Issues Of Mannerism Essays - Art History, Mannerism,

Issues Of Mannerism Issues of Mannerism The movement in painting that is now referred to as Mannerism began in Italy around 1520, influenced artists throughout Europe, and lasted until the end of the 16th century. The word Mannerism originates from the Italian word maniera which translates into the English word style. The basis of Mannerism then is style; it's a period of art where the focus was on grace and beauty. While preceding trends of Renaissance art looked to nature to find their style, working to perfect it, Mannerists manipulated nature creating a gross perfection of human form, idealizing forms to the point of abstraction. Definitions of Mannerist art as well as the reasons for its appearance as a movement are still contested today. For a definition of mannerism to have validity, it must offer a valid origination of the movement. Much is revealed when the reasons behind a certain artistic expression are clear. Until the 19th century, Mannerist art was considered by most to be perverse and capricious. It was considered simply an excessive use of a specific manner of which contained qualities that were strange and unjustified. It was thought that extravagance, a need for increased productivity, and a lack of artistic knowledge led to the Mannerist style. In the early part of the 20th century, these generalizations were considered unfair, and many new theories about the origins of Mannerism surfaced. Some theories suggest that artists were displaying a conscious deviance, painting against the rules of classical art, and rebelling against the High Renaissance and the ideal of naturalness. The spiritual unrest of the age is often considered the root of this deviant artistic behavior. John Shearman points out in Mannerism that the wars of the early 16th century created a period of economic and social disturbance creating the growth of Mannerist style. He says most works of art are insulated in the mind of the artist even from his personal crises, joys and tragedies (40). More reasonable, he says, are explanations of Mannerism in terms of sociological and religious influences. There was a new development in patronage during this period where works were commissioned for no other reason than to have a work made by a certain artist. Many times the subject, and/or the medium were to be decided upon by the artist. Rosso Fiorentino's Descent From the Cross has a profoundly disquieting, visionary style that indicates a deep inner anxiety. There is a cold, icy feel to the painting. Spidery forms spread across a dark sky, and the figures are agitated yet rigid. Even the drapery appears hard, the folds look brittle and ready to crack. The light that bathes the figures and the colors of clothing are brilliant but unreal which reinforces the bad dream feel. Beginning with Mannerism, art begins to become more about the artist than the subject or the person who commissioned it. The pain and distress of Fiorentino is apparent in his work. In his book Mannerism and Maniera, Craig Smyth explains the belief that Mannerist style was connected with the desire for experimentation and creating art for art's sake rather than a spiritual crisis of the period. Smyth also believes that what is usually considered the anti-classical style of Mannerism is based on classical style specifically antique relief. He suggests that Mannerists connected with the idealization of classical art. Smyth says, the classic solution kept painters feeling at one with them, not in the opposition (27). Influenced by the figures of an antique relief, the figures in Pontormo's Deposition appear to be molded out of stone; graceful linear rhythms are created by the intertwined geometric forms. The claustrophobic staging of the figures and the way they are all pushed up the front of the canvas closely resembles the unrealistic space of a relief. Pontormo's forms have a sculptural solidity and cold gray flesh as if they were made of stone. Like a battle relief where no figure has a personal identity, each of Pontormo's figures closely resemble the next, each of their heads and consistently small and oval. The artist was more concerned with grace, form, and details such as drapery rather than the individualism of each character. In his Madonna with the Long

8 steps to managing your time effectively as an admin assistant

8 steps to managing your time effectively as an admin assistant If you’re an administrative assistant, chances are good that youre supposed to rock at everything related to time management.  This vital job skill might not come naturally to you, but it is something you can learn (and become great at) over time. Even if youre on top of things, it’s always possible to streamline even more.Here are 8 strategies for how to manage your time effectively (or even more effectively) while on the job.1. Stop procrastinating.Getting a sense of just how much you procrastinate is often a good motivator to beat this common habit once and for all. Put a little tick mark or X next to a task on your to-do list for every time you think about doing it, but then put it off for later. Start noticing how many tick marks pile up. Pretty crazy, right? Wouldnt it take a lot less of your mental energy just to get something done? Then, you could cross it off and move on!Tackle your tasks promptly. Handle each email or piece of paper only once, and then get i t off your desk. It’s not doing anyone any good just sitting there.2. Keep your inbox clean.Letting emails and snail mail pile up in your inboxes is the kiss of death. Learn how to quickly process information, synthesize it, and turn it into action. When you get a message of any sort, deal with it then. Sort your emails into file folders, leaving only the actionable items. Then breeze through those until you’ve got a blank slate.3. Don’t try to multitask.Unless youre a whiz at doing lots at once, multitasking often ends up meaning you don’t do any tasks. Tackling a lot of little things will decrease your productivity, no matter how good you are at splitting your focus. Practice mindfulness at work. Take it one task at a time. Go a little slower, and you’ll find your productivity and quality of output both increase. Dare to work slowly- if you do it right the first time, you’ll save time overall.4. Eliminate interruptions.Of course, youll get interrupted throughout the course of a day. Just don’t let each one derail you. Keep interactions short, and don’t put down your pen or change your body language to answer questions. Keep coworkers from lingering for a chat. Be friendly, but dismissive when you’re really in the zone.5. Cultivate efficiency.Don’t make extra work for yourself, and take unnecessary steps. Organize tasks in like bunches–for example, aim to make two trips to the copier per day instead of twelve. Plan your errands to maximize efficiency.6. Set a schedule.Set times for each day where you will check your email, then turn off your notifications- except for things marked urgent. You don’t have to read each one the second it comes in. As long as you’re checking multiple times a day- say for five minutes every hour, or ten minutes every two or three hours- you’re not going to miss anything crucial. (And see step 2: when you do take the time to read messag es, deal with them then and there!)7. Prioritize in order of importance.Always manage your workday so you’re dispatching the most important things first. Log an hour first thing (perhaps even before that first cup of office coffee and that first email check) on your most important project. Even if you can’t get that task done in that hour, you’ll have made serious progress and will be more likely to get back to it and complete it that day.8. Organize the spaces around you.Keep your desk clear of clutter. Keep your web addresses sorted alphabetically, and by category. Keep your to-do list lean and mean by revamping it every afternoon before you leave. If all elements around you are neat, clean, and orderly, its much easier to be efficient. Time spent looking for things is time better spent on completing tasks!

