Symbolism Of The Story Of An Hour By Kate Chopin - 945 Words

Symbolism in â€Å"The Story of an Hour† In her piece â€Å"The Story of an Hour,† Kate Chopin uses several symbols to bring Louise Mallard’s dramatic hour to life, as well as the themes of freedom and disillusionment that come with marriage and life. Chopin used Mrs. Mallard’s heart trouble, the open window and spring life, and her final descent down the stairs that led to her death to show that Louise’s marriage to Brently was suffocating her free spirit and decreasing her quality of life. These main symbols make the reader feel not only that they are in the room with Mrs. Mallard, but are inside her head and can understand all of her thoughts. The frequent use of symbolism enhances the themes of the story and brings out the emotion and deeper meanings that took place in one life changing hour. The first thing that the reader learns is that Mrs. Mallard suffered from heart trouble, which is why her sister Josephine had to break the news of Brently ’s death very gently to her. At first glance, one may think that she is a very frail woman with heart disease; therefore, she cannot take any shocks and must live a very calm life. Furthermore, at the end of the story, when Brently walks through the front door and Mrs. Mallard collapses, the doctor said that â€Å"she had died of heart disease-of joy kills†(Chopin206). However, when Mrs. Mallard is in the bedroom surrounded by the comfort of the armchair, â€Å"her pulse beat fast, and the coursing blood warmed and relaxed every inch of her body†Show MoreRelated The Story of an Hour and The Hand Essay1161 Words   |  5 PagesThe â€Å"Story of an Hour† by Kate Chopin and ‘†The Hand† by Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette are similar in theme and setting. Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette and Kate Chopin create the theme of obligatory love and the unhappiness it entails. Both stories illustrate the concealed emotions many women feel in their marriage y et fail to express them. The two stories take place in a sacred room of the house and both transpire in a brief amount of time. The differences between the two stories are seen through theRead MoreThe Story Of An Hour By Kate Chopin881 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"The Story of an Hour written by Kate Chopin is one of the most popular short story in literature. This story is somewhere reflected on real life of Kate Chopin, where she had to raise six children by herself after her husband’s death and other struggles in society. Kate Chopin used her literature knowledge to show woman’s freedom and other role of woman in society back in 1900th century. â€Å"The Story of an Hour† is also related to woman’s role in society, the story talks about the wife and husband’sRead MoreThe Story Of An Hour By Kate Chopin886 Words   |  4 Pages In Kate Chopin â€Å"The Story of an Hour†, the reader is presented with the theme of prohibited independence. In Kate Chopin â€Å"The Storm†, the scenery in this story builds the perfect atmosphere for an adulterous affair. The importance of these stories is to understand the era they occurred. Kate Chopin wrote stories with exceptional openness about sexual desires. In â€Å"The Storm†, a short story written by Kate Chopin in a time when women were expected to act a certain way and sexual cravings was consideredRead MoreThe Story Of An Hour By Kate Chopin855 Words   |  4 PagesThe Story of an Hour In the â€Å"Story of an Hour† by Kate Chopin, is about pleasure of freedom and the oppression of marriage. Just like in Kate Chopin’s story, inside most marriages, even the ones that seem to be the happiest, one can be oppressed. Even though, one might seem to be happy deep inside they miss the pleasure of freedom and living life to the fullest. Just like, in this story Mrs. Mallard feels trapped and when she hears about her husband’s death she first feels distraught, but ultimatelyRead MoreThe Story Of An Hour By Kate Chopin862 Words   |  4 PagesFiction Analysis: The Story of an Hour Kate Chopin’s short story, â€Å"The Story of an Hour†, is about one married woman’s true hidden feelings of being married in the 19th century. The story was published in 1894, a time where it was unacceptable for women to express their wants and needs as a woman. Women were not seen equal to men and did not have the same privileges as men such as voting. Therefore, some of her literary works were considered controversial. It wasn’t soon until the late 20 centuryRead More Womens Repression in The Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin Essay711 Words   |  3 PagesKate Chopins The Story of an Hour is a great story that conveys an important message about life and how difficult it can be for women, particularly in previous centuries. Back in the late 1800s and early 1900s, when this story was written, women were quite often mistreated and had to live restricted lives that lacked opportunity. Generally, women weren?t liberated during the 19th century. Traditionally , women did all the hard work in the house and had no opportunities to make their own living orRead MoreThe Storm by Kate Chopin1332 Words   |  6 Pagesnoticed about Kate Chopin’s â€Å"The Storm,† is that it is utterly dripping with sexual imagery and symbolism. Our heroine, if you will, seems to be a woman with normally restrained passions and a well-defined sense of propriety, who finds herself in a situation that tears down her restraint and reveals the vixen within. I wonder if it was intentional that the name Calixta makes me think of Calypso – the nymph from Greek mythology. If half of the sexual symbolism I found in this story was intentionalRead MoreEssay about Comp and Lit Comparison of Blue+Yellow/Story of an Hour1296 Words   |  6 Pagesthe short story â€Å"the Story of an Hour† by Kate Chopin and the short story â€Å"blue + yellow† by Chris Killen compare in many ways. These two stories use the same literary device strongly s uch as imagery. Imagery is a literary device in which the author uses words and phrases to paint a picture in the readers head throughout the story. These two short stories are written with very descriptive language to help paint a picture of the occurrences in the story and describe a scene. These two stories also contrastRead MoreFiction Essay657 Words   |  3 PagesAnalysis; the Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin Chopin, Kate. â€Å"The Story of an Hour, Kate Chopin, characters, setting. â€Å"KateChopinorg. Kate Chopin International Society. N.d. web. 20 Nov. 2014. http://www.katechopin.org/the-story-of-an-hour/ This website is from the Author herself. There are many beneficially things from this website. She has a list of characters, the time and place, the themes, when this book was published, etc. It has a lot of helpful information and the story behind this story. I thoughtRead MoreSymbolism in The Story of an Hour758 Words   |  4 PagesSymbolism in the â€Å"Story of an Hour† by Kate Chopin For this lesson I read The Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin. Although there are many literary devices used in The Story of an Hour, I have decided to write my essay on the use of symbolism. The literary device symbolism is a technique used to represent ideas and events by using significant or important things that stand out in the story. A few things that stood out most in the story would be the comfortable chair, and Mrs. Mallards heart

No Lift Policy Free Essays

The given scenario has provided a clear perspective to the correct attitude and compliance ability of the nurses to the ‘no lift’ policy of The Area of Health Services. The complaint has a certain gravity of issue to address but analyzing the situation further may lead to a conclusive approach whether the nurses have actually done the right thing or not. The ‘no lift’ policy was designed to prevent and reduce nurses’ injuries when lifting or moving patients (Morieson, 2000). We will write a custom essay sample on No Lift Policy or any similar topic only for you Order Now As stated in the complaint of the relative, Mrs. McDonald was forced to lift herself up in bed. This phrase may lead to a conclusion that the patient is actually capable of doing the act without any assistance from the nursing staff. She is at least aware of her capability to do a minimal procedure by herself. Although the core service for a nurse is to provide assistance, there are some restrictions that are implemented to benefit both the staff and the patient. Apparently, there is a motion on the nursing profession that provides a chance for the patients to be more independent. This will eventually permit the individual to carry his tasks for self fulfillment. The complaint also stated that the two nurses were negligent of the patient. This may seem to be the case for the relative but the staff actually had the good attitude of complying with the regulations of the ‘no lift’ policy. They have provided a rather complementary act by protecting their own health as well as giving opportunities for Mrs. McDonald to eventually start rehabilitating herself. As a matter of fact, if they had neglected the ‘no lift’ policy just to satisfy the relative’s impressions, they might have been subject to a very high risk of injury. This is one good example on how competent a nurse can be. A professional acts in accordance with own competency level and recognized standards of enrolled nursing practice (ANMC). There is another consideration that should be realized regarding the nurses’ manner in the situation. They have attempted to assist Mrs. McDonald in the most effective way by helping her climb up in bed without lifting her. The patient was able to receive sustainable assistance by guiding her body and gently holding her up to the correct position. This somehow shows that the nurses were still aware what was happening and that made them consider implementing the correct nursing practice enveloped in the nursing practice policy. In a bigger picture, the nurses did the most appropriate approach by not lifting Mrs. McDonald. They were just following a simple rule for the benefit of both parties involved, the patient and themselves. However, the submission of a complaint could have been avoided if there was a complete transparent communication between the nurse and the relative. As stated in the nurse code of ethics, the nurse has a responsibility to inform people about the nursing care that is available to them, and people are entitled morally to accept or reject such care (ANMC, 1993). In this case, it would have been ideal to inform the relative about the ‘no lift’ policy for mutual understanding. Moreover, the nurses should have at least questioned Mrs. McDonald if she actually is capable to lift herself independently. This affirmation may have provided a different perception on the side of the relative since it is the patient’s own judgment about her capability that is of great importance. The complete cooperation of Mrs. McDonald and the nurses should have been the most effective factor to avoid this kind of complaint scenario. References: ANMC. 1993. Code of Ethics for Nurses in Australia. Australian Nursing and Midwifery Council. Retrieved May 18, 2007 from http://www.anmc.org.au/docs/ANMC_Professional_Conduct.pdf. ANMC. National Competency Standards for the Enrolled Nurse. Australian Nursing and Midwifery Council. Retrieved May 18, 2007 from http://www.cshisc.com.au/docs/upload/ANMC%20competencies%20for%20the%20Enrolled%20Nurse.pdf. Morieson, B. 2000. Australian Nursing Federation. Retrieved May 18, 2007 from http://www.anfvic.asn.au/media_releases/010622.html. How to cite No Lift Policy, Essay examples

