July 2014
Volume 5, Issue 7
The Workplace Newsletter That’s Both Informative and Fun!
Tips for Emailing the Boss
Business works on email but email sometimes doesn’t work — or at least it doesn’t
work well enough.
Rapid communication has meant more communication with people wading through
miles of emails and text messages every day — up to 136 emails sent or received for the
average corporate employee per day.
Miscues are bound to happen but a lot depends on the sender, according to the
Radicati Group, a Palo Alto, Calif., market-research firm.
The first mistake senders make is writing a bad subject line. Tech support people are
usually inundated with the subject line: Help. That particular subject line is most
unhelpful to tech support people who realize that, if you are sending an email to them,
you want help. Say what you want in the subject line.
The same applies to emails to management. It pays to write a good subject line. An
email with the subject line “Hey Boss!” is most unhelpful to the boss. Say: Project
approval needed by 5 p.m. Or: Two September calendar changes.
One of the worst ways to offend email communication is to write a Mystery Email,
giving all the clues at the top and the solution at the end. Bad form. Emails should be
short, sweet and start with the main point, preferably one point and not 20 points.
For example: “Please make note of two calendar changes. I will be out of the office
Sept 1 and 2 on the Smith project. Then the boss can simply reply: noted.
If you need to send a longer email, start with the action you need the boss to take:
I need your comments on the plan we discussed (see below) — especially points 4 & 5.
I’ll need approval by Thursday 4 p.m. if we are to proceed on Friday.
There is no need to ask how the weekend went or to preface every email with “I was
just wondering if you could possibly…”
How to Handle a Know-It-All
Know-It-Alls come in flavors from mildly obnoxious to aggressively intolerable.
But the one thing they inspire in others is a frantic need to get away, which is actually one of
the best ways to cope with them.
According to F. Diane Barth, a clinical therapist quoted in psychologytoday.com, deciding to
leave the conversation is something you can always do. You might have to be direct, saying, "I
must go speak with some other people now. It was nice meeting you."
But what if the Know-It-All sits with you at lunch every day or, worse, is a relative you must
endure at holiday dinners?
The first thing to note is your reaction. Do you dislike the Know-It-All for his or her opinions or
because the Know-It-All has trapped you in a one-sided, and therefore boring, conversation?
If you dislike his opinions, and you wish to stay in the conversation, caring.com recommends
you master the 'yes...but' strategy.
Sometimes an acknowledgment plus a transition like 'but' can stop the steamroller.
Barth notes that, since Know-It-Alls are often insecure, they take most contrary statements as
criticism. One possible way to converse with them is to form your own opinions into a question
for them to answer.
You can't shut them down with direct confrontation, says Simon Casey, a psychologist in San
Clemente, California, and the author of Secrets to Emotional Wealth. They tend to be egocentrics
with an inability to admit they're ever wrong even if they have limited knowledge.
The Know-It-All differs from the Constant Talker. While both dominate the conversation and
often hold their listeners hostage, the Know-It-All has a subject and needs to be right. The
Constant Talker just needs to talk and will talk about any sort of trivia, even the most simplistic
or personal details.
The Vision Council advises on
digital eye strain
Remember the 20-20-20: Every 20
minutes, take a 20-second break and look at
something 20 feet away.
Decrease background brightness. Maybe
change it from a bright white to a cool gray.
Adjust the screen. Make it directly in front
of your face and slightly below eye level.
Lessen overhead light. It can compete
with your device's screen.
Coordinate the chair and monitor. In your
chair extend your arm. Your palm should rest
comfortably on the monitors if you're highfiving the screen.
Keep handheld devices a safe distance
from your eyes and below eye level.
Increase the text size. You'll spot any
mistake easily and it will be easier on our
eyes. Some programs let you do it instantly.
Others make you use control settings to
make adjustments that feel comfortable to
your eyes.
Remind yourself to blink more often.
Staring at a digital screen affects the number
of times you blink, leading to dry eyes.
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Researchers have more
kudos for coffee
It's not big news that drinking two to four cups
of coffee a day has a number of health benefits.
Researchers have already proved it reduces the
risk of Parkinson's disease, type 2 diabetes, liver
cancer, Alzheimer's disease and dementia.
New studies published in the Archives of Internal
Medicine, show that caffeine is linked to a lower
risk of stroke, skin cancer and depression.
The researchers say caffeine may be the key
protective ingredient, since decaffeinated coffee
consumption was not associated with the benefits
in these studies.
