A Friendly Reminder From Your Neighborhood Pharmacist

The season for pharmacist-administered flu vaccines started in early September, and appears ready to wind down.  At this point, if you haven't gotten your flu shot, it's probably a good idea to head to your local pharmacy or doctor's office now.  

Remember, the flu shot takes about two weeks to be active.  During this time you could still become infected with the flu despite being vaccinated.  So it's important to get your shot BEFORE people starts getting sick and everyone starts to panic.  I can't be the only one who has memories of the H1N1 outbreak and the overwhelming media coverage and hysteria that ensued.  That was the first time I witnessed patients arguing in front of my pharmacy over who got the last injection, and I'd really like to make sure it was my last.  I am still looking for clarification regarding why, when you weren't worried about it when both your pharmacist and your doctor told you to get one, it suddenly become important to you when it shows up on the news

So please, get your flu shot ahead of time.  Go to the doctor or the pharmacist or your company's flu clinic today.  It's probably best to place your trust in a licensed healthcare professional's advice rather than the media.  If you didn't get your flu shot when they were first offered, the time to do it is now.  You'll be preventing illness rather than waiting to treat it.  And you also won't have to worry about fisticuffs while waiting in the immunization line after flu season starts. 

Reasons Why I am Exceptionally Grumpy Today

1. I spent 13 hours today in the pharmacy.  Okay, actually 12 hours and 58 minutes, since I did leave for two minutes to go to the bathroom.  I didn't get to go to lunch, surviving only on a handful of stale Cheetos, a Diet Pepsi, and a slice of Starbucks lemon pound cake.  As I type this, I am actually so hungry that I feel nauseated, so I can't eat.  My sugar levels are a little out of whack.  And I apologize to anyone who may have been on the receiving end of some sugar-high snark.

2. There was no toilet paper when I finally got to the bathroom.  Seriously, does no on in the community I work in go to the bathroom at home?  There are always lines waiting to use it, and never enough toilet paper.  I don't get it.  When I'm going out in public, I pee before I leave home.  Because public bathrooms are kind of gross, and I avoid them if at all possible.

3.  My first flu shot patient of the day sneezed directly in my face.  While I had the needle in her arm.  Cover your mouths when you cough or sneeze, people.  A flu shot won't protect you when you have the sanitary habits of a grizzly bear.

4.  My pharmacy water purifier LITERALLY exploded today.  We're talking a loud squealing noise and water shooting all over the pharmacy, and then soaking me while I tried to figure out how to turn the water off.  This all happened five minutes after I should have been at lunch, but wasn't because I had so many scripts to fill.  So I was kind of hungry and very wet, and probably would have cried if I hadn't been so angry.

5. Honey Boo Boo has her own show.  But Firefly was cancelled.  I still can't get over this.  Why, America, why?  I think I should move to Canada.  Then again, the Canadians are responsible for Justin Bieber.  Which brings my next issue...

6. Justin Bieber and Nicki Minaj are collaborating now.  Why?  If you want to kill me, just shoot me.  This is just pure, unadulterated torture.  And they are playing it on the radio.

7.  On my drive home, I actually heard both "Nookie" and "The Chemicals Between Us" on the radio.  Why is this a bad thing?  Because both songs were almost over by the time I tuned in, further depressing me.

8.  When I finally got home tonight, my dog totally ignored me.  There is nothing quite like a sulky chocolate lab.  Hurtful, Brown Dog.  Don't think I won't remember this next time I catch you on the couch.

9. I actually was supposed to have today off. I only worked as a favor to my awesome partner, who is in Myrtle Beach with his family this week.  I want to hate him, but he's pretty fabulous if you overlook him being on vacation and me working overtime.

10.  I kind of wish I was working tomorrow.  Not because I want to go back to work after today's awesomeness.  But because I worry about what happens in my pharmacy when my partner and I aren't there.  And then I worry about what I'm going to have to deal with the day after, when I am back again.

Happy Autumn!

I love the fall.  I love the leaves, the weather, planting chrysanthemums, and the holidays.  But mostly, I love decorating for fall.  I put autumn leaf garlands and orange lights all over my front porch.  I hang wreaths on every door in and outside my house, and I always decorate my fireplace for Halloween/Thanksgiving.

