At Better Health, our mission is to digitize and modernize the antiquated medical supplies and devices industry. More than 60 million Americans use medical equipment and supplies in their homes on a regular basis. But getting access to these products can be incredibly challenging and costly. We aim to bring greater transparency and choice to our customers by offering an end-to-end care solution, bundling clinical consultation, member education, insurance management, and home delivery. As a licensed Medicare provider, we work with several Medicaid plans and have preferred and national partnerships with the nation’s leading payers. Founded by a team of healthcare, e-commerce, and software veterans and funded by world-class investors, we believe that you deserve Better.

Better Health

betterhealth

Authors:
(1) Prabath Jayatissa, University of Colombo
(2) Roshan Hewapathirane, University of Colombo Table of Links Abstract & Introduction Methodology Results Conclusion & References ABSTRACT The review article aims to provide an overview of the challenges and strategies for enhancing interoperability among health information systems in low and middle-income countries (LMICs). Achieving interoperability in LMICs presents unique challenges due to various factors, such as limited resources, fragmented health information systems, and diverse health IT infrastructure. The methodology involves conducting a comprehensive literature review, synthesising findings, identifying challenges and strategies, analysing and interpreting results, and writing and finalising the article. The article highlights that the interoperability challenges include a lack of standardisation, fragmented systems, limited resources, and data privacy concerns. The article proposes strategies to enhance interoperability in LMICs, such as standardisation of data formats and protocols, consolidation of health information systems, investment in health IT infrastructure, and capacity building of health IT professionals in LMICs. The article aims to provide insights into the current state and potential strategies for enhancing interoperability among health information systems in LMICs, intending to improve healthcare delivery and outcomes in these KEYWORDS Interoperability, Health information systems, low and middle-income countries (LMICs), challenges, strategies, standardisation 1. INTRODUCTION Health information systems (HISs) are critical in supporting the delivery of quality healthcare services, improving patient outcomes, and informing evidence-based decision-making. HIS faces unique challenges in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) due to limited resources, infrastructure, and capacity. One key challenge is the lack of interoperability, which refers to the ability of different HISs to exchange and use health information effectively. Interoperability is crucial for achieving seamless data exchange, coordination of care, and integration of health services. It enables healthcare providers to access and share patient information across different systems, facilitating timely and informed decision-making. However, achieving interoperability in LMICs is complex and poses several barriers, including technical, organisational, and financial challenges. This review article aims to highlight the challenges and strategies for enhancing interoperability among HIS in LMICs. We will explore the current state of interoperability in LMICs, identify the challenges faced by these countries, and discuss the strategies that can be employed to overcome these challenges. We will also highlight the importance of standardization, consolidation, investment, and capacity building as key strategies for improving interoperability in LMICs. By addressing these challenges and implementing appropriate strategies, LMICs can unlock the full potential of HIS to improve healthcare outcomes and achieve better health for their populations. This paper is available on arxiv under CC 4.0 license. Authors: (1) Prabath Jayatissa, University of Colombo (2) Roshan Hewapathirane, University of Colombo Authors: Authors: (1) Prabath Jayatissa, University of Colombo (2) Roshan Hewapathirane, University of Colombo Table of Links Abstract & Introduction Abstract & Introduction Methodology Methodology Results Results Conclusion & References Conclusion & References ABSTRACT The review article aims to provide an overview of the challenges and strategies for enhancing interoperability among health information systems in low and middle-income countries (LMICs). Achieving interoperability in LMICs presents unique challenges due to various factors, such as limited resources, fragmented health information systems, and diverse health IT infrastructure. The methodology involves conducting a comprehensive literature review, synthesising findings, identifying challenges and strategies, analysing and interpreting results, and writing and finalising the article. The article highlights that the interoperability challenges include a lack of standardisation, fragmented systems, limited resources, and data privacy concerns. The article proposes strategies to enhance interoperability in LMICs, such as standardisation of data formats and protocols, consolidation of health information systems, investment in health IT infrastructure, and capacity building of health IT professionals in LMICs. The article aims to provide insights into the current state and potential strategies for enhancing interoperability among health information systems in LMICs, intending to improve healthcare delivery and outcomes in these KEYWORDS KEYWORDS Interoperability, Health information systems, low and middle-income countries (LMICs), challenges, strategies, standardisation 1. INTRODUCTION Health information systems (HISs) are critical in supporting the delivery of quality healthcare services, improving patient outcomes, and informing evidence-based decision-making. HIS faces unique challenges in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) due to limited resources, infrastructure, and capacity. One key challenge is the lack of interoperability, which refers to the ability of different HISs to exchange and use health information effectively. Interoperability is crucial for achieving seamless data exchange, coordination of care, and integration of health services. It enables healthcare providers to access and share patient information across different systems, facilitating timely and informed decision-making. However, achieving interoperability in LMICs is complex and poses several barriers, including technical, organisational, and financial challenges. This review article aims to highlight the challenges and strategies for enhancing interoperability among HIS in LMICs. We will explore the current state of interoperability in LMICs, identify the challenges faced by these countries, and discuss the strategies that can be employed to overcome these challenges. We will also highlight the importance of standardization, consolidation, investment, and capacity building as key strategies for improving interoperability in LMICs. By addressing these challenges and implementing appropriate strategies, LMICs can unlock the full potential of HIS to improve healthcare outcomes and achieve better health for their populations. This paper is available on arxiv under CC 4.0 license. This paper is available on arxiv under CC 4.0 license. available on arxiv

Enhancing Interoperability Among Health Information Systems in Low- and Middle- Income Countries

I did proceed to Windsor, but not with the intention of remaining there

A Floating City and The Blockade Runners by Jules Verne, is part of the HackerNoon Books Series. You can jump to any chapter in this book . Chapter XXXIX here CHAPTER XXXIX. Some minutes later we were descending a long flight of steps on the Canadian side, which led to the banks of the river, covered with huge sheets of ice. Here a boat was waiting to take us to “America.” One passenger had already taken his place in it. He was an engineer from Kentucky, and acquainted the Doctor with his name and profession. We embarked without loss of time, and by dint of steering, so as to avoid the blocks of ice, reached the middle of the river, where the current offered a clear passage. From here we had a last view of the magnificent Niagara cataract. Our companion observed it with a thoughtful air. “Is it not grand, sir? Is it not magnificent?” said I to him. “Yes,” replied he; “but what a waste of mechanical force, and what a mill might be turned with such a fall as that!” Never did I feel more inclined to pitch an engineer into the water! On the other bank a small and almost vertical railroad, worked by a rope on the American side, hoisted us to the top. At half-past one we took the express, which put us down at Buffalo at a quarter past two. After visiting this large new town, and tasting the water of Lake Erie, we again took the New York Central Railway at six o’clock in the evening. The next day, on leaving the comfortable beds of a “sleeping car,” we found ourselves at Albany, and the Hudson Railroad, which runs along the left bank of the river, brought us to New York a few hours later. The next day, the 15th of April, in company with the indefatigable Doctor, I went over the city, East River, and Brooklyn. In the evening I bade farewell to the good Dean Pitferge, and I felt, in leaving him, that I left a friend. Tuesday, the 16th of April, was the day fixed for the departure of the “Great Eastern.” At eleven o’clock I went to Thirty-seventh pier, where the tender was to await the passengers. It was already filled with people and luggage when I embarked. Just as the tender was leaving the quay some one caught hold of my arm, and turning round I saw Dr. Pitferge. “You!” I cried; “and are you going back to Europe?” “Yes, my dear sir.” “By the ‘Great Eastern’?” “Undoubtedly,” replied the amiable original, smiling; “I have considered the matter, and have come to the conclusion that I must go. Only think, this may be the ‘Great Eastern’s’ .” last voyage; the one which she will never complete The bell for departure had rung, when one of the waiters from Fifth Avenue Hotel came running up to me, and put a telegram into my hands, dated from Niagara Falls:—“Ellen has awakened; her reason has entirely returned to her,” said Captain Corsican, “and the doctor has every hope of her recovery.” I communicated this good news to Dean Pitferge. “Every hope for her indeed! every hope!” said my fellow-traveller, in a sarcastic tone. “I also have every hope for her, but what good does that do? Any one may have great hopes for you, for me, for all of us, but at the same time he may be just as much wrong as right.”... Twelve days later we reached Brest, and the day following Paris. The return passage was made without any misfortune, to the great displeasure of Dean Pitferge, who always expected to see the great ship wrecked. And now, when I am sitting at my own table, if I had not my daily notes before me, I should think that the “Great Eastern,” that floating city in which I lived for a month, the meeting of Ellen and Fabian, the peerless Niagara, all these were the visions of a dream. Ah! how delightful is travelling, “even when one does return,” in spite of what the Doctor may say to the contrary. For eight months I heard nothing of my original, but one day the post brought me a letter, covered with many-coloured stamps, which began with these words:— “On board the ‘Corinquay,’ Auckland Rocks. At last we have been shipwrecked.” And ended thus:— “Was never in better health.” “Very heartily yours, Dean Pitferge.” END OF “A FLOATING CITY.” About HackerNoon Book Series: We bring you the most important technical, scientific, and insightful public domain books. This book is part of the public domain. Jules Verne (2022). A Floating City and The Blockade Runners. Urbana, Illinois: Project Gutenberg. Retrieved October 2022 https://www.gutenberg.org/files/67829/67829-h/67829-h.htm This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at , located at . www.gutenberg.org https://www.gutenberg.org/policy/license.html

Here a boat was waiting to take us to “America.”

Let's learn about via these 34 free stories. They are ordered by most time reading created on HackerNoon. Visit the to find the most read stories about any technology. Advice /Learn Repo 1. Use These 11 Meta-Skills to Accelerate Your Career Zain Kahn goes over 11 meta-skills to accelerate your career. `` 2. Founder Advice: Choosing the Right Cloud Infrastructure Can Make a Big Difference Choosing the right cloud provider can make a big difference in how bumpy the road to success will be. 3. 6 Most Important Things Every Junior Developer Should Know My very first software development job was for my parent’s company. I had been poking around on a Commodore 64 for a couple of years and even had a few working pieces of code on Floppy disks that I would take over to my friends house and copy for them to use (Old School Github). Mom and Dad bought a new computer system that did not do what they needed it to do. My sheer luck, the system was written in a dialect of BASIC. Since I pretended to know BASIC, I stepped up and was officially a software developer. 4. The Most Valuable Business Advice I Ever Received Mason Pelt describes the best business advice he has gotten. 5. Life Spoilers: Nobody Knows What They're Doing In an uncertain and polarised world, some things are worth remembering. 6. In a world full of experts, be a newbie There’s no such thing as an expert. The experts are just newbies who never stopped learning. So instead of feeling sorry for yourself, embrace your inner newbie 7. The Surprising Benefits of Intermittent Fasting for Software Engineers Discover the numerous benefits of intermittent fasting for software engineers, including weight loss, improved cognitive function, and better health. 8. The Elusive Work-Life Balance The quest to achieve a work-life-balance is never-ending, but if you understand the problem, the solution isn't that far away. 9. Future-Proof Your Career by Building a Strong Online Presence Having a strong online presence accelerates your career and gives you optionality. Yet, many knowledge workers are getting left behind. 10. How I Keep Sane While Earning My PhD 🧠 Hello All 👋, 11. Why Startups Are Better To Work For Last fall as I started my last year at UCLA, I aggressively applied and interviewed for programming jobs. The decision agonized me for weeks and I devoured career guides and advice. And in the end, I chose a small 50 person startup over exciting companies like Facebook, Stripe, and Cruise. I basically chose less money for more work mostly because it was a startup. 12. What is a Minimum Viable Product? - Essential Features and Guidelines A Minimum Viable Product is the initial version of your mobile application that contains the main features needed to satisfy the user’s problems. 13. Four Reasons Why Programmers Are Naturally Inclined to Become Good Writers Using programming as a mindset 14. Connected Watches or Traditional Watches? In this opinion, we will focus on two types of watches: the traditional watch and the connected watch. 15. Becoming a Rich Writer: The Tale of Two Writers This vision is hard — nearly impossible — to achieve for many writers. 16. WTF Are APIs? If you’re a working professional, you’ve probably heard your coworkers talk about APIs, Web Services, endpoints, and other weird words like 200 and 401. What the heck does it mean and what’s the difference between them? 17. When You Should use Redux with APIs Have you been studying React and heard about Redux at some point, right? You get interested and start learning the concepts behind Redux, everything cool until now, but then you start working on a project that makes some API calls and you start wondering, when should I use Redux? 18. The growing pains of becoming an Intermediate developer 19. Great Artists Steal: A Product Manager’s 56 best (and stolen) Insights from 2021 A collection of 56 ideas I came across or developed working as a product manager in 2021. 20. From Payless Source to Information Technology When talking to people who are new to the world of computers (and who are hoping to land a job), I like to share my story of how my career began. I don’t do this for bragging rights or to make them envious of me. Rather it’s so that they may find some inspiration in what I have to say and be able to see that anything is possible once you put your mind to it. 21. 5 Warranted Ways to Annoy a Journalist with Your Email Journalists get thousands of emails, ignore weird messages, and aren't surprised by almost anything that comes their way. 22. From App Idea To Implementation [Guideline] When you have an app idea, you need to get things sorted out before you jump onto the development train. Getting the right people at the table, talking to users and defining your blueprint will help you to get things sorted out. Read on if you want to get solid advice on doing so. 23. 11 Lessons I Learned as a Tech Founder I’ve been a full-time founder for almost a year but have been into startup culture for most of my professional career as a software engineer (~4 years). 24. Six Crucial Startup Lessons I Would Share With My Younger Self In hindsight, the first business I started had all the ingredients to succeed. I just didn’t realize it at the time. 25. 31 Lessons Learned From 10,000 Hours of Programming Well, I'm certainly not a world-class expert, but I have put my 10,000 hours of deliberate practice into programming. 26. Why We Should Opt Out of the Attention Economy The Value of Attention - why your attention is so valuable and why you're selling it too cheaply 27. 9 Experts Weigh In: How to Launch Your Blockchain Startup in 2021 At the end of 2020, I gathered up the opinions of nine startup founders who shared their views of 2021, and in this article you will find out how they answered. 28. Have You Ever Been Told Your Business Idea Sucks? How to know which feedback to listen to for your startup. 29. Covid19: What Can MSME Do To Overcome The Challenges Not long ago I posted a heartfelt 2 cents to the Government (Malaysia) in regards to the MSME (Micro Small Medium Enterprise) challenges, hopefully they might hear our little voices out. 30. Powerful Tips To Help You Learn Programming Language Here I have shared some of the tips, that my mentor gave me, on how to start learning programming which you can follow to become better programmer within a year 31. 21 Keys to Building Better Business Software I know, 21 is a lot of keys. Software development is complex, don't let anyone tell you different. I imagine some of these points will resonate with you and hopefully some will be new and enlightening. 32. Finding Market Fit Modern startup advice is to launch and grow revenue as quickly as possible, as aggressively as possible. 33. HTML and CSS Tips From a Newbie About a month ago I started Microverse’s Technical Curriculum and two days ago I finished its first module, HTML and CSS. 34. Don’t Be Ashamed of Tutorial Hell. Embrace it. Learning is a process of creating knowledge in your brain. You have to allow your brain to make connections. Thank you for checking out the 34 most read stories about Advice on HackerNoon. to find the most read stories about any technology. Visit the /Learn Repo

