Category: Family

The Addams Family is an action-packed musical comedy based on a book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice with the characters taken from the eponymous cartoon. It is another adaptation of the well-known story of the weird, macabre family, making clumsy attempts to live among normal people, who find them scary and try to avoid their company. The paper at hand will analyze a recent theatrical performance of the play in order to estimate how successfully it manages to interpret the characters, present the plot, and create the comic yet creepy atmosphere using the costumes, the settings, and the light to enhance the effect produced.

It is fair to note that the actors were challenged with a really complex task as the comparison with the famous screen versions (the movie of 1991 and the series of 1964) is inevitable for the spectator. Unfortunately, the present musical compares poorly to both because, unlike them, it fails to create impressive characters that would stick to memory.

The choice of the actors is rather questionable: uncle Fester looks younger and more subtle than Wednesday, Pugsley is too small, whereas Gomez (who is supposed to be a Spanish macho) looks and speaks like an awkward Jew. However, the latter seems to be the most convincing of all, as he is very professional in his speech and stage movement. Besides, he produces the desired comic effect. Alice and her son Lucas are not so bad since they at least manage to interact with the others rather naturally.

The others look artificial and exaggerated: Wednesdays rigid hands do not correlate with her passionate words and songs; Grandma often forgets about her age and arthritis and moves like a young girl, Morticia is so concerned with being diabolic that her voice and gestures seem forced, and even the butler makes robot hands to look like a zombie whereas his whole body is lax. They all seem to exist separately from one another.

The directing of the production is better than the acting, though. The dances are properly staged, and the transmissions between the scenes are as smooth as the change of the decorations allows. There are a lot of background characters who still do not disturb the general action and seem to be in the right place. Space is used to the best advantage. The performance is quite dynamic: there is no episode in which the tension would get slackened.

The set design of the play is both a success and a failure. On the one hand, the scenery is rather elaborate: there is a lot of furniture, decorations, and props that the actors can interact with. Thus, their poor acting is sometimes saved by the presence of objects allowing them to keep their hands busy. As the scenes change, the spectator can clearly see when the action takes place at the graveyard, inside or outside the house. Nothing is abstract  the director does not leave any space to imagination. However, on the other hand, a closer look at the settings reveals that the choice of details was careless and random (e.g., the family who hates bright and light colors has a yellow-goldish sofa and light-brown walls).

The lighting of the production is rather well-done: the faces of the actors can be seen properly as the lighting man spotlights each acting area separately. It is important when there are a lot of people on the stage because it helps the audience concentrate the attention on the most significant information. The ambient light is also meaningful: its color is cold at night at the graveyard and quite warm inside. In the second act, the color turns red, which shows growing tension and passions that, from now on, will run high. Besides, changes of light (that are sometimes rather abrupt) are used for purely technical reasons as blackouts are necessary for the stage workers to replace the scenery. However, the darkness is not complete, so we can see the actions that must be concealed from the viewer, which is certainly a flaw.

The choice of the costumes is perhaps the most interesting constituent of the product that should be discussed at length. At first sight, the viewer does not notice any inconsistency: the gloomy family members are dressed in black while their ancestors are wearing white, which is typical of ghost characters. However, later you come to understand that Gomez has a white shirt and a red bow, which is a bit too much for the man who calls his daughter a crime scene when she puts on a light-yellow dress (The Addams Family EHS Play 2016).

The costumes are present-day  the Addams tendency to wear old-fashioned, elegant clothes is ignored (except Morticias long dress which is still quite modern). Despite this, the director did not forget that the ancestors (even though they are minor characters) come from different epochs: some of them are wearing corsets, old-fashioned dresses, and chemises whereas others have modern trouser suits, hats, and jackets. The change of costumes is symbolic. Wednesday chooses a yellow dress to look normal, so it is not a coincidence that Lucass mother is wearing a yellow suit, too, claiming that yellow is life (The Addams Family EHS Play 2016).

However, when Alices dark side is revealed with the help of Grandmas potion, she rejects her false optimism and opts for a black outfit and tights with lots of holes in them. Morticia also changes her dress in the second act for a more sexually explicit one (which aligns with her desire to be more open), which even makes Gomez marvel that she has legs. Mal, Alices husband, is dressed in gray, which is also demonstrative as his suit emphasizes how totally ordinary he is. Therefore, the characters whose state of mind remains rather stable throughout the play do not change their costumes.

The comprehensive analysis of the production reveals that it has a lot of drawbacks as well as considerable advantages. The former mostly refer to the poor acting and interaction of the performers, who are very stiff and clumsy, whereas the latter includes an elaborate choice of costumes, proper lighting, and direction.

Works Cited

The Addams Family EHS Play 2016. YouTube. Web.

