Simple Things

Two weeks ago, we spent the weekend in San Francisco.  We were celebrating a double-30th-birthday, and spent some QT with our friends.  Last weekend, we spent yet another weekend in the city.  This time we had a belated anniversary dinner at Fleur de Lys.  Both were jam-packed weekends, with amazing food, local sights, and good times.

Equally as fulfilling was this past weekend.. spent in our own 'hood.  We ran errands, hung out with my mom, went shopping, cleaned up our place, put up our wedding photo mosaic, and started getting ready for the impending holidays.  Oh!  And celebrated USC's win against the Oregon Ducks.  Ah, that was so nice.  And that was just Saturday.  Sunday started off with a mid-morning mass, where we ran into some family friends.  [Me: Doesn't that guy look like Uncle George? Him: Um, I think it is him..] It was a cold and wet day, but we still found time to be productive.  49ers won (again!), increasing their record to 9-1.  I watched some DVR'd college football recaps, after a home-cooked meal made by my hubby.

Sometimes it's great to just enjoy the simple things in life.  The closing words at Sunday mass were: "Go forward with an attitude of gratitude."  Done and done.

I'm a 10

Anyone who's in the healthcare industry is wholly aware of the upcoming changes from ICD-9 diagnosis codes to ICD-10 codes.  Today, a system is used that employs the use of roughly 18,000 codes. The new federally mandated version will expand the number to around 140,000 -- adding codes that describe precisely what bone was broken, or which artery is receiving a stent.

It will also have a code for recording that a patient's injury occurred in a chicken coop.

While the new coding system is proving to be a challenge for healthcare professionals, some companies are choosing to make lemonade with these coding shifts. Find a Code LLC, a medical-coding website operator, has created a series of YouTube videos with the tagline, "Yeah, there's a code for that." I feel that I'll be sharing these videos from time to time, so I won't barrage this post with all of them. As a taste of what's to come, here's a "Guess that Code" video.



Conifer Health Solutions has gone a different route with a series of quirky stickers, boasting "I'm a 10". I'm particularly fond of 'This Chick is ICD-10 Ready.'  Let me clarify that I'm fond of the tagline, not the associated ICD-10 code.

CMS official, Denise M. Buenning, compares ICD-10 to a phone book.  "All the numbers are in there," she says.  "Are you going to call all of the numbers? No. But the numbers you need are in there."  Oh, I'm sure this is the most interesting phone book people have seen it years.  In fact, it may just be the gift that keeps on giving.

Can you imagine the types of conversations you could have.  "What happened to you last night?"  "Dude, classic case of F10.99"  "Niiiice." 

FN: Best Thing I Ever Ate -- Messy

This week's episode of The Best Thing I Ever Ate featured favorited messy foods.  I was anticipating this episode in particular because I knew that Ike's Place was going to be featured.  But, what an unexpected treat to see Andrew Zimmern raving about Crispy Pata.  Yeah, that's right.  He loves him some Filipino pork goodness.

And then of course, there's Ike's Place, with rave reviews from Duff Goldman.  Y'all know how I love me some sammiches from Ike's, and it's great that he's getting even more exposure.  Not that he needs it but it still tickles me every time.  

Why I Walk

This year's Heart Walk in San Ramon was a blast.  There was a great turn out from the community and it was great to see everyone stepping out for a great cause.  Our team, The Pulsaders, did an awesome job this year, raising awareness and funds for the American Heart Association.

For many of the team members, we walked this year for our Tito Emy, who passed away this past June. We walked in his honor and in memory of his life.  His absence is the harshest reminder that we all need to take better care of ourselves and the people we love.  Another team member is a heart disease survivor, and inspires us to live healthy every day.

Another walk I participate in is AIDS Walk SF.  Recently, someone indirectly asked why I walk for AIDS Walk.  It's a fair question... that comes with a simple answer.  I walk because I can.  I walk for the millions of people who can't.  More so, I walk because it's one small way that I can give back.

