Tuesday, December 31, 2019

Short Story The Tree - 777 Words

It has already been a month since the accident occurred. Fall was nothing but a memory now, having made way for the harsh season of winter. The trees, once filled with vibrant colors and a feeling of warmth, was now a shadow of its former self, but in a sense, related to me more. Reminiscent of the past, I looked at the tree, suddenly hit by nostalgia. In a moment of clarity, I realized the significance, the representation, the resemblance between the tree and I. As the pure white snowflakes danced across the clear blue sky, the tree, now naked and exposed in front of me, exemplified my own self. I couldn’t hide from the truth; I couldn’t hide behind the vibrant colors of my life, I couldn t hide and live life the way I had been before. Just like the tree, who needs sunshine to grow, I could not live without telling the truth to his family. Just like the tree, I need my sunshine, I need Jack. As the cool winter breeze ruffled the ends of my scarf, I thought back to the days when I was truly happy, the days when I was a sapling, growing steadily with the support of my sunshine. Although I would never see him again, I knew he would always be there for me. As long as the sun keeps shining, the sapling would mature into a strong, health tree. And just like that, I would grow as well. Tears streaming down my face, I looked up into the sky as the cold frosty weather crystallized my tears. Even though the dense clouds stopped the sunlight from shining through, one day, it willShow MoreRelated`` Sweat `` By Zola Neale Hurston1127 Words   |  5 PagesZola Neale Hurston is a product and author during the Harlem Renaissance’s, even though most of her work was produced in the 1930’s. She wrote a short story called, â€Å"Sweat†. Zola Neale Hurston was an African-American writer who is well known as an extraordinary writer. She was known as one of the most mysterious figures in this literature. â€Å"Sweat† is about two characters who are married and their names are Delia Jones and Sykes Jones. Delia is in an abusive relationship with her husband and, SykesRead MoreInnocence: The White Heron by Sarah Orne Jewett Essay example1189 Words   |  5 PagesExperience, which destroys innocence, also leads one back to it (Baldwin). All experiences spring out of innocence. Sarah Orne Jewett expresses this through the story â€Å"The White Heron.† She uses the story to show how easily innocence can be influenced. For Jewett, it seems to have been a personal myth that expressed her own experience and the experience of other women in the nineteenth century who had similar gifts, aspirations, and choices (Griffith). Her personal experiences include her livingRead MoreTheme Of The Osage Orange Tree1058 Words   |  5 PagesLovely short story â€Å"The Osage Orange Tree† had been written by the addressed author William Stafford. Throughout this short story, two main protagonist include of a young female high school student named Evangeline, and a young male high school student which who narrates this beloved story. In this short story, there are many major key events that happen, even some that lead to the conclusions of different themes. Evangeline shows affection by buying newspapers just to see the narrator, she ac tsRead MoreThe Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein1308 Words   |  5 PagesThe Giving Tree Every author has their own unique niche that grabs the reader’s attention and pulls them in. They paint a picture with their words and imagination that allows the reader to go on a journey they never have experienced before. Each author is this way, but within his or her own uniqueness they become significantly different. The uniqueness can rage from early 1800s British authors to twenty-first century authors and they can range author to author. For example, Shel SilversteinRead MoreA Christmas Carol By Charles Dickens1293 Words   |  6 PagesCharles Dickens presents many short stories and novels. He is greatly known for his short fiction and later theater play, â€Å"A Christmas Carol†. In one short story, a reader could describe it as Charles â€Å"other† Christmas story, an elderly narrator reminisce of holiday past. There is a range of appeal in the story itself from comforting memories of loved toys to leaving the reader with an eerie feeling of vario us childhood haunts. The reader’s analysis of Dickens use of vivid detail together with hisRead MorePut Out That Bloody Cigarette !1620 Words   |  7 Pageswriting is described as being stylistic and technical and is presented in such a way that is â€Å"a masterful process that builds story† (Billingsley). Many critics defend Saki as being a masterful story writer, and they say, if his career was not cut short, he would have honed his skills to a degree never before seen. First being published in newspapers he wrote for, Saki’s short stories focus around exotic, almost dreamlike, lands and use suspense and irony to surprise the readers. He would continually useRead MoreAnalysis Of Somewhere, A Long, Happy Life Seems Awaits You1390 Words   |  6 Pagestwo stories that revolve around a mentally ill family member. The two stories each follow in