Philosophy Is A Vast Field. It Examines And Probes Many Different Fiel

Philosophy is a vast field. It examines and probes many different fields. Virtue, morality, immortality, death, and the difference between the psyche (soul) and the soma (body) are just a few of the many different topics which can be covered under the umbrella of philosophy. Philosophers are supposed to be experts on all these subjects. The have well thought out opinions, and they are very learned people. Among the most revered philosophers of all time was Socrates. Living around the 5th century B.C., Socrates was among the first philosophers who wasn't a sophist, meaning that he never felt that he was wise for he was always in the pursuit of knowledge. Unfortunately, Socrates was put to death late in his life. One of his best students, Plato, however, recorded what had occurred on that last day of Socrates' life. On that last day of his life, Socrates made a quite powerful claim. He claimed that philosophy was merely practice for getting used to death and dying. At first, the connection between philosophy and death is not clear. However, as we unravel Socrates' argument backing up his claim, the statement makes a lot of sense. In order for Philosophers to examine their world accurately and learn the truth accurately, they must remove them selves of all distractions. These not only include physical distractions, but they include mental distractions and bodily distractions as well. Philosophers must get used to viewing and examining the world with out any senses. Senses merely hinder and obscure the truth. Sight for example can be fooled easily with optical illusions which occur normally in nature. Sound can be very distracting as well when a philosopher is trying to concentrate. All of these cloud the judgement, and must therefore be detached from the soul. Socrates argues that philosophers must view the world around them with their souls in order to accurately learn about it. However, by detaching their souls from all bodily functions, philosophers may as well be in an induced state of death. In mortem, the soul wanders free and there are no bodily hindrances. Socrates also believed that philosophers look upon death with good cheer and hope. This I find hard to believe because if this were true, the philosopher would not be able to love life, and without the love of life, there is no life to examine and learn about. It is understandable however from another point of view to understand why the philosopher would look forward to death with good cheer. Once the philosopher is dead, his soul is free to roam around without hindrances forever, and all the worlds secrets shall be revealed to him. In fact, Socrates' sees his death as a liberation from the shackles of life for his last wish was for Crito to sacrifice a rooster to Asclepius. This god was normally given sacrifices to free the sickly from the grips of a virus or illness. Perhaps Socrates saw the body as a sickness that fed upon the soul. If this were the case, then indeed Socrates would be happy to leave the bonds of life, for then he could have an eternity to seek out his answers, all without the diversions and distractions of a body. Socrates believed that it was this search that was important, even more so than the answers them selves. Socrates believed that the journey toward the answers is where most of the learning takes place, and it is this journey that truly integrates the answers as part of your very own being.

Ethan Allen - American Revolution

Ethan Allen - American Revolution Birth: Ethan Allen was born at Litchfield, CT, on January 21, 1738, to Joseph and Mary Baker Allen. The eldest of eight children, Allen moved with his family to nearby Cornwall, CT shortly after his birth. Raised on the family farm, he saw his father become increasingly prosperous and serve as a town selectman. Educated locally, Allen furthered his studies under the tutelage of a minister in Salisbury, CT with the hopes of gaining admission to Yale College. Though possessing the intellect for higher education, he was prevented attending Yale when his father died in 1755. Rank Titles: During the French Indian War, Ethan Allen served as a private in the colonial ranks. After moving to Vermont, he was elected colonel commandant of the local militia, better known as the Green Mountain Boys. During the early months of the American Revolution, Allen held no official rank in the Continental Army. Upon his exchange and release by the British in 1778, Allen was given the rank of lieutenant colonel in the Continental Army and major general of militia. After returning to Vermont later that year, he was made a general in the Army of Vermont. Personal Life: While working as the part owner of an iron foundry in Salisbury, CT, Ethan Allen married Mary Brownson in 1762.  Though a largely unhappy union due to their increasingly conflicting personalities, the couple had five children (Loraine, Joseph, Lucy, Mary Ann, Pamela) before Marys death from consumption in 1783. A year later, Allen married Frances Fanny Buchanan. The union produced three children, Fanny, Hannibal, and Ethan. Fanny would survive her husband and lived until 1834. Peacetime: With the French Indian War well underway in 1757, Allen elected to join the militia and take part in an expedition to relieve the Siege of Fort William Henry. Marching north, the expedition soon learned that the Marquis de Montcalm had captured the fort.   Assessing the situation, Allens unit decided to return to Connecticut.   Returning to farming, Allen bought into an iron foundry in 1762. Making an effort to expand the business, Allen soon found himself in debt and sold off part of his farm. He also also sold part of his stake in the foundry to his brother Hemen.   