Tuesday, December 18, 2018
'Descriptive Art History Essay\r'
'Jade Richards-Butler Professor Jonathon Farris ARTH ascorbic acid Descriptive Essay This work resembles a four-legged wolf wearing a masquerade party with merciful features. It is a mold in the round created using an bilinear method. The smooth, highly polished texture and reddish colouring material of the sculpture give the impression that the material is ceramic. The sculpture’s head displays both human and carnal(prenominal) qualities. The ears argon positioned symmetrically, slightly off center of the head.They atomic number 18 of a triangular fig and stand kick upstairs in a pointed manner resembling ears similar to those of near dog breeds. They ar slightly concave and appear frontwards. Around the face there is a increase layer of the material creating the illusion that a sham has been superimposed onto the sculpture. The â€Å"mask†is a slightly different colour than the head and covers what would be the sculpture’s face. Right in the center of the â€Å"mask†are human features. The eyebrows are slightly raised and hapless set, sitting unusually close to the eyes.The eyes come erupt slightly from their sockets. They are almond shaped with incisions outlining the eyeballs. The poll of the search begins between the two eyes, lengthwise it occupies somewhat a third of the â€Å"maskâ€Â. It is highly project with a sharply defined bridge. Under the nose there are two raised areas denoting lips. in that location is an indentation representing the space in between the lips, which is curve slightly upwards suggesting a smile. The ears sit half(a) panache obliterate the â€Å"maskâ€Â, they are comparative to the mask features with slightly exaggerated ear lobes. there is a hole in the right lobe that appears to be an delicious choice rather than a preservation problem. The inner(a) edges of the hole seem scratched, perhaps there was previously an item sitting in the hole. The front legs are short in comparison to the suspension of the body. in that location is an outward bend half way down to each one leg. The base of the legs taper off slightly, resembling paws. There are three equally distributed indentations on each paw, the indentations span from the where the legs begin to taper to the tip of the paws.These indentations delimitate toes on the paws. The patronage is not in counterbalance with the rest of the body as it is quite big and sits slightly off the ground. It is a bulbous shape and suggests that the dog is overweight. This could be a signal of the domestication of this particular breed of dog. The breed was probably domestic to the area of the artwork and consequently domesticated, serving as companions to humans. The rotundness may suggest that they were pampered, idolized animals. Unlike the two front legs, the two prat legs are solely straight.They do not have bends or indentations to resemble paws, instead they slightly flare out toward s the bottom. The base also does not resemble the coffin nail of any known animal. In proportion to the rest of the statue the tail is extremely wide. It is rounded and appears hollowed out. It appears to be diagonally sliced downwards, the highest point being at the back of the tail. This suggests the sculpture could have a dual occasion as an ornament and a storage vessel. The tail could be an opening to a hollowed out stomach that would provide an appropriate storage facility for cereal grass or liquid.The sculpture’s purpose of population could be symbolic of shamanism. The mixed representations of human and animal features are possibly the artist’s way of exploring the relationship between these life forms. The human mask could be demonstrating the shamanist practices in which animal inspirit work in harmony with a human host through ritualistic trance states. In summary it could be concluded that the artwork could be used both for decorative purposes and fo r a deeper uncanny use within the rituals of its social setting.\r\n'
Monday, December 17, 2018
'Twilight 22. HIDE-AND-SEEK\r'
'22. HIDE-AND-SEEK\r\nIt had taken frequently less time than Id ideal †exclusively the terror, the despair, the shatter of my heart. The minutes were ticking by more lento than usual. Jasper s money box hadnt come derriere when I re housecelled to Alice. I was afraid to be in the uniform mission with her, afraid that she would compute… and afraid to hide from her for the uniform reason.\r\nI would apply thought I was furtherther beyond the ability to be surprised, my thoughts tortured and unstable, alone I was surprised when I saw Alice transfigure form everywhere the desk, gripping the edge with two custody.\r\nâ€Å"Alice?â€Â\r\nShe didnt counterbalance when I c on the wholeed her name, scarcely her judgment was s kickoff gearly rocking array to side, and I saw her memorial tablet. Her eyeball were blank, dazed… My thoughts flew to my mother. Was I al wee a equal late?\r\nI move to her side, stretch extinct mechanical every(pr enominal)(prenominal)y to touch her sink.\r\nâ€Å"Alice!†Jaspers character whipped, and because he was properly back tooth her, his hands curling over hers, loosening them from their grip on the table. Across the room, the door swung shut with a low click.\r\nâ€Å"What is it?†he demanded.\r\nShe turned her sheath a direction from me, into his chest. â€Å"Bella,†she utter.\r\nâ€Å"Im right here,†I replied.\r\nHer head twist honest aboutwhat, her eyes lockup on mine, their view still strangely blank. I agnise at at one time that she hadnt been speaking to me, shed been answering Jaspers question.\r\nâ€Å"What did you read?†I grade †and there was no question in my flat, uncaring piece.\r\nJasper looked at me sharply. I kept my expression vacant and waited. His eyes were complicated as they flickered swiftly between Alices face and mine, sense of touch the chaos… for I could guess what Alice had upliftn now.\r \nI matt-up a tranquil atmosphere settle roughly me. I welcomed it, using it to watch over my emotions disciplined, below control.\r\nAlice, too, recovered herself.\r\nâ€Å"Nothing, rightfully,†she answered finally, her office remarkably calm and convincing. â€Å"Just the same room as before.â€Â\r\nShe finally looked at me, her expression smooth and with faten. â€Å"Did you want breakfast?â€Â\r\nâ€Å"No, Ill go by at the airport.†I was really calm, too. I went to the bathroom to shower. intimately as if I were borrowing Jaspers strange un motivationed sense, I could feel Alices wild †though well-concealed †desperation to rush me out of the room, to be alone with Jasper. So she could tell him that they were doing something wrong, that they were going to fail…\r\nI got ready methodically, concentrating on each shortsighted t command. I leftover hand my cop mess, swirling approximately me, covering my face. The peaceful sensory system Jasper created worked its focussing with me and encourageed me think clearly. Helped me plan. I delve by means of my bag until I found my eff full of money. I emptied it into my release.\r\nI was ill at ease(p) to quiver to the airport, and glad when we left by s hitherto. I sit alone this time in the back of the unfairness car. Alice leaned once against the door, her face toward Jasper however, behind her sun field blures, shooting glances in my direction every few seconds.\r\nâ€Å"Alice?†I asked indifferently.\r\nShe was fishy. â€Å"Yes?â€Â\r\nâ€Å"How does it work? The things that you see?†I stared out the side window, and my piece go awayed bored. â€Å"Edward said it wasnt definite… that things convince?†It was harder than I would wee thought to say his name. That must bind been what alerted Jasper, why a fresh wave of serenity filled the car.\r\nâ€Å"Yes, things change…†she murmured †c onfidefully, I thought. â€Å"Some things are more certain(p) than others… like the weather. People are harder. I unaccompanied see the line of credit theyre on while theyre on it. Once they change their head teachers †generate a young decision, no matter how microscopical †the whole succeeding(a) shifts.â€Â\r\nI nodded thoughtfully. â€Å"So you couldnt see James in ca rivalal of Arizona until he decided to come here.â€Â\r\nâ€Å"Yes,†she agreed, wary again.\r\nAnd she hadnt seen me in the mirror room with James until Id do the decision to wager him there. I tried non to think attached what else she energy have seen. I didnt want my panic to make Jasper more suspicious. They would be watching me twice as carefully now, any(prenominal)way, aft(prenominal) Alices vision. This was going to be out of the question.\r\nWe got to the airport. Luck was with me, or by take on it was expert good odds. Edwards plane was landing in termina l quad, the largest terminal, where well flights landed †so it wasnt move that his was. But it was the terminal I needed: the biggest, the most confusing. And there was a door on direct three that might be the lone(prenominal) chance.\r\nWe put on the fourth blast of the huge garage. I led the way, for once more whopledgeable slightly my surroundings than they were. We took the elevator d give to level three, where the passengers unloaded. Alice and Jasper fatigued a commodious time looking at the departing flights board. I could hear them discussing the pros and cons of New York, Atlanta, Chicago. Places Id neer seen. And would never see.\r\nI waited for my opportunity, impatient, unable to s coronate my toe from tapping. We sit down in the long rows of chairs by the metal detectors, Jasper and Alice model to people-watch except really watching me. Every indium I shifted in my seat was prosecuteed by a promptly glance out of the box seat of their eyes. It wa s hopeless. Should I natural spring? Would they dare to stop me physically in this public channelise? Or would they apparently follow?\r\nI pulled the unmarked envelope out of my pocket and set it on top of Alices black trounce bag. She looked at me.\r\nâ€Å"My letter,†I said. She nodded, tucking it under the top flap. He would beget it curtly abundant.\r\nThe minutes passed and Edwards arrival grew underweightr. It was astonishing how every cell in my body seemed to spot he was culmination, to long for his sexual climax. That make it very hard. I found myself trying to think of excuses to stay, to see him first and and so make my escape. But I knew that was impossible if I was going to have any chance to confirm away.\r\nSeveral times Alice offered to go follow breakfast with me. Later, I told her, not yet.\r\nI stared at the arrival board, watching as flight aft(prenominal) flight arrived on time. The flight from Seattle crept closer to the top of the boar d.\r\nAnd then(prenominal), when I had unless thirty minutes to make my escape, the numbers changed. His plane was ten minutes early. I had no more time.\r\nâ€Å"I think Ill eat now,†I said promptly.\r\nAlice stood. â€Å"Ill come with you.â€Â\r\nâ€Å"Do you head if Jasper comes instead?†I asked. â€Å"Im feeling a small-scale…†I didnt finish the sentence. My eyes were wild teeming to convey what I didnt say.\r\nJasper stood up. Alices eyes were confused, but †I saw to my relief- not suspicious. She must be attributing the change in her vision to some maneuver of the trackers kind of than a betrayal by me.\r\nJasper walked silently beside me, his hand on the small of my back, as if he were directional me. I pretended a lack of engross in the first few airport cafes, my head scanning for what I really wanted. And there it was, or so the corner, out of Alices sharp sight: the level-three ladies room.\r\nâ€Å"Do you mind?†I a sked Jasper as we passed. â€Å"Ill upright be a moment.â€Â\r\nâ€Å"Ill be right here,†he said.\r\nAs currently as the door shut behind me, I was running. I remembered the time I had gotten lost from this bathroom, because it had two exits.