Asked and answered

It’s time again to check my inbox and answer some questions from readers…

Asked: What do you do for a living?   -Just curious

Answered: I work for a hospital system, my title is compliance analyst, and I am certified in healthcare compliance. Basically, I deal with all matters of compliance and patient privacy issues in two (soon-to-be three) hospitals. Some of my duties include complaint investigations, medical record audits, diverted drug audits, education, research, and writing policies and many other materials.

Asked: I started watching Bones because of what you wrote about it, but Battlestar Galactica and Arrested Development aren't on anymore.   –SJ

Answered: Arrested Development was canceled before I got into it, so I rented the three seasons. It was well worth it. As for Battlestar Galactica, the last half of the final season will air after the first of the year, so you still have time to rent seasons one through four (I’m sure the first half of season five will re-air before the final episodes start up.) Oh, and don’t forget to start with the miniseries!

Asked: That thing in your millionaires/billionaires column about making “judicious use of debt” is crazy!   -Debbie

Answered: I know! I have absolutely no use for debt, judicious or otherwise.

Asked: What are concierge services?   -Bobcat

Answered: Sorry Bobcat, I should have explained that in that millionaires/billionaires column. Concierge services are provided to people who want things done but are too busy to do them. Concierge service providers are personal assistants/lifestyle managers/gophers who work for a fee to make dinner reservations or locate hard-to-find items or arrange any number of activities.

Asked: I'm going to an OU game with friends.  Where else should I go?   -JB

Answered: Well, I’m all about good food in new places, so… In Norman, try The Mont (but not on game day) or Victoria’s. And The Diner is my choice for breakfast on Saturdays. If you head to OKC (about 15 miles from Norman, I recommend Cattlemen’s. Best. Steak. Ever. And their house salad dressing is beyond words. Eischen’s, in Okarche (63 miles from Norman), is an hour drive, but they have the best fried chicken your momma didn’t make. Seriously. All they serve is chicken (by the bird), fried okra, nachos (with or without chili) and a roast beef sandwich. Back in the City, there are lots of places to eat in Bricktown, which is a fun destination, and Lake Hefner, in northwest OKC, is the site of some great restaurants. And if you’re in the mood for a movie, the Warren Theater, in Moore (seven miles from Norman), has sit-down dining in two of the movie theaters. Email me if you want directions to any of these places, information on museums or anything else!

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Three or four people have asked if I’m going to write about the bailout bill this week. I’m not. With the lag time between the day I write my column and the day it’s published, who knows what will have happened? Maybe when it shakes out a bit more.

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Someone recently sent me an email with the subject reading, “Feng Shui.” It was one of those forward-this-to-at-least-five-people-within-six-minutes-or-bad-things-will-happen messages, which I usually delete without reading, but since the sender was someone special, I read it. The message contained a listing of advice.

• Give people more than they expect and do it cheerfully.
  
• Marry a man/woman you love to talk to. (I would add, and who makes you laugh.)
  
• Don't believe all you hear, spend all you have, or sleep all you want.
  
• Mean it when you say, “I love you.” (I would add, and say it often.)
  
• Look the person in the eye when you say, “I'm sorry.”
  
• Be engaged at least six months before you get married.
  
• Believe in love at first sight.
  
• Never laugh at anyone's dreams. People who don't have dreams don't have much.
  
• Love deeply and passionately. You might get hurt but it's the only way to live life completely.
  
• Fight fairly in disagreements. No name-calling.
  
• Don't judge people by their relatives. (Amen!)
  
• Talk slowly but think quickly.
  
• When someone asks you a question that you don't want to answer, smile and ask, “Why do you want to know?” (Much nicer approach than, “Nunya!”)
  
• Remember that great love and great achievement involve great risk.
  
• Say “bless you” when someone sneezes.
  
• When you lose, don't lose the lesson. (Nice!)
  
• Remember these three R's: Respect for self; Respect for others; and Responsibility for all your actions. (Again, nice!)
  
• Don't let a little dispute injure a great friendship.
  
• When you realize you've made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.
  
• Smile when answering the phone. The caller will hear it in your voice.
  
• Spend some time alone.
  

For what it’s worth, if 15 or more people read this, then my life will improve drastically and everything I’ve ever dreamed of will begin to take shape.