#order of talents ;; renewed resolutions

[themodernwitchsguide]

the ogham alphabet and their divinatory meanings

FIRST AICME

ᚁ beith

UPRIGHT: joyful beginnings, new possibilities, renewal and rebirth--even if it is uncomfortable

REVERSED: a blind path, wasted efforts, fixation on the past, longing for the impossible

ᚂ luis

ᚃ fearn

UPRIGHT: clarity, attention to detail, purification, danger avoided or overcome, two paths are open to you

REVERSED: vulnerability, uncertainty, deception, delusion, something (possibly your own emotions) is misleading you

ᚄ saille

UPRIGHT: protection and guidance, emotional security, good advice, prophecy, unexpected solution(s), music, poetry

REVERSED: willful blindness, refusal to listen to advice, arrogance or not enough information

ᚅ nuin

UPRIGHT: go with the flow, intuition, dreaming, unconscious, letting go of preconceptions, feminine energy/connection to the moon

REVERSED: inability to adapt, feeling defeated or lost, lack of movement, difficulty that will inevitably pass

SECOND AICME

UPRIGHT: connection and transformation, being a part of something bigger, fate, divine action/inspiration

REVERSED: isolation and boredom, being blind to (either good or bad) possibilities, take control and be assertive

ᚆ huath

ᚇ duir

UPRIGHT: patience, protection/purification, reserve, feeling suffocated, problems that will eventually change, self-sacrifice

REVERSED: you are acting too hasty, take a second to think OR you're at a standstill, you need to take action

ᚈ tinne

UPRIGHT: sacred spaces, forward movement, power and energy, the power to endure, leadership, endurance

REVERSED: help from those in power, success despite means, borrowed strength, a gift, cowardliness

ᚉ coll

UPRIGHT: challenges or tests, recommends decisive action, balance, integrity, talent/skill/expertise, growth

REVERSED: attack, hardship, aggression, lack of direction or balance

ᚊ quert

UPRIGHT: knowledge and learning, transformation and flexibility, creativity, daydreaming, rituals/divination

REVERSED: intellectual/creative blockages (art/writer's block), lack of insight, fear of failure, ignorance

THIRD AICME

UPRIGHT: happiness, healing, beauty, love affairs, awakenings and new experiences, opportunity (or the choice) to live more fully

REVERSED: despair, ailments, unavoidable choice(s), mixed gain/loss, procrastination

ᚋ muin

ᚌ gort

UPRIGHT: inspiration, prophecy or psychic senses, community and celebration, freedom, rest, examine life's lessons

REVERSED: burdens, difficulties, a need to relax/unwind, you're strung out or trying too hard OR overindulging

ᚍ ngetal

UPRIGHT: slow/indirect progress, wildness, purpose, determination, transformation, follow life's path

REVERSED: entanglement, think twice about what you're doing, and arduous path

ᚎ straif

UPRIGHT: vitality, awareness of environment, creating order from chaos, prioritizing personal health, you aren't finished yet

REVERSED: inability to act, need for healing and patience, you aren't ready to act yet OR you have done all you can

ᚏ ruis

UPRIGHT: necessity/inevitability, fate or omens, death, rebirth, some things cannot be changed, wheel of fortune

REVERSED: pain, difficulty, retribution, necessary suffering, no choice is a good one

FOURTH AICME

UPRIGHT: resolution, completion, looking ahead, omen of success, difficulties permanently overcome

REVERSED: endings and departures, face the facts, shame, illness/disability

ᚐ ailm

ᚑ onn

UPRIGHT: insight, grounded in the present, clear vision, start new project(s), new perspective, foresight

REVERSED: ignorance of the broader picture, unrealistic ideas, step back and reassess, fear and anxiety

ᚒ uhr

UPRIGHT: energy, life, vigor, sexuality, attraction, gathering together, consider changing your life's direction

REVERSED: difficulties and delays, overconfidence, taking too many risks, unrealistic desires

ᚓ eadhadh

UPRIGHT: spiritual/magical power, forces of nature, deep connections, fulfillment, death and memories of loved ones

REVERSED: deception, deceit, loss of contact with nature/spirits, need for recuperation/reconnection in a relationship

ᚔ iodhadh

UPRIGHT: courage and tenacity, a struggle for victory, quest for inner strength, enlightenment

REVERSED: addiction, terror, declining health, compromise and negotiation, choosing a different path

FORFEDHA

UPRIGHT: ancestry, aging or dying, things unchanging, old age, memory

REVERSED: stagnation and immobility, death or mourning, the past is a burden, things lingering past their prime

ᚕ eabhadh

ᚖ oir

UPRIGHT: spiritual wisdom, complexity, place of balance/harmony, presence of many factors, spiritual wisdom

REVERSED: confusion, bewilderment, too many factors at work to allow for a successful prediction/decision

ᚗ uilleann

UPRIGHT: radical transformation, abundance, sudden illumination or destruction that is set about by outside forces

REVERSED: patience, preparation, the path before you is a slow one, wait for outside forces to act

ᚘ ifin

UPRIGHT: knowledge and lore, learning and study, wisdom of the past as a guide, private thoughts or secrets

REVERSED: ignorance, failure to learn from the past, future instead of past

ᚙ eamancholl

UPRIGHT: secrets and revelations, subtle influences, releasing emotions of guilt/shame

REVERSED: the situation is not as it seems, the information that you need is not available to you

UPRIGHT: unexpected change, arrival of new influence, illness

REVERSED: sudden endings or disruptions

#celtic #ancient celts #celtic mythology #ogham #divination #pagan #paganism #polytheist #witchblr #witchcraft #polytheism #witch #magic #magick #witches #druid #druidry #welsh mythology #spell work #spellwork #spellcasting #irish mythology

[smartzinc]

Critical KPIs for Property Managers to Track

In property management, data offers visibility that drives strategic decisions. By regularly monitoring key performance indicators (KPIs), managers stay on top of portfolio health, resident satisfaction, and operational efficiency. This enables issues to be quickly addressed and successes repeated.

In this article, we’ll explore the most valuable property management KPIs to track along with best practices for measurement.

Financial KPIs

Financial metrics provide core visibility into profitability:

Occupancy rate – The percentage of active leased units. Goal: At least 90-95% occupancy.

Rental income – Total monthly or annual rental revenue. Look at per unit and per property.

Delinquency rate – Percentage of rents over 30 days past due. Goal: Under 5% delinquency.

Rent collection rate – Total rent collected divided by total owed. Target 95% or higher. 

Operating expenses – Regularly review both controllable and fixed expenses.

Net operating income – Total income minus total operating expenses, excluding debt.

Monitoring fundamentals like occupancy, delinquencies, and operating costs is crucial for financial health. Many software systems track and report on these automatically.

Resident KPIs

Metrics related to leasing velocity and retention reveal how appealing your properties remain:

Average time to lease vacant units – Track from vacancy to move-in date. Benchmark to shorten.

Lease renewal rate – Percentage of leases renewed vs. tenants moving out. Goal: At least 60%.

Resident retention rate – Similar to renewal rate but counts month-to-month tenants too. 

Leasing traffic – Number of leasing inquiries, tours, and applications over time.

Online reviews – Monitor review volume and sentiment across various sites.

Optimizing processes to improve leasing and retention KPIs leads to lower vacancy costs.

Maintenance and Turnover KPIs

Maintenance and turnover metrics help refine preventative maintenance programs:

Maintenance requests per unit – High averages may indicate systemic issues.

Maintenance resolution time – Track average time to close requests.

Turnover costs per unit – Measure costs for cleaning, repairs, paint, etc.

Turnover days – Number of days from move-out to re-rental. Look to minimize.

Make-ready checklist completion rate – Percentage of turnover checklists fully completed.

Analyzing maintenance and turnover productivity identifies areas for enhancements. This data can also inform capital planning for upgrades.

Operations KPIs

Operational metrics like productivity help optimize business processes: 

Lease renewals completed per leasing staff – Measure staff efficiency in converting renewals.

Service requests resolved per maintenance staff – Assess productivity in handling volume.

Rental applications processed per leasing staff – Gauge efficiency of applicant processing.

Work orders completed per maintenance staff – Evaluate productivity of the maintenance team.

Rental documents processed per leasing staff – Quantify document throughput.

Establishing benchmarks and goals for your operation’s KPIs focuses teams on continual improvement.

Staffing KPIs

Staffing metrics reveal opportunities to better support your personnel:

Voluntary turnover rate – Percentage of employees voluntarily resigning in a period. High rates demand attention.

Training hours per employee – Track hours invested in developing skills.

Absenteeism rate – Percentage of staff on sick or unplanned leave. 

Overtime rate – Monitor excessive overtime that could signal understaffing or process gaps.

Staff satisfaction surveys – Regularly gather anonymous feedback on job sentiment.

Engaged, talented staff is vital for executing property management successfully. These metrics identify staffing gaps or challenges.

While juggling many responsibilities, managers should prioritize checking key KPIs at least monthly. Software tools can compile automated reports to simplify analysis. Maintaining standards across critical metrics allows spotting of any dips that demand intervention. The numbers don’t lie – tracking key property management KPIs leads to data-driven decisions for operational excellence.

[muktinasha2]

Nasha Mukti Kendra In Samana

A ray of hope for those looking to escape the grip of addiction shines brightly in the tranquil and picturesque town of Samana. The Nasha Mukti Kendra in Samana stands as a resolute pillar of support and healing for those grappling with substance abuse, offering a haven of recovery and rejuvenation.

Addiction, a formidable adversary, can strip individuals of their physical, emotional, and mental well-being. Recognizing the profound impact of addiction on both individuals and their families, the Best Nasha Mukti Kendra in Samana takes a holistic and compassionate approach to recovery.

The center's extensive programs are crafted to address each person's specific needs under the direction of qualified professionals. A variety of therapies, counseling sessions, and activities that promote self-discovery and personal growth are part of the sobriety journey. From group therapy sessions that promote peer support and camaraderie to individual counseling that delves into underlying triggers, the Top Nasha Mukti Kendra in Samana ensures a well-rounded recovery experience.

The center, which is surrounded by the serene beauty of nature, offers a tranquil setting favorable to reflection and healing. People can reestablish their connection to themselves and rediscover the pleasures of a sober life thanks in large part to the lush surroundings and serene atmosphere.

The healing process goes beyond abstinence at the Nasha Mukti Kendra in Samana; it is about creating a new path to a better future. The facility provides workshops on life skills, recreational activities, and vocational training to help people rebuild their lives with confidence and a sense of purpose. Every element of the program, from picking up new skills to developing talents, is meant to instill a sense of accomplishment and self-worth.

Family, often deeply impacted by addiction, finds solace and guidance at the center as well. Through family counseling sessions and support groups, the Nasha Mukti Kendra in Samana recognizes the crucial role loved ones play in the recovery journey. Rebuilding relationships and fostering open communication becomes an integral part of the healing process.

The Nasha Mukti Kendra in Samana stands as a testament to hope, resiliency, and transformation as the sun sets over its serene surroundings. It is a location where people go in order to free themselves from the grip of addiction and start a new chapter in their lives. The center paves the way for a future full of hope, purpose, and renewed vitality with unwavering support, knowledgeable direction, and a peaceful setting.

The Nasha Mukti Kendra in Samana invites people to enter a healing environment where the road to sobriety is welcomed with compassion and a dedication to long-lasting change.

#health #nashamuktikendra

[muktinasha9]

Nasha Mukti Kendra In Samana

A ray of hope for those looking to escape the grip of addiction shines brightly in the tranquil and picturesque town of Samana. The Nasha Mukti Kendra in Samana stands as a resolute pillar of support and healing for those grappling with substance abuse, offering a haven of recovery and rejuvenation.

Addiction, a formidable adversary, can strip individuals of their physical, emotional, and mental well-being. Recognizing the profound impact of addiction on both individuals and their families, the Best Nasha Mukti Kendra in Samana takes a holistic and compassionate approach to recovery.

The center's extensive programs are crafted to address each person's specific needs under the direction of qualified professionals. A variety of therapies, counseling sessions, and activities that promote self-discovery and personal growth are part of the sobriety journey. From group therapy sessions that promote peer support and camaraderie to individual counseling that delves into underlying triggers, the Top Nasha Mukti Kendra in Samana ensures a well-rounded recovery experience.

The center, which is surrounded by the serene beauty of nature, offers a tranquil setting favorable to reflection and healing. People can reestablish their connection to themselves and rediscover the pleasures of a sober life thanks in large part to the lush surroundings and serene atmosphere.

The healing process goes beyond abstinence at the Nasha Mukti Kendra in Samana; it is about creating a new path to a better future. The facility provides workshops on life skills, recreational activities, and vocational training to help people rebuild their lives with confidence and a sense of purpose. Every element of the program, from picking up new skills to developing talents, is meant to instill a sense of accomplishment and self-worth.

Family, often deeply impacted by addiction, finds solace and guidance at the center as well. Through family counseling sessions and support groups, the Nasha Mukti Kendra in Samana recognizes the crucial role loved ones play in the recovery journey. Rebuilding relationships and fostering open communication becomes an integral part of the healing process.

The Nasha Mukti Kendra in Samana stands as a testament to hope, resiliency, and transformation as the sun sets over its serene surroundings. It is a location where people go in order to free themselves from the grip of addiction and start a new chapter in their lives. The center paves the way for a future full of hope, purpose, and renewed vitality with unwavering support, knowledgeable direction, and a peaceful setting.

The Nasha Mukti Kendra in Samana invites people to enter a healing environment where the road to sobriety is welcomed with compassion and a dedication to long-lasting change.

#health #nashamuktikendra #addiction #recovery

[emblemevents-newyear]

Blog Title Update!

solsticecelebration-summer --> emblemevents-newyear

Just to let everyone know that we’ve wanted to go for a more general title! The old URL also redirects to the new one.

Also tag dump time:

#mod hector #psa #new year celebration ;; renewed resolutions #announcements ;; renewed resolutions #shops and stalls ;; renewed resolutions #vendor applications ;; renewed resolutions #cold open ;; renewed resolutions #snowy structures ;; renewed resolutions #snow raid ;; renewed resolutions #towards the new year ;; renewed resolutions #favors of fortune ;; renewed resolutions #gacha now ;; renewed resolutions #order of talents ;; renewed resolutions #resolved and ready ;; renewed resolutions

[josefavomjaaga]

These are excerpts from »Mein Verhältnis zum Herzog von Reichstadt« by Ritter Anton Prokesch von Osten. This gentleman, fifteen years older than Franz von Reichstadt and apparently a bit of an adventurer but with excellent diplomatic skills, had made a name for himself in fighting for the unification of Greece and in the Levante, services for which he had recently been knighted. He had also, already in his youth, written several books full of appraisal for Napoleon, one about the battle of Waterloo. Recently returned to Austria, he was staying in Graz in June 1830, when he first made the acquaintance of the Duke of Reichstadt:

At that time the court also went there and on the 22nd I had the honour of being called to the imperial table. I sat opposite the Empress and had the Duke of Reichstadt, who sat opposite the Emperor, at my side. […]

Okay, let’s just stop here already for a second. So, at this official court event Franz sits

at the family table

and vis-à-vis his grandfather the Emperor (a place of honour).

