MARCH 2014 IN THIS ISSUE Protect Your Eyes Tips For Introverts Hello! This issue of Eliminating Problems & Improving Lives is being sent to you courtesy of PMC Pharmacy It is our way of saying that you are important to us and we truly value your business. Please feel free to pass this newsletter on to friends and neighbors. Enjoy! Funny Bone Round Up The Usual Suspects Police were called to a construction site to investigate a murder. They quickly identified a bunch of potential suspects: • The electrician had previously been suspected of murder, but he was never charged. • The carpenter had been arrested for assault a year before, but he was never nailed. • The painter had a brush with the law several years ago. • The heating, ventilation, and air conditioning contractor was known to pack heat. • The bricklayer had a reputation for getting stoned regularly, but his alibi was as solid as a rock. The detectives finally arrested the window glazier. But he swore he was framed. Protect Your Eyes from Heavy Computer Use Improve Your Impression at the Workplace Tech Tips For Travelers If you spend more than a couple of hours a day staring at the computer, you could be at risk for computer vision syndrome (sometimes called “Google eyes”). The result of prolonged computer use, symptoms usually include blurred vision, dry eyes, red, itchy, watery eyes, headaches, and even muscle spasms. Heed these tips for reducing eyestrain: • Monitor placement. Experts recommend placing your computer monitor 20 to 26 inches away from your eyes. This cuts down the strain of looking too closely at a screen, which can result in blurred distance vision. • Blinking. Research shows that people normally blink about 12 times per minute, but computer users blink only five times per minute. The longer you keep your eyes open, the more likely your corneas will dehydrate, burn, and ache. Blinking more ensures that you keep your eyes lubricated and clean of air particles. • Lighting. Much of the eyestrain associated with computer use is caused by poor lighting and screen glare. To keep strain at bay, make sure your workspace is well lit. You can also use glare protectors over your monitor. • Frequent breaks. Experts recommend that you take a break from computer work every 15 minutes. All it takes is a quick glance around the room to allow your eyes to focus on distant objects. Doing this will give the muscles in your eyes time to relax a bit. How To Generate Great Ideas When you have an article that needs to be written, a project that requires new insights or ideas, or a meeting with the boss, you cannot just sit and wait to be inspired. It helps if you have a collection of tools to which you can turn, and some sort of system that can generate ideas even when your cupboard feels bare. One good tip is to always carry a journal with you. Keeping a journal exclusively for ideas is an excellent way of making sure that the creative well remains full. Another good idea is to make use of the alphabet, and try to generate at least one idea for every single letter. Another clever idea is to use what has been termed “Google roulette.” Type a few random and unrelated words into the search engine and see what comes up. It can also be helpful to engage more with your surroundings – such as by looking at books on your shelves that you may not have perused for many years. Great ideas are all around us, just waiting to be noticed. Quotes of the month Truth is ever to be found in the simplicity, and not in the multiplicity and confusion of things. —Isaac Newton I have had my results for a long time: but I do not yet know how I am to arrive at them. —Carl Friedrich Gauss A sick thought can devour the body’s flesh more than fever or consumption. —Guy de Maupassant Every sickness has an alien quality, a feeling of invasion and loss of control that is evident in the language we use about it. —Siri Hustvedt Yes, risk taking is inherently failure prone. Otherwise, it would be called sure-thing-taking. —Tim McMahon Prudence keeps life safe, but does not often make it happy. —Samuel Johnson After forty years of close acquaintance with it, I’ve found that work is kind to its friends and harsh to its enemies. —George Horace Lorimer Work banishes those three great evils, boredom, vice, and poverty. —Voltaire In questions of science, the authority of a thousand is not worth the humble reasoning of a single individual. —Galileo It is through science that we prove, but through intuition that we discover. —Henri Poincaré I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it. —Pablo Picasso When in doubt, make a fool of yourself. There is a microscopically thin line between being brilliantly creative and acting like the most gigantic idiot on earth. So what the hell, leap. —Cynthia Heimel A failure is a man who has blundered, but is not able to cash in on the experience. —Elbert Hubbard The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack of will. —Vince Lombardi Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself. —George Bernard Shaw Tips For Introverts Modern workplaces can make it very difficult for people who are naturally introverted to believe that they are going to be able to genuinely thrive in their work. For one thing, picking the right career in the first place is the biggest tip to achieving success at work. For introverts, this often means looking for a career that enables them to operate autonomously or in a less rowdy environment than some jobs. These jobs tend to be rather more cerebral in nature. Workplaces that give set rules to each individual employee are generally better suited for workers who are introverted, who tend not to do well in workplaces where decision making, planning and brainstorming always has to be done in large, noisy groups. It is also essential for introverts to be able to structure their day in such a manner that they will be able to get away and make some time for themselves, allowing them to recharge and de-stress. The key to coping with social commitments is to be selective and in control and not over-commit yourself. If they are allowed to, introverts can actually make better leaders than extroverts, due to their diligence, persistence and ability to focus. Make a Positive Impression Every Day at Your Workplace Often the little things go a long way in impressing your boss and your co-workers. Here are a few habits to cultivate if you want to polish your image to a bright shine: • Keep your desk neat. Cut back on the clutter. A clean workspace shows that you’re organized and have things under control. • Be sincere and generous with compliments. Show appreciation to co-workers (and even your boss) for their good work. • Do your homework before meetings. Know what’s on the