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malecsecretsanta · 3 years

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Merry Christmas, skylar102!

For @skylar102. I was overjoyed to see your likes included crack fic - which is exactly what I bring you this Christmas. You may recognise the concept and some of the scenes chosen for this fic. What can I say? You’re a very inspiring person!I hope I did the idea justice and that you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it! <3 Much love,Your Secret Santa <3

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*****

Alec Lightwood: The Musical

Rolling drums accompanied him as he ran down the corridor, the sounds of woodwind and strings building as he drew closer to the doorway where he’d heard the commotion. The music drew him in and honed his focus, preparing him for the fight ahead. He strode through the doorway to find an unknown Warlock fending off a Circle member.

The Warlock was tall, almost as tall as Alec. Slender, with figure hugging clothing that hinted at the strong physique beneath. His hair was styled tall and striking, his outfit designed to draw attention. Clearly it was working, as Alec sucked in a shuddering breath. He couldn’t quite explain what he was feeling, but now wasn’t the time to let emotions cloud his judgement.

At that moment, the music broke, a scratching interlude cutting through the air and causing him to wince slightly before giving way to a new song. Alec narrowed his eyes, focussing his stare up at the corner of the room as if he could glare the speakers into submission. As if there were actual speakers there. He sighed and tried to block out the beeping and clapping, focussing instead on the Circle member in front of him.

He scoffed slightly, the arrogant Shadowhunter forgetting all his training in favour of taunting a warlock and not even noticing Alec was there. His limp grip on his seraph blade designed to look intimidating rather than actually being deadly as he waved it mockingly in front of his foe. Holding back an eye roll, Alec raised his bow, taking careful aim and loosing an arrow straight at the man’s heart.

Or he would have had the insipid voice echoing in the room not started moaning in a frankly inappropriate way, distracting him.

You got me trippin', stumblin', flippin', fumblin'

Clumsy 'cause I'm fallin' in love (in love)

This wasn’t a song he knew. Usually, in moments like this, whatever higher power decided to curse him with a personal playlist at least chose swelling instrumentals, epic and strong in their crescendos, that helped him focus on the fight - like the song that had been rudely interrupted by… Well, this. Today, apparently someone wanted to taunt him with the kind of music Izzy liked to dance around her room to.

He snapped back to attention as the Circle member yelled in pain, Alec’s arrow piercing his thigh instead. It wasn’t a lethal shot but at least it was enough to drop him to his knees, clutching the wound in agony and cutting off his frankly tedious monologue.

The warlock conjured a ball of electric blue energy, circling his hands to shape it before pushing it forwards into the rogue Shadowhunter, his shoulders flexing elegantly under the patterned material of his jacket. The circle member collapsed backwards, completely incapacitated or possibly even dead.

“Well done.” Alec almost immediately chastised himself internally for the dumb statement. As if a powerful warlock couldn’t take down a wounded Shadowhunter with ease.

Can't breathe, when you touch my sleeve

Butterflies so crazy, ummm, ummm

Whoa now? Think I'm goin' down

Friends don't know what's with me, mmm, mmm

“More like medium rare,” the Warlock responded, turning to face Alec. “I’m Magnus, I don’t think we've been formally introduced?”

The way Magnus’ body swayed as he made his way over to Alec could only be described as a saunter. Every part of his body moving in sync, like each step forward was part of a carefully choreographed, sensual dance. His warm brown eyes scanning Alec up and down, making Alec’s blood feel like lava coursing through his veins.

“Alec,” he stuttered out, cursing his own ineloquence. “Uh, we, should, uh, really, uh, probably, get, uh, you know.” He knew his face would be plastered with a dopey smile. He tried to focus on the mission, remembering all his Shadowhunter training and not let himself be distracted by how handsome Magnus was.

“We should join the party,” Magnus replied kindly, taking sympathy on Alec’s inarticulate stumbling.

You got me slippin', tumblin', sinkin', fumblin'

Clumsy 'cause I'm fallin' in love (in love)

Songs:

Moscow Symphony Orchestra - The Charge of the Light Brigade

Fergie - Clumsy

Alec fought to steady his breathing, schooling his features into as close to a smile as he could manage. This was supposed to be a happy occasion after all, he was marrying a good match. A woman of strong standing with the Clave, a woman who would help him restore his family’s name and lead the New York Institute to greatness.

The delicate instrumental that flowed around him was more sombre than your average wedding choice, but the music that had followed him for as long as he could remember was always in tune to his feelings as well as the wider situation. No one could ever explain where the sounds came from, no one else could hear them but he had his own radio station that followed him everywhere he went.

To his side, Brother Zachariah finished the traditional introduction. ‘No turning back now,’ he thought grimly, dragging in a deep breath. Lydia gripped her stele, reaching out to touch the tip to the ceremonial adamas block with a small smile tracing her lips. A smile that actually managed to reach her eyes. Alec supposed this was less of a compromise for her at least - she wasn’t hiding herself for the sake of a marriage. Objectively, he could see that she was beautiful. The dress hugged her lithe figure perfectly, her hair elegantly braided into an intricate style. But his observation was purely theoretical, based on appearances only with no deeper meaning behind them. It was like observing an exhibition in an art gallery or appreciating the orchestral chords currently filling his ears. He could recognise the grace and the skill, he could appreciate how other people would form a deep emotional connection, but for him it went no deeper than that.

Taking his hand, Lydia brought the glowing tip of the stele to his wrist to trace the wedded union rune when Alec’s head jerked up. At that moment the door slammed open in the distance, causing everyone else to look up in unison. A fraction of a second later, Magnus Bane appeared in the archway, halting in the middle of the aisle that Alec’s bride had not long since walked down.

Simultaneously, the instrumental had come to a stuttering halt only to be replaced by jarring guitar riffs and sirens.

And I'm glad I crashed the wedding

It's better than regretting

I could have been a loser kid

Who ran away and hid

But it's the best thing that I ever did

If Alec jumped in response, it was at least masked by the distraction Magnus Bane had caused.

Magnus held his head high, focussing his gaze on Alec. Alec felt his heart pound in his chest. In his periphery, he heard his mother speak out but her words were lost to the beat of the song filling the room for only his ears. His siblings were having a hushed conversation behind him, but all Alec could focus on was the warlock standing before him. Dressed impeccably as always, his hair swept high with just a hint of magenta glinting in the tips, his eyes lined with his customary makeup. This. This was what Alec was meant to feel when he looked at Lydia. The steady beat of his pulse, sure and certain. The thrum of electricity that vibrated across every inch of his skin. The way his breath caught in his throat. The sheer force of attraction.

His mom was stalking up the aisle towards the warlock, the set of her shoulders displaying just how angry the intrusion had made her. Magnus merely raised his hand, halting her in her lecture and moving further towards Alec. The display of determination and power frayed at the last of Alec’s resolve. Both Jace and Lydia were reaching out to him with words of support and encouragement. Lydia’s smile was wide but no longer touching her eyes as she tried to capture his attention.

“Alec, hey, Alec,” she leaned towards him, trying to angle herself into his eye line causing him to finally look away from Magnus.

“I- I can’t breathe.” He admitted. The bowtie knotted at his throat suddenly felt suffocating to him.

“I know, it’s ok,” she reassured, her voice soft but certain even over the crashing pop-punk that still assaulted his senses.

'Cause true love lasts forever

And now we're back together

As if he never met her

So looking back

I'm glad I crashed the wedding

“I can’t do this,” he admitted. “I thought we were doing the right thing but this isn’t it.” His words came out rushed, his breath constricting in his throat. He tried to keep his panic at bay but he felt trapped, surrounded by his family, his colleagues and clave delegates a like. There were too many people here expecting too much of him but he couldn’t go through with this.

“You don’t have to explain,” Lydia pursed her lips together.

“Lydia I’m sorry.”

“Hey, you deserve to be happy.” She reached out to cup his cheek, reassuring him with a soft smile. “OK? I’ll be fine.”

He could feel guilty about this later, find a way to make it up to her. Even though he knew deep down that he wasn’t just freeing himself from a future that wouldn’t make him happy, he was also freeing her.

He turned and scanned the room before his eyes settled on the one person that truly mattered in this situation, the one person who made whatever battles he was about to face feel manageable. It might be ridiculous, he might barely know Magnus but still, something told him this was a risk worth taking. He stepped down from the altar, putting a physical distance between himself and the ceremony he’d almost gone through with.

Magnus made no move, no indication of his intentions. Alec gulped, realising this was his move to make. He’d pushed the Warlock away so many times, ignoring their obvious chemistry. Now he had to be the one to make the next move.

Resolved, he pushed forward, long strides carrying him swiftly up the aisle. He saw his mom making her way towards him but he brushed past her, focussed only on the man in front of him.

He grabbed Magnus by the lapels of his jacket, pulling him in close and pressed their lips together. Ignoring everyone around him he focussed on this moment, their first kiss. The first of many he hoped. He felt the tension leave his body as Magnus’ lips moved against his. Around him the lyrics continued to echo, cementing in his mind that he’d made the right choice.

'Cause true love lasts forever (true love lasts forever)

Songs:

Chopin - Piano Sonata No. 2 in B Flat Minor

Busted - Crashed the Wedding

III

Alec knew that Max wasn’t the only person he loved who he could lose that day but the relief that his baby brother was alive, talking and already focussed on catching the bad guy was overwhelming. The moment was accentuated by a hum of soft piano music, hopeful notes filled with joy and family and love - a delicate yet mellow melody.

As Magnus made his excuses and turned to leave, the notes of the piano seemed to follow him, an air of yearning filling the room, a cloud threatening to overshadow Alec’s momentary relief. Izzy made eye contact with him, her pointed stare spurring Alec into action. With a sigh, he gave Max one last reassuring pat on the shoulder and followed Magnus from the room.

Magnus was still in the corridor, shoulders slumped and back to Alec. As had happened so often since meeting Magnus, the piano instrumental that had been moving through the day with him stuttered to a stop, almost as if someone had slammed down on the keys. Alec fought back the surprise, knowing that his relationship with Magnus needed to be the priority now. Knowing that he needed to reinforce to Magnus just how much he loved him, how serious he was about their relationship and building a better future for the entire Shadow World.

Magnus knew about his ‘condition’. He’d had no choice but to explain after a particularly ill timed joke from whatever decided his private torture for him. What should have been an intimate and emotional step in their relationship had been interrupted by Alec’s scowl as a crooning voice sang out “let’s get it on,” distracting him from his mission to divest Magnus of his clothes. It had coincided with the reveal of Magnus’ Warlock mark which had obviously not helped the tension in the room at all. Once Alec had explained rather awkwardly, Magnus had been understanding, if a little confused and they had managed to get things back on track. Magnus had even summoned a record player into the bedroom so they could share their first time together, in every way.

But even despite Magnus understanding, Alec was determined to focus on this conversation, determined to right the wrongs. They’d stumbled over communication and he wasn’t going to allow that to continue. He clasped his hands tightly behind his back, standing tall in parade rest trying to focus only on the man in front of him.

Please, tell me everything

That you think that I should know

“Thank you, so much, for being here,” Alec stumbled out. It wasn’t what he had meant to say. But it was still sincere. He still was grateful that despite all the drama surrounding their lives, Magnus was still kind enough to be here, to try to help in whatever way he could.

Magnus’s response was equally sincere, even if it felt like a brush off as he couldn’t meet Alec’s eyes as he wished Max well. As Magnus turned to leave, Alec realised this was his only chance to try to recover whatever they had.

“I’m sorry,” he blurted out. Blunt and to the point, but again, his tone (he hoped) conveyed the sincerity he felt in every bone in his body. Magnus paused but didn’t turn. Fists clenching by his side, Alec continued “I should have told you about the soul sword.”

It's just for show, isn't it?

It's my fault that it fell apart

The catchy guitar riffs really weren’t helping him concentrate. And the lyrics, the lyrics needled at his every insecurity. By the Angel, if he ever worked out who was responsible for this ‘gift’ as the Silent Brothers put it, he would personally run them through with a seraph blade. Even Raziel himself would feel Alec’s wrath if that’s what it took. He needed the music to shut the hell up. He needed Magnus to turn around and tell him it was OK. He just needed this to be OK. Maybe if he admitted to his mistake, maybe they would have a shot at working it out.

Magnus turned to him though with such hatred in his eyes. He had finally made eye contact at least. Something which felt like it should have been an achievement but there was not even a hint of the love they had shared in those eyes.

Alec reached out, desperate and voice low, “You and me, we always seem to find our way back to each other.” He reached out and gripped at Magnus’ wrist as if hoping that he could push every single ounce of love he felt for Magnus, every bit of his apology, through that single point of contact.

“Magnus, I love you.”

Well, maybe you need this

And I didn't mean to lead you on

The nasally, pre-pubescent voice continued to grate at him even as he desperately declared his love for the man in front of him. Magnus’ expression softened. It was only a slight shift but it brought Alec a brief glint of hope that maybe this could be OK. Magnus reached up and rested his hand on Alec’s cheek, normally a sign of affection. Alec leaned into the touch as Magnus responded in kind, “I love you too.”

You were everything I wanted

But I just can't finish what I've started

There's no room left here on my back

It was damaged long ago

“But…” Magnus continued, grimacing slightly and sucking in a deep breath, “as a leader, there are difficult decisions I must make to ensure the survival of my people.”

Alec shuffled from foot to foot, searching Magnus’ eyes for any sign that he had completely misheard this. Surely the incessant guitar riffs had addled his brain, this couldn’t be happening? Could it?

Though you swear that you are true

I'd still pick my friends over you

“The only thing holding me back from doing that…” Magnus continued, looking down at the floor, “is you.”

“No.” Alec begged, fighting his stoic Shadowhunter nature. This couldn’t be happening. They could make this right. They could make this work. “We can figure this out.” He had complete conviction in that at least.

“You once asked me what I was afraid of,” tears had formed in the corners of Magnus’ eyes as he looked up at Alec. “It’s this.”

Magnus turned sharply and walked towards the elevator leaving Alec alone once more, the lyrics still echoing mockingly through the corridor, for Alec at least.

Though you swear that you are true

I'd still pick my friends over you

Songs:

Jordan Rudess - The Answer Lies Within

Marvin Gaye - Let’s Get It On

New Found Glory - My Friends Over You

Alec paced the ops center, grateful for Izzy and Magnus’ presence even if he still felt entirely helpless. It didn’t help that the demons that had been previously swarming the city had vanished without a trace giving him nothing in New York to distract him.

Sending Jace to Lake Lyn with only Clary for back up had been a truly terrible idea. The distance made the emotions and understanding he could normally get through the parabatai bond fuzzy at best. He knew Jace was feeling unusually stressed, that much at least was evident.

This was slightly concerning for Alec. His parabatai was normally reasonably cool under pressure, thriving on the adrenaline that usually translated to excitement pulsing through the bond. When they went on missions together, Jace’s high energy would counteract Alec’s over-cautious nature, the two of them cancelling out each other’s extreme emotions to neutralise into a collected state of deadly precision.

Whatever was happening at Lake Lyn, clearly it was enough to even rattle Jace. He pushed through the bond further, trying to glean anything more concrete than the tension that currently nudged gently at him. In the background, ominous string music drifted through the room, juddering and foreboding. It was distant enough that it didn’t distract Alec from staring at the comms screen in front of him but it was just alarming enough to have him hovering on the edge of breaking down.

As time progressed his anxiety only grew. He’d ‘opened’ the parabatai bond further than he ever had before, allowing as much reassurance to flow through, but also allowing himself to tug at his parabatai for anything Jace could offer, be it a call for help or reassuring emotions. The more he opened it, the more intense the strings got, increasing in both tempo and volume, like an approaching army ready for battle.

He gripped tight on the edge of the table, the comms room long since empty of anyone but his sister and his ex-boyfriend. He’d snapped at enough of the Shadowhunters on duty that everyone realised it was better to give him a wide berth this evening. There was still no sign of demonic activity in the city and worse, no word from Jace and Clary.

Mmm, what'd you say?

His knees buckled as the voice rang out from nowhere, pain coursing through his body. A white-hot, searing heat emanating from his heart and being pumped through his veins. His parabatai rune pulsed under his flesh, the light graze of his cotton t-shirt feeling like the drag of sandpaper against the sensitive flesh. He pulled his shirt up, watching as the black rune faded to an angry red, then a barely there pink.

Mmm, that you only meant well?

An ethereal voice, distorted and haunting filled the room chilling him to the bone as image after image of his life with Jace flashed in front of his eyes.

The first day they’d met, Alec firing an arrow that just barely missed teenage Jace. The wide eyed stare the blonde boy had given him across the training room was as piercing now as it was when he had first been on the receiving end of it.

Well, of course you did

His arms barely held him up as he scrunched his face up trying to escape both the pain ravaging his body and the onslaught of memories.

Blue flames circled round them, as they gripped each other’s arms, reciting the ceremonial words. Back then Jace had been it for Alec, his entire life wrapped up in what he thought was unrequited love. At the time, Alec had pushed through with the ceremony, despite his doubts, because he thought it was the only way he could ever be close to Jace, the best way to keep Jace by his side. Now he realised, parabatai bond or no, Jace was his brother in all but blood. His teenage crush was just that, a crush. His own confusion around his sexuality manifesting itself against the closest friend he had.

Mmm, what'd you say?

His world was crumbling around him, he felt something solid against his head before his body hit the cool, hard floor.

Jace pulling him tight to him. The soft glow of Magnus’ loft surrounding them. The palpable relief that they’d found his brother, his parabatai, his best friend.

Mmm, that it's all for the best?

Arms cradled him in the present day, against the overwhelming swell of fear and anguish he felt he could almost pretend that this was Jace’s embrace. But he knew the truth. Deep down he knew, Jace was gone.

