Monday, July 20, 2020

How to Improve Your Psychological Well-Being

How to Improve Your Psychological Well-Being Happiness Print How to Improve Your Psychological Well-Being Your emotional health is key to a happy life By Amy Morin, LCSW facebook twitter instagram Amy Morin, LCSW, is a psychotherapist, author of the bestselling book 13 Things Mentally Strong People Dont Do, and a highly sought-after speaker. Learn about our editorial policy Amy Morin, LCSW Updated on May 04, 2019 More in Self-Improvement Happiness Meditation Stress Management Spirituality Holistic Health Inspiration Brain Health Technology Relationships View All In This Article Table of Contents Expand Why It Matters Creating Purpose Positive Thinking Fostering Relationships View All Back To Top The phrase “psychological well-being” is used to describe an individual’s emotional health and overall functioning. The author of a study published in Applied Psychology: Health and Well?Being describes psychological well-being as “the combination of feeling good and functioning effectively.” Researchers have also found that the absence of distress doesn’t necessarily indicate a person has high psychological well-being. High psychological well-being is about feeling happy and doing well. People with high psychological well-being report feeling capable, happy, well-supported, and satisfied with life. Illustration by JR Bee, Verywell Why It Matters Studies have discovered that people with higher psychological well-being are more likely to live healthier and longer lives. They are also more likely to enjoy a better quality of life. Better psychological well-being is also associated with fewer social problems. For instance, research has found that people with high psychological well-being are less likely to engage in criminal activity or abuse drugs and alcohol. In addition, positive psychological well-being tends to predict higher earnings and more prosocial behavior (such as volunteering). People are more likely to enjoy positive psychological well-being when they have their basic needs met. Living in a safe area, having enough food, and having adequate shelter are  all important factors for emotional health. If you’re looking to improve your psychological well-being, there are several things you can do to feel and function better. Creating Purpose Living a life with meaning and purpose is key to improving your psychological well-being. Your purpose doesn’t necessarily have to involve changing the world or finding a career devoted to helping others. Instead, you might make it your purpose to be kind every day. Your purpose might involve making the world better by encouraging others to take care of the environment or adopt pets from the shelter. If you feel like your life lacks purpose, don’t worry. There are many ways you can find purpose in life and build a life that has more meaning. You can begin by thinking about the legacy you would like to leave behind. Write down how you’d like to be remembered at the end of your life, or think about the impact you want to leave on the planet. Then, establish some objectives that can help you reach those goals. Working toward your goals will give you a reason to get out of bed every day, beyond earning money. Positive Thinking Thinking positively improves your psychological well-being. In turn, as your psychological well-being improves, it becomes easier to think positively and feel good overall. Fortunately, you can begin creating that positive cycle with a few simple strategies. Write About a Better Future Take a few minutes and write down all the good things that could happen to you in the future. Imagine how you could be spending your time and who you would be spending it with if you were living your best life. Recall Positive Life Events Spend time thinking about some of the best memories of your life. Whether its a family vacation you went on 10 years ago or you won an award at work two years ago, recalling the happiest times in your life can bring more positivity to your mindset. Perform Acts of Kindness Doing nice things for other people reminds you that you have the power to make a difference in the world. Giving to others also helps you think more positively and feel happier.  Helping a neighbor in need, volunteering for a community activity, or raising money for a charity are just a few simple ways to improve your psychological well-being. Practice Mindfulness Mindfulness has been linked to a multitude of benefits, ranging from increased happiness to better resilience. Mindfulness is a skill that takes practice and dedication, but over time, you can get better at learning how to be present and in the moment. Express Gratitude Whether you send letters to tell people how much you appreciate them or you write about the things you feel thankful for in a journal, expressing your gratitude will keep you focused on all the good things in life. It’s a simple but effective way to boost your psychological well-being every day. Identify Your Strengths It’s important to feel capable and confident. One of the best ways to do this is to remind yourself of the things you’re good at or the character strengths you possess. Try reflecting on your past achievements and the qualities that helped you succeed. Practice Forgiveness Letting go of past hurt and anger is key to good psychological well-being. Forgiving someone doesn’t mean you have to allow that person to hurt you. Instead, it’s about releasing yourself of the anger that could keep you from putting your energy into more positive things. Fostering Relationships Studies show that loneliness takes a serious toll on your emotional and physical health. In fact, one study found that being lonely was as lethal as smoking 15 cigarettes per day. Just being around people, however, isn’t the solution. Instead, it’s important to form deep connections with other people. The quality of relationships matters more than the quantity when it comes to improving your psychological well-being. While contact over social media can be a good way to keep in touch when you can’t visit a friend in person, there’s no real substitute for the benefits of face-to-face contact. Have coffee with a friend, eat dinner with your family, and call a loved one just to chat. Strong social support is key to staying psychologically healthy. If you lack a support system, take steps to meet more people. Join community activities, get acquainted with your neighbors, or reach out to old friends. A Word From Verywell Psychological well-being is a key part of feeling happy and able to function day-to-day. Its easier than you may think to develop healthy habits that can foster your emotional health. Start small and try practicing one or two strategies to maximize your psychological well-being, such as writing down a few of your strengths or happy memories. Over time, you will see the effects that these kinds of practices will have on your positivity and overall mental health. Step by Step Guide to Happiness