This does not sound like isolation or mistreatment to me. In a letter to Austrian politician Gentz Prokesch even mentions that the evening before, when the emperor and his family appeared at the theater, the Duke of Reichstadt had been greeted by some with shouts of »Vivat Napoleon«. And this, as Prokesch states, »quite innocently«, i.e., without giving it much thought. Apparently nobody bothered about political implications.

During the imperial dinner that Prokesch was invited to, he did not have much occasion to chat with Franz, for once because arch-duke Johann talked too much, but also because Franz definitely held back at this public occasion and was not very approachable. He did shake Prokesch’s hand however, when Prokesch took his leave, and told him that he had known him for a long time already (i.e., that he had read his books).

On the morning after this day, Count Moritz Dietrichstein, who had been entrusted with the Duke's education, and a man who had been well-disposed towards me from the time when I had been carried by the favour of the House of Prince Schwarzenberg, came to me in order to renew the complaint he had already levelled at me yesterday, namely that, although I had been in the same city with the Duke for a week, I had neglected him. He invited me to go straight to him.

So, let’s recapitulate: The evil obusive reactionary instructor himself calls upon a known admirer of Napoleon in order to get him to make the acquaintance of his student.

I followed him with pleasure. When I entered, the Duke, a different man in his bearing from the day before, met me with all the swiftness of youth and with an expression full of confidence and warmth. Repeating the words of yesterday, he said: "I have known you and loved you for a long time. You have defended my father's honour at a time when all was racing to scorn him. I have read your Battle of Waterloo and, in order to absorb every line in it, I have translated it twice into other languages, into French and Italian." I answered what the desire to captivate the handsome young man, so unique in the world, made me say. Count Dietrichstein first brought the conversation to Greece. Full of best wishes for this country now called to its own life, I had already expressed the opinion yesterday, after the imperial dinner, that despite the evils arising from war, lawlessness, factionalism and misgovernment, Greece would quickly blossom into a happy future if a European prince was given to it as king and if it were not governed with diplomatic half-measures. To the Archduke Johann, to Count Moritz [i.e. Dietrichstein], to the principal of the Archduchess Marie Luise, to Colonel von Werklein, I had, at a moment when the Duke was otherwise engaged, suggested that the Greek throne, which had lacked a claimant since the rejection of the Prince of Coburg, could be given to no one more worthy than the son of Napoleon, and to my surprise this suggestion had met with applause. Even the Empress, who had come to us during this conversation, did not seem averse to it. [...]

Now Count Dietrichstein turned the conversation onto Napoleon.

Again: It is Dietrichstein himself who brings in the alleged hot potato. And apparently, Franz has no fear to talk about the topic in his governor’s presence:

The Duke spoke in great excitement. - The warmest admiration for his father, the most passionate attachment was in the Duke's every word. But he dwelt chiefly on the latter's military talents. To train himself as a general according to this pattern was something he was passionate about down to his fingertips. We discussed several of his manoeuvres, for example that of Austerlitz. I was amazed at the Prince's strategic judgement and the firmness of his expression. Among all the officers and generals present in Graz at that time, there was certainly not one with such a sharp military eye and so resolute a disposition towards the commander. He came back to my Battle of Waterloo, but also to my "Memories from the Life of Field Marshal Prince Karl zu Schwarzenberg". The Duke discussed these with a tact that surprised me. He then complained about his loneliness and burst into the words: "Stay with me! Make the sacrifice of your future, stay with me! We, we would understand each other!" He spoke this with a warmth that penetrated my heart. Then he continued: "If it is my destiny to become a Prince Eugene for Austria, I ask myself how to train myself for this role? I have to choose a man who can introduce me to the higher demands and tasks of war; I have and see no such man in my surroundings." Count Dietrichstein witnessed this statement and seemed to find it natural and approve of it.

Dietrichstein then leaves the two to themselves for a while, and Franz noticeably opens up even more and talks about his present situation at court and his plans for the future.

"[...] If it is my doom never to return to France, I am serious about my desire to become another Prince Eugene for Austria. I love my grandfather - I am a piece of his house and will gladly draw the sword for Austria against anyone but France." He laid down these words like a confession in my soul, and so I took them.

A bit later, Prokesch repeats how close the relationship between Reichstadt and his grandfather was:

[...] He loved his grandfather with the love of a child, for from the day he was brought to Vienna he had found in him the tenderness of a father. At that time he was given a playground in the emperor's rooms - did not leave his side for half a day, ate with him when the emperor ate alone, shared his stays in the country with him and grew up with him like a branch grafted onto a foreign trunk. He told me this, but added: that he would not forget for a moment who he was born and where his father was decaying. […]

Again – this does not sound like »isolation« to me.

Out of interest to those who are familiar with the books by Aubry and Castelot: How do they treat these informations? I understand Prokesch is generally accepted as one of Reichstadt's true friends? Or is there reason to question the truth of his statements?

I guess what I'm trying to say is: Let's be fair and hear both sides before jumping to conclusions. Just because Dietrichstein was – by modern standards – a horrible pedagogue does not mean he was automatically wrong in his assessment of Franz’s character traits. Proksch actually seems to confirm some of it. Just because »l’Aiglon« had a tragic fate does not mean he was automatically a saint.

#franz von reichstadt #napoleon ii #andre castelot #prokesch von osten #duke of reichstadt #austria

[napoleondidthat]

Discharge

In Paris the authorities had decided there was a plethora of generals. Till the 9th of Thermidor the consumption had been large, for stars were freely distributed, but careers were comet-like and reached a hasty end on the scaffold. However, since the fall of Robespierre the generals had been staying alive, to their great astonishment. And so their number, above all in the artillery, was reckoned to be excessive. The youngest, Buonaparte, was therefore asked to serve in the infantry. But he wished neither to serve in the Vendee nor to change his arm. To gain time he reported sick.

At this moment Bourrienne returned to Paris from a diplomatic mission in Germany.

We resumed our usual intercourse. He gave me all the details of the recent campaign in the South. At this time he made a great point of his Souper de Beaucaire, and was far from wishing to repudiate it as he has done since.

He was fond of repeating and describing his feats of arms at Toulon and with the army of Italy. In talking of his first successes he renewed the pleasure and satisfaction they had afforded him.

The then government had wished to send him to the Vendee as brigadier-general of infantry. The young Bonaparte had two reasons for refusing to go. He regarded that theatre as unworthy of his talents and the transfer as kind of insult. His second and stronger motive was reluctance to change his arm. This was the only one he advanced officially.

The Committee of Republic Safety then made the following order, of which he was notified by Pille.

LIBERTY, EQUALITY

The Committee of Public Safety decrees that Brigadier-General Buonaparte be removed from the list of general officers on active service, in view of his refusal to proceed to the station assigned him. The ninth commission is charged with the execution of the present decree.

On this unexpected blow, Bonaparte retired into private life, and an enforced idleness hardly to be borne by that fiery nature, which was still in the heat of youth.

He was lodging at a hotel in the Rue du Mail, near the Place des Victoires. We fell back into our manner of life in 1792, before he went off to Corsica. With a struggle, he made up his mind to await the end of the prejudice with which he was then regarded by the men in power. It was his hope that this same power, being in perpetual motion, would pass into the hands of others more friendly to him.

He came very often to dine and spend the evening with me and my elder brother. He always made these hours pleasant to us by his agreeable manners and the charm of his conversation.

Nearly every morning I went to see him. There I might find several persons eminent in their day, among them Saliceti, with whom he had very animated conversations and who often showed a desire to be left alone with him. Salceti once gave him three thousand francs in assignats, as the price of his carriage, which he had been forced to get rid of. I soon noticed that our young friend was privy, or at least hoping to be privy, to some political intrigue. Indeed I believe myself to have noticed that Saliceti had sworn him in, and that he had engaged to say nothing of what was hatching.

He was always thoughtful, often depressed and anxious. Every day he was obviously impatient for Saliceti to arrive. Sometimes, reverting to more civilian views, he would envy Joseph, whose marriage to Mlle Clary, daughter of a rich merchant of Marseilles, had just taken place.

‘That rascal Joseph has all the luck!’

It was his usual formula for the fits of grudging at others’ good to which he was prone.

Time went by without his achieving anything. None of his schemes prospered. None of his requests were listened to. Injustice embittered his temper. He was tortured by the need to be doing something. He found it intolerable to remain in the crowd.

He resolved to live France, and the pet idea which has haunted him ever since, that the East is a fine field for glory, prompted him to go to Constantinople and devote himself to the service of the Grand Turk. What dreams he dreamt! What gigantic schemes he brought forth in the heat of his imagination!

He asked whether I would come with him. I replied in the negative. I looked upon him as a young madman, driven to absurd ventures, to desperate resolutions, by the irritation of his mind, the injustice he was meeting with, his irresistible need to act, and, be it said, want of money.

He did not blame me, but said he would take Junot and several other young officers he had met at Toulon, and who would follow his fortunes. Marmont was another he named.

Napoleon In His Time, Jean Savant, pgs 24-26

#napoleon #bonaparte #Napoleon Bonaparte #Napoleone Buonaparte #Napoleon B #Mr B #Emperor Napoleon #Emperor Napoleon I #Emperor Napoleon Ier #Napoleon I #Napoleon Ier #Napoleon In His Time #Jean Savant #Bourrienne #Junot #Marmont #book excerpt #excerpt

[mfkinanaa]

SUN IN SCORPIO.

Scorpio: Fixed Water     

Ruler: Mars

Keywords: Transformation, Intensity, Purification, Power

Positive Expression: Creativity, healing, transformation, regeneration, loyal, focussed, pure, intimate, erotic

Negative Expression: Destructive, annihilation, cruel, seductive, manipulative, controlling, betrayal, possessiveness.

A Deeper View.

When the Sun is found in the mysterious sign of Scorpio, the emphasis is on the subtle and profound. Motivated by a need for emotional closeness, Scorpios seek connection and truth. Those born with the Sun in Scorpio often have much to learn about the nature of intimacy and power.

Scorpio is a complex sign with many dimensions of expression. This complexity is traditionally described by the three symbols which are associated with the sign – The Scorpion, The Eagle and The Phoenix. Each symbol reveals something about what motivates the Scorpio individual, and so what their purpose in life might be. With the Sun in Scorpio, strong intuitive abilities help them penetrate to the essence of reality, to see things and others as they truly are.

Ruled by the Water element, Scorpios are sensitive individuals. They have an almost compulsive need to face the truth about themselves and the people in their lives.

Scorpio is associated with desire, sexuality and release. It also relates to the psychological motivations which underpin human behaviour. Through confrontation with their own and other people’s true nature, those with the Sun in Scorpio tend to experience life lessons that acquaint them with the depth of what it means to be human. This insight gives them the opportunity to offer a truly compassionate understanding of human nature to those who can benefit from it most.

Scorpio also governs matters to do with life, death, transformation, intimacy, relationships, destruction, renewal and regeneration. This sign rules crisis situations, life and death decisions and emergency services.

Scorpio also has a financial emphasis, meaning that there can be a talent for managing other people’s resources. Accordingly, Scorpio is connected with stocks, bonds, investments and strategic decision-making.

This sign is also associated with hidden matters such as magic and the occult, as well as depth psychology, forensics, criminology, mafia and any study of unconscious forces. Those born with the Sun in Scorpio often have an uncanny knack for sensing the subtle or hidden undercurrents in a situations. They respond in ways that bring hidden dimensions to light.

Scorpios can excel in any circumstance that calls for reconstruction, renewal and reform. Usually those born wth the Sun in Scorpio will be drawn to at least one of these areas of experience. They have a flair for confronting issues head-on.

Finding the Truth.

This capacity to perceive the core of what drives other people means that Scorpios are unlikely to mince words. In negotiations and discussions, they have the ability to put their finger on exactly what is happening, or needs to be said in a given moment, in order to bring about change.

This ability to “call a spade a spade” means they can be very effective in all forms of analysis, strategic planning or conflict resolution. They can also be especially useful in any activity that requires the removal of obstacles from a given path.

They can make excellent healers, counsellors and psychotherapists because of this capacity to uncover the truth. By sensing their way down to the foundations of psyche, they gain the perspective to look at things realistically and assess what is truly going on.

This need to get to the essence of things comes from a powerful urge to face truth. Scorpio is a sensitive and subtle sign. Whilst the may appear calm and controlled, they are easily hurt and need time to learn to trust. Once their trust is given, it is unflinching and loyal.

Because they are so sensitive, they know when something untoward is afoot. They quickly sense when others are keeping the truth from them, and this feeling will make them hold themselves back.

They often prefer to sit back to assess others first, watching what they are doing, how and with whom before deciding who it is they can trust. Scorpios tend to be very private people, and even the most extroverted Scorpio will keep certain things strictly to themselves.

It takes time for them to open up and share. They tend to value privacy and personal space. When feelings of trust and intimacy do develop, then they can be the most caring and generous of lovers or friends. For Scorpio, intimacy is a precious thing that cannot be given and must be earned.

Their sensitivity however makes them vulnerable, and they seek to protect this vulnerability by confronting the source of whatever is challenging them or causing them concern. By facing problems at their source, they hope to disarm an enemy or a situation before it has the opportunity to overpower them.

Their best offense is defense, and they do this with lethal precision. They will confront the truth about themselves, as well as other people, if it will bring them closer to their goal. This need to face what is going on can come across as provocative or confrontational. Scorpios can appear controversial – even threatening – simply because they are seeking to expose the truth.

With the Sun in Scorpio, the ability to uncover hidden matters means they can see through any facade, and pick up on any attempt at deception. It is very difficult for anyone to pull the wool over Scorpio eyes. They use this uncanny sensitivity to protect their vulnerable feelings, and seek out those they can fully trust.

Finding The Light Within The Dark.

As much as Scorpios are famed for their intensity, they are also famed for their sting.

Learning to recognize and deal with the negative or toxic parts of their own nature is an essential part of the journey toward truth. There is an “all-or-nothing” quality about this sign that must be handled with care.

