Monday, December 30, 2019

How to Use Multiple Intelligences to Study for a Test

Are you one of those people who have a difficult time sitting down to study for a test? Perhaps you get distracted and lose focus easily, or maybe you are just not the type of person who likes learning new information from a book, a lecture, or a presentation. Maybe the reason you dislike studying the way youve been taught to study—sitting in a chair with an open book, reviewing your notes—is because your predominant intelligence has nothing to do with words. The theory of multiple intelligences may just be your best friend when you go to study for a test if traditional study methods arent quite suiting you.   The Theory of Multiple Intelligences The theory of multiple intelligences was developed by Dr. Howard Gardner in 1983. He was a professor of education at Harvard University, and believed that traditional intelligence, where a persons I.Q. or intelligence quotient, did not account for the many brilliant ways in which people are smart. Albert Einstein once said, â€Å"Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.†Ã‚   Instead of a the traditional one-size-fits-all approach to intelligence, Dr. Gardner stated that he believed there were eight different intelligences that covered the scope of the brilliance possible in men, women, and children. He believed that people have different intellectual abilities and are more adept in some areas than others. In general, people are able to process information in different ways, using different methods for different things. Here are the eight multiple intelligences according to his theory: Verbal-Linguistic Intelligence:  Word Smart  This type of intelligence refers to a persons ability to analyze information and produce work that involves spoken and written language like speeches, books, and emails.  Logical-Mathematical Intelligence:  Number Reasoning Smart  This type of intelligence refers to a persons ability to  develop equations and proofs, make calculations, and solve abstract problems that may or may not be related to numbers.Visual-Spatial Intelligence: Picture Smart  This type of intelligence refers to a persons ability to understand maps and other types of graphical information like charts, tables, diagrams, and pictures.  Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence: Body Smart  This type of intelligence refers to a persons ability to  use his or her own body to solve problems, find solutions or create products.Musical Intelligence: Music Smart  This type of intelligence refers to a persons ability to  create and make meaning of different types of sound.Interpersonal Intelligence: People Smart  This type of intelligence refers to a persons ability to  recognize and understand other peoples moods, desires, motivations, and intentions.Intrapersonal Intelligence: Self Smart  This type of intelligence refers to a persons ability to  recognize and understand their own moods, desires, motivations, and intentions.Naturalistic  Intelligence: Nature Smart This type of intelligence refers to a persons ability to identify and distinguish among different types of plants, animals, and weather formations found in the natural world. lt is important to note that you do not have one specific type of intelligence. Everyone has all eight types of intelligences although some types may show up stronger than others. For example, some people approach numbers warily, while others relish the idea of solving complex mathematical problems. Or, one person may quickly and easily learn lyrics and musical notes, but does not excel visually or spatially. Our aptitudes at each of the multiple intelligences can vary widely, but they are all present in each of us. Its important not to label ourselves, or students, as one type of learner with one predominant intelligence because  everyone  can benefit from learning in various ways.   Using the Theory of Multiple Intelligences to Study   When you prepare to study, whether that be for a midterm, a final exam, a chapter test or a standardized test like the ACT, SAT, GRE or even the MCAT, its important to tap into your  many  different intelligences as you take out your notes, study guide or test prep book. Why? Using a variety of methods to take information from the page to your brain can help you remember the info better and longer. Here are a few ways to use several of your multiple intelligences to do just that Tap Into Your Verbal-Linguistic Intelligence With These Study Tricks Write a letter to another person, explaining the mathematical theory youve just learned.Read your notes aloud while studying for your science chapter test.Ask someone to quiz you after youve read through the study guide for your English literature quiz.Quiz via text: text a question to your study partner and read his or her response.Download a SAT app that quizzes you daily.  Record yourself reading your Spanish notes and then listen to your recording in the car on the way to school.   Tap Into Your Logical-Mathematical Intelligence With These Study Tricks Reorganize your notes from Calculus class using an outline method like the Cornell note-taking system.  Compare and contrast different ideas (North vs.South in the Civil War) with one another.  List information into particular categories as you read through your notes. For instance, if youre studying grammar, all parts of speech go in one category while all punctuation rules go in another.  Predict outcomes that could have happened based on the material youve learned. (What would have happened had Hitler never risen to power?)Figure out what was happening in a different part of the world at the same time as what youre studying. (What was happening in Europe during the rise of Genghis Khan?)Prove or disprove a theory based on information youve learned throughout the chapter or semester. Tap Into Your Visual-Spatial Intelligence With These  Study Tricks Break down information from the text into tables, charts, or graphs.Draw a small picture next to each item in a list you need to remember. This is helpful when you have to remember lists of names, because you can  draw a likeness next to each person.Use highlighters or special symbols related to similar ideas in the text. For instance, anything related to Plains Native Americans gets highlighted yellow, and anything related to Northeast Woodlands Native Americans gets highlighted blue, etc.Rewrite your notes using an app that allows you to add pictures.  Ask your teacher if you can take pictures of the science experiment as you go so you remember what happened.   Tap Into Your Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence With These  Study Tricks Act out a scene from a play or do the extra science experiment in the back of the chapter.Rewrite your  lecture notes with pencil instead of typing them out. The physical act of writing will help you remember more.As you study, do a physical activity. Shoot hoops while someone quizzes you. Or, jump rope.  Use manipulatives to solve math problems whenever possible.  Build or craft models of items you need to remember or visit physical spaces to cement the idea in your head. Youll remember the bones of the body much better if you touch each part of your body as you learn them, for instance.   Tap Into Your Musical Intelligence With These  Study Tricks Set a long list or chart to a favorite tune. For example, if you have to learn the periodic table of elements, try setting the names of the elements to The Wheels on the Bus or Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.If you have particularly tough words to remember, try saying their names with different pitches and volumes.  Have a long list of poets to remember? Assign a noise (a clap, a wrinkled paper, a stomp) to each.  Play lyric-free music when you study so the lyrics dont compete for brain space.   Multiple Intelligences Vs. Learning Style The theory that you have many ways of being intelligent is different from Neil Flemings VAK theory of learning styles. Fleming states that there were three (or four, depending on which theory is used) dominant learning styles: Visual, Auditory and Kinesthetic. Check out this learning styles quiz to see which one of those learning styles you tend to use most!

