Diary of an All-nighter

Diary of an All-nighter So…Im not sure exactly where September went, but in plain English: school got harder. Were in rough terrain first wave of exams, or in my case, reviews (as you will see), etc. Apparently, there is a sophomore slump for college students i.e. performance drops compared to freshman year due to a lack of motivation…or something. But I don’t think it’s a motivation issue here. There’s just actually more work (especially courses in your major) â€" and more pressure to be uh, mature and serious. (Also: I’ve had to accept the fact that at MIT, there’s only freshmen and upperclassmen. Well…I’m not freshman no mo’…so… TIME TO GROW UP.) I’ve had a few late nights every week since school started, involving going to the architecture studio sometime during the day/evening and leaving somewhere between 1 and 3 AM. Weeeeee. But this past Wednesday was the first “final review” of the semester â€" which means everybody presents their design projects and the professor and TAs critique them…and which also means an all-nighter. Since I knew it was going to happen, I brought along my camera to document things…(brief preface: the first project is about using folding operations to construct a bridge) [Getting started] Ive got a variety of beverage options: (OJ, vanilla frapp, water, or Elmer’s???) [~7PM] So I rushed to the art supply store to buy materials that I didnt end up usingoops. And it was rainingand the boards were almost my sizeand I took the bus; that was interesting. [1:43 AM] Emily and Justin debating What is architecture, really [2:07 AM] Xenia and Nicole testing their bridges on the site model. (Still in good spirits, apparently!) [5:46 AM] A Shakira playlist starts blasting…Anyways, theres fatigue, but also anticipation to see everything come together. [7:00 AM] Finally getting started on the drawings… [9:08 AM] Bridge…done… drawing done… time to go home…yayyy. Note the skylight it is actually morning! :) (Clearly, I did not attend the 9AM class.) [Sidestory: I called my mom sometime after the review, because I’ve been neglecting certain parts of real (read: non-studio) life for a while…and she said something like, Why don’t you just manage your time better and make decisions quicker so you can finish quicker and go to sleep? and I’m just like, yo, mom, that’s not how it works…there’s always something to redesign/fix… but she just told me to drop everything and sleep.] This type of architecture studio course, which demands some late nights every week, and some all-nighters every semester, is no doubt a requisite to Course 4. While I love having my little home away from home away from home, it is pretty isolating in a way. I’m always away from my dorm, where the spontaneous greatness happens. My suitemates have joked about, for instance, saying hi/bye to me for a week. At the same time, studio bonding is pretty amazing â€" I would definitely go crazy if I had to work till 9 AM, alone. So a goal of this year is definitely striking that magical balance â€" and NOT neglecting things/peoplelikemom. In other news, I’m taking 4.75 classes. So thats, 3 architecture classes: 4.112 (the studio), 4.401(building technology, where you learn …you know, the practical sides of architecture like foundations and insulation and all that), 4.500 (design computing, where you learn digital fabrication and autoCAD â€" the ultimate time warp). I’m also taking 21F.107 Chinese I Streamlined, meaning Chinese for native speakers who can’t really read or write. To complete the repertoire, I’ve got 15.668 People and Organizations, a 9-credit class in the lovely new MIT Sloan School of Management building. (Fun fact: we have a food fund for this class â€" yay healthy snacks.) Oh yea, also!! I’m taking P.E. Stress Management. HAHA. Best class ever. We discuss how much sleep we’re getting/not getting/how there seems to be a competitive energy at MIT to be the most hardcore and not sleep (Which I do believe is trueas evidenced by this postx_x). But the best part! We almost always end with a 6-minute “relaxation/yoga” segment, during which I essentially take one nap and dream two dreams. Yay lifeeeeeeeeee. How is everyone else doing this autumnnn.

The Metamorphosis of Ebenezer Scrooge in A Christmas...

