Four function of management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Four function of management - Essay Example These are as following; 1. Planning: It is the ongoing process of developing the business' mission and objectives and determining how they will be accomplished. Planning is the initiating function of management and also embodies the other functions. It is the function of management, with which, management ensures directing employee efforts towards group and attainment of organizational goals. For the long-term success of an organization, it is necessary to set immediate and long- term goals, and to choose strategies of their achievement. This function is directly related to the arising of many questions; like, where are we now What do we want to accomplish How are we going to do it Who will do it When will we do it Why will we do it Etc. For example, Bill Gates - the founder of Microsoft Corporation - does the necessary planning by establishing missions and challenges for Microsoft management to accomplish, such as planning for the introduction of Windows Vista and its date for international launching. 2. 2. Organizing: This function is related with allocating and configuring resources to accomplish and establish the preferred goals and objectives during the planning processes. In this function, steps are taken out in order to translate the planned steps into reality while assigning the necessary tasks, setting up deadlines, allocating resources, and deciding what structures are yet to be created and to whom additional responsibilities should be delegated, etc; In the Microsoft, Bill Gates effectively organizes the use of company's resources while making sure that the company successfully achieves its objectives and long-term goals. For example, Bill Gates visits various countries across the world and hires top class I.T professionals so as to make sure that the final product is a world class one while making sure that the concurrent ongoing projects at Microsoft smoothly get inch to inch closer towards their successful completion. Bill Gates achieves this all by configuring Microsoft policies over the time and by allocating the financial resources for every single step forward. 3. Leading: It is the function which is directly related to the management tasks of establishing direction and influencing people to follow that direction (Carter McNamara, 2002). This function, perhaps, can be broken down into further three sub-categories of motivating, coordinating and directing. Directing is the way with which managers guide their subordinates while showing them the way with which some task is to be accomplished. Motivating is the set of managerial activities with the aim of causing proper employee performance while involving the finding out of employee needs and creating reward systems for quality and timely work. Coordinating is related with who informs whom about what. It also integrates details and/of events, and ensures coherent action. At Microsoft, Bill Gates leads the way out to success by setting his own example. His superior methodologies for motivating, coordinating and directing make sure that the company has the right leadership to carry it forward in the future with success. Rewarding the Windows XP team for coming up with such high quality software in due amount of time was an

The Fast-Food Industry in USA Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Fast-Food Industry in USA - Essay Example Despite the positive side that fast-food restaurants enjoy with regard to sales and revenues, they have likewise received a fair share of criticism. Most of the critics against the industry focus on the negative health effects that go along with consumption of fast-foods. Fast food chains hit the headlines after consumer groups, like the Center for Science in the Public Interest claimed that products from the industry had worrying amount of fats, caloric content and portion sizes. Tragically, Animal rights activists state that animals in production plants spend their entire lives in extremely intolerable conditions. Little fresh air, pasture and natural light were also sighted. On the same note, animals in Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations are regularly kept on antibiotics that for a long time now have been linked with the cause of antibiotic resistance in humans after continued use of fast foods.After immense pressure from consumers, McDonald’s recently announced that it would scrap out the sales of meat treated with human antibiotics. The move gives McDonald's’ a strong competitive advantage over other fast-food chains like Chick Fill A, Wendy’s and Burger King who are yet to publicly announce the implementation of such a program. The move is also welcomed by the public who have long advocated for production of antibiotic-free meat from fast food chains. It is now a guessing game for market analysts as some now purport that consumers will begin showing bias towards McDonald’s antibiotic-free products.

The Pros And Cons Of Theory In Family Nursing Nursing Essay

The Pros And Cons Of Theory In Family Nursing Nursing Essay Humanistic nursing embraces more than a benevolent technically competent subject- object one-way relationship guided by a nurse in behalf of another. Rather it dictates that nursing is a responsible searching, transactional relationship whose meaningfulness demands conceptualization founded on a nurses existential awareness of self and of the other (Paterson Zderad, 2008) dduncan2011-02-24T17:28:00 Great quote, you need to include a page numberIn Patersons and Zderads Humanistic Nursing, they believe that nursing is more than having a technical approach to patients, but also to have a self-awareness of themselves and inquire into their experiences with patients. Paterson and Zderad suggest that nurses have a personal knowing that they can apply to there everyday practice experience. The Humanistic Nursing Theory is one of the many theories that can help shape a nurses actions and guide their practice. The Humanist Theory was developed by Dr. Josephine Paterson and Dr. Loretta Zderad. Dr. Patersons education background included a doctor of nursing science degree and a major in public health. Dr. Zderad education background included a doctorate in philosophy while majoring in psychiatric nursing. Similarly, their dissertation papers focused on comfort and empathy. During the 1950s they had met while working at a University. Together, they developed a new program that integrated psychiatric and community health components. This experience was the beginning of there friendship that lasted more than 35 years (Paterson Zderad, 2008). Having similar education backgrounds, they shared their experiences and insights. Together they gained a new perspective and approach to nursing that led them into created the Humanistic Nursing theory. In 1976, they published their book called Humanistic Nursing. The philosophic ideas that formed the two theorists view was nurses have an intuitive knowing and by reflecting on their experiences and gaining more awareness of themselves, they are then able to inquire more into their practice. dduncan2011-02-24T17:29:00 Grammar issues The Humanistic Theory defines the focus of family nursing by creating an interconnection between the nurse and patient or family. As the nurse gains awareness of their own perspective of the patients situation, the nurse is then able to withhold his/her viewpoint so that they dont interfere in the patient describing their experience. Through identifying and withholding personal viewpoints, the nurse is more open to new and different concepts. In turn, the nurse gains more understanding of the individuals perspective and is better able to understand the patient more intuitively.dduncan2011-02-24T17:31:00 Stephanie, you need to reference these ideas as they are clearly not yours Using intuition allows the nurse to communicate from an authentic perspective where the patient is empathetically heard. The nurse is better able to present himself/herself as a real and genuine individual. Furthermore, the humanistic theory suggests that openness, sharing and caring leads to (the) expansion of (an) individual or (a) groups angular views (where) each (are) becoming more than before (Paterson Zderad, 2008). As patients feel accepted and cared for, a bond is established. Through effective communication the patient is better able to understand themselves, thus allowing an opportunity for them to grow. When patients feel empathetically heard, it becomes more possible for them to listen more accurately to the flow of inner experiences (Rogers, p.116, 1995). Through intuitive understanding and back and forth communication, patients and nurses are better able to connect with each other. While establishing relationships with families is an important prospect in nursing, nurses also have to keep up with the rapid changing health care system. An underlying truth in nursing today is that nursing has become more technical. Due to a fast paced health care environment and rapid technical advances, nurses are pressured to keep up with the rapid changing health care system. As a result, the nurses relationship with the patient is sometimes overlooked (Kleiman, 2008). Not only are nurses impacted by constant changing technology, they are also influenced by the governments decrease in funding of the health care system. Due to cut backs, hospitals have limited resources and support for services which can result in increased nursing workloads. Nurses who work in environments with limited resources may find their experiences emotionally challenging (McCloskey, 2010, p.234). Nurses create a barrier with themselves and patients when they feel stress and anxiety. Due to stress and technical advances, nurses may find difficulty in establishing genuine therapeutic relationships with patients; thus preventing them from practicing the Humanistic Theory. While there are underlining truths in nuring that may limit connection with others, the Humanistic Theory enables me to become more aware of my true self. Through reflection, I am able to go inwards and gain understanding of my attitudes and belief systems. Individuals have within themselves vast resources for self-understanding and for altering their self-concepts, basic attitudes, and self-directed behaviours (Rogers, 1995, p115). Understanding that some of my behaviours may be hindering my progress in establishing a therapeutic relationship with patients, I can take action and change these behaviours. The Humanistic Theory helps me understand that my perspective of the patients experience may be different from the patients perspective; thus hindering my authentic presence with the patient. Having self-awareness and taking action, enables me to feel more empowered. Through gaining more awareness and making changes, the Humanistic Theory provides individuals an opportunity for personal growth. In relation to personal growth, the Humanistic Theory enables me to reflect more on my nursing practice and to have a broader perspective on situations. Through reflection of my experiences, I am able to identify my strengths and weakness that may be holding me back in developing therapeutic relationships with patients. The Humanistic Theory enable me to become more aware of my habits of thinking. Furthermore, the Humanistic Theory influences me to reflect and change my beliefs; thus allowing me to have a more positive and accepting attitude towards patients. In turn, my genuine attitude influences patients to feel genuinely accepted and truly heard; thus providing an opportunity for them to grow. Humanism requires nurses to develop relationships with patients that are grounded on empathic understanding. This process necessitates an acceptance of the individuality of each person and each encounter (Scalon, p.760, 2006). Through understanding the patient more effectively, I am better able to provide nursing care that is more congruent with where the patient is at in life. When I am presently in the moment with a patient, I am able to communicate authentically to them and feel genuinely empathetic towards them. The experience not only benefits them, but also offers personal fulfillment and growth for myself. Without resistance, I am able to communicate more effectively and have more understanding toward others; therefore, I feel more compassionate and am able to project unconditional love towards others. I can make a difference in ones life. Not only does the humanistic theory allow me to be more compassionate with patients, but also with staff members. Being authentic and genuine with coworkers, I am able to establish a respectful relationships and create a more interconnected work environment. Through creating connections with individuals within the hospital, a community can be establish. Creating an integrated community will help promote an environment with compassionate communication. In relation to compassionate communication, my personal beliefs are very much similar to the Humanistic Theory approach. I believe that each individual has their own limitations and barriers that prevent them from establishing an authentic connection with others. By identifying those barriers, they can heal themselves and undergo personal growth to become more present in the moment. Many individuals may not be aware that they themselves are hindering their own relationships with others and even themselves. Similarly to the humanistic theory, by reflecting daily on our behaviours, especially the ones that cause discomfort in us, we can gain a better understanding of why we act that certain way. For myself, I enjoy reflecting daily in my journal. I reflect about situations that occur in my life and identify certain patterns in my behaviour. Through reflection, I am able to describe how I felt in the experience and what it reminded me of in the past. I realize that how I felt and how I reacted in the experience, was a trigger from a past hurt that I had not completely healed from. Having awareness of my experience is similar to the Humanistic theory perspective. Furthermore, as long as I remain unhealed, I will continue to project my past issues into the present moment; thus creating a barrier in establishing an authentic relationship with others. Similarly to the humanistic theory, I also believe that I can make changes in myself and grow as an individual. As I reflect and become more aware of myself, I can choose to make changes. As a result, I become more evolved and in tune with my inner being where I feel more enlightened and empowered in life. Some of my experiences that are congruent with the Humanistic Theory include my relationships with friends. For instance, when a friend calls me to talk about a difficult time that they are going through, it is only when I am fully present in the moment, I am able to empathize and support them through their experience. In relation to the humanistic theory, the theory suggests that when one is intuitively aware and present, then they can be genuinely empathetic. At times, when I am not present in the moment, my mind is elsewhere and I miss the opportunity to be truly authentic and to hear my friends feelings. I miss the opportunity to be truly there for them and to see them go through there ups and downs in life. Similarly to the humanistic theory, one may have barriers that are withholding them from being able to experience another individuals perspective. Through my awareness, I can prevent this situation from happening and create full filling and memorable experiences with friends. I feel that the actions this theory directs me to take are in the best interests of families in a clinical setting. Through my past clinical experiences, I have had the opportunity to experience an application of the humanistic nursing theory. The theory is in the best interest of the family because it encourages professionals to reflect on their practice and learn from their experiences with families. By become more aware of themselves in situations with families, nurses are then better able to identify their own barriers in the relationships. Through awareness and intuitive knowing, nurses are then able to inquire more about the family; thus the family will feel more understood and better able to communicate there needs. Effective communication between the nurse and family encourages trust and openness leading to a therapeutic relationship.

