Kindness: Not a Last Minute Gift

A gift doesn't have to be something you actually buy in a store.


Can you remember a time someone did something kind for you? Does it seem like people are less kind recently? Have you wondered what you can do?


Small acts of everyday kindness can impact people more than you realize. Here are some:

• Opening the door for someone. If they're laden with packages, or if they have small kids, or they aren't as mobile as you-using a walker or crutches, for instance, it can be a big help. You can hit the automatic door opener for them, but it's even more personal when you actually take a few seconds to hold that door.
• Giving up your seat on a bus or in a waiting room. Someone obviously exhausted or stressed, or someone older than you, will be thankful for it.
• Know a stressed parent? Offer to watch his or her kids for a few hours.

• Offer some help before a person has to ask: 'Do you need a tissue? Want some water? Can I help? I can do that for you.'
• You might notice someone is having a bad day: Offer a joke, maybe a piece of candy. Suggest a mini break together-'Let's go get a cup of bad coffee,' or 'Let's walk around the building for a few minutes.' Help lighten things up a little.
• When it has snowed and you go out to your car, brush off your car, and then brush off the one next to you. How great would it be to come out and find you don't have to do that in the cold weather??
• Or if you have an extra scraper, give it to someone else who doesn't have one. Once you've seen someone trying to scrape ice off their car with an ATM card or their bare hands, you'll see what I mean.
• Shoveling your driveway or sidewalk? Do your neighbor's, too. They'll appreciate it.
• Also in cold weather: If you have extra gloves or scarves, give them to people who have none.

• Give someone a compliment:

---"You always have the most interesting stories."
---"You have the best sense of humor."
---"Love those shoes!"
---"You are always so thoughtful."
---"What a great job you did on that."
---"You handled that perfectly."
---"That really helped me out, thanks!"

• Say "Good Morning" and offer a smile to someone you don't know--or someone you do.
• Write an actual note to someone (yes, on paper). It can be simple and short or longer and heartfelt. Just a quick 'How are you?' or 'I saw this joke and thought of you."
• Or send a postcard. In the mail. I still find it amazing that you can send someone a postcard for 35 cents, and a letter for only 50 cents.

                                                                 This is a really old postcard, but you get the idea...

• Share a book you enjoyed with someone.
• Does the person behind you in line have 3 things and you have a cart full? Let them go first.
• Give someone a flower for no particular reason. Or a piece of candy. Or a beautiful, perfect, apple.
• Say "Thank You" to someone who may not hear it often enough.
• Leave a sticky note on someone's desk or door with an encouraging observation: "You Rock!" "You Got This!" "Today will be Awesome!"

• Pick up a piece of trash and chuck it in the trash can.
• If the person in front of you at the checkout is short by a few cents, cover it for him or her. 
• You may notice someone who seems lost. Stop and take a few seconds to give them directions.
• Follow up with someone who's had a loss in their life. Initially, people will be supportive, but a few weeks after it happened, those people tend to forget. Simply looking into someone's eyes and asking 'How are you doing today?' can be very thoughtful to someone struggling.
• Never underestimate the power of a much-needed hug.
• Sit with a friend and listen, or just be.

• Bring some food to a fire station or police department, or a hospital nurses' station. They work hard 24/7 to help us stay safe (and alive).
• Old (clean) towels and blankets can be donated to an animal shelter. Food, socks, shampoo, soap, can go to a food shelf. Warm clothing will be appreciated at a shelter.
• You can donate a cell phone you don't want to women's shelters (be sure it will still hold a charge, and include the charger). Persons in danger can always use any cell phone to call 911. Look online for places that can use phones.
• You can donate rice by simply participating in a Q and A here: http://freerice.com/#/english-vocabulary/1432

You see, kindness makes us feel better, too. What a great irony - a gift that gives back to us---and we can be kind all year.


Remember to be kind to yourself, as well. Try these:  https://www.buzzfeed.com/agh/acts-of-self-care-that-cost-little-to-nothing

Biomed Careers

If you're interested in engineering and biology, or medicine, a Biomed degree may be right for you.


What is Biomedical Engineering? It is...
Applying engineering and design concepts to medicine and biology for health care purposes.

                                                            Imagine designing something to help people walk again.
Here are the different types of BioMed degrees:

• 2-year Associates Degree: BioMed Technician - Generally, someone with a Biomed Associate of Science will be given the responsibility of troubleshooting medical equipment.  The median income for a Biomedical Engineering Technician is about $45,000.
• Bachelor of Science/Biomedical Science, or /Biomedical Engineering - Someone with a 4 year degree usually does laboratory research. The median salary is about $53,500.  
• Masters of Science/Biomedical Informatics, Biomedical Science - Someone with a Masters degree may do research, and in Informatics may deal with patient population and administration, as well as studying how hospitals can seek out ways to treat patients for the best result. With a Masters, positions median salary is about $67,000.  
• PhD (Doctorate) of Biomedical Information - The average salary with a PhD is about $77,500. Those with an advanced degree may become managers or heads of departments.

*statistics from CareerTrend.com

                     There are lots of machines present in hospital rooms and surgeries. They need to be running perfectly at all times.


