English essay The decline of the west Essay Example

English essay The decline of the west Essay West Sometimes In your life you have times, where everything do not makes sense for you. We all have bad days, button still need to find a meaning of your life. It Is Important to find yourself and live life as it is. There are also declines In the real world, for example the decline In the West. The short story The Decline of the West Is a good example of this, because the theme Is about these kinds of problems. The text Is written by Hanoi Kurdish, and the short story was published in 2010 in a collection of Hanoi Surprises stories. Mike is the main character in the short story The Decline of the West. Mike is 45 years old. He has a wife whose name is Imagine. Mike looses his job, because he gets fired and after that he thinks a life is difficult and he cant see positive things in his life. Mike is also under pressure, because the short story takes place in the middle of the financial crisis. Mike seems to be a little bit weak. Mike at forty-five, had no idea what he would do. First he had to lose everything. (Page 4 1. 1. 73-74). We will write a custom essay sample on English essay The decline of the west specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on English essay The decline of the west specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on English essay The decline of the west specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer This quote shows us that Mike seems to be weak after he loses his Job. Mike Is also a little bit an egoist after he loses his Job. He does not care about what his family tries to say to him. Just call me the Delivery man. Thats my name. But even you might have noticed theres a financial crash taking place. (Page 5 1. 1. 147-148). Mikes wife, Imagine, tries to talk with Mike about the problems, but Mike does not want to talk with his wife. He does not want to tell her wife what was happened at his work, and it shows that Mike is a egoist. He does not care about anything. The point of view in the short story (The Decline of the West) is a limited point of view from Mikes site. We know that, because the narrator follows the main character Mike in the whole story. We are as readers able to understand (a little bit) what Mike is thinking about. I have a quote, which shows us that the point of view in the short story is a limited point of view in third person. He switched on the garden lights and, looking out at the new deck where last summer theyd held barbecues, thought, l paid for this with y time, Intelligence, and the education the state provided me with. (Page 2. L. L. 18-20). The quote shows us that it Is a Limited point of view. The narrator knows a little bit about Mike, and sometimes we are In his thoughts, but the point of view Is not an omniscient point of view, because the narrator is not omniscient about Mike. The limited point of view makes the short story more open. It gives the effect that we sometimes need to think about what the short s tory is about. We do not hear what the author thinks and it makes the short story more clear. The setting in the short story The Decline of the West is described a bit negative. In any case if we look at the relationship in Mikes family. In the beginning the setting is good. Mike is looking forward to seeing his family again. Mike had endured, and hed been looking forward to opening the door into the warm hall, hearing the voices of his wife and children. (Page 2 1. 1. 1-3). The quote shows that the setting is quite good In the beginning of the short story. The story takes place In London In the comfortable outskirts. Mikes family has a big house with five floors and off-street parking, which Is overlooking a green. In that way the setting Is also good and the environments are very well But teen setting changes quickly. MIKe loses Nils JODI Ana rater Tanat teen setting is bad. Mike cant see positive things in his life anymore, and he only thinks about himself. Family life could appear chaotic, but theirs was finely organized, with every hour accounted for. (Page 4 1. 1. 77-78). Leave me alone! Dont ever talk to me again! Buck off, evil old man, Just die! Eve been wanting to do this all day! These quotes show us (the fact) that there is a rough atmosphere in the family. The setting is described in a negatively way in the most of short story. The title is called The Decline of the West, because we can compare the short story to the decline in the West. There was a big decline in the West in the middle of the sass. Sometime in the mid-sass debt stopped being shameful and after 1989, there appeared to be general agreement: capitalism was flourishing and there was no finer and more pleasant way to live but under it, singing and spending. (Page 4 1. 1. 83-85). The quote describes a little bit the decline in the West in the middle of the sass. It is a little bit the same in this short story, but this is a personality decline. It is a decline in Mikes life, because he gets fired, and he cant see positive things in his life. How easy it was to fall, and how tempting it was suddenly would be best to die! (Page 4 1. 1. 100-101). The quote says something about the situation in Mikes life. The quote shows us that Mike cant see positive things in his life and that is why, we can say the act that there is a personality decline in the short story. dubbed!

