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HomeMy WebLinkAboutJulytt i t Y { .. � [(Sz7(1�e' •�' 4::v:t�< 7 CITY OF SEBASTIAN NEWSLETTER Optimist or Pessimist?: The story is told of a father who had twin sons. One son was an optimist, and the other son was a pessimist. On the twins' birthday, while the boys were at school, the father loaded the pessimist's room with every imaginable toy and game. The optimist's room he loaded with horse manure. That night, the father passed by the pessimist's room and found him sitting amid all his new gifts crying bitterly. "Why are you crying?" the father asked "Because my friends will be jealous, I'll have to read all the instructions, the toys will constantly need new batteries, and eventually all my new toys will get broken," answered the pessimist. Passing by the optimist's room, the father found him dancing for joy in the pile of manure. "What are you so happy about?" asked the father. To which the optimist replied, "There's got to be a pony in here somewhere!"D A favorite story of motivational speakers Winners and whiners A winner says, "Let' find out." A whiner says, "Nobody knows. When a winner makes a mistake, he says, "It was my fault." When a whiner makes a mistake, he says, "It wasn't my fault." A winner makes a commitment. A whiner makes promises. A winner feels responsible for more than his job. A whiner says, That's not my department." A winner says, "There ought to be a better way to do it." A whiner says, "That's the way it's always been done." f. . A winner paces himself A whiner has only two speeds: hysterical and lethargic. A winner says, I'm good but not as good as I ought to be." A whiner says. "I'm not as bad as a lot of other people." —4dapted %rom a verse from Sydney Harris JULY, 1997 INSIDE CITY LEWTS Birthdays 07/09 John Kellough - G/C Starter/Ranger 07/13 Sally Grunzweig - E/D Clerical Assistant II 07/15 Sally Maio - C/C Deputy City Clerk 07/20 Gregory Witt - P/D Police Sergeant 07/23 Robert Wise - P/D School Crossing Guard 07/24 Kathy Nappi - C/D Administrative Assistant 07/27 Wayne Ellis - P/W Parks Laborer Lon ew Employees with 10 or more years of service: 07/27/82 John Jenkins - G/C Cart Attendant 07/29/82 Chris McCarthy - P/W Parks Foreman Employees with 5-9 years of service: 07/19/89 Joseph Bricker - P/W R&D Maint. Wrk. II 07/19/89 Sylvia Clark - P/W Cemetery Maint Wrk. I Important Dates * 07/04/97 Independence Day $ 07/11/97 Pay Day $ 07/25/97 Pay Day "Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it." —Thomas Paine (1737-1809) "A real patriot is the fellow who gets a parking ticket and rejoices that the system works." Bill Vaughan "Every man loves and admires his own country because it produced him." Edward Bulwer-Lytton (1803-1873) "He who drinks a fifth on the Fourth may not go forth on the on the fifth." —Unknown City of Sebastian Employee Newsletter WELCOME ABOARD! Martha Campbell started working for the City on June 2, 1997 as the City Engineer. She has a Master of Engineering degree from the University of Florida and just relocated from Bel Air, Maryland. Alice Locke started working for the City on June 3, 1997 as a temporary part-time cashier at the Golf Course. Anthony Dudley started working for the City on June 11, 1997 as a temporary part-time cart attendant at the Golf Course. MISCELLANEOUS EMPLOYEE NEWS! Gary Nicholas was promoted to a Maintenance Worker III in Public Works. Roads & Drainage Division. Congratulations Gary! Congratulations to Pat Brennan, Director of Public Works on his recent marriage to Elleanor Davis. They will have their honeymoon in the beautiful Sebastian. OUOTABLE QUOTES "In marriage, never speak loudly to each other unless the house is on fire." ❑ —Unknown LESS COMPETITION "My grandfather told me there are two kinds of people: those who do the work and those who take the credit. He told me to be in the first group—there is less competition there. " Indira Gandhi FRAGRANCE POLLUTION "I would not wear perfume to the office. » Nancy Tuckerman, co-author of The Amy Vanderbilt Complete Book of Etiquette Editor's Note: It is no longer considered considerate or "correct" to wear perfume, cologne, or after -shave to the office, movie theaters, religious services, meetings, or social events where people with fragrance sensitivity / allergies may be present. Save your fragrances for intimate t"ete- 'a -t" etes. GLOBAL RENAISSANCE " People around the world are seeking greater personal happiness through moderation, self-discipline, training of the mind and body_ and spiritual growth over material accumulation. "It's a trend that's cutting across age and class lines. "This marks the end of the 150 -year Industrial Age— when economic needs were put before human needs, machinery before people, technological advancement before personal development, and materialism before spirituality. " -Source: Trend analvst Gerald Celente DEPRESSION! What is it, what to do... It used to be that people had to work through tough problems all on their own — like the lone cowboy on the great frontier. Dealing with personal troubles by yourself was considered a sign of fortitude and strength. But today it's known that getting help early on can keep "molehills" from becoming "mountains;" incidents from becoming disasters. The self -test in this newsletter will help you determine when it makes sense to get help in dealing with life's complexities. WHEN `BLUE' IS TOO BLUE! Everyone knows what it feels like to be "blue" or "down in the dumps," but if depression lasts longer than a few weeks — if it saps your energy, causes physical problems, and causes you to loose interest in living — it's time to get help. Clinical Depression SELF -TEST Yes? ❑ Do you have persistent feelings of sadness, emptiness, pessimism, or anxiety? ❑ Do you feel helpless, hopeless, guilty, or worthless? ❑ Is it difficult to make decisions, concentrate, or remember? ❑ Have you lost interest or pleasure in everyday activities? Have you dropped