love OVER A WEEKEND and years later have a car accident that puts her into a coma. He has to decide whether to honor her wishes and turn off life support or to keep her on it). It was pretty powerful in parts, but it was also pretty cheesy. :) Anyway, it entertained me on the flight up and the flight back.
I pick Morgan up at her friends house on the way home. Her friend Victoria has an electric scooter (Razor), and Morgan has fallen in love with it. She decides to use the money she had been saving for one. We get it, and go home (FINALLY). Matthew helps us put it together, and it starts to charge. Morgan is bummed that you have to wait 12 hours to use it, but she gets over it. Mike and I went looking for a new couch. We are thinking about a sectional couch. Anyone have any good or bad experiences with a sectional? Mike remembers his coming apart often when he had one a long time ago.
As if the day hasn't been busy enough, it was cheer mom's night out at the Dallas Bull to celebrate several birthdays. We head off in a carivan (after Denise gets us lost), and we have a great time dancing and hanging out at the Dallas Bull. It was pretty funny to watch some of these women ride the mechanical bull. I was thrilled when Rocky Top was played. Mike and Matthew ended up meeting us there, and Mike was happy to hear Cupid's Shuffle (even the country version). There were some very strange things there like the gator or something. Disgusting.
Sunday, we had parent team practice again for 2 hours. I am not as sore this time, but my legs are starting to hurt some. Mark kept asking me if he had a bruise on his chin (he was clocked in the jaw by the woman he was picking up in the air for a "chair"), but I didn't see one. We still have a long way to go to be ready, so we are having practice Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday or Sunday. I can't believe that we will be in Daytona in less than 2 weeks for the LAST cheer competition of the year (and our lovely parent team performance).
The weekend was over much too soon, but today was a pretty good day. My brain hurts though. :)
Monday, March 31, 2008
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Organ in London
We ended our tour of London, Ohio with a fantastic dinner at a private home that provides catering for word of mouth events. The location was absolutely amazing. The owner has a print shop in the main area of town. Above the print shop is his house, and it has beautiful wood floors, fantastic decorations, and an amazing organ. I guess I haven't really paid too much attention to the organs in church, but I have always loved the music from the organ.
Tim, the owner and chef, showed us the back of the organ. It was amazing to see all of the rows of pipes. Apparently, the organ came from Ohio University and originated in 1955. He showed us how when you pick up one of the pipes and blow on it, it sounds like one of the instruments. The instruments that have a reed like a clarinet have a reed in the pipe. The shutters outside of the pipes open and close to change the sound. He showed us how you "Pull out all of the stops" to adjust the sound. WOW...that thing gets LOUD as you pull our more and more stops. He played a beautiful him, and it was just wonderful. The meal was great too - Beef tenderloin or Chicken Cordon Bleu, green beans, potatoes, and a roll. The salad was great too, and the desert was cheesecake.
I was ultra impressed. He even had a large screen for us to show our presentation on. I have been to huge companies and hotels that didn't do half of the job that Tim did. I often think about living in a small town, and I do think I would like it. I know that gossip goes around quickly in smaller towns, but they do have personality and other benefits. I really enjoyed meeting the community in London, Ohio. I am sure it is even better in the summer when it is warm! :)
Tim, the owner and chef, showed us the back of the organ. It was amazing to see all of the rows of pipes. Apparently, the organ came from Ohio University and originated in 1955. He showed us how when you pick up one of the pipes and blow on it, it sounds like one of the instruments. The instruments that have a reed like a clarinet have a reed in the pipe. The shutters outside of the pipes open and close to change the sound. He showed us how you "Pull out all of the stops" to adjust the sound. WOW...that thing gets LOUD as you pull our more and more stops. He played a beautiful him, and it was just wonderful. The meal was great too - Beef tenderloin or Chicken Cordon Bleu, green beans, potatoes, and a roll. The salad was great too, and the desert was cheesecake.
I was ultra impressed. He even had a large screen for us to show our presentation on. I have been to huge companies and hotels that didn't do half of the job that Tim did. I often think about living in a small town, and I do think I would like it. I know that gossip goes around quickly in smaller towns, but they do have personality and other benefits. I really enjoyed meeting the community in London, Ohio. I am sure it is even better in the summer when it is warm! :)
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Inspiration
Sometimes, you get cynical in what you do. Ok, maybe you don't, but I do. I have given everything I have to this industry of trying to get providers (and health care in general) to join modern times and stop using the stone ages pen and paper to record everything. I constantly explain the benefits, and I try to understand how you can NOT use an EMR in today's day and age. I try to empathize with doctors on what they need, and we try to develop the best solution that they can possibly have. But sometimes, it gets really frustrating.
Twelve years ago, everyone thought that most doctors would use electronic systems by now. Instead? Depending on the study, it MIGHT be 15%. That is INSANE. People put their credit card numbers on amazon. They trust people on ebay to send them what they purchase. They scan their own groceries. They use ATMs from a bank that isn't theirs, etc, etc, etc,. Even the schools seem more advanced than healthcare. My children get their state test results (the lovely FCAT) by a user name and password. They get logins to their math books. The teachers even do all of the grading on a computer. However, you walk into a doctor's office, and they will argue with you about how they can check a box on a piece of paper faster than they can click something on a computer screen. So, I constantly try to find new ways to get providers to get excited. That is what I do, and for the most part, I love it. I have a true passion for it, and I truly believe that it will change the healthcare industry for the better and that means better care for patients in the long run. I look at the costs in our healthcare industry, and it is insane. Prices go up every year, doctors get paid less every year, and everyone is griping about it. However, nobody seems to have the answer to the problem or there are enough differing views that it seems virtually impossible to accomplish.
Then, I go to Ohio to visit my buddy Dr. Alexander. He is amazing. He truly is one of the best pioneers and advocates for healthcare and healthcare IT in the country. Not only is he an amazing pediatrician, but he also designed an incredible office. I have never seen someone give so much attention to detail into a medical office. He designed the entire thing to have efficient workflow (including the best EMR of Clinician), and he also did other amazing things.
For example, each exam room door has a see through panel so that you can see if a child is behind the door. 
The staff workspace is laid out perfectly so that everyone has access to everyone to maximize efficiency.
It truly is beautiful. He has two touch screen kiosks in the waiting room for parents to enter in information about their child prior to being seen. 
Talking to Dr. Alexander is like a breath of fresh air. He gets me excited about what I do all over again just be seeing the light in his eyes, seeing the real world benefits of technology, and hearing about the rewards he gets. He is truly an advocate. The world needs more Dr. Alexanders. If I lived anywhere near him, I would definitely take my kids to him. :)
On other fronts, my Vols are playing today (thanks Dr. A for the hat!). So far, Louisville is not making it easy. I am wondering what my friends, the Percivals, are thinking. I am sure Lynn is watching. I am sure Vic is enjoying the tournament. :) GO VOLS! The Vols are down by 8 right now. I hope they hit a streak cause they can't lose to Louisville!
