The Pharmacy Chick

Time to hop onto my soapbox.

Pharmacy Chick was grocery shopping the other day, a chore she HATES to do.  In fact, I think for somebody whose drugstore is in the same parking lot as a grocery she has a pathetic amount of food in her house.  I am one of those buy-tonight’s-dinner-this-afternoon kind of person.  Therefore I am in and out of the store on quickie shops…which means I am in the checkstand more often than the once a week or once a month shopper.  ANYWAY,

As I was checking out, the clerk asked me if I would “donate $1, 3 or 5 for our annual food drive?”  How about $0 I am thinking… But being the nice person that I am, I donated a dollar.  As I was walking out to my car, I started to linger on this interaction not because I was now out of a dollar, but because of the commonality of this event.  EVERY time I grocery shop, they ask me for money. Each month its for something different.  Its the malady of the month, or Jerry’s Kids, Katrina Victims, Diabetes, Heart disease, Food Bank,  Easter Seals, you name it.

I have my own charities. I am not a tightwad. I send significant amounts of money to the non-profits and church of MY choosing. Personally, my heart breaks for unwanted or abused animals and pets and my checkbook donations reflect that.

By the sheer number of national fundraising events, prostate and breast cancer research has to be flush with cash compared to “less popular” disease states. Don’t get me wrong, none of these things are bad.  I am sure every charity needs the money, but its the UNENDING requests that are getting to me.  A jar on the counter? fine, I may drop some change in it. But I am getting tired of being asked ” would you like to….give give give?” 

I’d like to offer some suggestions to these fundraising stores:

1. Know who gave.  I’d love it for once if we got some “I gave” pin so somebody might know to quit asking. It gets old to be asked every time I shop.  I am not a scrooge. But I dont think customers should feel they have to donate to a charity everytime they buy food.

2. Give us shoppers a break:  Must you have a charity drive EVERY month of EVERY year? 

3. I’d prefer the tax break thanks:  If you imagine hard enough you can see that every store probably has a big cardboard check that 4-5 people get to stand behind when they hand over the cash to the charity.  Snap Snap goes the cameras and look at us! WE gave all this money!….but in reality, they didn’t really give anything, thousands of anonymous shoppers did.  If anybody knows how this works, please share, I’d really like to know who gets the tax breaks on all these $1 and $5 donations collected over the year by major retailers.

Anybody else like to sound off on this subject?  Am I wrong? Does anybody else get tired of this?  Any better ideas?

Happy Halloween by the way!  Watch out for those kiddies–so every trick or treater gets home safely.

Tags: being a brat, just griping, non pharmacy stuff | |

The coming of fall always makes Pharmacy Chick wax nostalgic to her college days. Already I am seeing Back-To-School ads and kids in the store haggling with their parents over backpacks (why do they need a new one every year?)  I have to be honest, it took me a good 5 years after graduating before I got over the feeling that I should be GETTING READY for fall classes. 

I remember my early days in pre-pharm:  agonizing over whether or not I would get the classes I needed (back then we had something called Arena Scheduling:  we were let loose in the gym like a stampede based on our last names into a giant arena with tables that corresponded with departments.  If you were smart you would rush to the classes you wanted/needed the MOST to sign up–first-come-first-served.)   If I was lucky enough to get the classes I needed, I would then hike it over to the bookstore to load up on the books. It was important to get there early for two reasons: 1) the used books sold first and 2) sometimes they ran out of the books.  If I had to buy new, it cost me more, if I didn’t get the book at all, I had a major problem.  Then at the end of the quarter I’d rush back to sell it back to the bookstore, for if they had enough they’d quit buying them back.  What a racket–they’d pay us squat then sell them for a lot more.

However once I got into Pharmacy school, 2 things changed: 1)  my books cost a hell of a lot more and 2) I couldn’t sell them back!  I had to keep them “for reference”.    This stunk on a whole bunch of levels.  Selling my books back helped me pay for the next quarter of books, and not doing so hurt my budget big-time.  In addition, there were seldom used texts I could buy, and it seemed every professor would pick some new edition  that would require the purchase of a NEW book. 

What pharmacy student didn’t have Goodman and Gilmans- The Pharmacological Basis of Theraputics?  I even had to buy a NEW Remingtons because I was “lucky” enough to be a student when they had a new edition.  By the time I graduated I had hundreds of pounds of books, from Chemistry (medicinal, general, bio, and organic), Theraputics, Pharmacology, Anatomy and Physiology, Law, kinetics, the Merck Manual, Grey’s Anatomy, Microbiology, pathology, and whatever -ology else I had to take.  I even had to buy The Principles and Practice of Medicine (as if you could condense it all in one book).

