Pulmonary hypertension is a condition characterized by increased pressure in the pulmonary arteries, which can lead to right ventricular dysfunction and ultimately heart failure. Postoperative PH refers to the development of pulmonary hypertension following surgery, with cardiac surgery being a common setting where this complication occurs. The pathophysiology of postoperative PH is complex and involves various factors, including changes in pulmonary vascular resistance, inflammation, and oxidative stress.
Pathophysiology
The pathophysiology of postoperative PH is multifactorial and involves several mechanisms:
Pulmonary Vasoconstriction: During surgery, the release of vasoactive substances such as endothelin and thromboxane can lead to vasoconstriction in the pulmonary arteries, increasing pulmonary vascular resistance.
Endothelial Dysfunction: Surgery-induced inflammation and oxidative stress can damage the endothelium of the pulmonary arteries, leading to impaired vasodilation and increased vasoconstriction.
Hypoxia: Postoperative hypoxia, which can result from factors such as atelectasis or impaired gas exchange, can lead to pulmonary vasoconstriction and increased pulmonary vascular resistance.
Fluid Overload: Fluid administration during surgery can lead to volume overload, increasing right ventricular afterload and contributing to the development of PH.
Neurohumoral Activation: Surgical stress can lead to activation of the sympathetic nervous system and the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, which can further contribute to pulmonary vasoconstriction and PH.
Risk Factors
Several factors increase the risk of developing postoperative PH, including:
Preexisting Pulmonary Hypertension: Patients with preexisting PH are at a higher risk of developing postoperative PH, especially after cardiac surgery.
Age: Older age is associated with an increased risk of postoperative PH.
Type of Surgery: Certain types of surgery, such as cardiac surgery, are associated with a higher risk of postoperative PH due to the complexity of the procedure and the potential for intraoperative complications.
Obesity: Obesity is a risk factor for the development of PH, and obese patients undergoing surgery are at a higher risk of postoperative PH.
Smoking: Smoking is a risk factor for the development of PH and can increase the risk of postoperative PH.
Clinical Manifestations
The clinical manifestations of postoperative PH can vary depending on the severity of the condition. Common symptoms include:
Dyspnea: Shortness of breath is a common symptom of postoperative PH, especially with exertion.
Fatigue: Patients with postoperative PH may experience fatigue due to decreased cardiac output and exercise intolerance.
Chest Pain: Chest pain may occur due to increased right ventricular afterload and myocardial ischemia.
Syncope: Syncope may occur in severe cases of postoperative PH due to decreased cardiac output and cerebral hypoperfusion.
Right Ventricular Failure: In advanced cases, postoperative PH can lead to right ventricular failure, characterized by symptoms such as peripheral edema and ascites.
Diagnosis
The diagnosis of postoperative PH is based on a combination of clinical findings, imaging studies, and hemodynamic assessment. Common diagnostic tests include:
Echocardiography: Echocardiography is the primary imaging modality used to assess pulmonary artery pressure and right ventricular function.
Right Heart Catheterization: Right heart catheterization is the gold standard for diagnosing PH and provides information on hemodynamic parameters such as pulmonary artery pressure and pulmonary vascular resistance.
Chest X-ray: Chest X-ray may show signs of right ventricular enlargement and pulmonary congestion in patients with postoperative PH.
Electrocardiogram (ECG): ECG may show signs of right ventricular strain, such as right axis deviation and right bundle branch block.
Management
The management of postoperative PH involves a multidisciplinary approach, including pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions. Treatment goals include improving symptoms, reducing pulmonary artery pressure, and preventing disease progression.
Oxygen Therapy: Supplemental oxygen can help improve oxygenation and reduce pulmonary vasoconstriction.
Diuretics: Diuretics can help reduce fluid overload and decrease right ventricular filling pressure.
Vasodilators: Vasodilator therapy, such as nitric oxide or prostacyclin analogs, can help reduce pulmonary vascular resistance and improve symptoms.
Inotropes: Inotropes may be used to improve right ventricular function and cardiac output in patients with right ventricular failure. Surgical Interventions: In some cases, surgical interventions such as pulmonary thromboendarterectomy or atrial septostomy may be considered.
Conclusion
Postoperative PH is a serious complication that can occur following surgery, particularly after cardiac procedures. The pathophysiology of postoperative PH is complex and involves various mechanisms, including pulmonary vasoconstriction, endothelial dysfunction, and hypoxia. Early recognition and management of postoperative PH are essential to prevent complications and improve outcomes. A multidisciplinary approach, including pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions, is key to the successful management of postoperative PH.
https://www.laparoscopyhospital.com/SERV01.HTM

LESSON 138. Heaven is the decision I must make.
In this world Heaven is a choice, because here we believe there are alternatives to choose between. We think that all things have an opposite, and what we want we choose. If Heaven exists there must be hell as well, for contradiction is the way we make what we perceive, and what we think is real.
Creation knows no opposite. But here is opposition part of being “real.” It is this strange perception of the truth that makes the choice of Heaven seem to be the same as the relinquishment of hell. It is not really thus. Yet what is true in God’s creation cannot enter here until it is reflected in some form the world can understand. Truth cannot come where it could only be perceived with fear. For this would be the error truth can be brought to illusions. Opposition makes the truth unwelcome, and it cannot come.
Choice is the obvious escape from what appears as opposites. Decision lets one of conflicting goals become the aim of effort and expenditure of time. Without decision, time is but a waste and effort dissipated. It is spent for nothing in return, and time goes by without results. There is no sense of gain, for nothing is accomplished; nothing learned.
You need to be reminded that you think a thousand choices are confronting you, when there is really only one to make. And even this but seems to be a choice. Do not confuse yourself with all the doubts that myriad decisions would induce. You make but one. And when that one is made, you will perceive it was no choice at all. For truth is true, and nothing else is true. There is no opposite to choose instead. There is no contradiction to the truth.
Choosing depends on learning. And the truth cannot be learned, but only recognized. In recognition its acceptance lies, and as it is accepted it is known. But knowledge is beyond the goals we seek to teach within the framework of this course. Ours are teaching goals, to be attained through learning how to reach them, what they are, and what they offer you. Decisions are the outcome of your learning, for they rest on what you have accepted as the truth of what you are, and what your needs must be.
In this insanely complicated world, Heaven appears to take the form of choice, rather than merely being what it is. Of all the choices you have tried to make this is the simplest, most definitive and prototype of all the rest, the one which settles all decisions. If you could decide the rest, this one remains unsolved. But when you solve this one, the others are resolved with it, for all decisions but conceal this one by taking different forms. Here is the final and the only choice in which is truth accepted or denied.
So we begin today considering the choice that time was made to help us make. Such is its holy purpose, now transformed from the intent you gave it; that it be a means for demonstrating hell is real, hope changes to despair, and life itself must in the end be overcome by death. In death alone are opposites resolved, for ending opposition is to die. And thus salvation must be seen as death, for life is seen as conflict. To resolve the conflict is to end your life as well.
These mad beliefs can gain unconscious hold of great intensity, and grip the mind with terror and anxiety so strong that it will not relinquish its ideas about its own protection. It must be saved from salvation, threatened to be safe, and magically armored against truth. And these decisions are made unaware, to keep them safely undisturbed; apart from question and from reason and from doubt.
Heaven is chosen consciously. The choice cannot be made until alternatives are accurately seen and understood. All that is veiled in shadows must be raised to understanding, to be judged again, this time with Heaven’s help. And all mistakes in judgment that the mind had made before are open to correction, as the truth dismisses them as causeless. Now are they without effects. They cannot be concealed, because their nothingness is recognized.
The conscious choice of Heaven is as sure as is the ending of the fear of hell, when it is raised from its protective shield of unawareness, and is brought to light. Who can decide between the clearly seen and the unrecognized? Yet who can fail to make a choice between alternatives when only one is seen as valuable; the other as a wholly worthless thing, a but imagined source of guilt and pain? Who hesitates to make a choice like this? And shall we hesitate to choose today?
We make the choice for Heaven as we wake, and spend five minutes making sure that we have made the one decision that is sane. We recognize we make a conscious choice between what has existence and what has nothing but an appearance of the truth. Its pseudo-being, brought to what is real, is flimsy and transparent in the light. It holds no terror now, for what was made enormous, vengeful, pitiless with hate, demands obscurity for fear to be invested there. Now it is recognized as but a foolish, trivial mistake.
Before we close our eyes in sleep tonight, we reaffirm the choice that we have made each hour in between. And now we give the last five minutes of our waking day to the decision with which we awoke. As every hour passed, we have declared our choice again, in a brief quiet time devoted to maintaining sanity. And finally, we close the day with this, acknowledging we chose but what we want:
Heaven is the decision I must make. I make it now, and will not change my mind, because it is the only thing I want.

In today's fast-paced world, maintaining a polished and professional appearance can be a daunting task, especially for busy professionals juggling multiple responsibilities. Enter semi-permanent make-up, a revolutionary beauty solution that offers convenience, time-saving benefits, and a consistently polished look. For those who find themselves searching "semi-permanent makeup artist near me," this article will highlight the numerous advantages of semi-permanent make-up and how it can be a game-changer in your daily routine.
Time-Saving Convenience
One of the most significant benefits of semi-permanent make-up for busy professionals is the time it saves. Traditional make-up applications can be time-consuming, often requiring a meticulous routine to achieve a polished look. With semi-permanent make-up, such as micro-blading for eyebrows, permanent eyeliner, and lip tinting, you can eliminate the need for daily make-up application. This not only saves time each morning but also ensures that you look your best throughout the day without the need for touch-ups.
Consistent Professional Appearance
Maintaining a consistent, professional appearance is crucial in many careers. Semi-permanent make-up provides a reliable solution, ensuring that your make-up looks flawless from morning meetings to late-night networking events. For example, a semi-permanent eyeliner can provide the perfect definition to your eyes, enhancing your features and giving you a more alert and engaging appearance. Similarly, micro-bladed eyebrows can frame your face beautifully, giving you a well-groomed look that lasts for months.
Boost in Confidence
Confidence plays a significant role in professional success. Knowing that your appearance is on point can give you the boost you need to tackle challenging tasks and make a lasting impression. Semi-permanent make-up can enhance your natural features subtly yet effectively, helping you feel more self-assured. Whether it's the perfect arch of your eyebrows or the ideal shade of lip color that complements your skin tone, these enhancements can make a substantial difference in how you perceive yourself and how others perceive you.
Durability and Long-Lasting Results
Semi-permanent make-up is designed to last for an extended period, typically ranging from several months to a few years, depending on the procedure and individual factors. This durability means you can enjoy the benefits of your make-up without the daily hassle of reapplication. For professionals who travel frequently or have irregular schedules, this can be a significant advantage. You no longer need to worry about your make-up smudging, fading, or requiring constant touch-ups throughout the day.
Customizable to Fit Your Style
Semi-permanent make-up is highly customizable, allowing you to achieve the exact look you desire. Whether you prefer a natural, understated look or something bolder and defined, a skilled semi-permanent makeup artist near me can tailor the procedure to your preferences. During the initial consultation, you can discuss your desired outcome, and the artist can recommend the best techniques and shades to match your skin tone and facial features.
Reduced Long-Term Costs
While the initial cost of semi-permanent make-up may seem high, it can be a cost-effective solution in the long run. Consider the cumulative expense of purchasing high-quality make-up products, along with the time spent applying them daily. Over time, the investment in semi-permanent make-up can prove to be more economical, as you won't need to buy as many products or spend as much time on your daily beauty routine.
Finding the Right Semi-Permanent Makeup Artist Near Me
To fully enjoy the benefits of semi-permanent make-up, it's essential to find a qualified and experienced semi-permanent makeup artist near me. Look for professionals with positive reviews, proper certifications, and a portfolio of their work. A skilled artist can ensure that the procedure is safe, comfortable, and tailored to your individual needs, providing you with the best possible results.
In conclusion, semi-permanent make-up offers a multitude of benefits for busy professionals, from saving time and ensuring a consistent appearance to boosting confidence and providing long-lasting results. By investing in this innovative beauty solution, you can simplify your daily routine and focus more on your professional and personal goals, all while looking effortlessly polished.

