In True Grit, Mattie approaches the auctioneer with the utmost confidence in her abilities to conduct the business she wishes to fulfill.  Even before she enters the office, she begins devising a plan as to how she will win him over simply by seeing a sign that says, “Col. G. Stonehill.  Licensed Auctioneer. Cotton Factor,” (Portis 29).  When she sees the “Cotton Factor” part of the sign, she decides to begin by talking about cotton prices in order to let the auctioneer know that she is not some ignorant kid:  she knows the world and means business.  This strategy gave her quite a bit of authority which is one of her most cherished traits. 

Frankie, however, approaches with quite a bit less thought.  When Frankie decides she has business with someone, she simply walks up to them, gives them her business, and briskly walks off: 

First, just at the moment she commenced, a sudden hush came in her heart; then, as the names were named and the plan unfolded, there was a wild rising lightness and at the end content [. . .] The lady neither argued nor accused, she did not say anything.  Until at the very end, just as F. Jasmine turned to go, she said: “Well, I declare.” But already F.Jasmine [. . .] was hurrying on her way again (McCullers 62). 

Unlike Mattie’s articulate calculating, Franky’s abilities come just as naturally but less potently; moreover, Mattie’s purpose for conducting business seems to have more meaning while Frankie repeated the same story many times without even waiting for most peoples’ responses.  Through these examples, confirming that Mattie is the more calculating, head-strong, grown, and direct type while Frankie is the more strange-passioned, childish, and impulsive type is quite an easy feat.

            The environments in which these two young ladies were a part had some of the largest impacts on their behavior which, despite their completely dissimilar surroundings, nearly mirrors each other.  Both Mattie and Frankie have been faced with lives where all things have to be worked for.  The main difference in this part of their lives, and what might be the main factor as to the difference in their personalities, is that Mattie has to work hard for anything to get done while Frankie doesn’t really have to work for anything:  it is all done for her by either her father or Berenice.  After the death of Mattie’s father, Mattie is the only one who is able to take things into her own hands.  Mattie’s mother cannot write and is unable to deal as Mattie can.  On the flip side, Frankie basically wonders around with nothing in the world to do while all the important stuff is done by either her father or Berenice.  Since Mattie’s life seems to be in a more dangerous and life-threatening environment, she tends to only think of things important to a good life while Frankie dwells on the present and whatever feels like a good, enjoyable thing to do.  This difference in lifestyles causes the difference in amount of importance each girl’s business contains, but they both still share the same kind of strong determination. 

            Determination played a vital role in Mattie and Frankie’s lives.  Mattie’s strong willed nature is the only thing that kept her alive in her journey to find Tom Chaney.  Her determination is not only what caused the adventure to be taken in order for vengeance to be complete, but it also ensured that the job was done and done correctly.  Without determination to go to the wedding and stay with her older brother and his fiancée, Frankie would not have told everyone about the wedding which would leave the reader completely dumb-founded by the lack of events in the novel.  These authors meant to make Mattie and Frankie determined in order for the reader to understand that determination isn’t just for important parts of life, but it is also needed to keep life interesting.

Although Frankie’s business may be less practical, both Frankie and Mattie have that wonderful quality of determination that could save tons of peoples’ times if they could emulate this behavior.  As Sean Plott, USC Graduate in Interactive Media, says, “[. . .] I have been able to manage my time by simply always making a decision to do something instead of weighing which decision will better benefit me in the future [. . .]” (day9.tv).  He gives the example of a college student deciding between two universities while attaching the only benchmarking system he uses:  a “like” or “don’t like” scale.  It is better to choose the university that has a good program for what you like instead of weighing all the possibilities and different degrees for too long.  With this kind of mentality, one can more quickly make decisions in life that waste minimal amounts of time.  In today’s society, people everywhere have great difficulty with time management.  Following Mattie and Frankie’s lead in being determined could help many people, especially fellow adolescents.

Read more: http://authspot.com/short-stories/starting-all-over/#ixzz1eNvEAfKD

What a beautiful word: intensity. Live a high-volume life. Play full-out. Take risks. Reach high. Don’t look back. Be authentic. Be great.

Sure we need to enjoy the journey, tread lightly and balance our courage with striking kindness. But do it all with passion, with bravery and with a sparkle in your eye. Do it all with intensity. All of the great ones do.

F. Scott Fitzgerald grew up in Minnesota, as Nick did, and they both attended an Ivy League school. These two men along with Gatsby served in the military during World War One. After the war they all fell in love with three beautiful women.

Cover of The Great Gatsby

Fitzgerald then moved to a house next to a huge mansion on Long Island, New York. The owner of the mansion, an alleged bootlegger, even called Fitzgerald “old sport” which resembles Gatsby’s behavior. Close to Fitzgerald’s neighborhood was the Corona dump, which resembles the Valley of Ashes.

