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grahamstoney · 6 years

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How To Stay Sane When Dealing With Centrelink, myGov and The ATO Online

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How To Stay Sane When Dealing With Centrelink, myGov and The ATO Online

Centrelink has been in the news lately with reports that dealing with them is “frustrating as hell” and that “the system seems designed to stop people using it”. An Adelaide man became so frustrated that he launched into a tirade at a Centrelink office. Thankfully we don’t have semi-automatic weapons widely available in Australia because the frustration of dealing with government bureaucracy can make even the most sane person want to go postal.

I used to think that people who complained about Centrelink were simply biting the hand that feeds. It’s a government department that gives you money for doing… well, not very much. So why shouldn’t there be a few hoops to jump through in order to proved that you’re genuinely eligible and keep the fraudsters from our hard earned tax dollars?

Well I changed my mind somewhat recently after actually having to deal with Centrelink myself while applying for a Low Income Health Care Card. I’d been to the doctor the week before in my continuing quest to find why I feel exhausted all the time, and the blood test results showed that I had a high level of cortisol, a primary stress hormone.

Given that I’m currently a full-time student enrolled in Music Performance at Ultimo TAFE, I have a very low income and recently realised that I met the eligibility criteria for a the card which would come in very handy in reducing my medical expenses dealing with the exhaustion/cortisol issue. So I thought I’d apply.

Fortunately I had started my day with some calming meditation, because I was going to need it.

My first port of call was the Department of Human Services website, which makes the application process look pretty easy online. It says that I have to go to a Centrelink office if I don’t already have a Centrelink Customer Reference Number, but I manage to find a link to the Centrelink Online Services Registration page where I appeared to be able create an account without one. I figured that I could confirm my identity by uploading the identification documents Centrelink need without having to actually visit an office. After all, we’re in the 21st century, and we have the Internet now, right?

However, this is before myGov, the centralised Australian government information portal that has managed to cripple all federal government online services, gets involved. In order to log into my new Centrelink account I need to link it to my myGov account. I already have a myGov account since I needed one to lodge my personal tax return through the ATO; something that wasn’t required back in the good old e-Tax days when online stuff seemed to actually work.

I follow the instructions to link my new Centrelink account to my myGov account, and at first it seems to work. But then I notice that the “Upload documents” button I will need to submit my three identification documents is missing. “Oh well”, I figure, “Perhaps I can verify my identity later”.

When I’m thwarted in life some way, I try my best to work around the problem and get what I need done regardless. If that fails, I go do something else productive instead and come back later. I did have access to the “submit claim” button required to create a claim for my Low Income Health Care Card on the Centrelink account dashboard, so I plough ahead. But on creating my claim, I get this error message:

One of the world’s least helpful error messages

I wait a couple of days and try again; same error message. So I submit a help desk request with all the details necessary for them to fix the problem. Instead of fixing the problem causing the error message, they call me while I’m in a recording studio at college and my phone is on silent. There’s no caller Id and they don’t even leave a message so I can’t call the person handling the case back directly.

I also get an email saying:

From: NO.REPLY <[email protected]>

Subject: Please call us about your recent enquiry [SEC=UNCLASSIFIED]

Please DO NOT REPLY by email as this mailbox is not monitored.

This message is from the Department of Human Services.

We are writing to you about the enquiry you submitted through our website.

We tried to call you to provide assistance but were unsuccessful.

More information

If you still need assistance, please call us on 132 307 (call charges may apply).

For more information, please go to the Australian Government Department of Human Services website.

That’s about as unfriendly and impersonal an email as you’re ever likely to get. It’s not from an individual so I can’t reply to the person who has sent it, or the person who has tried to call and would hopefully be handling my case. It’s not even from a monitored email address. It screams “DO NOT REPLY”. It says to go to the Department of Human Services website for more information, but doesn’t include a link to say which of the many pages on that website is relevant to resolving my problem.

I log on to Centrelink and find that the error message still persists, so I call 132 307 as instructed to see if they can help. I speak to a very friendly customer service person who says that some part of the system is probably down and I should try again later. I explain that I’ve already waited a few days and the problem hasn’t gone away. She’s courteous but can’t help, but she can put me through to someone who supposedly can.

In the process my call drops out. I don’t call back because I can feel my cortisol rising, and that’s the exact thing I want the card to help fix, not worsen.

In my frustration I publish the following demonstrably witty tweet:

What’s really amazing about the @Centrelink website isn’t the fact that it doesn’t work as I expected it would, but the fact that I expected that it would work in the first place.

— Graham Stoney (@GrahamStoney) March 21, 2018

Lo and behold, @Centrelink reply:

Hi Graham, what issue are you having with your Centrelink online account through myGov? We'll do our best to help here if you let us know.

— Centrelink (@Centrelink) March 21, 2018

I respond with the basics of the problem:

Thanks for your reply @Centrelink. Please check the message I sent via the general Centrelink enquiry online contact form 4 days ago about the "Centrelink Online Accounts are currently unavailable" error message I'm getting with all the details. I'm still getting it 4 days later.

— Graham Stoney (@GrahamStoney) March 22, 2018

And @Centrelink replies:

Hi again, Graham. We can't access records when we're contacted through Twitter, so we're not able to check the message you've sent online. However, we'll still try and help. Please check first that you're using a supported browser and let us know. More: https://t.co/erfjisrMmH

— Centrelink (@Centrelink) March 22, 2018

I’m using the Chrome browser, and it is on the supported browsers list. That’s clearly not the problem. The @Centrelink twitter account doesn’t accept direct messages and I don’t want to disclose any more of my private information publicly on twitter so there’s no way for me to continue the conversation with them. Plus, they’ve just said they don’t have access to records anyway, so I can’t see how they can possibly help. Henre I don’t reply.

I decide to take Human Service Minister Alan Trudge’s advice and visit a Centrelink office to get this sorted out instead, since I’ll “only have to wait 10 minutes”. I’m heading that direction for a doctor’s appointment anyway, and surely an actual human would just be able to assess my claim in person. I arrive at about 10AM, hoping to beat the lunchtime rush.

Fortunately I take “The Hobbit” along, since I end up waiting about an hour.

I recommend taking an epic fantasy novel to help pass the time while waiting at Centrelink

The initial contact is quick enough: there’s a very short queue to talk to a reception guy who is busy explaining to a female customer that she hasn’t filled her form in correctly and it will probably be sent straight back to her. She goes to great lengths to justify why she’s filled it in the way she has, and he politely explains what she needs to do in order to fill the form in correctly. This leads her into further justification of why she shouldn’t have to fill the form in the way he’s describing. Eventually he gives up, accepts the form as-is and puts it into the submission box where presumably someone else will deal with it later.

“I’d like to apply for a Low Income Health Care Card please”, I say to reception guy.

“You can do that online, you know”, he replies helpfully.

“Yes, but I get an error message”, I say hopefully.

He takes my name, and I begin my “10 minute” wait.

During which time Bilbo and the dwarves battle the giant spiders, get captured by the wood-elf king, spend a few weeks in captivity and finally escape down the river in a bunch of empty barrels.

Eventually another friendly Centrelink staff member calls my name and I explain why I’m there.

“You can do that online, you know”, she says.

“Yes, but I get an error message”, I reply with an unbounded sense of optimism that she will be able to fix the error message and somehow sort this all out.

We talk for a while about all the Centrelink benefits that I’m not eligible for because I own a place that I don’t want to live in and can’t afford to own the place that I do. During this time she verifies my identification. I mention that I have Chronic Fatigue, and am only just managing to cope with full-time study; which unfortunately makes me ineligible for any kind of sickness benefit. I guess if I just lay on the couch doing nothing all day it would be a different story; but I did that for a few years and it sends you insane. Nevertheless, she seems very friendly and patient.

“Chronic Fatigue… that must be a bummer”, she says, which is possibly the most compassionate and empathic response I think I’ve ever received about it from someone who didn’t also have it. She mentioned that she had glandular fever for months and how much that sucked. I briefly contemplate asking her out.