This has been on my mind since reading the post that was taken down.
Pumping is SUCH hard work and it's easy to forget that we're all aiming for the same thing: we want our families to thrive. But there's a catch. We are all different. We each have different bodies, different babies, different resources and different cultures.
I'm a statistician and the decision to wean reminds me of optimising a set of equations to find the best outcome for our children. The thing is, every single one of us has a different set of equations. This means that the best time to wean will be different for everyone. Maybe it's eight weeks for me, eight months for you, and eight days for someone else.
The worst thing we can do is copy someone else's solution. Because if we plug that into our own circumstances, it's highly unlikely that it'll result in the best possible outcome for our family. What's right for you probably isn't right for me. We have to listen to ourselves rather than external noise.
And remember - breastmilk is only one of the variables that contributes to our family's wellbeing. There is so much more to consider. You are more than your milk.
I exclusively pumped with my first and it was the hardest thing I've done as a parent. Quitting when I did was the best choice for my family. I wasn't lazy. I wasn't weak. I was strong to do what was best for my child and you are too, whether that means pumping, formula feeding or nursing - or any combination of the above.

Zero manufacturing experience here. My brother and I are looking to manufacture polymer based "legacy parts" he is in possession of (largest size is maybe 7" x .25" x 4" down to 2" x .25 x 3" rough estimate). These currently do not exist at scale and are in a niche market in his industry. The main issue at this time is how to proceed to buy us enough time to get the brand established before copycats edge in on the market share.
We have demand and distribution channels established. What we don't have is capital or a clear next step. Our current plan is to 3D scan the legacy parts to obtain a CAD, and then further refine details.
He doesn't feel that 3D printing the parts will give him he quality he's after (but we could explore this option more thoroughly to confirm) and says injection molding is likely to be the better outcome, but obviously the upfront mould cost is a hurdle. What's more is there are maybe 10 of these pieces, some of which have different grades. I advised him to pick the one that would sell the best to start with, but the goal is to eventually produce all pieces. My concern is we spend months shopping around for a manufacturer, paying for a mould, and now all of them have the CAD and can launch before we do (or soon after).

1. How do you find a balance between outsourcing and getting pushed out too early?
2. Is it too crazy to invest money in a second hand injection machine using a 3D printed mould instead instead of the traditional route and do it all ourselves?
3. He has suggested hand casting but we need something a little quicker and more scalable to meet demand and establish brand dominance. What are our other options?

Personalized learning stands as a beacon of innovation in 21st-century education, heralding a departure from traditional one-size-fits-all approaches towards a more individualized and empowering educational experience. In this dynamic landscape, educators are recognizing the diverse needs and potentials of every student, striving to create learning environments that cater to their unique interests, abilities, and learning styles.
At the heart of personalized learning lies the recognition that no two students are alike. Each individual brings a distinct set of strengths, challenges, and passions to the classroom, and personalized learning seeks to honour and harness these differences. Through adaptive learning platforms powered by artificial intelligence, educators can tailor instruction to meet the specific needs of each student, providing targeted support and enrichment activities that cater to their learning pace and preferences.
Data analytics play a pivotal role in personalized learning, offering insights into students' progress, preferences, and areas for growth. By leveraging data-driven assessments and formative feedback, educators can identify patterns and trends in students' learning trajectories, enabling them to make informed decisions about instructional strategies and interventions. Moreover, data analytics empower students to track their own progress and set personalized learning goals, fostering a sense of ownership and accountability in their educational journey.
In addition to adaptive technologies and data analytics, differentiated instruction lies at the core of personalized learning approaches. Educators employ a variety of instructional strategies, materials, and assessments to meet the diverse needs of learners, ensuring that every student has access to meaningful and engaging learning experiences. Whether through small group instruction, project-based learning, or individualized learning plans, educators strive to create learning opportunities that resonate with students' interests and strengths, igniting their passion for learning and fostering a lifelong love of discovery.
Beyond academic achievement, personalized learning cultivates a sense of agency and empowerment in students, empowering them to take ownership of their learning journey and pursue their passions with confidence and enthusiasm. By providing opportunities for students to explore their interests, voice their opinions, and engage in self-directed inquiry, personalized learning fosters a culture of curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking in the classroom.
As we continue to explore the possibilities of personalized learning in the 21st century, it is essential to recognize its transformative potential in unlocking the full potential of every learner. By embracing personalized learning approaches, educators can create inclusive and empowering learning environments that nurture the unique talents and aspirations of every student, paving the way for a future where all individuals have the opportunity to thrive and succeed.
Immersive Technologies:
Another transformative innovation in 21st-century education is the integration of immersive technologies such as virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) into the classroom. These technologies offer immersive and interactive learning experiences that engage students in ways previously unimaginable. From virtual field trips to historical landmarks to interactive simulations that bring complex concepts to life, immersive technologies expand the possibilities of experiential learning and spark curiosity and creativity in students. By providing opportunities for hands-on exploration and discovery, these technologies enhance learning outcomes and prepare students for the demands of a digital world.
Project-Based Learning (PBL) extends beyond traditional teaching methods by immersing students in hands-on, collaborative experiences that mirror real-world challenges. Through PBL, students not only acquire subject-specific knowledge but also develop a range of transferable skills crucial for their future endeavors. Let's explore some key aspects and benefits of PBL:
Authentic Learning: PBL tasks are designed to reflect authentic, real-world problems or scenarios. This authenticity motivates students as they see the relevance and impact of their work beyond the classroom.
Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving: PBL encourages students to analyze complex problems, think critically, and develop innovative solutions. By grappling with real issues, students learn to approach problems from multiple perspectives and adapt their strategies as needed.
Collaboration and Communication: In PBL settings, students work in teams, mirroring the collaborative nature of many professional environments. They learn to communicate effectively, delegate tasks, and leverage each other's strengths to achieve common goals.
Ownership and Engagement: PBL empowers students to take ownership of their learning journey. They become active participants in setting goals, making decisions, and evaluating outcomes, fostering a sense of autonomy and intrinsic motivation.
Multidisciplinary Integration: PBL often integrates multiple subject areas, allowing students to see the interconnectedness of knowledge and skills. This interdisciplinary approach enhances their understanding of complex topics and prepares them for interdisciplinary challenges in the future.
Long-Term Retention: Through hands-on projects, students develop a deeper understanding of concepts compared to traditional rote learning methods. This deep understanding leads to better retention of knowledge and skills over the long term.
Preparation for the Future Workforce: As the landscape of work continues to evolve, employers increasingly value skills such as creativity, adaptability, and collaboration. PBL equips students with these essential 21st-century skills, preparing them to thrive in diverse professional settings.
Inclusivity and Diversity: PBL encourages diverse perspectives and contributions within teams, fostering inclusivity and respect for different viewpoints. This promotes a supportive learning environment where all students feel valued and empowered to contribute.
Global Citizenship Education:
In an increasingly interconnected world, global citizenship education has become a priority for schools seeking to prepare students for active participation in a global society. Global citizenship education goes beyond traditional academic subjects to cultivate skills and dispositions such as empathy, intercultural understanding, and ethical responsibility. Through cross-cultural exchanges, service-learning projects, and virtual collaborations with peers around the world, students develop a sense of belonging to a broader community and recognize their role in addressing global challenges. Global citizenship education fosters a sense of empathy and solidarity and equips students with the knowledge and skills needed to contribute to a more just, peaceful, and sustainable world.
Conclusion:
As we navigate the complexities of the 21st century, elementary school must evolve to meet the changing needs of students and society. By embracing innovative practices such as personalized learning, immersive technologies, project-based learning, and global citizenship education, elementary school can transform education and empower students to thrive in a rapidly changing world.
Personalized learning holds particular promise in elementary school, where educators recognize the importance of catering to the diverse needs and interests of young learners. By implementing personalized learning approaches, elementary school can create tailored educational experiences that accommodate the individual learning styles and preferences of each student. From adaptive learning platforms that adjust content to match students' proficiency levels to differentiated instruction that targets specific skill areas, personalized learning empowers elementary school students to take ownership of their learning journey and progress at their own pace.

Hi all UPN/Pre-Nursing people! I just wanted to write out some tips on how to look best on your NursingCAS applications for your goal starting semester. This is a pretty detailed guide with some good calculations to determine other scores beyond just the basic impaction score. This also provides some resources for your TEAs that I found most useful. This guide is directed towards those applying to SJSU especially those on the Pre-Nursing Track at SJSU.
Don't flop your first semester: It is true that the first semester of college has a learning curve, but it is still important that you stay focused and maintain a high GPA. For many this is the easiest semester, but don't be fooled English 1A or Chem30A/BIOL65 will bite you in the butt last second.
Aim for a high GPA not solely TEAs: As much as people brag about their TEAs scores a GPA at SJSU is much more important! If you have a 4.0 GPA and score lower on your TEAs you will have a way better shot at getting in. Take this for example: a person got 2 A- in 3 unit courses out of the big 8. This makes their cumulative GPA a 3.94 GPA. If this person applied to nursing against a person with a 4.0 this score is then doubled, for impaction. 8 compared to a 7.88. With 2 A-'s you now need to do better than 3.5% of whatever teas score the kid with a 4.0 got. Also keep in mind that SJSU already requires a 84% to even apply leaving a 16% playing field. If you get a 4.0 and a 84% a person with 3.94 needs to get a 87.5% on their teas!

• BE ADVISED EVERY SINGLE POINT COUNTS!
• Realistically you are okay and should not flip out with a 3.94 GPA to this is just being used as a clear example. Just remember that if you keep a high GPA that you are saving yourself a mental breakdown before taking a TEAs.
  • Be sure to get the extra points as well if you know you don't have perfect stats. This will greatly improve your odds at getting in, especially for Fall applicants.

Don't rely on comparing stats to AllNurses: This is a hot take, but hear me out; 60 kids get into SJSUs nursing program and maybe 10 people post their stats on AllNurses. I am throwing no shade saying this, but these are the people that are for the most part going to get in. Some claim to have 4.0 GPAs, 98 TEAs, 2000hrs of Healthcare experience, and co-reqs done too. Obviously they are going to get in but, that spot is now taken from a person bringing it down to 59 others. It is nice to have a comparison to, but unless more people post on it people are going to have skewed to the right opinions. There are tons of applicants and there are different groups of people apply. The overachievers, the average, and the prayers. Most people are average and do not have the crazy stats these people have. There are some people that do post stats that are more relevant to compare to such as a 4.0 with an 88% or something like that. Again this is highballing and it is important to really dig deep into who got accepted when using this platform. A 92% TEAs is what even the pre-nursing advisors and these guys want you to drop the major. Do realize that if you have a lower GPA you will need a higher TEAs. Doing this calculation [20(4-(current GPA))*3] will tell you what you need in comparison to a 4.0 GPA.

• Here is an example with a 3.8GPA [20(4-3.8)*3] = [20(.2)*3] = 4*3 = 12, this means (excluding extra points), you need to score at least a 96% if a kid with a 4.0 got a 84% on their TEAs.
  • For understanding the 20 comes from the calculation 10 (to make the solution a whole number) multiplied by 2 (because the GPA is multiplied by two in the impaction score calculation) and the 3 comes from the fact each .1 of a GPA equates to 3% of a persons TEAs score (1/30 = .033333*3 = .1). The 20 contains the multiplication factor of 2 already so we don't need to multiply 3 by 2 as well.