Happy Birthday to Viagra. It is hard to believe it has been 10 years.
Talk about inspiring. I loved the story about the woman who had an "inoperable tumor" and then a doctor removed SIX organs, removed the tumor, and put the organs back!!!!!!!
While in Ohio, I went to a Rotary club meeting. My dad was in the Rotary Club when I was a child. It was fun to remember the fun I had going as a kid with my dad. I always got to be the princess of the meeting when he would take me.
My brother Mike sent me this link. It is pretty cool. It uses past data to show changes to the world population, non-communicable diseases, communicable diseases, marrages, divorces, computers produced, gallons of oil pumped, etc. It is prett neat to watch the numbers change.
All in all, a great day. Good timing too! Maybe I can make it long enough to see some positive changes in healthcare after all...:)
Twelve years ago, everyone thought that most doctors would use electronic systems by now. Instead? Depending on the study, it MIGHT be 15%. That is INSANE. People put their credit card numbers on amazon. They trust people on ebay to send them what they purchase. They scan their own groceries. They use ATMs from a bank that isn't theirs, etc, etc, etc,. Even the schools seem more advanced than healthcare. My children get their state test results (the lovely FCAT) by a user name and password. They get logins to their math books. The teachers even do all of the grading on a computer. However, you walk into a doctor's office, and they will argue with you about how they can check a box on a piece of paper faster than they can click something on a computer screen. So, I constantly try to find new ways to get providers to get excited. That is what I do, and for the most part, I love it. I have a true passion for it, and I truly believe that it will change the healthcare industry for the better and that means better care for patients in the long run. I look at the costs in our healthcare industry, and it is insane. Prices go up every year, doctors get paid less every year, and everyone is griping about it. However, nobody seems to have the answer to the problem or there are enough differing views that it seems virtually impossible to accomplish.
Then, I go to Ohio to visit my buddy Dr. Alexander. He is amazing. He truly is one of the best pioneers and advocates for healthcare and healthcare IT in the country. Not only is he an amazing pediatrician, but he also designed an incredible office. I have never seen someone give so much attention to detail into a medical office. He designed the entire thing to have efficient workflow (including the best EMR of Clinician), and he also did other amazing things.
For example, each exam room door has a see through panel so that you can see if a child is behind the door. The exam tables don't require a step stool for people to fall over because they have a step built in. The sink, soap, and paper towels are automatic, but they also have a timer to keep kids from playing with them. Each room is color coded, and that color coding even goes down to the computer monitor!!!!!!! 
He even has these adorable chairs for tiny kids.
The staff workspace is laid out perfectly so that everyone has access to everyone to maximize efficiency. It truly is beautiful. He has two touch screen kiosks in the waiting room for parents to enter in information about their child prior to being seen. Talking to Dr. Alexander is like a breath of fresh air. He gets me excited about what I do all over again just be seeing the light in his eyes, seeing the real world benefits of technology, and hearing about the rewards he gets. He is truly an advocate. The world needs more Dr. Alexanders. If I lived anywhere near him, I would definitely take my kids to him. :)
On other fronts, my Vols are playing today (thanks Dr. A for the hat!). So far, Louisville is not making it easy. I am wondering what my friends, the Percivals, are thinking. I am sure Lynn is watching. I am sure Vic is enjoying the tournament. :) GO VOLS! The Vols are down by 8 right now. I hope they hit a streak cause they can't lose to Louisville!
Happy Birthday to Viagra. It is hard to believe it has been 10 years.
Talk about inspiring. I loved the story about the woman who had an "inoperable tumor" and then a doctor removed SIX organs, removed the tumor, and put the organs back!!!!!!!
While in Ohio, I went to a Rotary club meeting. My dad was in the Rotary Club when I was a child. It was fun to remember the fun I had going as a kid with my dad. I always got to be the princess of the meeting when he would take me.
My brother Mike sent me this link. It is pretty cool. It uses past data to show changes to the world population, non-communicable diseases, communicable diseases, marrages, divorces, computers produced, gallons of oil pumped, etc. It is prett neat to watch the numbers change.
All in all, a great day. Good timing too! Maybe I can make it long enough to see some positive changes in healthcare after all...:)
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Change, Wiffle Ball, Orange Stress Balls
A friend sent me this today as it relates to something I had posted recently. I thought it was very fitting. As we are trying to merge two companies together, it sometimes is painful. Everyone is trying so hard to not upset each other that it is sometimes painful. I hope that we get through this period of sensitivity soon. I am ready to unify and move forward. :)
Today, we played wiffle ball at lunch in the park across the street. I am not sure I have ever played wiffle ball before today. We played in honor baseball season opening (Boston and Oakland playing in Japan). We had a fabulous time even though there were a few incidents. Remember when I said my legs were killing me from parent team practice? Well, running bases isn't so good when your legs are in that condition. So, I took a spill between 2nd and 3rd when my legs decided that they didn't want to move any more. :) Travis also tackled Bill at home, and Amanda almost took down Ivan. Millie perfected the dancing wiffle ball hit, and Jay slid into the base like a pro. I think Lee, Ivan, Millie, and Travis had the best hits. Thanks to Millie for being my designated runner after the fall. :) Thanks to Lee for organizing such a fun event.
Bill, the fantastic third base coach feeling a little ill after all that running and seeing stars after colliding with Travis.
We have had quite a bit of fun with our new orange stress balls (of course, orange was the PERFECT color for me). Here are some pictures of everyone showing off their new toys. We have only had one break (mine of course).
Today, we played wiffle ball at lunch in the park across the street. I am not sure I have ever played wiffle ball before today. We played in honor baseball season opening (Boston and Oakland playing in Japan). We had a fabulous time even though there were a few incidents. Remember when I said my legs were killing me from parent team practice? Well, running bases isn't so good when your legs are in that condition. So, I took a spill between 2nd and 3rd when my legs decided that they didn't want to move any more. :) Travis also tackled Bill at home, and Amanda almost took down Ivan. Millie perfected the dancing wiffle ball hit, and Jay slid into the base like a pro. I think Lee, Ivan, Millie, and Travis had the best hits. Thanks to Millie for being my designated runner after the fall. :) Thanks to Lee for organizing such a fun event.
