DaeilOSP.com » Personality http://www.daeilosp.com Daeil Overseas Studies Program | Educating and US College Counseling to Korean Students Thu, 09 Sep 2010 05:03:42 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 en hourly 1 Steak house grills in Nottingham – ladies leather purse http://www.daeilosp.com/1819/steak-house-grills-in-nottingham-ladies-leather-purse/ http://www.daeilosp.com/1819/steak-house-grills-in-nottingham-ladies-leather-purse/#comments Mon, 30 Aug 2010 18:44:38 +0000 Paul http://www.daeilosp.com/1819/steak-house-grills-in-nottingham-ladies-leather-purse Steak house grills in Nottingham

Don’t you just hate it when you go out for a meal and you are presented with a main course that is the size of a child’s starter meal! Sometimes you want to go out to a good restaurant and have a ‘proper’ meal, and steak houses are a great place to get your fill of hearty and filling food that actually fills (and overflows on occasion) the plate. And you are in luck as there are some great steakhouse restaurants in Nottingham.

The Verve Grill restaurant in Nottingham is based in the Village hotel, but even if you are not staying at the hotel the restaurant is still open to you. The Verve is a beautifully decorated restaurant, with high backed chairs and black and white pictures covering the walls it has a real personality and great ambiance. This steakhouse in Nottingham offers a fantastic menu with some steak dishes even arriving to you on wooden blocks instead of plates! How rustic, but this all adds to the charm of this restaurant. The verve grill in Nottingham has something for everyone; it is family friendly, available for private hire, has a late night bar and also offers something rare for a steak house . . . Great vegetarian dishes. So if you are looking for a good steak and food for everyone then the Verve grill restaurant in Nottingham is the place to look.

And how about some surf and turf? No steakhouse restaurant is complete without a good surf and turf, and Chops city steakhouse in Nottingham is the place to find it. This steakhouse is a cut above, with a fabulous menu and specialty steak and fish; this is one dining experience you won’t forget in a while. You can even cook your own steak exactly how you like it! This steakhouse restaurant offers a great range of foods, and with the menu being broken down you can mix and match exactly what you want for that spot on meal. As far as steakhouses in Nottingham go, this is on the fine dining end of the scale. With a top cocktail menu, superb food and good service to boot, this is a dining experience with a difference.

The Dakota grill in Nottingham is another great restaurant for steak. It has a dark wood interior with plush ladies leather purse chairs and sensual lighting that combine to give a warm and inviting atmosphere. The Dakota grill offers an a la carte menu and set dining. The a la carte menu boasts of fillet steak with hand cut chip and 10oz sirloin steak with sauces of your choice available. But for those of you that are not after a steakhouse the Dakota grill offers something for everyone.

So if you are looking for that saucy streak cooked just the way you like then try one f Nottingham’s finest steakhouse restaurants and see what you think. What are you waiting for surf (and turf) is up.

]]> http://www.daeilosp.com/1819/steak-house-grills-in-nottingham-ladies-leather-purse/feed/ 0 Make your life musical with online songs – Dharma Talks MP3 http://www.daeilosp.com/1580/make-your-life-musical-with-online-songs-dharma-talks-mp3/ http://www.daeilosp.com/1580/make-your-life-musical-with-online-songs-dharma-talks-mp3/#comments Fri, 13 Aug 2010 21:44:00 +0000 Paul http://www.daeilosp.com/1580/make-your-life-musical-with-online-songs-dharma-talks-mp3 Today we can listen to our favorite numbers anytime-anywhere online with a click of the mouse.

The ancient Greek philosopher Plato has said “ Music and rhythm find their way into the secret places of the soul”. Indeed music has touched our hearts since time immemorial. To some, it has therapeutic effect while to others, it gives the much-needed buzz for a quality life. In some cases it is also an extension of the individual personality. Myriad genre of music like Pop, Rock, Jazz, Rap etc has captivated the mind and soul of the young and old. With the progression of technology, music has become much more handy and accessible. Gone are the days when music was a luxury, to be enjoyed on recorders and cassette players at some leisurely hours. Today with the presence of computers and Internet, one can listen songs at any point of time.