Dietitians at Weill Cornell Medical College say
coffee contains other healthy ingredients that may
provide defenses against multiple conditions. It is
rich in antioxidants that can protect against cancer,
heart disease and other chronic diseases. But they
can't just say it’s coffee that makes people healthier
because there are so many variables.
The depression study included 50,000 women at
about 63 years of age. Those who drank four 8ounce cups of caffeinated coffee daily were 20
percent less likely to become depressed.
The cancer study found that drinking about four
cups a day was associated with the lowest risk of
basal cell carcinoma, a type of skin cancer.
A stroke study, reported in the American Journal
of Epidemiology, didn't pinpoint how coffee
affected the brain, but three to four cups a day
protected it from stroke. Drinking more than that
did not increase protection.
Decadent Heath Bar Cake
Close to the check-out registers of
practically every grocery or drug store, you’re
likely to see a box of Heath bars. Since 1928,
Americans have enjoyed the nutty and crunchy
texture of this chocolate-coated toffee.
This year, 2014, the Heath Brothers
Confectionery, in Robinson, Illinois, is
celebrating its 100th year.
Brothers Bayard and Everett Heath, with
their schoolteacher father’s backing, opened a
combination candy store, ice cream parlor, and
manufacturing process in 1914.
Allegedly, a salesman representing a Greek confectioner gave them the toffee
recipe they used to market Heath English Toffee.
The bar was so popular and had such a long self-life, the U.S. Army included one in
the rations of soldiers during WW II. In the fifties, stores nationwide sold the Heath
Toffee Ice Cream Bar; and later, Heath within other forms.
Now, Heath is used by Archway in cookies, by Klondike, Baskin-Robbins, Dairy
Queen and Ben and Jerry. Heath is currently owned by Hershey.
It's not surprising that home cooks have found ways to use Heath in their desserts.
A favorite passed on through families and friends is a cake recipe with the same
ingredients, but different names: Heath Bar Cake; Better Than Sex Cake; Better Than
“Anything” Cake; Better Than Almost Anything Cake; and others.
Decadent Health Bar Cake
1 box German chocolate (or devil’s food) cake mix
1 cup caramel ice cream topping
1 can (14 ounce) sweetened condensed milk
1 (12 ounce) container frozen whipped topping (defrosted)
3 to 4 Heath candy bars, chopped
Bake the cake mix according to package directions and spread in a
9 x 13 x 2-inch pan.
While still hot, punch holes in top of cake with a skewer, straw or clean pencil.
Pour sweetened condensed milk and caramel topping over hot cake.
Let cake cool. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
When cooled, spread with whipped topping and sprinkle liberally with
chopped
Heath bars.
Enjoy!
Trivia Teaser –
We're All Good
How to manage interruptions
Today's many forms of communication make it easier than ever to
exchange information. And easier than ever to get distracted and
interrupted.
When it happens to you, remember that it's OK to politely say, "I can't
talk now but I can get back to you at 3." We all need uninterrupted time for
quality, focused thinking.
If you must concentrate and can't afford interruptions, post a sign that
says: Available at 1 p.m.
Spending two or three minutes chatting may seem insignificant, but it
can take up to 15 minutes to reorganize thoughts and focus.
Nonetheless, there are times when you must speak to someone, if only
because you need information so that you can proceed in your work.
Here are some less invasive ways to fit into someone else's schedule:
Try an old-fashioned sticky note with a short reminder or message. Not
all communication has to be instant.
Email a request for a short meeting if you need more than 5 minutes of
talk time. Suggest a time. But never wait until the last minute. That makes
your problem someone else's problem.
Try a working lunch for quick info with a busy colleague.
Schedule a regular time to meet even if it's just 15 minutes per week.
Take advantage of project management programs, which have To Do
and Share features.
Whatever you choose, make it a priority to not interrupt others.
1. "Good Ol' Boys," sung by Merle
Haggard, was the theme song for
what TV show? a-"B.J. and the Bear,"
b-"The Dukes of Hazzard,"
c-"Our House," d-"Carter Country."
2. In which Coen Brothers movie
did John Goodman play Vietnam vet
Walter Sobchak?
a-"The Big Lebowski,"
b-"Barton Fink,"
c-"O Brother, Where Art Thou?,"
d-"Fargo."
3. What is the name of the
attorney played by Julianna Margulies
on "The Good Wife"? a-Susan Rakoff,
b-Anne Osborne, c-Caroline Julian,
d-Alicia Florrick.
