Coming Clean About Books You Never Read

Coming Clean About Books You Never Read This is a guest post from  Andy Browers.  Andy believes in going to State Fairs, road trips, fist-pumping at wedding receptions to rock and roll, all you can eat sushi, and doing it all with a book in your hand. He writes blogs and essays from Minneapolis, MN. ____________________ It was the sort of question you can feel coming before the asker even has a chance to open their mouth. You can see it in their eyesâ€"bright, hopeful, sure that they’ve found a literary lifemate in you. I rummaged for what my reply would be. My usual arsenal included vague non-answers like “yeah, but it was really a long time ago,” “I skimmed it,” “it sounds familiar, but I can’t remember,” or if I felt especially brazen there was the unflappable “yes.” But sometimes (see also: many, many times) I had not read the beloved book my friend/classmate/bus buddy/colleague/fellow party guest was asking about. So I would lie.   I’m not proud. But I’m trying to clean up my actâ€"an act that has sometimes not been above dishing out the same judgment that gave me panic-induced dyspepsia from time to time when geeking out with fellow readers. I remember a particular instance when I must have seemed apocalyptically scandalized when I asked a friend of mine about her new body art. I forget the sound that came out of me, or the shape my face made, but it was probably a cross between an Edvard Munch painting and a velociraptor.   I didn’t understand. How could a person declare their love of The Lord of the Rings with a tattoo having never even read them? How? That is a serious level of love, so you better be prepared to debate the power the One Ring did or did not hold over Tom Bombadil, or face the consequences. I felt somehow betrayed as a fan, as a reader, as a human being. At parties where we would marathon the extended edition movies, if someone would mention they’d never read a single work that Tolkien ever wrote, some of us would shake our heads and sigh. People say you tend to be repulsed most by the qualities in others that repulse you the most about yourself; those people tell the truth. I’m repulsed by people who love processed cheese in their grilled sandwiches for similar reasons. Velveeta forever. And I’m repulsed by my own occasional booklist shortcomings, all the times I failed to finish or even start so many. You are about the fifth person to whom I have ever confessed this: I never finished reading The Return of the King. I couldn’t do it. I forced myself through the first two installments at a pace that wouldn’t have even qualified me for the slow loris junior varsity track team. I had to reread huge passages because I kept realizing my eyes were moving across pages I wasn’t trying to comprehend because I was bored out of my gourd. But I wanted to finish. I wanted to admire the ink that my soul would acquire the moment the last page was turnedâ€"a tattoo to make me an instant comrade of any other true believing fans that had gotten through them all at their own pace. Which was probably pretty swift, because they are beloved books, those Lord of the Rings installments. And I loved them from a pining distance, knowing my literary crush was too smart, too intricate, and too long for any chance of true love. As the fifth person to know this secret, if you want to recoil in horror I totally empathize. It’s hard to believe someone has deprived themselves of such a pleasure, isn’t it? It’s hard to believe someone didn’t dedicate the time and effort to enjoy a work of such scope. It’s hard to know that someday if I make it to my idea of the afterlife, which includes a badass used bookstore with free coffee, obviously, I may bump into the author himself and have to explain to his patient but heartbroken face that I didn’t like his stuff. It’s hard, but I’m trying to be better about owning up to a thing I can’t always help: my personal taste. I’m trying to overcome the pressure to say “yes” when someone asks with that glowing, hopeful look “oh, have you read it?” I’m trying to overcome the desire to skim Wikipedia to get the highlights so I can talk shop with fans. I’m trying to let go of the fear of missing out, of the fear of looking ignorant, of the fear of someday having my own book specific tattoo mocked or doubted if I ever get one (see also: I will). I try to be gentle with others who might be confessing for only the fifth time ever that they like or don’t like something I’ve read. I try to remember that we grew up with different books sitting on the shelves of our parents or older siblings, with different local libraries, or a billion other differences that shape a reader. If they can forgive my grilled cheese shortcomings, I think all things are possible.

