Achieving a goal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Achieving a goal - Essay Example I was born in Saudi Arabia and ever since my childhood, I had set my goals and ambitions. I wanted to move ahead in my career and achieve the best possible education so that I could excel in my field. I dreamt of going to the United States for the purpose of studying English and then getting enrolled in a university for the attainment of quality education. I kept on working towards my aim and I was very focused and determined to fulfill my goal. I believe that hard work never goes unpaid and my hard work was also not wasted. I succeeded in achieving my goal and hence proved the fact that determination and hard work can make a person succeed. I am a Saudi national and I completed the initial years of my studies in Saudi Arabia. I aspired to learn English language and have a good grip over the language. English is an international language which is understood and spoken globally. It is for this purpose that I wanted to speak this language fluently and be able to communicate as well as understand English perfectly. I was focused to attain this goal and to accomplish this aim in the best possible manner. I needed a good stand in the form of an institution that would provide me with classes of English language up to the international standards. At the same time, my other objective was that I wanted to pursue my further studies in the United States owing to the fact that I wanted to obtain quality education which would make my future secure as well as broaden my knowledge and perspectives. I understood the fact that by enrolling in a University in the United States I would actually gain good knowledge and I would have a good stand in my field and profession. I kept this aim in my mind and I continued to study in school in Saudi Arabia. I was very ambitious and hence I was fully aware of the fact that I would have to struggle all along to fulfill my aims and aspirations. I got a chance and I moved to the United States for the purpose of increasing my knowledge and edu cation. My first aim was to learn English language which would assist me in gaining further education. I was well aware of the fact that if I did not learn English in a proper manner, I would not be able to pursue my further studies at the university without difficulty. I joined an English school. It was not very easy to cope up with the lessons but I put in all my efforts as I did not want to let go of my goal after being so near to accomplishment and success. I worked hard all along and my efforts did not get wasted. I finally completed my course of English language and this achievement made me even more confident. It served as a push for me that I should stick to my aim and move ahead and start to search for good universities for further studies. I was very motivated and I now wanted to see myself graduating from a University in the United States. I understood the fact that this was my second goal and it would not only make me happy but it would also be a reason of pride for my f amily in Saudi Arabia. I applied for enrollment in many universities and I succeeded in getting admission in one of the universities of my choice. I am now enrolled in a university in the United States and doing my first semester. I fulfilled my goals and made my dream come true. A person should always keep on striving and working hard towards achieving what they want. I set a goal for myself ever since I was a child. I was very determined and I put in all my efforts so that I could fulfill my goals and succeed in my career as well as my life. I learnt English in the best possible manner and I am currently a student in a reputable

Human Impacts on Climate Essay Example for Free

Human Impacts on Climate Essay Al Gore’s documentary An Inconvenient Truth is not only informative but an eye opener especially for those living in the United States. Today global warming is not an obscure phenomenon but a reality that is being faced by everyone from Africa to Australia. Mankind’s actions are now more than ever before are changing the climate of Earth. These actions lead to effects which combine with the natural occurrences which have been taking place in history. In addition evidence from scientific research shows that natural impacts alone cannot be blamed for the increase in the global surface temperatures recorded in the past century. Man’s effect on Earth’s climate has several consequences like: †¢ Escalating concentration of green house gases in the atmosphere †¢ Air pollution †¢ Concentration of airborne particles †¢ Changes in land geology The major problem is the increase of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere cannot be compared historically as the levels today are much higher then ever before, the exception being when earth was hit by a meteorite etc. the changes and the increase in carbon dioxide have been witnessed since the modernization and industrialization which began in the 1700’s however the worst impact has been since fossil fuels were used excessively from the beginning of 1900 and this also led to change in the use of land. (American Geophysical Union) Al Gore, through statistics shows that there is a direct relationship between the rising concentration of carbon dioxide in the air and the increase in climatic temperatures. Historically the first impact of the human presence on Earth’s geographical and biological systems occurred about 8,000 years ago, when individuals began to systematically cultivate land for agricultural purposes. However the initial impact was not as severe or drastic as the one which occurred in the 1700s. The industrial revolution has been supported and encouraged by the values which have led to glorifying consumption and economic development. (American Geophysical Union) It is a fact that this planet is heating up because of the human society and the greenhouse gases produced. According to the both The National Academy of Sciences and the United Nation have come to the conclusion that there is a relationship between human actions and the temperature increases. (Clark 1013) According a joint statement by G8 in addition to China, India and Brazil, that stated that scientific evidence was quite remarkable and there was no way for the nations but to take actions to stop this destruction. (Clark 1013) The reality is that if people keep on emitting greenhouse gases at this rate, atmospheric temperatures will keep on increasing, and the effect will be felt for generations in future. According to   even strict actions like Kyoto Protocol may be able to control the increasing carbon dioxide after a centaury at the minimum. According to Clark (1013) Research on ice cores by Fedorov et al. (2005) detailing the relationship between carbon dioxide and temperature going back more then 400, 000 years has displayed that there is a strong correlation between carbon dioxide and temperatures. Studies show that historically there was never a time when there was so much carbon dioxide as now in addition the increase in carbon dioxide concentration has increased most rapidly in the past hundred years or so. (Clark 1014) In a news report on National Geographic in February, The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) very assertively linked the man’s actions being responsible for the global warming and other climatic changes like increase in sea levels, storms and changing weather patterns. The report quotes Achim Steiner, executive director of the United Nations Environment Program, comment that: â€Å"Fossil fuel use, agriculture, and land-use change are fundamentally affecting the systems on our planet† (Roach) What Al Gore has done is just point out the facts in a simple style through his documentary so that general s can understand what is happening and do something about this very significant problem. Works Cited Human Impacts on Climate. American Geophysical Union. Adopted by Council December, 2003. AGU Release 03-35. Retrieved May 1 2007

The Changing Role Of The Management Accountant Commerce Essay

