First Year of Being a Mother Essay

Seeing my son for the first time after delivery, â€Å"It was love at first sight.† It was in the evening on a cold day, a cold front had just come in. We were in the hospital while family waited for the arrival of my new born child. You think you know the extent of love until you have had a child and see him or her for the very first time. Having a child is learning patience, teaching your child new things, and watching them grow. The first year I thought was going to be tough, being that I knew I had little patience. When you have a child however you learn quickly they run on their time and not yours. He would cry when he was hungry every four hours regardless of how much I wanted to sleep or if I had just dozed off. After a couple of nights I learned he was not going to go to sleep no matter how bad I wanted him to and when he did finally fall asleep I no longer wanted to because all I wanted to do was hold him and admire his peacefulness. He would sometimes wake up and cry only because he wanted to be held often many nights I would be in a good sleep. Every month was a new journey a new adventure with the things he would learn from his father and me teaching him or by him growing and developing. It amazed me how fast he would pick new things up after showing him a couple of times. Even though you don’t realize or notice it children learn every day. He learned by grabbing new objects he had never seen or by watching us do the same things over and over again. He would eventually pick it up and months later would surprise us by doing the same exact things he had seen us do. The new faces he would learn how to make were priceless often making us erupt in laughter. I have watched my son grow from small enough to fit in my arms measuring a little over one foot with room to spare to over three feet long and still growing. He has gone from subtle movements to turning over, sitting up and crawling. I know his learning and growth has just begun. His legs, hand and eye coordination has improved significantly as he has grown older, enabling him to realize who I was and eventually able to stand on his own. I anticipate he will be walking soon. Witnessing him slowly gain more confidence as he learns to let go of the table and stand at first for seconds at a time and now able to stand for minutes at a time has been a proud moment for me. Watching him grow as his mother has given me such joy and amazement on how fast he has grown before my eyes. It feels as if he was still born only yesterday. Alexander turned one in November and this first year was one I will always cherish. The day we brought him home until now has been an experience for each of us. He has taught me I have more patience than I originally thought and I know there are still many years that I will continue to learn as he tests my patience. There will be many days in the future where I will teach him new things, like riding a bike or how to build a tower out of Lego’s, and he will continue to develop and learn. To watch him grow will be my joy in life.

The Black Power Movement Of African Americans - 1605 Words

Social Movement Today, there are many movements that are going on due to unfair ways of oppression. Oppression can be defined as â€Å"tyranny by a ruling group to the injustice some suffer due to everyday practices of a society† (Campà ³n and Carter 2015: 497). I chose to write about the Black Power Movement because of the recent cases of oppression that have been occurring in the United States of America. Oppression can happen to people of all races, ethnicities, and sexual orientations. The black power movement cannot be placed into a box of confinement, it much more that one movement. Since the 1960s there have been many things like small protests and movements that have contributed to the black power movement over time. There have been†¦show more content†¦Black power was said to have echoed throughout American as a cry for liberation, pride of culture, and radical solidarity. There has always been a constant struggle for economic equality. Many people saw the movement as an angry outcry due to little progress that had been made to achieving civil rights. Also, the article stated that instead of helping the civil rights movement, it corrupted the younger generation of Black activist and it reinforced segregation. It was also said to be the civil rights movement’s evil twin. Black people did not have a voice that they could speak out about injustice. The oppression of Black people was very common in the southern states. Black people were not the dominant group of people. White people were the dominant group and Black people were the subordinate group. Black people had to do what they were told by the White people, for they were in total control of how society functioned. Lynching of Black people, police brutality and unpredictable danger occurred just because the color of their skin, anyone of color was not safe at all during those times. The civil rights movement was going on around the same time that the black power movement star ted. The civil rights movement had a more peaceful approach. Both of the movements pushed for equality and to end oppression but the black power movement, moved beyond the south. In the article, Carmicheal said, â€Å" It is a call for black people to unite, recognize their heritage, to build a

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Analysis Of Charlotte Ballet And Jean Pierre Bonnefoux