Achaeans of Homer as a society with a certain set of values

Achaeans of Homer as a society with a certain set of values â€Å"Rage: Sing, Goddess, Achilles rage, / Black and murderous, that cost the Greeks / Incalculable pain, pitched countless souls / Of heroes into Hades dark, / And left their bodies to rot as feasts / For dogs and birds† (1.1-6) This opening line of The Iliad vividly recounts the atrocities that Achilles, supposedly â€Å"the best Greek of all,† brings upon his own people through his childish rage and selfish indifference (1.259). As a representative of his people, a hero is supposed to embody the values most important to his civilization. This characterization is not initially true of Achilles. An analysis of the most influential Achaean ideals reveals that Achilles does not consistently and flawlessly model the values esteemed by his peers, but his ability to mature emotionally and morally secures for him the title of best of Achaeans. Summarizing the value system of a complex civilization into a few basic ideas presents immediate problems, especially when the ideology of the civilization is presented through a literary medium such as The Iliad. Despite this complexity, the search for kleos—honor, fame, glory—serves as the inherent basis for the Achaean value system of the army at Troy. Specifically defining kleos and the actions that warrant it is difficult because of the frequency with which the ideal is evoked. However, the aspiration to embody the ideal of kleos is often sought on the battlefield through agathos actions. To many Achaeans, exhibiting bravery, even to the point of death, is the greatest way to earn kleos. â€Å"When a young man is killed in war, / Even though his body is slashed with bronze, / He lies there beautiful in death, noble† (22.80-82). While the plot of the epic centers around, to modern readers, brutally graphic battle sequences, this sense of noble bravery undeni ably colors the warriors actions. Warriors commonly choose to evaluate how their actions will be viewed by later generations. Hector, while obviously not a member of the Greek army, shares this value and summarizes it thusly: [S]omeone in the generations yet to come Will say as he sails by on the darkening sea, That is the tomb of a man long dead, Killed in his prime by glorious Hector. Some will say that, and my fame will not die. (7.90-94) In the original Greek text, Hector’s thought is expressed using the word kleos. Hector believes that the noble bravery he exhibits through challenging the best of the Achaean army will make his kleos everlasting among men. In the minds of the Achaean warriors, bravery on the battlefield is indistinguishable from moral uprightness; Both qualities contribute to kleos . Therefore, the necessity to be sophos—wise and clever—is conveniently intertwined within the greater idea of kleos on the battlefield. While the ability to triumph at battles requiring only brute strength is highly prized, so too is the ability to succeed through cunning when the situation is unfavorable. Nestor, while speaking with his son about the upcoming chariot race, proclaims plainly that â€Å"[s]trategy makes a better woodcutter than strength† (23.339). Beyond the idea of being merely wise in counsel and clever in races or on the battlefield, the sophos ideal extends partially into the realm of relationships. Briseis, a Trojan women taken captive after the sacking of her city, refers to her â€Å"poor Patroclus† as someone who was quite â€Å"dear† to her (19.335). This aspect of the sophos idea l places marked importance on winning over the hearts and minds of captured women through wise advice and pleasurable companionship, not simply holding them by force. Most interpersonal interactions, however, are governed by the powerful philos ideal. It is expected that true warrior heroes maintain loyalty to their family and friends, be that by making their fathers proud, avenging the death of a close companion, or showing family devotion. Various relationships are governed under this principle, but the most important one is undeniably that between father and son. Great heroes are commonly introduced, not simply by their own name, but also by that of their father. Even the great Achilles is remembered as the â€Å"son of Peleus,† despite his own personal achievements (1.335). Other relationships, specifically that between husband and wife, are significant but of secondary importance. This philos ideal is inextricably intertwined within the concept of bravery and noble behavior that is already expected of any hero. While these highly ingrained values clearly govern the actions of heroic Achaeans, respect for the gods and fate plays an important role in Greek society. Finding it unnecessary to offer sacrifices to the gods on Olympus, or even simply forgetting, often leads to the negative interference of certain deities at crucial moments. During an archery contest against Teucer, Meriones fails because of Apollos displeasure. â€Å"He let fly an arrow, a strong shot, / But he failed to vow to the Archer / A sacrifice of a hundred firstling lambs. So he missed the bird—Apollo grudged him that† (23.88-91). Teucer, more cognizant of the respect demanded by the gods, promises the sacrifice and hits the target that Meriones missed. An unrelated but equally important concept is that of xenia—the sacred relationship between guest and host—that serves as the true cause of the Trojan War. This sacred trust, the Achaeans believe, is protected by Zeus. Paris utter disregard for Menelaus hospitality, as evidenced by his affair and subsequent flight with Helen, his hosts wife, sparks the epic ten year war between the Achaeans and the Trojans. The power of this ideal is demonstrated by Diomedes declaration during his confrontation on the battlefield with Glaucus. We have old ties of hospitality! My grandfather Oeneus long ago Entertained Bellerophon in his halls For twenty days, and they gave each other Gifts of friendship So we cant cross spears with each other Even in the thick of battle. (6.221-225, 234-235) From this exchange, it is evident that the relationship between host and guest is enough to prevent a skirmish between two opposing men, even when the tie is several generations in the past. To expect one character to embody and emulate the entire value system of the Achaeans is unrealistic, especially if the character is required to do so consistently and without fail. Achilles begins the epic feuding with Agamemnon over his war prize Briseis, a confrontation that leads to Achilles disastrous withdrawal from battle. This ultimate act of selfishness, as well as smaller examples of moral transgression, portrays Achilles to be little better than an uncivilized warrior. However, the death of his good friend and foster brother, Patroclus, sparks a radical transformation within Achilles. When he is first informed of the death, his reaction is uncontrollable; â€Å"the sound of Achilles grief stung the air† (18.38). This emotional demonstration of the philos ideal sets into motion many other changes that allow Achilles to transform into a true representation of Greek culture. â€Å"My friend is dead, / Patroclus, my dearest friend of all. I loved him, / And I killed h im† (18.84-86). Accepting responsibility for the death allows Achilles to overcome his petty argument with Agamemnon and return to the battlefield to seek kleos, not only for himself, but also to memorialize Patroclus. Achilles seeks out battle knowing that his own death is imminent, proof of his newly formed, or at least revived, agathos tendencies. That he fights valiantly, even against the great Hector, is to be expected of a warrior like Achilles. However, the wisdom shown by Achilles during the funeral games held in honor of Patroclus is unexpected. During the chariot race, Achilles initially proclaims his desire to award the skilled but unlucky last place finisher with the prize for second place. Antilochus, the true second place finisher, begrudges the prize that Achilles is â€Å"going to rob† from him (23.560). Instead of demanding that his decision is enforced, Achilles has the wisdom to revise his previous decree and choose a different prize for the last plac e finisher. Achilles final maturation occurs when he releases Hectors body to his father, Priam, after being prompted by the gods and persuaded by Priams emotional rhetoric. â€Å"My Hector. It is for him I have come to the Greek shipsRespect the gods, Achilles. / Think of your own father, and pity me† (24. 537, 539-540). This appeal to Achilles philos tendencies as well as his respect for the gods easily persuades him to relinquish the body of Hector. The ability of Achilles to empathize with Priam, so similar to his father, is a drastic reversal of his original attitude when, thinking only of himself, he chose not to join the other Achaean troops fighting against the Trojans. Compounding this outpouring of compassion is the fact that Achilles, unasked, offers to â€Å"hold back the army† until Priam and the other Trojans have had enough time to mourn their Hector (24.708). This noble concern for the man who killed his closest friend, although not immediately forthcoming, reflect s, symbolically, the greater catechism of Achaean values. While the intent of The Iliad is not to extol the unerring virtue of Achilles, his demonstrated ability to mature and develop morally distinguishes him from other prominent, static characters. Initially Achilles is far from embodying the lofty sophos, philos, and agathos ideals that govern the model Achaean warriors quest for kleos. Though his early decisions do not reflect the values lauded by his Achaean peers, time and reflection align his actions with those of a great hero.

Marketing Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Marketing - Dissertation Example 110). While this is more pronounced overseas, as France and Germany have been shown in a study to take corporate stewardship more seriously than do Americans, Americans still believe that corporate responsibility is important – â€Å"a recent survey of some 2500 Americans found that 36 percent claimed they seriously considered a company’s corporate citizenship when deciding whether to buy its products† (Paine, 2003, p. 110). Moreover, if a corporation does actions that are disapproved of – say, it is revealed that the corporation conducts unnecessary and cruel tests on animals – this hurts the bottom line, and can lead to boycotts, which are a PR nightmare and can lead to a serious dip in consumers buying its products (Paine, 2003, p. 110). The reason why I chose this topic is because animal testing, especially when the testing is not necessary for advancements for human health, as is the case with cosmetics testing, is one that inspires much passio n on either side of the question, and is an important element of corporate social responsibility. For some people, any kind of animal testing should be verboten, even if the testing is done in the interest of finding human cures. For others, animal testing might not be a problem because, after all, they are â€Å"just animals.† For still others, certain kinds of animal testing might be acceptable, especially if the testing would lead to a medical cure, while other types of testing, such as testing regarding cosmetics, would not be acceptable. How each of these groups view this element of corporate social responsibility would be the center of the inquiry. C. Aims and Objectives The aims of this project will be to discover the feelings of people from all three of the above groups when it comes to certain companies that use animal testing. Do they buy from companies that use animal testing? If not, why not? If so, why? Perhaps a passionate animal advocate might buy products from a cosmetic company that animal tests – what might explain this incongruence? Moreover, I am interested in discovering if companies that do not test on animals emphasize this fact in the advertising campaigns. Lastly, I am interested in finding out how these campaigns affect consumers, and whether or not consumers are less likely to buy from companies that are known to test on animals, and more likely to buy from companies that tout the fact that they do not test on animals. D. Initial Literature Review One of the questions that is of interest is why some people care more about animal rights than do others. The reason why this is an important question is because it can answer why certain consumers will not buy products from cosmetic companies that use animal testing, while others do not care either way. Unti and Rowan (2001) theorize that childhood attitudes accounts for who has more compassion for animals than others (Unti & Rowan, 2001, p. 27). Other theories state that the concern from animals comes to a concern for the oppressed (Unti & Rowan, 2001, p. 27). As to the question of whether companies emphasize their corporate social responsibility, there is some indication that they do not (Blyth, 2003, p. 16). As for the question about how corporate irresponsible practices, such as animal testing, affect consumers, it is useful to examine how consumers react to other corporate social irresponsible

