Long story short, I just left a bad situation with a guy I was engaged to. My trust and my heart are both broken and my whole life planned out just crumbled. I have one apartment with the guy for too much for me to afford by myself, no friends to move in even if it weren’t a 600 sqft box with one toilet and one bedroom, and now my rich family doesn’t want me to move back home for a reason that hasn’t even been explained to me. I dont even own my car, its a lease due to end in 15 months and I give the owner ( a family member ) the monthly lease payment and biannual insurance payments directly. I have about $700 in savings and just got paid so $1000 and some change in my checking, and nothing else. I don’t own anything, and I don’t have anybody in my life to help me out, the last time I had a friend was high school before I moved to college in another state and dropped out mid pandemic. Life is just really low right now, and I need something in the works for my future or I may fall too deep into this hard spot. What should I do? Obviously I’ll probably need a second job and to look for an apartment that wont be my entire paycheck, but what if that doesnt work? What if I can’t find a place to live by the end of this month? I cant pay the next rent check all by myself and I can hardly live in a car that doesn’t belong to me. I really need some advice.

hi first time posting here.
im a y2 early childhood student (cgpa 2.5), and ive been thinking of dropping out.
didnt do well for o's in 2022, and retook math in 2023. applied for DAE to rp sas and nyp nursing for AY24/25. got an offer frm RP, and an interview from NYP, but withdrew my application. had to reject and withdraw due to personal reasons.
I decided to stay in ecde and give it a shot. however, now that we are 1 month into y2.1, i find myself struggling to grasp the basic ideas of what we are learning, and that lesson planning all that aint for me. i had a lot of fun in y1 esp y1.2.
currently im thinking of finishing up y2 in ecde and apply for nursing again next AY. as i dont think i can transfer mid year.
ive always wanted to work in healthcare, and being in ecde made me realised i want to work w kids too!
for uni, im aiming for NTU double major in biological sciences + psych, SIT nursing/radiohraphy. and with my current gpa, these wld be near impossible. changing courses wld allow me to have a fresh start.
healthcare, tho demanding, is a really rewarding industry. and i believe it wld rlly be worth it.
since im alr in y2 and intend to finish the year, idk if i shld drop out still, or just press on.
ps: restarting poly wld also mean that id graduate at 22, and uni at 26/27. making my dad hold off on retirement, which i feel rlly bad for as he works rlly hard, and earn majority of our family's income.

So I currently play lead tenor in my jazz band, and I will do the same my next school year. I currently use a school tenor, which is a YTS-480. Thing plays so well, and I love it. But I plan to continue to play in college, and I don’t have a tenor to use after high school. I currently own an alto saxophone, clarinet, and flute, and I would like to add a tenor to my collection. Should I buy a tenor, or should I stick to the YTS-480?

Episode Description

Simba leaves Kiara in charge of the Pride Lands while he, Nala, and Zazu go to Kilio Valley to attend a funeral for an old elephant friend named Amanifu who has just died. Upon learning this from Mzingo, Janja decides to take advantage of Kiara's inexperience and comes up with a plan to take over the Pride Lands. Meanwhile, Simba is nervous about performing his eulogy in front of the elephants, including Aminifu's daughter, Ma Tembo.
Song: "Duties of the King" sung by Simba and Zazu