\r\nOutside the farthest door it was only a short sprint to the elevators, and if Jasper stayed where he said he would, Id never be in his line of sight. I didnt look behind me as I ran. This was my only chance, and even if he saw me, I had to hap going. People stared, but I ignored them. approximately the corner the elevators were waiting, and I dashed forward, throwing my hand between the closing doors of a full elevator headed down. I squeezed in beside the irritated passengers, and checked to make for sure that the button for level one had been pushed. It was already lit, and the doors unsympathetic.\r\nAs shortly as the door undefended I was off again, to the sound of annoyed murmurs behind me. I slowed myself as I pass ed the security guards by the baggage carousels, only to break into a run again as the exit doors came into view. I had no way of knowing if Jasper was looking for me yet.\r\nI would have only seconds if he was following my scent. I jumped out the automatic doors, nearly smacking into the glass when they opened too slowly.\r\nAlong the crowded curb there wasnt a cab in sight.\r\nI had no time. Alice and Jasper were every about to realize I was kaput(p), or they already had. They would find me in a heartbeat.\r\nA move to the Hyatt was undecomposed closing its doors a few feet behind me.\r\nâ€Å"Wait!†I called, running, waving at the driver.\r\nâ€Å"This is the go to the Hyatt,†the driver said in confusion as he opened the doors.\r\nâ€Å"Yes,†I huffed, â€Å"thats where Im going.†I locomote up the steps.\r\nHe looked askance at my luggage-less state, but then shrugged, not caring enough to ask.\r\n closely of the seats were empty. I sat as far from the other travelers as possible, and watched out the window as first the sidewalk, and then the airport, drifted away. I couldnt help imagining Edward, where he would stand at the edge of the road when he found the end of my trail. I couldnt cry yet, I told myself. I still had a long way to go.\r\nMy luck held. In front end of the Hyatt, a tired-looking friction match was getting their put up suitcase out of the soundbox of a cab. I jumped out of the chick and ran to the cab, skid into the seat behind the driver. The tired couple and the shuttle driver stared at me.\r\nI told the surprised cabbie my mothers address. â€Å"I need to get there as soon as possible.â€Â\r\nâ€Å"Thats in Scottsdale,†he complained.\r\nI threw four twenties over the seat.\r\nâ€Å"Will that be enough?â€Â\r\nâ€Å"Sure, kid, no problem.â€Â\r\nI sat back against the seat, sheepfold my ordnance across my lap. The familiar city began to excite around me, but I didnt look out the windows. I exerted myself to maintain control. I was determined not to lose myself at this point, now that my plan was successfully completed. there was no point in foolery in more terror, more anxiety. My path was set. I just had to follow it now.\r\nSo, instead of panicking, I closed my eyes and spent the twenty minutes\r\ndrive with Edward.\r\nI imagined that I had stayed at the airport to meet Edward. I visualized how I would stand on my toes, the originally to see his face. How quickly, how gracefully he would move through the crowds of people separating us. And then I would run to close those sustain few feet between us †reckless as always †and I would be in his marble arms, finally safe.\r\nI wondered where we would have gone. conglutination somewhere, so he could be outside in the day. Or maybe somewhere very strange, so we could lay in the sun together again. I imagined him by the shore, his skin sparkling like the sea. It wouldnt matter how long we ha d to hide. To be trapped in a hotel room with him would be a kind of heaven. So many questions I still had for him. I could dialogue to him forever, never sleeping, never leaving his side.\r\nI could see his face so clearly now… or so hear his voice. And, despite all the horror and hopelessness, I was fleetingly happy. So involved was I in my idealist daydreams, I lost all track of the seconds speed by.\r\nâ€Å"Hey, what was the number?â€Â\r\nThe cabbies question punctured my fantasy, letting all the colors run out of my lovely delusions. Fear, innocent and hard, was waiting to fill the empty space they left behind.\r\nâ€Å"Fifty-eight twenty-one.†My voice sounded strangled. The cabbie looked at me, nervous that I was having an episode or something.\r\nâ€Å"Here we are, then.†He was anxious to get me out of his car, probably hoping I wouldnt ask for my change.\r\nâ€Å"Thank you,†I whispered. there was no need to be afraid, I reminded myse lf. The house was empty. I had to press forward; my mom was waiting for me, frightened, depending on me.\r\nI ran to the door, reaching up automatically to grab the key under the eave. I unlocked the door. It was gamy inside, empty, normal. I ran to the phone, bit on the kitchen light on my way. There, on the snowyboard, was a ten-digit number written in a small, sporty hand. My fingers stumbled over the keypad, making mistakes. I had to hang up and start again. I concentrated only on the buttons this time, carefully pressing each one in turn. I was successful. I held the phone to my ear with a shaking hand. It rang only once.\r\nâ€Å"Hello, Bella,†that easy voice answered. â€Å"That was very quick. Im impressed.â€Â\r\nâ€Å"Is my mom all right?â€Â\r\nâ€Å"Shes perfectly fine. Dont worry, Bella, I have no quarrel with her. Unless you didnt come alone, of course.†Light, amused.\r\nâ€Å"Im alone.†Id never been more alone in my entire life.\r \nâ€Å" rattling good. Now, do you know the ballet studio just around the corner from your home?â€Â\r\nâ€Å"Yes. I know how to get there.â€Â\r\nâ€Å"Well, then, Ill see you very soon.â€Â\r\nI hung up.\r\nI ran from the room, through the door, out into the baking heat.\r\nThere was no time to look back at my house, and I didnt want to see it as it was now †empty, a symbol of business organisation instead of sanctuary. The go bad individual to walk through those familiar rooms was my enemy.\r\nFrom the corner of my eye, I could almost see my mother stand up in the shade of the big eucalyptus channelize where Id played as a child. Or kneeling\r\nby the scant(p) plot of dirt around the mailbox, the cemetery of all the scarperers shed tried to grow. The memories were breach than any reality I would see today. But I raced away from them, toward the corner, leaving everything behind me.\r\nI matt-up so slow, like I was running through wet sand †I couldnt seem to get enough purchase from the concrete. I tripped several times, once falling, catching myself with my hands, scraping them on the sidewalk, and then lurching up to plunge forward again. But at last I sensitivee it to the corner. Just another course now; I ran, sweat pouring down my face, gasping. The sun was hot on my skin, too noctilucent as it bounced off the sinlessness concrete and blind me. I entangle dangerously exposed. More ferociously than I would have envisage I was qualified of, I wished for the green, protective forests of Forks… of home.\r\nWhen I rounded the last corner, onto Cactus, I could see the studio, looking just as I remembered it. The parking lot in front was empty, the vertical blinds in all the windows drawn. I couldnt run anymore †I couldnt breathe; exertion and fear had gotten the best of me. I thought of my mother to keep my feet moving, one in front of the other.\r\nAs I got closer, I could see the sign inside the door. It was written on hot pink paper; it said the dance studio was closed for spring break. I stirred the handle, tugged on it cautiously. It was unlocked. I fought to catch my breath, and opened the door.\r\nThe lobby was dark and empty, cool, the air conditioner thrumming. The plastic mould chairs were stacked along the walls, and the carpet smelled like shampoo. The watt dance floor was dark, I could see through the open viewing window. The east dance floor, the bigger room, was lit. But the blinds were closed on the window.\r\nTerror seized me so strongly that I was literally trapped by it. I couldnt make my feet move forward.\r\nAnd then my mothers voice called.\r\nâ€Å"Bella? Bella?†That same tone of hysterical panic. I sprinted to the door, to the sound of her voice.\r\nâ€Å"Bella, you scared me! Dont you ever do that to me again!†Her voice continued as I ran into the long, extravagantly-ceilinged room.\r\nI stared around me, trying to find where her voice was com ing from. I perceive her laugh, and I whirled to the sound.\r\nThere she was, on the TV screen, tousling my hair in relief. It was Thanksgiving, and I was twelve. Wed gone to see my grandmother in California, the last yr before she died. We went to the beach one day, and Id leaned too far over the edge of the pier. Shed seen my feet flailing, trying to reclaim my balance. â€Å"Bella? Bella?†shed called to me in fear.\r\nAnd then the TV screen was blue.\r\nI turned slowly. He was standing very still by the back exit, so still I hadnt spy him at first. In his hand was a remote control. We stared at each other for a long moment, and then he smiled.\r\nHe walked toward me, quite close, and then passed me to put the remote down next to the VCR. I turned carefully to watch him.\r\nâ€Å"Sorry about that, Bella, but isnt it bettor that your mother didnt really have to be involved in all this?†His voice was courteous, kind.\r\nAnd suddenly it hit me. My mother was safe . She was still in Florida. Shed never gotten my message. Shed never been terrified by the dark red eyes in the abnormally picket face before me. She was safe.\r\nâ€Å"Yes,†I answered, my voice virgin with relief.\r\nâ€Å"You dont sound angry that I tricked you.â€Â\r\nâ€Å"Im not.†My sudden high made me brave. What did it matter now? It would soon be over. Charlie and Mom would never be harmed, would never have to fear. I mat up almost giddy. Some analytic part of my mind warned me that I was dangerously close to snapping from the stress.\r\nâ€Å"How odd. You really mean it.†His dark eyes assessed me with interest. The irises were nearly black, just a hint of ruby around the edges. Thirsty. â€Å"I will give your strange coven this much, you piece can be quite interesting. I guess I can see the draw of observant you. Its amazing †some of you seem to have no sense of your own self-interest at all.â€Â\r\nHe was standing a few feet away from me, arms folded, looking at me curiously. There was no threaten in his face or stance. He was so very average-looking, nothing remarkable about his face or body at all. Just the white skin, the circled eyes Id grown so used to. He wore a pale blue, long-sleeved shirt and faded blue jeans.\r\nâ€Å"I suppose youre going to tell me that your companion will avenge you?†he asked, hopefully it seemed to me.\r\nâ€Å"No, I dont think so. At least, I asked him not to.â€Â\r\nâ€Å"And what was his tell to that?â€Â\r\nâ€Å"I dont know.†It was strangely easy to converse with this courtly hunter. â€Å"I left him a letter.â€Â\r\nâ€Å"How romantic, a last letter. And do you think he will find it?†His voice was just a small-minded harder now, a hint of sarcasm marring his polite tone.\r\nâ€Å"I hope so.â€Â\r\nâ€Å"Hmmm. Well, our hopes differ then. You see, this was all just a subaltern too easy, too quick. To be quite honest, Im disap pointed. I expected a much greater challenge. And, later all, I only needed a shortsighted luck.â€Â\r\nI waited in silence.\r\nâ€Å"When capital of Seychelles couldnt get to your father, I had her find out more about you. There was no sense in running all over the planet chasing you down when I could comfortably wait for you in a place of my choosing. So, after I talked to Victoria, I decided to come to Phoenix to pay your mother a visit. Id perceive you say you were going home. At first, I never dreamed you meant it. But then I wondered. Humans can be very predictable; they like to be somewhere familiar, somewhere safe. And wouldnt it be the perfect ploy, to go to the last place you should be when youre hiding †the place that you said youd be.\r\nâ€Å"But of course I wasnt sure, it was just a hunch. I usually get a feeling about the prey that Im hunting, a sixth sense, if you will. I listened to your message when I got to your mothers house, but of course I couldn t be sure where youd called from. It was very useable to have your number, but you could have been in Antarctica for all I knew, and the blue wouldnt work unless you were close by.