First Day on the Job

Fact: I haven't posted in over a week.

Fact: It's because I started a new job.

Yes, you read that correctly, I received (and accepted) a job offer!  I started already and things are going great.  I won't go into details on here but it is in my field and where I want to be working (double bonus).

What I want to post is some things to make sure you do when starting a new job.

Night Before

• Get a good night's sleep.  You want to appear alert and enthusiastic about the new job, not tired.
• Pack your lunch.  Seriously, it'll shave off a little time from your morning routine.  Just don't forget to grab it on your way out.  Plus, you never know how easily you will be able to go and buy lunch on the first day, so unless they say they are taking you out to lunch, it's best just to bring one.
• Double check your email to make sure there are no changes in your start day.  Also, make sure you know what time you need to be there.

First Day

• It's a fresh start.  Remember: unless you are working with people you have worked with before, these people don't know the good and bad about you.  Therefore, it's best to show all your good aspects and hide any bad (hopefully throughout your entire time there).
• Meet people.  Make sure you meet as many people you will be working with as possible without being awkward or annoying.  
• Make sure paperwork is in order.  More than likely, there is either something HR forgot to have you sign or want you to do all of the fun stuff on day 1.  Make sure you know what you need to fill out (ie tax forms) and  when anything else is due (ie benefits sign up).
• Proper dress. You can usually gauge what the dress code is when you go in for an interview.  If you were too nervous at the time to take note, it's always best to ask HR (or just watch people going in and out the day before).
• Timing is everything.  Don't show up late.  In fact, plan to get there earlier than need to.  You can always wait in the parking lot.
• Find a stapler.  You may be laughing at this (or have a scene from Office Space going through your head) but in general, I mean to make sure that you know where basic supplies are in order to do your job.  It took me 4 days until I found a stapler to use for the multiple piles of paper I had accumulated the first few days.

Also remember:

• You still have to prove that you are the best choice for the job.  More than likely, you will be in a probation period your first few months so you still will be under scrutiny.  
• If you start slacking off on the job, people WILL notice (I always do when my colleagues slack) and trust me, it will take a while to erase that image.
• DON'T get involved in office politics.  You never know whom will talk to whom and once you get involved, it can damage your career.

Finally, I will share the best advice I received from someone in my field when you're a young professional breaking into your field: Keep your head down and do your work.  Ask questions when you have them and put your best effort in your work, no matter how small and menial the task may seem.

It Changes Your Pee

***DISCLAIMER:  I am NOT a medical doctor, therefore this is not an all inclusive list of everything that could be the cause of abnormalities.  If you have any questions or concerns about things mentioned here, discuss with your doctor.***

I originally was going to write a post about how I simplify complex information for patients at work that undoubtedly makes someone laugh.  However in thinking of examples for this entry, I realized many things affect your pee, and decided instead to tell you about the magic of pee and what it can tell you.

First, the ones from the original post idea of how I simplify things.  A common example is someone comes up to the counter with a vitamin bottle in their hand asking if it is, in fact, what the doctor was trying to recommend to them.  Their next concern is usually what would happen if they were already getting enough of it or another vitamin that is in the pill.  Now, one could go into the whole explanation that your body won't absorb it if it's one that is water soluble.  My response is usually: you'll pee it out.

My favorite vitamin to explain is B-12 though.  As a vegetarian, I was concerned about getting enough of this one and often others are as well when they ask questions about it.  Here's a fun way of knowing if you need to be taking B-12 in pill form:  if your pee is green, you're getting enough then and you are wasting your money on the vitamin.

One thing drug companies like to add to meds is hydrochlorothiazide or, hctz.  For example, a person can be on lisinopril and the doctor decides to change it to the combination of lisinopril/hctz.  Patients usually have no idea what hctz is.  I wouldn't either had I not had this job.  Most understand when one tells them it is a water pill.  However, when that doesn't work, I tell them it just makes them pee more which then jogs their memory of what their doctor had told them.

Interesting factoid (that I'll let you look up yourself which one it is): a particular drug is actually made from pregnant horse pee.  Of course, I would never break this disturbing news to someone picking up their prescription for it....unless they are really rude to me for no reason.

