A family ritual to strengthen family bonds Essay Example for Free

A family ritual to strengthen family bonds Essay As I was answering the Family rituals questionnaire, I felt good as i was somewhat compelled to reminisce the activities which I shared with my family when I was a child. It feels good to see that our family got a high score in the questionnaire. In only proves that we have been quite close as a family. I was only mesmerized as I recalled those moments when we simultaneously scan our old pictures and laugh at the way all of us looked in the past. I also enjoyed recalling the fond memories of our excursions when I was still a child. Personally, I do not want to change that kind of relationship which I had with my family in the past. I would like us to maintain this close relationship we have right now. For me, this is how families are supposed to be. Families are supposed to spend most of the time together so they can be updated with the events happening to one another. In this sense, they will always be available to succor when one among the family members is having some dilemma. In addition to that, the intimacy between them will not be lost; and instead, will only be kindled. That feeling of intimacy will make them more comfortable and more expressive with one another. The ritual that I would like to apply to my family is a unique Islamic tradition called Eid al-Fitr. Eid al-Fitr is being done some time after Ramadan. It is basically a tradition celebrating the success of the recently done Ramadan which is a whole month of blessings and joy. Moreover, Eid al-Fitr is also the extension of these blessings and joy to those who happen to be less fortunate. Every Muslim family must offer some donation of any kind to those who are in need. They do this so the needy can participate in the celebration as well. This is done before the end of the Eid so all the people can be prepared for the jubilation. When the day of the Eid comes, all of the participants will gather outdoors – in mosques – to perform a prayer that is especially for the Eid. Afterwards, the participants will begin to disperse and mingle with one another. They will meet up with their families, friends and other acquaintances to give presents and express their cordial greetings. If they have relatives who are not present and cannot go to the event, they can call them on the hoping and likewise extend their wishes. This event usually lasts for three days to allow the Muslims make the most out of the celebration. The meaning of this ritual is that it can manifest the unity and comradeship among its participants. By extending their warm wishes to other people and giving donations to those who are in need, the participants learn to take care aside from their selves and value other people as well. The act of giving donations can be symbolically interpreted as an act of offering something that sincerely comes from the self. The act is like transcending the self and its own interests in order to extend one’s hands to other people. By applying this ritual with my family, I aim that my family will have a sense of responsibility and learn how to work as a group. Moreover, I can also reinforce family planning. My family will learn that they also have responsibility over other people –their fellowmen – and that all of us must unite for a singular cause. By promoting the behavior of giving donations to the poor and mingling with the family members, the unity of a singular cause is reinforced. As we harbor in mind the need to achieve a singular purpose, we will learn how to work as a group. In the latter process, we will develop a more cohesive bond among ourselves. The part of mingling with other people can only encourage us to commune more deeply with one another and be aware of one another’s experiences. As the ritual will be repetitious, all of its objectives will be recurrently addressed. In addition to that, by mingling with the family members in the course of the ritual, we will realize the importance of family planning. In our family, there are more than ten of us who are siblings and it will surely be harder for us to greet one another while doing the ritual. Lastly, I think that the ritual need not to change as the members of the family grow older. We must only adapt with one another and our family embers – and our oscillating temperaments, tastes and yearnings. The touchstone of the ritual is that we feel the warm company of our family members as we do and enjoy doing things together. In that sense, my two goals can be achieved. We learn that we are responsible for the welfare of our family members and we learn to work collectively in making all of us grow individually as persons and the family as a whole.

