Hey everyone, hope you're well. From your experience, how long does it take for a bike to arrive at the dealership? I've ordered a Ninja 125 2024 last week, and the dealer said it's going to take between one and two weeks, depending on which warehouse Kawasaki uses. Now, I know what you're thinking, "why don't you ask the dealer"? I have, and they've said that Kawasaki doesn't have an ETA yet. I'm planning on visiting the dealership at the end of this week, so two weeks after I've placed the order and ask them about the order status. If they still don't have an ETA, I will get my deposit back and go somewhere else, I don't want summer to go and not ride. I'm really excited to start riding. Thank you for reading :)

Stan Pranin mentions some important information about both the pre-war students and the post-war students.

I think it is due primarily to the fact that very few of O-Sensei's students trained under him for any protracted length of time. With the exception of Yoichiro (Hoken) Inoue, a nephew of Ueshiba, Gozo Shioda, the founder of Yoshinkan Aikido, and Tsutomu Yukawa, O-Sensei's prewar uchideshi studied a maximum of perhaps five to six years. (1)

and

The same can be said of the postwar period. The initiates of that period include such well-known figures as Sadateru Arikawa, Hiroshi Tada, Seigo Yamaguchi, Shoji Nishio, Nobuyoshi Tamura, Yasuo Kobayashi, and later Yoshimitsu Yamada, Mitsunari Kanai, Kazuo Chiba, Seiichi Sugano, Mitsugi Saotome and various others. Shigenobu Okumura, Koichi Tohei, and Kisaburo Osawa form a somewhat unique group in that they practiced only briefly before the war, but achieved master status after World War II. None of these teachers spent any lengthy period studying directly under O- Sensei. (1)

Finding out that many of Morihei Ueshiba's students didn't spend any lengthy time with him is a fairly critical piece of information. The pre-war students of Ueshiba came the closest to replicating his abilities. Those students were studying Daito ryu aiki. Their training was different.

Training of the pre-war era. From multiple interviews, there were official training times at the Kobukan dojo for 4 or 5 times a day. There were two morning classes, one which ran from six to seven A.M. while the other ran somewhere between nine and eleven. In the afternoon, there were either two or three classes, but at least one was from two to four and another from seven to eight P.M.(2) (3) Training times lasted one to one and a half hours.(4) According to Shirata, the amount of time spent per week in training was about seven to eight hours. (5) Of course, the students were free to train with each other. (2) We also know that brand new students spent months either watching or doing other chores before being allowed to train. (6) (7) (8) This gives us some indication of the training times per week.

But what were the total years some of the pre-war students spent training?

Gozo Shioda
1932 Began training under Morihei Ueshiba.
1941 Was posted to China, Taiwan and Borneo.

Kenji Tomiki
1926-1927 Began training under Morihei Ueshiba. Mostly either summer months or vacation time spent training. (9)
1934 Moved to Tokyo. Full time training. (9)
1936 Moved to Manchuria. (10)

Rinjiro Shirata
1931 Began training under Morihei Ueshiba.
1937 Mobilized into the Army.

Shigemi Yonekawa
1932 Began training under Morihei Ueshiba.
1936 Moved to Manchuria.

Minoru Mochizuki
1930 Began training under Morihei Ueshiba.
Late 1930s Moved to Manchuria. (11)

With most students being mobilized for the war, by 1942 when Kanshu Sunadomari began training under Morihei Ueshiba, there were very few students. Training in those days was done only for a little while in the mornings and evenings. Also, Ueshiba was spending time traveling to Iwama. (12) As you can see, the actual number of years that the pre-war students spent training was really not that long, either in duration or per day. Another important thing to realize is that Ueshiba was not at the Kobukan dojo all the time during this period.

From 1926 until the outbreak of World War II, O-Sensei maintained a heavy teaching schedule centering his activities in Tokyo. His students were primarily military officers and person of high social standing and his teaching services were in constant demand. He was obliged to travel extensively around the country and made almost yearly visits to Manchuria, then under Japanese political control. (13)

There was actually only a small amount of training in those years for the prewar students and only a few actually trained more than five years. Adding to that, Ueshiba had a very busy traveling schedule as he went to various places to train people. Morihiro Saito even mentions how busy Ueshiba was traveling before the war. (14) In fact, after Mochizuki opened his dojo around 1931 (15), he stated that when Ueshiba would travel each month to Kyoto to teach Omoto kyo followers, that Ueshiba would stop at Mochizuki's dojo to teach there for two to three days. (16) Between the actual travel times and the teaching times, Ueshiba was not at the Kobukan dojo regularly. None of this even touches upon Ueshiba's teaching style and how chaotic or confusing it had been. The actual teaching style and method used by Morihei Ueshiba will be dealt with in another chapter.

Then there is the post-war period. Some of the post-war students are listed below.

Akira Tohei (1929-1999) 1946-1956 Studied under Koichi Tohei. 1956-1963 Studied under Morihei Ueshiba. 1963-64 Toured U.S. and taught in Hawaii. 1964-1972 Taught at various places in Japan. 1972 Dispatched to America.

Fumio Toyoda (1947-2001)
1957 (age 10) Studied under Koichi Tohei
1964 Shodan by Saito (Tohei was in Hawaii).
1965 Ichikukai dojo as resident for 3 years. After completing this harsh training, he continued to attend Hombu classes for 3 hours each day.
1969-ish – Uchideshi under Kisshomaru Ueshiba (Morihei had died) (sandan).
1971 Yondan.
1974 Dispatched to America (godan).

Mitsunari Kanai (1939-2004) 1959-1966 Uchideshi at Hombu. 1966 Dispatched to America (yondan).
Seiichi Sugano (1939-2010) 1957 Started training at Hombu. 1958-59 Studied under Morihei Ueshiba. 1965 Dispatched to Australia.
Yoshimitsu Yamada (1938-) 1955-56 Uchideshi at Hombu. 1964 Dispatched to NY Aikikai.
Kazuo Chiba (1940-) 1958- Uchideshi at Hombu. 1960 – Sandan. Assigned to Nagoya. 1962 Yondan and teaching at Hombu. 1966 Dispatched to England.
Mitsugi Saotome (1937-) 1955 Started Aikido. 1958 Uchideshi at Hombu. 1960 Teaching at Hombu. 1975 Departed to America.
Shizuo Imaizumi (1938-) 1959 Started Aikido. 1965 Apprentice Instructor at Hombu (sandan). Frequently trained under Koichi Tohei, 1975 Moved to America.
During the post-war period, the students of Morihei Ueshiba actually had more total years training than the pre-war students. A closer look at how much time was spent training directly with Morihei Ueshiba shows that the actual time is significantly less than what it appears. There is relatively little difference between pre-war and post-war in the actual amount of hands-on time with Ueshiba.

Ueshiba moved to Iwama for about ten years from around 1942 to 1952. (17) During this time in Iwama, his actual training schedule with students appeared to be limited to twice a day.

Morihei's daily schedule in Iwama in those years:
7:00-9:00 A.M.: Aikido training followed by a simple breakfast.
4:00P.M.-6:00P.M. Aikido training.(18)

For those ten years in Iwama, the students did not train extensively. It would appear that, at most, there was 4 hours of training each day. While four hours a day is not something to easily dismiss, it is nowhere near an extensive training schedule. We also have to take into consideration whether the students in Iwama trained every day. Even at that, Ueshiba's teaching style was still confusing and at times, chaotic. Saito did mention that the training was severe. (19)
Ueshiba split his time between the Tokyo hombu dojo and Iwama for a short period. Stan Pranin notes that Ueshiba actually lived in Iwama for 15 years after the war ended. (20) Kanai responds that after he started at hombu around 1958, Ueshiba split his time between Iwama and Tokyo. (21)
Until 1955, hombu dojo was not very active. Between 1955 and 1959, more students started coming to the dojo to train, including foreign students. Even then, Ueshiba was not a regular teacher there. He would show up whenever he wanted. (22)
Nishio remarks that when he started, around 1951, it was six months before he saw Ueshiba. (23) In fact, Nishio goes on to note that there weren't many students and that Kisshomaru Ueshiba and Koichi Tohei were the teachers. (24)
Robert Frager remarks that he only saw Ueshiba occasionally during his first year, which would be sometime in the mid 1960s. (25) Walther Krenner also notes that Ueshiba wasn't teaching regularly around 1967. (26)
Kisshomaru Ueshiba states that his father was "besieged by visitors starting from early in the morning and he spent large amounts of time in receiving them". Kisshomaru also notes that his father traveled often. (27)
Taking a closer look when Ueshiba was at the Tokyo hombu dojo, what time, or times, did he teach?

The uchideshi's day begins around 6 a.m., when he cleans the dojo and the grounds outside. The first class of the day starts at 6:30. This class is usually taught by Uyeshiba himself, the Osensei, which means the old teacher. The young uchideshi sit on their knees during this hour, which can be an uncomfortable and tiring experience.
The first class is usually taken up mostly with discussions about God and nature - Uyeshiba doing the talking and the uchideshi listening. It is in this hour that the young uchideshi is exposed to Zen philosophy and the deeper meanings of aikido - its nonviolent and defensive perfection and understanding.
If this all sounds rather remote and difficult to grasp for a Western reader, he may be interested to know that the young Japanese uchideshi often feels the same way. The 83-year-old Uyeshiba many times speaks about highly abstract topics, lapsing usually into ancient Japanese phraseology, so that his listeners often find it difficult to follow him.
When this long hour is over, the young uchideshi exuberantly spill out onto the dojo floor for a half-hour exercise break. All the restless energy pent up within seems to come out and they throw themselves into the practice of their techniques with each other.
At 8 a.m. begins the real study of aikido techniques. This class is taught by a different instructor every day, and is attended by a large number of persons from outside the dojo. Sometimes this hour is taught by Uyeshiba's son, or Waka sensei as he is called. Sometimes Tohei sensei, the greatest of Uyeshiba's followers, instructs the class. (28)

When Ueshiba did teach, he often spent a large amount of time talking and the students just wanted to practice techniques. (28) (29) Ueshiba traveled often. He also entertained visitors. He only taught the morning class at hombu dojo when he was there. From the mid 1940s to the mid 1950s, he was rarely in Tokyo. From the mid 1950s to the mid 1960s, he split his time between Iwama and Tokyo and still traveled occasionally to various other places. In the late 1960s, Ueshiba's health was declining and he rarely taught. Not even getting into the subject of just how confusing Ueshiba's teaching style was, the students of Ueshiba never had extensive training time with him, either pre-war or post-war. What time there was, the post-war students focused on techniques and throwing each other around. The exceptions here would be Kisshomaru and Saito. Both seem to have had more access to Ueshiba than most other students.
With everything mentioned, it is very plausible that many of the people training in Tokyo were actually students of Kisshomaru and Tohei. When Ueshiba retreated to Iwama, he left hombu dojo in the care of Kisshomaru. It also explains why Saito was able to develop the curriculum that he did since he had more time with Ueshiba.
This isn't to say that all the students of aikido never trained with Morihei Ueshiba or that they did not learn from him. This is only to show that the actual hands-on training time with Ueshiba was not extensive. Ueshiba was not really focused on teaching so that whatever the students could glimpse was done so by a very dedicated effort on their part. Ueshiba must have, in some manner, given out certain aspects for training aiki in the pre-war period. Those students stood out.
After 20 years in aikido why aren't you at least close to the pre-war students?
There is an interview with Henry Kono in an Aikido Today magazine that sheds light on the answer.
ATM: When you had conversations like these with O'sensei, what would you talk about?
HK: Well, I would usually ask him why the rest of us couldn't do what he could. There were many other teachers, all doing aikido. But he was doing it differently - doing something differently. His movement was so clean!