Pros
-First off, I like the sibling dynamic in this episode, as somebody with a similarly aged older brother. Kion and Kiara's relationship has resonated with me, the way they have off days and arguments, but, obviously love each other and make it out strong in the end. I, for one, do not hate Kiara in The Lion Guard, and Kion gives her the same attitude she gives him in early episodes. I like watching their relationship go through ups and downs throughout Season 1.
-I know the opening scene, where Kiara and Kion are fighting over a tree to sharpen their claws is quite intense, because they would've probably gotten into a scuffle if Simba hadn't showed up when he did, but, that is siblings for you sometimes. I feel like anyone who's got siblings of your own can relate, at least a little bit, to that scene.
-I like the plotline of Kiara and Kion's sibling rivalry stemming from their roles in leadership. Kiara is clearly a reflection of her father, when he was a cub, which is interesting and so, she thinks that being the Future Queen is really swell and makes her the alpha, and Kion (who is no better than her) thinks that being Leader of the Lion Guard makes him more important than her. I like this mechanic in this episode. It makes me want to know if Scar felt the same way about Mufasa. I mean, Kion was obviously not resentful of Kiara, unlike Scar, but I wonder if a similar thing happened with the two brothers except, in this case, it drove Scar to insanity and wanting to murder Mufasa.
-Now let's talk about Kiara being left in charge of the Pride Lands (I mean, I do think the main conflict of the episode was Simba's fault, but we'll get to that later). So, I like the fact that Kiara is nervous about ruling the Pride Lands, even for a brief period of time. I like this because for one thing, she's still only a cub at this time, so, she's entitled to be nervous and anxious about being responsible for an entire kingdom. There's a lot of responsibility being placed on her at such a young age, but, she still remained likable, in my opinion. I do like how, in The Lion Guard, she takes her responsibility as Future Queen very seriously. I know this is unpopular to say, but, I headcanon that, as she's grown up into an older cub, she's realised that being queen won't prevent her from being herself, a concern she had at the beginning of TLK 2.
-I do empathise with Kiara, and Kion, because they are both being put into a huge responsibility of looking after the entire kingdom on their own, while all the adults are away from Pride Rock. This is still really early on in Season 1, so Kion is inexperienced as Leader of the Lion Guard, and Kiara only just started her training with Simba, in the pilot episode. I do feel bad at the fact that they have to figure everything without their parents around and I respect them for managing to work out their differences by the end of the episode.
-I really feel bad for Kiara because she gets a lot of crap from people in the TLG community, moreso than Kion does. I feel really sorry for her because people say they hate her for her attitude and that they think she's a self-righteous bitch at the start of the series, but, I don't. Even as a kid, I knew that a lot of Kiara's behaviour in this episode was down to the stress of being left in charge of whole kingdom for a few days without her parents around, while still being a cub at this point. I do really like her and it really upsets when I see people hating on her. I don't think Kiara really means to be controlling in this episode, she's just trying to do right by her father while he's gone.
-I like the fact that Kiara is really hesitant and nervous to have a huge weight on her shoulders, a role she was previously really excited to fulfil in the pilot episode. When Simba asks this of her, she's understanding feeling a lot of pressure to make him proud. I like the fact that Simba admits to her that he was also nervous about becoming king the first time. I like this because we only saw the side of him that was cocky, overconfident and optimistic about becoming king. I like the fact that she was nervous and that he decides to be upfront about it.
-Kiara still remained a likable character to me throughout this episode. I like how she starts out as nervous and how her confidence is slowly building up nicely during the episode. But, she never came off as mean-spirited, to me. Also, it becomes clear that the reason her responsibility goes to her head is because of Tiifu and Zuri's influence on her and the Lion Guard's inexperience and, in this case, plot-convenient incompetence.
-Beshte, "I'm sure she'll be a nice queen." Well, I'm glad at least one of you believes in her. I can't tell you guys how much I love Beshte, always the sweetest soul out of the group.
-Ono, "Thank you for the opportunity, my queen. And you.... err..... my Kion." That line was funnier than it had any right to be.
-Speaking of which, I thought seeing Ono in Zazu's position, temporarily for Kiara was interesting and I think was a great use of his character, outside of being a Member of the Lion Guard. I personally would've been down for more scenes like this. I think a cool send off for Ono would've been to have him be the Royal Advisor to Queen Kiara and King Kovu, in the future. I wish Ono had stayed in the Pride Lands in the series finale and had become Zazu's apprentice or something.
-Bunga, "Your majesty." {bows at Kiara}. Kiara, "Bunga, that's really not necessary." I found that whole interaction surprisingly funny. Also, strong feeling that Bunga has a huge crush on his best friend's sister at this point, and Kiara views him as her friend, nothing more.
-Kiara's plan about the Bees and the Eelands fiasco was actually very smart, and even when I saw this as a kid, I knew that she had a better idea than Kion. Her idea about moving the eelands away from bees' nests is smarter because bees obviously sting when angered. So, Kion was too proud to admit Kiara had the better idea.
-One of the funniest parts of the whole episode for me was Kion saying, "I say we move the bees". Then, the scene cuts to Kion, Beshte, Fuli and Ono running away from a swarm of bees, in terror. I obviously don't want them hurt, but, I just had to laugh because it was so predictable.
-Bunga, "What are you guys running for? Bees taste even better when they're mad!" Accurate behaviour from a honey badger. They can raid beehives without being stung due to their very thick hide and their stink sap.
-When the Lion Guard arrived back at Pride Rock covered in bee stings, if I were Kiara, I'd be laughing in Kion's face at that moment, like "Ha, ha, you were wrong. Only an idiot would decide to move a swarm of bees to a new place." But, in fairness, Kiara was right to be mad at him, in that moment, for his little screw up.
-"It wasn't a total disaster," Kion, while talking to Kiara. Kiara, looks at Fuli and Ono scratching themselves, "Really? It looks pretty total to me." I mean, she does have a point there. In this situation, Kion had everything to gain from taking her advice.
-However, I do like the fact this episode shows that Kiara and Kion are not perfect leaders yet, they're still fairly young and are only just finding their feet, so it's natural for them to have some minor slip ups, that they learn from, like every kid does.
-"Admit it. I was right about the bees and you were wrong." Kion, just admit it and save yourself the embarrassment. Kiara was not being rude to him whatsoever. She was speaking nothing but facts.
-When Kiara talks to Mzingo at Pride Rock, I like the fact that the latter is clearly higher up in the frame because he's the one dominating the conversation and is also the one who manipulates Kiara. I think it's a nice touch where he creepily approaches and blackmails her.
-*laughs "Janja wants peace?" I like the fact that Kiara is clearly sceptical and she's obviously suspicious of Janja's true intentions. I like this because it doesn't make Kiara out to be seriously wayyy too gullible and silly. The fact that was she was suspicious feels more in-line with TLK 2 and makes her decision to believe Janja, partially Kion's fault. Manipulation is also a very powerful tool, especially to done on a semi-young child, like Kiara.
-I like the fact that Mufasa appears to Kion, unprompted in this episode, for the first time in the series. I love this because it feels like Mufasa saw the argument that had just gone down and was like, "Right I need to put an end to this sibling drama before it gets out of hand. I need to make Kion see the error of his ways."
-I actually love the fact that Kiara is, at least partially willing, to give Outlanders a chance for peace. It feels like a nice bit of foreshadowing for her character arc in TLK 2, where she was able to give the Outsider lions a chance to fit in.
-Kion angrily to Tiifu and Zuri, "Ugh! Some advisors you two are!" That was more hilarious than it had any right to be. Because, let's be honest, they were pretty obnoxious in this episode.
-"Get away from the Queen!!!!" I actually love the moment where Kion comes bursting in like a superhero, to his sister's aid. I also love the fact that he calls Kiara his queen, at this point, because he clearly listened to Mufasa's advice, and also because he had felt somewhat responsible for her almost being killed by Janja.
-"Oh we can fight all right!!!" So badass. I personally would've loved to see Kiara fight alongside the Lion Guard. I think it would've been cool to see her help to fight off Janja's clan. I wanted to see what she could do.
-"Six on six..... Forget it!!!!" Yeah, you better run, Janja, you don't stand a chance against all six of these heroic friends. And one of them is a bloody hippo.
-I love Kion and Kiara's closeness at the end of the episode where they make up for their uncivil, squabbling at the start. Kion finally rightfully admits that he should've taken Kiara's advice about the bees and the elands, and Kiara admits that Kion was right about Janja being nothing but trouble.
-Kion, "And I should've listened to you about the bees." Ono, "Oh, sure {rolls his eyes}. Now he admits it." Oh, Ono, you knew all along, but, we love you.
-Kiara and Kion when Simba and Nala arrive home, are really sweet. I love the fact that Kiara wants to be honest about what happened, "Ruling the Pride Lands? It went..." I absolutely love the moment where Kion decides to cover for her and admits that she'll be a great queen, this is an incredibly sweet brother and sister moment. That moment feels like a precursor to the episode "Baboons" and even later "The Trail to Udugu."
-I love the moral of this episode about "being supportive of your loved ones efforts to help, especially when they are wrong," because it applies to both Kiara and Kion in two different situations. Kion was obviously wrong to go against Kiara's advice to move the elands, but, Kiara learned that she should've been more sensitive about that whole situation. But, Kion also learned that if hadn't been so dismissive of her acting queen for a few days and given her his utmost support when she was clearly nervous about ruling the Pride Lands. If Kion and Kiara been more sensitive to each other, then, they would've been able to be in charge of the Pride Lands together instead of arguing. Also, this episode shares another moral, "Communication is key to understanding each other and a successful team." Kiara learns this after Kion saves her and she realises she was wrong about Janja, and Kion learns this when the Lion Guard get stung by bees, and even later when he realises that he was partly to blame for Kiara going into the Outlands, and that if he had been upfront with her instead of outright yelling at her and running out on her, she wouldn't have needed to be rescued. These are two important lessons for kids going through school together, or with siblings and friends.
-Also, Janja is genuinely dangerous and scary in this episode. He traps Kiara in the Outlands to use her as a bargaining chip for Simba or else he and his would eat her. They would've gotten away with it if Kion didn't jump in at the last second. Janja threatened the freaking princess of the Pride Lands! Reason number #50 why he should never be allowed enter the Pride Lands, no matter if he is starving or not, because he clearly cannot be trusted to follow the rules.
-And now I'm finally going to talk about the B-plot of the episode. It wasn't as good the A-plot, in my opinion. I did love the worldbuilding aspect of this episode where we learn that different animals in the Pride Lands have their own customs and traditions that need to be respected. I like the idea of Simba upholding a tradition and it was interesting that he was never trained for it because obviously Mufasa died before he could complete his training.
-I like the idea of Simba, Nala and Zazu going to an elephant funeral. Elephants actually have "funerals" in real life. In real life, if a member of their herd dies, the elephants will crowd around them ceremoniously to pay tribute and they'll collect twigs and branches to cover the fallen elephant to pay tribute, out of respect for them. I love the way its portrayed as a ceremonial funeral in The Lion Guard and that Simba is upholding a tradition. I love the way he has to say it in Elephantese because the idea of the elephants' having a language barrier is a cool worldbuilding element.
-Aminifu is a cool worldbuilding character too who, we're told, played a big part in the Pride Lands' revival and bringing the circle of life into balance. I like to headcanon we was a childhood friend of Mufasa and Scar, and the rest of the Royal Family, and how he go on to be a good friend to Simba, Nala and the rest of Simba's pride. I like to think Aminifu was responsible for all the animals in the kingdom, similar to the Lion Guard, and how his daughter fills that role in Season 2.
-The Elephant Funeral scene looks cool because of how emotional and how heart-wrenching it looks from afar. I like the addition of all the elephants mourning in the background. It was a little dark this early on the series. One elephant hugs Aminifu and looks like their going to cry, another elephant and her calf are crying, while hugging each other.
-I like how you can see shades of Mufasa's death through Simba's voice in this episode, such as, "And now Aminifu has completely his part of the circle of life," and "Well, time for the tribute." I like this because I like to think Simba is obviously nervous about performing a eulogy in front of elephants, but, probably also a bit upset and mourning over his own father's death. I mean, in fairness, he never to give his father a proper send off when he died, so, this probably hit even harder for him.
-I like how this is Zazu's first main character moment in the series and how much of a hard worker and a loyal he is to Simba and Nala, his whole motivation is just to help Simba learn Elephantese properly so he can impress Ma Tembo's herd, during the tribute.