soft drink industry essays

soft drink industry essays When there is industry there is competition. The bigger the player, the harder they can play. The big players always try to consume many of the small competitors. When they do this they can expand their market share. A perfect example of this is the soft drink industry; Pepsi and Coke have always been archrivals. They are always trying to gain market share, by absorbing many smaller beverage companies to appeal to the public. This paper will discuss the history between these two industry giants and how they financially stand at this point, plus how supply and demand effects this industry. Coca Cola was invented by an Atlanta pharmacist John Pemberton in 1886. His bookkeeper, Frank Robinson, named the product after two ingredients, coca leaves and Kola Nuts. By 1895 the product was available in all 50 states. By 1916 the Company was sold twice, had over 1000 bottlers, and was publicly traded (Dow Jones, Coke). During World War II, the president of Coke Woodruff said, "every soldier will have access to a 5 cent bottle of coke"(Dow Jones, Coke). The company received government aid to build 64 overseas bottling plants during that time. This is how Coke began its ties with many foreign markets. Caleb Bradham, a Pharmacist from North Carolina, invented Pepsi. He Called it Pepsi Cola because, he claimed it cured Dyspepsia or more commonly known as indigestion. He registered the trademark in 1903. Pepsi tried to follow the same root as Coke by signing up bottlers, by 1923 Pepsi was on its last leg until Loft Candy Company bought it in 1931. It increased its bottle size but kept its 5-cent price. In 1939 it introduced its first radio jingle (Dow Jones, Pepsi). Pepsi had a rough start compared to Coke, and always tried to rise out of the shadow of this industry giant. "According to Coca-Cola Company, the two most famous expressions in the world are ok and Coca-Cola" (Dow Jones, Coke). The world's largest soft drink Company, Coke has...

Food Safety and Sanitation Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Food Safety and Sanitation - Assignment Example Boxes with watermarks may signify that the food item has bees let to partially thaw in the course of transit. It is advisable at all times to open at least one box per shipment and test out the core food item temperature with a thermometer that provides instant results. Again, it is extremely vital to always confirm the net weights of the food items, and in case of any uncertainties, it is advisable to ask guidance from the quality assurance board. In order to ensure that your employee is consistent with these guidelines, it would be best if he trained practically. This is to mean that he/she accompanies you severally for him to observe the entire process. It is also vital for him to take down the necessary details, for instance, the appropriate temperatures for each item in case he happens to forget them. A number of factors characterize rejection of shipment, for instance, if the dates on the item are not suitable for your food service establishment if the qualities of the products are not up to standard. When receiving food items such as fish, one only ought to smell the sea and not the product. Another factor is if the temperatures of the products do not meet shipping specification and if the net weight does not match one’s order. Another important aspect is if the animal products lack inspection stamps that indicate that they have been inspected by a legal medical officer. Lack of this stamp is a serious issue since one cannot determine whether the product is fit for consumption. Identify the different types of storage found in a food service establishment. What are some examples of each and what food items would you store in each? In addition, what are the proper temperatures that are needed in each in order to be in line with standard storage guidelines?

Managing Organizations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Managing Organizations - Essay Example Modern people differ much from the people of the previous century in terms of their goals, methods of their reaching, communication, ambitions, etc. Managing people now is not an easy task thus it needs new approaches. Thus, managers of the modern companies are looking for the new ways of employee motivation. Freedom for action is an essential factor to consider. Actually, when we hear about the organization, where employees make decisions themselves, we usually can’t believe that, because a great number of successful companies are hierarchical bureaucracies (Microsoft, Apple etc.). It seems impossible also for many managers to provide staff with opportunities to set the goals for the company instead of them and to realize these goals without being controlled and thoroughly supervised. Also we all know the conclusion made by Max Weber: bureaucratic organizations are the most successful players on the stage of the market economy. However, modern experts admit that Weber’ s conclusion can’t be considered fully grounded as the famous sociologist may not know some important facts on bureaucracies. Modern investigations show that workplace stress prevents people from high performance. Working in the conditions of hierarchical bureaucracy, people are able to realize only 60% of their potential. Thus, it is essential to look for alternatives. Moreover, as it was mentioned above, modern people often refuse to work in the atmosphere of dictate, when they should only fulfill somebody’s orders and do not have an opportunity to express their own opinion. Such working conditions prevent people from the realization of their creative potential and it is obvious that such realization would contribute to company’s success. New ways of managing people should be found by modern supervisors. Recent studies held showed that there are some companies who successfully practice freedom of employees’ action. Their success is built on the principl es of liberating leadership listed below. Liberating leader is a one who: listens to employees’ propositions instead of imposing his own views; openly shares his views on successful organizational performance in order not to make employees confused; does not motivate employees to give them an opportunity to motivate themselves; plays the role of â€Å"culture-keeper†. Actually, the behavior of workers in the organization is determined by the number of factors, external and internal. These factors contribute to organization performance in freedom action conditions. Among the internal factors is first of all trust in leadership. Leadership plays an essential role in any type of organization, no matter if it is freedom company or hierarchical bureaucracy. Workers of any organization usually tend to mirror the work of leadership and the supervision should be implemented in the way so that employees may feel its support but not a dictate. The second important internal facto r is organizational culture. The atmosphere in the company should be friendly and positive, work schedule should be flexible. The external factors also mean much, for example, it is interesting to cooperate and communicate with another companies in the market. â€Å"Research findings show that collaboration with other firms and with customers can be a significant source of product

