Tips for Writing a Winning College Application Essay

Tips for Writing a Winning College Application Essay Nearly all colleges rate application essays as either important or very important in their admissions process. A poorly executed essay can cause a stellar student to get rejected. On the flip side, exceptional application essays can help students with marginal scores get into the schools of their dreams. The tips below will help you win big with your essay. Also be sure to check out these tips for the 7 personal essay options on the Common Application, this ​​advice for improving your essays style, and the sample essays. Avoid the List on Your Application Essay Many college applicants make the mistake of trying to include all of their accomplishments and activities in their application essays. Such essays read like what they are: tedious lists. Other parts of the application provide plenty of space for you to list extracurricular activities, so save your lists for the places where they belong. The most engaging and compelling essays tell a story and have a clear focus. Through carefully chosen detail, your writing should reveal your passions and expose your personality. A thoughtful and detailed narration of a difficult time in your life tells far more about you than a list of competitions won and honors achieved. Your grades and scores show that you’re smart. Use your essay to show that you’re thoughtful and mature, that your personality has depth. Add a Touch of Humor   While its important to be thoughtful and mature, you dont want your college application essay to be too heavy. Try to lighten up the essay with a clever metaphor, a well-placed witticism, or a little self-deprecating humor. But dont overdo it. The essay that is filled with bad puns or off-color jokes will often end up in the rejection pile. Also, humor isnt a substitute for substance. Your primary task is to answer the essay prompt thoughtfully; the smile you bring to your readers lips is just a bonus (and a tear can sometimes be effective too). Many students have been rejected for failing to take the prompt seriously and writing essays that end up being more foolish than clever. Focus on Tone Not just humor, but the overall tone of your application essay is remarkably important. Its also difficult to get right. When you are asked to write about your accomplishments, those 750 words on how great you are can make you sound like a braggart. Be careful to balance your pride in your achievements with humility and generosity towards others. You also want to avoid sounding like a whiner use your essay to show off your skills, not to explain the injustices that lead to your low math score or failure to graduate #1 in your class. Reveal Your Character Along with the essay, most colleges rate character and personal qualities as extremely important in their admissions decisions. Your character shows up in three places on the application: the interview (if you have one), your involvement in extracurricular activities, and your essay. Of the three, the essay is the most immediate and illuminating to the admissions folks as they read through thousands of applications. Remember, colleges aren’t looking solely for straight As and high SAT scores. They are looking for good citizens for their campus communities. Mechanics Matter Grammatical problems, punctuation errors, and spelling mistakes can hurt your chance of being accepted. When excessive, these errors are distracting and make your application essay difficult to understand. Even a few errors, however, can be a strike against you. They show a lack of care and quality control in your written work, and your success in college partly depends upon strong writing skills. If English isnt your greatest strength, seek help. Ask a favorite teacher to go over the essay with you, or find a friend with strong editorial skills. If you cant find expert help, there are many online essay services that can provide a careful critique of your writing.

The Surfeit of Weird Exceptions to the I-Before-E Rule

The Surfeit of Weird Exceptions to the I-Before-E Rule The Surfeit of Weird Exceptions to the I-Before-E Rule The Surfeit of Weird Exceptions to the I-Before-E Rule By Mark Nichol In the chaos of spelling of the English language, some rules provide comfort until you realize that the number of exceptions renders a rule nearly useless as a memory aid. Such is the case with the rule that in vowel pairs, i comes before e except when the pairing follows c. The pairing ie is the default setting: Believe, die, and friend are just a few of the many words that follow the rule. However, exceptions are numerous, as exemplified in the sentence â€Å"Seize their eight feisty neighbors being weird.† And although the order after c is often ei (ceiling, deceit, receive), the order is often inverted (science, species, sufficient). To be more useful, the rule should continue, â€Å"or when pronounced like a long a, as in weigh or like a long e.† The rule that i comes before e except after c is contradicted by the fact that more than twenty times as many words have the letter sequence cie as the sequence cei, so that’s not a very useful rule. Also, the sequence ei often does not follow c. This is true in many categories of words, including the following ten groups: proper names, such as Keith chemical names like caffeine words in which ei is pronounced like a long e, such as leisure (many exceptions, such as piece) words in which ei is pronounced like a schwa (a weak â€Å"uh†), such as forfeit words in which ei is pronounced like a long a, such as weigh (this sound is never spelled ie, except in the American English pronunciation of lingerie) words in which ei is pronounced like a long i, such as height (exceptions include die) rare cases of ei pronounced, for example, like a short a, such as heifer words in which the vowel-and-consonant sound rhyming with ear is pronounced, such as weird (exceptions include pierce) words in which the vowel-and-consonant sound rhyming with heir is pronounced, such as their (this sound is never spelled ier) words in which e and i are each part of a separate syllable (albeit, being, reignite) Ultimately, it may be wise to forget that such a rule exists and always check spelling of words that may have an ie or an ei combination. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Spelling category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:60 Synonyms for â€Å"Walk†Telling a Good Poem from a Bad OneMood vs. Tense

The Advantages of Homlessness Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Advantages of Homlessness - Essay Example The freedom that a homeless person would have from these bills would be unimaginable to some. There would be a great deal of financial freedom if one were homeless, but one would need to consider as well where they could find shelter in the event of bad weather conditions. I would not choose to be homeless due to this reason. One would replace the worry of constant bill paying with the worry of finding safe and adequate shelter, sometimes on short notice. In addition, if one has children, being homeless is simply not a viable option. Children require stability and protection. The choice to be homeless would need to be made by adults with no children involved. I feel that personally, I would not be comfortable with the uncertainty of homelessness, the not being able to call the place my own. I would prefer to be a slave to work as it is then a slave to freedom. Freedom comes a price. If I had the power, however, to make and execute a social policy which would bring equality between classes, I would develop a policy that ensured essentially equal provisions for all. I would first implement a system that provided socialized health care for each and every individual who needed it. It would also provide for housing to any person or persons who needed or wanted to house. There would be no such thing as forced homelessness. If individuals chose to be homeless, there would be shelters established simply for their need for temporary shelter.   No one would be turned away at any time unless they were not following rules or laws. The rules would be simply to respect others at all times and no illegal activities.

