SUNNY THURSDAYS

For anyone who has a little spare time on their hands, a caring heart, and who is looking for a way to "give back", I highly recommend volunteering.  I became a volunteer about a year ago and have found that what they say about it is true: it really is a rewarding experience.

I devote about four hours or so every Thursday to the Occupational Medicine Department of a local hospital. My duties are varied but neither difficult nor strenuous. I answer the phone, type up prescriptions, file patient charts, copy important documents, create patient files, greet patients, decorate the office for holidays, make sure our candy dish is always filled with suckers, and I water the office plants. However, out of all the duties that I have in the office, the one that I like best is preparing packages for delivery to Third World countries. We send off just about any medical supply that you can think of: syringes, saline and glucose solutions, alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, cotton coils and gauze strips and pads, linen and pillows, towels and toiletry items, and things I've never heard of and cannot properly spell. Unfortunately, these shipments are not made on a daily or even on a weekly basis; in fact, we probably only get to send  them out every couple of months or so. Still, when it's time to make the shipments my Thursdays always shine a little brighter.

During the first week of College Comp. II, I may have mentioned my love of reading. For me, the latest medical thriller, murder mystery, or well-known classic takes precedence over any television show or movie that a theatre has to offer. Wherever I go I take along my latest thriller or classic tale to enjoy as I wait in long lines at the doctor’s office or perhaps at the DMV. As an adult, one of the first purchases I made for my very first apartment was a bookcase. By then I had accumulated so many books that I actually needed several to hold them. Every night since I first learned to read, my favorite thing to do has been to curl up with a good book and read myself to sleep. Unfortunately the cost of a hardcover book has skyrocketed along with every other consumer good you can think of. A year or two ago when the Nook and the Kindle electronic book readers came on the scene, I said that I could barely wait to get my hands on one. The lightweight portability of an E-Reader excited me almost as much as the fact that it was simply a new toy in the form of my number one pastime. Also, the average cost of an electronic book is approximately one third of the cost of a regular book. With all of these pluses in mind, I was just about ready to launch myself into the new world of electronic reading. I could just see myself, totally engrossed in book after book purchased at considerably discounted prices. But then I realized that I had doubts; could I curl up with a Kindle the way I do with a “real” book? Could I nestle with a Nook while all snug in my bed? For me the answer is no. It just wouldn’t be the same. I guess I’m just old-school, you know?    

LET'S HEAR IT FOR HIGHER EDUCATION

The benefits that higher education can provide are enormous.  A well-educated person is much more likely to end up with a higher paying job, not to mention a better and healthier lifestyle and better self esteem to boot. Needless to say, people who earn at least a bachelor’s degree stand a better chance of improving their lives overall than those who only hold a high school diploma. The addition of a master’s degree and perhaps a doctorate, of course, only serve to enhance one’s prospects for a better life even more. Although, most of us have always been aware of this, many of us are simply tired of the educational scene once we finish high school. Then, because we are not qualified, we sometimes are forced to accept menial jobs rather than the choice jobs we would prefer. I think that if we all viewed education as the priority that it is throughout our lives, we would be better off.

IT'S TIME TO GIVE THE DECORATIONS A REST!

Greetings Everyone.

I enjoy the holidays as much as, or perhaps more than, the next person. Also, I particularly love the kinder gentler spirit that seems to overtake so many of us during that special season. Like most people, I like to decorate my home and I enjoy taking a ride to view the bright and shiny decorations of my neighbors. Sadly, Christmas is over and it won't be back for approximately 11 months.  However, it's apparent in many neighborhoods here in suburban Chicago, that some people either aren't aware that the holidays are over, or they simply don't care.  Not only do I see block after block of homes where the Christmas decorations are still in place, but some actually are displayed with lights still aglow!  Christmas is gone for now, people, so give the decorations a rest!

HELP! I'M BEING ROBBED!

I'm beginning to think that a lot of manufacturers are cutting corners any which way they can in order to ensure that they will turn the highest possible profit.  What I'm talking about is the fact that I've noticed that my name brand powdered bleach and laundry detergent do not perform as well as they once did. I find myself using a lot more of these products in an effort to get them to perform the way they use to. Also, I run out of peanut butter sooner than I used to, the bag of chips I buy is only half full, and so many of the boots at even the finer stores are no longer real leather, (but still they cost almost as much). As we all know, the economy took a serious hit, and it'll be a while before things get back to even near normal. Still, one would think that manufacturers would have the integrity to not tamper with their products just so they can earn a few more bucks. I'm wondering; has anyone else noticed changes in product performance and/or volume such as the ones I mention above? If so, lets talk about it. I don't know about you, but I feel misused, misled, deceived, swindled, cheated, victimized, hoodwinked, defrauded, and taken for ride!