An Open Advice About Career Decisions

"Just a few weeks ago, a friend messaged me about quitting her job. Not because she hates the job but because her relationship with her direct boss was no longer good since their higher boss knew that she was sent to a place alone (without the direct boss). I sent this article to her which, a friend sent me by email. I don't know if this gave an impact to her(hopefully it did) but I also want to share this to you. In no time, this might help you."

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Several of my staff has approached me lately about their
career decisions. I really appreciate my staff opening up
to me. It is quite reassuring to know that they're still
having second thoughts about leaving. Here is part of
the email I sent to a "confused" staff:

I have worked for more than 5 companies already
so I guess you might be correct in saying I have
had considerable experience about leaving and moving
on. I will not stop you nor tell you to leave, though of
course it will be better if you stay. In any career decision,
leaving or staying I believe, based from my personal
experiences, should only be done for the right reasons.

thanks to http://www.camosun.ca for this photo

For one, you shouldn't leave because you don't like
several people in the company, nor should you stay
because of the friends you have made here. At the
end of the day, it is your life. Your friends or
"enemies" should not make or break your career.
If you let them be the deciding factor, then maybe
you should think twice. You are the craftsman of
your fate and the captain of your ship. Captain Hook
shouldn't be one of your worries!

Do not leave nor stay because of the "brand" of
your company. If that was the case, I would have
rushed off and sign my JO in "C"! Ask yourself whether
you want to be a big fish in a small pond or a small
fish in a bigger pond. Know your priorities. Only you
can answer that.

Do not leave the company because you're so damn
frustrated about the way things are being run, or
stay because you have this "messianic complex" that
you can change things overnight. Be realistic
about the things .

Learn to accept that there is no perfect company. Be
accepting that change is a slow and painful process
at times and be thankful that you realize and act on
things that can be changed and improved.
Definitely, do not leave or stay just because
your parents want you to. I know I am advocating
obedience to parents but again, we are talking
about YOUR career. But learn to value their wisdom
and discern well.

Money isn't everything. The package being offered
now might be better but look at the long-term
prospects. Do not leave or stay just solely on the
compensation package . Look for growth prospects
and review their career plans for you . Your
immediate gains today might actually be a loss a
few years from now if you do the Math.

thanks to http://www.masterrepro.com for this photo

Boredom is another challenge all professionals are
faced with during lull periods in their career. Do not
leave because you have become so bored with your
job. Do not stay either because you want things as
they are.

Change is inevitable in any organization. Talk to
your boss. Ask for more responsibilities or other
tasks if you're bored. Enroll in a special course.
If you're satisfied with the status quo and is
just waiting for retirement hoping things will
stay the same, you're in for a big disappointment-
either you will be forced to change or you will
be forced to leave. Be ready before that time
comes. Boredom or complacency is perennial
battle most professionals have to deal with.
Arm yourself with creativity everyday!

Tonight I suggest you rest well. Sit still and
listen to what He is saying. PRAY. I have always
made my career decisions through His guidance.
He was and still is my Career Adviser/Talent
Manager. Your work, our work, is a vocation.
He knows us more than we know ourselves so
trust Him for whatever plans He has for you.
You can never go wrong.

And remember: "Use your head to get to the
top. But use your heart to stay."

What You Need to Know About Nightmare or "Bangungot"

"Hi, I'm sorry about the past days of not visiting my blog. Anyways, got this information from an email which, my friend sent me. Just want to share this to you especially to those who always encounter nightmares in their sleep."

Got this information from a US-based pharmacist who is a cousin of a colleague.

It seems only MALES are afflicted with this. We had a co-staff/driver from FAO who died last month from supposedly BANGUNGOT-- leaving a housewife and 3 very young kids.

IMPORTANT: Never go thirsty when going to bed and be sure you have plenty of water during your 8-hour rest.

It is sudden death in adults which cause them to die while sleeping. Many theories have been put forward as its cause. However, here is an article which sheds some light to the cause of this malady. Please read on:

Article from THE PHILIPPINE STAR:

The reported cause of actor Rico Yan's death is nightmare or bangungot. Medical investigators in China , Japan and several Asian countries who performed autopsies on persons who died from "acute hemorrhagic pancreatitis" found out that the majority of them had eaten NOODLES as their supper. This was a startling finding.

