Essay about The Relationship Between Hamlet and Ophelia

The Relationship between Hamlet and Ophelia Table of Contents 1. Introduction iii 2. Body iii 2.1 â€Å"I did love you once† iii 2.2 â€Å"I loved you not† iv 2.3 â€Å"This is I, Hamlet the Dane† v 3. Conclusion vi Bibliography vii Versicherung viii 1. Introduction Shakespeare’s Hamlet is by all means a troubled young man. He seeks revenge for the murder of his father and has to deal with the incestuous relationship between his mother and uncle. In order to hide his motives, he pretends to be mad. Is it under such circumstances possible for him to return Ophelia’s feelings for him? And in what way does Hamlet’s struggle with himself affect Ophelia? This paper deals with the relationship between the characters of Hamlet and†¦show more content†¦When Polonius and Claudius decide to test Hamlet’s madness through Ophelia, he confesses he once loved her; only to immediately contradict himself claiming her never loved her. Fuelled by his detestation of sinful mankind and his low opinion of women in general as a result of his mother’s incest, he furthermore repeatedly orders Ophelia to â€Å"Go [her] ways to a nunnery†. More crudeness on Hamlet’s behalf is shown during the play-in-play, when he tortures Ophelia with a series of rude sexual comments. So, Hamlet hurts Ophelia as much as he confesses his love, how can he do that if he truly loves her? All those encounters with Ophelia happen under unfortunate conditions. Claudius’s test takes place right after Hamlet delivers his ‘To be or not to be’ soliloquy, voicing suicidal thoughts. Additionally, he cannot be honest with Ophelia as he must know of her obedience to her father Polonius and has to maintain his madness-cover. With regard to this, one could argue that Ophelia joining a nunnery would keep her safe and away from the court, as Hamlet does not and cannot know how his plans for revenge will play out. His hostile attitude towards her can thus be seen as an attempt to alienate her, again, to have her out of the way for his more imminent goal of avenging the murder of his father. 2.3 â€Å"This is I, Hamlet the Dane† – Why Hamlet is responsible for Ophelia’s death If it was Hamlet’s goal to alienate Ophelia in order to keep her safe, he absolutely fails in thatShow MoreRelatedThe Relationship Between Ophelia and Hamlet: William Shakespeare970 Words   |  4 PagesThe play Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, looks at the issue of madness and how it effects the characters of the play. Madness can be looked at from very different perspectives, such as strong and uncontrollable emotions, a person’s desires, and also a persons mental stability. Throughout the play, the audience is questioning the sanity of the main character, Hamlet, as he goes on his quest for revenge. The people around him also show signs of madness, such as Ophelia and Claudius, but in differentRead MoreHamlets Love for Ophelia1231 Words   |  5 Pagestragic play  Hamlet, written by William Shakespeare, one of the most common themes found throughout the story’s plot is the theme of love. Shakespeare interlaces many layers of thematic love through the compl ex relationships of  Hamlet; primarily between Hamlet and Ophelia. From Act one until the final scene of the play, Hamlet struggles with the decision to kill Claudius while he concurrently tries to comprehend the chaos surrounding him. As the story unfolds and the tensions build between Hamlet and hisRead MoreHamlet And Ophelia Relationship Analysis988 Words   |  4 PagesIn William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, the relationship between Hamlet and Ophelia has always been open for interpretation because Shakespeare was never clear on what their exact relationship was. However, throughout the play there are multiple interactions between Hamlet and Ophelia that suggest that they were more than just friends. Hamlet and Ophelia’s interactions and behavior around each other prove that they are in love and their complicated relationship expresses many themes carried throughout theRead MoreShakespeare s Hamlet - Hamlet And Ophelia958 Words   |  4 PagesHamlet and Ophelia The play, Hamlet, by William Shakespeare is the perfect example of how love can not always conquer all. Hamlet may be regarded as one of Shakespeare s greatest plays. This play follows the story of a young prince named Hamlet who lost his father and had his family torn apart by the hands of his Uncle, Claudius who is now king and step father to Hamlet. Subsequently, Hamlet was also having relational problems with his love, Ophelia. The relationship between Hamlet and OpheliaRead MoreHamlet s Elastic Heart : Comparing Hamlet And Ophelia953 Words   |  4 PagesHeart The everchanging relationship between Hamlet and Ophelia in the play Hamlet by Shakespeare has captivated audiences for over 400 years; making it one of the most iconic relationships in literary history. Hamlet and Ophelia’s relationship has been scrutinized since the play s conception in the late 1500s. Thousands of literary critics have made their opinions known about the relationship between Hamlet and Ophelia without any definite consensus. Both Hamlet and Ophelia had feelings for eachotherRead MoreHamlet s Elastic Heart : William Shakespeare s Hamlet967 Words   |  4 PagesThe ever changing relationship between Hamlet and Ophelia in the play Hamlet by Shakespeare has captivated audiences for over 400 years; making it one of the most iconic relationships in literary history. Hamlet and Ophelia’s relationship has been scrutinized since the play s conception in the late 1500s. Thousands of literary critics have made their opinions known about the relationship betwee n Hamlet and Ophelia without any definite consensus. While Hamlet’s love for Ophelia stays strong throughRead MoreHamlet ´s Treatment of Ophelia and Gertrude Essay1680 Words   |  7 PagesHamlets relationship with Gertrude and Ophelia is quick to fall apart after he learns key information about his parentage. Both Gertrude and Ophelia provide him with love but are absent at a time when he needs it most; during the reign of his madness. Hamlets madness is partly evident due to his poor relationship with Gertrude and Ophelia, since they falsely love him then reject him by moving on with their lives. Both females have heavily contributed to the misogyny Hamlet develops. Ophelia and GertrudeRead MoreHamlet Film Adaption Vs. Play Comparison1216 Words   |  5 PagesHamlet Film Adaption vs. Play Comparison Shakespeare’s Hamlet has countlessly been formatted into film depictions of the play. Each film seemed to be on one end of the spectrum of either being closely interpreted or completely remodeled a different idea of what Hamlet is. The film version of Hamlet released in 2000 seems to follow closely to the play in some aspects, yet at the same time having its own unique identity Despite there being many differences with the play Hamlet and the film adaptationRead MoreDialogue Between Ophelia And Hamlet742 Words   |  3 PagesIn the play, Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, Ophelia and Hamlet exchange many comments about their relationship while Hamlet wages a form of war on the King. It is widely up to interpretation if the comments exchanged signal a friendship or if they allude to something more. In William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Ophelia and Hamlet maintain a serious relationship, yet lack a sense of affection, which describes a very important lesson in respecting others . Dialogue between Hamlet and Ophelia clearly showRead MoreEssay about Ophelia: Harshly Criticized1027 Words   |  5 PagesHamlet, a tragedy written by William Shakespeare in the 16th century, has been subject to evaluation for centuries. Each character has been broken down and analyzed. The psychology of each character has been examined. Every relationship has been studied to find more answer surrounding the play. Harold Bloom and Sigmund Freud have examined it extensively. Scholars have dissected all parts of the play. One character that has recently been analyzed more and more is Ophelia. She has been defended by

Walt Disney s Theme Park - 1440 Words

July 17, 1955, marked the grand opening of Walt Disney’s first major theme park opening. Since 1955, Walt Disney’s idea of a theme park has adapted to more than just a carnival. Currently there are six Disney theme parks worldwide. The United States holds two theme parks, Disneyland Park in California and Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. China also holds two theme parks, Hong Kong Disneyland, and Disneyland Shanghai. While, Japan and Paris only hold one theme park, Tokyo Disneyland and Disneyland Paris. Each new Disney park strives to be unique, create fun attractions and serve cuisine that appeal to the citizens of its location but remain consistently classic. Disneyland Anaheim is divided into eight themed lands; Main Street†¦show more content†¦Regular tickets are one hundred and seven dollars. Value ticket prices are ninety-nine dollars and peak ticket prices are one hundred and nineteen dollars. Surprisingly, regular ticket prices at Disney World are cheaper than Disneyland ticket prices by three dollars. Disneyland Hong Kong has seven themed lands. Similarly to Disneyland Anaheim, Adventureland, Tomorrowland, Fantasyland and Main Street USA are all feature themed lands at Disneyland Hong Kong. In contrast Grizzly Gulch, Mystic point and Toy Story Land are newly created lands. Dumbo the Flying Elephant and Sleeping Beauty’s castle are classic attractions. However, Slinky Dog Spin and RC Racer are new attractions that still remain consistent with the theme of other Walt Disney parks. Significantly lower than both Disneyland Anaheim and Disney World, Disneyland Hong Kong has twenty-four restaurants. Another notable difference is the style of cuisine which is primarily Chinese or Asian. Also, ticket pricing varies by age. General admission tickets for ages twelve to sixty-four are five hundred and eighty-nine Hong Kong dollars. General admission tickets for children ages three to eleven tickets are four hundred and nineteen Hong Kong dollars. While ticket prices for senior’s ages sixty-five and over are one hundred Hong Kong dollars. It might be worthy to note that senior ticket pricesShow MoreRelatedWalt Disney Company : The World s Greatest Theme Parks1244 Words   |  5 PagesThe Walt Disney Company was founded by Walter Elias Disney in 1923. Its headquarters is located in Burbank, CA. Walt Disney is one of the best-known companies in entertainment. Most people like to believe that Disney is a company that just has some of the world’s greatest theme parks as well as cartoon and family related films with lovable characters for the whole family to enjoy. However in the last several years they have been changing some of their ways to accommodate diffe rent forms of entertainmentRead MoreWalt Disney : The World s First Theme Park1044 Words   |  5 PagesWalt Disney became an icon in the United Sates through his accomplishments and innovations. He is known for his variety of movies, theme parks, and institutions. Disney was the first to invent a carton in full color. Also, he opened the world’s first theme park. Disney was a very talented person and made many accomplishments. Disney grew up on his uncle’s farm in Missouri with his mother, father, and four siblings. Being the son of a stern religious fundamentalist, his childhood was far from easyRead MoreWalt Disney World s Theme Parks Have Changed Their Pricing Strategy1567 Words   |  7 Pages Walt Disney World’s theme parks have recently changed their pricing strategy to demand-based pricing (Barnes, 2016). Demand-based pricing is when consumer demand or perceived value is used to set the price of the service or good (Boundless, 2017). Demand-based pricing is well-known for being used in the hotel and airline industry. It was not until early 2016 when Disney decided to make the switch to this as well (Sampson, 2016). Ticket prices now cost up to 20% more during holidays and weekendsRead MoreDisney Theme Park1135 Words   |  5 PagesQ-1) What do you think motivated Disney to set up parks abroad, and what might be the pros and cons from the standpoint of the Walt Disney Company? Ans: The Walt Disney Company also known simply as Disney is the largest media and entertainment conglomerate in the world. Founded on October 16, 1923 by brothers Walt Disney and Roy Disney as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, the company was reincorporated as Walt Disney Productions in 1929.An early and well-known cartoon creation of the companyRead MoreWalt Disney : The Man Behind The Mouse1011 Words   |  5 Pages 29 May 2016 Walt Disney â€Å"The man behind the mouse† The influential person that I have chosen to write about is Walt Disney. Walt Disney is the most influential person that has ever existed. Walt Disney is important because of the way he impacted the world. Some of the reason Walt Disney is influential is because of his perseverance and his ability to dream big. Walt Disney’s legacy will live on for ever. Doing the impossible is one of the things that makes Walt so influential. ThroughoutRead MoreWalt Disney s Corporate Strategy988 Words   |  4 PagesWhat is the Walt Disney Company s corporate strategy? (20 pts) †¢ â€Å"The Happiest Place on Earth†! Walt Disney’s corporate strategy focuses a lot on the family. They want to achieve family focuses content with the uses of technology to create an experience that will be the most memorable. Another key point of their strategy is to widen their reach of families on a more international scale. Being better than the competition has placed Walt Disney in the forefront. Media networks, theme parks, studio entertainmentRead MoreGeneral Definitions. Before Going Into The Background Of1504 Words   |  7 PagesDefinitions Before going into the background of the Walt Disney Company and its theme parks, it is necessary to define some terms that are used throughout the paper. These terms are defined as the researcher understands them as a former cast member of the Walt Disney Company. The first term that needs to be defined is â€Å"guest†. Instead of calling people who visit their theme parks customers, the Walt Disney Company refers to visitors of their theme parks as guests. This is to keep up with the show andRead MoreWalt Disney : The Influential Person That Has Ever Existed738 Words   |  3 Pages Period:7 Walt Disney The influential person that I have chosen to write about is Walt Disney. Walt Disney is the most influential person that has ever existed. Walt Disney is influential because of the way he impacted the world. Some of the reason Walt Disney is influential is because of his perseverance and his ability to dream big. Walt Disney’s legacy will live on for ever. Doing the impossible Doing the impossible is one of the things that makes Walt so influential. ThroughoutRead MoreCasey Blackwell. Spc 1608. Professor Workman. 7 February1234 Words   |  5 PagesWorkman 7 February 2017 Walt Disney Introduction I. Open With Impact A. A creative person famously stated â€Å"It all started with a mouse.† You may be thinking that you know who this mouse is, but not too fast. Yes, it is Mickey Mouse, but who was the brilliant man that created this happy little creature? II. Thesis Statement A. Walt Disney has made a significant impact to the entertainment industry with his cartoons, movies, and theme parks. III. Connect With Audience A. Walt Disney created an empire thatRead MoreDisneyland Paris ( Formerly Euro Disney )1291 Words   |  6 PagesEuro Disney) While Tokyo Disneyland is considered a great success, the Walt Disney Company’s next international theme park venture, Euro Disney, is quite the opposite. In the 1980’s with the great success of Tokyo Disneyland, TWDC entertained the idea of building another international theme park. The Walt Disney Company knew they wanted to build a park in Europe but needed to find a place where they could build their own reality free from the sights and sounds of the real world. The Walt Disney Company

