Ergo4Me

            This year’s National Ergonomic Conference and Expo is set to begin on Tuesday, December 2, and run through Friday, December 5 in the ever famous Las Vegas, Nevada.  The schedule is packed full of events including full-day and half-day workshops on the initial day and the ninety minute sessions being held the latter three days of the conference.

            But what makes this year’s conference so unique and special?  Well, this year four new program tracks will be introduced to attendees.  The new tracks are to be subjected around workplace design and occupational health.  Furthermore, these tracks are to be paired with the National Ergonomics Conference and Expo’s core educational topics.  Some of which include ROI, safety, addressing the aging workforce, and ergonomics in various business environments.

            This year’s keynote speakers only continue to contribute to the quality of the conference.  Individuals such as Ronald Leopold, Vice President of MetLife, and James Hagan, Vice President of Corporate Environment, Health and Safety for GlaxoSmithKline, are only some of the few who will be speaking on various ergonomic topics at the four-day event.  There is much anticipation as the countdown towards the first day of conference dwindles down.  Many of last year’s exhibitors are to return, and several of these exhibitors are doubling their exhibits.  For more information about the conference go to www.ErgoExpo.com

            Yes, that is right.  There is now a virtual keyboard for individuals to use.  The Comfort Software Group announced the release of its new product known as the Hot Virtual Keyboard 4.0 on November 11, 2008 to the Vancouver, British Columbia Press. 

In its release it made clear all the advantages that this new type of keyboard offers in comparison to a normal, physical keyboard.  The Hot Virtual Keyboard 4.0 is an alternative to the Windows built-in On-Screen Keyboard and Input Panel.  This new keyboard is reported to allow for speedier typing abilities while on Tablet PCs and UMPCs.  Furthermore, it is very customizable.  The Comfort Software Group designed their keyboard to give a whole new identity in ergonomic and presentation abilities.  These include customization for mouse gesturing and differing languages.

The list does not stop here for all the features of the keyboard, but one may ask what are the drawbacks?  Nothing has been reported yet and it is not because the Hot Virtual Keyboard 4.0 is hard to get access to.  In fact personal licenses for the keyboard run at $29.95, while multi-user licenses run from $21.95 to $4.95.  Reviews of this product are sure to hit the press soon as a month past its debut has almost passed.

Good Morning!!!

It is such a beautiful morning here that it just makes me want to spend the day outside but of course I must stay at my desk and get my work done.  I have to tell you, I do love what I do.  I love being able to help someone have the ability to be comfortable while working.  I work with many people with different disabilities and it makes my heart happy to know that I have been able to help them with one of our chairs.  I must say that I can not take the credit, that I must give God the Glory because it is through Him that I am able to know what to recommend to my customers.  I did not want to go back into sales but He let me know that this was the job that he had for me and I was obidient and came to work for BodyBilt and he has blessed me with meeting so many people who have had a impact on my life.  I will forever be grateful and will always give Him the Glory.  Each morning as I sit at my desk, I think “Christ is in me and I’m in Him.  I can do this because I’m not alone.  He’s guiding me and nothing is impossible with Him”. 

I have so many wonderful customers that have inspired me since I have been with BodyBilt.  Each of my customers have brought something special into my life.  I have learned a lot from my customers.

Please know that if you would like to talk with me about one of our custom built ergonomic office chairs, give me a call at 936-870-2699 or email me at pross@ergo4me.com and it would be my pleasure to help you.  Our chairs are awesome and it is definitely an investment in your health and also a preventative measure for your body.

Have a very blessed day.

Peggy

Well, a brand new week is now here!!!  I can’t believe that next week is Thanksgiving!!!!  This year is almost over and it seems as if it has just begun.

I went on a Ladies Retreat this weekend and WOW!!!!  As soon as you walked in to the church, you felt the presence of God all around you.  It was awesome!!!!  I can’t imagine my life without my faith - I simply can’t even put my mind around it!!!!  The weather also was beautiful and cool.  Sunday morning it was in the high 30’s to low 40’s when we got up.  We stayed in cabins and I had to sleep on the top bunk.  It has been years since I had to climb up on a top bunk.  It was kind of scary but also a lot of fun.  I almost felt like I was a kid again.

I talked with a gentleman today that has had the same chair for about 8 years and he asked me what made our chair different from the chair that he is currently sitting in.  I will never say anything bad about a competitor’s chair because we all feel like we have something special in our chair.  So I told him that for starters, all of our chairs are custom built for the individual.  We talk with our customer’s to see what areas of concern they are trying to address with an ergonomic chair.  After we ask them some specific questions, then we evaluate the answers and make recommendations on the chair that best fits their ergonomic needs.  Also, we have the 30 day money back guarantee.  After he and I talked for awhile, he listened to my recommendations, asked a few more questions and then he ordered his chair.