The Changing Role Of The Management Accountant Commerce Essay Charles Darwin the famous scientist who introduced the theory of natural selection said In the struggle for survival, the fittest win out at the expense of their rivals because they succeed in adapting themselves best to their environment. He used this theory to explain the extinction of the dinosaurs from the earth. I believe this theory in fact is not confined to species. It is a universal truth which is applicable to so many phenomena we see in our day to day lives. One such illustration is the transformation of finance function. The enormous change the corporate world underwent over the last few decades has inevitably pressurized the finance function to adapt to its operating environment. As a result, today the finance function is in the fore-front of decision making positioning itself as a business partner for the organization as opposed to a conventional support function. It is in this context that every organization today should embark on the journey of transforming its finance function to adapt to the challenges of the modern business environment. It is needless to exaggerate the changes this brings about in the role of the management accountant. However being humans it is natural for us to resist such change. What we should remember nevertheless is that if we fail to adapt to these changes, our destiny would not be different to that of dinosaurs. This reinforces the argument that tomorrows successful management accountants will be the ones who not only understand the need importance of finance transformation but also who take proactive measures to bring about effective change and eventually manage such change to ensure sustainability of the business. 2. Finance Transformation 2.1 How it has changed? Accounting Finance function over the centuries has evolved significantly from the basic double entry bookkeeping the revolutionary concept which started it all. Today we live in a world where global companies exist and the finance function like so many other things in human life has transformed itself to cater the ever increasing demands of modern day businesses. Let it be financial reporting, treasury management, budgeting or any other area in finance for that matter, there is visible transformation. For instance, bottom-line in financial jargon, only meant financial profitability until recently. But today organizations strive for a triple bottom-line which is way beyond the boundaries of financial profitability. A recent research conducted by CIMAs centre of excellence at the University of Bath concluded the following changes (see Figure 1) as the most frequent changes faced by businesses. Figure 1: Key changes faced by the Finance Function in the last decade Source: CIMA Centre for Excellence, Excellence in Leadership, December 2009, p.12 As per the above research data, an overwhelming majority of 96.4% has confirmed that there had been at least one change in their finance function for the period in concern. However the degree, to which these changes have been popular, may extremely vary with Cost reduction being the forerunner with a popularity of 59% while Outsourcing of non-routine tasks was confined to a mediocre 5.5%. The same study later classifies these changes to four broad types and also pinpoints two main motives behind these changes namely Cost efficiency and Value creation (See Table 2). Table 2: Classification of Changes Faced by the Finance Function Source: CIMA Centre for Excellence, Excellence in Leadership, December 2009, p.12 Cost Efficiency motive is where a business is keen to improve its output by using its resources more efficiently. On the other hand Value creation involves performing tasks in better ways whilst eliminating non-value adding activities such that the organization creates value in terms of profitability. It is clear from the data (See Figure 1) that it is the Cost Efficiency based changes which were more prominent in businesses during the last decade. As the research suggests, Cost Reduction and Business Process Re-engineering (BPR) appear logical steps for organizations as they grow. The economies of scale, firms are expected to achieve with its size, rationalize such change. Further the world economic crisis stemmed in 2007 prolongs to date would also have significantly influenced finance managers to run their businesses on tighter budgets and thus focus on efficiency based transformation. Although cost efficiency measures, up to now, have had the upper hand in finance transformation, it is expected that the value based changes would take precedence in times to come, as finance functions embark on the journey to achieve the visionary value creator status. 2.2 Why has it changed? So far we discussed how the finance function has evolved over the years. Let us now examine the underlying drivers which caused this dramatic change. This inevitably leads us to look at the changes that occurred in the environment in which businesses operate. One thing that surely comes to my mind is globalization. I believe this concept single handedly revolutionized the way people engaged in business. For instance virtual organizations such as Dell and online market places such as e-bay have not only been highly successful, but also have challenged the future viability of traditional business models. However globalization is only one among many drivers of change as per CIMAs recent research findings on finance transformation. In fact it ranks well below the likes of increased competition technological advancement which grabbed the top two spots in terms of popularity (See Figure 3). Figure 3: Drivers of organizational change ranked in terms of popularity Source: CIMA Centre for Excellence, Excellence in Leadership, December 2009, p.15 Increased risk and uncertainty and External reporting requirements achieved 3rd and 4th places respectively with market development coming next. It is important to mention the part played by the collapses of big corporate giants such as Enron, Worldcom and subsequent changes it created in the finance function especially in terms of risk assessment models and stringent reporting guidelines. The report further highlights some of the differences that exist within different business sectors. For example, demographics are as twice as popular driver in public sector compared to the private sector in which competition market dynamics are more prevalent. In financial services industry risk uncertainty is hailed above all drivers of change. All these drivers subsequently created pressure on the tradition finance function and new finance control models evolved to suit the new playing field. 3. The changing role of the management accountant in todays environment 3.1 The way forward So far we analyzed the nature of finance transformation and its underlying causes. It is now high time to look at the evolving role of tomorrows management accountant. Having acted as a steward for decades, today the finance professionals are increasingly pressurized to be a navigator or a business partner in performing his/her duties. With reference to the previously mentioned study done by CIMA, it is evident that Business partnering is clearly emerging as a way forward for finance transformation. Table 4: Business Partnering in finance function Source: CIMA Centre for Excellence, Excellence in Leadership, December 2009, p.11. In its research report, Finance transformation business partnering, CIMA Centre for Excellence defines business partnering as a behavior which involves members of the finance function acting as close advisors or internal consultants in greater collaboration and cross-functional working with others in the organization, so they can understand the business better, and provide the advice and support that is needed.  [1]   The idea here is, for finance members to actively participate in the decision making process and take collective ownership of the decision as opposed to being passive advisors. However in order to do so, the finance professionals not only need to posses technical knowledge in finance IT, they should also be equipped with extensive industry knowledge business acumen. In addition to that, the need for enhanced interaction across all the levels in the organization would mean that the management accountants need to master necessary communication and interpersonal skills. Further the traditional barriers that exist between departments would also need to be relaxed so that effective inter-functional associations are enabled. Erik ter Horst, Vice President Finance, CFO EMEA and Latin America, BT, offering insights to CIMAs survey adds for me, finance can only be functional if the finance function is a part of the whole organization  [2]  . However one might also argue that this may compensate the level of independence exercised by finance and hence affect the objectivity of its decisions. While acknowledging the possibility, Morten Sorensen, Finance Director Central Europe, Middle East and Asia Pacific, SSP, believes that the potential risk to the objectivity of finance function will be outweighed by the additional value generated at the end of the day it comes down to the integrity and professionalism of the individual.  [3]   3.2 Finance transformation and the role of the Management Accountant at Bodyline 3.2.1 Background: Bodyline Private Limited, a joint venture between MAST Industries, Triumph International MAS Holdings, is one of the largest lingerie sportswear manufactures in Sri Lanka with a workforce of around 6000 employees and an annual capacity of around 15 million pieces of bras. The company caters to some of the worlds most glamorous brands including Victoria Secret, Nike, Marks Spencer and Lane Bryant. Over the last couple of years Bodyline has synergized its multi product customer portfolio to its competitive advantage whilst investing on technologies such as bonding, 3D hemming and ultrasonic welding. However the company is constantly facing stiff competition from low cost manufacturers in Asian countries such as Bangladsh Vietnam, and as a result recently underwent drastic changes in its business model which in turn caused the finance function to transform accordingly. 