Bill, the fantastic third base coach feeling a little ill after all that running and seeing stars after colliding with Travis.It was a great time, and I think we should do weekly games in the park. I think we should play horse on the basketball court next in honor of the NCAA tournament. :)
My husband, who I have been trying to get to blog on a regular basis for a while now, is suddenly all into blogging again now that Inga mentioned him on her blog. Thanks Inga, now I have to hear about how he got a two paragraph mention. He is cracking me up. Seriously, blogging is an amazing thing. I love to watch the search terms that people put in to find my blog. I love it when I can find blogs that have info on things I am looking for. My mom doesn't get blogging, and I have a hard time explaining what is so great about it. The developers have a private blog where they share thoughts, and they have really enjoyed it.
Monday, March 24, 2008
Happy Easter, 7000 Cigarettes not smoked, GO VOLS
I hope everyone is having a fantastic Easter. The kids got up at the crack of dawn this morning to get their baskets. I always chuckle every Easter as Mike and I had different Easter bunnies growing up and we are never sure if his, mine, or ours will come to our house. For example, my Easter bunny arrived to find our colored eggs waiting for him to hide, but Mike's Easter bunny did not hide the eggs. My Easter bunny just hid things, but Mike's is patient enough to load little jelly beans in each egg. His family also does some cool thing with a golden egg which I am not sure about as I am just learning it this year and we haven't done it yet. :) I will keep you posted. Morgan said that she is going to tell her kids that the Easter bunny isn't real when they turn six. I told her that I wold remind her of that when she has kids who are 6. Katie then piped in and said, "I am going to wait until my kids are in 4th grade before I crush all of their dreams." I spit diet coke across the car on that one.
We had parent team practice yesterday for FOUR hours. I am so sore today that I could barely make it down the stairs ahead of the kids. The coach who is kind enough to put together a routine for us somestimes forgets his audience I think. He has me dropping to my knees and popping back up. Yeah right. My knees feel like they are bruised today. Meanwhile, the dads get these really easy moves. We were short a person yesterday, and thankfully Uncle Mark came to the rescue. Of course, he was even at more of a disadvantage as he doesn't even know the cheer vocabulary. Some of the looks on his face (and his cartwheel) were hysterical. THANKS UNCLE MARK for coming! YOU ROCK! The funniest part of the whole day was when we moved from S-L-O-W counting of 1 ---2---3---4---5---6---7---8 to music playing (not sure what the Beats per minute was but it is FAST) to 12345678...It was pretty funny to see us all try to adjust. Hopefully we can get it down. We learned the "tumbling passes," the cheer, and part of the dance.
My husband provided some thoughts on the Allscrpts-Misys merger here. It is always interesting to hear from people inside and outside the deal. So far, it appears that Allscripts employees seem to be positive on it and Misys employees seem to not be positive on it. Interesting. I wonder if some of that is because some of the Misys people were not so nice to some of the former-Misys people who may be running the show now? It is kind of like getting divorced, raiding all the assets, and then finding out that your ex is your boss. Oops... On another note, I was in Walgreens yesterday buying last minute Easter stuff (ha ha, I mean all of the Easter stuff was last minute). I noticed this BIG sign saying Malboro Reds $26.99 and under that it said that it was the lowest price in Tampa. Not sure it really is the lowest price, but the fact that the sign was so large and said $26.99 made me so happy that I don't need to buy those any more. Last year, we were in Daytona for a cheer competition over Easter weekend. I remember my mom going to get Easter stuff since it was difficult to do that with Morgan at that time. I remember trying to sneak around to see if I could get a cigarette in. Ugh. I know my loving, non-gloating husband will say I told you so, but it is so amazing how you get sucked in and will do almost anything to have that nicotine. Once you are freed from it, it is even more amazing that you used to do all that crazy stuff and pay all of that crazy money for it. I am so thankful for Athens Y Camp (well really Camp Chattooga) for the opportunity to volunteer there as that is what helped me quit. I am excited about going there this year for the 3rd year, and this time I don't even have to worry about the quitting part! I can only imagine how much more fun it will be. From my computer's counter - Amy - smoke free for Nine Months, Twenty Days, 18 Hours and 37 Minutes, while extending my life expectancy 24 Days and 13 Hours, by avoiding the use of 7075 cigs that would have cost me $1,217.37. I spent $212 on patches. Somehow, the 24 days part seems kind of like a rip off, but I can't believe that I would have smoked 7,000 cigarettes since last JUNE!!!!!!! I think if we could somehow get smokers to realize how free you feel after quitting, I think more people would quit. I would have never believed you though. Eash time I tried to quit, I always had this part of me that was sad and wondered how I could just reason having one. It wasn't until I decided that I would never have one, and I actually grieved the loss of them like the loss of a friend, that I got over it. To anyone trying to quit, keep going no matter how hard it is. I promise, it gets easier.
Update - the egg hunt was fun. Basically, the group goes and looks for eggs as a team. Each egg has a clue on where to find the next one. For example, one was in the hitch tube on Mike's truck and one was inside the water softener. It was fun.
GO BIG ORANGE!!! Way to hang on and make it to the Sweet Sixteen. I need to start some smack talk with Lynn about Louisville. I am not sure the Vols have what it takes to win it all this year, but it sure is fun to know they actually have a chance at it! GO VOLS!
We had parent team practice yesterday for FOUR hours. I am so sore today that I could barely make it down the stairs ahead of the kids. The coach who is kind enough to put together a routine for us somestimes forgets his audience I think. He has me dropping to my knees and popping back up. Yeah right. My knees feel like they are bruised today. Meanwhile, the dads get these really easy moves. We were short a person yesterday, and thankfully Uncle Mark came to the rescue. Of course, he was even at more of a disadvantage as he doesn't even know the cheer vocabulary. Some of the looks on his face (and his cartwheel) were hysterical. THANKS UNCLE MARK for coming! YOU ROCK! The funniest part of the whole day was when we moved from S-L-O-W counting of 1 ---2---3---4---5---6---7---8 to music playing (not sure what the Beats per minute was but it is FAST) to 12345678...It was pretty funny to see us all try to adjust. Hopefully we can get it down. We learned the "tumbling passes," the cheer, and part of the dance.