The UK Government is Increasing the Retirement Age Literature review

The UK Government is Increasing the Retirement Age - Literature review Example Therefore, increasing the retirement age will mean more advantage to the elderly employees in the UK construction industry, considering that employers are reluctant to offer employments positions to older workers. Age discrimination could worsen, considering the negative attitudes that exist with regards to performance of the aged. Negative attitudes claimed that Low performance of the aged has contributed largely to early retirement among employees (United Nations, 2009, p. 52). The negative attitudes with regards to low performance of the aged could be improved with good performance and contributions of the older employees who have for a long time been denied the opportunity to prove their efficiency at an old age. Employee Age Discrimination According to Lewis, Lewis, and Thornbory (2006, p. 160), older workers are discriminated against on the claims that at an old age, employees tend to have less physical strength and incapability to endure hard conditions in work environments su ch as the construction industry. More to this, the older employees are also discriminated on claims that their cognitive capacity is low compared to younger employees. However, eliminating age discrimination in the UK construction industry would be attracting, motivating, and retaining the aged staffs that are fit for leadership and motivation of the younger employees. More so, employers could gain much reputation as transparent and an equal opportunity employer for development of skills and empowerment to the members. Direct discrimination involves treating individual employee less favorably with regards to their perceived or actual age associated with the individuals where no legitimate aim is justified. Indirect discrimination occurs in situations where policies, procedures and practices that apply to all employees exist, but in specification to the individuals perceived to be old. These practices, procedures, and policies may include application requirements for a particular job that excludes a particular group of disadvantaged individuals, where no legitimate aim is justified. This practice amounts to violation of the law, since the UK legislations demand that employers should not discriminate against employees by their age and incase so, the case must be justifiable fact as a legitimate objective of the organization (Fineman, 2011, p. 59). Harassment implies situations where unwanted behavior towards the aged employees has the purpose and impact of violation of a person’s dignity with regards to intimidation, human degradation, hostility, and humiliation of employees. On the other hand, victimization refers to an unfair treatment brought forward as a complaint by an employee who is regarded to have been treated unfairly based on age. The threat and complaints of age discrimination in the construction industry seem to be rampant at an early age compared to other industries. The increase in the retirement age by the UK government may lead to increas ed case of discrimination against the aging employees. Older workers are often put under pressure by both employers and fellow young employees to retire against their wish (Adams and Beehr, 2003). The UK construction industry is faced by rampant age discrimination claims among employees who are entering their phases of prime

What the Writer Thought of the Event Essay Example for Free

What the Writer Thought of the Event Essay What the event symbolized for America was explicitly stated in the editorial — Woodstock was the kind of success that could be achieved when there is benevolence among people. Everyone saw a disaster out of Woodstock in the beginning. People predicted it would end out a havoc. Even hip radio stations warned people against it. It was easy for the Americans to think that such a large gathering of people in such a place would end up to no good, especially when it’s the youth that is involved. However, as the event turned out to be a success, America realized that it is not impossible for people to come together and be in a state of harmony at the same time. More importantly, Woodstock became a realization for America that the power of benevolence could do such amazing things, and could rise above such adversities as shortage in water, toilets, bad trips, and even thunderstorms. Aside from these, Woodstock symbolized for the rest of America that their youth is not going down the drain. Instead, their youth is worthy of respect and emulation, because amidst the prejudice against their capabilities and their culture, is their power to rise above the adversity and to display such a culture of good will among perfect strangers. For the parents of America at that time, Woodstock was a â€Å"wakeup call’ that their children did something worthy of their approval , and that this is what is important amidst the drugs and the display of nudity. The bottomline is that Woodstock, for America, had become as symbol of both the power of the youth and the power of benevolence, and the beauty that comes when these two powers work together. For the writer, not only was Woodstock Music and Art Fair an â€Å"Aquarian Exposition of music and peace . It was much more. It ranked among one of the most important sociological and political events of the decade. Not only was it the largest happening that ever was in history at the time, it was also a public announcement of the culture of America’s youth in the sixties. It was a manifestation of their â€Å"strength, appeal, and power† (TIME, 1969). Along the article, the writer pointed out how massive the gathering was, even estimating that had the roads not been blocked, there would have been a million people between the age of 16-30 at Woodstock. And though the writer acknowledged the presence of the largest gathering of rock idols as a bait for the crowd to come, he pointed out a more analytical reason for the gathering. According to him, Woodstock was a kind of â€Å"pilgrimage† where the youths sought to discover that there were hundreds of thousand of people who shared their culture, in other words, that they are not isolated, as they have previously thought they were (TIME, 1969). The writer was also quick to acknowledge the fact that the old generation of Americans initially saw the event as a â€Å"squalid freakout,† but had experienced a change of tune, which included even the New York Times . Along with this, however, the writer ran a paragraph that told about both the â€Å"deplorable† and commendable things about the event that could be the reason for such a two-sided perception of the event. The bad side of Woodstock that the writer perceived included deaths and illnesses from drugs, as well as the deplorable case of sanitation, accommodation, garbage, and rains throughout the event. However, the writer exalted in the fact that â€Å"there were no rapes, no assaults, no robberies and, as far as anyone can recall, not one single fight† (TIME, 1969). In the length of the rest of the article, the writer presented several analysis of the meaning of Woodstock. Among these was that Woodstock was a manifestation of the youth’s valuation of self over society, and aside from the youth’s total separation from the norms of the past generation, was also a manifestation that the adults could not control them anymore. However, along with these was the youth’s perception that they are changing the society for the good and that they did not need someone to lead them since they already have each other . In the end, the writer was able to send a message of questioning to his readers. A question of â€Å"to what purpose† could the outpouring and extremely powerful emotions of the youth could be harnessed politically. His advice was made implicitly by quoting what a sociologist had to say about the event . Towards the end, the writer’s advice turned out into a warning about the possible negative impacts of the event, instead of a dawning of enlightenment .

