The Impact of Recording Technology on Music Essay -- Exploratory Essay

The Impact of Recording Technology on Music Most successful musicians know a hidden art carried out by the work of a good sound engineer; it is essential for a magnificent album. For the rest of us novice listeners and fans, we believe what we hear through our speakers or played over the radio are the true skilled professional musicians, soaring at their craft. Most contemporary music, from pop to R&B and acid jazz to the sophisticated realm of orchestral film scores, has been modernized by several inventions encased within the studio. The art of audio engineering has taken on new forms, from the nuts and bolts, "plug it in, and see if it works" era into the digital world, because of these wonderfully tragic solutions to a higher pace of life. A musician's art have been made solely because of it, and others have been destroyed and humiliated by it. The complex new inventions of technology shape the adaptive method of studio recording and production however caused a drastic negative musical degrading of our beloved art. Basic terms are often confused when describing an individuals musical sense. Microsoft Encarta World English Dictionary defines an artist as somebody who does something with great skill and creativity, and a musician is a music maker who plays, performs, conducts, or composes music, either as a hobby or a profession. The focus of this essay is not the plausible crime of a solely techno creator, or in contrast, the soaring melodies of a humans voice. Technology has tarnished the value of pure talent of music's original creation for the sake of popularity, riches and unnatural perfection. The invention of pop and rap equivalent styles were formed on the foundation of digitally synthesize... ...ost consumers do not realize who, or what lurks behind the wall of a speaker. The creative mind of a musician extends into the boundaries of timbre, pitch, melodies, harmonies, and the skill to create for the sake of art. If the recording engineer behind the mind-boggling boards and gizmos is really the mastermind, then why not give him a spot on stage? Work Cited Bazer, Mark. "James Newton vs. The Beastie Boys" Down Beat 69 Oct 2002: 25. Easton, Michael. "Music Sampling" Art + Law Sept 2000. Jewel, Dan. "Getting in sync" People Weekly Dec 1997: 167-168. Lehrman, Paul D. "Into the New Millennium With. Midi ?" Mix Magazine Jan 2001. Ogilvy, David. "Dave Matthews Band at Pacific Bell Park ." Mix Magazine Aug 2001: 172-176. Rumsey, Francis, Time McCormick. Sound and Recording, an Introduction . Woburn , MA : Focal Press, 2002.

How far can Shakespeare’s presentation of Lady Macbeth and Macbeth be seen as typical of their gender? Essay

Shakespeare’s plays were written in a period of time, which we relate to people from by calling them ‘Elizabethans’. However ‘Macbeth’ was written in 1606, after the death of Queen Elizabeth I during the kingship of the newly appointed James VI of Scotland (now James I of England). The play was written with the new king in mind and was based around the chronicles of Scotland. Despite this, Shakespeare still changed details within the chronicles, for instance, Banquo within the real story was actually guilty, but being an ancestor of King James, within the play he made him into an innocent character. Religion although not being mentioned much in ‘Macbeth’, the play still relates to evil and spirits which Lady Macbeth also relates to within the play. During this period of time women would be persecuted for this so in a way she goes against all aspects of the typical women. Within the time it was written James I believed of ‘the divine rights of kings’, this basically states how that of the Gods appoints kings, being in a time of great religion many men would have also thought this. Macbeth however obviously doesn’t as he kills Duncan to become the king. It is debatable how Macbeth and Lady Macbeth can be seen as typical of their gender as they change so much within the play. During the play they seem to swap roles as one becomes strong the other becomes week. Macbeth is first heard of by ‘the captain’, he reports to Duncan of how he ‘bravely’ rips Macdonwald open from the navel to jaw. However by the end of the play no-one has a good word to say about him, changes like this occur many times within the play as during this period from a ‘hero’ to a ‘butcher’, Macbeths manly hood goes the opposite way from being ‘scared’ to taking everything in his own hands. Lady Macbeth on the other hand seems to go the complete opposite way to Macbeth altogether, she starts the play as a commanding, strong and in charge women whereas by the end of the play she is in so much self guilt that we here that she takes her own life as the her past sins are to much to take. The first major talking point towards the two’s gender issues comes prior to the murder of king Duncan. When Macbeth first thinks about the murder (Act1 Scene3 Lines 134-42) he states how â€Å"whose horrid image doth unfix my hair,/And make my seated heart knock at my ribs† basically meaning he is terrified of what he is thinking of but then says how fantastical it would be. Apart from this thought I don’t believe he has the ‘guts’ to commit the murder and just the thought of killing â€Å"shakes his single state of man† until Lady Macbeth steps in. She takes full control of the situation and at times seems more of the man than Macbeth. Lady Macbeth uses the fact that she sees Macbeth as frail and ‘petty’ and challenges this manhood of his. In an attempt to convince him to kill the King (Act1 Scene 7) she challenges him by calling him a â€Å"coward†.

