Allergy Medicine Threat to Public

Over-Reactionary Sissies

What’s happened to us, when did we become a gaggle of wussified over reactors? My goodness, all I wanted was some allergy medicine, God forbid if I wanted it after 9:00 at night.

Not feeling well last night, I had a cough and itchy eyes, after putting the kids to sleep I head out to the DRUG STORE for some allergy medicine. Store after store the result was the same, after finding the spot on the shelf that the medicine was supposed to be I was greeted with either a handwritten note or voucher slip informing me that Claritin is only available at the pharmacy. OK, walk to the pharmacy — closed. Every store I went to pharmacy to get my itchy-eye-fix and it was closed.

Giant Eagle — CLOSED
DrugMart — CLOSED
Rite Aide (2) — CLOSED
CVS — CLOSED
Walgreens — CLOSED

To be fair the Walgreens did have a sign with directions to the nearest 24hr pharmacy, but that’s not the point. The point is, as an adult I should be able to take allergy medicine to the front register and pay for it. What reason could there possibly be for allergy medicine to be treated like a controlled substance?

“But those kids, all hopped on dope, make drugs with it.”
Get real, there’s no lack of drugs for those who want them, don’t make me suffer.

“But those types of pills can make you drowsy.”
Yeah, so can the 12 pack of Genny Cream Ale that I am perfectly free to buy.

The reality is that we have developed some weird need to vilify certain things, and completely ignore others.

Allergy medicine, no. Booze, cigarettes by the carton, and a never-ending supply of whatever edible abomination you can imagine — let me get you a cart.

How about some personal responsibility folks?

Sadly, long gone are the days when “men were men,” and Rosie had her “we can do it” attitude.

Have a nice weekend!

 

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We’ll Get It Done For You

Crisis strikes, panic, dismay, then apathy. All too often we give up in the face of crisis. Not the “my house is burning” variety, but the “how are we ever going to get this finished in time” kind.

It seems that the world we live in is all too forgiving of mistakes and blunders. A “what’s done is done, nothing we can do about it now” attitude has crept up on us like a disease.

Just today I called a vendor of ours asking the impossible. I needed a print job done and shipped by next Tuesday, without notice. No pause, no questions, just “We’ll get it done for you.” I was fully expecting to have to go through some “ball-busting” or at least a “well you know, to rush a job like this is going to cost you. . .” Nope, just fantastic customer service.

I know I just wrote about Ike and his shoes, but it seems that this type of quality service is making a resurgence, or maybe I’m just lucky. Either way, the lesson to be learned is this: Quality customer service and care results in repeat business and brand loyalty. This used to be standard practice, but now it seems that if businesses focus on providing a “quality customer experience,” they really stand out.

So, thanks to Michael Pugh at Duke Printing, Mailing & Marketing. I would suggest giving these guys a call if you ever have the need.

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Weigh-In Wednesday 18

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

180.5

1 up this week, 34.5 down overall, 10.5 to go . . .

Only a pound up after a disastrous Halloween weekend, I’m thankful. Lesson Learned: Milk Duds are not my friends, no matter what they whisper.

Old Fashioned Customer Care

When is the last time that a person selling something actually made you feel as if they cared about the quality of their product, and your satisfaction after purchase? I know that it had been a while for me, until today.

Every morning, walking to work, and then in the evening, walking back to my car, I pass a men’s shoe & clothing store. Mr. Albert’s. In the window are flashy suits and shoes that look more like artwork than clothing. A couple of weeks ago, on a Friday, I tore the stitching of a pair of black shoes that I was set to wear to my brother-in-laws’ wedding the next day. The rehearsal dinner was that night, and there was no time on Saturday to go to the store.

I work in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, so you would think that a pair of black dress shoes wouldn’t be that hard to come by in the heart of such a bustling metropolis.

Of course you would only think that if you had never actually been to downtown Cleveland, Ohio. There are several shoe stores, most specialize in sports shoes or Sketchers if you’re feeling saucy. There are also several men’s clothing stores, but the price tag for just a simple black shoe hovers around $130.00. For my $130.00 I had the choice of two styles: black-on-black wing tip, or loafer with tassels. Wing tips? no, and I’m not the guy who can pull off a tassel, on anything. Not to mention, in a store that I was the only person in, until the sales clerk came wandering back out front, it was clear that I was wasting everyone’s time, if I bought the shoes or not.

Dejected, ripped shoes and all, I make my way back to the office, past Mr. Albert’s.

I figure, what the hell, and go in. One foot in the door and Ike introduces himself and asks me what he can help me find.

“Black shoes.”

Glancing at the three walls covered in shoe shelves, each shelf holding a dozen different shoes, Ike says, “ok, what size are you?”

“11″

“Boots or shoes”

Boots? I had never thought about boots, I like boots. “I’m not really sure.”

