MMOMA

I can't say as I ever thought I would be attending a meeting of the Miami Medical Office Manager's Association (MMOMA) and actually enjoy it. Go figure.  It was Mecca and what I learned is that I am unworthy! 

Seriously.

These women, and they are almost exclusively women, are very intense and all about what they do.

Our banker met someone who is a member and suggested that I might be a good fit.  He, one of the few men in the group, invited me along to the meeting.  This group is all about word of mouth. No web site, no formal recruitment, just a group of folks who share tips, suggestions, ideas, products and anything else that helps or hurts their medical practices. 

One woman, a fairly outspoken New Yorker, was telling me tales of her seven infectious disease doctors and how she's whipped their office into shape.  One of the doctors is her husband.  I've definitely noticed a trend in that way.  Many have wives, mothers, etc. working in the front office as a way to watch their back.

This particular woman stepped in after the office manager went on vacation and sent an email saying something like "I'd hoped your t-shirt had arrived before I left, sorry."  Not knowing what she was talking about the doctors started talking and finally checked the company credit card to see if a t-shirt had been charged. 

Well, not quite.  A $5,000 cruise had been charged but no t-shirt.  She went on to tell how there were thousands of dollars in receivables from Medicare that had never been pursued.  You should hear them throwing around codes and reimbursables from memory. Telling their war stories of fighting, some wins, some losses.

These women are masters of fighting/working the system.  Insurance is the spawn of Satan and these women are fighting the devil daily. 

I bow to their knowledge and expertise and am eager to join their group and begin learning.  To start with I'll be learning how much I don't know but sooner or later the tables will turn.  Let the games begin.

On the home front, I am still surrounded by boxes but I love my new little house.  I had no idea how much I missed seeing trees and greenery out my windows.  You just don't get a lot of green on the 6th floor.  There are adjustments to be made.  Its smaller, if not in square footage, then definitely in how its laid out. The living room is a real challenge.  With two french doors, and entry to the dining area, stairs from down and going up and the door to the kitchen, there's no solid wall on which to place furniture.  No biggie.  It will all work out. 

Once more boxes are gone, I can keep rearranging.  For now, its working.  Why don't you come visit and see!

I'm approved!

Yeah!  Finally, the condo association has given me the condo good seal of approval. Why I was worried, who knows... but somewhere in the back of my head, I was.  Its like getting called to the Principal's office.  You just worry. 

So the big move is schedule for June 11th.  I have started packing but not nearly enough.  anyone want to come help?  Larry says that its supposed to get easier with each move and I sure am counting on that.  I've been a bit lackadaisical, because, well, how much stuff could there be in this 2 bedroom apartment.  Uh Oh.  I think I could be in trouble.

The movers are scheduled, the electricity is transferred, the fight with Direct TV has already happened.  Credit cards, etc.  The big stuff.  Now its just the odds and ends of life.  This is the part I detest.  Things you never pay attention to until they stop working because the address has changed. Bills you haven't paid....cause you never got them.  I love going to a place like Borders when they ask you for your rewards card.  Nah, how about a phone number, sure.  Try any number of these.  Was it my home phone in DC?  Was it the cell?  Was it a work number?  How long ago did I set that up, that might tell me anthropologically which number to try first.

I so thought that my days of being written in pencil in the address book of life (or my mother) was over but it seems not.  Hopefully this place will stick for more than a year and a half. 

But to cut myself a break... this current apartment was a good landing spot for a newcomer with a geriatric cat.  He was a real drawback in the apartment search.  But I'm glad he made the trip with me and I'm glad I landed there.  Now its time to make a home here.  To settle in and see if I can't make Miami a place of my own.  We'll see.  If nothing else, I can make my home more homier. 

Its funny, I am really looking forward to having steps again.  This place is one of those where you go in on the first floor, general living is on the 2nd floor and the bedrooms (yes, an extra one for guests!!!!) are on the 3rd floor.  When I expressed this to a friend, she asked me why that made something more like a home.  She asked me if it was a DC thing.  I hadn't realized it but yes, having multiple floors is a more northeastern thing (as opposed to a South Florida thing).  Most houses here (excluding the really big ones) are one floor because of the coral rock on which all of Miami sits.  Its funny the cultural biases that we carry with us without realizing it.  I'm good with it.  I'm excited to have steps.  Ask me again when I'm carrying groceries... but all in all I'm looking forward to it. 

Oh sure, there are things in my building that I'll miss.  I'm big enough to admit that.  The front desk. Boy, that was convenient to have people to accept packages, leave things for pick up, etc.  That was a good one.  Covered parking.  Weather?  Who worries about the weather when you can come in or go out without getting wet.  Closet built-ins, they were nice.  And The Pool.  Yeah, that's the one that's going to tug at me.  But there are other pools. Friends have pools, there's an ocean somewhere around here... And my friend is going to teach me to crash the very cool pool at the Biltmore Hotel.  I wonder if I can even pull that off?

But none of it is worth being surrounded by college students partying all night long, the stealing of the pool furniture, pets and smoking IN the pool,smoky hallways, balconies and elevators, inconsiderate people with pets, the noisy bar down the corner, exploding shower doors, and so on.

And so I move.  I'll send out an email with my address.  The cell phone and email remain the same.  If I miss  you somehow, drop me a note and I'm more than happy to send it to you.  I'm even CLOSER to the Miami airport now, so seriously, come visit.  I'll keep the light on for ya....