By Kate Lorenz, CareerBuilder.com Editor
"I like what I do. I just don't like where I work." Sound familiar? From unbearable co-workers to depressing work environments, there are things that can make even the best job a living hell. Here are some signs it's time to look for a new job.
Sign No. 1: Your co-workers are annoying.
Obnoxious people can invade your work life. Let's face it, not everyone gets along perfectly. But you need to have some sort of harmonious relationship with fellow employees to get the job done. How are you supposed to get any work done when these guys keep getting in the way? They are distracting and impede productivity. Most offices have a Gossip, that one person who has the "scoop" all the time and is not afraid to share it. Misery loves company, and finds it often in the Whiner, who isn't afraid to complain and bellyache. And everyone has the Neighbor whose noisy distractions include his cellular ringtone, speakerphone and radio.
Sign No. 2: The environment is toxic.
Everyone experiences job highs and lows, but discontent could also be a sign of a chronically depressing work environment or even a company in peril. A bad work environment is reflective of the culture of an entire business. Do you work in a less-than-nurturing atmosphere? Is morale constantly low? Have you been complaining for two solid years? It could be an organizational problem that applying feng shui to your cube just won't fix.
Sign No. 3: You're mentally exhausted by the end of the day.
Stress can cause low morale, decreased productivity and apathy towards work. Plus, it can spill into your personal life and even have a negative effect on your health. Today there are fewer people who are taking on more and more work. American workers experience burnout at an alarming rate. According to CareerBuilder, 68 percent of workers feel burnout at work, and 45 percent said their workloads are too heavy. Yes, we all have to pick up some slack and "take one for the team" from time to time. But if there's no end in sight, do yourself and your health a favor and dust off your resume'.
Sign No. 4: Your boss is a nightmare.
Even though this person is your boss, it doesn't give him license to do anything he wants. If you have a lousy boss, even the best job in the world can make life a living hell. Your relationship with your supervisor plays a big role in your overall professional happiness and success. Fighting to have your boss removed or waiting for your boss to change or get fired are rarely successful tactics. If you are working for someone who is always absent, unavailable, self-absorbed or untrustworthy, it's time to look for a better supervisor and a better opportunity.
Sign No. 5: You're watching the clock... every 10 minutes.
Though you might not like to work, it's even worse when you are bored while you're there. One can only watch so many videos on YouTube or bid on unneeded things on eBay. If you aren't feeling challenged, that's a sign that you need additional responsibilities or a change roles. And be warned, if you don't have any responsibility or find yourself with nothing to do, management might be trying to phase you out and you might be in danger of losing your job.
Sign No. 6: You get no respect.
Does any of this sound familiar? Your ideas aren't taken seriously; there are no opportunities for advancement; the boss ignores you; co-workers alienate you; you're discouraged from improving skills with a course or seminar; you're passed over for a promotion -- again; or you're excluded from key projects and strategizing sessions. So why are you still giving this organization your time, energy and great ideas?
Sign No. 7: Your co-workers act like animals.
They live for themselves and only themselves. They irritate you. They offend you. They have no manners or ethics. And you work with them all. There's the Office Thief who steals your ideas. The Shirker arrives late, leaves early and disappears whenever work is near. The Buck-passer unloads her work onto everyone else and blames others for her mistakes. The Procrastinator delays things until the last possible minute, slowing you down by not having the information you need to meet your deadlines. The Interrupter stops by your cubicle 10 times a day to chat about her latest boyfriend despite your ringing telephone and pressing deadlines. And don't forget the infamous Elevator Person who rides up only one floor instead of taking the stairs.
Sign No. 8: Nobody communicates.
Although we live in a world of e-mail, cell phones, instant messages, Blackberries, WiFi and, yes, even face-to-face conversation, there can still be a complete lack of communication. Whether it's a co-worker who's not returning your voice mail or the CEO not conveying a company's goals and accomplishments, the breakdown of communication can be frustrating and detrimental to your job. It can cost you an account, make you to miss a deadline, cause you to lose a client, and even get you fired.
Sign No. 9: You're not valued.
Forty-three percent of workers do not feel appreciated, and one-fourth of workers feel that they are just a "number" within their organization. You need to realize that you deserve credit for your successes. Recognition is important, and good companies implement programs to let employees know they are valued. Is your company doing anything to reward your efforts? Do you ever receive bonuses, perks or positive feedback? If your boss has never heard of positive reinforcement verbal or otherwise, find a company that will value your talents.
Sign No. 10: You feel stifled.
What kind of quality of life do you have? Is your 40-hour week turning into a 24/7 grind? While salary may seem like the end all and be all, your quality of life determines your overall happiness. How much time you spend on the job, working conditions, supervisors and subordinates can positively and negatively impact your job outlook. If you dread the time you spent at work, it should be a clear indicator that it's time to break free. A job shouldn't stifle you creatively, mentally or physically
Bottom line:
Considering what you don't like about your current situation should give you insight into what you are seeking in future endeavors. If you know what your priorities and preferences are and actively seek them, work can be an enjoyable experience. If, however, you've answered yes to more than four of these signs, then you might want to get started on a new job search.