On February 2, 2017, I was given the opportunity to view Innovative Works, performed by Charlotte Ballet, and created by Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux, in the Patricia McBride and Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux Center for Dance. Charlotte Ballet has been around Charlotte, North Carolina for twenty-five years as a professional company. Bonnefoux created the performance to announce the passion and intensity of each movement the dancer’s performed along with assistance from Mark Diamond, Sasha Janes, Sarah Harkins, and David Ingram. Before viewing the performance, the Dance Department of Coker College was given a tour around the building. During the tour, information was provided about how long the company has existed, we were able to visit the costume design†¦show more content†¦Soon after the secretary and husband had the affair, he received a call from his wife that startled the secretary into getting dressed and leaving the office. His wife, sitting in the lounge chair, was attending a session with a psychiatrist about her marriage. She began to take advantage of the stage space to scream and release her anger towards her husband, while performing movements from an allegro. In the moment of screaming, she moved her way into the scene of her husband and secretary as if she were there, which only made it worse as she rubbed her hand against his shirt. Following the counseling scene, the end of the piece arose with the same pas de deux phrase from the beginning, except in a different quality. The husband was being very abrupt with his movement, while he was trying to ignore his wife. Pretending that her marriage was not falling apart, his wife performed her movement in the same quality fro the beginning. Furthermore, â€Å"Gemini†, the second piece from Innovative works, choreographed by Sarah Harkins and music by Frà ©dà ©ric Chopin, was a male duet based on improving and sharing weight. Within the duet, the two males initiated an interaction with the audience in another language saying, â€Å"Konnichiwa†, which automatically provides the idea of the company being diverse. However, during the interaction to keep the audience engaged, one of the dancer’s remained in the stage space. Following â€Å"Gemini† was a piece known as â€Å"Ever After†. The

Characters in 10 Things I Hate About You Essay Example For Students

Characters in 10 Things I Hate About You Essay Characters are interesting because they help the audience relate to the ideas and messages in the plot. 10 things I hate about you, a film directed Gil Junger, is a classical teenage romance about an inspirational protagonist, Kat Stratford, who is strong, independent and stands up for what she believes in. This character is a social misfit who is exposed to a high school society where students experience the pressures of conforming to the popular crowd. Kat is interesting because she teaches the audience the value of individualism, how someone can grow and change in a positive way and to gain a different perspective on life. Kat Stratford is interesting as she heavily portrays individualism and teaches us the importance of being independent and confident in your own skin. The idea of individuality is first introduced at the beginning of the film through diegetic music. When the camera pans from the preppy girls car to Kats car, this helps that audience see a comparison between the two owners personalities. Kats car is beaten up, old and rusty unlike the popular girls car, which is shiny and new. While the camera shot is panning, we also learn about Kat through music coming from her car, which uses lyrics to describe her style and character. The music is loud, energetic and angry; it uses the lyrics, I dont give a damn about my bad reputation. This taught me that Kat chooses to not be a mainstream type of person and likes to be known as an individual who separates herself from what is known to be the popular thing to do. Kat is interesting here as she both demonstrates and represents her individuality to the audience. Towards the end of the film, the director uses a close-up shot of Kat crying to demonstrate how she changed throughout the film in a positive way. At school, Kat reads a poem that she wrote for English class titled 10 things I hate about you. Kat, who is crying while reading her poem aloud in front of the class, reveals how hurt she was by what Patrick did and how much she really cares about him. Although she was guarded and had important values about independence and non-conformity, through expressing her true feelings, Kat shows vulnerability and less hostility than at the beginning of the film. When she forgives Patrick ands up dating him, despite the fact that she was strongly against it, teaches us that a persons perspective does change and therefore Kat is an interesting character because she proves that a person can grow and change for the better. This enables Kat to now have a more healthy and open relationship with Patrick. The values and morals that Kat Stratford represents through her journey, give the audience an opportunity to gain a different perspective on life. Through dialogue, we get an understanding of Kats point of view and personal concept of having the freedom of choice. In a scene with her younger sister Bianca; who is the complete opposite of Kat, her sister suggests to her that she has some potential and show get a new look. Biancas statement results in Kat saying, you forget I dont care what people think, then following her argument states to Bianca, you dont always have to be who they want you to be. From this we learn that Kat doesnt care what others think about her and she teaches us that doing what you want to do and being a carefree person, is better than constantly worrying about trying to impress others. Another scene where Kat shows her perspective on life is when she is with her love interest Patrick Verona and he asks her why she acts the way she does which precipitates Kats response in saying, I dont like to do what people expect. Why should I live up to other peoples expectations instead of my own? .u52b5337d3604590a832d35c44c4c2e51 , .u52b5337d3604590a832d35c44c4c2e51 .postImageUrl , .u52b5337d3604590a832d35c44c4c2e51 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u52b5337d3604590a832d35c44c4c2e51 , .u52b5337d3604590a832d35c44c4c2e51:hover , .u52b5337d3604590a832d35c44c4c2e51:visited , .u52b5337d3604590a832d35c44c4c2e51:active { border:0!important; } .u52b5337d3604590a832d35c44c4c2e51 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u52b5337d3604590a832d35c44c4c2e51 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u52b5337d3604590a832d35c44c4c2e51:active , .u52b5337d3604590a832d35c44c4c2e51:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u52b5337d3604590a832d35c44c4c2e51 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u52b5337d3604590a832d35c44c4c2e51 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u52b5337d3604590a832d35c44c4c2e51 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u52b5337d3604590a832d35c44c4c2e51 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u52b5337d3604590a832d35c44c4c2e51:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u52b5337d3604590a832d35c44c4c2e51 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u52b5337d3604590a832d35c44c4c2e51 .u52b5337d3604590a832d35c44c4c2e51-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u52b5337d3604590a832d35c44c4c2e51:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Walt Disney and Mulan EssayThis is interesting because Kat influences people to look at things in a new way. It is clear, therefore, that Kat Stratford is an interesting character as she teaches the audience many valuable lessons about life. Through her experiences, we are given an insight into her journey as an individual, how she grows and changes and allows us to grasp an entirely innovative idea on the way we choose to look at things. I believe that Kat is an inspiring role model and from her we can learn about how to overcome the rules that society creates for us by choosing to be who we want to be.

