How to Wake Up Feeling Motivated

How to Wake Up Feeling Motivated Weve all been there. The alarm goes off in the morning and we groggily feel around the nightstand in search of the alarms snooze button to snag a few more minutes of those precious Zzs. However, repeatedly hitting that snooze button isnt always the best way to start the day. In fact, research has shown that some of the most successful people in the world have found a secret that has helped them achieve greatness. What is it? A great morning routine. Thats right, what you do in the morning can set the tone for the rest of your day. Check out these tips for building an effective morning routine - one that you may actually stick with! 1. Prepare the Night Before Believe it or not, when it comes to tips on how to wake up, the best morning routine will actually depend on what you do the night before. Before you crawl under the covers and get cozy, take the time to review your day and plan out your morning. Write down any details of ongoing projects or problems that may be troubling you that could affect your ability to get a good nights sleep. Writing down your worries can help you relax, knowing that you can tackle them another time. You can also take the time to write down a list of things you know you have to do the next day, which can drive your productivity both in the morning and throughout the rest of the day, too. Figure out what you need to take with you to school or work, or wherever youre going the next day, and pack up your bag or prepare your lunch so you can grab and go. Lay out your clothes so you know what to put on to leave the house. All these steps will ease your mind at night and make your morning smooth and simple. 2.  Get a Good Nights Sleep How to wake up feeling refreshed and developing an effective morning routine is reliant on you being well rested and ready to go. Research has shown that for many adults, getting 7-8 hours of sleep is ideal, though everyone differs. Find out what your sweet spot is and aim to log that many hours of shut eye each and every night. Make sure your room is quiet; use a noise canceling machine, white noise app on your phone, or even just a fan to block out the noises around your home. Make sure there arent any bright lights that could affect your ability to sleep, either. Our bodies are biologically programmed to sleep when its dark out; if your room isnt dark enough, you might consider getting room darkening drapes or wearing an eye mask so your body can rest better. 3. Dont Hit the Snooze Button Many of us hit that snooze button until the last possible second and then race through getting ready as fast as possible. However, waking up when the alarm goes off the first time can actually be a great way to get your body up and running. There are alarms that fly or roll away when they go off, requiring you to get up out of bed to turn them off. Once youre up, stay up! Your body wont really benefit from capturing a few more minutes of rest. 4. How to Wake up Early Set your alarm for earlier in the morning than you might normally set it. This way, you give yourself time to get ready for the day, and you can fit in the activity that you plan on doing. Not giving yourself enough time to accomplish your morning goals, make and eat breakfast, and complete your entire routine is a recipe for disaster. Not to mention that rushing to get out the door is only going to give you a stressful start to your day. So, be sure to get up early enough to fit in everything you want to do, with time to spare. You might even be able to sneak in an extra cup of coffee (after youve had some water to hydrate)! 5. Set an Agenda with an Activity for the Morning Have a plan for what you want to do in the morning, and stick to it. Whether your goal is to get up and read an article or book for educational or inspirational purposes, check your email to see what youre facing for the day, do some chores, exercise, or even play a game, having an objective to complete is a great way to get your body and mind motivated. Tackle that crossword in the newspaper, cook up a healthy and gourmet breakfast, or engage in a creative or physical activity to rev your internal engines and get ready for the day. Get out and run a mile, bike to get your morning smoothie, or take your dog for an extra long walk. No matter what physical activity you choose, this can be a great way to get your blood flowing and heart pumping, energizing you for the day. Plus, exercise is a healthy part of your daily routine in general, improving your quality of life in many ways, from strength and agility to mental clarity. 6. Hydrate When You Wake Youve just gone approximately eight hours without eating or drinking, so your body could use a pick me up. Dont rush for that cup of coffee just yet, though. Many experts suggest that you might try drinking some water to jump start your metabolism first. Starting with water in the morning will even help you make progress in getting your daily servings of H20, so you stay hydrated all day long. 7. Take Time to Meditate and Reflect Many people find that taking 10-15 minutes in the morning to meditate and reflect helps them start the day peacefully. Relaxing, letting the worries of the day go, and focusing on the positives in your life can help you feel uplifted and inspired to take on even the most challenging day. 8. Call a Loved One Starting your morning by connecting with a beloved family member or best friend can be a great way to energize yourself and set a positive tone for the day. It can help you connect with friends and family who live far away (check your time zones, though!) and remind you of what youre thankful for in life.

