The historical evolution of the conceptual model Essay Example

The historical evolution of the conceptual model Essay The â€Å"Callista Roy Adaptation Model† for Nursing started during the time Sr. Callista Roy started he masteral program in the pediatric nursing University of Los Angeles, California in 1964.   On that time she was under the guidance of Dorothy E. Johnson who serve as her advisor and seminar faculty.   Upon reading her teacher’s work on the need to define the goal of nursing as a way of focusing the development of knowledge practice, she was impressed.   Even if she had just read a little about the concept of adaptation and was impressed with the resiliency of children she had cared for in pediatrics.   Her advisor inspired her to develop on a concept of adaptation as a framework for nursing. One of the significant model used to developed this model by Roys’ was the concept by von Bertalanffy was an important early concept of the model, as was the work of Helson.   Helson defined adaptation as a process of responding positively to environmental change s and described three types of stimuli, focal, contextual and residual. Dr. Roy made appropriate derivations of these concepts for use in describing situations of people in health and illness. Other authors that influenced the early development of the central concepts of the model included Dohrenwend, Lazarus, Mechanic, and Selye. The view of the person as an adaptive system took shape from this early work with the cognator and regulator being added as the major internal processes of the adapting person. (Meyer, 2005)The second phase of the development of the model was the 17 years of work with faculty at Mount St. Marys College in Los Angeles. The model became the framework for a nursing-based integrated curriculum in March 1970, the same month that the first article on the model was published in Nursing Outlook. The four adaptive modes were added as the ways in which adaptation is manifested and thus as the basis for nursing assessment. Specifically a content analysis was done on 500 samples of patient behavior from all clinical areas, collected by the nursing students and major categories named as physiologic, self concept, role function and interdependence. Contributors to the theoretical development of the adaptive modes included: Marie Driever for self-concept; Brooke Randell for role function, and Joyce Van Landingham and Mary Tedrow for interdependence. Marsha Sato helped identify both common and primary stimuli affecting the adaptive modes and Joan Cho developed clinical tools for assessment. Many other faculty from Mount St. Marys College were involved in writing the first three textbooks on the model in 1976, 1984 and 1991. (Meyer, 2005)Approach to the Development of Nursing Knowledge.In the process of analysis of concepts, two main thoughts can be identified: the essentialist and the evolutionary. In the first, the purpose of analysis is to define the concept of interest in terms of its critical attributes or essence, whereas in the evolutionary th ought, one considers concepts as being dynamic, indistinct rather than finite, absolute and clear crystal, dependent on the context, and having pragmatic usefulness or purpose.The concern for the development of concepts becomes even more important when we report to its use in nursing theories. In them, some concepts are considered central, such as person, environment, health and nursing. According to what has been previously exposed, these concepts suffer variations in their definitions according to the view of the theorist.Specifically with regards to the environment concept, Roy asserts that there are at least four different ways through which it is examined in nursing studies. In the first approach, the concept is called under specified meta-paradigm construct, which is compatible with the notion of environment as a mediating presence. The second view sees environment as the communicative context, that is, the phenomena under study exist in the social and historical position of t he person. The third way to conceptualize the environment is to define it as social positions of an open field, where the nurses social position can be seen as positive when related to patients and negative for the professions institutional subordination to medicine. Lastly, the environment is still conceptualized as a survey list of extraneous variables, where effects that modify the variables of a hypothesis diminish the generalization of theoriesFour Essential Concepts of NursingThis model is comprised of the four domain concepts of person, health, environment, and nursing and involves a six step nursing process.   Andrews Roy (1991) state that the person can be a representation of an individual or a group of individuals.   Roys models see the person as a biopsychosocial being in constant interaction with a changing environment (Rambo, 1984).   The person is an open, adaptive system who uses coping skills to deal with stressors.   Roy sees the environment as all conditio ns, circumstances and influences that surround and affect the development and behavior of the person (Andrews ; Roy, 1991).   Roy describes stressors as stimuli and uses the term residual stimuli his model is comprised of the four domain concepts of person, health, environment, and nursing and involves a six step nursing process.   Andrews ; Roy (1991) state that the person can be a representation of an individual or a group of individuals.   Roys models see the person as a biopsychosocial being in constant interaction with a changing environment (Rambo, 1984).   The person is an open, adaptive system who uses coping skills to deal with stressors.   Roy sees the environment as all conditions, circumstances and influences that surround and affect the development and behavior of the person (Andrews Roy, 1991).   Roy describes stressors as stimuli and uses the term residual stimuliPERSONS AND RELATING PERSONS · An adaptive system with coping processes · Described as a whole comprised of parts · Functions as a unity for some purpose · Includes people as individuals or in groups (families, organizations, communities, nations, and society as a whole) · An adaptive system with cognator and regulator subsystems acting to maintain adaptation in the four adaptive modes: physiologic-physical, self-concept-group identity, role function, and interdependenceENVIRONMENT · All conditions, circumstances, and influences surrounding and affecting the development and behavior of persons and groups with particular consideration of mutuality of person and earth resources · Three kinds of stimuli: focal, contextual, and residual · Significant stimuli in all human adaptation include stage of development, family, and cultureHEALTH AND ADAPTATION · Health: a state and process of being and becoming integrated and whole that reflects person and environmental mutuality · Adaptation: the process and outcome whereby thinking and feeling persons, as individua ls and in groups, use conscious awareness and choice to create human and environmental integration · Adaptive Responses: responses that promotes integrity in terms of the goals of the human system, that is, survival, growth, reproduction, mastery, and personal and environmental transformation · Ineffective Responses: responses that do not contribute to integrity