Discuss the importance of the Sahara and the Indian Ocean in ancient Essay - 2

Discuss the importance of the Sahara and the Indian Ocean in ancient African history - Essay Example Sahara region connected people from eastern, southern, central, north and some parts of western Africa. Among the countries that were touched are Kenya, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Congo, Egypt, and Nigeria among others. These countries contributed different commodities for trade according to their daily activities. For example, the southern Sahara region was a famous area in production of minerals, Egypt was well known for production of sorghum and Nigeria provided yams to the trading interaction (Giblin 10-13). These areas that were well known in production of agricultural products were part of the great hinterland that was served by the Indian Ocean. The areas were, therefore, linked to the outside world by the Indian Ocean that opened trade with Arabs and other people in the world. However, the trading interactions were not involving Africans and Arabs but Africans contributed a lot to the trade among themselves. The trading activities in that area involved exchange through barter trade of commodities that included foodstuffs and minerals as per different needs of different people in those regions. This is an evaluation of the activities that prevailed in the ancient Africa involving the Sahara Region and the Indian Ocean to inform the importance of these two features of African geography. The influence it brought to the people that lived in those areas as well as the benefits they reaped from these interactions discussed. There are things that informed the interactions between the people in these parts of Africa and were aimed at benefiting the people that engaged in them. For example, noting that most of the Sahara region is characterized by unreliable precipitation, there was serious need to get ways to acquire food that was not sufficient in those areas. For Egypt, sorghum was produced only after major floods that used to come in rare occasions. In other places, growing