However, it wasn't the noodles that caused nightmares but DEHYDRATION. Imbibing even with a few drinks of alcohol or just eating noodles immediately before bedtime compound this on an empty stomach will trigger an electrolyte imbalance and other factors that causes a person to dehydrate or lose water.

It is therefore advisable for a person to take several glasses of water before bedtime if he had a few or several alcoholic drinks. Avoid eating noodles before bedtime, but if you can not avoid it,
allow at least two hours for the body to digest the noodles before hitting the sack and drink plenty of water.

The most important thing is, never go thirsty when going to bed and be sure you have plenty of water during your 8-hour rest.

The Truth Is : ASPARTAME is Absolutely Safe!

Last year, I received an email about aspartame, as a silent killer. Sad to say, I no longer have a copy of that article.

Just yesterday, while I was browsing on the internet, I've read this article that really confused me, "The Truth Is : ASPARTAME is Absolutely Safe!" I don't know which article is true. Anyways, I want to share this article with you.

From the press center:

The truth is this: Aspartame is absolutely safe.

It is an artificial sweetener which has been in use for more than two decades, in over 6,000 products and in more than 100 countries all over the world, by over 2 million people. It has been proven safe by many international health agencies all over the world, including the US Food and Drug Administration.

Aspartame is not only found in sodas but also in common everyday things like breath mints, cereals, chewing gum, syrups, ice cream, iced tea, gelatins, jams and jellies, maple syrup and soft candy.

According to the website, http://www.aspartame.org "Aspartame has been extensively studied in animals and humans for more than two decades.

In 1981, when the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) first approved aspartame, it noted: "Few compounds have withstood such detailed testing and repeated, close scrutiny, and the process through which aspartame has gone should provide the public with additional confidence of its safety." FDA has affirmed the safety of aspartame 26 times over a period of 23 years (www.aspartame.org. 2006)."

Aspartame is one of the most thoroughly studied food ingredients, with more than 200 scientific studies confirming its safety.

Aspartame was approved in 1981 for use in tabletop sweeteners, various foods and dry beverage mixes, making it the first low-calorie sweetener approved by the FDA in more than 25 years. In 1983, the FDA approved aspartame for use in carbonated beverages. This was followed by a number of other product category approvals over the next 13 years, leading to a general use approval in foods and beverages in 1996.

In addition to the Food & Drug Administration (FDA), the Joint Expert Committee on Food Additives of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (JECFA) and the Scientific Committee for Food of the European Union (SCF) have reviewed the research on aspartame and determined it to be safe. Aspartame is approved for use in food and beverage products in more than 100 countries.

The bottom line is this: Aspartame is safe.

As for the malicious text messages of people who aim to put the "quoted products" down, the manufacturers have this to say: We here at Coca-Cola know that to truly create a lasting brand, there must be integrity in everything that we do. Because at the end of the day success smiles not on those who seek the easy way, but those who take the long road and walk it.

A Re-Post: 12 Germiest Places

Sure, there are outbreaks of microbes and viruses across the country, but some of these germs are lurking where you least expect them. "Health" magazine senior editor Frances Largeman-Roth pinpoints the 12 germiest places you're likely to encounter during an average day and devises ways for you to keep clean. After all, the fight is in your hands. Literally. Eighty percent of infections are spread through hand contact. So wash up, people, and get ready to wage a bit of germ warfare of your own:

1. Your kitchen sink
Kitchen sinks are dirtier than most bathrooms. There are typically more than 500,000 bacteria per square inch in the drain alone. Plus your sponge, basin and faucet handles are crawling with bacteria as well.

