Chelmsford public schools ma

Uma Musume: Pretty Derby - ROAD TO THE TOP
I wasn’t planning on checking out the 4 episode special for Uma Musume, but the amazing opening caught my eye and convinced me to give it a shot. As I started watching, it was clear to me that this show’s superb animation was supported by some incredible cinematography that helped build the narrative between its leads. As a fun exercise, I wanted to try to highlight some of the directing choices and break down how Uma Musume RTTT gets away with telling so little by showing so much.
Cinematography is the presentation of the visuals in anime. The arrangement of characters in a scene, the lighting, the focus on props or backgrounds: all of these can be encapsulated by “cinematography,” and put in a ton of work for the viewing experience. There are plenty of obvious instances where a show will employ cinematography, but even if you don’t notice it immediately, these choices can have an underlying psychological effect in how you experience a scene. You can dye a scene in blue to enhance the melancholy. You can cut away from a conversation to a nearby prop to reveal a character’s mental state. These visual techniques can easily go underappreciated, and Uma Musume thankfully has some fairly overt examples that we can analyze.
(spoilers for episode 1)
Prologue
Episode one opens up with the Yayoi Sho, a GII race that introduces two of our main leads: Narita Top Road and Admiral Vega. Much of what I want to talk about in this race will come later. But let me give a brief synopsis of the race. Under a slight drizzle, we start off with Avec Blaze* in the lead. Narita Top Road, eager to meet the expectations of her fans and coach, puts on a burst of speed to take the lead. Admiral Vega, who also feels the need to win for a yet undisclosed person, quickly follows up on her heels despite lingering behind the pack. Though it’s a close affair between the two, Narita Top Road clutches her lead and wins the race. She cheerfully waves to the crowd while Admiral Vega regretfully looks on. The episode immediately gives viewers exactly what they’re here for: some hype horse girls racing.
Narita Top Road: the favorite
After the OP, we follow Narita Top Road in her daily school life. Her training starts at dawn, and this is clearly a recurring affair since her coach advises her to take a break.** At school, Narita Top Road is the class president and is admired by her classmates. Between her coach, fans, and friends, there’s plenty of people who acknowledge her drive and expect great things from her. Admiral Vega, noticing a small injury on Narita Top Road’s thigh, brings her outside to put a band-aid on it. In the hallway, Narita Top Road and Admiral Vega confess to one another declare their respective determination to win the upcoming Satsukisho. While Narita Top Road professes her excitement to race along with someone she admires, the light from the windows is always illuminating her face. She is quite literally glowing. Meanwhile, Admiral Vega, who feels hesitant about befriending her rivals, seems to have her face framed in between the path of these light beams. She’s not poorly lit by any means: there is just a clear difference in how our two characters are illuminated. The light is so all over Narita Top Road that she is reflecting light. This light and dark metaphor will persist throughout the episode’s run.
We’re next treated to a brief origin story for Narita Top Road. What helps sell the flashback is the fact that the conversations with the trainer all take place at sunset. This is a great example of the “Against the Setting Sun” trope, where Narita Top Road and the trainer make a goal to conquer the Twinkle Series together. Sunsets can symbolize transitioning to another phase, and here it depicts Narita Top Road’s first step to becoming a pro. We’re also treated to a parallel from an earlier training scene, where Narita Top Road attempts to make a sharp turn from the outside of the pack. She struggles more in this flashback, staggering several times; there is a noticeable improvement in the training scene that took place during the present, where Narita Top Road only staggers once. The mirroring of her first training scene in this flashback confirms Narita Top Road’s consistent practice and diligence. Narita Top Road works from sunrise to sunset, and when you consider the previous paragraph on lighting, it becomes apparent that Narita Top Road can be associated with daylight.
TM Opera O: in the middle
While Satsukisho is expected to be all about Admiral Vega vs. Narita Top Road, we switch unexpectedly to a third character. The ordering of events here was initially a bit confusing for me: we start with a cocky smirk prior to cutting to the eyecatch, with the upper half of the face hidden. When we come back, the first thing we see is an eye: it is TM Opera O waking up at 2 AM, visibly distressed. Then, it cuts to a flashback where TM Opera O is returning to running after an injury. She is all bravado and speaks boldly of her destiny to win every race she enters. She proceeds to win consecutive races, backing up her claims, but is also shown visibly struggling during training. Even so, she proudly declares that her perseverance in the face of adversity is for the audience: TM Opera O lives to win and bask in the cheers of a crowd.
This flashback in my opinion serves to humanize TM Opera O’s larger than life personality: behind her dramatic flair and proud sense of self is someone who worked incredibly hard to get back into shape and still experiences some stress about meeting the standards she set for herself. For instance, her introduction starts with just her mouth, hiding the eyes, which are commonly used to indicate a character’s true nature. Then the show cuts to that portion of the face (eye) that was missing in that first shot, suggesting that the TM Opera O waking up right now is closer to her true self than the more grandiose mask she wears in public. She’ll continue to play this theatrical character in the series, but her introduction serves to let the audience know early on that she’s had her own share of struggles and insecurities.
