Dear ED sufferers,
I hope this email finds you well if you have subscribed to my blog. I wonder if gmail will spam filter my own writing due to that title; that would be absolutely hilarious if they did.
So what is the ‘…’? That would be the size of your tax return* if you happened to have graduated this past year and are stacking that 'paper'. The federal government has also stacked your change for you, and has assessed a hefty bill, which you have prepaid via ‘federal withholding’.
‘Hold on, g, did you just trick me into reading a post about taxes with false promises of male augmentation? That’s bait-and-switch!!’
Yes I did, and that’s why you listen to my nonsense: I attempt to elevate the mundane to the exciting (and vice versa). To be truly technical, this blog post can increase your return by $1,250 and set you on your way to retirement…if you act within the next 5 days before the April 15 deadline.
Really quick summary, by setting up a traditional IRA you can save $1,250 in taxes if you have $5,000 to invest to max out your 2009 contribution. This is aimed at graduates from 2009 who made below $82,250 in 2009 (more on this in a bit). If you already know about Individual Retirement Accounts and the tax benefits, then please ignore my redundancy. If not, read on to pry back $1,250 from Uncle Sam’s warm, non-dead fingers.
If you’re still on your way to making the big bucks, then just remember to earmark this post for the future.
--
First off, mo money mo problems. The finances of getting through pharmacy school meant taking out enough loans and learning to stomach enough ramen and low-priced energy drinks to survive from financial aid check to check. It was a simpler time. When you graduate and get a job (if you get a job**), you’ll be inundated with more money than you’ve ever thought possible. You might be tempted to withdraw $1,000 in Jacksons, put the paper on your bed, and wallow around in the cocaine-dusted, sweet perfume of the U.S. banknote like Scrooge McDuck.***
Fine, but after you have an orgy with that money, calmly collect them all together and redeposit them back at your bank; if the teller gives you a dirty look, tell him/her that you deal drugs for a living and show your RPh wallet card.
It is ridiculous that some pharmacists are in debt (of their own design) when they make six-figure salaries. Sure, loans are expensive, but you can knock them out in 5 years and still live well. If you don’t have a clue how to manage money, a good place to start is to find a financial planner. Make sure they’re fee-based (not commission-based) since those planners would probably be the most unbiased.
But in the meantime, you can start your own brokerage account online (I recommend Vanguard for their rock bottom expenses ratio and their user friendly site) and fund your IRA, which you still have until April 15 for the 2009 tax year.
So what about that $1,250? Well if you’re single (as in not married) and made between $33,950 and $82,250, then you fall into the 25% marginal tax bracket, which means you only get to keep 75 cents of every next dollar you earn. After $82,250, you only get to keep 72 cents (28% marginal bracket). It kind of makes you empathize with the Republicans****.
The traditional IRA allows you to fund pre-tax dollars into a retirement account, which means that you don’t have to pay tax on that money. $5,000 (the max contribution for young folks) at a marginal rate of 25% means $1,250 tax relief. The tax on that money and its earnings is deferred until you take them out when you retire so you’ll eventually have to pay taxes on them. You can never escape death or taxes.
So I kind of fibbed a little bit; you’re dropping $3,750 in your bank account (liquid) to gain $5,000 in a retirement account (non-liquid). You’d transfer $5,000 to your retirement account, but your income tax return will increase by $1,250, thus a net decrease of $3,750.
Confused? I am not a certified financial planner, and it’s hard to both stir up interest and tell you everything about an IRA. Take my word for it: forego the Audis and Beamers and Benzs and fund your retirement NOW. The stock markets are on an upswing.
Personally, I fund a Roth IRA rather than a traditional IRA. Roth IRAs are funded with post-tax money, but the earnings are tax-free. In my opinion, this is the better of the two options if you’re eligible for the Roth. The only reason why I tout the traditional IRA in this post is because it’s easy to see the immediate tax benefit, and most young people are all about instant gratification.
So if you’re interested, google ‘IRA’ and read away. Then google ‘Roth vs traditional IRA’ and read that discussion. Then pick one and invest. Afterwards, find a reputable financial planner and have a sit-down conversation to discuss finances. Though it can be pricey at first ($300-500 per session), it can literally net you hundreds of thousands in your lifetime.
Make sure you do your research well and do what is best for you. Don’t buy anything you don’t understand; you can be sure there will be thousands of people out there ready to sell you financial snake oil (reference: 2AM infomercials).
Please consult with a financial adviser before investing. Stock markets earnings are not guaranteed. Of course the world could end tomorrow, and you could always get a big mattress and stuff your greenbacks in it or dig a hole in your backyard and bury your stash there.
--
*guys, sorry to disappoint; I have some Extenzze and Viaggraaa emails that I can forward to you if you like
**methinks the pharmacist demand bubble is about to burst in the next 5 years
***I considered doing this, but I thought it might be a bit weird.
****I don’t describe myself as Dem, Rep, or Ind. I follow what I think is best for me and society.
Friday, April 9
Whoa whoa whoa...
Take it easy…
First off, I hate censoring people. I hate censoring myself, but there’s stuff you don’t want people to read about you (stuff like how I think Leprechauns are real and that if I find one, I would trick it to show me where its pot of gold is so I’d never have to work). Whoever seen the leprechaun say yea!
I am a non-confrontational kind of person, and when I see or hear gunfire, I instinctively run the other way. That’s what real people from the ghetto do. So if there’s a squabble, I like to get as far away as possible, get some popcorn, pull up a chair at a safe distance and enjoy. But as this fight has broken out in my own house (aka blog), I have to respond. On a sidenote, don’t let people get plastered in your own house (thank you to all the people who have cleaned up after me! I owe you one!).
The one lesson I’ve learned as a retail pharmacist is that getting angry with people does absolutely nothing to help with a situation. You only irritate them more and you expend a lot of energy by having to quell your emotions after the confrontation. Don’t do it. Step back, breathe, and relax. There’s absolutely nothing anyone can do to you that will hurt you if you don’t let it affect you. Take their weapons away from them, and they will have nothing with which to fight. Some lady called me ‘withholding’ because I wouldn’t let her touch the tablets, another guy said I didn’t do my ‘due diligence’ because I neglected to process his discount card, a third called me ‘racist’ because I didn’t ring up her OTC med immediately because I was busy with hospice prescriptions. Whatever. Go on and brush your shoulders off.
A battle not fought is a victory won.