The business continued to founder and in 1765 the brothers gave up their stake to their partners. The following years saw Allen and his family moved several times with stops in Northampton, MA, Salisbury, CT, and Sheffield, MA. Vermont: Moving north to the New Hampshire Grants (Vermont) in 1770 at the behest of several locals, Allen became embroiled in the controversy over which colony controlled the region. In this period, the territory of Vermont was claimed jointly by the colonies of New Hampshire and New York, and both issued competing land grants to settlers. As a holder of grants from New Hampshire, and wishing to associate Vermont with New England, Allen aided took in legal proceedings to defend their claims. When these went in New Yorks favor, he returned to Vermont and helped found the Green Mountain Boys at the Catamount Tavern. An anti-New York militia, the unit consisted of companies from several towns and sought to resist Albanys efforts to take control of the region. With Allen as its colonel commandant and several hundred in the ranks, the Green Mountain Boys effectively controlled Vermont between 1771 and 1775. With the beginning of the American Revolution in April 1775, an irregular Connecticut militia unit reached out to Allen for assistance in capturing the principle British base in the region, Fort Ticonderoga. Located at the south edge of Lake Champlain, the fort commanded the lake and the route to Canada. Agreeing to lead the mission, Allen began assembling his men and the necessary supplies. The day before their planned attack, they were interrupted by the arrival of Colonel Benedict Arnold who had been sent north to seize the fort by the Massachusetts Committee of Safety. Fort Ticonderoga Lake Champlain: Commissioned by the government of Massachusetts, Arnold claimed that he was to have overall command of the operation. Allen disagreed, and after the Green Mountain Boys threatened to return home, the two colonels decided to share command. On May 10, 1775, Allen and Arnolds men stormed Fort Ticonderoga, capturing its entire forty-eight man garrison. Moving up the lake, they captured Crown Point, Fort Ann, and Fort St. John in the weeks that followed. Canada Captivity: That summer, Allen and his chief lieutenant, Seth Warner, traveled south to Albany and received support for the formation of a Green Mountain Regiment. They returned north and Warner was given command of the regiment, while Allen was placed in charge of a small force of Indians and Canadians. On September 24, 1775, during an ill-advised attack on Montreal, Allen was captured by the British. Initially considered a traitor, Allen was shipped to England and imprisoned at Pendennis Castle in Cornwall. He remained a prisoner until being exchanged for Colonel Archibald Campbell in May 1778. Vermont Independence: Upon gaining his freedom, Allen opted to return to Vermont, which had declared itself an independent republic during his captivity. Settling near present-day Burlington, he remained active in politics and was named a general in the Army of Vermont. Later that year, he traveled south and asked the Continental Congress to recognize Vermonts status as an independent state. Unwilling to anger New York and New Hampshire, Congress declined to honor his request. For the remainder of the war, Allen worked with his brother Ira and other Vermonters to ensure that their claims to the land were upheld. This went as far as negotiating with the British between 1780 and 1783, for military protection and possible inclusion in the British Empire. For these actions, Allen was charged with treason, however since it was clear that his goal had been to force the Continental Congress into taking action on the Vermont issue the case was never pursued. After the war, Allen retired to his farm where he lived until his death in 1789.

Project Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Project - Research Paper Example After this period, consumerism continued to grow in different areas. However, the spirit of consumerism rose to a high after the end of World War II (PBS, 2013). The rise of consumerism at this period was because America production sector had benefited from the war. Consequently, in the late 1940’s, young adults saw a remarkable improvement in their spending habits (PBS, 2013). Moreover, most of the Americans were also keen to spend due to favorable economic times. In America, consumers began to be praised on their spending habits. The habit was depicted as showing patriotism to the nation, and the habit was linked to success on American way of life (PBS, 2013). The later years saw heavy spending on items based on the home and family life. Such of the items included cars, refrigerators, and televisions. Therefore, consumerism has been on the rise in different parts of the globe as compared to the past. Consequently, consumerism has a profound impact on society. According to â €Å"The story of Stuff†, this has led to buying more than we can utilize (You Tube, n.d.). Consequently, there has been a lot of waste, destruction of environment, and government concentrating in services not helping humanity. A reflection on consumerism helps in understanding the effects and solutions to the habit. Section 1 There are many problems associated with consumerism. First, it leads to overexploitation of natural resources (Shah, 2005). The overexploitation of natural resources arises due to increased consumption because of consumerism culture. The resources are overexploited to cater for the ever-rising industries to meet the demands of the societies around the world. The trend is due to consumption increases and hence need for more resources (Shah, 2005). For examples, the overproduction of crops and animals leads to deforestation, land degradation, and contamination of various natural resources. The effects are seen on poor climate due to deforestation, loss of soil fertility and increased toxic substances in water. Moreover, depletion of resources lead to clearing of forests and this pose a challenge to the wildlife and natural habitat. Second, consumerism leads to the establishment of factories that create toxic byproducts. The rise of industries is due to the rise in demand for commodities. For example, the consumption tendencies in some countries have led to need of for various foods, flowers, textiles, and coffee (Shah, 2005). On the other hand, companies use various products to enhance overproduction of commodities in demand. For example, they use chemicals such as pesticides and herbicide for production of quality products and this affects the environment (Shah, 2005). Moreover, consumerism has led to increased migration of people. The migration occurs due to displacement of land from the poor in society and concentrating it to the rich in society (Shah, 2005). The effects are increased hunger and unnecessary stress to those displac ed by large companies and business. Moreover, this may lead to hunger, as land for farming becomes less. On the other hand, migration to bigger cities creates unnecessary stress to cater for the rising population in the areas (Shah, 2005). Additionally, the rise of the population in the cities leads to the emergence of slums, health problems, overcrowding, and antisocial activities. Additionally, the

