Bullied - a Film Response free essay sample

Response to the film Bullied Starting in seventh grade Jamie Nabozny was bullied almost daily. He was hit punched, kicked, and called names. He told the principle who said he would get help, but nothing changed. By the end of seventh grade Jamie tried to commit suicide by swallowing pills. Jamie returned to middle school for eighth grade and was cornered in the bathroom on the first day back. His mother immediately demanded a meeting with the bullies and their mothers to try to settle the bullying. The principle blamed Jamie for being openly gay and said boys will be boys. None of the bullies were punished. Just weeks into high school and nothing had changed for Jamie. A bully peed on him. The school administration was largely ineffective. Some teachers tried to help; one teacher let Jamie eat lunch in her classroom. The bullying got so bad Jamie ran away to Minneapolis. We will write a custom essay sample on Bullied a Film Response or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Jamie ended up in a youth shelter. He tried homeschooling for a while but his parents could not afford to keep him on it and Jamie had to go back to school. While back at school a beating turned so bad that Jamie ended up in the hospital, had surgery, and stayed for five days. Jamie ran away to Minneapolis again, at the youth shelter he met with a legal advocate who encouraged him to file charges. He also issued an ultimatum to his parents; either you let me go to school here or you will not see me until I turn 18. They let him finish his schooling in the cities. Jamie registered at Hastings high school and the counselor recommended Inver Hills Community College for PSEO classes. He was attending Inver Hills while the court case was going on. He sued his former school, but a trial court dismissed his lawsuit. Lambda Legal took over his case before a federal appeals court, which issued the first judicial opinion in the nation’s history finding that a public school could be held accountable for not stopping antigay abuse. The case went back to trial and a jury found the school officials liable for the harm they caused to Nabozny. The case then settled for $900,000. Jamie decided to fight to help prevent other students from going through what he went through. One of Jamie’s main bullies was Roy Grande, who testified truthfully at his trial. Roy’s mother was diagnosed with cancer right before the trial. Roy’s mother was a witness for the defense, but because she was only given six months to live she made her son give a fully truthful testimony. Jamie said the physical pain is long gone but the verbal pain stays and continues to bother him. While attending Inver Hills Jamie sought a counselor and was diagnosed with PTSD from the bullying. This is very important to learn about Jamie’s case now because of the constitutional amendment for gay marriage on the ballot this year. The bullying in the schools will go up this year.

Picking On Fat Kids Essays - Eating Disorders, Psychiatric Diagnosis

Picking On Fat Kids Stereotyping can happen in numerous ways; one very cruel way of stereotyping would be stereotyping a person for being overweight. People often stereotype others because of beliefs they have learned from their parents or on their own. Discriminating against a person because of ones weight can be a seriously hurtful and demeaning thing. Many people assume that the causes for being overweight are eating all day and rarely exercising. Some people call overweight people slobs or lazy, when in most instances this isnt the case. Some have health problems that lead to being overweight, like a kidney disease or malfunction, or the person may even be suffering from a birth defect. The effects of stereotyping an overweight person can cause them great pain and devastation. Even death can be a possible result of this type of stereotyping. People who are obese usually already feel self-conscious about themselves, and if stereotyping leads to teasing or making fun of the person, as it usually does, it will only worsens matter. This may not lead directly to death, but it may lead to depression and loneliness. Frequently, eating disorders can occur. One prominent eating disorder is Anorexia Nervosa. This is when a person who is in the pursuit of thinness, starves themselves and often becomes malnourished. A second eating disorder is bulimia, which is when a person repeatedly binge eats, then self-induces vomiting to help prevent any weight gain. These forms of eating disorders can lead to various health problems, such as: Low body temperature, muscle weakness, dry skin, slow pulse, even death can occur if the problem is not treated. These complications are just a few , on a horrifically long list. Under certain circumstances, being tormented about ones weight can be the foundation of other issues as well. For children growing up it can be especially difficult. There can be many social issues involved as far as making friends and participating in various group activities. Once school is finished, finding a job can be another challenge. By reason that the person may feel they are not good enough and furthermore may be apprehensive of the interview process. Once an adult with these types of emotions has children of their own they may pass the feeling on to their children. There is also a direct link to genetic eating disorders. This is just one example of how stereotyping can affect our society. Each person is one individual, and there is absolutely no way of accurately judging someone on looks alone. As you can see there are numerous factors that can cause weight gain. It is better to get to know someone for yourself then to judge on appearance alone. Social Issues