Admiral Vega: the rival
Finally, we get to Admiral Vega and what she’s doing in preparation for the Satsukisho. We cut to night time, where Admiral Vega leaves to go for a run. She and her roommate, Curren Chan, are placed in different layers (Admiral Vega slightly blurred in the front while Curren Chan is sharp and placed behind her). This arrangement highlights the contrast in their activities: as Curren Chan is clearly winding down the day by brushing her tail, Admiral Vega is off to train.
As she runs along a deserted street with numerous streetlights, Admiral Vega refuses to step into them. In fact, she’s shown running away from the light. The connection to darkness suggests that Admiral Vega’s motivations could be unhealthy. Or, going back to her thoughts in the hallway, Admiral Vega’s avoidance of light could connect to her dogma that she does not need friends or rivals (in this case, Narita Top Road who is the light): she just has to win at all costs. Either way, the lack of lighting for Admiral Vega directly sets her up as the clear rival for Narita Top Road. In the very next scene, Narita Top Road practices in broad daylight to the cheers of her classmates. Lighting and the time of day will play a pivotal role in coloring the interactions between these two characters in the rest of the series.
Final Race
And now we’ve finally arrived at the Satsukisho, a premiere GI race for our trio of leads. Before it begins, Admiral Vega and Narita Top Road meet in the tunnels leading to the racetrack. Even though they are in the exact same location with respect to the light from the exit, Narita Top Road’s face is illuminated while Admiral Vega’s face continues to be shadowed. These two are definitely rivals and antitheses to one another. However, TM Opera O appears from the top of the tunnel exit, the backlighting giving her an almost videogame-boss-like feel; these two were supposed to be focused on one another, but the more menacing opponent may be the one standing above them.
Even if the media has tried to convince you that it’s a close affair between Narita Top Road and Admiral Vega, the cinematography makes it clear that this is Narita Top Road’s race to lose. Despite her cheerful demeanor in training, Narita Top Road is actually very nervous. She’s the last to enter her start gate and, as her classmates and friends cheer her on, we get this shot of Narita Top Road seemingly caged in by her starting gate. These expectations that she’s desperate to meet are beginning to stress her out. As we start the race, you’ll see that many of the shots here mirror that first race, which Narita Top Road won: the stormy clouds and slight drizzle, the shot of her coach right before the dramatic last minute spurt from Narita Top Road to take the lead, and even the brief proximity of Narita Top Road and Admiral Vega give the impression that we’ve seen this exact race before.
But unlike the race at the start of the episode, TM Opera O arrives to steal the show! There’s an incredible panning shot that zooms in on TM Opera O as she makes a break for the lead, emphasizing her approach. But then she flies past the camera, and the shot becomes an inverted zoom away. Not only does this shot give the viewer the sense of being left in the dust like her opponents, but the upside down perspective makes it clear that this result is an upset and, dare I say it, has flipped expectations. TM Opera O snatches victory from Narita Top Road’s hands, shattering the projection of a repeat of the first race’s results.*** She rightfully basks in the glory she anticipated earlier in the episode.
At the end, Narita Top Road is devastated. While TM Opera O celebrates, Narita Top Road’s sweaty face is pushed to the background: it’s a very familiar position for Admiral Vega. The mirroring of shots throughout this final race really gives this single episode a sense of completion, and that we’ve come full circle in spite of the different results. Despite the loss, the episode ends with Narita Top Road’s refusal to give in: a literal ray of sunshine breaks through the clouds and illuminates her as she holds her head high. Her hopes for a GI win have yet to be dashed, and she’ll have three more episodes to get her revenge. Meanwhile, Admiral Vega finished a dismal 6th, and her posture here is even more slumped than in the first race. Maybe it’s an injury bothering her, or perhaps it’s from the increasing weight of her failed expectations physically pushing her down. We’ll have to see in episode two if she’ll be able to find the same strength to raise her head.
Conclusion
As you watch the next three episodes, you’ll find the same impeccable directing throughout. They’ll continue to mirror previous shots to help depict the evolving relationships between characters and utilize lighting to contrast Narita Top Road and Admiral Vega. There are so many awesome shots littered throughout the show and despite my qualms for some of the story elements, my attention was captured by both the stellar race animation and the thoughtful cinematography. Even if you’re not that interested in horse girls, consider giving this short ONA a shot.****
Thanks to u/MyrnaMountWeazel for reviewing my essay!
*Is her name actually Astral Blaze?
**There’s a fun pair of shots here between the coach and Narita Top Road, but I wasn’t sure what this could mean outside of (spoilers) some potential communication issues between Narita Top Road and her trainer in the later episodes.
***I really was hoping that TM Opera O being in the 12th position and winning was a cinematic choice referencing Narita Top Road winning the first race in the 12th position, but no it is an actual coincidence.
****This was supposed to be a funny post about horse feet but I got lost in the directing sauce.

