The Indigo Spell Chapter Three

TRUE TO HIS WORD, Adrian made no other mention of the relationship – or lack thereof – between us. Every once in a while, though, I could swear I saw something in his eyes, something that brought back an echo of his proclamation about continuing to love me. Or maybe it was just his typical impertinence. A connecting flight and an hour-long car ride later, it was night by the time we finally reached the small resort town in the Pocono Mountains. Getting out of the car was a shock. December in Pennsylvania was very, very different from December in Palm Springs. Crisp, frigid air hit me, the kind that freezes your mouth and nose. A layer of fresh snow covered everything, glittering in the light of the same full moon that Ms. Terwilliger and I had worked magic by. The stars were out here in just as much force as the stark desert, though the cold air made them glitter in a sharper way. Adrian stayed in our hired car but leaned out as the driver handed me my small suitcase. â€Å"Need any help with that?† Adrian asked. His breath made a frosty cloud in the air. It was an uncharacteristic offer from him. â€Å"I'll be fine. Thanks, though. I take it you aren't staying here?† I nodded toward the bed-and-breakfast the car had stopped at. Adrian pointed down the road, toward a large, lit-up hotel perched on a hill. â€Å"Up there. That's where all the parties will be, if you're interested. They're probably just getting started.† I shivered, and it had nothing to do with the cold. Moroi normally ran on a nocturnal schedule, starting their days around sunset. Those living among humans – like Adrian – had to adapt to a daytime schedule. But here, in a small town that must be bursting with Moroi guests, he'd have the chance to return to what was for him a more natural schedule. â€Å"Noted,† I said. A moment of awkwardness followed, but the temperature gave me an excuse for escape. â€Å"Well. I'd better get in where it's warm. Nice, uh, traveling with you.† He smiled. â€Å"You too, Sage. See you tomorrow.† The car door closed, and I suddenly felt lonely without him. They drove off toward the towering hotel. My bed-and-breakfast seemed tiny by comparison, but it was cute and in good shape. The Alchemists had booked me here precisely because they knew the Moroi guests would have other accommodations. Well, most of them. â€Å"Are you here for the wedding, dear?† asked the innkeeper as she checked me in. â€Å"We have some other guests staying with us as well.† I nodded as I signed my credit card slip. It was no surprise that there'd be overflow to this inn, but there'd be a lot less here than the other hotel. I'd make sure to lock my door. I trusted my friends in Palm Springs, but all other Moroi and dhampirs were questionable. Towns like this, and the inns within them, always seemed intended for couples on romantic getaways. My room was no exception. It had a California-king-size bed draped in a gauzy canopy, along with a heart-shaped Jacuzzi by the fireplace. It screamed love and romance, which brought Adrian back to my mind. I ignored it all as best I could and jotted out a quick text to Donna Stanton, a higher-ranking Alchemist who oversaw my assignment in Palm Springs. Arrived in Pocono Hollow. Checked into inn. Her response came quickly: Excellent. See you tomorrow. A second text followed a moment later: Lock your door. Stanton and one other Alchemist were invited to the wedding as well. But they were already on the East Coast and could simply travel here tomorrow. I envied them. Despite my uneasiness, I slept surprisingly well and dared to emerge for breakfast in the morning. I had no need to worry about Moroi, though. I was the only person eating in the sundrenched dining room. â€Å"How strange,† remarked the innkeeper as she delivered my coffee and eggs. â€Å"I know many of the guests were out late, but I thought at least a few might be here to eat.† Then, to emphasize the oddness of it all, she added, â€Å"After all, breakfast is complimentary.† The nocturnal Moroi, who were all still in bed, emboldened me to explore the town a little that day. Even though I'd prepared with boots and a heavy coat, the weather change was still a bit shocking. Palm Springs had made me soft. I soon called it an early day and spent the rest of the afternoon reading Ms. Terwilliger's book by the fire. I flew through the first section and even went on to the advanced one she'd told me to skip. Maybe it was the fact that it was forbidden, but I couldn't stop reading. The scope of what the book described was so gripping and consuming that I nearly jumped a foot in the air when I heard a knock at the door. I froze, wondering if some confused Moroi had mistaken my room for a friend's. Or, worse, for a feeder's. My phone suddenly chimed with a text message from Stanton: We're at your door. Sure enough, when I opened it, I found Stanton standing there – with Ian Jansen, an Alchemist the same age as me. His presence was a surprise. I hadn't seen Ian since he, Stanton, and I had been detained by Moroi for questioning in the escape of a dhampir fugitive. Back then, Ian had had an unwelcome crush on me. Judging from the dopey smile on his face when he saw me, things hadn't changed. I gestured them inside, making sure to lock the door when I closed it. Like me, both Alchemists had golden lily tattoos on their left cheeks. It was the sign of our order, tattoos infused with vampire blood that gave us quick healing and were magically designed to stop us from discussing Alchemist affairs with those who didn't know about them. Stanton arched an eyebrow at the heart-shaped tub and then settled into a chair by the fire. â€Å"No trouble getting here?† Aside from traveling with a good-looking vampire who thinks he's in love with me? â€Å"None,† I replied. I regarded Ian with a frown. â€Å"I didn't expect you to be here. I mean, I'm glad you are, but after last time . . .† I paused as something hit me. I looked around. â€Å"It's all of us. All of us that were, uh, under house arrest.† Stanton nodded. â€Å"It was decided that if we're going to foster good relations between our groups, the Moroi would start by making amends to the three of us specifically.† Ian scowled and crossed his arms, leaning against a wall. He had brown eyes, with matching brown hair that he wore in a neat haircut. â€Å"I don't want any ‘amends' from those monsters after what they did to us this summer. I can't even believe we're here! This place is crawling with them. Who knows what'll happen if one of them drinks too much champagne tonight and goes looking for a snack? Here we are, fresh humans.† I wanted to tell him that was ridiculous, but by Alchemist reasoning, it was a very legitimate concern. And, reminding myself that I didn't know most of the Moroi here, I realized perhaps his fears weren't that unfounded. â€Å"I guess we'll have to stick together,† I said. That was the wrong word choice, judging from Ian's happy smile. The Alchemists rarely had social time, and this was no exception. Stanton soon got us down to business, going over our plans for the wedding and what our purpose was here. A file folder provided background on Sonya and Mikhail, as though I knew nothing about them. My mission and history with Sonya were secret from other Alchemists, so, for Ian's sake, I had to nod along with everything as if it was as new to me as it was to him. â€Å"Festivities will probably last until almost sunrise,† said Stanton, gathering up her papers once she'd finished the briefing. â€Å"Ian and I will be departing then and will drop you off at the airport on our way out. You won't have to spend another night here.† Ian's face grew darkly protective. â€Å"You shouldn't have stayed here alone last night. You should have had someone to look after you.† â€Å"I can look after myself,† I snapped, a bit more harshly than I intended. Whether I liked it or not, Ms. Terwilliger's training had empowered me – literally and figuratively. That, and recent self-defense classes had taught me how to watch out for myself and my surroundings. Maybe Ian meant well, but I didn't like the idea of him – or anyone – thinking I needed coddling. â€Å"Miss Sage is quite well as you can see,† said Stanton dryly. Ian's crush had to be obvious to her, and it was equally obvious to me she had no use for such frivolity. Her gaze drifted to the window, which was glowing orange and red with the setting sun. â€Å"Well, then. It's nearly time. Shouldn't you be getting ready?† They had arrived in their dress clothes, but I still needed to prepare. They talked together while I got ready in the bathroom, but each time I emerged – to get a hairbrush or earrings or something else – I'd see Ian watching me with that sappy look. Great. This was not what I needed. The wedding was being held in the town's claim to fame: a huge, indoor garden that defied the wintry conditions outside. Sonya was a huge lover of plants and flowers, and this was pretty much her dream location for a wedding. The glass walls that composed the building were steamed from the drastic difference between inner and outer temperatures. The three of us stepped inside, into an entry area that was used to sell tickets during the greenhouse's normal operating hours. Here, at last, we found the Moroi that had been hidden to me in daylight. There were about two dozen of them milling around in this entryway, dressed in rich clothing and eerily beautiful with their slim, pale features. Some were ushers and other attendants, helping organize the event and guide guests into the atrium farther into the building. Most Moroi were simply ordinary guests stopping to sign the guest book or chat with friends and family they hadn't seen in a long time. Around the sides, dhampirs in neat black and white suits stood sentry, watchful for any sign of danger. Their presence reminded me of a far, far greater threat than some drunken Moroi mistaking us for feeders. Holding the event at night meant exposing us to attack by Strigoi. Strigoi were a very different type of vampire – so different, in fact, that I almost felt foolish being unnerved in this group. Strigoi were undead, made immortal by killing their victims, unlike the Moroi, who simply drank enough blood from human volunteers to sustain themselves. Strigoi were vicious, fast, and strong – and only came out at night. The sunlight that Moroi found simply uncomfortable was lethal to Strigoi. Strigoi made most of their kills on unwitting humans, but Moroi and dhampirs were their preferred food. An event like this – Moroi and dhampirs crammed into a small space – was practically like offering up a Strigoi buffet. Eyeing the guardian dhampirs, however, I knew any Strigoi would have a difficult task breaking into this event. Guardians trained hard their entire lives, honing skills to fight Strigoi. Seeing as the Moroi queen was attending this event, I suspected the security I'd seen so far didn't even begin to scratch the surface. A number of those gathered here stopped talking when they saw us. Not all Moroi knew about Alchemists or how we worked with their people. So, the attendance of three non-feeder humans was a bit of an oddity. Even those who knew about Alchemists were probably surprised to see us, given the formality of our relationship. Stanton was too experienced to let her unease show, but Ian openly made the Alchemist sign against evil as Moroi and dhampir eyes studied us. I did a pretty good job of keeping my cool but wished there was at least one familiar face in this crowd. â€Å"Miss Stanton?