Saturday, August 22, 2020

Complete List Weird Scholarships You Can Win (Updated)

Complete List Weird Scholarships You Can Win (Updated) SAT/ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips You may have imagined that grants were just for the individuals who had extraordinary evaluations or were top competitors. All things considered, reconsider! There are a great deal of associations ready to give you some school money in acknowledgment of your intriguing propensities, irregular properties, or eagerness to accomplish something somewhat peculiar! Here's a finished assortment of the best bizarre, abnormal grants we could discover. The uplifting news is they're regularly much simpler to apply to than different grants. For what reason Do These Weird Scholarships Exist? These grants generally originate from three primary sources: Particular vested parties and Clubs These associations are extremely energetic about specific points †like farming or the Klingon language †and they love to see understudies who share those interests. By offering these insane grants, they're urging understudies to effectively remain associated with these territories of intrigue. Individuals Who Want to Help People Just Like Them You’ll notice various one of a kind grants dependent on last name or physical highlights. These will in general be from individuals or gatherings who feel they are exceptional for reasons unknown, and need to impart the riches to other people who are sufficiently fortunate to have a similar attribute. Idiosyncratic Companies Out for a Laugh Probably the most surprising grants are from organizations that are simply hoping to make some great memories, and they need to impart the adoration to understudies who get their comical inclination and are eager to accomplish something a touch of brave. So regardless of whether you didn't think you were the grant winning kind of understudy, recall that there are grant openings out there for nearly anybody, including understudies who†¦. Grants for People With Interesting Physical Attributes The Scholarship for Redheads This grant is granted to a characteristic red-head who is a lesser or senior in secondary school with a GPA of 2.5+. You need to submit two photographs to demonstrate the credibility of your gingery locks, and furthermore make an innovative piece †can be an article, picture, or video, that determines what it intends to you to be a red head. The cutoff time this year was May 4, and the prize is a one-time grant of $500. The Tall Club Scholarship The Tall Club Scholarshipis granted to particularly tall secondary school seniors. In the event that you are female and over 5’10†, or male and over 6’2†, this grant could be for you! Apply through your neighborhood Tall Club (there are 53 branches across the nation). You’ll need to give transcripts and grades, letters of proposal, insights regarding extracurricular exercises and grants, a photograph and an essay.Awards differ by section yet are up to $1,000. The cutoff time is March 1. The Left-Handed Scholarship In case you're left-given, you’re in karma! The Frederick and Mary F. Beckley Scholarshipfrom Juniata College in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania is for you. Current understudies of Juniata College who are left-given are permitted to apply for the honor, which ranges from $1,000 - $1,500. Evaluations and monetary situation are likewise thought about. Grants for People Who Have Prepared for the End of the World (or Want to Save the World) Zombie Apocalypse Scholarship On the off chance that you’ve invested energy thoroughly considering how you would passage in the event that the world were overwhelmed by the strolling dead, at that point the Zombie Apocalypse Scholarship is for you! Understudies matured 13 and more seasoned can apply by composing a 250 word article about what might occur if their school were overwhelmed by zombies. The cutoff time is October 31, and the honor is $2,000. Superpower Scholarship The Superpower Scholarship grants $2,500 to an understudy who, in 250 words or less, most appropriate answers the inquiry, â€Å"Which hero or scalawag would you need to change places with for a day and why?† You must be 13 years old or more established to apply. The cutoff time is March 31st. Grants for People Who†¦Sound Like a Duck Chick and Sophie Major Duck Calling Contest Secondary school seniors are qualified to vie for this grant in Stuttgart, Arkansas each fall. The understudy best ready to charm ducks will be granted $2,000. There are likewise prizes for runner up ($1,000), third spot ($750), and fourth spot ($500). The opposition is on November 23 this year. Grants for People Who Love Sweets, or Want to Be Sweets American Association of Candy Technologists John Kitt Memorial Scholarship School sophomores, youngsters, and seniors who love candy so much that they need to read it ought to apply for this scholarship.You’ll should study food, science, or organic sciences with a GPA of 3.0 or higherand have indicated an enthusiasm for candy innovation through a venture or research. One understudy will win a grant of $5,000. The cutoff time is in April. Kind of the Month Scholarship TheFlavor of the Month Scholarship is available to understudies matured 13+ who compose a 250-word paper that responds to the inquiry, â€Å"If you were a frozen yogurt season, which would you be and why?† The prize is $1,500 and the cutoff time is July 31st. Grants for People Who REALLY Love Star Trek Starfleet Scholarship Program Trekkies are in karma when searching for school subsidizing. TheStarfleet Scholarship Program grants up to $1,000 grants to understudies (senior year of secondary school or above) who have been Starfleet individuals for at any rate a year preceding applying. Applications are expected in June. Klingon Scholarship In the event that you are a Trekkie AND a language sweetheart, you are considerably more in karma. Understudies studying an unknown dialect can get grants from the Klingon Language Institute for demonstrating an adoration for worldwide dialects. You don't have to know Klingon to qualify. Grants are $500 and the cutoff time is in June. Grants for People Who Have a Lucky Last Name John Gatling Grant Program This scholarshipat North Carolina State University grants $9,000 to in-state understudies and $18,000 to out-of-state understudies who are sufficiently fortunate to be brought into the world with the last name â€Å"Gatling† or â€Å"Gatlin†. You should have the option to show evidence that you were brought into the world with the name, and the application is turned it simultaneously you apply for money related guide. Charles Downer Scholarship Fund This scholarshipgives understudies going to Harvard and who have the last name â€Å"Downer† an opportunity to get some cash. Inclination is given to understudies from Vermont and who are relatives of Harvard graduates. Leavenworth Scholarship The Leavenworth Scholarshipat Hamilton College in New York is for †you got it †understudies with the last name â€Å"Leavenworth†. The honor sum isn’t determined. Lambert and Annetje Van Valkenburg Memorial Scholarship Competition This opposition grants $1,000 at regular intervals to an understudy who can demonstrate they are identified with the Van Valkenburg family who moved to the USA from the Netherlands in 1643. The last name can have slight varieties, yet you’ll must have the option to demonstrate the ancestry. Candidates must compose a paper about what the family legacy intends to you. The honor can be utilized at any college, and the cutoff time is March first. Zolp Scholarship Catholic understudies going to Loyola University Chicago with the last name Zolpare in for a treat †they are qualified to win cash in the event that they record their introduction to the world testament alongside their applications. Grant sum changes relying upon accessibility of assets and the quantity of candidates. Grants for People Who Have a Sense of Humor About Fashion Stuck at Prom The Stuck at Promcontest rewards couples who make whole prom outfits from Duck Tape, and afterward wear them to a school-sorted out prom. Candidates must submit photographs of their workmanship †which is normally very amazing! Every understudy in the triumphant couples gets a full grant for themselves, in addition to one individual great prize victor gets a reward. Consistently there are 21 champs. In front of the rest of the competition is $10,000, second is $5,000, third is $3,000, and seven next in line couples get $500. The individual reward is $500. Grants for People Who Are Hard-Core Gamers Gamers Helping Gamers This scholarshipis for enthusiasts of Magic: The Gathering. Secondary school candidates must compose four expositions about how Magic has impacted them, how to improve the game, and what their scholastic and vocation objectives are. Up to two honors of $5,000 will be given, and applications are expected on March 31st. Grants for People Who Are Messy Eaters and Drinkers Milk Mustache Scholarship Do you will in general miss your mouth while devouring dairy items? Do you likewise join in (or plan to join in) school in Arizona? The Dairy Council of Arizona runs the Milk Mustache Scholarship for individuals like you! Furthermore, applying doesn’t get a lot simpler. Basically take a video that is 30 seconds or less that includes your preferred dairy products.The video can be any style (entertaining, emotional, and so forth.) The challenge opens in August, and week by week champs will be picked between Septemberand November. Winnerswill get cool prizes, similar to free passes to football match-ups at Arizona schools. Toward the finish of the football season, a few finalists will be browsed the week by week champs to submit collections of memoirs, transcripts, and a letter of proposal. These finalists won't just get an incredible prize naturally †passes to the Fiesta Bowl †yet will likewise be qualified to win one of three money prizes. The primary spot champ will get $12,000 in grant cash, $10,000 will go to the runner up understudy, and $8,000 to third place. Champs will be declared at the Fiesta Bowl. Grants for People Who Are Lazy and Sober The Deppen Scholarship and the Voris Auten Scholarship Do you avoid medications and liquor? Do you additionally avoid physical movement? Assuming this is the case, Bucknell University in Pennsylvania offers two enrich