Aesthetic Music Educatin and the Influence of Bennett Reimer Essay

An explicit concept since the late 1950s, aesthetic education first developed to provide a strong philosophical foundation for music education and continues to evolve as a solid theoretical orientation for current effective practices. Bennett Reimer has contributed much to the discussion and development of the value of aesthetic education for the teaching and learning of music. Others in music education also support and promote these ideals and focus on developing an improved understanding for music educators. Some scholars oppose the principles of an aesthetic education, recently demonstrated by David Elliott who favors a praxial philosophy of music education centered on musical performance. The work of Reimer shows an influence of these thinkers and illustrates the essential benefits of a professional emphasis on aesthetics, the branch of philosophy especially devoted to studying the value of the arts. With guidance from aesthetics, music educators better understand the value of music and its fundamental role within the school curriculum. With its introduction, aesthetic education provided an understanding of authentic fundamental characteristics of music not previously discussed and encouraged an articulation of those ideas into relevant objectives for teaching and learning. The appearance of Basic Concepts in Music Education (ed. Nelson B. Henry, 1958) and the college text Foundations and Principles of Music Education (Charles Leonard and Robert W. House, 1959) promoted the acceptance of an aesthetic-based philosophy as a guiding theoretical foundation. These significant resources encouraged individuals to put their previous intuitions into effective practice using a shared, progressive concept of musical experience and learning. Many music educators embraced aesthetic education (and continue to do so) because it reinforced the validity of music study in the school curriculum for reasons intrinsic to the art itself. Reimer emphasizes that we (as music educators) need not establish discipleship to one particular person or point of view of aesthetic education. The ideal of â€Å"Music Education as Aesthetic Education† (MEAE) does not exist as a particular collection of fixed certainties; it supports the attitude that philosophical truths develop and transform as we advance and verify new ideas. Many sources (books, journals, articles, etc.) provide the insig... ...le, J. Scott and Marie McCarthy. â€Å"Music Education Philosophy: Changing Times,† Music Educators Journal, 89:1 (September 2002): 19-26. Reimer, Bennett. â€Å"Putting Aesthetic Education to Work,† Music Educators Journal, 59 (September 1972): 29-33. Reimer, Bennett. â€Å"Music Education as Aesthetic Education: Past and Present,† Music Educators Journal, 75 (February 1989): 22-8. Reimer, Bennett. â€Å"Music Education as Aesthetic Education: Toward the Future,† Music Educators Journal, 75 (March 1989): 26-32. Reimer, Bennett. â€Å"Essential and Nonessential Characteristics of Aesthetic Education,† Journal of Aesthetic Education, 25:3 (Fall 1991): 193-214. Reimer, Bennett. â€Å"David Elliott’s â€Å"New† Philosophy of Music Education: Music for Performers Only,† Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education, 128 (Spring 1996): 59-89. Reimer, Bennett. A Philosophy of Music Education, 3rd edition, (Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2003). Schwadron, Abraham. â€Å"Some Thoughts on Aesthetic Education,† Music Educators Journal, 56:2 (October 1969): 35-6, 79, 81-5. Schwadron, Abraham. â€Å"Are We Ready for Aesthetic Education,† Music Educators Journal, 60:2 (October 1973): 37-9, 87-9.