The concept of online songs gained widespread popularity in the early 2000’s and since then expanded manifold. Increasing number of people count on it for quality music which can be replayed, fast forwarded and re-winded. Online music is quantity and quality power-packed in a new technology, infinite songs compressed in >Dharma Talks MP3 format to entertain you for hours.

Bored at work, want to kill the blues or simply in a mood for recreation, you can  listen online songs and hit the restart button of your body. Numerous websites offer unlimited songs in >Dharma Talks MP3 format that can be enjoyed free of cost or on a nominal fee. With excellent sound quality, these online songs are the most popular way to enjoy music.

As you enter into the amazing world of online songs, you will be amazed at the collection of unending series of music. Whats more? it is tailor-made to suite your taste and preferences. Hollywood classics, Bollywod oldies or country pop, you name it and the websites have it. Sure you will instantly recollect those days when you had to run from pillar to post in order to procure your favorite music albums. Relax and feel blessed with countless songs under one roof.

]]> http://www.daeilosp.com/1580/make-your-life-musical-with-online-songs-dharma-talks-mp3/feed/ 0 How to be happy and carefree as a child? http://www.daeilosp.com/1043/how-to-be-happy-and-carefree-as-a-child/ http://www.daeilosp.com/1043/how-to-be-happy-and-carefree-as-a-child/#comments Fri, 16 Jul 2010 15:40:10 +0000 Paul http://www.daeilosp.com/1043/how-to-be-happy-and-carefree-as-a-child  

 

Don’t you feel like going back to your childhood and be as happy as you were as a child? I know you do. Happiness is something that everybody likes to carry along all the time in their lifetime because it feels good to be happy. Happiness is associated with ones emotions; it gets characterized by certain attributes like enjoyment, satisfaction and pleasure.  One can be relaxed and happy as a child even in an old age as there are certain ways of attaining happiness in life.

 

Kids are very innocent, fun loving and free from all tensions. They show great happiness as they are taken care of by their elders. They can play and have fun as per their wish and feel pampered all the time. When we were young we were always happy and carefree but as we grow older we are burdened with responsibilities and we also don’t get any time to fulfill our desires. This results in unhappiness and insecurity in our lives. At this stage, we seek happiness. You can be happy all the time by doing what you like, by indulging in your hobbies, going out for a vacation, a get together with your friends and a variety of things that can provide happiness and pleasure.

 

Pursuing a good hobby can be a great way to feel happy. You can choose a hobby depending upon your personality. A hobby can be reading, cooking, traveling, dancing, singing, watching television, listening to iron rain music etc. What you need to do is spend your time in pursuing your favorite hobby and feeling happy and cheerful. Do you ever realize that when you perform your hobby such as ‘cooking’ you feel so delighted to serve your family and friends? This is what happiness is all about.

 

Again planning for a vacation with your family would help you to increase your happiness. You can have the pleasure of making fun with your son and your daughter and can revive your past.

 

You can also feel euphoric meeting your old friends and hanging around with them. Imagine yourself with your childhood friend, isn’t it great to be with your dear friend and doing all the funs of childhood? Yeah it will be amazing to do such things after so many years.

 

Unarguably, childhood is the best part of life exclusively reserved for enjoyment as there are no responsibilities. In spite of our busy schedules and stresses and strains of everyday life, there are many small but significant sources of happiness that can easily be found around us if only we look hard enough. All we need to do is to revive our spirit and never let it die.

]]> http://www.daeilosp.com/1043/how-to-be-happy-and-carefree-as-a-child/feed/ 0 orthodontics – benefits of improving your smile http://www.daeilosp.com/793/orthodontics-benefits-of-improving-your-smile/ http://www.daeilosp.com/793/orthodontics-benefits-of-improving-your-smile/#comments Sat, 19 Jun 2010 14:16:31 +0000 Paul http://www.daeilosp.com/793/orthodontics-benefits-of-improving-your-smile ‘an attractive smile warms hearts and opens doors’

 

Some people are not happy with their smile. They feel embarrassed and self conscious about the appearance of their orthodontics.

 

Which means that they lack self esteem. A smile is a crucial part of someone’s personality.

 

We at aesthetics can improve your smile with gentle comfortable techniques that are long lasting.

