HUM310 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

HUM310 - Essay Example eparated from the Anglican Church and perceived the New Frontiers a place where they could put up their roots and established their own institutions of the same. Bradfords journal documented these sentiments through absorbing story telling techniques so that the reader could relate to the sense of community, the struggle of the early settlers, and the peaceful manners in which the Native Americans and the Pilgrims embraced each other. Had it not been for this peaceful integration with the Natives, specifically the Wampanoag tribe, later settlers from England would not have been able to establish towns and cities so easily. Indeed, through Bradford eyes, the challenge of "self-definition and establishment" (Parini 7), the origin of many of American traditions and culture such as Thanksgiving, could be seen to have emerged to shape the new nation. Moreover, "Of Plymouth Plantation" demonstrated the importance of compromise and peacemaking in the process of making a nation. Instead, of concentrating on "wealth and adventure" alone, Bradford encouraged understanding of the Natives and communication. He believed in embracing the value the locals had to offer to the new settlers through "sacred bonds and ties" of the "sweet communion" (Parini 10). At the same time one gets the sense of change during the 17th century. Bradford was saddened by the humiliation that the new generation brought with it by their violent behaviors and willful desecration of the locals. He believed the new colonists dissipated the foundations that were built by the early settlers particularly the Pilgrims of Plymouth that took years in the making. Although, Parini (10) sometimes believed Bradford to have veered from actual historical events, nevertheless one could relate to Bradfords experience at the time which were different from the narratives of the later colonists who were fiercer, resistant and against the Natives. Their dispositions resulted in bloody wars and waste of precious lives

Who Are The Cherokee Indians History Essay

Who Are The Cherokee Indians History Essay Cherokee Indians are a tribe that originated in the Southeastern United States. Their traditional lands included north Alabama from Noccalula Falls at Gadsden, Alabama, to all of Georgia north of Atlanta, to Kings Mountain, S. C. in the east; all of western North Carolina, southwest Virginia and East and Middle Tennessee. They also had traditional hunting claims in Kentucky. Their territory was eventually eliminated through about three dozen treaties between 1721 and 1835. The Treaty of New Echota (near Calhoun, Georgia) ceded the last remaining territory east of the Mississippi in exchange for land in Oklahoma. The whole tribe of Cherokees was forced to go west to Oklahoma in the 1830s on the infamous Trail of Tears that began at Red Clay Council Grounds in Tennessee just north of the Georgia state line. Among those who were force to leave were several thousand who died on the Trail of Tears. However, a few were able to hide in the mountains of western North Carolina. This group became the Eastern Band of Cherokees. Their tribal headquarters are at Cherokee, North Carolina. Today there are reservations in North Carolina with about 10,000 Cherokee and Oklahoma with about 100,000 Cherokee. Many are mix bloods rather than full bloods. Many Cherokee place names have been left in the places where they previously lived. The name Tennessee was taken from one of the Cherokee towns. The Cherokee were counted as one of the five civilized tribes of the Southeast which includes the Choctaw, Chickasaws, Creeks and Seminoles. They had the most vital and richest culture of all the tribes north of Mexico, a feature that most modern Americans have forgotten unless reminded in movies such as The Outlaw Josey Wales. Prehistoric and pre-Columbian knowledge of the Cherokee is limited. Their first European contact was with the expedition led by Hernando de Soto in 1540. The contact with de Soto was limited because his goal was exploration. He was followed eventually in the 1600s growing numbers of contacts French colonies in Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana and with the Spanish in Florida. However with the founding of the English colonies of Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina the contract grew into trade relationships. The trade relations developed with the Cherokee getting guns, powder, shot, and other trade goods in exchange for deer skins. The skins were valuable in Europe as a type of leather goods. Guns were more efficient hunting tools than bows and arrows. British merchants, who were frequently Scotsmen moved into Cherokee villages and established trading post. Many of these traders married Indian women. Their children, who were mix-bloods, usually grew up in