in terms of the goals of the human system · Adaptation levels represent the condition of the life processes described on three different levels: integrated, compensatory, and compromisedNURSING · Nursing is the science and practice that expands adaptive abilities and enhances person and environment transformation · Nursing goals are to promote adaptation for individuals and groups in the four adaptive modes, thus contributing to health, quality of life, and dying with dignity · This is done by assessing behavior and factors that influence adaptive abilities and by intervening to expand those abilities and to enha nce environmental interactionsNURSING PROCESS · A problem solving approach for gathering data, identifying the capacities and needs of the human adaptive system, selecting and implementing approaches for nursing care, and evaluation the outcome of care provided1. Assessment of Behavior: the first step of the nursing process, which involves gathering data about the behavior of the person as an adaptive system in each of the adaptive modes2. Assessment of Stimuli: the second step of the nursing process, which involves the identification of internal and external stimuli that are influencing the person’s adaptive behaviors. Stimuli are classified as: 1) Focal- those most immediately confronting the person; 2) Contextual-all other stimuli present that are affecting the situation and 3) Residual- those stimuli whose effect on the situation are unclear.3. Nursing Diagnosis: step three of the nursing process, which involves the formulation of statements that interpret data about th e adaptation status of the person, including the behavior and most relevant stimuli4. Goal Setting: the forth step of the nursing process which involves the establishment of clear statements of the behavioral outcomes for nursing care.5. Intervention: the fifth step of the nursing process, which involves the determination of how best to assist the person in attaining the established goals6. Evaluation: the sixth and final step of the nursing process, which involves judging the effectiveness of the nursing intervention in relation to the behavior after the nursing intervention in comparison with the goal established.Relationship among the Four Concepts gives an important aspect that human being needs such as biological, psychological and social need in order to adapt to its environment and attain great good health. The sources of this problem are the internal and external variables. The internal variables include the biological, psychological and cognitive. The biological source invo lves the genes of the human being, their sex and age, and its developmental level. The psychological problem involves mind and body interaction and self-concepts. The cognitive problem involves the lifestyle choice and spiritual religious beliefs. The sources of problems under the external variables are the environment. The climate, the surroundings and the geographic locations are some of the factors in the environment, which affects the adaptation of human being. The standard of living involves hygiene, food habit and propensity. Family and its cultural belief is also one of the external variables. The social support network involves the job satisfaction. These are the sources of problem that is beyond the control of human being. It is better to know this problem to avoid the illnesses that experience by human being.This theory of adaptive model is applicable to modern nursing. Roy’s work focuses on the increasing complexity of person and the environment self organization a nd on the relationship between the persons universe and what can be considered as Supreme Being or god. Since the focus of this model is the stability in health.The short fall of this concept model is that, Sister Callista Roy philosophical assumption â€Å"Person and earth are one and that they in god and of god† is not being defined or relate it clearly with the four concept of the adaptation model. It also lack of the three aspect of wellness like the occupational, spiritual and environmental.The internal structure of the conceptual model is logically consistent. With sights to improvement of this difficulty, we highlight the application importance of theoretical landmarks for a better knowledge construction in nursing, in intention of deepening the rendered assistance. The adaptation model utilization, presented validity and applicability in the study at issue, once it enabled the determination of important aspects for the nursing assistance the women with angina pectoris , considering them like a biopsychosocial, adaptive and holistic being. It contributed of significant form for the proposed goal, enabling a vision enlarged of the theory of Sister Callista Roy, elucidating her importance of the same for the nursing development, in the teaching, research and assistance scopes.The conceptual model is socially congruent. Because of the purpose of the theory is to promote adaptation in the environment based on the four modes. The person is affected by environmental stimuli. The focal stimulus is a change immediately confronting the person that requires adaptive response. Accompanying the focal stimulus are contextual and residual stimuli, which mediate and contribute to the effect of stimulus. It is socially significant, because it helps to develop the social interaction of the client to the family and to the other people or to the community, which is essential part of the society.The model leads to nursing actions that make the important differences i n the client’s health status. The goal of nursing is â€Å"to promote adaptation by the use of nursing process, in each of the adaptive modes, thus contributing to the health, quality of life and dying with dignity. The criterion for judging when the goal has been reached in generally any positive response made by the recipient to the stimuli present that frees energy for responses to other stimuli.† The goal of adaptation is fostered through nursing assessment and intervention, with the client as an active participant.The over all contribution of these adaptation gives the nurse, student nurse and client in the community to realize the importance of being able to adapt the dynamically changing human nursing by providing the four modes or concept which is important in improving the client health status. The goal of Callista Roy model to enhance life processes through adaptation in four adaptive modes.References:Andrews, H., Roy, C. (1991).   The Adaptation Model. No rwalk: Appleton Lange.Mckenna, Hugh (1997) Nursing Theories and Model.   London: Routledge. 8:223-243Meyer, Kate (2005)   The Roy’s Adaptation Model. Last Modified: December 5, 2005. Boston College. Available online   : www2.bc.edu/~royca/htm/ram.htmRambo, B.   (1984).   Adaptive Nursing. Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders CompanyRoy C. (1995) Developing nursing knowledge: practice issues raised from four philosophical perspectives. Nurs Sci Q. * (5) 79-85.SciELO Brazil (2005) Historical evolution of the concept environment proposed in the Roy adaptation model.   Last Modified: November 22, 2005.   . Escola de Enfermagem de Ribeirà £o Preto / Universidade de Sà £o Paulo. Available online: http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttextpid=S0104-11692006000200016lng=esnrm=tlng=en