Thursday, May 21, 2020

How John McAdam Changed Roads Forever

John Loudon McAdam was a Scottish engineer who modernized the way we build roads. Early Life McAdam was born in Scotland in 1756 but moved  to New York in 1790 to make his fortune. Arriving at the dawn of the Revolutionary War, he began working in his uncle’s business and became a successful merchant and prize agent (in essence, a fence who takes a cut from selling off the spoils of war).   Returning to Scotland, he purchased his own estate and soon became involved in the maintenance and governance of Ayrshire, becoming a road trustee there. Builder of Roads At the time, roads were either dirt paths susceptible to rain and mud, or very expensive stone affairs that frequently broke down not long after whatever event precipitated their construction.   McAdam was convinced that massive stone slabs would not be needed to carry the weight of passing carriages, as long as the road was kept dry. McAdam came up with the idea of raising roadbeds to ensure adequate drainage. He then designed these roadbeds using broken stones laid in symmetrical, tight patterns and covered with small stones to create a hard surface. McAdam discovered that the best stone or gravel for road surfacing had to be broken or crushed, and then graded to a constant size of chippings. McAdams design, called MacAdam roads and then simply â€Å"macadam roads,† represented a revolutionary advancement in road construction at the time. The water-bound macadam roads were the forerunners of the tar- and bitumen-based binding that was to become tarmacadam. The word tarmacadam was shortened to the now-familiar name: tarmac. The first tarmac road to be laid was in Paris in 1854, a precursor to todays asphalt roads. By making roads both significantly cheaper and more durable, MacAdam triggered an explosion in municipal connective tissue, with roads sprawling out across the countryside. Fittingly for an inventor who made his fortune in the Revolutionary War—and whose life’s work united so many—one of the earliest macadam roads in America was used to bring together the negotiating parties for the surrender treaty at the end of the Civil War.  These reliable roads would be crucial in America once the automobile revolution began in the early 20th century.

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

The Inconspicuous Scorn Of The Gentry s Acquisitive...