Chief Complaint Left Knee Pain - 1227 Words

CHIEF COMPLAINT: Left knee pain. HISTORY OF PRESENT ILLNESS: Neal Kays is a 38-year-old male who presents after referral from emergency room visit dated July 27, 2015 secondary to pain in and about the left knee. He states that he was walking across housing floor to the bathroom when he stubbed his toe and had tearing and popping type sensation in and about the left knee. He states that over the last seven or so days, he has had uncontrolled pain and swelling in and about the knee. He was seen in the emergency department that day and gave a similar history. He was diagnosed with a knee strain and referred to the office for outpatient evaluation and management. He is here today for that reason, utilizing crutches, and a knee immobilizer with 10/10 pain per his estimation. Patient states that he is taking multiple medications and is under the care of a pain medicine specialist. Some of these include, morphine extended release, acute morphine tabs and Norco. He continues to say none of this is effective in con trolling his symptoms. An attempt to gather a more specific history is blocked by the patient s historical reference to knee problems going back 30 years. He states this began at the age of 10 secondary to a football injury, intermingled with multiple stories of knee instability complaints are stories of heavy athletic duty and full use of the knee. He has been seen in the past by other physicians that have recommended surgical intervention, that from hisShow MoreRelatedPathology Report1675 Words   |  7 PagesGynecology PATHOLOGY FINDINGS: Specimen number 03-S-965 SPECIMEN RECIEVE: 03/27/2014 SPECIMAN REPORTED: 03/30/2014 SURGICAL PROCEDURE: Left partial salpingectomy CLINICAL HISTORY: Patient has an ectopic pregnancy, as proven by pelvic ultrasound. TISSUE RECEIVED: Left fallopian tube. GROSS DESCRIPTION: Exam of the specimen designated â€Å"left fallopian tube† reveals the presence of a fallopian tube measuring 6 cm in length and 2.3 cm in average diameter. Sectioning of the tube showsRead MoreHillcrest Case 6 HP Essay602 Words   |  3 Pagesdisk Chief Complaint: low back pain, right leg pain. HISOTRY OF PRESENT ILLNESS: This 40-year-old Latin female presents with complaints of low back and right leg pain she said that she hurt her back in a motor vehicle accident three years ago and she has had a history of intermittent low back pain since that time. Last December she started a job where she had to lift boxes that weighed approximately 40 pounds. Around the first of January this year she began to complain of back pain that graduallyRead MoreCase 4 History and Physical Essay596 Words   |  3 PagesEXAMINATION Patient Name: Adela Torres Patient ID: 132463 Room No.: 541 Date of Admission: 06/22/---- Admitting Physician: Leon Medina, MD, Internal Medicine Admitting Diagnosis: Stomatitis, possibly methotrexate related. Chief Complaint: Swelling of lips causing difficulty swallowing. HISTORY OF PRESENT ILLNESS: This patient is a 57-year-old Cuban woman with a long history of rheumatoid arthritis. She has received methotrexate on a weekly basis as an outpatient for manyRead MoreEssay on History and Physical Examination Case 4628 Words   |  3 PagesPHYSICAL EXAMINATION Patient Name: Adela Torres Patient ID: 132463 RM #: 541 Date of Admission: 06/22/---- Admitting Physician: Leon Medina MD, Internal Medicine Admitting Diagnosis: Stomatitis, possibly methotrexate related CHIEF COMPLAINT: Swelling of lip causing difficulty swallowing HISTORY OF PRESENT ILLNESS: This patient is a 57 yr. old, Cuban woman with a long history of rheumatoid arthritis. She has received methotrexate on a weekly basis as an outpatient for many yearsRead MoreCommunity Patient Resource Group Interview Lab Assignment988 Words   |  4 Pagesmilitary and was also a construction worker. On observation, the patient entered the room with a standard cane. The speech was not affected, but there was evident drooping of the lips on the left side. The patient’s chief complaint was weakness and reduced sensations in the left leg and left arm since June 2005 when he suffered from stroke. Also, the patient complained of difficulty in performing activities of daily living like buttoning his shirt, eating, etc. since then. The patientRead MorePatient Escorts1257 Words   |  6 PagesCase #37 Zachary Hancher MGT 3374 - 003 January 30th 2014 Case #37 The chief supervisor of patient escorts argued that the problem with the present hiring system is that the application does not have any useful information on the applicant. He said that there are no longer questions that give insights into the employee’s personality. His suggestion was to ask applicants about hobbies, outside activities and their personal likes and dislikes on the application.Read MoreSymptoms And Treatment Of Nursing1972 Words   |  8 PagesNOTE 8 (DVT) Subjective: 1. Chief Complaint: Patient comes into the clinic with chief complaint of pain in his leg. 2. History of Present Illness: The patient here today at the clinic is a Caucasian male 48 yo named Rodney Cross. Patient is complaining about having pain in his right leg and that the pain started 3 days ago which woke him up. Patient said that the pain is on-going and it gets worse whenever he walks. Patient said the pain is in the area behind his right knee and runs all the way downRead MoreA Summary On The New York1922 Words   |  8 PagesChief Complaint J.R. is a 24 y/o male journalist living in upstate New York. He came to the clinic today complaining of flu-like symptoms with muscle achiness and joint pain that has progressively gotten worse over the past 10 days. J.R. also states that he has a difficult time gripping his pen when writing his column for Outdoor Life Magazine. PMH: No hx of previous diseases. Pt recently diagnosed with mild HTN. Up to date with all immunizations, including a tetanus shot nearly 3 years ago. SocialRead MoreSource Of Information : Mother And Patient2081 Words   |  9 Pages#2 Source of Information: Mother and Patient; both reliable sources Chief Complaint: 16 year old female with past medical history of intermittent asthma presenting with malaise and back pain for two days and on the day of admission cough with dark yellow sputum. History of Present Illness/Interval History: The patient initially presented to the Emergency Department on Monday after developing severe lower back and leg pain accompanied by fatigue. The patient had attended and participated in herRead MoreMost Important Mnemonics for Step 2 Cs2791 Words   |  12 Pagesillness) ALL CASES: OPD CSF AAA PAIN: OPD CSF LIQR AAA OPD CSF ABCDO FLUIDS: (Vomiting, Diarrhea, constipation, cough, vaginal discharge) O Onset of the symptom + precipitating factors P Progression D Duration C Constant /Intermittent S Settings F Frequency L Location of the symptom (forehead, wrist...) I Intensity of the symptom (scale 1-10, 6/10) Q Quality of symptom..BCDSPP(burning,Cramping,dull,Sharp,pulsating,pressure like) R Radiation of the symptom ( to left shoulder and arm) A Associated symptoms