Thursday, July 16, 2020

Customer Journey Mapping 10 Steps to G?tting int? Cu?t?m?r? Minds

Customer Journey Mapping 10 Steps to G?tting int? Cu?t?m?r? Minds H?w d? ??u kn?w what ??ur customers really w?nt? Sales, ?u?lit? ?r?du?t? and ??rvi???, good customer ??rvi??â€"?ur?. But what happens when ??u think you’re offering ??ur customers th? m??n (and m?r?) but th?? still shop with your competitors?Most executives kn?w th? importance ?f b???ming more ?u?t?m?r-??ntri?.They’re ?l?? ?w?r? ?f the in?r????d significance ?f diff?r?nti?ting ?u?t?m?r ?x??ri?n?? ?? ??m??tit?r? f??u? ?n b?tt?r und?r?t?nding ?nd ??rving their ?u?t?m?r?.At th? same time, ?m?rt ?u?t?m?r? are increasingly leveraging digital inn?v?ti?n t? r?writ? th? tr?diti?n?l relationships b?tw??n th?m??lv?? ?nd th? ??m??ni?? that wi?h t? serve th?m.As a ??rvi?? ?r product provider, it w?uld be helpful to b? in?id? the heads ?f ??ur customers f?r a littl? bit. W?uldn’t it be nice t? kn?w the answers t? questions like:Wh?t ?r? th?? f??ling ?nd thinking when th?? first start to ???r?h f?r a ??luti?n t? their problem?Wh?t ??u??d th?m to quit l??king ?t a ??rt?in ?r?du?t b?f?r? they ?ur?h???d?Wh?t led th?m t? choose one ??luti?n ?v?r ?n?th?r?Whil? ??u ??n’t r??d mind?, ??u ??n still ?n?w?r the ?u??ti?n? ?b?v?. On?? ??u h?v? that inf?rm?ti?n ??u ??n ?r??t? th? right m????g?? t? send at the best tim? t? ???tur? ??ur ?u?t?m?r’? ?tt?nti?n and ?n??ur?g? th?m t? buy.Y?u m?? ?r m?? not h?v? h??rd ?b?ut ?u?t?m?r j?urn?? m???ing. A customer journey map i? a vi?u?l r??r???nt?ti?n of ?v?r? experience ??ur ?u?t?m?r? have with ??u. It helps to t?ll the story ?f a ?u?t?m?r? ?x??ri?n?? with ??ur br?nd fr?m original ?ng?g?m?nt and int? hopefully a l?ng-t?rm r?l?ti?n?hi?.E???nti?ll?, with customer j?urn?? m??? w? h?v? ?n ?ut?id?-in vi?w and place ourselves in th? ?h??? of ?ur customers. But i? th?t ?v?n ????ibl? and how do we inv?lv? th? customer?An h?n??t answer t? th? question whether w? can place ourselves in the ?h??? ?f ?ur ?u?t?m?r? i? n?.Admitt?dl?, the customer journey ?f buyer ?f shoes, for instance, is mu?h ???i?r to (tr? t?) und?r?t?nd than th?t of a bu??r of ?n ?x??n?iv? ??ftw?r? ??luti?n f?r very ????ifi? bu?in??? n??d? in a ??m?l?x j?urn?? wh?r?b? v?nd?r? have ??m?l?x g?-t?-m?rk?t m?d?l? ?nd decisions ?r? gr?u? decisions (whi?h bu?ing ?h??? can be as w?ll b? the w??).It’s ?l??r w? ??n’t ?ut ?ur??lv?? in the shoes ?f th? individu?l bu??r, ?v?n if it’s ?b?ut buying ?h???. W?’r? ?ll diff?r?nt but ?t the ??m? tim? â€" fortunately â€" w? decide in more or less identifiable w??? with m?r? or less known ??r?m?t?r?. Without these understanding th? customer ?ur?h??? ??tt?rn wouldnt even be ????ibl?.WHAT IS CUSTOMER J?URN?Y M???ING? Think of the ?u?t?m?r j?urn?? ?? a r??dm?? d?t?iling h?w a customer becomes aware of your brand, their int?r??ti?n? with your br?ndâ€"?nd beyond. Customer j?urn?? ?x?m?l?: headphone ?ur?h???;  S?ur??: ShopifynationYou could rightl? ??? that, ?u?t?m?r j?urn?? mapping i? an ?x?r?i?? th?t allows ??u, a br?nd or a bu?in??? ?wn?r t? und?r?t?nd ?nd im?r?v? a customer’s ?x??ri?n?? wh?n th?? ?tt?m?t t? shop f?r ??ur ?r?du?t.It tells th? story of a ??r??n’? ?x??ri?n?? wh?n they first ?t?rt ?h???ing f?r a ?r?du?t ?nd continues thr?ugh to th? ?r????? ?f them purchasing the ?r?du?t.Phew. Th?t’? a l?t of gr?und t? ??v?r. But und?r?t?nding the ?u?t?m?r j?urn?? (and overall ?u?t?m?r experience) isn’t as tricky ?? it ???m? ?n?? you g?t ?rg?niz?dCustomer Journey Map i? a ??w?rful t??hni?u? f?r und?r?t?nding wh?t m?tiv?t?? ??ur ?u?t?m?r? what their n??d? are, their h??it?ti?n?, ?nd ??n??rn?.Alth?ugh m??t organizations are r????n?bl? g??d ?t g?th?ring data about th?ir ?u?t?m?r?, data ?l?n? f?il? t? communicate the fru?tr?ti?n? ?nd ?x??ri?n??? the customer ?x??ri?n??d.A story can d? that, and ?n? of the b??t storytelling t??l? in bu?in?? ? i? the customer journey map.Cu?t?m?r j?urn?? map u??? ?t?r?t?lling ?nd visuals t? illu?tr?t? th? r?l?ti?n?hi? a ?u?t?m?r h?? with a bu?in??? ?v?r a ??ri?d ?f time. The story i? b?ing t?ld fr?m th? ??r????tiv? ?f customer, whi?h provides in?ight into the t?t?l experience ?f the ?u?t?m?r.It h?l?? ??u and your team b?tt?r und?r?t?nd and address ?u?t?m?r n??d? ?nd pain points as th?? experience your ?r?du?t ?r ??rvi??.In ?th?r w?rd?, m???ing ?ut the ?u?t?m?r j?urn?? ?ff?r? ??ur business th? ?h?n?? t? ??? how ??ur br?nd fir?t engages a ??t?nti?l ?u?t?m?r, ?nd th?n moves thr?ugh the touch points ?f th? entire ??l?? ?r?????.S? often, wh?n ?u?t?m?r? ?ur?h??? a ?r?du?t ?r ??rvi??, th??’r? anticipating th?t a pleasant f??ling will ????m??n? the ?ur?h???.There is a feeling ?f satisfaction, or a “high” people g?t from finding ??m?thing th?? w?nt, g?ing through the ?r????? of ?ur?h??ing it, and finally, enjoying wh?t they b?ught.Cu?t?m?r? n?ti?? thi? ?x??ri?n??â€"th? ???? or h???l? of it â€"?v?n if ??u’r? not consciously m???ing out ?nd planning th? experience th?? will have.WHY CU?T?M?R J?URN?? MAPPING I? IMPORTANT Customer j?urn?? m???ing is ?n essential way f?r ?rg?niz?ti?n? t? vi?u?liz? th? ?u?t?m?r?’ ?x??ri?n?? thr?ugh th?ir eyes. It ?n?bl?? br?nd? t? really und?r?t?nd h?w consumers ??? things at k?? t?u?h ??int? in th? j?urn??.Mapping ??n ?n?bl? ?rg?niz?ti?n? t? id?ntif? pain ??int? ??r??? diff?r?nt areas of th? w?b?it? ?r blockage ??int? that might b? im??ding th? ?u?t?m?r j?urn??.Once th??? h?v? b??n identified, th?? can then w?rk t? ?ddr??? th? ?r?bl?m. This ??n b? achieved b? implementing an optimization ?tr?t?g? th?t focuses ?n im?r?ving the ?x??ri?n?? ?t th??? ??in points.Vi?u?lizing the j?urn?? ?f a customer in this w?? ??n also h?l? th? ?rg?niz?ti?n ?n?ur? that the bu?in??? g??l? are ?lign?d to th? g??l? ?f th? ??n?um?r?.F?r ?x?m?l?, if ?n? ?f ??ur aims is t? in?r???? newsletter ?ign u?? th? j?urn?? map ??n h?l? to id?ntif? th? optimal ??int t? f?? u? ?n thi?, ?? th?t it doesn’t conflict with th? ?u?t?m?r’? goal.This is evidenced b? th? w?rk a ??u?l? ?f gl?b?l publishers have und?rt?k?n t? identify th? b??t ??int in the customer j?urn?? t? promote app d?wnl??d? ?nd r?gi?tr?ti?n? / ?ub??ri?ti?n?. In both ?????, ??rving th? ?r?m?ti?n ??rl? â€" ?t th? ?rigin?l ??int of ?rriv?l â€" ?r?v?d th? m??t effective ?nd m??t in lin? with th? optimal ?u?t?m?r ?x??ri?n??.Customer j?urn?? mapping can ?l?? b? used t? ??gm?nt u??r gr?u?? in order t? ??r??n?liz? th? ?x??ri?n?? th?? r???iv?.Wh?t may b? r?l?v?nt t? one ??n?um?r m?? n?t be r?l?v?nt to ?n?th?r ?nd it i? im??rt?nt t? ?ddr??? this when mapping out a prospective consumer’s journey in order for them t? r???iv? th? b??t possible ?x??ri?n??.Timing i? ?l?? ?n im??rt?nt factor f?r ?rg?niz?ti?n? to f??u? on wh?n l??king at customer j?urn?? mapping. Org?niz?ti?n? ??n use these maps to l??k ?t th? time it takes consumers to complete ??rt?in ??ti?n?, ?r to id?ntif? th? ??tim?l time ?t whi ?h to r??u??t a ??rti?ul?r action.F?r ?x?m?l?, an ?nlin? ?l???ifi?d ads ?it? w?nt?d to ?n??ur?g? it? vi?it?r? t? ?ign up to ?m?il ?l?rt? wh?n they were ?xhibiting b?h?vi?r indi??ting they w?r? ?b?ut t? leave the ?it?.B? ??mbining ?u?t?m?r j?urn?? m???ing with optimization t??hni?u??, th? ?rg?niz?ti?n was able to ??t?bli?h th?t ?lth?ugh a prompt at th? 1 minute ??int gave greatest vi?ibilit?, it was th? ?r?m?t ?t 6 minutes th?t l?d t? th? high??t ?l?rt ??m?l?ti?n rate ?nd th? highest numb?r ?f r?turn? t? ?it?.A g??d customer j?urn?? m?? should b? ?bl? to ??nv?? th? ?t?r? ?n it? own, without th? n??d f?r ?u??l?m?nt?r? d??um?nt?ti?n.It ?h?uld b? a visual r??r???nt?ti?n ?f th? ?nlin? experience th?t i? ???il? understandable ?nd ?n?bl?? th? identification ?f k?? ?u?t?m?r t?u?h points.Your ?u?t?m?r j?urn?? map can th?n provide a gr??t f?und?ti?n ?n which to build your optimization ?tr?t?g?.S?m? b??i? t?rm?P?r??n??: th? m?in ?h?r??t?r? that illustrate th? n??d?, g??l?, thoughts, f??ling?, opinions, expectations, and ??in ??int? of th? u??r.Timeline: a finite ?m?unt ?f time (e.g. 1 w??k ?r 1 ???r) ?r v?ri?bl? phases (?.g. awareness, d??i?i?n-m?king, ?ur?h???, renewal).Emotion: ???k? ?nd valleys illu?tr?ting frustration, anxiety, h???in??? etc.B2B: bu?in??? t? businessT?u?h ??int?: highlight? the ?u?t?m?r ??ti?n? ?nd int?r??ti?n? with the ?rg?niz?ti?n. WHAT th? ?u?t?m?r are doing.Ch?nn?l?: wh?r? int?r??ti?n t?k?? ?l??? and th? ??nt?xt ?f u?? (?.g. w?b?it?, n?tiv? app, ??ll center, in-?t?r?). Thi? i? the WHERE th?? ?r? interacting.M?m?nt? of truth â€" An int?r??ti?n that l??v?? a l??ting im?r???i?n (???itiv?/ fru?tr?ting)10 ST??? T? G?TTING INT? CU?T?M?R? MIND?U?ing the ?u?t?m?r j?urn?? m?? ?? a tool t? g?tting int? th? minds of ??ur customer ??n b? r??ll? helpful.G?tting int? your customer mind in th? fir?t ?l??? w?? t? und?r?t?nd what m?k?? your ?u?t?m?r? tick and im?r?v? th?ir ?ur?h??? ?x??ri?n??.H?r? are 10 ?t??? on h?w to g? ?b?ut it.Step 1. G?th?r m?r? data ?nd id ?ntif? an important ?r?bl?m ?r?? thr?ugh thi? data and ?xi?ting d?t?If ??u h?v?n’t done ?n? ?r?vi?u? journey mapping projects, it ??n be t?ugh to know wh?r? t? start. S?m? ??m??ni?? ?h???? t? divid? their efforts into before th? ?ur?h??? i? done ?nd ?th?r ?ft?r ??l?? services j?urn???.Oth?r? start with ?u?t?m?r?’ fir?t im?r???i?n?, like ??l?? or ?n boarding. But don’t thr?w d?rt? t? ?h???? your j?urn??â€"??l??t it carefully.Th? ideal j?urn?? ?it? at th? int?r???ti?n ?f ?u?t?m?r pain points and int?rn?l business ?bj??tiv??. Id?ntif? wh?t it i? th?t you w?nt t? accomplish â€" f?r instance, d? ??u w?nt to fix current ?r?bl?m? ?r build a new ?x??ri?n???M?k? ?ur? t? choose th?t j?urn?? by ?x?mining the ?u?t?m?r feedback, operational d?t?, ?nd financial data that you’ve already g?t on h?nd.Step 2. Kn?w wh??? journey ??u ?r? m???ingThe ??w?r ?f a j?urn?? map i? its ability to ?ff??tiv?l? illu?tr?t? th? j?urn?? ?f a ?u?t?m?r ?? th?? w?rk? t?w?rd ??hi?ving th?ir goals.Different ?u?t? m?r segments will n?tur?ll? h?v? different experiences with ??ur ?rg?niz?ti?n. ( f?r ?x?m?l? ??n?id?r th? n??d?, ?u??ti?n?, and ?m?ti?n? ?f a l?w?r-in??m? fir?t-tim? homebuyer v?r?u? a w??lthi?r bu??r purchasing ?n inv??tm?nt ?r???rt? ?r v???ti?n h?m?.)S? it’s essential that ??ur journey m???ing ?ff?rt? ?x?li?itl? target ????ifi? personas ?r ?u?t?m?r ??gm?nt?.Y?u should ?l?? determine the ?t?rt and ?nd points f?r the customers journey ??u’ll b? studying.To do thi?, you need t? l??k thr?ugh the ???? of a single ?u?t?m?r, m??t effectively represented b? a r????r?h-b???d ?u?t?m?r ??r??n? th?t r??r???nt? a br??d?r ??gm?nt’? uni?u? w?nt?, n??d?, ?nd ?bj??tiv??.Step 3. L??rn m?r? ?b?ut ?u?t?m?r? thr?ugh (mostly qu?lit?tiv?) researchY?ur existing data can t?ll ??u a l?t ?b?ut ??ur customers, but it’s probably light ?n h?l?ing ??u und?r?t?nd exactly h?w ??ur ?u?t?m?r? d? ??rt?in things or why.And it m??t certainly can’t give you a full ?i?tur? ?f th? ?u?t?m?r journey. Qu?lit?tiv? research like ?n?-?n-?n? int?rvi?w?, observations, ?nd di?r? ?tudi?? ??n h?l? to fill in th??? bl?nk?.Always try t? bring t?g?th?r a cross-functional, customer-facing gr?u? t? map ?ut their vi?w ?f the j?urn??, in?luding touchpoints, ????rtuniti??, transitions, ?nd i??u??. Internally driven m??? ?r? a great ?t?? t? mapping th? r?l?ti?n?hi? and f?r id?ntif?ing key int?r??ti?n?, inputs, and ?ut?ut?.Step 4. Aggregate all ?v?il?bl? kn?wl?dg? int? hypothesis j?urn?? mapsA h???th??i? j?urn?? map is just wh?t it ??und? lik?