Nietzsches Concept of the Will to Power

Nietzsche's Concept of the Will to Power The â€Å"will to power† is a central concept in the philosophy of 19th-century German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. It is best understood as an irrational force, found in all individuals, that can be channeled toward different ends. Nietzsche explored the idea of the will to power throughout his career, categorizing it at various points as a psychological, biological, or metaphysical principle. For this reason, the will to power is also one of Nietzsches most misunderstood ideas. Origins of the Idea In his early twenties, Nietzsche read The World as Will and Representation by Arthur Schopenhauer and fell under its spell. Schopenhauer offered a deeply pessimistic vision of life, and at the heart of it was his idea that a blind, ceaselessly striving, irrational force he called â€Å"Will† constituted the dynamic essence of the world. This cosmic Will manifests or expresses itself through each individual in the form of the sexual drive and the â€Å"will to life† that can be seen throughout nature. It is the source of much misery since it is essentially insatiable. The best thing one can do to reduce one’s suffering is to find ways to calm it. This is one of the functions of art. In his first book, The Birth of Tragedy, Nietzsche posits what he calls a â€Å"Dionysian† impulse as the source of Greek tragedy. Like Schopenhauer’s Will, it is an irrational force that surges up from dark origins, and it expresses itself in wild drunken frenzies, sexual abandon, and festivals of cruelty. His later notion of the will to power is significantly different, but it retains something of this idea of a deep, pre-rational, unconscious force that can be harnessed and transformed in order to create something beautiful. The Will to Power as a Psychological Principle In early works like Human, All Too Human and Daybreak, Nietzsche devotes much of his attention to psychology. He doesn’t talk explicitly about a â€Å"will to power,† but time and again he explains aspects of human behavior in terms of a desire for domination or mastery over others, oneself, or the environment. In The Gay Science he begins to be more explicit, and in Thus Spoke Zarathustra he begins to use the expression â€Å"will to power.† People unacquainted with Nietzsche’s writings may be inclined to interpret the idea of the will to power rather crudely. But Nietzsche is not thinking only or even primarily of the motivations behind people like Napoleon or Hitler who expressly seek military and political power. In fact, he typically applies the theory quite subtly. For instance, Aphorism 13 of The Gay Science is entitled â€Å"The Theory of the Sense of Power.† Here Nietzsche argues that we exercise power over other people both by benefiting them and by hurting them. When we hurt them we make them feel our power in a crude way- and also a dangerous way, since they may seek to revenge themselves. Making someone indebted to us is usually a preferable way to feel a sense of our power; we also thereby extend our power, since those we benefit see the advantage of being on our side. Nietzsche, in fact, argues that causing pain is generally less pleasant than showing kindness and even suggests that cruelty, because it is the inferior option, is a sign that one lacks power. Nietzsche’s Value Judgments The will to power as Nietzsche conceives of it is neither good nor bad. It is a basic drive found in everyone, but one that expresses itself in many different ways. The philosopher and the scientist direct their will to power into a will to truth. Artists channel it into a will to create. Businessmen satisfy it through becoming rich. In On the Genealogy of Morals, Nietzsche contrasts â€Å"master morality† and â€Å"slave morality,† but traces both back to the will to power. Creating tables of values, imposing them on people, and judging the world according to them, is one noteworthy expression of the will to power. And this idea underlies Nietzsche attempt to understand and evaluate moral systems. The strong, healthy, masterly types confidently impose their values on the world directly. The weak, by contrast, seek to impose their values in a more cunning, roundabout way, by making the strong feel guilty about their health, strength, egotism, and pride. So while the will to power in itself is neither good nor bad, Nietzsche very clearly prefers some ways in which it expresses itself to others. He doesn’t advocate the pursuit of power. Rather, he praises the sublimation of the will to power into creative activity. Roughly speaking, he praises those expressions of it he views as creative, beautiful, and life-affirming, and he criticizes expressions of the will to power that he sees as ugly or born of weakness. One particular form of the will to power that Nietzsche devotes much attention to is what he calls â€Å"self-overcoming.† Here the will to power is harnessed and directed toward self-mastery and self-transformation, guided by the principle that â€Å"your real self lies not deep within you but high above you.† Charles Darwin.   Historical Picture Archive/Getty Images Nietzsche and Darwin In the 1880s Nietzsche read and seems to have been influenced by several German theorists who criticized Darwin’s account of how evolution occurs. In several places he contrasts the will to power with the â€Å"will to survive,† which he seems to think is the basis of Darwinism. In fact, though, Darwin does not posit a will to survive. Rather, he explains how species evolve due to natural selection in the struggle to survive. The Will to Power as a Biological Principle At times Nietzsche seems to posit the will to power as more than just a principle that yields insight into the deep psychological motivations of human beings. For instance, in Thus Spoke Zarathustra he has Zarathustra say: â€Å"Wherever I found a living thing, I found there the will to power.