Trust Is Integrity, Honesty, and Reliability Essay

Trust Is Integrity, Honesty, and Reliability - Essay Example Many people argue about the meaning of trust, but the most important aspect of trust in personal and professional relationships is the way we build it together through integrity, honesty, and reliability.   The idea that trust is a one-dimension trait is widely spread, but I find it to be a multi-dimensional act as different aspects have to be taken into account when it comes to building and keeping trust in our personal and professional relationships. Trust in integrity, honesty, and reliability is considered as such by many people.   Some of them equal trust to only one of those dimensions, but I find it useful to deal with the issue of trust as a multi-dimensional trait.   Trust is more a process than a permanent state of affairs.   Trust must be built and kept alive on an ongoing basis, so many factors have to be taken into consideration when we speak about trust in our personal and professional relationships. Indeed trust takes a lot of effort to be built and maintained alive.   It is easy to think of trust as integrity, or as honesty, or as reliability alone.   But if we take a close look at trust, we will find that it takes those three dimensions together to build and keep trust on a daily basis. That is so because if one of the ingredients is missing, we will end up being untrustworthy in the eyes of people. Looking at trust from a multi-dimensional point of view will keep us from making unnecessary mistakes, and at the same time, we will enjoy the benefits of healthy relationships.... Our good will and our efforts to achieve trustworthiness bring happiness and well-being to our souls here and now. Essay 2: Argument. Trust Is Built and Kept Through Integrity, Honesty, and Reliability. Introduction. Many people argue about the meaning of trust, but the most important aspect of trust in personal and professional relationships is the way we build it together through integrity, honesty, and reliability. The idea that trust is a one-dimension trait is widely spread, but I find it to be a multi-dimensional act as different aspects have to be taken into account when it comes to building and keeping trust in our personal and professional relationships. Building and Keeping Trust. Trust as integrity, honesty, and reliability is considered as such by many people. Some of them equal trust to only one of those dimensions, but I find it useful to deal with the issue of trust as a multi-dimensional trait. Trust is more a process than a permanent state of affairs. Trust must be built and kept alive on an ongoing basis, so many factors have to be taken into consideration when we speak about trust in our personal and professional relationships. Indeed trust takes a lot of effort to be built and maintained alive. It is easy to think of trust as integrity, or as honesty, or as reliability alone. But if we take a close look at trust, we will find that it takes those three dimensions together to build and keep trust on a daily basis. That is so because if one of the ingredients is missing, we will end up being untrustworthy in the eyes of people. We need a good mix of integrity, honesty, and reliability in order to build and establish a

Dowry system in india Essay Example for Free

Dowry system in india Essay Dowry is derived from the ancient Hindu customs of ‘kanyadan’ and ‘stridhan’. In ‘kanyadan’, the father of the bride offers the father of the groom money or property, etc whereas for ‘stridhan’, the bride herself gets jewelry and clothes at the time of her marriage, usually from her relatives or friends. In Varadakshina’, the father of the bride presents the groom cash or kind. All of these could be done voluntarily and out of affection and love. The Hindu marriage system is sacramental. According to this system, a marriage is forever and there is no scope for a separation. Among the various ceremonies previously practiced, the ceremony in front of a ‘godly’ fire (‘Yajna’ in Sanskrit) has taken over, the old-fashioned system of marrying a wife by capture. This form of marriage began the practice of dowry, where originally, the family of the bride would accept gifts and money from the groom’s family as an alternative to bloodshed during the capture of the bride. A later modification of this system has paved way for the present dowry system primarily practiced by the society. The dowry custom continues to rule our society. In majority of Indian families, the boy has legacy rights, while the girl is given a large sum at the time of her marriage in lieu of the government regulated equal rights for girls in parental property. Thus, dowry system has spread in almost all parts of the country