ATM: How would O'sensei answer your questions about what he was doing?
HK: He would say that I didn't understand yin and yang [in and yo]. So, now I've made it my life work to study yin and yang. That's what O'sensei told me to do.
The answer is Aiki. Daito ryu aiki. Specific training (not techniques) for aiki. Heaven-Earth-Man. Yin/Yang. Have you found what those training methodologies were?

1. Aikido Journal Issue 109
   
2. Aiki News 047
   
3. Aiki News Issue 035
   
4. Aiki News Issue 062
   
5. Aiki News Issue 062
   
6. Aiki News Issue 062
   
7. Aiki News Issue 035
   
8. Aiki News Issue 035
   
9. http://www.aikidojournal.com/article?articleID=70
   

10 Aiki News Issue 128

1. http://www.aikidojournal.com/article.php?articleID=505
   
2. Aiki News Issue 064
   
3. Aiki News Issue 027
   
4. Aiki News Issue 013
   
5. http://www.yoseikanbudo.com/eng/minorumochizuki.shtml
   
6. Aiki News Issue 054
   
7. Aiki News Issue 031
   
8. The Shambhala Guide to Aikido by John Stevens
   
9. Aiki News Issue 027
   
10. Aiki News Issue 038
    
11. Aiki News Issue 038
    
12. Aiki News Issue 070
    
13. Aiki News Issue 060
    
14. Aiki News Issue 060
    
15. Yoga Journal March 1982
    
16. Training with the Master by John Stevens
    
17. Aiki News Issue 031
    
18. Black Belt 1966 Vol 4 No 5
    
19. Yoga Journal March 1982
    

My brother married an actual psychopath. My brother (40) married the scummiest scum of the earth. Who can only be described as a whore, a psycho, sociopath and an all around terrible human being. It was against the wishes of EVERYONE. For back story…She had a child by another man… and only had him (in november) to live off the government. he met the stray hoe took care of her and her unborn child. they started dating in september and by christmas she had drained his bank account. He moved in with her days after christmas. Proposed. And got married sometime between march and june i honestly can not be bothered to know exactly when. The night before brother was admitted to the er for staph infection in his berries. After the “wedding” that was in the back yard of some pastor . they had a “reception”. Where i photographed/observed the following. A used tampon on washing machine. Shit filled diapers littering the nursery. A surreal amount of clothing on the bed. I said nah im good. And went home. The wedding was in may and she got my brother to legally adopt her child. Im forever convinced if not for my brother she would casey anthony her child. She Munchausened her kid and my brother. Self diagnosing the kid with autism. Pushed or made my brother fall and get multiple concussions. Drugged him with date rape drugs to keep control of him. She was a frequent flier to the ER going to the emergency room for unnecessary reasons. She refused to parent her child insisting that its the worlds job to teach him the bare minimum. She refused to clean as well. Her cockroaches had cockroaches. Cleanliness was mental illness for her. She kicked my brother out asking for divorce. But realized she had to leave bc he paid the bills. She stayed with whoever the hell would take her. Was forced to walk wherever she needed to go. And uttered the words “well i had to walk in the rain so theres my bath for the week” after growing tired of not having his card and money she came crawling back. She avoided parenting like the plague. Every excuse. Uti. Migraine. Yeast infection. Its a tuesday. When her son was 2 she left to go to another state and go to school for being a truck driver. Had no qualms of leaving her kid behind for weeks. Then she dropped out of 18 wheeler school. It seems the wheels on her bus fell off. For someone who doesnt believe proper hygiene was important she didnt believe bathing him and basic care was important. Feet encrusted in dirt and dirt under overgrown nails. It was so noticeable that when i cut his nails his teacher made comment about it. Her family was just as absent as you would expect. Her mother only went to the first birthday party when the child was 6. And didnt even know her own grandchild. Asked another child at the party if he had the best birthday! My mom looked at her and said “yeaaa thats the wrong kid…” Fast forward when the first born was 6 and she birthed her second. This had no change and her parenting never improved. Another child encrusted in dirt. After the youngest turned a year and a half my brother had knee surgery and stayed with us (me mom dad) to recover because she would have made him cook clean and parent. While he was healing for the week he was there she moved in her boyfriend AND girlfriend. By the way she not only a hoe she is a promiscuous hoe with no moral compass. I promised my mom id never call CPS however when the second was 2 i had a friend call cps. Like a special ops team cops went in at 2 am and gathered the children and brought them to me and my parents. We had the 2 year old and a friend of the hoe had the 8 year old. For 2 weeks my brother agonized over his kids being taken. And she had a vacation. She treated it as if having your kids repo’ed as a right of passage. Told the world. Told the teacher. And had the time of her stupid life. In the 2 weeks i had them i had minions collecting screenshots of statuses of her being a bad mother. Which was super easy bc every thought made it to facebook. Such as. “My dentist suggested i brush my teeth at least once a day” “i guess i was doing (brother) with the wrong meds and made him sick” “why dont grandparents raise our children” i gathered these gems and photographic evidence of the state of the house and cleanliness of children to cps, police and eventually divorce lawyer. During their time together the hoe broke my brother mentally spiritually emotionally physically financially. The food stamps ran out in the first week of every month spent on junk soda and unnecessary nonsense. They had to ask my mother for money that accumulated to the tune of $10,000 over 10 years. She is also a gofundme whore. She would start a gofundme 10-12 times a year for any and everything. She decided at one point to go back to school and did an amazon wishlist for school supplies and a gofundme for “gas food and other expenses”. Being the trash human she is she is friends with people of unsavory character. An actual crack head bought her entire amazon wishlist. Which she put on facebook. Yikes. At one point she found a dog and instead of finding the owner she finders keepers that poor pup. Making yet another gofundme for dog expenses. I told my friends i would paaaay them to claim the dog as theirs so my mother didnt pay for yet another mouth to feed. If youre curious about the gofundmes and if they were ever fruitful… when a bull milks a calf will her gofundme work. The final year of their marriage was no less chaotic. The christmas of 2019 she posted on facebook that its so wonderful that her husband is out working and her boyfriend is sleeping next to her and her girlfriend is cooking. Tagging the aforementioned on facebook. My brother was humiliated because infront of church members family and friends his marriage and all the stupidity that came with it was out in the open for all to judge. My brother was at the time a corrections officers and let his kind nature and naivety get him in trouble. A person asked him to take some taco bell to an inmate and in what could only be called a moment of stupidity (sorry mom) he did so. what he didnt know is they put drugs in it and when it was scanned he was arrested. My mom and dad had to bail him out too him home and around 3 am he called me “they voted me out” beyond confused i asked what the hell does that mean? As it turned out. Hoe boyfriend and girlfriend unanimously voted him out of the house. Mind you. Single wide trailer housing 4 adults 2 kids a dog and cats. June of 2020 he moved back in a month later if the children followed. after the actual breadwinner left the house the unemployed baboons could not pay the rent and were kicked out. The three went down to two with the girlfriend being let go. Hoe and boyfriend moved in with her mother. And boyfriend wrecked the car in my brothers name. Dui and head on collision. Car gone! The children stayed with us. The youngest was 2 at the time and began calling my mom “mommy” which pissed off the hoe. And she never contacted them. At the hearing for the divorce she stated all she wanted out of the relationship was not money or visitation. But her maiden name back. TAKE IT. AND LEAVE US THE HELL ALONE. She also used a photo of her kids on a gofundme to get sympathy and posted that to a fetish website. Seeing as the photo was them shirtless i believe that was on purpose. She dumped boyfriend and found a new love in new hampshire. She was in NH for 8 months with her new boyfriend and he lost his job so they moved back down. After a summer of no contact she called and told the children “when i get home we are going to….” And listed about 10 events places and activities to look forward to. None of which she delivered on. After not spending time with them again and choosing to give up her weekend with them to play video games for 30 HOURS STRAIGHT. She eventually in 2024 decided that her and her boyfriend were moving to Massachusetts. Seeing how she is a practicing witch my only hope is the salem witch trials reconvene. She married the dude she abandoned her kids for. On mothers day the children who no longer give a damn she exists were forced to call and tell her happy mothers day. Where the 6 year old proceeded to tell her the older brother got a phone and didnt wanna give her his number. She assured him that as his mother its quite alright to give mommy dearest the number to which the youngest said yea no he doesnt want to. The mouths of babes. She cried and posted on facebook not only do her children hate her but she had to give up her cats too. And wished the “real mom’s of the world a happy mothers day” shes a shit cat mom too! A week after we had spaghetti for dinner and the 6 year old said “i never used to like spaghetti. I only tried it at… whats her names house? Jordan? Yea her house” With their father engaged to a good Godly woman with morals and standards the worst mother to ever mother has been replaced and so far we are all living happily ever after. The moral of the story is if you lay down with dogs you get up with fleas what if you lay down with whores end up with bedbugs and that was a very costly moral

