Times Fickle Game Professor Ramos Blog

Times Fickle Game The visage of singer Thom Yorke, featured in the music video for Before Your Very Eyes In the music video for Atoms For Peace’s song â€Å"Before Your Very Eyes,† the sands of  time are literally shifting and changing before our very eyes. The landscape rolls and dips, carving out canyons, without prejudice and without purpose. And then, from the sand, rises the crumbling image of the creative force behind Atom’s For Peace, Radiohead’s lead singer and songwriter, Thom Yorke, who urges the listener to grasp the life in front of them before the sands of time have taken you, too, piece by piece, back into the Earth. A focused anxiety on the fickle and unemotional nature of time is not a new subject for Thom Yorke, who in the song â€Å"The Clock† says quite plainly, â€Å"Time is running out for us, but you just move the hands upon the clock, you throw coins in a wishing well† (Thom Yorke). When asked about this song in particular, Yorke relates it directly to his frustration with the lack of action against climate change among political leaders, who despite acknowledging the threat, are just â€Å"sort of shuffling little bits of paper around on the table going, yeah, we really need to do something about this’† (Yorke). This theme is then revisited in â€Å"Before Your Very Eyes† but this time the lyrics are aimed at the listener, and the stakes are personal, rather than global. Yorke begins the song singing, â€Å"Look out of the window, what is passing you by, if you really want this bad enough† (Atoms For Peace). He appeals to the listeners emotions, their desires and their dreams, and then tells them bluntly that those goals are passing them by. If  something is truly important to you, Yorke argues, then you must make haste to those things because they will not wait for you. At this point in the song, and in the video, Yorke begins to sing the haunting chorus, â€Å"sooner or later, and before your very eyes,† repeating each phrase three times, as he melts away into the sand, his hands open and grasping at empty air.       In the next verse, he again broaches the subject of time and opportunity, singing, â€Å"time’s fickle card game with you and I, you have to take your chances† (Atoms For Peace). As he gets out the last phrases of the second, and final, verse, his face crumbles beyond repair and sinks into the ground. Time has taken Thom Yorke back into the Earth, and he is no more present on the surface of the Earth. The video then reminds the listener that this process is nothing special, nor prejudiced, as we now watch the remnants of society, buildings, bridges, and landmarks, crumble and sink into the Earth as all things have done and will do. This stark image is a direct appeal to not only the listeners emotions, but also to their logic. The listener must face the reality of the passage of time, and that with or without us, it will continue. Yorke hopes that this will encourage the listener to take action in their life, to take chances when they can, and to savor every m oment of it. Director Andrew Huang with singer Thom Yorke This presentation of the cold reality of the passage of time is confirmed in an interview with the music video’s director Thomas Andrew Huang who, aside from Yorke’s ideas, found inspiration for the video in Percy Shelley’s poem â€Å"Ozymandias† (Marquez). The poem by Shelley describes the discovery of a cracked and broken statue that has an inscription on its base that reads, â€Å"My name is Ozymandias, king of kings; Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair† (Shelley). The irony of the poem is that, at the time of the statue’s discovery, nothing remains of the king and his claims.         In the final moments of the video, as Thom Yorke sings the chorus again, the listener is given an abstract and final, but meaningful, message. Below the surface of the Earth, Yorke emerges again while the decayed structures of the surface begin to melt down from above. All that once was continues to exist, though in unrecognizable forms, connecting and growing into something new. The lives we live and the societies we build are the foundations for the futures ahead of us and the decisions we make today may ring out for decades ahead. This is something that the listener must carefully consider when it comes to their choices in life because, as Yorke argues, the way our future looks will be shaped by these decisions.       The theme of â€Å"Before Your Very Eyes† could be seen as an examination of habitual procrastination and criticism of a lack-of-action on behalf of an individual. Procrastination itself is not an unfamiliar concept to most students with up to 60 percent of students reporting that they have, at one point, procrastinated on an assignment (Choy). The act of procrastinating is oddly self destructive in that, usually, one is aware of the negative consequences of their actions but chooses to experience them anyway. It may be a time management issue, or rather, as professor of psychology at Carleton University Dr. Tim Pychyl suggests, it is an emotional one (Lieberman). Dr. Pychyl and his team found in a study of procrastination that the issue was about â€Å"short term mood repair;† put simply, avoiding a task because it elicits bad feelings such as inadequacy or boredom (Lieberman). In this sense, Thom Yorke’s emotional appeal to listeners in his song is a very appropriate one.         