Racism in Amiri Barakas Play The Dutchman

The introduction Some fundamentals of Amiri Baraka’s biography While discussing Amiri Baraka’s famous play The Dutchman, I would like to tell a few words about the author. So, first of all, there is a need to point out that Baraka is considered to be a well-known writer, journalists, and essayist of famous Black Arts movement. He was born in the early thirties. In the early fifties, Amiri got his degree at Howard University.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Racism in Amiri Baraka’s Play The Dutchman specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The writer is also known as a music critic. In the early sixties, Baraka was extremely interested in political and aesthetic issues. In other words, at that period the author’s beliefs were radically changed. Generally, one is to keep in mind that Baraka is recognized to be one of the most important representatives of the black community. The author founded the Black Arts Repertory Theatre to fight against American racism. The author was a supporter of black cultural nationalism. It should be pointed out that Amiri Baraka was interested not only in racial problems, but he also tried to resolve certain economic contradictions of blacks. The author’s ideas about the ideology were expressed in his works. Thus, Baraka wanted people to fight against the capitalist regime. In other words, the author’s main purpose was to fight against chauvinism. The representative of black cultural nationalism said that his thoughts and ideas concerning political philosophy were not changed; but they developed. Shana Riddick says that according to Woodard, â€Å"through Black cultural nationalism African Americans were able to develop a collective consciousness† (p. 1). The body The Dutchman When speaking about Baraka’s most important works, one is to keep in mind that his ground-breaking play The Dutchman requires specia l attention. Generally, the basic theme of the work is considered to be racial injustice. In the play the author discloses the relations between a white woman and a black man. â€Å"The Dutch sailed the first slave-bearing vessel to the American colonies. The legend of The Flying Dutchman is one of a ship cursed to sail the seas eternally without ever finding safe harbor† (â€Å"Amiri Baraka and The Dutchman† par. 7). In my opinion, another important theme of the play seems to be nonrecognition of blacks. In other words, the USA is portrayed as a doomed country, because it rejects the members of black society. Other important themes of the play, which should be highlighted, are related to the concept of death. Thus, according to the first theme, it becomes obvious that â€Å"dehumanizing sexuality, in any form, leads to death. Clay and Lula’s sexual interaction is simply another layer of masking. It is sterile, with no spiritual or emotional intimacy. Barakaâ⠂¬â„¢s second theme is that psychic paralysis leads to annihilation† (â€Å"Amiri Baraka and The Dutchman† par. 14).Advertising Looking for research paper on comparative literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Generally, the author of the play told that in The Dutchman the feelings of all the blacks were expressed. Baraka states that being a black in the USA is one of the most difficult tasks. Another interesting moment I would like to draw your attention to is considered to be the symbolic meaning of the play. For instance, the moment when Lula eats an apple and teases Clay reminds us of a biblical story concerning an apple and temptation. Moreover, one is to keep in mind that the title of the play is closely related to the myth of the Flying Dutchman. For instance, it is evident that the ideas of eternal wandering, and damnation are taken form the myth. However, when analyzing the symbolic meaning of the pla y, one can make a conclusion that the hidden essence of racism is the key idea of the work. Another interesting moment, I would like to tell a few words about is related to Baraka’s own attitude towards his play. Thus, the author says, When I wrote that play Dutchman, I didn’t know what I had written. I stayed up all night and wrote it, went to sleep at the desk and then woke up, and looked at it and said â€Å"what the [f—] is this?† And then put it down and went to bed.