How to Write Romantic Chemistry

How to Write Romantic ChemistryWhen it comes to writing romantic chemistry in a book, a novel, or even a screenplay, one of the most important things you can do is to be true to the characters you want to portray. You may not always get it right, but as long as you have a certain level of dedication to writing these characters correctly, then you will get it right eventually.One of the biggest questions that people ask when they want to know how to write romantic chemistry in a book or screenplays is how to do it without actually saying anything. The truth is that you need to give your characters more to do than just make love. Your characters should also be capable of accomplishing other goals as well.What this means is that for any story that you want to tell, your main character should be in a position to accomplish other things aside from making love. For example, a movie like 'The Notebook' was written in order to show the effect a breakup has on two characters. However, what th e movie was really doing was giving us an indication of how the main character might change over time.Although a romantic movie may use this type of structure, the point is that you should be able to write your romance with such a structure if you want to know how to write romantic chemistry in a novel or screenplay. Your main character is going to be forced to learn to make a living, and the books and movies that following them will involve him or her dealing with the conflict that will result from the choice they have made. You can write this event as being part of the plot of the book or film, or even using it as a way to deepen the relationship between the two main characters.Another thing you should do to keep track of how to write romantic chemistry in a book or screenplay is to keep your character arc fairly straight. Do not include flashbacks or homecomings because you will see that they just end up making the relationship between the two main characters harder to read, and sometimes harder to understand. Always have your characters face the consequences of their choices.In addition to this, you should make sure that your characters are in a position to succeed at the end of the book or movie. You may write down a few goals for your characters, but if you're not getting close to achieving them, then you should decide whether or not the story should end at the end of the third act, or continue on to the fourth.These are just a few tips for how to write romantic chemistry in a book or screenplays. By knowing what makes a good romance novel or screenplay, you can always work towards having a book or movie that is both realistic and compelling.

Intransitive Verb Errors

Intransitive Verb Errors Intransitive!    Not allowed.Source: Ville Miettinen  from Helsinki, Finland INCORRECT:   Recent studies have risen a number of key questions regarding the impact of CCTV on crime. CORRECT:       Recent studies have raised a number of key questions regarding the impact of CCTV on crime. RULE:     The verb    have risen is intransitive, and therefore it cannot have an object like  a number of key questions.     INCORRECT:     A work managed by Rost(1991) has shown up about two hundred definitions since 1900 till 1990, while the major part of writers didnt define it (Rost,1993). CORRECT:     A work managed by Rost(1991) has revealed about two hundred definitions since 1900 till 1990, while the major part of writers didnt define it (Rost,1993). RULE:      The verb    has shown up  is intransitive, and therefore it cannot have an object like  about two hundred definitions. Please follow and like us:

English Listening Exercise Hacking and Computer Viruses

English Listening Exercise Hacking and Computer Viruses Earlier today I asked our Facebook followers what they would like my next topic to be for our English blog, and one of them suggested hacking. At first I thought she was suggesting that our site had been hacked or something, but then I realized that this was, in fact, a great topic for our blog.Because we give our English classes via Skype, we tend to get a lot of technology savvy students, especially people with IT and programming backgrounds. So naturally, the subject of hacking should be interesting to many of you.But even if youre not that interested in IT, technology and hacking, Ive found a great TED video about hacking that should be interesting to just about anyone. In the video, Mikko Hypponen gives a brief history of one of the darker sides of hacking, the writing of computer viruses. He talks about meeting the writers of the first virus ever found, and the new, the criminal networks that encourage virus writing now, and the new and dangerous viruses that are infecting our computers.Why you should listen to Mikko Hypponen:The chief research officer at F-Secure Corporation in Finland, Mikko Hypponen has led his team through some of the largest computer virus outbreaks in history. His team took down the world-wide network used by the Sobig.F worm. He was the first to warn the world about the Sasser outbreak, and he has done classified briefings on the operation of the  Stuxnet worm a hugely complex worm designed to sabotage Iranian nuclear enrichment facilities.As a few hundred million more Internet users join the web from India and China and elsewhere, and as governments and corporations become more sophisticated at using viruses as weapons, Hypponen asks, whats next? Who will be at the front defending the world’s networks from malicious software? His work offers a peek into the post-Stuxnet future.Below youll find a video of Mikkos TED talk, as well as several listening questions. English is not Mikkos native language, and, although he speaks it ve ry well, we ask about two of his mistakes in the questions. Here are some vocabulary words you may want to check before listening to the video:  Connectivity,  Malware,  Monetize,  Encryption.Enjoy the video, and please contact us if youd like to take an English  class based on this video and the questions below.How does Mikko think our generation will be remembered by historians hundreds of years from now?What are the problems with the internet?What is the first virus ever?Where did it come from?Who opened the door at the home in Pakistan?Who wrote the original viruses?Who writes them now?What is GangstaBucks?What are key loggers?We now have a whole _______ _____ ____ and business ecosystem _____ _____ online crime.What grammar mistake does Mikko make at 8:36 (its a preposition error)?What was unusual about the 20 year old blogger in St. Petersburg?How did he catch the hacker?What mistake does he make at 13:32?Why is Stuxnet so dangerous?What does he think we need to do now?