The Inconspicuous Scorn of the Gentry’s Acquisitive Pursuit of Marriage Through strictly observing the final chapters of Pride and Prejudice, it may come across that Jane Austen’s intent was to glorify the marriages of the main characters, in what might seem like an unrealistic or unjustified way. This exaggerated scenario in which the main characters get married to the men they love, and enjoy the copious wealth of their husbands, makes it possible for a reader to jump to the conclusion that Austen wrote the novel to argue that wealth and love are tied together. Critic Mary Poovey interpreted the fairy tale ending as such, claiming that Austen’s goal was to â€Å"make propriety and romantic desire absolutely congruent.† However, taking into†¦show more content†¦Longbourn is a symbol that stands for all of the superficial and fickle regions inhabited by the high society of late eighteenth-century England. Austen defines the mindset of the charact ers that live in Longbourn with the very first sentence of the novel, with the claim that â€Å"It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.† This line is so perfect for establishing the type of witty sarcasm used by the narrator to mock the society of Longbourn, and keep the story flowing comedically. This opening line, along with the novel’s first conversation between Mr. and Mrs. Bennet, brings the reader face to face with the perception of the role of marriage in the novel. The Bennets discuss the arrival the wealthy Mr. Bingley, and what immediately comes to Mrs. Bennets’ mind is her plan to marry off one of her daughters to him. Austen takes advantage of this opportunity to demonstrate the standards of Mr. Bennet, who may be the only logical compass the reader has to reference, more so than the overly-optimistic and sicklysweet narrator that Austen cleverly develops. Mr. Bennet is one of the only characters throughout Pride and Prejudice that seems to care about, or perhaps more