34 Stories To Learn About Advice

Five Weeks in a Balloon by Jules Verne, is part of the HackerNoon Books Series. You can jump to any chapter in this book . Chapter XXXVII here CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVENTH. The Western Route.—Joe wakes up.—His Obstinacy.—End of Joe’s Narrative.—Tagelei.—Kennedy’s Anxieties.—The Route to the North.—A Night near Aghades. During the night the wind lulled as though reposing after the boisterousness of the day, and the remained quietly at the top of the tall sycamore. The doctor and Kennedy kept watch by turns, and Joe availed himself of the chance to sleep most sturdily for twenty-four hours at a stretch. Victoria “That’s the remedy he needs,” said Dr. Ferguson. “Nature will take charge of his care.” With the dawn the wind sprang up again in quite strong, and moreover capricious gusts. It shifted abruptly from south to north, but finally the was carried away by it toward the west. Victoria The doctor, map in hand, recognized the kingdom of Damerghou, an undulating region of great fertility, in which the huts that compose the villages are constructed of long reeds interwoven with branches of the . The grain-mills were seen raised in the cultivated fields, upon small scaffoldings or platforms, to keep them out of the reach of the mice and the huge ants of that country. asclepia They soon passed the town of Zinder, recognized by its spacious place of execution, in the centre of which stands the “tree of death.” At its foot the executioner stands waiting, and whoever passes beneath its shadow is immediately hung! Upon consulting his compass, Kennedy could not refrain from saying: “Look! we are again moving northward.” “No matter; if it only takes us to Timbuctoo, we shall not complain. Never was a finer voyage accomplished under better circumstances!” “Nor in better health,” said Joe, at that instant thrusting his jolly countenance from between the curtains of the awning. “There he is! there’s our gallant friend—our preserver!” exclaimed Kennedy, cordially.—“How goes it, Joe?” “Oh! why, naturally enough, Mr. Kennedy, very naturally! I never felt better in my life! Nothing sets a man up like a little pleasure-trip with a bath in Lake Tchad to start on—eh, doctor?” “Brave fellow!” said Ferguson, pressing Joe’s hand, “what terrible anxiety you caused us!” “Humph! and you, sir? Do you think that I felt easy in my mind about you, gentlemen? You gave me a fine fright, let me tell you!” “We shall never agree in the world, Joe, if you take things in that style.” “I see that his tumble hasn’t changed him a bit,” added Kennedy. “Your devotion and self-forgetfulness were sublime, my brave lad, and they saved us, for the was falling into the lake, and, once there, nobody could have extricated her.” Victoria “But, if my devotion, as you are pleased to call my summerset, saved you, did it not save me too, for here we are, all three of us, in first-rate health? Consequently we have nothing to squabble about in the whole affair.” “Oh! we can never come to a settlement with that youth,” said the sportsman. “The best way to settle it,” replied Joe, “is to say nothing more about the matter. What’s done is done. Good or bad, we can’t take it back.” “You obstinate fellow!” said the doctor, laughing; “you can’t refuse, though, to tell us your adventures, at all events.” “Not if you think it worth while. But, in the first place, I’m going to cook this fat goose to a turn, for I see that Mr. Kennedy has not wasted his time.” “All right, Joe!” “Well, let us see then how this African game will sit on a European stomach!” The goose was soon roasted by the flame of the blow-pipe, and not long afterward was comfortably stowed away. Joe took his own good share, like a man who had eaten nothing for several days. After the tea and the punch, he acquainted his friends with his recent adventures. He spoke with some emotion, even while looking at things with his usual philosophy. The doctor could not refrain from frequently pressing his hand when he saw his worthy servant more considerate of his master’s safety than of his own, and, in relation to the sinking of the island of the Biddiomahs, he explained to him the frequency of this phenomenon upon Lake Tchad. At length Joe, continuing his recital, arrived at the point where, sinking in the swamp, he had uttered a last cry of despair. “I thought I was gone,” said he, “and as you came right into my mind, I made a hard fight for it. How, I couldn’t tell you—but I’d made up my mind that I wouldn’t go under without knowing why. Just then, I saw—two or three feet from me—what do you think? the end of a rope that had been fresh cut; so I took leave to make another jerk, and, by hook or by crook, I got to the rope. When I pulled, it didn’t give; so I pulled again and hauled away and there I was on dry ground! At the end of the rope, I found an anchor! Ah, master, I’ve a right to call that the anchor of safety, anyhow, if you have no objection. I knew it again! It was the anchor of the You had grounded there! So I followed the direction of the rope and that gave me your direction, and, after trying hard a few times more, I got out of the swamp. I had got my strength back with my spunk, and I walked on part of the night away from the lake, until I got to the edge of a very big wood. There I saw a fenced-in place, where some horses were grazing, without thinking of any harm. Now, there are times when everybody knows how to ride a horse, are there not, doctor? So I didn’t spend much time thinking about it, but jumped right on the back of one of those innocent animals and away we went galloping north as fast as our legs could carry us. I needn’t tell you about the towns that I didn’t see nor the villages that I took good care to go around. No! I crossed the ploughed fields; I leaped the hedges; I scrambled over the fences; I dug my heels into my nag; I thrashed him; I fairly lifted the poor fellow off his feet! At last I got to the end of the tilled land. Good! There was the desert. ‘That suits me!’ said I, ‘for I can see better ahead of me and farther too.’ I was hoping all the time to see the balloon tacking about and waiting for me. But not a bit of it; and so, in about three hours, I go plump, like a fool, into a camp of Arabs! Whew! what a hunt that was! You see, Mr. Kennedy, a hunter don’t know what a real hunt is until he’s been hunted himself! Still I advise him not to try it if he can keep out of it! My horse was so tired, he was ready to drop off his legs; they were close on me; I threw myself to the ground; then I jumped up again behind an Arab! I didn’t mean the fellow any harm, and I hope he has no grudge against me for choking him, but I saw you—and you know the rest. The came on at my heels, and you caught me up flying, as a circus-rider does a ring. Wasn’t I right in counting on you? Now, doctor, you see how simple all that was! Nothing more natural in the world! I’m ready to begin over again, if it would be of any service to you. And besides, master, as I said a while ago, it’s not worth mentioning.” Victoria! Victoria “My noble, gallant Joe!” said the doctor, with great feeling. “Heart of gold! we were not astray in trusting to your intelligence and skill.” “Poh! doctor, one has only just to follow things along as they happen, and he can always work his way out of a scrape! The safest plan, you see, is to take matters as they come.” While Joe was telling his experience, the balloon had rapidly passed over a long reach of country, and Kennedy soon pointed out on the horizon a collection of structures that looked like a town. The doctor glanced at his map and recognized the place as the large village of Tagelei, in the Damerghou country. “Here,” said he, “we come upon Dr. Barth’s route. It was at this place that he parted from his companions, Richardson and Overweg; the first was to follow the Zinder route, and the second that of Maradi; and you may remember that, of these three travellers, Barth was the only one who ever returned to Europe.” “Then,” said Kennedy, following out on the map the direction of the , “we are going due north.” Victoria “Due north, Dick.” “And don’t that give you a little uneasiness?” “Why should it?” “Because that line leads to Tripoli, and over the Great Desert.” “Oh, we shall not go so far as that, my friend—at least, I hope not.” “But where do you expect to halt?” “Come, Dick, don’t you feel some curiosity to see Timbuctoo?” “Timbuctoo?” “Certainly,” said Joe; “nobody nowadays can think of making the trip to Africa without going to see Timbuctoo.” “You will be only the fifth or sixth European who has ever set eyes on that mysterious city.” “Ho, then, for Timbuctoo!” “Well, then, let us try to get as far as between the seventeenth and eighteenth degrees of north latitude, and there we will seek a favorable wind to carry us westward.” “Good!” said the hunter. “But have we still far to go to the northward?” “One hundred and fifty miles at least.” “In that case,” said Kennedy, “I’ll turn in and sleep a bit.” “Sleep, sir; sleep!” urged Joe. “And you, doctor, do the same yourself: you must have need of rest, for I made you keep watch a little out of time.” The sportsman stretched himself under the awning; but Ferguson, who was not easily conquered by fatigue, remained at his post. In about three hours the was crossing with extreme rapidity an expanse of stony country, with ranges of lofty, naked mountains of granitic formation at the base. A few isolated peaks attained the height of even four thousand feet. Giraffes, antelopes, and ostriches were seen running and bounding with marvellous agility in the midst of forests of acacias, mimosas, souahs, and date-trees. After the barrenness of the desert, vegetation was now resuming its empire. This was the country of the Kailouas, who veil their faces with a bandage of cotton, like their dangerous neighbors, the Touaregs. Victoria At ten o’clock in the evening, after a splendid trip of two hundred and fifty miles, the halted over an important town. The moonlight revealed glimpses of one district half in ruins; and some pinnacles of mosques and minarets shot up here and there, glistening in the silvery rays. The doctor took a stellar observation, and discovered that he was in the latitude of Aghades. Victoria This city, once the seat of an immense trade, was already falling into ruin when Dr. Barth visited it. The , not being seen in the obscurity of night, descended about two miles above Aghades, in a field of millet. The night was calm, and began to break into dawn about three o’clock A.M.; while a light wind coaxed the balloon westward, and even a little toward the south. Victoria Dr. Ferguson hastened to avail himself of such good fortune, and rapidly ascending resumed his aërial journey amid a long wake of golden morning sunshine. About HackerNoon Book Series: We bring you the most important technical, scientific, and insightful public domain books. This book is part of the public domain. Jules Verne (2002). Five Weeks in a Balloon. Urbana, Illinois: Project Gutenberg. Retrieved October 2022 https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/3526/pg3526-images.html This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at , located at . www.gutenberg.org https://www.gutenberg.org/policy/license.html

The Western Route

Rainbow Valley by L. M. Montgomery, is part of the HackerNoon Books Series. You can jump to any chapter in this book here . A DOUBLE VICTORY CHAPTER XVII. A DOUBLE VICTORY Norman Douglas came to church the first Sunday in November and made all the sensation he desired. Mr. Meredith shook hands with him absently on the church steps and hoped dreamily that Mrs. Douglas was well. “She wasn’t very well just before I buried her ten years ago, but I reckon she has better health now,” boomed Norman, to the horror and amusement of every one except Mr. Meredith, who was absorbed in wondering if he had made the last head of his sermon as clear as he might have, and hadn’t the least idea what Norman had said to him or he to Norman. Norman intercepted Faith at the gate. “Kept my word, you see—kept my word, Red Rose. I’m free now till the first Sunday in December. Fine sermon, girl—fine sermon. Your father has more in his head than he carries on his face. But he contradicted himself once—tell him he contradicted himself. And tell him I want that brimstone sermon in December. Great way to wind up the old year—with a taste of hell, you know. And what’s the matter with a nice tasty discourse on heaven for New Year’s? Though it wouldn’t be half as interesting as hell, girl—not half. Only I’d like to know what your father thinks about heaven—he can think—rarest thing in the world—a person who can think. But he did contradict himself. Ha, ha! Here’s a question you might ask him sometime when he’s awake, girl. ‘Can God make a stone so big He couldn’t lift it Himself?’ Don’t forget now. I want to hear his opinion on it. I’ve stumped many a minister with that, girl.” Faith was glad to escape him and run home. Dan Reese, standing among the crowd of boys at the gate, looked at her and shaped his mouth into “pig-girl,” but dared not utter it aloud just there. Next day in school was a different matter. At noon recess Faith encountered Dan in the little spruce plantation behind the school and Dan shouted once more, “Pig-girl! Pig-girl! Rooster-girl!” Walter Blythe suddenly rose from a mossy cushion behind a little clump of firs where he had been reading. He was very pale, but his eyes blazed. “You hold your tongue, Dan Reese!” he said. “Oh, hello, Miss Walter,” retorted Dan, not at all abashed. He vaulted airily to the top of the rail fence and chanted insultingly, “Cowardy, cowardy-custard Stole a pot of mustard, Cowardy, cowardy-custard!” “You are a coincidence!” said Walter scornfully, turning still whiter. He had only a very hazy idea what a coincidence was, but Dan had none at all and thought it must be something peculiarly opprobrious. “Yah! Cowardy!” he yelled gain. “Your mother writes lies—lies—lies! And Faith Meredith is a pig-girl—a—pig-girl—a pig-girl! And she’s a rooster-girl—a rooster-girl—a rooster-girl! Yah! Cowardy—cowardy—cust—” Dan got no further. Walter had hurled himself across the intervening space and knocked Dan off the fence backward with one well-directed blow. Dan’s sudden inglorious sprawl was greeted with a burst of laughter and a clapping of hands from Faith. Dan sprang up, purple with rage, and began to climb the fence. But just then the school-bell rang and Dan knew what happened to boys who were late during Mr. Hazard’s regime. “We’ll fight this out,” he howled. “Cowardy!” “Any time you like,” said Walter. “Oh, no, no, Walter,” protested Faith. “Don’t fight him. I don’t mind what he says—I wouldn’t condescend to mind the like of him.” “He insulted you and he insulted my mother,” said Walter, with the same deadly calm. “Tonight after school, Dan.” “I’ve got to go right home from school to pick taters after the harrows, dad says,” answered Dan sulkily. “But to-morrow night’ll do.” “All right—here to-morrow night,” agreed Walter. “And I’ll smash your sissy-face for you,” promised Dan. Walter shuddered—not so much from fear of the threat as from repulsion over the ugliness and vulgarity of it. But he held his head high and marched into school. Faith followed in a conflict of emotions. She hated to think of Walter fighting that little sneak, but oh, he had been splendid! And he was going to fight for her—Faith Meredith—to punish her insulter! Of course he would win—such eyes spelled victory. Faith’s confidence in her champion had dimmed a little by evening, however. Walter had seemed so very quiet and dull the rest of the day in school. “If it were only Jem,” she sighed to Una, as they sat on Hezekiah Pollock’s tombstone in the graveyard. “He is such a fighter—he could finish Dan off in no time. But Walter doesn’t know much about fighting.” “I’m so afraid he’ll be hurt,” sighed Una, who hated fighting and couldn’t understand the subtle, secret exultation she divined in Faith. “He oughtn’t to be,” said Faith uncomfortably. “He’s every bit as big as Dan.” “But Dan’s so much older,” said Una. “Why, he’s nearly a year older.” “Dan hasn’t done much fighting when you come to count up,” said Faith. “I believe he’s really a coward. He didn’t think Walter would fight, or he wouldn’t have called names before him. Oh, if you could just have seen Walter’s face when he looked at him, Una! It made me shiver—with a nice shiver. He looked just like Sir Galahad in that poem father read us on Saturday.” “I hate the thought of them fighting and I wish it could be stopped,” said Una. “Oh, it’s got to go on now,” cried Faith. “It’s a matter of honour. Don’t you dare tell anyone, Una. If you do I’ll never tell you secrets again!” “I won’t tell,” agreed Una. “But I won’t stay to-morrow to watch the fight. I’m coming right home.” “Oh, all right. I have to be there—it would be mean not to, when Walter is fighting for me. I’m going to tie my colours on his arm—that’s the thing to do when he’s my knight. How lucky Mrs. Blythe gave me that pretty blue hair-ribbon for my birthday! I’ve only worn it twice so it will be almost new. But I wish I was sure Walter would win. It will be so—so humiliating if he doesn’t.” Faith would have been yet more dubious if she could have seen her champion just then. Walter had gone home from school with all his righteous anger at a low ebb and a very nasty feeling in its place. He had to fight Dan Reese the next night—and he didn’t want to—he hated the thought of it. And he kept thinking of it all the time. Not for a minute could he get away from the thought. Would it hurt much? He was terribly afraid that it would hurt. And would he be defeated and shamed? He could not eat any supper worth speaking of. Susan had made a big batch of his favourite monkey-faces, but he could choke only one down. Jem ate four. Walter wondered how he could. How could anybody eat? And how could they all talk gaily as they were doing? There was mother, with her shining eyes and pink cheeks. She didn’t know her son had to fight next day. Would she be so gay if she knew, Walter wondered darkly. Jem had taken Susan’s picture with his new camera and the result was passed around the table and Susan was terribly indignant over it. “I am no beauty, Mrs. Dr. dear, and well I know it, and have always known it,” she said in an aggrieved tone, “but that I am as ugly as that picture makes me out I will never, no, never believe.” Jem laughed over this and Anne laughed again with him. Walter couldn’t endure it. He got up and fled to his room. “That child has got something on his mind, Mrs. Dr. dear,” said Susan. “He has et next to nothing. Do you suppose he is plotting another poem?” Poor Walter was very far removed in spirit from the starry realms of poesy just then. He propped his elbow on his open window-sill and leaned his head drearily on his hands. “Come on down to the shore, Walter,” cried Jem, busting in. “The boys are going to burn the sand-hill grass to-night. Father says we can go. Come on.” At any other time Walter would have been delighted. He gloried in the burning of the sand-hill grass. But now he flatly refused to go, and no arguments or entreaties could move him. Disappointed Jem, who did not care for the long dark walk to Four Winds Point alone, retreated to his museum in the garret and buried himself in a book. He soon forgot his disappointment, revelling with the heroes of old romance, and pausing occasionally to picture himself a famous general, leading his troops to victory on some great battlefield. Walter sat at his window until bedtime. Di crept in, hoping to be told what was wrong, but Walter could not talk of it, even to Di. Talking of it seemed to give it a reality from which he shrank. It was torture enough to think of it. The crisp, withered leaves rustled on the maple trees outside his window. The glow of rose and flame had died out of the hollow, silvery sky, and the full moon was rising gloriously over Rainbow Valley. Afar off, a ruddy woodfire was painting a page of glory on the horizon beyond the hills. It was a sharp, clear evening when far-away sounds were heard distinctly. A fox was barking across the pond; an engine was puffing down at the Glen station; a blue-jay was screaming madly in the maple grove; there was laughter over on the manse lawn. How could people laugh? How could foxes and blue-jays and engines behave as if nothing were going to happen on the morrow? “Oh, I wish it was over,” groaned Walter. He slept very little that night and had hard work choking down his porridge in the morning. Susan was rather lavish in her platefuls. Mr. Hazard found him an unsatisfactory pupil that day. Faith Meredith’s wits seemed to be wool-gathering, too. Dan Reese kept drawing surreptitious pictures of girls, with pig or rooster heads, on his slate and holding them up for all to see. The news of the coming battle had leaked out and most of the boys and many of the girls were in the spruce plantation when Dan and Walter sought it after school. Una had gone home, but Faith was there, having tied her blue ribbon around Walter’s arm. Walter was thankful that neither Jem nor Di nor Nan were among the crowd of spectators. Somehow they had not heard of what was in the wind and had gone home, too. Walter faced Dan quite undauntedly now. At the last moment all his fear had vanished, but he still felt disgust at the idea of fighting. Dan, it was noted, was really paler under his freckles than Walter was. One of the older boys gave the word and Dan struck Walter in the face. Walter reeled a little. The pain of the blow tingled through all his sensitive frame for a moment. Then he felt pain no longer. Something, such as he had never experienced before, seemed to roll over him like a flood. His face flushed crimson, his eyes burned like flame. The scholars of Glen St. Mary school had never dreamed that “Miss Walter” could look like that. He hurled himself forward and closed with Dan like a young wildcat. There were no particular rules in the fights of the Glen school boys. It was catch-as-catch can, and get your blows in anyhow. Walter fought with a savage fury and a joy in the struggle against which Dan could not hold his ground. It was all over very speedily. Walter had no clear consciousness of what he was doing until suddenly the red mist cleared from his sight and he found himself kneeling on the body of the prostrate Dan whose nose—oh, horror!—was spouting blood. “Have you had enough?” demanded Walter through his clenched teeth. Dan sulkily admitted that he had. “My mother doesn’t write lies?” “No.” “Faith Meredith isn’t a pig-girl?” “No.” “Nor a rooster-girl?” “No.” “And I’m not a coward?” “No.” Walter had intended to ask, “And you are a liar?” but pity intervened and he did not humiliate Dan further. Besides, that blood was so horrible. “You can go, then,” he said contemptuously. There was a loud clapping from the boys who were perched on the rail fence, but some of the girls were crying. They were frightened. They had seen schoolboy fights before, but nothing like Walter as he had grappled with Dan. There had been something terrifying about him. They thought he would kill Dan. Now that all was over they sobbed hysterically—except Faith, who still stood tense and crimson cheeked. Walter did not stay for any conqueror’s meed. He sprang over the fence and rushed down the spruce hill to Rainbow Valley. He felt none of the victor’s joy, but he felt a certain calm satisfaction in duty done and honour avenged—mingled with a sickish qualm when he thought of Dan’s gory nose. It had been so ugly, and Walter hated ugliness. Also, he began to realize that he himself was somewhat sore and battered up. His lip was cut and swollen and one eye felt very strange. In Rainbow Valley he encountered Mr. Meredith, who was coming home from an afternoon call on the Miss Wests. That reverend gentleman looked gravely at him. “It seems to me that you have been fighting, Walter?” “Yes, sir,” said Walter, expecting a scolding. “What was it about?” “Dan Reese said my mother wrote lies and that that Faith was a pig-girl,” answered Walter bluntly. “Oh—h! Then you were certainly justified, Walter.” “Do you think it’s right to fight, sir?” asked Walter curiously. “Not always—and not often—but sometimes—yes, sometimes,” said John Meredith. “When womenkind are insulted for instance—as in your case. My motto, Walter, is, don’t fight till you’re sure you ought to, and then put every ounce of you into it. In spite of sundry discolorations I infer that you came off best.” “Yes. I made him take it all back.” “Very good—very good, indeed. I didn’t think you were such a fighter, Walter.” “I never fought before—and I didn’t want to right up to the last—and then,” said Walter, determined to make a clean breast of it, “I liked it while I was at it.” The Rev. John’s eyes twinkled. “You were—a little frightened—at first?” “I was a whole lot frightened,” said honest Walter. “But I’m not going to be frightened any more, sir. Being frightened of things is worse than the things themselves. I’m going to ask father to take me over to Lowbridge to-morrow to get my tooth out.” “Right again. ‘Fear is more pain than is the pain it fears.’ Do you know who wrote that, Walter? It was Shakespeare. Was there any feeling or emotion or experience of the human heart that that wonderful man did not know? When you go home tell your mother I am proud of you.” Walter did not tell her that, however; but he told her all the rest, and she sympathized with him and told him she was glad he had stood up for her and Faith, and she anointed his sore spots and rubbed cologne on his aching head. “Are all mothers as nice as you?” asked Walter, hugging her. “You’re worth standing up for.” Miss Cornelia and Susan were in the living room when Anne came downstairs, and listened to the story with much enjoyment. Susan in particular was highly gratified. “I am real glad to hear he has had a good fight, Mrs. Dr. dear. Perhaps it may knock that poetry nonsense out of him. And I never, no, never could bear that little viper of a Dan Reese. Will you not sit nearer to the fire, Mrs. Marshall Elliott? These November evenings are very chilly.” “Thank you, Susan, I’m not cold. I called at the manse before I came here and got quite warm—though I had to go to the kitchen to do it, for there was no fire anywhere else. The kitchen looked as if it had been stirred up with a stick, believe me. Mr. Meredith wasn’t home. I couldn’t find out where he was, but I have an idea that he was up at the Wests’. Do you know, Anne dearie, they say he has been going there frequently all the fall and people are beginning to think he is going to see Rosemary.” “He would get a very charming wife if he married Rosemary,” said Anne, piling driftwood on the fire. “She is one of the most delightful girls I’ve ever known—truly one of the race of Joseph.” “Ye—s—only she is an Episcopalian,” said Miss Cornelia doubtfully. “Of course, that is better than if she was a Methodist—but I do think Mr. Meredith could find a good enough wife in his own denomination. However, very likely there is nothing in it. It’s only a month ago that I said to him, ‘You ought to marry again, Mr. Meredith.’ He looked as shocked as if I had suggested something improper. ‘My wife is in her grave, Mrs. Elliott,’ he said, in that gentle, saintly way of his. ‘I suppose so,’ I said, ‘or I wouldn’t be advising you to marry again.’ Then he looked more shocked than ever. So I doubt if there is much in this Rosemary story. If a single minister calls twice at a house where there is a single woman all the gossips have it he is courting her.” “It seems to me—if I may presume to say so—that Mr. Meredith is too shy to go courting a second wife,” said Susan solemnly. “He isn’t shy, believe me,” retorted Miss Cornelia. “Absent-minded,—yes—but shy, no. And for all he is so abstracted and dreamy he has a very good opinion of himself, man-like, and when he is really awake he wouldn’t think it much of a chore to ask any woman to have him. No, the trouble is, he’s deluding himself into believing that his heart is buried, while all the time it’s beating away inside of him just like anybody else’s. He may have a notion of Rosemary West and he may not. If he has, we must make the best of it. She is a sweet girl and a fine housekeeper, and would make a good mother for those poor, neglected children. And,” concluded Miss Cornelia resignedly, “my own grandmother was an Episcopalian.” About HackerNoon Book Series: We bring you the most important technical, scientific, and insightful public domain books. This book is part of the public domain. L. M. Montgomery (2004). Rainbow Valley. Urbana, Illinois: Project Gutenberg. Retrieved https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/5343/pg5343-images.html This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org , located at https://www.gutenberg.org/policy/license.html.