I’m a (22, M) Capricorn man who has a crush on a wonderful (21, F) Cancer woman. We met a week before finals week (school was ending); we go to the same university.
Here’s the context (sorry if this is too long):
How we first met was due to her needing help editing her dance video (she is a dance major) and I was called up to help her edit her video (I’m a film production major). When we were working together, she pointed to a guy in the video who was in her dance team and told me she had a huge crush on him. She even told me she confessed her love to him but it didn’t work out because of his sexuality status. I was sort of mad? b/c why would someone I just met make me jealous like that. Anyways, towards the end before we departed, I asked her if she had any finals to study for next week. She said yes, but she told me she does’t know what to do because she has a lot of free time. As soon as she said that, my overthinking and delulu cap mind thought she was hinting that I should ask her out for food or something. So I did. She said yes with a smile, and we decided to get food during finals week next week.
Finals week approaches, I pick her up, we go get food. I've read that Cancers can be initially shy and reserved until they feel comfortable with someone to open up. But she was not shy at all – very bubbly. I could see her blush a bit, but even on the way to the restaurant, she was the one leading the conversation and even at the restaurant. She was asking a lot of questions to learn more about me – I think it also has to do with the cross cultural curiosity too because we are both from different countries. But she would ask questions like what I want to do in the future, etc. Then she also shared a lot about her family which I thought she was opening up a lot compared to what I've read about Cancer women. She told me about her mother, her sisters, etc and how excited she was to go back to see them soon.
After the food date(?) or thing (I think we were there for like two hours), I tried to be romantic or more respectful, I guess, so I opened the passenger door for her to get in, and as I was walking over to my side of the car to get in, I peaked over her and she was smiling and I could see her blush (again, I don’t know if its a capricorn thing but I really try to observe every little detail and overthink them every night). Anyways, I dropped her off at her dorm, I got out of the car to say goodbye, she opened her arms to give me a hug. We said goodbye but I didn’t really say too much about next plans because I didn’t want to be rushing or pushing and also summer break literally was about to start, and also I just met her.
Any advice from those who understand Cancer women's behavior better or insights from fellow Capricorn individuals who have been in similar situations would be greatly appreciated. What does this show about her? My delulu mind keeps overthinking to the point where I’m reading all about Cancer women on reddit and trying to confirm if she perhaps is into me or maybe she is just an outgoing person who just likes food dates with random people for fun 💀
Thank you all for your astrological wisdom and guidance!

Intended Major: Data Science / Computer Science (changes depending on the school i'm applying to)
GPA: 3.81 UW, 4.92 W out of 6 (includes courses from middle school 😭 )
UC Gpa since I am applying to a lot of them: 3.90 UW, 4.57 W, 4.17 weighted and capped
Class Rank: Outside top 10% because of some high school courses I took during 7th and 8th grade. Got straight Bs and Cs unfortunately.
SAT: 1450 (750M 700 RW, didn't study at all, trying again in august after studying)
Race: Asian
Gender: Male
Background: middle-class immigrant family.
School: Competitive Public High School
State: Texas
19 APs total (12 taken so far) AP Human Geography- 4, AP World - 5, AP Physics 1- 5, failed Spanish Lang 💀, waiting on all others
Senior year course load - AP Stats, AP Physics C (Mech and E&M), AP Gov/Econ, AP Lit, Data Structures And Algorithms (course after AP CSA, gpa is weighted the same as AP), and Calc III / Differential Equations dual enrollment, APES.
Main Extracurriculars:

1. Created an open-source flight board website/app for a Flight Simulator Multiplayer server that displays information on each flight including departure/arrival times and status. Displays busiest airports and flight routes, and predicts future routes and flight recommendations based on historical data such as ATC availability. Website has 400 users and receives approximately 4.5K visits daily, with a maximum of 1022 distinct users in April. I have also created my own API that gives relevant information such as time remaining and specific departure times that are not shown in the original API that I used to create the flight board.
   
2. Interning at State School’s CS lab this summer and will research and create a final project about how businesses use the data they collect to make future decisions to increase profit. This aligns with my goal of becoming a data scientist and going into the machine learning field, so I thought this would be pretty important.
   
3. Active addon creator for Microsoft Flight Simulator - Developed many addons such as aircraft liveries, realistically modeled airports, and the biggest one being a graphics mod to make the sim look more realistic. ~2500 downloads for all mods
   
4. Computer Science Club: Competed in multiple competitive coding competitions such as UTD Battle of the Brains, A&M Codewars, Lockheed Martin Codequest, Computer Science UIL, and many other online ones such as Devpost and CyberPatriots (did this with my friends for fun, unfortunately didnt win anything). I have also demoed my personal projects in this club and have helped members with learning Python and HTML, since our school’s curriculum is only based on Java.
   
5. Personal Computer Science Projects - Just a couple of projects that I made in the past few years that have helped me improve my understanding of coding. My school only offers Java, so these projects were incredibly helpful when it came to understanding R, Python, and JavaScript. My favorite project is a volunteer log tool that breaks down my total hours based on the number of hours that I have volunteered at my local food packing facility and how many boxes each table can pack. Using this information, I can derive how many boxes I have personally helped make and how many children I have fed through my contributions.
   
6. Created a review guide for AP Physics 1 that compiled the most important formulas and concepts from our lessons and resources. I also compiled an entire mock exam’s worth of MCQ and FRQ questions to test the hardest questions from each unit. On exam day, there were 54 people on the doc, so there were at least 50 people I impacted with this. I have also recently started a tutoring service for people who are struggling with physics and people who are taking Physics in the future (doing it on Saturday and Sunday every week).
   
7. Volunteering at a local food packing facility for ~105 hours. Volunteered at every position including pourer, bagger, weigher, and warehouse crew.
   
8. Volunteering at NHS organized events for 15 hours.
   
9. Completed Harvard’s CS50 course back in sophomore year (my website stated above evolved from my final project for CS50, which was a flight board on command prompt lol)
   
10. Part of the National Science Honors Society and Cybersecurity club at my school.
    

Awards (I am cooked 😔):

1. National Merit Commended (probably gonna get this)
   
2. PVSA silver award
   
3. Computer Science UIL awards
   
4. AP Scholar (probably with distinciton in july)
   

LOR: AP Calc - 8 (maybe 9) /10, did really well in her class and asked a lot of questions. she was also impressed by my resume, but I didn't talk to her a lot personally. I've heard that she writes good rec letters tho. AP Physics - 7/10
Schools:
Reach : UT Austin (Statistics / Data Science), UMich (CS lsa), UC Berkeley (Applied Math, my dream school), UCLA (Stats/Data Science), Purdue (CS or AI major), UIUC (Computer Engineering or CS + Stats), UCSD (data science or Math-CS), UCI (CS), UCSB (CE), UW Madison (CS), Georgia Tech (CS, doing this one for fun lol), USC
Target: Texas A&M Engineering (attainable dream school), UT Dallas (CS), Colorado Boulder (CS), UMD College Park (CS), Penn State (CS), NCSU (CS)
Safety (if I get into UTD rolling then i wont apply here): UNT, Texas Tech, ASU
Notes: I want to settle in the bay area after going to college, and want to become a data scientist (seems more interesting to me than becoming a swe, my opinion might change) at a well-respected company, preferably in the aerospace industry since I've had an interest in aviation since my childhood. I might also do grad school.
Thoughts?

From 0 to $30k MRR in 4 months using Affiliates and FB/IG ads
Eric, an ex-Instagram employee and successful Indie Hacker, already makes $50k/month with his other two tools.
At the start of the year, he decided to build an auto and faceless shorts/reels/TikTok maker. With the rising trend of short faceless videos on these platforms, Eric saw an opportunity. The process without a tool is tedious — writing a good script, generating AI voice, and matching it with a background. Autoshorts simplifies this into a single step: choose the script style, and it takes care of the rest.
Eric launched Autoshorts in the last week of January. By March, he had already reached $2k MRR, thanks to ads and posting his own shorts on TikTok (using his own tool to grow — amazing, right?). The growth was insane; in just 2 weeks, he hit $4k MRR. He shared his FB ads strategy with everyone too; check it out here.
However, Eric learned that relying on one channel is risky (FB blocked his ads for a while). So, he started focusing on affiliate outreach. This strategy paid off, helping his MRR grow to $12k (a 3x jump) with a successful affiliate video.
As of his most recent update, Eric hit $31k MRR on May 9th.
Marketing is all about trying different strategies, being consistent, and doubling down on what works. Now, it’s your turn to give it a shot!
To read more such tips and stories around building on the Internet, consider subscribing to our free Newsletter BuilderOS :)

Species: Dog
Age: 13.5
Sex/Neuter status: Female / spayed
Breed: Beauceron / shepherd mix
Body weight: 50lbs / 22.7Kg
Clinical signs: Nonambulatory tetraparesis
Hi there,
Last Monday, my 13.5 year old dog suddenly collapsed, and became nonambulatory in all four legs.
I took her to a nuerological specialist, who took standard x-rays and bloodwork trying to rule out cancer as a potential cause and overall general health. Those test results came back negative for cancer, and from what they could tell she was a healthy older lady.
After their nuerological exam, they favored she either had FCE or ANNPE. They couldn't rule out neoplasia or IVDD without an MRI, but favor a spinal event due to how sudden/immediate it was, she's in no pain, and she favors one side over the other.
I choose to not do the MRI, mostly beacaue I simply can't afford it ($5000+), but also because any outcome has no real path forward of action outside waiting. If it's cancer, she will decline quickly and we put her down. If it's IVDD, I can't afford surgery as well as she's old and has bad arthritis, and recovery would be brutal. If it's a spinal event, bed rest and PT is what I'm being told.
During the last week, she now pushes herself up on her front legs to adjust herself on her bed, stretches all four legs after napping, and is starting to wag her tail. She'll also wobble off her bed and do a strange looking army crawl/roll/hobble if the doorbell rings in an effort to greet the person at the door. All of this is supervised so she doesn't hurt herself, and seems to be pretty hard for her to do for longer than maybe 10 seconds at a time.
She isn't showing any signs of pain, has a good appetite, drinking normally, and urinates/deficates with help outside. She still has accidents, but that's expected.
Are these good signs of recovery, or possibly just what her new normal is? If these aren't signs of some sort of recovery, what are?
I'm starting to call around for PT sessions, but worried about cost (I know, I sound awful talking about money). Is it better to wait until she recovers a little more before I try some sessions, or is it better to start earlier?
I'm looking to buy her an inflatable peanut therapy ball that she can stand with, but need to measure her first to get the right size. Are these valid tools for helping?
Lastly... When is a reasonable time to know she isn't getting better? I know "I will just know", but I don't want her to suffer. She's old and slept for most of the day before this, but loved walking outside and roaming the yard when she wasn't asleep. Now, she just sleeps and barks outside at anything that moves (so she's entertained for now I suppose). My wife and I are making this work for now, and my kids are getting ready to start summer break, so we have more time than normal for now, but life is rough and stressful as it is. I'm trying my best...
Thank you very much