Saturday, December 21, 2019

The Civilian Conservation Corps and the Tennessee Valley...

The Civilian Conservation Corps and the Tennessee Valley Authority had positive impacts on work and the environment during the great depression. The bill proposing the Civilian Conservation Corps was voted on and passed on March 31, 1933 under President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. In addition, the Tennessee Valley Authority was formed May 18 of this same year to work on easing environmental strains in the Tennessee Valley. Roosevelt’s goal when he became president was to improve the economy and environment, and to help raise America from the depression. When he had been governor of New York he had created a public works program similar to the TVA on a smaller scale and it had been met with success. As a result he was encouraged to expand†¦show more content†¦Easy navigation and flood control encouraged trade along the river, which boosted the economy and led to an increase in jobs for traders, deckhands, etc. (US History TVA). In addition to providing increased trade o pportunities, large amounts of money that would have been spent on the flood damage that were saved by the construction of these dams. A few years into the program, stations were created in the area to monitor flooding. Reports from these stations, in addition to computer calculations, show that the total cost of the flood damage up until 2007 would have been $5.8 billion (TVA River Neighbors). The flooding would have destroyed not only people’s homes, but also their businesses and livelihoods., which would have led to further unemployment. The TVA was more successful in helping the environment because it greatly improved the condition of the land in the Tennessee Valley, which was thought to be irreparable. A major goal of Roosevelts going into his first presidential term was land preservation. â€Å"A nation that destroys its soils destroys itself. Forests are the lungs of our land, purifying the air and giving fresh strength to our people†(Roosevelt). The area of the Tennessee Valley was so badly damaged, the land was believed by some to be nearly beyond repair. As reported by the assistant secretary of agriculture at the time, Rexford Tugwell, the land conditions in the Tennessee Valley were â€Å"little better, if any, than that of the earlyShow MoreRelatedEssay on The Importance of the New Deal in the 1920s666 Words   |  3 Pagesand trade unionist. In the 1920s there was many issues that were in need of resolution. Issues that were pressing such as effected individuals from The Great Depression. The civilian conservation corps was established in order to provide jobs for men who were seeking work across the nation, the Civilian Conservation Corps provided jobs in national parks that were in need of improvements and road construction as well. In the same fashion, The Public Works Administration, generated an economic stimulationRead MoreThe Economic Disaster Of Overproduction And Underconsumption Created The Great Depression820 Words   |  4 Pagesoverproduction and underconsumption in the Great Depression in the 1920s. Emergency Banking Relief Act, Agricultural Adjustment Administration, National Industrial Recovery Act (NIRA), Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), Federal Emergency Relief Administration (FERA), Civil Works Administration (CWA), Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA ) are New Deal programs (Barnes Bowles, 2014). Emergency Banking Relief Act (1933) passed by Congress allowed the Treasury Department the power to control and inspect forRead MorePresident Franklin D. Roosevelt s New Deal1119 Words   |  5 Pages As of a result of the government programs created by the New Deal, restoring American morale was a success. The Tennessee Valley was hit very hard by the economic downturn. Since the soil was poor, far mers has poor crop yields. The main source of income for the region was crops. Perhaps one of the most ambitious programs that was a part of the New Deal, the Tennessee Valley Authority, or the TVA, helped fix these problems therefore restoring morale in a very important farming region of the countryRead MoreThe Great Depression By Franklin D. Roosevelt1653 Words   |  7 Pagessome of these were: the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), Civil Works Administration (CWA), Federal Housing Administration (FHA), National Industrial Recovery Act (NIRA), Works Progress Administration (WPA), and the Social Security Act. During the time of the New Deal, preservation and eco-friendly programs were created, two key ones were: the Civilian Conservation Corps and the Tennessee Valley Authority. The Civilian Conservation Corps was created to combat unemploymentRead MoreThe New Deal Forever Changed The Federal Governments890 Words   |  4 Pageseradicate poverty and unemployment. Many referred to this as the three R s - Recovery, Relief and Reform. Key Initiatives: 1). Ended Prohibition through ratification of the 21st Amendment. 2). Tennessee Valley Authority Act signed into law. This allowed the government to build dams along the Tennessee River to control flooding and generate inexpensive hydroelectric power for the people of the region 3). Agricultural Adjustment Act - Farmers were paid to allow their crops to fallow which endedRead MoreRoosevelts New Deal1480 Words   |  6 Pagesabout the reduction in veterans’ benefits because a large majority of the American voters were World War One veterans. Programs to follow were directed at conservation of the environment and relief for farmers. To preserve the environment throughout America and to reduce the amount of unemployed in the cities, a Civilian Conservation Corps was created. The CCC’s purpose was â€Å"†¦to take possibly half a million young men out of the cities and put them in camps where they would plant trees, protectRead MoreFDR’s Alphabet Soup1364 Words   |  6 Pagesannounced over the airwaves another Fireside Chat discussing the details of programs now put into place for the country start the process of recovery. The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) started on March 31, 1933. It was ran by the U.S. Army with more than 3 million young men and