Buy A Flu Shot, Get a Blind Date Free!

I was at a pharmacy working and providing flu shots. Over 22 people showed up to get a flu shot. Most patients were older individuals while there were a few young adults.

There was a middle aged man who needed a flu shot. I started talking to the man as I do most patients in order to distract them from the shot I am about to give. We discuss his errands for the day, his grandchildren and my future pharmacy career.

As I finish the shot and the paperwork, the man asks if I am married. Then he asks if I have a boyfriend. I say no to both, as I am traveling too much with school. He then asks if he can have my phone number for his son. He goes on telling me how successful his son is and that he is a great man.

I insist that I will be traveling in Illinois and Iowa for the next few months so things might not work out. The man insists that things would work because his son works in Des Moines but travels to Chicago often and so on. I continue to avoid the blind date by saying I do not live in the area and will be leaving for Des Moines next month. The man says that is perfect as his son lives there and they will be having a birthday party for him next month. The man continues to invite me to the birthday party for his son.

The man tells me he will go get his wife from the car so she can meet me.

I run behind the pharmacy counter in hopes that if they couple cannot find me, they might just forget the whole idea. No luck! The man finds me and asks me to meet his now embarrassed wife.

We all begin small talk about what we do, my last name, my traveling plans, my pharmacy and business education, etc. The couple insists that their son is a great guy. The man gives me his business card and insists that he does not do this to all woman he meets and in fact he has never done this for his son before. The wife says she thinks her husband was crazy for bringing her into the store but now thinks her son and I would get along well. I continually insist that I will just be traveling around to have a relationship. She says she could give the son my name and phone number if I am comfortable with the idea and that we could all mutually meet at the birthday celebration. After trying to avoid this for 30 minutes I give in, the couple leave after I provide them with a name and phone number.

Such persistence to make a date at a flu clinic, of all places?!?!
I could not make up this story even if I had tried!

No, I am not seeking a blind date at the flu clinics!

No, I will NOT be giving out my phone number to be hooked up with your single sons!

You Know You Are On Rotations In a Small Town When...

The following story reminds me that I am on rotations in a small town because this sort of story would never happen anywhere else.

"Billy Joe" walks into Subway during his lunch break to buy one sandwich to eat at the restaurant and one to take to his wife. The cashier recognizes "Billy Joe" as most everyone knows most everyone else in town. "Billy Joe" gets his first sandwich and enjoys it at the restaurant. "Billy Joe" leaves Subway forgetting to take the second sandwich that he ordered for his wife.

The cashier realizes that "Billy Joe" forgot the second sandwich but knows she is too late to catch him as he drives away. She immediately calls "Billy Joe's" place of employment to let him know he forgot his food because of course she knows where he works. The cashier is informed that "Billy Joe" has not made it back to work yet. The cashier then assumes that "Billy Joe" stopped at home because she knows his home is on the way to his work.

Then, the cashier recognizes the next customer, as "Billy Joe's" neighbor. The cashier knows how good of friends the neighbor is with "Billy Joe" and that she can trust this neighbor, so she asks the neighbor to take "Billy Joe" his forgotten sandwich.

As "Billy Joe" is leaving his driveway, his neighbor stops him to give him his forgotten sandwich. Before "Billy Joe" even gets back to work he has the sandwich he was supposed to give to his wife.

NEVER would this story actually play out like this in an urban area. Restaurant workers would never know every customer that walks into the restaurant, nor would they know where their customer's work, nor would they know where their customer's live, nor would they trust other people so much, nor would they put so much effort forth to get a customer something the customer forgot.

ONLY in a small town could you get such service! Emmetsburg is teaching me the importance and benefits of providing others with service that goes above and beyond as I grow as a pharmacy professional.

Who Knew I Could 'Stamp'!

This is the result of my hard work from my first ever, Stamping Class.

During the 2 hour class, I made 5 cards with various colored paper, ink stamps and cutouts. The patterns, colors and ideas were very unique.

It really made me think outside the box, use my fine motor skills and problem solve since my ideas never went as planned. I made a few mistakes but used creative thinking to make the mistakes look intentional.