A Christmas Carol, a tale that revolves around a man’s fate in the past, the present, and the future. Its story speaks of a man, a man called Ebenezer Scrooge, and the changes in which he goes through. ‘’Oh! But he was tight-fisted man at the grindstone, Scrooge! a squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, covetous old sinner! Hard and sharp as flint, from which no steel had ever struck out generous fire; secret, and self-contained, and solitary as an oyster. The cold within him froze his old features, nipped his pointed nose, shrivelled his cheek, stiffened his gait; made his eyes red, his thin lips blue; and spoke out shrewdly in his grating voice. A frosty rime was on his head, and on his eyebrows, and his wiry chin. He†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ¢â‚¬â„¢The cold within him froze his old features.’’ I believe that this description shows that Scrooge is unbelievably cold-hearted, even unrealistically so: ‘’No wind blew bitterer than he, no falling snow more intent upon its purpose, no pelting rain less open to entreaty. Foul weather didn’t know where to have him.’’ This description displays that not even the weather has an effect on him, it is also apparent that Scrooge’s personality was worse than any weather, he was bitterer than any blizzard colder than any rainfall. Scrooge’s attitude to others is terrible, he is not at all courteous to anyone he meets. He is especially horrible to his clerk, Bob Cratchit who he pays terribly. He does not allow Mr.Cratchit to have any time off work during the year, except Christmas day: (Which he does very bitterly and reluctantly) ‘’†¦a squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous old sinner!’’ I believe that this description displays Scrooge making his clerk work tirelessly for long hours all through the year, and permitting him to have one day off. Trying to get him work incredibly hard for every penny Scrooge parts with. There is another example of this quote, with Scrooge’s clerk’s fireplace. A single coal is all Scrooge is willingShow MoreRelatedThe Metamorphosis of Ebenezer Scrooge in Dickens A Christmas Carol1476 Words   |  6 PagesThe Metamorphosis of Ebenezer Scrooge in A Christmas Carol Ebenezer Scrooge learned a great deal about himself during the visitations of the three ghosts in A Christmas Carol. He learned things that not only changed his life, but also the lives of others such as Tiny Tim and his family. At first these changes came gradually, probably because they where not really fuelled by fear of what might be, but instead by remorse for things he had already done. Not until the second and third spirits visitRead MoreA Christmas Carol At Playhouse Essay2029 Words   |  9 PagesA Christmas Carol at Playhouse in the Park in Cincinnati, Ohio has continued to entertain and surprise its audiences since it’s first production in 1991. A Christmas Carol is a story that can live on for decades as it’s theme and message will always universally apply to people. The director, Michael Even Haney, discussed his reasons for returning to Playhouse in the Park each year in the director’s notes of this year’s program. He says, â€Å"But the ma jor reason I return every year to tell this perfect