Canvassing The Stigma and The Reality

Canvassing The Stigma and The Reality via Pexels.com What is all this about a quota? I thought this was about donating to good causes. Yes and no. More often than not, people who become canvassers care about the issues that they ask donations for, but as Ive said they probably need this job as well. In the office that I worked for, all canvassers had to make a weekly average of $130 in donations. If they did not, they were on review for the week, and if they did not make quota for the week they were on review, they lose the job. Think of it like this: Week one: Monday: $100 Tuesday: $70 Wednesday: $130 Thursday: $50 Friday: $90 Average: $88 Even though quota would have been made on Wednesday, since the average is $88, this staffer will be on review for the next week and have to make enough to cover the loss. What makes the stigma against this entry-level job different from others? The nature of the job is very different. There is practically no security, so its not as easy as this person thinks. If street canvassers were to stop doing what they do, theyd lose their job. Im not saying that there arent any bad canvassers because there are, and other canvassers dont like working with them. It is not the job of the canvassers to harass, accost, or be aggressive in any way. Ive definitely run into people who thought I was accosting them or invading their space despite the fact that I always stayed put and tried to be as kind as possible. Yes, theres a lot of them due to high demand. But, it is their job to wave people down and ask them for donations. They will probably try different tactics (or asks) to get passers-by to stop. Its how they make their quota and keep their jobs. Sometimes it works. If youre rude to them, try to tell them that they should move to a different place without having the authority to do so, or try to insist that they have the power to change the way that they do their job, you wont be backed up. Youll be made fun of for being willfully ignorant because youve never been a canvasser today. via Pexels.com Is this a good job for students? If you choose to have a canvassing job while also keeping up your schedule for classes, homework, other activities, its best to know how youre going to be managing your time. If you have a canvassing job and you go into work, youre committing to the entire day. While its possible to get some reading in during breaks, getting homework in that day and remembering to take care of yourself is difficult. Some offices, like the one I was in, are more lenient towards students. Theyre allowed to work three or even two days out of the week if they have to. Again, they need to make quota, and they have fewer days to do so. It is possible for a student to take this kind of job, but not something that I would recommend. Also, it isnt always safe. Canvassers from the office that Ive worked for have been maced, assaulted in other ways, and have had items stolen from them. The office encourages canvassers to contact authorities and inform other canvassers in their groups, but do not go to lengths to aid or compensate. What does a day in canvassing look like? In the office I worked for, canvassers had to sign in to the office and sign out a tablet and a T-shirt or vest to wear over their clothes. The T-shirt or vest would have the logo and name of the organization that the canvasser would be advertising for. After this is done, those in the office will go through a repetitive training that will help them get more people to give them donations. Directors of the office or field managers do the training. After the training is done, field managers with groups (or crews) are called for a quick meeting and given their assigned turf. Each canvassing group must canvass either on or two blocks in any direction from their turf. The field manager takes their groups to the turf, assigns locations to their canvassers. It is also the field managers job to assign breaks and fill out paperwork at the end of the day. As a field manager, when I took my crew back to the office to bring back tablets and T-shirts, I was called to the office prior to my crew to debrief with a director and talk about how many donations each person received. The director would then talk to each member of my crew about how they did that day. via Pexels.com How do canvassers get paid? This is, in my opinion, even more of a reason why street canvassers cant just stop. While there is a quota system, there is also a commission system. When I started working at a canvassing office, I made commission based off of how much money I received in donations over quota. So, for example, if I made $200 one day, I would get around 20% of $70 added to my paycheck. Otherwise, I made a minimum hourly wage. In other words, not a living wage. Then, the business model changed. The office average was displayed on a small whiteboard in the main office, and canvassers would make commission based on how much they made in donations over that office average. Essentially, I had to hope that I made more money in donations than everyone else so that I could make a living wage. This put many good and kind canvassers at a disadvantage and put the more aggressive canvassers at a distinct advantage, those who would steal foot traffic away from other canvassers by not working in their assigned space or moving to other spaces without arranging the move with their field manager. Neither one of these are entirely fair or very effective, and they are heavily biased towards fluent English speakers and those who are fully abled. People who rely on this job and have no other option cant just stop because certain people get conniption fits about being talked to while theyre walking. Im not referring to people with mental illnesses who are susceptible to panic attacks, I am referring to people who are willfully ignorant about what canvassing really is or what it entails, and choose to speak on a situation that they dont fully understand. It is important that those seeking a job in a large city and considering canvassing are aware of these things prior to their interview. Craigslist has some gem jobs on there at times, but a website that I recommend scouring is Indeed.com. Its easy to sign up with your CV and apply to several jobs that fit you quickly. Canvassing offices often have listings on this site, but there will always be more opportunities. It may take time and energy, but if you have this to spare, its worth it. If you dont have the time and are considering canvassing, its important to exercise caution and have questions at hand, especially for safety protocol and leniency for students.