The ideas presented in the lyrics and video for â€Å"Before Your Very Eyes† are relatable and important ones. If one has a desire to do something, it is in their best interest to do it, despite the path of hard work ahead of them. To engage in procrastination is truly to engage in an act of self-harm and an act against your own self interests. On a personal scale, we all have limited time to achieve our goals and to make the best of our lives. As a student, teaching yourself to avoid procrastination is something that is in your best interest. Research shows that students who procrastinate performed worse on their assignments and tests than the students who did not procrastinate (Pychyl). On a global scale, when decisive action is required then decisive action must take place now instead of leaving our problems to fester and get worse, only to achieve leaving the future generations of our planet an inheritance of unresolvable issues. Regardless, time will continu e to pass either way and only we can choose the life that we will lead with the time that we are given. As Thom Yorke says, time is â€Å"fickle,† it has no loyalty to us or our interests and, before long, it will have passed you by. The power to be a more productive individual is in the hands of everyone. Atoms For Peace. â€Å"Atoms For Peace Before Your Very Eyes.† YouTube, uploaded by  atomsforpeacetv, 17 October 2013, youtube.com/watch?v=ZWrUEsVrdSU. Atoms For Peace. â€Å"Before Your Very Eyes. Amok, XL, 2013. Choy, Eunice E.Hang, and Him Cheung. â€Å"Time Perspective, Control, and Affect Mediate the  Relation between Regulatory Mode and Procrastination.† Plos One, vol. 13, no. 12, Dec.  2018, p. e0207912. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0207912. Lieberman, Charlotte. â€Å"Why You Procrastinate.† New York Times, 15 March 2019,  www.nytimes.com/2019/03/25/smarter-living/why-you-procrastinate-it-has-nothing-to-do-with-self-control.html. Marquez, Matt. â€Å"Atoms For Peace’s Before Your Very Eyes.† Milk.xyz, 18 October 2013, milk.xyz/articles/2330-atoms-for-peace-s-before-your-very-eyes. Pychyl, Timothy. â€Å"Academic Procrastination And Academic Achievement.† Psychology Today, 5 January 2016, https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/dont-delay/201601/academic- procrastination-and-academic-achievement. Shelley, Percy. â€Å"Ozymandias.† The Examiner, 1818. Thom Yorke. â€Å"The Clock. The Eraser, XL, 2006. Yorke, Thom. Interview by Craig Mclean. Observer Music Monthly, 18 June 2006,  www.youtube.com/watch?v=9g4a1NlhoJQ. Presentation link: https://prezi.com/view/VUztsUwkPEEp2AxSwax3

Contemporary employment perspectives Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Contemporary employment perspectives - Essay Example Today, social work comprises a variety of functions, skills, and obligations. The nature of social work is essentially about dealing with the most serious social problems and reducing the scope of social exclusion, to promote positive change and enhance individual and social well-being. Childcare social worker: Job specification That social work is an indispensable component of social reality and progress cannot be denied. Burducea (2010) is correct in the origins of social work are modern. However, most, if not all, world civilizations were engaged in various social work activities, from sponsorship and personal financial assistance to philanthropy and the development of the sophisticated insurance systems. Although the role and importance of social work in the globalized work is well-documented, little is known about its functions. Childcare social workers are professionals with a Master’s degree in social work, dealing with problematic individuals and population groups, inc luding homeless youths. The goal of a childcare social worker’s job is to work in community, with individuals and families, who need professional assistance and face considerable emotional and social problems. Childcare social workers fulfill broad range of obligations and perspectives, including participation in multidisciplinary teams (Healy 2008). Childcare social workers deal with service users, assess their situation, and provide social and counseling support to those in need (Lyons & Carlsen 2006; Payne 2005). Homeless and runaway youths are rightly considered as one of the most socially vulnerable groups. The key tasks of a childcare social worker include analyzing and addressing new requests for social and emotional assistance to children, visiting their young clients at home, representing children in courts, and taking all actions that are appropriate for promoting children’s well-being. Childcare social workers