A DOUBLE VICTORY

Rainbow Valley by L. M. Montgomery, is part of the HackerNoon Books Series. You can jump to any chapter in this book here . MORE GOSSIP CHAPTER XV. MORE GOSSIP On the evening after Mrs. Myra Murray of the over-harbour section had been buried Miss Cornelia and Mary Vance came up to Ingleside. There were several things concerning which Miss Cornelia wished to unburden her soul. The funeral had to be all talked over, of course. Susan and Miss Cornelia thrashed this out between them; Anne took no part or delight in such goulish conversations. She sat a little apart and watched the autumnal flame of dahlias in the garden, and the dreaming, glamorous harbour of the September sunset. Mary Vance sat beside her, knitting meekly. Mary’s heart was down in the Rainbow Valley, whence came sweet, distance-softened sounds of children’s laughter, but her fingers were under Miss Cornelia’s eye. She had to knit so many rounds of her stocking before she might go to the valley. Mary knit and held her tongue, but used her ears. “I never saw a nicer looking corpse,” said Miss Cornelia judicially. “Myra Murray was always a pretty woman—she was a Corey from Lowbridge and the Coreys were noted for their good looks.” “I said to the corpse as I passed it, ‘poor woman. I hope you are as happy as you look.’” sighed Susan. “She had not changed much. That dress she wore was the black satin she got for her daughter’s wedding fourteen years ago. Her Aunt told her then to keep it for her funeral, but Myra laughed and said, ‘I may wear it to my funeral, Aunty, but I will have a good time out of it first.’ And I may say she did. Myra Murray was not a woman to attend her own funeral before she died. Many a time afterwards when I saw her enjoying herself out in company I thought to myself, ‘You are a handsome woman, Myra Murray, and that dress becomes you, but it will likely be your shroud at last.’ And you see my words have come true, Mrs. Marshall Elliott.” Susan sighed again heavily. She was enjoying herself hugely. A funeral was really a delightful subject of conversation. “I always liked to meet Myra,” said Miss Cornelia. “She was always so gay and cheerful—she made you feel better just by her handshake. Myra always made the best of things.” “That is true,” asserted Susan. “Her sister-in-law told me that when the doctor told her at last that he could do nothing for her and she would never rise from that bed again, Myra said quite cheerfully, ‘Well, if that is so, I’m thankful the preserving is all done, and I will not have to face the fall house-cleaning. I always liked house-cleaning in spring,’ she says, ‘but I always hated it in the fall. I will get clear of it this year, thank goodness.’ There are people who would call that levity, Mrs. Marshall Elliott, and I think her sister-in-law was a little ashamed of it. She said perhaps her sickness had made Myra a little light-headed. But I said, ‘No, Mrs. Murray, do not worry over it. It was just Myra’s way of looking at the bright side.’” “Her sister Luella was just the opposite,” said Miss Cornelia. “There was no bright side for Luella—there was just black and shades of gray. For years she used always to be declaring she was going to die in a week or so. ‘I won’t be here to burden you long,’ she would tell her family with a groan. And if any of them ventured to talk about their little future plans she’d groan also and say, ‘Ah, I won’t be here then.’ When I went to see her I always agreed with her and it made her so mad that she was always quite a lot better for several days afterwards. She has better health now but no more cheerfulness. Myra was so different. She was always doing or saying something to make some one feel good. Perhaps the men they married had something to do with it. Luella’s man was a Tartar, believe me, while Jim Murray was decent, as men go. He looked heart-broken to-day. It isn’t often I feel sorry for a man at his wife’s funeral, but I did feel for Jim Murray.” “No wonder he looked sad. He will not get a wife like Myra again in a hurry,” said Susan. “Maybe he will not try, since his children are all grown up and Mirabel is able to keep house. But there is no predicting what a widower may or may not do and I, for one, will not try.” “We’ll miss Myra terrible in church,” said Miss Cornelia. “She was such a worker. Nothing ever stumped her. If she couldn’t get over a difficulty she’d get around it, and if she couldn’t get around it she’d pretend it wasn’t there—and generally it wasn’t. ‘I’ll keep a stiff upper lip to my journey’s end,’ said she to me once. Well, she has ended her journey.” “Do you think so?” asked Anne suddenly, coming back from dreamland. “I can’t picture her journey as being ended. Can you think of her sitting down and folding her hands—that eager, asking spirit of hers, with its fine adventurous outlook? No, I think in death she just opened a gate and went through—on—on—to new, shining adventures.” “Maybe—maybe,” assented Miss Cornelia. “Do you know, Anne dearie, I never was much taken with this everlasting rest doctrine myself—though I hope it isn’t heresy to say so. I want to bustle round in heaven the same as here. And I hope there’ll be a celestial substitute for pies and doughnuts—something that has to be MADE. Of course, one does get awful tired at times—and the older you are the tireder you get. But the very tiredest could get rested in something short of eternity, you’d think—except, perhaps, a lazy man.” “When I meet Myra Murray again,” said Anne, “I want to see her coming towards me, brisk and laughing, just as she always did here.” “Oh, Mrs. Dr. dear,” said Susan, in a shocked tone, “you surely do not think that Myra will be laughing in the world to come?” “Why not, Susan? Do you think we will be crying there?” “No, no, Mrs. Dr. dear, do not misunderstand me. I do not think we shall be either crying or laughing.” “What then?” “Well,” said Susan, driven to it, “it is my opinion, Mrs. Dr. dear, that we shall just look solemn and holy.” “And do you really think, Susan,” said Anne, looking solemn enough, “that either Myra Murray or I could look solemn and holy all the time—all the time, Susan?” “Well,” admitted Susan reluctantly, “I might go so far as to say that you both would have to smile now and again, but I can never admit that there will be laughing in heaven. The idea seems really irreverent, Mrs. Dr. dear.” “Well, to come back to earth,” said Miss Cornelia, “who can we get to take Myra’s class in Sunday School? Julia Clow has been teaching it since Myra took ill, but she’s going to town for the winter and we’ll have to get somebody else.” “I heard that Mrs. Laurie Jamieson wanted it,” said Anne. “The Jamiesons have come to church very regularly since they moved to the Glen from Lowbridge.” “New brooms!” said Miss Cornelia dubiously. “Wait till they’ve gone regularly for a year.” “You cannot depend on Mrs. Jamieson a bit, Mrs. Dr. dear,” said Susan solemnly. “She died once and when they were measuring her for her coffin, after laying her out just beautiful, did she not go and come back to life! Now, Mrs. Dr. dear, you know you cannot depend on a woman like that.” “She might turn Methodist at any moment,” said Miss Cornelia. “They tell me they went to the Methodist Church at Lowbridge quite as often as to the Presbyterian. I haven’t caught them at it here yet, but I would not approve of taking Mrs. Jamieson into the Sunday School. Yet we must not offend them. We are losing too many people, by death or bad temper. Mrs. Alec Davis has left the church, no one knows why. She told the managers that she would never pay another cent to Mr. Meredith’s salary. Of course, most people say that the children offended her, but somehow I don’t think so. I tried to pump Faith, but all I could get out of her was that Mrs. Davis had come, seemingly in high good humour, to see her father, and had left in an awful rage, calling them all ‘varmints!’” “Varmints, indeed!” said Susan furiously. “Does Mrs. Alec Davis forget that her uncle on her mother’s side was suspected of poisoning his wife? Not that it was ever proved, Mrs. Dr. dear, and it does not do to believe all you hear. But if I had an uncle whose wife died without any satisfactory reason, I would not go about the country calling innocent children varmints.” “The point is,” said Miss Cornelia, “that Mrs. Davis paid a large subscription, and how its loss is going to be made up is a problem. And if she turns the other Douglases against Mr. Meredith, as she will certainly try to do, he will just have to go.” “I do not think Mrs. Alec Davis is very well liked by the rest of the clan,” said Susan. “It is not likely she will be able to influence them.” “But those Douglases all hang together so. If you touch one, you touch all. We can’t do without them, so much is certain. They pay half the salary. They are not mean, whatever else may be said of them. Norman Douglas used to give a hundred a year long ago before he left.” “What did he leave for?” asked Anne. “He declared a member of the session cheated him in a cow deal. He hasn’t come to church for twenty years. His wife used to come regular while she was alive, poor thing, but he never would let her pay anything, except one red cent every Sunday. She felt dreadfully humiliated. I don’t know that he was any too good a husband to her, though she was never heard to complain. But she always had a cowed look. Norman Douglas didn’t get the woman he wanted thirty years ago and the Douglases never liked to put up with second best.” “Who was the woman he did want.” “Ellen West. They weren’t engaged exactly, I believe, but they went about together for two years. And then they just broke off—nobody ever knew why. Just some silly quarrel, I suppose. And Norman went and married Hester Reese before his temper had time to cool—married her just to spite Ellen, I haven’t a doubt. So like a man! Hester was a nice little thing, but she never had much spirit and he broke what little she had. She was too meek for Norman. He needed a woman who could stand up to him. Ellen would have kept him in fine order and he would have liked her all the better for it. He despised Hester, that is the truth, just because she always gave in to him. I used to hear him say many a time, long ago when he was a young fellow ‘Give me a spunky woman—spunk for me every time.’ And then he went and married a girl who couldn’t say boo to a goose—man-like. That family of Reeses were just vegetables. They went through the motions of living, but they didn’t live.” “Russell Reese used his first wife’s wedding-ring to marry his second,” said Susan reminiscently. “That was too economical in my opinion, Mrs. Dr. dear. And his brother John has his own tombstone put up in the over-harbour graveyard, with everything on it but the date of death, and he goes and looks at it every Sunday. Most folks would not consider that much fun, but it is plain he does. People do have such different ideas of enjoyment. As for Norman Douglas, he is a perfect heathen. When the last minister asked him why he never went to church he said ‘Too many ugly women there, parson—too many ugly women!’ I should like to go to such a man, Mrs. Dr. dear, and say to him solemnly, ‘There is a hell!’” “Oh, Norman doesn’t believe there is such a place,” said Miss Cornelia. “I hope he’ll find out his mistake when he comes to die. There, Mary, you’ve knit your three inches and you can go and play with the children for half an hour.” Mary needed no second bidding. She flew to Rainbow Valley with a heart as light as her heels, and in the course of conversation told Faith Meredith all about Mrs. Alec Davis. “And Mrs. Elliott says that she’ll turn all the Douglases against your father and then he’ll have to leave the Glen because his salary won’t be paid,” concluded Mary. “I don’t know what is to be done, honest to goodness. If only old Norman Douglas would come back to church and pay, it wouldn’t be so bad. But he won’t—and the Douglases will leave—and you all will have to go.” Faith carried a heavy heart to bed with her that night. The thought of leaving the Glen was unbearable. Nowhere else in the world were there such chums as the Blythes. Her little heart had been wrung when they had left Maywater—she had shed many bitter tears when she parted with Maywater chums and the old manse there where her mother had lived and died. She could not contemplate calmly the thought of such another and harder wrench. She couldn’t leave Glen St. Mary and dear Rainbow Valley and that delicious graveyard. “It’s awful to be minister’s family,” groaned Faith into her pillow. “Just as soon as you get fond of a place you are torn up by the roots. I’ll never, never, never marry a minister, no matter how nice he is.” Faith sat up in bed and looked out of the little vine-hung window. The night was very still, the silence broken only by Una’s soft breathing. Faith felt terribly alone in the world. She could see Glen St. Mary lying under the starry blue meadows of the autumn night. Over the valley a light shone from the girls’ room at Ingleside, and another from Walter’s room. Faith wondered if poor Walter had toothache again. Then she sighed, with a little passing sigh of envy of Nan and Di. They had a mother and a settled home—they were not at the mercy of people who got angry without any reason and called you a varmint. Away beyond the Glen, amid fields that were very quiet with sleep, another light was burning. Faith knew it shone in the house where Norman Douglas lived. He was reputed to sit up all hours of the night reading. Mary had said if he could only be induced to return to the church all would be well. And why not? Faith looked at a big, low star hanging over the tall, pointed spruce at the gate of the Methodist Church and had an inspiration. She knew what ought to be done and she, Faith Meredith, would do it. She would make everything right. With a sigh of satisfaction, she turned from the lonely, dark world and cuddled down beside Una. About HackerNoon Book Series: We bring you the most important technical, scientific, and insightful public domain books. This book is part of the public domain. L. M. Montgomery (2004). Rainbow Valley. Urbana, Illinois: Project Gutenberg. Retrieved https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/5343/pg5343-images.html This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org , located at https://www.gutenberg.org/policy/license.html.