Promotion and Place Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Promotion and Place - Essay Example the new outfit that’s all the rage, a purchase that will satisfy our safety needs by providing adequate clothing as well as our belonging needs by identifying us as belonging to a certain group and our esteem needs by providing us with a symbol of our current status in society. Using this theory, advertisers have learned how to capitalize on these needs to maximize their own sales. Examples of these ideas can best be illustrated by taking a look at two purchases made recently and the motivations for selecting the items and brands that were bought. The purchase of a computer might be considered by some to be a luxury purchase because it does not directly address any of Maslow’s needs. It does not feed us, clothe us, provide us with additional security or indicate we belong to any specific group. However, if I wanted to succeed in school, I needed to have a computer on which to do my homework and to help me study. This first purchase was a major purchase because it required me to spend a great deal of my savings on one item and therefore threatened my ability to meet some of my other needs, for instance, whether I would have enough money left over for groceries for the rest of the semester. That a computer was required for the successful completion of my academic career was, in part, the fulfillment of my safety needs because it will eventually provide me with the degree I need to obtain better employment and a secure future. The decision to buy an Apple computer was based on a series of television commercials that led m e to believe the Apple was a better purchase than a PC. These commercials feature two men representing each type of computer, each demonstrating different ways in which the Apple is better than the PC. By indicating that the Apple is less susceptible to spyware and computer breakdowns, these commercials appealed to my safety needs by indicating that my personal information would remain private and that my work would probably not get lost

Mineral Physical Properties Essay Example for Free

Mineral Physical Properties Essay A mineral refers to an inorganic element or compound that is naturally occurring in a solid state and has a specific chemical composition and a regular, internal crystalline structure. A mineral has a highly ordered structure and particular physical properties. Some of the varying physical characteristics of mineral include color, lustre and habit. Color is the first physical property of minerals that varies between same mineral. Color is an apparent aspect in minerals but it proves unreliable in identifying minerals. It occurs due to the minerals light absorbing and reflecting properties. The variability of color between the samples of the same mineral exists because color mainly comes about as a result of electronic alterations. For instance, quartz is found in different colors such as black, white, purple, pink, blue or clear. It is observable that completely varying materials may have the similar color. Secondly, lustre is a mineral physical property that varies among the same mineral. This refers to the amount of light that it reflects from its surface. A mineral may appear differently depending on the quality, intensity or quantity of light that it reflects. The mineral for instance may appear metallic or sub metallic or may appear splendent, shining or dull. Finally, the habit is another varying physical property. It refers to the crystal’s shape of the mineral. The habit is usually shaped by the conditions under which the metal grew. It is common for a mineral to have many varying habits. The habit of a mineral may be described as the habit of crystals or the habit of crystal aggregates (Ernest, 1995). Conclusion Mineral physical property can be relied on during identification of mineral. However, certain physical properties show a range of characteristics making them less reliable in the identification process. Reference Ernest, Nickel. (1995). Mineral Resources: The Definition and Properties of a Mineral. New York: Hill and Wang.

Gaia: Argument over a single word Essay -- Essays Papers

Gaia: Argument over a single word THESIS: Life on earth has been considered by some as a purposeful interaction tending toward ecological stability. However, when the scientific community led by James Lovelock tried to match this concept with science, it was (and continues to be) a dilemma. Introduction Whenever one hears the word Gaia, he or she will also hear life, goddess, purpose, ecology, and undoubtedly controversy. Not many topics have provoked more controversy among the scientific community than the idea that the atmosphere, biosphere, and its living organisms behave as a single system, striving to maintain a stability that is conducive to the existence of life—the so-called Gaia theory or Gaia hypothesis. The main controversy lies in the fact that the name Gaia comes from an ancient Greek goddess (Mother Earth). Since Gaia’s origins, it seems as if she was the most venerated among the Greek gods: "Free of birth or destruction, of time or space, form or condition, is the Void. From the eternal Void, Gaia danced forth and rolled herself into a spinning ball. She molded mountains along her spine, valleys in the hollows of her flesh. Unceasingly the Earth Mother manifested gifts on her surface and accepted the death into her body. In return, she was revered by all mortals. From within the darkness of her secrets, Gaia received their gifts" (Spretnak 47-48). The powerful magnet of the theory is that Gaia is a simple four-letter word that implies feminism and ecology, two aspects that do not fit in rational science. Had the proponents called the theory "A cybernetic system with homeostatic tendencies as detected by chemical anomalies in the earth’s atmosphere—as Lovelock intended to call it," the idea may not ha... ...cated matters (as Gaia) throughout history, and the human race has been able to decide whether or not using them is a good technique. There are truths to be discovered and ways of explaining them to be deployed. "Humans are not the center of the universe. Nor is any other species." Lynn Margulis Works Cited Bjornerud Marcia. "Gaia-Gender and Scientific Representations of the Earth [Part 1 of 2]" {Contemporary Women's Database} Sep. 1997: 96-106. Linden, Eugene. "Ideas: How the Earth Maintains Life an Intriguing Scientific Theory Continues to Win Adherents." {Time} 13 Nov. 1989: 114. Lutzenberg, Jose. "Gaia's Fever." {The Ecologist} Mar.-Apr. 1999: 59. Margulis, Lynn. "Life on Earth Doesn't Need Us." {Independent} 02 Sep. 1998: 5. Spretnak, Charlene. {Lost Goddesses of Early Greece: A Collection of Pre-Hellenic Myths}. Boston: Beacon Press, 1984.