† A round-cheeked Moroi hurried forward. â€Å"I'm Colleen, the wedding coordinator. We spoke on the phone?† She extended a hand, and even tough Stanton hesitated before shaking it. â€Å"Yes, of course,† said Stanton, voice cool and proper. â€Å"Thank you for inviting us.† She introduced Ian and me. Colleen waved us toward the atrium's entry. â€Å"Come, come. We have your seats reserved. I'll take you there myself.† She swept us past the curious onlookers. As we entered the atrium, I stopped and momentarily forgot the vampires around us. The main greenhouse was magnificent. The ceiling was high and vaulted, made of that same steamed glass. A central area had been cleared and set with seats draped in flowers, very much like what you'd see at a human wedding. A dais at the front of the seating area was covered in more flowers and was obviously where the couple would take their vows. But it was the rest of the room that took my breath away. It was like we'd stepped into some tropical jungle. Trees and other plants heavy with brightly colored flowers lined the sides, filling the humid air with a perfume that was almost dizzying. Since there was no sunlight to light up the greenhouse, torches and candles had been cleverly placed throughout the greenery, casting a mysterious – yet still romantic – light on everything. I felt as though I'd stepped into some secret Amazonian ritual space. And of course, nearly hidden among the trees and bushes, black-clad guardians paced and kept watch on everything. Colleen led us to three seats on the right side of the seating area, marked with a RESERVED sign. They were about halfway back – not as esteemed a spot as family would get, of course, but enough to show that the Moroi thought highly of us and really were trying to undo the strained relationship caused by our detainment. â€Å"Can I get you anything?† Colleen asked. I realized now her exuberant energy was partially nervousness. We made her almost – but certainly not quite – as uneasy as she and the others made us. â€Å"Anything at all?† â€Å"We're fine,† said Stanton, speaking for all of us. â€Å"Thank you.† Colleen nodded eagerly. â€Å"Well, if you need anything – no matter how small – don't hesitate to ask. Simply grab one of the ushers, and they'll find me immediately.† She stood there a moment longer, wringing her hands. â€Å"I'd best check on the others. Remember – call if you need anything.† â€Å"What I need is to get out of here,† muttered Ian once she was gone. I said nothing, not trusting any response. If I reassured him we were safe, I'd be regarded with suspicion. Yet if I acted like our lives were in danger, I'd be lying. My views were somewhere in the middle of those extremes. Someone handed me a program, and Ian leaned a bit more closely than I would've liked in order to read over my shoulder. The program detailed a list of songs and readings as well as the members of the wedding party. I could tell from Ian's face that he was expecting to see â€Å"Unholy Bloodletting† right after the Corinthians reading. His next words affirmed as much. â€Å"They do a good job making it seem so normal, huh?† he asked, not bothering to hide the disgust in his voice. I was a bit surprised at how vicious his attitude was. I didn't remember him being quite this extreme last summer. â€Å"Like it's a real wedding or something.† He also wasn't regulating his volume, and I glanced around anxiously, making sure no one overheard. â€Å"So you're saying it's not a real wedding?† I whispered back. Ian shrugged but at least took the hint and lowered his voice. â€Å"With them? It doesn't matter. They don't have real families or real love. They're monsters.† It was ironic that he mentioned â€Å"real love† just then because at that moment, Adrian and his father were ushered to the opposite side of the atrium. Adrian was always a nice dresser, but I'd never seen him in anything so formal. I hated to admit it, but the look was great on him: a navy suit and vest that was nearly black paired with a pale blue shirt and blue-and-white-striped tie. It stood out from the more somber black and gray suits most men here were wearing, but not in an outlandish or tacky way. As I was studying him, Adrian glanced up and caught my eye. He smiled and gave me a small nod. I almost smiled back, but Stanton snapped me back to reality. I allowed him one last, lingering look, and then I turned away. â€Å"Mr. Jansen,† Stanton said in a stern voice. â€Å"Please keep your opinions to yourself. Regardless of their validity, we are guests here and will behave in a civilized way.† Ian nodded grudgingly, flushing slightly as he glanced in my direction – as if being so openly chastised might ruin his chances with me. He didn't have to worry, seeing as he didn't have any chance to begin with. Colleen sent an usher to check on us, and while he spoke to Stanton, Ian leaned toward me. â€Å"Am I the only one who thinks it's crazy that we're here?† He nodded toward Stanton. â€Å"She thinks this is okay but come on. They held us captive. It's unforgivable. Doesn't that make you mad?† I certainly hadn't liked it at the time, but I'd come to understand why it had happened. â€Å"I hate that they did that,† I lied, hoping it sounded convincing. â€Å"I'm angry every time I think of it.† Ian actually looked relieved enough to drop the topic. We sat in blessed silence as the atrium continued to fill up. By the time the ceremony was about ready to start, there must have been close to two hundred people in the room. I kept looking for familiar faces, but Adrian and his father were the only ones I knew. Then, at the last minute, a brightly clad figure came scurrying in. I groaned at the same time Stanton tsked with disapproval. Abe Mazur had just arrived. Whereas Adrian had made color work with formal wear in a stylish way, Abe used color to offend the sensibilities. To be fair, this was one of the more subdued ensembles I'd ever seen Abe don: a white suit with a bright, kiwi green shirt and paisley ascot. He wore his usual gold earrings, and the sheen of his black hair made me think he'd been hitting some hair oil pretty voraciously. Abe was a dubiously moral Moroi and also the father of my friend – and Adrian's former dhampir love – Rose Hathaway Abe made me nervous because I'd had some secret dealings with him in the past. He made Stanton nervous because he was a Moroi the Alchemists would never be able to control. Abe seated himself in the front row, earning a horrified look from Colleen the coordinator, who was supervising everything from the side of the room. My guess was that wasn't part of her seating chart. I heard a trumpet sound, and those sitting in the back suddenly fell to their knees. Like a wave, those seated in the rest of the rows began following suit. Stanton, Ian, and I all exchanged confused looks. Then I understood. â€Å"The queen,† I whispered. â€Å"The queen is coming.† I could see from Stanton's face that was not something she had considered. She had a split second to decide on protocol for this situation and how to maintain our â€Å"civilized† guest status. â€Å"We don't kneel,† she whispered back. â€Å"Stay where you are.† It was a valid call, seeing as we owed no fealty to the Moroi queen. Still, I felt flustered and conspicuous at being one of the only people in the room not kneeling. A moment later, a ringing voice declared, â€Å"Her Royal Majesty, Queen Vasilisa, first of her name.† Even Ian caught his breath in admiration as she entered. Vasilisa – or Lissa, as Adrian and Rose continually insisted I call her – was a picture of ethereal beauty. It was hard to believe she was the same age as me. She carried herself with a poise and regality that seemed ageless. Her tall, willowy body was graceful even among Moroi, and her platinum blond hair fell around her pale face like some otherworldly veil. Although dressed in a very modern lavender cocktail dress, she managed to wear it as though it were some grand Victorian ball gown. A black-haired guy with piercing blue eyes walked at her side. Her boyfriend, Christian Ozera, was always easy to spot, providing a dark contrast that worked perfectly with her lightness. Once the royal couple was seated in the front row – seeming very surprised to find Abe waiting for them there – the throng returned to their seats. An unseen cellist began to play, and everyone released a collective breath as we fell into the comfortable ritual of a wedding. â€Å"Amazing, isn't it?† Ian murmured in my ear. â€Å"How fragile her throne is. One slip, and they'd fall into chaos.† It was true, and it was why Jill's safety was so important. An old Moroi law said that a monarch had to possess one living family member in order to hold the throne. Jill was the only one left in Lissa's line. Those who opposed Lissa because of her age and beliefs had realized killing Jill would be easier than going after a queen. Many opposed the law and were trying to change it. In the meantime, the political fallout from Jill's assassination would be monumental. The Alchemists, whose job it was to keep the Moroi world hidden and protected , needed to prevent their society from falling into chaos. And on a slightly more personal level, I needed to prevent Jill's death because against all odds, I'd grown to care about her in the short time we'd been together. I shifted my mind from those grim thoughts and focused on the next stage of the wedding. Bridesmaids in deep green satin led the procession, and I wondered if Abe had been attempting to match them with his suit. If so, he'd failed. And there, I spotted my first friendly face, aside from Adrian. Rose Hathaway. It was no surprise she'd be a bridesmaid, seeing as she'd been responsible for the happy couple getting together. She'd inherited her father's dark hair and eyes and was the only dhampir among the bridesmaids. I didn't need to see the surprised looks of some of the guests to know that was pretty unorthodox. If Rose noticed or cared, she didn't show it. She walked proudly on, head held high and face glowing with happiness. With that humanlike dhampir appearance, she was shorter than her Moroi companions and had a more athletic build than the slender, small-chested Moroi. Rose had what was a very normal, very healthy body among humans. Yet when I compared myself to Moroi, I felt enormous. I knew it was ridiculous – especially since I wore a smaller size than Rose – but it was a hard feeling to shake. Adrian had recently had an unwelcome intervention with me, going so far as to claim I was on the verge of an eating disorder. I'd been outraged and told him to mind his own business . . . but ever since then, I'd taken a hard look at my behaviors. I now tried to eat more and had gained exactly one pound, something that had felt torturous and wrong until my friend Trey had recently commented that I was â€Å"looking pretty good these days.