 

Patients can smile with confidence, often for the first time in their lives. They have greater self esteem and look healthier and this can benefit them in their personal and professional relationships. They smile more because they want to! The combined effects of these can give a huge benefit not only in their personal relationships but their professional lives too.

 

is a great smile really that important?

 

A recent national study has found that orthodontics are the number one facial feature that people would change. Three out of four of adults think that a nice smile is important to landing their dream job. 84% think that an attractive smile is important for meeting Mr or Ms Right.

 

The study was conducted on a representative sample of 1000 United Kingdom adults (both men and women) between 18 and 50 years of age. The poll was the first national survey of its kind and explored the importance of smiles in relation to business and careers, dating and marriage, the social arena, and the overall value of smiles and self-esteem.

 

smiles and the social arena

94% of those polled said they are likely to notice a person’s smile when they meet them for the first time. People are less likely to notice someone’s eyes, height or figure. More than one half (71%) believe people with a nice smile make friends more easily than people without. Over one third agree bad orthodontics overshadow the rest of a person’s appearance. An overwhelming majority of adults (85%) consider a person’s smile to be very important at an initial meeting.

 

smiles and self esteem

Almost two thirds (64%) agree that people with a nice smile are more outgoing. 77% think that having discoloured orthodontics as an adult makes a person feel self conscious. 87% think one’s smile is very important to their self esteem. When asked which facial characteristic they would change if they could, one in four adults (25%) would change their orthodontics/smile. Smaller proportions would change their skin (17%) or nose (13 %).

 

 

smiles and the opposite sex

84% of adults perceive having an attractive smile as important for getting a date with Mr or Ms Right. Over one third would not be likely to set up their best friend on a blind date with someone with bad orthodontics. One third would not be likely to kiss someone with bad orthodontics. An overwhelming majority of adults (85%) consider a person’s smile to be very or somewhat important at a first meeting. Almost nine out of ten (86%) think people with good orthodontics are more attractive to the opposite sex.

 

survey source:

HPOL – the global leader in online market research. HPOL uses internet based and traditional methodologies to provide its clients with information about the views, experiences, behaviours and attitudes of people worldwide. Through its U.S. and Global Network offices, HPOL conducts research in more than 80 different countries, in more than 30 different languages.

 

 

can a new smile make you appear more successful and intelligent? new research says it can

 

Previous consumer studies have proved that a beautiful smile will make you more attractive. But according to research conducted by Beall Research & Training of Chicago, a new smile will make you appear more intelligent, interesting, successful and