When they love someone, they do so completely. They can be especially devoted, caring and committed. But when they feel threatened or uncomfortable, they may show a more destructive side which can be the source of much heartache and regret.

Because Scorpios deal in power and truth, they know the impact their words can have. They also know that words and truthfulness can be used to harm others as much as they can be used to heal.

Those Scorpios who have not learnt to refine their personalities can use a well-aimed remark to destroy another, attacking them at their weakest and most vulnerable point. A certain amount of power is gained from this ability to find another’s weakness, but this power is something they must wield with care.

The toxic, unconscious and non-regenerative aspects of their own nature will make them strike out defensively, preemptively wounding others to keep them at bay. This then poisons potential relationships, and destroys what might otherwise be healed.

It is very human to blame others for the faults we also carry ourselves. Scorpios need to recognize when this shadow is operating so that it can be redeemed and brought into the light.

This requires absolutely honesty, firstly with themselves. Once they see themselves more clearly, they are in a much better position to recognize when they need to keep clear of someone, and who it is they can really trust.

Consequently, it is important for Scorpio’s to become aware of their own faults before they can comfortably deal with others. This sign requires that they examine their own emotional natures, in order to grow and evolve.

It is important that they learn to spend time alone, and get to the bottom of what they are feeling and why. As a Water sign, they may experience intense emotional needs and desires. These desires demand satisfaction, and can lead to obsessive states of mind.

Becoming obsessed about an outcome or a person is a strong signal that something else is going on. Often, Scorpios carry deep desires to posses or control another person as a way to conquer some undisclosed aspect of themselves. The other person represents a part of themselves they are unconsciously trying to bring into the light.

Finding and refining these undercurrents will lead to a purification of their sense of self and their relationships.

Once Scorpio has embraced transformation they can operate as a powerful force for change. Not only does their own life improve , but they become adept at helping others to improve themselves.

Scorpios are often privy to the secrets of others. Because they value privacy they recognize the value of what others share with them. Scorpios can act like vaults, holding the difficult truths people need to share about themselves when they have nowhere else to turn.

Scorpios know the power of secrecy, and will keep a confidence with great loyalty. This sign is also connected with catharsis, and by letting others confide in them, those with the Sun in Scorpio have a way of helping them let go of whatever is holding them back. By facing emotional truths honestly, they help themselves and others change.

Resource Management.

A further aspect of the Scorpio nature involves the management of other people’s resources.

This is a very financial sign, and Scorpios often have special talents in dealing with finance and resource management. They excel at strategic planning and having an intuitive awareness around when to go forward and when to pull back.

Their sense of timing is often excellent, as they can read the subtle energies pooling in the moment. Scorpio can patiently wait for exactly the right moment to act. Their success comes from having the tenacity to hold onto momentum when other, less resolute individuals have lost focus or let opportunities dissipate.

Scorpios have an intimate understanding of power and its potential. So they know how to use it to maximum efficiency. Thus, they can be naturally attuned to work in government, financial and property markets, where the ability to see the true value of something or wield power from behind the scenes is a real asset.

Sun in Scorpio: Your Solar Journey.

Born with the Sun in Scorpio, your journey is likely to involve learning through transformation and change. You are here to experience power and see how power operates through life. You may see this process in yourself or other people, and can develop great strength through constant cycles of crisis and regeneration. Over time, you gain inner wisdom through confronting your own inner demons and desires.

In essence, your journey is one toward greater levels of intimacy both with yourself and other people. You are likely to seek deep, one-on-one encounters with others where you can explore the depths of your emotional nature. From intimacy comes real growth, as well as a unique perspective on the mysteries of human life. To attain this level of illumination, you must always be truthful with yourself.

#astroworld #astrology #astrotips #aries sign #taurus #gemini #cancer sign #leo #virgo zodiac #libra #scorpio #sagittarius #capricorn #aquarius #pisces

[swtorpadawan]

Clothes Make The Jedi

Author’s Notes: The following story takes place in between the Coruscant and Ord Mantell campaigns during the Jedi Knight’s story.

Corellan Halcyon had rarely concerned himself much with his aesthetic appearance.  

He’d been raised a Jedi, so he supposed that was to be expected. He understood full well that the clothes he wore, robes or otherwise, were merely a tool, and not a reflection of his own progress as a Jedi. But that did explain why he felt rather self-conscious as he regarded himself in the full-length mirror in his quarters on his ship.

The body armor and robes he had just picked up while docked at Carrick Station were exactly his size; he knew that. Darthyn, the wizened tradesman who shown the set to Corellan, had told him that the armor and robes were known as the Resolute Guardian; a white ceramic breastplate stood out on his chest while smaller plates adorned his shoulders, arms and legs. The robes – clearly marking him as a Jedi – were secured by the utility belt at his waist. The belt and his heavy bracers included every device he was likely to need in the field. He knew the plates wouldn’t stop a direct hit from a high-voltage blaster, much less a lightsaber, but their defense would be adequate against most glancing blows. His boots would absorb the impact of a fall and provide sufficient protection on hostile ground. His two lightsabers were clipped to his belt.

The Defender was docked at Carrick Station, effectively the heart of the Republic’s fleet. Corellan, who had achieved the rank of Jedi Knight just over a week ago, had been ordered by Satele Shan, Grandmaster of the Jedi Order, and General Var Suthra of the Galactic Republic military, to prevent Darth Angral, Lord of the Sith, from seizing control of the Republic’s superweapon projects. He was accompanied on his mission by Padawan Kira Carsen, who Master Satele had named his apprentice on Coruscant, and by T7-O1, his devoted astromech droid he’d first teamed with on Tython.

They had stopped at Carrick to refuel, and Corellan had taken the opportunity to obtain the Jedi body armor he now wore from the dispensary at the station. The robes he had been wearing had been adequate enough back on Tython, but after his experiences fighting Vokk on the Emperor’s Glory and later Tarnis on Coruscant, Corellan felt he required more substantial protection if he was going to be regularly testing himself against the Sith.  

Teeseven was down in the engine room, tuning up the ship, while Kira was still on Carrick. The padawan had asked to replace her own robes at one of the shops, and he’d seen no reason not to grant her permission. Master Satele had charged him with training and protecting Kira, but that didn’t mean he’d attempt to restrict her on such a minor thing as apparel.

He was still a little nervous about the challenge of training a Padawan, even one as talented and driven as Kira Carsen. After all, he’d been a Padawan himself just days ago. But he couldn’t deny that he and Kira worked well together, and there was every reason to think they could accomplish great things as part of an actual team. As soon as she got back, they would jump to Ord Mantell try to upend Darth Angral’s plans to destroy the Galactic Republic.

He had briefly tested the body suit back on the station and had been convinced that the armor wouldn’t slow him down significantly. The feeling of the material against his skin – and the added weight – still felt unfamiliar, but he trusted that he would adapt in time. Indeed, he seemed to be growing more accustomed to it by the second. Where a moment before he felt some minor discomfort seeing himself in the mirror, he had to admit that he felt more confident than ever in his place as a Jedi Knight. The moment of reflection had served him well. Corellan found himself smiling at his own reflection, now filled him with a renewed sense of confidence in himself and his mission; that he was ready to take on all the Sith had to throw at him.  

The moment ended when he heard the airlock door slide shut and light footfalls coming up the steps from the airlock egress. The Jedi Knight turned away from the mirror and ducked out of his quarters as Kira reached the top of the stairwell.

“Well? How do I look?” the Padawan grinned as she caught sight of him, dropping the two parcel bags she’d been carrying and planting her hands on her hips.

Corellan’s jaw dropped.

Kira’s outfit included a utility belt and bracers, but that effectively covered any similarities to the armor Corellan was wearing. The green top featured a V-neck, baring Kira’s throat and no small amount of skin. Her midriff, almost from just beneath her bosom to her belt, was bare. The top did not reach her arms, and she wore gloves, bracers, and binding straps ideal for concealing an extra weapon. Her trousers appeared serviceable but seemed to provide no discernable protection.

“Kinda ambitious, don’t cha think?” she turned around in place before looking back at him.

“Uhm.” was all Corellan could manage. He was dumbstruck.

Kira smirked slightly at his reaction, taking a step forward and arching an eyebrow at him.

“You did say I could pick out my own robes.”

“Well, yes.” Corellan said. “But I’d imagined you’d pick out something more… like robes.”

Kira put her hands back on her hips, this time giving him a questioning look.

“What? You must have seen Jedi on Tython wearing something like this.”  

Corellan collected himself, taking in a long breath. This was not a conversation he’d been expecting to have.

“I have.” He admitted. Corellan had indeed seen variations of this garment on a couple of Jedi back on the homeworld, though if he recalled, both had been worn in the field and not while walking the halls of the temple.

“But I’m... uhm. I’m not sure Master Kiwiiks would approve of her padawan wearing it.” He finally said. Bela Kiwiiks, like Satele Shan and Corellan’s own former master, Orgus Din, was a member of the Jedi Council, and therefore one of the wisest and most respected members of the order. She had also been, up until just recently, Kira’s master. Corellan was very mindful that his status of Kira’s master was likely to be a temporary one.

“Master Kiwiiks isn’t here.” She looked up at him with a challenging look. “You are.”

Corellan paused at that, reflecting that Kira had a point. Using Master Kiwiiks as a justification for a decision did seem unreasonable. His deliberations, he remembered from his training, should be based around evidence and reason.

“Wouldn’t something like this offer better protection?” Corellan opened his arms wide to indicate the Jedi body armor he was wearing.

Kira looked down at the armor and frowned, not in anger but in annoyance.

“Full body armor would slow me down.” She answered him with a huff. Clearly, she felt this reality was unfair. “Look – you’re big and strong and… tough. I’ve seen you shrug off hits that would take a lot of people out. Me? I’ve got to rely on my agility and speed. Even the most lightweight bodysuits would do me more harm than good. I need to be able to move and dodge. Be honest, do you really think Master Satele’s outfit would protect better against a lightsaber than what I’m wearing?” she gestured downward.

Corellan chewed that over, trying to maintain eye contact and not following Kira’s downward motion. He knew that Satele Shan – a double-lightsaber duelist like Kira – hadn’t worn battle armor herself during the war, and it was true that she dispensed with robes herself, wearing a vest with trousers. Kira seemed quite correct.

Then again, the Grandmaster of the Jedi Order’s outfit did not expose her midriff either.  

“… Probably not.” He admitted. “But won’t this distract people?”

Kira folded her arms in front of her and looked at him crossly.

“Who, the Sith?” she snorted. “We should be so lucky. If a Sith gets distracted by what I’m wearing, we’d make short work of them.” she raised a withering eyebrow at him. “Unless you’re saying me wearing this would be a distraction for you?”

Corellan suddenly felt alarm in his mind, as his wrists started sweating. Was it the suggestion that he found Kira’s garment distracting? Or the suggestion that such a distraction would be cause for objecting to what she was wearing? Best not think about that.

“Absolutely not!” He stammered, feeling his face flush in embarrassment.

Kira seemed to be eyeing him, her body language relaxing as she took on an amused look in her eyes.

“Well then?”

Corellan’s training had taken over. Orgus Din had been as pragmatic a Jedi as had ever sat on the Council, and his mind was now going down a mental checklist.  

“What about… hostile planets? Ones with colder climates? Won’t this be… uncomfortable for you?”

“No problem.” She grinned, picking up one her deposited parcels and opening it up to show him. “Thermal wear. Full body. I’m not getting frostbite no matter where we have to go.”

Corellan regarded the equipment and was impressed. His own masters had encouraged their students to think ahead, and he should probably be doing the same.

“Okay.” He nodded appreciatively. “I mean, you’ve obviously thought this through. I can’t deny that. But just tell me, why this set specifically?”

“Because this feels comfortable for me.” Kira said earnestly. “And… honestly? Because I can. Don’t get me wrong. Master Kiwiiks has been great to me. She got me out of a bad situation on Nar Shaddaa and took me into the Order. But I always hated those robes she had me wear. For one thing, they made coming out of Force leaps super awkward. For another, they are not at all flattering. This just… feels like me.”

As if to make a point, Kira locked her fingers together then stretched with her arms in the air. Corellan’s eyes widened as they were inevitably drawn downward. The young Jedi Knight suddenly had a feeling of butterflies going through his stomach, feeling himself blink and swallow as he turned away.

His own reaction confused him; was he coming down with something?  

Kira glanced at him sideways with a glint in her eye, again observing his reaction as her lips turned upwards into a smirk. He didn’t quite understand what had amused her. Maybe his confusion was that evident?

“So we’re good?” she asked.

“Yeah… we’re good.” Corellan relented, exhaling. It occurred to him that as her Jedi master, he should be impressed that she’d been able to explain her reasoning in such a rational manner. “Maybe I should have picked up a set like that.” He gave a shrug with as much faux nonchalance as he could muster.

Kira snickered.

“I think this outfit would look totally different on you.” She sighed, her eyes giving him a once-over. “Not that it isn’t a tempting thought. Sometimes, the galaxy just isn’t fair.”

Corellan had no idea how to answer this observation, so he clammed up. Kira rolled her eyes at his lack of reaction, and he decided that maybe it was better that he didn’t know.

Satisfied, Kira walked up to him, reaching out and padding his arm.

“Hey – don’t worry. I’m not gonna pull any fast ones on you when we’re, you know, out there. For as long as this… arrangement lasts, I’ll follow your lead in the field. You know what you’re doing, whether you give yourself credit for that or not. You proved that to me on Coruscant.” She shuffled her feet a bit, looking down. “It’s just… this one thing was kind of important to me, you know?”  

Corellan nodded appreciatively at her words. He’d been praised already by Master Satele and several other distinguished luminaries already, but somehow, hearing Kira say it after they’d fought side by side meant more.

“I believe that, Kira. And thanks.”

“Anytime. And by the way.” Kira smiled and reached out her hand again, this time gently rapping her knuckles on the breastplates of his body armor. They made a slight plunking sound at the light impact.

“Looks good on you.” She looked up and him and grinned, her deep blue eyes almost sparkling in amusement.

Corellan felt the butterflies in his stomach start to swarm again. And why did his ears feel like they were burning?

“Uhm. Thanks.” Was all he managed to say, suddenly lost in her eyes.

Kira caught his look, her grin widening. then turned away and retrieved her parcels.

“I’ll put these away, and then we’ll head to Ord Mantell?” she asked.

Corellan felt his mouth go dry, but then nodded vigorously.

“Right.”

“Great.” Kira smiled. “See you in two.”

As she headed off for her quarters, Corellan turned slowly and started walking towards the cockpit.

He reminded himself that the body armor he was wearing was merely a tool, and not a reflection of his own progress as a Jedi.

