Succubus on Top CHAPTER 5

I jerked my head away from him. â€Å"What?† Bastien didn't miss a beat, obviously amused by my reaction. â€Å"You heard me. We're going to break in. I overheard Bill saying the whole family would be out the night after next.† â€Å"And pray tell, how are we going to lead her to scandal through violating her home? By proving to the world that her security system isn't as good as she thought it was?† He laughed. â€Å"No, by rifling through her paperwork and finding some sort of incriminating evidence. Money laundered from the CPFV. Illegal means of carrying out the group's goals. Maybe even love letters from the infamous pool boy. You know there's got to be something.† â€Å"Bastien, this is – â€Å" â€Å"Ingenious?† â€Å"Ridiculous. Even for us.† â€Å"Hardly. Like I said, it's a backup plan. Probably not even necessary, since I suspect she's probably in the shower right now masturbating to fantasies of me.† â€Å"Yeah, she sure looked like it back there,† I said nastily. â€Å"More likely she's sanitizing her pool after my defilement of it. Well, backup or no, you're going to have to do this break-in on your own. â€Å" â€Å"Come on! We'll bein visible. Nothing to lose.† â€Å"That's not the point. The point is I don't do this kind of thing.† â€Å"We're agents of evil. We lead innocents into temptation and suck away their life. How is breaking and entering that much of a leap?† I tightened my lips and shook my head. â€Å"I thought those broadcasts pissed you off. Don't you want to see her fall?† â€Å"Not enough, apparently.† He fixed me with a sharp stare. â€Å"Did you know that the CPFV recently kicked out a woman for leaving her husband? He had been beating her incessantly – sent her to the hospital twice. When she finally got the nerve to walk out on him, Dana condemned her for violating the sanctity of marriage. Said the woman hadn't tried hard enough to make things work.† I groaned. â€Å"Don't tell me this stuff.† â€Å"So are you in or out?† â€Å"You sure are pushy, you know that?† He kissed my cheek and hugged me. â€Å"I learned from the best.† I went to Doug's concert the following night, showing up about halfway through the opening act's set. I found several of the bookstore staff occupying a corner but saw no sign of Seth yet. Part of me regretted the whole separate-arrival mandate, but then I remembered the part in Seth's story where Genevieve had spanked O'Neill. Suddenly I didn't feel so bad anymore. While waiting at the bar for a vodka gimlet, a familiar shape slid up next to me. â€Å"Hey, hey, pretty lady.† I flashed a smile at Doug's bass player, Corey. â€Å"Hey yourself. You guys ready for this? You're in the big time now.† He returned my smile, eyes alight. Intimidating and fierce looking, he wore a lot of black and had piercings everywhere. He was also one of the nicest guys I knew. â€Å"Hell yeah, we are. We were born for this night. This is the night that's going to define our existence! The night that's going to define existence for everyone in this room!† He extended his hands over his head and whooped with delight, emitting something like a cross between Tarzan and a B movie Apache chief. The silvery glitter of those piercings added to his savage persona. He was as exuberant as Doug had been the other day. Maybe more so. As much as I wanted to see the band succeed, there was no telling what true fame would do to them. They'd be bouncing off the walls. Setting things on fire. When I got the gimlet, Corey tugged at my arm. â€Å"Come on. I'll give you a sneak peek backstage. You can say hi to Doug.† I glanced back at the corner, saw no sign of Seth, and followed him. In the dressing room, the rest of the band was in similar form. They all knew me and cheered my arrival, holding up their drinks in a giddy salute. Doug was dressed in a spectacularly gaudy manner, sporting black spandex biker shorts, a Thundercats shirt Seth would have envied, and a sweeping red velour cape. His shoulder-length black hair was tied back in a sleek ponytail. He scooped me up as I entered, hoisting me so that I nearly sat on his shoulder. Min, the group's saxophonist, waved the instrument over his head in barbaric approval at my capture as Doug roared a cry of victory. â€Å"Here she is! Kin-fucking-caid! You ready to rock, babe?† â€Å"I'm ready to dump this drink on your head. Put me down. â€Å" Doug laughed and eased me down to the floor. I stumbled a bit but not from being set down. It was here again. That weird tingling feeling I'd felt with Doug in our office. Only this time, it was stronger. Much stronger. It pulsed around me, almost making me squirm. I peered around stupidly, trying to figure out where it came from, but it was impossible to tell. The sensation was everywhere, an abrasive vibration singing through the air that only I seemed affected by. Wyatt, a redheaded guitarist, grinned at me. â€Å"How much have you been drinking out there? You look a little glazed over. â€Å" â€Å"Starry-eyed's more like it,† said Doug, teasing. â€Å"Not every day a girl can be around this much sexy action, huh?† â€Å"Whatever. I think her sexiness is a little more lethal than ours,† Wyatt said. He gently turned me around. â€Å"You met Alec yet?† The new drummer, presumably. He stepped forward and bowed before me with a flourish, just as goofily wound up as the rest. He was a little younger than they were, a bit lanky, and had fading blue streaks in his blond hair. He seemed only slightly less keyed up. Still clueless about what was making me feel so weird, I attempted to push it out of my mind and offer Alec a normal smile. â€Å"Hi,† I said. â€Å"You sure you want to hang with this group of misfits?† â€Å"I've seen worse.† â€Å"In an asylum?† He laughed and nodded at my drink. â€Å"What are you having?† â€Å"Vodka gimlet.† â€Å"Nice choice,† he said coolly, though I suspected he'd probably never heard of one before. There was a total look of fumbling inexperience about him. â€Å"Order your next one on me. Tell the bartender to put it on my tab.† I worked hard to keep a straight face. He was attempting suave movie-star lines, but they lost some of their effectiveness coming from someone who was barely old enough to drink himself. He probably hoped Wyatt's earlier assessment of my inebriation was accurate. â€Å"Hey,† said Doug, grabbing hold of me. â€Å"Stop flirting with my Groupie Queen. Only when you can snatch the fly with the chopsticks, Grasshopper, can you accumulate the groupies. For now, the student must leave the groupies to the master. â€Å" Doug marched me around the room in a – very bad – mock tango. The jerking motion, combined with that grating buzzing in the air, made me lightheaded. â€Å"Is the rest of the gang out there?† â€Å"Waiting with bated breath,† I promised. I cocked my head at him. â€Å"Shouldn't you be a little more nervous than this?† â€Å"Sure. If I had anything to be nervous about. Which I don't.† I felt just as astonished now as I had at work. Doug knew his own talent, but I'd seen him before shows in the past. While always joking and in a good mood, there had been a nervousness to him before, a private sort of ruminating while he mentally braced himself to put on the best show he could. I knew he'd said the band had hit some sort of peak recently, but the change was dramatic, to say the least. After a few more jokes and sexual innuendoes, I finally left them. Just like that, the discordant feeling disappeared as soon as I cleared the door. It was like breathing fresh air after a sandstorm. Glancing behind me, I stared into the room, trying to find any indication of what had just happened. Nothing revealed itself. The band had forgotten me already. They were laughing at something else, drinking their beer or pop or whatever, and roughhousing in what must have been some male tension-reliever. Puzzled, I walked away. Seth had joined the others when I finally made my way back to the main floor. I felt a smile creeping up on me in spite of my concerns. His hair was as unkempt as ever, and he wore a Thundercats shirt. â€Å"Hey,† I said when I saw him, conscious that everyone was watching us, apparently waiting for me to pull out my handcuffs. â€Å"Hey,† he returned, hands casually in his pockets, posture relaxed and easy like always. â€Å"You know, Doug's wearing a shirt very similar to that.† â€Å"I know. I lent it to him.† We all shared a good laugh over that, and Beth turned to me. â€Å"You saw Doug? Is he ready for this?† â€Å"The question, actually,† I told them with a small frown, â€Å"is ‘Is the world ready for Doug?'