Beware Of Cars!!

As a pediatrician or cyclist, I feel  I am always putting my life in danger every time I go for a bike ride or do an errand. I am constantly having to maneuver and dodge cars that don't look both ways or try to dodge out in front of you to avoid. People don't realize that they are driving a machine. Not only that: a killing machine. I truly believe that people have forgotten to obey traffic rules and just want to get to their destinations and damn anybody else. It seems drivers never look both ways anymore. That is one of the very first things you are taught in driving school, for heaven's sake. Sometimes I dread walking out or riding out because it feels like a traffic combat zone out there. Drivers!! Look both ways!! Look out for your fellow pedestrians or bicyclists!! You don't own the road. Share it with all of us!!

The Truth About Assesment Tests !!

What is the deal with assesment tests on online applications? Why do we have to take them? They seem to ask the same questons over and over again but in different forms. What are you like as a person, how you were in school, are you clean, are you tidy, do you get along well with others, are you a team member or do you work best alone? Between 80-180 questions of the same old tired question reworded. It makes one head spin and it's easily frustrating. However, that is what gets you hired. See, the employment agencies or job placement services won't tell you that. I don't know why. Is it some deep dark secret. That test that you hate taking at the end of the application is what the employer is looking at.  Not your experience. Not your qualifications and not your references. I overheard a gentleman talking to his friends while they were job hunting online. He was telling them how he hadn't had a job in 2 years. He took the assesment test, passed it and got a phone call from the employer. Overhearing, he said if you're in the 10% percent to pass the test, you are one of the first they will call. So, for those of you who can't find a job and apply online, now you know why. I know it's very unfair. It down right sucks!! However, that is how it is. I myself have wondered how does one pass an assesment test? Is there a way to cheat on one? I'm not trying to encourage my fellow job seeking brethren. I'm simply saying that employers should be more honest on why passing the test matters and future employees should learn how to better master an assesment test better.

Summertime Blues!!

Are you like me? Do you too have a love/hate relationship with summer? Every June, as summer approaches, we all strive and fantasize about what this summer is going to bring. We all want that great summer where we jet set off to exotic lands, or have that fantastic walk along the beach with family or friends or that special someone. Teachers and kids are out of school and wanting to enjoy that summer vacation for as long as they can. We so want to see that latest summer flick playing at the local cineplex or go to our nearest park to have a great family barbeque or that romantic picnic with that close intimate friend. Yes, I too have been guilty of having romantic thoughts of summer. However, let's keep it real! Summer is hot, humid, dry and sweaty! Some of us can't afford to jump on that big jumbo jet and fly away to wonderful cooler destinations. We have to stay home and have our crappy rotating fans to keep us cool only to have it blow hot air back at us. You can't sleep or nap and if you do, you can actually feel the sweat dripping down your forhead. Ugh!! Then, the summer movies suck!! It's either loud, noisy and pointless or cute family sugary dreck. We so want summer to be a big huge party with cute guys, cute chicks, thumping good music and food and drink aplenty. Which in some cases, it can be. However, let's not forget the hot humid muggy feeling we face when out taking a walk, bike ride or running an errand. Look, I'm not knocking summer. I'm just trying to look at summer a little more realistically then television and the movies portray it. I, for one, love the fall. It's cooler, crisper and to me, more calmer. You watch the leaves fall and realize that changes are happening. The end of the year is upon us and time for a new year and new beginnings. That's what I love about fall. Summer  to me is a bad hot sweaty fantasy. Fall is a cool calming thought provoking dream. To those of you who love summer, hey more power to you. However, fall is my time to shine!!

Reality Killed The Radio Star!!

Last monday was the 30th Anniversary of MTV. As a kid of the 80's,  that cable network was so a part of my youth. You would see all the latest videos from artists like Madonna, Michael Jackson, Prince and Bruce Springsteen. The battle cry of that era was, "I Want My MTV!!" and we meant it. It was a channel that related to the youth. It knew what kind of music the we wanted and we watched for hours and hours. For that first 10 years from 1981-1991, MTV stood true to it's promise of music videos 24 hours a days, seven days a week. Then a strange creature crept in and slowly affected our beloved network, reality televesion. It started small in 1992 with, "The Real World". A show about a group of people forced to live together in a big city and coexist. Some seasons were good, some ok, some crap. However, we tolerated it if only to still have our favorite videos on all the time. Then slowly about 2000, when our backs were turned, that strange creature grew bigger and bigger and soon devoured our favorites videos. Soon our beloved MTV was doing shows on teen drama, teen mamas, New Jersey bafoons, and teen wolfs. MTV was still doing their annual  video music awards every fall. However, the problem was.....Where were the videos?! You're a channel that originally was put on the air to play videos however you weren't playing videos. Plus, the M in MTV stood for music. Music!! Not reality shows over and over again for 24 hours. My point is this. What happened to MTV?! How did it go from a fun loving new and exciting channel to a empty shell of its self just for the purpose of saving a buck and cowering to the trend of latest reality crap shows? All I have to say is "I WANT MY MTV......BACK!"