Organizational Development for Consumer Demand - myassignmenthelp

Questions: 1.What is the role and importance of organization business development? 2.Discuss the dimensions of organizational culture based on: dimensions of Organizational Culture Profile (OCP). 3.How could you minimize resistance from middle management in implementing this change? Answers: 1. Organizational development is the utilization of organizational resources to improve efficiency and increase productivity. As much as organizational development requires a significant amount of resources and time, its role and importance are justifiable. As per Chaskin, (2009) Organizational development helps to identify areas where change is needed in an organization. Each need is analyzed and potential change is identified in a change management plan. Organizational development serves as a tool for organizational growth. This is where an organization is able to analyze sales projections and consumer demand and act accordingly to stimulate companys growth. Product innovation is a benefit of organizational development. Organizational development assists in the analysis of different production element and comes up with new ways which will be efficient and effective. Organizational help in developing a communication avenue with employees about the desired changes. This is because the need for employee development is necessary since there is a constant change in the market and industry. This coerces and organization to ensure that the employee skills are in tandem with the changing environment. An organization which is involved in organizational development, takes into concern work process of efficiency and accuracy. Evaluations are able to identify duplicate processes or process which needs to enhanced to improve the quantity and quality of product. 2. As much as an organizational culture cannot be immediately observed, a set of values can be used to identify a culture of an organization. In this regard, researchers have come up with different culture typologies. One of the typologies that have caught much attention is Organizational Culture Profile (OCP) where culture is depicted in a set of values (O'Reilly, Chatman Caldwell, 1991). As per the OCP framework, companies that have innovative culture are flexible and are adaptable to any changes that occur. Such companies are identified by a flat hierarchy titles. Companies with aggressive cultures value most the competition and are keen on being outperformed by competitors. In this regard, such companies fail to adhere to activities that depict corporate social responsibility. Outcome- oriented culture as per the OCP framework are those that value achievement, action and results. A good example can be a technology or electronic company whose achievement leads to better revenue. Stable cultures are predictable, ruled and bureaucratic. People-oriented culture are those that are supportive, fair and respect to individual rights. Companies with team-oriented cultures are collaborative and encourage cooperation among employees. An organization which is characterized with detailed oriented cultures as per the OCP framework, pay attention to precision and details in the work process. The organization should have safety culture as it impacts on the financial safety and also the health safety of the employees. Through policies and programs, both health and financial safety is guaranteed in an organization (McKinnon, 2013). Service culture in an organization exists when employees are motivated to take customer-centric approach. This is where customer needs are put first before any other needs. What are the most important things to do to get my managers and supervisors supporting change management? Managers and supervisors are the most important people when it comes to change initiative in an organization. It should be noted that in times of change, even those who lead can become a stumbling block and can resist the change that is brought to an organization (McCalman, Paton and Siebert, 2015). Getting managers and supervisors to support change initiative through stipulating their five roles in change management. One of the roles is communicating about the change. Employees would want to hear about how they are going to be affected by the change. An employees supervisor and manager are key conduit to pass such information. Managers and supervisors should be the advocates for change, they should be onboard for change even before their employees. Managers and supervisors should be the coach for employees. There are mandated to assist the employees as coaches in every step of the change. Managers and supervisors are responsible for communicating with the project team and the employees to provide sufficient details on the change. Managers and supervisors are the best suited to be able to deal with resistance since they are close to their employees and are best suited to calm them and show them the right direction. 3. The traditional role of middle managers to include, planning, directing, controlling and staffing. Since there has been a lot of changes in the contemporary management of organizations, the role of middle managers have increased and at present, they are able to assume more enabled and empowered roles in the management of organizations. In order to prevent resistance to change from middle-level managers, companies should ensure that they directly engage this lot of managers in day to day organization of a company. In this way, they will not feel left out on the incoming change. Introducing change at the right time is also necessary to avowing resistance from middle-level managers. This is because this type of managers and used to the daily operation of the organization and they tend to be used to the same routine hence introducing change when it is necessary will prevent any resistance. Identifying the root cause for change and acting accordingly. This will enable an organization t o get reasons why middle managers are resisting change and see whether the change can be customized to suit their preferences. The managing director of a well established textile manufacturing unit plans to introduce new imported machines and modern methods of production. The workers in the factory numbering around 2,000 are fearful of the change brought out and hence resisted in many ways. As an OD consultant, how would you advise the top management to tackle the problem? What OD inventions would you suggest and how would you implement them? Employee resistance to change is natural and very common in the workplace. Employee resistance to change is more common when it comes to the introduction of new technology to assist in the operations (Frankel, 2012). For instance, in this case, where there is the plan to introduce new machines to assist in the operation textile company, the two thousand employees are expressing resistance. This this is because they gear there job security the most since modernized machines are set to reduce the human labor. As the organizational development consultant, I would advise the management often Textile Company to communicate the change in an honest way to reduce the fears of unknowns early enough to also win the hearts of loyal employees. Introducing stress management since it is understandable that change cab threatens employees self-esteem and morale. Providing training programs that will help the employees adapt to the anticipated change early enough. Negotiating with employees is also i mportant since it will assist bring on board those who feel lost about the program. References Chaskin, R. (2009).Building community capacity(p. 88). New Brunswick, NJ: AldineTransaction. Frankel, E. (2012).Management of Technological Change: The Great Challenge of Management for the Future(p. 4). Springer Science Business Media. McKinnon, R. (2013).Changing the workplace safety culture(p. 144). CRC Press. McCalman, J., Paton, P., Siebert, S. (2015).Change Management: A Guide to Effective Implementation(4th ed., p. 287). SAGE. O'Reilly, C., Chatman, J., Caldwell, D. (1991). People And Organizational Culture: A Profile Comparison Approach To Assessing Person-Organization Fit.Academy Of Management Journal,34(3), 487-516.

Tragedy Of Julius Caesar Essays (759 words) -

Tragedy Of Julius Caesar William Shakespeare's play, The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, is mainly based on the assassination of Julius Caesar. The character who was in charge of the assassination was, ironically, Marcus Brutus, a servant and close friend to Julius Caesar. But what would cause a person to kill a close friend? After examining Brutus' relationship to Caesar, his involvement in the conspiracy, and his importance to the plot, the truth can be revealed. Marcus Brutus, a servant and close friend to Caesar, has a strong relationship with Caesar but a stronger relationship with Rome and its people. Brutus is very close to Caesar. In Roman times, the only way for someone to get close to a person of high rank is if he/she is close to him/her. In many points of the play, Brutus was talking and next to Caesar. Brutus also loves Caesar but fears his power. In the early acts of the play, Brutus says to Cassius, "What means this shouting? I do fear the people do choose Caesar for their king...yet I love him well." as he is speaking to Cassius. Brutus loves Caesar, but would not allow him to "climber-upward...He then unto the ladder turns his back...". As the quote says, Brutus would not allow Caesar to rise to power and then turn his back onto the people of Rome. After the assassination of Julius Caesar, Brutus talks to Antony about Caesar's death. "Our hearts you see not; they are pitiful; and pity to the general wrong of Rome...". Brutus says that Antony cannot see their (members of the conspiracy) hearts, which are full of pity. Again, this shows how Brutus loved Caesar but cared for the life of Rome and its people more. This is the only reason Brutus would conspire against Caesar. For Brutus says to himself, "I know no personal cause to spurn at him...How that might change his nature..." Caesar's relationship with Brutus is also strong. Just allowing Brutus to speak to Caesar shows his respect for Brutus. Caesar feels that Brutus is noble to him and does the right thing regardless of personal danger. On the Ides of March, as Caesar was assassinated, Caesar's last line is: "Et tu, Brute?--Then fall, Caesar.". This shows that Caesar would not die without Brutus' stab. Caesar realizes that there must be a noble reason for this assassination if Brutus was in it. This again shows how much Caesar respects Brutus. Brutus and Caesar both respect each other, but in different ways. Marcus Brutus had a very important role in the conspiracy against Caesar. He was the "back-bone" of the plan. According to Cassius, Brutus' main purpose in the conspiracy is for an insurance policy. The people will think, since Brutus is noble to Caesar, that there is a good reason for Caesar's assassination. Brutus will also be the leader of the conspiracy for another "insurance policy" for the assassination. Cassius is the one who declares this, "Brutus shall lead the way, and we will grace his heels with the most boldest and best hearts of Rome. ". Again, if Brutus leads the way, the people will think that the death of Julius Caesar wasn't such a bad thing. Brutus also declares to himself that his role in the conspiracy is to save Rome. He says to the people that, "If then that friend demand why Brutus rose against Caesar, this is my answer: not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more.". If Brutus was not in the plot of The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, the conspiracy would probably not have worked. Since Brutus "...loved Rome more.", he decided to be a part of the conspiracy. If he hadn't loved Rome more than Caesar, he would not have joined in the assassination of Julius Caesar. Cassius and the rest of the conspirators would probably not have continued on without Brutus because they would have no "insurance" afterwards. The people would think that there was no reason for Caesar's death and most likely beheaded all the conspirators. Also, if Brutus was not in the play, the whole end of the play would not ever occur. Brutus would not be there to have an army or kill himself, and Cassius will already be beheaded. If Brutus was not in the play, the title would have absolutely no meaning. Marcus Brutus was a good friend to Julius Caesar, but not good enough. He had moral values dealing with Rome and its people. Brutus' values then made him join a conspiracy