† A half hour later, they saw what I meant. Nocturnal Admission burst onto the stage, and suddenly all that pent-up energy and enthusiasm was channeled into their music. Like I'd told Doug, I'd long been a fan of the group. Their style combined hard rock with a bit of ska, and the fusion always hooked me. After centuries filled with repetition, innovation was a treat. They regularly performed with flair and passion, making them as much fun to watch as to listen to. My biased affection for Doug didn't hurt either. Tonight was unbelievable. All of their songs were new; I'd never heard any of them before. And Christ, what songs they were. Amazing. Incredible. Ten times better than the old ones – which I'd hitherto found hard to beat. I wondered when Doug had had time to compose these. He wrote most of their stuff, and I'd last seen them perform about a month and a half ago. He must have had help to write all of those in so short a time. I knew he usually took a while to compose one, refining lyrics over and over. He never treated the process lightly. And the performance itself†¦Well, Doug was always flamboyant; it was his trademark. Tonight, I swear, he never stopped moving. Pure energy in human form. He danced, he sauntered, he did cartwheels. His between-song monologues were hilarious. His singing voice surpassed anything I'd ever heard from him, rich and deep. It resonated in my body. The audience couldn't get enough. They loved him, and I understood why. No one, even the people who worked there, could take their eyes off the stage. Except one. There, along the far edges of the crowd, was a man casually making his way toward the exit. By his stride and apparent lack of interest, he didn't find Nocturnal Admission as compelling as the rest of us. While this was intriguing enough to draw my own gaze from the band, his attire struck me even more strongly. If GQ magazine had been around in the days of Victorian poets, he would have been their cover model. He wore beautifully tailored black slacks paired with a long, black coat, the tails of which almost touched the backs of his knees. Underneath the coat was a gorgeous, billowing white shirt that might have been silk. Whatever it was, it made me want to touch it and see how soft it was. Unlike Horatio, whose demonic wear had simply been out-of-date, this guy had taken the past and made it his own. His own hot historic couture. The kind the modern day â€Å"goth† movement so longed to achieve. He'd opened the first few buttons to reveal smooth, tanned skin. That skin tone paired with the glossy black hair that flowed halfway down his back made me think he must be of Middle Eastern or Indian descent. When he reached the door leading out, he paused and turned toward the stage, watching the band for a few moments. A small, pleased smile played along his lips, and then he was gone. Weird, I thought. I wondered who he was. Prospective agent maybe? Or perhaps just someone who didn't get down to this type of music. He had looked like the kind of guy who owned Chopin's complete works, after all. I considered the man for a few more moments, then turned back toward the stage. The group was taking a momentary reprieve from their new stash and doing a cover of one of my favorite Nine Inch Nails songs. Nothing like hearing Trent Reznor's lyrics paired with a saxophone. â€Å"I can't believe this,† I told Seth later, moving to the back of our group so I could stand near him. Our friends were so hypnotized by what was onstage that Seth and I could actually talk without drawing attention. â€Å"It's†¦unbelievable.† â€Å"That it is,† he agreed. â€Å"I take it this isn't the norm then?† â€Å"No. Absolutely not. But I hope it becomes the norm. Jesus.† We fell silent then, our eyes and ears drawn back to the band. As we watched, however, Seth rested his hand on my back in a friendly, innocent gesture that made me promptly lose interest in the music. And that was saying something. The shirt I wore was hardly a shirt at all. It was a glittering tunic type thing that covered the front of me only, then tied behind my neck and once below my shoulder blades, thus letting his fingers stroke bare, exposed skin. Less than a week ago, I'd been in a hotel room with a guy who'd massaged scented oil all over my body and then gone down on me in a way that left me gasping. And yet, I swear that didn't do as much for me as Seth's fingers on my bare skin did now. The rest of my body jolted to life, suddenly ravenous for more of him. When he trailed his fingertips down to my lower back, I could perfectly discern every place he had touched me and every place he hadn't, as though his fingers left scorch marks in my flesh. Magic fingers. Seductive fingers. My nerves pulsed hungrily, demanding I take action and give them more. When his hand finally came to rest by my tailbone, right at the edge of my jeans, I murmured, â€Å"You can go lower if you want. â€Å" â€Å"No,† he returned. His voice seemed huskier than usual, holding an unfamiliar intensity. But it was laced with wistfulness too. â€Å"I really can't.† The audience whooped and demanded an encore when the show ended, which the band was only too happy to give – multiple times. Talk about stamina. As I watched them wrap up the song and make their bows, an idea suddenly struck me. Excusing myself for the bathroom, I headed back in the direction of the dressing room. Once out of any passerby's eyesight, I turned invisible and slipped back into that room, still perplexed about that burning, crawling sensation. It was gone. Everything felt perfectly normal in the room. Jackets and instrument cases lay in unceremonious heaps on the floor, and empty red plastic cups vied with overflowing ashtrays to cover up other flat surfaces. I paced around slowly, peering in corners, looking for something – anything – that would explain what I had felt. And again, I came up empty-handed. All was quiet and still. No person or creature waited to leap out, though I was pretty sure what I'd felt hadn't come from anything living. Yet, it also hadn't resembled any charm or enchanted object I knew of either. If anything, that tingle had felt like something in the middle: half sentient, half not. But that made no sense. Returning to my friends, I saw them making preparations to leave. None of us could stop talking about the show. We separated and met up again at Doug's place for a post-show party he'd invited us to. I'd been to similar gigs of his but saw more people here than ever before. They packed the place. Alcohol and pot flowed like milk and honey, but I stopped after a couple shots since I had to open at work in the morning. Through the smoky, decadent haze, the band worked the crowd like they'd done this sort of PR all their lives. They talked to everyone, charismatic and outgoing, though never too proud or conceited. As this went on, Seth and I kept a respectable distance from each other in order to maintain the illusion we were nothing but friends. While I still believed that was a good idea, it sort of seemed like rubbing salt into open wounds. Bad enough we couldn't touch each other; now we couldn't talk either. Alec found me at some point, attempting to resume the conversation we'd been having when Doug spirited me away. The drummer handed me a plastic cup. â€Å"This guy over there knows how to make vodka gimlets,† he said happily. I sniffed the cup. It smelled like pure vodka. Probably a cheap kind at that. â€Å"Thanks,† I said, literally keeping it at arm's length. Alec leaned against a nearby wall, propping his elbow against it to create a more enclosed sense of space between us. â€Å"So, did you like the show?† â€Å"Yes. Absolutely. You guys were amazing.† His chest puffed up with pride. â€Å"Thanks. We've been working really hard. We've got some other big shows coming up soon – I hope you'll come see us.† â€Å"I will if I can. I seem to be working a lot lately.† â€Å"Over at that bookstore with Doug? I can't figure that out. Neither of you seem like that type. Especially you. You look like someone with a wild side. Someone who likes to party. â€Å" I kept my smile up and took a step back. â€Å"Sure. Just not on school nights, you know?† Ignoring what I thought were obvious â€Å"back off† signs, he took a step toward me with a smile he probably believed was seductive. His clumsy attempts at flirtation suddenly seemed less endearing. â€Å"Come on,† he laughed. â€Å"Call in sick tomorrow. I know somewhere†¦somewhere we could go if you really wanted to have a good time. A more intense scene than this.† â€Å"No. I can't. Sorry. Um, thanks for the drink, but I've got to go ask Doug†¦uh, something about work. I'll see you around.† Clear disappointment flashed across Alec's face at my rejection, but he didn't push the matter as I made a hasty retreat toward Doug. When I found him, he and I didn't really discuss work, but we hashed out a number of other amusing topics, made more so by his increasing intoxication and the fact that he really did now have an entourage of groupies. It looked like he'd be getting lucky after all. If he was still running on the same energy tonight, he'd probably keep a bunch of them happy. Finally, tired of the scene, I told him good-bye and found Seth on the other side of the room. Not surprisingly, he was by himself and not drinking. He'd been born without the small-talk gene, and I knew for a fact interacting with others at parties made him uncomfortable. I had teased him in the past that he might actually be pleasantly surprised if he just made an attempt at talking to new people. He wouldn't have any of it, however. He seemed fairly entertained by people-watching, eyes twinkling and lips quirked in a half-smile as if he were in on some kind of joke the rest of us didn't know about. I wouldn't have been surprised if he was logging all of this for future novels. â€Å"Hey,† I said. He brightened upon seeing me. The twinkling eyes took on a warm, knowing look. Something inside of me heated and tightened. â€Å"Hey.† â€Å"I'm ready to go. You want to come over to my place?† He deserved it after the way I'd neglected him tonight. â€Å"Sure.† We were discussing who would leave first when I looked across the room and saw Alec handing Casey a drink. She looked like she'd already had more than enough, and Alec was doing the same closing-in maneuver he'd tried on me. â€Å"What's wrong?† asked Seth, seeing my frown. â€Å"That new drummer. Alec. He hit on me earlier, and now he's moving in on Casey. I think he's one of those guys who thinks plying girls with liquor is the only way to get laid.† â€Å"Wait. I thought I was the only guy who knew that secret.