Db3 program capstone Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Db3 program capstone - Research Paper Example For instance, labor migration, mobility and diversity are directly related to globalization. Many researchers, including Mujtaba (2007), focus on management challenges related to diversity management at work. Since all organizations are expected to create friendly, inclusive and non-discriminatory environment where all employees have equal opportunities, it is a real challenge. According to Drucker (2007), global changes have the greatest influence on internal climate in different organizations. Local markets merge and competition moves to global arena; it is the reason why organizations need to be more flexible than ever in order to survive this harsh competition. The outcomes of globalization need to be addressed complexly. Each consequence requires a special solution depending on corporate culture and people who work in the organization. Generally, diversity management practice and innovative approach to leadership and performance evaluations help organizations to work effectively in rapidly changing environment. In summary, globalization is an umbrella term for numerous changes and challenges in causes in world management practices and solutions. New work conditions, global competition, changes in work force and requirements make organizations change regularly in order to

Collaboration Between Architects And Artists Cultural Studies Essay

Collaboration Between Architects And Artists Cultural Studies Essay Architects and artists speak two different languages and think in different ways so what happens when they work together? Can an architect create a space that enhances and reveals the artwork designed within it? Can architects and artists collaborate together in one mission and produce an-art-piece-building? Can a building be artistically designed and at the same time able to function? The answer to the previous questions will definitely be yes. And numerous numbers of buildings and architectural projects prove that to be right. Art has become an approach that changed the practice of architecture forever. It has widened its possibilities and made it more open and able to communicate with humanity and the environment. This collaboration of the two different minds; architects mind and artists mind, can result with a product neither one could have achieved alone. Its a very common and big mistake to separate architecture from art, especially since that the history of architecture itself actually relates back to art school. Many people have forgotten that Michael Angelo, the Italian renaissance painter and sculptor, was the one who designed the Campidoglio in Rome back in the 16th century. Raphael Sanzio designed the Chigi Chapel of Villa Farnesina in the 16th century as well. And Villa Farnesina itself was designed by the Italian painter Baldassare Peruzzi. The history of architecture makes it clear to us that artists have long worked with architects to produce art for their buildings. It is like what once Dan Rice said There are three forms of visual art: Painting is art to look at, Sculpture is art you can walk around, and architecture is art you can walk through. Ever since the 19th century, during the Arts and Crafts movement when the modern age of architecture began, works of architecture started to possess some values of art in them. Architecture became institutionalized in the same schools that taught painting, sculpture and music. And in the early 20th century when the Bauhaus and De Stijl were the dominant styles of architecture the dialogue between architecture and art highly increased and it shifted towards a truly collaborative and integrated process. It is also important to mention that the Bauhaus movement was the beginning and the first start of the new modern approach we are living now. Therefore art carries a lot of influence in our architecture today whether you are aware of it or not. Some people find the matter puzzling. They start asking why we need this collaboration between architects and artists if architecture itself is a form of art. As a matter of fact architecture today is less of a form of art and more of a form of engineering. The past does categorize architecture under art but the present sadly does not. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ It was not until the radically atomized academics of the late twentieth century that the confounding notion that art and architecture are categorically different professions was established. explained Kent Bloomer in his book The Nature of Ornament. Architecture and art share a lot of similarities. Architects create something out of nothing and so do artists. They both share the ability of transferring whats on their minds into existence. They both deal with the same lines, shapes and forms. And also they both deal with the same elements of nature; color, light, space and time. Besides that architecture and art have a very associated history. During baroque, rococo and renaissance works of art were highly influenced in architecture. Its almost impossible to find one church in those ages where its ceiling wasnt extravagantly painted or its windows very exceedingly sculptured. Works by Gerrit Reitvelds in the 20th century can be a very good example to show the similarities between architecture and art. His Schroder House is highly influenced by the artist Piet Mondrian from the same era. The composition of lines, the arrangement of forms and the abstraction in colors make the Schroder house look more like a huge sculpture rather t han a house or a building. All these similarities that architecture and art both share work as a strong communication system between them both and they strengthen their relationship. This collaboration is nothing but a relationship between these two disciplines. And by knowing all the similarities they have it is very likely for this relationship to be a successful one. Recently the collaborative work between architects and artist has grown successfully. This growth is very significant and it shows that architecture is developing itself. Today, architects are more able to accept the idea of integrating art with architecture than seventy years ago during the post modernism era. Respectable