Monday, December 30, 2019

A Farewell to Arms Essay Changing Perspective of Religion

Changing Perspective of Religion in A Farewell to Arms In Ernest Hemingways A Farewell to Arms, the main character, Lieutenant Fredric Henry, undergoes a dramatic change in perspective over the course of the novel. It is most interesting to see how the Lieutenants views on religion change as he becomes more involved in the war. Early in the novel, we are introduced to the Abruzzi. The Abruzzi is a town in Switzerland, of which Henrys friend, the priest, is very fond. His father lives there and it is, for the priest, a place of quiet solitude, religious freedom, and respect. He longs for the day when he can go and do Gods work in his hometown: in my country, it is understood that a man may love God. It is not a dirty†¦show more content†¦Henry cannot go to the Abruzzi at this point in his life. He is not ready for the life which waits for him in Switzerland, at least not yet. Much later in the novel, as Fredric is thinking about Catherine in the hospital, he has an unusual memory: he recalls a night in camp when he put a log covered with ants on a fire. He remembers thinking at the time that it was the end of the world and a splendid chance to be a messiah and lift the log off the fire and throw it out where the ants could get off onto the ground...[He] thinks the cup of water on the burning log only Jeff Marsey steamed the ants(Hemingway 328). Henry does not have a perception of an all-forgiving, all loving God, he sees God as vengeful. The ants of the human race are running around in a foolish war and God is just sitting there watching people die, when He could be saving everyone. This passage has quite a different tone than the one just a few pages later, where Henry is praying for Catherine: Dont let her die. Oh, God, please dont let her die. Ill do anything for you if you wont let her die...Please, please, dear God, dont let her die(330). Henrys priorities have obviously shifted a great deal since the scene at the campfire. He has become more eager to let God into his life. What events caused this drastic change in Henrys attitude? One obvious turning point in his life during the war was the interrogation by the carabinieri. Henry has to jump into the river toShow MoreRelatedwisdom,humor and faith19596 Words   |  79 Pages WISDOM, HUMOR, AND FAITH: A HISTORICAL VIEW Walter G. Moss Table of Contents (with links) Walter G. Moss 1 Table of Contents (with links) 1 Wisdom, Perspective, and Values 2 Humor’s Contribution to Wisdom 4 Humor and Wisdom in Europe: Some Highlights 5 Renaissance Humor: Erasmus, Rabelais, Cervantes, Shakespeare 5 Two European Russians: Anton Chekhov and Vladimir Soloviev 9 Reflections on Humor from Nietzsche to the Theatre of the Absurd 12 Humor and Wisdom in the United States: Lincoln, BeecherRead MoreWalts Whitmans Vision of America in Leaves of Grass17685 Words   |  71 Pagesof†©democratic†©ideals.†©Ã¢â‚¬ © The†©poet’s†©health†©had†©been†©shaky†©since†©the†©mid†1870s,†©and†©by†©1891†©it†©was†©clear†©that†© he†©was†©dying.†©He†©therefore†©prepared†©his†©so†called†©Ã¢â‚¬Å"Deathbed†Ã¢â‚¬ ©edition†©of†©Leaves†©of†©Grass,†© which†©contains†©two†©appendices†©of†©old†age†©poems†©as†©well†©as†©a†©review†©essay†©in†©which†©he†© tries†© to†© justify†© his†© life†© and†© work.†© The†© â€Å"Deathbed†© Edition†Ã¢â‚¬ © came†© out†© in†© 1892;†© Whitman†© died†©that†©year.â⠂¬ © 4†© http://www.classroomelectric.org/volume1/belasco/whitman†emerson.htm†© /†© Letter†© written†© on†© July†© 21,†© 1855†© from†©Read MoreRastafarian79520 Words   |  319 PagesRastafarianism is an absurd religion include: 1. Rastafarianism has been around for only about seventy years. Yet in that time it has gained inexplicable fame around the world, boasting converts from all races and nationalities. 2. Adherents of the faith appear to be relatively small in number. One study suggests that less than one percent of Jamaicans describe themselves as Rastafarians. Yet the average non-Jamaican assumes that Rastafarianism is the national religion of Jamaica. 