† I chastised him with a dry look before turning back to Alec and Casey. â€Å"I don't like it. I don't like him thinking he can do that to women.† â€Å"You don't even know he's thinking that. Besides, look around. Every guy here is trying to get laid. Alcohol is par for the course. Casey's old enough to know that.† â€Å"I'm going to go over there.† Seth gave me a warning glance. â€Å"She won't thank you for playing mother hen.† â€Å"Better she's mad at me than does something stupid.† â€Å"Thetis, don't – â€Å" I'd already left him behind, weaving through the people as I honed in on my target. â€Å"†¦look like someone who likes to party,† Alec was saying as I approached. â€Å"Hey,† I said loudly, sort of wedging my way in between them. They both turned to me in surprise. â€Å"Hi, Georgina. What's up?† â€Å"I'm heading home,† I told her. â€Å"Wondered if you wanted a ride.† Casey smiled, glanced at Alec, then back to me. College-age, Casey was Hawaiian and Filipino, with high cheekbones and sleek black hair. Very pretty. â€Å"Thanks, but I'm gonna stay here for a while.† Alec looked very pleased with himself. I turned back to her. â€Å"Okay, but can I ask you something real quick, Case?† I smiled sweetly at Alec. â€Å"It'll just take a minute.† I steered her away, catching her as she stumbled. Closer inspection revealed she'd been indulging in more than just alcohol. â€Å"Casey,† I told her, once we were out of earshot, â€Å"I don't think you should be hanging around with him. â€Å" â€Å"Why not? He's a nice guy.† â€Å"I don't know about that. He just used the same pick-up lines on me. I think he's trying to get laid.† â€Å"Every guy here is trying to get laid. I know the game.† â€Å"Yeah, but – â€Å" â€Å"Look,† she said, â€Å"I appreciate the big sister thing, but I'm not stupid. I can handle this.† A mischievous look crossed her face. â€Å"Besides, I never would have thought you would be the one preaching sexual caution.† Like I didn't know what that was a reference to. Damn O'Neill's libido. I made a face and attempted a few more logical pleas. She rejected them all, indulgence soon giving way to annoyance. By then, Alec hadn't been able to control himself. He came back over and put a possessive arm around her. She looked up at him adoringly, and I knew a lost cause when I saw one. Seth and I met up back at my place, and he listened with admirable patience while I vented about men preying on women. â€Å"Isn't that what you do though?† We were sitting on my living-room floor, setting up a game of Scrabble. â€Å"I†¦no. It's not the same at all.† â€Å"How so?† He held my eyes for a moment, and I finally looked away. â€Å"It just isn't. Do you want to go first?† He let the matter drop. Another nice thing about being with a non confrontational guy. I quickly discovered playing Scrabble with Seth was like playing Monopoly with Jerome. A losing battle from the first turn. Admittedly, my knowledge of more than two dozen languages gave me a large vocabulary, but I didn't craft or manipulate words on a regular basis. Seth was a master. He could study the board, spend a minute calculating, and then play some word that was not only worth tons of points but interesting too. Maize. Hexagon. Tawdry. Bisque. That last one was just cruel. Meanwhile, I was spelling words like as, lit, ill, and tee. And almost never on high-point spaces. â€Å"Wait,† he said. â€Å"That's not a word.† I looked down to where, in a moment of desperation, I'd played zixic on a triple-word-score space. â€Å"Uh, sure it is.† â€Å"What's it mean?† â€Å"It's sort of like†¦quixotic, but with more†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Bullshit?† I laughed out loud. I'd never heard him swear before. â€Å"More zeal. Hence the z.† â€Å"Uh-huh. Use it in a sentence.† â€Å"Um†¦'You are a zixic writer.'† â€Å"I don't believe this.† â€Å"That you're zixic?† â€Å"That you're trying to cheat at Scrabble.† He leaned back against my couch, shaking his head. â€Å"I mean, I was ready to accept the whole evil thing, but this is kind of extreme. â€Å" â€Å"Hey, it's not cheating. Just because your limited vocabulary doesn't include this word doesn't mean there's anything sinister going on.† â€Å"Care to back that up with a dictionary?† â€Å"Hey,† I said haughtily, â€Å"I don't appreciate your zixistic tone.† â€Å"If you weren't such a zixy woman, I'd be angry.† â€Å"Your zixicism is infuriating.† The game forgotten, we spent the next twenty minutes coming up with as many zix variations as we could. Interestingly, it seemed to function just as well as a suffix as a prefix. I suspected that if Bastien had heard this conversation, I'd be accused of more boring geekiness. Seth and I finally went to bed on the verge of hysterics, both of us still giggling once we were wrapped up in my covers. â€Å"You smell good,† I told him, my face close to his neck. â€Å"What cologne is that?† He stifled a yawn. â€Å"I don't wear cologne. Too strong.† â€Å"You must.† I pressed my face closer. â€Å"Hey, be careful. You're giving me funny ideas.† He had skin and sweat smells unique to him and him alone, deliriously delicious. With that, however, was a faint scent of something else. Almost like apples, but not in a girly, boutique sort of way. It was fleeting and lovely, mingled with musk and soft leather. â€Å"No, it's something. You must. Is it your deodorant?† â€Å"Oh,† he mumbled, yawning again. â€Å"I bet it's this soap Andrea and Terry got me. Came as part of some set.† â€Å"Mmm. It's perfect.† It made me want to eat his neck – among other things. â€Å"You know, you still owe me pancakes. I think I could go for†¦apple cinnamon ones now. â€Å" â€Å"Apple cinnamon? You sure are demanding.† â€Å"It's all right. I think you're man enough for it.† â€Å"Thetis, if I actually believed you had either apples or cinnamon in your kitchen, I'd make them for you right now.† I didn't answer. I was pretty sure I had some year-old Apple Jacks, but that was about it. Seth gave a low laugh at my silence and then kissed my temple. â€Å"I don't know how anyone could think you were Genevieve. I couldn't make up someone like you in a thousand years.† I considered that, not entirely sure if it was a compliment or not. â€Å"How do you come up with your characters then?† He laughed again. â€Å"If I didn't know any better – and I'm sure I do – I'd say that sounds suspiciously like ‘Where do you get your ideas from?'† I blushed in the darkness. When he and I had first met, I'd taken a haughty high ground over that question, making fun of the fans that so often asked him that. â€Å"Hey, it's a totally different question.† I could sense his amusement as he contemplated an answer. Part of the reason he stumbled in conversation sometimes was because he didn't like to blurt things out. He chose his words carefully. â€Å"They come from my head, I guess. The stories too. They live there, screaming to get out. If I didn't write them down, they'd eat me up. Give me less of a grip on the real world than I already have.† â€Å"Not that I'm complaining†¦but, if there's so much inside, do you even need to care about the real world?† â€Å"Well, that's the paradox. The stories are born in my head, but my inner self is fueled by my outer self. Symbiotic relationship of sorts. The stories' ideas wouldn't come if I didn't have experiences to draw on. Jealousy. Love. Lust. Anger. Heartache. All that stuff.† Something pulled inside of me. â€Å"You had your heart broken much?† He paused. â€Å"Of course. Everyone does. Part of life.† â€Å"Tell me her name. I'll kick her ass. I don't want anyone hurting you.† He rested his face against my hair, his tone even and gentle when he spoke. â€Å"You're wondrous and powerful and gifted, but even you can't save me from hurting. No one can do that for anyone. I can make things perfect in the fictions I create, but the real world isn't so kind. That's just how it is. And anyway, for every bad thing in life, there are more good things to tip the balance.† â€Å"Like what?† â€Å"Like little blonde nieces. And royalty checks. And you.† I sighed and relaxed into him. His grip on me shifted into something more comfortable, and in a few minutes he was asleep. Amazing. I lay snuggled with him for a while, but sleep proved more elusive for me this time, as I turned over his words. I thought about someone breaking his heart and wondered if I'd be the next culprit, intentionally or otherwise. When sleep came, I immediately dropped into a steamy dream in which Seth and I were having mad, passionate sex. He'd tied my hands to my bedposts, and naturally, he was huge. Each thrust made my headboard bang against the wall, so much so that my neighbors complained. I woke up with a start, suddenly thinking being so entwined with him wasn't such a great idea. Of course, I was apparently the only one who had a problem with it. Seth slept on peacefully and heavily, like I wasn't even there, no doubt having properly chaste dreams. A paradigm of virtue and resolve. I watched him for a long time, admiring the way the soft lighting fell across his features. The fit muscles of his upper body. Eyelashes I wished I could have had as a mortal. Biting my lip, I resisted the urge to reach out and touch him. It was lust and something else, something that just wanted to be close to him. It scared me. Maybe he wasn't the only one who could walk away from this with a broken heart. I wiggled my own weak self away to the other side of the bed, putting what space I could between us. As I lay there, my back to him, Aubrey jumped up and lay next to my stomach. I stroked her black-speckled white head and sighed. â€Å"They were all wrong, Aub,† I whispered. â€Å"There's at least one guy in this world not trying to get laid.†