number of organizations has been established in the aim of having a truly integrated relation between architecture and art. In 1991 an organization called Art for Architecture was established and it was the first attempt to dismantle the wall that divides architects and artists. Art for Architecture became very successful and a lot of their projects became award-winners. In 2003, the Laban dance centre in Deptford, London, designed by architects Herzog de Meuron and artist Michael Craig Martin, won the Stirling Prize. Former artist Edi Rama was voted World Mayor in 2004 for transforming Tiranas buildings into art pieces that decorate the entire streets of the city. After all the trouble the Albanian capital was having, Rama decided to re-paint the citys buildings in a riotous array of pattern and color. That act did not only change the entire architecture of the city, but it also brought social transformation. The architecture of Tirana now has become public art that attracts a lot of artists and inspires them such as Olafur Eliasson, Liam Gillick and Dominique Gonzalez-Foerster whose work has become integrated in residential blocks and buildings and turned them into unique works of art. Working with artists acts as an eye-opener to the architects. It helps them to sharpen their thoughts and make them consider their position. Artists do not collaborate with architecture by simply designing a sculpture that can be placed at the entrance of a building or by a painting for the living room. Their involvement can be too fundamental and essential and be a part of the design of the building itself. Bruce McLean, the forerunner of a new generation of artists, with architect John Lyall designed the concourse and underground station at Tottenham Hale, London. McLean was so deeply involved in the project that he helped to come up with the concept. I want to be involved at the outset and not just as an add-on. explained McLean. At Tottenham Hale concourse, McLean and Lyall designed three separate pieces: a 16m-high lit beacon (the Tower of Time), a fountain (the Bridge of Signs) and paving (the Path of People). The idea was to give the people something fun to look at while waiti ng for buses or trains. Lyall saw this project to be a very successful collaboration between art and architecture. The way I feel about the best collaborations is that we start with a bank sheet of paper and work together in free form and what results is something which neither would have thought of separately. I like artists because they have a different eye and way of thinking he explained. McLean is now designing a new foreshore in Bridlington with architect Rayner Banham. The Collaboration between architects and artist does not have to be only for the purpose of making nice looking buildings. Architects Faulks Perry Culley and Rech and artist Martin Richman came up with a great environmental idea to produce electricity! They designed the new incinerator at Tyseley, Birmingham, which burns the waste of households and use the heat produced to generate electricity. Richmans involvement in the project caused a lot of fundamental changes in the architectural side of the project. He replaced the yellow cladding with red ones and he also used the light as an essential factor in the building. Martin introduced the idea of red to highlight the function of the building and its heat so we changed the yellow cladding to red. He also introduced areas of translucent and transparent cladding to show the internal lighting. Says Perry. After his success of collaborating with architects Pelly and Rech, Richman is now working on two other architectural projects. All the previous projects along with many other ones are living proofs that the collaboration and interrogation between architecture and art not only can actually happen, but when it does it results with a huge satisfaction to the architects, artist and also the public. Architect Perry confirmed that the people of Birmingham were very pleased with the outcome of his design with Richman. I havent heard anything from anywhere which is negative. Its all been favorable. And thats something of a first because we architects are used to getting kicked. Explains Perry. Therefore this collaboration promises us with more modern, developed architecture that can communicate with public and be understandable in a better way. It is often argued that art and architecture are totally incapable of meeting each other, especially since architecture deals with numbers, function and mathematics whereas art deals with imaginations, feelings, inspirations and it does not have any function. Nevertheless, this very dissimilarity between architecture and art is actually the reason behind this collaboration, since collaboration is all about differences. If architecture was able to meet art by itself without any interrogations then there would have been no need for this collaboration. But the recent past of architecture taught us that architecture becomes very dull and lifeless without art. Once, Frank Lloyd Wright said Art is the mother of architecture. Even if artists and architects see architecture in different eyes their compromise can be the result of something astonishing and new that no architect or artist alone could have come up with. Architects like to build a building that is slick, fixed and suitable. Artis ts are searching for more brute, independent and confronting approach, as art should be. Towards the end of the project Antoni and I had developed a level of telepathy Explained architect Steve Tompkins about his experience with artist Antoni Malinowski after designing London Community Centre. As a result of combining art with architecture, the latter becomes more human and alive. Art gives architecture the ability to combine beauty and logic in one thing at the same time. Without it architecture will be as boring as accounting. The future of architecture today dose not only lay on the hands of architects alone anymore. It now relies on architects and artists. It is their tasks both to promote architecture to a new level where architecture becomes more meaningful. The future of architecture relies on combining the conceptual approach of artists and the contextual approach of architects. With these two approaches architecture in the next few decades will be starting a new phase where function and art will finally come back together again after more than 70 years of separation.