the wilderness but with some European education. They were to be important because they provided much of the leadership in the future, at times in agreement and at times in opposition to the full bloods. Being of both cultures they were able to interpret each culture to the other. During the Eighteen Century the struggle between the French and English for control of North American meant frequent warfare. To protect the deer skin trade forts were built in Cherokee country which was divided into three basic areas. For the most part the Cherokee lived in towns. South Carolina held the lower towns; Western North Carolina the middle towns; and the over the hill towns were in east Tennessee. Fort Loudoun had been built in 1756-1757 at the confluence of the Little Tennessee and Tellico Rivers. It was a trade center and the Cherokee had free access to it until the outbreak of the Cherokee War (1759-1761). The Cherokee War occurred during the French and Indian War (1754-63). Known as the Seven Years War globally The French and Indian War is the name for its North American Theater of Operations. The origin of the Cherokee War was an incident in late 1758. A Cherokee war party, returning from unrewarding service in the Forbes Expedition, stole a few horses from frontier settlers. In a brief fight both Cherokee and whites suffered casualties. The Cherokee then sought revenge under their law which was in essence the law of the feud in which retaliation soon killed many on both sides. In November of 1759 South Carolina Governor William Henry Lyttleton declared war on the Cherokee. Efforts at peace negotiation failed because the Cherokees refused to surrender the individuals who had begun the fighting. To do so would have satisfied English ideas of justice; but would have violated Cherokee traditions. By 1760 a growing number of Cherokee and white settlers had been killed. In June Colonel Archibald Montgomery led an army of British regulars and colonial forces against the Cherokee. The Lower Towns and Middle Towns in the southern Appalachians were destroyed. Montgomery won a costly battle near Franklin, North Carolina on June 27, 1760 after which he returned to Charlestown. The gravest incident was the massacre of the Fort Loudoun garrison. The fort had been surrounded by the Cherokee and reduced to starvation. It was surrendered and its garrison was retiring to South Carolina, when it was attacked at Ballplay, Tennessee, where Cains Creek joins the Tellico River. Twenty-two officers and soldiers along with three women were killed in revenge for Cherokee losses. The survivors were held captive until the wars end. In June 1761 an expedition commanded by Lieutenant Colonel James Grant defeated the Cherokee near the village of Estatoe. He then burned all of their neighboring towns and all of their crops reducing them to near starvation. The Cherokee accepted peace term in August 1761. The Cherokee suffered numerous losses during the Cherokee War; however, more devastating were the losses from European diseases such as small pox, measles and other contagions. In response the Cherokee fought back with the Booger Dance, a spiritual weapon. Booger Dancers wore ugly masks and danced to ward off diseases or to ceremonially reduce fear of the deadly diseases. During the American Revolution the Cherokee remained loyal to the British and conducted military operations on their behalf. This led to fighting with the colonists and to demands for their removal after the Revolution. Among the Cherokee women often played an important role as counselors. Some became known as war women. An important War Woman was Nancy Ward. The acceptance of female leadership and influence was contrary to the male dominated white practice. By the 1790s Cherokee leadership came to the conclusion that he best way to preserve themselves was to become civilized. They began to develop more European style farm, clothing, government and Christianity. Often led by the mixed bloods such as John Ross, John Ridge, and Elias Boudinot they were aided by missionaries such as the Moravians who had a mission at Spring Place, Georgia. The Cherokee leadership began to develop into a civilized nation complete with the practice of slavery. A great event in the advancement of the Cherokees was the invention of a Cherokee language syllabary by the mixed blood Sequoya (Sequoya, Sequoia, Sikwayi). Named George Gist by his English father he was a skilled craftsman who developed a system of 86 symbols that represented the sounds of the Cherokee language. The syllabary was finished by 1821 and opened the way for thousands of Cherokee to learn it within a few years. The Cherokee Council was the government of the Cherokee nation and based upon its constitution. It met in the town of New Echota (now a restored state park just east of the current City of Calhoun, Georgia). The Council adopted the