Education Is The Best Way For Education Essay - 1370 Words

Education s importance in the modern world should not be overlooked, has shaped the world we live in today. It enhances technological advances, brings economic success, and fosters prosperity all over the world, as Christine Gregoire once said, Education is the foundation upon which we build our future. Many officials and educators would agree this statement, but argue on the best way to deliver education to students today. To discover the best way for education to be taught, one must look into the purpose of education in our society as it has varied greatly overtime. Education in America first started in the colonial era when the Massachusetts colony decided that towns should have elementary schools with the goal to ensure that their children would be able to read the Bible and receive information about their religion. In today s world, I believe that the purpose of education is to create successful and contributing members of society. In each level of education there are different purposes such as primary, secondary, and post secondary education. Secondary education, or high school, has two purposes, to prepare students for living in society, being thoughtful, creative, and contributing members of it and to teach students how to learn. As post secondary education, or college, is becoming more affordable, it is now a viable option for high school graduates that in the past was not. In 1960, the rate of high school graduates attending college was 45.1 percent, today itShow MoreRelated Education Is Key: A Comprehensive Approach to Sex Education Essay1579 Words   |  7 PagesSex education is about informing students about sex so that they can make educated decisions when the time comes to have sex. Sex education helps students protect themselves from unintended pregnancies, STDs, and HIV/AIDS. Stu dents should leave a sex education course with the right tools so they make informed decisions about their sexual health and well-being. The goal of sex education is to provide a student with as much information as possible so that they can use the skills they learned inRead MoreClass Dismissed By Meredith Maran1027 Words   |  5 PagesAccording to the author, the wise ways to invest time and money are important for parents to help their children gain better futures. The author mentions that parents who devote more time and effort are those who believe that schools and education will improve their children’s chances of success. Most of them benefited from education when they were students. In contrast, parents who do not believe schools and education put less effort into their children’s educations. In addition, the author pointsRead MoreImportance Of Arts In Education868 Words   |  4 PagesThe arts should be known as a core academic subject. Arts should be in ed ucation at schools because it helps with all of the students classes. Music includes about every subject. Math, with the counting and rhythms. English in the reading of the music; Science in the history of the writers the music and what time the music was written; History is the time frame of the songs and the music that tells a story; Physics, in the way the instructor conducts. Clearly music is a pretty important art. For exampleRead MoreThe Importance Of Formal Education1066 Words   |  5 PagesFormal Education is the pathway to become successful as a student. With Formal Education, it benefits the growth of the students mind. Formal Education helps build on the students critical thinking skills. Critical Thinking allows the students to develop new ways to look at certain topics or discussions with a deeper meaning. As a student, many obstacle of judgement and peer pressure will arise during our time as a student. Cultural myths can affect a way a student will most likely run i nto a specificRead MoreThe Purpose of Values Education in Schools Today1681 Words   |  7 Pagespurpose of values education in schools today Values are core traits and qualities that represent an individual’s beliefs and guiding principles, which form the foundation of who we are. Values of people in society differ from one another due to the culture, upbringing, religious beliefs and many other experiences that shape each and every human being. Primarily, values are fundamentally taught at a young age, these values are predominantly learnt from family and friends, the community and throughRead MoreEducation Is The Establishment Of Accomplishment1220 Words   |  5 Pages Education is the establishment of accomplishment, on the off chance that you have objectives and exclusive standards; you can fulfill them through education. Higher education is a system where a four year degree can give you a wide enduring future. Being that the higher education is the most specific way to achieve a goal in the future in terms of jobs and higher earnings. More on the higher education are now financially aided by the government and that helps students a considerable during theirRead More Education Today Essay759 Words   |  4 PagesEducation Today A college education is suggested to be the most heavily judged form of qualification to be looked at when looking for career opportunities. But what is a college education? Is it something you go out and buy at the most prestigious of College Universitys? Do you simply hand over 25,000 dollars a year, and at the end of 4 years, give or take a few, you are handed a diploma that says, Educated? In my opinion, this is todays view on what education is. It is less ofRead MoreThe Value of a Liberal Education1802 Words   |  7 Pagessociety we view education as many things, but among the many views and opinions of education there are two major views we see that stand out, education is a right for all and education is necessary only for finding a successful career. To be more exact, it is a college education that is or should be available to all and is only necessary for securing a successful job. But before we even begin to think about a job or whether we want to pursue our God -given right to higher education we must first startRead MoreThe Impact of Social Media Upon Education1709 Words   |  7 Pages Social media is a necessity. Around every corner, a person is seen scrolling through the countless news feeds on their favorite social media sites. This fast developing technology is changing the way that the world communicates on all levels, even to the point that people text each other when they are in the same room. With the uprising of faster social media, hardly anything else is used to get information, or communicate it. The obvious fact that social media is truly everywhere isRead MoreNational Standards And Public Education1453 Words   |  6 PagesEducation has longed to be a part of this countries foundation and unfortunately for a long time there has been differing opinions about the standards and curriculum of public education. â€Å"And for as long as American have fought the culture wars, they have debated the role of education, the institution most essential to ensuring the reproduction of national identity.† (Hartman, 2013) This essay will evaluate the sides for and against the creation of national standards in public education. The high