She explains that the problem is that my Centrelink account isn’t linked to my myGov account properly. We have to unlink them and relink them using a secret “linking code” that’s only available to Centrelink staff.

I don’t know how Centrelink staff do it; putting up with this sort of thing all day.

Ms Friendly leads me over to a computer where I log in to my myGov account, unlink and relink my Centrelink account; this time with the linking code.

I go to start a new claim… and it seems to work! I am overjoyed, even more than I was when I read about the dwarves escaping in the barrels. It takes a while to enter all the details required, and I’m running terribly late by now but I figure that since things finally seem to be working out between myGov, Centerlink Online and me, I better take advantage of it.

I’m about 90% of the way through entering my claim when the screen goes blank and the myGov login screen suddenly appears. The same thing happens to the guy next to me too. Not to be perturbed, I persist. Another staff member who is assisting the guy next to me suggests that I log back in and try again. She mentions in passing that I could also print the paper-based claim form and do it that way, but I’m reluctant to waste 30 pages of paper on something that should be possible to do online in the 21st century; right?

I persist electronically hoping that my mostly-complete clam has been saved and I don’t have to start all over again. I log back in and click “Continue Claim”, and guess what appears?

Oh no, not again

Nooooooo! It’s the same error message I was getting at home that caused me to come into the office in the first place.

I feel my stress level rising and I return to Ms Friendly seeking help, and she say’s I’ll need to talk to someone from the myGov help desk, which I can do via the Centrelink phones. She even dials the number the call for me.

I talk to yet another friendly, courteous person on the myGov helpdesk who asks my Centrelink CRN. I mistakenly give her the old pre-liking-code one I had saved in my iPhone, and she says I need to unlink and relink the myGov and Centrelink accounts.

“It’s good you’re at Centrelink though because you’ll need a linking code from them”, she says.

“I’m pretty sure we’ve already done that”, I respond, “But I’m happy to give it another try”

I grab Ms Friendly again, who also seems rather perplexed about the whole thing by this stage, and has moved on to helping another customer by now. But she remains helpful and professional, generates me a new linking code and helps me unlink and relink the accounts.

I still get the same error message though. I try to remain calm, wondering how my cortisol levels are going. The fact that I’m now over an hour later than I planned to be for my doctor’s appointment, not to mention the friend from college who is supposed to be coming around to my place this afternoon to practise music with me, probably isn’t helping.

I gave up Computer Engineering because I couldn’t stand the headaches and social isolation sitting in front of a screen all the time. Perhaps the universe is still sending me a message: “Get off the computer Graham!”.

“Fuck the planet, I’m printing the damn form”, I decide, “I’ll fill it in manually and let the back-office staff deal with this electronic bullshit.”

I waste 30 pages of Centrelink paper printing the form and head off to the doctors, thanking Ms Friendly for all her assistance.

“Well… you found the form actually”, she said as I left. I don’t bother pointing out that her colleague had actually pointed me to it.

I head to the doctor, and text my friend from college who was supposed to be coming around for music practice. When I explain that I’ve been to Centrelink, she suggests that we abort our mission and reschedule. She gets it.

Back home over the next week I have a few more one-last-goes at completing my claim online, but I still get same useless error message every time when attempting it. I send in another help desk request, but don’t ever hear back this time.

Let’s try this the old-fashioned way

So I have a go at filling in the paper form instead. I notice that the PDF version is not a fill-able form, so I was right to print it. If it was fill-able I could at least fill it in online and upload the result. But it’s not, my scanner is broken and I can’t be bothered photographing every page with my iPhone. Plus I’m sick of all the online nonsense by now.

The form tells me I need to attach a “Mod F” form describing my online business, which I manage to find online fairly easily; and this one is a fill-able PDF form. I could almost have done this online after all.

Except I also need to attach a copy of my personal income tax return for last year.

“That should be easy enough”, I think as I log in to the ATO website via myGov.

I go to my income tax history and hit “view details” under last year’s return. It brings up a summary page with a “Print or Save” button at the bottom, which I press assuming that it will enable me to download the tax return so I can upload it as a document to the Centrelink dashboard.

After two seconds of blank anticipation the details of my tax return appear. But there’s no “Save” button, and “Save as” on the browser menu is disabled. When I try “Save as” on the “Print or Save” button on the previous page, I get an HTML file that won’t open. There doesn’t appear to be any easy way to download a tax return from the ATO website. I could print it and scan it in again, but like I’ve already said, my scanner is broken. Thwarted at every turn.

It’s only while writing this article, which I did mainly to get the rage out of my system so my cortisol level can go back down again, that it occurred to me that Windows 10 has a “Save as PDF” printer built-in. So I print the page using destination “Save as PDF” and end up with a PDF copy of my tax return… and I’ve at least killed one of my own giant spiders for the day.

Over the next couple of weeks I try a few more times to continue my claim online, and get the same error message. One morning while meditating I feel a surge of unfounded optimism accompanied by the urge to call the Centrelink Help Desk number again to see if they could now resolve the problem. After a few minutes on hold, the guy I speak to is very polite and helpful, but unable to find any reason for the error message. He puts me through to the Low Income Health Care Card department to see if they could handle my claim.

After waiting the magic 10 minutes wait-time on hold, I decide that filling in the paper form to drop into my local Centrelink office would be a better use of my time; and hung up.

It seems that Pas Forgione was right, and the system is indeed designed to stop people using it.

Back when I was a computer engineer, we used tools like use cases, integration testing and beta test platforms to ensure that things worked before they were rolled out en-masse to an unsuspecting public. In this case for instance, a use case analysis would have identified that being able to download a copy of a tax return from the ATO is a necessary system function for the user to complete the task. I suspect that the underlying problem here is that the top System Analysts, Engineers and Information Technology people are working at places like Google, Apple and Atlassian; not myGov, Centrelink or the ATO.

In support of Centrelink customer service staff though, I’d have to say that everyone I’ve dealt with has been friendly, professional and as helpful as the system would allow them to be. The problem is that the system is so broken that none of them could actually help progress my claim. Time spent dealing with Centrelink is time not spent either studying or working on my online business, dragging my income down even further.

The complete application runs to about 70 pages

Nevertheless, with a combination of persistence and good old fashioned paperwork, I completed my application for a Low Income Health Care Card, and dropped it in to my local Centrelink office. It turns out you really do only have to wait 10 minutes if you get there really early, and are only dropping in a form.

A couple of weeks later, look what arrived in the mail. Not the email, or the myGov mail; the real postal mail:

There is a God

Mission accomplished.

So how do you stay sane while dealing with Centrelink, myGov and ATO Online?

I don’t really know because I haven’t managed it myself. All I can do is offer some suggestions for dealing with the trauma:

Meditate. Do Qi Gong. Every day: You need to be prepared for this kind of shit, and that takes daily practise.

Break the problem down into small steps. Take whatever steps you can take, today.

If you can’t make any further progress today, come back tomorrow.

Try another approach: If the online service isn’t working, get hold of the paper form and fill that in instead.

Write about it. Get it out of your system.

Do something productive and rewarding with the rest of your life.

Spend time with positive, supportive people.

Play music. Go to the beach.

Remember that there is life outside government bureaucracy.

#anger management #ATO #centrelink #cortisol #government beauracracy #health care card #myGov #stress #The Shits

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gayasinstupidpodcast · 6 years

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Gay As In Stupid’s second episode is out! (pun intended)

Hey y’all! It’s Isaac and Aaron and we’re back with another episode of our Fantastically gay podcast, Gay As In Stupid! This month’s episode is about gay trans experiences, where me and Isaac share some of our experiences as gay trans men, talk about the history of societal and medical prejudice, and share an interview with a spectacular trans lesbian on her point of view!

You can find us on the Itunes Podcast App/Webpage at Gay As In Stupid Podcast! You can also find our episodes uploaded to Youtube and Soundcloud! Sorry for any audio goofs this episode! Recoding in my college dorm has proven to be a thotty whom we will have to get used to working with.