Conjugating Comer in Spanish

Conjugating Comer in Spanish Comer is a common Spanish verb to eat and has most of the meanings that the English verb has. Most commonly, comer means simply to consume food through the mouth: Me gusta comer pizza sin anchoas. I like to eat pizza without anchovies.El comer es uno de los placeres de la vida. Eating is one of the pleasures of life.Comieron en el aeropuerto de Lima antes de abordar el avià ³n. They ate at the Lima airport before boarding the plane.Leah come como un pajarito. Leah eats like a bird. Sometimes, depending on the context, comer refers specifically to eating lunch or dinner. Desayunamos en casa y comemos en el camino. Were eating breakfast at home and eating lunch on the road. Like eat up, comer can be used colloquially to suggest immense pleasure: Mi abuela comià ³ el libro. My grandmother ate up the book. Comer can be used figuratively to refer to corrosion, erosion or the eating up of something by natural processes. The translation varies with the context: El mar comià ³ toda la arena. The sea washed away all the sand.El cido comià ³ el concreto de la cisterna. The acid ate away at the tanks concrete. Similarly, the reflexive form comerse can be used in a variety of ways to indicate that something is swallowed up or otherwise consumed or missing:  ¿Cuntas pginas se comieron? How many pages were missing?Parece que se comià ³ la letra N. It looks like the letter N was omitted.La inflacià ³n se come el ahorro de la gente. Inflation is eating up the peoples savings. The reflexive form is also sometimes used to add emphasis. In such a case, the difference between comer and comerse is roughly the difference between to eat and to eat up. Los chicos se comieron todos los dulces. The boys ate up all the candy. Comer is conjugated regularly, following the pattern of beber.

Analysis of the book Night by Elie Wiesel Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Analysis of the book Night by Elie Wiesel - Essay Example Elie Wiesel is one such survivor, whose post-liberation life would be filled with mental anguish. In his seminal book Night, first published in Yiddish in 1955 and later appeared in English in 1960 we evidence how his faith in God as well as faith in humanity is challenged by the grave circumstances faced in German ethnic cleansing operations. The following passages will analyze how Wiesel’s faith in God and humanity is shaken to the core in the face of compelling circumstances and consequences. In a poignant passage in the poetically assembled book, Wiesel notes how, at one point during the life in the ghetto, taking care of his ailing father becomes burdensome. Already weakened by severe malnutrition and mental disorientation, his mind loses perspective and emotional connection with his father. He simply does not have the resources of empathy and solidarity to be able to care for another human. It makes him lament the forceful encampment that was the beginning of the great long ordeal: â€Å"Never shall I forget those moments which murdered my God and my soul and turned my dreams to dust. Never shall I forget these things, even if I am condemned to live as long as God Himself. Never.† In a tragic turn of events, his father would be beaten to death by German guards, just two weeks before American army liberated his camp. Wiesel could hear the final shrieks of pain from his father from his slot in the upper deck. But he could not venture a thought or an action to mitigate his suffering. Even sacrificing his own life for his once beloved father was beyond him. This is a key passage in Night, for it reveals how the Holocaust had stripped the humanity of the victims as well. The â€Å"loss of humanity† with respect to the Holocaust, is thus, equally witnessed in the perpetrators and the victims of the great crime. Hence, much in contradiction to preaching in the covenant, Wiesel fails to take care of fellows of his community, most notably his father. But Wiesel’s is not the universal case, for there are those exceptional individuals who could must spiritual and physical resources to offer themselves in service to other weaker members of the ghetto. This d ifference in behavior is not a consequence of moral convictions or volitional choices of the ghetto inmates. Rather, they just showcase the manifest act of God through the lives of the faithful. The following passage highlights how the inmates of the ghetto encouraged each other during grave times: â€Å"There's a long road of suffering ahead of you. But don't lose courage. You've already escaped the gravest danger: selection. So now, muster your strength, and don't lose heart. We shall all see the day of liberation. Have faith in life. Above all else, have faith. Drive out despair, and you will keep death away from yourselves. Hell is not for eternity. And now, a prayer - or rather, a piece of advice: let there be comradeship among you. We are all brothers, and we are all suffering the same fate. The same smoke floats over all our heads. Help one another. It is the only way to survive.†Ã‚  (Wiesel, 1960) Elie Wiesel’s was brought up in an orthodox Jewish community tha t gave emphasis to religious observance and faithful understanding of the scriptures. This pre-eminence to God and belief in His benign will would be challenged to the core as Wiesel and other Jews are pushed ever further into the systematized abyss. But, instead of abandoning his faith completely, Wiesel gets new illuminations into his faith. In many ways, the experiences in the ghetto

