Labor

[clevermanka]

I opened up my e-mail this morning and there was a message from my credit card, asking me to Please Use My Card! Yeah, no kidding. Bank of America must have noticed my negative transactions for the month. Yes, negative--I got two refunds when I stopped using the card. Oh, irony! But anyway, take that, evil bastard blood suckers. How's it feel not to be needed? Assholes.

I'm looking for a new PCP. Anyone got recommendations for a local general practitioner? I'm happy with the care provided by my current provider, but mckitterick and I found out yesterday that the FirstMed office doesn't process insurance claims for accidents. If I'm ever in a car accident and I need to go to the doctor, the last thing I want to worry about is processing my own accident claims against health insurance. I love you, Dr. Burt, but fuck that. So if you've got suggestions about a good PCP in Lawrence, lay 'em on me.

Thank you to slinka for a clip that she posted about the devaluation of work. It addresses a topic that was briefly and vaguely mentioned in some comments to my post yesterday. And mckitterick and I were talking on Sunday evening about a similar topic: the fact that our culture thinks "the working class" are stupid. Not just lacking a liberal arts college education, but stupid--unable to learn. I hadn't realized that many people (especially those who are high up the white collar food chain) think manual laborers are stupid. Do I think they might be uneducated about some things? Yes. Willfully ignorant? Perhaps*. But stupid? No, not stupid. Stupid people shouldn't be trusted to fix a gas leak. Or repair your car. Much less build your car. Once again, I realized (as does the speaker in the clip) that my perception of the world is often way wrong.

The clip is about work and the value (or lack of value) that our society puts on skilled labor. It's twenty minutes long, but definitely worth watching.

"" (Watch on YouTube)

* and that's not limited to the working class folks by a long shot.

Comments

[ms-danson.livejournal.com]

Blue collar, that would be my in-laws. Stupid, that would NOT be my in-laws.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

I know! How can this be such a common perception? It's just weird.

[annamatic.livejournal.com]

I'm extremely happy with Kimberley McKeon at Lawrence Family Practice. She's been my doctor for about 5 years, she delivered Miles, and she's his doctor as well.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Alas, I had rotten, rotten luck at Lawrence Family Practice, where I saw both Dr. Phipps and Dr. McKeon. They're the office who refused to refer me to an endocrinologist for three years, and wouldn't give me a referral for any sort of alternative care for my allergies when all allergy medications stopped working.

I have weird things that go wrong with my body. It seems I rarely have a common, normal ailment. Heck, Dr. Burt hadn't even heard of fructose malabsorption, but he was willing to refer me to KU Med to get the test for it. I need an office that is open to referring me to specialists. Lawrence Family Practice is not that office.

[ms-danson.livejournal.com]

Valuation differences might be a possibility. Us-Them might also be a possibility.

There are equivalent-ish stereotypes pointed at the white collar/educated classes by blue collar people. ("can't be trusted", "book learning", "not willing to work", etc are ones that jump to mind right now) Draco straddles the two classes so we sometimes see both sets of stereotypes depending on whether or not people know what his background is.

[annamatic.livejournal.com]

Aw, I'm sorry, then. :/ I've never had any problems with them, but I've not needed the sort of specialist care that you have.

And Mike Rowe is totally my secret celebrity husband.

[harmfulguy.livejournal.com]

Bless you for offending an industry that refers to those who pay their bills on time as "deadbeats (http://credit.about.com/b/2008/08/27/why-you-want-to-be-a-credit-card-deadbeat.htm)". I'm trying to start digging my way out of credit card hell, myself.

Haven't watched the video yet, but your remarks put me in mind of a rant from last year, when the Republicans were talking up "Joe Six-Pack (http://copperwise.livejournal.com/680972.html)".

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

"can't be trusted", "book learning", "not willing to work", etc are ones that jump to mind right now

What does it mean that I, as a white collar worker myself, agree about some of those stereotypes? =D

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

That whole "we love the working class!" schtick they pulled made me vomit. Ugh. How transparent and nauseating. But a lot of people ate it up, so...

[sherwood21.livejournal.com]

The only thing I will mention about not using your credit card is that after a certain amount of time, they can (and will) close your account. If you still want to have it available in case of emergencies, I'd suggest putting a five or ten dollar charge on it every three to six months, which will confuse them even more, and keep your account active.