and sections of society. There are several reasons for the occurrence of the dowry system, but the main one is that it is a necessary precondition for marriage. ‘No dowry, no marriage’ is a widespread fear. There has also been an appearance of a feudal mindset with a materialistic attitude in a new globalised economy. The price tag for the groom is now bigger and bolder. The emergence of an affluent middle class, the torchbearer of social change in modern India, is the main factor for the continuation of the dowry system. Families arrange most marriages, and a man who does not marry for love; he can marry for wealth. For this man and his family, a woman becomes the ticket to shortcut riches through the system of dowry. There are a number of things people desire to have in their own houses but cannot afford; they use the opportunity of a son’s marriage to get them. The girl’s parents do not protest against variety, as they regard the union as a stepping-stone towards higher social status and better matches for the remaining children. Dowry as a phenomenon has gone beyond the ritual of marriage. Pregnancy, childbirth and all kinds of religious and family functions are occasions when such demands are made. A more sophisticated public image of an extended gifting session has replaced the old system. Now there is demand for receptions in marriage places. The trousseau includes designer wear for the bride and groom’s family. Chefs are flown in for multi-cuisine wedding dinners. The bride’s family usually pays for all this. The rich revel in the exchange of their black money, but this in turn exerts pressure on the other classes to ape them with serious social consequences. The women have become a kind of commodity. It is them who are the worst sufferers because dowry is most often a monetary agreement between two men – the bride’s father and the groom. Caste-based practices have only added fuel to the fire. Marriages in political families are arranged to consolidate the caste base for support in electoral politics, so they do not challenge the dowry system. Dowry rituals have now spread even to communities where they were unknown. It has gone to different castes, crossed the boundaries of provinces and education and religion. Muslims and Christians, such as the Syrian Christians of Kerala and the Roman Catholics of Mangalore have started demanding dowry. Official statistics show a steady rise in dowry crimes. More and more women are killed every year in India for dowry. Bihar and Uttar Pradesh still record the maximum number of dowry crimes, but Bangalore, India’s fastest growing city also shows an alarming rise – four women reportedly die every day because of dowry harassment and domestic violence. The cases of dowry torture are the highest accounting for 32.4% of crimes against women in the country. The Dowry Prohibition Act, in force since 1st July 1961, was passed with the purpose of prohibiting the demanding, giving and taking of dowry. In 1980, the Government setup a committee that recommended amendments in the Dowry Prohibition Act and also suggested expanding the definition of dowry and instituting family courts and National Commission for women. Many parliamentary debates led to some amendments in 1983,1984 and 1986. To stop the offences of cruelty by husband or his relatives on the wife, Section 498-A was added in the Indian Penal Code and Section 198-A in the Criminal Procedure Code in the year 1983. The Dowry Prohibition Act clearly stipulates that a person who gives or takes or helps in the giving or taking of dowry can be sentenced to jail for 5 years and fined Rs. 15,000/- or the amount of the value of dowry, whichever is more. The Act also prohibits the giving and taking directly or indirectly any property or valuable security, any amount either in cash of kind, jewelry, articles, properties, etc. in respect of a marriage. The control is provided by stating a limit and names of people gifting and their relationship to the married couple to be signed by both sides of parents. In 1986, the Act was amended again, empowering State governments to appoint Dowry Prohibition Officers, who not only had a preventive role but also had powers to collect evidence against people who took dowry. Despite protest by women’s organisations, serious activism, legal amendments, special police cells for women, media support and heightened awareness of dowry being a crime, the practice continues unabated on a massive scale. Despite every stigma, dowry continues to be the signature of marriage. Women need real social, political, financial and moral support in their fight against the system. They have to be empowered so that they can take their decisions about their own life by refusing the dowry system.