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Racism in Amiri Baraka’s Play The Dutchman specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More (Laughter.) You have to always figure that you can hold on and you just open your mind to where it wants to go to, which you don’t know at the time, but if it’s legitimate, you’ll find out what you’re saying (Kalamu par. 8). So, taking into account the previous quotat ion, one can make a conclusion that the play The Dutchman reflects the inner feelings of the author. In other words, Baraka’s play is based on his levels of knowledge, i.e. perception, rationalization, and use. The author did not know what general impression his play could cause; however, his inner wisdom helped him. In my opinion, racial oppression seems to be one of the most important barriers in relation to social justice. They say that the modern society in the USA can be even called a racialized social system. For this reason, I suppose that Baraka’s play reflected the perspectives of social hierarchies development. To my mind, the play The Dutchman is closely related to racial ideologies. Thus, the writer points out that racial stratification always existed in the USA. The fact that Amiri Baraka was interested in the political struggle and the issues of racism, gives us an opportunity to state that it is racial discourse the play is based on. There is an opinion that â€Å"Through racial discourse, individuals and groups frame racial issues as they strive for ideological and political advantage. In essence, racial discourse is a form of propaganda† (Doane p. 256). Thus, I suppose that The Dutchman seems to be the author’s instinctive attempt to show the importance of the problem of racism. Generally, one is to keep in mind that the concept racism includes numerous constituents. However, extremely negative connotation of the term means that the definition of the term seems to be rather ambiguous and not so easy to define.Advertising Looking for research paper on comparative literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The structure of racism conflict is different; however, it should be pointed out that racist attitudes remain the same. In my opinion, Baraka wrote about ideological struggle, which influenced racial issues. I suppose that the author discloses hegemonic positions of whites, which reflect the kind of racism. The Dutchman represents the so-called struggle for racial equality. The author wants all people to be equal; he wants to resolve the burning problem of American society. Color-blind paradigm gives the readers an opportunity to understand the concept of racial discrimination deeper. Doane is of the opinion that â€Å"racism in America takes many forms, including obstacles to access to positions of power in government and business, unfair and degrading legislation, lower quality education in predominantly black areas, offensive cultural stereotypes and, sometimes, deadly violence† (262). So, when Baraka speaks about racism in his play, it is obvious that he analyzes the orig in and nature of the negative phenomenon in American society. The conclusion Racism as a complicated issue So, in my opinion, understanding the roots of the problem, gives us an opportunity to resolve it as soon as possible. The Dutchman reflects racism as a political construction. The play written by Amiri Baraka is recognized to be the so-called reflection of the reality. The author does not state that he describes a new problem; on the contrary, according to him, the social inequality exists too long, but no measures are taken to abolish racial discrimination. It seems that â€Å"white people identify themselves as a hegemony that opposes the minority and African Americans identify themselves as a minority that must seek reform to secure their equality – completing a vicious cycle of racial relations† (Rivera p. 3). Thus, one can make a conclusion that the issue of rediscrimination is considered to be a constant variable. However, it should be pointed out that Barak a is not ready to give up. On the contrary, he is sure that the USA is to be ready to face the so-called racial tension. In my opinion, however, the author partially highlighted the burning problem of American society. For instance, one is to keep in mind that the issue of racism covers two contradictory questions. So, on the one hand, the definition of racism seems to be quite ambiguous. Thus, it is still unclear who can be a racist. While relying on logic, nobody will deny the fact that the representatives of dominant groups as well as oppressed ones can be racists. However, as far as the kind of discrimination is closely related to institutional power, it becomes evident that there are whites, who are considered to be racists. Still, such divergent perspectives do not provide us with clear impression. Works Cited â€Å"Amiri Baraka and The Dutchman.† 2010. Web. Doane, A. What is Racism? Racial Discourse and Racial Politics, 2006. Web. Kalamu, Ya S. A Conversation with Amir i Baraka.  Web. Riddick, S. Review of Woodard’s â€Å"A Nation within a Nation: Amiri Baraka (LeRoi  Jones) and Black Power Politics,† 2010. Web. Rivera, L. The Paradox of Modern Racism Through Science Fiction Literature, 2007. Web. This research paper on Racism in Amiri Baraka’s Play The Dutchman was written and submitted by user Corsair to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