My husband provided some thoughts on the Allscrpts-Misys merger here. It is always interesting to hear from people inside and outside the deal. So far, it appears that Allscripts employees seem to be positive on it and Misys employees seem to not be positive on it. Interesting. I wonder if some of that is because some of the Misys people were not so nice to some of the former-Misys people who may be running the show now? It is kind of like getting divorced, raiding all the assets, and then finding out that your ex is your boss. Oops... On another note, I was in Walgreens yesterday buying last minute Easter stuff (ha ha, I mean all of the Easter stuff was last minute). I noticed this BIG sign saying Malboro Reds $26.99 and under that it said that it was the lowest price in Tampa. Not sure it really is the lowest price, but the fact that the sign was so large and said $26.99 made me so happy that I don't need to buy those any more. Last year, we were in Daytona for a cheer competition over Easter weekend. I remember my mom going to get Easter stuff since it was difficult to do that with Morgan at that time. I remember trying to sneak around to see if I could get a cigarette in. Ugh. I know my loving, non-gloating husband will say I told you so, but it is so amazing how you get sucked in and will do almost anything to have that nicotine. Once you are freed from it, it is even more amazing that you used to do all that crazy stuff and pay all of that crazy money for it. I am so thankful for Athens Y Camp (well really Camp Chattooga) for the opportunity to volunteer there as that is what helped me quit. I am excited about going there this year for the 3rd year, and this time I don't even have to worry about the quitting part! I can only imagine how much more fun it will be. From my computer's counter - Amy - smoke free for Nine Months, Twenty Days, 18 Hours and 37 Minutes, while extending my life expectancy 24 Days and 13 Hours, by avoiding the use of 7075 cigs that would have cost me $1,217.37. I spent $212 on patches. Somehow, the 24 days part seems kind of like a rip off, but I can't believe that I would have smoked 7,000 cigarettes since last JUNE!!!!!!! I think if we could somehow get smokers to realize how free you feel after quitting, I think more people would quit. I would have never believed you though. Eash time I tried to quit, I always had this part of me that was sad and wondered how I could just reason having one. It wasn't until I decided that I would never have one, and I actually grieved the loss of them like the loss of a friend, that I got over it. To anyone trying to quit, keep going no matter how hard it is. I promise, it gets easier.
Update - the egg hunt was fun. Basically, the group goes and looks for eggs as a team. Each egg has a clue on where to find the next one. For example, one was in the hitch tube on Mike's truck and one was inside the water softener. It was fun.
GO BIG ORANGE!!! Way to hang on and make it to the Sweet Sixteen. I need to start some smack talk with Lynn about Louisville. I am not sure the Vols have what it takes to win it all this year, but it sure is fun to know they actually have a chance at it! GO VOLS!
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Musings
I was reading Newsweek letters to the editor, and I was struck by this one letter. The mom says she is a single mom, and her daughter has asthma that requires chronic medications. She starts talking about how the medications are expensive and why she has to pay for them. I start to think about it, and I just don't get why people feel that they shouldn't have to pay for healthcare. You have to pay to go to the dentist, to get glasses or contacts, to take your pet to the vet, to get your haircut. Even in the cases that you have insurance, you still have to pay. Why is that not a crisis and unfair and all of the other things people say about healthcare? Of course, I agree that healthcare costs are out of control, and I think it is absolutely ridiculous that providers still use freaking pen and paper to document their visits or that they record something and pay someone else to type it. However, I do not think that healthcare should be free. It is a service just like others. I do think we need to assist those who need it, but as the woman from Newsweek described herself as middle class I don't think it should be free.
I don't think people realize how complicated healthcare is. When we have new developers, I always kind of chuckle as I watch their reaction when you start explaining some of this stuff. Well, in North Carolina, you have to do it that way, but in South Carolina, they don't accept it that way. If you want to get paid by XYZ, you have to put information in box 19 but ABC carrier doesn't want that information at all. It goes on and on. Plus, add in the hours, the busy offices, the under qualified staff working in most of them, and the providers many times not understanding all of the business and financial side, it is a mess. Yes, healthcare should be affordable. No, it should not be free.
At Bond, we had an HSA option for insurance. It really challenged my thinking. When Morgan fell at cheer, I was less likely to rush off to get an x-ray and more likely to wait a few hours to see how it was. When I got my prescriptions, I was more likely to make sure I asked for a generic than I was when it was a copay. However, once my family spent their $2500 for the year (trust me, one kidney stone is all it takes), the insurance picked up the rest. So, my maximum risk for the year was the premium and the $2500. Also, the premium was about $200 less a month than the standard insurance, so I could put that $200 into an HSA. Of course, the people who don't have kidney stones or any chronic diseases love it. They can just keep all that money that would have been spent on premiums. It also doesn't expire like flex spending. I think HSAs are a start, but I think we need to buck the system faster to see change. When I hear what the candidates are saying, I feel like they are all saying something but it all lacks substance.
The Allscripts Misys deal surely seems to have people in a pickle. It certainly is getting people talking. I loved that John McConnell resigned from the board in disgust. What an interesting story in that he founded one company, sold it, bought a company that was struggling, grew it into a growing company, sold it, and now those companies are all together. CREEPY. I loved the quote where he is saying that he thinks this deal was unneccessary and that it will cause job cuts, and he says that Wall Street calls it synergies but he calls them people. Classic. I have heard many people liken it to two American car companies merging. I have heard "what a mess" from more people than I can remember. It appears that even the people who were positive on Misys (and there are not many) are not positive. That should scare some people. When you lose those people, you are in big trouble. I was trying to count products today, and I can't even realize how many they even have. I know the main ones are Tiger, Vision, and Ntierprise for PM and Misys EMR, Healthmatics, and Touchworks for EMR. Then, you have iMedica's product relabeld as MyWay. Very interesting.
As we are trying to blend Bond and Medinotes, it is a very interesting time. It is like dating in some ways. Everyone is trying to be on their best behavior, and everyone is feeling out the other people. It is going to be one heck of a ride to figure it all out. It is very interesting to see the differences in ideas for some things and to realize how similar others are. I guess in the end, we are not as different from other people as we sometimes think.
As we determine assets and such, I have told the story of the toilet plunger many times. When I was getting divorced, my ex-husband actually put the toilet plungers on the list of assets. He actuallty wanted to discuss who got the "decorative" plunger and who got the "plain" plunger. Sometimes, I can hardly get the story out as it cracks me up so. You see, the funniest part of the whole thing is that the plunger was a GIFT. And then it was an item put in an asset list. A PLUNGER. Since then, I have always tried to ask myself if something was a plunger item to fight for or if it was a more substantial item. So, in honor of the story and to remind me to keep that mentality, here is a picture of the plunger that was listed as the "decorative" plunger. Oh, thank goodness I ended up with it! :)
I don't think people realize how complicated healthcare is. When we have new developers, I always kind of chuckle as I watch their reaction when you start explaining some of this stuff. Well, in North Carolina, you have to do it that way, but in South Carolina, they don't accept it that way. If you want to get paid by XYZ, you have to put information in box 19 but ABC carrier doesn't want that information at all. It goes on and on. Plus, add in the hours, the busy offices, the under qualified staff working in most of them, and the providers many times not understanding all of the business and financial side, it is a mess. Yes, healthcare should be affordable. No, it should not be free.