Your pee can also be an indication that something is wrong.  If your pee smells and you haven't eaten any asparagus recently, then there is probably something wrong.  Like, you have a UTI or yeast infection wrong so get thee to a doctor or minute clinic.  If it is cloudy, ye should also seek medical advice as it could be an infection like mentioned before or an STD.

Now, the color of pee can be alarming too.  If it's green, you probably are getting too much of a particular vitamin.  Consult with your doctor.  If it's a bright orange, it's probably the cause of a medication you are taking.  If it's clear or a very pale yellow, it's probably because you drank a lot of fluids recently.  A good way to tell if you are dehydrated is if your urine is a dark yellow/orange.  Fun fact: your urine will typically be the darkest in the morning when you first wake up, assuming your're not dehydrated or drank a full glass of water in the middle of the night.

Lastly: if there is blood or it hurts to pee: see a doctor immediately as this is something serious.  Not going to tell you what because I would rather scare you into going than you ignoring it for a few days, especially if you are a guy because why you don't go to doctors is beyond me.  Hint: women go to doctors and live longer than men on average.....just saying.


Now I'm sure I have either grossed you out, entertained you, or have made you think about your pee in a whole new way.

Why Being a Drug Dealer is Bad For My Health

First off, let me state two fun facts that actually do have to do with this post:
1. I asked a drug rep if his company was hiring when he stopped by work today.
2. My colleagues already know I'm writing this.

My current job is bad for my health (and some of my colleagues probably as well).

Before I go into why, let me explain some things.  I like my job and I like my colleagues.  If it paid more, I'd probably wouldn't be so desperate to find a new job to afford my student loan payments.  It does not injure my mental health at all.  It doesn't increase my stress...or at least not when I leave the place or right before going in.

The problem is what we voluntarily do every day.  We order out.  Or at least some of colleagues do.  Most days, if I have a decent lunch/dinner I'll pass for two reasons:

1. It costs money

2. I would get fat

Let's look into these reasons more in depth shall we?

It costs money
When you order out, you have to pay for it.  A post I wrote long ago (okay, less than a year ago) said one way to decrease your spending is to bring your own lunch to work, or brown bag it.  Why does this save money?  Let's look at a common example from my job.

We order pizza often.  And with pizza usually breadsticks (or a second pizza depending on how many people are in).  The average cost per person is $7 if three people are ordering.  I just bought a Kashi pizza yesterday for myself to heat up for $5.99.  So if I wait until I get home for my pizza craving, I would save $1 and get a healthier pizza which I will discuss later.  My lunch usually consists of a lean cuisine or smart ones or something I cooked at home and divided up portions for the week.  Average price: $2.  With a piece of fruit, some pretzels, some chocolate and yogurt for breakfast, my total food cost at work is somewhere around $5, less if I bring in leftover crockpot meals (average total recipe cost $10 and I get a good 6 portions out of it).  If I get in on the pizza, I'm still going to want a snack and still have to eat breakfast.   which would bring my total cost up to around $10.  That's $10 a day or $50 dollars a week versus $25 at most if I bring my own lunch a total savings of $25.

My goal right now is to spend less than $30 a week in food (goal met the last couple weeks since I started by the way).  Eating out at work blows through almost double that and I still have to worry about two meals for the rest of the day.


I would get fat
I chose to word it that way because one colleague told us all to tell them if they start to get fat.  Basically, it leads to poorer eating habits on my part.  As much as I love it, pizza is not healthy.  I try to work around it with the Kashi mediterranean veggie pizza which gives the added vegetables.  Thai food also seems to be a favorite at work as proven today.  Now, you can eat healthy when you eat out bu most places that deliver do not have too many options.  And besides, you don't know the fact/sodium/other crap content of that container of food.  McDonald's is another favorite at work, enough said (given I do usually get a large fry from there if I have the $2).

When I order out a lot, I gain weight.  I don't want to gain weight.  Therefore, if I plan my meal(s) ahead of time, I can avoid surprises, especially since the portions won't be larger than I would normally eat, like most are when we order out.



Basic point: I eat healthier and save money, both of which are very important at this point in time.

