The Stupidest Angel Chapter 7 Free Essays

Chapter 7 MORNING IS BROKEN It was Wednesday morning, three days before Christmas, when Lena Marquez awoke to find a strange man in her bed. The phone was ringing and the guy next to her made a moaning sound. He was partially covered by the sheets, but Lena was pretty sure that he was naked. We will write a custom essay sample on The Stupidest Angel Chapter 7 or any similar topic only for you Order Now â€Å"Hello,† she said into the phone. She lifted the sheet to look. Yep, he was naked. â€Å"Lena, there’s supposed to be a storm on Christmas Eve and we were going to have Mavis barbecue for Lonesome Christmas but she can’t if it’s raining and I yelled at Theo last night and went out and walked around in the dark for two hours and I think he thinks I’m crazy and you should probably know that Dale didn’t come home last night and his new – uh, the other, uh – the woman he lives with called Theo in a panic and he – ; â€Å"Molly?† â€Å"Yeah, hi, how you doing?† Lena looked at the clock on the nightstand, then back at the naked man. â€Å"Molly, it’s six-thirty.† â€Å"Thanks. It’s sixty-seven degrees here. I can see the thermometer outside.† â€Å"What’s wrong?† â€Å"I just told you: storm coming. Theo doubts sanity. Dale missing.† Tucker Case rolled over, and despite being half asleep, he appeared to be ready for action. â€Å"Well would you look at that,† Lena thought to herself, then she realized she’d said it into the phone. â€Å"What?† said Molly. Tuck opened his eyes and smiled at her, then followed her gaze south. He pulled the sheet out of her hand and covered himself. â€Å"That’s not for you. I just have to pee.† â€Å"Sorry,† Lena said, pulling the sheet quickly over her head. It had been a long time since she’d had to worry about it, but she suddenly remembered a magazine article about not letting a man see you first thing in the morning unless he’d known you for at least three weeks. â€Å"Who was that?† Molly said. Lena made an eye tunnel in the sheet and looked out at Tucker Case, who was getting out of bed, totally unself-conscious, totally naked, his unit leading him into the bathroom, waving before him like a divining rod. She realized right then that she could always find new reasons to resent the male of the species – unself-consciousness was going on the list. â€Å"No one,† Lena said into the phone. â€Å"Lena, you did not sleep with your ex again? Tell me you are not in bed with Dale.† â€Å"I’m not in bed with Dale.† Then the whole night came rolling back on her and she thought she might throw up. Tucker Case had made her forget for a while. Okay, maybe she could count that as a positive toward men, but the anxiety was back. She’d killed Dale. She was going to jail. But she needed to pretend she didn’t know anything. â€Å"What did you say about Dale, Molly?† â€Å"So who are you in bed with?† â€Å"Dammit, Molly, what happened to Dale?† She hoped she sounded convincing. â€Å"I don’t know. His new girlfriend called and said he didn’t come home after the Caribou Christmas party. I just thought you should know, you know, in case it turns out that something bad happened.† â€Å"I’m sure he’s okay. He probably just met some tramp at the Head of the Slug and sold her on his workingman charm.† â€Å"Yuck,† Molly said. â€Å"Oh, sorry. Look, Lena, they said on the news this morning that a big storm is coming in off the Pacific. We’re going to have El Ni;o this year. We have to figure out something for the food for Lonesome Christmas – not to mention what to do if a lot of people show up. The chapel is awfully small.† Lena was still trying to figure out what to do about Dale. She wanted to tell Molly. If anybody would understand, it would be Molly. Lena had been around a couple of times when Molly had gone through her â€Å"breaks.† She understood things getting out of control. â€Å"Look, Molly, I need – ; â€Å"And I yelled at Theo last night, Lena. Really bad. He hasn’t taken off like that in a long time. I may have fucked Christmas up.† â€Å"Don’t be silly, Mol, you couldn’t do that. Theo understands.† Meaning, He knows you’re crazy and loves you anyway. Just then, Tucker Case came back into the room, retrieved his pants from the floor, and started pulling them on. â€Å"I’ve got to go feed the bat,† Tuck said. He pulled a banana partially out of his front pocket. Lena threw the sheets off her head and tried to think of something to say. Tuck grinned, pulling the banana all the way out. â€Å"Oh, you thought I was just glad to see you?† â€Å"Uh – I – shit.† Tuck stepped over and kissed her eyebrow. â€Å"I am glad to see you,† he said. â€Å"But I have to feed the bat, too. I’ll be right back.† He walked out of the room, barefoot and shirtless. Okay, he probably would be back. â€Å"Lena, who was that? Tell me?† Lena realized that she was still holding the phone. â€Å"Look, Molly, I’ll have to call you back, okay? We’ll figure something out for Friday night.† â€Å"But, I have to make amends –  » â€Å"I’ll call you.† Lena hung up and crawled out of bed. If she was quick she could wash her face and get some mascara on before Tucker got back. She started zooming around the room, naked, until she felt someone watching her. There was a big bay window that looked out on a forest, and since her bedroom was on the second floor, it was like waking up in a tree house, but no one could possibly look in. She spun around and there, hanging from the gutter, was a giant fruit bat. And he was looking at her – no, not just looking at her, he was checking her out. She pulled the sheet off the bed and covered herself. â€Å"Go eat your banana,† she shouted at the bat. Roberto licked his chops. There had been a time, during his bong-rat years, when Theophilus Crowe would have stated, with little reservation, that he did not like surprises, that he preferred routine over variety, predictability over uncertainty, the known over the unknown. Then, a few years ago, while working on Pine Cove’s last murder case, Theo had gotten to know and fallen in love with Molly Michon, the ex-scream queen of the B-movie silver screen, and everything changed. He had broken one of the cardinal rules – Never go to bed with anyone crazier than yourself – and he’d been loving life ever since. They had their little agreement, if he stayed off his drug (pot) she’d stay on hers (antipsychotics), and consequently she’d have his unmuddled attention and he’d only get the most pleasant aspects of the Warrior Babe persona that Molly sometimes slipped into. He’d learned to delight in her company and the occasional weirdness that she brought into his life. But last night had been too much for him. He’d come through the door wanting, nay, needing to share his bizarre story about the blond man, with the only person who actually might believe him and not berate him for being a stoner, and she had chosen that precise moment to lapse into hostile batshit