All of my children grew up drinking and liking simple, unsweetened hibiscus (Red Zinger) tea. It's easy to make, just put four bags in a pitcher for a few hours, also very quenching and much more satisfying than water, to me.
I'm facing almost $120,000 worth of medical debt after suffering second-degree burns that cover most of my back. I'm currently a graduate student, no job, no health insurance, nothing. I've spoken with the business office of the hospital, inquired about assistance, etc. They pointed me to their charity office: I spoke with one of their representatives and the first thing she told me was "We don't give out charity." That was about the extent of our conversation.
Right now it looks like I will be responsible for the entire cost of my bill. I applied for Medicaid and was rejected. No one at the hospital has mentioned anything about a financial aid department, so I'm assuming they don't have one. It looks like my only option is to declare bankruptcy. I'll probably have to drop out of school. Any advice?
I'm currently on a anti-candida diet and so am drinking water until it bores me to death.
I'd completely forgotten all the things I can do to flavour it up a bit.
When I worked in a Lebanese restaurant in university we would serve Iced Mint Tea which was normal mint tea (without sugar) chilled. It's one of the most refreshing drinks I've ever had (plus it's great with a little bit of vodka and lime).
I also love to walk, 2 or 3 hours doing about 10-15km. By the time I'm back I'm dying for a drink, but water never satisfies. I find that a splash of red wine in a glass of sparkling water always brings my energy level back up without making me feel heavy and without being sweet.
If you have not read fast food nation please do. A large chunk of the book talks about the reality of people working in places like McDonalds, pizza delivery and meat packing plants. When you see how some of these megacompanies have stripped these jobs down even further than they were, you understand how hard they must be. People have been made utterly replaceable in these jobs. I can't imagine living with that kind of job insecurity.
This post has been on my mind since you posted it yesterday. I think there is sort of a pattern to where people really get treated lousy as workers. I think it happens in those positions where the person that is the customer feels they are socially superior to that person based on the work role that person is in. I'm not applying any right or wrong to that behavior, personally I think you should treat everyone decently.
The big fad at our house recently has been Japanese TV. There are two of their game shows that are playing on cable right now. Ninja warrior and Banzuke. Both focus on completing a challenge, not winning money. But each contestant has their name and occupation listed before they take their attempt. What I have gleaned from these is that they seem to treat every occupation as equal. Student, gas station attendant, sports star, banker or fishmonger there seems to be a bit more respect for work or life roles there. Can someone who has lived there add to this? Am I right or wrong? If this is the case that everyone's work contribution is treated as an equal and valid contribution to society maybe there is something to learn there.
I'm in a position where I get to be yelled at and insulted and ignored and trash-talked, in my role as someone helping to keep the rules followed and sometimes providing story-times. I also get to be on the 'other side' where the same people spewing vitriol and resentment are jovial and charming to 'their kind.' Needless to say, it's such a shock for newcomers who join those of us trying to keep the rules obeyed. They can't believe that their dear buddies would have the gall to treat us the way they do.
Is it simply that they feel entitled to have everything changed to suit them because they've been around a long time? Do they not think that we're also people, with feelings? Is it just that they are 'generation X' or whatever it is, raised with instant gratification responding immediately to their every action, so they anticipate that when they say they want something, we'll instantly comply?
In some cases, I'd say that familiarity breeds contempt. I adopt an artificial saccharine firmness when dealing with them, so I don't swear at them for having no idea that they're breaking rules that haven't changed in over a dozen years. I try to treat them with respect, to model what I think they should be doing. I strive to understand their perspective, in case it's not actually just that they think everything should be easier for them because they are "clearly better than everyone else."
Every other year, or so, someone will say thank you. It makes me want to cry, because you never can tell if they're sincere, in which case it's a heart wrenching beauty, or if they're trying to play the 'good friends' card, in which case the sentiment should be smashed flat like a rattlesnake in a kindergarten playground.
guess I must be hitting these places when folks aren't so hateful, but actually, that's no accident. I've always worked 3-11 p.m., preferring to have the daytime to get out there and get things done, hating crowds and the morning and evening rush. I've worked from home for years now so I guess I'm even more out of it. Can't say I've ever been mistreated by a clerk or a fellow customer anywhere but have witnessed bad behavior. Nobody has to put up with personal bad behavior and shouldn't for any reason. I did see a cardiac surgeon throw a cup of coffee at a fellow employee once back in my hospital days. She calmly got up and just walked out of the room. He ended up sending her flowers and tickets for some concert, but man, what a jerk, and nobody in the office forgot it. I know I never will. Hey, I'm glad not to have to be out so much in the "real" world anymore, ha-ha.