-Nala is such a sweetheart and a loving partner to Simba. I love her because she's pretty much exactly how she was in the original film. She's his loving and supportive wife, and I love the way he gives him moral support when he gets nervous. I love her snarky jab at her husband early on the episode too, by the way, "Worried about Kiara? Or are you worried about your tribute?"
-The song "Duties of the King" was decent enough, I suppose. I mean, it's not my favourite song in the series and I wouldn't be reaching for it. But, I don't hate it. I like the more cutesy, "miscellaneous" animals shown in the background, like the chimpanzees and the porcupines. Plus, it's nice to know that Simba doesn't just sit on his ass all day and that he does important jobs, like he assigns gazelles to their grazing grounds and songbirds to their trees. I love that he presides over aardvark wedding rites and then we saw Muhanga and Muhangus kissing behind some grass. So, I wonder if Simba did in fact, preside over their wedding before this episode. Overall, I like the cute scenes of this song and I like the fact that Simba actually has important stuff to do. I can see why kids would dance around to this song because it's very bouncy and energetic. The beat is fine, but, I don't like Rob Lowe's singing voice as Simba. I think they should've used Cam Clarke all along for The Lion Guard, who actually voices Mwoga the vulture. I don't mind the beat, but, I don't think Simba and Zazu are the best singers, at least in this series, that is. I'll give it a 5/10 because there are worse songs than it.
-Ma Tembo is such a sweetheart in this episode and I love her. She doesn't have a major role in the series as of yet, but, it's still clear in this episode that she has a great relationship with Simba and the Royal Family. I'm glad she had a bigger part in Season 2. I also love her voice actress, Lynette DuPree (R.I.P) and I think she's one of the best in the series. I love how she makes her sound genuinely sad during the procession and then a little bittersweet during the "poop" scene. Also, shout out to the moment where she wraps her trunk around Simba.
-Also, call me childish if you want to, but I actually love it when Simba actually says that Aminifu had "poop on him". I mean, it just gets me because that's not something you'd say at a funeral and the fact that the elephants took it really well and actually laughed hysterically is genuinely hilarious. Like, even his daughter admitted that he had always had faeces on him. It was funny because of how much Simba feels like he screwed up, but, then, the elephants had a really good sense of humour about it.
-Also, this episode makes me wish that at least someone went to the Elephant Graveyard during this series. Maybe Aminifu's funeral could've been there and Simba and Nala would've had to go the place where they almost got killed as cubs or maybe even Kion and the Lion Guard would have to go there. It's such a missed opportunity. Or if Janja went there then maybe he could've learn that Scar betrayed his ancestors long before the events of The Lion Guard. But, speaking of the Elephant Graveyard, I bet Ma Tembo's herd are going to wait for Aminifu to decompose and then carry his remains to the Graveyard because that's something that elephants do if a member of their herd dies outside of their designated area. I like to think that that's what happened after this episode. I just wish they had the funeral in the Elephant Graveyard and we got to see Simba and Nala go there as adults, but, I'm not going to fault this episode for not going in this direction.
-Zazu, "I'm not sure Sire, but, I think you just said he had.... {quietly} poop on him...." Try not to judge me too harshly, but, I just find poop jokes hilarious for some reason, as an adult.
Cons
-First off, I don't like how Kion and Kiara were both dumbed down for the sake of plot-convenience for much of this episode. I get that they're still kids, but, Kion's plans to move the bees instead of the elands was the most stupid idea I've seen in the series. The literally just had an episode where Kion calls out his best friend, Bunga, for making bad decisions and now it's Kion who made a really dumb decision. I mean, that should be bee rescue 101, don't try to move a swarm of bees, they do not like, and the fact that Kiara spells it out for them before this scene, "....if the elands step on the beehives, they'll get stung.... there could be chaos." She's speaking nothing but facts. Kion should've realised that they shouldn't have tried to aggravate the bees. I don't like the fact that he acts cocky and dismissive towards Kiara, when she was so obviously right. However, Kiara was dumb to go into the Outlands alone to see Janja. I mean, I admire her willingness to give strangers a chance for peace, but the fact that she had her suspicions about him and she already knew what he was like, in accordance to the pilot episode, wouldn't she see reason to bring Tiifu and Zuri along for backup.
-I don't like how this episode seems to indicate that Simba favours his daughter over his son. Between the pilot episode and this episode, it seems like he sees Kion as a just a Child Soldier and doesn't actually love him equally. I know it's obviously not through, but, I don't like how he gives off an impression that he has favourites. Parents don't have favourites, unless you're an evil lioness named Zira and you give your youngest son everything, but then treat your eldest son like dirt. But, Simba isn't like that. I don't like how he says "I have faith in you," in such a way that gives off Parental Favouritism vibes. I'm really glad he doesn't have this in any of the later episodes.
-I hate the way the writers tried to do the Kion/Scar and Kiara/Mufasa parallels in this episode. I just don't like it being used as a plot device. The series makes a point to say that Kion is nothing like Scar and how he would never take his anger out on his family and friends. I don't mind Kiara being like her grandfather because he was a great king in his day, but, I don't like how the writers made Kion and Kiara have a similar relationship that led to Mufasa's fall. Also, one thing I loathed early on in the series is the fanart of Kion brutally murdering Kiara in rage, just like Scar murdered Mufasa. I just hate it so much because it would happen since Kiara and Kion have a caring relationship, where they do bicker like siblings tend to do, but, they would never turn on each other.
-I don't like the part where Kiara and Kion were outright malicious towards each other. All the lion cubs in this episode were quite mean-spirited at times. Kion and Kiara for obviously constantly fighting and being horrible instead of admitting to being wrong in certain situations, like the bees and the elands and the Janja situation. Kion is too cocky and overconfident about the bees, for my liking, and Kiara allows Tiifu and Zuri's influence to get her head and ends up believing she's always right. Kion only adds fuel to the fire by yelling at Kiara and then callously running out her instead of being upfront with her about Janja's true intentions. I get that siblings don't always see eye-to-eye on things, but, I don't like Kion and Kiara constantly being scumbags to each other and not giving things a second thought until the end. Mufasa had to be the one to put an end to the "sibling drama".
-Tiifu and Zuri were the worst of all, in my opinion, and I think all of you guys will agree. They were pretty annoying and obnoxious in this episode. They were very disrespectful and condescending towards Kion just because he's not a queen, and they caused Kiara to be disrespectful right back. Kiara doesn't strike me as disrespectful without these two around. I'm glad she actually stands up to them in later episodes rather than being influenced by them. Zuri is my least favourite of the two of them, she comes off as super mean-spirited and bitchy, and Tiifu comes off as domineering and rude. I don't like the way they talk down and belittle Kion and how they throw shade at anyone who believes Kiara is wrong. They act like stereotypical Mean Girls, but, the annoying kind. Plus, they weren't very good friends to Kiara for letting her go into the Outlands alone without a second thought about the fact that it might be dangerous. That doesn't sound like Tiifu. Remember how in the pilot, she was deeply concerned when Kiara was trapped by the gazelles. But, here, the stakes are much higher, and she's up against a much bigger threat and Tiifu and Zuri don't seem to give a damn. I'm glad Kion called them out on this behaviour before leaving. What I wouldn't give for Tiifu and Zuri to be captured by Janja instead, not to get eaten, but just so they can see how dangerous it is. It's episodes like this that make me wonder are they her actual best friends or are they just using her to hang out with the Royal Family. Kiara deserves better than these self-entitled bitches, in my opinion.
-I feel like Kiara should've been the main focus of this episode instead of Kion. I know this only S1 Ep4, but, I still think this should've been a Kiara focused episode, rather than a brothesister episode. I would've been interested to see Kiara take centre stage and the Lion Guard take a back seat. Then, we could've seen more of Kiara's apprehension about becoming Queen and her trying to make all the decisions without Simba around to guide her, and most importantly, see her trying to decide what sort of Queen she wants to be. I would've loved if Kion tried to be supportive of her and tries to help her watch over the entire kingdom, instead of saying "Screw you Kiara, go get herself killed if you want to and my friends hate you." I would've liked to see that explored and maybe have them be a little bit annoyed at each other, but without making them really malicious. Also, have Tiifu and Zuri be in their annoying phase and for Kiara to realise that her "so-called" friends are not being very good friends to her, and have her ditch those bitches at the end of the episode. Then, have Kiara and Kion make some big decision together that really develops their relationship, in the future.
-I don't like how Simba is portrayed for much of this episode. I know, he was mourning the loss of an old friend, but I really don't like angry Simba moments in this series. I don't like the fact that all Zazu was doing was trying to help him practice his eulogy and Simba gets frustrated and roars in his face. I hate it when he throws tantrums, as a full-grown adult lion. I hate the idea of Simba regressing more into his evil uncle as of this series. I know he's not, but, I hate it when acts like it. Zazu, bless him, was just trying to help and Simba took out his rage on him. I do not like it when Zazu has to be the butt of all the jokes. I don't like Simba being a headstrong asshole in The Lion Guard.
-I also don't want to point fingers, but, if Simba hadn't left his semi-young daughter to rule over an entire kingdom for a few days, none of the conflict would've happened if he left Kion and Kiara with a responsible adult, like Rafiki or Basi or someone, just to keep an eye on things. I wouldn't leave kids their age home alone for even a day or more than an afternoon. If they had an adult in Pride Rock with them, the arguing wouldn't have spiralled out of control the way that it did. Also, this makes no sense with Simba's character in TLK 2. This is the same guy who sheltered his daughter the whole time she was growing up and wouldn't even let her explore more than 2ft from Pride Rock or even leave Pride Rock, at another point in the film. In this episode, she's still a cub and he's okay with leaving her to look after an entire kingdom for days on end! Yes, he did show hesitation, but that was after he and Nala had already left the Pride Lands. This episode fails to show just how okay he was with leaving his preteen daughter in charge of the kingdom for a few days with no adult supervision. Also, this episode and the series fails to explain how he regressed back into his over-protective state of mind in the second half of TLK 2.
-A minor complaint I have. This is a very minor nitpick. But, the distance between Kilio Valley and the Pride Lands that was established in this episode is very confusing. This episode implies that the elephants live approximately a two or three day walk from the Pride Lands, enough for Simba to outside of the kingdom, when in other episodes it's actually a part of the Pride Lands, just barely on the outskirts of the kingdom. I also don't get why the writers made it seem like Simba, Nala and Zazu took like a day or less to arrive at the elephants' funeral. There's no indication that they were travelling at night or that they ever slept. However, I understand, the writers just wanted to show some of journey and then transition to the day of the funeral, so I won't fault it to harshly. However, I do wish that the distance between Kilio Valley and the Pride Lands was consistent. This episode makes it seem like that whenever Kion and his friends have to help the elephants, it would take them a whole day to arrive on the scene. But, that's just a small criticism I had with this episode.
Overall
So, overall, I did always thoroughly enjoy this episode. Even as a kid, I could not stand the fact that Kiara got a lot of hate in the Lion Guard Fandom and that loads of people blamed her, just her, for a lot of the drama in this episode. Kion and Kiara shared 50% of the blame each and I think that Kiara is overhated. Anyways, I did like Kion and Kiara interacting like real siblings and slowly learning how to work together, it felt a little bit like a prequel to "Baboons" and "The Trail to Udugu", in that way. I like the lesson about learning to communicate well and to listen to one another and that they were both in the right and wrong, at different points. I liked the loving sibling dynamic at the end and the friendship with all the Lion Guard. I like the sense of family between Simba, Nala, Kiara and Kion at the end. Janja poses as a genuinely threat to Kiara. I think the humour was pretty solid as well and the educational value. I liked the worldbuilding aspect and the elephants' relationship with the lions. Aminifu is a cool headcanon character. The only parts I didn't like were, Tiifu and Zuri were unbearably annoying in this episode and weren't very good friends to Kiara. I don't like them being stereotypical Middle School girls. I hate their disrespect and belittling towards Kion and their toxic influence on Kiara. I didn't like Kiara and Kion's maliciousness at the start or the fact that the writers tried to draw Mufasa/Scar parallels. I don't like angry Simba at all in this series. I hate the fact that he gives off Parental Favouritism vibes in this episode. I don't like the fact that Kion and Kiara were hit with the idiot stick in this episode. Simba and Tiifu and Zuri are kind of at fault for all the drama in this episode. The song was just decent, not the best not the worst. Overall, I'll give this episode a 6.5/10, it's not perfect, but I think it deserves more love in the fandom and I think there are way worse episodes than it.