His breath came in dry, heaving sobs. It took him a few moments to realise that the physical sensations were gone. The pain that he had felt faded to nothing, not even a dull ache that normally followed an iratze. His body felt completely fine. His heart… That was another story.

Lifting his shirt once more, he saw nothing but clear skin where once his parabatai rune had been.

Of course it is

Songs:

Jeff Wayne - War of the Worlds (Instrumental)

Imogen Heap - Hide and Seek

Alec fumbled at the buttons of his grey shirt, checking his reflection in the mirror. Normally he wouldn't care about his appearance but today was an important day. He needed to make sure he looked his best for this evening and he had no guarantees that he’d have time after his meetings to come back and change. His movements were accompanied by that annoyingly catchy, synth heavy pop song again. He had to fight not to hum along.

We're no strangers to love

You know the rules and so do I

A full commitment's what I'm thinking of

You wouldn't get this from any other guy

Behind him, Magnus sat propped up in their bed at the Institute. Hair soft and falling gently against his forehead in the morning light. He held the New York Times in front of him, scanning the property listings and reading out anything that could be exciting for them. Planning for their future.

Realistically this should be reassuring to hear, that he wasn’t the only one who was in this for the long haul. But Alec’s insecurities were deep-seated and hard to budge. Yes, Magnus might want to live with him, but to commit to a lifetime together? That was harder to believe.

I just wanna tell you how I'm feeling

Gotta make you understand

He tried his best to hide his nerves and focus on the information his boyfriend was giving him but Magnus knew him too well.

“Alexander?” Magnus asked, voice tinged with concern.

“Yeah, yeah that sounds great.” Truth be told, Alec had no idea what the apartment Magnus had described was like. Or it could have been a townhouse? Possibly an open plan loft come to think of it?

“Is something wrong?”

Only that I want to marry you and there’s this damn song playing on a loop every time I think about it...

At the simple question panic swelled in Alec. Spinning to face Magnus, “What, no. On the contrary, everything is perfect. Now that you’re back to your old self,” he gestured at Magnus. His smile felt anything but genuine and his tone falsely cheery. He bit back a grimace at his terrible acting skills.

“Well, let’s not get carried away,” Magnus murmured, stretching to reach the coffee mug by his side, eyes downcast.

“I just mean now that you're healthy,” Alec clarified, not missing the slight derogatory quirk of Magnus’ eyebrow over the rim of his mug.

We've known each other for so long

Your heart's been aching but

You're too shy to say it

Inside we both know what's been going on

We know the game, and we're gonna play it

“So I was thinking we could have dinner tonight, on the balcony?” He changed the subject rapidly. Spilling out the details of his date night plan before he lost his nerve entirely. “The view of the city, the head chef can prepare something special.” He tugged at the cuff of his shirt, tweaking the folds where it was rolled up against his forearm.

“How romantic,” Magnus looked up at him, a barely there smile on his face but his eyes warm as they met Alec’s, “May I ask as to the occasion?”

Never gonna give you up

Never gonna let you down

Never gonna run around and desert you

“There’s no occasion, I just thought it would be nice,” Alec bluffed.

Magnus merely smiled and looked down at his hands, only a slight quirk to his eyebrow betraying his opinion on the matter.

“What? I can’t do something nice with my boyfriend?” Alec probed.

Never gonna make you cry

Never gonna say goodbye

Never gonna tell a lie and hurt you

“I am one lucky man,” Magnus looked up at him with wide, brown eyes warm with affection.

“Not as lucky as I am,” Alec replied, fighting back the instinctual blush that still threatened to creep up his cheeks whenever he broached conversations of feelings.

“OK, I’ll see you tonight at 8 o’clock,” he confirmed, pressing a kiss to Magnus’ cheek before heading for the door.

“I’ll be there with bells on,” Magnus’ answer was almost lost to the pop beats still bouncing around the room and assaulting Alec’s ears as he closed the door behind him.

Song:

Rick Astley - Never Gonna Give You Up

The couple moved slowly together drifting in gentle circles, Magnus’ chin resting gently on Alec’s shoulder, a hand warm on his lower back. Around them, their family and friends watched on as they celebrated the love they shared.

Alec felt elated - just a few short months ago he wouldn’t have believed it was possible to feel this light, to feel this free. In that time he’d met (and now married) the most incredible, magical man; they’d defeated Valentine; brought down the Circle; taken down Asmodeus; defeated Jonathon and Lillith; and somehow made it through it all stronger and happier than ever.

Magnus’ hand tightened slightly at his back, causing him to check in with the Warlock in his arms, “I’m not stepping on your feet am I?”

“How could you be? I’m walking on air.” Alec could hear the smile in his voice as he spoke. They’d got so used to the undercurrent of stress that punctuated their lives and somehow managed to bleed into even the most private moments of their relationship at times, the ability to just live in the moment was liberating.

“I’m confused though,” Magnus continued. “I thought we settled on ‘What a wonderful world’ for our first dance. Did you change the music?”

Alec stepped back, not breaking their hold but just positioning himself so he could see Magnus’ face. “You hear it too?”

I want to see that sweet smile

All of the time

And if I get you a drink, oh

You know I'll squeeze your lime

“I don’t even know what this is?” Magnus asked in confusion, tilting his head to listen closer to the strumming of the ukulele and the high pitched lilt of the woman’s voice.

“Neither do I,” Alec said, grinning in spite of the confusion. This had never happened before, not even Jace had ever heard what he heard and they, for all intents and purposes, shared a soul through their parabatai bond. “If you listen carefully, you can still hear our actual wedding song in the background. It just takes some practice to filter through to it,” he explained.

I wanna buy you things

I wanna make you laugh

When there's nowhere to sit

I'll let you sit on my lap

“Is this what it’s like all the time for you?” Magnus murmured as he pulled Alec back close to him.

“Not all the time. Only when you’re around. The rest of the time it tends to be more like elevator music or classical pieces.” The dainty, sweet sounds of the ukulele washed over him as they continued to dance to the song that only they could hear.

Like a cool breeze after a summer day

I see that smile and drift away

Little Mango

Mango my love

“Little Mango?” Magnus repeated, mischief colouring his voice.

Alec groaned and buried his head in the crook of his husband’s neck. “No. Just, no.”

“But surely this is fate’s way of telling me the perfect nickname for you?” Magnus teased back.

“This could actually be worse than pup,” Alec complained, silently cursing the whimsical lyrics for inspiring this. He prayed to Raziel that it wouldn’t stick.

When you take my hand and dance with me

There's nowhere else I'd rather be

Little Mango

Mango my love

In the end though, he wasn’t sure if he could deny his husband anything that brought such a beautiful smile to his face. After everything they’d been through together, Alec would do anything to keep the man by his side happy. Even if that meant succumbing to the nickname ‘Little Mango’.

Song:

Catey Shaw - Mango

#skylar102 #malecsanta20 #*fic20 #*gifts20

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mashitandsmashit · 5 years

Text

America’s Got Talent: Season 14 - Finals

Well now I feel like a jerk! I ranked Emanne and Benicio as my Bottom 2 in my “Rooting For” list last week (though to be fair, between them, VoS and DYC, the factors that ranked them in the order they were in were practically nonexistent, because it was too close to even think), but I had no idea that BOTH of them had birthdays this week (and that Emanne’s was tomorrow). I mean no disrespect to the birthday boy and girl...

And again, I must emphasize that I have nothing against any of the acts that made it this far (barring some not-so-great performances from some of them). But when there are several acts that deserved to be here more than several of the acts that ARE here (oh, how naive we were to believe that Marcin EVER had a chance), and almost every act just feels like part of a big mushy sap monster, it was hard to feel much excitement going into tonight...But I kept the most open mind I could...

Let’s do what the judges aren’t willing to do and compare everyone based on their pros, cons and overall experience...by doing a Top 10 list!

...Oh yeah, and...Whoop-dee-doo, Finals and stuff...Let’s just get to it...

10: Detroit Youth Choir. It’s their audition all over again, but with more Nazi salutes! ...I’m sorry, I couldn’t help myself...But seriously, they either didn’t have time to prepare a new song, or something happened keeping them from performing what they were ORIGINALLY gonna do...Either way, Macklemore is gonna be there tomorrow, so does that mean they’re gonna perform it a THIRD time!? Two nights in a row!? I guess I’m biased since this is the act that single-handedly ruined the Finals for me (just ONE guitarist in their place would have made all the difference in the world), but I really did honestly see a lot of potential in this act, and it’s kind of a shame that they fizzled out after they peaked at the Quarter-Finals...

9: Tyler Butler-Figueroa. It might be my anger at the Cowellization infesting these Finals why I’m putting Simon’s Golden Buzzer this low on the list after being overall positive to him throughout the game, but this one felt like a mess to me! The violin was scratchy and hard to listen to, it sounded like he couldn’t keep up with the backing-track, and there were no unique dances or staging to really help the entertainment value...At the end of the day, this kid really IS one of the acts that didn’t deserve to make it this far over other certain acts, despite how much I’ve enjoyed him overall...Brian King Joseph is coming back tomorrow; Maybe he’ll teach the kid a few lessons and help him hone his skills, because I know Tyler WILL be a great dancing violinist someday...He’s just not there yet...

8: Benicio Bryant. Well, the Benicio Bros are still by his side, even after he looked and sounded more lost than ever tonight! It’s a shame, because I still found his song to be fairly catchy...I mean, he’s no Robert Finley, but I see a lot of potential in him as well! He just needs to get over his stage fright is all...And maybe cut down on the Mr. Rogers sweaters...I WANTED to say Cosby, but I was worried about what that would imply about him...

7: Emanne Beasha. No real step up from before...She seemed a little shaky as well, but it didn’t bring the performance down as badly as Benicio...Uhhh, Happy Birthday to both of them?

6: Kodi Lee. Once again, this wasn’t his best! Is everyone just in denial or something!? I still stick by my opinion that he was at his best during his first two performances! But what do I know!? I’m just some schmuck writing countdown lists on a website that’s getting sold (yeah, heads up Frank, we might have to jump platforms again). Nothing I say is gonna stop Kodi from taking the win tomorrow night...

5: Ndlovu Youth Choir. I knew it was only a matter of time before they performed this song, and it was as fun and upbeat as I could have asked for! That being said, this didn’t have anything to offer that they didn’t give us before...THAT being said, they are definitely still the superior Youth Choir, regardless of which one gets more votes tomorrow...

4: Ryan Niemiller. Not the funniest material we’ve heard from him either, but I still love his energy and presence! I guess I’m committing a hate crime by not voting for him, but technically EVERYONE tonight qualifies for that...

3: Voices of Service. Maybe it’s because I came into tonight with a more open mind than last week, but whereas I quickly forgot about these folks before, tonight they were hands down my favorite singers! I guess I could go on about the same old stuff regarding their harmonies as well as their individual talents (I don’t even remember hearing much from the skinny guy before, but he might actually be the best singer of the bunch next to the lady!) It’s clear why they made it this far to begin with, but at least they have the talent to back up those cheap ‘n easy votes...

2: Light Balance Kids. THIS is the kind of creative, fun, well-choreographed, well-made performance I’ve been waiting for from these kids throughout the entire live shows! It had the same charm as their Judge Cuts performance, but with even more nicely-done effects! Kinda wish they put more focus on being this hip 90s-style youth group throughout the season...But either way, this should TOTALLY be the new “Let’s all go to the snack bar!” that plays before the movie...The goofy presentation with the food monsters would fit PERFECTLY with “It Chapter Two″! You’ll float too!

1: V.Unbeatable. They REALLY ramped up the crazy flips THIS time! Not much else to say...It’s good to know that they’re as popular as they are, but will it be enough to give them the win that they most definitely deserve...? Well, if nothing more they will DEFINITELY be in the Top 3 tomorrow...

You can tell Howie was trying to carefully dance around saying that this was the the “Best Finals Ever”, because he was contractually obligated to say it like he is every year, but I can definitely see why Simon would say that! These finals were everything he could have dreamed of! Oh, so many tear-jerking Cinderella stories...It’s enough to make a TV producer moan in ecstasy!

But when factoring in what actually MATTERS, tonight was about as lackluster as a line-up like this could have suggested...Only a few REALLY rose to the standards of the Finals...

My Votes: Appropriately enough, the two acts I was rooting for were also the best performers hands down tonight! For that, I used all three voting methods to give them as many votes as I could...

Result Predictions: There’s a case to be made for everyone tonight, but I do have a few observations...First of all, Ndlovu will probably be near the bottom in the votes, because they never had the support that the other Youth Choir had throughout the season...And I think the reason for that is the old factor of DYC being a group of dozens of kids, who each have numerous family members to vote for them along with all of the people giving them the sympathy vote...Ndlovu doesn’t have this luxury, not only because there are less of them, but also because the majority of their relatives are clearly still in South Africa, where they can’t vote for this show...This is why Ndlovu ended up in the Judges’ Choice TWICE, whereas DYC keeps getting easy passes in each round...

I’d like to think that LBK will get enough of that variety vote (that ESPECIALLY seems common in the Finals) to end up in the Top 3 like all acts of their nature tend to land...But they haven’t been as popular as the original Light Balance, and they might not have begged for nearly as many sympathy votes as say, Tyler or VoS...Chances are, the variety votes might end up concentrated on V.Unbeatable...

Which brings us to our main candidates for the Grand Prize: V.Unbeatable and Kodi Lee...It seems practically guaranteed that they will both be in the Top 3...I say Top 3, because there is a side of me that predicts that there may be an act coming between them for the Runner-Up spot! Whenever there are these two acts, one of them a cool variety act and the other some singer that’s been held up on a pedestal throughout the game, and they are BOTH being considered as candidates for the win...it’s usually not the both of them in the Top 2...Usually one of them gets a shock elimination in Third (and more often than not, it’s the cool variety act), and some dark-horse might end up as the Runner-Up...Who that might be is hard to call, but I’m actually considering Benicio being that act standing side-by-side next to Kodi at the end, because again, the Benicio Bros are ever dedicated, to the same degree that Angelica Hale’s fanbase was...

So I’m gonna go ahead and do what Frank usually does by predicting what I think the final rank will be...I’ll keep it pessimistic just to avoid being let down TOO much tomorrow...

10: Ndlovu Youth Choir

9: Emanne Beasha

8: Ryan Niemiller

7: Voices of Service

6: Light Balance Kids

5: Tyler Butler-Figueroa

4: Detroit Youth Choir

3: V.Unbeatable

2: Benicio Bryant

1: Kodi Lee

As for which guest performers will perform with who, I already made my guesses for Tyler and DYC, but I hear that Chris Jericho will perform with Ryan, and I’m willing to bet that Cher will be Kodi’s partner...I'll leave everyone else to surprise me, as opposed to what the final results will be...

(Sigh) Now let’s get this season over with...

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neechoudai · 5 years

Text

2am writing but it came into my grasp and I couldn’t let it go because if I just write now it’ll be easier to write later don’t judge lol

A lazy Saturday morning. Well... yeah, morning. Just about. Sleepless midnights count, technically. It’s still AM.

Break started last week. It’s weird to think about. I don’t feel like the past few years have even been real. Nothing feels real. Or normal. Or anything. I’ve just been tired. Things look up, then whatever was helping just stops being there. It’s a vicious cycle. I tried to reach out, but it started to feel easier to just retreat into my room and focus on studies and not letting myself have another breakdown.

I feel lost. I don’t know what I want, what I should do from here. It’s hard to deal with. I’m still angry at everything that happened, want to burn it all to the ground, but lately I’m just. I’m just too tired to even light a candle. And I’m tired of being tired, of not being enough.

Am I supposed to keep going? Give up? I wish I had advice. I wish I knew what to do, had someone to tell me. I’m just going through the motions of a normal young adult life, because I don’t know what else to do.

I take a deep breath, and sit up in bed, sliding out from the covers and plopping my feet on the floor.

Why did life have to fall apart all that time ago? I feel like a ghost more often than not. And why do I feel so bad? It didn’t happen to me, I have no right to be so wounded. I’m not the one who...

‘Stop that.’

Ah, yeah, that’s right. I really need to quit it with the negative thoughts.

‘I mean, you asked me to help.’

Yeah, Vul, I know that

‘Ais, I’m worried. I doubt this is helping you.’

Yeah, we’ve always known I’ve never had the healthiest coping mechanisms.

‘But that doesn’t mean they should continue. Ais, I really need to step in at this point.’

You’re helping, though. I pass you off as an emotional support corgi. You snap me out of my spirals.

‘Not all the time.’

I just feel alone. Worthless. What’s the point of everything I’ve learned if I’m not doing anything with it?!

‘You’re still young...’

But I have so much I’ve been given! I dedicate my free time, my energy to a cause that I haven’t gotten even one step into!

‘You hardly ever had a chance to.’

I have had plenty of chances. Vul, you know that. And I’m either too tired to do anything about them, or too scared to make a move. I’m sorry. I probably let you down a lot.

‘Ais, you’re fine. You don’t let me down. I’m proud of your growth as a mage. You’ve honed your skills.’

But I haven’t done anything with them!

‘You’re just a child. You shouldn’t put the safety of the world on your shoulders. You’re fine.’

But I’m not!

‘...I know. I don’t mean it like that. You’ve given yourself a lofty goal that I doubt most immortals haven’t made progress in. And I don’t think I’ve seen anyone learn to hone fire effectively as quickly as you have.’

I haven’t done anything with it, though! I’ve spent my whole teenage life playing with candles and crying, and I haven’t even saved one person... I haven’t even stopped one baku. And I should have, I’m just not trying hard enough.

‘Aislinn, you’re doing more than anyone else I have observed, in such a short lifetime. I know you’re struggling to feel strong, but you are strong. And I know that when the time is right, you will find victory in many forms, not just in vanquishing your foes.’

