Hotel Management free essay sample

Lodging the executives and promoting for accommodation greatness and improved benefit â€Å"Handmade Hospitality† friendliness the executives. â€Å" Our main goal is to oversee and create Welcome to HSV Hospitality Management †your total answer for dynamic lodging the executives and promoting your inn utilizing our broad experience, assets, global coalitions and significant level mastery. Our devotion, duty and energy to convey on our guarantees permit you to streamline your speculation while being discharged from every day the board obligations. You would then be able to appreciate the genuine feelings of serenity to investigate new pursuits and openings Craig Seaman â€Å" H SV Hospitality Management furnishes lodging and resort proprietors with turnkey the board and promoting arrangements. It use our quality, experience and reputation of having imaginatively and viably tended to the difficulties confronting the cordiality business and business by and large. As such you will be upheld by an advanced framework and a profoundly experienced supervisory group who sees how to handle and resolve the center issues of streamlining income over the range †from expanding room deals, redesigning F B income, boosting meeting and gathering openings and improving the exceptional picture and situating of your property. We welcome you to peruse this handout since it makes the way for a large number of the interesting preferences and advantages that ou will appreciate because of the aptitudes, assets and overall presentation that HSV Hospitality Management can give. HSV Hospitality Management 3 We are focused on giving you master the executives administrations to upgrade your arrival on speculation W ith our experience, aptitude and assets available to you, you have the confirmation that your lodgings and resorts are in safe hands. †¢ We assist you with creating reasonable objectives for your properties and set up them as a regular occurrence. We will examine the market and make a successful field-tested strategy. You will be given nitty gritty and creative promoting plans and recommended capital enhancements where proper. †¢ You will get occasional reports on progress, and we will bring up zones requiring consideration. †¢ We will guarantee that physical support and capital enhancements are done. †¢ Your staff will turn out to be exceptionally energetic through demonstrated human asset procedures that energize a feeling of having a place. †¢ We improve your hotel’s productivity by passing on the ull limits we accomplish through our volume buying capacities. †¢ Your deals will be enhanced through an expert, arranged deals exertion, just as advertising and key organizations. †¢ You will approach dynamic advertising instruments. †¢ You will appreciate moderate, sensible expenses that incorporate a base administration charge, a motivator the executives expense, term lengths and dropping provisions intended to suit your spending plan. We are devoted to dev eloping the worth and gainfulness of the benefits endowed to us by our customers. The relationship begins with a progression of conversations and beginning property visits through which we increase a total comprehension of the structures and their offices, their condition, the market condition, working methods and existing faculty. Utilizing this data, we present you with a recommendation that will empower us to deal with your inns or resorts all the more adequately and monetarily so you can upgrade the arrival on your venture. 4 HSV Hospitality Management Core benefits Freedom from everyday administration issues †¢ Regular and applicable reports to help dynamic †¢ Exceptional human asset abilities to guarantee the best staff choice and progression of mastery †¢ Emphasis on accomplishing ideal Revenue Per Available Room (RevPAR) †¢ Sustained drive to upgrade visitor fulfillment †¢ Service norms at the most elevated universal level †¢ Proven master income the executives †¢ Global dispersion organize which is the most remarkable on the planet †¢ Trustworthy monetary frameworks and controls †¢ World-class the board frameworks †¢ Access to the most recent inn e-promoting innovation †¢ Focused and advanced internet business nearness We work at the most elevated worldwide level with complete true serenity Y ou will have the advantage of a full assistance contract with HSV Hospitality Management which will cover each part of operational administrations. Not exclusively will you have significant serenity in the information that your property is being overseen ideally towards expanded benefit, yet you will likewise be alleviated of the duty regarding doing the regularly troublesome errands of: †¢ Recruiting the lodging administrator and other key staff †¢ Carrying out monetary administration, lawful and bookkeeping matters †¢ Managing HR †¢ Providing specialized help Our supervisory crew has broad involvement with overseeing inns at the most elevated level. We have your inclinations on the most fundamental level and our agreement guarantee speaks to long stretches of involvement with fulfilling customers such as yourself. The agreement encapsulates the standards of die hard loyalty and duty and is a strong method of streamlining your speculation return and capital development. A reasonable field-tested strategy to enable your business to flourish You will get a complete and profoundly compelling marketable strategy , in view of our abundance of experience. We get ready such an arrangement for every inn we oversee, and it consolidates subtleties, for example, the hotel’s showcase condition, capital improvement needs and working history. You will likewise get movement schedules for arranging and future observing. These help the promoting plan and help guarantee the spending targets are met. HSV Hospitality Management 5 We will incorporate your group with our own and guarantee they surpass desires You have to have no worries about reconciliation as we have a demonstrated reputation of effectively mixing together lodging groups and expanding productivity. We will work with your present group to guarantee that administration conveyance at your inn will surpass visitor desires. We realize that this prompts beneficial referrals and rehash business. Your staff will likewise profit altogether from our Customer Service Improvement Program which guarantees that each colleague handles principal administration gauges that will prompt the conveyance of remarkable cordiality. Experience has indicated that such a demeanor prompts a lift in your primary concern. methodology to create and upgrade request. This will assist you with picking up perceivability and increment piece of the pie. We will prompt on framework enhancements to empower you to expand income. Property visits to guarantee on-going greatness As a feature of our administration, your property will profit by ordinary visits from our group †both planned and unscheduled †for investigations, counsels, the executives, showcasing and such. We additionally convey ‘mystery guests’ who visit and remain in lodgings namelessly to provide details regarding support and guarantee quality guidelines are met. reports giving month-to-date incomes, inhabitance and Average Daily Rate (ADR) for the current month. You will likewise get an increasingly broad month to month report which incorporates, for instance, a dashboard of operational and money related execution just as income and promoting endeavors. Appealing, contemporary structure administration We have broad information and involvement with current patterns in lodging items and plan and will be accessible to counsel to guarantee your inn stays at the front line of the business. Mass buying openings You will pick up the benefit of our mass buying courses of action which we work related to different lodgings we oversee. Accordingly, you get standard investment funds that would not in any case be conceivable. Master income the board You will have the advantage of our profoundly talented Revenue Management Team, who will work intimately with your current group to exhort them on income the board and conveyance arrangements, guaranteeing greatest benefits. Our group will help you in building up an unmistakable business â€Å"Your inn will flourish and develop under the â€Å" Extensive detailing for simplicity of the board and control You will get normal reports as regularly as you wish †contingent upon your requirements. Numerous customers get week after week aring mentorship and significant experience of specialists who comprehend and love the inn business Bruce Griffiths (HR) 6 HSV Hospitality Management You will profit by an ethos of commitment to greatness H SV Hospitalit y Management was birthed out of a privately-owned company extending more than three ages and one of the biggest private property organizations in South Africa †Louis Group International (LGI). LGI is a family-claimed endeavor that has delighted in almost a century in business and has reliably applied family and Christian qualities to every one of their dealings. Their accomplishments have been perceived in South Africa’s Top National Companies. Well beyond the acknowledgment of its business accomplishment, the Group has additionally been highlighted in Best Companies to Work for in South Africa, which affirms that the ‘family feel’ of the Group has a reliably positive effect on its representatives. The Corporate Research Foundation likewise granted the Chairman and CEO the No. 1 Executive Management Team (2008/2009) and around the same time the No. 1 Best Managed Company in the Real Estate Sector. LGI has tremendous worldwide experience and today it’s venture reaches out into the UK, Germany, Switzerland and Isle of Man. As an ascribe to the achievement in these locales Dr. Alan Louis, LGI CEO, was granted the Lifetime Achievement Award for Entrepreneurial Excellence from the International Biographical Center in Cambridge, England. In spite of the fact that property and speculation exercises stay at the center of the Group’s business, our exceptionally relationshipminded and arrangement driven methodology normally drove us

Spanish Verbs Meaning to Begin

Spanish Verbs Meaning to Begin Spanish has two ordinary action words that can be utilized for to start or to begin: empezar and comenzar. They for the most part can be utilized conversely. In spite of the fact that empezar is more typical than comenzar, comenzar doesnt seem to be obviously formal like its English related, start. Both empezar and comenzar are conjugated sporadically. Right Way to Use Empezar and Comenzar To state to start to accomplish something, you can utilize both of the action words followed by the relational word an and an infinitive: El web empieza a generar dinero. The site is starting to produce money. ¿A quã © hora empezã ³ a nevar? At what time did it start to snow?Cuando llegamos a Quito, comenzaba a llover. At the point when we showed up at Quito, it was starting to rain.Uruguay comienza an estudiar la producciã ³n de energã ­a atomic. Uruguay is starting to examine the creation of atomic energy.Empiezo a pensar por ti mismo. I am starting to think simply like you.La inflaciã ³n va an empezar muy immediately a bajar. Swelling is going to start to drop very soon. Every action word can remain without anyone else without an item: La lluvia empieza a caer ms y ms fuerte. The downpour is starting to fall more earnestly and harder.El mitin comenzã ³ finalmente a las 10 de la noche. The gathering at long last started at 10 p.m.Bueno, pues sã ­, empezamos con esto. Great, at that point, lets begin with it. (Truly, with this.)La boda comenzar a las 12:30 hora nearby. The wedding will start at 12:30 nearby time. When either action word is trailed by an ing word, it frequently has the significance of to start by or to begin: Empezã ³ estudiando en el taller del escultor famoso. She began concentrating in the renowned stone workers studio.Comencà © trabajando 10 horas por dã ­a como limpiadora de casa. I began working 10 hours out of every day as a housecleaner.Empezamos corriendo juntos el groundwork kilã ³metro. We start by running the primary kilometer together. Albeit likely not as basic as in English, the two action words can likewise take direct articles to show what is beginning: Tiene muchos consejillos para comenzar un negocio. He has numerous tips for beginning a business.La ciudad empezã ³ la reparaciã ³n de la calles en abril. The city started the road fixes in April. Different Verbs for To Begin As just appeared, you regularly can utilize the action words to allude to starting an action with the movement as the object of the action word. Yet, it is additionally normal to utilize the action word emprender for that reason. Emprender is particularly normal when alluding to the start of movement. No quiere emprender la tarea sin ayuda. He doesnt need to carry out the responsibility without help.Dentro de unos minutos emprendo el viaje. Inside a couple of moments I start the trip.Emprendieron el reto de construir un proyecto conjunto. They started the test of building a task together.Emprendà ­ el vuelo en direcciã ³n hacia donde el sol se pone. I started the trip toward the nightfall. The action word originarse frequently means start when it is utilized to intend to begin: El problema se originaba cuando navegaba ciertas pginas web. The issue began when I was heading off to certain web pages.La emergency econã ³mica mundial se originã ³ en EEUU. The world monetary emergency started in the U.S. Utilization of Verb Tense To Indicate Beginning Regularly, when talking about occasions previously, the preterite tense is utilized in inclination to the blemished to show that an action started. A type of start isnt fundamentally utilized in interpretation, be that as it may. A typical model is the action word conocer, which regularly intends to know an individual. The distinction between Conocã ­a a Katrina and Conocã ­ a Katrina is generally the contrast between I knew Katrina and I started to know Katrina. Commonly, the subsequent sentence would be deciphered as I met Katrina. Different models: Yo tenã ­a calor. (I was warm.) Tuve calor. (I started to be warm. I got warm.)Ella sabã ­a la verdad. (She knew reality.) Supo la verdad. (She started knowing reality. She discovered reality.) This idea is additionally clarified in the exercise on utilizing the past tense with specific action words.