adults during it course working on building roads, trails, conservation damns, campgrounds, drainage swamps, renovations of historic buildings and instillation of telephone poles across the country. The CCC also provided employmentRead MoreThe Stock Mar ket Crash Of 19291273 Words   |  6 PagesThe first law is the Tennessee Valley Authority Act. FDR signed this act on May 18, 1933 in order to create the TVA as a Federal Corporation. This particular agency was tasked with facing important problems caused by flooding, erosion, steady emigration, and a deficient economy in the Tennessee Valley. Examples of such tasks include dealing with flooding, providing electricity to homes and businesses, and replanting the forests. The TVA also improved travel on the Tennessee River and helped developRead MoreEssay on Who was the most helpful during the Great Depression628 Words   |  3 Pagesbanking program, agricultural aid laws, and a new plan for industrial recovery. To meet the immediate crisis of starvation and the dire needs of the nation’s unemployed, FDR provided for direct cash relief for the poor, and established the Civilian Conservation Corps and the Public Works Administration. Thousands of men throughout the country began working to build bridges, roads, and sewage systems and to plant trees. His Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) guaranteed the bank savings of AmericanRead MoreHow President Roosevelt Become The Hero And The New Deal Saves The Economy1531 Words   |  7 PagesMississippi valley a bad drought occurred bringing the situations so bad that many could not pay taxes, other debt they may had and farmers weren t making profits for themselves. There were many attempts to stop the Great Depression, under the New Deal created by President Roosevelt and it was a group of people. The five attempts are the Social Security Act, ICA (Federal Insurance Contributions Act), Tennessee Valley Authority, Work Progress Administration, and Civilian Conservation Corps. Starting

Friday, December 13, 2019

Succubus Heat CHAPTER 17 Free Essays

The sweet scent of a white chocolate mocha woke me from a heavy sleep the following morning. For a few moments, as I stirred to consciousness, it was like waking up any other day. Then, as I opened my eyes and shifted position, my body’s nerves came to life, reminding me what had happened yesterday. We will write a custom essay sample on Succubus Heat CHAPTER 17 or any similar topic only for you Order Now It wasn’t the horrible torturous pain I’d experienced before, but I had enough aches and soreness to dissuade me from too much movement. Still, I managed to more or less sit up when Dante entered my bedroom. He held the mocha in one hand and what looked like a bakery bag tucked under his arm. In the other hand, he carried an enormous vase of blue and white hydrangeas, interspersed with orchids. I never would have pictured those particular flowers going together, but the arrangement worked. â€Å"Did you rob a florist?† I asked. Dante gave me a withering look as he handed me the mocha. â€Å"Why are you assuming the worst again?† â€Å"Because orchids aren’t cheap,† I said. â€Å"They were out of crab grass, so I had to settle.† He gently placed the vase on my dresser and then freed the bakery bag. â€Å"And I beat up some kids for these.† After a long, delicious sip, I set the mocha on my bedside table and took the bag from him. Inside were chocolate croissants-my favorite kind of breakfast pastry. â€Å"All this because I got beat up?† I asked. He sat on the side of the bed. â€Å"I’m worried about you.† â€Å"I should get in fights with demons more often,† I teased, my last few words getting muffled as I bit into a croissant. Tiny flakes and crumbs fell onto my sheets, but I didn’t care. â€Å"Not funny, succubus,† he said. And to my surprise, I could see that he meant it. None of his usual sardonic humor showed on his face. There was no bitter twist to his lips. â€Å"That’s never happening again. And I’m going to make sure you get better, immortal healing or not.† â€Å"Never took you for a nursemaid.† â€Å"Be quiet,† he snapped. â€Å"And keep eating. Your body needs calories to heal.† Happy to oblige, I started to take another bite and then froze. â€Å"Do you think I might start putting on weight?† Calories were nothing I’d ever had to count before. I’d feared neither weight gain nor health effects from the things I ate. â€Å"I think that’s the least of your worries.† I supposed he was right. I kept eating-but with a little less enthusiasm. He still looked so serious and worried that I couldn’t shake my warm and fuzzy feelings. â€Å"Thank you for all of this. It’s really great.† He smiled at me, and his gray eyes were lovely in the morning light. â€Å"Not many people in this world I feel deserve my help. You’re in an exclusive club.† I started to make a comment about how the rest of the club members must be imaginary, but there had already been too much snark this morning. Nanette’s attack had seriously shaken Dante up. â€Å"Thank you,† I said again. A thought struck me. â€Å"I might have some other way for you to help. Will you grab my purse?† He retrieved it from the living room and handed it over. Reaching inside, I was relieved to see the photo that I’d swiped from Mary was still there. I studied it for a moment, willing the medallion to yield some sort of revelation. All I saw was a translucent brown disc and runes or symbols that could easily be mistaken for a child’s scribbles. With a sigh, I handed it to him. â€Å"Does this mean anything to you?† His brows knit thoughtfully as he looked it over. â€Å"No. Should it?† â€Å"I think it might be part of Jerome’s summoning. Remember when I asked you about an artist who carved quartz? This is what I turned up. Supposedly, the stone and marks are clues, but I don’t know what they are. I guess that’s where I need people like you or Erik.† He gazed at the picture for several more moments, and to my surprise, I saw anger building in his features. Abruptly, he stood up and tossed the picture on the floor. â€Å"Son of a bitch,† he growled. â€Å"What’s the matter?