What could go wrong? A lot, actually. As someone with autism, I hadn't fully realized until recently that I have difficulty maintaining concentration on things, often finding my thoughts drifting after some brief time. I have reason to think that this is correlated to what I've heard regarding the amount of brain synapses in autistic people vs. people without autism. Since I was young, I have had an interest in sciences, though, I didn't settle on a particular career path until college. About midway through I decided to major in Chemistry, though no specific branch such as engineering or etc. had seemed interesting enough to focus sharply on. Add to that, I didn't know how the job market for chemistry jobs looked, so I asked a professor. He basically said that most positions require a bachelors degree minimum. After looking into the profile of the field, that seems to be correct. My time in college was 11 years total due to limited funding. I asked about financial aid, but was told I did not qualify unless my parents were "on Medicare, food stamps, or were active military personnel". It seems that my qualification depended on when I could be claimed as a dependent of parents; later, I qualified due to my independent status. The result of this was that I never considered university study, so when I was qualified for Federal Aid, I hadn't tailored my coursework to be very appealing to any of the local state universities near my hometown. After college, it had been years before I went to Grand Canyon University. I had trouble getting a job prior to college, mostly due to lack of social skills that would impress an employer. It has also come to my attention that younger people now are having career success in working trade jobs, completely bypassing college/university work. This and the above have led me to consider whether or not this was the best decision. The private universities in my hometown were beyond expensive. What was I to do? I didn't want to remain in retail, or restaurant service, yet it seems those were the only opportunities to be found. I was contacted by a recruiting agency about a temporary contract with Pfizer for their Oncology Lab's Purification Team. I was one of two candidates, the other had a 4-year degree, better qualified. I had to agree that was the right choice since my skills had waned. More recently, I moved to attend the university, though it's been a rough road. At first, students were required to live on campus, but due to my age, I was not qualified for housing. I had to find roommates to live off-campus. Also, I have no car so I was limited to public transportation for commuting to work & campus. Also, I had to move twice in one year due to decisions outside of my control. Add to that, the store I started working at closed down after just over one year of employment; it has been over a month to get back to work. What's more is that scheduled hours were cut due to payroll and business operations. Though, I have grown in my walk with Jesus. I have acquired much knowledge and wisdom. There was a lot to learn in regard to addressing common objections to the Faith. One major issue is the apparent misunderstanding of the concept of religion in general. Many hold that "religion" is just some explanation for reality and that science must replace it. From my experiences, I find that religions are, in principle, about relationships; people connecting to some one or some thing. The overall issue is that people are using science to dispute the claims made by any religious organization instead of considering whether or not there is valid evidence for such claims that could be found. Each religion should have some means of explanation for reality, though an issue is that these often rely on events or figures that are more or less unobservable, so science can't be applied to them. Because of this, people rule that these things don't exist if science can't be applied to them. It was for these reasons that I have been checking out various resources to get a better understanding of the issue. Of course, even if I know lot, people may still contest if I were to discuss them. I've had an experience or two where I was unequipped to respond to various objections such as how each religious organization claims to be the correct one. It has come to my attention that people have become dependent more on subjectivity than objectivity. I've heard multiple times the use of "your truth" and "my truth". Last time I checked, there was only truth, that is, objective fact regardless of interpretation. As someone with an autistic mentality, especially with scientific education, interpretation and feelings don't substitute fact. Not to say that this is anything new, just that it has become more abundant. To conclude, I've had a rather long road in college and my university time is one year remaining. My concerns are about connecting to professionals to get an idea of what job(s) to pursue. I was given advice that has me considering what other substantial jobs I could perform with a Bachelors in Chemistry. It seems though, after college, my days were mostly uneventful. As a university student, my semesters have been rocked by one major change after another, moving twice, seeking new employment, etc. This has made it all the more difficult to keep my mind on my studies. My father says this is part of being an adult, I agree in that. I shouldn't expect things to get easier from here, but what ever will happen, I resolve to cross those bridges when I find them.

From a young age, I've been very much interested in the sciences. To help my interest, my parents bought me a number of books pertaining to various subjects including but not limited to insects, geology, weather, astronomy, etc. Some have been pocket-sized books from Dorling Kindersly, while others were quite large. I would also check in the public or school libraries for new subjects. Of course, the size of the book doesn't matter as much as the content. From them, I learned a lot about these subjects, yet only scratching the surface. The Handy Science Answer Book was filled with various science questions which also supplied an answer. One book in particular that I enjoyed was The Disappearing Spoon, by Sam Keane. He discusses stories about the material elements on the periodic table. Some include, how an unknown property of tin caused the failure of an Artic/Antarctic expedition. My favorite story is how George de Hevesy used radioactive material to settle a dispute with a boardinghouse cook. People being pioneers and somehow, transcendental, yet this book paints scientist and their work in relatable way. A branch of physics was created when a scientist, staring into a glass of beer, became curious about how laser light would behave when passed through the effervescence of beer. I don't think that I have read anything like that in school books. The effect of teaching a scientific subject by its story makes it more memorable. My sister found The Physics of Superheroes, by James Kakalios. He discusses moments of early superhero comics which display genuine physical principles. For instance, he explains how Superman demonstrated Sir Isaac Newtons laws of motion whenever he leaps over tall buildings in a single bound. What's required of the reader, though, is to allow for the miraculous feats such as running faster than a speeding bullet without worrying about the possibility of such. The reasons for writing the book, he says, were due to the more mundane physics demonstrations of simple launchers or springs that make physics unappealing to people who don't already have an interest in physics. Because of this early interest in sciences, I have decided to major in Chemistry, which required me to pursue secondary education for a Bachelors degree, a minimum requirement for most positions according to a professor. I have long worked in retail, though I had wanted to try my skills at another line of professional work. Because I've had little to no such opportunities to branch out, I made it a goal to move into a chemistry-related field. As far as a specific area or position, I can't plan on it as I don't know the market. Thus, my next step prior to the degree is to reach out to professionals or affiliates who can give me tips, advice, etc. Though, I have recently been told that I may need to develop an alternative goal should my initial goal be unattainable.