3.2.2 Finance Transformation at Bodyline Table 5: Changes faced by the finance function at Bodyline Finance Function Change Example Type of Change Motive for Change 1 Greater emphasis on cost reduction Projects to curb major cost overrun areas. E.g. Overtime Tracking Mechanism Cost Reduction Cost Efficiency 2 Increased outsourcing of routine tasks Outsourcing of VAT Returns Process to a 3rd party BPR 3 Increased Use of Shared Service Centers for routine tasks Setting up a common commercial department in collaboration with MAS Intimates group 4 Increased work on product pricing Developments of Pre Post Order Profitability functions on SAP Product Focus Value Creation 5 Cross functional teams Formation of customer teams comprising of representatives of different departments including finance Focus on internal processes 6 Greater emphasis on poor performance within the organization Facilitating greater depth in Performance Management. (Catering to Business, Departmental Individual levels) 7 Increased external benchmarking of the whole organization Risk assessments and external benchmarking activities leading to sound business decisions being taken Source: Primary data collected from Bodyline The above diagram depicts functional changes experienced by Bodyline Finance and it could be directly compared with Table 2 in page 3. (CIMAs original model) 3.2.2.1 Cross Functional Teams:  A drastic structural change was introduced few months back where cross functional teams (representing virtually all the departments) were formulated to uniquely cater each customer. A business analyst was appointed to each team to represent finance and he/she adheres to a dual reporting structure where the individual reports to the Head of Finance as well as to the Head of the respective customer account. Each customer team sits together in a separate area within the factory so that interaction between the members is enhanced. However the transformation involved significant cultural change. People had to be convinced that the previous structure that had been adopted for the past 15 years was not the right way forward.   Members of finance worked very closely with the new leadership to change the internal structures reporting lines to logical cross functional business teams to support customer expectations. The management accountants involved in articulating the methodology of performance management systems including Key Performance Indicators as well as devising segmental reporting of customer bottom lines coupled with policy control deployment. This helped the people to understand the big picture and most importantly, where do they fit in to the new structure. The increased level of transparency helped us create a healthy competition among customer teams which in turn contributed to break the resistance to change whilst aggressively driving towards the achievement of business objectives. 3.2.2.2 Greater emphasis on poor performance: Performance management initiatives across many departments layers are being introduced with the direct involvement of finance which provides design to delivery solutions. For instance, the incentive scheme for sewing operators was changed to an efficiency based group incentive mechanism from an individual performance based incentive system, with finance department functioning as the project champion. This is one fine example where Bodylines finance function operated as a true business partner coming out of its comfort zones, co-operating with the other relevant departments and executing the project to perfection. It is noteworthy to mention that whilst executing this project, complex human dynamics of 6,500 people and the cost implications of providing incentives to all of them were considered. A series of information sessions had to be conducted to manage the knowledge transfer requirement in terms of the new system. Nevertheless a sign ificant increment in factory efficiency was noticed within the first month of project implementation. In order to facilitate such advance business requirements, the finance function was strengthened with people having dual backgrounds. In other words, apart from hardcore finance graduates, Bodylines finance team comprises of several apparel engineering graduates from the University of Moratuwa who are also qualified in CIMA. It is this unique resource combination that has enabled Bodylines finance team to successfully strive for excellence amidst numerous challenges. 3.2.2.3 Risk Analysis: The members of the finance department are also engaged in analysis assessment of risks facing the company, developing projections based on such risks to draw the attention of the management on high risk areas. For example early identification of the risks of Western economic recession, paved the way for the company to take immediate actions and thereby mitigate the impact of these adverse events at least to a certain extent. 3.2.2.4 Cost Reduction: As a follow up action plan to Budget Monitoring, the finance team in collaboration with other departments initiated 4 major projects to cut down companys overhead cost. These are namely Implementation of overtime cost tracking controlling mechanism A project to control transport expenditure A project to control courier charges A project to control stationary cost A project leader is appointed from Finance for each project and this individual is solely responsible for delivering the objectives of the project. The leader is expected to collaborate with relevant departments, device an action plan, follow up action points and present the progress at the next months budget monitoring session. Significant cost reductions were observed in each area with the inception of these projects. On the other hand, these projects offer a great opportunity for the budding management accountants to move out their comfort zones, actively involve in cross cultural teams, learn and become business partners who actively participate in achieving the companys strategic objectives.  Ã‚   3.2.2.5 Increased work on product pricing: To enhance the visibility of financial information at the Sales Order level, a project was initiated by finance with the collaboration of IT to develop SAP (the companys ERP system) based modules which calculates the expected profitability of a Sales order in the system itself. This process currently happens on spread sheets off the ERP system and as a result lot of information is duplicated and resources are wasted. The second phase of this project involves linking purchase order authorization procedure to sales order profitability so that an effective control on at the point of material purchases can be exercised. Yet again this is a challenging project which requires the individual to move out of the comfort zones of an accountant and work with System users/IT specialists and to gather system requirements and thereby ensure effective system development is achieved later. 4. Conclusion Modern day businesses experience change at a dramatic rate and whichever the ones that do not adapt quickly, would be gone before long. Being part of that business, the finance function can never isolate itself so should get accustomed to change. If the finance function has to change, that indirectly means the management accountants should expect their roles to frequently change in future. In fact it is the management accountants who are expected to manage the process of finance transformation. As their roles evolve, tomorrows management accountants will be expected to learn new skills (more often out of their comfort zones) work with cross functional teams and ultimately act as business partners who take responsibility for the collective decisions. Although we all tend to resist change initially, we also might feel it is after all not so bad. It certainly brings opportunities provided we take it in the right spirit we may end up being better off. The story of finance transformation at Bodyline is certainly of that type. Transforming was never an easy journey and it still is not. However as a team the finance function moved forward with positive attitude and as a result in the process has achieved so many milestones. As I conclude, the fundamental point I wish to bring up is that the finance transformation is inevitable. Irrespective of whether we like it or not its here to stay. However it is our decision either to embrace the change like a lizard which quickly changes its color to suit the environment and thereby survive through successful camouflaging or else ignore the change just like the dinosaur and simply extinct.