are expected to contribute to the development of their service and work in multidisciplinary teams of social work volunteers. They must be prepared to work extra hours and pursue high degree of flexibility in job performance. Therefore, the job of a childcare social worker is essentially about detecting and finding runaway youths, assessing their situation and providing counseling support, to promote social inclusion, enhance their wellbeing, and guarantee that young people can meet their social needs. Childcare social work: theoretical underpinnings Social work is usually defined from the two different perspectives: that of science and that of an institutional arrangement with a solid normative and practical architecture (Burducea 2010). The key elements of social work as an institutional structure include benefits and beneficiaries, social work and normative systems (Burducea 2010). As a science, social work exemplifies a complex network of theoretical and methodological approaches to social problems (Burducea 2010). Social wor k as a profession uses multidisciplinary systems to assess the impact of the existing and emerging social problems on people and reduce their complexity (Burducea 2010). The social work paradigm is unique in the sense that it deals with the existing social problems â€Å"without violating the principles of social justice and human rights† (Burducea 2010). It would be fair to say that social workers serve a reliable buffer between

Cheating and Integrity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Cheating and Integrity - Essay Example Due to modern technology, people all over the globe can share and access different information. This sharing of information allows an area for everyone to manipulate these information and use them for individual convenience. Moreover, this situation eventually leads to cheating, an unethical behavior that causes the decline of the society. According to Lee (2009), cheating in school may simply be an extension of what is happening in the society. Recent studies on the various negative situations in the society have shifted its focus from the corporate standards to the academic standards for which the leaders of businesses and the political leaders of the next generation will son arise. There were significant findings that the scholars found necessary considering the inclusion of the study of ethics in the schools’ curriculum. Students’ exposure to various ethical standards, especially in the academic community may strengthen their resistance to unethical behaviors due to a higher priority to integrity. Exposing the students to the different unethical behaviors and decisions early on may affect their attitudes towards committing one in the future (Smyth et al, 2009). Cheating in the Classroom Cheating comes in different styles and forms. Gerdeman (2000) identified the different manifestation of cheating inside the classroom, specifically in the community colleges or universities such as cheating on exams, plagiarism, falsifying bibliographies, taking credit for someone else's work, receiving improper help from others, and facilitating cheating by others. In addition, Nath and Lavaglia (2009) further includes stealing a test and fabricating academic documents are but among other forms of cheating inside the classroom. In a study conducted by Volpe (2008) (p. 7) on the attitudes and behaviors of the faculty with regards to cheating, it was found that members in the academe underestimate the amount of cheating in the classroom. This result is an irony to students' self-reported rate of students who cheat. This discrepancy between the instructors and the students is a reflection of how diversified professionals and students are in their perception about cheating. As a result, this also leads t the argument that the student may see cheating as a minor offense instead of a high-risk factor affecting the integrity of the institution and the society as well. Taking the issue too lightly by the instructors greatly influences the perception of students towards cheating. There are, on the other hand different factors that initiate cheating. The need to graduate or to get a good grade is the most common factor that encourages students to cheat. Marital status is also another factor such that married students are more likely to cheat than the non-married students. Sorority and fraternity memberships also increase the chances of students cheating such that they wanted to spend more time with their friends than studying. Age is another factor in cheating whereas younger students cheat more than older ones. Finally, the students' major in the university affects their probability of cheating (Nath & Lavaglia, 2009). As common cheating may be in the classroom, studies also provide results that show that students have varying affections in relation to this issue. In a study conducted by Firmin et al (2009), diverse emotions have been observed from the respondents who were witnesses to peer cheating in completing their tests. Such varying emotions were classified as hostility, anxiety and empathy. Some respondents thought the act as unfair, while some felt annoyed and frustrated. There were those who felt responsible for being a witness to such