This analysis also comes from Cults and Nonconventional Religious Groups: A Collection of Outstanding Dissertations and Monographs, "Shakubuku: A Study of the Nichiren Shoshu Buddhist Movement in America, 1960-1975", David A. Snow, 1993, pp. 175-177 - it's a section within the analysis here about how the SGI's "discussion meetings" were carefully planned and choreographed sales pitch performances aimed at convincing any "guests" to convert. I thought this part about the carefully structured "experiences" deserved its own post:

In addition to the general supportive role, members are provided with instructions regarding the more specific role activity. That is, they are coached as to how to give explanations of what NSA [former name of SGI-USA] is all about, to lead songs, and to give testimonies. Regarding the latter, for example, members are reminded to respond to the emcee's request for experiences with great alacrity and enthusiasm by thrusting their hands in the air in a vigorous manner and yelling out "hi."

Actually, it's "Hai!", which means "Yes/Okay/I'll do it" in Japanese.

And if called upon, they are reminded to attend to the five major points or the "five S's" of giving a good experience.

That "coaching" is done before the live performance at the "discussion meeting", of course, not reminded within that performance context. That would break the illusion, as you can imagine.

The first point is Shakubuku. Remember, the guests have absolutely no understanding of this practice or any NSA terminology. Always talk to the guests and not to the members. The sole purpose of an experience is to make the guests curious enough to join ... Don't use Buddhist terms and names the guests won't understand...
Point number two is story. Make sure an experience is just that - something which happened to you and which you either changed into a benefit or changed an aspect of your life-condition through chanting. Basically , an experience should be structured as
(a) I had a problem or I was satisfied [sic] with my life and

That's obviously a typo; it should be either "I wasn't satisfied with my life" or "I was dissatisfied with my life", as confirmed by part (b):

(b) then I chanted, solved the problem or changed that aspect of my life which I wasn't satisfied with...
Make sure that you stress that chanting was the ingredient which changed those aspects of your life. Otherwise, the guests won't be able to connect just how chanting and a person's problems relate.
The third point to keep in mind is simplicity. Make each point of the story simple and to the point. Don't clutter the issue with unnecessary details. Try to be as brief as possible.
The fourth point is that of a seeking mind. What this means is that the person giving an experience should try to find out what type of experience the leader wants to have conveyed to the guests that will most benefit them.

Clearly, this is all about crafting the most persuasive sales pitch, not about honestly and authentically communicating anything real.

We're not saying that there is a "one" type of experience that is sought, but experiences have to be geared to the guests at the meeting. A middle-aged person is definitely going to have hard time relating to the change in values of a college student... The point is, make sure you are perceptive enough to give the type of experience which the guests at the meeting can relate to best.

Keeping in mind that no one knows for certain WHO these "guests" will be - this sort of "adjustment" in the details has to be made on the fly, which demonstrates the inauthenticity of the "experience" performance. But the culties are supposed to make it appear "authentic":

The final point is one of the most important - sincerity ... Even if your experience isn't that spectacular or full of content, the guests can relate to a person' [sic] sincere way of giving the experience...

The "5 S's" section is footnoted as coming from:

"The Five S's of Giving a Good Experience," World Tribune (September 11, 1974). Also, see the NSA Quarterly (Winter, 1975), p. 13; and the World Tribune (October 25, 1974).

It was obviously a structured thing that was explicitly taught (indoctrinated).

These five pointers on how to construct and give a "good" experience are mentioned repeatedly in the movement's literature and by its leaders. Furthermore, members can learn how to construct testimonies in accordance with these instructions by simply watching and listening to other members, and especially core converts, when giving their respective experiences.

You can probably surmise that after a while, these "experiences" will all start to show the same standardized structure; this will be accepted within the cult (because that's the goal), but the guests won't realize just how structured it is - and the focus on making it as manipulative as possible.

Indeed, rank-and-file members and new converts are often told to watch and listen to how so-and-so gives an experience.

That's true - I remember that.

It should thus come as no surprise that the testimonies given at these meetings, or wherever, are usually structured in accordance with the above pointers or instructions. And when they are not, the violators are usually pulled aside after the meeting and provided with corrective suggestions. At the end of several meetings, for example, I overheard the district chief reprimanding and re-instructing members regarding the unsuitable testimonies they had given earlier in the evening. This sanctioning and corrective work occurs not only when unsatisfactory testimonies are given but whenever meeting or movement-related roles are performed in an unsatisfactory manner and whenever members visibly engage in conduct that is inappropriate from the standpoint of NSA. During the San Diego Convention weekend, for example, I observed on several occasions members who were being brought back into line for engaging in unbecoming conduct, such as smoking grass on the bus while en route to the convention. That members who conduct themselves and perform their roles in an unsuitable and unconvincing manner are frequently pulled aside and provided with corrective guidance thus suggests a third consideration pointing to the highly orchestrated and theatrical character of discussion meetings in particular and of NSA in general.