From a young age, I have long been interested in sciences. I have also been diagnosed with autism, which came with a set of issues such as: difficulty with concentration, social issues, obsessive tendencies, being nit-picky, sensory overloads, etc. On the other hand, people often remarked about me being smart, helpful and caring. Suffice it to say, I've had a lot of experience and trial-and-error to improve on these. I decided to major in Chemistry due to personal interest and because it's a career that is requires much skill. Chemistry is a more central science, but there are a number of focused fields such as engineering, biochemistry, materials, analytical, physical, etc. None were of particular interest so I figured on going for a plain Chemistry degree to possibly fit into various roles, based on the job market. A professor explained that most positions would require a bachelor's degree minimum. I acquired an associate degree first, but jobs were far and few between. For a while, I applied to universities, unsure of whether or not I could actually be accepted AND finance the endeavor. Based on the struggles and experiences, I decided to take on my path one step at a time. A professor of physical chemistry recently said that some financial institutions hire chemistry-type majors for jobs involving accounting skills. Chemistry involves tracking atoms, molecules, energy, etc. during various reactions or mechanisms. Based, on this, there is the possibility that I could apply my education not just in Chemistry, but i would have to network with companies to determine what roles I could qualify for. I've often seen that my plans have been disrupted or even fall apart due to information I didn't have, or sudden circumstances arising, such as limited funding and various responsibilities. On that note, this scholarship would help mitigate the cost of education. At the moment, I have some grants such as the Federal Pell Grant, and etc. At the time of writing I am awaiting the start of a new job to help with general expenses; the prior job was terminated due to the company going out-of-business right at the end of a semester. My current journey has helped me learn a lot, not just academically, but in my personal life as there were lessons learned from first-hand experience, such as getting a roommate or two to maintain an apartment off-campus as there were no housing options available to me at the Grand Canyon University. Last year, though, I had to move twice due to 1) separation of roommates, then 2) the landlord I rented from gave up the property, both times amid a semester. Before the going to the university, I had trouble even acquiring employment. I worked a day job for at least 16yrs after a manager asked to stay on during what was a temporary contract. There were no classes or video discussions about how to market myself to employers. Though, nowadays, I have viewed some resources which have me insight on how to talk to employers. My main goal to is to get a job above entry level, though I almost had an internship at Pfizer. Though, the only other applicant was more qualified due to a four-year degree, and I agreed. For now, I am moving closer to the goal.

The importance of calculus in sciences, technology, engineering, and mathematics in general can't be overstated. While the mathematical process is okay on its own, sciences and engineering essentially required calculus to be applied for solving of various problems related to forces, vaporization, work, etc. To start I need to briefly discuss some of the components of calculus. Firstly, derivatives, aka rates of change. Whether from a mathematical function, or set of data, the derivative represents how a function or dependent parameter changes, either instantaneously or over the span of the independent parameter. I remember when I first heard the term 2nd derivative; it was during a chemistry lab project involving acid/base titration. The goal was to find the equivalence points for an acid with multiple polarized hydrogens as sodium hydroxide was added. I had to record & plot the pH then use software to calculate the rate of change. Since starting at a university, derivatives have been essential to physical analysis, chemical processes, etc. The parameters of velocity and acceleration are derivatives of spatial displacement across time. In physical chemistry, I've had to write dp, dT, dq, dV, etc. many times to show how changes of these affect a particular parameter. In researching for a paper on Josiah Gibbs, a physical chemist, I learned about how his contributions heavily involved derivatives. Included were various graphs of single substance systems, like water, showing the boundaries of different phases in relation to temperature and pressure. His work involved the use of derivatives as changes in temperature and/or pressure could affect the equilibrium of the phases. It was said that industries in the United States would have benefitted greatly from his work, had it been limited to publishing in a sparsely read journal in New Haven, Connecticut . Just as some processes are reversible, derivates can also be reversed. Integration involves undoing the effect derivatization. This occurs both in mathematical and graphical representation. When setting two bounds, the integration of a curve shows the amount of area under a line, curve, etc. Depending on the parameters, the value of a parameter may be found through geometrical calculation. For instance, I recall a physics problem which a graph showed the amount of force on a particle over a distance. I had to calculate the work done by using the areas under the line based on the points where the force changes; the work energy equals force times distance just as the area of a rectangle is a length times width. Our society would not be as prosperous without the application of calculus to scientific studies or experiments. Because of such importance, my physical chemistry professor gave the class a brief refresher on calculus at the start of the previous semester to help us prepare for the bulk of the curriculum. It was necessary as his word were that the course was to help teach us to be able to solve problems.

While I don't recall having a social anxiety through childhood, I think that had developed a significant anxiety after I was robbed in the summer of 2012. For months, I became paranoid about a similar situation occurring again; and being exposed to crime shows that discussed gang activity only made it worse. I didn't have more than a few friends at any one time, mostly because people often moved away. Mostly, I would play games at home; I would go to a gym, but I wasn't there to socialize or make conversation. Due to working, college, and family responsibilities, I didn't have any intention to seek social events or outings. In community college, I wanted to meet people who played Pokémon games. I met someone who had a group, but they didn't seem to acknowledge me much; I was just there, plus their conversations would drift on to subjects I wasn't really into. After that, I mainly played between classes in solitude while having a fear that someone might try to invite me to a group. I didn't want to face the prospect that our interests weren't aligning. Even worse, I noticed quite a few times, charity groups were going on to campus asking for donations. I didn't really want to donate, but they were almost always right in my paths, I felt it rude to just say no. Nowadays there are groups that call me from time to time. Suffice it to say, being autistic, I lacked a set of social tools that I have now. I sometimes consider what opportunities I have missed. During my current time at university, I have grown more and have a sense that I am not truly alone in this endeavor. My goal is to acquire a bachelors degree to become qualified for a Chemistry job. At college, I asked a professor about such jobs, he said that most places would require bachelors degree. My only aspiration, educationally speaking, was to get a steady job, then deal with anything else afterward. My physical chemistry professor explained that their instruction isn't for us to repeat what we're taught, rather to help up be able to solve problems. That's pretty much what I would expect these courses to teach. It really helps when instructors can connect to their students as to inspire confidence. What's more is that he mentioned that he understands my condition. When those difficult situations happened, I had a fear of them similar to when I was afraid of roller coasters. It made me nervous to even answer a phone call. To work on this degree, I had to deal with my internal issues and learn to talk to people, but not fear conversation. At the moment, my goal grows closer.