If you own stocks then you can't afford to get news later than everyone else. Try easystockalerts.com for a week and you'll see what I mean. There is no fee and no spam...so make money now and sign up for easystockalerts.com
Subscribe to easystockalerts.com Now & Get The News Before Everyone Else! Have you ever want to see your stock news before it even appears on yahoo? Well, and then be alerted before it appears on the web. So start money making now and sign up for easystockalerts.com
easystockalerts will keep you abreast on the latest news on stocks you follow. You can get e-mail and RSS alerts when a stock you are tracking has news, an SEC filing, or a press release. It also monitors some of the top financial blogs for opinions on your stocks. So start money making now and sign up for easystockalerts.com
Hi,
Take a look at easystockalerts.com. It allows you to get the news before it even appears on the web. It's like having a Bloomberg terminal at your desk, but only better! No spam, just very useful, actionable investment ideas.
If you interested in stock market news and information here is a site called easystockalerts.com . You can also get e-mail and RSS alerts when a stock you are tracking has news, an SEC filing, or a press release. So start money making now and sign up for easystockalerts.com
Found a nice site - easystockalerts.com. It will keep you updated on any breaking news on the stocks you own. See the news before it even appears on the web. So make money now and sign up for asystockalerts.com
If you interested in stock market news and information here is a site called easystockalerts.com . You can also get e-mail and RSS alerts when a stock you are tracking has news, an SEC filing, or a press release. So start money making now and sign up for easystockalerts.com
Much to the chagrin of some, and only some, in the environmental movement, it seems as though 'alternative' energy is harmful to both the environment & the economy. Of course, because of cognitive dissonance, most refuse to see the obvious - it's too painful to their underlying beliefs.
As I pointed out in a previous post, the ethanol boondoggle is the most egregious example. The total energy input to produce a unit of ethanol energy falls short of the energy required to produce that unit. Think of all the oil required for the tractors, trucks, fertilizer, herbicides, etc. That's the economic picture. If you look at the environmental damage done, it should convince you it's a bad idea. Put millions of additional farm acreage into production using mono genetically designed crops. Then spray tons of pesticides and herbicides onto the fields.
Ethanol is just one example of what happens when you combine scientific naivety with politics. Another is wind power. 1st, no one wants those multi-storied windmills in their back yard, they're noisy and unsightly. Think of the famous liberal Ted Kennedy. When a windfarm was proposed offshore, but within sight of the famous Kennedy Cape Cod compound, he quickly found ways to scuttle the project. (Perhaps using such a hypocrite is a poor choice to prove my point.) Additionally, without governmental subsidies, the windmill farms could not be built.
I'm not saying we shouldn't search for alternative energy, we should. But we should let market forces drive the search, not 'command & centralized' governmental bureaucracies do it. Two quick 'alternatives': search for more oil & coal in the U.S. & start building new (and much safer) Nuclear plants.
The market typically solves the problem in an elegant way. When a commodity's price rises enough, it curtails both it's use and encourages exploration of alternatives. Those who rely on the geniuses in government to solve the problem have no understanding of history nor human nature.
I guess I've been lucky. Here in San Diego most people I come into contact with are really nice. I have to take the occasional trip back to britain just for a dose of sarcasm and bitterness!
My husband often does very well out of being nice and having a british accent, we often get upgrades wherever we go and people seem to bend over backwards to help us with things.
Eating healthily in small town is easy and cheap, despite the lack of ethnic markets, TJs, or Whole Foods. Every full-sized grocery store has frozen vegetables (which often retain their nutritional value better than fresh), canned or dried beans and lentils, rice, nuts, whole wheat flour, basic spices, and other staples. It's not the most exciting diet, but it's dirt cheap and nutritious.
You're also choosing to live in a very rural area. You have more space and cheaper housing than those of us in urban areas, and a tradeoff is lack of exciting food options.
I work in fast food (working to get through school) and I am so appreciative when people actually treat me like a human being. I hate the impression that people have that people that work at fast food are uneducated losers who can't get any other job and thus they can be treated like garbage.
