Ever wonderhow your monthly student loan payments might stack up next to someone who graduated with a completely different major?

The range can be significant starting at $406 a month in the retail industry all the way up to $685 a month for those working at private hospitals and other companies in the social assistance industry.

The averages are based on data released by Fidelity Investments and give a glimpse how some fields can leave employees burdened with more student loan debt than others.

The figures which are higher than other studies are based on information fromnearly 30,000 users of Fidelity's Student Debt Tool. Those individuals may be more likely to take the time using the tool exactly because they're overburdened by college debt.

The tool is widely available at major companies where Fidelity is a record keeper for the 401(k) plan. The tool is available online to the general public, too. See: http://www.fidelity.com/studentdebt.

The Fidelity data includes those with graduate degrees, as well as undergraduate degrees.

"Here's a snapshot of people looking for help," said Asha Srikantiah, head of the student debt program for Fidelity Investments.

We're moving into the time of the year when many new graduates from the Class of 2019 will start making payments on their student loans as theirsix-month grace period ends.

College grads had an average of $29,200 in college loans a record in the United States based on data for the Class of 2018 for those with bachelor's degrees, according to the latest report by the Institute for College Access & Success. That's up 2% from the 2017 average of $28,650.

Graduating with $35,000 in college debt could amount to a $371 a month payment under a standard 10-year repayment plan, assuming a 5% interest rate. That's just a tad lower than the average car payment for a used car.

Student loan borrowers should fill out the FAFSA as soon as they can to get the most aid. Oct. 1 marks the kick off date for those who will be in college in the fall of 2020.(Photo: BrianAJackson, Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Many times, college grads focus on trying to make those monthly payments as low as possible by signing up for various repayment plans. The trade off, though, is that extending your payments often means you're delaying paying off the loans as interest keeps building.

It's not unusual for many people to see student loan debt build over time the longer they're out of college because they've been paying too little on the debt.

You're not alone, for example, if you're looking at $400 or $500 a month for student loan payments, according to the Fidelity data.

The Fidelity report showed:

To be sure, the average monthly payments listed via Fidelity are considerably higher than the overall averages nationwide. The typical student loan payment falls between $200 and $299 a month, according to data from theFederal Reserve Report on the Economic Well-Being on U.S. Households in 2018.

In general, estimates for those with bachelor's degrees shows that grads majoringin education and communications tended to have lower monthly payments (in the low $300 a month range) than those with engineering or physical science degrees (in the $375 to $395 a month range). That's based on a study of monthly payments in 2012 for those who graduated in 2008 done by the National Center for Education Statistics at the U.S. Department of Education.

Those earning degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics may need to borrow more money in some cases.

"The debt of STEM graduates may be higher, but they also have higher income," saidMark Kantrowitz,publisher and vice president of research forSavingforcollege.com.

Millennials have an average student loan balance of $45,548 compared to $55,870 for Generation X and $56,652 for Baby Boomers, according to a Fidelity Investments review of borrowers using its Student Debt Tool.(Photo: Wavebreakmedia, Getty Images/iStockphoto)

According to the Fed's report, 54%of young adults who went to college took on some debt, including student loans, for their education.

Make sure you know the depth of your debt. Add up all of the different student loans that you've taken out over the years and get a clear picture on how much you owe, said Srikantiah at Fidelity.

Then, she said, try to examine what options are out there when it comes to federal repayment plans or possibly refinancing your student loans.

You want to understand the potential trade-offs with any move you make. Paying as much as you can on those loans will reduce your overall cost in the long run but you may need to live on a very tight budget to make that happen.

The Fidelity Student Debt Tool is used by borrowers who want to see all theirstudent loandata in one place and explore the impact of different repayment options.

Fidelity is offering access to a student debt refinancing platform through Credible.com via the student debt tool. Users can compare pre-qualified rates from up to 10 different refinancing lenders without affecting their credit score. In select states, borrowers currently will get a $750 bonus in the "near future" once they close on refinancing a loan.

Refinancing a federal loan into a private loan, though, may mean giving up an opportunity for various repayment options.Fidelity's Student Debt Tool helps borrowers assess the pros and cons of refinancing, including the impact on Federal loan repayment options.

"Repayment of this debt can be challenging," the Fed report stated. "In 2018, two in 10 of those who still owe money are behind on their payments little changed from the prior year."

The Federal Reserve noted in its report that individuals who did not complete their degree or who attended a for-profit institution are more likely to struggle with repayment.

Comparatively speaking, the Fed noted that otherswho completed a degree from a public or private not-for-profit institution, even including those who took on a relatively large amount of debt, had less difficulty.

Typically, a general guideline is that you don't want to owe more than what you can make that first year out of college.