mode. So, he’d fallen off the wagon, and by the time he returned to their cabin that night, he had smoked enough pot to put a Rastafarian choir in a coma. That’s not what the pot patch he’d been growing had been for. Not at all. Not like the old days, when he maintained a small victory garden for personal use. No, the little forest of seven-foot sticky bud platforms that graced the edge of their lot on the ranch was purely a commercial endeavor, albeit for the right reason. For love. Over the years, even as the prospect of ever returning to the movies became more remote, Molly had continued to work out with her giant broadsword. Stripped to her underwear, or dressed in a sports bra and sweatpants, every day in the clearing in front of the cabin she’d declare â€Å"en garde† to an imaginary partner and proceed to spin, leap, thrust, parry, hack, and slash herself breathless. Beyond the fact that the ritual kept her incredibly fit, it made her happy, which, in turn, pleased Theo to no end. He’d even encouraged her to get involved in Japanese kendo, and to little surprise, she was excellent at it, consistently winning matches against opponents nearly twice her size. And indirectly, all this had led to Theo’s growing pot commercially for the first time in his life. He’d tried other means, but banks seemed more than a little reluctant to lend him nearly a half year’s salary in order to purchase a samurai sword. Well, not samurai precisely, but a Japanese sword – an ancient Japanese sword, made by the master swordmaker Hisakuni of Yamashiro in the late thirteenth century. Sixty thousand folded layers of high carbon steel, perfectly balanced, and razor sharp even eight hundred years later. It was a tashi, a curved cavalry sword, longer and heavier than the traditional katanas used later by samurais in ground combat. Molly would appreciate the weight during her workouts, as its heft was closer to that of the theatrical broadsword she’d brought with her as a legacy of her failed movie career. She would also appreciate that it was real, and Theo hoped that she’d see that it was his way of saying that he loved all the parts of her, even the Warrior Babe (he just liked rubbing up against some parts more than others). The tashi was now wrapped in velvet and hiding at the back of the top shelf of Theo’s closet, where he used to keep his bong collection. The money? Well, an old friend of Theo’s from the stoner days, a Big Sur grower now turned wholesaler, had been happy to advance Theo the money against his crop. It was supposed to have been a purely commercial venture: get in, get out, and nobody gets hurt. But now Theo was showing up stoned for work for the first time in years, and following a bad night, he could just sense that this wasn’t going to be a good day. Then the call came in from Dale Pearson’s girlfriend/wife/whatever, and the descent into hell day started. Theo drowned his eyes in Visine and stopped at Brine’s Bait, Tackle, and Fine Wines for a large coffee before he headed over to Lena Marquez’s house in search of her ex-husband. While it was clear from the incident at the Thrifty-Mart on Monday, and a dozen earlier incidents, that their dislike for each other bordered on hatred, it hadn’t stopped them from hooking up from time to time for some familiar post-divorce sex. Theo wouldn’t have even known about it, except Molly was good friends with Lena and women talked about that sort of thing. Lena lived in a nice two-story Craftsman-style house on a half acre of pine forest that butted up to one of Pine Cove’s many ranches. It was more house than she would have been able to afford working as a property manager, but then, she had put up with Dale Pearson for five years of marriage, and for five years since, so it was the least she deserved, Theo thought. He liked the sound of his hiking boots on the porch as he walked to the front door, and he thought that he and Molly should build a porch on their little cabin. He thought they could maybe get a wind chime, and a swing, have a little heater so they could sit outside on cold evenings. Then he realized, as he felt that vibration of footsteps coming to the door, that he was totally and completely baked. That they would know he was baked. That no amount of Visine or coffee was going to cover the fact that he was baked. Twenty years of functioning stoned was not going to serve him now – he’d lost his edge , he was no longer in the game, the eye of the tiger was bloodshot. â€Å"Hi, Theo,† Lena said, opening the door. She wore a man’s oversize sweatshirt and red socks. Her long black hair, which normally flowed down her back like liquid satin, was all knotted up at the back of her head, and there was a big tangle sticking out by one ear. Sex hair. Theo shuffled on the porch like a kid getting ready to ask the girl next door for a first date. â€Å"I’m sorry to bother you so early, but I wondered if you’ve seen Dale. Since Monday, I mean.† She seemed to fade away from the door, like she was ready to faint. Theo was sure it was because she knew he was high. â€Å"No, Theo. Why?† â€Å"Well, uh, Betsy called, and said that Dale didn’t come home last night.† Betsy was Dale’s new wife/girlfriend/whatever. She was a waitress down at H.P.’s Cafe and over the years had become notorious for having affairs with a lot of married guys. â€Å"I was just, uh†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Why wouldn’t she interrupt him? He didn’t want to say that he knew that she and Dale got together for spite sex occasionally. He wasn’t supposed to know.†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ so, uh, I was just wondering.† â€Å"Hi, who’s this?† said a blond guy who had appeared shirtless behind Lena in the doorway. â€Å"Oh, thank God,† Theo said, taking a deep breath. â€Å"I’m Theo Crowe, I’m the town constable.† He looked at Lena for an introduction. â€Å"This is Tucker – uh, Tuck.† She had no idea what this guy’s last name was. â€Å"Tucker Case,† said Tucker Case, stepping around Lena and offering his hand to shake. â€Å"I should have introduced myself to you sooner, I guess, since we’re in the same business.† â€Å"What business is that?† Theo never thought of himself as being a businessman, but he guessed that he was now. â€Å"I’m flying helicopter for the DEA,† said Tucker Case. â€Å"You know, infrared, finding growers and stuff.† Clear! His heart has stopped! Code blue! Five hundred milligrams of epinephrine, direct shot to the pericardium, stat! He’s flatlining, people. Clear! â€Å"Nice to meet you,† Theo said, hoping his heart failure wasn’t showing. â€Å"Well, sorry to bother you. I’ll just be on my way.† He let go of Tuck’s hand and started walking away, thinking: Don’t walk stoned, don’t walk stoned – for the love of God, how did I do this all of those years? â€Å"Uh, Constable,† Tuck said. â€Å"Why was it that you stopped by? Ouch!