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Barry Levinson brings us a Raymond, very moving character in the movie Raymond Babbitt. Raymond is a grown man that is Autistic. Raymond may be grown up but he lacks certain sociable skills, making communication very difficult. He has a hard time understanding and answer questions. Because of Raymond’s handicap he is unable to progress into a new person. Raymond’s limitations give the movie boundaries. Levinson uses the idea of not allowing this character to change to affect the other characters in this story. The character that is most affected is Raymond’s brother, Charlie. At the beginning Charlie is frustrated and short on cash, his father has died and Charlie received no inheritance, his father had left it all to Charlie’s unknown brother, Raymond. When Charlie first meets Raymond he thinks it is a big joke, the way Raymond acts. Although, all he can seem to think about is why no one ever told him that he had a brother. Charlie makes it out to seem li ke he really wants to take Raymond in with him and take care of him, at this point Charlie is taking Raymond from the institute where he is being taken care of in hopes of trading Raymond back for part of his inheritance. When he is refused, Charlie runs off with Raymond beginning a cross-country journey that would change Charlie completely. The beginning of the movie shows Charlie as a money motivated guy. He was only in it for the quick buck, you soon find out that his business is suffering and is having many problems. T...

The Defination of Music

Music. I spend more than two hours playing, singing, or listening to music everday. Almost everything I do involves music. I love it; it can lift my spirits, or tell me a story. But, what is music? Is it something you can dance to? Something that is played or sung? Is it something that has balance, or sounds pleasant? What is music? It is defined as â€Å"An art form consisting of sequences of sounds in time, including tones of definite pitch organized melodically, harmonically, and rhythmically. † To me, music means expression. When I was six years old, I acquired my first CD player.I didn’t get any CD’s with it, so I used my parents. One CD that I picked up was by Mindy McCready. I didn’t understand what the songs were about, but I knew I really enjoyed the â€Å"beat† of the songs, the instruments in each piece, and the sound of her voice. I would always be singing my own words to her songs and I wanted to learn how to make music like she did. Sh e influenced me in a way I didn’t understand at the time, but I knew I wanted to know more about the way her songs worked. I wanted to know how to make something that sounded similar to her songs, and how to make it my own.That CD is what made me fall in love with the concept of, and the idea itself, known as music. In third grade, only two years after I realized how much I liked music, I started piano lessons with the keyboard player from my church. His name was Larry, he was a great inspiration to me. Larry asked me on my first lesson if learning piano was something I really wanted to do, or if it was just something my parents were having me do. I told him, much more seriously than a third grader should be able to, it was something I needed to do to be able to more clearly understand music; and that I was looking forward to every lesson we would have.One week later, on my next lesson, I stared to learn my scales. Normally, it takes students months to learn and memorize all of the scales, but it took me only a few weeks. I was much more musically gifted then anyone realized and I quickly took on many other instruments. From third to seventh grade, I learned how to play the piano, guitar, bass, saxophone, french horn, trumpet, clarinet, and flute. I also took choir, training my voice to be the best it could be. The way I could express myself differently through every one of these instruments, made everyday a joyous adventure.I used the instruments as an outlet; when I was happy, the music would be loud and bouncy. Yet when I was upset, the music would be mournful, slow, and quiet. I conveyed my feelings through the music. The more I learned about music, the more open I became with choices. Before I became a â€Å"band geek†, I was quiet and refined. I didn’t talk to many people and I didn’t have any intention on changing that. After I joined two bands though, my life changed drastically. Both classes would result in a â€Å"differe nt me†.When I would play music in my jazz band, I would leave the class excited and ready to try new things. When I would go to symphony, my choices would be more thought out, longer, and with more depth to them. Every piece I played would change my day; depending on how much I enjoyed the piece, and who I was playing it with. The people in band are a big reason why I love music. If you’re sitting alone in a room, playing a keyboard, you are not going to be having nearly as much fun, or being as artistic with your musical choices, then if your with a few of your best friends, all who play instruments or sing.An instance of this is from a year ago, when I had a mentor in symphonic band. He was an amazing saxophone player who loved people. I was his second in command, and for being that, he taught me a few of his tricks on how he became such a beloved musician and person. He showed me how to play music with more expression in singular notes instead of looking at the piece as a whole. He helped me on improvisation and on making a piece personal. He also showed me how to fine tune a musical piece; how to make the different parts work together harmoniously, and how to then play it correctly.He was a great inspiration to me and I am sad he graduated, but overjoyed I had the opportunity to be taught by such a talented musician for our time. After learning so much from such a great mentor, I began to question how my music could be improved and how I could express myself better. I knew about harmony and melody, and how to balance them; I knew about all the different instruments in different kinds of bands. Yet, I wanted to push my boundaries and become a better instrumentalist.A great musician once said, â€Å"Then let us all do what is right, strive with all our might toward the unattainable, develop as fully as we can [with] the gifts God has given us, and never stop learning† (Beethoven). To me, this means you shouldn’t stop when you think you’re at your best. Always push forward, creating your own limits and don’t fall into society’s expectations. This is how I viewed music; it was something I could never put a limit on and striving for perfection was the only way to be successful with it. To this day, I try my best with music, I make it my own, and I love to play it.There is nothing else like it, for music is everywhere; all people know some type of music, and it affects every person in a different way. I enjoy music greatly, and hope I will be able to continue learning about it for the rest of my life. The expression used to create music is an unexplainable talent that anyone could utilize, and without it, the days of life would be dull and boring. The way I view it, and as my band director tells me daily, music equals life. SAU Library, + Beethoven, the Music and the Life. + by Lewis Lockwood. Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company; 1st edition (December 16, 2002) + October 1st 2011