At Bond, we had an HSA option for insurance. It really challenged my thinking. When Morgan fell at cheer, I was less likely to rush off to get an x-ray and more likely to wait a few hours to see how it was. When I got my prescriptions, I was more likely to make sure I asked for a generic than I was when it was a copay. However, once my family spent their $2500 for the year (trust me, one kidney stone is all it takes), the insurance picked up the rest. So, my maximum risk for the year was the premium and the $2500. Also, the premium was about $200 less a month than the standard insurance, so I could put that $200 into an HSA. Of course, the people who don't have kidney stones or any chronic diseases love it. They can just keep all that money that would have been spent on premiums. It also doesn't expire like flex spending. I think HSAs are a start, but I think we need to buck the system faster to see change. When I hear what the candidates are saying, I feel like they are all saying something but it all lacks substance.
The Allscripts Misys deal surely seems to have people in a pickle. It certainly is getting people talking. I loved that John McConnell resigned from the board in disgust. What an interesting story in that he founded one company, sold it, bought a company that was struggling, grew it into a growing company, sold it, and now those companies are all together. CREEPY. I loved the quote where he is saying that he thinks this deal was unneccessary and that it will cause job cuts, and he says that Wall Street calls it synergies but he calls them people. Classic. I have heard many people liken it to two American car companies merging. I have heard "what a mess" from more people than I can remember. It appears that even the people who were positive on Misys (and there are not many) are not positive. That should scare some people. When you lose those people, you are in big trouble. I was trying to count products today, and I can't even realize how many they even have. I know the main ones are Tiger, Vision, and Ntierprise for PM and Misys EMR, Healthmatics, and Touchworks for EMR. Then, you have iMedica's product relabeld as MyWay. Very interesting.
As we are trying to blend Bond and Medinotes, it is a very interesting time. It is like dating in some ways. Everyone is trying to be on their best behavior, and everyone is feeling out the other people. It is going to be one heck of a ride to figure it all out. It is very interesting to see the differences in ideas for some things and to realize how similar others are. I guess in the end, we are not as different from other people as we sometimes think.
As we determine assets and such, I have told the story of the toilet plunger many times. When I was getting divorced, my ex-husband actually put the toilet plungers on the list of assets. He actuallty wanted to discuss who got the "decorative" plunger and who got the "plain" plunger. Sometimes, I can hardly get the story out as it cracks me up so. You see, the funniest part of the whole thing is that the plunger was a GIFT. And then it was an item put in an asset list. A PLUNGER. Since then, I have always tried to ask myself if something was a plunger item to fight for or if it was a more substantial item. So, in honor of the story and to remind me to keep that mentality, here is a picture of the plunger that was listed as the "decorative" plunger. Oh, thank goodness I ended up with it! :)
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Allisys or Myscripts
Crazy. Unbelievable. What an interesting news story.
Misys apparently paid Allscripts to take over the operation of the healthcare piece. Misys owns 54,5% of the new company, but Allscripts management will lead it. Misys has more board seats by 2 than Allscripts. Tullman is the CEO, and Lawrie is chairman of board.
I am not so surprised that they merged as the rumors had been around, but I haven't quite figured out how it makes sense. Even though I think Misys greatly overstates its number of physicians, even so, the combined wil have a lot of users. However, I wonder how many of them will now be in play? What product(s) will the combined company sell? It seems to be a bit much to combine all of that together, and time will tell how they do. I do think it is smart that they will be Allscripts after the transition. Allscripts has a better story to tell in the market. Seems like there is a large overlap in resources - at least in some departments?
One thing is for sure. The market is consolidating, and that is good for the market. I would imagine more will continue.
I forgot to post a picture from a week ago or so. I was in Pizza Hut, and I noticed the pizza box said "Pizza Hut My Way" and I cracked up laughing. I have been saying that Misys MyWay sounded like Burger King, but I guess it is more like Pizza Hut...
Misys apparently paid Allscripts to take over the operation of the healthcare piece. Misys owns 54,5% of the new company, but Allscripts management will lead it. Misys has more board seats by 2 than Allscripts. Tullman is the CEO, and Lawrie is chairman of board.
I am not so surprised that they merged as the rumors had been around, but I haven't quite figured out how it makes sense. Even though I think Misys greatly overstates its number of physicians, even so, the combined wil have a lot of users. However, I wonder how many of them will now be in play? What product(s) will the combined company sell? It seems to be a bit much to combine all of that together, and time will tell how they do. I do think it is smart that they will be Allscripts after the transition. Allscripts has a better story to tell in the market. Seems like there is a large overlap in resources - at least in some departments?
One thing is for sure. The market is consolidating, and that is good for the market. I would imagine more will continue.
I forgot to post a picture from a week ago or so. I was in Pizza Hut, and I noticed the pizza box said "Pizza Hut My Way" and I cracked up laughing. I have been saying that Misys MyWay sounded like Burger King, but I guess it is more like Pizza Hut...
Sunday, March 16, 2008
NATIONAL CHAMPS!
Anxiously waiting for placing for the level 3 group
WOOO HOOO!!!! 1st Place!
Katie batting (none of my pictures of her pitching are that great. Maybe I will have to video it next time)
WOOO HOOO!!!! 1st Place!
After Saturday's competition, Morgan's mini team was barely in 2nd place - they were 0.12 points behind the first team. Since the second day counts 60% and the first day only 40%, it seemed likely that they would pull it out since they were undefeated so far for the year. Unfortunately, they had a rough day. One girls bow fell out, and another girl picked it up and wandered around with it for a while while missing part of the routine. I think they might need to give a refresher course on what to do if something falls off during the routine. :) So, they had 2 stunt issues (there was some debate on what a bobble means vs a fall because their rules were different than other competitions), and they ended up getting 3rd. No more undefeated...BUMMER....the girls have done such an amazing job this year, and I hope this doesn't cause them any issues.
On the other hand, Morgan's Youth team that has struggled some this year had two great days. They won first place and get National Championship jackets. Unfortunately, they didn't have them in Youth sizes, so they will need to be mailed to them. That was kind of a bummer, but the girls did SO well. You could see them fighting for every single piece. I saw several girls determined to stick their stunt and many girls fighting to stick their tucks. I was very proud to be wearing a Florida Wildcat shirt. Way to go girls!!!!!!!!!!!!!! One more competition and the 08 season is over. In some ways, I am glad as it feels like we haven't been home at all, but in other ways it has been a really fun season. Morgan has many new friends, and Mike and I do too. :)
On the other hand, Morgan's Youth team that has struggled some this year had two great days. They won first place and get National Championship jackets. Unfortunately, they didn't have them in Youth sizes, so they will need to be mailed to them. That was kind of a bummer, but the girls did SO well. You could see them fighting for every single piece. I saw several girls determined to stick their stunt and many girls fighting to stick their tucks. I was very proud to be wearing a Florida Wildcat shirt. Way to go girls!!!!!!!!!!!!!! One more competition and the 08 season is over. In some ways, I am glad as it feels like we haven't been home at all, but in other ways it has been a really fun season. Morgan has many new friends, and Mike and I do too. :)
Fun Mike posing with the stilt man and his crazy balloon hat
Unfortunately, my Vols lost to Arkansas. The SEC tourney sounds crazy with the tornado hitting Atlanta. Poor Georgia had to play 2 games in the same day to advance to the final game, but they somehow managed to deal with it and win! Amazing...My poor Vols were knocked down to a 2 seed, but I am still excited to see how they do.