Water and National Best Farmer

Part A Essay Writing Answer one question only from this part. 1. Write a letter to the Member of Parliament of your constituency telling him/her about the rise in armed robbery in your area. Suggest at least two ways to check it. 2. Write a story which ends with the sentence: We arrived just in time to save the situation. 3. Your father has received the â€Å"National Best Farmer’s Award†. Write a letter to your brother who is outside the country, describing the ceremony. Part BComprehension 4. Read the following passage carefully and answer all the questions. Cholera is a very dangerous disease which can kill many people within a short time. Indeed, it has ruined several communities particularly in developing countries. It must therefore be prevented at all costs. The disease is generally spread by germs which thrive in filthy and unhygienic areas. There could be an outbreak of cholera when drinking water becomes polluted by floods after a downpour.Human carriers also cause the disease to spread from place to place. For example, a person carrying the cholera germs would vomit or pass frequent stools. Flies would then carry the germs on their hairy legs and deposit then on exposed food or in water. When a person eats this contaminated food or drinks the polluted water, he or she is likely to contact the disease unknowingly. On the whole, the main symptoms of cholera are severe diarrhoea and vomiting, which may result in loss of weight.The stool tends to be watery. As a lot of fluid is lost from the body, the patient quickly becomes dehydrated, thin and weak. The rapid loss of body fluid can soon result in death, unless the loss is fluid is replaced immediately. The first thing for the patient to do is to replenish as much fluid as is lost by taking, from time to time, boiled water which has been allowed to cool and mixed with salt and sugar. Then, he should seek medical attention. a) Where do cholera germs usually breed? ) Mention the two main car riers of cholera germs. c) (i) State the two signs of cholera (ii)Give one effect of the disease d) What advice does the writer give to the cholera patient? e) Explain the following expressions in your own words: (i) It has ruined several communities; (ii) At all costs; (iii) After a downpour f) For each of the following words, give another word or phrase that means the same or can fit into the passage. (i) Thrive; (ii) Deposit; (iii) Rapid; (iv) Replenish; (v) Seek;

Succubus Shadows Chapter 4

I spent the whole morning waiting restlessly for Roman. Surely he had to come home at some point to sleep, right? Of course, being part greater immortal, he'd have a lot of the traits of his angelic parentage – and angels and demons never needed to sleep. Roman could likely get by on very little rest and simply chose to sleep in as often as he did for the fun of it. I left a message on Jerome's cell phone, which was useless more often than not. I also kind of wished I hadn't parted from Carter so soon. Caught up in the Pictionary absurdity, I'd totally forgotten about my siren song encounters. Indeed, I'd nearly written them off until last night's repeat. But if Jerome was hard to get a hold of, Carter was impossible. He kept no cell phone and seemed to take personal pride in showing up at unexpected moments. Left with no other options, I called my friend Erik. He was a human who ran a store specializing in esoteric and pagan goods. He was often my backup for bizarre supernatural situations, sometimes knowing more than my friends did. As I dialed his store's number, I couldn't help but marvel at the circles my life seemed to run on. I was repeating the same pattern over and over. Something weird would happen, I'd fruitlessly attempt to contact my superiors, and end up seeking Erik for help. â€Å"Why the fuck does this keep happening to me?† I muttered as the phone rang. Cody never got stalked by paranormal forces. Neither did any of the others. It was like I was specifically being targeted. Or cursed. Or simply imbued with bad luck. Yes, my life was a never-ending spiral, doomed to repeat the same patterns of annoying immortal threats – and miserable romantic situations. â€Å"Hello?† â€Å"Erik? This is Georgina.† â€Å"Miss Kincaid,† he said in his usual genteel voice. â€Å"A pleasure to hear from you.† â€Å"I need your help with something. Again. Are you around? I wanted to swing by before work.† There was a pause, and then I heard regret in his voice. â€Å"Unfortunately, I have to run errands and close the store today. I'll be back this evening. When do you finish work?† â€Å"I'll probably be free at ten.† Another evening shift. â€Å"I can meet you then.† I felt bad. His store usually closed around five. â€Å"No, no†¦that's too late. We could try tomorrow†¦.† â€Å"Miss Kincaid,† he said gently, â€Å"I'm always happy to see you. It's no difficulty at all.† I still felt guilty when we disconnected. Erik was getting old. Shouldn't he be in bed by ten? Nine? There was nothing to be done for it now, though. He said he'd do it, and I'd seen him when he was obstinate. I had nothing to do but wait now and hope Roman would surface before I had to work. When he didn't, I simply left him a note saying I needed to talk to him immediately. It was the best I could do. At work, no one was out or – best of all – hungover. I was caught up on my paperwork, which gave me a lot of free time. Whether that was good or bad, I couldn't say. It kept me from messing up my job but merely left me in a cycle of rumination. It was nearly closing time when I noticed Seth at his usual station in the caf? ¦. Maddie had worked the day shift, which meant I didn't have to face their cute couple antics. He caught my eye as I walked through, and against my better judgment, I sat down across from him. â€Å"How goes it?† I asked. My usual romantic fixation with him was put on pause when I saw that he looked agitated. He tapped the screen in annoyance. â€Å"Bad. I've been staring at this screen for two hours and haven't gotten anything done.