The Ever Changing Concept of Health Essay -- Health & Wellness

With the dominance of medicine over the past two hundred years many historical health concepts have gone through various changes. The definition of health is dependent on one’s perspective, be it lay, professional or from influences of specific cultures or social ideals and health policies of a particular time or place (Fleming & Parker 2012, p.30, Naidoo & Wills 2000). An exploration through history will reflect on the health philosophies of the ancient Greeks and Romans, the Middle Age’s concept of quarantine and isolation and the religious theories of disease including a brief insight into the renaissance. Subsequently, a discussion of health concepts of the past two centuries including 19th century sanitary reform, the dominance in the 20th century of the medical model of health care. This paper will look at the shift away from the medical model and the 21st century concept of health promotion and multidisciplinary care, using allied health professionals. I will argue that attention to the achievements and failures of the historical concepts of health, equips allied health professionals with an opportunity to objectively decide which of these practices have relevance or are useful in developing new approaches for positive health outcomes. In ancient times religion and science were tied in together when it came to health and everyday living. The ruins throughout Greece and Italy stand as testament to their ingenuity with creating and building infrastructure, but also of the people’s belief in the power and influence of the ancient Gods to heal illness (Krieger 2012, p.47, Hays 1998, p.9). According to Tountas (2009) the ancient Greeks were the first to break with mystical notions of health re-orienting ‘medicine toward a ... ...model of illness categories’ in GL, Albrecht, R, Fitzpatrick, SC, Scrimshaw (ed). 2003, The handbook of social studies of health and medicine, pp. 9-23, Sage publications, London, available at http://books.google.com.au Veith, I 1980, ‘Changing concepts of health care: An historian's View’ Western Journal Medicine, vol.133, no.6, pp.532-538 Vlahov, D, Gibble, E, Freudenberg, N & Galea, S 2004, ‘Cities and Health: history, Approaches, Academic medicine, vol.79, no.12 World Health Organization (WHO) 1986, The Ottawa charter for health promotion, Ottawa: Canadian Public Health Association. http://www.who.int/hpr/NPH/docs/ottawa_charter_hp.pdf Yuil, C 2002, ‘Concepts of health and medicine’ in Barry, A and Yuil, C 2008, Understanding the sociology of health: an introduction 2nd ed, pp.22-33, Sage publications Ltd, London, available at http://books.google.com.au

A Research Study On The Basic Positive And Negative Effects Of Gaming Essay

Abstract The purpose of this study emphasizes on both, the positive and the negative impacts of playing video games on the teenagers. Over the last 30 years video games have made an impact on the way teenagers spend their leisure time. This research hypothesizes that social interaction, psychological, in particular aggressive behavior, health and academic performance is greatly affected by the extensive use of video gaming. The research proposal is further supported by the literature review of various articles including an article by Brandon T, which states that video games influence the beliefs and self esteem of children. In another article by Steven J Krish, it was proven that a positive relationship prevails between video gaming and self aggression, among the age groups of 11-17. In order to prove our hypothesis, both the primary and secondary research was conducted. The primary research was followed by questionnaires that were distributed among the targeted group and also an interview was conducted with a gaming technical. Our secondary research consisted of various articles. The information narrowed down brought very sensitive issues into the limelight. It was observed that almost 72 % of the teenagers suffered from acute aggression, bad grades and health issues, thus proving our hypothesis correct. However only strategic games were given a positive response as they sharpen the minds of the players but on the whole the negative effects overshadow the positive side of playing video games. Video Games and Teenagers: A Research Study On The Basic Positive And Negative Effects Of Gaming A video game is an electronic game that involves human interaction with a user interface to generate visual feedback on a video device. It has been one of the most preferred leisure activities by the teenagers . The history of video games goes as far back as 1940s, when in 1947 Thomas T. Goldsmith, Jr. and Estle Ray Mann filed a US patent request for an invention they described as cathode ray tube amusement device. This patent which the United States Patent office issued on December 14, 1948, details a machine in which a person uses knobs and buttons to manipulate a cathode ray tube beam to simulate firing at â€Å"air-borne† targets. Video gaming would not reach mainstream popularity until the 1970s and 80s, when arcade video games, gaming consoles and home computer games were introduced to general public. Since then video gaming has become a popular form of entertainment and a part of modern culture in the developed world. There are currently considered to be eight generations of video game consoles. The most common consoles used by the teenagers nowadays include Xbox, game boy, play station and Nintendo Game Cube. There are numerous genres of video games that have been available to the consumers for the past 30 years. One of the oldest genres of video game is the classic shooter. Shooters are games that require the player to blow away enemies or objects in order to survive and continue game play. Another of the first video game genres, especially from the computer platforms, was the adventure game. Another preferred genre is the strategy or the tactic games. These games attempt to capture a sense of realism for the game player to experience. However, these titles are often turn-based as opposed to real-time and they give the player a greater sense of specific control over a situation. Video games are a unique form of entertainment which encourages players to become a part of the game’s script. Our research will focus on the following issues: What appeals teenagers to play video games? What do teenagers experience while playing video games? How does playing video games effect teenagers positively? How does playing video games effect teenagers negatively? Should parents show concern regarding their children playing video games? Douglas A. Paul J. Lynch et al (2004) Gentile, in their article â€Å" The effects of violent video game habits on adolescent hostility, aggressive behavior and school performance† have discussed the effects of video games on teenagers. Their research stated that in 2000 the revenue generated by the gaming industry was $20 billion. Teenagers contributed the most in the consumption of the gaming consoles. Also 54 independent tests on relation between video game violence and aggression were conducted ; five consistent results of playing games with violent content were retrieved through this research i.e. playing violent games increases aggressive behaviors, aggressive cognitions, aggressive emotions , physiological arousal and decreases pro-social behavior. In the article â€Å" Perceived influence of negative and positive video game† , Shu .F .Lin (September 2010) stated the perceived effects between self and others in terms of both negative and positive video game. According to the researcher, the games were promoted through the mode of entertainment media in an array of content like sports, fighting, stimulation and role-playing etc. The positive impacts include increased socializing , controlling and cognitive skills, while negative effects were depression , anxiety and psychological disorders among teenagers. Steven J. Kirsh (1992) in his article â€Å"The effect of violent video games† found a positive association between video game play and self and teacher reported aggression in the age