A teardrop hits the floor next to my half-zippered boot. I’m tired, I don’t know what else to do. I’m alone, I feel so alone, and I don’t know how to talk to people anymore. I’m so scared.

‘Maybe you should rest tonight.’

No, I haven’t gone out in so long.

‘I know, but it won’t help if you’re emotional like this. You’ll be easily manipulated. You know this.’

...Well. Got me there. I go to unzip my other boot, but zip it back up and throw a hoodie on. Sliding the window open, I snag a blanket and a few unlit candles.

I’m not going to fight, tonight. It’s not worth it right now. I just want to stargaze. Get my mind clear.

They’re beautiful. It’s been a while since I just looked at the stars, like I used to with Miesha. I let myself cry a bit, laying on the rooftop, before trying to let the pain pass. I try to just focus on the sky. And when I can’t, I take the candles and do some of my exercises that I know so well. I wonder how she’d react, to see me making the candlelight dance like a miniature holiday light display, from one candle to the next. I’ve honed my control pretty well over the years. Sometimes it’s harder to do the one where I light just one thread of each wick, but I’m averaging about half the times, so that’s better. Some nights it’s hard to even start a fire. But just being out here, clearing my mind, doing the motions helps me calm.

‘You’re doing so well, Aislinn. I truly am proud of you.’

And in this moment, I believe it. I’m proud of myself for getting this far. I think she would be proud of me, too.

Tomorrow, I’ll try to get myself in a better mood. Maybe I’ll even try to go out tomorrow night. But for tonight, this is fine.

The warmth I fill my candles with protects me, as does the warmth within my precious vulpine familiar, who always seems to be the perfect level of heat to bring me comfort. A spirit who doubles as a heater. I really lucked out on that one.

I realize that when I think about it, I’ve learned something more than how to not unintentionally melt a candle in three seconds during my time as a fire mage: that sometimes, the world can start to feel colder when you get used to playing with flames. But that doesn’t mean I can’t make my own spark. When I start to freeze, I will remember that I have the power to thaw myself.

‘Very poetic.’

I stick my tongue out at my mocking fox, then grin as I snuff out the candles and drag them and my blanket back into my room, leaving them on the windowseat as I slide the window shut.

I’m tired of letting the nightmares win.

I curl into my bed, feeling the comfort of the blankets envelope me, and I put my music on. Soft, gentle music, like she likes. Music boxes, pianos, strings, electronica. Songs of innocence and youth. Songs that will hopefully bring good dreams and better feelings for tomorrow.

I’m going to work harder to bring myself warmth again.

#ais ive missed you #we will grow through the depression together

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origami-goblin · 6 years

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Complete Starfinder Theme Series - Creation Tips and Character Concepts

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Part 1 - Sculpting Your Backstory - Themes in Starfinder

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Creating characters in tabletop RPGs is an art. Before we even put a pen to the page, our minds might already have a vision of our character’s impulsive habits, their fatal flaws, and their love of honeyed candies. We pick up the misshapen ball of clay and sculpt details until our character is standing there, breathing on the page before our very eyes. To put it simply, a part of ourselves becomes attached to that player and we can usually see our own faces staring back at us. It can give us the opportunity to address shortcomings that we have or learn to see things from a different perspective. So, in a way, we level up in RL along with our characters.

But how do you start with a broad idea and hammer out the dents to end up with a fully-fledged character? In Dungeons and Dragons 5E we could start with a Background, like a Sailor or a Noble, and we also received prompts to determine flaws, bonds, and ideals to help breathe life into our newborns. Pathfinder didn’t have much specifically in terms of backgrounds to choose from, but we could choose specific traits that had some backstory to get the wheels turning. With Starfinder, we are presented with one word: theme.

Instantly I’m reminded of the scene in A Christmas Story when Ralphie’s class is assigned the arduous task of writing a theme centered around what they wanted for Christmas (Red Rider BB Gun, anyone?). Starfinder doesn’t appear to leave us with a similar length of creative rope; only ten options? Really? How am I supposed to develop an original history and genealogy of my character when I’m shoehorned into a limiting background from the beginning?

That’s where I’ll jump in to say that you’re wrong to think that way. Honestly, I LOVE that we are limited to a single choice of ten themes. For one, we already know that there are an extensive number of Feats to choose from and having more starting options to memorize on top of those would simply be too much for a game trying to simplify the rules and character creation process. Secondly, I’m a firm believer that limitations and restrictions breed more creativity than rabbits at a carrot festival. They force us to approach our characters with a fresh perspective. Let’s look at the Icon theme, for example:

Icon Character Concepts

“Thanks to interstellar transmissions and Drift travel, the galaxy is smaller than ever, and this connectivity has facilitated your ascension to celebrity status. You might be a famous performer or a celebrated scientist, but either way, you get recognized on the Pact Worlds and in associated systems. Your reason for traveling to unknown worlds might be to further spread your acclaim or to escape the limelight.” - Starfinder CRB

Popular and respected celebrity who can leverage the public’s adoration for specific needs.

Alright, so this describes a character that everybody knows, for some reason or another. The way that it is phrased, it seems like notoriety isn’t completely out of the question, but it is definitely a gray area. So…for what reasons could somebody be famous on an interstellar level?

Pop Icon - Music, dance, special FX, etc. Maybe you’re part of a galactic Blue Man Group or you’re a Kardashian of the Pact Worlds.

Renowned Scientist - You’ve made leaps and bounds in the discoveries of other species and planets. You could be a geologist specializing in the terraformation of planetary features or an intelligent botanist who has cataloged countless samples from neighboring star systems.

Political Propaganda - Your face was used as part of a political campaign for your Home Planet and you are recognized everywhere you go - it’s kind of like being the Coppertone baby or Justin Long from Apple commercials.

Luxurious Billionaire - Part of a historic family, you grew up in the limelight. Every waking moment was scrutinized because you had to live up to your family’s name. Why you don’t have any of that wealth now…that’s up for you to decide.

Skilled Athlete - Having scored the winning goal in the Interplanetary Scrooving Cup, you brought honor, wealth, and fame to your previously unimportant home planet. It doesn’t have to be scrooving, of course (especially since I haven’t invented the rules…yet), but it could be a podracing variant or even a form of space-jousting.

You see, all it takes is a single word to have a canvas on which to build your character. On any of the examples above, you probably have a loose framework of how that person would act; the scientist might bravely charge into the unknown for the sake of scientific discovery, or the athlete might live a shallow life outside of their matches.

Be bold and stretch your imagination. We are no longer limited by the atmosphere.

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Part 2 - Starfinder Theme Focus - Ace Pilots and Bounty Hunters

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This week I’m going back to the scene of the crime to revisit the themes in Starfinder and offer some possible avenues down which you can direct your creative character-building energies. In case you’re completely in the dark on this topic, Starfinder introduces the concept of themes that you can use as a small puzzle piece in sculpting your character. In addition to providing some RP definition, each theme will give your character a boost to a specific stat and bonuses at 1st, 6th, 12th, and 18th level. As an aside, Paizo’s choice to have the theme progression remain identical throughout the possible selections helps to limit the min-maxing a bit, by ensuring that players aren’t choosing themes based on whichever ones grant them bonuses the soonest. Of course, the bonuses that each theme provides inherently enable some level of power-gaming, but that is going to be the case with nearly any pen-and-paper PRG.

Last time, as a part of my deeper dive into themes, I specifically touched on the Icon and listed several examples of character concepts that a player could use when creating a Startfinder character kissed by the Icon theme. The point of the post was to show that themes aren’t meant to limit creativity; they foster it. Just as there’s no wrong way to eat a Reese’s, there are countless interpretations to each theme and the characters that can be molded into existence. Today, I’ll be firing up my brain engine to offer some different charger ideas for the Ace Pilot and Bounty Hunter themes. Buckle up, we’re making the jump!

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Ace Pilot Character Concepts

“You are most comfortable at the controls of a vehicle, whether it’s a starship racing through the inky void of space or a ground vehicle zooming between trees, around boulders, and across dusty badlands. You might be a member of an elite military force, the recipient of intense courses of training. Alternatively, you might be a total amateur with innate skills that make you a much-admired hotshot.” – Starfinder CRB

Cargo Transport Pilot – You’ve been on the open road…er…space your whole life. Maybe you enjoy the solitude that comes with transporting outrageous quantities of goods across planets or star systems. These goods could be anything – weapons, construction materials, medical devices. Or maybe it’s a grab bag and half of the excitement stems from wondering what the next shipment will contain. The many laws governing tariffs & import/export taxes come second-nature, and your expertise in maneuvering an unruly behemoth transport ship is unrivaled. I’m sure you have some fantastic stories about the characters that you’ve met at depots and docks along the way. Have you operated with a crew or are you more of a lone wolf? Are you ‘by the book’ or are you known to bend the rules when regulations aren’t being followed? And hey, I’m not going to judge if you smuggle something every now and again – that’s completely up to you.

Mining Rig Operator – A specialist when it comes to operating heavy machinery, and someone who’s not afraid to get their hands dirty. Whether it be a massive drill, asteroid borer, front-end loader, or excavator, you have the honed precision required of someone who could easily level a structure or cause a fatality with a minor slip of the controls. You might harbor a deep love of geology, wealth, or the smell of space-diesel. If you’ve seen Disney’s Atlantis, Gaetan ‘The Mole’ comes to mind here, in all his grimy glory. Has mining been in your family for generations, or were you trying to make some credits in whatever profession was available? Have you pocketed any of your unearthed materials and sold them on the sly? What sort of role would you have on a starship that isn’t a dedicated mining vessel?

Stunt Driver – Inhabitants of the Pact Worlds crave entertainment, and you know how to deliver. From hologram tapes to over-capacity arenas, the lengths you go to appease your audiences is unmatched. How do you prepare yourself mentally to be fearless? Is there any stunt that you won’t do? Huge flames, steep jumps, free-falling acrobatics – you’ve done it all! Have you become an adventurer to satisfy a new craving that’s suddenly emerged deep inside? Are you an adrenaline junky with no care for your personal safety? Or are you THAT confident in your abilities that you simply must show them off at every opportunity?

Military Training Pilot – You’ve risen through the ranks of a military sect, but you figured that you’re done with combat missions. Instead, you are now responsible for grooming the fresh batch of hot-heads in the Academy to ensure that engagements end favorably at the minimal loss of life and equipment. You could be highly decorated and revered by all, or maybe you’ve never actually seen combat but have a brilliant mind for tactics and strategy. Did you develop a sophisticated training module for recruits? Are you a master of physics and can perform complex equations regarding acceleration, drag, and gravity on the fly? Maybe you’re not pleased about being given a non-combative assignment and yearn to be back in the fight, wherever that might be.

Getaway Driver – You’ll ‘wait in the car.’ You know the best nooks and crannies to hide in after a successful operation, be it a heist or a GTA. Apart from having nerves of steel, your ability to handle any vehicle makes you highly coveted in the high-stakes game of evading the authorities. Perhaps you have a catchy pseudonym, like “Leadfoot” or “Afterburner” that adds an edge of mystery to your growing legend. Are you available for hire depending on the highest bidder, or are you loyal to a dedicated group of criminals? Or maybe you’re not a criminal at all, and you’re an undercover agent networking to root out the top dogs of the criminal world. What drives you (pun intended) and keeps your foot on the accelerator? I haven’t seen Baby Driver, but I imagine that he would make for a fun Starfinder character.

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Bounty Hunter Character Concepts

“You track people down for money. It is a dangerous profession, as most of your targets understandably don’t wish to be caught. You wouldn’t have it any other way. You might have a code of ethics, never taking jobs that, say, target children or members of your own race. You might hunt down only escaped criminals. Or you might be completely amoral, taking any job that comes along—for the right price.” – Starfinder CRB

Great Mouse Detective – Maybe I’m getting a little ahead of myself on this one, but a Ysoki Detective? Come on! Okay, we can drop the ‘mouse’ portion of this to generalize it a bit, but a detective makes for a great Bounty Hunter. Searching for clues? Check. Interrogating witnesses? Check. An independent free-lancer? Check, check, check. Now all we need is a mahogany pipe that functions while wearing an airtight, pressurized helmet. Are you a Private Investigator, helping people track down lost relatives? Do you offer your services on a contract basis, assisting the local authorities when your services are required? Maybe you’re exceptional at finding clues, or adept at making accurate deductions based on the information on-hand. Or perhaps your forte involves the canvassing of a crime scene to gather the word on the street, or you could be skilled at poring over historical documents and ancestry lineages.

Gung-Ho Repo-Man – It’s time to pay the piper. Whether it be collecting vehicles or ships that have defaulted loans, or shaking down debtors who are skipping town without paying back the credits owed, there are plenty of avenues to venture down as a repo-man (or woman). Are you employed by a roving band of outlaws or by a seedy brand of space mafia? Do you find honor in returning to others what is rightfully theirs? You can be cold and calculated, or a wild child with a smoking gun. Do you believe in using violence to get the job done, by obtaining the required items by whatever means necessary? Or do you have a strict code of conduct and will only resort to fighting if it is absolutely necessary and all other accessible routes have been exhausted? Either way, you get the job done and collect that paycheck, because if someone is going to get paid, it might as well be you.

Corporate Headhunter – Everybody’s looking for that perfect candidate to fill the shoes and help their company prosper. Sure, you’re a bounty hunter, but you aren’t collecting the reward on some beat-up Toyota Star-is or trying to bring in a fugitive; you are trying to find the right people and put them in the right seats. Corporations pay you top dollar (after six months) when you track down someone with the appropriate skillset and convince them to accept a position at their firms. You have an absurd eye for noticing talent, even when it isn’t a skill that people recognize themselves as having. These aren’t rush jobs; you know that the only way to scout ability is to dig in beyond the resume and get to know the person behind the paper. Whittling down long lists of candidates to a select few and engaging them in social situations is your true calling, and you truly want them to succeed. If they’re not a fit, it’s on to the next one until you find that diamond in the rough.

Pre-Gap Antiquarian – Not much is known about the Gap (that’s why it’s called ‘the Gap’), but you recognize that there is much to be learned about the past, and that the key to unlocking the secrets of what we’ve collectively forgotten lies in the relics that remain. You seek out machinery, trinkets, baubles, clothing – any odds and ends whose origins have long since been forgotten. Perhaps you scour through old histories and manuscripts, trying to locate legendary items of extraordinary power. Do you have magic at your disposal to aid you in your search, ala a dowsing rod? Do you gravitate towards items of a certain kind, like ancient weapons? What draws you to these items in the first place? Maybe there have been stories passed down through your family and you became attached to them, bringing nostalgia into the mix. Or maybe you believe that the way technology is progressing leaves people disconnected with nature or causes us to lack the stronger bond that comes in a slower-moving culture. You probably hoard some of your treasures and keep an exceptionally special item on your person. You could be a hoarder, or run a shop that deals in the sale and acquisition of oddities and antiques.

Zealous Proselytizer – Instead of being driven by the promise of gold or riches, you seek out the good fortune that comes from your deity looking favorably upon you. Whether it be Talavet, Weydan or any deity in between, you seek out others in attempt to show them the enlightenment that comes with becoming a follower. In a way, you are a bounty hunter of souls. Maybe you preach openly in front of large crowds and then try to personally recruit the ones who come up to your afterwards who show interest and promise. Or perhaps you spend more time watching and listening, following people whose dispositions align best with your deity’s tenets. You don’t necessarily have to be pushy, but you certainly could get aggressive if you become frustrated with your efforts. What if they don’t see the world as you see it? You might not be terribly high on the totem pole, either; you could be passing out leaflets in hopes that you ascend the ranks if you make your quota. Do you have a quota? If so, is it more of a personal goal or an appointed goal? What if you’re not aligned with a deity at all, but you hop between them depending on the one that grants the most benefits? After all, nobody’s perfect.

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And there you have it! Since I’ve already done the Icon in a previous post, our next stop will be the Mercenary and Outlaw themes. I’m really looking forward to these two, as they both have a negative connotation and I want to see if we can’t shrug off those predispositions and put a positive spin on them! The main problem I have with posts like these is that I want to start putting together a bunch of characters, most of which will never see the light of day. So, please - create! I shall live through your characters!

Until next time – the stars aren’t the limit; they’re only the beginning.

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Part 3 - Starfinder Theme Focus - Mercenaries and Outlaws

Three down, seven to go! I’ve decided that I might as well just knock out the remaining themes all in a row so that at the very least they’ll be crammed together on the blog in a loose semblance of order. Check back on the first two posts if you want a bit of background on the Starfinder Themes and the role they play in character creation. There isn’t much more I can expand on regarding themes specifically, so maybe I’ll just impart a few thoughts on backstories as little tidbits for you to ruminate on. Maybe I’ll sprinkle some powdered sugar on top. Maybe!

The point of a backstory is provide a framework and serve as a backdrop for your character - what do they believe? What quirks do they have? Why are they the way that they are? We are all products of our environments, and it is that environment that you are trying to envision. Leave spaces in the narrative to come out during the game; if you fill in every tiny detail then there won’t be anything for the GM to work with and incorporate into the story. Loose ends are the best! They can be woven into the narrative in order to enhance the game. Even if you’re playing a prewritten Adventure Path or Module, a good GM will use the gaps in your backstory to help engage your PC and keep them interested. And when you’re talking about the sheet expanse of the Vast in Starfinder, let your imagination run rampant on WHO your character is! Themes are a nice paste you can spread over your character to stick new things on top of.

Alright - now we are primed to talk about the Mercenary and Outlaw themes. There is a “bad boy” mentality that naturally comes into the conversation with each of these, by lets see if we can list out five brief theme concepts that stretch the boundaries of the basic definitions of these words.

