#Autism school in Malaysia

[silas-ng-dc-blog]

Can Social Media Be Used To Spread Health Awareness?

In 2024, it can be said that everyone is familiar with the words “social media”, a term synchronous with dopamine-seeking Internet users that scroll endlessly on their phones all day with their eyes glued to an LED screen. Though this may seem worrisome, which it is, social media has several upsides to it that make the aforementioned issue seem justifiable.

Specifically, social media can be used to spread health awareness to its users. The infamous Ice Bucket challenge in 2014 was started to promote awareness of the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis disease and also showcases the unmatched potential social media wields when it comes to educating the public on urgent issues currently plaguing in the world.

Mohammed W. et. al. (2021) said that social media holds significant potential for sharing information about healthy behaviors, disease prevention, treatment, management, and care.

Additionally, health educators have leveraged social media to establish support groups, advocate for health equity among disadvantaged communities, engage with partners, and dispel misinformation on public health issues. As technology advances and social media evolves, it is becoming a powerful tool for raising awareness, educating on socially relevant topics, and conducting activities, online courses, and classes more efficiently than traditional face-to-face interactions (Latha K. et. al, 2020). Latha K. et. al. (2020) continues in their report saying that social media facilitates the connection of people, leading to increased exchange of information regarding health.

Continuing from the aforementioned Ice Bucket challenge are other challenges with similar aims of spreading health awareness to social media users. Another example is the No Make-Up Selfie challenge whose main objective was to spread cancer awareness by having women post selfies where they were not wearing make-up. BC NEWS (2014) stated that the trend grew on its own and was not started by cancer charities or organizations. Additionally, we have “Movember”, which is a trend where in every November, men were challenged to grow mustaches and both men and women were urged to be more physically active to raise awareness about men’s mental issues. Movember began in Australia in 2003 to raise awareness about men’s health issues. By 2004, it became an official charity, with all proceeds directed to the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia (Manulife Malaysia).

However, social media users should still be wary of any health-related information they come across on the internet or the various applications they use. The spread of health misinformation is rampant in the digital world, and many have already believed its false claims. Chou W. Y. S. et. al. (2020) defines health misinformation as any health-related statement of fact that is inaccurate according to current scientific consensus.  Monica L. W. (2024) wrote that vaccines are the leading subject of misleading health information with some myths being infertility after vaccination and supposed cause of autism related to vaccines. Not surprisingly, these hoaxes have led to the demise of many people, as seen in the recent COVID-19 pandemic, there was widespread confusion between people who opposed vaccination and those who supported it. According to the data from Brown University School of Public Health, approximately 319,000 COVID-19 deaths in the United States between January 2021 and April 2022 could have been prevented if those individuals had been vaccinated (Monica L. W., 2024).

The myriad of false information on the internet and social media alike have grown to immeasurable proportions. With at least 80% of online people using the internet for health-related topics, an NBC News analysis has raised concerns about what type of information these people may have run into (Brandy Z., 2019). Brandy (2019) continues in her article writing that cancer is the most common topic of health misinformation, with viral articles advocating unverified cancer cures accounting for one-third of their list.

Having said all this, it seems obvious that the cons far outweigh the pros in this scenario. The damage that health misinformation on the internet has done is severe and long lasting, forcing users to think twice about every article or post they come across that is related to health. However, I still believe that social media can be used to spread health awareness effectively. With the right support, audience, and a solid foundation built through trust and results, individuals and organizations alike can utilize the vast power of social media to bring health education to the masses.

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References:

Brandy Z., 29th December 2019, Social media hosted a lot of fake health news this year. Here’s what went most viral, NBC News, viewed 24th October 2024, https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/social-media-hosted-lot-fake-health-news-year-here-s-n1107466

Chou W. Y. S., Gaysynsky A., Capella J. N., October 2020, Where We Go From Here: Health Misinformation on Social Media, PubMed Central, viewed 24th October 2024, https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7532328/

Latha K., Meena K. S., Pravitha M. R., Dasgupta M., Chaturvedi S. K., 28th May 2020, Effective use of social media platforms for promotion of mental health awareness, PubMed Central, viewed 23rd October 2024, https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7325786/

Manulife Malaysia, Get Ready for Movember because there’s #nothingtofear, Manulife, viewed 23rd October 2024, https://www.manulife.com.my/en/individual/insights/get-ready-for-movember-because-nothing-to-fear.html

Mohammed W., Alanzi T., Alanezi F., Alhodaib H., AlShammari M., 2021, Usage of social media for health awareness purposes among health educators and students in Saudi Arabia, Elsevier, viewed 23rd October 2024,    https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352914821000435\

Monica L. W., 9th February 2024, POV: Health Misinformation Is Rampant on Social Media, BU Today, viewed 24th October 2024, https://www.bu.edu/articles/2024/health-misinformation-rampant-on-social-media/

Roy R. & Malloy J., 8th May 2023, Evolving Role of Social Media in Health Promotion, Intechopen, viewed 23rd October 2024, https://www.intechopen.com/chapters/87491

BBC NEWS, 22nd March 2014, Why the ‘no make-up selfies’ campaign raised £2m, BBC NEWS, viewed 23rd October 2024, https://www.bbc.com/news/health-26683817

[mokonahapuuuuuu]

Strong - a screenplay

Some names and details were changed for privacy. 

——— 

1 INT. - ELEMENTARY SCHOOL HALLWAY - DAY

A girl (LEA) sits in the stair hallway at recess. A few Asian girls come and surround her. The light is not on, and it’s dark everywhere. 

GIRL 1

Germ girl. 

GIRL 2 

Weirdo. 

GIRL 3

Retard. 

Younger LEA gets up and walks up the staircase. One of the girls gasp. 

—— 

2 INT. - A HIGH SCHOOL CLASSROOM - DAY 

LEA is in her grade 9 English class. She felt she paid her dues in elementary school from being bullied so much and has a freer life. She has a decent amount of friends. 

She looks over at FRED and he softly waves at her. She softly waves back. After the disaster of her last crush, and some other mistakes from grade 8 when she moved to Calgary from Vancouver, maybe her luck was turning around. Maybe achieving the high school milestones was coming true after all. 

A memory of LEA and FRED playing basketball together in gym class plays. They are laughing together, that this is a memory for the books.

FRED was a typical tall jock guy and was popular, but he was decent. Or was it all it seemed under the surface?

—— 

3 INT. - HIGH SCHOOL CAFETERIA - DAY 

LEA is walking through the cafeteria and passes by REGINA. 

Last year, REGINA seemed like a second command to another more tomboyish Queen B, but REGINA has a few tricks up her sleeve this year. 

REGINA

(starts rapping to will.i.am’s I Got It From My Mama)

Where did you get your body from? Where did you get your body from? I got it from my mama. I got it from my mama.

(She turns towards LEA’S ear)

(whispers)

Ew. 

Turning, LEA sees REGINA continue to walk away like nothing happened at all. Not knowing what’s going to happen in the future. 

——

4 INT. - A BUDDHIST TEMPLE - EVENING

LEA is at a house which was turned into a Buddhist temple where the nuns live and pray in. She, her mother and brother go there. 

MOM lately has been using religion as solace nowadays. She prays deeply at the alter.

LEA considers one of the NUN’S a special friend for guidance and help. The NUN is leaving back for Malaysia. 

BUDDHIST NUN 

(As they hold each other’s hands, she looks concerned at LEA.)

Listen to your mother.

LEA

(Nodding.) 

I will.

—— 

5 INT. - HOME - EVENING 

Home is havoc. Everyone is yelling. It had been like that ever since spring came around the corner. For some odd reason, MOM was changing for the worst. More blunt, cold. 

They are in bed. 

The girls share a bed, since the house is small. LEA was ungrateful they had to be in that small of a house in grade 8, though MOM retorted back at least they weren’t like other less fortunate families who had to sleep in the basement of a church. When grade 9 came, LEA saw through all the stuck up air of high school, but what MOM was doing was scary. 

LEA pleads for MOM to tell her everything is going to be okay. 

MOM bangs her head on the wall at least three times. 

LEA

(Crying.) 

Mama, no… No, please. (LEA holds MOM.) It’s gonna be okay. 

6 INT. - DINING ROOM - EVENING

A typical seating where MOM and LEA are talking. LEA was just minding her own business, in the middle of school and friends. MOM is just a volcano waiting to erupt.

MOM 

If I find out that you have had sex before you are married, I WILL KILL YOU!

—— 

7 INT. - HIGH SCHOOL CLASSROOM - DAY

It is after class. LEA wants to get FRED’S attention, so a little teasing wouldn’t hurt, would it? Lately, FRED has been acting a little distant lately. FRED’S friends are there as well.

LEA grabs FRED’S backpack.

FRED

Lea, bring it back here right now…!

LEA 

What do you have in there, rocks? 

FRED 

(Annoyed.) 

No…

She puts down the bag on the table.

This wasn’t the flirtatious, lighthearted guy she knew. What was going on? Maybe he was having an off day.

8 INT. - HIGH SCHOOL HALLWAY - DAY

LEA is in the hallway reading her science textbook and worksheet. It was too loud in the classroom, a sign of overstimulation in autism. It happened before in another class. It wasn’t just people talking, it was also loud music. 

The perfect ammunition to get picked on by others. 

The half bell rings. Despite there wasn’t as much people in the halls, she still saw FRED and REGINA holding each other, right in front of her. 

Despite the noise, she still hears their laughter. 

LEA decides not to react. Don’t give them anything to use against you any further. 

With FRED being all nice to her and REGINA being all mean, it couldn’t have been all on purpose, right? 

—— 

9 INT. - HIGH SCHOOL HALLWAY - DAY

It is grade 10. Finally, senior high. What will this year bring? 

LEA has a crush on a new guy after FRED. She walks up to ASHLEY. 

LEA 

Hey, I really like Chris, what do you think about all this?

ASHLEY looks away.

ASHLEY

(A tad worried, but still sociable and smiley)

Lea, I think you’re… (flexes a muscle) coming on strong. 

LEA steps back. What does it mean? Whatever it means, it means she made a mistake and was a bad person. 

‘Coming on strong’ means that you did something bad. 

10 INT. - HIGH SCHOOL HALLWAY - DAY 

LEA is hyperactive and jolly. There are other students around. 

She cheers and stage dives for CARL’S hand. 

CARL 

Lea, you’re… coming on strong. 

11 INT. - HIGH SCHOOL HALLWAY - DAY 

MIKE was avoiding and ignoring LEA ever since late grade 9 last year. Now, he was being even more mean to her in grade 10. 

Everyone is sitting in front of lockers at lunch time eating. LEA didn’t get an answer from MIKE before she left from the floor. She bangs her elbow on the lockers.

It wasn’t fair. How could everyone else get respect and dignity, while she was ignored? No, she wasn’t going to be that replaced girl anymore. In her place beside MIKE was a more attractive girl, FIONA. NINA is also in the crowd, beside MIKE.

How dare they? 

LEA

(Shouting)

Am I even goddamn human to you?! 

MIKE, NINA, FIONA and a few other students look up. MIKE’S brow furrowing. LEA runs away, tears in her eyes. 

(VOICE) (V/O)

Hey, Lea. You’re a retard. You’re just like THEM. 

Those ugly people who can’t even talk or walk who are lucky to exist?

Yeah, that’s you.

(VOICE) (V/O)

(mixed of male and female voices)

Why are you wearing an Artizia hoodie? 

You were never one of us.

Where’s your teacher helper, like all the other ‘special kids’ have?

——

12 INT. - MS. WITHER’S COUNSELOR OFFICE - DAY

LEA is sitting on the chair, crying. Hurt. The flag of Alberta, Canada is on the wall of MS. WITHERS’S office.