† Theo turned. Lena had just punched the pilot in the arm, evidently pretty hard – he was massaging it. â€Å"Uh, nothing. Just a fellow didn’t go home last night, and I thought Lena might have an idea where he went.† Theo was trying to back away from the house, but then stopped, remembering that he might trip on the porch steps. How would he explain that to the DEA? â€Å"Last night? That’s not even a missing person for, what, twenty-four, forty-eight hours? Ouch! Dammit, that’s not necessary.† Tucker Case rubbed his shoulder where Lena had punched him again. Theo thought that she might have violence issues with men. Lena looked at Theo and grinned, as if she was embarrassed about the punch. â€Å"Theo, Molly called me this morning and told me about Dale. I told her I hadn’t seen him. Didn’t she tell you?† â€Å"Sure. Sure, she told me. I just, you know, I thought you might have some ideas. I mean, your friend is right, Dale’s not really missing, officially, for another twelve hours or so, but, you know, it’s a small town, and I, you know, have a job and stuff.† â€Å"Thanks, Theo,† Lena said, waving to him even though he was only a few feet away and wasn’t moving away from the house. The pilot was waving, too, smiling. Theo didn’t like being around new lovers who had just gotten laid, especially when things weren’t going that well in his own love life. They seemed smug, even if they weren’t trying to be. He spotted something dark swinging from the ceiling of the porch, right where the wind chime would have been on his and Molly’s porch, if he hadn’t just sacrificed their security by relapsing into dope-fiendism. It couldn’t be what it looked like. â€Å"So, that’s a, uh, that looks like –  » â€Å"A bat,† said Lena. Holy fuck, Theo thought, that thing is huge. â€Å"A bat,† he said. â€Å"Sure. Of course.† â€Å"Fruit bat,† Tucker Case clarified. â€Å"From Micronesia.† â€Å"Oh, right,† Theo said. Micronesia was not a real place. The blond guy was fucking with him. â€Å"Well, I’ll see you guys.† â€Å"See you at Lonesome Christmas on Friday,† Lena said. â€Å"Say hi to Molly.† † ‘Kay,† Theo said, climbing into the Volvo. He closed the car door. They went inside. He let his head hit the steering wheel. They know, he thought. â€Å"He knows,† Lena said, her back against the front door. â€Å"He doesn’t know.† â€Å"He’s smarter than he looks. He knows.† â€Å"He doesn’t know. And he didn’t look dumb, he looked kind of stoned.† â€Å"No, he wasn’t stoned, that was suspicion.† â€Å"Don’t you think if he was suspicious he might have asked where you were last night?† â€Å"Well, he could see that, with you walking out there with your shirt off, and me looking so, you know – so – ; â€Å"Satisfied?† â€Å"No, I was going to say ‘disheveled. † She punched his arm. â€Å"Jeez, get over yourself.† â€Å"Ouch. That is completely out of line.† â€Å"I’m in trouble here,† Lena said. â€Å"You can at least be supportive.† â€Å"Supportive? I helped you hide the body. In some countries that implies commitment.† She wound up to punch him, then caught herself, but left her fist there in the air, just in case. â€Å"You really don’t think he was suspicious?† â€Å"He didn’t even ask why you have a giant fruit bat hanging out on your porch. He’s oblivious. Just going through the motions.† â€Å"Why do I have a giant fruit bat hanging from the porch?† â€Å"Comes with the package.† He grinned and walked away. Now she felt stupid, standing there, her fist in the air. She felt unenlightened, dense, silly, unevolved, all the things she thought only other people were. She followed him into the bedroom, where he was putting on his shirt. â€Å"I’m sorry I hit you.† He rubbed his bruised shoulder. â€Å"You have tendencies. Should I hide your shovel?† â€Å"That’s a horrible thing to say.† She almost punched him, but instead, trying to be more evolved, and less threatening, she put her arms around him. â€Å"It was an accident.† â€Å"Release me. I have to go spot bad guys with my helicopter,† he said, patting her on the bottom. â€Å"You’re taking the bat with you, right?† â€Å"You don’t want to hang out with him?† â€Å"No offense, but he’s a little creepy.† â€Å"You have no idea,† said Tuck. How to cite The Stupidest Angel Chapter 7, Essay examples

Just Learning Art Essay Example For Students

Just Learning Art Essay Right now in life Drawing I am working on the structure of the human anatomy. Our teacher wants us to feel the structure through gestures and get the proportions correct. We have just finished working on the Human skull, have worked with the whole figure, and now we are moving on towards the hands and feet. The fine detail, of course, can not be captured exactly as is, but the objective of our assignment is to make the figure appear as human like as possible. I have a technique that has made me improve my work. I draw as if I have never seen what I am drawing and I have to present the work I do before a queen or someone of a high rank. It also helps to get total determination before you start your assignment to think you will do well. Be clam and relaxed to a point where you are comfy yet still alert for your work. Your drawings should have a guesture that is almost equivalent to the movement of your subject that you are drawing. I found out the easiest materials to work with are the most simple. Instead of newsprint paper, which is more soft, and harder to work with, I use sketch paper. The sketch paper is more rugged. I use a pencil instead of charcoal. The pencil gives you the advantage to get a more fine point as well to make your lines lighter if necessary. It is also easier to erase. In class, we usually either have a model to draw, or work with each others figure. I feel it is better to work with our classmates rather than the model because we have gotten use to each others appearances which makes it easier to draw. For our homework this week, we are assigned to draw the foot three or four times on the same sheet of paper, life size. I feel that my class and myself has an easier time doing the hands and feet than the human skull because if you slightly are incorrect on your drawing it doesnt make the drawing unrecognizable. With the face, you can be off in the slightest of ways and everything else will be thrown out of proportion. It is a well concentrated assignment. Before I came to Montserrat I had no experience whatsoever in drawing, so when I started in on this, it was a real challenge. I felt that I have been able to keep up and have learned more quicker than I thought I would. I adapted fast to what she was teaching to our class, and I must say I am proud of myself for that. The only experience I have had was art class in junior high, and even then it wasnt drawing the human figure, it was more like painting and ceramics. The previous summer, my grandfather who is an artist, brushed me up on some work that he knew I would be doing that has  also helped. I have still a lot to learn, but I am patient about it.