Mercenary Character Concepts

“Whether you take jobs that match your ethical beliefs or you fight for anyone who can afford your services, you are a hired gun. You might take pride in your past accomplishments, proudly displaying trophies of your kills, or you might be laden with guilt over being the sole survivor of a mission gone terribly wrong. You most likely work with other mercenaries and are familiar with the methodologies of military actions all across the galaxy.” - Starfinder CRB

Security Officer - You’ve always seen yourself as a protector - whether someone needs a watchful eye to make sure they stay out of trouble, or if an estate needs to reprimand unwelcome visitors, you can answer that call. Your allegiance follows the flow of credits and you won’t let your personal beliefs get in the way of whoever’s paying. Nobody’s breaking Non-Disclosure Agreements, but you wouldn’t be dissuaded from providing your security services for a direct competitor. Do you run a small-scale Security Detail or are you a division of a larger corporation? Do you specialize in a particular type of work, such as being a bodyguard or providing cyber-security? Where is your base of operations, or do you require on-site lodgings in order to provide the best service? Were you a part of a specific military before becoming involved in security or have you never tied yourself down to a specific group in that capacity? I see Michael Weston from Burn Notice as a decent example of a Mercenary in this vein - providing assistance through the completion of odd jobs and using his unique skills to outthink his opposition.

Divine Crusader - You believe that the Divine shape the universe through the people that inhabit it. And after all is said and done, and your light goes out, you want to be sure that your deeds didn’t go unnoticed from the powerful beings above. For this reason you wear every divine symbol under your shirt, prominently displaying the current recipient of your unwavering homage and devotion. For you, it isn’t a matter of lacking faith; you are just covering your spiritual bases. Or maybe you have followed a strict belief to a single deity for your entire life, pledging your devotion whole-cloth from day one. Do you play a prominent militaristic role while professing your faith or do you sell your services in a more charismatic avenue? Are you convinced that your actions are tipping the doomsday scales in your favor, or is there a crack in your faith? Have you served in any divine-fueled wars or defected from a losing side? A character falling into this category should have their religious preference tied into their backstory, which had likely followed their interests, skills, and hobbies. I can’t stop thinking of medieval crusaders in this regard, but there is a lot of flavor to dip into here.

Corporate Consultant - In the Pact Worlds, corporations might as well be planets for all the power that carry, and they probably have a militaristic presence of some kind. A corporate consultant could specialize in offering recommendations to specific equipment and weapons, or perhaps they aren’t involved in a violent capacity at all. They could be ruthless and tactical, pulling the strings from behind the curtain or offering suggestions on where to shave off the excess fat of the company. I particularly like the idea of someone walking around with a clipboard and conducting interviews with employees ala Office Space. But how does that tie to a Mercenary? Maybe it’s the company itself - weapons contractor, thugs for hire, etc. Or, perhaps the war lies between a rival corporation and you are involved in espionage and marketing attacks to gain market share. Targeted advertisements, facilities sabotage, and staged product recalls are only the tip of the iceberg.

Intergalactic Lobbyist - You have connections. We aren’t talking about a guy who does your dry cleaning or a farm with the best space radishes; these are high-level, big-time connections that puts credits in pockets and shapes the political landscape of the Pact Worlds. The companies on the money side of the table tell you which babies to kiss and which people to schmooze. If your efforts lead to a political victory, lax taxation, or breaks in long-standing mercantile tariffs, then you get paid handsomely as well. Having the backing of a wealthy corporation is influential in the complicated game of thrones and your ability to reach across planetary lines to make hands meet in a mutual agreement is second to none. Are you employed by a certain company or industry, or do you represent the lawmaking bodies? Do you have morals where you would refuse to make connections that conflict with your personal beliefs? Are you sincere in your work? Have you been known to exercise a position as a double-agent or worked to tack on seemingly insignificant riders to laws that will add up to accomplish a more grandiose goal? You’re likely trained to handle yourself in case seals go sour, and can get out of hairy situations with your wit or your weapons.

Boisterous Revolutionary - The transgressions of the current government have gone far enough and it is time for someone to lead the charge against their injustice. That someone is you. Whether it be a local affair to overthrow a village leader or an elaborate scheme to Take Down an entire planetary government, you have the tactical mind and leadership ability required to gather people behind a cause. This might not even be your brainchild - perhaps you were hired to be the face of the militaristic front or to train the rabble that will be storming the frontlines of the fight. Is your identity a secret while you infiltrate the ranks of the very government you’re trying to unravel? Are you merely a voice blasting through the sound-waves, promoting action or demanding change? Why do you fight? Is it a personal grievance or is your reasoning more utilitarian than that? How is the revolution designed to be won and what are the conditions of a victory? From a grassroots movement to an all-out war, there are loads of potential for a character who wants things to be different.

Outlaw Character Concepts

“Due to the sins of your past or your current unlawful behavior, you are a wanted individual somewhere in the Pact Worlds. You might not even be guilty and are striving to clear your good name. Or you might fully admit to being a criminal but believe the laws you break are unjust. Whatever the case, boarding a starship headed to the Vast might be just the thing you need until the heat dies down—or until you’re dragged off to prison.” - Starfinder CRB

Escaped Convict - You weren’t about to twiddle your thumbs and patiently serve out your sentence. Through careful planning, tactical bribes, and a healthy serving of luck, you have broken out of prison and now you’re on the lam. I’m sure that the going hasn’t been easy - between hiding from the law, committing other crimes to stay alive, and disguising your appearance, it’s been a challenge. Did you have anyone waiting for you on the outside, or have you been begging, borrowing, and sealing to get by? Did your escape because you were wrongfully convicted or did you have some unfinished business to take care of? Were you a part of a criminal organization that lacked direction after you were locked up? What about going forwards - do you have a new identity that you’ve been working to build? Is this a backstory within a backstory situation? Were you partially rehabilitated? Did a couple screws get popped loose while you were in the clink, or are there any specific life-changing moments after your capture and sentencing? From the details of the escape, to acquaintances made behind bars, to plans for the future, this one has some long legs you can use to take some great strides.

Undercover Vigilante - By day you work a nondescript job behind a desk but once night hits you are something else entirely. Alternate personas, white lies regarding your whereabouts, and layers of complex secrets define your alternate exploits. In your primary life you might display yourself as completely average but your other identity has an astronomical bounty on their head. What sorts of activities do you participate in while you’re on and off the clock? Are you more of a Robin Hood character or an independent crime fighter who bends the rules and laws to bring justice to those who would normally get a slap on the wrist? Are your methods questionable? Do you kill? It’s hard not to use Dexter as a point of comparison for someone who uses illegal means to ensure justice is served. Does anybody know about your double life, or do you offer your services to law enforcement agencies? Is there a contact on the force that helps you plan out your next target? Do you wear a unique costume or uniform or do you think it’s unnecessary so long as your face is hidden?

White Collar Criminal - Blood is messy and it will spoil your freshly laundered clothes. Your crimes aren’t rooted in violence of the body, but in the acquisition of funds through discreet avenues. Accounting errors, financial repossession algorithms, malicious software - you alter the bottom line of companies to fill your purse with those sweet, sweet credits. Maybe you’ve forged documents to give yourself access to places you shouldn’t be, or perhaps you’ve run pyramid schemes that have created an almost-cult following behind you. What sorts of crimes have you performed and what sorts of groups do you typically target? How large is he typical score? Do you use an alias or leave a calling card to pump up your ego or would you rather not take those unnecessary risks? Did you have an inspiration or teacher for your work, or were your skills self-taught? Is this a full-time gig or do you have another job so that your extra-curricular activities are more of a supplement? Neal Caffrey from White Collar would be a solid source of inspiration for this one, and he really is a jack-of-all-trades when it comes to these sorts of things. Think about how it translates to the world of Starfinder, where technology has progressed significantly and the possibility of scams is abundant - lemon starships, pre-Gap forgeries, and impersonations of diplomats who are literally planets away.

Petty Thief - You are small-time but that doesn’t mean you’re any less talented than the more infamous criminals who are making bigger scores than you. In your eyes, smaller is safer since people are less apt to notice and the manhunt won’t be as dedicated when a booster gets stolen off a personal starship or a couple hundred credits get swiped from a stray purse. Maybe you were raised on the streets and this has always been a part of you or maybe you’ve resorted to crime to rebel against an unfair system. Perhaps you enjoy the thrill you get from the act itself, or you like to cut it as close as possible without getting caught. Do you work independently or as a part of a team? Is there a special role that you fill? How much planning do you do before committing a crime or do you act within the moment? Are you skilled with a weapon or are your talents more in line with dexterity and a convincing tongue? Do you have a stash of Stolen Goods or do you turn around and sell the hot items right away? Is there anything that you’ve stolen that has developed sentimental value? You wouldn’t even have to have an evil alignment depending on your intentions and the severity of your crimes.

Contract Assassin - You have your target and it is your job to eliminate that target without drawing suspicion to yourself or your employer(s). Secrecy is the name of the game and nobody is more meticulous in plotting out the precise details of your operation. As such, your skills come at a high price, but people are willing to pay it knowing that you will be successful in fulfilling your end of the bargain. Your actions have ended wars and started them, reunited countries and torn them apart. From insignificant low-lifes to heavily guarded political figures, you fulfill whatever contracts are the most attractive. Are you driven by money or do you believe that the results of your actions will align with another agenda? Is there a list of prerequisites that must be fulfilled before a target becomes an acceptable contract? How do people get in contact with you? How do you provide your resume for the skeptical clientele without giving away your identity completely? My fallback isAgent 47 from the Hitman series, since he is practically more machine than man which provides an interesting dynamic for the rest of the party.

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Another two themes are in the books! Think about how you can add additional spins to these and how the other aspects of your character might tie into the Theme. Can you picture a Vesk crunching numbers and pushing papers all day just to hit the streets as a brutish enforcer at night? What about a Ysoki rubbing elbows with some of the most elite leaders in the Pact Worlds? Priests and Scholars are up next - stay tuned for more Starfinder goodness!

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Part 4 - Starfinder Theme Focus – Priests and Scholars

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As we continue our journey through the themes of Starfinder, let’s take a second to look back on what we’ve already covered. Things were unofficially kicked off in the startup article detailing each theme individually, in which we shined the spotlight on the Icon (something they’re well-versed with). We’ve discussed the daring Ace Pilot and their mastery over starships and land vehicles. Next came the bounty hunter, searching the vastness of space and overturning asteroids to unearth the location of their prey. After that we made a substantial payment to hire the Mercenary, who gladly offers their services to the party with the fattest purse. Which leaves us with our most recent acquaintance, the Outlaw, who would probably prefer that we mention them as little as possible so as not to give away their identity.

Before we get to today’s scheduled programming, I’d like to mention something about character creation that can be limiting to our creativity. It’s definitely a pitfall that I’ve succumbed to on more than one occasion, and Starfinder Themes can inadvertently recreate the situation. The problem with having specific themes or backgrounds in a tabletop game, is that by selecting one of the options we are essentially putting a label on our PC: Drake is a bounty hunter. Full stop. What tends to happen, is that we have a predisposed definition of ‘bounty hunter’ in our minds; it is a mold that we casually place our character into before we have rolled a single die. It can be limiting and stifling to our creativity, even if we don’t initially see it that way.

Try to get into the habit of generalizing the themes and backgrounds so that all of the stereotypical noise is stripped away, leaving you with a beautiful, hollow shell that you can shape as you see fit. Jumping back to the bounty hunter example: Start off with the bounty hunter definition as outlined in the CRB:

“You track people down for money. It is a dangerous profession, as most of your targets understandably don’t wish to be caught. You wouldn’t have it any other way. You might have a code of ethics, never taking jobs that, say, target children or members of your own race. You might hunt down only escaped criminals. or you might be completely amoral, taking any job that comes along—for the right price.”

Okay, that’s a good place to start but it’s wordy and fills in the gaps unnecessarily. Maybe a regular definition would suffice:

“A person who pursues a criminal or fugitive for whom a reward is offered.”

Better, but the normal definition is making some assumptions that we can generalize even further. Let’s try this:

“A FINDER, paid for FINDING.”

When it all gets boiled down, isn’t that essentially what a bounty hunter does? A bounty hunter doesn’t have to be exclusively searching for people; they can be tracking down objects as well, so long as they’re getting paid for successful completion of the job.

These posts on Starfinder themes have sought to generalize the definition of each theme to give us more creative space to mold and shape our PCs. Of course, your character might be the literal definition of a bounty hunter, and that’s perfectly fine too – fun is whatever YOU find most enjoyable!

Enough jabbering, it’s time to talk about the Priest and the Scholar! In the paraphrased words of Wolfmother, “So I’ll tell you all the story about the Scholar and the Priest of the night!”

Priest Character Concepts

“You are a member of an organized religion or similar association. Your belief, whether it has been a part of you since childhood or it came to you later in life, is an integral part of your character. You might travel the stars proselytizing your deity, or your church might have sent you out on a specific holy (or unholy) mission. No matter what obstacles life puts in your way, you always have the conviction of your beliefs to fall back on.” - Starfinder CRB

Dedicated Pilgrim – Humbled by your beliefs and wanting to strengthen the connection you have with your deity, you have dedicated yourself to a journey of enlightenment. Guided by your immovable faith, you will follow the call of your deity to the end of the Pact Worlds and beyond, if you must. Through the discovery of new planets, people, and technologies, everything serves as a connection to your higher power. Are you specifically travelling to commune with a group of believers at a revered historical site? Is there a tangible beacon guiding you in your pilgrimage, such as a holy relic or powerful artifact? Depending on your deity, you may be driven by or attracted to a multitude of objects, lifestyles, people, etc.

Faithful Preacher – Completely enveloped by your faith, you can’t help but to share the holy words of your divine patron wherever you go. Backing up your speeches with passages from deific texts and reciting countless stories of Even though you are aware that everyone is entitled to their own beliefs, are you pushy about spreading your faith or do you focus more heavily on people who are more apt to be convinced? Do you have a specific audience that you are targeting, be it the elderly or are you shaping the young minds of tomorrow? What sort of demeanor does this character have? How do they handle conflict? Have they had an experience that made them question their faith, or is there a profound moment that filled them with their faith to begin with? Maybe you even have a conversion quota that you’d like to reach before you consider your purpose fulfilled.

Astute Theologian – The key to having a solid foundation in faith is to understand the texts and histories that were written to support and document all pertinent information on your deity. Whether you scribe events yourself or focus exclusively on the texts of theologians prior, you enjoy having concrete evidence available at your fingertips. Are you a bookish individual whose vision is damaged by years under dim lights, or are you a young theologian hoping to excel your tutelage under another? Do you collect stories of every deity, or do you limit your studies to a single divine? Are you accepting of other people’s beliefs? Do you have favorite quotes or passages that you constantly reference? Are there any particular ways that you communicate to those of a lesser intelligence? Or perhaps you’re not as intelligent as you initially seem!

Motivational Life Coach – Nothing pleases you more than using your gifts to help others solve their problems. In just five easy steps, anybody can change their life and turn their luck around! Centered around faith, you develop close relationships with others so that you can understand how they’ve gotten to where they are today. How do you encourage people to lower their guard and accept your proven-plan to enrich their lives? What does your enhancement plan entail? Does it have a cost? Have you done any seminars, published books, or organized any retreats to promote your program? Are you just in it for the money or is this a situation where you are the product of your own success? Buzz words and phrases likely leap from your lips – you’re developing a brand after all!

Secluded Hermit – You’ve always found that developing a deep connection with your deity involves peace, quiet, and a whole lot of R&R. You don’t feel a need to proclaim your faith from the rooftops because as far as you’re concerned, faith is entirely personal. By developing your beliefs in private, you can feel that you’re making progress in bettering your soul. How long have you been living alone and why did you choose that lifestyle for yourself? Was it even your choice? How will you assimilate into society and work closely with a party of adventurers? Have you been living a meager lifestyle? Do you have any important possessions that have centered your meditations? Any surviving family? Are you willing to share your faith with others?

Scholar Character Concepts

“You are an erudite intellectual, pitting your brain against problems and puzzles that others would find daunting. You might be an instructor of a specific topic at a large university or a dabbler in a number of fields of study. You could be exploring the galaxy in search of ancient artifacts or new scientific phenomena. Whatever your motivation, you are sure that the answers you seek are out there.” - Starfinder CRB

Eccentric Entomologist – Not limited to just studying the Shirren, you are heavily interested in anything that creeps and crawls throughout the Pact World System. Where others might cringe and crawl, you revel in the opportunity to uncover new species and the possibility of attributing discoveries to your name. What sorts of insects are your forte? Do you specialize in a certain genus? Have you developed any quirks or tendencies that could be attributed to the subjects that you study? Perhaps your studies are strictly limited to understanding the Shirren and their Hive Mind connection and you want to replicate it in another application. Do you keep your samples on you, or do you have a lab where the majority are stored? Any ties to a museum or research facility? Are you an accredited scientist or more of a glorified hobbyist?

Forensic Scientist – Understanding the complex intricacies that go into crime scene investigation, you have an analytical mind rooted in years of study. It’s important that you are familiar with anatomy, physics, and psychology in order to piece together the clues of a murder and figure out the story. Are you currently a part of a law enforcement unit or are you a contractor for hire? Are you an expert in specific types of crimes? Do you often visit the crime scene, or do you focus more on the laboratory side of things? Is there any particular crime that stands out in your mind as most influential or disturbing? What got you into this field of study? How does technology play a role in your investigations? Do you have any enemies that you’ve helped put behind bars that have threatened to make things difficult to you whenever they get out of prison? How will your services be best used out in the real world of adventuring and space travel?

