United American Insurance Company is still hiring

Here I am: 23, living in Los Angeles and completely on my own. For the first time in my life, I am outside of the lovely, safe umbrella that the Air Force provides for its dependents. I've been carrying on with my life, perfectly content to be a freelancer (a.k.a. professionaly unemployed). But this past week, I happened to think that it's been awhile since I went to the doctor for any sort of checkup. Then I started feeling kind of queasy and light-headed and I thought, "I can't be getting sick! I can't afford to be sick!"

That's when it hit me that I have no government insurance, no insurance benefits, no guarantees at all. That's a frightening realization, even if I am young and therefore invincible. So I've started dabbling in the waters of insurance policies, and one of the more promising companies I've seen is United American Insurance Company. Unfortunately for me, the company specializes in senior health plans. A senior I am not, but that's not where my discoveries ended.

An unimposing paragraph toward the bottom of the company's Web site states that it is always looking for more people to join its team. I have been following the trail, and I discovered that United American Insurance Company has job postings on careerbuilder.com. United American Insurance Company also has job opportunities posted on monster.com.

Not only is the company large and dependable, but it's actually hiring in this time of hiring freezes and abundant layoffs. And I'm willing to bet that a job with them would come with some sort of insurance benefits as well.

Girls will be girls

Valentine's Day is a mere 3 days away ... again. While I would love to be presented with a little something shiny to go on my left ring finger, I'm fully aware of my other half's financial situation, and I know not to entertain that hope for longer than 2.5 lovely, self-indulgent seconds. But here's the thing -- pay attention here, boys -- I love to get flowers. And not just me; all women love to get flowers. And they're a perfectly acceptable replacement for jewelry.

I know, I know. It's such a cliche that women everywhere are born with the innate desire to get flowers on every possible occasion. (Birthday, Valentine's Day, Wedding Day, Bad Hair Day, etc.) But things become cliche for a reason, right? Yeah, it's because women really do love flowers. Try as a modern woman might to deny it, we just can't help ourselves. I went through relationship after relationship without ever being on the receiving end of so much as an illegally plucked wildflower. I told myself that it was because my boyfriends were too creative for that, but I squealed like a girl when a box stamped with 1800flowers.com arrived at my apartment and I found a bouquet of purple lilies tucked inside.

So, guys, don't fight what has been proven throughout history. But, please, do try to be creative and find out what her favorite flower is. If she won't fess up, don't worry ... it's no accident that red roses are synonymous with Valentine's Day. And if she says she doesn't want flowers, ignore her -- just this once. I promise she won't hold it against you.