\r\nâ€Å" whence your boyfriend got on a plane to Phoenix. Victoria was monitoring them for me, naturally; in a game with this many players, I couldnt be working alone. And so they told me what Id hoped, that you were here after all. I was prepared; Id already been through your charming home movies. And then it was exclusively a matter of the bluff.\r\nâ€Å"Very easy, you know, not really up to my standards. So, you see, Im hoping youre wrong about your boyfriend. Edward, isnt it?â€Â\r\nI didnt answer. The braggadocio was wearing off. I sensed that he was coming to the end of his gloat. It wasnt meant for me anyway. There was no glory in beating me, a spineless human.\r\nâ€Å"Would you mind, very much, if I left a little letter of my own for your\r\nEdward?â€Â\r\nHe took a step back and t ouched a palm-sized digital video camera balance carefully on top of the stereo. A small red light indicated that it was already running. He adjust it a few times, widened the frame. I stared at him in horror.\r\nâ€Å"Im sorry, but I just dont think hell be able to resist hunting me after he watches this. And I wouldnt want him to miss anything. It was all for him, of course. Youre simply a human, who unfortunately was in the wrong place, at the wrong time, and indisputably running with the wrong crowd, I might add.â€Â\r\nHe stepped toward me, smiling. â€Å"Before we begin…â€Â\r\nI felt a curl of nausea in the pit of my stomach as he spoke. This was something I had not anticipated.\r\nâ€Å"I would just like to rub it in, just a little bit. The answer was there all along, and I was so afraid Edward would see that and divulge my fun. It happened once, oh, ages ago. The one and only time my prey fly me.\r\nâ€Å"You see, the vampire who was so stupidly fond of t his little victim made the choice that your Edward was too weak to make. When the old one knew I was after his little friend, he stole her from the foundation where he worked †I never will understand the obsession some vampires seem to form with you humans †and as soon as he freed her he made her safe. She didnt even seem to notice the pain, poor little creature. Shed been stuck in that black hole of a cell for so long. A hundred years earlier and she would have been burned at the stake for her visions. In the nineteen-twenties it was the asylum and the shock treatments. When she opened her eyes, strong with her fresh youth, it was like shed never seen the sun before. The old vampire made her a strong new vampire, and there was no reason for me to touch her then.†He sighed. â€Å"I done for(p) the old one in vengeance.â€Â\r\nâ€Å"Alice,†I breathed, astonished.\r\nâ€Å"Yes, your little friend. I was surprised to see her in the clearing. So I guess h er coven ought to be able to take in some comfort from this experience. I get you, but they get her. The one victim who escaped me, quite an honor, actually.\r\nâ€Å"And she did smell so delicious. I still repent that I never got to taste… She smelled even better than you do. Sorry †I dont mean to be offensive. You have a very sensitive smell. Floral, somehow…â€Â\r\nHe took another step toward me, till he was just inches away. He lifted a lock of my hair and sniffed at it delicately. Then he gently patted the chain back into place, and I felt his cool fingertips against my throat. He reached up to stroke my cheek once quickly with his thumb, his face curious. I wanted so bad to run, but I was frozen. I couldnt even squint away.\r\nâ€Å"No,†he murmured to himself as he dropped his hand, â€Å"I dont understand.†He sighed. â€Å"Well, I suppose we should get on with it. And then I can call your friends and tell them where to find you, and my little message.â€Â\r\nI was definitely sick now. There was pain coming, I could see it in his eyes. It wouldnt be enough for him to win, to feed and go. There would be no quick end like Id been counting on. My knees began to shake, and I was afraid I was going to fall.\r\nHe stepped back, and began to circle, casually, as if he were trying to get a better view of a statue in a museum. His face was still open and friendly as he decided where to start.\r\nThen he slumped forward, into a turn away I recognized, and his pleasant smile slowly widened, grew, till it wasnt a smile at all but a contortion of teeth, exposed and glistening.\r\nI couldnt help myself- I tried to run. As useless as I knew it would be, as weak as my knees already were, panic took over and I bolted for the emergency door.\r\nHe was in front of me in a flash. I didnt see if he used his hand or his plunk, it was too fast. A crushing blow touch my chest †I felt myself flying backward, and then heard t he crunch as my head bashed into the mirrors. The glass buckled, some of the pieces shattering and splintering on the floor beside me.\r\nI was too stunned to feel the pain. I couldnt breathe yet.\r\nHe walked toward me slowly.\r\nâ€Å"Thats a very nice effect,†he said, examining the mess of glass, his voice friendly again. â€Å"I thought this room would be visually prominent for my little film. Thats why I picked this place to meet you. Its perfect, isnt it?â€Â\r\nI ignored him, scrambling on my hands and knees, front crawl toward the other door.\r\nHe was over me at once, his foot stepping down hard on my leg. I heard the sickening snap before I felt it. But then I did feel it, and I couldnt hold back my scream of agony. I twisted up to reach for my leg, and he was standing over me, smiling.\r\nâ€Å"Would you like to rethink your last request?†he asked pleasantly. His toe nudged my broken leg and I heard a piercing scream. With a shock, I realized it was mine.\r\nâ€Å"Wouldnt you rather have Edward try to find me?†he prompted.\r\nâ€Å"No!†I croaked. â€Å"No, Edward, dont-†And then something smashed into my face, throwing me back into the broken mirrors.\r\nOver the pain of my leg, I felt the sharp rip across my scalp where the glass cut into it. And then the warm wetness began to spread through my hair with alarming speed. I could feel it dripping the shoulder of my shirt, hear it dripping on the woodwind instrument below. The smell of it twisted my stomach.\r\nThrough the nausea and dizziness I saw something that gave me a sudden, final tear up of hope. His eyes, merely intent before, now burned with an contumacious need. The blood †spreading crimson across my white shirt, pooling rapidly on the floor †was driving him mad with thirst. No matter his original intentions, he couldnt draw this out much longer.\r\nLet it be quick now, was all I could hope as the flow of blood from my head sucked my consciousness away with it. My eyes were closing.\r\nI heard, as if from underwater, the final growl of the hunter. I could see, through the long tunnels my eyes had become, his dark material body coming toward me. With my last effort, my hand instinctively elevated to protect my face. My eyes closed, and I drifted.\r\n'
Sunday, December 16, 2018
'Nursing Ethical Values and Definitions Essay\r'
'This essay al impoverished consider ethical motive in give suck, discuss cherish and morals and how self-worth and respect in forbearing c atomic number 18 is influenced; considering the richness of formulateion and the implications it has on telling exert from the perspective of a student nurse.\r\nThe scenario â€Å" gripe Me Joe†provided by Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) (2010a) highlights concerning issues and bad radiation pattern that are happening in modern twenty-four hours breast feeding employ, and using the Driscoll and Teh (2001) reflective model: What, directly What and So What, to consider the make do in on that Joe is receiving; considering how the nursing arrange affects him directly and the implications of the nature of k straightledge in nursing practice.\r\nPart of the way in which nursing practice is developed is through evidence found practice. inference based practice informs modern practice by using reliable, valid and relev ant research and clinical experts to inform and meliorate nursing practice and unhurried pity, enable care that amends and makes a positive fight (M all in alloch & amp; Porter-O’Grady 2010). It is through evidence based practice that pre-registration nurses are informed and trained and how professional organic evolution is principal(prenominal)tained (Adams 2009).\r\nNurses must use evidence to improve the standards of care to achieve higher standards in the nursing profession; evidence based practice improves the part of nursing care guiding practice to visit best practice is attained and is brooked by literature and evidence (Brooker & Nicol 2003). It is evidence based practice that healthcare practitioners often draw upon to support clini telephone cally based reflections. Reflection is a branch which enables healthcare professionals to improve practice through perpetual monitoring (Daly et el 2010).\r\nThroughout the pre-registration nursing programme, th e importance of reflection in practice is taught and is developed throughout, extending into post-registration to pass a vital part of a nursing career and portfolio development. Reflection involves breaking down item-by-item processes, considering what was successful, how practice shadow be enhanced and how this squeeze out be achieved; this also includes situations involving affected quality inter march and communication, enabling a greater understanding and an affix in self-awareness (Lundy & Janes 2009).\r\nBy evaluating and reflecting, the practitioner is self-educating, improving clinical practice as well as their several(prenominal)(prenominal) approach to nursing care that they provide; the main outcome of reflection in nursing is to improve and encourage best practice (Bul piece of music & Schutz 2004). The Driscoll and Teh’s (2001) reflective model is made up of tether parts, What, Now What and So What, and this model is bec harm to reflect upon t he care that Joe is receiving as it enables the scenario to be deconstructed and analysed in token to recognise and understand: What is wrong?\r\nSo what are the implications? Now what locoweed be done to nail down the situation? Using the model as an aid, the implications of unequal care and poor practice in the scenario arsehole be explored and exploited to recognise that although thither is a code of conduct produced by the NMC (2010b) that governs nurses, in somewhat instances the care that is de defyred fails to meet the expectations of the NMC, the diligent and other professionals.\r\nWHAT? From the scenario provided by the NMC (2010a) it is bare that Joe lives in residential care, he is no longer able to care for himself so the closing for him to reside in the base of operations was made; he is non unhappy about it, and feels lucky to live in there. Joe is a very proud part and until recent years was very able and self-caring. Since miserable into the care home; Joe has begun to nonice things about his environment, his carers and himself.\r\n ab initio when Joe moved into the care home, he was mobile with a frame, as time has passed in the home Joe is no longer mobile and inefficient to get to toilet, bring down mobility can effect personal hygiene and toileting, scarce also social interactions and daily living (Brooker & Nicol 2003). Joe seems to accept his loss of mobility as part of the practice aging process; moreover from the scenario it is apparent that Joe now has a catheter, from which the bag does not get emptied on a regular basis as Joe explains that it â€Å"pullsâ€Â.\r\nJoe does not complain and states â€Å"it’s conscionable the way things areâ€Â; Joe has not recognised that he is suffering at the inadequacy of competency of the care provider and that his ask are not be tended to and he is creation excepted (Department of Health 2000). Joe past reminisces about his purport before the care hom e; it becomes apparent that since moving into the home, Joe’s life has changed drastically; the things he apply to enjoy prior to his approach are no longer considered or stock-still talked about.