Kinesthesis and Physically Active Learning

Kinesthesis and Physically Active Learning Theories Cognitive Psychology Print Kinesthesis and Physically Active Learning By Kendra Cherry facebook twitter Kendra Cherry, MS, is an author, educational consultant, and speaker focused on helping students learn about psychology. Learn about our editorial policy Kendra Cherry Updated on June 23, 2019 MoMo Productions / The Image Bank / Getty Images More in Theories Cognitive Psychology Behavioral Psychology Developmental Psychology Personality Psychology Social Psychology Biological Psychology Psychosocial Psychology Kinesthesis also referred to as kinesthesia, is the perception of body movements. It involves being able to detect changes in body position and movements without relying on information from the five senses. You are using your kinesthetic sense whenever you are involved in a physical activity such as walking, running, driving, dancing, swimming, and anything that requires body movement. What Does Kinesthesis Do? Through your sense of kinesthesis, you can tell where different parts of your body are located even if your eyes are closed or you are standing in a dark room. For example, when you are riding a bicycle, receptors in your arms and legs send information to the brain about the position and movement of your limbs. When you think of the five major senses (vision, smell, touch, taste, and hearing), you might note that these all tend to focus on perceiving stimuli outside of the self. Kinesthesis is one type of sense that is focused on the bodys internal events. Rather than using this sense to detect stimuli outside of the self, your sense of kinesthesis allows you to know where your body is positioned and to detect changes in body position. When you need to perform a complex physical action, your sense of kinesthesis allows you to know where your body is and how much further it needs to go. Kinesthesis and  Learning Styles Kinesthesis relates to one of the three major learning styles in Fleming VAK model. According to the theories of learning styles, people learn best if the instruction is offered according to their learning preferences. An individual with a kinesthetic learning style would learn best by doing, or actually performing an action. Imagine, for example, that you are trying to learn  how to hit a baseball with a bat. If you have a kinesthetic learning style, you might learn best by actually performing the action. Instead of just reading about how to hit a ball or watching other people perform this action, you need to actually get a bat in your hands and practice swinging the bat at a ball. Kinesthetic learners are thought to enjoy being physically active, tend to excel at sports and often have fast reaction times. The VAK/VARK model of learning suggests that people with this learning style may prefer lessons that involve movement such as performing an experiment, working with a group or performing a skit. While the concept of learning styles is enormously popular, particularly in the field of education, most research has found that there is little evidence supporting the idea that instructing students according to their preferred learning style has any difference on educational outcomes. However, if you are a person who prefers learning by doing, as kinesthetic learners often do, you can perhaps take advantage of this knowledge when you are trying to learn something new. Rather than bore yourself with reading instruction manuals or listening to lectures, look for ways that you can gain hands-on experience.

Sociology A Sociological Perspective - 1053 Words

Sociology is the study of society and social lives and forces that influence people and shape the construction of society their lives. It also gives us an awareness of cultural difference that allows us to see the social world from many perspectives. (Sutton 2013). Sociology perspectives are overview of human behaviour and its connection to society as a whole. A sociological theory is a set of ideas explain how society or aspects of society work and there are many variations of the basic theories. There will be introduced when they become applicable to certain cases (Haralambos Holborn 2008).There are many sociological perspectives, the three major theoretical perspectives in sociology is the structured –functionalist ,the conflict perspective ,and symbolic interactionism. The functionalist perspectives focus on cooperation between the parts of society. The conflict perspectives mainly focus on how the wealthy explore the poor and weak, while the symbolic interactions it f ocus on the sociological view on the micro level, and on face- to- face interaction between people (Crompton 1998). Functionalism is a theoretical perspective, introduced first by an American sociologist Talcott Parson in early the 20th century and it became popular during the 1940;s and 1950’s. Functionalism is based on a cooperative relationship between social system and organic system, the character of a society is seen to be interrelated forming a complete system such as the family or religion,Show MoreRelatedSociology : A Sociological Perspective1292 Words   |  6 PagesOrigins of Sociology Ashley Drees Ivy Tech Community College Professor Brosmer April 10,2016 What is Sociology Sociology  is the  study of  social behavior or society, including its origins, development, organization, networks, and institutions. Sociology is a social science that uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about social order, disorder, and change. Three Main Theoretical Perspectives in Sociology Functional Perspective ConflictRead MoreThe Sociological Perspective Of Sociology874 Words   |  4 PagesThe Sociological Perspective Sociology is the scientific study of society and human behavior. Human behavior and each respective society that is studied can be evaluated and governed by the scientific method to produce reliable results. The inquiries into these subjects are derived by the inspirations of sociological perspectives. Each stratifying field of Sociology finds an anchor in the relationships between these pieces in the human context in which they are found. Navigating the water inRead MoreSociology : A Sociological Perspective896 Words   |  4 PagesCarolina, â€Å"Sociology is the study of human social relationships and institutions† (http://sociology.unc.edu/undergraduate-program/sociology-major/what-is-sociology/). Sociology is science practiced by everyone in the world, whether they realize it or not. It is not only an incredibly important social science but also a beautiful art to study how society works. Now, an educated sociologist will realize that there are different perspective to view the world through from a sociological perspective. ThereRead MoreThe Sociological Perspective Of Sociology963 Words   |  4 PagesAfter a careful study and a deeper research on an introduction to sociology, I have come to understand that no problem can be solved well enough if one does not have the sociological perspective which is defined as a way of looking at the world through a sociological lens. In fact, there is the need of the lens that will help one to view situations and have the eye to emerge through different views to solve that problem. This mirror has become a doorway that will help one to have a beginner’s mindRead MoreTheoretical Perspectives On Sociology And Sociological Perspectives1357 Words   |  6 PagesTheoretical Perspectives in Sociology In the world of sociology there are many different ways that humans interact with the world. Although we are all human beings, we do not always see the world the same way that others do. Even though not many are aware of the different ways they can see the world, there are three sociological perspectives. Using structural functionalism, the conflict theory, and symbolic interactionism one will be able to decide which view best represents the way they see thisRead MoreSociology : A Sociological Perspective2031 Words   |  9 PagesSociology refers to the study of a society’s structure, development, collective behaviors, and functions, which delves into examining social institutions and social relations. Sociology may also be termed as â€Å"a scientific way of thinking about society and its influence on human groups,† (Andersen Taylor, 2007, p. 2). Society, on the other hand, refers to people who share norms, traditions, values, and laws as well as live together as an organized community. Sociology is important in understandingRead MoreTheoretical Frameworks Of Sociology And Sociological Perspective Essay918 Words   |  4 Pages What does Sociology have to do with me? Why do people think or act differently than you? Why are some people rich while others are poor? Why do some commit crimes, break laws and others do not? These are all some of the questions students need an answer to, which led them to enrol to this course. â€Å"Sociology is the scientific study of individuals in groups, organizations, cultures and societies; and of the interrelationships of individuals, group, organizations, cultures and societies.† (KennedyRead MoreSocial Deviance : A Sociological Perspective On Deviant And Criminal Behavior Within Sociology1160 Words   |  5 Pagessocieties with norms. Sociological theories of deviance are those that use social context and social pressures to explain deviance. You’ll find these in your readings for this week . Think of the diagram for a functionalist approach to deviance: Great post! You did a nice job defining deviance as a whole. A theory closely associated with this term is labeling theory. Labeling theory is one of the most important approaches to understanding deviant and criminal behavior within sociology. Labeling theoryRead MoreEssay on The Sociological Imagination1389 Words   |  6 PagesMy personal condensed definition of â€Å"the sociological imagination† is that it is the idea one should be aware of the societal structures around themselves, and how those structures can influence a person and vice-versa. In addition, I think that having a â€Å"sociological imagination† also involves a deep appreciation for the importance of society and culture. Consequently, for a person that has completed a basic introduction to sociology college course and actually paid attention, I would hope thatRead MoreWhat Is Sociology?1062 Words   |  5 PagesWhat is sociology? We can start by saying that sociology is the systematic study of human society. Sociology should be more than you find in a good documentary on a social issue. It is certainly more than listings of facts and figures about society. Instead it becomes a form of consciousness a way of thinking, a critical way of seeing the social. Seeing the general in the particular. In his short book ‘Invitation to Sociology’(1963) characterized the sociological perspective as seeing the general

Why Is the Chinese Lily Flower so Important

A bouquet of flowers is always a great go-to gift for events big or small or just to brighten up someones day. A romantic and poetic present, most types of flowers symbolize an idea or theme, such as love, grieving, or congratulations. Like many other flowers in Chinese culture, the lily flower is imbued with meaning. Meaning The lily is often gifted to women on their birthdays or on their wedding day because the flower represents a bringer of sons and, traditionally, Chinese culture favors boys in the family — although that value is changing with every generation. The Chinese lily is also a great present for women on their wedding day and is a good choice for wedding floral arrangements in general. This is because the lily is called ç™ ¾Ã¥ Ë† in Chinese, which is pronounced as  bÇŽi hà ©.  Phonetically, these characters are reminiscent of the Chinese proverb,  Ã§â„¢ ¾Ã¥ ¹ ´Ã¥ ¥ ½Ã¥ Ë† (BÇŽinià ¡n hÇŽo hà ©), which means  happy  union for one hundred years. Therefore, the lily, or  bÇŽi hà ©,  is a symbol for a long-lasting and happy marriage. Appearance   The Chinese lily flower is a bulb flower that grows up to 4 feet tall. A towering plant, lilies are typically unicolor and have six large petals that taper outward.   Uses Besides its metaphorical use, Chinese lilies also have medical use. Dried bulbs can be used in soups to treat intestinal discomfort. When the flower part of the lily is dried, it can be applied to bruises and cuts. Lily flowers are also eaten in the summer to help keep cool and reduce body heat.