syllabary and provided for the publication of an official Cherokee newspaper, The Phoenix. Published in both Cherokee and English it was the first Indian newspaper in the United States. By 1827 the Bible, hymnbooks, pamphlets and many other writings were being translated into Cherokee. During the War of 1812 many Cherokee aided the Americans against the British and their allies including the Creeks (Muscogee). At the Battle of Horseshoe Bend (Alabama) in 1814 General Andrew Jacksons life was save by a Cherokee brave, Junaluska. However, this was not enough to prevent then President Jackson allowing their removal to Oklahoma in the 1830s. The demand for removal of all Indians east of the Mississippi River had been strong since at least the Presidency of Thomas Jefferson. In Georgia it was a major issue especially after the discovery of gold at Dahlonega in 1828. A huge influx of miners moved, often illegally, onto Cherokee land increasing demands for removal which occurred despite Supreme Court rulings in favor of the Cherokee: Cherokee Nation v. Georgia (1831) and Worcester v Georgia (1832). The Five Civilized Tribes were removed in whole or in part. A remnant of the Cherokee found refuge in the deep coves of the Smokey Mountains of Appalachia. With legal help from whites they eventually purchased land at Cherokee and became the Eastern Band. The bulk of the Cherokee in northern Georgia and elsewhere were forcibly expelled from their homes and conducted under military guard to Red Clay Council Grounds (now Tennessee historic state park) just north of Cohutta, Georgia, but in Tennessee. From there one group set out in the autumn to journey to Oklahoma. Many died on the Trail of Tears, a few escaped to North Carolina, and those that arrived in Oklahoma eventually had to develop their own farms and institutions. During the War Between the States most of the Cherokee sided with the Confederacy. They fought in battles in Missouri, Arkansas and Oklahoma. After 1885 Senator Henry Dawes of Massachusetts introduced what became the Dawes Act. It abolished the communal property of tribes and instituted a policy of individual ownership that was to further promote their civilizing. While the Five Civilized Tribes were exempt from the Dawes Act they came under increasing pressure to accept it. In 1895 the Curtis Act dissolved Indian tribal governments and forced allotments of the land. The results were a great deal of swindling of the Cherokee and many other Indians. Almost all of the original land granted to the Cherokee under the terms of the Treaty of New Echota was lost. In compensation Cherokee were made American citizens in 1901 and allowed to vote. On March 3, 1906, the Cherokee Nation was abolished. The present Cherokee Nation was organized in 1948 under the Wheeler-Howard Indian Reorganization Act (1934). Economic justice was to some degree awarded the Cherokee Nation in 1961 with payment of $15,000,000 by the U.S. Claims Commission for lands of the Cherokee Strip (Outlet). Modern Cherokee have served in the United States military and government. Most are educated and only a small number speak Cherokee. The seat of the Cherokee Nation (tribal government) is at Tahlequah, Oklahoma. The tribe adopted a new constitution in 2006. Under the leadership of their Principle Chiefs since the 1950s, who have included W.W. Keeler (1971-1975), Ross Swimmer (1975-1985)Â ¸ Wilma Mankiller (1985-1995), Joe Byrd (1995-1999) and Chad Corntassel Smith (1999-Present). The tribe conducts many different programs to promote the welfare and its cultural traditions. Among its money making ventures are casinos in Oklahoma and North Carolina. The Cherokee are in the process of building their own future with aid from many sources. Andrew J. Waskey References and Future Reading Bass, Althea. Cherokee Messenger. 1936. Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma, 1996. Cotterill, R. S. The Southern Indians: The Story of the Civilized Tribes Before Removal. Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma Press, 1954. Foreman, Grant. The Five Civilized Tribes: Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, Seminole. Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma Press, 1934. Hudson, Charles. The Southeastern Indians. Knoxville, TN: University of Tennessee Press, 1976. King, Duane H. ed. The Cherokee Indian Nation. Knoxville, TN: University of Tennessee Press, 1979. McLoughlin, William G. Cherokees Missionaries, 1789-1839. Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma Press, 1995. Mooney, James. History, Myths, and Sacred Formulas of the Cherokees. 1900 1891. Ashville, NC: Historical Images, 1992. Purdue, Theda. ed. Cherokee Editor: The Writings of Elias Boudinot. Athens, GA: University of Georgia Press, 1996. Woodward, Grace Steele. The Cherokee. Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma Press, 1963.