LEA 

What he did hurt so much, he should have told me… 

MS. WITHERS

No. (Shaking her head.) What you did was inappropriate. You were coming on strong. 

—— 

13 INT. - HOME - EVENING

LEA, MOM, and LEO come back home from being picked up at school and MOM at work.

MOM 

Do you need medicine?

LEA

No, I don’t, could you just leave me alone?

MOM

What if you’re really hurt?

LEA

Okay, no I didn’t fall off the stage in drama class. I was upset cus I argued with someone at school at lunch time.

MOM

So you lied to me over a boy? Do you like him?

LEA

What, no. He’s just a friend. Seriously.

MOM is a little angry at LEA for lying, saying that she hurt herself in drama class, but really, she was crying over something MIKE did. MOM thinks that what MIKE did was nothing to cry over. DAD sees the emotional scene, silently laughs, and walks up the stairs to his bedroom.

MOM is mad at LEA for lying, and is about to lecture her.

MOM

Teenagers, always acting like they are the most important thing in the world… Well, you aren’t! Why did you lie?

LEA

Well, I could never tell you anything about my friends, or the guys I liked.

MOM

Why would I want to hear all that teenager shit?

LEA

Everything’s so hard this year. My grades are down the drain, Chris probably likes someone else, and Mike won’t give me a straight answer…!

MOM

(Looks over at LEA and snarls.)

You scream like a whore.

LEA

(Eyes widen.) 

I gave up my friends last year for you, and got bullied for our religious beliefs, and you still call me that?

MOM

(Shrugs.)

Yes.

——

14 INT. - HIGH SCHOOL HALLWAY - MORNING 

ANNE is a close friend of MIKE and NINA. She is at her locker while she talks with LEA, getting a few books. 

ANNE 

You shouldn’t have pressed Mike like that.

LEA 

Well, what he did hurt, okay. I thought he was my friend. 

ANNE 

You were coming on strong, and that’s why he did what he did. 

15 INT. - HIGH SCHOOL GYM - MORNING

There is LEA, her friend AMELIA, GLADYS, and NINA. NINA was slowly turning into a bully after grade 10 started, and loved to pick on LEA.

LEA 

I think Fred and Regina got together to get back at me. 

AMELIA 

Well, Regina dated a lot of people, so it could just be a coincidence. 

NINA 

Was it because you were COMING ON STRONG? 

(As she said those last three words, she turns around and stomps her foot.) 

16 INT. - HIGH SCHOOL HALLWAY - DAY

LEA and ASHLEY are in the hallway during math class. 

As they are talking, MS. WEBBER is there. 

MS. WEBBER 

(Stretches her arms out as if LEA’S an alien.) 

You come on a bit strong. 

MS. WEBBER (CONT’D)

You got to have a more stiff upper lip, Lea. Chin up.

——

17 EXT. - SCHOOL - DAY

LEA sees all of her friends in couples. Even CHRIS recently got a girlfriend, and LEA is jealous. She wishes she could be her. She can’t bare to see CHRIS and his new GIRLFRIEND walking together, so she dashes out of sight.

She was singled out there, literally.

—— 

18 INT. - MS. WITHERS’ COUNSELOR OFFICE - DAY

MS. WITHERS wants LEA to sign a document (IPP) that confirms her autism diagnosis. A copy of ‘The Scarlet Letter’ - Nathaniel Hawthorne is in the background. Just as the letter ‘A’ was a symbol of stigma in the book, it also alludes to ‘autism’.

LEA

No. I’m not going to sign it. I believe I don’t have this disease.

MS. WITHERS

But there are deaf students here at the school as well. Don’t you believe they have a right to be at the school as much as you do?

LEA

Well, if autistic people don’t want to be bullied, they should be home schooled.

MS. WITHERS

(Hesitates.)

Do you believe that you’ve just insulted people with autism?

LEA

(Leans forward assertively.)

They aren’t in this room, are they?

MS. WITHERS

(Looks away.)

Well, then… you are entitled to your opinion.

——

19 INT. - SAFEWAY - DAY

LEA and MOM are going to get food after school. LEA sees MATT, TOM, and JANIS in the deli line.

LEA

Hey, guys…!

MATT

Oh, hey, Lea…

LEA is on her toes, trying to be apart of the conversation.

MOM

No…! (Grabs LEA by the hips and moves her.) You stay right here.

LEA goes back to where she was and continues to be on her toes, trying to join in on the conversation. MOM looks mad.

——

20 INT. - HOME - DAY

LEA and LEO are at home. It is after school. LEA is enjoying herself as she had her favourite meal and is about to write a short story.

LEO

People came after me today.

She turns to look at LEO.

LEO

They tell me you act all weird, thinking you’re funny, but really you’re not.

LEA walks further to her room.

LEO

How could you do this. Do this to me. Do this to our family? You embarrass us all and are the shame out of all of us.

LEO (CONT’D)

They think I’m crazy as well, because of you. I am humiliated because of you. Why don’t you just keep a low profile like what I do?

LEA

Well, I wouldn’t say calling every girl in your class fat as ‘keeping a low profile’.

He called LEA fat as well. He walks to his room, about to close the door.

LEO

How are you my sister?

It’s ironic that LEO was implying about LEA’S autism diagnosis, when in fact, LEO may be on the spectrum as well. Shy, awkward, glasses. Typical smart, nerd, geeky guy stuff. The kettle was calling the pot black.

The door shuts.

——

21 INT. - UNCLE IAN’S HOUSE - NIGHT

LEA is at her UNCLE IAN’S house in Vancouver.

Around IAN’S house are his kid’s trophies in sports and photos of them at sports competitions. They are very successful in sports.

LEA

You just don’t get it, do you? I try to tell you to not call me strong, but you keep on doing it.

IAN

I didn’t bring up about being strong.

LEA

They all said it to me. “Hey, Lea, you have no friends cus you come on strong…!” “Oh he doesn’t like you? Was it because you were coming on strong?” SHUT UP!

IAN

(Shakes his head.)

All this… psychobabble stuff, looking through the rose coloured glasses? It’s all made up!

LEA

(Eyes widen.)

How could you say that?!

——— 

22 INT. - SCHOOLCREATIVE VOICEOVER STUDIO CLASSROOM - EVENING

LEA is in front of her classmates and with CAT HAGGQUIST. She is reading aloud her rules. Soon she is hyperventilating. 

LEA

What is this? I’m a monster, I’m a freak…!

(Further hyperventilation.)

NINA (V/O)

Do you come on strong because you are autistic?

A flash of FRED and REGINA holding each other plays through. 

REGINA (V/O)

Look at us. 

We have the friends. The boyfriends. And there you are.

All alone with NOTHING.

——

23 INT./EXT. - LEA’S APARTMENT - EVENING

IAN is keeping his distance from LEA ever since talking about psychology and autism since December, hence why they are at LEA’S apartment. He was also there to drop something off, a way to further distance her from his property and his children.

IAN

So like, is there any medications for it to make it go away? Surgery? Machine aids? Do you see things that aren’t there?

LEA

Uh, that’s schizophrenia, and it’s nothing at all like autism.

IAN

But you can make all of this go away. Right?

LEA

It doesn’t work like that. There are workshops out there at the autism society to make it better. It’s not going to go away, but it’s a start. It’s like being deaf. You just can’t pound the hearing into them; one, two, three. For my case, there’s just no hearing aid for me.

IAN

What you are saying is that you refuse to change. (He gets up from the chair and walks to the door.) Take care, and don't call me, nor my family ever again. 

The door slams.

LEA

Uncle Ian…!

She is all alone. IAN just walked out the door, literally, and even if MOM was around, she wouldn’t be supportive anyways. Since when was MOM ever supportive at all.

She was tired of having no answers. No answers from IAN, no answers from GARY, the guy she had feelings for. Aside from answers, she needed someone to yell at.

She storms to the payphone and types in GARY’S number.

GARY

Hello?

LEA

Don’t you dare try to block this number…! I know what you’ve been doing. Look, I don’t care, I really need your help. My uncle, he… he…

[BEAT]

GARY 

You can’t just come over and cry. I have a life…! I’m not responsible for anything. [Dialogue]

GARY’S words whizz pass her. Gone was the kind voice she got to know over last autumn.

GARY

Goodbye…!

LEA sinks to the ground. At this moment, she was completely and utterly alone.

On a calendar nearby, it mentions it’s only three days until Valentine’s Day.

——

24 INT. - HOME IN GOLDEN, BC - DAY

MOM is in the kitchen looking at LEA who just moved back from school.

MOM

I’m actually ashamed that you’re born this way.

Shaking her head, LEA leaves the kitchen, and goes to the room and shuts the door behind her.

LEO

(draws closer to MOM)

I’m glad I told her to not tell others that she’s autistic, otherwise people will think she’s crazy…

LEA ponders and looks outside Golden, BC’s wilderness.

LEA (V/O)

Everyone’s against me for being born this way. Mother, Ian, Leo… everyone in high school. Is the whole world trying to conspire against me?!

LEA (V/O. CONT’D)

I did all this work in acting school, and everyone still isn’t on my side.

——

25 INT. - IMAGINATION - DAY/NIGHT

MIKE

We’re sorry for what we did to you back then.

NINA

We just did the things we did so we would have fit in back then.

MIKE

We had nothing against you. We just thought we were cool when we were being mean to you.

MIKE fades out. NINA is still there.

LEA

(walks angrily over to NINA)

I still have a problem with you.

LEA (CONT’D)

You still don’t get it, do you. You really hurt me back then, you know. Mocking me in every single way. And to top it off, my love life… It was lower than low. How could you do that?

NINA

Oh, come on, it was years ago, you really gotta let all this go, hun.

The flag of Alberta, Canada flashes behind.

LEA

In my homeland, we have to be perfect. Psychology still is taboo. My own relative even left me behind over it.

LEA sinks to the floor.

LEA

I heard ‘get over it’ or ‘move forward’ so many times. What, is it an Albertan thing to do?

LEA (CONT’D)

Did you know that mother thinks I’m a living sin, just for being born this way?

————

26 EXT. - ENGLISH BAY BEACH - EVENING

The summer sun slowly sets in the horizon. LEA looks out. She is in Vancouver. She is home. She lies down in the sand as she hears the ocean waves and breeze take her away.

