A Few of my Favorite Things (Counting Blessings)

A Few of my Favorite Things (Counting Blessings) I’m home in Pennsylvania for three weeks, for the second time this summer. The morning after I got here, I woke up to a pile of stuffed animals on top of me where I had fallen asleep on the couch and, on a post-it note (it was the second draft, apparently), this: I think it’s safe to say that this note and the feelings behind it was one of my favorite things. I found it again this morning and curled up outside with my coffee before everyone else was up and thought about it, and about life, and realized that though I don’t think I’ve felt rooted to a place before, Boston and State College have both become home, though in very different ways, State College over eight years and Boston over the past three. Here are a few more of my favorite things from both places, split by 500 miles: Warm Boston thunderstorms just outside my open window, from safe under my loft with my Legos and my books. Having a boyfriend who likes Legos and science fiction as much as I do. The chocolate and hot glue E. coli figurines my 7.02 (Experimental Biology and Communication)  TA   Regina C. ‘14 made our bay in lab two semesters ago (at right). The smell of Cambridge in the early fallâ€"rain, cooking, the memory of late mornings, boxes, and the same smells during freshman orientation. A clean, efficient black-and-white figure in a paper, and comprehensive scientific controls. Getting an email and it’s a comment on a blog post. Writing alone in a crowded café or bar. Walking until I get lost and finding myself in the Boston Public Garden. Fog on the Charles River at sunrise. Crossing the Harvard bridge into Cambridge, MIT growing in the distance, and feeling the thick wind blowing off the Charles. Happy voices trailing up to my room from the neighboring apartment buildings while I p-set, and the knowledge that 92 of my best friends are just beyond my open door. Having an 11-year-old brother who appreciates my sense of humor and sneakily stays up reading Motor Trend like I used to stay up reading Lois Duncan. The omelet my grandmother made me yesterday, with cucumber slices and bread arranged around it like rays of sunshine. Clean dishes hot from the dishwasher. Ten minutes of shavasana after an hour of power yoga. The smell of burnt coffee spilled on the stove. The end of a good science fiction story, resurfacing days after I read it. Biking alongside Spring Creek and the memory of hugging my boat before a race, the creek flowing around my arms like they’re rocks on a riverbed. The memory of my dad teaching me how to drive stick shift four summers ago, in my pick-up truck on a two-lane highway, the sunset diffusing through rows of corn. The view of the stars far from town. Reading a book while Max plays saxophone, the windows closed so we don’t wake the neighbors. The way my mom playing Bouree in E Minor on the guitar seems to connect every stage of my life, creating a sense of continuity no matter what else seems to change. Candlelit dinners with the porch door open, the cold night breeze and the sound of crickets, and the quiet, empty night. Biking at sunset with my dad and my brother, breathing clean cold air into what feels like every branch of my lungs, fireflies rising from the grass like dust. My mom and my brother and me about five years ago, in November 2008, when I was 16 and Max was six, photographed probably by my grandfather.