Report on Nestle for Balanced Scorecard- myassignmenthelp.com

Question: Write about theReport on Nestle for Balanced Scorecard. Answer: Introduction The following report includes the background of Nestle Company along with its vision and mission. The internal and external factors that affect Nestle Company have also been included in the report. The report also explains the long-term goals along with the range of alternative strategies utilized by Nestle. Moreover, discussion has been made regarding the annual policies and objectives of Nestle. The report further specifies the required resources for Nestle and balanced scorecard evaluation measures. Background of Nestle Nestle is one of the leading companies in the food and beverage industry which delivers its services in 191 countries. The headquarters of Nestle is situated in Vevey, Switzerland. In the Middle East, 18 factories are owned and controlled by Nestle that are responsible for making supplies to their respective areas and providing employment opportunities to nearly 11,000 people. Indirect employment is also offered by such factories to various people. In the year 1997, the formation of Nestle entity took place in the Middle East. The investment of nearly US $400 million has been made by Nestle in the Middle East for growth and innovation. Vision of Nestle Nestles vision is to become a competitive and leading company in nutrition, health and wellness that provides value to their shareholders by playing the role of a favored employer, a favored corporate resident and a favored supplier that vendors favored products. Mission of Nestle Nestles mission to provide quality food to their customers all across the world each and every day. The focus of Nestle is towards the enhancement of the quality of life by way of fulfilling the requirements of their customers and finding solutions of their problems. Values of Nestle Nestles values are reflected in their business conduct when the principles of fairness, honesty and concern for people are followed by them in their operations. Non-negotiable standards have been set by Nestle by the way it conducts its business and are applicable for everyone who works with them. Internal factors of Nestle Strengths Distribution System- the diversified products of Nestle have attained success both in urban and rural market. Famous- Due to the individual branding of its products, Nestle has been capable of spreading awareness regarding its products among their customers and has succeeded in become the largest food company across the globe. The adoption of this strategy was due to the reason that in case when one brand gets affected like Maggi, the sales of other brand such as Nescafe does not gets affected. Weaknesses Issues- The global brand Nestle also faces legal and consumer issues and fall under a variety of controversies such as the use of child labor, boycott of baby formula by Nestle, price fixation of chocolates which ultimately results in the negative image of Nestle. Various Brand- A single group controls a variety of brands under Nestle which leads to difficulty in managing the individual brands and has the possibility of creating conflict. External Factors of Nestle Political The expansion of the business of Nestle in different countries requires it to abide by their respective rules and regulations. Problems are faced by Nestle whenever any changes are made in the regulations regarding food and beverage. Market analysis should be done by Nestle from time to time. Economic- The revenue of the business is affected by the changes in budget of customers, their purchasing power and the prices of raw materials. Social- Problems are created for Nestle as a result of changes in the lifestyle of the customers. Therefore, flexible strategies should be adopted so that it can be changed in order to meet the changing demands of the customers. Effective advertisements can be utilized that focuses on societys welfare and ultimately result in clearing the image of Nestle. Long-term Objectives of Nestle The targets of sustainability and development are set by Nestle which is the largest food company if the world. Nestle further focuses on the reduction of emissions of greenhouse gases in every ton of their products by 35% by the year 2020. Moreover, steps are being taken for the reduction of water usage by 40% in its range of products which includes Nescafe, Purina pet food and Perrier. Nestle further aims to provide better quality of lives to 50 million children, making every possible effort for minimizing effect caused to the environment due to their processes and recovering 30 million livings in society that are associated with the operations of business. The fulfillment of the social commitments is the ultimate focus of Nestle. For example, Nestle aims to reduce the use of sugar by 5% in their products by the year 2020. The achievement of this target in Europe only will mean the reduction of 18000 tons of sugar in their operations. Alternative strategies Nestles business level strategy is cost leadership combined with less cost operators and a wide range of products. Its strategic leadership helps in making its business efficient in order to create a network of regional manufacturing, integrate the business of international level and to bring a reduction in marketing expenditures. The future aim of Nestle include the development of a research and development network by way of refining its current products and producing sustenance for tomorrow. Annual Objectives of Nestle The business objectives and marketing objectives are aligned with each other. The objective of Nestle is to attain the position of best branded and largest manufacturer of food all across the globe along with assuring the highest quality in its products. The attainment of compatibility is also aimed by Nestle with the global volunteer standards on global management system. It also focuses on trust building with government authorities, customers and business partners. Policies of Nestle Policy of Nestle is to make sure that the board members, employees and external shareholders, who are in possession of any price sensitive or confidential information, do not disclose it and be aware regarding the law imposed on the disclosure of such information. It is the responsibility of all the shareholders to safeguard the confidential information. Resources of Nestle The resources of Nestle are classified into tangible, intangible, financial and human resources. Human Resources- The employees and staff are the main reason behind the success and growth of Nestle. The productivity and well-being of Nestle is influenced by its staff members. Culture- The satisfaction of stakeholders and encouraging innovation comprise the culture of Nestle. For the purpose of business decision making, the use of balanced scorecard is made for managing the performance. It is the method with the help of which progress of organizational goal is monitored. Conclusion Nestle is one of the leading manufacturer and seller of food and beverages products having its operations in 191 countries. Its vision is to attain the position of worlds leading company that provides quality products to its consumers. Internal factor analysis of Nestle provides that the strengths of Nestle include its fame and range of products. Moreover, its weaknesses include its handling of products rangeunder single group.