Drug Abuse And Opioid Epidemic Essay - 1168 Words

There have been several news coverages on TV and social network about drug overdose of different cases recently and they have risen people’s concern about the problems of drug abuse national-wide. The drug abuse and opioid epidemic is not a new problem to the American society, actually it has been a serious problem for many years. So what is the situation of drug epidemic now, and how can we find effective ways to deal with this problem? A few writers who ponder this question are Nora D. Volkow, Dan Nolan and Chris Amico. In Nolan and Amico’s article, â€Å"How Bad is the Opioid Epidemic?† they argue the opioid epidemic has become the worst drug crisis in American history. Heroin and other opioids overdose kill more than 47,055 people a year. Deaths caused from drug overdose has outnumber as much as 40 percent compared to the death caused from car crashes in 2014 (Nolan and Amico 3). Furthermore, in 1999 there were only 15000 people died from drug overdose. This number has tripled in 15 years. Also, in his article, â€Å"America’s Addiction to Opioids: Heroin and Prescription Drug Abuse† Volkow also presents the fact that â€Å"with an estimated 2.1 million people in the United States suffering from substance use disorders related to prescription opioid pain relievers in 2012 and an estimated 467,000 addicted to heroin. The consequences of this abuse have been devastating and are on the rise. For example, the number of unintentional overdose deaths from prescription pain relievers hasShow MoreRelatedPrescription Opioid Abuse : An Increasing Epidemic With Solutions945 Words   |  4 Pages Prescription Opioid Abuse: An Increasing Epidemic with Solutions in Prescribing The rate of poisonings associated with drug overdoses has been on the rise, especially concerning those involving opioids (Paulozzie, Budnitz, Xi, 2006). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) does not mince words regarding the status of opioid utilization in the United States: ?The United States is in the midst of an opioid overdose epidemic? (CDC, 2016). Opioids are now the most common cause of prescriptionRead MoreNarcotic Epidemic In America Essay1293 Words   |  6 PagesNarcotic Epidemic in America Opioid medications are frequently prescribed for severe pain. Opioids includes the pain medications like oxycodone, hydrocodone, morphine, and fentanyl as well as the illegal drug heroin (American Society of Addiction Medication, 2016). Many people rely on these drugs to relieve their pain from surgery, active cancer, chronic pain and end of life care (WebMD, 2017). Studies from the 2012 National Health Interview show that over 11% of adults report having chronic painRead MoreFactors Contributing To The Opioid Epidemic1529 Words   |  7 PagesContributing to the Opioid Epidemic in America If you watch the news it should come as no surprise that drug abuse and overdoses have increased dramatically in the United States. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, as many as 36 million people abuse opioids throughout the world with 2.1 million in the U.S. who currently suffer from opioid abuse disorders (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2014). These astonishing numbers are only marginalized when comparing them to opioid related deathsRead MoreDrug Abuse On The United States Essay1344 Words   |  6 PagesDrug Abuse on the Rise in the Community â€Å"In 2014, nearly two million Americans either abused or were dependent on prescription opioid pain relievers (â€Å"Injury Prevention and Control: Opioid Overdose,† 2016.)† The CDC is now saying that the United States is in an epidemic. The purpose of this paper is to explore the increasing drug use in the United States over the last decade. The primary focus is on the administration of opioid analgesics and the addicting mechanisms of these medications, and whatRead MoreOpioid Abuse : A Statewide Epidemic Affecting The Rural And Urban Cities Essay1427 Words   |  6 PagesAdvocacy Role Paper Opioid abuse in Tennessee is a statewide epidemic affecting both rural and urban cities. One thousand two hundred sixty-three deaths related to opioid overdose occurred in the state of Tennessee in 2014. More people died from opioid overdose than the number of gunshot and motor vehicle accident deaths combined. Known as â€Å"Hillbilly Heroin,† the opioid of choice are Hydrocodone, Percocet, Oxycodone IR, and Oxycontin with street values ranging from $5 to $80 dollars per pill.Read MorePrescription Pain Medications Are Supposed To Improve The1225 Words   |  5 Pagesimprove the health and well-being of an individual. Oxycontin, an opioid drug, is meant to help people manage their pain symptoms; however, many people are unaware that there is a danger of abuse of receiving drugs prescribed by their physicians. The essays â€Å"How to Create an Addiction† and â€Å"Erin Daly: OxyWatchdog† by Cynthia Andrzejczyk explore the problem of prescription drugs in the U nited States. Since 1999, prescription drug epidemic in the United States has been killing 15,000 people every yearRead MoreAddiction Changes The Way The Brain Processes Information964 Words   |  4 Pagesaddict into submission to become a slave to the opioid. In the eleven chapters that follow, I will be your guide to this mysterious and dangerous world. I explain what addiction is, why some (but not all) users of opioids develop addiction, describe the many dangers associated with addiction, and explain why addicts are often resistant to treatment. So let’s start our journey. I’m sure you won’t be disappointed.â€Æ' Chapter 3 Our National Epidemic of Opioid Addiction â€Å"Funny thing about the monster. TheRead MoreAddiction Changes The Way The Brain Processes Information Essay896 Words   |  4 Pagesaddict into submission to become a slave to the opioid. In the eleven chapters that follow, I will be your guide to this mysterious and dangerous world. I explain what addiction is, why some (but not all) users of opioids develop an addiction, describe the many dangers associated with addiction, and explain why addicts are often resistant to treatment. So let’s start our journey. I’m sure you won’t be disappointed.â€Æ' Chapter 3 Our National Epidemic of Opioid Addiction â€Å"Funny thing about the monster. TheRead MoreAddiction : Addiction And Addiction985 Words   |  4 Pagesaddict into submission to become a slave to the opioid. In the eleven chapters that follow, I will be your guide to this mysterious and dangerous world. I explain what addiction is, why some (but not all) users of opioids develop addiction, describe the many dangers associated with addiction, and explain why addicts are often resistant to treatment. So let’s start our journey. I’m sure you won’t be disappointed.â€Æ' Chapter 3 Our National Epidemic of Opioid Addiction â€Å"Funny thing about the monster. TheRead MoreDrug Addiction : Drugs And Drug Abuse Essay1615 Words   |  7 PagesHeroin, has become an overpowering epidemic around the world, this drug is extremely addictive and has been illegal in the United States for many years. Although many individuals seem to discover a way to obtain this very lethal drug. Even though, heroin is highly addictive and used by choice by an individual with a drug addiction; the number of deaths from Heroin is escalating daily, to the point where more than 26 overdoses in one day maybe even more. This epidemic needs to be put to a halt. Despite