Still, he felt like he had taken a tiny step forward towards whatever destiny the Force had in store for him.

He hoped that he would meet that destiny well with more confidence than this conversation with Kira had.

Author’s Notes: Much has been said of how appropriate certain armor sets are for certain companions in the game. Specifically female companions. This is valid. I see a lot of people running around with Vette or Elara Dorne in slave girl outfits, and it makes my eyes roll. Having said that, I think Kira is absolutely the type of woman who would be comfortable in a crop top, for practical reasons. In case it wasn’t clear, the armor set that Kira is wearing is known as the Ambitious Warrior set, which DOES look totally different on male characters than female characters.

I wanted to show something from earlier in Corellan and Kira’s ‘association’. I know there is an issue of women – particularly young women in school – facing unfair restrictions on their wardrobes due solely to how males around them might react. Corellan – very early in his story – isn’t quite immune to that with respect to Kira, but even now he would never penalize her for making her own choices. He gets that this ‘problem’ is about himself and not Kira or her attire. That, as I see it, is the important part. That we recognize our faults as our own and not those of others.

Kira obviously has a certain influence on Corellan at this point, and she’s probably picking up on that. She’s a good person, however, so she won’t be taking advantage of that fact.

Also, I wanted to show Kira trying to be flirty and it just totally goes over Corellan’s head.  

Oh and by the way – Yes, butterflies exist in the Star Wars universe. Thank you, Wookiepedia.

#swtor #swtor fanfiction #swtor fanfic #swtor writing #fanfic #fanfiction #jedi knight #hero of tython #oc: corellan halcyon #kira carsen

[cassianus]

When you pray for any soul, begin by uniting yourself wholly to My perfect will for that soul and by entering into all the designs of My Heart on that soul. Desire only what I desire. Will what I will. Let your prayer be a way of harnessing yourself to Me so that we might work together for souls and for My Father’s glory. This is what I meant when I called My dear friends to take My yoke upon them. I wanted them to learn to labour with Me.

By the prayer of adoration for My priests, you are working with Me for them. You are working with Me to lift them when they fall, to bind up their wounds, to deliver them from bondage to evil, to open them to My gifts, and to obtain for them a greater openness to the sanctifying action of the Holy Spirit.

Your union with Me in prayer lessens the resistance of many priests to entering resolutely upon the path of holiness that I am opening before them. When you represent My priests before My Eucharistic Face, you are obtaining graces for them, but also the grace to accept those graces that I long to bestow upon them. So much of what I long to give to My priests is refused because they are unable to move beyond their fears and their self-absorption.

I would work marvels in every place on earth through the ministry of My priests if they would accept the graces that I hold in reserve for them. I would first purify and sanctify them, and then, by means of their sacred ministry, purify and sanctify a great multitude of souls, so as to make of them an offering of praise and thanksgiving to the glory of My Father.

Why do My priests refuse the gifts that I would lavish upon them? Many are self-sufficient, relying on their natural abilities and talents, and thinking that these natural gifts are sufficient for the success of their ministry. But their idea of success is not Mine. And the means that they would take are not Mine. And I have no need of their natural abilities and talents. I can do more with one poor priest who, like the Curé of Ars, is humble and utterly united to Me by ceaseless prayer, than I can with a priest who astounds the world with his knowledge and presents himself brilliantly in the sight of men.

When I find a priest who is open to My gifts, I lavish these gifts upon him. Nothing is lacking to the priest who comes before Me in his poverty, and even in his sins, provided that he give Me his poverty and entrust Me with his sins, and expose all his weaknesses to the transforming light of My Eucharistic Face.

This is what I ask you to do, not only for yourself, but for all My priests. I am about to renew My priesthood in the whole Church. I will purify the sons of Levi in fulfilment of the ancient prophecy, not those of a physical priestly lineage, but those who have taken the place of the former priesthood, and who are one with Me in the everlasting priesthood of the Order of Melchisedek. I will change the face of the priesthood to make it resplendent with the light reflected from My Eucharistic Face.

In Sinu Jesu

[eagles-translated]

Q&A answers from creator and producer Stefan H. Lindén!

Here are the answered questions that all you guys sent in to Stefan. I’d like to thank all of you who sent in questions, and I’d also like to thank Stefan for being the one who offered to do a Q&A and taking the time to answer all the fans’ questions. This post got really long (almost 5000 words including your questions haha) so I put a keep reading line on this. Anyway, Stefan’s answers were super interesting to read, so enjoy! 🥅🏒

Thanks for your question. My idea has always been that Ludde was blown away by Felicia and that he really likes her but that they both initially interacted and met to go swimming because Felicia knew it would piss her dad off and Ludde knew that it might throw Elias off, since they were competing for the same position in the team. However after that, they really fell for each other. So he is very interested in her and so is she – however as of now in Season 2, Felicia’s behavior has thrown Ludde off since Felicia is still very angry with him due to Halloween and the reveal at Christmas.

Without telling to much on what’s ahead, the build up of Elias and Amies potential relationship from season 1 does matter and will play a role down the line of the series. But with that said Eagles has always, in my vision for the series been a 4-5 season concept. I did answer the question regarding Amie and Elias below in a longer format – it contains a little more info on the matter.

Will try to avoid potential spoilers but I can confirm that from the beginning of development of the series and the first version of the storyline a triangle drama was at some point intended for season 1 but later removed  – however when creating the characters, Ludvigs skill in music and arts was always there from the beginning so by knowing that, we always knew that interactions would appear between them. When looking back at Season 1, in the first scene by the lockers when Amie tells Felicia who Ludvig is, she does know exactly who he is and she is well aware of that his friend Tobias is a music guy that Amie wants to get to know. Also when looking at it, when I was the same age as Ludvig and Amie I, and I am sure a lot of people can relate to it, fact is that we never really knew if it was love or friendship in the beginning.

Actually my favorite NHL-team is the Boston Bruins and when writing the first version of the pilot episode for the show Boston was my choice of team. Back when I graduated high school my girlfriend, now my wife was an Au-pair outside of Boston so I visited the city for a couple of months. Later when I studied in Los Angeles I had a friend playing hockey in New Hampshire, where me and my wife spend one Christmas and paid regular visits to Boston. So it’s a town that I share a special connection with and that have a hockey team that I really love.

Thanks for your question, hope you watch season 2 soon. In my opinion her storyline is clearer this season than it was in the previous season and since Yandeh Sallah, who plays Amie is such an excellent actress I always wish for more scenes with her but I also do wish for that with all of our main characters – it’s time to fit them all in sometimes because our format is so short.

Bringing Jack in was actually originally not my idea, it came from my writer colleagues after that they revised my storyline notes for Season 2, while I was still down in Oskarshamn shooting Season 1. 

We had always intended for a character to come in and raise the stakes but I never imagined it to be Jack. When we started to develop the character, we all started liking him so he was kept in the story. Like with any new character we never really know who they are and what point of them for coming in is, so to not spoil anything I will let your question be unanswered, sorry. 

But what I can say is that Jack does have a backstory and a character arch that will answer a lot of questions about him and who is, it may not all be explained in Season 2, but hopefully if we get commissioned for a Season 3, you will get to know more about him.

I would say many of the storyline bits are loosely inspired on things/events that were in my surroundings when growing up, mainly I would say that the characters all have bits and pieces from friends or people I knew, but would definitely not say that the main storyline or the characters’ lives are based on my life or me growing up. When we started to work with the series in a writer’s room after having it commissioned and when summarizing the research, the original storyline was revised, updated and changed a lot in terms of drama and conflict. When me, Anton, Michaela, Fanny and season 1 director Amanda all came together we shared a lot of similar stories, experiences and of course some unique stories that were later all kind of built in to our characters and the show’s storyline. Same thing happened when our season 2 director Carl-Petter entered the Writers Room. To summarize I’d say that some things that could definitely be recognized from my teenage years, only that they are a wee bit heightened in order for it to be a good dramaturgy. But it is fun to think that there actually is a combination of people out there, that I knew or know that laid the basic foundation for Ludvig, Felicia, Amie, Elias, Klara, Andreas, Tobbe and the parents. 

I will not spoil anything but let me put it like this and like I said above. Eagles will always have room for more than just one love saga and the things established in season 1 is not something that we will ever just  throw away. However, in the storyline as it evolves some things may take longer than other and some things may happen faster than others. When working with such a short format as 8 or 10x20 minute episodes our job as a creative team has always been having to cut away pieces and push them forward in our story archs – with that said Eagles have according to my vision for the series always been a 4 to 5 season concept. In the Marvel Cinematic Universe it took about 21 films before Cap got Agent Carter – so even if you see things that you unlike that happens now, don’t forget that I and our team always follow our fans’ thoughts and that everything will hopefully make sense in the end. Also saying if everything just happened straight away – it wouldn’t be as exciting to watch. But to give one spoiler, there’s a thought-out path for them down the line, but can’t tell you more than that at the moment.

Thanks for your question and wow, what a tough one to answer. To me it’s a little like answering which one of your children you love the most. I have always been very protective of Ludvig and Felicia and it was quite tough for me to let other creatives come in and have opinions there – but I believe when letting my guard down and having to change a certain way that I had imagined them to be, act and behave, it changed my opinion a lot for the better. 

Having had all these characters in my head for so many years then having actors coming in, claiming them, changing them, making them their own was quite scary for me – however they all kind of blew my mind away which was one of the most amazing feelings I have ever experienced, and that goes for all of them. I feel so fortunate to get to work with such a talented cast and they still blow my mind with their talent every day on set. 

Thanks for your question, have received a few of these questions and answered one with quite a long answer but eventually, yes. It might take a while due to all the things that has happened to the characters with Felicia and Amie and since Elias has developed feelings for Klara – but nothing in Season 1 was for nothing and like said above – there’s a thought-out path for them down the line. 

I have answered the question regarding Amie and Elias and their potential romance and well, we are aware that many of you are rooting for them but we will always try to make choices that effect all of characters in the greater story arch and what in the storylines and the archs that make sense for them for the time being in their lives, in the series. I will not tell what the future plans for the characters are since SVT would probably kill me if I did – but if we get renewed for a season 3 and if we’re lucky enough to get to make a season 4 and that the actors still want to play their characters in the series, our intention will be to have Amie and Elias remain in the show up until the grand finale.

In addition, our plan for all of the characters in the series will always be to have them evolve within themselves and not only in their relationship with or to another character. Love and friendship will be always be the most important themes of Eagles but our goal is to show that no character or person is 1-dimensional being, but rather 3-dimensional and have different sides to their personalities that make them act the way they do.

Thanks for your questions and love that you share potential theories. Unfortunately I cannot reveal what is about to happen and what role they all play or how things evolve – what I can say is that most of your questions and raised concerns will be answered or dealt with in the course of this season and the ones that don’t won’t be forgotten and will eventually come to a resolution or maybe end up in an even bigger conflict. 

The answer to the question in short is, yes, it’s super difficult. 

The reason why it’s difficult is because hockey in real life and hockey in storytelling is a lot different and to me working out the esthetics of the hockey was very important when pitching the show. I come from Oskarshamn myself and have a lot friend who plays or have played ice-hockey growing up – to me the goal was to make them feel like they could recognize themselves in the universe of the hockey and that it would feel real enough – also my goal was that people with a hockey interest would like the hockey action sequences. Meanwhile we also had to make sure that we created a hockey universe on the rink that people who doesn’t like hockey could understand and grasp and that the hockey action sequences would be interesting for someone who doesn’t like hockey as well. So it was quite difficult where to start.

Before even being commissioned I had a long dialogue with one of my good friend and colleague Simon Ekbäck Nordström who is a former hockey player, and had played at junior elite level, who also work as a Technical Director and 1:st AD in the industry, to have him on the show and to build this universe together with him if the show would go into production. When we did and when season 1 director Amanda came in our biggest task was to find a cinematographer who could film on ice. When meeting with Gabriel Mkrttchian who I had worked with before he introduced a camera rig set up called a DJI Ronin that would be able to make us follow players on the ice as Gabriel would be able to skate with them. We tested it, and we loved it! That and an combined research where I and writer Anton met with players between the ages of 15-35, really gave us an understanding of what things in the culture of ice hockey that people had in common and what was more local to Oskarshamn. In the process we even met with former NHL-players, only to understand how Mats would feel having ended a successful career and how it was to leave the sport behind him to move back to Sweden.

After that followed a long work of preparing how to film the scenes in the shortest amount of time and make them as visually astonishing as possible. Simon and Gabriel worked long hours to do maps of plays that the players would do and how we would capture it, also with the account that we had to have images shot when the actors are seen combined with scenes that are done by bodydoubles – believe me it was a puzzle, but a fun one to lay out. When going into season 2 our goal was to take what we had created and expand it, something that both me and Simon feel that we did, especially with the end scene of Episode 5.

This might be a very long answer to your question but yes, its difficult but it’s also extremely fun. Like Simon told me before we shot the hockey scenes for the first season: “Let’s go out and invent the wheel”. In Season 2, we tried to improve that wheel and for a hopeful season 3 we hope to perfect it.

Yes, they do know that, which we tried to portray by having Klara being quite lonely in the start of season 2, she and Amie doesn’t talk, Felicia’s look angry at a nervous Klara when she returns to school – Amie also says after having had food thrown on her by Felicia, and Klara asks if she’s fine: “Are you happy now” as an indicator that this is all Klara’s fault. One might feel that she didn’t get to pay the consequences yet, maybe she will, maybe she won’t – can’t tell what will happen but we as a creative team has always said that Klara wasn’t really the worst person in that specific plot point, Ludvig and Amie, not telling Felicia was a lot worse. With that said Klara could’ve definitely had done it nicer.

Yes, I would say it was. To me it was obvious that having the Kroons separated from each other was inevitable when Elias signed for another team and in order for the story to include all of our main characters and to be able to move forward in our storyline without being stuck in the aftermath of season 1 for to long with so few episodes in a season, we felt that we did needed for some time to pass in order to get story going again.

I think if you went into the writers room of Eagles and asked all of us what really happened in that room we would all have different answers.  I know what happened, but I’m not sure we will ever truly know for sure, unless Ludvig or Amie eventually are open enough to admit to anyone what really happened.

He does and so does Felicia. As we know Felicia doesn’t like Klara, but what we do know is that she hates Ludvig and Amie even more now. Like the old saying goes: Don’t kill the messenger.