Everyone must be "on" at all times; they must at all times display the SGI-defined image that SGI believes will impress the public and be most appealing to draw in potential new members.
While these specific "five S's" aren't around any more, there are still guidelines for how to give an "experience":

How do I write an experience for SGI budhist meeting?
State the difficulty you faced.
State how long you have been struggling with it, and how it affected you.
State what you did to resolve it, and how much you chanted.
State the resolution, and what that means to you.
Keep it to under 3.5 minutes.
Before you give your experience, read it to someone who cares about you, someone you know, and ask for an honest opinion on how your delivery is. from 7 years ago

REHEARSE it, in other words. These "experiences" are NOT spontaneous!

So, I (33f) have been riding horses most of my life - 24 years. Due to a messy parental situation, I started paying the bills to my own horse when I was 16 and always worked half of my board off. I did all the chores and during college was usually at the barn 2-3 times a day between classes and two jobs.
I did some horse showing, but not a ton, but my grandparents came to several of them.
My grandmother is VERY out of touch, as she has been retired since I was young. She doesn't like people, she can be volatile, is very immature but her mind is very sharp. She has a lot of control issues and absolutely needs therapy but of course will never go. She's not a bad person. She's just...a boomer 🤷🏼‍♀️
Anyways.
My horse of 15 years had passed (about 6 years ago now) and I went without horses for 3 years. My husband and I decided to get a property so I could have horses again. I already had 2 horses lined up and was very excited, so I announced it to my family during a get together.
My grandmother furrowed her brows and started asking all these stupid questions. I've made a list below. Remember, I've been doing this for 24 years, I worked with 2 trainers and did all of my own care.
-How are you going to feed them? -How are you going to get hay to your property? -What about all the poop? -How are you going to do all that work AND work a full time job?!?! -how are you going to care for two horses instead of one? -how are you going to take care of their feet? -How are you going to ride a new horse?
and on and on, interrogating me. I was PISSED. My family did VERY little to support my passion for horses and I worked my ass off since I was 16 to keep my horse. I paid for EVERYTHING. I did everything. I worked off riding lessons and I worked HARD.
I finally stood up, slammed my hand on the table and said, "You don't know a single thing about horses and I have professional training. I don't know why you think you have a right to interrogate me, as I didn't ask for your approval."
My grandmother said, "Well you haven't had horses on your own property before!" and I saw red. I yelled at her and replied, "I did ALL of my own work for my horse!! I know what I am doing!"
My mom pulled my grandmother to the side and told her to knock it off.
But once I got my two horses home and on my own property, my grandmother became VERY strangely VERY attached to my horses. One was 6 months old and I would be raising him myself and the other was a 15 year old rescue I would be retraining.
My grandmother had my mom drive her and my grandfather out to my small property several times and she CONSTANTLY berated me, questioned me, and challenged me. I told her these were MY horses and I would take her privileges away if she didn't stop.
My husband and I decided to move states and the first thing my grandmother said was, "I won't ever get to see your horses again" and ran to her room to cry.
She never ONCE acted like this with my previous horse of 15 years.
I love my grandparents but moving away was one of the best decisions we have ever made.
🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄

Hi all
My (18-NB) partner (18-NB) have been together for a year and a half. We lost our virginity to each other so each of us are all we have ever known sexually. I have always felt like we get along incredibly well- we agree on most everything and share similar values, and we both want similar things out of life. They have an awesome family and my folks love her, and we’ve got lots planned this year in terms of holidays. And, when we both go to college in the fall, we have deliberately chosen to go in a part of the country where it’ll be easy to see each other.
However, I feel like I have little to no attraction to them physically. It wasn’t always like this and earlier on in the relationship our sex was driven by the thrill of losing our virginities and discovering what it was like to be with someone physically. However, this is no longer the case. I’ve been able to kind of get into it if I really try, but sex feels more like chore. When I see them in the evenings we get to a point where I can tell they want it, and I have to force myself to put on an act just to get through it. I feel I’m at a stage now where having to pretend to them that I’m really into them physically is negatively impacting my mental health, not to mention the fact that I feel horrible about it and like I’m doing badly by them.
I’ve had these thoughts for a while but I feel conflicted about them. I wonder if perhaps nerves have scared me off from sex and put me in a position where I always dread it out of fear that I won’t perform. I’ll often think that it’s just a stage, and the problem is just that I need to try harder to be turned on by it. Ive also thought before that I’m maybe just getting a bit claustrophobic and need some space- but even when we’ve been apart for a few weeks the spark isn’t there upon returning. I’ve also sometimes become confused about my sexuality, and wondered whether I’m not actually into them anatomically (however, I’ve never been attracted to the opposing anatomy- always theirs).
I really really love them. We’ve helped each other through so much emotionally and we get along so well. I hate the thought of breaking up with them. I used to look forward to seeing them so much but I have begun to dread it because I just want to hangout and I know I’ll end it off by being ashamed of my inability to truly be passionate in bed.
Is there any solution for this, and has anyone ever been in a similar situation and been able to save it? I’m really at a loss here and would appreciate any advice and/or anecdotes that relate to my situation.
Thanks so much

A little back story. I played disc golf 15 years ago for a few years back in college. Only threw Wraiths because why would I need anything but a driver and putter? Stopped playing for years, but found a new love for the sport two years ago. Needless to say having adult money has made this more of an addiction. I have a new love for putters, mids, and fairways. Trying to find the molds that feel great in my hands.
I've bought way too many discs and this year I was planning on buying less. We all know that didn't happen. Watching Pros, James Proctor and Eric Oakley, I decided to give Infinite a try and so far I'm loving all the molds and plastic. My bag is damn near full Infinite now. The prices are amazing and you can find crazy clearance deals. I also love how you can find the molds in a ton different plastics. Both Discmania and MVP have been hard to find certain molds in specific plastics.
Current molds in my bag: Emperor
Dynasty
Sphinx
Exodus
Centurion
Ra
Chariot
Anubis

Hello, folks! As the results of various B Schools have been pouring in, and everyone here is in a mad rush to figure out which colleges want them and which colleges they (should) want, I've been seeing a lot of uninformed (at best) and intentionally misleading (at worst) opinions going around. The problem here is that while I, having wrapped up my MBA journey a while back, am a little more adept at sniffing out the BS than the average aspirant - many others in this journey are understandably quite clueless (as was I back in my day, to the point where I didn't even know about SP Jain till after I joined C!), and often don't know better.
So, how do you navigate these choppy waters?

1. Always be skeptical on Reddit. Understand that anonymity is a powerful tool - which on one hand can be used to share privileged and even scandalous truths, but on the other hand can also serve as a façade for ulterior motives. So, if you find any particularly concerning posts or testimonials, make sure to run it by a large enough sample space to significantly dilute the ill-intentioned opinions.
   
2. NEVER sought subjective opinions from MBA grads and students (e.g., is the consulting culture good? Is the campus pretty? etc.). Always frame your questions to ensure the answers are purely facts and numbers (e.g., how many consulting firms come to campus, and how many folks get placed there? What's the approximate split of green areas to concrete structures, and how many water bodies exist? etc.). Even with your best interests in mind, their definitions of "good" or "bad" may not align with yours, and give you the wrong picture of what to expect there. So figure out what facts and numbers qualify as "good to have" and "must have" across all aspects of your MBA experience (you could even set this up as an Excel matrix), and tailor your questions to fill in the blanks.
   
3. NEVER ask current students their opinions on other colleges. They've barely spent long enough in an MBA to know their own college, let alone judge others' - and college tribalism can run very deep. Only ask about college opinions from the current students and alumni of said college, along the lines discussed in point 2.
   