So, Pharmacy chick graduated, and along with her diploma, hauled all these books to her first apartment, then to her first house…then to her second house.  Once a year or so, I would visit the library upstairs and dust off the books. I didn’t however ever open them.  There was no reason to.  Every piece of information I would ever need in practice was accessible from reference texts at work.  But for some reason I couldn’t ever get rid of them.

Until one day.  Mr Chick and I decided to paint the Library.  It involved clearing the shelves and for the first time in many years, I had to handle every single book I had ever placed on the shelf.  At that time I decided to “thin the herd”.  Not only did I pitch some old books, but I cleared out a bunch of other stuff as well.  Goodbye went all the chemistry books,  the micro and path books, Grey’s anatomy, dosage forms (I think I got that one pretty well covered).  I have no idea what Goodwill will do with these books, but I thought donation was better than garbage. 

I have to admit however, I still have some.  I still haven’t opened them, but for some reason I still cannot say goodby to the select few.   Its kinda pathetic–how is it I cannot part with these few?  I wonder–does Ole Apothecary have some if his books molding in his bookcase?   Does TAP and TAestP have a secret stash of text books from their college days? Does Mike ever reference his old texts?

Well if they don’t, and they ever need to read up on Theraputics, I have Goodman and  Gilman’s….still.

Tags: cleaning house, non pharmacy stuff, olden days | |

What is it about summertime that turns people’s brain to chowder when it comes to fashion sense? Since Pharmacy Chick sees a bazillion people every day, I’d thought I’d share some of my own observations of shoppers who passed by in recent days. I swear some people get dressed in the dark…

1. Fat chick in Tube Top: Unless you are 6 years old or disappear when you turn sideways, leave the tube top at home. In fact, why not turn that thing into the rag that it is? I cannot believe anybody ever thought that taking an elastic cylinder of fabric, wrapping around a woman’s midsection and calling it fashion was a good idea. One rogue brat with an attitude and we’ll have the mother of all wardrobe malfunctions! PS Nice rose tattoo by the way

2. Same Woman, bottom half: Form fitting skin tight spandex looks really good on models in fitness magazines…and prepubescent teens . It looks especially scary when I can see the polka dotted underpants underneath.

3. Bra’s serve a useful function. Use one during all four seasons. They come in all sorts of fancy colors and fabrics now. They are practically artwork. Nobody wants to see your flabby breasts. This lady came in and to say that she is big-boned would be an insult to big bones everywhere. She was F.A.T. She heaved her flabbiness on my counter (too tired to stand up?) to ask a question. She had on a stretchy tank top (see previous observation) and nothing else underneath. I have no recollection of the conversation, but I’ll never get over the view.

4. Short-shorts. Lets add just a few more inches please. I’d rather not see your cheeks under your home made cut-offs. AND, Mr Mid-life Crisis, those running shorts from the 80’s looked great 20 years ago when you actually ran. Now that you are flabby and 50, you just look goofy. Buy some bermudas or cargos.

5. Muscle shirts: Unless you have been recently selected for the cover of a fitness magazine, chances are you aren’t the hottie you think you are. You are all sweaty and stinky and I am grossed out by all that shoulder and back hair sticking out. Jane Goodall would hand you a banana. Put a T shirt on.

6. Bikinis in the pharmacy? Wear your beach wear at the beach. Pharmacy Mike might not agree with me on this one (heh heh) , but then again he might especially since all that pizza you ate during the winter resides comfortably on your hips right now.

7. Nylon hose under shorts? WHAT?….and WHY?

8. Socks OR Sandals, not both…unless you live in Montana where I understand socks are usually worn with Birkies.

9. Miscellaneous faux pas: Dark dress socks with tennis shoes. Shorts with dress socks and loafers. Boxers or briefs? I dont care, just keep them INSIDE your shorts please. And if your stomach protrudes more than 3 inches over your belt, kindly have a shirt long enough to cover it up. AND, speaking of shirts, wear one when you come inside the store.

10 Bare Feet. I am sorry, perhaps I come from another era where ” no shirt, no shoes, no service” was on the door of most places, but it seems that I see an awfully lot of bare feet running around. Not only is it unsanitary but its unsafe. There’s a lot of nasty (sharp) stuff that ends up on the floor of a store and in a parking lot. If you cannot stand the idea of shoes, flip flops will do. Once I heard a shriek down the aisle. For some odd reason a lady shopper gave her toddler daughter a big can of tomatoes to hold. She didn’t hold them for long and dropped them directly on the foot of her mother (wearing only a flip flop) Cut clean thru the big toenail. I bandaged her up as best as possible and sent her to urgent care. 2 hours later she came back with rx’s to fill and said “The dr said you did a good job with the bandages”…yea me.

Any other visual offenses YOU’d like to share this summer?