The Hunters: Moonsong Chapter Twenty-Four

Giggling, Bonnie tripped on her way down the stairs, her foot coming right out of her high-heeled shoe. â€Å"Here you go, Cinderel a,† Zander said, picking up the shoe and kneeling in front of her. He helped slip her foot back into it, his fingers warm and steady against her instep. Bonnie gave a mock curtsy, muffling her laughter. â€Å"Thank you, m'lord,† she said flirtatiously. She felt fabulous, so sil y and happy. It was almost as if she was drunk, but she'd only had a few sips of beer. No, she was drunk. Drunk on Zander, on his kisses, his gentle hands, and his big blue eyes. She took his hand, and he smiled down at her, that long slow smile, and Bonnie just absolutely quivered. â€Å"Seems like the party's wrapping up,† she said, as they hit the first floor. It was real y getting late, almost two o'clock. There were only a few groups of hard-core partiers left: a bunch of frat boys by the keg, some theater-department girls dancing with great wide swoops of their arms, a couple sitting hand in hand at the bottom of the stairs in deep conversation. Meredith, Stefan, Samantha, and Matt had disappeared, and if Elena had ever shown up, she had left, too. Zander's friends had gone, or been kicked out. â€Å"Good-bye, good-bye,† Bonnie caroled to the few people who remained. She hadn't real y gotten a chance to talk to any of them, but they al looked perfectly nice. Maybe next time she went to a party, she'd stay longer and real y bond with people she hadn't met before. Look at al the new friends her friends had made on campus. Bonnie gave a special wave to a couple of people she'd seen Matt with lately – a shortish guy whose name she thought was Ethan and that girl with the dark curls and dimples. Not freshmen. She loved everyone tonight, but they deserved it most, because they had seen what a wonderful guy Matt was. They waved back at her, a little hesitantly, and the girl smiled, her dimples deepening. â€Å"They seem real y nice,† Bonnie told Zander, and he glanced back at them as he opened the door. â€Å"Hmmm,† he said noncommittal y, and the look in his eyes, just for a minute, made Bonnie shiver. â€Å"Aren't they?† she said nervously. Zander looked away from them, back toward her, and his warm bril iant smile spread across his face. Bonnie relaxed; the coldness she'd seen in Zander's eyes must have been just a trick of the light. â€Å"Of course they are, Bonnie,† he said. â€Å"I just got distracted for a sec.† He wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pul ing her close, and dropped a kiss on the top of her head. She sighed contentedly, cuddling up against his side. They walked together companionably for a while. â€Å"Look at the stars,† Bonnie said softly. The night was clear and the stars hung bright in the sky. â€Å"It's because it's starting to get colder at night that we can see them so Well.† Zander didn't answer, only made a hmming sound deep in his throat again, and Bonnie glanced up at him through her eyelashes. â€Å"Do you want to get breakfast with me in the morning?† she asked. â€Å"On Sundays, the cafeteria does make-your-own waffles, with lots of different toppings. Delicious.† Zander was staring off into the distance with that same half-listening expression he had the last time they walked across campus together. â€Å"Zander?† Bonnie asked cautiously, and he frowned down at her, biting his lip thoughtful y. â€Å"Sorry,† he said. He took his arm off of Bonnie's shoulders and backed away a few steps, smiling stiffly. His whole body was tense, as if he was about to take off running. â€Å"Zander?† she asked again, confused. â€Å"I forgot something,† Zander said, avoiding her eyes. â€Å"I have to go back to the party.† â€Å"Oh. I'l come with you,† Bonnie offered. â€Å"No, that's okay.† Zander was shifting from foot to foot, glancing over Bonnie's shoulders as if, suddenly, he'd rather be anywhere than with her. Abruptly, he surged forward and kissed her awkwardly, their teeth knocking together, and then he stepped backward and turned, walking in the other direction. His strides lengthened, and soon he was running away from her, disappearing into the night. Again. He didn't look back. Bonnie, suddenly alone, shivered and looked around, peering into the darkness on al sides. She had been so happy a minute ago, and now she felt cold and dismayed, as if she had been hit with a splash of freezing cold water. â€Å"You have got to be kidding me,† she said aloud. Elena was shaking so hard that Damon was afraid she might just shake herself apart. He wrapped his arms around her comfortingly, and she glanced up at him without real y seeming to see him, her eyes glassy. â€Å"Stefan†¦Ã¢â‚¬  she moaned softly, and Damon had to fight down a sharp stab of irritation. So Stefan was overreacting. What else was new? Damon was here, Damon was with her and supporting her, and Elena needed to realize that. He was tempted to grab Elena firmly by the chin and make her real y look at him. In the old days, he would have done just that. Hel , in the old days, he would have sent a blast of Power at Elena until she was docile in his hands, until she didn't even remember Stefan's name. His canines prickled longingly just thinking of it. Her blood was like wine. Not that expecting Elena to give in to his Power meekly had ever worked particularly Well, he admitted to himself, his mouth curling into a smile. But he wasn't like that anymore. And he didn't want her that way. He was trying so hard, although he hated to admit it even to himself, to be worthy of Elena. To be worthy of Stefan, even, if it came right down to it. It had been comforting to final y have his baby brother looking at him with something other than hatred and disgust. Well, that was over. The tentative truce, the beginnings of friendship, the brotherhood, whatever it had been between him and Stefan, was gone. â€Å"Come on, princess,† he murmured to Elena, helping her up the stairs toward her door. â€Å"Just a little farther.† He couldn't be sorry they kissed. She was so beautiful, so alive and vibrant in his arms. And she tasted so good. And he loved her, he did, as far as his hard heart was capable of it. His mouth curled again, and he could taste his own bitterness. Elena was never going to be his, was she? Even when Stefan turned his back on her, the self-righteous idiot, he was al she thought about. Damon's free hand, the one that wasn't cupping Elena's shoulder protectively, tightened into a fist. They'd reached Elena's room, and Damon fished in her purse for her keys, unlocking the door for her. â€Å"Damon,† she said, turning in the doorway to look him straight in the eyes for the first time since before Stefan caught them kissing. She looked pale stil , but resolute, her mouth a straight line. â€Å"Damon, it was a mistake.† Damon's heart dropped like a stone, but he held her gaze. â€Å"I know,† he said, his voice steady. â€Å"Everything wil work out in the end, princess, you'l see.† He forced his lips to turn up in a reassuring, supportive smile. The smile of a friend. Then Elena was gone, the door to her room shutting firmly behind her. Damon spun in his tracks, cursing, and kicked at the wal behind him. It cracked, and he kicked it again with a sour satisfaction at the feeling of the plaster splitting. There was a muted grumbling coming from behind the other doors on the floor, and Damon could hear footsteps approaching, someone coming to investigate the noise. If he had to deal with anyone now, he'd probably kil him. That wouldn't be a good idea, no matter how much he might enjoy it for the moment, not with Elena right here. Launching himself toward an open hal window, Damon smoothly transitioned to a crow in midair. It was a relief to stretch his wings, to pick up the rhythm of flying and feel the breeze against his feathers, lifting and supporting him. He flew through the window with a few strong beats of his wings and flung himself out into the night. Catching the wind, he soared recklessly high despite the darkness of the night. He needed the rush of the wind against his body, needed the distraction.

Zara and Ready Meals Case Study Individual Report Essay

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Argument - Essay Example It reflects the realities they face on a daily basis and their struggle to come to terms with the world around them. Far from encouraging young people into a life of drug addiction and gun crime, hip-hop can actually save them from it by proving a form of expression which can release their anger, stress and anxieties. This essay will explore the two sides to this hotly debated topic and attempt to understand just what role hip-hop plays in modern society. Jennifer McLune is a supporter of the idea that hip-hop is a damaging influence on modern society. Her focus is particularly on females, since she argues that hip-hop betrays its black women listeners by objectifying them. The basic premise for her argument is that far from offering an outlet for young black females, it actually encourages them to conform to roles delimitated along the lines of ‘baby mommas’, ‘chickenheads’ or ‘bitches’. Rather than offering positive role models for women, this music instead attempts to limit the role that women play in a society where men set the rules. This is an often levied criticism. At first listen lyrics to many hip-hop songs appear to have little respect for women beyond pure sexuality. McClure takes this point and develops it, in a distinctly feminist tone. McLune argues against Powell’s idea that the overt misogyny in hip-hop comes from socio-economic factors which have encourages this approach. She argues this point by indicating that women, too, have been raised in the exact same socio-economic conditions. Further, rich white males are just as capable as poor black ones of sexist slants. Her approach is an overtly feminist one which argues that women should not accept this war which men are waging on them. She argues that hip-hop culture is driven by sexism and that even artists which are opposed to this do not openly publicise the fact. It is so mainstream to hate women, it would

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Human Resource Learning and Development Term Paper

Human Resource Learning and Development - Term Paper Example Having an interest in this industry, I along with my group have chosen our topic (how to splice 35mm film) to explain that how the cinema's employees are trained to do that job with their other responsibilities. From the outset a layman would believe that this is a very easy job however when a person actually involves oneself into it, the job doesn't look easy anymore since any mistake will affect on the movies show. Therefore I believe this project requires more observation. In this workshop, our group tried to see how the employees who are working in this field get their training. In this paper, I will mention these employees by their names who work as projectionists. Before discussing the actual details of the training program that the projectionists will go through, the theories of training need to be discussed so that a proper comprehension of the case can be presented. First of all, let me discuss the content theories of training. The content theories stress the vitality of such training which makes the trainee learn things based on the experience of the previous learners and the context in which they have worked. Obviously, the context in which various trainees are trained is entirely different. Therefore, the context of the previous learners will not be taken into consideration. Only their knowledge and the experience that they share by the type of training they went through will be important and it will be applied to the new context of the new trainees. (Blake, 2003) The learner will be facilitated in a way which will help him relate the new knowledge being given by the knowledge that is already in his mind and then to have the process of unchanging by processing the old knowledge to become new knowledge and to be stored as such in the memory. There will even be material that the trainee can use even after the training is over and therefore, th is will reinforce the learning habits which were taught in the training session and will stay with the trainee for a long time. (Keeps, 2002) The cognitive system that is studied under the content theories of training emphasizes three factors which should be taken into consideration when a trainee is being trained. That kind of training which the projectionists' individual should be equipped with long term memory about a certain subject that is, he should be able to have a perfect understanding in the long term for a particular subject, in our case, it is slicing films and dealing with films in the projection room.   The processing skills of each individual, which is the extent to which they can use learning strategies to cope up with what they are being taught and to use the problem-solving skills to apply them to specific problems that they face at work. In this case, they must know how to deal with the different kinds of films that they encounter.