Ordinarily, me and Isaac would put our main sources under Further Reading at the top, but I (Aaron) found the main sources I had to go through for this month’s topic to contain disgusting levels of transphobia that I would feel irresponsible telling our listeners to read. If you want to know what I looked through and used, however, feel free to DM me @albert-dj-cashier

Aaron’s 2018 September Recs!

What The Trans?! (podcast)

A roughly hour-per-ep podcast by Michelle and Ashleigh, two trans women living in the U.K! The hosts are witty, informative, and compelling, and they talk about topics like the current events in UK trans politics, representation in media, institutionalized prejudice, and personal experiences! Their episodes are really fun as well as interesting, and they have a great dynamic!

Big Eden

This is an absolutely Classic gay feel-good film, and one of me & my friend Lauren’s personal favorites! It centers around a gay New York artist who returns to his childhood home in Montana to care for his grandfather, and finds himself having to deal with the loose threads he left behind (and Also finds an unexpected love interest). It’s cute, romantic, super funny, and doesn’t leave you with long spans of meaninglessly meaningful shots and call it Film.

Isaac’s 2018 September Recs!

Yank! A WWII Love Story: A New Musical

Follows Stu, a young man who gets drafted into World War II where he ends up becoming a photographer for ‘Yank Magazine, a journal for and by the servicemen’. In present day, Stu’s old journal is discovered, and his story of the war, and his romance with Mitch; a handsome Private he met during training. It’s fun, colorful and absolutely heartbreaking. The songs are memorable, and so are the characters. If you like heart-string pulling gay romances and strong lesbians, this production will make you horny!

MIKA

If you aren’t already listening to MIKA, then I don’t think you’ve been living yet. His songs are sweet and fun to dance to, and truly never get old. He’s gay and a talented singer-songwriter. The music he makes can be best described as Pop/Glam Rock (also GAY!!!) Love yourself and go give “Talk About You” and “Grace Kelly” a listen.

MARCY’S FULL AND WONDERFUL INTERVIEW UNDER THE READ MORE

Q: How do you identify? A: I am a trans woman and a lesbian.

Q: How do you feel trans straight people react to your identity? A: honestly, I’m not sure. I don’t personally know any straight trans people. I’d imagine that we have common grounds on dysphoria and trying to understand gender, but with regards to sexuality, I’m sure it’s kinda up in the air. I doubt there’d be like, hostility regarding my identity. Probably just general acceptance, maybe some minor prodding.

Side note: not to generalize, but from what I understand, straight trans women tend to have different experiences with self-discovery than bi or lesbian trans women. The former tend to figure things out earlier, are sometimes seen as more traditionally feminine, etc. Some of this is from rather TERFy science, though, so take it with a grain of salt.

Q: How do you feel your identity is perceived in the LGBT Community? A: from an intracommunity standpoint, I think that trans WLW in general are steadily becoming more accepted as we speak up about or lives and experiences. Many cis WLW, whether actively or passively, exhibit an alarming amount of transphobic beliefs, but I like to think they’re in the minority.

Q: How do you present your gender and what do it mean to you? A: I’m butch, so my experience with womanhood and femininity is… interesting, to say the least. I certainly don’t take a traditional approach to femininity, and I find that very empowering, especially as a trans woman. I don’t wanna force myself into a role that I’m not comfortable filling, just to appeal to what society expects of me. I wear suits and vests and I keep my hair short and I’ve honestly never even touched makeup, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Q: What role do you feel like the intersection of your gender and your sexualilty play in your life? A: my gender and my sexuality are both very important to me, the intersection thereof even moreso. Understanding that intersection has helped me piece together a lot of the questions I had growing up. To put it simply, figuring out that I’m not just trans, but also a lesbian, has helped me figure out like, the past eight-to-ten years’ worth of failed romantic endeavors. The way I experience relationships, the way I interact with people, the way I love are all impacted by both my gender and my sexuality; neither’s importance can be understated.

Q: Do you feel like your gender presentation makes people more prone to invalidate your identity? A: pardon my language but, of fucking course. Like, cis people and transphobes alike will find any reason they can to invalidate a trans person. But the second they find a trans woman who’s a lesbian, who isn’t presenting like a perfectly feminine stereotype, all bets are off my dude. Until I have like, B-cup tits and a soft face, I’m essentially a straight guy in most people’s faces. Which, eh, who cares at this point? Straight people have never understood butch womanhood. I don’t expect them to recognize a trans butch when they see one.

Q: Do you feel like your identity as a gay trans person makes it harder for you to receive proper medical care (hormones, sexual health, etc)? A: quite honestly, I don’t know yet. I’m still pre-HRT; I have yet to jump through the hoops and red tape necessary to get hormones and whatnot. I imagine it’ll be tough, though.

Q: How has your coming out process been different than if you were just trans or gay? A: the biggest difference, for me at least, is that it’s been a multi-step process. For a while I thought I was a bi cis man, then pansexual and agender, then a bi trans woman, and it wasn’t until ~June 2017 that I figured out I was a trans lesbian. Coming out to friends has always been easy; they pick up on new identities and pronouns fairly easy. Honestly, I don’t think my parents quite understand what being trans is right now, but we’re working on it.

Q: Have you ever found yourself feeling guilty over your attraction to women because of your gender identity? A: honestly? At least once a week, I have that dysphoric voice in my head telling me I’m just some creepy straight guy preying on lesbians. I know it isn’t true, it’s just self-doubt and internalized transphobia and TERF rhetoric echoing, but it’s hard to not think that, frankly. Especially when it’s repeated so often.

Q: Do you feel like your voice is heard/your identity is seen between media and the community? A: in media? Outside of a few niche places (and surprisingly, IDW’s Transformers comics), trans lesbians are largely pretty nonexistent. Of course, in the actual community we’re much more populous, but frankly we’re a little bit insular as we tend to mostly befriend and date one another. All in all, don’t think we’re entirely invisible, but I do think we could do with some more fictional representation, and to get more involved with the larger LGBT community.

Q: Is there anything else about your experience as a gay trans person you would like to add? A: admittedly, it hasn’t been until recently that I’ve felt truly comfortable around cis lesbians. Most of my relationships in the past few years have been with other trans girls. There’s a variety of reasons for this, and every woman’s experiences are her own, but for a long time I was afraid that cis lesbians just wouldn’t recognize me as a woman. Q: Would you like your instagram/tumblr to be linked in the episode description? A: sure! I’m @opossumghoul on tumblr and @opossumbutch on other social media

#gay as in stupid podcast #Gay Podcast #lgbt podcast #LGBT Creators #lgbt #gay trans

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jadagul · 7 years

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College Costs are Poorly Reported On

Okay, I said I wasn't going to write a big post about bad reporting on college cost trends. But then I remembered how annoyed I am by bad reporting on college cost trends, so here we are.

It's pretty common in discussions of inflation/well-being/the two-income trap/the fact that America is going Down the Tubes and Back in My Day.... to see some variation on this graph.

By analogy to "fake but accurate" we might call this graph "real but misleading."

Baumol's Cost Disease

I should start by talking a little bit about what makes costs rise faster than inflation. This is the less important part of the post, but logically comes first; if this is old news to you, skip down to "But we're still missing something".

First we should remember that since inflation is an average, something has to increase in price faster than inflation. What sorts of goods should we expect to do this?

The traditionally answer is Baumol's Cost Disease, classically explained with the claim that "it still takes four experienced musicians to play a Mozart string quartet". And that's true, but it depends a lot on how you frame the good:

it’s true if you define the good narrowly (listening to a live performance of a 40 minute Mozart composition) but why should we define the good narrowly? If instead we define the good as “listen to music for 40 minutes” then it’s clear that costs have fallen dramatically.

Classically this is what "disruption" means: providing a different, and probably lower-quality good, but one so much cheaper to produce that you largely replace the original good.

What makes the cost disease bite?

The next obvious question is what factors can prevent this disruption. The two that occur to me right now (and I'm sure there are more) are regulation and status.

Regulation is an obvious culprit, and one that anyone who follows policy has seen some examples of. If, say, the government requires everyone providing a certain service to jump through a series of hoops, then there's no way for a disruptive challenger to cleverly avoid the need for some of those inputs.

