September 22, 2014
2:26 p.m.

Telemarketers are like date-rapists. You tell them no, repeatedly, and they just keep coming at you!
What part of "no" don't they understand?!

"But--"

"No, I'm not interested. Thank you."

"But if you will just--"

"I'm not interested. Thanks for calling."

"But if I could--"

"Not interested. Thank you."

"But I--"

"I said no! Thank you!" Click.

Okay, I know it's my fault. All those "thank yous". What am I thinking?

It's just that I was raised to be polite. I hate it when people are rude to me, so I don't want to be rude to anyone else.

I think I may take it too far sometimes, though.

For example, I always apologize to beggars for not having any change for them. I don't carry cash for a reason--I'm a sucker and I would be broke before I got my errands done. But I have been known to hand out the candy bar I was saving for later--or my lunch!

Come on, you know they ask for money to eat, but they're going to use it to buy booze or drugs. I did them a favor by giving my lunch!

Anyway, I was griping about telemarketers, who are really just paid beggars, right? Only they have your phone number and will accost you at dinnertime. And they don't want your lunch, they want your grocery money for the year.

I don't know why I bother to answer the phone, really. I tell myself it's because I don't want to have to clear off all the messages later.

Maybe I just need to learn how to be rude sometimes.

Probably not.

I guess I will just gripe about them here.
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I have gotten a bit more information about Lupus. Kristin Johnston (of "The Exes"!!--doing silly geek-out dance and squealing "Eeek!") tweeted me with a web site that was very informative. What a courageous and gracious woman. I love her even more now for taking the time to communicate with me.

The website is www.lupusla.org. I found a lot of interesting information and other links here. Very helpful.

I still don't know if this is what is ailing me. A definitive diagnosis is difficult. Even if it's not, the information is good to know. After all, I am a medical coder! Knowledge is power.

I have physical therapy tomorrow and another doctor appointment next week. The journey continues.
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