Random Musings From A Storied Life

Monday, October 13, 2008

  • Posted by CareyGLY

    Liars, Crooks & Thieves



         
    Insurance companies are the bane of my existence lately.  I forgot to tell you guys that my car was in the shop again a few weeks ago.  Honda of Hollywood took care of it and picked up the rental bill, but this continues to be a nightmare.  The girl who hit me had Safeco as her insurance company and they've gone up to $1500 to settle my injuries, but I've got a couple of years to decide what to do and I still need to find a decent lawyer.  I'm also fighting with Aetna, my health insurance company, over confusing verbiage on their archaic website that I use to order my asthma inhalers.  The inhalers were late.  Not good timing, especially since I developed a lung infection last week, exacerbated  by the temperature shifts we had here last weekend.  The fires that are burning 20 miles north of here aren't helping my lungs either.  Hopefully the fires won't get as bad as last year.   And finally, as I was writing this post I got an email from my property management company regarding another home I own and rent out.  The tenants weren't paying their rent and were evicted, but it looks like they took some souvenirs with them.  Namely, the refrigerator, stove, washer, dryer and living room carpet!!!!  Now I have another insurance company to call tomorrow!  As the global economy continues to worsen, I only hope that three weeks from tomorrow will signal a shift in a government that is no longer of the people, by the people and for the people, and President Obama will usher in a new era where corporate greed is punished and America can start to rebuild its tattered reputation.  At any rate, things could be a lot worse.  I'm pretty good at getting what I want, and this too shall pass!

    Claim # 484504363007
    3 messages
    From: TWITCHELL, STEPHANIE L Mon, Oct 13, 2008 at 11:11 AM
    To: Carey Anthony

    Carey,

    I would like to follow up with you in regards to my offer of $1,300 .  Please contact me as soon as possible to discuss settlement.

    For your protection, the State of California has a two-year Statute of Limitations for bodily injury claims.  This means you must either settle your claim or file a lawsuit within two years of the date of your accident in order to protect your right to recover damages.

    Thank you

    Stephanie Twitchell
    Claims

    From: Carey Anthony Mon, Oct 13, 2008 at 12:39 PM
    To: "TWITCHELL, STEPHANIE L"
    Stephanie,

    That offer is not even close to what I'm entitled for this nightmare.  I don't think I will ever be the same.  Oh, and my car was just BACK in the shop AGAIN (for the 3rd time, after the four months it took to repair!!!).  You and I both know the car should have been totaled.  Corporate greed prevented that, and now look how much you're company is spending.

    I'm expecting an offer of $10,000 and I'm told I should consult with an attorney.  I have every second of this nightmare documented and the pain and suffering it has caused me is immeasurable.

    From: TWITCHELL, STEPHANIE L
    		 Mon, Oct 13, 2008 at 12:49 PM
    To: Carey Anthony
    Thank you for your response. 
    At this time I would like to make a final offer in the amount of $1,500.  I understand that this has been a hard experience for you, but please be advised that we are making this offer based on no treatment that could be documented.  Without efficient documentation (records/bills) i am not able to extend any further offers.
     
    I have seen the documentation for your injury and again I am sorry for any pain this loss has caused you.
    As for your vehicle, that is a separate portion of your claim.  This settlement is for your injury only.
     
    Please get back to me after reviewing my final offer.
    If you do obtain an attorney, please have them contact me directly as we will no longer be able to correspond with you and will only speak with the attorney.  Please also be advised that with attorney representation, my offer will remain the same.
     
    Thank you,
     
    Stephanie Twitchell
    Claims
    -----Original Message-----
    From:        Aetna Member Services
    Sent:        Thu, 9 Oct 2008 08:57:41 -0400 (EDT)
    To:       Carey Anthony
    Subject:    Re:  Re: Aetna RxHD Contact Us

    Dear Carey:

    Thank you for using the Aetna Rx Home Delivery Website.

    In regards to the question that you posted, "Reserved Inventory" is an
    internal term that is used to let us know that we have enough inventory
    to supply your order. For example, if your order calls for 90 pills to
    be dispensed and we have 3000 pills on hand, it will say "Reserved
    Inventory" to let us know that 90 of the 3000 pills that we have on hand
    are reserved especially for you. This is just a way to keep count of the
    supply that we have on hand.