Bit Coin Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Bit Coin - Essay Example Bit Coins can also be sent and received by the users after paying an optional transaction fees by using their mobile device, web application or wallet software of their computers. This payment system is used by businesses as well as customers for carrying out transactions. It is one of the most secure payment systems and therefore it has succeeded to grab the attention of many merchants (The Bitcoin Foundation ). Through Bit Coin it is easy to send and receive payment instantly from any part of the world, without any limitations. Bit Coins give the users the full access to their money. Another advantage of bit coin is that the payment is processed with small or no transaction fees. A transaction fee is optional if the users want their payment confirmation to be processed faster by the network. The merchant processor present in the system guides the merchant in payment transaction. Bit coin transaction is irreversible, secure and does not require the personal and sensitive information of the customers. This protects the users from losses occurred as the result of fraud and also there is no such need for PCI compliance. Bit Coin helps the merchants to expand in a market where credit cards are not available and where the rate of fraud is unacceptably high. Bit Coin system gives the users the full control of a transaction and therefore the merchant may not impose unnoticed or unwanted charges on the customer, the way it happens in other payment systems. Bit coin payments do not require the personal information of the users, which provides the customers protections against identity theft. The Bit Coins users may also protect their money with backup and encryption. Many people are still not aware about the concept of Bit Coin. With every passing day more and more businesses are adopting the Bit Coin payment system but still there is a need for the list to grow more, so that they may benefit from the network affect. The value of Bit Coin circulation and the

