Running Errands and Doing Chores

Running Errands and Doing Chores Running Errands and Doing Chores Running Errands and Doing Chores By Maeve Maddox An English teacher from the Philippines wants to know the difference between errands and chores. The word errand is most commonly used in the sense of a short journey taken to perform some necessary duty. Some examples of errands are: taking or fetching clothes from the cleaners; taking mail to the post office; filling the car with fuel, taking sacks of leaves to the compost center, etc. The word errand comes from Old English à ¦rende message, mission. The message was usually carried by a servant or low-ranking soldier. Errand still has the connotation of something of minor importance that can be carried out by anyone. An employee might complain of being an errand boy if all hes allowed to do is unimportant work. The expression to go on a fools errand means to set out to accomplish something that turns out to be impossible to accomplish. Similar to going on fools errand is going on a wild goose chase. A chore can be simply a necessary domestic task such as vacuuming or taking out the garbage, or it can be used in the sense of a really tiresome, time-consuming task. Here are some examples from the internet of the two meanings of chore. Chore as household responsibilities Lets face it sometimes, doing your chores can be a drag! Doing household chores does not have to be boring or a waste of time. If you dont have time to go to the gym and workout or stay at home and lift weights, you can combine muscle building with doing household chores. There are many ways to save time doing your daily chores. You can make life easier by staying ahead on things instead of procrastinating. Daily chores include laundry, dishes, sweep, vacuum and mopping. Even washing up your sinks in your kitchen and bathrooms. Chore as an onerous task That sure was a chore trying over and over to get you all the actual link. Washing my toddlers hair was a choremoving around causing shampoo and water in eyes and earswhich drove her crazy. Combined with more explosions than the bombing of Iraq with Michael Bays patented swooping camera shots, the film was a chore to watch from beginning to end. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:How to Format a UK Business LetterDisappointed + PrepositionWhen to use "an"

PDP (Professional Development Plan) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

PDP (Professional Development Plan) - Essay Example 57). It is through such management skills that will not only help in the current situation, but also in others to come. Taking managing conflict and stress as my goal, I have been able to master management skills that help me overcome several situations around my life. I am married and currently pregnant with my child. I am studying abroad and my husband is currently at my home country. I have had to deal with some situations of conflict management and stress. In order to deal with my situation, my goal is to come up with a way on how I can manage conflict and stress. As a student, I occasionally encounter conflict from home in the sense that I have to balance between family and studies. There are my studies that demand my time, and there is also my husband whom I have to give time. Conflict sometimes usually arise when my husband calls just when I am getting ready for a presentation or a continuous assessment test. The two are equally indispensable to me and I cannot afford to ignor e one at the expense of the other. At the same time I have to maintain my pre-natal checks with my doctor at the clinic. For a while I was stressed when I could not find a solution. So what I did was to engage in critical thinking to analyse possible ways out. It was then that something clicked onto my mind. I resolved that rather than wait for my husband to call me, which he could do any time, I resolved I would call him whenever I was out jogging or in the clinic waiting to be attended to. These are activities that I do quite often so it guaranteed that I would be calling him that often. Besides, I also knew it would help us connect with our baby because I could inform him of our progress. This way, I was sure I would eliminate the apparent conflict and put to end things that stress me up. During my free time, I also resolved I would be reading some books that brighten my moods. Using that approach, I am certain that I will manage the issues that were previously a bother to me. Le arning Skills: Improve My Presentation skills In order to improve my presentation skills, I will have to focus on my communication skills. It is through effective communication that I will be able to put across my ideas and impact on my audience as I planned (McKay et al., 2009, p. 39). To begin with, I will be keen to focus on the clarity of the message. Many ideas end up being misunderstood and consequently not eliciting the expected behaviour just because they did not come out as envisioned. As such, I will focus on clarity of voice, word choice and concise explanation in all my presentations. Besides, I will also improve my presentation skills through appropriate facial expression so that my audience is also kept active and interested in the presentation. It has been observed that appropriate facial expressions help to amplify the message being conveyed especially when a vital point has to be made (Steele, 2009, p. 214). In addition, I would also improve my presentation skills b y accompanying my presentation with pictographs where applicable. For instance, where I need to emphasize on deviation from a previous market trend, I will use comparative graphs that indicate the old and the new trends. This way, my audience will be able to easily grasp my ideas and keep up with me. Besides, visuals also help other who may have missed the some bits of information orally. Something else that I will also do to improve my presentation skills is to practice my presentation before hand. Instead of waiting to