New Music Friday

Showing support for Salet, a Bay Area musician whose latest music endeavor is V is for Villain.  According to their Facebook page:

P.L.O and Salet join forces to form a mixed genre group that goes by the name of V is for Villain. Their "mixed tape" titled "goodbye good guys" will be released one track at a time, starting in September 2011. Every "Terrible" Tuesday, V is for Villain will allow listeners to download their newest release from "good bye goodguys" for FREE.

Check out their latest release, "Take Away My Pain". Pretty damn catchy hook..! ;)

Never Forget

I woke up this morning, picked up my phone and checked my Twitter feed, as I'm apt to do most mornings.  90% of the tweets were regarding 9/11.  Always Remember, Never Forget.  It was humbling to realize that it's been 10 years since that dreadful day.  As it's been said, 9/11 is the JFK Assassination of our generation.  You'll always remember where you were when you heard the news that the Twin Towers were struck.

The morning it happened, I was still in college, living in an apartment with 3 other girls.  I woke up to hear two of my roommates talking about how the second tower was just hit.  "What?" I thought.  Groggily, I got out of bed, wiped my eyes.  I vaguely remember them saying that the Twin Towers were hit.  I couldn't really make sense of it, like it was all a dream.  I walked out into the living room where they were watching the footage live.  The towers hadn't fallen yet at that point, but just seeing that initial image of the towers was jolting.

We all had classes that morning and were all getting ready.  I thought to myself, how is the school going to handle this?  It seemed almost silly to be going to class that day when something so huge was happening.  Nonetheless, we did.  I had an 8am class that morning.  By that time, the towers had fallen and we were all in disbelief.  We discussed it in class briefly, but our professor was keen on staying focused on that day's class.  In hindsight, it was probably best.  At that point, we really knew nothing, other than it was an act of terrorism.  Whom the terrorists were at that point, why it was done, was all still speculation at that point.  An hour later, class let out.  I called up my uncle as I walked back to the apartment.  We talked in short about what happened that morning, what was currently going on, and trying to make sense of why.  There were no conclusions at the end of the conversation, but it was good to talk to someone back home and have that connection.

Beyond that, I can't go into more detail.  Everything seems like a blur after that.  Watching the news footage, hearing the heartbreaking news of fallen firefighters and regular people just going about their day.  It was all too much.. it still is, in fact.

"9/11" evokes so many emotions and memories for everyone.  Terrorists.  Firefighters.  Loss.  Politics.  Heartbreak.  Heroes.  Remember.  

Of all the tributes occurring here and around the world, the most touching for me came from the French.  A friend of mine currently vacationing in Paris tweeted about the Eiffel Tower between two towers, one of which said: "The French Will Never Forget".  I found an artist's rendering and I can only imagine that the final constructed piece was a sight to see.  82-foot replicas of the Twin Towers were installed on the large square overlooking the Eiffel Tower, alongside enormous French and American flags meant to represent the solid friendship between the two countries.

I reflect today and am really humbled and grateful for my family and friends, for the life I have with my husband.  As someone earlier tweeted:  Today is NOT a day for politics or conspiracy theories. It's a day to honor those who passed and love the ones who are still here. #remember

Stay safe, everyone.  xoxo

Exciting News

WorkAwesome.com is a website for people who love what they do, and want to become awesome at it.  It provides resources for work-life balance, work productivity, management, etc.  

On the site you can find useful articles about starting things, completing things, and trying new things -- and being "awesomely productive" when doing so. 

Readers have the opportunity to contribute by submitting articles for consideration.  I am excited to share with you that my piece was accepted and featured on the website on 9/5.  I wrote an article titled "How to Manage Career Transition Stress", something of which I had an insider's view. 

You can link to the article directly here. Or, copy/paste the following URL into your address bar:  http://workawesome.com/career/career-transition/

Comments / feedback is great appreciated.  Please share the article with those whom you feel might benefit.  

Thanks to everyone for your support!  

xx