agenda and be ready to discuss the topics being addressed. • Return phone calls and emails promptly. It makes co-workers and customers feel valued. • Be on time. Don’t make others wait for you, or wonder where you are. Show up for work, meetings, and other commitments promptly. • Wash the dishes. If your organization has a group kitchen, share the duties of washing dishes, making coffee, cleaning up, and such. Tech Tips For Travelers Financially Travelling is rarely guaranteed to go smoothly, but there are at least a few travel headaches that can be kept at bay thanks to technology. Speaking If you know how to make use of it in the proper manner, technology can increase your likelihood of having a positive experience on your next vacation. One good tip is to use tech to keep updated on your flight status. Flights are commonly disrupted due to one reason and another, and delays and cancellations et al can be tough to keep up with. Many airlines today however enable you to track your flight status via a website or app, so if you own a smartphone you can stay updated on what is happening with your flight no matter where you are. If an app is offered by your airline for this purpose, be sure to download it and ensure your smartphone has been fully charged before you set off to the airport. Translation apps are another good idea if you are jetting off to foreign climes. Many translation apps on tablets and smartphones are free of charge, and also have voice recognition software, meaning that communicating with people who speak a different language has never been easier. About PMC Pharmacy PMC Pharmacy was established in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 2004. The company specializes in medication adherence management services for patients suffering from chronic pain conditions by working directly with the patient’s Pain Management Specialist. More than a pharmacy, PMC is also a solution provider that drives operational and financial improvement for physician practices.  Consistency of therapy  Can coordinate tapering efforts with the practice  Instant access to a pharmacist  Better educated patients  Increased patient compliance  Focused on pain, can also provide all of a patient’s medications  Prior authorizations completed for you  Ability to optimize your schedule  Reduced nuisance calls Tell a colleague! A referral from one of our satisfied practices is the greatest compliment we can receive, and we have a unique (and generous!) way of saying thank you! Please call our office for details! Tips To Ease Divorce Pains The overall divorce rates in the United States have decreased over the course of the last few decades, but twenty five percent of marriages end before their tenth anniversary, and ten percent fail to make it five years. Adding to the drama is that many people fail to realize the financial impact that divorce will have on them, particularly in the case for women. Everyone, including single people and those in happy marriages, needs to educate themselves on financial planning and assume a greater degree of responsibility in regards to their financial future. You should not rely on financial advisors exclusively and achieve some level of knowledge yourself so that you ask the right questions and correctly evaluate the answers when engaging with divorce attorneys as well as other professionals. Going on an adult education course about investing, personal finances and taxes is a very good idea, and you will get unbiased and helpful advice on a variety of topics, including getting divorced. PMC Pharmacy Presents… ELIMINATING PROBLEMS & IMPROVING LIVES PMC Pharmacy 1250 Easton Rd, STE 201N Horsham, PA 19044 215.922.2502 www.pmcrx.com ail] two] [city] [state] A “GOOD NEWS” NEWSLETTER FULL OF FUN AND INTERESTING FACTS FOR OUR CUSTOMERS MARCH 2014 Crazy Science Facts An average cloud weighs about 216,000 pounds – making it as heavy as about two thirds of the weight of a blue whale. A dark storm cloud on the other hand weighs an average of around a hundred and five point eight million pounds – making it equal to the full weight of not one but three blue whales. It sounds unbelievable, but the naked human eye can actually see up to 2.5 million light years away – or to put it another way, the Andromeda Galaxy, which is the farthest object that can be seen with plain sight in the sky above us. Toads can sense earthquakes. Scientists are still unclear as to how they are able to do this, but the fact remains that three days prior to an earthquake striking L’Aquila in Italy back in 2009, an entire toad population decided to vacate their breeding grounds and head somewhere a little safer. From the Desk of Brian Dunleavy President and CEO March is upon us and soon this nightmare of a winter will be long gone. Don’t misunderstand me, I enjoy the winter, but the winter of 2014 has truly tested my endurance. I feel as though I’ve been cooped up and hibernating all winter. Finally, this past weekend, I made it out of the house and had the opportunity to attend the 2014 Curling Nationals in Aston, PA. I know curling isn’t exactly the most exciting sporting event to watch, but if you like games involving strategy, then I would encourage you to take a look at the sport. The picture below is of the Women’s National Champions; team Nina Spatola from St. Paul, Minnesota. Our local Philadelphia group, team Sarah Anderson, went 4-5 during the qualifying rounds and unfortunately did not advance to the playoffs. All in all, it was a fun day out and a nice change of pace. How to Deal With Extreme Cold Cold weather can have a seriously adverse effect on our health, compromising a respiratory system that may already be in some distress and also causing frostbite and hypothermia. People who have lung problems can find extreme cold particularly troublesome, with higher virus levels causing illness and aggravating systems further, and cold air constricting airways. The best prevention is staying indoors and out of the cold altogether, but the reality is that sometimes this is just not possible. Hypothermia can even be triggered inside by seemingly just mildly cool temperatures between 60 to 65 degrees. Thermostats should be set over 65 degrees and friends and neighbors should check on the elderly on a regular basis in order to make certain that their homes are heated to an adequate degree. Symptoms of hypothermia include drowsiness, slurred speech, slow heartbeat, the appearance of being in a coma or sometimes even dead, forgetfulness, a weak pulse and shallow breathing. Hypothermia should not be attempted to be treated at home. COPYRIGHT 2014 PMC Pharmacy 1250 Easton Road, Suite 201N Horsham, PA 19044 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, WWW.PMCRX.COM