Strategies Social Media Marketing Creative -Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About The Strategies Social Media Marketing Creative? Answer: Introduction The given study will describe all form of learning that I have gained in academic career. Study will discuss the elements that I have learned about each subject. The knowledge that I have acquired for the academic career will also be highlighted. Hence, I will be able to describe the strengths and weaknesses of each subject according to my capacity. Development of Time management The time management skill is essential in organizing all types of plans that are an essential part of the student life. One of the basic characteristics of effective time management is the ability to operations the end result by smart investment of time. With effective time management it is also possible to reduce the burden of stress. It can therefore help in building of my reputation on the personal and professional note (Kirillov et al. 2015). Currently I face high level of stress as in many cases I am not able to accomplish my tasks on the basis of the given weekly routine. This is mostly due to the fact that I have not learnt the ability to optimize the time. In many cases, I have also wasted time in engaging in video gaming activities. I also lack the ability to manage tasks under the emergency situations. One of the essential barriers of time management for the students is lack of ability to concentration. This is increased due to higher level of stress, which prevent in the matter of focus. I also lack the ability to properly arrange my timetable and accomplish each task on the basis of priority. Hence, in order to make proper usage of the resources, it is necessary to understand the priority of each task that is a part of the university assignment. As a part of essential resources, I need to have a to-do list that can help me to understand the amount of time that is needed in each of the given case. It is also essential to have high level of flexibility within the daily routine that will help to change the same and accomplish high levels of urgent tasks. In order to deal with the stress of time management, it is essential to make short term planning (Hfner et al. 2014). As I waste a lot of my time on doing unnecessary tasks and entertainment activities, it is essential to limit the fun activities. I also need to include short relaxation sessions that can help in effective stress management. In order to deal with the distraction, I need to regularly change my place of study as this can help to provide the fresh energy that is needed to maintain high levels of motivation. Practicing regular mind and physical exercise can also help in the matters of improving the levels o focus. This will help me to provide higher levels of productivity and thereby ensure proper utilization of time. As I am implementing the strategy of smart time management, it is possible to invest more time within the priority of the tasks. As I will be able to follow on my plan, I am able to improve upon my efficiency skills in the completion of the tasks. This is also highly important on the personal note, as I will be able to improve my management skills that is necessary in context of building my future career. This is essential in the context I will able to deal with complex level of tasks. I can also gain the ability to maintain high levels of flexibility with in the daily routine that will allow me to perform all types of daily tasks. Learn how to reference Being a student in one of the top class university, it is essential to have the skills of referencing. This is highly essential to deal with most of the important matters related within the academic papers. The main propose of referencing in case of writing an academic paper is to acknowledge the contribution of other writers. This will help to ensure that there is no risk of plagiarism and copyright violation can be prevented. As a university student I need to use many of the academic ideas relevant to my educational background. As essential resources, I need to make use relevant databases, from where I can get the latest journal articles. Few of the essential databases will include the Charles Darwin University, PubMed, Cinhal and Google Scholar. It is important to gain access of all these databases. I also need to acquire the skills of knowing the proper format of referencing. This will be done according to the requirement of each academic paper. The major barrier that I will face in the given matters of referencing is to get the access of all databases, from where I can get the ideas. I also have difficulty in understanding the difference in various types of reference format. There are negligible differences in each types of referencing style. In most of the cases I fail to identify these minor differences. One of the main strategies that are a part of improving the style of reference includes reading and analyzing research papers. Development of Critical Reading Skills Reading forms an important aspect of the academic life of the students (Cottrell 2017). Most of the universities as well as the colleges of the world insist that the students should develop effective critical reading skills in order to understand the course work and also to apply them in a practical and effective manner (Tenzer, Pudelko and Harzing 2014). Effective reading skills also add to the knowledge of the students (Yeatman et al. 2012). Our professors also insist on the critical reading of the texts and books provided in our course work. I would like to say that initially I used to face a lot of problems in this aspect. It is true that English is my mother tongue language and almost all the course work provided to us is in that language only. However, initially I used to face some problems as regards the reading list provided to us for our course work. Firstly, the texts which we need to follow for our course work contains too many technical terms which I was having problems t o adjust with. Secondly, the texts in our course work were related to the analytical aspect which I had seldom done in the past. Thirdly, in my earlier educational life I was not used to reading so many diverse kinds of texts for my course work. Finally, the materials provided in our course work required us to perform an in-depth study of the material which we had seldom done in the past. I would like to say that the above listed ones are some of the major problems which I used to face in the earlier days. However, soon I developed some effective strategies to overcome them which helped me to improve my performance for the course work. The first one was the help as well as the support provided by my professors. Here, I would like to say that the support provided by them was very important for me to develop my critical reading skills. It is to be noted that the professors were very patient with me and they even repeated the things that they have already completed in the class in order to make me understand the concepts in a much better manner. Some of them were so helpful that they even went to the extent of providing me with extra classes after our usual class hours. I would also like to say that the professors even helped me with auditing reading materials and marked the areas on which I needed to focus more in order to understand the concepts in a much better manner . Secondly, I would also like to say that the support as well as the help provided by my elders and parents at home was also very important. I would also like to say that the help provided by my friends was also very important. We used to arrange group studies in order to help out each other. These in short were some of the problems which I used to face during the initial days of my course work and the methods or the strategies which I adopted to overcome them. I would also like to say that it is because of the help provided by my professors, elders, parents, friends and others that I have been able to develop my critical reading skills and also to implement them for my course work. Navigating SCUs website effectively A recent trend seen among most of the educational institutions of the world is the use of the recent innovations as well as technologies for the purpose of education (Nickerson and Zodhiates 2013). It is seen that most of the universities as well as colleges have their own official websites where they provide the course work, which the students need to follow and they also provide the students with the relevant kind of information about their course work over there (Lewis et al. 2013). The students can also get substantial amount of information about the various assignments as well as projects which they need to complete for their course work over the website (Afshari et al. 2014). Many students consider that the use of technology has actually made their life much easier (Afshari et al. 2014). However, for my part I would say that I am not much a technology savvy person. Thus, during the initial part of our course work I used to face many problems navigating through the SCUs official website. The major problem which I used to face was my lack of expertise to find the projects as well as assignments which I was required to complete. Often, I was not even able to log in to the student portal and had to waste substantial amount of my time just to log in to the students portal. At times, even after logging in to the website I was not able to find the sections where I could see the syllabus for my course work. The above listed are some of the problem which I used to face in the initial days. However, to overcome this I devised some strategies as well as measures. The first step was seeking help from my professors. I would like to say that they were very patient with me and took the trouble to explain each relevant section of the website which I was going to use. The help provided by my friends was also very substantial. They were very patient with me and a friend of mine even downloaded the app of the website in my phone so that I could navigate it effectively. They even took the trouble of showing the places where I could see the assignments which we were required to complete and from where I could see the syllabus for the course work. Thus, I would like to say that it is because of the efforts of my professors as well as friends that I am able to navigate through the SCUs website in a more effective manner. I would also like to say that this has made my life a lot easier as now I do not have to ask the help of my friends time and again or the print out the syllabus as well as assignment requirements for each assignment. Conclusion In the concluding note, it can be said that with the help of the relevant resources, I will be able acquire all types of academic skills that can be used for the better of my career. This is also need to deal with all types of loopholes that currently exist and prevent to establish a good career, References Afshari, M., Bakar, K.A., Luan, W.S., Samah, B.A. and Fooi, F.S., 2014. Factors affecting teachers use of information and communication technology.International Journal of Instruction,2(1). Ashley, C. and Tuten, T., 2015. Creative strategies in social media marketing: An exploratory study of branded social content and consumer engagement. Psychology Marketing, 32(1), pp.15-27. Cottrell, S., 2017.Critical thinking skills. Macmillan Education. Effing, R. and Spil, T.A., 2016. The social strategy cone: Towards a framework for evaluating social media strategies. International journal of information management, 36(1), pp.1-8. Hfner, A., Oberst, V. and Stock, A., 2014. Avoiding procrastination through time management: An experimental intervention study. economics Studies, 40(3), pp.352-360. Kirillov, A.V., Tanatova, D.K., Vinichenko, M.V. and Makushkin, S.A., 2015. Theory and practice of time-management in education. Asian Social Science, 11(19), p.193. Lewis, C.C., Fretwell, C.E., Ryan, J. and Parham, J.B., 2013. Faculty use of established and emerging technologies in higher education: A unified theory of acceptance and use of technology perspective.International Journal of Higher Education,2(2), p.22. Nickerson, R.S. and Zodhiates, P.P. eds., 2013.Technology in education: Looking toward 2020. Routledge. Tenzer, H., Pudelko, M. and Harzing, A.W., 2014. The impact of language barriers on trust formation in multinational teams.Journal of International Business Studies,45(5), pp.508-535. Yeatman, J.D., Dougherty, R.F., Ben-Shachar, M. and Wandell, B.A., 2012. Development of white matter and reading skills.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,109(44), pp.E3045-E3053.

Questions For A Government Assignment Essays - Law, Government

Questions For A Government Assignment National Judiciary 1. During the period before the Constitution was ratified, the Articles of Confederation gave a 2. The Dual Court System works by splitting the courts into 2 distinct systems; the national judiciary system and the state judiciary system. The State Courts deal with most cases in the country. The national judiciary system deals with constitutional and national issues. 3. The 2 kinds of Federal Courts are Special and Constitutional Courts. The Special Courts deal with cases that come from some of the expressed powers given to Congress. The Constitutional Courts are the courts formed by Congress to properly exercise ?the judicial power of the U.S.? The Constitutional Courts consist of The Supreme Court, the Courts of Appeals, the district courts, and the Court of International Trade. The special courts include the Tax Court, the territorial courts, and the Veterans Appeals Courts among others. 4. The Plaintiff is the party who initiates the suit. The defendant is the party who must defend against the complaint. 5. Jurisdiction is the authority of a court to hear and decide a case. 6. Exclusive jurisdiction is the power of federal courts alone to hear certain cases. Concurrent jurisdiction is the power shared by federal and state courts to hear certain cases. Original jurisdiction is the power to hear a case first (before any other court). Appellate jurisdiction is the authority of a court to review decisions of inferior courts. 7. Federal judges are selected by the President of the U.S. of A. on the basis of their political and moral ideals and views. The President usually selects someone who shares the same views as he does. The judges are paid $133,644 annually and they receive retirement benefits as well. The judges are assisted by court clerks, deputy clerks, stenographers, and bailiffs. Inferior Courts 1. The inferior courts are ALL the lower federal courts (those below the Supreme Court). The inferior courts do several things. They try cases and end up handling 80% of the federal caseload. The Court of Appeals are where the decisions of the inferior courts are appealed. The last 2 other inferior courts are the Court of International Trade which deals with civil cases about tariffs and trade-related laws and the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit which deals with certain cases in order to speed up the Appeals process. The biggest importance of the inferior courts to the Federal Court system is that the inferior courts weed out most cases before they reach the Supreme court. This helps to keep the court system working quickly and efficiently. The jurisdiction of the inferior Federal Courts are as follows: District Courts-orginal and the Courts of Appeals-appellate. 2. 2 other Constitutional Courts are the Court of International Trade, which has original jurisdiction, and the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, which has a nationwide jurisdiction. Supreme Court 1. The High Court is the Supreme Court. It is the High Court because it is the highest court in the land. The Supreme Court has the final say in cases arising under the Constitution or cases dealing with U.S. treaties. The Supreme Court has both original and appellate jurisdiction. 2. Judicial review is the power of the courts to determine the constitutionality of the actions of the legislative and executive branches of government. Judicial review came from the Framers of the Constitution and its jurisdiction is both appellate and original. 3. A writ of certiorari is an order by the Supreme Court directing a lower court to send up the record for any given case for its review. 4. A certificate is a method of putting a case before the Supreme Court. It is used a lower court isn't clear about the procedure or the rule of law that should apply in a case and asks the Supreme Court to clarify the answer to a specific question in the matter. 5. The Supreme Court works by first setting a date for the lawyers from both sides to present their oral arguments. After the oral arguments. Before the oral arguments begin, the lawyers file written briefs which cite previous examples in which a court has ruled in favor of their side in a case similar to the one they're arguing. The briefs support one side

US Government Study Guide to the Legislative Branch

US Government Study Guide to the Legislative Branch Before any bill is even debated by the full membership of the House or Senate, it must first successfully make its way the  congressional committee system. Depending on its subject and content, each proposed bill is sent to one or more related committees. For example, a bill introduced in the House allocating federal funds for agricultural research might be sent to the Agriculture, Appropriations, Ways and Means and Budget Committees, plus others as deemed appropriate by the Speaker of the House. In addition, both the House and Senate may also appoint special select committees to consider bills relating to specific issues.Representatives and Senators often try to be assigned to committees they feel best to serve the interests of their constituents. For example, a representative from a farming state like Iowa might seek assignment to the House Agriculture Committee. All representatives and senators are assigned to one or more committees and may serve on a variety of committees durin g their terms in office. The  congressional committee system  is the burial ground for many bills. The US House of Representatives Known as the lower house of the legislative branch, the House of Representatives currently has 435 members. Each member gets one vote on all bills, amendments and other measures brought before the House. The number of representatives elected from each state is determined by the states population through the process of apportionment. Each state must have at least one representative. Apportionment is recalculated every ten years according to the results of the decennial U.S. census. Members of the House represent the citizens of their local congressional districts. Representatives serve two-year terms, with elections held every two years. Qualifications As specified in Article I, Section 2 of the Constitution, representatives: Must be least 25 years of ageMust have been a U.S. citizen for at least 7 yearsMust be a legal resident of the state he or she is elected to represent Powers Reserved to the House To vote on charges of impeachmentTo initiate bills involving the raising of revenue, such as tax bills and the annual appropriations (spending) bills of the annual federal budget House Leadership Speaker of the HouseMajority LeaderLeads the majority party (the party with the majority of votes in the House)Assists the Speaker of the House in making committee appointmentsSchedules floor debate on billsCreates and maintains the House agendaMinority LeaderLeads the opposition party (the party with the minority of votes in the House)Confers with the Majority LeaderFormulates minority party response to the majority party policy and agenda The US Senate Known as the upper house of the legislative branch, the Senate is currently comprised of 100 senators. Each state is allowed to elect two senators. Senators represent all citizens of their states. Senators serve 6-year terms, with one-third of the senators elected every two years. Qualifications As specified in Article I, Section 3 of the Constitution, senators: Must be at least 30 years of ageMust have been a U.S. citizen for at least nine years at the time of their election to the SenateMust be a legal resident of the state they are elected to represent Powers Reserved to the Senate To try officials impeached by the HouseTo confirm presidential nominations, including Supreme Court justices, federal judges, ambassadors and cabinet secretariesTo ratify treaties Senate Leadership The Vice President of the United States: Serves as president (presiding chairman) of the SenatePresident Pro tempore: Presides over the Senate in the absence of the vice president; Is selected by the majority partyMajority and Minority Leaders: Lead their respective party delegations; maintain the Senate agendaMajority and Minority Whips: Attempt to make sure party members vote for bills supported by their party.