Developing a Brain Computer Interface

Developing a Brain Computer Interface A Seminar Report On â€Å"Brain Computer Interface† Submitted by: Name: Sachin Kumar Roll No: 1214310301 ABSTRACT Brain Computer Interface allows users to communicate with each others by using only brain activities without using any peripheral nerves and muscles of human body. On BCI research the Electroencephalogram (EEG) is used for recording the electrical activity along the scalp. EEG is used to measure the voltage fluctuations resulting from ionic current flows within the neurons of the brain. Hans Berger a German neuroscientist, in 1924 discovered the electrical activity of human brain by using EEG. Hans Berger was the first one who recorded an Alpha Wave from a human brain. In 1970, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency of USA initiated the program to explore brain communication using EEG. The papers published after this research also mark the first appearance of the expression brain–computer interface in scientific literature. The field of BCI research and development has since focused primarily on neuroprosthetics applications that aim at restoring damaged hearing, sight and movement. Nowadays BCI research is going on in a full swing using non-invasive neural imaginary technique mostly the EEG. The future research on BCI will be dependent mostly in nanotechnology. Research on BCI is radically increased over the last decade. From the last decade the maximum information transfer rates of BCI was 5-25 bits/min but at present BCI’s maximum data transfer rate is 84.7bits/min. 2.INTRODUCTION Brain-computer interface (BCI) is alliance between a brain and a device that enables signals from the brain to direct some external activities, such as control of a cursoror a prosthetic limb. The Brain computing interface enables a direct communications pathway between the brain and the object to be controlled. For example, the signal is transmitted directly from the brain to the mechanism directing the cursor moves, rather than taking the normal ways through the bodys neuromuscular system from the brain to the finger on a mouse then directing the curser. BCIs Research began in the 1970s at the University of California Los Angeles(UCLA) under an allowance from the   National Science Foundation, followed by a contract fromDARPA. Thanks to the remarkable cortical plasticity of the brain, signals from implanted prostheses can, after adaptation, be handled by the brain like natural sensor or effector channels. Animal experimentation for years, the first neuroprosthetic devices implanted in humans appeared in the mid-1990s. Current brain computing interface devices require calculated conscious thought; some future applications, such as prosthetic control, are likely to work without difficulty. Development of electrode devices and/or surgical methods that are minimally invasive is one of the biggest challenges in developing BCI technology . Though Brain Computer Interface (BCI) facilitates direct communication between brain and computer or another device so nowadays it is widely used to enhance the possibility of communication for people with severe neuromuscular disorders, spinal cord injury. Except the medical applications BCI is also used for multimedia applications, which becomes possible by decoding information directly from the user’s brain, as reflected in electroencephalographic (EEG)signals which are recorded non-invasively from user’s scalp. 3.LITERATURE REVIEW Current Trends in Graz Brain–Computer Interface (BCI) Research Pfurtscheller, C. Neuper, C. Guger, W. Harkam, H. Ramoser, Schlà ¶gl, B. Obermaier, and M. Pregenzer The â€Å"Graz Brain–Computer Interface† (BCI) project is aimed at developing a technical system that can support communication possibilities for patients with severe neuromuscular disabilities, who are in particular need of gaining reliable control via non-muscular devices. This BCI system uses oscillatory electroencephalogram (EEG) signals, recorded during specific mental activity, as input and provides a control option by its output. The obtained output signals are presently evaluated for different purposes, such as cursor control, selection of letters or words, or control of prosthesis. Between 1991 and 2000, the Graz BCI project moved through various stages of prototypes. In the first years, mainly EEG patterns during willful limb movement were used for classification of single EEG trials. In these experiments, a cursor was moved e.g. to the left, right or downwards, depending on planning of left hand, right hand or foot movement. Extensive off-line analyses have shown that classification accuracy improved, when the input features, such as electrode positions and frequency bands, were optimized in each subject. Apart from studies in healthy volunteers, BCI experiments were also performed in patients, e.g., with an amputated upper limb. The main parts of any BCI system are: Signal acquisition system: involves the electrodes, which pick up the electrical activity of the brain and the amplifier and analog filters. The feature extractor: converts the brain signals into relevant feature components. At first, the EEG raw signals are filtered by a digital band pass filter. Then, the amplitude samples are squared to obtain the power samples. The power samples are averaged for all trials. Finally, the signal is smoothed by averaging over time samples. The feature translator: classifies the feature components into logical controls. The control interface: converts the logical controls into semantic controls. The device controller: changes the semantic controls to physical device commands, which differ from one device to another depending on the application. Finally, the device commands are executed by the device. The early work of BCI was done by  invasive  methods with electrodes inserted into the brain tissue to read the signals of a single neuron. Although the spatio-temporal resolution was high and the results were highly accurate, there were complications in the long term. These were mostly attributable to the scar tissue formation, which leads to a gradual weakening of the signal and even complete signal loss within months because of the brain tissue reaction towards the foreign objects. A proof of concept experiment was done by Nicolelis and Chapin on monkeys to control a robotic arm in real time using the invasive method. Recently, less invasive methods have been used by applying an array of electrodes in the subdural space over the cortex to record the Electrocorticogram (ECoG) signals. It has been found that ordinary Electroencephalogram pickup signals are averaged over several EEG signal bands (Hz) square inches, whereas ECoG electrodes can measure the electrical activity of brain cells over a much smaller area, thereby providing much higher spatial resolution and a higher signal to noise ratio because of the thinner barrier tissue between the electrodes and the brain cells. The superior ability to record the gamma band signals of the brain tissue is another important advantage of this type of BCI system. Gamma rhythms (30-200 Hz) are produced by cells with higher oscillations, which are not easy to record by ordinary EEGs. The human skull is a thick filter, which blurs the EEG signals, especially the higher frequency bands (i.e. gamma band). Noninvasive  techniques were demonstrated mostly by electroencephalographs (EEG). Others used functional Hz, Magneto-Resonance Imaging (fMRI), Positron Electron Tomography (PET), Magneto encephalography (MEG) and Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography There (SPECT). EEGs have the advantage of higher temporal resolution, reaching a few milliseconds and are relatively low cost. Recent EEG systems have better spatiotemporal resolution of up to 256 electrodes over the total area of the scalp. Nevertheless, it cannot record from the deep parts of the brain. This is the main reason why the multimillion dollar fMRI systems are still the preferred method for the functional study of the brain. However, EEG systems are still the best candidate for BCI systems spatial as they are easy to use, portable and cheap. The main problems that reduce the reliability and accuracy of BCI and which prevent this technology from being clinically useful, are the sensory interfacing problems and the translation algorithm problems. In order to make a clinically useful BCI the accuracy of the detection of intention needs to be very high and certainly much higher than the currently achieved accuracy with different types of BCI. The intermediate compromise between accuracy and safety is the ECoG based BCI, which has shown considerable promise. The sensory arrays of electrodes are less invasive and provide comparable accuracy and high spatial resolution compared to the implanted type. The ECoG based BCI needs much less training than the EEG based BCI and researchers have shown that highly accurate and fast response. 