Premium Essay

Desert Years Research Paper

Submitted By
Words 1222
Pages 5
The Desert Years

Now, this is where I wish I could tell my happy ending, where I acquire unstoppable confidence, strike it filthy rich a few years later and fly off in my pink unicorn to my mansion on top of a hill at the end of the rainbow, where I sip glasses of Cristal and party nightly with the likes of Diddy and Naomi Campbell.

Nope. Definitely not with me.

Instead, I entered into another "desert" period in my life that lasted five years. It was a period where I experienced very little if any growth whatsoever. Instead I went around in circles, reading book, after book after book, going to different seminars, visiting a hypnotist, talking to coaches, listening to CD after CD, etc, all in the hopes of finding that magic pill, that one …show more content…
I would read each book accompanied with a "trusty" highlighter pen, highlighting everything I found insightful in the book, hoping that somehow these words would seep into my consciousness and help change me.

Sadly, that didn't happen. All I'd get was a dry highlighter pen, but no real personal growth. I instead become a walking "self help" encyclopedia, full of inspirational quotes that made me look all positive and enlightened. I probably was able to recite to you on command, page 73 of every book I read, that's how into "improving myself" I was.

As I read more and more books, I'd feel more "enlightened" and "knowledgeable", but at times, I'd have a somber moment where I'd say to myself, "you have all this knowledge, you've read all these books, but where's the REAL growth?" I'd ponder this briefly and then think, "Oh well, on to the next book!" and sweep the one insight that I TRULY needed to pay attention to under the …show more content…
I went to a hypnotist, hoping she would be able to hypnotize me to be a confident person....that didn't' work. In fact in retrospect, I just think she was a sucky hypnotist (no offense to her). The only "improvement" I got from her was a lesson of not to EVER waste my money or time with her again.

I talked to several coaches...nothing. In fact, one got so frustrated with me he almost kicked me out of his coaching group.

It's funny, because during this period, I remember talking to a guy in my gym who I have to say, was a complete mess. He would complain to me over and over again about his girlfriend and how he didn't trust her. The obvious solution to his "problem" that I would explain to him was to leave her, but he'd have a barrel of excuses of why he couldn't do that. Yet, what surprised me was that he was an avid reader of self-help books, just like me, having ready many of the ones I had. He in fact bragged that he had a whole suitcase full of these books. I thought to myself in utter disgust, "Is this guy serious? Why is this guy such a debacle if he is supposed to have read all these

Similar Documents

Free Essay

English

...article discusses how the price of everything has increased over the last few years especially groceries. It states that in 2011, food prices increased 4.8 percent on average. It discusses how certain staple items like chicken, beef, and vegetables have increased in the double digits. They suggest that current politicians would understand the frustration most Americans feel if they took the time to take a shopping trip and do the math themselves. The article indicates that the cost of buying fresh produce has increased drastically. This article can be used in the first section of my research paper where I try to convince the reader that in most supermarkets the price of fresh produce has increased so sharply that fast food healthy menu items are a less costly alternative. Kuzemchak, S., & RD. (n.d.). 20 Healthy Fast-Food Meals. Family Circle - Teens, Family, Food, Style and More. Retrieved February 4, 2012, from http://www.familycircle.com/health/weight-loss/diet-tips/healthy-fast-food/?page=2 This article lists 20 healthy fast food meals from local and nationwide restaurants. It also lists the calories, nutritional values, and low calorie alternatives from the not so healthy menu. This article indicates that no matter how little time you have because of work deadlines, carpooling etc. There is a fast food restaurant that will support your diet. This idea can be used in the third section of my paper because it supports the fact that most people don't have the time to travel...