3. Rastas believeRead MoreOrganisational Theory230255 Words   |  922 Pages. Organization Theory Challenges and Perspectives John McAuley, Joanne Duberley and Phil Johnson . This book is, to my knowledge, the most comprehensive and reliable guide to organisational theory currently available. What is needed is a text that will give a good idea of the breadth and complexity of this important subject, and this is precisely what McAuley, Duberley and Johnson have provided. They have done some sterling service in bringing together the very diverse strands of workRead MoreThe Studio System Essay14396 Words   |  58 Pagesaspect of the business . During the 1920s, and 1930s the Hollywood film studios undertook a major evolutionary period. The inception of the Hollywood ‘studio system’ was to change the film making process radically. The following essay will examine how these changes took place, and what impact it had on the film making industry in America. We shall also examine how the system relates to the current production methods used in film making. The main issues raised withinRead MoreLogical Reasoning189930 Words   |  760 Pagesprobable good consequences of each action and the probable bad consequences while weighing the positive and negative impact of each consequence. It’s a kind of cost-benefit analysis. Exercises 1. Columbus Day is an American holiday. Write a short essay that weighs the pros and cons and then comes to a decision about whether there should be more or less public celebration (by Americans and their institutions) on Columbus Day, October 12. Here is some relevant background information to reduce your

Sunday, December 22, 2019

Media Propaganda - 9887 Words

Media propaganda Propaganda is a form of communication that is aimed at influencing the attitude of a community toward some cause or position. As opposed to impartially providing information, propaganda, in its most basic sense, presents information primarily to influence an audience. Propaganda often presents facts selectively (thus possibly lying by omission) to encourage a particular synthesis, or uses loaded messages to produce an emotional rather than rational response to the information presented. The desired result is a change of the attitude toward the subject in the target audience to further a political agenda. Propaganda can be used as a form of political warfare. While the term propaganda has acquired a strongly negative†¦show more content†¦The Creel Commission provided themes for speeches by four-minute men at public functions, and also encouraged censorship of the American press. The Commission was so unpopular that after the war, Congress closed it down without providing funding to organize and archive its papers. The war propaganda campaign of Lippmann and Bernays produced within six months such an intense anti-German hysteria as to permanently impress American business (and Adolf Hitler, among others) with the potential of large-scale propaganda to control public opinion. Bernays coined the terms group mind and engineering consent, important concepts in practical propaganda work. The file Century of the Self by Adam Curtis documents the immense influence of these ideas on public relations and politics throughout the last century. The current public relations industry is a direct outgrowth of Lippmanns and Bernays work and is still used extensively by the United States government. For the first half of the 20th century Bernays and Lippmann themselves ran a very successful public relations firm. World saw continued use of propaganda as a weapon of war, both by Hitlers propagandist Joseph Goebbels and the British Political Warfare Executive, as well as the United States Office of War Information. In the early 2000s, the United States government developedShow MoreRelatedPropaganda and Persuasion Casted in the Media1216 Words   |  5 Pages Propaganda is performed through print, audio, and visual mass media. It is used for the promotion of the public’s activities in their life such as purchasing goods through market propaganda, and it is also found in politics, foreign affairs, and in many other fields. Most importantly propaganda is depicted in the informercialization of the news, which is connected with subliminal advertising and commercialization of public events and individual promotion such in communication websites. However,Read MoreMedia s Influence On Domestic Propaganda987 Words   |  4 PagesAs of 2013 the US government ended it s long time ban on domestic propaganda. (RT) However, has propaganda ever stopped? And, is this just an aggressive attempt to increase the already overwhelming amount of propaganda already swelling within the media? Many sources point out that the mainstream media has always been a source of propaganda, the tool used to persuade and guide the public in making their opinions an d decisions on important issues. Personally, I m also concerned that it distractsRead More The Media as Conduit for Political Propaganda Essay657 Words   |  3 PagesThe Media as Conduit for Political Propaganda According to the latest polls, 90% of Americans favor military retaliation for the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center. Taking into consideration that all aggregate data is used for self-serving means, this number is still exceptionally large. The numbers are manufactured by propaganda vehicles, or rather the mainstream media. In a sort of Orwellian fashion, the media bombards the audience with images, voices, and