Category: General

As I write today’s entry, we are in the middle of planning a family trip that is coming up very soon.  And, although I am excited about having the opportunity to go on another trip, the planning part is about to drive me crazy.  We have been going over details for hours and hours, and I just want to get flights, hotels, and a rental vehicle booked.  In my mind everything else can wait – if the basics aren’t covered, then to me there is no sense in figuring out what we will do when we are there.

I’ve talked about patience (including my lack of it) before, and here it is again.  Why can’t I just go with the flow?  Why is this driving me so crazy?  I think part of the issue is that I know there are lots of other things that need to be done.  I would like to get this out of the way so we can move on.  Is that so irrational?  Probably not, but I dislike how my impatience makes me feel.

In the end, I know we will get it done.  It may take what seems like forever, but it will get done.  This is yet another reminder of how I need to slow down and start learning from patience instead of dreading it and letting it overtake me.  How I do that, though, will definitely be a marathon and not a sprint.  Hopefully just being able to acknowledge when it is happening is a good first step.  This also seems to be a good indication that I need to step up on some mindfulness and meditation practices.  This is an area I will probably always struggle with, but at least I can recognize it.  This helps to me to work with it and not against it.

As I write this entry, we are in the midst of allergy season.  Ragweed is one of the worst culprits during the late summer season around here, and this always seems to be the worst part of the year for me.  I have a long history of ear, nose, and sinus problems, and I have had a long history with allergies too.  I was allergy tested several years ago, and basically I was found to be allergic to everything.  This made me laugh, because somehow I had been fortunate enough to survive all of this time without an anaphylactic reaction to anything, let alone everything.  As a result of the testing I ended up giving myself allergy shots for about a year.  After that I have seemed to tolerate allergy seasons better, but it also could be that I exercise and take care of myself better than I ever did too.

Looking at all of my history with allergies and sinus issues, this year seemed to be going very well.  I sneezed some and had some drainage, but it wasn’t really bothering me that much.  Lately, though, I have had to wake up at night to drain, and again, while it didn’t bother me it bothered my husband.  So, today I went to an ENT doctor to see if there was a reason for my more frequent draining.  Turns out I have a secondary infection from my allergies.  Wow!  I had no idea!  I wasn’t really feeling all that different, but I have probably been walking around with an infection for possibly a month now.  Boy do I feel silly.  Here I thought my allergies were the best they had ever been, and I’ve had an infection.  Geez.

Today’s incident has made me feel a major lack of self-awareness.  How could I miss this?  How could I not sense that something was off?  I’ll get over it, but I think I need to work on giving myself some grace here.  Sometimes things do get missed.  Luckily, a lot of times it doesn’t affect much.  I assume eventually I would have started feeling uncomfortable and would have figured I should seek some help.  For now, I can rest in the knowledge that sometimes I will miss things, and that doing so is part of being a perfectly imperfect human.

Are you familiar with podcasts?  While not a formal definition, I think of podcasts as shows that you listen to – somewhat similar to talk radio.  However, the variety of topics for podcasts is pretty wide ranging, and there is bound to be a podcast on a topic that you find interesting.  The other neat thing is that with today’s technology pretty much anyone can create and distribute podcasts.  It can be a great way to share ideas, opinions and advice with others.

Where can you find podcasts?  A lot of times I hear about them from email lists that I am on.  If you read books or magazines, they may direct you to podcasts.  Doing a simple internet search for a podcast on a topic of interest can also be done.  Regardless of how you do it, it usually does not take long to find a lot of podcasts that you would enjoy listening to (assuming you enjoy this type of activity).

Of course, the next question is: when do you listen to all of these podcasts that you have found?  That can definitely be tricky.  Depending on the work you do, you may be able to listen to them while you are working.  I don’t advocate this if it impairs your ability to work, but it might be an option.  You can listen to them when you are driving, but again only if it doesn’t impair your ability to drive.  You can listen to them when you are exercising.  You can listen to them when you are doing chores around the house.  That is one of the benefits to podcasts – there are so many different opportunities to listen to them.  So, take some time today to consider what role, if any, podcasts could play in your life, as they can be a great way to learn and enjoy the world around us.

My husband and I recently went on a trip to New York City.  I had been there 10 years ago on a solo trip, but I was longing to get back again after really enjoying the city my first time there.  We got to experience so much on the trip, and depending on how I feel I may devote more than one blog entry to my experiences related to the trip.