MBA Admission Essay Free Essays

To live is to choose. But to choose well, you must know who you are and what you stand for, where you want to go and why you want to get there (Kofi Annan). My primary childhood objective was to obtain a Masters in Business Administration from the US. We will write a custom essay sample on MBA Admission Essay or any similar topic only for you Order Now To this end, I worked very hard at school and obtained very good academic grades. My parents are illiterate and poor. We hail from a rural area of the country. However, my single minded devotion to acquiring knowledge resulted in my obtaining very good scores, not only in the tenth grade but also the twelfth grade. In some of the subjects of study I even obtained the highest marks in the entire state. Subsequently, I joined a college in Hyderabad, India. While commuting to college, one dismal day in June 1986, I was involved in a traffic accident which led to the complete loss of wrist movement in the right hand. Since, I am a right handed person; this constituted a terrible blow to my educational and other prospects. In this hour of my trial, my family and friends extended all possible cooperation. The upshot of this was that I managed to emerge from a state of depression and move on in life. Inter alia, I made strenuous efforts to acclimatize my left hand to the functions that had previously been the exclusive preserve of my right hand. Another source of inspiration was offered by the numerous physically and mentally challenged persons, who had overcome their disabilities and forged ahead in life. Some of these people were at the very front of technological and scientific research. One such person from whose life I drew inspiration is Stephen Hawking, who is an acclaimed authority in theoretical physics. Stephen developed motor neurone disease, an incurable ailment. He lost his voice, mobility and was confined to a wheel chair. Nevertheless, such adversity failed to deter him and he continues to make significant contributions to cosmology (Hawking). I recovered my equanimity and writing skills in six months and obtained very high grades in the second year examinations. In addition to attending college, I regularly underwent physio therapy and I was able to complete my graduation along with the other students of my class. The year 1988, was witness to the demise of my father. This compelled me to shoulder the family responsibilities. My mother developed nephrological complications and my younger brother and sister had to be supported financially. This forced me to keep in abeyance my dream of higher studies and to commence employment. This experience taught me the value of responsible behaviour. A few years after graduation, I set foot in the US and in this manner I came very near to achieving my goal. These experiences served to strengthen my resolve and boosted my self confidence tremendously. I could clearly discern what Napoleon had meant when he had stated that â€Å"Impossible, ce n’est pas francais† or the word impossible does not exist in my dictionary. This attitude proved to be of great help to the management of F.J. Benjamin and Holdings of Singapore, where I was employed in the year 1996. The management wanted to purchase an application software package, whereas my director was of the opinion that this package could be developed by the existing software professionals. Accordingly, the management permitted our group to develop the required application. However, after some days, the pace with which our work was progressing diminished greatly, due to the departure of a number of programmers for greener pastures. At the same time management became insistent upon our showing results and stated that it would purchase the software if we failed to develop it. At this crucial juncture, I took the bull by the horns and managed to convince the management that I would deliver the software package. In order to succeed in my challenge, I approached my friends in the software industry and obtained their invaluable help. Some of them even joined our organization and in this manner I ensured that the project was completed successfully and well within the allocated budget. The management of our organization was extremely pleased with my dynamism, organizing capacity, knowledge, determination and single minded devotion to duty. This reveals my aptitude for management. I had been devoting my time to several orphanages and helping their inmates in their scholastic endeavours. On seeing my friend lose his eyesight, I developed concern for the disabled and I organized a number of blood donation and organ donation camps. Moreover, I successfully established an orphanage in the city of Vishakhapatnam, India. At present I am in constant touch with Shankar Netralaya in Chennai, India, which is one of the best ophthalmologic centres in India, to treat more persons afflicted with diseases of the eye. The MBA Program of UCLA Anderson is one of the best of its kind in the world. The faculty is constantly engaged in research and their findings are conveyed to the students. In addition to this, analyses of relevant international event are commonplace in this program. Moreover, the mandatory twenty weeks long Applied Management Research project, which every student has to complete, is with respect to some real business situation. Thus the alumni of this institution are truly bestowed with the latest theoretical and practical knowledge (MBA PROGRAM). I would like to become a part of this great management movement and my accomplishments, courage, positive attitude, optimism, perseverance and experience of life should ensure that I render complete justice to this superlative course in management. How to cite MBA Admission Essay, Essays MBA Admission Essay Free Essays How do you see your career developing and how will this programme help you achieve your goals? My Background Career Goals I currently own a consultancy company and work as a freelance programme management consultant within the banking sector. Previously, l also owned a high-end women’s wear start-up business which l sadly had to close down due to the economic downturn. Despite enjoying my