This is an IRB approved national survey for all certified staff working in K-12 US public schools. This survey is for general and special education teachers, core content & elective teachers, administrators, school counselors, school social workers, school psychologists, teacher mentors, SLPs, OTs, PTs, and other certified staff. The survey will take approximately 10-12 minutes to complete. For more information, please visit this link.

This is an IRB approved national survey for all certified staff working in K-12 US public schools. This survey is for general and special education teachers, core content & elective teachers, administrators, school counselors, school social workers, school psychologists, teacher mentors, SLPs, OTs, PTs, and other certified staff. The survey will take approximately 10-12 minutes to complete. For more information, please visit this link.

Demographics:
Gender: male
Race: white/hispanic
Income: $60-65k
School: small town public school
State: Pennsylvania
Potential Majors: computer engineering, engineering physics, or physics
Stats:
GPA:

• My school is on a 100 scale, so my cumulative GPA by the end of this year would be about 92.5UW/94.7W.
• On a 4.0 scale it's about 3.55UW/3.75W.
• I have an upward trend : 82UW/83W freshman year; 97UW/98W sophomore year; 97.5UW/101W junior year (projected)

Advanced Coursework:
My school only offers 8 APs.

• Freshman: Algebra II Honors
• Sophomore: Geometry Honors
• Junior: Inorganic Chem Honors, Organic Chem Honors, English 11 Honors, Precalculus Honors, AP Euro
• Senior (signed up): AP Calc AB, AP Lit, AP Gov, AP Chem, AP Physics I

Class Rank: Projected to be somewhere in the T10 out a class of 165 students.
SAT: I have only taken once so far. I got a 1530 (770 R, 760 M).
ECs:

• 2 years as class treasurer
• 1 year as class co-president
• 1 year of key club

Colleges I am Interested in:

• Syracuse
• Penn State
• Pitt
• Lehigh
• Lafayette
• Boston University
• Case Western
• Carnegie
• Cornell
• Princeton
• MIT