Words: 705 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Racial and Stereotypes

...information by sources as television, cartoons or even comic books (Tripod). This is a definition that seems to go against many public standards. The above words are the exact definition of stereotypes. Stereotypes as understood from the definition, goes mostly hand in hand with media -- only not the regular meaning of the innocent media we know. Media propaganda is the other form of media that is rather described as media manipulation. In this paper, the following will be discussed: first, how stereotypes of ethnic groups function in propaganda, why does it function so well, and finally, the consequences of these stereotypes on the life of Egyptians in particular in society. A fair examination will be conducted on this example of stereotypes through clarification examples and research results from researches conducted from reliable sources. The real association between Egyptians’ stereotypes and propaganda discussed in this paper shall magnify the association of stereotypes and propaganda in general. It seems necessary for this paper to start with some clarification of the terms associated with propaganda. Propaganda can be thought of as a foster parent for stereotypes. Propaganda is known to be the intentional manipulation of public opinion through hidden messages in advertisements and other media functions. Thus, propaganda uses many techniques to be able to deliver theses hidden messages to the public and influence their opinion. Fear, brainwashing, name calling, glittering...

Words: 1346 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Deserts and the Effects It Has on Society

...Food Deserts-The Impact Food Deserts Have on Today’s Society Abstract Food Deserts is defined as large and isolated geographic areas in which mainstream grocery stores are absent or distant. The research has demonstrated the statistical link between Food Deserts and worse diet-related health outcomes, after controlling other key factors. The actual term ‘food deserts’ is quoted, by S. CUMMINS (British Medical Journal, 2002, Vol.325, p.436), as having been originally used by a resident of a public sector housing scheme in the west of Scotland in the early 1990s. There are several ways to look at food deserts. 1). low- Income Project 2). The independent. 3). The observer 4). The guardian. This research paper will elaborate on the ways foods deserts are defined and what affect it has on the health and well being of cultural families and communities. Table of Contents Page Abstract …………………………………………………………………………………………...2 Table of Contents ………………………………………………………………………………....3 Chapter One Context of the Problem ……………………………………………………………………......5-10 Statement of the Problem ……………………………………………………………………10-16 Research Questions ……………………………………………………………………………...16 Significance of the Study ……………………………………………………………………16-19 Objective of Study …………………………………………………………………………...19-20 Research Design and Methodology ……………………………………………………………..20 Materials ………………………………………………………………………………………...20 Organization of the Study………………………………………………………………………..21 Limitation of...

Words: 14390 - Pages: 58

Premium Essay

Illegal Immigration, American/Mexican Border

...Illegal Immigration and Border Policy In recent years, Illegal immigration has been a contemporary political and social debate. It has been the platform of many politicians, especially in the southwest, and it is often a popular subject in news media. People in favor of strict immigration policy often claim that illegal immigrants are costly to the American economy and that they take American jobs. The border control policy is ineffective, it is often too costly for its effectiveness. Border policies have increased the number of immigrant deaths in the deserts of border states. Not only that but the US/Mexico border is harmful to the environment. The anti-immigration policy that's currently in effect goes against a rich cultural history in North America. Lastly, popular arguments made for strict immigration will be brought to light. In 2006, George W. Bush signed H.R. 6061, also known as the Secure Fence Act, in an attempt to increase border security and expand the US/Mexico Border. Prompted by heightened national security measures after 9/11, the bill was designed to "help protect the American people" and marked " an important step toward immigration reform" (Bush 2006). The bill doubled funding for border security, increasing expenditures from $4.6 billion in 2001 to $10.4 billion in 2006. This money went to "[authorize] the construction of hundreds of miles of additional fencing along our Southern border" and to "[deploy] thousands of National Guard members to assist...