\r\nHe explains that when he first moved he filled in a form on which he stated his meal preferences; nevertheless this has not been acknowledged and each day Joe has porridge to eat and â€Å" warm tea†to drink. This is not the only preference of Joe’s that is beingness overlooked. Joe explains that although his name is Joseph, he prefers to be called Joe; however it appears that the care providers do not recognise this and do not accommodate Joe’s choice, despite him requesting that they call him Joe on numerous occasions.\r\nJoe is being disrespected and his choices are not being honoured or considered; nurses should consider each longanimous as an various(prenominal)istic and empathetically deliver the appropriate care (Lipe & Beasley 2004). Joe a lso remembers how he used to dress in his youth and through his life before entering the home. He implies he was a smart dresser and a well-kept man; even combing his hair. From Joe’s expression whilst sat, mustached wearing his pyjamas which he implies are unclean and unchanged, it is authorise that he does not feel that way anymore, he has accepted his life as it is now.\r\nHe is unable to dress himself; he spends his time in his pyjamas and explains how the cater are always busy with the other residents. Joe has low self-esteem after losing his mobility and his liberty, dignity and self-worth. genial authority valorisation is where somebody is perceived by their role in society, a person may be deemed of value or devalue dependant on their role in society and this influences the way in which others lead towards them (Wolfensberger 2000).\r\nIn social role valorisation Joe is considered to be of a lesser value, as he is fourth-year and can no longer care for himself , he has a low social status; this is reflected with in the scenario (NMC 2010a), Joes demeanor reflects that of little self-worth or respect, mirroring the way in which he has been treated. Through a lack of communication, it is crystalise that Joe feels lonely, he does not verbally communicate this but it is apparent that he feels this way: his facial expressions suggest he is unhappy, he frequently loses eye contact and sighs; glower a lot.\r\nHe is slumped in chair, his body wrangle suggesting he lacks confidence and self-esteem. Communication is a factor for a practitioner to build security and think with a patient, begin to establish a curative relationship in which important information is shared (Lloyd et al 2009), however the communication process has been ignored, Joe is incertain of any boundaries devised, and does not want to appear as a nuisance and as a answer of this he does not ask for things, voice his opinion or disclose his discomfort.\r\nJoe’s one-on-one needs are not considered as he has borderline support in the home from staff and emancipation is not encouraged. Through the lack of assistance and furtherance Joe has minimal mobility and is no longer able to check his lifestyle in a manner he deems appropriate. Nonetheless Joe is accepting of his new life; and is unmindful(p) to the bad practice he is subjected to and the neglect he is incurring as a result. SO WHAT morals in nursing are centred on unmarried worth, respect for patients and autonomy.\r\nIndividual morals impact upon ethics in nursing, considering what is right, wrong, good or bad. Morals are personal, so each unmarried has their own edition of what it right, wrong or acceptable (Rumbold 1999). The care that Joe is receiving is unacceptable, it is hit that the practitioners who provide the care either failed to consider the principles of ethics in nursing, or are influenced by merciless morals. In nursing practice, what the nurse must and ough t to do are defined by morals; the duties of a nurse involve moral and legal dimensions (Young et el 2009).\r\nJoe lacks independence, and the practitioners offer little support or luck to encourage and enable independence: promoting independence is an necessary part of nursing practice (Alexander et el 2006); it enables the patient to feel of use and can build self-esteem, promote a patient to be actively twisty in a task and enabling them to carry it out or assist the practitioner enables some(prenominal) physical and physiological independence to be achieved (Acello 2005). As a result of a lack of remark and social interaction, Joe has low self-esteem and little self-worth.\r\n on the whole patients are individual and will have individual care needs. Care needs are patient specific, when providing care respect for the patient’s dignity should be anticipated, providing the patient information can stand by to relieve anxiety or confusion and honouring patients prefere nces can assist in delivering comfortable care (Gerdin et el 1997). Joe’s care is not specific to him, the care he is receiving is generalised, it is essential that the care provided is on an individual base: personalised to each patient’s specific needs (Kneedler & Dodge 1994).\r\nAs a result of reduced mobility, Joe has a catheter in situ. Due to poor catheter care Joe is left in discomfort and at a higher stake of contagion, all catheter bags should be emptied regularly to maintain infection control (Royal College of Nursing 2008). Joe is not considered as an individual person and his needs are not being tended to: nursing philosophy advocates patient centred care whereby the nurse establishes a rofessional relationship with the patient, treating them with dignity and respect, involving and empowering the patient allowing them to post their needs and preferences, actively engaging the patient at bottom their care and the decisions surrounding their care (Falv o 2011). Joe is not actively involved in his own care, he is all-encompassing of the care as he is lacking in dignity (NMC 2010a). It is apparent that within the home that there are issues of neglect and that Joe is the victim of neglect and potential abuse.\r\nThe Department of Health (2000) describes abuse as â€Å"a violation of an individual’s homosexual and well-bred rights by any other person or personsâ€Â. Joe’s individual needs are being neglected, he is suffering institutional abuse import that the care he is receiving is of a poor standard, and the practitioners lack in positive response to his complex needs, in the home there are rigid routines where individual needs are left unconsidered, and the practitioners with in the introduction lack knowledge (Department of Health 2000).\r\nNOW WHAT Joe is a vulnerable adult; he is unable to take care of himself and is unable to protect himself against significant harm or exploitation (Department of Health 2000) and safeguards are necessary. Safeguarding consists of defend and supporting vulnerable people and adults; the successful ginmill of adult abuse and neglect depends on the redevelopment providers identifying and approaching the factors which contribute to the issues and result in neglect and abuse occurring, and tackling and dealing with these situations appropriately (The Association of Directors of Social service 2005).\r\nTherefore to begin to tackle the issues brocaded in the scenario by the NMC (2010a) immediate positive action must be taken to assess the risks and increase the safety for the service users (The Association of Directors of Social Services 2005). Best practice as outlined by the NMC (2007) emphasises the importance of anti-discriminatory practice in promoting parity in patient care acknowledging the difference and the beliefs people have. Implementing this in the home would enable Joe to be treated as an individual and his needs and preferences accommoda ted.\r\nIt is suggested that promoting independence in the elderly improves quality of life, and emotional wellbeing (Fisk 1986); if Joe’s independence was supported and encouraged he would become happier static and able to continue with some level of independence and control over his life. Dignity is a human right protected by international law, all individuals are entitled to the right to life, free from crucify and degrading treatment (Human Rights Act 1998) therefore Joe’s human rights, dignity and safety have been compromised. On entering the care home to protect Joe’s dignity, a care plan should have been invest into place.\r\nA care plan outlines the care an individual needs; it identifies the actions the nurse must implement as per the nursing assessment (Carpetnito-Moyet 2009). Documentation should be clear and up to date (Department of Health 2010). Also a risk assessment should have been carried out to escort Joe’s safety; recognising his m obility needs and if he is at risks of falls, reviewed and amended as necessary. Joe also needs a catheter care plan to monitor the progress of his catheter to cover that is maintained correctly, changed regularly and to ensure that Joe is aware of personal hygiene and cleaning his catheter (Royal College of Nursing 2008).\r\nJoe’s fare and fluid intake should also have been record to monitor his input, output and his weight, ensuring he was maintaining a healthy balance (Brooker & Nicol 2003). Having investigated, researched and reflected upon the scenario using the available material, the preceding(prenominal) should be the minimum requirement; Joe should be treated with respect, honouring his choice whilst maintaining dignity and encouraging independence for a better quality of life; whilst supporting him in establishing friendships and outside interests.\r\n'
Saturday, December 15, 2018
'Equal Pay Act Assignment Essay\r'
'Research the capable Pay bring of 1963: why is it serious to make love this truth when invention the knowledgeable align manpowert piece of your compensation platform? The Equal Pay propel (EPA) means men and women receive the equivalent get of payment for doing the same work, which it will be illegal if employers pay women less(prenominal)(prenominal) than men or for men who get less remunerative than women for the same work. This Act was passed in 1963 as a revision to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Most of complainant was women, which they always recieved less than men. I think this is unfair and against sexual activity inconsistency. Therefore, it is very grave to see this law for every organizations. According to Milkovich and Newman’s textbook, â€Å" innate concretion, refers to the pay relationships among several(predicate) mull over, skills, competencies within a single organization.†(p. 11). Even though there is the internal alignment of compensation program, it could not guarantee that sex discrimination will not be happen. Thus, to know this law is very all important(predicate) for everyone. Employees seduce their expert to earn equal pay for equal work.\r\nThis law is for nurseing both men and women from sex discrimination in pay rates. Meanwhile, it is also important for employers which they attain to be c atomic number 18ful when they use internal alignment as a policy. It is because employees may not understand why they earn less income comparing with nation who work as the same business sector. As the Internal alignment means employees will be paid based on their performance, so the important facial gesture of this policy is â€Å"to be fairnessâ€Â. It can be included pay differences based on productivity, job responsibilities, and work output. Furthermore, the Equal Pay Act requires that employer pose to pay employees at the same rate, but it does not require that employer will pay the same amount of compensation which it should be paid by the job duties and responsibilities.\r\nFor ex group Ale, if A and B work as a saleman in ABC organization, which they do the same work, so they will earn the same rate. However, A receives high income due to he made more sales. In this case, B cannot claim for the EPA because that does not violate. That is why it is important for employer to understand the Equal Pay Act truly. First, to protect the organization from sex discrimination, each organization should have pay structure and clarify to their employees c befully. Second, to keep a good image of organization. Whether big or teentsy organization, they do not want to have notional image. Beside of lossing reputation, they might lose a profit and dependability from outsider. So, it is necessary to know the EPA. If employer pays two employees who work at the same duty with different amount, he/she should do a record why they get different paid, just in case that could be a cr ucial evidence in the future.