So to directly address the situation: did eggs’ comments affect me? Sure, but I have built my foundation upon my own self belief, that what I do and write is my true self (excluding stuff that would be TMI). And though that true self may be narcissistic, prejudicial, superficial, and arrogant, it is also humorous, light-hearted, deep-hearted, middle-hearted, and educational. Though I do not know if I am ‘good’ (or if human beings can be ‘good’ or if there is such a thing as ‘good’), I try to be ‘good’. Therefore, when anyone makes ‘attacks’ on my character, whether real or imagined, I have confidence in my attempted goodness. Thus, nothing anyone can say or do will have power over me (up to a limit, of course).
Upon this rock of my self-worth, I have built the temple of my mind.
So I shrugged off the ego-deflating comments. I cannot control others’ thoughts; I can only control my response to them. And when the comment feud broke out, I found it insanely comical because it was a (relatively) unnecessary fight.
But since peoples’ feelings have been hurt, and I foresee some escalation, I’m going to end it. I don’t trust that people have my prodigious fortitude (don’t you dare make a comment about my weight!) to deflect criticism. Because after all, we all know that I’m pretty much a big deal. :)
So keep enjoying my blog. Keep commenting on what you like or what can be improved. Posts are also forwarded as boxes on my FB page, so you can just hit the ‘LIKE’ button there. After all, I live off of comments because I am a narcissist, but do keep them positive or playfully insulting. Anything else will be removed. Call me an idiot but do it with a smile and temper it with something like how my tie has the most perfect dimple and drops exactly to mid-belt buckle or how you’d have to sue me for retinal damage because my Gucci is so sparkly.
Life is too short to live it angrily. If anything I say comes off as vaguely insulting, understand that I do it with a smile, and that I aim to offend everyone equally and myself especially. After all, the story of blonde 9.7 was not my proudest moment, but I shared it with you all (and you must admit that it was a pretty funny story at my expense).
People should die with stupid grins on their faces. That’s how I want to go, facilitated with loads of friends (and morphine). It’s a celebration! Enjoy yourself.
--
On second thought, this isn’t Cuba or China. There is free speech after all, and you can do whatever you like (insofar as it is what I like). But as Catch-22 says, I have the right to do anything you can't stop me from doing. I am a delightful tyrant, but still a tyrant in the tradition of Nero (except without all that in-bred perversion), and this blog is my despotic realm.
So keep it above the belt or you’ll find your comment trashed. And don’t recruit people in your fights. Agreed?
First off, I hate censoring people. I hate censoring myself, but there’s stuff you don’t want people to read about you (stuff like how I think Leprechauns are real and that if I find one, I would trick it to show me where its pot of gold is so I’d never have to work). Whoever seen the leprechaun say yea!
I am a non-confrontational kind of person, and when I see or hear gunfire, I instinctively run the other way. That’s what real people from the ghetto do. So if there’s a squabble, I like to get as far away as possible, get some popcorn, pull up a chair at a safe distance and enjoy. But as this fight has broken out in my own house (aka blog), I have to respond. On a sidenote, don’t let people get plastered in your own house (thank you to all the people who have cleaned up after me! I owe you one!).
The one lesson I’ve learned as a retail pharmacist is that getting angry with people does absolutely nothing to help with a situation. You only irritate them more and you expend a lot of energy by having to quell your emotions after the confrontation. Don’t do it. Step back, breathe, and relax. There’s absolutely nothing anyone can do to you that will hurt you if you don’t let it affect you. Take their weapons away from them, and they will have nothing with which to fight. Some lady called me ‘withholding’ because I wouldn’t let her touch the tablets, another guy said I didn’t do my ‘due diligence’ because I neglected to process his discount card, a third called me ‘racist’ because I didn’t ring up her OTC med immediately because I was busy with hospice prescriptions. Whatever. Go on and brush your shoulders off.
A battle not fought is a victory won.
So to directly address the situation: did eggs’ comments affect me? Sure, but I have built my foundation upon my own self belief, that what I do and write is my true self (excluding stuff that would be TMI). And though that true self may be narcissistic, prejudicial, superficial, and arrogant, it is also humorous, light-hearted, deep-hearted, middle-hearted, and educational. Though I do not know if I am ‘good’ (or if human beings can be ‘good’ or if there is such a thing as ‘good’), I try to be ‘good’. Therefore, when anyone makes ‘attacks’ on my character, whether real or imagined, I have confidence in my attempted goodness. Thus, nothing anyone can say or do will have power over me (up to a limit, of course).
Upon this rock of my self-worth, I have built the temple of my mind.
So I shrugged off the ego-deflating comments. I cannot control others’ thoughts; I can only control my response to them. And when the comment feud broke out, I found it insanely comical because it was a (relatively) unnecessary fight.
But since peoples’ feelings have been hurt, and I foresee some escalation, I’m going to end it. I don’t trust that people have my prodigious fortitude (don’t you dare make a comment about my weight!) to deflect criticism. Because after all, we all know that I’m pretty much a big deal. :)
So keep enjoying my blog. Keep commenting on what you like or what can be improved. Posts are also forwarded as boxes on my FB page, so you can just hit the ‘LIKE’ button there. After all, I live off of comments because I am a narcissist, but do keep them positive or playfully insulting. Anything else will be removed. Call me an idiot but do it with a smile and temper it with something like how my tie has the most perfect dimple and drops exactly to mid-belt buckle or how you’d have to sue me for retinal damage because my Gucci is so sparkly.
Life is too short to live it angrily. If anything I say comes off as vaguely insulting, understand that I do it with a smile, and that I aim to offend everyone equally and myself especially. After all, the story of blonde 9.7 was not my proudest moment, but I shared it with you all (and you must admit that it was a pretty funny story at my expense).
People should die with stupid grins on their faces. That’s how I want to go, facilitated with loads of friends (and morphine). It’s a celebration! Enjoy yourself.
--
On second thought, this isn’t Cuba or China. There is free speech after all, and you can do whatever you like (insofar as it is what I like). But as Catch-22 says, I have the right to do anything you can't stop me from doing. I am a delightful tyrant, but still a tyrant in the tradition of Nero (except without all that in-bred perversion), and this blog is my despotic realm.
So keep it above the belt or you’ll find your comment trashed. And don’t recruit people in your fights. Agreed?