Spanish Verbs for Trying

Spanish Verbs for Trying To try is one of those English verbs that will steer you down the wrong path if you try to translate it with just one Spanish verb. This lesson looks at the most common ways of expressing the idea of trying and related phrases such as to try to or to try out. Fast Facts Tratar de and intentar are are the most common ways of translating try when it means to attempt something.Esforzarse and phrases using esfuerzo can also be used to emphasize the effort given.When try refers to a testing or testing out, the preferred translation is usually probar. Trying as Attempting When try means attempt, it can usually be translated as tratar de or intentar followed by an infinitive. The two are roughly synonymous, although tratar de is more common. Note that intentar is a false friend to the English verb to intend - intentar involves an actual attempt, not a mere intent as the English verb does. Tratamos de hacer lo mejor para conseguir el objetivo. (We are trying to do what is best in order to reach the objective.)Trataron de resucitar al cantante durante ms de una hora en el hospital. (They tried to resuscitate the singer for more than an hour in the hospital.)Trataremos de resolver sus problemas. (We will try to resolve your problems.)Vamos a tratar de ganar el campeonato. (We are going to try to win the championship.)Intentamos resolver las dudas que puedan surgir. (We are trying to resolve the doubts that may arise.)Intentar es major que esperar. (Trying is better than waiting.)Me intentaron hacer un fraude. (They tried to commit a fraud against me.)Intento comprender la verdad. (I am trying to understand the truth.) Trying as Testing When to try means to test, as the phrase to try out often does, you can often use the verb probar: Probamos algo nuevo. (Were trying something new.)Los estudiantes probaron comidas de los diferentes paà ­ses. (The students tried meals of different countries.)Los terroristas probaban gases venenosos experimentando con perros. (The terrorists tried out poisonous gases by experimenting with dogs.)Me probà © la camisa y vi que estaba hecha exactamente a mi medida. (I tried on the shirt and saw that it was made exactly to my size.)Desde que probà © su consejo, mi vida cambià ³ para siempre. (Ever since I tried her advice, my life has been forever changed.)Pues, pruà ©balo y vers. (Here, try it out and youll see.)Voy a probar un nuevo truco de magia. (Im going to try a new magic trick.)Probà © suerte de nuevo y abrà ­ mi propio negocio. (I tried my luck again and opened my own business.) Trying as an Effort To try in the sense of put forth an effort can often be translated as esforzarse or a phrase such as hacer un esfuerzo por. Although intentar and tratar de can also indicate an effort, they put less emphasis on it than do esforzarse and phrases using esfuerzo. Sà © que puedes esforzarte ms. (I know you can try harder.)Me esfuerzo con toda intensidad por ser sincero. (Im trying as hard as I can to be honest.)Pero yo me esfuerzo todo lo que puedo. (Im trying to do everything I can.)Hago un esfuerzo por  apartar de mi mente lo ocurrido y concentrarme en mi trabajo. (Im trying to get my mind off of what happened and concentrate on my work.)Volvià ³ al sillà ³n e  hizo un esfuerzo por  relajarse.  (She returned to the rocking chair and tried to relax.)Es necesario hacer un esfuerzo. (It is necessary to try.) Legal Use of 'Try' To try in the sense of to put on trial can be expressed by procesar or juzgar: El juez procesà ³ ayer a ocho personas por el robo de armas de guerra. The judge yesterday tried eight people for the theft of military weapons.Juzgaron a los activistas de Greenpeace en Espaà ±a. The Greenpeace activists were tried in Spain. 'Try' as a Noun Try as a noun can often be translated well using intento: Haz de nuevo el intento. Give it another try. ¡Al menos hicieron  su mejor intento! At least they gave it their best try!Al menos resulta un intento divertido. (At least it was a fun try.)

Shaping a Life Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Shaping a Life - Essay Example The realization came to me that I have lost a lot of time and that I was not getting any younger. I felt the need for a purpose for living so I decided to make things better by being focused of what I want to achieve in life. Things begun to change as I gathered myself up with my social life improving by the day, recuperating the self-esteem I have lost when I was walking without direction. Hard times pushed me to find comfort in relationships but the contentment I have been looking for was never satisfied so that finding the man who later became my husband gave me a fresh hope on love and life. I finally learned to trust a man on a deeper level where I know my respect to a person is equally reciprocated, making my marriage to my husband another big event in my life that has left an indelible impact. November 17, 2005 is a day to cherish for me and my husband exchanged vows on this wonderful day and wonderful things just kept coming. As we expressed our love to each other, our greate st blessings have been showered upon us in the coming years. My husband and I now have two beautiful children whom we cherish. As for me, their birth has been life changing. It made me feel a greater sense of value, leading me to reset my priorities. I can now say I am a mother full of love that I could shower upon my children and husband, making sure they will always be assured of the support and love expected from me.

Financial Institutions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Financial Institutions - Essay Example A financial institution has a pool of experts in the fields of investment planning, estate planning, tax planning, and other financial matters at the household level. I do not believe that a busy person who hates numbers and anything about finances will want to have the burden of learning all these. Therefore, a financial institution provides an individual the expertise and perhaps the peace of mind that he will not be burdened with debt once he religiously follows a financial plan. Financial institutions also act as intermediaries for individuals, governments, and businesses, but they treat each customer differently according to the category which one belongs. For individuals, as hinted earlier, they provide financial information where the individual is more likely uninformed. For governments and businesses, they treat them almost the same as institutions but depending on their credit rating. I believe individuals without a finance background have other subjects, interests, or callings. Or perhaps, they are afraid of anything related to money. Nevertheless, financial information is necessary. Therefore, financial institutions bridge that gap of ignorance by providing financial education and information to the public. For the most part, financial institutions deal with businesses as brokers for debts and other sources of money. Of course, this is different for individuals. An ordinary citizen needs financial information in order to live below his means. Businesses need capital and financial information necessary for huge investments.

Speech on Everyone Is Human Being Essay Example for Free

Speech on Everyone Is Human Being Essay Sir,Madam.. I am here to present the speech which is about â€Å"Every One is a Human Beign†. My story begins like this. A mother gives a birth to a living creature and We called it as â€Å"An infant†. You, Me and We all were borned because of a mother. When we were in our infantry age, We didn’t know so much things. There had very few things with us. We knew how to smile, how to cry and how to get loved. After becoming older.. Humans learn lot of things. They learn science, Maths, Religion and Languages.. But they forget the initial facts which had with them in born.. They try to cover their real smile, they try to show fake smile, fake feelings and they are running like rats for searching money. They don’t care each others. They don’t like to thing we all are human beigns and they haven’t time too to think so. Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. Furthermore, no distinction shall be made on the basis of the political, jurisdictional or international status of the country or territory to which a person belongs, whether it be independent, trust, non-self-governing or under any other limitation of sovereignty. Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person. They are human just like you and me. They have emotions just like you and me. sadness, happiness, loneliness put it this way, whatever you are feeling everyone in the world can and will feel. so instead of putting them in your mind as better than me put in your mind your as good as they are. We all want to live by each other’s happiness, not by each other’s misery. We don’t want to hate and despise one another. In this world there is room for everyone and the earth is rich and can provide for everyone.The way of life can be free and beautiful.But we have lost the way. Reality is what you believe in. There is no such thing as a fish as fals e reality! So if you put in your mind that everyone else is human, all lonely individuals looking for other people to meet. well then that is exactly what they are.

dante :: essays research papers

Dante Alighieri (1265-1321) The greatest Italian poet and one of the most important writers of European literature. Dante is best known for the epic poem COMMEDIA, c. 1310-14, later named LA DIVINA COMMEDIA. It has profoundly affected not only the religious imagination but all subsequent allegorical creation of imaginary worlds in literature. Dante spent much of his life traveling from one city to another. This had perhaps more to do with the restless times than his wandering character or fixation on the Odyssey. However, his Commedia can also be called a spiritual travel book. "It were a shameful thing if one should rhyme under the semblance of metaphor or rhetorical similitude, and afterwards, being questioned thereof, should be unable to rid his words of such semblance, unto their right understanding." (from Vita Nuova, c. 1293) Dante Alighieri was born into a Florentine family of noble ancestry. Little is known about Dante's childhood. His mother, Bella degli Abati, died when he was seven years old. His father, Alighiero II, made his living by money-lending and renting of property. After the death of his wife he remarried, but died in the early 1280s, before the future poet reached manhood. Brunetto Latini, a man of letters and a politician, became a father figure for Dante, but later in his Commedia Dante placed Latini in Hell, into the seventh circle, among those who were guilty of "violence against nature" - sodomy. Dante received a thorough education in both classical and Christian literature. At the age of 12 he was promised to his future wife, Gemma Donati. Dante had already fallen in love with another girl whom he called Beatrice. She was 9 years old. Years later Dante met Beatrice again. He had become interested in writing verse, and although he wrote several sonnets to Beatrice, he never mentioned his wife Gemma in any of his poems. One of his early sonnets Dante sent to the poet Guido Cavalcanti, which started their friendship. Dante also dedicated his first book to Cavalcanti. The work, LA VITA NUOVA (1292), celebrated Dante's love for Beatrice. The nature of his love had its roots in the medieval concept of "courtly love" and the idealization of women. According to another theory, Beatrice was actually a symbol of 'Santa Sapienza', which united secret societies of the day. Harold Bloom in The Western Canon (1994) sees Beatrice as Dante's greatest muse, his invention, who saved him "by giving him his greatest image for poetry, and he saved her from oblivion, little as she may have wanted such salvation.