What Is the CSS Profile for Financial Aid

The CSS Profile is a non-federal application for college grants and scholarships. The profile is required by roughly 400 colleges and universities, most of which are private. Any college that requires the CSS Profile also requires the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Key Takeaways: The CSS Profile The CSS Profile is an application for non-federal financial aid (such as institutional grant aid).Approximately 400 colleges and universities require the CSS Profile. Most are selective private institutions with expensive tuitions and significant financial aid resources.The CSS Profile is a more detailed form than the FAFSA. However, any college that requires the CSS Profile also requires the FAFSA.The CSS Profile is typically due on or around the admission application deadline. Be sure to submit it on time or early in order to ensure your financial aid application is processed. What Is the CSS Profile? The CSS Profile is a financial aid application used by approximately 400 colleges. The application provides a holistic portrait of financial need so that non-federal financial aid (such as institutional grant aid) can be awarded accordingly. Unlike the FAFSA, which is based on just a few income and savings data points, the CSS Profile considers current and future expenses that arent always captured by tax documents. The CSS Profile is a product of the College Board. To fill out the CSS profile, youll use the same log-in information you created for the PSAT, SAT, or AP. Information Collected by the CSS Profile The CSS Profile overlaps with the FAFSA when it comes to income and savings. The student—and their family, if the student is a dependent—will need to submit personal identification information, income information from both employers and personal businesses, and non-retirement savings from bank accounts, 529 plans, and other investments. Additional information required for the CSS Profile includes: Your current high school and the colleges to which youll applyYour home value and the amount you owe on your homeYour retirement savingsChild support informationSibling informationExpected earnings for the coming yearInformation about any special circumstances that may not be reflected in the prior years tax forms (such as a loss in income, exceptional medical expenses, and eldercare expenses)Contributions towards college from anyone other than the students parents The final section of the CSS Profile includes questions that are specific to the schools to which you are applying. Much like supplemental essays on the Common Application, this section allows colleges to ask questions that arent covered by the standard part of the application. These questions might be used be schools for calculating grant aid, or they might be geared towards specific scholarships available at the school. Keep in mind that some colleges require an additional step. About a quarter of all schools that require the CSS Profile also require students to submit tax and income information through IDOC, the Institutional Documentation Service. IDOC typically requires you to scan and submit your federal tax return, including W-2 and 1099 records. When to Submit the CSS Profile The CSS Profile, like the FAFSA, is available for the next school year beginning on October 1st. If youre applying to a college through an Early Action or Early Decision program, youll want to complete the profile in October (possibly early November) to make sure you can be considered for financial aid when your application is evaluated. In general, the CSS Profile will be due on or near the same date that the college application is due. Dont put off completing the profile or you might be jeopardizing your financial aid award. Also, keep in mind that it can take a couple weeks for all of the CSS Profile information to reach colleges once you submit the document. The College Board recommends that applicants submit the CSS Profile at least two weeks before their earliest application deadline. Time Required to Complete the CSS Profile The CSS Profile is said to take between 45 minutes and 2 hours to complete. The reality, however, is that it will take several additional hours to gather the necessary documents, including tax returns, savings and invest account information, mortgage information, health and dental payment records, 529 balances, and more. If both the parents and the student have income and savings, the profile will take longer to complete. Similarly, families with numerous sources of income, multiple residential properties, and contributions from outside the family will have more information to enter into the CSS Profile. Parents who are divorced or separated will also have a less stream-lined experience with the profile. Keep in mind that you do not need to complete the CSS Profile in one sitting. Your answers can be saved regularly, and you can return to the form without losing your progress. Cost of the CSS Profile Unlike the FAFSA, the CSS Profile is not free. Applicants will need to pay a $25 fee to set up the profile, and another $16 for each school that will receive the profile. Fee waivers are available for students who qualified for SAT fee waivers. If youre planning to apply to a school through an Early Action or Early Decision program, you can save some money by submitting the CSS Profile to your early application school first, and then adding other colleges to your profile only if you dont get into your top-choice school early. Schools That Require the CSS Profile Roughly 400 colleges and universities require the CSS Profile in addition to the FAFSA. Most CSS Profile participants are selective private colleges and universities with high tuition fees. They also tend to be schools with significant financial aid resources. The CSS Profile allows these institutions to determine a familys financial need with greater precision than is possible with the FAFSA. Participating institutions include most of the Ivy League Schools, top liberal arts colleges such as Williams College and Pomona College, top engineering schools such as MIT and Caltech, and other highly selective private universities such as Stanford University and Northwestern University. A few scholarship programs also require the CSS Profile. Youll find that a handful of public universities such as Georgia Tech, UNC Chapel Hill, the University of Virginia, and the University of Michigan use the CSS Profile. Not all colleges find that the CSS Profile serves their needs, and a few top schools have created their own financial aid applications rather than using the College Boards product. Princeton University, for example, requires the Princeton Financial Aid Application as well as copies of the parents federal income tax return and W-2 statements. Please note: if you are not applying for financial aid, you will not need to fill out the CSS Profile for any school. A Final Word About the CSS Profile As college application deadlines approach, most students are entirely focused on writing essays and making their applications as strong as possible. Realize, however, that you (and/or your parents) need to be working on financial aid applications at the same time. Getting into college is important, but being able to pay for it is equally important. When the FAFSA and CSS Profile go live in October, dont procrastinate. Completing them early can help guarantee youll get full consideration for all available grants and scholarships.