4. "Good Lovin'" was the first #1
song for what band in the 1960s?
a-The Rascals,
b-Paul Revere and the Raiders,
c-The Turtles, d-The Troggs.
5. What poet wrote that "good
fences make good neighbors?"
a-Robert Frost,
b-William Dean Howells,
c-William Carlos Williams,
d-Ezra Pound.
6. What European explorer
discovered the Cape of Good Hope?
a-Jacques Cartier,
b-Bartholomew Dias, c-John Cabot,
d-Henry Hudson.
7. What TV clown spoke only once
on TV, during the final telecast of
Howdy Doody's show, by saying
"Goodbye, kids"? a-Cliffy, b-Bozo,
c-Clarabelle, d-Krusty.
8. "Different is good" was a slogan
used to promote what fast food
chain? a-Wendy's, b-Domino's Pizza,
c-Taco Bell, d-Arby's.
9. What detective was introduced
by John D. MacDonald in the 1964
novel "The Deep Blue Goodbye"?
a-Thomas Linley, b-Peter Wimsey,
c-Travis McGee, d-Nero Wolfe.
10. What actor was the subject of
Gene Fowler's 1944 biography "Good
Night, Sweet Prince"? a-Errol Flynn, bJohn Barrymore, c-Glenn Ford,
d-George Sanders.
Selfies and Shelfies
1063 Seventh Street
North Catasauqua, PA 18032
610-266-7800
www.celebritycleaning.com
About Our Company
Celebrity Cleaning Inc. is a full service commercial and residential
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Services include but are not limited to: general cleaning, carpet
cleaning, upholstery cleaning, all types of hard floor care, window
washing and construction cleaning.
Owners, Wally Myers and Kevin Brown, have a combing 45 years
of experience in the cleaning industry, and they feel it's important
to provide cleaning services that place the utmost importance on
the health and safety of their clients and employees. For that
reason, they are active participants in industry associations ISSA
(International Sanitary Supply Association) and BSCAI (Building
Service Contractors Association International).
Insomniacs who exercise sleep better
After 16 weeks of walking outside or on a treadmill for 30
minutes, insomniacs slept an extra 75 minutes per night,
more than other nondrug therapies. They walked four nights
per week, according to a study reported in the journal Sleep
Medicine.
The improvement is likely because exercise improves
metabolism and decreases inflammation, both of which
enhance sleep quality.
Even presidents are taking selfies and though they often take
criticism for it, today nearly everyone has managed to take a selfportrait.
Selfies sometimes look strange to their subjects because of how
we see ourselves in the mirror, how we perceive our own attractiveness, and the technical details of how we take them on camera
phones.
Whether or not a selfie is reversed after being shot is a major
factor. If you’ve used multiple mobile apps to take pictures of
yourself, you’ve probably noticed that some, like Snapchat, record
your likeness as it would appear in a mirror; others, like groupmessaging app GroupMe, flip the image horizontally and save your
selfie the way others would see you.
Another new app is FrontBack, for iPhone and Android. This
takes a photo of what is in front of your phone and in back of you.
CamMe is one of several new apps that allow you to snap a selfie
with a gesture, such as raising your hand.
New in the selfie arena are pictures that don't include the self.
The shelfie is a new way to show the world just what it means to
be you. Evidently it started out with the swells posting pictures of
their well-stocked bookcases (or Kindle libraries). But the idea has
taken hold and now it’s all about your lifestyle.
Before social media, a person had few chances to show off their
good taste and their enviable eye for design. They had to invite their
friends over, with all the arrangements and housecleaning that
entailed.
Shelfies now let you show off your artistry to thousands of
people at once and without any of the hassles. The website
Pinterest is basically devoted to shelfies.
Your arrangement is a thoughtful way to show off your great
taste without having a get-together in your home. Your shelfie could
earn you thousands of likes, as one person's did, for her shelfie
featuring a teapot and a vase of stems and flowers.
July Birthdays and Company
Anniversaries
Birthdays
th
8 – Angel Valentin
13th – Francisco Torres
13th – Kevin Mueller
31st – Sara Lytle
Anniversaries
9 years – Carol Boyle
9 years – Gayle Vicorek
1 year – Anna Marie Martinez
1 year – Glenn Leh
“Appreciation is a wonderful thing; it makes what is
excellent in others belong to us as well.”
-- Francois-Marie Arouet de Voltaire, French philosopher