Newlywed Communication free essay sample

As a newlywed myself, I can relate on these difficult times that occur during the first few months and even the first few years of marriage. There are certain principles you can follow to have effective communication, listening skills that you can learn, have an understanding of non-verbal communication, and realize how self-concept, and self-disclosure, can all play a vital role in your communication within your marriage. While communication has occurred since the dawn of time, becoming an effective communicator really does take some skill and understanding of how interpersonal communication works. Understanding these concepts and skills, will help tremendously in those not so blissful points of marriage. â€Å"To become a more effective communicator, scholars would most likely agree that five specific aspects of interpersonal communication are crucial areas of focus† (Sole, 2011). These 5 skills are listening skills, people skills, emotional intelligence, appropriate skill selection, and communicating ethically. I am sure looking at this list you can pick out which of these skills you think you possess over another, but the key to interpersonal communication is honing in all of these skills and using them together and at the appropriate times. We will write a custom essay sample on Newlywed Communication or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Now let us break each of these skills down and concentrate on the key concepts of each skill. Listening, this is more than just sound waves bouncing through our ear canal, to be in affective listener â€Å"requires focus and attention† (Sole, 2011). A lot of people hear without actually listening. I know that there have been many times that my husband and I were having a discussion and I could hear what he was saying, meaning I knew he was talking and I could hear the words that were coming out of his mouth, but I was not listening to what he was actually saying. Once I stopped and actually listened to what he had to say, we were able to resolve the conflict we were having. People skills, also plays a role in communication, however people skills is a collaborative use of many different skills like problem solving and appropriate self-disclosure. Emotional intelligence is probably the easiest to understand but the hardest to apply in interpersonal communication, for me at least. To be emotionally intelligent is to understand how and when to express certain emotions in given situations. For me, I am very passionate about most things in my life, and when I have an idea or thought, or even problem, I want to get it out in the open as fast as possible. When someone does not agree with me, is upset with me, or even does agree with me, you can see my emotions in my face, hear them in my voice, and can tell by my overall attitude. While in my working relationships this sometimes has posed a problem, I believe in a marriage it is very important to share your emotions with each other, and keeping in mind of the emotions of one another. In a marriage I believe to be emotionally intelligent means to have the ability to express how you feel about something to your spouse, as well as being able to relate to the emotions of your spouse. Appropriate skill selection means that you can recognize a problem in communication and then affectively solving the problem. Finally, communicating ethically, varies in meaning from person to person, as one person’s set of ethics may not be the same as another person’s, however in general to communicate ethically means to keep your own ethics, morals, values, and beliefs in mind while communicating. Speak with a purpose, and let your ethics guide you in not only what you convey when you speak but how you convey it as well. In a relationship it is easy to point out what the other person is doing wrong and how he or she fails to communicate. It is important to take a look inward and realize how you can grow and realize what you can work on too, in order to increase effective communication in your relationship. This may be a hard pill to swallow, but you are not perfect, and realizing that, accepting it, and admitting to imperfection will strongly help any relationship. I think that everyone could agree that listening is equally important, if not more important, as talking. Realizing when we are hearing conversation rather than listening to a conversation will help make the messenger feel like you the receiver not only understands what they are saying, but cares about what is being said. I know as a woman, when I feel like my husband is tuning me out, it hurts and I take it much more personal, than if he were listening to me and then not saying anything. â€Å"Listening involves hearing, but it is much more than just the physiological act of your ears perceiving a sound and transmitting the auditory sensation to your bra in. Listening is a complex psychological process that can be defined as the process of physically hearing, interpreting that sound, and understanding the significance of it† (Sole, 2011). There are many aspects of being a good listener which we all start to learn in the early years of education, but as adults we tend to tune out, those that boar us or that we feel is unimportant. The first of the many characteristics of being a good listener is a motivation or willingness to listen. You have to make a conscious decision that you are going to listen to the speaker, with an open mind and an eagerness to hear what he has to say. I know this sounds completely cliche but you need to make a â€Å"safe† environment for your spouse so they not only want to talk to you but they feel that they can talk to you and be heard. This was a big concept that both my husband and I had to learn in the first few months of our marriage, and quite frankly, it is something