Mi Familia is a drama written and directed by Gregory Nava, which may make you wish that you were a part of Jose and Marias family. All three generations described by Nava are ready to put up with physical and emotional suffering for the family. Even though every family has its ups and downs, the family gives comfort when one is hurt, it gives protection when one is vulnerable, and it gives unconditional love every moment of our lives. The present paper argues that family provides a sense of stability and protection in the ever-changing circumstances of the real world, which is crucial for all people today.

The story told by Nava in Mi Familia revolves around the family of Jose and Maria starting from the 1930s and ending in the 1970s. The story begins when Jose meets his distant relative, El Californio, who was born in Los Angeles when it was still Mexican. El Californio is the first symbol of stability, as even though the country has changed, he remained the same, loyal to his family. Even after realizing that Jose had not met any of the El Californios close family, the old man says, How good it is to have some family here! Its almost like you are my grandson! (Nava 00:07:55-00.08.05). In this scene, Jose learns that El Californios love and acceptance is unconditional for family members and carries this knowledge through his whole life.

After El Californios death, Jose becomes the owner of the house, which is also the symbol of stability on its own. The planted beans and the cornfields are a connective thread of heritage to every person in the family (McClain). At the end of the movie, the narrator, Paco, says that the piece of our spirits stayed behind and lived in all the empty chairs of that house (Nava 01:58:54-01:58:59). People got old and died in the house; the clothes and the talks may have changed; however, the cornfields and the chairs around the family dinner table remained the same and were always ready to comfort their owners.

It is crucial to notice that every family member, despite their personalities, cherished the family values, which is another thing that remained unchanged. During the wedding, Jose tells all the guests that the greatest riches a man can have in his life  familia! (Nava 00:30:08-00:30:34). During the same wedding, Chucho tells his rival, Butch Mejia, that he was ready to permit any offenses, as it was a special day for the family. At the end of the movie, Jimmy realizes the importance of family and decides that he will take care of his son, Carlitos, regardless of his past. This demonstrates that even though families have their ups and downs, they always feel responsible for each other (Kaltenbach). Thus, family values are a source of stability for all the family members.

Finally, it is crucial to mention that family is something that brings comfort and stability to everyone because the Lord is always its center. At the beginning of the movie, Jose sees an angel on the day when Chucho was conceived. At the end of the film, the angel can still be seen in the sky, after Jose and Maria say that God was good to them. God is also the symbol of stability, as He always loves people regardless of their deeds.

In conclusion, Mi Familia is a drama the focuses on the importance of family throughout generations. All family members are ready to share all the problems and joys with each other unconditionally. However, the central idea that Nava focused on throughout the movies is that family unites all the generations through the stability of traditions and values, which are crucial in the constantly changing environment of todays life.

Works Cited

McClain, Carrie. The Duality of Color in My Family, Mi Familia. Medium, 2018. Web.

Kaltenbach, Chris. My Family has 60 years of family values. Baltimore Sun, 1995. Web.

Nava, Gregory. My Family / Mi Familia. YouTube, uploaded by Dark Zero, 2014. Web.

Poverty’s Uphill Battle: The Strain of Rising Costs and Stagnant Incomes

Being able to climb out of poverty can be a rough task for most households due to various circumstances that may be out of their control. Having adequate income to manage an adequate lifestyle for an average family requires dual incomes. The dual incomes may require childcare or some form of support for the children while the adults are at work. In addition, there are basic survival needs that need to be met in order to maintain a basic standard of living. These basic matters barely scratch the surface when it comes to the fight to stay out of poverty.

The cost of living keeps increasing while the incomes of the head of household are not increasing. This can make the attainment of the basic needs a challenge. This challenge can mean the difference between having enough food to feed the family and the payment of a household bill. This monthly, if not daily, dilemma can generate another set of issues for this household. Not having the means to provide for the family can be heartbreaking, and the will to fight can become harder. The desire to increase income may be halted by the lack of education, the lack of experience, or the inability to travel too far. Income is a major component in the management of a household and is key in making sure matters are properly maintained.

Poverty and Parenting: Navigating Childcare and the Creative Resilience of Low-Income Households

Having both adults in the workforce requires the children to be taken care of and properly looked after. This may require additional expenses for childcare, which has been increasing. For those who may have family members to watch the children, their children would benefit from being in an educational environment in order to better service the needs of the child. The assistance that is offered for childcare can be troublesome as well because the funds are not available, and there is a large waiting list. For children that may be older and not daycare age, they need to have resources to go to in order to properly spend their time after school until their parents get off work. This can be another concern, on top of the financial burden, in which the parent must make a means in order to provide the basic necessities with the limited resources they have available.