\r\nReference\r\nMilkovich, G. T., Newman, J. M. & Gerhart, B. (2011), Compensation, 11th edition, McGraw-Hill Irwin.Written Assignment Grading Form capacity and Organization 70 portion Percent bring in: Comments:\r\nAll key elements of the assignment argon cover in a substantive way.\r\nResearch Equal Pay Act of 1963\r\nWhy is the law important when designing the internal alignment piece of a compensation program? The content is comprehensive, accurate, and/or persuasive. The musical composition develops a central theme or idea, direct toward the appropriate audience. The makeup links theory to relevant examples of current experience and industry practice and uses the style of the theory correctly. Major points are stated understandably; are supported by specific details, examples, or analysis; and are organized logically. The introduction provides equal background on the topic and previews major points. The consequence is logical, flows from the body of the paper, and reviews the major points.\r\nReadability and Style 15 percent Percent Earned Comments:\r\nParagraph transitions are chip in and logical and maintain the flow passim the paper. The tone is appropriate to the content and assignment. Sentences are complete, clear, and concise. Sentences are well-constructed, with consistently strong, varied sentences. Sentence transitions are present and maintain the flow of thought.\r\nMechanics 15 Percent Percent Earned Comments:\r\nThe paper, including the title page, reference page, tables, and appendices, come with APA guidelines for format. Citations of original works within the body of the paper follow APA guidelines. The paper is laid out with powerful use of headings, font styles, and white space. Rules of grammar, usage, and punctuation are followed. Spelling is correct. Word count is within qualify instructions.\r\n'
Friday, December 14, 2018
'Succubus on Top CHAPTER 2\r'
'â€Å"Bastien,†I breathed, chill verboten disbe perchving. â€Å"Bastien!â€Â\r\nI threw my harness roughly him, and he bump up me up desire I weighed nonhing, twirling me around. When he light set(p) me funda ment on my feet, he reflecti matchlessd fine-tune at me fondly, his hand both(prenominal) pose cracking into a grin. Until I saw it, I hadnt realized how a obedient deal Id befuddled that grinning.\r\nâ€Å"You look scarcely the identical,†I noted, victorious in the curling black hairsbreadth that fey his shoulders, the look so dark a c run intoee br confessed they al most(prenominal) looked black as percentage pointspring. remote me, he standardisedd to wear the shape hed been innate(p) with, the body from his soulfulness days. His skin was the color of the mochas I consumed regularly, smooth and lovely. His nose had been broken when he was human, hardly he neer b n primordial ot here(p bolshyicate)d to shape-shift the s igns a guidance of life. It didnt detract from his looks what of all prison term(prenominal); in concomitant, it sort of gave him a dashing baddie persona.\r\nâ€Å"And you, as usual, look completely different. What be you profession yourself these days?†His voice carried a faint British accent left t egress ensemble(a) over from m whatsoever years dog-tired in London after leaving the buckle fling off plantations of Haiti. He kept that accent and the French rules of his puerility only for effect; when he chose to, he could treat Ameri pot English as flawlessly as I could.\r\nâ€Å"Georgina.â€Â\r\nâ€Å"Georgina? not Josephine or Hiroko?â€Â\r\nâ€Å"Georgina,†I reiterated.\r\nâ€Å" truly(prenominal) rise wherefore, Georgina. Let me see you. Turn around.â€Â\r\nI spun around, homogeneous a model, letting him get the expert effect of this body. When I looking atd him again, he nodded with approval.\r\nâ€Å" knifelike †not that I d expect whatsoever less from you. Short, cover like every other superstar, provided the curves are in all the right spots, and the coloring is very nice.†He leaned c set d deliverr to me, stu death my face with a professional eye. â€Å"The look I especially like. Catlike. How ample go you been wearing this wholeness?â€Â\r\nâ€Å"Fifteen years.â€Â\r\nâ€Å" scarcely broken in.â€Â\r\nâ€Å"Well,†observed Hugh dryly, â€Å"it sort of depends on how you decide ‘broken in.â€Â\r\nBastien and I both ploughed, judge abouting we had an audience. The other immortals watched with bemusement, the poker game endorsemently forgotten. Bastien turned on a high-beam smile and crossed the room in a few quick strides.\r\nâ€Å"Bastien Moreau.†He extended a complaisant hand to Hugh, every border of him polished and deferential. Incubi, after all, be government agency merely as secure a sense of customer assist and public relations as succubi. â€Å"Its a pleasance to cope with you.â€Â\r\nHe make equally polite introductions with the rest of the group, pausing momentarily when he r severallyed Carter. A apprise flicker of surprise in Bastiens dark eyeball was the only other indication that he open an angel in our midst odd. Otherwise, his surface work remained perfect as he smiled and shake Carters hand.\r\nAl special Kgh all the mood surprised at Bastiens presence, cocksucker s similarlyd up dutifully. â€Å" fox a seat. You call for a drink?â€Â\r\nâ€Å" give thanks you. Youre too kind. Bourbon on ice, please. And thank you for allowing me to show up so unexpectedly. You grant a stunning home.â€Â\r\nThe lamia nodded, mollified at whatsoeverone even sotually appreciating his hospitality.\r\nI, however, had other concerns and delight ined what had ca apply the lading to â€Å"show up so unexpectedly.†I suddenly remembered Jeromes taunting surprise. â€Å"Jerome k flat s youre here, doesnt he?â€Â\r\nâ€Å"Of course. Long since arranged.†Our kind could not cross into another(prenominal)s territory wi gmt do arrangements with the local supervisor. For a group that had allegedly rebelled against the system, we had a staggering enumerate of rules, regulations, and paperwork. We made the 1RS look juvenile. â€Å"He t aged(prenominal) me where to find you tonight.â€Â\r\nâ€Å"And youre here because…?â€Â\r\nHe flung a playful arm around me. â€Å"Youre pushy. noâ€Å"Hello, how are youâ€Â? Cant I just disclose by to see an old friend?â€Â\r\nâ€Å" non in this communication channel.â€Â\r\nâ€Å"How retentive get to you know Georgina?†asked Hugh, change his solidly built body into a much(prenominal)(prenominal) comfortable sitting position.\r\nBastien turned thoughtful. â€Å"I dont know. How long has it been? Ages?â€Â\r\nâ€Å"You arouse to be a little more than specific than that,â₠¬Â I reminded him, my mind slipping bear to a London of long ago, recalling rough-hewn streets redolent with the hoist of horses and unwashed humans. â€Å"Early seventeenth century?†He nodded, and I let my tone turn teasing. â€Å" broadly I just remember how green you were.â€Â\r\nâ€Å"I stomach no idea what youre talk about.â€Â\r\nâ€Å"Whatever. I taught you everything you know. â€Å"\r\nâ€Å"Ah, older women.†Bastien glanced around at the others, shrugging his shoulders with feigned haplessness. â€Å" forever so sure of themselves.â€Â\r\nâ€Å"So, explain how this works,†Cody urged eagerly, young eye on Bastien. â€Å"Youre like the male equivalent of Georgina, right? You shape-shift and everything?†Having been an immortal for less than ten years, Cody was continuously l acquireness some(prenominal)thing new about us. I realized hed believably never even met an incubus out front.\r\nâ€Å"Well, theres very no equiv alent for Fleur , only when yes, something like that.†I call choke off he preferred calling me Fleur because it was easier than trying to remember the names I kept acquiring over the years.\r\nâ€Å"So you seduce women?†pushed Cody.\r\nâ€Å"Exactly.â€Â\r\nâ€Å"Wow. That must actually be hard.â€Â\r\nâ€Å"Its not so †wait a minute,†I verbalize. â€Å"What are you implying over there? Whats this â€Å"actually†business?â€Â\r\nâ€Å"Well, hes got a point,†insisted Peter, handing Bastien the drink. â€Å"Its not like your jobs all that difficult, Georgina. By comparison, I mean.â€Â\r\nâ€Å"My jobs very difficult!â€Â\r\nâ€Å"What, acquire men to guard sex with a gorgeous cleaning lady?†Hugh shook his head. â€Å"Thats not hard. Thats not even remedial.â€Â\r\nI looked at them incredulously. â€Å"Its not like I dismiss just jump into bed with anyone. I have to get quality guys.â€Â\r\nâ₠¬Å"Yeah, as of a calendar month ago maybe.â€Â\r\nBastien aspect me a sharp look at that remark, however I was too chafe to acknowledge it. â€Å"Hey, I just won an award, you know. Got the security and everything. And any look, contrary to your pathetic love lives, not all guys ordain immediately give in to sex. It carry aways work.â€Â\r\nâ€Å"What, like horns and a whip?†suggested Peter slyly, referring to a especially embarrassing incident from my past.\r\nâ€Å"Thats different. He cute it.â€Â\r\nâ€Å"They all destiny it. Thats the point.†Hugh turned to Bastien reverentially. â€Å"How do you do it? Got any pointers you substructure share with the rest of us?â€Â\r\nâ€Å"several(prenominal) lifetimes worth,†chuckled Bastien, fluent wat chin upg me. â€Å"Those are trade secrets, Im afraid. Although, in reality, in Fleur ‘s defense, the techniques are the same for both of us. You should have been paying more attention to her. â€Å"\r\nâ€Å"Low-cut necklines arent exactly a trade secret.â€Â\r\nâ€Å"Much more to it than that, my friend. peculiarly with Georgina. Shes one of the best.â€Â\r\nHugh and the vampires looked at me as though theyd never noticed me before, apparently attempting to figure out if what Bastien said was true.\r\nâ€Å" nary(prenominal)need to start that up,†I pointed out hastily.\r\nâ€Å"Come on, werent you just bragging about how you taught me everything I know? You and I used to run some good rackets back in the day.â€Â\r\nâ€Å"What kind of rackets?†asked Peter.\r\nWhen I wouldnt answer, Bastien merely shrugged. â€Å"Oh, you know. The kind that require a dowryner. â€Å"\r\nCodys eyes widened. â€Å" handle…group sex?â€Â\r\nâ€Å"No!†I protested, unable to stay on silent at that. non that it wasnt in my curriculum vitae. â€Å"Partnerships to suck somebody in. maneuver save and wife. Or brother and sister. Orâ €¦or… some(prenominal) it takes to nail your mark.â€Â\r\nBastien nodded along with me. â€Å"Men really like the thrill of winning over someones charming young wife. Women too, for that matter. The forbidden always has a trustworthy allure to it.â€Â\r\nâ€Å"Wow.†Cody and the others pondered this new development and tried inquisitory us a potato chip more for details. Bastien, perceptual experience my reluctance to elaborate about the past, gave vague answers, and dialogue soon drifted to other topics †as well as to Peters amazing dinner. It wasnt Met good, moreover maybe the confederacy had diagonal me.\r\nâ€Å" are you pass to tell me whats sledding on?†I murmured to the incubus later, as our group finally rose from the table and began making motions to leave. I was dying to know what could have drawn him here and earned Jeromes approval. Hells denizens could take vacations, and this smacked of business.\r\nBastien patted me on t he back, giving me his stigmatise grin. â€Å"In good time, my sweet. Is there somewhere we can talk?â€Â\r\nâ€Å"Sure. Ill take you back to my place. You can meet my cat.â€Â\r\nWhen Bastien left me to once again thank Peter for dinner, Carter strolled over.\r\nâ€Å"Are you seeing exercise set soon?â€Â\r\nâ€Å" afterwards tonight.†Seeing his amused view, I scowled. â€Å"Just get it over with, okay?â€Â\r\nâ€Å"Get what over with?â€Â\r\nâ€Å"The part where you tell me how stupid it is to try to have a serious relationship with a mortal.â€Â\r\nThe mirth weaken from his face. â€Å"I dont designate its stupid.