Thursday, March 25
Tea Leaves, Crystal Balls, and Astrology
Dear loyal readers,
I sincerely apologize for my absence this past week. Things have been changing in terms of my professional career (i.e., the job that pays), and I am devoting my time and energy to figure out my near future.
Life moves to the beat of its own drums, and I'll have to dance the foreign rhythm or be left in the corner kicking sand over my shoes and wondering why other people are having so much fun.
So I bid you adieu for a brief while. My posts will be fewer and farther in between until I resolve my career path.
As weird as it sounds (like someone speaking about himself in the third-person), I wish myself all the best.
In the meantime, won't you read my past posts? If you've already finished all of them, let me say that I adore you (but not in that way if you're a dude). I recommend checking out the comment war between Anonymous and eggs; it is quite delicious!
Arrivederci and sayonara.
I sincerely apologize for my absence this past week. Things have been changing in terms of my professional career (i.e., the job that pays), and I am devoting my time and energy to figure out my near future.
Life moves to the beat of its own drums, and I'll have to dance the foreign rhythm or be left in the corner kicking sand over my shoes and wondering why other people are having so much fun.
So I bid you adieu for a brief while. My posts will be fewer and farther in between until I resolve my career path.
As weird as it sounds (like someone speaking about himself in the third-person), I wish myself all the best.
In the meantime, won't you read my past posts? If you've already finished all of them, let me say that I adore you (but not in that way if you're a dude). I recommend checking out the comment war between Anonymous and eggs; it is quite delicious!
Arrivederci and sayonara.
Wednesday, March 17
The Rotation Files, the Dreaded Eval Form
Dear Rising Seniors,
During the summer betwixt my junior and senior years in high school, I did this nerdy summer program at Rice University (the ‘Harvard of the South’, not a school for yellow-folk) where we attended some seminars and got to stay at the dorms. It sounded a lot better than it really was; I spent the majority of the day trying to stay awake while suffering from a horrible case of ennui (boredom). Having no TV at the dorms, I finished Ellison’s Invisible Man while attempting to keep warm since my dorm-mate insisted on keeping the place at a toasty 60 degrees (Fahrenheit).
It was at the beginning of this program that I first heard the phrase ‘rising senior’. And it sounded really cool, like if I was a piece of dough almost ready to be baked. So I’ll use that term to describe my buddies who will be incarcerated at various hospitals/pharmacies starting in May. If they do well and heed my advice, they’ll be let out at just under a year for good behavior.
So this is the long awaited continuation of the Rotation Files. Today’s introductory topic is the Evaluation Form.
Aim to improve in all attributes. There was some famous study that concluded that when things improved to a high point, people liked it better than when things started and stayed at the same high point. A quick simple example: When you start out at $13/hr and they give you a $1 raise at 6 months and 12 months, it feels better than if you start out at $15 and stay that way for a year. It seems like you made progress.
Similarly, when you first meet a person and you think s/he pretty much sucks as a human-being, but then find out later that s/he really doesn’t suck all that much, then you will probably like her/him better than if you didn’t think s/he sucked in the first place. This, as it turns out, is the plot of Pride and Prejudice. It, as it also turns out, is also the plot of Twilight. Bam! And that’s why teenage girls swoon over pasty Edward and his 4-inch bird’s nest hairdo! (I happen to like chick flicks, but Twilight was a bit much).
So with your self-evaluations, always mark yourself low initially, and aim to increase at the midpoint and final.
Humility is golden. Some Christian high-ranking official, possibly a pope, said that the three best virtues are humility, humility, and humility. Most likely you’re not going to know a lick about the rotation or the drugs. And even if you did, your preceptor is the ‘expert’ in the material because s/he has been working at it on a daily basis. Rotations will be a humbling experience.
Eventually (around the 4th rotation), you’ll get to a point where you feel comfortable to mark yourself a 3 or 4 on the initial evaluation. DON’T! Even on the 5th and 6th rotations, I never marked myself above a 3/5 for the knowledge and skills attributes.
Different types of attributes. There are some exceptions, as hinted in the previous paragraph. On most evaluation forms, there are attributes which I categorize as knowledge/skills, attitude, and integrity/character. These should all be handled differently.
Knowledge and skills – these are the attributes that pertain to the subject matter of the rotation. They are the ‘proficient in topic discussions,’ ‘able to assess patient information,’ ‘able to develop follow-up plans’, etc. This is what you should learn during the rotation, so it would make sense to mark yourself low initially and improve at the midway and final evaluations. I would say 1 or 2, depending on your comfort level with the rotation; 3 if you’re feeling ballsy.
Attitude – These are the ‘follows directions,’ 'is a team player,' ‘is willing to learn,’ ‘expresses intellectual curiosity’, etc. I would generally mark myself at least a 3 on these attributes, because these are independent of the rotation. You should come in with a positive attitude, so mark yourself decently. This signals that you’re open to learn.
Integrity/Character – These are the ‘displays strong moral character,’ ‘possesses high integrity,’ ‘is honest,’ etc. Again, these are independent of the rotation, but unlike attitude attributes, these are somewhat immutable characteristics. You either have it or you don’t. There’s not really much of an in-between. So rank yourself at least a 4, because some preceptors frown upon students giving themselves 5’s on anything at first.
Self-evaluation = what you think your preceptor will give you. Although you should aim to improve your evaluation scores, try to mark down what you think your preceptor will give you. It is a self-evaluation, but you can make a bad impression if your preceptor thinks you’ve over- or under-estimated yourself. But when in doubt, always guess under. At worst, it shows lack of confidence; at best, it shows humility, which is a good thing.
One neat thing you can do is underestimate yourself for the midpoint so that your preceptor evaluation will be higher than your self-evaluation. Then on the final self-evaluation, just copy your preceptor’s midpoint evaluation.
I know some people feel that the self-evaluation should be a SELF-evaluation, but some students are just too arrogant or too humble to be left to their own devices.
Get a pre-evaluation. To get a feel of what your preceptor will give you, ask how you are doing and how you can improve at the end of each week. Ask more often if you can get away with it. Usually if you’re casual about it, they will let you know. But try not to be annoying.
You know that guy/girl who repeatedly asks, ‘where is this relationship going’? Don’t be him/her.
Give your preceptor the form a week ahead and remind periodically. You are ultimately responsible for completing and turning in the evaluation forms. Preceptors are real people and have lives outside the pharmacy. Don’t give an evaluation form to them on Friday and expect them to complete it by the afternoon. Even if they do finish it, they will probably mark you lower because of your poor planning.