† He paused. â€Å"No, that's not quite true. I ordered a Wonder Twins T-shirt and watched some videos on YouTube.† I smiled and propped my chin up in my hand. â€Å"Doesn't sound like a bad day's work.† â€Å"It is when it's been going on all week. My muse is an ungrateful harlot who's abandoned me to actually come up with my own plots.† â€Å"That's a record for you,† I observed. I'd seen him have fits of writer's block when we dated, but it never lasted more than a few days. â€Å"When's your deadline?† â€Å"Not for a while, but still†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He sighed. â€Å"I don't like to be stalled out. I'm not really sure what to do with my days if I'm not writing.† I started to say that he must have wedding stuff to do but then thought better of it. I kept to lighter topics. â€Å"Maybe it's time to pick up a hobby. Fencing? Origami?† That slightly bemused smile that was so characteristic for him crossed his lips. â€Å"I tried latch hook once.† â€Å"You did not.† â€Å"I did. Do you know how hard that is to do?† â€Å"It's actually pretty easy,† I said, trying to hide my laughter. â€Å"Kids do it, you know. Your nieces could probably do it.† â€Å"They can. And you're not making me feel better.† But those beautiful brown eyes were amused. I studied them for a moment, loving the way they would sometimes turn amber. A moment later, I snapped myself out of my lovesick spell. â€Å"There's always dancing,† I said mischievously. This made him laugh too. â€Å"I think we've proven how futile that is.† I'd tried twice to teach him how to do it – swing and salsa – all with disastrous results. Seth's talents lay in his mind, not his body. Well, upon further consideration, I realized that wasn't entirely true. â€Å"You haven't found the right kind,† I said. I'd given up on hiding my grin. â€Å"What's left? Riverdance? Square dancing? And do not even suggest jazz. I saw Newsies and was traumatized for, like, five years.† â€Å"Harsh,† I said. â€Å"You could still probably wear your T-shirts with jazz dancing. I know you must have a ‘Dancing Queen' shirt somewhere.† His shirt today sported Chuck Norris. â€Å"Unless, of course, you wanted some variety. Square dancers have some pretty sweet costumes.† He shook his head in exasperation. â€Å"I'll leave the dancing getup to you. And no, no ‘Dancing Queen' shirt yet – though I do have an Abba one. I think a ‘Dancing Queen' shirt would be better for you anyway, not me.† His eyes moved from my face to what he could see of my body at the table. â€Å"You look like you could go dancing right now.† I started to feel myself flush at his gaze and immediately utilized shape-shifting to nix it. The unseasonably warm weather lent itself to sundresses, and I had another on today. It was a cream-colored trapeze, sleeveless with a keyhole top that may or may not have been showing managerial-appropriate cleavage. He wasn't ogling me or anything, but I had learned long ago that Seth was good at keeping his emotions off of his face. I wondered what went through his mind. Simple aesthetic admiration? Lust? Disapproval of non-managerial cleavage? â€Å"This old thing?† I asked breezily, uncomfortable for reasons I couldn't explain. â€Å"You were wearing that color the first time we met.† He suddenly seemed embarrassed. â€Å"Not sure why I remember that.† â€Å"You don't,† I said. â€Å"I was wearing purple.† Now I felt flustered to remember that. He frowned in a way I found cute. â€Å"Were you? Oh, yeah. I guess you were. The violet top and flowered skirt.† Every detail. If he'd mentioned me wearing a snakeskin jacket, I might have passed out. Yet, I had a feeling he did remember that. Probably my shoes and the way I'd styled my hair too. An awkward silence grew. I might have been keeping the flush off of my face, but there was warmth spreading through me. And only half of it was desire. The rest was something else†¦something sweeter and deeper. I cleared my throat. â€Å"What's the book about? Cady and O'Neill, right?† He nodded, looking grateful for the subject change. â€Å"The usual. Mystery and intrigue, sexual tension and life-threatening situations.† He hesitated. â€Å"It's the last one.† â€Å"I – what?† I felt my jaw drop. Whatever romantic feelings that had been stirring in me immediately got pushed to the back burner. â€Å"You mean like†¦the end of the series?† Seth had written a lot of mysteries over his career, but Cady and O'Neill – his intrepid art and archaeology explorer duo – was his flagship series. â€Å"Why?† He shrugged, eyes moving back to the laptop screen. â€Å"Because it's time.† â€Å"How†¦how will you make your living?† His smile turned wry as he looked back up at me. â€Å"I've written other books that aren't about them, Georgina. Besides, you don't think my fans'll have enough faith to follow me to a new series?† â€Å"True,† I said softly. â€Å"We'll follow you anywhere.† I'd meant to say â€Å"they'll,† but it was too late. â€Å"I hope so,† he said, averting his eyes for a moment. When he looked back, I saw a spark of excitement. â€Å"But I'm actually into doing something new. I've got this idea – and it's really great. I just want to lose myself in it, you know?† I did know. I'd seen him forget parts of his real life plenty of times while caught up in a book. I wondered if this new project he was so enthusiastic about would intensify that zeal. â€Å"So you've got the ending for Cady and O'Neill figured out?† I asked. â€Å"No,† he said with a sigh, glow dimming. â€Å"That's the problem. I don't know how this is going to end.† I suddenly wondered if he was still talking about the books. Our gazes met again, and whatever might have come next was interrupted when Beth appeared at my side. â€Å"Georgina? A friend of yours is here to see you.