By David Shipley
The wizards at Google recently created a new function that allows Gmail users to "unsend" email if they click a button within five seconds. Since that's a pretty big if, you're probably better off adopting a few habits that will prevent those regrettable emails in the first place.
Consider your karma. Somehow, the meaner and snarkier the email, the more likely you are to screw up. (Have you ever accidentally received a message about how wonderful you are?) The best solution is to not write nasty messages in the first place, but if you can't help yourself, consider building in some protective measures. The "reply all" button and the autofill function (which completes addresses after you've typed in a few letters) can be your worst enemy, but fortunately, they can also be turned off in many email programs. Another tip: When forwarding a message, always scroll all the way to the bottom to make sure you aren't sharing something that could get you in trouble.
Simmer down. If you're tempted to fire off an angry, wounded, or otherwise emotional message - however justified - compose it in a word-processing document to reduce the chance that you might hit "send" before you've really thought things through. If a few hours or days pass and you still want to send it, email it to yourself first. You might be surprised to find out how sobering it is to read your message in email form.
Watch your tone. Sarcasm in an email so rarely comes across. And don't think that emoticons are going to help you out here: "My, that's an ugly tie you're wearing today ;)" isn't any better than the deadpan version - in fact it's even worse. It's also good to stay away from one-word replies, which can be terribly deflating. Just think how you'd feel if you sent your boss a heartfelt, page-long email detailing a project you're excited about, and she wrote back, "Sure." Don't do that to others.
Turn up the volume. Email tends to dull down every sentiment: "Great" comes across as "good," "good" as "fine," and "fine" as almost tragic. For this reason, use an exclamation point, even if you aren't usually the type. It kicks the tone up a notch. Consider that hypothetical email you sent to your boss. If she wrote back, "Sure!" it would be a whole different ball game. No need to go overboard with multiple exclamation points, though.
Apologize the right way. If you do manage to send someone an insulting email, get ready to grovel - and not just by email. While you can initiate an apology that way, it's important to follow up in person (or at the very least, on the phone). If it's a "reply all" situation, let her decide whether she want you to broadcast your apology to everyone. Sometimes that just calls more attention to the situation, so leave it up to the injured party - it's the least you can do.