that we are still working on. My husband is a quiet person, and he does not let a lot of things get under his skin. When something does start to bother him he tends to hold it in, and then all at once, it is like a bomb went off and he explodes. For me, it made it hard to talk to him about anything, because he did not want to talk about it or did not have much of an opinion on the subject. When I would ask if something was bugging him, he would say nothing until that bomb went off. Because of this ticking time bomb that I felt would go off at any moment it made it very hard for me to come to my husband when I had something I wanted to talk about. So while he was not making a safe environment for me to come and talk to him, I in turn, was not making a safe environment for him either. He felt like when we did talk, I was not actually listening to him, and only wanted things my way. I was not allowing him to feel like he could come and talk to me, so he did not do so. Once we got this out on the table, it made our communication much more effective. Crossing your arms, rolling your eyes, tapping your foot, these are all ways that we can communicate with other people without words even coming out of our mouths. We send off a vibe through our body language that can let a person know how we are feeling without saying anything, or a person can misunderstand a vibe that you may not be giving off, but because you are unaware of your body language you do not realize it. Research shows that 55% of communication is conveyed by the body language we use, that is use of eye contact, gestures, and facial expressions. 38% is conveyed through voice, its quality, use of tone, and inflections. Only 7% is conveyed in the words we use† (Makodia, 2009, p. 6). When the first few issues arose in my marriage, we would try and have a conversation to work these issues out. My husba nd is not one to convey his feelings very well verbally. To be honest, it is much easier to talk about things with him via email or even text message. When we would talk with each other he was the king of just blankly staring at me with his arms crossed, while I was speaking. This infuriated me. It made it impossible to talk to him and I would end the conversation and nothing would get solved. As you can see, sometimes it is not even what you say, not how you say it, but the way you use your hands, your face, your entire body to convey a message. A simple smile can take a conversation from stagnant and cold, to warm and understanding. When talking out a disagreement, try smiling and talking about it, that alone can turn the entire vibe of the relationship and you may get further than using cold gestures, like crossed hands or a mean scowl. Going back to what I stated before about creating a â€Å"safe† environment for your spouse is key to having effective communication. When you have a harsh body language, you can make yourself come across unapproachable where as if you keep your body language carefree, it can make it easier for your significant other to bring up a situation. In understanding communication, and how your spouse communicates with you, you must understand yourself and why you are the way you are. For example, growing up I was always getting in trouble for my siblings mistakes. As the oldest child I picked up the heat for almost everything. Now as an adult, I can come off very offensive if someone accuses me of something I felt that I did not do. When I could understand there was a reason for me getting on the defense it helped my husband understand how to approach topics that I might react in a negative way about. Self-concept is comprised of relatively permanent self-assessments, such as personality attributes, knowledge of one’s skills and abilities, one’s occupation and hobbies, and awareness of one’s physical attributes. † (Sinha, 2009, p. 2) Being aware of one’s self not only will help in learning and grasping the concepts of interpersonal communication, it will also help you understand why it is that y ou communicate the way you do and allow you to let your spouse know why you are the way you are. As I stated before, once the title of your relationship changes from engaged to married, it seems that things may change drastically. Living together creates a whole different slew of problems. Having children creates another chapter of problems. Life happens, and it is only natural that you and your spouse are going to disagree on these subjects, but knowing how to overcome disagreements, and how to convey your point in an effective way, makes all the difference. As humans we grow, change, evolve every day. Our interests change, our hobbies vary, and if you are anything like me, you have a new favorite color every season. When a couple first starts dating the best ways they start to understand and get to know each other is by self-disclosure. Self-disclosure is asking and answering questions like â€Å" What is your favorite movie? †, â€Å"Where do you see yourself in 2 years, 5 years, 10 years? †. Questions like this help one another learn, understand, and is a big part of communication in a relationship no matter how new or how old. Quality communication is defined somewhat differently from study to study, but research consistently has shown a link between happy marriages and self-disclosure, or sharing your private feelings, fears, doubts and perceptions with your partner† (Schoenberg, 2011). I have a running list of questions that I keep in the notes section of my phone. Every so often I go through the list and ask my husband a few questions. This is either face to face, via text or email, or sometimes I ask in a letter that I write to him which I will slip into his lunch. It is not once a week or even once a month. Just when I think about it, or once a year, we talk about our goals that we would like to accomplish