memoirs of death, griefRead MorePropaganda in American Media Essay805 Words   |  4 PagesPropaganda in American Media One of the greatest revolutions in the twentieth century was not political in nature, however, it aided in many different political revolutions. This revolution was the communications revolution. The twentieth century has experienced one of the greatest changes in means of communication including technologies such as radio, motion pictures, the Internet, advanced communications and most importantly the television. Sadly, political leaders and the government to convinceRead MoreEssay on Media Propaganda and Stereotypes1645 Words   |  7 Pagesinto stereotypes and the propaganda that is being fed by the government and the media. Stereotypes steer individuals perceptions of a group of people in a certain way, usually negative, and generalize that opinion to all members of the group. Aware of the influence stereotypes have on peoples views, governments use stereotypes already imbedded in society as a propaganda tactic to persuade peoples thoughts, opinions and beliefs in order to be nefit their cause. The media was used for disseminatingRead MoreEvaluating the Propaganda Model of the Media1416 Words   |  6 Pagesthe ‘propaganda model’ or the ‘political economy model’ for the study of media power. The Chomsky-Herman propaganda model, at its core, asserts that â€Å"elite media determine what topics, issues and events are to be considered ‘newsworthy’ by lower-tier media†¦ in order to serve the interests of dominant, elite groups [in society]† (Klaehn 2005, p. 2). Most assertions of this theory are relevant for today’s mediascape, though by and large the propaganda model holds a prejudiced view of media ownershipRead MoreUse Of Social Media As Propaganda1679 Words   |  7 Pagesfrom a landline telephone (if available). Today, social media has created several outlet for individuals across the globe to communicate. Sites like YouTube, Google+, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram allow users to communicate with each other without having to be physically present. If you are an owner of a smart phone then you are able to message, share photos, and video chat from the palm of your hand. Besides friends using social media to connect with other friends or families keeping in touchRead MoreGenocide and the Propaganda Media Essay1446 Words   |  6 Pagesthe cleansing of a race or ethnicity in a country. There has been evidence that this phrase can be used to describe past and present day massacres being committed around the world and how media has changed its perception on this issue overtime. Propaganda tries to force a doctrine on the whole people... Propaganda works on the general public from the standpoint of an idea and makes them ripe for the victory of this idea. ( Adolf Hitler, Mein Kampf, 1926). During Adolf Hitler’s time, the Jews inRead More Media Propaganda Hides American Terrorism Essay1178 Words   |  5 PagesMedia Propaganda Hides American Terrorism    An article in this months Stuff magazine for men, titled Die American Scum tells us that the world sucks. It sucks because while Americans have given other countries Mickey Mouse, burgers and gum, won wars for them, kept the peace and disposed of dictators, all we have gotten in return is terrorism. The article, by John Parrish, goes on to discourage Americans from traveling to 10 terrorist countries including Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, ColombiaRead More Stereotypes, Discrimination and Prejudice Essay1506 Words   |  7 Pagesbooks and magazines, or have had related to us by family and friends. Though all these are equally significant roots for the stimulation of stereotypes, media however, is the giant force. Media propaganda is one of the main functions of society that projects stereotypical opinions or perceptions. One of the most powerful forces, propaganda in the media combined with stereotypes often act together to accomplish a homogenized and often misleading view about society an d its people. Stereotype ? a conventional

Saturday, December 14, 2019

What Is Prp Health And Social Care Essay Free Essays