Low-income households have had to come up with creative ways to manage their lifestyle. In most eyes, it is considered poverty, but for most, it is the way of life until something better comes along. Being able to maintain has been the way of life for the majority of households.

References

1. Piketty, T. (2014). Capital in the Twenty-First Century. Harvard University Press.
2. Sen, A. (1999). Development as Freedom. Oxford University Press.
3. Ehrenreich, B. (2001). Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America. Metropolitan Books.
4. Duncan, G.J., & Brooks-Gunn, J. (Eds.). (1997). Consequences of growing up poor. Russell Sage Foundation.

It is often difficult for a family to make a final decision on the desired vacation destination. The multitude of factors presented on every travel agency website can confuse even a seasoned traveler, not to mention an average American family. For this essay, I chose two locations within the country’s borders: the Woodloch family resort and Redwood National and State Parks (RNSP). The differences between these two family vacation destinations bring up a discussion regarding the range of activities available at each of the resorts. This essay aims to assess which one of the two locations presents a better choice for a family who seeks a diverse assortment of engaging activities for all ages and has the potential for a revisit.

To determine the location that would cater to the broadest range of interests, both sites will be reviewed based on the information presented on their websites. RNSP is a collection of federal resorts and park systems organized under a single title. There are nine chambers of commerce that help with accommodation options within the area (“The official 2021 visitor guide of Redwood National and State Parks”). Moreover, RNSP has well-developed campgrounds and cabins available for rent (“The official 2021 visitor guide of Redwood National and State Parks”). The primary activities for visitors are nature walks, campfire programs, kayaking, horseback riding, and bicycling. RNSP provides a bonus discount for visitors who possess America the Beautiful Pass, which extends to a multitude of federal parks and recreational lands (“The official 2021 visitor guide of Redwood National and State Parks”). The exciting biodiversity of this location creates a vast number of scenic routes that will keep visitors engaged for a long time.

In turn, Woodloch appears to be a more luxurious resort that focuses on social engagement and relaxation. Woodloch presents an excellent opportunity for a family to engage in a vast variety of indoor and outdoor activities, ranging from golf and kayaking to a relaxing day of spa and massage (“Woodloch 101”). The resort is ready to cater to every need of its customers and includes a number of accessibility options. The resort regularly hosts events and competitions for all age categories, all of which are described in an activity sheet provided for every guest at arrival (“Woodloch 101”). In an example activity sheet, there are over 15 amenities and entertainment activities occurring throughout the day (“Woodloch 101”). Most of the entertainment amenities are already included in the plan packages, with some of them are being available seasonally, which increases the incentive for a second visit (“Woodloch 101”). Woodloch has the potential to become a recurring place for a family to visit, as it encourages multiple visits due to a continually changing and expanding variety of activities and holiday themes (“Woodloch 101”). Despite being more expensive than RNSP, Woodloch includes on- and off-property housing options included in its packages.

In conclusion, while both resorts provide a wide variety of activities, Redwood National and State Parks are focused on scenic routes and nature trips. In turn, Woodloch is more suitable for a family who seeks both relaxation and engagement from their journey. Therefore, when comparing these vacation destinations for their assortment of services, the Woodloch is preferable. Despite this conclusion, Redwood Parks presents a unique opportunity to learn more about nature and can be an engaging location for a family that plans for a more nature-oriented trip.

Works Cited

“The official 2021 visitor guide of Redwood National and State Parks.” National Park Service, 2021. Web.

“Woodloch 101.”Woodloch Resort, 2020. Web.

Project Summary

The project implies planning the trip of lifetime for a family of four during three weeks with a budget of $35,000; the project begins on 08/15/2020 and ends on 08/20/2020. The scrum approach is utilized as a methodology, and the project charter and the Work Background Structure are presented as tools to complete the plan.

• Planning the trip of a lifetime for a family of four.
• The trip duration is three weeks.
• $35,000 as an accessible budget to use.
• Planning costs, stakeholder roles, schedule, and resources.
• Using the scrum approach as a basic project management methodology.
• Compiling the Work Background Structure (WBS) as a useful visual tool.

Project Charter

Develop a vacation project plan at a projected cost of $35,000 with a start date of August 15, 2020 and a completion date of August 20, 2020.

• The charter includes the problem statement.
• Business case and benefits are discussed in the charter.
• The goal statement is identified to determine the scope of work.
• The timeline is presented with appropriate activities.
• The methodology of the project is included (the scrum approach).
• The main stakeholders are identified in the charter.

Problem Statement

There is a need to allocate the available resources reasonably to organize a good trip and perform attendant tasks successfully to avoid problems and missed steps.

Goal Statement

Planning the trip of a lifetime for a family of four during three weeks with a budget of $35,000.