† I exclaimed. â€Å"This,† he said, gesturing at me and the fallen picture. â€Å"This is the matter. What good am I, succubus? I’m ten times more powerful than those people I sent you to go see. Aside from Lancaster, there’s probably no one else in this fucking town who knows as much about the arcane as I do. And what good is it?† He paced around my room and ran his hand angrily through his hair. â€Å"Nothing. That’s what it’s good for. I can’t seem to help you. I can’t do a goddamned thing. I couldn’t save you from that demoness. And I don’t know anything about this medallion thing.† I was stunned by his reaction. â€Å"Hey, whoa. It’s okay. Sit down. Don’t beat yourself up.† â€Å"It’s not okay.† He came to a halt. â€Å"I feel†¦powerless.† For someone who’d spent his life doing horrible things in the quest for power, I could recognize what a hard admission that was. â€Å"You’re not obligated to do anything here,† I said gently. â€Å"You help me more than you realize. But this isn’t your fight. This isn’t your responsibility.† † You’re my responsibility,† he said. â€Å"If I can’t look out for you, then why do you need me?† â€Å"I’m not with you for what you can do for me.† â€Å"Yeah? You’re with me for my winning personality?† The truth was, I still wasn’t sure at times why I was with him. I couldn’t help but recall his comments about me keeping him as a bed warmer, but true or not, now wasn’t the time to bring that up. Plus, he’d been sweet lately-something I’d never expected when I’d turned to him in my post-Seth rage. â€Å"Dante, I’m serious. Don’t worry about any of this. I’ll take care of it and talk to my friends.† I saw from the look on his face that that wasn’t quite what he’d wanted to hear. Knowing I had other people to go to seemed to make him feel more inadequate. â€Å"You shouldn’t be involved in this at all,† he said. â€Å"What, in finding Jerome? Of course I have to be.† â€Å"There are others, people who are more powerful. I don’t want you getting hurt again! Why can’t you just lie low and keep yourself safe?† he demanded. â€Å"Because it’s not what I do! And no one else is going to do it anyway. They’re just letting this go. Letting Jerome go.† â€Å"Why don’t you let it go?† he asked. â€Å"Would it be so bad to work under another demon? You’ve worked for others.† I turned and gazed out the window. The sky was blue, but something told me it was cold out. It was a quirk of Seattle weather. We often had warmer temperatures when it was cloudy out, colder ones when it was sunny. Dragging my eyes back to Dante, I said, â€Å"Yeah, I have. But this is different. This isn’t right-it shouldn’t have happened. I have to find Jerome.† â€Å"Yes. You do. It’s written all over you. Why do you have to make everything so difficult and create these problems?† â€Å"If you’re unhappy, no one’s making you stick around,† I said quietly. â€Å"Of course I’m sticking around. And if there’s nothing to be done for your impulsivity, I might as well help.† He snatched up the photo and glared at it. â€Å"Let me take this and ask some questions. I might not know what it is-yet-but there are resources I can tap.† There was a hard set to his face. He was a man with a mission, which I preferred to him being down on himself or ranting at me. I was about to send him off with my blessings, but something held me back. I couldn’t let the picture go. â€Å"I want to keep the photo,† I told him. He stared. â€Å"You don’t think I’ll bring it back?† â€Å"No, I’m not worried about that. But I did a lot to get it, and besides, I want to show it to some people too. We’ll make a copy of it. You can take that.† â€Å"Yeah? You got a copy machine in the bathroom?† â€Å"Can’t you just draw it or something?† â€Å"Succubus.† â€Å"Well, I don’t know! But if you want to do sleuthing, you’re going to have to find a workaround. Until I feel like traipsing around the city with you, I want the picture to stay with me.† He glowered, looking very much like his usual bitter self. Finally, realizing I wasn’t going to yield, he did a hasty trace of the medallion onto another sheet of paper. He added a few notes off to the side and did his best approximation of the symbols. He seemed miserable the entire time. â€Å"Sorry,† I said. â€Å"It’s fine,† he said. â€Å"You’re going now?† â€Å"If you think you’ll be okay.† I assured him I would be. My phone was nearby, and I had a feeling if he stayed, he’d just grow more and more upset about how he’d let me down and about how I was putting myself at risk for reasons he didn’t understand. At least this gave him a feeling of purpose. I promised to call if something happened and breathed a sigh of relief when he finally left. I stayed in bed for a while after that, consuming my calorie-laden breakfast and thinking about his extreme reaction. I hoped he’d find something out for me, and in the meantime, I needed to do some investigating of my own. First things first, though. I needed to shower. It turned out to be harder than I expected-but not impossible. I just had to move slowly when I walked to the bathroom, careful not to get too ambitious. Hugh’s bandages still covered my back, and it took a fair bit of dexterity to remove them. They were soaked with blood, but underneath, the cuts showed signs of Mei’s healing. They were still there, still uncomfortable, but had all scabbed over and were much smaller. I kept the water lukewarm as I showered and was careful when I toweled off to not break any of the scabs open. By the time I was sitting on my couch in the living room, I felt like I’d run a marathon. I’d never wanted shape-shifting so badly in my life. I wore loose clothes-drawstring pants and a T-shirt without a bra-but it had taken some effort to put them on. My hair I’d given up on completely, figuring combing it out would have to do. I didn’t have the patience to dry it and didn’t want to think about the frizziness I was inviting. Aubrey joined me on the couch as I rested from my morning labors and flipped through the channels. After cycling through twice, I gave up and left the TV on some sort of nature show about Siberian tigers. Aubrey watched it with wide eyes, but I wasn’t interested. â€Å"This is your equivalent of reality television,† I observed. â€Å"The talk shows don’t come on until later,† a voice suddenly said. â€Å"That’s when things get good.† I sighed. â€Å"Carter. What a pleasant surprise.