Uma Musume: Pretty Derby - ROAD TO THE TOP
I wasn’t planning on checking out the 4 episode special for Uma Musume, but the amazing opening caught my eye and convinced me to give it a shot. As I started watching, it was clear to me that this show’s superb animation was supported by some incredible cinematography that helped build the narrative between its leads. As a fun exercise, I wanted to try to highlight some of the directing choices and break down how Uma Musume RTTT gets away with telling so little by showing so much.
Cinematography is the presentation of the visuals in anime. The arrangement of characters in a scene, the lighting, the focus on props or backgrounds: all of these can be encapsulated by “cinematography,” and put in a ton of work for the viewing experience. There are plenty of obvious instances where a show will employ cinematography, but even if you don’t notice it immediately, these choices can have an underlying psychological effect in how you experience a scene. You can dye a scene in blue to enhance the melancholy. You can cut away from a conversation to a nearby prop to reveal a character’s mental state. These visual techniques can easily go underappreciated, and Uma Musume thankfully has some fairly overt examples that we can analyze.
(spoilers for episode 1)
Episode one opens up with the Yayoi Sho, a GII race that introduces two of our main leads: Narita Top Road and Admiral Vega. Much of what I want to talk about in this race will come later. But let me give a brief synopsis of the race. Under a slight drizzle, we start off with Avec Blaze* in the lead. Narita Top Road, eager to meet the expectations of her fans and coach, puts on a burst of speed to take the lead. Admiral Vega, who also feels the need to win for a yet undisclosed person, quickly follows up on her heels despite lingering behind the pack. Though it’s a close affair between the two, Narita Top Road clutches her lead and wins the race. She cheerfully waves to the crowd while Admiral Vega regretfully looks on. The episode immediately gives viewers exactly what they’re here for: some hype horse girls racing.
After the OP, we follow Narita Top Road in her daily school life. Her training starts at dawn, and this is clearly a recurring affair since her coach advises her to take a break.** At school, Narita Top Road is the class president and is admired by her classmates. Between her coach, fans, and friends, there’s plenty of people who acknowledge her drive and expect great things from her. Admiral Vega, noticing a small injury on Narita Top Road’s thigh, brings her outside to put a band-aid on it. In the hallway, Narita Top Road and Admiral Vega confess to one another declare their respective determination to win the upcoming Satsukisho. While Narita Top Road professes her excitement to race along with someone she admires, the light from the windows is always illuminating her face. She is quite literally glowing. Meanwhile, Admiral Vega, who feels hesitant about befriending her rivals, seems to have her face framed in between the path of these light beams. She’s not poorly lit by any means: there is just a clear difference in how our two characters are illuminated. The light is so all over Narita Top Road that she is reflecting light. This light and dark metaphor will persist throughout the episode’s run.
We’re next treated to a brief origin story for Narita Top Road. What helps sell the flashback is the fact that the conversations with the trainer all take place at sunset. This is a great example of the “Against the Setting Sun” trope, where Narita Top Road and the trainer make a goal to conquer the Twinkle Series together. Sunsets can symbolize transitioning to another phase, and here it depicts Narita Top Road’s first step to becoming a pro. We’re also treated to a parallel from an earlier training scene, where Narita Top Road attempts to make a sharp turn from the outside of the pack. She struggles more in this flashback, staggering several times; there is a noticeable improvement in the training scene that took place during the present, where Narita Top Road only staggers once. The mirroring of her first training scene in this flashback confirms Narita Top Road’s consistent practice and diligence. Narita Top Road works from sunrise to sunset, and when you consider the previous paragraph on lighting, it becomes apparent that Narita Top Road can be associated with daylight.
While Satsukisho is expected to be all about Admiral Vega vs. Narita Top Road, we switch unexpectedly to a third character. The ordering of events here was initially a bit confusing for me: we start with a cocky smirk prior to cutting to the eyecatch, with the upper half of the face hidden. When we come back, the first thing we see is an eye: it is TM Opera O waking up at 2 AM, visibly distressed. Then, it cuts to a flashback where TM Opera O is returning to running after an injury. She is all bravado and speaks boldly of her destiny to win every race she enters. She proceeds to win consecutive races, backing up her claims, but is also shown visibly struggling during training. Even so, she proudly declares that her perseverance in the face of adversity is for the audience: TM Opera O lives to win and bask in the cheers of a crowd. This flashback in my opinion serves to humanize TM Opera O’s larger than life personality: behind her dramatic flair and proud sense of self is someone who worked incredibly hard to get back into shape and still experiences some stress about meeting the standards she set for herself. For instance, her introduction starts with just her mouth, hiding the eyes, which are commonly used to indicate a character’s true nature. Then the show cuts to that portion of the face (eye) that was missing in that first shot, suggesting that the TM Opera O waking up right now is closer to her true self than the more grandiose mask she wears in public. She’ll continue to play this theatrical character in the series, but her introduction serves to let the audience know early on that she’s had her own share of struggles and insecurities.
Finally, we get to Admiral Vega and what she’s doing in preparation for the Satsukisho. We cut to night time, where Admiral Vega leaves to go for a run. She and her roommate, Curren Chan, are placed in different layers (Admiral Vega slightly blurred in the front while Curren Chan is sharp and placed behind her). This arrangement highlights the contrast in their activities: as Curren Chan is clearly winding down the day by brushing her tail, Admiral Vega is off to train. As she runs along a deserted street with numerous streetlights, Admiral Vega refuses to step into them. In fact, she’s shown running away from the light. The connection to darkness suggests that Admiral Vega’s motivations could be unhealthy. Or, going back to her thoughts in the hallway, Admiral Vega’s avoidance of light could connect to her dogma that she does not need friends or rivals (in this case, Narita Top Road who is the light): she just has to win at all costs. Either way, the lack of lighting for Admiral Vega directly sets her up as the clear rival for Narita Top Road. In the very next scene, Narita Top Road practices in broad daylight to the cheers of her classmates. Lighting and the time of day will play a pivotal role in coloring the interactions between these two characters in the rest of the series.
And now we’ve finally arrived at the Satsukisho, a premiere GI race for our trio of leads. Before it begins, Admiral Vega and Narita Top Road meet in the tunnels leading to the racetrack. Even though they are in the exact same location with respect to the light from the exit, Narita Top Road’s face is illuminated while Admiral Vega’s face continues to be shadowed. These two are definitely rivals and antitheses to one another. However, TM Opera O appears from the top of the tunnel exit, the backlighting giving her an almost videogame-boss-like feel; these two were supposed to be focused on one another, but the more menacing opponent may be the one standing above them.
Even if the media has tried to convince you that it’s a close affair between Narita Top Road and Admiral Vega, the cinematography makes it clear that this is Narita Top Road’s race to lose. Despite her cheerful demeanor in training, Narita Top Road is actually very nervous. She’s the last to enter her start gate and, as her classmates and friends cheer her on, we get this shot of Narita Top Road seemingly caged in by her starting gate. These expectations that she’s desperate to meet are beginning to stress her out. As we start the race, you’ll see that many of the shots here mirror that first race, which Narita Top Road won: the stormy clouds and slight drizzle, the shot of her coach right before the dramatic last minute spurt from Narita Top Road to take the lead, and even the brief proximity of Narita Top Road and Admiral Vega give the impression that we’ve seen this exact race before.
But unlike the race at the start of the episode, TM Opera O arrives to steal the show! There’s an incredible panning shot that zooms in on TM Opera O as she makes a break for the lead, emphasizing her approach. But then she flies past the camera, and the shot becomes an inverted zoom away. Not only does this shot give the viewer the sense of being left in the dust like her opponents, but the upside down perspective makes it clear that this result is an upset and, dare I say it, has flipped expectations. TM Opera O snatches victory from Narita Top Road’s hands, shattering the projection of a repeat of the first race’s results.*** She rightfully basks in the glory she anticipated earlier in the episode.
At the end, Narita Top Road is devastated. While TM Opera O celebrates, Narita Top Road’s sweaty face is pushed to the background: it’s a very familiar position for Admiral Vega. The mirroring of shots throughout this final race really gives this single episode a sense of completion, and that we’ve come full circle in spite of the different results. Despite the loss, the episode ends with Narita Top Road’s refusal to give in: a literal ray of sunshine breaks through the clouds and illuminates her as she holds her head high. Her hopes for a GI win have yet to be dashed, and she’ll have three more episodes to get her revenge. Meanwhile, Admiral Vega finished a dismal 6th, and her posture here is even more slumped than in the first race. Maybe it’s an injury bothering her, or perhaps it’s from the increasing weight of her failed expectations physically pushing her down. We’ll have to see in episode two if she’ll be able to find the same strength to raise her head.
As you watch the next three episodes, you’ll find the same impeccable directing throughout. They’ll continue to mirror previous shots to help depict the evolving relationships between characters and utilize lighting to contrast Narita Top Road and Admiral Vega. There are so many awesome shots littered throughout the show and despite my qualms for some of the story elements, my attention was captured by both the stellar race animation and the thoughtful cinematography. Even if you’re not that interested in horse girls, consider giving this short ONA a shot.****
*Is her name actually Astral Blaze?
**There’s a fun pair of shots here between the coach and Narita Top Road, but I wasn’t sure what this could mean outside of (spoilers) some potential communication issues between Narita Top Road and her trainer in the later episodes.
***I really was hoping that TM Opera O being in the 12th position and winning was a cinematic choice referencing Narita Top Road winning the first race in the 12th position, but no it is an actual coincidence.
****This was supposed to be a funny post about horse feet but I got lost in the directing sauce.