â€Â\r\nI studied him, hold for the punch line. â€Å"Everyone else does.â€Â\r\nâ€Å"Does exercise set? Do you?â€Â\r\nI looked away, thought about stage set. That funny, distracted look on his face when inspiration seized him. His goofy T-shirt collection. The exquisite way he could capture the world on paper. How lovesome his hand was when it slid into mine. The way I just couldnt stay away from him, despite the million reasons that said I should. Suddenly, caught in Carters penetrating eyes, something inside of me let loose. I hated how the angel could do this to me.\r\nâ€Å"Sometimes I do. Sometimes I look at him…and I remember how it was when I kissed him and felt that love. It ties me want that back. I want to feel it again. I want to remember it. Other times, though…other times, Im so scared. I listen to these guys…and to Jerome…and therefore the doubts gnaw at me. I cant get them out of my head. Weve been sleeping in concert, you know. Literally. It hasnt been a paradox so far, merely sometimes I lie awake watching him, thought this cant last. The longer it does…I feel like…like Im standing on a high wire, with readiness at one end and me at the other. Were trying to reach each other, but one misstep, one breeze, one side-glance, and Ill revert over the edge. And keep falling and falling.â€Â\r\nI took in a shaking breath when I finished.\r\nCarter leaned toward me and brushed the hair away from the side of my face. â€Å"Dont look downcast because,†he whispered.\r\nBastien had inverted, catching the end of my soliloquy.\r\nâ€Å"Whos Seth?†he wanted to know later, once we were back at my apartment.\r\nâ€Å"Long story.†Yet I found myself spilling it anyway.\r\nOf course, relation Bastien about Seth meant telling him about a tidy sum of other things too. same a juvenile encounter with Jeromes half-human, half-angel son †a stunningly beautiful man with a twisted sense of societal justice who had been on a semipsychotic mission to wangle other immortals pay for the shoddy treatment of him and his kind. The fact that he had been a good dancer and a phenomenal lover had not really been enough to make up for his wanton killing of lesser immortals and subsequent attempt on Carter .\r\nThat, of course, led me to adjacent explain how Seth had witnessed the inevitable showdown and had been hurt when I kissed him to get an emergency fix of muscularity. Jerome had wanted to erase Seths memory of the whole event, as well as the writers love for me. I had begged the demon not to, finally getting him to agree when I offered to ordinate all of my efforts back to seducing and corrupting flop men like a good little succuba should. Horatios visit had been the ultimate testimony to my â€Å"new and amend†self.\r\nBastien, sprawling on my sofa, listened thoughtfully and frowned when I finished. â€Å"What do you mean? why werent you issue after decent ones already?â€Â\r\nâ€Å"I got tired of it. Didnt like nuisance them.â€Â\r\nâ€Å"So what? You were going after bad ones?â€Â\r\nI nodded.\r\nHe shook his head, knowing as well as I did how little life energy an ignoble mortal yielded compared to a good one. â€Å" measly Fleur . What a miser able existence that must have been.â€Â\r\nI gave him a bittersweet smile. â€Å"I intend youre the first person thats ever sounded more pitying than incredulous. Most people think Im idiotic for getting by like that.â€Â\r\nâ€Å"Its a pain, yes,†Bastien agreed, â€Å"and requires more tell on fixes, but hardly idiotic. You dont think I have days when I feel the same way? When I just want to throw my detainment up and leave decent women alone?â€Â\r\nâ€Å"Why dont you?â€Â\r\nâ€Å"Not our lot. You and I are glorified prostitutes †courtesans, if you want to be more genteel, but its all the same thing. Switching to bad ones wont change our fates. Wont even do anything in the long run, really, bar relieve our criminality a bit, and even that relief doesnt last forever. â€Å"\r\nâ€Å"Christ. You arent really making me feel attendter.â€Â\r\nâ€Å"Sorry.â€Â\r\nâ€Å"No, no, its okay. Whatever. I mean, its nice to have someone to talk to about this. No one else †none of the other immortals †really get it. â€Å"\r\nHe snorted. â€Å"Of course they dont. How could they?†My silence agreed for me, and Bastien gave me a kindly look. â€Å"Not that your friends werent nice. Are there other immortals in the city you can talk to? Any succubi or incubi?â€Â\r\nâ€Å"A few more vampires and minor demons, but thats it. Theyre less social than the ones I run with. I have some good mortal friends too. Still. Theyre not the same either.†I smiled gently. â€Å"Theyre not you. Ive missed you.â€Â\r\nBastien tousle my hair, earning a critical glance from my cat Aubrey. â€Å"Ive missed you too.â€Â\r\nâ€Å"So pass on you tell me whats going on now?â€Â\r\nHis serious mien turned jovial. â€Å"Not sure what youre going to think about it, now that Ive comprehend all of this.â€Â\r\nâ€Å"Try me.â€Â\r\nSliding off the edit, Bastien settled next to me so we could speak face-to-f ace. â€Å"You ever heard of Dana Dailey?â€Â\r\nâ€Å"I live on this planet, dont I? Shes always my first choice when Im driving in my car and feel like listening to some highly commercial, conservative rhetoric.†I didnt make any attempt to hide my disdain. In addition to touting drawn family values, radio host Dana Dailey also enjoyed working thin veiled racist, homophobic, and even sexist insinuations into her talk show. I couldnt stand her.\r\nâ€Å"I imagine that mood strikes you sooner a bit. Did you know shes Seattle based?â€Â\r\nâ€Å"Of course. Its a wonder she hasnt dragged down the property value. â€Å"\r\nâ€Å"Funny you should mention that. A house in her neighborhood just came up for sale.â€Â\r\nâ€Å"So?â€Â\r\nâ€Å"So, our employers have purchased it.â€Â\r\nâ€Å"What?â€Â\r\nGrinning, knowing he had me hooked, Bastien leaned in eagerly. â€Å"Pay attention, Fleur , because heres the good part. We got wind of some rumors conc erning Mrs. Daileys ex-pool son in San Diego. He claims to have been ‘romantically involved with her.â€Â\r\nI racked my brain, recalling a promotional picture Id seen of her and her politician husband on a billboard. â€Å"Have you seen Mr. Dailey? Id opt for a pool boy too. What became of the rumors?â€Â\r\nâ€Å"Oh, you know. The same thing that always happens to rumors with no proof. They faded away; nothing happened.â€Â\r\nI waited expectantly. â€Å"Okay, and the house fits in how?â€Â\r\nâ€Å"Well, like you said, her husbands no prize. Of course, she isnt going to get divorced or anything, not when it could potentially tarnish his political future and her whole prissy, on-air family-values campaign. and…the naughty streak is still there. If shes strayed once, I bet she could be lured into doing it again.â€Â\r\nI groaned as the pieces fell together. â€Å"Like with a handsome, debonair neighbor?â€Â\r\nâ€Å"Debonair? Really, youre too k ind.â€Â\r\nâ€Å"So what happens after that?â€Â\r\nâ€Å"Then we just let the evidence do its work.â€Â\r\nâ€Å"Evidence?â€Â\r\nâ€Å"Well, yeah. Were not going to go the way of the pool boy. When I succeed to lure the illustrious Mrs. Dailey into physical pleasures surpassing her wildest dreams, therell be a camera rolling. Were going to record this for posterity, then go to the press. Full exposure, full takedown. No more radio empire preaching to the masses to return to pure, decent ways. Even her husbands political campaign will be marred, thus opening the door for some liberal upstart to take his place and dish up get this area back into the corrupt oestrus it so desperately longs for. â€Å"\r\nâ€Å"Gee, its all so neat.â€Â\r\nHe eyed me. â€Å"You doubt the plans brilliance?â€Â\r\nâ€Å"I dont know. I appreciate the ballsy factor here, but I think this is kind of out-there, even for you. I cant imagine Dana Dailey,ll go down so easily.†Â\r\n â€Å"Leave the going down to me.â€Â\r\nâ€Å"Your egos out of check into.â€Â\r\nHe laughed and pulled me to him. His arms felt good around me. Familiar. Reassuring. â€Å"Admit it. Thats why you love me. â€Å"\r\nâ€Å"Yeah, youre like the brother I never had. One that doesnt set my hair on fire. â€Å"\r\nHis eyes sparkled wickedly. â€Å"And once again, youve jumped forrard of me. I want you to see me in carry out on this †not to mention keep me company while Im in town. Youve got to come visit †as Mitchs sister.â€Â\r\nâ€Å"Who?â€Â\r\nBastien suddenly stood up and shape-shifted. The familiar features morphed, leaving no trace of the rakish incubus I knew. Six-two and broad-shouldered, he now had dark blond hair and sky blue eyes, his face only just losing its reasonably boy aspect and giving way to the voluptuous promise of an experienced, confident man in his azoic thirties. When he smiled, those perfect teeth lit up a room.\r\n He winked at me. â€Å"Mitch Hunter,†he explained in a suave, movie-star voice. No accent now.\r\nâ€Å"You got an equally seedy title to go with that? ‘Mitch Hunter, MD or ‘Mitch Hunter, Private police detective? Seems appropriate.â€Â\r\nâ€Å"Nah. Im a consultant, of course. Everyones favorite nondescript yet well-paid skilled job.â€Â\r\nâ€Å"You look like you need a golf club in one hand and a burger flipper in the other.â€Â\r\nâ€Å"Tease all you want, but Dana wont be able to resist this. Now†â€ he gestured for me to stand up †â€Å"lets see what you can do.â€Â\r\nâ€Å"Are you joking?â€Â\r\nâ€Å"Do I look like Im joking? If youre going to come visit me, youve got to shed on some family resemblance.â€Â\r\nI rolled my eyes and stood up. After a moments study of his features, I shape-shifted my little body into a taller, more athletic one with long blond hair.\r\nHe scrutinized me, then shook his head. â₠¬Å"Too pretty.â€Â\r\nâ€Å"What? This is perfect.â€Â\r\nâ€Å"That bodys unreal. No one looks that good. My God woman, that ass.â€Â\r\nâ€Å"Oh, come on. You dont think Special Agent Mitch Hunters sister isnt the suit to spend two hours a day on a stair-climber?â€Â\r\nBastien grunted. â€Å"Youve got a point there. At least lose some of the hair. These suburban types go for dull and practical.â€Â\r\nâ€Å"Yeah, but Im not suburban. Im your hipper, more stylish †â€Å"\r\n psyche knocked at my door. He glanced at me questioningly.\r\nâ€Å"Oh! Its Seth.â€Â\r\nI changed back to my normal body, and Bastien did the same. I opened the door.\r\nSeth Mortensen, popular author and professional introvert, stood outside my apartment. Clad in a Frogger T-shirt and corduroy jacket, he seemed to have forgotten to brush his hair again. It was messy and brown with a faint coppery cast, mirrored in the perpetual five oclock shadow across his inflict face. His lips turned up in a smile upon seeing me, and I couldnt help but soon ponder how soft and kissable they looked.\r\nâ€Å"Hey,†I said.\r\nâ€Å"Hey.â€Â\r\nDespite whatever attraction destroy between us, the engine of our communion always took a little while to turn over. I led him inside, and his expression faltered a bit when he saw Bastien.\r\nâ€Å"Oh. Hi.â€Â\r\nâ€Å"Hello,†boomed Bastien, extending his hand. â€Å"Bastien Moreau.â€Â\r\nâ€Å"Seth Mortensen.â€Â\r\nâ€Å"A pleasure. Ive heard all about you. Your books are fabulous. I mean, Ive never read any of them †just dont have the time for that anymore †but Im sure theyre magnifique.â€Â\r\nâ€Å"Um, thanks.â€Â\r\nâ€Å"Bastien is an old friend,†I explained. â€Å"Hes going to be in town for a while on…business.â€Â\r\nSeth nodded, and silence dropped in between all of us like a fourth keep company. Finally, Bastien cleared his throat. I could see from his face that he was already losing interest, dismissing Seth as too quiet and unexciting. The incubus craved action.\r\nâ€Å"Well, I should take off. I dont want to interrupt your plans.â€Â\r\nâ€Å"What are you going to do?†I asked. â€Å"You cant have any plans of your own yet. â€Å"\r\nHe winked. â€Å"Ill improvise.â€Â\r\nI gave him a knowing look.\r\nRuffling my hair again, he adoptd me and kissed each of my cheeks. â€Å"Ill be in touch, Fleur . wreak sure you keep an eye on the news.â€Â\r\nâ€Å"Ill never leave my television.â€Â\r\nBastien gave Seth a friendly nod. â€Å" gauzy meeting you.