â€"??ur h???th??i? ?f wh?t customers g? thr?ugh ?? th?? d? bu?in??? with ??u.If you did an ?xt?n?iv? ?m?unt of r????r?h in step 3, ??ur hypotheses might b? ?r?tt? well b?k?d.But if ??u skimped ?n or skipped ?t?? 3 ?lt?g?th?r, th?n ??ur h???th??i? m?? is likely full of incomplete ?r incorrect ???um?ti?n?. N?t t? fear! Th?t’? wh?r? th? next ?t?? ??m?? in.Step 5. Organize workshopsOn? ?f th? m??t ?ff??tiv?â€"?nd fun!â€"ways t? determine wh?th?r your ???um?ti?n? were right ?r wr?ng i? to invite your ?u?t?m?r? t? a w?rk?h??. (Wh?n you run w?rk?h???, you t??i??ll? in?lud? 15-20 customers along with a slightly ?m?ll?r numb?r ?f ??ur ?li?nt’? ?m?l?????.)Th? w?rk?h?? setting ?ll?w? for intim?t? ??nv?r??ti?n?, ?t?r?t?lling, and a d??? ?x?l?r?ti?n of ?u?t?m?r?’ n??d? ?nd ??in ??int?.Ultim?t?l?, you’ll wind up with a bun?h ?f ?ti?k? notes th?t represent th? ?ggr?g?t? ?x??ri?n?? of the ?u?t?m?r? in th? r??m.Step 6. C?nfirm w?rk?h?? findings with Qu?ntit?tiv? r????r?hM???ing th? journey with ??ur customers giv?? you very rich data. But th? trade-off i? th?t you ??n r??li?ti??ll? ?nl? invite a ?m?ll number ?f ?u?t?m?r? t? ?n? given w?rk?h??.T? d?t?rmin? wh?th?r your n?wl? v?tt?d j?urn??? trul? r??r???nt ??ur t?rg?t customer ??gm?nt?â€"?r ju?t th??? ??rti?i??nt? you r??ruit?dâ€"??u’ll n??d t? do ??m? ?dditi?n?l ?u?nt w?rk.Surv??? w?rk gr??t for this.Or, ??u ??n go b??k t? all th?t data you g?th?r?d in ?t?? 1 f?r evidence th?t further ?u???rt? ?r r?fut?? ??ur w?rk?h?? finding?.Step 7. Sh?r? m??? t? d?v?l?? ?u?t?m?r ?m??th? thr?ugh?ut ??ur ?rg?niz?ti?nW? talk ?b?ut j?urn?? m??? for a r????n: Th??? vi?u?l storytelling t??l? are in?r?dibl? effective for g?tting cross-functional ?m?l????? t? understand the broader ?u?t?m?r ?x??ri?n?? th?t exists outside ?f wh?t?v?r ?ingl? t?u?h??int, ?h?nn?l, ?r fun?ti?n th??’r? responsible for.So don’t n?gl??t t? ?r??t? and ?h?r? j?urn?? m??? with ?m?l????? fr?m ??r??? ??ur ?rg?niz?ti?n.H?w?v?r, ?r??ting m??? shouldn’t be ??ur ?nd g??l. Ultim?t?l?, ?u?t?m?r j?urn?? mapping i? about im?r?ving th? customer ?x??ri?n?? and m?king your organization m?r? ?u?????ful.Step 8. Pri?ritiz? th? i??u?? you want to f??u? ?nN?t ?ll customer ??in points ?r? ?r??t?d ??u?l. To d?t?rmin? the ones th?t ?r? m??t w?rthwhil? t? fix, ??k questions lik?: How many customersâ€"or whi?h ?u?t?m?r?â€"d??? thi? issue ?ff??t? And h?w big ?f a ?r?bl?m i? thi? anywayâ€"a ?h?w?t????r or just a minor ?nn???n???Al?? look ?t th? bu?in ??? im???t of ???h ??t?nti?l ??in ??int: H?w mu?h additional r?v?nu? would we potentially gain by fixing this? Can w? model th? l?ng-t?rm ???t ??ving? ?f improving thi? part of the j?urn??? And h?w mu?h i? it g?ing to ???t to put a viable ??luti?n in place?As in step 1, you’re looking t? prioritize issues that liv? in the sweet ???t b?tw??n ?u?t?m?r pain ??int? and ??ur int?rn?l business ?bj??tiv??.Step 9. An?l?z? ?u?t?m?r pain ??int? f?r r??t ??u???On?? you’ve determined wh?t it i? ??u want t? fix, it’? n?tur?l t? w?nt to run off and start fixing it. Not ?? f??t! M?n? customer ??in ??int? ?r? th? r??ult ?f ???t?mi? ?r?bl?m? within ??ur ?rg?niz?ti?nâ€"?r ??ur ??rtn?r?’ ?rg?niz?ti?n?.Fixing th? ?urf??? problem with?ut l??king d????r ?t th? people, processes, ?nd t??hn?l?g? that und?rli? it will ?nl? result in m?r? ?u?t?m?r ??in ??int? d?wn th? r??d.Sim?l? t??hni?u??, such ?? the 5 Wh??, ??n h?l? ??u id?ntif? th? r??t ??u??? ?f ?r?bl?m? in the ?u?t?m?r journey.Step 10. Design ??luti?n? t? r??t ??u???Even once you’ve id?ntifi?d th? right ?r?bl?m t? ??lv?; it’? a ??mm?n knee-jerk reaction t? ??lv? th?t ?r?bl?m with th? fir?t ??luti?n you think of.But l?t’? be h?n??t: our first solutions aren’t ?lw??? ?ur b??t.Designing ??ur ??luti?n? in a ?u?t?m?r-??nt?r?d m?nn?r inv?lv?? thr?? b??i? ?t???: ??ming u? with ?? m?n? ????ibl? solutions as you ????ibl? can, ?r?t?t??ing th??? th?t ???m m??t viable, ?nd th?n t??ting those ?r?t?t???? with ?u?t?m?r? (and/or ?m?l????? ?nd/?r ??rtn?r?).Iterating ?n thi? ?r????? ??v?r?l tim?? will mitigate the ri?k ?f im?l?m?nting the wrong ??luti?n t? the right ?r?bl?m.STATISTICS YOU NEED T? KNOW T? IMPROVE Y?UR CU?T?M?R JOURNEY MAPPING T?D?YTh? responsibility f?r th? customer journey m?? h?? largely shifted from sales to m?rk?ting.As a service ?r product ?r?vid?r, it is now ?ru?i?l f?r ??u to optimize th? customer j?urn?? m???ing ?nd improve ?n it to b?tt?r align with the ?nlin?, m?bil? w?rld.It i? not always ???? to locate w??k points in the ?u?t?m?r j?urn??, but th??? ?t?ti?ti?? will lik?l? h?l? ??u l???t? some ?r??? in n??d of im?r?v?m?nt.86% of ??ni?r-l?v?l marketers ??? th?t it’? absolutely ?riti??l ?r v?r? im??rt?nt to ?r??t? a ??h??iv? customer journey (Salesforce). S?ni?r-l?v?l m?rk?t?r? understand th? importance of th? ?u?t?m?r j?urn??. Thi? j?urn?? n??d? to be ??n?i?t?nt ?nd m?k? th? ?r????? ?? painless ?? possible f?r the customer. Thi? means b?ing ?v?il?bl? ?n every device ?nd through ?v?r? ?h?nn?l.43% ?f survey r????nd?nt? ??id th?r? w?r? m?r? t??m members involved in a B2B purchase th?n in the previous ???r’? survey (DemandBase). A? the ?u?t?m?r journey becomes l?ng?r and more complex, thi? m??n? m?r? ??rti?? ?r? going t? be inv?lv?d on th? bu??r ?id?. This r??uir?? a ?tr?ng CRM in?t?n?? to k??? tr??k ?f ?v?r? ??nt??t? details ?? w?ll ?? ??r??n?liz?d ??nt?nt to k??? ?v?r??n? personally invested in th? j?urn??.90% of ??n?um?r? say th?ir buying decisions ?r? influ?n??d by online r?vi?w? (Ciceron). Before ??n?um?r? m?k? a ?ur?h???, th?? w?nt t? know wh?t ?th?r consumers think. Having ???itiv? ?nlin? r?vi?w? will h?l? tr?n?iti?n buyers to th? later ?t?g?? ?f th? j?urn??.53% of B2B bu??r? turn t? social m?di? in their ??????m?nt ?f various t??l? and t??hn?l?gi?? (D?m?ndB???). Your ???i?l m?di? presence i? incredibly important during th? ??rl? ?nd middl? ?t?g?? of th? j?urn??. Buyers m?? n?t discover ??u thr?ugh th??? ?h?nn?l?, but they ?r? certainly evaluating ??u b???d ?n your ???i?l m?di?.In g?n?r?l, di??l?? im?r???i?n? tend to influ?n?? ?u?t?m?r? at th? beginning of the purchase ??th 33% ?f th? tim? and in the middle 45%. Th?? ?l?? a r?l? at th? ?nd of the j?urn?? ?b?ut 23% of th? tim? (G??gl?). Di??l?? ?dv?rti?ing ??n be effective ?t th? b?ginning ?f the journey, but it r??ll? shines in the middle. This is because these t???? of ads ?r? gr??t for keeping ??ur br?nd in fr?nt ?f consumers ?nd at th? t?? ?f their minds.83% of ??n?um?r? require some d?gr?? ?f ?u?t?m? r support while m?king ?n ?nlin? ?ur?h??? (eConsultancy). C?n?um?r? d?n’t w?nt to spend their m?n?? ?nlin? without fir?t hearing from ??u. Providing a ???itiv? customer ?x??ri?n?? at this point in the j?urn?? i? ?ru?i?l t? winning ??l??.62% of ?u?t?m?r? find it ?xtr?m?l?