Why Employers Should Hire Recent Grads

Okay, I have been job hunting for a few months now and I've come to a conclusion for me and those in the same boat as me: not too many people want us.  Why?  Because of the fact that we are recent grads.  I am so sick of looking through job sites and finding a job that looks promising....only to read that they want someone who has 10+ years of experience (Seriously?  What can possibly take 10 years to learn on the job?).   Though I have, in vain, applied for jobs that "only" require 3 to 5 years experience because you never know which places count internships and work study jobs, most really do mean it when they state you need the experience. Well, I'm going to tell you why employers should to hire recent grads.

1. We will work for less


We're not idiots, we know that with less/no experience, we shouldn't expect to get paid as much as the mythical person with 10 years of experience.  In fact, we'll probably work for half the amount that the magical 10 year experienced person makes at their current job.  Especially if we want to find a job quickly to start paying the never lowering student loan amount we've accumulated.  And what company doesn't want to save money?

2. You can mold us into what YOU want


With little/no experience, we don't have a set way of doing things.  We are a clean slate, a blank piece of paper, an empty canvass...you get the picture.  Therefore, you can make us do things the way you want us to without us slipping into the "how I did this at my last job" mode.  We will become the exact employee your company wants without having to "retrain" us.

3. We are competitive


This is more age-specific but then again, most graduates are my age.  We grew up in the era of video games, stricter college acceptance rates, and when the job market took a hit.  We know how to be competitive and we will bring that to the workplace.  Just like trying to get the high score in pac man (you know you secretly played that game ALL the time for that purpose) we strive to stand out against our colleagues.

4. We need to make a name for ourselves in the field

We have more to prove than the "I have 10 years of experience" know-it-all.  We are trying to make a name for ourselves in the field as early on as possible.  Why not take advantage of that?  This one kind of goes hand in hand with the previous reason.

5. We are up-to-date in the field

Everyone can thank their professors for this one.  In school, we are taught the most up-to-date cutting edge methods in our fields.

6. Weekends are irrelevant


I find it funny when a job posting states: must be willing to work some nights and/or weekends as needed.  Not because there is the possibility of having to stay at the office late, but because they have to explicitly state that you have to be willing to do it.   People my age have come to expect to be ready to work anytime, or at least are not as bothered by it as our older counterparts.  It has become the norm for our generation.

7. We can be mobile

Many of us are not married or have families.  Therefore, we are more likely to be willing to relocate or travel as part of work.  Bonus: less personal days due to sick kids.



For more reasons recent grads should be considered check out here and tips for employers (Jump on the bandwagon! Particularly those companies in my field!).

Top Things People Ask Pharmacy Employees

The top things I hear on a daily basis at work:

1. Where's the bathroom?

2. Do you have oxycodone in stock? (by the way, that's the #1 thing that's asked on the phone)

3. ::2 seconds after handing a prescription to me:: How much will my copay be? (sheesh give me a minute to run it)

4. Is there anything over the counter for pink eye?

5. Where are the earplugs?  (that one is reasonable because our company wasn't smart enough to give that section it's own sign)

6. Can I wait for it?

7. Why can't I fill my ::insert controlled substance drug here:: now?

8. Are you the pharmacist? / Can I ask the pharmacist a question?

9. Do you have Plan B?

10. What's a prior authorization?

11. No, I didn't get your phone call.

12. Can you see if my doctor called something in for me?

13. I want to check to see if something is filled before I came in. (on the phone)

14. (on the phone...again) I want to refill something but I don't have the number.

15. (store-specific question) What time is the clinic open until?

16. What time do you close?

17. I got a phone call from you guys. I didn't listen to the message though.

What NOT To Say To A Recent Grad

Unless this is the first time reading my blog, you already know I recently graduated from grad school and, like all grads, am looking for a job.  I also get ask a lot of the same questions over and over again and after the first 10 times, gets really repetitive so much so that I have essentially memorized responses to the questions.  So, if you come across someone in my position here are things that you should NOT say to them.