The Vampire Diaries: The Awakening Chapter Fourteen

Elena felt her flesh creep at the words. â€Å"You don't mean that,† she said shakily. She remembered what she had seen on the roof, the blood smeared on Stefan's lips, and she forced herself not to recoil from him. â€Å"Stefan, I know you. You couldn't have done that†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He ignored her protestations, just went on staring with eyes that burned like the green ice at the bottom of a glacier. He was looking through her, into some incomprehensible distance. â€Å"As I lay in bed that night, I hoped against hope that she would come. Already I was noticing some of the changes in myself. I could see better in the dark; it seemed I could hear better. I felt stronger than ever before, full of some elemental energy. And I was hungry. â€Å"It was a hunger I had never imagined. At dinner I found that ordinary food and drink did nothing to satisfy it. I couldn't understand that. And then I saw the white neck of one of the serving girls, and I knew why.† He drew a long breath, his eyes dark and tortured. â€Å"That night, I resisted the need, though it took all my will. I was thinking of Katherine, and praying she would come to me. Praying!† He gave a short laugh. â€Å"If a creature like me can pray.† Elena's fingers were numb within his grasp, but she tried to tighten them, to send him reassurance. â€Å"Go on, Stefan.† He had no trouble speaking now. He seemed almost to have forgotten her presence, as if he were telling this story to himself. â€Å"The next morning the need was stronger. It was as if my own veins were dry and cracked, desperate for moisture. I knew that I couldn't stand it for long. â€Å"I went to Katherine's chambers. I meant to ask her, to plead with her-† His voice cracked. He paused and then went on. â€Å"But Damon was there already, waiting outside her rooms. I could see thathe hadn't resisted the need. The glow of his skin, the spring in his step, told me that. He looked as smug as the cat who's had the cream. â€Å"But he hadn't had Katherine. ‘Knock all you like,' he said to me, ‘but the female dragon inside won't let you past. I've tried already. Shall we overpower her, you and I?' â€Å"I wouldn't answer him. The look on his face, that sly, self-satisfied look, repelled me. I pounded on that door to wake†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He faltered, and then gave another humorless laugh. â€Å"I was going to say, ‘to wake the dead.' But the dead aren't so hard to wake after all, are they?† After a moment, he went on. â€Å"The maid, Gudren, opened the door. She had a face like a flat white plate, and eyes like black glass. I asked her if I could see her mistress. I expected to be told that Katherine was asleep, but instead Gudren just looked at me, then at Damon over my shoulder. † ‘I would not tellhim ,' she said at last, ‘but I will tell you. My lady Katerina is not within. She went out early this morning, to walk in the gardens. She said she had much need of thought.' â€Å"I was surprised. ‘Early this morning?' I said. † ‘Yes,' she replied. She looked at both Damon and me without liking. ‘My mistress was very unhappy last night,' she said meaningfully. ‘All night long, she wept.' â€Å"When she said that, a strange feeling came over me. It wasn't just shame and grief that Katherine should be so unhappy. It was fear. I forgot my hunger and weakness. I even forgot my enmity for Damon. I was filled with haste and a great driving urgency. I turned to Damon and told him that we had to find Katherine, and to my surprise he just nodded. â€Å"We began to search the gardens, calling Katherine's name. I remember just what everything looked like that day. The sun was shining on the high cypress trees and the pines in the garden. Damon and I hurried between them, moving more and more quickly, and calling. We kept calling her†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Elena could feel the tremors in Stefan's body, communicated to her through his tightly gripping fingers. He was breathing rapidly but shallowly. â€Å"We had almost reached the end of the gardens when I remembered a place that Katherine had loved. It was a little way out onto the grounds, a low wall beside a lemon tree. I started there, shouting for her. But as I got closer, I stopped shouting. I felt†¦ a fear-a terrible premonition. And I knew I mustn't-mustn't go-† â€Å"Stefan!† said Elena. He was hurting her, his fingers biting into her own, crushing them. The tremors racing through his body were growing, becoming shudders. â€Å"Stefan, please!† But he gave no sign that he heard her. â€Å"It was like-a nightmare-everything happening so slowly. I couldn't move-and yet I had to. I had to keep walking. With each step, the fear grew stronger. I could smell it. A smell like burned fat. I mustn't go there-I don't want to see it-† His voice had become high and urgent, his breath coming in gasps. His eyes were wide and dilated, like a terrified child's. Elena gripped his viselike fingers with her other hand, enfolding them completely. â€Å"Stefan, it's all right. You're not there. You're here with me.† â€Å"I don't want to see it-but I can't help it. There's something white. Something white under the tree. Don't make me look at it!† â€Å"Stefan, Stefan, look at me!† He was beyond hearing. His words came in heaving spasms, as if he could not control them, could not get them out fast enough. â€Å"I can't go any closer-but I do. I see the tree, the wall. And that white. Behind the tree. White with gold underneath. And then I know, I know, and I'm moving toward it because it's her dress. Katherine's white dress. And I get around the tree and I see it on the ground and it's true. It's Katherine's dress,†-his voice rose and broke in unimaginable horror-â€Å"but Katherine isn't in it.