MORE GOSSIP

Anne of the Island by L. M. Montgomery, is part of the HackerNoon Books Series. You can jump to any chapter in this book here . The Round of Life Chapter XI - The Round of Life Anne was back in Avonlea with the luster of the Thorburn Scholarship on her brow. People told her she hadn’t changed much, in a tone which hinted they were surprised and a little disappointed she hadn’t. Avonlea had not changed, either. At least, so it seemed at first. But as Anne sat in the Green Gables pew, on the first Sunday after her return, and looked over the congregation, she saw several little changes which, all coming home to her at once, made her realize that time did not quite stand still, even in Avonlea. A new minister was in the pulpit. In the pews more than one familiar face was missing forever. Old “Uncle Abe,” his prophesying over and done with, Mrs. Peter Sloane, who had sighed, it was to be hoped, for the last time, Timothy Cotton, who, as Mrs. Rachel Lynde said “had actually managed to die at last after practicing at it for twenty years,” and old Josiah Sloane, whom nobody knew in his coffin because he had his whiskers neatly trimmed, were all sleeping in the little graveyard behind the church. And Billy Andrews was married to Nettie Blewett! They “appeared out” that Sunday. When Billy, beaming with pride and happiness, showed his be-plumed and be-silked bride into the Harmon Andrews’ pew, Anne dropped her lids to hide her dancing eyes. She recalled the stormy winter night of the Christmas holidays when Jane had proposed for Billy. He certainly had not broken his heart over his rejection. Anne wondered if Jane had also proposed to Nettie for him, or if he had mustered enough spunk to ask the fateful question himself. All the Andrews family seemed to share in his pride and pleasure, from Mrs. Harmon in the pew to Jane in the choir. Jane had resigned from the Avonlea school and intended to go West in the fall. “Can’t get a beau in Avonlea, that’s what,” said Mrs. Rachel Lynde scornfully. “Says she thinks she’ll have better health out West. I never heard her health was poor before.” “Jane is a nice girl,” Anne had said loyally. “She never tried to attract attention, as some did.” “Oh, she never chased the boys, if that’s what you mean,” said Mrs. Rachel. “But she’d like to be married, just as much as anybody, that’s what. What else would take her out West to some forsaken place whose only recommendation is that men are plenty and women scarce? Don’t you tell me!” But it was not at Jane, Anne gazed that day in dismay and surprise. It was at Ruby Gillis, who sat beside her in the choir. What had happened to Ruby? She was even handsomer than ever; but her blue eyes were too bright and lustrous, and the color of her cheeks was hectically brilliant; besides, she was very thin; the hands that held her hymn-book were almost transparent in their delicacy. “Is Ruby Gillis ill?” Anne asked of Mrs. Lynde, as they went home from church. “Ruby Gillis is dying of galloping consumption,” said Mrs. Lynde bluntly. “Everybody knows it except herself and her family. They won’t give in. If you ask them, she’s perfectly well. She hasn’t been able to teach since she had that attack of congestion in the winter, but she says she’s going to teach again in the fall, and she’s after the White Sands school. She’ll be in her grave, poor girl, when White Sands school opens, that’s what.” Anne listened in shocked silence. Ruby Gillis, her old school-chum, dying? Could it be possible? Of late years they had grown apart; but the old tie of school-girl intimacy was there, and made itself felt sharply in the tug the news gave at Anne’s heartstrings. Ruby, the brilliant, the merry, the coquettish! It was impossible to associate the thought of her with anything like death. She had greeted Anne with gay cordiality after church, and urged her to come up the next evening. “I’ll be away Tuesday and Wednesday evenings,” she had whispered triumphantly. “There’s a concert at Carmody and a party at White Sands. Herb Spencer’s going to take me. He’s my latest. Be sure to come up tomorrow. I’m dying for a good talk with you. I want to hear all about your doings at Redmond.” Anne knew that Ruby meant that she wanted to tell Anne all about her own recent flirtations, but she promised to go, and Diana offered to go with her. “I’ve been wanting to go to see Ruby for a long while,” she told Anne, when they left Green Gables the next evening, “but I really couldn’t go alone. It’s so awful to hear Ruby rattling on as she does, and pretending there is nothing the matter with her, even when she can hardly speak for coughing. She’s fighting so hard for her life, and yet she hasn’t any chance at all, they say.” The girls walked silently down the red, twilit road. The robins were singing vespers in the high treetops, filling the golden air with their jubilant voices. The silver fluting of the frogs came from marshes and ponds, over fields where seeds were beginning to stir with life and thrill to the sunshine and rain that had drifted over them. The air was fragrant with the wild, sweet, wholesome smell of young raspberry copses. White mists were hovering in the silent hollows and violet stars were shining bluely on the brooklands. “What a beautiful sunset,” said Diana. “Look, Anne, it’s just like a land in itself, isn’t it? That long, low back of purple cloud is the shore, and the clear sky further on is like a golden sea.” “If we could sail to it in the moonshine boat Paul wrote of in his old composition—you remember?—how nice it would be,” said Anne, rousing from her reverie. “Do you think we could find all our yesterdays there, Diana—all our old springs and blossoms? The beds of flowers that Paul saw there are the roses that have bloomed for us in the past?” “Don’t!” said Diana. “You make me feel as if we were old women with everything in life behind us.” “I think I’ve almost felt as if we were since I heard about poor Ruby,” said Anne. “If it is true that she is dying any other sad thing might be true, too.” “You don’t mind calling in at Elisha Wright’s for a moment, do you?” asked Diana. “Mother asked me to leave this little dish of jelly for Aunt Atossa.” “Who is Aunt Atossa?” “Oh, haven’t you heard? She’s Mrs. Samson Coates of Spencervale—Mrs. Elisha Wright’s aunt. She’s father’s aunt, too. Her husband died last winter and she was left very poor and lonely, so the Wrights took her to live with them. Mother thought we ought to take her, but father put his foot down. Live with Aunt Atossa he would not.” “Is she so terrible?” asked Anne absently. “You’ll probably see what she’s like before we can get away,” said Diana significantly. “Father says she has a face like a hatchet—it cuts the air. But her tongue is sharper still.” Late as it was Aunt Atossa was cutting potato sets in the Wright kitchen. She wore a faded old wrapper, and her gray hair was decidedly untidy. Aunt Atossa did not like being “caught in a kilter,” so she went out of her way to be disagreeable. “Oh, so you’re Anne Shirley?” she said, when Diana introduced Anne. “I’ve heard of you.” Her tone implied that she had heard nothing good. “Mrs. Andrews was telling me you were home. She said you had improved a good deal.” There was no doubt Aunt Atossa thought there was plenty of room for further improvement. She ceased not from cutting sets with much energy. “Is it any use to ask you to sit down?” she inquired sarcastically. “Of course, there’s nothing very entertaining here for you. The rest are all away.” “Mother sent you this little pot of rhubarb jelly,” said Diana pleasantly. “She made it today and thought you might like some.” “Oh, thanks,” said Aunt Atossa sourly. “I never fancy your mother’s jelly—she always makes it too sweet. However, I’ll try to worry some down. My appetite’s been dreadful poor this spring. I’m far from well,” continued Aunt Atossa solemnly, “but still I keep a-doing. People who can’t work aren’t wanted here. If it isn’t too much trouble will you be condescending enough to set the jelly in the pantry? I’m in a hurry to get these spuds done tonight. I suppose you two ladies never do anything like this. You’d be afraid of spoiling your hands.” “I used to cut potato sets before we rented the farm,” smiled Anne. “I do it yet,” laughed Diana. “I cut sets three days last week. Of course,” she added teasingly, “I did my hands up in lemon juice and kid gloves every night after it.” Aunt Atossa sniffed. “I suppose you got that notion out of some of those silly magazines you read so many of. I wonder your mother allows you. But she always spoiled you. We all thought when George married her she wouldn’t be a suitable wife for him.” Aunt Atossa sighed heavily, as if all forebodings upon the occasion of George Barry’s marriage had been amply and darkly fulfilled. “Going, are you?” she inquired, as the girls rose. “Well, I suppose you can’t find much amusement talking to an old woman like me. It’s such a pity the boys ain’t home.” “We want to run in and see Ruby Gillis a little while,” explained Diana. “Oh, anything does for an excuse, of course,” said Aunt Atossa, amiably. “Just whip in and whip out before you have time to say how-do decently. It’s college airs, I s’pose. You’d be wiser to keep away from Ruby Gillis. The doctors say consumption’s catching. I always knew Ruby’d get something, gadding off to Boston last fall for a visit. People who ain’t content to stay home always catch something.” “People who don’t go visiting catch things, too. Sometimes they even die,” said Diana solemnly. “Then they don’t have themselves to blame for it,” retorted Aunt Atossa triumphantly. “I hear you are to be married in June, Diana.” “There is no truth in that report,” said Diana, blushing. “Well, don’t put it off too long,” said Aunt Atossa significantly. “You’ll fade soon—you’re all complexion and hair. And the Wrights are terrible fickle. You ought to wear a hat, Miss Shirley. Your nose is freckling scandalous. My, but you are redheaded! Well, I s’pose we’re all as the Lord made us! Give Marilla Cuthbert my respects. She’s never been to see me since I come to Avonlea, but I s’pose I oughtn’t to complain. The Cuthberts always did think themselves a cut higher than any one else round here.” “Oh, isn’t she dreadful?” gasped Diana, as they escaped down the lane. “She’s worse than Miss Eliza Andrews,” said Anne. “But then think of living all your life with a name like Atossa! Wouldn’t it sour almost any one? She should have tried to imagine her name was Cordelia. It might have helped her a great deal. It certainly helped me in the days when I didn’t like Anne.” “Josie Pye will be just like her when she grows up,” said Diana. “Josie’s mother and Aunt Atossa are cousins, you know. Oh, dear, I’m glad that’s over. She’s so malicious—she seems to put a bad flavor in everything. Father tells such a funny story about her. One time they had a minister in Spencervale who was a very good, spiritual man but very deaf. He couldn’t hear any ordinary conversation at all. Well, they used to have a prayer meeting on Sunday evenings, and all the church members present would get up and pray in turn, or say a few words on some Bible verse. But one evening Aunt Atossa bounced up. She didn’t either pray or preach. Instead, she lit into everybody else in the church and gave them a fearful raking down, calling them right out by name and telling them how they all had behaved, and casting up all the quarrels and scandals of the past ten years. Finally she wound up by saying that she was disgusted with Spencervale church and she never meant to darken its door again, and she hoped a fearful judgment would come upon it. Then she sat down out of breath, and the minister, who hadn’t heard a word she said, immediately remarked, in a very devout voice, ‘amen! The Lord grant our dear sister’s prayer!’ You ought to hear father tell the story.” “Speaking of stories, Diana,” remarked Anne, in a significant, confidential tone, “do you know that lately I have been wondering if I could write a short story—a story that would be good enough to be published?” “Why, of course you could,” said Diana, after she had grasped the amazing suggestion. “You used to write perfectly thrilling stories years ago in our old Story Club.” “Well, I hardly meant one of that kind of stories,” smiled Anne. “I’ve been thinking about it a little of late, but I’m almost afraid to try, for, if I should fail, it would be too humiliating.” “I heard Priscilla say once that all Mrs. Morgan’s first stories were rejected. But I’m sure yours wouldn’t be, Anne, for it’s likely editors have more sense nowadays.” “Margaret Burton, one of the Junior girls at Redmond, wrote a story last winter and it was published in the Canadian Woman. I really do think I could write one at least as good.” “And will you have it published in the Canadian Woman?” “I might try one of the bigger magazines first. It all depends on what kind of a story I write.” “What is it to be about?” “I don’t know yet. I want to get hold of a good plot. I believe this is very necessary from an editor’s point of view. The only thing I’ve settled on is the heroine’s name. It is to be Averil Lester. Rather pretty, don’t you think? Don’t mention this to any one, Diana. I haven’t told anybody but you and Mr. Harrison. He wasn’t very encouraging—he said there was far too much trash written nowadays as it was, and he’d expected something better of me, after a year at college.” “What does Mr. Harrison know about it?” demanded Diana scornfully. They found the Gillis home gay with lights and callers. Leonard Kimball, of Spencervale, and Morgan Bell, of Carmody, were glaring at each other across the parlor. Several merry girls had dropped in. Ruby was dressed in white and her eyes and cheeks were very brilliant. She laughed and chattered incessantly, and after the other girls had gone she took Anne upstairs to display her new summer dresses. “I’ve a blue silk to make up yet, but it’s a little heavy for summer wear. I think I’ll leave it until the fall. I’m going to teach in White Sands, you know. How do you like my hat? That one you had on in church yesterday was real dinky. But I like something brighter for myself. Did you notice those two ridiculous boys downstairs? They’ve both come determined to sit each other out. I don’t care a single bit about either of them, you know. Herb Spencer is the one I like. Sometimes I really do think he’s Mr. Right. At Christmas I thought the Spencervale schoolmaster was that. But I found out something about him that turned me against him. He nearly went insane when I turned him down. I wish those two boys hadn’t come tonight. I wanted to have a nice good talk with you, Anne, and tell you such heaps of things. You and I were always good chums, weren’t we?” Ruby slipped her arm about Anne’s waist with a shallow little laugh. But just for a moment their eyes met, and, behind all the luster of Ruby’s, Anne saw something that made her heart ache. “Come up often, won’t you, Anne?” whispered Ruby. “Come alone—I want you.” “Are you feeling quite well, Ruby?” “Me! Why, I’m perfectly well. I never felt better in my life. Of course, that congestion last winter pulled me down a little. But just see my color. I don’t look much like an invalid, I’m sure.” Ruby’s voice was almost sharp. She pulled her arm away from Anne, as if in resentment, and ran downstairs, where she was gayer than ever, apparently so much absorbed in bantering her two swains that Diana and Anne felt rather out of it and soon went away. About HackerNoon Book Series: We bring you the most important technical, scientific, and insightful public domain books. This book is part of the public domain. L. M. Montgomery (2006). Anne of the Island. Urbana, Illinois: Project Gutenberg. Retrieved https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/51/pg51-images.html This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org , located at https://www.gutenberg.org/policy/license.html. The lead image was generated using HackerNoon's Stable Disffusion Al Image Generator feature, via the prompt "Anne of the Island".