1. Have you found a job yet?

• More than likely, the answer is no.  Most grads are out of the job for more than a couple months after graduation.
• New grads have a disadvantage in their field: they don't have much experience outside of work study or internships they had during school.  Which means unless employers are specifically looking for new grads (or someone willing to work for less than the job normally pays) employers will lean towards someone with experience.  In fact, most jobs I've seen posted require 3 or  more years experience (which I have been convincing myself all the internships I had while in grad school count).
• The economy still sucks for a lot of fields grads have gone into.  This means more competition for jobs where grads are not only competing against each other, but also against veterans in the field (veterans meaning those with experience not an actual war veteran, though they can be looking for jobs as well).
• The EXCEPTION: if you are a professor, you are more than welcome to ask.  
• The exception to the exception: if you don't like the person or could care less what happens to the student afterwords.  Don't waste their time or yours.

2. Do you think you'll go back for a masters/PhD/MD/PharmD/flying unicorns?

• They just got out of school.  The last thing they want to really think about is applying to go back to school.  Plus if they wanted to do it, they would have already been accepted into a program.  If they were rejected, this is a sore subject because no one wants to say "I want to but I was rejected".
• Bonus advice: if they do say they were rejected DO NOT say "Well you can always try next year."  No really?  I thought it was a one time deal.  I still hate that people ask me if I'm going to try to get into pharmacy school again. I do not want to, I have no interest in it anymore, I'm already $80,000+ in debt let's not add another $100,000 to it please.  If you couldn't tell, this aggravates me.
• They probably have a lot of loans too that they won't want to add to for a while.
• The EXCEPTION: if you are in a position to and are willing to if asked, to write a letter of recommendation for said program.  So in other words, if you are the person's supervisor, professor, or colleague.

3. So how many jobs have you applied to?

• Apparently not enough to get hired is my typical response because the number of jobs you apply to doesn't really matter.  One could apply to 100 jobs and not even have one interview offer (spoiler alert: there may be something wrong with your resume or cover letter).  One can land a job at the first and only place they apply to as well.  In the end, you can only have one job-job.
• The EXCEPTION: if you are interviewing this person for a job.  True story, I've been asked at interviews.  I guess the nice professors can ask this too.

4. What was it exactly you went to school for? OR What kind of job can you get now?

• If you didn't know what the person went to school for: asking this question automatically forbids you from asking any subsequent questions.  Why?
• You don't know that much about them obviously.
• It becomes a game of 20 questions.
• The new grad has probably already played more rounds of 20 questions than they really want to at this point.
• It kind of makes the person feel bad that they went through all the work and graduated only to have the people they know have no clue what they were doing with their life for x number of years.  Makes you feel less important to know someone really didn't care to ask while you were in school.
• As for the what kind of job can you get?  One that is in the field that they studied (here's your sign).
• The EXCEPTION: you have alzheimer's.

5. What are you fellow classmates doing now?

• It doesn't matter what the field is that the person is in.  The answer is always the same: some people found jobs, some people are looking for jobs, some people moved back to their native country, some people went back to school for another degree.  Okay?  No one on the planet needs to ask this question anymore.  

There are some more questions but even though I'm off work for a week, I have a LOT going on.

The Art of Deciding Where to Move

The job search is in full force.  My resume is out to various places, I've added a new round to the cover letter roulette, and I've been tapping into people I've networked with to keep and open eye (or ear) for openings where they are.

At first, I mainly applied for jobs back home and where I currently live.  There are a few reasons why I have focused in these two areas, which I probably don't have to really explain as they apply to almost everyone applying for jobs.

• The areas are familiar to me ie. I know where things are.
• There are people I know in these areas.
• Moving (or not if I stay here) would be easier than moving anywhere else.
• Going to job interviews is a lot easier.

Now, I'm starting to branch out and apply to other places, even some overseas.  At first I thought of it as a last resort.  However, the more I thought about it, moving to a whole new city or country even, may be easier than I originally thought.

For one thing, I have no family of my own.  I don't have anyone who would have to move with me.  Therefore, it would just be me (and the cats) moving and we can go wherever I so please.  Though if I was to move overseas, \my parents agreed that the cats can bunk with them.

Also, I already gone through the hardest part of relocating when I moved here for school.  It was the first time not only to move to a new town, but also the first time moving out of my parent's house.  If I move again (especially if it's closer to my hometown), I know it won't be as hard as the first time.  Unless it's overseas, but that has it's own difficulties.