string(131) " The patient is so observed for 15-20 proceedingss in order to document immediate response to injection and so will be discharged\." For the past 30 old ages their have been specializers of all natures associating to athleticss public presentation every bit good as athleticss rehabilitation with whatever valuable resorts there were out at that place. We are merely get downing to farther survey these rules for bettering musculus, bone and tendon harm. The usage of autlogious and recombinant signifiers likewise are going an indispensable tool in handling more extended and never-say-die focussing on the use of growing factors and maximising protein secernment to advance healing of the bone and tissue on a cellular spectrum. We will write a custom essay sample on What Is Prp Health And Social Care Essay or any similar topic only for you Order Now What should be expected is that a choice few may venture into the research involved behind this comparatively new survey may see a steady slope of involvement on Platelet Rich Plasma and by merchandises every bit good as be the first to acknowledge the effects in hospital scenes, surgery centres, into outpatient, even into doctors ‘ offices such as Orthopedic clinics and more specifically Sports Medicine associations. A concentration of autologous thrombocytes contains thrombocyte rich plasma and releases into the affected are superficially through a procedure called ( degranulation ) at least seven different growing factors help excite bone besides used in soft tissue mending. This is done by shooting the organic structure with whole blood a procedure known as autologous blood injection ( ABI ) . and of import beginnings for our wellness for medical usage including wound mending while undergoing surgery, a really abundant symptom known as tendinitis, cardiac attention, gristle fix, spinal surgery, and dental wellness every bit good. PRP stimulates the foundations for fix and completes the rhythm of revascularization developed by a connective tissue base, so a food platform made up of epithelial cells can get down to migrate to the affected country. After lesions form from surgery, epithelial coverings of open tissue and connective tissue, the development of corium are the basic mechanism that reduces marking and provides a the maximal procedure of regeneration in normal skin pigmentation so that station operative fix will be accepted more cosmetically friendly. And for bone fix platelet-rich plasma ( PRP ) it can be added autogenously to cram or to a mixture for managing during surgery and minimising particulatar migration every bit good as to add increased thrombocytes into the country where a peculiar hurt occurs. In certain instances affecting invasive fix of articulations, sinews, and ligaments, so the new option is to garner blood from the patient which is processed into PRP and so injected into a localised country to with the end of speed uping healing. PRP What Is It? The specialised atoms of PRP are more clearly be understood as thrombocytes that are little mononucleiated atoms in peripheral blood responsible for a figure of proteins, cytokines and other bioactive elements used in modulating and handling lesion healing. A normal thrombocyte counts step in blood scope is 150,000uL ( micro-liters ) to 350,000uL. Plasma is the unstable part of blood assorted with coagulating factors including proteins and ions. A thrombocyte count of 1,000,000uL peers every bit much as 5mL of plasma, which in bend expresses the phenomenon behind the consequences in mending. The cytokines specifically classified as transforming growing factor, platelet-derived growing factor, insulin like growing factor, fibroblast growing factor, cuticular growing factor, vascular endothelial growing factor and endothelial cell growing factor ( Stanford University Medical Center- Anonymous ) . All these cytokines are all seen in biological ratios these bioactive factors contain heavy granules in thrombocytes making the dense coagulating substance needed to trip factors such as histamine, 5-hydroxytryptamine, Dopastat and adenosine. The phases of lesion healing and major constituents are redness, proliferation and fix. The initial stage given the peculiar type of tissue hurt involves a stimulation of growing factors in the curdling formation. Histamine and 5-hydroxytryptamine are used to increase blood flow and more specifically inflammatory cells a better entree site for nearing redness. Adenosine receptors help allow cell adhesions in lesion healing. Platelet rich plasma can merely be made of antiocoagulated blood an add-on of citrate to whole blood to adhere the ionised Ca and suppressing coagulating rush. The existent stairss involve two of import processs where whole blood removed from the patient is spun in a extractor, dividing the cells of the blood. The first centrifugation method is to divide the ruddy and white blood cells from plasma and blood thrombocytes, as the white and ruddy blood cells are much larger than thrombocytes. The 2nd centrifugation is thought to insulate the thrombocytes more successfully and easy able to divide the PRP from thrombocyte hapless plasma ( PPP ) . This microenvironment consequences in chemotaxis of inflammatory cells every bit good as the activation and proliferation of local primogenitor cells. In most instances, fibroblastic cicatrix tissue is formed. In some