for the year and how we can reach these goals. This year or goals are to put at least $5000 into savings, and pay off all of our credit card debt. Keeping in mind that we are ever-changing as humans, setting up a time where we ask our spouse these self-disclosure, types of questions, can greatly impact the quality of communication in your relationship as a whole. Focusing on quality rather than quantity of communication can aid in each other’s understanding of one another and how to effectively communicate. My husband is a Recruit Division Commander, which in not so many words means he is a Navy boot camp drill sergeant. This means that he is working from anywhere from 4am to 10pm, 7 days a week, for at least 13 weeks at a time. I have a full time job working 8am until 5pm and then come home to take care of our 1 year old. By the time 1030 rolls around and he walks through the front door we are both tired and ready for bed, but we make it a point to take 15 minutes, and unload about our days. These 15 minutes gives us enough time to connect with each other and get the important stuff out in the open. Now 15 minutes a day does not seem like a lot of time but it is the quality of our conversation that keeps us strong. This is what I mean about quality over quantity. The elements that create effective communication, listening, non-verbal communication, self-concept, and self-disclosure are all part of becoming an effective communicator in any interpersonal relationship, but especially with your spouse. Understanding these concepts will help you not only know yourself and how to improve your own communication skills but also understand your spouse and how they communicate. It will not always be a cake walk, but when applying the skills I have outlined, it can get better. Communication is key, when life starts getting in the way, just 15 minutes of quality communication every day can go a long way. References: Makodia, V. V. (2009). Role of Body Language in Communication. Jaipur, IND: Paradise Publishers. Sinha, D. S. (2009). Personal Growth and Training and Development. Lucknow, IND: Word-press. Sole, K. (2011). Making connections: Understanding interpersonal communication. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc.

Analytical Essay The Red Convertible Essays

Analytical Essay The Red Convertible Essays Analytical Essay The Red Convertible Essay Analytical Essay The Red Convertible Essay Essay Topic: Analytical After he and his brother purchase the convertible, he describes a great big willow tree. In Indian society, willow trees signify wisdom so I gather that perhaps it sticks out In his memory because in the great wide open of Gods creation, perhaps he and his brother gleaned some great wisdom about life In general under the limbs of this willow tree. He mentions how his brother went off to Vietnam upon their return. One cant help but to Imagine the completely different surrounding that his brother found himself in. I imagine wetlands, tropical angles, hot and sticky air that feels as though you are breathing water due to the humidity. Just as they might have found a bit of themselves in the great wide open adventures they had in the car prior to the war, his brother lost a lot of himself in the wet, humid, dangerous jungles of Vietnam. In Robert Frosts Mending Walls, the setting is again outdoors. This time, the setting is in cold, damp England. I gather this from the way the author speaks about fox hunts and stone walls between neighbors. Here, he and his neighbor are again outside walking the stone wall border between heir properties. Two deferent people united and yet separated by a simple wall. Walker 2 While their wall is a physical wall, the wall that later separated the brothers in the previous story was an inner wall made up of the remaining demons of war along with the inner struggles of a prisoner of war returning to life as a civilian. Just as the two neighbors walk their walls to repair the gaps by replacing the loosened and missing boulders, the two brothers tried to repair the gaps to their relationship with the last ride out in the red convertible. The revealing theme is the same in both works. In the red convertible, the family tries to ignore the different personality that has engulfed the older brother upon his return. They keep It quiet and dont mention it but in whispers. They want to keep things the same even though It Is clearly evident that they will never be the same again. In Mending Walls, the writer asks his neighbor why must they keep the wall up when he has no cows nor does his neighbor, they both only have trees and it is clear that neither type of tree will move to encroach upon ten toners proper HIS enlarger, not wanting to go galls t Nils Tanners wellness whom we are led to believe holds great regard for tradition states that good fences make good neighbors. Regardless of whether it makes sense to have the wall or not, it has always been that way and therefore it will continue that way as well. It is similar to the family way of thinking in the red convertible. It is clear that everyone from the younger brother to the friends, neighbors and even the mother in the story can see that the older brother is not the same upon his return from Vietnam. The known is scary to them so instead of tackling the bigger issue and getting him the help he needs, they go back to the way things were. They try to act as if everything is still the same. They ignore the fact that he has been through things they cannot imagine and instead try to pretend he is the same old person he was before. This must be extremely frustrating on the brother and eventually the only way he can think of to make them happy and also to relieve the nightmare he lives in day after day is to end it all with one giant leap into a rushing river at the close off perfect day.