May 2013 Interviews for Abu Dhabi Vocational Schools

May 2013 Interviews for Abu Dhabi Vocational Schools Teach in Abu Dhabi vocational schools! Vocational institutes in Abu Dhabi are now hiring instructors through Teach Away.Abu Dhabi Vocational School Teaching JobsSubject areas include, but are not limited to, the following:EnglishMathematicsPhysicsMechanical engineeringElectrical engineeringICTVisual arts/multimediaPhysical educationHealth educationAviationRequirements and BenefitsRequirements vary by position. Please visit Teach Away's list of teaching jobs abroad to view each job posting individually. In general, however, these positions require a Bachelor's degree in the field plus three years of relevant teaching experience or three years of industry experience. A teaching certification is recommended but is not required for every position.Benefits include a monthly tax-free salary of 11,000-13,000 AED/month (approximately $3,000-3,500 USD), subsidized accommodation, and airfare reimbursement.Interviews and ApplicationCandidates who pass a preliminary phone interview with Teach Aw ay will be required to attend an in-person interview in Houston or St. Louis. Interviews will be held in Houston from May 12-14, and St. Louis on May 15-18.Interested candidates should apply online through Teach Away.

Studying on your own

Studying on your own Today it's easier than ever to learn and study on your own. There have never been so many resources available since the internet became accessible to everyone worldwide. However, it is also true that it's easy to get carried away with too much information and become frustrated so it's important to research all the help available first in order to not waste time. If you are confident with your study methods and can organise your time effectively, you are half way there to obtaining the results you need. If on the contrary you feel rather lost as to where or how to begin with your studies, you will be happy to know that some private tutors provide study skills as a subject so a few lessons could prove invaluable Recognising what learning method is for you is of vital importance if you are studying on your own. Below are just three of the most common learning styles. Visual imagery If you know that your learning style is visual you can benefit from several well-known techniques to help memorise material. The method of loci or diagrams and mind maps are examples. SimpleMindFree is a popular mind mapping app that students find useful. Auditory learning If mind mapping and drawing aren't for you then perhaps listening and speaking is. If you repeat a phone number out loud and find you are able to memorise the number easily then this method could be perfect for you. Auditory learners may find they need to have background sound to be able to concentrate and memorise. I had a friend who used to listen to Zed Zeppelin when studying (with earphones thankfully!) he claimed it helped him understand and retain information. You will probably need to hear the words so read out loud whenever possible. Repetition Whatever your learning method or style may be, experts believe that repetition works for everyone. Spaced repetition which involves learning in short bursts over time and testing yourself repeatedly is believed to be far more effective than endless nights of study with little sleep and last minute cramming. Digital flashcards are one of the ways you can incorporate visual and auditory elements. Cram.com, a popular flashcard app that you most certainly will find helpful.