The minimum GPA and TEAs: Yes it is true that if you do have a pretty poor GPA (3.3-3.4) and don't have the TEAs to make up for it then it is probably unlikely you will get into the program. But, at this campus the stats are never posted for who gets in and during which semester. Recently SJSU raised their TEAs from a 78% all the way up to a required 84% which to me is crazy high! I assume this is to cut down the amount of applicants and in turn this makes the TEAs pretty irrelevant to the total stats. With only a 16% max gap, now any person who is able to apply to nursing must have at least that score making the GPA that much more important. If you have a 3.9 GPA and a 94 on your teas, a person with a 3.8 will still get outcompeted regardless of TEAs score. This is most likely why the GPA was lowered for nursing and is now a 3.3 instead the previous 3.4 because some kids may have done well in the GPA aspect and messed up their TEAs. Aim for a higher GPA but do realize that a lot of kids do manage to get really good GPAs that correlate with good TEAs scores. Get a good GPA, 3.8 and above is pretty good, a 3.9+ is quality work for both Fall and Spring semesters, and make sure to aim for higher than the TEAs threshold.Nursing advisors deter people from applying but, it is accurate that as of Fall 2024 that you have to be at the top to get in. Keep in mind that there are 500+ applicants and only 60 get in that is only 12% of the applicant pool. You need to aim for the 80th percentile at the minimum to be on the waitlist first round (beating 400 other applicants)
TEAs Test: Now I know I have talked a lot about the importance of the GPA, but regardless you still do want to do well on the TEAs. Your TEAs score, like I talked about above, is directly related to your GPA. If you got a lower GPA you need a high TEAs and if you got a high GPA you can slack on the TEAs score. If you have a low GPA this will make or break the odds of getting in and every 3% on the test you get a .1 point increase. Going against what I think everyone I have ever talked to has said, for me personally I say take the TEAs online, if that is still an option. Not only can you take the test literally whatever day you want, you can also take it at whatever time of that day you selected as long as a proctor is available. Some argue that the they test better when in a school environment and this is valid, but I also test better in those environments and I bombed my first TEAs due to nerves. When I took it online the only stressors were if the test were to crash or the proctor flagged my exam for no reason, but neither of those happened not even close. The low stress of being at home and taking the test when I wanted to allowed for much better results and comfort. You get to finish the sections when you want. If you think you are done and don't want to triple check your answers to save the brainpower for later sections you get that option. Take the test where you think you will test best though and take these words with a grain of salt. I just wanted to say that the TEAs online is the same content as it is in person and at the leisure of your home. Not many people talk about how the TEAs online is positive for some people!
Get the extra points if you can: The extra points are pretty easy to get at SJSU especially as commuters. Of course nobody can make themselves a first generation student, but if you are that is easy free points and congrats. No one has a clue what SJSU gives as a "bump" to an applicants score and it is honestly only there because everyones stats are so similar so they need more tie breakers. Granted, you will most likely want to win the tie breaker and in order to do you have to at least have all the co-reqs done. I want to be straight up and say I think the vast majority of students have these all completed prior to applying for the Fall because you have an extra semester (maybe not Spring idk). So make sure to have these all completed so you are not left behind and waste an attempt in the SJSU applicant pool(unless you have great stats t or have healthcare hrs instead then just apply). You only have 2 attempts at applying to nursing at SJSU so make them count. If you can, there is also the healthcare hours bump. This is a bump isn't achieved by all applicants and could help if you have lower stats. Keep in mind that this usually involves volunteer work once a week for 4hr shifts so you will be wherever you choose to stay for about 6 months (decent time commitment with school). I've heard that the healthcare hrs are pretty lenient about what exactly you did as long as it is part of the healthcare field and you can get it signed. Of course if you already have had a health job within 3 years this is a free point bump too!
Spring semester isn't as easy to get into as it once was: SJSU changed this policy. In 2023 only transfer students can apply for SJSU fall semester cohorts, no longer accepting post-bacs. Whereas spring semester cohorts will accept post-bacs and no longer accept transfer students. This means that Fall semester likely is getting more difficult to get into as all transfer students have to apply for the same cohort. It is believed that the School accepts a bunch of SJSU students and after the initial acceptance everyone on the waitlist is combined meaning more transfers will get in from the waitlist process as they may not have made the original cut with the SJSU students bump. This would also mean there are less opportunities for SJSU students to get in during the spring cohort as they battle against stronger transfer candidates. As for transfers, in Fall there are more opportunities to get in as more are accepted initally and through the waitlist process. For post-bacs the same process is in place but, since the top UPN students (because they were following the exact track) were picked out for Fall stats could be a little lower. Regardless, Fall semester cohorts I would assume have slightly higher impaction scores from all areas that are applying as most students took their time throughout all the courses and UPN program students are all expected to apply for Fall semester. Take this all with a grain of salt since again there are no exact numbers of all that get accepted as transfers and post-bacs and if these numbers have increased because of this change.
Remember your overall GPA prior to applying does matter: Your overall GPA does matter when applying for nursing at SJSU! When it comes to tiebreakers if everything is the same - the gpa, the teas, and the extra points - the school will look at overall GPAs to decide who gets in. So make sure to get good grades in that moral issues class freshman year because it will come back to haunt you if you don't get in because of it.
Don't Break down!: It is easy to read all of this and think that you are screwed, but it is important to remember that many people are in the exact same situation. We are not all getting 4.0s and 92s on our teas like our advisors tell us we need. Expect A-'s and a B+. No stats are published and nobody knows for sure what you need but the advisors say people get "mostly a's". Aim for the highest impaction score that you can get and don't slack on it because literally that is what is determining if you get in or not.

• As a SJSU student you have 2 opportunities to get in, once in Fall (a little more difficult as most SJSU students are on track so there are more of you) and Spring (a little easier just because there are less Pre-Nursing majors applying). So if you don't get in for the Fall and your stats are good, you have a great chance in the Spring
  • PS if you do get declined for the Fall get all the extra bumps you can and if you still have one more TEAs opportunity, TAKE IT AGAIN! If you get waitlisted for Fall there is a really good chance you will get in for Spring as the people you were originally going against are gone.

Waitlist: If you get waitlisted it really is not the end of the world. Most schools send out acceptance letters in two waves one at the beginning/mid of April and at the end of April where people accept of decline their schools. SJSU keeps a long waitlist because a lot of people drop the school for more local schools/bigger name schools so never lose hope. I've heard stories of people being #70 on the waitlist and still getting in. (FYI you have to contact someone to check if you were waitlisted you will not get any notice of what is taking so long for your acceptance. only when you are on the waitlist can you contact staff about your placement. Staff will not tell you where you are if you are not emailed by Nursing that you are on the waitlist.)

• If you are immediately declined from the school, that means that currently they were unable to offer you a seat. However, this does not mean that you are out yet. The school has an original waitlist and if that gets ran though they create another backup waitlist in case more students drop in the summer. This contains around 12 more students and you could be apart of this group.

EXTRA Info:

• Nursing Apps open January 17th for Fall and August 17th for Spring and they both close on the 15th the following month
• If you are a current SJSU student you do not need to apply for SJSU again prior to applying
• However many units a course is will impact your GPA differently (more units means more of your GPA)
• You get about One Week to accept SJSU. SJSU is one of the latest schools to send out acceptance letters so be prepared to wait. 8 Weeks after the deadline is when acceptance letter should begin to roll out.
• Acceptances are sent out around April 10th for Fall and November 10th for Spring.

TEAs Studying TIPs:

• DM me if you want a google doc with TEAs information (it won't let me put it here) it provides, in my opinion, the best ways to study for the TEAs. For me personally I only received a 93.3 but, if I had realized how vital one of the sources before I took the test the next day, I would have performed even better! Please give this a look. If you dont want you I'll put the order of importance here without links
  • 1 Quizlets, #2 the ATI website, #3 Miscellaneous Prep Tests (I provide links in the doc), #4 PocketPrep

Application Assistance:

• Submit all documents separate from each other
• The application pool is Not Rolling meaning you can apply at any time before the deadline and still not be penalized
• Whatever work experience you have will not change the size of the score bump i.e a hospital volunteer will get the same size bump as a person with a CNA.
  • You also do not need any letters of recommendation and don't need to fill out any extra information on the NursingCAS website for SJSU specifically. They will not read any paragraphs that are not relevant to you getting accepted.
• AP credit does not affect the GPA it is solely for credit. If the AP course is not listed on your transcript then you must submit a form proving you passed the exam in the "other" section.
  • Make sure that all your documents that need to be there are there and they will be seen and accounted for. Regardless of where you put the documents the will show up on the application.
• Download you application prior to submitting your application (they will let you do this after you finished all the documents uploading and are preparing to finalize). Look over everything to ensure it's all correct.

I know this whole process is stressful and pretty terrifying, but everyone has a chance. This is just what I have learned throughout the whole process and hopefully it will help others that have 0 clue what is going on. Although some of this may make it seem like you need to have crazy high stats I am just trying to say do your best. If SJSU ever posts the stats for accepted applicants this would a be a different story. This is a CSU so unfortunately this application does follow the "a single number means everything" this means your impaction score is who you are; not necessarily how well rounded you may be. Good luck to all future nursing applicants and congrats.
"Congratulations! This email is to inform you of your provisional acceptance to The Valley Foundation School of Nursing at San José State University" Fall
You can DM if you have any questions.

https://libriincogniti.wordpress.com/2021/02/25/kommunistisches-programm-national-revolution-and-downfall-of-cambodia/