Adultery and Punishment in The Scarlet Letter - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 3 Words: 959 Downloads: 8 Date added: 2019/05/08 Category Literature Essay Level High school Tags: The Scarlet Letter Essay Did you like this example? Everyone has sinned at some point in their lives and it has ruined relationships. Sinning however can be redeemable but it takes hard work and dedication in order to achieve that goal. In the novel, The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne we follow Hester Prynne our female protagonist and her journey along the aftermath of sin and the change it brings in each character along the way. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Adultery and Punishment in The Scarlet Letter" essay for you Create order In seventeenth century Boston, the protagonist Hester Prynne does a horrible thing and commits a sin that goesis against the Puritan Code, this sin is Adultery, the worst sin according to the Puritans religion. Hester spends years with the product of her sin, little Pearl, andabd suffers the harsh judgement of the townspeople alone. Later in the novel she faces relationship problems between the person she loves who is Reverend Dimmesdale and the person she married who is Roger Chillingworth. Hawthorne uses the characterization of Hester Prynne and the symbol of the Scarlet Letter to convey that sin can be negative towards your life and how it is lived, but you can come back from sin and eventually people would forgive you in a sense that people would have you back in their community. Redemption which is, recovering or saving yourself from sin, like giving food to the poor can always be something positive. Hawthorne characterizes Hester as a strong woman because she wears the Scarlet Letter and accepts all of the shame. Hester, as a result of her sin, had a baby at the beginning of the novel and named her Pearl. Hester makes a living out of her shameful situation and lives it with acceptance of what shes done. In the novel Hawthorne states,Continuing a resident of New England was half of a truth, and half a self delusion. Here, she said to herself, had been the scene of her guilt, and here should be the scene of her earthly punishment. This connects to the overall Thesis statement because Hester wore the Scarlet A with no shame and if she never wanted to accept it she could have left New England from the start. She has repentance for the sin she committed also knows that she is no longer pure but will try to make the most of it. The torture of her daily shame would at length purge her soul and work out another purity than that which she had lost; more saintlike, because the result of martyrdom. This connects to the thesis statement because Hester stays strong through the hard times since she could have suffered or even been killed because of that sin. She eventually pushes and continues her normal life with the Scarlet Letter attached to her chest. In conclusion Hester is a strong woman and is obviously going through tough times full of judgement but its nothing she cant come back from. The symbol of the Scarlet Letter A changes from Adultery to Able. The Letter A is for committing the sin of adultery. After years of wearing it to the townspeople got used to Hester wearing it so they saw how helpful she has been. Hawthorne wrote, Do you see that woman with embroidered badge? they would say to strangers, It is our Hester-the towns own Hester-who is so kind to the poor, so helpful to the sick, so comforting to the afflicted!. This connects to the change of the Scarlet Letter because Hester has changed the whole meaning of it and made it into a positive standard. Hester has been strong for years with the Scarlet Letter and has worked for years to give herself a good reputation. Hawthorne wrote again, That many people refused to interpret the Scarlet A by its original signification. They said it meant Able, so strong was Hester Prynne, with a womans strength.. This connects to the scarlet letters change in the novel because the A is a negative symbol since it represent s sin in the Puritan Code. Hester made people reinterpret the meaning of the letter by doing good deeds. The Scarlet Letter A can be a negative thing because people will see Hester as a horrible person who only does bad things. But it can be positive because it can give people awareness on what would happen if you commit a sin. Hesters characterization and the letter A changing from Adultery to Able proves that Hawthorne believes that sin can be redeemable and you can come back from anything. Hester gets a job and helps people in need such as the poor in needlework. Much of the time which she might readily have applied to the better efforts of her art, she employed in making coarse garments for the poor. This connects to the overall thesis statement because Hester is making the most out of her life with that Scarlet Letter trying to bring her down. She helps/ gives back to her community although they treated her badly. Therefore Hesters characterization and the change in the meaning of the Scarlet Letter A portrayed that you can redeem yourself from any situation. Positivity can be produced from negativity and this can help you make a large impact on the lives of others. Hawthorne characterize Hester as a strong woman and she makes the most out of her life with the Scarlet Letter. The symbol of the A changes from Adultery to Able. Hesters characterization and the Letter A changing from Adultery to Able proves that Hawthorne believes that committing a sin can be redeemable. In the real world if you sin, people will look at others like theyve just killed someone in broad daylight. But if one works hard enough to get that good reputation back then you can once again be a positive person.