I was diagnosed with autism at a young age; my mom had seen a documentary about autistic children who were similar in behavior to me. So, she spoke to my physician, and from then I had long known about it. I just had not fully understood the effects, not until after growing up. Nowadays, I have the ability to consider my issues and deal with them accordingly. For a while, my lack of training in social skills made it difficult to get jobs as I didn't understand how to speak to an employer; I had assistance in getting my first professional job. I had to learn to combat my obsessiveness, lack of focus, and think critically about my situation. I was told that I would need to get a better job instead of just relying on a basic retail job. On the other hand, I was called smart by relatives and friends of the family. Even some teachers remarked at my understanding. It was from that which I considered that I could apply my brilliance to a suitable career. However, I wasn't fully aware of how limited I was. I didn't understand how "life" may hinder one's attempts, and thought if I just made the right decisions, that I would succeed. Some skills I had learned only from experience; other times, there was information I needed that was given ex post facto. I decided to major in Chemistry after taking a course in community college; I long had a penchant for sciences. I figured that would be a highly skilled and vital job, so I worked to get my Associate degree. However, a professor exclaimed that most companies would require a Bachelor's degree minimum. That aside, I have benefitted a lot from higher education as I have a greater understanding about reality than most, though I shouldn't consider myself superior to anyone else because of that. My acquired knowledge can be applied to everyday life, like about how the principles of matter and energy exchange are core in our economic systems. In that, I can become wiser and more sensible about various decisions. Chemistry is one of the central sciences; the other being physics, though they overlap quite a bit. The difference is that Chemistry usually pertains to the behavior of atoms and molecules in regards to the exchange of outer electrons; physics is related to motion. I have seen & read many examples of how chemical effects underly much of what we observe in reality. Advancements in chemical knowledge have allowed the development of materials, medicines, etc., to help advance our society and help us live longer. For example, I heard about studies to determine if insulin can be produced in edible plants, which can eliminate the need for injection, and refrigeration to avoid decomposition. As far as a dream career, I haven't made any specific goals as I haven't enough knowledge about the Chemistry field, professionally-speaking, to consider what I am most suited for, or drawn to. I figured that in going for a more generalized degree, I might fit into various roles. I heard a manager explain to me that I had been trying to work on too many things at once, that I should work on my current task. Considering that, I have revived my resolve to go one step at a time to a Chemistry position.

I must start by saying that there many memories of my (YOUNGER) brother and I playing games together. Being that he earned more money than I, he bought the games and consoles. Among the ones I can remember, for co-op, is Star Wars Battlefront II (the original), via split screen. I know it's not a Nintendo game, but it does have co-op play. I'm not sure it was in settings, but friendly-fire is built-in. There were two major game modes that I can remember. One was a type of story mode called Rise of the Empire. You play as clone troopers (Republic) in various missions on the different planets (battle maps) to fight against the CIS (droids), then fighting to advance the newly formed Empire. I remember in the Mygeeto battle, the player(s) must pick-up a McGuffin and bring it to the drop ship. When we played, I got the item, but my bro shot my trooper dead while goofily saying "YES, SIR!". I respawned to try again, same result. Another respawn, he got the item and I gave chase to give him a taste of team kills, but he jumped over a chasm to which I hastily copied, but missed the platform, falling to death. Another mode is a strategic game, Galactic Conquest. You pick a team set, Republic vs CIS or Empire vs Rebels. Then choose your team, and move your capital ship around the board to claim unoccupied worlds, or contest an occupied world, or even meet an enemy ship in a space battle. There are buyable bonuses such as extra troops, build another ship, etc. The Leader bonus allows you to play as a character such as Luke, Vader, Obi-wan, etc., depending on the setting. At one moment, on Utupau, my bro was Obi-wan. That map has a large open chasm, which is a definite kill zone, understandably. On ground battles, troops are counted down from 150. The team that reaches zero loses, or if all the command posts (spawn points) are controlled by the opposing team for a certain amount of time. There was one droid in the enemy army and my bro saw it on my screen. The scene went as follows. Bro: THE LAST DROID! Me: *referencing Mr. Krabs from SpongeBob episode 'Arrgh!'* Wait, I saw it first! Bro: Over my dead body. *Force pushes me into the chasm* Me: aaaAAAAAAHHHH! Game: *plays end of battle theme* *displays "VICTORY"* The game had a number of bugs, one of which caused NPC's to get stuck when trying to navigate a certain structure on the Naboo map. Another thing about my bro is that he seemed to be able to take out a room full of enemy troops while I would get gunned down by only one or two enemies. Another time, he was playing as Darth Vader (or was it Empr. Palpatine?), who has the Force Choke ability. He used the Force Choke but didn't know he targeted me. When I realized this, he said "you're almost dead anyway", then slashed with the lightsaber [-Team Kill]. Also triple KO'd me as he was Obi-wan, and I as storm trooper(s). Given that, it was enjoyable, despite the moments of lagging, clunky NPC's, crashes, etc. That's why, when the EA remake was about to release, he and I were excited to rekindle long past moments. Suffice it to say, the new version was way too much like Call of Duty, and didn't seem as fun as the prior title. Overall, it was nice to have those moments to look back on.