Speaking of Courage Essay -- Essays Papers

Speaking of Courage In the literary work, Speaking of Courage, Tim O’Brien highlights the trying struggle of a post-war solider attempting desperately to integrate himself back into American society. Paul Berlin’s trials and tribulations exemplify the â€Å"dominance of a citizen culture in the United States,† as mentioned by Dr. Decker in class. American society does not allow for the soldiers we have sent off to fight to return as warriors. While Speaking of Courage is based on Paul’s experience after the Vietnam War the effect of the citizen culture can be seen throughout history. Americans are not generally known to have an imperial, blood thirsty nature. We choose to â€Å"conquer† the world using business or other non-violent means. In the case of the Vietnam War, our government was f...

Psychology Questions Essay

In Anita’s case, the possibility that she may conclude that she will suffer from chronic depression once she grows up, may be attributed to the four psychological factors mentioned below. 1. Framing: This is a phenomenon where a fact is construed as make-believe in order to affect the mind of the listener. The listener in turn may trust the source and believe everything to be true without any validation of the facts. In Anita’s case, her parents have informed her when she was as young as ten years, about the fact that she may suffer like her sister when she grows up. This act by her parents is an instance of â€Å"framing† a myth into her mind, which she would recollect after growing up and then there are chances that she may suffer from the disorder as well. The framing nevertheless may mislead her into believing her parents and influence her mind to repeat the same deeds as her elder sister did. 2. Availability heuristic: This is a psychological phenomenon where an individual forms a final opinion based on the â€Å"currently available† data. The individual does not gather any other information but starts treating the available information to be complete. In Anita’s case, her parents have informed her that there are 40% chances of she getting into chronic depression as much as her sister when she grows up. This data is clearly insufficient as Anita, being young, will neither be able to validate the percentage nor does she have enough maturity to speculate the issue. Thus, when she grows up, this data may mislead her into trusting the data and she may experience depression. 3. Confirmation Bias: This is a phenomenon where an individual selectively believes from a present fact, what he or she already knows. For instance, in Anita’s case, she already knows what her parents have told her about 40% chances of her getting into depression. Moreover, she has observed her sister undergo the problem as well. In such a case, this preconception or hypothesis is likely to affect her and make her think all that is true when she grows up. This may lead Anita to believe that she will suffer from depression. 4. Belief Perseverance: This phenomenon is another instance of confirmation bias where an individual continues to believe what he or she already knows. In Anita’s case, her mind is fed with incorrect data when she was young. Thus, when she grows up, she may believe it to be true and initiate herself to experience chronic depression unfortunately. If not initiate, she might often get depressed by thinking of her childhood. ? Answer 2 In this case study, Tony’s dual behavior at work and with friends is a result of two psychological factors, person-situation controversy and reciprocal determinism respectively. In a person-situation controversy, an individual exercises his or her abilities to control the situation with the help of changing personality and behavior. This is a psychological attitude, which individuals develop in order to survive in the society. This could be analyzed based on Sigmund Freud’s Ego, Super-ego and the Id. The Ego is the external projection of an individual in front of others. In this situation, the individual assimilates what others want and then gives it to them. The Super-ego is the agent between the ego and the id, acts as a mediator between the two, and validates the communication between the two as well. The Id consists of the deepest, private thoughts of the individual. In Toni’s case, he acts true self in front of his friends, by being boastful and outgoing with his friends. This is because he knows they are his friends and he can act like himself. However, in an office environment, he needs to project a business-like personality according to the varying situations. That is why he acts polite and sincere always. In both his personal life and professional life, he exerts his ego but as the situations are different, he modifies his behavior accordingly. Reciprocal determinism is a condition where an individual clearly segregates what is needed when! This is a process, based on Albert Bandura’s theory, of determining how to behave based on personal choice and social factors. In Tony’s case, his behavior can be equated with a child’s behavior; one that projects the ego according to his personal wishes also takes into careful consideration, the social factors. However, Tony is smart enough to understand the necessity in a particular situation and condition his inner self according to the situation. Whether he accepts his dual behavior or not, he definitely projects his behavior is in accord with what the situation demands of him. This question refers to the slaughter of Jews by Nazis under Hitler’s rule and then the impact it had on the minds of Germans. David’s supposition that all Germans had become cruel and merciless with twisted personalities is debatable, as he seems to have come to an exuberant psychological conclusion based on a historical study without speculating the nuances of the events. Mr. Stanley Milgram, psychologist at Stanley University in his findings on obedience states the role of what one may call a pseudo- authoritarian or pseudo-leader to be influencing individuals by giving them political and psychological shocks. This was the case with the Nazi holocausts where the Nazis under the Hitler regime murdered thousands of Jews. Considering the expanse of Hitler’s operations, he had several Nazi followers obeying him as if they were blindfolded due to his firm command and tyrannous authority. This is one of the significant reasons why David senses tyranny and cruelty amongst the people of Germany in following Hitler’s orders and their assisting him in slaughtering the Jews. In actuality, both the subjects and objects of Hitler’s tyranny were the Germans themselves! By supporting their leader, they were giving themselves false hopes of achieving a world free of opposition and religious beliefs to conflict theirs. This is also a classic example of Jung’s â€Å"collective psychology† where an entire society construes a belief through a leader and influences one another to justify acts such as murder and slaughter under the pretext of religious defiance. Because of the propensity of human beings to depend on somebody and obey the person to satisfy one’s own conscience, such historical mistakes probably, take place. Reference â€Å"Milgram Experiment† on http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Milgram_experiment

Real Madrid Harvard Case

Real Madrid (RM) has been worldwide-known as one of the best soccer club in the world. From its beginnings in 1902, this Spanish soccer club has set the standards of a championship soccer organization and in 1905 had his first international game. A major turning point in the club’s history came with Bernabeu, Real Madrid CF appointed president (1943). He created the strongest brand in soccer synonym of prestige and champions, wining 6 European Cups. He coined â€Å"best in Europe† by international press and acquiring the best soccer talent at any cost. Soon after his death in 1978, the club declined for nearly two decades on the field and financially. Through the 1990's under president Lorenzo Sans, Real Madrid CF was financially restructured. The organization constantly sold players and crucial core operating assets such as stadium rights and media rights to cover operating losses and minimize its significant debt. The club gradually recovered on the field, winning the 7th European Cup in 1998 and in 2000 Perez achieved the club presidency and announced his further plans in order to sanitize the club’s finances. The constant focus of Real is not on the traditional business model which emphasizes on gate receipts and local corporate sponsorships. The main goals of the club include giving Real Madrid the financial flexibility to acquire Talent and expand its brand reach. This could establish the brand globally and maintain supremacy of this brand with continuing to maximize profits and enhance their corporation. They are led to focus on a strategy of maximizing merchandizing and television revenues and in some cases stock values, on an international basis. This business model is not unique as Manchester United and Disney’s Lion King have already adopted it. Manchester United was of course main inspiration because it is master of this new globalization and commercialization model with million supporters worldwide. They have developed subbrands and products targeted to each segment of the market and all the brands are featured in the team’s Web Site which is part of the club’s value. Moreover, in order to â€Å"hit† Asian market they organized preseason tours and opened a coffeehouse chain in southeastern Asia. Not only this example, but also the example of Disney’s Lion King is something that Perez emulated. Lion King costed 50 $ to make, grossed over 766$ million at the box office worldwide in his first year and also generated over 1,5 billion in merchandizing revenue. Therefore, Real Madrid realized that it is important to generate long-term entertainment brands and not just invest in the experience during the match and the gate receipts. Taken into consideration these two examples, Real Madrid focused on match-day, broadcast and pay tv, marketing (merchandize sales, sponsorships) and international competitions. First of all, match-day gate receipts are vital sources of revenue. However, VIP packages and season tickets as well as the construction of new, comfortable stadiums are very important for the club. Merchandizing is also the key to modern management as the sales of branded goods (ex caps, watches etc) and the video games with the interactive applications have helped the development of the club. Sponsorship accounts up to 20% of revenue, with Adidas and Siemens considered to be major sponsors. Also, Audi has provided a car to players and team officials. Real Madrid saw also opportunities in specialized publishing, audiovisual rights and Internet. The club’s site RealMadrid. com had 1. 5 million visitors each month in 2004 and has interviews of players, live feed, etc. Managers can also have one-to-one relationship with fans by mobile telephony, wireless Internet, etc. The role of RealMadrid Television is also very important as it has daily coverage from training, soccer and basketball matches. TV rights is the largest revenue earner cause deregulation of the media industry in Europe in the 1990s resulted in competitive bidding for TV rights, providing an important revenue stream for most teams. Finally, international competitions (ex Champions League, Toyota Cup) and international expansion where soccer has a large appeal (ex. Asia) are vital for the reputation of the brand. The business model of Real Madrid is essential to its development but in order to be implemented effectively there has to be market segmentation. In 2003 over half of the Spanish people considered themselves soccer fans, are nearly 80% men. About 60% of soccer fans in Spain followed Real Madrid and about 30% of spectators were women. The market in this case is segmented by behavior and geographic criteria. As far as behavior is concerned we have: sports fanatics, club and team loyalists, star-struck spectators, social viewers, opportunistic viewers and sports indifferents. Sports fanatics are the most loyal fans of Real who follow news, scores and statistics, usually they have season tickets and discounts and tend to spend a lot on merchandise and related products. They visit the website very often and try to be connected to the club with mobile technologies and personal computers. After sports fanatics, club and team loyalists are also likely to watch football matches, and generally attend sports events, and always try to obtain information about the team through the club’s magazine, TV, Web site, radio, etc. Then, star-struck spectators are actually fans of â€Å"Galacticos†, superstar players, and do not pay attention to the whole team that much. These fans take part in online interactive fantasy sports, play video games and try to get information about their favorite players. So, the main goal for the club in that case is to transfer their interest from the â€Å"star-players† to the whole team. Even less fanatics are the social viewers who are loyal to no team and attend matches whenever they can and use them as means of socializing. Moreover, there are opportunistic viewers who see sports as a form of entertainment and only attend typically in order to have fun with their friends and spend on food and drinks. They only get informed about the teams and the scores randomly, most of the times while watching TV. Finally, there are sports indifferents who are not interested in team sports generally unless it is a big event organized. Of course, the fans should be also segmented by geographic criteria. The system has allowed to spread the team’s name and reputation globally. Therefore, there are the fans in the limits of the country but also the international fans. (For example, soccer is growing very fast in Asia and tours are organized often. ) After pointing out how the market is segmented it is important to mention who is Real Madrid’s customer. This customer, no matter where he lives, he could be either a sports fanatic, a club and team loyalist or a star-struck spectator. He wants to get information about Real and follow the star-players of his team. He is willing to watch a match in the stadium or on TV and have a real connection with the team or with the players’ careers in the particular team. He buys Real Madrid’s accessories and somehow makes this brand part of his everyday life. Futhermore, Real’s customer not only sees football as a form of entertainment with friends, good food and beverages but also has the need to be part of the â€Å"football community†, has the need to ‘breath’ football. Finally, the business model that Real has implemented has many advantages but also includes some serious risks. Under Perez management, Real Madrid had mission to nurture and project the club brand worldwide. But Perez had thought of specific problem which led him to think twice about his management decision. First of all,buying a worldwide class player and including that in Real’s strategy can cause worries about the talent which becomes older and older. In order to achieve high game performance and try to pass the values of â€Å"excellence† and â€Å"prestige† to the audience, unique players with amazing skills are needed. There are always worries whether great players will cease to exist though so far new talents are still discovered. Of course, the soccer cannot be standardized as there is an uncertainty factor- such as lose the match or get knockdown from the big competition- and this is another problem that Real faces as well as any other team. Furthermore, competition between professional club, such as Chelsea, in buying players is another important threat for Real. In this case Chelsea can bring a world class player with extraordinary price to the club and that can have a general impact on player salaries and transfer prices and therefore cause problems to the team balance. Finally, Real’s managers are worried about overexposure and excessive commercialization of the brand as this could lead to opposite results-such as criticism for exploiting the team’s fans and overstretching the brand. Summarizing, all these risks should be taken into consideration and examined carefully in order to be solved long-term and therefore Real’s reputation will not be damaged.