The New Fuss About Opinion Essay Topics 4th Grade

The New Fuss About Opinion Essay Topics 4th Grade Opinion Essay Topics 4th Grade Secrets That No One Else Knows About Individual schools sometimes need supplemental essays. Thanks to the correct selection of presentation style and a thorough understanding of the goals you need to attain in your essay, there are many categories essay themes may be broken into. Below is an easy organizer some of my students may also opt to use. Children ought to be able to use cellphones in school. Categories, essay topics could possibly be divided into. Writing skills in college isn't restricted to essays. Technology is altering the world we are living in and it ought to be shown in the essay. Try out a few of these topics. The Honest to Goodness Truth on Opinion Essay Topics 4th Grade Generally, opinion essay topics ask that you present your point of view on a specific matter. Observe that the objective of a persuasive speech is like the purpose for writing an argumentative or persuasive essaythe organizational structure and kind of info in a persuasive speech would be. This portion of the essay is where you restate your general point and to earn an obvious ending of the topic. This kind of essay doesn't need to rely on hard facts since it is based on someone's individual beliefs. So you don't actually need to get a topic! Since you may see, you can readily invent an excellent topic for a compare and contrast essay all on your own, without a lot of trouble. Picking a topic is a vital issue that partly estimates final success of the job. Last, be sure the topic you decide on can be supported by some factual evidence. The New Angle On Opinion Essay Topics 4th Grade Just Released It's true that you can enjoy not likely to school, staying up late, swimming all day, and perhaps even attending some sort of camp. Very often it becomes hard to choose a single topic either on account of the many ideas in the student's head, or due to their complete absence. Sometimes it's just fun to talk about your knowledge in that activity. At times, the individual can request evaluation essay help, because there are students that are low-performing and who cannot merely implement the task with no help on the section of the teachers or even on the portion of students studyin g at precisely the same college. To provide you with a remedy about how to compose an impressive college essay, here are a couple of hints you may wish to consider. Shopping online isn't secure or secure. Eliminate any mistake spelling issues and ensure there's a flow in the writing of the essay. Speaking about delicacy, it's a fundamental portion of any essay. For students, if you're unfamiliar with an argumentative essay, bear in mind they are written to convince readers about a specific focus or point of view. When you're writing a college opinion essay, it's necessary for you to keep this idea in the rear of your head in any way times. If at all possible, the writing ought to be in a position to bring the reader into believing on the specific theme used despite their beliefs. Evidence in writing works precisely the same way. Once you realize that topic, it's about writing and rewriting. Creating an editorial topic is plenty of fun. Inside my opinion, the 1 thing that individuals won't be in a position to deal with is making a step back. It could be difficult sometimes, especially when you're having difficulty finding inspiration to write. When you pick a cause and effect topic, it ought to be something that you either know well or are interested in knowing more about. Individuals who overeat and have issues with overweight will likely set the responsibility on a person's shoulders, making their life easier in that manner. There are a lot of on-line essay writing services to assist you with your writing tasks. Be part of our happy clients who have found the very best essay service online and are enjoying t he advantages of it. When you opt to get assistance from our cheap paper writing service, you shouldn't fret about the individual who will work on your task. With the demand for writing help rising, various paper writing services are established to assist you with your writing tasks. If you are in possession of a tricky assignment to work on, find expert help at our on-line paper writing service. If you don't know the facts, then you'll have difficulty completing the assignment. Explain your commitments, and you're going to be the sort of student colleges find immensely attractive. Therefore, should you need assistance with assignment writing, look no more.