Regarding if Klara is going to become a better person. Klara is and has always been thought of to be quite a complex person – when we did our research and met with teenagers during the development of season 1 and when started to develop Klara, me and my colleagues all had known or did know a Klara kind of person. When growing up I knew a lot of people that were kind of like Klara and I didn’t like them but when getting to know them later on in life it always showed out that these people came from carrying quite heavy loads and came from complicated lives – when they grew older some of them changed some of them didn’t. Klara however is a mirror of a person that my goal as creator and that I share with my colleagues, is to be more than what meets the eye. In the end she is, just like everyone around her , trying to find a way to be – she was raised to be a certain way, the way she is and hopefully she will understand that there’s other ways to be, that are nicer and better. But like I said, some learn, some don’t. Some react different to the fear of losing a friend, Klara’s reacted like she did. Some react on being betrayed by throwing food on them – what is right what is wrong is a very individual thing.  The thing is we know why Felicia did embarrass Amie – but we might not know all that we need to know about Klara to fully understand why she is like she is yet.  

Our initial goal was to connect the IG to the show, however a tight budget and regulations from SVT since they’re a public broadcaster has not made it possible for us to do as much as we wanted. Hopefully though as the series evolve, we will be able to connect the two. It would be amazing if that could happen.

Well they all kind of had a great conflict that lead to quite complicated relationships to each other in the end of season 1 and now slowly interactions will start coming to life, some mending will be done and some will wait – but eventually down the line we will have them all together, under whatever circumstances that forces them to be together – but that is a spoiler for a much longer arch.

The answer is there will be scenes with them – they might not be like you all thought they would be – but I can tell you that the story of Amie and Elias in Eagles is far from over.

Well, I have answered most of the questions and there is a plan, maybe sooner, maybe later. Will use a Swedish saying: Den som väntar på något gott, väntar aldrig för länge which means ”The one who waits for something good, does never wait for too long” – I have always rephrased it to say “The one who waits for something good, always wait for too long” and with that said we have not seen the last of Amie and Elias.

Thank you so much for this question. I am very happy you asked about this scene, because to me it’s a very personal scene. In one of the questions above I was asked if there’s anything in the storyline that is inspired by my own time growing up in Oskarshamn and I answered that there are bits and pieces. This is one of those bits and pieces.

To answer your question as clearly as possible before broadening my view on the meaning of the scene I’d like to say that the scene could mean both. To me that’s the beauty of creating stories and having an audience view it - because our intention for a scene does not always have to match the way you as an auditor view or interpret it.

So for the long answer with trivial content for the one who has an extra minute :P.

According to my personal relationship to the scene and what our intention was, I’d say that is connected to her parents' situation. The basic foundation for this scene was actually born outside of the writers room when we had just finished the storyline for Season 2. I was sitting with our Technical Director and 1:st AD, Simon Ekbäck at his home as we started to lay out a possible shooting schedule for the season. Together we imagined the scenes together and tried to envision them in front of our eyes and how they would cut together. I remember shutting my eyes and telling Simon that the episode should end with Leila and Felicia pulling the car aside by the water and that Leila wouldn't be able to hold her tears in anymore - and that Felicia would witness this, try to hold her tears back and then fail at holding it in. The original scene as it had been discussed in the writers room was that they would cry in the car on the driveway, but I felt like they needed to get out of there and that this was a scene needed to take place somewhere else, somewhere more private. When later watching the final scene one could have copied my imagination of how the scene would look and pasted it in - that happens very rarely, that something becomes just like you imagined it. But for this scene it did happen, much thanks to Simon, Kristoffer, Carl-Petter and of course Alva and Charlotta.

My personal attachment to the scene and what it really means doesn’t have directly to do with Felicia being sad over her parents' situation, because it would be too soon for her to truly realize what Leilas decision means. When I was 21, a bit older than Felicia, my parents seperated and I remember talking to my mother alot, watching her crying, having to comfort her and carry her weight and that made me feel very uneasy. When later talking about this with friends and processing it, I was told and have come to the realisation that we as children in the best of worlds should never have to carry the weight of comforting our parents in a divorce - which so many of us are forced to do. This has been a lesson and realization that I’ve taken in as something to carry with me, since I have just become a father myself. 

I mean even if our parents when we’re growing up are looked upon by us, their children as superheroes, they are only human in the end. Growing up makes us realize this and that has always been an important theme of Eagles, to see the true colors of our parents.

Comforting my mother during my parents' separation was tough, because I felt sad as well but had no room to express it - even though that I might have needed it. I was old enough to handle it, but many teenagers are a lot younger than I was, and for many children these situations can be very tough. 

To summarize, the idea of the scene has always been that Felicia is forced to be the comfort to her mother's pain. When her mother shows her vulnerability in front of Felicia Felcia tries to remain strong and hold her tears in - but eventually the situation gets too personal and she can’t, but she tries to hide it from her mom, thus looking the other way, out from the window so that Leila won’t see her crying. 

To me the scene is not meant to be a critique towards parents but rather a depiction of when it happens and is as important for the young and older audience to see and reflect about - because divorces happen all the time, and way to often children are forced to carry their parents when according to me, parents should remain strong and carry the weight for their children instead. 

Long answer to a short question, but yet again thank you for bringing this scene up. I hope you are satisfied with the story of the scene and my view of its meaning.

Thank you so much for all of your questions - hope that my answers will make you happy. Since we’re in the middle of a season it’s hard for me to answer some of them since they would contain spoilers. I also want to thank director Carl-Petter Montell who added a few notes in my answers.

Last but not least I wanna thank Eagles-translated for all the great work that is done in gathering fans for the series - I also wanna thank all of you, fans who follow the series. To me as a creator producer of a series I always say that without you, we as a creative team and we as a series would be nothing. A series without an audience is no series - so thank you again for watching, sharing and caring about our work!

#svt eagles #eagles svt #stefan h lindén #i'd love to do more q&a's since this was really interesting!

[smartzinc]

Critical KPIs for Property Managers to Track

In property management, data offers visibility that drives strategic decisions. By regularly monitoring key performance indicators (KPIs), managers stay on top of portfolio health, resident satisfaction, and operational efficiency. This enables issues to be quickly addressed and successes repeated.

In this article, we’ll explore the most valuable property management KPIs to track along with best practices for measurement.

Financial KPIs

Financial metrics provide core visibility into profitability:

Occupancy rate – The percentage of active leased units. Goal: At least 90-95% occupancy.

Rental income – Total monthly or annual rental revenue. Look at per unit and per property.

Delinquency rate – Percentage of rents over 30 days past due. Goal: Under 5% delinquency.

Rent collection rate – Total rent collected divided by total owed. Target 95% or higher. 

Operating expenses – Regularly review both controllable and fixed expenses.

Net operating income – Total income minus total operating expenses, excluding debt.

Monitoring fundamentals like occupancy, delinquencies, and operating costs is crucial for financial health. Many software systems track and report on these automatically.

Resident KPIs

Metrics related to leasing velocity and retention reveal how appealing your properties remain:

Average time to lease vacant units – Track from vacancy to move-in date. Benchmark to shorten.

Lease renewal rate – Percentage of leases renewed vs. tenants moving out. Goal: At least 60%.

Resident retention rate – Similar to renewal rate but counts month-to-month tenants too. 

Leasing traffic – Number of leasing inquiries, tours, and applications over time.

Online reviews – Monitor review volume and sentiment across various sites.

Optimizing processes to improve leasing and retention KPIs leads to lower vacancy costs.

Maintenance and Turnover KPIs

Maintenance and turnover metrics help refine preventative maintenance programs:

Maintenance requests per unit – High averages may indicate systemic issues.

Maintenance resolution time – Track average time to close requests.

Turnover costs per unit – Measure costs for cleaning, repairs, paint, etc.

Turnover days – Number of days from move-out to re-rental. Look to minimize.

Make-ready checklist completion rate – Percentage of turnover checklists fully completed.

Analyzing maintenance and turnover productivity identifies areas for enhancements. This data can also inform capital planning for upgrades.

Operations KPIs

Operational metrics like productivity help optimize business processes: 

Lease renewals completed per leasing staff – Measure staff efficiency in converting renewals.

Service requests resolved per maintenance staff – Assess productivity in handling volume.

Rental applications processed per leasing staff – Gauge efficiency of applicant processing.

Work orders completed per maintenance staff – Evaluate productivity of the maintenance team.

Rental documents processed per leasing staff – Quantify document throughput.

Establishing benchmarks and goals for your operation’s KPIs focuses teams on continual improvement.

Staffing KPIs

Staffing metrics reveal opportunities to better support your personnel:

Voluntary turnover rate – Percentage of employees voluntarily resigning in a period. High rates demand attention.

Training hours per employee – Track hours invested in developing skills.

Absenteeism rate – Percentage of staff on sick or unplanned leave. 

Overtime rate – Monitor excessive overtime that could signal understaffing or process gaps.

Staff satisfaction surveys – Regularly gather anonymous feedback on job sentiment.

Engaged, talented staff is vital for executing property management successfully. These metrics identify staffing gaps or challenges.

While juggling many responsibilities, managers should prioritize checking key KPIs at least monthly. Software tools can compile automated reports to simplify analysis. Maintaining standards across critical metrics allows spotting of any dips that demand intervention. The numbers don’t lie – tracking key property management KPIs leads to data-driven decisions for operational excellence.

[memorylang]

Language Learning, Mom’s Birthday | #43 | August 2020

Since Mom had held language-learning close-to-heart, I dedicate my August update to a language theme! 

With August 9, 2020, my late mom turned 55. I’ve often felt since 2017 a bittersweet fondness for the summer months between Mother’s Day and her birthday. That year had been my first summer in China getting to know Mom’s family after her death. 

For this August’s story, I’ve reflected a great deal on my experiences with language learning. Of which I’d written before, I’ve basically chosen five languages as the ones I want to be functional using (my native English included). So beyond the usual reflections from this COVID-19 summer in the States, I also take us back through my young life learning.  

And, I’m pleased to announce that I've begun to work on a new writing project! More on that soon. 

From Multilingual Mom to Me 

I start us from spring 2020, around evacuation back to the U.S. from Peace Corps Mongolia. 

By April 10-16, I’d been in my sixth week in Vegas again. Yet, less than a couple months before, I was in Mongolia packing to evacuate. As part of my coping while packing, I’d listened to hours of music. Much included Chinese Disney themes I’d found on Spotify. 

Well, having returned to Vegas, you might recall that the sisters’ songs in “Frozen II” resonated deeply with me. Whether while waking or working the yard, I’d listen to “Frozen II”' tracks in Chinese, sometimes in English. Finding songs in other langauges fit my 2020 exploration resolution. I humorously suspected that my Spotify Wrapped 2020 will surely list the same tracks in different languages... if only Spotify had Mongolian versions. Well, a month later, by week 10 (May 8-14), I’d exchanged the songs’ English versions for Spanish!  

That week also featured May 13, 2020—the third anniversary of Mom’s funeral. This year, something special happened.  

I’d received a fateful book—A Primer of Ecclesiastical Latin. My college pastor had ordered this for me just days after I’d asked him what I should consider studying while discerning during quarantine a doctorate in religious studies. After my pastor noted my interest in world Christianity, especially its past and present in Asia, he highly recommended I study Church Latin. 

My pastor’s suggestion pleased me in a curious way. It reminded me of my Duolingo dabbling back in Mongolia, how at that time I’d favored Latin over Greek. Still, Liturgical Latin, studied seriously, seemed like quite an undertaking. Nonetheless my pastor commended my talents and felt confident I could succeed along paths God may open for me. I felt grateful for the aid! 

Embarking on my quest to learn Latin, I’ve found the language remarkable. 

It’s felt at times the culmination of my years learning languages. In fact, Mom had actually wanted my siblings and me to learn languages since we were little—She’d taught us to read English then tried to have us learn Chinese. Most summers, she’d have us in the mornings copy down Chinese characters before she’d let us play games or do activities that weren’t “educational.” 

While cleaning my family’s garage this COVID-19 this summer, I’d unearthed old notebooks in which my siblings and I would write Mom’s required phrases. I noticed how even back then I’d seem to try harder than most of my siblings, given how many characters I copied. Still, I hadn’t much inclination to know the language words beyond, then, clearing Mom’s barrier to letting me play games. 

Still, even if the notebooks had implied some aptitude I’d had for languages, Mom’s requirements left me if anything more averse to language acquisition than eager. 

Suffering Through Spanish

Many today may feel surprised to know that for years I’d called Spanish my second language. 

Given my childhood disdain for studying languages beyond English, I’d found my task to study Spanish in high school assiduous. I formally began in the language fall 2011 as a freshman. Spanish was our Vegas school’s only foreign language option, and all honors students needed two years of language. Yet again, my language studies drew from a requirement—little more. 

Many of my classmates and I rapidly found our classes exhausting, for our instructor had a thick French accent. Furthermore, verb conjugation, unfamiliar tenses and gendered vocabulary felt alien. I didn’t get why a language would be so complicated. 

Yet, despite my struggles to understand our teacher, she’d commended me because I “made the effort.” Well, I sometimes felt like I’d make the effort to a fault. When peers cheated on exams, my darn integrity had me abstain. 

By my second year, when I was succeeding in college-level AP world history, my fleetingly flawless GPA took from Spanish a beating. That hurt. By my senior year, at least Mom let me take Spanish online instead. I’d learned that I’d known more than I thought, but I still sucked. 

Redemption Through Mandarin

By fall 2015, I’d had graduated high school and enrolled as an honors undergrad facing another foreign language requirement. 

Licking my wounds from Spanish, I ruled out that language. I saw the University offered Chinese, though. Studying world history had interested me in Mom’s cultural background and native tongue. Considered she’d made my siblings stare at the language since childhood, I hoped it wouldn’t be too hard. So, I chose Mandarin Chinese.

And by my first days learning Chinese, I could already feel the benefits of having taken Spanish. 

Chinese felt astoundingly straightforward. Spanish had taught me to recognize that English letters (better known as the Latin alphabet) sound differently in different languages. For example, I felt pleased to notice that the ‘a’ /ah/ letter in Spanish sounds similar to its Chinese pronunciation. Thus, Spanish’s “mamá” and Chinese’s “māmā” relate, despite appearing in separate languages. 

Thanks to my Spanish experience, I picked up Chinese’s general pronunciation system far faster. Furthermore, I felt relieved to find that Chinese grammar lacked the conjugation and gender nightmares I’d faced in Spanish. I’d even loved how Chinese characters’ little images could often help me guess word meanings intuitively! 

My interest and success with the Chinese language led me to study abroad in 2017, planned with my mother before she was killed. I returned to China a year later, in 2018 on an intensive program. Both times, I spoke my mother’s native tongue, meeting relatives and making friends. I even received awards for my skills. 

Yet, despite my progress in Chinese, I’d often considered it only my third language. After all, much of my success in Chinese came having struggled through Spanish.  