LEA (V/O) 

"Either way, you are yourself. That's what counts. How you were born is unimportant. It's the same for anybody. We don't choose to be born. We simply realize, one day, that we're here… That we exist." - Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean

[brookston]

Holidays 4.26

Holidays

Activity Advisor Appreciation Day

Alien Day

Arbor Day (Germany)

Audubon Day

Australian Appreciation Day

Beatrix Asteroid Day

Cape Henry Day (Virginia)

Chuvash Language Day (Russia)

Common Columbine Day (French Republic)

Confederate Memorial Day (Florida)

Day of Remembrance of the Chernobyl Tragedy (Belarus)

Festival of Individual Sovereignty

Football Day (Kazakhstan)

426 Day

General Prayer Day (Denmark)

Get Organized Day

Help a Horse Day

High School Radio Day

Hug a Friend Day

Hug An Australian Day

Hug a Prom Sponsor

Huntingdonshire Day (England)

Internal Medicine Research Day

International Chernobyl Disaster Remembrance Day (UN)

International Choerm Day

International Day of Humor

International Day of the Penis

International Flamingo Day

International Seeds Day

International Shared Parenting Day

Lesbian Visibility Day

Lily of the Valley Day (French Republic)

Memorial Day of Radiation Accidents and Catastrophes (Russia)

National Ai Day

National Audubon Day

National Dissertation Day

National Drug Take Back Day

National Gabriel Day

National Garage Day

National Hand Holding Day

National Help a Horse Day

National Hit It From the Back Day

National Jason Day

National Kids and Pets Day

National No Makeup Day

National Ranboo Day

National South Dakota Day

Old Permic Alphabet Day

Parental Alienation Awareness Day

Poetry and the Creative Mind Day

Prayer Day (Faroe Islands; Greenland)

Read Me Day

Regional Autonomy Day (Indonesia)

Remember Your First Kiss Day

Resistance Day (Day of the Uprising Against the Occupying Forces; Slovenia) [26th Unless a Sunday, then 27th]

Richter Scale Day

Secretaries’ Day (Colombia)

Self-Aware Universe Day

Shared Parenting Day (Kentucky)

Shuffleboard Day

Static Cling Day

Studio 54 Day

Sultan’s Day (Malaysia)

Tartar Language Day

Underground Nuclear Test Day

Union Day (Tanzania)

Vallenato Legend Festival begins (Colombia)

Venus Day

Visakhabousa Day (Laos)

Wallabee Day

World Burlesque Day

World Intellectual Freedom Day

World Intellectual Property Day (UN)

World Pilots’ Day

YMCA Healthy Kids Day

Food & Drink Celebrations

Beer Autism Hope Day

International Macaroni Day

National Pretzel Day

4th & Last Friday in April

Arbor Day [Last Friday]

Arbrewday [Last Friday]

Childcare Professionals Day [Last Friday]

Children’s Memorial Flag Day [Last Friday]

Day of Dialogue [Last Friday]

Flashback Friday [Every Friday]

Friendship Friday [Last Friday]

Fry Day (Pastafarian; Fritism) [Every Friday]

Hairball Awareness Day [Last Friday]

Hooky Day (Argentina) [Last Friday]

International Viognier Day [Last Friday]

National Historic Marker Day [Last Friday]

National Skipping Day (UK) [4th Friday]

Swiss Beer Day (Switzerland) [Last Friday]

Undiagnosed Children’s Day (UK) [Last Friday]

World Meningitis Day [4th Friday]

World Women’s Wellness Day [Last Friday]

Weekly Holidays beginning April 26 (4th Week)

Global Youth Service Days [Last Weekend] (thru 4.28)

Interstate Mullet Toss [Last Weekend] (thru 4.28)

National Dream Hotline [Last Weekend] (thru 4.28)

National Pie Championships [Last Weekend] (thru 4.28)

Independence & Related Days

Aetosia (Declared; 2019) [unrecognized]

Karisradd (Declared; 2013) [unrecognized]

Kotland (Declared; 2020) [unrecognized]

Republic of Alba (Declared; 1796) [lasted 2 days]

Roskya (Declared; 2020) [unrecognized]

Tanzania (Union Day; Created by Zanzibar and Tanganyika merger; 1964)

New Year’s Days

New Year’s Seed Sowing Ceremony (Goddess of Fertility; Sierra Leone)

Festivals Beginning April 26, 2024

Asheville Spring Herb Festival (Asheville, North Carolina) [thru 4.28]

Astoria-Warrenton Crab, Seafood & Wine Festival (Astoria, Oregon) [thru 4.28]

Big Island Chocolate Festival (Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel; Hawaii) [thru 4.27]

Brewgaloo (Raleigh, North Carolina)) [thru 4.27]

Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo (Chicago, Illinois) [thru 4.28]

Chicken Fried Steak Festival (Lamesa, Texas) [thru 4.28]

Clinton-Hickman County Spring Chicken Festival (Clinton, Kentucky) [thru 4.27]

Colleton County Rice Festival (Walterboro, South Carolina) [thru 4.27]

Fiddler’s Frolic [thru 4.28]

Georgia State Fair, Spring (Metro Atlanta, Hampton, Georgia) [thru 5.5]

Glen Lake Restaurant Week (Glen Arbor Area, Michigan) [thru 5.4]

Interstate Mullet Toss and Gulf Coast’s Greatest Beach Party (Orange Beach, Alabama) [thru 4.27]

Pensacola Crawfish Festival (Pensacola, Florida) [thru 4.28]

Procession of the Species (Olympia, Washington) [thru 4.27]

Sacramento Beer Week (Sacramento, California) [thru 5.5]

Sacred Heart Garden City Festival (Augusta, Georgia) [thru 4.27]

Santa Barbara Restaurent Week (Santa Barbara, California) [thru 5.5]

Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival (Winchester, Virginia) [thru 5.5]

Striped Bass Festival (Manning, South Carolina) [thru 4.27]

Vermontville Maple Syrup Festival (St. Albans, Michigan) [thru 4.28]

Wakarusa Maple Syrup Festival (Wakarusa, Indiana) [thru 4.28]

Feast Days

Aldobrandesca (a.k.a. Alda; Christian; Saint)

Anacletus, Pope (a.k.a. Cletius) and Marcellinus (Christian; Martyrs)

Basil (Christian; Saint)

Bernard Malamud (Writerism)

The Birthday Cake (Muppetism)

Cimon (Positivist; Saint)

Cletus and Marcellinus (Christian; Martyrs)

Delphinia (Festival of Apollo; Ancient Greece)

Edward Charles Tarbell (Artology)

Eugène Delacroix (Artology)

Fairy Laughter Convention (Shamanism)

Festival of Renenutet (Ancient Egypt)

The Fixer, by Bernard Malamud (Novel; 1966)

Franca Visalta (Christian; Saint)

Get Organized Day (Pastafarian)

Giamonios (Celtic Book of Days)

Gian Paolo Lomazzo (Artology)

Hug An Australian Day (Pastafarian)

Jethro Tull Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

John James Audubon (Artology)

Lucidius of Verona (Christian; Saint)

Mayan Rain Festival (Ancient Mayan)

Memorial of Our Lady of Good Counsel (Christian)

Moon Magick Day (Starza Pagan Book of Days)

Our Lady of Good Counsel (Christian; Saint)

Paschasius Radbertus (Christian; Saint)

Peter of Rates (or of Braga; Christian; Saint)

Rafael Arnaiz (Christian; Saint) [Diabetes]

Riquier (a.k.a. Ricardius; Christian; Saint)

Robert Hunt (Episcopal Church (USA))

Sacrifice to Zeus Epacrios (Ancient Greece)

Stephen of Perm (Christian; Saint)

Trudpert (Christian; Saint)

Visakh Bochea Day (Buddha Day; Cambodia)

Walpurgisnacht, Day IV (Pagan)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Lucky Day (Philippines) [22 of 71]

Tomobiki (友引 Japan) [Good luck all day, except at noon.]

Uncyclopedia Bad to Be Born Today (because the Chernobyl meltdown began.)

Premieres

American Recordings, by Johnny Cash (Album; 1994)

Avengers: Endgame (Film; 2019)

Bear De Guerre (The Inspector Cartoon; 1968)

Belfagor, by Ottorino Respighi (Opera; 1923)

The Bridge at Andau, by James A. Michener (History Book; 1957)

The Cat Concerto (Tom & Jerry Cartoon; 1947)

Devils & Dust, by Bruce Springsteen (Album; 2005)

Dogtown and Z-Boys (Documentary Film; 2002)

Dragon Ball Z (Anime TV Series; 1989)

The Enchanted Wood, by Enid Blyton (Children’s Book; 1939)

Farewell, My Lovely, by Raymond Chandler (Novel; 1940)

4th Symphony, by Charles Ives (Symphony; 1965)

The Goose Goes South (MGM Cartoon; 1941)

Gunsmoke (Radio Series; 1952)

The Handmaid’s Tale (TV Series; 2017)

The Hip-Nut-Tist (Fleischer Popeye Cartoon; 1935)

Just One of the Guys (Film; 1985)

The Last Waltz, by The Band (Live Album & Concert Film; 1978)

Moosylvania Wish Mash or A State of Confusion (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S6, Ep. 366; 1965)

Moosylvania Saved, Part 3 (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S6, Ep. 365; 1965)

The Muppet Musicians of Bremen (Muppet TV Special; 1972)

Neverland, by Jim Steinman (Musical Play; 1977)

Pink Posies (Pink Panther Cartoon; 1967)

The Reluctant Recruit (Woody Woodpecker Cartoon; 1971)

Seven Samurai (Film; 1954)

The Ship Who Sang, by Anne McCaffrey (Novel; 1969)

Swing Your Partner (Swing Symphony Cartoon; 1943)

Those Were Wonderful Days (WB MM Cartoon; 1934)

Throwing Copper, by Live (Album; 1994)

The Trial, by Franz Kafka (Novel; 1925)

The Truth About Cats & Dogs (Film; 1996)

Tugboat Mickey (Disney Cartoon; 1940)

Ups ’n Downs (WB LT Cartoon; 1931)

A Waggily Tale (WB LT Cartoon; 1958)

”Weird Al” Yankovic, by Weird Al Yankovic (Album; 1983)

Today’s Name Days

Helene, Trudpert (Austria)

Kleto, Maksima, Montan, Stanislav, Višnja (Croatia)

Oto (Czech Republic)

Cletus (Denmark)

Eesi, Reesi, Teesi, Teisi, Tereese (Estonia)

Teresa, Terttu, Tessa (Finland)

Alida (France)

Consuela, Helene (Germany)

Glafyra (Greece)

Ervin (Hungary)

Alida, Bianca, Cleto, Marcellino (Italy)

Alīna, Geraldine, Rusins, Sandris (Latvia)

Dargailė, Gailenis, Klaudijus (Lithuania)

Tea, Terese (Norway)

Artemon, Klaudiusz, Klet, Marcelin, Marcelina, Maria, Marzena, Spycimir (Poland)

Chindeu, Chiril, Tasie, Vasile (Romania)

Jaroslava (Slovakia)

Isidoro (Spain)

Terese, Teresia (Sweden)

Clarence, DeMarco, Demarcus, Demario (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 117 of 2024; 249 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 5 of week 17 of 2024

Celtic Tree Calendar: Saille (Willow) [Day 13 of 28]

Chinese: Month 3 (Wu-Chen), Day 18 (Geng-Shen)

Chinese Year of the: Dragon 4722 (until January 29, 2025) [Wu-Chen]

Hebrew: 18 Nisan 5784

Islamic: 17 Shawwal 1445

J Cal: 27 Cyan; Sixday [27 of 30]

Julian: 13 April 2024

Moon: 92%: Waning Gibbous

Positivist: 5 Caesar (5th Month) [Xenophon]

Runic Half Month: Lagu (Flowing Water) [Day 2 of 15]

Season: Spring (Day 39 of 92)

Week: 4th Week of April

Zodiac: Taurus (Day 7 of 31)

[brookstonalmanac]

Holidays 4.26

Holidays

Activity Advisor Appreciation Day

Alien Day

Arbor Day (Germany)

Audubon Day

Australian Appreciation Day

Beatrix Asteroid Day

Cape Henry Day (Virginia)

Chuvash Language Day (Russia)

Common Columbine Day (French Republic)

Confederate Memorial Day (Florida)

Day of Remembrance of the Chernobyl Tragedy (Belarus)

Festival of Individual Sovereignty

Football Day (Kazakhstan)

426 Day

General Prayer Day (Denmark)

Get Organized Day

Help a Horse Day

High School Radio Day

Hug a Friend Day

Hug An Australian Day

Hug a Prom Sponsor

Huntingdonshire Day (England)

Internal Medicine Research Day

International Chernobyl Disaster Remembrance Day (UN)

International Choerm Day

International Day of Humor

International Day of the Penis

International Flamingo Day

International Seeds Day

International Shared Parenting Day

Lesbian Visibility Day

Lily of the Valley Day (French Republic)

Memorial Day of Radiation Accidents and Catastrophes (Russia)