Stefan’s Diaries The Craving Chapter 2 Free Essays

I felt the veins in my face crackle with Power. My fangs came out quickly and violently, painfully ripping through my gums. Instantly I became the hunter again: balanced on my toes, fingers flexed, ready to claw. We will write a custom essay sample on Stefan’s Diaries: The Craving Chapter 2 or any similar topic only for you Order Now As I made my way closer to her, all my senses became even more aroused – eyes widened to capture every shadow, nostrils flared to gather in the smells. Even my skin prickled, ready to detect the slightest change in air movement, in heat, in the minute pulses that indicated life. Despite my vow, my body was more than ready to slice into the soft, dying flesh and lap up her essence. The girl was small, but not sickly or dainty. She looked to be about sixteen. Her bosom jerked as she stuggled for breath. Her hair was dark, with curls highlighted gold in the light of the rising moon. She had been wearing silk flowers and ribbons in her hair, but these, along with her tresses, had come undone, trailing out behind her head like sea foam. Her dress had a dark red slip buoyed by frothy white cotton tulle. Where her petticoats were torn, slashes of scarlet silk showed through, matching the blood that was seeping from her chest and down her bodice. One of her doeskin gloves was white, while the other was nearly black with soaked blood, as if she had tried to stanch her wound before she’d passed out. Thick, curly lashes fluttered as her eyes rolled beneath their lids. This was a girl who clung to life, who was fighting as hard as she could to stay awake and survive the violence that had befallen her. My ears could easily make out her heartbeat. Despite the girl’s strength and will, it was slowing, and I could count seconds between each beat. Thud . . . Thud . . . Thud . . . Thud . . . The rest of the world was silent. It was just me, the moon, and this dying girl. Her breath was coming slower now. She would most likely be dead in mere moments, and not by my hands. I ran my tongue over my teeth. I had done my best. I had hunted down a squirrel – a squirrel – to sate my appetite. I was doing everything I could to resist the lure of my dark side, the hunger that had been slowly destroying me from within. I had refrained from using my Power. But the smell . . . Spicy, rusty, sweet. It made my head spin. It wasn’t my fault she had been attacked. It wasn’t I who had caused the pool of blood to form around her prone body. Just one little sip couldn’t hurt. . . . I couldn’t hurt her more than someone already had. . . . I shivered, a delicious pain fluttering up my spine and down my body. My muscles flexed and relaxed of their own accord. I took a step closer, so close that I could reach out and touch the red substance. Human blood would do far more than sustain me. It would fill me with warmth and Power. Nothing tasted like human blood, and nothing felt like it. Just a mouthful and I would be back to the vampire I’d been in New Orleans: invincible, lightning fast, strong. I’d be able to compel humans to do my bidding, I’d be able to drink away my guilt and embrace my darkness. I’d be a real vampire again. In that moment, I forgot everything: why I was in New York, what happened in New Orleans, why I left Mystic Falls. Callie, Katherine, Damon . . . All were lost, and I was drawn mindlessly to the source of my agony and ectasy. I knelt down in the grass. My parched lips drew back from my mouth, fangs fully exposed. One lick. One drop. One taste. I needed it so badly. And technically, I wouldn’t be killing her. Technically, she would die because of someone else. Narrow streams of blood ebbed and flowed down her chest, pulsing with her heart. I leaned over, my tongue reaching forward. . . . One