Writers Can Learn from Middlebrow Masters

Writers Can Learn from Middlebrow Masters Writers Can Learn from Middlebrow Masters Writers Can Learn from Middlebrow Masters By Mark Nichol After several years of intending to read through Patrick O’Brian’s Aubrey/Maturin series of seafaring novels, I’ve finally embarked on that voyage, and I’m delighted to note that O’Brian proves that writers can draw lessons in technique from fiction that doesn’t necessarily make it onto too many Great Literature reading lists. O’Brian wrote twenty novels featuring fictional early nineteenth-century Royal Navy officer Jack Aubrey and his friend, naval surgeon Stephen Maturin, over the course of several decades, leaving another one unfinished when he died in 1999. (It was later published in its incomplete form.) After completing the first installment, Master and Commander, I suspect that they’re all ripping good yarns but not (despite some comparisons to the works of Jane Austen and other literary giants) classics for the ages. Yet they’re instructive in how to write and, in one respect, how not to write. First, the bad news: O’Brian, facing the significant challenge of explaining the naval terminology, traditions, and hierarchy of the Napoleonic era to the many readers unfamiliar with such matters, solved it by having various characters explain nautical concepts to Maturin, a landlubber. Unfortunately, though this technique is reasonable in moderation, here it’s employed to extremes. At times, it’s no more subtle than the satirically excessive exposition in the Austin Powers movie series, with the character Basil Exposition laboriously providing background information to the protagonist (and the audience). But the author’s successful avoidance of narrative exposition (that is, other than in dialogue) is related to his great strength: O’Brian rarely employs attribution; the reader usually knows who is talking. But even more remarkable, he rarely has to describe his masterfully well-developed characters. Aubrey and Maturin are an odd couple; the officer is a big and brash yet charismatic leader, while his friend is a quiet, studious surgeon/naturalist/philosopher. The author subtly signals the doctor’s initial unease with shipboard life (he gets in sailors’ way or hits his head on the low beams belowdecks) and his preoccupation with surgical procedures and natural phenomena by indirect reference. Among the best small moments are those in which Maturin tries to engage the practical and intelligent but unschooled Aubrey in intellectual discussion. I did not take advantage of opportunities to work my way through the literary-classics canon during my own schooling, and I am at sea when it comes to lit crit. (If I were asked to analyze the subtext of a cornerstone of the literary tradition, I would probably blithely blink without comprehension much like Aubrey does when confronted with a Latin expression.) But I found myself very much impressed (without being very much distracted) by the mastery with which O’Brian conveys character without describing his characters. I am certain that such lessons in narrative technique can be drawn from many novelists great and small (and in between), and you likely can relate your favorite epiphany of this type. This point only proves that wisdom and inspiration are to be found in unexpected places. Enjoy your pulp fiction, airport novels, beach books, light reading in whatever form your leisure reading takes (including enjoying Great Literature) but be receptive to such insights. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Fiction Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:10 Grammar Mistakes You Should Avoid55 Boxing IdiomsPassed vs Past

A Few American Traditions Regarding Independence Day

A Few American Traditions Regarding Independence Day Several Ways of How Americans Celebrate July 4 Parades, fireworks and barbecues are the words that characterize Independence Day the best. Baseball games are also popular on this day. All people get together with their family members, beloved friends as well as neighbors in order to eat tasty food, talk a lot and set off wonderful fireworks. The holiday was established in 1941. However, even in the 1700s Americans celebrated Independence Day. All started on July 2, in 1776, when the Continental Congress voted for independence. As a result, the delegates adopted the Declaration of Independence on July 4. The war for independence started in 1775 and finished only in 1783. The British left the colonies in America and the United States gained an opportunity to become an independent country. From that time till nowadays, Americans have not forgotten all those battles, many deaths, and the valor that the founders of the USA had to have in order to state that America was independent and Great Britain did not have the authority over the m.There is a great number of ways to observe Independence Day. In this post, you will get acquainted with the most famous ways to celebrate it. There is a great number of ways to observe Independence Day. In this post, you will get acquainted with the most famous ways to celebrate it. Americans love parades. They usually begin parades at midnight. The streets in most towns and cities are filled with cheerleaders, floats and horses, especially when the weather is beautiful. In addition, lots of military units appear in the streets. Apart from that, there are marching bands and a lot of flag waving. Barbecue is also an important part of the celebration. On this day, practically in all neighborhoods, Americans cook grilled food like burgers, hot dogs, steaks, etc. Coming together for a barbecue is a perfect idea to communicate and celebrate on July 4. Probably no one can resist buying fireworks on this day. This has become an American tradition to take a trip to a stand where all that stuff is sold and purchase sparklers, Roman candles and ground flowers. What is more, if you dont like doing fireworks yourself, you can take advantage of an opportunity to admire how others do that. For instance, you could visit a firework show. What about flying the flag of America? This sounds really great! On this day, the US military celebrate independence with saluting to the US flag. According to the tradition, troops should fire 50 gunshots meaning the 50 states of the United States. You can also wave the flag and honor the people who made America an independent country.

French Expressions Using Soir and Soirée

French Expressions Using Soir and Soirà ©e The French words un soir and une soirà ©e both mean evening (we explain the difference here) and are also used in many expressions. Many of the expressions including soir  and soirà ©e  are idioms - phrases with meanings that cant be derived from a direct translation of the words they use. With this list of expressions using soir  and  soirà ©e,  you can learn how to say frequently used sayings like an  evening meal, a night owl, formal wear and more. Common French Expressions With Soir prendre matin midi et soirto be taken three times a dayau soir de sa vieto be in the evening of his lifeles cours du soirnight classesà ªtre du soirto be a night owlIl est arrivà © un beau soir.He turned up one evening.le repas du soirevening mealune robe du soirevening gownle soir descend / tombeevening is closing inla veille au soirthe previous eveningVoulez-vous coucher avec moi ce soir  ?Do you want to sleep with me tonight? Common French Expressions Using Soire bonne soirà ©ehave a nice eveningune soirà ©eparty, evening performanceune soirà ©e dansantedance​la tenue de soirà ©eformal wear, evening dressla tenue de soirà ©e de rigueurblack tie

Classical Literature Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Classical Literature - Essay Example This is what will be dissertated in the following. Genesis is the first Bible verse of the first chapter in the Book of Genesis, and it contains the first words of the Bible. Two distinct stories of the creation of humanity in particular are given in Genesis, and these are: Genesis 1:27-30 "So God created man in his own image; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, 'Be fruitful and increase, fill the earth and subdue it, rule over the fish in the sea, the birds of heaven, and every living thing that moves upon the earth'. God also said, 'I give you all plants that bear seed everywhere on the earth, and every tree bearing fruit which yields seed: they shall be yours for food'; and Genesis 2: 7-8 "Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life. Thus the man became a living creature'. Without question the stories of Genesis are the most significant form of history in this regards, however although some of the events that are described re consiste nt with other historical records, there are many others - particularly those before the time of Saul and David - which cannot be tested for accuracy, and thus are considered by many to have been shaped to reflect certain persons' religious and political goals. "The history includes dramatic accounts of persecution, escape, exile, sacrifice, and global devastation by a great flood. It tells of a creator God who watches over his people, tests his people, and promises them great things if they honor his commandments. As any great story must, the history has its villains and it has heroes." (123). Then there is the Epic of Gilgamesh, which is considered by some as being the oldest written story on Earth, and which "was originally written on 12 clay tablets in cuneiform script. It is about the adventures of the historical King of Uruk (somewhere between 2750 and 2500 BCE)". (79). The Epic of Gilgamesh is an epic poem from Babylonia, one which includes a series of Sumerian legends and poems about the mythological hero-king Gilgamesh, who was thought to be a ruler of the 3rd millennium BC, and all of these legends and poems were then gathered together into a "longer Akkadian poem long afterward, with the most complete version extant today pressed on twelve clay tablets in the library collection of the 7th century BC Assyrian king Ashurbanipal" (101). In regards to the similarities and differences between the stories of Genesis and the Epic of Gilgamesh, there are many of both, and all of these must be taken into serious consideration. One of the most major similarities between the two is in regards to the fact of how they are both surrounded around their own leaders; Genesis to God and the Epic of Gilgamesh to the King of Uruk. Each basically describes the workings and actions of their supposed leader, and as well tells of the considered creations and works that took place during their own described eras. Another major similarity between the two i