The Importance of Philosophy Essay -- Philosophy Philosophical Essays

The Importance of Philosophy The question is Philosophy. Why is it important? What makes it important? To answer theses questions you first have to know what philosophy is. Philosophy is defined as: the pursuit of wisdom; a search for a general understanding of values and reality by chiefly speculative rather than observational means. This is the written definition of philosophy, but I think philosophy can’t be defined to just words. It’s more then words. Philosophy to me is an attempt to understand the world. To understand philosophy one must not look for a solid definition. It is easier to understand it if one is actually doing it. Why don’t you try it out now, take the ever so popular phrase â€Å"to be or not to be.† One thing can’t, be and not be at the same time. If something is there, that can be touched, seen, held, or even look at, you can consider it to be, to exist. One can’t say that it does not exist because the object in reality is there. It can’t be there and not be there at the same time. Another way to try to understand philosophy is to find out where it came from and what the word means when it is broken down. The term philosophy comes from the Greek for â€Å"love of wisdom,† giving us two important starting points: love (or passion) and wisdom (knowledge, understanding) First we’ll start off with love or passion. One must understand that philosophy shouldn’t be pursed without love or passion. You must not think of philosophy as work. It must not be force upon you. You have to want to do philosophy. If your love or passion in philosophy isn’t there, then you truly aren’t seeking wisdom. One must have a passion for what they are philosophizing to actually gain the wisdom in which they are seeking. Next would be wisdom. Wisdom is forever sought out by us as we grow and we mature. One normally doesn’t consider the seeking of wisdom philosophy, but that is where they are wrong. This search for wisdom brings us back to the prior topic of passion or love. When we look at things, most of us look for answers to how they work. For instance, snow; when you were smaller you probably had no idea what snow was. You probably didn’t know what is was made up of and where it came from. As a growing child trying to understand the world, one would probably seek out to understand how it worked. Thus, you probably asked your parents. This asking or seeking of k... ...uestion is always there but unfortunately the answer isn’t. What’s meant by this is you can always ask a question, whether it is good question or a bad question really depends upon ones interpretation of the question. Since the answer isn’t always there in philosophy you must not give up on it. What you must understand asking questions to further seek wisdom is good for ones mind even if the question can’t be answered. Then again some answers might even lead to into further questions. Therefore, you might be stuck in a certain question or understanding for some time but it doesn’t matter as long as you keep seeking of the true and honest answer. Now after all these reasoning and explanations, hopefully you can see what philosophy is and how it is important to our daily lives. It helps us understand what is going on around us. It helps us understand how things work. It helps us understand ourselves. For this we should be grateful to all the people who sought out for answers, who questioned other peoples’ thoughts, and who never stop seeking wisdom. For without philosophy, without human curiosity, without questioning, without asking, there in no way we would be where we are today.

Behavior Management of Exceptional Children

BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT OF EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN: TRANSITION SERVICES Transition Services is defined by the 1997 Amendments to the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) as a coordinated set of activities for a student, designated within an outcome-oriented process, which promotes movement from school to post-school activities including: post-secondary education, career training, adult services, independent living, community participation, and integrated employment (including supported employment. The coordinated set of activities shall be based upon the individual needs of each student, taking into consideration his/her preferences and interests. IEP goals and objectives are required for the following areas: * Instruction * Related Services * Community Experiences * Development of employment and other post-school adult living objectives * Daily living skills and functional vocational evaluation are required. â€Å"The importance of the transition specialist, or career education specia list, in the types of projects cannot be underestimated. The relationships these staff members maintain with the participants are crucial to the structure and success of these services†(Bullis and Cheney, 1999). Vocational Assessments Vocational Evaluation is a comprehensive process that systematically uses work activities, (either real or simulated), as the focal point for assessment of capabilities, vocational exploration and guidance. The purpose of vocational evaluation is to assist individuals in vocational development. Vocational evaluation incorporates medical, psychological, social, vocational, cultural, and economic data into the assessment process to determine realistic vocational areas. Transition Planning Transition planning begins at a very early age. It continues through each educational phase of the student's life, culminating with adult living. A continuum of services focuses upon a student's preparation for transition through participation in career awareness activities, career exploration, vocational training and employment. A continuum of Transition Services has been developed to serve as a guideline for transition planning. The continuum begins at preschool and ends at age 22. Transition planning is documented in the Individualized Education Program (IEP) beginning at age 14. â€Å"There is a lack of student and parent output, little documentation of transition plan specifics for each student, and IEP that were almost exclusively academically focused with no obvious links between goal/objectives and transition outcomes. Indeed, these weaknesses in the use of the IEP process and document planning for transition directly affect the implementation of transition services†(Collet-Klingenberg, L. L. , 1998). It is the responsibility of the IEP chairperson – usually the special education teacher – to arrange IEP / transition planning meetings for students at age 14 and older. The IEP notice to parents must include the following information: * The purpose of the IEP meeting is to develop / review the IEP and to consider Transition Services for inclusion into the IEP. * The student is invited to attend the IEP meeting. * Appropriate agency representatives have been identified and invited to the IEP / transition planning meeting. The IEP transition meeting must include all required IEP participants, plus two other representatives, as