E.g. it's hard to disrupt the medical industry because regulations require a licensed doctor before providing a number of services. (One could argue that the whole point of some regulations is to prevent certain types of "disruption"---maybe we actually don't want anyone to disrupt the medical industry with service that is 1/10 the price but five times more likely to kill you. Similarly with financial services).

Note that this behaves the same if the "regulations" are coming from private actors. One way in which the education sector is hard to disrupt is that many jobs want "a degree from an accredited four-year university", and there's a bunch of necessary-costs baked in there. (In this case, the regulations are partly imposed by potential employers who demand a degree, and partly by the accrediting agency which determines who counts).

Status is Robin Hanson's bailiwick. And while I find habitual Hansoning kind of annoying, that doesn't mean he isn't sometimes right.

I'm happy to admit that I get some of my clothes super cheap; when I say "this is an awesome suit and I got it at a thrift store for fifteen dollars" that's basically bragging. But it's hard to imagine a parent bragging to their friends about this great discount doctor they found for little Timmy.

Rather, people are inclined to compete over how many resources they devote to their children. It's much easier to imagine someone proudly talking about how much they've scrimped and saved to get the best for their child, than to imagine them boasting of how they managed to find a much cheaper school that's almost as good and then spent the rest on an awesome car.

But we're still missing something--Or are we?

So this all gives a pretty decent reason to expect college to rise in cost faster than average. So if prices had risen by 100% and college had risen by 150%, I'd be totally satisfied at this point. But that's not what happened; look at the graph up above. College costs have been rising five times as fast as inflation, and that seems to demand an explanation.

Except. We need to be very careful about how we define college costs here.

Need-based aid

One of the big trends in college financing over the past few decades is the rise of need-based aid. There are a number of federal and state grant programs that help support needy students, and those have been getting more generous over time. And a lot of colleges, especially the more elite colleges, provide a bunch of financial aid based on their evaluation of the students' perceived need. It's quite difficult to be too poor to afford Harvard, if you can get in.

So how does this affect college costs? Fortunately, we have those numbers. Unfortunately no one talks about them.

Here's a graph of sticker prices and "net prices" for non-profit and public four-year colleges, adjusted for inflation:

That doesn't look so bad! Running the actual numbers we see that for public four-year colleges, since 1991 real net Tuition, Fees, Room and Board has increased from \$7840 to \$14210--still a big increase, but not the absurd one posited by our initial graph.

In private colleges, the real net TFRB has increased from \$19,380 to \$26,100, which is still faster than inflation, but well within the "normal" range I posited earlier.

And what about community colleges? Well, we have this graph: and we see that real net TFRB has been flat, and if anything slightly decreasing since 1996.

Summarizing this, and averaging across students, we get something like the graph taken from this article:

(We should also notice how much of net TFRB is coming from the room-and-board portion, rather than the tuition-and-fees portion. Public four-year in-state colleges have average net tuition and fees under \$4000.)

This system is opaque and terrible

So things aren't anywhere near as bad as they looked when we started this post, at least in terms of actual college costs. But I don't want this to be taken quite as a defense of the way we structure college pricing, which is honestly quite awful.

First of all, the system is incredibly opaque. I had a bunch of friends in high school who said they weren't applying to any Ivies because they couldn't afford to go if they got in. Now it's true that they couldn't afford the sticker price, but neither can half the student body. But if you don't know that you can't respond to it.

And even if you know to look for these numbers, it is disturbingly hard to figure out how much you might have to pay. I'm sure some of you have been wondering why I keep pointing to Harvard, which is an outlier for basically everything. The answer is that they actually publish statistics, and an easy to use cost estimator. I tried to run a cost estimate for some made up numbers at a couple of other colleges (including my employer); they wanted me to spend ten minutes essentially replicating a full tax return, and then wouldn't give me numbers unless I gave them the name and mailing address of the prospective student.

So actual cost is much lower than sticker price, but it's really hard to figure out how much. And that's a huge stressor/disincentive for students applying to colleges, and makes it difficult to make sensible plans. (And like all opaque systems, benefits "insiders" who understand the system over "outsiders" who aren't aware of any of this shit).

Second, it leads to bizarre marginal incentives. If you've saved diligently for college, then your "need" is lower since you have more assets, so your actual cost is higher. Along some margins, money you save to pay for college is pretty much 100% wasted, since it reduces your need one-for-one.

Third, it totally fucks over people in some unusual situations. For instance, your "need" is assessed based on your parents' income and assets unless you're over 25 or fall into one of a few other weird cases. This is true regardless of whether your parents are helpign to pay for your college, or supporting to you in any way, or even on speaking terms with you.

(I have a friend who has trouble filling out the financial aid forms because you need your parents' financial information to fill them out, and their parents are just not responsive about telling them anything. I can only imagine it's even worse for people who are actually disowned/not on speaking terms with their parents. Can they fill out these forms at all?).

But we're handling it the wrong way

So the system is terrible and I don't want to be read as defending it. But the actual problems with the system are not the problems people complain about.

One big problem is that people don't know that the sticker price is kinda fake, and costs are in many cases lower than they appear. The absolute worst response to this problem is to highly publicize the sticker prices and complain loudly about how they're so high that no one can afford college. It seems like focusing on showing people clearly how to access all the grants, and keep costs down, would do a lot more good than yelling about the sticker price.

(Compare: buying a new car sucks. But information about how to negotiate with dealers, and how much other people have paid for similar cars, is really helpful. Rants about how scummy car dealers are, less so).

There's an important place for complaining about sticker price inflation. Because a lot of it is dumb. But it frustrates me that so little commentary is aware of the distinction between the sticker price and the net price. The latter is at least as important and deserves to be talked about, and it tells a somewhat different story.

#college #education #politics #economics #reporting #effortpost

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warmau · 7 years

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{Special} College!AU Amber

major: film production

minor: visual arts

sports: she’s on the uni’s women’s basketball team but outside of school she teaches taekwondo to kids !!

clubs: aspiring filmmakers society, girls who skate (all female skateboarding team), big brother big sister (she’s the big sister to a 6th grade girl who cut her hair short because amber inspired her), actually amber is in a lot of clubs because she has 4546932 friends and they invite her to all their clubs and she can never say no rofl

amber,,,,to put it bluntly is the most popular person on the college campus. like,,,,,,everyone knows who she is everyone from newly entered freshmen to people who graduated like three years ago

why? because she’s so damn bright and positive that it’s hard not to notice her and well,,,,she’s probably the first person to befriend you because she’s just so outgoing and she loves loves LOVES making friends

and like amber is friends with jackson who is the other most popular person on campus and the two of them are always outside shooting hoops or being dumb on the quad and like ,,, everyone wants to be their friend because they always look like they’re having fun

but amber is also friends with the queen of the campus aka krystal who seems so cold and unapproachable from far away but somehow she’s always managing to smile and laugh around amber

and amber,,,,she just has a way of pulling everyone in towards her with an addicting laugh and an adorable smile and just this dorky, lovable personality

she’s a film productions major and like she became passionate about making movies after spending time filming skate videos and vlogs for her youtube channel (which btw is still a thing she does. her vlog ‘ranting monkey’ is insanely popular like she has like 4 million subs and her instagram + twitter is always blowing up and everyone on campus is like HOLY SHIT YOU’RE INTERNET FAMOUS and amber’s like LOL NO IM NOT)

but yeah she thought about doing music as a career and learning to become a producer, but she decided that something about film was just more invigorating

and she always has a camera on her and she’s always filming and uploading things

like it can go from her just using her phone to film her having lunch with her friends, to her using the gopro to film her and her friends skating, to her lugging around a huge camcorder for a movie she’s making for a class

but she’s always alWAYS bustling with energy to film something or take photos of something like she can never stop

and everyone she hangs out with somehow inevitably become actors in all her skits and movies

and she’s always posting in the facebook group for the screenwriting majors if anyone wants to work with her for projects and she’s always like juggling 495342 things

people are sometimes like “amber, when do you sleep?” and she just shrugs like “i ????? don’t”

luna and victoria are always nagging her about staying healthy and amber’s like “ok ok ok ill eat!!!” and then she takes a bite of like luna’s salad and drinks some of victoria’s coffee and is like “see? i just had breakfast!” and they’re like aMBER

but it’s too late she’s skated off to her next class

she took visual arts as a minor mostly because she wants to be able to create more things on her own for her films because she’s basically a broke college student

plus all the friends she made in class all offer to like help her draw sets or make props and through visual art she became close with people in the fashion major

and all of them aDORE her and are always like “if you need help with a movie!!!!! tell us!!!!”