PM Methodology

The scrum methodology as an appropriate mechanism to pan the project in short terms and manage all the attendant tasks successfully.

Business Case and Benefits

The project is necessary as a guide to action and can help a family of four to count on the full coverage of all the necessary procedures. Goals and initiatives are designed in detail to prevent surprises and extra costs.

Timeline

• Day 1: Allocating the budget funds.
• Day 2: Planning extra costs (transportation, luggage, and other sources).
• Day 3: Analyzing optimal procedures (introducing a specific PM methodology to plan the activities).
• Day 4: Finding weaknesses and discussing the project with the stakeholders.
• Day 5: The final evaluation of the plan with the detailed analysis of each stage.

Main Activities

Determining destinations, planning paperwork, reservations (airfare, transportation, and accommodation), planning pastime, and activities at home during the vacation.

The proposed project charter includes the key aspects of the project, which need to be taken into account to follow planning standards. According to the Project Management Institute (n.d.), the key characteristics that should be included in these plans require that all issues be fully covered to be taken into account and maintain analytical balance and openness. Thus, this algorithm is a convenient mechanism for planning work.

Stakeholder Register

• Both internal and external stakeholders are involved.
• Family members are internal stakeholders.
• Different vendors are external stakeholders.
• A travel agent and hotel managers.
• Transportation services and tourist guides.
• The list includes all the interested parties.

PM Methodology

• Managing project teams requires an appropriate methodology (Kloppenborg et al., 2019).
• The scrum approach as a mechanism.
• Realizing the plan in short terms.
• Creating interdependencies among tasks to avoid mistakes.
• The planning team is at the center.
• Setting priorities to perform all the tasks assigned based on their relevance.

The proposed methodology is an approach that contributes to solving the necessary tasks within the framework of a specific project in short terms. One of the key features is finding interdependencies among specific steps and setting priorities in accordance with the relevance of interventions. The scrum approach is a convenient algorithm for compiling a work breakdown structure and may be utilized successfully as a tool to rally all the team members to achieve the goals of the given project.

Work Breakdown Structure

• The destination as the main project element (internal stakeholders).
• Paperwork and pastime as additional elements (internal stakeholders and an agent).
• An individual task related to home control (an incoming friend).
• Costs on reservations – accommodation and transportation (hotel managers and drivers).
• Every part needs analyzing individually.
• The structure contains all the relevant costs on the trip.

• Destination;
• Paperwork:
  • Passports;
  • Tickets.
• Reservations:
  • Airfare;
  • Transportation;
  • Accomodation.

• Pastime:
  • Entertainment;
  • Restaurants.
• Home:
  • Plants;
  • Pets;
  • Mail Pickup.

The presented WBS is a scheme that displays all the current costs planned to spend on the trip. The three most significant components need to be analyzed: paperwork, pastime, and reservations, and this elements make up the bulk of the budget. A small portion of the funds should be spent on house maintenance while the family is on their trip, including caring for plants and pets, as well as mail collecting.

Project scope:

• Day 1 – planning destination places and conducting paperwork.
• Day 2 – the necessary reservations.
• Day 3 – compiling the range of activities.
• Day 4 – discussion with the main stakeholders.
• Day 5 – final evaluations with additional details (pastime and home activities).

Outcomes

• Various standards for PM algorithms (Drob & Zichil, 2013).
• The individuality of the plan requires making a detailed WBS.
• Project leaders use the scheme to estimate costs.
• Stakeholders need to be mentioned in any project (Fister Gale, 2016).
• Addressing each cost items is crucial.
• The project charter overviews the plan.

The given evaluation algorithms for the project under consideration are convenient tools to analyze all the expense items and evaluate the necessary steps for implementing the entire plan. Mentioning stakeholders is a significant aspect of any project involving planning. A detailed project charter helps assess all the nuances of the upcoming work and determine the range of interventions to avoid mistakes and the potential lack of funds.

References

Drob, C., & Zichil, V. (2013). Overview regarding the main guidelines, standards and methodologies used in project management. Journal of Engineering Studies and Research, 19(3), 26-31. Web.

Fister Gale, S. (2016). Making the case: Business-case templates give project teams the direction they need to deliver the right project, right on time. PM Network, 30(6), 62-71.

Kloppenborg, T., Anantatmula, V. S., & Wells, K. (2019). Contemporary project management (4th ed.). Cengage Learning.

Project Management Institute. (n.d.). About standards. Web.