4.TECHNICAL DETAILS REASON BEHIND WORKING: The reason a BCI works at all is because of the way our brains function. Our brains are filled with  neurons, individual nerve cells connected to one another by dendrites and axons. Every time we think, move, feel or remember something, our neurons are at work. That work is carried out by small electric signals that zip from neuron to neuron as fast as 250 mph. The signals are generated by differences in electric potential carried by ions on the membrane of each neuron. Although the paths the signals take are insulated by something called myelin, some of the electric signal escapes. Scientists can detect those signals, interpret what they mean and use them to direct a device of some kind. It can also work the other way around. For example, researchers could figure out what signals are sent to the brain by the optic nerve when someone sees the color red. They could rig a camera that would send those exact signals into someones brain whenever the camera saw red, allowing a blind person to see without eyes. BCI INPUT AND OUTPUT: One of the biggest challenges facing brain-computer interface researchers today is the basic mechanics of the interface itself. The easiest and least invasive method is a set of electrodes a device known as an  electroencephalograph(EEG) attached to the scalp. The electrodes can read brain signals. However, the skull blocks a lot of the electrical signal, and it distorts what does get through. To get a higher-resolution signal, scientists can implant electrodes directly into the gray matter of the brain itself, or on the surface of the brain, beneath the skull. This allows for much more direct reception of electric signals and allows electrode placement in the specific area of the brain where the appropriate signals are generated. This approach has many problems, however. It requires invasive surgery to implant the electrodes, and devices left in the brain long-term tend to cause the formation of scar tissue in the gray matter. This scar tissue ultimately blocks signals. Regardless of the location of the electrodes, the basic mechanism is the same: The electrodes measure minute differences in the voltage between neurons. The signal is then amplified and filtered. In current BCI systems, it is then interpreted by a computer program, although you might be familiar with older analogue encephalographs, which displayed the signals via pens that automatically wrote out the patterns on a continuous sheet of paper. In the case of a sensory input BCI, the function happens in reverse. A computer converts a signal, such as one from a video camera, into the voltages necessary to trigger neurons. The signals are sent to an implant in the proper area of the brain, and if everything works correctly, the neurons fire and the subject receive a visual image corresponding to what the camera sees. SENSORY INPUT: The most common and oldest way to use a BCI is a cochlear implant. For the average person, sound waves enter the ear and pass through several tiny organs that eventually pass the vibrations on to the auditory nerves in the form of electric signals. If the mechanism of the ear is severely damaged, that person will be unable to hear anything. However, the auditory nerves may be functioning perfectly well. They just arent receiving any signals. A cochlear implant bypasses the non functioning part of the ear, processes the sound waves into electric signals and passes them via electrodes right to the auditory nerves. The result: A previously deaf person can now hear. He might not hear perfectly, but it allows him to understand conversations. The processing of visual information by the brain is much more complex than that of audio information, so artificial eye development isnt as advanced. Still, the principle is the same. Electrodes are implanted in or near the visual cortex, the area of the brain that processes visual information from the retinas. A pair of glasses holding small cameras is connected to a computer and, in turn, to the implants. After a training period similar to the one used for remote thought-controlled movement, the subject can see. Again, the vision isnt perfect, but refinements in technology have improved it tremendously since it was first attempted in the 1970s. Jens Naumann was the recipient of a second-generation implant. He was completely blind, but now he can navigate New York Citys subways by himself and even drive a car around a parking lot. In terms of science fiction becoming reality, this process gets very close. The terminals that connect the camera glasses to the electrodes in Naumanns b rain are similar to those used to connect the VISOR (Visual Instrument and Sensory Organ) worn by blind engineering officer Geordi La Forge in the Star Trek: The Next Generation TVshow and films, and theyre both essentially the same technology. However, Naumann isnt able to see invisible portions of the electromagnetic spectrum. Applications: Applications of BCI are described as follows: Neurogaming: Currently, there is a new field of gaming called Neurogaming, which uses non-invasive BCI in order to improve gameplay so that users can interact with a console without the use of a traditional controller. Some Neurogaming software use a players brain waves, heart rate, expressions, pupil dilation, and even emotions to complete tasks or effect the mood of the game. For example, game developers at Emotiv have created non-invasive BCI that will determine the mood of a player and adjust music or scenery accordingly. This gaming experience will introduce a real-time experience in gaming and will introduce the ability to control a video game by thought. Prosthesis control: Non-invasive BCIs have also been applied to enable brain-control of prosthetic upper and lower extremity devices in people with paralysis. For example, Gert Pfurtscheller of Graz University of Technology and colleagues demonstrated a BCI-controlled functional electrical stimulation system to restore upper extremity movements in a person with tetraplegia due to spinal cord injury. Between 2012 and 2013, researchers at the University of California, Irvine demonstrated for the first time that it is possible to use BCI technology to restore brain-controlled walking after spinal cord injury. Synthetic telepathy/silent communication: In a $6.3 million Army initiative to invent devices for telepathic communication, Gerwin Schalk, underwritten in a $2.2 million grant, found that it is possible to use ECoG signals to discriminate the vowels and consonants embedded in spoken and in imagined words. The results shed light on the distinct mechanisms associated with production of vowels and consonants, and could provide the basis for brain-based communication using imagined speech. On February 27, 2013Duke University researchers successfully connected the brains of two rats with electronic interfaces that allowed them to directly share information, in the first-ever direct brain-to-brain interface. MEG and MRI: Magnetoencephalography (MEG) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) have both been used successfully as non-invasive BCIs. In a widely reported experiment, fMRI allowed two users being scanned to play Pongin real-time by altering their haemodynamic response or brain blood flow through biofeedback techniques. fMRI measurements of haemodynamic responses in real time have also been used to control robot arms with a seven second delay between thought and movement. Neural Internet: Access to the internet opens a myriad of opportunities for those with severe disabilities, including shopping, entertainment, education, and possibly even employment. Neural control users cannot control a cursor with a great degree of precision, so, therefore, the challenge of adapting a web browser for neural control is in making links—which are spatially organized—accessible. The University of Tuebingen developed a web browser controller to be used with their thought translation device, but it requires the user to select from an alphabetized list of links, causing problems if the link names are identical. They have developed a neurally controlled web browser that serializes the spatial internet interface and allows logical control of a web application. BrainTrainer—Subject Training: The BrainTrainer project researches the most effective ways of teaching a person the brain-signal control needed to interact with a device. The BrainTrainer toolset allows researchers to compose trials by providing simple tasks, such as targeting, navigation, selection, and timing, that can be combined to produce an appropriate-level task for a particular subject.