We went to watch Michael and Katie play their baseball and softball games. They both got to pitch, and it was so fun to watch them do so well at pitching. I have always wondered by baseball/softball parents aren't very sociable during the game, especially after being around all of the cheer parents. I have decided this weekend that it must be because you have to watch the baseball game the whole time for 2 hours, and in cheer you just have to really pay attention for 2.5 minutes while you child is out there. Of course, you watch the other teams (especially the ones your child is competing against and the really great level 5 teams), but if you miss some of it then it doesn't really matter). It might also be the tremendous time commitment that cheer involves and the amount of time that the parents spend together. The traveling certainly provides bonding experiences and helps you get to know additional people. I still think that the parents could be a little more fun at the baseball/softball games, but I am starting to accept it for what it is and understand why it is more subdued.
We went to watch Michael and Katie play their baseball and softball games. They both got to pitch, and it was so fun to watch them do so well at pitching. I have always wondered by baseball/softball parents aren't very sociable during the game, especially after being around all of the cheer parents. I have decided this weekend that it must be because you have to watch the baseball game the whole time for 2 hours, and in cheer you just have to really pay attention for 2.5 minutes while you child is out there. Of course, you watch the other teams (especially the ones your child is competing against and the really great level 5 teams), but if you miss some of it then it doesn't really matter). It might also be the tremendous time commitment that cheer involves and the amount of time that the parents spend together. The traveling certainly provides bonding experiences and helps you get to know additional people. I still think that the parents could be a little more fun at the baseball/softball games, but I am starting to accept it for what it is and understand why it is more subdued.
Michael pitching a perfect strike to end the game
Katie batting (none of my pictures of her pitching are that great. Maybe I will have to video it next time)
Out with a bang
In typical Bond style, we had to have a little celebration. I mean, what good is a life/company changing event without a little party action? :) So, we had our "unbonding" event Friday night where we all let loose, shared some stories, laughed a lot, remembered some college drinking games, drove kids jeeps and bikes, and got closer to our old friend Jack. I think the change is starting to become real to everyone, and Mark even answered his phone as "MediNotes, this is Mark" at the end of Friday. So, I am hoping that we will all start to settle into the newness this week and get back to being the most productive group in the market. :)
Some quotes from the party...
"It bounces higher if you bounce it on the head's side"
"When I was in college, I was dating this hot girl until she decided she was a lesbian." Response without missing a beat, "Was that right after you took off your underwear"
"I will get into the pool if she will"
"You are letting her mix you a drink?"
Travis telling the story about wanting to become a urologist after watching a penile transplant
"Is that really 4 men in that hottub?"
"Drink, asshole!"
"I am president and asshole at the same time!"
"PIZZA!"
"Get in the water or you are fired!!"
Heather in the birthday tiara playing with Camden...
My turn, My turn!
What are you looking at? You think this was MY idea?
College days coming back...
Chug it, chug it, chug it!
Some quotes from the party...
"It bounces higher if you bounce it on the head's side"
"When I was in college, I was dating this hot girl until she decided she was a lesbian." Response without missing a beat, "Was that right after you took off your underwear"
"I will get into the pool if she will"
"You are letting her mix you a drink?"
Travis telling the story about wanting to become a urologist after watching a penile transplant
"Is that really 4 men in that hottub?"
"Drink, asshole!"
"I am president and asshole at the same time!"
"PIZZA!"
"Get in the water or you are fired!!"
Really, how hard could it be?"
In the beginning, everyone is sober, smiling politely for the pictures....
Heather in the birthday tiara playing with Camden...And then the fun begins....
Running over the competition
WEEEEE....this is fun!!
Oh, look, I found Halo Boy. Let me hold his halo for him...
My turn, My turn!What are you looking at? You think this was MY idea?
Good thing the kids aren't here, they might be jealous...
Trust me, you don't want to know...
Trust me, you don't want to know...
To 92B...
Chug it, chug it, chug it!
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Deal is Done - Good-Bye Bond
The deal was officially closed today. Here are Travis and Don shaking hands by the Bond Medical Group sign.
Don got a cake to celebrate the event. The Icing (or Frosting if from Iowa) was sugary and delicious.
The Bond crew enjoying a beautiful Tampa sunny day.
March 14th would have been my 3 year anniversary with Bond Technologies. Today, I have had so many memories flooding through me. I can't even imagine what it is like for Travis and Lisa who have lived this for 5 years. Some of the thoughts...
Of course, the end of the Bond era is a little sad. However, as one door closes, another one opens. Here's to the next three years being as great as the last. Thanks for the nice welcome to MediNotes Don. CLINICIAN ROCKS!!! That's HOT. :) Don, thanks for trying so hard to make the transition smooth and for making such an effort to make us all feel wanted. :)
Don got a cake to celebrate the event. The Icing (or Frosting if from Iowa) was sugary and delicious.
The Bond crew enjoying a beautiful Tampa sunny day.
March 14th would have been my 3 year anniversary with Bond Technologies. Today, I have had so many memories flooding through me. I can't even imagine what it is like for Travis and Lisa who have lived this for 5 years. Some of the thoughts...
- Sending my resume to Bond after seeing them in the AC Group results
- Getting a call the next day from Sharon and flying to Tampa for an interview
- Talking to Mike about actually living in the same city as the kids and how exciting it would be to work for someone who "got it" after beating my head against the wall for so many years
- Turning in my notice at Misys after asking to work remotely and being told that Jason didn't like remote employees and then having Misys offer me a remote position
- Having one hell of a good-bye party at Michael Dean's in Raleigh
- Having so much stuff that it took 2 moving trucks to get to Tampa
- The movers got stuck in Atlanta and then couldn't drive becuase it had been too long or something. Then, when they got to our house, they couldn't find any of the hardware to put together the bunk beds. (We later found them taped to the inside of a small trash can that was in the garage - this was many months later)
- When I dropped Morgan in her new class, she whispered in my ear, "Mom, please don't leave me here." I left in tears. That afternoon, I waited at the bus stop. She never came. I called Mike in a panic, and he said the school had just called him. Morgan had gotten off at the wrong bus stop at the other end of the neighborhood. I frantically go try to find her. What I found out later is the bus stop they gave me didn't exist yet. It was going into effect the next Monday, and they gave it out to me early. So, the bus driver told Morgan that she had to get off because it was the last stop (we had a nice chat about that later). Morgan just started walking through the neighborhood looking for our house. Thankfully, there was a little girl who told her Mom that Morgan was lost and was new. She called the school who called Mike.