/v?r? im??rt?nt t? b? able t? call your bu?in??? at th? ?ur?h??? ?t?g? (G??gl?). M?ving ?u?t?m?r? through th? purchase ?t?g? ?ft?n r??uir?? h?ving a ??nv?r??ti?n with them ?v?r the ?h?n?. H?ving a readily ?v?il?bl? ?h?n? number and g?tting ??ll?r? on the ?h?n? with ??l?? ?r ?u???rt r??? ?ui?kl? i? a gr??t way t? boost r?v?nu?.Cu?t?m?r? are in?r???ingl? fru?tr?t?d with th? l?v?l ?f ??rvi?? th?? ?x??ri?n??: 91% because th?? h?v? t? ??nt??t a ??m??n? multi?l? times f?r th? ??m? reason, 90% b? being ?ut ?n hold f?r a long time, ?nd 89% by having t? r????t their issue t? multiple r??r???nt?tiv?? (Accenture Gl?b?l C?n?um?r Pul?? Surv??). Customers ?r? n?t h???? with th? ??rvi?? they ?r? getting. Improving ??ur CX in thes e three k?? ?r??? will ?nl? g?t more im??rt?nt.91% of ??n?um?r? ?h??k their ?m?il ?t l???t ?n?? a d?? ?n their smartphone (Ex??tT?rg?t). Em?il i? a ?u??rb w?? to attract th? ?tt?nti?n of ??n?um?r? in th? ??rl? ?t?g?? ?f th? j?urn??. H?ving a presence in th?ir inb?x i? a ?ur? way t? remind them of ??ur br?nd ?nd ?h?w th?m what ??u h?v? t? ?ff?r.66% ?f ?m?rt?h?n? u??r? turn to their phones t? l??k u? ??m?thing th?? ??w in a TV ??mm?r?i?l (G??gl?). The w?rld has g?n? m?bil? and thi? has had a dr??ti? im???t on the ?u?t?m?r journey. Thi? i?n’t ju?t tru? f?r TV ??mm?r?i?l? either. A huge number of marketing ?h?nn?l? ?r? now d??ign?d t? driv? ??n?um?r? ?nlin?. Thi? largely happens ?n ?m?rt?h?n?? due to th?ir convenience ?f ?lw??? b?ing ?t your ?id?.B? 2016, 89% of ??m??ni?? ?x???t t? ??m??t? mostly ?n th? b??i? ?f ?u?t?m?r ?x??ri?n??, versus 36% f?ur ???r? ago (G?rtn?r). Companies kn?w that CX i? gr?wing in im??rt?n??. A? the online m?rk?t?l??? ??ntinu?? to ?r?du?? m?r? v?nd?r ??ti?n?, trul? ?u?????ful ??m??ni?? will diff?r?nti?t? themselves by ?r?viding superb ?u?t?m?r ?x??ri?n???.4 ?ut ?f 5 local ???r?h?? ?n m?bil? d?vi??? ?nd in a ?ur?h??? ?nd 73% ?f th??? ?ur?h???? ?r? in bri?k-?nd-m?rt?r ?t?r?? (S??r?h Engin? W?t?h). L???l ???r?h?? ?r? one of the quickest ??th? t? ?ur?h???. Optimizing ??ur search r??ult? t? ??nn??t ????l? with your bu?in??? and give th?m a clear ??th t? ??ur ?t?r?? is a ?ur? w?? to driv? r?v?nu?.67% ?f th? bu??r’? j?urn?? is n?w d?n? digit?ll? (SiriusDecisions). Thi? means th?t ??ur ?nlin? marketing is m?r? important than ever. Buyers are relying l??? on sales r??? t? ?r?vid? them with inf?rm?ti?n and m?r? ?n your content.Im?r?ving th? ?u?t?m?r j?urn?? mapping ??n driv? ?xtr??rdin?r? b?n?fit? f?r ??ur b?tt?m lin?.A? m?r? ?nd m?r? of thi? j?urn?? shifts t? ?nlin? ?h?nn?l?, especially thr?ugh m?bil?, m?rk?ting must take r????n?ibilit? f?r ???h ?nd every ?n? ?f the ?t?g??.EXAMPLES ?F CUSTOMER J?URN?Y M???1. LEGO (? D?ni?h family-owned company based in Billund, D?nm?rk. It i? best kn?wn for the m?nuf??tur? ?f Lego-brand t???, consisting m??tl? of int?rl??king ?l??ti? bri?k?) ?r??t?d a Cu?t?m?r Journey M??, and ??ll?d it th? “?x??ri?n?? wh??l”.It i? constructed in ?n interesting and ?im?lifi?d w?? ?nd ?h?w? the ?n?l??i? of a flight t? th? New Y?rk Cit?. Th? ??ntr?l part ?f th? wh??l in?lud?? ??r??n?’? ?h?r??t?ri?ti??.Th? n?xt ?ir?l? is divided into thr?? l?v?l? ?f ?x??ri?n?? ?nd ??hi?ving th? g??l ?f travelling. Out?id? th? circle w?’ll find d???ri?ti?n? of every ?t?? a person will t?k? for thi? j?urn??.Ev?r? step w?? marked with ?n ?m?ti??n mirr?ring ???itiv?, n?utr?l or n?g?tiv? ?x??ri?n??.Thi? f?rm ?f a m?? i? r??ll? simple and easy to m?k? â€" ?v?n at a m??ting during discussion on id??? or i??u??. It’s a gr??t way ?f t?king a ?ui?k l??k ?t ?ur product ?r ??rvi?? ‘through th? ???? of the ?u?t?m?r’. S?ur??: Paul Olyslager2. Thi? map was created b? Ik?? ?? it ?r???nt? ?u?t?m?r experience during a vi?it in an Ikea ?t?r?. You can check for ??ur??lv?? if it represents ??ur experience ?nd b??t ?x?l?in the ?r?????. S?ur??: marketing ?x??ri?n?i?l3. Thi? m?? i? v?r? ?l??? t? the Cu?t?m?r Ex??ri?n?? Map, m??tl? b???u?? of a general ?n?l??i? ?f ?u?t?m?r ?x??ri?n??, rather th?n choosing a ??r????tiv? ?f a t??i??l r??r???nt?tiv? ?f a ?u?t?m?r gr?u?.What diff?r?nti?t?? thi? m?? fr?m ?th?r? i? specifying ????rtuniti?? and possible im?r?v?m?nt ?r??? which lead t? m?king ?u?t?m?r ?x??ri?n?? b?tt?r.This a k?? added v?lu? ?f creating ?u?t?m?r ?x??ri?n?? m??? â€" n?ti?ing ?r??? whi?h ??n ??m?tim?? b? v?r? ???il? im?r?v?d to ?ignifi??ntl? in?r???? th? level ?f ?u?t?m?r ??ti?f??ti?n. Source: Uxm??t?r?FINAL THOUGHTSWe’re ?nt?ring an ?g? where bu?in????? ?r? ?ll about the ?u?t?m?r experience.B? ?hifting the focus to th? ?u?t?m?r’? ??r????tiv?, ??u can b?tt?r und?r?t?nd ??n?um?r wants ?nd n??d?. Thi? ?ll?w? ??u to ?r??t? m?r? effective and ??ti?f?ing ?x??ri?n??? for ??ur ?u?t?m?r?.Customer Journey m??? ?r? a proven fr?m?w?rk f?r h?l?ing drive gr??t?r customer in?ight? ?nd im?r?ving int?rn?l ?ffi?i?n?i??.While th?? are b? no means a “silver bull?t”, they ?r? ?till exceptionally effective t??l? for helping brands t? identify ?ng?g?m?nt and enhancement opportunities, in?r???? conversions and bring in eye-popping ROI.