† My heart leapt. Roman. Roman had read my note. His advice on that eerie siren song was about the only thing that could have dragged me away from Seth. I sprang up from my seat, giving Seth an apologetic look. â€Å"I've got to go.† He nodded, some troubled emotion in his eyes that I couldn't identify. That troubled me in return. He might be good at keeping his emotions off of his face, but at one time, I'd been pretty good at figuring them out. â€Å"No problem,† he said. Wistfulness? Was that the mystery emotion? I couldn't ponder it any longer. Roman was more important. I took the steps downstairs two at a time, anxious to see him. But when I reached the registers, where Beth had said my friend was waiting, it wasn't Roman I saw. It was Cody. Or, well, I think it was. It took me a moment to figure it out. He was dressed all in black – and not just jeans and a T-shirt. We were talking full regalia: a studded-leather jacket, steel-toed boots, and an – ugh – mesh shirt. His blond hair had black streaks in it, and heavy black eyeliner and lipstick over white foundation completed the look. I didn't know what to say, so I simply grabbed his arm and dragged him into my office before anyone else could see him. â€Å"What the hell are you doing?† The sun had only just gone down, which meant he must have doubled the speed limit to make it here so quickly. â€Å"I'm here to see Gabrielle,† he explained, casting an anxious glance at my doorway. â€Å"Where is she? I wanted to get here before you guys closed.† â€Å"She's not working tonight.† His face fell, but I couldn't help but add, â€Å"And honestly, I think that's a good thing.† â€Å"Why? Peter had a copy of The Seattle Sinner, and after going through it, we thought this would be the way to get her attention. He helped dress me.† â€Å"Wait. Peter had a copy of – ? Never mind. I don't want to know. Believe me, you would have gotten her attention. But I'm not sure it'd be the kind you want.† Cody gestured to his attire. â€Å"But she's into this scene. You said yourself that she dresses all in black.† â€Å"Yeah,† I admitted. â€Å"But yours seems†¦I don't know. Overdone. People like her are always on the lookout for wannabes. You try too hard, and you'll just put her further off.† He sighed and slumped into my desk's chair, dejected. â€Å"Then what am I supposed to do? That newspaper was my only lead.† â€Å"Well, for starters, don't let Peter dress you again. Ever. As for the rest†¦I don't know. Let me ask around and see if I can get you more to go on. Just please don't wear this outfit again.† â€Å"Okay,† he agreed. Just then, Doug stuck his head in. It wasn't his night to work, so I was kind of surprised, but not nearly as surprised as he was. â€Å"Hey, Kincaid, I had a question about the schedu – Jesus Fucking Christ! What is that?† â€Å"It's Cody,† I said. Doug walked gingerly into the office and peered at Cody's face. â€Å"Well, I'll be damned. It is. I thought it was the ghost of Gene Simmons.† â€Å"Gene Simmons isn't dead,† said Cody. â€Å"Cody's trying to impress Gabrielle,† I explained. Doug opened his mouth, no doubt to comment on the impossibility of that, but I held up a hand to stop him. â€Å"Yeah, yeah. I know. What did you need?† Doug needed to switch some shifts, and without his ladylove around, Cody decided to leave. I let him out the back door, not wanting to cause a panic in the store. Once the schedule was set, Doug and I bantered about the Cody and Gabrielle situation. Before long, I lost track of time, and closing announcements were being made on the intercom. Doug said his farewells – half afraid I'd put him to work if he stayed – and I set off to finish my own tasks. My meeting with Erik was getting closer, and I felt a mix of excitement and apprehension. An hour after the doors were locked, staff began to go home. I made one last sweep of the store and found Seth still sitting in the caf? ¦. No surprise. My coworkers could never bring themselves to kick him out when we closed. He'd actually gotten locked in once and accidentally set off the alarm. I walked over to his table, noting the enraptured look on his face as his fingers danced along the laptop's keys. â€Å"Hey, Mortensen,† I said. â€Å"You don't have to go home, but you can't stay here.† It took almost thirty seconds for him to look up, and even then, he seemed surprised to see me. â€Å"Oh. Hey.† I could feel a smile playing on my lips. This was picture perfect Seth behavior. â€Å"Hey, we're all closed down. Time to go.† He glanced around, noting the dark windows and lack of people in the store. â€Å"Oh, man. Sorry. I didn't even notice.† â€Å"I take it the muse came back?† â€Å"She did.† â€Å"So you know how it's going to end now?† â€Å"No. Not yet.† I walked Seth to the back door and armed the alarm before letting myself out. He told me good-bye, and if he'd had any dreamy affection for me earlier in the night, it was gone now. His characters now consumed his heart. It was something I'd had to accept when we were together, and watching him walk down the street, I decided that was how it should be. Seth's writing was too much of his being. I let my own dreamy affection go and drove up north of the city to Erik's store. I still felt a little bad about him meeting me so late, but the lights in his windows gleamed out into the night. And inside, the usual music and incense were going strong, just as they would during business hours. Glancing around, I didn't see him right away. Then, I noticed him kneeling down in front of some palmistry books. â€Å"Hey, Erik.† â€Å"Miss Kincaid.† He rose to his feet, but the motions were jerky and unsteady. And when he finally turned to face me, there was a gauntness in his dark-skinned face that hadn't been there the last time I saw him. My instinct was to rush over and support him, but I had a feeling he wouldn't welcome that. Still, I asked the obvious. â€Å"Are you okay? Have you been sick?† He gave me a gentle smile and began moving – slowly – toward the store's main counter. â€Å"A passing cold. They seem to last longer than they used to, but I'll be fine.