If total debt is less than annual income, you should be able to repay your student loans in 10 years or less, Kantrowitz said.

High monthly payments, of course, cut into one's ability to save money or borrow for something else.

When you're looking at a $450 a month student loan payment, the last thing you want to do is go out and take out a new car loan.

The average new car payment, after all, is about $550 to $595a month, based on data from Experian and Cox Automotive's Dealertrack.

More: Black women bear largest burden in student debt crisis

More: Givling app helps trivia players pay student loans, mortgage debt but it could cost you

More: College grads average $32,158 in debt in Michigan. Here's what some didn't know

More: Struggling to pay student loans? You could be targeted by scammers

One's ability to save for the future or establish roots by buying that first home may also be hindered by a big college debt burden.

Many individuals delaycontributing to their retirement savings plans and many may even take out loans against their 401(k) plans.

Roughly one in five college loan borrowers who used the Fidelity tool reported contributing nothing to their 401(k) plan.

And nearly one out of seven borrowers reported having a loan outstanding against their 401(k), according to the Fidelity research.

What's even more startling: Baby boomers tend to have the largest levels of student loans based on the Fidelity data. Baby boomers had an average monthly payment of $565 for student loans. Their average student loan balance was $56,652.

By contrast, millennials had average monthly payments of $469 on average student loan balances of $45,548.

Over the last decade, the average debt at graduation has increased by 21% for bachelors degree recipients, Kantrowitz noted.

And in the past decade, he said, the average debt at graduation has gone up by 53% for parents.

"Parent debt has increased because students in bachelor's degree programs are running up against the federal student loan limits," Kantrowitz said.

"For a dependent undergraduate student, the aggregate limit for Federal Direct Stafford loans is $31,000 and the sum of the first four years of annual limits is $27,000. As more students hit these limits, it shifts further borrowing to parent and private loans," he said.

Yet parents, too, need to pay careful attention to how much they're willing to borrow to send their children to college.

"My rule of thumb for a parent is 'Don't borrow more than your annual income for all your children,'" Kantrowitz said.

"If your total parent education debt is less than your annual income, you should be able to repay your parent loans in 10 years or less," he said.

If you're an older parent, though, and likely to retire in less than 10 years, you'd want to borrow even less money to send your children to college.

"For example, if retirement is only five years away, borrow half as much," Kantrowitz said.

Contact Susan Tomporat 313-222-8876 or stompor@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @tompor. Read more on business and sign up for our business newsletter.

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weVENTURE mission is to accelerate sustainable business growth for women entrepreneurs. Left to right: Susan Erickson, Kathy Register and Val Williams with their big W that they take with them for promoting weVENTURE. (Photo: MALCOLM DENEMARK/FLORIDA TODAY)

The businessesweVENTURE helpsput food on the table for local women and their families.Through weVENTURE's guidance,women realize their dream of business ownership and work their way toward financial well-being.

That work has earned weVENTURE a spot as a finalist for Organization of the Year.

weVENTURE started outas the Women's Business Center at Florida Tech in 2007 through a collaborative grant with the U.S.Small Business Administration. Since then, the organization has grown and evolved to provide assistance to small businesses, aspiring entrepreneurs, and growth phase businesses.

Organization of the Year 2018 nominee: Tied Together of the Space Coast

Organization of the Year 2018 nominee: 321 Millennials

Organization of the Year 2018 nominee: Early Learning Coalition

In the 2018-2019program year alone, weVENTURE trained and counseled more than600 clients,helping them gain the confidence to start and grow their business, orempowering them to excel in their chosen profession. weVenture has helped people start more than25 businesses this year. And since its inception, theIGNITE360 business mentoring program has worked with more than100 businesses who cite impressive revenue growth.

"Most rewarding is being able to see our clients achieve their goals," said Val Williams, program director andstrategic business coach. "We've worked with women in businesses all the way from cottage industry to million-dollar-revenue companies. But when they come in, no matter who they are, they have many of the same concerns."

weVENTURE's mission is to accelerate sustainable business growth for women entrepreneurs. Left to right: Val Williams, Kathy Register and Susan Erickson.(Photo: MALCOLM DENEMARK/FLORIDA TODAY)

weVENTUREaddressesthose concerns one-on-one, form beginning points to mapping out success strategy and importantly, how tomeasure success.

"That's why we do what we do," said Williams. "Women do business a little bit differently. They're parents. They're wives. Their priorities may be different from those of their male counterparts, so they have fears of not being enough ... how will this affect my family? How will this compromise my time? Those soft skills are not always addressed in traditional business coaching, and we look at the complete woman, incorporating personal goals."

weVENTURE believes that "mentorship is important, strong businesses mean a stronger economy, strong businesses need strong leaders and women's voices should always be a part of the conversation,"said board member Ann Luke, who works in the financial services industry.