“Ok, what price range are you looking at?”

“I’d like to stay under $100.00″ (I didn’t know it at the time, but there are more than a few +$1,000.00 pair of shoes at Mr. Albert’s)

With my size, price range and the color black, Ike stepped away for roughly 90 seconds. He came back with three pair of shoes, and someone from the back of the store came up a couple of minutes later with six more. After trying a few on, I settled on a pair of black boots that wound up running me $80.00.

$50.00 under the competition, more than helpful, Ike filled me in on the return policy and wished me well.

Here’s the point

Today, three weeks later, I walk past the window of Mr. Albert’s. Ike comes out, shakes my hand, and says, “RJ right? How are those boots doin’ for you?”

Seriously? In our society, where we are only viewed as potential consumers to advertise to, to take advantage of, he made me feel appreciated. He made me feel even more confident in my purchase. Not only did I buy a good product, I bought a good product form a good salesman. A good salesman who didn’t take me for granted, who concerned himself with my satisfaction.

I may not be able to pull off most of what Mr. Albert’s has to sell, but I’ll buy whatever I can from Ike from now on. A lot of people could learn from Ike. Customers are not just consumers. Customers are people, people who will react dramatically and loyally if they are just given a reason to.

 

Signature Halloween Drinks

It’s Halloween Eve, put on your costume, get out of the house and have some fun! Parades, costume contests, trick-or-treating and parties will all be in full swing this weekend. I love this time of year, and have found a couple of drinks that may make you love it a little too.

Cocktail: Jack-O-Lantern

• 1 oz Hennessy VSOP Cognac
• 1 1/2 oz orange juice
• 1/2 oz ginger ale
• 1/2 oz Grand Marnier
• Orange wheel and lime twist for garnish

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients in a shaker.

2. Strain over ice.

3. Float an orange wheel topped with a lime twist on top

Punch: The Great Pumpkin

• 1 Pumpkin
• 1 part Apple cider
• 2 parts Ginger ale
• 1 part Rum

Directions

Serve in a hollowed out pumpkin with floating pumpkin chunks.

Shot: Brain Hemorrhage

• 1 oz Peach schnapps
• 1 tsp Bailey’s irish cream
• 1/2 tsp Grenadine

Directions

1. Pour the peach schnapps.

2. Slowly pour the Irish Cream. Do not mix!

…..The Creme will clump together and have

…..the appearance of BRAINZ!!

3. Pour the grenadine over the Creme for a

…..completely disgusting look.

For more Halloween drink ideas you can try:

The Webtender | Drink of the Week | About.com:Cocktails

Please drink responsibly, don’t drink & drive, wear clean underwear, wash behind your ears, etc. . .

Happy Halloween!

No Costume No Candy

Halloween is almost upon us, here are a few ideas that may make the season a little more enjoyable for you (and everyone else):

Dress Up or You’re Out-of-Luck

Look, I don’t want to be a dick, but street clothes and a pillow case do not constitute a costume. For that matter neither do school sports uniforms, cheerleader outfits, hooded sweatshirts or concert t-shirts. Do something, have an imagination. I understand that there are limitations, creativity, finances, unruly teen angst, whatever (keep in mind I’m talking about the kids that are 13-? , not the little ones).

Here are some ideas that are fast, cheap, and will show that you at least attempted to get in the spirit of things:

Mummy

White Party Streamers – That’s it, you can wear light colored clothes underneath or paint the exposed areas of you face if you want. Wrap yourself in party streamers and I’ll give you candy.

iPod Ad

Black shirt, black pants, black hat (pulled down, or paint your face) and a piece of poster board. You don’t even need the ipod, paint the box of raisins that my neighbor gave you last year. I’ll give you an extra piece of candy if you strike a pose, show some enthusiasm, this is supposed to be fun.

(note: lose the poster board and ipod,
tell me you’re a ninja and I’ll still give you candy

Facebook Wall

A piece of poster board and a couple of markers, it’s that easy.
Cardboard = Candy. Just don’t go on and on telling me about your latest Mafia Wars mission, Farmville accomplishment or Farkle score, I don’t care (no one does).

Poopy Candy

This is what we always called candy corn, bottle caps, smarties, etc. The stuff you tried to pawn off on your brother to get an extra peanut butter cup. Poopy Candy as a concept can help fight the urge to eat as much candy as you pass out. If you’ve been a reader of this blogg, you know I’ve been trying to watch what I eat. I know that I will not be able to restrain myself, so I am buying MilkyWay mini bars to hand out. I’d rather eat cat poop than a MilkyWay, but others seem to like them and they are not Poopy Candy.