51 Euphemisms for Youre Fired

51 Euphemisms for 'You're Fired' A euphemism is a seemingly nice or polite way of expressing a harsh or unpleasant truth.  In the  Oxford Dictionary of Euphemisms  (2007), R.W. Holder observes that euphemism is often the language of evasion, hypocrisy, prudery, and deceit. To test that observation, consider these 51 alternative ways of saying Youre fired.   Dan Foreman:  Guys, I feel very terrible about what Im about to say. But Im afraid youre both being let go.Lou:  Let go? What does that mean?Dan Foreman:  It means youre being fired, Louie.(Dennis Quaid and Kevin Chapman in the movie  In Good Company, 2004) Throughout much of the world, unemployment remains a problem. Yet of all those people who have lost their jobs, few were ever told, Youre fired. Apparently, those day-long seminars in workplace sensitivity have paid off: firing is now as outdated as a defined-benefit pension plan. In its place is a brightly colored file folder filled with smiley-faced  euphemisms. True, a few of the terms sound rather dour and legalistic (involuntary separation, for example, and workforce imbalance correction). A few others are simply perplexing (decruit, lateralize, waive). But many sound as cheery as a year-end bonus: constructive discharge, career alternative enhancement, and- no kidding- free up for the future. Youre not losing a job, these expressions seem to be saying. Youre regaining a life. Euphemisms for Job Termination Here, according to management guides and personnel documents found at a host of online human resources sites, are 51 bona fide euphemisms for job termination. career alternative enhancementcareer change opportunitycareer transitionconstructive dischargeconstructive dismissaldecline a contract extensiondecruitdefunddehirede-selectdestaffdischargediscontinuedownscaledownsizeearly retirement opportunityemployee transitionend of a trial periodexcessingfree up for the futureindefinite idlinginvoluntary separationlateralizelet gomake internal efficienciesmake redundantmanage downnegotiate a departureoutplaceoutsourcepersonnel realignmentpersonnel surplus reductionrationalize the workforcereduce headcountreduce in force (or  riffing)re-engineer the staffreleaserelieve of dutiesreorganize (or  re-org)reshufflerestructureretrenchrightsizeselect outseparateskill-mix adjustmentstreamlinesurplusunassignwaiveworkforce imbalance correction Forget those condescending reminders that youre now free to pursue other interests and spend more time with the family. As anyone who has ever lost a job is keenly aware, euphemisms such as these rarely achieve their goal of softening the blow. The terms that  we  use for getting fired tend to be  dysphemisms: sacked, dumped, bounced out, canned, axed, eighty-sixed, and given the old heave-ho. More About Euphemisms and Dysphemisms Why Do We Use Euphemisms?Euphemisms, Dysphemisms, and Distinctio: Soggy Sweats Whiskey SpeechSoft Language

Reflective Management Journal Nursing Essay

Reflective Management Journal Nursing Essay Effective Management in Health Industry Nursing Essay Effective Management in Health Industry Nursing Essay The aim of this reflective management journal is to critically analyze the incident, which occurred in my clinical practice where I work as a senior nurse in a team of staff nurses. Using Gibb’s (1988) model, the emerged feelings, thoughts and corresponding themes connected with the incident will be identified, and finally, possible solutions will be generated. It is an undoubtable fact that emotions can demonstrate what a person really thinks and what attitudes he/she holds. Therefore, by utilizing the aforementioned reflective model, my intention is to become more self-aware and reflective. In addition, critical thinking is supposed to improve personal strengths and success and that of my followers. As Horton-Deutsch (2013) states, â€Å"it is important to be aware of one’s thinking in order to understand oneself, and to make informed and logical decisions when working with others. In turn, attending to the thoughts, feelings, and behaviors of others facilitates prog ress toward achieving professional and organizational goals.† After generating possible solutions, the most appropriate one will be discussed and selected. Considering a conflict as an opportunity to discover new sides of personalities and foster change for the better, it will be wise to reveal my particular goal, which is to improve communication and enhance collaboration between all the team members as well as promote their personal and professional growth. REFLECTIVE MANAGEMENT JOURNAL Consequently, reflective judgment and elaborated analysis of the conflict will establish constructive relationships among all the participants. Moreover, the conflicts constantly arise in the working process; they result from various types of contradictions that ultimately lead to the corresponding change and evolvement. The task of an efficient leader is to productively manage any type of conflict and turn it into a constructive experience and motivator of progress due to the reflective practice. In this study, by utilizing Covey’s (1990) theory, an attempt to solve an interpersonal issue that occurred in the respective team of nurses will be made. Moreover, the negative experience will be turned into a development means of both the followers and me personally. Journal of the incident (15 May, 2015) To start the management journal, it is reasonable to state the factual information concerning the incident, which happened at the workplace and which presents a specific interest as it is related to my goal to improve the teamwork. Further, the thoughts and feelings provoked by the conflict will be reflected; this stage corresponds to Description, Feelings, Evaluation, and Analysis phases in Gibb’s reflective model (Gibbs 1988). The incident happened between a middle-aged experienced nurse (she is one of the staff nurses, though not a senior one) and a young nurse who had just started her practice. The older woman provoked a conflict and expressed her irritation at the younger one in a rude manner. Moreover, she shouted at the young colleague in front of the patients and other workers who were present in the department. When the crying nurse informed about the incident, it raised a range of strong emotions. It is necessary to state that first I felt annoyed, desperate and even furious. Furthermore, I had fear because despite the fact that I was a senior worker in the team, this nurse was older and more experienced. Consequently, this difference in age produced additional complications. First I decided that it was better not to initiate any conversation with her, since it was her usual behavior and the staff seemed to accept her as she was. Analysis of Journal Continuing analysis, the following themes may be distinguished: issues in the interpersonal relationships within the team, bullying the young personnel, negative emotions and stress at the workplace, and heightened level of anxiety in young nurses due to unhelpful behaviors of their seniors. Moreover, I noticed the problem in this experienced nurse’s motivation: regardless of her age, she was a staff nurse without any senior responsibilities. The next step was to discuss the emerged situation with witnesses, both medical workers and patients. In such a way, it was possible to gather enough data in order to create a vivid picture of what had occurred. After analyzing all the circumstances, the conclusion was made that it was vital to engage in problem-solving with the nurse who demonstrated unhelpful behavior. It was important to determine and identify the specific problem (or problems) together as well as generate its possible solutions and choose the most appropriate one. It seemed that it was the most constructive way of dealing with the conflict. Reflection and Linking to Theory To make a reasonable and evidence-based decision, I collected relevant information first via observations, reports presented by others in the clinical unit, and communicating with the nurse herself. Having obtained the objective judgment, I noted all the circumstances and made an attempt to create a vivid and true picture of the emerged