Essay Sample on the book “Tuesdays with Morrie” by Mitch Albom

Essay Sample on the book â€Å"Tuesdays with Morrie† by Mitch Albom Example Essay on the book Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom: How Flashbacks Give a Deeper Meaning to the Story Tuesdays with Morie â€Å"I’ve got so many people who have been involved with me in close, intimate ways. And love is how you stay alive, even after you are gone,† (Mitch 136). Mitch Albom, the novelist of the novel Tuesdays with Morrie, uses flashbacks to bring out deeper connotation to the story. The book is an account of the relationship between Mitch and his dying professor. At the heart of the narrative is the fourteen Tuesdays that marked the reunion of Mitch and his professor after a period of sixteen years. Essentially, the Tuesdays represent the days that Mitch used to visit his ailing professor after being diagnosed by the terminal ASL. Hence, the days were full of lessons about life. The book epitomizes the final days of Morrie Schwartz and how the days transformed the life of Mitch through the lessons. Hence, Mitch learnt a lot from the professor. In order to epitomize the inherent lessons that he leant from Morrie. Mitch invokes the past through the use of flashbacks. â€Å"w eve had thirty-five years of friendship. You dont need speech or hearing to feel that, (Mitch 71). The flashbacks used not only take the reader back to the background of the story but also exposes the true connotation of Mitch’s experience. Mitch makes sure that he coalesces the present amid flashbacks of the long-ago, so that the reader can appreciate the depth the liaison between Mitch Albom and Morrie Schwartz. In the course of Albom’s visits, the professor notes thatI know what a misery being young can be, so dont tell me its so great, (Mitch 117). This brings out the true essence of Morrie’s lessons to Albom. The quotes invoke the past experiences of the professor who uses his understanding to pass notable lessons to his student. Here we find a lot of wisdom in the author’s choice of flashback to complement the narration. At a certain point he states that Ive learned this much about marriage. You get tested. You find out who you are, who the other person is, and how you accommodate or dont, (Mitch 149). Perhaps this was a very significant lesson for Albom who was struggling with the issue of family (Schwartz 11). At a certain age the author had ignored his family for work thinking that his fina l happiness will come from work. The professor further consolidates his lesson by stating that, So many people walk around with a meaningless life. They seem half-asleep, even when theyre busy doing things they think are important. This is because theyre chasing the wrong things. The way you get meaning into your life is to devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning, (Mitch 43). Mitch’s ability to combine the use of flashbacks with the narration of the story makes the reader to obtain a deeper understanding of his relationship with Schwartz Morrie. Therefore, through Morrie’s statements that recall the past, Mitch makes it possible for the reader to obtain a deeper meaning of life. He states that, In the beginning of life, when we were infants, we need others to survive, right? And at the end of life, when you get like me, you need others to survive, right? But heres the secret: in between, we need others as well. (Mitch 157). The professor recalls some of his experiences which Mitch uses to provide an intricate understanding to the entire story. Finally, as though remembering his early days, Morrie says How can I be envious of where you arewhen Ive been there myself, (Mitch 121).

Spelling trouble - Emphasis

Spelling trouble Spelling trouble The results are in for Britains top ten most frequently misspelt words. And the winners are: 1 Definitely (Definately) 2 Sacrilegious (Sacreligious) 3 Indict (Indite) 4 Manoeuvre (Maneouvre) 5 Bureaucracy (Beaurocracy) 6 Broccoli (Brocolli) 7 Phlegm (Phleghm) 8 Prejudice (Predjudice) 9 Consensus (Conscensus) 10 Unnecessary (Unecessary)* (Please note: the incorrect spellings are the bracketed words.) Although a few of these may cause the odd sharp intake of breath from spelling champions everywhere, the mistakes are by and large fairly logical. The problem, of course, is that spelling in the English language is often anything but. George Bernard Shaw once pointed out that the word fish could just as easily in English spelling terms be written ghoti. And why? Consider these pronunciations: the gh in cough the o in women the ti in potion. In the face of this kind of logic, it might seem we are all doomed. We can offer a small amount of help with the number one culprit: just think of the finite amount of patience you need to have to spell definite. If you have any ideas for mnemonics for the rest of the list, or youve got a white whale of a word you can never quite spell correctly, do let us know. And perhaps try eating more ghoti its meant to be brain food. * Results from www.OnePoll.com

Expected US GDP Growth Rate Going Forward Research Paper

Expected US GDP Growth Rate Going Forward - Research Paper Example The recession is officially said to have ended by the third quarter of 2009. However, household incomes kept falling for the two year period after September 2009 (Pear, 2012). The key measures of macroeconomic indicators for a product market and labor market include Gross Domestic product (GDP) which measures the real changes in growth and levels of real output and changes in average consumer prices. Changes in the labor market are measured or indicated by the rate of unemployment, total employment and total unemployment (Vroman & Brusentsev, 2005). Other indicators include the base interest rate which is determined based on inflation and inflation levels. These also in turn affect the consumer purchasing power and the level of economic activity in an economy. The United States is a free capitalistic economy where the forces of demand and supply and free enterprise dictate economic development. This paper evaluates the trends, performance and forecasts for the US economy by looking a t key economic indicators and concludes at the end of the paper. Literature review The US economy is the largest in the world and its performance affects not only the USA, but also other countries which are trading partners and usually affects the whole world too. The last two years, from 2010, have seen an increase in overall GDP growth although the rate of GDP growth fell from the third quarter of 2010 (Isidore, 2011). In the first quarter of 2010 GDP grew by 3.9 percent and 3.8 percent in the second quarter. The rate fell to 2.5 percent GDP growth in the third quarter and falling further to 2.3 percent in the fourth quarter. In 2011 the GDP grew by just 0.4 percent and improved in the second quarter by growing 1.3 percent in the second quarter. The third quarter of 2011 saw the GDP grow by 2.5 percent showing a steady improvement in GDP growth in 2011, after adjustment for inflation (Isidore, 2011). The observed growth rate especially in the third quarter though good is still con sidered weak as a growth rate of at least 3 percent to be considered as real growth. The economy is expected to just grow by 2.2 percent in the fourth quarter of 2011 and achieve a 2.3 percent growth rate throughout 2012, though economists predict a robust 3 percent growth in the fourth quarter (Isidore, 2011). The revised upward trend for fourth quarter GDP growth is due to contributions from computer sales adding 0.12 percent. Real personal consumption rose by 2.1 percent in the fourth quarter, which is higher than the 1.7 percent experienced in the third quarter of 2011. Real exports of commodities grew by 4.3 percent in the fourth quarter; all contributing to the expected GDP growth of 3 percent in 2011/2012 (â€Å"US GDP Growth rate† 2012). The US is expected to achieve a GDP growth of 2.1 percent in 2012 while 2013 will see a GDP growth of 2.2 percent (â€Å"The economist online†, 2012). While the US GDP is expected to grow, the growth is still minute compared to what a good GDP growth should be (3 percent). The trend and forecasts are summarized in the table below; 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 -0.48 3.13 1.63 2.10 2.20 Source: Trading economics GDP which stands for Gross Domestic Product refers to the total value of all services and goods produced within an economy (or country) in a given year. It is a measure of how much income is generated from production activities within the country’s economy. The GDP incorporates only the finished commodities (goods and services) produced within the economy but does not incorporate capital goods or raw materials used to produce another

Financial analysis ( case study ) comparison between two firms Assignment

Financial analysis ( case study ) comparison between two firms - Assignment Example The purpose of financial analysis is therefore spread among the users of financial statements who have defined reasons for accessing the statements. For example, to determine the firms’ ability to pay bills or debts, use of assets efficiently, dividends per the share and the profits gained from its business. This paper hence seeks to give a detailed strategic review and financial analysis of two organizations: Morrison and Target. The purpose of financial analysis is significant and pivotal to the mentioned users of financial statements: it helps the stakeholders such as investors with the provision of more detailed information on the businesses of the company. the information from financial analysis can be used to determines the profitability of a firm and investors may derive conclusions as to whether to invest in such firms or not. The analysis of financial statements is useful to one and every stakeholders such as the employees, managers, creditors and suppliers, governmen t agents, researchers, customers, lenders and financial analysts. This is so as financial analysis result reflects the trends of the financial growth of the firm and this motivates them in strengthening their relationship with the firm. ... On the other hand, the vertical analysis is the analysis carried out on the balance sheet and the profit and loss account. The figures in the statements on the vertical analysis are calculated as the percentages of the totaled amount. Ratio analysis will be used to interpret the financial conditions and to examine the past and present performance as well as the strength and weaknesses of the firms. Background A strategic review of the firms Morrison Plc has various core competencies in the industry. Some of the core competencies from which the firm derives competitive advantage include: production of various forms of pastry and proprietary recipes; production of seafood, enrobe meat, vegetables and sauce in pastry that are carried out in facilities inspected by the government; producing sauces and fillings in house; and manufacturing of products with combinations of starch with vegetables, protein and sauce. In the industry, Morrison firm has expertise in categories such as: pastry e nrobed products like puff pastry, portable pastry like sweet and savoury snacks, short crust pastry baked or unbaked, and dinners or bowls such as family entrees and pasta entrees (Morison, 2009). In the industry by market share, Morrison is the fourth largest grocery. They offer freshest food and ingredients to their customers. This promotes marketing issues in the industry which has been implemented in marketing mix and brings a feeling of belonging into real market environment by the customer. In the industry, Morrison focuses on the corporate social responsibility strategy which is an extension to their vision, to be the food specialist for everyone. Morrison also owns 13