Skills of a Project Manager

13_26_ch02. fm Page 13 Friday, September 8, 2000 2:43 PM Chapter 2 Basic Skills for Project Managers Be not afraid of greatness; some are born great; some achieve greatness—others have greatness thrust upon them. William Shakespeare Twelfth Night Introduction Before now, we had discussed project management in the broad sense, that is, from the perspective that any type of project—industrial assembly line, new construction, or technology implementation— operated by the same sets of rules and processes. For the remainder of this book, we focus on the last type of project and its leader—the IT project manager.Project managers are a very special breed of people. They are in much demand and will be increasingly so as the need for effective technologists continues to soar. Good technology project managers are trained, not born. They develop skills through experience and education. They become better project managers each time they successfully deliver a project. They learn new techniques and apply them on their projects. They learn lessons—sometimes the hard way—to be better managers in the future. 13 13_26_ch02. fm Page 14 Friday, September 8, 2000 2:43 PM What Does a Project Manager Do?Briefly, technology project managers fulfill the following broad requirements: G G G G G G G G Define and review the business case and requirements by regular reviews and controls to ensure that the client receives the system that he or she wants and needs. Initiate and plan the project by establishing its format, direction, and base lines that allow for any variance measurements and change control. Partner with the end users, work with project sponsors and other management to establish progress and direction of the project by achieving goals, reaching targets, solving problems, mitigating risks.Manage the technology, people, and change in order to achieve goals, reach targets, and deliver the project on time and within budget. Manage the pro ject staff by creating an environment conducive to the delivery of the new application in the most cost-effective manner. Be able to manage uncertainty, rapid change, ambiguity, surprises, and a less defined environment. Manage the client relationship by using an adequate direct yet complete and formal reporting format that compliments a respected and productive relationship. Drive the project by leading by example, and motivating allconcerned until the project accomplishes its goal.Now let us examine the skills and qualities needed to meet these requirements. Necessary Skills The skills that a good project manager possesses are many and varied, covering the entire spectrum of the human personality. We can divide these skills into a number of specific categories, namely: 14 Chapter 2 | Basic Skills for Project Managers 13_26_ch02. fm Page 15 Friday, September 8, 2000 2:43 PM Personal Skills Project Managers must be able to motivate and sustain people. Project team members will look to the project manager to solve problems and help with removing obstacles.Project managers must be able to address and solve problems within the team, as well as those that occur outside the team. There are numerous ways, both subtle and direct, in which project managers can help team members. Some examples include the following: G G G G G G Manage by example (MBE). Team members will be closely watching all actions of the project manager. Therefore, project managers must be honest, direct, straightforward, and knowledgeable in all dealings with people and with the project. A good manager knows how to work hard and have fun, and this approach becomes contagious.A positive attitude. Project managers must always have a positive attitude, even when there are substantial difficulties, problems, or project obstacles. Negative attitudes erode confidence, and a downward spiral will follow. Define expectations. Managers who manage must clearly define what is expected of team members. It is i mportant to do this in writing—get agreement from the individual team members. This leaves no room for problems later, when someone states â€Å"It’s not my job. † Performance expectations must be defined at the start of the project.Be considerate. Project management is a demanding job with a need for multiple skills at many levels. Above all, be considerate and respectful, and give people and team members the time and consideration they deserve. Make people aware that their efforts are appreciated and the work that they do is important, because it is. A letter, personal word, or e-mail of appreciation goes a long way. Be direct. Project managers are respected if they are direct, open, and deal with all types of problems. Never conceal problems or avoid addressing them.If a problem is bigger than the project manager or the team can deal with, escalate it to senior management. Never make commitments that cannot be delivered. Finally, a favorite and personal rule of the author: â€Å"Underpromise, then over-deliver. † 15 Necessary Skills 13_26_ch02. fm Page 16 Friday, September 8, 2000 2:43 PM Technical Skills There are two schools of thought about the level needed for technical skills. Some project managers prefer to have little technical knowledge about the projects they manage, preferring to leave the technical management to other junior managers, such as programming managers or network managers.Others have detailed technical skills of computer languages, software, and networks. There is no hard and fast rule. It really depends on the type and size of projects, their structure, resources available, and the project environment. Questions that project managers should ask include the following: 1. What types of technical problems require management? 2. Who will solve them? 3. Is it done with quality and satisfaction? 4. Who can I rely on in my project team? 5. What outside resources, if any, can I draw on for assistance?As with all em ployees, project managers should have the technical knowledge and skills needed to do their jobs. If managers lack these skills, training is one option; being mentored or coached by a more experienced individual is another. Senior management should ask the question, Do your project managers need more technical skills than they already possess? On larger complex projects, such as systems integration projects or multiple-year projects, there are frequently too many complex technologies for the project manager to master.Technical training that provides breadth may be useful. On smaller projects, the project manager may also be a key technical contributor. In this case, technical training may enhance the abilities of project managers to contribute technically, but it is unlikely to improve their management skills. One thing is abundantly clear—the project manager is ultimately responsible for the entire management of the project, technical or otherwise, and will require solutions to the technical issues that will occur. 16 Chapter 2 | Basic Skills for Project Managers 3_26_ch02. fm Page 17 Friday, September 8, 2000 2:43 PM Management Skills Project managers need other key skills besides those that are purely technical to lead and deliver on their projects successfully. A good project manager needs to understand many facets of the business aspect of running a project, so critical skills touch on expertise in the areas of organization, communication, finance, and human resources. The following are examples of the management topics used in training effective project managers: G G G G G G G G G G G G G G GProject planning, initiation, and organization Recruiting people and keeping them Effective project negotiation Software tools for project management Accurate estimating and cost control Project execution and control Developing powerful project presentations and reports Personal and project leadership Managing risk and making decisions Effective problem manage ment Performance management Managing the projects within the organization Project management professional (PMP) exam review Growing and sustaining a high-performance team Managing change within an organizationThis last skill cannot be over-emphasized. Although we worry about whether the technology selected is the correct one for the organization and will lead to success, projects do not generally fail because of lack of adequate technology. Statistically, most projects fail because the â€Å"soft science† portions of the project have not received enough attention—the human factor has not been adequately addressed. Change, whether for good or for bad, is stressful on an organization and its personnel. The ability to manage this change is one area in which any good project manager would do well to hone skills.Necessary Skills 17 13_26_ch02. fm Page 18 Friday, September 8, 2000 2:43 PM Coping Skills A good project manager has to acquire a number of skills to cope with dif ferent situations, conflicts, uncertainty, and doubt. This means: G G G G G Being flexible Being persistent and firm when necessary Being creative, even when the project does not call for it Absorbing large volumes of data from multiple sources Being patient but able to differentiate between patience and action Being able to handle large amounts of continuous, often unrelenting stressG Additionally, good project managers have high tolerance for surprises, uncertainty, and ambiguity. Projects rarely progress the way that they are defined, and managers need to manage the uncertainty that comes with that. Manage One Project—or Many? There is no simple answer to this question: some managers are able to juggle multiple projects and disparate deadlines successfully, and others are not. In these days of multiple projects that have to be delivered quickly, it is very possible that management will require managing multiple projects.However, this brings a risk. Will project managers be stretched too thin? Again, there is no single, reliable answer. Project managers and senior management need to ask themselves some basic questions: G G How much support will be provided? How many people are on the project? Are they part-time or fulltime? What are the management challenges? An adequately budgeted project may require less effort to manage than one that is extremely thin. Chapter 2 | Basic Skills for Project Managers G 18 13_26_ch02. fm Page 19 Friday, September 8, 2000 2:43 PM G G GAre all the projects in the same physical location or will the project manager spend a lot of time traveling? Do all the projects involve the same technology? The same business cultures? The same set of stakeholders? How many of the projects have important deadlines that are close together? The answers to these questions will aid in determining whether multiple projects can share a management resource. The more complex the projects from the standpoints of staffing, budgeting, and technolog y, the more likely it is that they will need a dedicated resource to manage them adequately.Project Management Skills Development One of the surest ways to align strategies and work force competencies with enterprise vision is to create a road map from vision to execution. A skills management process starts in the future and works its way back to the present. An IT skills management process, for example, links the enterprise vision to a technology forecast. The technology forecasts to required skills, the required skills to the IT skills inventory, the skills inventory to the IT staff’s competence levels, and the competence levels to gaps and to the time frame during which those gaps need to be filled.Leadership, team building, marketing, business savvy, project management, manufacturing know-how, functional expertise, and institutional knowledge all are part of the skills picture. Skills management serves as an order for managing the work force (see Figure 2–1). It la ys out a road map for skills development, work role definition, career tracks, resource management, staffing allocation, workload balancing, and learning. With a road map, all members of the work force can fit their strengths, weaknesses, and alternatives into the enterprise’s plans.Skills management is becoming a lifeline in a turbulent IT labor market. Midsize and large enterprises, businesses in the private and public sectors, aggressive and conservative companies—all are looking at skills management with renewed interest. Many enterprises now recognize that the combined lack of enterprise planning, imagination, and Project Management Skills Development 19 13_26_ch02. fm Page 20 Friday, September 8, 2000 2:43 PM Enterprise Objective Forecast Where does the enterprise want to be in 36 months? What information, technologies and skills will it need to get there?What skills are in-house (e. g. , technical, business, leadership and project management)? What skills will i t need in 12 months? 24 months? 36 months? How valuable will today’s skills be in 12 months? 24 months? 36 months? How proficient are the IS staff members in the established and the needed skills? What education and training will the enterprise offer, to whom and how will it provide this? What sources of IT skills — internal and external — can we use to fill the gaps? Skill Inventory Skill Definition Strategic Skill Valuation Proficiency LevelsLearning Portfolio Sourcing Figure 2–1 Skills Management—A Road Map for the Work Force (Source: Gartner Group, Inc. ). foresight are as much to blame for today’s labor crunch as is the shortage of relevant IT skills. In that climate, skills management can be a powerful tool for bringing discipline, rationale, and cross-pollination to an underused process. Even more enticing, many IT professionals, under the mantle of career â€Å"entrepreneurism,† will throw in their lot with enterprises that ha ve clearly committed to and funded skills management programs.Having a road map with which to guide career development is more meaningful than wandering until serendipity strikes. Three years ago, when large organizations first began covering the area of skills management, it was a process reserved for the most progressive enterprises. By methodically and meticulously forecasting, classifying, analyzing, and taking inventory of skills, progressive enterprises could identify the urgency and volume of skills gaps, create focused training programs, and add some rational thinking to their sourcing strategies.Skills management continues to satisfy those needs, even fos20 Chapter 2 | Basic Skills for Project Managers 13_26_ch02. fm Page 21 Friday, September 8, 2000 2:43 PM tering a niche market of consultants and software developers that are eager to bring order to IT Human Resource management. Before moving on, it is beneficial to make sure that everybody is speaking the same language. I n the Gartner Group’s definition of perspective, skills management is a robust and systematic approach to forecasting, identifying, cataloguing, evaluating, and analyzing the work force skills, competencies and gaps that enterprises face.Although many programs and initiatives adopt the label skills management, most of them focus on skills inventory and fall short in analysis and forecasting. A well-designed skills management process injects a stronger dose of discipline, coordination, and planning into work force planning, strategic planning, professional training and development programs, resource allocation maneuvering, and risk analysis and assessment. Enterprises can reap several lessons from skills management. Skills management works if it: G G G G GG Defines skills for roles Forces forward thinking Forces some documentation of what makes an IT professional especially proficient Strengthens the organization Leads to focused training, risk assessment, sourcing strategy, a nd resource allocation via gap identification Attracts high-level endorsement Does not define work roles Lacks plans or incentive for refreshment Communicates its purpose poorly Provides differing language and terminology Force-fits skills and work roles to policies, rather than driving new frameworksSkills management does not work if it: G G G G G Project Management Skills Development 21 13_26_ch02. fm Page 22 Friday, September 8, 2000 2:43 PM Skills Management Case Study A North American manufacturing company set a goal to boost revenue by $300 million within three years. Key to the growth was a new way of dealing with information and IT. First, hoarding of information by divisions had to give way to enterprise ownership of information.Second, ubiquitous access to information required a managed and enterprise-wide migration to standards, interoperability, common platforms, and client/server technology. Finally, the vision of ubiquitous access depended on substantially upgrading th e IT organization’s skill base, supplementing and supplanting mainframe skills with skills associated with distributed processing and client/server application development.The