(Sorry for the long post) I start M4 next week and it's about time I make a decision on what specialty I want to do. I'm really conflicted between ENT and Ortho. My heart wants Ortho but my brain tells me ENT. Would love some feedback and opinions about this. I don't plan on doing residency in the US but in Germany. Funnily enough our Med School does not allow us to rotate in subspecialties until M4. I have both ENT and Ortho schedules as my 2 and 3rd rotations in M4.

1. The OR I love love love surgery and its the only type of medicine I want to do. I M2 I wanted to drop out of medicine since I hated everything, until I discovered Surgery in M3. When it comes to Ortho and ENT (the limited exposure I got from sneaking into their OR's during my General Surgery Rotation and the Youtube videos I've watched) it seems that the day to day Ortho OR's are much more fun and stimulating for me. Trauma, Hip and Knee Replacements, ACL Tears, and Spine Surgery seem really cool, while the day to day of ENT, such as, Tubes, Adenoidectomy, Rhinoplasty were simple and well boring. HOWEVER, the Head &Neck Dissections, Cochlear Implants and Reconstructive Facial Surgeries are prob the best surgeries I've ever seen. Better than any Ortho Surgery. Unfortunately they don't do them at my institution but from the Youtube videos that I've watched I fell in love with them. I tend to like and enjoy the longer higher impact OR's.
2. Hight Impact Surgery As I mentioned previously, I tend to like higher impact Surgeries. Something were I can really make a quick difference in a patients life. I think both specialities fall into this category. Ortho maybe slightly more with the advances in Hip and Knee Replacements.
3. Clinic I do not hate clinic. I do not like it either. I do understand that I need the slow and quiet days of clinic to enjoy the hectic OR days. As much as I love the OR I'm sure that I eventually will burn out if I don't create a balance. In this category, ENT kinda wins since it offers a better balance.
4. Work-Life Balance With the current aging population in Germany the demand for Orthopedics is very high. So high that its not that competitive to get into (unlike ENT). I love being busy while working. I hate having nothing to do all day and waiting for patients in a room. I want to be busy and I want to make an impact. On the other hand, I really value a chill and relaxing personal life. It's like Work hard Play hard kinda thing. ENT does provide a better work life balance (as a resident and an Attending) but it risks having more slow working days than heavy working days. Maybe this is the excited 24 y.o me thats excited to finally find something they like. ENT might be a better choice since now I'm young excited but I think I'd value the more chill lifestyle when I'm in my 40's and 50's.
5. How much medicine they do and personality Ima be real with you. I don't wanna be the person prescribing medication to people. I also don't wanna be the person managing the patients. I prefer a more of fix and move on approach to things. This is a big plus for me as Ortho is notorious for admitting patients to IM rather than taking care of them. In fact in my hospital EVERYONE hates ortho, even the other surgical departments. Whenever I say that I am thinking of Ortho I would get faces of disgust (specially from IM). Idk if its a universal thing but I do understand the hate. The ortho doctors in my hospital are huge bullies and will make your life a living hell. ENT is more chill and everyone seems to like them. Even tho I am a former athlete with a history of muscle injuries, my personality tends to fit more with the ENT surgeons.
6. Money Ortho makes more money in private practice than ENT. In the public sector, Ortho has more negotiation power for a higher salary since they are a cash cow for hospitals.
7. I'm also interested in Uro and Ophtalmo but those are my 3rd and 4th options respectively.