Acclaimed Archeologist – Every planet tells a story under its surface and your job is to discover that story and share it with the world(s). Whether it is the bones of long-forgotten monsters or remnants of an ancient civilization, proof of the past is out there, ripe for the digging. What sorts of equipment or magic do you use to unearth these hidden riches of the world? Are you looking for signs of life, buildings, treasure, or something else entirely? After you find something, what are your goals for your discovery – sharing it with others or stashing it away for yourself? Are you a part of a small team, large corporation, or just working independently? Is there some great mystery that you’re trying to solve? Who are your key contacts in the industry and how do you determine your dig sites? Maybe you also investigate and search for destroyed ships or vessels that we lost in the Drift, hoping to bring closure to friends and family (or to scavenge the wreckage).

Environmental Engineer – Out in the far reaches of space, the environment is hostile and deadly. Maybe you’ve assisted in developing life support systems or you have assisted in the creation of sustainable housing that can stand up to the harshest of elements. Or maybe you are have studied other planets in-depth and understand the ecology, planetary make-up, atmosphere, and other vital statistics about them. Taking it a step further, maybe you’re involved in the preservation of resources and ensuring that the next generation will not be lacking in basic environmental needs. You might be a geologist, pedologist, or meteorologist. Are you focused on environmental usage or preservation? Is there a specialty that others consult you on, like water, air, or weather? Do you design structures? What about terraforming or reshaping existing planets to suit the needs of the people? Are you paid well for your efforts? Did you attend any schooling or are you self-taught? There is a ton of flexibility in this one because the worlds in Starfinder are incredibly diverse and allow for immense creativity.

Legacy Historian – The Gap has left a literal gap in people’s minds – what happened during the period of time before the present-day? Your research is meant to answer that specific question. You might be focused on the militarization of the Pact Worlds, investigating wars and battles that took place during that time. Or maybe you’re more concerned with cultures and race anthologies, trying to understand the people that existed before and during the Gap. Better yet, you might be a renowned historian on Golarion (leaving the player able to exhibit their Pathfinder knowledge). Historians can also be responsible for chronicling events as they happen. Do you write everything down or are you a ‘living’ historian who has an impeccable memory for reciting facts and figures? What level of history interests you the most – individual and familial histories or the rise and fall of empires? Have you ever tweaked a fact to better fit a desired narrative or are you unbiased in your research? Is your work published anywhere? Do you have any powers of foresight were you can recognize past mistakes and see events unfolding as the consequence to those events? Why do you record – so others can remember or so you don’t forget?

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And with that, we’ve detailed out seven of the ten themes. But wait! Aren’t there only nine themes? Do I even know what I’m talking about at this point? You would be correct in saying that there are only nine DEFINED themes, but I’m saving the final post in this series for a brief dive into being Themeless. Even though creating a character without a theme seems like writing a book and forgoing a title, themeless is the perfect solution to the problem of dreaming up a character who doesn’t seem to check off the boxes of a single theme, or one that checks off boxes of multiple themes and you simply can’t decide which one is most dominant.

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Part 5 - Starfinder Theme Focus - Spacefarers and Xenoseekers

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First of all, let me apologize. It’s been MONTHS since I teased the final article on Starfinder themes and leaving this series in a perilously unfinished limbo. I wish that I had a decent excuse to explain it, but unfortunately I don’t have that either. So please, accept my apology, and let’s get to the conclusion of this series!

We’ve covered a lot of bases - Ace Pilots, Bounty Hunters, Icons, Mercenaries, Outlaws, Priests, and Scholars, which means that today we will be talking about Spacefarers, Xenoseekers, and briefly touching on the Themeless concept. That’s still a ton of ground to cover, and I’m a bit intimidated even thinking about it. Concluding this intense detail into Starfinder’s themes will be bittersweet - not only because it’ll be over, but also because there’s no way to fully encapsulate the entire, endless spectrum of characters you can create within Paizo’s Starfinder universe. That’s what’s really great about the Themeless option; if none of the other themes do your character justice in describing their schtick, then you can always go Themeless and solve that particular problem.

Whenever I create a character, I will usually start by trying to find an interesting or obscure feat, characteristic, theme, etc and build the character around that. Some people are really creative and come up with amazing backstories first and build the character to fit their artistic vision. Although that’ll happen on occasion, I’ll generally determine a character’s backstory after I’ve fleshed out their vitals and statblock. The important thing for me is that my characters stand out. Not from a min-max perspective (if that’s what you enjoy then keep doing it!), but from a standpoint of going outside the norm and playing a character with abilities that people may have never experienced before.

Stone Warder Sorcerer? Breadth of Experience feat? Archivist Bard? All of these types of choices go leaps and bounds to hint and what the character is all about. A Stone Warder Sorcerer would be something like an Earth Bender from Avatar, gaining their powers from the rocky world around them. Characters with a Breadth of Experience are ancient, meaning that they’ve seen and heard nearly all there is to know. Bards with the Archivist archetype aren’t going to be dishing out much damage, but they are constantly scribbling down their experiences and every bit of lore they can get their hands on. And just like that, a single piece of your character’s statblock can literally define them.

That’s partly been the point of these posts about the Themes in Starfinder. Sure, you can come up with an absolutely AWESOME character concept and attach a theme that fits that character. No problem. But if you’re having trouble coming up with a character, the options listed in these posts are meant to assist you in launching off into the incredible Imagisphere to create a truly unique character.

Alright, I’ve babbled so much that I’ve turned into a brook. (Sorry if I’ve used that particular moniker already…it’s been a long time since my last Starfinder post). Time to finish off the series!

Spacefarer Character Concepts

“Your longing to journey among the stars can’t be sated. You yearn for the adventure of stepping onto a distant world and exploring its secrets. You tend to greet every new opportunity with bravery and fortitude, confident that your multitude of skills will pull you through. Perhaps you simply find joy in the act of traveling with your companions, or perhaps you are just out to line your pockets with all sorts of alien loot!” - Starfinder CRB

Clueless Tourist - Let’s face it. You saw a map of the Pact Worlds and immediately searched the best places to visit on each planet. Theme parks, monuments, parks - you want to visit them all and document your travels on a blog that you’re still coming up with a creative name for. Experiences are the best currency to be paid in, and your goal is to become filthy rich on them. Now, you might not understand all of the different cultures or customs in the places that you’re visiting, but in your eyes everybody else should be happy that you’re bolstering the economy in all of your destinations. Excuse me - could you please take my photo?

Deductive Meteorologist - Perhaps in the same vein as the Environmental Engineer concept from the Scholar post, this character would be all about the weather and is drawn to the varied climates and conditions present in the Pact World planets. Have you ever seen the sunrise through noxious fuchsia clouds or felt thick, oily rain land on your head? All of these phenomenon can be explained through science. Maybe you’ll publish a scholarly journal on your findings, or maybe your more of a storm-chaser bent on surviving the most wild and dangerous conditions. No matter how you spin it, you’re fascinated by the weather, whether your companions like it or not.

Hospitable Flight Attendant - Time to make everybody else’s travel experiences as enjoyable as possible. You’re an expert at socializing and keeping everybody’s minds off the baggage fees and severe lack of legroom. In your eyes, there’s no part of a space commute that can’t be made better by a tall glass of sherry or a delicious sack of Zeni’s Zesty Znacks. While traveling, you are sure to keep all the amenities nearby to heighten the enjoyment of those around you. You might have gotten into the gig because you wanted to see the universe, and maybe that itch is just beginning to surface once more.

Curious Explorer - Hardly anything fancy about this one. You love exploring. The mystery, intrigue, and discovery thrill you to pieces. Every time you come across a corner, you just HAVE to see what’s on the other side of it. This is known to get you into heaps of trouble and situations where you end up on the wrong end of a ‘No Trespassing’ sign. But, through your foolhardy actions, you’ve been able to experience things that very few other people have, and your stories are the things of legend. There are countless star sectors to visit and only so much time…what are you waiting for?!

Budding Photographer - Your goal? The perfect shot. You might be a movie producer scouting locations for your next sector-buster. Or maybe you’re an artistic photographer determined to capture the essence of the human (and alien) experience. You never miss a moment and you are incredibly easy to track based on the trail of snapshots that you leave behind. Whether your honing your craft or a complete amateur when it comes to lighting, focus, and apertures, space grants you the freedom to create magnificent works of art. Every horizon has another potential shot, and you’ll hitchhike your way around the galaxy if you have to if it means catching your elusive unicorn.

Xenoseeker Character Concepts

“The thought of meeting alien life-forms excites you. The more different their appearances and customs are from yours, the better! You either believe they have much to teach you or you want to prove you are better than them. Of course, the only way to accomplish your goal is to leave the Pact Worlds and travel to the Vast, where a virtually endless number of aliens await.” - Starfinder CRB

Captivated Anthropologist - This concept makes perfect sense. As an anthropologist, you live and love to study the differences between humanoid species. You can even take it a step further to be fascinated with specific aspects of each of the races. What are the secrets behind the Lashunta’s psychic abilities? How tough are the scales of the Vesk? So many questions and not enough time to find all the answers. You might become acutely interested in your crewmates, asking them all sorts of intrusive questions in order to develop an understanding for their specific gifts and talents. Beings with surgical enhancements might be particularly interesting to you as humanoids continue their never-ending quest for power.

Inquisitive Marketing Guru - If you want to sell something, you HAVE to know your market. Double blind surveys, focus groups, experimental expos…you will stop at nothing to understand the people buying the products you’re pitching. Whether you’re a part of an elaborate Ponzi scheme or a well-known enterprise, you are hungry to understand the psychology of buying patterns and habitual spending. If you can unlock those secrets, you will be the most valuable asset to whichever company decides to employ you. And, by developing an understanding for the beings around you, you’ll undoubtedly be an asset in any situation involving sweet-talking with honeyed words. Heck - maybe if you can find some delicious edible aliens, you will be the next great snack mogul in the Pact Worlds! Second only to Zeni himzelf.

Experimental Doctor - You embrace the uniqueness of yourself and encourage others to do the same. Stand out from the crowd, you say. Set yourself apart! Implant yourself with one of the many augmentations that you can provide! Your interest in the countless creeping aliens and obscure creatures skittering around the Vast stimulate your imagination and provide you with the necessary…tools to allow you to develop exciting new attachments for your adoring fans. Or maybe you’re more secretive and don’t think your work should see the light of day. Will you be a mad scientist or a renowned surgeon? The choice is yours!

Calming Zoologist - People will pay loads of money to see an exhibit they’ve never experienced before. There are countless numbers of mindless creatures out in the far reaches of space that would be welcomed additions to a zoological attraction. Your history in taming wild beasts and soothing the animalistic nature in the creatures you’ve encountered makes you the perfect person for the job. There is a fantastic space zoo that’ll pay top dollar for new specimens, and you’re itching to get paid. This isn’t to say that you are inconsiderate of the creatures’ feelings, however. The zoo that you’re working for is more akin to a resort, and they take great care of the residents that live there.

Talkative Space Taxi Driver - While taking fares, you’ve come across just about every type of intelligent being known in the sector. Long nights that turned into early mornings were a staple of yours, and you’ve delivered passengers to slums, clubs, and luxury estates, learning about them all the while. You love a good conversation; it helps pass the time and gives you an amazing repertoire of stories to share with your crewmates. Everybody comes from a different background, and you have learned to appreciate the intricacies and uniqueness that everybody brings to the figurative table. You might have a bit of a lead foot as well…but who doesn’t?

Themeless Characters

If you don’t fit the bill with any of the other themes, then you are probably Themeless. By choosing to forgo a theme designation, your statistical bonuses will suffer compared to a character who has a theme, so if you’re more concerned with numbers and maximizing your character, then this might not be for you. Choosing this option, however, will allow you to portray your character as a vast canvas, awaiting your masterful strokes.

Hopefully I’ve portrayed the wide variety of concepts that the Starfinder themes can cover. With a dash of creativity, you can morph at least one of the themes to fit the base core of your character. Try to think about each of the themes in new ways; don’t get caught up in the specific 'title’ of the theme. Read the blurbs about each one and search for synonyms that line up with the character that you’re envisioning in your mind.

—

At the end of the day, play a character that you WANT to play. You should be excited every time that you portray your character, and play the game in whatever way is going to be the most fun for you.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this series on the Themes of Starfinder! See you in the stars!

#Starfinder #Themes #Paizo #Scifi #Science Fantasy #Overview #Character #Creation #CRB #Fantasy #Rules #Concepts

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umusicians · 4 years

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UM Interview: DALLAS

Toronto based singer songwriter DALLAS has proven that taking a leap of faith pays off.

Returning to Toronto after studying musical theatre in New York, the Toronto native put her broadway career on hold to pursue a career in music. Working with producer ATOM throughout the past few years, DALLAS has been able to hone her skills and create an image that is entirely her own. Resulting in music rooted in Pop music with accents and influences from the Alternative and R&B genres.

Amandah Opoku sat down with DALLAS to talk about her new single “NIGHTMARE”, working with producer ATOM, reinventing her brand/sound and more!

Amandah Opoku: Dallas, thank you for doing this interview today! Before we kick off please tell our readers about yourself and one random fact people do not know about you DALLAS: Ouu I like this! I’ll start off by saying I’ve been singing and writing my own songs since I was six. I’m 22 now so it’s been some time haha. Growing up I listened to all different genres of music (mostly Pop, Pop-Punk, Rock and Alternative) which inspired me to sort of form my own sound, something unlike anything out there currently. A super random fact that not everyone knows about me is that I’m actually allergic to the cold. People think I’m lying but its scientific name is “cold urticaria.” Probably not the best allergy to have when living in Canada.

AO: You left New York where you were studying Musical Theatre to return to Toronto to pursue a career in music. When did you discover that creating and releasing music was what you felt you were meant to do? DALLAS: Don't get me wrong, I loved living in New York. I learned from some of the best in broadway and left with an immense amount of knowledge in that realm. When I came back for the summer of 2017, I started working with ATOM, my current manager/producer & just knew the energy felt proper. Being in the studio, writing my own music and singing my own songs is where my heart wanted to be. So I put my broadway career on hold and have been grinding as a solo artist since.

AO: You’ve been working with producer ATOM for the past few years, how have they helped you find and shape your sound? How did he help you find your voice as an artist? DALLAS: ATOM has played a huge role in my career thus far. I genuinely can't imagine working with anyone else as closely as he and I do. We understand each other musically which is why the music continues to get better and better. We like to push the boundaries with all of my projects. At the beginning of 2019, ATOM and I decided I wouldn’t release any music and just take the year to build my catalogue and find my sound. I feel like a lot of managers and teammates in this industry wouldn’t normally allow something like this. It took a lot of patience and dedication but it really did allow me to find my voice and dabble in the world of production - what pleases my ear and what doesn’t. I trust him to always deliver something exceptional and he's never disappointed. I honestly don't think he could deliver something bad even if he tried. He cares so much about the music and that’s what I love about our dynamic the most.

AO: If you could describe your music in three words. What words would you choose and why? DALLAS: I’d describe my music as being powerful, deep and transcendent. My songs are my everything. ATOM and I will put hours and hours into building these final releases. We sometimes have had 10 different versions of one song because we both love to explore our options melodically, production wise and vocally. Songs can be approached in varying ways. I want all of my music to take you on a journey from start to finish. I love adding quirky & weird noises into the production of a song. I don’t want my music to ever sound mundane - I only want to keep levelling up.

AO: What do you want people to take away from your music? DALLAS: I want my music to open peoples minds - allow them to feel confidant and powerful. A lot of my unreleased songs are all about empowerment and just owning who you are and being a boss ass b*tch. I also really want people to take-in and appreciate the intricacy in the production within each song. The layers are truly never-ending. I get so pumped just thinking of all the music I have yet to share.

AO: If you had a chance to reinvent your image and sound, what genre of music would you choose? And how would you describe your new image? DALLAS: I feel like I already had that chance! Taking the year off in 2019 to just reinvent my brand and find a cohesive sound that includes all of my favourite genres is more than I could've asked for. Now, I’m mixing pop melodies with rock production and hard 808s. It’s great! The sound is always being reinvented, that’s what makes my music different.

AO: “Hooked on Your Love” was one of your first releases in 2017. How do you think you’ve grown as an artist since them? DALLAS: I still love that song you know. It’ll always hold a special place in my heart. I’ll actually go back every now and then and listen to how much I’ve grown even vocally. I think I’ve grown as a songwriter too since then. I talk about much deeper, more meaningful topics in my new music. The songs I’m making now are much more elevated in all aspects.

AO: As you continue to pursue a career in music, what have been some of the challenges you’ve faced? And how did you overcome then? DALLAS: As an independent artist, I would say one of the biggest challenges is meeting new people in the industry and having to decipher if I can trust them or not. I’m very particular with who I let in the room when I’m working & who I want as part of my team. I have a pretty good sense of judgment and a strong head on my shoulders, but it always stings a little when you find out someone you thought you could trust is really only in it for themselves. That’s why I keep my circle small.

AO: What is one piece of advice you received in your music career that has impacted you positively? DALLAS: The most impactful piece of advice I’ve gotten to date was actually what sparked the idea for me to take a year off and focus on finding my sound. Someone once told me “you can’t be every genre. You have to choose one and stick with it.” At the time, I was pretty affected by this and took it to heart. Looking back on that moment, I’m so grateful this person said that to me. It drove me to find cohesiveness between all genres and build a sound that’s only specific to me.

AO: This year you’ve released a number of singles, including “NIGHTMARE” which is your latest release. What was the writing and recording process like for “NIGHTMARE”? DALLAS: NIGHTMARE was one of the fastest songs I’ve ever written. We started off with a simple 4 chord progression and I just went off lyrically. I think what grasps the listeners the most is that powerful opening melody and how the production grows rhythmically to that hook. It’s a very fun and playful song, yet has so much anger and hurt in those lyrics. I wrote this over a year ago and it’s still one of my favourite songs.