The Promise and Peril of Editing in Proof

The Promise and Peril of Editing in Proof The Promise and Peril of Editing in Proof The Promise and Peril of Editing in Proof By Mark Nichol Which method of editing is the most effective one? Which content formats should be employed, and how many iterations are necessary? Ultimately, what works for the publisher is the best approach, but consider that what is most expedient is often at odds with what is best. Until a generation ago, typewritten manuscripts were edited on paper: Editors would mark changes with a pen or pencil, and writers would type (or hire someone to type) a new version; this process might be repeated at least a couple of times, as the manuscript underwent first developmental (comprehensive thematic and structural) editing and then copyediting (the nuts and bolts of word style and usage and of grammar and syntax, or sentence formation). The last iteration would then be given to a typesetter, who would transcribe the text using a word-processing device, incorporating the last set of penciled-in revisions as he or she went along, and would format it according to its intended mode of presentation. A proof, or a facsimile of the manuscript’s intended published appearance, would then be printed out, and a proofreader would check the proof against the final typed version, glancing back and forth ad infinitum to check for typographical errors as well as duplicated, omitted, or misplaced text and for formatting errors. The typesetter would then enter corrections and print out a new iteration, and the proofreader would spot-check the corrected elements and passages. This exchange would then be repeated if and as necessary. (Some publishers, notably the National Geographic Society, paired two people: one to read the original final manuscript aloud while the other checked the corresponding proof text and marked any errors observed.) As desktop publishing evolved, this process was streamlined: Editors revised directly in content files using simplified word-processing programs such as Microsoft Word. And because the content was copied and pasted into the proof file, rather than laboriously typed, proofreaders no longer had to compare proofs against the manuscript word for word; they merely examined the proofs for errors, consulting the manuscript only occasionally for clarification if at all. Early on in this new paradigm, the proofreader would mark a printout of the proof, and a member of the publication’s production staff, or a freelance graphic designer or production artist, would enter the changes and then generate a new iteration of the proof, and the proofreader or another person would check corrections. Then, in the last few years, it became easier for proofreaders to revise proofs themselves using programs such as Adobe Acrobat. Ultimately, some publishers have decided to occasionally or routinely forgo the manuscript-editing process (either the copyediting stage alone or both developmental editing and copyediting) and â€Å"flow† the writer’s raw (or developmentally edited but not copyedited) manuscript directly into proof, then have it edited when it is already in its formatted form. This certainly saves much time and effort, but it also complicates the process, because developmental editors and copy editors must then maintain the parameters of the copyfit- they cannot insert, omit, or relocate content without perhaps significantly altering the layout, which may require more time and effort by design and/or production staff. If the editor is given authority to copyfit as needed, he or she can revise the text so that it fits the format, but this may compromise the quality of the content because of the limits of that format. I have edited and proofread content that appears in all these manifestations, starting out by editing my college newspaper using a manual typewriter, Wite-Out, scissors, and red pencils. A few of my contemporaries still prefer to mark up a piece of paper, but I have embraced the expeditious advantages of editing in proof (though for most of my employers and clients, I continue to edit in Word and proof in Acrobat), and I predict that this strategy will soon be the norm. But publishers, from mom-and-pop marketers to multinational corporations, must weigh the benefits and drawbacks and take care not to cut corners by, say, minimizing comprehensive reorganization and revision of a manuscript because it doesn’t adhere to a templated publication format or eliminating copyediting and proofreading because they are costly, time-consuming steps. Too many publications already suffer, sometimes egregiously, from a de-emphasis on (or even outright dismissal of) the editing process, and the art of turning a competent composition into a compelling one must not be suborned to an efficiency that ignores the crucial factor of quality. 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 Writing Basics category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Coordinating vs. Subordinating Conjunctions75 Idioms and Expressions That Include â€Å"Break†Parataxis and Hypotaxis