â€Â\r\nWhen the incubus was gone, Seth asked, â€Å"When you say ‘old friend, are we talking, like…since the Ice Age?â€Â\r\nâ€Å"No. Of course not.â€Â\r\nâ€Å"Oh.â€Â\r\nâ€Å"Its only been about four nose candy years.â€Â\r\nâ€Å"Ah. Yes. Only four hundred.†A wry expression spread over his face. â€Å" Being with you is a regular experiment in perspective. Among other things.†He considered. â€Å"So what is he? Werewolf? Demigod?â€Â\r\nâ€Å"Nothing so exciting. Hes an incubus. You must have heard of those.â€Â\r\nSeth nodded, frowning. â€Å"Sure. Like a succubus only…he has to go after women to survive?â€Â\r\nI nodded.\r\nâ€Å"Wow. For all eternity. Wow.†His eyebrows shot up as true wonder contend over his face. â€Å"Thats got to be…wow. Thats really rough.â€Â\r\nMy eyes narrowed. â€Å"Dont even start down that road.â€Â\r\nBastien had said he didnt want to interrupt our plans, but we didnt really have any, lilliputian of spending the evening together. I suppose most couples, running out of options, could have resorted to sex or at least making out, but the nature of our relationship required a full itinerary. We mustered some ideas.\r\nâ€Å"You want to rent a movie?†I offered. â€Å"Ive got some coupons.â€Â\ r\nWe ended up renting Gladiator, at which time I discovered Horatios free renting coupons had expired long ago.\r\nâ€Å"That son of a holler!â€Â\r\nâ€Å"Who?†asked Seth.\r\n only if of course I couldnt explain. Fucking demons.\r\n back end home, Seth and I snuggled on my couch as we watched, warm and close yet still safe from any detrimental succubus effects. He listened with bemusement as I pointed out historical inaccuracies, most of which involved how much dirtier and smellier the Roman imperium had been.\r\nWhen it finished, we turned off the television and sat together in the dark. Seth stroked the side of my face, sifting through with(predicate) the strands of my hair and occasionally brushing my cheek with his fingers. A small gesture, yet when that was all you could do with another person, it became startlingly erotic.\r\nI looked up at him. I knew what I saw when I studied him. He was everything I could want and everything I couldnt have. The steady, l oving companion Id pined for all these years. I wondered what he saw with me. The expression he wore now seemed fond. Admiring. And a little sad.\r\nâ€Å" just thy eternal summer shall not fade\r\nNor lose possession of that fair ow,st;\r\nNor shall Death brag thou wand,rest in his shade,\r\nWhen in eternal lines to time thou grow,st;\r\nSo long as men can breathe or eyes can see,\r\nSo long lives this, and this gives life to thee. â€Å"\r\nâ€Å"Sonnet Eighteen,†I murmured, thinking he recited beautifully. Hell, forget his recitation skills. How many guys in this age of instant messaging even knew Shakespeare anymore? His amused little half-smile played over his face.\r\nâ€Å" quick and beautiful. How could any man settle for a mortal woman?â€Â\r\nâ€Å"Easily,†I returned. My friends misgivings suddenly loomed up in me. â€Å"You could, you know.â€Â\r\nHe blinked, and his rapt look faded, giving way to exasperation. â€Å"Oh. Not this discussion agai n.â€Â\r\nâ€Å"Im serious †â€Å"\r\nâ€Å"And so am I. I dont want to be with anyone else right now. Ive told you that a hundred times. Why do we keep talking about this?â€Â\r\nâ€Å"Because you know we cant †â€Å"\r\nâ€Å"Nobuts.Give me some credit for universe able to jibe myself. Besides, Im not with you for sex. You know that. Im with you to be with you.â€Â\r\nâ€Å"How can that be enough?†It never had been for any other man Id known.\r\nâ€Å"Because…because…†He tipped my chin up with his hand, the emotion in those eyes making my insides melt. â€Å"Because being with you feels so right…like its always been meant to be. You make me believe in a higher(prenominal) power for once in my life.â€Â\r\nI close my eyes and put my head on his chest. I could hear his heart beating. He wrapped me to him, his embrace warm and solid, and I felt like I couldnt get close enough to him. Probably I should have let the disc ussion go then, but one more thing was still on my mind tonight. After all, I had a gold-embossed award sitting on my counter.\r\nâ€Å"Even if you can control yourself…even if you can stay celibate, you know I wont be.â€Â\r\nThe expressions hurt coming out, but my mouths control switch didnt always function so well. Besides, I didnt want anything standing between us.\r\nâ€Å"I dont care.†But I felt his hold on me constrain a little.\r\nâ€Å"Seth, you will †â€Å"\r\nâ€Å"Thetis, I dont care. It doesnt matter. Nothing matters except what happens between you and me.â€Â\r\nThe fierceness in his voice †a contrast to his normal placidity †thrilled me, but it was not that that made me give up the argument. It was the word â€Å"Thetis.†Thetis. Thetis the shape-shifting goddess. The shape-shifter wooed and won by a steadfast mortal. Seth had coined the name for me when he learned I was a succubus, when hed first insinuated that my infe rnal standing was not a deterrent.\r\nI pulled him closer. Dont look down.\r\nWe went to bed shortly thereafter, Aubrey gorgerin up at our feet. The feel of Seths body kink by mine under the covers was tantalizing, a savage whisper of the restrictions around us.\r\nI suspirationed and tried to think of something other than how nice he felt or how great it would be if he slid his hand up my shirt. I grinned as a most unsexual sentiment came to mind.\r\nâ€Å"I want pancakes.â€Â\r\nâ€Å"What? Right now?â€Â\r\nâ€Å"No. For breakfast.â€Â\r\nâ€Å"Oh.†He yawned. â€Å"Youd better get up early then.â€Â\r\nâ€Å"Me? Im not going to make them.â€Â\r\nâ€Å"Yeah?†His asleep(predicate) voice carried mock sympathy. â€Å"Whos going to make them for you then?â€Â\r\nâ€Å"You are.â€Â\r\nIt was a well-known fact †at least to Seth and me †that he made the best pancakes known to mankind. They always came out perfect, light and fluff y. Through some kitchen magic, he even managed to put smiley faces on them when he made them for me. Once hed even puta Gon one. Id assumed it was for my name, but later, hed sworn it stood for â€Å"goddess.â€Â\r\nâ€Å"Am I?†His lips brushed my earlobe; his breath was warm against my skin. â€Å"You think Im going to make you pancakes? Is that how you think its going to be?â€Â\r\nâ€Å"Youre so good at,†I whined. â€Å"Besides, if you do, Ill sit on the counter in a short robe while you cook.†Oops. perchance pancakes could become sexual after all.\r\nHis soft gag segued into another yawn. â€Å"Oh. Well then.†He kissed my ear again. â€Å" maybe Ill make you pancakes. â€Å"\r\nHis breathing grew slow and regular, the tension in his body easing. Soon he slept, not degenerate or tempted in the least by having me in his arms.\r\nI sighed again. He was right; he did have self-control. If he could do this, surely I could too. I closed my eyes and waited for exhaustion to take over. Fortunately, it didnt abscond any time; staying up late will do that to you. Maybe that was the real key to sleeping chastely.\r\nI woke up in his arms hours later, hearing the ever-so-faint sounds of bad seventies music drifting through the wall. One of my neighbors felt the need to do aerobics to the Bee Gees every day around lunchtime. Certifiable insanity.\r\nWait. lunchtime?\r\nI sat bolt upright, panic highly strung me into full consciousness as I assessed the situation. My bed. Seth sprawled beside me. The full roar of traffic outside. Clear, winter fair weather pouring through the window †a lot of sunlight.\r\nFearing the worst, I looked at the nearest clock. It was 12:03.\r\nGroaning silently, I groped on the floor for my cell phone, wondering why no one had yet called me in to work. feeling at the phones display, I realized Id turned the toller off during the movie. Seven new voice chain armour messages, the phone read. So much for pancakes. Tossing the phone back down, I looked over at Seth, the cuteness of him in a T-shirt and flannel boxers momentarily allaying my frustration.\r\nI shook him, wishing I could just crawl back under the covers with him. â€Å"Wake up. Ive got to go.â€Â\r\nHe blinked up at me drowsily, further increasing his appeal. Aubrey wore a similar look. â€Å"Huh? Too…early.â€Â\r\nâ€Å"Not that early. Im late for work.â€Â\r\nHe stared at me blankly for a few seconds and then sat up nearly as rapidly as I had. â€Å"Oh. Oh man.â€Â\r\nâ€Å"Its all right. Lets go.â€Â\r\nHe disappeared into the bathroom, and I shape-shifted my appearance once more, turning the pajamas into a red sweater and black skirt, my loose hair into a neat bun. I hated doing this so often, much preferring to rifle through my own closet. Shape-shifting also burned through my energy stash that much more quickly, requiring more frequent victims. Unfortunately, time-crunc hes call for certain sacrifices.\r\nWhen Seth returned, he did a double take at my appearance and shook his head. â€Å"Still cant get used to that.â€Â\r\nI expected him to go home and sleep, but he went with me to the bookstore. Its coffee shop was his favorite place to write. As we walked into Emerald City Books andCafe,I breathed a sigh of relief that neither my manager Paige nor Warren, the store owner, appeared to be around. Still, business had already opened for the day without me, and my chipper, morning-people coworkers made it impossible to sneak in without notice.\r\nâ€Å"Hey, Georgina! Hi Seth!â€Â\r\nâ€Å"Georgina and Seth are here!â€Â\r\nâ€Å" thoroughly morning, Georgina! Good morning, Seth!â€Â\r\nSeth left to take up his writing station upstairs, and I made my way to the back offices. All of them were dark, which I found odd. No managers at all. Someone should have opened before me. I flipped on the light in my own office.\r\nI was so fixated on figuring out what was going on that the demon took me completely by surprise.\r\nRed-skinned and multihorned, he leapt out at me, waving his arms and making unintelligible grunting sounds. I yelped and dropped the things Id been carrying, recoiling.\r\nA moment later, my senses returned, and I walked over and smacked him on the side of the head as hard as I could.\r\n'
Thursday, December 13, 2018
'Individuals with Behavioural Difficulties Essay\r'
'When running(a) in the bearing industry whether that is with the elderly, mental wellness or children it operates app bent that you as an undivided plough empowered by virtue of organism first occupy for that peculiar(prenominal) psyche hence world an influential figure in either individualistic’s life reco rattling and rehabilitation. Due to this mover we occupy had many horrific mishaps which endure heterogeneous individuals in a position of power and whom convey abused this trust and disregarded legislation, policy and cognitive process to continu entirelyy systematically abuse proceeds drug users in a endangered position. It is no secret that this has happened and heretofore continues today in stance sticks of c ar. This is the intention of the forward- hearing legislative law updated and reviewed to combat and eliminate such ferine behaviours marched by so called goive staff members in supposedly places of secure adept environments.\r\nLo ok to a greater extent than: emotion tensioned coping definition turn out\r\nThe purpose of legislative law is to filter new and reform existing legislation through to the germane(predicate) policies and procedures at bottom specific places of work. So to summarise the purpose of legislation in terms of managing difficult behaviours is that it functions to safe guard the vulner index of servinger users in places of c be which predominantly gets feed down through political science bodies to the policies and procedures file indoors the office within your place of work. It give the bounce be looked upon as a enroll of good practice with regards how to deal with vulnerable adults whom pomposity contend behaviours within places of disturbance.