Change is inevitable

Change is inevitable Question Provide a critical analysis of an organisational change which you have directly experienced. You may select one element or aspect of the change for a particular discussion. You will be expected to use the main concepts of the relevant parts of the literature on managing change, to diagnose, account for, and explain the change. Consider what lessons can be learnt from that initiative on the strengths and weaknesses of programmatic approaches to change. Introduction Everyone says change is difficult. It is difficult to conceive because one must inevitably deal with people issues and uncertain future. The more so to implement because consequences can be difficult to predict, harder to track and therefore can create a dynamic all of their own. Is this really so? Is it not true that we are living in an era though which dramatic changes of productivity, technology, brand, image and reputation are common place? Thus reaffirming the words of Heraclitus the Greek philosopher who said â€Å"Change is the only constant thing in life† Change is inevitable but often its easier said than implemented because every change faces resistance in some form and carries with it certain consequences. A classic example would be my experience working in MARG Ltd, one of Indias biggest infrastructure company today. I was given the role of a â€Å"Business Analyst† in 2007 immediately after I graduated engineering. It was my first job, my first real life bu siness experience. I was a part of the company for 2 years. The following parts of my essay consist of all the changes the organization went through in the areas of structure, culture and technology. However considering the requirements of the essay a detailed analysis is written on structural change which is an internal change model. The first part identifies the problem due to monumental growth of the organization in terms of financial support received and the subsequent increase in huge human capital required to carry out the projects. The second part consists of the literature review pertaining to the structural change the organization witnessed followed by a brief critical analysis of the entire scenario. The conclusion consists of the mistakes made and lessons learnt followed by a personal reflection on the dynamics of change management. In April 2007 MARG Ltd consisted of 400 employees. By October 2007, the organization grew to 3250 employees with multiple branches exploding in 7 different cities throughout India. That is nearly 9 times its growth in human capital. This happened due to an investment of USD 12.6 million received from deutsche bank for a total land asset of 12400 acres including 2 potential Special Economic Zones and a port infrastructure development. Being a company with only 2 verticals namely Real Estate Residential and Real Estate Commercial, it diversified into 6 verticals consisting of (a) Real Estate Residential, (b) Real Estate Commercial, (c) Port Development, (d) Industrial Clusters, (e) Special Economic Zones and (f) Power generation with about 500 employees in each vertical. Now each vertical had more employees than the entire company had in April. The earlier organizational structure was a traditional functional structure. This structure can be illustrated by the companys activities group ed into departments such as personnel, Marketing, Finance, Sales, Legal and Civil Operations. All the functional departments excluding finance which had a CFO as its business head had 1 CEO reporting directly to the Chairman, 2 Vice presidents (1 for Real Estate residential and 1 for Real estate commercial) reporting to the CEO and the rest of the team reporting to the VPs. This was a simple structure which had its advantages during that phase of the organization. A complete coordination was achieved as the entire operations of the company were achieved through the CEO overseen by the chairman. This structure allowed for the development of employee expertise in all areas, it provided career paths for professional staff involved and finally there was an effective utilization of personnel across various departments (Carnall, C. 1990). However this structure created pressure on the organization for its further growth in the aspect of geographical dispersion, project diversification and increase in human capital. Hence there was a structural change needed in the form of a matrix structure. The chairman decided on this structure as it offered equal importance on the market and the functional focus to the organizational work. Also most academics have believed that such structure is favourable for large construction, aerospace and computer software companies (Hardy, C. 1994). This favours organization which deals with more than one complex project and where there is a need to coordinate and develop project and various specialist activities. As the demand for various specialist inputs is variable over the completion time lines of the project, this structural change seemed to be the best possible solution which not only promoted the effective deployment on a project when needed but also offered the adaptability over time so that resources can be easily switched between projects. The advantages of a structural change of this nature were (a) it identified the project man agement structures, (b) provided accountability for the project, (c) allowed development of cohesive and effective teams of specialists working towards the objectives of a key project, (d) provided for the professional and career development of specialist staff, (e) and most importantly they provided for the flexible use of specialist staff (Carnall, C. 1990). However every choice carries with it certain consequences and uncertainties. The consequences on the negative side which were later realized was that there was difficulty of handling such a matrix structure in terms of reconciling the need for flexibility with the need for project coordination and control. Now this reconciliation required good working relationships between project and functional management which did not exist. This is because about 90% of the employees were fresh entrants. They did not know the people they were working with. Most of them were fresh graduates and never had any previous work experience in infrastructure. Some of the experienced employees who joined recently were not from the industry. Also the biggest issue was that the employees who have been present since the start of the organization felt threatened with the implementation of the new structure as this does not give them the accessibility they had before with their Chairman. The people who had report ed to their respective bosses had now had to report to somebody else. For example the CEOs had to report to the newly appointed Executive Directors, Vice presidents had to report to business heads who in turn had to report to the