The vendors were fun, and I always like supporting folks who create awesome things. I got some patches from the ladies at Storied Threads, because I'd bought stuff from them on Etsy earlier this year and it's very cool to see it all in person! I also got one of these, mostly because
![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif?v=92){kind=small}
spotweld squee'd when I walked out of the dressing room wearing it. I'll no doubt be wearing it to the various conventions I'll be attending this year.Learned today: when you put a man in a kilt and a woman in a "Keep Calm and Don't Blink" shirt in a Renaissance Faire, you get a LOT of compliments :)
I also work a retail job, and customer service means you get to see humanity at its finest and you have to actually talk to it. You can be socially awkward at home, but you're at work now, do your job and TALK TO PEOPLE.
Most, if not all, of my friends are nerds, geeks, dorks. And this works, because the usual social awkwardness overcomes itself when you realize you're in a place where everyone has the same feelings regarding it as you do. This is more or less why comic/anime/furry conventions exist.
(It's also why a lot of business-based conventions exist, because really I think a lot of people don't know how to talk with each other and it gives them a common topic.)
But. Social awkwardness still happens amongst these groups, which is what this post is about. It's completely possible to be out-of-place even in a group of people who are generally considered a bit weird, and it can make it awkward on everyone because no one is willing to speak up about it (see: 5 Geek Social Fallacies).
Spot brought up the idea that in these situations, the people in question -- the Awkward amongst the awkward (and I wish I could come up with a better word for it) -- are just not self-aware. They don't realize that what they're doing is offensive or inconveniencing people or just not cool. Some people are like this and know it (most people of this mindset [the self-described, usually self-righteous asshole] are not people you want to spend a lot of time with), but that's not who I'm talking about. I'm talking about the Oblivious Awkwards, the folks who do these things and completely don't realize that what they're doing isn't cool.
Also, "Oblivious Awkwards" is a great band name.
The immediate issue with Oblivious Awkwards is that they really can't be stopped; in a lot of cases, you can tell them right out that what they're doing is wrong (please keep in mind I don't mean in a hurtful or legal fashion) or irritating, and they will keep doing it, because either they don't realize they're still doing it, because old habits are hard to break, or because they are actually self-righteous assholes. Oblivious Awkwardness can also lead to passive-aggressive tendencies, which is basically leading into the self-righteous asshole territory, but often just rides quietly along with the Oblivious Awkwardness (it's rare, but when an artist falls into this category, they can piss commissioners off immensely...actually, that's one of the things that got me started on this post: reading up on an artist who fell into this category).
Of course, getting to the point of actually mentioning it is tough, because a lot of smaller social groups (geeks, nerds, furries) work on a general feeling of acceptance...so telling someone that they're mucking stuff up is always pushed to the back because no one wants to say anything about it. How do you tell a person "Hey, you really don't fit in with all these other people who don't fit in." The only valid way of bringing it up without seeming mean is when money is involved, which doesn't happen too often.
There's the set-up. As mentioned, I don't have much solution for the issue (it's a "pissing in the wind" sort of situation, because of the obliviousness), but I'm looking to start a conversation on it, just to see other peoples' experiences with it. Likewise, you cannot consider yourself an Oblivious Awkward: if you know you are, you aren't oblivious ;)
So I'm curious: have you had to deal with an Oblivious Awkward, either online or in person? What's your story?
- Mood:
busy
spotweld and our household income was too high for me to get on Medicaid, NO INSURANCE FOR ME.I have to question how people who have roommates deal with stuff like this. At least I get love & sexytimes out of the guy I live with!
I also got a response from my congressperson...well, one of their representatives. This is the response I got after I submitted my client number:
If you do not wish to be covered through Medicaid, you do not have to accept it. However, at this time, per State and Federal Law, you are not eligible to receive any other medical coverage through the State of Connecticut.
(As I mentioned previously, my Medicaid option basically was "Pay $4K and THEN get benefits" which doesn't help me at all because my prescriptions are so goddamn expensive. I was never given the option to apply directly for PCIP, even though it's the plan I wanted and the plan that would be most beneficial to me.)
Also apparently, the representative was not informed that I can't actually qualify for Medicaid now because I live with someone who makes money. But I can apply again in six months if it suits me.
Six months of having to buy insulin, test strips, needles, etc., and basically not going to the doctor's because it'll cost me an arm and a leg and I can't afford it: $7,200. Going on Medicaid: around half that, paid up front, THEN maybe you'll see the benefits. It's a lot of money either way.
Even on
spotweld's salary, and with money coming in from my freelance work (paycheck tomorrow, woo), we really can't afford that. As I've mentioned before, almost all of my money is going towards the cost of my healthcare. I haven't been to the doctor's in 7 months now, and I haven't been to a proper endocrinologist in almost 2 years. Same for eye doctors and dentists.I guess I can say, I'm glad the whole thing is over. The paperwork and phone calls were stressing me out entirely. Absolutely nothing got solved, but I at least gave it a shot. We're coming up with ways to make what we have work, but really, it's unfair to put anyone in the kind of situation where desperation leads you to make life-changing decisions.
First-world country my ass.
If anyone would like to commission me, I am very much open to it. As mentioned previously, I'm prepping for Anthrocon with badges and the like, but I'm also open to normal commissions...and I'm still running the corsets commission special ($30 for a pin-up).