Personal Development Paper Free Essays

I was influenced the way I determine different actions or behavior in a particular situation since I was a child. Growing up with a Baptist mother and four brothers made me value different things and behave in a particular way. In addition, this made me a have a particular ethical system that influences the way I work and act as an individual. We will write a custom essay sample on Personal Development Paper or any similar topic only for you Order Now At the corporation level, ethics is important because they set the rules and policy. In this paper, I will explain the developmental aspects of my ethics as well as my ethical system, the effects of my ethics at my workplace, and importance of ethics in an association to achieve its goals. My ethical system was shaped since I was a child. Growing up with a Baptist mother, definitely influence the way I value my family. In addition, some of my decisions are influenced by this Baptist upbringing. We treated everyone in the neighborhood like relatives, so even if you had one parent the neighbors would help the parent raise you. This was the standard I was use to until middle school, when I started wanting more freedom. My ethical system really started to develop then. The middle school I went to was 97% black 2% Hispanic and 1% white. As kids on the verge of being teens, we would test each other to do things that we knew was wrong just to see if we could get away with it. As dumb as it sounds that was the rules. As a kid, you do not think of what can go wrong. Then in high school things, changed hormones took over and everybody wanted sex. We know at that age that should have been that last thing on our minds but it was the first thing we thought about from sun up to sun down. My ethics would not allow me to take drugs. I saw for myself the effects of drugs and that was a route I could not take. Joining the Army really set in stone my ethical system that I would come to live by. We had so many rules and regulations that govern us that it only took one mistake to ruin your life. My underlying ethical system was in jeopardy every day. Treat people how you wanted to be treated even if they did not. The drill sergeants did not have to treat us like people, so we became a product owned by the US government. I learned honor, duty, respect, selfless service, leadership, and other things. That is when I discovered that the world was bigger that just me. One time in Afghanistan, one of my soldiers was on detail to help fix roads in country. The location that they were at had not been scan for landmines. The people in charge did not know that, so I jumped in a vehicle to find her so she would not be injured. By the time I got there, they were already in the middle of the minefield. I should have waited for the recovery unit to get there but I did not want see anyone be killed. First, I made them stop what they were doing and backtrack all the way out. No one got hurt it was the fact that made feel like I did the right thing for my fellow soldiers. This was a case of a duty-based ethical system. Then along came the marriage and the family. This is where my ethical system changed to a relativistic system. Dealing with a wife and kids there is no black and white, but there are many gray areas. You can never be right unless you agree with your wife even if she is wrong. The kids ask questions that you cannot answer so you tell them something made up just to make them better. The potential effects of my ethics on my performance helps me make the right choices at work most of the time. Shipping parts and items internationally there are a lot regulations you have to follow. Some people try to cheat the system and half way do paperwork thinking we can let them get away with it. Well, if that happens and the item is held up at the docks or on the plane, the company has to pay a fine a big fine now a day. If you are involved in that, you can be fired. One time not too long ago we were helping a customer get their parts shipped to out Hardy facility. After 4:00pm, you cannot ship any big item at that time because of traffic. We told the manger that the item could not ship it will have to go out tomorrow. He stated that the customer wanted the item that day and could not wait. The item went out any way and was damaged because the driver had to take back streets to get to our other facility. The item was so tall that it hit every tree it came in contact with which cost the customer $125,000 dollars to fix. The next time they try to ship anything they have to get permission from more than just the customer. They have to get hand written permission from three different sections so they can get the best service that we can give them even if we do not give what they want all the time. Ethics are need in organizations like mine so people will not take advantage of other co-workers and the customers. People in these companies sometimes treat the worker unfairly and will not pay them for their worth. They work long hours and get no compensation. Some companies like ENRON cheat people and cause problems globally because of the different investors that have invested in the company. The individual loses their job, the organization suffers in the public’s eye and society see the company as a sham. If an organization’s ethics are being held by the employees the company does well and the people know that the organization can be trusted. Most of these organizations have ethics classes and different types of learning programs to help the employees understand the importance of ethics. Conclusion Many different factors guide a person to have the ethical standpoint they have in life. Over time and as that person grows their ethics change and grows with them. There are no black and whites, good and bad, just people for the most part doing what they believe to be right in there point of view. How to cite Personal Development Paper, Papers

My Stressful Life Essay Example For Students

My Stressful Life Essay When I think about stress I think about work, school and starting a family. First, I am currently working two jobs, it was three but it got to be a bit much when school started. When look at everything that you have accomplished I know that it will be well worth It in the end. I work so much at what I do and go over and beyond, to aim high to push myself to reach all the goals that I have set and looking forward to be able to accomplish my goals and dreams that I set out to complete. When I get stressed, I get upset, for instance I worked three Jobs and go to school. That alone can be very stressful. I go to my first job, beginning at four am in the morning. Then on my lunch break I go to class from 10:00 am till 10:45. Which i cant stay the whole class I have to leave like 30 minutes to make it back to work on time. Then I return to work to complete my job. Then, after I get out of that job at 1:00 pm I then go to my other class at 12:30 which i miss the first thirty minutes of that class. So then, I am in that class till 3:20. After I get out of that class I go to my other job. Then, I have to be at my other job at 4:00 pm until ten at night. So you can say I have a pretty busy and productive life that has a lot of stress in it all together along with all I am so tired and stressed out most of the time that goes a long with being very cranky sometimes. I get to the point that I am just physically and mentally exhausted that I want to go in my room black out my window and sleep for days. On top of everything going on in my life I would like to start a family with my partner I have always wanted to experience mother hood since I can remember it’s something that means a lot to me becoming a mother. I found out about four months ago that I have diabetes so that has been another stressful situation on top of everything else going on in my life. I went to the doctor. Worked as hard as I could and still to this day I am working each and every day to do what I can to stay healthy. I eat right, exercise with all that. I went to a fertility clinic and have to keep working hard but just a little harder to get my a1c testing from a 7. 5 to a 6. 00 it’s going to be a challenge but if you know me you know that I am a hard worker and always finish everything I start. I will do this and do it right. When I stand back a look at everything that I have accomplished this far in my life. I think to myself wonder what the future holds. So that’s my wonderful, all so stressful life. That I am very happy with all in all I am. I feel very content with my life, like they say the harder you work the more it pays in the end. So, I work two jobs and go to school and am planning to start a family all within this year. I love the everyday challenges that my life brings each and every day that I start my day .

The Killer Angels Essays (1374 words) - , Term Papers

The Killer Angels Wars have been fought for many different reasons through the years, and that holds true for the American Civil War (1861-1865). In Michael Shaara's Pulitzer Prize winning novel, The Killer Angels, the reasons for fighting the war are brought about through the officers and soldiers at a famous battle site of the Civil War, Gettysburg. Gettysburg was one of the most documented battles of the whole war. It took place over a span of three days and can be viewed as a turning point from Confederate prominence to Confederate demise. As in any conflict, there are two sides to the story. The Union and the Confederacy each had their own views as to why they were fighting the war. Victors write the history so too often only the Union side is presented. In the book we are presented with some of both veiwpoints. The propaganda pitch the Union gave was they were fighting to free the slaves. This was not true! It was said Southerners were fighting to preserve slavery. This is also a false statement. Roughly less than 6% of all Southerners owned slaves. In fact, there were a substantial amount of generals in the Union army that owned slaves themselves. In addition the constitution protected slavery. If the true issue was to maintain slavery the South would not have seceded. The most obvious myth is that the ?good? North marched into the cruel and evil South for the sole purpose of freeing the slaves. There are many quotes from Northern leaders that show clearly that the main purpose of the North was not the eradication of slavery, but subjugation of the southern people. Slavery was used to rally the Northern population behind Abraham Lincoln's war. It was an emotional issue, sure some Yankees joined and fought to ?set men free?, but most were there to preserve the union. Preserving the Union me ant stepping on the Southern people and keeping them as a tax base to feed Northern industrialists. An interesting conflict of Northern morals is discovered. The North is portrayed as wanting to set black men free, but they practiced economic slavery on the Southern states. The Civil War was really more politically complex with regards to Abraham Lincoln and his Republican party's actions. The South fought this war as the Second American Revolution. The cause of the South was equated to that of their forefathers who had fought and won their freedom from Great Britain less than 100 years earlier. If it was a war to set men free, it was the Southern farm boy that wanted his freedoms guaranteed under the original constitution. The Northern states' politicians were aggressively attempting to implement a monarchial form of government, which was precisely what the early colonists had fought against in the American Revolution. The Northern states were taking advantage of their superior numbers in the federal government and were using their advantage to implement unfair tariffs against the South. Enormous amounts of money were taken from the South and funneled into the Northern states. Most of the revenue taken from the Southern states was used to run government programs. This brought about the argument of ?State's Rights? and a weaker central government by the South. The main cause of the war was Lincoln's rejection of the right to peaceable secession of the eleven sovereign states and subsequently the denial of self-government to the nearly 8 million people living in those states. The Federal government needed the income from the South so they were forced into fighting to save the tax coming from the South. Without consulting Congress, Lincoln sent great armies of destruction to the South. The Southern people had no choice but to defend themselves from this invasion. The South fought, simply, for their independence, as the United States federal government of the Northern states refused to allow the South to leave peacefully. The men of the South did not fight to win their freedom, they fought to keep it! To quote from the Declaration of Independence: ?... that whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the People to alter or abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation

Free Essays on Cloning

The biological term cloning is the production of a genetically identical duplicate of an organism. However, people can use the word cloning to intend other meanings. For instance, we generalize many older and new techniques as cloning. This is not a good practice because these techniques are different and impose unique concerns and issues. In the world of scientific technology, cloning is the artificial production of organisms with the same genetic material. Scientists actually call the transferring of a nucleus from the cell of one organism to an enucleated egg cell, nuclear transfer (Wilmut 811). This will produce an organism that has the exact genetic material as that of the donor cell. Scientists are using current techniques exceedingly more, and with a variety of species. Astonishingly, more clones are present in the world than one would think. In nature, and even in the lives of humans, clones are present. As stated earlier, a clone is an organism that has the same genetic info rmation as another organism. From this we can say that cloning occurs with all plants, some insects, algae, unicellular organisms that conduct mitosis or binary fission, and occasionally by all multi-cellular organisms, including humans. Monozygotic twins, or identical twins, are clones of each other. They have the same exact genetic information due to the division of an embryo early in development, which produces two identical embryos. About eight million identical twins are alive in the world; thus, already eight million human clones inhabit the world. Today, the only cloning research is occurring in scientific model organisms. These are organisms that research scientists from around the globe have collected abundant amounts of data. All this data is necessary so that advancements in research can continue more efficiently. The most common scientific models are E. coli, mice, fruit flies, and frogs. The first organisms that were cloned using nuclear transfe... Free Essays on Cloning Free Essays on Cloning The biological term cloning is the production of a genetically identical duplicate of an organism. However, people can use the word cloning to intend other meanings. For instance, we generalize many older and new techniques as cloning. This is not a good practice because these techniques are different and impose unique concerns and issues. In the world of scientific technology, cloning is the artificial production of organisms with the same genetic material. Scientists actually call the transferring of a nucleus from the cell of one organism to an enucleated egg cell, nuclear transfer (Wilmut 811). This will produce an organism that has the exact genetic material as that of the donor cell. Scientists are using current techniques exceedingly more, and with a variety of species. Astonishingly, more clones are present in the world than one would think. In nature, and even in the lives of humans, clones are present. As stated earlier, a clone is an organism that has the same genetic info rmation as another organism. From this we can say that cloning occurs with all plants, some insects, algae, unicellular organisms that conduct mitosis or binary fission, and occasionally by all multi-cellular organisms, including humans. Monozygotic twins, or identical twins, are clones of each other. They have the same exact genetic information due to the division of an embryo early in development, which produces two identical embryos. About eight million identical twins are alive in the world; thus, already eight million human clones inhabit the world. Today, the only cloning research is occurring in scientific model organisms. These are organisms that research scientists from around the globe have collected abundant amounts of data. All this data is necessary so that advancements in research can continue more efficiently. The most common scientific models are E. coli, mice, fruit flies, and frogs. The first organisms that were cloned using nuclear transfe... Free Essays on Cloning Genetic Engineering; Cloning In today’ world of advanced technology and even faster progress of this technology one has to stop and examine what we have accomplished. How far do we want to go with this technology of genetic engineering, particularly in the field of cloning. Examining genetic engineering and its many possibilities holds great hope for the future. Centrally the issue of cloning has been a hot topic in the media mainly because its has become a technological as well as a medical breakthrough. The possibilities of cloning are innumerable that is, if it works. But the other side of the coin are the ethics of the process. What happens when we master cloning of body parts and venture out to clone humans? Will this clone be someone who has feelings, and mind and a spirit of its own? Will it have a soul? Genetic Engineering, the alteration of an organism's genetic, or hereditary, material to eliminate undesirable characteristics or to produce desirable new ones(Brennan, 57) . Genetic engineering is used to increase plant and animal food production; to diagnose disease, improve medical treatment, and produce vaccines and other useful drugs.(Brennan, 58). Included in genetic engineering techniques are the selective breeding of plants and animals, and recombinant DNA. The first genetic engineering technique, still used today, was the selective breeding of plants and animals, usually for increased food production. In selective breeding, only those plants or animals with good characteristics are chosen for further breeding. Corn has been selectively bred for increased kernel size and number and for nutritional content. More recently, selective breeding of wheat and rice in an effort called the green revolution has helped supply the world's ever-increasing need for food(Clarke, 1211). This is also another aspect of technology that has improved over the years. Production has proved that we can grow more with less land mass. Cattle a...

Identify and Discuss the Change of Activity and Costs Structure within Essay

Identify and Discuss the Change of Activity and Costs Structure within the Supply Chain ifLB Looked to a Third Party Logistics - Essay Example This paper examines critical issues related to Lauritzen Bulkers - LB, one of the leading dry bulk shipping firms in the world with its head quarters in Netherlands (Wolf, 2008). The paper first presents a brief literature review about SCM and then it discuses the change of activity and costs structure within the supply chain if LB looked to a third party logistics provider to supply their transport needs. The paper also examines the extent to which this would impact LB gaining ISO 14000 recognition. LB is a very large shipping company that owns a large number of carriers and it has taken up partnerships with other shipping firms and uses third party logistics. As per the annual report (LB, 2011), by 2011, LB controlled through its owned assets and with those of its network partners, 100 ships of different sizes such as Handymax, Handysize, Capesize and Panamax bulk carriers. Through its subsidiary Lauritzen Kosan, LB controlled a combined fleet of 44 semi-refrigerated ships. Gas car riers for Ethylene, fully pressurised gas carriers, and several smaller refrigerated gas carriers. The firm also controlled 2 numbers very large oil carriers, DP shuttle tankers, and 18 MR product tankers. 2. Literature Review An efficient supply chain can reduce costs, increase efficiency and help to retain customers. Organisations across the world have come to depend on supply chains to service their production lines, fill customer orders and retail shelves. Some important aspects of SCM are discussed in this chapter. 2.1. Nature of supply chains and networks A critical review of Hugos (2011), supply chain management is not merely about picking items from one point and dropping it to another. It is more about estimating demand correctly, understanding the lead-time for procurement and then placing the order for manufacturing. If the lead-time estimation is excessive, then inventory is more and lead to excessive costs while lesser lead-time means the risk of stock out. There is als o the economic order that indicates the minimum quantity required in a shipment. Shipping and logistics firms are integrated with the operations of large buyers so that efficiency is maintained, the quality of service is prompt and reliability of service is unfailing. 2.2. Cost structures in Supply Chains Supply chain analytics often focus on reducing cost structures of the supply chain. This is mainly done because in a procurement cycle, other than the basic product cost, the cost of the supply chain makes up a major component of the cost. The percentage of cost varies from 35% to 55% of the product costs. For perishable items such as dairy products, meat and poultry products, livestock, the costs are more than 67%. Much depends on the distance travelled, the nature of product, pressure for on time delivery, possibility of wastage and loss and other factors (Deloitte, 2012). A critical review of Xia (2003) shows that some of the cost structures in an organisation are inventory carr ying costs, production costs, inspection costs, logistics costs, transportation and handling costs, storage costs, onward forwarding costs and other costs due to delays in berthing, availability of shipping and so on. Some of the costs are borne by the organisation while some are borne by the

Diabetes Prevention in Undiagnosed Adult Population of Vulnerable Essay

Diabetes Prevention in Undiagnosed Adult Population of Vulnerable Groups - Essay Example The initiative 'Eliminating Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health' developed by the US Department of Health and Human Services, in conformity with Healthy People 2010 goals focuses on areas of health disparity that are known to affect racially and ethnically diverse groups of the population. As the epidemiology of Type-II diabetes is manifested in socially and culturally diverse groups, this initiative tries to understand the scope and nature of the disease that contribute to such disparities. Literature reviews reveal that racial and ethnic minorities in the United States bear a disproportionate burden of diabetes epidemic, because they have higher prevalence rate, worse control, and higher rates of complications associated with diabetes due health disparity. In this context, it is essential to analyze health disparity prevalent among socio-ethnic minorities and vulnerable groups in the United States as well as success of the initiative Healthy People 2010 initiated in the year 20 00. The NIH Work Group on Health Disparities defines Health Disparities as "Differences in the incidence, prevalence, mortality, and burden of disease and other adverse health conditions that exist among specific population groups in the US." (Health Disparities). Recent research evidence suggests that in addition to racial, ethnic, class and gender bias, "direct and indirect discrimination are also important factors" for health care disparities. (Byrd & Clayton, 2003). The factors influencing direct and indirect discrimination are racism, biased clinical decision making, and access barriers caused by shortage of racial and ethnic minority providers. The healthcare needs, way of presenting symptoms and histories, expectations, responding to medical recommendations, and preferences of patients, which are socio-culturally perceived, presented before health care providers differ from individual to individual. Research literature in psychology, sociology, and physiology suggests that patient's experience and reporting of pain and other symptoms vary sharply. Similarly, the expectations and beliefs of health care providers are framed both by their professional training and experience as well as their exposure and social experiences and a patient's medical history, prognosis, and diagnostic test results may challenge physician's judgment. Studies on healthcare disparity reveals that household income has a direct influence on a family's ability to afford food and other necessities including health insurance, and low-income individuals experience worse health outcomes, suggesting that income disparities leads to health disparities. "Low-income individuals have poor nutrition and health practices and many African-American communities are poorer than the population as whole." (Danelly et al, p. 112). Employment status also has direct influence on household income and insurance status as employment ensures insurance coverage, and thereby assured health care option. Above all, educational attainment has significant role in health status, because a well