Physician Assisted Suicide The Heart Of All Medicine

Do no harm. This used to be the heart of all medicine. But now our public is introducing just the contrary of this. When physician-assisted suicide becomes legal throughout the United States, no longer will we be stumbling on the fact that someday, somewhere, and somehow we will die unexpectedly or possibly expectedly, with everything the doctors could do to save us; but now we can die on our own guidance. Physician-assisted suicide is a debated subject that often divides the public between those who support it versus those who oppose it. There are some individuals who believe that patients suffering from chronic and fatal illnesses should be allowed to die on their own terms and in peace. And there are some individuals who oppose†¦show more content†¦(Interview) The patients have their own decisions and wants on how they want to be treated, allow them to have a voice and speak for themselves. Everyone would like to be allowed a respectable, painless death, so we must allow one for everyone else who wants one. We cannot limit or accuse those who chose physicians-assisted suicide and the ones who don’t chose it, we have many medical advances today, such as nursing home and hospice care, but they are not always enough to cure or stop any pain that someone may be in; physicians-assisted suicide is the only answer to this problem. (Interview) Everyone will make plans to ensure that the end of our life remains in our own personal control. Just as we write wills to dispose of our prized possessions, we can make decisions about what medical treatment is acceptable and what is not. (Euthanisa) You can even choose someone to make your health care decisions if you are unable to. This is called the Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care or Health Care Proxy; and that individual you so choose should be someone you trust, who knows what you want, and will fight for your rights. (Euthanasia) In a survey of thirty thousand Americans over the age of fifty-f ive, sixty-five percent said that people with a terminal illness should have aShow MoreRelatedAssisted Suicide : An Unknown Lung Disease Essay1148 Words   |  5 PagesJonathan Rubio Mr. Williams ERWC 19 October 2016 Assisted Suicide Sixty-Eight year old Robert Rubio from Fresno California was diagnosed with an unknown lung disease that was not curable. The doctors told him that the only way to live was to get a lung transplant. To get a lung, it can take several years and Robert said he would wait so he could live longer to be with his family. After months of waiting in a hospital 169 miles away from his family, he decided that he didn’t want to wait forRead MoreThe debate of Physician Assisted Suicide993 Words   |  4 PagesYet, doctors have developed PAS, Physician Assisted Suicide, also known as Physician Assisted Death, and not to be mixed up with Euthanasia. Physician Assisted Suicide is morally wrong, gives doctors too much power, and it opens a door for those less critical patients to receive treatment too. He started at a time when it was hardly talked about and got people thinking about the issue.† (Philip Nitschke, Exit International) The debate of Physician Assisted Suicide has been going on since over 2000Read MoreThe Rights Of Assisted Suicide Essay1584 Words   |  7 PagesThe Right To Die With Dignity Assisted suicide is the act of committing suicide with the help of another person or doctor, most commonly referred to as Physician Assisted Suicide. It is currently legal in Oregon, Washington, Vermont, Montana, California, and Colorado. Considering the increase of people dying from terminal illnesses, assisted suicide should be legalized across the nation. People that suffer from a terminal illness that can’t be cured or treated and will result in death have the rightRead MoreEuthanasia: We Have the Right to Die1096 Words   |  5 