Art Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Art Assignment - Essay Example Space in drawing implies the negative and positive use of space in a drawing (Sale, Teel & Betti, 89). Positive space is the space that the object covers while negative space is the background of the picture. In Napoletanos picture, the artist has used a lot of negative space in his work, while, in Bertin’s drawing, the artist has used a lot of positive space. At times, use of a lot of negative space makes the drawing look vulnerable and aloof (Sale, Teel & Betti, 89). Perspective in the drawing is the image as seen by the eye as per the distance and on a flat surface. Napoletano’s drawing lacks proper perspective as the drawing shortens with an increase in the distance, and foreshortens along the line of sight as compared to Bertin’s drawing whose focal point gets better with an increase in distance. A contour in the drawing is the outline depicting change in plane (Sale, Teel & Betti, 90). In Napoletano’s drawing the artist used modified contour drawing unlike in Bert’s drawing the artist used blind contours. Napoletano’s drawing was done using gesture drawing because the picture looks hastily done. On the other hand, Bert’s looks as if it had taken time to draw. Finally, tone usages in both pictures are similar. The effects of light in the pictures show balance. The pictures are alike and diverse in a variety of ways, but they are successful in their own light. Napoleatano’s drawing might be small, but it is well structured just like Bert’s picture, which is large, and well

Weight lost Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Weight lost - Essay Example Several factors in the human body affect the rate of shading off the excess calories, which lead to the desired loss of weight metabolic rate being one of the factors (Chatterjee 2007). The amount of energy that a human body consumes through the running of several organs varies from one person to the other. Consumption of this energy highly depends on the muscle tissue and those who consume high energy during rest are likely to burn more calories than those who use little energy. Body response to calorie reduction is the other factor. This varies from one person to the other as the body may decide to shut down automatically to preserve more calories. Other factors include the level of stress, genetic composition, amount of sleep and the type and amount of bacteria found in the gut. Exercise is one of the elements practised by many to enhance weight loss. Just like an automotive, a human body needs a supply of energy during activity to the muscles to help carry on (Chatterjee 2007). When the exercise is continuously carried out, it depletes the blood sugar, which in turn sends signals to the specific glands that release hormones that enhance the removal of more fats stored to provide the needed energy. Dieting is another important factor that a person who intends to lose weight should keep in mind. Since the stored excess fat brings excess weight, an individual should ensure that the diet is less in sugar and starch (Shartava, 2011). Overcoming the huger feeling and taking bites is always a big challenge but if one can be able to avoid this then, it can be of great help. Burning off more calories than a person is consuming helps in the situation. Weight loss has a significant effect in the daily activities of an individual. First is the ability to perform more activities without exhaustion as compared to an individual who has more weight (Saylor, 2006). This is associated with the ability to move easily and perform tasks with ease. The other thing is

Porters Views on Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Porters Views on Strategy - Essay Example Michael Porter is a University Professor at Harvard Business School and a very contributor to the fields of management and economics. In an article he wrote for the Harvard Business Review in 1996, and also in one of his books, he argues that competitive strategy is "about being different". He adds, "It means deliberately choosing a different set of activities to deliver a unique mix of value". It is important to note that Porter has focused on discussing competitive strategy and his views are based more on differentiating the company in the view of the customers. Porter has defined competitive strategy as "a combination of the ends for which the firm is striving and the means by which it is seeking to get there". Porter has provided for a very fresh and different view on the meaning of strategy. He highlights and emphasises on the facts that operational effectiveness is not strategy. Porter has in his article ‘What is Strategy?’, in the Harvard Business Review brought o ut some very important points. He argues that ‘Positioning’, which has been one of the major elements of strategy and has acted as the ‘heart of strategy’, is not being rejected by most managers. He discussed in this article that the current period believed that positioning is considered to be too static in the current dynamic world and the high use of technology. It is important to note that the information that has been provided here has been based on three major heads: 1. variety-based positioning 2. Needs-based positioning and 3 Access-based positioning

Person- Centred counselling Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Person- Centred counselling - Essay Example This long-standing focus on the importance of the relationship between the client and the practitioner paved the way for the development of Roger’s person-centred therapy. Much of Roger’s work on his person-centred approach is heavily based in his beginnings as a psychotherapist, arguing that each individual possesses the powers of self-knowledge and self-healing within themselves, and they can utilise these resources to promote personality development and change. Rogers posits that a person benefits from their self-directive processes, as they enable greater self-differentiation and promote better self-understanding, self-regulation and acceptance. A key term integral to the person-centred approach is the notion of ‘actualising tendency’, which explains an individual’s motivation to realise and enhance their inherent potential (Witty, 2007).While person-centred therapy places the burden of change and improvement upon the client, it is the therapistà ¢â‚¬â„¢s job to provide an environment consisting of three necessary and sufficient conditions for change, which are conducive to the client’s improvement (Worsley, 2002). These integral conditions are congruence, empathetic understanding, and unconditional positive regard (Witty, 2007). In the recent past the person-centred therapy has faced numerous drawbacks as many people have criticized it of emphasising on the trustworthiness of the human organism as too optimistic even naà ¯ve. (Worsley, 2002).  

The war between US an Iraq 2003 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

The war between US an Iraq 2003 - Research Paper Example Other reports have also revealed that as a result of the war, debt reliefs have been offered to the country and the country has been released from the control of their dictator Saddam Hussein. This paper shall be a quantitative research paper with respondents from the Iraqi nation chosen randomly across various territories in the region. Major potential research findings for this paper include the fact that the Iraqi War has brought about economic hardships for the people, decreasing their employment rates, and worsening their poverty status. The war has also caused much political chaos through political infighting and major corrupt activities by government officials. Finally, it has also brought about difficulties in the delivery of health, educational, and social services to the people. On March 20, 2003, the world was witness to the second gulf war with the invasion of American troops in Iraq. War was launched against Iraq because of the latter’s alleged possession of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs) which were in apparent violation of its terms of surrender in the wake of its Kuwaiti invasion in the early 1990s. Although inspections by the UN on Iraqi weapons depots and military institutions yielded no WMDs, US intelligence reports insisted that Iraq was in possession of such weapons. After a series of failed negotiations and after Iraq refused UN inspections in the early months leading up to the March invasion, the US troops were deployed into Iraq. In the days following the attack, the hunt for Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein was also launched and in December, 2003, he was finally apprehended and charged with the execution of 148 Shi-ites in 1982. He was executed in December 2006 by hanging. In the meantime, US troops continued to occupy Iraq with the so le purpose of assisting the interim government in the management of insurgent activities in the country. A semblance of a US-initiated transition

Person- Centred counselling Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Person- Centred counselling - Essay Example This long-standing focus on the importance of the relationship between the client and the practitioner paved the way for the development of Roger’s person-centred therapy. Much of Roger’s work on his person-centred approach is heavily based in his beginnings as a psychotherapist, arguing that each individual possesses the powers of self-knowledge and self-healing within themselves, and they can utilise these resources to promote personality development and change. Rogers posits that a person benefits from their self-directive processes, as they enable greater self-differentiation and promote better self-understanding, self-regulation and acceptance. A key term integral to the person-centred approach is the notion of ‘actualising tendency’, which explains an individual’s motivation to realise and enhance their inherent potential (Witty, 2007).While person-centred therapy places the burden of change and improvement upon the client, it is the therapistà ¢â‚¬â„¢s job to provide an environment consisting of three necessary and sufficient conditions for change, which are conducive to the client’s improvement (Worsley, 2002). These integral conditions are congruence, empathetic understanding, and unconditional positive regard (Witty, 2007). In the recent past the person-centred therapy has faced numerous drawbacks as many people have criticized it of emphasising on the trustworthiness of the human organism as too optimistic even naà ¯ve. (Worsley, 2002).  