[ms-danson.livejournal.com]

I'd read that as you having contempt for white collar workers rather than the stereotype being more true because you happen to be a white collar person agreeing with it.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

I'm still using it for online purchases, and hotel reservations, etc. But I used to put everything on the card and then just pay it off at the end of the month. I'm not even doing that anymore (even though it didn't cost me anything). I just don't care to give them the opportunity to rate my credit score on where I shop, regardless of how faithful I am to paying on time.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Hmmm. I don't know that I have contempt for any workers. I'm just around more white collar workers, so am more exposed to their (our!) foibles.

[sherwood21.livejournal.com]

Ahh, now I understand. Good plan! :)

[verminiusrex.livejournal.com]

We've been very happy with Dr Stuever over at Internal Medicine Group.

[slinka.livejournal.com]

James and I talk about the value of work a lot. We have very vocal friends who say things like streetcar drivers shouldn't make the same as bankers (I assume they mean tellers or low-level managers because they certainly aren't making what upper management does) and get offended that garbage collectors make almost the same money they do. It seems to me that they don't want to be in the same economic bracket as someone who does something gross (read: necessary). When my one friend told me that skill tradesmen shouldn't make as much as business people I nearly blew a gasket. Fuck you very much, friend, if you think that my step father who learned his trade from the age of 8 didn't deserve to be able to support his family (me and my mother) because he actually makes things and fixes thing and understands the things you take for granted.

I'll stop before I get angry again. :)

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Thanks! And I'm assuming if you and M. go to them, they offer Ob/Gyn services, too? They appear to have a gastroenterologist in house, which is pretty cool. What are their policies on referrals, do you know? How open minded are they about alternative medicine?

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Bah on that sort of thinking.

This is probably why I don't have very many people whom I consider Real Friends. I don't have the patience to overlook that sort of caste-minded mentality in order to remain on good terms with people. Civil acquaintances, yes. Friends...not so much.

[femfataleatron.livejournal.com]

Left over Victorian era crap. That era is responsible for many of our current cultural malaise. I could type pages on this... Establishing arbitrary privilege has become a central aspect of almost everything that gets done these days.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Left over Victorian era crap. That era is responsible for many of our current cultural malaise.

You would've thought that, at least in the U.S., the prevalence of women in factories in WW2 would have helped wash off that stigma. I guess not.

Of course, I guess the women weren't usually college-educated at the time, either, were they? Okay, so much for that theory.

[verminiusrex.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure about the Ob/Gyn services partially because Marz usually goes to Overland Park for that, since it was wrapped up with the whole childbearing thing. I'd have to ask her if they do the plumbing checkup. I know they do the complete nook and cranny service during physicals for men (I hate being in the prostate check age group).

They have specialists that they do referrals to, I was sent to an ear-nose-throat guy once, and of course when I became a nonreproductive member of society. I think referral policy may be determined at least in part by insurance.

I don't know their extensive opinions on alternative medicines, but they do appear more interested in a proper diet to take care of issues than just writing a script (up the fiber, down the fat, that sort of stuff).

[saffronhare.livejournal.com]

This is a very useful and prickly reminder of some of the thought-traps I fall into, sometimes, and which are shameful when I examine them more closely. Thank you. :)

Also. Would you not want to ask Dr. Burt for a referral? I can see it maybe being a sticky wicket, but wondered if he might have some good advice. Good luck!

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Sounds promising so far. Do let me know about the well-woman stuff. I hate having two different doctors for that, so that would be a deal-breaker.

Thanks for the information.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

I'd consider asking him, but I don't care to pay the $20 office visit co-pay. =b

[saffronhare.livejournal.com]

Could I pretty please be his secret extra-marital affair, then, as long as he doesn't neglect you? (grin)

[the-themiscyran.livejournal.com]

I've had the discussion about the "value" of skilled labor with the college student a few times. Usually during lessons in basic car maintenance. I thought it was important to demonstrate to her that she might have a "big brain" and be able to have an informed political discussion, but without a trained mechanic she could still get stuck on the side of the road.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

And that trained mechanic? Might be able to have an informed political discussion with her, too.

Guilty.