consultant roles and the earning power it offers me, my long-term aspiration has been to be an entrepreneur. We will write a custom essay sample on MBA Admission Essay or any similar topic only for you Order Now When l was an undergraduate, l made and sold luxury waistcoats and ties and provided catering services for workshops; activities that allowed me earn additional funds and manage myself came naturally to me. Turning 40 this year has made me realise that although consulting is a lucrative career path, it is not the career path for me. Pursuing my goals to be an entrepreneur is paramount and one false start should not deter me. I am now more than ever, ready to acquire the knowledge and skills required to achieve my goals of becoming a successful entrepreneur. One of the first goals on my entrepreneurial agenda would be to re-examine my perceptions of what luxury means in our today world and how to channel these new ideologies into a sustainable and ethnical business. Why The MBA Having researched many a Global EMBA programmes, l am convinced that this MBA is the right fit for me not just as a hub to make possible the personal growth l require to become a 21st century world-class business leader and entrepreneur but as an environment where women are recognised as the business leaders of the future, congregate with a network of women entrepreneurs that empower and collaborate with each other. New Skills The new skills acquired on the MBA programme on subjects such as leadership, negotiations, economics, finance, operations, management, accounting, marketing etc would give me the confidence to relate more successfully with contemporaries in a global business market. 2. Networks The global nature of the programme’s curriculum would afford me the opportunity to meet and learn from people from diverse industries and cultures, which would create new business ventures and learning opportunities. 3. The MBA Brand Having an MBA from an internationally renowned school such as this one would not only open doors but give my potential business clients the confidence that l am equipped to deliver results. How to cite MBA Admission Essay, Essays MBA admission essay Free Essays I dream of becoming one of the most successful electrical engineers the world has ever produced. This idea may seem farfetched, but I intend to pursue this dream in the not so distant future. To begin with, I would like to complete my MBA degree and become an accomplished student. We will write a custom essay sample on MBA admission essay or any similar topic only for you Order Now I know that it will take more than just a strong-willed personality to achieve this, but I know I’m off to a good start. I have been working as an Applications Engineer for the past four years and a half. With my experience, I have learned how to handle various challenges and difficult situations in a mature way. I acquired an Engineering Management degree which I earned recently has somehow helped me in becoming a better person than I used to be. I am able to handle I believe that my qualities are enough to qualify me into your MBA program. I am dependable, flexible and can easily get along well with others. With my friendly attitude, I was able to gain more than the usual number of friends which has helped me a lot in performing my duties and responsibilities as an employee. I do not allow pressures to get the better of me. With my sense of humor, I can very manage well the challenges that come my way.   I am pro-active, making certain that I meet my projects before the set deadline. This way, I need not cram over my projects and waste precious time crying over lost opportunities or chances. I pay great attention to micro-level details.   I am likewise patient and hardworking. I make sure that I give 100% of my time and effort in any project that is assigned to me. My parents have always told me that education is an important inheritance. Your diploma can actually take you anywhere. It is important to possess a degree during these time and age. Education is such a significant ingredient to success. Without education, it will be difficult to be qualified for the next job. Education is such a learning experience. Without it, it will be impossible to reach for your goals. This is just one of the many reasons why I am interested in earning my MBA degree. I believe that my undergraduate degree is not enough to earn me a ticket to success. It takes ore than just a college degree to arm me with the right weapons to face the challenges that go through life. I can only aim high and earn high if I was able to achieve my MBA diploma in the not so distant future. I understand that it’s a long way to go. That this education will be another tuition and another burden to carry, but I know how important it is to fully discover my potentials and I am happy that my parents are supporting me in my endeavor. As Khan (2000) puts it in her article, the importance of education is quite understandable. It is the knowledge of placing one’s potentials to the maximum. It will be such a waste if a person is not educated. Besides, it will be difficult to train a person if he’s not educated. With the right education, we are able to make the right decisions and think things in a better perspective. As I have mentioned, taking an MBA degree is a learning experience. I am aware that although I have earned my college degree, there is still so much to learn about the world and to so much to discover. Someone once said that unless you find your missing link, you will not be complete. Unless you become what you are destined to become, you will not be happy. I can truly say that unless I earn my MBA degree, I will not be the person I have always wanted to be. Aside form the characteristics that made me unique, I am hopeful that I can be accepted to this degree program and that I will eventually find the fulfillment of my dreams. Then and only then will I be able to shout to the world that yes, I made it and I am proud and happy for everything. Source: Maulana Wahiduddin Khan. Importance of Education. The Milli Gazette. RNI DELENG/2000/930; ISSN 0972-3366 (2000) How to cite MBA admission essay, Essays