group of 11-17 years. In their study Anderson and Dill (2008) demonstrated a relationship between violent video games and lab aggression in college students .It has been found that children and adolescents play video games on average between 1.2 to 7.5 hours per week. It has also been suggested that psychological and biological factors are also correlates of aggression. Moreover the Anderson and Bushman’s (2002) General Aggression Model (GAM) has been successfully developed to further stress upon the effects . GAM can be used to explain the birth of aggression in the adolescents and the difference in vulnerability to the influence of violent games for every individual. In the article â€Å"The impact of video games on children† , Rick Missimer has put forth positive aspects of playing video games. He proposed that most of the video games are creative and fun intended. It is a medium that serves to get rid of stress by diverting their attention towards fun and entertainment. It reinforces the confidence level of children when they start mastering the games. It provokes innovative thinking and strategic thinking skills. Some games also aid children in their educational curriculum and help them get more familiar to technology. Kimberly Young ( 2004), Peter Laurie (1981) [1967], Jennifer Seter Wagner (2008) researchers conducted a research and discussed about the concepts of digital games and its application in forms and shapes. Being keen towards their research they illustrated about the history, symptoms, addiction, side effects ( physical, social ) benefits, and prevention against digital game playing. They further discussed about the addictive theories and how it impacts young brains. The study showed that addiction could be of many kinds and gaming is a negatively charged one, the symptoms of addiction are that youngsters feel depressed, restlessness and lack of self control between themselves, which is further supported by the side effects that they become victims of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, weight gain and migraines, social problems which occur are Withdrawal, Lose touch with reality and misuse of money in form of extra hours of playing. The benefits were that the teenagers enhanced superior ‘ visuospatial’ abilities, ‘Wiihabilitation’ and ‘Exergaming’. They concluded their research with prevention against video gaming that were unimaginable like few treatment centers specializing in against game addiction and training for enhancement of social skills. Another researcher (Roni Caryn Rabin, 2011 ), a reporter of New York Times has discussed in her article Video games and the Depressed teenagers , one of the major concerns regarding video game playing i.e. depression in teenagers. He has talked about the study which was conducted on a large group of teenagers. The results were published in the Journal of Pediatrics. The study found that children who spent most of the time playing video games were very impulsive and were hesitant while socializing. Their school grades were also affected and most importantly they had worse relationship with their parents. This study was supported with another research conducted on Chinese teenagers. The results of this research were published in the Archives of Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine. It indicated that teenagers who used internet excessively ended up being depressed. Most of them used internet for playing video games. But Dr. Gentile , an associate professor of psychology at Iowa State University negated this study . The reasoning he provided was that teenagers who were socially isolated and impulsive are more likely to indulge themselves in activities such as video games. Once they become gamers , their school grades are likely to be affected and their relationship with their parents deteriorated. Dr. Gentile said that when teenagers start playing excessively , they are more likely to become depressed and isolated. One other author (Donna St. George, 2008) a reporter at Washington Post discussed about the behaviors of kids after playing mature games. The writer gave the reference of three researches held in USA and Japan. The results were almost same in both the countries, and this showed that video gaming and violence in teenagers was not the problem of USA only. Though, people used to believe that aggression due to violent video games was only the problem of an American teenager but now it was thought of as a general phenomenon that occurred across cultures. In USA, the researches focused on large groups of teenagers 364 and it was concluded that there was an increasing likelihood that a child would indulge into a fight or get physically aggressive after sometime of playing a game with violent content, as compared to other children. As compared to USA, the researchers were more curious in Japan. So, they conducted their research on more than 12 hundred people, and they focused on children as well as on adolescents. The results were quite same as were in USA. The researcher also talked to the parents of teenage gamers. Some parents did not allow their children to play mature games but despite that their children played and were found to be aggressive. On the other hand some parents were not uncomfortable with their children playing mature rated games but they didn’t find their children aggressive or hostile. The researcher suggests that it is important for parents to pay attention to the nature of games their children play and keep a check on the behavior of their kids after playing such games. A reporter at a magazine (Rebecca Scarlett, 2010) discusses very important beliefs of people, that games only portray a picture of violence and physical disorders. However just like two sides of every story it’s true that a large number of games do depict violence and useless themes, but a large number of games are now focusing on more constructive niche like physics games or math games or puzzles that provoke strategic thinking. Interestingly enough these niches are becoming rapidly popular among teens. These games help the kids and teenagers learn the complex and rather boring equations and formulas in a fun way which also develops logic skills as well as visual-spatial manipulation skills. Recently many parents have wished that they could get their children off the games to spend more time reading. Successfully the gaming industry has provided children with such Role-playing games. These games involve long quests with plots that are as Intricate as any novel, and these plots are revealed mostly through dialogue. Such that it becomes impossible to play the game successfully without a good deal of reading The author further explains that studies have shown even better results that kids who play more video games have better hand-eye coordination and they react on time. The speed of most video games demands quick decision-making in response to what appears on the screen, and many kids become so lightning fast while playing them. Even though video games have been demonized, there are many games out there that, when played in moderation, can actually have beneficial effects. (Mark.D.Griffiths,1998), another researcher discussed that video game playing is a leisure activity for most of the adolescents. He said that the literature provided by Loftus and Loftus (1983) and Griffiths (1991,1993) clearly indicated that teenagers took videogames as a source of entertainment. Furthermore, he also stated that boys play more videogames on average as compared to girls. He has also put forth the common argument regarding videogames i.e. it is potentially addictive. He has discussed the study regarding the computer games addiction by Shotton (1989), where he stated that most of the adolescents were addicted by computer games for than five years. He also pointed out a positive aspect that these people were intelligent and motivated, but they were often misunderstood. Our research methodology was designed to get the most accurate answers. Research Design Our primary research included survey method. Questionnaires were given to the respondents. Participants