Case Study Analysis on Amazon.com Research Paper

Case Study Analysis on Amazon.com - Research Paper Example Despite him having a degree in computer science, he had a vision to build a network for international trade. In lights of this, Preston founded Amazon.com in 1994 as a website for international trading. Online Retailers and wholesalers as well as buyers and sellers met online globally. Amazon founders had a vision to become one of the world’s leading companies dealing with online trading. The management in Amazon.com sought to reduce negative environmental impacts as there was no physical contact between the traders. Amazon has operating earnings close to $52 million yearly. Amazon Company normally projects to make approximately $22 million to $2.2 billion within five years (World, 2007). Examining the business model they use, Amazon primarily switched to Linux as primary architecture. In addition, Amazon has lowered technology expenses by about 20%. However, the decision to lower technology expenses has not profited Amazon as projected. Company Strategies and Customer Acquisi tion Considering the pricing, the strategies have changed over time. Amazon has regulated the prices through several policies for example, introduction of frustration free packaging. This policy is an initiative that is designed to simply motivate the customers who purchase goods online at different times of the year. The customers feel motivated when they buy two products for the price of one. Another policy is the free packaging certification initiative for manufactures. Their products undergo free laboratory testing to acquire certification. As a result, the certifications on their products increase the value and enable sales at high prices. However, the pricing of products sold at Amazon.com tend to be high hence attracts the upper class society and several middle class persons. Amazon.com customers are mainly acquired through word of mouth through satisfied clients. More customers are venturing into online shopping due to the fact that it is environmental friendly and efficient . Most customers are parents who are purchasing gifts for their children and loved ones. Since Amazon began, it has existed under many models over the years hence adopting other models can work in its favor. However, this will affect the existing revenue steams. The major reason is the fact that obtaining new models will change the technology used. On one hand, when the technology costs increase, the main revenue stream will decline while on the other hand, when the costs of technology decrease, the revenue increases. Challenges and Opportunities facing Amazon.com Amazons major competitors are mainly online shopping websites. Some of them include LL Bean, Electronic trade & Onlineshoppers companies (Night, 2004). The advantage that Amazon has over its competitors is the reliability. Over the years, Amazon has existed selling their products to many customers. Shopping at Amazon has proved worthy over the many years of operation for online traders. One disadvantage is that a lot of co mpetition has risen and the level of technology improved. In considering how Amazon.com has changed the trading industry, there is the belief that innovation has the power to change the world. It has raised interests to trade online (Grant, 2004). The requirement to begin trading online is the desire to shop in a whole new zone. Amazon is always searching for new ways to improve its efficiency on behalf of its customers as well as individuals who shop on trading websites. There are merchants who sell on its

Garbage Essay -- essays research papers fc

On May 16, 1988, the Supreme Court ruled that police officers, without a warrant, have the right to inspect curbside rubbish for evidence. â€Å"Justice Byron R. White’s opinion for the majority said the privacy of garbage bags left outside the home and its immediate surroundings is not protected by the Fourth Amendment because people have no ‘subjective expectation of privacy’ in their garbage ‘that society accepts as objectively reasonable’† (Taylor 559-560). The Supreme Court’s ruling on curbside rubbish is fair because people voluntarily leave their trash at the curb for collection.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution states â€Å"The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.† This basically means police officers cannot come into a home and just rummage through personal belongings. However, many people feel the Supreme Court’s ruling is a violation of the Fourth Amendment because they feel rummaging through garbage is rummaging through their personal belongings. A person’s trash is private and can reveal very personal information. â€Å"A search of trash, like a search of the bedroom, can relate intimate details about sexual practices, health and personal...