Introduction

Bali is an island off Indonesia’s archipelago. The culture of the people who inhabit this island and its unique natural beauty endear it to the hearts of holiday lovers who prefer life away from booming city life. Its geographical location makes it an ideal location for a vacation. Bali Island boasts of the worlds’ longest sandy beaches, blue warm waters, and crashing surf. The inhabitants of this island are warm and very receptive and it is no surprise that the island has been nicknamed ‘The Island of God in Paradise.’ This descriptive essay is going to capture the central role that Bali Island has played in bringing together my family (Herbst, 1997). We chose it as our number one vacation destination and it did pay dividends. The time we spent together as a family unit made us closer than ever before.

Body

I know this is a matter of taste, but then, I normally ask my friends where they would love to spend their holidays. I receive many different answers, but certainly, for me, I would prefer a place that is comfortable, calm, and relaxing. Tranquility tops the list of my priorities.

The place should be a destination where I can get away from all my troubles and command the spectacular sights of the world’s nature, invoking my childhood memories. It should be a place that can disconnect me from the hustles and bustles of the world, reconnect with my inner self, and be able to meditate about my undertakings, thereby identifying my strengths and weaknesses. That is indeed Bali Island.

I have always harbored a thought of going with my entire family for a summer vacation and have kept corresponding with many travel agencies. However, it never occurred to me that summer was just a doorstep away and no substantive arrangements had been made. I had read many travel journals, all of which mentioned how wonderful Bali Island was for holiday lovers. I had no choice but to jump to that option. It was one chilly morning when my entire family boarded a taxi to JF Kennedy International Airport and chartered a plane to Jakarta, Indonesia.

The journey was supposed to take 30 hours but because of flight delays, we ended up reaching our destination four hours later. Fatigue weighed down on us but at least the following day we were on the beautiful sandy beaches of Bali Island. The horizon was dotted with beautiful blue seawaters waiting for the daybreak to begin. The deep blue sea was so expansive and dotted with happily looking holidaymakers. The breeze was so gentle and the sea tranquil.

This soothing atmosphere endeared me so much to this island. As the sun’s rays lit the horizons, it occurred to me that morning had arrived. As we gracefully worked along the Island’s sandy beaches barefooted, we could feel the soft sands that kept sinking under the siege of our weights. The tide kept on hitting the shores thereby splashing water on our sunburnt faces. It felt like taking a very cold shower in the scorching summer sun. Fatigue from the grueling journey gave way to a feeling of true happiness. As I set my foot into the waters, the coldness of the water embraced my feet. The day rushed to the end without us noticing and we could not wait for tomorrow.

Conclusion

Bali Island is an unrivaled vacation destination. The experiences that we went through made our family closer than ever before. The time we spent together, the candid discussion we had on those things that dog our family, and being able to forget all the troubles that you go through in everyday life makes it my number one destination.

Reference

Herbst, E. (1997). Voices in Bali: Energies and Perceptions in Vocal Music and Dance Theater. Hanover: University Press of New England.

Many threats face me and my community. In my area of residence, for example, there are three main areas of concern:

• Personal security;
• Xenophobic attacks and
• Poisoning hazard from a nearby electricity generating company

My community is threatened by personal security for several reasons. First, there is very little street lighting in my neighborhood. This has led to incidences where people are attacked and robbed of their valuables under the cover of darkness. The number of patrolling policemen is very small and in most cases, they take too long to respond to any distress calls.

In my community, there is also the risk of xenophobic attacks. There has been some tension in the community following the xenophobic attacks that took place a month ago. It has therefore become unsafe to walk alone along poorly lit alleys.

My community borders an electricity generating company. The company uses geothermal steam in the production of power. Some gas comes out of the geothermal wells that can be poisonous. The gas has a distinct smell and can be recognized by people in my community. It poses a hazard because the gas is only dangerous when it can’t be smelled.

The information above was obtained through observation, sensitization by the local authorities, and personal reading about my neighborhood.

My response while at home to these hazards would depend on which of the three hazards threaten my community. In the case of personal security, I avoid walking alone at night along with the notorious crime areas. If I hear someone being robbed while at home, I would respond by calling the police and raising an alarm that will most likely scare away the robbers.

For the xenophobic attacks, I would react by calling out to my family members to get into the houses, lock the doors. I would then use my emergency contact list to call the police and the embassy for help and have my emergency kit in readiness for evacuation if necessary.

The local, authorities warn of an impending disaster by use of public announcements. For example, if the meteorological department wants to warn of a flood or hurricane, this is done by television media and the use of public address systems if the time is too short.

Information before a disaster is usually relayed by the use of television and radio media. During the disaster, landline telephones, mobile phones, text messages, and the internet can also be employed. Social media networks can be a useful tool in getting the latest updates on developments. All these are used in addition to the traditional radio and television announcements. I used online emergency preparedness guides in obtaining this information. I also knew some of the means of response from personal experience in the past. I have used social media before to avoid a disaster area because I read the updates on social media.