company embarked on an ambitious initiative designed to cultivate the technical skills and business understanding of the IT professionals. The initiative—notably, company-wide skill identification and continuous training—will help the company to raise its skills level and will give IT employees control of their professional development. Elements of the IT professional development initiative included: GIdentifying eight areas of IT professional skills, technical skills being only one area (a detailed discussion on the eight areas identified follows this list) Assigning company values to skills for the near term, short term, and long term Evaluating employee competence levels within the eight areas of IT professional skills Providing continuous training in critical skills, both technical and non-technical Establishing an IT mentor program Supervisors providing performance planning and coaching Establishing team and peer feedback Flattening the IT organization from 18 to 5 titles Chapter 2 | Basic Skills for Project ManagersG G G G G G G 22 13_26_ch02. fm Page 23 Friday, September 8, 2000 2:43 PM G Mapping skills and performance values to â€Å"salary zones† within the flatter organization With the help of outside experts, IT executives identified more than 125 skills in eight areas of IT professional development. The eight areas of focus for IT professional development and a sampling of associated skills include: GCustomer focus—employee possesses knowledge of customers’ business needs and expectations; delivers constructive qualitative feedback to customers, meets deadlines, and works with customers to set requirements and schedules Technical skills—employee possesses skills related to programming, computer-aided software engineering, deskt op client services, enterprise infrastructure applications, technical software, and hardware support Product or technology evaluation and expertise—employee analyzes and compares products, makes sound recommendations within the company architecture, understands and recognizes limitations of technologies, can communicate the fundamentals of technology to others, and uses technical team resources to resolve or avoid technology-based problems Business and application expertise—employee possesses knowledge of business-specific applications, knows company’s business and local operations, knows the broad application environments (e. g. order entry and accounting), and understands general concepts of business management Project management—employee handles projects of certain size and complexity, estimates project costs and schedules with a degree of accuracy, executes project to plan, manages multiple projects at once, builds teams and organizes team resources, and knows project management tools Interpersonal skills—employee performs as team member or team leader, contributes knowledge to the team and to the organization, and communicates effectively Administrative skills —employee has understanding of budgeting, interviewing, economics of the business, and salary and review process 23 G G G G G G Project Management Skills Development 13_26_ch02. fm Page 24 Friday, September 8, 2000 2:43 PM G Soft skills—employee displays leadership, forward thinking, initiative, drive for education, and commitment to organizational structure and development.Each skill receives a weighting factor based on its strategic significance to the company during the next 12 months, the next 12 to 24 months, and the next 24 to 60 months. A skill considered critical to the company earns a weight of 6; a skill with no value to the company earns a weight of 0. After the company skills are identified and their weights assigned, employee skills are c rosschecked against the company skills and assigned a score based on the employee’s competence level. Employee competence levels range from 6 to 1, that is, from mastery to basic understanding. (A competence score of zero is reserved for skills that are either not applicable or not possessed by the employee. Employees then compare their competence scores with those they receive from their peers, team leaders, and supervisors. To see the scoring mechanism in action, assume that the company assigns COBOL programming skills a weight of 4 for the next 12 months and a weight of 3 for the following 12 to 24 months. At the same time, an IT employee earns a score of 3 for average skills in COBOL programming. Given the framework, the value of those skills to the employee will be 12 during the next 12 months, but the value will decline to 9 during the next 12 to 24 months. Continuous training is considered essential to the program’s success. Here, the IT executives are seeking t o develop an implicit promise between the company and the employees.The company promises to provide the resources and opportunities for training—time, funding, and identification and valuation of strategic skills— if the employees promise to use the training to bridge gaps in the company skills base and in their own skill levels. Armed with the company skills inventory and personal competence scores, employees who take the appropriate training will see their value to the company rise. Employees who choose to forgo appropriate training will see their value diminish. On the plus side, the skills and training program has forced the company to view the IT organization in terms of skills and long-term corporate objectives, not simply in terms of head count.Moreover, employees have responded positively to a program that puts professional development in their hands. On the negative side, skills identification and buy-in from IT managers take so long that the initiative risks losing momentum. 24 Chapter 2 | Basic Skills for Project Managers 13_26_ch02. fm Page 25 Friday, September 8, 2000 2:43 PM Keys to a Successful Skills Management Endeavor Three areas must be worked out for a skills management initiative to be successful: 1. Employees have to adopt the program as their own, rather than as a management dictate, including the employees assuming control of their own professional development 2. Supervisors have to surrender some control over employee development 3.Executives must ensure that employees use metrics as a tool for professional development, not as a weapon in cutthroat competition As enterprises turn to technology to reach the next level of corporate performance, IT organizations should identify the skills they need to meet the corporate objectives. Through a program of skills identification, IT organizations can see the holes in their coverage, set priorities for projects, define which training is required, and determine which skills may nee d third-party coverage. A commitment to funding for training is essential. Conclusions Rarely has a professional field evolved as rapidly as project management. It is totally different from what it was even 10 years ago.The struggle to stay abreast of new and rapidly evolving technologies, to deal with accumulated development and maintenance backlogs, and to cope with people issues has become a treadmill race as software groups work hard just to stay in place. A key goal of disciplined project managers is to avoid the surprises that can occur when these surprises almost always lead to bad news: canceled projects, late delivery, cost overruns, dissatisfied customers, outsourcing, termination, and unemployment. Indeed, we need to develop management by surprise (MBS) as a project management technique! Keys to a Successful Skills Management Endeavor 25 13_26_ch02. fm Page 26 Friday, September 8, 2000 2:43 PM As we have discussed in this chapter, project managers are a special breed of p eople.The skills that they develop are a cross between a diplomat, ballet dancer, and a Marine Corps drill sergeant—all while having the patience of Job. These skills will serve them well for future higher-level positions as Vice Presidents, Chief Information Officers (CIOs), and Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of the corporations for which they work. The culture of an organization is a critical success factor in its efforts to survive, improve, and flourish. A culture based on a commitment to project management and delivering quality projects and effective management differentiates a team that practices excellent project management from a flock of individual programmers doing their best to ship code. Projects rarely fail—but people do. 26 Chapter 2 | Basic Skills for Project Managers Skills of a Project Manager 13_26_ch02. fm Page 13 Friday, September 8, 2000 2:43 PM Chapter 2 Basic Skills for Project Managers Be not afraid of greatness; some are born great; some achieve greatness—others have greatness thrust upon them. William Shakespeare Twelfth Night Introduction Before now, we had discussed project management in the broad sense, that is, from the perspective that any type of project—industrial assembly line, new construction, or technology implementation— operated by the same sets of rules and processes. For the remainder of this book, we focus on the last type of project and its leader—the IT project manager.Project managers are a very special breed of people. They are in much demand and will be increasingly so as the need for effective technologists continues to soar. Good technology project managers are trained, not born. They develop skills through experience and education. They become better project managers each time they successfully deliver a project. They learn new techniques and apply them on their projects. They learn lessons—sometimes the hard way—to be better managers in the future. 13 13_26_ch02. fm Page 14 Friday, September 8, 2000 2:43 PM What Does a Project Manager Do?Briefly, technology project managers fulfill the following broad requirements: G G G G G G G G Define and review the business case and requirements by regular reviews and controls to ensure that the client receives the system that he or she wants and needs. Initiate and plan the project by establishing its format, direction, and base lines that allow for any variance measurements and change control. Partner with the end users, work with project sponsors and other management to establish progress and direction of the project by achieving goals, reaching targets, solving problems, mitigating risks.Manage the technology, people, and change in order to achieve goals, reach targets, and deliver the project on time and within budget. Manage the pro ject staff by creating an environment conducive to the delivery of the new application in the most cost-effective manner. Be able to manage uncertainty, rapid change, ambiguity, surprises, and a less defined environment. Manage the client relationship by using an adequate direct yet complete and formal reporting format that compliments a respected and productive relationship. Drive the project by leading by example, and motivating allconcerned until the project accomplishes its goal.Now let us examine the skills and qualities needed to meet these requirements. Necessary Skills The skills that a good project manager possesses are many and varied, covering the entire spectrum of the human personality. We can divide these skills into a number of specific categories, namely: 14 Chapter 2 | Basic Skills for Project Managers 13_26_ch02. fm Page 15 Friday, September 8, 2000 2:43 PM Personal Skills Project Managers must be able to motivate and sustain people. Project team members will look to the project manager to solve problems and help with removing obstacles.Project managers must be able to address and solve problems within the team, as well as those that occur outside the team. There are numerous ways, both subtle and direct, in which project managers can help team members. Some examples include the following: G G G G G G Manage by example (MBE). Team members will be closely watching all actions of the project manager. Therefore, project managers must be honest, direct, straightforward, and knowledgeable in all dealings with people and with the project. A good manager knows how to work hard and have fun, and this approach becomes contagious.A positive attitude. Project managers must always have a positive attitude, even when there are substantial difficulties, problems, or project obstacles. Negative attitudes erode confidence, and a downward spiral will follow. Define expectations. Managers who manage must clearly define what is expected of team members. It is i mportant to do this in writing—get agreement from the individual team members. This leaves no room for problems later, when someone states â€Å"It’s not my job. † Performance expectations must be defined at the start of the project.Be considerate. Project management is a demanding job with a need for multiple skills at many levels. Above all, be considerate and respectful, and give people and team members the time and consideration they deserve. Make people aware that their efforts are appreciated and the work that they do is important, because it is. A letter, personal word, or e-mail of appreciation goes a long way. Be direct. Project managers are respected if they are direct, open, and deal with all types of problems. Never conceal problems or avoid addressing them.If a problem is bigger than the project manager or the team can deal with, escalate it to senior management. Never make commitments that cannot be delivered. Finally, a favorite and personal rule of the author: â€Å"Underpromise, then over-deliver. † 15 Necessary Skills 13_26_ch02. fm Page 16 Friday, September 8, 2000 2:43 PM Technical Skills There are two schools of thought about the level needed for technical skills. Some project managers prefer to have little technical knowledge about the projects they manage, preferring to leave the technical management to other junior managers, such as programming managers or network managers.Others have detailed technical skills of computer languages, software, and networks. There is no hard and fast rule. It really depends on the type and size of projects, their structure, resources available, and the project environment. Questions that project managers should ask include the following: 1. What types of technical problems require management? 2. Who will solve them? 3. Is it done with quality and satisfaction? 4. Who can I rely on in my project team? 5. What outside resources, if any, can I draw on for assistance?As with all em ployees, project managers should have the technical knowledge and skills needed to do their jobs. If managers lack these skills, training is one option; being mentored or coached by a more experienced individual is another. Senior management should ask the question, Do your project managers need more technical skills than they already possess? On larger complex projects, such as systems integration projects or multiple-year projects, there are frequently too many complex technologies for the project manager to master.Technical training that provides breadth may be useful. On smaller projects, the project manager may also be a key technical contributor. In this case, technical training may enhance the abilities of project managers to contribute technically, but it is unlikely to improve their management skills. One thing is abundantly clear—the project manager is ultimately responsible for the entire management of the project, technical or otherwise, and will require solutions to the technical issues that will occur. 