One of the many things that Jesus said was "I tell you the truth, before Abraham, was born, I am!" (Mark 8:58 NIV) There are at least 53 other verses which Jesus mentions truth. This has been the subject of philosophical discussion for centuries. If God speaks only in truth, what is it if we dispute Him? He told Israel before the conquest of Canaan that if they forsook the Law and the Lord, they would suffer ruin and misery. Time and again they "did evil in the eyes of the Lord", thus God responded by allowing them to face plagues and enemies abound. (The Book of Judges) Truth is defined in the Cambridge Dictionary as "the real facts about a situation, event, or person". Such a thing as truth is critical for everyday life, especially in scientific examination. I have majored in Chemistry, what I consider to be among the core of scientific fields. Truth in Chemistry is very important as the field can't operate otherwise. Think what were to happen if scientists didn't label chemical containers with correct names or gave false information about an experiment. In a recent video from reasonTV, Harvard President Claudine Gay was brought under Congressional investigation regarding plagiarizing information and imputation, which is generating data not derived from a sample or experiment merely to fill in gaps, most likely for statistical significance. Can we really have an accurate understanding of a situation without "true" data? Most often, information given is meant to be taken as "to the best of knowledge". The only one who can surely know the absolute truth is God alone. Yet, the "truth" that some proclaim is what they consider to be accurate. From Luke 7:33, Jesus spoke about the status of John the Baptist and Himself, versus how the Pharisees considered him. "John came neither eating nor drinking, and you say 'He has a demon'. The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say 'Here is a drunkard and a glutton'..." In everything, the Pharisees did not believe that Jesus was the ultimate Prophet proclaimed by God and Moses, and the other prophets. Yet, as Jesus had returned from death, they demonstrated the refusal to accept The Truth, instead propagating a rumor by way of bribery, according to Matthew 28:14. A recent video from Remnant Radio discussed the (religious) practice of Yoga, and on whether or not it is unholy for Christians to engage. The topics discussed included the origins of Yoga and the meaning of each of the major poses. The guys said, to the Hindus, the practicing of it is worshipping their gods, regardless of the intent of the practitioner. Thus, it is not, by Biblical argument, holy and should be avoided. From that, I found my eyes were opened. In all this, there is indeed a difference between God's truth and our "truth" (which may not necessarily fit the definition of truth, according to the Cambridge Dictionary). Yet, many still hold to their interpretation of things, considering that as truth.

One anime series that I really enjoyed was "Cells at Work!", aka Hataraku Saibō (2018, producer Yuuma Takahashi, adapted from manga created by Akane Shimizu). I've seen my share of anime series including Dragonball Z, Pokémon, Zoids (Chaotic Century & New Century Zero), Mobile Suit Gundam (and related series or OVAs) and so on. This series however hits differently as it provides both educational content within a story based on real-life biological functions, albeit exaggerated. Do be warned of spoilers ahead. The setting is a human body, with various cells portrayed as humanoid characters. Among these cells, there are the two major protagonists. A red blood cell (or erythrocyte) and a neutrophil (one type of white blood cell or immunity cell). The erythrocyte, however, is a "klutz" character who often gets lost but is still valued by her compatriots, with the neutrophil helping her frequently. The immune cells are a cohesive defense force who help to protect and serve the other cells. Episodes feature the erythrocyte trying to do her job of delivering oxygen and nutrients to resident cells, with events such as invading bacteria or viruses, a scrape or other crises that affect their world (the body). While similar in execution to the film Osmosis Jones (2001, starring Bill Murray and Chris Rock), it differs in that the story is contained entirely in the unnamed body; the characters also have no knowledge of existence beyond the body other than the harmful pathogens that find their way in. The immunity cell(s) use knives and other melee weapons as a means of slaying any invasive pathogens (portrayed as typical anime villains/monsters). Some episodes highlight a particular type of cell and narration about how the cell performs its role. In this way, the narration and explanations don't break the immersion of the audience. The stories are also crafted to be realistic, despite the exaggerated portrayals and fountains of "blood". From this series, I learned about blood cells that I otherwise wouldn't have unless I were to take a human anatomy course or something. One immune cell, in particular, is the Natural Killer cell, whose job is to seek and destroy cancerous cells to prevent them from becoming self-sustaining. The next reason it's enjoyable is due to what it lacks. While there was a certain level of violence, gore, and minimal foul language, I appreciated that there was no suggestive or otherwise sexual content, though some character proportions may be concerning. There's also no romantic plot, which would not make sense in the scope of biological functions, the cells all being colleagues. The combat action is par for the course, being stylized and exaggerated, yet this is a depiction of natural processes bent on the elimination of pathogens to prevent or stop infection. To conclude, I found this anime to be both enjoyable and educational. It was an interesting spin on real-life biological functions of human body cells, which had been done before, but with a restrictive framing that made it closer to reality. The characters, while flawed for the sake of the story, were competent and dedicated, ones whom I could root for when facing a villain or crisis. While the inclusion of some foul wording and excessive, stylized fighting were overtly present, there was little else that would otherwise make the series one to be skipped, as I have done for so many others. While I found it enjoyable due to its educational content, you don't need to be a scientifically-minded person or have extensive knowledge to enjoy it.

To start, I rather appreciate this hope for my generation as well as the next. Having been born in the 1980s, I am more or less considered a millennial. Yet, I considered the attitudes that people in generations prior have towards 'us'. I can't speak for everyone as we had different experiences which may or may not have tied into the events thus far. I do agree that we of this generation try to do things in our own way; is that not the same for every generation? As Michael Stevens, aka VSauce, explained in his video, Juvenoia, one generation of people considers themselves smarter than the previous and wiser than the next. One thing that I have noticed is the parental generation prior doesn't, or hasn't, established a bridge to the next as far as training and preparation. Another thing is that older folks have objected to the adoption of technological advancements; though some have adapted, it was necessary. This connection is needed for guiding people and building them up. You wouldn't expect an inexperienced physician to operate without a seasoned one, right? According to Doctor Mike, on YouTube, newer surgeons observe a trained doctor or operate under the supervision of one. Parents should be the first ones to build a person up, to prepare them for what they may face. One thing I've heard is that some people were inspired to have children from watching the growingly popular cartoon show, Bluey (2018, Joe Brumm). It's not necessarily a "children's" show but has a strong family element, though the foundation of "family" has been under attack due to shifting personal views and trends. The damage suffered from divorces, break-ups and general family drama has a significant impact on children which can linger into adulthood. Couple that with inexperience and lack of trustworthy people to connect to, then it should be no wonder why people may worry about the (or their) future. One reason I put my faith in the Lord is that He gives us the means to be connected with others regardless of our 'physical' differences. Yet, the inability to bridge many of those differences has led to ongoing times of turmoil and war. When, I ask, has the world not been on the brink of war? I mean, at one place or globally. As for the environment, I do admit there is an overabundance of certain materials or pollutants has put our "house" into a messy state, thus people feel the need to start or continue the effort cleaning up. How to do this has been debated extensively, yet I don't have reason to think that the Earth and its biosphere will become unsustainable; not with all of the videos I've seen regarding developing technologies, implementing sustainability techniques, biome restorations, and people considering "what I can do to help". The motto of the university I attend, Grand Canyon University, is "Find Your Purpose". Perhaps "the rendevous with destiny" is just that, the finding of one's purpose. People have skills and abilities and may want to put them to use in helping to make things better than what they were before. One thing I've noticed among our generation is the allowance of the internet to connect to others, albeit less in-person, with memes and pop culture references. I've seen videos of reanimation projects, in which multiple animators replicate an episode of a show or short film, but with segments from each artist's style, some insert references to other shows, films, games, etc. I comb through the scenes looking for such, just for the enjoyment of catching them. To wrap up, this Ode is an acknowledgment of the next generation being as seeds that are planted with the hope of a better future and must be raised up; they will eventually plant seeds of their own. I see no need for resentment towards us as though we did something wrong, especially if no one has taken the responsibility of teaching us. As for the title of the "Greatest Generation", that depends which aspects you consider, such as financial prosperity, mental/physical health, contributions to society, etc. Overall, thanks for that.