My family communication plan is pre-planned to be used in the event of an emergency. The communication plan is kept together in the emergency kit and other safe areas in the house and is accessible to all members of the family. Some of the information that would be in the plan would include Neighborhood meeting place, out of neighborhood meeting place, name of each family member, their dates of birth, social security numbers, and any important medical information. It would also include information on the areas where each of the family members spends most of their time, the addresses to these places, and a telephone contact if available. The communication plan should also have site-specific emergency plans for these areas.

Each family member should also have an emergency card so that they know who to call in case of an emergency and where to assemble in case of a disaster or emergency. The cards should contain the emergency contacts and their telephone numbers. It should also have an out-of-town contact and their telephone number, the neighborhood meeting place, and any other important information.

In the communication plan, it would be important to have an out town contact like a cousin, friend, or another relative so that in case we need to leave our town, then they can accommodate us. They could also be a contact near a police station or Red Cross office and can help in getting help.

In case of a disaster, I would try calling first to get help. In case the calls do not go through, I would then use text messages. The reason for this would be because calls go through faster and I would be able to get the message across more comprehensively. However, if calls do not go through because of congestion or some other reason, then I would use text messages because they do not need a continuous network connection; even a small connection could be able to have the messages sent across in a congested network.

The ten interesting events in my community are church construction, launching of radio stations, inter families football competitions, construction, and launching of health institutions, and ceremonies such as funerals and marriage. The other two important events are church baptism activities and wrestling matches among male children between 10 to 17 years. Among the six subjects, I am not familiar with inter families football competitions, but I find it to be the most exciting event.

Inter families’ competition is the most interesting event in my community. Seven families combined to form a team of seven players. This competition is normally organized by the community leaders with the goal of promoting talents and also creating a better future for the young people. The competition only involves youths from the age of 18 to 30 years. One of the leaders elaborated that this program is purely for the youths who are seeking self-discovery. These competitions are held during the school holidays between December and January.

Regarding this interesting and important event, I had already known a few things. I know that this competition program is sponsored by The Association for Talent Development. Again, this program creates employment for young people; three of my cousins are currently working with the American Federation of Women. Conversely, one thing I may want to know is how the pandemic affected event’s plans and challenges they have faced during the pandemic.

Talent identification and employment creation make this event interesting since it helps fight joblessness among the youths. In an interview with Mr. Bowers, the chairman of the great community event, Mr. Bowers explained that the COVID-19 pandemic policies implementation by the state interrupted the event plans. These COVID-19 pandemic policies included lockdown and curfews and social distancing. Lockdown prevented the events, financiers, and sponsors from attending football training, while curfew reduced football training hours. On the other hand, social distance did not allow the full football teams to practice, thus reducing the effectiveness of those teams. Apart from financial challenges, Mr. Bowers also mentioned that they lack spacious fields to accommodate all players concerning the social distancing COVID-19 policy by the state.

According to my own research, I found out that COVID-19 indeed disrupted the event activities and plans. On watching the current videos played by Mr. Bowers in his office, it was evident that instead of 14 players, the field could only accommodate eight players. In comparing the previous and current football training sessions, there was a difference in audience volume. And this had a negative impact on supporting talent and employment creation since the audience included the event sponsors who could not attend the event to identify the talented individuals (Dönmez et al. 6). The recorded football match in 2019 backward was much better than of 2020 and 2021. During these two years, the players did not have enough space and time to train as a full team, thus leading to poor performance. The poor performance due to insufficient training has also led to the sponsor’s reluctance towards supporting the event.

Based on my analysis, the COVID-19 pandemic affected the inter families football competition, the most important and interesting event in my community. This event has been interesting since it showcases amazing football talent among the youth and is important because it creates employment for the youths. From my observation of the previous and currently recorded videos, COVID-19 policies by the state have killed the event. Social distance has impeded the entire team from training together; the lockdown has prevented the sponsors from flying to physically watch and identify talents, while curfew has limited the training hours (Dönmez et al. 2). Mr. Bowers’s figurative language truly revealed how painful the pandemic cost the event. From my angle of view, Mr. Bowers should approach the national government to grant them a permit to conduct the inter families’ competitions regardless of the pandemic policies placed by the state. He should do this because this event has created jobs for the youths and earned revenue for the government.

Work Cited

Dönmez, Gürhan, et al. “The Effects of Home Confinement on Physical Activity Level and Mental Status in Professional Football Players During COVID-19 outbreak“. The Physician and Sportsmedicine, 2021, pp. 1-7. Web.

Introduction

Military deployments have been known to contribute tremendously to the P.T.S.D effects on the families of the veteran soldiers. This is worse when the families get to watch horrific scenes from the television of areas where their loved ones have been deployed. To the soldier, the effects usually vary depending on a few factors, one of them being the length of the deployment mission.