Personal delelopment in Accounting and Finance Personal Development Essay

Personal delelopment in Accounting and Finance Personal Development Essay Introduction Personal Development in Accounting and Finance course overall helps me to understand how did my career goal comes about, where do I stand now, and understand the journey and process which I will have to go through in order to achieve my career goal. 2. What did I learn / achieved in PDAF? In PDAF, Belbin lesson, I understand that a team role is a pattern of behaviour. Different team role have different characteristics and all team roles have both strengths and weaknesses. A person could be having a few team roles at a same time. Through the questionnaire, I manage to identify a few team roles which I will normally adopt at work, which include the specialist, the completer/finisher and the shaper role. I manage to identify what are my strengths and allowable weakness. As I am showing the shapers weakness therefore I hope to improve on this area. (See appendix 1). Through this MTBI personality test, I discovered that the personality type which I belong to is ISTJ (introverted sensing with extraverted thinking), whom is a duty fulfiller. This test also allows me to identify my strengths and weaknesses at work and home. I also realise that possible careers for ISTJ are accountants and financial officers which is what my career goal is. (See appendix 3). It was feedback from my group member that she feels that Im in the right career path as the ISTJs personality described me truly. 3. My Career journey thoughts feelings Looking back at my lifeline during lesson 2, I feel that whoever I am now depend on the decision which I had made when I was 19 years old. To choose between going to a polytechnic for engineering course or a private school for CAT made my career journey changed. It is also because of great interest on figures and influences from family, that why I decided to choose a private accounting school for CAT courses rather the other. (See appendix 2) I also feel that all these while in my career journey, I was consider quite lucky. I am lucky in a sense that, I have a lot opportunity to learn new things and gain experience on accounting field compared to the others. I started my first job as Account Assistant with no relevant working experience. Yet I have the opportunity to learn from scratch. I understand that not much company is willing to teach fresh graduate especially when this so called fresh graduate had not officially graduated at that point of time. My career goal is to be an accountant. After doing some website research on the responsibilities for this role, I realise the main duty for an accountant in Singapore public or private sector is about the same. I believe in term of working experience I should be able to fit in as I have pick up quite a valid experience in this area. But looking at the current market entry requirement, sad to comment, although I have the experience and skills in accounting software, I see myself in a non-favourable position in obtaining this position at the current moment. I will need to upgrade my qualification and that is to take up a degree course so that I can fit into the position. (See appendix 4) After working in accounting line for so many years, sometimes I do feel that my interest on my job had faded quite a lot. Sometimes I do not have the energy to move on. I feel that this might be due to long working period with no proper break or rest. As my career goal is to be an accountant, so I will not give up this goal so easily. If financially allows, I am considering of moving out of my working life temporary to have a good break while pursuing my degree course. I think by doing so, I can rest and replenish my energy level on my job, and I can place full time concentration on my study. My follow-up after PDAF After attending this Belbin lesson, I will like to improve on my weakness by showing more concern on the others. Now I tend to think twice before commenting remarks. Although is hard to do it, I hope I can do in time to be. (See appendix 1). I also hope that I can control my emotion (See appendix 2), by not being so affected when my close colleagues left the company. Im happy to know that I am in the right career path and see myself having more strengths than weaknesses being an ISTJ. Being someone whom honored our commitment, loyal and faithful, I hope I can continue this way especially toward my family. There is one weakness which had been around for quite a while and it had been happening quite often at work. It needs a lot of skill and effort in order for me to strengthen it. This weakness is having too strong sense of duty until I had difficult time to say no to others when I was given more work than what we can reasonable handle. I see the need for me to reduce this strong sense of duty image in front of others. I have to control it well so that my sense of duty still exist but yet I know how to say no to them when too much work is being passed down to me. (See appendix 3) I also realise I do not have a proper written cover letter, the current one which I have now contain only a few lines which does not state any impressive remarks to employers. I also did not amend the cover letter accordingly to fit well to each individual job requirement. Therefore I need to pick up some skills on improving my cover letter. My CV was not updated with my latest experience and skill which I have obtained in my previous company. I need to update it regularly or as and when I have done any special projects or obtain any extra skills. Appendices The Group Presentations Appendix 1 Team Roles (Belbin) Presentation content Through the Belbin questionnaire, the team role which I have normally adopts is the Specialist role. Based on the information located from the website http://changingminds.org/explanations/preferences/belbin.htm, specialists strength is it has expert knowledge and skills in key areas and will solve many problems while its allowable weakness is it can be disinterested in all other areas. I do agree on the questionnaire that most of the time at work I have been adopting the specialist roles strength. Example, in my current position, I am handling GL (general ledger) function. Due to job responsibility, I often have to provide knowledge and assistance to other colleagues especially colleagues whom handle Accounts Receivable and Payables on any un-cleared issues or problems. I do not agree that I have adopted specialist roles weakness as in not much of showing disinterest in other areas. Example, usually at work I am very concern about other areas as I often have to attend other departments queries. I agreed that another role which I have also adopted successfully is the Completer/Finisher role. Example, as my position covered month closing and reporting. I often have to do detail checking on entries for errors and omissions before presenting the data to my superior. Also I tend to worry too much when my colleagues do not finish their areas of work on time. Reflection In the Belbin lesson, I understand that a team role is a pattern of behaviour. Different team role have different characteristics and all team roles have both strengths and weaknesses. A person could be having a few team roles at a same time. Through the Belbin questionnaire, I manage to identify a few team roles which I will normally adopt at work. Beside the contributions side of the specialist and completer/finisher, I realise that sometimes I tend to adopt the Shaper role. This role is full energy and action, challenging others to move forwards. This role can be insensitive. Example, at work I often have to push other colleagues and make sure they meet the closing deadline on time, by doing so, I tend to show the shapers weakness which is being insensitive. I sometimes tend to comment blunt remarks show poor attitude to the others when jobs were not done in time or properly. Appendix 2 Job Motivation Presentation content Reasons why I have decided to have accounting as my career choice are because of my interest and influences from my family member. Since I was young, I always like figures and counting, solving problem sums in school. It is also due to my sisters influences, that why I chose to further my study in accounting and hoping to be an accountant. My sister is the first one who enlightened me. She convinced me to convert my interest into my career since my interest is on figures, and I am always being good at mathematics. A few values which are important to me, one of which is money. I personally feel that money comes in hand in hand with hard work so with the hard work I have put in; I will want a justifiable amount of salary. Next value is happiness at work and good relationship with colleagues. I feel that in order to achieve happiness at work, we must maintain good relationships with colleagues. By having that, it will help to motivate us to go to work. Finally is appreciation from superior and career advancement. I feel the needs to have good opportunity to learn and do more things, follow-by promotion. I also need appreciation from superior by recognizing my hard work. Co-workers are the ones whom will influence me at work. Relationship with them often will affect my mood of working. With close and good relationship with my colleagues, I feel happy and more motivated to go to work. As I am a very emotional person. I will feel affected if a close colleague left the company. I know because, in my current job, my mood was greatly affected when my accountant and a close colleague left the company. It is a sense of loss especially toward my accountant as she had given me very good appreciation and opportunity. When she left the company, I feel I have not only lost a good colleague/superior, I also lost my value. Market requirement will affect my career choice. I always feel that accounting roles are always valuable in the market as all companies have accounts department and therefore accounting staffs will never be jobless. Reflection After working for quite a number of years, I realise my interest on my career had faded. My interest on figures is no longer existed. I value my values especially money at work more than interest. I see the important of these values, when my values are being achieve, I tend to be more motivated to move on but when values are not being achieved, it will influence me by affecting my motivation and emotion. Appendix 3 MBTI Presentation content The personality test located from the website http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes1.htm shows that my MBTI type is ISTJ, the duty fulfiller. ISTJ primary mode of living is focused internally, where we take things in via five senses in a literal, concrete fashion. Our secondary mode is external where we deal with things logically. Accountants and financial officers are the one of the possible career paths for ISTJ. One of the ISTJs strength is we are people whom honor our commitment. We are loyal and faithful. We are people who can be depended on to do the right things for our families. Another strength which is, we are stable, practical and down-to-earth. We tend to believe in laws and traditions. We often tend to believe that things should be done accordingly to procedures and plans. ISTJs have strongly-felt internal sense of duty which lends them a serious air and motivation to follow through on task. Because of this strong sense of duty, ISTJs may have difficult time saying no when we are given more work. Another weakness which we have is we will resist putting energy into things which dont make sense to us. I agreed the strength about believing that things should be done accordingly to procedures and plan. I usually like to do proper planning before proceeding. Example, I have habit of listing down the works I have to do for month end closing. I will note it as done once complete. Sometimes because of too many pieces of work coming in at the same time, I tend to state the items down and do it based on priority. I dont quite agree to the point that ISTJ tend to resist of putting energy on things which dont make sense, because perhaps I believe that sometimes at work, things might not be within our control so I often just continue to put in energy even if the things dont make any sense to me. Feedback from my group members One of my team-mate comments that I have performed well in the group presentation. While another feel that Im in the right career path as I fit truly well in ISTJ personality. Reflections Based on the personality test, I feel that I have chosen the right career choice. In term of personality at work, it reflected the very true side of me. It best described what kind of person I am at work or home. It highlighted to me what are the strengths and weaknesses I have. ISJT has such a strong sense of duty that we may have a difficult time saying no when we are given more work than what we can reasonably handle. Looking at this point, I realise that this had happened quite often in my working life. I never say no to my superior when I was given too much work to do. I feel that there is a need for me to reduce my strong sense of duty image to the others especially to those who had been taking advantage of me. Appendix 4 Careers Presentation content The job which I have chosen is accountant position. Employers for public sector include local authorities, schools and etc, while employers for private sector range from large multinational organizations to small local businesses. Accountants in both public sectors and private help to prepare examine and analyze financial statements and other financial reports. They check for accuracy in these records and this allows them to provide a clear picture of the companys financial activities. They report to the management regards to all the finances issues. They develop, maintain and analyze budgets. They also check and pay creditors invoices, collect debts and charge customers for goods and services. Although the duties for accountants in both sectors are similar, a public sector accountants main concern is not raising profit but to make best use of public money. They aim to balance the cost of public services against income. They may carry out internal audits if required. Another difference is as all limited companies must be externally audited therefore accountants for private sector are not allow do audit check. The entry requirement for accountant is at least a bachelors degree in accounting or a related field. In term of skills and abilities requirement, both sectors need the accountant to have a good level of numeric. They should be able to use spreadsheets and specialized finance-related software to analyze and interpret figures and explain them to laymen. Both will need good communication skills, in both spoken and written. They should process good problem-solving skills, and have the ability to work well under pressure. Reflections Looking at the market requirement, I feel that my market value had dropped a bit although I do have the relevant experiences. The reason is because entry requirement had changed compare to the past. In the current situation, a degree qualification is a must. Appendix 5 