If you had particularly good service at any one of those minimum wage paying places, please, don't hesitate to either tell the person who did the good job or their manager. Nothing lights my day up and makes me want to continue the good work when someone recognizes that I'm trying to make their visit as pleasant as possible.
I love your blog Paul, and thanks again writing about this!
When it comes to fast food, or any other Customer Service job it seems as if people forget that the person behind the counter is a real person. At times it honestly feels as if workers are expected to be robots. No matter how hard we try it is never good enough. I've had people come into my work and tell me that because they are a customer I should bend over backwards for them, even if it means breaking company policy and risk losing my job. I have even had people tell me how much money I must be making because of where I work. For some reason people seem to think that those in Customer Service make a lot of money. Generally we don't. More often than not a Customer Service job is minimum wage (at least up here in Canada, I'm not sure about in the states).
That being said, to all of you people who do smile and are nice to us, you really do make our day. Sometimes it just takes one nice person to make the job a little more bearable. Plus if you are nice to us we are more likely to do things for you.
One really easy thing to do, especially in the drive through, is to look the person in the eye with a smile. The natural thing is to hand them the credit card or cash and say an obligatory "thank you" without looking up, so it does take a conscious effort for about one second. But it adds a personal touch to your contact with the person.
Fast food jobs are not fun, and I've noticed the surprise in some people's faces when giving them this small, but appreciated, bit of attention.
Divorce, from what I have heard, can often be financially devastating -- especially for the spouse/partner who may have been pursuing career interests that were not as lucrative as possible, for the sake of the marriage and children.
I have heard from my parents, though, of older couples (widowed, in their 70s and 80s) ) who now have partners but opt not to marry because of potential financial losses associated with social security, pension payments, etc.
I found that I get better results emailing my complaints to corporate headquarters via their respective websites afterwards rather than confronting someone at the counter. I've worked in retail jobs before and I know what it's like behind the counter. Use a neutral, courteous tone in your email for best results and provide details like date, time, and a complete description of the incident. McD's sent me free meal coupons for a bad service complaint and I got free movie tickets for a projectionist's mistake at my local theater.
All of my children grew up drinking and liking simple, unsweetened hibiscus (Red Zinger) tea. It's easy to make, just put four bags in a pitcher for a few hours, also very quenching and much more satisfying than water, to me.
I'm facing almost $120,000 worth of medical debt after suffering second-degree burns that cover most of my back. I'm currently a graduate student, no job, no health insurance, nothing. I've spoken with the business office of the hospital, inquired about assistance, etc. They pointed me to their charity office: I spoke with one of their representatives and the first thing she told me was "We don't give out charity." That was about the extent of our conversation.
Right now it looks like I will be responsible for the entire cost of my bill. I applied for Medicaid and was rejected. No one at the hospital has mentioned anything about a financial aid department, so I'm assuming they don't have one. It looks like my only option is to declare bankruptcy. I'll probably have to drop out of school. Any advice?
I'm currently on a anti-candida diet and so am drinking water until it bores me to death.
I'd completely forgotten all the things I can do to flavour it up a bit.
When I worked in a Lebanese restaurant in university we would serve Iced Mint Tea which was normal mint tea (without sugar) chilled. It's one of the most refreshing drinks I've ever had (plus it's great with a little bit of vodka and lime).
I also love to walk, 2 or 3 hours doing about 10-15km. By the time I'm back I'm dying for a drink, but water never satisfies. I find that a splash of red wine in a glass of sparkling water always brings my energy level back up without making me feel heavy and without being sweet.
Cheers,
Alex
Ensuring the applicants' record is also important...
Try to visit this link >> www.macdataadvantage.com to know more about hiring an employee.
If you have not read fast food nation please do. A large chunk of the book talks about the reality of people working in places like McDonalds, pizza delivery and meat packing plants. When you see how some of these megacompanies have stripped these jobs down even further than they were, you understand how hard they must be. People have been made utterly replaceable in these jobs. I can't imagine living with that kind of job insecurity.
This post has been on my mind since you posted it yesterday. I think there is sort of a pattern to where people really get treated lousy as workers. I think it happens in those positions where the person that is the customer feels they are socially superior to that person based on the work role that person is in. I'm not applying any right or wrong to that behavior, personally I think you should treat everyone decently.