This means that, P.T.S.D effects will be greater depending on the duration of the exposure to such a stressor. The effects are even worse to the partner who is left behind; whether wife or husband because they are required to care for the children and the thought of being the sole bread winner makes the whole situation sad. Children are affected more since they are not able to enjoy the affection of both their parents whom they were used to.

Despite such dilemmas, the military leaders have come up with programs which are meant to offer counseling to the soldiers when they return home from such a horrifying mission. More so, the families of such persons are also assured that their loved ones will be allowed a limited duration to such missions since a prolonged stay, say in Iraq or any other place is known to cause P.T.S.D severely. Generally there is hope for the military soldiers and families who are at risk of getting P.T.S.D, now and in the future.

PTSD affects on the family

According to Moon (63) once the soldier returns home after the mission, the family members will begin to notice certain changes. These changes are contributed to the trauma of war that the veteran had to endure. Changes include nightmares during sleep which could occur on regular basis. The author adds that, the changes could affect the entire family members in a negative manner. This entails the members of the family dedicating their time so as to comfort or offer support to the “soldier”.

As a result the members are not able to continue with their normal duties, which was usually the case. This creates disruption in the event whereby, the running of; for example a family business is discontinued so as to cater for that PTSD soldier. Worse still, the children are affected when they notice the weird behavior from say their father and this in turn affects their school performance.

Moon still argues that, the family members usually act differently when a loved one is traumatized and a proper intervention is the only solution (12). According to Ursano and Norwood (5) cited that Reuben Hill came up with his first report which enabled him to develop the ABCX model that outlined the PTSD crisis.

With this, he was able to discover that there was an increase in somatic distress in wives of the Israeli veterans. Psychiatric distress was also reported among these women hence affecting their lives completely before help was taken. PTSD was mainly vulnerable to a special population class such of single parents’ households and joint service marriages.

PTSD effects could also take another shift whereby the family members could begin experiencing nightmares of their loved ones who are out deployed in a mission. In their visions they may picture the person getting injuries or even being killed. Such incidences could make the wife or husband who is left at home; fear the shift of roles whereby he or she may end up acting as the bread winner if such a vision would come true. Ursano and Norwood (9).

OIF/OEF Combat Soldiers

Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) have become quite important for the after-action review (AAR). The reason for this is that, future operations will have to be based on this when preparation for such missions are to be undertaken. The challenges encountered during the OIF phase are not the same ones with those that happen today.

For the soldiers who return in the later phases, a lot of differences are noticed as far as tactics and techniques are concerned. In general, there has been a change in how AAR gives their testimonies to their superiors who are in charge. (Stone 58)

In some cases the AARs exercises are not undertaken since they are considered to be painful and tedious. However, the soldiers understand the importance of this task. Opinions and ideas on Global war against terrorism have progressed; therefore the Marines have learned more tactics on how to improve their “game”.

With respect to that, leaders of these groups are trying to speak with the soldiers who are returning from the war hoping that they will change their programs and be able to accommodate or match with the current student’s techniques and procedures. In April, the 89^th Military Police Brigade’s deployment was involved with an internal AAR meeting whereby they recorded their work for future reference.

According to Stone, the leaders were able to answer all their listeners’ questions, which revolved around their stay in Iraq. The listeners included the soldiers who were deployed in Iraq the previous year. The two experiences were quite different since they happened in different timeline. Many students who were anticipated to leave for Iraq learnt a lot when they were briefed on what to expect once they arrived there.

Stone adds that, after the 89^th team left, a team of about six leaders was sent by the 16^th Military. It was organized that the leaders were to meet with some of the group instructors of the known Directorate of Training and Leader Development (DTLD), for the AAR to comment on how the OIF could be shared. This helped for the future improvement of their training programs as included in the AAR comments.

The author adds that, the pictures and layouts presentation were used so as to demonstrate a detailed description that was experienced in those events. For the listeners, the experience was quite frightening though educative in the long run.

To clear up the happening, it should be noted that the two happenings that is; the 16^th and 89^th Military and Police Brigades were mostly edged on reshaping the canon of the 14^th Military Police Brigade. The author concludes that sharing of such experiences using the appropriate forums was one of the best training in the Military force.

Conclusion

P.T.S.D is a common occurrence among the families of the military soldiers as described above. Measures of dealing with this kind of problem have been formulated by the government authorities and the most viable one is that the soldiers should be deployed in such areas for a specific duration. The limitation is meant to lower down the chances of getting the P.T.S.D which in the long run can affect the rest of the family.