and amber only gets shy about things like that, when people are so straightforward with giving her help she’s like you gUYS,,,,,you’re the best but i can’t even pay you???? and they’re like no no we want to do it because you’re amazing

and amber like pulls her hood over her face like iM NOT

and it’s like the only time she gets flustered but it is sooooooo adorable

also she’s the certified girl crush of literally everyone on campus and it is hilarious because when the uni’s basketball teams have games

more girls show up to the women’s game with banners with ambers face on it and poster boards with ‘i love you unnie’ written on them and amber ,,,,,, like,,,,she looks so good in the uniform like ,,,,,, it’s heavenly

everyone always takes pics and a freshman even confessed to amber that they had made a photo of amber jumping to dunk their phone background and amber was like DUDE REALLY and they showed her and she like ruffled their hair like IM HONORED

that freshmen nearly Died because holyshit amber blessed them with a hair ruffle

the women’s teams coach was like ‘amber we’re going to put your face on the university’s sports homepage ok?’ and amber was like ‘what why’ and everyone was like pointing at her fanclub sitting in the bleachers like thats WHY

some people will sometimes talk about her behind her back because of her easygoing personality around boys and how she dresses and chooses to express herself

but like the rumors never go far because anyone that hears someone badmouthing amber will literally stand up for her on the spot because she’s been helpful to so many people and has become friends with even those who have a hard time being social

and like literally 99% of the campus has her back

and it’s cute she’s kind of oblivious to it because everyone does their best to make sure she doesn’t have to hear any bullshit for the way she lives her life

so when someone’s like “god, she’s such a fox hanging around with guys all the time” and amber’s like “who are they talking about?” literally the 10 people around her will be like “oh no one” and then proceed to be like @ the people who were rude like “get a life perhaps?”

once amber came into school not wearing her usual skinny jeans, vans, loose shirt combo but came in like a Suit because she was having an important dinner @ the big brother big sister program later

and everyone lost their shit. she wore that suit once but she got featured in the school newspaper

and amber has a special spot for making films that are like about life and growing up and like learning something about yourself because she really wants to make films that inspire people to be better

so all her professional work is always about like,,,,,,,people overcoming tough situations,,,,,,,,and she’s just a sweetheart because she finds people who are quietly struggling and says she wants to make a film about them because their struggle - and their hard work should be recognized and used as motivation for others

and for most people hearing someone say that, let alone offer to make a film about it, is really,,,,,,,is really touching because you realize that someone notices your efforts

and amber is that person. no matter what - she sees that people are trying, even when it isn’t their best, they’re trying in her eyes

but she hardly ever notices that she’s trying

and it’s that about her that you wish you could tell her,,,,,

and you do,,,,just not to her face???

instead you kinda just comment on her posts with ‘hope you’re eating well!’ ‘i appreciate everything you do!’ and of course ‘i’ll always know you’ll do your best!’

and tbh you don’t think much of it,,,because like other people flood her instagram and twitter with comments all the time

like as humble as amber is, it’s beyond obvious that she’s famous online and like,,,,,,,the only thing that makes you different from the other 40k comments is the fact that you go to uni with her

and you’ve actually spoken to her quite a few times because you work part-time in the uni’s gym so you see amber during basketball practice and she’s always be asking you to help her find her locker key (she has a habit of losing it)

and you always help,,,,,,,even if it meant staying 30-40 minutes after your shift was over because like,,,,it’s amber

her glowing smile and the cute way she jumps up and down when finally finding the key,,,,,it’s something that would warm your heart for hours after

and like most people, developing a crush on amber is pretty much a given,,,,,like it’s impossible not to fall some bit in love with her because she’s all around,,,,,an angel

but your crush didn’t even come from the fact that she’s so silly and adorable

it came from the moment you saw her sitting in the locker room, drinking energy drinks and obviously fighting to stay awake, talking on the phone and going “yeah im fine, don’t worry i slept!! ill come after practice to help you out - no no i promise im totally awake, ill see you at 9!”

and you couldn’t hear what the person on the other line was saying, but amber was telling them over and over that she’d be there after practice

and when she’d finished the call, getting up you could see her stumble a bit,,,drained of energy and when she’d walked past you you could even catch the coming in of dark circles under her eyes

but when she went back out onto the court, no one else seemed to notice. they all just laughed and patted her on the back and somehow amber managed to smile back and crack jokes

and you had wondered to yourself is there was a point that even the most sunny, vibrant people could break and get tired

and so,,,,in a way,,,,,you just wanted to support her. even if commenting ‘i hope you get some rest’ on a photo was all you could really do

but then,,,,,somehow,,,,,,amber’s finding you after your shift in the gym one day and going

“i see you always working here and i was wondering if i could film you a bit for a movie im doing, it’s about kids who work on campus so im also filming jinyoung from the campus bookstore and jin from the campus new channel, would you be ok with being in it?”

and tbh you stand there dumbfounded for like 5 min and amber’s like “heeeey helllloooooo are you listening???” and waving her hand in your face and you’re like UH

and you kind of don’t know how to respond because one) you haven’t ever really thought of ever being on camera especially not for something as mundane as working at your uni’s gym two) amber ,,,,, noticed you enough to ask you to be in a film of hers??? and three) being filmed by her,,,,of all people,,,,,,would you even be able to control your blushing face????

and you stutter a bit because you’re like “it,,,,,it’s going to be b-boring?”

and amber laughs like “well, that’s kinda the point!! that uni jobs are boring, but like you guys perceiver and pull through to do a job that helps a lot of other students! so dude, are you up for it?”

and you don’t even think you say /yes/ but amber is smiling so wide and her eyes are sparkling like stars

and you’re sold. you’re done. you’ll do anything for her just about then

and you nod

and amber grins and tells you she’ll be back with her camera next week

and you stand there for a moment, thinking to yourself,,,,,,,,

amber is going to film,,,,,,,,,me,,,,,

and for a couple days you think you must have like ???? daydreamed it

how could someone so popular, so sociable, and so,,,,,,,,,,so far above you decide suddenly that you - some person who’d just been in the background all the time - be worthy enough to film??/

and you know amber loves motivational things and whatnot but your job isn’t anything like that. you work at the gym and do stuff like get towels clean for the athletes and make sure the basketballs are inflated and sometimes clean up garbage off the bleachers

there’s nothing really motivational, you just need the money

but then - much to your surprise - amber is there just like she said she would be with a camcorder and a mic and a couple of other people all holding light equipment

and when she sees you, she waves and runs over

and it’s like you’re watching it in slow-mo, her bangs brush out of her face as she runs, her smile with the upturned corners of her lips is so distinct and radiant, and most of all her eyes,,,,,pretty big bright pools of brown,,,,,

all happy because of you and god your heart would break right there if it wasn't for the fact that you were scared to death all of a sudden because of everyone else there

amber, the least bit bothered by the crowd of her friends, grabs your hand and is like “are you ready?? i want to shoot a short interview with you and ask some questions so i got some people together to help with lighting and one of them is from the fashion dept she can help do your makeup. we’re gonna shoot it here in the locker room, is that cool beans with you?”

and you’re like “uhhhhhhh”

and amber senses that you’re a Bit shocked and she like slaps your back playfully like “hey, i know it’s all intimidating because woooooah cameras and lights and makeup blah blah blah but it’ll be easy, just trust me ok! i never make things awkward!”