The simplest reason for why it's important to help others is that one would expect to receive help from others when needed. People would not have been able to build big cities or even run empires without addressing the fulfillment of others' needs and providing support. One major reason is that we are born into different situations and experience situations differently. People have, or acquire, skills and abilities which others may not have. Someone could excel at mathematics and sciences but not be very effective at learning to play musical instruments. In my life, I have learned that I am much more skilled at mathematics than my younger brother, yet he has grown physically stronger, taller and quick-witted. We have both relied on our respective abilities to help each other. I have developed a reputation for being helpful after years of considering my interactions with others. Sometimes I may not be needed but I at least try to be dependable. While people may have personal reasons for why they help, objective reasons depend on one's worldview. From the Christian perspective, people are born with purpose, meaning and abilities according to their purpose from the Lord. He instructs those who follow Him to do good works, not for earning salvation but as a demonstration of it, as written by Paul, the Apostle: "Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need". (Ephesians 4:28, NIV) The passage above was from a letter written to the members of The Church in the city of Ephesus, addressing the issues that people lived by before accepting Jesus. Some people don't have an interest to help others, expecting to exploit others without providing service. There were many poor and needy people at those times, so God, through Jesus, taught people to work for the benefit of others instead of merely living for one's own benefit so that "they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in Heaven" (Matthew 5:16, NIV). From a nonreligious perspective, the concept of human flourishing is primarily used as a basis for helping. In general, flourishing is when the needs of a person (or group) are met regularly and consistently. The achieving of a state of flourishing is widely agreed to be 'good', so this is the incentive for people to help others. To illustrate, in the film Spy Kids 3: Game Over (Robert Rodriguez, 2003), the protagonists are trying to shut down an online game that was built with sinister intent. They meet a player called 'The Guy' who gives a short speech addressing the upcoming challenge of "Level 5, the unwinnable level". He tells them that victory can be achieved if they play on each other's strengths and help cover each other's weaknesses. Thus, people flourish when providing services based on skills or abilities that others may lack. Finally, I first found it hard to elaborate on this subject, yet I have considered another reason for the importance of helping, trust. People have to put trust in just about everything from relying on a vehicle's function to the analysis of a condition by a physician. By helping others, one can build trust, which can bolster the undertaking of tasks or projects that require group effort. People may not be willing to make an effort to help someone they don't trust to be helpful. Helping others allows people to thrive instead of just surviving.

When I was young, my father told me that if I should pray for anything, I should pray for wisdom. That is what King Solomon asked from God in his time, and it was given in abundance. While wisdom is distinguishable from knowledge, both are needed by just about everyone. When I asked, I couldn't know what would occur in my life to give me wisdom, I assumed that it would be taught in classrooms. I find that the Lord has been giving me wisdom and knowledge as needed. Sometimes, information was late or not provided when I wanted it. As someone who is autistic, I deem knowledge and wisdom to be very essential as food/air/water. Based on what has happened in my life, I have reason to think that the Lord is guiding me through my pursuit of a bachelor's degree. While I haven't counted my blessings, I must say I have much compared to many. Though, my current endeavor is to obtain a better, stable job for independence from my parents; this is understandable. My time in a community college was long as available money was lacking and I wasn't made aware of financial aid programs that could've helped. At that time, my hours at work were low and I had difficulty in acquiring more work. Further, I wasn't prepared to give an answer for my faith. As a Christian, I have not seen many opportunities in churches I attended to equip members for responding to questions or objections to the Faith. After starting courses at Grand Canyon University, the current build of YouTube has provided me with numerous information sources, video channels, etc., to solidify and fortify my foundation in Christ. While I decided to formally enter the Faith in 2009, I find that the recent edification had been possible only by being able to attend this program as I don't think that I would've found these sources from internet searching. Further, I had to place my trust in Him to see if this endeavor would succeed or not. It required me to seek accommodation and physically move to a city of which I was not familiar, with no family connections. With the Lord, I found that I need not worry about some things which others commonly fear. When the pandemic of 2020 was declared, I resolved to not worry as I didn't want to assume what the latest virus would do. While many did or still do fear it, the affliction I had was crushed with barely any symptoms, only minor chills and that was it. While the echoes of that event still linger, I find that it was the rain needed to produce what faith and provision I have now. Another thing to mention is that He understands me better than any psychologist or doctor or any mental expert could. I have many quirks and habits that I had to understand are what typify autistic people. One issue that autistic people have is that the society around them is not necessarily built to accommodate their preferences or sensitivities, though there are efforts to modify this. I don't need to question why I may seem to not be able to act or think similar to how others collectively do. As in a career, the Faith can help me with many issues that arise through day-to-day operations. Chemistry involves working with dangerous substances, yet there are protocols in place that were established by learning from incidents caused by unwise decisions or lack of caution. I trust that He will continue to guide me.