There was a university that did a study on seating comfort and productivity.  They found that the more comfortable you are, the more productive you are.  I for one can tell you that is most definitely the truth.  My chair affords me the ability to work for long periods of time and be comfortable.  My chair is so comfortable that I bought it.  I may not always work for the company but I will ALWAYS own a BodyBilt chair.

Well, let’s get this week started and enjoy it.  Life is simply too short to be unhappy!!!!  Let someone know this week how much they have meant to you.  It is better to let them know while they are on this earth than to wish you had told them when they depart this earth.

Be Blessed and Smile!!!

Peggy

             Recently, Time Magazine named the newly developed bionic hand fourteenth place on their list of the “Top 50 Innovations of 2008.”  The bionic hand, formerly known as the i-LIMB hand, was designed by the Scottish Company Touch Bionics.  The i-LIMB hand took twenty years to develop, but that is understandable given the intelligence behind this new technology. 

            Touch Bionics designed the hand to directly respond to the muscle and electric actions of the individual’s limb.  Once the i-LIMB hand receives the signal it acts accordingly.  Furthermore, this new design is ergonomically sound.  It, unlike any of its predecessors, has five fingers (previously many hands were hook-like or otherwise).  By implementing this feature into the design the i-LIMB hand reduces the disability of the handicap and allows for one to better participate in day to day activity. 

            Another ergonomic feature of the i-LIMB hand is its ability to be modular.  If any damage is done to one of the hand’s parts it easy to replace only that part, rather than having to replace the entire device.  It is these ergonomic features that placed the i-LIMB hand so high on Time Magazine’s list and placed it above the Mars Rover!

            The designers of the bionic hand did not stop at just ergonomic features and benefits.  Touch Bionics also made the hand out of a skin-like fabric, so that it has the look of a real hand.  It is these characteristics that are furthering the advancement of technology for the handicap.  With a new year on the horizon, hope of more of this type of innovation is rising!

Good Morning

It is a beautiful morning here in Texas.  The temp today is suppose to be around 80 and then tomorrow the high is in the low 60’s and the low in the high 30’s to low 40’s.  I do believe that we might be getting some good fall weather so that we can wear our sweaters and sweatshirts.  We really don’t get to see the leaves changing because they go from green leaves to no leaves here.  I know where the leaves go, they all end up in my swimming pool.  I can tell you, after going out and skimming the surface of the pool and then using the leaf vacuum, I am definately ready to come in and sit in my BodyBilt chair.

I have been suffering lately with some pancreatis and that causes your back to hurt so I have been sitting in my BodyBilt chair with a heating pad. 

I have an attorney client that got his chair about 3 weeks ago and had not taken the time to make the proper adjustments or contact me so that I could talk him through the chair adjustments.  He was ready to send the chair back when he finally decided to allow me to talk him through the chair adjustments.  Now he can not believe the difference it has made in his seated comfort.  As we made the proper adjustments, I could hear him going “Ah, that’s much better”.  I said to him, “Why did you wait so long to allow me to talk you through the chair adjustments?”  He told me it was a man thing.  Well, that just caused him to suffer longer and have doubts about our chair.  I would encourage anyone who gets one of our chairs to allow us to talk you through the chair adjustments.  Sometimes there are some little tricks that we know and can pass along to you.  Also, this is part of our job.

Well, the weekend is upon us and I for one am ready for it.  I don’t really have any plans except to relax and enjoy time with my family.

Have a blessed weekend and do something nice for someone today.

Peggy

            Did you know that there are several factors that can change how severe one ergonomic-related injury is on one person than comparison to another?  Some of these factors include everything from height to demographics!  For example, much of today’s office furniture is made for the average height of a person who is five feet, six inches.  Therefore, one would assume that shorter and taller people would both suffer equal side-effects from the non-customized fit of the chair.  However, in a recent study by Atlas Ergonomics, LLC, there is now evidence that people who are shorter are actually impacted more by the difference.

            In Atlas’s study, they surveyed a variety of people with different weights, heights, genders, and ages.  The study took place at the 2007 National Ergonomics Conference and Exposition (NECE) where 2,441 random individuals were selected.  As aforementioned, several insightful results were revealed.  Ultimately, the bottom line of the research was that every situation is different.  By understanding each ergonomic-situation in your workplace, there will be a cut in treatment, rehabilitation, insurance costs, and productivity loss.