CEOs. The entire working relationships and comfort zones of various employees were disrupted by the new structural change. Though people understood the need for such a change and that it was required for the benefit of the organization considering its monumental growth, people feared the loss of power and control thus giving rise to insecurities and conflicts. Based on the literature review the 3 main problems identified in the organization with such a structural change were the struggle between; Centralization vs. Decentralization: Being a company with functional structure, the process was a centralized one where the coordination was more straightforward with decisions being made by the chairman at clearly recognized points within the organizational structure. Also the senior management were in a comfortable position with established policies that they are used for many years. It suited the chairman for he had control over all the day to day activities, most decision making and a convenient resource allocation. In this model the centralization of power and control of procedures was focused on the chairman ( Brooke, T. 1987). But however in order to go to the next level of growth and meet the market demand, it was necessary for the organization to be decentralized. With 6 verticals and a man power of 3250 this seemed to be the sensible choice. With as many as 27 projects spread over 6 verticals, delegation was the key factor in meeting objectives. Delegation can reduce the am ount of stress and overload experienced by the senior management. When senior management is overloaded, the exercise of control is diminished. With delegation it was possible for the senior management and the chairman to move away from day to day activities and focus on long term planning and creating a vision. Also it helps the bottom line management in providing opportunities to make decisions and attain personal satisfaction by matching their personal goals with that of the organization. It assists the management development in widening the on job skills of managers and prepares number of people who are capable of undertaking senior positions in the future. It also provides flexibility, with the establishment of sub units it helps in improved controls and performance measurements and accountability can be identified (Bartlett, C. 1991). Control vs. Commitment: This aspect is important for the overall effectiveness of the organization. MARG had a control model where work was divided into specialized tasks. Performance expectations were defined as ‘standards that define the minimum acceptable performance. No attempt was made to establish maximum or potential performance. With the matrix structure, it was necessary to bring the commitment model. But that meant changing the attitude and expectations of the employees. In this model, job profiles were redesigned to be broader and teams rather than individuals and the each business unit was held accountable for performance. This also involved that people rely on shared goals for coordination; influence was based on expertise and information and not on position anymore. Performance expectations were set relatively high. Continuous improvement was expected and monitored. At the same time lot of motivational programs were incorporated as a part of the business managemen t. The organizational structure was designed to be flatter to enhance performance and commitment (Walton. 1987). This gave birth to reward policies, open door policies and performance management systems. This also seemed to enhance employee management relations. Change vs. Stability: Its a common notion that in a changing world every organization must change to survive and prosper. However while this happens its also mandatory to deploy people to produce goods and services to the market as usual, even if we are demanding extra effort from them as they experience change. This is where it is essential that a balance is maintained between change and stability (Chandler. 1962). This often refers to the transition phase between when the change is implemented and the consequences arrive. The transition phase is normally uncertain in a number of areas. Every employee might react differently to changes. The response is not the same always. MARG experienced similar difficulties. Even though awareness for change was established and people understood the need for change, the existing employees couldnt handle a shift in their normal routine and they had give up on their control and power. To bring about a structural change and yet retain the harmony and employee satisfaction seemed to be a challenge for the company. Even though the problem was identified and the corrective measures were taken to overcome them. There was a hurdle in problem solving and it was the blocks in the minds of the employees. These can be categorized as follows; (a) Perceptual Blocks: This involves the employees stereotyping. They saw what they expected to see. They only saw the new structural change as a threat and not as an opportunity to increase their performance or making use of the opportunities to go up the corporate ladder. There were tendencies to delimit the problem area too closely thus defining it narrowly. Thus they never faced the real problem which was their motivation and commitment. Also there were difficulties in using all the sensory inputs (Adams. 1987). The employees felt that they were overloaded with information on changing structures and the reason for it. With fresh job descriptions and new recruitment there were lot of things happening in the organization and the employees couldnt use all the information for their benefit. (b) Emotional Blocks: This involves fear of taking risk, incapacity to tolerate ambiguity and employees preference to judging rather than generating ideas (Olsen. 1986). The existing employees were afraid to take risks and execute the expected tasks for they feared redundancy and felt insecure that if they failed somebody else in the company would take their place and felt loss of appreciation also as a possible outcome. The matrix structure was put in place quickly and it carried with it certain complexities. The available data was overloading and employees felt it was misleading, full of opinions and had different values. In trying to analyze the available data, they missed out on promising opportunities and self development. Finally they were constantly judging the ideas and solutions put forward by the new members and the new bosses. This lead to early rejection of ideas in their minds resulting in organizational objectives not being met. (c) Cognitive Blocks: This aspect doesnt deal with the employees but is associated with the inadequacies of the management. This comprises of incorrect use of language, inflexible use of strategies and lack of correct information (Janis. 