The big fad at our house recently has been Japanese TV. There are two of their game shows that are playing on cable right now. Ninja warrior and Banzuke. Both focus on completing a challenge, not winning money. But each contestant has their name and occupation listed before they take their attempt. What I have gleaned from these is that they seem to treat every occupation as equal. Student, gas station attendant, sports star, banker or fishmonger there seems to be a bit more respect for work or life roles there. Can someone who has lived there add to this? Am I right or wrong? If this is the case that everyone's work contribution is treated as an equal and valid contribution to society maybe there is something to learn there.
I'm in a position where I get to be yelled at and insulted and ignored and trash-talked, in my role as someone helping to keep the rules followed and sometimes providing story-times. I also get to be on the 'other side' where the same people spewing vitriol and resentment are jovial and charming to 'their kind.' Needless to say, it's such a shock for newcomers who join those of us trying to keep the rules obeyed. They can't believe that their dear buddies would have the gall to treat us the way they do.
Is it simply that they feel entitled to have everything changed to suit them because they've been around a long time? Do they not think that we're also people, with feelings? Is it just that they are 'generation X' or whatever it is, raised with instant gratification responding immediately to their every action, so they anticipate that when they say they want something, we'll instantly comply?
In some cases, I'd say that familiarity breeds contempt. I adopt an artificial saccharine firmness when dealing with them, so I don't swear at them for having no idea that they're breaking rules that haven't changed in over a dozen years. I try to treat them with respect, to model what I think they should be doing. I strive to understand their perspective, in case it's not actually just that they think everything should be easier for them because they are "clearly better than everyone else."
Every other year, or so, someone will say thank you. It makes me want to cry, because you never can tell if they're sincere, in which case it's a heart wrenching beauty, or if they're trying to play the 'good friends' card, in which case the sentiment should be smashed flat like a rattlesnake in a kindergarten playground.
guess I must be hitting these places when folks aren't so hateful, but actually, that's no accident. I've always worked 3-11 p.m., preferring to have the daytime to get out there and get things done, hating crowds and the morning and evening rush. I've worked from home for years now so I guess I'm even more out of it. Can't say I've ever been mistreated by a clerk or a fellow customer anywhere but have witnessed bad behavior. Nobody has to put up with personal bad behavior and shouldn't for any reason. I did see a cardiac surgeon throw a cup of coffee at a fellow employee once back in my hospital days. She calmly got up and just walked out of the room. He ended up sending her flowers and tickets for some concert, but man, what a jerk, and nobody in the office forgot it. I know I never will. Hey, I'm glad not to have to be out so much in the "real" world anymore, ha-ha.
If you own stocks then you can't afford to get news later than everyone else. Try easystockalerts.com for a week and you'll see what I mean. There is no fee and no spam...so make money now and sign up for easystockalerts.com
Subscribe to easystockalerts.com Now & Get The News Before Everyone Else! Have you ever want to see your stock news before it even appears on yahoo? Well, and then be alerted before it appears on the web. So start money making now and sign up for easystockalerts.com
easystockalerts will keep you abreast on the latest news on stocks you follow. You can get e-mail and RSS alerts when a stock you are tracking has news, an SEC filing, or a press release. It also monitors some of the top financial blogs for opinions on your stocks. So start money making now and sign up for easystockalerts.com
Hi,
Take a look at easystockalerts.com. It allows you to get the news before it even appears on the web. It's like having a Bloomberg terminal at your desk, but only better! No spam, just very useful, actionable investment ideas.
If you interested in stock market news and information here is a site called easystockalerts.com . You can also get e-mail and RSS alerts when a stock you are tracking has news, an SEC filing, or a press release. So start money making now and sign up for easystockalerts.com
Found a nice site - easystockalerts.com. It will keep you updated on any breaking news on the stocks you own. See the news before it even appears on the web. So make money now and sign up for asystockalerts.com
If you interested in stock market news and information here is a site called easystockalerts.com . You can also get e-mail and RSS alerts when a stock you are tracking has news, an SEC filing, or a press release. So start money making now and sign up for easystockalerts.com
My British accent has helped me get a lot of extra stuff. I have no idea why.
Much to the chagrin of some, and only some, in the environmental movement, it seems as though 'alternative' energy is harmful to both the environment & the economy. Of course, because of cognitive dissonance, most refuse to see the obvious - it's too painful to their underlying beliefs.