Here's the news we've all been waiting for: "Summer '24 Limited arrives Friday May 24th @ 8 AM Pacific"!
For those less familiar with Nocturne Alchemy, this release will include a "Resurgence" of (most of) last year's Summer 2023 scents, as well as this year's new releases, which will themselves then Resurge next year. You can find the complete list of last year's Summer 2023 scents HERE, with the caveat that the Crystalline #s won't be returning since they already came back in a Thoth's Archive, and the Musks don't Resurge either.
One of the nice things about this Resurgence thing is that you can buy decants in the first year to see how you like them, then full-size them the following year. Arae Decantery, Crypta Obscura, and Ajevie all do Nocturne Alchemy decants. And for those scents that won't Resurge (like the seasonal Musks), collections are around for long enough that there's still generally time to try decants before FSing. With only rare exceptions - looking at you, Lait! - things don't typically sell out right away, and collections stay up for several months.
I thought it might be helpful if I shared my thoughts on the Summer 2023 scents I've tried. We'd all love to hear your own thoughts on these or any other Summer 2023 perfumes, if you have any reviews to share! Drop thoughts into a comment if you feel so moved, or even put up your own review post. It's always great fun to read reviews - and really helpful for making our wishlists, especially for newer folks who weren't around or who weren't paying attention to this house last summer, so all the Resurgence scents will be new to them.
​
Amber Cotton Candy & Honey Bee [Fossilized Amber accord, Bastet’s Amber absolute, Labdanum, Patchouli, Sandalwood, Cedar Chips, Cotton Candy accord, Vanilla-sugar, Whipped Orange Blossom Honey accord, Languid Amber Cordial accord (rich PC Ozymandias amber absolute), French Vanilla, Caramel and Raspberry Essence] - I don't buy NAVA's Bees because their honey doesn't work on me - their orange blossom honey is quite cloying, sickly sweet, and a bit urinous on me. This was a freebie sniffie bottle from Ajevie, which I still tried because it's always fun to try new things, and because (having experienced the orange blossom honey before) I figured I could overlook the honey to evaluate the other notes. This amber definitely has a thick, syrupy quality to it - I get almost a whiff of their limestone accord - and it's heavy on the labdanum. The pink spun-sugar cotton candy note amps the already quite sweet honey note. I also, to my surprise, actually can make out a touch of tart juicy raspbery - but not any patchouli.
Peach Vanilla Crème Tea [Peach skin, Peach pit, Ripened Peach accord, Black Tea, Bastet’s Amber absolute, Vanilla Bean Cordial, and Vanilla-Sugar] - It's peach iced tea, sweet and refreshing, much like Poesie Peach Tiara [Peach iced tea, honeysuckle, sun warmed skin, and crisp white petticoats], but without the cotton note, and with both the black tea and the peach more assertive. This peach is a bit candy-ish (possibly that sweetness is amped by the vanilla sugar), and the tea is suprisingly cinnamon-y, which pairs beautifully with the peach and makes it more a transitional scent, summer into fall, than purely a hot-weather scent for me.

And on the off-chance that the Crystalline #s do return (with NA you never know for sure...)

Crystalline #10 [Toasted Coconut, Coconut Pulp, Caramelized Sugar, Tonka, Coconut Milk, Bastet’s Musk, eNVie saphir, Crystalline (Studio Limited Originals)] - Sweetened coconut. It's simple yet gorgeous. The sugary note helps it avoid sunscreen status, and there's something really light and refreshing about this one. Longevity is not great though.
Crystalline #11 [Sandalwood Milk accord, Santalum extract, Australian Sandalwood, Sandalwood Chips in Oudh blend, Golden Indian Sandalwood, Kobalt (Studio Limited Originals) Vanilla, Jasmine, Cedarwood, Red Sandalwood and Crystalline (Studio Limited Originals)] - A woodsy-creamy sandalwood and NAVA's lovely vanilla, this one recognizably a mix of Kobalt and Crystalline. It's difficult to say which of the sandalwood or vanilla are stronger because each of them seems the star on alternate sniffs! This is woodsier, more milky, and a little less addictive to my nose than Snowy Woolly [Vanilla essence, Indian Sandalwood, French Vanilla, Coconut Husk, Bastet’s Musk absolute and White Sandalwood], but it's a reasonable alternative if you're looking for the unctuous, gorgeous simplicity of vanilla + sandalwood. A touch of smoky oud comes out in the drydown, which is a welcome addition that makes this scent just a touch more complex.

Who is Brookmount Explorations, Inc?
Brookmount Explorations, Inc ($BMXI) is an operator of producing gold properties in the Republic of Indonesia. The Company currently operates 2 gold producing properties in volcanic hosted sediment within the tropical rain forest region of Sulawesi Province in north east Indonesia and is in the process of acquiring additional high grade properties in the area, which was originally surveyed and developed by Newmont Mining of the US. The Company is incorporated in Nevada and was organized for the purpose of acquiring, exploring and developing mineral properties. The Company recently acquired a 5000 hectare gold property in the Tintina gold belt in the Yukon area of Canada and a smaller property in the Alaska USA portion of the Tintina Gold Belt.

• BMXI Stock, Best Gold Stocks, Gold Stocks To Buy, Junior Mining (brookmountgold.com)

Why should I really strongly take consideration on this GOLD mining and operator junior company?
As of recent, Gold prices have been taken center stage with prices exceeding (($2400 / ounce)). That being stated, $BMXI has been putting together their 2021, 2022, and 2023 financial forms for inclusion for PCAOB Audit set to finish this MAY 2024 (has been worked on for some time now) being completed by a firm out of Australia called "Hall Chadwick".

• Hall Chadwick is one of the largest and most experienced accounting groups in Australia servicing clients in every major capital city and many regional centres in Australia. (Hall Chadwick Chartered Accountants & Business Advisors)

One thing to note about this operator is that they are highly profitable off a single mine in Talawaan, Indonesia. While they have a heap leeching mine in Alason (starting back up this quarter), and recent purchases in United States and Canada (Atlin, McArthur, and Yukon), this Junior mining company is looking to expand, with a LOT of coin in their pocket. Here is a link to figures of their net income, profit, liabilities, total assets, and operating expenses:
Kevin C on X: "$BMXI u/brookmountgold is a Junior #mining operations company producing #gold in Indonesia, and soon in North America. With a 3-year #PCAOB #Audit to be completed (End of May), and future #Nasdaq #uplist, here is the #preciousmetals company by the numbers! $SPZI $IGBK $FBEC $PDGO https://t.co/kO0FaJjuzi" / X
Link to their disclosures: BMXI - Brookmount Explorations, Inc. Disclosure OTC Markets
As of current, their total assets exceed: $45,650,000
Total Liabilities: $2,700,000
Net Income: $10,000,000 (YoY)
Operating Expenses: $1,600,000 approx.
What is SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO enticing about this company if the above doesn't already look good is that they are sitting on $20,000,000 in cash / gold reserves that is stuck in Talawaan, Indonesia, their first venture. As of today, they have agreed and accepted the conditions to buy out the entire Talawaan mine by June 30.
Part of the agreement with their partner in Talawaan, was that most, if not all the production would be held at that mine for operating costs and upkeep. That agreement will go away when Brookmount Explorations Inc ($BMXI) outright buys the entire mine.
Additionally, currently, they are starting to open back their Alason heep leeching mine that was forced closed during COVID. At that time and recently, they havent been able to start it back up because their cash has been held in Talawaan. To keep working, $BMXI, CEO Nils Olquist has to use Leonite Capital Hedge Fund ((3) Leonite Capital: Overview LinkedIn) as a capital alternative and dilute the stock so they could use funds to stay operational, while seizing on deals in the United States and Canada (This has come to an end, diluting has ended by Leonite).
Their plan is to get their North American mines up and running this summer 2024, break even, and be ready to run next season. In doing so, they needed cash infusion to pay for this land and seize the day while their cash is currently being held up until June 30 of this year.
They plan to spinoff the North American property into its own stock that is majority owned by Brookmount Explorations Inc, which also will end up being audited. For loyal shareholders, they will receive complimentary percentaged shares into the spinoff.
There is a lot planned and, in the works, but the central driving forces here is that END OF MAY the plan is for Hall Chadwick to finish the audit, and Brookmount Explorations Inc to list itself onto the Nasdaq Exchange. Recent tweet last night drives home the fact that the audit is finally coming to an end and all the financials will be solidified.
Brookmount Gold on X: "$BMXI We are pleased to announce that our CEO Nils Ollquist has just arrived in Melbourne, Australia, and will joined by CFO Chris Lim, and Board Member Fred Kempson at a meeting this week with representatives from our auditor, Hall Chadwick. The meeting will aim to address any" / X
You will not find Gold Mining outfits like this anywhere that is SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Undervalued while listing assets, net income, and liabilities this company has. For instance, compare it to $SDRC, which sits at $.30 and hasnt produced gold. You can compare this stock equivalently to Nasdaq gold mining stocks and our comparable blows them out of the water. You can do the math. The EPS of $BMXI is .10-.12.
You can read about their operations here: Talawaan, Indonesia - BrookMount Gold