- My first day at Bond, I have a mild panic attack. After working in a larger company for a while, it was quite a shock to sit in this room with two Indians and a young guy. Hmm.... where is development? I knew that the software was mostly offshore, but I didn't know it was ALL offshore. :) I got a login to the software and started to figure it out. By the end of the day, I was feeling a little better. I came up with a plan, and Travis was all excited. I knew then that it would be a great fit.
- The project manager who was there was let go shortly after.
- The marketing graphics guy got moved to development (huh?).
- The only developer on staff had no access to the code and didn't want to be a developer. :)
- The young guy kept falling asleep at his desk.
- The Indian who was the offshore company's representative kept telling me that nurses couldn't do anything. (That went over really well as you can imagine). :)
- We had a great time creating processes, creating demo databases (up all night cramming the data in before TEPR), Courtney getting engaged at TEPR, Yusuff, What the Hell?
- Many, many walks around the building
- Designing most things at the outside table while smoking a pack of Malboro reds
- Getting dinged on my review for safety (I had tripped in the dev lab while wearing a dress!!)
- "Let me be frank with you" coming from my bff Vinayak
- My buddy Mohit coming here and taking 10 years off my life
- Me screaming at too many offshore developers to count
- Morgan helping with QA
- Falling asleep with my laptop on my lap and it shattering on the tile floor
- Mark coming to manage support (me telling Mark that he shouldn't move here while mildly intoxicated after he had already turned in his notice)
- Tony coming to manage the developers. Travis talking to Tony over the phone and allowing me to hire him without meeting him
- Sarathy coming to do design work and then us realizing he was a great developer. We learned about hotfixes in our environment. HOT
- Banu coming on as our first QA - and as a volunteer!!!!
- Brian and Tom with their pages and pages of Questions prior to accepting the job
- Interviewing at the Marriott
- Hiring Bill and Steve at Pri-med in Boston over drinks and an all meat meal - PM in 6 months? NO PROBLEM!
- Phil accepting the job while his wife was in surgery
- Shaheen finally starting after 9,001 emails and phone calls :)
- Michael going to "NextGen" when he moved to Philly
- Millie realizing how big Clinician was as she started testing
- Amanda coming for QA - Amanda starting with immunization entry.
- Peanut butter and jelly Clyde
- Luke joining the group and adding his style to the mix
- Diane coming for templates and learning about reading email more than once a day
- Lee and ScubaMark being desk co-joined twins for a while
- Pete, Warren, Jerry, Mike coming on at different times but each bringing their unique skills
- Liz coming to work because of David and then David leaving...:)
- Abhijeet coming because he tried to put his mark on the software by trying drag and drop which was pretty hot in ASP.NET at the time
- Me agreeing to take on Implementation over jack and coke on the plane (remind me not to drink around Travis)
- Hiring Heather C while getting a massage
- Julie in Atlanta telling me how she felt and me knowing at that time that she would make it
- ScubaMark brought in Kim by bringing her to the Bond movie. We knew she was a good fit when she ordered the company against the wall :)
- Fiesta party and team building
- Amanda and her marshmallows
- Bill and Steve riding the kids jeeps around Travis and Lisa's driveway
- Poor Shaheen being the driver for Bill and Steve
- Mad Dog finishing the scotch
- Phil and his trainwreck screens
- Rock Solid
- That's HOT
- Jeff City, Missouri
- Lisa and her wonderful rhymes
- How hard can it be?
- The Christmas Parties at Cheval - and the after party of each one (hint, don't leave your purse next to Josh and don't let Steve pick the after party spot)
- demouser - who can remember that?
- I'm an internalist
- No, really, there was a wreck involving a Bond employee? Flying aligators?
Of course, the end of the Bond era is a little sad. However, as one door closes, another one opens. Here's to the next three years being as great as the last. Thanks for the nice welcome to MediNotes Don. CLINICIAN ROCKS!!! That's HOT. :) Don, thanks for trying so hard to make the transition smooth and for making such an effort to make us all feel wanted. :)
Monday, March 10, 2008
F.R.E.A.K.S and Cheer
HOLY COW...I haven't seen freaks like this in a long time. It actually isn't fair of me to put this picture in because this guy was probably one of the most normal there. There was some convention in Orlando for sci fi costume dresser upper people. I know, I know. Highly scientific term. They apparently form some types of clubs in different areas, and then the companies that make the costumes are also there. I think the name of it was MegaCon. Very odd. Quote of the trip by one of them..."Man, it is getting crazy, I might have to armor up." LOL
The trip to Orlando was good overall. We had a good time hanging at the Embassy Suites Jamaican Court. They had a good happy hour each day, and they have a great breakfast to heal you in the morning. The lobby is nice with the glass elevators, and the rooms are nice too. The kids had fun swimming in the heated pool and getting in the hot tub. The cheer competition was at Disney Wide World of Sports on Saturday, and then they were at MGM on Sunday. This cheer stuff really is crazy expensive. You have to get the hotel, drive there (gas prices now make this crazy even when it is in Orlando), and buy tickets (this one was $25 a person on Saturday and $48 a person on Sunday). Of course, this is in addition to the money paid for Morgan to compete. To add insult to injury, the competition included a ticket to the theme parks for 2 days for the kids, but the coaches had the kids tickets somewere so we couldn't even do fast pass on Sunday at MGM. Bummer. On Saturday, the team did really well in their routine, but they dropped two stunts (Morgan had her first fall from a stunt in a competition - she was really upset). Sunday, the team did really, really awesome. However, it wasn't enough to move them up, so they got 5th. There was another team, Infinity, who had really rough luck and just fell apart on the stage. Unfortunately, the judges didn't judge fairly and didn't give them a low score. I really don't understand how a team can not even get a pyramid up and can still get a good score. I always understand it when our team has falls (see Saturday), but I don't understand it when it doesn't seem to be the same for others. I haven't seen anything that blatant at any of the other cheer competitions yet. Amazing. The girls handled it pretty well though. I think they were just happy to do well after Saturday. The coaches took them outside to practice in the cold windy weather immediately after they competed. When some of the girls were not acting happy, one of the coaches asked if they thought the coaches were being too hard on them. My child raised her hand. I am not sure why, but I am proud of this. Not becuase I think the coaches were being too hard. Not because I want her to complain. But, most of her life, she would have stood there quietly. She actually was in the minority (I think only 3 girls raised their hands from what I heard), and she voiced her opinion. I think she felt horrible about dropping in the stunt and that influenced her, but I am still proud that she did what she felt even though everyone else didn't. She is growing up!