            Atlas Ergonomics, LLC, did not want to keep their results secret.  They are aware that with a better understanding by everyone, ergonomics will be able to advance and take its next step forward.  Consequently due to Atlas’s attitude, they have published their findings on their website at www.atlasergo.com/contact.  Furthermore, this research relays that it is ever the more important to customize work furniture and programs as much as possible to avoid ergonomic-related injuries.

            With the recent election and a new president to be inaugurated into office in January of 2009, many are skeptical that there will be changes in the workplace.  These changes will include confronting major ergonomic issues that workers face day in and day out.

            What has brought on this anticipation though?  At the end of Clinton’s term in 2000, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration located in Washington D.C. proposed a comprehensive ergonomics proposal.  The proposal called for employees to use controls to eliminate or reduce ergonomic hazards in their fields.  However, these guidelines were very vague and lacked significant evidence of which controls are proper in varying working environments.  Because of these problems with the 2000 OSHA proposal, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, now under the term of President George W. Bush, suspended the proposal.

            After the failure of the first OSHA proposal of this type, OSHA refocused its efforts to come out with a new standard regulation.  This proposal, introduced in April of 2002, exposed a new and revised ergonomics plan.  This plan was similar to the previous but now stressed in more detail guidelines for addressing and reducing repetitive stress related injuries.

            This was only the start of plans for OSHA in developing guidelines that will combat ergonomic-related injuries amongst American workers.  Many believe that OSHA’s plans will be able to be successful with the election of the new president who has already supported reviving OSHA standards in 2004 during his campaign for the U.S. Senate.  Furthermore, during President-elect Obama’s campaign this past summer her was quoted as saying, “We’re going to have a government that makes sure workers aren’t put at unnecessary risk.”

            It is these actions that many believe a change will be seen in the workplace revolving around ergonomic conditions over the next four years.  No one knows when this change will come to be, but look forward with anticipation for this change to come into being.

Boy, I can tell you, we definitely got some rain last night.  We actually lost power for about 5 minutes and at first thought that we were just going to be in the dark all night but then they came back on.  The thunder was booming and the lightening crashing.  Our dog, Baby, does not like thunder and lightening.  First she starts growling and barking and then she runs and hides on our bed, under the covers if she can.  She was really relieved when it was over.

This morning I had a gentleman from the United Kingdom who wanted to chat live on our website about a chair that he needed.  He was 6′6″, 252 pounds, 38″ inseam.  When you are working with someone who is 6′5″ and taller, there are a couple of very specific questions that you need to ask them.

1.  What is the length, while sitting in a chair, from the bottom of your rear to the top of your shoulders?  That gives us an idea of what the torso length is and if we need to add inches to the height of the back post so that the chair back fits the persons torso correctly.

2.  Then, if they are interested in a chair with a neckroll, we need the measurement from the top of their shoulders to the base of their skull.  This tells us if we need to add inches to the neckroll post.

As I have said before, I love working with the Extra Tall people because they honestly can not go into a store and buy a chair off the “shelf”.  It never fits them correctly.

The same goes for a really petite person.  Buying a chair off the “shelf” always results in a chair that is too tall, too long and too large for the petite person.

Some people just don’t want to be bothered with answering the questions that we have to ask but if you are wanting a chair that is custom built for your individual needs, then these questions have to be addressed.

It’s kind of like the “game” of life, there are certain things that must be addressed before you draw your last breath.  We don’t always want to face the questions or the answers, but that is part of what life is all about.  One thing that is very important, we have the opportunity to change what we feel is not good or right for us in the “game” of life.  For that I am forever grateful.

I get a Christian Inspirational email every morning and I can tell you that I look forward to it.  I open it up as I start my day so that I am starting my day off on the right note and with inspiration.  I also start my day off with Praise and Worship music - it seems like this always helps me to have a much better day.

I want to share with you some of what was in the Christian Inspirational email this morning because it sure did make a lot of sense to me.

I read of a man who stood to speak at the funeral of a friend

He referred to the dates on her tombstone, from the beginning — to the end

He noted that first came her date of birth and spoke the following date with tears, but he said what mattered most of all Was the dash between those years.

(l945 - 2008)

For that dash represents all the time that she spent alive on earth

And now only those who loved her know what that little line is worth.

For it matters not, how much we own, the cars — the house — the cash

What matters is how we live and love

And how we spend our dash.