The Events after the Fall of Phnom Penh and the Programme of Khieu Samphan, the Peasantry and the Enablers of Capital
With the end of the Indochina war in 1975, not much remained of Cambodia’s economy either. More than half of the rice fields lay fallow, and the few industrial enterprises, the port facilities in Kampong Som, the railway lines and the bridges had been destroyed by US bombs. Although the figures are not unambiguous, their magnitude alone shows what heavy blood sacrifice imperialism also demanded of this people: In the five years of war, around 800,000 people were killed, more than 40,000 were maimed, almost 200,000 were wounded.
The constant flow of refugees inflated the capital from its original population of around 600,000 to over 3 million, meaning that by the end of the war almost half of the Khmer people were crammed into their metropolis. As is well known, the imperialist world press howled in horror and disgust when it learned of the forced exodus of this human aggregation. The US bombardment drove people from the countryside into the cities – the revolutionary nationalists had to force them back. Both actions were cruel and devastating for those affected, because both times they happened under terrible conditions, the first time under the imperialist hail of bombs and the coercion of its local police, the second time under the pressure of hunger and the state coercion of the newly installed revolutionary patriotic power. But for the imperialist propaganda machine there were no connections here. Of course, it only saw the terror of the Khmer Rouge, so supposedly of Communism. Here again was a wonderful opportunity to play out the bourgeois farce of humanism and love of one’s neighbour to the full. No mention of the mass murders in the imperialist war against the Southeast Asian peoples, no mention of the unspeakable destruction of these only weakly industrialised agrarian societies. These sacrifices were noticed at most when the insane war spending of the USA threatened to drag the entire imperialist West into the vortex of economic problems as a result of the currency crises caused by it. After all, to this day, these gentlemen are consistently proud of their efforts to preserve “freedom”.
Cambodia became the main object of these friends of mankind over the next few years. Here, indeed, all cherished values and conceptions were thrown overboard. A state without money, without postal services, without cars and motorbikes, without public transport, without telephones, television, books and the cities extinct. Only “communists” could have committed this crime; as is well known, they can be trusted with anything inhumane and in Cambodia they truly acted as the incarnation of “darkness” and “evil”. What was perpetrated before in the name of the heroes of “light” and “reason” – not a word about that, of course. It was a central organ of the imperialist offensive on the human intellect – Reader’s Digest – that first announced in 1977 that at least 1.2 million people had been murdered in the two years since the fall of Phnom Penh. Ever new figures were quickly added, which journalists claimed to have learned from the numerous refugees. It is not necessary to assume that all these reports were forgeries, because in fact the Khmer Rouge set an extremely radical course from the beginning, which certainly brought much horror, misery and also deaths. But today’s sated imperialists should perhaps sometimes look at the history books: What misery, what terror, what torment against the population is archived there – and that over centuries. The French Revolution also produced at least 100,000 deaths in the most important four years – and it did so with a machine specially designed for the purpose. It was not by chance that it was the steam engine and the guillotine that inaugurated the industrial age in a revolutionary way. But do the distinguished British gentlemen, who even then scoffed at these butchers in Paris, have fewer lives on their consciences? Those who still don’t know have to have it written on their cheat sheets all the time: The establishment of bourgeois rule has always been brutal and extremely bloody. The destruction of the traditional smallholder form of economy, the annihilation of small-scale trade and crafts always passed over those affected like a merciless steamroller. And under unspeakable tortures, the majority of these people who were expropriated without compensation were pressed into the factories and, if necessary, forced by brutal violence to slave as many hours of their day as possible for the lowest possible wages. All that was not so long ago. But it is always amusing how hastily today’s representatives of capital pretend that these are youthful sins of foreign predecessors. And this process of constant dressing for factory labour, of the destruction of both man and nature, continues both in depth and in breadth. It will only come to an end when this capitalist basis has been revolutionarily annihilated because of the contradictions it constantly produces.
...
However, if one wants to understand the “mysterious” processes in Cambodia, one has to be clear above all about the material and social conditions. A devastated country that was still largely worked by small peasants; a chaotically bloated capital city to which the majority of these same peasants had fled. The terror of the bombs had charged this population, once peaceful and living in the eternal grind of farm labour, with fear, but above all with unbridled rage and blind hatred. Hatred against the city in which they had to take refuge, anger against the American bombers which destroyed their existence, but particularly anger against their own corrupt aristocracy, the military as well as the city dwellers in general who sought to prolong their raison d’être by making a pact with imperialism. Now the old mixture of foreignness, subservient spirit and unease found its general discharge in a primal hatred of the rural population for their oppressors in the cities. A frenzy of revenge arose, which certainly accounted for most of the brutalities in the first year of liberation.
In order to understand this social side of this revolution in Cambodia, which gave it the ferocious expression of blood, revenge and chaos that one encounters in practically every revolution carried out mainly by peasants, one must always bear in mind the social structure already described. The strong urban-rural divide was not between agriculture and industry – the latter was practically non-existent – but it was the extreme contrast between agriculture and all the ominous trades that bourgeois statistics usually classify under the heading of “services”. Here, actually “unproductive” administration and trade – moreover, predominantly created and nourished in the service of imperialism – and “productive” agriculture faced each other. Of the “peace population” in Phnom Penh of about 600,000, this included about 200,000 Vietnamese and over 100,000 Chinese, out of a total of about 800,000. So the Cambodians did not even make up the majority of the population in their capital. Aristocracy and officials on one side, poor peasants on the other, too poor to make a living in the countryside, coming to the city because they hoped for a job, or later bombed into it. Cambodians were almost completely excluded from the trade and merchant sectors. These sectors were mainly in the hands of the Chinese and Vietnamese.
In this approaching whirlwind of social unrest on the part of the peasants, which is growing in strength, another social force tries for its survival. Young intellectuals, most of them educated in Paris, the educational centre of the former colonial ruler, want to break the corrupt tangle of local aristocracy and foreign power by force. Without any reservoir in the own ranks of the urban bourgeoisie, for the latter is practically non-existent and if it is, then hardly to be enthused for nationalist accumulation programmes with a more rigorous cut; without a proper bourgeois class, these petty-bourgeois radicals lead a practically hopeless struggle for change. Forced very soon into the rural underground by Sihanouk’s authoritarian regime, they try to implement their programme of industrialisation based on agriculture with the help of the only social class that counts – namely the rural population, the small peasants and farm workers.
...
One simply has to quote these illuminating passages of the Khmer Rouge’s “chief ideologist” at length, because after all the imperialist wailing, one probably does not think it possible that these “monsters” can think at all. (A Trotskyist group, persistent in its obtuseness, even opined that these “monsters” were the embodiment of… a return to feudalism!) One thing is immediately quite clear: these petty-bourgeois intellectuals, widely referred to as Marxists, communists, etc., are never ever in the tradition of the “German” Karl Marx, but of the German Friedrich List, who, under the slogan “Freedom is the goal, limitation is the necessity”, set his protectionist credo against the imperialist ideology of the free traders in the last century. The Khmer Rouge leaders are thus spiritual sons of the ancestors of today’s imperialists, those imperialists who now see in them the personified devil of communism, although they only wanted to be flesh of their flesh.
These views of Samphan and thus the leaders of the Khmer Rouge were also quoted at length because they are so popular today. In the face of the growing exploitation of the countries of the so-called Third World by Western imperialism, theories are emerging everywhere that vehemently propose the same position of “cutting off” the “underdeveloped” countries from the dominance of the world market ruled by Western capital as a panacea. And it is certainly no coincidence that one of the main representatives of these academic “revolutionaries”, the Egyptian Samir Amin, raves about the radicalism of the Khmer Rouge even after their expulsion and predicts a chain of new “Kampucheas” for the African future. Against the massive reality of the increasing internationalisation of capital and the growing global control of Western and increasingly Eastern imperialism, such “progressive” petty-bourgeois theorists place their faith in autarky, national accumulation and so-called autocentric development. Against the capitalist propaganda of progress and prosperity through freedom of trade and capital investment, which in reality in fact produces nothing but growing pauperisation and exploitation, the Good News on the other side says: Only if one can free oneself from imperialism at least for as long as it takes to be able to develop one’s productive forces independently, only then will one achieve prosperity and security for humanity.
In this respect, both sides represent only two sides of the same coin. Both claim to be able to achieve “the greatest happiness for the greatest number” within the framework of and through capitalism – as the forefather of these bourgeois tendencies, Adam Smith, already formulated this elementary lie of capital.
...
The utopians of capital have to acknowledge time and again that, contrary to their proclamations, the social antagonisms both within the “developed” and “underdeveloped” countries and between these countries are becoming increasingly acute. And while capitalism is pushing the development of the productive forces ever more sharply in order to satisfy its insatiable hunger for surplus value, it is precisely because of this highly productive technology that it is less and less able to transform the pauperised masses into active proletarians, i.e. to force them to the machines or into the office. While the imperialists, in their frenzied mania for surplus value, are at least throwing the whole world into growing unrest and undermining ancestral immobile relations ever more thoroughly, the heralds of an apparently radical autarky are causing nothing but confusion in the ranks of the pauperising masses. They talk of economic independence, stable economic cycles and adapted technology – all concepts that really bring out their illusionist anachronism.
And to see Cambodia of all places as a concrete approach or even an example for the feasibility of such utopias seems almost tragicomic in view of the results that are now available. But it is also a total misreading of the factual development under the Pol Pot government. Demonisation and idealisation of the Khmer Rouge have the same basis. They assume that the measures taken after the conquest of power in Cambodia were deliberate and planned. One side sees only the terror and coercive measures with which the leaders, supported by relatively small armed forces, tried to get a grip on a witch’s cauldron of panic and violence and to escape the total catastrophe of starvation – and the chaos that would ensue in turn. They see this terror and these coercive measures as completely detached from the economic and social emergency. The others confuse the factual state of extreme social backwardness in Cambodia and the emergency measures taken with an economic and social programme.
...
We have outlined the devastating situation in Cambodia shortly before the moment of liberation. However broad and deep the peasant unrest in the countryside may have been at the time, it must be remembered that a large proportion of these peasants stayed in the capital out of necessity during the main phase of the fighting. In any case, the Khmer Rouge, hardly more than 70,000 men anyway, fought for a long time mainly in the sparsely populated outskirts of Cambodia.
When the Khmer Rouge troops approached the capital in 1975 – likely with only about 20,000 men – it soon became clear that it was imperative to deal radically with this hopelessly bloated big head. Estimates vary, but it can be assumed that of the 7-8 million Cambodians, at least 2.5, but probably over 3 million were crammed into the capital (“peace population” as mentioned 600,000). With the severing of the umbilical cord to imperialism, Phnom Penh was up in the air as its former bridgehead. There was no possibility whatsoever to control or even feed this veritable hell of collaborators and starving refugee masses. The general shortage of rice had driven prices to dizzying heights: from 10 riel per kilo in December 1971 to 125 riel in December 1973 and on to 300 riel in early 1975, reaching a record 340 riel in mid-February. The retreat of the imperialists and the advance of the Khmer Rouge must have acted as a double signal: On the one hand, to storm against the hated parasites and the urbanites in general, on the other hand, to return to the countryside in chaos. The Khmer Rouge had to evacuate the city and channel the returning flow to avoid a total catastrophe. The fact that the displaced people left a wide trail of blood behind them on their way out of the city (for the time of the Khmer Rouge government, there is consistent talk of at least 1 million deaths) was unavoidable under the given conditions. It is significant that the majority of the massacres affected the urban population and certain national minorities: precisely intellectuals, military officers of the old Lon Nol regime, Sihanoukists, capitalists, merchants etc., and apart from the Cham (Muslims) almost exclusively the Vietnamese and Chinese minorities, whose social situation we have already pointed out.
Whether it was spontaneous peasant terror or executions organised by the Khmer Rouge, it was partly revolutionary violence against the supporters of the old regime, which as such does not speak against but for the Khmer Rouge, and partly pogroms, which the leaders at most accepted and tried to direct in the interests of the state monopoly on the use of force. But it is not so important whether the Khmer Rouge leaders had to accept or order these massacres. What is decisive is that they were forced by material development to eliminate or to have eliminated precisely those strata on which they wanted to rely. This, together with the evacuation of the cities, deprived them of any social support other than the peasantry. Thus they were at the mercy of this peasantry, which had to be disciplined for the actualisation of their “programme”. The conflict with it was therefore programmed for the time after the famine had been averted.
...
After the worst of the chaos had been overcome, it was attempted to use these structures, which had prevailed in a rather primitive way during the hunger phase, for one’s “industrialisation programme” by maintaining and further intensifying collectivisation. Necessity was to become a capitalist virtue. The complete lack of such “civilisational” achievements as the intercourse of money and commodities was supposed to make for an ideal, indeed classic, “truck system”, i.e. payment in kind alone. The peasants were forced into ever new production battles, because now surpluses were to be produced for export – i.e. for exchange with foreign means of production – which indeed happened and animated the leaders even further. The general command was under the iron slogan: “Work hard and try to achieve maximum results with a minimum of investment”, and the focus was on absolute labour effort.
...
Once a sufficient level of production had been restored, however, the whole construction was bound to collapse completely sooner rather than later. Anyone who has even a pale inkling of the travails of the infamous Stalinist collectivisation in Russia – and the Russian state was on an incomparably higher social level and had quite different means of power at its disposal – can easily imagine how the intellectual would-be enablers of capitalism in Cambodia, then practically hanging in the air, would have to perish in an orgy of violence – unless, with the help of a foreign power, they could get a grip on the chaos and create more stable conditions through a series of concessions to the peasantry. Most likely, however, they would be finished even then, like a man trying to hold on as long as possible to a wildly thrashing bull and then falling to the ground exhausted. In any case, the arena crowd was already eagerly awaiting the outcome of the tragedy.
...
Sovereignty, neutrality, non-alignment – this credo runs through all declarations as a complement to “autarky”. But already in the face of the first offensive by the Vietnamese, it must have slowly become clear to the Khmer Rouge leaders that these fine words could only have one meaning in our unpleasant world, namely to place themselves under the protection of the People’s Republic of China. In Pol Pot’s interview, which we have just quoted, a strange acronym appears: CPK. This means “Communist Party of Kampuchea”. And yet, to the boundless amazement of bourgeois commentators, the Khmer Rouge had never tried to dress up their declarations or their constitution with Marxist or pseudo-Marxist vocabulary – which is certainly very sympathetic to us. On the contrary, they have displayed an obvious and pedantic aversion to these concepts. Neither “vanguard of the proletariat” or “communist party” nor “proletarian internationalism”, neither “classless society” nor “dictatorship of the proletariat”, but also not “new democratic revolution”, “mass line”, “creation of a new man”, “peaceful coexistence” etc. etc. had ever been spoken of. If similar contents had to be expressed, they were paraphrased with other words. But this did not happen because the Pol Pot folks would have been particularly honest and wanted to do us Marxists a favour. This happened because in their dogged nationalism they wanted to distance themselves clearly from their neighbours Vietnam, but also China, who professed to be “socialist”. The national character of all these revolutions and states, the national character of their confrontations and of their whole politics is expressed even in the fact that the weakest link feels compelled by the instinct of self-preservation to dispense with the “Marxist” or “socialist” cloak for the capitalist programme! This is what “socialism in one country” has come to! And the adoption of the “Marxist” “vocabulary” here is a sign of the surrender of the so sacred national sovereignty. If, as already mentioned, no announcement had ever mentioned a party or revolutionary phases (there was always talk of a “revolutionary organisation” and even of “Angkor traditions”), Pol Pot told his astonished people and all those who wanted to know the following story on 27 September 1977: the CPK had already existed in Cambodia since 30 September 1960 and had achieved this miracle of a national-democratic revolution. He told it the day before he left for Beijing, on which, fighting a losing battle against the Vietnamese, he has been completely dependent ever since.
As a “plaything of foreign powers”, the nationalist intellectuals of Cambodia perished. The peasantry, largely decimated under the pressure of the imperialist frenzy and its consequences, as now under the pressure of Vietnam’s national expansion, is an example of the fate that capitalist society reserves for small and weak peoples in its emergence and development. To such peoples the proletariat alone would and will secure the right of self-determination, because unlike the bourgeoisie it does not seek national privileges but wants to abolish them, because unlike the bourgeoisie it can create voluntary union, because unlike the bourgeoisie it liberates itself not by exploiting others but by abolishing all exploitation.