situation. From the personal observations, combined with reasonable arguments, logical inferences and conclusions, it was possible to get sufficient evidence for the further decision-making process. Thus, it appeared that this nurse’s disruptive behavior was noticed repeatedly in her practice. Moreover, her unhelpful behaviors were directed not only at the younger nurses but also at the patients. Consequently, this issue raised the severity in the clinical environment. It is also reflected in the research as a looming problem of practice settings in regard to the concepts of nurses â€Å"eating their young† (Hamric et al 2014) or â€Å" incivility† in nursing (Clark Olender 2011). Taking into account Covey’s (1990) imperative to â€Å"be proactive†, my decision was not to ignore the unpleasant situation, but to deal with thoroughly and productively with the problem. In order to act promptly and produce an anticipated reaction to a stimulus seems ineffective and simplistic. According to the typical behavioristic formula â€Å"Stimulus – Reaction† (described by famous psychologists like Thorndike and Skinner), the mode of behavior is neither productive in the human relationships and performance nor in all humans (Hjelle Ziegler 1992). As Frankl (2006) described in his famous book, a person in any circumstances has still the choice to rise over them and choose own reaction and attitude. Then, having made a decision, one becomes responsible for his choice and life in general. Moreover, neither external circumstances, nor subconscious instincts and any other mechanisms are able to determine his behaviors and thoughts. It is important to become conscious and self-aware as well as to choose one’s own way (Frankl 2006). To be a proactive person, I decided that the solution of this issue was within my circle of influence (Covey 1990). I felt my responsibility for the outcome of this conflict, since it happened within my team. Therefore, simple reactive behavior was not appropriate and contradicted my values connected with the features of an effective leader. I agree with Covey (2006) that the eternal values and principles must be of the first priority, such as â€Å"trust, fairness, service, courage, humility, integrity, human dignity, contribution, growth and empowerment† (Covey 2006, cited in Govier Nash 2009, p. 24). It was decided to act in accordance with the afore-mentioned values. Moreover, I decided to make them apparent to the nurse so that she could acquire these values in her own attitudes, behaviors, and interpersonal relationships. Regardless of the grave nature of the incident and my ardent initial emotional reaction, I managed to control and avoid the feelings so that they do not prevent constructive solution to the conflict. Taking Covey’s (1990) Habit 2 â€Å"End in mind† as a guide while taking a decision how to deal with the nurse, I had a clear target, which was to achieve positive outcomes for all the participants and the whole organization. In other words, it was urgent to promote personal development, transformation, and maturation of the nurse as well as ultimately improve the efficiency of the whole team. To use conflict as a means of development is another important idea revealed in the respective research (Govier Nash 2009). In this regard, it was impossible to suppress any emotions. Being determined to become a transformational leader (the concept of transformational leadership will be discussed later in the paper), I must learn to deal with any type of complexities, evolve stronge r and more accomplished from adversities, as well as inspire my followers to accept negative incidents as opportunities to grow (Bass Steidlmeier 1999; Oliver 2006; Givens 2008; Brown Mitchell 2009; Frankel 2009; Hamric et al. 2014). In this concern, I made a decision to utilize the ideas of the strength-based approach in order to engage the nurse in a more productive and solution-oriented dialogue (Gallagher 2007). Moreover, the position of mutual respect and endeavoring to make a person feel comfortable while communicating with me are in compliance with my personal philosophy of interpersonal relationships. Therefore, in order achieve the goal of engaging the nurse into the discussion and make her feel safe, open, and ready to solve the general issue for the common positive outcomes, I started from expressing some neutral observations. Applying the so-called â€Å"Neutral Zone† at the beginning of any dialogue allows one â€Å"to remove the threat stimulus†, and â€Å"an innate survival instinct† of an individual does not switch on and does not induce him/her get defensive (Gallagher 2007). Consequently, in order to solve the raised conflict between the nurses, I decided to analyze the situation with objectivity and justice as well as listen to the both parties carefully. It is considered that such leadership style promotes justice and equality in the work setting and is close to the notion of â€Å"action learning, which is about reflection and experiential learning. It is a balance of support and challenge.† (Govier Nash 2009, p. 23). During the process of decision-making, I also tried to account for the peculiarities of her personality. As Covey (1990) states, within the personal Production Capability paradigm, it is necessary to enhance all the four personality domains: physical, mental, social / emotional, and spiritual. Discussing various sides of her life, I aimed at realizing her motives, attitudes, feelings, and values; her general set of beliefs and meanings that influence her choices in everyday performance and interactions. While following such a plan, I considered the 5th habit by Covey (1990) and tried to listen attentively to the nurse’s arguments as well as demonstrate empathy. In other words, my approach in communication with her was first to understand and then seek to be understood (Covey 1990). It frequently occurs that angry behaviors and reactions do not necessarily result from the associated conflicting type of the personality. Within the framework of emotional intelligence, it is vital to become aware of own thinking processes and feelings. McQueen (2003) states that emotional intelligence, which includes interpersonal and intrapersonal skills or the skills of social analysis are part of the nursing work. On the one hand, the nurses must be able to interpret and understand feelings, motives, and concerns of the patients. Additionally, McQueen (2003) asserts that negotiating skills, high performance in human interactions and relationships are required for excellent teamwork of the nurs es. Therefore, we discussed different aspects of her life and her relationships with the family members. I consider that my initial approach of focusing on strengths (Gallagher 2007) allowed me to create a positive cooperative attitude of the nurse. She was ready to share her troubles with me because she realized that our common goal was to assist her in the difficulties she faced. In turn, analyzing her reports, I realized that the nurse had considerable problems with her interpersonal communication and decided to make a plan for her improvement in this sphere. The necessity to enhance her both interpersonal and emotional intelligence (McQueen 2003) was evident. Thus, in various spheres of communication (except for colleagues, also family and friends) she demonstrated emotional immaturity, incapacity to control her initial inadequate reactions, lack of the ability to understand and co-operate with people. In addition, a low level of intrapersonal intelligence did not allow her to recognize and judge own feelings, be aware of her own self. As McQueen states, â€Å"an accurate picture of one’s self . . . [is necessary] to operate successfully in life† (p. 102). Finally, I was able to arrive at such conclusions on the basis of the objective observations, her reports and those presented by other people in the clinical unit. Consequently, it was possible to make reasonable decision grounded on the substantial evidence. Finally, we tried to create a mutually beneficial solution to the problematic situation, bearing in mind Covey’s (1990) win-win dimension. The nurse agreed that behaving polite and civil with others, she can gain positive personal