Catherine Triangle Essay Example for Free

Catherine Triangle Essay Overlooking the docks area of Brooklyn is the massive Brooklyn Bridge, which spans New Yorks East River and which joins the boroughs of Brooklyn and Manhattan. In the title, Miller suggests he is giving the audience a view of the community which lies below the bridge. The title also suggests that the audience is given a panoramic view of the scene, much as a captain of a ship has an all-round view from the vessels bridge. The action of the play takes place largely in an apartment in a tenement block in the Red Hook area of Brooklyn. In the play, Alfieri, the lawyer, describes the area as: the slum that faces the bay on the seaward side of Brooklyn Bridge and as the gullet of New York swallowing the tonnage of the world. It was a socially deprived area, where succeeding generations of immigrants from Europe, both legal and illegal, found a home and work. There was a long-established Italian community in the area. The Culture and Society of Red Hook. Given the rather traditional values of Italian-American society in the middle of the twentieth century and the fact that most of the men earned their living from hard physical labour in the dockyards and elsewhere, it is not surprising that Red Hook was quite a raw, masculine and even macho society. Manhood, which involved strength and aggression (and proving it) was very important. Women were expected to conform to an image of purity and domestic virtue and, as Beatrice does, gain most of their satisfaction from cooking and maintaining the household. The men expected to be respected and obeyed as of right and the women had to submit to them in decision- making. The influence of the Roman Catholic Church was strong and most people had traditional moral views. The family and the extended family were of major importance as was the community. Many of the families were recent immigrants from Southern Italy, the original home of the Mafia, and family and blood ties were often demonstrated through the practice of vendetta, that is the obligation on the rest of the family to take revenge on anyone who insulted or harmed any of its members. It was, therefore, a culture in which a mans reputation (for strength and honesty, for example) was crucial to him and where any affront to a persons honour had to be avenged. This may help you to understand the pressure that Eddie and Marco are under at the end of the play. The Legal Background. In the first 20 years of the Twentieth Century, over three million Italians emigrated to the U. S. A. to escape from the poverty of their homeland and in the hope of a better life in America. These were legal immigrants to America, but the local population grew increasingly hostile to the Italian community. In the early 1920s the American government passed laws to restrict immigration and afterwards only four thousand Italians were allowed to enter the U. S. A.  legally each year. Far more than this number were desperate to escape the poverty of their own country. Two such were the submarines, Marco and Rodolpho, cousins of Beatrice, who enter America illegally on the evening the play opens. One of the few ways an illegal immigrant could gain the right to remain in America legitimately was to marry an American citizen. This sometimes meant that illegal immigrants married not for love, but simply to remain in the country. We can perhaps better understand Eddies fears about Rodolpho when we know this 7. The Carbone Familys Background. A playwright, unlike a novelist, cannot describe characters and situations to an audience. Details about characters and their relationships have to be revealed gradually and subtly. What, then, do we know about the Carbone family and the relationships within it? The Carbones live in an apartment in a tenement building, at 441 Saxon Street, Brooklyn, which Miller describes as a workers flat, clean, sparse, homely. Eddie, aged 40, is a large, strong man who enjoys male pursuits and going bowling with his friends. He is a longshoreman (i. e. he works in the docks). Beatrice is a traditional 1950s housewife. She keeps the flat looking immaculate, cooks and, at least in the early part of the play, dutifully defers to Eddie in everything. She stands up to Eddie much more as the action unfolds, and objects to his overprotective attitude to Catherine. Catherine, Beatrices attractive 17-year-old niece, had been adopted by Eddie and Beatrice when her parents died. Catherine is very fond of Eddie but there is growing tension between them because of Catherines wish to start work and Eddies desire to protect her from, as he sees them, the dangers of the adult world. The Eddie Beatrice Catherine Triangle. The relationship between these three is the fOcus of Act I. Eddie and Beatrice have obviously had a warm, loving relationship but there are currently stresses. In Catherines opinion, and in Eddies too, Beatrice nags her husband. Catherine tells Rodolpho: If I was a wife, I would make a man happy instead of going on at him all the time (Implying that Beatrice does go on at Eddie. ) Eddie certainly agrees with Catherines view. He tells Beatrice: You didnt used to jump on me all the time about everything. The last year or two I come in the house I dont know whats gonna hit me. Its a shooting gallery in here and Im the pigeon. Part of the tension is caused by Eddies belief that he should be the master in the house and Beatrices increasing wish to express her own view. This leads Eddie to say, I dont like the way you talk to me, Beatrice, whenever Beatrice disagrees with him. The Catherine Rodolpho Eddie Triangle. When Eddie first hears that Beatrices cousins have arrived he says it would be an honour to help them, despite the obvious risks involved. He knows how important it is to give the men a chance to work to send money back to Italy. There is no doubt that Eddie understands the poverty they are escaping as his own father had come to the U. S. A. from Italy. Eddies willingness to offer hospitality shows that he is a good man, aware of his responsibilities to others in the Italian-American community. This makes his later actions an even greater shock. Eddie is immediately impressed by the quiet dignity and maturity of Marco, but he is equally quickly irritated by Rodolpho. This is partly because of Rodolphos personality, for he is an extrovert, quite loud, showy, lively and fun- loving, but also because of his appearance. Eddies stereotyping of Rodolpho because of his blond hair and his voice shows prejudice, which reflects not just Eddies attitudes but those of his time and culture. . The Catherine Rodolpho Eddie Triangle Things which irritate Eddie These are the things about Rodolpho which irritate Eddie: His appearance; especially his blond wacky hair. Eddie says of Rodolpho: hes like a chorus girl or sumpn. His abilities and talents, e. g. dressmaking and cooking, which Eddie thinks are things only a woman should do. This leads him to doubt whether Rodolpho is a real man. His fondness for singing out loud in his high tenor voice, even on the ships. Eddie is embarrassed that other men laugh at Rodolpho for this. He is particularly angry when Rodolpho sings Paper Doll because he thinks the words may be related to Catherine and he becomes aware of the growing romance between her and Rodolpho. The stage directions state that Eddie is puffed with trouble when he notices the growing affection between Catherine and Rodolpho. These are the things that annoy Eddie at first, but annoyance becomes hate when he realises that Rodolpho is a rival for Catherine. In Act II, Eddie is furious with Catherine and Rodolpho for going to the cinema and staying out late. Eddie believes that Rodolpho is deliberately dating Catherine in the hope of marrying her and being able to stay in America. It is difficult to decide whether this is a genuine concern or whether Eddie is using it as an excuse to cover his real feeling which is sexual jealousy. What do you think? It is unlikely that a man like Eddie would consider Rodolpho as a suitable partner for Catherine, even if there was no sexual jealousy involved. . The Catherine Rodolpho Eddie Triangle Eddies motives Whatever his motives, be they genuine concern to protect his niece or sexual jealousy, Eddie tries his hardest to turn Catherine against Rodolpho and split them up. He tries to humiliate Rodolpho in front of Catherine in the following ways: He cleverly introduces the subject of boxing (a suitably masculine activity for Eddie) and, while pretending to teach Rodolpho how to box, hits him in the mouth. For Eddie, this demonstrates to Catherine what a weak man Rodolpho is and what a strong one he (Eddie) is. It also shows that Eddie thinks women are more attracted to strong, aggressive males.

Marc Forster’s Monster’s Ball Essay -- Marc Forster Monsters Ball Ess

Marc Forster’s Monster’s Ball Marc Forster’s Monster’s Ball is a depiction of one man’s journey to overcome his lifelong ignorance, but this seems to be the film’s only accomplishment. The grisly drama attempts to address pressing racial issues, but instead it creates a monstrous web of unanswered questions and unfulfilled plotlines cleverly masked by brilliant acting and cinematic beauty. The first half of Monster’s Ball revolves around a family of executioners responsible for the last days of a black death-row inmate. Billy Bob Thornton is striking as Hank Grotowski, a native Georgian who has spent his life following in his father’s footsteps both as a corrections officer in the state penitentiary and as a racist. Peter Boyle plays Thornton’s retired father and delivers a gritty performance that is a welcome change from his role as the wise-cracking Frank Barone on CBS’s Everybody Loves Raymond. Heath Ledger is Sonny Grotowski, Thornton’s son, a third-generation corrections officer who never lives up to the family’s tough-guy standards and dares to have black friends. Hank and Sonny are part of an execution team assigned to Lawrence Musgrove, a cop-killer skillfully portrayed by Sean Combs, whose impressive performance suggests that his acting career may have as much earning potential as P. Diddy’s current line of work . Thornton’s portrayal of Grotowski is flawless—his best since 1996’s Sling Blade—and helps one forget such disappointments as 1998’s A Simple Plan. He becomes Hank and leaves no trace of Billy Bob on the screen. Grotowski’s dialogue is limited and purposely lacks profundity, forcing Thornton to convey meaning through action. When Hank descends his front porch to meet his son’s two black friends with a s... ...m—when the â€Å"monster† himself, Lawrence Musgrove, is awaiting death. Chesse creates depth and parallelism between Lawrence and Leticia, bouncing back and forth between the activities on death row and in Leticia’s home. The scene is reminiscent of Dead Man Walking, but Combs’ Musgrove is a welcome departure from Sean Penn’s Matthew Poncelet in that Musgrove accepts his fate and doesn’t fight death. This allows him to be fully effective in conveying what is the film’s best line of dialogue as well as its main theme: â€Å"It truly takes a human being to really see a human being.† Monster’s Ball had the potential to be a gripping tale of love lost and love found, but that potential is lost in a sea of subplots that drowns the main narrative. Forster is left with a film that is little more than a star vehicle for Berry’s and Thornton’s most compelling performances to date.

