Saturday, May 30, 2009

Website Design

After several unsuccessful attempts to design jenbluekissed.com using a few different software products, free trial downloads, and basically ripping some of my hair from my head, I was about ready to throw in the towel a few weeks ago. Do I really need a website?

My frustration wasn't with html code or anything as advanced as that. No, I don't understand html code and probably never will. I couldn't get my pages to link up to each other using graphic based software.

Thank the stars I found www.wix.com. I'm almost finished with my website design. After a few hours I had accomplished more using Wix than I had in several months using Web Easy. My website should be up soon, I'm already thinking of ways I can make it even better. Now that I know I won't need a daily dose of banging my head against the wall to line up my pictures or insert text, I'm a whole lot happier. :)

Monday, May 18, 2009

The Squirrels Are Smart Critters

The squirrels have managed to knock down the bird feeder again. After they chewed through the rope holding the bird feeder in place, my husband replaced the rope with some metal twine. We thought we were all set, but the squirrels pulled the twine out of the clamp.

Keep in mind that I couldn't undo the clamp without asking my hubby to grab the pliers. The squirrels, on the other hand, managed to do so within one day.

The poor birds! They get to gorge on seed for a few days while it is spilled all over the deck, but then it takes a few days to get the feeder fixed and back into service.

Friday, May 8, 2009

Statue of Liberty

On the Today Show this morning, they released information that the crown of the statue will be reopened to the public starting in July in 2009. They're going to do a lottery type system to determine who can go up there because for space limitations not everyone who enters the statue proper can go to the crown.

I visited New York back in 1998 and was in the Statue of Liberty and also inside the crown. At the time I was quite impressed, but surprised at how long it took to get all the way up there and how narrow the stairway is. I don't think I've been on a scarier staircase since.

Something else the Today show mentioned and showed pictures of was that the torch was replaced in the 1980s when the country celebrated the Statue of Liberty's 100th birthday. I had no idea that it wasn't the original torch. I also didn't know that when France shipped the statue to the US, that they had manufactured the entire thing whole and shipped it. I assumed before seeing the segment on the Today Show that it had to be at least partway assembled or partway manufactured in the US.

Sunday, May 3, 2009

COBRA Subsidy

There are a few rules to the COBRA subsidy for the 65% payment of which I was formerly unaware. All these things pass into law and look great on paper, but when the rules finally come trickling down, there's always a catch. A few random things are included here.

There are income limitations that can make people ineligible for the subsidy. These limitations are based on adjusted gross income and vary depending on if a person is filing as single or married. If a person mistakenly doesn't read the paperwork closely enough and signs that they're eligible when they're not, the IRS will recoup the subsidy at tax time.

The money isn't coming directly from the government. Initially, the employer has to pay the subsidy amount and then the IRS reimburses the employer. Eligibility for the subsidy was 3-1-09, but in the case of my husband and I, we still haven't been reimbursed for our subsidy amount (we paid the full COBRA cost and now have insurance through my employer). This administrative hitch is the reason why.

You have to be involuntarily terminated by the employer to qualify for the subsidy. If you left voluntarily, tough cookies. (You'll still probably qualify for COBRA, just at the regular rate).

You can't be eligible to be covered under any other employer based coverage to be eligible for the subsidy. So, if you're spouse is still employed, but his/her insurance is crappy and covers nothing unless you pay a gigantic deductible, touch cookies. You don't qualify for the subsidy (technically--I have no way of knowing how the COBRA administrator or government would ever check up on this, but it is part of the official rules).