1989). Since the top management were from different backgrounds and industries they were using incorrect languages which portrayed a completely different picture for an infrastructure company. Most senior professional come from a comfortable and set environment which had established process, systems and protocols. Also most of them come from traditional companies. Hence there tendencies to stick to what they know and were stuck with their earlier methodologies. This did not suit the current of MARG as it was still in its transition phase and in early phase of establishing fresh policies and process. In spite of the challenges faced, continued focus resulted in establishing a firm matrix structure with all the employees aligned to the objectives of the organization. There were numerous mistakes made but it also lessons were learnt. This section outlines all the mistakes made, the lessons learnt and finally identifies a change model MARG followed in academic language. The time gap between which the change was planned and executed was very quick. Though its understandable that it was need within a quick span of time it shook the organization by its roots with resistance from all sides. One of the major mistakes was that the chairman being used to getting himself involved in the day to day activities continued to do that even with the new matrix structure and this resulted in the displeasure of CEOs, Executive directors and VPs. This affected their decision making as they would have to wait for the chairman to make every decision. Employees developed their own negative perceptions o f structural change and criticized every plan and ideas without thinking about its benefits. MARG followed a clinical approach earlier where the set limited employees and the comfortable environment made it efficient for success through a psychological contract between the employees and the chairman (Bell. 1995). Employees security was established through personal relationships. However with the new structure it was necessary to adopt a linear approach. In this approach change was implemented as a linear process where the managers were expected to identify organizational adaptations ahead and the new systems developed would propel the organization towards static equilibrium thus resulting in stability (Stacey. 1996). The problems as mentioned earlier were solved in 3 stages. First step was unfreezing. Creating awareness among employees for the need of change and the benefits it would bring not only to the organization but also to the employees. Then comes the step moving. Here new i deas are tested and existing process is revamped. This is followed by refreezing where new behaviours, skills and attitudes are stabilized and commitment to change is achieved (Lewin. 1997). The last step was done in 4 stages. First was the conceptualizing process then the motivation process, the commitment process and finally the implementation and evaluation phase (Kotter. 1988). As a result the organization was able to produce the following after a series of trial and error method; (a) established a sense of urgency for change. (b) Created a guiding coalition. (c) Developed a vision and strategy. (d) Communicated the changed vision. (e) Empowered employees for broad based action. (f) Generated short term wins. (g) Anchored new changes in future (Kotter 1996). All this was possible by working through the blocks and with a series of trial and error method the expected result was obtained. Though the price for such a change was key employees and CEOs resigning, with the objectives b eing met it was a lesson learnt for future transformational change. In the current market scenario it is mandatory for such rapid and monumental changes to handle the increasing demand. As Argryis (2004) said â€Å"If the rate of change outside the organization is faster than the rate of change inside, the end result is nigh†. Hence such rapid monumental changes are needed and every change will always carry with it certain uncertainties and challenges. But thats the only way for organizational development. Bibliography Adams, J.L. (1987) Conceptual Blockbusting, pp 18 pp 43, Penguin Publications Argryis, C. (2004) Double Loop learning and organizational change, pp 104, Wiley Publications Bartlett, C.A. (1989) The critical path to change, pp 57 pp 79, Prentice Hall Publications Burnes, B (2004) Managing Change, pp 61 pp190, Prentice Hall Publications Carnall, C. (1990) Managing Change in Organizations, pp 14 18, pp 120 -pp 142, Prentice Hall Publications Chandler, A. (1962). Strategy and Structure, pp 97 180, MIT Publications Dawson, P. (2003) Organizational Change, pp 43- pp 54, Routledge Publications French, W.L (1995) Organizational Development, pp 55 pp 90, Prentice Hall Publications Hardy, C (1994) Managing Strategic Action, pp 290 pp 320, Sage Publications Janis, I.L. (1989), Dynamics of Change management, pp 119 -pp 123, Mc Graw Hill Publications Kotter, J.P (1996) Leading Change, pp 55 64, Harvard Business School Press Lewin, K. (1997) The cognitive and behavioural elements of organizational change, pp 210 pp 241, Sage Publications Stacey, R (1996) strategic Management and Organizational dynamics, pp 199 207, Prentice Hall Publications Olsen, S. (1986). Strategic Control and Organizational Design, pp 145 pp 151, Mc Graw Hill Publications Wilson, D.C. (1992) A strategy for change, pp 25 pp 90, Routledge Publications

Concert Life Essay -- essays research papers

We were the metal, Ericson stadium the magnet. With the burning heat reaching down to scold our pale defenceless faces we began walking impatiently at a pressing pace towards the stadium. The stadium projected a hum of activity and instrumental sound, which was deafening the ear, already! . We clutched our tickets tightly as though they contained the final ingredient to the cure of cancer.Rapidly consuming energy drinks which were to provide us with the weaponry energy to battle a physically and mentally tiring day of dancing and trancing to magical beats and vocals .We swarmed with countless other bees to the gate of the hive .The excitement at this point was unmeasurable, indescribable, undefinable .We entered mesmerised, it would have been mentally impossible to take in what surrounded me at once, frozen with shock my eyes flickerd as though malfunctioning, enjoying fragments of what there was to see. There were t shirt sales, pricing stands, EFTPOS machines , people , autograph signing booths , people , stages and people , tents and people , rides , skateboard ramps and more people. With no knowledge of direction I journeyed into close proximity of the main stage where Australian band 'Regurgatator' encouraged thousands of rocking heads. We ventured through the crowd to destination unknown with our path being dictated by others equally as lost.In time I gathered my senses and began to absorb the surroundings the best I could. I obtained the timetable of acts, which edu...