† The angel strolled into my line of sight and sat down on the armchair opposite me. Aubrey immediately left me and hopped onto his lap. â€Å"Traitor,† I said. He grinned and scratched her head. â€Å"Word on the street is that you had a bad day yesterday.† â€Å"I’ve had worse,† I said. â€Å"Marginally. You should have seen me before Mei healed me.† â€Å"Bah, demons can’t heal. Not really. They lose the finesse it takes when they cross over.† â€Å"Hey, I’ll take what help I can get.† I brightened. â€Å"And speaking of help, I think I’ve got a picture of the seal-â€Å" â€Å"No.† â€Å"No what?† â€Å"I know what you’re going to ask, and the answer is no.† â€Å"You have no idea what I’m going to ask!† â€Å"You’re going to ask me to help identify the seal so you can figure out where Jerome is.† I stayed silent. Damn. He rolled his eyes. â€Å"And the answer is no.† â€Å"But you could make this so much easier,† I argued. â€Å"Dante’s out trying to figure out what the seal means. You could tell me right now.† â€Å"Georgina, I told you before. I can’t interfere.† â€Å"Then why are you here?† â€Å"To see how you’re feeling. Believe me, I wish I could interfere. I’d do a better healing job than Mei.† I fell silent, mind spinning. â€Å"Were you here yesterday?† â€Å"Doing what?† â€Å"Look, I won’t consider it interfering, but just tell me if it was you.† Carter didn’t look confused very often. If anything, he was usually the one messing with other people’s minds. I think under normal circumstances, when the immortal state of affairs in Seattle wasn’t in limbo, he would have faked it and hidden his confusion. Now, he just shook his head in exasperation. â€Å"What are you talking about?† â€Å"Someone was here after Nanette beat me up. A guy. He put me to bed and called Hugh.† â€Å"It wasn’t me.† â€Å"Technically, it wouldn’t even be interfering.† â€Å"Georgina,† he said sternly. â€Å"Listen. It wasn’t me.† I held his gaze and shivered at the intensity in his eyes. His were gray, but whereas Dante’s were like leaden clouds on a winter day, Carter’s were like gleaming silver. â€Å"It wasn’t you,† I said at last. He’d answered directly, with none of the half-truths and subterfuge angels normally employed. He’d answered directly, and angels couldn’t lie. â€Å"I suppose you didn’t blow up the stove either?† â€Å"No.† â€Å"Who did, then? You said in Vancouver you’d try to protect me. I figured this was you.† â€Å"It’s possible the stove blew up because of a gas leak.† â€Å"Maybe,† I grumbled. He smiled, instantly transforming him to the mocking angel I usually knew. â€Å"Believe me, Daughter of Lilith, I wish I could take credit for these things. And if it comes down to it, and I have the means and ability, I will try to protect you. For now, I’ve still got to stay out of this.† â€Å"House calls aside.† â€Å"Just a visit between friends.† He winked and stood up. â€Å"I really do wish I could help more, but you’re going to have to find another way. Be careful, whatever you end up doing.† â€Å"You’re not warning me away from all this?† He arched an eyebrow. â€Å"Should I be?† â€Å"No,† I mused. â€Å"But everyone else is. They say it’s dangerous.† â€Å"It is dangerous. But these are dangerous times, and honestly? You’re the only one that I think has the means or desire to get us out of this mess. Good luck, Georgina. And don’t leave the house without checking your hair.† He vanished. â€Å"Fucking angels.† I realized then that I was starving for real food, not sugar-filled sweets. My kitchen was sparse as usual, so I decided to risk the world and go pick up something. I was tired and certainly incapable of running a marathon, but Mei’s healing really had gone a long way. I could manage the one block walk to a nearby take-out Chinese restaurant. I placed the order, and by the time I was out of my robe and out the door, the food was ready. I stopped at a convenience store as well to pick up some pop, and the whole endeavor only ended up taking about thirty minutes. From the look on Aubrey’s face, you would have thought I’d been gone a whole day, but then, she just wanted my orange chicken. I changed back to my robe and relaxed with the food, pondering how to spend my day. As I’d told Dante, I didn’t want to go traipsing about town, but I wanted some leads on the medallion. Erik was probably my best bet at this point, and I hoped he’d be able to ID my symbols from phone descriptions. Before I could do that, I heard a knock at my door. I expected it to be Hugh making a house call, but to my astonishment, it was Seth. â€Å"Hey,† I said, stepping aside so that he could come in. â€Å"Hey,† he returned. I stuffed my hands into the ratty robe’s pockets, wishing I hadn’t been so hasty to change back to casual mode. My hair was undoubtedly a lost cause, so there was no point stressing over that. â€Å"How’s it going?† â€Å"Okay.† He met my eyes frankly, something he hadn’t done in a while. It sent a tingle down my back. â€Å"I was just nearby and wanted to†¦well, that is†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He sighed. â€Å"I just wanted to apologize for what happened yesterday†¦.† Yesterday. The kiss. Something that only a demon attack could have dwarfed. I shook my head, trying not to recall how I’d felt that kiss all the way to my toes. â€Å"You have nothing to apologize for. I think†¦I think I was as much to blame. Besides, it was nothing.† â€Å"Nothing?† he asked, looking both surprised and hurt. â€Å"I mean, not nothing ,† I amended hastily. â€Å"But we were both kind of worked up, and things got crazy, and well, like I said†¦nothing to apologize for.† â€Å"Okay†¦I’m glad you’re not upset. I don’t want there to be anything†¦well, anything bad between us.† I thought about all the fights and arguments. â€Å"Well, I’m not sure we’ve reached that state. I mean, come on, do you think things will ever be normal and friendly between us?† â€Å"Yes,† he said bluntly. â€Å"No matter what has or hasn’t happened romantically, I still feel like†¦like there’s something between us†¦like, a connection, I mean. I feel like we’re always destined to be important in each other’s lives.† You are my life , I thought and promptly looked away, as though he might have heard me. â€Å"Do you regret it?† I asked before I realized I had. â€Å"Regret?† â€Å"Ending things.