Sunday, April 26, 2020

The Origins of Halloween an Example by

The Origins of Halloween by Expert Dr. SOLEMN Writer | 19 Dec 2016 On every night of the first day of November, children are found in the streets, wearing weird spooky and sometimes, funny costumes. They knock on the doors to ask for trick or treats and they celebrate parties while bobbing apples up and about. Yet how does it all stated anyway? While some people thinks that it is a kind of demonic ritual while others prefer to call it as an ordinary celebration which started in oblivion. Need essay sample on "The Origins of Halloween" topic? We will write a custom essay sample specifically for you Proceed According to a book by Sir James Frazer, The Golden Bough, mystery can be found in every search for truth. And in his search for the root of this Halloween traditions as our age have came to know, he have discovered several fascinating information that can open our minds into the real concept behind Halloween as a tradition and custom that have been coloring The first day of our November since time immemorial. The word Halloween originated from the Catholic Churches which signifies the All hollows day otherwise rendered or more popularly accepted as All Saints Day which is every November 1st of the year. Yet a deeper extrapolation would lead us to the discovery that this tradition is much more older than Catholicism itself, in fact during the 5th century before the birth of Christ, this day have been celebrated by the Celtics in order to mark the end of their summer days. This was then known to be Samhain which was done to praise the Sun God. With respect to this, it was believed that the spirits of the people who have died the previous year would hunt for a desirable living body which it would posses on the year to come. The Celts said that this is done so that the spirits would be able to go to the afterlife. The living would not want to be possessed by the spirit, especially since; they are bound to be set on fire in a stake at the towns center in order to warn off any other spirits who would like to posses the living. To prevent any possible possession, the villagers turned off their lights and wore clothes that are weird and undesirable. Aside from that they act as if they are ghost or zombies while parading around the town on the dawn of November 1. It is believed that this action would frighten all the spirits away and they would not want to posses their contaminated looking bodies. Another explanation why the Celtics extinguish their lights was in able for the people to come together in Usinach or Gahagan which stands in the middle of Ireland where a Druidic fire was kept on burning all night long. This tradition is still done by some villages in Ireland and Scotland. The Romans was believed to be the first one to adapt the Celtic holiday through their personal celebration of the day in honor of Pomona which is the Romans trees and fruits goddess symbolizes by an apple. Through this explanation another Halloween tradition was unveiled, which is the bobbing of apples during the festive Halloween. There were also Celtic rituals which include burying apples to feed the spirits on their way to the after-life. The traditions were also embraced by the Christian religion on or before the 19th century. Originally the day wherein the dead relatives and friends are being remembered and visited to give them some sacrifices, offer up prayers and remembrance was on February which is commonly known before as the Ferralia. Nowadays, the day was changed to the second of November and was called the all Souls Day. However, this tradition was usually neglected because most Christians visits the graves on the first day of November and stay there overnight until the dawn of the November 2. From the All Souls Day another custom was derived, the trick or treats. It was believed to have came from the Christian tradition of souling wherein every night of the first day of November beggars would go from one house to another asking for soul cakes or just any other bread or pastries. When they receive this, they promise to pray for the dead family member or relation of the good-hearted donor. This belief was anchored on the notion that before the soul was judge, it would first stay into a place called the Limbo wherein some of their sins when they were still living was purged or cleanse. This was needed so that the soul would enter the heavens purely. According to the Christian religion, prayers are needed in order to expedite the passage to heaven even prayers by strangers. Others on the other hand would ask for prayers for themselves instead for their dead relatives, in order to gain better luck and prosperity. During this day which is originally considered as a new years day. People tend to reflect on the different things, words and actions that they have conducted the previous year with a promise to plan for ideas for the next year. This was done through remembering ones ancestor while thanking them for their guidance. Also it was a ritual done by Wiccan Samhain, wherein they wrote all their negative attribute or all their bad luck in a piece of paper and then burning it so that it would not happen the next year. The Jack-o-lantern was another custom that came down from the Celtics. It originated from folklore. According to it, Jack was a bad guy and a drunkard. He was drunk every night and people are afraid of him because he always does tricks on them. One day he has been able to trick Satan himself. He asked Satan to climb a tree. Since he was good in bullying and tricking other people, Satan agreed. Afterwards when Satan have finally reached the top, he carved a cross on the trunk of the tree to prevent Satan from going down of the tree. Thus, Satan was trapped in the tree and when Jack made a deal with him, Satan cannot say no. He asked the devil not to ever tempt him again and the Devil says ok. However when Jack died, he was not permitted to enter the kingdom of God because he was very sinful before. However, he was also not granted permission to go to hell because he has tricked the devil before. In able to resolve the spirits conflict, the devil handed him an ember. This was supposed to light his path through the darkness. In able for the ember to last longer than it would usually do, it was placed inside a turnip which was hollowed. So, originally, jack-o-lanterns were turnips. But since there are more pumpkins in America than turnips, they changed the design to pumpkins because it was cheaper and are more abundant. Since the devil is somehow afraid to be tricked again by Jack, a Jack-o-lantern was believed to be effective in warding off the evil spirits and even Satan himself. Other rituals and traditions that involves in the celebration of Halloween includes the lighting of torch or candles in able to ward off free lingering spirits from attempting to enter the house. In Ireland, the people would use torches and circle their house on the dawn of November 1 in able to protect the house along with the whole family and their livestock from any unfortunate events. Some even set bonfires in able to honor the Gods and Goddesses. This was also believed to be the rituals done by witches because the line or dimension between the human world and the spirit world is thinnest during the first day of November. Also, the Belgian Samhain custom also includes the preparation of tiny white cookies or cakes that are called the cakes of the dead. They prepare and eat these cakes in honor of the dead. The more you ate this cakes, the more blessed you will be, because the dead would guide you. The black and orange colors during Halloween doe not only came from pumpkins and darkness, but also have its origin in the Celtic tradition. According to them, the orange and black candles burned thought the night of Samhain would bring good luck. If the candle would be blown out, there is a ghost nearby or a ghost would be coming. Another belief concerns the moon, whereas a new moon on Samhain would mean that there are new things that would happen or that would begin. Waxing moon means that there would be an increase in growth and more luck the coming year. Full moon signifies greatest magic powers. A secret wish may come true in the coming year if it was done during the night of Samhain. A waning moon is the only time where bad luck awaits. It pertains to bad luck, bad health and many obstacles for the upcoming year. Works Cited Bonewits, I. The Real Origin of Halloween. 2006. Retrieved on October 13, 2007. Retrieved from the World Wide Web: http://www.neopagan.net/Halloween-Origins.html Bull, J. The Halloween Book. DK Children. 2000. Crystal Forest. 2005. Samhain Lore and History. Retrieved on October 13, 2007. Retrieved from the World Wide Web: http://crystalforest3.homestead.com/Samhain2.html Frazer, J. The Golden Bough. Touchstone. 1995. Panati, Charles, Extraordinary Origins of Everyday Things. Harpercollins. 1987. Wilson, Jerry. History and Customs of Halloween. 2002. Retrieved on October 13, 2007. Retrieved from the World Wide Web: http://wilstar.com/holidays/hallown.htm.