            Both being born in Minnesota, Fitzgerald shows his mid-western roots and values through Nick. They both believe in loyalty, friendship, and perseverance. Throughout the novel, Nick proves to be an honest hard-worker. For example, Gatsby offers Nick an illegal business to make big money, but he refuses (pp. 82-83).

            Jay Gatsby also resembles F. Scott in certain ways. Gatsby fell madly in love with Daisy, driving him to obtain great wealth in order to win her love. Fitzgerald also fell in love with a beautiful girl, whose name was Zelda.

Zelda was said to be one of the most gorgeous girls around. Fitzgerald was going to marry her, but Zelda broke off the engagement because of worries about being unable to live her flapper lifestyle on Fitzgerald’s current paycheck. It was this woman that drove him to write This Side of Paradise, to obtain the wealth that her lifestyle demanded.

Image by cliff1066™ via Flickr

 After F. Scott acquired his wealth, he became a reckless partier. Gatsby wasn’t a heavy drinker like Fitzgerald, but he did host many parties to attract Daisy (pg 39-41). Both Zelda and Daisy were overwhelmed by the amount of love that Fitzgerald and Gatsby showed for them. These two men sacrificed everything for their women, even friends. They both had few friends because they were so preoccupied with winning Daisy and Zelda’s love.

            Fitzgerald’s life ended in similar fashion to Gatsby’s. His funeral was attended by very few people. The famous writer and poet Dorothy Parker supposedly called him “the poor son-of-a-bitch” at the funeral, the same quote Owl-eyes stated at Gatsby’s funeral (pg 175). Fitzgerald died thinking that he was a failure, but seventy years later, most high schools and even some college courses require that one of his novels are read and analyzed.

            The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald is essentially an autobiography. Nick Carraway and Jay Gatsby are used to reflect Fitzgerald’s past experiences and beliefs.

 F. Scott Fitzgerald’s legacy lives on through The Great Gatsby.

There are numerous ways to succeed in elementary, secondary and post-secondary education. And although every single teacher is different in his/her own way, and have different levels of expectations, almost all teachers can respect distinct capabilities in their students. For example, punctuality can demonstrate a degree of reliability. Punctuation lies not only in the ability to be on time to all of your classes, but also to hand assignments in on time and do presentations on their assigned dates. Your reliability as a student can also be increased by the amount of work you put in. Asking and answering questions, engaging in class discussions and handing in only your personal best proves to teachers that you are dedicated and that you consider your education a priority. These simple tasks along with diligence and perseverance can help improve your credibility. This is important because when problems do arise unexpectedly—as they undoubtedly will—teachers are more willing to be lenient towards reliable students, than ‘flakers’. These qualities will not only earn your teachers respect, but help you further in the long run.

And why are these skills deemed so important? The answer is simple: they’ll help you for the rest of your life. In jobs of all fields, hard-working, diligent, responsible and reliable employees are recognized either by titles/awards (employee of the month, certificates of distinction), special benefits (point systems that translate into extra cash) or raises. Acquiring and perfecting these skills early on can help prepare you for the future and help you build valid references. Hence, teachers, aiming to prepare their students for the real world and working environments, actively search for the aforementioned skills and do their best to improve on them. Needless to say, natural intelligence isn’t all that matters.

In all honesty, it is easier to be born smart than to work hard at it. On the other hand, it builds character to work diligently towards a goal, rather than to have an accomplishment placed before you. What teachers want to see is not what a student has, but what a student is able to create for him/herself. It is one thing to be smart, it is another to be able to impart this knowledge upon others. What most individuals, especially students, do not understand is that teachers expect nothing less than what is expected of us from society: the drive to accomplish anything; from dissertations to your wildest dreams.

There are moments in your life that define you, and somehow this felt like one of those times, as I settled back into my chair and placed that sweet square gently onto my expectant tongue, taste buds tingling with excitement. The feeling of relief and monumental pleasure that the slowly melting confectionery introduced gradually to my taste-buds was almost beyond description, as though the ultimate sin were being committed, and I was condemning myself to a fat future.

Did I feel guilty about allowing myself to consume this calorific horror story, flouting every rule of my self-imposed dietary regime? Of course, but it was a truly guilty pleasure, and I have not one second of regret. Does it matter that, if truth be told, I did not actually finish that bar of chocolate because the taste, as heavenly as it was, turned out to be too sickly sweet, after so long without it.

That is the beauty of a guilty pleasure, in that the indulgence need not be on a massive scale, but simply a response to an overwhelming urge. Once satisfied, which can happen really easily, you can step back onto the straight and narrow with a relatively clear conscience.  If there were no risk of temptation there could be no challenge, but surely the imposition of a strict regime has to factor in some small allowance for the occasional mis-step.

Can anybody truly claim to never having, even for a second, allowed themselves moments of guilty pleasure? The best of intentions can come under serious assault at times, when the regime under which you put yourself is very demanding, in terms of abstinence and determination, so it can be no surprise that we all lapse, from time to time. I hope now that I will not feel the need to stray again for some time, but if it should happen, then I will not allow that incident to spoil my ultimate aim. The pleasure of the moment is simply too intense to feel too guilty about it, but it should remain the exception, rather than the rule.