The Advantages and Disadvantages of Globalization Free Essays

Globalization is such a commonly used term in the twentiethcentury. It simply means that the world has become integrated economically, socially, politically and culturally through the advances of technology, transportation and communication. It is undeniable to say that globalization has resulted in both positive and negative effects which must be addressed accordingly. We will write a custom essay sample on The Advantages and Disadvantages of Globalization or any similar topic only for you Order Now To begin with, globalization has contributed to the worlds economies in many beneficial ways. The advances in science and technology have allowed businesses to easily cross over territorial boundary lines. Consequently, companies tend to become more productive, competitive thereby raising quality of goods, services and the worlds living standard. Secondly, several companies from the more developed countries have already ventured to establish foreign operations or branches to take advantage of the low cost of labor in the poorer countries. This kind of business activity will provide more influx of cash or investment funds into the less developed countries. However, one cannot deny the negative effects which havederived from globalization. One crucial social aspect is the risk and danger of epidemic diseases which can easily be spread as the mode transportation is easier and faster in todays advance society. This is evidenced in the recent birds flu disease which has infected most Asian countries over a short time frame. As large corporations invest or take over many off shore businesses, a modern form of colonization will also evolve which may pose certain power pressure on the local governments of the less developed countries. Unemployment rates in the more developed regions like Europe may also escalate as corporations choose to outsource cheaper work force from Asian countries. In conclusion. I like to reiterate that globalization is inevitable and we must urge individuals, companies and governments to use a more balanced approach by taking appropriate steps to deal with matters relating to the financial or economical gains verses the social, political or ecological concerns of the world. How to cite The Advantages and Disadvantages of Globalization, Essay examples

War Requiem Response paper

War Requiem (1989) by Derrek Jarman accounts on the horrors of the World War I. The story represents speechless scenes of war and struggles accompanied with Benjamin Britten’s poems and music pieces. The story concentrates on horrifying events taken from the recollection of the old soldier who is morally and physically injured with the cruelty of war. The movie depicts murder, abhorrent scenes of dead soldiers, as well as changing attitude of people to human lives. Advertising We will write a custom report sample on War Requiem Response paper specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Humiliating the overall concept of humanness is the main idea of the movie striving to emphasize the negative consequences of war actions for shaping morality and ethics. In this respect, War Requiem is a commentary on horrible experience revealing the message of infinite futility, waste, and sacrifice. The author has managed to prove that war is sensel ess because it deprives people of their life being the most precious thing. The movie reflects uselessness and infinite futility of war and violence against humanity. At the beginning of the movie, the old soldier recollects the episode when German soldier kills his best friend. The scene depicts this killing as the most senseless action due to the situation and context in which it is presented. Jarman intentionally introduces musical instruments into the piece to remind people of the merits of peaceful existence. However, the soldiers neglect this utmost value and continue fighting. Such a contrasted representation emphasizes horrors and senselessness of struggles. It also emphasizes negligence of such positive emotions as joy and excitement that are diminished by hatred, anger, and fear. By representing flashbacks from the World War I, Jarham also represents people who are ready to sacrifice their lives for the sakes of others. In this respect, the movie presents such human quali ties as mercy, kindness, and readiness to struggle for better future. Most importantly, the story accounts on desperate attempts to remain human in front of severe reality. Despite the hardships and sufferings that people had to endure, they still search for any possible reasons to remain positive and hopeful. The author represents sacrifice as essential part of human nature. The movie represents war as a mere waste of human life. War cannot be justified because its main purpose is destruction. The movie scenes are intertwined with displays of mass murders, fighting, and violence. The story, therefore, also renders the concept of war as mere waste of time, as well as grief of loss and despair that people endure. Advertising Looking for report on art and design? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More A combination of many episodes from other contemporary wars enhances the impression on the audience and strengthens the overall idea of the movie. Hence, the main heroes encounter indifference of some people who neglect other lives and long to dominating by means of war. Therefore, the war is nothing more than a spectacle controlled by governors. In conclusion, the movie seeks to criticize the horrors of the war because it distorts the accepted morality and the concept of humanness. By accounting the story of a soldier and his bride nurse, the author recollects the events through the themes of infinite futility, waste, and sacrifice. Despite the hostility, anger, fear, and rivalry, people strive to overcome the boundaries of war and remain human. The main heroes of the movie suffer from violence and cruelty generated by war. In addition, author demoralizes war and reflects his complex and provoking outlook on the horrible events. This report on War Requiem Response paper was written and submitted by user Blakely Dean to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Free Essays on Survival In Auschwitz Review