I was born in a lower-middle-class family in a small town. After my dad got a new job in Reliance Industry, we moved to a tier-three city. We were hopeful that the quality of life will improve.
However, we soon realized that living in a bigger city came with its own challenges and costs. My father had to pay income tax on his salary, which reduced his disposable income significantly. He also had to pay for our education, health care, and other expenses that were not subsidized by the government. We faced corruption and bribery at every step, whether it was getting admission to a good school, applying for a scholarship, or obtaining a certificate from a government office. We felt cheated and frustrated by the system that did not reward our hard work and honesty.
On the other hand, we saw that many local people who did not pay any direct tax enjoyed various freebies and benefits from the government. They received free cycles, uniforms, scholarships, ration, water, kerosene, and so on. I often wondered why we did not get those things for free like them. My father explained that we were not eligible for those schemes because our name was not on the list of beneficiaries. He said that to get our name on the list, we would have to bribe some officials and waste our time and energy. He said that we should focus on our studies and career instead of depending on the government.
Now I am 27 years old and working as a software engineer in a tier-one city. I earn a decent salary, but I pay 35 thousand rupees as income tax every month. I moved here with the same hope of improving my quality of life and seeing some development for which we have been paying taxes. But what I see is poor infrastructure, bad roads, water scarcity, pollution, and traffic congestion, not even a decent sidewalk to walk. I do not see any difference between the services and facilities available to me and those who do not pay any direct tax. They still get even more freebies and subsidies from the government, while I get nothing in return.
I do not mind paying tax if I get something in return, like free and quality education and healthcare. I do not mind freebies if the government delivers what it has promised already, like good roads, clean water, reliable electricity, and efficient public transport. But I do not see any of these things happening in India. I feel that there is no incentive for me to pay taxes in this country. I feel that there is no reward for me to move up the ladder from lower middle class to upper middle class.
Is it fair to overburden us will all the taxes and interest rate hikes? Should I even feel proud to pay taxes in this country? Should the hell I pay taxes in this country?

This is an IRB approved national survey for all certified staff working in K-12 US public schools. This survey is for general and special education teachers, core content & elective teachers, administrators, school counselors, school social workers, school psychologists, teacher mentors, SLPs, OTs, PTs, and other certified staff. The survey will take approximately 10-12 minutes to complete. For more information, please visit this link.

Okay, so I changed my school in class 9 cause kura milne-milne jasto bhako thyo mero crush sanga tesaile usle school change garcha vanda malai ni aauna tmi(she also like purai forced type nai garyo) vanyo cause we were too close and I changed school and first 1-2months mai she completely forgot about me. And now after that more than that girl I started regretting of changing school but couldn't do nothing I was bright student before tho- class 9 dekhi 10 ma,mari mari aako.
I'm just seeking tips for my SEE exams and study please if you elders can help me. What are the tips I should follow to get real good grades (target 4GPA) in SEE exam how to study effectively?
TLDR: Changed school due to crush,kurai Milena and now I'm in grade 10 struggling with studies. Can anyone provide me some tips to score good grades in SEE exams? And how to study effectively?

This is an IRB approved national survey for all certified staff working in K-12 US public schools. This survey is for general and special education teachers, core content & elective teachers, administrators, school counselors, school social workers, school psychologists, teacher mentors, SLPs, OTs, PTs, and other certified staff. The survey will take approximately 10-12 minutes to complete. For more information, please visit this link.