Job Adverts Presentation content My job ideals is to find a job which is of accountant level and its responsibilities should be similar to what I am currently handling, but it should have some extra work which I am able to gain some experience from it. I have chosen 3 jobs which are all accountant level position. They are accountant, finance for AIC (Agency for Integrated Care), accountant for NTUC (National Trades Union Congress) and accountant for Amanresorts International Pte Ltd. And the one which I have finally decided on is the accountant role for AIC. This roles responsibilities match with my current responsibilities. In this role, they are looking for someone whom will ensure timely month end activities as well as submission of financial and management reports. This role also needs to manage cash and banking matters, liaise with audit firms on audit matter and support budgeting and forecasting exercise. In term of skills and abilities, they are looking for someone whom has minimum 2 years experience in full set of account and knowledge of SAP accounting system. I had exposure on full set and SAP in my previous company, and I was there for more than 2 years. I feel that this job is suitable for me the role responsibilities are scopes which I had handle before and I am comfortable with. In term of accounting system, they are using SAP which I rather preferred. AIC is a private limited company under healthcare industry. It was set up by Ministry of Health but was now under National Healthcare group. In term of benefit, I feel that it should be well too. Reflections I feel that in term of experiences, I do have the opportunity to fit into accountant level position once I obtain my degree. Appendix 6 Draft CV How did I choose the format, layout and content of my CV, and what are the specific problems I have had in designing a targeted CV, The CV format which I have been using is the combination CV. I obtained this format from the website many years ago. The layout for combination CV shows both skills and abilities and employment history. The total pages for current CV I had with me now makes up of 5 pages. In term of contents, I state a bit on my skills on accounting software and Microsoft office, and very detailed employment histories. For the employment history wise, information on the work I had been doing was stated in point form with no strong words to attract interviewers attraction. The whole CV also reflected repeated job-scope as I am doing almost the same job-scope for my initial employment. Overall to comment is I find my CV a bit lengthy. The problem I faced in designing a targeted CV is I am not sure of how to make use of strong wording. Also sometimes I find it hard to describe the effort that we have put on a task on paper so that readers can understand. Assignment 2 Application Pack Introduction Job Title I have chosen to apply for the position of Accountant, Finance for Agency for Integrated Care (AIC). 1.2 Requirement of the Job The responsibilities include handle full set of accounts and ensure month end closing activities. This role needs to handle grant administration, manage cash and banking matters. She/He needs to liaise with audit firms and tax consultants on audit and tax matters. She/He needs to support budgeting and forecasting exercise. The entry requirement is a recognised degree in Accountancy or equivalent with minimum 2 years experience in full set of accounts. It will be an added advantage if she/he has knowledge of SAP accounting system. Job Advertisement This is the job advertisement for the position of Accountant, Finance which I am applying for: Advertised:23-7-10 | Closing Date:22-8-10 Accountant, Finance (Singapore) Responsibilities: You will report to Manager, Finance. Handle full set of accounts (GL, AP, AR and Fixed Assets) and ensure timely and accurate month-end closing activities as well as submission of financial, management and statutory reports, implementation and compliance with Internal Controls Handle grant administration, including prompt claims submission, disbursement and tracking Manage cash and banking matters Liaise with audit firms and tax consultants on audit and taxation matters, including preparation of audit and tax schedules Support budgeting and forecasting exercises Requirements: Recognised degree in Accountancy or equivalent with minimum 2 years experience in full set of accounts Knowledge of SAP accounting system will be an added advantage A team player who is meticulous and able to work independently Good communication and interpersonal skills Please do not use the buttons below to apply for the above position. Kindly forward your detailed resume in MS Word format only, stating full details of qualifications, experience, current and expected salary, to . Top of Form Bottom of Form   Ã‚  Company Information   Ã‚  Email to Friends   Ã‚  View Similar Jobs   Ã‚  Location Map   Ã‚  Save This Job   Ã‚  View Salary Report   Ã‚  All Jobs From Company   Ã‚  Report Advertisement Agency for Integrated Care 5 Maxwell Road #10-00 Tower Block MND Complex Singapore 069110 Website: http://www.aic.sg/ Reasons for choice of job Through searching for job advertisements from internet, I have set my focus on job advertisements for Accountant role. Among the advertisement that I have reviewed, I shortlisted 3 which are listed below: Company Agency for Integrated Care (AIC) Job Title Accountant, Finance (b) Company Amanresorts International Pte Ltd Job Title Accountant (c) Company National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) Job Title Accountant These 3 were shortlisted because the job responsibilities are similar to the current job responsibilities which I am currently handling which is involve in month end closing activities and year end budgeting and forecasting exercise. I feel comfortable to advance my career in this scope of duties. Of the above 3, I have selected (a) as the one that I will focus on in Assignment 3. The reason for choosing this job is because the responsibilities for this position in AIC is not only something which I am familiar with but it also has some other responsibility which I will like to learn from. This is preparation of statutory reports. I will like to take this opportunity to pick up this skill. This company is using SAP system, which is a well known accounting system. I feel more comfortable using SAP system compare to other software like Accpac (as per stated by Amanresorts International Pte Ltd). Skills Attributes My suitability for the job Skills My current accounting role with Volkswagen Group Singapore Pte Ltd includes handling month end closing activities. My duty also includes preparing month end financial reports. In my previous exposure in Hercules Chemical Solution, I handle full set of accounts for both Singapore and India accounts. In both company, I used SAP system. Personality Based on the MBTI, I realise that my personality type is ISTJ, which the possible career is being accountant or financial officer. I am someone whom has excellent ability to take on any task given by my superior. I will follow through the task till completion by organizing and planning. I am hard worker, who do now allow obstacles to get in my way of performing my duties. Motivation I am currently motivated mainly by values. Value like money is very important to me now. I hope to find a company which not only pay well but also give good staff benefit. Value like appreciation from superior and career advancement is also important to me. I hope to see myself being recognised through my hard work. Weaknesses What may hinder me in applying for this job My limitation for this job opportunity will be I do not have the experience in preparing statutory reports, which I am not sure if the company is willing to train me on this area. I also do not have the experience in working in healthcare industry. Cover Letter Name Tay Siew Ling Address Blk 684B Choa Chu Kang Crescent #11-330 Singapore 682684 Contact 92975400 (Mobile) Email [emailprotected] 09 August 2010 Agency for Integrated Care 5 Maxwell Road #10-00 Tower Block MND Complex Singapore 069110 Dear RE: Application for the position of Accountant, Finance Refer to your job advertisement on the  www.jobstreet.com.sg on 23 July 2010; I will like to express my interest to apply the position of Accountant, Finance. I am a CAT holder and currently pursuing the Bachelor of Arts in Accounting with University of Bedfordshire. In my current employment with Volkswagen Group Singapore, my responsibilities include handling month end closing and preparation of financial reports. I am also involved in year end budgeting and forecasting. In my previous employment with Hercules Chemical Solution, I am responsible in handling full set of account for both Singapore and India account independently in Singapore with reporting head in Shanghai. Additionally, I have hands-on experiences on SAP system, financial module for more than four years. With these exposures, I am confident that I will be able to perform well in AIC I greatly appreciate you taking the time to review my credentials and experience. I hope that youll find my experiences  intriguing enough to warrant a face-to-face meeting, as I am confident that I could provide value to you and your  company as a member of your team. Please feel free to contact me if you have any query. Hope to receive a favourable reply from you. . Yours sincerely, Language Proficiency Spoken Language: English and Mandarin Written Language: English and Chinese Skill Proficiency Well versed in Microsoft Office Software: Words and Excel. Proficient with accounting software: SAP system, Accpac Dos Version, Solomon and Incadea. Proficient with internet online banking: Citi-Direct, Bank of America online banking, Deustche online banking and DBS DEALS Education Qualification University of Bedfordshire Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Accounting (July 2010 to Jan 2012) The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants Certified Accounting Technician (CAT) (1998 to 2003) Fairfield Methodist Secondary School Singapore-Cambridge General Certificate of Education-Ordinary Level (O-level) (1996 to 1997) Singapore-Cambridge General Certificate of Education-Normal Level (N-level) (1993 to 1996) Queenstown Primary School Primary school leaving examination certificate-PSLE Employment History Details Volkswagen Group Singapore Pte Ltd Account Executive (14 May 2008 to Current) Handle the full spectrum of General Ledger and Fixed Asset Ensure proper documentation for all fixed assets and depreciation amount was taken up correctly Month end journal preparation and posting. Ensure timely and accurate closing of monthly account Prepare and review monthly profit and loss statement and balance sheet. Analysis monthly expenses and common cost allocation for respective department. Prepare inter-company reconciliation and ensure AP Executive to follow-up on any invoices not received Prepare reconciliation on Receivable and Payable sub-ledger against General Ledger Prepare weekly cash position report Prepare monthly bank reconciliation Prepare monthly audit and closing schedules Responsible for Fixed Deposit placement and coordinate with AP Executive on any fund transfer and huge payments Quarterly GST preparation and submission Involve in bi-weekly COE bidding process Involve in year-end stock take for vehicle and parts inventories Assist in year-end budget and forecast Liaising with external auditors during yearly audit Assist the Finance Manager in all ad-hoc duties as assigned Achievement Back-dated perform bank reconciliation for January to May 2008 Manage to perform reconciliation between Incadea and SAP system, also reconciliation between AP/AR control account against sub-ledger Involvement in change of chart of account and roll-back project on the accounting system Energy Market Company Pte Ltd Account Executive (June 2006 to April 2008) Handle the full spectrum of Accounts Receivable, Accounts Payable and Fixed Asset for EMCs operating account Handle partial spectrum of General Ledger Ensure proper documentation for all fixed assets and depreciation amount was taken up correctly Ensure timely and accurate closing of monthly operating account Ensure timely billings on Industrial Training program fee and seminars Ensure timely posting of all collections received Ensure all supplier invoices matches with purchase orders issued Ensure proper coding of GL code and posting of supplier invoices and staff reimbursement Ensure timely cheque and telegraphic transfer payments to suppliers and staff reimbursement Prepare cash position report Prepare monthly bank reconciliation Quarterly GST preparation Submission on Statistic survey for energy industry Involve in year-end fixed asset checking Liaising with internal and external auditors during quarterly and yearly audit Assist the Finance VP and Accountant in all ad-hoc duties as assigned Achievement Involvement in change of chart of account and update of accounting system Successfully roll-out the E-Fixed Asset module Attended the Microsoft Excel Expert course sponsored by company and was award a Microsoft Office Specialist at the Expert level from Microsoft Hercules Chemical Solutions Pte Ltd Account Executive (June 2004 to June 2006) Handle the full set of account for Singapore and India accounts (up to Balance Sheet and Profit and Loss) Ensure timely and accurate closing of monthly account for Singapore and India Ensure timely billings on services fees and royalty income to inter-company Ensure timely posting of all collections received Ensure all supplier invoices matches with purchase orders issued Ensure proper coding of GL code and posting of supplier invoices and staff reimbursement Ensure timely cheque and telegraphic transfer payments to suppliers and staff reimbursement Prepare and review monthly profit and loss statement and balance sheet including expenses analysis Month end journal preparation and posting. Prepare monthly audit and closing schedules Prepare monthly bank reconciliation Monthly Australia VAT preparation and submission. Quarterly Singapore GST preparation and submission. Quarterly preparation of reconciliation reports for SOX control requirement Liaising with external auditors during quarterly and yearly audit Liaising with tax agent from India on india tax issue Assist the Financial Accountant in all ad-hoc duties as assigned Achievement Involve in moving the manual set of account for India into SAP Involve in change of bank from Citibank to Bank of America SNP Corporation Ltd Accounts Assistant (June 2003 to June 2004) Handle the full spectrum of Accounts Receivable and credit control Ensure timely billings on non-stock related items example rental and advertisement Responsible for proper sort and filing of high volume of tax invoices and credit notes on stock related item Ensure timely posting of all collections received Responsible for customer code creation Prepare month end reports, example sales records and aging reports. Assist the Senior Accountant in all ad-hoc duties as assigned Tee Hai Chem Pte Ltd Accounts Assistant (January to May 2003) Handle the full spectrum of Accounts Receivable Responsib

Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal Chapter 3

Chapter 3 The angel will tell me nothing of what happened to my friends, of the twelve, of Maggie. All he'll say is that they are dead and that I have to write my own version of the story. Oh, he'll tell me useless angel stories – of how Gabriel disappeared once for sixty years and they found him on earth hiding in the body of a man named Miles Davis, or how Raphael snuck out of heaven to visit Satan and returned with something called a cell phone. (Evidently everyone has them in hell now.) He watches the television and when they show an earthquake or a tornado he'll say, â€Å"I destroyed a city with one of those once. Mine was better.† I am awash in useless angel prattle, but about my own time I know nothing but what I saw. And when the television makes mention of Joshua, calling him by his Greek name, Raziel changes the channel before I can learn anything. He never sleeps. He just watches me, watches the television, and eats. He never leaves the room. Today, while searching for extra towels, I opened one of the drawers and there, beneath a plastic bag meant for laundry, I found a book: Holy Bible, it said on the cover. Thank the Lord I did not take the book from the drawer, but opened it with my back to the angel. There are chapters there that were in no Bible I know. I saw the names of Matthew and John, I saw Romans and Galatians – this is a book of my time. â€Å"What are you doing?† the angel asked. I covered the Bible and closed the drawer. â€Å"Looking for towels. I need to bathe.† â€Å"You bathed yesterday.† â€Å"Cleanliness is important to my people.† â€Å"I know that. What, you think I don't know that?† â€Å"You're not exactly the brightest halo in the bunch.† â€Å"Then bathe. And stand away from the television.† â€Å"Why don't you go get me some towels?† â€Å"I'll call down to the desk.† And he did. If I am to get a look at that book, I must get the angel to leave the room. It came to pass that in the village of Japhia, the sister village of Nazareth, that Esther, the mother of one of the priests of the Temple, died of bad air. The Levite priests, or Sadducees, were rich from the tributes we paid to the Temple, and mourners were hired from all the surrounding villages. The families of Nazareth made the journey to the next hill for the funeral, and for the first time, Joshua and I were able to spend time with Maggie as we walked along the road. â€Å"So,† she said without looking at us, â€Å"have you two been playing with any snakes lately?† â€Å"We've been waiting for the lion to lay down with the lamb,† Joshua said. â€Å"That's the next part of the prophecy.† â€Å"What prophecy?† â€Å"Never mind,† I said. â€Å"Snakes are for boys. We are almost men. We will begin work after the Feast of Tabernacles. In Sepphoris.† I was trying to sound worldly. Maggie seemed unimpressed. â€Å"And you will learn to be a carpenter?† she asked Joshua. â€Å"I will do the work of my father, eventually, yes.† â€Å"And you?† she asked me. â€Å"I'm thinking of being a professional mourner. How hard can it be? Tear at your hair, sing a dirge or two, take the rest of the week off.† â€Å"His father is a stonemason,† Joshua said. â€Å"We may both learn that skill.† At my urging, my father had offered to take Joshua on as an apprentice if Joseph approved. â€Å"Or a shepherd,† I added quickly. â€Å"Being a shepherd seems easy. I went with Kaliel last week to tend his flock. The Law says that two must go with the flock to keep an abomination from happening. I can spot an abomination from fifty paces.† Maggie smiled. â€Å"And did you prevent any abominations?† â€Å"Oh yes, I kept all of the abominations at bay while Kaliel played with his favorite sheep behind the bushes.† â€Å"Biff,† Joshua said gravely, â€Å"that was the abomination you were supposed to prevent.† â€Å"It was?† â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"Whoops. Oh well, I think I would make an excellent mourner. Do you know the words to any dirges, Maggie? I'm going to need to learn some dirges.† â€Å"I think that when I grow up,† Maggie announced, â€Å"I shall go back to Magdala and become a fisherman on the Sea of Galilee.† I laughed, â€Å"Don't be silly, you are a girl. You can't be a fisherman.† â€Å"Yes I can.† â€Å"No, you can't. You have to marry and have sons. Are you betrothed, by the way?† Joshua said: â€Å"Come with me, Maggie, and I will make you a fisher of men.† â€Å"What the hell does that mean?† Maggie asked. I grabbed Joshua by the back of his robe and began to drag him away. â€Å"Don't pay any attention to him. He's mad. He gets it from his mother. Lovely woman, but a loony. Come now, Josh, let's sing a dirge.† I began improvising what I thought was a good funeral song. â€Å"La-la-la. Oh, we are really, really sad that your mom is dead. Too bad you're a Sadducee and don't believe in an afterlife and your mom is just going to be worm food, la-la. Makes you think that you might want to reconsider, huh? Fa-la-la-la-la-la-wacka-wacka.† (It sounded great in Aramaic. Really.) â€Å"You two are silly.† â€Å"Gotta go. Mourning to do. See you.† â€Å"A fisher of women?† Josh said. â€Å"Fa-la-la-la, don't feel bad – she was old and had no teeth left, la-la-la. Come on, people, you know the words!† Later, I said, â€Å"Josh, you can't keep saying creepy things like that. ‘Fisher of men,' you want the Pharisees to stone you? Is that what you want?† â€Å"I'm only doing my father's work. Besides, Maggie is our friend, she wouldn't say anything.† â€Å"You're going to scare her away.† â€Å"No I won't. She's going to be with us, Biff.† â€Å"Are you going to marry her?† â€Å"I don't even know if I'm allowed to marry at all, Biff. Look.† We were topping the hill into Japhia, and we could see the crowd of mourners gathering around the village. Joshua was pointing to a red crest that stood out above the crowd – the helmet crest of a Roman centurion. The centurion was talking to the Levite priest, who was arrayed in white and gold, his white beard reaching past his belt. As we moved into the village we could see twenty or thirty other soldiers watching the crowd. â€Å"Why are they here?† â€Å"They don't like it when we gather,† Joshua said, pausing to study the centurion commander. â€Å"They are here to see that we don't revolt.† â€Å"Why is the priest talking to him?† â€Å"The Sadducee wants to assure the Roman of his influence over us. It wouldn't do to have a massacre on the day of his mother's funeral.† â€Å"So he's watching out for us.† â€Å"He's watching out for himself. Only for himself.† â€Å"You shouldn't say that about a priest of the Temple, Joshua.† It was the first time I ever heard Joshua speak against the Sadducees, and it frightened me. â€Å"Today, I think this priest will learn who the Temple belongs to.† â€Å"I hate it when you talk like that, Josh. Maybe we should go home.† â€Å"Do you remember the dead meadowlark we found?† â€Å"I have a really bad feeling about this.† Joshua grinned at me. I could see gold flecks shining in his eyes. â€Å"Sing your dirge, Biff. I think Maggie was impressed by your singing.† â€Å"Really? You think so?† â€Å"Nope.† There was a crowd of five hundred outside the tomb. In the front, the men had draped striped shawls over their heads and rocked as they prayed. The women were separated to the back, and except for the wailing of the hired mourners, it was as if they didn't exist. I tried to catch a glimpse of Maggie, but couldn't see her through the crowd. When I turned again, Joshua had wormed his way to the front of the men, where the Sadducee stood beside the corpse of his dead mother, reading from a scroll of the Torah. The women had wrapped the corpse in linen and anointed it with fragrant oils. I could smell sandalwood and jasmine amid the acrid sweat of the mourners as I made my way to the front and stood by Joshua. He looked past the priest and was staring at the corpse, his eyes narrowed in concentration. He was trembling as if taken by a chill wind. The priest finished his reading and began to sing, joined by the voices of hired singers who had made the journey all the way from the Temple in Jerusalem. â€Å"It's good to be rich, huh?† I whispered to Joshua, elbowing him in the ribs. He ignored me and balled up his fists at his sides. A vein stood out on his forehead as he burned his gaze on the corpse. And she moved. Just a twitch at first. The jerk of her hand under the linen shroud. I think I was the only one who noticed. â€Å"No, Joshua, don't,† I said. I looked for the Romans, who were gathered in groups of five at different points around the perimeter of the crowd looking bored, their hands resting on the hafts of their short swords. The corpse twitched again and raised her arm. There was a gasp in the crowd and a boy screamed. The men started backing away and the women pushed forward to see what was happening. Joshua fell to his knees and pressed his fists to his temples. The priest sang on. The corpse sat up. The singers stopped and finally the priest turned to look behind him at his dead mother, who had swung her legs off of the slab and looked as if she was trying to stand. The priest stumbled back into the crowd, clawing at the air before his eyes as if it some vapor was causing this horrible vision. Joshua was rocking on his knees, tears streaming down his cheeks. The corpse stood, and still covered by the shroud, turned as if she was looking around. I could see that several of the Romans had drawn their swords. I looked around and found the commanding centurion standing on the back of a wagon, giving signals to his men to stay calm. When I looked back I realized that Joshua and I had been deserted by the mourners and we stood out in the empty space. â€Å"Stop it, now, Josh,† I whispered in his ear, but he continued to rock and concentrate on the corpse, who took her first step. The crowd seemed to be transfixed by the walking corpse, but we were too isolated, too alone now with the dead, and I knew it would only be seconds before they noticed Joshua rocking in the dirt. I threw my arm around his throat and dragged him back away from the corpse and into a group of men who were wailing as they backed away. â€Å"Is he all right?† I heard at my ear, and turned to see Maggie standing beside me. â€Å"Help me get him away.† Maggie took one of Joshua's arms and I took the other as we dragged him away. His body was as stiff as a walking staff, and he kept his gaze trained on the corpse. The dead woman was walking toward her son, the priest, who was backing away, brandishing the scroll like a sword, his eyes as big as saucers. Finally the woman fell in the dirt, twitched, then lay still. Joshua went limp in our arms. â€Å"Let's get him out of here,† I said to Maggie. She nodded and helped me drag him behind the wagon where the centurion was directing his troops. â€Å"Is he dead?† the centurion asked. Joshua was blinking as if he'd just been awakened from a deep sleep. â€Å"We're never sure, sir,† I said. The centurion threw his head back and laughed. His scale armor rattled with the tossing of his shoulders. He was older than the other soldiers, gray-haired, but obviously lean and strong, and totally unconcerned with the histrionics of the crowd. â€Å"Good answer, boy. What is your name?† â€Å"Biff, sir. Levi bar Alphaeus, who is called Biff, sir. Of Nazareth.† â€Å"Well, Biff, I am Gaius Justus Gallicus, under-commander of Sepphoris, and I think that you Jews should make sure your dead are dead before you bury them.† â€Å"Yes sir,† I said. â€Å"You, girl. You are a pretty little thing. What is your name?† I could see that Maggie was shaken by the attention of the Roman. â€Å"I am Mary of Magdala, sir.† She wiped at Joshua's brow with the edge of her shawl as she spoke. â€Å"You will break someone's heart someday, eh, little one?† Maggie didn't answer. But I must have shown some reaction to the question, because Justus laughed again. â€Å"Or perhaps she already has, eh, Biff?† â€Å"It is our way, sir. That's why we Jews bury our women when they are still alive. It cuts down on the heartbreak.† The Roman took off his helmet, ran his hand over his short hair, and flung sweat at me. â€Å"Go on, you two, get your friend into the shade. It's too hot out here for a sick boy. Go on.† Maggie and I helped Joshua to his feet and began to lead him away, but when we had gone only a few steps, Joshua stopped and looked back over his shoulder at the Roman. â€Å"Will you slay my people if we follow our God?† he shouted. I cuffed him on the back of the head. â€Å"Joshua, are you insane?† Justus narrowed his gaze at Joshua and the smile went out of his eyes. â€Å"Whatever they tell you, boy, Rome has only two rules: pay your taxes and don't rebel. Follow those and you'll stay alive.† Maggie yanked Joshua around and smiled back at the Roman. â€Å"Thank you, sir, we'll get him out of the sun.† Then she turned back to Joshua. â€Å"Is there something you two would like to tell me?† â€Å"It's not me,† I said. â€Å"It's him.