National Ai Day

National Audubon Day

National Dissertation Day

National Drug Take Back Day

National Gabriel Day

National Garage Day

National Hand Holding Day

National Help a Horse Day

National Hit It From the Back Day

National Jason Day

National Kids and Pets Day

National No Makeup Day

National Ranboo Day

National South Dakota Day

Old Permic Alphabet Day

Parental Alienation Awareness Day

Poetry and the Creative Mind Day

Prayer Day (Faroe Islands; Greenland)

Read Me Day

Regional Autonomy Day (Indonesia)

Remember Your First Kiss Day

Resistance Day (Day of the Uprising Against the Occupying Forces; Slovenia) [26th Unless a Sunday, then 27th]

Richter Scale Day

Secretaries’ Day (Colombia)

Self-Aware Universe Day

Shared Parenting Day (Kentucky)

Shuffleboard Day

Static Cling Day

Studio 54 Day

Sultan’s Day (Malaysia)

Tartar Language Day

Underground Nuclear Test Day

Union Day (Tanzania)

Vallenato Legend Festival begins (Colombia)

Venus Day

Visakhabousa Day (Laos)

Wallabee Day

World Burlesque Day

World Intellectual Freedom Day

World Intellectual Property Day (UN)

World Pilots’ Day

YMCA Healthy Kids Day

Food & Drink Celebrations

Beer Autism Hope Day

International Macaroni Day

National Pretzel Day

4th & Last Friday in April

Arbor Day [Last Friday]

Arbrewday [Last Friday]

Childcare Professionals Day [Last Friday]

Children’s Memorial Flag Day [Last Friday]

Day of Dialogue [Last Friday]

Flashback Friday [Every Friday]

Friendship Friday [Last Friday]

Fry Day (Pastafarian; Fritism) [Every Friday]

Hairball Awareness Day [Last Friday]

Hooky Day (Argentina) [Last Friday]

International Viognier Day [Last Friday]

National Historic Marker Day [Last Friday]

National Skipping Day (UK) [4th Friday]

Swiss Beer Day (Switzerland) [Last Friday]

Undiagnosed Children’s Day (UK) [Last Friday]

World Meningitis Day [4th Friday]

World Women’s Wellness Day [Last Friday]

Weekly Holidays beginning April 26 (4th Week)

Global Youth Service Days [Last Weekend] (thru 4.28)

Interstate Mullet Toss [Last Weekend] (thru 4.28)

National Dream Hotline [Last Weekend] (thru 4.28)

National Pie Championships [Last Weekend] (thru 4.28)

Independence & Related Days

Aetosia (Declared; 2019) [unrecognized]

Karisradd (Declared; 2013) [unrecognized]

Kotland (Declared; 2020) [unrecognized]

Republic of Alba (Declared; 1796) [lasted 2 days]

Roskya (Declared; 2020) [unrecognized]

Tanzania (Union Day; Created by Zanzibar and Tanganyika merger; 1964)

New Year’s Days

New Year’s Seed Sowing Ceremony (Goddess of Fertility; Sierra Leone)

Festivals Beginning April 26, 2024

Asheville Spring Herb Festival (Asheville, North Carolina) [thru 4.28]

Astoria-Warrenton Crab, Seafood & Wine Festival (Astoria, Oregon) [thru 4.28]

Big Island Chocolate Festival (Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel; Hawaii) [thru 4.27]

Brewgaloo (Raleigh, North Carolina)) [thru 4.27]

Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo (Chicago, Illinois) [thru 4.28]

Chicken Fried Steak Festival (Lamesa, Texas) [thru 4.28]

Clinton-Hickman County Spring Chicken Festival (Clinton, Kentucky) [thru 4.27]

Colleton County Rice Festival (Walterboro, South Carolina) [thru 4.27]

Fiddler’s Frolic [thru 4.28]

Georgia State Fair, Spring (Metro Atlanta, Hampton, Georgia) [thru 5.5]

Glen Lake Restaurant Week (Glen Arbor Area, Michigan) [thru 5.4]

Interstate Mullet Toss and Gulf Coast’s Greatest Beach Party (Orange Beach, Alabama) [thru 4.27]

Pensacola Crawfish Festival (Pensacola, Florida) [thru 4.28]

Procession of the Species (Olympia, Washington) [thru 4.27]

Sacramento Beer Week (Sacramento, California) [thru 5.5]

Sacred Heart Garden City Festival (Augusta, Georgia) [thru 4.27]

Santa Barbara Restaurent Week (Santa Barbara, California) [thru 5.5]

Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival (Winchester, Virginia) [thru 5.5]

Striped Bass Festival (Manning, South Carolina) [thru 4.27]

Vermontville Maple Syrup Festival (St. Albans, Michigan) [thru 4.28]

Wakarusa Maple Syrup Festival (Wakarusa, Indiana) [thru 4.28]

Feast Days

Aldobrandesca (a.k.a. Alda; Christian; Saint)

Anacletus, Pope (a.k.a. Cletius) and Marcellinus (Christian; Martyrs)

Basil (Christian; Saint)

Bernard Malamud (Writerism)

The Birthday Cake (Muppetism)

Cimon (Positivist; Saint)

Cletus and Marcellinus (Christian; Martyrs)

Delphinia (Festival of Apollo; Ancient Greece)

Edward Charles Tarbell (Artology)

Eugène Delacroix (Artology)

Fairy Laughter Convention (Shamanism)

Festival of Renenutet (Ancient Egypt)

The Fixer, by Bernard Malamud (Novel; 1966)

Franca Visalta (Christian; Saint)

Get Organized Day (Pastafarian)

Giamonios (Celtic Book of Days)

Gian Paolo Lomazzo (Artology)

Hug An Australian Day (Pastafarian)

Jethro Tull Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

John James Audubon (Artology)

Lucidius of Verona (Christian; Saint)

Mayan Rain Festival (Ancient Mayan)

Memorial of Our Lady of Good Counsel (Christian)

Moon Magick Day (Starza Pagan Book of Days)

Our Lady of Good Counsel (Christian; Saint)

Paschasius Radbertus (Christian; Saint)

Peter of Rates (or of Braga; Christian; Saint)

Rafael Arnaiz (Christian; Saint) [Diabetes]

Riquier (a.k.a. Ricardius; Christian; Saint)

Robert Hunt (Episcopal Church (USA))

Sacrifice to Zeus Epacrios (Ancient Greece)

Stephen of Perm (Christian; Saint)

Trudpert (Christian; Saint)

Visakh Bochea Day (Buddha Day; Cambodia)

Walpurgisnacht, Day IV (Pagan)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Lucky Day (Philippines) [22 of 71]

Tomobiki (友引 Japan) [Good luck all day, except at noon.]

Uncyclopedia Bad to Be Born Today (because the Chernobyl meltdown began.)

Premieres

American Recordings, by Johnny Cash (Album; 1994)

Avengers: Endgame (Film; 2019)

Bear De Guerre (The Inspector Cartoon; 1968)

Belfagor, by Ottorino Respighi (Opera; 1923)

The Bridge at Andau, by James A. Michener (History Book; 1957)

The Cat Concerto (Tom & Jerry Cartoon; 1947)

Devils & Dust, by Bruce Springsteen (Album; 2005)

Dogtown and Z-Boys (Documentary Film; 2002)

Dragon Ball Z (Anime TV Series; 1989)

The Enchanted Wood, by Enid Blyton (Children’s Book; 1939)

Farewell, My Lovely, by Raymond Chandler (Novel; 1940)

4th Symphony, by Charles Ives (Symphony; 1965)

The Goose Goes South (MGM Cartoon; 1941)

Gunsmoke (Radio Series; 1952)

The Handmaid’s Tale (TV Series; 2017)

The Hip-Nut-Tist (Fleischer Popeye Cartoon; 1935)

Just One of the Guys (Film; 1985)

The Last Waltz, by The Band (Live Album & Concert Film; 1978)

Moosylvania Wish Mash or A State of Confusion (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S6, Ep. 366; 1965)

Moosylvania Saved, Part 3 (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S6, Ep. 365; 1965)

The Muppet Musicians of Bremen (Muppet TV Special; 1972)

Neverland, by Jim Steinman (Musical Play; 1977)

Pink Posies (Pink Panther Cartoon; 1967)

The Reluctant Recruit (Woody Woodpecker Cartoon; 1971)

Seven Samurai (Film; 1954)

The Ship Who Sang, by Anne McCaffrey (Novel; 1969)

Swing Your Partner (Swing Symphony Cartoon; 1943)

Those Were Wonderful Days (WB MM Cartoon; 1934)

Throwing Copper, by Live (Album; 1994)

The Trial, by Franz Kafka (Novel; 1925)

The Truth About Cats & Dogs (Film; 1996)

Tugboat Mickey (Disney Cartoon; 1940)

Ups ’n Downs (WB LT Cartoon; 1931)

A Waggily Tale (WB LT Cartoon; 1958)

”Weird Al” Yankovic, by Weird Al Yankovic (Album; 1983)

Today’s Name Days

Helene, Trudpert (Austria)

Kleto, Maksima, Montan, Stanislav, Višnja (Croatia)

Oto (Czech Republic)

Cletus (Denmark)

Eesi, Reesi, Teesi, Teisi, Tereese (Estonia)

Teresa, Terttu, Tessa (Finland)

Alida (France)

Consuela, Helene (Germany)

Glafyra (Greece)

Ervin (Hungary)

Alida, Bianca, Cleto, Marcellino (Italy)

Alīna, Geraldine, Rusins, Sandris (Latvia)

Dargailė, Gailenis, Klaudijus (Lithuania)

Tea, Terese (Norway)

Artemon, Klaudiusz, Klet, Marcelin, Marcelina, Maria, Marzena, Spycimir (Poland)

Chindeu, Chiril, Tasie, Vasile (Romania)

Jaroslava (Slovakia)

Isidoro (Spain)

Terese, Teresia (Sweden)

Clarence, DeMarco, Demarcus, Demario (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 117 of 2024; 249 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 5 of week 17 of 2024

Celtic Tree Calendar: Saille (Willow) [Day 13 of 28]

Chinese: Month 3 (Wu-Chen), Day 18 (Geng-Shen)

Chinese Year of the: Dragon 4722 (until January 29, 2025) [Wu-Chen]

Hebrew: 18 Nisan 5784

Islamic: 17 Shawwal 1445

J Cal: 27 Cyan; Sixday [27 of 30]

Julian: 13 April 2024

Moon: 92%: Waning Gibbous

Positivist: 5 Caesar (5th Month) [Xenophon]

Runic Half Month: Lagu (Flowing Water) [Day 2 of 15]

Season: Spring (Day 39 of 92)

Week: 4th Week of April

Zodiac: Taurus (Day 7 of 31)

[jujutsubarista]

Insane Trust Issues As a Gen-Z Adult

yooo, going through a rough patch rn and could really use some advice or insight. Back in March 2022, I started working at McDonald’s in Dublin where I formed a tight-knit group with some coworkers. Bonding over the high stress of the job and personal interests like anime and K-pop made the days bearable. I became particularly close with Marcus, Destiny, Sofia, and Mariam. My connection with Sofia grew stronger over time, leading to a crush that I confessed to Marcus and Destiny but kept hidden due to her having a boyfriend. (I also helped her with her ex-bf issues later when she broke up with him, and also helped her with her math graduating high school; fyi she was nearly 20, only finishing high school 😭 ) Fast forward, after a vacation in Malaysia, I spiraled into depression due to feeling ignored online, which hit hard. Thankfully, Destiny was supportive during this time, understanding my struggles deeply as he shared similar challenges. Life seemed aiight for a while, celebrating birthdays and hanging out, but then things took a turn. I rejoined university after dropping out, hoping to progress in my physics degree, but found it isolating as cliques had already formed. (I transferred into third year physics instead of first) Balancing studies, a pantomime side gig, and personal time became overwhelming, leading to poor academic performance and mental health struggles. I deferred my semester to rethink my path, diving into coding and barista courses but nothing stuck. The discord among my friends began when online activities in my server "The Hidden Ward" led to rumors and misunderstandings about my behaviour, causing trust issues with Marcus and Destiny. The fallout was painful, and I was eventually ousted from my friend group, which included being blocked on snap and ig by Sofia without explanation some time later. (like wtf? even though we sent each other gifts and flowers irl) As if friend issues weren't enough, family pressures and academic failures compounded my stress. I also dumped my ex-gf who only cared about herself and her poor english made it harder to maintain it, with communication issues and all. I felt bad when I used her to fill a void in the midst of losing friends and attention. Despite repeated years and university switches, I'm still struggling academically and financially, reliant on my parents who are already burdened with my siblings' education. Ngl I've recently been trying to self-reflect and focus on what could be next for me but feel stuck and misunderstood, especially given my autism and ADHD. I'm really at a loss here and could use some guidance. How do you rebuild when it feels like every part of your life is crumbling? Any advice on handling isolation or improving my situation would be nice iwl 🥹 i have insane trust issues rn and i hate myself atm (If I ranted this to my ex-friends or my mom, they'd call me weak, beta and tell me to get on with it, but that's lame advice bc how?)