Classic Knitwear Essay Example for Free

Classic Knitwear Essay Classic Knitwear, founded in 1995, began production of a unique line of unbranded casual knit apparel. Included in their product line were such clothing as T-shirts, sport shirts, sweatshirts and other wearing apparel. Although the company saw exceptional revenues as of 2005, they still felt that they were not meeting certain criteria when it came to their gross margin. They sought to increase their gross margin, currently sitting at 18%, to that of a more comfortable number of 20%. To combat this issue, Classic Knitwear decided to team up with Guardian, a producer of odorless repellant protection against bugs, and combine their fortes into a line of clothing infused with the bug repellant technology. These new products would hopefully to rise the gross margin to the 20% they were hoping to accomplish. The non-fashion casual knitwear market consisted of products that range from casual t-shirts to even underwear. Within this industry, it can be divided into two categories, those manufacturers who brand their products with their name and those companies who choose not to brand their line of products. On the branded side of the industry, Classic competed with three major brands. These brands were JamesBrands (which accounted for $4.5 billion in revenue from sales), Flowerknit (which accounted for $1.25 billion in revenue from sales), and Greenville Corporations TopTops Division (which accounted for $630 million in revenue from sales). These branded labels competed on the level of private- labeled businesses. On the other side of the industry, Classic competed with one company in terms of unlabeled products. BB Activewear were major competitors as they generated $590 million or 23.6% market share, which made them a leader in the market. Although not directly involved within this sector, Jamesbrand, Flowerknit and Greenville Corporations TopTops Division still were involved with Classic on this level. Distribution channels are essential when it comes to the wholesales of these companies products. 90% of the product distribution from these companies go directly to two distinct types of retailers. Almost 50% of these sales are accounted for from mixed retailers, such as Wal-Mart and Kohls, who sell clothing as well as wide variety of other products. The other 40% is sold towards clothing specialist retailers, such as Gap and Brooks Brothers, who only specialize in the selling of clothing related products. The remaining 10% of the distribution channels contained bits from non- grocery retailers, home shopping, internet retailing and direct selling to the customers. In order for manufacturers to compete for retail business, they used a variety of strategies in order to gain attention from these retailers. Some of these tactics involved prices, variety of products, and efficiency of delivery. Classic Knitwear, since its inception, has been a simple manufacturing company whose focus is on creating and distributing unbranded casual knit apparel which includes T-shirts, sweatshirts and fleece like products. Unlike other companies that chose to have expensive products which carried prestigious fashion labels, Classic decided to venture away from them and focus on products that were categorized as non- fashioned knitwear. With this strategy, Classic accounted for $550 million in revenues from domestic sales. They have also decided to sell only in the United States, as foreign markets were too much of a risk that could have negative consequences. 75% of this revenue came from the selling of their products to wholesalers, who in turn, resold the Classic clothing to screen- print channels which customized the products with logos and images. Ortiz and Chong decided to concentrate on this pathway because it offered the fastest growth potential than trying to sell like ordinary retailers. As a result, Classic Knitwear had established itself as the #2 seller in the market, accounting for 16.5% of the market share. Classic generated the remaining 25% of their revenues from mass retail channels under private labeling. Classic would sell their products to retailers such as Wal-Mart and Dollar General and would be carried under the name of the retailer or through a house brand that was developed by the retailers themselves. In fact, these two retailers accounted for 57% of those revenue sales. To help accomplish such high revenues, Classic had to achieve low production costs throughout the entire company. To ensure that such goals were obtainable, Classic established state-of-the-art production factories that were situated off shore, mainly in the Dominican Republic. Being situated not in the United States allowed them to have much lower production costs than those produced domestically. Although other companies had also set up production factories in other countries, Classic was able to have a slight competitive advantage over these other companies. What helped them keep this competitive advantage was a high volume- low SKU (stock keeping unit) strategy. This ensured that they would produce high quantities of products without the large variety of products that other companies had. As of 2005, Classic felt that it would never reach their goal of 20% gross margins through various controlled labels or tie in promotions. However, Classic Knitwear had an epiphany which could potentially shoot their gross profits to levels that they would feel satisfied with. With the rise of the West Nile virus across the Americas, more and more people were looking for ways to prevent the transmission of the diseases. Classic thought it would generate the attention of customers to produce a new line of clothing that would be infused with chemicals that would be able to repel insects that carried the West Nile virus. With the help of another company, Guardian, who specialized in insect repellants, they would be able to create such a line of products. The reason that they chose Guardian was due to their flagship repellant, have established them as one of the top producers in insect repellant. The products would consist of a short and long sleeve T-shirt, a Mens polo, and a Mens fleece. Along with the production of these chemical infused clothing, Classic was targeting males 18-35, seeing as these individuals would most likely be outside during times when insects are active. The initial investment of such a line could cost about $10 million, which would help to generate 50% unaided awareness across the United States. In order to get the needed awareness of their product out to the public to ensure increased gross margins, Classic relied heavily on marketing. They had studied how other brands that were selling similar brands of insect repellant clothing and how they were successful, establishing themselves into small niche markets. Based on those already established companies, Classic decided to sell their product lines to retail stores with cardboard displays housing the different styles of shirts. On the outside of each of the boxes would display pictures of outdoor related activities that would promote the proper use of each shirt. Some of these retail stores would be outdoor related stores such as Bass Pro Shops and L.L. Bean. Classic wanted to have 10,000 displays in stores over the next 2 years after the product line was to begin production. To help get these displays in stores, they offered discounts on the sale of T-shirts if the store agreed to have a display in their store. Classic, with the production of these chemical infused shirts, could have a possible juggernaut to help generate sales, but there could be other possibilities that could help them reach their target gross margin of 20%. One alternative would be to not produce the new line of shirts, relying on frequent customers to help generate the extra sales to gain the extra gross margin. Another possibility would be to vertical integrate with one of the screen-pressing companies that create the logos which are later screened onto the sold shirts. By integrating, they could possibly cut unnecessary costs that would also help create higher gross margins. Lastly, another possible alternative to this problem would be to establish a brand of clothing that is positioned near the high labeled brands. They would have to compete with the big three companies with sales, but could possibly steal sales away from them to help establish themselves. Classic Knitwear was set with a problem of what to do to try and earn more in their gross profits. To solve such case, it would be recommended that they continue with the production of these insect repellant shirts. With the outbreak of the West Nile virus and outdoorsmen wanting styled brands to wear, this idea would help to generate the sales need to raise the gross profits. Based on Consumer.com surveys, it was concluded that there was a strong desire for such a product, especially one whose clothing was made out Classics materials. In the end, the continuation of this line would help generate the extra gross margin they had hope to gain.