† It had reinforced the idea that a few more pounds wouldn't kill me and might actually be good for me. Not that I'd admit any of that to Adrian. We all stood when Sonya entered. She was glorious in ivory silk, with tiny white roses adorning her fiery hair. The queen had been magnificent, but there was a glow about Sonya that dwarfed even Lissa's beauty. Maybe it was just something inherent to brides. There was an air of love around Sonya that made her shine. I was surprised to feel a pang in my chest. Ian was probably disappointed when no bloodletting followed, but the ceremony was sweet and filled with emotion. I couldn't believe how stone-faced my Alchemist companions looked – I was on the verge of tears as the couple recited their vows. Even if Sonya and Mikhail hadn't been through hell to be together, this was the kind of ceremony that couldn't help but pull at the heartstrings. As I listened to them swear they'd love each other forever, I found my gaze drifting to Adrian. He didn't see me looking at him, but I could tell the ceremony was having the same effect on him. He was enraptured. It was a rare and sweet look for him, reminding me of the tortured artist that lived beneath the sarcasm. I liked that about Adrian – not the tortured part, but the way he could feel so deeply and then transform those emotions into art. I had feelings, just like anyone else, but that ability to express them into something creative was an area I would never, ever have expertise in. It wasn't in my nature. I sometimes gave him a hard time about his art, especially his more abstract pieces. Secretly, I regarded his skills with awe and loved the many facets of his personality. Meanwhile, I had to fight to keep my face blank, to look as though I was a normal Alchemist with no concern for unholy vampire events. Neither of my companions questioned me, so apparently I pulled it off. Maybe I had a future in poker. Sonya and Mikhail kissed, and the crowd erupted into cheers. They only got louder when he brazenly kissed her a second time – and then a third. The next stage of the festivities, the reception, was being held in the hotel where Adrian and most of the other Moroi were staying. Sonya and Mikhail left first, followed by the queen and other high-ranking royals. Stanton, Ian, and I waited patiently for our row to be dismissed so that we could line up for the limos that were ferrying guests the half mile to the hotel. It normally wouldn't have been that bad of a walk, even in heels, if not for the freezing temperature. Our turn came, and the three of us got into the back of a limo. â€Å"Now we just have to get through the reception,† said Ian as the driver shut our door. â€Å"At least we've got our own car.† Suddenly, the door opened, and Abe slid in beside me. â€Å"Room for one more?† He beamed at Stanton and me. â€Å"So nice to see you lovely ladies again. And you must be Ian. A pleasure.† Abe extended his hand. At first, it looked as though Ian wouldn't shake it, but a sharp look from Stanton dictated otherwise. Afterward, Ian kept looking at his hand as though he expected it to start smoking. The drive only took about five minutes, but I could tell from the other Alchemists' faces that it felt like five hours for them. â€Å"I think it's wonderful that you three were invited,† said Abe, perfectly at ease. â€Å"Considering how much we work together, we should have more of these pleasant interactions, don't you think? Perhaps you'll invite us to one of your weddings someday.† He winked at me. â€Å"I'm sure you have young men lining up for you.† Even Stanton couldn't keep a straight face. The look of horror in her expression said there were few things more profane than a vampire coming to a human wedding. She looked visibly relieved when we reached the hotel, but we weren't free of Abe yet. Some thoughtful person – probably Colleen – had put us at his table, probably thinking it would be nice to be seated with a Moroi we knew. Abe seemed to take great delight in the awkwardness his presence provided, but I had to admit, it was kind of refreshing to have someone who openly acknowledged the strained relations between us rather than pretending everything was okay. â€Å"There's no blood in that,† Abe told us when dinner was served. The three of us were hesitating over cutting into our chicken marsala, even me. â€Å"The only blood is in the drinks, and you have to actually ask for those at the bar. No one's going to sneak you something, and the feeders are being kept in another room.† Ian and Stanton still looked unconvinced. I decided I would be the brave one and began eating without any more hesitation. Maybe vampires were unnatural creatures, but they certainly had excellent taste in caterers. A moment later, the other Alchemists joined me, and even they had to admit the food was pretty good. When the plates were cleared, Ian bravely left for the bathroom, giving Stanton a brief opportunity to lean toward me for a hushed status report. â€Å"Everything was okay when you left?† Strained relationship or not, our mission to keep the Moroi stable hadn't changed. â€Å"Fine,† I said. â€Å"It's all quiet back there. No sign of trouble.† She didn't need to know about my own interpersonal drama. Keeping my tone casual, I asked, â€Å"Any news about the Warriors? Or Marcus Finch?† Stanton shook her head. â€Å"None. But I'll certainly let you know if we uncover anything.† I answered with a polite smile, seriously doubting her words. I hadn't always liked my Alchemist missions, but I'd spent most of my life following orders without question because I believed my superiors knew what was best and were acting for the greater good. Recent events now made me wonder about that. In thwarting some crazed vampire hunters who called themselves the Warriors of Light, Stanton had withheld information from me, citing that we were on a need-to-know basis. She had brushed it off, praising me for being a good Alchemist who understood such policy, but the incident had made me seethe with anger. I didn't want to be anyone's pawn. I could accept that fighting for a greater cause meant tough decisions, but I refused to be used or endangered because of â€Å"important† lies. I'd given my life over to the Alchemists, always believing what they did and told me was right. I'd thought I was important, that they would always look out for me. Now I didn't know. And yet . . . what could I do? I was sworn and sealed to the Alchemists. Whether I liked what they'd done to me or not, there was no way out, no way to question them. . . . At least, I'd thought that until I learned about Marcus Finch. I'd only found about him recently, after discovering he'd once crossed the Warriors of Light by helping a Moroi named Clarence. Although the Warriors usually only went after Strigoi, a rebel group had once decided to target Clarence. Marcus had stepped up and defended Clarence against the Warriors, convincing them to leave him alone. I'd almost believed Clarence was making up the story until I saw a picture of Marcus. And that was where things got really weird. Marcus seemed to have also crossed the Alchemists. In fact, Clarence and one of the Warriors had hinted that Marcus had at one time been an Alchemist – but was no longer. I hadn't believed it until I saw his picture. He didn't have a golden lily – but a large tribal-looking tattoo done in blue ink that was large enough to cover the golden one, if you were trying to hide it. Seeing that was life changing. I'd had no idea it was possible to tattoo over something so powerful. I certainly hadn't thought anyone could leave the Alchemists or that anyone would even want to, not with the way our purpose was drilled into us practically from birth. How could someone consider abandoning our missions? How could someone go rogue and just walk away from the Alchemists? What had happened that would make him want to do that? Had he had experiences similar to mine? And would they let him go? When I'd asked about him, Stanton claimed the Alchemists had no knowledge of Marcus, but I knew that was a lie. She didn't know I had his picture. His blue tattoo was big enough to cover a lily, and I'd seen metallic hints of one underneath, proving he had indeed once been one of us. And if he'd had the Alchemist mark, then they most certainly knew about him. They were covering him up, and that just intrigued me further. In fact, I was a little obsessed with him. Some instinct told me he was the key to my problems, that he could help me uncover the secrets and lies the Alchemists were telling me. Unfortunately, I had no clue how to find him. â€Å"It's important no one here knows what you're doing, so remember to be discreet,† Stanton added, like I needed to be reminded. A small crease appeared between her eyebrows. â€Å"I was particularly worried about that Ivashkov boy coming to this wedding. We can't let anyone know you two have more than a passing acquaintance. Little things like that could compromise our mission.† â€Å"Oh, no,† I said quickly. â€Å"You don't need to worry about Adrian. He understands how important our work is. He'd never do anything to compromise it.† Ian returned, and our discussion ended there. Dinner soon gave way to dancing. With the atmosphere more relaxed, a number of Moroi came over to introduce themselves to us. I felt nearly as popular as the bride and groom. Ian shook so many hands that he eventually became immune to it. And as uncomfortable as it was for my companions, I could tell this event was actually accomplishing its goal of smoothing relations between Alchemists and Moroi. Stanton and Ian were by no means ready to be best friends with any of them, but it was clear they were pleasantly surprised at how friendly and benign most of the guests seemed. â€Å"I'm glad we got this chance to be together,† Ian told me during a lull in our public relations. â€Å"It's so hard with our jobs, you know? I'm in St. Louis now, in the facility archives. Where do they have you?† Secrecy was key in Jill's protection. â€Å"I'm in the field, but I can't say where. You know how it is.† â€Å"Right, right. But you know, if you ever wanted to visit . . . I'd show you around.† His desperation was almost cute. â€Å"Like for a vacation?† â€Å"Well, yeah. Er, no.† He knew as well as I did that Alchemists didn't get vacations easily. â€Å"But, I mean, they're doing all the holiday services, you know. If you decide to come to one, well, let me know.† Alchemist priests always conducted special services around Christmas in our main facilities. Some Alchemist families made a point of going to them every year. I hadn't been to any in a while, not with the way my missions kept jumping around. â€Å"I'll keep that in mind.† There was a long pause, and his next words came haltingly. â€Å"I'd ask you to dance, you know. Except it wouldn't be right in this kind of unholy setting.† I gave him a stiff smile. â€Å"Of course. That, and we're here on business. We've got to focus on building good relationships with them.† Ian had started to respond when a familiar voice interrupted us. â€Å"Miss Sage?† We looked up and found Adrian standing above us, dashing in his shades of blue. His face was the picture of perfect politeness and restraint, meaning something disastrous was probably about to happen. â€Å"It's so nice to see you again,† he said. He spoke as though it had been a while, and I nodded in agreement. As I'd assured Stanton, Adrian knew too much familiarity between us might create a trail back to Jill. â€Å"Did I just hear you two talking about building good relationships?† I was tongue-tied, so Ian answered. â€Å"That's right. We're here to make things friendlier between our people.† His voice, however, was most decidedly unfriendly. Adrian nodded with all seriousness, like he hadn't noticed Ian's hostility. â€Å"I think it's a great idea. And I thought of something that would be an excellent gesture of our future together.† Adrian's expression was innocent, but there was a mischievous sparkle in his eye that I knew all too well. He held out his hand to me. â€Å"Would you like to dance?†