]]> http://www.daeilosp.com/793/orthodontics-benefits-of-improving-your-smile/feed/ 0 4 freware Scrapbooking Layout Ideas For New Scrapbookers http://www.daeilosp.com/591/4-freware-scrapbooking-layout-ideas-for-new-scrapbookers/ http://www.daeilosp.com/591/4-freware-scrapbooking-layout-ideas-for-new-scrapbookers/#comments Sat, 12 Jun 2010 12:29:34 +0000 Paul http://www.daeilosp.com/591/4-freware-scrapbooking-layout-ideas-for-new-scrapbookers Believe it or not, the hobby of scrapbooking is now more popular than golf! A scrapbook used to be a simple collection of newspaper articles, cut-outs from magazines, or a group of related photographs. In the old days, you wouldn’t see nice borders and designs in a scrapbook.
n
nToday, scrapbooking is an art form and a billion-dollar industry. Where once it was hard to find scrapbooking materials and accessories, an overwhelming variety of albums, papers, designs, and embellishments is available to scrapbookers. And the community of collectors and vendors continues to grow.
n
nAs the craze grows, more and more websites devoted to scrapbooking are popping up on the Internet. They offer freware advice and items for purchase. Some sites make freware page templates available and contain many great suggestions for theme-based scrapbooks.
n
nIf you’re new to scrapbooking, the Internet offers all the information you need to build a beautiful container for your precious memories. And whether through a local retail or the web, you can find an endless variety of supplies to accent your personal photos, decorations, and embellishments.
n
nIn fact, the range of products is amazing. You can find anything from scrapbooking software to help you create your own pages electronically to stick-ons that add sparkle to your scrapbook pages.
n
nOne basic step in scrapbooking is deciding on your layout – the basic design or format for your presentation. A good layout helps you carry your theme throughout the scrapbook and brings your bits and pieces together to tell a story. Your layout expresses your personality and style and helps you organize every page.
n
nHere are some popular layout plans that you may want to try for your first scrapbooking adventure. The possibilities are limited only by your imagination, so review these descriptions for ideas. You may come up with some original layout plans of your own.
n
n1. Newspaper Style. Newspapers have worked on efficient layout for hundreds of years. The layout is a great way to tie pictures and text together. The layout creates the impression of a newsy journal, and it’s a wonderful format for events like birthdays, weddings, and anniversaries. The basic layout is columns. Depending on the size of your pages, you can use from two to four columns to create an interesting newspaper-like impression. You can choose fonts resembling those in the news for further effect. Times New Roman is an accepted and easy-to-read font, and Old English is wonderful for bold titles and headings.
n
n2. Handprint Approach. Best in albums about your children, you trace their hand or foot to use on every page. You can use the outline on the pages as a background. You can use it as a frame for photos and mementos. Or you can use it to make a stick-on for your pages to frame your favorite pieces.
n
n3. Rub-on Transfer Technique. Rub-ons have long been a favorite of scrapbookers. They create a textured effect that make your page layouts special. You can apply them to cardstock and a variety of papers. Whether patterned or solid, the rub-ons add a special flare to your pages. Be aware that it takes some time to get good at making rub-ons. You’ll want to practice the technique before using it in your scrapbook. But once you’ve mastered the technique, you can incorporate other media like ribbons, mesh, and glass. A tip: rub-ons need to be adhesive enough to create a lasting effect.
n
n4. Chalk for Texture. Chalks add a nice texture to your paper. They give color and dimension, and they adhere well to most surfaces. You can use soft colors for your baby’s scrapbook and deeper dark colors for your memorial scrapbooks. Chalks add a unique effect you can’t duplicate with any other medium, but they can be messy. You’ll need to use a fixative spray to be sure they don’t rub off your page onto your treasures or your hands!
n
n
nThese are just a few of many layout approaches. You can combine layouts to make the scrapbook more interesting, but be sure that you use your final layout plan consistently throughout your scrapbook to maintain your theme. Layout design can be as simple as a page border or as fancy as you can imagine. They bring unity to your photos and mementos and add your personality to your pages.
n

]]> http://www.daeilosp.com/591/4-freware-scrapbooking-layout-ideas-for-new-scrapbookers/feed/ 0 Teeth Whitening – Laser Dentistry in Houston http://www.daeilosp.com/392/teeth-whitening-laser-dentistry-in-houston/ http://www.daeilosp.com/392/teeth-whitening-laser-dentistry-in-houston/#comments Mon, 10 May 2010 20:29:29 +0000 Paul http://www.daeilosp.com/392/teeth-whitening-laser-dentistry-in-houston teeth whitening Cosmetic dentistry has changed in the booming field today. It seems that the last teeth whitening reigns. Appreciated by both girls and women, such as bleaching or tooth whitening treatment will meet all 's monetary situation, timing, and personality Some of you you might not know is that your teeth will not be “all the same natural color. Eye teeth tend to be darker than your other teeth, your teeth whitest your front ones, and choose seems that some of the earlier half shadow When the person whose teeth to facilitate the ultimate goal is to achieve a perfect white balance, while still seems to be natural. Both the structure of the 'and the nature of the procedure you have done will affect the result. Is the form of one hour session bleken you're willing to your local dentist Office, or you have at home bleaching kit for use in one of your local stores, teeth whitening solution today in abundance. However, you can be sure that only about 15% of the population here in the U.S. has ever tried a cosmetic procedure? seems disinformation on this issue is widespread. clear and simple truth is that teeth are not working whitening . Almost everyone who has used this cosmetic treatment sawiteness support and grin. You 've got one thing in mind – this is not sustainable t ' solutions. You 'will be forced to regularly “touch-ups” of the comprehensive effect can be seen. There are several teeth whitening procedures available today that can correct mat for the teeth that the ability to eliminate the yellow and brown spots. Each of them will work efficiently. Types of procedures currently available, should be considered beauty to your dentist. They will just the right procedure for you. Tooth Whitening (In-Office), especially effective in-office whitening system is that the laser tooth whitening gel. This is occurring through the gel is a special place on the tooth is then laser light is then used activated crystals, in the light 's power. It is ready to penetrate the teeth enamel to the soothing effect on them to enlarge. It's hard to say how long this will last. It really depends on the degree of damage to your teeth. a big thanks to laser teeth whitening is that it often takes just one visit for you to walk out with a slight grin. A further advantage, especially for women, if you are a white smile, you can have a tendency to look at his face and wrinkles . This would make way for a more extensive and fresh. One of the main Drawback is that people will spot immediately to unexpected change in the color of your teeth. Is that so bad? Teeth whitening is one of the more expensive procedures that 's available today, but it ' is also the fastest. Cost of teeth whitening laser teeth whitening price depends largely on which country you live in the area and the specific nature of the bleaching process that you 'will have to do. teeth whitening is especially more than $ 1,000 and that s “for the whole process

