Q: Maybe your company recently expanded its global operations. You might suddenly find yourself working closely with team members from other cultures. Take some time to work on making these relationships stronger.  Spend time learning about other cultures. For example, if you are going to be working closely with your Japan office, study up on Japanese work etiquette. Ask your Human Resources department if they have any resources available. They might be able to direct you towards a helpful website. Head to the local library. The resource librarian can direct you towards references that can give you a solid overview of the culture you're learning about. Don't go into this situation afraid to make errors. If you're overly anxious, you might not speak up and share your ideas. You also won't be able to connect with your new co-workers or clients.  Just know that mistakes might happen. You might accidentally try to eat your food incorrectly at a client lunch, for example. Laugh it off and apologize. These things happen when you are learning new cultural norms. Say a sincere, "I apologize." Then remember your mistake and don't make the same one twice. Some of your current colleagues might be uncomfortable working with people from different cultures. That can cause unease and stress in the workplace. Build good relationships with people and learn to be an ally for those from other cultures.  One of the most effective ways to be an ally is to show that discrimination will not be tolerated. Stand up for people if someone is saying or doing something offensive. For example, maybe one of your co-workers makes an offensive comment about the way your new clients from the Middle East dress. Make it clear that that sort of talk is not acceptable. You can say something like, "You know, just because these people dress differently, that doesn't make them wrong or somehow less than us. Let's be respectful, ok?" When you take time to get to know someone, you can find new ways to strengthen your work relationship. Put some effort into building individual relationships. Your work life will be more productive and pleasant.  Don't lump people together in a group. For example, avoid making general comments such as, "Those Australians don't have the same work hours that we do." Instead, say, "I need to talk to Anna and Steve about how we can resolve this issue." Thinking of people as individuals is a great way to show respect and build relationships. It might feel difficult to learn to work with new people. This can be especially tricky if you have any sort of communication barriers. However, that doesn't mean that it's not worth your effort.  Try to make any newcomers feel welcome. Try saying, "I noticed you bring your lunch. So do I. Do you want to go to the park and eat together tomorrow?" If you are the newcomer, you can find other ways to make an effort. For example, if you're in a new office, you can ask about customs and traditions. For example, you can say, "I noticed that you all seem to support different football teams. Can you tell me a little more about the sport?"
A: Research different cultures. Be willing to make mistakes. Learn to be an ally. Get to know individuals. Make an effort.

Q: When possible, it's a good idea to check your CRP sometime in your early to mid 30s, especially if you have an elevated risk for heart disease. Your doctor can check your CRP with a blood test.  Your numbers might be healthy while you're young, but by checking them early in your life, you'll get a baseline number that you and your doctor can use to help predict your future risk. For most adults, CRP levels lower than 1.0 mg/L indicate a low risk of heart disease. CRP between 1.0 and 3.0 mg/L indicate an average risk, and levels above 3.0 mg/L indicate a high risk. If you have an intermediate risk of heart disease, you should consult your doctor about regular CRP testing as you get older. Depending on your health and circumstances, it might be wise to test every five years or so.  Note that there are two CRP blood tests. One shows non-specific CRP levels that occur with general internal inflammation, while the other shows highly sensitive CRP (hs-CRP) levels. The latter measures inflammation within your blood vessels, so this is the test you'll need if you want to determine your risk for heart disease.  If you have arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, or other autoimmune conditions, your doctor may need to give you an altered form of the CRP test since these conditions can raise your levels beyond the range used to assess cardiac health. When diet and lifestyle changes aren't enough to help drop your CRP levels, your doctor may recommend statin drugs. This is especially common for patients who also have elevated LDL cholesterol. Statin drugs have pros and cons, so you should carefully consider your options before opting for this form of medication. Some possible side effects include muscle pain, muscle damage, liver damage, digestive problems, rashes, increased blood sugar, and neurological effects.
A: Check your numbers early. Keep checking your numbers. Talk to your doctor about statin drugs.

Q: These should be roughly counter-height or just above. They should be sturdy and preferably deeper than the standard bookshelf. You can paint them beforehand if you want them to be a different color. Measure their depth and width. Decide how long you want the countertop to be. It should be at least as long as the depth of both shelves plus a little extra to create the lip of the counter but can include up to four or five feet between the bookshelves. Next, determine the width by taking the width of the bookshelves and adding a little extra to create a lip. Once you know the dimensions you need, you can purchase or make your own countertop. Make your own by purchasing medium density fiberboard (MDF) or you can go to your local hardware store and purchase any number of materials cut to the exact size that you need.  Butcher's block is a popular option as it is cheap, easy to clean, and great for use in kitchens.  Granite may also be an option but since slabs are so heavy, you will need less space between the bookshelves in order to be sure it is properly supported. If making your own from MDF, you can paint it to create a more table-like appearance or you can laminate or tile the surface to use the island for food preparation. With the shelves at the ends facing outward, place the counter on top and attach it to the shelves with brackets. These brackets will need to be screwed into bookshelves at the edges where the wood is thickest and then into the countertop, being careful not to use screws that are too long and protrude through the surface. Special considerations will need to be taken if using a granite countertop, as you cannot simply screw into the stone. Consult with your local hardware store before attempting this type of counter. If using MDF you can paint, tile, or laminate the countertop based on your needs and preference. Hooks can be bracketed or glued to the outside of the book shelves to hang kitchen towels. Depending on the type of bracket you chose to use, it may be possible to suspend a bar and hooks between the brackets in order to hang pots and pans. Keep in mind, however, that this can quickly become too heavy for the brackets, so don't hang too much. A standard kitchen cabinet can be used between the bookshelves if you would rather have storage than legroom. This will also serve to give the island a more solid look and can be used to hide dishwashers and other appliances from the main view of your kitchen.  You will need your cabinet and bookshelves to be the same height so that the countertop will go evenly across all three pieces. The easiest way to do this is to have shelves that are slightly shorter than the cabinet and add legs. You will also need the cabinet to be no deeper than the width of the bookshelves. The countertop will then need to be the length of the depth of both bookshelves, plus the width of the cabinet, plus a little extra to create the lip of the counter. The width of the countertop will be determined again by the width of the bookshelves. Attach the countertop to the cabinet and bookshelves by first screwing through the inside of the cabinet into the backside of the bookshelf (preferably at the sides as before, but possibly through the lower and upper horizontal sections if they can be reached). Then screw through the inside of the cabinet into the countertop above, again being careful of the length of your screw.
A:
Get two identical bookshelves. Figure out the dimensions of your countertop. Purchase or make a countertop. Attach the counter to the shelves. Add any desired finishing touches. For an alternative method, add a cabinet.