Ive never so so scared, lonely, and insecure in my entire life. All i do all day is either be alone and have constant negative thoughts about myself swarming me to the point where i cant even stay still or think straight or I distract myself with pointless shit.
Im finishing up Junior year and before the start of the year my mother said "try your hardest this year, Junior year is really important for colleges, if you get all As I'll be happy". Like everything she said that was a lie. I finished with all As and twice the amount of classes i normal take and our relationship has never been more horrible
Rn im looking at my college application and im genuinely scared for the future. During my Freshman and Sophmore years i was really immature. I was loud, attention seeker, never shut up, and mostly importantly didnt take school seriously. Because of that, my College resume is dogshit for any college i want to attend. For one i got shit grades in both my science classes (bio and chem) during Freshman and Sophmroe year. Im going into college as a PRE MED student majoring in BIOLOGY.
Thats not the worst of it, i basically slacked off all year for extracurriculars and my application is dry AF. No leadership positions, hardly any volunteering hours, barely participation in clubs. I also quit soccer due to stress reasons. Im doing the same for archery too. Ive done archery up until this year but like soccer it stressed me tf out and put me in another depression so im yet again quitting another activity. Another knock for applications.
And again that's not even the fucking worst part about it all. My STUPID. FUCKING. LAZY. ass hardly studied for the ACT. I just blew off the ACT classes my mom gave me during Junior year because im lazy and now my ACT scores are shit. I got a 25 the first time, second time i was feeling confident but only got a 26. Both scores not even in the ranges of the colleges i am expected to go to.
"Actually taking school seriously this year", what a fucking joke. Im still the same pathetic mf i was during underclassmen. So now ACTs off the table since im so shit at it. I took an SAT however it was right in the middle of finals, midterms, and AP test for all my classes so i could barely study. I got a 1290 on it which is about 27 on the ACT. My mom was fucking furious at me. I have basically one more chance to not fuck it up. The only dates left for the SAT is Aug and Oct. Oct way too close to the application deadline so i really only have one more chance. One more chance to study my ass off after the worst year of my life to get at least a 1400 on the SAT, and it's all my fault. Because i was lazy like always.
I dont know, rn im lying in bed alone after making myself depressed again with my thoughts with tears on my face and i just dont know what to do. I got really emotional suddenly and typed this up. I was gonna type about a bunch more stuff but the college thing took me so long and now the emotions gone.
I just feel so shameful about my entire status rn. I feel like some lazy, pathetic, skinny, ugly bitch rn and not like a talented, hardworking, academically successful, attractive child like my mom clearly wants. We're Asian so im basically a tool. Her bare minimum college is University of Pittsburgh, Ohio State, and UIUC, all of which are clearly not 'match' colleges for me. Downsizing and going to anything lesser just feels like failing to me.
I look at other kids in my grade who got like 30s first try on the ACT, have better GPAs, do extracurriculars, have leadership roles, etc and they're hardworking, honest, have friends, better looking, etc, etc, etc. Theyre just good people and im literally NOT. Everytime im in class i sit alone while they are all in groups chatting, and just being better i feel like dying. That's why im not gonna get together with my crush, shes literally infinitely better than me.
Again i dont know, im just so lost in thought and emotion, I have so much shit rn. College, being alone, start powerlifting, new gym routine, i wanna start calisthenics, i need a new diet, i want a different haircut, i need a new skincare routine, day and night study for the SAT, i need to get a job, i need to start making money this year, i have to do college classes this summer, i have to fix my eyebrows, i need a new clothes style, my body dsymorphia is getting really bad, my instrusive thoughts are getting really bad, i CLEARLY have an inferiority complex i REALLY need to fix, learning about college resumes, planning out college applications, college essays, colleges letters of rec,......
Like im so fucking confused and angry all the time and NOBODY is helping me. EVERYONE in my life either tells me im useless and wrong or just doesnt talk to me at all. Its always something new. Before this archery stress put me in depression for like a month, before that it was loneliness, before that it was more body dysmorphia, and more, and more, and more.
Im so confused and angry and i dont know what to do. I didnt even scratch the surface. Im mad again and so i just wanna conclude this. All in all i guess ill just keep on going.

Situation 1: Michelle, an international student, will be studying in Hualien County to obtain her degree and hopes to gain a better understanding of the National Health Insurance.
Q1: How and when can I obtain the NHI (National Health Insurance) card? A1: NHI stands for National Health Insurance, which is necessary for all individuals living in Taiwan. Of course, the process of obtaining NHI depends on your residency status as a foreigner living in Taiwan. Let's break down how and when you can get NHI!
Foreign Students If you've come to Taiwan to study at a university, getting NHI is quite straightforward. It's important to remember that foreigners can obtain NHI only after living continuously in Taiwan for six months on an ARC (Alien Resident Certificate), but you are allowed to leave the country once for up to 30 days during this 6-month period. After these six months, your university will collect insurance fees for each semester upon registration. As a student, you'll only need to pay the insurance fee, which is 826 NTD as of 2024, and then wait for notification from the university that your card is ready for collection. Insurance fees are collected from September to February in the first semester and from March to August in the second semester.
International students can be employed part-time in Taiwan. In this case, students with a steady part-time job should be registered in the program as employees through their employers. Don't forget to inform your university about this. The university will reimburse you a portion of the insurance fee you've already paid.
If you are seasonally employed, meaning you are a full-time student who only works during summer and winter vacations for fewer than 3 months and returns to school when classes resume, you do not need to change your enrollment status during the period of employment.
Foreign Workers A foreign worker must be registered in the National Health Insurance Program from the first day of employment. Therefore, those working in Taiwan are not subject to the six-month waiting period. Your employer should register you and be responsible for paying your insurance (formerly known as the "insurance registration organization").
If you're a company chairperson or owner, you need to set up your own insurance registration unit. If you have another primary job, you can be insured through that company or agency without enrolling as a responsible person.
If you're employed but don't have a fixed employer, like being a member of an occupational union, a farmers' or fishermen's association, or are actively involved in farming or fishing, you should enroll in the National Health Insurance through your respective union or association.
If you are working two jobs at the same time, then you should be registered in the NHI program through your main employer. Your main employer is the one where you work more hours; if the hours are similar, then income can be the deciding factor.
Unemployed foreigners If you are unemployed and qualify as a dependent, you should be registered in the NHI program through your employed spouse or direct blood relatives.
If you cannot be enrolled through your spouse or direct blood relatives, you are required to enroll in the program at the local administrative office where your household is registered, under the identity of a "regional citizen."
If you are an unemployed veteran or a dependent of a deceased veteran, then you can enroll in the program through the administrative office where your household is registered under the identity of "veteran."
For more information, please feel free to ask or refer to the NHI handbook (click the specific link below).
Q2: What medical services are covered by the NHI? A2: The National Health Insurance (NHI) in Taiwan covers a wide range of medical services, such as: Outpatient services Inpatient services Emergency care Surgery Laboratory tests Prescription drugs Dental care Mental health services Traditional Chinese Medicine Rehabilitation services The medical payments include diagnosis, assessment, laboratory tests, consultations, surgical procedures, anesthesia, prescriptions, supplies, therapies, nursing care, and covered hospital accommodations. Essentially, all essential healthcare services are included in the system.
Q3: How can I understand the cost of services under NHI in advance? A3: Under Taiwan's National Health Insurance (NHI), patients are required to make co-payments for medical services, including hospital visits, outpatient care, prescription drugs, and various medical procedures.
Let's see a breakdown of typical co-payments for various medical services under NHI! Visiting a hospital or clinic with a referral: Co-payment for Medical Center with referral is fixed at 170 NTD. For Regional Hospital it is 100 NTD. For District Hospital it is 50 NTD. And for Clinic it is 50 NTD. Visiting a hospital directly without a referral costs more: Co-payment for Medical Center without referral is fixed at 420 NTD. For Regional Hospital it is 240 NTD. For District Hospital it is 80 NTD. And for Clinic co-payment remains fixed at 50 NTD. For visiting dentist and traditional Chinese clinics, the co-payment is fixed at 50 NTD regardless of the level of medical institution.
Important to know For patients with a disability identification, the basic co-payment is charged at the Clinic rate (NT$50) regardless of the level of medical institution visited by the patient.
The following situations are regarded as visits with referral: Follow-up visits within one month of a medical visit with a referral sheet, limited to a maximum of four times. The first follow-up visit after outpatient surgery, emergency surgery, or discharge from the hospital. The first follow-up visit within six weeks after childbirth. Therefore, the co-payment for such visits is charged according to the standards of medical visits with referral, and hospitals may issue relevant certificates for patients. During a course of treatment, patients only need to pay the co-payment for their initial visit (excluding rehabilitative physical therapy and Traditional Chinese Medicine traumatology).
Emergency Care Co-payment Standard: Medical Center: 740 NTD Regional Hospital: 400 NTD District Hospital: 150 NTD Clinic: 150 NTD Near-poor Households/Individuals with Disabilities: Medical Center: 550 NTD Regional Hospital: 300 NTD District Hospital: 150 NTD Clinic: 150 NTD
Co-payment cost for outpatient prescribed drugs
Regular prescriptions: If the cost of the medication is equal to or less than 100 NTD: In Clinics and District Hospitals: Patients are exempt from co-payment (no co-payment). In Regional Hospitals and Medical Centers: The co-payment is 10 NTD. If the cost of the medication is equal to or greater than 101 NTD:
In all levels of medical institutions, an additional 20% will be charged for every 100 NTD. For example, if the price of medication is in the 101-200 NTD range, then the co-payment is 20 NTD; if in the 201-300 NTD range, then the co-payment is 40 NTD. In Clinics and District Hospitals: If the medication cost starts from 1001 NTD, the upper limit for co-payment is reached, and the co-payment is fixed at 200 NTD. In Regional Hospitals and Medical Centers: If the medication cost is in the range from 1001-1500 NTD, the co-payment is fixed at 200 NTD.If the medication cost starts from 1501 NTD, the upper limit of co-payment is reached at 300 NTD.
Refillable prescriptions: In Clinics: Patients are exempted from the co-payment. In District Hospitals, Regional Hospitals, and Medical Centers: The first time filling a refillable prescription follows the same rules as outlined above for regular prescriptions. From the second refill onwards, patients are exempted from the co-payment.
Important to know For Traditional Chinese medication co-payment, the same system as that of Clinics is used. Costs under 100 NTD are exempt; for costs equal to or greater than 101 NTD, an additional 20% will be charged for every 100 NTD. At Dental Clinics, outpatient prescription drug expenses are exempted from co-payment. Emergency Care Prescription: For Clinics and District Hospitals: 150 NTD For Regional Hospitals: 400 NTD. For Medical Centers: 750 NTD. I hope now you have a better understanding of how to calculate the cost of medical services under NHI. Feel free to ask more questions or refer to this webpage (click the specific link below).
Q4: What services are completely free under NHI? A4: With NHI, you can access a wide range of medical services at very affordable prices, and some services are fully covered! However, it's always a good idea to ask your doctor or a consultant at the hospital/clinic about which services will be covered.
Let's break down what kind of services can be fully covered under NHI: Basic Medical Examinations: These are routine tests to check your health, like measuring blood pressure, checking cholesterol levels, and assessing kidney function through urine tests. Preventive Services like Vaccinations and Screenings: This includes vaccines to protect against diseases like measles, mumps, and rubella, as well as screenings for diseases like cancer or diabetes. These screenings aim to catch health problems early for easier treatment. Essential Surgeries: These surgeries are necessary to treat a medical condition and improve health or save lives. For example, removing an appendix, fixing a broken bone, or treating a serious infection. Hospital Stays in General Rooms: This means staying in a hospital room shared with other patients (one room with 3 beds or more) and having basic facilities. General rooms provide standard care for conditions that don't require intensive monitoring or specialized equipment. Some Prescription Medications: Certain medicines prescribed by doctors are fully covered by NHI, so patients can get them from the pharmacy without paying anything. These often include essential medications for common conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes, and infections. Medications with a cost below 100 NTD will be fully covered or will require a 10 NTD co-payment. Dental care: Most medications prescribed by dentists are fully covered by the National Health Insurance (NHI). However, it's important to note that full-mouth anesthesia is not covered. Also, you have the right to receive two dental cleanings per year fully covered, allowing the general public to get dental calculus removal. People with tooth decay may be eligible, depending on a dentist's evaluation, for fluoride varnish treatment. As long as the cavity does not reach the pulp (where the tooth's nerves and blood vessels are located), it can be fully covered by the National Health Insurance (NHI). Generally, the National Health Insurance (NHI) will cover the extraction of wisdom teeth, supernumerary teeth, and impacted teeth. However, extractions for corrective purposes (teeth that are intact and without decay problems) will not be covered by NHI.
Medical expenses in Taiwan are relatively inexpensive, so don't worry about spending a lot of money when seeing a doctor. Therefore, don't be afraid to go to the hospital.
Q5: In which hospitals can I utilize NHI services, specifically at Hualien hospitals? A5: Here is the list of hospitals in Hualien in Chinese (the English version will be posted and updated later). But if we talk about the most popular hospitals in Hualien where you can definitely get assistance in English, then we can list these hospitals: Mennonite Christian Hospital Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital Hualien Hospital Smiles-Dental
Q6: Is it possible to receive NHI consultation in English? A6: Yes! It is possible to receive NHI consultation in English! The back of the NHI card has a hotline number for inquiries: 0800-030-598, or by mobile phone call 02-412-8678. Calling the number is free of charge.