The Horrors of Colonialism and Imperialism in Conrads Heart of Darknes

     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   From the onset of the novella Heart of Darkness, the narrator Marlow compares his subsequent tale of colonialism with that of the Roman colonization of Northern Europe and the fascination associated with such an endeavor. However, throughout his narration, Marlow challenges this viewpoint by painting a heinous picture of the horrors of colonialist ventures. In the opening of his tale, Conrad, through Marlow, establishes his thoughts on colonialism. He says that conquerors only use brute force, "nothing to boast of" because it arises, by accident, from another's weakness. Marlow sees colonization as; "Robbery with violence, aggravated murder on a great scale, and men going at it blind - as it is very proper for those who tackle darkness." Furthermore, he sees such conquests as taking land and materials away from those people who "have a different complexion or slightly flatter noses." This epitomizes the futility in such an undertaking. Moreover as he understands it, colonization is only successful if there lies within it a "devotion to efficiency" and a creation of civilization, not exploitation (Conrad, 4). In his novella, through the eyes of his narrator Marlow, Conrad offers a frank critique of European imperial colonialism through the numerous oppositions of black and white and dark and light.   Through the individual characterization, Conrad creates the division between dark and light ... ...of Anthropology, Lawrence Univ.).  Ã‚   "Africa and Africans in Conrad's Heart of Darkness."  Ã‚   A Lawrence University Freshman Studies Lecture, 24 Jan. 1996.   Rpt. James Banks, Willamette Univ.; & Free Speech Television: http://www.freespeech.org/james/conrad/heart.htm (Accessed: Apr. 2002) Conrad, Joseph. Heart of Darkness, New York: Dover, 1990. Dintenfass, Mark. "Heart of Darkness: A Lawrence University Freshman Studies Lecture." 14 Mar. 1996. *http://www.acsu.buffalo.edu/~csicseri/dintenfass.htm* (2  Ã‚  April 2002). Hayes, Dorsha. "Heart of Darkness: An Aspect of the Shadow," Spring (1956): 43-47.. McLynn, Frank. Hearts of Darkness: The European Exploration of Africa. New York: Carol & Gey, 1992.

Persepolis Essay

Persepolis was a very insightful movie about the lives of Iranian people at a very important time in the country’s history. Two topics that stuck out to me the most were the effects of the war on the everyday lives of the citizens of Iran and secondly the not-so-patriarchal lifestyle of people at the household level. Once the revolution to bring down the Shah began, which was followed by the Iran-Iraq war, the lives of Iranians were never the same again. Before these events, Iran appeared to be what we can easily call ‘a modern society’. Women were treated equally, men and women openly socialized together without any restrictions and westernization was apparent with the dressing styles of women, parties and the children indulging in pop culture. All of this drastically changed after the elections and once the war began. Under the new repressive government, religious extremists in power imposed several laws that undermined the freedom of all citizens of Iran. Everybody was told how to dress whereby women were required to veil in public, parties and consumption of alcohol became illegal, children were taught in school that the new government was very good, young boys were influenced into joining the army and fighting in the war. In addition to all these social impacts there were economic downturns as well. The stores are shown to have empty shelves, the country’s infrastructure destroyed, healthcare deteriorated, the excessive restrictions on almost everything pushed for the need for black-markets and illegal operations. Even with all the restrictions from the people in power and the policing of everybody, there were still a large number of people who were very modern, even men. One example would be Marjane’s father telling her and Reza to be more careful about meeting in public. Another example would be when Marjane’s uncle Anoush is released from prison and visits them, everybody ate dinner at the same table, both men and women. One of the topics that relate to our class readings is war and bereavement. The war that lasted so long did not occur without expensing lives of millions of innocent people. During the war period, countless lives were lost and most of these were men. Men fought in wars and died and the women were left to deal with the loss. When a missile lands in Marjane’s neighborhood, the fear of losing her family takes over her and she is still a little girl at the time. The same incident cost the lives of her friends in the neighborhood. Of all the characters in the movie, to me, Marjane’s grandmother was the most compelling character. She was a wise old woman who was inspirational, understanding and very realistic. She was a symbol of independence and a great role model for Marjane. Most importantly, she practiced what she preached. She placed a great emphasis on protecting the innocent as this was an issue close to her since her husband and family members had been victims. When Marjane tells her that in order to save herself from the police, she lied and got an innocent man in trouble, Grandmother reacts in a way that I didn’t expect. She believed in being true to your own self and certainly did not tolerate any unfaithfulness, even from her beloved Marjane. The character that had the most impact on Marjane would have to be her uncle Anoush. He came into Marjane’s life when she was still very young and definitely made an enormous impression on her. As if his life story wasn’t enough, uncle Anoush’s death left an even bigger impact on Marjane’s life. She wouldn’t tolerate people talking about war and death lightly after his death. Several times in her life when she was feeling confused, the words of her uncle Anoush helped her get through.