accordance with Tzvetan Todorov’s Theory of Narrative. They each begin with an equilibrium and after a disrup tion, they fall into an offset of the balance of the story. The characters then recognize the problem and take action to restore the initial balance that had previously existed. In â€Å"Somewhere,†, theory of narrative is portrayed through a man and his mentally ill wife. The author uses two stories, oneRead MoreGood People1015 Words   |  5 Pagessituation before. In the short story †Good People† which is written by David Foster Wallace, we get to see what goes through a boys mind when he has an ethical dilemma. The story is about two colleges students who are waiting a baby. The problem is just that Lane A. Dean, who is the main character, does not know if he wants to keep the baby or not. One doubt leads to another and he ends up doubting his love to Sheri and his faith in God. One of the characteristics in a short story is the fact that thereRead MoreA Doll’s House play by Henrik Ibsen shares many comparisons and contrasts with the short story â€Å"The1300 Words   |  6 Pagescomparisons and contrasts with the short story â€Å"The Storm† by Kate Chopin. In fact, Ibsen’s play premiered at the Royal Theatre in Copenhagen, Denmark on December 21, 1879. This play aroused significant changes in the attitudes towards 19th century marriages (princeton.edu). Interestingly, â€Å"The Storm† stands as the sequel to Chopin’s other short story â€Å"At the Cadian Ball†. Kimbel wrote in his article on Dictionary of Literary Biography, â€Å"Her first two published stories appeared in the summer of 1889†Read More Compare and Contrast ?Genesis? and ?Penetrating to the Heart of the Forest?,1261 Words   |  6 Pagesthe Forest†, Looking at both myth and short story. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Although there are many similarities present, a distinct difference is made between â€Å"Genesis† and quot;Penetrating to the Heart of the Forestquot; in that â€Å"Genesis† is a mythical narrative while quot;Penetrating to the Heart of the Forestquot; is an adaptation of a mythic story (Adam and Eve) in the form of a short story. When comparing and contrasting these two stories we see similarities in storyline, themes

Sunday, December 22, 2019

The Problem Of A Daycare Employee Essay - 1719 Words

My daughter was three years old when a daycare employee called to inform me that something was wrong and I needed to pick up my inconsolable daughter. I swiftly left work and sped to the daycare. As soon as I walked in, I saw her bright red screaming face and reached out to comfort her fluttering fingers. I held them tight as we walked out of the building, I realized that this was something serious and we were approaching a hurdle in life that nobody could possibly prepare for. When she was five years old, she hid under her school desk because the anticipation of the grinding sound in her skull from the school bell ringing became too much for her to handle. A teacher grabbed her and instructed her to sit in her seat and not to move, then calls me to discuss her bad behavior. When she was six years old, a doctor explains to me that she has Asperger’s syndrome, a form of autism. I was told that intervention at a young age would result in her living a better life as an adult. I felt relieved to know her behavior was not the result of my bad parenting, yet destroyed because my daughter would have to struggle with a disability for the rest of her life. I could not get myself to look at her as ‘disabled’, and instead I filled her with positive affirmations and focused on the good things about her diagnoses. More than any of her peers, she had the irrepressible need to doodle and draw. She drew on everything she could get her hands on, and when she discovered my laptop andShow MoreRelatedOnsite Daycare Essay1165 Words   |  5 PagesWhat is an Onsite Daycare and Why Should We Have One? An onsite Daycare is a place directly located at the employers of parents with toddlers or babies who need full time child care while their parents are at work. It allows the parents the advantage of being close to their children while still being able to maintain stability with their careers. According to Statistics Canada, the amount of two parented full time working families has gone up 17% since the 1980’s. As a result of such anRead MoreMy Philosophy Toward Child Development876 Words   |  4 Pagesleasing agreement, utilities (gas, water, sewer, electricity), learning supplies and other expenses. My plan needs to be successful and efficient. There is a need to prepare and employee handbook with specific rules and policies in regard to attendance, timely arrival, pay schedule, a procedure to request time off and employee discipline procedures, staff certification requirements. Prepare to meet all requirements when renewing state licensure. Review facilities basic health and safety standards, indoorRead MoreIntroduction. Depending On Where A Person Lives, Some Have1378 Words   |  6 Pagesretail business are feeling their employee fields dry up. Following striking oil, the unemployment rate in North Dakota overall as well as Hendershot (2015) in Davidson Cou nty hit an