Essay on the Holy Prophet

A prophet means a messenger of God to mankind. The mission of a prophet’s life is to spread the Word of God. The total number of such prophets is one lac and twenty four thousand. The Prophet of Islam (Peace be upon him) was the last messenger of God to the whole world. The Holy Prophet was born in Arabia‘ in 571 A. D. He was named Muhammad (Peace be upon him). The Arabs were a race of wild tribes. They led a cruel life. They burried their newly-born daughters alive.They ill-treated women, orphans and slaves. They worshipped Idols. They were addicted to wine, adultery gambling, and bloody quarrels. The Holy Prophet was sent by God to set these bad people right. He hated their cruel ways. He worked hard to reform them. He changed their habits and manners by his own shinning example. He taught them to speak the truth, to showed, mercy to the poor and the sufferers to respect women and to be kind to children. At the age of forty, Muhammad (Peace be upon him) had revelations .By dint of this high character, nobility of mind, his truthfulness and broad humanity he gained some disciples. He began his great missionary work and started preaching the gospel of God. His followers grew from day to day. The Holy Prophet was called Sadiq (Truthful) and Ameen (Trustee) even by his enemies because of his honesty and straight-forwardness. The Prophet married a widow Khadija by name who embraced Islam and stood by the Holy Prophet throughout her life. The old idol-worshippers tried their best to harm and tease him.They wanted even to kill him. The Prophet fled to Madina in the company of Hazrat Abu Bakar, This day of exodus marks the dawn of the Islamic Hijra (Exodus). Madina became the centre of the Islamic activity of the Prophet. He gained many followers there. He mobilised them into a small army. He challenged several hundred of thousands of his enemies with the help of that small band and inflicted defeat after defeat upon them. At Iast the Holy Prophet entered Makkah as a victor. He showed grace and mercy to all the Makkans and proclaimed general amnesty.Thus he set a shining example of humanity and high mindedness before the world. The Prophet taught his followers a simple code of life. He wanted them to live peacefuly, serve others, speak the truth and help the needy. His life is a living source of inspirations to the world. Lives of great men all remind us. We can make our lives subime. And departing leave behind us. Footprints on the sands of time. No life – history of any man has such an inspiring record of the day-to-day events as the simple but stirring story of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him).

Arming Teachers Essay

â€Å"The vast majority of teachers want to be armed with textbooks and computers, not guns,† said Kenneth S. Trump, President of National School Safety and Security Services, in response to the national discussion on arming teachers and school staff, and armed volunteers in schools. Trump advises school districts against allowing teachers and school staff to be armed. Trump says that while gun control and gun rights advocates typically seize on school proposals to arm teachers to further political agendas, his opposition to arming teachers and school staff focuses solely on implementation issues, not political statements and beliefs about rights to bear arms. â€Å"School districts considering arming teachers and school staff with guns would take on significant responsibility and potential liabilities that I firmly believe are beyond the expertise, knowledge-base, experience, and professional capabilities of most school boards and administrators,† Trump said. He added that school board members, superintendents, principals, teachers, school safety experts, and public safety officials he has talked with around the nation consistently do not believe that educators and school support staff should be armed. Trump, a 25-year veteran school safety expert who has trained and consulted with school and public safety officials from all 50 states and Canada, noted that school districts setting policy to allow teachers and school staff to be armed with guns would take on an enormous amount of responsibility and potential liability. Trump says allowing teachers and school staff to be armed begs a number of questions: Does the school board have appropriate and adequate policies and procedures governing the carrying and use of firearms by teachers and school staff? What type of â€Å"use of force continuum† has the school district created for staff to use firearms? How does that stand up in comparison to such standards held for police officers and others who are armed and deployed in a public safety capacity? What types of firearms (types of guns, caliber of weapons, etc.) are staff allowed to carry and not allowed to carry? Will staff carry their own personal firearms or school district-issued firearms? If the school allows staff to carry their personal weapons for the purpose of protecting staff and students, what responsibilities do school boards and administrators thereby assume for making sure the firearms carried are functional? Does the school district have regular â€Å"inspections† of staff firearms to make sure they are functional and appropriate to policy, and if so, who on school staff is responsible for that function and what is their level of expertise and training to make such decisions? What type of firearms training does the school district provide on a regular, ongoing basis to those staff it authorizes to be armed with guns? Will the school district build and operate its own firearms range? Who on school staff is qualified to provide such training, operate a firearms range, etc.? Will firearms certification and recertification be added to the school district’s professional development training program each year? What type of weapons retention training has been provided to staff who are armed and what steps have been taken to reduce risks of a teacher or staff member being intentionally disarmed by a student or other person, or for having a firearm dislodged from a staff member’s control when the teacher breaks up a fight in a cafeteria or hallway? How is the district prepared to prevent and manage situations where teachers and/or staff members lose, misplace, or have stolen their firearms while on campus? How will the school district manage an accidental shooting that could occur? What is the impact of this type of board policy and practice on the school district’s insurance and potential legal liability posture? If self-insured, is the district able to handle potential lawsuit judgments against them for cases resulting from this practice? If insured by a private carrier, what is the insurance provider’s position and concerns, or will they even insure the district for such a practice? Most importantly, what other options have we considered as school leaders? For example, if the school district is concerned about first responder response time from the community to the school, has the school district considered employing a school resource officer (SRO) or its own trained, commissioned and certified school police officer who is a school district employee, such as what is allowed in Texas, Florida and other states, and many other considerations. Trump has long supported school districts having school resource officers (SROs) who are city or county law enforcement officers assigned to work in schools. He also supports properly organized and operated school police departments, which are in-house school district police officers that are trained, commissioned, and certified professional peace officers in school districts where state law allows districts to have such departments. Trump says that the arming of teachers and school staff goes is a significantly different issue that goes beyond simply the issue of an individual’s right in a number of states to be licensed to carry a concealed weapon. Unlike an individual being trained and licensed under a state law to carry a firearm for personal protection at their home or on the streets, school districts that permit teachers and school staff to carry firearms on campus are in essence deploying those school employees in a public safety capacity to protect the masses with the expectation and assumption that they can and will provide a firearms-related level of public safety protection services to students and other staff. By tasking those employees with those responsibilities, Trump notes, the school district is also accepting responsibility and potential liability for implementation of such policies. â€Å"There is a huge difference between having trained, certified and commissioned law enforcement officers who are full-time, career public safety professionals that are armed and assigned the duty of protecting students and staff versus having teachers, custodians, cafeteria workers and other non-public safety professionals packing a gun in school with hundreds of children,† said Trump.

Web 2.0 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Web 2.0 - Essay Example Another advantage is low cost of communication across the world. A major disadvantage is over dependence on the internet which is not available all the time. It can also lead to loss of crucial data incase the computer crashes (University of Phoenix, 2011). Key impact of web 2.0 on business is that it is a marketing tool that is cheaper compared to convectional ways of marketing thus low operational cost and increase in revenue. It provides a platform where the organization interacts with their clients, prospects, service providers and suppliers. Based on the increased use of web 2.0, firms are able to create strong connection with various stakeholders regardless of their destinations. In this way, companies can regularly update all the parties concerned on the progress of their investment. As a result, the technology has led to expansion of companies globally as well as enhancement of stakeholders trust and loyalty towards their companies. University of Phoenix. (2011). Wireless infrastructure: Can our current system handle bandwidth demands? Retrieved from

Hydrogels Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Hydrogels - Term Paper Example A hydrogel construction can be described as a three-dimensional jetty is made up of linear polymer chains with covalent connections, which are in turn connected together by further cross-connections. These cross-connections could be covalent, ionic grafts or crystal sections [2]. Hydrogels form due to polarity and hydrophilic nature of polar groups existing between the polymer chains cross-connections that render it insoluble. There are several known methods of synthesizing hydrogels, some of which are explained below. A simple method of constructing hydrogels is by crosslinking water-soluble polymers (with functional groups like -OH, -COOH, -NH2) in solution. In solution co-polymerization reactions, ionic or neutral monomers are mixed with a multi-functional crosslinking agent. The reaction is initiated thermally using UV-light, or by a redox initiator system. The solvent serves as heat sink and minimizes temperature control problems. The reaction is carried out in an organic solvent to prevent water from reacting with the crosslinking agent. Once crosslinked, the resultant hydrogels are washed with distilled water to remove any unreacted monomers, crosslinking agent, and the initiator. Equation 1 shows one such solution polymerization reaction conducted on 2-hydroxyethylmethacrylate monomers to form a hydrogel. This solution crosslinking method is often advantageous since the starting material used can be a well-characterized, purified polymer, and the crosslinking conditions required are mild enough to be carried out in the presence of an active agent. For example, poly (2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) hydrogels are prepared from hydroxyethyl methacrylate by this method, using ethylene glycol dimethacrylate as the crosslinking agent [3]. The hydrogels synthesized can be made pH- sensitive or temperature-sensitive as required by incorporating methacrylic acid or N-isopropylacrylamide [4] as monomers. Ionizing radiation, such as Co-ÃŽ ³ or