With that being said, it would be exciting to move to a whole new area.  Especially if the area offers a lot for someone my age like my current city.


I know I'm going to hear about this from my mother after she reads this but there is actually a disadvantage to moving back home if it comes down to a job here or a job back home.  I have set up my adult life here.  It's my first time not living at home, I have made a decent amount of friends here, this city is the hub for my field (my hometown is on the list of top dying cities and very little in terms of jobs for someone like me), and I have finally been able to have time to explore different areas and attractions in this city.


However, with my current main job ending on Friday, at this point, whichever place hires this awesome candidate is going to have the pleasure of having me for a resident.

The Art of Job Creativity

As the weeks wind down on my current job, and the job market for people like me remains the same (ie sucks because while there are jobs, there are also a lot of people who are in the same boat as me), I have started to think about alternative careers to sustain me for a while until a job that could use my degree pops up.  Here are my thoughts (note: a job-job is a job that will use my graduate degree to it's fullest extent, a job is one that doesn't):

1. I could continue to work at the pharmacy, just work more hours (which I know the pharmacists there will probably jump for joy when they read this) and pick up a second, similar paying job.  Money will be tight even if I continue my current 50 hour work weeks, but at least will be coming in.  If push comes to shove, probability of doing: 90%

2. I could find another temporary job (in my current city, I'm not moving to do this crap again) that needs my degree, or something close to it.  Or like my current job that wanted a recent grad or second year student (my program generally takes two years to complete).  The pay may not be as high as a regular job, but it adds experience to the resume.   If push comes to shove, probability of doing: 100% (in current city) 60% (in another city).

3. Work at a museum.  Science (ideal), history, or even art if they'll take me.  I've wanted to work in a museum and I already volunteer at one (which is hiring part time education assistants and volunteer service associates right now).  If I can't find a job-job might as well do something I'll probably never be able to do again.  If push comes to shove, probability of doing: 70%

4. Become an author.  I've written chapter books since I was 8.  No lie, I still have the very first one I ever started.  Of course, this would require me to actually finish novels.  Would probably be able to do considering soon I will have a lot more free time.   If push comes to shove, probability of doing: 50% because it will take a few years to make a noticeable profit.

5. Go back to school.  For a PhD.....not in this field.  Partly because my grades are not straight A's and for PhD programs that matters.  Actually, after a couple years I may do that anyways and then you all would have to call me Dr. Epilogical.  I'm thinking anthropology, that way I still can satisfy option 3, just on a grander scale (and if I do option 3 followed by this, it counts as relative experience).  Or maybe micro- or marine- biology.  If push comes to shove, probability of doing: 80%, you know, assuming I actually am confident I would be accepted into a program.

6. Get a fellowship.  They typically only last 1 to 2 years but, it's in my field and I may actually find one in the area I like.  Plus, it can be added as relative experience for an actual job-job.  I didn't include this as temp job because.....in my mind it's different.  If push comes to shove, probability of doing: 100% (in current city) 90% (in another city, partly because I don't want to have to move a third time after it ends and start in a new place all over again.)

7. Get  job that could use my undergrad degree.  I never actually have used my undergrad degree, with the exception of applying to grad school which is a whole other field, though I guess you can say they're pseudo-related.  Regardless, it would technically make me underemployed but at least I would be making more than I am now (and be able to actually work in a lab which is kind of what I wished I done the year between graduating from college and starting grad school).  If push comes to shove, probability of doing: 100% assuming it would be easier to find a job than a job-job.

8. Get one of those per diem consulting jobs in my field that no one else really does because they actually have a job or think they're too good for it.  I can consult.  I always have an opinion and will be willing help a company for money.  If push comes to shove, probability of doing: 100%, in fact I would probably do it even if I do find a job-job and use the money for a vacation fund to Germany/Switzerland.

9.  Become a blackjack dealer.  Shut up, it would be entertaining and you know you secretly want to yourself.  If push comes to shove, probability of doing: 20%

10.  Become a pro bowler.  Of course, that would require me to start bowling again.  Grad school kind of kept me away from that.  Plus that would be awesome to put on a resume!  If push comes to shove, probability of doing: 30%.