[carecads]

We have made great strides since our inception despite the financial burden. Each year we constantly strive to seek grants and raise donations to fi ll the CADS Centre Fund to assure the solvency and longevity of the CADS Enhancement Centre.

[vinodsekhar]

Vinod Sekhar - MAKING TECHNOLOGY WORK

TBY talks to Datuk Vinod Sekhar, Chairman and Group Chief Executive of Petra Group, on the entertainment sector, rubber recycling, and what makes Malaysia special.

What is the vision behind Petra Group?

We look at things that make a difference. I'm a social capitalist. What we're about is making money, but in the process of that seeing if we can make a difference to society, and if we can improve things. I always look for businesses and ideas that can achieve such progress, whether it's in biotech, in industrial tech, or whether it's in our movie business. For me it's just finding new innovations. We're all about strategic partnerships and we're very keen to work with other people. So it's not just about selling something, it's also about contributing to creating a more affluent society. I need to play a role in education, to help people move up, to make an impact on society. If everyone did something, imagine how things would change. Once you do that, you've earned all the bells and whistles. You've earned your money.

Could you fill us in on the nature of your movie business?

Vinod Sekhar - The fastest growing area in Asia is entertainment and the delivery of entertainment. The challenge is how to entertain the new generation of Asians who are growing by double-digit percentages annually, and whose demand for instant gratification is higher, and how to also educate them through entertainment. We undertake the production of movies and are also aggressively looking into technologies that are related to the media. We have also been working on a number of TV series.

The group, through its subsidiary Green Rubber Global, is engaged in recycling rubber. What social problem does this address?

The world's number one environmental problem right now, believe it or not, is waste tires: we throw out 1.4 billion tires a year, which go into landfills, tire mountains, or are burnt for energy. Burning tires for energy is disastrous, releasing sulfur and toxins into the air. Yet if you bury tires, you contaminate the soil and the water table. As for tire mountains, they breed mosquitoes and hence diseases like malaria or dengue fever. And if these piles catch fire, you cannot extinguish them. It's not talked about because it's not a product you can claim to want less of. The more development and wealth, the more cars, and the more cars, the more tires. So what we've come up with is a way to recycle it back into a compound that can then go back into tires, or shoes, or any rubber product. It's the world's only truly commercialized process for recycling rubber for tires. So it's true recycling, and the recycled compound is cheaper than the original. It's one of those few products where nobody loses. I win, the manufacturer wins thanks to the lower cost, and the end user wins, too. We're opening a plant in the UK now, which PM David Cameron has recently announced, and also here in Malaysia and in the Middle East. We will export this recycled rubber all over the world. We want to expand into America, South America, Southern Africa, and indeed, comprehensively. Our aim is to make it the focus of a poverty eradication program that allows communities to recycle their waste. So the idea is to visit communities and teach them how to turn what is waste into green rubber. This will galvanize communities into considering the environment, while at the same time empowering them as they will be generating income in the process. In short, it's a good balance.

To what causes is the Sekhar Foundation committed?

About 60% of Petra Group is owned by Vinod Sekhar’s foundation. The foundation builds schools and orphanages around the world. We have orphanages in Colombia, we built a school in Armenia, and have facilities in India. We want to build and contribute wherever there is a need to be met. We are involved in programs for autism, also helping terminally ill children—all programs that have a tough time gaining public awareness. We believe that businesses must be involved in advancing society, and that society must be defined as the people living in it, as communities. This is not about getting a CSR box ticked off. It's got to be a part of what you do on a much more integrated level. That's why we set up our Sekhar Institute for Social Capitalism & Leadership, where we are set to research and provide coverage of social capitalism, leadership, and how companies and governments can play a role. It's beyond a think-tank, and is an actual research institute. We are set to stage our first social capitalism conference soon; a platform from which we will endeavor to change the public mindset for the better. We are keen to start the debate to make a lasting difference.

What is your outlook for the year ahead?

It appears that the situation will not be a pleasant one. That being said, down cycles are where opportunities lie. No matter what people know about Malaysia, they know of its success as a trading nation, and ultimately the backbone of this trading nation is the small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) and industries operating within it. Local SMEs and SMIs are thriving, and inspire much faith for the future. As a nation we have been blessed with a well-educated and English-speaking workforce, natural beauty, rubber, palm oil, petroleum, timber, paddy (rice), and little to no major natural disasters. Vinod Sekhar - We'll get through these issues, but what foreign investors must see now is opportunity, and Malaysia will be this land of opportunity for the next year. We have to go through this down cycle. We have to accept that the US will introduce higher interest rates, that this will impact the dollar, and us. It will happen. But the fundamentals are strong, and the small and medium size industries are what drive this country, regardless of the politics. We'll continue to thrive and trade no matter what. Politics and other sources of noise aside, the nation is nothing if not an example of opportunity, strength, and promise.

[giftedkidscarecentre-blog]

Tips on Managing Youngsters With Mental imbalance Range Problem

Utilization of visual methodologies and devices assume an indispensable part in assisting mentally unbalanced kid with comprehension the environmentaround them. Visual apparatuses can be whatever a kid can see which can promote assistthemin better comprehension of solicitations while sorting out their general surroundings. Examination has shown that utilization of visual help is perhaps the most recommended procedures for showing kids with ASD. Diverse visual methodologies goes about as an incredible instrument for medically introverted newborn children and assists them with understanding different data in a superior manner .They regularly give a token of what to say or do in a circumstance. They help in giving clear and reliable data which is straightforward. Picture stories can likewise be utilized for better comprehension of various situations in their lifeand set them up for new activities by gaining different relational abilities. 

Setting up a Fruitful home/school Correspondence Interaction 

It is essential to build up an effective home/correspondence measure for youngsters that are determined to have "Mental imbalance Range Issue". Including the kid in making this interaction by getting ready pictures or images of their own, assists them with encountering a feeling of proprietorship and obligation regarding the cycle. Likewise, photos of the childinvolved in different exercises ends up being very useful in giving an astounding transitionof data. Looking into these photos at home will additionally assist mentally unbalanced kids with improving on their intuition among home and school climate. 

Conduct and formative projects 

Youngsters with ASD perform better in a design learning climate. Distinctive conduct and formative projects will assist them with improved mastering and thinking abilities. This will additionally assist mentally unbalanced youngsters in managing distinctive data, verbal yields while understanding and investigating the abilities suitably and successfully. These projects focuson testing practices and better parent-kid connection. Exploration has shown that early serious conduct intercessions go about as a multidisciplinary practicewhich assumes an imperative part in treating kids with formative and social issues.

For More Info.:- Special Needs Learning Autism Centre Malaysia

Best Autism School In Kuala Lumpur

Special Needs programs in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia

Special Needs School in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia

[pinehillsinternationalschool01]

Benefits of Autism Schools to Support Your Child's Education In Malaysia

If your youngster has a mental imbalance, schools that spend significant time in this condition can be very useful. The previous this kind of schooling starts, the more advantages your child or little girl will get.

A Supporting Climate

Best Autism School In Malaysia schools are prepared to deal with mental and social advancement issues related to the condition. Instructors get serious preparing on the best way to work with understudies and help them with the social association. As a rule, these kids feel constrained to play out certain monotonous practices, for example, stacking things into towers or putting them in an orderly fashion. Educators realize how to function with these practices and can assist understudies with getting sorted out their lives, in a similar way, they put together things, for example, toys.

Government-funded schooling is situated in huge part on an understudy's capacity to communicate with others. In any case, since most mentally unbalanced kids do not have this capacity, they can regularly feel lost and debilitate. Numerous chemical imbalance schools are set up such that exercises are separated to help singular learning while likewise permitting youngsters to eliminate themselves from a group environment before they become disturbed. Also, kids won't need to manage the prodding and mocking that is regularly connected with the customary instruction model.

Recess is another region where mental imbalance schools are considerably not quite the same as their customary partners. These schools plan appraisals in a manner to choose if other formative concerns should be tended to. Their tests might be contained assignments like orchestrating letters on an attractive board or arranging blocks by shading. These contrast altogether from government-funded training tests that expect understudies to take composed assessments to demonstrate they've consumed information commanded by state or bureaucratic necessities. These kinds of tests can be one more wellspring of dissatisfaction for youngsters brought into the world with the condition.

An Alternate Other option

The standard choice of mental imbalance can be inconceivably hard to bear for kids who can't as expected cooperate with their friends. It very well may be lamentable for a parent to see their kid alienated because their disparities make it difficult to fit in. These youngsters might be marked as "troublesome" by their instructors and fall behind in class accordingly. Whenever youngsters with this condition need to manage enormous gatherings or excessively animating settings, they can have a difficult time.

Mental imbalance schools give a sound elective that can assist youngsters with flourishing projects customized to their accurate requirements. Similarly likewise with any significant choice, in any case, you need to pick cautiously to ensure you discover the office that will be the best fit for your youngster. On the off chance that you have any companions or relatives who have gone this course, converse with them and check whether they have any suggestions. Check the Web for checking of various performances you're thinking about to perceive what others are saying. The more certain you are in your last decision, the more probable your kid will have an incredibly sure learning experience.

For More Info: - Best IGCSE School in kuala lumpur

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[neweventmy]

NEWEVENT MALAYSIA added 16 new products on 15/3/2021

NEWEVENT MALAYSIA

March 2021 (1)

Invitation to visit India Asean Food Beverages & Packaging Virtual Expo

April 2021 (1)

Johor Autism Summit

June 2021 (3)

Oils and Fats International Congress

International Conference on E-Education, E-Business, E-Management and E-Learning

International Rare Earths Conference

July 2021 (1)

International Conference on Clean Energy

October 2021 (1)

AWCA & Global Wound Conference

Weekday Promotion (2)

SportsDirect.com Malaysia : Weekly Offer Walk The Walk ! Footwear From RM19

Shopee : Electronics Fair Perfect Home Deals

Monthly Promotion (6)

Shopee : Tefal Taste-Tastic Up To 40% OFF

Famous Amos : Cookies Craze Online Exclusive!

Cotton On Malaysia : 2 For RM100 Sleep Separates

Guardian : Grabmart Sale Up To 60% Off!

Marc Lois Oud & Frankincense Luxury Candle

AEON : RM1 Wow Deal!