The Significance of Food in My Life Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Significance of Food in My Life - Essay Example By understanding our own food choices and the significance of food in our own lives, we can gain a clearer understanding of ourselves. For myself, I was born in South Korea and I lived there for the first 19 years of my life. This was very important to how I feel about food because the culture there is very focused on food as a way of bringing the family together and expressing honor and love to each other. Food is a very important way that the mother can express to the father, the elders and the children that they are important. In South Korea, it is still the elders who are most important in the home and so they are always the ones who get the best helpings of food. As a small child, if I got the best helping, I would feel very, very special, like I was the most important thing to my mother and the one she loved best. My mother always made sure we had enough to eat when we lived in South Korea. One of the things she made for every meal was Kimchi. Kimchi is a kind of food that is pickled vegetables that have been seasoned to be very spicy. I love to eat Kimchi because I ate it for breakfast, lunch and dinner every day back at home. It makes me feel happy to think about spending time with my family and sharing meals together. Another kind of food that I like to eat because it reminds me of home is spicy soup. Like Kimchi, it was a kind of food that my mother would serve every day. When I eat these kinds of foods, the spicy flavor reminds me of home and the heat makes me feel very loved. Since I came to the United States, though, I have learned more about proper nutrition. I learned that a lot of spicy foods are not good for the body and that salt intake should be kept low. The kinds of food my mother made were great-tasting and ensured that we had plenty to eat all the time so that we felt loved, but the nutritionists in the United States indicate that it wasn’t the

Informative speech Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Informative speech - Essay Example rney of mankind thereafter, paper became a most handy tool for the scholars and writers to record their knowledge so that future generations could take advantage of it. All ancient manuscripts of those days were written and preserved on the pieces of paper. It was obvious that single copy of manuscript could not spread the knowledge far and wide. Knowing this fully, Chinese invented the ways and means of printing. To preserve the knowledge, paper came to be known as the most basic necessity; however, printing too occupied equally an important place without which perhaps, spread of knowledge across the world was just not possible. Block printing was developed during Tang Dynasty. To prove the point, a Buddhist book called The Diamond Sutra, is still stored in the British Library that was block printed during 868 AD of the Tang Dynasty. When sea becomes stormy and the days are cloudy, the sailor of the ship wants to sail in the right direction and then do you know what is that that he needs most urgently? You are absolutely right – it is the compass that comes to the rescue of sea sailors then. This compass is a Chinese invention and the different Chinese craftsmen were involved in making of these devices during the Three Kingdom and Southern Song Dynasty. Worlds most refreshing ancient drink is tea and do you know where it was invented? The Chinese Emperor Shan Nong in 2737 BC just accidently discovered that tea consumption provides relaxation to the mind; the drink infuses vigor and energy though at that time its use was limited for medicinal purpose rather than as a routine drink. It was only during a Song Dynasty that it got prominence as a national drink of China. Thus, it can be said that the most revolutionary inventions such as paper, printing, compass and tea were given to us by the ancient Chinese people that later occupied the most prominent roles in everyone’s

Articles Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 5

Articles - Essay Example As good as, he was in advertising, Jack truly hated the business, which manifested itself when he retired, and sought to concentrate on art, which gave him satisfaction until his demise. That was then. One hundred years down the line, a new age group of advertising agencies has cropped up with new clients and new needs. I doubt if Jack would be pleased by the present advertising industry much more than the industry he ultimately left behind to concentrate on art. This does not mean that advertising has become any significant than it had previously been. The most important thing to remember is that the glimmer of creativeness holds the future of business. The year could be 2025 or perhaps 2035. You could be sleeping in iPyjamas and driving a driverless car. What is apparent at that time which resembles thirty or forty years ago is your e-mail, which you can log into while dressing probably because you can access it through your shirt pocket. Such are the changes that had been predicted by clairvoyants some twenty or thirty years ago. Media changes and advancements were not left out either by the seers. Technology and digital media will undoubtedly step up. Mobile devices, which are already the ideal internet and media platforms, will keep on growing (Khan, 2014). Globalization of the media will force the western world to step up its game due to competition from Latin America, Asia and even Africa. Evidently, the revolution of the media will take various routes hence be manifested by diversity. Probably the future has already encroached into our society with all the features that define the future media already manifesting themselves. The full impact is what is yet to be seen and we can only deduce the face of digital media in the future by the pace it is

How does spaces change perceptions on things and people Essay

How does spaces change perceptions on things and people - Essay Example There are also external factors like human experience which influence these physical characteristics. In effect, these external elements provide biases on how individuals perceive things and people around them. This text sought to provide a thorough analysis on how human perception is created through the human brain and its physical senses. Moreover, this writing discussed the factors which affect how human perceives objects. One of which is the philosophy of space and time. Finally, this text also pursued to provide an answer to the question, â€Å"How does space change perceptions on things and people?†. 1. INTRODUCTION Perception dictates the behavior of people and the human interaction as a whole. It is a person’s perception that affects the person’s response in the form of his or her actions. This is the reason why understanding human behavior has always been associated with the concept of perception. Thus, the study on perception has always been evident in different fields in the social sciences like sociology, psychology, and philosophy. Generally, perceptions depend on an individual’s sensory qualities such sight, hearing, touch, smell and taste ("Problem of Perception."). However, it is the mind that has a crucial control on these sensory qualities. Philosophers further suggest that there exist a â€Å"problem of perception† that is â€Å"created by the phenomena of perceptual illusion and hallucination† ("Problem of Perception."). This means that the way people perceive things and other people is not solely based on the sensory qualities but rather dictated by psychological discernment. There are various factors that influence one’s perception on things and other people through their cognitive discernment. Space is one particular factor that affects perception on things and people. Space plays an important role in the process of perception which consequently created the concept of spatial perception or space perception. Space perception is the process of evaluating the physical orientation of objects in space which is necessary for movement in the environment and for discernment of the relationships between things (â€Å"Space Perception†). Moreover, the concept of space perception also offers insight into how people become oriented in the environment for them to survive in the form of seeking food or avoiding injury (â€Å"Space Perception†). In other words, space perception provides people â€Å"physical reality† which they use to respond in their everyday lives (â€Å"Space Perception†). Thus, this has led to much deeper researches on the role of space in the perception of people on things and other people. These research studies tend to provide in-depth analyses on the complexity of the effect of space towards perceptions. Scholars aim to answer the question, â€Å"How does space change perceptions on things and people?† 2. LITERATURE REVIEW Various related texts have already been published in the social sciences on the subject of perception. One of which is of Matthew MacDonald’s book â€Å"Your Brain: The Missing Manual.† This text offers a discussion about the human brain and the process of perception as performed by the brain. Different articles on human perception are also available such as â€Å"The Meaning of Perception† and â€Å"The Death of the Cyberflaneur† as written by Flemming Funch and Evgeny Morozov, respectively. These texts serve as good reference materials in understanding and

(can you come up with one) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

(can you come up with one) - Essay Example Professional experience in a for-profit organization is a strong advantage, as well as the ability to demonstrate successful teaching experience. The position to be filled is that of a highly intellectual individual with specialized skills, knowledge and experience. According to Haesli and Boxall (2005), such individuals seek facets of employment ordinary workers do not, and would look to find the following qualifications when selecting an employer: From the foregoing, Sincere College, in its desire to source the best possible applicant for the position and maintain such an individual for the long-term, must offer above all work that is continuously interesting to the individual, not routinary but challenging to the person’s specialized abilities (Douglas, 2010). Sincere College should furthermore offer the candidate a competitive salary worthy of his/her high qualifications, in the area of $X,XXX.XX per month. He/she shall also enjoy the following benefits: XXXX Finally, he or she should be informed that the position is in the tenure track, and may expect to be welcome as a part of the long and illustrious tradition of Sincere College. The College should be shown to have a dynamic strategic approach to academic pursuits, as strategic flexibility determines the organizational commitment to ensure the satisfaction and growth of its employees (Roca-Puig, et al., 2005). Internal recruitment should first be attempted prior to advertising outside of the college. It is possible that qualified teaching personnel already exist in the college, and such announcement, through posting in the school intranet or HR bulletin board for notice of vacancies or by circulating through memorandum. This allows interested individuals the chance to express their interest to be considered for the position, and the skills and abilities are already known to the college,

Role of Inventors and Governments in Industrialization Research Paper

Role of Inventors and Governments in Industrialization - Research Paper Example Seeds could be planted at specific depths in proper rows and this was a tremendous improvement in Agriculture. Before the invention farmers would scatter seeds and this was very wasteful as most seeds would not take root. Many other machine inventors would contribute to the mechanization and automation of industrial processes. Discussion Natural resources were utilized to develop machine production processes. Coal and water power were a source of fuel for industrial processes. Construction of buildings, tools, and machines was done using iron ore. Rivers served as means of inland transportation of materials, goods, and people. In addition harbors for merchant ships were established.2 Industrialization began with the textile industry where the invention of the spinning machine spurred immense growth. The water frame which was invented in 1769 by Richard Arkwright ran on waterpower from rapid streams. Samuel Crompton invented the advance spinning mule in 1779 and it ran on water power and it produced stronger, consistent and finer thread than previous spinning machines.3 There was a ready market for cotton worldwide and supply for cotton from the American South. Advances in the textile industry triggered industrial development in various sectors. In transport, the landmark invention was the steam engine in 1765 by James Watt. Water transport exhibited tremendous improvement in England. A network of human-made waterways/canals was established. By 1850, inland channels that spanned 4,200 miles reduced the transport cost for both finished goods and raw materials. English factories were powered by steam-driven machinery towards the end of the eighteenth century. Steam driven locomotives were used to transport iron and various raw materials on land. George Stephenson successfully spearheaded the construction of the railroad in 1821.4 Indeed the invention and subsequent perfection of the locomotive had tremendous effects on industrialization. Manufacturers had a cheap means to transport finished goods and raw materials. Numerous jobs were created for both miners (provided coal for steam engines and iron for the rail tracks) and railroad workers.