The Round of Life

The discussion of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become so prevalent that every sector is now informed of its existence. Over the years, technology has been a major driving force in growing and developing human work states and engagements. With various examples of newly developed AI, the adoption of this digital revolution has become so paramount to everyone. However, an important question I have amid all these is, “how will AI help developing Third World countries?” It is important to first examine what third-world countries are before delving into the ways in which AI can help them better. In light of this, let us consider what third-world countries are; hence, what are third-world countries? The term third-world countries can be traced to the era of the Cold War between the East and West Bloc between 1947 and 1991. This term was originally used to refer to countries that were not aligned with either the Capitalist World or the Communist World. However, defining third-world countries can be challenging, as the term has evolved over time and can have different meanings depending on the context. According to Amartya Sen, a Nobel Prize-winning economist, "The Third World refers to countries that have relatively low levels of living standards, which makes them poor and backward, and that have been unable to close the gap with the industrialized world." According to the , third-world countries are countries that are characterized by;’ Corporate Finance Institue High rates of poverty Economic and/or political instability High mortality rates Hence, by considering these three pointers, third-world countries can, however, be regarded as either underdeveloped or developing countries, which then further resonates with the question of how an advanced technological revolution can also function in a developing country. In an article by the in 2020, the authors noted; new technology risks widening the gap between rich and poor countries by shifting more investment to advanced economies where automation is already established. This could, in turn, have negative consequences for jobs in developing countries by threatening to replace rather than complement their growing labor force, which has traditionally provided an advantage to less developed economies. To prevent this growing divergence, policymakers in developing economies will need to take actions to raise productivity and improve skills among workers.’ International Monetary Fund However, despite this economic argument of development regarding third-world countries, according to IMF, there are still some ways in which AI can help develop third-world countries, and these sectors will be properly considered in the subsequent paragraphs. How AI Will Contribute to the Growth of Developing Countries The impact of Artificial Intelligence can be felt in various sectors in Third World countries, and some of these are: Healthcare Sector One area where AI can have a significant impact on Third World countries is in healthcare. AI-powered diagnostic tools and predictive models can help doctors and healthcare workers diagnose and treat diseases more accurately and efficiently. For example, AI algorithms can be used to identify early warning signs of diseases like cancer and diabetes, allowing for earlier interventions and potentially better health outcomes. In addition, AI-powered telemedicine platforms can help connect patients in remote or underserved areas with healthcare professionals, improving access to healthcare for those who need it most. Education Sector Another area where AI can help develop Third World countries is education. Education is a very big stage for AI impact in the Third World countries, especially with the rise in education percentage. Hence, options like AI-powered tutoring and learning platforms can provide personalized learning experiences for students, helping to bridge the education gap in areas with limited resources or poorly functioning educational systems. Additionally, AI can help identify students who are at risk of falling behind or dropping out, allowing teachers and administrators to intervene and provide additional support as needed. For instance, in South Africa, , an AI study buddy, is helping students learn faster. Foondamate Agricultural Sector In agriculture, AI can help farmers increase crop yields and improve food security. AI-powered predictive models can provide insights into weather patterns, soil quality, and pest infestations, allowing farmers to make more informed decisions about when to plant and harvest crops. AI-powered drones can also be used to monitor crop growth and identify areas that require additional water or fertilizer, potentially increasing yields and reducing waste. Financial Sector In addition, AI can help Third World countries overcome barriers to financial inclusion. AI-powered credit scoring models can help lenders assess creditworthiness and provide loans to individuals and small businesses that might otherwise be excluded from the traditional financial system. AI-powered chatbots and customer service platforms can also help improve access to financial services for those who are unbanked or underbanked. In Nigeria, various FinTech companies have risen to prominence, such as , , , , and others, all in response to the lapses created in the traditional banking systems. Sanwo Flutterwave Opay Cowrywise In 2021, the published that ‘Artificial intelligence (AI) could expand Africa’s economy by a staggering US$1.5 trillion – about 50% of its current gross domestic product – if it could only capture 10% of the fast-growing AI market, set to reach US$15.7 trillion by 2030, a new report has pointed out.’ With these progressive percentages, AI can help grow Africa, being the continent with the highest developing countries. Likewise, , in their 2022 report, shows an improving number of AI-centralised companies in Africa. University World News, Africa Education Quartz Conclusion In conclusion, AI presents a tremendous opportunity for developing countries to leapfrog their economies and improve the well-being of their populations. From healthcare and education to agriculture and infrastructure, AI has the potential to revolutionize the way developing countries approach their most pressing challenges. However, realizing the full potential of AI in these contexts will require a concerted effort from governments, private sector actors, and civil society to ensure that the benefits of AI are shared widely and equitably. By investing in AI research and development, building digital infrastructure, and prioritizing ethical and inclusive approaches to AI deployment, developing countries can position themselves to harness the transformative power of AI and build a more prosperous and equitable future for all.

How Will AI Help Developed Third World Countries?

In both the UK and the USA, there have been recent surveys showing that over 60% of people feel uneasy on Sundays about the week that looms ahead, and this number climbs to over 70% for adults aged 18-24. Work-related stress, anxiousness caused by a lack of sleep, and an excessive to-do list at work are some of the primary factors that lead to anxiety. After conducting extensive research, the UK’s Office for Health Improvement and Disparities has concluded that small changes can have a big impact on mental well-being. As a result, OHID has launched the Better Health, campaign to encourage people to take actionable steps toward improving their mental health. Every Mind Matters Personally, I used to suffer from the Sunday Scaries until I realized that life is too short to remain in an unhappy place. I transformed my work life around, and believe it or not, nowadays Monday is one of my favorite days of the week, so I look forward to it on Sundays! What are the Sunday Scaries? The "Sunday Scaries" is a feeling of anxiety or dread that many people experience before returning to work on Monday morning. This feeling can be caused by several factors, such as the stress of returning to a busy work schedule, the fear of not meeting deadlines, or concerns about job security. For some people, the Sunday Scaries can be so intense that they find it difficult to enjoy their weekend due to the impending chaos that awaits them on Monday. What are the Causes of the Sunday Scaries? For some people, it may be the stress of returning to a hectic work schedule after a relaxing weekend. Others may dread the thought of facing their workload and responsibilities after a few days off. And for some, the anxiety may be caused by larger concerns, such as job security or the fear of not meeting deadlines. The hamster wheel and grind of everyday life can be frustrating. Sometimes it feels like you're just living for the weekends, when you can finally let loose and enjoy yourself. But then reality hits, and you have to go back to the grind on Monday. It can be tough to keep up the enthusiasm week after week. You're not alone in this struggle, as this new research shows it is the majority of people that feel like this on a Sunday. Many people feel like they're stuck in a never-ending cycle of work and stress. They just constantly feel like they're running on a treadmill, going nowhere. But it's important to remember that there is light at the end of the tunnel. The weekends should be a time to relax and recharge so that we can face the challenges of the week ahead. And eventually, you'll reach your goals if you can keep on going through the tough times. 10 Tips to Help Overcome the Sunday Scaries There are several things that you can do to help manage the Sunday Scaries and improve your mental well-being. Here are 10 tips for you: This can help reduce feelings of anxiety caused by uncertainty. 1. Make a plan for the week ahead. Relax and recharge so you'll be ready for the next week. 2. Take some time for yourself during the weekend. . Spending time with loved ones can help reduce stress levels. 3. Connect with friends and family members . A lack of sleep can contribute to feelings of anxiety and stress. 4. Get plenty of good quality sleep Physical activity can help to reduce stress levels and improve mental well-being. 5. Exercise regularly. Sometimes it can be helpful to talk to someone about the things that are causing you anxiety. 6. Talk to someone about how you're feeling. and disconnect from technology for a while. 7. Take a break from social media Spend time in nature and take in the beauty around you. 8. Go outside and get some fresh air. such as deep breathing or meditation. 9. Practice some relaxation techniques If your anxiety is severe or persistent, you may need to seek help from a mental health professional. 10. Seek professional help if you're struggling to cope. Making small changes in your lifestyle can help to reduce the impact of the Sunday Scaries and improve your mental well-being. Taking action to manage your stress levels and anxiety can help you feel more in control of your life and improve your overall quality of life. How I Beat the Sunday Scaries For me, despite doing the above tips, the Sunday Scaries would still hit me like a ton of bricks every time. I knew the root source of my problem, my stressful and chaotic 9-5 job. I knew that if I could escape from the corporate cubicle nation and work for myself, that I would be free from the Sunday Scaries forever. And that's exactly what I did. I started my own business in the evenings, weekends, and commutes to start up a software side hustle. I worked very hard, and after 6 months, I was in a position to hand in my notice and quit my job. And ever since then, I haven't looked back. I'm now living the life that I want to live, and I don't have to dread Sundays anymore. I'm well rested from the weekend and have spent quality time with the family, and I'm looking forward to getting my teeth into the working week. If you're in a similar position and the Sunday Scaries are ruining your life, then I urge you to take action and make a change. You won't regret it! And if you happen to be in the software development space, I have written a that you can use to go from suffering the Sunday Scaries to being your own boss. Why not look into it today! free Micro SaaS book

60% Suffer From The "Sunday Scaries"​: What Is It and How to Overcome It

Here’s something you mightn’t be used to hearing: stop seeking your purpose. I know; pretty counter-cultural. I certainly wasn’t expecting to hear this from one of the most prominent visionaries of our time, Kute Blackson. Kute recently came onto the podcast and unpacked a whole bunch of perspectives that have helped me see life from a very different angle. And yes, Kute told me that I should stop seeking my purpose if I truly want to find my place in life. But it isn’t as black and white as it sounds — so today, I thought I’d explore this topic with you a little further. Kute’s bold statement prompted me to explore a whole bunch of different perspectives on finding your purpose. I think it’s an incredibly important topic for entrepreneurs, since we’re often driven by a desire to make a difference and create something meaningful. Let’s take a look at different perspectives on a very popular question: how do you find your purpose? Why Humans Want to Find Their Purpose “Indeed, a sense of purpose appears to have evolved in humans so that we can accomplish big things together — which may be why it’s associated with better physical and mental health.” That’s a quote pulled from this article by the . I wanted to start at ground level and figure out why we’re so intensely driven to find our purpose — and according to the author, it stems from our evolutionary need to progress. Greater Good Science Center I’d add to this and say that finding a purpose gives you a sense of meaning, which is something we humans uniquely enjoy (I’d recommend reading ‘Sapiens’ by Yuval Noah Harari for more info on that). Here are a few interesting facts I found while digging around online: According to of 4 million Americans, those who felt medium or high levels of purpose in their life exhibited better “social support, resilience, reliance on faith, health literacy, and better health.” They were also physically and mentally healthier. this in-depth study found that people living ‘purposeful’ lives had higher incomes and net worths, and this applies to both young and older adults. This study And finally, connected a sense of purpose with better stress management (and let’s face it — we could all use a bit of that) this study So I’d say there’s more than enough incentive for us to find our purpose. And while it might seem like the whole topic of ‘finding yourself’ and ‘living your authentic purpose’ is linked with contemporary, new-age thinking… we’ve actually been on this train for a long time. Viktor Frankl’s Logotherapy “Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms — to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.” This is a quote from Viktor Frankl, a prominent psychiatrist and neurologist who developed something called during his time in Nazi concentration camps. ‘logotherapy’ In case you’re not familiar, logotherapy was born out of Frankl’s observation that those who survived the concentration camps were the ones with a sense of purpose — a reason to keep going despite their unimaginable circumstances. Logotherapy essentially argues that humans need meaning and purpose to avoid despair. It’s such a powerful theory because Viktor combines his own intensely personal experiences with a huge body of research on the topic. And it’s worth noting that Viktor didn’t just survive the camps — he thrived, going on to write best-selling books and help thousands of patients. He was an incredibly inspiring man, and his work has had a profound impact on how we think about meaning and purpose. So there are a couple of prominent thoughts on what purpose is and why we might need it. But how do we chase it? (And later, we chase it?) should Ikigai Takes the Western World By Storm Anyone who’s vaguely familiar with Japanese culture and history will know that it overflows with wisdom. From Japan’s philosophies, we’ve been introduced to core acceptance ( ), continuous and sustainable self-improvement ( ), and of course — Ikigai. Uketamo Kaizen I’m sure we’ve talked about this before. Ikigai is essentially your reason for living — your passion, your mission, and what you’re meant to do in this lifetime. But it goes a little deeper than that. Ikigai is a method of finding what you’re meant to do in this lifetime. It lays out a simple Venn diagram with four quadrants: What you love What the world needs What you can be paid for What you’re good at Source The sweet spot — your Ikigai — is where all four of these things intersect. It’s what brings you fulfillment, makes you happy, and feels like it’s not even work because you enjoy it so much. Ikigai hasn’t been applied very well in the West; we’ve reduced it to a black and white concept, as we love to do (for some reason). You don’t need all four tenets to intercept in everything you do. Your job might make money and fill a need in the world, while your family might be the thing you love, and caring for them is what you’re good at. Ikigai is about balance and living a full life. It’s not about having one all-consuming passion that you do to the exclusion of everything else (although that can be part of it). Purpose Through Spirituality It would be silly not to mention spirituality here. We humans have been embracing the idea of spirituality in all its forms since the dawn of time. And yes — for some people, it is their method of finding their purpose. The word ‘spirituality’ gets thrown around a lot these days, and it can mean different things to different people. For some, spirituality is about connecting with the divine — whatever that looks like for them. This could manifest as going to church every Sunday, or it might look like spending time in nature and communing with the Earth. Others might define spirituality as: A sense of connection to something bigger than ourselves An awareness of the interconnectedness of all things A felt sense of wonder, mystery, and awe have connected spirituality with a higher subjective sense of well-being, which includes purpose. Within those studies there are lots of caveats, obviously; certain lines of spiritual thinking are going to be more harmful than others. But in general, people who identify as spiritual tend to be happier and more fulfilled. Studies There are lots of different ways to find your spirituality — and it might not look like what you expect. There’s no one right way to do it. I found Kute Blackson’s approach to be super down-to-earth, so if you’re not overly religious but want to explore your spiritual side, I recommend checking our podcast out. Broader Advice from Mainstream Sources Alongside these more specific approaches to finding your purpose, there’s a common set of steps recommended for finding your purpose. , author of the HBR Guide To Crafting Your Purpose, suggests asking yourself a series of questions during big life transitions: John Coleman “What is the core purpose of my work and the ways in which it makes the world better, and how can I lean into that purpose or craft my day-to-day work to emphasize it? Who are the key relationships in my life, both inside and outside of work, and how can I deepen and enrich them? Who am I serving in my work and outside of it, and what more can I do at work, at home, and in my community to serve others? How am I becoming better each day? How can I pursue meaningful craft in my personal or professional life?” Then there’s the highly acclaimed ‘ ’ strategy from Simon Sinek, who’s written extensively on the topic. Sinek’s idea is that most people know WHAT they do, and some people know HOW they do it — but very few people can articulate WHY they do what they do. finding your WHY Sinek suggests looking back into your past to find themes that stand out to you. What were the moments when you felt most fulfilled? When were you at your best? He says you can use this self-discovery and reflection to find your reason for doing things — and by extension, your purpose. So… Should We Chase That Feeling? In all of these theories, philosophies, and pieces of advice, there’s a common theme. Finding your purpose is a mission. It’s a chase. It’s a journey. You have to go out and actively seek it. And this is where a lot of people get stuck. They wait for clarity, or they look for some big life-changing event that will magically reveal their purpose to them. But the truth is, finding your purpose is an ongoing process — and it might not ever feel like you’ve ‘arrived.’ I feel like we build up this idea of ‘seeking’ and ‘finding’ our purpose as this massive, all-encompassing task. But it doesn’t have to be that way. You don’t have to go on some huge journey and come back with a big realization. This is where Kute Blackson’s theory I mentioned at the beginning comes into play. Stop Chasing, Stop Seeking, Stop Searching Kute Blackson believes that the reason we don’t find our purpose is because we’re too busy chasing it. Our ego takes over and uses the ‘chase’ as a means of feeling fulfilled; it gets stuck in the effort rather than congruently living our purpose. Instead, Kute says move toward the things that make you feel right. Not euphoric or happy — those are temporary emotions. But the things that make you feel right on a deeper level, in your gut. The things that give you an overwhelming sense of ‘yes’. Now, I know; it’s sounding an awful lot like everything else I’ve talked about so far. But there’s a key difference. In Kute’s way of thinking, he suggests moving toward your purpose as the opportunity arises. For instance — maybe you’re given a new position at work in which you need to interact with people more. Suddenly you think, “this feels incredible. I could really make a difference here.” So you lean into the role. You hint to your boss that this is something you’re passionate about. You start seeking out more opportunities to connect with people and make a difference in their lives. It’s not about some huge ‘aha’ moment or some grandiose realization that you need to change your life. It’s about being open and receptive to the opportunities that come your way, and then choosing whether or not to lean into them. In other words — there’s no chase, only acute awareness of the opportunities crossing your path. Wrap-Up We’ve covered a lot here. I want to clarify — while I personally love Kute’s more ‘as it happens’ approach to living your purpose, there’s definitely merit to all of the other theories and ideas we’ve discussed. Some people actually find their purpose in the continual chase. The key is to find what works for you. I hope this has given you some clarity and a new perspective on finding your purpose. And if you’re still feeling stuck, remember — you don’t need to make it a big scary mission. Just keep your eye out for the things that make you feel right, and trust your gut when it comes to taking action. Also published here.