Pageswithholding of a medical treatment, even if doing so will result in the person’s death† (Assisted Suicide). So why is there not, and should there not be a right in some states and countries for those who are near death and know they will die to want to end their life. Even during the Ancient Roman times, the idea of Assisted Suicide was accepted â€Å"If caused from pain or sickness, or by weariness of life† (Assisted Suicide). With today’s technology, it has become easier to keep a person who is terminallyRead MoreA Right Or A Wrong910 Words   |  4 PagesAs someone going into the medical field and after several hours of research, this issue has left me wondering whether physician assisted suicide is ethical or not. I plan to discuss the concerns and the values that underlie in this issue. Rapid and dramatic developments in medicine and technology have given us the power to save more lives than ever possible in the past. Medicine has put at our disposal the means to cure or to reduce the suffering of people afflicted with diseases that were once fatalRead MoreThe End Of Life Decisions896 Words   |  4 Pagespaths that can be taken or a few decisions that should be made. A decision has to be made as far as what medicine will or will not be given, if you want to be resuscitate if your heart stops and what point do you just want to be made comfortable and bring hospice care in. This decision can also be looked at in two different ways some people may think it is wrong and think of it as assisted suicide. Many people that are suffering from a terminal illness sign a DNR, Do Not Resuscitate. Meaning that ifRead MoreThe Ethics Of Physician Assisted Suicide1723 Words   |  7 PagesPhysician assisted suicide, the suicide of a patient suffering from an incurable disease, effected by the taking of lethal drugs provided by a doctor for this purpose. The question of whether or not this practice should be made legal in the United States has been one of controversy since 1997. Beginning with the case of Washington v. Glucksberg, where the United States Supreme Court ruled that the matter of the constitutionality of a right to a physician’s aid in dying, was best left up to the statesRead MoreAmerican Suicide Story: Your Right to Die1067 Words   |  5 PagesAmerican Suicide Story: Your Right to Die Matthew Gregorie Pima Medical Institute American Suicide Story: Your Right to Die The year was 1776, the United States was on the brink of war with England and in an unwavering effort to be free from the tyranny of King George III, America’s fore-fathers drafted forth a Declaration of Independence. Included in this declaration was a line that still resonates in the hearts and minds of free thinking men and women: â€Å"We hold these truths to be self-evidentRead MoreVoluntary Euthanasia and Dr. Kevorkian1251 Words   |  6 PagesAssisted Suicide Euthanasia, possibly one of the most controversial topics in today’s society. A word that derives from the Greek language meaning, â€Å"good death†. Euthanasia is a term that refers to the practice of intentionally ending a life in order to relieve pain and suffering. Dr. Jack Kevorkian once stated, â€Å"In quixotically trying to conquer death doctors all too frequently do no good for their patients’ â€Å"ease† but at the same time they do harm instead by prolonging and even magnifying patients’Read More Euthanasia Essay - Assisted Suicide1579 Words   |  7 PagesAssisted Suicide/Euthanasia      Ã‚   Remarkably, few have noticed that frail, elderly and terminally ill people oppose assisted suicide more than other Americans. The assisted-suicide agenda is moving forward chiefly with vocal support from the young, the able-bodied and the affluent, who may even think that their parents and grandparents share their enthusiasm. They are wrong.    Thus the assisted suicide agenda appears as a victory not for freedom, but for discrimination. At its heart