all-time low, with a little over 300 possible employees to fill retail positions in the county. This is creating many challenges for the Human Resource Managers (HRM) for many retailers. Despite Kmart’s effort and willingness to pay a starting wage of $8.50 an hour and offer an employee discount is still not enough toRead MoreHuman Resources - Dual Career Couples Essay785 Words   |  4 Pagesgiven to couples both employed at this company as well as single parents and employees whose spouses work outside our firm. It is understood that school functions, daycare, medical appointments, education opportunities, and care of the home; often interfere with normal working hours. Alternate and flex work schedules, telework, daycare opportunities and relocation assistance will be afforded employees in any of these situations. Consideration will also be given to couples employed by this firm thatRead MoreThe Problem Of Child Care1626 Words   |  7 PagesIn an area wher e so many households require two incomes in order to survive, child care has become a necessity. Unfortunately, there are many issues within the daycare structure that impair parent’s ability to go to work, or forces parents to take time off they cannot afford. The parents who are unable to work because the cost of daycare is too expensive that face issues with gaps in their employment history, which reduces their future ability to be hired and the pay rate they will receive. ParentsRead MoreFinancial Report : A Nyc Multinational Textile Corporation Hired A New Manager1150 Words   |  5 Pages3. A NYC multinational textile corporation hired a new manager based on their education and work experience as a Baseball manager for 12 years in Houston Texas. He could not fix the problem of his company losing sales to competitors and company stocks were trading at a record low of $12.00 per share from 6 months high of $36.00 per share. How will you turn the company around, if you were hired as the new manager? Liquidity of a company is a company’s ability to measure the extent to which a businessRead MoreOrganizational Staffing Pl Part 11347 Words   |  6 Pagesexaggerated example of this might be hiring a nurse to work as a chef in a hospital. While the nurse may have the skills needed to cook meals, they may become bored and not enjoy the job because it is not what they were trained to do. This could result in problems with retention if people are not suitably matched with positions. Legal Issues While staffing any organization, you want to find the most qualified candidates to fill your positions but you must be mindful of diversity and non discriminationRead MoreA Constructivist Approach in the Classroom Essay1171 Words   |  5 Pagesstudents, as well as how your classroom is set up, two things that are very important to a high quality constructivist classroom. Besides a dreamer, I am also a Registered Early Childhood Educator (RECE), and for the past ten years I have worked at a daycare with an emergent curriculum, primarily in the kindergarten and school age programs. Like constructivism, the emergent curriculum is based on the theories of Jean Piaget, John Dewey, and Lev Vygotsky. Teachers plan the programming around children’sRead MorePersonal Statement : Counseling And Support From A Male Role Model1227 Words   |  5 Pagessingle-parent mothers. Family Emily and Gary would benefit from out-patient care involving family counselling sessions to improve communication and build mother-son relationships. Self Gary – healthy 13-year old. No problems reported at school despite sleep deprivation; No problems reported in the relationship between mom and son despite the lack of time spent together; relationship with younger sister appears to be waning but until recently, Gary was responsive to the needs of Grace. Injury toRead MoreBalancing Family Work Life1488 Words   |  6 Pagesaround that change in society is the daycare system. Many of those two-parent families, as well as single parents may not have direct support from their families to take care of the children while they’re away at work. While some of the household work, such as childcare and housekeeping, has transitioned to outside providers, many working mothers cannot afford to employ these services (Giraffe, 2011). Unfortunately a big portion of their income goes to high daycare fees. III. Body Paragraph #2 –

Saturday, December 14, 2019

Analysis of Dubai Development Model with relevance to India Free Essays