Analysis Of The Fall Of Ferdinand Marcos Essay

October 10, 2001 Word Count: 2466 Research Question: How did Ferdinand E. Marcos eventually fall from power? INTRODUCTION Ferdinand E. Marcos was the longest reigning Philippine president in history. His rule spanned 20 years, beginning in 1965 up to his downfall in 1983. He was the first and only president re-elected so far (first in 1969 and second in 1981). After his second term, corruption in his administration was rampant. For 20 years he ruled the Philippines with an iron fist, and amassed a personal fortune. According to all sources, he managed to prolong his term for so long through his â€Å"private military† (Sonia M. Zaide, 217) that crushed or silenced opposition against him. His attempts to prolong his term however, were also responsible for the dissatisfaction of his people and the growth in opposition and against him which eventually led to his downfall, after the assassination of Benigno Aquino on 1983. BACKGROUND ON MARCOS’ RISE TO POWER Marcos came from a rich and politically prominent family in Ilocos, a province in the northern part of the Philippines. He began his political career in 1949, being elected to the House of Representatives as congressman of Ilocos. In 1965, he was elected as President of the Senate. He then (as a Nacionalista, one of the 2 main political parties) ran for president and gained victory over the incumbent president, Diosdado Macapagal. Marcos promised to â€Å"make the nation great again,† and during his first term of 6 years Marcos gained widespread popularity through his extensive economic and political achievements. In 1969 Marcos became the first (and up to the moment, still the only) re-elected president of the Philippines. During his second term however, Marcos lost popularity due to the extensive graft and corruption of his favoured cronies, and the human rights violations of the Marcos administration when he proclaimed Martial Law on September 21, 1972. He lifted Martial La w in 1981 after reducing the opposition by intimidation. During his second re-election in 1981, Marcos had only one opponent, Alejo Santos of the Nacionalista party, because Senator Benigno Aquino (who was his only credible opponent) was living in exile in the United States. During the next years, the Philippine economy was considered â€Å"the sick man of Asia† (Time Magazine). In 1982, Marcos was sickly and he was absent in many official ceremonies. During this time, his wife (Imelda Marcos) and her  cronies were unofficially running the country. It was during this time, when on August 21, 1983, his long time rival, Benigno Aquino (wife of Benigno Aquino), returned to the Philippines. He was assassinated in broad daylight in the Manila International Airport by one of the government military escorts and this incident was captured by camera (Don Lawson, 1). This infuriated the Filipino people, which was the final blow to his rule. After days of mass rallies and demonstrations all over the country, he called as snap election as part of his strategy to maintain his credibility in the international body. He was declared the official winner because of massive vote buying and cheating and intimation. The mass rallies and demonstrations continued nationwide which paralyzed the government operations † for example, banks were closed and transport services were on strike, and part of the military rebelled, and all these led to the now popular EDSA Revolution (also known as â€Å"People Power†) on February 16, 1986 which toppled Marcos’ rule. ANALYSIS OF THE CAUSES OF MARCOS DOWNFALL The causes of Marcos’ downfall can be divided into two parts † long term causes and short term causes. Marcos’ acts of corruption which include: his attainment of large sums of money from the Philippine treasury during his reign, abuse of military power to suppress opposition and maintain a firm grip on presidency, and his political schemes to prolong his rule were responsible for creating an atmosphere of hatred and discontent on Marcos’ rule, under the overriding atmosphere of fear created by the resulting suppression of any threats to his power. These doings cultivated the seeds of dissatisfaction which soon developed into unified hatred towards Marcos’ reign. There was widespread discontent, but this discontent was still silent. The short-term or immediate cause of Marcos’ downfall