of her eyes fluttered open weakly, her thick lashes parting to reveal clear green eyes, eyes the color of clover and grass. The same color eyes Callie had. In my last memory of her, Callie was lying on the ground, dying, in a similar helpless pose. Callie had died of a knife wound in her back. Damon didn’t even have the decency to let her defend herself. He stabbed her while she was distracted, telling me how much she loved me. And then, before I could feed her my own blood and save her, Damon threw me aside and drained her completely. He left her a dry, dead husk and then tried to kill me, too. Had it not been for Lexi, he would have succeeded. With a tortured scream, I pulled my hands back from the girl and pounded the ground. I forced the bloodlust that was in my eyes and cheeks back down to the dark place from which they came. I took a moment longer to compose myself, then pulled the girl’s bodice aside to view her wound. She had been stabbed with a knife, or some other small and sharp blade. It had been shoved with near perfect precision between her breasts and into her rib cage – but had missed her heart. It was as though the attacker had wanted her to suffer, had wanted her to slowly bleed out rather than die immediately. The attacker had not left the blade behind, so I placed my teeth against my wrist and tore open the skin there. The pain helped me to focus, a good, clean pain compared to that of my fangs coming out. With incredible effort I pushed my wrist to her mouth and squeezed my fist. I had so little blood to spare – this would nearly kill me. I had no idea if it would even work now that I was feeding just on animals. Thump-thump. Pause. Thump-thump. Pause. Her heart continued to slow. â€Å"Come on,† I pleaded, my teeth gritted in pain. â€Å"Come on.† The first few drops of blood hit her lips. She winced, stirring slightly. Her mouth parted, desperate. With all my strength, I squeezed my wrist, pushing the blood out of my vein and into her mouth. When it finally hit her tongue she almost gagged. â€Å"Drink,† I ordered. â€Å"It will help. Drink.† She turned her head. â€Å"No,† she mumbled. Ignoring her feeble protests, I shoved my wrist against her mouth, forcing the blood into her. She moaned, still trying not to swallow. A wind picked up around us, rustling her skirts. An earthworm dug itself deeper into the soft, moist earth, avoiding the cold air of the night. And then she stopped fighting. Her lips closed down on the wound in my wrist, and her soft tongue sought out the source of my blood. She began to suck. Thump-thump. Thumpthump. Thump thump thump. Her hand, the one in the blood-soaked glove, came fluttering up weakly and grasped my arm, trying to draw it closer to her face. She wanted more. I understood her desire all too well, but I had no more to offer. â€Å"That’s enough,† I said, feeling faint myself. I gently disengaged my arm despite her mewling cries. Her heart was beating more regularly now. â€Å"Who are you? Where do you live?† I asked. She whimpered and clung to me. â€Å"Open your eyes,† I ordered. She did, once again revealing her Callie-green eyes. â€Å"Tell me where you live,† I compelled her, the world spinning around me as I used the very last remaining drops of my Power. â€Å"Fifth Avenue,† she answered dreamily. I tried not to grow impatient. â€Å"Where on Fifth Avenue?† â€Å"Seventy-third Street . . . One East Seventy-third Street . . .† she whispered. I scooped her up, a perfumed confection of silk and gauze and lace and warm, human flesh. Her curls brushed my face, tickling across my cheek and neck. Her eyes were still closed and she hung limply in my arms. Blood, either hers or mine, dripped down into the dust. I gritted my teeth and began to run. How to cite Stefan’s Diaries: The Craving Chapter 2, Essay examples