This year I decided to make a little project inspired by Pinterest.  I saw a pin where someone had filled a vase with layers of Halloween candy, and then put chrysanthemums in the middle.  I took that idea, and made a Halloween candy trifle instead.  Here it is, making my kitchen table a much happier and more Halloweeny place to sit:

I didn't really like the combination of flowers and candy that I saw on Pinterest, so I decided to use candy corn taffy as the top layer.  I think it's a win for two reasons.  First, and most importantly, I LOVE candy corn taffy.  But second, I'm pretty sure that my cat Henry spends a lot of time on counters and tables when I'm not around, and I really didn't want him licking all the unwrapped candy in the trifle.  I love my cat, just not enough to share food with him.

This is the second project that I've finished that was inspired by something I saw on Pinterest.  I love that site so much that it's almost an addiction.  To see some of my inspirations, you can follow me on Pinterest...it's definitely worth joining if you're looking for recipes or cute crafty ideas.  Have fun!

My Name is Michael Westen...

...I used to be a spy.

Those of you who share my obsession know I'm quoting the opening credits of my latest favorite show, Burn Notice.  I absolutely LOVE this show.  It's funny, clever, and I can't stop watching it.  Burn Notice follows the activities/antics of burned spy Michael Westen, who is stuck in Miami until he can figure out who got him fired.  He's not completely alone, though.  He's got his ex-IRA girlfriend Fiona, ex-Navy Seal BFF Sam, fellow burned spy Jesse, and chain smoking mother Madeline.  In between trying to track down his enemies, he and his crew spend each episode using their super spy skills to help out average people in various types of trouble.  

Typing that all out makes it seem complicated, but really, it's not.  Burn Notice is one of the best shows on television.  Don't believe me?  You should check it out yourself...it's on the USA Network, which always seems to have entertaining shows, but this is the only one perpetually on my DVR.  Seasons 1 through 5 are available on Netflix, which is where I got hooked, and the current season, 6, is halfway done.  Which brings up my one lone complaint about Burn Notice.  USA likes to split up the seasons, airing half during the summer, and then making us wait/suffer until November for the remainder.  This season's mid-season cliffhanger has Michael and his peeps stranded in Central America.  I am finding the suspense unbearable.  If anyone knows how things are going to end, PLEASE, let me know.  Otherwise I might not make it until November!

Henry's New Chair

Henry seems to approve of my new living room furniture...

 

...he has taken over the chair and made it into his throne/napping/grooming space.

Star Trek: Voyager

 I have been watching Star Trek: Voyager on Netflix since January 2008.  Seven seasons later, I can say I've finally achieved my goal of watching this entire series, and I can't say I'm disappointed. 

I don't think that I'm a Trekkie or a Trekker or whatever rabid Star Trek fans prefer to call themselves.  I haven't seen the entire Original Series, and I still remember how much Star Trek: The Next Generation scared me when I was little. (There was an episode with an evil hovering robot that totally freaked me out, and I've never recovered from Captain Picard's lackadaisical attitude regarding that homicidal tin can.)  I've seen a few episodes of all of the Star Trek series, even Earth: Final Conflict, and of all of them, Voyager is by far my favorite.

I love the whole storyline of a ship being stranded so far from home that it will take 70 years to return.  I think it opens up a new world of possibilities...how will the crew behave when the only reason to continue following the Prime Directive is their collective morals, and they have to consider disregarding rules in an effort to get home a little faster.  I also love pretty much every character on this show, which is unusual.  Generally there is a character or two that I despise, but every person on Voyager was important to the show, and more importantly, given adequate plot lines to keep them involved in the show.

My only issue is that there rarely seemed to be consequences shown for characters' misbehavior.  No one important ever dies as a result of someone doing something foolish, which I think would have been appropriate for the storyline.  Of course, I'm comparing it to Battlestar Galactica, where the entire remainder of humanity was aboard a fleet of ships and you get an updated population count at the beginning of each episode.  People die all the time on BSG...much more realistic compared to Voyager, which was floating around the Delta Quadrant for seven years and never lost a commanding officer.

But back to good things, the best part of Star Trek: Voyager is...

***SPOILER ALERT*** 

(You know, just in case you still haven't seen what happens on a series that ended over ten years ago...)