was the Assassination of Ninoy Aquino. The â€Å"assassination brought Philippine’s economic shambles to world attention† (Fred Poole and Max Vanz i, 244) and lead to Marcos’ fall from power after the EDSA revolution. MARCOS’ MILITARY The military was the initial basis of Marcos’ power. Marcos’ military control provided him with a huge political advantage. Marcos used the military to create an atmosphere of terror, to discourage opposition and  eliminate any threats to his power to enable him to continue his rule over the country. During his reign, bribery and intimidation of voters during elections was rampant. As the corruption in the Marcos administration became widespread, demonstrations occurred as student activism rose, but were quickly suppressed by his military. An example of this is the â€Å"Battle of Mendiola† on January 1970, in which demonstrators tried to storm in the gates of the Malacanang Palace (the Philippine Presidential building, similar to the White House). It was the most violent of the student demonstrations (Florida C. Leuterio, 151). Due to the increase in violence Marcos imposed martial law in 1972. According to all sources consulted, there may have been a possibil ity that some acts of violence were planned by Marcos to ensure the legitimacy of his declaration of martial law. Since the constitution limited his presidency for merely two terms, he was due to step down on December 30 1973. However, upon the proclamation of martial law, he would be able to perpetuate his rule over the Philippines, because the 1935 constitution had not stated the limitations for the length of martial law (Florida C. Leuterio, 153). Marcos then used the military to detain Filipinos suspected of subversion. This included all critics/activists (ranging from students to professionals), and potential political opponents. They were tortured by their captors and many were then held in military detention camps. Marcos’ â€Å"military establishment tightened its grasp into a stranglehold through increased terror† (Fred Poole and Max Vanzi, 208). Although POLITICAL SCHEMES TO PROLONG HIS TERM AND GAIN POWER For more than 20 years Marcos was able to prolong his term. Through his political schemes and manipulations, Marcos was able to continue with his presidency despite the limitation of only eight consecutive years, the decline of his country’s economy, and the harsh conditions suffered by the majority of its citizens. Even before the presidential elections of 1965 Marcos received numerous military decorations which made him one of the most decorated heroes of World War II. Through this, Marcos gained popular American support, and gained an edge in the 1965 Elections. Sterling Seagrave (author of The Marcos Dynasty) states that Marcos had merely invented the feats made the Philippines most decorated World War II hero. Don Lawson (author of Marcos and the Philippines) however, does not state that Marcos has invented those feats. During 1971 a Constitutional Convention was held to rewrite the 1935  constitution which would then enable Marcos to continue in power under the new constitution. On 1973 he enforced the new constitution which would give him both the powers of a president and a prime minister (until one is elected). The constitution was ratified through citizen assemblies by raise of hands. Due to the prevailing atmosphere, the people adopted to the new constitution. During elections, Marcos engaged in massive fraud to ensure his victory. ILL-GOTTEN WEALTH According to Australian investigator Reiner Jacobi the Marcos rule was economically disastrous for the Philippines. Financial he discovered showed that Marcos had â€Å"systematically looted his country for over 20 years.† He states that the Marcos’ taken at least $5 billion in â€Å"ill-gotten wealth† and that there is other material suggesting that Marcos took even more. Marcos â€Å"used his favourites†Ã‚ ¦ to take charge of the nation’s natural and human resources and its big economic ventures.† Journalist Ron Whittaker goes on to prove that as Marcos and his family amassed a personal fortune, through stealing from the Philippine treasury. He states that â€Å"Despite the hundreds of millions of dollars from the United States each year, Marcos’ government was falling increasingly into debt; and, even as his personal fortunes rapidly escalated, the majority of his people were living in poverty.