Monitor of experience in rock climbing

To be able to perform at a level which is suitable for me to gain employment in the world of outdoor pursuits, one of my mid-term goals, it is vital that I am able to monitor my own progress in order to critically evaluate my levels of fitness, skill and knowledge in certain aspects of the industry. In this case rock climbing. In order for me to progress I must monitor my current levels and be able to produce a programme which will allow me to push these levels to a higher standard, motivating myself as I do so by working at a standard that allows me to remain focused and set on my chosen goal. Prior Experience Although I entered into outdoor education with no prior experience, as soon as I heard that I was going to be climbing as a major part of my course and would be required to do so as a large part of my chosen career I wasted no time in researching the sport. Having tutors with a large knowledge base for the subject I made notes in their lessons highlighting key words, which I later researched further in books or on the internet, a tool with which I have a wide experience of working with from my previous career and something which I have recently used to acquire a wider knowledge base in relation to climbing. I attended and continue to attend all practical sessions in order to gain first-hand experience of the sport under expert instruction and continue to learn outside of college using my own climbing equipment and going over what I have been taught. The sport is now a hobby of mine and as such I enjoy researching it, watching videos of professional climbers and reading publications on different styles of climbing, rope work and the associated use of equipment required to make the sport safe. I have the backing from family and friends which is very important to me as they provide me with encouragement and morale support and offer me transport to and from climbing areas acting as climbing partners when needed. My tutors are a constant source of information, available upon request and even allow me to climb with them on the indoor wall at college and outdoors on certain occasions. By observing fellow athletes I am able to look at different aspects of climbing such as body positioning and different types of holds which I would otherwise know nothing about. Technical Knowledge and Skills My technical knowledge is definitely at a higher level than my technical skills. I have bought enough of my own equipment to enable me to go climbing on my own and get used to using the various tools needed in the sport. I have spent time concentrating on the top of the crag ignoring everything except placing protection and creating anchor points in order to be able to climb. This subject however is huge and the amount that I know is only a small percentage of what is out there so I continue to buy and borrow books, videos and other materials demonstrating various forms of placing protection. Through the leadership and party management section of my college course I have been able to take groups of individuals from varying backgrounds climbing something, which has helped me to develop my rope work and safety skills further, whilst on the crag or at the indoor wall. Being responsible for the well-being of others has made me look more closely at the theory behind placing protection and has allowed me to experience first-hand by working alongside a highly qualified tutor exactly what it is like to rig up a variety of climbing routes safely in order for people to be able to climb on them. Different from placing protection is the actual skills needed to be able to climb. From studying the different types of hand and feet techniques and by looking at climbers body positions as they climb I have began to slowly understand certain aspects of climbing which will enable me to successfully complete a climb and conserve the most amount of energy possible when doing so. However recognising and knowing the names of the different types of techniques required for climbing is not enough and successfully putting them into practice can only be done by actually climbing and working on those techniques which I am least familiar with. Climbing outdoors and more significantly on the bouldering wall at college has enabled me to experience these techniques and has paved the way into motivating myself into creating a training schedule for myself in order to push my climbing grades. The wall at college is overhanging, all of it! which requires a lot of arm strength and correct body positioning in order to stay off the floor. Training at first in this way was very uninspiring for me and it took a while for me to begin to be able to successfully move around on the wall. Through training with the tutors who have showed me various bouldering problems (the term used for a climbing route) and creating problems of my own I have been able to achieve that feeling of progress which I need to inspire myself and have begum training on a regular basis. At around 8:30am on the days that I am in college I climb on the bouldering wall completing 5 circuits with each circuit containing the same 5 problems. The problems consist of various hand and foot holds which will help me to work a selection of muscle groups in my body as apposed to a few which is what would happen if I was to stick to the same types of holds all the time like hose which I am strongest. I train at around 8:30am as I am least likely to be interrupted and the college is cooler than it is during the afternoon. Although progress is being made it is slow and some days I seem to do better than others but I am committed to sticking to my schedule and continuing to learn about the theory behind the technical side of climbing. On an afternoon, after finishing my studies I go to the weights room in college where I build strength in my arms, chest and back, working various muscle groups which I believe will allow me to raise my endurance levels and allow me to climb stronger and more aggressively. More