how I feel after talking to Mandy (VA Mandy)

she's looking in the mirror
she's fixing her hair
and I touch my head to feel
what isn't there
she's humming a melody
we learned in grade school
she's so happy
and I think
this is not cool
'cause I know the guy
she's been talking about
I have met him before
and I think
what is this beautiful beautiful woman
settling for?

she bends her breath
when she talks to him
I can see her features begin to blur
as she pours herself
into the mold he made for her
and for everything he does
she has a way to rationalizes
he says he don't mean what he do
she tells me he called
to apologize

he says he loves her
he says he's changing
and he can keep her warm
and so she sits there like america
suffering through slow reform
but she'll never get back the time
and the years sneak by
one by one
she is still playing the martyr
I am still praying for revloution

and she still doesn't have what she deserves
but she wakes up smiling every day
she never really expected more
that's just not the way we are raised
and I say to her,
you know,
there's plenty of really great men out there
but she doesn't hear me
she's looking in the mirror
she's fixing her hair

- Ani DiFranco Fixing her hair

I knew you would give in to my powers of persuasion.

Yes, this will be work related, but it’s really not that bad. Keep reading.

I have a new case in which a kid was hospitalized for injuries supposedly related to physical abuse. By law, I have a right to those hospital records, and by law, they are mandated reporters. So I send a fax over to the unnamed hospital in NOVA requesting the records. Mandy from medical records calls and says they can’t release the information without a consent. I respond “you have to. There are allegations of physical abuse and you are mandated reporters. You are required to release information to me without consent.” Mandy then says “No, I need consent from a parent.” Me: “No, I don’t. Virginia Code says I don’t. Instead of a release, I will fax you copies of the code section that says you have to comply.” Mandy: “You can fax me whatever you want, but without a release I can’t give you those records. Or you can get a court order to us.” Me: “I’ll fax you those code sections, and then you can decide if it’s worth going to jail when you break the law.” Mandy: “I will give it to my administrator.” Me: “Good, then they can fax me the records.”

That all happened on Monday. Then I get a call from the social worker on Tuesday telling me all about my kid. I ask her “so as hospital staff are mandated reporters, why is it that we didn’t get called?” she says “because the dad said you were already involved.” Me: “Well, we weren’t, and you’re still a mandated reporter even if we already know.” So then she apologizes profusely. Now it’s Thursday and I get a call again from Mandy at medical records. With the cheeriest voice possible I answer the phone and she asks me “what dates of service are you looking for on those records?” I kindly respond “I’m not sure of the exact dates, but it was the weeks of March 22 and 29.” Then she says “okay – that’s the last visit – the end of march. I’ll get those out to you.” “Thanks so much Mandy – have a great day.” Then I hang up.

I knew you’d give me those records biatch.