Thursday, May 21, 2020

Ignorance and Greed Leads to a Quick Ending in Edgars...

Edgars Allen Poe’s The Cask of Amontillado portrays two great examples of how greed and ignorance combined can lead to a quick ending, both physically and mentally. The story possesses two different aspects of an ending through two similar but yet different characters. Both characters possess the trait of greed, which hinders their ability to think rationally. The most obvious aspect of greed is carried out by Montresor, because this is a â€Å"short story of revenge.† He seeks to make Fortunato, the other character possessing the ignorant and greed trait, feel the pain that he has supposedly dealt onto Montresor. Throughout the book, one can experience how these two awful traits overtake them and eventually end their lives. By focusing on†¦show more content†¦He notices the bewilderment and asks why â€Å"you [Montresor] do not comprehend?† Montresor starts to panic and pulls out his concealed trowel. However, Fortunato is so blinded by alcohol, and à ¢â‚¬Å"Montresor [successfully] uses Fortunato’s pride in being a Mason and wine connoisseur† to keep him from noticing any wrongdoings. Fortunato has complete oblivion to his surroundings, and misses a vital foreshadow of what lies ahead. Third and lastly, Fortunato willingly steps into the darkened niche and ultimately to his death. He is so overtaken by the thought of such a valuable wine, that the greed overcomes his ability to be rational. Combine that hindering trait with his ignorance of being the best and death becomes his quick ending. The other example in this short story is Montresor’s ignorance and greed leading to a mental death. He believes that Fortunato has caused him pain by the thousands and seeks revenge on him. His idea of revenge comes from his family symbol where â€Å"the foot crushes a serpent rampant whose fangs are imbedded in the heel† with the motto of â€Å"Nemo me impune lacessit.† This basically means that anyone who does wrong to us will not get away with it without some form of rebuttal. However, Montresor takes his action a little too far. His greed for revenge becomes a passion. To a point where â€Å"Montresor’s obsess[es] with the revenge fifty years after the act† of killing Fortunato. Even before the act, he had to think of

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Blurred Gender Lines And Elizabethan Fear Of Femininity

BLURRED GENDER LINES AND ELIZABETHAN FEAR OF FEMININITY IN SHAKESPEARE In the context of modern society, the concepts of gender are blurred due to an open approach on the subjects of masculinity, femininity and all that may lie in between. However, as William Shakespeare was writing within the Elizabethan era, the lines of being masculine and being feminine were clearly determined in society, yet the cross-dressing plots in Shakespeare’s As You Like It (1599) and The Merchant of Venice (1597) illustrate how even within this time period, the identity of gender were constantly being questioned. Rosalind and Portia demonstrate the concept of cross-dressing as both disguise themselves as men in their stories and in doing so, pose questions about the validity of femininity. In The Merchant of Venice and As You Like It, cross-dressing is central to both the complication and the resolution of the plots. It is strongly evident in these plays that in an Elizabethan, as well as a modern context, the concept of gender is not a definitive way to determine place in society. By analysing how early and modern culture define gender, how this then applies to the two plays and then relating it all back to a contemporary influence illustrates how there still is blurred gender lines evident in society. MODERN AND ELIZABETHAN THEORIES OF GENDER The modern theories towards gender is a more open interpretation to previous theories which believed in a clear distinction between sex and gender.