The Rime Of The Ancient Mariner - 1246 Words

In recent years, growing concerns over the state of our planet has increased. It has become increasingly apparent that humans leave a destructive impact on the world. â€Å"The Rime of the Ancient Mariner† uses a religious tone and symbolism to discuss the implications of human interference with nature. It is undeniable that humans leave a lasting impact on the world. The need to progress and improve has lead to the destruction of the environment. The catch-22 of humans need to progress is that they are inadvertently destroying their planet. One of the most pressing concerns over the last few years is the rise in temperature or climate change. There is a direct correlation from human activity to the rise in temperature. Many human practices such as means of production, mining of fossil fuels, and gas emissions are the reason for rising temperatures. Rising temperatures have many lasting effects on the world: â€Å"Higher temperatures are worsening many types of disasters, in cluding storms, heat waves, floods, and droughts† (Denchak). Awareness of the effects of climate change helps humans to realize the impact they leave on the world. It has lead to the increased importance of preserving and protecting the environment. The same theme can also be found in â€Å"The Rime of the Ancient Mariner.† Although the exact reasoning as to why the mariner killed the albatross is unknown, the effects of tampering with nature are very apparent. The religious symbolism in â€Å"The Rime of the AncientShow MoreRelatedThe Rime Of The Ancient Mariner952 Words   |  4 Pagesredemption within his lyrical ballad â€Å"The Rime of the Ancient Mariner†. The themes that are developed throughout the text are rooted within the means in which poetic language draws attention to repetitions of words related to sight, thus allowing images of nature to becomes a focal point for the Mariner’s salvation and presenting a didactic message about humanityâ₠¬â„¢s perception of the natural world. Through interactions with the natural world, the Mariner transitions from punishment to redemption resultingRead MoreThe Rime Of The Ancient Mariner878 Words   |  4 PagesThe Rime of the Ancient Mariner is a poem by the English poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge. Coleridge and his friend, William Wordsworth, put together a collection of their work called Lyrical Ballads. It contained Coleridge’s famous poem Rime of the Ancient Mariner. This collection is widely recognized as the initiation of the shift towards modern poetry and British Romantic literature. Although the poem’s deliberate use of antiquated language differed from romantic poetry’s use of modern languageRead MoreThe Rime Of The Ancient Mariner1669 Words   |  7 PagesThroughout Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and â€Å"The Rime of The Ancient Mariner† there are many instances where metacognitive thinking and knowledge are discussed and presented. T he word metacognition comes from the root word meta which means beyond. The word metacognition can take many forms including knowledge and when or how to use certain strategies to learn or be used to solve problems. In Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein we see metacognitive thinking throughout mainly through victor and the creatureRead MoreThe Rime Of The Ancient Mariner1891 Words   |  8 Pageswith the approach and structure of proposed implementation varying primarily based on ideology. â€Å"The Rime of the Ancient Mariner† by means of Samuel Taylor Coleridge and â€Å"Goblin Market† by means of Christina Rossetti, are perfect examples of ways human beings have always and could always be inclined to temptations due to the fact they re more potent than our will. In â€Å"The Rime of the Ancient Mariner† through Samuel Taylor Coleridge temptation is embodied inside the form of a chicken. The essentialRead MoreThe Rime Of The Ancient Mariner2966 Words   |  12 Pages Coleridge?s Hidden Journal: ?The Rime of the Ancient Mariner? Samuel Taylor Coleridge?s ?Rime of the Ancient Mariner? is a piece known to many in some vague way or another. An elderly sailor, a ghostly ship, and the killing of an albatross are all present in many people?s minds, although they may not entirely know the whole tale. Although well-known today, the most activity ?Rime? has seen was in its beginnings. It has its fair share of praise and criticism, praise given posthumously and criticismRead MoreThe Rime Of The Ancient Mariner944 Words   |  4 Pagesfantasy. When he was nine, his father died, and Coleridge was sent to school in London. Later, he went to Cambridge University. One of Samuel Taylor Coleridge poems was The Rime of the Ancient Mariner and there are a distinct three messages that are life learning. The first message in the poem The Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Samuel Taylor Coleridge is not to kill innocent things. So the first message is not to kill innocent things. The reason why this is a message is because it happens everywhereRead MoreThe Rime Of Ancient Mariner1896 Words   |  8 PagesNikita Raval Professor: C .Thompson Date: 11/11/2015 Composition-1 The Rime of Ancient Mariner Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772-1834) is a lyrical poet, critic, and philosopher. The poem â€Å"The Rime of Ancient Mariner† was first published as a lyrical ballad in the year 1798. The poem recounts sailor who came back from long sea voyage. The poem is about three people who attend a wedding when a long gray -bearded and glittered eye person stops one ofRead MoreThe Rime Of The Ancient Mariner Essay1384 Words   |  6 PagesSamuel Taylor Coleridge’s â€Å"The Rime of the Ancient Mariner† details the story of a cursed mariner, framed in a conversation with a man on his way to a wedding. The Mariner’s tale truly begins when he thoughtlessly kills an albatross as his crew is sailing through the northern ice caps. Rising from Coleridge’s own experience, he ties in various themes exposing the reader to death, consequences of actions, and an interest in the unknown. By creating a clear connection between the physical and spiritualRead MoreThe Rime Of The Ancient Mariner1290 Words   |  6 Pages he Rime of the Ancient Mariner† shows many accounts of religious imagery which was used by Samuel Taylor Coleridge to add to the work as a whole. When Coleridge wrote ‘The Rime Of The Ancient Mariner, Coleridge s faith was going down hill and he didn t have a clear view of the path he wanted to go down. In this view, â€Å"The Rime of the Ancient Mariner† can be read as an analogy of the voyage of Coleridge’s search for a Christian God. By the end of the poem, it looks like Coleridge never findsRead MoreThe Rime Of The Ancient Mariner1484 Words   |  6 Pages Kemp 1 Zachary Kemp Mr. Hill English IV 20 April 2016 THE RIME OF THE ANCIENT MARINER: The Mariner The Albatross, and The Song The story the rime of the ancient mariner is a poem written by Samuel Taylor Coleridge and is his longest poem he ever wrote and in many people’s opinions, the best he ever wrote. The poem is famous for its religious