We have targeted teenagers (13-19 years) and their parents. Our sample size was 25. Our secondary research included articles from the web. Measures Questionnaires were designed such that they were divided into two sections; the first section has demographic questions and the second section is based upon the statements regarding our variables. Procedure Participants were of two kind, both teenagers and their parents. They were asked to answer the questions in the two different types of questionnaires. One was designed to collect the responses of the teenagers and the second one was designed to collect responses from the parents. Later on these responses were further analyzed to conduct our research. Like other related forms of media, video games have been a subject of controversy and our study focuses on the impact (positive and negative) of video games on teenagers. Discussion One of the major goals of our research was to know the factors that motivates teenagers to play games. According to our research, the greatest chunk i.e. 72% of respondents said that either they played videogames to avoid boredom or took it as a mode of entertainment. Few individuals also said that videogames help them to stay active. Whereas, a small percentage of the sample either played games to release frustration or as a hobby. The data is quantified visually through the following pie chart: Another important question is that despite having numerous substitutes available to videogames like physical sports etc, why do teenagers choose videogames as a source of leisure activity. Most of the teenagers said that it took their mind off their problems and the feeling of mastering the game is addictive. Furthermore, in this era of competition teenagers are in a constant pressure from their peers, so they have two options; either they face it or they don’t . They choose not to face it and just to take their mind off such problems; they take video games as a source of distraction. When the teenagers were asked about the hours they spend on gaming and for how long have they been playing, most of them play for approximately 3 hours on a stretch and have been playing for more than 2 years. Most of the parents too gave the same answer that their children play for so many hours (3 hours) without taking any break. Even our interviewee Mr. Waseem Yousaf said that children become too addicted after they start coming to gaming zone. The numbers of hours they play keep on increasing gradually and they start visiting on frequent basis. When asked about the genres of games that were preferred, most of the respondents replied in favour of action, strategy and sports. Even our interviewee said that the most popular games in gaming zone are action, sports and strategy. Another important aspect of video gaming is the effect of the violence depicted in video games. 72% played violent video games and 64% of our respondents (teenagers) feel that such games greatly influence their mood. More importantly 72% teenagers find themselves quite aggressive. Now let’s have a look at the health issues associated with video game play. Most of the parents said that their children have become negligent of their heath due to video games; they become so engrossed in it that they do not take care of their health and their children face health problems. Most of the teenagers also said that they have health issues because of playing video games. 24% of the respondents experienced backache, headache and eye strain, 36% had headache or backache out of which 24% had headache once in a month. 16% did not have any heath issues. The ones who did not have any health issues had an active life style and played physical sports regularly. The following pie chart depicts the above mentioned statistics graphically. When asked about the influence of videogames on schooling and grades, it was found that the parents and teenagers negated each other’s answers. Most of the children said that their grades were not affected by video game play but the parents said the opposite. It was also found through our study that many children became very defensive when they were asked about their gaming habits. It was deducted that 72% of teenagers lie about their gaming habits/hours to their parents. This shows that the teenagers are very supportive of video games unlike parents; they want to play as much as they want but parents have a genuine concern regarding it. They do not want their children to become addicts of games and neglect important things like studies. Our research shows that teenagers have equal preferences for outdoor sports as well as videogames; but still according to our research teenagers are more inclined towards video games as compared to the outdoor sports. However, with the introduction of Consoles like Nintendo Wii and Xbox Kinect ® the level of physical activity has increased. This is because these add-ons ensure that there is handsome amount of physical movement while playing games. Our interviewee said that places like gaming zones have a very healthy environment and teenagers prefer coming here and use gaming consoles that require physical exercise as well. Another thing worth discussing is the money teenagers spend on video gaming. Our interviewee said that on average a teenager spends an amount of Rs.500 for 3-4 hours which includes gaming rent as well as money spent on snacks. This has been a matter of concern for parents because teenagers have started demanding an increase in their pocket money more often now. Most of the parents have been unsuccessful in reducing the amount of time that their children spend on video games and many parents said that their children start to play significantly more than what they have been playing if they are asked to reduce the number of hours they play. This shows that children retaliate if they are asked to change their gaming habits. Hence, we can say that parents should not impose restrictions on the amount of time they spend in front of video games, instead they should try to logically convince them. Lastly, we would shed some light on the positive effects of video gaming. As discussed earlier most of the teenagers prefer playing strategic video games. About 52% respondents (teenagers ) said that due to such games they feel they can make decisions efficiently. Similarly, 64% believe that these games have sharpened their minds. Even our interviewee says that players who usually prefer playing strategic games are seen to be sharper and they grasp and master games quickly as compared to other players. Teamwork, working in collaboration, and cooperation is also another important positive outcome of videogames. Most teenagers play games which involve one or multiple players. When we asked our interviewee about the attitude of gamers, he said that players show team spirit and they play in collaboration. He also discussed that gaming zone and such venues provide a very healthy environment for teenagers; mostly teenagers from good family backgrounds come here. and it also provides an easy way of socializing with others. Conclusion & Recommendations The information narrowed down brought very sensitive issues into the limelight . It was observed that almost 72 % of the teenagers suffered from acute aggression , bad grades n health issues, thus proving our hypothesis correct. However only strategic games were given a positive response as they sharpen the minds of the players but on the whole the negative effects overshadow the positive side of playing video games. Parents should monitor video game play the same way you need to monitor television and other media. Be a loving, attentive parent who disciplines their child well. An aggressive child is more a product of dysfunctional parenting than anything else, including violent games and TV. According to Los Angeles-based psychotherapist Robert Butterworth, PhD, dysfunctional parenting, children with little guilt, and accessibility to firearms with little parental supervision can create violent children. â€Å"Most children who commit violent crime show an early combination of personality and family factors that include having trouble getting along with playmates in preschool,† Butterworth says. â€Å"By second or third grade they’re doing poorly in school, and have few friends. By the age of 10 they’re picking fights and getting labeled by their peers as social outcasts.