Today, I want to focus on the idea of New York City and what it means to me.  When I was growing up, my perception was that New York City was very scary and very dangerous.  There would be no reason for me to go there.  But somehow, as I watched movies that took place there and songs that were sung about it, I was always attracted to this city.  Could it really be that bad?  I was left to wonder until I got to make a trip on my own.

As it turns out, New York City is probably one of the safest cities out there.  On my first visit and on this recent one, I felt safe most of the time.  And, while safety is important, the best part of New York City to me is how it makes you feel.  There is so much to see and do, and there is an energy there that you can not explain to anyone.  You have to go and feel it for yourself.  It is an energy that anything is possible.  Any idea is welcome.  Any creativity is celebrated.  That is what I love about New York City – a beautiful sense that this is where things happen.  If you ever get the chance, I encourage you to visit – I suspect that you will not be disappointed once you experience the energy and inspiration.

Recently, I attended a “White Coat Ceremony” for a college of pharmacy class – in this case, the class of 2021.  When I started pharmacy school in 2002 I also attended one.  I am sure this is done for other professions and at other schools, but essentially it is a way to welcome students into the training of their chosen profession.  In the ones I have attended, each student is coated with a white lab jacket as a way to symbolize their entry into their studies.  It can be a very big moment for students.  For me, it was a way to say that all of my hard work and dedication were paying off – assuming I continued to work hard and study, I would be a pharmacist.  The competition, although still somewhat there, was lessened quite a bit as well.  Once you were in pharmacy school there was a strong support system to make sure you made it through, and I was happy to be accepted.

I have been to a white coat ceremony for the last three years, and I am always amazed at how inspiring it is for me.  I go because I mentor some of the pharmacy students, and it is wonderful to see how engaged and professional these students seem to be.  Going to this event gives me hope for our future health care providers.  Currently, I think a lot about our current health care system is broken, and my hope is that these students will pave the way for something better.  And, while I don’t think a pill is the answer to everything, I do think pharmacists can have a major impact on education and coaching patients.  The role of a pharmacist is expanding, and I look forward to seeing how it evolves in these future classes.  Overall, the white coat ceremony is a wonderful way to celebrate an important milestone in the life of a student.

Although this comes up from time to time, lately it seems there have been several people in our local area that we know that are in trouble with the law.  It is a weird feeling because until you hear about civil or criminal charges or allegations against someone, you just assume (or, at least I do) that the person is honestly and morally going about their days.  I’m not here to judge – that is certainly not my place.  But, it sometimes feels like you have been betrayed by the person.  What you thought you knew isn’t correct.

Have you experienced something like this before?  Maybe it wasn’t an example where the person ended up being sued or in jail, but maybe you found out someone wasn’t the person you thought they were.  I suspect that has happened to most of us, especially the older we are.  How did you feel?  What, if anything, did you do about it?  It can be hard to make these realizations, and I also wonder sometimes if people have any intent of deceiving others.  I am sure some do, but again, that probably starts getting into the judgment I don’t believe I should be doing.

Then, of course, if someone can do that to you, you can most certainly deceive others as well.  This is the part I feel I can do something about, or, at least my intentions can be transparent.  Unfortunately, we probably deceive others even if we don’t mean to do so.  But, I can choose to be as intentional and honest with others as I can.  If something worrisome is going on, I can be honest about it with others too.  All easier said than done, but my overall ask of myself is to be as real with others as I can, and I encourage you do to the same.

Do you remember CDs (aka Compact Disks)?  Do you still own any?  Do you actually play any CDs that you still have?  I have to say that even though most music is digital these days, I am still a big fan of the CD.  I also really enjoy cassette tapes and records.  There is something about just holding the music in your hands that sometimes makes it seem more real.

Right now, I am taking some CDs that are new to me and ripping them onto my computer so I have a digital copy of them.  Why do I do this if I like CDs so much?  I do it because sometimes I will wear out CDs from playing them so much.  Also, it makes sense that the digital files aren’t as bulky to carry around when you are on the go.  Even though I have to go through this process to make my music more portable I still enjoy buying and playing CDs.

Doing this also makes me think of my dad.  Back when I was little, he took all of his records and recorded them onto cassette tapes.  After CDs came out, he essentially just bought the CD version of the records he had.  So, at one point, I remember my dad having 3 formats for the same music.  Instead of thinking it was a waste, I thought it was pretty cool.  This was a guy who loved music so much, and today I still share that love with him.  So, I will be buying CDs as long as I can.  But, I probably will also rip them, because even though I love the past, I still try to live in today.