The Rosetta Stone By Thomas Halloran - 1575 Words

The Rosetta Stone By Thomas Halloran The Rosetta Stone was a crucial part of deciphering hieroglyphs for mankind. The Rosetta Stone is a large piece of dark grey granite. The Stone is three feet nine inches long and two feet four inches wide. The stone approximately weighs a massive 1,680 pounds. Carved by the Egyptians in 196 B.C., the Stone contains a portion of text reflected in three scripts. One of the scripts, Hieroglyphs, had not been deciphered when the Stone was discovered. The other two scripts are Demotic and Classical Greek. Demotic is a language spoken by the Egyptians used in the Nile Delta. The Stone was discovered by the French at the end of the 18th century. The Rosetta Stone was the key to translating the†¦show more content†¦Through their whole life time, they would go by a nickname. If someone knew a person s true name they would gain magical powers over that person. This is one reason why when rulers of Egypt took the throne they had their name changed. The afterlife was importan t to the Egyptians, therefore the burial was important to them also. Some citizens were cremated and some were mummified. The Egyptians mummy was created to retain the body of an individual making it so the soul could achieve immortality. One of the few technological advancements of the period was the papyrus,of which the English word paper, comes from. The ramp and lever were also developed by the Ancient Egyptians. A British anthropologist discovered objects in an ancient childs grave appearing to be used for bowling, so it is possible that they developed the sport of bowling. They were advanced in working with glass and metals such as, bronze and gold. Aswell as their precision and beauty when it comes to architecture. They valued personal appearance and hygiene very highly. The Ancient Egyptians regularly bathed and scented themselves in perfume and other incense. They created cosmetics for both men and women. The Egyptians lived in a modest house, raised a family of their own, and liked to relax when possible. Although a difference between Egyptian culture and these other lands was that, they thought their lives were sewn together