Wednesday, March 18, 2020

My First Music CD †English Composition Essay

My First Music CD – English Composition Essay Free Online Research Papers My First Music CD English Composition Essay Most of people like to listen to the music, and so do I. Since I was a student in elementary school, I have bought a lot of CDs, which amounted to 300 pieces or so. Whenever I listen to good music, I will go to the record store to buy the artists’ CDs, and most of which are Japanese CDs. Although I have so many CDs, yet there is one of them, which I treasure most. It was the present of my fifteen-year-old birthday. It was the third year in my junior high school. With a gloomy face, I was a pessimistic and taciturn boy then. I had few friends, even none of whom could be really taken as my friends. Everyday I went to school, had my lunch, and then went home alone. I did everything by myself. To me, the world was so dull until he came to my life. It was in a summer. I slipped out of the physical education class for the hot weather and went to a quiet place to rest myself. There I met Brandon. In my understanding, he was a quiet person in the class and I never talked to him before. We stayed there, looking at each other without talking. The atmosphere between us was strange and made me uneasy, so I tried to strike up a conversation with him. I first took occasion to remark that the summer this year was pretty hot. He agreed. And I went on to remark that it was really terrible to attend a class outdoors. He agreed again with a slight smile. Then the conversation really began. After some more exchang es, I knew that he liked to listen to music, too. We started to chat about this interest in music. To my surprise, just like me, he liked to listen to Japanese music. His favorite singer was Sakai Noriko, and she was also a famous actress, whose most renowned TV plays was â€Å"The Coins of Stars.† Brandon was not actually a quiet person; instead, he was a talkative person. As a result, we became very good friends, and we did almost everything with each other. I remembered on my birthday that year he gave me the CD, which was my precious thing from then on. It was a cloudy day. Brandon and I had planned that we would go shopping together on my birthday. But I thought he didn’t know it was my birthday, because I never told him the date of my birthday. In the afternoon, we rode our bicycles to Feng-shan city and did window-shopping there. I wanted to buy a CD, which title was â€Å"globe.† We searched every record stores in the Feng-shan city for the CD, but we still couldn’t find it. I was disappointed, but I had to go home for the birthday party that my parents prepared for me. Unfortunately, about the time we rode on our bicycles, it was raining. We sped for a shelter from heavy rain. When we found one, we stopped there to wait for the cease of rain. When we were waiting, from somewhere he took out something. It’ a CD! And it was the CD, â€Å"globe,† that I wanted most. Brandon gave it to me and said, à ¢â‚¬Å"Happy Birthday!† It was a surprise! He told me that he knew my birthday because he had asked other classmates, and that the CD was bought by order from Japan. It was imported from Japan! On hearing this, I was really touched, for not even one person had done so much to me before. After I went home, I copied the CD. Therefore, I could just play the copy and listen so that I would never do any damage on it. And the CD is still placed in my drawer. Now Brandon and I go to different places to study in colleges respectively, so we cannot meet each other often. Still, we are good friends, and whenever I played the CD I would recall the vivid memory about Brandon and I, who were both junior high school students at that time. Research Papers on My First Music CD - English Composition EssayHip-Hop is ArtStandardized TestingQuebec and CanadaHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows EssayWhere Wild and West MeetThe Spring and AutumnPersonal Experience with Teen PregnancyThe Fifth HorsemanEffects of Television Violence on Children19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided Era