"It's a treasure to be able to refer entrepreneurs to a local, tested and respected organization to get the help they require, wherever the business is in their growth stage," Lukesaid.

Contact Kennerly at 321-242-3692 or bkennerly@floridatoday.com, Twitter @bybrittkennerly or at Facebook.com/bybrittkennerly.

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weVENTURE is 2019 Organization of the Year finalist in FLORIDA TODAY Volunteer Recognition Awards - Florida Today

Yanely Espinal knows what the power of a financial education she came from a low-income home with two parents and nine children, and ended up with credit card and student loan debt even after receiving a full scholarship to college.

The Brooklyn native said she often saw a difference between herself and some of the wealthier students around her. She attended high school near Lincoln Center in Manhattan, where many students wore brand-name clothes and returned from holiday break with the latest gadgets. When she went to Brown University, her friends were often going bowling or eating at Chipotle, CMG, +1.53% activities she couldnt afford on a regular basis.

So she opened her first credit card at 18 years old, with a $1,500 limit. I never had that much money before, she said. She used that credit card and three others she opened during her college years for textbooks and a laptop, as well as trips to the movies and restaurants. By the time she graduated, she had nearly $20,000 in debt $15,000 in credit card debt and $5,000 from a student loan. Her credit card interest rates were around 21%.

See: Financial literacy skills have taken a nose dive since the Great Recession

A $9 book called Women and Money by Suze Orman caught her eye one day while she was buying shampoo at Duane Reade. That book taught me everything I wish I knew before I was 18, she said. She spent the next few years reading up on saving and investing, and listening to podcasts and TED talks about financial topics.

I became obsessed with knowledge I felt I was deprived from, she said. It was social justice and financial empowerment, and that combination helped fuel my curiosity to learn as much as I could. She started her own YouTube channel, MissBeHelpful, to share some of her own lessons about money as well.

After the YouTuber paid off her debts, in less than two years, she opened her first Roth IRA and then allocated whatever debt payments she used to make into savings and investing. Three years after that, in March 2018, she had amassed just shy of $50,000. In the last 18 months, shes doubled her net worth. Part of her inspiration was the goal to eventually have a comfortable retirement.

Espinal, now 30, is the director of educational outreach at Next Gen Personal Finance, a nonprofit organization that offers free resources and tools to educators interested in teaching personal finance.

Less than half of U.S. states have a financial literacy requirement for high-school students. Financial illiteracy is a growing problem in the U.S., especially for young adults. Less than one-third of college students (28%) could correctly answer three multiple-choice questions about interest, inflation and risk diversification, according to a 2015-2016 FINRA study, and slightly more than half (53%) could do the same.

Although financial literacy is useful, there is a debate about when and how to dispense these lessons. Presidential candidate Andrew Yang tweeted in September that, in his experience, teaching financial literacy is difficult to people who dont have money. Some Twitter users criticized him for the statement, saying individuals can make the most of the lessons they learned when they finally do come into money, while others agreed with him that having the funds beforehand allows people to put their financial education to use immediately.

Still, there are steps anyone can take to get started on the path to financial freedom and eventually a nest egg like Espinals. Here are a few:

Dont miss: Money expert Jean Chatzky on how Americans should save for retirement and what youre getting wrong about the FIRE movement

Much of Espinals success can be traced back to her thirst for knowledge, and all the time she spent reading up on financial topics and soaking up information in podcasts and shows about money.

When you dont know about your money and you dont know about money, you are in this helpless place, she said. Learn as much as you can and look at your situation.

There are plenty of benchmarks and metrics online to measure how well an individual is doing compared with her peers. Sometimes these guidelines can be useful, as a way to gauge what is average, but sometimes they can be discouraging. The key, Espinal said, is simply to assess your current financial situation, and see if there are any tweaks that can be made to spending and saving, as well as other personal factors, like the interest rate youre being charged on your loans or the payment schedule thats set up. Espinal said the interest rates were about five times as high as what she would have been charged if shed taken out student loans instead, but she didnt realize that until it was too late.

Every dollar in a paycheck matters to someone who is living paycheck to paycheck. Although it might seem impossible to part with that money to pay down debt as well as save for retirement and other future goals, it is imperative, Espinal said.

Some people may find they are spending on products and services they dont actually care that much about such as one too many happy hour tabs or a superfluous subscription box (it doesnt always have to be a cup of coffee or avocado toast).

Many financial advisers suggest putting aside 10% (or more) of a salary for retirement, but thats not always feasible. For people who cant afford that, Espinal suggests cutting that rate in half. And if that seems impossible, try putting 3%. The goal is to set aside something anything even when money is tight. This is especially true when an employee has access to an employer-match, which is essentially free money. In that case, most financial experts will say put at least the amount to meet the full match.

