User:Tyciol/background

Education

 * 12UCalculus+Data Management, 11U2Physics+Chemistry, 11MComputer Science+Communications Technology, 10OComputer Engineering, 11UEnglish
 * I'm currently studying courses through correspondance, my full-time night shift ended so I'm looking for work at the moment. Mostly I want to get grades high enough for partial scholarship so I won't have to work as long to pay for it, since I dislike loans. That may very well be the only route though. I'm hoping I can set up a way to do business through my computer since leaving the home every day is troublesome.
 * Secondary School courses: I'd like to max out all available opportunities to learn about Biology, Chemistry, Physics, English, Computer Science, Law, Philosophy, Comparative Religion and Psychology.

While originally available when I was in a normal high school curriculum, advanced placement exam preparation courses are no longer available now that I am not. They are specialized only for certain schools in Ontario though more seem to be picking them up. I've been monitoring the announcements qualifications newsletters as I think the topic is interesting. Even if potentially unprepared, I would still prefer to write the exams to save time and money spent in university, as it is much less of commitment. Finding proper preparation materials and access to the testing is difficult, and may not be possible. It's best to just take the standard path and cut my losses. AP really doesn't matter in university anyway, it's a time and money saver, money can be made with time and I've wasted enough time dwelling on it anyway. If I have my way time should not be a limited resource for any humans, that's my dream.

Computer Engineering 11M and 12M are available at my old school, but weren't while I was attending. It seems I just missed them, which is a shame because they look really interesting and I loved the 10 course. I'd like to study them if possible. Earth and Space Science is available through correspondance, I may take that to try for a top 6 mark for scholarships. Even though I'm more interested in the micro than the macro, environmentalism and star wars are serious considerations for the quality of human life that I feel obligated to become informed about.

University

 * Biochemistry, Cellular biology, Microbiology, Biomedical technology, Genetics, Endocrinology, Biogerontology, Chemistry, Biology, Food Science (Dietitian related), Computer sciences, Bioinformatics, Nanotechnology. I don't expect to get degrees in all of them, although I like the idea of continuing education throughout life while working, to keep the mind sharp and be able to amalgamate different fields to benefit each other. My main goal is to get a Bachelor, Master, and then Doctorate in Biochemistry but after that, who knows.

While I originally wanted to go to a local school, I'll probably have to seek my university education in biology somewhere further away due to external pressures. Wherever I go I don't want silly unrelated drama to cause problems for whatever institution would accept me.

I want to learn about nutrition and fitness but organizations offering certification in this seem to be a dime a dozen, so it'd probably just be a waste of money. I don't think I'd do it unless someone with that impressed me or if it were needed for osme job.

In conjunction to my biology researches, I'm monitoring several reputable organizations that provide training and certification for bioinformatics, and stem cell research. These are strongly related to the things I'm studying biochem for and would like to add as many as possible. I've also considered education in personal support work, nursing, and M.D., though I don't really feel suited for that sort of 1on1 personal responsibility yet. It's much better to work with cells, bacteria, viri and rodents. Less consequence and pressure and ethical dilemma drama. Either way you get a cool white coat.

Career fields

 * Bio-Careers: Research scientist, university professor, consultant, inventor, biotechnology engineer, immunologist, parasitologist, virologist, bacteriologist, drug designer, and likely many others out there I have not yet encountered but would love to do associated with such fields
 * Tech on the side: military technology engineer, video game designer, AI developer, computer security specialist
 * Health on the side: dietitian/nutritionist, kinesiologist/personal trainer/fencing/martial arts assistant/teacher (I'd need to take up combat arts again for that though, lol)

Currently
I'm 22, currently a full-time student looking for either part or full-time employment. I want high marks for a scholarship, because I don't like taking loans out for money. Even so, I don't want to rely on that either, so I'm working until I save up enough money to pay for all my university fees. If I happen to get a scholarship to alleviate part of that, then that'd just be a bonus. I'm not sure how long this would take, perhaps a year or two. I need more positive job experience on my resume and some time to do some volunteering, work on the award, get fit, and catch up on my reading and research anyway.