Reduce the risk: Clean your kitchen counters and sink with an antibacterial product after preparing or cleansing food, especially raw fruits and vegetables, which carry lots of potential pathogens like salmonella, campylobacter and E. coli. Wash your hands as well with warm, soapy water for 20 seconds (long enough to sing "Happy Birthday"). Sanitize sponges by running them through the dishwasher's drying cycle, which will kill 99.9 percent of bacteria on them. As for the sink, clean it twice a week with a solution of one tablespoon of chlorine bleach and one quart of water. Scrub the basin, the pour solution down the drain.

2. Airplane bathrooms
It may not be a shock that there are a huge number of germs in most public bathrooms, but experts agree the cramped and overused ones on airplanes are the worst. There are often traces of E. coli or fecal bacteria on the faucets and door handles because it's hard to wash hands in the tiny sinks. And the volcanic flush of the commode tends to spew particles into the air, coating the floor and walls with whatever had been swirling around in it.

Reduce the risk: Toilet seats are surprisingly clean, but use the paper cover when available. After using the toilet, wash and dry your hands thoroughly, and use a paper towel to handle the toilet seat, lid, tap and doorknob. Put the lid down before you flush. If there's no lid, turn your back to the toilet while flushing and beat a hasty retreat.

3. A load of wet laundry
Any time you transfer underwear from the washer to the dryer, you're getting E. coli on your hands. Just one soiled undergarment can spread bacteria to the whole load and machine.

Reduce the risk: Run your washer at 150 degrees (you can check the temperature of your washing-machine water with a candy thermometer) and wash whites with bleach (not the color-safe type; it doesn't pack the same punch), which kills 99.9 percent of bugs. Transfer wet laundry to the dryer quickly so germs don't multiply, wash underwear separately (there's about a gram of feces in every pair of dirty underwear) and dry for at least 45 minutes. Wash your hands after laundering.

4. Public drinking fountains
Drinking fountains are bound to be germy, but school fountains are the worst, with anywhere from 62,000 to 2.7 million bacteria per square inch on the spigot.

Reduce the risk:
Send your child to school with plenty of their own beverages and tell them to wash their hands throughout the day.

5. Shopping cart handles
Saliva, bacteria and fecal matter are just a few of the substances found on shopping cart handles. Cart handles rank high on the yuck scale because they're handled by dozens of people every day and, of course, raw food carries nasty pathogens.

Reduce the risk: Many stores have dispensers with disinfectant wipes near the carts. If your store doesn't, bring your own wipes and give the handle a quick swab. Or carry along a cart cover like the Grip-Guard or Healthy Handle.

6. ATM buttons
If you're not careful, you might pick up more than quick cash from your local ATM. These buttons have more gunk on them than most public-bathroom doorknobs! ATMs aren't frequently cleaned, and are regularly touched - a perfect combination for a lot of germs.

Reduce the risk: Carry an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with you and rub it on hands after visits. Also be sure to do it after you handle paper money, which actually carries quite a few germs, too.

7. Your handbag
Recent studies found that most women's purses had tens of thousands of bacteria on the bottom and a few were overrun with millions. Another study found bugs like pseudomonas (which can cause eye infections) and skin-infection-causing staphylococcus bacteria, as well as salmonella and E. coli.

Reduce the risk: Instead of slinging your bag on the floor, hang it on a hook whenever possible - especially in public bathrooms - and keep your bag off the kitchen counter. Stick with leather or vinyl purses, which are typically cleaner than cloth.

8. Playgrounds
There's just no way to put this delicately: Children tend to ooze bodily fluids and then spread them around. When researchers sampled playgrounds, they found blood, mucus, saliva and urine. Pair those findings with the fact that children put their fingers in their mouths and noses more than the rest of us, and it's easy to understand why Junior (and maybe his mom or dad) has the sniffles.

Reduce the risk: Carry alcohol wipes or hand-sanitizing gel in your purse, and clean everybody's hands a couple of times during a park visit, especially before snacking. Pick warm sunny days for outdoor play: The sun's ultraviolet light is actually a very effective disinfectant. Most bugs won't survive long on surfaces that are hot and dry.

9. Mats and machines at health clubs
Antibiotic-resistant staphylococcus has been found on yoga mats and cardio and resistance machines. At high schools, antibiotic-resistant-staph infections have been transmitted through wrestling mats. The same thing could happen at health clubs.