Also see: This new Broke Millennial book has secrets for young people who dont want to think about retirement

Making financial decisions can be stressful, especially when there isnt that much money in the budget that may lead people to making the less optimal choice. Automating financial decisions, such as saving a set percentage of every paycheck or when to pay off credit card debt, can support good financial habits, said Tim Ranzetta, co-founder of Next Gen Personal Finance, where Espinal works. Its hard to set aside money for the future when the current situation feels so urgent, he said. Automating it means you dont even have to think about it.

The first savings goal should be an emergency account, which can help pay for an unexpected car repair or a trip to the hospital. Eventually, people can use automation to create and build an investment account, Ranzetta said.

Automatic deposits and automatic escalation of retirement contributions has proven to help Americans for decades. Richard Thaler, who received the Nobel Prize in economics in 2017, is credited with helping Americans put nearly $30 billion in their retirement accounts, because of his and colleagues research on behavioral finance and auto-enrollment and auto-escalation.

Money isnt the easiest thing to talk about, but its important. Parents can teach their children a lot about finances, as can their children eventually teach them when theyre older. Friends and family members should try being more open about these discussions, which can help in many ways, including knowing theyre not alone in a difficult situation or finding useful advice for a problem.

Opening up about your financial situation can also mean finding an accountability partner, said Joe Buhrmann, manager of financial planning support at Country Financial. Friends can become accountability partners, looking for budget-friendly activities and meals, or emotional support systems.

Not everyone has the time or means to create a side income stream or work another job, but its one surefire way to make extra money to put toward debt, and eventually savings. Espinal said she juggled a few jobs to earn more, especially when she was paying down all of her debt. Shed tutor on Saturday mornings, which seemed like a sacrifice when friends were on their way to the beach, but it ensured shed get to a place where was financially comfortable. Get creative coming up with income, she said. Its 2019. There are so many ways to find side gigs and hustles.

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This woman went from deep debt to retirement riches in a few years by teaching herself financial literacy - MarketWatch

So, after 13 years, its farewell to The Bernard Shaw.

The much-loved Portobello pub will close its doors for good on Sunday 3rd November after a protracted struggle with An Bord Pleanla and local residents over the noise generated by its beer garden.

Added to the mix has been the rate of development in the local area. Planners stated that for the Shaw to continue in its current form would be inconsistent with the emerging pattern of development in the vicinity , specifically mentioning the imposing new block that has risen like a villains lair opposite the pub. Stand in the beer garden, look up and youll see the skyline bristling with cranes as new structures go up all around it.

The venues owners Bodytonic have remained tight-lipped over the precise reason for the closure financial viability doesnt seem to be an issue, as the Irish Times reported that Bernard Shaw Taverns Limited made a 622,416 profit in 2018 but this part of Dublin has turned into something of a hostile environment for a bohemian drinking spot.

Sunday will be a sad day, and theres no doubt that The Bernard Shaw will leave a colossal hole in Portobellos nightlife, and in its many regulars lives. The place never looked like much from the outside much as they tried to give it some jaunty paint jobs and it always appeared to be on the brink of collapse inside; all wobbly walls, too-narrow alleyways, steps where you dont expect them and some of the dodgiest toilets south of Busras.

But what the Shaw did have was charm and easygoing cool. It looked the way it did because it wasnt making an attempt to impress anyone, or fit in with the upwardly mobile venues around it. It was a reflection of many of the people that hung out there: scruffy but interesting.

Music was always a huge part of the place, from the permanent soundtrack of low-level house played throughout the day to new and established DJs from Thursday to Sunday nights. Im lucky to have been able to DJ there several times, the first place in Dublin that would have me after I moved here in 2016.

Then there were the bands that crammed into the tiny downstairs bar or the top-tier touring acts that would make the walls sweat on special occasions. Where else would you be likely to find legendary DJs like Andrew Weatherall, Optimo or Motor City Drum Ensemble playing in a room holding no more than 60 people?

There have been flea markets, art exhibitions, gin festivals, poetry and spoken word, graffiti jams, the Big Blue Bus and so much more. It was a haven for activism International Womens Day, Dublin Pride, Repeal The Eighth and other causes found a home there. And it was the ultimate spot for post-work Friday pints or a Sunday recovery session.

The Shaw was often dismissed as a hipster hangout not least by councillor Mannix Flynn, an advocate for local residents but for a generation of Dubs and visitors from around the country it felt like home.

Bodytonic have now bought the former Porterhouse Whitworth pub beside the Royal Canal, on the boundary of Phibsborough and Glasnevin, and announced plans to move the Shaw lock, stock and barrel as far as possible to the Northside.