Annotated Bibliography (rough draft) Essay Example for Free

Annotated Bibliography (rough draft) Essay In the passage â€Å"Shitty First Drafts† by Anne Lamott from Bird by Bird, the author promotes that â€Å"shitty first drafts† are the key to most successful pieces of writing. Lamott indicates that most writers have â€Å"shitty first drafts† and that â€Å"all good writers write them†(21.) In order to have a good piece of writing one must vomit all of their ideas onto paper. Lamott’s friend calls it the down draft (25.) In this draft you should get all your thoughts down, even if you sound like a child (22. ) The first draft isn’t going to make much sense but it doesn’t matter because no one is going to see it(23.) With this â€Å"down draft† you can edit it and organize your thoughts into the up draft (25.) â€Å"The up draft† is where you take all the good things from â€Å"the down draft† and write an organized draft that makes much more sense. â€Å"You try to say what you have to say more accurately†(25.) After that comes he dental draft, a draft where you nit-pick and refine every aspect of the writing, like how a dentist would â€Å"check every tooth, to see if it were loose or cramped or decayed†(25,26.) Hopefully the final product is a â€Å"healthy† piece of writing. Lamott successfully argued that a â€Å"shitty first draft† is the beginning to a great piece of writing so you just â€Å"need to start somewhere†(25,26.)

Theories Of Leadership And Trait Theory

Theories Of Leadership And Trait Theory INTRODUCTION: The question Are Leaders Born or Made? has been the most discussed topic in leadership studies. There has been research related to the proposing inherited traits of leadership such as Kilpatrick and Locke (1991). However, later in the century, theories surfaced regarding behavioral approaches to leadership. Blake and Mouton (1964) and Northouse (1997) focused on leadership behavior which contradicted the theory establishing that leadership is just for the chosen few, not accessible to all people. Firstly, we will discuss what leadership means, then explore research and theories and its relationship with the concept of employee motivation. LEADERSHIP DEFINITION A LEADERSHIP is a social process in which one individual has the power to affects the group of others without the use of threat or violence THEORIES OF LEADERSHIP There are 4 basic theories of leadership. Given and described below: TRAIT THEORY Peoples are born with inherited personal qualities know as traits. Some traits are particularly suited to leadership. People with having good leaders qualities have sufficient combination of traits. This theory was basically a Psychology one. In which individuals are given importance on their natural or personal characteristics or traits. Importance was given to enhance and discovering those traits in individuals, often by studying successful leaders. But with the underlying assumption was if those qualities are to be found in other peoples as well then they, too, could have the talent to become great leaders. Some of the traits and skill to become great leader is given below in the chart. Stogdill (1974) identified the following traits and skills as critical to leaders McCall and Lombardo (1983) researched both success and failure identified four primary traits by which leaders could succeed or derail: Emotional stability and composure: Calm, confident and predictable, particularly when under stress. Admitting error: Owning up to mistakes, rather than putting energy into covering up. Good interpersonal skills: Able to communicate and persuade others without resort to negative or coercive tactics. Intellectual breadth: Able to understand a wide range of areas, rather than having a narrow (and narrow-minded) area of expertise. Many years back these inherited traits were being sidelined as learned and situational factors are being given due importance and are considered as far more realistic as reason for people in acquiring leader positions. But now they are being given importance as no individual can become leader if he has not acquired the leadership qualities personally or have learned from experience. SITUATIONAL THEORY The brilliant reaction of the leader shows in the situational factor. When the decision is needed the leader here does not just go into the single preferred style such as transactional or transformational because to them things are not as simple as they seem. The factor that can affect this kind of theory is the motivation and capability of the followers towards the leader. As the relationship between a leader and the followers is another thing in this regard depending on each others behavior among the leader and the followers. Perception of the leader is also very important in this regard towards his followers because if he has good perception about his followers than he ill deal calmly otherwise he will threaten his followers to follow him. Yukl (1989) seeks to combine other approaches and identifies six variables: Subordinate effort: the motivation and actual effort expended. Subordinate ability and role clarity: followers knowing what to do and how to do it. Organization of the work: the structure of the work and utilization of resources. Cooperation and cohesiveness: of the group in working together. Resources and support: the availability of tools, materials, people, etc. External coordination: the need to collaborate with other groups. Leaders here work on such factors as external relationships, acquisition of resources, managing demands on the group and managing the structures and culture of the group. Tannenbaum and Schmidt (1958) identified three situations affecting leaders action. The forces in the situation; the forces in the followers and the forces in leader. This recognizes that the leaders style is really variable and even such distant that a family dispute can also affects his perception and working with his followers and can create aggression as well among them. Maier (1963) noted that leaders not only consider the likelihood of a follower accepting a suggestion, but also the overall importance of getting things done. Thus in critical situations, a leader is more likely to be directive in style simply because of the implications of failure. ECLECTIC THEORY This theory goes with the combination of the above two theories namely THE TRAIT THEORY and THE SITUATIONAL THEORY. This deals in having the factor of both the above discussed theories of leadership. To have a successful and friendly environment between the leader and the followers. STYLE THEORY This theory deals with the behavior of leader himself with his employees or the followers. If the behavior will be good the affect of the good relation of both will portrays on the situation or problem which is considered to be solved. EXECUTIVE THEORY In this theory the manager or the leader has both a high task orientation and a high relationship orientation. COMPROMISING THEORY In this theory the leader is Poor at making and sticking to decisions BENEVOLENT AUTOCRAT THEORY In this theory leader has some trust and regard for his team so is more effective in doing any work. AUTOCRAT THEORY In this theory the leader has no confidence in others and is unpleasant, overbearing and less effective. DEVELOPER THEORY In this theory the leader builds trust on the team implicitly and wants to develop them as people. MISSIONARY INTERESTED THEORY In this theory the leader mainly focussed on harmony and cooperation so not as effective DESERTER THEORY In this theory the leader is someone who is uninvolved and withdrawn in or from the working or dealing. BEAURAUCRAT THEORY Its basically about the Conscientious of the leader himself that how much loyal is he to himself and others. CHARACTERISTICS OF LEADERSHIP ACCEPTANCE OF RESPONSIBILITY: Leader should have the feeling to accept his responsibility. SELF CONFIDENCE: Leader should have the self confidence container to avoid confusions and hesitations during his work. GENERAL CONFIDENCE: Must have the ability to have confidence on plotting or presenting general views on any thing and issues regarding matter. INTEGRITY: He must be the strong holder of integrity or honesty to present himself well. INTELLIGENCE: Leader must have the intelligence on and in his work of any type. This would avoid arguments and confusions with his work and employees. SKILLS OF THE LEADERSHIP There are several characteristics of leadership which are required to become a good leader. ORGANIZATIONAL ABILITY: Person must have the ability to organize things and people according to their capability in doing any work. ACCEPTANCE BY PEOPLE AT ALL LEVELS: Leader must have the ability to influence all peoples idea towards his own and the ability to accept him as their leader. ENERGY: Must have the energy or power to deal with any situation with his followers or employees. ENCOURAGING INITIATIVE IN OTHERS: Leader must have the ability to take proper and appropriate actions in different situations without any confusion or hesitation. DELEGATION: Must have the input to make delegations and impress others as well. TACT: Should have ability to care and sill in ones behavior to people, to avoid hurting or offending them. SELF-DISCIPLINE: Must be disciplined as well for setting an example for his people and to look after them. PROBLEM SOLVING: Leader should be able to solve any kind of problem arise during working to set up a leader impression and to be out of mistakes. OLD EMPLOYEE MOTIVATION In this qualitative study, the 1950s-1970s work of Frederick Herzberg, the father of work motivational research, was compared, and contrasted with current data study about management effectiveness to explore how employee motivation may have changed. Staff members and managers (N=38), primarily form healthcare settings, but also from academic, public, and private sector businesses were interviewed. Interpersonal relations now rank first as a motivating factor in this study. Recognition, the work itself, and responsibility are still ranked as critical motivating factors. These are important to understand as work is redesigned. Supporting positive interpersonal relations among subordinates, supervisors, and peers can be viewed as an effective management strategy to facilitate employee motivation. For employees, developing positive interpersonal relations with co-workers can enhance individual motivation and may improve job satisfaction. CRITICISIM ON THE NOTION OF LEADERSHIP AND ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CONCEPT OF OLD EMPLOYEE MOTIVATION The concept of old employee motivation and its relation with the notion of leadership shall be criticized on the base that in early time people were given important on their realistic things and truths they dont have to learned any thing to acquire leadership, but now a days people have to be more sophisticated thinker and broadminded to take good decision and sometimes have to be more biased to give their company profit and make their company reach to highest peak. People now criticize the thing that old employee motivation was better as compared to now because now managers or we can say leaders are only thinking of themselves while the whole work is done by the employers as well. But employers are not given due importance in this regard now a day. So the mind set of leadership is creating bad affect in companies now because everyone is equally important in the team work including the manager himself. Peoples or the employees need satisfaction from their managers to get encouraged in their work and so can do much more better work in organization. Today as the advancement is increasing the organizations are creating partitions or fields for different work which cause lack of communication between the employees and the manager. Instead of this the new employees that come in organizations by recruitment feel really difficult to understand the whole process of the vast organizational functions. This will make them unable to flow proper with the organization. They want to get introduced first to the system before coming its part and this will be very difficult for them if company or organization have many departments in itself. This will create a big gap between the new employees and the old existing staff as well. Which later shows disputes between the staff members and the new employees as well. In fact the old concept was to make an organization really family like structure that can be understand by any one whether new or old all should get into the flow of system its basic aim was also to take the whole team together with courage, equality and power so that the organization can get good output results and which boost up the profit of the company or organization. Communication between the manager and the employees creates a friendly environment in which everyone should love to exchange views and share companies problem to get the best possible solution for their company. This was also due to the reason that the employees and manager get in touch more and discuss problems with full swing which is not the part of today occurring management systems. Thus this was a basic weak point of present organizations which is affecting the countrys economy as well CONCLUSION Leadership is elusive but momentous, passionate but single minded a matter of patience but sudden opportunity, a great struggle for victory and finally creating a leader to replace you. As shown in the figure 0.15. http://www.uptecnet.com/rel2/tv/download/TV010407/images/fig15.gif Nowadays, most scholars in the field have come to conclude that leaders are both born and made. Many leaders are born with qualities and attributes that assist them in leadership effectiveness. While at the same time development in their childhood and adolescence, education and later work experiences encourage and cultivate leadership abilities. (Bass, 1990; and Conger, 1992)

