Open Office and Co-worker Etiquette - The Muse

Open Office and Co-worker Etiquette - The MuseOpen Office and Co-worker Etiquette Open floor plans have become all the rage ansicht days, with employees sitting at tables across from one another instead of being trapped in cubicles. And while there are many advantages to have your kollektiv co-existing in the same space, there can also be some downsides to the constant interaction. Namely, distractions.Ever wondered if youre bothering the people next to you or the person across the table from you at your job? Well, if youre doing any of these five things, the answer is probably yes.1. Spreading Out Too MuchBetween the photos of your family and your mountain of pens, its easy to accidentally get a little too comfortable at your desk and invade the space of others around you. One of the few great things about working in a cubicle is that there are boundaries to show you where your space is and isnt. In an open office environment that consists of just tables, that luxury doesnt exist, a nd its easy to become that person whose stuff ends up all over the table instead of in a confined space.The solution? Keep your desk light, and make sure you talk boundaries with the people next to you and across from you.2. Being a SlobSimilarly, the lack of cubicle walls means your mess is out there for the world to see. I once worked a temporary office job where the woman who sat next to me constantly left her lunch plates and coffee mugs out for days after using them. It sounds like a small thing, but its definitely something that grosses most people out.When it comes to this tip, remember that there is a difference between cleanliness and clutter Most people are aware that your desk will probably be filled with papers and other work-related items, but they wont be too happy with that moldy Chipotle burrito bowl thats been sitting on your desk for two weeks.Moral of the story? Be neat, and clean up after yourself regularly. No excuses.3. Talking Loudly in Person or on the PhoneI personally think that this is a no-brainer, but Ive been in so many situations where people have taken phone calls at their desks and proceeded to loudly talk with a family member, friend, or client for upwards of 30-40 minutes. Or, even worse two co-workers spending an hour gossiping about another. Can you say yikes?If youre working in an open office, definitely see if theres a designated conference room or phone booth where you can take calls or chat with others. If there isnt one, leave a note on your desk telling people where you are, and step outside the office to talk or take the call.Its just the nice thing to do.4. Distracting OthersIt can be nice working right next to work friends or other people on your team you can quickly lean over and ask questions, have impromptu brainstorming sessions, and cut out the need for too many meetings (after all, youre basically meeting all the time). But be considerate that you and your team actually need time to focus in order to do the w ork youre trying to get done. As a general rule, only interrupt someone sitting next to you or across from you if its time-sensitive, and wait for other times (like lunch or a designated check-in) to socialize or ask tiny, non-urgent questions.5. Being Passive AggressiveAre there things about your co-workers office habits that annoy you, too? Mark my words Dont be passive aggressive about them. One of my favorite examples of this is when one colleague of mine would leave her coffee cup in my other co-workers table workspace, so that second co-worker would always put it in the trash can. Eventually, they got more and more annoyed with each other, and their issues became about more than just coffee cups. If someone had just said something, the harte nuss probably wouldve been easily fixed.Scared to tell a colleague how you feel? Remember that you dont have to be rude when talking about an issue- a polite, Hey, would you mind usually does the trick. At the end of the day, surviving (an d thriving) in an open workspace is about understanding the nuances that come with being next to other people all the time. Be considerate, think about how youre treating others, and definitely dont leave your lunch out for more than a day. Trust me on that last one. Photo of people working courtesy of Shutterstock.