Voucher & Coupon (1)

CHEETAH : Back To School

[youngsoutheastasianleaders]

2018 YSEALI Seeds for the Future

Twenty-one winners have been announced in the Young Southeast Asian Leadership Initiative (YSEALI) Seeds for the Future small grants competition. The grantees, young leaders who represent all 10 ASEAN member states, will use YSEALI Seeds funding to conduct projects in the region across the themes of civic engagement, sustainable development, education, and economic growth.

Selected from a competitive pool of over 450 applications, the 2018 YSEALI Seeds for the Future winners received grants ranging from $4500 to $15000. Tackling everything from making biofuel from coffee peels to afterschool arts programs, they will build on the accomplishments of last year’s grantees, who successfully implemented 20 projects across ASEAN.

Learn more about the accomplishment of 2017’s grantees

Along with funding, the YSEALI Seeds grantees will receive coaching throughout the year to ensure the success and sustainability of their projects. This mentorship will kick off with a two-day workshop in Jakarta on January 18-19. Two representatives from each winning group will convene to learn best practices in project management, budgeting, and cultivating awareness and messaging strategies.

The YSEALI Seeds for the Future program is sponsored by U.S. Department of State and is funded through a grant from the U.S. Mission to ASEAN. For the second consecutive year, one outstanding project that supports entrepreneurship across multiple countries is receiving funding support from the U.S.-ASEAN Business Council. This is the second year Cultural Vistas will administer the program.

The U.S. government launched YSEALI in 2013 to strengthen partnerships with emerging leaders in Southeast Asia; to expand their skills as effective civic, economic and non-governmental leaders in the region; and to nurture an ASEAN community of leaders who work together to solve common issues. Since that time, the YSEALI network has grown to more than 111,000 members.

Learn more about the YSEALI Seeds for the Future Program at ysealiseeds.org

YSEALI Seeds for the Future 2018 Grant Recipients

After Mining Project (Indonesia): Equipping youth with skills to compete in modern economy

CC Educare (Myanmar): Developing internet skills and etiquette among youth in Myanmar

Wasted Coffee Coals (Indonesia, Vietnam, Philippines): Turning wasted coffee peels into alternative energy source

Environmental Film Camp (Laos): Creating a film industry in Laos by training local filmmakers

FIBERS (Philippines, Thailand): Bootcamps designed to create a more sustainable, just fashion industry

Financial Literacy of Micro and Small Business (Cambodia): Training small businesses on best practices in financial management

Fine Arts Major Organization (Philippines): Arts and storytelling program for female inmates

Interactive E-Learning (Laos): Online educational platform for high school students in Laos

Kid + (Vietnam): Educational program for disabled children to learn about sexual abuse prevention

Participatory Environmental Education for Indigenous Youth (Thailand, Laos, Myanmar): Teaching indigenous youth natural resource management and sustainable practices

Reef Stakes (Malaysia): Card game that teaches about the coral reef ecosystem

Rubic Collaborative (Vietnam): Outdoor activities for children with autism and their families

Schoove (Indonesia): Marine and fisheries educational program in Kupang, Indonesia

SHE Community Business Incubator (Cambodia): Accelerator program for women-owned micro businesses

She Talks (Philippines): Mentorship program for disadvantaged young women

SHero (Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines): Creating networks of female leaders to affect community changes

Teach for ASEAN (Singapore, Malaysia, Myanmar): Educational program for underprivileged youth in Myanmar

Viet Children’s Picture (Vietnam): Afterschool arts, music, and crafts program for suburban children

Youth-Setter Community (Brunei): Workshop to create and implement solutions for special education in Brunei

AMPLIFY (Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand): A kid-friendly household disaster preparedness toolkit

Coffee Warriors Empowerment (Indonesia, Vietnam): Exchange program among Vietnamese and Indonesian coffee farmers

[mokonahapuuuuuu]

Strong - A screenplay

Some names and details were changed for privacy. 

——— 

INT. - ELEMENTARY SCHOOL HALLWAY - DAY

A girl (LEA) sits in the stair hallway at recess. A few Asian girls come and surround her. The light is not on, and it’s dark everywhere. 

GIRL 1

Germ girl. 

GIRL 2 

Weirdo. 

GIRL 3

Retard. 

Younger LEA gets up and walks up the staircase. One of the girls gasp. 

—— 

INT. - A HIGH SCHOOL CLASSROOM - DAY 

LEA is in her grade 9 English class. She felt she paid her dues in elementary school from being bullied so much and has a freer life. She has a decent amount of friends. 

She looks over at FRED and he softly waves at her. She softly waves back. After the disaster of her last crush, and some other mistakes from grade 8 when she moved to Calgary from Vancouver, maybe her luck was turning around. Maybe achieving the high school milestones was coming true after all. 

FRED was a typical tall jock guy and was popular, but he was decent. Or was it all it seemed under the surface?

—— 

INT. - HIGH SCHOOL CAFETERIA - DAY 

LEA is walking through the cafeteria and passes by REGINA. 

Last year, REGINA seemed like a second command to another more tomboyish Queen B, but REGINA has a few tricks up her sleeve this year. 

REGINA

(starts rapping to will.i.am’s I Got It From My Mama)

(She turns toward’s LEA’S ear)

(whispers)

Ew. 

Turning, LEA sees REGINA continue to walk away like nothing happened at all. Not knowing what’s going to happen in the future. 

——

INT. - A BUDDHIST TEMPLE - EVENING

LEA is at a house which was turned into a Buddhist temple where the nuns live and pray in. She, her mother and brother go there. 

LEA considers one of the NUN’S a special friend for guidance and help. The NUN is leaving back for Malaysia. 

BUDDHIST NUN 

(As they hold each other’s hands, she looks concerned at LEA.)

Listen to your mother.

LEA

(Nodding.) 

I will.

—— 

INT. - HOME - EVENING 

Home is havoc. Everyone is yelling. It had been like that ever since spring came around the corner. For some odd reason, MOM was changing for the worst. More blunt, cold. 

They are in bed. The girls share a bed, since the house is small. LEA was ungrateful they had to be in that small of a house in grade 8, though MOM retorted back at least they weren’t like other less fortunate families who had to sleep in the basement of a church. When grade 9 came, LEA saw through all the stuck up air of high school, but what MOM was doing was scary. 

LEA pleads for MOM to tell her everything is going to be okay. 

MOM bangs her head on the wall at least three times. 

LEA

(Crying.) 

Mama, no… No, please. (LEA holds MOM.) It’s gonna be okay. 

INT. - DINING ROOM - EVENING

A typical seating where MOM and LEA are talking. 

MOM 

If I find out that you have had sex before you are married, I WILL KILL YOU!

—— 

INT. - HIGH SCHOOL CLASSROOM - DAY

It is after class. LEA wants to get FRED’S attention, so a little teasing wouldn’t hurt, would it? Lately, FRED has been acting a little distant lately. 

LEA grabs FRED’S backpack.

FRED

Lea, bring it back here right now…!

LEA 

What do you have in there, rocks? 

FRED 

(Annoyed.) 

No…

She puts down the bag on the table.

This wasn’t the flirtatious, lighthearted guy she knew. What was going on? Maybe he was having an off day.

INT. - HIGH SCHOOL HALLWAY - DAY

LEA is in the hallway doing a science worksheet. It was too loud in the classroom, a sign of overstimulation in autism. It happened before in another class. It wasn’t just people talking, it was also loud music. 

The perfect ammunition to get picked on by others. 

The half bell rings. Despite there wasn’t as much people in the halls, she still saw FRED and REGINA holding each other, right in front of her. 

Despite the noise, she still hears their laughter. 

LEA decides not to react. Don’t give them anything to use against you any further. 

With FRED being all nice to her and REGINA being all mean, it couldn’t have been all on purpose, right? 

—— 

INT. - HIGH SCHOOL HALLWAY - DAY

It is grade 10. Finally, senior high. What will this year bring? 

LEA has a crush on a new guy after FRED. She walks up to ASHLEY. 

LEA 

Hey, I really like Chris, what do you think about all this?

ASHLEY looks away.

ASHLEY

(A tad worried, but still sociable and smiley)

Lea, I think you’re… (flexes a muscle) coming on strong. 

LEA steps back. What does it mean? Whatever it means, it means she made a mistake and was a bad person. 

‘Coming on strong’ means that you did something bad. 

INT. - HIGH SCHOOL HALLWAY - DAY 

LEA is hyperactive and jolly. There are other students around. 

She cheers and stage dives for CARL’S hand. 

CARL 

Lea, you’re… coming on strong. 

INT. - HIGH SCHOOL HALLWAY - DAY 

MIKE was avoiding and ignoring LEA ever since late grade 9 last year. Now, he was being even more mean to her in grade 9. 

Everyone is sitting in front of lockers at lunch time eating. LEA didn’t get an answer from MIKE before she left from the floor. 

It wasn’t fair. How could everyone else get respect and dignity, while she was ignored? No, she wasn’t going to be that replaced girl anymore. In her place beside MIKE was a more attractive girl, FIONA. NINA is also in the crowd, beside MIKE.

How dare they? 

LEA

(Shouting)

Am I even goddamn human to you?! 

MIKE, NINA, FIONA and a few other students look up. MIKE’S brow furrowing. LEA runs away, tears in her eyes. 

——

INT. - SCHOOL/IMAGINATION/STUDENT GOSSIP - DAY

VOICE 

Hey, Lea. You’re a retard. You’re just like THEM. 

Those ugly people who can’t even talk or walk who are lucky to exist?

Yeah, that’s you.

Why are you wearing an Artizia hoodie? 

You were never one of us.

Where’s your teacher helper, like all the other ‘special kids’ have?

——

INT. - MS. WITHER’S COUNSELOR OFFICE - DAY

LEA is sitting on the chair, crying. Hurt. The flag of Alberta, Canada is on the wall of MS. WITHERS’S office.

LEA 

What he did hurt so much, he should have told me… 

MS. WITHERS

No. (Shaking her head.) What you did was inappropriate. You were coming on strong. 

—— 

INT. - HOME - EVENING

LEA, MOM, and LEO come back home from being picked up at school and MOM at work.

MOM 

Do you need medicine?

LEA

No, I don’t, could you just leave me alone?

MOM

What if you’re really hurt?

LEA

Okay, no I didn’t fall off the stage in drama class. I was upset cus I argued with someone at school at lunch time.

MOM

So you lied to me over a boy? Do you like him?

LEA

What, no. He’s just a friend. Seriously.

MOM is a little angry at LEA for lying, saying that she hurt herself in drama class, but really, she was crying over something MIKE did. MOM thinks that what MIKE did was nothing to cry over. DAD sees the emotional scene, silently laughs, and walks up the stairs to his bedroom.

MOM is mad at LEA for lying, and is about to lecture her.

MOM

Teenagers, always acting like they are the most important thing in the world… You aren’t! Why did you lie?

LEA

Well, I could never tell you anything about my friends, or the guys I liked.

MOM

Why would I want to hear all that teenager shit?

LEA

Everything’s so hard this year. My grades are down the drain, Chris probably likes someone else, and Mike won’t give me a straight answer…!

MOM

(Looks over at LEA and snarls.)

You scream like a whore.

LEA

(Eyes widen.) 

I gave up my friends last year for you, and got bullied for our religious beliefs, and you still call me that?

MOM

(Shrugs.)

Yes.

——

INT. - HIGH SCHOOL HALLWAY - MORNING 

ANNE is a close friend of MIKE and NINA. She is at her locker while she talks with Lea, getting a few books. 

ANNE 

You shouldn’t have pressed Mike like that.

LEA 

Well, what he did hurt, okay. I thought he was my friend. 

ANNE 

You were coming on strong, and that’s why he did what he did. 

INT. - HIGH SCHOOL GYM - MORNING

There is LEA, her friend AMELIA, GLADYS, and NINA. NINA was slowly turning into a bully after grade 10 started, and loved to pick on LEA.