Observation Narrative Essay Example for Free

Observation Narrative Essay Days of Old When Knights Were Bold Growing up, I was never that girl that fantasized about becoming a princess and meeting that special prince that would sweep me off my feet and save me from all misery. Even sorcery books such as the Harry Potter series did not appeal to me. I did not believe in any of that quirky fantasy land stuff so the idea of being dragged to the Michigan Renaissance Festival with my family over Labor Day weekend did not appeal to me; I would have much rather been out having fun in the sun barbequing with friends just as any other American typically celebrates the holiday. Staring out the car window all I saw was cornfields and the occasional Ma and Pa family owned restaurant or ice cream parlor. Mt. Holly came into view a little further down the road, but the slopes were dry and scarce due to it being summer. Tucked behind all the forestation was a small fairground where police orderly directed cars into the lot. The parking lot, overwhelmingly large in size, branched in two directions. One led to a general area and the other took cars single file down a long and winding path. This brought butterflies to my stomach. License plates were country wide varying from fellow Michiganders to visiting guests from neighboring states such as Indiana and Ohio and some traveling from as far away as Florida or Kansas. Once we secured our designated spot and our legs were fully stretched after sitting stationary for the hour drive we merged with the herd of people and marched together through the forest to discover this new unknown world. The walk was a journey in itself. The weeds in the wasteland of the parking lot stood knee high and tickled my leg with every movement. There appeared to be no end in sight as it was at least a mile long containing various obstacles such as logs barricading the path and bridges. Surprisingly there were no mosquitoes but the sound of the crickets chirping and the leaves crinkling all echoed loudly. I so badly wanted to turn around and hike back to the car but as I got closer I could catch glimpses of the festivities through bare spots between branches and heard ear piercing screeches and rowdy whistles along with bursts exiting out the tall vintage buildings. This shot my curiosity level through the roof and the excitement continued to build. The path had ended and before my eyes was a new world; something I had only seen before in movies. The spirit of the festival had overtaken my  body and the feeling was enchanting. Giant castles awaited me along with colorful flags and banners streamed over the entrance with cheerful greetings labeled, â€Å"Huzzah!† I was suddenly willing to give this all a chance and I had a new frame of mind that was open to adventure. Walking in those front gates was a lot to take in and represented a totally new side of the social spectrum when compared to a normal festival. People were dressed in a wide range of attire and it was hard to differentiate the workers from the tourists. The main clue was that tourists casually walked around grinning whereas the staff tended to get fully into character by perfecting their accent. Each got the chance to live out a life they had always dreamt of through roll play and step outside their comfort zone without being judged. There were fair maidens, juggling court jesters, wizards, elves, and fairies. All fantasy elements were covered and all of this contributed to the illusion of taking a step back and reliving medieval times. Coming from a family of macho men it was absurd to see a men proudly sporting kilts along with boots accented with bells that jingled with every step creating a musical tune of its own. Even more shocking was the fact that they all had a strong family support system lined up behind them all dressed matching in theme as well. It seemed that the more eccentric the outfit, the better. Long velvet capes with matching feathered hats or flowery garland in the women’s hair were also common while others dressed as mystical animals and pranced around with tails and ears. These costumes were all things that I would never be caught dead in but after a while strangely enough, we all blended together. There was an aroma of sweat due to everyone dressed in multiple layers but no one seemed to mind as it was a mere part of the ambiance as back in the Renaissance Period people did not shower for days. There was a plethora of patrons however that attended dressed in causal street clothes that sought a gratifying day out with friends and family but even they got sucked into the spirit of things and unexpectedly started curtseying and using the language. Dressing in garb expressed the true rapture of upgrading from being a patron to now a participant. This event catered to all ages. Fairy Godmothers rested on stones along the pathway making them readily approachable and eager to share their tales with anyone willing to listen. Their voices were so soft spoken it was impossible for anyone to simply pass by. Street peasants welcomed on goers  into their dancing circle as they chanted traditional hymns. I have never been much of a dancer due to my lack of rhythm but I must say once they got me started with the basics I refused to stop and entirely forgot others were watching. The petting zoo provided a wonderful hands on experience featuring encounters with livestock as well as other exotic animals such as lion cubs, kangaroos and toucans that could be bottle fed if you wished to do so. The king set aside a playscape for the kids to interact, swing and slide but also had other ways to test one’s knightly skills. The bungee jump seemed to draw the most attention but the archery, king of the log challenge and axe throws did not fall short in interest. Little girls had the chance to learn proper waves, curtsies and poise through a boot camp run by the village Princesses themselves. The Mermaid Lagoon was a disappointment in my opinion. After patiently waiting in a line for over thirty minutes I expected to see a luxurious area with mermaids whose tails sparkled elegantly in the sunlight, when in reality all it turned out to be was one girl in a cheesy costume floating in a dunk tank. On the flip side there was a wonderful replica wooden horse hung between two massive oak trees that allowed kids to race down full speed to master the art of ring spearing just as they had seen the real knights do out on the playing field at the nearby arena. The smiles on the children’s faces were contagious and it was a continuous chain reaction of happiness that spread rapidly. The adults had just as many activities to keep busy as well. Throughout the day various competitions were held to win bragging rights and often at times, gold chalices. Some of these included beard competitions where one could show off his whiskers and have the chance to win in the following catego ries: longest, thickest, most unique, and best overall. Part of me felt as if the cast and crew of the reality television series Duck Dynasty should have guest appeared at the ceremony to distribute the prizes but my wish fell short. The tattoo contest was run in the same manner but instead with the categories being: best black and grey tattoo, best color tattoo, best overall, and worst overall. I was amazed to see that the male to female contestant ratio was relatively close to equal. To continue the friendly competitions, in one of the main colorful tents was a Root Beer belching competition that some competitors were proudly capable of rumbling the stage. It was impressive yet disturbing all in one. Good sportsmanship was  well displayed and no one took the loss to heart by sincerely congratulating the winners. The objective of the Pub Crawl was to drink one beer at each of the four stations while led by entertainers to keep the atmosphere cool, calm, and relaxed. Upon the departure from each bar, fairies would splatter glow paint on one’s chest. The streets were flooded with an abundance of vendors ranging from apparel and candles, to plants and paintings. This is how most vendors earned a living so without surprise, they pushed their products diligently. Unfamiliar musical instruments such as bird whistles and bongos brought a new sense of relaxation as I closed my eyes and let my mind take me elsewhere. I was utterly fascinated with the number of people willing to pay for palm reading to uncover different aspects of future life including successes and love. Superstitions were more common than I thought. As some would say, there is no harm in jumping on the bandwagon every once in a while. With that being said, a hookah station was set up encouraging tourists to take a break and get a little weird. Men dressed in puffy shirts and flared out pantaloons walked around carrying large, woven baskets overhead selling flowers to all the fair maidens. All were very well mannered and charming. The patrons were invited to participate in the annual fairy house competition in which the top three winners received awards for their hard work and creativity. The rules advised artists to make durable houses that could withstand any weather using entirely natural materials and furnishing the inside and outdoor with landscape. Out in the open area stood two actors that mastered the art of pretending to be a statue and were covered head to toe in grey body paint. Their movements were slow and swift as they changed poses to be photographed by on goers. My dad was the only one to spot the man standing in a pot to look like a shrub while the rest of us nonchalantly walked by completely oblivious to such a phenomenon. In this man’s case, he could join in the fun but also camouflage his true identity. The festival as a whole is made up of hundreds of very diverse and multi-talented entertainers that never fail to please and in most circumstances is what keeps people coming back year after year. There is always a show going on ranging from group or stand-alone comedians to singers and quartets greeting newcomers at the welcome gate. A group of the finest acrobats were selected to show off their coordination and extraordinary balance doing tricks requested by audience members. A  costumed human chess game took place behind the jousting arena and was played using actors instead of volunteers to bring out true combat when one tried to take ou t another piece. With this new twist whoever won the choreographed fight earned the right to the spot on the game board. The captain and his fellow ship mates auctioned off one of a kind items from his pirate ship. Here, buyers could purchase things such as swords and daggers at extremely low prices. Zoltan the Adequate was another street entertainer that did anything to please his audience. He did bizarre tricks such a balloon swallowing to fire eating to nearly severing his own arm. As one would assume young children would be the easiest to deceive although Zoltan was able to keep all age groups tuned in with his sense of danger, excitement and edgy interactive magic. An unsuspected audience member was selected to assist him in a few tricks and that individual coincidentally turned out to be my mother. My mother is very shy and certainly does not like being the center of attention so we were dumbfounded that she did not object or throw a tantrum about going on stage. She faced her fears and as result, all we heard for the remainder of the afternoon was how we should be proud of her. The most attended event of the day included the heart stopping jousting tournament which had trained professionals of this skill that were willing to fight to their death to win the honor and respect of their town’s people. I really liked the concept of this because nowadays it is no t as common to find gentlemen of this caliber. Back then, men were raised to be chivalrous towards women and the less fortunate, strongly serve God and do their King proud. Each knight and their noble horse were fancily clothed and color coordinated all promising to use the strength in their hearts to ride their opponents to the dirt. As in any highly competitive sporting event, both the crowd and the contestants heckled one another and at times, I would witness the crowd unite as one as we raised up our drinks and roared together with great enthusiasm. These knights did just as they had promised and played with blood, sweat, grace, and complete dedication never losing focus. The three main events were the warm up which consisted of squires holding the rings and after a few run-throughs, actually tossing them into the air as the knights rode by spearing them. Then proceeded with the joust face off which was quite physical being that the one knight intentionally knocked an opponent off resulting in an injury that sought  immediate medical attention. By the end of the joust all four knights hobbled their way to center stage to face each other one last t ime in a traditional sword fight. A little girl from the sidelines managed to escape her mother’s arms and ran out to an injured knight and healed him with a kiss on the cheek. The show shortly wrapped up after that and the barriers of the different cheering sections vanished as the knights mingled with the crowd and allowed the young children to pet their steed. The royal tavern had an endless array of food that would easily satisfy the heartiest of appetites. From savory turkey legs and Barbarian burgers to deep fried desserts and apple dumplings, there were plenty of options to choose from. The portion sizes were generous for the prices being so reasonable. Most things served to eat came on a stick whether it was hot pickles, which were conveniently sold at every street corner or frozen bananas and cheesecake. Table manners and common eating etiquette did not apply at the festival hence why they did not supply utensils or napkins. In fact, the most lady-like way of eating the authentic turkey leg was to take two fingers and rip off pieces. Most importantly, there was plenty of beer to wash it all down and for the nonalcoholic attendees; sodas, smoothies and other beverages were sold. Stepping out of one’s comfort zone opens a whole new world filled with opportunity and adventure. The biggest setback for exploring something new is fearing what others will say or think. The people involved with this festival clearly did not care abo ut any of that and it was enjoyable to see and appreciate their colorful imaginations. I gained a lot from this experience because going in, I had no clue what to expect it created an exhilarating suspense. I learned that is completely acceptable to be silly to whatever extent and people often tend to respect you more for it because you are willing to take that risk of resisting society’s norm.

