shairra's Blog
Airlines really try to provide good in-flight entertainment on long distance flights. The airline’s website may list the films & music available and may even give the menu. However, you can’t absolutely count on the in-flight entertainment.
Bring one or more books that you have started and know you like. It is really annoying to open a new book on a flight and realize you don't find it interesting. Things like an I-Pod, Gameboy or PSP, MP3 player, and non-electronic options like crossword puzzles are a good idea. More than about 6 hours in an airplane is really tough, especially if you are in economy class. The result is usually called "jet lag". The time change is part of "jet lag", but only part. For example, people experience jet lag when traveling from North America to South America even when they don't change time zones. Dehydration caused by dry air in the cabin is as important as the time change, and dehydration can be cumulative + aggravated by your environment/activities before the flight. Jet lag can be much worse on the return leg of a relatively short trip because you never really recovered from the lag incurred on the first leg. It can also be aggravated by what you do between trips. I have not found anything that eliminates jet lag, but staying hydrated helps reduce it. Water and non-carbonated liquids are best. Avoid drinking a lot of anything with caffeine, including colas. Lots of alcohol also aggravates the dehydration and you may have a hangover before the end of a long flight. Wear clothing that is comfortable. Especially avoid tight clothing or shoes - your body will swell during a long flight. Sleeping on the flight (even if it isn't very good sleep) also helps. The seats are MUCH, MUCH better in business and first class on long distance flights so upgrade if you can. If you can't upgrade, select a window seat so you can pile extra pillows & blankets against the interior of the cabin to lean against for a bit of extra comfort. A sleep mask (like www.mindfold.com) and earplugs may help you sleep. You can choose to take something to help you sleep on the plane, but try it first. Many sleep aids can make you groggy long after you need to wake up. I just use aspirin. Get up and walk around every few hours. Do some stretching exercises - there is usually room by the exterior doors. If you have a long layover during the trip, check with the airline(s) to see if you can purchase ($25 to $50) a 1-day pass to their airport lounge. Lounges offer a comfortable, safe place to wait between flights and refreshments are included in the membership. Some lounges even have showers (a Godsend after a long flight). Delta's Crown Room and United's Red Carpet Club are examples. You may be wasted when you get to your destination, even if you fly business or first class. Don't schedule anything important the day you get there. At least try to avoid driving a car - take taxis. Speed your body's adjustment to local time by living on the local schedule: Stay awake until local bedtime at your destination and stay in bed until local morning. If you absolutely must take a nap make sure you don't sleep more than 3 hours. Eat meals at the normal local time. And so on. It still takes me 1 day per hour of time change to fully adjust (a 7 hour time difference takes me a full week to get over).
In recent years, the medical community has grown increasingly aware of the effect stress has on health - from the toll it can take on your heart, for example, to its role in weight gain. Well guess what: Stress can do a number on your skin, too!
When you feel stress, your body's level of cortisol (a.k.a. stress hormone) goes up, which can raise your blood sugar. Higher blood sugar levels are, in turn, associated with increased skin aging, as sugar molecules attack your skin's collagen and elastin. Acne can also result from high blood sugar levels. Your levels of epinephrine (a.k.a. adrenaline) also rise when you're in stressful situations. That particular hormone is associated with decreased blood flow to the skin, which can make your complexion appear dull and give you dark circles under the eyes. Moreover, studies have shown that together, these hormonal changes impair your skin barrier - that is, the layer of fatty acids that protect you from outside irritants and help your skin hold onto moisture. As a result, you may experience dry skin, redness, and inflammation, or increased susceptibility to rashes and allergic reactions. Of course, it's probably not feasible to quit your job or cut back on your family responsibilities, but there are things that you can do to minimize the toll that day-to-day stress takes on your complexion:
Wishing you great skin!
Don't walk in mad to a meeting. Typically, it takes a while to discover that a new policy or initiative isn't working. Company changes won't occur without bumps and glitches. Make sure you've given the new policy a real chance before you act.
Likewise, the impact of a wrong-headed policy doesn't happen overnight. It's cumulative. Effects ripple out and, little by little, everyone becomes increasingly impatient, irritable, overworked or worse.
Don't carry that volatile mix of unsettled and bad feelings into the meeting and simply vent. "If you are angry or frustrated and want to just blast your boss, before your meeting, talk things through with a friend or talk into a tape recorder," Gibson says. Play back the tape and listen to yourself. No doubt you'll want to develop more constructive ways to persuade the boss to reverse course.
Ask for permission. Before launching into your arguments, ask the boss if it's OK to proceed. For one thing, most people like some warning before hearing tough criticism or feedback. Then, too, sometimes the timing isn't right. The boss might be preoccupied or dealing with other issues. If you don't get permission, back off and try another time.