recently and I believe as a response to this training my upper body strength has improved and I am moving more fluidly on the bouldering wall and even soloing (climbing on my own) on routes I wouldn't have considered a few months ago. I am soon entering the training phase of my Single Pitch Award (SPA) which is a big form of motivation for me to get out on the crag on weekends and concentrate on my lead climbing (climbing whilst placing leader protection in the rock as you climb) in order to go in for my assessment. Although the award only requires me to climb at the lowest grade in rock climbing I will work at a level comfortable at the time which enables me to push myself without any stress or pressure to do so. Levels of Fitness My fitness at the moment is at a reasonable level although I would not class myself as super fit. I smoked for 8 years before starting this course and have managed to successfully quit for just under a year with no desire to start again. I walk and climb on a weekend when possible weighting down my backpack to improve my cardiovascular and respiratory fitness. This also helps my lower body strength. I have cut down drastically on my alcohol consumption and go out maybe once a week as opposed to every other night which I was doing last year. I have noticed a vast improvement from the beginning of my course in my ability to walk up a mountain which indicates that my cardiovascular and respiratory fitness has in fact improved. In relation to climbing finger strength is a major downfall in my climbing. As this is a part of my body which I would have never considered building on for strength my fingers and hands are relatively weak when attempting to hold my body weight. A variation of small holds of different directions on the college bouldering wall however is helping me to build on these strengths and I always go for the smallest hold possible where me strength permits. At rest my pulse rate is 72bpm and my breathing is 18bpm After exercise my pulse rate is 156bpm and my breathing is 18bpm After 5 mins rest my pulse rate is 84bpm and my breathing is 18bpm These levels are considered average for my age and gender but do not show that I am extremely fit. My weight is correct for my age, gender and height. Diet My diet leaves a lot to be desired. I rarely eat take-away food unless I am away from home but do eat fatty foods on occasions where time is a factor and fried food appears more convenient. I am aware of the consequences of such a diet and I am currently beginning to eat more nutritious foods such as salad based sandwiches at lunch time and oven cooked or grilled meat and cooked vegetables on the evenings. Training Attendance and Effort At the moment I only train when I am in college which is around 2 to 3 times a week and this is often random and non-consistent. Some days I am able to climb better than others and when I am having a bad day climbing I find it hard to motivate myself into completing my circuits. I usually climb on a morning and lift weights on an afternoon after my classes although this often depends on the type of day I'm having and if something which I deem to be more important has come up. I enjoy training but I wouldn't say that I was extremely dedicated although I have been training quite consistently the past couple of weeks and am definitely noticing a difference with my climbing and the amount of weight that I am able to lift. My effort is often varied once again being highly dependent on the mood I am in and the type of day I am having. I wouldn't say that I have a strict training schedule, more of a ‘more frequent than usual' approach to exercising. I have made sure that I have attended all of the practical days at college and have missed maybe one session since starting there. These days have been extremely valuable to me as I have been able to work alongside and observe much more experienced climbers than myself, something which has not only taught me elements of rock climbing but has also motivated me into exploring certain elements of the sport further helping me to improve my technical knowledge and skills. Access to Equipment My main source for training is the bouldering wall at college which is freely available for me to use whenever I choose. This is usually only when I am in college though as I live in Teesside and find it difficult to get in some days. I have enough of my own equipment to train outside of college and do so on weekends, weather permitting. Living in Teesside I am very close to some excellent climbing venues both outdoors on the crags dotted throughout the Cleveland Hills and Indoors at Sunderland Wall and Thornaby which has a small bouldering wall made by the same people who built Sunderland Wall. The north of England is an excellent location for climbing and other outdoor pursuits. The Lake District is only an hour or so away although I have not been there to climb as yet. I have however climbed at Brimham Rocks and Almscliffe both near Harrogate. Other climbers that I know are kind enough to lend me any equipment which I might need for a day on the crag with the general rule that I supply my own rope and other nylon equipment which can become damaged in the event of a leader fall and should be recorded for safety reasons and to keep a check on the strength and deterioration of equipment. Access to Effective Coaching Being a student studying an Outdoor Education course I am able to ask for expert advice at anytime from my tutors who I have no doubt will be happy to help me. Although the climbing part of my course is now over and other outdoor activities are being concentrated on I am still able to use the bouldering wall at college as part of my training schedule and I am even able to train alongside my tutor who will guide me in the right direction or offer me information and videos or publications which will help me to progress. Although it would be encouraged for me to find out most of the information for myself in relation to setting up my own