Word Choice Where, Were and Were - Proofeds Writing Tips

Word Choice Where, Were and Were - Proofeds Writing Tips Word Choice: Where, We’re and Were Although where, were and were each have completely different meanings, some people seem to think they are interchangeable. However, making this error in a piece of academic writing will look bad to your reader, especially if you make repeated errors throughout your paper. Such mistakes can even undermine the content of your argument, so it’s a good idea to get a handle on what each of these words mean and when you should use them. Where (Location) The word where means is used when identifying a geographical place, location or circumstance. For instance, it can be used to ask a question about the position of something, like Where is my book? Alternatively, it can be used to specify or describe the location of something, as in, I left my book in the library where I do my research. Here, for example, identifying the where in the sentence shows that we are referring to a specific library (the one where the speaker does her research). In a more abstract sense, where can also be used to suggest holding a particular position or point of view on something. For example, we might say This is where we stand on the issue. We’re (We Are) The word we’re is a contraction of the two words we and are. It would be used in a sentence like this: We’re going to the grocery store. Please note, however, that contractions like were are generally considered informal, so shouldnt normally be used in academic writing. Were The word were is related to the verb be used when discussing the past. To be specific, it is the second person singular past, plural past, and past subjunctive of be. This might seem confusing, but if we break down what it actually means it becomes easier to understand. The second person singular pronoun, for instance, is you, while the plural past tense includes we, you and they. In all of these cases, were is effectively the past tense of are: Present Tense Past Tense First Person (Singular) I am†¦ I was†¦ First Person (Plural) We are†¦ We were†¦ Second Person (Singular and Plural) You are†¦ You were†¦ Third Person (Singular) He/she is†¦ He/she was†¦ Third Person (Plural) They are†¦ They were†¦ Were is also correct when referring to a plural noun in the past tense. It would therefore be used in a past tense sentence like As we were walking in the garden, butterflies were dancing through the air. The other usage of were which is as the past subjunctive of be and something which people often get wrong. The past subjunctive is mainly used when referring to a counterfactual possibility (i.e., something which could be true but isnt). For example, we could say, Were I to use grammar correctly, my grades would improve. The mistake people make here is using was instead of were in statements that start with if regarding the future. For instance, while many would say: If I was to pass my exam, I would be very happy. This is technically wrong. The correct formulation would be: If I were to pass my exam, I would be very happy.