Last Sacrifice Chapter Twenty-one

I DIDN'T GET TO DRIVE. â€Å"General' Sydney didn't either, much to her outrage, though Dimitri did some fast- talking to explain why. It all started when Victor discovered his car was having â€Å"engine trouble.' He wasn't very happy about that. He made no accusations, but I think everyone there–even Sonya and Robert–could guess the malfunction wasn't coincidental. This meant we all had to pile in the CR-V, which hadn't been designed to seat so many people–which was why Dimitri had come up with a creative seating plan. Of course, one of those â€Å"seats' turned out to be the cargo space in the back. It was good-sized, but when Sydney learned it was her seat, she accused Dimitri of adding insult to the injury of taking her keys. I wouldn't tell her so, but putting her back there was a sound choice. Dimitri's seating chart was configured to minimize threats inside the car. Dimitri drove, with Robert going shotgun, and me between Victor and Sonya in the backseat. This put a guardian in each row, separated the brothers, and kept the spirit users apart too. When I argued that he and I could switch spots and still maintain the same security, Dimitri pointed out that having me at the wheel wouldn't be safe if I had to suddenly flip to Lissa's mind. It was a fair point. As for Sydney †¦ well, she was neither a threat nor a fighting force, so she got offloaded to the back. And speaking of dead weight †¦ â€Å"We have got to get rid of Victor and Robert now,' I murmured to Dimitri, as we loaded the CR-V with groceries and our meager luggage (further reducing Sydney's space, much to her outrage). â€Å"They've done what we needed. Keeping them is dangerous. It's time to turn them over to the guardians.' The brothers wanted to continue on with us in order to find Lissa's sibling. We were letting them–but not out of generosity. We simply couldn't let them out of our sights yet. â€Å"Agreed,' Dimitri said, frowning slightly. â€Å"But there's no good way to do it. Not yet. We can't leave them tied up beside the road; I wouldn't put it past them to escape and hitchhike. We also can't turn them in ourselves, for obvious reasons.' I set a bag inside the car and leaned against the bumper. â€Å"Sydney could turn them in.' Dimitri nodded. â€Å"That's probably our best bet–but I don't want to part with her until we get to †¦ well, wherever we're going. We might need her help.' I sighed. â€Å"And so, we drag them along.' â€Å"Afraid so,' he said. He gave me wary look. â€Å"You know, when they are in custody, there's a very good chance they'll have quite a story to tell the authorities about us.' â€Å"Yeah.' I'd been thinking about that too. â€Å"I guess that's a problem for later. Gotta deal with the immediate problems first.' To my surprise, Dimitri smiled at me. I would have expected some prudent, wise remark. â€Å"Well, that's always been our strategy, hasn't it?' he asked. I smiled in return, but it was short-lived, once we hit the road. Mercifully, Victor wasn't his usual annoying chatty self–which I suspected was because he was growing weak from lack of blood. Sonya and Robert had to be feeling the same way. This was going to be a problem if we didn't get a feeder soon, but I didn't know how we were going to pull that off. I had the impression Sydney hadn't realized any of this yet, which was just as well. Being a human among a group of hungry vampires would certainly make me nervous. She was actually probably safer sequestered in the back from everyone else. Sonya's directions were vague and very need-to-know. She only gave us short-term information and often wouldn't warn about a turn until we were right on top of it. We had no idea where we were going or how long it would take. She scanned a map and then told Dimitri to go north on I-75. When we asked how long our trip would take, her response was: â€Å"Not long. A few hours. Maybe more.' And with that mysterious explanation, she settled back in her seat and said no more. There was a haunted, pensive expression on her face, and I tried to imagine how she felt. Only a day ago she'd been Strigoi. Was she still processing what had happened? Was she seeing the faces of her victims as Dimitri had? Was she tormenting herself with guilt? Did she want to become Strigoi again? I left her alone. Now wasn't the time for therapy. I settled back, preparing myself to be patient. A tingle of consciousness suddenly sparked in the bond, shifting my attention inward. Lissa was awake. I blinked and looked at the dashboard clock. Afternoon for humans. The Moroi at Court should have been long asleep by now. But no, something had awakened her. Two guardians stood at her door, faces impassive. â€Å"You have to come with us,' one of them said. â€Å"It's time for the next test.' Astonishment filled Lissa. She'd known the next test was â€Å"coming soon' but hadn't heard any further details since returning from the endurance test. That trip had taken place during the Moroi night too, but she'd at least had fair warning. Eddie stood nearby in her room, having replaced my mother as Lissa's protection a few hours ago. Christian sat up in Lissa's bed, yawning. They hadn't gotten hot and heavy, but Lissa liked having him around. Snuggling with her boyfriend while Eddie was in the room didn't seem as weird to her as it did when my mom was there. I didn't blame her. â€Å"Can I change?' Lissa asked. â€Å"Be quick,' said the guardian. She grabbed the first outfit she could and hurried to the bathroom, feeling confused and nervous. When she came out, Christian had pulled on his jeans already and was reaching for his T-shirt. Eddie meanwhile was sizing up the guardians, and I could guess his thoughts because I would have shared the same ones. This wakeup call seemed official, but he didn't know these guardians and didn't totally trust them. â€Å"Can I escort her?' he asked. â€Å"Only as far as the testing area,' said the second guardian. â€Å"What about me?' asked Christian. â€Å"Only as far as the testing area.' The guardians' answers surprised me, but then, I realized it was probably common for monarch candidates to go to their tests with entourages–even unexpected tests in the middle of the night. Or maybe not so unexpected. The Court's grounds were virtually deserted, but when her group reached their destination–a small, out of the way section of an old brick building–she had to pass several groups of Moroi lining the halls. Apparently, word had gotten out. Those gathered stepped aside respectfully. Some–probably advocates of other families–gave her scowls. But lots of other people smiled at her and called out about â€Å"the dragon's return.' A few even brushed their hands against her arms, as though taking luck or power from her. The crowd was much smaller than the one who'd greeted her after the first test. This eased her anxiety but didn't shake her earlier resolve to take the tests seriously. The faces of the onlookers shone with awe and curiosity, wondering if she might be the next to rule them. A doorway at the end of the hall marked the conclusion of her journey. Neither Christian nor Eddie needed to be told that this was as far as they could go. Lissa glanced at the two of them over her shoulder before following one of the guardians inside, taking comfort from her loved ones' supportive faces. After the epic adventure of the first test, Lissa expected something equally intimidating. What she found instead was an old Moroi woman sitting comfortably in a chair in a mostly empty room. Her hands were folded in her lap, holding something wrapped in cloth. The woman hummed, seeming very content. And when I say old, I mean she was old. Moroi could live until their early 100s, and this woman had clearly crossed that mark. Her pale skin was a maze of wrinkles, and her gray hair was wispy and thin. She smiled when she saw Lissa and nodded toward an empty chair. A small table sat beside it with a glass pitcher of water. The guardians left the women alone. Lissa glanced around her surroundings. There were no other furnishings, though there was a plain door opposite the one she had come through. She sat down and then turned toward the old woman. â€Å"Hello,' said Lissa, trying to keep her voice strong. â€Å"I'm Vasilisa Dragomir.' The woman's small smile grew, showing her yellowed teeth. One of her fangs was missing. â€Å"Always such manners in your family,' she croaked. â€Å"Most people come in here and demand we get down to business. But I remember your grandfather. He was polite during his test as well.' â€Å"You knew my grandfather?' exclaimed Lissa. He had died when she was very, very young. Then, she picked up another meaning in the woman's words. â€Å"He ran for king?' The woman nodded. â€Å"Passed all his tests. I think he would have won the election, if he hadn't withdrawn at the last moment. After that, it was a coin's toss between Tatiana Ivashkov and Jacob Tarus. Very close, that one. The Taruses still hold a grudge.' Lissa had never heard any of this. â€Å"Why'd my grandfather withdraw?' â€Å"Because your brother had just been born. Frederick decided he needed to devote his energy to his fledgling family, instead of a nation.' Lissa could understand this. How many Dragomirs were there back then? Her grandfather, her father, and Andre–and her mother, but only by marriage. Eric Dragomir hadn't had any brothers or sisters. Lissa knew little about her grandfather, but in his place, she decided that she too would have rather spent time with her son and grandson, instead of listening to the endless speeches Tatiana had had to deal with. Lissa's mind had wandered, and the old woman was watching her carefully. â€Å"Is †¦ this the test?' asked Lissa, once the silence had gone on too long. â€Å"Is it, like, an interview?' The old woman shook her head. â€Å"No. It's this.' She unwrapped the object in her lap. It was a cup–a chalice or a goblet. I'm not sure which. But it was beautiful, made of silver that seemed to glow with its own light. Blood-red rubies were scattered along the sides, glittering with each turn of the cup. The woman regarded it fondly. â€Å"Over a thousand years old, and it still gleams.' She took the pitcher and filled the chalice with water while Lissa and I processed the words. A thousand years? I was no metal expert, but even I knew silver should have tarnished in that time. The woman held out the cup to Lissa. â€Å"Drink from it. And when you want to stop, say'stop.† Lissa reached for the cup, more confused than ever by the odd instructions. What was she supposed to stop? Drinking? As soon as her fingers touched the metal, she understood. Well, kind of. A tingle ran through her, one she knew well. â€Å"This is charmed,' she said. The old woman nodded. â€Å"Infused with all four elements and a spell long since forgotten.' Charmed with spirit too, thought Lissa. That too must have been forgotten, and it put her on edge. Elemental charms had different effects. Earth charms–like the tattoo she'd been given–were often tied with minor compulsion spells. The combination of all four in a stake or ward provided a unified blast of life that blocked the undead. But spirit †¦ well, she was quickly learning that spirit charms covered a wide range of unpredictable effects. The water no doubt activated the spell, but Lissa had a feeling that spirit was going to be the key player. Even though it was the power that burned in her blood, it still scared her. The spell woven into this cup was complex, far beyond her skills, and she feared what it would do. The old woman stared unblinkingly. Lissa hesitated only a moment more. She drank. The world faded away, then rematerialized into something completely different. She and I both recognized what this was: a spirit dream. She no longer stood in the plain room. She was outdoors, wind whipping her long hair in front of her face. She brushed it aside as best she could. Other people stood around her, all of them in black, and she soon recognized the Court's church and graveyard. Lissa herself wore black, along with a long wool coat to protect against the chill. They were gathered around a grave, and a priest stood near it, his robes of office offering the only color on that gray day. Lissa took a few steps over, trying to see whose name was on the tombstone. What she discovered shocked me more than her: ROSEMARIE HATHAWAY. My name was carved into the granite in regal, elaborate font. Below my name was the star of battle, signifying that I'd killed more Strigoi than could be counted. Go me. Beneath that were three lines of text in Russian, Romanian, and English. I didn't need the English translation to know what each line said because it was standard for a guardian's grave: â€Å"Eternal Service.' The priest spoke customary funeral words, giving me the blessings of a religion I wasn't sure I believed in. That was the least weird thing here, however, seeing as I was watching my own funeral. When he finished, Alberta took his place. Lauding the deceased's achievements was also normal at a guardian's funeral–and Alberta had plenty to say about mine. Had I been there, I would have been moved to tears. She concluded by describing my last battle, how I'd died defending Lissa. That actually didn't weird me out so much. I mean, don't get me wrong. Everything going on here was completely insane. But, reasonably speaking, if I was actually watching my own funeral, it made sense that I would have died protecting her. Lissa didn't share my feelings. The news was a slap in the face to her. She suddenly became aware of a horrible empty feeling in her chest, like part of her was gone. The bond only worked one way, yet Robert had sworn losing his bondmate had left him in agony. Lissa understood it now, that terrible, lonely ache. She was missing something she'd never even known she'd had. Tears brimmed in her eyes. This is a dream, she told herself. That's all. But she'd never had a spirit dream like this. Her experiences had always been with Adrian, and the dreams had felt like telephone calls. When the mourners dispersed from the graveyard, Lissa felt a hand touch her shoulder. Christian. She threw herself gratefully into his arms, trying hard to hold back sobs. He felt real and solid. Safe. â€Å"How did this happen?' she asked. â€Å"How could it have happened?' Christian released her, his crystal-blue eyes more serious and sorrowful than I'd ever seen. â€Å"You know how. Those Strigoi were trying to kill you. She sacrificed herself to save you.' Lissa had no memory of this, but it didn't matter. â€Å"I can't †¦ I can't believe this is happening.' That agonizing emptiness grew within her. â€Å"I have more bad news,' said Christian. She stared in astonishment. â€Å"How could this get any worse?' â€Å"I'm leaving.' â€Å"Leaving †¦ what? Court?' â€Å"Yes. Leaving everything.' The sadness on his face grew. â€Å"Leaving you.' Her jaw nearly dropped. â€Å"What †¦ what's wrong? What did I do?' â€Å"Nothing.' He squeezed her hand and let it go. â€Å"I love you. I'll always love you. But you are who you are. You're the last Dragomir. There'll always be something taking you away †¦ I'd just get in your way. You need to rebuild your family. I'm not the one you need.' â€Å"Of course you are! You are the only one! The only one I want to build my future with.' â€Å"You say that now, but just wait. There are better choices. You heard Adrian's joke. â€Å"Little Dragomirs'? When you're ready for kids in a few years, you're going to need a bunch. The Dragomirs need to be solid again. And me? I'm not responsible