This is an IRB approved national survey for all certified staff working in K-12 US public schools. This survey is for general and special education teachers, core content & elective teachers, administrators, school counselors, school social workers, school psychologists, teacher mentors, SLPs, OTs, PTs, and other certified staff. The survey will take approximately 10-12 minutes to complete. For more information, please visit this link.
Inclusion criteria: Work in a US K12 public school as an OT or other certified staff member.
Exclusion criteria: Work outside the K12 setting, not work in a US public school

Hello! May ma re recommend po ba kayong products or routines for underarm whitening? Yung may visible result after 2 months or so. Insecurity ko kasi to eh. I used excessive deodorant nung younger years ko because of school bullying kaya siguro ang itim 🫠

I typed a post similar to this on my computer now typing on my phone on a different account. Anyways. I’ll just say it. I’m lonely, isolated and losing myself. I’m lonely because I’ve been homeschooled for 4 years without social groups. Can’t go back to public school because if I was I wouldn’t know what’s happening because through out those 4 years I never did the school work. I don’t know how I thought me. Someone who suffers from autism,ADHD, dyslexia, and dyscalculia could ever. My parents may send me to a adult learning center. I have zero interest in going there. Being surrounded by a bunch of 18+ older people sounds depressing. And even if I did go to social groups, or some place to make friends. I have bad social anxiety, and no personality. I have nothing of substance to say.
All I want is friends and to be liked.

Feeling very depressed after reading the Seven Days article about seclusion and restraints in schools. I noticed there were no teachers interviewed or other gen ed classroom kids… I’m sure they could explain the trauma they face when they have to hide behind tables when a kid is throwing chairs and books at them on a daily basis. I know this topic is very complicated and I do not support seclusion or restraints, but there is a larger problem that article doesn’t address whatsoever. There is a mental health crisis in VT and it starts with kids. There are very little options for kids who need more than what a public school can provide.

This is an IRB approved national survey for all certified staff working in K-12 US public schools. This survey is for general and special education teachers, core content & elective teachers, administrators, school counselors, school social workers, school psychologists, teacher mentors, SLPs, OTs, PTs, and other certified staff. The survey will take approximately 10-12 minutes to complete. For more information, please visit this link.

This is an IRB approved national survey for all certified staff working in K-12 US public schools. This survey is for general and special education teachers, core content & elective teachers, administrators, school counselors, school social workers, school psychologists, teacher mentors, SLPs, OTs, PTs, and other certified staff. The survey will take approximately 10-12 minutes to complete. For more information, please visit this link.

I live in a small town, when I was in high school I was walking back from work at night and I got arrested for reasonable suspicion that I was high, even if I wasn’t, I was very tired. It was later ruled that I was innocent.
But then I tried to find work now a couple years later and my employer said that I failed my background check due to a felony on my criminal record. I explained to them the whole thing and they said that their policy said not to hire anyone with a criminal record and that I could be danger due to being a felon.
I even tried to talk to my public defender and everyone I could, even the police, and they all told me that I’m on my own. My public defender even blocked my phone number because I was so desperate to get this off my record but he kept suggesting that I would have to pay a hefty sum of money to him to get it done, otherwise I could screw off.
So am I still a felon? Am I screwed for life? I’m not trying to joke.

This is an IRB approved national survey for all certified staff working in K-12 US public schools. This survey is for general and special education teachers, core content & elective teachers, administrators, school counselors, school social workers, school psychologists, teacher mentors, SLPs, OTs, PTs, and other certified staff. The survey will take approximately 10-12 minutes to complete. For more information, please visit this link.

This is an IRB approved national survey for all certified staff working in K-12 US public schools. This survey is for general and special education teachers, core content & elective teachers, administrators, school counselors, school social workers, school psychologists, teacher mentors, SLPs, OTs, PTs, and other certified staff. The survey will take approximately 10-12 minutes to complete. For more information, please visit this link.

So, I have a project in mind and have had it in mind for quite awhile. So I finally sat down last night and actually budgeted it. It turns out I need AT MINIMUM 400K, but wouldn't be surprised if I need 500K, and if I seriously pursue it, would probably want 500K for back up costs.
I only have a high school education and only know fast food work since 2016. I can't pursue further education. It's a mix of me being dumb and just cracking under the school system, I had to cheat to pass high school.
I also can't drive, so it needs to be something that I can get to via public transit, since if I do UbeLyft every day, those bills will rack up too fast.
So if anyone has any career or side gig suggestions that could help me make 400-500K as fast as possible, while only having a high school education, please let me know! Thank you!