outcomes. First, she will attain respect from the team members. Moreover, it will bring positive emotions at the workplace and promote the feeling of job satisfaction. In addition, she will be able to get the opportunities for her professional realization by teaching younger nurses and mentoring them. In particular, it is hard to overstate the role of mentorship for the young personnel. Many researchers stated its importance in their studies (Oliver 2006; Frankel 2009; Clark Olender 2011; O’Grady 2011; Hamric et al. 2014; Linette Sherman 2014). Consequently, we included the development of the mentoring characteristic of the APN leadership competency into our common plan. Specifically, these elements included shared vision, serving as a mentor, willingness to share the power, empowering self and others, and self-reflection (Hamric et al. 2014, p. 278). The final unit of the plan comprised two more objectives, namely time and stress management. The respective reason was that the nurse acknowledged that she often felt annoyed and desperate due to the enormous workloads combined with insufficient time for its completion. From my side, job satisfaction of my followers is my major purpose since it can promote their effective performance at work. The current research has shown the interrelation of high performance, job satisfaction of subordinates and ethical, transformational leadership style (Bass Steidlmeier 1999; Brown Mitchell 2010). In order to achieve a shared goal, a good leader must be able to â€Å"to explore personal and team motives/beliefs in accomplishing a change or perceived vision of successâ€Å"(Oliver 2006, p. 39). Having chosen the leadership concepts and styles mentioned above as a guide in my professional evolvement, my principal target is to support reflection in my followers, inspire confidence in them, and their desire to become more professionally accomplished. In such a way, as a senior nurse, I will be able to achieve high outcomes for our clinical unit. The current research has defined the concept of leadership as a â€Å"multifaceted process of identifying a goal or target, motivating other people to act, and providing support and motivation to achieve mutually negotiated goals† (Porter-O’Grady 2003, cited in Frankel 2009). In fact, scientists in leadership domain present a large number of theories, including: great man, trait, contingency, engaging, transactional and transformational leadership theories (Bass Steidlmeier 1999; Govier Nash 2009). In accordance with my inclinations and principles, transformational (which is also inspirational and ethical) framework seems to be the most appropriate foundation for creating my own authentic leadership style. Considering its four key components, being idealized influence, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, and individualized consideration (Bass Steidlmeier 1999), transformational style grounds have a great impact on the leader’s ability to motiva te the follower to accomplish more than what he planned to accomplish. Charismatic transformational leader achieves high personal and organizational outcomes because he/she succeeds in making the followers’ and the organization’s values become congruent (Givens 2008). The most important concept of the transformational leadership deals with the morality and ethical beliefs ruling leader’s behavior (Brown Mitchell 2010). Bass Steidlmeier (1999) assert that only a leader with morally uplifting values can be considered transforming and influence his/her followers’ high standards of moral ideals. Brown Mitchell (2010) add that people are likely to conform to the ethical values of their leaders and follow his/her role models. Moreover, ethical leaders are perceived as approachable as well as ready to deal with the individuals’ problems and concerns. Moreover, the followers tend to reciprocate with beneficial work behavior when they feel beneficial attitude of their leader (Brown Mitchel 2010). I consider that completely supporting the view of the ethical transformational leader, it is critical to navigate through the conflicts and adversities with absolute norms and principles in mind, which are called â€Å"a compass† by Covey (2009) (cited in Govier Nash 2009). The only directing force that controls one’s decisions, attitudes at work and any interpersonal relationships must be morality and justice. Finally, to be able to navigate the change in a dynamic world, a nurse has to be ready to constantly transform and be open to the new experience. Moreover, these qualities enable one’s creativity and innovation in the organizations. Combining personal integrity and eternal values as well as distinct and unambiguous understanding of the health care system standards, it is possible to lead constructive change in the health care environment. Finally, the capacity for innovation is perhaps the most vital in today’s changing world. As stated in the report by the Institute of Medicine, â€Å"Creating innovative care models in the patient’s setting and throughout the healthcare community is an essential requisite of contemporary practice.† (O’Grady, 2011, p. 35) In case with this unhelpful nurse, prone to conflict with patients and younger colleagues, one of the ways to deal with her disruptive behavior was just to apply some type of disciplinary punishment. However, I consider that such motivation is ineffective as well as causes additional stress and negative factors in practice. In addition, it is my task to mitigate stress of the staff nurses at the clinical setting because a true leader should â€Å"role model professionalism and utilize effective communication skills† (Clark Olender 2011, p. 325). Extrinsic motivation, which is more the characteristic of transactional leadership, cannot fully involve the individual and force him/her to develop, improve, and achieve the higher goals. Amabile (1997) asserts that motivation can be of two cardinally different types, namely intrinsic and extrinsic. The first one is more efficient since it implies a person’s â€Å"deep interest and involvement in the work†, as well as à ¢â‚¬Å"curiosity, enjoyment, or a personal sense of challenge† (Amabile 1997, p. 44). In contrast, extrinsic motivation is associated with the goals, which are not connected with the work itself, for example, achieving reward or avoiding a punishment. It is clear that only task intrinsic motivation and precise goal-setting can inspire a person to grow. For this reason, I have chosen these concepts in my own performance as a leader. In particular, together with my nurse, we created a concrete plan how to achieve better results for her personal good and more effective communication with the team members. According to Albert Bandura’s social-cognitive theory (Hjelle Ziegler 1992), goal-setting is valuable due to its ability to promote self-efficacy and resilience at the workplace. Distinct goals help envision the picture of a desired result and identify the next actions. On the contrary, the absence of distinguished aims makes a person spend all energy in his attempts to focus the attention. Therefore, goal-setting can increase motivation, concentrate attention a nd efforts by creating the images of desired proficiency outcomes in the mind of a person. Consequently, one spends all energy and efforts only on fulfilling the exact plan, which consists of the set goals. To summarize, I utilized the reflective management journal for the development of my reflection and critical thinking skills. Reflective models used in the health care research, following Gibb’s (1988) model, present a helpful set to manage complexities at the clinical practice since they promote understanding and unbiased perception of the problem’s components. It appeared that Covey’s theory is effective in producing the most appropriate decisions and productive solutions. In my practice, I aim at acquiring all the essential characteristics of an authentic transformational leader, with the goals of bringing success to my organization, team, and its every member. My values and principles are in accordance with the absolute moral foundations, the most important value being a human, his personal well-being and multi-faceted development.