I hunted down an 89-year-old book Elon Musk recommended

I hunted down an 89-year-old book Elon Musk recommendedI hunted down an 89-year-old book Elon Musk recommendedIn July 2016,TeslaandSpaceXCEOElon Muskrevealed that he welches reading alargely forgotten 1929 bestseller William Bolithos Twelve Against the Gods.The 89-year-old book delves into the lives of 12 famous - and infamous - historical adventurers, malcontents, and non-conformists.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreMusks endorsement sparked a bit of a frenzied search forcopiesof the out-of-print non-fiction book. At one point, the work was listed on Amazon for a bedrngnis-at-all intimidating price of $575.Well, just recently, Twelve Against the Gods was re-released. History buffs can now purchase it onAmazonfor $12.78.But back in 2016, I didnt have that option. I volunteered to find and read Twelve Against the Gods becauseI like historyand old books. The epic title didnt hurt either - to me, Twelve Against the Gods sounds kind of like a Hellenistic blockbuster.I had to do quite a bit of digging before I could get my hands on the rare text. Everywhere I looked online, Twelve Against the Gods was either astronomically expensive or unavailable.Just when I was beginning to suspect that the book itself might not actually exist, it turned up in my local library system.I was put on the waitlist and, about a month later, finally obtained Bolithos account of the lives of 12 wanderers.The copy I read was old, with a scuffed, dark red cover and yellowing pages. (Its got that sweet old book smell, too.) I was careful to keep it away from the sand when I began to read it on the beach one cold, windy weekend.The book profiles the lives of unconventional historical figuresEach chapter paints a portrait of a historical figure that smacked convention in the face through war, exploration, political intrigue, romance, or all of the above. Subjects include big anthroponym s like Alexander the Great, Christopher Columbus, Giacomo Casanova, the Prophet Muhammad,Napoleon I, Isadora Duncan, and Woodrow Wilson, as well as slightly less famous characters like Lola Montez, Alessandro Cagliostro and Lorenza Seraphina Feliciani, Charles XII of Sweden, Lucius Sergius Catilina (also known as Catiline), and Napoleon III.Beginning with Bolithos proto-adventurer Alexander the Great and his destructive sweep eastward, each of the twelve follows a similar, often tragic, arc. They display promise and make their mark on history in a spectacular fashion, only to eventually succumb to hubris or circumstances.The biographies must have been considered pretty edgy at the time. Bolitho shines the spotlight on his subjects often unusual life choices and colorful antics, noting that true adventure is rarely chaste, or merciful, or even law abiding at all, and any berzeugtheit von sich selbst peptonizing, or sugaring, takes out the interest, with the truth, of their lives.I es pecially enjoyed the chapters focusing on the less famous figures. I had never even heard of Lola Montez, the mistress of a Bavarian king who pushed for liberal reforms until she was forced to flee Europe altogether Cagliostro and Seraphina, a couple known for everything from occult rituals to an infamous scandal involving Marie Antoinettes diamond necklace or Charles XII of Sweden, a saint of adventure who emulated Alexander the Great and led an initially successful, but ultimately fatal, march on Moscow.Keep in mind, the book is often super dated, historically and culturally problematic, and riddled with offensive and cringeworthy nuggets (with the woman-adventurer all is love or hate her adventure his man her type is not the prospector, but the courtesan - yikes), but given its publication date, none of that is exactly surprising.Ultimately, one of the books most intriguing characters isnotone of the twelve.Just like Musk, the books author had roots in South Africa. Charles Will iam Ryall - who went by Bill and later adopted the pen name William Bolitho to avoid confusion with the sportswriter George Ryall - was born in England. His father was a Baptist minister who moved the family to Cape Town, South Africa when Bolitho was young.The author led an unconventional life himselfFascinated by Bolitho, I called up China Ryall, Bolithos daughter. He died when she was just two years old, but she has spent years digging into her fathers legacy.He led a wild life, not unlike his adventuring subjects.Ryall found that Bolitho originally wanted to follow in his fathers pastoral footsteps, entering a seminary and becoming an Anglican deacon as a young man. But history intervened, and Bolitho enlisted to serve in WWI. The experience changed his life.The legend is he went off to war and then sort of lost his interest in God, Ryall told Business Insider. He saw all the mayhem in the trenches.Bolitho was badly wounded andburied alivein the 1916 Battle of the Somme. He wa s taken to a hospital in Scotland to recover where, according to Ryall, a group of poets befriended him and encouraged him to become a writer.He became a reporter for the Manchester Guardian - now known as the Guardian. Later, he took a job with the now-defunct New York World. Bolitho