Words: 1810 - Pages: 8

Free Essay

Bibliography

...How to Make a Bibliography - A Handy Guideline -- Based on the 6th Edition of MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. A BIBLIOGRAPHY is a list of sources used by the writer of a research paper, including books, encyclopedias, newspapers, magazines, pamphlets, interviews, and electronic media.  All the sources used are listed alphabetically.      NOTE:  Book titles must be either underlined: Ants or italicized: Ants.  NOTE:  Pay attention to spacing, capitalization and punctuation. NOTE: When more than one publication location is cited on the title page, the first city should be the one noted on your bibliopgraphy. Place of publication usually includes the Name of the City, and the abbreviation of the State: Greenwood, CT. NOTE: The information for your bibliography should come from the Title Page of each book, NOT THE COVER, the SPINE or other sources (such as WebCat.) BOOKS  ONE AUTHOR  Overbeck, Cynthia.  Ants.  Minneapolis:  Lerner Publication         Company, 1982.   Author's last name, Author's first name.  Title.  Place of publication:  Publisher, copyright date.   TWO OR THREE AUTHORS   Sewell, Barbara and Patrick Lynch.  A First Look at Ants.  New York:           Walker & Company, 1992. First Author's last name, First Author's first name and Full Names of 2nd and 3rd Authors. Title. Place of publication: Publisher, copyright date.    MORE THAN THREE AUTHORS Anderson, Norman D., et al. Ants : using biological indicators to                  ...

Words: 2414 - Pages: 10

Premium Essay

Difficulties of Crossing the Border & Fear of Deportation When Being in the United States

...Many immigrants come to the United States for a better future for their families and themselves, but not knowing the difficulties they must face crossing the border to get here first. Immigrants know it is not an easy thing to do migrating to the United States because it is not that simple as getting on a plane and heading over here. They must face many challenges and risks crossing the border without getting caught or killed. Once they finally get here (the ones that survive) they realize the danger is not over, but it just beginning. Immigrants that migrate to the United States in pursue of a better life for their families and themselves, but face the first challenge even before crossing the border, which is leaving their families behind. “When men and women immigrate illegally to the United States, they often leave much more than a town and a country. They leave fathers and mothers, husbands and wives, sons and daughters. The children sometimes grow up not knowing their parents — and sometimes never seeing them again. In some cases, they come to resent the parent who isn’t there at Christmas or on their birthday or to tuck them in at night.” (Trevizo) leaving family behind is the most difficult thing for a parent because you do not know if you will die trying to cross the border or how long it will take to be reunited with the ones you love. They have to say goodbye to their love ones like if it is the last time he or she will see them again. Immigrants pay money to be...

Words: 1574 - Pages: 7

Free Essay

Windshield Paper

...Windshield Survey Assessment Paper Windshield Survey Assessment Paper Physical The city of Victorville began in 1962 and started off with a population of 8,000 that has grown to be a population of 121,000, and continues to grow (92392 Zip Code Population and Races, n.d.). The condition of the houses appear to be in mint condition with the exception of some homes in the area of El Evado and Pacoima that have lawns that are dead and full of weeds.  The paint on these homes are chipped and not well kept. There are many apartments in Victorville that appear to look old on the outside, but each apartment building has been renovated to look more twenty first century. There aren't many abandoned houses in the city of Victorville but there abandoned vehicles in front of houses that have oxidized paint and dust covering them. The houses in the neighborhoods are very similar in their layout, the only difference each house has is the color of the paint on outside of the house. Some residents have also added on additions to their homes such as extra rooms or in ground pools, which have raised the equity in these homes. There is one abandoned building that stands out in Victorville and that is because it is in a shopping center that has flourishing businesses within that same parking lot that use to be an Albertsons. This building has been empty for a couple years and is located on Bear Valley and Amargosa. There is a large number of stray dogs in Victorville due to the faulty wooden...