6 Effective Ways to Survive Through College Finals

6 Effective Ways to Survive Through College Finals College finals are challenging, we all know that. The pressure on a student in this period is immense. But you can pull it through! To help you out, we have prepared a few college finals tips and tricks on how you can avoid stress and increase your productivity during your exams. When finals week gets closer, one can often meet students with bags under their eyes holding the fifth cup of coffee. You can almost see this stressing tension in the air. So, when the finals week is the only thing that stands between you and hot summer days of chilling and fun, its not surprising that you might feel a little overwhelmed. When feeling so, its hard for your brain to be focused and organized. Its not a rare case when students fail exams in spite of being well acquainted with the subject and because of not being able to pull themselves together. So, we are going to give you tips on how to survive finals week and stay calm. 1 Eat and Drink Well A lot of students feel like they are running out of time before final examinations. In pursuit of saving time, they commonly skip their meals and eat poorly. However, its not the best choice for you during this period because your body needs a lot of energy in order to keep you organized and productive. Before the finals, your body and your brain need a lot of nutritious components and water to stay hydrated. Your meal plan for this time should contain: Omega-3 fatty acids (salmon, trout, herring, nuts, olive oil, coconut oil) Iron (apples, pumpkin seeds) Vitamin C (oranges, lemons) Vitamin E (pumpkin, spinach) Flavonoids, caffeine (dark chocolate, coffee) Lutein and Zeaxanthin (eggs, broccoli, grapes) Drink at least 4-5 glasses of water every day to stay healthy and energized. If you face difficulties with eating healthy and inexpensive in college, our tips will be useful to you. 2 Plan and Prioritize When you have a lot of material to revise, its easy to fall into a chaotic state when you are just flipping through your books and notes. However, when you have a detailed plan, you can structure information better and remember it without mixing it up in your head. Create a plan of studying and put the most challenging exams first and dedicate more time to them. Make sure to review your notes right before the exam to freshen up your memory. 3 Follow a Schedule Having a schedule is the most important step when preparing for exams. Its quite easy to succumb to anxiety and sit with your notes till the late night. But this is not the best way to make your brain and concentration work. Get up in the morning and go to bed at the same time every day. Make the list of subjects that you are going to dedicate time on a certain day and schedule little breaks in between your study sessions to relax. For example, you can watch your favorite TV show or listen to music. This way it will be easier for you to stay focused and process the information. 4 Have a Great Sleep Pulling all-nighter is never good for you, so take naps whenever you can. During sleep, your body relaxes and accumulates energy for you to continue your studying. Moreover, good sleep for at least 8 hours a day increases your productivity and attentiveness. 5 Prepare Your Notes Even though you might think that its better to study for an extra hour, your ability to retain information at the end of late studying sessions is getting drastically low. So, there is no need to force yourself to stay up, better go to bed earlier. Structuring information helps with retaining and perceiving information better. Find the most effective way for you to remember the information and match your notes with the method that you chose. For example, people of the visual learning style will find organizing information on the paper effective. Different diagrams, infographics and educational videos on platforms like Coursera or Youtube will work the best. For people of auditory learning style podcasts and recorded lectures will be the best way to rehearse the material. So, prepare your notes and organize them in the best way for you. You might also use markers to highlight some points while you are rereading them or write down some quick thesis statements. Check out other useful pieces of advice for higher grades. 6 Exercise A lot of students find exercising very useful during intense study sessions, and this is not surprising. Besides helping you lose weight, sport releases hormones and helps your brain fight with stress and anxiety. Moreover, sometimes you just need to distract yourself from depressing thoughts and a good run or workout will do the magic. If a gym is not your cup of coffee, try out yoga, meditation or swimming. You will see that these simple activities will boost your energy and positive mood. The time of the day when you are the most productive is also essential when planning your study sessions. So, check out our tips on how to choose the best time to study for finals. These were our tips on how you can pull yourself through hard times of college finals and help your stress go away without using any medications.