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My gf 22F and I 23M have been dating for 3 years and just moved into a new apartment together in October last year. We met in college 3 and a half years ago and instantly hit it off. We did everything together and started dating shortly after we met. For the past 3 years, everything has been perfect. We’ve begun to talk about our bigger goals in life that we want to accomplish, and even discuss when we want to have kids and get married. However, we’ve started to have a small kink in our relationship that has honestly begun to take a toll on me.
Now, my girlfriend is like many other people our age and loves to spend time on her phone during her free time. She has a few games on her phone that she’ll play regularly during her lunch breaks at work or to blow off steam when she gets home. The game she’s played the most has been 2048, but recently she downloaded Fruit Ninja and has a hard time putting it down. We hardly talk at dinner anymore because she’s trying to “beat her high score on arcade mode”. When we’re falling asleep in bed, our last minutes awake aren’t spent joking around or having a conversation anymore. Instead, her fingers are furiously flying on her screen, slicing virtual fruit in hopes of beating her high score.
A few days ago, I nearly hit my limit when we were having sex one night and pulled her phone out to start a game. I could not believe what I was watching. For 30 seconds, I was in shock. But when the gravity of the situation hit me, I stopped and immediately went to the bathroom and locked the door. She didn’t even come to ask me what was wrong until she finished her game.
Not only has she dedicated an ungodly amount of time to this game but also money. While she was on a gaming spree, I caught her purchasing $50 worth of in-game currency that barely increased the amount she already had. At this point, I was more than suspicious. I asked her how much she’s spent in total on this game but she didn’t tell me. But based on how little her $50 purchase increased her massive reserves, I’m estimating she’s spent ~$500 on Fruit Ninja.
I truly love my girlfriend and would do anything for her, but I’m beginning to have my doubts. I know this scenario seems fake or absurd (trust me, I know how crazy this all sounds), but it’s been a huge problem that is putting a strain on our relationship. We’ve sat down and had a few serious talks about this and she said she’ll do her best to be more present, but I haven’t seen much improvement. She still plays the entire time we’re in the car together, whenever we eat, when we watch TV, etc. You get the point. Whenever I try to break her spell, she responds with unemphatic one or two-word answers and gets back into her game.
I’m reaching out to reddit because I don’t know who to go to anymore. I can’t talk to my friends or family about this due to the embarrassing nature of this problem. I am hoping to find solace in any advice that can improve the outcome of our relationship and let some sense of stability back into our lives. I guess my question is, should I let something as ridiculous as this ruin our relationship, or should I continue to try and fix this problem? I just want my girlfriend back.
TL;DR: my gf is obsessed with Fruit Ninja and is creating strife in our relationship. She spends way too much time and money on this game and I am almost at my wit’s end.

1. What is a Digital Assurance Platform?

A digital assurance platform provides project management, quality engineering, and asset assessment services. It is a comprehensive software solution designed to support organizations in ensuring the quality, reliability, and effectiveness of their digital initiatives across various dimensions.
Here's a breakdown of its key components:
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2. Quality Engineering: The platform offers a comprehensive suite of quality engineering tools and methodologies for the rigorous evaluation and improvement of digital assets. This includes automated testing frameworks, performance testing suites, security assessment tools, and usability testing protocols, all integrated to systematically identify and rectify software defects and vulnerabilities throughout the software development lifecycle.
3. Assessment Services
a. People: This aspect focuses on evaluating and enhancing the skills, competencies, and performance of individuals involved in digital initiatives. It may include training programs, skill assessments, performance evaluations, coaching, and mentoring to support the professional development and effectiveness of teams.
b. Leadership: The platform offers assessment tools and services to evaluate the leadership capabilities, strategic alignment, and decision-making processes of senior management and project leaders. This helps identify areas for improvement and ensures effective leadership support for digital initiatives.
c. Processes: It involves evaluating and optimizing the processes and methodologies used in digital development and delivery. This includes assessing adherence to industry standards, best practices, and regulatory requirements, as well as identifying opportunities for process improvement and optimization.
d. Platforms: This component focuses on evaluating the underlying digital platforms, technologies, and infrastructure supporting digital initiatives. It includes assessing scalability, reliability, security, and performance to ensure that the digital ecosystem can support business objectives effectively.

The digital assurance platform serves as a comprehensive solution for managing and optimizing digital projects and initiatives, ensuring that they meet quality standards, align with organizational goals, and deliver value to stakeholders. It leverages a combination of project management, quality engineering, and assessment services to address the multifaceted challenges of digital transformation.

What is PIEDAP? what does it provide?

PIEDAP: A Pioneering Digital Assurance Platform

In the fast-evolving landscape of digital transformation, ensuring the quality, reliability, and effectiveness of digital initiatives is paramount for organizations striving to maintain a competitive edge. PIEDAP – the next-generation Digital Assurance Platform is engineered to empower enterprises with unparalleled capabilities in project management, quality engineering, and comprehensive assessment services spanning people, leadership, processes, and platforms.
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What benefits does PIEDAP provide?

PIEDAP, most innovative and easy to use digital assurance platform revolutionizes your digital landscape. Experience heightened efficiency, reduced risk, and seamless operations. Welcome to a future where assurance is not just digital but definitive. Let’s delve into some concrete numbers that demonstrate the tangible benefits of PIEDAP
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e) 360-degree Real-Time Metrics

What are the causes of inefficiency in projects?

Inefficiencies in projects can stem from various factors across project management, quality engineering, and quality of assets. Read our article “Unveiling Project Inefficiencies: How PIEDAP Reshapes Digital Success” to dive deep into the factors causing inefficiencies in projects impacting cost, quality and time-to-market.

How does PIEDAP Maximise ROI?

How does PIEDAP improve project efficiency? How does it improve the cost, quality and time-to-market?

PIEDAP provides comprehensive solutions to enhance cost-effectiveness, quality, and efficiency throughout the project lifecycle. Here's how PIEDAP addresses each of these aspects:

1. Cost Solutions:
   • Resource Optimization: PIEDAP includes features for efficient resource allocation, allowing project managers to allocate resources based on availability, skills, and project requirements. By optimizing resource utilization, organizations can reduce unnecessary costs associated with overallocation or underutilization of resources.
   • Budget Management: PIEDAP provides tools for budget tracking and management, enabling organizations to monitor project expenditures in real-time and make informed decisions to stay within budget constraints. By identifying cost overruns early, organizations can take corrective actions to mitigate financial risks and ensure project profitability.
   • Automation: PIEDAP automates repetitive tasks and processes, reducing the need for manual intervention and minimizing labor costs. Automation also improves efficiency and accuracy, leading to cost savings over time.

1. Quality Solutions:
   • Comprehensive Testing: PIEDAP integrates advanced testing frameworks and tools for comprehensive testing of software applications, including functional testing, performance testing, security testing, and usability testing. By ensuring thorough testing coverage, organizations can identify and address defects early, resulting in higher quality deliverables and improved customer satisfaction.
   • Continuous Monitoring: PIEDAP includes monitoring and analytics features that provide real-time insights into the quality and performance of digital assets. By continuously monitoring key metrics and performance indicators, organizations can proactively identify quality issues and take corrective actions to maintain high standards of quality.
   • Standardized Processes: PIEDAP establishes standardized processes and quality assurance frameworks, ensuring consistency and adherence to quality standards across projects and teams. By standardizing processes, organizations can minimize variability and improve the predictability of project outcomes.

1. Efficiency Solutions:
   • Project Management Tools: PIEDAP offers robust project management functionalities, including task scheduling, resource allocation, collaboration tools, and progress tracking. By streamlining project workflows and enhancing communication and collaboration among team members, PIEDAP improves overall project efficiency.
   • Automation and Integration: PIEDAP integrates with CI/CD pipelines and other automation tools to automate testing, deployment, and other repetitive tasks, reducing manual effort and improving efficiency. Integration with other systems and tools also facilitates seamless data exchange and workflow automation, further enhancing efficiency.
   • Continuous Improvement: PIEDAP fosters a culture of continuous improvement by providing actionable insights and recommendations based on assessment findings and performance metrics. By encouraging ongoing learning, feedback, and process optimization, organizations can continuously improve efficiency and drive operational excellence.

PIEDAP empowers organizations to achieve cost savings, deliver high-quality outcomes, and improve efficiency throughout the project lifecycle, ultimately driving greater success in their digital initiatives.