    If you have questions, you can reach Aetna Rx Home Delivery by logging
    on to www.aetnanavigator.com or www.aetna.com/aetnarxhomedelivery.  The
    "Contact Us" form provides greater security of your personal data than
    if you reply by e-mail. 

    Sincerely,
    Marline St
    Aetna Rx Home Delivery Internet Response Team
    14194944

    From: Carey Anthony


    To: Aetna Member Services
    That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard.  Why the heck do I care how many pills you have on hand??  I ordered asthma inhalers.  This is absurd and it's downright confusing to customers.  Please remove this inane information from your website immediately.  I don't need corporate America causing me more problems than they already have.
    Carey Anthony
    Burglary
    1 messages
    From: Karyn  Mon, Oct 13, 2008 at 5:34 PM
    To: Carey Anthony

    Hi Carey,

    I had the contract painters go by on Friday to get me pictures and a bid for painting.  I received the pictures today and they told me the refrigerator, stove, washer and dryer and living room carpet had been stolen.

    I tried to phone today to make a police report but the police officer said you needed to phone them tomorrow as the owner of record. The contact information is:  Sergeant Spencer her number is XXX-297-1160.  She will be in the office from 9am to 4:30pm our time.

    I explained that the previous tenants could be possible suspects since we had to evict them.  It looks like they bent the garage door to gain entry. You will need to call Srgt Spencer and then your insurance company.

    We evicted the tenant on September 11, 2008.  It was brought to our attention this past Friday 10/10/08.  Do not delay in phoning your insurance.  You will need to give the insurance adjuster authorization to speak with me to coordinate a time to view the premises and any photos I have.

    Sorry for the bad news.

    Karyn

Thursday, October 09, 2008

  • Posted by CareyGLY

    "To the Lighthouse My Friend..."




    "Standing on the most southwesterly point of the Palos Verdes Peninsula, Point Vicente Lighthouse has long been one of this area's jewels. To the landsman, the lighthouse is scenic delight and continual attraction to sightseers, tourists, photographers and painters. To the mariner, the lighthouse is an aid to navigation which marks the northern end of the Catalina Channel on the Pacific coast. It helps him plot his position and warns him to avoid the rocky shoals which surround the nearby shore and, in a heavy fog, its horn will warn him if he gets too close to the dangerous shore"



    Yesterday, after work, Amos picked me up his fancy Porche and we drove 32 miles to Palos Verdes to watch the sun set at one of Los Angeles' hidden treasures.  I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.  All but the last one were taken by my little Canon SD850 Point & Shoot.  Amos took the last one with his Canon EOS 40D.  You can see his amazing photos on his Flickr.


    This is my new wallpaper...if anyone wants the full size version (sans watermark), message me your email.


    Me, using Amos' camera.




    Yikes!




    I laugh in the face of danger!


    We'll have to go back when there are a few more clouds, but this was beautiful!


    That's Catalina Island in the background.


    "And thus ends another day..."




    A shining beacon, for all to see...and a lighthouse


    Too bad the moon wasn't full!


    The sky reflected in the Carrera


    That's Jupiter above the hood!


    Don't I make this car look sexy?  LOL


    Amos took this one!


    Best of the rest...

Tuesday, October 07, 2008

Sunday, October 05, 2008

  • Posted by CareyGLY

    Weekend PhotoVlog





    Best of the rest...

    Claudio's brother Cris and his wife Valesca are visiting with their two kids Victor & Isabella, so we drove up to Santa Barbara to meet up with Eva (who just returned from Bine's wedding) and Bassam.  It was a rare rainy day in Southern California, and at first the kids were a little hesitant on the beach.  But soon, the clouds dissipated and it ended up being a gorgeous day!

    Soundtrack courtesy of Vienna Teng.
    Song:  Lullaby for a Stormy Night from the album Waking Hour.  Check it out on iTunes!

    Little child, be not afraid
    The rain pounds harsh against the glass
    Like an unwanted stranger
    There is no danger
    I am here tonight

    Little child
    Be not afraid
    Though thunder explodes
    And lightning flash
    Illuminates your tearstained face
    I am here tonight

    And someday you'll know
    That nature is so
    This same rain that draws you near me
    Falls on rivers and land
    And forests and sand
    Makes the beautiful world that you see
    In the morning

    Little child
    Be not afraid
    The storm clouds mask your beloved moon
    And its candlelight beams
    Still keep pleasant dreams
    I am here tonight

    Little child
    Be not afraid
    The wind makes creatures of our trees
    And the branches to hands
    They're not real, understand
    And I am here tonight