† Elena felt a chill, as if her body had been plunged into ice water. Her skin rose in goose-flesh, and she tried to speak to him but couldn't. He was rattling on as if he could keep the terror away if he kept on talking. â€Å"Katherine isn't there, so maybe it's all a joke, but her dress is on the ground and it's full of ashes. Like the ashes in the hearth, just like that, only these smell of burned flesh. They stink. The smell is making me sick and faint. Beside the sleeve of the dress is a piece of parchment. And on a rock, on a rock a little way away is a ring. A ring with a blue stone, Katherine's ring. Katherine's ring†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Suddenly, he called out in a terrible voice, â€Å"Katherine, what have youdone ?† Then he fell to his knees, releasing Elena's fingers at last, to bury his face in his hands. Elena held him as he was gripped by wracking sobs. She held his shoulders, pulling him to her lap. â€Å"Katherine took the ring off,† she whispered. It was not a question. â€Å"She exposed herself to the sun.† His harsh sobs went on and on, as she held him to the full skirts of the blue gown, stroking his quivering shoulders. She murmured nonsense meant to soothe him, pushing away her own horror. And, presently, he quieted and lifted his head. He spoke thickly, but he seemed to have returned to the present, to have come back. â€Å"The parchment was a note, for me and for Damon. It said she had been selfish, wanting to have both of us. It said-she couldn't bear to be the cause of strife between us. She hoped that once she was gone we would no longer hate each other. She did it to bring us together.† â€Å"Oh, Stefan,† whispered Elena. She felt burning tears fill her own eyes in sympathy. â€Å"Oh, Stefan, I'm so sorry. But don't you see, after all this time, that what Katherine did was wrong? It was selfish, even, and it washer choice. In a way, it had nothing to do with you, or with Damon.† Stefan shook his head as if to shake off the truth of the words. â€Å"She gave her life†¦ for that. We killed her.† He was sitting up now. But his eyes were still dilated, great disks of black, and he had the look of a small bewildered boy. â€Å"Damon came up behind me. He took the note and read it. And then-I think he went mad. We were both mad. I had picked up Katherine's ring, and he tried to take it. He shouldn't have. We struggled. We said terrible things to each other. We each blamed the other for what had happened. I don't remember how we got back to the house, but suddenly I had my sword. We were fighting. I wanted to destroy that arrogant face forever, to kill him. I remember my father shouting from the house. We fought harder, to finish it before he reached us. â€Å"And we were well matched. But Damon had always been stronger, and that day he seemed faster, too, as if he had changed more than I had. And so while my father was still shouting from the window I felt Damon's blade get past my guard. Then I felt it enter my heart.† Elena stared, aghast, but he went on without pause. â€Å"I felt the pain of the steel, I felt it stab through me, deep, deep inside. All the way through, a hard thrust. And then the strength poured out of me and I fell. I lay there on the paved ground.† He looked up at Elena and finished simply, â€Å"And that is how†¦ I died.† Elena sat frozen, as if the ice she'd felt in her chest earlier tonight had flooded out and trapped her. â€Å"Damon came and stood over me and bent down. I could hear my father's cries from far away, and screams from the household, but all I could see was Damon's face. Those black eyes that were like a moonless night. I wanted to hurt him for what he had done to me. For everything he had done to me, and to Katherine.† Stefan was quiet a moment, and then he said, almost dreamily, â€Å"And so I lifted my sword and I killed him. With the last of my strength, I stabbed my brother through the heart.† The storm had moved on, and through the broken window Elena could hear soft night noises, the chirp of crickets, the wind sifting through trees. In Stefan's room, it was very still. â€Å"I knew nothing more until I woke up in my tomb,† said Stefan. He leaned back, away from her, and shut his eyes. His face was pinched and weary, but that awful childlike dreaminess was gone. â€Å"Both Damon and I had had just enough of Katherine's blood to keep us from truly dying. Instead we changed. We woke together in our tomb, dressed in our best clothing, laid on slabs side by side. We were too weak to hurt each other anymore; the blood had been just barely enough. And we were confused. I called to Damon, but he ran outside into the night. â€Å"Fortunately, we had been buried with the rings Katherine had given us. And I found her ring in my pocket.† As if unconsciously, Stefan reached up to stroke the golden circlet. â€Å"I suppose they thought she had given it to me. â€Å"I tried to go home. That was stupid. The servants screamed at the sight of me and ran to fetch a priest. I ran, too. Into the only place where I was safe, into the dark. â€Å"And that is where I've stayed ever since. It's where I belong, Elena. I killed Katherine with my pride and my jealousy, and I killed Damon with my hatred. But I did worse than kill my brother. I damned him. â€Å"If he hadn't died then, with Katherine's blood so strong in his veins, he would have had a chance. In time the blood would have grown weaker, and then passed away. He would have become a normal human again. By killing him then, I condemned him to live in the night. I took away his only chance of salvation.† Stefan laughed bitterly. â€Å"Do you know what the name Salvatore means in Italian, Elena? It means salvation, savior. I'm named that, and for St. Stephen, the first Christian martyr. And I damned my brother to hell.† â€Å"No,† said Elena. And then, in a stronger voice, she said, â€Å"No, Stefan. He damned himself. He killedyou . But what happened to him after that?† â€Å"For a while he joined one of the Free Companies, ruthless mercenaries whose business was to rob and plunder. He wandered across the country with them, fighting and drinking the blood of his victims. â€Å"I was living beyond the city gates by then, half starved, preying on animals, an animal myself. For a long time, I heard nothing about Damon. Then one day I heard his voice in my mind. â€Å"He was stronger than I, because he was drinking human blood. And killing. Humans have the strongest life essence, and their blood gives power. And when they're killed, somehow the life essence they give is strongest of all. It's as if in those last moments of terror and struggle the soul is the most vibrant. Because Damon killed humans, he was able to draw on the Powers more than I was.