Explore one IT topic that interests you Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Explore one IT topic that interests you - Essay Example The GPS receiver in the bus calculates its exact location depending on the time that the signal from the satellite takes to reach it. The GPS tracking device in the vehicle can send back the same information to the person tracking the bus or to online tracking system in order to conduct mapping (Sobey 13). The increasingly number of vehicles in the cities has led violation of traffic rules. This reckless driving has caused countless accidents. In order to monitor the driver and ensure that he follows traffic rules, it is essential to use a tracking device (Gillen & David 53). A transport company in Chicago known as Transit Authority has allowed customers to view their websites due to the increased disloyalty between the between businesses and the customers. It allows them to track the location of the bus so that they can prepare themselves for the journey by judging the distance left to reach the station. The act has increased customer’s loyalty in the company (Gillen & David

Business report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Business report - Essay Example Essentially a service sector organization, Woolworths purchases its goods mostly from Australian farmers and since most purchases are domestic, their products are fresh. The report would focus on how such a successful firm can enter the Indian markets given that there is currently a retail boom in India as well (Ramaswamy and Namakumari 2009, 105). Since Woolworths is into fresh food, it is imperative that procuring the food items from Australia and shipping the same to India would not make sense. Thus, the best option to avail is to procure it from the Indian farmers and sell it in the same country, though the model they should follow has to be reviewed thoroughly in order to make a fitment between the demands of the Indian market and what Woolworths would like to offer. In the case of Woolworths, since the primary product offering is fresh food items as well as processed food, it is obvious that the basic requirement is not technological or even manufacturing plants but a sound inf rastructure that would ensure strong linkages with the markets – both of the farmers who are to supply the produce on a regular basis as well as the customers who are to buy the same. However, the main focus of Woolworths should be on value addition to those products. The report would focus on the macro environmental factors that are likely to come into play if Woolworths were to expand into the Indian retail markets. Thus, the report would start with the PESTL analysis and then move on to the specifics of the firm by doing a SWOT analysis of Woolworths. Having done these two analyses, the recommendations, whatever suitable for Woolworths, would be made in order to make the expansion project a success. PESTL Analysis The first analysis that should be performed is the PESTEL Analysis, which is defined as amalgamation of various macro-environmental forces that drive the organization’s performance and comprises the political, economic, sociological, technological, ecologi cal and legal forces (Viardot 2004). Furthermore, â€Å"it assists companies in the selection of attractive markets and the appropriate entry mode† (Aubert and Frigstad 2007). Political India is typically a politically stable nation that has been trying to attract FDI, and more so in retail. This should prove to be an advantage so far as the political environment of Woolworths in India is concerned (Krafft and Mantrala 2010, 130). Even Asian countries like India and China have slowly opened their doors to globalization, thereby welcoming conglomerates like Woolworths. In the wake of globalization, regulation and tax policies and FDI policies are to be relaxed considerably and even China and India have deregulated and delicensed various products making it further congenial for Woolworths to operate. However, various quarters of the political sector has exhibited stiff resistance to FDI in retail and especially multi brand retail (Datt 2008, 178). It is clear that since the gov ernment is keen on investment in FDI, thus the environment would work to the benefit of Woolworths in India. Legal The legal environment of Woolworths in India again points out to some of the encouraging features of increased investment in FDI on the part of the government as well as other legalities that may have to be fulfilled while opening retail outlets in India. The working age and other

The Impact Of The Olympics And Paralympics Tourism Essay