Synopsis:
An engineer in another world—blending science and magic to achieve greatness in a world where skills and levels reign supreme.
—
Ethan was just a plain old engineer, but everything changed when he was reborn into a world of skills, levels, and magic. With his advanced knowledge far ahead of the time period he finds himself in, this new reincarnated life will be much different than his last, especially because he can construct, deconstruct, and reconstruct runes—something no one else can do.
But with royal politics, looming tax collectors, a mountain of debt, dungeon incursions, cults, and hostile fantasy races mixing together into a cocktail of bullshit that threatens to bury his dreams; Ethan must bridge the gap between steel and sorcery to grow stronger.
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Chapter 02

-1-
Roland cursed under his breath as he trudged down the muddy path toward Lord Theodore's manor. The late early morning sun cast long shadows, painting the desolate landscape in an even bleaker light.
Why was it only him who had to deal with Lord Theodore's bullshit? Just last night, Roland had to take care of all the complaints from the bar he'd found Lord Theodore at. Not to mention, he had to pay compensation to the wenches from his own personal funds.
And that wasn't even half the things he'd done yesterday alone.
After all, Lord Theodore was either busy abusing his power and bullying the people of the town, gambling, drinking, getting wasted with his face stuck up a prostitute, or doing his fourth favorite activity which, naturally, was a combination of the latter three. The man wasn't the brightest, but he wasn't quite dumb enough to avoid dealing with the problems the town of Holden faced.
Roland shook his head when he made it to the estate gates. As expected, there were guards, servants, and soldiers dashing left and right, but he was ignored. It was time to beg Lord Theodore to attend to his duties. None dared stop him, for he was a [Knight] appointed to Lord Theodore by his father—Lord Alexander Lockheart—and an acting advisor while said lord was being, well, his usual idiotic and selfish self.
So, Roland did what he had to; he moved past them all, and made for Lord Theodore's sleeping quarters where a handful of maids were all fussing about like hens with their heads chopped off.
Lord Theodore's quarters were not large by noble standards, but impressive all the same. Lavish and gaudy, just as he expected. Tapestries and drapes were hung up high all about the walls, and on the ground, there were expensive fur carpets.
After moving past the maids and butlers who were currently shuffling about like a horde of ants whose nest was threatened by a boar, he stopped before a silk drape that barred the way to Lord Theodore's bedchambers.
"Lord Theodore," he called.
Silence.
"Lord Theodore?"
Nothing.
Feeling a little annoyed, Roland frowned. "Lord Theodore," he called again. "With all due respect, are you presently attired?"
Nothing but a muffled sound came from the other side. Roland grimaced, and looked up at the ceiling in exasperation before dropping his hand and tugging the curtain aside. The inside of the bedchamber wasn't much to look at. Just your average nobleman's bedroom with a canopy bed big enough to fit twelve women side-by-side.
Most did, in fact, do just that.
A bookshelf stood on each wall, and at the far end was another drape that led to an enclosed balcony where he had the gall to throw his used clothes through during summer.
"Greetings, my lord," Roland said.
Lord Theodore, however, didn't answer.
He sat in front of a full-length mirror on the dresser. He had this listless sort of look, like he just didn't know how to deal with things. It wasn't an expression he'd ever seen on the man's face.
"Lord Theodore, are you well?" Roland inquired, a sliver of unease creeping into his voice. Though he found the young lord childish—given he was barely eighteen years old—Lord Theodore was his responsibility. He'd been Roland's responsibility when he was a little brat, and even now.
Theodore gave a startled response. "Ah, Roland? Yes, I am quite well."
"My lord, with all due respect, I implore you to be truthful. Has something transpired?"
Roland was anxious now. While he harbored no particular fondness for Lord Theodore, a sworn oath bound him to protect and care for the Baron. Granted, his master, Lord Theodore's own father, had afforded him considerable autonomy within Holden's borders—heck, he could even go as far as beating up Lord Theodore without consequences, if Roland deemed it reasonable and necessary—but his code of honor held oaths sacred. The son of the house Varian would rather lose an arm and his birthright than break a single [Oath] made.
"No, truly, I'm fine."
"If that is the case," Roland acknowledged with a curt nod, "then I bear news."
Lord Theodore furrowed his brow. "Good news, I trust?"
"I'm afraid not," Roland sighed. "Yesterday, our patrol in the Deadwoods encountered a band of brigands...…"
Lord Theodore's frown deepened. "While banditry is a common occurrence, it often heralds further troubles. Elaborate, Roland."
"Indeed, my lord," Roland continued, "these brigands weren't merely causing a ruckus. Apparently, they were engaged in combat with a rather formidable creature, vaguely humanoid in form."
Lord Theodore's posture stiffened. "Vaguely humanoid? Can you provide further details?"
Roland shook his head. "Limited information, I'm afraid. Only reports of unnatural speed reached our ears; it appeared to be engaged with wolves. Both fled upon human-contact, however."
Lord Theodore stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Did our men prevail against the brigands? And this creature—surely Captain..." he paused, searching for the man's name.
"Thomas," Roland supplied.
"Ah, yes, Thomas. Holden is geographically close to the Deadwoods. Sir Thomas wouldn't simply abandon such a threat near the bordertowns, would he? He and I may not see eye to eye on certain matters, but... surely he wouldn't leave such a threat unaddressed." Lord Theodore said.
Roland hesitated. "Captain Thomas chose to bypass us and directly inform the Crown of their discovery. He remained tight-lipped regarding specifics despite repeated inquiries."
Lord Theodore hummed thoughtfully. "If Thomas deems it worthy of the Crown's attention, then it surpasses our jurisdiction. Let's hope for their swift and decisive action. What of the brigands? Eliminated, I presume?"
"So it seems," Roland replied. "All but one met their demise. The sole survivor remains in a cell, though maddened beyond reason."
"I see. Is that for now?" Lord Theodore leaned back in his chair.
"Not quite, my lord. We've had a recent outbreak of the Blight, and we suspect it was an intentional spread. Unfortunately, the culprit remains unidentified."
Theodore's expression morphed into one of genuine shock. "Are these two seemingly unrelated issues connected, perhaps?" He asked.
"It appears to be the case, my lord." A sigh escaped Roland's lips. The Blight—a magical sickness that eats away at your life force, causes lethargy, nausea, and kills you, all while your body radiates a pervasive foul odor. It had recently taken hold on a few people of Holden. Why or how, Roland did not know.
"Those afflicted have been quarantined in a secure location far from Holden to prevent further contagion. Our physicians are doing their utmost to manage them. However, several have died already, and the remaining victims exhibit signs of feral behavior—meaning, they have already entered the late stage, I'm afraid. It's become imperative that they remain under quarantine, lest they either bite other humans—given there's hunger for raw flesh in the late stage—or they could infect the crops, causing them to decay. Consequently, the farmers, understandably anxious, have retreated into their homes."
They were likely waiting for their lord, incompetent as he may be, to deal with the situation. Yet, he had his hand up a wench's skirt more than actually trying to fix the issues... What can I do with him? Roland sighed.
Lord Theodore rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Roland."
"Yes, my lord?"
"Do you think the Merchant Guild would let me have another loan?"
Roland's lips thinned into a line, but he shook his head. "Regrettably, my lord, they would not. The Merchants' Guild has been cautious lately. There was this whole unpleasant affair with a prominent [Merchant Lord] named Bertram, you might know the name. Used to flaunt more gold jewelry than some of the highborn nobles. Turns out, he was embezzling.
"Apparently, he manipulated the Guild's books for months. Inflated trade contracts with nonexistent suppliers from faraway lands, siphoned off the extra profit into his own pockets. Clever, gotta give him that. Even forged shipping manifests to keep it all looking legit.
"Nasty business, that. Apparently, the esteemed Lord Bertram decided a little vacation was in order after everything, and wouldn't you know it, he packed a rather hefty sum from the Guild's coffers along for the ride as well. We're talking a near royal-wedding-sized dowry here, my lord. Vanished, all of it.
"The details are still murky, but rumor has it Bertram might have gotten tangled with pirates operating from the Broken Isles. One of the [Pirate Kings], perhaps—or most likely. So, the Merchants' Guild has been refraining from giving out loans. And, my apologies to say this, my lord, but you're a high-risk individual, and you already have quite the debt with them... They wouldn't want to give more."
Lord Theodore already had a mountain of debt on his name... The interest rate was more than what Lord Theodore could pay off even if the crops did better than planned. Given that the Adventurers' Guild of this sector had been rather short on manpower lately due to a dungeon incursion in the town, Corinth, lying beside theirs and given that Lord Theodore had a tendency for tax evasion and then laundering… Yeah, they were royally fucked. Even if in this situation, Lord Theodore wanted a loan for himself... Roland just gave up. Maybe it was time to return to his master, Lord Theodore's father, and just ask him to appoint him somewhere else—he couldn't deal with this scumbag anymore, not in his current state.
"I see, they wouldn't. Not surprising. It seems I'm going to have to hire a [Necromancer] by my lonesome."
Roland blinked. "That's..." a shock, Roland stopped himself from saying. [Necromancers] cost a hefty sum, and given that Lord Theodore was already under debt and likely the financial situation of Holden was anything but optimal, hiring a [Necromancer] would've put a huge dent in Holden's already meager reserves. However, Roland hadn't imagined, not in his wildest dreams, that Lord Theodore would be employing one by his lonesome.
Throughout his life, Roland had known this man to not even spare a thought to anything that wasn't his immediate self-gratification, or his amusement and satisfaction. How was the wastrel noble suddenly going to change?
"My lord, my apologies for asking, but why do you require a [Necromancer's] assistance?" Roland finally asked, schooling his shocked expression.
"Oh, I have some... theories regarding the Blight." Lord Theodore grinned. "And a [Necromancer] might just be someone who we need in order to solve this problem once and for all."
Roland was shocked to his core, once more. "But, my lord, the treatment for the Blight isn't something common folk can afford? So, how...?"
"Nonsense, Roland. Forget that rudimentary concoction they peddle as a cure. I envision a more... permanent solution. Issue a commission at the Adventurers' Guild—a [Necromancer] or perhaps a [Witch], their talents are equally suited for this task."
"Yes, my lord." Roland bowed, failing to comprehend what Lord Theodore was planning on doing.
-2-
When Roland left, Ethan found it easier to relax. The stiff, aristocratic manners these people employed were rather annoying to bear with. No, they were rather hard to imitate, more accurately. Because despite his efforts, he'd still found it hard to match their ways, but it was doable. Not good enough, yet, but doable.
"How should I, going forward, act, then?" he muttered. "Because if I've understood a single thing, it is this: Theo's character as I know it now will ruin any chance of me, well, earning anything, be that respect, wealth, power, or all three. Should I continue as him, then, or completely overhaul Theodore's character and pretend it's some epiphany? A spiritual enlightenment, perhaps?"
Ethan shook his head. Whatever it may be, he wasn't planning on being like Theo. Let's go with a gradual change in mannerism.
First, however, he needed to deal with the Blight issue. Which would be easily dealt with—all he had to do was pay the [Necromancer], or [Witch], from his own pouch. Then, he needed to figure out this town's financial status and everything else in order to organize a working infrastructure and create new financial opportunities. Afterwards, he could move onto his 'character', if that is indeed what his situation required. There's a lot to do.
Before everything, however, a bath.
After all, he reeked of sweat and alcohol, among other not-so pleasant scents.