Table of Contents l. Introduction and Dubbed Policy Relevance to India II. Challenges faced by both India Dubbed Ill. We will write a custom essay sample on Analysis of Dubai Development Model with relevance to India or any similar topic only for you Order Now Policy Changes – What can be adopted by India Dubbed from each other IV. Business Context of the policies in India Dubbed V. References To: The Leaders of the Business Association of India From: Hull Consultancy Group Date: Reason: Analysis of Dubbed Development Model and relevance to India Dubbed Is one of the most flourishing clues In the world attracting people from all over the world with a strong economy. India being a part of the BRICE nations and with the ambition of being perceived as a developed nation need some changes economically and politically. Could the Dubbed model work in India? L. To analyses how Tuba’s model can be relevant to India we need to look at various different factors. Looking at the model of Strategy, Structure and Resource we could make some comparisons of how Dubbed is similar to India. Dubbed India Relevancy Strategy Economic Development Political Stability Import Talent reliance on foreign companies in Dubbed. Logistical Hub and this promoted with good port facility. Strong ties with other Emirates Strong Continuous Leadership Relaxed religious laws although still Islamic focused. Focus on education, medical engineering sectors good. Primary sector of Agriculture not ignored. Infrastructure development, cities and broadband development is another major focus. Political Stability Member of the BRICE countries. Democratic government with secular laws. Relevant Infrastructure development at the ports as the south of India is also strategically located. Strong ties between cities Egg: Bangor Hydrated can be made Low Relevance One leader strategy may not be applicable Policy of importing talent for domestic needs. Structure City vs. Rural Development Education system City vs. Rural Cluster focused for companies and development towards ABA Dhabi close to the coast line. Old Dubbed vs. New Dubbed Education System Focus is on introducing more foreign universities. Satellite city structure. New development outside major cities towards small towns. Egg: Whitfield, Oneida. Infrastructure development in rural areas. Good education system after British colonization. Science Engineering has special focus. Focus on rural areas education. Cluster structure could be replicated. It is already done in a few places but could be done in most cities. More foreign universities can be introduced in India. Not Relevant Old city vs. New City is already in place in some cities. Egg: Delhi Resources Natural resources Human Resources Population- Low Manpower (Skilled, Unskilled, Technical)- Low Natural Resources- Low Alliance with ABA Dhabi for resources- High Population- Very high Manpower (Skilled, Unskilled, Technical)- High Natural Resources- High Alliance with other states or countries for resources- Low Alliance with neighboring countries or other BRICE countries for resources can be Dade. II. To analyses if Tuba’s model can be adopted by India, the challenges faced by both countries should be analyses further. Policies used by Dubbed for the above mentioned challenges are: 1 . Quality of Education: AAU government invested up to Dabbed invested on improving general education. Solution : They have a partnerships with several international schools in order to improve their education system. 2. Policy relevance to India is low. Main issue faced by India is inaccessibility in rural areas. Extreme poverty is another problem Solution- Mandatory CARS activities enforced by the government. Secondly broadband services to provide education by internet in inaccessible areas as done in Gujarat . 3. Quality of Health care : Expanse have expressed their lack of confidence in the Dubbed Health care services. Solution: To improve medical quality partnerships with international organizations like ‘John Hopkins’ and ‘Cleveland ‘ medical centre have been made. Policy relevance to India is low. Issue is infrastructure with lack of sanitation and clean water causing illness. Lack of roads or transport makes it difficult for unmet needs to be fulfilled. Solution: Having infrastructure projects like the ones in Gujarat as initiated by the current prime minister is a better solution then attracting foreign medical care. 4. Expiate Migration : Tuba’s over reliance on expiate employees. Competition from nearby countries like Qatar and Oman. Solution : Better infrastructure, attractive surrounding and tax free policy Similar problem with rising unemployment. Solution: Foreign companies can be attracted like in Dubbed but a realistic solution would be to encourage local entrepreneurship in order to create Jobs. Dubbed is conscious about the over reliance on fossil fuels to generate power Solution: Collaborations with Policy relevance to India is again low. Energy requirement in India is massive compared to AJAX. There are local companies with renewable technologies which needs to be promoted. Solution: Collaborating with foreign companies is a temporary solution though it can be done. Natural gas exploration and nuclear energy long term solution. Ill. Many of the policies used for Dubbed are not recommended for India. These are because of many reasons like the Population, different Industrial focus, focus on domestic development including talent and technology. To further analyses this and understand what policy changes can be adopted for either India or Dubbed we need to look at the and the ‘Fragile Failed State’ Index. The Fragile State Index, is an index which focuses on the stability of the nation on 3 different factors: 1. Economic: Uneven economic development, Severe Economic decline 2. Social: Demographic pressures, Massive refugee movement, Group grievances 3. Political: Crystallization, Progressive