The Secret to Finding Your Purpose Is to Stop Chasing It

While many older movies set in the future paint the 2020s as a futuristic megalopolis, the reality is that we have yet to transform into a society that sees flying cars and teleportation as normal parts of everyday life. However, new innovations and developments in healthcare, such as and telehealth, are slowly starting to usher us into a new age in which highly advanced technology is becoming more and more accepted and utilized. ambulatory surgery centers One particular form of futuristic technology which is piquing the interest of the public is electric automobile manufacturer Tesla’s new humanoid robots — known colloquially as Tesla Bots. Though they have not yet been released to the public, many are speculating about the various ways that Tesla Bots can be utilized to improve our world. One use for Tesla Bots that seems promising is the utilization of these humanoid robots for nursing roles — both in medical facilities and in homes. While there are naysayers who believe that this idea is impractical and faulty for a number of reasons, a growing number of individuals are hopeful that this could be a revolutionary trend in healthcare that transforms the way people receive healthcare. Understanding both the benefits and downsides of utilizing Tesla Bots as nurses can provide one with a deeper and more nuanced understanding of the future of healthcare. Here are some of the most compelling ideas for and against using tesla humanoids as our future nurses. The Benefits of Utilizing Tesla Bots as Nurses While many are excited by the novelty of having humanoid robots filling human roles, it’s important to have a clear understanding of the benefits this would have in the field of nursing. Here are some of the most compelling benefits associated with the use of Tesla humanoids as nurses. Less Human Error While the vast majority of nurses are extremely skilled professionals with a valuable skill set and a breadth of specialized knowledge, the fact remains that even the most skilled professionals sometimes make mistakes. Unfortunately, when it comes to healthcare, small mistakes can sometimes have a profoundly negative impact on someone’s health outcomes. The use of Tesla Bots in the role of nurses would minimize — if not completely eradicate — the chance of small errors being made by nurses. This means that patients would have a higher chance of experiencing better health outcomes as a result of receiving better care. Reduces Human Exposure to Infection and Disease As the COVID-19 pandemic made wholly apparent, healthcare workers put themselves in the face of tremendous risk when coming into contact with contagious patients. If Tesla Bots were used to take the place of nurses, there would be no risk of them being infected by anyone that they came into contact with. While to some this may seem like a minor advantage, this can actually benefit medical organizations in a number of ways. These benefits range from spending less money on protective gear such as masks to no risk of healthcare workers becoming sick and needing to take time off. This is especially important in high-stakes situations, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, in which medical facilities are extremely full and need everyone on staff to treat all of the patients who need medical attention. Cheaper Costs in the Long Run for Medical Facilities For many, it seems as if the seemingly exorbitant initial costs of purchasing a Tesla Bot is enough to make the invention a flop. However, when it comes to medical organizations, the price of buying and maintaining a Tesla Bot would be far cheaper than the cost of paying a healthcare worker’s salary for a number of years. With Tesla Bots in the role of nurses, there would be no need for medical organizations to pay salaries or overtime. In addition, scheduling nurses would no longer be a difficult issue for healthcare administrators to have to deal with. This being the case, the money that medical facilities could save by not paying the salary of healthcare workers could potentially help patients save money for medical treatment and care. Practical Alternative for Home Care In almost every case, finding long-term health workers to treat one at home can be incredibly expensive. This lack of home care is also one of the main reasons that older adults are forced to move into assisted living facilities rather than living their lives out in their own homes. By taking advantage of Tesla Bots for at-home nursing, many individuals may have a cheaper and more practical option for living a more fulfilling life. Tesla Bots have the ability to perform repetitive tasks such as laundry and dishes, meaning that their services would extend beyond just medical care for those who require . bedside nursing As such, Tesla Bots seem like an overwhelmingly positive option when it comes to treating patients in need of home care and bedside nursing. The Downside of Utilizing Tesla Bots as Nurses Though Tesla Bots taking the roles of nurses offers a slew of benefits to both medical facilities and the public, the practice would not be without its share of negative aspects. Here are some of the most significant downsides of using Tesla Bots as Nurses. Lack of Human Connection While many may view healthcare as the simple performance of tasks done in order to heal patients, the truth is that treatment requires much more. A critical part of providing spectacular care involves taking emotions and feelings into account. Though Tesla Bots seem capable of accomplishing many of the physical tasks associated with nursing, the impressions that they give patients may result in adverse health outcomes. When patients are in the hospital for long periods of time, conversing and interacting with nurses can provide some much-needed respite from feelings of loneliness and isolation. Though Tesla Bots may be able to mimic human responses, it’s more than likely that interactions with these inventions wouldn’t provide the same positive feelings as interacting with a human. Given the Tesla Bot’s lack of an ability to have meaningful human interactions, it’s likely that it wouldn’t be able to completely fill the role of nurses any time soon. Lack of Intuition While AI technology is capable of many spectacular things, technology has not become advanced enough to completely mimic the human brain and its cognitive functions. In the context of healthcare, many professionals become more dialed into different ailments over time by developing an intuition. While Tesla Bots can likely be taught basic functions and facts, it is extremely unlikely that they will have the same thinking faculties as human nurses. Given that Tesla Bots won’t be able to intuit in the same way as nurses, it makes sense that the treatment of patients may suffer as a result of having only Tesla Bot nurses. This indicates that while Tesla Bots may be useful for some nursing duties, it likely is not yet capable of doing them all well. Introducing Hybrid Care Into Facilities Though it seems clear that Tesla Bots have the ability to act in the capacity of nurses in some ways, it’s also clear that these inventions won’t be capable of properly performing some other equally important functions. While this does indicate that we probably won’t be seeing nursing staffs comprised completely of Tesla Bots in the near future, we may see a mix of both humans and robots. Nurses will likely have to be present for some interactions with patients in order to provide them with a sense of human connection and to provide insight into different ailments. However, Tesla Bots can be a great option for performing routine repetitive tasks that nurses typically have to do. What this would likely result in is a more streamlined healthcare experience for both patients and nurses with both the benefits of human healthcare workers and robots. Healthcare Is Transforming With each passing day, more and more innovative technology is being incorporated into the processes of medical facilities. While fully automated medical facilities don’t seem like they’ll become the norm anytime soon, it seems more than likely that more robots such as Tesla Bots will be utilized in many healthcare facilities in the near future. Humanoid robots aren’t yet able to perform all of the same functions as their human counterparts, but this may one day change and we might even have the chance to see some fully robot nursing staffs within our lifetimes.

Should Telsa Humanoids Be Our Future Nurses?

Source For thousands of years, CBD has been a powerful plant that has been used for the wellness of human health. A lot of products have been gotten from CBD and you could easily find it labelled on its products such as edibles like capsules, gummies, tinctures, oils, tropical's like lotion, sanitisers, and even lip balm. Although there are a lot of issues that need to be solved in the CBD Industry, there are individuals that range from middle-class men to even developers that are always searching for the next secret to enhanced health and wellness. It is in this case that the function of technology in achieving the prospect of better health care comes into place. The CBD industry is one place where technology can help key industry brands find new and innovative solutions. In essence, using the latest technological advancements has been beneficial to both the CBD sector, producers and suppliers and has certainly influenced how companies maximize their profits from the plant while developing their products. What exactly is CBD? CBD is a short form of Cannabidiol, an oil extract obtained from the Cannabis plant, which has two forms, Cannabis sativa (hemp) and Cannabis indica (marijuana). They both contain CBD but in varying concentrations. Unlike the hemp plant, which is rich in cannabidiol, the CBD contained in marijuana does not have any high effect like that of the high concentrations of another cannabinoid compound in it, called tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). CBD oil is an extract from either the hemp plant or marijuana plants. According to a report from the World Health Organization, CBD has no negative effect in terms of excessiveness or addictiveness, in humans. Presently, word has not yet been explained concerning the use of CBD causing any public health-related problems. How far has Technology gone in the CBD industry? Due to the massive growth of the , technology has been able to implement ways to help in its continuity, by implementing various technologies like Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Big Data and the likes of it. CBD industry Developers do not relent in putting together the best technology to help out in the necessary areas in this century. The preparation of CBD from production to consumption level can be automated through the use of technology. Just as technological advances have an impact on other industries, it also has numerous impacts on the CBD industry. Let's take a look at a few technology advancements transforming the CBD industry: Although in the last two years Farm Bill legalized hemp under federal law, it has also preserved the Food and Drug Administration’s supervision of products derived from cannabis. 1. High Tech Extraction Technology: In other words, the Food and Drug Administration has a strict policy on extracting pure CBD, therefore the CBD brand uses the best extraction technology and techniques to produce the highest quality Cannabidiol. Another use of technology is that of Artificial Intelligence (AI) when paired with inventory management. The combination of these two ensures that quality inventory management is kept and even without the need for human intervention, the AI can predict, make analyses and act. 2. Artificial Intelligence in the CBD Industry: This is the use of modern technology for farming activities. Such technologies include drones, GPS, and the Internet of Things (IoT) technologies. To supply high-quality hemp-derived CBD, smart agricultural technology like plant-based sensor technology, is used to optimize crop productivity, quality and over-irrigation that may lead to an increase in tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) levels (>0.3%) resulting in a total loss. 3. Smart Farming Technology: When machine learning is launched in the CBD industry, the tools are developed to make it easy for certain information to be detected by consumers of CBD products. The process of having access to consumers' reviews whether positive or negative, structured or unstructured, gives the CBD brand leverage on how to remain relevant in the global industry. The use of these technologies in the CBD industry just like any other industry has brought about constant development and growth and minimizes overall environmental impact. Nevertheless, there are CBD companies in the industry that still require guidance through many diverse hurdles, in developing a better product that goes well concerning a person's genetics. When a CBD product has bioavailability, it is more yielding in providing treatment. What importance is the use of CBD to individuals? There are tons of benefits that CBD provides to health ever since Cannabis has been legalized. Researchers have made it a norm to ensure that it causes more good than harm. They have also developed further use methods with technology to breed plants with higher CBD oil levels and relatively reduced THC levels. Nevertheless, CBD has been found effective in giving lots of benefits to the users for one reason or the other, mainly helping the health industry. The following are some importance of using CBD Technology in the Health Industry; 1. Anxiety Researchers have made studies and tests with the use of technology to detect if there is a possibility that can serve for the treatment of anxiety. CBD Anxiety being the excessive and persistent worry that causes fast heart palpitations, tiredness and being persistently worried, has been used for studies by researchers and scientists, and they have been able to develop its treatments. Thus, CBD has been reported to be capable of calming anxiety. Specifically, the CBD Gummies and CBD Tincture just make sure you see your doctor or professional healthcare first for a prescribed dosage. 2. Insomnia A lot of individuals and developers suffer from insomnia. Even though sleep has been made important when you suffer from overactive stress it affects the sleep your body needs. CBD can help people dealing with insomnia because it works with the hypothalamus to control stress. This research and study suggest that CBD may help with both falling asleep and staying asleep. Nonetheless, the use of is a sensible choice for almost anybody seeking to improve the quality and quantity of restorative rest. It should be discussed with your doctor if needed. CBD for sleep The CBD oil that works for insomnia is CBD Topicals. 3. Chronic pain After going through technological procedures, researchers explain that CBD has the potential to relieve pain. People are likely to feel pain while working in a certain position for a long period. Such an individual can control the pain he or she feels but better still to see a medical practitioner who will help prescribe medication for use. Other pains that could be calmed using caused by: arthritis, muscle pain, and spinal cord injuries. CBD are relieving symptoms In conclusion The future is looking bright for the health industry as the involvement of technology in the CBD Industry has benefited the industry with technological advances in the field. It is safe to say that we can expect adequately, safer, and more yielding products in the future. With the unending studies that are conducted, possibly we might even uncover a lot more ways that CBD can help treat various diseases that are been battled within the . health industry Nevertheless, the use of Artificial Intelligence and other forms of technological advancements will continue to have an impact on the CBD industry with constant new strategies for production and distribution. Also, companies and brands in the CBD industry will benefit from the technology to boost safety, lower costs, and deliver customers satisfaction.