Computers
I have always had a passion for computer coding and for a long time wanted to use it to design video games and AIs and cool programs. During high school I had thought I could get a military scholarship for computer science, but a lack of extracurricular activity, leadership activities, lack of physical conditioning, preference for long hair, and change of interest to biology (which RMC does not offer any programs in) has made me change my mind. Still, I may keep this in mind for the future. After all, chemistry, computers, earth and space science are still relevant adjunctionary interests, and I may be able to initiate reform (or change my body as appropriate for such service). I have some interest in the ways of the natives of Canada, and have long respected their reasons for growing their hair long. Perhaps if I become affiliated with a tribe then my spiritual reasons for long hair would be recognized and I could join without succumbing to sociological pressures. Another thing I'm at odds with is the necessity of swearing allegiance to the Queen of England (I don't favour monarchies), and some possible religious discrimination within the Canadian government which may require reform before I would feel comfortable within its service.

Current aspirations
Now I want to work on longevity research, so that I and those who I care for will not die of the failing systems that occur over time (age). I also think it's a much better approach toe medicine than treating the symptoms of disease. This is a great focus and necessary and teaches us much about biology, but it almost feels like only focusing on that is just making humans lab rats for experimentation. Fostering goood health, which youthfulness is generally synonymous with, will aid both in preventing many diseases (mostly age-related ones) as well as genetically inherited ones since tailoring cellular repair and gene-manipulation is something I believe will play a strong role in rejuvenation treatments.

There are also childhood illnesses (genetic and environmental usually) which are real tragedies of dysfunction that I hope to help with. By getting rid of this as well as the inevitable death of aging, people's view of death would become circumstantial, so people will feel more in control and not be reckless or suicidal as much. For a while I didn't know what to call this feeling or theory, but the death drive as Freud calls it seems to fit the concept. I want to help quell the appeal of succumbing to it, in a world with alternatives.

At the same time, I feel many mental abnormalities are not degenerative as many seem to feel (such as cases of diagnosed autism, homosexuality or transgenderism) and that people should not be forced to homogenize if they do not desire to do so. I'm very concerned with parents, guardians and caregivers who try to make this choice for people, when it is really something people should choose to treat on their own, or if they are becoming a danger to themself or others or losing connection with reality.

Health (nutrition, lifestyle), fitness (strength, endurance, flexibility) and self-defence (martial arts, home security) are all very important to study as well for survival, as they contribute to general happiness, health, and self-preservation, and greatly lower the expense and required frequency of medical procedures.

Studying the environment, the political spectrum, terrorism, cults, and conspiracies, are things I also dabble in, because humans are very interdependant, so humanity as a whole has to foster for me and the people I care about to survive as well. In general, seeing peace and happiness gives you that nice feeling too. Spreading rights to people is important, as women, racial and religious minorities, and children are often denied basic rights and appreciations of sentience. As animal communication improves, perhaps some animals might be found to be intelligent enough (or have that potential, like those learning apes) to receive that sort of appreciation and protection too. Perhaps AIs, though I can't see computers that smart coming along for many decades. I like variety, so we can't homogenize. Also big on avoiding the entrance of ThoughtCrime (see George Orwell 's 1984) into legislation due to desiring free speech and that law be kept in line with reason.

In the long term, I would like to get a doctorate (PhD) in many fields of science, so that I can help advance our knowledge in them and better influence the direction and openness of the field of study through such recognition. E.g. Podiatry is pretty neat, no one ever focused on feet bodybuilding. A lot of my favourite characters and people have education and weird ideas like that.

I want to become a member of a bunch of organizations. Many, you just pay the fee and you're in, but I still find them valuable. Others, require great deeds, and I want to be a person who accomplishes such deeds. For example, getting appointed to the Order of Canada as Member, Officer and then Companion would be awesome, or anything else in the Canadian honours system. These are the more official espectible ones. Lately I've reconsidered this, because a lot of enemies I have might try to demean these things, so no matter what good things I do I may just turn it down, depending on how circumstances change.