Words: 2387 - Pages: 10

Free Essay

Lebanon vs. Egypt

...Lebanon vs. Egypt Economies of Emerging Nations Dr. Yiheyis | Clark Atlanta University Submitted By: Quincy Williams December 2,2014 Lebanon vs. Egypt In this paper I will compare and contrast the countries of Egypt and Lebanon. I will explore both of the country’s economic history starting in 1980. The basis of this paper will be on the country’s global development indicators and what they tell us about that particular country. The majority of the research done in this paper was done through the world-bank website as well as the economy watch website. First I would like to provide some background on Lebanon. Lebanon is a Middle Eastern country in the west of the Asian continent that shares its borders with Syria, Israel and Mediterranean Sea. Most of Lebanon’s land is mountainous. However, the Beqaa valley, with its fertile soil, remains the source for agricultural products. Lebanon has an area of 10,452 square km and population of 4,224,000. The Lebanese economy is noted for its resilience, having withstood wars and invasions with Israel as well as internal sectarian clashes and at times dominating influence from Syria. It is this resilience that helped Lebanon achieve 9% growth during the Great Financial Crisis. The growth was nurtured by controlled banking regulations that restricted credit and therefore, its impact during the recession. As of 2011, the World Bank classified the middle class in Lebanon as those people who earn between $15,000 and $27,000 annually. But...

Words: 1909 - Pages: 8

Premium Essay

John's Meat Market Case Analysis

...The stopover at the secluded desert research facility induced Marvin to reminisce on the subject of his war years. During the war, he headed up a team of scientists and engineers that worked on the detonation device for the nuclear bomb. To maximize devastation, the bomb needed to unleash its ferocity above the ground, in contrast to conventional bombs that explode on impact. Marvin and his team engineered a system that detonated the bomb at the appropriate altitude by precisely timing a radar signal bounced off the ground. Since the apparatus that the team developed remained untested until the bomb dropped on Hiroshima, the usually self-confident engineer anxiously waited until the device performed its function successfully over the Japanese...

Words: 1453 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

Course Materials

...|[pic] |Syllabus | | |School of Business | | |LDR/531 Version 4 | | |Organizational Leadership | Copyright © 2011, 2009, 2008 by University of Phoenix. All rights reserved. Course Description This course prepares students to apply leadership principles to the roles they play as managers. Students will discover more about themselves and will learn more about the connection between the individual and the organization. Other topics include organizational culture, structure, group behavior, motivation, power, politics, organizational change, and workplace conflict. Policies Faculty and students/learners will be held responsible for understanding and adhering to all policies contained within the following two documents: University policies: You must be logged into the student website to view this document. Instructor policies: This document is posted in the Course Materials forum.2+10+ University policies are subject to change. Be sure to read the policies at the...

Words: 2157 - Pages: 9

Premium Essay

Bubonic Plague

...today is a matter of concern. Your bubonic plague research paper would revolve around the premise of it being a deadly disease, but we assure you that we won’t scare you by the facts. Bubonic plague is typically differentiated from other infections because of its roots in the bacteria, Yersinia pestis or Pastuerella pestis. The bacteria typically infects the spleen, lungs, kidneys and brain. It is spread by virtue of rats and fleas. The staff at ProfEssays.com could as Help with Bubonic Plague Research Paperwell spell out some of its symptoms as shivering chills staggering gait stuttered speech memory loss weakness The early symptoms lead to graver consequences, and the ultimate zenith is reached when the patient ultimately breaths his last. Several deaths were caused by bubonic plague in the 14th century when medical science wasn’t developed as it is today. A nursing and healthcare term paper could focus on the facilities provided to modern healthcare officials that were not available in the 14th century. It killed almost 30 per cent of the contemporary European population. Infection is spread through fleas and rodents. It is a common occurrence to have rodents whenever there are earthquakes or other such calamities. The disease was known as the Black Death. A death essay customised to bubonic plague or any other deadly disease could explain the intricacies associated with bubonic plague. Your bubonic plague research paper could tell you how it was brought to Marseilles...