It all commenced on the inaugural day of school, etched in my memory as I walked into the math class, brimming with nervousness and lacking companionship. However, I was confident that, given my extroverted nature, it wouldn't take long for me to forge friendships. Recollecting the night before, I skimmed through the class roster, seeking to ascertain the gender balance. As I settled into my seat, my gaze was captivated by a petite girl who immediately caught my attention. There was something about her that compelled me to look her way. Initially, I had assumed she might be just like anyone else, but when she removed her mask to quench her thirst, I was taken aback by her breathtaking appearance. It wasn't a conventional allure, but rather an authentic warmth that radiated from her. Though she was introverted and didn't engage with others, her intellect captivated me, and I found it immensely attractive. Subsequently, I discovered that she was acquainted with some of my friends from high school. Nevertheless, I realized that I should keep my feelings for her to myself since my friends didn't share my perspective. Despite their disapproval, I persisted in my efforts to connect with her, attempting to break the ice through occasional conversations between classes. However, my attempts were futile, as I struggled to establish a connection, and before I knew it, I never had another conversation with her. Fortunately, we were assigned to the same group for a project in our economics class. During our interactions, we discussed high school experiences and course selections, and I distinctly recall her soothing and velvety voice. It neither resonated too deeply nor soared too high; her words effortlessly passed through one ear and departed through the other. The following day, I sat next to her and noticed that her laptop had run out of battery. In a gentlemanly manner, I offered to charge it, anticipating her appreciation for such an uncommon gesture from an acquaintance. Although I engaged in more conversations with her, the subsequent week arrived, and I never sat beside her in economics class again. From a distance, I contented myself with observing her, hoping she wouldn't notice. I vividly remember witnessing her smile for the first time, and my immediate thought was, 'Goodness, how can her smile exude such exquisite beauty?' Every time she smiled, it stirred a fluttering sensation within me, an indescribable feeling. Her gentle voice combined with her reserved yet intelligent demeanor further intensified my attraction towards her. By this time, April had arrived, and apart from occasional homework messages, I never exchanged another word with her. I made futile attempts to initiate conversations, but they never materialized into anything substantial. Eventually, the fifteenth week of the semester arrived, and to my surprise, we were once again grouped together for our economics class. However, something had changed. When I tried to initiate a conversation, she evaded me, perpetuating the pattern of avoidance that had persisted over the past two months. This time, her avoidance stung the most since we were in the same group, yet she displayed a clear aversion to any interaction with me. I vividly recall the heartbreak that welled within me, knowing that I would never have the opportunity to share a beautiful evening watching the sunset with her. I consoled myself by acknowledging the need to move on, even though it seemed impossible. The subsequent week brought the semester finals, and coincidentally, we found ourselves in the same examination venue for all three exams. After each test, I pretended to stretch so I could steal one last glance at her. That was the final encounter before our semester break. At this point, I had accepted defeat and acknowledged that she had never even noticed me. During the break, I stayed at a friend's place, and the following day, we decided to have lunch together. This friend happened to be acquainted with her from high school. I casually mentioned the beautiful girl who always frequented a particular spot. To my surprise, my friend confirmed my observation and proceeded to share a piece of information that shattered my emotional state throughout the entire semester break. He disclosed that he had bumped into her recently, and they engaged in a conversation. While it seemed like a typical catch-up between old friends, my friend unexpectedly mentioned my name, prompting the girl to comment. She expressed her dislike towards me, describing my attitude as disagreeable. According to her, I spoke excessively about wealth accumulation and politics, while my actions apparently revealed my affluence despite my modest attire. She harbored a strong aversion towards me. Upon hearing this revelation, my heart shattered into countless fragments, as if the adage "the worst she could say is no" had come to life. For the remainder of that day, this disheartening revelation lingered in my mind, while internally, I wept incessantly. I desperately sought to understand how she knew about my interest in money and political discussions, even though I had never broached those topics in her presence. The enigma baffled and saddened me further. I couldn't fathom how a girl I had genuinely liked could openly despise me. Throughout the subsequent months, my thoughts constantly circled around what I had done wrong and where I had misstepped during the semester, leading to her vehement dislike. I felt utterly devastated, as I had never harbored such intense affection for someone before. The most significant aspect was that my affection wasn't solely based on physical attraction; it was a genuine admiration, one where I was willing to endure the criticisms that would surely come from my friends. I came to the realization that I had squandered my energy on her throughout the entire semester, and I felt profoundly lost. I attempted to use her rejection as a forbidden source of motivation, and while it did yield some results, the lingering knowledge of her hatred pierced me daily. As I pen this recollection, I am still inwardly weeping, my heart completely shattered. Whenever I observe couples in public, my thoughts invariably return to her. Nevertheless, despite all this, I have made a solemn promise to myself—to improve and become the best version of myself. I aspire to be a man of unparalleled achievement, one who would make her regret not reciprocating my affection. I want her to realize that whoever she ends up with, I will surpass them in wealth, strength, intellect, and kindness. I acknowledge that I wasted a minuscule fraction of my lifetime on her. I had been willing to give her everything I had, even introducing her to my family. However, it is clear that she does not appreciate someone like that. Nevertheless, it's alright; someday, she will deeply regret her actions. Even if she experiences a fraction of the heartbreak I endured, I am certain it will evoke a torrent of emotional anguish. Thus concludes this chapter of my life. I believe there is a valuable lesson for all young men out there—do not invest everything and wholeheartedly love a woman. They rarely appreciate men who genuinely love them and are willing to make sacrifices on their behalf.