Thats an exciting prospect, and an apparent lack of residents within earshot should make it a sustainable location for generations to come.

But the fact remains that the Shaw as we know it is dead. Long live the Shaw.

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A fond farewell to The Bernard Shaw as the Portobello pub finally shuts its doors - Dublin Live

Gingold Theatrical Group continues the 14th Season of Project Shaw, Art as Activism: A Theatrical Survival Guide, a special series of evenings of plays that embrace human rights and free speech.

All of GTG's programming, inspired by the works of George Bernard Shaw, are designed to provoke peaceful discussion and activism.

"We get so many requests for Arms and the Man it's already selling out! It's a superbly crafted romantic comedy from top to bottom with every strongly delineated character given a very specific point of view. It's Shaw, so big thoughts and issues are explored, but always in a human and accessible way, with it all coming together in a streamlined and inevitable balance of adventure and romance. For this event we're honored to partner with Evan Yionoulis," said David Staller.

Arms and the Man, one of Shaw's most enduringly popular comedies, is on just about everybody's 'Favorite Shaw' list. The plot follows a hunted soldier who, seeking refuge in a young lady's boudoir, starts in motion a series of highly engaging and unlikely comedic events. His unusual philosophies about love, war and life in general open up a world of thought she'd never previously entertained-certainly not with her dashing war-hero fiance who also arrives unexpectedly. This early work of Shaw's is remarkably pithy.

Photo Credit: Stephen Brown-Fried

Alison Fraser and Bradford Cover

Max Gordon Moore

Arnie Burton and Talene Monahon

Bradford Cover and Amelia Pedlow

Evan Yionoulis and David Staller

Evan Yionoulis Talene Monahon, Alison Fraser ad Amelia Pedlow

Evan Yionoulis Talene Monahon, Alison Fraser, Amelia Pedlow, Max Gordon Moore, Arnie Burton, Bradford Cover and Ben Davis

Evan Yionoulis Talene Monahon, Alison Fraser, Amelia Pedlow, Arnie Burton, Bradford Cover and Ben Davis

David Staller, Kate Mandracchia and Arysbells Figueredo join with Evan Yionoulis Talene Monahon, Alison Fraser, Amelia Pedlow, Max Gordon Moore, Arnie Burton, Bradford Cover and Ben Davis

Arysbells Figueredo and Kate Mandracchia join with Evan Yionoulis Talene Monahon, Alison Fraser, Amelia Pedlow, Max Gordon Moore, Arnie Burton, Bradford Cover and Ben Davis

Alison Fraser, Amelia Pedlow, Bradford Cover and Ben Davis

Alison Fraser and Max Gordon Moore

Amelia Pedlow and Ben Davis

Amelia Pedlow and Ben Davis

Amelia Pedlow and Max Gordon Moore

Amelia Pedlow and Max Gordon Moore

Alison Fraser, Amelia Pedlow, Max Gordon Moore, Bradford Cover and Ben Davis

Alison Fraser, Amelia Pedlow, Max Gordon Moore, Bradford Cover and Ben Davis

Arnie Burton

Arnie Burton

Talene Monahon and Alison Fraser

Ben Davis and Talene Monahon

Alison Fraser, Talene Monahon Amelia Pedlow, Evan Yionoulis, Max Gordon Moore, Ben Davis, Bradford Cover and Arnie Burton

Ben Davis, Evan Yionoulis and Max Gordon Moore

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Photo Coverage: Project Shaw Presents ARMS AND THE MAN - Broadway World

Washington National Opera opened its 2019-20 season at the Kennedy Center on Saturday night with a performance of Giuseppe Verdis Otello signaling that the company, under the leadership of Artistic Director Francesca Zambello and General Director Timothy OLeary, goes from strength to strength as it embarks upon its 64th season.

Verdi esteemed no writer more highly than Shakespeare, and the extent of the bards influence upon the composer extends well beyond the three operas (Macbeth, Otello, and Falstaff) that are directly based on Shakespeare plays. It is no surprise, therefore, that Verdi couldnt resist an invitation from his publisher to collaborate with the young librettist, Arrigo Boito, on an opera based on Othelloeven if it meant interrupting a comfortable retirement. The overtly operatic qualities of Shakespeares play (George Bernard Shaw went so far as to refer to the source work as a play written by Shakespeare in the style of Italian opera) are maximized by Boito and Verdi in what is widely regarded as one of the crowning glories of Verdis storied career.

The success of any production of this opera rests largely upon the shoulders of the three singers portraying Otello, Iago, and Desdemonaeach of them given music of exceptional range that demands great versatility from the artists. Desdemona is the most conventionally Italianate of these characters, with music in which Verdi himself said that the melodic line never ceases from beginning to end.