† Here the will to power is applied to the biological realm. And in a fairly straightforward sense, one might understand a simple event such as a big fish eating a little fish as a form of the will to power; the big fish demonstrates mastery of its environment by assimilating part of the environment into itself. The Will to Power as a Metaphysical Principle Nietzsche contemplated writing a book entitled â€Å"The Will to Power† but never published a book under this name. After his death, however, his sister Elizabeth published a collection of his unpublished notes, organized and edited by herself, entitled The Will to Power. Some sections of this book make it clear that Nietzsche took seriously the idea that the will to power might be a fundamental principle operating throughout the cosmos. Section 1067, the last section of the book, sums up Nietzsche’s way of thinking about the world as â€Å"a monster of energy, without beginning, without end...my Dionysian world of the eternally self-creating, the eternally self-destroying†¦Ã¢â‚¬  It concludes: â€Å"Do you want a name for this world? A solution for all its riddles?  A light for you, too, you best-concealed, strongest, most intrepid, most midnightly men?––This world is the will to power––and nothing besides!  And you yourselves are also this will to power––and nothing besides!†

Organisation and Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Organisation and Management - Essay Example Now the imperative point to understand here is the fact that learning can not only be at the highest level, rather the knowledge management can even take place at the middle cadre and the special trainings help at doing their best as far as the lower level management is concerned. An organization which can learn can understand what are its responsibilities with regards to the society, the environment, its stakeholders and customers, its functions and different processes which have to be looked down up at with a legal and ethical perspective. This means that the organization emancipates its working methodologies in line with its already set values and moral principles. Moreover, it knows what are its obligations and compulsions towards all the above-mentioned. The organization is always willing and eager to learn from its mistakes, ready to bring in newer and fresh processes within its folds and always encouraging its stakeholders and employees to invest more money and time, respectively. Managing an organization is also an important function which comes under the learning principles. It has case studies and best case scenarios to look up to whenever there is a problem or trouble at hand and it knows who the right person is to contact whenever there is some discrepancy within the system. Add to that the organization tries to keep its contacts, no matter in which capacity they are, at a maximal point and always keeps on increasing so as to become a socially active player within the relevant industry. The management aspect also stems from the fact that its knowledge base is intact and knows what is required of it. This knowledge base has the role of continuously improving the systems and working methodologies. It also has the best available middle management employees who know the technical basis of running the organization and whose potential can largely benefit the sound workings of the company. Thus it is very

Dutchtown High School Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Dutchtown High School - Research Paper Example There are a number of classes that are offered at Dutchtown middle school even though all the students are encouraged to take the entire four major lessons, which are science social studies, math, and English. The school also provides an opportunity to get into an in-state university. The schools motto is to provide an environment of excellence where all students can become lifelong learners and productive citizens. In addition, the school also offers courses in United States history, studio art 2d-design, biology, computer science, art history, calculus Ab & Bc, chemistry, English language and composition , politics, studio art drawing, US government, English literature, world history, European history and physics. The state of Louisiana has an enrollment of 703,309 students while the attendance rate for the year 2010-2011 was 94.8% (U.S. Census Bureau, 2012). However, the in-school suspension rate for the year 2010-2011 was 9.6% while the percentage of classes taught by highly qual ified teachers for the same year was 88.8%. The expenditure per student was $10,622. The state ranked in a grade of 91.8 in 2010, which is a 2 star ranking and 93.3 in 2011, which is a grade C ranking (U.S. Census Bureau, 2012). ... n.  However, the area where the school is located is vulnerable to hurricanes and the tropical systems since the area is lowly elevated, and has a close location to the coast of southeast Louisiana. The town lies 23 feet above the sea level, which is slightly lower than most areas of United States (U.S. Census Bureau, 2012). Geismar in turn is located in Louisiana, a state found in the US, which is found in the southern region. The state of Louisiana is among the most extensive and populous states of the United States. This has contributed greatly in shaping the demographics patterns of Ducthtown High School in that the school boasts of a large population of students and teachers. The average ratio of students to teacher is 25:1, which is actually a moderate ratio. The capitals of Louisiana are found in Baton Rouge whereas the largest city in that state is New Orleans. One interesting political fact is that the state of New Orleans is the only state in the US whereby the three are political subdivisions known as parishes. Dutchtown High School is located in Ascension Parish. These parishes are the equivalents of counties in many other US states (U.S. Census Bureau, 2012). Ethnically, the state of Louisiana’s urban environments is a multi-cultural environment and multi-lingual surroundings. The states heritage is by far shaped and influenced by the admixture of 18th century,  Native American, African,  and Spanish cultures. Cultures and ethnicity are considered exceptional in the US statistics, which have also played a major role in shaping the schools ethnicity and cultural heritage. This multi cultures were contributed largely by the colonial history of this state whereby the French and the Spanish colonized it way before the British took over colonizing America.

