Claude_Verret

My wife did that last month, she is a NP so she knew there wasn't really much to do about it. Hers became really painful so she asked some of the docs in her office hoping she would get a different answer than what she already knew herself. Nope. Grin and bear it is the answer she received.

Oh I'm aware that its a shell game. I switched to a health fund based plan two years ago, this plan has the lowest premiums by far of those offered and already forces me to be a wise health care consumer. If my family completes all the programs offered I get back incentives equaling almost 50% of my yearly premiums. With the cluster-###### that is health coverage today in this country ill take it.

That's a similar approach my company has taken to help curb help care costs, except it's not punitive like your employer is doing. All employees are offered the wellness programs and are paid incentives for completing them.

I used to get put in charge of summer lab interns when I was at UB. My biggest complaint was that my co-workers and I had to tone down our normal adult theme lab banter when they were around.

Just posted one of Isbell's songs in the can't get out of your head thread. That show is the day before the Low concert I'm coming to town for...I might need to change my flight.

It's bad I agree. But its really only July and August that are absolutely brutal, at least here in NC. The endless winters in WNY are tough to beat on the brutality scale. It's close.

I'm going to the Lowest Of The Low show in Buffalo on 8/2. This is the second year in a row that my wife has sent me up to a concert in Buffalo for my birthday, I think she is trying to tell me something.

I haven't been able to get this whole darn album out of my player for the last month, but to me this song rises above all the other standouts. Despite our usually minor complaint Thursday rants for most of us our lives are indeed "Relatively Easy" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIQ1NHa0g6A

If you get the Golf channel they are running a piece on my BIL this week on the show Inside The PGA Tour. They did a nice job telling his story about toiling on the minor tours, growing up in Ottawa and his connection to the Sens. Here is a portion of it where he does a little skate and shoot with Alfredsson http://www.pgatour.c...ch-hits-the-ice

These days its mainly chasing my eight and five year old kids. I sometimes get on the elliptical, but not as much as I should. I even had to stop softball since my knee held together with screws couldn't handle that anymore. Hoping to stave off the knee replacement until after 50.

Win and pay top dollar. Not much else matters.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5P_rRHZPai8&feature=player_embedded

Saw a t shirt today.. I'm not fat I'm an American

Kan jam festivities have begun in NC as well.

Happy Independence Day. I just tapped a hefeweizen that I brewed a couple weeks ago for the neighborhood ladies. 12 pack of New Belgium Shift for me.

Baptism by fire for all the youngsters. DR said suffering so let's bring on the pain.

I saw a few places with wings and the pizza place at the Reading Terminal Market but knew they were likely to be underwhelming. As promised a report on the places I visited: McGillans, Philly's oldest tavern (circa 1860's). Their 1860 IPA, brewed by Stoudt's, was quite good and supposedly a historical recipe representative of IPA's of the 19th century. Nodding Head brewpub: I really enjoyed their brown ale, but the IPA they brewed for the NHC conference was sub par. Weird hop combo used (Mix of German, New Zealand and American hops that resulted in a funky aroma). Most of the homebrewers I spoke with at the conference agreed that their beers were very hit and miss. Loved the dig at Crosby with the "Tears" beer series. Triumph brewpub. I had lunch with the family there while doing some historical sightseeing. I had their German alt with lamb sliders. Both were excellent. I and my fellow conference goers cannot remember the bar where we had the Flower Power IPA. It was wednesday night after the Brewing Network anniversary party and a local recommended we go there since Monk's was likely to be mobbed. We were all fairly well liquored up to the point that my friends both didn't remember the next day eating jumbalaya there. Ended up at Delilah's after this and drank a $12 Sierra Nevada PA while there...... I don't know why I ever get talked into going to these places in other cities. The talent was good, but Canadian ballet rules do not apply, so therefore a fail. My friends were skeptical of my old tales from the ballet, so I had to get the guys from the Niagara Association of Homebrewers to explain to them the stark differences between Canadian ballet and a standard US men's club. So on Saturday night I did a mini pub crawl with my wife... First stop was Monk's hoping they would still have some Pliny left..... and they did! The place was mobbed as expected so we only stayed for one. I wish I had stayed since I heard the Pliny was kicked soon after I left and they tapped a keg of Blind Pig. We then walked a block to Jose Pistola's (wife's choice) and I was shocked at their awesome tap list. Had Deschutes white IPA and a locally brewed kolsch (Lancaster maybe?) that was quite good. My wife got to enjoy some foofy margaritas. Also had ceviche and some damn good salsa. Would definitely go back here. The bartender at Pistola's recommended we hit Varga bar on our way to the Grimm Philly walking tour. This was a great corner bar in a residential part of old city. I ended up speaking with a local craft beer salesman the whole time who offered some great info on the local craft beer scene. My wife had the Ithaca Apricot wheat and I had Yard Pale ale. Quite good. After our walking tour we hit Eulogy for beer steamed mussels. My wife had a Hoegaarden and I ended the night with Rodenbach Grand Cru, a Flanders Red. It seems that sour beers are now the craze in the homebrew and craft beer world these days. Nearly every table at the club night had one to offer. You are correct, Philly is a great beer and food town. I'd love to go back next year for Philly beer week, but unfortunately that is the week before NHC 2014 in Grand Rapids. Maybe I'll try to make it for a Sabres game this season instead and drown the suffering in all the great beer Philly has to offer.

If you're trading Myers +#8 to get into the top five there is a player coming back as well.

Going to try my best to monitor things while driving I95. Hopefully the kids fall asleep at 3pm.

Pliny the Elder at monks cafe. I have to admit Philly is awesome.

Cheese steak from Dinic's at Reading Market. Its an amazing meal to end the four days of punishment that I've put my colon through this week.

Had a great time at NHC club night talking to WNY home brewers about beer, Buffalo sports and WNY awesomeness. Missing home tonight.

Home brewing conference day 3. Its fantastic, but my liver probably disagrees.

It's quite good, I'm finishing a pint now.

A Sabres fan would have to try the Phunky Tears...