But it is not quite so simple, as Verdi still demands very different types of singing from his female leadfrom the gentle lyricism of Acts I and IV to the demanding dramatic work of Act III. The soprano Leah Crocetto negotiated these shifts with admirable facility and shone most brilliantly in the wrenching Act III scene with Otello where the full power of her clarion upper register reflected her increasing desperation and her impassioned but ultimately futile declarations of innocence. While one might have hoped for a more understated rendering of the Willow Song, Crocettos stunning Ave Maria in Act IV (ably supported with responsive playing from the WNO Orchestra string section) was a masterclass in subtlety and control and proved to be a true showstopperthe only moment in Saturdays performance when the continuous flow of Verdis music was interrupted by audience applause.

Iago is at the other extremea character who infrequently sings in the true sense of the word but, as Verdi described it, more often declaims in a constantly shifting style matching his protean capacity for duplicity and manipulation. In his WNO debut, the baritone George Gagnidze was a commanding presence both musically and dramatically, whose performance helps one understand why Verdi and Boito initially planned to call their opera Iago. From the frantic energy of the Act I drinking song, to his shattering interpretation of the iconic Credo, to the calculated guile of his conversations with Otello, Gagnidze was everything that one could have hoped for in this most complex of Shakespearean villains.

Otello closes November 16, 2019. Details and tickets

The music of the title character makes the most varied demands upon the singerrequiring both the easy lyricism of a bel canto lover in the fleeting moments of tenderness with Desdemona and the stentorian tones of a warrior hero. The tenor Russell Thomas has steely, ringing high notes in abundance, and, while never actually losing control of his voice, he went about as far as he could in an effort to suggest the extent of Otellos undoing at the hands of Iago. The approach was risky, bold, and largely successful. Thomass depiction of Otellos emotional outbursts came across as uniformly intense, but, with more nuance and variety, he might have traced a more progressive journey from suspicion to madness.

Among the smaller roles, the tenor Zach Borichevsky had a strong turn as Cassio, and the mezzo-soprano Deborah Nansteel brought pathos and power to the role of Emilia, stepping out of the shadows to command the stage in the final moments of Act IV.

The Italian conductor Daniele Callegari, returning to WNO for the first time since leading Un Ballo in Maschera in 2010, maintained a taut sense of pacing throughout the evening while allowing adequate breathing space for the operas relatively few moments of lyrical repose. Revelling in the infinite colors of Verdis orchestration, Callegari elicited sensitive and detailed playing from the WNO Orchestra with especially fine contributions from the winds and brass. The WNO Chorus, prepared by Chorus Master Stephen Gathman, rose to the considerable challenges of the score, singing with fine diction and rhythmic energy.

The staging, a co-production of English National Opera, Royal Swedish Opera, and the Teatro Real Madrid, directed by David Alden, paled in comparison with the musical strengths of the production. With a single large set piece framing both interior and exterior scenes in and around a dilapidated structure washed in gray, the staging was both visually bland and, at times, logically inconsistent.

The bonfire kindled outside the castle in Act I was re-ignited in Act IV, but now in Desdemonas bedchambera sparsely furnished space with no bed. The fire in Acts I and IV was one of the more graceful and effective lighting choices in a production otherwise bathed in whitish-gray hues, the monotony of which further blurred the distinction between interior and exterior spaces. Costumes and props were vaguely suggestive of the first quarter of the 20th century, but details were imprecise. The use of an icon of the Madonna as a symbol of Otellos idealized vision of Desdemonaplaced next to her in Act II, desperately clutched by Otello at the beginning of Act III, then lifted over his head as he is poised to strike Desdemona, then finally used as a dartboard by Cassiowas a clumsy and gratuitous choice.

In her welcome letter to the audience, Zambello noted that it had long been her wish to bring Otello to WNO but that she waited to line up all of the right elements to present the work here in DC. Overall, Saturday nights production suggested that Zambellos patience has paid offas she has indeed brought together many, if perhaps not all, of the pieces to do justice to Verdi and Boitos masterful treatment of Shakespeare.

Otello, an opera in four acts. Music by Giuseppe Verdi. Libretto by Arrigo Boito. Based on the play by William Shakespeare. Conductor: Daniele Callegari. Director: David Alden. Washington National Opera Orchestra, Washington National Opera Chorus, Washington National Opera Childrens Chorus. Cast:Leah Crocetto (Desdemona), Russell Thomas (Othello), Iago (George Gagnidze), Deborah Nansteel (Emilia), Zach Borichevsky (Cassio), Alexander McKissick (Roderigo), Hunter Enoch (Montano/Herald), Wei Wu (Lodovico), Claudia Agero, Mario (Solo Dancer).Set and Costume Designer: Jon Morrell. Lighting Designer: Andrew Cutbush. Choreographer: Maxine Braham. Fight Coordinator: Casey Kaleba. Cover Conductor & Diction Coach: Giovanni Reggioli. Assistant Conductors: Michael Baitzer & Matthew Lobaugh. Chorus Master: Steven Gathman. Assistant Director: David Toro. Stage Manager: Lynn Krynicki. Produced by Washington National Opera .Reviewed by Richard Giarusso.