Challenges to Healthcare Industry Post Brexit

Challenges to Healthcare Industry Post Brexit EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The report will address three challenges in which the health care industry within the UK might have to deal with after the referendum to leave. It will also include the impact of those three challenges within the global staff in the health care industry. These will be done by linking the impact of these challenges to the relevant examples in the global staffing. At first, the report will be described by giving an introduction of the health care industry within the UK where the industry might lose many staffs after Brexit as most of the doctors and nurses in the healthcare industry are from EU. These will be followed by what the report will cover thoroughly. Secondly, analysing and identifying the issues after Brexit will be showed in the report. There will be three challenges in relation to global staffing within the health care industry which are immigration, flexible of labour market and re-expatriation. Furthermore, the challenges will be linked to the impact on global staff by using theories to understand the issues. Lastly, the three challenges will be put together and explained on the main body of the report and given an overall conclusion for health care industry within the UK. INTRODUCTION This report has been prepared to understand what Brexit is and how it has affected the UK since the majority voted out on the referendum held on the 23rd June 2016. The main purpose and objective of this report is to analyse the effectiveness of the recruitment and the selection process within the healthcare industry in the UK where they will be challenged and enforced to change (Smith, 2017). This will correspondingly go in further details on how the Brexit vote affected one of the HR practices staffing within the global talent management in the health care industry. It will mainly address on how it will affect most of the staffs from EU who work for the NHS (Bulman, 2016). The report will also analyse the findings and recommendations of the health care industry by researching through the main health care provider in the UK. Furthermore, the findings will be provided using news, journals and websites which will be compared to the theoretical model of best practices as defined by the CIPD and other researchers and theoretical models. The recommendations will be made after researching and analysing the post referendum stage and the likely outcome of how Brexit will impact in the future. Overall, this report solely attempts to provide a clear understanding of Brexit and how it affected the UKs healthcare industry. THREE CHALLENGES AFTER BREXIT As a result of Brexit, many industries in the UK has been affected, whereas this report will mainly focus on how there has been many challenges for health care industry and how it has an impact on global staffing. This report will be analysed by identifying the three main challenges for the healthcare industry which is immigration, re-expatriation and talent planning. One of the challenge for global staffing is immigration within the health care industry. When the UK was still within the EU, the EUs policies on freedom of movement allowed the healthcare industry in the UK to recruit many workers from throughout the EU where EU citizens could freely move between EU and the UK to work and live. In the healthcare industry, approximately 55,000 workers comes from EU countries (Fenton, 2016). However, due to the impact of Brexit there is an uncertainty that the right to freedom of movement would still apply to the EU citizens (Rankin, 2016). Some of the workers in healthcare industry are in the category of third-country nationals who are on their visa working in the UK. After the Brexit, it is likely that people from third-country nationals would be majorly affected than EU citizens working in the UK. Due to this, the impact on global staff of talent planning in the healthcare industry occurs. There will be lack of staffs due to the immigration issue a nd health care industry should decide on the recruitment methods on whether to buy or make talent. Thoroughly, the health care industry might be at their best to make talent in the short-term. It is better to focus on the internal labour markets for health care industry after Brexit, because this will increase the commitment of staffs in the job and providing them more security so that they will not be afraid of the result of Brexit. During the crisis of Brexit, healthcare industry would still want to keep staff as most of the EU staffs within the industry are doctors and nurses who provides health and care service for the people in the UK. To minimise the negative outcome which will start to affect after the finalization of Brexit, healthcare industry should prepare in advance about managing and retaining staffs. The second challenge that will affect the health care industry would be flexible labour market. This means that firms have greater freedom to hire workers when demand increases, and also to fire them when demand decreases. However, in the case of health care industry there has been a shortage of staff to provide service for people in the UK (Mundasad, 2017). Furthermore, referendum to vote could lead to having more problems than before on hiring staffs in the healthcare industry because many staffs such as doctors and nurses are hired from EU countries (Triggle, 2016). In the UK, there is a points-based system applied on non-EU nationals to work which creates recruiting workers other then EU countries difficult to do so (Landou,2016). If the Brexit is finalised and the EUs freedom of movement removed this could result in healthcare industry having a huge impact on a restriction of recruiting employees therefore leading in having a shortage of staffs. These issues will impact the abil ity of employees to bring in the right skills that is need by the healthcare industry. To overcome this issues, healthcare industry could sent out employees on an international assignment to develop skills and knowledge. The last challenge of healthcare industry after Brexit is re-expatriation where the industry would have to take to consider. The issues about freedom of movement as mentioned above, British citizens who have choose to work or live elsewhere in Europe fears their healthcare and right to remain will disappear post-Brexit (Carroll, 2016). Moreover, UK expats working in the EU could become more difficult if host countries ask them to obey restrictive rules when it comes to permits and setting up businesses. This may lead up to losing their automatic right to work within the EU area and need a permission to stay as a result of new policy after Brexit. As a result of this, the impact on global staffing within the healthcare industry will be affected. Thoroughly, if UK expats living and working in the EU countries are to return to the UK following the post-Brexit, it is possible that it would become more difficult for new expats to find work (Burton, 2016). Moreover, UK expats working and l iving in the EU countries are given free healthcare but could lose right to free healthcare once the Brexit is complete (Parfitt, 2016). Expatriates provides many benefits for industries which includes greater parent control and right set of skills. It is also seen as providing opportunities for personal and professional development and career advancement. With the post-Brexit, the expats are disrupted on performing their roles and tasks resulting in the failure of expatriates. Specifically, re-expatriations have difficulties adapting when they are back to the UK. For example, after the referendum many expats might have to go back to their country resulting in experiencing a reverse culture shock by getting used to working and living in another country they had been sent to work (Skyes, 2011).The healthcare industry will have experienced the loss of cooperation and investment on expats sent to work in other EU country. Overall, re-expatriation is going to be a challenge for healthca re industry after Brexit mainly within staffing managing. Conclusion This report overall aimed to understand how Brexit affected the UK as a whole and the negotiations to solve between the UK and the EU. Three different challenges were identified and analysed orderly for the healthcare industry and finding a way to minimise the risks. The first challenge dealt with immigration and how it impacted the talent planning and the way of making talent within the healthcare industry. In the second challenge, Lastly, the third challenge refers to the re-expatriation where British citizens living in the EU returns back to the UK after the referendum vote to leave that affected their role and tasks. Overall, the healthcare industry should take into consideration of these challenges mentioned above in the report to plan ahead to avoid problems managing global staffing after Brexit. Reference: Fenton, S. (2016). The government has admitted the NHS could struggle without EU staff following Brexit. [online] The Independent. Available at: http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/nhs-could-struggle-post-brexit-without-eu-citizen-staff-department-of-health-officials-admit-a7204551.html [Accessed 4 Feb. 2017]. Carroll, L. (2016). It terrifies me: Britons in Europe on how Brexit is going to affect them. [online] the guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/dec/15/britons-expats-europe-how-brexit-affect-them [Accessed 9 Feb. 2017]. Parfitt, T. (2016). Expats in Spain could LOSE right to free healthcare after Brexit vote, PM says. [online] Express.co.uk. Available at: http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/683708/expats-Brexit-EU-referendum-Spain-Mariano-Rajoy-Jean-Claude-Juncker [Accessed 10 Feb. 2017]. Rankin, J. (2016). Freedom of movement: the wedge that will split Britain from Europe. [online] the Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/oct/06/freedom-of-movement-eu-uk-brexit-negotiations-theresa-may [Accessed 10 Feb. 2017]. Burton, L. (2016). Brexit: What does it mean for expats, here and in the EU? BBC News. [online] BBC News. Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-36606847 [Accessed 12 Feb. 2017]. Skyes, A. (2011). Reverse culture shock: What, when, and how to cope. [online] Expatica.com. Available at: http://www.expatica.com/nl/moving-to/Moving-home-Reverse-culture-shock_104957.html [Accessed 13 Feb. 2017]. Landou, P. (2016). Would Brexit make it harder to hire EU workers?. [online] the Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/small-business-network/2016/mar/29/would-brexit-make-harder-hire-eu-workers-referendum [Accessed 12 Feb. 2017]. Mundasad, S. (2017). NHS staff shortages: Why so persistent? BBC News. [online] BBC News. Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-38640068 [Accessed 13 Feb. 2017]. Triggle, N. (2016). Brexit will make NHS staff shortages worse BBC News. [online] BBC News. Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-36664094 [Accessed 13 Feb. 2017].