    And someday you'll know
    That nature is so
    This same rain that draws you near me
    Falls on rivers and land
    And forest and sand
    Makes the beautiful world that you see
    In the morning

    For you know, once even I
    Was a little child
    And I was afraid
    But a gentle someone always came
    To dry all my tears
    Trade sweet sleep for fears
    And to give a kiss goodnight

    Well, now I am grown
    And these days have shown
    Rain's a part of how life goes
    But it's dark and it's late
    So I'll hold you and wait
    'til your frightened eyes do close

    And I hope that you'll know
    That nature is so
    This same rain that draws you near me
    Falls on rivers and land
    And forests and sand
    Makes the beautiful world that you see
    In the morning

    Everything's fine in the morning
    The rain will be gone in the morning
    But I'll still be here in the morning


    Couldn't resist this

    Currently Reading
    Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies
    By Jared Diamond
    see related

Friday, October 03, 2008

  • Posted by CareyGLY

    Scary Times & Simpler Times

     

    I took this photo of the Irvine Spectrum out the car window going 65 mph. on the way to dinner.

    "There is indeed something mesmerizing about Palin, with her manic beaming and fulsome confidence in her own charm. The force of her personality managed to slightly obscure the insulting emptiness of her answers last night. It's worth reading the transcript of the encounter, where it becomes clearer how bizarre much of what she said was. Here, for example, is how she responded to Biden's comments about how the middle class has been short-changed during the Bush administration, and how McCain will continue Bush's policies:

    Say it ain't so, Joe, there you go again pointing backwards again. You preferenced [sic] your whole comment with the Bush administration. Now doggone it, let's look ahead and tell Americans what we have to plan to do for them in the future. You mentioned education, and I'm glad you did. I know education you are passionate about with your wife being a teacher for 30 years, and god bless her. Her reward is in heaven, right? ... My brother, who I think is the best schoolteacher in the year, and here's a shout-out to all those third graders at Gladys Wood Elementary School, you get extra credit for watching the debate."  Read more...

     I listened to the debate on the radio on the way to my aunt and uncle's house for dinner last night.  As they're both in their 80's, I enjoy visiting with them and hearing about the old days.  Their memories of life back then are remarkably crisp.  (I can't even remember what I had for dinner two nights ago.)  As the sun set behind the Orange Curtain, I listened to Caribou Barbie (The Spruce Moose) hem and haw her way though the debate like a (more) retarded Barney Fife in drag, and wondered what she was wearing and how she looked.  No, she wasn't dressed as Wonder Woman (as my straight male Republican friends like to imagine).  As it turns out, she departed from her maverick political style (brightly colored pumps, pricey Valentino jackets, and the alleged use of a tanning bed and tattooed lipliner) and wore an understated, somber black suit. But the governor still managed to weave in some personal pizzazz with a folksy half french braid (the other half was a mish mash of bangs and God knows what else).  And folksy, as it turned out, was also her debate strategy.


    I can only hope that straight men in America tire of her shrill, whiny cackle before election day, because she proved once again how scary it would be if she were even close to the White House.  Even my aunt remarked how absurd she sounded, and my aunt is no Obama fan.  My uncle said that because of Palin, he was leaning towards Obama.  These are people who voted for Franklin Roosevelt.  They've seen this country through good times and bad.  I never thought though, in a million years, that my uncle would ever even consider voting for Obama.  Maybe there is a God??  Maybe he will win this election? (Obama, not God...on second thought, are they different?  LOL.)  At any rate, it's more fodder for the brilliant Tina Fey!

    If you're like me, you've been getting scads of email all week about politics.  I'm glad so many people are engaged in this political drama.  And for every crazy Palin email I get, I also get some ridiculous Obama Muslim emails as well. 



    Bassam even wrote a whole expose on Sarah Palin's glasses!  LOL

    Palin's Glasses
    1 message
    From: Bassam Thu, Oct 2, 2008 at 10:53 PM
    To: Carey Anthony
    So I discovered something interesting about Palin. Looking at some of her pictures on the web, it appears that he eyeglasses have pretty much no prescription. I think she just started wearing glasses so that she looks more professional. This is easy to see if you look at the pictures. If you look at a picture in which the edge of the face appears, examine the line of that edge inside the lens are and just outside it, there should be "break" in that line. See for example the picture of Paul McCartney in glasses.  Now any amount of prescription, no matter how slight, will cause a little break in the face edge lines.  None of the Sarah Palin pics I was able to find on the web have any breaks in the lines.  So the lenses on her glasses have no correction power. This is how eyeglasses model's pictures (the ones you see at the optometrists) are usually taken, because it looks better on the models. They are totally cosmetic and not medical.  My guess is that she started wearing glasses at some point her political life so she can look more professional, but the glasses she is wearing are purely cosmetic.  Don't you think this is blog worthy? :)


    Some other email offerings from the week:

    David Letterman: Top Ten "Things Overheard At Palin Debate Camp"

    10. "Let's practice your bewildered silence."