Saint Valentines Day, Interesting Facts for Knowledge Lovers

Saint Valentines Day, Interesting Facts for Knowledge Lovers Saint Valentines Day, observed on February 14 each year, is a fascinating festival of romantic love, when people show appreciation for their loved ones and friends. The celebration of the Feast of Saint Valentine is commonly accompanied with symbols of love, hearts, red roses, images and models of Cupid. On Valentine’s Day lovers, family members and friends exchange greeting cards, letters, flowers, chocolates and other gifts, arrange romantic meals or weekend breaks. People who have romantic feelings for somebody often use the occasion to make this known. Valentines Day is also a popular date for getting engaged and for weddings. Valentines Day is celebrated  with great fervor in many countries around the world, even though it is not a state recognized holiday and remains a working day in most of them. It  is the second most celebrated holiday around the world after New Year’s Day and the second-largest holiday for giving greeting cards, after Christmas. Traditions related with this holiday vary from country to country but everywhere the day is focused on romance, love, appreciation and friendship. However, romantic atmosphere is not the only one virtue of Saint Valentines Day. It is also featured with an interesting historical background. The origins of this joyful holiday are rather vague and gloomy. There are many theories but the most popular of them claims that Valentines Day evolved from the story of Saint Valentine, who was a Roman priest during the reign of Claudius II. Claudius prohibited marriage during wartime  because single men were better soldiers. Valentine disobeyed  the Emperor  and performed secret wedding ceremonies. For this, he was jailed and then martyred  around February 14 in the year 270 CE. According to legend, being in jail, Valentine wrote a love note to the jailors daughter with whom he had fallen in love. He signed his letter: From your Valentine. So it was St. Valentine himself who sent the first valentine. In fact, there were at least three different Saint Valentines throughout history: one was a priest, another one a bishop and one more is just known for being a martyr. The priest’s and bishop’s stories are so closely related that it is difficult to tell which St. Valentine the holiday is named after. The church used the day of St Valentine’s martyrdom to Christianize the old Roman Lupercalia, an ancient fertility festival held around the middle of February. On the eve of Lupercalia, young unmarried men draw names of young women in a lottery and they were paired off for the next year. Ancient Romans believed that birds also chose their mates on February 14th. In 496 A.D., Pope Gelasius assigned February 14 to honor St. Valentine in order to disassociate this date with the Lupercalia festival. Unlike the ancient tradition, the Christian church replaced girls’ names by saints’ names and the participant was supposed to model his life after the saint whose name he drew from the box. However, in the Middle Ages the girls’ names got back again and young people started to draw names from a bowl to see who their valentines would be. Eventually St. Valentine’s Day became associated with romance, exchanging love notes, presentation of flowers and confections. Valentine cards were always a very popular part of  the Valentines Day celebrations. Traditionally, lovers exchanged handwritten valentines. The oldest surviving valentine was written by Charles, the Duke of Orleans, who sent it on Valentines Day to his wife after being captured in 1415. In the seventeenth century a new sophisticated variant of Valentine cards True Love Knots â€" became extremely popular in the U.S. and England. These Valentines were drawn as a knot and were readable from any line and still made sense. Commercial cards appeared in the mid-19th century, when the interest in Valentines Day started to grow rapidly. Early versions of these cards were fashioned of satin and lace and ornamented with flowers, ribbons, and images of cupids or birds. Today, about 1 billion Valentine cards are exchanged in the U.S. each year. Interestingly, the most Valentines Day cards are given to teachers. Statistically,  teachers receive more Valentine cards than kids, mothers, wives, sweethearts and pets. The fact, that students use this romantic holiday as an opportunity to express their gratitude to those people who are planting the seeds of knowledge into their young minds, gives grounds for considering Saint Valentines Day also a day of a Love for Learning. So, don’t forget to send a greeting card to your favorite