Overcoming Resistance to Change Essay Example for Free

Overcoming Resistance to Change Essay Overcoming Resistance Resistance is a normal and a perfectly natural reaction to change. Each person has their own amount they can take, but the reasons behind why employees resist in the first place may be surprising. According to these experts, the fear of moving into an unknown future state creates anxiety and stress, even if the current state is painful (Eroke, 2013). A complete understanding of the unique ways that resistance can be apparent is still needed because resistance to change has been acknowledged as an organizational difficulty for many years. If and when employees react to change in different ways, and if discrepancies in response result in different outcomes, identification of those expressions of resistance is a necessary step in the growth and execution of valuable change management strategies. After summarizing internal and external factors contributing to resistance to change, we will look at an example of this, identify the cause and develop a plan to overcome resistance. Internal and External Factors Contributing to Resistance to Change While internal and external factors certainly add to change responses, individuals can react more negatively to change than do others, regardless of the type of change. Individuals oppose beginning and completing self changing efforts, even when change is enviable or necessary. The interactions of these factors suggest inconsistency in individual behaviors, such that indefinite situations are most likely to bring to mind articulated perceptions, beliefs, behaviors, and attitudes. W hile global personality tests are probably not helpful in answering specific questions; an evaluation of outcome dispositions may capitulate greater projecting capability. There is little proof that points to individual disparities inclination to resist change. Conflict is stirred up by a variety of factors that include the environment, personalities; prejudices, appearances, etc. However, the inquiry of which individuals take action in what way, to which change situations, has not been sufficiently answered. The materializations of â€Å"resistance responses† within people and situations must be comprehended to allow management the opportunity to decide which plan can efficiently lessen resistance and if diverse strategies increase or decrease responses. An objective in the study of resistance is to identify individual responses to assist in forecasting probable variables. The more acquainted you are with your staff, the easier it will be to identify, assess, monitor, maintain, and execute change when needed. Example of Resistance to Change Based on Internal and External Factors At times employees felt they were being required to do more with less, or do more for the same pay which when this is the case, there is a huge resistance. Very rarely do you find good people that will go above and beyond for someone else or their company. In the restaurant business there are always tasks that need attention. There was a saying at one job â€Å"if you have time to lean, you have time to clean†. It is not all about serving food to guests and getting tipped for it. When someone does not show up for their shift, then that persons responsibilities are divided out amongst everyone. And when one of them is being asked to do side work that is not theirs, while getting paid such a low wage, there is not a positive reaction to say the least. As a waitress or server at most places, you only make 2-3 dollars an hour so when restaurant is slow and they do not make enough money to barely earn over minim um wage, it is extremely challenging to motivate them into doing manual labor for that amount of pay. Specifically, the most recent restaurant I managed, I relied heavily on the breakfast buffet and maintaining it during business hours as well as when we were closed. This buffet was important because most of the VIP rewards members only came for breakfast and their impression of the appearance, temperatures, and quality are being evaluated to possibly be turned in on comment card to corporate. Once this survey is completed online, these scores are then developed into a daily, monthly, and annual report that rates us on each department separately. A bad score decreases the points as a whole, makes the entire team look bad to corporate, and bad reviews can be seen by anyone, which can keep business from coming in and that will drop revenue. For some reason, we were not capable of securing this position longer than a few weeks which then it was being taken care of by any of the staff or management if they had a minute to help stock or clean it. This obviously is not going to be consistent for guests, appears disorganized or short staffed, and is a dangerous health hazard if someone is not taking temps every thirty minutes. Every single time someone did not show up to set up buffet, the staff and management jumped in to help, but it was like pulling teeth to get anyone to step in and do this job. Out of pure self interest each one of them would voice their opinion about how they do not make enough to do someone else’s job and it was not their job or they did not sign up for this. Resistance is an inevitable response to any