If anyone has any interesting suggestions, serious or entertaining, feel free to comment below.  Or share your own experiences because I would like to feel like I'm not the only one who has had this problem (because I know I'm not).

Working at the Pharm(acy)

I think I've mentioned in a previous post that I work in a pharmacy.  If not, well, now I have.  Anyways, I work for a chain which always makes things interesting.  To protect my job, I'm not going to say what chain or where it's located.  But, I thought I bring up some of the stories of things that have happened at the store I've been working at for the past 3 years that don't occur on a daily basis.

Last year, the store manager came in to work and found a great surprise one morning.  Our front doors were opened.  By opened I mean gone.  And by gone I mean the whole front entrance was no longer standing.  See, there were a rash of ATM robberies occurring in the area and we were the next target on their list apparently.  The front entrance to the store has an ATM so instead of doing something normal like breaking the glass in the entrance or something, they went all out.  The group reportedly had two stolen vans (know where this is going yet?).  They decided to use the one as a battering ram and drove it through the entrance of the store.  Unfortunately for them (and what made me laugh when I saw the aftermath pictures) a beam fell right in front of the ATM making it impossible for them to get any money out of.  

Think about this for a second: their main reason for doing this has now been blocked.  They are in the store.  There is a whole bunch of crap right there in front (ie cigarettes and the expensive keep behind the counter crap).  They do not take any of it and just leave in the second van.  Of course, there was a witness who saw everything across the street and I'm sure we had alarms going off in the store so that may have also deterred them.  I think they tried to run the witness over by the way.

Anyways, so chain store now has a large mess.  Their solution while waiting to get the front redone was board up the entire front and lock it with a chain when we closed at night.  Funny enough, the store wasn't robbed during that month.  Oh, and the company that owned the ATM took it out for a few months after that.



Another event happened while I was working, actually, right after I walked in.  Apparently, the person who followed in right after me (like literally I'm sure I was still on video when he walked in) had a gun.  And would use it if necessary.  No, he did not rob the pharmacy.  He did rob the front end of the store and the girl who was at the register at the time, told me the guy had waited for me to walk to the back before approaching (must've known not to mess with me).  He took off with whatever was in the drawer but it was also morning so there could not have been much in that drawer.



Now, this one occurred when I was working AND I was involved.  I smelled something burning which with our crappy equipment wasn't anything new.  Besides, no one else back in the pharmacy could smell it, at least not for a few minutes.  About 5 minutes after I started to smell it, a patient that was waiting in the clinic came over to me and told me there was some smoke in the hallway (which is in the back of the store and just has the bathrooms).  So, I come out, thinking it's no big deal since she didn't seem all that worried.  I think I made the comment "so that's what I smell."  Apparently "a little smoke" is defined as the whole hallway filled with smoke.  And it was thick.

I walk back over to the pharmacy telling them to call the manager.  Everyone waiting at the clinic was silent at that point. I don't understand that exactly because until I came out, they were going about as normal.  There's smoke, you don't think there's anything wrong?  It wasn't until I told the pharmacist to call the manager before everyone thinks "oh, yeah smoke in the pharmacy probably isn't a normal occurrence."

Anyways, the manager happened to be right there and took one look and said he was going to call the fire department.  At that point everyone in the clinic start to get up and move (the waiting area is right by the hall).  Before he goes to call though, we decide to kind of explore the bathrooms to see if it really warrants getting all the nosey people coming in due to there being a fire truck outside.  Well, the fire was in the metal garbage can in the men's bathroom.  It was out and just smoking at that point.  We guessed some moron went into the bathroom for a smoke while waiting at the clinic or hiding the fact he smoked from his girlfriend and threw the cigarette in the trash.  What idiot does that?  Really not giving smokers a good reputation there.

To end the story, we didn't call the fire department and propped a door in the back open for a few minutes to clear the smoke out and dissipate the smell.



And since I forgot to post it on my last post, I am now on twitter.  If you are interested in following me, my name is Epilogical (and no I do not put my real name down for professional reasons).  If you are interested in more pharmacy tales, I will be posting soon a list of what NOT to say to your pharmacist and an explanation of the real reason it takes 15 minutes to fill your prescription.