Maintain Low Tones

I get it, you’re out of the house. No matter where you go or what the occasion happens to be there always seems to be someone who feels the need to broadcast their good-time with a “Whoo!” Not to be confused with cheering for a team or at a sporting event, Whooing can happen anywhere and for any reason. Don’t be a Whooer, it’s obnoxious. If you are a habitual Whooer, for Halloween only, I have an out for you. You need to dress as Ric Flair, the Nature Boy (for those of you unfamiliar with who Ric Flair is, you’re probably not the Whooer anyway). The only requirement of the Flair costume other than the Whoo is the strut, it’s essential.

 

So, I hope this helps.

1. Put a costume on your kids before sending them to my house
2. Buy candy you don’t like so you won’t eat it
3. Rustle up a bedazled bathrobe, blond wig and Whooooo away!

Happy Halloween!

Weigh-In Wednesday 17

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

179.5

1.5 down movement this week, 35.5 down overall, 9.5 to go . . .

Knugget of Knowledge

Water. Simple, clean, everywhere — water

Having been through several weeks without seeing much movement in the scale, I needed to shake things up a bit. Seems that the key for me was water. For two consecutive weeks I have seen results now, and the only difference in what I am doing or consuming is the amount of water I’m drinking.

At first it seemed a little ridiculous with the frequent trips to the can, but everything has evened now and is back to normal. After doing a little e-search (that’s research, but online so it needs a kitschy name) I found out that this is called the “breakthrough point” and that the increased frequency was caused by the body letting go of stored, but unneeded reserves of water.

It’s kind of interesting, the metabolism that everyone commonly refers to is the process by which the liver converts stored fat into energy. When you’re not getting enough water your kidneys aren’t working properly, and when your kidneys need help the good ol’ liver steps up. With all of the good neighboring that the liver is doing it is not attending to its business of energy production and you retain the fat that would have otherwise been converted.

So, drink water. Lots of it.

First Impression osX 10.6 Snow Leopard

I’ve installed osX 10.6, Snow Leopard on both my iMac and PowerBook. So far so good.

Install time around 45 minutes. Software updates after (Rosetta) about 15 minutes.

Load times for large files on the iMac are noticeably faster. No crashes, all font conflicts were brought up at the time of installation (to the best of my knowledge).

Overall my first impressions are all good. The online Snow Leopard vs Windows7 debate is alive and well. I don’t care one way or the other, but that kid in the Windows7 commercials really gets on my nerves. . . so . . .

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Weigh-In Wednesday 16

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

181

3 down movement this week, 34 down overall, 11 to go . . .

Knugget of Knowledge

At home with the kids, tired of Wizards of Waverly Place and iCarly episodes, I happened to be flipping through a magazine on the kitchen counter. Parents, Parenting, whatever, my attention was caught by the ad on the inside back cover (yes, I went through the entire thing, do you know how many times I’ve seen the Halloween episode of iCarly? I lost count at 47 or 48).

Burger King has over 350 meal combinations for 650 calories and under. They put together a chart that lets you decide on an entrée, side and drink from different caloric groups. This way you just add up the calories in the selections and keep yourself under 650 calories. You can download the PDF of the
chart here.

Now I’m not advocating a solid diet of Whopper Jr.s and Apple Fries, but it is a nice change of pace, and who doesn’t like onion rings every now and then?

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Kleenex To Open Factory In Cleveland

Two days after their 12th consecutive loss to the Steelers, Cleveland Browns fans are still crying. “That was a terrible call, no way that it was a first down.” Blogs, newspapers, comment threads, watercoolers, and most importantly my ears have all been subjected to this shrill, whiny, mantra. There will be a lesson later on how and why it actually was a first down, not that it would have mattered.

Anderson had a passer rating of 51.0, following his stellar 15.1 last week. BTW, his 2 fumbles didn’t factor into the rating. I could stop here, because this probably had more to do with the loss than the 3 points resulting form the 1st down call.

Hines Ward’s TD was called back. This could well have been another 4 points tacked on to the final score. I’m not debating if it was a good call or not, but if the officiating was as awful as Browns fans claim it to be, then please add in my points. Oh and for all the people who took the Browns and the 14 points, give back your winnings.

What’s that? If it weren’t for the 1st down call, Hines wouldn’t have been in the position to make the TD anyway? OK, then give me the 7 points related to the Cribbs runback that was only possible because of a no-call on the holding that was going on during the play.

Where do we stand now?

27 – 14 -final score
31 – 14 – with Ward’s TD
24 – 14 – with no points resulting from the 1st down cal
24 – 7 – with the holding call on the Cribbs return

Seems to me that any way you slice it, the Browns lose the game. Hell, the Steelers actually did turn the ball over 4 times. How may points did the Browns turn the actual turnovers into? A: 0, not one. So even in a world wearing Browns-tinted-glasses, if Cleveland would have got the call, and turned it into 7 points, they still lose 24 – 21.

Better luck next time . . . See you December 10th. Practice up “guys.”

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