I do not think I would have ever taken the time to take a class like this anywhere else but in Emmetsburg. Thanks Barb!!

Weirdest College Majors

I thought I had seen all the majors possible...not so. Think about graduating with a major like:

Bowling Industry Management

Winemaking

Sports Ministry

Boilermaking

Golf Course Management

Bakery Science

Comic Book Art

Motorsport Science and Engineering

Master Ranching

Astrobiology

Professional Nanny

Retail Floristry

Fishing Sciences and Management

Sexuality Studies

Wig and Makeup Design

As weird as some of these majors sound, they are all offered at one or more colleges in the US. Just think of how small the competition for a job would be after graduation!

Move Over Pharmacy...Here I Come Radio!

The pharmacy, where I am completing my current rotation, co-sponsor the weekday weather report on the county radio station, KICD, which streams online and on the radio. For that sponsorship, the pharmacy puts on a 60 second radio commercial spot on the radio station. Each month the pharmacy changes the commercial to include a relevant health topic and information about the pharmacy.

This month, my preceptor at the pharmacy asked me to write a commercial spot about avoiding colds and head lice as school starts which also included information about the pharmacy. My preceptor then asked me to record the commercial spot, which I did.

With my tremendous radio voice, I can see it now....I am the next big radio personality! Everyone wanting my autograph, pictures and paying me to hang out with the A list celebrities. I become famous due to my start on the Palo Alto Radio Station!

Or, it was just fun to record a radio commercial. An opportunity I do not think I would ever get again. My debut starts this week and I am not looking for fame just a commercial that does not sound like an amateur attempting radio spots.

The experiences pharmacy rotations expose students to are endless!! THANKS!

What Am I Missing?

Customer: “I’m picking up a prescription for [name].”

Pharmacist: “Okay. Just one moment.”

(I check the for the prescription and can’t find it.)

Pharmacist: “When did you order it?”

Customer: “Well, I saw the doctor on Monday.”

Pharmacist: “So you came in on Monday?”

Customer: “No, I went to the doctor’s on Monday.”

Pharmacist: “Okay, so when did you drop your prescription off?”

Customer: “What do you mean? I went to the doctor.”

Pharmacist: “And did he give you a piece of paper that said what drugs you needed?”

Customer: “Yeah.”

Pharmacist: “That’s a prescription. You need to bring it here so that we know what you need.”

Customer: “But I saw the doctor on Monday! Why didn’t he do it?”

Pharmacist: “That’s not his job.”

Customer: “So what, he’s a doctor but he’s not a pharmacist? Look, I saw him on Monday so he probably just did it then. You’re just not looking hard enough. Look for the things done on Monday!”

Definitions and Learning Points For All

First Amendment:

Freedom of Religion and Expression; Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

Expression of Opinion
1. judgment or belief not founded on certainty or proof
2. the prevailing or popular feeling or view: public opinion
3. evaluation, impression, or estimation of the value or worth of a person or thing
4. an evaluation or judgment given by an expert: a medical opinion
5. the advice given by a barrister or counsel on a case submitted to him or her for a view on the legal points involved
6. a matter of opinion a point open to question
7. be of the opinion that to believe that

Uncensored:
(of a publication, film, letter, etc) not having been banned or edited ; unedited; not having had objectionable content removed

Hypocrisy:
the practice of professing standards, beliefs, etc, contrary to one's real character or actual behaviour, esp the pretence of virtue and piety; Hypocrisy involves the deception of others and is thus a kind of lie.

**Take home lesson:

Express your opinions in a respectful way. People may choose to listen or may knock you down. But, continue to stand up for yourself, your beliefs and the good that people can do.

It's Football Night! We Know Where Everyone in Town Will Be!

In Emmetsburg, it seems as though the most important parts of life include sports, especially football. With tonight being a Friday night football game, the ENTIRE town is getting ready for the high school game. There is tailgates, tons of fans in lots of game clothes and hoopla spoken all day about the game.

It reminds me exactly of "Friday Night Lights". The whole town is way too into the local high school sports program but it makes the games fun and brings the community together. Plus it is one of the only things to do on a Friday night in a small town.

When in Rome, do as the Romans....Go E-HAWKS!