How about you?  Do you have a favorite type of music format?  If so, what can you play and enjoy today?

Would you describe yourself as a perfectionist?  Today, I would say that I am a recovering one.  I am not sure if it is anything I will ever completely be free of, but I like to think that my perfectionist tendencies have decreased and continue to do so.  And, while there are those who might think perfectionism is something to strive for, I am posting today about how dangerous I think perfectionism can be for your wellness.

To start off, what does it mean to be “perfect” anyway?  Who decides?  You?  The people in your life?  That is already a check mark against perfectionism – if everyone thinks it means something different it might be hard to attain.

Next, perfectionism can take up a lot of time and decrease productivity and efficiency.  If you are paying attention to every little detail and making it “perfect” in your mind, how do you ever get anything done?  Also, what else are you missing out on when you work on making something perfect?

Then, how does this process make you feel?  Do you get a sense of accomplishment?  Or, does it never seem good enough?

Lastly, if everything is perfect, do you learn anything from it?  A lot of times the greatest learning comes from mistakes we make along the way – not that we shouldn’t do our best, but there is a line between completing a task and trying to make it perfect.

Overall, to me it seems that perfectionism has many down sides, and I hope the questions above have you thinking that perfectionism is not the answer.  Give your best with what you have, but let go of that perfectionist ideal.  In reality, life is messy, and it is certainly not perfect for anyone.   Spend your time working on a life that is meaningful, messy, and real instead of one that is “perfect” in your mind.

Are you a planner?  Do you enjoy looking ahead at the next day, week, month, or year and scheduling events or thinking about what lies ahead?

I am a very big planner.  As long as I can remember, I have always had a planner and/or calendar to keep track of assignments, projects, appointments, and meetings, among other things.  These days, my calendar is electronic and shared with my husband, and to-dos usually end up on a notebook I keep in my purse.  Regardless of how it gets done I secretly enjoy the sense of “keeping it together” with these items.

Lately, however, I am beginning to wonder if I spend too much time planning.  Is that possible?  I think so.  I am wondering how it may take me away from more important things, like family, friends, and just living life.  Maybe I am not missing any major things, but what small things am I missing?  Am I missing playing with my child?  Am I a missing a conversation with my spouse?  Again, probably smaller things, but still important things that make up a day…and a life.  My concern is that in planning so many things I forget to live in the moment.  I forget to just live.  So, one thing I would like to work on is spending less time planning and more time living.  And, I would encourage you to do the same.  Now, I understand some planning is necessary – bills have to be paid, food has to be obtained, children have to get to school, and so on.  What I am asking myself and others is to make sure we are not wasting precious time planning if it is not necessary.  Easier said than done, but I hope to make it a reality in my life.  How about you?  Do you feel the need to cut back on your planning?  What steps can you take today to live more and plan less?

On the day that I am writing this entry, it has been exactly 25 years since my Grandma Scott passed away.  Even though I won’t go into the details of how it unfolded from my point of view, I still remember it pretty vividly.  And, although I had lost a grandfather when I was in kindergarten, I didn’t totally understand what it all meant at that age.  I was sad, but I didn’t truly get it.  When my grandma passed away 25 years ago, I got it.  It was really the first major death that I had to process, and of course, it wouldn’t be the last.

I was very close to both of my grandmothers, so losing one was very hard.  I would lose the second grandmother a little over two years later.  Both of them had experienced prolonged illnesses before their passing, so I remember spending time in the hospital and/or long term care with them before they died.  It was some pretty tough stuff for a young girl.  I have spent a lot of my life wondering what they would have thought about my life in high school, college, my working life, getting married, and now having a child.  I feel like they would have been pretty proud, but they would have loved me no matter what I did.  Even to this day I still miss all of my grandparents very much (I also had a grandfather that passed away long before I was even born).

I share some of my background here because I felt that I got to spend a lot of time with my grandparents before they passed away.  After they all died, I have been pretty jealous of those people who still have grandparents.  I also get pretty mad at those who seem to take theirs for granted.  Of course, there may be legitimate reasons why people don’t get along with their grandparents, but assuming that is not the case I encourage you to spend as much time with them as possible.  Don’t take these individuals for granted, and enjoy the time you can spend with them.