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Review: Otello from Washington National Opera - DC Theatre Scene

The 14th Season of Project Shaw continues October 28 at 7 PM with a reading of George Bernard Shaws Arms and the Man at the Leonard Nimoy Thalia Theater at Symphony Space.

Evan Yionoulis, who also serves as the stage narrator, directs a cast that features Arnie Burton, Ben Davis, Alison Fraser, Talene Monahon, Max Gordon Moore, Amelia Pedlow, and Bradford Cover.

The plot follows a hunted soldier who, seeking refuge in a young ladys boudoir, starts in motion a series of unlikely comedic events. His unusual philosophies about love, war, and life in general open up a world of thought shed never previously entertained.

Its a superbly crafted romantic comedy from top to bottom with every strongly delineated character given a very specific point of view. Its Shaw, so big thoughts and issues are explored, but always in a human and accessible way, with it all coming together in a streamlined and inevitable balance of adventure and romance. For this event were honored to partner with Evan Yionoulis, said Gingold Theatrical Group Artistic Director David Staller in an earlier statement.

Tickets are $40. Special reserved VIP seating is available for $55 by emailing info@gingoldgroup.org.

See What Your Favorite Stars Are Up to Away From Broadway With Playbill Universe

The Project Shaw series continued Jan. 24 with a reading of George Bernard Shaw's Androcles and the Lion at the Players Club featuring an all-critic cast including Roma Torre, Michael Riedel, Michael Musto and more. Read the Playbill.com story.

(Updated October 28, 2019)

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Social and Behavioral Sciences

Newswise BUFFALO, N.Y. What can reading 26,000 books tell researchers about how language environment affects language behavior? Brendan T. Johns, an assistant professor of communicative disorders and sciences in the University at Buffalos College of Arts and Sciences, has some answers that are helping to inform questions ranging from how we use and process language to better understanding the development of Alzheimers disease.

But lets be clear: Johns didnt read all of those books. Hes an expert in computational cognitive science who has published a computational modeling study that suggests our experience and interaction with specific learning environments, like the characteristics of what we read, leads to differences in language behavior that were once attributed to differences in cognition.

Previously in linguistics it was assumed a lot of our ability to use language was instinctual and that our environmental experience lacked the depth necessary to fully acquire the necessary skills, says Johns. The models that were developing today have us questioning those earlier conclusions. Environment does appear to be shaping behavior.

Johns findings, with his co-author, Randall K. Jamieson, a professor in the University of Manitobas Department of Psychology, appear in the journal Behavior Research Methods.

Advances in natural language processing and computational resources allow researchers like Johns and Jamieson to examine once intractable questions.

The models, called distributional models, serve as analogies to the human language learning process. The 26,000 books that support the analysis of this research come from 3,000 different authors (about 2,000 from the U.S. and roughly 500 from the U.K.) who used over 1.3 billion total words.

George Bernard Shaw is often credited with saying Britain and America are two countries separated by a common language. But the languages are not identical, and in order to establish and represent potential cultural differences, the researchers considered where each of the 26,000 books was located in both time (when the author was born) and place (where the book was published).

With that information established, the researchers analyzed data from 10 different studies involving more than 1,000 participants, using multiple psycholinguistic tasks.

The question this paper tries to answer is, If we train a model with similar materials that someone in the U.K. might have read versus what someone in the U.S. might have read, will they become more like these people? says Johns. We found that the environment people are embedded in seems to shape their behavior.

The culture-specific books in this study explain much of the variance in the data, according to Johns.

Its a huge benefit to have a culture-specific corpus, and an even greater benefit to have a time-specific corpus, says Johns. The differences we find in language environment and behavior as a function of time and place is what we call the selective reading hypothesis.

Using these machine-learning approaches demonstrates the richly informative nature of these environments, and Johns has been working toward building machine-learning frameworks to optimize education. This latest paper shows how you can take a persons language behavior and estimate the types of materials theyve read.

We want to take someones past experience with language and develop a model of what that person knows, says Johns. That lets us identify which information can maximize that persons learning potential.

But Johns also studies clinical populations, and his work with Alzheimers patients has him thinking about how to apply his models to potentially help people at risk of developing the disease.

He says some people show slight memory loss without other indications of cognitive decline. These patients with mild cognitive impairment have a 10-15% chance of being diagnosed with Alzheimers in any given year, compared to 2% of the general population over age 65.