In the Biomedical field, you may work for a hospital, clinic, research facility, rehabilitation center, public health division, or in forensics for a law enforcement agency.
The Mayo Clinic describes the education involved:

https://college.mayo.edu/academics/biomedical-research-training/phd-program/tracks/biomedical-engineering-and-physiology/

Medtronic is a Minnesota-based company with locations worldwide, and is one of the largest manufacturers of medical devices. Here is a job description at Medtronic with the job title Biomedical Technician who would work in research: https://jobs.medtronic.com/jobs/biomedical-technician-51661
Here is a job listing for one who would work  in an advanced setting. Note a Bachelors is required, but a graduate degree is preferred. This position asks for quite a lot of experience:  https://jobs.medtronic.com/jobs/principal-biomedical-engineer-49181

There is a long list of areas in which a Biomedical Engineer might specialize. As you pursue your degree, you may find you have strong interest in one of these areas:

• Clinical Lab Technician
• Public Health Specialist
• Forensic Science
• Prosthetic Devices
• Designing, improving, and repairing medical devices such as insulin pumps or pacemakers
• Hospital Administration
• Research
• Toxicology
• Surgical robotics
• Medical Devices-development and function
• 3D Printing of organs

                                                          Check out this robot suturing up a grape. Yes, a grape. Delicate work!

 

Some people who obtain their Biomedical degree go on to finish an M.D. (Medical Doctorate) so that they can practice medicine, or to accrue more knowledge to help in research.

                                                             Forensic scientists work with crime scene evidence.
 
 If you're into figuring out how things work, problem-solving, creativity, and science, then Biomedical Engineering may be a good fit for you.

How Can It Be This Late? Time Management Tips

Do you ever look at the time and think? How'd that happen, it was only 1:00 ten minutes ago and now it's 4:30?

Time management can be a challenge, what with work, school, study, family, friends, and all the other things that gobble up time... but we found some tips that might help:

• Use. A. Planner. It can be in any form, a notebook will even work. You may have an app for your phone or computer, but it may be best for some to have an actual calendar on paper--a really, really big one. If you write in absolutely everything you need to do, you can keep it right where you'll see it every day, and follow along.

• Take the syllabus from each class and put important due dates on it. You can then plan to have parts of your assignments done in smaller chunks: If an assignment is due on the 20th of the month, then put in 'work on pages 10 to 30' one day, then 'work on pages 30 to 60,' etc. so by the 20th, you've covered everything.
• Make priorities in your days: What absolutely has to get done and by what date, and what can wait till the next week?

• Make your study space comfortable, even inviting. Nobody likes to try and work where there's too much noise, or no space, or no supplies. A stash of snacks in the area will avoid you getting up to find them and getting off task. Messy snacks? Have some hand wipes close so you don't get up to wash hands and wind up watching TV or playing a game.
• And be sure there's enough light!
• Know yourself, and your 'style' of working. Do you work best with no noise, or with headphones on (be honest here). What distracts you too much? What helps you concentrate? You might look for a quiet spot no  one has discovered and make it yours.

• Use even the smallest bits of time to do something. In 10 minutes, you can empty the wastebasket, wipe down a countertop, or clean a sink. You can grab a folder and put all the stuff for tomorrow's classes in there. You can take out your clothes for tomorrow. If you really hurry you could probably even take a shower in 10 minutes. Or, of course, study for 10 minutes on something you always put off.
• You can set a time limit for how long you're going to work on something, whether that's a chore or studying: I'll give this thing 1 hour of my day and no more. Then do it!
• Set timers! You can use a kitchen timer, or of course there are alarm 'clocks' on phones, laptops, tablets, and even watches, often. If you use your phone, put it out of your easy reach, but where you'll hear it. Set the alarm to go off in a certain amount of time, then get to work and wait till you hear it go off. Use timers to wake up in the morning or remind you that you have an appointment or a class.

• And of course, no social media while you're studying. That will all wait, it really will. Talk about a time-waster!
• If you are in a time crunch, and who isn't, don't be shy to tell people you simply do not have time for anything other than study this afternoon (or whenever), and don't feel guilty about it. Learn to say 'no' when you need to. You also need time to rest, and you can say so.
• If you find yourself studying into the wee hours of the night, put a stop to that and be sure you get enough sleep. You won't be absorbing information if you're barely awake.
• Eat some brain-power foods: Nuts, apples, berries, granola, yogurt, raw vegetables--graze away to give you some solid calories (as opposed to candy or chips)
• Drink plenty of water-always have a water bottle by your side.
• Get up and stretch once in a while. Do a simple exercise or walk for five minutes now and then.
• Sometimes, you'll need to be flexible. Situations will come up when you have to switch out your schedule, and that's OK, as long as you're usually following the plan.

How to set a reminder if you have an Iphone: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT205890
Android: https://www.wikihow.tech/Create-Reminders-on-an-Android  There are 'outside apps' available as well.  Often the alarm lets you make a note, so you can say "one hour of studying English," or "Lunch break," in case you forget to eat!

A little planning can help you feel less stressed and more in control. Hopefully, some of these tips will be helpful.