major change. Individuals naturally rush to defend the status quo if they feel their security or status is threatened (Bolognese, 2002). I understand it is not their faults that it kept getting abandoned, but I also know how to be reasonable and work as a team. Most people are uncomfortable with change and will resist without giving much thought. Aside from self interest, Baack (2012) says, â€Å"differing assessments of the need for change occur whenemployees do not view a change as necessary, because managers and employees do not see eye to eye on the nature of the issue. Th ose with a low tolerance for change also tend to be resistant. It was challenging for everyone involved because most of them did not understand the nature or reason behind just doing what is asked of you regardless of how it may or may not affect you. The few that had been there many years were the first to help, but also the first to resist. They were all for customer service, pride in their company, and covering for someone as long as they were getting the credit. There were only a couple of employees who were willing to help, go out of their way, without expecting anything in return and those are the ones that were rewarded. Cause of Resistance Resistance will come in many dissimilar shapes and sizes, depending on your precise need. The cause for resistance can come from a variety of reasons, but the main cause behind this particular resistance was this position was not paid enough for the responsibilities that came with the position. Also, the labor involved was far more extensive than any other position in that department. Perhaps some other another reason may be because the buffet person was the low man on the totem pole, all by his lonesome, and getting stiffed by his or her own coworkers. This position was separated as far as opening and closing duties and had many items that contributed to the set up and break down which were placed in other parts of restaurant. The buffet person was usually not the person that â€Å"fit in† and almost always within a short period of time, they would request to be moved or they would find a different company to work for. Planned Approach for Overcoming Resistance Costs of training, risky score-cards, high turnover, unhappy guests and employees are enough of a reason to act on changing the way things have been failing. Upper management can determine who would be the best at changing this situation and making it a positive one that they can lead. Someone has to stand up and be responsible for holding people and themselves accountable and for this change to take place. Address the issue, acknowledge the conflict to employees and thank them for taking on extra work, but also engage with them in brainstorming to see if they may have something creative or valuable to assist in conquering the resistance. Once a new reasonable rate of pay has been distinguished, then a new set of responsibilities can be developed and split with the kitchen. There needs to be some way to mingle the two departments, which are separated by a line, so that this position is â€Å"included† with everyone else. Also, provide gift cards or free meals for adapting to c hange and moving forward during process. Set a goal for ninety days out to reevaluate, make transitions or changes and explain how the pieces fit together as a whole. Additional areas of resistance may surface so it is vital to recognize probable resistance points, as your development execution progresses. No matter which approach is used, managers should remember that change is often an unsettling process (Baack, 2012). Obtaining the preferred information to improve employees understanding of the organizations need for change is also one of the most significant steps in flourishing resistance management. A serious contemplation concerning the customization of your resistance management activities is relied upon the size of the change and the characteristics of the organization. When resistance has resulted in productivity loss and exhausted time and resources, it can be intimidating for the staff to rely solely on reactive procedures. Once the new changes have been implemented, closely maintained

Behavior Modification Methods in School Essay -- Positive Interdepende

Education in the United States is a continuous source of controversy. How should the generations be taught? This is an extremely important and in depth issue that has many levels. Each level has its own disagreements. One particular level of education that has been researched is whether or not behavioral methods are effective enough to be used in the classroom to improve academic performance. As can be seen in the data included here, there are many forms of positive reinforcement contingencies that can be presented in the classroom. These may include social rewards, like acceptance and encouragement from peers, tangible rewards, like the token economy, or internally motivating rewards, like having a sense of self-efficacy and feeling confident and proud of a particular accomplishment. The studies included here investigate cooperative learning strategies and how behavioral methods relate to academic performance that way, the use of rewards for good or improved performance, and then f inally how the removal of a punishing