]]> http://www.daeilosp.com/392/teeth-whitening-laser-dentistry-in-houston/feed/ 0 Online Sportsbooks – Fashionable Wear For Men From Lyle And Scott http://www.daeilosp.com/1774/online-sportsbooks-fashionable-wear-for-men-from-lyle-and-scott/ http://www.daeilosp.com/1774/online-sportsbooks-fashionable-wear-for-men-from-lyle-and-scott/#comments Mon, 30 Nov 2009 03:27:12 +0000 Paul http://www.daeilosp.com/1774/online-sportsbooks-fashionable-wear-for-men-from-lyle-and-scott/ Lyle and Scott continues to impress men of all ages with their wide range of collection. Youth especially feel that by wearing a Lyle and Scot, they can have the grownup mature look. And this is probably the best way to impress women! Who would not fall for a handsome well-dressed man, and women give special emphasis on the well-dressed part, because as they say it is the dressing sense of a man which defines his character and personality.

Beware Of Lyle And Scott Replicas: If you are buying a Lyle and Scott from an authorized outlet, there is very little chance that you will be cheated. But you should be a little cautious. The market is now full of cheap Chinese substitutes. Most of them are replicas and it is difficult to see the difference unless you are an absolute connoisseur about men’s clothes. In fact some of the replicas are so good, that you can hardly find the difference. It is always better to get the clothes from an authorized outlet. There will be hardly any chance of being duped.

Fashion For Men: Men love Lyle and Scot and why shouldn’t they? Lyle and Scot has always been counted as synonymous with men’s wear. One cannot forget the fashionable quotient which is a matter of a priority for the metrosexual men.

They want to look good and they will never compromise on quality. Lyle and Scott scores a perfect ten on both departments. It is hard to find another brand which can match with Lyle and Scot in both style and quality. This brand has always been a favorite among the golfers since the day when it ha started producing knitwear sweaters for Scottish men. Now it even sponsors clothing for golfers. You will simply love the Club and Golf collection. This is available for both men and women.

New Winter Collection From Lyle And Scott: Come winter and Lyle and Scot is all ready to impress the Online Sportsbooks fans and teens with their new collection especially designed for the winter. The retail outlets are busy sporting the end-of-the season sale. And men are all ready to flaunt their green eagle on jumpers. Elegance and comfort are two things that will be always synonymous with Lyle and Scot. Adding to it is the price. The good thing about this brand is that there is always something for everyone in Lyle and Scott. The retail price begins with 34 pounds. The price is truly affordable if you compare the price with other brands.

Products At An Affordable Price: One thing that is true for Lyle and Scot is you will definitely find something for everyone. Add to it such factors like elegance and comfort. If you consider the range of price the Polo-shirts are definitely less expensive than any other items. They boast of Vintage quality.

You can feel the soft touch of the purest cotton fabric. As for the design and the color-it is hard to find such dignified colors and decent designs. With Lyle and Scott less is more. It is the simplicity of the design and the quality of the fabric which makes it a favorite among fashionable men who believe that true fashion lies in comfort. Men will love to find something which suits their taste. Apart from the knits, you can take a look at the jackets, shirts, polos and zip top jumpers.