Deterioration, Security apparatus , Ethnic cleansing Based on these criteria, India is ranked at 81 which is categorized as ‘High Warning and I-JAKE is inked at 143 which is considered a stable society. Under Economic , India has huge inequality in incomes and some states like UP, Briar are not highly developed. There are refugees movement and grievances from the lower class or religious sectors in society. Politically India is democratic and secular and given the religious and cultural diversity in India that an Autocratic rule would only increase the trouble in the country. Policies which India could copy from I-JAKE is to have infrastructure development, which could be awarded to foreign companies as this is the major problem in India. Better infrastructure could lead to solving some of the other problems like better education, reducing group grievances when people have the same basic facilities, and make uniform economic development. Security could improve with better roads and reaching in time . Infrastructure and roads have been a key element of all great civilizations starting from the Romans till modern countries like I-JAKE , Germany and the USA. If Infrastructure development has to be rapid foreign investment and companies would be essential. Having one religion and an autocratic government with very low population solves means that AAU does not face cost of the problems which India faces and thus makes it a very stable economy. However their reliance on foreign investment and technology, education is too high. This could bring about economic downturn to I-JAKE in the future. The change of policy which I-JAKE requires is to increase the amount of local universities and improve local education and businesses. A major aspect of doing business in any new country could be the ‘Corruption’ in the country and ‘Business regulations’ in the country. The ‘Ease of Doing Business’ index helps analyses the conduciveness of a country to start a business. The factors considered are Infrastructure, Poverty ratio, Credit lines available, Tax rates, Educations standards , Regulations etc. Based on these criteria lets compare India to I-JAKE India- ease to do Business, Rank-134 Factors favorable are: Improving infrastructure Highly educated society Annual GAP expected to increase and best in South Asia Factors unfavorable are: Infrastructure still poor in many parts IN per capita is low Regulations are rigid High taxes Low credit lines as compared to I-JAKE Political rules favoring local companies Factors favorable are : Good infrastructure No taxes Highly educated people (mainly expanse though) Good autocratic leadership conducive to business High IN per capita Annual GAP best in MEAN region Factors unfavorable Expensive to run a business Need to attract talent from abroad Corruption is another major factor which businesses consider. According to the ‘Corruption Index’ I-JAKE ranks at 26th whereas India ranks at 94. This shows that there could be a fear of corruption for businesses to enter India. ‘V. Businesses in India could play a major role in making some minor changes which would enable the country to become more business conducive. Collaborations or JP with foreign companies- This would attract more funds which would enable them to expand faster and also reduce unemployment. CARS activities to improve education and sanitation facilities. If CARS activities are not feasible Join with Social welfare groups like ‘Magic Bus’ Transparency in business activities and raise awareness to reduce corrupt activities. Work closely with government to improve their sustainability and becoming energy efficient. Factories investing in machinery to have energy efficient equipment. Business in Dubbed could also take certain steps awards helping the local Political and Economic situation. Work with local universities and help hire local Emirate graduates. Take specific measures towards Energy conservation and sustainable measures Medical related companies can provide training for local Emirates. Considering the various factors there are some ideas and policies that either country can adopt. However the two countries are vastly different. While AAU is an autocratic society, it mainly focuses on one major sector locally which are the Emirates. Decisions are made and executed quickly as no consensus is required from the caked by huge funding which enables them to accomplish their goals. However in the long run the reliance on the foreign countries cannot be relied upon and local education and entrepreneurship definitely needs to be improved like what is been focused in India. India on the other hand is a very diverse society and it cannot focus on any major ethnic group. As it is also a huge country with a population of 1. 2 billion decision cannot be made by an individual. The consequences have to evaluated. Also despite the availability of natural resources funding is not as direct and easy like in Dubbed. Like some of the European countries they try to focus on agriculture and education, as in the long run this would make their society self-reliant and not lament the lack of natural resources. There is a need for infrastructure in the form of roads of pipelines and sanitation facilities but the funding is not direct. Hence the rule of a mandatory CARS fee is created. Lastly to have a long term sustainable economy they need local entrepreneurship which they are focusing in many different areas like Finance, Infrastructure, Engineering, and Renewable Energy. How to cite Analysis of Dubai Development Model with relevance to India, Papers