AO: Did the writing and recording process for “NIGHTMARE” differ from any of your previous releases? If so, how? DALLAS: In contrast to some of my other songs (unreleased and released) NIGHTMARE might seem the most “simple” in terms of the production. In retrospect, we took almost that entire year and a half revisiting the song and changing parts in the production until we felt 100% about it. ATOM and I tend to do this often before a new release. We only want to put the best version of ourselves in every song.

AO: From the songs you’ve released to date, what song would you say really captures who you are as an artist? DALLAS: I would say NIGHTMARE or SUPERPOWERS hits closest to home. STRANGERS was one of my most vulnerable and honest songs about a moment in my life, but the other two really capture who I am as an artist/person in general.

AO: With “NIGHTMARE” out now, what can fans expect from you next? DALLAS: I’m already gearing up to release a new song, hopefully at the end of next month (December). Honestly, I just want to keep releasing more music, build that fan base and take over the world with my team!

AO: This year has been a year of adapting to change and our “new normal”. In the next 5 years what goals do you have set for yourself? DALLAS: I’m hoping that live shows come back soon, because I would love to start touring. In five years I really do see myself on the road with my band/team touring the world, my songs being #1 globally and building my brand even further into things like fashion and makeup etc. I have big plans for myself aha and I can’t wait to see them all unfold.

AO: Dallas, thank you for sitting down with me! Before we close this interview is there anything you want to say to your fans and our readers? DALLAS: Thank you for having me! And to the readers - thank you for taking the time to read this in the first place and getting to know me and my music a bit better. Every follow, share and listen means the world to me so please feel free to connect with me on Instagram @dallasrodin - peace n blessings to you all!

Connect with DALLAS on the following websites: https://www.dallasrodin.com/ https://www.facebook.com/officialdallasrodin/ https://www.instagram.com/dallasrodin/ https://twitter.com/dallasrodin/ https://soundcloud.com/dallasrodin

#Interviews #Amandah Opoku #Dallas #Dallas Rodin

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rachelkulagodfrey-blog · 5 years

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A [MUSIC] Review: My 10+1 Favorite Live Acts From the Last Six Months

Originally posted on January 17, 2019.

Some people procrastinate by online shopping, cleaning, or watching the first season of a Netflix show that truly isn’t worth it (Judd Apatow’s Love stole my time and I want it back).

Others make an Instagram post about how they “just can’t focus :/”, masturbate to a point where it’s almost violent, or complete every single task except for the most pressing one at hand.

I am all of these people. Baked to perfection.

As appealing as all of these options are, my favorite way to procrastinate is watching live musical performances. If I said this was my number one choice because I really love to see what each and every artist can do on their feet, I would be LYING; it’s because I’m broke. Imagining I’m in the actual audience sounds like a cute and affordable outing to me.

I was originally going to write a late post about my ten favorite live musical acts of 2018, but then The Holy Trinity™ a.k.a The Goat Trio (Noname, Smino, and Saba) decided to perform on The Late Night Show with Jimmy Fallon and fuck up my whole plan.

Fucked up my whole plan, but made my whole life.

Here are the 10+1 live acts that have rustled my big and bright feathers in the last 184 days, ordered by upload date:

1. Mac Miller: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert

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August 6, 2018

I was tabling at my school’s Student Activities Fair when one of my best friends approached me looking like tears were seconds from falling down her cheeks and flooding the fucking campus. Her “I have to tell you something” was followed by what most onlookers would probably describe as an unnecessarily loud processing of the Five Ws and One H of Malcolm McCormick’s death. It probably looked overdramatic, but it honestly didn’t feel that way.

Mac’s placement in my mind shifted in tandem with his style. In his “Knock, Knock” days, he was the weird white kid who Wiz Khalifa seemed to have taken under his wing. I started high school a week or two before “Smile Back” was released. And I was in attack mode after a girl had used up MY oxygen to talk about me not being a “real” Black girl. While 14-year-old-me did put a hex on her soon after, Mac’s anthem of the opposition not being worth my stress set my mind right. Did not reverse the hex, though. Sorry, sis.

His eventual Earl Sweatshirt, Ab-Soul, and Anderson .Paak collaborations reframed the way I thought of him as a creative. I realized how open he was, and how honored he was to share space and thought with a wide range of musical talents. You can hear it in the production of the songs. His NPR Tiny Desk was an elevation of this. His energy was right. Thundercat on bass was right. Watching this performance made me want to bop the shit out of my head but also call all my old niggas and let them know I was suing them for stealing energy I could have put toward studying a cool cat’s artistry. So much love to Mr. Malcolm.

Favorite Moment(s): When Mac laughs at Thundercat’s abrupt tone change during “What’s the Use?” @ 9:10.

2. Rex Orange County performing “Sunflower” live on KCRW

August 14, 2018

I know I’ll get heat for this. But Alex O’ Connor is worth the slack.

In this performance, Rex Orange County looks and sounds like the place where lo-fi, Big Mouth, and driven-over lilacs meet. Doesn’t seem like the most appealing thing that could come out of your speakers, but it’s honestly just one really sweet surprise. And romance may be a capitalist sham, but all I can say is ShamWow! After finding out that he wrote “Sunflower” for his girlfriend of 3+ years, the bridge started to make me feel like someone slipped me a “Would You Date Me?” note in detention. Uncomfortable, but definitely entertained.

Favorite Moment(s): The aforementioned bridge @ 3:02.

3. serpentwithfeet – mourning song (Live on KEXP)

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September 11, 2018

Josiah Wise, better known as serpentwithfeet, is one of the greatest storytellers I have ever witnessed. His entire KEXP performance is worth watching to see an immersive experiment in chaos and control using lighting, backtracks, and his voice. Confidence is not something we often associate with grief. In this performance of “mourning song”, he lists all the ways he will allow himself to think and feel through the end of an intimate relationship. Every time I listen to this song, I feel like he actually rips the voices from my head that tell me I am a burden, or that I must hide any part of myself.

I’m not really a church-going girl anymore so I won’t say watching this took me there. But it definitely took me to the Pokémon Center. HP on 255, bitch.

Favorite Moment(s): When he plays around with distance from the mic @ 2:30.

4. 070 Shake – I Laugh When I’m Friends But Sad When I’m Alone

September 14, 2018

My dearest New Jersey babe. The shining star of the 070 Crew, Danielle Balbuena, used to be at the top of my “Anal Sounds Great!” list after the 2016 “Bass for my Thoughts” release. Trevante Rhodes has since stolen her spot.

Shake takes her time with COLORS to sing about her unadulterated thoughts about the negatives that come along with fame, as well as how the perceived positive of always being around people can be suffocating. No matter what life decisions we try to make, no matter what our intentions, we’ll always be criticized. 9/10 times the criticism will come from people who are too scared to live out their own dreams and have decided to try and put their hooks into the dreams of others. I love this performance because she manages to make the sentiment hit relying primarily on her flow, with the beat not coming in until more than halfway through the video.

Favorite Moment(s): The belting at the end. She sounds like Roy Woods and it makes me want a collab.

5. Noname Performs A Three-Song Medley From Her Album ‘Room 25’

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October 18, 2018

I am a walking Noname stan account.

I saw her perform during my sophomore year of college, soon after Telefone‘s release. I had never felt so represented in my existential absurdity. She was as wishful as she was uncertain; the last time I had felt that seen was when I heard Paramore’s “For A Pessimist, I’m Pretty Optimistic” for the first time. But you know angsty white people are always doing something, so it didn’t really click the same. I sobbed in the first row while Noname rapped about the effects poverty has on the Black imagination, battling with addiction, and finding the will to fight our own apathy.

In this performance, she gifts us with a three-song medley, featuring “Blaxploitation”, “Prayer Song”, and “Don’t Forget About Me”, three singles from Room 25. Together, the musical collage tells a story about trying to create in a culture that values what we make more than our livelihood.

Favorite Moment(s): The GIGGLE when the music ends before she does.

6. dvsn: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert

November 28, 2018

Roy Woods and Majid Jordan were my favorite OVO acts for the longest time. I had heard of dvsn and didn’t really care for the duo at first. I didn’t even know they were a duo until like a week ago.

One night I was at a party that I didn’t want to be at, and I really wasn’t feeling the music. While I waited to sober up so I could walk home, I put on my headphones and started playing my own music. When the beat in “Mood” dropped and Daniel Daley’s vocals came in, I knew it was the beginning of a spiral into a rabbit hole full of fuck nigga energy… Energy to which I am apparently still very open. In this performance, Daley’s falsetto as he sings about not wanting to pull out of his partner is literally the most disarming sound I’ve ever heard. It’s what I imagine the Sirens in the Odyssey sounded like. I’m 100% certain that behind the sunglasses, his eyes are pitch black. Because Satan.

Favorite Moment(s): 6:13 – 6:35. Mother of God.

7. Rapsody, “Sassy” Night Owl | NPR Music

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December 4, 2018

RAPSODY IS ONE OF THE MOST UNDERRATED LYRICISTS OF ALL TIME AND I WILL NOT REST UNTIL JUSTICE IS SERVED.

Like… I’ll sleep and all that. But I will be dissatisfied. Known for her home-hitting lyrical additions – Kendrick Lamar’s “Complexion (A Zulu Love) and Anderson .Paak’s “Without You” – Marlanna Evans deserves so much more for the brilliance that went into Laila’s Wisdom. When she was nominated for 2018 Best Rap Album of the Year, she was the fifth female-identifying nominee in the 23-year history of the category. This performance of one of Laila’s singles, “Sassy”, makes me want to bounce through the streets in some high tops. It demonstrates her ability to give us all profound lyrics and pop-off sounds.

Favorite Moment(s): Her dance break @ 2:45.

8. H.E.R.: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert

December 13, 2018

H.E.R. had already appeared on NPR Tiny Desk before this performance, but five minutes of listening to her voice were simply not enough. Whenever I listen to one of her songs, I have to listen to two or three more. The cool thing is that she’s not using subliminal messaging! It’s literally just carefully-honed skill and talent! These niggas can’t even spell talent!

The transitions in this video are wild. Seeing how many times Gabi Wilson switches the instrument she’s playing is honestly just really fun. “Focus” is my favorite H.E.R. song, and this performance takes it up three whole notches. Considering the fact that she’s an actual child prodigy, I cannot help but smile seeing her get the shine she deserves; hearing people refer to her as “the girl who covered the Drake song” really made me as upset as the people who fight in the comments under Lebron highlight reels seem to be.

Favorite Moment(s): The back-and-forth between H.E.R. and the two amazing background vocalists @ 16:28.

9. JPEGMAFIA – Thug Tears | A COLORS SHOW

youtube

December 14, 2018

I really cannot tell if Barrington Hendricks/JPEGMAFIA/Peggy is the kind of person who hates astrology and everyone who mentions it, or if he consults his Co-Star chart every morning. Regardless, as the sole member of the non-Scorpio Scorpio Fan Club, I love this Scorpio king.

One second into his COLORS episode, I thought my speakers were fucking broken. Twenty seconds in, I thought I was having a stroke. I eventually realized that I was not being Punk’d by the peculiar nigga on my screen, and decided to go back to the beginning and try this shit again.

I became so infatuated with JPEGMAFIA after watching this performance. This may mean that I need to call my therapist soon, but I would argue that my interest stems from the healing power I feel is available in his artistry. While different from serpentwiththefeet’s “vibe”, Peggy presents us with a similar sentiment: being unafraid to display your emotions, whether it be grief or anger, in ways that are not respectable or palatable can shake up a nigga’s psyche. Lord knows this shit had me shook all the way the fuck up.

Favorite Moment(s): He starts off stretching. Definitely didn’t realize how necessary it was going to be.

10. KOFFEE – TOAST (LIVE FROM KGN)

December 23, 2018

I first listened to Koffee when she performed with Chronixx on the Real Rock Riddim. This past November, the 18-year-old released the inspirational fucking BOP, “Toast”. In the song, she speaks to her performances with Chronixx and other key moments in her musical journey as well as the bright future she sees ahead. The song itself has been at the top of my morning playlist; you already KNOW I love to bust an early whine while I brush my teeth. But this performance… it’s magic. You can barely hear Koffee herself with the audience screaming all the words back at her, letting her know they’ve got her back. And with a big ass smile full of braces, you can tell she’s feeling all the love they’ve got to give. Everyone, myself included, is ready for Koffee to rise to the top.

Favorite Moment(s): Her disbelief at the room’s energy at the beginning, and when she brings on the girls to help her sing @ 1:30.

10+1. Noname ft. Smino and Saba: Ace

January 8, 2018

One day, I’ll share the story of how Noname was an instrumental part in my sexual “becoming”. It’s the same story that I shared with her after the aforementioned concert (still so sorry about that, yikes). Until then:

I screamed when I found out this performance was happening. I don’t even think I can put into words how Noname, Smino, and Saba’s performance of “Ace” changed my whole attitude. For the last eight days, my sense of clarity has been… well, CLEAR! I realized how much my hair had grown. I finished grant and job applications. I’ve received great personal news and old, important friendships are being rekindled. They have too much power. I’m tweaking.

All I have to say is that this video ran me a bath, put a glass of wine in my hand, and made me dinner. Enjoy.

Favorite Moment(s): I. Cannot. Choose. (But wow. The way they look at Saba @ 1:56. I’m emotional.)

#reviews #chewsandswallows #music #2018 #2019 #art #artists #ranking #performance

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mandyjane-lifedesign · 3 years

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The secrets of wealthy successful people

If you want to get wealthy, get used to being uncomfortable. Now, I know that sounds negative but the truth is you become more confident and resilient when you step out of your comfort zone. That is what life is all about. So many people in their old age regret not taking more risks and seeing life as an adventure. You need to learn to operate in a constant state of uncertainty and accept it without telling yourself you can't cope. I see so many clients who have beliefs that limit them - "I would never cope" or "I will do anything to avoid feeling bad, scared, or worried". Distress intolerance is one of the biggest reasons why people fail. Stepping outside of your comfort zone could mean taking a job you feel unqualified for, learning a new skill or calling up people for advice. After all, self-made millionaire Bobbi Brown and entrepreneur Koel Thomae both started their successful careers by cold-calling. Consider the experience as an enlightening growth phase and congratulate yourself on living life instead of giving in to your fears and avoiding challenges. You are going to fail but who cares? Welcome to the club - at least you are making the most of your life and experimenting! Fantastic - keep up the good work. As self-made billionaire Richard Branson says, “nobody gets everything right the first time. Business is like a giant game of chess — you have to learn quickly from your mistakes. Successful entrepreneurs don’t fear failure; they learn from it and move on.” Lack of funding, lack of expertise, and connections are regularly cited as the biggest barriers to starting businesses. Of course, those who come from wealthy families or have a solid start in life aren't typically self-made. According to Steve Siebold, "Building wealth is a learnable skill. If you work at it, you can improve. “Like most things in life, becoming good at attracting money is no different than becoming good at anything else, be it being a sub-par golfer, losing weight or mastering a second language,” he writes in “How Rich People Think.” So what do wealthy successful people do differently? They take risks but have good self control There is no way around taking risks if you want to be successful in business. Millionaires try a lot of different things, knowing that a lot of them will fail. they know that failure is just part of the process of discovering what will truly work to build more wealth. The billionaire Jack Cowin, who brought fast food to Australia, states “You have to take the risk to achieve something that is worthwhile. If you don’t take some risk, then you’ll have moderate success, if any. If it doesn’t require risk, it’s not an opportunity.” Interestingly, billionaires don’t see intelligence as a prerequisite for their extraordinary business success. They stress that entrepreneurs are adventurous rather than intelligent. It's easier to take risks at the beginning as you have less to lose when you don't have much capital. Be adventurous and do your research but don't let fear stop you from moving forward. So what is the winning formula with regard to risk? It’s quite straightforward: take calculated risks with the best risk/reward ratio instead of “betting the shop.” In other words, take the risks you can afford that have the greatest upside and the smallest downside. They're 'all over' personal development and self-improvement From counselors, therapists and mentors to life coaches and personal trainers. The wealthy invest in themselves. Their emotional and cognitive resources are just as important as their financial resources (if not more important). Self-made millionaires are thinkers. They don't bumble through life - they have a plan. They asked questions such as "What can I do to make more money?" "Does my job make me happy?" "Am I exercising enough?" and "What other charities can I get involved in?" Thomas C. Corley, the author of "Change Your Habits, Change Your Life," spent five years researching the daily habits of 177 self-made millionaires and found they devoted at least 30 minutes every day each to exercising and reading. Millionaires tend to read three types of books, he said: biographies of successful people, self-help or personal development, and history. Self-awareness, learning, and growing are an intense focus for successful individuals. They constantly think about ways to work smarter. Being rich can also be psychological richness. It is an achievement of being able to live without the worry of money. They're independent thinkers Wealthy successful individuals have incredible self-belief and follow their own ideas rather than listening to everyone else. They consider opinions but they ultimately make their own choices. Entrepreneurial individuals tune into their instincts and have faith in their own abilities. Feedback is important and self-made millionaires aren't put off by criticism. Instead, they use this to fuel them and adapt their strategies where necessary. They are disciplined I'll be the first to admit that I HATE getting up early. I am working to improve this but I work around it most of the time. You don't need to be perfect before you start - just keep doing what you can but make sure you are consistently going in the right direction. Wealthy successful people keep to a strict morning routine. Getting up at five in the morning to tackle the top three things you want to accomplish in your day allows you to regain control of your life," Corley wrote. "It gives you a sense of confidence that you, indeed, direct your life." They allocate their time differently - allocate their time differently — they spend more time focusing on personal growth, planning for investments, and working, and less time sleeping. They set goals and re-assess regularly No debt - they are frugal and spend below what they earn. Spending above your means, spending instead of saving for retirement, spending in anticipation of becoming wealthy makes you a slave to the paycheck. Saving allows for investment. Invest in index funds. wealth-building is a long-term frame Millionaires take personal responsibility, practice intentionality, are goal-oriented, and work hard. Multiple streams of income and save save save It's worth considering what you can do in your spare time if you have been unable to leave your full-time job and pursue your ultimate career goals. Passive income is a wonderful way for money to keep coming in, even while you sleep. Diverse investing is a great idea - never put all your 'eggs in one basket'. Smart people have learned that the best way to build wealth is to turn your active income into multiple passive income machines. Here are common types of income streams: - Earned Income – This is your day job and it is most people’s main income source. You trade your time for money. - Business Income – You own a business. - Interest Income – This is income you make from lending your money out - crowdfunding schemes, savings accounts. - Dividend Income – This is money that’s distributed as a result of owning shares of a company. - Rental Income – You own something and you rent it out. - Capital Gains – This is money earned when you sell an investment, like stocks. An example - Index Funds. - Royalties / Licensing – You create a product, idea, or process, and you let someone use it. They pay you a small fee every time they do. Experts recommend seven or more streams. Resilience and perseverance They don't give up at the first hurdle. They accept failure is a part of life and a fantastic way to learn what not to do. Resiliency is a characteristic we all need at various points in our lives in order to cope with life’s challenges and emerge healthy, stronger and with increased self-awareness. What is resilience exactly? Resilience is the ability to emotionally recover after a personal/professional setback. Ideally, you learn something from this experience. Some people are born with this trait but it is something you can learn, hone and develop as a skill. Counseling (especially Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) can help an individual to become more resilient especially if they engage well in the therapy sessions. Those who are not as resilient tend to turn to unhealthy coping mechanisms such as drugs, alcohol, eating disorders, workaholics, etc. that are used as an attempt to feel better—but actually make them feel worse. Since my teens and early twenties, I have had to work on this too. Thankfully, I am much more capable of bouncing back quickly when it comes to my career/business, but still at times struggle to move forward as quickly in my personal life. I am a work in progress as they say! Parents are role models and their children observe how they handle set-backs and difficulties. It's never a good idea to hide the negative side of life as this doesn't help children learn and witness recovery from tricky situations. Self-awareness is key - know your triggers, strengths, and weaknesses. It takes discipline to look within, learn from experiences with others, and acknowledge what is and what isn't within your control. Learn to let go of what you cannot control. In summary: Keep the faith, believe in yourself, and don't listen to the nay-sayers. Stay focused and don't give up. Don't fear failure and accept feeling uncomfortable. Even when you have a set-back, take a deep breath - embrace the failure as a part of life and see what you can learn from it. Get up again and keep going in the right direction, even if you have to slow down at times. Start today - small steps will begin the process - break down the steps and work through each step at a time....you've got this. Mandy X Photo by the blowup on Unsplash References: https://www.businessinsider.com/millionaire-habits-how-to-build-wealth-time-energy-money-2019-4?r=US&IR=T#they-put-more-energy-toward-personal-growth-activities-9 https://justentrepreneurs.co.uk/blog/how-billionaires-approach-risk https://www.cnbc.com/2018/07/10/hard-things-you-have-to-do-if-you-want-to-be-rich.html Read the full article