† â€Å"What†¦ powers?† said Elena. A thought was growing in her mind. â€Å"Strength, as you said, and quickness. A sharpening of all the senses, especially at night. Those are the basics. We can also†¦ feel minds. We can sense their presence, and sometimes the nature of their thoughts. We can cast confusion about weaker minds, either to overwhelm them or to bend them to our will. There are others. With enough human blood we can change our shapes, become animals. And the more you kill, the stronger all the Powers become.† â€Å"Damon's voice in my mind was very strong. He said he was now the condottieri of his own ‘ company and he was coming back to Florence. He said that if I was there when he arrived he would kill me. I believed him, and I left. I've seen him once or twice since then. The threat is always the same, and he's always more powerful. Damon's made the most of his nature, and he seems to glory in its darkest side.† â€Å"But it's my nature, too. The same darkness is inside me. I thought that I could conquer it, but I was wrong. That's why I came here, to Fell's Church. I thought if I settled in some small town, far away from the old memories, I might escape the darkness. And instead, tonight, I killed a man.† † No,† said Elena forcefully. â€Å"I don't believe that, Stefan.† His story had filled her with horror and pity†¦ and fear, too. She admitted that. But her disgust had vanished, and there was one thing she was sure about. Stefan wasn't a murderer. â€Å"What happened tonight, Stefan? Did you argue with Tanner?† â€Å"I†¦ don't remember,† he said bleakly. â€Å"I used the Power to persuade him to do what you wanted. Then I left. But later I felt the dizziness and the weakness come over me. Asit has before.† He looked up at her directly. â€Å"The last time it happened was in the cemetery, right by the church, the night Vickie Bennett was attacked.† â€Å"But you didn't do that. Youcouldn't have done that†¦ Stefan?† â€Å"I don't know,† he said harshly. â€Å"What other explanation is there? And I did take blood from the old man under the bridge, that night you girls ran away from the graveyard. I would have sworn I didn't take enough to harm him, but he almost died. And I was there when both Vickie and Tanner were attacked.† â€Å"But you don't remember attacking them,† said Elena, relieved. The idea that had been growing in her mind was now almost a certainty. â€Å"What difference does it make? Who else could have done it, if not me?† â€Å"Damon,† said Elena. He flinched, and she saw his shoulders tighten again. â€Å"It's a nice thought. I hoped at first that there might be some explanation like that. That it might be someone else, someone like my brother. But I've searched with my mind and found nothing, no other presence. The simplest explanation is that I'm the killer.† â€Å"No,† said Elena, â€Å"you don't understand. I don't just mean that someone like Damon might do the things we've seen. I mean Damon is here, in Fell's Church. I've seen him.† Stefan just stared at her. â€Å"It must be him,† Elena said, taking a deep breath. â€Å"I've seen him twice now, maybe three times. Stefan, you just told me a long story, and now I've got one to tell you.† As quickly and simply as she could, she told him about what had happened in the gym, and at Bonnie's house. His lips tightened into a white line as she told him how Damon had tried to kiss her. Her cheeks grew hot as she remembered her own response, how she had almost given in to him. But she told Stefan everything. About the crow, too, and all the other strange things that had happened since she had come home from France. â€Å"And, Stefan, I think Damon was at the Haunted House tonight,† she finished. â€Å"Just after you felt dizzy in the front room, someone passed me. He was dressed up like-like Death, in black robes and a hood, and I couldn't see his face. But something about the way he moved was familiar. It was him, Stefan. Damon was there.† â€Å"But that still wouldn't explain the other times. Vickie and the old man. Idid take blood from the old man.† Stefan's face was taut, as if he were almost afraid to hope. â€Å"But you said yourself you didn't take enough to harm him. Stefan, who knows what happened to that man after you left? Wouldn't it be the easiest thing in the world for Damon to attack him then? Especially if Damon's been spying on you all along, maybe in some other form†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Like a crow,† murmured Stefan. â€Å"Like a crow. And as for Vickie†¦ Stefan, you said that you can cast confusion over weaker minds, overpower them. Couldn't that be what Damon was doing to you? Overpowering your mind as you can overpower a human's?† â€Å"Yes, and shielding his presence from me.† There was mounting excitement in Stefan's voice. â€Å"That's why he hasn't answered my calls. He wanted-† â€Å"He wanted just what's happened to happen. He wanted you to doubt yourself, to think you were a killer.But it isn't true, Stefan . Oh, Stefan, you know that now, and you don't have to be afraid anymore.† She stood up, feeling joy and relief course through her. Out of this hideous night, something wonderful had come. â€Å"That's why you've been so distant with me, isn't it?† she said, holding out her hands to him. â€Å"Because you're afraid of what you might do. But there's no need for that any longer.† â€Å"Isn't there ?† He was breathing quickly again, and he eyed her outstretched hands as if they were two snakes. â€Å"You think there's no reason to be afraid? Damon may have attacked those people, but he doesn't control my thoughts. And you don't know what I've thought about you.