The Importance of Using Technology in the CBD Industry

Oliver Twist, by Charles Dickens is part of HackerNoon’s Book Blog Post series. You can jump to any chapter in this book here: [LINK TO TABLE OF LINK] CHAPTER XXXIII. WHEREIN THE HAPPINESS OF OLIVER AND HIS FRIENDS, EXPERIENCES A SUDDEN CHECK Spring flew swiftly by, and summer came. If the village had been beautiful at first it was now in the full glow and luxuriance of its richness. The great trees, which had looked shrunken and bare in the earlier months, had now burst into strong life and health; and stretching forth their green arms over the thirsty ground, converted open and naked spots into choice nooks, where was a deep and pleasant shade from which to look upon the wide prospect, steeped in sunshine, which lay stretched beyond. The earth had donned her mantle of brightest green; and shed her richest perfumes abroad. It was the prime and vigour of the year; all things were glad and flourishing. Still, the same quiet life went on at the little cottage, and the same cheerful serenity prevailed among its inmates. Oliver had long since grown stout and healthy; but health or sickness made no difference in his warm feelings of a great many people. He was still the same gentle, attached, affectionate creature that he had been when pain and suffering had wasted his strength, and when he was dependent for every slight attention, and comfort on those who tended him. One beautiful night, when they had taken a longer walk than was customary with them: for the day had been unusually warm, and there was a brilliant moon, and a light wind had sprung up, which was unusually refreshing. Rose had been in high spirits, too, and they had walked on, in merry conversation, until they had far exceeded their ordinary bounds. Mrs. Maylie being fatigued, they returned more slowly home. The young lady merely throwing off her simple bonnet, sat down to the piano as usual. After running abstractedly over the keys for a few minutes, she fell into a low and very solemn air; and as she played it, they heard a sound as if she were weeping. “Rose, my dear!” said the elder lady. Rose made no reply, but played a little quicker, as though the words had roused her from some painful thoughts. “Rose, my love!” cried Mrs. Maylie, rising hastily, and bending over her. “What is this? In tears! My dear child, what distresses you?” “Nothing, aunt; nothing,” replied the young lady. “I don’t know what it is; I can’t describe it; but I feel—” “Not ill, my love?” interposed Mrs. Maylie. “No, no! Oh, not ill!” replied Rose: shuddering as though some deadly chillness were passing over her, while she spoke; “I shall be better presently. Close the window, pray!” Oliver hastened to comply with her request. The young lady, making an effort to recover her cheerfulness, strove to play some livelier tune; but her fingers dropped powerless over the keys. Covering her face with her hands, she sank upon a sofa, and gave vent to the tears which she was now unable to repress. “My child!” said the elderly lady, folding her arms about her, “I never saw you so before.” “I would not alarm you if I could avoid it,” rejoined Rose; “but indeed I have tried very hard, and cannot help this. I fear I am ill, aunt.” She was, indeed; for, when candles were brought, they saw that in the very short time which had elapsed since their return home, the hue of her countenance had changed to a marble whiteness. Its expression had lost nothing of its beauty; but it was changed; and there was an anxious haggard look about the gentle face, which it had never worn before. Another minute, and it was suffused with a crimson flush: and a heavy wildness came over the soft blue eye. Again this disappeared, like the shadow thrown by a passing cloud; and she was once more deadly pale. Oliver, who watched the old lady anxiously, observed that she was alarmed by these appearances; and so in truth, was he; but seeing that she affected to make light of them, he endeavoured to do the same, and they so far succeeded, that when Rose was persuaded by her aunt to retire for the night, she was in better spirits; and appeared even in better health: assuring them that she felt certain she should rise in the morning, quite well. “I hope,” said Oliver, when Mrs. Maylie returned, “that nothing is the matter? She don’t look well to-night, but—” The old lady motioned to him not to speak; and sitting herself down in a dark corner of the room, remained silent for some time. At length, she said, in a trembling voice: “I hope not, Oliver. I have been very happy with her for some years: too happy, perhaps. It may be time that I should meet with some misfortune; but I hope it is not this.” “What?” inquired Oliver. “The heavy blow,” said the old lady, “of losing the dear girl who has so long been my comfort and happiness.” “Oh! God forbid!” exclaimed Oliver, hastily. “Amen to that, my child!” said the old lady, wringing her hands. “Surely there is no danger of anything so dreadful?” said Oliver. “Two hours ago, she was quite well.” “She is very ill now,” rejoined Mrs. Maylies; “and will be worse, I am sure. My dear, dear Rose! Oh, what shall I do without her!” She gave way to such great grief, that Oliver, suppressing his own emotion, ventured to remonstrate with her; and to beg, earnestly, that, for the sake of the dear young lady herself, she would be more calm. “And consider, ma’am,” said Oliver, as the tears forced themselves into his eyes, despite of his efforts to the contrary. “Oh! consider how young and good she is, and what pleasure and comfort she gives to all about her. I am sure—certain—quite certain—that, for your sake, who are so good yourself; and for her own; and for the sake of all she makes so happy; she will not die. Heaven will never let her die so young.” “Hush!” said Mrs. Maylie, laying her hand on Oliver’s head. “You think like a child, poor boy. But you teach me my duty, notwithstanding. I had forgotten it for a moment, Oliver, but I hope I may be pardoned, for I am old, and have seen enough of illness and death to know the agony of separation from the objects of our love. I have seen enough, too, to know that it is not always the youngest and best who are spared to those that love them; but this should give us comfort in our sorrow; for Heaven is just; and such things teach us, impressively, that there is a brighter world than this; and that the passage to it is speedy. God’s will be done! I love her; and He knows how well!” Oliver was surprised to see that as Mrs. Maylie said these words, she checked her lamentations as though by one effort; and drawing herself up as she spoke, became composed and firm. He was still more astonished to find that this firmness lasted; and that, under all the care and watching which ensued, Mrs. Maylie was ever ready and collected: performing all the duties which had devolved upon her, steadily, and, to all external appearances, even cheerfully. But he was young, and did not know what strong minds are capable of, under trying circumstances. How should he, when their possessors so seldom know themselves? An anxious night ensued. When morning came, Mrs. Maylie’s predictions were but too well verified. Rose was in the first stage of a high and dangerous fever. “We must be active, Oliver, and not give way to useless grief,” said Mrs. Maylie, laying her finger on her lip, as she looked steadily into his face; “this letter must be sent, with all possible expedition, to Mr. Losberne. It must be carried to the market-town: which is not more than four miles off, by the footpath across the field: and thence dispatched, by an express on horseback, straight to Chertsey. The people at the inn will undertake to do this: and I can trust to you to see it done, I know.” Oliver could make no reply, but looked his anxiety to be gone at once. “Here is another letter,” said Mrs. Maylie, pausing to reflect; “but whether to send it now, or wait until I see how Rose goes on, I scarcely know. I would not forward it, unless I feared the worst.” “Is it for Chertsey, too, ma’am?” inquired Oliver; impatient to execute his commission, and holding out his trembling hand for the letter. “No,” replied the old lady, giving it to him mechanically. Oliver glanced at it, and saw that it was directed to Harry Maylie, Esquire, at some great lord’s house in the country; where, he could not make out. “Shall it go, ma’am?” asked Oliver, looking up, impatiently. “I think not,” replied Mrs. Maylie, taking it back. “I will wait until to-morrow.” With these words, she gave Oliver her purse, and he started off, without more delay, at the greatest speed he could muster. Swiftly he ran across the fields, and down the little lanes which sometimes divided them: now almost hidden by the high corn on either side, and now emerging on an open field, where the mowers and haymakers were busy at their work: nor did he stop once, save now and then, for a few seconds, to recover breath, until he came, in a great heat, and covered with dust, on the little market-place of the market-town. Here he paused, and looked about for the inn. There were a white bank, and a red brewery, and a yellow town-hall; and in one corner there was a large house, with all the wood about it painted green: before which was the sign of “The George.” To this he hastened, as soon as it caught his eye. He spoke to a postboy who was dozing under the gateway; and who, after hearing what he wanted, referred him to the ostler; who after hearing all he had to say again, referred him to the landlord; who was a tall gentleman in a blue neckcloth, a white hat, drab breeches, and boots with tops to match, leaning against a pump by the stable-door, picking his teeth with a silver toothpick. This gentleman walked with much deliberation into the bar to make out the bill: which took a long time making out: and after it was ready, and paid, a horse had to be saddled, and a man to be dressed, which took up ten good minutes more. Meanwhile Oliver was in such a desperate state of impatience and anxiety, that he felt as if he could have jumped upon the horse himself, and galloped away, full tear, to the next stage. At length, all was ready; and the little parcel having been handed up, with many injunctions and entreaties for its speedy delivery, the man set spurs to his horse, and rattling over the uneven paving of the market-place, was out of the town, and galloping along the turnpike-road, in a couple of minutes. As it was something to feel certain that assistance was sent for, and that no time had been lost, Oliver hurried up the inn-yard, with a somewhat lighter heart. He was turning out of the gateway when he accidently stumbled against a tall man wrapped in a cloak, who was at that moment coming out of the inn door. “Hah!” cried the man, fixing his eyes on Oliver, and suddenly recoiling. “What the devil’s this?” “I beg your pardon, sir,” said Oliver; “I was in a great hurry to get home, and didn’t see you were coming.” “Death!” muttered the man to himself, glaring at the boy with his large dark eyes. “Who would have thought it! Grind him to ashes! He’d start up from a stone coffin, to come in my way!” “I am sorry,” stammered Oliver, confused by the strange man’s wild look. “I hope I have not hurt you!” “Rot you!” murmured the man, in a horrible passion; between his clenched teeth; “if I had only had the courage to say the word, I might have been free of you in a night. Curses on your head, and black death on your heart, you imp! What are you doing here?” The man shook his fist, as he uttered these words incoherently. He advanced towards Oliver, as if with the intention of aiming a blow at him, but fell violently on the ground: writhing and foaming, in a fit. Oliver gazed, for a moment, at the struggles of the madman (for such he supposed him to be); and then darted into the house for help. Having seen him safely carried into the hotel, he turned his face homewards, running as fast as he could, to make up for lost time: and recalling with a great deal of astonishment and some fear, the extraordinary behaviour of the person from whom he had just parted. The circumstance did not dwell in his recollection long, however: for when he reached the cottage, there was enough to occupy his mind, and to drive all considerations of self completely from his memory. Rose Maylie had rapidly grown worse; before mid-night she was delirious. A medical practitioner, who resided on the spot, was in constant attendance upon her; and after first seeing the patient, he had taken Mrs. Maylie aside, and pronounced her disorder to be one of a most alarming nature. “In fact,” he said, “it would be little short of a miracle, if she recovered.” How often did Oliver start from his bed that night, and stealing out, with noiseless footstep, to the staircase, listen for the slightest sound from the sick chamber! How often did a tremble shake his frame, and cold drops of terror start upon his brow, when a sudden trampling of feet caused him to fear that something too dreadful to think of, had even then occurred! And what had been the fervency of all the prayers he had ever muttered, compared with those he poured forth, now, in the agony and passion of his supplication for the life and health of the gentle creature, who was tottering on the deep grave’s verge! Oh! the suspense, the fearful, acute suspense, of standing idly by while the life of one we dearly love, is trembling in the balance! Oh! the racking thoughts that crowd upon the mind, and make the heart beat violently, and the breath come thick, by the force of the images they conjure up before it; the desperate anxiety to be doing something to relieve the pain, or lessen the danger, which we have no power to alleviate; the sinking of soul and spirit, which the sad remembrance of our helplessness produces; what tortures can equal these; what reflections or endeavours can, in the full tide and fever of the time, allay them! Morning came; and the little cottage was lonely and still. People spoke in whispers; anxious faces appeared at the gate, from time to time; women and children went away in tears. All the livelong day, and for hours after it had grown dark, Oliver paced softly up and down the garden, raising his eyes every instant to the sick chamber, and shuddering to see the darkened window, looking as if death lay stretched inside. Late that night, Mr. Losberne arrived. “It is hard,” said the good doctor, turning away as he spoke; “so young; so much beloved; but there is very little hope.” Another morning. The sun shone brightly; as brightly as if it looked upon no misery or care; and, with every leaf and flower in full bloom about her; with life, and health, and sounds and sights of joy, surrounding her on every side: the fair young creature lay, wasting fast. Oliver crept away to the old churchyard, and sitting down on one of the green mounds, wept and prayed for her, in silence. There was such peace and beauty in the scene; so much of brightness and mirth in the sunny landscape; such blithesome music in the songs of the summer birds; such freedom in the rapid flight of the rook, careering overhead; so much of life and joyousness in all; that, when the boy raised his aching eyes, and looked about, the thought instinctively occurred to him, that this was not a time for death; that Rose could surely never die when humbler things were all so glad and gay; that graves were for cold and cheerless winter: not for sunlight and fragrance. He almost thought that shrouds were for the old and shrunken; and that they never wrapped the young and graceful form in their ghastly folds. A knell from the church bell broke harshly on these youthful thoughts. Another! Again! It was tolling for the funeral service. A group of humble mourners entered the gate: wearing white favours; for the corpse was young. They stood uncovered by a grave; and there was a mother—a mother once—among the weeping train. But the sun shone brightly, and the birds sang on. Oliver turned homeward, thinking on the many kindnesses he had received from the young lady, and wishing that the time could come again, that he might never cease showing her how grateful and attached he was. He had no cause for self-reproach on the score of neglect, or want of thought, for he had been devoted to her service; and yet a hundred little occasions rose up before him, on which he fancied he might have been more zealous, and more earnest, and wished he had been. We need be careful how we deal with those about us, when every death carries to some small circle of survivors, thoughts of so much omitted, and so little done—of so many things forgotten, and so many more which might have been repaired! There is no remorse so deep as that which is unavailing; if we would be spared its tortures, let us remember this, in time. When he reached home Mrs. Maylie was sitting in the little parlour. Oliver’s heart sank at sight of her; for she had never left the bedside of her niece; and he trembled to think what change could have driven her away. He learnt that she had fallen into a deep sleep, from which she would waken, either to recovery and life, or to bid them farewell, and die. They sat, listening, and afraid to speak, for hours. The untasted meal was removed, with looks which showed that their thoughts were elsewhere, they watched the sun as he sank lower and lower, and, at length, cast over sky and earth those brilliant hues which herald his departure. Their quick ears caught the sound of an approaching footstep. They both involuntarily darted to the door, as Mr. Losberne entered. “What of Rose?” cried the old lady. “Tell me at once! I can bear it; anything but suspense! Oh, tell me! in the name of Heaven!” “You must compose yourself,” said the doctor supporting her. “Be calm, my dear ma’am, pray.” “Let me go, in God’s name! My dear child! She is dead! She is dying!” “No!” cried the doctor, passionately. “As He is good and merciful, she will live to bless us all, for years to come.” The lady fell upon her knees, and tried to fold her hands together; but the energy which had supported her so long, fled up to Heaven with her first thanksgiving; and she sank into the friendly arms which were extended to receive her. About HackerNoon Book Series: We bring you the most important technical, scientific, and insightful public domain books. This book is part of the public domain. Urbana, Illinois: Project Gutenberg. Retrieved April 2022 from Dickens, Charles,1996. Oliver Twist. https://www.gutenberg.org/files/730/730-h/730-h.htm#chap33 This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at , located at . www.gutenberg.org https://www.gutenberg.org/policy/license.html

Oliver Twist: Chapter XXXIII

It has been stated that NFTs and the associated industry have a lot to present to the world. From featuring artistic designs to presenting utility to brands, NFTs have come a long way. To adopt it globally, NFTs must be embedded across our social networks. The tangible use of these assets will present the world with a resourceful entry into this digital innovation. This is what has been adopted by Tutti Frutti Women, a 10,000-unique NFTs collection. is a women-led NFT project that has presented an ingenious mission of inducing into a progressive social mission of providing women a platform for empowering and raising awareness who have gone through cancer treatment. Tutti Frutti Women Why cancer awareness matters? Cancer awareness is the key to early detection and better health-seeking behaviour. Cancer is common in both developing as well as developed countries, but awareness is yet poor among the general population. Poor awareness may lead to poor uptake of screening modalities and delay in diagnosis. As per WHO, the most common causes of cancer death in 2020 were: lung (1.80 million deaths); colon and rectum (916k deaths); liver (830k deaths); stomach (769k deaths); breast (685k deaths). Many cancers can be cured if detected early and treated effectively, that's why cancer awareness is so important. Cancer impacts people of all ethnicities, sexual identities, and economic backgrounds. Although cancer prevention and treatment strategies have improved over the years, cancer diagnoses appear to be rising. How TFW contributes? Tutti Frutti Women use the power of the NFT ecosystem to connect people from different backgrounds, different ethnicities, different expertise to whom they share knowledge, guidance and stories related to cancer. As part of this mission, cancer survivors, warriors, experts in the field and advocates will be onboarded to share knowledge and their stories to empower other warriors and to raise cancer awareness among the Web3 community. Empowerment through art This collection, which consists of 10,000 unique NFTs, stands in solidarity with the warriors who lost their hair due to cancer treatment. Tutti Frutti Women have no hair, but a colorful and fruity head instead. The fruit trait is a mandatory element that couldn’t be missed from any Tutti Frutti Women’s head. And this is because it represents the beauty of women who lost their hair due to cancer treatment. Usually, the hair is seen as something sensual, attractive, beautiful, and also intimate for some people. Once the warriors are losing their hair, they are facing lots of emotional feelings and insecurities. Tutti Frutti Women would like to remind them that beauty comes from inside and that the head is a source of ideas, of feelings, of the power to walk through the journey. Staying positive during such challenges can be difficult but at the same time, it can only contribute to a colorful and fruitful journey. Empowerment through donation Financial donations are important to cancer organizations and the people and programs they support, including research to advance new treatments. Therefore, Tutti Frutti Women will donate 10% of the sales to a Cancer Support Organization decided by its holders. Empowerment through Fruity Fund The community is core to the mission of Tutti Frutti Women. Being a holder of one NFT comes with its one perks, such as access to the fruity fund. The fruity fund concept is to empower the holders or/and a family member who has been affected by cancer and to encourage the prevention of cancer and kickstarting in the right direction during early detections. | | | Website Twitter Instagram Discord