aspect of the classroom environment, like a teacher’s criticism can possibly improve academic performance. Cooperative learning is one process that includes behavioral methods. A reward structure is included in cooperative learning technology. Rewards can include grades, teacher approval, or physical rewards. In order for a reward structure to be effective, the rewards must be presented to the student quickly after the desired behavior has occurred. What makes this type of reward structure particular to cooperative learning styles is that rewards are given based on how well a group has learned something as a whole. Each person in the group gets rewarded if and only if each individual person has learned the material sufficiently. A second facet of cooperative learning includes positive goal interdependence and positive reward interdependence (Mesch, Johnson, & Johnson, 1987). Positive goal interdependence is when students perceive that they can achieve their goals if and only if the other students with whom they are cooperatively linked achieve their goals. Whereas, positive reward interdependence exists when each member of a cooperative learning group receives the same reward for successfully completing a joint task (Mesch, Johnson, & Johnson, 1987). Mesch, Johnson, and Johnson (1987) state that on the positive goal interdependence ... ...76). Controlling personal rewards: Professional teachers’ differential   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  use of feedback and the effects of feedback on the student’s motivation to   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  perform. Journal of Educational Psychology, 69(4), 419-427. Harris, A. M., & Covington, M. V. (1993). The role of cooperative reward   interdependency in success and failure. Journal of Experimental Education, 61(2), 151-168. Leventhal, G. S., & Whiteside, H. D. (1973). Equity and the use of reward to elicit high performance. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 25(1), 75-83. Lew, M., Mesch, D., Johnson, D. W., & Johnson, R. (1986). Positive interdependence,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Academic and collaborative-skills group contingencies, and isolated students.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  American Educational Research Journal, 23(3), 476-488. Mesch, D., Johnson, D. W., & Johnson, R. (1987). Impact of positive interdependence   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  and academic group contingencies on achievement. The Journal of Social   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Psychology, 128(3), 345-352. Rickard, H. C., Clements, C. B., & Willis, J. W. (1970). Effects of contingent   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  and noncontingent token reinforcement upon classroom performance.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Psychological Reports, 27(3), 903-908.

Deception Point Page 57

â€Å"Where†¦ are we?† Rachel managed, the simple act of trying to speak bringing on a crashing headache. The man massaging her replied, â€Å"You're on the medical deck of a Los Angeles class-â€Å" â€Å"On deck!† someone called out. Rachel sensed a sudden commotion all around her, and she tried to sit up. One of the men in blue helped, propping her up, and pulling the blankets up around her. Rachel rubbed her eyes and saw someone striding into the room. The newcomer was a powerful African-American man. Handsome and authoritative. His uniform was khaki. â€Å"At ease,† he declared, moving toward Rachel, stopping over her and gazing down at her with strong black eyes. â€Å"Harold Brown,† he said, his voice deep and commanding. â€Å"Captain of the U.S.S. Charlotte. And you are?† U.S.S. Charlotte, Rachel thought. The name seemed vaguely familiar. â€Å"Sexton†¦,† she replied. â€Å"I'm Rachel Sexton.† The man looked puzzled. He stepped closer, studying her more carefully. â€Å"I'll be damned. So you are.† Rachel felt lost. He knows me? Rachel was certain she did not recognize the man, although as her eyes dropped from his face to the patch on his chest, she saw the familiar emblem of an eagle clutching an anchor surrounded by the words U.S. NAVY. It now registered why she knew the name Charlotte. â€Å"Welcome aboard, Ms. Sexton,† the captain said. â€Å"You've gisted a number of this ship's recon reports. I know who you are.† â€Å"But what are you doing in these waters?† she stammered. His face hardened somewhat. â€Å"Frankly, Ms. Sexton, I was about to ask you the same question.† Tolland sat up slowly now, opening his mouth to speak. Rachel silenced him with a firm shake of her head. Not here. Not now. She had no doubt the first thing Tolland and Corky would want to talk about was the meteorite and the attack, but this was certainly not a topic to discuss in front of a Navy submarine crew. In the world of intelligence, regardless of crisis, CLEARANCE remained king; the meteorite situation remained highly classified. â€Å"I need to speak to NRO director William Pickering,† she told the captain. â€Å"In private, and immediately.† The captain arched his eyebrows, apparently unaccustomed to taking orders on his own ship. â€Å"I have classified information I need to share.† The captain studied her a long moment. â€Å"Let's get your body temperature back, and then I'll put you in contact with the NRO director.