† Elena kept her voice level. â€Å"You don't want to hurt me,† she said positively. â€Å"No? There have been times, watching you in public, when I could scarcely bear not to touch you. When I was so tempted by your white throat, your little white throat with the faint blue veins beneath the skin†¦Ã¢â‚¬  His eyes were fixed on her neck in a way that reminded her of Damon's eyes, and she felt her heartbeat step up. â€Å"Times when I thought I would grab you and force you right there in the school.† â€Å"There's no need to force me,† said Elena. She could feel her pulse everywhere now; in her wrists and the inside of her elbows-and in her throat. â€Å"I've made my decision, Stefan,† she said softly, holding his eyes. â€Å"I want to.† He swallowed thickly. â€Å"You don't know what you're asking for.† â€Å"I think Ido . You told me how it was with Katherine, Stefan. I want it to be like that with us. I don't mean I want you to change me. But we can share a little without that happening, can't we? I know,† she added, even more softly, â€Å"how much you loved Katherine. But she's gone now, and I'm here. And I love you, Stefan. I want to be with you.† â€Å"You don't know what you're talking about!† He was standing rigid, his face furious, his eyes anguished. â€Å"If I once let go, what's tokeep me from changing you, or killing you? The passion is stronger than you can imagine. Don't you understand yet what I am, what I can do?† She stood there and looked at him quietly, her chin raised slightly. It seemed to enrage him. â€Å"Haven't you seen enough yet? Or do I have to show you more? Can't you picture what I might do to you?† He strode over to the cold fireplace and snatched out a long piece of wood, thicker than both Elena's wrists together. With one motion, he snapped it in two like a match stick. â€Å"Yourfragile bones,† he said. Across the room was a pillow from the bed; he caught it up and with a slash of his nails left the silk cover in ribbons. â€Å"Yoursoft skin.† Then he moved toward Elena with preternatural quickness; he was there and had hold of her shoulders before she knew what was happening. He scared into her face a moment, then, with a savage hiss that raised the hairs at the nape of her neck, drew his lips back. It was the same snarl she'd seen on the roof, those white teeth bared, the canines grown to unbelievable length and sharpness. They were the fangs of a predator, a hunter. â€Å"Your white neck,† he said in a distorted voice. Elena stood paralyzed another instant, gazing as if compelled into that chilling visage, and then something deep in her unconscious took over. She reached up within the restraining circle of his arms and caught his face between her two hands. His cheeks were cool against her palms. She held him that way, softly, so softly, as if to reprove his hard grip on her bare shoulders. And she saw the confusion slowly come to his face, as he realized she was not doing it to fight him or to shove him away. Elena waited until that confusion reached his eyes, shattering his gaze, becoming almost a look of pleading. She knew that her own face was fearless, soft yet intense, her lips slightly parted. They were both breathing quickly now, together, in rhythm. Elena could feel it when he started to shake, trembling as he had when the memories of Katherine had become too much to bear. Then, very gently and deliberately, she drew that snarling mouth down to her own. He tried to oppose her. But her gentleness was stronger than all his inhuman strength. She shut her eyes and thought only of Stefan, not of the dreadful things she had learned tonight but of Stefan, who had stroked her hair as lightly as if she might break in his hands. She thought of that, and she kissed the predatory mouth that had threatened her a few minutes ago. She felt the change, the transformation in his mouth as he yielded, responding helplessly to her, meeting her soft kisses with equal softness. She felt the shudder go through Stefan's body as the hard grip on her shoulders softened, too, becoming an embrace. And she knew she'd won. â€Å"You will never hurt me,† she whispered. It was as if they were kissing away all the fear and desolation and loneliness inside them. Elena felt passion surge through her like summer lightning, and she could sense the answering passion in Stefan. But infusing everything else was a gentleness almost frightening in its intensity. There was no need for haste or roughness, Elena thought as Stefan gently guided her to sit down. Gradually, the kisses grew more urgent, and Elena felt the summer lightning flicker all through her body, charging it, making her heart pound and her breath catch. It made her feel strangely soft and dizzy, made her shut her eyes and let her head fall back in abandon. It's time, Stefan, she thought. And, very gently, she drew his mouth down again, this time to her throat. She felt his lips graze her skin, felt his breath warm and cool at once. Then she felt the sharp sting. But the pain faded almost instantly. It was replaced by a feeling of pleasure that made her tremble. A great rushing sweetness filled her, flowing through her to Stefan. At last she found herself gazing into his face, into a face that at last had no barriers against her, no walls. And the look she saw there made her feel weak. â€Å"Do you trust me?† he whispered. And when she simply nodded, he held her eyes and reached for something beside the bed. It was the dagger. She regarded it without fear, and then fixed her eyes again on his face. He never looked away from her as he unsheathed it and made a small cut at the base of his throat. Elena looked at it wide-eyed, at the blood as bright as holly berries, but when he urged her forward she did not try to resist him. Afterward he just held her a long time, while the crickets outside made their music. Finally, he stirred. â€Å"I wish you could stay here,† he whispered. â€Å"I wish you could stay forever. But you can't.† â€Å"I know,† she said, equally quiet. Their eyes met again in silent communion. There was so much to say, so many reasons to be together. â€Å"Tomorrow,† she said. Then, leaning against his shoulder, she whispered, â€Å"Whatever happens, Stefan, I'll be with you. Tell me you believe that.† His voice was hushed, muffled in her hair. â€Å"Oh, Elena, I believe it. Whatever happens, we'll be together.†