All for Show †The Post-Petrarchan Poetry of Wyatt, Sidney, and Spenser

The difficulty of discussing the representation of women in the work of sixteenth century English poets like Sir Thomas Wyatt, Sir Philip Sidney, and Edmund Spenser is the need to address authorial intent in its historical context. As a critic, one cannot attribute to words what the author did not intend; however, one can attribute intentions that the author did not word. For example, it is easy to justify the objectification and subordination of women in the English-Petrarchan sonnet tradition but is it entirely factual? Does object of desire necessarily mean desired object? Does such a designation deny the agency or even apply to the beloved? The question to ask is whether contemporary criticism can be applied retroactively; that is, whether theories concerning objectification or ‘othering’ are relevant merely because they fit. The real challenge is to decide if evidence of objectification can be discovered or simply applied to a text that has no concept of it. It is p articularly disconcerting that much of the modern renaissance criticism researched for this essay sees no possible contradiction in linking rhetorical evidence to intent; that is to say, they show little evidence of investigating the possible discrepancies between treating objectification as ahistorical and socially contextual, even when they argue for the historically situated nature of identity. One must also consider the fact that theories of objectification interpret and interrogate the text, not the author; that is unless one presumes they are the same thing. To do so, however, commits one to a series of requisite and problematic assumptions. The first of these is the exchange of mimesis for art as an imitation of the author, a shadow of a shadow. Speaking his... ...ing Astrophil and Stella to implode under its own contradictions Sidney ensures that its only lasting consequence is the affect it has on the beloved. In the same way Spenser tries to forge a tangible bond between himself and the beloved by rendering them both physically present in the words of Amoretti, Sidney tries to promote his signifiers to signifieds in an effort to exchange â€Å"semiological [intimacy] for sexual desire† (Stephens 93). The difference is that Spenser offers the beloved a shared space while Sidney seeks exclusive control of the courtship. Much like Wyatt tries to have the last word in Whoso List to Hunt, Sidney and Spenser write their sonnets in anticipation of the beloved’s response. As their efforts to adapt her subjectivity show, all three poets recognize the beloved as powerful, but is this the power of a reader or a social and sexual equal?

Discuss the use of the historical notes in the Handmaid’s Tale

The historical notes are part of the novel but not part of Offred's narrative. They are there to provide an explanation of what happened to Offred and put her story into historical perspective. The historical notes are set 200 years after the Gilead regime. They are a parody of an academic discussion about Offred's tale. The main speaker whilst being a woman is also a Native American. This can be seen in her name Professor Marian Crescent Moon. As the conference graduates it becomes evident that most of the scholars are Native American e. g. Professor Pieixoto. This is unusual as traditionally whites on Natives usually study anthropology. However Atwood chooses to turn this around to make the reader puzzled and makes a racial statement. The conference is held at the university of Denay in Nunavit. Denay is in northwest Canada which suggests that they control the Northwest of Canada as they appear to have a high social status. This reflects the time in which Atwood was writing as in the 1980 there was a fiery debate concerning this issue, in this and in her version the minority won and dominated. Atwood firstly uses the historical notes to make fun of academic conferences. This is obvious as the scholarly jargon is self-conscious and the humour extremely unfunny and complex. Therefore whilst amusing to the academics it is an instant off-putting for the reader which in turn outs him/her of the academics. Essentially all the reader wants to know is what happened to Offred and not if they are going on a fishing trip or not. These nature walks and fishing expeditions are mentioned briefly but purposefully at the beginning of the notes ‘The fishing expedition will go forward. The conditions in which these people live are clearly naturally better and healthier than in Gilead. Atwood makes a point this to show a contrast but also explain why they are so ignorant in understanding Offred's life, as they could never contemplate what it was like and hence could not sympathise with her suffering. The historical notes are a device used by Atwood to show the reader that everything she has written had actually happened before in one form or the other. The reference to Iran is probably most significant ‘Iran and Gilead: Two-late-twentieth-century Monotheocraties. They were so similar as in Iran the nations conservative Islamic revolution happened. It involved major de-modernizing and drastic