Bloodsucking Fiends A Love Story Chapter 21 Free Essays

Chapter 21 Angel Dust The bed of Simon’s pickup was full of beer-sodden Animals enjoying the morning fog and speculating on the marital status of the new cashier. She had smiled at Tommy when she arrived, driving the Animals into a psychosexual frenzy. â€Å"She looked like she was being towed through the store by two submarines,† said Simon. We will write a custom essay sample on Bloodsucking Fiends: A Love Story Chapter 21 or any similar topic only for you Order Now â€Å"Major hooters,† said Troy Lee. â€Å"Major-league hooters.† Tommy said, â€Å"Can’t you guys see more in a woman than T and A?† â€Å"Nope,† said Troy. â€Å"No way,† said Simon. â€Å"Spoken like a guy who has a live-in girlfriend,† said Lash. â€Å"Yeah,† Simon said. â€Å"How come we never see you with the little woman?† â€Å"Seagull! â€Å"shouted Barry. Simon pulled a pump shotgun from under a tarp in the truck bed, tracked on a seagull that was passing over, and fired. â€Å"Missed again!† shouted Barry. â€Å"You can’t kill them all, Simon,† Tommy said, his ears ringing from the blast. â€Å"Why don’t you just cover your truck at night?† Simon said. â€Å"You don’t pay for twenty coats of hand-rubbed lacquer to cover it up.† The shotgun went under the tarp and the manager came through the front doors of the store. â€Å"What was that? What was that?† He was scanning the parking lot frantically as if he expected to see someone with a shotgun. â€Å"Backfire,† Simon said. The manager looked for the offending car. â€Å"They were heading toward the Marina,† Tommy said. â€Å"Well, you tell me if they come back,† the manager said. â€Å"There’s a noise ordinance in this city, you know.† He turned to go back into the store. â€Å"Hey, boss,† Simon called. â€Å"The new girl, what’s her name?† â€Å"Mara,† the manager said. â€Å"And you guys leave her alone. She’s had a rough time of it lately.† â€Å"She single?† Troy asked. â€Å"Off limits,† the manager said. â€Å"I mean it. She lost a child a few months ago.† â€Å"Yes, boss,† the Animals said in unison. The manager entered the store. Simon ripped a beer from a six-pack ring. He held another out to Tommy. â€Å"Fearless Leader, another brew?† â€Å"No, I’ve got to get home.† â€Å"Me too,† said Simon. â€Å"I’ve got to clean the bird shit off the beast. You need a ride?† â€Å"Sure, can we stop in Chinatown? I want to pick something up for Jody.† Simon shook his head. â€Å"You worry me, son. Men have been pussy-whipped to death, you know.† He downed his beer and crushed the can. â€Å"Out of the truck, girls; Fearless Leader and I have to shop for tampons.† â€Å"Pull!† Troy shouted. A half dozen beer cans arced into the air. The shotgun came out and Simon pumped out two quick shots. The beer cans fell to the parking lot unharmed. The shotgun went under the tarp. The manager came through the front door. Simon said, â€Å"I saw it, boss. Was a baby-blue 72 Nova with a stuffed gerbil on the aerial. Call it in.† Jody’s hands were covered with a greasy dust: the remains of Philly. The body had decomposed to dust in seconds after she finished drinking, leaving a pile of empty clothes. After staring at the pile for a moment, she shook off the shock and gathered the clothes into a bundle, which she carried into a nearby alley. The blood-high raced through her like an espresso firehose. She leaned against a dumpster, holding the clothes to her breast like a security blanket. The alley tilted in her vision, then righted, then spun until she thought she would be sick. When the alley stopped moving, she fumbled through the clothing until she found a wallet. She opened it and pulled out the contents. This bundle of rags had been a person; â€Å"Phillip Burns,† the license said. He carried crinkled photos of friends, a library card, a dry-cleaning receipt, a bank card, and fifty-six dollars. Phillip Burns in a convenient, portable package. She pocketed the wallet, threw the clothes into the dumpster, then wiped her hands on her jeans and stumbled out of the alley. I killed someone, she thought. My God, I killed someone. What should I feel? She walked for blocks, not really looking where she was going, but listening to the rhythm of her own steps under the roar of the blood-high in her head. Philly had spilled into her shoes and she stopped and sat on the curb to dump him out. What is this? she thought. This isn’t anything. This isn’t what I was before I was a vampire. What is this? This is impossible. This isn’t a person. A person can’t reduce to dust in seconds. What is this? She took off her socks and shook them out. This is fucking magic, she thought. This isn’t some story out of one of Tommy’s books. This isn’t something you can experiment with in the bathroom. This is not natural, and whatever I am, it isn’t natural. A vampire is magic, not science. And if this is what happens when a vampire kills, then how are the police finding bodies? Why is there a guy in my freezer? She put on her shoes and socks and resumed walking. It was starting to get light and she quickened her pace, checked her watch, then broke into a run. She’d made a habit of checking the time of sunrise every morning in the almanac so she wouldn’t be caught too far from home. Five years in the City had taught her the streets, but if she was going to run she had to learn the alleys and backstreets. She couldn’t let anyone see her moving this fast. As she ran, a voice sounded in her head. It was her voice, but not her voice. It was the voice that put no words to what her senses told her, yet understood. It was the voice that told her to hide from the light, to protect herself, to fight or flee. The vampire voice. â€Å"Killing is what you do,† the vampire voice said. The human part of her was revolted. â€Å"No! I didn’t want to kill him.† â€Å"Fuck him. It is as it should be. His life is ours. It feels good, doesn’t it?† Jody stopped fighting. It did feel good. She pushed the human part of her aside and let the predator take over to race the sun for her life. Nick Cavuto paced around the chalk outline of the body as if he were preparing to perform a violent hopscotch on the corpse. â€Å"You know,† Cavuto said, looking over at Rivera, who was trying to fend off a reporter from the Chronicle at the yellow crime-scene tape, â€Å"this guy is pissing me off.† Rivera excused himself from the reporter and joined Cavuto by the body. â€Å"Nick, keep it down,† he whispered. â€Å"This stiff is making my life difficult,† Cavuto said. â€Å"I say we shoot him and take his wallet. Simple gunshot wound, robbery motive.† â€Å"He didn’t have a wallet,† said Rivera. â€Å"There you have it, robbery. Massive blood loss from gunshot wound, broke his neck when he hit the ground.† The reporter perked up. â€Å"So it was a robbery?† Cavuto glared at the reporter and put his hand on his thirty-eight. â€Å"Rivera, what do you say to a murder-suicide? Scoop over there killed this guy, then turned the gun on himself – case closed and we can go get some breakfast.† The reporter backed away from the line. Two coroner’s assistants moved to the body, pushing a gurney with a body bag on it. â€Å"You guys done here?† one of them asked Cavuto. â€Å"Yeah,† Cavuto said. â€Å"Take him away.† The coroners spread the body bag out and hoisted the body onto it. â€Å"Hey, Inspector, you want to bag this book?† â€Å"What book?† Rivera turned. A paperback copy of Kerouac’s On the Road was lying in the chalk line where the body had been. Rivera slipped on a pair of white cotton gloves and pulled an evidence bag from his jacket pocket. â€Å"Here you go, Nick. The guy was a speed reader. Snapped his neck on a meaningful passage.† Jody glanced at the lightening sky, ducked down an alley, and fell into a trot. She was only a block from home, she’d make it in long before sunrise. She leaped over a dumpster, just to do it, then high-stepped through a pile of crates like a halfback through fallen defenders. She was strong in the blood – high, quick and light on her feet, her body moved, dodged, and leaped on its own – no thought, just fluid motion and perfect balance. She’d never been athletic in life: the last kid to be picked for kickball, straight C’s in phys ed, no chance as a cheerleader; the self-conscious, one-step dancer with the rhythmic sense of an inbred Aryan. But now she reveled in the movement and the strength, even as her instincts screamed for her to hide from the light. She heard the policemen’s voices before she saw the blue and red lights from their cars playing across the walls at the end of the alley. Fear tightened her muscles and she nearly fell in mid-step. She crept forward and saw the police cars and coroner’s wagon parked in front of the loft. The street was full of milling cops and reporters. She checked her watch and backed down the alley. Five minutes to sunrise. She looked for a place to hide. There was the dumpster, even a few large garbage cans, three steel doors with massive locks, and a basement window with steel bars. She ran to the window and tried the bars. They moved a bit. She checked her watch. Two minutes. She braced her feet against the brick wall and pulled on the bars with her legs. Rusty bolts tore out of the mortar and the bars moved another half inch. She tried to peer into the window, but the wire-reinforced glass was clouded with dirt and age. She yanked on the bars again and they screamed in protest and came loose. She dropped the grate and was drawing back to kick out the glass when she heard movement behind the window. Oh my God, there’s someone inside! She looked around to the dumpster, some fifty feet away. She looked at her watch. If it was right, the sun was up. She was†¦ The glass shattered behind her. Two hands came through the window, grabbed her ankles, and pulled her inside as she went out. â€Å"These here turtles are defective,† Simon said. â€Å"It’s okay, Simon,† said Tommy. They were in a Chinatown fish market, where Tommy was trying to purchase two massive snapping turtles from an old Chinese man in a rubber apron and boots. â€Å"You no know turtle!† the old man insisted. â€Å"These plime, glade-A turtle. You no know shit about turtle.† The turtles were in orange crates to immobilize them. The old man sprayed them down with a garden hose to keep them wet. â€Å"And I’m telling you, these turtles are defective,† Simon insisted. â€Å"Their eyes are all glazed over. These turtles are on drugs.† Tommy said, â€Å"Really, Simon, it’s okay.† Simon turned to Tommy and whispered, â€Å"You have to bargain with these guys. They won’t respect you if you don’t.† â€Å"Turtle’s not on dlugs,† said the old man. â€Å"You want turtle, you pay forty bucks.† Simon pushed his black Stetson back on his head and sighed. â€Å"Look, Hop Sing, you can do time for selling drugged turtles in this city.† â€Å"No dlugs. Fuck you, cowboy. Forty bucks or go away.† â€Å"Twenty.† â€Å"Thirty.† â€Å"Twenty-five and you clean ’em.† â€Å"No,† Tommy said. â€Å"I want them alive.† Simon looked at Tommy as if he had farted in neon. â€Å"I’m trying to negotiate here.† â€Å"Thirty,† said the old man. â€Å"As is.† â€Å"Twenty-seven,† Simon said. â€Å"Twenty-eight or go home,† said the old man. Simon turned to Tommy. â€Å"Pay him.† Tommy ticked off the bills and handed them to the old man, who counted them and put them in his rubber apron. â€Å"You cowboy friend no know turtle.† â€Å"Thanks,† Tommy said. He and Simon picked up the crates with the turtles and loaded them into the bed of Simon’s truck. As they climbed into the cab, Simon said, â€Å"You got to know how to deal with those little fuckers. Ever since we nuked them, they got a bad attitude.† â€Å"We nuked the Japanese, Simon, not the Chinese.† â€Å"Whatever. You should’a made him clean them for you.† â€Å"No, I want to give them to Jody alive.† â€Å"You’re a charmer, Flood. A lot of guys would’ve just paid the ransom with candy and flowers.† â€Å"Ransom?† â€Å"She’s got your nooky held hostage, ain’t she?† â€Å"No, I just wanted to get her a present – to be nice.† Simon sighed heavily and rubbed the bridge of his nose as if fighting a headache. â€Å"Son, we need to talk.† Simon had distinctive ideas about the way women should be handled, and as they drove to SOMA he waxed eloquent on the subject while Tommy listened, thinking, If they knew about him, Simon would be elected the Cosmo Nightmare Man for the next decade. â€Å"You see,† Simon said, â€Å"when I was a kid in Texas, we used to walk through the watermelon fields kickin’ each of them old melons as we went until one was so ripe and ready that it busted right open. Then we’d reach in and eat the heart right out of it and move on to the next one. That’s how you got to treat women, Flood.† â€Å"Like kicking watermelons?† â€Å"Right. Now you take that new cashier. She wants you, boy. But you’re thinkin’, I got me a piece at home so I don’t need her. Right?† â€Å"Right,† Tommy said. â€Å"Wrong. You got one at home that you’re buying presents for and saying sweet things and tiptoeing around the house so as not to upset her and generally acting like a spineless nooky slave. But if you put it to that new cashier, then you got one up on your old lady. You can do what you want, when you want, and if she gets pissy and don’t put out, you go back to your cashier. Your old lady has to try harder. There’s competition. It’s supply and demand. God bless America, it’s nooky capitalism.† â€Å"I’m lost. I thought it was like watermelon farming.† â€Å"Whatever. Point is, you’re whipped, Flood. You can’t have no self-respect if you’re whipped. And you can’t have no fun.† Simon turned on Tommy’s street and pulled the truck over to the curb. â€Å"Something going on here.† There were four police cars parked in the street in front of the loft and a coroner’s van was pulling away. â€Å"Wait here,† Tommy said. He got out of the car and walked toward the cops. A sharp-featured Hispanic cop in a suit met Tommy in the middle of the street. His badge wallet hung open from his belt; he was holding a plastic bag. Inside it Tommy saw a dog-eared copy of On the Road. He recognized the coffee stains on the cover. â€Å"This street is closed, sir,† the cop said. â€Å"Crime investigation.† â€Å"But I just live right there,† Tommy said, pointing to the loft. â€Å"Really,† the cop said, raising an eyebrow. â€Å"Where are you coming from?† â€Å"The fuck’s going on here, pancho?† Simon said, coming up behind Tommy. â€Å"I got a truckful of dyin’ turtles and I ain’t got all damn day.† â€Å"Oh Christ,† Tommy said, hanging his head. How to cite Bloodsucking Fiends: A Love Story Chapter 21, Essay examples