† I wasn't so certain. I'd known Erik for a long time†¦. I'd lost track of the years, actually. It wasn't an uncommon thing with mortals, one that often blindsided me. One moment they'd seem young and healthy†¦the next, they were old and dying. It never hurt any less, either. Part of the reason Seth had broken up with me was to spare me the pain of that loss because I began growing overly paranoid about his well-being. Now, watching Erik, I felt even worse for keeping him out so late. I also felt bad because I realized I never visited except when I needed something. When had I last seen him? Months ago, when Jerome had been summoned. I'd sought Erik's help then and hadn't been by since. â€Å"Tea?† he offered, just like always. â€Å"No, no. I don't want to delay you,† I said. I leaned against the counter and felt relieved when he settled down on a stool. â€Å"I just wanted to ask you a couple things. Something weird happened.† I almost laughed as the words left my mouth. That was such a typical opening statement for me. Again, that earlier thought returned: my life was one big circle, repeating and repeating. I gave him the rundown on my weird encounters with the unknown and – for the large part – indescribable force. He listened carefully, bushy gray eyebrows knit into a frown. â€Å"I hate to tell you this,† he said when I finished, â€Å"but there are probably a number of things that could describe.† â€Å"Surprise, surprise,† I murmured. That was more a commentary on my life, not his abilities. â€Å"The fact that your†¦uh, friend couldn't identify it is intriguing.† Erik was one of the handful of people who knew Roman was in Seattle. Erik had no interest in Heaven and Hell's policies and wouldn't be tattling anytime soon. â€Å"Of course, he lacks the full skill set his relatives have. I don't suppose you've spoken to any greater immortals?† I shook my head. â€Å"No. They're notoriously absent, as usual. I think I'll be seeing Jerome soon.† He'd probably want to check in with Roman. â€Å"So we'll see then.† â€Å"I'm sorry I don't have any ready answers. I never seem to.† â€Å"Not in the beginning,† I said. â€Å"But you always come through in the end. More patterns.† â€Å"Hmm?† â€Å"Nothing,† I said with a small sigh. â€Å"Sometimes I just feel like the same things are happening to me over and over. Like, even this siren thing. Why me? In the last year, I've been targeted over and over. What are the odds? Why does this keep happening?† Erik's eyes studied me for several moments. â€Å"There are some people around whom the powers and supernatural beings of the world will always circle. You appear to be one of them.† â€Å"But why?† I asked, surprised at the childish tone in my voice. â€Å"I'm just another succubus. There are tons of us out there. And why recently? Why only in the last year?† It had to be the cruelest joke in the world that all these paranormal mishaps had started happening right when my romantic ones had. Apparently, one source of pain just wasn't enough. â€Å"I don't know,† Erik admitted. â€Å"Things change. Forces move that we can't see.† He paused and coughed, making me wince. How sick was he? â€Å"Again, I feel like I'm useless to you.† I reached out and gently squeezed his shoulder. â€Å"No, no. You're invaluable to me. I don't know how I would have gotten by all these years without you.† This earned me a smile. Wanting him to go to bed, I picked up my purse to leave. As I was heading to the door, he suddenly said, â€Å"Miss Kincaid?† I glanced back. â€Å"Yeah?† â€Å"Do you still talk to Mr. Mortensen?† The question caught me by surprise. Erik had been intrigued when Seth and I were dating, marveling at the connection between a human and a succubus, though he didn't have the crazy obsession that Carter used to. â€Å"Sure. Sometimes.† My earlier conversation with Seth came back to me, the ease and warmth that had surrounded us. â€Å"And things are amicable?† â€Å"More or less.† Aside from his impending marriage, of course. â€Å"That's good. It doesn't always happen in these situations.† â€Å"Yeah, I know. Although – † I bit off my words. Erik tilted his head, studying me curiously. â€Å"Although what?† â€Å"It's amicable, except sometimes†¦sometimes this whole situation with him. It's like having my soul split in two.† â€Å"Understandable,† he said. Those eyes burned with compassion, and I felt tears spring up in my own. â€Å"I'm sorry I brought it up. I was just curious.† I assured him it was okay and said good-bye again. The mention of Seth and the recollection of being with him earlier had made my mood go melancholy. I drove back to West Seattle, miserable that I'd be helping with his wedding tomorrow and worried over Erik's sickly state. As heavily as those thoughts weighed on me, they immediately flew from my mind as soon as I walked into my living room. â€Å"Roman!† He sat on the couch as he had last time, now eating a microwavable chicken pot pie. The TV was on, but he didn't seem to be watching it. When he looked up at me, he didn't wear that amused, teasing look. His expression was dark. Troubled, even. â€Å"I've been waiting for you to get home,† I exclaimed, tossing my purse and keys to the floor. â€Å"You won't believe what happened.† Roman sighed. â€Å"No, you won't believe what happened.† â€Å"Yeah, but this is – â€Å" He held up a hand to interrupt me. â€Å"Let me get this out first. It's been driving me crazy.† I swallowed my impatience. â€Å"Okay. I'll bite. Does it have something to do with Simone?† He nodded. â€Å"Yeah. I followed her tonight to this twenty-four-hour coffee shop called Bird of Paradise.† He eyed me carefully. â€Å"Do you know it?† Now I felt a frown creeping over my face. â€Å"Yeah†¦it's in Queen Anne, right around the corner from Emerald City. What was she doing there? I mean, aside from getting coffee?† Roman's expression turned darker and – unless I was mistaken – sympathetic. â€Å"She was there hitting on a guy,† he said. â€Å"Seth.†