4. Target questions to the right audience. If you want to know about placement outcomes and future prospects of a particular college, talk to alumni of said college (preferably those who've spent at least a couple of years in the industry) - anything the current students know is only from the lens of a single placement cycle and hearsay, and their advice might be biased due to their attachment to their college (which diminishes as you gain work ex post MBA). However, if you want to know about things within the campus itself, defer to current students (since alumni may not have the time to discuss those aspects of your MBA journey, and current students would have the most updated info on the same).
   
5. Likely goes without saying, but always maximise your sample space for feedback. If you're discussing post-MBA prospects for college A, try to talk to at least 5+ alumni - if you can get feedback from 8-10 alumni, you'll have a rich source of consistent data that isn't tainted by subjective experiences or individual biases. Likewise, for internal matters reach out to as many current students as you can, for the same reason.
   

I know all of this will take a significant effort (esp. points 2 and 5), and time isn't really a friend of yours at this moment - but the only way to eliminate ambiguity and biases is to hedge against them as proactively as you can. Remember, the only person here with a vested interest in your wellbeing is YOU, so look after yourself. Rest assured, though - this protracted effort now will be worth it's weight in gold for the rest of your career :)
All the best to everyone out here (current and future aspirants alike), and feel free to comment or DM if you'd like to take the conversation further. Cheers!

Memecoins has taken the cryptocurrency world by storm, offering a fun and engaging way to participate in the digital currency space. If you're interested in creating your own memecoin, here are 10 easy steps to get you started:
Define your concept:
Start by brainstorming ideas for your meme coin. Think about what makes the meme coin unique and what kind of community you want to build around it. Your coin can be based on a popular internet meme, celebrity or popular topic.
Choose a name and logo:
After considering the concept, choose a catchy name and design a fun and recognizable logo for the coin. The name and logo should reflect the personality of your meme coin and help it stand out in a crowded market.
Choose a blockchain platform:
decide which blockchain platform you want to use to create the meme coin. Ethereum and Binance Smart Chain are popular options for meme coin development due to their low fees and wide adoption.
Create Coin Smart Contract:
Use a smart contract to create your meme coin. You can write your own code or use a template to get started. Be sure to add features like token distribution, distribution, and any special features you want to use on your coin.
Launch your coin:
Once the smart contract is ready, it's time to release your meme coin. Use a platform like PancakeSwap or Uniswap to build liquidity and put your coins to trade.
Build a Community:
Building a strong community is essential to the success of your meme coin. Use social media platforms like Twitter, Reddit and Discord to connect with potential investors and enthusiasts. Encourage community members to share memes and contribute content to your coin.
Market your coin:
Develop a marketing strategy to promote your coin and attract new investors. Consider running social media ads, sponsoring content creators, and participating in cryptocurrency and self-related online communities.
Liquidity provision:
Keep your meme coin liquid by providing liquidity to the decentralized exchanges where it is traded. This helps avoid price volatility and makes it easier for investors to buy and sell your coins.
Connect with your community:
Stay active in the community by posting regular updates, hosting events, and asking for feedback. Listen to your community's recommendations and adjust your coin and its marketing strategy accordingly.
Observe:
Make sure you comply with all relevant regulations and laws, especially if you plan to raise money through an Initial Coin Offering (ICO) or Initial Exchange Offering (IEO). Consult with legal experts to ensure your meme coin complies with securities laws and regulations.
In conclusion, the development of native coins has opened up new and exciting opportunities in the world of cryptocurrencies. Thanks to its growing popularity and unique community approach, self-coins are here to stay. Blocksentinels continues to lead the way.

Game Information

Minnesota Lynx vs Seattle Storm

Game Information

TIME	MEDIA	Location	Broadcast
Eastern: 10:00PM	Game Preview WNBA.com	Climate Pledge Arena	US: WNBA League Pass
Central: 9:00PM	ESPN Box Score	Seattle, WA	Canada: Unavailable
Mountain: 8:00PM	WNBA League Pass
Pacific: 7:00PM

Road Team

Minnesota Lynx

Team Homepage	Team Roster & Coaching Staff
Social Media	Local Television & Broadcast
Twitter	Bally Sports North Extra
Instagram
Youtube

Home Team

Seattle Storm

Team Homepage	Team Roster & Coaching Staff
Social Media	Local Television & Broadcast
Twitter	FOX 13+(Seattle)
Instagram	Amazon Prime Video- Seattle
Youtube

Want to use my 2023 WNBA Templates and help contribute posting game threads for wnba? Download here!. A potential 255 Game Threads for the entire for 1 person is a lot of work. This season I have two more volunteers to help me out!
Read The Flow Chart if you're Watching Games Courtesy of @cwetzel31 on Twitter for those if you're planning to watch the games.

My second 70.3, and my first Oly was two years ago. I swam JV for one year in high school, owned a road bike in college, and never understood how people could enjoy running. Now that I'm older (38M) ... I think I kind of "get" why people run now. It's nice. Maybe I can get into golf next, never understood that one either.
tl;dr - rookie mistake, had a great bike, terrible run. This is exactly what happened on my first 70.3 six months ago and I can't believe I did the exact same thing again. Already planning my next 70.3.
Total time: 6:10 (massive asterisk, swim course was truncated to 750m because of conditions). My target time was 6:30 (with the swim), I would've missed it. Bike split and run split were both 2:53.
Training: I didn't follow a plan, and I think that was a mistake, but I did keep it up pretty consistently. I was averaging about 10 hours a week between running / biking / swimming. 98% of my bike was done indoors, because road conditions in Vietnam (I moved here a few years ago from the US) are a little scary for me. I try to ride with the A/C off when it comes near the race to get more heat-acclimated.
Diet: My weird thing is that for my first 70.3, I was on keto. I didn't believe everyone when they said it was dumb, and it took bonking on that race to realize that you were all right. So since then have adapted to the exact opposite diet (also probably dumb) where I'm all vegan, except for whey protein powder.
Race
Swim: The surf was at about 2m overhead, and kind of big and challenging. I was excited for it, as really it's not that bad once you duck dive out past the waves. Unfortunately, the day before the race, a group who was just warming up got swept out and had a hard time coming back in. No one died but one guy had to be CPR'ed back to life on the beach. So instead, they had us run 300m, swim 750m parallel to the beach, and run another 300m. This was super lame because it was hardly a swim at all - I walked for 740 of those meters, as I realized that I was walking way faster than the people trying to swim. I'm a little bit tall so I think that helped (188cm, 6'2"), and I know how to surf a little bit so when big waves would come in, I knew how to duck dive easily under them. As a result everyone's swim times were 10-14min. I did mine in 13.
Bike: Based on heavy Reddit opinion I got a bike fit, by this super specialist who happened to be hanging out in Vietnam (www.instagram.com/fit\_by\_antoniopavlovich/). It made my bike ride about 50% more comfortable. My back was getting really sore 50km in, but before it would happen at around 20-30km. I do long Zwift rides on that bike but at home I can't help but cheat and sit up/back in the seat and stretch things out, I don't have the discipline to stay on the hood/drops once things start hurting. Anyway the bike was my best performance yet and I was really pacing myself (or so I thought). The course only has one slight climb up a bridge, and normally I'm more of a puncheur type, or at least that's what intervals.icu tells me. I kept it pretty conservative on the bike but when people would zoom by me I would try to keep up with them - not to draft (I am too scared to ride close enough for that) but just because I just wanted to feel like somebody. Anyway I thought I kept all my matches and so at the end pushed a little harder.
Towards the end of the bike ride, I was actively regretting not pushing harder earlier, and wondering if I was ready for a full ironman. There's one in October in Gurye South Korea, and I was doing some math in my head about whether or not 5 months would be enough to train.
Run: My normal easy long run pace is around 6:30min/km, and I ran slow and found myself running 5:40. So I tried to cut it back but I was so amped and I had read people on reddit setting HM PB's during their races. So I decided to play it safe at around 6:15, and then I'd kick back to 5:40 after km 10.
3km later, I started cramping in ways I'd never cramped before. I thought I had taken in enough salt, and I think I did. I think I just pushed it too hard - after being keto for so long, I was really on top of my nutrition and carbs (over 60g/hr) and I think I had tons of energy, but my muscles just couldn't take it.
But I kept running gingerly, I could feel the muscles on the verge of cramping but they were kind of holding it together. I ran the first 5km in 32 min, so about my 6:15 pace. Then my left knee just kinda gave out. I think I was running weird to avoid stressing my about-to-cramp muscles and that just messed up my knee. I was hoping I could just keep running and the pain would go away but no, it wouldn't. I was wondering if I could just goggins my way through it... but it kinda hurt a lot and I was wondering if I could do permanent damage if I kept running through it. So I decided to walk for just a bit, stretch it out. Then try to see if I could run on it again.
Eventually it was just all walking all the time, any impact on the left leg was too painful. So I tried my best to racewalk, although I'd never done that before. It was awful and I hated it but it was the only way to keep my knee from screaming. My heart rate couldn't get up (I finished the last 2 hours in basically Z1, low Z2) because if I racewalked too fast my knee would still complain. So my Garmin was just taunting me saying "Easy" when I was on the HR screen.
But I finished, and it was cool. My wife ran her first HM in a relay with her coworkers, and did it in 2:35, which I was so proud of but also kind of embarrassed about, because I was always cagey about training together because I wanted to run at a faster pace than her.
Two days later my knee feels fine, just took it on a quick bike ride and it hurt a little but I don't think I did any real damage. Going up and down stairs the day after the race was painful though.
I love triathlon stuff. I want to get a real sub 6 soon, will work on the run. And yeah, about that full ironman - definitely not ready in 5 months. But in 17? I think so. If anyone is doing Gurye South Korea 2025, give me a shout. :)