Alternative SAN protocols Free Essays

As a result of increased data which is critical to the management of the organization, majority of the companies are widely involved in finding suitable storage technologies and media for their data so as to increase the availability of the ever needed scalability, flexibility and capacity with careful control of costs. For effective management of the daily business information needs, the Information Technology management leaders need to ensure that data availability to all the users is achieved and protected from unauthorized access, manipulation, retrieval and dissemination. However, the greatest challenge resulting from the implementation of the Storage Area Network technology is the management of costs and data due to remarkable growth of data, increased need of data accessibility to users and the need for disaster recovery for business continuation (Clark, 1999). We will write a custom essay sample on Alternative SAN protocols or any similar topic only for you Order Now Storage Area Network is the kind of network considered to be part of the Wide Area Network and Local Area Network. It is designed to enable the transition of data from the servers to required destinations as an alternative storage to the directly attached service technology. How to cite Alternative SAN protocols, Papers

What it means to be an American free essay sample

Just look at the faces of the immigrants arriving to the New World on the cramped boats in the late eighteen hundreds. Look at lady Liberty and how she holds her torch up. For many, if you were to ask them â€Å"What it means to be an American†, they would reply with â€Å"I don’t know, what?† or â€Å"To be is blank† fill in the blank with a specific race. To this day this question cannot really be answered but for the most part the idea of what your answer should be is superimposed in almost everything. For me the idea of what it means to be American is not only how you feel as one but in what you do as one. This is the same as the promise of America. America is a promise of unity and be an American is to keep that promise of unity, to work as a single entity with the other people who all share commonalities with you. We will write a custom essay sample on What it means to be an American or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Being an American is not a privilege as others would have it be. Being an American is a reward for those who struggle and who work hard to survive in times of desperation and need. For example, the people who travel from where they were born and raised come to the United States in efforts to leave the terrible wars or circumstances that they were exposed to. This is the power of strength and as a reward these people are granted with being American citizens. To be an American is not solely to have been born here in the States but to have recognized the fact that America is a place of solace and comfort from unwanted retribution. America is a safe haven. You can see this by how many people speak fondly of America, such as former president Franklin D. Roosevelt, Langston Hughes, Emma Lazarus, Claude McKay etc. To be an American is not to limit the freedom of oneself or others. It is not worrying what others think about you socially or politically knowing that as an American there are others like you. When I think of being an American I include every race because just having documents or papers’ verifying that you are a legal citizen is enough. Being an American we have a duty and responsibility; and one of those responsibilities include welcoming others with open arms. Being an American is so much more than anyone can imagine. Everyone has their own perspective and voice and that alone is a symbol of what it means to be American.