The Lost Duke of Wyndham Chapter Fourteen

After five years at Belgrave, Grace had become, if not accustomed, then at least aware of just what could be accomplished with a bit of prestige and a great deal of money. Nonetheless, even she was amazed at how quickly their travel plans fell into place. Within three days a private yacht had been reserved to ferry them from Liverpool to Dublin and then wait at the dock – for as long as necessary, apparently – until they were ready to return to England. One of Thomas's secretaries had been dispatched to Ireland to arrange for their stay. Grace had felt nothing but pity for the poor man as he was forced to listen to – and then repeat, twice – the dowager's copious and highly detailed instructions. She herself was used to the dowager's ways, but the secretary, accustomed to dealing with a far more reasonable employer, looked nearly ready to cry. Only the best of inns would do for such a traveling party, and of course they would expect the finest set of rooms in each establishment. If the rooms were already reserved, the innkeepers would have to make arrangements to place the other travelers elsewhere. The dowager told Grace that she liked to send someone ahead in cases like these. It was only polite to give the innkeepers a bit of notice so they could find alternate accommodations for their other guests. Grace thought it would have been more polite not to give the boot to people whose only crime was to reserve a room prior to the dowager, but all she could do was offer the poor secretary a sympathetic smile. The dowager wasn't going to change her ways, and besides, she'd already launched into her next set of instructions, which pertained to cleanliness, food, and the preferred dimensions of hand towels. Grace spent her days dashing about the castle, preparing for the voyage and passing along important messages, since the other three inhabitants seemed determined to avoid one another. The dowager was as surly and rude as ever, but now there was an underlying layer of giddiness that Grace found disconcerting. The dowager was excited about the upcoming journey. It was enough to leave even the most experienced of companions uneasy; the dowager was never excited about anything. Pleased, yes; satisfied, often (although un satisfied was a far more frequent emotion). But excited? Grace had never witnessed it. It was odd, because the dowager did not seem to like Mr. Audley very well, and it was clear that she respected him not at all. And as for Mr. Audley – he returned the sentiment in spades. He was much like Thomas in that regard. It seemed to Grace that the two men might have been fast friends had they not met under such strained circumstances. But while Thomas's dealings with the dowager were frank and direct, Mr. Audley was much more sly. He was always provoking the dowager when in her company, always ready with a comment so subtle that Grace could only be sure of his meaning when she caught his secret smile. There was always a secret smile. And it was always for her. Even now, just thinking about it, she found herself hugging her arms to her body, as if holding it tightly against her heart. When he smiled at her, she felt it – as if it were more than something to be seen. It landed upon her like a kiss, and her body responded in kind – a little flip in her stomach, pink heat on her cheeks. She maintained her composure, because that was what she'd been trained to do, and she even managed her own sort of reply – the tiniest of curves at the corners of her mouth, maybe a change in the way she held her gaze. She knew he saw it, too. He saw everything. He liked to play at being obtuse, but he had the keenest eye for observation she had ever known. And all through this, the dowager pressed forward, single-minded in her determination to wrest the title from Thomas and give it to Mr. Audley. When the dowager spoke of their upcoming journey, it was never if they found proof, it was when they found it. Already she had begun to plan how best to announce the change to the rest of society. Grace had noticed that she was not particularly discreet about it, either. What was it the dowager had said just the other day – right in front of Thomas? Something about having to redraw endless contracts to reflect the proper ducal name. She had even turned to him and asked if he thought that anything he'd signed while duke was legally binding. Grace had thought Thomas a master of restraint for not throttling her on the spot. Indeed, all he said was, â€Å"It will hardly be my problem should that come to pass.† And then, with a mocking bow in the dowager's direction, he left the room. Grace was not sure why she was so surprised that the dowager did not censor herself in front of Thomas; it wasn't as if she'd shown a care for anyone else's feelings before. But surely this qualified as extraordinary circumstances. Surely even Augusta Cavendish could see where it might be hurtful to stand in front of Thomas and talk about how she planned to go about his public humiliation. And as for Thomas – he was not himself. He was drinking too much, and when he wasn't closeted in his study, he stalked about the house like a moody lion. Grace tried to avoid him, partly because he was in such poor temper, but mostly because she felt so guilty about everything, so unconscionably disloyal for liking Mr. Audley so well. Which left him. Mr. Audley. She'd been spending too much time with him. She knew it but could not seem to help herself. And it really wasn't her fault. The dowager kept sending her on errands that put her in his sphere. Liverpool or Holyhead – which port made better sense for their departure? Surely Jack (the dowager still refused to call him Mr. Audley, and he would not respond to anything Cavendish) would know. What might they expect from the weather? Find Jack and ask his opinion. Could one obtain a decent pot of tea in Ireland? What about once they'd left the environs of Dublin? And then, after Grace had reported back with Yes and for God's sake (amended to remove the blasphemy), she was sent on her way again to determine if he even knew how to judge a tea's quality. It was almost embarrassing to ask him this. It should have been, but by that point they were bursting out laughing just at the sight of each other. It was like that all the time now. He would smile. And then she would smile. And she was reminded just how much better she liked herself when she had reason to smile. Just now the dowager had ordered her to find him for a full accounting of their proposed route through Ireland, which Grace found odd, since she would have thought the dowager had worked that out by then. But she was not about to complain, not when the task both removed her from the dowager's presence and placed her in Mr. Audley's. † Jack,† she whispered to herself. He was Jack. His name suited him perfectly, dashing and carefree. John was far too staid, and Mr. Audley too formal. She wanted him to be Jack, even though she had not allowed herself to say it aloud to him, not since their kiss. He had teased her about it – he always teased her about it. He'd prodded and cajoled and told her she must use his given name or he would not respond, but she remained steadfast. Because once she did, she was afraid she could never go back. And she was already so perilously close to losing her heart forever. It could happen. It would happen if she let it. She had only to let go. She could close her eyes and imagine a future†¦with him, and children, and so much laughter. But not here. Not at Belgrave, with him as the duke. She wanted Sillsby back. Not the house, since that could never be, but the feeling of it. The comfortable warmth, the kitchen garden that her mother had never been too important to attend. She wanted the evenings in the sitting room – the sitting room, she reminded herself, the only one. Nothing that had to be described with a color or a fabric or a location within the building. She wanted to read by the fire with her husband, pointing out bits that amused her, and laughing when he did the same. That was what she wanted, and when she had the courage to be honest with herself, she knew that she wanted it with him. But she wasn't often honest with herself. What was the point? He didn't know who he was; how could she know what to dream? She was protecting herself, holding her heart in armor until she had an answer. Because if he was the Duke of Wyndham, then she was a fool. As fine a house as Belgrave was, Jack much preferred to spend time out of doors, and now that his mount had been transferred to the Wyndham stables (where his horse was certainly wallowing in joy over the endless carrots and warm accommodations), he had taken up the habit of a ride each morning. Not that this was so very far from his prior routine; Jack usually found himself on horseback by late morning. The difference was that before he'd been going somewhere, or, on occasion, fleeing from somewhere. Now he was out and about for sport, for constitutional exercise. Strange, the life of a gentleman. Physical exertion was achieved through organized behavior, and not, as the rest of society got it, through an honest day's work. Or a dishonest one, as the case often was. He was returning to the house – it was difficult to call it a castle, even though that's what it was; it always made him want to roll his eyes – on his fourth day at Belgrave, feeling invigorated by the soft bite of the wind over the fields. As he walked up the steps to the main door, he caught himself peering this way and that, hoping for a glimpse of Grace even though it was highly unlikely she'd be out of doors. He was always hoping for a glimpse of Grace, no matter where he was. Just the sight of her made something tickle and fizz within his chest. Half the time she did not even see him, which he did not mind. He rather enjoyed watching her go about her duties. But if he stared long enough – and he always did; there was never any good reason to place his eyes anywhere else – she always sensed him. Eventually, even if he was at an odd angle, or obscured in shadows, she felt his presence, and she'd turn. He always tried to play the seducer then, to gaze at her with smoldering intensity, to see if she'd melt in a pool of whimpering desire. But he never did. Because all he could do, whenever she looked back at him, was smile like a lovesick fool. He would have been disgusted with himself, except that she always smiled in return, which never failed to turn the tickle and fizz into something even more bubbly and carefree. He pushed open the door to Belgrave's front hall, pausing for a moment once he was inside. It took a few seconds to adjust to the abrupt lack of wind, and indeed, his body gave an unprompted little shake, as if to push away the chill. This also gave him time to glance about the hall, and indeed, he was rewarded for his diligence. â€Å"Miss Eversleigh!† he called out, since she was at the far end of the long space, presumably off on another one of the dowager's ridiculous errands. â€Å"Mr. Audley,† she said, smiling as she walked toward him. He shrugged off his coat (presumably purloined from the ducal closet) and handed it to a footman, marveling, as always, at how the servants seemed to materialize from nowhere, always at the exact moment they were needed. Someone had trained them well. He was close enough to his military days to appreciate this. Grace reached his side before he had even pulled off his gloves. â€Å"Have you been out for a ride?† she asked. â€Å"Indeed. It's a perfect day for it.† â€Å"Even with all the wind?† â€Å"It's best with wind.† â€Å"I trust you were reunited with your horse?† â€Å"Indeed. Lucy and I make a fine team.† â€Å"You ride a mare?† â€Å"A gelding.† She blinked with curiosity, but not, strangely, surprise. â€Å"You named your gelding Lucy?† He gave his shrug a bit of dramatic flair. â€Å"It is one of those stories that loses something in the retelling.† In truth, it involved drink, three separate wagers, and a propensity for the contrary that he was not certain he was proud of. â€Å"I am not much of an equestrienne,† she said. It was not an apology, just a statement of fact. â€Å"By choice or circumstance?† â€Å"A bit of both,† she replied, and she looked a bit curious, as if she'd never thought to ask herself that question. â€Å"You shall have to join me sometime.† She smiled ruefully. â€Å"I hardly think that falls within the scope of my duties to the dowager.† Jack rather doubted that. He remained suspicious of the dowager's motives as pertained to Grace; she seemed to thrust Grace in his direction at every possible occasion, like some piece of ripened fruit, dangled before his nose to entice him to stay put. He found it all rather appalling, but wasn't about to deny himself the pleasure of Grace's company just to spite the old bat. â€Å"Bah,† he said. â€Å"All the best companions go riding with the houseguests.† â€Å"Oh.† So dubious. â€Å"Really.† â€Å"Well, they do in my imagination, at least.† Grace shook her head, not even trying not to smile. â€Å"Mr. Audley†¦Ã¢â‚¬  But he was looking this way and that, his manner almost comically surreptitious. â€Å"I think we're alone,† he whispered. Grace leaned in, feeling very sly. â€Å"Which means†¦?† â€Å"You can call me Jack.† She pretended to consider. â€Å"No, I don't think so.† â€Å"I won't tell.† â€Å"Mmmm†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Her nose scrunched, and then a matter-of-fact: â€Å"No.† â€Å"You did it once.† She pressed her lips together, suppressing not a smile, but a full-fledged laugh. â€Å"That was a mistake.† â€Å"Indeed.† Grace gasped and turned. It was Thomas. â€Å"Where the devil did he come from?† Mr. Audley murmured. From the small saloon, Grace thought miserably. The entrance was right behind them. Thomas frequently spent time there, reading or tending to his correspondence. He said he liked the afternoon light. But it wasn't afternoon. And he smelled like brandy. â€Å"A pleasant conversation,† Thomas drawled. â€Å"One of many, I assume.† â€Å"Were you eavesdropping?† Mr. Audley said mildly. â€Å"For shame.† â€Å"Your grace,† Grace began, â€Å"I – â€Å" â€Å"It's Thomas,† he cut in derisively, â€Å"or don't you recall? You've used my name far more than once.† Grace felt her cheeks grow hot. She'd not been sure how much of the conversation Thomas had heard. Apparently, most of it. â€Å"Is that so?† Mr. Audley said. â€Å"In that case, I insist you call me Jack.† He turned to Thomas and shrugged. â€Å"It's only fair.† Thomas made no verbal reply, although his thunderous expression spoke volumes. Mr. Audley turned back to her and said, â€Å"I shall call you Grace.† â€Å"You will not,† Thomas snapped. Mr. Audley remained as calm as ever. â€Å"Does he always make these decisions for you?† â€Å"This is my house,† Thomas returned. â€Å"Possibly not for long,† Mr. Audley murmured. Grace actually lurched forward, so sure was she that Thomas was going to lunge at him. But in the end Thomas only chuckled. He chuckled, but it was an awful sound. â€Å"Just so you know,† he said, looking Mr. Audley in the eye, â€Å"she doesn't come with the house.† Grace looked at him in shock. â€Å"Just what do you mean by that?† Mr. Audley inquired, and his voice was so smooth, so purposefully polite, that it was impossible not to hear the edge of steel underneath. â€Å"I think you know.† â€Å"Thomas,† Grace said, trying to intercede. â€Å"Oh, we're back to Thomas, are we?† â€Å"I think he fancies you, Miss Eversleigh,† Mr. Audley said, his tone almost cheerful. â€Å"Don't be ridiculous,† Grace said immediately. Because he didn't. He couldn't. If Thomas had – Well, he'd had years to make it known, not that anything could have come of it. Thomas crossed his arms and gave Mr. Audley a stare – the sort that sent most men scurrying for the corners. Mr. Audley merely smiled. And then he said, â€Å"I wouldn't wish to keep you from your responsibilities.† It was a dismissal, elegantly worded and undeniably rude. Grace could not believe it. No one spoke to Thomas that way. But Thomas smiled back. â€Å"Ah, now they are my responsibilities?† â€Å"While the house is still yours.† â€Å"It's not just a house, Audley.† â€Å"Do you think I don't know that?† No one spoke. Mr. Audley's voice had been a hiss, low and urgent. And scared. â€Å"Excuse me,† Thomas said abruptly, and while Grace watched in silence, he turned and walked back into the small saloon, shutting the door firmly behind him. After what felt like an eternity, just staring at the white paint on the door, Grace turned back to Mr. Audley. â€Å"You should not have provoked him.† â€Å"Oh, I should not have been provoking?† She let out a tense breath. â€Å"Surely you understand what a difficult position he is in.† â€Å"As opposed to mine,† he said, in quite the most awful voice she'd heard him use. â€Å"How I adore being kidnapped and held against my will.† â€Å"No one has a gun to your head.† â€Å"Is that what you think?† His tone was mocking, and his eyes said he could not believe her naivete. â€Å"I don't think you even want it,† Grace said. How was it this had not occurred to her before? How had she not seen it? â€Å"Want what?† he practically snapped. â€Å"The title. You don't, do you?† â€Å"The title,† he said icily, â€Å"doesn't want me.† She could only stare in horror as he turned on his heel and strode off.