rubbed shoulders with the influential literarti group, the Algonquin Round Table, in the 1920s. Over the course of his career, Bolitho also befriended the likes of Ernest Hemingway, Noel Coward, and Walter Lippmann.Bolitho reported on fascist dictator Benito Mussolinis rise to power in Italy, wrote a book called Murder for Profit about infamous killers, and published Camera Obscura, a collection of his essays. Bolitho turned out pieces on everything from the saxophone to stamp collectors to the gangsters of Chicago.He just had this enormous curiosity, Ryall said. He wrote about anything that interested him. He wrote about anything and everything.Like many of his 12, Bolitho didnt have much time to sav or his success. Just a year after achieving enormous recognition with Twelve Against the Gods, Bolitho died of appendicitis while in France. He was only 39.Theres still space in the world for adventurers to break new groundRyall has a good idea of some of the present-day adventurers fit to be added to a modern update of the book. Her first pick was the man who kicked off the resurgence of interest in Twelve Against the Gods Elon Musk.All that he does with the rocketry and the tunnels under LA - hes always thinking about inventing things, Ryall said. And he gets in trouble, as lately we know. He doesnt lead quite a pure life.Ryall also said that Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa, who Musk promised to take to themoon, and the late chef and journalist Anthony Bourdain, would also qualify as adventurers.All in all, Twelve Against the Gods provides an interesting perspective on what drove and impeded this group of adventurers. Its a good read for anyone whos interested in history or l ooking to find some motivation to switch things up and break the rules. Although, take everything with a grain of salt - dont get yourself so hyped up that you declare yourself a god and try to conquer everything from Greece to India.As is the case with many histories, the book often reveals more about the author than its historical subjects. Bolitho was quite a character himself, and might have become equally as famous as some of his dozen adventurers had he lived. Taking some time to read about his thoughts on promise, risk, and success is definitely worthwhile.You have to read the books in the context of the times in which they were written, Ryall told Business Insider. Some of the perception is rather dated. But I think its also very appropriate for this day and age. We need adventurers, and there still are a lot of adventurers.This article was originally posted on Business Insider.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know you r social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from jngste im bunde Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong peopleI hunted down an 89-year-old book Elon Musk recommendedIn July 2016,TeslaandSpaceXCEOElon Muskrevealed that he was reading alargely forgotten 1929 bestseller William Bolithos Twelve Against the Gods.The 89-year-old book delves into the lives of 12 famous - and infamous - historical adventurers, malcontents, and non-conformists.Musks endorsement sparked a bit of a frenzied search forcopiesof the out-of-print non-fiction book. At one point, the work was listed on Amazon for a not-at-all intimidating price of $575.Well, just recently, Twelve Against the Gods was re-released. History buffs can now purchase it onAmazonfor $12.78.But back in 2016, I didnt have that option. I volunteered to find and read Twelve Against the Gods becauseI like historyand old books. The epic title didnt hurt either - to me, Twelve Against the Gods sounds kind of like a Hellenistic blockbuster.I had to do quite a bit of digging before I could get my hands on the rare text. Everywhere I looked online, Twelve Against the Gods was either astronomically expensive or unavailable.Just when I was beginning to suspect that the book itself might not actually exist, it turned up in my local library system.I was put on the waitlist and, about a month later, finally obtained Bolithos account of the lives of 12 wanderers.The copy I read was old, with a scuffed, dark red cover and yellowing pages. (Its got that sweet old book smell, too.) I was careful to keep it away from the sand when I began to read it on the beach one cold, windy weekend.The book profiles the lives of unconventional historical figuresEach chapter paints a portrait of a historical figure that smacked convention in the face through war, exploration, political intrigue, romance, o r all of the above. Subjects include big names like Alexander the Great, Christopher Columbus, Giacomo Casanova, the Prophet Muhammad,Napoleon I, Isadora Duncan, and Woodrow Wilson, as well as slightly less famous characters like Lola Montez, Alessandro Cagliostro and Lorenza Seraphina Feliciani, Charles XII of Sweden, Lucius Sergius Catilina (also known as Catiline), and Napoleon III.Beginning with Bolithos proto-adventurer Alexander the Great and his destructive sweep eastward, each of the twelve follows a similar, often tragic, arc. They display promise and make their mark on history in a spectacular fashion, only to eventually succumb to hubris or circumstances.The