Importance of note-making

Importance of note-making CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION The Importance of Note-Making During FEST program we meet many modules. With regarding to its own behavior we have to follow learning techniques to remember all the important points. As we cannot hold them all in our mind, we will have to use a record to gather all the information. To record something we have to improve our listening skills. As we record something we will have to pay our attention for our work. That record can help us to recall and understand the lesion in a later time and saves our time. So it is very important to make effective notes. During lectures, lecturer presents more information than shows in slides. Sometimes they give useful tips for assignments and for exams. So it is very important to write down hints. When we are in a classroom or in a lecture hall, we must concentrate our mind on the lesion to grab all the information and to comprehend the lesion. That kind of a concentration is built by making notes. So Note-making is very important as it involves us in the learning process. And whenever we read something we have to write down important points as we cannot hold them on mind. Making notes allows us to reduce the information in to manageable size. When we are studying for exams a lot of material has to be covered. The key points should be extracted from lecture notes and text books. It is an aid to exam revision. Making notes helps to think and understand the subject. The history of Note-Making goes far about 1979. Tony Buzan was the person who invented the concept of Mind Mapping. With using images and patterns he developed the main idea up to a successful invention. So now it has become most popular among most of the academic students. Types of Note-Making Methods Note-Making mainly involves with selecting, analyzing, summarizing and organizing information. Although there were many Note-Making methods with different strategies, we only consider five methods that suits for FEST program in this research. Split-page Format. ( A narrative Note-Making method) In Split-Page Format method the page should be divided in to two columns and in one column there will be standard notes and in the other, the summery. This method can be used to write down lecture notes. [6.1] Diagram/Pattern Format. (A visual Note-Making method) In Diagram/Pattern method the information is presented with using a diagram. The main topic and the related ideas should be linked together as it implies a complete meaning. This is a kind of visual learning technique.[6.1] Mind Map. (A visual Note-Making method) In this method the information and important points are presented through a map which contains images. With linking one another, the information can be elaborated according to our own creativity. [6.1] Outline Format. (A narrative Note-Making method) In this format the information is presented as an outline with using titles, sub titles that are numbered according a procedure.[6.1] Question and Prompt Format. (A narrative Note-Making method) The main points of a lesion can be highlighted across a series of questions and with relevant answers. [6.2] When taking lecture notes it should be more accurate and consisted. With improving the habit to use SQ3R technique it allows us to take most important points on lectures. After reorganizing them it reveal the way to review and revise the note. A note-Making method is only one category that comes under study skills. But up to now we can see more methods that can follow to achieve improvement in study. So we can follow any of them to reach the target. With the technological development the Note-Making method has stepped in to computer /notebook. So now it has changed its name as Electronic Note-making method. Most of the students use word processors because it is easy to forward. Objectives and Scope of Study Acquire the skills to make effective notes using various methods. Modules: Communication Study Skills Computer technology Physics Mathematics Engineering Ethics Note Format: Split-Page format Diagram/Pattern format Mind map Outline format Question Prompt format Through the research I have investigated different Note-Making methods. Five main Note-Making methods have taken to be concerned. The investigation covers the advantages, disadvantages and the feasibility of each method. And each Note-Making method is experimented with FEST modules. Module have been chosen concerning on its behavior and the relevance with the method as below; Split-Page format : Communication and Study Skills Diagram/Pattern Format : Computer Technology Mind-map : Physics Outline Format : Mathematics Question and Prompt Format : Ethics Acquire the skills in technical writing. Understand the requirements for a dissertation. Identify the main sections of a dissertation. Achieve proficiency in using soft tools to aid technical writing. Present critical and argumentative views. Learn to write, abstract and draw conclusions. Overview of Study CHAPTER 2 EFFECTIVE NOTE-MAKING METHODS FOR FEST PROGRAM Introduction In the lectures we have to take a much struggle to catch all the important points and to understand with them. So it is very important to get prepared before the lectures with referring to past lectures and with the things to be taught. After deciding the Note method according to frame work we will be able to have a good Note which concludes all main points. When writing down the main points abbreviations, phrases and images can be helpful to manage the time. This chapter concludes five main Note-making methods and their adoption in FEST modules. When selecting the appropriate Note-Making method, the behavior of each subject had to be considered. Communication and Study Skills is based on both theoretical knowledge and practical knowledge. Methods like Split-Page, Outline and Question-Prompt can be used to make CSS notes. But Split-Page format becomes most suitable as it carries standard notes and summery. Computer technology holds theory as well as practical. In most theory parts it concludes title, sub titles definitions and examples. CT notes can be summarized with a unique pattern like a diagram. So Diagram Format is the most suitable method which complies with CT notes. If we talk about Physics, it is a combination of theory, practical and calculations. Mind map can be used to emphasize the formulas, definitions and the key ideas in an illustrative manner. As Mathematics carry formulas, definitions and calculations, Outline Format can be used to make notes on theories as well as calculations. Ethics is mainly based on theory. So through Question and Prompt Format all the notes can be factorized. We should have a sense to select the most suitable method in various accations. Implementation of Different Note Formats in Various Fest Subjects The information and data needed, When making notes we copy the main points on lectures as well as text books. And we will have to refer web sources, journals, reports and articles to gain extra knowledge. The questions that rise during lectures and our own ideas hold an importance. All the types of data should be presented through a simple note. The data collection strategy, When making a note we have to follow a data collection strategy. First of all we will have to make a specific objective and a clear definition on the data collection. Second thing is the data collecting mode. It can be quantitative or qualitative. In quantitative data collection strategy it is easy to read and transfer. But in qualitative data collection strategy it needs a long time to differentiate and find out. Otherwise the data mode can be evaluated after deciding it as simple, complex or difficult. The conditions applied in notes, Note-Making is not an easy task as it appears. It needs skills to result a better product. We should find materials that are not too difficult or complex. In this case well organized material can help to reduce time. We have a good note after selecting, analyzing, summarizing and organizing those materials. Split-Page Format The easiest method to take down notes is Split-Page Format method. In this method the page should be divided in to two parts. The left side must have a width of 2.5 inches and the right side must have 6 inches. The right side is to note down the lecture notes and the important points. And the left is to write the key words and the summery of the notes. But in some books it is said that page should be divide in to three sections and in the left side it is for own comments and questions, the next part is for write down standard notes and the last part is for the summery. So we can use either way to make a good note. Advantages : This method is mainly composed to make lecture notes. And it produces a well organized note. When revising the note, the summery and highlighted points make it much easier. As we note down the questions that comes through the lesion, when recalling the lesion we can make much attention for those problems. Disadvantages : This kind of a note is not visually attracted. We will have to write down all the main points in the right side, so it takes much time. Feasibility : The main points, questions and summery is overviewed together. Diagram/Pattern Format This method is more visual than the Split-Page format method. According to this method the information can be displayed through a pattern as diagram. The main topic is to be written at the top of the page. After that the related ideas should be added. The main topic and the sub topics/ideas should be connected each other as it arouses a complete sense. Advantages : Very easy to use and it doesnt take much time to draw diagrams. It is much attractive and therefore it makes very convenient when recalling. Through diagram format it is easy to remember the information. Disadvantages : When using Diagram format method we will have to limit the points. Therefore some key points can be neglected. The main idea is not viewable, only the important points are viewable. It is not easy to extent when information is lot. It is difficult to state complicated ideas through such a short format. Feasibility : Through this method the main idea can be presented as a flow of key points. Mindmap Mind mapping method is bit difficult than other methods as it needs critical thinking. It is a composition of both images and words which present a lot of information through creativity. This method differs with other traditional methods as it is based on many skills such like, thinking planning, organizing and concerning. The topic/heading should be displayed at the middle of the page. The key ideas and the concepts are the next to be noted. The topics and sub topics can be highlighted with using many shapes. But all the concepts are to be added in a short format. Symbols and images can be added as the suitability. The concepts and their topics should be linked with free lines or arrows. To make it more attractive we can follow many colors as accordance. Advantages : It is easy to learn and apply and helps to reveal inner abilities as creativity. It provides a summery in a illustrative way. And it is easy to extend and add more points. Disadvantages : Only the person who have made it can understand, others cant. It is hard to express much complex concepts through Mind mapping. This method cannot be used to take instant notes. Feasibility : Make the subject more illustrative and comprehensive with its nature. Outline Format When we are taking usual notes, the Outline Format is mostly used. Actually this method is based on organizing information with using a numbering system. It should be started with an initial topic written as no.1. After that the sub topics should be displayed as 1.1,1.2,1.3The descriptions that are under those sub topics can be numbered as a),b),c)When we choose another topic it should be displayed as no.2.The relationship is shown by the order of the numbers.Otherwise the topics can be started at the margin and then the subtopics can be indented. Advantages : It is easy to learn and easy to use. This method can be used to take notes in the classroom. There will not be any information loss as it is well organized. It is very easy to understand as it is more descriptive. Disadvantages : It doesnt include a summery and the important ideas hidden among the details. So this is not a good method to recall before exams. Question and Prompt Format This method is more likely with Split-page method. But the difference being that, in QP method the questions that are based on study objectives will be displayed in the left side. And in the right side there should be the answer for that question. When we make questions we will have to go through all the lesions and to catch main points. This kind of a procedure makes the subject more understandable. Advantages : When we are going through text books or study guides, it is very important to note down the question arouses and their answers in order to use them near exams. The things that are more concern able are highlighted, so it is very important. Disadvantages : There is no summery, Only the important points are highlighted. Therefore whenever we want something in detail we will have to refer back to the text books. There are no any visual aids, so it doesnt make any pleasant feeling when seeing notes. Feasibility : This format has the ability to enhance the main points in a Question prompt way. Discussion and Conclusions Although there were many Note-making methods all of them are based on summarizing, organizing, analyzing and selecting important factors. We meet different modules, when we go through FEST program. With regarding to the feasibility of each Note-making method, we have to select most comparable format to use with subjects. When we are making ordinary notes in the class room, Outline Format is the most suitable one to use. When we are taking lecture notes Split-Page Format becomes most suitable as it consist of details as well as summery. Diagram/Pattern Format and Mind-mapping method can be considered as visual methods. Although Diagram Format method is easy to use and learn than the Mind-Mapping method, there occur problems in expanding data area in Diagram method. Mind-Mapping method is more famous among the present generation as it vast many abilities. As the first thing, it is to choose the most suitable Note-making method for the subject. It helps to remember more information that can be used in a later time. And also it makes much easier to recall the subject. CHAPTER 3 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENT IN NOTE-MAKING METHODS Study Contributions Through this research I was able to discover different Note-Making methods which suits for FEST modules. By then I could acquire the skills to make effective notes. Additionally I was introduced to technical writing criteria. It helped me to recognize the main qualities and behavior of a technical writing system. More overly this report made me aware on the requirements of a dissertation and its main sections. Most of the knowledge has to be caught from web sources. And that thing taught me, how I can contribute soft tools for such a research. Mainly I could accomplish most of the objectives as I was expected. Recommendations for Future Development in Note-making Methods For future development in Note-Making, we can use more abbreviations and short hands for a better time management. We can improve this skill by involving with official shorthand language more time. As a memory aid mnemonics can be added to our notes. With highlighting, annotating and underlining key points, we will be able to notice most important factors. Dating and numbering pages will also be helpful when organizing the lesions. Making notes on our own words helps to comprehend the lesion. There should be a space for critical comments as well as blank spaces. So I think that sort of thing can make a change in Note-making methods in near future. REFERENCES Edinburgh Napier University. Managing Information Home Page, http://www2.napier.ac.uk/gus/managing_information/note_making.html#most, 8 April 2009 Charted Banker. Members and Students Main Web site, http://www.charteredbanker.com/MainWebSite/CIOB338221dd8d0b8d3c.aspx?Map=AD96DDD5134AA008B0C89AD82547D3C6 University of Sussex, Study Direct, http://www.sussex.ac.uk/s3/?id=16, 2010

Phonics vs. Whole Language Essay -- Philosophy of Language

Phonics vs. Whole Language What is the best method for teaching children to read? This is probably not something that a lot of people think about on a regular basis. However, I think it is very important to discuss the ways in which children learn to read. Reading has become a very important element in our society. With the rapid advancement of America, having good reading skills is essential to getting ahead in jobs and even in making dinner. Children are the future doctors, lawyers, and presidents of our country and I, as a future teacher, wouldn’t want to send children out into the world with poor reading skills. I also think it is important to discuss reading methods because I see, after doing an interview with a veteran teacher, that a lot of new and future teachers aren’t as knowledgeable about different methods of teaching reading as we probably should be. I think that before beginning to discuss reading methods, we should first discuss what reading is. According to the International Reading Association, â€Å"Reading is complex system of deriving meaning from print that requires all of the following: †¢ The development and maintenance of a motivation to read. The development of appropriate active strategies to construct meaning from print. †¢ Sufficient background information and vocabulary to foster reading comprehension. †¢ The ability to read fluently. †¢ The ability to decode unfamiliar words. †¢ The skills and knowledge to understand how phonemes or speech sounds are connected to print.† The article also states that a skilled beginning reading teacher is a professional who knows what this definition means, can assess c... ...Karin L. and Patricia L. Scharer. â€Å"Phonics Teaching and Learning in Whole Language Classrooms: New Evidence From Research.† Reading Teacher 53. 7 (April 2000). Academic Search Premier. EBSCOhost. Camden Carroll Library. Morehead State University. 28 Oct 2003. Hammons, Karen. Personal Interview. 2 Dec 2003. Lawrence, Brenda. Personal Interview. 7 Nov 2003. Manzo, Kathleen Kennedy. â€Å"Whole Language Lives.† Teacher Magazine 10. 8(May June 1999): 11 – 13. Academic Search Premier. EBSCOhost. Camden Carroll Library. Morehead State University. 28 Oct 2003. Pressley, Michael, et al. Learning to Read: Lessons From Exemplary First – Grade Classrooms. New York: Guilford Press, 2001. â€Å"Using Multiple Methods of Beginning Reading Instruction a Position Statement of the International Reading Association.† International Reading Association. Jan 1999.