† Although Marcos succeeded in intimidating his opposition and prolonging his term, his abuse of power exposed his corruptness to the people, which thus created an atmosphere of discontent towards him which continued to build up and would eventually cause his downfall. However, due to the atmosphere of fear Marcos has created, there was still a lack of motivation to call for reform and stand up against the threat of Marcos’ military. THE AQUINO ASSASSINATION AND THE EVENTS THAT FOLLOWED The final blow happened when Benigno Aquino, his only credible opponent, was assassinated by his military escorts, with this incident captured in video tape and broadcast in the foreign media. The event shocked the not only the Filipino people, but the whole world, as footage of the assassination was aired internationally (Sonia M. Zaide, 217). The Assassination was the last act of injustice that the people would take from Marcos. This infuriated the Filipino people, who  became bold because of their outrage. Benigno Aquino was transformed into a national idol (Florida C. Leuterio). It created anger in the Filipino’s that was able to supersede the atmosphere of fear. His death awakened the Filipinos to the â€Å"Evils of Marcos.† In addition to this militant groups (the August Twenty-One movement, Justice for Aquino, Justice for all, and BAYAN† were organized. They staged demonstrations calling for an end to Marcos’ rule. Aquino’s death caused a ch ain reaction of events that eventually forced Marcos out of power. As the Philippine economy deteriorated the Filipinos became poorer and poorer. Anti-Marcos demonstrations cause the decline of the tourism industry. Rampant corruption discouraged foreign investors. High oil prices, and the price decline of traditional exports caused a slow down in economic activity. The government was forced to borrow from the IMF, World Bank, the US and its foreign creditors pressured Marcos to implement reforms as a condition for granting him economic and financial assistance. Their actions were like a vote of no confidence to the Marcos rule and legitimacy as the living conditions of the Filipino’s had furthermore worsened (Florida C. Leuterio, 165). Their actions resulted in further depreciation of the Philippine Peso. As many businesses slowed down, there were mass layoffs which, in turn, caused more poverty and the further disenchantment of the people. Marcos’ effort to survive by calling and winning the snap elections on 1986 failed because of the massive cheating, and the people truly believed Cory Aquino was the true victor. Doubt and scepticism on Marcos furthermore threatened his rule. A group of reformist lead by Fidel V. Ramos, and Juan Ponce Enrile made plans to face the Marcos loyalist and overthrow Marcos. In an attempt to prevent a bloody civil war Cory Aquino launched civil disobedience nationwide in a movement which became known as EDSA or â€Å"People Power.† The Filipinos made a human barricade that prevented the two forces from attacking each other. US senator Paul Laxalt advised him to â€Å"cut, and cut clean.† Marcos was forced to exile in Hawaii on February 25, 1986. According to Dr. Florida C. Leuterio (author of Philippine History and Government), despite the hopelessness of the situation, Marcos had not yet  give up and attempted to impose martial law once again. The plan was code-named â€Å"Everlasting.† He was to send soldiers dressed in civilian clothing to spread violence and terror. This incident would eventually give him an excuse to once again impose martial law and thus, furthermore prolonging his term. However, before he could put his plan into act, the EDSA revolution took place. This truly exposes the corruptness of Marcos’ and furthermore proves his unjust nature and his illegitimacy as president. Sterling Seagrave adds that just before the inauguration of Cory Aquino, Marcos had contacted Enrile offering to set up a provisional government were Cory Aquino, Enrile, and Marcos would rule. This goes to show Marcos’ sheer determination to retain his presidency and prolong his term. ROLE OF THE MEDIA IN THE DOWNFALL OF MARCOS Ron Whittaker (a journalist who studies the effects on Media in politics) believes that the media has had a crucial role in contributing to the downfall of Marcos (both in exposing his corruption, and also in helping organize the EDSA revolution) and that Marcos might have retained his presidency if it were not for the media. He states that because of Marcos’ control over the media, the international community was not aware of the situation in the Philippines because unless certain attention is required, the â€Å"international media take their cues from local press coverage.