Adopting The Dynamics of NFTs To Raise Cancer Awareness

Management is a tricky job. You are required to care for other people and their growth while also feeling responsible for their emotional and mental well-being. If you’re someone who takes their role seriously, you might already be putting in a lot of effort to stand out as an effective manager to your people. But being a manager isn’t easy. Irrespective of how much time you spend or how hard you try, if you refuse to give yourself the space needed to feel physically, mentally, and emotionally strong, you can never meet the demands of your people or feel fulfilled with the idea that you’re doing a good job. No doubt, most managers want to do their job right. And yet they don’t realize that being a good manager to others requires managing yourself well first. Management isn’t a solo sport. It’s more like a game of football. Even if you’re a great player on the court who knows how to hit perfect shots, being unprepared to handle unexpected shots from the other players on the court can throw you off balance. You not only need to keep your calm when the game doesn’t go as expected, but an important part of playing the game well is also observing other players on the court, reiterating your strategy, and fine-tuning your approach in a way that makes you feel in control. There isn’t a rule book for all the decisions you need to make and all the steps you need to take. You will make plenty of mistakes on the way. You will have a hard time getting your ideas heard and convincing others. The uncertainty of your decisions along with the daily struggle to make things happen can be quite taxing on your personal health and mental wellbeing. Unless you learn to take care of yourself, you can’t really be productive. Practicing self-care as a manager isn’t just necessary, it should be your topmost priority. Strategies to practice self-care as a manager Stop saying I don’t have time The biggest excuse most managers give to not prioritize their health is lack of time. Think about it for a moment. Isn’t it hard to believe that giving ½ hr of the day to exercise or cooking a healthy meal is a real struggle for someone who’s willing to spend 8-12 hours of their time on the job? And yet the struggle is real. Most managers don’t do it not because they can’t find time to do it, but because they manipulate themselves into thinking they don’t have time. The problem is never lack of time. It’s the resistance mechanism to not do the thing you actively want to avoid. Wired to prioritize instant gratification over long-term rewards, running for a few minutes, going for a swim, or hitting the gym takes a backseat. Tired after a long day's work, those things hardly seem lucrative. Convinced that today was just a busy day, you promise to do better tomorrow and either crash to sleep or reward yourself by watching a bit of TV. If being healthy is important to you, the right question isn't "How do I find time to do it?" You never will. It is. What am I avoiding? What's the cost of not doing it? Make Time is a framework for choosing what you want to focus on, building the energy to do it, and breaking the default cycle so that you can start being more intentional about the way you live your life - Jake Knapp Once you decide to care for yourself and prioritize your health, here’s the trick: start your day by doing the thing (exercising, healthy meal, meditation, etc) in the morning before you head to work. Starting your day by caring for yourself sets a positive tone for the rest of the day too. Prioritize small things that matter One side effect of becoming a manager is that the boundaries between work and home start to dissolve. There’s always more to do than what you can achieve in a day. takes priority over the important tasks leaving you feeling unaccomplished at the end of the day. Urgent Shuffling priorities between work and home not only makes you exhausted and tired, but you also start living with a constant feeling of guilt. Thoughts about unfulfilled personal commitments keep you distracted at work and when at home, your mind is still occupied with work. The desire to be a good manager and the guilt of not pursuing other goals that add meaning to your life leaves you constantly conflicted between work and home. When competing priorities demand your attention and you make decisions on the fly, no doubt most decisions end up in work. A few more minutes in the evening or a quick reply to an email over the weekend soon turns into an extra hour. Unless you consciously prioritize what’s important to you, these unhealthy practices become a part of your lifestyle. Time-management hacks, life hacks, sleep hacks, work hacks. These all reflect an obsession with trying to squeeze more time out of the day, but rearranging your daily patterns to find more time for work isn’t the problem. Too much shit to do is the problem - Jason Fried The idea to practice self-care as a manager is simple: identify what matters, then define clear boundaries so that you don’t slip away from things you actually value. For example: If you have once a month dinner outings with your friends, or twice a week yoga classes in the evenings or it’s having dinner with your kids that matters to you, put them on your calendar much like you would do other things. Stay present and enjoy those moments without the distractions of work. Do the same for your work priorities as well. These 2 steps usually work for me: Identify small things that matter. Stay productive while doing them. Shift from being good to getting better As a manager, you are likely to face many challenges and setbacks along the way. How do you deal with difficulty when it happens - do you try to stay persistent or give up with the feelings of self-doubt? When you adopt performance goals for yourself, you want to prove to others how smart, talented and capable you are. Performance goals are tied to your sense of self-worth which makes you focus less on learning and more on achieving specific outcomes. Heidi Grant calls them “being good” goals. Performance goals are characterized by an all-or-nothing quality—you either reach the goal or you don’t. You win or you lose…When all you care about is being good, being almost good or mostly good is really not much consolation - Heidi Grant Chasing “being good” goals not only makes you feel terrible when you don’t achieve a specific outcome, they convince you to stop trying. Giving up in those crucial moments makes things worse which further reinforces your belief that you don’t have what it takes - sort of a self-fulfilling prophecy. Learning goals on the other hand connects to the process without tying your success or sense of self-worth to a specific outcome. With learning goals, you’re focused on the progress you’re making and how much you’re improving. Challenges and setbacks don’t discourage you. Rather, they signal the need to put in more effort, try a different strategy or ask for help. You’re willing to do anything that will help you move forward. Heidi Grant calls them “getting better” goals. She writes “These goals are tied to self-worth in a totally different way, because they are about self-improvement rather than self-validation—about becoming the best, most capable person you can be, rather than proving that you already are.” As a manager, things won’t always go as expected. You will face many obstacles on the way to success. The goals you set for yourself (being good or getting better) profoundly impact not only how you feel, but also how you act afterward. To practice self-care as a manager, focus more on learning and less on proving. You will not only find yourself less anxious and stressed, but also more content knowing that you can always do well if you’re willing to try just one more time. Set things in perspective When you look at others, do you expect them to do everything perfectly - no mistakes, no screw-ups? Do you expect them to bite off more than they can chew? Do you expect them to never face self-doubt when facing uncertainty or making critical decisions? When it comes to you though, do you apply a different set of rules? Does failure create fear and resistance in your mind? Do you worry that making wrong decisions will hurt your competence? Do you feel anxious about facing criticism? Do you try to hide your failures from others? To be effective in your role as a manager, you need to shift from self-doubt to clarity and action. And you can’t do that if you constantly turn to blame or self-criticism. When things go bad like they always do, don’t beat yourself up or act as a victim. Rather, practice this useful skill: self-compassion. Self-compassion is the ability to face your mistakes and failures with kindness and understanding instead of judging yourself harshly or acting defensive with the goal to protect your ego. It’s having the same sense of warmth, empathy, and positive regard for yourself as you would have for another person when they are dealing with a difficult circumstance. Acknowledging that life is sometimes messy and imperfect. After all, to err is human. Kristin Neff, a pioneer in the field of self-compassion research describes it as - Instead of mercilessly judging and criticizing yourself for various inadequacies or shortcomings, self-compassion means you are kind and understanding when confronted with personal failings – after all, who ever said you were supposed to be perfect? She defines three main components of self-compassion: Self-kindness: Be gentle and understanding with yourself rather than harshly critical and judgmental. Common humanity: Feel connected with others in the experience by realizing that nobody is perfect all the time. Mindfulness: Hold experience in balanced awareness, rather than ignoring pain or exaggerating it. To practice self-care as a manager, cultivate self-compassion, and stop chasing after high self-esteem. Self-compassion will set things in perspective helping you stay more calm and relaxed thereby enabling you to make conscious choices instead of reacting to your circumstances. You can be a great manager and also be great to yourself. To practice self-care as a manager, take control of your time, prioritize small things that matter, shift from “being good” to “getting better,” and set things in perspective. Summary To be an effective manager, you not only need to be good to your team, but you also need to be good to yourself. If you don’t prioritize your mental health and personal well-being, it will hurt your productivity and performance. To practice self-care as a manager, you need to stop giving lack of time as an excuse and start doing activities that will keep you physically and mentally strong (exercising, eating healthy). Instead of stressing about the big things in your life, identify small things that matter, define boundaries and spend time away from distractions to make your time count and all that you do productive. Instead of trying to be good by proving that you’re smart and capable to others, try being better by focusing on your progress, how much you’re improving, and the things you’re learning. When things don’t go as expected, don’t be judgmental and self-critical. Use self-compassion as a tool to acknowledge your difficulties, look past your failures and not let your mistakes get in the way of taking action. Previously published . here

A Guide to Practicing Self Care for Managers

The gaming industry is one of the biggest and most profitable industries in the world, it has the most projected growth too, making it an incredibly lucrative industry to get involved with. There is a total estimate of , making it one of the most thriving industries on the planet by a large margin. 3.24 billion gamers worldwide The industry revenue generated is beyond any other form of entertainment worldwide, by 2025 analysts predict the industry will generate an excess of 260 billion dollars in profit, and with the innovations in products and the way they’re distributed to users, it’s only going to continue to grow and become more dominant market-wise. Technology over time has made the gaming industry more diverse and more accessible than ever before. With game subscription services, and multiple platforms, some of which are completely mobile, access to gaming is now easier than it’s ever been, with literal libraries worth of titles available at your fingertips at a fraction of the cost that it was even 5 or 6 years ago. Gaming Trends & Tech Perspective The introduction of mobile gaming technology to the mainstream and innovations in that particular field are responsible for a massive part of the increase in the industry's success with 50% of gaming now being conducted on what can be considered mobile devices and services. Whilst the accessibility from your own home has increased, it has meant a decrease in certain elements of the gaming industry, as an example, things like public arcades have naturally seen a decline due to the accessibility of modern gaming. When we look at the technology available to the public now, it is considerably mind-blowing. A pocket calculator or even to some extent, a USB-C Charger has more computing power than what was used to put a man on the moon. To put into context, the iPhone 6’s clock speed is 32,600 faster than the best Apollo-era computers and could perform tasks . When you consider the Apollo missions ended a touch over 50 years ago, it is mind-boggling to consider how quickly technology has moved forward, we can’t even conceive where we’ll be in another 50 years at this astronomical rate of improvement. Next time you’re using your phone, it may change your perspective to consider what its computing power is genuinely capable of aside from playing your favorite games. 120,000,000 times faster Gaming is spread out across a lot of devices but it's no surprise (as taken from a 2021 3Q survey) that Smartphones lead the way in being most used for gaming, taking up 68.1% of the market of gamers. Coming short behind that is PC users, which make up 36.8% of the market, and behind that is 25.8% of users who game primarily on . gaming consoles These statistics are dynamic and will change dramatically as the industry tech shifts, as an example, VR headsets only make up 8.7% of users, however with that particular technology rumored to be making huge technological leaps in the coming 12 months, it’s possible that this will shift dramatically as becomes more accessible, affordable and incredible. Education in Virtual Worlds VR offers a completely new realm of education suites that can elevate and improve the way people learn. VR offers users the ability to learn by actually doing, making it almost indistinguishable from the real thing. Usually, students are required to learn how to complete practical tasks by reading and writing, but the ability to get hands-on without any risks to their safety is an incredible advantage that VR can consistently provide them. Not only handy for practical tasks, but VR also allows users to experience unique locations too, making it a great tool for geography lessons and even astronomy, taking students to places far beyond their reach. Even as a creative tool, VR has a plethora of art programs that allow students to get creative in a 3D space. The accessibility of VR enables equal opportunities for students too, meaning all students can enjoy and access the hardware fairly easily at their educational institutes due to them being reasonably priced today. VR outside Games VR is also revolutionizing the manufacturing industries and their safety procedures. The manufacturing industry has a high rate of accidents that often cost employees their livelihoods or worse. Usually, this is due to a lack of training or lack of machine knowledge and procedures, however, with the introduction of VR as a training tool, employees can be trained on new machinery without any risks to them whatsoever. Making it possible for companies to provide digital exams via VR capabilities. VR is also being used in manufacturing sectors to teach and educate workers on the correct maintenance of work equipment as it allows companies to be able to show workers around machinery without having to shut down particular areas of the factory to cater to it. VR incorporated into the manufacturing sector essentially means: Improved Company Safety They manufacture better and more consistent products They can have safe training spaces with better education This may sound like a thing of the future but it isn’t, companies like Ford and Toyota are already using VR within their companies to help with production. During the COVID pandemic, Ford used VR to access their car models and designs remotely and collaborate with designers and engineers. You may have heard the phrase gamification when discussing the future of gaming, and it simply means applying gaming tools to non-gaming environments, which is becoming commonplace in health care in particular. A good example of this is the abundance of health care apps that track your exercise metrics, vitals and caloric intakes. Gamification aims to get people more actively involved in the healthcare process and improve patient engagement. The collection of that data is often done by healthcare providers and health-related companies to get useful metrics on the user base that can help better health care and services provided. Tech Innovation is limitless With all of the different tech advancements and immerging technologies happening, and all the different industries utilizing these techs, it is amazing to think about what the future of gaming will actually look like when you consider what we have now. Funnily enough, a big trend that is predicted is a retro bounce back. Often what happens when tech advances in gaming, is a wave of remakes and retro game remasters tend to become popular as some gamers tend to crave a bit of nostalgia with the market flooded with new ideas. When we look at virtual reality, there are key elements that aren’t part of the tech that stop it from being completely immersive, and interestingly enough one of those aspects is the concept of smell. This is being worked in by a company called FeelReal which is attempting to bring a sensory mask into the market, which provides you with game-related smells and sensations. VR tends to be limited with movement, users often report that aspect of the virtual gaming space is what is breaking immersion most, however, there are leading tech companies that are working on what is called “Omni Directional Treadmills” which allow you to use your locomotion by running and walking in any direction you want whilst in the 3D virtual space. This may not seem like a big difference from using a controller, but once you experience it, you’ll wonder how you ever used VR without one. Currently, VR is a niche sector of the gaming industry, it serves as an alternate way to game rather than a genuine competitor to consoles or PC gaming, however with the immerging tech in VR, you can expect that in the next 30 years it could potentially replace console gaming all together with open virtual worlds and ultra-immersive graphics coming to the forefront of VR. Something that is already approaching the VR market is full-body tracking and haptic vests. Full-body tracking is being developed to allow your digital body to match the real-time movement of your actual body, and if you compliment that technology with haptic vests and wearables that respond to contact in-game, then suddenly you’ve got an incredibly immersive VR experience – this is closer than you think. The Bottom Line Ultimately the future of gaming is going to come down to immersion, as hardware becomes more powerful and displays become more dynamic, we’re going to be able to achieve real-time photo realism at some point, allowing games to become much more than games, they’ll become experiences that you will be able to live out in virtual space. We consider a lot of titles now to be immersive, but when you look at the tech and how quickly it is progressing, you can only imagine where we’ll be in another 50 years. We look at games like Cyberpunk 2077 and see the incredible and innovative level of details involved, but what if VR could put you in V’s shoes for real, in real-time in virtual space and you could feel what V does? Well, that is the direction the tech is going in, and it is moving fast. Wake up Samurai, we’ve got VR to play!

The Future of Gaming Looks More Immersive Than Ever

There's a lot of buzz about the metaverse and its potential to change how we live our daily lives. Currently, the Web3 metaverse is projected to be worth $47.5 billion by the end of 2022 and a staggering $678.8 billion by 2030. Clearly, the metaverse will only become more integrated into everyday life. It still has a long way to go, but I think that tech like augmented reality, AI, quantum computing and all the rest of the components of the metaverse will pave the way for a better, faster, more comprehensive healthcare landscape. According to research by Accenture, authenticity within the metaverse is something that will become more important as the technology develops. Additionally, companies that take their brands into the metaverse early will have a definitive “pioneering advantage.” This combination of factors means that the faster healthcare companies can establish a trusted presence in the metaverse, the better. A Quick Aside: Defining the Metaverse Before we go further, let's back up and talk about what I mean when we say "metaverse." The consensus is that the metaverse is where the physical world converges with the virtual, so this is the definition I’m using. 

This includes everything that allows real-world users to immerse in and interact with the virtual world, like: - Augmented reality - Virtual reality - Artificial intelligence - Internet of Things (IoT) - Web3 - Robotics - Edge computing - Quantum computing. How the Metaverse Can Transform Healthcare In the U.S., healthcare is a huge, sluggish beast in desperate need of an overhaul. Globally, while some countries have a more sophisticated healthcare system, there is an overall lack of efficiency. Because of the safety and security regulations of the global healthcare industry, this is often one of the last sectors to experience real growth and change. Statistics show that 75 percent of business executives are ready to either invest or partner with next-generation computing companies to address sweeping, previously unsolvable problems (like creating secure, efficient healthcare data sharing). This is where I believe the metaverse fits into the future of healthcare. Here are a few ways it's already transforming the industry. 1. VR and AR VR and AR have already become essential tools for improving medical outcomes. Not only can medical students use AR to safely practice complex procedures, but surgeons can utilize advanced robotics to assist with delicate surgeries that require immense precision. 2. Web3 Digital Infrastructure DeHealth has developed the DHLT Network to deal with medical data. Currently, patients have limited access to their health information, and they have no real control over their own data. DeHealth's DHLT (Decentralized Health Token) puts the control in the patients' hands and incentivizes them to make better, healthier choices. This happens through the ability to monetize their medical assets (e.g., their health data and future health activities), which is an excellent motivator for becoming an engaged and active participant in their health journey. In addition, this "medical marketplace" operates on blockchain technology. This means that everything is transparent and accurate for better accountability. The blockchain ensures patient data is secure, and it prevents any retroactive changes to the data as well. It also means that users can "invest" their depersonalized medical data in the global healthcare industry and reap dividends that they choose, such as capital to put toward medicines or money to be withdrawn to their personal accounts. 3. Metaverse Convergence Currently, healthcare is siloed in a way that makes it nearly impossible to get truly comprehensive care. Healthcare professionals have no easy or convenient way to "join forces" and help a patient from multiple avenues. For example, a person with chronic pain may need to regularly consult with a physical therapist, pain specialist, mental health provider and GP. In addition, there may be instances where their pain isn't improving, but it's not apparent why. The metaverse can solve this problem in two ways. Firstly, the metaverse allows patient activity monitoring through IoT-style connectivity (usually called the Internet of Medical Devices). This gives a more complete picture of things like compliance and expected clinical outcomes. If the patient with chronic pain is suffering from depression and struggling to complete PT exercises, then the metaverse allows providers to come to this conclusion much more efficiently. Secondly, access to blockchain technology for medical data allows for near-instantaneous data sharing among a patient's healthcare team. This is another aspect of the DeHealth DHLT network. Patients have their health token, and they can use this to give immediate access to their entire medical history safely and securely via blockchain. This means better collaboration between medical professionals and between the doctor and patient. Step Into the Metaverse For Better Health While we primarily use virtual worlds and Web3 hosting for recreation, the time has come to leverage this technology for a better, brighter future. The metaverse is the key to transforming how we approach our everyday lives, and embracing it is the first step toward a healthcare revolution. DeHealth is building the first "healthy" crypto-community and metaverse for healthcare.
With a web 3.0 protocol, the DHLT Network, we believe that dealing with medical data has to be secured, transparent and monetized on a special marketplace gathering patients, clinics, big pharma and other participants of the healthcare industry. To change how patients and healthcare providers share, monetize and store information for a better, faster, more connected healthcare system – this is the challenge that DeHealth is solving with its tool today.

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