Two Tramps In Mud Time Essays (493 words) - British Poetry

Two Tramps in Mud Time On the surface, "Two Tramps in Mud Time" seems to display Robert Frost's narrow individualism. The poem, upon first reading it, seems incongruent, with some of the stanzas having no apparent connection to the whole poem. The poem as a whole also does not appear to have a single definable theme. At one point, the narrator seems wholly narcissistic, and then turns to the power and beauty of nature. It is, however, in the final third of the poem where the narrator reveals his true thoughts to the reader, bringing resolution to the poem as a single entity, not merely a disharmonious collection of words. At the outset of the poem, the narrator gives a very superficial view of himself, almost seeming angered when one of the tramps interferes with his wood chopping: "one of them put me off my aim". This statement, along with many others, seems to focus on "me" or "my", indicating the apparrent selfishness and arrogance of the narrator: "The blows that a life of self-control/Spares to strike for the common good/That day, giving a loose to my soul,/I spent on the unimportant wood." The narrator refers to releasing his suppressed anger not upon evils that threaten "the common good", but upon the "unimportant wood". The appparent arrogance of the narrator is revealed as well by his reference to himself as a Herculean figure standing not alongside nature, but over it: "The grip on earth of outspread feet,/The life of muscles rocking soft/And smooth and moist in vernal heat." Unexpectedly, the narrator then turns toward nature, apparently abandoning his initial train of thought. He reveals the unpredictability of nature, saying that even in the middle of spring, it can be "two months back in the middle of March." Even the fauna of the land is involved with this chicanery; the arrival of the bluebird would to most indicate the arrival of spring, yet "he wouldn't advise a thing to blossom." The narrator points to the conclusion that, while on the surface, things appear to be one thing, there is always something hidden below, much like "The lurking frost in the earth beneath..." In the final three stanzas of the poem, the "frost" within the narrator comes to the surface. The humility of the narrator comes to light, with the narrator saying that the tramps' right to chop wood for a living "was the better right--agreed." The narrator also says, "Except as a fellow handled an ax,/They had no way of knowing a fool," insomuch as admitting to his foolishness. On the surface, the poem seems to be two poems with diverging themes. However, Robert Frost guides there two apparently unrelated thoughts into one idea from the heart: "My object in living is to unite/My avocation and my vocation/As my two eyes make one in sight." Perhaps the narrator is the true Frost coming to the surface.