[the-themiscyran.livejournal.com]

I completely agree.

[annamatic.livejournal.com]

I guess we can share him. *grin*

[redheadfae.livejournal.com]

I have Shop Class as Soulcraft (http://product.half.ebay.com/Shop-Class-as-Soulcraft_W0QQprZ71726520QQtgZinfo) on my "find and read" list.

I see that stereotyping in a college town as even more pervasive. I usually keep my trap shut about not finishing my degree, because there is a horrible inference that if one doesn't have advanced formal education, one must be mentally lazy and ignorant about a great deal.
Ha!
Being well-traveled at an early age has helped me to get past some of the people who try to box me in to the "uneducated" hole.

[redheadfae.livejournal.com]

Jay and his family have gone to Dr Penn there for years. He referred Jay to an endocrinologist in Topeka with no qualms. He's also the chief surgeon at LMH.

Karen Roberts, listed as their nurse practitioner (http://theinternalmedicinegroup.liveonatt.com/about.nxg), is a former bellydance student of mine. She is very open-minded to alternative treatments.

(LOL.. I like their bios on the info page .. Snowpeas and Zucchini, FTW)
Karen Roberts, NP, is a rather amazing nurse practitioner, who received her Nurse Practitioner education at Graceland University. She is Board Certified as a Family Nurse Practitioner and works in collaboration with the IMG physicians to provide comprehensive patient care with a special emphasis on women’s health issues.


I have her email .. I can give you an intro so you can ask her directly.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Oooh. Cool. I love nurse practitioners.

[nataliesee.livejournal.com]

Let me know how this turns out, please. I'm still in the market post Lawrence Family Practice disaster.

[stuology.livejournal.com]

Our family doctor is great -- Dr. Stueve at what used to be Mt. Oread Family Practice. For some reason I think they changed the name of the office. It is the office across from Hy-Vee on 23rd, and affiliated with LMH. And he does OB/GYN check-ups, but doesn't have a surgical specialty, so you'd still have to find someone else for that.

However, I have been on a PPO for all my insurance, so I don't need a PCP to get a referral for anything. I can just go to a specialist. I don't know how he works for that.

He is the one that saved me when I was pregnant and had a kidney infection and my OB/GYN office wouldn't see me or call me back, and when they finally did, told me that I probably just "pulled a muscle" despite the spiking fevers. I finally called him in the afternoon, and he got me in right away, ran two tests, figured it out, and dosed me with what I needed all in one afternoon. It saved me the outrageous price to visit the ER, anyhow.

[kalimeg.livejournal.com]

I was just thinking the other day that you should teach Chris to knit. It takes minimal movement of the left arm, and it gets something done. Just stay out of stabbing range and all.

:)

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

I was just thinking the other day that you should teach Chris to knit.

Because you hate me???

LOL! I can't even imagine him knitting. Heck, I was too impatient to stick with it, even though I eventually got to be pretty fast at it.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Sounds pretty great! I've got two offices to call to ask about their insurance policies, then. Thank you for the information.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

Will do. I've got two good recommendations.

But based on things I'm hearing from roya_spirit, I'm not sure that this method of handling (or not handling) insurance claims is unusual.

[mckitterick.livejournal.com]

I got that book as a birthday present from a friend this year, and that book kicked off our discussion!

PS: I LOVE what Mike Rowe had to say. Brilliant! Now I want to get cable to watch his show.

[clevermanka.livejournal.com]

I can't believe I'm saying this, but it'd be cheaper to buy the DVDs (http://store.discovery.com/?v=discovery_shows_dirty-jobs) than pay a monthly bill for cable.

[redheadfae.livejournal.com]

I would gladly record the show for you if you can tell me when/where it's on.

Any chance I can borrow the book? There don't seem to be used copies around yet.

[kalimeg.livejournal.com]

Well I did suggest staying out of stabbing range. Naw, just because doing something is better than doing nothing.

Hmph -- count your blessings that I'm over the hill, youngsters!

[chronovore.livejournal.com]

That video is fabulous. I just ordered the DVD set of Dirty Jobs; I'd seen an episode on cable during one of my stateside business trips, in some hotel, and thought "that's pretty interesting." I'd no idea that he's as smart as he comes off in that video, though his respect for those DOING the work was readily clear.