In recent times I have seen so many changes in areas of employment. The job market has been moving in an unbelievable rate. The decent in the general labor market has taken a tole on many of us. Now many of us are seeking an new path of employment! With more and more investigation, people in America are finding that returning to college is the best and at times the only option.

The new demands of employers. Along with outstanding demand of our self’s as consumers. It is no surprise that job skill requirements are at an all time high. Say for example the truck driving industry was a trade skill. Meaning you learned next to an experienced driver for a short period of time. All along being payed to do this job by an employer. Now the standard is you need to pay for school or class time before you have the chance of employment at all. This trend is the same in many fields such as plumbing, Auto mechanics, construction, and so on.

I am walking down this road with a nervous yet hopeful need to succeed. I am a 35 year old married male with four children. I have lost my job due to the down market and found a new road in life. Yes it can be very intimidating, yet I have found it to be very exciting! With a large anticipation of self reliance, I have jumped out in full stride to accomplish every possible will.

I have been doing the college visits like a high school student that has just graduated. Bounding through different roads and ideas. I spent many hours looking to many fields of employment. Looking in to the average pay and the requirements for employment. I have used many self exploration studies on line to help myself explore career compatibility. I have found this to be helpful. Not that I did not know what I wanted but to focus on specialty areas within those careers. It has helped me tremendously and I have made a final decision in my direction of studies.

I can only share this experience with any one who is possibly heading this direction in life no matter the age. It is the same for every single person in the world. You just need to decide yes or no then do not stop or sell your self short. I have met many people of all ages that are still choosing the path of college.

Even those of a very intellectual age, say 60’s. Ya that’s right even people heading for retirement have chosen to keep their minds learning. It is a simple choice, it is only your own mind that sets you back.

If there is any thing I can say or share with any one person that reads this article. It is the “The only thing that holds you back is how hard you are willing to try”. This has been a very motivational quote that will never leave my mind. I live this with my children, my wife and with every thing I chose to do in life. So do not hold your self back by your own thoughts, and the stars will always come to your grasp.

By: Jamin Kline

Momentous day has come,

Arising from the Philippines,

Real woman of

Intelligence, beauty

And fiercing elegance.

Vibrant Venus Raj

Engulfing enomously

Niether you falter

Unceasingly hoped for what you want.

Strength, courage and determination you displayed,

Reminding all the Filipinos,

And uniting them to be as one nation..

Just beauty and determination you have cast, Filipinos were in joyful blast.

Image via Wikipedia

by Jefferson Brian Holbrook

Image by DVIDSHUB via Flickr

I think most people would empathize with you if you kicked the dog after a day like that (Brenda Nelson wouldn’t, but most people would). After all, you don’t normally kick the dog, but when you’ve had a day like that, you’ve got to vent somehow, and it’s better to kick the dog than the kids, right?

So what does any of this have to do with the disasters in Japan? It’s just a comparison between our cultures. In the west, we consider that our true character is how we treat others when everything is going well. If we are rude, inconsiderate, or otherwise badly behaved, it is because something or someone set us off. We wouldn’t normally behave that way, but to our way of thinking, kicking the dog because we had a bad day is excusable.

In eastern cultures, it is generally thought that difficult circumstances reveal the true character of the person. It is easy to be polite, generous, and self controlled when all is well. But the way that one behaves under extremely difficult conditions is the real test of inner strength and self discipline.

The news footage shows the Japanese people waiting patiently in lines to ask for information about their loved ones. They are stocking up on supplies, but not looting. In fact, Rex Murphy from the CBC news relayed a story about a store where the cash register was not working, so the people who had been waiting in line with their selections put everything back on the shelves.

The dignity of the Japanese people can be a bad thing when they do not tell foreign governments how bad their situation is or how much help they really need. But they have learned from previous experience. In 1995 the Japanese government was criticized for refusing offers of foreign aid after the earthquake in Kobe. So this time, the Japanese government was much quicker to accept offers of aid.

I have written about the politeness of Canadians (Are Canadians really nicer?), and someone commented about how the politeness of Canadians is just a veneer and how underneath we are just like everyone else. I know that I am biased, but I truly believe that Canadians are a polite bunch.

I know that these are generalities; that not all Canadians are polite, not all Islamics are terrorists, and not all Americans are self-absorbed, gun toting rednecks with entitlement issues. But some are. Shortly after Katrina hit, Oprah was interviewing people who lost their homes, and there was one woman talking about spending the night outside. She said, “We are Americans! We deserve better than this!”

If how we deal with tragedies and disasters shows our true character, the Japanese have shown themselves to be a polite, self-disciplined people with determination and a strong work ethic. As bad as things are right now, Japan will persevere and rebuild.