So think about this long and hard - are there things you’d like to change

For you never know how much time is left that can still be rearranged.

If we could just slow down enough to consider what’s true and real

And always try to understand the way other people feel.

And be less quick to anger and show appreciation more

And love the people in our lives like we’ve never loved before

If we treat each other with respect and more often wear a smile

Remembering that this special dash might only last a little while.

So, when your eulogy’s being read with your life’s actions to rehash

Would you be proud of the things they say about how you spent your dash

Christ lived his 33 year dash and turned the entire world upside down for His Father. Now — it is our turn.

Prayer: Father help me to live my dash to give you glory and honor. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen!

It is just food for thought - have a great day and be blessed but most of all, bless some today - stranger, friend, love one - it doesn’t matter.  Just bless them in some way and it will come back to you ten fold.

Peggy

Wow, I can’t believe that Thanksgiving is almost here!!!!  Thanksgiving has always been one of my favorite holidays because sometimes my birthday falls on Thanksgiving Day.  As a child, I thought that it was just a big birthday party with lots of family and lots of good food.  Sometimes it falls on my 2nd child’s birthday and he loves it when that happens also.  Some people hate their birthdays but I have always loved my birthday because my parents always made me feel like that was MY day.  I have often thought that when it is our birthday, we should send flowers to our Mom’s to say “Thanks for going through the pain of having me.” 

I had to go with my husband, Brian, yesterday for a Workman’s Comp hearing on his back.  It is about a 1 1/2 to 2 hour drive to where we have to go and we get there yesterday and the Designated Doctor had not turned in the report that we needed.  It was a nasty, rainny day yesterday and made driving very dangerous.  At one point, we could not even see the car in front of us because of the visibility.  Before we left the house, we prayed and asked God to surround our vehicle with angles so that we had a safe trip.  Well, I’m here to tell you that is exactly what he did.  Even though we felt that it was a waste of time, we were very thankful that we made it there and back without an accident.  We will just have to go back in about 30 days and hopefully the Designated Doctor will have gotten his report over to them and will have ruled in our favor.  Our main objective is for Brian to get his back fixed so that he can return to work and a normal life.  It is just a shame that it takes so long to get through this process.  He injured his back on March 8, 2008 and so far he has not gotten the medical treatment that he needs.  We have just put it in God’s hands and have said “In your time God, not ours.”

I have been working with a couple of people who have some very bad back issues and with me having had 5 lumbar surgeries and 1 cervical surgery, I know what these people are going through.  Some are tied up in the “system” and that gives my customers anxiety but I just keep encouraging them.  Believe me, there is life after a back injury!!!!  At times I would like to just jump over the “system” but I encourage them to just be patient and not to loose faith.  I know that they feel like there is no light at the end of the tunnel, but actually there is.  You just can’t give up.

We had been praying for rain because it has been so dry here and we got our prayers answered yesterday and I think it is suppose to rain today.  Late yesterday afternoon, my yard was smiling because it had gotten the drink of water that it definitely needed.  It may really have a big smile today if we get more rain.  The highs for Friday - Sunday is the mid to upper 60’s.  I believe that we are finally going to see some fall temperatures.  I am looking forward to that,  Maybe I can get some of my sweaters out and wear them.  I guess I will just have to wait and see.

Over the weekend, I told my husband that the weather was going to change because I was hurting pretty bad.  I never wanted to believe that I had any arthritis but I am afraid that I am changing my mind.  Once the weather changes, I feel better but it is just waiting for the change because my body sure does tell me it is about to happen.

We talked with my husband’s parents in Hays, Kansas yesterday and they said that they thought it was going to snow last night.  His mother said that she had turned on her furnace yesterday because it was cold and dreary.  We don’t expect to turn our heater on until sometime after the first of the year.  We prefer to use our fireplace for heat because we like to sleep with the house cold.  Our cat, Piewacket who is almost 12 years old, loves the heater.  Brian tells her that he is going to light her friend and she will go running to the fireplace and jump up on the ledge while he makes a fire.  This year it will be me who has to go and load the wood, bring it home and put it on the wood rack.  Brian can not do that with his back.  This should be a lot of fun for me.  I will feel muscles that I have not felt in a long time.  Oh well - we must do what we must do!!!!!

I would like to leave you with The Jabez Payer:

Jabez cried out to the God of Isreal, “Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory!  Let your hand be with me and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.”  And God granted his request.

Go out and bless someone today - even if it is just with your warm smile.  That person may be needing just that today.  By blessing someone, the blessing comes back to you ten fold.

Be Blessed!!!

Peggy