The Yin and Yang of American Culture

The Yin and Yang of American Culture: A Paradox by Eun Y. Kim is a perspective of the American way of life by a Korean American. Kim uses the yin and yang symbol to describe the positive and negatives of American culture and how it compares to Asian culture. Kim's exposure to American culture as a young child in Korea and immigrating to the United States while also being raised in a Korean household where Korean tradition was upheld provides a solid basis for her analysis.I have chosen five of her yang statements for discussion which I believe I have experienced eing a fourth generation American but also witnessing the truth to these statements during my travels to Asia as well as to Portugal. One of the biggest statements for Kim's yang is â€Å"Dreaming the Impossible†. As children in America the majority of us are told to dream big. I was told as a child that I could be anything I wanted to be whether it was an astronaut, a veterinarian, or an entrepreneur. I have always dr eamed of being a veterinarian, and I am slowly working towards my dream.I have seen friends of mine achieve their dreams such s a close friend wanted to play football for the Air Force academy; he completed his four years at the academy playing football and went on to complete ten years as an Air Force officer. I have also seen the difference between the United States and Portugal, and how we encourage dreams and support them. My husband was born in Portugal and moved to the U. S. when he was two years old. His mom and dad worked hard to live â€Å"the American dream† which to them was owning your own house and providing for your family.They did not push â€Å"dreams† other than that one on my usband or his brother. Despite this my husband created his dream; to fly planes. He cannot remember how old he was Just that he was young, but he remembers taking a summer trip to Portugal to visit his grandparents, and he was invited into the cockpit of the airplane where he was allowed to sit in the captains seat and was given a short tutorial, but ever since than his obsession with airplanes and flying took off. His parents may not have told him that he could do anything he dreamed of like my parents, but the American school system did.Dreaming the Impossible† also leads to â€Å"Flexible Systems, Flexible Roles†. I am a great example of this. I finished high school and automatically rolled into college but after a year and a half of doing the bare minimum I decided that I wasn't serious about school at the moment and instead of wasting my time and money I would take some time off to decide what was important to me. Now about ten years later I am finally back to school full time while also finishing up my contract in the Navvy. I am working full time and going to school full time with a flexible system and a semi- lexible role in both.The American education system allows me to do this and actually encourages us to do this. When I was growing up, my best friend's mother was a computer engineer and when we were in middle school she had decided it was no longer for her. She quit her Job and went back to school, and she now teaches middle school mathematics which she had always wanted to but chose engineering because of the money. A third â€Å"yang† I have had experience with is â€Å"Openness and Friendliness†. In September 2 I was able to visit Japan tor a tew days due to a deployment portThe ship I was stationed on pulled into Yokosuka Japan, and although I didn't receive much ofa culture shock there, I did when I traveled to Tokyo. My first observation of how the Japanese were not as friendly as Americans was when I rode the train. My friends and I were patiently waiting for the train doors to open to allow those getting off to get off first before boarding but no one else did. Everyone else was crowding the doors and making it difficult for those getting off to do so but no one seemed to have a problem with the so called â€Å"rudeness† except for us Americans.We quickly learned if we wanted a place on the train we had to be quick and impatient. Although Japanese citizens were not as friendly and open as American citizens I did experience a very nice Japanese woman who could tell I was confused by the subway map in Tokyo. I was standing in the subway trying to make heads and tails of the map on the wall when this elderly Japanese woman started speaking English to me asking me if I needed assistance. She explained that she had recently moved back to Tokyo after living in Minnesota for the past 40 years which quickly explained her illingness to help a complete stranger out.Although I did meet plenty of helpful strangers in Yokosuka, which is accustomed to American visitors, she was the only smile I received while in Tokyo which wasn't from a friend. Americans love to have fun, and I am no exception. The phase â€Å"work hard, play hard† is commonly used in the United S tates and describes me. I work full time and go to school full time, and if I have completed all my homework by Saturday night or budgeted my time I definitely like to go out and have fun. I also find time during the eek to do things that are not work related or school related such as see a movie or go for a run or catch a workout class at the gym.To me if I work hard then I deserve to spend some time getting out and doing what I want. My family is the same way as well as my in laws who live in the states. A couple times a year my husband and I will vacation with our family either going camping or going to Wildwood, NJ to spend some time at the beach and the boardwalk. If my husband and I can coordinate a weekend where we both have off we will usually head some place new to kayak or ightsee. We are always looking for fun as well as saving our money to complete these fun tasks.It's what we live for even if we have to put in some overtime to achieve it. My last â€Å"yang† is à ¢â‚¬Å"Remaining Active throughout Life† which I have yet to experience personally since I am only 31 years old but I have observed my 80 year old father in this accomplishment. I started bugging my dad around the time I graduated from high school that he should think about slowing down and retiring since he was 67 years old. This past May he finally took my advice and is finally retired but still ontinues to enjoy life.A few times a week he is fishing or riding his motorcycle or spending time with family; he is the energizer bunny. He also looks like he Just turned 60 and not 80, which he turned in October of this year. I believe that staying busy and having hobbies is what has allowed him to take 20 years off his life. I also like to think I have kept him young because he did have me late in life (around the age of 49), and he was always active in parenting me. He helped me with my homework and also helped me practice basketball and softball by participating in them with me.I am thankful that he didn't believe that as he aged he was unable to do things those younger than him could do. The Yin and Yang of American Culture has reinforced the wonderful things I love about the American culture but has also helped me realize that there are certain things from the East I would like to incorporate into my life. Kim's insight of the light as well as the dark in the United States is something all United States citizens should take notice of, and in my opinion may make our society better. I know I am going to correct some of my own vices to bring over to the â€Å"yang†.

Free Essays on Lydia

Beetlejuice: the Movie and Depression The story is thus: a wholesome, small town couple Adam and Barbara Maitland are killed in an auto accident and their ghosts are doomed to dwell in their house for 125 years. Soon after, the big city Deitz family (frazzled Charles, neurotic and narcissistic Delia and depressed Lydia) moves in and takes over. Adam and Barbara's carefully decorated house is gutted and transformed into Delia’s idea of â€Å"art†. Disgusted by the triple intrusion, Adam and Barbara try to haunt the family out of their home, but unfortunately, their cheap parlor tricks and hovering around in designer bed sheets are unsuccessful rookie efforts. They need a professional. Enter Betelgeuse, the afterlife's leading bio-exorcist. After summoning Betelgeuse, Adam and Barbara discover that he's a vile, dangerous creature that wants to escape the afterlife and raise hell in the land of the living. Now with two problems on their hands, Adam and Barbara must take care of their dilemma with the Deitzes and keep Betelgeuse confined to the afterlife. Lydia is presented to the movie watcher as a young female wearing a black dress with a black veil covering her face as though in mourning. From the beginning of the movie Lydia presents herself as an outsider, a loner that no one, especially her parents, understands. Charles and Delia, Lydia’s father and stepmother, add to this feeling by being so preoccupied with their own problems and needs that Lydia is left to fend for herself. Lydia describes herself as strange and unusual. She demonstrates some of the symptoms of adolescent depression; the feeling of being different, withdrawn, poor family relations, and the desire for attention. You can see Lydia’s desire for attention from her parents in her mischievous nature, and gothic appearance. Childhood depression is most likely to be triggered by the trauma of loss, change or an otherwise negative life event during the formati... Free Essays on Lydia Free Essays on Lydia Beetlejuice: the Movie and Depression The story is thus: a wholesome, small town couple Adam and Barbara Maitland are killed in an auto accident and their ghosts are doomed to dwell in their house for 125 years. Soon after, the big city Deitz family (frazzled Charles, neurotic and narcissistic Delia and depressed Lydia) moves in and takes over. Adam and Barbara's carefully decorated house is gutted and transformed into Delia’s idea of â€Å"art†. Disgusted by the triple intrusion, Adam and Barbara try to haunt the family out of their home, but unfortunately, their cheap parlor tricks and hovering around in designer bed sheets are unsuccessful rookie efforts. They need a professional. Enter Betelgeuse, the afterlife's leading bio-exorcist. After summoning Betelgeuse, Adam and Barbara discover that he's a vile, dangerous creature that wants to escape the afterlife and raise hell in the land of the living. Now with two problems on their hands, Adam and Barbara must take care of their dilemma with the Deitzes and keep Betelgeuse confined to the afterlife. Lydia is presented to the movie watcher as a young female wearing a black dress with a black veil covering her face as though in mourning. From the beginning of the movie Lydia presents herself as an outsider, a loner that no one, especially her parents, understands. Charles and Delia, Lydia’s father and stepmother, add to this feeling by being so preoccupied with their own problems and needs that Lydia is left to fend for herself. Lydia describes herself as strange and unusual. She demonstrates some of the symptoms of adolescent depression; the feeling of being different, withdrawn, poor family relations, and the desire for attention. You can see Lydia’s desire for attention from her parents in her mischievous nature, and gothic appearance. Childhood depression is most likely to be triggered by the trauma of loss, change or an otherwise negative life event during the formati...