Hey, hope this is appropriate to post here! I've been working in the world of mental health and self-development for over a decade now and have had my journey of recovering from massive social anxiety and isolation. I've never really been active online and talked about these ideas with friends, coworkers, and partners. However, I feel inspired to stimulate some discussions I find are important and try to contribute to this and other similar communities. So I would like to share with you some reflections I wrote. I'd love to hear your thoughts and reflections. I'm not here to convince you of my ideas (although perhaps I can write persuasively sometimes), I am no authority, but I would love to hear your reflections, thoughts and discuss. I feel hopeful to try to find some truth together through this, and maybe think together as a community how we can make certain situations better for people. Of and please be very honest! I'm not looking for feedback for my form, or to get better at writing although I'm sure I could definitely use some. But I would love to see what these ideas evoke and people, their stories, their concerns, their disagreements, and points of view.
Let me know if I'm breaking the rules, and if you want more discussions like this! I'm eager to talk about agency, addiction, customizing mental health interventions, combining self improvement with social impact, the effects of our construction of social status on happiness and growth, how we can make the internet more nuanced and promote mindful content vs polarized, absolutistic and quick dopamine hit formats.
Well, without further ado. Welcome and thank you.
What Does It Mean to Be a Strong Man?
I acknowledge that the question may be irrelevant. That we may not need a definition. These definitions do not apply to everyone who uses the same term. However, people, perhaps more commonly those who identify as men, do often choose a definition. It is often nebulous, implicit, acted out, and unexamined. An amalgamation of ideas we are fed by others, cultural norms, emotional reactions, stereotypes, and beliefs we buy into. These ideas come from many sources that we do not have the opportunity to question. Being told to not cry and be a man while growing up, the attempts of other men to portray themselves as strong whether fruitful or vain, narratives around celebrity, status, fame. These often influence us, and eventually have some influence on the stereotypes that form around the idea of being a man. Perhaps it would be helpful to examine these ideas. I find them quite problematic. Not because I want to erase the concept of manhood, but because I think they often do a disservice to what a man can be and embody. We are often led to believe that unless we act in a certain way, we are not men. That we are weak, that we are not valuable, that we will not be respected and loved. And that the way to avoid this is to conform, to become rigid and put up our walls and defenses. This can often lead to tragically unnecessary outcomes. Alienation, isolation, stress, inner critique, avoidance, low self-esteem, and perhaps even push people away and lash out at them. We are told we need to hustle and grind to live up to being a man, that unless we reach certain goals we are diminished and failures. And we are often certain not the ones to choose our goals, but they are imparted on us.
So are the stereotypes true? What is it to be a man? Is it to be wealthy, physically strong, intimidating, shouting, or aggressive? Are these traits that we often see espoused by what we've come to associate with masculinity? Is it to achieve nebulous "success" as defined by others, and at any cost? Is masculinity dependent on the admiration of others, and upon the validation of our romantic interests? Is this what is central to being a man? Are we falling for a false narrative? Or are these phenomena just a symptom of our confusion, and the result of not having a clear vision of what being a man can entail?
My experience tells me that by adopting these notions, we underestimate and undervalue what a man can be, giving way to and rationalizing insecurities. We assume, through this model, that we cannot deal with certain experiences with grace and severely limit our growth. Are we not suffocating our freedom by buying into these narratives? Perhaps it is our lack of role models that deprives us of formative experiences during childhood, of seeing men be a pillars of love and calm for others. Seeing them be truly loved and respected, without the need for any gimmicks, silver tongue, status games or other forms of compensation we are continuous told me need by companies and influencers.
No, I believe the reality of being a man is much more profound than that. That we are leaving so much on the table by not having this compass. That it can seem daunting, but infinitely rewarding. I also don't view it as a stressful obligation that needs to be met otherwise we are unworthy. Rather, an invitation. I believe our natural inclination and the identity in which we flourish most are far from these stereotypes. It seems to me that it is blocked and occluded by many factors. And the path to actualizing it is of acceptance. It is time to seek out an identity that defies all those gurus who try to make us feel insecure, to try to be like them, to buy their products, to keep trying to replicate techniques that only reinforce self-doubt and the idea that we cannot embody who we want to be, live the life we want without chasing shiny status symbols.
No, to be a man is much more than that.
The idea of a man is to be able to fully feel one's emotions, one's fears, without panicking, without changing one's behavior, and doing the loving right thing. People think that feeling weakens you, controls you. But a man still has the agency to choose how he responds to them without cowering and escaping them, and therefore blinding himself. A man can feel his sorrow and still show up to work. A man can feel insecure but not run away and go for what he wants. A man can feel small and not hide from others, but share his vulnerability and still choose to step up. A man can let himself feel desperate and needy but choose to respect his integrity and not try to control the situation to suppress how he feels. The beautiful thing is, you don't have to be there. We are often told that unless we hit the mark, we are shunned and not respected. I have found that to not be true, and my imperfect attempts to be open, to hold space, to feel, have brought people closer to me and gave them the opportunity to help me grown and support me when I am vulnerable. It created the space for people to accept me the way I am once I took the step to be vulnerable and reveal myself. And that has helped shed so many insecurities.
Being a man is to have the courage to love, whether vulnerable or with tough love, and boundaries. It is to choose freedom and feeling through pain rather than contracting and escaping. It is to be able to give space, to serve others, to love them, to support them. To show one's weakness without trying to escape it, while working on improving. It is to be resilient, resourceful, and proactive in doing what seems to be right without the need for control. It is loving oneself and not chasing validation from others. It is to love without expecting in return, which is very different from being used. It is to tell the truth even when it is difficult. It is to, with inner calm and gentleness, confront someone with the appropriate intensity when they hurt others, or themselves. It is to be your brother's keeper. It is to forgive. It is to protect those you love. It is to weather the storm of love with as much calm as possible. It is to let go of the need to prove oneself. It is to be an anchor. It is to take life with humor. It is to love others as fully-fledged human beings and not as a means to an end.
It is to realize that sexual gratification does not make a man, and yet to fearlessly and compassionately give yourself to your partner. To realize that wealth and status cannot weld inner rifts. It is to comfort one's inner child when its demons terrify it. It is to be a light onto this world and give space to the darkness. It is to accept responsibility and uphold it. It is to be free from the fear of losing freedom. These are all not exclusive to men, but qualities latent within us all.
However, if we decide to be men, let us be this sort of forgotten, powerful man. A man that does not need to belittle, a man that does not need to abuse, a man that recognizes his own beauty and strength and has faith in it when he feels small. That allows love to come in. A man that does not need to retaliate when others disturb him. That recognizes that nothing can reduce the being within, its potential, and the beauty of the world it projects into its consciousness through his eyes.
Men, believe in yourself. You can be who you want to be. You can create the life you want. You can attract the one you love. But society is letting you down. Instead of giving you tools that work, it shoves you on an eternal treadmill. A treadmill that only profits those who would see you be an obedient soldier, a consumer, a higher bracket taxpayer, or whatever pursuits or status our society brainwashes us to pursue.
You can do all these things, but let it be your choice. Make these things more attainable by growing, by reducing the inner conflict, by using the full power of your emotional awareness and regulation that is only unlocked by feeling. By understanding yourself and others better. By seeing things more clearly, not by following others' techniques and instructions only but by honing your perception and intelligence. So much social conditioning and consumer culture divide us, make us understand each other less, and make us alienated from other genders and groups. Sometimes so they can sell us their narrative and their products. Let us be free.
Easier said than done you say?
We truly live in a world that makes it harder to develop these qualities. Or perhaps these qualities are there, but their potential is suppressed and supplanted by other patterns. We often start off with trauma and life events that interfere with our growth. We try to cope, and the world can be harsh to our coping mechanisms. We model the world as we see it through our hurt selves, and we often blame ourselves for being stuck. Luckily, there are ways to break out of the cycle. It's unfortunate that most of us don't have access to people who guide us through the process. And most importantly, we are constantly distracted by strategies that don't work. Buy this course, go to this gym, buy these clothes, make more money, stress and push yourself, or get lost in the system trying to get therapy. We keep being told we need to be better, and enhance ourselves from the outside in. But we are not taught how much we can affect our mental software, how we can reshape our psyche, heal from patterns, and regain our natural social and emotional skills and self-esteem.
This requires calm, patience, time, and deliberate focus, but our focus is snatched away by millions of distractions and a barrage of FOMO. We are made to feel stressed and insecure, that we need to succeed and maximize our potential, so that we consume more tips, coffee, addictions, or work ourselves to death to the benefit of employers, tax agencies, or the general economy. We are told we don't have time to reflect, that if we make the wrong choice we are screwed, so we need to hurry and follow whatever beaten path is thrown onto us. We perpetually seek guidance, sometimes from people that masquerade as experts on YouTube for views and forget to strengthen our own intuition and remove whatever puts us on a leash.
We are social animals; we process information about social situations unconsciously far more effectively than through our thinking minds. Anxiety can block this, so we assume we lack knowledge and need to learn. We resent the anxiety and fight it, and get stuck in a perpetual battle we cannot win because we are using the wrong method. Then we blame ourselves. Make ourselves smaller. And the cycle continues, with more desperate attempts to exit the cycle and find more tips and tricks.
There is a way out, but it feels so counterintuitive that we expect it the least. Meeting ourselves where we are at, exposing ourselves to our fears and weaknesses, growing from there, sharing it with others, feeling—it all makes us feel like we will get stuck. The child that learned these lessons throws a tantrum at the possibility. But we are not children anymore. We needed these strategies in the past, but now they hold us back. We do not need to hide; we are capable of growing and learning to meet our own needs. And that is the way forward.
Do you truly think this kind of man is weak? That he is unable to achieve what he sets out to do? That women will gloss over? I have never been so comfortable and connected to women as when I started letting go of all the things above and being there. Calm, present, joyful, grounded in my own being, and creating space for the both of us; changing the dynamic forever into one of exploration, of love, of excitement, of ease, and of insight for the other person that sees that this mode is possible.
Let's build this reality together. Please, tell me what this made you think. Please argue and object, or ask questions. I am not an authority, but we are here to explore together, think independently and disagree. Perhaps we can reach more nuance and truth that way together. Share your experience with me. Share with me your ideas on how to create a world that does not inhibit the freedom of man but encourages his agency, helps him be better to others, and be a source of flourishing rather than anguish to women. And, let me know if you want me to write more. I have a lot of experience and ideas I haven't shared. If it helps, I will. Want to bounce off ideas on how to start implementing this? Just send me a text and i'll try to share some things that worked with me when I can :)

Hey, hope this is appropriate to post here! I've been working in the world of mental health and self-development for over a decade now and have had my journey of recovering from massive social anxiety and isolation. I've never really been active online and talked about these ideas with friends, coworkers, and partners. However, I feel inspired to stimulate some discussions I find are important and try to contribute to this and other similar communities. So I would like to share with you some reflections I wrote. I'd love to hear your thoughts and reflections. I'm not here to convince you of my ideas (although perhaps I can write persuasively sometimes), I am no authority, but I would love to hear your reflections, thoughts and discuss. I feel hopeful to try to find some truth together through this, and maybe think together as a community how we can make certain situations better for people. Of and please be very honest! I'm not looking for feedback for my form, or to get better at writing although I'm sure I could definitely use some. But I would love to see what these ideas evoke and people, their stories, their concerns, their disagreements, and points of view.
Let me know if I'm breaking the rules, and if you want more discussions like this! I'm eager to talk about agency, addiction, customizing mental health interventions, combining self improvement with social impact, the effects of our construction of social status on happiness and growth, how we can make the internet more nuanced and promote mindful content vs polarized, absolutistic and quick dopamine hit formats.
Well, without further ado. Welcome and thank you.
What Does It Mean to Be a Strong Man?
I acknowledge that the question may be irrelevant. That we may not need a definition. These definitions do not apply to everyone who uses the same term. However, people, perhaps more commonly those who identify as men, do often choose a definition. It is often nebulous, implicit, acted out, and unexamined. An amalgamation of ideas we are fed by others, cultural norms, emotional reactions, stereotypes, and beliefs we buy into. These ideas come from many sources that we do not have the opportunity to question. Being told to not cry and be a man while growing up, the attempts of other men to portray themselves as strong whether fruitful or vain, narratives around celebrity, status, fame. These often influence us, and eventually have some influence on the stereotypes that form around the idea of being a man. Perhaps it would be helpful to examine these ideas. I find them quite problematic. Not because I want to erase the concept of manhood, but because I think they often do a disservice to what a man can be and embody. We are often led to believe that unless we act in a certain way, we are not men. That we are weak, that we are not valuable, that we will not be respected and loved. And that the way to avoid this is to conform, to become rigid and put up our walls and defenses. This can often lead to tragically unnecessary outcomes. Alienation, isolation, stress, inner critique, avoidance, low self-esteem, and perhaps even push people away and lash out at them. We are told we need to hustle and grind to live up to being a man, that unless we reach certain goals we are diminished and failures. And we are often certain not the ones to choose our goals, but they are imparted on us.
So are the stereotypes true? What is it to be a man? Is it to be wealthy, physically strong, intimidating, shouting, or aggressive? Are these traits that we often see espoused by what we've come to associate with masculinity? Is it to achieve nebulous "success" as defined by others, and at any cost? Is masculinity dependent on the admiration of others, and upon the validation of our romantic interests? Is this what is central to being a man? Are we falling for a false narrative? Or are these phenomena just a symptom of our confusion, and the result of not having a clear vision of what being a man can entail?
My experience tells me that by adopting these notions, we underestimate and undervalue what a man can be, giving way to and rationalizing insecurities. We assume, through this model, that we cannot deal with certain experiences with grace and severely limit our growth. Are we not suffocating our freedom by buying into these narratives? Perhaps it is our lack of role models that deprives us of formative experiences during childhood, of seeing men be a pillars of love and calm for others. Seeing them be truly loved and respected, without the need for any gimmicks, silver tongue, status games or other forms of compensation we are continuous told me need by companies and influencers.
No, I believe the reality of being a man is much more profound than that. That we are leaving so much on the table by not having this compass. That it can seem daunting, but infinitely rewarding. I also don't view it as a stressful obligation that needs to be met otherwise we are unworthy. Rather, an invitation. I believe our natural inclination and the identity in which we flourish most are far from these stereotypes. It seems to me that it is blocked and occluded by many factors. And the path to actualizing it is of acceptance. It is time to seek out an identity that defies all those gurus who try to make us feel insecure, to try to be like them, to buy their products, to keep trying to replicate techniques that only reinforce self-doubt and the idea that we cannot embody who we want to be, live the life we want without chasing shiny status symbols.
No, to be a man is much more than that.
The idea of a man is to be able to fully feel one's emotions, one's fears, without panicking, without changing one's behavior, and doing the loving right thing. People think that feeling weakens you, controls you. But a man still has the agency to choose how he responds to them without cowering and escaping them, and therefore blinding himself. A man can feel his sorrow and still show up to work. A man can feel insecure but not run away and go for what he wants. A man can feel small and not hide from others, but share his vulnerability and still choose to step up. A man can let himself feel desperate and needy but choose to respect his integrity and not try to control the situation to suppress how he feels. The beautiful thing is, you don't have to be there. We are often told that unless we hit the mark, we are shunned and not respected. I have found that to not be true, and my imperfect attempts to be open, to hold space, to feel, have brought people closer to me and gave them the opportunity to help me grown and support me when I am vulnerable. It created the space for people to accept me the way I am once I took the step to be vulnerable and reveal myself. And that has helped shed so many insecurities.
Being a man is to have the courage to love, whether vulnerable or with tough love, and boundaries. It is to choose freedom and feeling through pain rather than contracting and escaping. It is to be able to give space, to serve others, to love them, to support them. To show one's weakness without trying to escape it, while working on improving. It is to be resilient, resourceful, and proactive in doing what seems to be right without the need for control. It is loving oneself and not chasing validation from others. It is to love without expecting in return, which is very different from being used. It is to tell the truth even when it is difficult. It is to, with inner calm and gentleness, confront someone with the appropriate intensity when they hurt others, or themselves. It is to be your brother's keeper. It is to forgive. It is to protect those you love. It is to weather the storm of love with as much calm as possible. It is to let go of the need to prove oneself. It is to be an anchor. It is to take life with humor. It is to love others as fully-fledged human beings and not as a means to an end.
It is to realize that sexual gratification does not make a man, and yet to fearlessly and compassionately give yourself to your partner. To realize that wealth and status cannot weld inner rifts. It is to comfort one's inner child when its demons terrify it. It is to be a light onto this world and give space to the darkness. It is to accept responsibility and uphold it. It is to be free from the fear of losing freedom. These are all not exclusive to men, but qualities latent within us all.
However, if we decide to be men, let us be this sort of forgotten, powerful man. A man that does not need to belittle, a man that does not need to abuse, a man that recognizes his own beauty and strength and has faith in it when he feels small. That allows love to come in. A man that does not need to retaliate when others disturb him. That recognizes that nothing can reduce the being within, its potential, and the beauty of the world it projects into its consciousness through his eyes.
Men, believe in yourself. You can be who you want to be. You can create the life you want. You can attract the one you love. But society is letting you down. Instead of giving you tools that work, it shoves you on an eternal treadmill. A treadmill that only profits those who would see you be an obedient soldier, a consumer, a higher bracket taxpayer, or whatever pursuits or status our society brainwashes us to pursue.
You can do all these things, but let it be your choice. Make these things more attainable by growing, by reducing the inner conflict, by using the full power of your emotional awareness and regulation that is only unlocked by feeling. By understanding yourself and others better. By seeing things more clearly, not by following others' techniques and instructions only but by honing your perception and intelligence. So much social conditioning and consumer culture divide us, make us understand each other less, and make us alienated from other genders and groups. Sometimes so they can sell us their narrative and their products. Let us be free.
Easier said than done you say?
We truly live in a world that makes it harder to develop these qualities. Or perhaps these qualities are there, but their potential is suppressed and supplanted by other patterns. We often start off with trauma and life events that interfere with our growth. We try to cope, and the world can be harsh to our coping mechanisms. We model the world as we see it through our hurt selves, and we often blame ourselves for being stuck. Luckily, there are ways to break out of the cycle. It's unfortunate that most of us don't have access to people who guide us through the process. And most importantly, we are constantly distracted by strategies that don't work. Buy this course, go to this gym, buy these clothes, make more money, stress and push yourself, or get lost in the system trying to get therapy. We keep being told we need to be better, and enhance ourselves from the outside in. But we are not taught how much we can affect our mental software, how we can reshape our psyche, heal from patterns, and regain our natural social and emotional skills and self-esteem.
This requires calm, patience, time, and deliberate focus, but our focus is snatched away by millions of distractions and a barrage of FOMO. We are made to feel stressed and insecure, that we need to succeed and maximize our potential, so that we consume more tips, coffee, addictions, or work ourselves to death to the benefit of employers, tax agencies, or the general economy. We are told we don't have time to reflect, that if we make the wrong choice we are screwed, so we need to hurry and follow whatever beaten path is thrown onto us. We perpetually seek guidance, sometimes from people that masquerade as experts on YouTube for views and forget to strengthen our own intuition and remove whatever puts us on a leash.
We are social animals; we process information about social situations unconsciously far more effectively than through our thinking minds. Anxiety can block this, so we assume we lack knowledge and need to learn. We resent the anxiety and fight it, and get stuck in a perpetual battle we cannot win because we are using the wrong method. Then we blame ourselves. Make ourselves smaller. And the cycle continues, with more desperate attempts to exit the cycle and find more tips and tricks.
There is a way out, but it feels so counterintuitive that we expect it the least. Meeting ourselves where we are at, exposing ourselves to our fears and weaknesses, growing from there, sharing it with others, feeling—it all makes us feel like we will get stuck. The child that learned these lessons throws a tantrum at the possibility. But we are not children anymore. We needed these strategies in the past, but now they hold us back. We do not need to hide; we are capable of growing and learning to meet our own needs. And that is the way forward.
Do you truly think this kind of man is weak? That he is unable to achieve what he sets out to do? That women will gloss over? I have never been so comfortable and connected to women as when I started letting go of all the things above and being there. Calm, present, joyful, grounded in my own being, and creating space for the both of us; changing the dynamic forever into one of exploration, of love, of excitement, of ease, and of insight for the other person that sees that this mode is possible.
Let's build this reality together. Please, tell me what this made you think. Please argue and object, or ask questions. I am not an authority, but we are here to explore together, think independently and disagree. Perhaps we can reach more nuance and truth that way together. Share your experience with me. Share with me your ideas on how to create a world that does not inhibit the freedom of man but encourages his agency, helps him be better to others, and be a source of flourishing rather than anguish to women. And, let me know if you want me to write more. I have a lot of experience and ideas I haven't shared. If it helps, I will. Want to bounce off ideas on how to start implementing this? Just send me a text and i'll try to share some things that worked with me when I can :)