Research paper, chidren and junk food, what is the most influential Essay

Research paper, chidren and junk food, what is the most influential environment on children' love for junk food - Essay Example In this context social environment includes political and economic aspects outside the family environment. The thesis of the paper states that the family unit is better placed to deal which children food behaviors given the fact that it can regulate the impacts of social environment. Family environment is said to have the most significance impact on the choices children make especially with regard to fast foods. Mothers with a preference of junk food especially during pregnancy or breastfeeding are likely to pass the same eating choices to their children. According to a research by University of Adelaide, children can be addicted to high-sugar diet through maternal influence. The research urges that fast food is responsible for production of dopamine, which is a feel-good hormone. It remains active among the children born to mothers with high levels of the hormone. Such children will have to eat higher amounts of junk food to achieve the same stimulation. The research suggested that junk food is addictive. Some parents fall short of resisting children demands. The end result is that they give them money to purchase junk food. Fast food should be balanced with healthy food. Parents are expected to resist unhealthy demands from children especially with regard to fast foods. The internet has had a significant impact on the home environment (Whitacre 39). Parents rarely encourage healthy lifestyles for their children. In the United States, many children have television sets in their bedrooms (Whitacre 33). A rising percentage of children between 6 and 17 are said to have exposure to unhealthy food through television influence. This has led to increase energy intake through junk food. According to AAP, children should not have television sets in their bedrooms. Research indicates that a large number of children do not eat meals together with their family in most days of the week. This is encourages unchecked food behavior among children. According to studies, health y eating behaviors are said to develop when families take meals together. It is estimated that food prepared at home is more nutritious that take away or fast food. Families are better placed to regulate sugar intake and access to drinking water. This improves the food environment and minimizes the effects of fast foods. Parents are better placed to regulate the movement of children. This means they can limit access to retail venues that offer fast foods. The level of exposure and parental guidance plays a major role in the health and eating habits of a child. Parental advice can make children less susceptible to fast food campaigns (Whitacre 29). Research indicates that children tend to have parental preferences. Yet, few parents take time to discuss eating habits with their children. This has caused the social environment to overwhelm the family environment is some instances. There is a massive compaign against fast food. Some parents have rejected some schools on the basis on die t alone. Parents can influence the school diet by choosing institutions that are sensitive to children healthy diet. A compelling example is the schools that ban sodas and sugar-sweetened food. The role of social environment is expansive. Fast food bans for children would be welcome. This would mean banning some fast food restaurants that target children. It would also encourage banning fast food in school environments. The number of fast food chains has been increasing. The restaurants are available in local environments. Most of the choices

Why Cats Are Bad Pets Essay Example for Free

Why Cats Are Bad Pets Essay In ancient Egypt, they held cats up high for poise and grace; they even had a goddess cat, named Bast (Bastet). When Egyptians lost their cat, they would mourn as if they lost a family member. To kill a cat, even accidentally, was an automatic death sentence. Cats were believed to be guardians of the gates of hell, and to prevent demons, ghouls, and spirits from escaping, and prevent them from entering homes of humans. So why people find this animal cute, adorable, and friendly is beyond me. Who would want a pet that was held up to be a god? That people have killed over and treated like a human? That is associated with hell and all its demons? Animals aren’t human, so these cats should be treated exactly like pets. Not equals, not â€Å"man’s best friend†, but an animal. You can’t take them everywhere with you like you can a dog, and if you leave them home, they may pee everywhere, claw up the couch, get into everything they shouldn’t, and make a ridiculous mess. Cats are a bit messy. They like to sleep everywhere, and leave their hair of the couch cushions, curtains, comforter, and your clothes. They walk on your ledges, and if you have picture frames, candles, or any type of dà ©cor, they will knock it over. It’s just a given, you’ll come home to your things on the floor. It seems like every time you’re walking, or in the kitchen, they are right there by your feet, weaving too and fro as you are trying to get from one place to the other. It’s almost like they are trying to kill you. They have no respect for your personal space. If you’re sitting on one end of the couch, taking up only one cushion, they will feel obliged to jump up on your lap and stay there till you have to move. If you do move, and come back, good luck getting back on their good side, because they want nothing to do with you. They have a lot of diva in them. One minute they want every little bit of your attention, and the next they want nothing to do with you and will hiss if you as much as reach your hand out to them. Because of this attitude, they will choose to completely ignore you, even when called by name. They are worse than women going through menopause. Sure, you don’t have to bathe a cat like you do a dog. And that can be very time consuming and expensive, especially if your dog has allergic reactions to certain substances and chemicals, but who wants to let a cat lick you, knowing where their tongue has been? It’s just disgusting, filthy, and sickening. While it’s nice to not have to bath them, during each cleaning they ingest a small amount of hair and it accumulates until it grows into a wet hairball that they need to cough up on your expensive wood flooring, your new carpet, or your bed. Another nasty habit with cats is spraying. When an un-neutered male cat feels threatened, he will spray urine everywhere, as a way of marking his territory, and claiming what’s his. They don’t care where they spray. They will go all over your house if they want to. Who wants your cat leaving their stench on your couch, bed, floor, clothes, etc.? Not me. How many people do you see taking their cat with them on car rides? Or having a nice walk in the park? Absolutely no one. If you’ve ever brought your cat in the car, you know how loud, annoying and horrible it is, not only for them but you as well. The whole time, all you hear is their pitiful meow from the carrier, which is in the very back, covered in blankets to drown out the ear-splitting screeches. Trying to get them to go on a walk with you is like dragging a brick. They don’t want to leave the comfort of their home. Dogs on the other hand, love to go on walks, car rides are a special treat for them. They will play with you, train them to do tricks, and even dress them up for Halloween. Sure you have to give them a bath every now and then, but would you prefer to have a companion as a pet, or one that acts like a temper tantrum throwing toddler?