\r\nWhen operative within such an environment it is almost expected to receive challenging behaviour due to the different backgrounds and diagnosis the process users defend so it would non be delicious to react within such a ap pearance as you would when a course from the unit due to the very essence of the thickeningele we deal with. This is not to rank we are not in a vulnerable position to so we are legally permitted to apply restraint techniques which is in the form of an in discernment restraint course which covers floor, escorting and seated restraints for the safety of the service user, other service users and also the safety of your swearing keep up staff within the workplace. This form of restraint is always the last line of defence it is prevailing to utilise the different comees available to return the service user to his baseline without putting hands on a client.\r\n1 (1.2)\r\nThe reason for such care institutions is specifically to rehabilitate and educate service users in the acquisition of knowledge regarding them to facilitate them to utilise coping strategies in the effort of recovery and rehabilitation preferably than punitive based techniques. There are a massive variety of different nestes and methods when attempting to commute an individual’s behaviour. We result target only a specific few that are more than predominant within today’s industry. The methods and approaches exit implicate motivational interviewing, cognitive behavioural therapy, solution-focused therapy and adult instruction methods these leave alone be the approaches and methods that I will exposit upon throughout the chapter. CBT is a form of talking therapy that combines cognitive therapy and behaviour therapy. It focuses on how you think to the highest degree the things waiver on in your life, your impressions, images, beliefs and attitudes (your cognitive processes), and how this impacts on the way you be expect and deal with emotional problems.\r\nIt thuslyce looks at how you provide reposition any negative patterns of thinking or behaviour that whitethorn be causation you difficulties. In turn, this tummy deviate the way you feel. CBT tends to b e short, taking six weeks to six months. You will normally attend a session once a week, each session lasting either 50 minutes or an hour. Together with the healer you will explore what your problems are and develop a computer program for tackling them. You will find a compulsive of principles that you evoke apply whenever you need to. You may find them reusable long after you have left therapy. CBT may focus on what is going on in the present rather than the past. However, the therapy may also look at your past and how your past delivers impact on how you interpret the world now. The concept of motivational interviewing evolved from experience in the treatment of problem drinkers, and was first depict by Miller (1983) in an article make in Behavioral Psychotherapy.\r\nThese fundamental concepts and approaches were later dilate by Miller and Rollnick (1991) in a more detailed description of clinical procedures. motivational interviewing is a semi-directive, client-centere d counseling style for eliciting behavior change by financial aiding clients to explore and resolve ambivalence. Compared with non-directive counseling, it’s more focused and close-directed. motivational Interviewing is a method that plant on facilitating and engaging intrinsic motivation within the client in order to change behavior. The mental test and resolution of ambivalence is a of import purpose, and the exponent is intentionally directive in pursuing this goal. Motivational interviewing recognizes and accepts the detail that clients who need to make changes in their lives approach counseling at different levels of readiness to change their behavior. During counseling, some patient may have thought about it tho not taken step to change it while some especially those voluntarily seeking counseling, may be actively try to change their behavior and may have been doing so unsuccessfully for years.\r\nIn order for a therapist to be successful at motivational inter viewing, four basic skills should first be established. These skills include: the ability to ask open ended questions, the ability to abide affirmations, the capacity for reflective listening, and the ability to periodically get out summary statements to the client. Motivational interviewing is non-judgmental, non-confrontational and non-adversarial. The approach attempts to increase the client’s awareness of the potential problems caused, consequences experienced, and risks faced as a result of the behavior in question. Alternately, therapists help clients en survey a better future, and become more and more motivated to achieve it. Either way, the strategy seeks to help clients think differently about their behavior and in the end to consider what might be gained through change.\r\nMotivational interviewing focuses on the present, and entails working with a client to main course motivation to change a particular behavior, that is not consistent with a client’s i ndividualised value or goal. Warmth, genuine empathy, and unconditional cocksure regard are necessary to foster redress gain (Rogers, 1961) within motivational interviewing. Another central concept is that ambivalence about decisions is resolved by conscious or unconscious weighing of pros and cons of change vs. not changing (Ajzen, 1980). It is critical to meet patients/clients where they are (Prochaska, 1983), and to not force a client towards change when they have not expressed a want to do so. Motivational interviewing is considered to be both client-centered and semi-directive. It departs from conventional Rogerian client-centered therapy through this use of direction, in which therapists attempt to yield clients to consider making changes, rather than non-directively explore themselves.\r\n origin focused brief therapy (SFBT), often referred to as just now ‘solution focused therapy’ or ‘brief therapy’, is a type of talking therapy that is based u pon social constructionist philosophy. It focuses on what clients want to achieve through therapy rather than on the problems that made them seek help. The approach does not focus on the past, but instead, focuses on the present and future. The therapist or counselor uses respectful curiosity to cod the client to envision their preferable future and then therapist and client start attending to any moves towards it whether these are small increments or large changes. To support this, questions are asked about the client’s story, strengths and resources, and about exceptions to the problem. Solution focused therapists believe that change is constant. By helping people identify the things that they wish to have changed in their life and also to attend to those things that are acceptedly happening that they wish to continue to have happen, SFBT therapists help their clients to construct a concrete vision of a preferred future for themselves.\r\nThe SFBT therapist then helps th e client to identify times in their current life that are closer to this future, and examines what is different on these occasions. By forming these small successes to their awareness, and helping them to paraphrase these successful things they do when the problem is not at that place or less severe, the therapists helps the client move towards the preferred future they have identified. Adult learning opening is part of being an effective educator involves understanding how adults learn best. Andragogy (adult learning) is a scheme that holds a set of assumptions about how adults learn. Andragogy emphasises the value of the process of learning.\r\nIt uses approaches to learning that are problem-based and collaborative rather than didactic, and also emphasises more equating between the teacher and learner. Andragogy as a study of adult learning originated in Europe in 1950’s and was then pioneered as a theory and model of adult learning from the 1970’s by Malcolm K nowles an American practitioner and theorist of adult education, who define andragogy as â€Å"the art and science of helping adults learnâ€Â. Knowles identified the six principles of adult learning draw below.\r\nAdults are internally motivated and self-directed\r\nAdults bring life experiences and knowledge to learning experiences Adults are goal oriented\r\nAdults are relevancy oriented\r\nAdults are practical\r\nAdult learners like to be reckon\r\n2 (2.1)\r\nWhen we talk over behaviours it is overbearing to understand why these behaviours are being displayed and it is often something which appears very pincer to care staff but it can be interpreted as a big predicament to the individual in question. When understanding the reasons for behaviours there can be many reasons for them but here is a few more common examples, culture, gender, beliefs, personality, illness, medication side effects, family, personal occasions and so on These are all contributing factors as to why individuals will display certain behaviours. Within the unit it has been noticed that a specific factor i.e. family contact can have a huge effect on a certain individual in our care.\r\nDue to the fact that this individual has very minimal contact with his family (personal choice) when this individual does eventually get to speak with his close family it can conjure up many different feelings within and can cause indirect behaviours within the unit. Feelings such as abandonment, not loved, singled out, why? These contributing factors will mix together and inevitably have to be released e.g. become withdrawn, aggressive, depressed (low). Now the staff ag assemblage have highlighted this concern and a concise care plan has been put into place and agreed by the individual it can be monitored and dealt with more efficaciously in the requisition for this individual to eventually become more comfortable when discussing and contact the family. 2 (2.2)\r\nWhen we discuss the influenc e of the environment and behaviour of other individuals we are basically referring to the place in which these individuals reside e.g. the psychiatric hospital or the community home etc. These environments can play an enormously important authority in the behaviours of individuals whom are observing they can be easily influenced by others actions and will tend to simulate or act up to the situation or incident. It depends on the individuals in question but what can happen in a unit which is meshed by more than one service user is that individuals will observe (audience effect) and will either react in three different ways. The individual will either adopt and mimic the behaviour being displayed thus causing a major incident or the individual will remove themselves or will confront that individual or group of individuals having an incident thus again causing problems for the unit. 3 (3.1)\r\nWhen working in an area such as mental health it is imperative from the beginning to gib e you adopt a professional relationship and economize this as long as you remain in the care system. It has been said to me that a good prescript to follow is that of firm, fair but fun but not forgetting that there are constant boundaries that should be followed throughout your working career and not to be muffed. The working relationship is so important within mental health due to the fact specific clients will have bleary-eyed boundaries or have no boundaries at all so it is imperative as support staff the clearly and quick introduce clear concise boundaries for service users.\r\nThe working relationship has to remain purely professional for a number of reasons but mainly for the safety of the service users and that they do not miss interpret signals given up by support staff and un intentionally cross the boundaries. If the professional working relationship is followed it can crap a healthy relationship between support staff and service user and the avoidance of blurred b oundaries. This is not to say that service users will not try and test the boundaries of specific staff members as this is commonplace within the area of mental health but as professional support thespian it needs to meet with a firm approach and dealt with in a professional manner.\r\n'
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