Hey, hope this is appropriate to post here! I've been working in the world of mental health and self-development for over a decade now and have had my journey of recovering from massive social anxiety and isolation. I've never really been active online and talked about these ideas with friends, coworkers, and partners. However, I feel inspired to stimulate some discussions I find are important and try to contribute to this and other similar communities. So I would like to share with you some reflections I wrote. I'd love to hear your thoughts and reflections. I'm not here to convince you of my ideas (although perhaps I can write persuasively sometimes), I am no authority, but I would love to hear your reflections, thoughts and discuss. I feel hopeful to try to find some truth together through this, and maybe think together as a community how we can make certain situations better for people. Of and please be very honest! I'm not looking for feedback for my form, or to get better at writing although I'm sure I could definitely use some. But I would love to see what these ideas evoke and people, their stories, their concerns, their disagreements, and points of view.
Let me know if I'm breaking the rules, and if you want more discussions like this! I'm eager to talk about agency, addiction, customizing mental health interventions, combining self improvement with social impact, the effects of our construction of social status on happiness and growth, how we can make the internet more nuanced and promote mindful content vs polarized, absolutistic and quick dopamine hit formats.
Well, without further ado. Welcome and thank you.
What Does It Mean to Be a Strong Man?
I acknowledge that the question may be irrelevant. That we may not need a definition. These definitions do not apply to everyone who uses the same term. However, people, perhaps more commonly those who identify as men, do often choose a definition. It is often nebulous, implicit, acted out, and unexamined. An amalgamation of ideas we are fed by others, cultural norms, emotional reactions, stereotypes, and beliefs we buy into. These ideas come from many sources that we do not have the opportunity to question. Being told to not cry and be a man while growing up, the attempts of other men to portray themselves as strong whether fruitful or vain, narratives around celebrity, status, fame. These often influence us, and eventually have some influence on the stereotypes that form around the idea of being a man. Perhaps it would be helpful to examine these ideas. I find them quite problematic. Not because I want to erase the concept of manhood, but because I think they often do a disservice to what a man can be and embody. We are often led to believe that unless we act in a certain way, we are not men. That we are weak, that we are not valuable, that we will not be respected and loved. And that the way to avoid this is to conform, to become rigid and put up our walls and defenses. This can often lead to tragically unnecessary outcomes. Alienation, isolation, stress, inner critique, avoidance, low self-esteem, and perhaps even push people away and lash out at them. We are told we need to hustle and grind to live up to being a man, that unless we reach certain goals we are diminished and failures. And we are often certain not the ones to choose our goals, but they are imparted on us.
So are the stereotypes true? What is it to be a man? Is it to be wealthy, physically strong, intimidating, shouting, or aggressive? Are these traits that we often see espoused by what we've come to associate with masculinity? Is it to achieve nebulous "success" as defined by others, and at any cost? Is masculinity dependent on the admiration of others, and upon the validation of our romantic interests? Is this what is central to being a man? Are we falling for a false narrative? Or are these phenomena just a symptom of our confusion, and the result of not having a clear vision of what being a man can entail?
My experience tells me that by adopting these notions, we underestimate and undervalue what a man can be, giving way to and rationalizing insecurities. We assume, through this model, that we cannot deal with certain experiences with grace and severely limit our growth. Are we not suffocating our freedom by buying into these narratives? Perhaps it is our lack of role models that deprives us of formative experiences during childhood, of seeing men be a pillars of love and calm for others. Seeing them be truly loved and respected, without the need for any gimmicks, silver tongue, status games or other forms of compensation we are continuous told me need by companies and influencers.
No, I believe the reality of being a man is much more profound than that. That we are leaving so much on the table by not having this compass. That it can seem daunting, but infinitely rewarding. I also don't view it as a stressful obligation that needs to be met otherwise we are unworthy. Rather, an invitation. I believe our natural inclination and the identity in which we flourish most are far from these stereotypes. It seems to me that it is blocked and occluded by many factors. And the path to actualizing it is of acceptance. It is time to seek out an identity that defies all those gurus who try to make us feel insecure, to try to be like them, to buy their products, to keep trying to replicate techniques that only reinforce self-doubt and the idea that we cannot embody who we want to be, live the life we want without chasing shiny status symbols.
No, to be a man is much more than that.
The idea of a man is to be able to fully feel one's emotions, one's fears, without panicking, without changing one's behavior, and doing the loving right thing. People think that feeling weakens you, controls you. But a man still has the agency to choose how he responds to them without cowering and escaping them, and therefore blinding himself. A man can feel his sorrow and still show up to work. A man can feel insecure but not run away and go for what he wants. A man can feel small and not hide from others, but share his vulnerability and still choose to step up. A man can let himself feel desperate and needy but choose to respect his integrity and not try to control the situation to suppress how he feels. The beautiful thing is, you don't have to be there. We are often told that unless we hit the mark, we are shunned and not respected. I have found that to not be true, and my imperfect attempts to be open, to hold space, to feel, have brought people closer to me and gave them the opportunity to help me grown and support me when I am vulnerable. It created the space for people to accept me the way I am once I took the step to be vulnerable and reveal myself. And that has helped shed so many insecurities.
Being a man is to have the courage to love, whether vulnerable or with tough love, and boundaries. It is to choose freedom and feeling through pain rather than contracting and escaping. It is to be able to give space, to serve others, to love them, to support them. To show one's weakness without trying to escape it, while working on improving. It is to be resilient, resourceful, and proactive in doing what seems to be right without the need for control. It is loving oneself and not chasing validation from others. It is to love without expecting in return, which is very different from being used. It is to tell the truth even when it is difficult. It is to, with inner calm and gentleness, confront someone with the appropriate intensity when they hurt others, or themselves. It is to be your brother's keeper. It is to forgive. It is to protect those you love. It is to weather the storm of love with as much calm as possible. It is to let go of the need to prove oneself. It is to be an anchor. It is to take life with humor. It is to love others as fully-fledged human beings and not as a means to an end.
It is to realize that sexual gratification does not make a man, and yet to fearlessly and compassionately give yourself to your partner. To realize that wealth and status cannot weld inner rifts. It is to comfort one's inner child when its demons terrify it. It is to be a light onto this world and give space to the darkness. It is to accept responsibility and uphold it. It is to be free from the fear of losing freedom. These are all not exclusive to men, but qualities latent within us all.
However, if we decide to be men, let us be this sort of forgotten, powerful man. A man that does not need to belittle, a man that does not need to abuse, a man that recognizes his own beauty and strength and has faith in it when he feels small. That allows love to come in. A man that does not need to retaliate when others disturb him. That recognizes that nothing can reduce the being within, its potential, and the beauty of the world it projects into its consciousness through his eyes.
Men, believe in yourself. You can be who you want to be. You can create the life you want. You can attract the one you love. But society is letting you down. Instead of giving you tools that work, it shoves you on an eternal treadmill. A treadmill that only profits those who would see you be an obedient soldier, a consumer, a higher bracket taxpayer, or whatever pursuits or status our society brainwashes us to pursue.
You can do all these things, but let it be your choice. Make these things more attainable by growing, by reducing the inner conflict, by using the full power of your emotional awareness and regulation that is only unlocked by feeling. By understanding yourself and others better. By seeing things more clearly, not by following others' techniques and instructions only but by honing your perception and intelligence. So much social conditioning and consumer culture divide us, make us understand each other less, and make us alienated from other genders and groups. Sometimes so they can sell us their narrative and their products. Let us be free.
Easier said than done you say?
We truly live in a world that makes it harder to develop these qualities. Or perhaps these qualities are there, but their potential is suppressed and supplanted by other patterns. We often start off with trauma and life events that interfere with our growth. We try to cope, and the world can be harsh to our coping mechanisms. We model the world as we see it through our hurt selves, and we often blame ourselves for being stuck. Luckily, there are ways to break out of the cycle. It's unfortunate that most of us don't have access to people who guide us through the process. And most importantly, we are constantly distracted by strategies that don't work. Buy this course, go to this gym, buy these clothes, make more money, stress and push yourself, or get lost in the system trying to get therapy. We keep being told we need to be better, and enhance ourselves from the outside in. But we are not taught how much we can affect our mental software, how we can reshape our psyche, heal from patterns, and regain our natural social and emotional skills and self-esteem.
This requires calm, patience, time, and deliberate focus, but our focus is snatched away by millions of distractions and a barrage of FOMO. We are made to feel stressed and insecure, that we need to succeed and maximize our potential, so that we consume more tips, coffee, addictions, or work ourselves to death to the benefit of employers, tax agencies, or the general economy. We are told we don't have time to reflect, that if we make the wrong choice we are screwed, so we need to hurry and follow whatever beaten path is thrown onto us. We perpetually seek guidance, sometimes from people that masquerade as experts on YouTube for views and forget to strengthen our own intuition and remove whatever puts us on a leash.
We are social animals; we process information about social situations unconsciously far more effectively than through our thinking minds. Anxiety can block this, so we assume we lack knowledge and need to learn. We resent the anxiety and fight it, and get stuck in a perpetual battle we cannot win because we are using the wrong method. Then we blame ourselves. Make ourselves smaller. And the cycle continues, with more desperate attempts to exit the cycle and find more tips and tricks.
There is a way out, but it feels so counterintuitive that we expect it the least. Meeting ourselves where we are at, exposing ourselves to our fears and weaknesses, growing from there, sharing it with others, feeling—it all makes us feel like we will get stuck. The child that learned these lessons throws a tantrum at the possibility. But we are not children anymore. We needed these strategies in the past, but now they hold us back. We do not need to hide; we are capable of growing and learning to meet our own needs. And that is the way forward.
Do you truly think this kind of man is weak? That he is unable to achieve what he sets out to do? That women will gloss over? I have never been so comfortable and connected to women as when I started letting go of all the things above and being there. Calm, present, joyful, grounded in my own being, and creating space for the both of us; changing the dynamic forever into one of exploration, of love, of excitement, of ease, and of insight for the other person that sees that this mode is possible.
Let's build this reality together. Please, tell me what this made you think. Please argue and object, or ask questions. I am not an authority, but we are here to explore together, think independently and disagree. Perhaps we can reach more nuance and truth that way together. Share your experience with me. Share with me your ideas on how to create a world that does not inhibit the freedom of man but encourages his agency, helps him be better to others, and be a source of flourishing rather than anguish to women. And, let me know if you want me to write more. I have a lot of experience and ideas I haven't shared. If it helps, I will. Want to bounce off ideas on how to start implementing this? Just send me a text and i'll try to share some things that worked with me when I can :)