...
It took no more than a few minutes for a handful of servants to prepare the bath. Hot water steamed inside the spacious tub as soap bubbles glistened—soap that was far too expensive for the common folk. Despite being a luxury, its quality was arguably trash. Regardless, this was all the people had in this world. A strong scent of lavender permeated the air and tickled his nose as he undressed. A few maids had prepared for his comfort and placed a silken bathrobe alongside a set of towels on a small table near the bathtub before he'd dismissed them, ordering them to inform the kitchen staff that he would like his meal soon.
Ethan relaxed his shoulders, took the robe with one hand, and tossed it carelessly nearby. It was fine silk. Ethan shook his head before proceeding with an easy grace into the water. It was hot. Yet, Ethan felt rather cold, despite the heat. It helped him relax, and with it, the stiff persona that was Lord Theodore faded.
Ethan sank deeper, letting his long blond locks loose. A quick thought made him bring his hand forward. What if... he could make a fire? Just a little one, like a candle flame. How cool would that be? He focused, willing a tiny spark to appear on his fingertip. Nothing. Just a sputter and a fizzle.
"Hmm," he mumbled, undeterred. "Maybe I need to practice."
He doubted it was just understanding. After all, the skill [Elemental Spells] had given him the barest hints of the basics of how to create a basic spark of flame. He lacked control over mana. [Magic Perception] allowed him to view his mana—flowing, fast-moving streams and spiraling, coiling vortexes. It was chaotic; it was a mess! Maybe if he calmed it down, he could actually make something happen?
Easier said than done, he quickly learned. When he moved it, it took no less effort than bending metal with brute force. The feeling was there, and the will, too. Just the act of 'moving' it alone was a herculean effort. It seemed nigh impossible.
Maybe I'm doing it wrong?
Humming, Ethan looked through the snippets of memories he'd gotten from Theodore. The memories, he found, weren't entirely useless; as his mind drifted back and forth from those flashes, he did remember something Theodore had seen last night... There! A memory from last night—a drunk mage at the bar, showing off with a fireball for some girl who didn't seem too impressed.
"Let's see how that trick works," Ethan grinned.
With [Magic Perception], he saw how the spell flowed. The "spell" was, in a way, forced outwards into reality through the use of symbols he quickly recognized as runes—at least that was what he assumed after seeing the fireball.
Ethan could easily recall the shape of the rune that'd appeared before the fire took form on top of the mage's hand.
I'm pretty sure it's not possible to view runes. I assume, at least, from what little fragments of memories I got from Theo. Anyway, let's move my mana in the shape, then.
He imagined the shape on top of his hand and willed the mana to pour into it. Soon, rune motes started forming out of thin air, ripping into reality. Forming into a shape he willed, a rune burned brightly and loudly atop his palm. As he drew his hand forward, flames burst into life, flickering before fizzling out.
[Basic Magic Script] — Lvl 1 -> Lvl 2!
Congratulations! You have gained skill: [Basic Rune Creation]!
"Whoa." Ethan stared at his hand, a wide grin splitting his face. So that's how it works! Runes, huh? That's awesome! Ethan felt like a child again. He couldn't wait to try again, this time with a smaller flame, as it appeared that a fireball was far too much for his lacking skill and control. Magic... it was epic stuff!
Before that, however, he looked at the new skill he'd gained.
~Basic Rune Creation – Level 1~
Type: Active
Effect: You have grasped the fundamental concept of using runes to channel and shape your mana for basic magical effects. The Connection between two of your skill—[Magic Perception] and [Basic Magic Script]—has resulted in the creation of a new skill. You can now create simple runes that allow for the manipulation of elemental energy on a small scale. As your skill level increases, you will be able to create more complex runes, allowing for more powerful and versatile spells. You may also learn to combine runes for even greater magical effects.
Ethan stared. Reading the description was a quick matter of concentration. It took him by surprise, however, when he realized it. Rune creation? Huh. Does that mean I can create anything? The thought alone was exciting. What about rune motes? Rune motes were fragments of runes, combining certain fragments could result in a full rune. I saw them congregating into the shape of a rune, but is it possible to just create rune motes and not a full rune? I should try.
Regardless of his thoughts, it was creation—
—and Ethan loved creation. Even as a child, he had never gotten tired of tinkering with things. He still recalled the time he'd gotten his first Lego set. Just putting random pieces together with no thought for a bigger picture—he'd loved that. He'd loved doing all sorts of stuff with Legos, creating different castles or other complex structures, but it was building something completely random and ridiculous, yet unique nonetheless, which gave him the most sense of satisfaction. It was fun. It was a hobby—a hobby that ignited in him a fire of passion for innovation.
It was then the thought of being a civil engineer had sprung up in his mind. To put it simply, a civil engineer is responsible for planning, designing, and constructing buildings. Though, that was just a general term. Ethan would have been perfectly happy had he chosen that. Unfortunately, his father had wanted him to become a boxer, instead.
The man wanted to become one himself in his prime, but due to health issues, he'd quit right before making it to a big league. He'd hoped his son would achieve what he couldn't and bring victory for the family. Even though Ethan hadn't exactly planned boxing as his future, but who could refuse the pressure his old man put on him? Especially when he'd been just a little boy?
It was another matter entirely that Ethan fell in love with boxing, too, as it made him feel alive. The sensation of a punching bag slamming against his fists? Nothing quite made his blood boil like that.
And oh, fighting in the ring. There was just something about the sport Ethan couldn't resist.
Something about creation, fighting, and experiencing a bit of both, had Ethan wishing he could try the other options that lay in front of him now.
Could he make a real spaceship, in this world?
It sounded silly as fuck and he knew it. Nonetheless, the temptation was still there, hovering and nagging at the edge of his mind, as ridiculous as his previous thoughts might have been.
Spaceships are cool, dammit.
That thought suddenly gave Ethan pause. "Let's just return to practice."
This time, fire flickered atop his fingertips for a second longer.
Another second was added on top of that after his third try.
The light was dim. However, it did mean something: improvement.
[Elemental Spells] — Lvl 1 -> Lvl 2!
Grinning like an idiot, Ethan sank deeper into the hot bath water and brought his other hand up to repeat the exercise for the next half an hour or so, occasionally reading a notification that would come every now and then.
[Elemental Spells] — Lvl 2 -> Lvl 3!
[Elemental Spells] — Lvl 3 -> Lvl 4!
[Elemental Spells] — Lvl 4 -> Lvl 5!
But no matter what, he couldn't get it to level up to level 6, nor could he level up [Basic Magic Script] from level 2 to 3.
Why not, though? I'm doing—
"Don't rush," he chided himself. "Your control is pitiful, shaping is trash, and your spellcasting is akin to tossing stones into the sea without even knowing how to make it bounce—guesswork is all you are, but it's a good start, I suppose."
As he set a handful of candle-like flames afloat on all five of his fingers, his lips quirked into a wide smirk. It was only a party trick. For now, that is. I need to find more about magic and learn. I've been winging it.
That was true; he didn't understand anything about magic. All he'd done so far was try to emulate the rune he'd seen in the memory snippet through the help of [Magic Perception] and cast a few party tricks. Was that impressive? He had literally no comparison to base off of, thus why he knew he needed to learn more.
Theodore's memories proved to be useless in this regard, too. His father hadn't found him worthy enough to be assigned a mage as a tutor. Theodore was a disappointment through and through, and that's why he'd been sent to rule the bordertowns.
He could cast the spell, yes, but he didn't understand the underlying concepts that fueled the magic or what the process was.
-3-
Ethan descended down the stairs that would lead him to the dining room where breakfast had already been laid out for him. Two maids were present as well. It was a feast of the likes he'd only ever read in fairy tales. Fried, scrambled, boiled eggs. Different shapes, sizes, and cuts. Cakes and pies in varying quantities and sizes. Grilled meat, smoked and salted. How could he ever eat everything alone?
Ethan exhaled and then dove in; however, he still maintained decorum as it was imperative to do so given that he was a noble now. Regardless, once done, he made it to the meeting room given that he had some people to meet today.
"Barely breaking even," Ethan muttered, flicking the parchment in his hand. He frowned at the financial situation of Holden, the town he was in charge of. The bordertowns consisted of a series of towns lying on the periphery of the borders. Each town was a barony in name, and nobles—especially troublesome nobles—were often sent here to practice ruling and to make them accustomed to how the common folk lived, so they could empathize with the people they ruled.
With how many bandits the region had had lately, the Blight, debt, tax, and interest that'd ramped up, Ethan's current situation was mind-fucking at best and a keg waiting to explode at worst.
I don't want to deal with Theo's issues.
Not only was this whole situation something Ethan did not want in the slightest, a whole can of worms that were Theo's problems was thrust into his hands. Ethan had held no fantasies of getting isekai'd. That was suicide in his books. He'd have been more than happy to die and meet oblivion. But now that he was here…
Leaning back into his chair, Ethan rubbed his eyes. Yeah, he needed to deal with everything and make the best of his situation to live a comfortable life. When Roland returned with a man in tow, Ethan hummed.
The man was young, younger than Roland, even. Black hair and sharp green eyes. He held himself high with confidence and Ethan recognized him instantly. Isn't he that mage from the bar?
"My lord," Roland bowed. "I have brought a [Necromancer] as per your command."
The [Necromancer] bowed and with a thin smile said, "Pleased to be at your service, my lord. The name's Jack."
Hm. So he wasn't a mage but a [Necromancer].
"Likewise," Ethan replied with a nod, then leaned forward, smiling. "Say, Jack, would you like to be part of a business opportunity?
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For reference, gf and I started dating summer after senior year of high school. We came from different schools but were set up and hit it off. At the time, we were both fairly accomplished and I'd say generally seen as equal academically and socially. We had plans to attend the same college (prior to meeting).
However, since we got to college, I feel like she's outclassing me in every single endeavor I try my hand in. It started with Greek life. We both had plans to join a frat/sorority, but she got a bid and I didn't. By now, she talks about her sorority multiple times a day and each time she does I'm reminded of my failure. I don't really let her know about this but it kills me every time and I can't help but feel like she looks down on me for failing. I certainly look down on myself for this, and I know it's not a big deal in the grand scheme of things, but it was something I really cared about and wanted to try but utterly failed at.
Academically, she's also been killing me. I had a rough start to college and underperformed significantly. On the contrary, she's gotten an A+ or A in every single class she's taken. She'd even call me at times to let me know how stressed she is that her A might drop to an A- and how that'll mess up her plans to "excel". Meanwhile, I've had as low as a 56 in a class at one point. I've definitely improved since the first semester and last semester mustered up a 3.9, but I feel like our status as equals is completely gone by this point.
I love her very much and have a very prominent urge to provide for her. However, I really don't know if I'll be able to do that. She's already ahead of me in just about every respect, and I can't see how that wouldn't carry over to the professional world in the future as well. Because of this, I frankly feel unneeded. I'm wondering how I could potentially articulate this to her, and if there was any advice someone could give me to potentially look at this situation from a more optimistic point of view.