with a wink she nudges you forward and you’re like swallowing the lump in your throat like oK ,,,,,

and you sit down and suddenly there’s someone putting a mic on you and another person arranging your hair from your face and a voice asking you to close your eyes and your head is spinning but before you close your eyes you see amber from the corner of your eye

enthusiastically speaking to someone and she sees you, smiling again

and just with that you think - you can do this!!! whatever,,,,,this is ,,,,,,

and the interview is pretty short amber just asks how you started working here / why do you work here / and your duties

and you’re like “i did it for the money, i need to pay for my own books and stuff so,,,,,”

and amber goes “is there any other reason? like once you started working here, did something about helping out all the athletes feel gratifying? like when you hand someone a towel after practice or help the mascot into their costume?”

for a second you think you want to just come out and say “no” because this job is what you said before, it’s boring. there’s not big reward, nothing like working at the library or working as a TA

but then you look at amber again,,,,,and the moments where you stayed behind with just her to help her find the keys to her locker,,,,the moments where you’d search every corner diligently until you could find the keys that would make the girl you had the biggest crush on jump up and down in happiness

and before you know it you go, “there is another reason.”

amber’s expression gets bright and she follows up with “what’s that reason?”

and now you can’t help but replay all the times you got to be with her in your mind, hearing her complain about how clumsy she is, telling her that it was ok when she apologized for keeping you behind

and you,,,,,,,you bite your tongue because you almost say “you’re the reason”

but instead you go “someone special,,,,,,someone special is my reason”

and amber gives you a thumbs up from behind the camera and claps, saying that that’s the best answer - so touching and that the camera can stop recording and your first shoot is over

you sit there, as the hands reappear to take off your mic and clean off the light makeup

and amber comes over to tell you you did great, but her voice is fuzzy in your ears and you get up and excuse yourself

and as you run from the gym to the dorms you think that,,,,what’s the reason you still work at the gym? what’s the reason you keep cleaning that huge court, picking up garbage from the athletes and from the spectators

you already paid for all your books, you already have your scholarships

“amber” you say outloud,,,,,,and you can’t believe it but maybe your little crush wasn’t so little after all and you recall all the times you would stop to watch her practice, stay behind just in case she lost her keys again, feel sad if she didn’t and then get happy if she did

and you squat down in front of the dorm, clutching your hands to your ears and you tell yourself

“no, don’t do this. you can’t like her. she’s,,,,,,she’s,,,,,,,,impossible to reach.”

“whose impossible to reach?”

the voice comes from behind you and were so busy arguing w/yourself in your head that you didn’t even hear someone running after you

and you turn around and there’s amber,,,,,this time her smile is faltering into a frown and her eyes are filled with worry and you’re like

oh shit oh shit i didn’t mean to make her worried oh shit oh man oh no

and amber gives you a pout that basically lodges a knife into your heart and she’s like “dude you just ran off like the flash and we were all so confused, did something happen? did i do something wrong?”

and you’re like “n-no that’s not it it’s just-”

and amber steps closer and suddenly she’s only inches away, leaning toward your face and grinning, going “c’mon, tell me. don’t lie too, ill know if you’re lying i have spidey senses”

you don’t want to tell her but at the same time you don’t have a choice, if you don’t you’ll just end up being a mess the whole time and ruin her movie so you take a breathe and go

“the person who’s impossible to reach is you. the reason i still work at the gym is you. i lik-”

you choke a bit on the last word and look down at the ground instead of at amber's face

“i like you.”

it’s silent and you can basically hear yourself screaming in your brain because HERE WE GO MAKING THINGS AWKWARD JUST WHEN THE PERSON OF YOUR DREAMS ACTUALLY MAKES AN ATTEMPT TO BE YOUR FRIEND AND YOU GOTTA GO CONFESS YOUR FEELINGS WOW

but then you hear amber’s laugh

the intoxicating, contagious laugh and your eyes widen because it’s even worse than her rejecting you,,,,,she’s straight up making fun of you,,,,,,,

and tears start to well up in your eyes because you can’t take this,,,,but then you hear her go “im sorry- im so- sorry i didn’t mean to laugh but you ,,,,,,you looked so scared,,,,like your eyeballs might pop out of your skull and,,,,,oh wait give me a second”

and she wipes at her face with the sleeve of her hoodie and she’s like “ok ok, i can talk now phew. ok. well it’s a good thing you like me because guess what?”

you don’t look up but amber tilts your chin so you’re forced to

and the next thing you know there are soft lips on yours and you’re like HOLY MOTHER OF

and amber pulls back before you can actually Faint and proceeds to run around in a circle, crinkling her nose and going “i DID that,,,,,ok ok,,,,,,,,,,,,,,AHHHHHH”

and you’re like ???? why are you screaming im the one who just got spontaneously kissed

and amber sticks her tongue out and is like yeAH BUT I DID IT I DIDNT THINK I WOULD GOD WE K I S S E D

and you’re like ?????? yeah,,,,,w,,,we kissed?????

and amber is like,,,,,,,, still jittering and you’re like ?????? and she’s just like sORRY i just,,,,that was our first kiss it was corny right???? i shouldn’t do that right?????? should i do it again???? let’s do it again ok 3-2-1-

and once again there are lips on yours except this time it’s not as shocking, i mean it still is because THE AMBER LIU is kissing you,,,,,,but also like,,,,,

she is so cute and embarrassed and it’s obvious she’s still flustered because she isn’t doing anything but pressing her lips to yours and you’re like,,,,,,,,,ok fine

and you tilt your head a bit and move closer

and now you’re ACTUALLY kissing

but when you pull back amber is red as a cherry,,,,,like more red than you’ve ever seen her and you’re like ??????? are you ok

and amber is like iM,,,,,,new,,,,,,to this

and you’re like what how you’re so popular haven’t you dated like a bunch of people and she’s like,,,,,,,no,,,,,im not even popular what im just me,,,,,,,,

and you’re like omg don’t be cute right now im dying but you’re also like “wait - do you like me too?”

and amber looks at you and then pushes your shoulder playfully like DONT MAKE ME SAY IT OUTLOUD,,,,,but yes

and you’re like wait hold up wait a minute since when

and amber’s like cringing, making noises and she’s like “can we not talk about it,,,,,,,,,it’s so corny,,,,,”

and you’re like “i want to know!!!!” and she’s like fiNE

so she explains that ever since you first helped her out at the gym,,,,actually ever since she saw you cleaning the bleachers after everyone left she’d always thought it was really cool how hardworking and loyal you were to such like a boring job

and she’s like “you’re really dense, i lost my keys like 10 times in two weeks like that’s humanly impossible i was just trying to find excuses to stay behind with you” and you’re like ihdfglff WHAT

and amber is like YEAH DUDE HOW COULD YOU NOT FIGURE THAT OUT

and you’re like i just thought you were that clumsy and amber’s like no one is that clumsy not even kids,,,,,and you’re like ok good point but go on

and she’s just shrugging like “you’re different from most people, you never make a big show out of like being forced to clean up other peoples messes and you always helped me even when you could say no and i don’t know your face it’s like attractive,,,,like i like it,,,,,,,,i bet my dog and cat would like it too so ,,,,,,,,you know,,,,,,whatever i like you there i said it”

and you can’t help but break out into a grin and amber is like

“also maybe i uh made up this film proposition just to get more time with you”

you’re like wait what there isn’t an actual film??? and amber’s like no there IS but,,,,,,it’s all about you im not filming anyone else and you’re like WHaT that’s going to be so boring-

and amber is like STOP SAYING YOU’RE BORING YOU’RE NOT

but you’re like seriously though,,,,i don’t think there’s enough about my job for a whole movie and amber’s like you’re right,,,,,,i guess the rest of the movie can be about,,,,,,,,,

and she steps closer again and you feel her hand on your neck pulling you in again and you’re like,,,,,,,you know what let me just kiss her for now and we’ll figure this out later

in the end,,,,,you and amber end up together in your bed,,,,

cuddling and watching netflix and amber shows you pics of her pets

and it’s an impromptu first date and amber gets calls from all the people back at the gym and she’s like no im not coming back, leave the footage at my place!!!