Using the Common French Expression Casser Les Pieds

Using the Common French Expression 'Casser Les Pieds' The French expression casser les pieds quelquun is a weird one, a true idiom that doesnt directly translate. Phrased correctly, it means to annoy someone. This expression has evolved from casser la cervelle to casser les oreilles to casser les pieds, with the meaning of casser being more to crush than to break. It is a very commonly-used expression in French. Il me casse les pieds avec ses problà ¨mes He really annoys/bores me with his problems. The idea behind casser les pieds is more annoyance than boredom. But its used with both meanings. Note that the construction requires an indirect object pronoun. This means the expression is used with words such as me, te, lui, nous, vous, and leur. Idioms are tricky in every language. In French, its not usual to say break a leg to wish good luck to someone, for example. Casser les Pieds This is an odd-looking idiom. If you say casser les pieds quelquun, it means to annoy/bore someone. If you say casser les pieds DE quelquun its physical, and it means you broke someones feet. On jouait au foot...Pierre a tirà © dans le ballon en mà ªme temps que moi. Il ma donnà © un grand coup de pied et il ma cassà © le pied. We were playing soccer...Peter shot the ball at the same time as I did. He kicked me hard and broke my foot. Pierre a passà © la soirà ©e me raconter ses problà ¨mes de coeur, et quand je lui ai dit darrà ªter, il est allà © casser les pieds quelquun dautre. Pierre spent the evening telling me his love problems, and when I told him to stop, he went on to annoy someone else. Synonyms There are a number of synonyms for this phase, including some very common vulgar options that appear in everyday French language and pop culture. Boredom Sennuyer (very common) Sennuyer comme un rat mort, or like a dead rat, which means to be very bored. (Common expression) Se faire chier (very common vulgar slang) Annoyance Ennuyer, agacer, exaspà ©rer, importuner (quite formal) quelquun. Casser les oreilles quelquun meeans literally to break someones ears, but this expression is mostly used when someone talks too much. Faire chier quelquun (very common vulgar slang)

Essay due in Asian Collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

Due in Asian Collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art - Essay Example The Asian collection of Art works at the Metropolitan Museum of Art contains a large number of Art works from Asian countries. It is renowned for its collection of Chinese and Indian Art works displayed. Thesis statement: From the perspective of a viewer, discussion on the basic differences between Chinese and Indian art and analysis of a piece of art to unearth its history, the artist’s motives and expression. The Asian collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art includes a wide range of Art works from different cultures from Asia. The collection includes gifts from philanthropists who collected different types of Art works from different cultures in Asia. Besides, the collection covers the 4000 year history of Asian Art. Some important differences between the Chinese and Indian art objects which represent the Asian Art are mentioned below. The Chinese collection includes Calligraphy and painting which represent its rich tradition of Art. Carol Michaelson and Jane Portal opine that: â€Å"Chinese painting is quite different from brightly coloured Western oil painting† (Michaelson and Portal 8) the tradition of painting in China is entirely different from Western form of oil painting. Besides, the Art works represent the history of different dynasties that ruled over China for centuries. For instance, the work ‘Model of a watchtower’ represents the Eastern Han dynasty in ancient China. But the Indian collection is different from Chinese works. The difference from Chinese Art can be seen in the usage of colors, medium and theme. The favorite medium of Indian Artists includes paper and cloth. For instance, the work ‘Mahavira Sitting at the Top of the Universe: Folio from a Kalpasutra Manuscript, 15th century’ is in paper. The favorite theme of Indian artists includes stories from sacred te xts. In addition, red is a dominant color in Indian Art works. But the favorite colors