    9. "Can you try saying 'yes' instead of 'you betcha'?"

    8. "Hey, I can see Mexico from here!"

    7. "Maybe we'll get lucky and there won't be any questions about Iraq, taxes or healthcare."

    6. "We're screwed!"

    5. "Can I just use that lipstick-pit bull thing again?"

    4. "We have to wrap it up for the day -- McCain eats dinner at 4:30."

    3. "Can we get Congress to bail us out of this debate?"

    2. "John Edwards wants to know if you'd like some private tutoring in his van."

    1. "Any way we can just get Tina Fey to do it?"


    So....after a delicious spaghetti dinner, my aunt dragged out the photo albums from "simpler times".  I took photos of the photos, and they came out pretty good!


    Aunty LuLu back in the day


    Aunty LuLu and Aunty Gee Gee


    L to R:  Aunty LuLu being held by my Grandma (Nonna/Nona) and Aunty Gee Gee, Nona, LuLu and Geeg, my Grandpa's (Nonno/Nono) mother.


    Nona and Nono, Nono, Nono holding Aunty LuLu, Nono with the wooden toys he made.


    My Great Grandpa and Great Grandma on Nona's side.


    Nono in WWI



Wednesday, October 01, 2008

  • Posted by CareyGLY

    Dreaming Through The Noise


    Tonight we went to the Vienna Teng concert at the Hotel Cafe in Hollywood.  The show was great.  What a voice....and her piano playing is simply awe inspiring.  She was accompanied by Alex Wong, an extremely talented musician in his own right, who played some amazing insturments.  If you haven't heard of Vienna Teng, you can check out her music here or two of my favorites below.  If you like her, please support her.  (Direct link for iTunes users)
     



    She shares her name with the Austrian home of Mozart and Beethoven. And she herself studied classical piano from the age of five. But there's nothing old-world about the music of Vienna Teng, whose Zoë/RounderRecords debut brings to mind artists as diverse as Tori Amos, Simon & Garfunkel and Radiohead. "People used to ask what kind of music I played and I never knew how to answer that," says Teng. "I work a lot with classically trained musicians, but most of my influences are from1970s-era folk music. So now I call it chamber folk." She adds: "I'm always looking for the perfect pop song combined with an unexpected amount of depth; that's my idea of great music."


    Alex Wong (percussion, guitar, vocals), co-founder of The Animators, recently released the debut EP for The Paper Raincoat, his project with Amber Rubarth. He also plays in Deadbeat Darling.

    My friend David, in Hamburg, Germany, is also a fan of Vienna.  In fact, he actually saw her in Vienna last year!  When I told her that, she was nice enough to sign this CD for David:


    "For David - Carey & I say hello from L.A."

    David and his entire family will be coming back to the Hotel Careyfornia next spring...so he'll get his signed CD then!

    By the way, did you notice my new watermark?  Thanks to Jin, I now have my very own design.  Isn't it awesome?  He's such a sweetheart for doing that.  What a nice surprise.  Thank you my friend!



    Currently Listening
    Waking Hour
    By Vienna Teng
    Soon Love Soon
    see related

Monday, September 29, 2008

  • Posted by CareyGLY

    A New Fornia Family Member

      


    Mike came home from his business trip on Sunday and we went to breakfast and celebrated his birthday.  I had a special gift for him as well.  His loft, has officially become the newest member of the "Fornia" family of luxury boutique hotels worldwide.  This honor, adds "The Hotel Mikeyfornia" to the pantheon of legendary resorts like The Hotel Careyfornia, in West Hollywood, CA. 


    Founder and General Manager of Fornia Hotels Ltd., Carey Anthony, surprising Mike on his birthday, with the news that his home is now a 5 Star Diamond "Fornia" property!