Reflective report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Reflective report - Essay Example The essay drew positive feedback from my tutor and earned a good grade. I attribute this success to the extensive research that I got involved in and comprehensive analysis of the literature materials therein. Taking into account that employees’ job satisfaction takes variations, the essay had to be well planned in different parts to ensure that all the aspects were dealt with. The authenticity of the essay was definitely incredible. In the essay, I recognized other authors’ work that I cited and ensured that the work was free from any plagiarism. Essay 2 The second essay had the question â€Å"How can performance of service be achieved without compromising on the satisfaction of employees?† this was majorly based on finding ways in which the satisfaction of employees is achieved without necessarily compromising on the quality of product and service delivery. The essay tackled service delivery and product quality extensively. The intrinsic and extrinsic employee motivation was also explored as a way of improving the service delivery. This essay is by and large a supplement for the first one. I thought that the first essay was more leant on dealing with the satisfaction of the employees as opposed to the improvement of service delivery and the production of quality products. ... was because the first essay tackled the employees’ aspect while this second one made a bridge between the employees and the quality of products and service delivery. During the April viva, I am certain that the panelists would want me to explain the choice of my topics and the push that I had in the subject matter. Carrying out a research is always tasking and I am sure that they will want me to explain to them how I managed my research, how I got my materials and the general ups and down that characterize research work. The panelists will also want to know my organization in as far as the research work is concerned and want to know how different it is from the usual course work. Eventually, they will seek to know the relevance and my reasons for having the second essay. During that time, I will get an opportunity to prove myself and to elaborate how well I have the grip on the content matter of the topics that I chose. Course reflection Reflecting on my research, there are a lot of positivity in the work I did though I realized that there are certain things that I would have done better. My organization during the research was good. I ensured that I searched for the relevant materials and did extensive research. In the first essay, I was very keen not to have repetitions that are unnecessary. I had a lot of materials that were enough to back up the items that I discussed. The better part of the organization of my research was as a result of adequate use of the research log. Throughout my sourcing of materials, I was keen to keep track of the materials that I came by so as to give me an easy time during the actual and final compilation of the research. The research techniques that I used were adequate and helped me in compiling the content of the first essay. The

Explore how Bob Dylan portrays transient figures in Like a Rolling Research Paper

Explore how Bob Dylan portrays transient figures in Like a Rolling Stone, and discuss how these portrayals contribute to t - Research Paper Example Bob Dylan was growing up personally and evolving his music in the context of the early Beat movement at this time. However, what was an underground movement in the early 60’s rapidly became mainstream with the Beatles and other rock groups gaining mass popularity in 1965. This transition can be seen on Bob Dylan’s album â€Å"Bringing it Back Home† (1965), which included one side of folk songs in the style he had popularized and come to be known by, and the other side featuring Dylan’s first electric guitar based rock songs. (Kemp, 2001) Thus, in the classic song â€Å"Like a Rolling Stone,† Dylan composed a morality tale in the style of an anthem addressed particularly to this division within the movement, discussing the different aspects involved with the mystical and revolutionary path of the underground when it meets the mainstream acceptance and propagation. Eastern Mysticism rooted in Buddhism, Taoism, Hinduism, Yoga, and Sufism was highly inf luential on the Beat Poets of the 1950’s and forms the metaphysical basis for many of their works of literature. Bob Dylan can be considered highly influenced by the Beats, and also widely read in their literature at the time. This influence can be seen in the counter-culture lifestyle promoted by Dylan in his music. As Dylan biographer Sean Wilentz wrote in a New Yorker article on the Beats titled â€Å"Penetrating Aether: The Beat Generation and Allen Ginsberg’s America,† â€Å"Dylan knew the poems, Ginsberg later claimed. ‘Someone handed me Mexico City Blues in St. Paul in 1959,’ Dylan told him. ‘It blew my mind.’ It was the first poetry he’d read that spoke his own American language, Dylan said—or so Ginsberg said he said. Maybe, maybe not. Without question, though, Dylan read Mexico City Blues and was deeply interested in Beat writing before he left Minneapolis for New York. (Like other Beats and hipsters, his friend Tony Glover ordered a paperback copy of William Burroughs’s Naked Lunch from France, where it had been published by Olympia Press in Paris in 1959 as The Naked Lunch— uncertain whether the book, deemed obscene by American authorities, would clear customs. The book indeed arrived, and Glover lent it to Dylan, who returned it after a couple of weeks.) And Dylan’s involvement with the writings of Kerouac, Ginsberg, Burroughs, and the rest of the Beat generation is nearly as essential to Dylan’s biography as his immersion in rock and roll, rhythm and blues, and then Woody Guthrie. ‘I came out of the wilderness and just naturally fell in with the Beat scene, the bohemian, Be Bop crowd, it was all pretty much connected,’ Dylan said in 1985. ‘It was Jack Kerouac, Ginsberg, Corso, Ferlinghetti †¦ I got in at the tail end of that and it was magic †¦ it had just as big an impact on me as Elvis Presley.’† (Wilentz, 2010) Ro lling Stone magazine states that Bob Dylan was the first musician of the modern era to have his lyrics considered by critics and the public to be works of literature. (Kemp, 2001) In this regard, Bob Dylan can be considered a Beat Poet, and his music concerts were played in venues with audiences made up of