hobbies or activities? ❑ Have you lost your drive or energy? Do you seem to have "slowed down"? ❑ Do you have sleep problems (insomnia, early - morning waking, over -sleeping)? ❑ Are you losing or gaining weight? ❑ Do you have headaches, stomachaches, or backaches? Do you have chronic aches and pains in your joints and muscles? (Note: Sometimes depressive disorders masquerade as chronic physical symptoms that don't respond to treatment.) ❑ Are you restless or irritable? ❑ Do you want to be alone most of the time? ❑ Are you drinking or smoking heavily, or are you taking other drugs? ❑ Do you think a lot about death, or about suicide? If you answered "YES" to several of these questions, you many need professional help. Early treatment can lessen the severity of depression, may reduce the length of time you are depressed, and may prevent future bouts. City of Sebastian Employee Newsletter Have you said this to yourself? ❑ "My job has me stressed out. I used to be a good worker, but now I'm always making mistakes. ❑ "I get angry for no reason at all. I hate being this way." ❑ "My life seems to be going no place. I feel trapped." ❑ "I just lost the best relationship I ever had; I don't know what's wrong with me." ❑ "Since my mother died, I can't seem to pull myself together." ❑ "The only mail I get is bills." ❑ "He drank before we got married. I thought he would change." ❑ "My mother is coming to live with us. It's going to turn our family upside down." ❑ "Our teenager is scaring us." ❑ "Being a single parent is the pits. I don't know how I'll make it." ❑ "Being a stepparent is harder than I expected I feel like a total failure." If you feel confused or overwhelmed by personal, financial, or family problems, consider getting some outside help and advice. One or two sessions with a qualified counselor may be all you need to put your life back on track. Signs of DEPRESSION or other emotional trouble 1. Changes in personality or mood 2. Withdrawal from others or abnormal self- centeredness 3. Confused or delusional thinking; strange or grandiose ideas. 4. Persistent depression, apathy, or extreme mood swings. 5. Excessive anxiety, worry, or fear 6. Changes in eating or sleeping patterns 7. Difficulty in coping with daily activities 8. Inappropriate emotions 9. Denial of problems 10. Violent or suicidal thoughts or actions 11. Anger or hostility out of proportion to the situation 12. Hallucinations 13. Abuse of alcohol and/or use of other drugs Where to get help* •Your physician *Your company's EAP (Employee Assistance Program) counselor (6 free visits) Human Resource Healthcare Group 1-800-424-0767 or 725-1767 *Family sen -ice agencies • Community mental health centers • Private clinics and facilities • Hospital departments of psychiatry, or outpatient psychiatric clinics • University or medical school affiliated programs • Check the Yellow Pages underMental Health Services or Counseling *Talk to your health insurance provider to verify your insurance coverage, and to see what types of treatment programs are covered by your insurance plan :to meet your needs. Blue Cross Blue Shield I-800-322-2808. SAFETY- DRIVING WHILE DROWSY - 30 to 40 million Americans have sleep apnea, narcolepsy, or chronic insomnia. The majority of people with sleep disorders are undiagnosed and untreated. Every year, more than 200,000 car crashes involve sleepy drivers. - 96% of drowsy driver crashes involve passenger vehicles; only 3% involve truckers. - Drivers most likely to fall asleep at the wheel: young males. Editor's Note: On long drives, stop every two hours to enjoy a low-fat snack, and get some light exercise. If you're really tired, don't try to revive yourself by turning on the radio, drinking coffee, or opening your car windows. Experts say it's best to pull over to some safe spot and take a 20 -minute nap. Sources: American Medical Association; National Highway Traffrc Safety Administration BREAST CANCER W Both active and passive smoking may be risk factors for breast cancer. Two studies have shown that being married to a smoker increases the risk of breast cancer in women who have never smoked. It could be that some of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in smoke are absorbed as nitrosamines, and are concentrated for prolonged periods of time in the breasts. —Sources: American Journal of Epidemiology, Vol. 143, No. 9 HYPERTENSION. Alzheimer's #► There is some evidence that high blood pressure, which is a major risk factor for stroke, may also play a role in the development of dementias of the Alzheimer type. A normal blood pressure is 120/80. If your blood pressure is consistently over 140/90, work with your doctor in getting it down to a safe level. —Source: Journal of the American Medical Association, Vol. 276, No. 12 City of Sebastian Employee Newsletter Jane Holmes, Administrative Assistant from the Police Department submitted one of her favorite articles for everyone to enjoy. "The Monkey's Disgrace." Would You put it in your column again, please? — CHESAPEAKE, VA. DEAR CHESAPEAKE; With Pleasure. That poem last ap- peared in my column in 1987. It's one of my favorites. THE MONKEY'S DISGRACE Three monkeys sat in a coconut tree Discussing things . as they are said to be . Said one to the others, "Now Iis- ten, you two, "There's a rumor around that can't be true "That man descended from our noble race "The very' idea is a great dis- grace. "No monkey has ever deserted his wife . "Starved her babies and ruined her life "And you've never known a mother monk "To leave her babies with others to bunk "Or pass from one on to another "Till they scarcely knew who is their mother. "Here's another thing a monkey won't do "Go 'out at night and get on a stew . "Or use a gun or club or knife "To take some other monkey's life "Yes, man descended, the orn- ery cuss "But, brother, he didn't descend Aom us." Questions? Write Abby, P.O. Box 447, Mount Morris, III. 61054- i 0447. f t City of Sebastian Employee Newsletter