    Here's a short video tour of our San Diego flagship hotel, The Hotel Mikeyfornia



    After breakfast we drove over to Coronado Island and the Hotel Del Coronado (a modest property by Fornia Ltd. standards).  While there, I found my next hotel investment:



    We walked along the beach and took some video of the grounds, as well as our trip back over the bridge:



    It was a picture perfect California day:

    I had Vivek take this out the window while driving over the bridge at 60 mph.



















    On the way home we stopped in Mission Viejo for Darlene's birthday celebration with my family.  Happy Birthday Dar!  Thanks to Mike for the accommodations.  Happy Birthday to you too!  xoxo

Saturday, September 27, 2008

  • Posted by CareyGLY

    Tijuana Jail






    We went one day about a month ago,
    To have a little fun in Mexico,
    We ended up in a gambling spot,
    Where the liquor flowed,
    And the dice were hot.

    So here we are, in the Tijuana jail,
    Ain’t got no friends to go our bail,
    So here we’ll stay, cause we can’t pay,
    Just send our mail to the Tijuana Jail.

    I was shooting dice, raking in the day,
    And then I heard a whistle blow,
    We started to run, when a man in blue,
    Said, senor, come with me,
    Cause I want you.

    Just five hundred dollars,
    And they’ll set us free,
    I couldn’t raise a penny,
    If you threatened me,
    I know five hundred,
    Don’t sound like much,
    But just try to find somebody to touch.

    So here we are, in the Tijuana jail,
    Ain’t got no friends to go our bail,
    So here we’ll stay, cause we can’t pay,
    Just send our mail to the Tijuana Jail.

    LOL, j/k.  We made it back from Tijuana today in one piece.  My friends and family were so worried, but it was fine.  Taking the trolley from Mike's place downtown was really easy.  Then  we simply walked over the border, ate lunch, took our obligatory donkey/zebra (zonkey?) pic and toured the trashy mess that is Tijuana.  Since Vivek is leaving the west coast soon, he really wanted to visit Mexico.  Mike graciously put us up in the Hotel Mikeyfornia which also gave Vivek an opportunity to visit one of the greatest cities in America, San Diego.  It's late and I'm tired, so here are some pics:


    Last chance to change our minds!


    Bienvenidos!


    Paco the Zonkey with Sancho, the Indian Mexican...I'm not sure which is more odd!




    I'm not sure if this was a quinceanera or what...but there were a bunch of people dressed like this.






    After getting back to America, we went to Old Town (the birth place of California) for dinner.






    Mike's loft is right across the street from the baseball stadium.


    He's really done wonders with it!


    Tonight we watched the fireworks from the balcony when the Padres won.

    More Mexico pictures...
    More San Diego pictures...

Thursday, September 25, 2008

  • Posted by CareyGLY

    My High School Musical Debut & Froth Moonshine Jeronimo Blues


    Last night I showed Tressa and her little friend this photo I took of Zach Efron on the red carpet of the American Idol finale a while back, and this was their reaction...



    Then, I proceeded to "cast" Tressa in High School Musical 3, opposite Zach's character Troy.  LOL.  Personally, I think I make a better prom date for Troy than Gabriella or Tressa!  What do you think?

    Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today!


    My high school musical experience
    My morning didn't start out well.  I was driving down Jeronimo Road going 58 in a 40 and sure enough a motorcycle cop got me.  It was my own damn fault.  There's nothing worse than seeing this in your rear view mirror.  It ruins your whole day!  I hate driving with a passion.   I've been pretty good with my tickets (for the past year) up until today. Damn.





    Here are a few other pics of the kids and Lisa.







    Finally, if you haven't already figured out what your name would be if you were born to Sarah Palin, try the Sarah Palin Baby Name Generator.

    Carey, if you were born to Sarah Palin, your name would be:
    Froth Moonshine Palin

    Who knows, Froth Moonshine Palin you just might be president one day!

CareyGLY

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About Carey Anthony

  • I was born and raised in Chicago, and I currently live in Los Angeles (the gay mecca of West Hollywood to be exact). For the 5 years prior to that however, I literally had no home. I simply traveled. I owned nothing but clothes and my camera. Since 1990 I've traveled to all continents and have learned many things. I like to read and write. I love movies. I tend to be prolific in a scarce world. I value humor in every relationship. I'm prompt to a fault. I'd rather spend time with children than adults. If you like what you read or see here, leave a comment or send me an email at careygly at gmail dot com. Thanks!

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