restrictions of freedom of women. From this it is clear that Atwood got most of her inspiration from when creating the Handmaids. The Islamic ‘authorities' insisted that they were just protecting women and giving them a better quality of life. This is reflective of the commander in Offred's narrative when he says ‘We've given them more than we've taken away'. The professor says the ‘Romania had anticipated Gilead, in the 1980's banning all forms of birth control. This of course is what happened but it had divesting effects ion the spreading of aids and orphaned babies. Pieixoto also adds ‘ the collective rope ceremony' was an ‘English village custom in the 17th century' and is similar to Gilead's ‘Salvaging'. Moreover, the red colour of the handmaids was ‘borrowed from the uniforms of German prisoners of war I Canada' in the second word war. Finally Margaret Atwood uses the professor to state her point by making him say ‘that there was little that was truly original or truly indigenous to Gilead; its genius was synthesised. Consequently saying that there is nothing in the novel that hasn't already happened in the world we live in today. The professor at the same time as not picking up on Offred's personal account does realise the clever workings of the regime. For example the aunts had names derived from common commercial product'†¦ ‘ to familiarise and reassure' the handmaids. As mentioned Pieixoto is not interested in Offred's personal story but rather how it can tell him more about the Giliadian regime turning Offred's story into his own history. He is completely oblivious to Offred's feminist themes. He says that ‘our job is to censure and understand'. Clearly he doesn't and completely sidesteps the critical moral issues raised by her account. He seems more interested in establishing the identity of her commander than herself ‘the elusive commander', ‘the gentlemen in question'. Additionally he spends about two pages talking about him. The authenticity of the tapes seems to override the importance of their content. The covers of the tape are also significant as they reflect Offred's subject matter. ‘ Elvis Presley The Golden Years', he was one of the first male singers in the 60's to be associated with dirty sexual attraction i. e. the thrusting of the hips. Also there were tapes entitled ‘Boy George Takes Off', he was an homosexual musical icon and ‘Twisted Sister' they represented ‘loose' independent women. Most of all of these names and the suggestions behind the names Gilead would have severally disapproved of. This is just another way of Offred's small but yet significant rebellion against the regime. Professor Piexioto is an intriguing invention. Amongst the unusual social order in the historical notes and women appearing to be respected once again, Atwood throws in this completely contradictory character. He seems to by a complete sexist chauvinist pig. This is similar to the commander with whom he even shares a line' my little chat' and ‘little excitement'. This suggests that both the professor and the commander think of themselves very highly. It is obvious that Professor Piexioto does not think its a little chat but rather an important speech/lecture. Atwood intentionally merges these two characters together to show that male attitudes and opinions, even though 200 years have passed, have not altered. The professor proves this in his speech when he talks about ‘tails' and ‘frailrioads' rather than female roads as called by Offred. He also whilst making a dig at the North American peoples intelligence also insults both women's and Offred's intellect by saying ‘she was an educated woman, insofar as a graduate of any North American college of the time may have said to be educated'. Consequently, the historians discredit her story; she already told us that the commander was ‘in marker research'. Nevertheless he goes along a separate line of investigation and coming to the same conclusion. Furthermore he seems annoyed with her for not providing him with more information about the Giliadian regime. This can be seen when he exclaims ‘many gaps remain, some of which could have been filled in by our anonymous narrator, had she been in a different turn of mind'. Then he adds ‘ It has a whiff of emotion' this absolutely should outrage the reader as her whole story is based upon intense emotion and suffering, which he has no regard for. Ironically, the professor does exactly what Offred anticipated ‘from the point of view of history. We'll be invisible. ‘ So although Offred does get her story out she is treated the same as she was in the regime. Atwood does this to create a different kind of distopian in the readers mind and as in the narrative unsettle and make the reader outraged through confusion. The historical notes are supposedly here to answer unanswered questions but all it is extremely long explanations of a research with no concrete answers, which frustrate as new and yet again, unanswered questions start to format. This is a device used by Margaret Atwood to further stimulate the reader into discussion not only abut what happened to Offred but also question the society we live in today.