50 Blogs for Mastering the Art, Craft, and Business of Writing - Freewrite Store

50 Blogs for Mastering the Art, Craft, and Business of Writing - Freewrite Store Writing is one of the most written-about topics in the world. For centuries now, or maybe even longer, writers have been giving each other advice about writing- solicited and unsolicited. If you’re a writer, you know the sheer number of books, textbooks, memoirs, and websites on writing at your disposal. It’s easy to get lost in the maze of literature and often conflicting advice, and to get caught up in searching for the one book with the secret to becoming an overnight bestseller. Spoiler alert: Turns out the holy grail of writing advice is entirely mythical. There is no one book, no one website that will help you win the Man Booker prize, and writing- good writing- is mostly about practice, experimentation, and a whole lot of study. There are books, people, and websites who know what they’re talking about and who can help you understand the art of writing and hone it as a craft; who can tell you the ins and outs of the publishing world and the business of writing. It just gets incredibly frustrating and time-consuming, sifting through the hundreds of lists that offer no new insight into writing. And so, curated for the aspiring novelist on their umpteenth draft, for the author struggling with promotion, for the novice only beginning their journey into the wide world of plot, structure, and character development, the top 50 blogs for writers. For Improving Your Craft For Staying Motivated For Finding Your Tribe For Publishing Your Book For Making a Living For Writers of YA and Kids’ Books For a Little Bit of Everything For Improving Your Craft Terribleminds.com Terribleminds.com is the blog and brain child of bestselling author, Chuck Wendig. He’s written some screenplays and over a dozen books, including a book on writing, called The Kick-Ass Writer. He regularly posts refreshingly irreverent views on the art of writing (see â€Å"How to Be a Writer in this F- -Ass Age of Rot and Resistance†) and maverick advice (see â€Å"Setting Free the Sacred Cows of Writing Advice† and â€Å"The Opposite of Kill Your Darlings†), all to remind the reader/writer that writing isn’t â€Å"one size fits all,† it’s â€Å"whatever fits, I guess!† Writershelpingwriters.net Writershelpingwriters.net is a great resource blog for writers looking to really get into the specifics of writing. Here the writer-craftsman will find notes and writing lessons on dialogue, character arcs, plot, pacing†¦ even thesauruses (or thesauri, if you prefer) on positive and negative character traits, words describing emotions, occupations†¦ Check writershelpingwriters.net if you’re looking for a nudge in the right direction. eadeverell.com Eva Deverell’s blog, eadeverell.com, is a great resource for writers who really, really like lists. She’s got dozens of clever worksheets on world building, novel outlining, character building- even productivity pages for bullet journal enthusiasts. All worksheets and printables are available for free. This site is excellent for beginners and for intermediate writers who need a fresh eye for plotting and outlining. Bang2Write.com Bang2Write.com, a blog by novelist, script editor, and blogger Lucy V. Hay. The tagline says, â€Å"Writing craft tips for screenwriters and novelists,† and the tips are pretty spot-on for novelists and screenwriters who a.) want to improve their craft and b.) market themselves on social media and to other industry players. WritingForward.com WritingForward.com’s mission is to â€Å"share helpful and inspiring creative writing tips to benefit the greater writing community and to advocate on behalf of all writers and artists.† The blog has useful articles and insights on grammar, craft, and prompts for writers who need to stretch their creative muscles. Launched in 2007 by Melissa Donovan (author of Adventures in Writing and other books), Writing Forward also has thoughtful answers for questions like â€Å"Do You Need a Creative Writing Degree to Succeed as a Writer?† LiveWriteThrive.com C.S. Lakin (novelist, copy editor, and writing coach) is the mind behind LiveWriteThrive.com. More than just lessons on craft and technique, Lakin posts articles about writer’s block- why it happens and how to â€Å"fix† it. Lakin’s blog is a great all-around resource for the beginning writer, though it shines most in novel structure. Check out â€Å"How to Hook Readers and Reel Them into Your Scenes† for an example of Lakin’s wonderfully practical tips on creative writing. Creative-writing-now.com Creative-writing-now.com is another site great for beginning writers and intermediate writers who have hit a snag and are in need of a bit of workshopping. It was created by writing teachers for writing teachers and is a great source of story and poetry prompts, how-tos, and in-depth explanations of otherwise vague and intimidating writing advice like â€Å"show, don’t tell.† Creative-writing-now.com offers advice and activities that are friendly, approachable, and accessible. AdvicetoWriters.com Jon Winokur has written a lot of books- a lot- over twenty, in fact, so you know that the guy knows a thing or two about writing. And so do the rest of the writers featured on AdvicetoWriters.com, which publishes clever, pithy quotes about writing from writers in the canon (e.g., George Orwell, Joan Didion) and from newer contemporary voices (e.g., Michael Chabon, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie). Writing.Rocks The Writing.Rocks blog by Marcia Riefer Johnston features enthusiastic advice on tightening prose and the importance of style guides. With articles like â€Å"Do You Feel Bad or Do You Feel Badly?† and â€Å"Writers, How Much Should You Leave Unsaid?† the blog is a great guide for beginners looking to perfect the ins and outs of grammar, syntax, and tighten their prose. Writersinthestormblog.com Writersinthestormblog.com is by a group of seasoned writers (Laura Drake, Jenny Hansen, Fae Rowen, and Julie Glover) who want to help writers weather what they call â€Å"the storm within.† That is, the self-doubt and fear that comes with putting yourself and your work out there. It’s a great motivational blog for beginners and intermediate writers alike, and offers invaluable advice on character building, story arcs, conflict, and general writing advice. FromNothingtoNovel.com FromNothingtoNovel.com is run by Julie Tyler (PhD in contemporary literature and literacy studies) and Whitney E. Jones (who has a doctorate in English). They offer great tips, exercises, and other resources for writing, and they encourage writers to get out there and be in a community with other writers. They also treat us to witty opinions about writing and craft, such as â€Å"No, my characters don’t talk to me, and yours don’t talk to you either. Here’s why† and â€Å"Oh, writing kids’ books is easy? How about you and me take this outside†¦Ã¢â‚¬  KathySteinemann.com Kathy Steinemann of KathySteinemann.com, or â€Å"Grandma Birdie† to her grandkids, is an editor, cartoonist, and writer. She regularly posts wonderful tips for description and increasing productivity, and has lists of 400+ or 500+ or 600+ ways to, for example, describe necks, lips, ears, words for animals†¦ almost everything you can think of wanting to describe. Kathysteinemann.com is a great resource for when it’s hard to find just the right word for something. Prowritingaid.com Prowritingaid.com is good for the writer in search of the right tools in their writing. The blog includes useful tips on editing and rewriting, blogging, grammar rules, and specialized apps for writers. The site also includes some useful services and software for writers in need of a bit of extra coaching and support to really get cracking. HelpingWritersBecomeAuthors.com HelpingWritersBecomeAuthors.com is the blog of K. M. Weiland, author of several books, including Outlining Your Novel and Creating Character Arcs. She has great advice for beginning writers, and tips about plot, character, and structure. She also has a few amusing articles about common writing mistakes. Check it out. You might find some of yours! JerryJenkins.com Jerry B. Jenkins is a 21-Time New York Times bestselling novelist (The Left Behind series) and biographer (Hank Aaron, Walter Payton, Billy Graham, and many others) with sales of over 70 million copies. He shares his little-known writing secrets with aspiring authors at JerryJenkins.com through in-depth guides like how to publish a book. WritersWrite.co.za Our motto at Writers Write is ‘Write to communicate’. Our mission is to teach you how to write. Writers Write is a one-stop resource for writers with more than 1 200 articles for creative writers, bloggers, and business writers on the site. We offer practical, inspiring courses in blogging, business writing, and creative writing. For Staying Motivated PositiveWriter.com The writer in need of motivation and inspiration should give blogs like PositiveWriter.com a look. PositiveWriter.com by Bryan Hutchinson was created, Bryan said, for â€Å"fellow writers who were stuck like I was, stuck in doubt, uncertain of their abilities.† It’s a very positive place for encouragement and community, for some inspiration, and for understanding that writer’s doubt is all in the mind. LaurenSapala.com Lauren Sapala of LaurenSapala.com is another motivational writing coach who started her blog to â€Å"nourish, heal, spark, and empower your creative flame. She’s the INFJ who wrote The INFJ Writer and started the WriteCity writing group, and now teaches introverted writers how to fearlessly write, publish, and market their books- not by masking their introversion but by honoring and embracing it in full. BaneofYourResistance.com Rosanne Bane calls writer’s block, perfectionism, distractions, and busy work â€Å"writer’s resistance.† BaneofYourResistance.com offers psychological tools to help you establish a writing routine and to break through the mental barriers that cause writer’s block. Great for writers in need of new coping mechanisms for self doubt, stress, and perfectionism (basically any writer ever). TheProcrastiWriter.com Shannan of TheProcrastiWriter.com has a problem. Like 90% of writers, Shannan is a chronic procrastinator. By her own admission, she spends more time feeling guilty about not writing than actually writing. She started TheProcrastiWriter.com to help fellow procrastinators, and now the site is host to some wonderfully motivational tips for conquering your inner critic, handling vacation guilt, and what to do when your plot changes halfway through writing it. Read â€Å"An Open Letter to Lazy Writers† for a great kick in the rear. ProductiveWriters.com John Soares has been a freelance writer since 1994. He shares the wisdom of at least two decades of experience on his site, ProductiveWriters.com. He regularly posts articles about productivity and finding motivation, as well as valuable tips on finding clients, a niche market, and other tips for content writing and freelancing. There are even a few tips for designing and maintaining your own website. WriteNowCoach.com/blog WriteNowCoach.com/blog is â€Å"where someday becomes write now.† Rochelle Melander, author, book coach, and teacher, regularly interviews successful writers and posts articles to help motivate and inspire aspiring authors. She offers writers really valuable tips on overcoming procrastination and how to write through doubt. She also has a series of interviews with other writers, entitled Writers@Work, as varied as Liam Callanan (The Cloud Atlas), and marketing expert Mike Farley. For Finding Your Tribe WritingCooperative.com Writing is inherently a solitary act, but writing does not exist in a vacuum and writers need communities to grow in. That’s why writers in need of a community should visit sites like WritingCooperative.com, which is a community of writers â€Å"helping each other write better.† They have writing challenges and have a group on Slack. TheWritersAlleyBlog.com TheWritersAlleyBlog.com. The Writer’s Alley, made up of eleven writers who have made it their mission â€Å"to glorify God through [their] writing.† They’re a friendly, inspiring group of writers who post #TipfulTuesdays, helpful writing tips for beginners, and articles with topics ranging from how to overcome self-doubt as a writer to tips about choosing the headshot for your dust jacket. WritersandEditors.com WritersandEditors.com by Pat McNees, a writer and editor with decades of experience under her belt, is a wonderfully supportive community of writers and editors who talk about the A to Z’s of writing, editing, and publishing. You’ll receive straightforward, no-nonsense career advice (such as: â€Å"Q: Can I make a living as a writer? A: As a poet, generally, no). You get notes on etiquette in the publishing industry, plus thoughtful articles on ethics, style guides, rights and contracting, and all sorts of news and issues present in the publishing industry today. WittyTitleHere.com WittyTitleHere.com is â€Å"for female writers who give a damn.