Tags: non pharmacy stuff, nothing else to do, scary fashion | |

Pharmacy Chick is not the techno geek that some people are. I do however have a failsafe security measure on my laptop that makes it impossible for the un-informed to boot it. Because its old, there is some short in it someplace. I have to perform some kind of squeezing/massage exercise on certain places of the unit in order for it to “connect” and boot. Otherwise, the darn thing blinks at me for a few seconds and remains dead. Therefore, If I disappear for a few weeks, you can bet that the massage no longer works and PC had to buy a new PC! haha…

However, the Chick did indeed had to buy a new cell phone, and in doing so, learned 2 valuable lessons: 1) cell phones do not float and 2) they do not like to get wet.

I rarely have to carry the thing, and when I do, its usually because I have one specific call I am waiting for or My Man Friday is on vacation so I make myself available for the relief pharmacists in case of an emergency. This particular day was such an occurrence. I had to visit the bathroom and against all conventional wisdom I put the phone on the back of the toilet. As I flushed I picked up the phone, and bumped the toilet lid. Bad move. It dislodged my phone from my hand and unceremoniously dropped into the flushing receptacle. As fast as you can say “expensive plumber visit” I had my hand in the bowl retrieving the phone. There are worse things than having to pick a phone out of pee-water, one of which was telling Mr Chick what I did. “Does it work?” he asked. I tried to make a call on it but nothing happened. Once I succeeded in turning it off, it never came on again.

Thankfully I had owned the phone for the prescribed contract so I was able to upgrade for free. My new phone has a camera on it (I never use) and can text (I dont know how). If I pay a lot of money I can read my email on its teeny tiny screen also. I did not opt for the fancy I Phone style. Remember, PC thinks cameras should take pictures and phones should make calls.

When I upgraded my phone the cute sales clerk asked if I wanted to donate my old phone for the women’s shelter…uh, no…not this time thanks.

Tags: cell phones, mistakes, non pharmacy stuff, personal life | |

This morning as I padded sleepy-eyed from the bed to the dresser, I commented to Mr Chick “Today’s going to be a good day!” He asked why and I said “Because its WHITE sock day” We both had a little chuckle because we knew exactly what it meant.

The Chicks do not have a large diversity in the sock drawer. We have a drawer of white socks and a drawer of black socks. When I draw from the black sock drawer, it means I have to go to work. When I draw from the white sock drawer, Its a play day. Today is a WHITE sock day. Poor Mr chick. He put on black socks today

My only exception is this: If I ever make it to Boston, I’ll be RED SOX all over! Boo Yankees.

Peace!

Tags: drivel, letting you in to my life, non pharmacy stuff | |

It was Pharmacy Chick’s day off so Mr and Mrs Chick frequently use the time to run a few errands. Because we live in a metropolitan area, it often involves hopping on a freeway to get from point A to point B. Every freeway has an on/off ramp and on every ramp is a beggar. Your community may have them too, I dunno if panhandling on the freeway is allowed in your state, but it is apparently legal around here. Dirty men (and yes, women) holding a handmade cardboard sign extolling their hard-luck status in attempt to dislodge a few coins (or bills if you are a big enough sap) from your tight fist.

They are even more pathetic when its raining out, but they are out there, rain or shine. They have their corners staked out and God help you if you try to horn in on a prime spot. You’d have better luck ripping off the Mafia than stealing a good panhandle spot. Some bring a dog.

A few years ago our local paper ran an article exposing them for the scam artists that they are: a fairly well organized operation of panhandlers designed to rip you off, by pretending to be homeless, or veterans, or both. “every coin helps” says one sign. “homeless vet” says another “I have 3 kids” said a third, which was interesting cuz this guy looked to be about 65, so his kids would be, what, 30-40 years old by now??

One day I was in a long line by a metered on-ramp. It was almost 6 pm. This guy was standing there with his sign, staring off into space. He had a pack on the ground. Then he acted startled, looked at his watch (6pm), then folded up his sign, grabbed the pack and began to walk off the ramp. WHAT? Quittin time? The watch alarm went off? Time to head home? Trade places with Beggar on the opposite side? Who knows?

PC doesn’t have a heart of stone, she and Mr Chick donate over 10% of their income to charities of our choice, usually our church and a variety of non-profits of our choice. There are organizations in place for the homeless to receive meals each day, a shower and a bed. I am not going to give one man a fish when somebody more able than I can teach hundreds of them to fish and feed their entire families.

One brave soul I know spends a lot of time down town and was panhandled. He wanted money “for food” he said. Being the savvy city dweller, my friend wasn’t fooled. “lets go buy you some food” she said. “No, man” the beggar said, “I’ll buy the food, you just give me $5″. No dice.

I’ll never give them a penny, but I maybe I should keep a bag of dog bones in my car for the next time I see the dog.

Tags: non pharmacy stuff, personal life, rambling | |