Marlowes Doctor Faustus Analysis Predetermination And Free Will

Marlowes Doctor Faustus Analysis Predetermination And Free Will Sinfield has discussed about Calvinism, underpinning the Elizabethan orthodoxy which would regard Faustus not as damned because he makes a pact with the Devil, but as making a pact with the Devil because he is already damned.(353) He very well portrays the idea that because Faustus got involved in a sin, he was bound to be damned. At another instance his claim, If Faustus doesnt have it, there is nothing he can do. (355) nullifies any possibility of justifying his wrong conduct. At times it cannot be called a Calvinist play as God is exceedingly good in gifts, until the Faustus becomes a victim of his insatiable desire even when God is willing to forgive, if he repents. But Faustus intentionally refuses all the aid and goes down to damnation. Doctrine of Calvinism was on rise in England and under the direction of Puritan theologian. Calvinism means theological first promoted by John Calvin in (150 9-1564 ).He was one of leaders of Protestant reformation. It laid the foundation for reformed theology. Calvinism is contrasted with Lutheranism with which it divided the heritage of the Reformation. Calvinism and Lutheranism both discussed the principles of predestination and justification by faith. Calvinism sees God in all life activity and also in salvation. In first place predestination is not formative principle of Calvinism, it has only logical implications. It is not the root from which Calvinism springs out, but acts as branch of Calvinism. By the end of Act 1, Faustus appears to have made up his mind to sell his soul to the devil in exchange for twenty-four years in which he will live in all voluptuousness (1.3.94). Act 2, Scene 1 opens with another soliloquy in a long soliloquy, Faustus reflects on the most rewarding type of scholarships. He considers law, quoting the Byzantine emperor Justinian, but dismisses the law as too petty, dealing with trivial matters rather than larger ones. Divinity, the study of religion and theology, seems to offer wider vistas, but he quotes from St. Jeromes Bible that all men sin and finds the Bibles assertion that [t]he reward of sin is death an unacceptable doctrine. He then dismisses religion and fixes his mind on magic, which, when properly pursued, he believes will make him a mighty god (1.62). In Act1 Scene1, the lines Thinks thou that I, who saw the face of God, and tasted the eternal joys of heaven, Am not tormented with ten thousand hells in being deprived of everlasting bliss?, establish the fact the Faustus had given up on his fate and believed that he is the master of his own destiny. While the predestination involved a complete dependency on God and advocated for supremacy of Gods free will, Faustus wanted to challenge the sovereignty of God and experiment his own free will. He took a different route in principles other than the natural logic of salvation process professed by his friends and other scholars. He relied on the strength of human effort alone. Faustus had mastered all the subjects he read. This play emphasizes the fact that knowledge when misutilized can lead to destruction. Faustus wanted to study magic instead metaphysics. He gained knowledge through evil. Faustus possessed insatiable thirst for knowledge and fanaticism and showed deep interest in necromancy. Faustus rejected traditional study and turned towards magic and wanted to practice necromancy. He looked forward to the advantages which he would gain as a magician. He was a Renaissance man and experienced inner conflict, when the good angel dissuades him from practicing magic. The evil angel wanted that he should go forward and practice magic. Doctor Faustus is a Christian tragedy as Marlowe has depicted human soul as a battle field. Doctor Faustus is a victim of his conceptions and misconception. As is true throughout the play, however, Marlowe uses Faustuss own words to expose Faustuss blind spots. In his initial speech, for example, Faustus establishes a hierarchy of disciplines by showing which are nobler than others. He does not want merely to protect mens bodies through medicine, nor does he want to protect their property through law. He wants higher things, and so he proceeds on to religion. There, he quotes selectively from the New Testament, picking out only those passages that make Christianity appear in a negative light. He reads that [t]he reward of sin is death, and that [I]f we say we that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and there is no truth in us (1.40-43). The second of these lines comes from the first book of John, but Faustus neglects to read the very next line, which states, If we confess our sins, [God] is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousn ess (1 John 1:9). Thus, through selective quoting, Faustus makes it seem as though religion promises only death and not forgiveness and so he easily rejects religion with a fatalistic What will be, shall be! Divinity, adieu! (1.48). Meanwhile, he uses religious language-as he does throughout the play-to describe the dark world of necromancy that he enters. These metaphysics of magicians / and necromantic books are heavenly (1.49-50), he declares without a trace of irony. Having gone upward from medicine and law to theology, he envisions magic and necromancy as the crowning discipline. Sinfiled as a critic has argued that God is silent on this occasion as he writes, If Faustuss heart is hardened and he cannot repent, who has hardened it? (356). Besides this Faustuss repentance is insincere, and that he consistently fails to repent not because he is suffering from theologically-induced despair, but because he is afraid of the devils and constantly distracted by the frivolous entertainments they stage for him, like the pageant of the seven deadly sins which follows this episode. One could argue as well that the play does represent the Christian God as loving and merciful, and shows human beings to be free to shape their own spiritual destinies. The Good and Evil Angels, after all, seem to give dramatic form to Faustuss freedom to choose: he has a choice between good and evil, and he chooses evil in full knowledge of what the consequences will be. As late as Act 5, Scene 1, the Old Man appears on stage to drive home the availability of Gods mercy if only Faustus will sincerely repent his sins. Looked at from this perspective, it is Faustus and not God who is responsible for the terrible fate that greets him at the close of the play. Conclusively, Marlowe has planned the demise of Faustus in such a way that the argument, There are two traps in the play. One is set by God for Dr.Faustus; the other is set by Marlowe, for God. (361) holds true. Doctor Faustus is an Elizabethan tragedy. The play deals with the will of God and the hero defies it. The main focus is on human will. Faustus brings tragedy for himself. Faustus decides to follow the path as told by Valdes and Cornelius and practices black magic. Faustus himself calls Mephistopheles. This can be inferred as a fact supporting predestination from the lines, Mephistopheless intervention would be part of Faustuss punishment within the divine predestination.(354)Out of pride Faustus seeks world of profit, delight and power. Faustus signs pact with Mephistopheles to enjoy worldly pleasure. In the Prologue and through the first chorus his doom is before us in clear and emphatic terms. We are that swollen with pride in his attainments , he forgets about salvation. (354) Mephistopheles by responding to Faustus demands, gives answers on Hell, makes him invisible so that he can irritate Pope who was at a feast in the company of the Cardinal of Lorraine. So it was destined by God to put Mephistopheles to make full use of pride and bringing damnation and ultimately death of Faustus. This is evident from Sinfields discussion on point of having a Good Angel as, The role of the Good Angel is to tell Faustus what he ought to do but cannot, so that he will be unable to claim ignorance when God taxes him with wickedness. Sinfield raises the possibility that the play was written to embarrass Protestant doctrine.(358) He also wrote If Faustus was guided by Mephistopheles, the decision was Gods. For Protestant thought could not tolerate devils wandering around the world at whim: God does not just allow their activities, he contracts out tasks to them. There exists many contradictions in the play but eventually one may feel as imperfections exist in human so why not in a character of a play. The ultimate authority to decide lies in the hands of the readers. Last not the least Sinfields thought substantial texts are in principle likely to be written across ideological faultlines because that is the most interesting kind of writing; they may well not be susceptible to any decisive reading. (359) is more convincing.

Plastic Surgery Trends In South Korea

Plastic Surgery Trends In South Korea Plastic surgery is a special type of surgery involved both appearance and ability to function. Through plastic surgery patients appearance will be greatly improved. In modern society, Plastic surgery become a very popular with people and one of the most famous Plastic surgery country is South Korea .This paper provides an insight into history and status quo of the Korean Society of Plastic surgery. Based on the finding of the research, the paper draws the conclusion that plastic surgery technology has a lot of change and development which makes plastic surgery become cheaper and safer. Furthermore, there are many new plastic surgery trends formed to meet the needs of the beauty of the Korean people. 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract.1 1. Introduction3 2. Discussion of findings3 2.1: History of the Korean society of plastic surgery3 2.2: South Korea is one of the world leaders in plastic surgery.4 2.3: Plastic surgery trends in South Korea.5 Conclusion.7 References..8 2 1. Introduction. In modern society, when the average quality of life in South Korea is rising, people tend to spend more time and money taking care for their appearance. The development of plastic surgery has help a lot people to fulfill their hope to be beautiful. Therefore, it become very popular in South Korea since its appearance. Plastic surgery has long been big business in the US, but now the trend is sweeping across Asia and South Korea was one of the most affected countries from this trend. Thus, this paper with the purpose of giving more knowledge about the history of plastic surgery of the Korean society, South Korea is the world leader in plastic surgery and Plastic surgery trends in South Korea. 2.Discussion of findings. 2.1: History of the Korean society of plastic surgery. It was around 1945 that there were no plastic surgery techniques available in Korea ( Korean society of plastic and reconstructive surgeons ). Doctors at the time had never heard the term plastic surgery. Nonetheless, after independence, the entry of Western doctors into Korea had brought opportunity for Korean doctors to be able to access Western journals and different medicines such as sulfa drugs and penicillin. At that time, the term plastic surgery was still not mentioned but there are still many documents written about Western doctors performing skin grafts on patients with facial and finger disfigurement and contracture due to severe and chronic necrosis of the skin, skin defects, and burns. In 1950, the Korean War broke out, a lot of doctors from the US and UN were mobilized to cure injured patients, began active treatment of injured patients (Korean society of plastic and reconstructive surgeons ). Among them, the US military doctors Dr. Millard and Dr. Stenstrom had arrived in Busan, they applied various plastic surgery techniques including reconstruction. However, they just concentrated only on their duties and did not intend to develop plastic surgery in Korea. In the mid 1950s ,the importance of plastic surgery was realized when Korean doctors who had learned advanced medicine abroad, including Europe and America , started to teach at colleges and universities in Korea (Korean society of plastic and reconstructive surgeons). Since then, the term Plastic surgery began to be known and widespread in Korea. In August 1961, Dr. Jaeduck Yoo- a professional in plastic surgery in the US , founded the plastic surgery department at Yonsei University Severance Hospital , thereby initiating plastic surgery as a special field of medicine and training specialists in the field for the first time in Korea (Korean society of plastic and reconstructive surgeons ) Since 1964, lectures were given to students on plastic surgery in the college of medicine at Yonsei University and training was given to plastic surgery specialists (Korean society of plastic and reconstructive surgeons). However, such training remained within the scope of general surgery. On May 15, 1966 , some 30 doctors from various fields of medicine, including general surgery, orthopedic surgery, ENT, and ophthalmology, who had an interest in plastic surgery established the Korean Society of Plastic Reconstructive Surgeons. Since then plastic surgery was invested and developed as a new field of medicine (Korean society of plastic and reconstructive surgeons). 2.2: South Korea is one of the world leader in plastic surgery. A decade ago, according to ARA n.d.,Plastic surgery is something that only the rich can think about , but now, plastic surgery has become so common that an estimated 30 percent of Korean women aged 20 to 50 had surgical or nonsurgical cosmetic procedures last year, with many having more than one procedure . In an effort to improve their beauty, 20 per cent of women between the ages of 19 and 49 in Seoul, the countrys capital city, admitted they had gone under the knife. Three in every four Korean women aging from 20-30 have undergone plastic surgery and the double eyelid surgery is the most performed one on women in this country. A quarter of Korean mother whose daughter is between the ages of 12 and 16 encourage their children to go to cosmetic surgery. Plus, there is the fact that more than a quarter of Korean graduate students are supposed to be fail in an interview because of their appearance; therefore, they have already undergone plastic surgery, in order to correct this error. In fact, not only women but men are willing to go under the knife in the name of beauty. Kang Jang-seok, who runs Man Nature in Gangnam, southern Seoul, said he opened my practice in 2005 as a hair-transplant clinic, but soon decided to open a small plastic-surgery clinic next to it to accommodate growing demand from male patients who wanted bigger eyes and more pronounced noses. Two years ago, he moved the clinic into a four-story building fully dedicated to reshaping men According to the latest statistics from the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons n.d., South Korea ranked eighth globally in 2010 in terms of the total number of surgical cosmetic procedures performed .There is nothing wrong if they had undergone plastic surgery so 73% of women encourage men to cosmetic surgery to improve their appearance. The change in attitudes can also attribute to the trend in which TV actors and pop idols no longer hide their cosmetic treatments.There are many Korean stars had went under the knife to make their appearance become more perfect. A member of the boy-band Big Bang confessed that he underwent surgery following a traffic accident but had also contemplated having his face changed to look more likely one or two movie stars he admired. Plastic surgery in Korea is becoming such a lucrative market that has apparently threatened some plastic surgeons in the United States. 2.3: Plastic surgery trends in South Korea. Less invasive facelifts The trend has been to use different techniques. With hybrid Future Lift, the optimal features of older-generation short-incision mini facelifts are fused with deep plane facelifts that gently lift underneath the muscle. So instead of a stretched look, you get a natural, rejuvenated look. Since the incision is smaller (about one quarter in length), it can be done through a telescope the same as open-heart surgery. Because the techniques are less invasive, the recovery time is 5-10 days instead of 4-6 weeks. New ways to restore facial volume. When we lose elasticity in our face, our cheekbone and jaw-line structure deflate, and the fabric of our skin starts to degrade. Doctors used to only focus on the sagging part.Hyaluronic Acid (Restylane and Juvederm) is a method focusing on adding volume to the face and reshape the face to have higher cheekbones, which is often associated with female beauty With fat grafting (also known as fat transfer) borrow fat from another part of the body, purify those fat tissues and transfer them back into the face.Thats a permanent result that adds volume back to the face. It minimizes the plastic look. Silicone breast implants. Over the past 25 years, because of advances in plastic surgical techniques, the esthetic quality of breast reconstruction has improved greatly. Before the early 1970s, breast reconstruction was a multistage procedure in which a distant random flap was transferred to the chest in a series of operations. The results were not always successful, nor were the reconstructed breasts consistently cosmetically pleasing (Nadine B. Semer, MD, 2001). Until 2006, the FDA re-approved silicone implants for cosmetic breast augmentation. They are safer and more durable, with thicker shells to prevent leakage. The inner silicone gel is more cohesive, so they dont ooze or spill if punctured. They often look and feel more natural than saline implants (which are just bags of salt water), with less rippling and better maintenance of shape. These re-approved silicone breast implants have been the gold standard for breast cancer reconstruction, and now cosmetic patients are benefiting from the improved impl ant as well. They come in hundreds of shapes and sizes, and can truly be customized to each patients personal goals and anatomic characteristics. Advanced body-contouring techniques. The increase of patients undergoing Bariatric surgery (gastric bypass, LapBand) has created a whole new population of patients with loose, hanging skin. Many people have lost 100 pounds or more, but remained dissatisfied before the advent of comprehensive plastic surgical techniques for body contouring. Anesthesia, peri-operative testing and planning including nutrition and exercise have optimized these patients. Combined operations involving arm, abdomen, leg and face-lifts are possible. Improved liposuction technology (ultrasonic, power-assisted, Vaser) may also be added for even better results Bià ¡Ã‚ ºÃ‚ ¿n cà ¡c cà ¢u ngà ¡Ã‚ ºÃ‚ ¯n nà  y thà  nh 1 cà ¢u dà  i Ä‘i Lasers to resurface the skin. When our skin tones are uneven, thats a sign of aging. Using Laser Treatment to target damaged skin by creating microscopic wounds to trigger collagen production, reverse the signs of aging and reduce hyper-pigmentation and age spots make people look naturally good. 6 Conclusion. From all the findings above, it is clear that several years ago, many people are afraid, embarrassed with cosmetic surgery and often try to hide but today plastic surgery is very normal thing for women and even men in Korea. Since the first time plastic surgery appears in Korea, plastic surgery technology has a lot of change and development which makes plastic surgery becoming cheaper and safer. Besides, there are many new plastic surgery trend formed to meet the needs of the beauty of the Korean people. 7