scenes, nevertheless, such as in a break callosity, these condit ions can besides ease the formation of new bone tissue ( AAOS By Barbara D. Boyan, PhD ; Zvi Schwartz, DMD, PhD ; Thomas E. Patterson, PhD ; and George Muschler, MD ) Existing engineering enables the isolation every bit good as a concentrated value of the patient ‘s ain thrombocytes. PRP readying is non entirely responsible for autogenic osteogenic cells but instead more significantly dependant of the presence of a local osteogenic population. The consequences are an increasing sum of osteoblastic cells and copiousness of matrix synthesis, PRP promotes fibroblastic growing, cicatrix formation every bit good as distinction. Role of Mending PRP is used chiefly for soft tissue hurts including sprains, strains, tendinitis, every bit good as bursitis. One valuable constituent to the handling and proper usage of PRP is the demand for concise ultrasound needle counsel. In order to be able to happen the exact location of the hurt site, a dynamic musculoskeletal ultrasound unit is used. The ultrasound provides a image of the deep tissues within the organic structure in order to place the exact location required to see positive consequences, the patient is prepared with a local anaesthetic by and large lidocane. The patient is so observed for 15-20 proceedingss in order to document immediate response to injection and so will be discharged. You read "What Is Prp Health And Social Care Essay" in category "Essay examples" Because there may be uncomfortableness experienced the patient is advised to look for any symptoms associating to trouble or swelling at the site of injection for up to one hebdomad, patients are encouraged to fr ost the injection site, elevate the limb, modify activity or more normally known as R.I.C.E ( remainder, ice, compaction and elevate ) . The administrating specializer using the injection of PRP requires a well-experienced doctor that non merely has a good apprehension and research behind the foundations of this stuff but must besides get the hang the rules involved in successful usage of the ultrasound acerate leaf. Prior to debut of the PRP stuff multiple holes need to be implemented to the injured sinew or Bursa in order to travel frontward with intervention. PRP consequences province that approximately 20 % of the clip intervention may hold to be repeated peculiarly if there is no important betterment over the undermentioned four hebdomads. Surprisingly any anti-inflammatory drugs are recommended to be avoided for the undermentioned four hebdomads of PRP application. Although the process is considered safe, possible side-effects could happen and patient should be cognizant of the followers: †¢ Allergic reaction †¢ Infection †¢ Scar tissue formation †¢ Neurovascular hurt †¢ Calcification at the injection site Contraindications are specific conditions of the patient in which the intervention should non be used because it may conflict with a anterior or bing status. Contraindications for PRP include the undermentioned preexisting conditions: †¢ Presence of a tumour †¢ Metastatic disease †¢ Active Infections †¢ Pregnancy and/or active breastfeeding Treatment on musculuss and sinews ( most common hurts ) By and large the usage in orthopaedic application for PRP is most normally associated with chronic tendinopathies, actue ligament hurts, musculus hurts and bone devolution. Tendons are structures that connect musculuss to the bone. Any hurt or general wear and tear of the sinew causes an inflammatory status called tendinosis which frequently occurs in the cubitus, Achilles sinews, articulatio genus, and shoulder. The chronic tendinopathy intervention will be a common intervention for sidelong epicondylitis who have had unsuccessful interventions including physical therapy and Cortone Acetate injections. The terminal end is to obtain full scope of gesture working at the same time on beef uping with small to no hurting or other residuary effects. Another type of tendon hurt includes Achilles tendinopathy ( paratendinitis, paratendinitis with tendinosis, and pure tendinosis ) which is localized tendon redness every bit good as deficiency extensibility with the possible to wholly tear, b y aiming and reconstructing utilizing tenocytes bring forthing an addition in collagen filaments. In the lower appendage a common sinew issue lies in the patellar tendinopathy most normally affecting the proximal bone and tendon junction or joint line. The ground for common dislocation in the patellar sinew is normally related to inordinate force or strength in athletics or activity every bit good as proper footwear and or equipment. The strength issues can be observed by factors such as musculus instability or failing which may do a sensitivity in activity particularly in