I need advice. I’m a 21 year old girl. I have had the same best friend since I was 13 and we stuck to our little group throughout high school. For context, we live in an affluent downtown area. There was this girl who came to our high school from out of bounds and quickly befriended the mean girl friend group we grew up with, and still is part of that group. This girl seems to be very caught up in status and can often be seen taking photos in our neighbourhood and posting them on Instagram . She is attempting to be an influencer.
Last summer, she started waitressing at the same place my best friend does. She never paid attention to her in high school and ignored her. However, she really took to her while working together. This girl (we will call her L), has been quite rude to me anytime I have run into her while with my best friend. I will be nice, give her a compliment, and be genuinely kind to her. However she will not acknowledge or talk to me. I find this strange because the couple interactions we had in high school were pleasant.
This girl recently graduated hair dresser college. I recently got highlights which caused some damage. I decided to send a nice dm congratulating her and then asking for recommendations of strengthening products for hair. It’s been a week and she never responded. I am a very anxious person and get caught up on small things. And this is really getting to me, especially because my best friend is all about her. Not sure if I should say anything to my friend or not. Also not sure how to make this stop bothering me. Any advice is welcomed!

Hi everyone,
this is my first time ever posting so bear with me and my jumbled thoughts. I just found out that the guy i was seeing for a year and a half is actually married. I just need a place to vent where no one knows me.
a bit of backstory, I met this guy at a boxing gym. he started training me, the first week of training i noticed he would flirt with me heavily (which i didn't mind because we were both in our 20s and single, or at least thats what i thought at the beginning). two weeks in and he asked me out, and thats how we began talking. nothing was out of the ordinary, he would respond to texts all the time, we would see each other daily, hed often cancel his clients to hang out. we would see each other during his off days too, he invited me over to his place but i declined as it was very early on (my first mistake, could have saved me alot of heartache. i feel like i could have easily clocked it if i went over idk)
it started to get weird 6 months in. he would always cancel any weekend hang outs, his excuse at the time was that he was in the middle of moving house and renovating (which was true) he would send me videos of the construction and videos of everything. so i chucked it off to him being very busy. this is when we got into our first fight, we were looking at photos in my phone and when i asked to see his he changed the subject. i let it go for a bit but it rubbed me the wrong way, and i asked again. he started to say that i would not like how he talks to certain clients he has. since they have been with him for years and they are very comfortable with each other. i told him that i feel like theres something he is hiding, and he got defensive and said "if you dont trust me thats not my problem". after back and forth i just kind of left it at that and went home. we didnt speak for a few days, he didnt bother messaging at all. (this was another issue, every time he messed up he would just not text me over the weekend, since we see each other all week. so he would leave it to fester up, and i mean zero communication.)
he started to get weird about me having his address, since we mostly met at my place, or a restaurant, or the boxing gym. (his reason was that his parents have a kay and they can come in any time they like, were both from a religion that doesn't really allow dating like this lol) but again, not a good excuse in my book because i was putting in the effort and risking alot.
fast forward, sometime happens and im hospitalized ( i dont want to get into this because its not something im comfortable with). i have surgery done and im back home, were texting through out this whole thing, talking on the phone every single day, hes being very responsive and supportive. (or so i thought) 2 months into my recovery, and i need another surgery (mind you before this i gave him an out 3 times, he swore up and down that he would never leave his "girl" in a hard time). the day of my surgery, i wake up and update him that im out and it went well and nothing. silence. 5 hours go by and again nothing, he reads my messages at 2 AM. he doesnt respond.
i get discharged from the hospital the next day, again nothing from him. im freaking out now, im stuck at home i cant leave and im worried about him. he doesnt text back or answer. i make a fake number and i pretend to be a client, he calls back and hangs up the second he hears my voice. thats when it hits me, hes trying to ghost. super shitty timing, he had so many opportunities to go but he chose now? and without even a conversation.
4 months go by, i go back to the gym. and he sees me, comes up to me and starts tearing up. saying that he didn't know what to do. to sum up the story he came up with: his family set him up with someone back in his home country, he went over there to tell them he wasn't interested because he had a girlfriend in (our city). makes zero sense why he didnt say shit to me. he would drive to my neighborhood and park near me house a few times after he came back to get a chance to "see me". oh and he changed his phone number and was being cagey about it. (he had said he wanted to give me his new number but then panicked and changed his mind, i didnt press about it because at that point i knew something was very off and i wanted to move on already)
today, i was going through my old FB, and his profile came up (weird because he said he doesnt really use it?) anyway, i get curious as one does and i fall into a worm hole. he has pictures of his "ex" still up, and i find her profile and she updated her picture to a recent one of him and her. she has his last name, and the status is married. this whole time we were together, he was still with his wife that he broke up with ( mind you he NEVER said she was his wife. he called her an ex girlfriend. he said he had been single for 2 years. doesnt talk to many people and keeps to himself. in his own words, he doesnt have friends and spends his days with his dogs doing nothing basically. now i know all this is a bunch of lies but god why waste my time)
im in my early twenties, this is basically my first "real" relationship that i would count. it just sucks that its actually not real at all and was just a game to him.
thank you for listening

We have a daughter who is in 3rd grade and every year her evaluation, progress, and status says she's at a kindergarten level. We have had at least 11 meetings about 504s, IEPs, and any other support since she actually was in kindergarten. Her biological mother had been tested before thr TPR hearings and was found to be at a 2nd grade level in reference to her IQ. No one knows who her biological father is. We have done every test possible outside of the school setting to try and pinpoint any issues our daughter may have. She's been with a speech pathologist, Scottish Rite testing for dyslexia, psychological effects of trauma, individual tutoring, and 2 years of summer school. It just doesn't seem like anything is working or effective. Every year we get turned down for an IEP. Every year her teachers say don't worry we won't retain her, but send check ins and progress reports that show she's at about 18% of where she should be. My wife and I are at the point we think she should be retained. We don't want her to hate school because she's not successful. We also don't want her to just struggle to "get by". I just feel like the educational system was so different when I was growing up. I just don't think pushing her through is beneficial. I am honestly just looking for thoughts, suggestions, and help. Thanks!