The Poem Negro by Langston Hughes Essay -- Poetry Analysis

The poem â€Å"Negro† was written by Langston Hughes in 1958 where it was a time of African American development and the birth of the Civil Rights Movement. Langston Hughes, as a first person narrator tells a story of what he has been through as a Negro, and the life he is proud to have had. He expresses his emotional experiences and makes the reader think about what exactly it was like to live his life during this time. By using specific words, this allows the reader to envision the different situations he has been put through. Starting off the poem with the statement â€Å"I am a Negro:† lets people know who he is, Hughes continues by saying, â€Å" Black as the night is black, /Black like the depths of my Africa.† He identifies Africa as being his and is proud to be as dark as night, and as black as the depths of the heart of his country. Being proud of him self, heritage and culture is clearly shown in this first stanza. The structure of this poem is not the traditional form of poetry, in that he begins with a first person statement then after an indentation, he elaborates on it almost lik...

Evolution of Management Thinking Essay

It was an era where so many alterations in the world Economy took place. In the closing decades of the 19th century there was a quest of seeking innovative ways to increase organizational efficiency and effectiveness. The Scientific Management Theory initiated on the basis of that. In this period of time crafts production was substituted by large factories in which a lot of technical revolutions have been taking place. The owners and managers were not capable of coping to these challenges therefore they hunted for advanced techniques to overcome this situation. As a solution the concepts of Job Specialization and division of labour came about. In this scenario workers who specialized in their respective tasks became more skilled. The Scientific Management Theory Fredrick W. Taylor was the architecture of the concept Scientific Management, â€Å"The systematic study of relationships between people and tasks for the purpose of redesigning the work process to increase efficiency†. It was believed that the most effective and efficient division of labour could best be determined by the concept of Scientific Management. There were four core principles in this concept. * Investigation and experimentation on organization performance * Codification of new methods/standards * Selection of employees according to codified standards * Establishing a level of performance and a pay system with rewards In 1910 most of the organizations were using this concept but selectively. Even though there was an increase in performance some disputes about this concept lead to an increase in trade union involvement. There were some major issues in this concept. * Availability of fewer jobs * Job dissatisfaction * Distrust among employees and employers. Some organizations redesigned the principles according to their vision. For example introduction of moving conveyer belts in Henry Ford’s factory can be taken in to consideration. However these approaches were not able to solve the emerged issues. Nevertheless Taylor’s work had a lasting effect on management production systems. Frank Gilbreth and Lillian Gilbreth who were the successors of Taylor studied how the working environment influences the performance of the employees. They made a heavy contribution in time-and-motion study. They demonstrated that by following arrangements organizations can solve their issues effectively. * Breaking up each job action into its components. * Finding better ways to perform the action. * Reorganizing each job action to be more efficient Administrative Management Theory Researchers attempted to discover how to create an organizational structure that leads to high efficiency and effectiveness. Theory of Bureaucracy was developed by Max Weber as a succession of these researches. Bureaucracy is basically a formal system of organization and administration designed to ensure efficiency and effectiveness. There were several principles in this