]]> http://www.daeilosp.com/1774/online-sportsbooks-fashionable-wear-for-men-from-lyle-and-scott/feed/ 0 More essay writing tips! http://www.daeilosp.com/270/more-essay-writing-tips/ http://www.daeilosp.com/270/more-essay-writing-tips/#comments Wed, 12 Aug 2009 01:13:04 +0000 Victor http://www.daeilosp.com/?p=270 TOP 10 ESSAY WRITING TIPS

1. Don’t Thesaurusize Your Essay. Do Use Your Own Voice.

Admissions officers can tell Roget from an 18-year-old high school senior. Big words, especially when misused, detract from the essay, inappropriately drawing the reader’s attention and making the essay sound contrived.

Before: Although I did a plethora of activities in high school, my assiduous efforts enabled me to succeed.

After: Although I juggled many activities in high school, I succeeded through persistent work.

2. Don’t Bore the Reader. Do Be Interesting.

Admissions officers have to read hundreds of essays, and they must often skim. Abstract rumination has no place in an application essay. Admissions officers aren’t looking for a new way to view the world; they’re looking for a new way to view you the applicant. The best way to grip your reader is to begin the essay with a captivating snapshot. Notice how the slightly jarring scene depicted in the “after” creates intrigue and keeps the reader’s interest.

Before: The college admissions and selection process is a very important one, perhaps one that will have the greatest impact on one’s future. The college that a person will go to often influences his personality, views, and career.

After: An outside observer would have called the scene ridiculous: a respectable physician holding the bell of his stethoscope to the chest of a small stuffed bear.

3. Do Use Personal Detail. Show, Don’t Tell!

Good essays are concrete and grounded in personal detail. They do not merely assert “I learned my lesson” or that “these lessons are useful both on and off the field.” They show it through personal detail. “Show don’t tell,” means if you want to relate a personal quality, do so through your experiences and do not merely assert it.

Before: I developed a new compassion for the disabled.

After: The next time Mrs. Cooper asked me to help her across the street, I smiled and immediately took her arm.

The first example is vague and could have been written by anybody. But the second sentence evokes a vivid image of something that actually happened, placing the reader in the experience of the applicant.

4. Do Be Concise. Don’t Be Wordy.

Wordiness not only takes up valuable space, but it also can confuse the important ideas you’re trying to convey. Short sentences are more forceful because they are direct and to the point. Certain phrases such as “the fact that” are usually unnecessary. Notice how the revised version focuses on active verbs rather than forms of “to be” and adverbs and adjectives.

Before: My recognition of the fact that the project was finally over was a deeply satisfying moment that will forever linger in my memory.

After: Completing the project at last gave me an enduring sense of fulfillment.

5. Don’t Use Slang Yo’!

Write an essay, not an email. Slang terms, cliches, contractions, and an excessively casual tone should be eliminated. Here’s one example of inappropriately colloquial language.

Well here I am thinking about what makes me tick. You would be surprised. What really gets my goat is when kids disrespect the flag. My father was in ‘Nam and I know how important the military is to this great nation.

7. Do Use Active Voice Verbs

Passive-voice expressions are verb phrases in which the subject receives the action expressed in the verb. Passive voice employs a form of the word to be, such as was or were. Overuse of the passive voice makes prose seem flat and uninteresting.

Before: The lessons that prepared me for college were taught to me by my mother.

After: My mother taught me lessons that will prepare me for college.

8. Do Seek Multiple Opinions.

Ask your friends and family to keep these questions in mind:

Have I answered the question?
Does my introduction engage the reader? Does my conclusion provide closure?
Do my introduction and conclusion avoid summary?
Do I use concrete experiences as supporting details?
Have I used active-voice verbs wherever possible?
Is my sentence structure varied, or do I use all long or short sentences?
Are there any cliches such as “cutting edge” or “learned my lesson?”
Do I use transitions appropriately?
What about the essay is memorable?
What’s the worst part of the essay?
What parts of the essay need elaboration or are unclear?
What parts of the essay do not support my main argument?
Is every single sentence crucial to the essay? This must be the case.
What does the essay reveal about my personality?

9. Do Answer the Question.

Many students try to turn a 500-word essay into a complete autobiography. Not surprisingly, they fail to answer the question and risk their chances of attending college. Make sure that every sentence in your essay exists solely to answer the question.