Ivy Rowes Ideas of the Past in Fair and Tender Ladies Essay -- Englis

Ivy Rowe's Ideas of the Past in Fair and Tender Ladies In Lee Smith's Fair and Tender Ladies, Ivy Rowe has a constant attachment to her past. This attachment is one of the main themes in the novel. It is one of her main reasons for letter writing and why she does some of the things that she does, because she does not want to lose her grip on her past. Ivy Rowe, in Lee Smith's Fair and Tender Ladies, uses letter writing to keep a hold of her grip on the past and where she came from. In Letters from Sugar Fork, Ivy writes for a number of reasons. She wants to see how and what other people are doing, wanting to improve her writing skills, asking for help from her grandfather at one point, in addition to just having some way to release all her thoughts and emotions. These letters, being a window into her mind, show us the progression of her as she grows. There is one letter in particular, which shows how important this correspondence is to her. "I hate you, you do not write back nor be my Pen Friend I think you are the Ice Queen instead. I do not have a Pen Friend or any friend in the world, I have only Silvaney who laghs and laghs and Beulah who is mad now all the time and Ethel who calls a spade a spadeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦I will not send this letter as I remain your hateful, Ivy Rowe."(Smith, 17) This letter shows just how important letter writing is to Ivy. As she is not able to receive correspondence from Hanneke she cannot fully express herself and has a hard time with her anger, as is evidence by the excerpt from her letter. Ivy also writes to Mrs. Brown about her experiences in Sugar Fork. She talks about how she shot a gun and is able to paint a vivid picture of the winter season. "Ice just shining on each and e... ...her last letter defines her life when she says "Slow down now, slow down now Ivy. This is the taste of spring. I never have slowed down." This shows her need to continue and persevere through all she has been through. Ivy as a character goes through a lot in her life and by writing these letters and expelling all her feelings and emotions onto the paper she was able to find a sort of peace with her existence. Bibliography: Henderson, Lara Beth A True Storyteller: Appalachia's own Lee Smith October 1, 2000, http://www.etsu.edu/haleyd/engl3134/ejournal/henderson.html Robbins, Dorothy Dodge "Personal and Cultural Transformation: Letter Writing in Lee Smith's 'Fair and Tender Ladies'" Critique: Studies in Contemporary Fiction (Winter 1997, Volume 38 n.2): p. 135 Hill, Dorothy Combs "An Interview with Lee Smith" The Southern Quarterly 28.2(1990):5-19