Survival in Auschwitz In 1944, Primo Levi was abducted by the fascist government in Italy and shipped off to Auschwitz, Nazi death camp. Many people do not know that the concentration camps were not only for those of Jewish descent. Unfortunately, political prisoners, criminals, gypsies, and homosexuals were also tossed away. Until reading this book, I had a vague idea of what went on inside of the Nazi concentration camps. Most of my knowledge of the Holocaust stems from textbooks or from firsthand accounts that do not center around camp life. This book gives a vivid account of the atrocities committed by the Nazis. One of the more striking aspects of this work is the attitudes toward each other the â€Å"inmates† have. Every man is really for himself, and the newer detainees have to learn the camp rules the hard way. Levi is even left wanting his spoon, bowl, and gloves upon entrance to the Ka-Be, because no one told him that personal effects were forbidden. He speaks of the practice, which everyone learns, of bundling everything one owns in their jacket and keeping it under their head as a pillow so that no one would steal it. I would have thought there would have been more a sense of camaraderie among the inmates. Levi states, however, that when one’s humanity is stripped from them, they live for themselves and themselves only. He finally catches a glimpse of humanity toward the end of the novel, when a young Franco-Pole, Towarowski, offers those who helped carry the stove to their hut a little extra of his bread and suggests that everyone else do the same. Levi is touch ed by this move, and mused â€Å"only a day before a similar event would have been inconceivable. The law of the Lager said: ‘eat your own bread, and if you can, that of your neighbour’, and left no room for gratitude. It really meant that the Lager was dead.† (Levi, 160). This book affected me a great deal. I have never read a firsthand ... Free Essays on Survival In Auschwitz Review Free Essays on Survival In Auschwitz Review Survival in Auschwitz In 1944, Primo Levi was abducted by the fascist government in Italy and shipped off to Auschwitz, Nazi death camp. Many people do not know that the concentration camps were not only for those of Jewish descent. Unfortunately, political prisoners, criminals, gypsies, and homosexuals were also tossed away. Until reading this book, I had a vague idea of what went on inside of the Nazi concentration camps. Most of my knowledge of the Holocaust stems from textbooks or from firsthand accounts that do not center around camp life. This book gives a vivid account of the atrocities committed by the Nazis. One of the more striking aspects of this work is the attitudes toward each other the â€Å"inmates† have. Every man is really for himself, and the newer detainees have to learn the camp rules the hard way. Levi is even left wanting his spoon, bowl, and gloves upon entrance to the Ka-Be, because no one told him that personal effects were forbidden. He speaks of the practice, which everyone learns, of bundling everything one owns in their jacket and keeping it under their head as a pillow so that no one would steal it. I would have thought there would have been more a sense of camaraderie among the inmates. Levi states, however, that when one’s humanity is stripped from them, they live for themselves and themselves only. He finally catches a glimpse of humanity toward the end of the novel, when a young Franco-Pole, Towarowski, offers those who helped carry the stove to their hut a little extra of his bread and suggests that everyone else do the same. Levi is touch ed by this move, and mused â€Å"only a day before a similar event would have been inconceivable. The law of the Lager said: ‘eat your own bread, and if you can, that of your neighbour’, and left no room for gratitude. It really meant that the Lager was dead.† (Levi, 160). This book affected me a great deal. I have never read a firsthand ...