Be honest about your motivations. If all you have to offer is complaints, don't bother. Instead, think through the specific objectives you want to accomplish by the end of the meeting. Stay focused and provide the data, case histories or events that prove your points.
"Employees are often those closest to problems, so they have facts at the ready the boss may not have," says John Baldoni, a management consultant in Ann Arbor, Mich. Use hands-on experiences or the day-to-day points of view of peers to command credibility and provide perspective.
Accentuate the positive. "You can say [almost] anything to your boss as long as you say something nice first," says Deborah Brown, a career coach in Long Beach, N.Y. Avoid being confrontational and don't assign blame. Keep emphasizing positive factors whenever you can.
Listen carefully. You shouldn't do all the talking. Try to engage the boss in a dialogue about the issue that concerns you. Make an effort to listen more than you talk. There could well be reasons or motivations for initiatives that you haven't been told about. By listening, you'll not only show your concern for the company's well being, you'll build the boss' trust. You might also gain insights into future directions for the business.
Treat the boss like you would a customer. Present your case as if you're selling a client, suggests Maura Schreier-Fleming, a sales consultant based in Dallas. "Customers buy the way they want to, not the way we want them to." If the boss is analytical, bolster your argument with graphs and charts. "If the boss is a people pleaser, tell him why the idea will hurt the people he cares about," says Schreier-Fleming. Match your style to the boss to put over your case.
Don't give up too soon. You can't expect one meeting to make the boss reject his position instantly. Few leaders will abandon policy or strategy after hearing one disagreement, especially when that comes from a subordinate. Usually, the manager has deeper skills and more experience than you do. More than likely, he thought through the policy for some time before coming to a decision. Don't expect a single try to make the difference. Make sure you're respectful and understanding, but try again.
Then, too, if a boss must take the case to his own superiors or to a board of directors or investors, he might need more to go on. "Very often when a boss says 'no,' he's just asking for a stronger case to be made," Treasurer says.
To try again, marshal additional arguments and go through the steps of setting specific goals and figuring out how to calmly present your case. Gathering new evidence will help.
But be sensitive when the boss draws the line. If he remains unconvinced after a few tries, give it up. Make sure your exit is both gracious and professional. Thank him for opportunity of sharing your views, and avoid any semblance of sulking.
Most bosses prefer employees who care about improving the company. If you're clearly a team player after voicing your arguments, the next time you have something to say, you're likely to find a much more receptive boss.
Germs were behind every fever, runny nose, ache, pain and other sign and symptom of every cold and flu you've ever had. When you're in the midst of such symptoms, you might not stop to think about the germs (microbes) that are causing them. Not all germs will harm you, but knowing more about germs — including bacteria, viruses and parasites — can increase your chances of avoiding infection. Germs: A multitude of microscopic invaders
Bacteria, viruses and other infectious organisms — germs — live everywhere. You can find them in the air, on food, plants and animals, in the soil, in the water, and on just about every other surface — including your own body. These microbes range in size from microscopic single-celled organisms to parasitic worms that can grow to several feet in length. Most of these organisms won't harm you. Your immune system protects you against a multitude of infectious agents. However, some bacteria and viruses are formidable adversaries because they're constantly mutating to breach your immune system's defenses.  E. coli O157:H7 is a bacterium responsible for food-borne infections often linked to eating undercooked ground beef or improperly washed vegetables. Bacteria Among the earliest forms of life on earth, bacteria have evolved to thrive in a variety of environments. Some can withstand searing heat or frigid cold, and others can survive radiation levels that would be lethal to humans. Many bacteria, however, prefer the mild environment of a healthy body. Not all bacteria are harmful. In fact, less than 1 percent cause disease, and some bacteria that live in your body are actually good for you. For instance, Lactobacillus acidophilus — a harmless bacterium that resides in your intestines — helps you digest food, destroys some disease-causing organisms and provides nutrients to your body. But when infectious bacteria enter your body, they can cause illness. They rapidly reproduce, and many produce toxins — powerful chemicals that damage specific cells in the tissue they've invaded. That's what makes you ill. The organism that causes gonorrhea (gonococcus) is an example of a bacterial invader. Others include some strains of the bacterium Escherichia coli — better known as E. coli — which cause severe gastrointestinal illness and are most often contracted via contaminated food. If you've ever had strep throat, bacteria caused it.  The influenza virus takes over healthy cells, spreads through your body and causes illness. Signs and symptoms include fever, chills, muscle aches and fatigue. Viruses The main mission of a virus is to reproduce. However, unlike bacteria, viruses aren't self-sufficient — they need a suitable host to reproduce. When a virus invades your body, it enters some of your cells and takes over, instructing these host cells to make what it needs for reproduction. Host cells are eventually destroyed during this process. Polio, AIDS and the common cold are all viral illnesses.  