jumping and film editing. A Dr. Mishra published positive consequences in patients with chronic cubitus tendinitis ( American Journal of Sports Medicine- 2006 ) . The shoulder is a different and more complex facet much more extended than the cubitus. This is an country where jobs can originate associating to rotator cuff hurts including instability, AC joint arthritis and even nervousnesss issues in the cervical spinal column such as a herniated cervical vertabrae. So to find the value of PRP in shoulders it will take more clip and many more surveies until we can find the forecast for PRP injections and their success. Several clinical sawboness are administrating this intervention in pattern where it allows the freedom to measure the advancement in patients, but other than physical therapy and modes such as ultrasound used to make more snap in the country and increase blood flow every bit good as ice and remainder but unlike the PRP injection there are few types of intervention that will diminish hurting and redness. That ‘s why PRP is the following alternate measure in keeping maximal public presentation when physical demands are required in athletics or day-to-day activities. The most unproved country that requires more s urvey to endorse research is how PRP can be linked to cartilage Restoration which would take a large spring in Orthopaedics because these types of hurts are so prevelant in athletics. Articular gristle hurts and DJD degenerative articulation disease are more copiously researched in athleticss medical specialty and how it can correlate to the usage of PRP injections is a really influential subject and it has already posed a positive grade in athleticss medical specialty and orthopedic surgery imitating hyaline like tissue that integrates with similar gristle. Showing good consequences utilizing PRP in handling gristle lesions and regeneration by modulating cells, growing factors and protein synthesis the recovery for a peculiar type of gristle dislocation can be critical in returning to feature sooner than subsequently. Influence in Sports medical specialty and jocks PRP therapy made athleticss headlines when Hines Ward sprained his median collateral ligament in his articulatio genus in the AFC Championship Game he so received a fluctuation of PRP therapy from the Steelers squad doctor and two hebdomads subsequently when most had thought he would be shut down for the balance of the season normally ensuing in four to six months of rehab and strength and conditioning, he could so restart athletics, but when he went on to catch two of the biggest base on ballss in his calling in a Super Bowl triumph people took notice. After seeing Hines Ward return every bit rapidly as he did and be so productive the public oculus became intrigued by this recovery procedure and the extended research began. The general public perceives therapy effectiveness more favourably when pro jocks are able to return to feature with a quicker recovery clip than standard protocols suggest and since they are on such a big platform where a said jock could hold a diagnosings that requires several months or what could be a partial sum of the season and is back merely hebdomads subsequently, everyon e wants to hold an chance to obtain such intervention from your recreational jock to your 9-5 occupational person. Peoples such as Hines Ward, Tiger Woods and Troy Polamalu are merely a few ace jocks that are relied on to execute at the highest degree and who have attributed their patterned advance and recovery to PRP. Star athlete disbursals of class non straight out of pocket can do upward to 10s of 1000000s of dollars and that may travel unnoticed when researching the options of intervention for recovery. The concern facet of pro athleticss has as of late brought on a overplus of illegal substances in order to hike athletic public presentation. The likes of Tiger Woods even explored this comparatively new signifier of recovery and had a PRP injection in his articulatio genus in order to vie in a major tourney that is on such a large spectrum that merely the fact entirely that he was n’t forced to lose anytime off from the athletics following surgery rose inquiries rivals a nd athleticss authors likewise began go arounding false information, that blood spinning was being confused with blood doping. Even claiming that PRP involved being injected with calf or animate being blood and PRP was in some manner related or had the same rules incorporated with HGH ( human growing endocrine ) . Thankfully Anderson Cooper and Dr. Sanjay Gupta cleared up any inquiry sing the PRP in jocks and the legal issues environing it in a section about Tiger Woods existent usage associating to PRP usage. And most late jocks such as John Daly ( professional golf player ) , Joakim Noah ( professional hoops participant ) , Brandon Roy ( professional hoops participant ) , Blake Griffin ( professional hoops participant ) , James Blake ( professional tennis participant ) and Cliff Lee ( professional baseball participant ; pitcher in game 1 of the World Series this twelvemonth ) all among the persons of injured jocks who received PRP for assorted hurts. The building worker with terrible Achilles sinew issues suppressing them from returning to work is an implicit in issue for the support that PRP research is having and in actuality merely as an athlete returns to feature that he may be able to return back to work. The instructor who is invariably on their pess all twenty-four hours and life with creaky hurting in his/her articulatio genuss likely sing traveling on disablement or even other options for a calling does non necessitate to settle and without holding to hold a process done most and by and large treated with a entire articulatio genus athroplasty. PRP benefits include the chance to salvage occupations and return patients back to day-to-day activities and better lives non merely amongst high profile jocks but occupational hurts as good. How to cite What Is Prp Health And Social Care Essay, Essay examples

Friday, December 6, 2019

Playing Second Fiddle free essay sample

I fiddle in the bathroom. I started this arguably unique behavior some time ago so I could watch my bowing in the mirror. Now I play there because the bathroom is at the far end of the house. That way, there are two closed doors and one complete room between me and the rest of civilization. To my parents credit, they have, over the years, paid for and taken me to countless lessons and other musical events. But sometimes they get a little tired of hearing me practice the same tune three dozen times in half an hour. Even so, I am sure fiddle tunes are easier on the ear than snare drum etudes, sounds that were common in our house not too long ago. At my high school, marching band is king. I started playing percussion as a sixth grader. Early in my freshman year of high school, I was band member of the week and became the first-chair percussionist in the top band. We will write a custom essay sample on Playing Second Fiddle or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page My teachers were telling me I really had a future as a percussionist. I participated in numerous honor bands and clinics, where I was always the only girl in my section. At school, I was good friends with the boys and the couple of girls in percussion, but at these bands, everything was different. It was obvious to me that people at first wondered what I was doing there. These drummers were hard-core: the ones who tapped constantly and had contests to see who could play the fastest buzz-roll. I was told more than once by both them and by visiting directors that I should let the boys play the most important parts because I looked too small and timid. I always had to prove that I could hold my own. Because I was different, I learned to stand up for myself, and to play what I wanted to play. But being in a successful, very competitive band came at a price, especially for drummers during marching season. I had rehearsals or performances five days a week, several hours each day. I w as happy, but other types of music were pulling me away. I had been playing violin and fiddle for a while, but I realized I really wanted to play in an orchestra and be more involved in bluegrass music. Unfortunately, I didnt have time to do these things and still play in the band at school. Could I give up something I was quite good at to literally play second fiddle? After much anguished contemplation, I finally decided to quit band. Two years later, I am playing in my citys youth orchestra and taking fiddle lessons from an accomplished bluegrass musician. With her help, I am also learning to play the banjo and guitar, and have even been writing my own songs. Although I cant say I dont miss percussion, I think I have found my niche in the musical world. Oscar Wilde was very wise in saying that he regretted losing his individuality. This is especially commendable considering he lived during a time when being different was somewhat looked down upon. All Englishmen were supposed to l ook and act a certain way, and Wilde wanted to be an Englishman while still being himself. In twenty-first century America, being an individual can still be hard. Being true to myself came at a cost because I couldnt find within the rules of my school marching band a way to do it all. In my life after high school, I am hopeful I will find the encouragement to play any instrument. But in the meantime, Ive learned that being true to oneself requires making choices that I am willing to make.