Friday, December 6, 2019

The Time I Wasnt free essay sample

Ive always been a bit of an outcast, never to sure of my place in the world. If the need struck, I could make this essay about all the times Ive felt ostracized, stigmatized, and generally excluded. But Im not into self pity, I believe that everyone has a path theyre destined to walk and experiences they are meant to feel. Its my own opinion that experiences make people and it is not people who make experiences, in my life Ive experienced thousands of things, some more unique than others. This is going to be a good story, because the heart of the world is good, and people at their deepest level are not bad. Thing is though, this experience didnt exactly happen in the real world, it happened in a world so much realer, so much truer and kinder than the one were in. It was a dark and stormy night-well more of an early to mid evening kind of deal- May 30th 2015,my second year of attending and participatingin the Champlain College Young Writers Conference annual poetry slam. There was supposed to have been an outdoorbarbecue, but the rain drove us to the mess hall and Fireside Lounge. In all the tumult of running and chasing each other through the downpour, I found myself separated from the people I had been spending my free time with. Walking into the mess hall, clutchingmy burger and cookies on a sodden paper plate, I was filled with dread that I would find myself eating dinner alone, determined as I was to be social, I weaved between the tangle of chairs making my way towards the most interesting looking person I could see. And so it was, as rain pounded the windows and lightning flashed across the sky, I found myself sitting amongst a group of poets, the majority of whom were hell bent on entering the poetry slam. It was an impulsive decision on my part. When the counselor came around, calling for those brave enough to enter their name in the hat, I didnt have a poem. Infused though, with the memory of how Id felt the previous year during the slam, I ripped a piece of paper from my notebook and put it in the hat. Giddy with nerves and the mild embarrassment of having tripped over several bags at once, I sat back down and thought what the hell am I going to do? . There was only a slim chance ofmy name being called, but I felt as though it was going to happen, I felt that the chronology of last years events was going to repeat themselves. Opening my notebook,I thought almost cynically to myself, that of course things were going to repeat themselves-thats what history does- and like the previous year I had a story that I wanted to tell. Unlike the previous year though, the story I had now wasnt one of coming to terms with myself, but one of breaking and what it means to be broken, and what it meant to heal.Both years I wasnt chosen to participate in the MOTH storytelling, and looking back, I think it had to have been because the stories I had were best told through poetry.Staring at the blank paper, pen poised, I looked inside myself and found the most prominent emotions that I felt were anger, at the world for being so bigoted, and anxiety, that the worst would happen when I eventually came out to the rest of my family.So, following in my own writing tradition, I grabbed a hold of a half formed idea that had been fermenting in the back of my mind, and put my pen to paper. In all honesty, the poem took about five minu tes to write, and it wasnt by any stretch of the imagination a masterpiece, but with the encouragement of my friends and strange confidence within myself, I thought it was pretty rad. The rain had let up during dinner, and with a half hour before the slam, I decided to try and find a counselor and get their opinion on my poem. Walking outside, I couldnt help but breathe deeply, inhaling the sweet scent of after-rain that indescribable taste of humidity with a tinge of the first frost, I was so happy to be back. I found the counselor I was looking for in front of the auditorium, talking to another student, luck was on my side though and two other counselors were hanging around . Changing direction, I approachedthe counselor who was known for her devil sticks, and asked if I could read her my poem. It was only when Id finished, that I realized that all other conversations had stopped and that everyone was listening. Allison, the devil stick counselor nodded, as I shifted rather uneasily under the other three peoples stares, after about five seconds of silence, Duncan, the senior counselor looked me straight in the eye and said, he thought I could win. As he said this, thunder sounded in the distance, and all the counselors howled to the sky, to me those howls sounded like freedom. It started to rain again, just as people began making their way across the quad