10. Do Revise, Revise, Revise.

The first step in an improving any essay is to cut, cut, and cut some more. EssayEdge.com’s free admissions essay help course and Harvard-educated editors will be invaluable as you polish your essay to perfection. The EssayEdge.com free help course guides you through the entire essay-writing process, from brainstorming worksheets and question-specific strategies for the twelve most common essay topics to a description of ten introduction types and editing checklists.

Here’s a sample essay:

The sun sleeps as the desolate city streets await the morning rush hour. Driven by an inexplicable compulsion, I enter the building along with ten other swimmers, inching my way toward the cold, dark locker room of the Esplanada Park Pool. One by one, we slip into our still-damp drag suits and make a mad dash through the chill of the morning air, stopping only to grab pull-buoys and kickboards on our way to the pool. Nighttime temperatures in coastal California dip into the high forties, but our pool is artificially warmed to seventy-nine degrees; the temperature differential propels an eerie column of steam up from the water’s surface, producing the spooky ambience of a werewolf movie. Next comes the shock. Headfirst immersion into the tepid water sends our hearts racing, and we respond with a quick set of warm-up laps. As we finish, our coach emerges from the fog. He offers no friendly accolades, just a rigid regimen of sets, intervals, and exhortations.

Thus starts another workout. 4,500 yards to go, then a quick shower and a five-minute drive to school. Then it’s back to the pool; the afternoon training schedule features an additional 5,500 yards. Tomorrow, we start over again. The objective is to cut our times by another tenth of a second. The end goal is to achieve that tiny, unexplainable difference at the end of a race that separates success from failure, greatness from mediocrity. Somehow we accept the pitch–otherwise, we’d still be deep in our mattresses, slumbering beneath our blankets. In this sport, the antagonist is time. Coaches spend hours in specialized clinics, analyze the latest research on training technique, and experiment with workout schedules in an attempt to defeat time. Yet there are no shortcuts to winning, and workouts are agonizing.

I took part in my first swimming race when I was ten years old. My parents, fearing injury, directed my athletic interests away from ice hockey and into the pool. Three weeks into my new swimming endeavor, I somehow persuaded my coach to let me enter the annual age group meet. To his surprise (and mine), I pulled out an “A” time. I furthered my achievements by winning “Top 16″ awards for various age groups, setting club records, and being named National First Team All-American in the 100-Butterfly and Second Team All-American in the 200-Medley. I have since been elevated to the Senior Championship level, which means the competition now includes world-class swimmers. I am aware that making finals will not be easy from here–at this level, success is measured by mere tenths of a second. In addition, each new level brings extra requirements such as elevated weight training, longer weekend training sessions, and more travel from home. Time with friends is increasingly spent in the pursuit of the next swimming objective.

Sometimes, in the solitude of the laps, my thoughts transition to events in my personal life. This year, my grandmother suffered a reoccurrence of cancer, which has spread to her lungs. She had always been driven by good spirits and independence, but suddenly my family had to accept the fact that she now faces a limited timeline. A few weeks later, on the other side of the Pacific Ocean, my grandfather–who lives in Japan–learned he had stomach cancer. He has since undergone successful surgery, but we are aware that a full recovery is not guaranteed. When I first learned that they were both struck with cancer, I felt as if my own objective, to cut my times by fractions of a second, seemed irrelevant, even ironic, given the urgency of their mutual goals: to prolong life itself. Yet we have learned to draw on each other’s strengths for support–their fortitude helps me overcome my struggles while my swimming achievements provide them with a vicarious sense of victory. When I share my latest award or triumph story, they smile with pride, as if they themselves had stood on the award stand. I have the impression that I would have to be a grandparent to understand what my medals mean to them.

My grandparents’ strength has also shored up my determination to succeed. I have learned that, as in swimming, life’s successes often come in small increments. Sometimes even the act of showing up at a workout when your body and psyche are worn out separates a great result from a failure. The difference between success and failure is defined by the ability to overcome strong internal resistance. I know that, by consistently working towards my goals–however small they may seem–I can accomplish what I set for myself, both in and beyond the swimming pool.

]]> http://www.daeilosp.com/270/more-essay-writing-tips/feed/ 0