Monday, March 2, 2020

Theodosius Dobzhansky Evolution Biography

Theodosius Dobzhansky Evolution Biography Early Life and Education Born January 24, 1900 - Died December 18, 1975 Theodosius Grygorovych Dobzhansky was born on January 24, 1900 in Nemyriv, Russia to Sophia Voinarsky and math teacher Grigory Dobzhansky. The Dobzhansky family moved to Kiev, Ukraine when Theodosius was ten years old. As an only child, Theodosius spent much of his high school years collecting butterflies and beetles and studying Biology. Theodosius Dobzhansky enrolled in the University of Kiev in 1917 and finished his studies there in 1921. He stayed and taught there until 1924 when he moved to Leningrad, Russia to study fruit flies and genetic mutations. Personal Life In August of 1924, Theodosius Dobzhansky married Natasha Sivertzeva. Theodosius met the fellow geneticist while working in Kiev where she was studying evolutionary morphology. Natashas studies led Theodosius to take more interest in the Theory of Evolution and incorporate some of those findings in his own genetics studies. The couple had only one child, a daughter named Sophie. In 1937, Theodosius became a citizen of the United States after working there for several years. Biography In 1927, Theodosius Dobzhansky accepted a fellowship from the International Educational Board of the Rockefeller Center to work and study in the United States. Dobzhansky moved to New York City to begin work at Columbia University. His work with fruit flies in Russia was expanded at Columbia where he studied in the fly room established by geneticist Thomas Hunt Morgan. When Morgans lab moved to California at the California Institute of Technology in 1930, Dobzhansky followed. It was there that Theodosius did his most famous work studying fruit flies in population cages and relating the changes that were seen in the flies to the Theory of Evolution and Charles Darwins ideas of Natural Selection. In 1937, Dobzhansky wrote his most famous book Genetics and the Origin of Species. It was the first time someone had published a book correlating the field of genetics with Charles Darwins book. Dobzhansky redefined the term evolution in genetics terms to mean a change in the frequency of an allele within a gene pool. It followed that Natural Selection was driven by mutations in a species DNA over time. This book was the catalyst for the Modern Synthesis of the Theory of Evolution. While Darwin had proposed a supposed mechanism for how Natural Selection worked and evolution happened, he was unaware of genetics since Gregor Mendel had not yet done his work with pea plants at that time. Darwin knew that traits were passed down from parents to offspring generation after generation, but he did not know the actual mechanism of how that happened. When Theodosius Dobzhansky wrote his book in 1937, much more was known about the field of Genetics, including the existence of genes and how they mutated. In 1970, Theodosius Dobzhansky published his final book Genetics and the Evolutionary Process that spanned 33 years of his work on the Modern Synthesis of the Theory of Evolution. His most enduring contribution to the Theory of Evolution was perhaps the idea that changes in species over time was not gradual and many different variations could be seen in populations at any given time. He had witnessed this countless times when studying fruit flies throughout this career. Theodosius Dobzhansky was diagnosed in 1968 with leukemia and his wife Natasha died shortly after in 1969. As his illness progressed, Theodosius retired from active teaching in 1971, but took an Emeritus Professor position at the University of California, Davis. His often quoted essay Nothing in Biology Makes Sense Except in the Light of Evolution was written after his retirement. Theodosius Dobzhansky died on December 18, 1975.