Goals for Creating the New City Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Goals for Creating the New City - Essay Example Since it is a new city, it has not yet had universities constructed. Since it is aimed to be a center for academic achievement, it has plans for the construction of institutions of higher learning. Many people have been attracted to the city. This is due to its fame of having a high rate of civic involvement. There is a lively democratic process within the city. This makes it attract people from different parts of California and from other parts of the globe. Residents are not only involved in politics, but issues including crime prevention, disaster readiness, and lack teamwork remain to its main challenges. Nonetheless, the city has remained the attractive place for people from all over the globe. The city is less good as Berkeley. This is because we have several colleges in Berkeley. The Vista Community College and the University of California are built in Berkeley. This makes Berkeley a better place for higher education than in the city (Wilson et al. 23). Nonetheless, the city i s similar to Berkeley; the only difference is the college and the university. However, there is no big difference of Berkeley from the city; education is highly valued in both cities. Democracy and security are considered basic for the residents. People within the cities are committed to the establishment of one economic center with the justified distribution of resources. The two cities are looking forward to working together to build their economy by becoming economic partners. Since the two cities are neighbors, they can be good business partners. Transportation of commodities from one city to the other would be efficient. Since the two cities have greatly invested in security, the establishment of security within the border would be ensured. Both the cities would work together to achieve improved security in their borders and within the cities.  

Essay --

The importance of cultural context within any type of text is essential in order to elucidate a distinct argument. In Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness, a novella starring the experiences of an ivory trader in Central Africa named Charles Marlow, various themes of racism and human cruelty are discussed in relation to its contextual features. The film â€Å"Apocalypse Now† by Francis Ford Coppola adapts this idea of implementing a correlation between its central ideas to a specific cultural context as well. The central research question this extended essay focuses on is how do different features used in Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad and the film version of "Apocalypse Now" by Francis Ford Coppola help criticize imperialism? In Heart of Darkness and â€Å"Apocalypse Now,† the struggle between the barbaric nature of the natives and the oppressive nature of Imperialism is questioned through the use of characterization of various factors. Before Kurtz, the main antagonist in both texts, is even introduced in either the novella or the film, details are revealed about him through Marlow and Willard, the protagonists of the two texts. The gruesome nature of imperialism is revealed through Marlow and Willard journey through the jungles. The inhumane state in which the slaves are illustrated opens Marlow’s eyes to the cruelty of slavery. Similarly, Willard witnesses the torture the locals experience on a daily basis, such as the way they are treated. The journeys of both protagonists project the overall negativity associated with imperialism, which helps the audience in understanding the soldiers’ psychological states before Kurtz makes an appearance. Although Colonel Kurtz is the antagonist in both texts, he is admired by the two protagonists,... ...h is not restrained by social conventions, Imperialism attempts to justify its savagery. The very fact Imperialists claim to be ‘fighting to the sanity of the world’ demonstrates the corrosive effects it has not only in a confined area, but also to neighboring cultures. By delving deeper into the characters’ subconscious and the true nature of Western Imperialism, the absurdity of what really is considered â€Å"true evil† is questioned by both Conrad and Coppola. Despite the fact colonization in various parts of the world officially ended in the 60’s, different systems of indirect rule were put in place because of continued interest in some parts. Both Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad and â€Å"Apocalypse Now† by Francis Ford Coppola are aware of this continued, albeit unfortunate practice, and represents the futility of expecting the eradication of imperialistic values.