Reduce the risk: Wipe down machines with antibacterial wipes before working out. Bring your own yoga mat or cover a loaner with your towel. Shower after a workout and soap up your skin to rinse off any bacteria you may have been exposed to, as thorough washing gets rid of antibiotic-resistant staph.

10. Your bathtub
Shocking, but true: The place you go to get clean is quite dirty. A recent study found staphylococcus bacteria, a common cause of serious skin infections, in 26 percent of the tubs tested, as compared with just 6 percent of garbage cans. Tubs typically had more than 100,000 bacteria per square inch! You're washing germs and viruses off your body and the tub is a fairly moist environment, so bacteria can grow.

Reduce the risk: Once a week, apply a disinfecting cleaner to the tub and actually scrub. Then you need to wash the germs down the drain with water and dry the tub with a clean towel. If you leave the tub wet, germs are more likely to survive. If someone who uses the tub has a skin infection, scrub it afterward with a solution of two tablespoons bleach in one quart of water.

11. Your office phone
This is enough to make you dial 911: Office phones often have more than 25,000 germs per square inch, and your desk, computer keyboard and mouse aren't far behind. Phones, including cell phones, can be pretty gross because they get coated with germs from your mouth and hands.

Reduce the risk: Simply cleaning your desk, phone and keyboard with a disinfecting wipe once in the middle of the day will kill 99.99 percent of the bacteria and viruses.

12. The hotel-room remote control (and yes, specially in a cruise ships)
What's the first thing you do when you settle in at a hotel? You grab the remote control and switch on the TV - you, and the hundreds of other guests who've stayed there. How dirty is it? A recent study tested various surfaces for the cold virus after a group of sick people had stayed overnight and found the virus on the remote, door handles, light switches, pens and faucet handles.

Reduce the risk: Clean the remote control, phone, clock radio, door handles and light switches with germicidal wipes.

A Re-post: How to Identify STROKE/Blood Clot

STROKE:

Remember The 1st Three Letters....S.T.R.

My nurse friend sent this and encouraged me to post it and spread the word. I agree.

If everyone can remember something this simple, we could save some folks.
Seriously..

Please read:

STROKE IDENTIFICATION:
During a BBQ, a friend stumbled and took a little fall - she assured everyone that she was fine (they offered to call paramedics) .....she said she had just tripped over a brick because of her new shoes.

They got her cleaned up and got her a new plate of food. While she appeared a bit shaken up, Ingrid went about enjoying herself the rest of the evening.

Ingrid's husband called later telling everyone that his wife had been taken to the hospital - (at 6:00 pm Ingrid passed away.) She had suffered a stroke at the BBQ. Had they known how to identify the signs of a stroke, perhaps Ingrid would be with us today. Some don't die.... they end up in a helpless, hopeless condition instead.
It only takes a minute to read this...
A neurologist says that if he can get to a stroke victim within 3 hours he can totally reverse the effects of a stroke... totally . He said the trick was getting a stroke recognized, diagnosed, and then getting the patient medically cared for within 3 hours, which is tough.
RECOGNIZING A STROKE

Thank God for the sense to remember the "3" steps, STR .
Read and Learn! Sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to identify. Unfortunately, the lack of awareness spells disaster. The stroke victim may suffer severe brain damage when people nearby fail to recognize the symptoms of a stroke.Now doctors say a bystander can
recognize a stroke by asking three simple questions:
S * Ask the individual to SMILE.
T *Ask the person to TALK and SPEAK A SIMPLE SENTENCE (Coherently)
(i.e. It is sunny out today)
R *Ask him or her to RAISE BOTH ARMS.

If he or she has trouble with ANY ONE o f these tasks, call 999/911 immediately and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher.
New Sign of a Stroke -------- Stick out Your Tongue
NOTE:
Another 'sign' of a stroke is this:Ask the person to' stick' out his tongue. If other tongue is 'crooked', if it goes to one side or the other, that is also an indication of a stroke.

A cardiologist says if everyone who gets this e-mail sends it to 10 people; you can bet that at least one life will be saved.