† I strongly support this and believe that the media was essential in the downfall of Marcos. The assassination of Benigno Aquino was a key factor and the immediate cause of Marcos’ fall from power. It was the event that fuelled the Filipino’s angers and made them take action. It was the event that caused international eyes to observe the situation in the Philippines. This in turn, forced Marcos to think twice before carrying out his military abuses. CONCLUSION The Marcos experience teaches us that power corrupts and creates a situation which ultimately impoverishes the country and its people. The main cause of Marcos downfall is the suffering and poverty he created during his rule. Not even his control of the military can sustain him forever. Eventually he lost major support of the people, the church, and part of the military mutinied. (Unlike Lee Kuan Yu of Singapore who was also an  authoritarian leader, but he was perceived as honest and he was able to improve the economy of Singapore and the standard of living of his people. Even up to now Lee Kuan Yu is still active as a senior minister and highly respected all over the world, a sharp contrast to what happened to Marcos). Even if Marcos did not commit the fatal mistake of assassinating Benigno Aquino, I believe that it merely hastened the process and it would be only a question of time, before he will replaced by the people in a popular election or uprising. In this world of modern television and CNN, a corrupt leader like Marcos would not be able to sustain his image as a legitimate leader of his people. In many ways, the experience of Soeharto, who also had complete control of the military, also proves that a leader today cannot survive if there is widespread corruption and poverty in his country. With the help of the pouring international media, Marcos not only gained opposition locally, but abroad as well, and as a result of this Marcos was eventually forced to step down from power.

Show, Dont Ask

Show, Dont Ask Dont ask an editor what you can write for him. Writers arent just about putting words together. They are about bringing fresh material to the table. Writers are a dime a dozen. New ideas are a dime a dozen. Writers who can write and produce fresh ideas hit the sweet spot. Dont ask questions like: 1) What can I write for you? 2) Is this the sort of thing you publish? 3) What are your guidelines? 4) Are you accepting submissions? Were talking ANY sort of writing whether you pitch magazines, apply for copywriting gigs, write nonfiction, or create novels. Your job as a writer is to make an editors work easy, not add to their pile. Come to them with solutions, not more work, and yes, answering inquisitive emails is work when you multiply it times a hundred each and every day. At the risk of being repetitious, the golden rule for any writer attempting to earn money is this: Dont make work for an editor (or agent or publisher). Approach the editor/agent/publisher with a proposal that makes them eager. . . makes them feel like you are more than worth their time. Make a proposal strong. State what you can do for the other party and demonstrate how you can do it. Of course, a pitch for a freelance story is different from one for a novel, and nonfiction requires the book to be outlined with sample chapters while fiction must be polished to the hilt. But the recipient must open this package and marvel at how print-close it is. But the goal of any proposal/pitch/query is to show the person on the other end that: 1) You know how to write, 2) You have a fresh idea, 3) Your work fits THEIR goals of reaching readers, and 4) You are capable of following through. You might be a fantastic writer, but if you cannot pitch it properly and show how much value you can add, nobody will ever learn how great you are. And to ask someone to help you figure it out, not appreciating how full their plate already is, is like putting in your query, Youre not interested in buying my work, are you? Trust me. The answer will always be no.