follows: * Parents or Legal Guardians * Special Education Teacher * Regular Education Teacher * Public Agency Representative (if appropriate) * Student * Other Individuals at the discretion of the parent or agency * Interpreter, when the parent or legal guardian is deaf or not proficient in the English language. * Career Education Teacher / Coordinator If the student does not attend the meeting, steps should be taken to ensure that his/her preferences and interests are considered. If an invited agency representative is unable to attend the meeting, other steps shall be taken to obtain participation. The IEP /Transition Planning meeting participants will provide input for expected outcomes. The following questions may be discussed. * What are the interest, preferences, and goals of the student after graduating or exiting school? * What support would be required to reach post-secondary goals? * Will the student be referred to an adult agency? * What type of adult agency service(s) is needed after graduation, if any? Who will be responsible for the referral(s) (i. e. special education teacher, the school based staff, parent, student, others? * Who will follow-up to ensure that the linkage between the school and adult agency(ies) was established? The IEP Team will develop transition goals and objectives that focus on the desired adult outcomes (long range transition goals). Students' preferences, strengths and limitations, career / vocational skills development, n eeded support services, job availability, medical and transportation requirements are also considered. Parents' expectations of desired student outcomes should be obtained and considered. What exactly is the Transition Plan? The Transition Plan is a part of the IEP. It includes long-range transition goals, indicating the students' preferences and interests after exiting school, are identified. â€Å"The skills needed to be successful in post secondary educational and vocational; settings, such as self-awareness, awareness of appropriate career options, and the ability to engage in self-advocacy when necessary, takes many years to develop† (Janiga,s. , J. ; Costenbader, V. 2002). Transition Services needed to achieve the long-range goals are determined. Agencies involved in transition planning while the student is still in school should be identified. That involvement is considered â€Å"agency linkages†. Transition goals and objectives are written. Agency responsibilities should be recorded in the IEP on the Transition Plan. Transition activities (objectives), persons re sponsible for the activities, and timelines are recorded. If an agency fails to fulfill its responsibilities, the IEP Team must reconvene to identify alternative strategies. Transition plans are reviewed, discussed and developed annually. The special education teacher, who completes the Transition Checklist, maintains a summary of transition planning. The Transition Checklist is reviewed and updated annually at the IEP meeting. A copy of the Transition Checklist is provided to the parent / guardian for further reference and planning. To assist in the development of transition plans at the IEP meeting Guidelines for transition services agenda is used. The guidelines outline what should be done before, during and after the IEP meeting. Records Keeping The special education teacher maintains a portfolio for each student, beginning at age 14, or grade 9. The portfolio documents a collection of evidence of the student's skills, abilities, and employment competencies (see your school's Special Education Coordinator or your school-based Transition Coordinator to obtain the portfolio). The student is responsible for participation in the development and maintenance of his / her transition portfolio. Portfolios are maintained as documentation of transition services activities. Adult Agencies An adult agency representative can attend IEP / Transition meetings for students who are 16 years of age, or in the 11th grade, and thereafter, if considered necessary by the IEP Team. An agency representative may attend IEP / Transition meetings for student's age 14 or younger, if considered necessary by the IEP Team. Some students will move from school to adult life requiring little or no more involvement with adult agencies than their non-disabled peers. Examples of such agencies or services are community colleges, vocational technological schools, other post-secondary educational institutions and the military. Other students may require time-limited adult services, such as the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA). There are also students who will need ongoing support from adult agencies such as the Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities Administration (MRDDA). The IEP Team will determine which services may be appropriate for such students. Adult agencies may include, but are not limited to, the following: * Rehabilitation Service Administration Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities Administration * Commission on Mental Health Services * Others Private agencies representation may be invited by parent / guardian or student of appropriate: * College / Community College * Vocational Technical Schools * Adult Education Services/ Training * Armed Forces * Others Transportation for Special Education Transport ation is a related service for special education students when it is necessary in order for a student with a disability to participate in an appropriate educational program. The Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) makes individual decisions about transportation during the development of the Individualized Education Program (IEP) and placement. The MDT must consider the following: * Determine a need for specialized transportation and reflect the need in the student's IEP * Review the student's need for transportation at any IEP review * Qualifications for transportation include the following: * Limited sensory or physical endurance Significantly reduced intellectual development; and/or reduced problem solving skills Parents must do the following in order for transportation to be provided for their children: * Provide accurate address information to the Division of Special Education and ensure that it is updated if necessary during the school year * Call your child's principal of any address changes during the school year. It can take 3 to 10 school days to make transportation changes during the school year * Have your child ready when the bus arrives in the mor ning * Meet the school bus in the afternoon. BIBLIOGRAPHY Bullis, M. , ; Cheney, D. (1999). Vocational and Transition Interventions for Adolescents and Young Adults with Emotional or Behavioral Disorders. Focus on Exceptional Children, 7, 1-24. Collet-Klingenberg, L. L. , (1998). The Reality of Best Practices in Transition: A Case Study. Exceptional Children, 1, 67-78. Janiga, S. , J. ; Costenbader, V. , (2002). The transition from High School to Postsecondary Education for students with Learning disabilities: A Survey of College Service Coordinators. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 5, 462-8, 479.