As I pointed out in a previous post, the ethanol boondoggle is the most egregious example. The total energy input to produce a unit of ethanol energy falls short of the energy required to produce that unit. Think of all the oil required for the tractors, trucks, fertilizer, herbicides, etc. That's the economic picture. If you look at the environmental damage done, it should convince you it's a bad idea. Put millions of additional farm acreage into production using mono genetically designed crops. Then spray tons of pesticides and herbicides onto the fields.
Ethanol is just one example of what happens when you combine scientific naivety with politics. Another is wind power. 1st, no one wants those multi-storied windmills in their back yard, they're noisy and unsightly. Think of the famous liberal Ted Kennedy. When a windfarm was proposed offshore, but within sight of the famous Kennedy Cape Cod compound, he quickly found ways to scuttle the project. (Perhaps using such a hypocrite is a poor choice to prove my point.) Additionally, without governmental subsidies, the windmill farms could not be built.
I'm not saying we shouldn't search for alternative energy, we should. But we should let market forces drive the search, not 'command & centralized' governmental bureaucracies do it. Two quick 'alternatives': search for more oil & coal in the U.S. & start building new (and much safer) Nuclear plants.
The market typically solves the problem in an elegant way. When a commodity's price rises enough, it curtails both it's use and encourages exploration of alternatives. Those who rely on the geniuses in government to solve the problem have no understanding of history nor human nature.
I guess I've been lucky. Here in San Diego most people I come into contact with are really nice. I have to take the occasional trip back to britain just for a dose of sarcasm and bitterness!
My husband often does very well out of being nice and having a british accent, we often get upgrades wherever we go and people seem to bend over backwards to help us with things.
I don't think I could ever work behind the counter anywhere, I don't have that kind of incredible fortitude. Big thanks for what you do.
Eating healthily in small town is easy and cheap, despite the lack of ethnic markets, TJs, or Whole Foods. Every full-sized grocery store has frozen vegetables (which often retain their nutritional value better than fresh), canned or dried beans and lentils, rice, nuts, whole wheat flour, basic spices, and other staples. It's not the most exciting diet, but it's dirt cheap and nutritious.
You're also choosing to live in a very rural area. You have more space and cheaper housing than those of us in urban areas, and a tradeoff is lack of exciting food options.
I work in fast food (working to get through school) and I am so appreciative when people actually treat me like a human being. I hate the impression that people have that people that work at fast food are uneducated losers who can't get any other job and thus they can be treated like garbage.
If you had particularly good service at any one of those minimum wage paying places, please, don't hesitate to either tell the person who did the good job or their manager. Nothing lights my day up and makes me want to continue the good work when someone recognizes that I'm trying to make their visit as pleasant as possible.
I love your blog Paul, and thanks again writing about this!
When it comes to fast food, or any other Customer Service job it seems as if people forget that the person behind the counter is a real person. At times it honestly feels as if workers are expected to be robots. No matter how hard we try it is never good enough. I've had people come into my work and tell me that because they are a customer I should bend over backwards for them, even if it means breaking company policy and risk losing my job. I have even had people tell me how much money I must be making because of where I work. For some reason people seem to think that those in Customer Service make a lot of money. Generally we don't. More often than not a Customer Service job is minimum wage (at least up here in Canada, I'm not sure about in the states).
That being said, to all of you people who do smile and are nice to us, you really do make our day. Sometimes it just takes one nice person to make the job a little more bearable. Plus if you are nice to us we are more likely to do things for you.
One really easy thing to do, especially in the drive through, is to look the person in the eye with a smile. The natural thing is to hand them the credit card or cash and say an obligatory "thank you" without looking up, so it does take a conscious effort for about one second. But it adds a personal touch to your contact with the person.
Fast food jobs are not fun, and I've noticed the surprise in some people's faces when giving them this small, but appreciated, bit of attention.
Divorce, from what I have heard, can often be financially devastating -- especially for the spouse/partner who may have been pursuing career interests that were not as lucrative as possible, for the sake of the marriage and children.
I have heard from my parents, though, of older couples (widowed, in their 70s and 80s) ) who now have partners but opt not to marry because of potential financial losses associated with social security, pension payments, etc.
I found that I get better results emailing my complaints to corporate headquarters via their respective websites afterwards rather than confronting someone at the counter. I've worked in retail jobs before and I know what it's like behind the counter. Use a neutral, courteous tone in your email for best results and provide details like date, time, and a complete description of the incident. McD's sent me free meal coupons for a bad service complaint and I got free movie tickets for a projectionist's mistake at my local theater.