The Scarlet Letter :: essays research papers

A person's morals and beliefs are the structure for which their life is built upon. Once you have defied these 'morals'; there is no greater punishment than having to live within oneself. The Scarlet Letter, a Nineteenth Century novel by Nathaniel Hawthorne, raises the question of what is worse is worse; A sin that has been allowed out in the open, or one that has been concealed. Hawthorne chooses a character, Arthur Dimmsdale, to demonstrate that.Dimmsdale, an ordained minister, is a man that is revered within his Puritan society for not only his quiet and effective sermons, but also for his kind hearted ways.A young clergyman coming straight from a university, Dimmsdale brought with him new ideas about religion as well as a renewed passion for the sermons which he gave. The Reverend is described as a 'person of very striking aspect, with a white, lofty, and intending brow, large, brown, melancholy eyes, and a mouth which, unless when he forcibly compressed it, was apt to be tremulo us, expressing both nervous sensibility and vastpower of self restraint.';. Though as the chapters go on it becomes apparent that Dimmsdale is in fact not quite the man that he had been perceived as.Though thoughtful and honest, Dimmsdale did not have the restraint as thought. He in fact, was the father of Hester Prynne's illegitimate daughter Pearl. Rather than having to face the public damnation as well as the detriment to his place within society, Dimmsdale choose to conceal his own guilt, allowing Hester to take the shame and scrutiny alone. Though it may seem that Dimmsdale is cold hearted, in fact the opposite is true. While it is true that Dimmsdale refused to publicly announce his sin, withholding it within himself turned out to be much more punishment than any other could have given. This carnal sin, moreover the concealment of it, in fact is what ultimately becomes this man's demise. A once vibrant man was literally eaten alive by the guilt for which he carried within his heart. The Reverand's vibrant eyes became dark, his rosy cheeks pale and hallow. His once young body now emaciated as if he was trying to purge the sin from within it. Yet if that was still not enough, Dimmsdale walked with a hand covering his heart. His own token reminder that though he himself is no longer an esteemed preacher of God, but simply a man living within a life of sin.

Creative Story: The Chronic Swamp Murders :: essays research papers

Creative Story: The Chronic Swamp Murders   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One day while Joe and Jill Hemp were walking through Chronic swamp they came across a trail of blood in the water. They followed the trail until it stopped at a dead body. The body was of a man who was wearing a camouflage outfit. They immediately ran back to their house, which was not far from the murder site and called the police. Their house was located right on the edge of the swamp.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When the police got there they roped off the whole area so they could start their investigation. At first it looked as if it was definitely a murder, but after a few days of investigation the police concluded that the man was probably a hunter who had either fallen out of a tree or just tripped and broken his neck. A broken neck was definitely what killed the man. The only problem with this hypothesis was that it left a few unanswered questions. If the man was a hunter where did his gun or bow go? How often did you find a dead hunter just lying in the middle of a swamp? Even with these questions police told the Hemps that it was an accident and they were in no danger.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Hemp's life went on with no interruptions until about two weeks after the hunter was found. Another body had been found in the swamp. This time the body was a male whom had a business suit on. The police came back and investigated this death. After about a week they concluded again that it was a broken neck that had killed the victim. There were no signs of a struggle so the investigators said that it was some type of freak accident. They also told the Hemps to stay out of the swamp.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Hemps never went back into the swamp again, but one night they were awakened by a loud pounding noise on the front door. When Mr. Hemp got up to see what it was, all he saw was something large running into the swamp. He then made sure that all the doors were locked and he got his shotgun out of the closet. He waited in his dark living room for about an hour and then went back to his bed. He didn't tell his wife what had happened so she wouldn't be scared   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The next day when Joe was coming home from work he noticed the door was wide open. When he got closer he noticed that the door frame was broken and the Creative Story: The Chronic Swamp Murders :: essays research papers Creative Story: The Chronic Swamp Murders   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One day while Joe and Jill Hemp were walking through Chronic swamp they came across a trail of blood in the water. They followed the trail until it stopped at a dead body. The body was of a man who was wearing a camouflage outfit. They immediately ran back to their house, which was not far from the murder site and called the police. Their house was located right on the edge of the swamp.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When the police got there they roped off the whole area so they could start their investigation. At first it looked as if it was definitely a murder, but after a few days of investigation the police concluded that the man was probably a hunter who had either fallen out of a tree or just tripped and broken his neck. A broken neck was definitely what killed the man. The only problem with this hypothesis was that it left a few unanswered questions. If the man was a hunter where did his gun or bow go? How often did you find a dead hunter just lying in the middle of a swamp? Even with these questions police told the Hemps that it was an accident and they were in no danger.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Hemp's life went on with no interruptions until about two weeks after the hunter was found. Another body had been found in the swamp. This time the body was a male whom had a business suit on. The police came back and investigated this death. After about a week they concluded again that it was a broken neck that had killed the victim. There were no signs of a struggle so the investigators said that it was some type of freak accident. They also told the Hemps to stay out of the swamp.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Hemps never went back into the swamp again, but one night they were awakened by a loud pounding noise on the front door. When Mr. Hemp got up to see what it was, all he saw was something large running into the swamp. He then made sure that all the doors were locked and he got his shotgun out of the closet. He waited in his dark living room for about an hour and then went back to his bed. He didn't tell his wife what had happened so she wouldn't be scared   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The next day when Joe was coming home from work he noticed the door was wide open. When he got closer he noticed that the door frame was broken and the