† The next day we met the angel for the first time. Mary and Joseph said that Joshua had left the house at dawn and they hadn't seen him since. I wandered around the village most of the morning, looking for Joshua and hoping to run into Maggie. The square was alive with talk of the walking dead woman, but neither of my friends was to be found. At noon my mother recruited me to watch my little brothers while she went to work with the other women in the vineyard. She returned at dusk, smelling of sweat and sweet wine, her feet purple from walking in the winepress. Cut loose, I ran all over the hilltop, checking in our favorite places to play, and finally found Joshua on his knees in an olive grove, rocking back and forth as he prayed. He was soaked in sweat and I was afraid he might have a fever. Strange, I never felt that sort of concern for my own brothers, but from the beginning, Joshua filled me with divinely inspired worry. I watched, and waited, and when he stopped his rocking and sat back to rest, I faked a cough to let him know I was coming. â€Å"Maybe you should stick with lizards for a while longer.† â€Å"I failed. I have disappointed my father.† â€Å"Did he tell you that, or do you just know it?† He thought for a moment, made as if to brush his hair away from his face, then remembered that he no longer wore his hair long and dropped his hands in his lap. â€Å"I ask for guidance, but I get no answer. I can feel that I am supposed to do things, but I don't know what. And I don't know how.† â€Å"I don't know, I think the priest was surprised. I certainly was. Maggie was. People will be talking about it for months.† â€Å"But I wanted the woman to live again. To walk among us. To tell of the miracle.† â€Å"Well, it is written, two out of three ain't bad.† â€Å"Where is that written?† â€Å"Dalmatians 9:7, I think – doesn't matter, no one else could have done what you did.† Joshua nodded. â€Å"What are people saying?† â€Å"They think that it was something the women used to prepare the corpse. They are still going through purification for two more days, so no one can ask them.† â€Å"So they don't know that it was me?† â€Å"I hope not. Joshua, don't you understand that you can't do that sort of thing in front of people? They aren't ready for it.† â€Å"But most of them want it. They talk about the Messiah coming to deliver us all the time. Don't I have to show them that he has come?† What do you say to that? He was right, since I could remember there was always talk of the coming of the Messiah, of the coming of the kingdom of God, of the liberation of our people from the Romans – the hills were full of different factions of Zealots who skirmished with the Romans in hope that they could bring about the change. We were the chosen of God, blessed and punished like no other on earth. When the Jews spoke, God listened, now it was God's turn to speak. Evidently, my best friend was supposed to be the mouthpiece. But at that moment, I just didn't believe it. Despite what I'd seen, Joshua was my pal, not the Messiah. I said, â€Å"I'm pretty sure the Messiah is supposed to have a beard.† â€Å"So, it's not time yet, is that what you're saying?† â€Å"Right, Josh, I'm going to know when you don't. God sent a messenger to me and he said, ‘By the way, tell Joshua to wait until he can shave before he leads my people out of bondage.'† â€Å"It could happen.† â€Å"Don't ask me, ask God.† â€Å"That's what I've been doing. He's not answering.† It had been getting darker by the minute in the olive grove, and I could barely see the shine in Josh's eyes, but suddenly the area around us was lit up like daylight. We looked up to see the dreaded Raziel descending on us from above the treetops. Of course I didn't know he was the dreaded Raziel at the time, I was just terrified. The angel shone like a star above us, his features so perfect that even my beloved Maggie's beauty paled by comparison. Joshua hid his face and huddled against the trunk of an olive tree. I guess he was more easily surprised by the supernatural than I was. I just stood there staring with my mouth open, drooling like the village idiot. â€Å"Fear not, for behold, I bring you tidings of great joy, which shall be to all men. For on this day, in the city of David, is born a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.† Then he hovered for a second, waiting for his message to sink in. Joshua uncovered his face and risked a glance at the angel. â€Å"Well?† the angel said. It took me a second to digest the meaning of the words, and I waited for Joshua to say something, but he had turned his face skyward and seemed to be basking in the light, a silly smile locked on his face. Finally I pointed a thumb at Josh and said, â€Å"He was born in the city of David.† â€Å"Really?† said the angel. â€Å"Yep.† â€Å"His mother's name is Mary?† â€Å"Yep.† â€Å"She a virgin?† â€Å"He has four brothers and sisters now, but at one time, yes.† The angel looked around nervously, as if he might expect a multitude of the heavenly host to show up at some point. â€Å"How old are you, kid?† Joshua just stared, smiling. â€Å"He's ten.† The angel cleared his throat and fidgeted a bit, dropping a few feet toward the ground as he did so. â€Å"I'm in a lot of trouble. I stopped to chat with Michael on the way here, he had a deck of cards. I knew some time had passed, but†¦Ã¢â‚¬  To Joshua he said, â€Å"Kid, were you born in a stable? Wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger?† Joshua said nothing. â€Å"That's the way his mom tells it,† I said. â€Å"Is he retarded?† â€Å"I think you're his first angel. He's impressed, I think.† â€Å"What about you?† â€Å"I'm in trouble because I'm going to be an hour late for dinner.† â€Å"I see what you mean. I'd better get back and check on this. If you see some shepherds watching over their flocks by night would you tell them – uh, tell them – that at some point, probably, oh – ten years or so ago, that a Savior was born? Could you do that?† â€Å"Sure.† â€Å"Okey-dokey. Glory to God in the highest. Peace on earth, goodwill toward men.† â€Å"Right back at you.† â€Å"Thanks. Bye.† And as quickly as he had come, the angel was gone in a shooting star and the olive grove went dark again. I could just make out Joshua's face as he turned to look at me. â€Å"There you go,† I said. â€Å"Next question?† I suppose that every boy wonders what he will be when he grows up. I suppose that many watch their peers accomplish great things and wonder, â€Å"Could I have done that?† For me, to know at ten that my best friend was the Messiah, while I would live and die a stonecutter, seemed too much of a curse for a ten-year-old to bear. The morning after we met the angel, I went to the square and sat with Bartholomew the village idiot, hoping that Maggie would come to the well. If I had to be a stonecutter, at least I might have the love of an enchanting woman. In those days, we started training for our life's work at ten, then received the prayer shawl and phylacteries at thirteen, signifying our entry into manhood. Soon after we were expected to be betrothed, and by fourteen, married and starting a family. So you see, I was not too young to consider Maggie as a wife (and I might always have the fallback position of marrying Joshua's mother when Joseph died). The women would come and go, fetching water, washing clothes, and as the sun rose high and the square cleared, Bartholomew sat in the shade of a tattered date palm and picked his nose. Maggie never appeared. Funny how easy heartbreak can come. I've always had a talent for it. â€Å"Why you cry?† said Bartholomew. He was bigger than any man in the village, his hair and beard were wild and tangled, and the yellow dust that covered him from head to toe gave him the appearance of an incredibly stupid lion. His tunic was ragged and he wore no sandals. The only thing he owned was a wooden bowl that he ate from and licked clean. He lived off of the charity of the village, and by gleaning the grain fields (there was always some grain left in the fields for the poor – it was dictated by the Law). I never knew how old he was. He spent his days in the square, playing with the village dogs, giggling to himself, and scratching his crotch. When the women passed he would stick out his tongue and say, â€Å"Bleh.† My mother said he had the mind of a child. As usual, she was wrong. He put his big paw on my shoulder and rubbed, leaving a dusty circle of affection on my shirt. â€Å"Why you cry?† he asked again. â€Å"I'm just sad. You wouldn't understand.† Bartholomew looked around, and when he saw that we were alone in the square except for his dog pals, he said, â€Å"You think too much. Thinking will bring you nothing but suffering. Be simple.† â€Å"What?† It was the most coherent thing I'd ever heard him say. â€Å"Do you ever see me cry? I have nothing, so I am slave to nothing. I have nothing to do, so nothing makes me its slave.† â€Å"What do you know?† I snapped. â€Å"You live in the dirt. You are unclean! You do nothing. I have to begin working next week, and work for a lifetime until I die with a broken back. The girl I want is in love with my best friend, and he's the Messiah. I'm nothing, and you, you – you're an idiot.† â€Å"No, I'm not, I'm a Greek. A Cynic.† I turned and really looked at him. His eyes, normally as dull as mud, shone like black jewels in the dusty desert of his face. â€Å"What's a Cynic?† â€Å"A philosopher. I am a student of Diogenes. You know Diogenes?† â€Å"No, but how much could he have taught you? Your only friends are dogs.† â€Å"Diogenes went about Athens with a lamp in broad daylight, holding it in people's faces, saying he was looking for an honest man.† â€Å"So, he was like the prophet of the idiots?† â€Å"No, no, no.† Bart picked up a small terrier and was gesturing with him to make his point. The dog seemed to enjoy it. â€Å"They were all fooled by their culture. Diogenes taught that all affectations of modern life were false, that a man must live simply, outdoors, carry nothing, make no art, no poetry, no religion†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Like a dog,† I said. â€Å"Yes!† Bart described a flourish in the air with the rat dog. â€Å"Exactly!† The little dog made as if to upchuck from the motion. Bart put him down and he wobbled away. A life without worry: right then it sounded wonderful. I mean, I didn't want to live in the dirt and have other people think me mad, like Bartholomew, but a dog's life really didn't sound bad. The idiot had been hiding a deep wisdom all these years. â€Å"I'm trying to learn to lick my own balls,† Bart said. Maybe not. â€Å"I have to go find Joshua.† â€Å"You know he is the Messiah, don't you?† â€Å"Wait a minute, you're not a Jew – I thought you didn't believe in any religion.† â€Å"The dogs told me he was the Messiah. I believe them. Tell Joshua I believe them.† â€Å"The dogs told you?† â€Å"They're Jewish dogs.† â€Å"Right, let me know how the ball licking works out.† â€Å"Shalom.† Who would have thought that Joshua would find his first apostle among the dirt and dogs of Nazareth. Bleh. I found Joshua at the synagogue, listening to the Pharisees lecture on the Law. I stepped through the group of boys sitting on the floor and whispered to him. â€Å"Bartholomew says that he knows you are the Messiah.† â€Å"The idiot? Did you ask him how long he's known?† â€Å"He says the village dogs told him.† â€Å"I never thought to ask the dogs.† â€Å"He says that we should live simply, like dogs, carry nothing, no affectations – whatever that means.† â€Å"Bartholomew said that? Sounds like an Essene. He's much smarter than he looks.† â€Å"He's trying to learn to lick his own balls.† â€Å"I'm sure there's something in the Law that forbids that. I'll ask the rabbi.† â€Å"I'm not sure you want to bring that up to the Pharisee.† â€Å"Did you tell your father about the angel?† â€Å"No.† â€Å"Good. I've spoken to Joseph, he's going to let me learn to be a stonecutter with you. I don't want your father to change his mind about teaching me. I think the angel would frighten him.† Joshua looked at me for the first time, turning from the Pharisee, who droned on in Hebrew. â€Å"Have you been crying?† â€Å"Me? No, Bart's stench made my eyes water.† Joshua put his hand on my forehead and all the sadness and trepidation seemed to drain out of me in an instant. He smiled. â€Å"Better?† â€Å"I'm jealous of you and Maggie.† â€Å"That can't be good for your neck.† â€Å"What?† â€Å"Trying to lick your own balls. It's got to be hard on your neck.† â€Å"Did you hear me? I'm jealous of you and Maggie.† â€Å"I'm still learning, Biff. There are things I don't understand yet. The Lord said, ‘I am a jealous God.' So jealousy should be a good thing.† â€Å"But it makes me feel so bad.† â€Å"You see the puzzle, then? Jealousy makes you feel bad, but God is jealous, so it must be good, yet when a dog licks its balls it seems to enjoy it, but it must be bad under the Law.† Suddenly Joshua was yanked to his feet by the ear. The Pharisee glared at him. â€Å"Is the Law of Moses too boring for you, Joshua bar Joseph?† â€Å"I have a question, Rabbi,† Joshua said. â€Å"Oh, jeez.† I hid my head in my arms.