TLDR: Due to multiple extenuating circumstances in my life as of recent, it seems as though joining a branch's reserves may be in my best interest to forward my careelife. What advice would you give an aspiring cyber-sec career-man?
I'm a 21 year old man who recently acquired his Associate's Degree. Due to extensive childhood trauma and medical concerns my plans for life have taken a hard left turn; I had left Highschool due to hospitalization and my mental health, acquired my G.E.D. after my original-projected graduation date, and took a gap year to try to 'find myself' and clear my head out on my own. After this gap, for the last 2 years, I've pursued my Associate's Degree, and recently graduated with a 3.96 GPA.
I love computer science, and would love to pursue a career in Cyber Security, but feel as though there could be a different route for me than the 'usual'. By this point I've missed the cut-off for college applications after this summer, but I've recently been considering the idea of joining the reserves (either Navy or Air Force) to reach my goals.
The way I see it, with how oversaturated my desired field is, thousands today have the same credentials, "great GPA, bachelor's in CS, light field experience," but still these people struggle to find positions due to the fact that all applications are near-identical (I have friends in this exact position). Through the reserves, though, as I understand it, I would be able to acquire both training and funding for various CS certifications like Net+, Sec+, etc. while also having chosen a CS-oriented military position. Ontop of the obvious military benefits and experience, this would assuredly make all future resumés stand out.
I have no interest in active duty or deployment, rather the knowledge there is to be gained, both within and beyond CS that military training offers. My question, I guess, is what advice would those of you 'in the know' give to someone in my situation? Is it realistic to not expect deployment? Between the Navy and Airforce, which branch offers the best experience and resources for someone looking into my career path? Are my expectations even realistic?
How does the certification acquisition process work? Is prep and testing done in-house or are tests simply funded? Would I need to choose a specific "reserve job' to qualify for these certifications?
I'm open to ALL feedback.

TLDR: Due to multiple extenuating circumstances in my life as of recent, it seems as though joining a branch's reserves may be in my best interest to forward my careelife. What advice would you give an aspiring cyber-sec career-man?
I'm a 21 year old man who recently acquired his Associate's Degree. Due to extensive childhood trauma and medical concerns my plans for life have taken a hard left turn; I had left Highschool due to hospitalization and my mental health, acquired my G.E.D. after my original-projected graduation date, and took a gap year to try to 'find myself' and clear my head out on my own. After this gap, for the last 2 years, I've pursued my Associate's Degree, and recently graduated with a 3.96 GPA.
I love computer science, and would love to pursue a career in Cyber Security, but feel as though there could be a different route for me than the 'usual'. By this point I've missed the cut-off for college applications after this summer, but I've recently been considering the idea of joining the reserves (either Navy or Air Force) to reach my goals.
The way I see it, with how oversaturated my desired field is, thousands today have the same credentials, "great GPA, bachelor's in CS, light field experience," but still these people struggle to find positions due to the fact that all applications are near-identical (I have friends in this exact position). Through the reserves, though, as I understand it, I would be able to acquire both training and funding for various CS certifications like Net+, Sec+, etc. while also having chosen a CS-oriented military position. Ontop of the obvious military benefits and experience, this would assuredly make all future resumés stand out.
I have no interest in active duty or deployment, rather the knowledge there is to be gained, both within and beyond CS that military training offers. My question, I guess, is what advice would those of you 'in the know' give to someone in my situation? Is it realistic to not expect deployment? Between the Navy and Airforce, which branch offers the best experience and resources for someone looking into my career path? Are my expectations even realistic?
How does the certification acquisition process work? Is prep and testing done in-house or are tests simply funded? Would I need to choose a specific "reserve job' to qualify for these certifications?
I'm open to ALL feedback.

Hi everyone,
I've decided to share some tips for college essays that helped me get to the university I wanted. Even though it is not one of the most famous colleges, I've always wanted to study there. Maybe these tips will help you make your dream come true as well.

Find your "Wow" factor

Colleges have seen their fair share of volunteer trips and sports trophies. You need to dig deep. Was there a quirky hobby you mastered? An unexpected challenge you faced? If you have a question: “How to write a college essay?” - the answer is to use this chance to show them the unique qualities that make you the person you are.

Be specific

Essays are about storytelling, not just listing accomplishments. Instead of saying you're a hard worker, use vivid details to showcase your work ethic in action. Let the reader experience your story and draw their own conclusions about your qualities. Therefore, give them all the necessary information to draw the conclusion you want them to draw.

Authenticity is your goal

Don't try to be someone you're not. Admissions officers can sniff out inauthenticity a mile away (according to the experience of my friends, and I've read this in many articles about writing college essays). Your unique perspective is what makes your essay stand out.

What did you learn?

Every experience has a lesson. What did you gain from your unique story? Did it teach you resilience, creativity, or the importance of teamwork? Help the admissions officers see how this experience will shape you in college.

Revise and then revise again

First drafts are rarely masterpieces. Read your essay aloud and ruthlessly cut unnecessary details. Proofread meticulously, and then proofread again. A typo-free essay shows you pay attention to detail. Use services like Essayshark to edit and proofread your essay faster. You can hire a qualified writer there who will help you structure your narrative and make sure it's free of mistakes and plagiarism. They usually deliver orders very fast, so you will not have to wait for a long time.
I hope some of you will find my college essay advice helpful. Maybe I will also share my thoughts on how to start a college essay in the next post.

I have been taking lessons with a great pro out of a local studio. They’re a fitting shop as well for all major brands (this is not a Club Champion). I have a lesson package that includes a fitting, and I’m keen on recommendations for how to use this 90 minutes. My irons are not fitted, but I’m pretty comfortable in them. 7-iron is 32°, ball speed 120mph, carry 175yds, spin is a little low at ~5500, peak height around 30yds.
Driver was fitted in 2018 with a totally different swing. Driver club head speed is only 98mph as I’m just not as comfortable with the club. Typical carry is around 250-260 with rollout to 280 and low spin, usually sub 2,000.
3 wood is off the shelf Cobra with the rails, stock stiff shaft.
4 hybrid is Mizuno off the shelf stock stiff shaft.
I plan on a putter fitting later this summer, so that’s out of the equation.
I am not particularly attached to anything at the moment. What does the sub vote on for how to use this particular fitting? Thanks in advance!

Hi, this is my first time using Reddit since I have been hearing about this for quite some time now.
My brain has been shutting down lately wherein I don't interact/unintentionally avoiding my classmates, getting lost on going home from school, misunderstood things, etc. Is this a burnout? Probably depression, I honestly don't know...
Is it a good idea that I should stop studying? I am on my 3rd year taking BMMA and I feel like I am not going anywhere with the mental state I am in plus with other factors I am currently facing. Not gonna lie, I am somewhat in good terms studyting in this college. I get to meet fun, hard working, and creative people. I applied all of the lessons I've learned to do personal projects that I was passionate to do.
Maybe I am in this stage of life wherein I am afraid of my future since all of my plans after studying were washed away from the sudden changed in my academic life? I really don't know...
Anyways, should I continue my studies since I have 1 year left until I graduate? Thoughts and/or sharing experience are highly appreciated!