LEA 

I think Fred and Regina got together to get back at me. 

AMELIA 

Well, Regina dated a lot of people, so it could just be a coincidence. 

NINA 

Was it because you were COMING ON STRONG? 

(As she said those last three words, she turns around and stomps her foot.) 

INT. - HIGH SCHOOL HALLWAY - DAY

LEA and ASHLEY are in the hallway during math class. 

As they are talking, MS. WEBBER is there. 

MS. WEBBER 

(Stretches her arms out as if LEA’S an alien.) 

You come on a bit strong. 

——

INT. - SCHOOL - DAY

LEA sees all of her friends in couples. Even CHRIS recently got a girlfriend, and LEA is jealous. She wishes she could be her.

LEA

(voiceover)

How come everyone gets to have a boyfriend or girlfriend but me? I’m the singled one out here, literally!

LEA

(voiceover. Contin.)

Fred moved on… Even Chris. This just keeps on getting more and more humiliating. I’m never getting a high school boyfriend… aren’t I?

—— 

INT. - MS. WITHERS’ COUNSELOR OFFICE - DAY

MS. WITHERS wants LEA to sign a document (IPP) that confirms her autism diagnosis.

LEA

No. I’m not going to sign it. I believe I don’t have this disease.

MS. WITHERS

But there are deaf students here at the school as well. Don’t you believe they have a right to be at the school as much as you do?

LEA

Well, if autistic people don’t want to be bullied, they should be home schooled.

MS. WITHERS

(Hesitates.)

Do you believe that you’ve just insulted people with autism?

LEA

(Leans forward assertively.)

They aren’t in this room, are they?

MS. WITHERS

(Looks away.)

Well, then… you are entitled to your opinion.

——

INT. - SAFEWAY - DAY

LEA and MOM are going to get food after school. LEA sees MATT, TOM, AND JANIS in the deli line.

LEA

Hey, guys…!

MATT

Oh, hey, Lea…

LEA is on her toes, trying to be apart of the conversation.

MOM

No…! (Grabs LEA by the hips and moves her.) You stay right here.

LEA goes back to where she was and continues to be on her toes, trying to join in on the conversation. MOM looks mad.

——

INT. - HOME - DAY

LEA and LEO are at home. It is after school. LEA is enjoying herself as she had her favourite meal and is about to write a short story.

LEO

People came after me today.

She turns to look at LEO.

LEO

They tell me you act all weird, thinking you’re funny, but really you’re not.

LEA walks further to her room.

LEO

How could you do this. Do this to me. Do this to our family? You embarrass us all and are the shame out of all of us.

LEO (contin.)

They think I’m crazy as well, because of you. I am humiliated because of you. Why don’t you just keep a low profile like what I do?

LEA

Well, I wouldn’t say calling every girl in your class fat as ‘keeping a low profile’.

He called LEA fat as well. He walks to his room, about to close the door.

LEO

How are you my sister?

It’s ironic that LEO was implying about LEA’S autism diagnosis, when in fact, LEO may be on the spectrum as well. Shy, awkward, glasses. Typical smart, nerd, geeky guy stuff. The kettle was calling the pot black.

The door shuts.

——

INT. - UNCLE IAN’S HOUSE - NIGHT

LEA is at her UNCLE IAN’S house in Vancouver.

LEA

You just don’t get it, do you? I try to tell you to not call me strong, but you keep on doing it.

IAN

I didn’t bring up about being strong.

LEA

They all said it to me. “Hey, Lea, you have no friends cus you come on strong…!” “Oh he doesn’t like you? Was it because you were coming on strong?” SHUT UP!

IAN

(Shakes his head.)

All this… psychobabble stuff, looking through the rose coloured glasses? It’s all made up!

LEA

(Eyes widen.)

How could you say that?!

——— 

INT. - SCHOOLCREATIVE VOICEOVER STUDIO CLASSROOM - EVENING

LEA is in front of her classmates and with CAT HAGGQUIST. She is reading aloud her rules. Soon she is hyperventilating. 

LEA

What is this? I’m a monster, I’m a freak…!

(Further hyperventilation.)

NINA

(Voiceover.)

Do you come on strong because you are autistic?

A flash of FRED and REGINA holding each other plays through. 

REGINA

(Voiceover.)

Look at us. 

We have the friends. The boyfriends. And there you are.

All alone with NOTHING.

——

INT. - LEA’S APARTMENT - EVENING

IAN

So like, is there any medications for it to make it go away? Surgery? Machine aids? Do you see things that aren’t there?

LEA

Uh, that’s schizophrenia, and it’s nothing at all like autism.

IAN

But you can make all of this go away. Right?

LEA

It doesn’t work like that. There are workshops out there at the autism society to make it better. It’s not going to go away, but it’s a start. It’s like being deaf. You just can’t pound the hearing into them; one, two, three. For my case, there’s just no hearing aid for me.

IAN

What you are saying is that you refuse to change. (He gets up from the chair and walks to the door.) Take care, and don't call me, nor my family ever again. 

The door slams.

LEA

Uncle Ian…!

She is all alone. IAN just walked out the door, literally, and even if MOM was around, she wouldn’t be supportive anyways. Since when was MOM ever supportive at all.

She storms to the payphone and types in GARY’S number.

GARY

Hello?

LEA

Don’t you dare try to block this number…! I know what you’ve been doing. Look, I don’t care, I really need your help. My uncle, he… he…

[BEAT]

GARY 

You can’t just come over and cry. I have a life…! I’m not responsible for anything. [Dialogue]

GARY’S words whizz pass her. Gone was the kind voice she got to know over last autumn.

GARY

Goodbye…!

LEA sinks to the ground. At this moment, she was completely and utterly alone.

On a calendar nearby, it mentions it’s only three days until Valentine’s Day

——

INT. - HOME IN GOLDEN, BC - DAY

MOM is in the kitchen looking at LEA who just moved back from school.

MOM

I’m actually ashamed that you’re born this way.

Shaking her head, LEA leaves the kitchen, and goes to the room and shuts the door behind her.

LEO

(draws closer to MOM)

I’m glad I told her to not tell others that she’s autistic, otherwise people will think she’s crazy…

LEA 

(Voiceover.)

Everyone’s against me for being born this way. Mother, Ian, Leo… everyone in high school. Is the whole world trying to conspire against me?!

LEA

(Voiceover. Contin.)

I did all this work in acting school, and everyone still isn’t on my side.

——

INT. - IMAGINATION - DAY/NIGHT

MIKE

We’re sorry for what we did to you back then.

NINA

We just did the things we did so we would have fit in back then.

MIKE

We had nothing against you. We just thought we were cool when we were being mean to you.

MIKE fades out. NINA is still there.

LEA

You still don’t get it, do you. You really hurt me back then, you know. Mocking me in every single way. And to top it off, my love life… It was lower than low. How could you do that?

NINA

Oh, come on, it was years ago, you really gotta let all this go, hun.

The flag of Alberta, Canada flashes behind.

LEA

In my homeland, we have to be perfect. Psychology still is taboo. My own relative even left me behind over it.

LEA sinks to the floor.

LEA

I heard ‘get over it’ or ‘move forward’ so many times. What, is it an Albertan thing to do?

LEA

(continued)

Did you know that mother thinks I’m a living sin, just for being born this way?

————

EXT. - ENGLISH BAY BEACH - EVENING

The summer sun slowly sets in the horizon. LEA looks out. She is in Vancouver. She is home. She lies down in the sand as she hears the ocean waves and breeze take her away.

LEA 

(Voiceover) 

"Either way, you are yourself. That's what counts. How you were born is unimportant. It's the same for anybody. We don't choose to be born. We simply realize, one day, that we're here… That we exist." - Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean

[brookston]

Holidays 4.26

Holidays

Activity Advisor Appreciation Day

Alien Day

Audubon Day

Australian Appreciation Day

Cape Henry Day (Virginia)

Confederate Memorial Day (Florida)

Day of Remembrance of the Chernobyl Tragedy (Belarus)

Festival of Individual Sovereignty

Get Organized Day

Help a Horse Day

High School Radio Day

Hug a Friend Day

Hug An Australian Day

Hug a Prom Sponsor

Internal Medicine Research Day

International Chernobyl Disaster Remembrance Day (UN)

International Flamingo Day

International Seeds Day

Lesbian Visibility Day

Memorial Day of Radiation Accidents and Catastrophes (Russia)

National Audubon Day

National Dissertation Day

National Gabriel Day

National Garage Day

National Hand Holding Day

National Help a Horse Day

National Hit It From the Back Day

National Jason Day

National Kids and Pets Day

National No Makeup Day

National Ranboo Day

National South Dakota Day

Old Permic Alphabet Day

Poetry and the Creative Mind Day

Pesach Sheni (Second Passover; Judaism)

Read Me Day

Remember Your First Kiss Day

Resistance Day (Day of the Uprising Against the Occupying Forces; Slovenia) [26th Unless a Sunday, then 27th]

Richter Scale Day

Secretaries’ Day (Colombia)

Self-Aware Universe Day

Shuffleboard Day

Static Cling Day

Studio 54 Day

Sultan’s Day (Malaysia)

Union Day (Tanzania)

Vallenato Legend Festival begins (Colombia)

Venus Day

Visakhabousa Day (Laos)

World Burlesque Day

World Intellectual Freedom Day

World Intellectual Property Day (UN)

World Pilots’ Day

YMCA Healthy Kids Day

Food & Drink Celebrations

Beer Autism Hope Day

National Pretzel Day

4th & Last Wednesday in April

Administrative Professional's Day (f.k.a Secretary's Day) [Wednesday of last full week]

Denim Day [Last Wednesday]

International Guide Dog Day [Last Wednesday]

International Noise Awareness Day [Last Wednesday]

Library Giving Day [Wednesday of Library Week]

National Bookmobile Day [Wednesday of Library Week]

National Drug Endangered Children Awareness Day [4th Wednesday]

National Financial Educators Day [Last Wednesday]

National Library Outreach Day [Wednesday of Library Week]

National Walk at Lunch Day [Last Wednesday]

No Elevators Day [Last Wednesday]

Peppercorn Day (Bermuda) [Wednesday closest to 23rd]

Stop Food Waste Day [Last Wednesday]

True Colors Day [Last Wednesday]

World Plone Day [Last Wednesday]

World Stationery Day [Last Wednesday]

Independence Days

Aetosia (Declared; 2019) [unrecognized]

Karisradd (Declared; 2013) [unrecognized]

Kotland (Declared; 2020) [unrecognized]

Roskya (Declared; 2020) [unrecognized]

Yom HaAtzma’ut [יוֹם הָעַצְמָאוּת] (Israeli Independence Day observed) [5 Iyar]

Feast Days

Aldobrandesca (a.k.a. Alda; Christian; Saint)

Anacletus, Pope (a.k.a. Cletius) and Marcellinus (Christian; Martyrs)

The Birthday Cake (Muppetism)

Cimon (Positivist; Saint)

Delphinia (Festival of Apollo; Ancient Greece)

Eugène Delacroix (Artology)

Festival of Renenutet (Ancient Egypt)

Franca Visalta (Christian; Saint)

Get Organized Day (Pastafarian)

Gian Paolo Lomazzo (Artology)

Hug An Australian Day (Pastafarian)

Jethro Tull Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Lucidius of Verona (Christian; Saint)

Mayan Rain Festival (Ancient Mayan)

Memorial of Our Lady of Good Counsel (Christian)

Our Lady of Good Counsel (Christian; Saint)

Paschasius Radbertus (Christian; Saint)

Peter of Rates (or of Braga; Christian; Saint)

Rafael Arnaiz (Christian; Saint) [Diabetes]

Riquier (a.k.a. Ricardus; Christian; Saint)

Robert Hunt (Episcopal Church (USA))

Sacrifice to Zeus Epacrios (Ancient Greece)

Stephen of Perm (Christian; Saint)

Trudpert (Christian; Saint)

Visakh Bochea Day (Buddha Day; Cambodia)

Walpurgisnacht, Day IV (Pagan)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Lucky Day (Philippines) [22 of 71]

Sakimake (先負 Japan) [Bad luck in the morning, good luck in the afternoon.]