Sometimes preceptors forget to do your evaluation. Give them subtle reminders a few days beforehand like, ‘How’s the evaluation going?’ or ‘Did you get a chance to look at my evaluation?’ But avoid being confrontational.
Be prepared to explain yourself. A vast majority of preceptors will talk to you about the evaluation. If you’ve been getting informal pre-evaluations, then nothing should come as a surprise. They may ask you why you marked yourself the way you did, so be prepared; don’t use the reason that g-said-so.
The reasons don’t have to be spectacular; just something to back it up. If you had followed my advice, most of the questions will be, ‘Why did you rank yourself low?’ Say something that accentuates humility.
Lastly, evaluations should not be scary. Think of them as a learning experience, not as a way for some horrible preceptor to crucify you for your lack of knowledge. But ultimately, there is no substitute for knowledge. These tips won’t save you if you epic fail in presentations and pimping* sessions.
But even if you end up with a poor evaluation, it shows great character and attitude if you respond well in the second half of the rotation.
I will end by repeating that there is no substitute for knowledge. Rotations are meant to be a learning experience, so don’t cheapen them by trying not to learn.
The rest of this week will be dedicated to rotation stuff, since I feel guilty for ignoring my blog.
--
*Pimping happens when preceptors rapid-fire questions at you until you mess up. It’s an utterly frightening experience for students and an utterly delightful experience for preceptors. Like the ‘now-defunct’ hazing in fraternities, the students who survive and become preceptors get to torture the next batch of pledges (interns).
During the summer betwixt my junior and senior years in high school, I did this nerdy summer program at Rice University (the ‘Harvard of the South’, not a school for yellow-folk) where we attended some seminars and got to stay at the dorms. It sounded a lot better than it really was; I spent the majority of the day trying to stay awake while suffering from a horrible case of ennui (boredom). Having no TV at the dorms, I finished Ellison’s Invisible Man while attempting to keep warm since my dorm-mate insisted on keeping the place at a toasty 60 degrees (Fahrenheit).
It was at the beginning of this program that I first heard the phrase ‘rising senior’. And it sounded really cool, like if I was a piece of dough almost ready to be baked. So I’ll use that term to describe my buddies who will be incarcerated at various hospitals/pharmacies starting in May. If they do well and heed my advice, they’ll be let out at just under a year for good behavior.
So this is the long awaited continuation of the Rotation Files. Today’s introductory topic is the Evaluation Form.
Aim to improve in all attributes. There was some famous study that concluded that when things improved to a high point, people liked it better than when things started and stayed at the same high point. A quick simple example: When you start out at $13/hr and they give you a $1 raise at 6 months and 12 months, it feels better than if you start out at $15 and stay that way for a year. It seems like you made progress.
Similarly, when you first meet a person and you think s/he pretty much sucks as a human-being, but then find out later that s/he really doesn’t suck all that much, then you will probably like her/him better than if you didn’t think s/he sucked in the first place. This, as it turns out, is the plot of Pride and Prejudice. It, as it also turns out, is also the plot of Twilight. Bam! And that’s why teenage girls swoon over pasty Edward and his 4-inch bird’s nest hairdo! (I happen to like chick flicks, but Twilight was a bit much).
So with your self-evaluations, always mark yourself low initially, and aim to increase at the midpoint and final.
Humility is golden. Some Christian high-ranking official, possibly a pope, said that the three best virtues are humility, humility, and humility. Most likely you’re not going to know a lick about the rotation or the drugs. And even if you did, your preceptor is the ‘expert’ in the material because s/he has been working at it on a daily basis. Rotations will be a humbling experience.
Eventually (around the 4th rotation), you’ll get to a point where you feel comfortable to mark yourself a 3 or 4 on the initial evaluation. DON’T! Even on the 5th and 6th rotations, I never marked myself above a 3/5 for the knowledge and skills attributes.
Different types of attributes. There are some exceptions, as hinted in the previous paragraph. On most evaluation forms, there are attributes which I categorize as knowledge/skills, attitude, and integrity/character. These should all be handled differently.
Knowledge and skills – these are the attributes that pertain to the subject matter of the rotation. They are the ‘proficient in topic discussions,’ ‘able to assess patient information,’ ‘able to develop follow-up plans’, etc. This is what you should learn during the rotation, so it would make sense to mark yourself low initially and improve at the midway and final evaluations. I would say 1 or 2, depending on your comfort level with the rotation; 3 if you’re feeling ballsy.
Attitude – These are the ‘follows directions,’ 'is a team player,' ‘is willing to learn,’ ‘expresses intellectual curiosity’, etc. I would generally mark myself at least a 3 on these attributes, because these are independent of the rotation. You should come in with a positive attitude, so mark yourself decently. This signals that you’re open to learn.
Integrity/Character – These are the ‘displays strong moral character,’ ‘possesses high integrity,’ ‘is honest,’ etc. Again, these are independent of the rotation, but unlike attitude attributes, these are somewhat immutable characteristics. You either have it or you don’t. There’s not really much of an in-between. So rank yourself at least a 4, because some preceptors frown upon students giving themselves 5’s on anything at first.
Self-evaluation = what you think your preceptor will give you. Although you should aim to improve your evaluation scores, try to mark down what you think your preceptor will give you. It is a self-evaluation, but you can make a bad impression if your preceptor thinks you’ve over- or under-estimated yourself. But when in doubt, always guess under. At worst, it shows lack of confidence; at best, it shows humility, which is a good thing.
One neat thing you can do is underestimate yourself for the midpoint so that your preceptor evaluation will be higher than your self-evaluation. Then on the final self-evaluation, just copy your preceptor’s midpoint evaluation.
I know some people feel that the self-evaluation should be a SELF-evaluation, but some students are just too arrogant or too humble to be left to their own devices.
Get a pre-evaluation. To get a feel of what your preceptor will give you, ask how you are doing and how you can improve at the end of each week. Ask more often if you can get away with it. Usually if you’re casual about it, they will let you know. But try not to be annoying.
You know that guy/girl who repeatedly asks, ‘where is this relationship going’? Don’t be him/her.
Give your preceptor the form a week ahead and remind periodically. You are ultimately responsible for completing and turning in the evaluation forms. Preceptors are real people and have lives outside the pharmacy. Don’t give an evaluation form to them on Friday and expect them to complete it by the afternoon. Even if they do finish it, they will probably mark you lower because of your poor planning.