Humorous Speech by an Old Friend of the Groom (Bridegroom) :: Wedding Toasts Roasts Speeches

Humorous Speech by an Old Friend of the Groom (Bridegroom) Good afternoon, Ladies and Gentlemen. On behalf of the bridesmaids, I would like to thank Michael for his kind words, and I have to say they were absolutely wonderful and have done an excellent job today - I mean the bridesmaids, not the words. Now, it's customary in these speeches to tell a story about the bachelor’s (stag) party, but in this case it won't be possible. That's because Michael has insisted on having his stag party after the wedding. So instead, I was going to tell you about a night out in the big city that Michael and I recently had, which involved beer, bad food and Michael bent over the toilet all night. But this is Magdalene’s day as well, and I don't want to ruin it with Michael's vulgarity. So I've decided to look elsewhere for my material. I started by writing down everything I could think of that Michael and I have done over the 23 years we've been friends (mates). But even this wasn't particularly fruitful, as a lot of it would have got Michael strung up by his mom (mum), some of it would have got me strung up by my mom (mum) and some of it simply involved Michael stringing himself up with a couple of vacuum cleaners within easy reach. So, as it was quite challenging coming up with anything of real substance to tell you about Michael, I thought I’d explain how our bride and groom got together. ‘The romance began,’ as Magdalene describes it, ‘after an outing to the cinema was arranged with five or six mutual friends. But on the night, only Michael and I could make it. We enjoyed each other's company so much we went out together every evening for the rest of the week.’ ‘The romance began,’ as Michael describes, ‘after Magdalene individually bribed six people to pull out of a trip to the cinema so she could finally have an evening alone with me to curse me with her love spell.’ There also seems to be some confusion over which film they saw together that night. Magdalene remembers it to be 'Demolition Man'. Michael remembers it as 'Free Willy'. Despite meeting Magdalene, Michael didn’t desert me and we pursued our interests in gambling, excessive drinking, Playstation and being sick a lot. For me, the most significant moment during this time was Michael getting his ear pierced - even back then he was preparing for marriage - experiencing pain, hurt and buying jewellery.