Uncyclopedia Bad to Be Born Today (because the Chernobyl meltdown began.)

Premieres

American Recordings, by Johnny Cash (Album; 1994)

Avengers: Endgame (Film; 2019)

Belfagor, by Ottorino Respighi (Opera; 1923)

The Bridge at Andau, by James A. Michener (History Book; 1957)

Devils & Dust, by Bruce Springsteen (Album; 2005)

Dogtown and Z-Boys (Documentary Film; 2002)

Dragon Ball Z (Anime TV Series; 1989)

4th Symphony, by Charles Ives (Symphony; 1965)

Gunsmoke (Radio Series; 1952)

The Handmaid’s Tale (TV Series; 2017)

Just One of the Guys (Film; 1985)

The Last Waltz, by The Band (Live Album & Concert Film; 1978)

Moosylvania Wish Mash or A State of Confusion (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S6, Ep. 366; 1965)

Moosylvania Saved, Part 3 (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S6, Ep. 365; 1965)

The Muppet Musicians of Bremen (Muppet TV Special; 1972)

Neverland, by Jim Steinman (Musical Play; 1977)

Seven Samurai (Film; 1954)

Those Were Wonderful Days (WB MM Cartoon; 1934)

Throwing Copper, by Live (Album; 1994)

The Truth About Cats & Dogs (Film; 1996)

Tugboat Mickey (Disney Cartoon; 1940)

Ups ’n Downs (WB LT Cartoon; 1931)

A Waggily Tale (WB LT Cartoon; 1958)

”Weird Al” Yankovic, by Weird Al Yankovic (Album; 1983)

Today’s Name Days

Helene, Trudpert (Austria)

Kleto, Maksima, Montan, Stanislav, Višnja (Croatia)

Oto (Czech Republic)

Cletus (Denmark)

Eesi, Reesi, Teesi, Teisi, Tereese (Estonia)

Teresa, Terttu, Tessa (Finland)

Alida (France)

Consuela, Helene (Germany)

Glafyra (Greece)

Ervin (Hungary)

Alida, Bianca, Cleto, Marcellino (Italy)

Alīna, Geraldine, Rusins, Sandris (Latvia)

Dargailė, Gailenis, Klaudijus (Lithuania)

Tea, Terese (Norway)

Artemon, Klaudiusz, Klet, Marcelin, Marcelina, Maria, Marzena, Spycimir (Poland)

Chindeu, Chiril, Tasie, Vasile (Romania)

Jaroslava (Slovakia)

Isidoro (Spain)

Terese, Teresia (Sweden)

Clarence, DeMarco, Demarcus, Demario (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 116 of 2024; 249 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 3 of week 17 of 2023

Celtic Tree Calendar: Saille (Willow) [Day 11 of 28]

Chinese: Month 3 (Bing-Chen), Day 7 (Jia-Yin)

Chinese Year of the: Rabbit 4721 (until February 10, 2024)

Hebrew: 5 Iyar 5783

Islamic: 5 Shawwal 1444

J Cal: 25 Aqua; Foursday [25 of 30]

Julian: 13 April 2023

Moon: 38%: Waxing Crescent

Positivist: 4 Caesar (5th Month) [Cimon]

Runic Half Month: Lagu (Flowing Water) [Day 2 of 15]

Season: Spring (Day 38 of 90)

Zodiac: Taurus (Day 7 of 30)

[brookstonalmanac]

Holidays 4.26

Holidays

Activity Advisor Appreciation Day

Alien Day

Audubon Day

Australian Appreciation Day

Cape Henry Day (Virginia)

Confederate Memorial Day (Florida)

Day of Remembrance of the Chernobyl Tragedy (Belarus)

Festival of Individual Sovereignty

Get Organized Day

Help a Horse Day

High School Radio Day

Hug a Friend Day

Hug An Australian Day

Hug a Prom Sponsor

Internal Medicine Research Day

International Chernobyl Disaster Remembrance Day (UN)

International Flamingo Day

International Seeds Day

Lesbian Visibility Day

Memorial Day of Radiation Accidents and Catastrophes (Russia)

National Audubon Day

National Dissertation Day

National Gabriel Day

National Garage Day

National Hand Holding Day

National Help a Horse Day

National Hit It From the Back Day

National Jason Day

National Kids and Pets Day

National No Makeup Day

National Ranboo Day

National South Dakota Day

Old Permic Alphabet Day

Poetry and the Creative Mind Day

Pesach Sheni (Second Passover; Judaism)

Read Me Day

Remember Your First Kiss Day

Resistance Day (Day of the Uprising Against the Occupying Forces; Slovenia) [26th Unless a Sunday, then 27th]

Richter Scale Day

Secretaries’ Day (Colombia)

Self-Aware Universe Day

Shuffleboard Day

Static Cling Day

Studio 54 Day

Sultan’s Day (Malaysia)

Union Day (Tanzania)

Vallenato Legend Festival begins (Colombia)

Venus Day

Visakhabousa Day (Laos)

World Burlesque Day

World Intellectual Freedom Day

World Intellectual Property Day (UN)

World Pilots’ Day

YMCA Healthy Kids Day

Food & Drink Celebrations

Beer Autism Hope Day

National Pretzel Day

4th & Last Wednesday in April

Administrative Professional's Day (f.k.a Secretary's Day) [Wednesday of last full week]

Denim Day [Last Wednesday]

International Guide Dog Day [Last Wednesday]

International Noise Awareness Day [Last Wednesday]

Library Giving Day [Wednesday of Library Week]

National Bookmobile Day [Wednesday of Library Week]

National Drug Endangered Children Awareness Day [4th Wednesday]

National Financial Educators Day [Last Wednesday]

National Library Outreach Day [Wednesday of Library Week]

National Walk at Lunch Day [Last Wednesday]

No Elevators Day [Last Wednesday]

Peppercorn Day (Bermuda) [Wednesday closest to 23rd]

Stop Food Waste Day [Last Wednesday]

True Colors Day [Last Wednesday]

World Plone Day [Last Wednesday]

World Stationery Day [Last Wednesday]

Independence Days

Aetosia (Declared; 2019) [unrecognized]

Karisradd (Declared; 2013) [unrecognized]

Kotland (Declared; 2020) [unrecognized]

Roskya (Declared; 2020) [unrecognized]

Yom HaAtzma’ut [יוֹם הָעַצְמָאוּת] (Israeli Independence Day observed) [5 Iyar]

Feast Days

Aldobrandesca (a.k.a. Alda; Christian; Saint)

Anacletus, Pope (a.k.a. Cletius) and Marcellinus (Christian; Martyrs)

The Birthday Cake (Muppetism)

Cimon (Positivist; Saint)

Delphinia (Festival of Apollo; Ancient Greece)

Eugène Delacroix (Artology)

Festival of Renenutet (Ancient Egypt)

Franca Visalta (Christian; Saint)

Get Organized Day (Pastafarian)

Gian Paolo Lomazzo (Artology)

Hug An Australian Day (Pastafarian)

Jethro Tull Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Lucidius of Verona (Christian; Saint)

Mayan Rain Festival (Ancient Mayan)

Memorial of Our Lady of Good Counsel (Christian)

Our Lady of Good Counsel (Christian; Saint)

Paschasius Radbertus (Christian; Saint)

Peter of Rates (or of Braga; Christian; Saint)

Rafael Arnaiz (Christian; Saint) [Diabetes]

Riquier (a.k.a. Ricardus; Christian; Saint)

Robert Hunt (Episcopal Church (USA))

Sacrifice to Zeus Epacrios (Ancient Greece)

Stephen of Perm (Christian; Saint)

Trudpert (Christian; Saint)

Visakh Bochea Day (Buddha Day; Cambodia)

Walpurgisnacht, Day IV (Pagan)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Lucky Day (Philippines) [22 of 71]

Sakimake (先負 Japan) [Bad luck in the morning, good luck in the afternoon.]

Uncyclopedia Bad to Be Born Today (because the Chernobyl meltdown began.)

Premieres

American Recordings, by Johnny Cash (Album; 1994)

Avengers: Endgame (Film; 2019)

Belfagor, by Ottorino Respighi (Opera; 1923)

The Bridge at Andau, by James A. Michener (History Book; 1957)

Devils & Dust, by Bruce Springsteen (Album; 2005)

Dogtown and Z-Boys (Documentary Film; 2002)

Dragon Ball Z (Anime TV Series; 1989)

4th Symphony, by Charles Ives (Symphony; 1965)

Gunsmoke (Radio Series; 1952)

The Handmaid’s Tale (TV Series; 2017)

Just One of the Guys (Film; 1985)

The Last Waltz, by The Band (Live Album & Concert Film; 1978)

Moosylvania Wish Mash or A State of Confusion (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S6, Ep. 366; 1965)

Moosylvania Saved, Part 3 (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S6, Ep. 365; 1965)

The Muppet Musicians of Bremen (Muppet TV Special; 1972)

Neverland, by Jim Steinman (Musical Play; 1977)

Seven Samurai (Film; 1954)

Those Were Wonderful Days (WB MM Cartoon; 1934)

Throwing Copper, by Live (Album; 1994)

The Truth About Cats & Dogs (Film; 1996)

Tugboat Mickey (Disney Cartoon; 1940)

Ups ’n Downs (WB LT Cartoon; 1931)

A Waggily Tale (WB LT Cartoon; 1958)

”Weird Al” Yankovic, by Weird Al Yankovic (Album; 1983)

Today’s Name Days

Helene, Trudpert (Austria)

Kleto, Maksima, Montan, Stanislav, Višnja (Croatia)

Oto (Czech Republic)

Cletus (Denmark)

Eesi, Reesi, Teesi, Teisi, Tereese (Estonia)

Teresa, Terttu, Tessa (Finland)

Alida (France)

Consuela, Helene (Germany)

Glafyra (Greece)

Ervin (Hungary)

Alida, Bianca, Cleto, Marcellino (Italy)

Alīna, Geraldine, Rusins, Sandris (Latvia)

Dargailė, Gailenis, Klaudijus (Lithuania)

Tea, Terese (Norway)

Artemon, Klaudiusz, Klet, Marcelin, Marcelina, Maria, Marzena, Spycimir (Poland)

Chindeu, Chiril, Tasie, Vasile (Romania)

Jaroslava (Slovakia)

Isidoro (Spain)

Terese, Teresia (Sweden)

Clarence, DeMarco, Demarcus, Demario (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 116 of 2024; 249 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 3 of week 17 of 2023

Celtic Tree Calendar: Saille (Willow) [Day 11 of 28]

Chinese: Month 3 (Bing-Chen), Day 7 (Jia-Yin)

Chinese Year of the: Rabbit 4721 (until February 10, 2024)

Hebrew: 5 Iyar 5783

Islamic: 5 Shawwal 1444

J Cal: 25 Aqua; Foursday [25 of 30]

Julian: 13 April 2023

Moon: 38%: Waxing Crescent

Positivist: 4 Caesar (5th Month) [Cimon]

Runic Half Month: Lagu (Flowing Water) [Day 2 of 15]

Season: Spring (Day 38 of 90)

Zodiac: Taurus (Day 7 of 30)

[prasathkmb]

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