Management Issues of Implementing Welfare to Work Programs In Californi

Management Issues of Implementing Welfare to Work Programs In California In August of 1996, our chief executive of the United States, President Clinton, changed the structure of welfare dependency. He signed into law, the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act. This act, with its entire new legislature, has come to be known as welfare reform. Our state leaders, administrators and managers face many challenges and constraints in their attempt to implement a law, which will restructure the welfare dependency roles. This paper will take a detailed view of the specific challenges faced by state public sector leaders, in the attempt to implement these new laws which created a new welfare system for the United States. This paper will also highlight the various programs, created from the new legislature, and examine them from implementation through their operations. As the structure of welfare dependency begins to change, the primary challenge faced by state administrators is the ability to get its citizens, who have depended on federal funds to support their families, to depend on their own work generated incomes. For over 60 years, the government has been financially providing a subsidized income for its needy citizens. The government has begun to look for ways to assist its needy and able bodied, welfare dependent citizens, to become much more self-sufficient. The government was also looking at ways to decrease its national debt. Government studies revealed that too many Americans had become too dependent on the financial assistance of the government to support their lifestyles. Tax payers, as well as the republican parties were pushing for a change. They believed that the needy, those that were able sh... ...tive ways to implement dependency reduction programs to fit a large sum of people with a limited and amount of time and funds. Bibliography Barnow, Burt S. and Nightingale, Demetra S., Status of the Welfare-to-Work Grants Program After One Year Challenges, Resources and Flexibility: Using TANF Block Grant and State MOE Dollars http;www.urbaninstitute.org/welfare/wtw_labor.html http://www.dss.cahwnet.gov/calworks/caworks.html http;www.urbaninstitute.org/welfare/wtw_labor.html http://www.hudson.org/wpc/states/cal-tanf.htm http:///www.urban.org/welfare/grants_program/grans_prog.html http://www.dss.cahwnet.gov/calworks/caworks.html http://aspe.os.dhhs.gov/hsp/isp/xsleszn.htm Welfare Policy Center/ Hudson Institute http://www.hudson.org/wpc/states/cal-tanf.htm wysiwyg://119/http//www.ncsl.org/statefed/welfare/flexblty.htm

Christianity and Popular Culture Essay -- Religion God Jesus Papers

Christianity and Popular Culture In his classic work Christ and Culture, H. Richard Niebuhr asserts that the relationship between earnest followers of Jesus Christ and human culture has been an "enduring problem."1 How should believers who are "disciplining themselves for the purpose of godliness" (1 Tim. 4:7) relate to a world whose culture is dominated by "the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life" (1 John 2: 16)? Culture is God's gift and task for human beings created in His image and likeness. At creation humanity received a "cultural mandate" from the sovereign Creator to have dominion over the earth and to cultivate and keep it (Gen. 1:26, 28; 2:15). But sin's effects are total, and culture—whether high, popular, or folk—has been corrupted thoroughly by rebellion, idolatry, and immorality. How, then, should Christians, who have been redeemed, "not with perishable things like gold or silver . . . but with precious blood, as of a lamb, unblemished and spotless , the blood of Christ" (1 Pet. 1:18-19) live in relation to culture? According to Jesus in His high priestly prayer, believers are to be in the world but not of it (John 17:11-16). But in what way? How do believers act in and interact with the "crooked and perverse generation" (Phil. 2:15) that surrounds them and of which they are a part? This is not an easy question, and yet the Church cannot avoid responding to it. Over the centuries, various Christian communities have developed alternative perspectives on this very influential Christ-culture connection. In the extreme, some believers have advocated a complete rejection of culture (Anabaptists, fundamentalists), while others at the opposite end of the ecclesiastical spectrum ... ...se two extremes. It serves as an alternative to both manipulation and meaninglessness. It is an agency of common grace. Since TV manufactures audiences to sell products to, they cannot be manipulated as machines. They cannot be told that life is nihilistic. Rather, they must be entertained. So Jacobson sees a redemptive role for popular culture as an antidote to the present cultural mess. His advice is unique: Turn your TV back on. You will find things worth watching and thinking about. He tells readers what to look for in a variety of programs, and even shows how expressions of grace can be found in Bufy the Vampire Slayer. Notes 1.H. Richard Niebuhr, Christ and Culture (New York: Harper and Row, Publishers, Harper Torchbooks, 1951), chap. 1. 2.Richard J. Mouw, He Shines in All That's Fair: Culture and Common Grace (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2001), p. 9.

Selective Perception in Shakespeares Hamlet Essay -- Shakespeare Haml

Selective Perception in Shakespeare's Hamlet      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   From the end of Act I, the point at which Hamlet judges it may be prudent to feign madness - to "put an antic disposition on" (I.v.181) - much of the first half of the play concerns characters trying to determine why the prince's melancholy has evolved into seeming insanity.   Each of the major players in Elsinore has a subjective impression of the reason for Hamlet's madness; indeed, in each of these misconceptions there is an element of the truth.   At the same time, however, the nature of these selective perceptions provides insight into the characters who form them.   And finally, these varied perspectives are notable in their effect upon the dynamic of the conflict between Hamlet and Claudius, and upon the king's increasing paranoia.    Long before the encounter with the Ghost turns Hamlet's vague suspicions into something approaching certainty (I.v.1-113), Claudius views Hamlet not as a madman, but as a threat to the security of his rule and possibly his life.   This is evident from their first scene, in which Claudius publicly denounces Hamlet's "unmanly grief" (I.ii.94) as "a fault to heaven" (l.101); Claudius seems to be undermining Hamlet's popular support by painting him as unworthy to rule.   Even in the face of his court's attempts to dissect the "very cause of Hamlet's lunacy" (II.ii.49), Claudius' initial convictions are never shaken.   Like the other characters, Claudius has his own motives for believing as he does; like the other characters, his beliefs are subject to manipulative reinforcement by the play's events.   Moreover, the speculation regarding Hamlet's madness serves only to convince the king that Hamlet is not mad, and th... ...nnate guilt and paranoia will not let him view Hamlet any other way.   This facet of Claudius' character is integral to the resolution of the tragic sequence: while, in the end, Claudius' paranoia is not enough to save his life, it is certainly sufficient to ensure that no one else escapes the conflict unscathed.    Works Cited Bevington, David, ed.   The Complete Works of Shakespeare.   4th ed.   New York: Longman-Addison Wesley Longman, 1997. Bradley, A.C.   Shakespearean Tragedy: Lectures on Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, Macbeth.   London: Macmillan, 1967. Hamlet.   Prod. Dyson Lovell.   Dir. Franco Zeffirelli.   Warner Brothers, 1990. Hamlet, Prince of Denmark.   British Broadcasting Corp.   Prod. Cedric Messina.   Dir. Rodney Bennett.   Time-Life Films, 1978. Shakespeare, William.   Hamlet, Prince of Denmark.   Bevington 1060-1116.   

Nursing: Academic Degree and Emergency Room Nurse Essay

Did you know that the Civil War had an effect on nursing jobs for women? According to Karen J. Egenes, the volunteer nurses of the Civil War â€Å"changed the public’s perception of work by women outside of their homes. † There are numerous nursing jobs available to this day. Nursing jobs are always in high demand. Although some people go into this career field, not for the passion of it, but for the income, this is not a career for everyone. One type of nursing job that is important is an emergency room nurse. Emergency room nurses play an important role in the nursing industry because there can never be enough nurses in the ER. Emergency room nurses are growing in high demand. Within the next 10 years, the ER nursing industry will increase with twenty-six percent. One reason they are in high demand, is because it is becoming harder and harder to get in to see a regular doctor. Instead, you could go to the emergency room and get immediate attention. Being an emergency room nurse there are many tasks. Although you may not be doing the same thing daily, you will always be busy. Some of those tasks include, provide care for the patients coming in, monitor health conditions, administer medicine, and advising the patients and their families. To become an emergency room nurse you must have an associate’s degree in nursing, a bachelors of science in nursing, or have graduated from an approved nursing program. There are many transferable skills needed in this job. One of the main skills needed is critical thinking, because you always deal with something new, and have to think on the spot. Some other skills are compassion, being able to pay attention to detail, organization, being calm and patient, and being a good communicator. The median hourly income according to Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median hourly income in Iowa is $31. 10, and the yearly income is $64,690. Although some people go for jobs because of the income, becoming an emergency room nurse is not for everyone, and you would need to be compassionate for it. Although all nursing jobs you have to have a passion for, being a Hospice nurse takes a lot of courage. According to Asera Care, the hospice team provides medical, emotional, practical, and spiritual support to people with terminal illness, and their families. The hospice nurse provides many things for the patient and the family. As a hospice nurse, some tasks you would do are providing nursing assessments, plan and care for the patient’s comfort, and you would be with the family until the patients’ last day. Some of the transferable skills needed to go into the hospice field is being structured, independent, strong, self-directed, and caring. To become a hospice nurse, you must obtain an associate’s degree in nursing, bachelors in science of nursing, or a nursing degree. Along with having a degree of nursing, you must also have one years’ worth of nursing experience. The average salary for a hospice nurse is between thirty-one thousand, and forty-one thousand. Being a hospice nurse may be a hard job, dealing with the end of people’s lives, but in the end it is rewarding knowing that you made it better for them. A third nursing job that is available, and is in demand is a pediatric nurse. To be a pediatric nurse, you must be able to work well with kids, and young adults. You would be dealing with patients from infancy to young adulthood. Some of the daily tasks you would be doing according to Discover Nursing, are conducting checkups, giving immunizations, counseling patients and families, and helping or teaching the families of diseases or sicknesses. Although many of the nursing jobs available, you must have the same type of transferable skills, some of the skills you need to become a pediatric nurse are being structured, multifaceted, and strong. To become a pediatric nurse, you need an associate’s degree in nursing, a bachelors of science in nursing, and a pediatric nurse certification. Some of the classes that can help you pursue your dream of becoming a pediatric nurse are any type of children’s class, and children’s psychology classes. The average salary for a pediatric nurse is anywhere between $31,007 and $81,951. If you are not able to deal with little kids, and or things you have to handle with kids, being a pediatric nurse is not the career field for you. Nursing is an astounding career field to go into, that is, if it is a passionate field for you. There are many choices for the nursing field, such as an ER nurse, hospice nurse, or pediatric nurse. There are different positives and negatives in each career field. In the nursing field, I feel as if there are more positives than negatives. You’re changing somebodies life, for the better. Works Cited Asera Care. Asera Care, n. d. Web. 29 Jan. 2014. . The Campaign for Nursing’s Future. Johnson & Johnson, 10 Jan. 2014. Web. 30 Jan. 2014. . Egenes, Karen J. â€Å"History of Nursing. † History of Nursing: 6. Print. Snag a Job. N. p. , 2000. Web. 29 Jan. 2014. .