tutor. Happy Valentines Day! Saint Valentines Day, Interesting Facts for Knowledge Lovers Saint Valentines Day, observed on February 14 each year, is a fascinating festival of romantic love, when people show appreciation for their loved ones and friends. The celebration of the Feast of Saint Valentine is commonly accompanied with symbols of love, hearts, red roses, images and models of Cupid. On Valentine’s Day lovers, family members and friends exchange greeting cards, letters, flowers, chocolates and other gifts, arrange romantic meals or weekend breaks. People who have romantic feelings for somebody often use the occasion to make this known. Valentines Day is also a popular date for getting engaged and for weddings. Valentines Day is celebrated  with great fervor in many countries around the world, even though it is not a state recognized holiday and remains a working day in most of them. It  is the second most celebrated holiday around the world after New Year’s Day and the second-largest holiday for giving greeting cards, after Christmas. Traditions related with this holiday vary from country to country but everywhere the day is focused on romance, love, appreciation and friendship. However, romantic atmosphere is not the only one virtue of Saint Valentines Day. It is also featured with an interesting historical background. The origins of this joyful holiday are rather vague and gloomy. There are many theories but the most popular of them claims that Valentines Day evolved from the story of Saint Valentine, who was a Roman priest during the reign of Claudius II. Claudius prohibited marriage during wartime  because single men were better soldiers. Valentine disobeyed  the Emperor  and performed secret wedding ceremonies. For this, he was jailed and then martyred  around February 14 in the year 270 CE. According to legend, being in jail, Valentine wrote a love note to the jailors daughter with whom he had fallen in love. He signed his letter: From your Valentine. So it was St. Valentine himself who sent the first valentine. In fact, there were at least three different Saint Valentines throughout history: one was a priest, another one a bishop and one more is just known for being a martyr. The priest’s and bishop’s stories are so closely related that it is difficult to tell which St. Valentine the holiday is named after. The church used the day of St Valentine’s martyrdom to Christianize the old Roman Lupercalia, an ancient fertility festival held around the middle of February. On the eve of Lupercalia, young unmarried men draw names of young women in a lottery and they were paired off for the next year. Ancient Romans believed that birds also chose their mates on February 14th. In 496 A.D., Pope Gelasius assigned February 14 to honor St. Valentine in order to disassociate this date with the Lupercalia festival. Unlike the ancient tradition, the Christian church replaced girls’ names by saints’ names and the participant was supposed to model his life after the saint whose name he drew from the box. However, in the Middle Ages the girls’ names got back again and young people started to draw names from a bowl to see who their valentines would be. Eventually St. Valentine’s Day became associated with romance, exchanging love notes, presentation of flowers and confections. Valentine cards were always a very popular part of  the Valentines Day celebrations. Traditionally, lovers exchanged handwritten valentines. The oldest surviving valentine was written by Charles, the Duke of Orleans, who sent it on Valentines Day to his wife after being captured in 1415. In the seventeenth century a new sophisticated variant of Valentine cards True Love Knots â€" became extremely popular in the U.S. and England. These Valentines were drawn as a knot and were readable from any line and still made sense. Commercial cards appeared in the mid-19th century, when the interest in Valentines Day started to grow rapidly. Early versions of these cards were fashioned of satin and lace and ornamented with flowers, ribbons, and images of cupids or birds. Today, about 1 billion Valentine cards are exchanged in the U.S. each year. Interestingly, the most Valentines Day cards are given to teachers. Statistically,  teachers receive more Valentine cards than kids, mothers, wives, sweethearts and pets. The fact, that students use this romantic holiday as an opportunity to express their gratitude to those people who are planting the seeds of knowledge into their young minds, gives grounds for considering Saint Valentines Day also a day of a Love for Learning. So, don’t forget to send a greeting card to your favorite tutor. Happy Valentines Day!