individual training schedule I am able to ask for help where needed, something which would cost me money if I were not studying Outdoor Education. Leadership Communication Skills Since starting the course I have been lucky enough to have the opportunity to work with various groups from schools around County Durham and the Teesside area. Working with these individuals who were aged between 14-16 years old I have been able to develop my communication skills in relation to climbing and working with groups and have experienced in different surroundings how important it is to be a good communicator both verbally and non-verbally. From first meeting a group and working with them I feel that I can be quite confrontational if the group in question is unwilling to learn or becomes disruptive when I am attempting to teach them something. I have learned that this is an inappropriate way of communicating though and I am beginning to adopt a more passive way of communicating following working with groups of dysfunctional teenagers who do not respond well to confrontation. I am a good listener and I speak clearly enough to be able to get my point across and in a manner which I feel allows people to understand and follow my instructions. I keep my body language as neutral as possible standing with my arms by my side or in front, never crossing them and always making eye contact with those that I am speaking or listening to. I do interact with members of a group but prefer to work more on the technical side working with equipment and setting up climbs more than attempting to motivate groups or acting as a counsellor, although I do always make myself available if someone wishes to talk to me or ask me something. Values and Beliefs I have strong values and beliefs in the way that I respect other people, whether these are climbing partners, groups I am working with or other climbers on the crag/wall. I follow both the written and un-written rules of climbing and respect the venues at which I climb. From being taught by working alongside other climbers who have years of experience I have been taught what is and isn't good practice and go out of my way to ensure that I follow these values in my day to day climbing. Possible Areas for Improvement or Change I feel that I could improve in the way that I train in general. I could put together a more consistent training schedule which would enable me to become stronger quicker and in the parts of my body which I use the most in a session. My attitude towards teaching and communicating with a group in the first hour or so from meeting them could be improved by talking to them more and finding ways to make a session more fun either by incorporating different teaching methods or by investigating their backgrounds and finding out what their interests and attitudes are towards the session that I am taking. My training and diet could be improved by eating healthier, balanced meals. Less fried food and more vegetables. More training and stretching would enable me to become more flexible, reaching harder holds and enabling me to improve my body positioning resulting on me staying on the wall for longer, preventing injury and ultimately improving my levels of endurance through prolonged periods of climbing. I also believe that this will improve my general rate of recovery, which could be shortened. My co-ordination skills need working on and I can do this by taking more time on a climb and watching where my next hold is. Being able to visualise a climb before I actually climb it would, I think make me more focussed and enable me to climb smoother with more fluidity. When training at college I should have more trust in my colleagues when they are belaying me, but this is difficult because of the age difference and in some cases the ratio of their weight to mine. Methods of Assessment Profile Wheel Below is a profile wheel demonstrating my strengths and weaknesses on a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being poor and 10 being good. All of the sections included in the wheel contribute in some way to my training and can be found in further detail above. S.W.O.T Analysis I have selected my major strengths and weaknesses from the profile wheel and have listed some opportunities and threats which either enable or stop me from climbing. Strengths Intelligence I am intelligent enough to realise when something is dangerous allowing me to prevent injuries from occurring or if I am doing something which will benefit or hinder my climbing. Pain Tolerance I am not squeamish to injury or pain and as such I am able to push myself during training allowing my body to develop and advance to harder climbs. Determination I am a determined individual who wishes to succeed. I know what I want from my college course and my training and I am determined enough to go out and get it. Rope work My rope work skills are probably better than my climbing skills. I have researched further a lot of the techniques and skills taught to me in the practical sessions of my course. I have borrowed books from the library, bought books and read magazines / watched videos which have enabled me to learn more techniques in relation to my rope work. Selecting Appropriate Equipment I have the knowledge to select the appropriate equipment to enable me to climb safely either inside at a climbing wall or outside on a crag something which allows me to climb and to push my grades knowing that I will be protected in the event of a fall. Weaknesses Flexibility My flexibility is quite restricted. Being a tall person I find it quite difficult to raise my legs up past waist height in order to reach a tricky hold. This can be improved by me however by stretching more and taking part in more aerobic exercise. Body Positioning Another element of my flexibility is knowing how to position my body in order to stay on an awkward hold, for example a side pull, will enable me to climb for longer, pushing my levels of endurance. Trust I have difficulty trusting my climbing