  Finding Peace with Spanish

In my college senior year, January 2019, I’d attended a religious pilgrimage in Panamá—a Spanish-speaking nation. 

By that time, I’d grown acquainted with language immersions. In fact, I readily used my Mandarin skills when I met World Youth Day pilgrims from Hong Kong, Malaysia and Taiwan. They often felt shocked to meet someone outside their communities who knew their language! 

Of course, Panamá left me at times surrounded too by folks who only spoke Spanish, including my host family. 

I listened carefully. A luminous spark, I’d felt. Buried memories of my broken Spanish resurfaced. Near my last day in Panamá, I felt awed to have had a conversation with a cab driver completely in Spanish. 

My peace with Spanish became a renewed interest. 

After our pilgrimage, I’d continued with my host family and new Latin American friends to speak and write almost exclusively in Spanish. Online, we benefited over WhatsApp with Google Translate, too. Panamá in 2019 had taken a language that was for me dead and breathed in it new life. 

Peace Corps Language Level-ups

Later that year (last year), I began to learn what would be my fourth language and one entirely unfamiliar—Mongolian.

I should note that before reaching Mongolia June 1, 2019, I couldn’t even read its Cyrillic alphabet. I’d basically started at zero. 

Peace Corps’ language briefings had at least taught me that Mongolian is an Altaic language, distinct from Indo-European language like English and from character-based languages like Mandarin. Over the course of summer in villages of Mongolia, Peace Corps put us through mornings of immersive language training followed by returns home to our host families. 

Still, many Peace Corps Trainees felt unmotivated to learn Mongolian. After all, with statistically few Mongolian speakers worldwide, many felt that we wouldn’t have much utility for Mongolian outside Mongolia. Nevertheless, I felt motivated by desires to understand and feel understood. I powered through. 

Initially, Mongolian baffled me. 

Its Cyrillic alphabet (and its script one, too) includes consonant and vowel sounds unknown to English, Spanish and Chinese. Furthermore, Mongolian uses a case-based grammar of suffixes, a reversed subject-object-verb order and postpositions instead of prepositions. Mongolian even reintroduced me to my nemeses gendered vocabulary and tense-based verb endings!

I felt grateful for the sparse Chinese loanwords I wouldn’t have to relearn! Yet, my kryptonite was often pronunciation. Challenging consonants and tricky long vowels left me so inauthentic. Regardless, I was an ardent study who savored most every chance to receive Mongols’ clarifications and corrections. 

Finding Latin in Asia

Curiously, Catholic Churches became great places for my language learning.

This was the case for me both with learning Chinese in China and Mongolian in Mongolia. Parishioners would often take me under their wings to support me. Curiously in Mongolia, an English-speaking French parishioner pointed out once that Mongolian grammar is quite like Latin. I didn’t know Latin, though. 

I had encountered Latin, though. For, Asian vocabularies for Church topics often derived more directly from Latin than even English translations! These pleased me, since learning the vocabulary to speak about religion felt less foreign. 

Then came the sleepless nights during Mongolia’s COVID-19 preemptive quarantining, January and February. I’d had taken up Duolingo and opted for Greek or Latin in hopes that they’d bore me to sleep. I’d also hoped they might supplement how I teach English and read Scripture. And while Greek felt hopelessly confounding, Latin vocabulary felt surprisingly... natural. Despite my lack of formal training, I did alright just guessing. 

My Roads Led to Latin

From late May through mid-June 2020, I’d read the first four chapters of the Church Latin book. Meanwhile, mid-summer, I felt pleased to reach Duolingo’s Diamond League! Realizing that to become Champion would take far more effort than I cared to give, though I focused just on keeping my streak. 

Still, my Latin especially progress slowed after Dad’s remarriage and my relocation to Reno, Nev. My mostly-free summer rapidly grew hectic. But even in those first four Latin weeks, I’d discovered true gems in pursuing the historic language. 

At face value, Latin’s vocabulary reminded me of Spanish and English. Sometimes, Church words I’d learned first in Mandarin and Mongolian too related! Vocabulary felt profound. 

Furthermore, Latin grammar felt reminiscent of not only Spanish conjugations but indeed Mongolian cases! I felt relieved that Panamá had freed me from my conjugation aversion. Likewise, my Mongolian skills felt far from obsolete! 

To supplement my Latin studies, I try to translate between Chinese and Spanish, the way how in Mongolia I’d translate between Mongolian and Chinese. By juggling languages, I seek to codeswitch in more contexts with a more unified vocabulary. 

Wherever I wind up academically and professionally, I hope to work between languages. Through daily discipline, textbooks, apps, videos, notes and conversations, I trust I’ll go far. Feel free to connect if you want to practice with me! The more corrections, the better. 

From Ecclesiastical to Classical Latin

On August 23 (of my stateside week 25), I’d reunited in Vegas with a high school friend who’d studied classics in undergrad. From that meeting on, I’d not only ramped up my Latin studies but also transitioned from Ecclesiastical Latin to classical. 

For, Church Latin is but an evolving Latin. To understand the orgins of many words—beyond simply their uses within the Roman Catholic Church—I would need the eternal Latin that changes no more. Well, my friend offered to tutor me, so I offered to try! 

Classical Latin is harder, by the way. 

And in the midst of my suffering throughout September, my friend had even offered to tutor me Greek. While mostly joking (but also not), I’ve offered that I might learn Greek from him if for no other reason than to thank him for teaching me Latin! 

Nearly a month since beginning the tutorial system with him, we’ve since cleared over a fourth of a textbook meant sometimes to take a year’s worth of study. I hope by the year’s end to have finished the book. 

At least a third of my waking hours at times seem to go into Latin. But, it’s nice to keep learning! That same week, my siblings had all resumed their undergraduate studies. At least I’m still learning something! 

Embarking on a Book Memoir 

Besides working on my other languages, I’ve even placed time in my English. 

Lastly, I want to share about my writing quest! Although the project isn’t always across the top of my agenda, I keep at it. We return again to mid-summer. 

Peace Corps friends and I have often checked in on each other since evacuation to the States. Some also write. During a webinar for evacuated Returned Peace Corps Volunteers, I’d met many looking to tell their stories.

Most weeks since July, I’d also have a few video calls. I’d take these no matter what I was up to. I’d still been doing that ‘groundskeeping’ in Reno, Nev. of which I’d written before. Whether I was getting the mail, trimming the hedges, pruning the flowers, watering the lawn, raking debris, sweeping the floor, taking out the trash, tugging the garbage bins, adjusting the windows or washing the dishes, I’d often had some task that Dad requested I’d tend to. Calls with friends broke the monotony. 

After encouragement from mentors and friends, I’d decided to write a creative nonfiction book memoir for publication someday! 

The first step, of course, is having a manuscript. So, since week 17 (June 26–July 2), I’d been typing away at the first chapters to what seems will be a story spanning my three years of studies and service overseas after Mother’s death, leading up to my acceptance and peace. I'm excited to tell stories about finding purpose and identity, despite grief and loss. I hope it helps readers to find their own peace amid confusion. All things are so fundamentally interconnected. 

By three weeks in, I’d felt so grateful for the outpouring of support I’d received. Frankly, I wouldn’t be writing so much if people hadn’t been saying this has potential. Thankfully, readers offer marvelous insights. They treat the story as one deserving of quality. I love their attention to details. 

Still, among the most grueling lessons I’ve learned learned has been that a book about grief has needed me to relive the hurt of my mother's death for repeated days. I trust nonetheless that once I’ve written and rewritten well, the remaining may rest behind me. 

If you’re looking to read what’s coming, you’re in the right place. Merely starting on the book has helped me to improve my blog writing. You may have noticed in my recent summer 2019 throwback stories, for example, I’ve used more narrative than before. I hope you’ve enjoyed! 

The language studies and the book continue, though I’ve taken more breaks lately with the book. From mid-August I’d embarked on advocacy projects with the National Peace Corps Association. I’ll share more on that soon. Having doubled-down on my Latin studies from mid-September, it can be a quite a black hole for my time! For everything there is a season (Ecc. 3:1). 

Seeking to Stay Holy

A couple friends admired my dedication and called upon me to help them meet their spiritual goals. What a kind expereince! In helping them keep accountable, they’ve likewise helped me. 

With a homebound Knight of Columbus, we’d continued July’s rosaries throughout August, as many as three times a day leading up to the Catholic Feast of the Assumption. Afterward, we’d reduced our count back to two times daily through early September. I’d never prayed so many rosaries before! 

Through August, I’d also read a chapter of Proverbs daily with a friend. I’d reconnected with her during my outreach for the book. I enjoy our weekly Scripture chats, and she shows more Protestant perspectives on our faith!  

I find God a great companion along the journey of life. Regardless of how you view religious and spiritual topics, I trust that you have companions, too. They’re so important! 

On a positive note, I’d gotten to revisit my undergrad parish. I felt so amazed to hear that students I’d never met thought I was a cool person! I try not to think too highly of myself, but I feel touched when people notice me. I hope I inspire folks. 

Coming up Next

Thanks for reading my meta-stories about languages and stories!  

If you’ve been following my tales for a while now, you may recall I’d mentioned feeling surprised to learn that my mother had been studying Spanish around the same years I’d been studying it. I felt awed to realize that even when I’d tried to learn one of my earliest new languages, Mom was trying to learn what was for her one of a few. I’m glad to have perhaps inherited Mother’s interest in languages. 

Up next, I have a very special piece dated for September 2020 [and ultimately released in October]. I’m focusing on perspectives—mine and others’. I’m particularly excited to share adventures with teams including those within the American Psychological Association and the Honors College at the University of Nevada, Reno. They’ve given me plenty of fun roles amid the pandemic! 

I’m also writing about national and state parks! God, I love nature.

Stay healthy, friend.

COVID-19 and America Months 11 through 15 | April, May, June, July, August

Easter Epilogue in America | #35 | April 2020 

Remembering Mom—Third Year After | #36 | May 2020 

Fathers’ Day, Faith and Familiarity | #38 | June 2020

23rd Birthday~ Roses and Rosaries | #39 | July 2020

Language Learning, Mom’s Birthday | #43 | August 2020

You can read more from me here at DanielLang.me :) 

#memorial #WithMe #StayHome #languages #Nevada #Peace Corps #Mongolia #memoir #story #Catholic #God #memoryLang #Disney #Chinese #Mongolian #fall #Latin #evacuation #Coronavirus #COVID-19

[thesims4blogger]

The Sims 4 on Xbox & PlayStation 4: New Game Patch (February 4th, 2020)

There’s a Sims 4 update available for players on Xbox One and PlayStation 4. 

Update: 02/04/2020 – V1.22

The Sims is another year older and here we are with a big update full of new content and fixes. As if the Gallery in the last update wasn’t big enough on its own. As there is so much to go through, lets dig straight in…

What’s New? The Child Statue makes its grand appearance across consoles

The Music The following music has been added to the alternative station:

“Nicknames” Performed by Dayglow Written by Sloan Struble Copyright Control Recording courtesy of AWAL Digital Ltd.

“4am” Performed by girl in red Written by Marie Ulven Copyright Control Recording courtesy of AWAL Recordings

“prom dress” Performed by mxmtoon Produced by Robin Skinner & mxmtoon Written by Maia M-T Published by Songtrust Music Publishing Recording courtesy of mxmtoon LLC under exclusive license to House Arrest/The Orchard By Arrangement with Bank Robber Music

“Win You Over” Performed by Whethan & Bearson feat. SOAK Written by Ethan Snoreck, Jakob Bjørn Hansen, Birdie Monds-Watson, Anthony Whiting and Emily Phillips Published by Whethan Publishing/These Are Pulse Songs (BMI) c/o Pulse Publishing Administration, Next Wave Music Publishing, Universal – PolyGram Int. Tunes, Inc. on behalf of Universal Music Publishing Ltd., Universal Music Corp. on behalf of itself and PW Arrangements, and Domino Publishing Company USA (ASCAP) Whethan appears courtesy of Atlantic Recording Corp. SOAK appears courtesy of Rough Trade Records Recording courtesy of Ultra Records LLC

General Issues

Fixed an issue where Nice or High Quality harvestables would disappear from Sims’ inventories after Travel or Save/Load.

Fixed an issue where Freelancer Career tasks would not complete after Sims would Travel.

Fixed an issue in which the game would jump to Ultra Speed randomly when some Service NPC, specifically Maids, were on the Lot. Talk about speed cleaning!

Photo frames used within Gallery Uploads would not retain their chosen color once those lots were downloaded from The Gallery. They’ve been properly chastised and will listen to you now.

Freelancer gigs can now complete and/or update accordingly while on Vacation. So if you want to work while you vacay I guess you can now. Sucker.

Fixed an issue where two “Tuck In” interactions were able to be selected when Children slept on any bed.

Sims that were seated at a 6 seat round table can now clean up the dishes.

Child Sims will now be able to enjoy Quick Meals again!

Fixed an issue where Sims didn’t write a genre book when “Write Genre Book” was selected.

Multiple duplicate interactions should no longer appear in pie menus when you have certain objects in your inventory.

The Jet Set Luxury Bath was listed as being Unbreakable when but Sims took that as a challenge and broke it. It has been recalled and fixed so now it truly is unbreakable.

Speaking of Unbreakable, we fixed an issue with Hot Tubs and Stereos where unbreakable upgrades would not work if these objects were in use when upgrading them.

Fixed an issue in which some Sims could stand on, or walk through solid objects.

Adding a Sim to an existing household via the Create a Sim Stories feature will no longer subtract Simoleons from the household.

You can now extinguish a fire, even if the fire is within another object.

Sims can now Scrap the unfinished paintings of visiting Sims

Light intensity will no longer reset when setting Auto Lights options

Fixed an issue which made the item Tiny Globe & Sycee of the Prosperous Moon appear twice in Build Mode

Half Wall Trim can now be applied to half walls on all levels of your lot

Fixed an issue that caused Lots downloaded from The Gallery to be placed backwards and not being able to rotate them to an appropriate view

Households downloaded from The Gallery should now have their starting funds set to the correct amount, and not just the base 20,000 Simoleons

Child Sims will no longer receive Whims related to workouts

Walls no longer disappear when Taking a Photo in a Basement level room that does not have a staircase

Fixed an issue in which Hygiene was not being resolved when Taking a Shower on any Bathtub and Shower Combo

Bookshelves will no longer have the option to purchase University books if you do not own Discover University

Sims will no longer flicker on and off the landing pad, when in the Rocket Ship using the WooHoo or Try for Baby interactions

Sims in the Supreme Villain career working on the mischief interaction task can now use the Slablet to Troll the Forums to complete the task

Small rugs can no longer be placed over the cutouts created by stairs

Caterer Sims will now be able to make a Cake and complete their Party event goals

Some example interactions that were reported: “Play Fetch”, ”Give Potion”, “Blackmail”, “Scan Here”. The LastException related to this issue should also be fixed.