16 Chapter 2 | Basic Skills for Project Managers 3_26_ch02. fm Page 17 Friday, September 8, 2000 2:43 PM Management Skills Project managers need other key skills besides those that are purely technical to lead and deliver on their projects successfully. A good project manager needs to understand many facets of the business aspect of running a project, so critical skills touch on expertise in the areas of organization, communication, finance, and human resources. The following are examples of the management topics used in training effective project managers: G G G G G G G G G G G G G G GProject planning, initiation, and organization Recruiting people and keeping them Effective project negotiation Software tools for project management Accurate estimating and cost control Project execution and control Developing powerful project presentations and reports Personal and project leadership Managing risk and making decisions Effective problem manage ment Performance management Managing the projects within the organization Project management professional (PMP) exam review Growing and sustaining a high-performance team Managing change within an organizationThis last skill cannot be over-emphasized. Although we worry about whether the technology selected is the correct one for the organization and will lead to success, projects do not generally fail because of lack of adequate technology. Statistically, most projects fail because the â€Å"soft science† portions of the project have not received enough attention—the human factor has not been adequately addressed. Change, whether for good or for bad, is stressful on an organization and its personnel. The ability to manage this change is one area in which any good project manager would do well to hone skills.Necessary Skills 17 13_26_ch02. fm Page 18 Friday, September 8, 2000 2:43 PM Coping Skills A good project manager has to acquire a number of skills to cope with dif ferent situations, conflicts, uncertainty, and doubt. This means: G G G G G Being flexible Being persistent and firm when necessary Being creative, even when the project does not call for it Absorbing large volumes of data from multiple sources Being patient but able to differentiate between patience and action Being able to handle large amounts of continuous, often unrelenting stressG Additionally, good project managers have high tolerance for surprises, uncertainty, and ambiguity. Projects rarely progress the way that they are defined, and managers need to manage the uncertainty that comes with that. Manage One Project—or Many? There is no simple answer to this question: some managers are able to juggle multiple projects and disparate deadlines successfully, and others are not. In these days of multiple projects that have to be delivered quickly, it is very possible that management will require managing multiple projects.However, this brings a risk. Will project managers be stretched too thin? Again, there is no single, reliable answer. Project managers and senior management need to ask themselves some basic questions: G G How much support will be provided? How many people are on the project? Are they part-time or fulltime? What are the management challenges? An adequately budgeted project may require less effort to manage than one that is extremely thin. Chapter 2 | Basic Skills for Project Managers G 18 13_26_ch02. fm Page 19 Friday, September 8, 2000 2:43 PM G G GAre all the projects in the same physical location or will the project manager spend a lot of time traveling? Do all the projects involve the same technology? The same business cultures? The same set of stakeholders? How many of the projects have important deadlines that are close together? The answers to these questions will aid in determining whether multiple projects can share a management resource. The more complex the projects from the standpoints of staffing, budgeting, and technolog y, the more likely it is that they will need a dedicated resource to manage them adequately.Project Management Skills Development One of the surest ways to align strategies and work force competencies with enterprise vision is to create a road map from vision to execution. A skills management process starts in the future and works its way back to the present. An IT skills management process, for example, links the enterprise vision to a technology forecast. The technology forecasts to required skills, the required skills to the IT skills inventory, the skills inventory to the IT staff’s competence levels, and the competence levels to gaps and to the time frame during which those gaps need to be filled.Leadership, team building, marketing, business savvy, project management, manufacturing know-how, functional expertise, and institutional knowledge all are part of the skills picture. Skills management serves as an order for managing the work force (see Figure 2–1). It la ys out a road map for skills development, work role definition, career tracks, resource management, staffing allocation, workload balancing, and learning. With a road map, all members of the work force can fit their strengths, weaknesses, and alternatives into the enterprise’s plans.Skills management is becoming a lifeline in a turbulent IT labor market. Midsize and large enterprises, businesses in the private and public sectors, aggressive and conservative companies—all are looking at skills management with renewed interest. Many enterprises now recognize that the combined lack of enterprise planning, imagination, and Project Management Skills Development 19 13_26_ch02. fm Page 20 Friday, September 8, 2000 2:43 PM Enterprise Objective Forecast Where does the enterprise want to be in 36 months? What information, technologies and skills will it need to get there?What skills are in-house (e. g. , technical, business, leadership and project management)? What skills will i t need in 12 months? 24 months? 36 months? How valuable will today’s skills be in 12 months? 24 months? 36 months? How proficient are the IS staff members in the established and the needed skills? What education and training will the enterprise offer, to whom and how will it provide this? What sources of IT skills — internal and external — can we use to fill the gaps? Skill Inventory Skill Definition Strategic Skill Valuation Proficiency LevelsLearning Portfolio Sourcing Figure 2–1 Skills Management—A Road Map for the Work Force (Source: Gartner Group, Inc. ). foresight are as much to blame for today’s labor crunch as is the shortage of relevant IT skills. In that climate, skills management can be a powerful tool for bringing discipline, rationale, and cross-pollination to an underused process. Even more enticing, many IT professionals, under the mantle of career â€Å"entrepreneurism,† will throw in their lot with enterprises that ha ve clearly committed to and funded skills management programs.Having a road map with which to guide career development is more meaningful than wandering until serendipity strikes. Three years ago, when large organizations first began covering the area of skills management, it was a process reserved for the most progressive enterprises. By methodically and meticulously forecasting, classifying, analyzing, and taking inventory of skills, progressive enterprises could identify the urgency and volume of skills gaps, create focused training programs, and add some rational thinking to their sourcing strategies.Skills management continues to satisfy those needs, even fos20 Chapter 2 | Basic Skills for Project Managers 13_26_ch02. fm Page 21 Friday, September 8, 2000 2:43 PM tering a niche market of consultants and software developers that are eager to bring order to IT Human Resource management. Before moving on, it is beneficial to make sure that everybody is speaking the same language. I n the Gartner Group’s definition of perspective, skills management is a robust and systematic approach to forecasting, identifying, cataloguing, evaluating, and analyzing the work force skills, competencies and gaps that enterprises face.Although many programs and initiatives adopt the label skills management, most of them focus on skills inventory and fall short in analysis and forecasting. A well-designed skills management process injects a stronger dose of discipline, coordination, and planning into work force planning, strategic planning, professional training and development programs, resource allocation maneuvering, and risk analysis and assessment. Enterprises can reap several lessons from skills management. Skills management works if it: G G G G GG Defines skills for roles Forces forward thinking Forces some documentation of what makes an IT professional especially proficient Strengthens the organization Leads to focused training, risk assessment, sourcing strategy, a nd resource allocation via gap identification Attracts high-level endorsement Does not define work roles Lacks plans or incentive for refreshment Communicates its purpose poorly Provides differing language and terminology Force-fits skills and work roles to policies, rather than driving new frameworksSkills management does not work if it: G G G G G Project Management Skills Development 21 13_26_ch02. fm Page 22 Friday, September 8, 2000 2:43 PM Skills Management Case Study A North American manufacturing company set a goal to boost revenue by $300 million within three years. Key to the growth was a new way of dealing with information and IT. First, hoarding of information by divisions had to give way to enterprise ownership of information.Second, ubiquitous access to information required a managed and enterprise-wide migration to standards, interoperability, common platforms, and client/server technology. Finally, the vision of ubiquitous access depended on substantially upgrading th e IT organization’s skill base, supplementing and supplanting mainframe skills with skills associated with distributed processing and client/server application development.The company embarked on an ambitious initiative designed to cultivate the technical skills and business understanding of the IT professionals. The initiative—notably, company-wide skill identification and continuous training—will help the company to raise its skills level and will give IT employees control of their professional development. Elements of the IT professional development initiative included: GIdentifying eight areas of IT professional skills, technical skills being only one area (a detailed discussion on the eight areas identified follows this list) Assigning company values to skills for the near term, short term, and long term Evaluating employee competence levels within the eight areas of IT professional skills Providing continuous training in critical skills, both technical and non-technical Establishing an IT mentor program Supervisors providing performance planning and coaching Establishing team and peer feedback Flattening the IT organization from 18 to 5 titles Chapter 2 | Basic Skills for Project ManagersG G G G G G G 22 13_26_ch02. fm Page 23 Friday, September 8, 2000 2:43 PM G Mapping skills and performance values to â€Å"salary zones† within the flatter organization With the help of outside experts, IT executives identified more than 125 skills in eight areas of IT professional development. The eight areas of focus for IT professional development and a sampling of associated skills include: GCustomer focus—employee possesses knowledge of customers’ business needs and expectations; delivers constructive qualitative feedback to customers, meets deadlines, and works with customers to set requirements and schedules Technical skills—employee possesses skills related to programming, computer-aided software engineering, deskt op client services, enterprise infrastructure applications, technical software, and hardware support Product or technology evaluation and expertise—employee analyzes and compares products, makes sound recommendations within the company architecture, understands and recognizes limitations of technologies, can communicate the fundamentals of technology to others, and uses technical team resources to resolve or avoid technology-based problems Business and application expertise—employee possesses knowledge of business-specific applications, knows company’s business and local operations, knows the broad application environments (e. g. order entry and accounting), and understands general concepts of business management Project management—employee handles projects of certain size and complexity, estimates project costs and schedules with a degree of accuracy, executes project to plan, manages multiple projects at once, builds teams and organizes team resources, and knows project management tools Interpersonal skills—employee performs as team member or team leader, contributes knowledge to the team and to the organization, and communicates effectively Administrative skills —employee has understanding of budgeting, interviewing, economics of the business, and salary and review process 23 G G G G G G Project Management Skills Development 13_26_ch02. fm Page 24 Friday, September 8, 2000 2:43 PM G Soft skills—employee displays leadership, forward thinking, initiative, drive for education, and commitment to organizational structure and development.Each skill receives a weighting factor based on its strategic significance to the company during the next 12 months, the next 12 to 24 months, and the next 24 to 60 months. A skill considered critical to the company earns a weight of 6; a skill with no value to the company earns a weight of 0. After the company skills are identified and their weights assigned, employee skills are c rosschecked against the company skills and assigned a score based on the employee’s competence level. Employee competence levels range from 6 to 1, that is, from mastery to basic understanding. (A competence score of zero is reserved for skills that are either not applicable or not possessed by the employee. Employees then compare their competence scores with those they receive from their peers, team leaders, and supervisors. To see the scoring mechanism in action, assume that the company assigns COBOL programming skills a weight of 4 for the next 12 months and a weight of 3 for the following 12 to 24 months. At the same time, an IT employee earns a score of 3 for average skills in COBOL programming. Given the framework, the value of those skills to the employee will be 12 during the next 12 months, but the value will decline to 9 during the next 12 to 24 months. Continuous training is considered essential to the program’s success. Here, the IT executives are seeking t o develop an implicit promise between the company and the employees.The company promises to provide the resources and opportunities for training—time, funding, and identification and valuation of strategic skills— if the employees promise to use the training to bridge gaps in the company skills base and in their own skill levels. Armed with the company skills inventory and personal competence scores, employees who take the appropriate training will see their value to the company rise. Employees who choose to forgo appropriate training will see their value diminish. On the plus side, the skills and training program has forced the company to view the IT organization in terms of skills and long-term corporate objectives, not simply in terms of head count.Moreover, employees have responded positively to a program that puts professional development in their hands. On the negative side, skills identification and buy-in from IT managers take so long that the initiative risks losing momentum. 24 Chapter 2 | Basic Skills for Project Managers 13_26_ch02. fm Page 25 Friday, September 8, 2000 2:43 PM Keys to a Successful Skills Management Endeavor Three areas must be worked out for a skills management initiative to be successful: 1. Employees have to adopt the program as their own, rather than as a management dictate, including the employees assuming control of their own professional development 2. Supervisors have to surrender some control over employee development 3.Executives must ensure that employees use metrics as a tool for professional development, not as a weapon in cutthroat competition As enterprises turn to technology to reach the next level of corporate performance, IT organizations should identify the skills they need to meet the corporate objectives. Through a program of skills identification, IT organizations can see the holes in their coverage, set priorities for projects, define which training is required, and determine which skills may nee d third-party coverage. A commitment to funding for training is essential. Conclusions Rarely has a professional field evolved as rapidly as project management. It is totally different from what it was even 10 years ago.The struggle to stay abreast of new and rapidly evolving technologies, to deal with accumulated development and maintenance backlogs, and to cope with people issues has become a treadmill race as software groups work hard just to stay in place. A key goal of disciplined project managers is to avoid the surprises that can occur when these surprises almost always lead to bad news: canceled projects, late delivery, cost overruns, dissatisfied customers, outsourcing, termination, and unemployment. Indeed, we need to develop management by surprise (MBS) as a project management technique! Keys to a Successful Skills Management Endeavor 25 13_26_ch02. fm Page 26 Friday, September 8, 2000 2:43 PM As we have discussed in this chapter, project managers are a special breed of p eople.The skills that they develop are a cross between a diplomat, ballet dancer, and a Marine Corps drill sergeant—all while having the patience of Job. These skills will serve them well for future higher-level positions as Vice Presidents, Chief Information Officers (CIOs), and Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of the corporations for which they work. The culture of an organization is a critical success factor in its efforts to survive, improve, and flourish. A culture based on a commitment to project management and delivering quality projects and effective management differentiates a team that practices excellent project management from a flock of individual programmers doing their best to ship code. Projects rarely fail—but people do. 26 Chapter 2 | Basic Skills for Project Managers