biographies must have been considered pretty edgy at the time. Bolitho shines the spotlight on his subjects often unusual life choices and colorful antics, noting that true adventure is rarely chaste, or merciful, or even law abiding at all, and any moral peptonizing, or sugaring, takes out the interest, with the trut h, of their lives.I especially enjoyed the chapters focusing on the less famous figures. I had never even heard of Lola Montez, the mistress of a Bavarian king who pushed for liberal reforms until she was forced to flee Europe altogether Cagliostro and Seraphina, a couple known for everything from occult rituals to an infamous scandal involving Marie Antoinettes diamond necklace or Charles XII of Sweden, a saint of adventure who emulated Alexander the Great and led an initially successful, but ultimately fatal, march on Moscow.Keep in mind, the book is often super dated, historically and culturally problematic, and riddled with offensive and cringeworthy nuggets (with the woman-adventurer all is love or hate her adventure his man her type is not the prospector, but the courtesan - yikes), but given its publication date, none of that is exactly surprising.Ultimately, one of the books most intriguing characters isnotone of the twelve.Just like Musk, the books author had roots in Sout h Africa. Charles William Ryall - who went by Bill and later adopted the pen name William Bolitho to avoid confusion with the sportswriter George Ryall - was born in England. His father was a Baptist minister who moved the family to Cape Town, South Africa when Bolitho was young.The author led an unconventional life himselfFascinated by Bolitho, I called up China Ryall, Bolithos daughter. He died when she was just two years old, but she has spent years digging into her fathers legacy.He led a wild life, not unlike his adventuring subjects.Ryall found that Bolitho originally wanted to follow in his fathers pastoral footsteps, entering a seminary and becoming an Anglican deacon as a young man. But history intervened, and Bolitho enlisted to serve in WWI. The experience changed his life.The legend is he went off to war and then sort of lost his interest in God, Ryall told Business Insider. He saw all the mayhem in the trenches.Bolitho was badly wounded andburied alivein the 1916 Batt le of the Somme. He was taken to a hospital in Scotland to recover where, according to Ryall, a group of poets befriended him and encouraged him to become a writer.He became a reporter for the Manchester Guardian - now known as the Guardian. Later, he took a job with the now-defunct New York World. Bolitho rubbed shoulders with the influential literarti group, the Algonquin Round Table, in the 1920s. Over the course of his career, Bolitho also befriended the likes of Ernest Hemingway, Noel Coward, and Walter Lippmann.Bolitho reported on fascist dictator Benito Mussolinis rise to power in Italy, wrote a book called Murder for Profit about infamous killers, and published Camera Obscura, a collection of his essays. Bolitho turned out pieces on everything from the saxophone to stamp collectors to the gangsters of Chicago.He just had this enormous curiosity, Ryall said. He wrote about anything that interested him. He wrote about anything and everything.Like many of his 12, Bolitho didnt have much time to savor his success. Just a year after achieving enormous recognition with Twelve Against the Gods, Bolitho died of appendicitis while in France. He was only 39.Theres still space in the world for adventurers to break new groundRyall has a good idea of some of the present-day adventurers fit to be added to a modern update of the book. Her first pick was the man who kicked off the resurgence of interest in Twelve Against the Gods Elon Musk.All that he does with the rocketry and the tunnels under LA - hes always thinking about inventing things, Ryall said. And he gets in trouble, as lately we know. He doesnt lead quite a pure life.Ryall also said that Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa, who Musk promised to take to themoon, and the late chef and journalist Anthony Bourdain, would also qualify as adventurers.All in all, Twelve Against the Gods provides an interesting perspective on what drove and impeded this group of adventurers. Its a good read for anyone whos inte rested in history or looking to find some motivation to switch things up and break the rules. Although, take everything with a grain of salt - dont get yourself so hyped up that you declare yourself a god and try to conquer everything from Greece to India.As is the case with many histories, the book often reveals more about the author than its historical subjects. Bolitho was quite a character himself, and might have become equally as famous as some of his dozen adventurers had he lived. Taking some time to read about his thoughts on promise, risk, and success is definitely worthwhile.You have to read the books in the context of the times in which they were written, Ryall told Business Insider. Some of the perception is rather dated. But I think its also very appropriate for this day and age. We need adventurers, and there still are a lot of adventurers.This article was originally posted on Business Insider.