- Mood:
annoyed
I'm getting started early this year. Worth noting that I have pretty much NOTHING ELSE prepped for Anthrocon, including art for the art show and stuff to sell other than commissions.
BUT I HAVE BADGES.
The wings are sparkly, because I bought some sparkly pens, because doing these badges has finally given me a valid excuse to buy sparkly pens now that I am no longer 14.
(When you're addicted to art supplies, having a valid reason is necessary.)
- Mood:
awake
Fact: The cost of my prescriptions still completely dumbfound people. The receptionist -- who, doing what she does, must have heard this all before -- was blown away at what it costs.
Of course, the person in charge of my account wasn't actually there, or at least, not answering her phone. The receptionist called her, then I called her on my cell, and nothing. I left a message, but I figure I'll call again.
~*~ Added an hour later ~*~
So I called again, finally contacted my person-of-authority, and got the ball rolling on everything (good thing I did, too, because they got the paperwork mixed up). They wanted to get me into the system as soon as they could because of my prescription costs (which everyone I've talked to finds completely insane). I'm approved for Medicaid, yay (even though I DIDN'T WANT MEDICAID)! But because of the plan that I get put on through Medicaid, I'd have to pay a deductible of close to $4,000 before any cost-related benefits kicked in at all. THIS DOESN'T HELP ME. AT ALL.
Talked with the person at DDS more, she said that I would have to call the state again, but she wasn't sure what could be done since the state had already referred me to them. So I called the state again, thankfully not getting the angry guy I talked to last time, and asked what the hell I could do to get this done. They said they can't do a thing until they get the case back from the Department of Social Services, because I'd already been referred there, and so I could call the DDS and get the info faxed over, or wait for the paperwork in the mail.
Let's review:
• April 1 Six months of waiting are over! Send application paperwork to state to get on the pre-existing insurance plan.
• April 9 Call to verify that they've gotten my paperwork, learn that the state has up to 30 days to go through these things. Ask to make sure they know I want to be on the pre-existing condition plan; there's not much they can do.
• April 12 Learn that my paperwork has been redirected to the Department of Social Services because I qualify for Medicaid, EVEN THOUGH I DO NOT WANT MEDICAID. I call the state again, informing them that that's not what I wanted, and am chewed out. The paperwork is on its way, there's nothing they or I can do to stop it. I theorize at this point that this will all come back around, because I don't think the DDS handles the pre-existing conditions stuff.
• April 20 Get letter from the DDS informing me that yes, I qualify for Medicaid, please send them the following information (information that I'd already sent to the state) so they could verify me as a living, breathing, dirt-poor resident of the United States. I call to check if I can drop the paperwork off in person.
• April 24 See above.
I'm going to guess that the state will be able to take their own sweet time (probably another 30 days) once they receive the information BACK from the Department of Social Services. It's worth noting that the DDS actually showed some sympathy towards the ridiculous costs of my prescriptions; the state hasn't given a shit.
Auuuuuuuuuugh.
- Mood:
Despite my love of hybrids, this is actually my first sketch ever of Discord...who premiered at the beginning of Season 2 of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic.
Go figure.
- Mood:
depressed
The thing is, I sent all this stuff already, when I applied originally. Apparently the various state agencies don't really talk to one another. Plus, since applying, I've gotten a new form of income (from being a freelancer), which is going to fuck the whole thing up because they want to put me on Medicaid (which is not what I originally applied for).
To top off all the work I have to repeat, the DSS has until May 18 -- almost another month! -- before they officially have to get back to me on the issue. 7.5 months uninsured, folks, is about 3 grand in prescriptions for me (though, admittedly, last time I was insured the prescription plan sucked, and it would've cost me about the same), and that's only because I still had a stash of insulin & glucose test strips saved. I've reached the end of my stash, meaning my monthly costs are going to double or triple. This is all money I'm paying directly out-of-pocket. And, after doing last year's taxes, guess what: I won't be seeing any of it EVER AGAIN. Despite my medical expenses being almost a third of my income last year (thanks to my shitty insurance plan), I got absolutely nothing back in my taxes for everything I paid.
I think I've reached the end of the line, here. The cost of keeping me alive is effecting my day-to-day mental health. I'm very tempted to just let the insulin run out.
- Mood:
Sooooo I call the Connecticut State Health line (again, for about the fifth time in the past month or so), and a rather angry man named Paul informed me that I am impatient (really, he actually said that), and that I was not approved and did not qualify for the services listed, but that I had been referred to the Department of Social Services, and they had 10-15 days to decide whether I was qualified/approved to be under one of their numerous healthcare plans.
So I've spent the rest of the afternoon in a state of being rather pissed off.
I know this whole healthcare thing is new to everyone, and that hey, in a few years you won't have to wait a stupid amount of time to get approved (actually, considering the route we've taken, I kind of don't think that's true, but I'm mildly optimistic that the House & Senate will take their heads out of their butts ONE DAY), but holy shit. This isn't like I'm waiting on something fun, like a new iPad or lottery numbers. This is my life, here.
Ugggggh.
If I didn't have a big design project due tonight, I would spend the rest of the night moping around and writing angry letters to the lizard people who run the country.
- Mood:
irritated
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