enough to handle that.' â€Å"You'd be a great father,' she argued. â€Å"Yeah,' he scoffed, â€Å"and I'd be a big asset to you too–the princess married to the guy from the Strigoi family.' â€Å"I don't care about any of that, and you know it!' She clutched at his shirt, forcing him to look at her. â€Å"I love you. I want you to be part of my life. None of this makes sense. Are you scared? Is that it? Are you scared of the weight of my family name?' He averted his eyes. â€Å"Let's just say it's not an easy name to carry.' She shook him. â€Å"I don't believe you! You're not afraid of anything! You never back down.' â€Å"I'm backing down now.' He gently removed himself from her. â€Å"I really do love you. That's why I'm doing this. It's for the best.' â€Å"But you can't †¦' Lissa gestured toward my grave, but he was already walking away. â€Å"You can't! She's gone. If you're gone too, there'll be no one †¦' But Christian was gone, disappearing into fog that hadn't been there minutes ago. Lissa was left with only my tombstone for company. And for the first time in her life, she was really and truly alone. She had felt alone when her family died, but I'd been her anchor, always at her back, protecting her. When Christian had come along, he too had kept the loneliness away, filling her heart with love. But now †¦ now we were both gone. Her family was gone. That hole inside threatened to consume her, and it was more than just the loss of the bond. Being alone is a terrible, terrible thing. There's no one to run to, no one to confide in, no one who cares what happens to you. She'd been alone in the woods, but that was nothing like this. Nothing like it at all. Staring around, she wished she could go sink into my grave and end her torment. No †¦ wait. She really could end it. Say ‘stop,' the old woman had said. That was all it took to stop this pain. This was a spirit dream, right? True, it was more realistic and all- consuming than any she'd ever faced, but in the end, all dreamers woke up. One word, and this would become a fading nightmare. Staring around at the empty Court, she almost said the word. But †¦ did she want to end things? She'd vowed to fight through these trials. Would she give up over a dream? A dream about being alone? It seemed like such a minor thing, but that cold truth hit her again: I've never been alone. She didn't know if she could carry on by herself, but then, she realized that if this wasn't a dream–and dear God, did it feel real–there was no magic â€Å"stop' in real life. If she couldn't deal with loneliness in a dream, she never would be able to while waking. And as much as it scared her, she decided she would not back down from this. Something urged her toward the fog, and she walked toward it–alone. The fog should have led her into the church's garden. Instead, the world rematerialized and she found herself in a Council session. It was an open one, with a Moroi audience watching. Unlike usual, Lissa didn't sit with the audience. She was at the Council's table, with its thirteen chairs. She sat in the Dragomir seat. The middle chair, the monarch's chair, was occupied by Ariana Szelsky. Definitely a dream, some wry part of her thought. She had a Council spot and Ariana was queen. Too good to be true. Like always, the Council was in a heated debate, and the topic was familiar: the age decree. Some Council members argued that it was immoral. Others argued that the Strigoi threat was too great. Desperate times called for desperate actions, those people said. Ariana peered down the table at Lissa. â€Å"What does the Dragomir family think?' Ariana was neither as kind as she'd been in the van nor as hostile as Tatiana had been. Ariana was neutral, a queen running a Council and gathering the information she needed. Every set of eyes in the room turned toward Lissa. For some reason, every coherent idea had fled out of her head. Her tongue felt thick in her mouth. What did she think? What was her opinion of the age decree? She desperately tried to dredge up an answer. â€Å"I †¦ I think it's bad.' Lee Szelsky, who must have taken the family spot when Ariana became queen, snorted in disgust. â€Å"Can you elaborate, princess?' Lissa swallowed. â€Å"Lowering the guardian age isn't the way to protect us. We need †¦ we need to learn to protect ourselves too.' Her words were met with more contempt and shock. â€Å"And pray tell,' said Howard Zeklos, â€Å"how do you plan to do that? What's your proposal? Mandatory training for all ages? Start a program in the schools?' Again Lissa groped for words. What was the plan? She and Tasha had discussed it lots of times, strategizing this very issue of how to implement training. Tasha had practically pounded those details into her head in the hopes Lissa could make her voice heard. Here she was now, representing her family on the Council, with the chance to change things and improve Moroi life. All she had to do was explain herself. So many were counting on her, so many waiting to hear the words she felt so passionately about. But what were they? Why couldn't Lissa remember? She must have taken too long to answer because Howard threw his hands up in disgust. â€Å"I knew it. We were idiots to let a little girl on this Council. She has nothing useful to offer. The Dragomirs are gone. They've died with her, and we need to accept that.' They've died with her. The pressure of being the last of her line had weighed on Lissa since the moment a doctor had told her that her parents and brother had died. The last of a line that had empowered the Moroi and produced some of the greatest kings and queens. She'd vowed to herself over and over that she wouldn't disappoint that lineage, that she would see her family's pride restored. And now it was all falling apart. Even Ariana, whom Lissa had considered a supporter, looked disappointed. The audience began to jeer, echoing the call of removing this tongue-tied child from the Council. They yelled for her to leave. Then, worse still: â€Å"The dragon is dead! The dragon is dead!' Lissa almost tried again to make her speech, but then something made her look behind her. There, the twelve family seals hung on the wall. A man had appeared out of nowhere and was taking down the Dragomir's crest, with its dragon and Romanian inscription. Lissa's heart sank as the shouts in the room became louder and her humiliation grew. She rose, wanting to run out of there and hide from the disgrace. Instead, her feet took her to the wall with its seals. With more strength than she thought herself capable of possessing, she jerked the dragon seal away from the man. â€Å"No!' she yelled. She turned her gaze to the audience and held up the seal, challenging any of them to come take it from her or deny her her rightful place on the Council. â€Å"This. Is. Mine. Do you hear me? This is mine!' She would never know if they heard because they disappeared, just like the graveyard. Silence fell. She now sat in one of the medical examining rooms back at St. Vladimir's. The familiar details were oddly comforting: the sink with its orange hand soap, the neatly labeled cupboards and drawers, and even the informative health posters on the walls. STUDENTS: PRACTICE SAFE SEX! Equally welcome was the school's resident physician: Dr. Olendzki. The doctor wasn't alone. Standing around Lissa–who sat on top of an examination bed–were a therapist named Deirdre and †¦ me. Seeing myself there was pretty wacky, but after the funeral, I was just starting to roll with all of this. A surprising mix of feelings raced through Lissa, feelings out of her control. Happiness to see us. Despair at life. Confusion. Suspicion. She couldn't seem to get a hold of one emotion or thought. It was a very different feeling from the Council, when she just hadn't been able to explain herself. Her mind had been orderly–she'd just lost track of her point. Here, there was nothing to keep track of. She was a mental mess. â€Å"Do you understand?' asked Dr. Olendzki. Lissa suspected the doctor had already asked this question. â€Å"It's beyond what we can control. Medication no longer works.' â€Å"Believe me, we don't want you hurting yourself. But now that others are at risk †¦ well, you understand why we have to take action.' This was Deirdre. I'd always thought of her as smug, particularly since her therapeutic method involved answering questions with questions. There was no sly humor now. Deirdre was deadly earnest. None of their words made sense to Lissa, but the hurting yourself part triggered something in her. She looked down at her arms. They were bare †¦ and marred with cuts. The cuts she used to make when the pressure of spirit grew too great. They'd been her only outlet, a horrible type of release. Studying them now, Lissa saw the cuts were bigger and deeper than before. The kinds of cuts that danced with suicide. She looked back up. â€Å"Who †¦ who did I hurt?' â€Å"You don't remember?' asked Dr. Olendzki. Lissa shook her head, looking desperately from face to face, seeking answers. Her gaze fell on me, and my face was as dark and somber as Deirdre's. â€Å"It's okay, Liss,' I said. â€Å"It's all going to be okay.' I wasn't surprised at that. Naturally, it was what I would say. I would always reassure Lissa. I would always take care of her. â€Å"It's not important,' said Deirdre, voice soft and soothing. â€Å"What's important is no one else ever gets hurt. You don't want to hurt anyone, do you?' Of course Lissa didn't, but her troubled mind shifted elsewhere. â€Å"Don't talk to me like a child!' The loudness of her voice filled the room. â€Å"I didn't mean to,' said Deirdre, the paragon of patience. â€Å"We just want to help you. We want you to be safe.' Paranoia rose to the forefront of Lissa's emotions. Nowhere was safe. She was certain about that †¦ but nothing else. Except maybe something about a dream. A dream, a dream †¦ â€Å"They'll be able to take care of you in Tarasov,' explained Dr. Olendzki. â€Å"They'll make sure you're comfortable.' â€Å"Tarasov?' Lissa and I spoke in unison. This other Rose clenched her fists and glared. Again, a typical reaction for me. â€Å"She is not going to that place,' growled Rose. â€Å"Do you think we want to do this?' asked Deirdre. It was the first time I'd really seen her cool facade crumble. â€Å"We don't. But the spirit †¦ what it's doing †¦ we have no choice †¦' Images of our trip to Tarasov flashed through Lissa's mind. The cold, cold corridors. The moans. The tiny cells. She remembered seeing the psychiatric ward, the section other spirit users were locked up in. Locked up indefinitely. â€Å"No!' she cried, jumping up from the table. â€Å"Don't send me to Tarasov!' She looked around for escape. The women stood between her and the door. Lissa couldn't run. What magic could she use? Surely there was something. Her mind touched spirit, as she rifled for a spell. Other-Rose grabbed a hold of her hand, likely because she'd felt the stirrings of spirit and wanted to stop Lissa. â€Å"There's another way,' my alter ego told Deirdre and Dr. Olendzki. â€Å"I can pull it from her. I can pull it all from her, like Anna did for St. Vladimir. I can take away the darkness and instability. Lissa will be sane again.' Everyone stared at me. Well, the other me. â€Å"But then it'll be in you, right?' asked Dr. Olendzki. â€Å"It won't disappear.' â€Å"I don't care,' I told them stubbornly. â€Å"I'll go to Tarasov. Don't send her. I can do it as long as she needs me to.' Lissa watched me, scarcely believing what she heard. Her chaotic thoughts turned joyous. Yes! Escape. She wouldn't go crazy. She wouldn't go to Tarasov. Then, somewhere in the jumble of her memories †¦ â€Å"Anna committed suicide,' murmured Lissa. Her grasp on reality was still tenuous, but that sobering thought was enough to momentarily calm her racing mind. â€Å"She went crazy from helping St. Vladimir.' My other self refused to look at Lissa. â€Å"It's just a story. I'll take the darkness. Send me.' Lissa didn't know what to do or think. She didn't want to go to Tarasov. That prison gave her nightmares. And here I was, offering her escape, offering to save her like I always did. Lissa wanted that. She wanted to be saved. She didn't want to go insane like all the other spirit users. If she accepted my offer, she would be free. Yet †¦ on the edge or not, she cared about me too much. I had made too many sacrifices for her. How could she let me do this? What kind of friend would she be, to condemn me to that life? Tarasov scared Lissa. A life in a cage scared Lissa. But me facing that scared her even more. There was no good outcome here. She wished it would all just go away. Maybe if she just closed her eyes †¦ wait. She remembered again. The dream. She was in a spirit dream. All she had to do was wake up. Say â€Å"stop.' It was easier this time. Saying that word was the simple way out, the perfect solution. No Tarasov for either of us, right? Then, she felt a lightening of the pressure on her mind, a stilling of those chaotic feelings. Her eyes widened as she realized I had already started pulling away the darkness. ‘Stop' was forgotten. â€Å"No!' Spirit burned through her, and she threw up a wall in the bond, blocking me from her. â€Å"What are you doing?' my other self asked. â€Å"Saving you,' said Lissa. â€Å"Saving myself.' She turned to Dr. Olendzki and Deirdre. â€Å"I understand what you have to do. It's okay. Take me to Tarasov. Take me where I won't hurt anyone else.' Tarasov. A place where real nightmares walked the halls. She braced herself as the office faded away, ready for the next part of the dream: a cold stone cell, with chains on the walls and people wailing down the halls†¦. But when the world put itself back together, there was no Tarasov. There was an empty room with an old woman and a silver chalice. Lissa looked around. Her heart was racing, and her sense of time was off. The things she'd seen had lasted an eternity. Yet, simultaneously, it felt like only a couple seconds had passed since she and the old woman had conversed. â€Å"What †¦ what was that?' asked Lissa. Her mouth was dry, and the water sounded good now †¦ but the chalice was empty. â€Å"Your fear,' said the old woman, eyes twinkling. â€Å"All your fears, laid out neatly in a row.' Lissa placed the chalice on the table with shaking hands. â€Å"It was awful. It was spirit, but it †¦ it wasn't anything I've seen before. It invaded my mind, rifling through it. It was so real. There were times I believed it was real.' â€Å"But you didn't stop it.' Lissa frowned, thinking of how close she had come. â€Å"No.' The old woman smiled and said nothing. â€Å"Am I †¦ am I done?' asked Lissa, confused. â€Å"Can I go?' The old woman nodded. Lissa stood and glanced between the two doors, the one she'd entered through and the plain one in the back. Still in shock, Lissa automatically turned toward the door she'd come through. She didn't really want to see those people lined up in the hall again but swore she'd put on a good princess face. Besides, there'd only been a fraction here compared to the group who'd greeted her after the last test. Her steps were halted when the old woman spoke again and pointed toward the back of the room. â€Å"No. That's for those who fail. You go out this door.' Lissa turned and approached the plain door. It looked like it led outdoors, which was probably just as well. Peace and quiet. She felt like she should say something to her companion but didn't know what. So, she simply turned the knob and stepped outside †¦ Into a crowd cheering for the dragon.