Were finding that people who go on to develop Alzheimers across time are showing specific types of language loss and production where they seem to be losing long-distance semantic associations between words, as well as low-frequency words, he says. Can we develop tasks and stimuli that will allow that group to retain their language ability for longer, or develop a more personalized assessment to understand what type of information theyre losing in their cognitive system?

This research program has the potential to inform these important questions.

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The word of the day for 30 October is: Humility.

Humility is defined as the quality of having a modest or low opinion of ones importance.

CS Lewis described humility as not thinking less of yourself but thinking of yourself less.

Sometimes we need to step back and let go of our pride. If something good is done, why is it necessary to take full credit? Why not just let the light shine on the good deed, not who did it?

Saint Augustine said, It was pride that changed angels into devils; it is humility that makes men as angels.

When we are prideful, we lose sight of what is really important who we are, and what our values are, and we can land up losing people who are important to us.

We do not need to be arrogant in our achievements or in our daily lives. We cannot forget where we come from and who we are as people just because we have achieved something. Helping others and making them as happy as you are is an uplifting and rewarding experience.

Zig Ziglar said, What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals.

Originally posted here:
Word of the day - Roodepoort Record

I dont think its possible for my grandsons to understand how deeply I love them. It wasnt until they were born that I began realizing how much my grandparents loved me.

I ran across a quote over the weekend that isnt new. Ive heard it said for as long as I can remember and have seen the same quote attributed to many others, but my research on the net gives me confidence that Im attributing these powerful words to the correct source.

"Your beliefs become your thoughts.

Your thoughts become your words.

Your words become your actions.

Your actions become your habits.

Your habits become your values.

Your values become your destiny."

Mahatma Gandhi

Ive written about every line of this quote, in one way or another. It is one of those quotes that sticks with me and I find it to be on both my heart and mind this morning as I sit to write my column.

Caleb and Noah were in town this weekend. I find myself being more deliberate with them than I was with my children. I think because I only see them five to six times a year, I watch and listen to them, then try to teach them something useful. Ill see them again for five days over Thanksgiving. Im already thinking about some way to give them something they can learn and take home after the holiday. I think the teachings in this quote is it.

Your beliefs become your thoughts.

With every cell in my body, I know this to be true. Ive written in this column dozens of times about the power of your beliefs. Ill always have someone tell me that they cant help what they believe, so they have no control ... but its not true. We are in complete control of what we believe. Its a choice we make, so always choose to believe that you have the ability and power to determine your destiny ... because its true.

Your thoughts become your words.

What we believe in our hearts and mind, always comes out of our mouths. We all know the negative and positive people in our lives by what they say. Its no coincidence that the positive people are almost always happier and more successful.

Your words become your actions.

And its so because what they believe comes out of their mouths and their words become actions. If someone else says it, your mind understands that it may or may not be true, but if you say it, your mind absorbs and believes it.

Your actions become your habits.

There are many takes on this but Zig Ziglar said that if you purposely do something every day for 40 days, it becomes a habit.

Aristotle said, We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.

Our habits drive our actions and our actions drive our success.

Your habits become your values.

This is a column of its own that Ill address soon, but the more you do something, the more it becomes part of you.

Your values become your destiny.

Our destiny is not up to chance ... and certainly not up to others. The saying If it is to be it is up to me comes to mind here and its true. Destiny isnt something that you sit and wait for ... it is something you create, beginning with your belief system.

It is difficult to do Gandhis words justice in a mere 800-word column. I am writing this with several purposes. First, to formulate how to help a couple of boys, 7 and 9, begin to understand these truths and make them part of their lives. Second, to cause you, the reader to think about this and hopefully put these truths to work in your life.

I also need to hear these words as we all need to fortify our beliefs and strengthen our weaknesses. I am far from perfect, and like you, a work in progress. When I write to also strengthen my weaknesses I never run out of material.

I do understand the best way to teach behavior is to model it. I had a college professor, Dr. H. E. Nutt, who is legendary in the field of music education. He would always say, The best way to learn to play the clarinet (or any instrument) is to teach someone to play the clarinet. By doing so, it forces you to think about the correct methods and the more you do, the more it becomes part of you. By teaching these words, like teaching anything else, it forces me to put them into action.

So, as I try to share this with my grandsons and readers it is also my hope that by writing this column it makes all of us happier, stronger, kinder, wiser and more optimistic people.

Life is too short to be otherwise.

GARY W. MOORE is a freelance columnist, speaker and author of three books including the award-winning, critically acclaimed, Playing with the Enemy. Follow Gary on Twitter @GaryWMoore721 and at http://www.garywmoore.com

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POSITIVELY SPEAKING: Teaching Caleb and Noah - MyWebTimes.com