...the evil Borg, the horrendous zombie/robot/aliens that have given me nightmares for years, are (seemingly) destroyed by Voyager.  Finally, after 168 episodes of Voyager and humanity teetering on the brink of being assimilated, it looks like the Borg Queen and her collective of millions might be gone.   I can rest a little easier now.  Thanks for that, Voyager.

Proof of Henry Doodlebug's Awesome Yellow Cat-ness

 I submit the following photographs as evidence of Henry's perpetual awesomeness:

Henry Doodlebug, playing it cool.

Henry Doodlebug, showing his lighter side.

Seriously, my cat should be a cat model or something.  He is such a badass.

A New Pharmiechick Obsession

Fat, Sick, & Nearly Dead

I recently moved back into my old house, which makes me happy for many reasons.  Besides the close proximity to Wegmans (the best grocery store in the whole world), safer places to walk Emma, and just plain loving this house, it also gives me access to FIOS internet and television.  In other words, I can finally watch Netflix again.  

Besides Battlestar Galactica and Star Trek Voyager, I also watch a lot of documentaries on Netflix.  So when "Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead" popped up on my recommendations, I decided to see what all the hubbub was about.  The general consensus had been "life changing"...and while my life isn't completely revitalized, I have at least changed lanes.  Pretty exciting, actually.

"Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead" follows an Australian dude who is very overweight and has a severe skin condition.  So right there, it kind of strikes a chord with me.  Yep, I'm fat and have struggled with eczema for over 10 years.  Anyhow, he decides to go on this crazy juice fast for 60 days, while taking a road trip across America.  Now, I'm not talking a juice fast like he's drinking a lot of Tropicana.  He takes tons (probably about $20 a day worth) of vegetables and fruits, runs them through a juicer, and drinks the results.

The results are actually mind-blowing.  Over 60 days, he loses about 90 pounds.  But that's not the amazing part.  I mean, if I followed any sort of diet program religiously I would probably lose that much weight.  What got me all sorts of excited and kind of obsessed with this whole juicing thing is that his skin condition improved drastically, to the point that he was able to stop taking oral steroids to alleviate the symptoms.  As someone with serious eczema (and we're talking so bad I would happily knaw my leg off at times to get the itching awfulness to stop for even a day), this is a dream come true.  So I ran right out to Bed, Bath, and Beyond and bought a juicer.

I haven't actually done a juice fast of this magnitude yet, and I probably never will.  But I have been replacing some meals and snacks with various juices, and while my eczema hasn't gone away, I am feeling much peppier.  I think that is probably more due to my chronic lack of vegetable intake than actually juicing the vegetables.  But I have found that juicing certain veggies that either take forever to chew or just seem plain icky to eat whole does make them a lot more palatable.  After trying various juice recipes, I can say that the only one I won't ever drink again involved an entire beet juiced with some other poor, unfortunate fruits and veggies.  It was like drinking dirt, and I blame the beet entirely.  Well, I blame myself in part.  I should have known better than to put a beet in anything.  Really, the only people who ever liked beets besides Dwight Schrute (who I am now convinced is just straight up crazy) are those that grew up in the Great Depression, and that was only because they had to eat them to stay alive.  Lucky for me the produce department at Wegmans has so many other fruits and veggies that I will never have to drink dirt juice again.

So to end this rather long and somewhat tedious blog post, I am now completely obsessed with juicing any sort of produce (except bananas and kiwis...those you have to use a regular blender for, not a juicer).  I feel happier and more energetic, and I am actually craving vegetable juice now...as in carrot/celery/lemon juice, which is fabulous!  I am so dedicated to juicing things that my obsession has now extended itself to a high end juicer that I absolutely must have...the Juice & Blend from Breville.

Breville's Juice & Blend, aka PRETTIEST JUICER EVER

Seriously, I haven't seen an appliance this beautiful since I got my GE gas range/convection oven.  And that literally brought tears to my eyes the day that it was installed in my kitchen.  I must have this juicer, but I can't find it available anywhere to purchase.  It also costs more than a purebred yellow lab puppy.  But I think it will be worth it.  In the meantime, I will continue lusting over it while watching the how-to videos over at the Breville website.  *Sigh*