theory. Weber identified several factors there should be in a bureaucracy system. Simultaneously Henry Fayol identified 14 principles that should be vital to increasing the efficiency of the management process according to his perspective. These studies of Fayol and Weber laid the foundation of modern management theory. Behavioural Management Theory This is the study of how managers should behave in order to motivate employees and encourage them to strive towards high levels of performance as an organization. In the previous theory there wasn’t a major concern about the employee viewpoint. Thus Mary Farker Follett explained why it is important to think about the human side of management. According to the studies of Follett managers should behave as coaches and facilitators –not as monitors and supervisors and the importance of direct inter communication between managers of different departments to make speedy decisions. She also promoted the concept of â€Å"cross functioning† which has been used in a great scale at present. Hawthorne effect is the discovery that a manager’s behaviour and leadership approach can affect the level of performance of employees. From this study emerged the concept of human relations movement. It is basically how the supervisors should be behaviourally trained to spice up worker’s motivation, cooperation and increase their productivity. Informal organization is one of the implications of Hawthorne effect. This is the system of behavioural rules and norms that come out in a group. The study of factors that have an impact on how individuals and groups react to in organizations has been identified as the organizational behaviour. Apart from these mentioned here the most significant approach was developed by Douglas McGregor. He supposed two different sets of assumptions which were named as Theory X and Theory Y. Management Science Theory This is a modern extension of Scientific Management Theory in this approach describes how precise quantitative techniques can be used in order to make the best use of organizational resources. Quantitative management emphasises on how arithmetic can be manipulated to achieve best practises in inventory and financial capital control. Operations management presents a set of techniques that can be utilized to improve production efficiency Total quality management focuses on the art of how the whole can be managed to achieve excellence. Management information systems provide the managers with adequate information about internal and external events of an organization to effective decision making. Organizational Environment Theory This is the set of conditions and forces that functions externally to the organization but affect a manger’s capability to acquire and utilize resources. This clearly stresses on how important it is to study the environment. The open systems theory and contingency theory developed in 1960 ascertains the importance of the importance of studying the environment. The Open –Systems View This is a system where external resources are acquired and converted into goods and services then sent back to customers for purchasing. And the cycle carries on. This system is considered as an open system. Organizations which use a closed system are likely to experience entropy, the tendency of a system to lose its ability to control itself and thus to dissolve and collapse. Contigency Theory It discloses that there is no best way to organize therefore characteristics of the environment affect an organization’s ability to obtain resources. Types of structures Above describes the differences between the structures. In conclusion managers in a Mechanistic structure can obtain inputs at a lower cost preferably in a stable environment and managers in an organic environment can react more quickly in a rapidly changing environment. These contributions constructed the foundation of modern management theories. References: New Era of Management Concepts and Applications 2nd Edition Richard L. Daft, Vanderbilt University Contemporary Management fifth edition Gareth R. Jones, Texas A & M University Jennifer M. George, Rice University