† What’s more â€Å"they typically come from families where parents are poor at disciplining because they are indifferent, neglectful, too coercive or they use harsh physical punishment with little love.† Although playing video games can be a learning experience, give your kid a variety of entertaining things to learn from, so your kid will not be addicted to just one thing. Be sure to make him read books, play sports, interact with other kids, and watch good TV. Everything should be taken in moderation. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children not spend more than one to two hours per day in front of all electronic screens, including TV, DVDs, videos, video games (handheld, console, or computer), and computers (for non-academic use). This means seven to fourteen hours per week total. Limit the amount of time they could play and also used the video game ratings to limit the content of the games have children who do better in school and also get into fewer fights. Monitor the effect of video games on your child. Observe their behavior. If it appears that they’re becoming more aggressive with his siblings or friends during the period that they’re playing violent games, stop them from playing the games. If they become interested in history after playing historical games, then the game is beneficial to them. References Perceived influence of negative and positive video game by Shu Fang Lin Journal of Media and Communication Studies Vol. 2(10), pp. 208-214, December 2010 ISSN 2141 – 2545  ©2010 Academic Journals The effects of violent video game habits on adolescent hostility, aggressive behavior and school performance by Douglas A. Paul J. Lynch et al (2004) Gentile Journal of Adolescence 27 (2004) 5–22 The effect of violent video games on adolescents by Steven J. Krish Aggression and Violent Behavior 8 (2003) 377 – 389 The impact of video games on children by Rick Missimer from the website www.healthguidance.org Video Games: Effect on childhood Development by Brandon T. McDaniel 146 E. 800 N. Provo, Utah 84606 http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/01/18/video-games-and-the-depressed-teenager/# http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/02/AR20081102023 92_2.htm Can Video Games Actually Have Positive Effects? By Rebecca Scarlett, Effects of violent games on aggressive behavior, aggressive cognition. Anderson, C. A., & Bushman, B. J. (2001). Impact of entertainment violence on children. American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, & American Medical Association (2000). URL http://www.aap.org/advocacy/releases/jstmtevc.htm Hostility, Type A behavior , and stress hormones at rest and after playing violent video games in teenagers. Lynch, P. J. (1999). Psychosomatic Medicine, 61, 113. The physiological and psychological effects of video games. Paschke, M. B., Green, E., & Gentile, D. A. (2001). Poster Presented at the 36th Annual Minnesota Undergraduate Psychology Conference, St. Paul, MN, April 2001. What Do Teens See in Video Games?† By Barbara Geller, MD Published in Journal Watch Psychiatry March 25, 2004 Haninger K and Thompson KM. Content and ratings of teen-rated video games. JAMA 2004 Feb 18; 291:856-65. â€Å"Video Games and Depressed Teenager† By Roni Caryn Rabin The New York Times, January 18, 2011. Appendix Interview Questions 1. What types of games do you have in your game zone ? 2. Which age group mostly and regularly come to play games ? 3. What is your view about kid’s attitude towards games ? 4. Do teenagers become addicted to games , if they start coming regularly ? 5. Do teenagers spend a lot of money on games ? 6. What is the attitude of parents towards gaming? 7. Which class (elite, middle, or poor) mostly come to play games in gaming zone ? 8. What is the affect of gaming zone’s environment on kids (especially on teenagers) ? 9. Do you consider that places such as gaming zone is a good source for socializing? 10. What is your opinion regarding teenagers indulgence in video games these days? Interview What types of games do you have in your game zone ? We have many types of games in our gaming zone but the most preferred are strategy, action and sports. Which age group mostly and regularly come to play games ? We have a lot of customers who visit us on frequent basis. People as young as 8 years and as old as 40 years come and play games here. But it is the teenagers who mostly visit the gaming zone regularly. What is your view about kid’s attitude towards games ? Different kids have different attitudes towards games. (Pause) Mostly children who play action games become more aggressive while playing and become impatient and hostile on losing. But children who prefer playing strategic games are quite quick in grasping the techniques of playing other games. Do teenagers become addicted to games , if they start coming regularly ? Yes, teenagers become quite addicted if they start coming on regular basis. The number of hours they stay in gaming zone keeps on increasing gradually. And most of the teenagers come straight from their schools and stay with their friends for too long playing games. Do teenagers spend a lot of money on games ? Yes, they do. On average, a teenager spend Rs.400 for 3-4 hours in gaming zone. We usually charge Rs.90 per hour for a game but kids prefer snacks along with the games so they end up spending a considerable amount of money on this activity. What is the attitude of parents towards gaming? Usually parents accompany young kids who are aged between 8 to 13. They seem to enjoy games along with their kids but they do not visit us on frequent basis. Parents of adults and teenagers do not visit gaming zone. They are maybe negligent of the gaming habits of their children because these teenagers spend a lot of money as well as time in our gaming zone and are never accompanied by their parents. Which class (elite, middle, or poor) mostly come to play games in gaming zone ? Mostly it is the elite and middle class who visit gaming zone. What is the affect of gaming zone’s environment on kids (especially on teenagers) ? The environment of gaming zone is very good. Teenagers from good family backgrounds come here and enjoy playing games. I think it creates a good impact on teenagers. Do you consider that places such as gaming zone is a good source for socializing? Yes, of course it is. It provides a healthy environment where people from different age groups come and spend quality time together playing video games. Most games involve multiple players and in such games the teenagers are seen to play as one team. They show team spirit as well as play in collaboration. What is your opinion regarding teenagers indulgence in video games these days? I believe that video games is a good source of entertainment. I know most of the teenagers prefer it over other leisure activities but at the same time I would say anything done excessively is not good. Teenagers need to have a balance in their lives regarding fun and studies. As far as they are able to maintain that balance I would support video game play. QUESTIONNAIRE 1 This is a research study on video games by BBA/BSc.I students of Lahore School Of Economics. Do not feel obligated to answer all questions if you are uncomfortable to do so. Thank you for your participation. Demographic information 1. Name ( optional ) _____________________ 2. Gender: 3. Age: 4. Occupation: Please choose the desired option Q5. How many child/children do you have? a) 1 b) 2 c) 3 d) More than 3 Q6. Your child is aged between: a) 8 – 10 b) 11 – 15 c) 16 – 20 Q7. Are you a single parent? a) Yes b) No Q8. What is your occupational status? a) paid employment fulltime b) paid employment part-time c) supported employment d) self employed Q9. Does your child show signs of video game addiction? a) Yes b) No Q10. On an average