I find myself truly blessed with knowledge as I have been given access to many books and watched many films of various genres. As an autistic individual, I had an eagerness to learn, so I aspired to more scientific knowledge. My parents and others gave me books of natural sciences, about insects or astronomy or geology, and I had seen various films; many I can still remember. Being Christians, they also taught me the knowledge of The Word. At that time I was also in public schooling which had opposing teachings, evolution and all that. From science books, I was able to learn about reality and Nature, that is, the order of the universe. When in college, I decided to major in Chemistry, because of my interest. I hadn't fully read the Holy Bible (NIV) until a few years ago, mostly because there were terms and things that didn't give context; such as what an ephod was. Of course, there was a book that provided this info. I was able to understand how I learn and to memorize info through association with other knowledge. I also read fiction books, mostly for school work, but I can still remember my experiences with those books, being invested in the journeys of the characters, such as Holes (1998, Louis Sachar), or dealing with repulsive content such as what was described in The Lovely Bones. I also gained insight into world events such as what was described in They Poured Fire on Us from the Sky (2005). One of the films that I find more relevant now, due to current events, is Pokémon The First Movie: Mewtwo Strikes Back (1998). In the film, the cloned creature, Mewtwo, seeks to eradicate all lifeforms aside from those he deems worthy. During the conclusion, he states "I see now that the circumstances of one's birth are irrelevant. It is what you do with the gift of life that defines who you are." -Takeshi Shudo. Many claim their lifestyle is a result of their birth, "Born this way", but it is only so if they act in that. As for me, I learned that I am not defined by anything other than how I act. I had to understand how my condition of autism affects me and try to be a benefit to others rather than dismiss my faults. I also understand that the Lord knows how I am. Many people claim themselves to be intelligent or wise for whatever reason, but my Father told me to pray for wisdom, as King Solomon had asked for. Between my youth and now, I can see a difference, having grown with the Lord. While I don't expect to be a community leader or politician or even achieve fame, I know that I can be beneficial to others by using my knowledge to help build others up, and to serve as a model for others. many have already told me about how I've been helpful already, and have helped give me clarity. Though I often catch faults and flaws, I try to improve and hope that people will be motivated to do so themselves. For now, the Grand Canyon University is committed to its faith-integrated curriculum to provide students with not just a degree, but with an understanding of the Christian worldview and to find one's purpose. That being said, I will continue to finish the Bachelor's degree program I started and see where I can go from there.

From a young age, I had been very interested in sciences and learning. It was partly due to being autistic; I was diagnosed after my mom asked my physician about it regarding autistic children that were featured on a TV program. I had not understood fully how the condition would affect me, though my parents told me not to see it as a disability. One issue that I continue to struggle with is mental concentration. I wasn't focusing strongly on a particular subject, as other similar people, more so having a broad interest. When I went to a community college, I took a Chemistry class and decided to major in that, making it a career goal. However, with no knowledge of the field, I asked a professor about how to get a job. His response was, more-or-less, that most positions require a bachelor's degree. There were jobs available at the Associate level, having completed that degree, but they were very rare. The college also didn't have a program at that level. I hadn't originally planned on attending a university as I assumed that it would be paid out-of-pocket, unaware of FAFSA. I suspect that I wasn't told about it originally by counselors due to being unqualified while a dependent of my parents. It was only mentioned when I had nearly finished the Associate degree. Later on, I decided to apply to the Grand Canyon University. This was not just for my benefit but also would be beneficial in some way to others around me. I had often been helpful to my parents and others by learning about things and applying that knowledge to resolve or mitigate issues such as explaining or fixing computer problems, assisting with the use of Microsoft Word, amateur therapeutic massage, etc. People often told me about how smart I am, yet I had also learned to seek to improve myself. One issue that was irritating was the range of employment opportunities. The most I could find were in basic retail or restaurant service, I didn't have connections to any other job field; plus, I had already been working retail while in college. I didn't think that such a job was a suitable career for me and I wanted to seek other types, office/clerical work, etc. An unfortunate issue of my condition was that I lacked the kind of social skills necessary to navigate an interview, and had little success in acquiring a job on my own effort. The job I had was due to a manager asking me to stay while working a temporary contract. As of now, I have more knowledge and skill training so that I can be confident about future pursuits. As for my exact career, I don't have a particular specification for a Chemistry job, such as materials or engineering, etc. I figured that I would go for a plain Chemistry degree and then try to connect to jobs through organizations such as the American Chemical Society and others. It's a matter of seeing what's out there and getting my foot in the door. There are needs in both research and business operations (such as quality control). My initial plans have changed as times would bring changes I could not plan for. I must understand that this is not in my control. With knowledge and experience, I have been working to improve myself with this endeavor. For now, I will work to finish what I started.

The issue that I have dealt with for my entire life is autism. It is regarded as a disability by the US Department of Labor and the Center for Disease Control & Prevention, mostly as 'developmental' than in regards to any physical or mental disability. I was diagnosed at a young age after my mother had seen a TV program about autistic children which reminded her of me; she spoke to my physician about it, though the analysis by the public school system leaned towards Attention Deficit Disorder. For a while, I didn't know what it meant. As an adult, the issues related to autism have become more prevalent as time goes on. Such issues include but aren't limited to, focusing on tasks, noise sensitivity, social anxiety, etc. One obstacle I have worked on was my diet. I disliked fruits and vegetables because either the flavors and/or cellulose textures were nauseating. I did like bananas, but I figured out in 2011 that if I were to desensitize myself by accompanying vegetable matter with meats and bread, or other items, the effect was dampened. There is still the issue of socialization. I have examined various situations that I have been in and considered how to better interact with people, developing people skills, mostly at work (at a general store) when I interact with customers. It can be frustrating when they don't seem to help me help them by properly stating their inquiries. I have been able to use nonverbal methods of communication to assist customers who don't speak English or speak well. In regards to other issues, I, as a Christian, have had to learn the importance of socialization with other people but must know that I can't (nor shouldn't) control others, I must control myself. Even though people would dispute the foundation of the faith, I understand that people have reasons for what they believe (or don't believe). Also that I know that I am not alone being that the Lord knows me and understands fully what I deal with even if others don't understand me. I decided to major in Chemistry as I had a predisposition to sciences and learning. I thought that making this a career field would be more successful, and interesting, than just working in retail or basic food service, not to say those aren't important. However, I spoke to a professor at a community college about how to get a job in the field, to which he stated that most jobs would require a bachelor's degree. I have seen some listings that confirm this. This is why I have undertaken an endeavor at Grand Canyon University in Arizona. I will connect to people and groups there to seek opportunities while building research experience that is either required or preferred. As for post-education, I don't have exact plans as I don't know what opportunities are available, or will be. I've heard of more specialized roles such as materials, engineering and so on. I can't really focus on a particular subject so I am looking to gain a generalized skill base and seek to fit into a role where needed. For now, I am working to finish what I started.