Biography of Woodrow Wilson, 28th U.S. President

Woodrow Wilson (December 28, 1856–February 3, 1924) was the 28th president of the United States, serving from 1913 to 1921. Prior to that, Wilson was the governor of New Jersey. Although he won reelection with the slogan He kept us out of war, Wilson was the commander-in-chief when the country finally entered World War I on April 6, 1917. Fast Facts: Woodrow Wilson Known For: Wilson was the president of the United States from 1913 to 1921.Born: December 28, 1856 in Staunton, VirginiaParents: Joseph Ruggles Wilson, a Presbyterian Minister, and Janet Woodrow WilsonDied: February 3, 1924 in Washington, D.C.Education: Davidson College, Princeton University, University of Virginia, Johns Hopkins UniversityAwards and Honors: Nobel Peace PrizeSpouse(s): Ellen Axson (m. 1885–1914), Edith Bolling (m. 1915–1924)Children: Margaret, Jessie, Eleanor Early Life Thomas Woodrow Wilson was born on December 28, 1856, in Staunton, Virginia. He was the son of Joseph Ruggles Wilson, a Presbyterian Minister, and Janet Jessie Woodrow Wilson. He had two sisters and one brother. Shortly after Wilsons birth, his family soon moved to Augusta, Georgia, where Wilson was educated at home. In 1873, he went to Davidson College but soon dropped out due to health issues. He entered the College of New Jersey—now known as Princeton University—in 1875. Wilson graduated in 1879 and went on to study at the University of Virginia School of Law. He was admitted to the bar in 1882. Being a lawyer, however, was not to his liking, and Wilson soon returned to school with plans to become an educator. He eventually earned a Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins University in 1886. Marriage On June 23, 1885, Wilson married Ellen Louis Axson, the daughter of a Presbyterian minister. They would eventually have three daughters: Margaret Woodrow Wilson, Jessie Woodrow Wilson, and Eleanor Randolph Wilson. Career Wilson served as a professor at  Bryn Mawr College  from 1885 to 1888 and then as a professor of history at Wesleyan University from 1888 to 1890. Wilson then became a professor of political economy at Princeton. In 1902, he was appointed president of Princeton University, a post he held until 1910. In 1911, Wilson was elected governor of New Jersey. In this position, he made a name for himself by passing progressive reforms, including laws to reduce public corruption. Presidential Election of 1912 By 1912, Wilson had become a popular figure in progressive politics and actively campaigned for the Democratic Partys presidential nomination. After reaching out to other leaders in the party, Wilson was able to secure the nomination, with Indiana governor Thomas Marshall as the vice presidential nominee. Wilson was opposed not only by incumbent President  William Taft  but also by  Bull Moose  candidate  Theodore Roosevelt. The Republican Party was divided between Taft and Roosevelt, allowing Wilson to easily win the presidency with 42% of the vote. (Roosevelt received 27% of the vote and Taft garnered 23%.) Presidency One of the first events of Wilsons presidency was the passage of the Underwood Tariff. This reduced tariff rates from 41 to 27 percent. It also created the  first federal income tax  after the passage of the 16th Amendment. In 1913, the Federal Reserve Act created the Federal Reserve system to help deal with economic highs and lows. It provided banks with loans and helped smooth out business cycles. In 1914, the Clayton Anti-Trust Act was passed to  improve labor rights. The law created protections for important labor negotiating tactics such as strikes, pickets, and boycotts. During this time, a revolution was occurring in Mexico. In 1914,  Venustiano Carranza  took over the Mexican government. However,  Pancho Villa  held much of northern Mexico. When Villa crossed into the United States in 1916 and killed 17 Americans, Wilson sent 6,000 troops under  General John Pershing  to the area. Pershing pursued Villa into Mexico, upsetting the Mexican government and Carranza. World War I  began in 1914 when  Archduke Francis Ferdinand  was assassinated by a Serbian nationalist. Due to agreements made among  the European nations, many countries eventually joined the war. The  Central Powers—Germany, Austria-Hungary, Turkey, and Bulgaria—fought against the Allies, Britain, France, Russia, Italy, Japan, Portugal, China, and Greece. America initially remained neutral, and Wilson was renominated to run for the presidency in 1916 on the first ballot along with Marshall as his vice president. He was opposed by Republican Charles Evans Hughes. The Democrats used the slogan, He kept us out of war, as they campaigned for Wilson. Hughes had a lot of support, but Wilson ultimately won in a close election with 277 out of 534 electoral votes. In 1917, the United States entered World War I on the side of the Allies. Two reasons were the sinking of the British ship  Lusitania,  which killed 120 Americans, and the Zimmerman telegram, which revealed that Germany was trying to get an agreement with Mexico to form an alliance if the United States entered the war. Pershing led American troops into battle, helping defeat the Central Powers. An armistice was signed on November 11, 1918. The Treaty of Versailles, signed in 1919, blamed the war on Germany and demanded huge reparations. It also created a League of Nations. In the end, the U.S. Senate would not ratify the treaty and would never join the League. Death In 1921, Wilson retired in Washington, D.C. He was very sick. On February 3, 1924, he died of complications from a stroke. Legacy Woodrow Wilson played a huge role in determining if and when America would get involved in  World War I. He was an isolationist at heart who attempted to keep America out of the war. However, with the sinking of the Lusitania, the continued harassment of American ships by German submarines, and the release of the  Zimmerman Telegram, America would not be held back. Wilson fought for the creation of the  League of Nations  to help avert another world war; his efforts won him the 1919  Nobel Peace Prize. Sources Cooper, John Milton Jr.  Woodrow Wilson: a Biography. Random House, 2011.Maynard, W. Barksdale.  Woodrow Wilson: Princeton to the Presidency. Yale University Press, 2013.