Odysseus Free Essays

Observing the relationship between the polytheistic gods and mortals in the time of Homer seems, in comparison, is odd to our Judeo-christian traditions found in our society. Where some may see a omnishient and powerful being as a inactive in the our everyday dealings, the Gods in Homer’s time were consistently involved in either hindering or aiding those they found to their liking or disliking. In the epic poem â€Å"The Odyssey†by Homer (translated by W. We will write a custom essay sample on Odysseus or any similar topic only for you Order Now H. D. Rouse) Odyseuss is constantly helped and indered throughout the story by a multitude of Gods. —–To begin, in the VII book Odysseus has been blown off course and has been shipwrecked at the island of the Phaecians due to a storm fabricated by Poseidon the God of the sea and earthquakes. Poseidon’s motivation to commit such an act was Odysseus’s lack of paying proper homage for the pillaging done during the Trojan War and the blinding of his cyclops son, Polythemus. One appauling point of this example is how defined and clear the motivations of Poeseidon were. Usually when an event of tragedy appens to those who are religiously inclined they often ask â€Å"Why would God do this? † and the typical answer used by religous leaders is that God works in mysterious ways that us humans cannot begin to understand. Rather than the Greek Gods residing in an entirely segreated realm from mortals they allow themselves to share in human traits and motivations . —–Contuing on Odysess’s dilema on the island of the Phaecians, he is found by the Phaecian princess Nausicaa who was instructed to make her way to him via the Goddess Athena. Athena is the Goddess of wisdom and has built a mentor and savior like relationship with him. After Odysseus’s part to play in the troJan war the Goddess advocated on behalf of Mount Olympus. When the Trojan war was happening Gods took sides, at times they interrupted the war and other times they let the two sides brawl it out. Since there was such an abundance of Gods to follow in the greek polytheistic religon humans favored certain Gods to pray to and worship and in turn the Gods favored certain humans and gave special attention to. The way the gods treated their followers were as if they were using them as pawns on a great chessboard, pushing them all in different paths as if it were somesort of entertainment. Athena knew that Odysseus was a proper man and could win over the Phaecians, but she chooses to intercede his natural path and gifts him with the knowledge of their culture and turns him invisible so he may enter the castle. The Goddess could have Just as easily Just transported Odysseus into the castle properly dressed and fully groomed, but she took a less involved route. The Gods seem to favor slightly altering information available to humans or effecting relationships and Just watching how it would play out. —–Athena doesn’t forcefully push Nausicaa to find Odysseus rather she Just implies it and also she supllies miniscule aid on the path to the castle. On the occasion gods appear to humans as their normal selves, but usually they work behind the curtain. The idea of the gods as tricksters who misdirects individuals for simple entertainment is so odd to compare to our modern way of thinking from a judeo-christian point of view. It doesnt seem right that such a powerful deity should nave a sense ot humor. This most likely branches otttne tact that having a sense ot humor is to human and recognizable to us. On the contrary, once we establish these gods in the same category as humans the idea becomes clearer. How to cite Odysseus, Papers