The Twilight Saga 3: Eclipse Chapter 11. LEGENDS

â€Å"ARE YOU GONNA EAT THAT HOT DOG?† PAUL ASKED JAcob, his eyes locked on the last remnant of the huge meal the werewolves had consumed. Jacob leaned back against my knees and toyed with the hot dog he had spitted on a straightened wire hanger; the flames at the edge of the bonfire licked along its blistered skin. He heaved a sigh and patted his stomach. It was somehow still flat, though I'd lost count of how many hot dogs he'd eaten after his tenth. Not to mention the super-sized bag of chips or the two-liter bottle of root beer. â€Å"I guess,† Jake said slowly. â€Å"I'm so full I'm about to puke, but I think I can force it down. I won't enjoy it at all, though.† He sighed again sadly. Despite the fact that Paul had eaten at least as much as Jacob, he glowered and his hands balled up into fists. â€Å"Sheesh.† Jacob laughed. â€Å"Kidding, Paul. Here.† He flipped the homemade skewer across the circle. I expected it to land hot-dog-first in the sand, but Paul caught it neatly on the right end without difficulty. Hanging out with no one but extremely dexterous people all the time was going to give me a complex. â€Å"Thanks, man,† Paul said, already over his brief fit of temper. The fire crackled, settling lower toward the sand. Sparks blew up in a sudden puff of brilliant orange against the black sky. Funny, I hadn't noticed that the sun had set. For the first time, I wondered how late it had gotten. I'd lost track of time completely. It was easier being with my Quileute friends than I'd expected. While Jacob and I had dropped off my bike at the garage – and he had admitted ruefully that the helmet was a good idea that he should have thought of himself – I'd started to worry about showing up with him at the bonfire, wondering if the werewolves would consider me a traitor now. Would they be angry with Jacob for inviting me? Would I ruin the party? But when Jacob had towed me out of the forest to the clifftop meeting place – where the fire already roared brighter than the cloud-obscured sun – it had all been very casual and light. â€Å"Hey, vampire girl!† Embry had greeted me loudly. Quil had jumped up to give me a high five and kiss me on the cheek. Emily had squeezed my hand when we'd sat on the cool stone ground beside her and Sam. Other than a few teasing complaints – mostly by Paul – about keeping the bloodsucker stench downwind, I was treated like someone who belonged. It wasn't just kids in attendance, either. Billy was here, his wheelchair stationed at what seemed the natural head of the circle. Beside him on a folding lawn chair, looking quite brittle, was Quil's ancient, white-haired grandfather, Old Quil. Sue Clearwater, widow of Charlie's friend Harry, had a chair on his other side; her two children, Leah and Seth, were also there, sitting on the ground like the rest of us. This surprised me, but all three were clearly in on the secret now. From the way Billy and Old Quil spoke to Sue, it sounded to me like she'd taken Harry's place on the council. Did that make her children automatic members of La Push's most secret society? I wondered how horrible it was for Leah to sit across the circle from Sam and Emily. Her lovely face betrayed no emotion, but she never looked away from the flames. Looking at the perfection of Leah's features, I couldn't help but compare them to Emily's ruined face. What did Leah think of Emily's scars, now that she knew the truth behind them? Did it seem like justice in her eyes? Little Seth Clearwater wasn't so little anymore. With his huge, happy grin and his long, gangly build, he reminded me very much of a younger Jacob. The resemblance made me smile, and then sigh. Was Seth doomed to have his life change as drastically as the rest of these boys? Was that future why he and his family were allowed to be here? The whole pack was there: Sam with his Emily, Paul, Embry, Quil, and Jared with Kim, the girl he'd imprinted upon. My first impression of Kim was that she was a nice girl, a little shy, and a little plain. She had a wide face, mostly cheekbones, with eyes too small to balance them out. Her nose and mouth were both too broad for traditional beauty. Her flat black hair was thin and wispy in the wind that never seemed to let up atop the cliff. That was my first impression. But after a few hours of watching Jared watch Kim, I could no longer find anything plain about the girl. The way he stared at her! It was like a blind man seeing the sun for the first time. Like a collector finding an undiscovered Da Vinci, like a mother looking into the face of her newborn child. His wondering eyes made me see new things about her – how her skin looked like russet-colored silk in the firelight, how the shape of her lips was a perfect double curve, how white her teeth were against them, how long her eyelashes were, brushing her cheek when she looked down. Kim's skin sometimes darkened when she met Jared's awed gaze, and her eyes would drop as if in embarrassment, but she had a hard time keeping her eyes away from his for any length of time. Watching them, I felt like I better understood what Jacob had told me about imprinting before – it's hard to resist that level of commitment and adoration. Kim was nodding off now against Jared's chest, his arms around her. I imagined she would be very warm there. â€Å"It's getting late,† I murmured to Jacob. â€Å"Don't start that yet,† Jacob whispered back – though certainly half the group here had hearing sensitive enough to hear us anyway. â€Å"The best part is coming.† â€Å"What's the best part? You swallowing an entire cow whole?† Jacob chuckled his low, throaty laugh. â€Å"No. That's the finale. We didn't meet just to eat through a week's worth of food. This is technically a council meeting. It's Quil's first time, and he hasn't heard the stories yet. Well, he's heard them, but thiswill be the first time he knows they're true. That tends to make a guy pay closer attention. Kim and Seth and Leah are all first-timers, too.† â€Å"Stories?† Jacob scooted back beside me, where I rested against a low ridge of rock. He put his arm over my shoulder and spoke even lower into my ear. â€Å"The histories we always thought were legends,† he said. â€Å"The stories of how we came to be. The first is the story of the spirit warriors.† It was almost as if Jacob's soft whisper was the introduction. The atmosphere changed abruptly around the low-burning fire. Paul and Embry sat up straighter. Jared nudged Kim and then pulled her gently upright. Emily produced a spiral-bound notebook and a pen, looking exactly like a student set for an important lecture. Sam twisted just slightly beside her – so that he was facing the same direction as Old Quil, who was on his other side – and suddenly I realized that the elders of the council here were not three, but four in number. Leah Clearwater, her face still a beautiful and emotionless mask, closed her eyes – not like she was tired, but as if to help her concentration. Her brother leaned in toward the elders eagerly. The fire crackled, sending another explosion of sparks glittering up against the night. Billy cleared his throat, and, with no more introduction than his son's whisper, began telling the story in his rich, deep voice. The words poured out with precision, as if he knew them by heart, but also with feeling and a subtle rhythm. Like poetry performed by its author. â€Å"The Quileutes have been a small people from the beginning,† Billy said. â€Å"And we are a small people still, but we have never disappeared. This is because there has always been magic in our blood. It wasn't always the magic of shape-shifting – that came later. First, we were spirit warriors.† Never before had I recognized the ring of majesty that was in Billy Black's voice, though I realized now that this authority had always been there. Emily's pen sprinted across the sheets of paper as she tried to keep up with him. â€Å"In the beginning, the tribe settled in this harbor and became skilled ship builders and fishermen. But the tribe was small, and the harbor was rich in fish. There were others who coveted our land, and we were too small to hold it. A larger tribe moved against us, and we took to our ships to escape them. â€Å"Kaheleha was not the first spirit warrior, but we do not remember the stories that came before his. We do not remember who was the first to discover this power, or how it had been used before this crisis. Kaheleha was the first great Spirit Chief in our history. In this emergency, Kaheleha used the magic to defend our land. â€Å"He and all his warriors left the ship – not their bodies, but their spirits. Their women watched over the bodies and the waves, and the men took their spirits back to our harbor. â€Å"They could not physically touch the enemy tribe, but they had other ways. The stories tell us that they could blow fierce winds into their enemy's camps; they could make a great screaming in the wind that terrified their foes. The stories also tell us that the animals could see the spirit warriors and understand them; the animals would do their bidding. â€Å"Kaheleha took his spirit army and wreaked havoc on the intruders. This invading tribe had packs of big, thick-furred dogs that they used to pull their sleds in the frozen north. The spirit warriors turned the dogs against their masters and then brought a mighty infestation of bats up from the cliff caverns. They used the screaming wind to aid the dogs in confusing the men. The dogs and bats won. The survivors scattered, calling our harbor a cursed place. The dogs ran wild when the spirit warriors released them. The Quileutes returned to their bodies and their wives, victorious. â€Å"The other nearby tribes, the Hohs and the Makahs, made treaties with the Quileutes. They wanted nothing to do with our magic. We lived in peace with them. When an enemy came against us, the spirit warriors would drive them off. â€Å"Generations passed. Then came the last great Spirit Chief, Taha Aki. He was known for his wisdom, and for being a man of peace. The people lived well and content in his care. â€Å"But there was one man, Utlapa, who was not content.† A low hiss ran around the fire. I was too slow to see where it came from. Billy ignored it and went on with the legend. â€Å"Utlapa was one of Chief Taha Aki's strongest spirit warriors – a powerful man, but a grasping man, too. He thought the people should use their magic to expand their lands, to enslave the Hohs and the Makahs and build an empire. â€Å"Now, when the warriors were their spirit selves, they knew each other's thoughts. Taha Aki saw what Utlapa dreamed, and was angry with Utlapa. Utlapa was commanded to leave the people, and never use his spirit self again. Utlapa was a strong man, but the chief's warriors outnumbered him. He had no choice but to leave. The furious outcast hid in the forest nearby, waiting for a chance to get revenge against the chief. â€Å"Even in times of peace, the Spirit Chief was vigilantin protecting his people. Often, he would go to a sacred, secret place in the mountains. He would leave his body behind and sweep down through the forests and along the coast, making sure no threat approached. â€Å"One day when Taha Aki left to perform this duty, Utlapa followed. At first, Utlapa simply planned to kill the chief, but this plan had its drawbacks. Surely the spirit warriors would seek to destroy him, and they could follow faster than he could escape. As he hid in the rocks and watched the chief prepare to leave his body, another plan occurred to him. â€Å"Taha Aki left his body in the secret place and flew with the winds to keep watch over his people. Utlapa waited until he was sure the chief had traveled some distance with his spirit self. â€Å"Taha Aki knew it the instant that Utlapa had joined him in the spirit world, and he also knew Utlapa's murderous plan. He raced back to his secret place, but even the winds weren't fast enough to save him. When he returned, his body was already gone. Utlapa's body lay abandoned, but Utlapa had not left Taha Aki with an escape – he had cut his own body's throat with Taha Aki's hands. â€Å"Taha Aki followed his body down the mountain. He screamed at Utlapa, but Utlapa ignored him as if he were mere wind. â€Å"Taha Aki watched with despair as Utlapa took his place as chief of the Quileutes. For a few weeks, Utlapa did nothing but make sure that everyone believed he was Taha Aki. Then the changes began – Utlapa's first edict was to forbid any warrior to enter the spirit world. He claimed that he'd had a vision of danger, but really he was afraid. He knew that Taha Aki would be waiting for the chance to tell his story. Utlapa was also afraid to enter the spirit world himself, knowing Taha Aki would quickly claim his body. So his dreams of conquest with a spirit warrior army were impossible, and he sought to content himself with ruling over the tribe. He became a burden – seeking privileges that Taha Aki had never requested, refusing to work alongside his warriors, taking a young second wife and then a third, though Taha Aki's wife lived on – something unheard of in the tribe. Taha Aki watched in helpless fury. â€Å"Eventually, Taha Aki tried to kill his body to save the tribe from Utlapa's excesses. He brought a fierce wolf down from the mountains, but Utlapa hid behind his warriors. When the wolf killed a young man who was protecting the false chief, Taha Aki felt horrible grief. He ordered the wolf away. â€Å"All the stories tell us that it was no easy thing to be a spirit warrior. It was more frightening than exhilarating to be freed from one's body. This is why they only used their magic in times of need. The chief's solitary journeys to keep watch were a burden and a sacrifice. Being bodiless was disorienting, uncomfortable, horrifying. Taha Aki had been away from his body for so long at this point that he was in agony. He felt he was doomed – never to cross over to the final land where his ancestors waited, stuck in this torturous nothingness forever. â€Å"The great wolf followed Taha Aki's spirit as he twisted and writhed in agony through the woods. The wolf was very large for its kind, and beautiful. Taha Aki was suddenly jealous of the dumb animal. At least it had a body. At least it had a life. Even life as an animal would be better than this horrible empty consciousness. â€Å"And then Taha Aki had the idea that changed us all. He asked the great wolf to make room for him, to share. The wolf complied. Taka Aki entered the wolf's body with relief and gratitude. It was not his human body, but it was better than the void of the spirit world. â€Å"As one, the man and the wolf returned to the village on the harbor. The people ran in fear, shouting for the warriors to come. The warriors ran to meet the wolf with their spears. Utlapa, of course, stayed safely hidden. â€Å"Taha Aki did not attack his warriors. He retreated slowly from them, speaking with his eyes and trying to yelp the songs of his people. The warriors began to realize that the wolf was no ordinary animal, that there was a spirit influencing it. One older warrior, a man name Yut, decided to disobey the false chief's order and try to communicate with the wolf. â€Å"As soon as Yut crossed to the spirit world, Taha Aki left the wolf – the animal waited tamely for his return – to speak to him. Yut gathered the truth in an instant, and welcomed his true chief home. â€Å"At this time, Utlapa came to see if the wolf had been defeated. When he saw Yut lyinglifeless on the ground, surrounded by protective warriors, he realized what was happening. He drew his knife and raced forward to kill Yut before he could return to his body. â€Å"‘Traitor,' he screamed, and the warriors did not know what to do. The chief had forbidden spirit journeys, and it was the chief's decision how to punish those who disobeyed. â€Å"Yut jumped back into his body, but Utlapa had his knife at his throat and a hand covering his mouth. Taha Aki's body was strong, and Yut was weak with age. Yut could not say even one word to warn the others before Utlapa silenced him forever. â€Å"Taha Aki watched as Yut's spirit slipped away to the final lands that were barred to Taha Aki for all eternity. He felt a great rage, more powerful than anything he'd felt before. He entered the big wolf again, meaning to rip Utlapa's throat out. But, as he joined the wolf, the greatest magic happened. â€Å"Taha Aki's anger was the anger of a man. The love he had for his people and the hatred he had for their oppressor were too vast for the wolf's body, too human. The wolf shuddered, and – before the eyes of the shocked warriors and Utlapa – transformed into a man. â€Å"The new man did not look like Taha Aki's body. He was far more glorious. He was the flesh interpretation of Taha Aki's spirit. The warriors recognized him at once, though, for they had flown with Taha Aki's spirit. â€Å"Utlapa tried to run, but Taha Aki had the strength of the wolf in his new body. He caught the thief and crushed the spirit from him before he could jump out of the stolen body. â€Å"The people rejoiced when they understood what had happened. Taha Aki quickly set everything right, working again with his people and giving the young wives back to their families. The only change he kept in place was the end of the spirit travels. He knew that it was too dangerous now that the idea of stealing a life was there. The spirit warriors were no more. â€Å"From that point on, Taha Aki was more than either wolf or man. They called him Taha Aki the Great Wolf, or Taha Aki the Spirit Man. He led the tribe for many, many years, for he did not age. When danger threatened, he would resume his wolf-self to fight or frighten the enemy. The people dwelt in peace. Taha Aki fathered many sons, and some of these found that, after they had reached the age of manhood, they, too, could transform into wolves. The wolves were all different, because they were spirit wolves and reflected the man they were inside.† â€Å"So that's why Sam is all black,† Quil muttered under his breath, grinning. â€Å"Black heart, black fur.† I was so involved in the story, it was a shock to come back to the present, to the circle around the dying fire. With another shock, I realized that the circle was made up of Taha Aki's great – to however many degrees – grandsons. The fire threw a volley of sparks into the sky, and they shivered and danced, making shapes that were almost decipherable. â€Å"And your chocolate fur reflects what?† Sam whispered back to Quil. â€Å"How sweet you are?† Billy ignored their jibes. â€Å"Some of the sons became warriors with Taha Aki, and they no longer aged. Others, who did not like the transformation, refused to join the pack of wolf-men. These began to age again, and the tribe discovered that the wolf-men could grow old like anyone else if they gave up their spirit wolves. Taha Aki had lived the span of three old men's lives. He had married a third wife after the deaths of the first two, and found in her his true spirit wife. Though he had loved the others, this was something else. He decided to give up his spirit wolf so that he would die when she did. â€Å"That is how the magic came to us, but it is not the end of the story. . . .† He looked at Old Quil Ateara, who shifted in his chair, straightening his frail shoulders. Billy took a drink from a bottle of water and wiped his forehead. Emily's pen never hesitated as she scribbled furiously on the paper. â€Å"That was the story of the spirit warriors,† Old Quil began in a thin tenor voice. â€Å"This is the story of the third wife's sacrifice. â€Å"Many years after Taha Aki gave up his spirit wolf, when he was an old man, trouble began in the north, with the Makahs. Several young women of their tribe had disappeared, and they blamed it on the neighboring wolves, who they feared and mistrusted. The wolf-men could still read each other's thoughts while in their wolf forms, just like their ancestors had while in their spirit forms. They knew that none of their number was to blame. Taha Aki tried to pacify the Makah chief, but there was too much fear. Taha Aki did not want to have a war on his hands. He was no longer a warrior to lead his people. He charged his oldest wolf-son, Taha Wi, with finding the true culprit before hostilities began. â€Å"Taha Wi led the five other wolves in his pack on a search through the mountains, looking for any evidence of the missing Makahs. They came across something they had never encountered before – a strange, sweet scent in the forest that burned their noses to the point of pain.