Sometimes preceptors forget to do your evaluation. Give them subtle reminders a few days beforehand like, ‘How’s the evaluation going?’ or ‘Did you get a chance to look at my evaluation?’ But avoid being confrontational.
Be prepared to explain yourself. A vast majority of preceptors will talk to you about the evaluation. If you’ve been getting informal pre-evaluations, then nothing should come as a surprise. They may ask you why you marked yourself the way you did, so be prepared; don’t use the reason that g-said-so.
The reasons don’t have to be spectacular; just something to back it up. If you had followed my advice, most of the questions will be, ‘Why did you rank yourself low?’ Say something that accentuates humility.
Lastly, evaluations should not be scary. Think of them as a learning experience, not as a way for some horrible preceptor to crucify you for your lack of knowledge. But ultimately, there is no substitute for knowledge. These tips won’t save you if you epic fail in presentations and pimping* sessions.
But even if you end up with a poor evaluation, it shows great character and attitude if you respond well in the second half of the rotation.
I will end by repeating that there is no substitute for knowledge. Rotations are meant to be a learning experience, so don’t cheapen them by trying not to learn.
The rest of this week will be dedicated to rotation stuff, since I feel guilty for ignoring my blog.
--
*Pimping happens when preceptors rapid-fire questions at you until you mess up. It’s an utterly frightening experience for students and an utterly delightful experience for preceptors. Like the ‘now-defunct’ hazing in fraternities, the students who survive and become preceptors get to torture the next batch of pledges (interns).
Tuesday, March 16
Expired Milk: Where's My Money?
Dear yogurt lovers,
Let me preface this post with a description of a very common annoyance that has been happening to me this year. As a strapping single bachelor with no one to care for except me-myself-and-I, I have been remarkably good at not taking care of my sole ward. Sure, I handle the major things like keeping a roof over my head, wearing a seat belt and protection, etc, but diet, exercise, and sleep have been woefully neglected, like the red-headed step-child.
So I buy a gallon of non-organic (I like it hormone-laced!) fat-free milk about once every two weeks, resolving to have my daily 2 glasses of leche like the really smart people on TV suggest. But eventually, at the end of those two weeks, I’ve had about 2 glasses total and only because I felt like having something to go with my Lucky Charms. And at the end of those two weeks, I’ve felt really bad about eating Lucky Charms, so I get the 100%-daily-vitamins-and-minerals cereal which has about the consistency and taste of soggy cardboard. But where I epic-fail* is that the milk is two days past the ‘BEST BY’ date. Have you noticed that it’s not an expiration date, but a ‘BEST BY’ date?
Anyway, I pop the plastic cap and brush off the dried white flakes from around the rim of the bottle. A quick sniff reveals a faintly acidic odor not unlike the smell of plain yogurt. The milk flows freely when I shake the plastic jug, and there’s not much sediment; I think those are good signs. The cardboard cereal is already in the bowl looking very unappetizing, and it would be a chore to finagle the damn thing back into the box.
Oh well. I tip the container of fermented milk, watching it slosh gently over the wheat flakes. Thirty seconds pass, and I take another whiff wondering if letting the milk rest would improve its bouquet as if it were some fine wine. But like Olde English**, it’s best to hold your nose and gulp it while it’s still chilled.
I didn’t know what was more revolting, the milk or the cereal. But like a kid being forced to eat his vegetables, I willed my way through, spoonful by spoonful. After what seemed like torture comparable to water-boarding, I make it through the ordeal somewhat intact. And I felt good about doing well for myself and for not wasting milk.
But the warm fuzzy feeling subtly morphed itself into ominous gurglings and severe abdominal cramps. It felt like the time I had the ‘bottled water’ in Mexico. But the pain subsided, and being a stupid male, I sloshed another glassful of that drank down my throat instead of into the sink. But it wasn’t all that bad. The natural acidity of age added character to what would otherwise be a boring beverage.
So this post is like my expired milk. It doesn’t quite fit into the time frame, but it’s still good, and if you drink it with an open mind, it is quite palatable and surprisingly tasty! But don’t sue me if you get an enteric infection.
DISCLAIMER: g neither recommends nor condones eating or drinking of expired foods and/or medicines.
--
Chuc mung nam moi! I’m too lazy to put all the Vietnamese diacritical and accent marks on the greeting. And if I did, it may not display correctly on your computer screens anyway. Basically it means, ‘Happy New Year’ in Vietnamese. February 14 this year happens to be the lunar new year as well, so the Asian folks in red garb are pulling double duty with VDay (red is a lucky color). There will be plenty of new years to come, so I’ll defer the description of the festivities as next year’s will likely be similar to this year’s. In Vietnamese, the word for new year is ‘Tet’.
Suffice it to say that there is plenty of booze, gambling, and luck-mongering. And for most kids, plenty of red envelopes, known in Vietnamese as li xi, filled with crisp, nice-smelling bank notes. There are a lot of traditions around it, but the only important one is that old(er) people give money to younger folks as long as the recipient is unmarried.
According to the repository of all knowledge***, both good and poorly-sourced,
‘In Vietnam, lì xì are typically given to those who are younger as long as they are bachelors’
Damn straight! I’m a bachelor and will remain so for the foreseeable future. So where’s my money!?
Now my extended family isn’t rolling in dough like some Asian folks are, but I’ve managed to scrounge up at least $100 in past Tets. Just for comparison, some of my friends rake in $500. I’m not that greedy; I just want a little something--It’s incredibly satisfying to not spend your own money.
So what was the count this year? A bill? $75 or $50? Nope, not any of the above.
It was a measly $35, and $20 was from Mama since she was in a giving mood this year. I can’t even get a shirt at Express for that amount!
I blame the recession! Young Asians everywhere should lobby to siphon CEO bonuses to compensate for the slimming of red envelopes around the nation. It is all very unjust! I am outraged and appalled that Obama would let me suffer a loss of ~$65. My new job and the fact that I don’t really need the money have nothing to do with it. The United Auto Workers didn’t stop fighting for higher wages when GM was going under, and I won’t either!
I’m just being facetious as always. My indignant resentment is all in good fun. I had a great time hanging out with the family, and that is far better than any amount of money.