Still not sure a stereo and hot tub are the best combo from a safety perspective

Specifically Baby Bassinets…

This could occur if a large object caught fire. You would have to wait until the fire spread outside the bounds of the large object in order to extinguish it.

Artistic types can be so rude, just leaving their unfinished work for you to clear up

Get Together

Toddlers will now route appropriately when selecting ‘Plan Outfit’ on Closets. Well, as appropriately as those slow little Sims move anyway

Get To Work

Aliens will now display selected options for Eyebrows and Beards accurately in Create A Sim.

Fixed an issue where Scientist Sims would record their findings in Notebooks twice.

Fixed an issue where Scientist Sims would record their findings in Notebooks twice.

We addressed an issue that could prevent Sims from not being able to ring up customers who attempt to purchase from the warming rack.

Some boots, along with the Sims feet, were disappearing when the camera was zoomed all the way out. This should no longer occur.

The “Refer for Surgical Treatment” interaction is now available on surgery tables that have had their color altered with the bb.enablefreebuild cheat.

Oh wait, now I see where they picked up that habit.

City Living

There were a number of confusing situations that arose as a result of Invites your Sims would receive. In some cases these would appear as two invites for the same event, one that was the “hey, I just wanted you to know” invite, and the other would be the real invite.

Sims with the Shrewd reward trait weren’t as shrewd as they thought they were. We have restored their shrewd’ness and they should now actually receive the money they so rightfully shrewded away at the end of each week.

Fixed an issue in which some shirts in Create A Sim would not tuck in appropriately into skinny jeans.

Some Sims just want you to know that their invite was coming by sending a pre-invite I guess.

We blame it on bad investments, the cd market apparently didn’t mean compact discs.

Seasons

Sims can now complete New Year resolutions on any lot, and not just their home lots.

The Lottery Holiday is back in your calendars! It should not be a surprise disappearing act any longer.

Solved an issue with swimwear that made it display incorrectly and no one wants a swimsuit malfunction!

We spoke to the Holiday Gnomes and they have agreed to stop dropping seed packets if your Sims are not on Lot when the Holiday ends.

Fixed an issue where Weather would affect items inside buildings.

Flower Bunny’s contract has been renewed for them to appear on any Holiday or Tradition that they are scheduled to.

Mandrake and Valerian Root plants are now able to be planted indoors when it is Too Cold if Simmers have Realm of Magic installed.

Holiday Gnomes will no longer break Unbreakable objects when having a negative relationship with them.

The pedestal gnome will no longer spawn as part of the Harvestfest gnomes tradition.

They wanted to spread holiday cheer… or they were attempting to bring about the end of Simanity, and usher in a new world order. Tomayto, tomahto.

We don’t know what was done to make them angry, but even as magical as they are, they should not be breaking the Unbreakable.

Get Famous

Married Celebrity Sim Couples will no longer React in Disgust with each other then they enter the same room.

Household members will no longer react to members with Pristine Reputation every time they travel together.

Fixed an issue that caused Recording a Product Review to fail if the Sim had previously interrupted a review by traveling to another Lot.

The Well Suited and G.R.A.N. talent agencies are back in business! Gigs from these agencies will now display appropriately.

Super Speed 3 should now work when Sims sleep in their Sleeping Pods and have a pet.

Actor Sims can now Check Open Auditions properly when returning from Work. Get that bread! Be a starving artist no more!

Sims’ Acting Gigs Career Panel will now get updated properly on performing tasks. Credit for your work? Imagine that!

They are just B-list celebrities though, can you blame them?

Island Living

Fixed an issue where Odd Jobs tasks were not able to be completed.

Fixed an issue where Conch Shells were not able to be put in Sims’ Inventories.

Sims can now see their recorded findings in the Notification Wall when performing “Examine Water Thoughtfully” on the Fishing Board.

Released Fish will actually be released back into the water and not be stored in Sims’ Inventory.

Discover University

Sims will no longer be accused of cheating on their coursework or homework if they don’t actually cheat.

Term Presentations should not have missing interactions any longer

We addressed some feedback that getting A’s was too easy. Please be aware that your Sim will have to complete the coursework in order to consistently get good grades

Students will no longer autonomously taunt each other about University Superiority unless they’re at the Game Day organization event or have one of these traits: Childish, Evil, Hot-Headed, and Bro

Please be aware that a Sim’s hunger, energy, and bladder motives will no longer refill on their own just before class

Fixed an issue in which Enhancing Utility Bots would get cancelled inappropriately

Roommates should no longer Bring Food home every time they return

Sims can now Turn Off Computer Glasses when moving to other neighborhoods

Sims that complete the debate showdown, will once again be able to change into their other outfits

Term Papers will now always count toward the course’s final grades

Fixed an issue where the following Build Mode items were not able to be placed on the LearnWell Desk: Lex Light By Dex Pix, Q-Bik Tabletop Mood Light, and Great Gramps’ Light can now be placed properly

Fixed an issue where “The Secret Society Masks” were not being unlocked in Create A Sim

The shower wall will no longer turn on when a Sim attempts to repair it

Active Sims should no longer get the “Not Enough Exercise” tense buff if they have enrolled in the Soccer Fútbol after school activity, or choose to juggle a soccer fútbol ball

Sims must now meet all of the promotion requirements in order to be promoted in the Education Career

Attempting to interact with a bike rider should no longer cause your Sim to route fail when performing the interaction

The Make Offering to Sprites interaction should no longer be unavailable if you only have harvestables in your inventory

Reaching level 5 of the Law Career now correctly unlocks the lawyer suits for your Sim in Create a Sim

Bots enhanced to level 3 will no longer automatically enhance to level 4 upon activation

Interacting with a Sim riding a bike will no longer cause the Sim, your Sim, the bike, parts of the world, or any other potential object or thing to disappear

Inviting your professor to hangout will now actually have the professor arrive to hangout

Servo can now complete the StrangerVille story

Servo Fun and Social motive descriptions no longer incorrectly refer to Servo as a Sim

Bicycles can now be searched for in Build Mode by using the term “bike”

ExoMech suit can be worn by teen Sims, and are visible too

Sims already wearing a helmet, will no longer change into another helmet to ride a bike

Sims in the same household will now automatically know the others degree program

Sims will no longer receive multiple signing bonuses from degree relevant careers. Only one signing bonus is awarded in any seven day period

Woohoo in Shower will no longer give fame

“Chat About Scandalous Lawsuit” now provides fun

Choosing to cancel the Practice Presentation interaction will now cancel the interaction

Servos can no longer get sick

Servos can no longer purchase the Seldom Sleepy reward trait

Sims on probation can now be asked to study with

Sims should no longer route fail when attempting to take a Pregnancy test in a bathroom stall

Asking the Repo Person to not take your stuff will now provide you a Text Notification as to whether or not you had an impact on the Repo Person’s decision

Sprites no longer appear around the Sim after the buff expires after leaving the Secret Society

Sims will no longer see the option to remove Robo Arm when choosing to remove Computer Glasses

Fixed an issue in which the option to Pay Student Loans was available even though students had enough Simoleons to cover their Tuition

Sims can now be warned about losing scholarships if they choose to withdraw from the term

Some lots were unloadable in Britechester and made the game unresponsive. That should no longer be the case

Although I wouldn’t turn it down if they did

Outdoor Retreat

Sims can now roast at a campfire without needing a seating object nearby

A visual issue was resolved where highlighting the Granite Falls Blossom would result in a strange texture for Simmers who had StrangerVille installed.

Spa Day

Fixed an issue where Sims did not have the option to “Take Bath with Soaks” and “Take Mud Bath” on Showertubs.

Sims can now again get massages autonomously at Spas.

Dine Out

NPC Sims will now eat more at Restaurants.

Photos taken of Experimental Foods will now display correctly when put into frames.

Food was sometimes not able to be ordered or delivered when the game was exited or reloaded from the Main Menu.

Vampires

“Influence Emotions” interaction will no longer be available to Vampires that have not yet unlocked this perk

Jungle Adventure

Several objects were not properly being found when using color filters. These should be filterable now

StrangerVille

StrangerVille music has been added to the Lin-Z Smart Speaker

Realm of Magic

Two ‘Inferniate’ interactions display on some rugs. As much as some hate those rugs’ patterns, only one ‘Inferniate’ is more than enough

Fixed an issue where Occult eyes would not properly apply to Spellcasters

Unplayed NPCs not living in Glimmerbrook will no longer appear in Glimmerbrook performing Magic

“Challenge to Magic Duel at Dueling Grounds” performed by a broom and non-broom using duelist will now take place at the dueling grounds

Spellcasters with the “Knowledge is Magic” Perk will now be able to complete the “Finish Reading 3 Books” aspiration goal

Fixed an issue where some Spellcasters would not complete the “Learn a Spell” goal, even though they would learn a Spell

Spellcasters will now be able to Do Laundry while having “Always Transportalate” enabled

Fixed an issue in which Pet Familiars would not stop foraging, never bringing back their findings.

Sages now can be chosen to Play With for a game of Chess

Random non Spellcaster Sims no longer will show up as being Sages

Fixed an issue in which Cauldron made food was not able to be eaten as leftovers when looking at the refrigerator

Sims on cursed lots will no longer always catch fire in all attempts while using the Fireplace or the Stove

Fixed an issue in which sounds from The Magic Realm could be heard in Del Sol Valley if you had Get Famous installed

Fixed an issue in which some shirts in Create A Sim would not tuck in appropriately

Spellcaster Sims can now clean potty messes, child messes, and kitty litter messes by casting Scruberoo

Spellcasters will no longer have duplicate makeup options in CAS

Spellcasters should no longer land in unroutable locations when using the “Always Use Brooms” spell

Spellcasters that cast Mischief Spells will now get awarded Mischief Skill when doing so

Male spellcasters will no longer have a chance of going bald after performing Rite of Dissolution

yfHair_GP08Braids now properly appears within the Afro-Textured texture filter

Mischief spells are now counted towards the Criminal Career daily task Mischief Interaction

Spellcasters with the Spellcraft and Sorcery aspiration will no longer reset or cause a LastException after writing songs

Perfect Patio

We fixed an issue where hired Maids would often change into Swimwear and use the Hot Tub instead of completing their tasks.

It can be so difficult to find good help these days

Romantic Garden

Sims in the Freelance careers, including freelance photography, will no longer be able to Wish for Promotion using the Wishing Well

Sims in Conservationist, Educator, Actor, Style Influencer, Military, Critic, Social Media, or Politician careers will now be able to Wish for a Promotion using the Wishing Well.

Since they are freelance, they can promote themselves without wishing for it. They just need to update their business card.

Backyard

Fixed an issue in which some shirts in Create A Sim would not tuck in appropriately into skinny jeans

Vintage Glamour

Addressed several issues that caused the Butler to fail to perform their assigned tasks

Fixed an issue that prevented Butlers to help put Toddler Sims to Bed

The Butler should no longer make food for themselves when they are not hungry

Laundry Day

Clothes moved to the clothing line to dry were not getting dry. We’ve reduced the moisture in the air and it should work now

Moschino

Emotional auras in photographs can now be toggled on/off

Fixed an issue where some photos were taken were a bit blurry when placed in frames in Live Mode

Tripods placed on floors other than 1, 2, or 3, should no longer cause the camera to change floors when attempting to take a photo

Ask to Pose interaction should no longer fail if the Sim attempts to run the interaction from the Open Street

yfHair_SP15SlickedBackLong was displaying with a grey line.

“Take Photo Of” was allowed to target unmet NPC Sims. Creepy and awkward for sure. Go meet them first for goodness sake like a normal Sim

Freelance Photographer Sims can now see all proper tasks for gigs ‘Genius Professor Outdoor Wear Study’ and ‘Everyday Activities Fashion Shoot.’

Freelance Fashion Photography Gigs ‘Finding the Essence of Efficiency with Everyday Style’ and ‘Fantastic Formula for Formal Style’ now display the correct information for Pay, Due Date, and/or Required Skill Level.

The Amp Stack now functions as a Stereo, living to its full potential. Rock on!

Burnt photos would not be charred anymore once placed outside Sims’ inventory.

Now, where should I put this super deluxe king-sized bed in this Tiny Living lot I built?

– SimGuruLegacy

#news #ts4 #sims 4 #the sims 4 #xbox one #playstation 4 #console

[satoshi-mochida]

Kadokawa Games has announced Root Film, the next entry in its mystery adventure series for PlayStation 4 and Switch. It will launch this spring in Japan for 6,800 yen.

Here are the details:

■ About Root Film

In Root Film, the voice actor idol unit i☆Ris sings the theme song and play the roles of the main characters, while ladies’ man voice actor Wataru Komada plays the role of the male protagonist. Additionally, the game is produced by Yoshimi Yasuda, who launched the Kadokawa Games mystery adventure series; written and directed by Hifumi Kouno, who has a reputation for working on adventure games; and features character design by Taro Mino, who also worked on the previous game Root Letter. Look forward to a new mystery title set in Shimane told by two protagonists, Rintarou Yagumo and Riho.

■ Story: Murderous Intent Hidden in 29.97 Frames

Spirited young filmmaker Rintarou Yagumo is involved in a new TV project—a mystery drama production set in Shimane that also served as tourism promotion for the prefecture. It has been 10 years since the original pilot was shot, and while the project was discontinued for unknown reasons, plans for a revival seems to be in place. One of the characteristics of this project is that it is a competition between three filmmakers, and each filmmaker shoots using a different actress as the protagonist. Yagumo is excited to learn that the other two filmmakers are famous directors. Before long, Yagumo and the staff members head off to go pre-location scouting, but a murder occurs at their destination…

■ Characters

Rintarou Yagumo (voiced by Wataru Komada)

An up-and-coming young filmmaker.

Rintarou Yagumo is a poor filmmaker with a small, personal office. While he manages to make a living by occasionally making small promotional videos and sham psychic DVDs, he is not satisfied with his current situation and is always trying to improve himself. He recently won awards at the “6-Minute Film Festival,” “Asia Movie Competition,” and so on, and is garnering attention as an up-and-coming filmmaker.

Riho (voiced by Himika Akaneya)

The other protagonist.

The other protagonist, who is cheerful and often laughing. She was scouted in high school and transferred to another high school in Tokyo. She studied acting alongside her school studies and made her debut at 17 years-old. While it was a sober debut due to the fact that she signed with a small office, she is gradually gaining value within the industry for her talent as an actor.