partners because they are either inexperienced, which is the case for my partner from home who has not had much climbing experience or they are quote a bit younger than me and quite immature and easily distracted. Endurance I have trouble climbing long climbs or climbing for extended periods of time. This I feel can be improved by working on my flexibility which in turn will help to improve my body positioning allowing me to stay on holds longer resulting in me climbing for longer and pushing my endurance levels. Visualisation If I am able to visualise a climb before I climb it, something which I rarely do I would be able to improve my levels of coordination and would connect with holds more helping me to stay on the wall / crag for longer. Opportunities College Bouldering Wall The college bouldering wall offers me a great opportunity to train. The wall is overhanging which helps me to build my upper body strength allowing me to climb stronger on vertical or slabby climbs. Tutors often use this wall and allow me to climb with them creating the perfect opportunity to try new routes and techniques and ultimately push my fitness levels and climbing grades. Tutors (See above) North East Climbing Venues I live in Teesside very close to the Cleveland Hills, which accommodate some of the best climbing venues in the country. Further good climbing can be found at Sunderland's and Aycliffe's indoor walls and excellent outdoor venues found in the Lake District and the North of England. College Practical Sessions Although the practical climbing sessions have now stopped in replacement of other activities they have proved to be a valuable source of information for me and have ultimately enabled me to go out on my own or with a climbing partner knowing that I am able to successfully and safely climb in or out of doors. Own Equipment Armed with the knowledge obtained from the practical sessions I have managed to gather together my own equipment, which I am now able to use to climb outside of college, helping me to continue to train after college, in the holidays and when I pass the course and go into my chosen career. Threats Transport Not being able to drive I sometimes find it difficult to get to climbing venues, which are often in hard to reach, rural settings, something which prevents me from climbing on certain days. Financial Situation My financial situation is less than ideal. This can prevent me from using climbing venues where a fee is involved and prevents me from being able to pay for driving lessons which create the threat described above. Lack of Knowledge Although I have the basic knowledge to enable me to go out and climb on my own, there is a lot to know about rock climbing both technically and physically and this can prevent me from knowing certain ‘trade secrets' which could enable me to progress at a quicker rate than I am at the present. Bad Weather The weather is an incontrollable element of my training. Bad weather has prevented or hindered my progress on several occasions, preventing me from climbing outdoors. Although simply going indoors as an alternative when the weather is bad, my financial situation and lack of access to transport can often prevent this. Injury Although I have had no serious injuries as a result of climbing this is a constant threat which could knock my training back to the start in the occurrence of a broken leg for example which can take up to six weeks to heal. Such an injury prevents further training and produces a weakness in that area and possible psychological damage. Summary By using a profile wheel and selecting my weakest and strongest attributes from that wheel I have been able to identify what I am good at and what needs my attention during training. Through highlighting these attributes I will now work towards maintaining my strengths, training my weaknesses, maximising my opportunities and minimising my threats in task two of The Reflective Practitioner. I will be able to do this by identifying my short term and long term goals and analysing these using SMART Targets.

Essay Best and Worst Parts of Being Gay - 857 Words

In an interview recently I was asked to describe the best and the worst parts of being gay. This came as a quite unexpected question under the given circumstances: I hoped we were all past that. Immediately, I filled with fear and tears. Not only was I being asked to describe joy and pain, I had to put off my own lingering shame issues to do it. Worse, I had to do it on camera and felt an immediate Christian obligation to offer some kind of hope to the viewer. I suited up emotionally with a prayer and my deepest breath in years. Dear God, help me to not completely fuck this up! Please speak through me! The camera rolled. My immediate response to both questions, to my surprise, was the same answer- my rambling went†¦show more content†¦Even closeted folks have not chosen certain pains, but pain remains present nevertheless. No matter how it is dealt with, we all live with a burden of being gay. Every gay person has been affected at one time or another by this exile. The very culture that is deplorable by media and many religious standards is the same that will kill for you. Even if we fight amongst ourselves, don?t mess with us as a whole. I am certain there must have been participants of the Stonewall Riots that deeply disliked each other on some levels, but they loved each other on much deeper levels. They knew each other?s pain, and that is one definition of love. Love is to know what hurts someone. Today?s first-world culture seems to base cornerstones of human framework around sex and sexuality- be it straight or gay. We are defined on sexual levels every day. Recently, a straight friend of mine finally opened his mouth and told me that he was molested on his high school football team. He has waited almost 30 years to speak this. Every day he was probably emasculated on some level by shame, not unparalleled to a gay closet. 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