The Impact Of The Olympics And Paralympics Tourism Essay The aim of this essay is to identify the impact of the Olympics and Paralympics on tourism in London, illustrating environmental, economical and social effects. Firstly, the essay will assert how the Olympics affected the environment, even though in 2005 London engaged to stage the  ¿Ã‚ ½greenest games ¿Ã‚ ½ in history. Moreover, the influence of the games upon the economy will be underlined, defining both, positive and negative aspects regarding the host of the Olympics. Furthermore, the social effects of the 2012 Olympic Games will be examined, emphasizing the evolution of not only East London area and the main tourist attractions during the summer of 2012, but of the entire city. This essay will argue that the Olympics and Paralympics had both positive and negative aspects, having an important influence upon London and causing changes in economy, society and environment. London ¿Ã‚ ½s 2012 Olympics and Paralympics had a strong impact against the environment. The environment protection played one of the decisive parts of London ¿Ã‚ ½s bid for the games, London planning since July 2005 to stage  ¿Ã‚ ½the greenest games in history ¿Ã‚ ½. The main concept of the games was  ¿Ã‚ ½One Planet Olympics ¿Ã‚ ½, London concentrating on minimising the carbon emissions, on biodiversity, waste and advertising the protection of the environment against pollution. First of all, for the low carbon emissions, London planned to reduce the venues construction, using the existing legacy as the official website of the Olympics stated Furthermore, the new venues built, the Olympic Stadium, the Velodrome and the Aquatics Centre were energy-efficient, created to be sustainable as far as possible. In addition to reduce the carbon emissions  ¿Ã‚ ½footprint ¿Ã‚ ½, London promoted public transport, offering one day travel pass to everyone who bought a ticket for the games and also tried to instigate people to go to the Olympics cycling or walking with the aid of the  ¿Ã‚ ½Active Travel programme ¿Ã‚ ½ as it was written in The Independent newspaper: The environment impact was significant, even though all the measures were taken to host completely sustainable games. Thereby, the initial target of the planning committee of London Olympics was to use only renewable energy to minimise the carbon emissions. Even if the original purpose was to stage the most sustainable games, they were not entirely sustainable, though the 2012 Olympics had certainly a considerable less impact against the environment than any other Olympic Games in the history. The wind tunnels were also an important plan of the committee, helping to supply approximately 20% of the energy demanded for the games, but eventually this measure was not taken. The results of the target were harsh criticised by Darren Johnson, one of the members of London Assembly Green Party who stated in the BBC news: Even if in great measure the Olympics affected London ¿Ã‚ ½s environment, they had positive effects too, causing important changes in the environment. The most significant positive change that happened was the waterways dredging. They invested in a multi-million pound programme for dredging the waterways around the Olympic Park, which helped to develop the wildlife, but also improved the water quality. The dredging programme helped to remove tonnes of garbage, as the study  ¿Ã‚ ½From Brown to Green  ¿Ã‚ ½ of the Olympic Delivery Authority concluded Moreover, another well known project, which helped to improve the environment was  ¿Ã‚ ½Green Clean-up ¿Ã‚ ½, which cleaned a huge area around the Olympic Park. Hundreds of thousands of soil were purified by  ¿Ã‚ ½The soil Hospital ¿Ã‚ ½ cleaning it from contaminants and transforming it into material which could be re-used. Economy has likewise suffered many changes, 2012 Olympics and Paralympics having a huge impact upon London ¿Ã‚ ½s economy. One of the most important impact that the games had on London economy was creating new jobs. It was announced by the government that per total, approximately 30.000 new jobs will be created from 2009 to 2012. An essential change that helped boosting the economy was building the new shopping Center, Westfield Stratford City next to Olympic Park. By opening a new shopping centre in such a poor area like Stratford provided thousands of new jobs, but also transformed one of the poorest areas into a main attraction zone for tourists as Mr. Johnson declared for BBC news: Even if there were plenty of positive changes upon London ¿Ã‚ ½s 2012 economy, negative aspects were visible too. Furthermore, another impact of the games was the regeneration of Stratford area and the surroundings. The London Development Agency ¿Ã‚ ½s target besides regenerating was to develop this zone for 30 years after the Olympics. Moreover, thousands of new affordable houses were built around the Olympic Park as it is stated in a report made by British Library Although there were plenty of positive changes upon London ¿Ã‚ ½s 2012 economy, negative aspects were visible too. One of the negative impacts is that the economy grew only by 1% when everyone expected it to grow much more than it did. The hospitality industry presumed this summer will be the most prosperous because of the mega event, but in fact, it was proved to be an unpleasant surprise and most of the hotels were empty as one hotelier declared for Daily Mail newspaper: Also, The British Museum has reported a considerable decrease in the number of visitors, in comparison with the past years, London being described as a  ¿Ã‚ ½ghost town ¿Ã‚ ½ this time of the year. Besides hospitality industry, which