--
*epic-fail – the (bastardized) verb form of ‘epic failure’
**what do you know about that malt liquor?
***Wikipedia
Let me preface this post with a description of a very common annoyance that has been happening to me this year. As a strapping single bachelor with no one to care for except me-myself-and-I, I have been remarkably good at not taking care of my sole ward. Sure, I handle the major things like keeping a roof over my head, wearing a seat belt and protection, etc, but diet, exercise, and sleep have been woefully neglected, like the red-headed step-child.
So I buy a gallon of non-organic (I like it hormone-laced!) fat-free milk about once every two weeks, resolving to have my daily 2 glasses of leche like the really smart people on TV suggest. But eventually, at the end of those two weeks, I’ve had about 2 glasses total and only because I felt like having something to go with my Lucky Charms. And at the end of those two weeks, I’ve felt really bad about eating Lucky Charms, so I get the 100%-daily-vitamins-and-minerals cereal which has about the consistency and taste of soggy cardboard. But where I epic-fail* is that the milk is two days past the ‘BEST BY’ date. Have you noticed that it’s not an expiration date, but a ‘BEST BY’ date?
Anyway, I pop the plastic cap and brush off the dried white flakes from around the rim of the bottle. A quick sniff reveals a faintly acidic odor not unlike the smell of plain yogurt. The milk flows freely when I shake the plastic jug, and there’s not much sediment; I think those are good signs. The cardboard cereal is already in the bowl looking very unappetizing, and it would be a chore to finagle the damn thing back into the box.
Oh well. I tip the container of fermented milk, watching it slosh gently over the wheat flakes. Thirty seconds pass, and I take another whiff wondering if letting the milk rest would improve its bouquet as if it were some fine wine. But like Olde English**, it’s best to hold your nose and gulp it while it’s still chilled.
I didn’t know what was more revolting, the milk or the cereal. But like a kid being forced to eat his vegetables, I willed my way through, spoonful by spoonful. After what seemed like torture comparable to water-boarding, I make it through the ordeal somewhat intact. And I felt good about doing well for myself and for not wasting milk.
But the warm fuzzy feeling subtly morphed itself into ominous gurglings and severe abdominal cramps. It felt like the time I had the ‘bottled water’ in Mexico. But the pain subsided, and being a stupid male, I sloshed another glassful of that drank down my throat instead of into the sink. But it wasn’t all that bad. The natural acidity of age added character to what would otherwise be a boring beverage.
So this post is like my expired milk. It doesn’t quite fit into the time frame, but it’s still good, and if you drink it with an open mind, it is quite palatable and surprisingly tasty! But don’t sue me if you get an enteric infection.
DISCLAIMER: g neither recommends nor condones eating or drinking of expired foods and/or medicines.
--
Chuc mung nam moi! I’m too lazy to put all the Vietnamese diacritical and accent marks on the greeting. And if I did, it may not display correctly on your computer screens anyway. Basically it means, ‘Happy New Year’ in Vietnamese. February 14 this year happens to be the lunar new year as well, so the Asian folks in red garb are pulling double duty with VDay (red is a lucky color). There will be plenty of new years to come, so I’ll defer the description of the festivities as next year’s will likely be similar to this year’s. In Vietnamese, the word for new year is ‘Tet’.
Suffice it to say that there is plenty of booze, gambling, and luck-mongering. And for most kids, plenty of red envelopes, known in Vietnamese as li xi, filled with crisp, nice-smelling bank notes. There are a lot of traditions around it, but the only important one is that old(er) people give money to younger folks as long as the recipient is unmarried.
According to the repository of all knowledge***, both good and poorly-sourced,
‘In Vietnam, lì xì are typically given to those who are younger as long as they are bachelors’
Damn straight! I’m a bachelor and will remain so for the foreseeable future. So where’s my money!?
Now my extended family isn’t rolling in dough like some Asian folks are, but I’ve managed to scrounge up at least $100 in past Tets. Just for comparison, some of my friends rake in $500. I’m not that greedy; I just want a little something--It’s incredibly satisfying to not spend your own money.
So what was the count this year? A bill? $75 or $50? Nope, not any of the above.
It was a measly $35, and $20 was from Mama since she was in a giving mood this year. I can’t even get a shirt at Express for that amount!
I blame the recession! Young Asians everywhere should lobby to siphon CEO bonuses to compensate for the slimming of red envelopes around the nation. It is all very unjust! I am outraged and appalled that Obama would let me suffer a loss of ~$65. My new job and the fact that I don’t really need the money have nothing to do with it. The United Auto Workers didn’t stop fighting for higher wages when GM was going under, and I won’t either!
I’m just being facetious as always. My indignant resentment is all in good fun. I had a great time hanging out with the family, and that is far better than any amount of money.
--
*epic-fail – the (bastardized) verb form of ‘epic failure’
**what do you know about that malt liquor?
***Wikipedia
Monday, March 8
Tres Semanas en Paradiso
Dear apologia fans,
An apology and an apologia are not the same things. Well, they're quite similar except 'apology' is generally taken to mean that you're sorry. But according to Merriam-Webster, it also means (definition 1a) 'a formal justification.'
So here's my not-so-formal apology for my absence from my blog. I was in paradise (I know the Spanish word for 'paradise' is 'paraiso' and not 'paradiso', but doesn't 'paradiso' sound so much better?) Besides, February is a short month!
What is paradiso, pray tell? The cool sea foam of the French Riviera? The hot winter days in Espana? The dry heat of the Aussie summer? The detestable 'food' of Londoners? Sorry, I don't kiss-and-tell. Not right away at least--give me some time, okay?
So here's my week in review, which is naturally a backpost.
Tue, Feb 9 - Please, please tell me now...
A rundown of this particular blog's features. It's very dreadfully plain right now, but as I get more famous (in my delusions), I might hire on a web-designer. It will be my part to get us out of this recession.
If you want to subscribe to liketheletterg, just enter your email into the first box on the right hand side and follow the directions in the confirmation email that will be sent to you. I don't know who is subscribed to my blog, so I won't be spamming anyone.
Wed, Feb 10 - Are Phone Holsters Douche-y?
After a whopping one response to this question (which, as it turns out, is a very large sample size*), I have come to believe that everyone in the world thinks that phone holsters are not douche-y! In actuality, I've come to realize that it's how you wear it; when you feel secure about it, it's actually quite nice.
Is the Razr so thick that it couldn't fit in your pockets?