Storm Born Chapter Twenty-Two

I didn't give Lara all the details the next day, only that I'd just broken up with a guy. â€Å"Ice cream,† she advised me through the phone. â€Å"Lots of ice cream. And tequila. That's the key.† â€Å"I can't do a lot of drinking right now.† â€Å"Hmm. Well, maybe get one of those liqueur-flavored ice creams. Like with Kahla or Irish cream.† â€Å"Any other hot tips?† â€Å"Chick flicks.† â€Å"Good God. I'm disconnecting right now.† â€Å"Well, then, try this.† She sounded huffy. â€Å"I just got a call from a guy who thinks there's a troll in his basement. Seems like beating one of those up would be therapeutic.† â€Å"Lara's full of shit,† Tim told me later when I recounted the phone call. â€Å"Why do women turn to ice cream? It makes them fat, then they hate themselves and start going on and on about how they'll never find anybody, blah, blah. It's stupid. Now, if you've got some peyote squirreled away, that'd be a different matter†¦.† â€Å"No,† I said. â€Å"No peyote. Not after what happened last time.† He made a face. â€Å"All right, then. My best advice? Don't call him. He's probably going through all sorts of regret and guilt. You call him, he'll feel smothered and put up his defenses. Let him stew for a while, and he'll call you.† â€Å"I don't want him to call.† â€Å"Sure, Eug.† I ended up taking down the troll later that day, but it didn't really do much for me. Neither did the Kiss puzzle I put together that night. With my doldrums growing, I was only too happy when my next lesson with Dorian came the following day. Considering his fascination with human things and novelty in general, I thought he'd like eating out somewhere. I didn't know why I bothered; we probably should have gone straight to the lesson. Maybe I felt guilty about the sex thing. Maybe I was lonely. After a quick drive, I arrived at the Catalina Lodge, a prissy hotel about a mile or so from Catalina State Park. I parked in a remote spot, hopefully away from watchful eyes, and sat down on the ground with crossed legs. The ring sat beside me on the asphalt. Slipping on my sunglasses, I leaned against the car and waited. My timing couldn't have been more perfect. A few minutes later, I felt the pressure and tingling, and then Dorian materialized beside me. He'd left the robes and cloaks at home, wearing dark pants and a blousy, sage-colored shirt that looked only moderately out of place. He squinted up at the bright sunlight and then noticed me on the ground. â€Å"Isn't it ever cloudy in this infernal place?† I straightened up, and he offered a hand to help me rise. â€Å"I could arrange that if you wanted.† â€Å"And risk you wiping out half of your fair city? No thank you.† â€Å"Figured you'd appreciate that. It'll make your world domination easier. One less place to conquer.† â€Å"No. I need this place intact. I plan on keeping prisoners and exiled enemies here. Where exactly are we today?† â€Å"Mere steps away from the best food of your life, if rumors are true.† He flashed me one of his trademark grins. â€Å"Pleasure before business? My, my, you never fail to astound me.† â€Å"Hell, wait'll you hear me identify every water source in the restaurant.† That, at least, had been a good thing to come from Beltane. I could now feel cactuses, wells, and any other water source within a certain distance. I could even sense people now since the human body was supposed to be, what, 65 percent water? That meant no one could sneak up on me. Inside and seated, Dorian found watching his surroundings far more fascinating than anything on the menu. â€Å"Pick something for me,† he said distractedly, watching a family leave with four small children in tow. He cocked his head curiously. â€Å"By the gods, do all those little ones belong to them?† I glanced up. â€Å"Likely.† â€Å"And their mother looks pregnant again. Incredible. Back home, those people would be worshipped as fertility deities. A family with two children is remarkable enough.† The waitress returned. I ordered spinach-stuffed ravioli for me and some sort of spicy chicken for him. â€Å"A lot of middle-and upper-class families actually go out of their way to only have two kids. And a lot of them don't even start until they're older than me.† â€Å"Baffling.† He propped his elbow on the table, resting his chin in his hand. â€Å"A woman your age could have had that many children by now.† â€Å"Hey, I'm like twenty-six. I'm not that old. I don't even look my age.† â€Å"That's your father's blood. And I wasn't insulting your age – merely making an observation.† He sighed. â€Å"I'd give up half my kingdom for just one child.† I smiled slyly. â€Å"And the chance to be the father of Storm King's grandson?† â€Å"I'd be just as happy to father his granddaughter too. I'd be happy to father anyone's child.† â€Å"Then why don't you find some nice girl and do it?† â€Å"Believe me, it hasn't been for lack of trying.† His face held a rare seriousness, but the expression vanished as quickly as it came. â€Å"Ah, now there's a fetching young woman.† Following his gaze across the restaurant, I saw a tall blond woman exit the restroom. She was stuffed into a tiny spandex dress, her chest practically spilling out. I didn't have the heart to tell Dorian there was probably a lot of silicone in there. His eyes lingered on her, then his charm-alarm must have gone off for fear of neglecting me. He turned back around. â€Å"Not that you don't look lovely today too.† â€Å"You don't have to pacify me.† I laughed. â€Å"You're welcome to ogle other women.† Our late-afternoon meal proceeded nicely, and everything about it continued to enchant Dorian. The credit card I used to pay with at the end especially captivated him. â€Å"It has information about me stored in it,† I tried to explain. â€Å"That information lets the restaurant get money from me.† He picked up the returned card gingerly, turning it over and over in his fingers. â€Å"Intriguing. I imagine this has to do something with electricity? The blood of your culture?† His wry tone made me smile. â€Å"Something like that.† It wasn't until we were on the mile and a half walk to Catalina State Park that things got a little tense. â€Å"Heard from the kitsune lately?† â€Å"He has a name,† I snapped. â€Å"Heard from Kiyo lately?† â€Å"No.† â€Å"Really? He hasn't tried to contact you and beg for forgiveness?† â€Å"No,† I repeated between gritted teeth. Something about the way he said it made it sound like I'd been dealt a great insult. â€Å"Odd. I think that's what I'd do if I'd offended my ladylove. Of course, I suppose when a man spends half his existence as an animal, you can't really expect him not to act like one.† I halted and turned on Dorian. â€Å"Stop it. Just stop it, okay? Stop trying to poison me against him.† â€Å"You don't need me to do what he's already done.† â€Å"Damn it, Dorian. I'm serious.† We started walking again, but it was me who brought up the subject again after several minutes of silence. â€Å"You knew. You knew Maiwenn was pregnant and didn't tell me.† â€Å"It wasn't my secret to tell. Besides, I got in trouble the last time I spoke badly of her. You accused me of trying to turn you against her.† â€Å"I'm not sure this is really the same thing. We're talking about Kiyo now. Last time it was about Maiwenn wanting to kill me.† â€Å"And you don't think they're the same thing?† I stopped walking. â€Å"What do you mean?† â€Å"Kiyo is her friend, formerly her lover, and now the father of her child. He stands firmly with her against Storm King's invasion. Yet, where would he stand if it came to a choice between you or her? What if Maiwenn decided you were too great a threat? What would he do? What would he do if you accidentally got pregnant?† A chill ran through me at his words. I abruptly turned away and barely recognized my own voice when I spoke. â€Å"I don't want to talk about this anymore.† He held up his hands in a pacifying gesture, face calm and affable. â€Å"I honestly intended no harm. Pick another topic. We'll discuss anything you like.† But I didn't really feel like talking anymore, so the rest of the walk proceeded in silence. When we finally entered the park, the sun was well into its descent. We still had plenty of light and set out to pick a good place to work. We ended up following one of the less traveled trails and then deviated from it into a semi-treed area. We had nothing even close to dense forest coverage, but rock outcroppings, some scraggly pines, and distance from the path promised relative privacy. The routine proved to be the same. Dorian had me sit on the ground, leaning against a rock. He had another stash of those silk cords and again wrapped them around me. The rock didn't make a suitable attachment, so he simply let my hands rest in my lap and bound them together at the wrist. Naturally, he did his usual artistic weave on them, intricately wrapping red and blue cords together. When he moved on to wrapping the cords around my chest and arms, his eyes flicked to mine and then back to his handiwork. â€Å"You aren't really going to stay mad at me for the rest of the day, are you?† â€Å"I'm not mad.† He laughed. â€Å"Of course you are. You're also a terrible liar. Lean forward, please.† I did, letting him tie the knots behind me. â€Å"I just don't like you playing games, that's all. I don't trust them.† â€Å"And pray, what games am I playing?† â€Å"I don't even know half the time. Gentry games, I guess. You speak the truth, but it always has an ulterior motive behind it.† He leaned me gently back against the rock and crouched on his knees to look me in the face. â€Å"Ah, but I do speak the truth.† â€Å"I just can't tell what you want sometimes, Dorian. What your plans are. You're hard to read.† That delighted smile of his spread over his face. â€Å"I'm hard to read? This from the woman who alternately hates and fucks Otherworldly denizens? The same woman who claims not to trust me even while I tie her up, putting her completely at my mercy?† I wiggled in my bonds. â€Å"Well, I trust you with this.† â€Å"Are you sure?† He pressed a hard kiss against my lips. It startled me, but I couldn't do anything about it. This man, this gentry – the one who could be either helping me or using me – had me trapped. I couldn't do anything except let him keep kissing me. The realization triggered a response in me that was quite startling, considering my issues with control and helplessness. It made me feel vulnerable†¦and excited. I turned my head away as much as I could, attempting to break off the kiss. â€Å"Stop that.† He leaned back on his heels. â€Å"Just making a point.† â€Å"No, you weren't. You were just trying to kiss me.† â€Å"Well, yes, you've got me there. But the fact remains: Tied up or free, you can trust me. I do nothing that I don't firmly believe is in the interest of your well-being. The same holds true for casual comments about your love life. Now then.† He stood up. â€Å"Shall we commence this lesson?† â€Å"No blindfold?† I asked, still a little shaken. â€Å"Not needed. You know where the water is. Or you will in just a moment.† He produced the canteen I'd brought along and took off its lid. Searching the area, he found a large boulder, reaching almost to his shoulders. He set the open canteen on top of it and then selected a spot for himself near some scrubby bushes where he had a clear vantage of me and the canteen. â€Å"You feel the water?† â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"Make sure of it. If you accidentally reach one of the trees and end up calling its water, you'll kill the poor thing.† I extended my senses, considering what he said. After a few moments, I felt certain I had the water sources all differentiated. â€Å"No, I've got it.† â€Å"All right, then. Call it to you.† â€Å"Am I supposed to make the canteen rise or something?† â€Å"No. You have no connection to it. But you do connect with the water. You feel it. You touch it with your mind. Now coax it to come to you, to come out of its container. You've already done it with storm systems. The trick now is doing it on a small, specific level. Forget about your body – it's useless to you now. This is all in your mind.† â€Å"That's all the instruction I get, coach?† â€Å"Afraid so.† He stretched out, rolling onto his side to get comfortable. For someone who took such care with his clothes, he seemed nonchalant about getting them dirty. I supposed laundry was a small concern when you had a full staff to take care of it. Sighing, I turned back to the canteen. What I attempted seemed ludicrous – but, then, so had feeling the water in the first place. So, I followed what he said as best I could. My grip on the water was so tight, I might as well have held it in my hand already. But no matter how hard my concentration focused, I couldn't make the water move. It reminded me of the wind. I could feel it but not control it. Well, actually, if my training progressed, I might actually be able to control it some day. But the analogy stood, nonetheless. Time dragged. Extensively. I tried and tried to order the water around, but it refused to obey. More time passed. It crawled. I finally decided it was a good thing the cords covered my watch because I'd be pissed off if I discovered how much time had elapsed. Hours had slipped by; I felt certain of it. The light had grown dimmer and dimmer. Looking over at Dorian, I swore he was asleep. â€Å"Hey,† I said. No response. â€Å"Hey!† He opened one eye. â€Å"I'm not getting anywhere with this. We should call it a night.† He sat up. â€Å"Giving up already?† â€Å"Already? It's been like two hours. Probably three.† â€Å"Miracles don't happen overnight. These things take time.† â€Å"How much time? I'm starting to wonder if you made this magic rule just to procrastinate on getting Jasmine.† â€Å"Well. You can believe that if it makes it easier for you. The truth – if you trust me enough to hear it – is that this is for your own protection. In a perfect world, we would go in and extract the girl quietly. In the real world, we will likely fight Aeson's guards and Aeson himself. I would prefer we both walk out of this alive. You didn't fare so well last time.† â€Å"This is going to take forever. This training.† I knew I was being whiny and petulant, but my back hurt, and mosquitoes had come out. At least in identifying the water source, I'd been able to take guesses. Here I could do nothing more than just wait and stare. If nothing happened, nothing happened. â€Å"I'm sorry,† I told him. â€Å"I'm just tired, that's all. Didn't mean to bitch you out.† He seemed untroubled by my reaction, just like always. Indeed, I could see his face regarding me kindly in the twilight. â€Å"No problem at all. Let's go, then.† He walked over to the canteen and recapped it. Closing my eyes, I leaned my head back against the rock to wait for him to release me. As I did, I felt something cool and wet, like mist, spread out behind my back and neck. To my new water senses, it didn't feel†¦right. Moments later, before I could ponder the difference, the mist coalesced into slimy skin. â€Å"Dori – â€Å" My scream was cut off by cold, clawed hands. One covered my mouth, and the other gripped my throat. Dorian had spun around before my cry, making me think he'd sensed something before I had. He leaped toward me, but four wet, human forms materialized in the air before him, blocking his way. Nixies. Water spirits. Two were male; two were female. Legends whispered they could shape-shift into more beautiful forms, but here they appeared drab. Clammy skin, mottled and gray. Clothes sodden and dripping. Seaweedlike hair hanging down. The one holding me pushed me down flat to the ground, all the better to cut off my oxygen that much faster. Water dripped onto me from her hair, and her eyes gleamed a sickly green in the waning light. She hissed with pleasure and pressed harder while I frantically assessed my options. I finished the assessment pretty quickly because I had no options. I was fully armed but unable to reach anything because of Dorian's fucking bondage fetish. Covering my mouth stopped me from summoning a minion. The world flickered with starbursts as my air disappeared. My lungs and throat heaved, trying desperately to latch onto something. Her claws dug into the tender flesh of my neck, and I half-wondered if she'd rip it out rather than wait for suffocation. My only hope was Dorian, but he wouldn't get to me anytime soon, not with his own army of – Every stone and pebble in the area suddenly lifted off the ground. Shortly thereafter, the really large stones and boulders followed suit. Those big ones exploded, fracturing into thousands of tiny shards. All those little pieces of rock rose higher, joining each other, slowing rotating in a clockwise manner. My captor's grip had lessened slightly, probably from surprise. It didn't return my air, but I twisted my head enough to see Dorian standing with his arms raised up like some sort of symphony conductor. Above him, that cyclone of sharp rocks spun faster and faster, a blur to the eye. Then, as though giving the song's grand finale, he brought his arms down sharply. And down came the rocks. A portion of that maelstrom swooped and soared, the primitive predecessors of bullets. At first their movements seemed chaotic, and I feared falling into their path. But it turned out every rock had its own plan, its own target. Those sharp pieces honed down on the nixie holding me, piercing and slicing with a fierce precision. She opened her mouth in a silent scream as blood splashed onto me, and her torn body collapsed in a bloody, wet pile. I twisted out from under her, taking in big gulping breaths of air. Beyond her, Dorian gave another downward motion, urging his orchestra to its next climactic moment. The rocks swooped into another nixie, cutting it to pieces. Then another†¦and another†¦until the nixies were nothing but ribbons of blood and gore. Their task complete, the rocks gently fell to the earth, as soft and placid as drops of rain. The entire counterattack had taken less than a minute. Immediately, Dorian knelt by my side, helping me sit up as I gasped my way back to life. â€Å"Easy, easy,† he warned. Blood covered both of us. â€Å"Small breaths.† â€Å"Untie me! Get me out of this!† He pulled the silver athame from my belt. In moments, he sliced open the cords, freeing my arms and hands. I jerked away, my adrenaline still surging. He reached for me, but I flailed against him. â€Å"Damn you! You almost got me killed!† I yelled, hearing the hysteria in my voice. â€Å"You almost got me killed!† He grabbed my upper arms with a solid strength, pulling me to him and forcing me to stillness. â€Å"Eugenie, calm down. Eugenie!† He shook me – hard – where I still struggled, and I halted abruptly, quelled by the harsh sound of his voice and ferocity of his grasp. I could no longer find the silly, languid gentry king. There was a stranger holding me, his face hard and commanding. â€Å"Do you think I'd let anything happen to you?† he demanded, almost shouting. â€Å"Do you think I'd let anything harm you?† I swallowed, still in pain from the nixie's claws on my throat, and found my body shaking. His grip was so tight, I might as well have been tied up again. He scared me, having turned into someone else. Someone powerful and awe-inspiring. Looking into his eyes and seeing the sweat on his face, I realized fear had touched more than just me. He was scared too, not for himself, but for what had almost happened to me. Something inside me eased up, and I nearly slumped into him. â€Å"I can't believe what you did,† I whispered. I killed all the time without much thought or effort, but this†¦this had been something else entirely. And he wasn't even at full strength in this world. â€Å"You slaughtered them.† â€Å"I did what I had to do.† The heat in his voice had faded, replaced with a deadly calm. â€Å"And you'll be able to do the same someday.† One of his hands released me and moved to my head, smoothing my hair back. He pressed our bodies together and rested his cheek against mine so his soft words could spill into my ear. â€Å"You will surpass me, Eugenie. Your power will be so great, none will stand against you. Armies and kingdoms will fall, and they will bow down before you.† I found myself trembling again, feeling the same fear and excitement that had filled me during our last kiss. Only this time, I didn't know if my feelings came from his body's proximity†¦or the promise of power he offered.