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ember373 · 4 years

Text

Everything will be ok...

July 7th, 2020 3:52 AM

Technically I still consider this July 6th, my birthday, because I haven’t gone to sleep yet. Ha!

I threw cards tonight. I felt with it being my birthday and a full moon and an ecipse and retrograde and crap that it might be a powerful or at least insightful reading. I wanted to do it last night, when the calendar said it was actually a full moon, but I couldn’t muster the energy to do it. Tonight I was able. It was long, but it didn’t really disappoint. It seemed to fall in 4 categories: Marriage, career, self and love, and moving forward. Basically my marriage is falling apart but there’s nothing I can do about it. It’s done. (Knew that). But it might be coming to the end the end and it’s going to be a rough ride, potentially. I need to focus on the important things so that when it all falls apart, I can put myself back together with the pieces I need to keep and leave the rest in the dust. Job wise, I feel a calling and the universe is supporting that. It will all fall in to place. I just need to be open to it and pay attention to exactly what it is that I feel being called to do. It will be a good thing and I’ll love it (yay!). It will take hard work to hone the skills I need, but I can do it. It will be very rewarding. :) Now the next bit was interesting...I know that the universe gives you what you put into it. If you want something, you need to be intentional about visualizing it. Margie told me that I was very strong in this area and that if I really wanted something, I could visualize it and make it happen. This was both very empowering and very scary. I’ve known for the last several years that I really needed to sort through everything and get my thoughts in order and start visualizing what it is that I want to happen in my life. Start putting the energy out there to the universe to attract it coming true. The first of the next set of cards was about focusing on the things in my life that need increasing. It reminded me again that I’ve closed myself off and have lost interest in life. It’s time to open myself back up, or it will be, so I don’t miss the opportunities that will be coming my way. I need to get my ish in order and then take comfort in it and rest in it and prepare for what’s to come with courage, confidence, and faith. There will be new beginnings. I have strong energy within and I WILL experience a new beginning of great love, joy, and happiness. The last bit was a bit of a jumble, but I saw more references to making my wishes realized and focusing on what it is that I really want in order to make it come true. Not so much of a doing process, but more of a setting firm my intentions and giving them to the universe to help fulfill. In the meantime, I need to quit being so ungrateful. Which I kind of knew. It’s been wearing on me and I think now is the time to practice gratefulness. Not the dramatic this is what I deserve and I shouldn’t complain. But more the find things to be grateful every day and let the rest be.

I had a chart reading done a week or so ago (?) and the guy told me that I needed to express myself to the oppressor to break the chains that I’m in and that I am close to ascending. I don’t know about all that, but the cards tell me that I am ready to find deeper meanings in life. Or, I will be, once I get my ish figured out. It’s going to be an emotionally turbulent time and I’m going to need to sit in that for awhile and really feel it so that I can grow from it and become stronger. Something about teamwork. I will eventually have a nice period of rest and healing where everything will click and I’ll feel good about it. It’s exhausting doing the juggling act that I do, so I need to focus and prioritize while I still have the chance-before those choices get made for me.

A very powerful reading, I think. I’ve had empowering readings before, but maybe this time I’m really ready to listen? I just need to keep this before me so that I don’t forget and fall into that deep dark pit of despair. (Anyone else hear Princess Bride just now?).

I went to the Japanese Garden today. The 7th is the last day of Tanabata, where people write their wishes on strips of paper and hang them from bamboo. I meant to do that too but spaced by the time I left. So, in the spirit of visualizing what I want to com true and making my intent known tothe universe, here is what I should have written:

I wish for love. An accepting love. A powerful love. A love that will shore up my flaws and encourage my strengths. Who will recognize the way that I am made and celebrate it. One who doesn’t shame me. One who will lift me up in true celebration and never feel the need to tear me down. One I won’t be afraid to wholly give my heart to. One with grace, the ability to forgive, the ability to bring out all the good within me. He must be intelligent, witty, charming, steady, feel deeply but not be swayed by it. I want someone strong but gentle. Quiet and calm. Tender and loving. Someone who will adore me and laugh when I’m an idiot, think I’m cute, and help me pick myself back up. One who will recognize when I’m drowning and help me keep afloat. Emotionally mature. Patient. Kind. But as I wish for this one to manifest, I also wish for an end with the current one. Hopefully one that is not too painful. All endings are painful, but I really truly wish to find a friendship, as impossible as it might seem. I hope that he will realize this isn’t the way we should be living life and it’s time to let go. I wish for amicability, understanding, compassion, and a willingness to fairly compromise from both parties. But most of all, I wish him happiness. The happiness that I can no longer give him. The happiness he deserves. That’s all I can think of for now. I just wanted to put it into words, no matter how inadequate they may be.

I know will try to fulfill the extremely hard task of moving forward and trying to implement all that I have learned tonight. Here’s to a day in the future where my heart won’t hurt so much. That would be nice. :)

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witchlingvibes · 4 years

Text

Tarot Spreads: On Writing

Past ~ Present ~ Future

Deck: Steampunk Tarot

Past: Nine of Cups. “Anything you want is available to you .,. If this card is present in a reading, it brings very happy and bountiful energy with it” I chose to interpret this by looking back at the last year, and my writing goals that I had, both of which I managed to complete. I completed the duology I had been working on since 2017 and I got out and got really involved in my local writing/NaNoWriMo circles which gave me a real sense of joy and buoyancy and ‘I can do anything’ energy.

Present: Three of Swords. “Words can build bridges, create connections, and nurture relationships. Through careful communication, we can establish elaborate edifices of understanding that are stunningly beautiful and utterly awesome. All of these activities take time and skill.” This card does represent a lot more than just that, but for this spread, that sums it up pretty well. I’m realising that it is going to take a lot of work to get to where I want to be with my writing, and that there are going to be rejections, and it’s going to take a lot of time to get to where I want to be.

Future: The World. Core meaning: Successful completion. “The World makes the end of a journey ... it is a finishing of something you started, that you wanted, and that you worked toward” Basically, I’ll get there if I work hard and put in that effort and the time that I need to to make sure that my craft and my writing is well-honed enough to get me to where I need to be.

Overall take from the reading: I’ve come off a high-energy period when it comes to my writing, and I’m realising that I’ve still got a long way to go before I get to where I need to be. I need to work hard and carry on with that momentum, and eventually, all my hard work will pay off.

One Card Wonder

Focus: Writing (general/what is the best course of action)

I pulled: Seven of Cups. “In this moment all possible futures exist - until you pick one. Think about how long you are willing to stand motionless and transfixed by the wonderous potential of your life before lifting a cup and taking that first sip of a fresh adventure.” Basically, this card is telling me that I need to stop talking about all the things that I want to do, and actually do them.

I have been thoroughly called out by this deck tonight :D This is the first proper spread that I’ve done with this deck because the timing never felt quite right with it, but I had the urge to pull some cards and my other deck wasn’t feeling inspired tonight I think. The Past/Present/Future spread quite literally jumped out at me while I was shuffling and right after I had thought that I might do a vague questioning on my direction and goals with writing, and the One Card Wonder refused to go back into the deck.

#tarot #tarot reading #steampunk tarot #personal readings #writing related #witch #grimoire: tarot

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andrewdburton · 4 years

Text

“I don’t have time for that”: The time management secrets that launch 6-figure businesses

Recently, the IWT team asked over 275,000 readers how long they’ve been thinking about starting their own business.

The answers we got blew us away:

Isn’t it strange that more than half of people have been THINKING about starting a business…for years?

When we dug a little deeper, we started to see patterns that hold a lot of people back from actually doing something about it. Can you guess the biggest one?

“I don’t have time to start a business.”

It’s an interesting paradox: A big reason many of us want to start a business is to gain greater control of our time and energy. Yet the actual act of getting a business up and running means we must surrender time and control.

It isn’t easy — and it can be overwhelming. But it is possible.

We’ve seen thousands of people start and successfully grow their business, even when time is tight.

How do they do it? What “in the trenches” tips do they have for making space for your business when you’re just getting started?

To answer this, we turned to some of our students who’ve grown their businesses to six figures and beyond. We asked how they balance working on their business and their life (especially in the beginning). Here’s what they said.

“[My business] was more fun than the other things I did with my free time.” –Talia K

There’s something magical when you actually LOVE what you’re working on. You seem to have an infinite well of energy and actually want to work on your business.

This was how Talia felt when she started her business. At her 9-to-5 job, she discovered that she had a skill her colleagues didn’t: preparing healthy, affordable lunches — and her colleagues would always ask her how she did it.

That was how her recipe blog on making easy, delicious, and affordable meals, Workweek Lunch, was born.

See more on Talia’s Instagram

She just plain looked forward to working on her business after coming home from her job. That was more fun than going out, watching TV, and working out (which takes up an hour of her day max), and she’d work on her business 2-3 hours, a few days per week.

Since then, her business has grown to six figures, and she still loves working on it.

“If you’re dreading it or putting it off, it might be time to take a closer look at what’s going on under the surface. I’m not saying it should be easy to execute (there are a lot of bumps and struggles along the way no matter what), but my hope for those just starting out is that you picked a vertical or topic you’re excited about sharing with the world and helping others,” she said.

“There can only be one priority.” – Meggan H.

Starting and growing your business are synonymous with a seemingly never-ending to-do list and other priorities.

Meggan H. founded Culinary Hill, a cooking blog that blends her culinary school education with her Midwestern sensibilities. The beginning was especially challenging because her time and focus were split between working on her business and raising her infant. When we asked her how she did it, she had a similar response to Talia: she just really looked forward to working on her business.

“I would devote my weekend time to work as much as possible. I sacrificed having a lot of close friends or doing interesting things in the early years and focused primarily on my baby and my business,” said Meggan, “I would focus on computer work at night, and ‘batch’ the cooking and taking photos of them on the weekends when I had the best daylight available for photography.”

This theme of “batching” her work, where she focuses on one priority at a time, rules her weekly schedule even today. This is what a typical week looks like for her:

Monday: Meetings, appointments, and phone calls

Tuesday: Testing recipes

Wednesday: Writing emails for list

Thursday: Thinking/planning day

Friday: Focusing on whatever is left for the week or needs urgent attention, like a clean-up day

“The days that things happen are mostly arbitrary, but by lining up the task with the day of the week, it’s easy for me to remember. So if it’s a Monday, I surrender myself to doctor’s appointments, phone calls, and other interactions — and don’t try to write emails or test recipes,” said Meggan.

Essentially, Meggan is a believer in knowing your priority, the thing that really moves the needle, and doing everything you can to focus on that. This means even setting up your schedule so that you can focus on that ONE thing to protect your time, energy, and focus.

“To me, the business is like an instrument: you don’t want to sell tickets to the awesome concert you’ve promised, and then get on stage and not be able to play.” – Margo N.

A lot of us don’t realize that business is a skill.

You have to learn to listen to your market, talk to your customers, sell, write marketing material and content, productize, manage teams, etc. Nobody teaches us these things! So Margo, founder of Neely & Daughters, spent the first six months studying business and the competition, diligently working on her skills, and taking no clients during this time.

Focusing on learning the skill of business, little by little, helps you hone the amount of time and energy you need to spend on it. Otherwise: hello, overwhelm and distractions!

“When you are in ‘the flow’ and feeling that deep need to work on your stuff, break every damn rule and find a way to hook into that energy,” Margo says.

“Show me a person’s calendar, and I’ll show you where their priorities are.” – Ramit

After all, if something — working on something in the business, exercising, strategizing — isn’t on your calendar, is it truly a priority then?

As an example, here’s a peek at Ramit’s calendar:

Ramit schedules at least 2 coffee meetings with journalists, every week, for more opportunities to be in the press. Because it’s IMPORTANT.

There are benefits to keeping a utilitarian calendar: You never have to wonder what to do or where to start. You know exactly what you’ll be working on every day, week, and month.

And it’s not just Ramit. Here’s a peek at Talia’s calendar for Workweek Lunch:

Notice anything?

Talia has a fairly full calendar, yes, but you’ll also see that she has a LOT more control over her day-to-day.

You don’t have to spend 40 hours on your business every week. And while some days will be long, especially in the early days, there’s a big difference in extra hours working for someone else and extra hours building your own business.

Bottom line: If you’re not spending ANY time on your business, is it really that important to you?

And at the end of the day, Meggan says it best:

“You either want to put in the time for it, or you don’t. I have spent so much time over the years talking to other people who ‘want what [I] have,’ but when I tell them what to do, no one does it. You can make time if you want to. I am not special.”

“I don’t have time for that”: The time management secrets that launch 6-figure businesses is a post from: I Will Teach You To Be Rich.

from Finance https://www.iwillteachyoutoberich.com/blog/i-dont-have-time-for-that/ via http://www.rssmix.com/

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paulckrueger · 4 years

Text

“I don’t have time for that”: The time management secrets that launch 6-figure businesses

Recently, the IWT team asked over 275,000 readers how long they’ve been thinking about starting their own business.

The answers we got blew us away:

Isn’t it strange that more than half of people have been THINKING about starting a business…for years?

When we dug a little deeper, we started to see patterns that hold a lot of people back from actually doing something about it. Can you guess the biggest one?

“I don’t have time to start a business.”

It isn’t easy — and it can be overwhelming. But it is possible.

We’ve seen thousands of people start and successfully grow their business, even when time is tight.

How do they do it? What “in the trenches” tips do they have for making space for your business when you’re just getting started?

“[My business] was more fun than the other things I did with my free time.” –Talia K

There’s something magical when you actually LOVE what you’re working on. You seem to have an infinite well of energy and actually want to work on your business.

That was how her recipe blog on making easy, delicious, and affordable meals, Workweek Lunch, was born.

See more on Talia’s Instagram

Since then, her business has grown to six figures, and she still loves working on it.

“There can only be one priority.” – Meggan H.

Starting and growing your business are synonymous with a seemingly never-ending to-do list and other priorities.

This theme of “batching” her work, where she focuses on one priority at a time, rules her weekly schedule even today. This is what a typical week looks like for her:

Monday: Meetings, appointments, and phone calls

Tuesday: Testing recipes

Wednesday: Writing emails for list

Thursday: Thinking/planning day

Friday: Focusing on whatever is left for the week or needs urgent attention, like a clean-up day

“To me, the business is like an instrument: you don’t want to sell tickets to the awesome concert you’ve promised, and then get on stage and not be able to play.” – Margo N.

A lot of us don’t realize that business is a skill.

Focusing on learning the skill of business, little by little, helps you hone the amount of time and energy you need to spend on it. Otherwise: hello, overwhelm and distractions!

“When you are in ‘the flow’ and feeling that deep need to work on your stuff, break every damn rule and find a way to hook into that energy,” Margo says.