† â€Å"It's urgent, sir. I-† Rachel stopped short. Her eyes had just seen a clock on the wall over the pharmaceutical closet. 19:51 HOURS. Rachel blinked, staring. â€Å"Is†¦ is that clock right?† â€Å"You're on a navy vessel, ma'am. Our clocks are accurate.† â€Å"And is that†¦ Eastern time?† â€Å"7:51 P.M. Eastern Standard. We're out of Norfolk.† My God! she thought, stunned. It's only 7:51 P.M.? Rachel had the impression hours had passed since she passed out. It was not even past eight o'clock? The President has not yet gone public about the meteorite! I still have time to stop him! She immediately slid down off the bed, wrapping the blanket around her. Her legs felt shaky. â€Å"I need to speak to the President right away.† The captain looked confused. â€Å"The president of what?† â€Å"Of the United States!† â€Å"I thought you wanted William Pickering.† â€Å"I don't have time. I need the President.† The captain did not move, his huge frame blocking her way. â€Å"My understanding is that the President is about to give a very important live press conference. I doubt he's taking personal phone calls.† Rachel stood as straight as she could on her wobbly legs and fixed her eyes on the captain. â€Å"Sir, you do not have the clearance for me to explain the situation, but the President is about to make a terrible mistake. I have information he desperately needs to hear. Now. You need to trust me.† The captain stared at her a long moment. Frowning, he checked the clock again. â€Å"Nine minutes? I can't get you a secure connection to the White House in that short a time. All I could offer is a radiophone. Unsecured. And we'd have to go to antenna depth, which will take a few-â€Å" â€Å"Do it! Now!† 67 The White House telephone switchboard was located on the lower level of the East Wing. Three switchboard operators were always on duty. At the moment, only two were seated at the controls. The third operator was at a full sprint toward the Briefing Room. In her hand, she carried a cordless phone. She'd tried to patch the call through to the Oval Office, but the President was already en route to the press conference. She'd tried to call his aides on their cellulars, but before televised briefings, all cellular phones in and around the Briefing Room were turned off so as not to interrupt the proceedings. Running a cordless phone directly to the President at a time like this seemed questionable at best, and yet when the White House's NRO liaison called claiming she had emergency information that the President must get before going live, the operator had little doubt she needed to jump. The question now was whether she would get there in time. In a small medical office onboard the U.S.S. Charlotte, Rachel Sexton clutched a phone receiver to her ear and waited to talk to the President. Tolland and Corky sat nearby, still looking shaken. Corky had five stitches and a deep bruise on his cheekbone. All three of them had been helped into Thinsulate thermal underwear, heavy navy flight suits, oversized wool socks, and deck boots. With a hot cup of stale coffee in her hand, Rachel was starting to feel almost human again. â€Å"What's the holdup?† Tolland pressed. â€Å"It's seven fifty-six!† Rachel could not imagine. She had successfully reached one of the White House operators, explained who she was and that this was an emergency. The operator seemed sympathetic, had placed Rachel on hold, and was now, supposedly, making it her top priority to patch Rachel through to the President. Four minutes, Rachel thought. Hurry up! Closing her eyes, Rachel tried to gather her thoughts. It had been one hell of a day. I'm on a nuclear submarine, she said to herself, knowing she was damned lucky to be anywhere at all. According to the submarine captain, the Charlotte had been on a routine patrol in the Bering Sea two days ago and had picked up anomalous underwater sounds coming from the Milne Ice Shelf-drilling, jet noise, lots of encrypted radio traffic. They had been redirected and told to lie quietly and listen. An hour or so ago, they'd heard an explosion in the ice shelf and moved in to check it out. That was when they heard Rachel's SOS call. â€Å"Three minutes left!† Tolland sounded anxious now as he monitored the clock. Rachel was definitely getting nervous now. What was taking so long? Why hadn't the President taken her call? If Zach Herney went public with the data as it stood- Rachel forced the thought from her mind and shook the receiver. Pick up! As the White House operator dashed toward the stage entrance of the Briefing Room, she was met with a gathering throng of staff members. Everyone here was talking excitedly, making final preparations. She could see the President twenty yards away waiting at the entrance. The makeup people were still primping. â€Å"Coming through!† the operator said, trying to get through the crowd. â€Å"Call for the President. Excuse me. Coming through!† â€Å"Live in two minutes!† a media coordinator called out. Clutching the phone, the operator shoved her way toward the President. â€Å"Call for the President!† she panted. â€Å"Coming through!† A towering roadblock stepped into her path. Marjorie Tench. The senior adviser's long face grimaced down in disapproval. â€Å"What's going on?†