Muddy Waters :: Blues Music

Blues as an art form gave Blacks a medium to manifest their feelings. Feelings ranging from humorous to silly to depressed. Fortunately for a entire genre of music, the only way for Mckinley Morganfield to express himself was through song. Morganfield better known as Muddy Waters became a legendary blues vocalist /guitarist. When the Blues industry saw commercial success many of its artists also saw rising fame. Muddy Waters enjoyed success in the industry up until and even after his death in 1983. Morganfield was born April 4, 1915 to Ollie Morganfield and Bertha Jones. He was born in Rollingfork, Mississippi. Near their two room shack in Rollingfork there was a creek, Deer Creek. As a youngster he used to play in the creek and get all dirty and muddy. It was at this point when his sisters gave him the nickname ‘Muddy Waters’. Bertha died when he was about three. After her death he had to move in with his grandmother in Clarksdale. Raised in Clarksdale, he also went to school there. He went to school until he was old enough to work in the fields. Much like all of the other field laborers Muddy Waters hollered in the fields to pass time or just to get things off of your chest. Waters would also teach himself to play instruments. When he was fifteen he knew how to play the harmonica and he would later teach himself the guitar. The young Waters followed in his fathers musician footsteps. He was part of a band at fifteen, with Scott Bowhandle on guitar and Sonny Simms playing the violin. They would play some Saturday nights in downtown Clarksdale and others he would sell fried fish on nights. And other nights he would watch the greats like Son House, Robert Johnson and Charlie Patton were great musical influences on Waters. The main influence on Waters was Son House, although Waters style of play was more similar to that of Robert Johnson. Muddy Waters was first recognized by word of mouth. Alan Lomax of The Library of Congress went to Clarksdale to r ecord Robert Johnson. But to his dismay, he found out that Robert Johnson was dead and had been for two years. The word on the street at that time led Lomax to Muddy Waters. Waters would record two songs with them in 1941, far before he became famous.

Monogamy

In this society, it is usually assumed that one is either single or in some form of monogamous relationship. At best, it is sometimes considered acceptable to play the field if one is not in a committed relationship. If one is in a committed relationship, it is with one person only, and any sexual and/or romantic involvement outside the relationship is cheating. Both of these situations, playing the field and cheating are still often subject to the classic double standard of being more acceptable for men and women. Long before written history, primitive clans and tribes were living within small, highly inter-dependent social structures. Many of these groups had some type of ceremony marking the forming of a union or marriage between two opposite sex partners. It appears that since we began living in structured social groups, humans have adhered to the belief that formal unions of two people work best for maintaining a healthy, functioning society. Within different societies, independent unions of two people were considered the best way to secure food and shelter, defend against outside aggressors, and raise offspring. As societies evolved, the marriage bond took on increased significance within each culture. One of the most universal aspects of the marriage union to be perpetuated cross-culturally was monogamy. Yet despite this proclivity towards marriage, and insistence that the marriage partners remain monogamous, human beings have been engaging in non-monogamous activities throughout history. We know that â€Å"extramarital affairs† have been going on since the advent of the socially sanctioned union. Our historical concern about affairs is evident in the inclusion of extramarital affairs as one of the sins mentioned in the Ten Commandants. The fact that affairs are wrong, even considered to be a sin has been ingrained into us through our social, cultural and religious upbringing. Yet despite the social and religious disapproval of them, they have been an ever present phenomenon for us to deal with. So why are so many people having affairs despite such powerful social and religious doctrines against them The fact is that there have been as many reasons given for affairs as there are people engaging in them. Some of these include dissatisfaction with the marital relationship, emotional emptiness, need for sexual variety, inability to resist new sexual opportunity, anger at a partner, no longer being â€Å"in love†, alcohol or drug addiction, growing apart, desire to get a partner jealous. Some people have even said that human beings simply can’t maintain monogamous sexual relationships over long periods of time because it â€Å"isn’t natural†. If this is true, if there is a biological reason preventing us from accomplishing our goal of remaining in a monogamous relationship, than we are condemning ourselves to continued personal and social failure by continuing to pursue these types of relationships. On the other hand, despite the fact that affairs have been a problem for married couples throughout history, and that there appears to be an increasing number of affairs at this time, we probably know that human nature is not to blame. At least not in the traditional sense. Maybe our liking towards affairs is more a symptom of our inability to find satisfaction in our long-term relationships because of the expectations we place on them in the first place, then any biological drive towards multiple sexual partners. Possibly our inability to remain â€Å"in love† with our partners as we grow and mature and our life circumstances change is what drives us to look for another intimate relationship. The loss of that high level of passion and desire that existed in the beginning of the relationship may result in boredom or develop into a feeling of apathy towards the partner. Combined with all of the other stresses and complexities of long term relationships, such as financial problems, raising children, job changes, death of family members, change in status, etc. , the loss of passion may lead to a desire to rediscover it in a new relationship. So it may not be the desire to experience the new or forbidden sexual relationship, but rather the need to re-experience the intense level of passion and the feeling of being in love which leads to affairs. Therefore, extramarital affairs may be the result of an inability to maintain a satisfying emotional relationship with a partner over a long period of time, and not due to a need for sexual variety. Possibly our need for intense emotional experiences leads to a desire to rediscover the feelings that come at the start of a new love relationship. Whether it is our expectation that passion remain or our inability to maintain passion easily in long term relationships, the loss of it appears to be a major factor in the initiation of affairs. Once initiated, the high level of passion experienced in affairs appears to be a powerful component in the maintaining them. If the interpersonal relationship was satisfying for both partners, and passion was still an integral part of the relationship, the need to experience diversified or new sexual partners may not exist. Some people feel that their diminished â€Å"feelings† for their partner led them to become involved in the extramarital relationship. Specifically, many people in marriages unappreciated ignored, sexually frustrated and no longer desirable to their partners. They almost invariably say that they are no longer â€Å"in love† with their partners and lack the level of intimacy that they once had. In almost all marriages the member of an affair says that they feel â€Å"more alive†, â€Å"more sexually appealing† and â€Å"more appreciated† by their lovers than by their spouses. Extramarital affairs based solely on desire for a new sexual partner is a very small percentage of the total number of affairs. ( ) Majority of extramarital affairs are based emotional needs not being met within the marital relationship, and not sexually motivated reasons. Therefore, it appears that the allure of extramarital affairs is not new sexual experiences, nor are they due to any biological inability to remain monogamous, but rather what drives many individuals is a lack of emotional fulfillment within the existing relationship. The indication is that the desire for a new sexual experience is not the initial motive for looking outside the marriage, but rather comes after the breakdown of the emotional relationship. Only then, after there has been an eroding of the interpersonal relationship, including a loss of passion, lack of intimacy, and loss of emotional and sexual satisfaction, the dissatisfied partner looks for a new lover to fulfill their needs. This does not mean that the sexual passion experienced within an affair is not part of the driving force that maintains affairs. It is possible that the patterns of behavior that lead to affairs may be very different than the patterns that maintain them. There are several factors that may be responsible for the maintenance of extramarital affairs that were never considered before. These factors may be responsible for the high level of arousal experienced by people involved in affairs, the obsessive pre-occupation that many individuals in affairs report experiencing, and the inability to end an affair even when confronted with negative or devastating personal and social consequences. The extramarital affair is a far more complex relationship than the media often portrays it. Unlike Hollywood’s portrayal of affairs, real â€Å"triangles† involve a great deal of guilt, confusion, anxiety, and pain. In the end all members of the triangle are affected, for better or worse. Whether the marriage survives or the lovers form a new couple, everyone involved in the â€Å"triangle† will have been dramatically and permanently affected by the extramarital experience. Monogamy has become such a popular topic in society today. There are so many books that are being published about monogamy so married couples can somehow deal with it. â€Å"The Monogamy Myth†, which was published as a handbook for recovering from affairs, provides a step-by-step process for dealing with suspicion and confrontation. This book also mentions the pain of knowing, rebuilding self-esteem, rebuilding trust based on honesty, getting help, facing marriage/divorce dilemma, and living with the decision. The Monogamy Myth is the belief that monogamy is the norm in our society and that it is supported by society as a whole. The reality is that monogamy is not the norm, not by todays standards, anyway. Most of us expect monogamy to be a normal part of marriage (or any committed relationship). This was certainly my assumption through my childhood. I grew up with no first-hand knowledge of affairs and no idea that it would be a subject of my concern. Monogamy is still something most people say they believe in and want for themselves. I still believe in monogamy and think its attainable. But achieving it calls for making some drastic changes in everyones thinking.