So I just got my real estate license and planned to go to college this fall to major in marketing and economics with a bachelors of science and business administration degree. I am currently a senior in high school and have always deep down wanted to do something in healthcare. I like the idea of working 3 12 hour shifts a week and doing something such as a radiologist or an anesthesiologist. I like that side of the healthcare field because it pays well but it’s not direct surgery or something like that. I am worried that I will have to get the covid vaccine if I do healthcare as my mom lost her job for that in 2021. Do you think the vaccine requirement will come back or other requirements? Should I stick to the business side or jump for radiology or something like that also interest me?

Book Your Free Consultation Today! > Discord @ shelbion

About Me

My name is Shelbion and I've been an avid League of Legends player for over a decade. In Season 4, I reached Challenger for the first time and even considered pursuing a professional career. However, after much reflection, I decided to pursue other challenges within the game.
Some of my notable achievements as a player include:

• Reaching Challenger on multiple positions.
• Participating and winning in numerous SR and 1v1 tournaments.
• Playing for various teams(Amateur and Semi-Professional).

Coaching

With over 7.000 hours of coaching experience, I fall into the category of one of the most experienced individuals in the field. My experience, passion, and ability to identify your flaws and tailor each session to your needs make me stand out as a Coach.
I've studied the techniques of renowned coaches, such as LS, MagiFelix, and others, and I've developed my unique coaching approach. So far, my approach has helped countless individuals, and over 20 teams advance their competitive play, across 5 different continents, including members of various College and University eSport Teams.
Some of my notable achievements include:

• Assisting a Diamond 2 player reach Challenger in just five weeks.
• Helping a Silver 2 player climb to Platinum in three weeks.
• Guiding a Diamond 3 player to Grandmaster in six weeks.

I am dedicated to continuously honing my skills and providing the best coaching experience possible to all of my clients, regardless of their rank or location.

Subscription Based Coaching

• One Individual Session (Monthly)
• Group Sessions (Weekly) x2
• Priority Coaching - Price: 99.99 > 49.99$.

Verifications & Certifications

• Certified IFOEC (International Federation of eSport Coaches) Educator & Coach.
• Certified EHPI (eSports Health & Performance) Professional.
• University of Irvine eSport Specialization
• Verified Coachify & Metafy Partner.

Community

In addition to my experience as a Player, I am also the Founder of Noxus Coaching - a rapidly growing, educational community on Discord. Our community is a great place to find new friends to play with, have a good time, and most importantly, improve your skills.
We hold various events on a weekly basis, including 1v1 & 5v5 tournaments, meme contests, and more. There are plenty of rewards to be won, including free coaching sessions with me. To join our community, visit https://discord.gg/RHW9BMxRd5 and message me upon joining to receive your role.

Podcast

• Podcast Appearance > https://youtu.be/4jn4FXOaOlE?si=98POLUJdJeSNnbiW

How Does it Work?

We will schedule an initial Interview during which we can discuss your goals and I can provide a more detailed explanation of my coaching services. This interview will typically last for 3-5 minutes.
The First Session is designed to assess your current level of gameplay and identify areas for improvement. After conducting an analysis, I will create a Personalized Coaching Plan tailored to your specific needs. This plan will outline a series of sessions designed to maximize your improvement.
The Coaching Plan may include various session types, such as:

• Theory sessions: These sessions will cover key concepts such as wave management, vision, decision making, and more.
• Practical sessions: These sessions will either be VOD reviews or live games, and will be used to put theoretical knowledge into practice and analyze gameplay.
• Reviews: These sessions will occur periodically and will be used as checkpoints to track your progress and identify any additional areas for improvement.

All sessions will be personalized and created specifically for each student's needs. By following this plan, you can feel confident that you are taking the most effective steps to achieve your goals.

Personalized Support (Available 24/7)

In addition to the structured coaching sessions, I offer personalized support to my clients on a 24/7 basis. Whether you have a specific question or just want to debrief after a tough game, I am always available to help. Simply message me and I will respond as quickly as possible.

AvailabilityPricesPayments

I am able to cover any server and any timezone! Rates for both Private and Team coaching are negotiable. We will easily get the sessions to fit your budget and your needs.
Payments are usually done through PayPal, however other forms of Payment such as Direct Transfer can be discussed.

Contact

Main form of contact is Discord on which you can find me at shelbion (Or Shelbion#8832)
Feel free to message me either on Discord or through a Direct Message on Reddit and I will come back to you as quickly as possible.

As I reflect on my journey of learning about communication in my first year college experience, I'm reminded of the many important lessons I've already learned from elementary to high school. From the basics of language to the intricacies of relationships, I've learned that effective communication is a skill that requires practice, patience, and attention to detail. It's not just about speaking or writing, but about understanding and being understood by others.
One of the first lessons I learned was the importance of using words to show where things are or the “Prepositions of Place”. For example, "in," "on," "at," and "by" help us understand where things are located. I learned that these little words can make a big difference in how we communicate. Without them, we might be left wondering where something is or what someone is talking about. For instance, if someone says "I left my book at the library," we need to know that "at" means it's located at the library, not just anywhere. Another important lesson I learned was how to use words to compare things or the “Comparative and Superlative Adjectives”. For example, "big," "bigger," and "biggest" help us describe things accurately. By mastering these words, I was able to express myself more clearly and effectively. This has been especially helpful when describing things that are hard to measure, like personality or intelligence. By using words like "more confident" or "more intelligent," we can convey a sense of comparison without getting too technical. Another lesson I’ve also learned is “Comparing and Contrasting” which are also essential skills in communication. Whether we're discussing the pros and cons of two products or highlighting the similarities between two ideas, being able to compare and contrast helps us understand things better. This is especially important in academic settings, where we need to analyze and evaluate different sources of information. By comparing and contrasting, we can identify patterns and trends that might not be immediately apparent. Classifying is another important lesson I learned. By grouping similar things together, we can make it easier for others to understand and remember what we're saying. This skill has been particularly helpful in school, where we need to organize complex information in a clear and easy-to-understand way. For example, when studying for a test, I might group similar concepts together into categories like "cause and effect" or "types of government." This helps me to see the relationships between different ideas and remember them more easily.
However, it's not just about talking, effective communication also requires listening and understanding others. I learned that paying attention to what others are saying and how they're saying it is just as important as speaking clearly. By doing so, we can build trust and strengthen relationships. When we listen actively, we show that we value and respect the other person's thoughts and feelings. This can help to create a sense of community and cooperation. In addition to these skills, I've also learned the importance of tone and body language in communication. Our tone of voice can convey a sense of emotion or emphasis, while our body language can show whether we're engaged or disinterested. For example, if someone says something in a sarcastic tone, we might interpret it differently than if they said it in a neutral tone. Similarly, if someone is standing with their arms crossed while talking to us, we might perceive them as defensive or uncooperative.
Another important aspect of communication is feedback. Giving and receiving feedback is crucial in helping us improve our communication skills. When we receive feedback, we can learn from our mistakes and adjust our approach accordingly. For example, if someone tells us that our message wasn't clear, we might rephrase it or provide more context to help others understand better. In conclusion, my journey of learning about communication has been filled with valuable lessons that have helped me become a better communicator. From using words to show where things are to comparing and contrasting, classifying, listening actively, paying attention to tone and body language, and giving and receiving feedback, I've learned that effective communication is a skill that requires practice, patience, and attention to detail. By incorporating these skills into my daily interactions, I've been able to communicate more effectively, build stronger relationships, and achieve my goals with greater ease.
As I continue on this journey of learning and growth in terms of communication, I'm reminded that effective communication is an ongoing process that requires continuous effort and practice. By staying curious, seeking feedback, and embracing new challenges, I'm confident that I will continue to improve my skills and become an even more effective communicator. Whether it's in personal or professional settings, effective communication is key to building strong relationships and achieving our goals.