Hospitals are Driving toward a Leaner Organization Essay

To obtain sustainable organizational efficiency and service quality, many hospitals have adopted an Open Systems Perspective by using â€Å"lean management† procedures borrowed from leading car manufacturers, in an effort to â€Å"reduce and remove waste from work processes†. These processes improved organizational efficiency reduced costs and provided better patient care. i What ‘seems’ to be the Problem: Secondary Symptoms Full waiting rooms, long wait times, inefficient use of supplies and budgets, needless stress and high mortality rate is feedback from the external environment that the hospitals are not meeting the needs of their stakeholders, or fitting in with their environment. Before adapting lean management processes, hospital staff and patients alike shared the burden of what appeared to be the inevitable consequences of health care delivery and a closed systems perspective.ii These problems are manifestations of organizational deficiencies which negatively affect the quality of patient care, the distribution of hospital resources and employee morale. The Real Reasons Hospitals are Facing Difficulties: Primary Problems The secondary symptoms are indicative of underlying issues, highlighting their poor organizational-environmental fitiii and the ineffectiveness of communication between Internal Subsystems.iv To a large extent hospitals have not adapted to their external environment nor have hospitals managed it effectively.v Hospital management, for example, has not adequately promoted the appropriate use of hospitals as opposed to family physicians. The departmentalization of hospitals has unintentionally caused a disconnection between internal subsystems. The lack of coordination between hospital management, physicians, hospital staff and patients prevents the flow and use of information within the organization. The ultimate result is that resources (staff, equipment, financial resources) are not allocated to their optimal use causing superfluous procedures and purchases.vi Solutions, Recommendations and Implementation Plan: Open Systems Perspective and Lean Management strategies will promote organizational efficiency and resolve the underlying problems. Steven L.  McShane explains that collaborative efforts between internal subsystems have proven to reduce the time, efforts and costs contributing to the primary problems. vii Hospitals can use information technology and incentives to staff to share information about where efficiencies can be realized. For example, those responsible for hospital purchases will be greatly assisted by pertinent information from those using the equipment and supplies. The strategy will be financial costly in the short to medium term as the costs associated with implementing such a system will not be compensated for until efficiencies realized over the long run exceed its cost. Furthermore, cost and effort may be required to change the organizational and departmental cultures within hospitals to foster the collaboration necessary for the exchange of information. Including hospital staff in decision making of management may also increase job satisfaction and morale. Efficiencies discovered through information sharing will take stress of budgets and savings may be allocated to areas in need of more resources. A second organizational fit strategy is to transfer resources from underutilized areas to areas in need of greater health care services. Hospitals have likely not allocated their resources to respond demographic changes. Transferring health care resources will almost certainly result in public discontent in areas from which some health care resources are removed. There is also a financial cost and time associated with transferring resources from one geographic area to another more needy one, such as construction costs. In the medium to long term, however, moving resources from areas where they are not needed to an underserviced environment increases efficiency which addresses long wait times, lower quality of care and higher mortality. A further strategy from the Open Systems perspective is to manage the environment by engaging and educating the public about how to more efficiently access health care services. Hospital management will be required, in pursuing this strategy, to spend resources on promotion and education which may exacerbate wait times and the other secondary problems discussed earlier. In the medium to long term, the more efficient use of hospital resources on those that truly require them and diverting other potential hospital users to the appropriate health care provider, such as a family physician, will necessarily alleviate wait times, increase quality of care and improve hospital budgets. Finally, from the internal sub-systems  perspective, through expending resources on gathering empirical data concerning the relationship between resources and health care outcomes, as well as developing and employing greater diagnostic testing, physical resources and time can be managed more efficiently. Hospital management must implement a system and allocate resources to data gathering and analysis. Physicians must participate in providing data and expertise. Through continuous improvement the benefits of not expending hospital resources superfluously may be realized in the medium to long term. These solutions will positively impact full waiting rooms, long wait times, inefficient use of supplies and budgets, needless stress and potentially contribute to a decrease in the mortality rate. This allows hospitals to better fit and manage their environment.

Freud and Skinner interpretation of anxiety essays

Freud and Skinner interpretation of anxiety essays Conflict and anxiety are a fundamental part of every human beings life from, it could be argued, a prenatal stage to the inevitable death (Berk, 2004). Conflict can be defined as the emotional predicament people experience when they are placed in situations where difficult choices are to be made (Kosslyn s biological response to anxiety is a state of arousal, which may include symptoms similar to the fight or flight response (Kosslyn Theorists have long debated the cause and purpose for such emotions as conflict and anxiety. Namely, B. F. Skinner and Sigmund Freud who are perhaps the two greatest figures in psychology. Each proposed a grand theory that has had a tremendous impact on the field. With Freud, attempting to infer what goes on within the mind using hypnosis, dream analysis and psychoanalysis and Skinners focus on the study of only directly observable behaviour, the two perspectives appear to be wholly incompatible. While Skinners theories may appear to be complete opposite to a Freudian approach, he explained how his theory of behaviourism could be adapted to theories in different disciplines, including Freuds psychodynamic theory (Monte introspectionistic approaches to the field of psychology and placed the focus the role of the environment as most influential on behaviour. He took an extreme fact-based approach to science and even questioned the need for deep theoretical...