I majored in Chemistry and am currently working on a Bachelor's of the Sciences at Grand Canyon University. This road has been long and rocky; I can remember when I chose this major back in college. Being autistic, I was eager to learn and grow in knowledge. My parents fueled my almost firey drive by giving me books about various sciences. I recall how a grade school teacher also provided books to read. Among the books, these are a few that were very interesting, The Disappearing Spoon (Kean, 2010) & The Physics of Superheroes (Kakalios, 2005). When I entered college, I had not selected a major until midway through a Chemistry course. It was so interesting that I decided to make that a career path. Upon speaking with a counselor, I was told that I had completed all of the general education requirements for the Associate's degree. My main goal was to acquire a job within the field after the degree, but after speaking with a professor about opportunities, he said that most would require a Bachelor's degree. After viewing some information about the field online, it seems that is true. People had talked about how smart I was and so it bolstered my self-image. My current progress has been quite illuminating. The content of these courses has also been personally interesting. The interest helps to learn and retain the material more effectively. I've heard from other students that chemistry is rather difficult but I haven't necessarily had difficulty if given the right resources. Labs, however, were an issue, partly due to the single-attempt format. I tried looking for jobs at the Associate level, but they were far and few between. My pursuit has continued nonetheless. The reason I find chemistry to be preferable to the array of other fields is because I find it to be a central science, apart from physics. I've had difficulty focusing on a particular field, yet chemistry has an array of more specified subjects including but not limited to materials, biochemistry, engineering, etc. Yet, chemistry is also utilized in areas outside the field such as in forensics, managing the environment, and so on. Because of this, I found it difficult to settle into a particular type of chemistry, so I majored in a generalized Chemistry program. As for the future, I seek to enter basic employment and see where that goes. Some labs/campuses may require technicians to prepare solutions, maintain glassware/equipment, keep inventory stocked or even participate in research. There are a variety of positions from research to business operations, such as quality control, government jobs, etc. I was almost able to work a contract job at Pfizer for a Purification Lab, but that went to a more qualified candidate. For now, I don't doubt that I could land a job with a company, especially one partnering with the American Chemical Society.

The ideal version of my future self is one who utilizes knowledge of chemistry while promoting the safe and responsible use of that knowledge as it's given to younger generations for the benefit of themselves and their communities.

My goal is to be employed in a chemical-related industry. I was diagnosed with autism at a young age but had not understood how it affected me, physically and mentally. I long had a fascination with learning and sciences but couldn't focus on a particular subject. While taking a chemistry class in college, I decided to major in chemistry where as I hadn't declared a major prior to that class. My parents taught me to use my condition to my advantage. The main issue was in recognizing what I could do better rather than on my limitations. The reason I selected Chemistry was that it's a central science, apart from Physics. As my college courses progressed, I was able to understand the effects of chemistry on everyday life, from environmental phenomena to biological functions. Previously, I had jumped around to different decisions about a career path as I wasn't fully sure where my skills and intellect would be most effective. I had often been told about how smart I seemed and was given many books about science(s). My favorite books that I have read include The Disappearing Spoon (Kean, 2010) and The Physics of Superheroes (Kakalios, 2005). Even further, I would enjoy trips to a natural history museum, an air & space museum, Reuben H. Fleet Science Center, San Diego Zoo and so on. When in college, I would engage some of my instructors regarding questions related to the field. The prospect of making science fun made it easier for me to learn and understand. My parents had advised me to aim high and work towards something meaningful rather than settle for a lower-skilled job that wouldn't really provide much in terms of financial stability. Neither of my parents had attended a university but had some college education. They work, currently, at a level of work that I had often tried to reach but couldn't do so. It was most likely that I didn't have many connections nor personal interaction skills that made me particularly impressive to an employer. My most recent attempt was to fill a temporary contract position at a Pfizer Oncology facility, however, they had selected a more qualified candidate. During that time, I was given a tour of the Purification Lab. That department was primarily responsible for taking samples of a mixture used in a reaction by analytic chemists to determine if a desired product had formed. The sample would be processed and handled based on instructions from the providing chemist. At this time, I am pursuing a Bachelor's Degree, based on the fact that most positions in this industry require such a degree along with previous research experience. I was informed about this by one of my instructors, however, my path has been rocky, to say the least. While I've heard many people (students) say that Chemistry is a rather difficult subject, I have a genuine interest that helps with the work and memorization. One professor also recently commented that she would miss my energy in the classroom. I was also eager to help other students with learning by providing my own insight. I do not doubt that I can succeed if I remain determined to finish what I started.

My family has an English bulldog, whom we call Jager. We have cared for him for over three years now and he is about 5 or so years. I am the one who has provided the most care apart from vet visits or grooming appointments. He is our first dog, though we had other pets before. My brother likes him because bulldogs are known for being stubborn and difficult to get cooperation. It took quite a bit of time to work out how to care for him. We have been told that bulldogs are also known to have a series of health issues. We have a friend who has much experience with dogs from training as a veterinary assistant and worked at a kennel and two pet stores. He instructed us about how to handle him on walks, cleaning the folds of his face and been open to any questions that we may have. It took me a while to determine how to handle Jager with a leash and when walking him. He is quite strong and weighs about 75 or more pounds. Compared to my own weight, he can be challenging to hold if he were to start pulling or running. I wanted to be sure that I didn't hurt him by pulling the leash too hard, but our friend said the dog is quite tough, so he's not easily hurt. I knew already that dogs can have individual personalities while the breeds have typical attitudes. Jager, is quite friendly and seems to be like a big baby. He often wants to meet other dogs, but often others don't like him for some reason. Apart from other kinds of bulldogs, or a neighbor's pug, most dogs around our home are unfriendly to him. They bark and charge him on sight. On one occasion, a neighbor's dog slipped out and started clamping onto his face. I think that sometimes, the dogs may need to sort out their own disputes, though I don't want Jager to get into a fight. He seems to have been quite helpful to us in some ways. My sister often had anger issues which our friend says was waned since we've been caring for Jager. When they return from work or being out for a while, he will often become excited and eager to sniff, sometimes he's given us a happy 'bow-wow'. He doesn't bark much and has responded to our training somewhat. Other times, he will be sleeping most of the day, except for times when we take him outside; or he may wake up and want to play. In summary, Jager has been quite a blessing though he has required much effort in training and concern. My family often likes to give him treats and he'll also beg too. And he also draws a lot of attention when walking around shopping centers. Overall, I find that it has been quite a learning experience.