weekend, your child plays video games for: a) 0 – 1 hour. b) 2 hours. c) 3 hours. d) 4 hours. e) 5 or more hours. Q11. How many times have you unsuccessfully tried to reduce the amount of time that your child spends on video games? a) Never b) One time c) Two times d) Three times e) Four or more times Q12. If you fail to set a limit to video game time, your child would play: a) About the same amount as he / she does now b) Somewhat more than he / she does now c) Significantly more than he / she does now d) Far more than he / she does now Q11. Does your child have access to video game in his / her room? a) Yes b)No Q12. Does your child have interests outside the world of video games? a) Never or rarely b) Occasionally c) Often d) Always Q13. Does your child seems to have few friends outside the gaming world? a) Not at all b) Maybe c) Most certainly Q14. Does your child lies about the time he/she spends on video games? a) Yes b) No Q15. Does your child prefer playing video games over going out with friends? a) Never b) Occasionally c) Frequently d) Always Q16. Have your child’s grades been suffering from excessive video gaming? a) Not at all b) Somewhat true c) Definitely true Q17. Is your child permitted to play video games before the completion of homework? a) Never b) Occasionally c) Frequently d) Always Q18. Is your child an active member in the formal school activities or clubs? a) No, none at all b) Yes, one activity or club c) Yes, two activities or clubs d) Yes, three or more activities or clubs Q19. Does your child neglects his/ her health because of excessive video gaming? a) Never b) Occasionally c) Often d) Always Q20. Is your child employed as a part time worker? a) No, he / she is too young to work , or I prefer that he / she does not work b) No, he she is too involved in other activities (not including video games) c) No, I would like him / her to work but he / she refuses to do so d) Yes, but he / she has difficulty holding onto jobs e) Yes, and he / she successfully holds onto jobs Q21. Does your child becomes irritable or anxious if he/ she cannot access his/her favorite video game? a) Never b) Rarely c) Often d) Always Q22.Does your child becomes angry or defensive if asked about his/her gaming habits? a) Never b) Occasionally c) Often d) Always Q23. As a parent, do you decide what kind of video games does your child plays? a) Never b) Occasionally c) Often d) Always Q24. Will your child have difficulty giving up all of his/her video games for a week? a) No, not at all. This would be very easy for my child b) My child wouldn’t like it, but he / she could do it without too many complaints c) My child would have great difficulty giving up video games for one week d) It would be entirely impossible for my child to give up video games for one week Q25. Does your child plays video games at the first available opportunity? a) Never b) Rarely c) Sometimes d) Always Q26. Does your child gets headaches, red eyes, sore fingers or wrist pains from playing video games? a) Never or very rarely b) Sometimes c) Often Thank you for your co-operation! QUESTIONNAIRE 2 This is a research study on video games by BBA/BSc.I students of Lahore School Of Economics. Do not feel obligated to answer all questions if you are uncomfortable to do so. Thank you for your participation. Demographic information 5. Name ( optional ) _____________________ 6. Gender: 7. Age: 8. Education Level: 9. Institution: Please choose the desired option 10. How often do you play video games? Daily Once a week Twice or thrice a week Once a month 11. What gaming technology do you have in your house? PS-2/3 X- box Gameboy Laptop/Pc Others 12. How long have you been playing video games? 6 months year 2 years more than 2 years 13. How did you started playing video games; who or what motivated you? Self interest Friends Advertisements ( magazines, TV) Others 14. What is the longest you have ever played without taking any break? 3 hours 4 hours 5 hours More than 5 hours 15. What genres of game do you play? Action Sports Puzzle Strategy Others 16. How many players participate with you? One Two Multiple players e.g. online gaming Myself only 17. Do you play violent video games ( usually rated 18 + )? Yes No 18. Do you think that the result of the game has a direct effect on your mood after playing? Yes No 19. Would you consider yourself an aggressive person? If yes then rate yourself on a scale of 1-5? 1 20. What would be your major reason to play video game? Keep yourself active at home To avoid boredom Hobby Entertain or spend time with your friends Frustration Other 21. What is it you like best about video game? The feeling that I am in the control of the situation It takes my mind off my problems The feeling of mastering the game Other 22. Do video games improve your ability to make decisions quickly? Yes No 23. Do you feel video games have sharpened your mind? Yes No 24. Do you have any health problems after playing video games? Yes; backache, headache, eye strain etc Sometimes I get a headache or backache I get headache once in a month No, I don’t have any health issues 25. Have you had problems at school that are related to gaming? Yes; I am tired all the time and never get my homework done I had turned in late assignments because I was playing games instead of doing homework No; I have never let games interfere with my schoolwork 26. Do you play any sports? Only video sports I split my time between sports and video games I play only one sport I play more than one sport 27. Are your parents comfortable with your gaming? Yes No 28. Have you ever tried to quit playing video games? Yes; but I always start playing again No; I play as much as I want and it isn’t a problem for me No; I don’t play enough for it to be a problem Thank you for your cooperation! Graphical Data

5 Job Interview Tips for Shy People

5 Job Interview Tips for Shy People Got the interview? Great! But now you are so nervous you don’t think you can make it through the ordeal without hyperventilating. Your palms are already sweating. And your heart rate? Through the roof. Preparation is key. Make sure you have reviewed these tough interview questions and be ready for any questions. Here are 5 job interview tips for shy people so you can get through it. So sit back, take a deep breath, and get started.1. Bring propsHave any great visuals? Charts or graphs that track your progress or success in a previous position? Have a dossier of praise letters and awards? Bring them with. If you find yourself tongue-tied you can always hand one over to buy yourself some time.2. Make yourself a cheat sheetNothing says an interview can’t be an open book affair. Make a one-sheet of your top 10 professional achievements and keep it on hand during the interview. If you draw a blank, you’ll be back on track with one glance down into your documents. They ’ll never know you’re cribbing, particularly if you rehearse referring to these bullet points in practice interviews.3. Plan on how you’ll stallFigure out a signature phrase for yourself to buy a little time. â€Å"That’s a great question, would you mind if I took a moment to give you a more thorough answer?† is one option. Find what’s most comfortable for you.4. Get helpThere are tons of resources out there. If you can’t afford a career coach, an interview prep personal trainer, if you will, then ask a friend whose business savvy you respect to mock interview with you. Try videotaping yourself answering some standard questions and practice until it doesn’t terrify you anymore. Remember: the actual interview can’t be as bad as watching yourself on camera.5. Prepare  questions in advanceThe number one most terrifying question in an interview: â€Å"Do you have any questions for us?† Everybody freezes up a little in this moment. Come prepared. Make a list of 5 to 10  questions for every single interview, specific to those jobs. In doing so, you’ll also be doing good research into the particulars of the company and the job, and you won’t be caught with your pants down at the crucial moment. You can simply call one to mind, smile, and fire it off with confidence.