Hey, hope this is appropriate to post here! I've been working in the world of mental health and self-development for over a decade now and have had my journey of recovering from massive social anxiety and isolation. I've never really been active online and talked about these ideas with friends, coworkers, and partners. However, I feel inspired to stimulate some discussions I find are important and try to contribute to this and other similar communities. So I would like to share with you some reflections I wrote. I'd love to hear your thoughts and reflections. I'm not here to convince you of my ideas (although perhaps I can write persuasively sometimes), I am no authority, but I would love to hear your reflections, thoughts and discuss. I feel hopeful to try to find some truth together through this, and maybe think together as a community how we can make certain situations better for people. Of and please be very honest! I'm not looking for feedback for my form, or to get better at writing although I'm sure I could definitely use some. But I would love to see what these ideas evoke and people, their stories, their concerns, their disagreements, and points of view.
Let me know if I'm breaking the rules, and if you want more discussions like this! I'm eager to talk about agency, addiction, customizing mental health interventions, combining self improvement with social impact, the effects of our construction of social status on happiness and growth, how we can make the internet more nuanced and promote mindful content vs polarized, absolutistic and quick dopamine hit formats.
Well, without further ado. Welcome and thank you.
What Does It Mean to Be a Strong Man?
I acknowledge that the question may be irrelevant. That we may not need a definition. These definitions do not apply to everyone who uses the same term. However, people, perhaps more commonly those who identify as men, do often choose a definition. It is often nebulous, implicit, acted out, and unexamined. An amalgamation of ideas we are fed by others, cultural norms, emotional reactions, stereotypes, and beliefs we buy into. These ideas come from many sources that we do not have the opportunity to question. Being told to not cry and be a man while growing up, the attempts of other men to portray themselves as strong whether fruitful or vain, narratives around celebrity, status, fame. These often influence us, and eventually have some influence on the stereotypes that form around the idea of being a man. Perhaps it would be helpful to examine these ideas. I find them quite problematic. Not because I want to erase the concept of manhood, but because I think they often do a disservice to what a man can be and embody. We are often led to believe that unless we act in a certain way, we are not men. That we are weak, that we are not valuable, that we will not be respected and loved. And that the way to avoid this is to conform, to become rigid and put up our walls and defenses. This can often lead to tragically unnecessary outcomes. Alienation, isolation, stress, inner critique, avoidance, low self-esteem, and perhaps even push people away and lash out at them. We are told we need to hustle and grind to live up to being a man, that unless we reach certain goals we are diminished and failures. And we are often certain not the ones to choose our goals, but they are imparted on us.
So are the stereotypes true? What is it to be a man? Is it to be wealthy, physically strong, intimidating, shouting, or aggressive? Are these traits that we often see espoused by what we've come to associate with masculinity? Is it to achieve nebulous "success" as defined by others, and at any cost? Is masculinity dependent on the admiration of others, and upon the validation of our romantic interests? Is this what is central to being a man? Are we falling for a false narrative? Or are these phenomena just a symptom of our confusion, and the result of not having a clear vision of what being a man can entail?
My experience tells me that by adopting these notions, we underestimate and undervalue what a man can be, giving way to and rationalizing insecurities. We assume, through this model, that we cannot deal with certain experiences with grace and severely limit our growth. Are we not suffocating our freedom by buying into these narratives? Perhaps it is our lack of role models that deprives us of formative experiences during childhood, of seeing men be a pillars of love and calm for others. Seeing them be truly loved and respected, without the need for any gimmicks, silver tongue, status games or other forms of compensation we are continuous told me need by companies and influencers.
No, I believe the reality of being a man is much more profound than that. That we are leaving so much on the table by not having this compass. That it can seem daunting, but infinitely rewarding. I also don't view it as a stressful obligation that needs to be met otherwise we are unworthy. Rather, an invitation. I believe our natural inclination and the identity in which we flourish most are far from these stereotypes. It seems to me that it is blocked and occluded by many factors. And the path to actualizing it is of acceptance. It is time to seek out an identity that defies all those gurus who try to make us feel insecure, to try to be like them, to buy their products, to keep trying to replicate techniques that only reinforce self-doubt and the idea that we cannot embody who we want to be, live the life we want without chasing shiny status symbols.
No, to be a man is much more than that.
The idea of a man is to be able to fully feel one's emotions, one's fears, without panicking, without changing one's behavior, and doing the loving right thing. People think that feeling weakens you, controls you. But a man still has the agency to choose how he responds to them without cowering and escaping them, and therefore blinding himself. A man can feel his sorrow and still show up to work. A man can feel insecure but not run away and go for what he wants. A man can feel small and not hide from others, but share his vulnerability and still choose to step up. A man can let himself feel desperate and needy but choose to respect his integrity and not try to control the situation to suppress how he feels. The beautiful thing is, you don't have to be there. We are often told that unless we hit the mark, we are shunned and not respected. I have found that to not be true, and my imperfect attempts to be open, to hold space, to feel, have brought people closer to me and gave them the opportunity to help me grown and support me when I am vulnerable. It created the space for people to accept me the way I am once I took the step to be vulnerable and reveal myself. And that has helped shed so many insecurities.
Being a man is to have the courage to love, whether vulnerable or with tough love, and boundaries. It is to choose freedom and feeling through pain rather than contracting and escaping. It is to be able to give space, to serve others, to love them, to support them. To show one's weakness without trying to escape it, while working on improving. It is to be resilient, resourceful, and proactive in doing what seems to be right without the need for control. It is loving oneself and not chasing validation from others. It is to love without expecting in return, which is very different from being used. It is to tell the truth even when it is difficult. It is to, with inner calm and gentleness, confront someone with the appropriate intensity when they hurt others, or themselves. It is to be your brother's keeper. It is to forgive. It is to protect those you love. It is to weather the storm of love with as much calm as possible. It is to let go of the need to prove oneself. It is to be an anchor. It is to take life with humor. It is to love others as fully-fledged human beings and not as a means to an end.
It is to realize that sexual gratification does not make a man, and yet to fearlessly and compassionately give yourself to your partner. To realize that wealth and status cannot weld inner rifts. It is to comfort one's inner child when its demons terrify it. It is to be a light onto this world and give space to the darkness. It is to accept responsibility and uphold it. It is to be free from the fear of losing freedom. These are all not exclusive to men, but qualities latent within us all.
However, if we decide to be men, let us be this sort of forgotten, powerful man. A man that does not need to belittle, a man that does not need to abuse, a man that recognizes his own beauty and strength and has faith in it when he feels small. That allows love to come in. A man that does not need to retaliate when others disturb him. That recognizes that nothing can reduce the being within, its potential, and the beauty of the world it projects into its consciousness through his eyes.
Men, believe in yourself. You can be who you want to be. You can create the life you want. You can attract the one you love. But society is letting you down. Instead of giving you tools that work, it shoves you on an eternal treadmill. A treadmill that only profits those who would see you be an obedient soldier, a consumer, a higher bracket taxpayer, or whatever pursuits or status our society brainwashes us to pursue.
You can do all these things, but let it be your choice. Make these things more attainable by growing, by reducing the inner conflict, by using the full power of your emotional awareness and regulation that is only unlocked by feeling. By understanding yourself and others better. By seeing things more clearly, not by following others' techniques and instructions only but by honing your perception and intelligence. So much social conditioning and consumer culture divide us, make us understand each other less, and make us alienated from other genders and groups. Sometimes so they can sell us their narrative and their products. Let us be free.
Easier said than done you say?
We truly live in a world that makes it harder to develop these qualities. Or perhaps these qualities are there, but their potential is suppressed and supplanted by other patterns. We often start off with trauma and life events that interfere with our growth. We try to cope, and the world can be harsh to our coping mechanisms. We model the world as we see it through our hurt selves, and we often blame ourselves for being stuck. Luckily, there are ways to break out of the cycle. It's unfortunate that most of us don't have access to people who guide us through the process. And most importantly, we are constantly distracted by strategies that don't work. Buy this course, go to this gym, buy these clothes, make more money, stress and push yourself, or get lost in the system trying to get therapy. We keep being told we need to be better, and enhance ourselves from the outside in. But we are not taught how much we can affect our mental software, how we can reshape our psyche, heal from patterns, and regain our natural social and emotional skills and self-esteem.
This requires calm, patience, time, and deliberate focus, but our focus is snatched away by millions of distractions and a barrage of FOMO. We are made to feel stressed and insecure, that we need to succeed and maximize our potential, so that we consume more tips, coffee, addictions, or work ourselves to death to the benefit of employers, tax agencies, or the general economy. We are told we don't have time to reflect, that if we make the wrong choice we are screwed, so we need to hurry and follow whatever beaten path is thrown onto us. We perpetually seek guidance, sometimes from people that masquerade as experts on YouTube for views and forget to strengthen our own intuition and remove whatever puts us on a leash.
We are social animals; we process information about social situations unconsciously far more effectively than through our thinking minds. Anxiety can block this, so we assume we lack knowledge and need to learn. We resent the anxiety and fight it, and get stuck in a perpetual battle we cannot win because we are using the wrong method. Then we blame ourselves. Make ourselves smaller. And the cycle continues, with more desperate attempts to exit the cycle and find more tips and tricks.
There is a way out, but it feels so counterintuitive that we expect it the least. Meeting ourselves where we are at, exposing ourselves to our fears and weaknesses, growing from there, sharing it with others, feeling—it all makes us feel like we will get stuck. The child that learned these lessons throws a tantrum at the possibility. But we are not children anymore. We needed these strategies in the past, but now they hold us back. We do not need to hide; we are capable of growing and learning to meet our own needs. And that is the way forward.
Do you truly think this kind of man is weak? That he is unable to achieve what he sets out to do? That women will gloss over? I have never been so comfortable and connected to women as when I started letting go of all the things above and being there. Calm, present, joyful, grounded in my own being, and creating space for the both of us; changing the dynamic forever into one of exploration, of love, of excitement, of ease, and of insight for the other person that sees that this mode is possible.
Let's build this reality together. Please, tell me what this made you think. Please argue and object, or ask questions. I am not an authority, but we are here to explore together, think independently and disagree. Perhaps we can reach more nuance and truth that way together. Share your experience with me. Share with me your ideas on how to create a world that does not inhibit the freedom of man but encourages his agency, helps him be better to others, and be a source of flourishing rather than anguish to women. And, let me know if you want me to write more. I have a lot of experience and ideas I haven't shared. If it helps, I will. Want to bounce off ideas on how to start implementing this? Just send me a text and i'll try to share some things that worked with me when I can :)