Free Advertisements Analysis Esay

Free Advertisements Analysis Esay Advertisements Analysis The industry of advertising is intriguing and challenging To some extent it is a true art of appealing to the most sensitive emotional spheres and pulling hidden triggers in consumers heads and souls to outweigh the scales in favor of a particular product or brand. Although it might seem to be a rather simple task comparing to biochemistry or accounting, it implies tough work on developing an accurately calculated and elaborately circumspect combination of numerous elements together creating that astonishing effect on consumers when they prefer one brand to another or purchase a totally new product. Advertising specialists struggle to develop perfect adverts as nowadays there are so many products offered and so many adverts it has become a real challenge to captivate consumers. Deep knowledge of psychology is now a key to success while applying various non-verbal tools and signs in advertising. Thus, there are more elements included into a simple, at a glance, print advertisement: besides the image itself consumers are influenced by the prevailing colors, choice of language and newly created words, signs with double meanings, location of the elements, etc. Successful combination of all the elements leads to increased sales and, hence, profit. In more detail, advertising serves to increase immediate turnover, raise product or brand awareness, introduce a new product or brand into the market, show or emphasize distinctive features of a product to the target audience (TDI India 2010). Advertising of airlines has been a stand-alone sphere for a long time as earlier it was used by limited target audience (mainly business people, the rich and the military). Nowadays advertising specialists have to consider and emphasize the points of significant importance taking into account a tremendously large and extremely diverse group of flying nowadays travelers flight schedule convenience and comfort during the flight while the price comes third. Moreover, luxury proposals are becoming more popular with the globalization processes as many exotic destinations become accessible. Both adverts by Emirates and British Airways offer this particular niche proposal exotic destination along with high comfort level. However, the approaches they choose differ. Emirates advert conveys an image of comfort showing in detail a part of a rest room with a woman obviously just after shower or a SPA procedure. The interior reminds of a luxury hotel or a salon with expensive sanitary porcelain, marble, soft towels and fresh flowers. Hard to notice it is a plane rest room as only the built-in disposal box proves it. The colors are soft and calm which is harmonically combined with the serene and relaxed look of the lady. It is worth mentioning, that she is rather young, between 25-35, looking beautiful and fresh without any sexual context. She is looking at her reflection in the mirror and smiling. There is a large picture of Dubai landscape in front of her. The image is rather foggy and presumably is intended to emphasize not the destination, but the company name. Emirates bright red logo in the low right corner is well balanced by a bright fuchsia orchid in the low left corner also reminding of exoticism. The advert is supported with the headline in white in agreement with the overall image of calmness and peacefulness. The slogan for the campaign is intriguing: the words memorable moments catch the eye immediately, while at 40,000 feet give a certain quiz for a viewer. Thus, the viewer understands that the offer is for luxury flights. The copy gives more details while repeating memorable moments trying to point out this competitive advantage and mentioning other services such as SPA showers, exclusive lounges, etc. It also repeats the company name and provides useful information on flight frequency, the plane type A380, etc. The company offers inspiration and tranquility from their exclusive services as a consequence of becoming their customer. The directive is given in a form of soft and unobtrusive advice to find inspiration, refresh and experience the offer. In general, this advert gives an impression of a luxury though peaceful promise. It hints at high price without mentioning i t, pointing at more valuable things comfort, tranquility, inspiration. British Airways exploits a different approach: the image is unexpectedly striking with its controversy and pithiness It shows a jaguar sleeping on a tree. The image is cut out on white so that there is nothing seen but the animal. Therefore, the color range is limited by the tree bark and fur shades from yellow to dark brown which allows highlighting the jaguar. The choice of the animal gives the idea of exoticism while the fact that it is sleeping hints at rest. The headline in capital letters located below the head of the animal is dark blue color to underline its message of relaxation. The copy contains a rather strong directive to escape to Sri Lanka as it is a long way from everyday. This phrase has a double meaning as the viewer is offered to go really far from routine and have some additional time during the flight to restore stamina. At the same time, this relaxing overslept substitutes a more common for airlines word overseas usually associated with long and tiring flight hours. By this long hours of flight are actually turned into its advantage. The details of the offer are given with exact pricing which supports a business-oriented approach. There is another text box below indicating the competitive advantage of British Airways more destinations to Indian Ocean islands than other companies. Overall, the advert is targeted at middle-aged business people with rather high income as the proposal is quite expensive. It appeals to peopl e who wish to escape from everyday routine and value their time and rest. Business orientation is emphasized by pithiness of the advert and restraint colors. Comparing the two adverts it may be concluded that both target at a high-income group and offer exoticism However, they have different approaches: while Emirates highlight comfort of their services on board, British Airways show a chance to relax for exact price. The services mentioned by Emirates suppose mainly female audience and males in search of exclusive care. At the same time British Airways rely mostly on striking exoticism. However, both adverts exploit bright though different images to catalyze consumers imagination of what to expect from these luxury proposals.