Infection with candida fungus can lead to problems such as diaper rash, vaginal yeast infections and oral thrush. Fungi Fungi live in the air, water, soil and on plants. They can live in your body, usually without causing illness. Some fungi have beneficial uses. For example, penicillin — an antibiotic that kills harmful bacteria in your body — is derived from fungi. Fungi are also essential in making certain foods, such as bread, cheese and yogurt. Other fungi aren't as beneficial and can cause illness. One example is candida — a yeast that can cause infection. Candida can cause thrush — an infection of the mouth and throat — in infants and in people taking antibiotics or who have an impaired immune system. It's also responsible for most types of infection-related diaper rash.  Cryptosporidium is a protozoan that can survive outside the body for long periods of time. Protozoa Most protozoa are microscopic, but there are some exceptions. One type of ocean-dwelling protozoa (foraminifer) can grow to more than 2 inches in diameter. Some protozoa invade your body through the food you eat or the water you drink. Others can be transmitted through sexual contact. Still others are vector-borne, meaning they rely on another organism to transmit them from person to person. Malaria is an example of a disease caused by a vector-borne protozoan parasite. Mosquitoes are the vector transmitting the deadly parasite plasmodium, which causes the disease.  Infection by one type of roundworm, known as a hookworm, can cause problems in your small intestine or lungs. The average hookworm is about half an inch long. Helminths The largest of the roundworms can be more than 12 inches long. And the largest of the tapeworms can grow to be 25 feet or longer. Tapeworms are made up of hundreds of segments, each of which is capable of breaking off and developing into a new tapeworm. Understanding infection vs. disease
There's a distinct difference between infection and disease. Infection, often the first step, occurs when bacteria, viruses or other microbes enter your body and begin to multiply. Disease occurs when the cells in your body are damaged — as a result of the infection — and signs and symptoms of an illness appear. In response to infection, your immune system springs into action. An army of white blood cells, antibodies and other mechanisms goes to work to rid your body of whatever is causing the infection. For instance, in fighting off the common cold, your body might react with fever, coughing and sneezing. Warding off germs and infection
What's the best way to stay disease-free? Prevent infections from happening in the first place. You can prevent infection through simple tactics such as regular hand washing, vaccinations and appropriate medications.
When to seek medical care
Although some infectious diseases, such as the common cold, might not require a visit to the doctor, others might. Seek medical care if you suspect that you have an infection and you have experienced any of the following:
Your doctor can perform diagnostic tests to find out if you're infected, the seriousness of the infection, and how best to treat that infection.
NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- In today's work world -- where companies are regularly acquired by competitors, departments are repeatedly reshuffled and staff members always seem to be moving up or moving on -- it's easy for your accomplishments to be overlooked.
To ensure that you get the recognition you deserve, it's important to master the subtle art of self promotion. Here are five ways to highlight your achievements without making yourself look like a braggart or a buffoon. They come from "Selling Yourself Without Selling Out," a book by Gina Hernez-Broome, Cindy McLaughlin and Stephanie Trovas of the Center for Creative Leadership, a nonprofit training organization: 1. Educate up. If your boss is too busy to stay abreast of your activities, make it your job to keep her up-to-date. Schedule a weekly meeting or send regular emails detailing your accomplishments and addressing any issues. But keep the remarks concise, informative and balanced. "Don't talk about you, talk about the broader organizational impact of your actions," says Trovas. 2. Expand your network. Say good-bye to the old bunker mentality and make an effort to reach out to people outside your department. You can ask them to participate in a cross-departmental project or simply sit in on a meeting. Not only does this encourage collaboration, but also it's a natural way to spread the word about what you're working on. "By inviting new people into the fold, you're creating more visibility for yourself and your team," says Trovas. 3. Tap other people's expertise. Many of us assume that asking for help makes us look weak or incompetent. In fact, tapping other people's expertise can help you build a stronger network. By asking for help, you're not signifying that you don't know what you're doing; you're simply acknowledging that your colleagues have complementary skills -- a gesture they're sure to appreciate and remember. 4. Acknowledge your team. If you tend to underplay your own accomplishments out of modesty, one of the most comfortable means to gain visibility is to acknowledge the efforts of your team. "In this way, you're talking about a collective effort and taking the focus off the individual," says Trovas. 5. Celebrate success. If your team or department has just made a big sale or completed a long-term project, don't be shy about it. Give a party, print some t-shirts or send out an office-wide email praising everyone's efforts. Celebrating will help you advertise your achievements and set the office abuzz. Marshall Loeb, former editor of Fortune, Money, and the Columbia Journalism Review, writes for MarketWatch.
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