and then you and her kiss some more and then fall asleep binge watching some anime she couldn’t stop talking about

amber decides that she’ll make the movie after all, but instead of it being about you she also does film other on campus student workers

but she keeps grumbling about how she could have totally found some way for it to be just about you and you’re like no,,,,you can’t and she’s like trust in my skillz and you’re like why do i like you again and she’s like because i got skillz

you actually tell amber that you used to comment on her instagram posts and she’s like SERIOUSLY NO WAY and you’re like “amber, i was your number one fan” and she’s like SHUT UP NOOOOO and you’re like yeah i can show you

and she somehow gets so embarrassed by the fact that you like ??? di that and you’re like why and she’s like,,,,,,,,,it’s cheesy don’t and you’re like you know what’s cheesy you still getting up after we kiss and running around because you’re so embarrassed like we’re dating now amber-

and she’s like LALALAL I CAN’T HEAR YOU

sometimes it is so childish of her but you put up with it because she makes everything better, like your life is just ,,,,,so much more brighter because of her

and when she introduces you to everyone as her significant other everyone is in disbelief because they never thought amber would actually like date someone

she always seemed so uninterested in relationship like everyone just tells you she concentrated on her work and on hanging out with friends so it’s just ,,,,,,,wild

but everyone is nice to you (minus the fanclub who’s like no one is good enough for amber even though you agree with this tbh you’re in shock this is happening, you’ll never be out of shock)

but best of all amber is like “no i get to post some couple photos, come here let’s take a photo of us holding hands-”

and you’re like “for someone who gets worked up after just kissing, you sure are into romantic stuff aren’t you?” and amber is like STOP ITS FOR THE AESTHETIC

and you’re like UHUH

all you talk about with each other is memes. you send vines to each other. you also send photos of like you guys doing random crap like squatting in a starbucks or trying to pet a random dog while the owner isn’t looking

amber starts a vlog answering questions and there’s so many about you that she does a ‘ask my s/o questions’ tag video and you’re like,,,,,awkwardly there but then someone is like “what do you love most about amber?”

and you talk for like a good 30 min while amber flails her arms in the back and rolls around on the bed and runs in and out of the room in embarrassment

and pda for her is like a,,,,,,,it’s like she cannot do it

like you kissed her cheek while you were out w some of her film friends and she dropped the taco she was eating

and that’s like,,,,,,,crazy because amber lives for tacos,,,,,,yet she just dropped it right all over her lap and you were like ,,,,,,,oh no and the entire table broke out into laughter until amber came to her sense and threatened to delete editing softwares off their laptops if they didn’t stop

she skates everywhere and sometimes she’ll skate away and make you jog to keep up and you’re like i swear im just going to buy a scooter one day or something

(for your first anniversary she gets you a freakin scooter)

she has a horrible habit of taking photos of you sleeping and posting them like everywhere with captions about how you’re not getting any work done

you get revenge by taking photos of her drooling in her sleep

you go with her to get another tattoo and she’s like trying to get you to get one and you’re like iffy about it and then the artist is like “you should get ambers name in a heart” and both you and amber are like WAHGTGGF

you once were like getting really into it with her in the locker rooms when everyone was gone but then,,,,,her phone rang and it was,,,,,the goddamn trolololo song and you were like AMBER THIS ISNT 2006 and she was like GOOD MEMES NEVER DIE

after learning she teaches taekwondo to kids and meeting her little sister from the big brother/big sister program and just seeing how well she does with kids you were like

‘mom amber is a cute concept’ and she was like ‘what’ and you were like (---------: you heard me

tries to deny the fact that she’s great with kids but like,,,,,,,how can you deny it she’s literally an excitable five year old sometimes it’s not wonder she’s so good with them

finally finishes editing the film about you and the other uni student workers and you guys watch it on her laptop at like 3 am via skype because you’re the first person she wanted to show it to

and when she’s like “is it ok????”

you’re like, half asleep and like “why do i have pimple in the beginning of the movie” and she’s like “THAT DOESN’T HELP ME” and you’re like “i loved it, you’re amazing id kiss you to prove it if you were here” and she rolls her eyes like don’t

but she’s really really proud that you liked it

you befriend luna, krystal, and victoria really fast because you’re always worried about ambers health and you tell them about that time in the locker room when you though amber was going to pass out but she still agreed to help her friend

and you four are like “we need to protect her. she’s too nice for her own good”

krystal: more like she’s too airheaded for her own good

amber: i AM NOT AIR- OMG look a dog,,,,,im gonna go pet it

jokes but honestly she really does need you guys to keep her in check because she always has so much on her plate with all her friends and all her schoolwork

that sometimes you have to be like ‘amber, we’re going on a date’ and she’s like omg we are and you’re like yeah a nap date come over and get some SLEEP

#i know this is really bad....im so so so sorry #amber scenario #amber scenarios #fx scenario #fx scenarios #f(x) scenarios #f(x) scenario #girl group scenario #girl group scenarios #sfw #also when amber refers to the 'you' character as dude it's gender neutral rofl #college!au

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saranallman-blog · 6 years

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All Is Well Fish Recipe

Until now, this cake recipes become a secret, most effective for the enjoyment of family contributors, near pals and me.

Going public with this recipe become a hard selection. But then, it is a manner of giving returned to the society from which I actually have benefited so much.

Furthermore, what better way to continue making a high quality contribution to existence, as a fitness expert, than to illustrate in sensible phrases how human beings can prepare dinner and eat healthy and nutritious food?

Before diagnosing me as case of undue obsession with weight-reduction plan, nutrients and healthful lifestyle changes, please understand the reasoning that drives my movement. Give this article the eye it merits; maintain an open thoughts, and don't permit ego nor any repute or stature scouse borrow this knowledge away.

There are few things in worldly pursuit more essential than the meals we consume; it is the fuel that powers all our inner and outside sports, together with our questioning, our successes and our fitness.

Shouldn't anybody already recognize that? Unfortunately, no. We have all come to be sufferers of our distinctiveness: pastors inundated with the prayers they provide, writers held hostage by the characters they invent and politicians laid low with the illusions of the powers they wield - to the quantity that we lose sight of what topics.

So set aside one or two days a week for a wholesome meal. Tantalize the taste buds with nature's own substances. My set day for one of these plan is Wednesdays.

Every Wednesday, at dinner time, cupcake recipes hungry mouths anticipate me to deliver on my favourite meal. And I actually have in no way allow them to down.

Wondering why Wednesday? I made a commitment to work a 1/2-day on Wednesdays in order that I can get home on time to start cooking. On my manner returned from work, I stop over at my preferred produce shop to shop for the wished elements; salmon, onions, herbs, vegetables and peppers.

My fish stew is easy to make, and it is healthy and yummy. Prepare it using the beneath listed substances.

Fish, salmon: a great supply of protein, nutrients and Omega 3 fatty acids, improves average mental and physiological health. Filleted salmon is my preference. Onion, with its contents of nutrients and Quercetin, a sort of plant antioxidant, is salubrious to fitness. Red onion is what I grew up with. Jamaican pepper, like maximum peppers, is a good supply of Vitamins, A, B and C for tissue fitness in addition to antioxidants. Scallion (or inexperienced onion), an excellent supply of fiber, nutrients and minerals, strengthens the frame's surveillance gadget. Basil is likewise a source of vitamins, mineral and antioxidants. Preparation:

Hopefully, readers already have essential cooking capabilities along with a way to set a pot on the range, chop pepper, onions and veggies.