I actually like small useless ones too just to share ideas, like the Trichotomy things where they specialize in learning about hair biology. Hair's pretty useless for health concerns but it can be an indicator of health I suppose and is a bit of a casual interest with me since I have so much of it. I really like 'lifetime memberships' since they seem such a bargain, what with my planning to live forever, compared to annual memberships.

I'm curren't working on my The Duke of Edinburgh's Award although somewhat stuck at where to go with that. I figure aerobics for physical, hospice for volunteer, not sure what for skill training yet, or for a community project. I have basically four years left to accomplish this.

Also, getting into Police/Fire Fighters/Military would be cool too, I just don't want to be a grunt, and I also want equal rights between sexes (such as, I should get to wear my hair long too even if I'm male) and to make sure there's no discrimination or undue deployment, as I want to make sure I agree with the decisions of any of these that I might join. Science is more important first though, so I have a better idea of what I'm protecting. Probably do military before I do politics though, unless it was being a science advisor or something. I'm not much of a leader so I'd see if I could under the most adverse conditions (the military) before trying it in a political arena, what with all it's backstabbing and the sort. Besides which, people appreciate those who are willing to risk their lives, it's a good vote of confidence for your intentions, and mine are indeed quite sincere.

Past reintegration
I remain a big fan of computer sciences, video games, and have decided to continue studying code on the side, with a focus on biochemical applications. Nanotech for biological purposes, bioinformatics, gene-mapping technologies, and so on.

It's still the forum I've got the most posts in overall, with probably bodybuilding.com, then alexchiu or trickstutorials as the best followups in postcount (though they are split up since the boards have reset and moved and account troubles at various moments. I'm signed up for a truly excessive amount of message boards, so many I really don't even have time to use them. There's just such a large variety of topics to discuss and people to discuss them with. Even so, I still have my huge collection of RPGs and I flip through them, dreaming up characters. Even make them time to time, just not play them. It would be really cool to try them out again since I have so many more ideas and am more cultured from reading more literature.

I keep a big text document which I occasionally upload (see below) of all the books (mostly manga and comics, ha) I've read or am planning to read. I do this mainly in case others have read them and want to talk about them, and to remind myself of what to come back to reread years later and recall how it may have affected my personal development, as well as the possibility of looking up forums or sites to discuss the literature, or to find other things in the series/universe/author which I would probably also enjoy. This is a habit I started about a year or two ago I think, so I could only make a rough approximation of what I had read previously to that date. So only the most memorable are included. There are many I'd probably recognize if I were to browse through a kid's section for a couple days, but I don't really have the time for that (plus it would be creepy). I wish I'd done that when I was a Library Page, but I'd never get that job again, I was late and absent far too much. Bad habit with the jobs I've had I guess, I always oversleep and then get stressed about going in late.

Paranormal fun
For a while I had a large interest in the paranormal due to a combination of imagination, love for fantasy novels/games, and dissatisfaction with what we currently know about reality. While I do still read a little related to magic, psychic abilities, ghosts, ufos, etc. every now and then, with a clearer skeptical mind, I've found that the theories on these areas are pretty hollow, and likely result in nothing but delusion and placebos.

What I've taken from it is the rampant idealism (as well as counterculturalism), the good feelings one can take from altruism (or being wild and primal), meditation techniques (if I could only have the patience to practise them anymore), my passion for martial arts (many of which are rampant with 'chi' BS), the usefulness of metaphor and getting emotionally involved with something, and maybe I'll play with all the 'psychic powers' every now and then for kicks, because I think it's actually pretty fun to point at things and pretend you can use your mind to affect them (though you obviously cannot).

Things like chakras and whatnot are probably still useful as visualization and relaxation techniques even if you can't bend spoons or levitate with them. Furthermore, the literature in such circles is very extensive and has a potential for application to art, video games, new concepts or viewpoints, and would give me a fun hobby of things to test and disprove to hopefully help such people progress along into a more sciencentric stance. Odds are whatever concepts have shown up consistantly in religions (archtypes) and common visualizations for pursuing supernatural abilities, are selected as to be the most likely to best stimulate the superstitious parts of the human mind. If recognized as such so they do not corrupt science-based treatment, placebos can play a strong part in treatments, and can help diversify human spiritual pursuits and discussions.