† Witty Title Here is a place for feminist writers and readers, and features essays on writing (â€Å"finding your why†), empowerment, and telling your story. It’s also a great resource for writing prompts, resources, and challenges. Check out #ResolveToWrite and Witty Title Here’s Writer Spotlight series for oodles of inspiration. Aliventures.com Aliventures.com is an excellent community for writers concerned with â€Å"mastering the art, craft, and business of writing.† Ali Luke defines the art of writing as â€Å"why we do what we do,† the craft as â€Å"the techniques of writing well,† and the business of writing as â€Å"non-writing stuff that supports your writing.† Join aliventures.com if you’re a freelancer looking to find time to write and master the ins and outs of promotion, getting clients, and ebook sales. For Publishing Your Book JaneFriedman.com Jane Friedman of JaneFriedman.com has been in publishing for over twenty years and counting. You’ve probably already heard of her: she co-founded The Hot Sheet, an essential publishing industry newsletter, wrote The Business of Being a Writer, and regularly posts infinitely useful resources and practical tips on becoming a published author, as well as tips on marketing, promotion, and craft. WritersRelief.com/blog WritersRelief.com/blog has helped authors reach their publishing goals since 1994. They offer advice to indie authors, as well as writers who want to break into the world of traditional publishing- advice like â€Å"How to Submit Short Stories and Poems to Literary Journals† and which writing groups to join. They also have tips on craft for writers who are just starting out. AnneRAllen.com/blog AnneRAllen.com’s blog is chock-full of practical advice on how to get over writer’s block and crippling self-doubt, and it’s also an excellent place for industry advice. Anne and Ruth offer  advice on social media etiquette (see: â€Å"Want Reviews, Guest Posts, Spotlights, Interviews? Treat Bloggers With Respect!†) and how not to turn off your readers and the rest of the publishing world by attempting to copyright the word â€Å"cocky.† BooksandSuch.com/blog BooksandSuch.com/blog has a great variety of articles from the art and craft of writing to recommended reading. But the ladies of BooksandSuch.com shine the brightest when they’re talking about the publishing industry- about how to get an agent, if you’re ready for one, and how to write a proposal to catch an editor or agent’s eye. Check out articles like â€Å"Use High Quality Proposal Ingredients† and â€Å"Rumors and How to Combat Them† for some excellent industry advice. ShaylaRaquel.com Shayla Raquel is an expert editor, seasoned writer, and author-centric marketer. She started ShaylaRaquel.com to help  new and established authors market themselves with great, practical tips on marketing from Wall Street Journal bestselling authors, email marketing tips and tricks, and even how to create the best author website for your brand. TheCreativePenn.com Joanna Penn, author, started TheCreativePenn.com to help authors write, publish, and market their books. She’s got a ton of good advice about self-publishing; how to market your book; and how to make a living from your writing. Joanna is a bestselling author who writes under the name J.F. Penn and an award-winning entrepreneur, podcaster, and YouTuber. RookieWritersSolutions.com RookieWritersSolutions.com by Robin Murphy (author, traveler, and speaker) helps indie authors keep up to date on social media trends and indie publishing news. Robin also posts writing prompts and thoughtful pieces on writing and publishing books. Check out articles like â€Å"Virtual Book/Blog Tours† and her author interviews (with, for example, authors like Jacquelyn Wiles) for an extra dash of motivation. For Making a Living Copyblogger.com Writers who want to learn how to create content that sells will benefit a lot from a visit to Copyblogger.com. It’s one of the best sites for copywriters, freelancers, and marketing managers on the internet today. They have incredible advice on content marketing, email marketing, even client acquisition and honing your skills as a content writer. They’ve also made a number of really useful ebooks available on content writing and marketing, so go give them a visit. UntamedWriting.com UntamedWriting.com’s blog by Karen Marston (blogger, novelist, freelance copywriter) is all about the ins and outs of freelance copywriting. How do you get a client? How do you start writing for the Guardian? What copywriting don’ts should you avoid under any and all circumstances? Karen Marston posts about that and more in her delightful blog. GoinsWriter.com Jeff Goins is all about destroying the myth of the starving artist. With his books The Art of Work and Real Artists Don’t Starve, and now with his blog on GoinsWriter.com, Jeff Goins teaches you how to market your brand and your work, and how to let your craft or art work for you. He talks about personal branding, marketing and promotion, and most especially, why the myth of the starving artist has to die. MakeaLivingWriting.com MakeaLivingWriting.com is for the hungry freelance copywriter. Carol Tice, award-winning freelance writer, shares her secrets of how she went from content mills to author of several non-fiction books. She offers wonderfully practical advice on marketing, copywriting, and creating a brand that works for you. Check out her site for more information and a free report on what kind of freelance writer you are. LittleZotz.com LittleZotz.com’s blog is about writing for business and practical advice for writers who want to make a living by writing. It’s a wonderful resource for freelance writers in the middle of their career and for freelance writers who are just beginning to work up the courage to quit their day jobs and jump in. LittleZots.com’s blog is illustrated with rage comics-ish illustrations by Ramiro Roman, which adds a dash of fun and irreverence to practical tips like â€Å"Six Tips to Keep You Productive When Working from Home.† For Writers of YA and Kids’ Books taralazar.com Tara Lazar is a children’s book author and a mother of two. She blogs at taralazar.com and talks about the art of writing the children’s book. She regularly publishes tips and tricks, like guides for writing fractured fairy tales and several interviews with artists and writers of picture books for children. LiteraryRambles.com Literary Rambles was founded by Casey McCormick and has been continued by MG and YA writer, Natalie Aguirre, for the last seven years. In Natalie's Agent Spotlight series, Literary Rambles interviews children's book agents so that readers can keep their finger on the pulse of children's book publishing. LiteraryRambles.com also features debut MG and YA authors who share their insights on the craft of writing and becoming published; recently Natalie interviewed up and coming MG author Cindy Baldwin (Where the Watermelons Grows Kidlit411.com Kidlit411.com is a site for kids’ writers and illustrators, and they’ve got a Facebook community as well. They feature publishing news; tips on craft, publishing, and marketing your picture book; and interviews with great authors and illustrators in the picture book business. Check out their recent author spotlight, an inspiring interview with author Saadia Faruqi. Inkygirl.com Inkygirl.com is Debbie Ridpath Ohi’s site about reading, writing, and illustrating children’s books. The site is whimsical and colorful, featuring relatable web comics for writers, helpful advice on publishing your own picture books, and reading recommendations galore. Debbie has a wonderful voice and illustrative style; you’re not going to want to miss out on posts like â€Å"SCBWI Success Story, Creative Process and Jen Betton's upcoming debut solo picture book, HEDGEHOG NEEDS A HUG (June 19, 2018)† and â€Å"Writers illustrators: Learning to handle rejection is an essential skill, before AND after publication.† For a Little Bit of Everything TheWriteLife.com TheWriteLife.com has a little bit of everything for writers at any point in their career. They have excellent advice on everything from getting published, to marketing, to freelancing, blogging, and craft, with topics ranging from establishing a writing routine to plot, pacing, dialogue tags, to finding time to write when you have kids. WritersDigest.com Another great all-around site, community, and blog for aspiring writers, intermediate writers, and even published authors is WritersDigest.com. They’ve been around for more than 90 years; they literally â€Å"wrote the book† on writing. Check out their site for invaluable advice on craft and publishing, as well as writer’s resources (podcasts, networking events, publishing and marketing tools), and many more articles sorted by genre, writer goals, and writing levels. Killzoneblog.com Killzoneblog.com is the joint blog of top suspense writers and publishing professionals (Clare Langley-Hawthorne, Sue Coletta, Kathryn Lilly, PJ Parrish, John Gilstrap, Laura Benedict, Jordan Dane, Elaine Viets, Debbie Burke, Joe Hartlaub, Mark Alpert, and James Scott Bell). They take turns every day talking about everything to do with publishing, marketing, craft, and the art of writing. WriterUnboxed.com WriterUnboxed.com is â€Å"about the craft and business of fiction† delivers advanced craft tips from a stable of 50+ contributors (including industry pros and bestselling novelists), advice on perseverance, and industry news. Comments at WU are often as valuable as the posts themselves, driven by WU's diverse community. The site is run by co-founder and editorial director Therese Walsh, who is also a published novelist. WritersTreasure.com WritersTreasure.com is a treasure trove of great tips on honing your craft, mastering clarity, plotting, and even citing sources in your writing. The blog, run by editor, writer, and proofreader Idrees Patel, also features several guest authors with invaluable information on everything from freelancing to thesis writing and so much more. WritersEdit.com WritersEdit.com is a wonderful resource for indie and DIY authors. The site offers lots of practical advice for beginning authors looking to get into Amazon publishing, dealing with criticism, and tips on productivity. They also offer classes in freelance writing, fiction writing, and keep a list of competitions and opportunities for writers of any level. WritetoDone.com WritetoDone.com says â€Å"unmissable articles on writing† right on its tagline, and it doesn’t disappoint. From the importance of beta readers to vlogging to content marketing, book promotion, and tips on writing a killer book proposal, WritetoDone.com has everything for beginning writers to seasoned publishing industry professionals, indie authors, and authors looking to break into traditional publishing. DailyWritingTips.com DailyWritingTips.com has, well, daily writing tips. But they don’t have just daily writing tips, they have tips on business writing, grammar and punctuation, style, spelling, improving your vocabulary, and mistakes you can avoid in fiction, copywriting, and otherwise. They’ve also got a lot of writing challenges and quizzes to keep you entertained the whole day. AngelaBooth.biz AngelaBooth.biz by Angela Booth- copywriter, ghostwriter, author, marketer, and writing coach- is a compendium of all the knowledge Angela has collected over her decades in the publishing industry. She offers classes for writers and edifying articles like â€Å"Fiction: 3 Quick Tips to Write a Novel in a Month† and â€Å"Professional Writing: The Essential Process You Need For Success.† Check her site out for a well-balanced look at the art of writing and how you can make a real living out of your craft. WebsiteSetup.org WebSiteSetup.org is a great blog for any writer interested in setting up their own website/blog. WebSiteSetup has many guides on everything that goes around writer platforms. It also provides easy-to-follow guides dedicated to blogging and social media. If you're interested in starting a blog, check out "How to Start a Blog" guide, it shows everything a writer need to know in order to start blogging (in step-by-step fashion). If you simply follow the blogging tutorials on WebSiteSetup, you'll get your blog up and running in less than 30-minutes.    If you think your website should be added to this list, let us know by submitting your blog for review.