Defined the Three Different Types of Breach of Contract Essay

In Contracts there are many terms used that sometimes may get confusing. Other times it is hard to tell which words mean what and how to use them properly in a sentence; the word condition being one of them. There are so many uses for the word and it may be used as a form to explain more in-depth in a contract, so that there is no confusion, or questions asked in what was meant by in a statement. Conditioned is defined in a contact as a future uncertained event that creates or destroys rights and obligations. A condition is a contact clause that modifies the basic agreements between the parties. Conditions can be complexed as â€Å"if you do this†¦, I’ll do that†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . There are different types of conditions, including implied, express, condition precedent and condition subsequent. It is legal and very common for contracts to have conditions. A condition can modify or rescind a contract. Conditions can also be based on certain action either of the parties themselves or some other outside action. A contract with no condition is â€Å"I promise to pay you $2,000 for your car†. A contract with a condition is â€Å"I promise to pay you $2,000 for your car, if a mechanic certifies it has no major mechanical problems. How can you tell if a contact has a condition you may ask, well its very simple, if the statements requires action to be taken for the contract to be enforced. An implied contract is one that is not stated in the contract and an expressed contract is one that is stated.

Conjugating the Verb Fare in Italian

Conjugating the Verb Fare in Italian The number of times that we talk about doing something or making something is plentiful, which makes â€Å"fare†, the verb that represents those two definitions, a must-know. Use this article to learn how to conjugate it in all of its tenses and read the examples so you can get an idea of how to use it. This is especially important because â€Å"fare† is one of those verbs in Italian that don’t translate well into English. There are lots of idiomatic expressions with it, so make sure to look out for those. Some Definitions of â€Å"Fare† Include To doTo makeTo act (like)To performTo create What to Know About â€Å"Fare† It’s an irregular verb, so it doesn’t follow the typical -ere verb ending pattern.It can be both a transitive verb, which takes a direct object  and an intransitive verb, which does not take one when conjugated with the auxiliary verb â€Å"avere†.The infinito is â€Å"fare†.The participio passato is â€Å"fatto†.The gerund form is â€Å"facendo†.The past gerund form is â€Å"avendo fatto†. INDICATIVO/INDICATIVE Il presente io faccio noi facciamo tu fai voi fate lui, lei, Lei fa Essi, Loro fanno Esempi: Hai gi fatto colazione? - Have you already had breakfast?Che fai? - What are you doing? Il passato prossimo io ho fatto noi abbiamo fatto tu hai fatto voi avete fatto lui, lei, Lei, ha fatto loro, Loro hanno fatto Esempi: Che hai fatto di bello oggi? - What were you up to today?Facciamo una pausa, va bene? - Let’s take a break, okay? L’imperfetto io facevo noi facevamo tu facevi voi facevate lui, lei, Lei faceva loro, Loro facevano Esempi: Quando li ho chiamati, facevano una passeggiata.  - When I called them, they were taking a walk.Facevano sempre quello che volevano. - They always used to do what they wanted. Il trapassato prossimo io avevo fatto noi avevamo fatto tu avevi fatto voi avevate fatto lui, lei, Lei aveva fatto loro, Loro avevano fatto Esempi: Lei voleva andare in Italia, come avevamo fatto due anni fa. - She wanted to go to Italy, like we had done two years ago.Non mi ricordavo quello che avevo detto o fatto. - I didn’t remember what I said or did. Il passato remoto io feci noi facemmo tu facesti voi faceste lui, lei, Lei fece loro, essi fecero Esempi: Quell’anno John Lennon fece un regalo a Yoko Ono, penso che fosse un quadro. - John Lennon gave a gift to Yoko Ono that year, I think it was a painting.Fecero davvero un bel lavoro. - They really did a great job! Il trapassato remoto io ebbi fatto noi avemmo fatto tu avesti fatto voi aveste fatto lui, lei, Lei ebbe fatto loro, essi ebbero fatto TIP: This tense is rarely used, so don’t worry too much about mastering it. You’ll find it in very sophisticated writing. Il futuro semplice io farà ² noi faremo tu farai voi farete lui, lei, Lei far loro, essi faranno Esempi: Che faremo domani?   - What will be doing tomorrow?Chiss cosa far Giulia adesso. - Who knows what Giulia is doing right now. Il futuro anteriore io avrà ² fatto noi avremo fatto tu avrai fatto voi avrete fatto lui, lei, Lei avr fatto loro, essi avranno fatto Esempi: Non appena avrà ² fatto una chiamata, verrà ² da te. - As soon as I have made a phone call, I’ll come over.Hai sentito il suo accento? Avr fatto molto pratica per essere ad un livello cosà ¬ alto.- Did you hear her accent? She must have practiced a lot to be at that high of a level. CONGIUNTIVO/SUBJUNCTIVE Il presente che io faccia che noi facciamo che tu faccia che voi facciate che lui, lei, Lei faccia che loro, essi facciano Esempi: Prima che tu faccia i compiti, andiamo in piscina per una bella nuotata. - Before you do your homework, let’s go to the pool for a nice swim.Possono restare a condizione che facciano la spesa, non ci aiutano mai! - They can stay as long as they do the grocery shopping, they never help us! Il passato io abbia fatto noi abbiamo fatto tu abbia fatto voi abbiate fatto lui, lei, Lei abbia fatto loro, essi abbiano fatto Esempi: È possible che lui abbia gi fatto le valigie e preso l’aereo. - It’s possible that he already packed his bags and got on the plane.Non penso che lei abbia fatto i compiti. - I don’t think she’s done her homework. L’imperfetto io facessi noi facessimo tu facessi voi faceste lui, lei, Lei facesse loro, essi facessero Esempi: Benchà © facessi colazione, avevo ancora fame! - Even though I had already had breakfast, I was still hungry!Sembrava che lui facesse male. - It seemed like he was hurt. Il trapassato prossimo io avessi fatto noi avessimo fatto tu avessi fatto voi aveste fatto lui, lei, Lei avesse fatto loro, Loro avessero fatto Esempi: Non credevo lo avessi fatto tu! - I couldn’t have believed you had made it!Pensavo che avessero fatto la raccolta fondi il mese scorso. - I thought they had the fundraising last month. CONDIZIONALE/CONDITIONAL Il presente io farei noi faremmo tu faresti voi fareste lui, lei, Lei farebbe loro, Loro farebbero Esempi: Non farebbe mai un viaggio in Europa, ha paura di volare! - He would never take a trip to Europe, he’s scared to fly!Che cosa faresti se fossi in me? - What would you do if you were me? Il passato io avrei fatto noi avremmo fatto tu avresti fatto voi avreste fatto lui, lei, Lei avrebbe fatto loro, Loro avrebbero fatto Avrei fatto qualsiasi cosa per essere stato là ¬ con lei. - I would have done anything to have been there for her.Avremmo fatto i compiti se avessimo saputo che cercare un lavoro sarebbe stato cosà ¬ difficile. - We would have done our homework if we had known that finding work would be so difficult.