Thu, Feb 11 - The Rotation Files, Pt. 1
So I got a lot of heat from my friend about this post, accusing the post of being sexist and what-not. Surprisingly it was on this entry and not some of my (in my opinion) more offensive ones. But it is what it is. I'll write with a cleaner, more-PC prose next time, okay eggs?
In a way, if I had done the residency route and became a preceptor myself, this is how I'd like my interns to act.
Fri, Feb 12 - Dry Skin, Expensive Salt, and Evy from Israel
A reflective post on my transformation of self and self-image, tempered with some humor from a failed pick-up attempt of the cute sales girl at the mall.
Evy gets hit on innumerable times every day and has developed a smooth sidestep, like a Spanish matador
Sat, Feb 13 - DacBiet
The trick to using a thesaurus to elevate the vocabulary in your writing without being caught is that you have to be selective, hence the lone fancy word sobriquet (found after a google search for 'nickname synonym'). I'm like Rasheed Wallace when he saves his post moves for the post-season ('I told my buddy to look at it like a kung fu teacher. I might teach you the lotus and I might teach you the tiger, but I'm not going to teach you the crane, because the crane can beat both of them')
In Vietnamese, it means ‘bright mind’, which is a bit of a presumptuous name to call a kid, especially when you’re not sure if he will turn out to be all that smart.
Three weeks in paradise ensues. Then the sad return to normalcy :(
Sun, Mar 7 - Sanofi Aventis's RockBand Title
I apologize to all the lawyers for using a whole bunch of trademarks/copyrights/sue-able infringements. All names are properties of their respective owners, etc. Have some fun, will you? Don't take my Gucci and Prada away from me! I'd absolutely die a non-fabulous death!
Sometimes you should keep your random thoughts to yourself.
--
Random thoughts/occurrences of the past few weeks
My Droid phone has protested my attempt at photography by crashing after I try to take a picture. Am I the only Asian without a functioning camera? I wonder when they'll revoke my Asian card...
I spent half a day searching for a mythical D&G wallet. On my side-quest of the RPG of my life, I visited the Galleria, the Shops at Willowbend, and finally NorthPark. None had the Dolce&Gabbana boutique I was searching for and none had my bi-fold with the interior money clip. And none of the men working at Saks/Neimans seemed straight.
And I won't link you to the wallet, because I want to be the only one to have it! It is what is called a Veblen good.
I've quit trying to reread all my posts and editing out grammatical/spelling errors. For a blog with minimal revisions before/after posting, I think I do fairly well. My diseased writing style, unfortunately, is incurable.
Related to the last 'paragraph', is an article in the Wall Street Journal I came across while cruising the stupid stories on Yahoo's homepage. A non-health professional (I'm assuming) gets it surprisingly correct. MRSA isn't really as bad as people think. There are worse things to be infected with.
My day and night reversions are happening much more smoothly now. I do get a little disoriented when I wake up, as I never know whether to expect the sun or the moon to alight my eyes.
I've been trying to find a few uninterrupted days to read Tender is the Night, but have been unsuccessful. F Scott Fitzgerald writes beautifully, and that's not just my fawning over him because Gatsby is 2nd on the top 100 novels of the 20th century. I can point out things about his writing style that I like (such as it has just the right amount of flourish).
I'm starting to pay attention to footwear. There's a popular notion that the first thing a woman notices about a man is his shoes. If it's true, I got a few pairs of eye candy.
Though this will be posted under 'Monday, Mar 8', it is actually Wednesday morning. And since I said that bit about how my day/night reversions are happening more smoothly, I've jinxed myself into somnolence.
And so after 2 hours of 'work', I think it is nigh** time for a nap.
--
*kidding
**not a typo
An apology and an apologia are not the same things. Well, they're quite similar except 'apology' is generally taken to mean that you're sorry. But according to Merriam-Webster, it also means (definition 1a) 'a formal justification.'
So here's my not-so-formal apology for my absence from my blog. I was in paradise (I know the Spanish word for 'paradise' is 'paraiso' and not 'paradiso', but doesn't 'paradiso' sound so much better?) Besides, February is a short month!
What is paradiso, pray tell? The cool sea foam of the French Riviera? The hot winter days in Espana? The dry heat of the Aussie summer? The detestable 'food' of Londoners? Sorry, I don't kiss-and-tell. Not right away at least--give me some time, okay?
So here's my week in review, which is naturally a backpost.
Tue, Feb 9 - Please, please tell me now...
A rundown of this particular blog's features. It's very dreadfully plain right now, but as I get more famous (in my delusions), I might hire on a web-designer. It will be my part to get us out of this recession.
If you want to subscribe to liketheletterg, just enter your email into the first box on the right hand side and follow the directions in the confirmation email that will be sent to you. I don't know who is subscribed to my blog, so I won't be spamming anyone.
Wed, Feb 10 - Are Phone Holsters Douche-y?
After a whopping one response to this question (which, as it turns out, is a very large sample size*), I have come to believe that everyone in the world thinks that phone holsters are not douche-y! In actuality, I've come to realize that it's how you wear it; when you feel secure about it, it's actually quite nice.
Is the Razr so thick that it couldn't fit in your pockets?
Thu, Feb 11 - The Rotation Files, Pt. 1
So I got a lot of heat from my friend about this post, accusing the post of being sexist and what-not. Surprisingly it was on this entry and not some of my (in my opinion) more offensive ones. But it is what it is. I'll write with a cleaner, more-PC prose next time, okay eggs?
In a way, if I had done the residency route and became a preceptor myself, this is how I'd like my interns to act.
Fri, Feb 12 - Dry Skin, Expensive Salt, and Evy from Israel
A reflective post on my transformation of self and self-image, tempered with some humor from a failed pick-up attempt of the cute sales girl at the mall.
Evy gets hit on innumerable times every day and has developed a smooth sidestep, like a Spanish matador
Sat, Feb 13 - DacBiet
The trick to using a thesaurus to elevate the vocabulary in your writing without being caught is that you have to be selective, hence the lone fancy word sobriquet (found after a google search for 'nickname synonym'). I'm like Rasheed Wallace when he saves his post moves for the post-season ('I told my buddy to look at it like a kung fu teacher. I might teach you the lotus and I might teach you the tiger, but I'm not going to teach you the crane, because the crane can beat both of them')
In Vietnamese, it means ‘bright mind’, which is a bit of a presumptuous name to call a kid, especially when you’re not sure if he will turn out to be all that smart.