Air Force Pilot Physical Medical Examination Standards

Air Force Pilot Physical Medical Examination StandardsAir Force Pilot Physical Medical Examination StandardsThe Air Force pilot profession is a highly competitive field. Not only is it difficult to qualify for physically, but academically as well. Some of the best students in the Air Force Academy, ROTC Units, and OCS programs make it into the pilot programs however, not everyone can join the Air Force. In fact, there are several physical medical conditions that can disqualify you from flying training (all classes), or continued flying duty (classes II or III) unless a waiver is granted. Acute medical problems, injuries, and some therapies are cause for withholding certification for flying training or temporarily restricting an individual from flying until the problem is resolved. These standards are not all inclusive and other diseases or defects can be cause for rejection based upon the judgment of the examining flight surgeon. Conditions That Are Hazards to Flying Safety Any c ondition that in the opinion of the flight surgeon presents a hazard to flying safety, the individuals health, or mission completion is cause for temporary disqualification for flying duties. To be considered waiverable, any disqualifying condition should meet the following criteria Not pose a risk of sudden incapacitation.Pose minimal potential for subtle performance decrement, particularly with regard to the higher senses.Be resolved or be stable and be expected to remain so under the stresses of the aviation environment.If the possibility of progression or recurrence exists, the first symptoms or signs must be easily detectable and not pose a risk to the individual or the safety of others.Cannot require exotic tests, regular invasive procedures, or frequent absences to monitor for stability or progression. Must be compatible with the performance of sustained flying operations in austere environments.These conditions can range from being outside the height/weight standards of the Air Force to genetic conditions in the heart, lungs, sinuses, or poor vision.However, applicants who have had PRK and LASIK eye surgery are no longer automatically disqualified from flight training. You can now enter into the training pipeline and stay a pilot with these two laser eye treatments. Flying Classes Flying Class I qualifies for selection into Enhanced Flight begehung and commencement of undergraduate pilot training (UPT).Flying Class IA qualifies for selection and commencement of undergraduate naval gator training.Flying Class II qualifies undergraduate flight training students, rated officers, and physician applicants for Aerospace Medicine Primary training.Flying Class III qualifies individuals for non-rated duties in ASC 9D, 9E and 9W.Physiologic training standards (Attachment 8) qualifies individuals for non-rated duties in ASC 9G. Categorical Flying Class II qualifies rated officers for duty in certain restricted aircraft categories.Flying Class IIA qualifies ra ted officers for duty in low-G aircraft (tanker, transport, bomber, T-43, and T-1).Flying Class IIB qualifies rated officers for duty in non-ejection seat aircraft.Flying Class IIC qualifies rated officers for aviation duty as specified in the remarks section of AF Form 1042, and as annotated on the AMS, SF 88, Report of Medical Examination, or AF Form 1446, Medical Examination - Flying Personnel. These waivers are coordinated with HQ USAF/XOOA. Required Medical Examinations Personnel, including personnel of the ARC, are ordered to participate in frequent and regular aerial flight (Periodic Flying, Long).Flying personnel, including personnel of the ARC, are suspended from flying status for 12 months or more for medical reasons, applying for return to flying duties (Periodic Flying, long for ARC and PHA with AMS for AD/AF).Flying personnel are ordered to appear before a Flying Evaluation Board (FEB). (See AFI 11-401, Flight Management). (Periodic flying (long) for ARC and PHA wi th AMS for AD/AF). All members on flying status, annually, within 3 months preceding the belastung day of the birth month or 6 months for special circumstances, such as permanent change of station (PCS), temporary duty (TDY), retirement or waiver renewal, etc.Return to flying status after a break in flying duties. Vision requirements alone tend to hamper many pilot candidates, but other medical issues can stop a candidate in his/her tracks. Sometimes these conditions are genetic and the reason behind not being able to join is written typically by people not surviving the rigors of the training due to these medical issues. Not passing flight school tactics is the final challenge for people who academically, physically, and medically qualify. The learning curve is steep. Being a good student with above average hand-eye coordination is also required to be successful.