U.S. Birth Rate Hits All-Time Low in 2016

U.S. Birth Rate Hits All-Time Low in 2016 In a trend that has some demographers worried, the birth rate in the United States dropped to its lowest level ever in 2016. Dropping by another full 1% from 2015, there were only 62 births per 1,000 women aged 15 to 44. Overall, there were a total of 3,945,875 babies born in the United States during 2016. â€Å"This is the second year that the number of births has declined following an increase in 2014. Prior to that year, the number of births declined steadily from 2007 through 2013,† noted the CDC. According to an analysis issued by the National Center for Health Statistics of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), birth rates in all age groups under age 30 fell to all-time record lows. Among women ages 20 to 24, the decline was 4%. Among women ages 25 to 29, the rate fell 2 percent.   Drop in Teenage Pregnancy Drives Trend In an analysis issued by the National Center for Health Statistics, researchers report that birth rates declined to record lows in all groups under age 30. Among women ages 20 to 24, the decline was 4 percent. For women 25 to 29, the rate fell 2 percent. Driving the trend, the fertility and birth  rate among teenagers and 20-somethings fell by 9% from 2015 to 2016, continuing a long-term decline of 67% since 1991. While they are often used interchangeably, the term â€Å"fertility rate† refers to the number of births per 1,000 women between the ages of 15 and 44 occurring in a particular year, while â€Å"birth  rate† refers to the fertility rates within particular age groups or specific demographic groups. Does This Mean the Total Population is Falling? The fact that the all-time low fertility and birth  rate puts the United States population below the â€Å"replacement level† - the balance point between births and deaths at which the population exactly replaces itself from one generation to the next - does not mean that the total U.S. population is falling. The annual U.S. immigration rate of 13.5% in 2017 still more than compensates for the lower fertility rates. Indeed, while the birth  rate continued to fall consistently throughout the period from 1990 to 2017, the nation’s total population increased by over 74 million people, from 248,709,873 in 1990 to an estimated 323,148,586 in 2017. Potential Dangers of a Falling Birthrate  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Despite a growing total population, some demographers and social scientists worry that if the birth  rate continues to slide, the U.S. could face a â€Å"baby crisis† resulting in cultural and economic pathos. Far more than an indicator of societal trends, a nation’s birth  rate is one of the most significant gauges of its overall demographic health. If the fertility rate falls too far below the replacement level, there is a danger that the nation will lose the ability to replace its aging workforce, leaving it unable to generate the amount of tax revenue needed to keep the economy stable, maintain or grow the infrastructure, and become unable to provide essential government services. On the other side, if birth  rates get too high, overpopulation can strain the nation’s available resources such as housing, social services, and safe food and water.   Over the decades, countries like France and Japan, experiencing the negative effects of a low birth  rate have applied pro-family policies in attempts to encourage couples to have babies. However, in nations such as India, where fertility rates have fallen slightly over the last few decades, residual overpopulation still results in wide-spread starvation and abject poverty. US Birthrates Up Among Older Women The US birth  rate is not falling among all age groups. According to the CDC’s findings, the fertility rate for women ages 30 to 34 rose by 1% over the 2015 rate, and the rate for women ages 35 to 39 went up by 2%, the highest rate in that age group since 1962. The birth  rate among older women ages 40 to 44 also increased, up 4% over 2015. In addition, the fertility rate for women ages 45 to 49 increased to 0.9 births per thousand from 0.8 in 2015. Other Details of US Birthrates in 2016 Unmarried Women: Among unmarried women, the birth rate fell to 42.1 births per 1,000 women, down from 43.5 per 1,000 in 2015. Falling for the eighth consecutive year, the birthrate for unmarried women has now dropped by over 3% since reaching its peak in 2007 and 2008. By race, 28.4% of white babies, 52.5% of Hispanics, and 69.7% of black babies were born to unmarried parents in 2016. Preterm Birthrate: Describing babies born before 37 weeks of gestation, the preterm birth rate increased for the second consecutive year to 9.84% per 1,000 women from 9.63% per 1,000 women in 2015.  This slight increase in preterm births came after a decline of 8% from 2007 to 2014. The highest rate of preterm birth was among non-Hispanic blacks, at 13.75% per 1,000 women, while the lowest was among Asians, at 8.63% per 1,000 women. Use of Tobacco by Mother: For the first time, the CDC reported data on mothers’ use of tobacco during pregnancy. Of the women who gave birth in 2016, 7.2% reported smoking tobacco at some point while pregnant. Tobacco use was the most common earlier in pregnancy - 7.0% of women smoked in their first trimester, 6.0% in their second, and 5.7% in their third. Of the 9.4% of women who reported smoking in the 3 months prior to becoming pregnant, 25.0% quit smoking before pregnancy.