† I looked back at him, fearing his answer, no matter what it was. â€Å"I regret†¦well, I don’t regret saving you from future hurt. I do regret the hurt I’ve caused you†¦if I’d known you’d react and spiral the way you have†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"You can’t take that into consideration,† I said hastily. â€Å"That’s not your fault.† I was surprised to be saying that, but it was true. My bad behavior these last months had been my doing. â€Å"I can’t help it. I’ll always worry about you. Like I said, I feel like no matter what, we’re always going to be connected†¦like there’s something bigger than us at work. As it is†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"What?† â€Å"Never mind.† I stepped forward, never taking my eyes off him. â€Å"Tell me.† â€Å"As it is†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He shrugged. â€Å"Life is easier not dating you. But sometimes†¦it feels incomplete. Like there’s a piece of me missing.† â€Å"And that’s easier?† â€Å"Think of it as winning the lottery and having people waiting on all your needs, but it’s at the cost of, I don’t know, getting your leg amputated.† â€Å"Wow. You should be a writer with that imagery.† He smiled. â€Å"Yeah, yeah. But you know what I mean.† Except, I was missing a part of my life and things were harder, not easier. â€Å"You at least have Maddie.† â€Å"You have Dante.† â€Å"Dante’s not Maddie, believe me.† â€Å"Fair enough. She’s great†¦I care about her†¦love her†¦I don’t know. It’s all just different.† Silence fell, but it was comfortable. â€Å"Good lord. I can’t believe we’re discussing this rationally.† â€Å"See? Not so hard to be friends.† I had my doubts about that. â€Å"I guess.† â€Å"Don’t worry. We’ll keep trying. Before long, we’ll be on a bowling league or something.† He spoke his words lightly, but there was a catch that belied the truth of his words. Being friends wasn’t easy for Seth either. He still cared about me and was suffering just as much as me with this separation. Seeing that made something in me soften. â€Å"Hey, it’s okay. We’ll make this work.† I reached out to hug him, and he automatically returned it. I felt warm and safe and right in his embrace-until he casually squeezed my back. I cried out, jerking away at the pain that shot through me. We sprang apart, and he looked at me in alarm. â€Å"What’s wrong? Are you okay?† â€Å"It’s†¦complicated.† My standard answer to uncomfortable questions. â€Å"Georgina!† â€Å"It’s nothing. Don’t worry about it.† He strode toward me, reached a hand out, then pulled back. Intensity filled his face. â€Å"Are you hurt?† I tried to keep out of his reach. â€Å"Look, I got in a fight last night, and I’m sporting some, uh, residual effects. It’s mostly gone, though, so there’s nothing to worry about.† â€Å"You? Got in a fight? With who?† â€Å"Whom. And it was with Nanette. I told you, it’s nothing.† â€Å"Who’s Nanette?† â€Å"She’s†¦a demon.† He gave me a level look. â€Å"A demon. A full-fledged demon.† â€Å"Something like that.† â€Å"Let me see your back.† â€Å"Seth-â€Å" â€Å"Georgina! Let me see your back.† There was anger in his words, not at me, but at the thought of someone hurting me. It reminded me a little of Dante’s reaction, except that Dante always had a bit of anger in him. It was normal. To see it woken up in Seth†¦to see him so passionate and fierce†¦ Slowly, slowly, I turned around and undid the front of my robe, letting it slip halfway down my back. I heard Seth gasp at what he saw, and then a few moments later, he stepped forward and pushed my hair off my back so that he could get a better view. I shivered when his fingers touched my skin. â€Å"Georgina†¦this is horrible†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"It was worse before.† I spoke flippantly, hoping to deflect his worry and realizing I’d only increased it now. â€Å"Worse?† I tugged the robe up and turned back around. â€Å"Mei healed it. I’m fine.† â€Å"Yeah, it seems that way.† â€Å"Look, it’s nothing you have to worry about.† â€Å"Not worry about?† His eyes were filled with incredulity. â€Å"Even when you’re†¦normal†¦a demon could still kill you, right?† â€Å"Yeah.† Seth put his hand to his forehead and sighed. â€Å"This is what it’s like, isn’t it?† â€Å"What?† â€Å"What you went through with me. Living with the fear that I could die. Having it tear you apart.† I didn’t answer right away. â€Å"You don’t have to worry about me. This’ll work out.† â€Å"Did this†¦did Nanette do this because of your investigating?† I nodded, then crooked him a wry smile. â€Å"Still like how brave I am?† He stepped closer to me and looked me up and down in a way that was so serious, my smile faded. â€Å"Even after this, you aren’t going to stop, are you? You’re going to keep pushing to find Jerome?† â€Å"Do you want me to stop?† This was almost like my earlier conversation with Dante, when he’d made it clear he thought I was a fool for continuing with my quest. Seth’s answer was a long time in coming. â€Å"I don’t want you to get hurt. But I understand you, and I know why you have to do this†¦and it’s still part of that strange, brave nature of yours that’s so†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He didn’t finish, but I saw the anguish in his eyes, the worry and heartache over something happening to me. It was mingled with something else, though. Pride. Affection. I put my arms around him again, wanting to comfort him now. â€Å"Hey, hey. It’s going to be okay. I’ll be okay.† His hands rested on my hips, careful of my back, but honestly, I barely noticed. My attention was on his lips, pressed against my cheek. â€Å"Georgina, Georgina,† he breathed against my skin. â€Å"You are†¦incredible.† And like in the car, I don’t know who exactly was to blame, but our lips met and were kissing again. Unlike before, we didn’t break apart out of shock. We kept kissing. And kissing. His lips were intoxicating and felt like they’d been designed especially for mine. Our bodies pressed against one another, though his embrace was still gentle. As the kiss continued, that same sensation came back to me: this was purely a kiss. Just an expression of love between two people with no dire side effects, no soul stealing. The longer it went on, the more amazed I was. By now, as a succubus, I would have begun to taste his energy and feel his thoughts. But not now. I was alone in my own head, savoring his body and not his soul. We pulled back slightly, and he moved his hands up to the side of my face, smoothing my hair away and touching my cheek. â€Å"Georgina. You are†¦beautiful.