3 Crazy Interview Questions and How to Prepare for Them

3 Crazy Interview Questions and How to Prepare for Them Are you prepared for any odd questions an interviewer may throw your way? Career marketing is at its height as hiring managers search for new means to find the right candidate for the job. Whether it’s social media, such as behemoth career networking site LinkedIn, or traditional recruiting, the world of human resources is changing. And so must those searching for the right fit.Recently, major companies such as Dropbox, Google, Dell, and Apple have started polishing its interview policies. Gone are the days where hiring managers only asked questions about experience, skills, education, and job readiness. Now they mix in a little craziness just to shake the candidate and see where their mind is. Here are a few examples of crazy interview questions and why employers ask them.Shipwrecked with ChoicesIf you were shipwrecked on a deserted island and had to choose from three people to help you, who would you choose. You can choose from ten people: the lawyer, the doctor, the carpent er, the ship’s captain, the politician, the high school teacher, the cook, the scientist, the soldier and the policeman.This question may seem silly at first, but it tells the hiring manager about the candidate’s ability to adapt and their overall drive and personality. For example, if the person chooses the high school teacher, doctor, and carpenter, it would suggest they are planning to rebuild and start a new society. This shows the hiring manager the person is capable of bouncing back from a situation.On the other hand, suppose the candidate chooses the ship’s captain, lawyer, and carpenter. This shows a strong inclination the person values strong leadership over individual talents. But the ultimate scenario desired is the candidate who chooses the carpenter, the ship’s captain, and the soldier. This shows they are planning to get off the island and turn lemons into lemonade.Extra CargoIf you were asked to unload a Boeing 747 full of jelly beans, what would you do first?This question gauges the candidate’s ability to think outside of the box. A person who answers that would ask for help shows a strong inclination to team building. Some would say they would schedule time to unload the pile more efficiently. According to Bose, one of the most popular answers indicated the person’s creativity, compassion towards others, and ability to solve problems on the spot. The person who received the highest praise said they would open the belly of the plane and dump the entire contents on a poor, starving country.Others said they would order the cargo staff to unload the plane, while one even attempted to hide the beans. Whatever the answer, employers learned whether the candidate was able to make solid decisions on the spot or whether they could excel in a fast-paced atmosphere.Clash of TitansWho would win in a fight between Superman and Batman?While this is the age-old question of comic book geeks everywhere, this simple ques tion also shows the thought process behind answering strange questions. First Superman is super strong, able to fly, has heat vision and blizzard breath, and is virtually indestructible. On the other hand, while Batman is strong and fast, he is nowhere near as strong or fast as Superman. But Batman does have superior fighting skills, a utility belt full of dangerous surprises, and the cunning and wit of the best insane criminal.One candidate said Batman’s alter-ego, billionaire Bruce Wayne, has enough money to buy kryptonite and create a weapon to wound or even kill Superman. This shows the job seeker as an individual who doesn’t give up until they have found a solution to a serious, unsolvable problem. This out of the box thinking is what helps these candidates succeed.Get ready for the hard QuestionsHow can a candidate prepare themselves for these type of questions? Simple answer is there is no way to prepare for the unknown. It’s how you work with the informa tion that’s important. The following do’s and don’ts will help candidates make the best choice and win the job.Do:Take time to understand what they are asking.Ask questions to see if more information is available.Consider the outcomes.Don’t:Overthink the question.Go for the obvious answer.Say you don’t know.No matter what the question, hiring managers have learned these often silly and strange questions cause candidates to use brain power they normally wouldn’t exhibit. Any interviewer can ask them to solve a problem in their specialty, but what does that prove? Asking questions that force candidates in an uncomfortable and impossible situation brings out their true abilities and skills.Note: this article was originally published on TopResume.TopResume is a Talent Inc. company, the personal branding destination for all career-driven professionals. Through our extensive network of professional writers, we offer career advice and analyze and w rite more resumes and LinkedIn profiles than any other service in the world. Ready to get started? Request a free resume critique today.

The industry and business analysis of plant based milk in Saudi Arabia Essay

The industry and business analysis of plant based milk in Saudi Arabia - Essay Example The company will compete in the dairy market since it will also compete with milk derived from animals. Saudi Arabia dairy market includes retail sales of milk, yogurt, soy products and cheese among others. Since 2007, milk consumption in the country has grown by 6%. Ambient milk dominates over fresh milk and makes 62% of the market compared to 38% of fresh milk. In 2016, the market is forecasted to grow by 4,9% (Marketline (Firm), 2000). This paper will analyze the industry using Porter’s Five Forces and PESTLE Analysis. The purpose of the Five Force is to know how attractive the plant based milk industry is to the target customers. The analysis will also help the plant based milk company to understand the profitability of its products and identify strength and weaknesses areas (Philip & Gary, 2010, P.108). This analysis consists of the following competitive forces: According to Pereira, (2013, P. 72) suppliers are in a position to decide the price of milk thus affecting the company’s profit. It is important for the plant based milk to have ways of controlling the power of suppliers. Being a starting company it may face a high risk if the supplies needed for production change suddenly. This risk must therefore be minimized. According to Philip & Gary (2010, P.82), buyers on the other hand may force the milk prices to fall down. The dairy market has many buyers and with the customers of the plant based milk may shift to its competitors like Almaria and Al Safi if the price is not favorable. This may force the company to lower its prices to win the customers back. However, in order for the plant based Milk Company to retain its customers and reduce the power of buyers; it will need to create a brand that is strong and differentiate its products. The plant based milk face a high competition from the existing firms in the dairy market. The high