to the auditorium, in an attempt to help people get out of the rain quicker, I held the door open for everyone. Filled as I was with a type of reckless abandon, at the next sound of thunder I howled at the cloud covered sky with all my heart. I held the door to the auditorium open for the entire slam, only leaving my post three times. As I stood against the door, holding it for any stragglers, I practiced my poem more times than I care to admit. At one point, Geoff Hewett, the man who ran and judged the slam, held open the door with me, he listened to my poem, but gave no comment other than, that holding the door open for people was a thankless job. I wondered then, why I was holding the door open, it would be easier to go inside where it was dry and sit down, listento the slammers. I wondered about this for awhile, looking out into the rain as lightning flashed across the darkening sky and I shouted my words at god. Good things come to those who do good, thats why I held the door open for two and a half hours, and even though holding the door is such a small thing, at that moment it meant everything to me. My world had shrunk down to the door, the auditorium it led to and the Irish building I could just make out across the quad.I had been holding the door for about an hour, practicing and watching the storm rage, when my friend rushed out and yelled that my name had been chosen and put on the board. Funny thing is, I dont really remember reading my poem. I remember the light hitting just above my head, the tension in my chest, the mix of emotions that clouded my brain, but not the words leaving my mouth. After I finished reading, I was ready to run back to my door and just laugh to the night, but I had to wait for my scores, after all it was a competition. While I cant remember my score exactly, I remember the people standing and clapping, everything was so bright. I could feel my heart taking root, as Geoff read off that I received the first double ten of the night and serenaded me with his mouth flute. When it had quieted down some, I looked back at the audience and was filled with a kind of terror, I bolted as quick as I could back out to my door, where I could actually breathe the air. I stood outside as far as I could without letting go of the door, letting the rain wash down my face as I alternatively sobbed and laughed, weak at the knees. For the next hour and a half I stood, warrior of the storm, protector of the door, as people who wanted an early bed time walked past and told me Id won. At the two hour mark I was feeling tired and leaned closer toward the auditorium, listening to see if one of my friends would get called up. Sure enough, I soon heard her voice at the microphone, as she wove the words of wonder that so accurately described Champlain, and the sense of wholeness that accompanied being there.Her poem was beautiful, the most beautiful thing Ive ever heard, she won. I knew she won deep down, oh her poem far surpassed mine and they announced her score, so close to my own. And then there was the pause, the most terrible pause for point deduction because she had gone over the time limit. As I heard Geoff announce the deduction, I charged inside and b ooed as loud as my raw throat would allow with the rest of the crowd, with the exception of three of my friends who swore when it seemed I wouldnt win. Ruth got second place, tailing me by only five points. I didnt hear the announcement, I was only made aware that Id won, when half the auditorium poured outside to bring me in. I walked inside to a kind of honor guard standing around me, yelling and clapping, loud as a jet. My eyes searched for one face in particular in the crowd, I found her waiting at the stage, honey hair gleaming in the spotlights. There wasnt any qualm in my head about what to do when I saw her, eyes red from crying, cheeks lifted from smiling. I stood about a foot away from her dumbfounded by the people around us, all cheering for me, when they should have been cheering for her. As we embraced I told her this but she just laughed and pushed me toward the microphone to get my prize. I received my very own mouth flute from Geoff Hewett, and stood there as the cro wd continued to clap, their screams only getting louder. I looked into the crowd and felt my soul take root, I saw the faces of my friends in the crowd, looking back at me, and in that moment everything felt right. In this corner of the United States, in this little world of writers, in this world of mine, I finally felt as if I belonged. Ive felt a stranger all my life, never really knowing where to stand. But I believe that life has a plan for us all, and that we go through what we do, so when the good comes around we know to appreciate it. This summer my family moved from Syracuse, New York, to La Jolla, California, never before have I felt like such a stranger in the village, and its okay. Its okay for me to be the stranger, because I can always look back on CCYW 2015 and remember the time I wasnt. Theres a lot going for me in this world, and while I may feel out of place now, I know that in my deepest soul it wont be this way forever. I will find my place in the world again.