After the came out of practice, Morgan was upset about the stunt falling. A group of girls came over and gave her a big hug, and she got a grin from ear to ear. It was great to see.
The Kims picture - they are both Tennessee girls! GO BIG ORANGE! I can't believe that I can actually pick the Vols to win the tourney without everyone thinking I have lost my mind. :)
The girls picking up Alice and Kelly laughing.
It stinks to be the youngest!
The trip to Orlando was good overall. We had a good time hanging at the Embassy Suites Jamaican Court. They had a good happy hour each day, and they have a great breakfast to heal you in the morning. The lobby is nice with the glass elevators, and the rooms are nice too. The kids had fun swimming in the heated pool and getting in the hot tub. The cheer competition was at Disney Wide World of Sports on Saturday, and then they were at MGM on Sunday. This cheer stuff really is crazy expensive. You have to get the hotel, drive there (gas prices now make this crazy even when it is in Orlando), and buy tickets (this one was $25 a person on Saturday and $48 a person on Sunday). Of course, this is in addition to the money paid for Morgan to compete. To add insult to injury, the competition included a ticket to the theme parks for 2 days for the kids, but the coaches had the kids tickets somewere so we couldn't even do fast pass on Sunday at MGM. Bummer. On Saturday, the team did really well in their routine, but they dropped two stunts (Morgan had her first fall from a stunt in a competition - she was really upset). Sunday, the team did really, really awesome. However, it wasn't enough to move them up, so they got 5th. There was another team, Infinity, who had really rough luck and just fell apart on the stage. Unfortunately, the judges didn't judge fairly and didn't give them a low score. I really don't understand how a team can not even get a pyramid up and can still get a good score. I always understand it when our team has falls (see Saturday), but I don't understand it when it doesn't seem to be the same for others. I haven't seen anything that blatant at any of the other cheer competitions yet. Amazing. The girls handled it pretty well though. I think they were just happy to do well after Saturday. The coaches took them outside to practice in the cold windy weather immediately after they competed. When some of the girls were not acting happy, one of the coaches asked if they thought the coaches were being too hard on them. My child raised her hand. I am not sure why, but I am proud of this. Not becuase I think the coaches were being too hard. Not because I want her to complain. But, most of her life, she would have stood there quietly. She actually was in the minority (I think only 3 girls raised their hands from what I heard), and she voiced her opinion. I think she felt horrible about dropping in the stunt and that influenced her, but I am still proud that she did what she felt even though everyone else didn't. She is growing up!
After the came out of practice, Morgan was upset about the stunt falling. A group of girls came over and gave her a big hug, and she got a grin from ear to ear. It was great to see.
The Kims picture - they are both Tennessee girls! GO BIG ORANGE! I can't believe that I can actually pick the Vols to win the tourney without everyone thinking I have lost my mind. :)
The girls picking up Alice and Kelly laughing.It stinks to be the youngest!The girls chilling on the car. As you can tell, they hate having their picture made. :)
I love the look on Morgan's face. It looks like she is growling. Maybe she was practicing a cheer face? By the way, she is getting really good at those.
The ride picture. I LOVED the Tower of Terror and the Rock and Roller Coster. They were great rides.
Nice group shot. The girls really get along well.
This is a picture from a week ago, but I thought I put it on then. This is Morgan's friend Katie and she got Awesome Athlete!!! Congrats Katie!
I love the look on Morgan's face. It looks like she is growling. Maybe she was practicing a cheer face? By the way, she is getting really good at those. The ride picture. I LOVED the Tower of Terror and the Rock and Roller Coster. They were great rides. Nice group shot. The girls really get along well. To see Video highlights from the competition, go here and search for Florida Wildcats. The Youth Level 3 team is hers.
Even though Mike tried hard to involve the kids during this crazy weekend, his ex is mad. I don't think there is anything we can do to make her happy. It really is unbelievable. We got two rooms at the hotel so that everyone would have enough room. We had a kids +Matthew (Mike's brother) room and a room for us. Morgan stayed with her team on Saturday night, but she was with the kids Friday night. Just a couple of weeks ago, the ex commented that Mike doesn't ever take the kids to a hotel because he always stays with friends and family (not sure WHY this is a BAD thing, but anyway). Now, she is complaining because we took them to a hotel where freaking people were dressed in costumes. Like we have any control over the cheer competition being in Orlando (a very family friendly place) the same week as this nutty sci fi thing. Like the kids were talking to them. Come on. Mike drove over with them on Friday so they could go to the pool and such. We went to a nice dinner at Kobe on Friday night ($270 - whoa). Mike got up early and drove Katie and Michael back to Tampa for baseball and softball). He then drove back that evening. Of course, he missed the cheer competition which upset Morgan. Of course, as always, I try to explain that there are two of us and four kids. Then, he takes them to putt putt on Sunday and drives back because they are all tired. I guess that wasn't enough for Ms. Throw Stones because she thinks it is unfair that Morgan got to go to MGM. Give me a break. She was a IN a competition and she had NEVER been there before. It was pretty expensive to also buy 5 more tickets to MGM ($250). Of course Morgan would have loved to have them there, and I had to explain why they couldn't be there. I expect all of that from kids. Not from adults. Insane. I could go on and on, but I have typed enough. If you are getting a divorce, go for full custody. Trust me.
I love the travel cheer competitions because I always get to meet parents and kids that I didn't really know before. This weekend was no different. This cheer stuff is crazy expensive and pretty nuts in general (I am sure those Megacon people are talking about the cheer freaks at the hotel. :) , but I really think it is a pretty cool sport. The kids are in awesome physical shape, they learn the art of working hard for goals, they learn how to win and lose (what other sport starts off announcing the lowest team like In 19th place, we have the x team, In 18th place, we have the y team...ouch - who wants to be 19th!), and they have a great time with friends and their family. Pretty cool.
I love the travel cheer competitions because I always get to meet parents and kids that I didn't really know before. This weekend was no different. This cheer stuff is crazy expensive and pretty nuts in general (I am sure those Megacon people are talking about the cheer freaks at the hotel. :) , but I really think it is a pretty cool sport. The kids are in awesome physical shape, they learn the art of working hard for goals, they learn how to win and lose (what other sport starts off announcing the lowest team like In 19th place, we have the x team, In 18th place, we have the y team...ouch - who wants to be 19th!), and they have a great time with friends and their family. Pretty cool.
This is a picture from a week ago, but I thought I put it on then. This is Morgan's friend Katie and she got Awesome Athlete!!! Congrats Katie!
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