Words: 1154 - Pages: 5

Free Essay

Asian Culture

...Research Term Paper Vladimir Duverger Tues, Thurs (11:15-12:30) November 6th, 2014 To begin, Haitian culture is a very diverse and was engrained into me as I grew up, being that I had a Haitian mother. One of the most diverse things about the culture and one thing that many people can agree with, is the food. As for me, that's one of my favorite things about being Haitian-Dominican decent as I get to eat the amazing food. But another culture who's food is a big part of their being, are Asians and their style of cooking and what they eat and what they make, and etc. So I thought, why not visit or get in depth with another culture whose food is a huge part of their being. And for this paper, I've decided to get into Asian food and how it differs from my culture as well as the importance it plays in their culture. To continue, as I began to think of where I can go to try real Asian food to really speak on for this essay, I remembered about my neighbor. My neighbor whom is of Chinese descent owns restaurant called 'Asia Town'. When I approached him about wanting to learn about different Asian foods and taste them, he invited me for a free meal at his restaurant to try some of his popular dishes. He even explained to me that a lot of his food is cooked by himself and though he gets help from his mother, he makes sure to keep the 'Asian style' in his food. A lot of popular buffets make their food 'mainstream' according to him and he mentioned to me...

Words: 1813 - Pages: 8

Free Essay

Pimping Central America

...poverty that you are forced to risk your life to flee to another country in hopes to take care of your family. Hoping and praying to find “under the table” jobs such as roofing, gardening, grounds maintenance, cleaning houses and/or agricultural work. Central American’s do this on a daily and nightly basis; combing through the desert heats during the summer and its vicious coldness in the winter in hopes of a brighter future. Some get lucky and others either get caught and deported back to Mexico or, worse yet, trafficked and sold into a life of servitude (slavery). “Although it’s the 14th largest economy in the world, rural Mexico is still very unequal. Depending on the measure, between one-third and one-half of Mexicans live in poverty and up to 18 percent live in extreme poverty, unable to meet their basic food needs.” ("Bread For The World Institute", 2011). In this paper I will discuss death rates, risks and benefits (to include programs) of crossing through the desert for an undetermined future in the United States of America. I will also focus on the trafficking and prostitution rings between the United States and Central America. By the end of this paper I will have explained how and why these issues of Central American’s immigrating into the United States meet the specifications of the Social Structure Theory because of the poverty disturbance in their system. * Understanding the Social Structure Theory Moffitt (2015), “Herbert Spencer (1820-1903) was an English philosopher...

Words: 2488 - Pages: 10

Premium Essay

Marketing

...Marketing Theory http://mtq.sagepub.com/ Marketing the hegemony of development: of pulp fictions and green deserts Steffen Böhm and Vinícius Brei Marketing Theory 2008 8: 339 DOI: 10.1177/1470593108096540 The online version of this article can be found at: http://mtq.sagepub.com/content/8/4/339 Published by: http://www.sagepublications.com Additional services and information for Marketing Theory can be found at: Email Alerts: http://mtq.sagepub.com/cgi/alerts Subscriptions: http://mtq.sagepub.com/subscriptions Reprints: http://www.sagepub.com/journalsReprints.nav Permissions: http://www.sagepub.com/journalsPermissions.nav Citations: http://mtq.sagepub.com/content/8/4/339.refs.html Downloaded from mtq.sagepub.com at Glasgow University Library on July 5, 2011 Volume 8(4): 339–366 Copyright © 2008 SAGE www.sagepublications.com DOI: 10.1177/1470593108096540 articles Marketing the hegemony of development: of pulp fictions and green deserts1 Steffen Böhm University of Essex, UK Vinícius Brei Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Brazil Abstract. In this paper we analyze the role of marketing in the construction of what can be called the hegemony of development. Through an investigation of the marketing practices of the pulp and paper industry in South America and the resistances that are articulated by a range of civil society actors against the expansion of this industry, we problematize marketing as a political and contested...

Words: 13036 - Pages: 53

Premium Essay

Peru Research Paper

...has many medicinal values in the body such as curing, fever, malaria and helping diabetes. Even though the Andes mountains cover most of the western part of Peru the Jungle gets more than 100- 160 inches of rainfall a year. When they get this much rainfall many of their rivers, such as the Amazon get overflooded and provide rich soil into other parts of the area. All around the rainforest there is a constant temperature of 72-93. Peru has more than ninety percent and even up to 100 percent of humidity in all parts of the...

Words: 1345 - Pages: 6