† I shrank a little closer to Jacob's side. I saw the corner of his mouth twitch with humor, and his arm tightened around me. â€Å"They did not know what creature would leave such a scent, but they followed it,† Old Quil continued. His quavering voice did not have the majesty of Billy's, but it had a strange, fierce edge of urgency about it. My pulse jumped as his words came faster. â€Å"They found faint traces of human scent, and human blood, along the trail. They were sure this was the enemy they were searching for. â€Å"The journey took them so far north that Taha Wi sent half the pack, the younger ones, back to the harbor to report to Taha Aki. â€Å"Taha Wi and his two brothers did not return. â€Å"The younger brothers searched for their elders, but found only silence. Taha Aki mourned for his sons. He wished to avenge his sons' death, but he was old. He went to the Makah chief in his mourning clothes and told him everything that had happened. The Makah chief believed his grief, and tensions ended between the tribes. â€Å"A year later, two Makah maidens disappeared from their homes on the same night. The Makahs called on the Quileute wolves at once, who found the same sweet stink all through the Makah village. The wolves went on the hunt again. â€Å"Only one came back. He was Yaha Uta, the oldest son of Taka Aki's third wife, and the youngest in the pack. He brought something with him that had never been seen in all the days of the Quileutes – a strange, cold, stony corpse that he carried in pieces. All who were of Taha Aki's blood, even those who had never been wolves, could smell the piercing smell of the dead creature. This was the enemy of the Makahs. â€Å"Yaha Uta described what had happened: he and his brothers had found the creature, who looked like a man but was hard as a granite rock, with the two Makah daughters. One girl was already dead, white and bloodless on the ground. The other was in the creature's arms, his mouth at her throat. She may have been alive when they came upon the hideous scene, but the creature quickly snapped her neck and tossed her lifeless body to the ground when they approached. His white lips were covered in her blood, and his eyes glowed red. â€Å"Yaha Uta described the fierce strength and speed of the creature. One of his brothers quickly became a victim when he underestimated that strength. The creature ripped him apart like a doll. Yaha Uta and his other brother were more wary. They worked together, coming at the creature from the sides, outmaneuvering it. They had to reach the very limits of their wolf strength and speed, something that had never been tested before. The creature was hard as stone and cold as ice. They found that only their teeth could damage it. They began to rip small pieces of the creature apart while it fought them. â€Å"But the creature learned quickly, and soon was matching their maneuvers. It got its hands on Yaha Uta's brother. Yaha Uta found an opening on the creature's throat, and he lunged. His teeth tore the head off the creature, but the hands continued to mangle his brother. â€Å"Yaha Uta ripped the creature into unrecognizable chunks, tearing pieces apart in a desperate attempt to save his brother. He was too late, but, in the end, the creature was destroyed. â€Å"Or so they thought. Yaha Uta laid the reeking remains out to be examined by the elders. One severed hand lay beside a piece of the creature's granite arm. The two pieces touched when the elders poked them with sticks, and the hand reached out towards the arm piece, trying to reassemble itself. â€Å"Horrified, the elders set fire to the remains. A great cloud of choking, vile smoke polluted the air. When there was nothing but ashes, they separated the ashes into many small bags and spread them far and wide – some in the ocean, some in the forest, some in the cliff caverns. Taha Aki wore one bag around his neck, so he would be warned if the creature ever tried to put himself together again.† Old Quil paused and looked at Billy. Billy pulled out a leather thong from around his neck. Hanging from the end was a small bag, blackened with age. A few people gasped. I might have been one of them. â€Å"They called it The Cold One, the Blood Drinker, and lived in fear that it was not alone. They only had one wolf protector left, young Yaha Uta. â€Å"They did not have long to wait. The creature had a mate, another blood drinker, who came to the Quileutes seeking revenge. â€Å"The stories say that the Cold Woman was the most beautiful thing human eyes had ever seen. She looked like the goddess of the dawn when she entered the village that morning; the sun was shining for once, and it glittered off her white skin and lit the golden hair that flowed down to her knees. Her face was magical in its beauty, her eyes black in her white face. Some fell to their knees to worship her. â€Å"She asked something in a high, piercing voice, in a language no one had ever heard. The people were dumbfounded, not knowing how to answer her. There was none of Taha Aki's blood among the witnesses but one small boy. He clung to his mother and screamed that the smell was hurting his nose. One of the elders, on his way to council, heard the boy and realized what had come among them. He yelled for the people to run. She killed him first. â€Å"There were twenty witnesses to the Cold Woman's approach. Two survived, only because she grew distracted by the blood, and paused to sate her thirst. They ran to Taha Aki, who sat in counsel with the other elders, his sons, and his third wife. â€Å"Yaha Uta transformed into his spirit wolf as soon as he heard the news. He went to destroy the blood drinker alone. Taha Aki, his third wife, his sons, and his elders followed behind him. â€Å"At first they could not find the creature, only the evidence of her attack. Bodies lay broken, a few drained of blood, strewn across the road where she'd appeared. Then they heard the screams and hurried to the harbor. â€Å"A handful of the Quileutes had run to the ships for refuge. She swam after them like a shark, and broke the bow of their boat with her incredible strength. When the ship sank, she caught those trying to swim away and broke them, too. â€Å"She saw the great wolf on the shore, and she forgot the fleeing swimmers. She swam so fast she was a blur and came, dripping and glorious, to stand before Yaha Uta. She pointed at him with one white finger and asked another incomprehensible question. Yaha Uta waited. â€Å"It was a close fight. She was not the warrior her mate had been. But Yaha Uta was alone – there was no one to distract her fury from him. â€Å"When Yaha Uta lost, Taha Aki screamed in defiance. He limped forward and shifted into an ancient, white-muzzled wolf. The wolf was old, but this was Taha Aki the Spirit Man, and his rage made him strong. The fight began again. â€Å"Taha Aki's third wife had just seen her son die before her. Now her husband fought, and she had no hope that he could win. She'd heard every word the witnesses to the slaughter had told the council. She'd heard the story of Yaha Uta's first victory, and knew that his brother's diversion had saved him. â€Å"The third wife grabbed a knife from the belt of one of the sons who stood beside her. They were all young sons, not yet men, and she knew they would die when their father failed. â€Å"The third wife ran toward the Cold Woman with the dagger raised high. The Cold Woman smiled, barely distracted from her fight with the old wolf. She had no fear of the weak human woman or the knife that would not even scratch her skin, and she was about to deliver the death blow to Taha Aki. â€Å"And then the third wife did something the Cold Woman did not expect. She fell to her knees at the blood drinker's feet and plunged the knife into her own heart. â€Å"Blood spurted through the third wife's fingers and splashed against the Cold Woman. The blood drinker could not resist the lure of the fresh blood leaving the third wife's body. Instinctively, she turned to the dying woman, for one second entirely consumed by thirst. â€Å"Taha Aki's teeth closed around her neck. â€Å"That was not the end of the fight, but Taha Aki was not alone now. Watching their mother die, two young sons felt such rage that they sprang forth as their spirit wolves, though they were not yet men. With their father, they finished the creature. â€Å"Taha Aki never rejoined the tribe. He never changed back to a man again. He lay for one day beside the body of the third wife, growling whenever anyone tried to touch her, and then he went into the forest and never returned. â€Å"Trouble with the cold ones was rare from that time on. Taha Aki's sons guarded the tribe until their sons were old enough to take their places. There were never more than three wolves at a time. It was enough. Occasionally a blood drinker would come through these lands, but they were taken by surprise, not expecting the wolves. Sometimes a wolf would die, but never were they decimated again like that first time. They'd learned how to fight the cold ones, and they passed the knowledge on, wolf mind to wolf mind, spirit to spirit, father to son. â€Å"Time passed, and the descendants of Taha Aki no longer became wolves when they reached manhood. Only in a great while, if a cold one was near, would the wolves return. The cold ones always came in ones and twos, and the pack stayed small. â€Å"A bigger coven came, and your own great-grandfathers prepared to fight them off. But the leader spoke to Ephraim Black as if he were a man, and promised not to harm the Quileutes. His strange yellow eyes gave some proof to his claim that they were not the same as other blood drinkers. The wolves were outnumbered; there was no need for the cold ones to offer a treaty when they could have won the fight. Ephraim accepted. They've stayed true to their side, though their presence does tend to draw in others. â€Å"And their numbers have forced a larger pack than the tribe has ever seen,† Old Quil said, and for one moment his black eyes, all but buried in the wrinkles of skin folded around them, seemed to rest on me. â€Å"Except, of course, in Taha Aki's time,† he said, and then he sighed. â€Å"And so the sons of our tribe again carry the burden and share the sacrifice their fathers endured before them.† All was silent for a long moment. The living descendants of magic and legend stared at one another across the fire with sadness in their eyes. All but one. â€Å"Burden,† he scoffed in a low voice. â€Å"I think it's cool.† Quil's full lower lip pouted out a little bit. Across the dying fire, Seth Clearwater – his eyes wide with adulation for the fraternity of tribal protectors – nodded his agreement. Billy chuckled, low and long, and the magic seemed to fade into the glowing embers. Suddenly, it was just a circle of friends again. Jared flicked a small stone at Quil, and everyone laughed when it made him jump. Low conversations murmured around us, teasing and casual. Leah Clearwater's eyes did not open. I thought I saw something sparkling on her cheek like a tear, but when I looked back a moment later it was gone. Neither Jacob nor I spoke. He was so still beside me, his breath so deep and even, that I thought he might be close to sleep. My mind was a thousand years away. I was not thinking of Yaha Uta or the other wolves, or the beautiful Cold Woman – I could picture her only too easily. No, I was thinking of someone outside the magic altogether. I was trying to imagine the face of the unnamed woman who had saved the entire tribe, the third wife. Just a human woman, with no special gifts or powers. Physically weaker and slower than any of the monsters in the story. But she had been the key, the solution. She'd saved her husband, her young sons, her tribe. I wish they'd remembered her name. . . . Something shook my arm. â€Å"C'mon, Bells,† Jacob said in my ear. â€Å"We're here.† I blinked, confused because the fire seemed to have disappeared. I glared into the unexpected darkness, trying to make sense of my surroundings. It took me a minute to realize that I was no longer on the cliff. Jacob and I were alone. I was still under his arm, but I wasn't on the ground anymore. How did I get in Jacob's car? â€Å"Oh, crap!† I gasped as I realized that I had fallen asleep. â€Å"How late is it? Dang it, where's that stupid phone?† I patted my pockets, frantic and coming up empty. â€Å"Easy. It's not even midnight yet. And I already called him for you. Look – he's waiting there.† â€Å"Midnight?† I repeated stupidly, still disoriented. I stared into the darkness, and my heartbeat picked up when my eyes made out the shape of the Volvo, thirty yards away. I reached for the door handle. â€Å"Here,† Jacob said, and he put a small shape into my other hand. The phone. â€Å"You called Edward for me?† My eyes were adjusted enough to see the bright gleam of Jacob's smile. â€Å"I figured if I played nice, I'd get more time with you.† â€Å"Thanks, Jake,† I said, touched. â€Å"Really, thank you. And thanks forinviting me tonight. That was . . .† Words failed me. â€Å"Wow. That was something else.† â€Å"And you didn't even stay up to watch me swallow a cow.† He laughed. â€Å"No, I'm glad you liked it. It was . . . nice for me. Having you there.† There was a movement in the dark distance – something pale ghosting against the black trees. Pacing? â€Å"Yeah, he's not so patient, is he?† Jacob said, noticing my distraction. â€Å"Go ahead. But come back soon, okay?† â€Å"Sure, Jake,† I promised, cracking the car door open. Cold air washed across my legs and made me shiver. â€Å"Sleep tight, Bells. Don't worry about anything – I'll be watching out for you tonight.† I paused, one foot on the ground. â€Å"No, Jake. Get some rest, I'll be fine.† â€Å"Sure, sure,† he said, but he sounded more patronizing than agreeing. â€Å"‘Night, Jake. Thanks.† â€Å"‘Night, Bella,† he whispered as I hurried into the darkness. Edward caught me at the boundary line. â€Å"Bella,† he said, relief strong in his voice; his arms wound tightly around me. â€Å"Hi. Sorry I'm so late. I fell asleep and -â€Å" â€Å"I know. Jacob explained.† He started toward the car, and I staggered woodenly at his side. â€Å"Are you tired? I could carry you.† â€Å"I'm fine.† â€Å"Let's get you home and in bed. Did you have a nice time?† â€Å"Yeah – it was amazing, Edward. I wish you could have come. I can't even explain it. Jake's dad told us the old legends and it was like . . . like magic.† â€Å"You'll have to tell me about it. After you've slept.† â€Å"I won't get it right,† I said, and then I yawned hugely. Edward chuckled. He opened my door for me, lifted me in, and buckled my seat belt around me. Bright lights flashed on and swept across us. I waved toward Jacob's headlights, but I didn't know if he saw the gesture. That night – after I'd gotten past Charlie, who didn't give me as much trouble as I'd expected because Jacob had called him, too – instead of collapsing in bed right away, I leaned out the open window while I waited for Edward to come back. The night was surprisingly cold, almost wintry. I hadn't noticed it at all on the windy cliffs; I imagined that had less to do with the fire than it did with sitting next to Jacob. Icy droplets spattered against my face as the rain began to fall. It was too dark to see much besides the black triangles of the spruces leaning and shaking with the wind. But I strained my eyes anyway, searching for other shapes in the storm. A pale silhouette, moving like a ghost through the black . . . or maybe the shadowy outline of an enormous wolf. . . . My eyes were too weak. Then there was a movement in the night, right beside me. Edward slid through my open window, his hands colder than the rain. â€Å"Is Jacob out there?† I asked, shivering as Edward pulled me into the circle of his arm. â€Å"Yes . . . somewhere. And Esme's on her way home.† I sighed. â€Å"It's so cold and wet. This is silly.† I shivered again. He chuckled. â€Å"It's only cold to you, Bella.† It was cold in my dream that night, too, maybe because I slept in Edward's arms. But I dreamt I was outside in the storm, the wind whipping my hair in my face and blinding my eyes. I stood on the rocky crescent of First Beach, trying to understand the quickly moving shapes I could only dimly see in the darkness at the shore's edge. At first, there was nothing but a flash of white and black, darting toward each other and dancing away. And then, as if the moon had suddenly broken from the clouds, I could see everything. Rosalie, her hair swinging wet and golden down to the back of her knees, was lunging at an enormous wolf – its muzzle shot through with silver – that I instinctively recognized as Billy Black. I broke into a run, but found myself moving in the frustrating slow motion of dreamers. I tried to scream to them, to tell them to stop, but my voice was stolen by the wind, and I could make no sound. I waved my arms, hoping to catch their attention. Something flashed in my hand, and I noticed for the first time that my right hand wasn't empty. I held a long, sharp blade, ancient and silver, crusted in dried, blackened blood. I cringed away from the knife, and my eyes snapped open to the quiet darkness of my bedroom. The first thing I realized was that I was not alone, and I turned to bury my face in Edward's chest, knowing the sweet scent of his skin would chase the nightmare away more effectively than anything else. â€Å"Did I wake you?† he whispered. There was the sound of paper, the ruffling of pages, and a faint thump as something light fell to the wooden floor. â€Å"No,† I mumbled, sighing in contentment as his arms tightened around me. â€Å"I had a bad dream.† â€Å"Do you want to tell me about it?† I shook my head. â€Å"Too tired. Maybe in the morning, if I remember.† I felt a silent laugh shake through him. â€Å"In the morning,† he agreed. â€Å"What were you reading?† I muttered, not really awake at all. â€Å"Wuthering Heights,† he said. I frowned sleepily. â€Å"I thought you didn't like that book.† â€Å"You left it out,† he murmured, his soft voice lulling me toward unconsciousness. â€Å"Besides . . . the more time I spend with you, the more human emotions seem comprehensible to me. I'm discovering that I can sympathize with Heathcliff in ways I didn't think possible before.† â€Å"Mmm,† I sighed. He said something else, something low, but I was already asleep. The next morning dawned pearl gray and still. Edward asked me about my dream, but I couldn't get a handle on it. I only remembered that I was cold, and that I was glad he was there when I woke up. He kissed me, long enough to get my pulse racing, and then headed home to change and get his car. I dressed quickly, low on options. Whoever had ransacked my hamper had critically impaired my wardrobe. If it wasn't so frightening, it would be seriously annoying. As I was about to head down for breakfast, I noticed my battered copy of Wuthering Heights lying open on the floor where Edward had dropped it in the night, holding his place the way the damaged binding always held mine. I picked it up curiously, trying to remember what he'd said. Something about feeling sympathy for Heathcliff, of all people. That couldn't be right; I must have dreamed that part. Three words on the open page caught my eye, and I bent my head to read the paragraph more closely. It was Heathcliff speaking, and I knew the passage well. And there you see the distinction between our feelings: had he been in my place and I in his, though I hated him with a hatred that turned my life to gall, I never would have raised a hand against him. You may look incredulous, if you please! I never would have banished him from her society as long as she desired his. The moment her regard ceased, I would have torn his heart out, and drank his blood! But, till then – if you don't believe me, you don't know me – till then, I would have died by inches before I touched a single hair of his head! The three words that had caught my eye were â€Å"drank his blood.† I shuddered. Yes, surely I must have dreamt that Edward said anything positive about Heathcliff. And this page was probably not the page he'd been reading. The book could have fallen open to any page.