† We kissed again, and it was so sweet, so pure, that it didn’t seem possible. I hadn’t had a physical experience that could really be called sweet or pure since†¦well, since my mortal days. But this was. And by pure, I didn’t mean non-sexual†¦because my body was definitely awake and yearning for his. But, it was pure in the sense that there were no ulterior machinations here, just our feelings. My love for him was the turn-on, and as his hands ran down my arms and back to my hips, it was the knowledge that it was Seth that made it all so powerful. His hands carefully moved down to the robe’s tie and undid the knot. He broke the kiss and studied my face as he hesitantly, almost reverently, slipped the robe off me. It hit the floor, and I stepped away from it. Seth moved with me, running his fingers along my arms, leaning down to kiss my neck. I tilted my head back as my own hands began pushing up his T-shirt. When I had it half-way, he paused to push it up the rest of the way. Then his hands were on my waist once more, sliding down and feeling the curve of my hips. I had on plain cotton panties-sexily cut, at least-and his fingertips traced the edges down along my thighs, every touch soft yet quivering with pent-up energy. I don’t think I was being quite as gentle. I was hungry to touch him, eager as I ran my hands along his chest and the lean muscles of his stomach. I wanted to kiss it and taste it and lose myself in all things Seth. I began backing up toward my bedroom, and he followed, turning hesitant once we reached the bed and I started to sit. â€Å"You can’t†¦Ã¢â‚¬  he began. â€Å"I can lie down,† I said, doing exactly that. â€Å"I just can’t slam my back down or anything.† After watching me for a moment, making sure I spoke the truth, Seth took off his jeans and lay down next to me. I rolled slightly to my side, pressing back to him. We resumed kissing, doing no more than that, just letting our nearly bare bodies wrap around each other. Having all this skin touching between us was heady. Never, never had I imagined it could really happen. Our hands explored each other, feeling every line and curve we’d always been denied. Every gesture between us was exquisite. Every caress was a prayer. We regarded each other’s bodies with wonder and joy. When my hands slipped to the edges of his boxers, I found his own fingers were tugging at my panties. We hardly needed any communication, and once completely naked, I wrapped my arms around him, pulling him toward me and seeking the completion with him I’d so long dreamed of. To my surprise, he pulled from my arms and scooted down the bed. â€Å"What are you doing?† I asked. â€Å"This,† he said. He smoothly pushed my legs apart, and I felt him shower my inner thighs with light, delicate kisses. Up and up his warm mouth moved until he made contact with my clit. I gasped softly at the fire that coursed through me from that light flick of the tongue. It was so light†¦yet so powerful. I’d been so intoxicated with the simple fact that we could touch that I hadn’t been consciously aware of just how aroused I had grown. I ached and was wet and nearly melted at his touch. He lifted his mouth up slightly. â€Å"Do you know how long I’ve dreamed about this? To be able to touch you? To taste you?† I had little chance to ponder his rhetorical question because his lips returned to me, sucking and licking, somehow infinitely gentle and blazingly hot at the same time. I closed my eyes and lost myself in the pleasure of it, of Seth bringing me closer and closer to orgasm. As my muscles tightened and my cries grew more frequent, he intensified his movements, his tongue dancing and teasing harder and more rapidly. I wanted to hold off, to prolong this as I did his books, but I couldn’t help it. My climax hit me hard and fast, and I moaned long and low as I came. All the while, Seth kept his mouth down there, refusing to let up as my body arched and trembled from the sparks of ecstasy that flowed through me. When my body finally quieted, he lifted himself up again and returned to my side, showering my chest with more of those tiny kisses. I brought my face to his, trading in the little kisses for one big one. His mouth tasted like me, and I opened my lips farther and farther as our tongues stroked each other. I might have come already, but I still burned between my legs and still needed him. I pressed myself against him, wrapping my legs around him so that there was almost no space between our hips. â€Å"Georgina†¦Ã¢â‚¬  he said warningly. It was another sign of how well we knew each other that I realized he wasn’t worried about asking permission about what came next. He was worried about my back again. So, shifting over, I rolled him to his back and straddled him, looking down at him with a small smile. He gave me an answering one, amused by my ready solution. As we held gazes, I was again overwhelmed with the emotion of the experience, of how indescribable it was to finally touch someone I loved. I had been terrified at the thought of dying, but I realized then that I was only afraid of dying uselessly. For Seth, to save him, I would have gladly laid down my life. He was right. We were connected in something bigger than both of us. Empowered by that realization, I lowered my hips, joining us at last. I felt him enter me, felt him fill me up. We both paused then, neither breathing or moving, half-expecting something to happen or end this. Nothing did, and after that, I didn’t hesitate any further. I slowly moved my hips up and down, savoring the feel of him in me and underneath me as he glided in and out. My hands were on his chest and his were on my hips. Our eyes were on each other, never wavering, never breaking contact. How to describe sex with Seth? It’s difficult. It was unlike anything I’d had in my existence as a succubus. Somewhere, in the back of my head, it resonated with memories of my marriage, when my husband and I had still been happy. Every other instance after that had been lacking†¦until now. Each movement and touch with Seth was a dream, a wonder. The intensity of our lovemaking steadily increased. My need for him grew stronger and stronger, and I rode him with a ferocity that was still tender and full of the love that burned between us. I loved the feel of him, loved how I could thrust him into me, hard and deep. And yet†¦ â€Å"It’s not enough,† I murmured. â€Å"We’re still not close enough.