I have majored in the field of Chemistry. From a young age, I have been interested in various sciences. My parents would give me books about insects & spiders, geology & astronomy, etc. When I started college, I didn't have a major, not until I took Fundamentals of Chemistry. It was interesting because it was a 'central' science, apart from physics. I didn't have a particular focus such as chemical engineering or biochemistry or etc. Based on what I've learned already, I find that chemistry is integral to just about everything in our lives. I recently watched a video about certain chemical agents and their use in violent conflicts. However, some agents have surprisingly been found to have medical benefits or uses depending on how they act in the body. One such example, explained in The Disappearing Spoon (Kean, 2010), was the invention of "sulfa" medicines from a commercial pigment. I was previously interviewed for a job at Bristol-Meyers Squibb for a development program to find chemical solutions to preserve protein-based medicines at room temperature. There are other areas in which chemistry is necessary. One other area is in combatting the global climate/environmental issues. Much research and development are going into new or improved materials to replace or otherwise degenerate plastics. Such materials have been found to be difficult to biodegrade, therefore objects made from plastics generally remain for long periods of time, although it's been pointed out that there hasn't been much research into plastic degradation from long sunlight exposure. Furthermore, there is also research for new types of batteries that utilize sodium for energy storage, much more common than lithium. This brings me to my current endeavor, continuing education. I asked a professor at a community college about how to get a job in the field of chemistry. He said that most companies would require a bachelor's degree. After looking around at different companies and their positions, I find that to be true. Yet, I also have a personal interest in advancing my knowledge in chemistry so that can help in course work. I will also most likely need to participate in research projects to help build experience to be more desirable to employers after graduation. In summary, I chose to major in chemistry partly because of my interest in sciences. Due to not having a specific interest, I decided to pursue chemistry and see where I could go with that. I have read about various stories of discoveries and advancements as well as the current areas of research. I am eager to continue this path for a better job and possibly contribute to research and development.

I decided to major in the field of Chemistry. From a young age, I have been interested in sciences in general. My parents would give me books about sciences, from insects & spiders to outer space & geology. I'm autistic and didn't really have a particularly focused interest. I took a class, Fundamentals of Chemistry, which made me decide to major in Chemistry, since it's what I call a 'central science'. Apart from physics, most of our existence is related to chemical processes that occur regularly. Our society is also dependent on chemical knowledge for many things. One such example is related to metallurgy and metalworks, such as the development of steel from iron, which is used for construction and transportation infrastructure. Even further, much of human health is dependent on chemistry. I recently watched a video from a professional chemist talking about how certain chemicals interfere with the nervous system and its use in violent conflicts. Yet, some things that are known to be poisonous have certain effects that can be used in treatment of various issues by the understanding of how these agents work. One such example is the discovery of the antibiotic, penicillin, from a type of mold. Chemistry is also at the core of research and development of new or improving materials to combat changes to the global climate situation. From some other videos, I've learned about possible new kinds of batteries that use common sodium instead of the elusive lithium for energy storage. Other innovations involve the storage of thermal energy for cold days, especially in areas that are dramatically affected by snowstorms and blizzards. Not every chemical innovation has been wholly positive. The prolific use of plastics has been found to be detrimental to the environment as this class of materials is not very biodegradable. Much of what has been buried in landfills or carelessly tossed aside was found to remain intact for very long times. In response, people are researching replacement materials or other means dealing with plastics directly. It is because of these issues that I have reason to think that there will be plenty of job opportunities to help in the field. I had been previously interviewed for positions at companies like Bristol-Meyers Squibb and Pfizer. However, I have been told by a professor that most places would require a bachelor's degree. From what I have seen, that seems to be true. I have been working to continue my education for that reason. Additionally, I have a personal interest in advancing my knowledge in chemistry, so I am eager to pursue the courses in my program. In summary, I chose to pursue a degree in chemistry for the benefit of job opportunities, though I have a personal interest in this field already. I have looked into various resources that discussed the history of chemistry as well as the current state. There are many opportunities, but I must be qualified first. For that I am taking the next step in my education.

If I had to pick one character from Disney original works, then I consider that Stitch has to be my favorite. The film, Lilo & Stitch (2002) was, from what I've seen, very subversive to the previously established Disney formula of films. What makes Stitch so appealing to me as a character is, for one, that he is an alien being who had to find a purpose other than for what he was originally made, destruction and mayhem. His growth, of course, didn't occur alone, though it was his only choice in order to avoid being captured by his creator, Jumba. While it was stated that he was meant to be a 'monster', Lilo made every attempt to reform Stitch into a "model citizen" according to the requirements of the Social Worker. It took much patience and effort for him to integrate into the "broken" family he to which he was adopted. Even further, the situation of Lilo & Nani was quite realistic and different from all the "princess" or "adventure" motifs of previous films. Stitch was meant to help bring the siblings closer as a family, yet he essentially challenged Nani & Lilo's limits, though not entirely of his fault. I some ways I kind of relate to Stitch. I'm autistic and have told people that I was "from another planet". It's common for autistic people to consider something about themselves as being different from others, though they may not necessarily know right away that they are autistic. Lilo chose Stitch as a 'canine companion' because he was obscure and different from any other "dog". She was often regarded as weird or obscure by the other characters. Jumba, the scientist, explained that Stitch was programmed to be destructive and had no family (at least before any sequels or long-run series). Something else that is cool about Stitch is that he was given great physical strength in proportion to his body size and great climbing ability. He also could "think faster than supercomputer". After all this, should he not be anyone's favorite character? In summary, I find that Stitch is cool because he designed and built for destruction. As he attempted to escape confinement, he had to learn to fit in to a family and overcome what he had no choice in receiving. I find him relatable because he was 'different' from anything on Earth.