5 Events and Incidents That Never Happened

5 Events and Incidents That Never Happened 5 Events and Incidents That Never Happened 5 Events and Incidents That Never Happened By Mark Nichol Remember when they booed Bob Dylan for going electric at the Newport Folk Festival? And isn’t it disgusting how military personnel returning from serving in the Vietnam War were routinely spat on by antiwar protesters? Those were more or less reprehensible behaviors or they would have been if they had actually occurred. But these incidents, and a few others also outlined below, are all overstated or outright fabricated, loosely based on actual events but bearing little or no resemblance to them. 1. Electric Dylan The accounts that suggest that Bob Dylan was not well received the first time he, backed by members of the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, played live with an electric guitar stemmed from Dylan’s own misperception of the audience reaction and some faulty memories. Some audience members were upset, but only because Dylan’s set was so short. And master of ceremonies Peter Yarrow (of Peter, Paul, and Mary fame), who was said to have been incensed at the sound, was not angered by electrified Dylan but by the poor quality of the amplified sound. Some concertgoers and critics alike did later complain about Dylan, but it was his perceived shift toward more commercial songwriting that caused their ire, with perhaps some confused bandwagon-jumping criticism of his amplification. 2. Spitting on Veterans There were isolated incidences of hostile behavior toward soldiers returning from tours of duty in Vietnam, but their reception was generally very positive. Only later, when antiwar sentiment grew and some veterans traumatized by having fought in a hellish war and doing so on the losing side returned Stateside, did a few of them and their sympathizers begin to embellish these anomalous events and conflate them with isolated nonexpectorating protesters into a frequent and widespread occurrence. 3. Bra Burning In September 1968, in Atlantic City, a group of female protesters symbolically shed their adherence to society’s standards for femininity by tossing bras, girdles, cosmetics, and other beautification accouterments into a garbage can. Though there was supposedly a suggestion that the accumulation be ignited, no bras were burned at this seminal feminist event. Two years later, in Berkeley, California, a similar event that took place did involve combustion, but no widespread bra burning ever took place. (At neither event were bras actually removed and discarded.) One journalist’s metaphorical association of the demonstrators with draft-card burners apparently gave rise to a widespread misunderstanding that numerous such conflagrations occurred. 4. Hats Off It was once widely believed that just as Clark Gable, by not wearing a T-shirt under his dress shirt in the early screwball comedy It Happened One Night, supposedly inspired men to refrain from buying undershirts, with catastrophic results for their manufacturers, John F. Kennedy doomed the chapeau industry by going hatless at his inaugural ceremony. It’s easy to believe that if he did indeed go bareheaded, he was only following, and not precipitating, a trend, because hats were already going out of fashion. However, the entire premise is false: Multiple photographs depict him wearing a silk top hat as part of his formal attire throughout that day. 5. â€Å"Try Acting† Sir Laurence Olivier supposedly derided Dustin Hoffman’s efforts to prepare for the torture scene in the political thriller Marathon Man by going without sleep, asking him, â€Å"Why don’t you try acting?† In truth, Hoffman, whose first marriage was failing while he was filming the movie, showed up on the set one day looking bedraggled after partying at Studio 54. When Olivier, his costar, noticed his condition, Hoffman evasively said he had been staying up all night to get himself in the mind-set for a grueling scene. Olivier did offer the advice â€Å"Why don’t you try acting?† but it was in jest, and they shared a laugh over it. Relation to Writing So, what do these corrections have to do with writing? A great deal, it turns out. These myths and misperceptions were largely perpetuated by writing by people distorting facts in articles, books, and other written accounts of the events, followed by others regenerating the errors. The lesson to be learned is this: When you write about something, be sure you know what you’re writing about. Do not bolster fallacies by blindly accepting what you read or heard. Before incorporating historical events great or small into your fiction or nonfiction, investigate and corroborate. 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 Fiction Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Types of RhymeWhenever vs. When Ever10 Types of Hyphenation Errors

Poinsettia pH Paper - Holiday Chemistry Project

Poinsettia pH Paper - Holiday Chemistry Project Many plants contain pigments that are responsive to changes in acidity. An example is the poinsettia plant, which has colored flowers (really specialized leaves called bracts). Although poinsettias are perennials in warmer climates, most people are likely to see them used as a decorative houseplant over the winter holidays. You can extract the red pigment from deeply colored poinsettias and use it to make your own pH paper strips to test whether a liquid is an acid or a base. Poinsettia pH Paper Materials Poinsettia flowersBeaker or cupHot plate or boiling waterScissors or a blenderFilter paper or coffee filters0.1 M HClVinegar (dilute acetic acid)Baking soda solution (2 g / 200 mL water)0.1 M NaOH Procedure Cut flower petals into strips or chop them in a blender. Place the cut pieces into a beaker or cup.Add just enough water to cover the plant material. Simmer until the color is removed from the plant. (Personally, I would just microwave the chopped bracts with a little water for about a minute and allow the mixture to steep, like a tea.)Filter the liquid into another container, such as a petri dish. Discard the plant matter.Saturate clean filter paper with the poinsettia solution. Allow the filter paper to dry. You can cut the colored paper with scissors to make pH test strips.Use a dropper or toothpick to apply a little liquid to a test strip. The color range for acids and bases will depend on the particular plant. If you like, you can construct a chart of pH and colors using liquids with a known pH so that you can then test unknowns. Examples of acids include hydrochloric acid (HCl), vinegar, and lemon juice. Examples of bases include sodium or potassium hydroxide (NaOH or KOH) and baking soda solution. Another way to use your pH paper is as a color-change paper. You can draw on pH paper using a toothpick or cotton swab that has been dipped in an acid or base. The instructions for the poinsettia pH paper project are also available in French.