Working With Windows Registry From Delphi Applications

Working With Windows Registry From Delphi Applications The Registry is simply a database that an application can use to store and retrieve configuration information (last window size and position, user options and information or any other configuration data). Registry also contains information about Windows (95/98/NT) and about your Windows configuration. The Registry database is stored as a binary file. To find it, run regedit.exe (Windows registry editor utility) in your Windows directory. You will see that information in Registry is organized in a similar way to Windows Explorer. We can use regedit.exe to view registry information, change it or to add some information to it. It is obvious that modifications of the registry database could lead to a ​system crash (of course if you dont know what you are doing). INI vs. Registry It is probably very well known that in the days of Windows 3.xx INI files were a popular way of storing application information and other user-configurable settings. The most terrifying aspect of INI files is that they are just text files that the user can easily edit (change or even delete them). In 32-bit Windows Microsoft recommends using Registry to store the type of information that you would normally place in INI files (users are less likely to alter registry entries). Delphi  provides full support for changing entries in the Windows System Registry: via the TRegIniFile class (same basic interface as the TIniFile class for users of INI files with Delphi 1.0) and TRegistry class (low-level wrapper for the Windows registry and functions that operate on the registry). Simple Tip: Writing to the Registry As mentioned before in this article, basic registry operations (using code manipulation) are reading information from ​Registry and writing information to the database. Next piece of code will change the Windows wallpaper and disable the screen saver using TRegistry class. Before we can use TRegistry we have to add Registry unit to the uses clause at the top of source-code. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~uses registry;procedure TForm1.FormCreate(Sender: TObject) ;varreg:TRegistry;beginreg:TRegistry.Create;with reg do begintryif OpenKey(\Control Panel\desktop, False) then begin//change wallpaper and tile itreg.WriteString (Wallpaper,c:\windows\CIRCLES.bmp) ;reg.WriteString (TileWallpaper,1) ;//disable screen saver//(0disable, 1enable)reg.WriteString(ScreenSaveActive,0) ;//update changes immediatelySystemParametersInfo (SPI_SETDESKWALLPAPER,0, nil,SPIF_SENDWININICHANGE) ;SystemParametersInfo (SPI_SETSCREENSAVEACTIVE,0, nil,SPIF_SENDWININICHANGE) ;endfinallyreg.Free;end;end;end;~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Those two lines of code that start with SystemParametersInfo ... force Windows to update the wallpaper and screen saver information immediately. When you run your application, youll see the Windows wallpaper bitmap change to the Circles.bmp image that is, if you have circles.bmp image in your Windows directory. (Note: your screen saver is now disabled.)

Australian rural and remote nursing (scope of nursing practice) Essay

Australian rural and remote nursing (scope of nursing practice) - Essay Example This paper is being carried out in order to establish a thorough and clear understanding of the subject matter. The main goal of government and legislative agencies, including the QNC, RCNA, and the NSW Nursing Registration Boards is to ensure that the public receives safe and adequate nursing and health services. Jacobs, (2007, p. 14) emphasizes that â€Å"differences in class, gender, personal experiences, values and beliefs have caused gulfs within nursing throughout its history, and no less than in the political, educational and regulatory development of advanced practice†. In the global setting disparities in the delivery of nursing care has been evident between countries, and even between territories within countries themselves. This is also apparent in Australia where the rural and the urban settings have different applications of nursing practice. Most countries have considered different legal standards and it has been declared that no one size fits all. Nevertheless, healthcare delivery is the responsibility of all states and territories, and majority of such responsibility fa lls on the federal governments. In effect, most states can be manipulated by the amount of money released by the federal government (Gardner, 2005, p. 382). To promote the standards of the practice and ensure the safety and quality of the services, many governments have set forth laws and different systems of clinical governance. In 2008, new guidelines for advancing nursing practice and reviewing competence was announced by the Queensland Nursing and Midwifery Council. The nursing and midwifery practice is all about the â€Å"application of knowledge, skills and attitudes towards alleviating, supporting or enhancing actual or potential responses of individuals or groups to health issues† (Queensland Nursing Council, 2010, p. 9). Their practice also includes administration of direct care, as well as assessing, planning,