The main aim is not to be afraid of yourself

Several months ago I participated at training â€Å"Effective communication†. Actually, I didn’t think it will be useful for me, because I wasn’t a shy person, who doesn’t know what he wants from life.I didn’t have some special problems in personal relationships and in communications with my friends/teachers/family/etc. Still, my friend invited me to visit this training and I agreed. Let it be, – I thought, – maybe I’ll find something interesting there, – who knows. To tell the truth, it was very useful for me and I’ve learned a lot of interesting things about myself which helped me to communicate with other people more effective.After that training I understood that if I remain myself (if I’m not changing myself) I’ll be happy and I’ll always be able to find way out from any difficult situation.The main aim is not to be afraid of yourself, to love and to accept yourself as you are. Unexpectedl y for me I found out that I always was unsure in my actions, I was self-confident but only to some extent and very often after I took some decision; I tried to think over, what could happen if I acted in another way.I mean that I learned to look at my problems in simpler way, and then after I realized that actually I don’t have any problems. I understood that when the person is â€Å"opened†, people like him and they strive after him. You don’t need to be afraid and to hide your feelings, and then people start to understand you. Some of my fears from childhood disappeared; now in many cases I can control my aggression towards the other people.I was able to determine aim in my life, my internal state of mind changed into more vivid and confident. Communication with other people became more opened; I started to control my feelings. I learned that everything in my life depends on me, not on somebody else. That there are a lot of great possibilities, I only have to open my eyes and to reach them. Before I was loosing confidence in stress situations, and now I’m able to control my feelings.We made different kinds of tests and I understood that I like to clash with my friends and that I don’t show to people, who are close to me, feelings expressing my good attitude to them. I received practical knowledge in the field of understanding of human emotions and problems; I learned a lot of facts about myself with help of self-analysis and from opinions of other people. It was the unique experience for me and it helped me greatly in my life.   