has not gained as much as it was expected to, also the taxi business suffered a great loss because the demand for cabs decreased by about 20-40% as the general secretary of the Licensed Taxi Drivers, Steve McNamara Association declared in The Independent newspaper. London ¿Ã‚ ½s 2012 Olympics and Paralympics had likewise a huge impact upon London ¿Ã‚ ½s social life. The decision of hosting the 2012 Olympics had mostly positive effects upon London. First of all, hosting the games stimulated people to discover more of London ¿Ã‚ ½s national treasures such as museums, monuments and inform tourists about the unique places that London has to offer. Moreover, another social change that took place was encouraging people to take part in more cultural programmes and activities and inform the international audience about the culture of Great Britain as it was stated in Meta-Evaluation of the Impacts and Legacy of the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games report. Also, another positive aspect of staging the Olympics is referring to social actions and volunteering. Analyses showed an increase in the volunteering and community activities, people being encouraged to participate in volunteering programmes co-operating to help developing the society, focusing on the preparations for the most waited event, London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics. Another positive change upon London ¿Ã‚ ½s social life would be that Olympics will enhance and support sports activities and will invest in facilities to encourage people take part in sports activities for a healthier life. One of the negative impacts against London ¿Ã‚ ½s social life was the fact that the city became very crowded because tourists from all over the world came to London this summer to attend the mega event. Furthermore, another negative aspect was that the quantity of litter increased taking into consideration that the number of tourists increased that much and nevertheless, hosting the games increased also the quantity of pollution. Another negative aspect would be the fact that many buildings such as schools and campuses were demolished to build instead of them the venues for the Olympic Games and people were forced to move from the Olympic Park area. In conclusion, 2012 Olympics and Paralympics had a significant impact on London ¿Ã‚ ½s tourism. Since 2005, London ¿Ã‚ ½s tourism experienced three phases. Firstly, after July 2005 when United Kingdom won the bid to host the Olympics in 2012, tourism in London increased, visitor coming to see the hosting city of the 2012 Olympic Games. Secondly, the most important phase, during the Olympics, when millions of tourists came to London to attend the most waited event for the United Kingdom, which boosted the industry of tourism in London. Besides amplifying the tourism industry, the Olympics had also a substantial effect upon the economy, the society and the environment. The statistics reported that after the Olympics the economy grew by 1% percent, but also the social and environmental impacts were notable because hosting the games led to regenerate and develop one of the poorest areas of London and transformed it into a main attraction zone for visitors. The last phase of the Olymp ics impact upon London ¿Ã‚ ½s tourism represents the period after hosting the games. Although the benefits of hosting the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics were not as significant as everyone thought, they had a huge impact upon London ¿Ã‚ ½s tourism, remaining known as  ¿Ã‚ ½the greenest games ¿Ã‚ ½ in history.

The Surprise Party

The Surprise Party At eight o’clock of the evening of my lucky birthday, I was alone at home grumbling and frowning, shouting furiously and pitying myself for my misfortune. I thought it was going to be a special day filled with presents and fun, but all I received was a â€Å"Happy Birthday†. All of a sudden, the electricity cut off and there was a complete darkness in the house. I couldn’t do anything therefore I decided to go to sleep and end this unlucky day. Out of the blue in that quiet night, I heard a sudden noise coming from downstairs. I was startled and terribly shocked. I suspected that someone broke into the house. Immediately, I tried to phone my parents, but I had no answer. I phoned the police but my mobile was without credit! After a couple of minutes of fear, I started to calm down. Although in the meantime I heard more noises of people talking, I made some courage and started heading for the basement. As I slowly reached more and more the basement, I guessed there were more than one person, but I found it hard to believe. There couldn’t be a lot of people in our basement! Courageously, I opened the door of the basement. There was a complete darkness. There wasn’t a single noise. However, as I approached, I heard some laughter and confirmed that there were people. All of a sudden, the lights were on and there were my parents and friends cheering at me. It was a surprise party!! On a table where there were the cake and the food, there were the precious presents that I wished for a long time.