Natural Highs

1. Falling in love.
2. Laughing so hard your face hurts.
3. A hot shower.
4. No lines at the supermarket.
5. A special glance.
6. Getting mail.
7. Taking a drive on a pretty road.
8. Hearing your favorite song on the radio.
9. Lying in bed listening to the rain outside.
10. Hot towels fresh out of the dryer.
11. Milkshake (any flavor).
12. A bubble bath.
13. Giggling.
15. The beach.
16. Finding a 20 dollar bill in your coat from last winter.
17. Laughing at yourself.
18. Looking into their eyes and knowing they love you.
19. Midnight phone calls that last for hours.
20. Running through sprinklers.
21. Laughing for absolutely no reason at all.
22. Having someone tell you that you're beautiful.
23. Laughing at an inside joke with FRIENDS
24. Accidentally overhearing someone say something nice about you.
25. Waking up and realizing you still have a few hours left to sleep.
26. Your first kiss (either the very first or with a new partner).
27. Making new friends or spending time with old ones.
28. Playing with a new puppy.
29. Having someone play with your hair.
30. Sweet dreams.
31. Hot chocolate.
32. Road trips with friends.
33. Swinging on swings.
34. Making eye contact with a cute stranger.
35. Making chocolate chip cookies.
36. Having your friends send you homemade cookies.
37. Holding hands with someone you care about.
38. Running into an old friend and realizing that some things (good or bad) never change.
39. Watching the expression on someone's face as they open a much desired present from you.
40. Watching the sunrise.
41. Getting out of bed every morning and being grateful for another beautiful day.
42. Knowing that somebody misses you.
43. Getting a hug from someone you care about deeply.
44. Knowing you've done the right thing, no matter what other people think.

By Carmen Caldwell
I just returned from vacation and as I made my way around I saw lots of people using credit cards without much thought. I saw people getting their cards back wrapped in the receipt, not checking to see if it was their card. I saw people placing credit cards in back pockets of their pants or just throwing them into purses.
After vacation you need to make sure your cards were not compromised. So when the bills start coming in, pay close attention to the charges and match them to your receipts. If you have become a victim because there are charges you didn't make, please follow the procedures below immediately:

• Close the accounts that you know or believe have been tampered with.
• File a police report and submit it to your creditors and others who may require proof of the crime.
• Contact the fraud department of the three major credit bureaus to place a fraud alert on your credit file.
• File your complaint with the Federal Trade Commission at www.consumer.gov/idtheft. The FTC maintains a database of identity theft cases used by law enforcement agencies for investigations. You can also call the FTC hot line at 877-IDTHEFT (877-438-4338).
• Order your credit report. The Fair Credit Reporting Act allows you to get one free credit report from each of the three major credit bureaus once a year. You can get the credit agencies' names from www.annualcreditreport.com or by calling 877-322-8228.
• Correct all mistakes on your credit report in writing. Send a letter to the credit-reporting agency identifying the problems item by item. Include a copy of the credit report and send the letter return receipt requested.
• Make a copy of all your credit card account numbers and bank account numbers with customer service numbers and keep it in a safe place.

So enjoy your vacation, but please pay attention when using your credit card. And keep it close to you, so that you don't become a victim.

By Dr. Ranit Mishori
Many people tan for a "healthy glow," but new research shows that tanning beds are anything but healthy. They're also getting more expensive - the recent health care reform legislation includes a 10% tax on tanning services.
    A report published in Lancet Oncology this year found that the risk of melanoma - a potentially deadly type of skin cancer - increases 75% when the use of tanning devises starts before age 30. It also found consistent evidence of a link to melanoma of the eye and declared tanning beds to be carcinogenic to humans. An advisory panel to the Food and Drug Administration recently recommended that teens be allowed to tan only if their parents sign a consent form.
    More than 1 million cases of skin cancer are diagnosed in the U.S. each year. A major culprit is the ultraviolet light that skin absorbs from tanning beds and sun lamps (and also from the sun itself, of course). If you still feel like you need a tan, consider one of the many sunless tanning products the FDA deems safe. All tans fade, but the damage that real ones can cause is permanent.

Right Now -

-somebody is thinking of you.
-somebody is caring about you.
-somebody misses you
-somebody wants to talk to you..
-somebody wants to be with you.
-somebody hopes you aren't in trouble.
-somebody is thankful for the support you have provided.
-somebody wants to hold your hand.
-somebody hopes everything turns out all right.
-somebody wants you to be happy.
-somebody wants you to find him/her.
-somebody is celebrating your successes.
-somebody wants to give you a gift.
-somebody thinks that you ARE a gift.
-somebody loves you..
-somebody admires your strength.
-somebody is thinking of you and smiling.
-somebody wants to be your shoulder to cry on.

~~~~~~~
July 2010