History to the 18th Century

History to the 18th Century The article â€Å"Spiritual life and the survival of Christianity† highlights comparisons and contrast in the 18th century and modern day Christian church. The history sheds light on the issue of secularism and how it has encroached on the church threatening its core. The relationship between secularism and the eighteenth century time is particularly important because it is during this century in history that secularism gained foothold and became accepted as an alternative to religion.Advertising We will write a custom article sample on History to the 18th Century specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The century is remembered in history as the first non Christian century. Christianity is highlighted from the modern and ancient perspectives with emphasis given to the present day church in the US and Europe. The article tries to show the roots of the today’s attitudes towards Christianity and how the eighteenth century contrib uted to them. The emphasis given to the Christians in the US is especially important because it sheds light on how American Christian principles came up and how the American culture acquired its secularism through Christianity. The article does show how culture was â€Å"pure†, so to say before it was penetrated by Christian values. After the penetration, thinkers found themselves enslaved by the Christian values and traditions that it was difficult to use a language free from Christian influence. That is why the eighteenth century was alive with antitheist campaigns keen on eliminating all Christian vales. What’s more, it’s the elite who led these attacks but after all was done; Christianity still maintained strong influence on people’s culture. The article contains information deeply detailing the important role that Christianity played in making the existent culture in the US and Europe and how early scholars contributed to the advancement of secularis m without bothering religion, in this case Christianity. This was done through the art of benign atheism that was led by Marx and Freud. For instance, Marx believed that curtailing Christians’ belief in their God was an unnecessary distraction of communists from their course. Freud on the other hand believed that it was a waste of time to argue for or against religion since no one had produced a rational though for or against religion. Despite modern culture drawing heavily from Christianity and other religions like Islam, culture has evolved separately and has almost become a religion on its own. Believers have become non-attached to religion and seem to have adopted the attitude that God doesn’t matter any more.Advertising Looking for article on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The main point driven by this article is that the secularism that has been adopted by people is more detrimental to t he Christian religion than was the antitheism sentiments that characterized the eighteenth century. There are growing tendency by people to treat religion especially Christianity as just another part of civilization same as industrialization and agrarian revolution. Religion in the past especially in the eighteenth century was handed down as a tradition but that is not the case any more. Control that society exerted over people through religion is long gone and people are nowadays responsible for their destinies and they determine their attitudes instead of the common communal approach. Important questions are raised although subtly. The author wonders if religion and especially Christianity is slowly becoming extinct. Also, if religion is slowly giving in to the demands of culture and if it is headed into an eventual collaboration with culture through compromising of its basic tenets. There are questions too about whether there will be potential conflict between culture and religio n. Will that be the end of civilization and who and what will be responsible in case such an eventuality comes to be? Is there any thing(s) that can be done to save the situation? If yes, what can be done and if no why can’t something be done to save the notion. There is a need to start a reconstruction of values that have collapsed due to advancement of civilization and the decline of Christianity. There is also a need to change people’s thinking to believe in the power of the church and the entire Christian principles. At the same time it is important to recognize that the world is constantly changing and tolerance and accommodation of other people’s views necessary (Fahlbusch and Bromiley 2000, 195). Learning to respect human beings different ways of expressing their gratitude and appreciation is needed if peace is to be maintained in the world. Unlike the ancient times that were dominated by explicit antitheism, today’s onslaught on Christianity is ma nifested in the corruption of Christian ideals to suit people’s needs and fantasies. The trend is present in all levels of society nowadays. The 21st century can easily turn out to be one of the most anti-Christian centuries like the eighteen century was. Vigorous activism that is present these days may stem steep decline of the church in the short run but not in the long rum. Again, today’s scholars are more sophisticated than Marx and Freud of the eighteenth century. They are therefore not likely to relent in their effort to directly attack religion especially Christianity with the sole aim of distracting the remaining few faithful followers.Advertising We will write a custom article sample on History to the 18th Century specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More References Fahlbusch, Geoffrey and Bromiley, William. The encyclopedia of Christianity, Volume 5. New York: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2000. Louis, Dupre. â€Å"Spir itual life and the survival of Christianity.† The Free Library (1998). https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Spiritual+life+and+the+survival+of+Christianity-a021202870

Details, Dilemma and Decision Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Details, Dilemma and Decision - Assignment Example If she does agree to be part of the trial phase, would there be a guarantee that this will not trigger her ailment that may cause her life to be shortened even more? Or could there be a hope that in the process something might be discovered eventually that she may also benefit from it after all? As for Dr. Blake, the offer that he made to Mrs. Wilkins may defy the principle of non-maleficence. It can jeopardize his career and credibility as a professional and his relationship with his patients. As a doctor, he may influence the decision that Mrs. Wilkins will take though it will not be what the patient would really want. People in the medical field do take note of non-maleficence principle which means not to do harm and is considered to be an overriding principle to everyone who undertakes the care of the patient. (Butts and Rich, 2005, p.13) With this in mind, it is just appropriate for Mrs. Wilkins to become a part of the trial phase that Dr. Blake is offering her. As a doctor, Dr. Blake has studied his patient’s medical history and would not risk the safety of Mrs. Wilkins just to get facts and data for a certain project. Mrs. Wilkins, being terminally ill, may not even think of her own self. It may be true that Mrs. Wilkins will not benefit from the drug at all. That is just the start of the study, there could still be a little hope or possibility that the patient may benefit from it. If the study will be completed, it is not just for the benefit of one but maybe for the benefit of a lot of patients that will be taking it eventually. The decision of one should not just be based for the good of one. Yet it should be for the good of many. In the long run, as people start using the drug, the users will be thankful to those people who tested the drug first, this includes Mrs. Wilkins. The life that she may have right now is bound to end at any stage, however with her actions and her decision to

Have the welfare reforms enacted since the 1980s been successful in Essay

Have the welfare reforms enacted since the 1980s been successful in achieving their goals - Essay Example However, some decades later, the program was blamed for creating a dependent culture. This encouraged the government to institute reforms on the welfare sector. This paper will look at major achievements and challenges of welfare reforms since the 1980s. The Need for Reforms in Welfare Sector To the beneficiaries, the financial benefits derived from public welfare programs were better than most low paying jobs. Hence, most people preferred to remain covered by the welfare program than be employed. On the contrary, many people felt that there was a need for the government to continue providing welfare assistance since most of the beneficiaries were children under the Aid to Families with Dependant Children (AFDC) (Wax 2009). Under this program, families were living under comfort of assured of federal support. However, the new reforms on welfare have changed this situation by eliminating the guarantee. The choice of who to benefit from the welfare program in most countries depends on t he intended goal of a specific program. In basic terms, the main aim of major welfare programs is to get the target individuals out of poverty by making them self-reliant and thereby lead a better life. ... ility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PROWRA) of 1996 takes credit for helping reduce the number of people who are dependent on welfare (Grogger & Karoly 2005). Second, the reform removed the control of the welfare system from the hands of federal government and passed it to state governments. Third, the reform set some minimal requirements that a state has to meet in order to benefit from welfare services. The reforms saw the federal government give out welfare support in a flat rate on the basis of the population in the state. This succeeded in encouraging people to look for work as a way of lessening dependence on state welfare. The achievements of Personal Responsibility and Work opportunity Act reform were strengthened by the Temporary Reward for Needy Families (TANF) program. TANF replaced the AFDC which gave support to all needy families with needy children (Martin 2011). TANF required state governments to encourage the people to search for employment while receiving welfare assistance. This was the first time in the history of the welfare approach for the government to impose requirements to states and beneficiaries. The assistance was also limited to five years of a family’s lifetime. As a result, there has been a 60 percent reduction in welfare dependency due to rise in employment levels. However, the perceived reduction in caseload in 1990s due to the reforms is challenged to be as a result of strong economic growth in the economy of United States. Strong economy meant people were able to find better paying jobs, and hence become less reliant on welfare funds. Increase in Employment and Income of Single Mothers Even though the critics of early reforms had predicted dire consequences primarily to the single unemployed mothers, they stood to witness