† It might have been a foolish sentiment, considering we were as physically close as two people could be. But Seth understood. â€Å"I know,† he gasped. â€Å"I know. We’ll never be close enough.† Joy lit his face then, and when he came, his body arched up toward mine. I leaned down and increased my rhythm and hardness, wanting so badly to be even closer and have as much of him in me as I could. His mouth parted in a soft moan that mirrored my earlier one, and when he started to instinctively close his eyes, he quickly opened them again to stay locked with my gaze. There was no looking away between us, no avoiding what we felt. As I stared into his eyes and felt his body’s trembling fade, energy seemed to crackle between our souls in a way that had nothing to do with succubus soul-stealing. Carefully, I eased myself off him and lay down on my side again, draping my body over his. I was drowning in feeling and emotion. â€Å"Georgina,† he murmured, pulling me closer. â€Å"You are the world.† I’d heard that somewhere before, but I was too overwhelmed to parse it much. I was too lost in Seth. Instead, what I said was unoriginal but absolutely true: â€Å"I love you.† How to cite Succubus Heat CHAPTER 17, Essay examples

Thursday, December 5, 2019

Music Has Lost Its Meaning free essay sample

Back in the day a performance qualified as someone walking on stage and bearing their soul. It was about the music, and it was about the talent. Now an artist qualifies as someone who Is so bizarre, so outgoing, so appealing they can sell anything. Lately the music industry has been lacking in real talent. Many artists are truly talented, that goes without saying. But this talent tends to be hidden because of the glamour and popularity of their appearance. The reason why certain artistes are so widely popular despite their lack of talent is because they appeal to the masses.Lady Gaga is someone who has entered the world of pop culture and has taken it by storm. Behind all the crazy makeup and fashion choices, Gaga has raw talent. She can actually sing. And her songs are Gaga original. But people dont see Gaga for her vocals; they see the overexposure. We will write a custom essay sample on Music Has Lost Its Meaning or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Justine Bibber has found a way to go from a small town boy to one of Americas heartthrobs. Bibber is so widely known and is selling out show after show because he appeals to the younger generation. It doesnt matter whether he can sing or not. If the masses find him attractive, he will find a way to stay famous.Its a popularity contest, and he is one of the winners. Now an artist is all about the hype. The music Is lost behind all the glitz and glam. No one notices what an artist Is trying to say when theyre distracted by fire and lights and the bizarre. It Is entertaining, no doubt about that. Its fun to see people suspended in midair doing flips, and its fun see people Jump through flaming hoops. But wheres the music? Where are the lyrics? Wheres the heart? The definition of a musical artist has evolved ND changed. Now it is not about the music, Just the appearance. It is not about the talent, Just the entertainment value. The music industry has lost most of its credibility and needs to find a way back to when It was about the feeling and the words, to when lyrics meant something and were not Just random ideas strung together nonsensically. That was when music was the greatest it has ever been. First, you should orient yourself with a marketing term known as positioning. That will help to understand how products ; styles get pigeonholed or stuck into a ay of being perceived by the general public.Fundamentally, rap is very lyric dense poetry in tight syncopation with a rhythm. Like spoken word that rhymes, with a percussion track. So, lyrics can be about ANY subject. However, due to raps typical lyric subject matter, based on the culture of those who started it, rap has position in society. Because of this position, Its difficult to create lyrical themes for rap that deal with other cultures or genres. Commercialism does manage to do this, however, this Is the point where we wonder if an artwork has lost its meaning.In other words, when McDonalds, Ford, Mountain Dew and Coors Light commercials include hot guitar solos or hot hip hop grooves with lyrics merely selling a product, its hard to maintain a special place in your soul for the genre. Its also hard for the like another burger commercial. This is why things cycle out and new things have to come in. The advertising agencies never start rotators. They pick up what the people have their attention on and try to piggyback their Junk food, clothing lines, cars, soft drinks whatever onto anything that will give their stuff the same attention.Then they will sell more. Any popular form of communication art, is subject to exploitation. Then, you have to move onward, if you are depending upon communication arts to help you get meaning from life. So, obviously this isnt simply about rap. Every genre is in the same boat. Artists have to out-create and stay ahead of the commercialism in order to stay sane and maintain meaning. The good news is that artists do keep creating. You Just have to keep up with who the real ones are. Check out the real music magazines (not the lifestyle ; fashion ones).Find out who the artists are listening to and who they like. Skip the critics, because they often represent the commercial side. Serious rap artists have to stay ahead in order to survive and keep the meaning in rap. If they sell out, rap Just becomes a product that people grow bored with. Because of this position, its difficult to create lyrical themes for rap that deal with other cultures or genres.