On the other hand, OIF/OEF combat soldiers can proof helpful in future plans. This means that they can help the Military to come up with the ideal tactics and techniques that can be used when a deployment mission is to be undertaken. In general, if this approach is used the military will not experience the challenges that they have had to encounter in the past years.

Works Cited

Moon, Poppy. Sand Play Therapy with U.S. Soldiers Diagnosed With PTSD And Their Families. Article 13 p 63-66. 1997 Print

Stone, Heather. Military police Soldiers share OIF/OEF experiences with the regiment. World Peace Newspaper. July 2005. Web.

Ursano, Robert & Norwood, Ann. Emotional Aftermath of the Persian Gulf War: Veterans, families, communities and actions. American Psychiatric Press, Inc. Washington, DC. 1996. Print.

Introduction

Marriage and family form the core of America’s society. This is despite the fact that relations between members of a given family may differ as time goes by (Behrens and Rosen 25).

As far as marriage is concerned, men and women have various traditions and values that they value in their lives. This therefore presents a distinct approach to the whole aspect of marriage and family. The family and marriage in America has been evolving as time goes by thereby presenting a new approach to this issue.

Focus has been put on rebuilding families and marriage. In this case, the society needs to come up with a culture that is based on enduring various relationships. American marriages and families have been made stronger through a good shift on cultural values (Behrens and Rosen 19). As a matter of fact, there is a decline of marriage in America. This has been brought about by various issues and that is why this paper will focus on why people chose not to marry.

Discussion

In the past years, America was recognized as the most marrying society in the world but this has been changing as time goes. As a matter of fact, this is well reflected in the older generation that was marrying without any problem. It should be known that most people between the ages of 45 to 54 were married in 1990s but this is the direct opposite today. Currently, the marriage institution in America is decay (Behrens and Rosen 31).

The marriage rate in America has been decreasing drastically in recent years. In this case, people are postponing marriage because of various issues that they think should be prioritized. On the other hand, people are foregoing marriage altogether (Behrens and Rosen 36). The whole issue of foregoing marriage is a very complex aspect that needs to be looked at and properly evaluated.

The number of unmarried women between the ages of 15 to 44 has been increasing every now and then. This can mostly be seen in the number of children who have been born out of wedlock. Statistics indicate that non-marital births stand at 30% of all births in America (Behrens and Rosen 42). Most people are running away from the reality to endure bad marriages and that is why they prefer not to marry.

In recent years, there have been a lot of painful divorces in the country and this could also explain why people don’t want to marry. It is contrasting to note that the rate of marriages has been declining while on the other hand the rate at which people are divorcing has been going up (Behrens and Rosen 43). There is a high probability that a marriage will end in divorce and that is why people would prefer not to marry because they will eventually divorce.

Marital instability in America has been going up as time goes by and this is a reality that needs to be looked at. Most children have had painful experiences in their families and that is why they can not imagine themselves going through the same experience that their mother or fathers went through in marriage (Behrens and Rosen 48). In this case, it should be known that children from a broken family are less likely to form a good family. Apart from these issues, the quality of married life has been declining drastically.

Because of all this complexities, people are not willing to join the institution of marriage. As a matter of fact, people can not invest their time, commitments and resources in marriage. Majority of Americans have always believed that marriage should be a life goal (Behrens and Rosen 27). But going by the current statistics, people no longer value marriage as they used to do before. There have been concerns as per to why more females do not prefer to marry.

In this case, 51% of women are living alone without spouses. Most women are independent both emotionally and financially and that is why they do not want to give marriage a chance.

An increase in economic independence can therefore be said to be the reason behind a decline in marriages (Behrens and Rosen 37). In this case, women see other choices that are more important to them than marriage. There are instances where people live with partners without marrying and this is a very dangerous trend to the institution of marriage.

Social forces have also been instrumental in encouraging people not to marry. In this case, people spend almost half of their life alone and this is not good. There are occasions where young females have babies at the age of 15 and this has made them not to be considered as marriage partners (Behrens and Rosen 52). In a broad perspective, there is fear towards the institution of marriage.

Conclusion

It is undeniable that there are no good role models of marriage and this is a reality that we are supposed to face. Marriage has been loosing its value in our society and we need to look at this for sustainability (Behrens and Rosen 32). People are supposed to enter into marriages for life long commitments but they have not been attentive to family values.

America is currently faced with a lot of doomed marriages and this has complicated the whole issue of family and marriage. This could be the reason why people are not in a rush to get into marriages that they are not sure of (Behrens and Rosen 12).

There are people who prefer cohabitation and that could be the reason why they lack commitment in marriage. Some women are career minded and that is why they don’t want to get married.

Works Cited

Behrens, Laurence, and Rosen Leonard. Writing and Reading across the Curriculum. Boston: Longman, 2011. Print.