The Secret of Ella and Micha Chapter 22

Micha She looks terrified as hell, her eyes round, and her body is trembling as she says, â€Å"I love you.† My smile breaks through. â€Å"I know you do. I have ever since the day on the bridge.† She looks confused so I explain further. â€Å"When you tried to leave, I caught up with you and took you up to our spot by the lake to calm you down. When you did, you told me that you loved me.† Her lips part. â€Å"I did†¦ why didn't you tell me?† â€Å"Because I wanted you to tell me again,† I say. â€Å"When you were a little less out of it. Took you long enough, by the way.† Her lips expand to a smile and I can't help but kiss her. My body rolls onto her on its own accord, even though it hurts like hell to use my arm to keep my weight off her. She trails her fingers up my back as her legs fall to the side, giving me permission to press up closer to her. It's what we've been doing every night for the last few days, almost reaching the end, but not quite. Suddenly, she jerks back and I blink my eyes open. â€Å"What's wrong?† Biting on her lip, she sits up and I lean back, giving her room as she slips her shirt and bra off and throws them on the floor. Locks of her auburn hair fall across her chest. Grinning, I move my lips for hers again, but she shakes her head and stands up on the bed, slipping her shorts and panties off and discarding them on the floor. I've seen her naked a couple of times over the week – and once when we were sixteen and she left her curtain open – but each time gets my adrenaline pumping. She kneels down in front of me and kisses me passionately, her nipples brushing against my chest. Her body is shaking in a way that means she's nervous. â€Å"Make love to me,† she whispers against my lips. I've been dreaming about those words leaving her lips since I was sixteen. â€Å"Are you sure?† She nods with a sparkle in her eyes. â€Å"Yeah, I'm sure.† I wait a few seconds longer to give her time to back out if she needs to. She remains silent and reaches for my shirt, helping me pull it over my head so I don't have to lift up my arm. Her fingers run across my tattoo, lyrics I wrote about her, although I don't think she knows it. Then her hands find the button on my jeans and she unfastens it. Deciding to help her out, I peel my jeans and boxers off. Grabbing a condom from my wallet, I lie her down and situate between her legs. â€Å"Are you sure you're sure?† I check again. Her auburn hair is spread across the pillow and the light above our heads reflects in her green eyes as she nods. â€Å"Micha, I'm more certain about this than I am about anything else in my life.† Suddenly, I get a little nervous. This is the first time I've ever been with someone I've cared about and it's going to be different. Mentally preparing myself, I slide into her slowly so I don't hurt her. Her legs promptly constrict around my hips and she squeezes her eyes shut. I give her a minute, letting her breathe through the pain. When she opens her eyes again, I push into her further. Her head tips back as she forces air in through her nose. I start rocking in and out of her. The pained expression slowly turns to ecstasy and her eyes gloss over. It's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. Ella At first it hurts – more than I anticipated. I'm wondering what the big deal about sex is, when he starts rocking in and out of me, pushing in further and filling me with him. The pain eases away and all that's left is hunger. I secure my legs around his hips and open up to him as his lips cover mine. He kisses me fervently and I start coming undone, releasing all control of my body and mind. I let my head fall back as he sucks and nips on my neck and down to my breasts, before returning his lips to mine. Our skin covers in sweat as his movements become harder, thrusting deeper inside me. I scream out his name as a fire inflames within me and everything comes apart. Moments later, his movements become jerkier and then he stills. His head is tipped down and his warm breath caresses my neck. He places a kiss on my collar bone, then on my lips, finally looking at me and smoothing my hair back from my damp forehead. â€Å"I love you,† he whispers with a content expression. I smile at him as he carefully slips out of me. Then he holds me in his arms and we drift off to sleep, relaxed and satisfied. *** I wake up to Micha sitting on the bed in his boxers, playing his guitar, the tune â€Å"Behind Blue Eyes† by The Who. He's got his head tipped down as his fingers pluck away. Sitting up, I rub the tiredness out of my eyes while holding the sheet up to cover my chest. â€Å"Why are you playing your sad song?† I ask. He keeps singing, shutting his eyes, really getting into it. â€Å"It's not my sad song anymore.† His fingers keep playing. I tuck my legs under me and kneel up in front of him. â€Å"Since when?† â€Å"Since the night you opened up to me,† he says. â€Å"And it was playing over and over again. From now on, every time I hear this song, I'm going to think of you.† I shut my eyes and listen to him play a little longer, letting his beautiful voice flow over my skin. When he stops playing, I open them back up right as he yanks the sheet away from me. I scream and then laugh as he lays me back down and enfolds his body over mine. I kiss him passionately, giving extra attention to the ring in his lip. â€Å"I have to tell you something,† he says when I free his lip ring from my teeth. The sound in his voice makes me uneasy. â€Å"Okay†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He sighs and rakes his fingers through his hair. â€Å"I think I'm going to go on the road with Naomi and her band.† I sit up, shocked, and nearly bump foreheads with him. â€Å"Did she ask you to join?† â€Å"Yeah, a few weeks ago, but I told her I had to think about it.† He rolls to the side, bringing me with him and hitching my leg over his hip so I'm opened up and vulnerable to him. â€Å"I think this is something I have to do, otherwise I'll regret it for the rest of my life.† My mind is racing, but I force my voice to sound even. â€Å"When are you leaving?† He traces my cheekbone with his finger. â€Å"In a couple of days.† Shutting my eyes, I talk myself through it. I know I have to let him go because regrets do nothing but eat away on the inside. It's still hard, though. I force a small smile as I open my eyes. â€Å"Will you visit me in Vegas?† â€Å"Every single moment I get,† he says and seals his lips to mine. â€Å"I promise.†