Saturday, April 25, 2020

School Violence Essays (977 words) - Education, Behavior, Misconduct

School Violence Jim cringed when he heard his assistant yelling to him from her office across the hall. The principal from your daughter's school is on the phone. Jim picked up the phone, noticing that is was already 2:15 PM by the wall clock in his office, and timidly said, hello? Ms. Jensen, the principal, (sounding exasperated) said, good afternoon Mr. Wilson, I am calling because your daughter assaulted a boy during assembly this afternoon and I need you to meet with me as soon as possible and then take her home. I can't today, Jim told her, I have a board meeting in less than an hour. Send her home on the bus and I will tell my house keeper to keep an eye on her till I get home. Can Mrs. Wilson come in? I really need to discuss your daughter's behavior with one of you in person as soon as possible, said the principal. No, she is out of town on business and won't be back till this weekend, but I will have my assistant call you back later and set up an appointment for me to meet with you tomorrow or the next day. In today's society with the predominance of dual income families, parents are often too busy to raise their children, they rely on sitters or housekeepers to care for, and in some cases actually raise, their children. Student violence in our schools has become a major national issue, as reported by numerous newspapers over the last several years. This problem not only endangers both students and teachers, but also prevents teachers from teaching and students from learning for fear of dangers in the deceptively peaceful school environment. In order to create a safe environment that is conducive to learning, preventative programs that address the root causes of violence must be developed. A possible, though somewhat extreme solution to this problem would be to hold parents legally responsible for their children's actions and/or behavior. The factors that contribute to school violence are too numerous to count, very diversified, and everyone probably has their own opinion of what they are. For example, teachers perceive that the major factors contributing to student violence are lack of parental supervision at home (71 percent), lack of family involvement with the school (66 percent), and exposure to violence in the mass media (55 percent) (taken from The American Teacher, 1993). Today's children are pretty bright, they realize that since both of their parents work if they do something wrong at school it will be very hard to contact their parents. They also probably believe that even if the school gets in touch with their parents that they will be too busy to respond to the school other than by just answering the phone. Compounding these problems even further, when children repeatedly get into trouble, parents may still refuse to deal with the situation and have their sitters or housekeepers take care of the problem. Some parents may even believe there is nothing they can do to control their children, or that the school itself is the one to fault and not their children. Why can't the school do more to control the actions of the students? After all, they see them more than we do. This thought process along with the student violence itself poses serious problems to our schools and the future of our society in general. But who is to blame; who is ultimately responsible; and what can be done to remedy these problems? This new educational environment, which in some respects often resembles a war zone, has created a need for society to develop programs that will offer a safe learning environment for all children and the teachers who teach them. Since laws demand that children attend school, schools have the inherent responsibility to provide them with a safe place where they can learn. To reach this goal most schools have taken technological steps (such as metal detectors and/or police guards) to try to stop some of the more violent acts from happening. While those steps may prevent students from conducting violent acts at school, they will not root out the more basic behavioral problems. And schools can't do it