Blunders and Thanks

I have always been fascinated by the rich and famous. They looked so much in control of every situation they were in. They exude a certain aura of power and many people just simply adore them. I will not try to pretend that I knew a lot of this people but in the community where I was living, a youngish couple who owned the largest construction supply business happened to live there, in a three-storey building and I often watched them with awed interest. I have bought a few things in their store and their office paneled in glass looked so grand.The second floor of the building is a showcase for home furnishings and looking at the prices of their goods only the rich could afford them, I’d mused. I learned from people talking that the third floor is their residence and as people talk, they said that it was a state of the art home, deserving for the very rich. The husband drove the grandest car in this part of our town and every morning I watch him drove to some place, attache cas e in hand, looking impressive and successful. The young wife stayed and manned the office and she too took the kind of self-assured look her husband radiates. The young couple was my inspiration.I would like to own a business one day and like them, I would be powerful too. From their looks, I believed that money brings satisfaction and contentment, happiness too. A lot of times when I daydream, I would picture myself in the fashion of the young couple’s situation, very much contented and in control over my business, employees and in every deal I have for my business. Judging from the meager income I earned from my job, the prospect looked bleak and oftentimes, I would feel frustrated. I was taking the ferry to the city and while waiting for the boat to leave, I was engaged with those day dreams again.I was deep into it when I noticed that familiar car getting at the 2 gangplank and the driver hurrying to open the passenger seat. Out came the young wife of the businessman carr ying a small bag. She is taking the boat and she is alone. She looked so chic with that small black dress and oversized Jackie O sunglasses. I lost her when she gets into the ferry. I was about to continue with my fantasy when a familiar voice roused me. â€Å"Is this seat taken? † It was her, looking a bit lost. â€Å"No,† I told her as she sat beside me. I am taking this trip alone. My husband arranged a car to fetch me at the pier. You go to our store sometimes didn’tyou? † I am surprised she noticed. â€Å"Yes,† I told her. I would have added, â€Å"I am your fan† least I would look stupid. â€Å"I am going to my husband’s youngest brother’s funeral. † â€Å"He will be buried today. † â€Å"Yes, she continued without waiting for me to ask, he is very young† â€Å"He is a special child you know and his family committed him into an institution. † There is a peculiar way about the way she talked to m e. We were not talking really. She expected me to listen and be attentive to her chat away. She did not even look at me. She talked about being bored to death at the store. She complained about the monotonous chores she have todo every day of her life including Sunday lunches at her husband’s family country house. She confessed about being jealous at people who have time to spend weekends at bars and cafes having good times with friends and meeting strangers. In-between confessions and complains she would get a call from somebody and they would talk for a minute or two. Some of those calls were from their office and others from the party of the funeral judging from her conversations on her phone. I was surprised with my reaction with her. The very first time I am nearest the person I so admired and she talked to me of things I considered so personal andbetween close friends only yet I do not feel the inspiration I expected to feel. I felt so drained. I 3 felt that this woman seeped my strength like a vampire sucking blood from her victims. The boats horn sounded signaling we have reached our destination. â€Å"You are going to the city aren’t you? † she asked, â€Å"You can share a ride with me, I’d be bored alone in that car,† she added. Instinct told me to say no and I did. â€Å"I am meeting someone in the pier,† I lied. â€Å"I would take the bus but thanks anyway and leave hurriedly away. â€Å"So much for the rich and famous,† I thought so amused.