Aine Magari (voiced by Yuu Serizawa)

The caring assistant.

A foul-mouthed assistant who works for Yagumo Pictures. She is extremely skilled in the use of editing software and equipment. While she has a bad attitude and the air of a former delinquent, she is a good girl at heart. She takes notice of the smaller details and often looks after Yagumo.

Hitoha Amakata (voiced by Kubota Miyu)

A small office idol.

An idol signed with a small office. She is one of the three actors chosen as the leads for the Shimane mystery drama project. Yagumo chooses her as a partner and together they travel around Shimane’s various locations.

Kyouichi Kanade (voiced by Azuki Shibuya)

The super beautiful cameraman.

A cameraman who often hangs out with Yagumo. While he may still be learning, he has courage and cameraman will-power, and since cameramen tend to ask for a lot of money, he is a saving grace for the poor Yagumo. He is a quiet and takes pride in his work. He always comes off as somewhat sleepy.

Tomie Ao (voiced by Yuuki Wakai)

Riho’s friend.

Riho’s friend from high shcool and a freshman at Shimane University. She is studying the work of Yakumo Koizumi. She moved to Shimane during high school. She has a deep love for her father, and can sometimes be strongly opinionated. She is cute, but does not have much of a fashion sense.

Ayane Kotoshiro (voiced by Saki Yamakita)

A friendly and strong-willed girl.

A girl from the esteemed Kotoshiro family of Shimane. She is simple-minded and friendly, but can also be strong-willed and selfish. She is dating Kazuya Makida, who works for her, and even thinks she wants to get married.

■ Game System

One of the defining systems of Root Film is “Synesthesia Mode.” During conversation, words that have been singled out as “words that should not be forgotten” in your subconscious will appear on screen. The keywords you acquire can be used as part of your hand in “Max Mode.”

Max Mode is a debate between the protagonist and other characters in the game, which occurs in the resolution chapters you switch over to as you progress through the game. While this mode is carried over from Root Letter, it has the appearance of a fighting game and the system has been completed renewed.

Another characteristic of Root Film is the stylish user interface and text design themed around film work under the supervision of Hifumi Kouno.

■ First-Print Purchase Bonus DVD: “i☆Ris x Root Film Treasured Footage Collection”

First-print copies of Root Film will include a “i☆Ris x Root Film Treasured Footage Collection,” a bonus DVD of the i☆Ris concert at Kadokawa Games Grand Festival 2019 and a behind-the-scenes look at the studio recording of the Root Film theme song.

■ Root Film Theme Song: “Utakata no Hikari”

i☆Ris, who play the roles of the main characters in Root Film, are also the singers of the game’s original theme song. The theme song “Utakata no Hikari,” which was first unveiled at Kadokawa Games Grand Festival 2019, is a mature ballad with an air of suspense. Please look forward to a mature i☆Ris that is not often seen.

■ Root Film Premiere Event

On March 27, 2020, a Root Film Premiere Event will be held in Kaguraza, Tokyo ahead of the game’s spring 2020 release. Consumers who pre-order Root Film will be invited to attend by lottery. Both Yuu Serizawa and Kubota Miyu will appear.

■ Specifications

Title: Root Film

Platforms: PlayStation 4, Switch

Genre: Mystery Adventure

Release Date: Spring 2020 (Japan)

Price: 6,800 yen (physical / digital)

First-Print Bonus: “i☆Ris x Root Film Treasured Footage Collection”

Publisher: Kadokawa Games

Copyright: © 2019 to 2020 Kadokawa Games

Publisher: Kadokawa Games

Links: Official Website

Synopsis: Yagumo and Riho are the two protagonists. As you progress through each of their stories and unravel records of the past, you will witness the truth… Root Film is a mystery title developed with realistic and beautiful backgrounds from data that was carefully gathered of Shimane Prefecture, which is where the story is set. Enjoy the deep story written by Hifumi Kouno, which leads to a catharsis of the dark side of the Internet, madness, and art that are prevalent today.

Watch the announcement trailer below. View the first screenshots at the gallery.

#Root Film #Root Letter #visual novel #Kadokawa Games #PS4 #Nintendo Switch #Gematsu #long post

[tabletopmayhem]

New Year

“What is it like?” the youngest asks him, still speaking English out of sheer stubbornness.

It is his favorite quality of hers, her refusal to bend or change makes him think she will survive when others fall to the passing of time and centuries. They say that trees that will not bend do not survive storms- but she is not a tree, she is stone.  Adversity will whittle her, but it will only make her more herself.  

Time will be her sculptor.

“What is what like?” he asks the youngest, still mortal, still green.

“To be so subject to the demands of others who you had not even met a month ago,” she replies, flattening one calloused hand on the cold dark window of the car, her eyes gazing out onto the flashing road.  “Again, they come and say it's time to go somewhere else, and you just go.  You just pick up our life and go again.  You let them drag you around like you're on a le-”

“I don't suggest you finish that thought,” he tells her, keeping any hint of a bite from his voice.  She is blunt, especially in English, and he cannot fault her for it.  Others might, but not him.  “You will understand in time.  We go where we are needed.  Right now you are youngest, but one day you will be eldest to the next squire, and people will need you for your particular talents.  And you will go where those talents are needed most.”

“At least California was warm.”

He laughs, tapping a ring on the steering wheel.  The other vehicle before theirs changes lanes, and so he follows, fighting back the urge to go faster.  Kulveer is slow, and methodical.  There is a place for that, a place for everyone.  Each knight brings something of themselves to the whole.

“You are always free to leave, Yara, though it would break my heart,” he says, ignoring the part of himself that denies that he would let her go. It does not matter, because she never would.  She does not change her mind.

“I will not leave unless it is with you, but there is no reason I should have to be happy about it,” she says, and then mutters something under her breath in Portuguese.  Something rude.

“Spanish, please.”

“I don't speak it.”

“Then what have you been doing with yourself for the last six months?” he asks her, raising an eyebrow as she crossed her arms under her chest.

“Rafael was training me in swords, not Spanish.  And etiquette.  The obsession with cutlery is very European, Angel.”

“Yes,” he sighed, slowing as the other vehicle's tail-lights flashed, Kulveer slowing again to let someone else cut in.  Yes, they had very different ideas of what manners should entail.  He would have sped up, so as to inconvenience less people.  Sir Kulveer, in contrast, being the sort of man who would get the door for you when you were thirty feet away. “Rituals become important as you age, they ground you.  They keep you safe.  Good habits will ensure a long life.”

“Life?”

“Oh now, this is no time for pedantry, Yara.  No, no.  Those who lose their sense of self are the most dangerous of Kindred.  To lose who you are, your humanity...that is the true death.  The death of self.”

“Which makes cutlery important,” she says with that particular mix of deadpan humor and archness that he finds so endearing.

“It does!” he laughs.  “It does indeed.  And all the small quirks that make you...you.  Hobbies, those things that you love, and those you hate. Style, flair, skills, talents.  All of the fragments of yourself that will become magnified and...focused, I suppose is a word.  Over time. They are important, because they hold your sense of self.”

“That sounds like caricatures, not people.”

“It can be both.”

Her faint 'hmm' sounds dubious enough that he is forced to hide a smile.  He watches her sidelong, her eyes calculating and focused inwards.   Thinking. Always thinking, his Yara, which was why he had chosen her.  She was a great deal like him.  Passionate, a creature of action who would goad when good Spina would hold back out of the demands of their cursed blood.

In some ways he pities his knightly brethren of the Spina bloodline.  So hampered by their manners that at times they were driven to inaction.  Yes, that was why they had to leave Portland for Seattle.  A stalemate was in need of breaking.

He would help with that.

“Tell me what you think of them.  Think of what we have just spoken of, and how it applies to our new brethren that you have met.  What is their purpose?  What is their usefulness on the battlefield of politics and society?”

“A test?”

“Everything is a test, Yara.  Especially coming from me.”

“Don't you ever get tired of spending all of your time testing everyone and everything around you?” she asks exasperatedly.  “It's exhausting!”

“How else can you stay in control?  How else can you know when it is time to leap and if those around you will catch you?”

Her small noise of frustration escapes through her nose, and he lets her fall into silence.  It is peaceful on the road, a surprisingly short trek between the two cities.  Seattle is not terribly large, but it seems to be growing, and he had heard they receive a great deal of rain. It would be useful to live somewhere with a lot of rain.  

The minutes tick by with the sound of the windshield wipers and the buzz and thrum of the vehicle and road to fill the ears with a strange mechanical music. Cars are terribly convenient things.  He had never enjoyed horseback riding in the slightest, and this was far more expedient.  It had become so easy to go back home to find his new squires.

Perhaps when Yara was ready to be embraced he would even go on an aeroplane.

This time, though, he would make sure they spoke Spanish.

“Sir Kulveer is very kind.  I think it is an affectation.”

“If an emotion is acted out, even if it is not felt, does that mean it is ingenuine?” he replies, eyes focused on the road.  “The effect is the same.”

“I suppose not. Rafael and I spoke of love often,” Yara says, “and all the facets of it.  All the ways it can exist as a physical thing, even if the emotion is lacking.”

“Is that still what you fear most of all?  Losing love?”

“Not any more. You make me feel loved, and what is more real than that?  You make a choice, and you live your life consistent with it.”

“Just as Kulveer chooses to be kind.”

“I think it makes him a good person to keep things pleasant.  He seems to compensate for the people around him, keeps things on an even keel.”

“He is a peacemaker,”  Angel agrees, pleased with her assessment.  He expected it to be much more biting and uncomplimentary.  “But peace cannot always be the answer.”

“Why not?  Isn't that the goal?  Peace and safety?”

“Sometimes peace is simply placation.  It does not solve problems, it simply delays them.  Things can grow worse when delayed, and  those who sit in the center and refuse to let things resolve because there is no peaceful resolution will be the first to fall.”

“Peace can be inaction, which you are here to counteract.”

“Yes.  Peace can be inaction,” he agrees, smiling to himself at her slow and thoughtful nod.

“Sir Connor spends too much time trying to be charming.”

He laughs at that, sudden and surprised, glancing sidelong at her.  She isn't smiling, but the small helpless shrug of her shoulders speaks volumes.  Of course this would be her reaction.

“You find him unpleasant.”

“He talks too much,” she says, and over his renewed laughter, “it's true! It's offputting.  It makes him feel a little...”

“Desperate, perhaps?”

“Yes, but also no.  I don't know why I feel that way.  It feels disrespectful to think that of a knight.”

“Because, Yara, you have uncovered things you aren't supposed to know, so you have no context,” he tells her, pleased.  “Sir Connor is new to Seattle. He is young, and has been rejected by the Order before.  He is damaged.  What feels desperate to you is simply the nature of a Spina demanding he not be rejected again, especially not with the scars he now bears.  In time, some of it will heal.”

“You shouldn't tell me those things,” she says, glancing sidelong at him.  “Rafael always says you tell me too much.”

“You will know eventually.  I trust you not to overstep your place even with more knowledge than a mortal should have,” he dismisses, scoffing to himself.  “Rafael needs to learn to lead before he criticizes me.”

“Hm.  Yes, I suppose that is it.  He spreads himself too thin, which I think is also what you just said,” she remarks, waiting for his confirming nod before returning it.  “He is trying to make himself useful to not be rejected.  I saw how you and Rafael reacted when Kulveer spoke of his split loyalties.”

“I wouldn't say split, that implies that the things he are loyal to are at odds,” he corrects her easily, “which they are not.  If they were, his blood would will out.  I think he is good for the Order in Seattle, even if they do not feel that way.”

“Why?”

“Keeps them from becoming too closed-off, insular.  A finger on the pulse of more than just their territory.  Seattle is a strange place, split but whole at the same time.  Sir Connor is adapting to his new environment so it does not reject him.  Sir Finn and Sir Connor both have that deep fear of rejection, but where Sir Finn loses his sense of self, Sir Connor retains his.”

“What is the difference between them?”

“Sir Finn tries to change himself to be what other people want, and in the end cannot.  He rejects himself.  That conflict leaves a lasting wound on the soul that cannot heal as long as long as he refuses to see himself for who he is,”  he says, watching her expression as she stares through the windshield, face thoughtfully blank.  “Sir Connor fears the rejection of others, but he knows who he is and accepts himself.  When he changes to match his environment, it is not out of self-hatred, but out of self-preservation.  Adaption, not rejection, do you understand?”

“I thought that vampires could not adapt.”

“It will become more difficult as he ages,” he allows, turning his own attention back to the road, though it's hardly necessary.  “But for now he is part of what they need.  As am I.”

“I want to help, but I know I'm not ready,” she says, frustration in her voice as she leans back in her seat with a creak of leather and a scowl.  “I hate it.”

“I know,” he says with a fond smile, shaking his head, “don't worry.  There will be a part even for you to play.  But, in the meantime, keep learning things you aren't supposed to know, Yara.  Learn how all the pieces move, so that when you are put on the board, you know what moves to make before the game even starts.”

“Are you playing chess now?” she asks, with a sardonic smile of her own.

“It's an easy metaphor.”

“It's a lazy metaphor,” she contradicts, refusing to smile at his laughter. “Chess and cutlery.  Ah, Angel, next you will try to make me learn to play the piano and curtsy.”

“I have heard they take the old-fashioned dress code very seriously.  You may have to wear a dress.  With the hoops and things, who even knows.  All of those frilly underskirts.”

“Dresses,” Yara replies flatly, rolling her eyes and looking out the window, spreading her hand on the glass again.  “Well, as long as you have to wear one too, I suppose I can.”

“I've done worse things for far worse women,” he says cheerfully, and finally makes her smile again.

A comfortable silence falls between them for a time, as they grow closer to their new post.  He did regret having to move her in the midst of her training, but it was fading.  This will be good for her.  Rafael is a good teacher, but not a good example, and Yara needs a better one to learn from. She is too strong to not have a better environment to learn in.  And Rafael?  

Rafael needs a chance to grow and fail so he can become the leader that he must be.

“Año nuevo, vida nueva,” Yara murmurs as they pass a sign welcoming them to Redmond, smile softening at the corners.

“New year, new life,” he agrees with her, glancing sidelong, “I knew you had picked up some Spanish.”

“I've no idea what you're talking about, Angel.”

He just laughs.

No, Yara has no need to change, just to become more fully herself.  Unlike others, she fears no rejection, not even from him.  Some are rocks, and some are water, some make peace, and some make war; but they are all knights.  Protectors.

She will make a fine one.

#vampire the requiem #WoD #world of darkness #Sir Angel #Yara