Battle of Peachtree Creek - Civil War - Atlanta Campaign

Battle of Peachtree Creek - Civil War - Atlanta Campaign Battle of Peachtree Creek - Conflict Date: The Battle of Peachtree Creek was fought July 20, 1864, during the American Civil War (1861-1865). Armies Commanders Union Major General William T. ShermanMajor General George H. Thomas21,655 men Confederate General John Bell Hood20,250 men Battle of Peachtree Creek - Background: Late July 1864 found Major General William T. Shermans forces approaching Atlanta in pursuit of General Joseph E. Johnstons Army of Tennessee. Assessing the situation, Sherman planned to push Major General George H. Thomas Army of the Cumberland across the Chattahoochee River with the goal of pinning Johnston in place. This would allow Major General James B. McPhersons Army of the Tennessee and Major General John Schofields Army of the Ohio to shift east to Decatur where they could sever the Georgia Railroad. Once done, this combined force would advance on Atlanta. Having retreated through much of northern Georgia, Johnston had earned the ire of Confederate President Jefferson Davis. Concerned about his generals willingness to fight, he dispatched his military advisor, General Braxton Bragg, to Georgia to assess the situation. Arriving on July 13, Bragg began sending a series of discouraging reports north to Richmond. Three days later, Davis requested that Johnston send him details regarding his plans for defending Atlanta. Unhappy with the generals noncommittal reply, Davis resolved to relieve him and replace him with the offensively-minded Lieutenant General John Bell Hood. As orders for Johnstons relief were sent south, Shermans men began crossing the Chattahoochee. Anticipating that Union troops would attempt to cross Peachtree Creek north of the city, Johnston made plans for a counterattack. Learning of the command change on the night of July 17, Hood and Johnston telegraphed Davis and requested that it be delayed until after the coming battle. This was refused and Hood assumed command. Battle of Peachtree Creek - Hoods Plan: On July 19, Hood learned from his cavalry that McPherson and Schofield were advancing on Decatur while Thomas men marched south and were starting to cross Peachtree Creek. Recognizing that a wide gap existed between the two wings of Shermans army, he resolved to attack Thomas with the goal of driving the Army of the Cumberland back against Peachtree Creek and the Chattahoochee. Once it was destroyed, Hood would shift east to defeat McPherson and Schofield. Meeting with his generals that night, he directed the corps of Lieutenant Generals Alexander P. Stewart and William J. Hardee to deploy opposite Thomas while Major General Benjamin Cheathams corps and Major General Joseph Wheelers cavalry covered the approaches from Decatur. Battle of Peachtree Creek - A Change of Plans: Though a sound plan, Hoods intelligence proved faulty as McPherson and Schofield were in Decatur as opposed to advancing against it. As a result, late in the morning of July 20 Wheeler came under pressure from McPhersons men as the Union troops moved down the Atlanta-Decatur Road. Receiving a request for aid, Cheatham shifted his corps to the right to block McPherson and support Wheeler. This movement also required Stewart and Hardee to move to the right which delayed their attack by several hours. Ironically, this sidestep right worked to the Confederate advantage as it moved most of Hardees men beyond Thomas left flank and positioned Stewart to attack Major General Joseph Hookers mostly unentrenched XX Corps. Battle of Peachtree Creek - Opportunity Missed: Advancing around 4:00 PM, Hardees men quickly ran into trouble. While Major General William Bates division on the Confederate right became lost in the Peachtree Creek bottomlands, Major General W.H.T. Walkers men assaulted Union troops led by Brigadier General John Newton. In a series of piecemeal attacks, Walkers men were repeatedly repulsed by Newtons division. On Hardees left, Cheathams Division, led by Brigadier General George Maney, made little headway against Newtons right. Further west, Stewarts corps slammed into Hookers men who were caught without entrenchments and not fully deployed. Though pressing the attack, the divisions of Major Generals William Loring and Edward Walthall lacked the strength to break through XX Corps. Though Hookers corps began strengthening their position, Stewart was unwilling to surrender the initiative. Contacting Hardee, he requested that new efforts be made on the Confederate right. Responding, Hardee directed Major General Patrick Cleburne to advance against the Union line. While Cleburnes men were pressing forward to prepare their attack, Hardee received word from Hood that Wheelers situation to the east had become desperate. As a result, Cleburnes assault was cancelled and his division marched to Wheelers aid. With this action, the fighting along Peachtree Creek came to an end. Battle of Peachtree Creek - Aftermath: In the fighting at Peachtree Creek, Hood suffered 2,500 killed and wounded while Thomas incurred around 1,900. Operating with McPherson and Schofield, Sherman did not learn of the battle until midnight. In the wake of the fighting, Hood and Stewart expressed disappointment with Hardees performance feeling that had his corps fought as hard Loring and Walthall the day would have been won. Though more aggressive than his predecessor, Hood had nothing to show for his losses. Quickly recovering, he began planning to strike at Shermans other flank. Shifting troops east, Hood attacked Sherman two days later at the Battle of Atlanta. Though another Confederate defeat, it resulted in the death of McPherson. Selected Sources Historynet: Battle of Peachtree CreekNorth Georgia: Battle of Peachtree CreekCWSAC Battle Summaries: Battle of Peachtree Creek