Getting ahead planning your retirement in your 20s

Getting ahead planning your retirement in your 20s Have you ever heard the old saying that it’s never too early to start planning for the future? If so, you may have decided to ignore it, or just worry about it later- after all, when you’re young you feel as if you have an endless amount of time to plan your life and that your time is better spent having fun and living for the moment. But the truth is, the future is coming faster than you might realize. When it comes to retirement planning, the phrase â€Å"never too early to start planning† can be the best advice you’ll ever get. Sure, there are a lot of reasons why it’s especially tricky to start planning for such a far-off notion like retirement. The truth is, you’re likely just getting started in your professional journey, and you may have little to no idea where your climb up the career ladder will take you. Also, if you’re like most of us, the money you’re earning when you’re new to the work world doesn’t exa ctly leave you with a ton of options for saving and investing for the future. On top of all this, it is much more fun to be carefree and live for the moment when you’re young, and many of us make a deal with ourselves to start taking money matters seriously when we reach a significant (and distant) milestone in our lives (age 30? 40? 70?).That said, you really don’t have to completely overhaul your life or give up on fun in order to start planning for retirement but the more prepared you are for this inevitable end to your career journey the more confident and relaxed you’ll be about money matters at every phase of your life until then. Taking baby steps toward greater financial responsibility while you’re in your 20s will bring you that much closer to whatever your retirement goals turn out to be- and help you avoid (or at least minimize) the amount of fear, worry, and anxiety you feel when you’re focused on your financial health and future. And t rust us, if those days aren’t here yet, they’re right around the corner.If you’re ready to take the next step and get serious about your retirement planning, then consider the following strategies to move you in the right direction.4 steps to planning for retirement now1. Develop a saving mindset.Sure, when you’re in your 20s it’s hard to take savings seriously. Most likely, your main focus is on getting your bills paid and being able to afford the basics, and that makes total sense. However, even saving just a little bit can go a long way.Let’s take a look at a small example- suppose you enjoy a mid-afternoon latte each workday. The average price of a latte is around $2.50. Now, instead of buying the latte, imagine taking that money and dropping it into a savings account- in 5 years, you’ll have saved $3,250 just by making this one small life change. Are there other small savings changes you can make to help you build your nest egg? Probably, and the more money you’re able to divert to savings the better off you’ll be- both for short-term needs and for long-term health as you creep closer to retirement. But perhaps more importantly, just getting into a savings mindset early on in life will set you up for being a more financially responsible adult as you get older- and your ability and desire to save and spend wisely will set you up for a great financial future.2. Take advantage of work resourcesMost of us aren’t thrilled to have to work, but one of the good things about having to hold down a job is that it can often come with some useful employee benefits- which may include a retirement benefits plan. These days, more and more companies are offering a 401(k) plan to help employees save and prepare for retirement, which often provide some incredible perks like employer fund matching (which is as close to free money as most of us will ever get).Taking advantage of investing in a 401(k) is so universally recognized as beneficial (and often essential) that many companies automatically enroll employees in plans to help them start saving their money wisely. If your company offers this benefit, there is absolutely no good reason not to take advantage of it- even if it’s just a small percentage of your paycheck. Don’t worry if you don’t plan on staying at your current job forever- you get to take your money with you.3. Explore other investment optionsIn addition to the retirement benefits that your employer may offer, consider exploring other investment options available to you: IRAs, mutual funds, CDs, and the stock market. Sure, it’s a little scary to jump into the world of investing as a newbie, but there are a wealth of resources available to you, including online tools, wise and trusted friends and family members, and investment professionals tied to your bank (assuming you have a savings or checking account- and if you don’t, consider opening one). Do some research and start small. You’ll be amazed by how well a few wise investment decisions early on in life can set you up for a comfortable retirement.4. Decrease debtDebt is not your friend. Even though it’s often an unavoidable part of adulthood, be sure to make every effort to decrease your debt burden as you move closer and closer to retirement age. The truth is, some forms of debt- like a home mortgage- are indicative of financial stability and solvency. But other forms (like credit card debt) are best left avoided or eradicated as quickly as possible. If you have a credit card (or multiple cards), avoid using them unless it’s an unavoidable emergency, and pay off what you owe as quickly as possible. Nothing creates a financial headache and panic attack faster than an unwieldy amount of unhealthy debt- so be sure to avoid drowning here.