Begin via setting the salmon in a pot. Use wild salmon whilst feasible. If now not already executed, cut the fish into pieces of the favored size and lay them in a large pot. Pour sufficient water over to submerge the reduce fish. Turn on the warmth and begin cooking. Follow up via including sliced onions. Two or 3 onions are good enough for a meal that could serve a own family of five. By this time, the meals is beginning to warmness up. Get the scallion geared up by way of reducing them into portions of one-2 inches. Include the stem, however I tend to discard the scallion bulb. Put the scallion to at least one aspect. Next, upload sliced pepper. Jamaican warm pepper is my choice. Two fairly sized Jamaican peppers might provide a meal of that length sufficient hotness to interrupt a sweat on the brow. One pepper might do for the ones averse to pepper. Capsaicin is the substance in pepper that accounts for its degree of hotness. Use any pepper this is attractive. As I stated, my pepper of desire is the Jamaican pepper, additionally called the Caribbean pink pepper. I like them because of their chilliness, sizes, shades and flavor. Different communities have comparable peppers. Were I in my local town, Akokwa, my preference of pepper might obviously be the long and snaky crimson and green outdoor lawn-grown pepper.

The scallion can comply with the pepper. Usually, six to 8 scallions are sold tied together. Two or 3 packs can be ok for a moderately sized meal. Moderation is a virtue on the subject of cooking and consuming. Keep the lid at the pot besides while adding elements.

Check the time. Fifteen mins or so has elapsed due to the fact that we started cooking, and the food is nearly midway to completion.

Grab a slender spatula or a long metallic blunt-ended knife. Using it, gently stir the lowest of the pot to reap homogeneity with out shredding the fish. Adding herbs is the last step in this recipe. The herb basil is easily to be had within the United States so it's far what I use. Had it been to be had in my area, its legendary and medicinal distant relative, 'Nchu-Onwu' (Ocimum gratissimum), of the local Igboland in Nigeria, will healthy or excel different herbs. Its aroma is said, but smooth. Watch out: sand abounds in herbs bought in some stores. Wash such herbs thoroughly a couple of instances earlier than use. There is nothing as off-putting as the grittiness of sand whilst munching a favourite meal. Nobody wants to be reminded through meals approximately the blended truth of normal life.

At this juncture, the forty minute mark is drawing close because the cooking started out. Allow the substances to simmer for some other five minutes, once more with occasional mild stirring.

Turn off the range; the food is prepared. With self belief, go ahead and summon absolutely everyone to the dinner desk.

Salt, Maggi, curry and other seasonings, specially those glued collectively with preservatives, don't have any place in the menu. Salt, one of the most abused food components, is hired by means of food industries and restaurateurs to stimulate the appetite and growth dependency on processed meals promoted often for trade and profiteering.

On the dinner desk, salt turned into in the beginning meant as a car via which iodine, an essential hint element required by the thyroid gland, changed into made available to humans.

Even then, best 1/2 a teaspoon of iodized salt per day is needed to fulfill that iodine responsibility. Salt, which basically is sodium and chloride, in excess to what the body wishes is dangerous to fitness; it contributes to expanded blood strain. A pinch of seafood chocolate cake recipes consisting of Kelp, an awesome source of iodine, can without difficulty update salt for the physiological desires of the thyroid gland with out its unwell results.

Beans, brown rice, yam or Batita Tropicana, cooked simple in a separate pot, are suitable complementary dishes to go together with the 'all is nicely fish stew.'

Prevaricate no greater. Ageing need to never be an excuse to allow the body bloat up. Chisel out, step up and opt for the first-rate look. Ignoring that slab of fats on the abdomen or the neck or the buttocks would not make it go away.

Take a ride to a neighborhood produce save. Grab a cart and cargo up on plant-based objects. Enjoy, among all of nature's different creations, the visuals supplied by means of the panoply of peppers, culmination, nuts, sea meals and vegetables.

Tips All About Homeschooling Your Children

For some students, the timeless tradition of attending school in a classroom simply isn't enough to engage and educate them. Others have special needs that cannot be met in public schools. When private schools aren't an option, many are turning to homeschooling as a way to protect students from subpar education and provide them with unique learning opportunities. Tesol Certification Whatever your reason for considering homeschooling, the tips below should help you along the way.

Just because you follow a curriculum from another source, does not mean you must follow it to the letter. There are often going to be parts of a curriculum that do not suit your child's learning style or schedule. Be flexible with a curriculum and do not be afraid to drop those parts that are not fitting for your educational plan.

It is okay to use computers when homeschooling your children, do not completely rely on them. As you probably already know, computers are very prone to problems like viruses and freezes. Because of these problems, it is important that you continue to use textbooks and other physical materials as well.

Find out what your state has in place as far as homeschooling regulations. Some states have very strict rules with many hoops you have to jump through, so you must find out what your state requires of you before you get started. Some states are more lax, so start researching today!

Don't forget the 'social' side of school. A child gains much more from school than simply academics. Make sure that your child is involved in activities that a school offers such as sports and music. This can be achieved by meeting other homeschool parents and organizing extra curricular activities at the end of the school day or the weekend.

Set up a classroom area that is well supplied and and conducive to learning. It should be separate from the areas where your child plays. Also, bring a box of necessary supplies for your lesson plan.

Know when to back off. When a particular approach is continually failing, start working on an alternative solution. Instead, Tesol Certification find another way that does work. If your child is bored, you may need to spice things up and use documentaries, fun websites or even tutors to help your child want to learn. Pushing a child leads to failure.

Research the resources available in your area. Certain establishments may have special classes or activities designed particularly for homeschooled children. You may also get discounts on cultural events in the area. Also, do not forget about the Internet. There is a wealth of knowledge on different forums and websites that is easy to access.

Remember that even public schools may not hit every subject, every day. While math and reading are considered core curriculum, children may only have art once a week and something like science three times a week. Don't stress yourself out trying to get too much into your day. Experiment a little and find a schedule that works for you.

No matter what your motivations are for considering home schooling, it's best to go into it fully prepared. This is an important decision and you must determine the best way to ensure your child is afforded Tesol Certification all the educational opportunities available. Hopefully this article has inspired you to move forward with your dreams of homeschooling your child.

Want To Look Your Best? Look No Further

So, you want to try your hand at beauty, eh? Do you know anything about this activity? Do you know about all the different kinds of products that you can use? Do you know what entails a successful look? Tribal Tattoos If these questions raise more questions than you can answer, try looking at the tips below.

Brighten up your eyes with this natural look: apply a light, neutral-colored eye shadow to your entire upper eyelid. Look for sand, khaki, beige, or fawn colors. This will neutralize any redness on your lids, which can make you appear older and tired. Add drama by smudging a darker shade on the lids just in the crease.

Keep your eye gel in your refrigerator. This can help soothe puffy eyes or dark circles around your eyes. Cool eye gel can really make your eyes look refreshed after a long night out. Just apply it as you normally would to see results that are immediate and will last all day.

You can use baking soda to restore your hair's shininess! Mix a little baking soda with your shampoo in your hand. Then normally was your hair. This will restore your hair's luster.

Darkening very light eyelashes can really open up the eyes and make a noticeable impact on the eye color. Avoid using black mascara, which may appear way too harsh on light lashes and against lighter hair colors. Instead, you can have them tinted professionally or you can use brown pencil to line your eyes.

Curl your lashes with an eyelash curler prior to applying mascara. Using an eyelash curler can make a bigger impact that you realize, helping your lashes look longer, and also creating the visual illusion of lifting the entire area surrounding your eyes. Apply the eyelash curler, starting from the base. Then, squeeze it again when moving it toward your lashes' end. Doing this gives your lashes more of a naturally curvy appearance than an artificial sharp angle.

Rather than purchasing expensive skin cleansers, moisturizers and exfoliants, consider using products such as pure castile soap, mild toners like witch hazel, and a soft washcloth. These wholesome ingredients are great for all skin types. You can add a little vitamin E oil to the aloe vera gel for more moisture. If you prefer a medicated, blemish-fighting toner, add a couple drops of tea tree essential oil.

Use hydrogen peroxide to cure yellowed nails. Nothing is beautiful about yellowing nails. To fix this problem, soak cotton in peroxide and then wipe each nail for several strokes. Let it sit on your nails for a few minutes. Rinse your nails, and admire the lack of yellow coloring.

Do you now understand what makes beauty beautiful? Do you know about applicators and products, along with how to use them? Do you now know what it takes to make a great look? If you have an idea of how to answer these questions now, then you have read and understood what it takes to become a better beautician.

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