A Step Beyond Sanity free essay sample

A glass half full of water is sweating next to the couch. Its cool contents will not be refreshing a dry throat this miserable summer day. The house is in shambles, with pillows and sheets littering the stairwell. There is an eerie silence only broken by the subtle sounds of the television. â€Å"Ugh!†The shrill grunts of Maria Sharapova echo throughout the empty house as she plays her semi-final match of what could be her championship weekend at Wimbledon. No one is glued to the couch this blistering summer day, at least not anymore. It was the summer leading to my 7th grade year. I made it through my first year of middle school with minor bumps and bruises from an â€Å"interesting†, to say the least, football season. From my experience in football I learned I was not the roughest, toughest, tween that I thought I was. But I made it through the season nonetheless. With a football season under my belt, I was a bad ass 12-year-old! No one could tell me what to do. I was coasting on top of the world, at an altitude where no one would be crazy enough to touch me. Or so I thought. Since the time when diapers were all the rage, I’ve been friends with my buddies Tanner and Carter. They moved off to Scottsdale before 4th grade, but I still saw them multiple times a year due to our strong friendship. They would come over for my birthday, or other occasions to sleep over, and I would do the same. No matter where we were we always had fun. We would just mess around playing video games, hide and seek, or doing anything else we could think of. One of the most entertaining pastimes we participated in was a game called pillow races. We would put sheets on the staircase, and then slide down the stairs in pillow cases to the bottom. It was always a radical time. We would step up the stakes each run, making the track more and more fun (or dangerous, depending on one’s perspective). By increasing the number of pillows and sheets on the â€Å"track† we would ultimately go faster and faster, adding more and more tumbles down the stairs. At the end of the day Holly (my sister), Tanner, Carter, and I would be bursting with giggles exhausted atop all the sheets at the bottom of the stairs. It was good clean fun. We never expected anything bad to come from it. While my mom was watching the tennis match intensify, we decided to step up the intensity of the pillow races. Sharapova drove in a serve. Tanner jumped from five stairs up onto a mattress we put at the bottom. Maria’s opponent whizzed a forehand back to â€Å"Sherry’s† backhand side. I leapt from the 7th step, gliding gracefully to the bottom without a care in the world. Sherry hit a winner down the line. Tanner said, â€Å"Dang, Ryna(my nickname to Tanner), you crazy!† As the tennis match approached a tiebreak, my sister of all people decided to challenge my authority of stair king. The tension rose as Sharapova won the first two points. My fear of looking like a coward in front of my friends made me accept my sister’s challenge. Sharapova lost 4 games, and my sister landed delicately from the 13th step. Maria Sharapova lost two more games, before winning seven straight. I decided it was my time to shine. My friends were watching as intently as i f I were a professional tennis player playing to win a set. I jumped from the top; all eyes were on me as 14 stairs passed under my feet. Sharapova powered in a serve that her opponent barely hit back over the net. She wound up to hit a winner, sucking in air. A simultaneous grunt erupted throughout the house followed by a scream. The tension finally broke. Sharapova screamed with joy for the victory of the hard fought set. The intensity of the set brought her to her limits, but the whole crowd kept her going strong. My friends acted as this crowd to me. They unknowingly encouraged me to reach my physical limits. I jumped an entire staircase! Then let out a scream†¦ of pain! â€Å"Holly, get mom! I just broke my ankle!† As the sounds of Maria Sharapova’s grunts echoed throughout my house, my friends and I drove to the hospital. Instead of looking tough in front of my friends by jumping off the top of the stairs, I was going into shock and my ankle was swelling to the size of a softball. The tension caused by the millions of viewers allowed Maria Sharapova to go on and win Wimbledon. She had an entire crowd cheer her as she reached her physical limits, and she proved dominant over the pressure. I attempted to assert my dominance over the house, but tile proved to be too strong a competitor. The pressure associated with my ankle was too great, shattering it. I broke all three bones in my ankle and needed surgery. Instead of winning part of a grand slam, I was stuck in the hospital for four days, cringing with every small move. Sharapova’s ego swelled tremendously due to her great feat. My foot was the only thing swelling for me that day. She was able to walk off the court with a huge grin. All I could manage was a weak grimace as I tried to keep my composure through the unimaginable pain while I was carted around in a wheelchair. Maria Sharapova’s family bawled in awe as their daughter won one of the most prestigious tennis tour naments in existence that weekend. My family bawled because of my stupidity. They would ultimately need to wait on me hand and foot for almost a year, for I was unable to do any physical activity due to the extent of my injury. There is a primordial instinct to strive for dominance. However, an individual needs to step away from their given situation and decide if glory is worth the cost of a final leap.