“Show me a person’s calendar, and I’ll show you where their priorities are.” – Ramit

After all, if something — working on something in the business, exercising, strategizing — isn’t on your calendar, is it truly a priority then?

As an example, here’s a peek at Ramit’s calendar:

Ramit schedules at least 2 coffee meetings with journalists, every week, for more opportunities to be in the press. Because it’s IMPORTANT.

There are benefits to keeping a utilitarian calendar: You never have to wonder what to do or where to start. You know exactly what you’ll be working on every day, week, and month.

And it’s not just Ramit. Here’s a peek at Talia’s calendar for Workweek Lunch:

Notice anything?

Talia has a fairly full calendar, yes, but you’ll also see that she has a LOT more control over her day-to-day.

Bottom line: If you’re not spending ANY time on your business, is it really that important to you?

And at the end of the day, Meggan says it best:

“I don’t have time for that”: The time management secrets that launch 6-figure businesses is a post from: I Will Teach You To Be Rich.

from Surety Bond Brokers? Business https://www.iwillteachyoutoberich.com/blog/i-dont-have-time-for-that/

0 notes

samuelfields · 4 years

Text

“I don’t have time for that”: The time management secrets that launch 6-figure businesses

Recently, the IWT team asked over 275,000 readers how long they’ve been thinking about starting their own business.

The answers we got blew us away:

Isn’t it strange that more than half of people have been THINKING about starting a business…for years?

When we dug a little deeper, we started to see patterns that hold a lot of people back from actually doing something about it. Can you guess the biggest one?

“I don’t have time to start a business.”

It isn’t easy — and it can be overwhelming. But it is possible.

We’ve seen thousands of people start and successfully grow their business, even when time is tight.

How do they do it? What “in the trenches” tips do they have for making space for your business when you’re just getting started?

“[My business] was more fun than the other things I did with my free time.” –Talia K

There’s something magical when you actually LOVE what you’re working on. You seem to have an infinite well of energy and actually want to work on your business.

That was how her recipe blog on making easy, delicious, and affordable meals, Workweek Lunch, was born.

See more on Talia’s Instagram

Since then, her business has grown to six figures, and she still loves working on it.

“There can only be one priority.” – Meggan H.

Starting and growing your business are synonymous with a seemingly never-ending to-do list and other priorities.

This theme of “batching” her work, where she focuses on one priority at a time, rules her weekly schedule even today. This is what a typical week looks like for her:

Monday: Meetings, appointments, and phone calls

Tuesday: Testing recipes

Wednesday: Writing emails for list

Thursday: Thinking/planning day

Friday: Focusing on whatever is left for the week or needs urgent attention, like a clean-up day

“To me, the business is like an instrument: you don’t want to sell tickets to the awesome concert you’ve promised, and then get on stage and not be able to play.” – Margo N.

A lot of us don’t realize that business is a skill.

Focusing on learning the skill of business, little by little, helps you hone the amount of time and energy you need to spend on it. Otherwise: hello, overwhelm and distractions!

“When you are in ‘the flow’ and feeling that deep need to work on your stuff, break every damn rule and find a way to hook into that energy,” Margo says.

“Show me a person’s calendar, and I’ll show you where their priorities are.” – Ramit

After all, if something — working on something in the business, exercising, strategizing — isn’t on your calendar, is it truly a priority then?

As an example, here’s a peek at Ramit’s calendar:

Ramit schedules at least 2 coffee meetings with journalists, every week, for more opportunities to be in the press. Because it’s IMPORTANT.

There are benefits to keeping a utilitarian calendar: You never have to wonder what to do or where to start. You know exactly what you’ll be working on every day, week, and month.

And it’s not just Ramit. Here’s a peek at Talia’s calendar for Workweek Lunch:

Notice anything?

Talia has a fairly full calendar, yes, but you’ll also see that she has a LOT more control over her day-to-day.

Bottom line: If you’re not spending ANY time on your business, is it really that important to you?

And at the end of the day, Meggan says it best:

“I don’t have time for that”: The time management secrets that launch 6-figure businesses is a post from: I Will Teach You To Be Rich.

from Finance https://www.iwillteachyoutoberich.com/blog/i-dont-have-time-for-that/ via http://www.rssmix.com/

0 notes

kennethherrerablog · 4 years

Text

“I don’t have time for that”: The time management secrets that launch 6-figure businesses

Recently, the IWT team asked over 275,000 readers how long they’ve been thinking about starting their own business.

The answers we got blew us away:

Isn’t it strange that more than half of people have been THINKING about starting a business…for years?

When we dug a little deeper, we started to see patterns that hold a lot of people back from actually doing something about it. Can you guess the biggest one?

“I don’t have time to start a business.”

It isn’t easy — and it can be overwhelming. But it is possible.

We’ve seen thousands of people start and successfully grow their business, even when time is tight.

How do they do it? What “in the trenches” tips do they have for making space for your business when you’re just getting started?

“[My business] was more fun than the other things I did with my free time.” –Talia K

There’s something magical when you actually LOVE what you’re working on. You seem to have an infinite well of energy and actually want to work on your business.

That was how her recipe blog on making easy, delicious, and affordable meals, Workweek Lunch, was born.

See more on Talia’s Instagram

Since then, her business has grown to six figures, and she still loves working on it.

“There can only be one priority.” – Meggan H.

Starting and growing your business are synonymous with a seemingly never-ending to-do list and other priorities.

This theme of “batching” her work, where she focuses on one priority at a time, rules her weekly schedule even today. This is what a typical week looks like for her:

Monday: Meetings, appointments, and phone calls

Tuesday: Testing recipes

Wednesday: Writing emails for list

Thursday: Thinking/planning day

Friday: Focusing on whatever is left for the week or needs urgent attention, like a clean-up day

“To me, the business is like an instrument: you don’t want to sell tickets to the awesome concert you’ve promised, and then get on stage and not be able to play.” – Margo N.

A lot of us don’t realize that business is a skill.

Focusing on learning the skill of business, little by little, helps you hone the amount of time and energy you need to spend on it. Otherwise: hello, overwhelm and distractions!

“When you are in ‘the flow’ and feeling that deep need to work on your stuff, break every damn rule and find a way to hook into that energy,” Margo says.

“Show me a person’s calendar, and I’ll show you where their priorities are.” – Ramit

After all, if something — working on something in the business, exercising, strategizing — isn’t on your calendar, is it truly a priority then?

As an example, here’s a peek at Ramit’s calendar:

Ramit schedules at least 2 coffee meetings with journalists, every week, for more opportunities to be in the press. Because it’s IMPORTANT.

There are benefits to keeping a utilitarian calendar: You never have to wonder what to do or where to start. You know exactly what you’ll be working on every day, week, and month.

And it’s not just Ramit. Here’s a peek at Talia’s calendar for Workweek Lunch:

Notice anything?

Talia has a fairly full calendar, yes, but you’ll also see that she has a LOT more control over her day-to-day.

Bottom line: If you’re not spending ANY time on your business, is it really that important to you?

And at the end of the day, Meggan says it best:

“I don’t have time for that”: The time management secrets that launch 6-figure businesses is a post from: I Will Teach You To Be Rich.

“I don’t have time for that”: The time management secrets that launch 6-figure businesses published first on https://justinbetreviews.tumblr.com/

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mikeyd1986 · 5 years

Text

MIKEY’S PERSONAL BLOG 156, May 2019

On Monday morning, I took myself to see the dentist at Casey Smiles Dental Clinic in Cranbourne. This was a very unexpected last minute appointment after the dental pain I’ve been experiencing recently was becoming more and more severe. Of course I thought that I could tackle it myself by simply throwing pain killers and mouthwash at it. WRONG! After a week of this, I had to face the music and get a professional to look at it.

I heard about Casey Smiles thanks to a post on Facebook which has been regularly popping up on my newsfeed. It’s been at least 3 years since I last visited the dentist mainly due to financial struggles and anxiety but today both of those things had to take a back seat. After filling in the new patient form, two dental assistants dressed in bright pink escorted me to the treatment room where I met my dentist Dr. Mohamed Massaud. He was tall, handsome and wore bright blue scrubs.

Sitting back in the leather dentist chair, he asked me what I needed. I really didn’t have any concrete answers for him besides the fact that I’ve had spikes of severe pain on the left side of my mouth. It sure was a strange feeling to be back at the dentist after several years but this was urgent. I got taken into another room to get an x-ray done. Here I had to stand inside a machine called an O.P.G. (Panoramic Radiograph) which is similar to an M.R.I. but for taking images of teeth.

It turned out that I’d have to get a tooth on the upper left side removed. I certainly wasn’t prepared for this and yet this wasn’t my first rodeo either. My last dentist appointment was to get one of my wisdom teeth removed. Thankfully the team made this process as relaxed and comfortable as possible. They had music playing in the background and a computer scene displayed a lovely, picturesque landscape.

Of course having numerous surgical instruments and a suction tube being shoved in your mouth isn’t exactly a pleasurable experience but I did my best to remain calm and focused. I knew this had to be done to stop myself from suffering in oral pain. There was lots of pressure, crunching and bleeding but thankfully not too much pain as I’d been strongly numbed up on the left side of my mouth.

Dr. Mohamed constantly checked in with me to make sure I was doing okay and gave me several breaks as the tooth had to be extracted in stages. Considering how much I was sweating in the chair, I did remarkably well to not freak out and bolt for the exit. For my first time being at this dental clinic, I was really satisfied with the service even in the face of my own uncertainty and doubt. Now I just have to let the area heal over the next couple of days. https://caseysmiles.com.au/dr-mohamed-massaud

On Thursday afternoon, I had an appointment with my new occupational therapist Meghan. This session, we really honed in on having more structure and organisation around my cleaning tasks. She asked me to list them in order of importance to me, set specific times during the week in which to complete each of the tasks, use some motivation boosters such as doing the tasks in the morning and playing music in the background.

I had some reservations from my previous appointment as to whether Meghan is really a good fit for me as she could come off as a beauty cosmetics consultant at times with a charming smile and a forced giggle. My biggest concern was that these sessions would be a complete waste of time for me and that Meghan wouldn’t take me seriously. But I feel like we’re finally going to be making some progress as she’s laid out some concrete actions and strategies to use before the next session.

On Friday morning, I completed the daunting and overwhelming task of dusting my bedroom. When it comes to tasks such as these, I always seem to get myself worked up, emotional and stressed out. To me, there’s a lot more going on. It’s confronting how much clutter and mess there is, how long the task will take to complete, whether I’ll be able to get it all done, whether I’ll have the energy to do it. But thankfully with the help of mum, I managed to do it. Of course there was a lot of barriers in the way for me but I still did it.

On Friday afternoon, I finished my creative writing homework exercise for Week 3. This week we had to choose an idea and work out a rough plan for a very short story of around 500 words. Then write notes on the background of the characters, locations etc. I really didn’t have much time to focus on doing this exercise but I gave it an attempt and did write at least half the story. I decided to go with “A disastrous holiday”.

SHORT STORY: A DISASTROUS HOLIDAY

Ryan, a busy corporate worker with long hours, endless deadlines and a consistently tight schedule. He wishes to escape his dead-end, stressful and demanding job by going on a relaxing holiday to Fiji.

Upon arriving at Tullamarine airport, there are massive delays and a long queue of disgruntled, impatient and irate customers demanding to know what is going on. Despite making his best endeavours, scrambling and worried that he wouldn’t make it to his gate on time, the flight ended up being cancelled anyway. There would be a lengthy wait until his next scheduled departure to Fiji. Defeated and exhausted, Ryan collapses into the nearby seat at the departure lounge.

On the flight, the plane’s engine malfunctions and one of the propellers catches fire. This triggers the emergency alarm which blares loudly. With all this commotion, Ryan suffers from a panic attack thinking that he’s going to die. A nearby flight attendant rushes to his aide and attempts to calm him down. The plane begins to tear itself apart and the passengers are forced to evacuate. Ryan finds a parachute and begins to descend slowly towards the South Pacific Ocean.

Ryan’s main objective is to find safety, survive from the plane crash and hopefully find his way home. He’s lost all his luggage and only has personal possessions on him such as wallet, keys, phone. Ryan ends up landing in New Caledonia, which is halfway between Australia and Fiji.

Ryan eventually finds help from the locals, makes contact back home in Australia and ends up being rescued. He finds that even though he’s had a disastrous holiday, he still has a lot of things to be grateful for.

NOTES·

Background of the main character/protagonist Ryan – wants to escape from his dead-end corporate job and enjoy a relaxing holiday in Fiji. Ultimately, he hopes to “find himself” by going on a personal journey like in the novel Eat. Prey.Love.·

Research into the locations, settings and disaster scenarios – I will need to look into things such as air crash investigations, how planes function and operate, emergency procedure’s used while travelling on a plane, the geography of Fiji, South Pacific Ocean, New Caledonia and nearby islands.·

The physiological and psychological changes that Ryan endures from panic attack episode to escaping from the plane and needing to be rescued. He’s literally in “survival mode” and will need to use his problem-solving skills in order to overcome this situation. ·

How will Ryan get out of this situation? Who can he contact? How will he manage his stress and anxiety levels?

On Friday night, I went to my boxing class with CinFull Fitness. I’ve had to shuffle a few things around this week due to my unexpected dental procedure but thankfully I do have some flexibility when it comes to slotting in my training sessions. Being the only male in a room full of females does present its challenges (my knowledge of babies, pregnancy and dating is pretty average at best) but it doesn’t bother me too much either. I couldn’t be further from macho and masculine in my nature and I get along with most people, even if I’m not the most social of people.

Tonight we did the usual combos and partner work plus a mini-circuit (sit-ups / plank hold knee taps, non-stop jabs into pad, step ups / step jumps / crossover lunges) and a 5 round AMRAP (10 jab crosses, 6 star jumps, 20 hooks, 4 squats / squat jumps, 10 Russian twists, 20 highs). I’m finding that my boxing technique is improving but the fatigue does kick it pretty rapidly. I know what my limits are though and when I need to take a break. It’s obviously really important to listen to my body and not overdo it when it comes to my fitness levels.

To be honest, this election has probably been the most difficult one to decide. It's true that I do vote for Labor 95% of the time. But do I completely trust opposition leader Bill Shorten and the past track record of the disastrous Rudd-Gillard-Rudd government? Not really. However, I detest everything that the Liberals / Nationals have done over the past 6 years far more.

The current PM Scott Morrison leads an unstable government who has changed leaders twice through an embarrassing and public leadership spill. Wasted millions of dollars on an unnecessary and divisive plebiscite for same-sex marriage. Have made many cuts to schools, TAFE, hospitals, medicare and penalty rates. Has lied in their recent budget about being in surplus and Australia having a "strong economy". Have not done enough to support women in parliament with MP's like Julia Banks and Kelly O'Dwyer leaving before this election.

I'm voting for Labor many because I align myself with most of their policies. Better funding for hospitals and schools. Higher wages for low and middle income earners. Restoration of penalty rates. Cleaner renewable energy. Real action on climate change. Improving the NBN. Investment in mental health services. Investment in the NDIS. More places for university and TAFE.

Bill Shorten is far from perfect but I'm willing to give him a chance considering the past 3 prime ministers have been arrogant, corrupted, untrustworthy and fake. Tony Abbott, Malcolm Turnbull and Scott Morrison have put their own agendas first and the interests of the Australian people last. Plus the entire Liberal / National party has been in a shambles with many members jumping ship before the election this month.

P.S. I did consider voting for The Greens as I do agree with SOME of their policies (renewable energy and climate change, fully funding TAFE, university and public education, introducing medicare for dental and mental health services, legalising medicinal cannabis). It's just that I align myself more strongly with Labor policies.

I've always found the white senate ballot paper to be ridiculously long and cumbersome especially in recent years with many independent parties signing up and making the sheet of paper longer and longer. It used to be so much easier to vote for, simply putting a number 1 in the box above the line.

NOW you have to choose a minimum of 6 parties to vote for above the line or 12 candidates below the line. It essentially forces you to do your research into which political parties aligns with your values and views. And which policies do you find to be the most important. Or else you just follow the How To Vote cards which is really the easy way out.

Even before I turned 18, I considered myself to be a "Leftie". Always voting for Labor, The Greens or both. But even now at 33, I consider myself dumb and uneducated at times when it comes to politics. I can get myself easily mislead by the bullshit politicians and the news media are selling, confused by complex economics and tax policies, and just not knowing who to believe anymore.

Before yesterday, I didn't even know how preferential voting works. So now I'm forcing myself to do a bit of research and give some of the smaller independent parties a go particularly in the senate. The most important things to me are healthcare, mental health, autism awareness, education, workers rights, wages, penalty rates, sustainable energy, climate change and protecting the environment.

Over the past few weeks, I’ve done a lot of research and careful consideration into each of my electorate’s candidates as well as the individual parties to see what’s important to me and where my values lie next to them. With the federal election fast approaching this Saturday, my brain has been conflicted between voting for Labor and The Greens.

Which policies do I align myself more with? It’s even harder to make a decision after watching the many interviews, debates and news stories about the major parties. Plus social media is loaded with misinformation and internet trolls trying hard to tell you who you “should” vote for. Only recently have I learned about how preferential voting works, which adds further confusion as to which way I should vote.

So here is how I’ve decided to vote in this year’s federal election:

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES (ELECTORATE OF HOLT) 1. Anthony Byrne (Australian Labor Party) 2. Jess Wheelock (The Australian Greens) 3. Jatinder Singh (United Australia Party) 4. Jennifer Van Den Broek (Liberal Party of Australia)

SENATE (VICTORIAN UPPER HOUSE) 1. The Australian Greens 2. Australian Labor Party 3. Australian Democrats 4. Australian Worker’s Party 5. Derryn Hinch’s Justice Party 6. Animal Justice Party

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