Three weeks in paradise ensues. Then the sad return to normalcy :(
Sun, Mar 7 - Sanofi Aventis's RockBand Title
I apologize to all the lawyers for using a whole bunch of trademarks/copyrights/sue-able infringements. All names are properties of their respective owners, etc. Have some fun, will you? Don't take my Gucci and Prada away from me! I'd absolutely die a non-fabulous death!
Sometimes you should keep your random thoughts to yourself.
--
Random thoughts/occurrences of the past few weeks
My Droid phone has protested my attempt at photography by crashing after I try to take a picture. Am I the only Asian without a functioning camera? I wonder when they'll revoke my Asian card...
I spent half a day searching for a mythical D&G wallet. On my side-quest of the RPG of my life, I visited the Galleria, the Shops at Willowbend, and finally NorthPark. None had the Dolce&Gabbana boutique I was searching for and none had my bi-fold with the interior money clip. And none of the men working at Saks/Neimans seemed straight.
And I won't link you to the wallet, because I want to be the only one to have it! It is what is called a Veblen good.
I've quit trying to reread all my posts and editing out grammatical/spelling errors. For a blog with minimal revisions before/after posting, I think I do fairly well. My diseased writing style, unfortunately, is incurable.
Related to the last 'paragraph', is an article in the Wall Street Journal I came across while cruising the stupid stories on Yahoo's homepage. A non-health professional (I'm assuming) gets it surprisingly correct. MRSA isn't really as bad as people think. There are worse things to be infected with.
My day and night reversions are happening much more smoothly now. I do get a little disoriented when I wake up, as I never know whether to expect the sun or the moon to alight my eyes.
I've been trying to find a few uninterrupted days to read Tender is the Night, but have been unsuccessful. F Scott Fitzgerald writes beautifully, and that's not just my fawning over him because Gatsby is 2nd on the top 100 novels of the 20th century. I can point out things about his writing style that I like (such as it has just the right amount of flourish).
I'm starting to pay attention to footwear. There's a popular notion that the first thing a woman notices about a man is his shoes. If it's true, I got a few pairs of eye candy.
Though this will be posted under 'Monday, Mar 8', it is actually Wednesday morning. And since I said that bit about how my day/night reversions are happening more smoothly, I've jinxed myself into somnolence.
And so after 2 hours of 'work', I think it is nigh** time for a nap.
--
*kidding
**not a typo
Sunday, March 7
Sanofi Aventis’s RockBand Title
Dear Guitar Hero/Rockband recovering addicts,
The other day while dispensing a prescription for an insulin analogue (an insulin that has been modified to alter its pharmacology), I had a quick musing about the brand name on the box. This particular insulin-analogue has been around for a few years now; I’ve dispensed it as an intern when I was in school. But I think the development of this particular delivery device is a (relatively) new thing.
Just a quick background: Insulin in the olden days would just come in vials and would need to be drawn up in a syringe separately. Most insulin still comes this way, and most customers will have a prescription for both the insulin and the syringes (I like to tap the sign that reads 'NO SYRINGE SALES WITHOUT PRESCRIPTION'). But a few drug companies had the smart idea of making pre-filled syringes and packaging those in boxes. Voila. The insulin pen (so-called because it looks like a pen) was born.
Diabetics would just need to attach a needle to the device and inject themselves. And since the pen could control the amount of insulin injected, there wouldn’t be need to draw up each individual dose. I’m not insulin-dependent, but I’d bet it would suck to have to draw up each dose of insulin and stick yourself several times a day, so at least these pen devices make it mildly less inconvenient. And I think you could tote around a pen without having to refrigerate it. I wish I had an pharmacist-intern to look up the answer, because that's what they're for (besides fetching coffee).
And the boxes the pre-filled pens come in are fairly large, so I like being able to stick the label on it without having to fold it around the box. If you’ve labeled a Novolin insulin box, you know how irritating it can be to have a flap of prescription label hanging around the edge of a box (or is it just my being anal?).
Getting back to the product, I’ve dispensed this particular pen device quite a few times, but for some reason I was thinking about old-school rock and the now ubiquitous RockBand/GuitarHero/Clone games.
I waxed silently in my head, ‘Lantus Solostar. That sounds a lot like a title for one of those video games!’
Then I said it aloud, causing the (pharmacy) tech to give me a funny look that implied, ‘WTF are you talking about?’ Sometimes you should keep your random thoughts to yourself. But then again, silences can be awkward.
The other day while dispensing a prescription for an insulin analogue (an insulin that has been modified to alter its pharmacology), I had a quick musing about the brand name on the box. This particular insulin-analogue has been around for a few years now; I’ve dispensed it as an intern when I was in school. But I think the development of this particular delivery device is a (relatively) new thing.
Just a quick background: Insulin in the olden days would just come in vials and would need to be drawn up in a syringe separately. Most insulin still comes this way, and most customers will have a prescription for both the insulin and the syringes (I like to tap the sign that reads 'NO SYRINGE SALES WITHOUT PRESCRIPTION'). But a few drug companies had the smart idea of making pre-filled syringes and packaging those in boxes. Voila. The insulin pen (so-called because it looks like a pen) was born.
Diabetics would just need to attach a needle to the device and inject themselves. And since the pen could control the amount of insulin injected, there wouldn’t be need to draw up each individual dose. I’m not insulin-dependent, but I’d bet it would suck to have to draw up each dose of insulin and stick yourself several times a day, so at least these pen devices make it mildly less inconvenient. And I think you could tote around a pen without having to refrigerate it. I wish I had an pharmacist-intern to look up the answer, because that's what they're for (besides fetching coffee).
And the boxes the pre-filled pens come in are fairly large, so I like being able to stick the label on it without having to fold it around the box. If you’ve labeled a Novolin insulin box, you know how irritating it can be to have a flap of prescription label hanging around the edge of a box (or is it just my being anal?).
Getting back to the product, I’ve dispensed this particular pen device quite a few times, but for some reason I was thinking about old-school rock and the now ubiquitous RockBand/GuitarHero/Clone games.
I waxed silently in my head, ‘Lantus Solostar. That sounds a lot like a title for one of those video games!’
Then I said it aloud, causing the (pharmacy) tech to give me a funny look that implied, ‘WTF are you talking about?’ Sometimes you should keep your random thoughts to yourself. But then again, silences can be awkward.
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